DirX-Directory of eXecutables, Version 1.06 14 Aug 1991 Files compressed with AXE, DIET, EXEPACK, ICE, LEXEM, LZEXE, PKLITE, SCRNCH, SHRINK & TINYPROG are displayed in the left window. Uncompressed COM/EXE files are displayed in the right window. Compress and uncompress individual and groups of files from within the program. Navigate between drives/directories by pointing and shooting. New: All dates now display as appropriate based on country-dependent info (e.g. dd-mm-yy for Europe). Contents: ========= Purpose Displayed data Syntax Switches Configuration Commands Pull-down menus Closing remarks Purpose: ======== To provide a simple means of easily showing which files have and have not been compressed with an executable file compressor. It allows for easy compression and uncompression of individual and groups of files by user-selectable compression/uncompression programs. DirX is a free program. Displayed data: =============== When the program is started, two windows pop up displaying any compressed files and/or directories on the left and any non-compressed files on the right. The window on the left is slightly wider to allow an abbreviated three-character identifier to precede each filename - currently "axe", "die", "epk", "ice", "lex", "lze", "pkl", "scr", "shr" or "tny" for files compressed with AXE, DIET, EXEPACK, ICE, LEXEM, LZEXE, PKLITE, SCRNCH, SHRINK or TINYPROG, respectively. In addition to the file name, and type in the compressed window, the default display also shows the file size, date and time for each file. Using the "Toggle" command, the current window can be set to show any special characteristics ("Special"), file attributes ("Attr"), the probable correct extension for the file name if it has been misnamed ("Mis") and which version of the compressor was used in the case of DIET, LZEXE, PKLITE and TINYPROG files. Please note that as DIET, at least up until version 1.10, does not explicitly store the version number, any version number greater than 1.00 can only be interpreted in the "greater than or equal to" sense. Thus a reading of "1.01" means that a version of DIET equal to 1.01, or higher, was used to compress a file. Files compressed with PKLITE Professional's extra-compression option have an 'e' appended to the version number. Special characteristics displayed using the Toggle command are as follows: For the Compressed window, "dat" for "data" files (non-executables) compressed with DIET. For the Uncompressed window, "ovl" for possible executables containing overlays, "win" for Windows/OS2 executables and "lhi" for LoadHi executables. The program attempts to sense the type of display used and adjust color appropriately. However, if the user has a color graphics card, but no color monitor, the display may be improved by using the DOS command "MODE BW80". Conversely, if you do have a color monitor, but the program displays in "black and white", try using "MODE CO80". Alternatively, two switches are available from the command line to force black-and-white and color modes. See "Switches" below. EGA/43- and VGA/50-line modes are supported. At program startup, an attempt is made to detect the actual number of lines on the screen, up to a maximum of 50, and to adjust the display accordingly. Syntax: ======= Usage: DIRX [switches] [d:][path][filespec] [switches] In the above syntax, if no argument follows the program name, the current default directory is searched, which is equivalent to "DIRX *.*". If no file extension is specified, all extensions are searched. Switches: ========= -a: display Alternate info for both windows on startup. Simpler than selecting each window in turn from within the program and using the Toggle command twice. -b: force Black-and-white mode. Provided as an alternative to using DOS's "MODE BW80" command. -c: force Color mode. Provided as an alternatative to using DOS's "MODE CO80" command. Either '/' or '-' may be used to specify switches. Entering an invalid switch causes the program display a brief help screen then exit. Examples: DIRX /h DIRX -? Configuration: ============== The user may create or edit a file named DIRX.CFG using an editor or word processor which can save pure ASCII text files. DIRX.CFG should reside on the PATH, or in the current directory, when DirX is run. In searching your path for DIRX.CFG, only the first 127 characters of the PATH statement are significant. For "extended" paths (PATH statements longer than 127 characters), please make sure that the path containing DIRX.CFG is completely specified before the 127-character limit has been reached. The contents of DIRX.CFG allow the user to specify which program will be invoked for compressing uncompressed files and which program(s) to use for uncompressing the related types of compressed files (axe, die, epk, ice, lex, lze, pkl, scr, shr, tny). Although the syntax of DIRX.CFG allows for uncompression programs for any of the supported formats, the related uncompressing program for a particular type may not exist at the present time. The syntax for specifying the *single* compression program is: /C="prognam {filespec | options}" Where: "prognam" is the name of the program to execute "filespec" are format specifiers passed to "prognam" as filenames "options" are usually switches passed to "prognam" "filespec" may be created by a concatenation of the "%f" and "%e" format specifiers. If "filename.ext" is a target file, then %f represents the "filename" portion of the complete filename, and %e represents the ".ext" part. If no format specifiers are detected, then the current target filename is simply appended to the end of the "prognam ... " string. This is for compatibility with DIRX.CFG files created for use with versions of DirX prior to 1.05. Specific examples follow: /C="PKLITE %f%e" /C="AXE %f%e -n" /C="EXEPACK %f%e %f.EPK" /C="DIET" <- older syntax, but still works If DIRX.CFG contains more than one line with the correct syntax for specifying the compression program, the last one encountered before end of file will be used. The default command for specifying the method of compression may be temporarily overridden from within the program. More about this later in the "Commands" section. The syntax for specifying the uncompression program(s) is: /U="prognam {filespec | options}" Where is "axe", "die", "epk", "ice", "lex", "lze", "pkl", "scr", "shr" or "tny" for files compressed with AXE, DIET, EXEPACK, ICE, LEXEM, LZEXE, PKLITE, SCRNCH, SHRINK or TINYPROG, respectively. "prognam", "filespec" and "options" have the same meanings as discussed above for specifying the compress command. Specific examples follow: /Upkl="PKLITE %f%e -x" /Udie="DIET -ra %f%e" /Uepk="UPACKEXE %f%e" If DIRX.CFG contains more than one line with the correct syntax for specifying the uncompression program for the related type of compressed file, the last one encountered before end of file will be used. In the above syntax for DIRX.CFG, neither leading and trailing spaces, nor any other extraneous characters are allowed. Lines with invalid syntax, including invalid format specifiers, are simply ignored. This may actually be used to advantage, as shown in the *sample* DIRX.CFG file, where the single quote character is used to "comment-out" some of the non-applicable lines, but where the user may want to retain these lines to save retyping should he/she want to later change which is the default compression program, for example. The sample DIRX.CFG file is included in the distribution archive, which the user may edit to "customize" DirX's behavior. Commands: ========= The current or active window is the one with the solid frame. Within the active window, , , , , and may be used to navigate. The and right/left arrow keys will toggle the active window between the left and right panels. If any directories are displayed in the left (Compressed) window, moving the file selection bar (highlight) over that directory and pressing will change the directory being viewed. The file lists will be updated automatically. Two shortcut keys are available for navigating directories while in the Compressed window: "Ctrl \" changes the current directory to the root directory - similar to "CD \" at the DOS level. "Ctrl " changes the current directory to the parent directory - similar to "CD .." from DOS. To change the current default drive from within the program, use either "Alt " or "Alt ". A window indicating valid drives will pop up, allowing the user to select another drive by moving the highlight with the left and right arrow keys, then pressing to select the new drive. As an alternative, you may also type the letter of the drive. Press to leave the default drive unchanged. The drive changing feature is only valid when using versions of DOS numbered 3.0 or higher. Pressing or the letter 'H' will display a brief help screen summarizing commonly used commands. Press any key to close the help window. Pressing or the letter 'D' will turn Directories-only mode on. To turn Directories-only mode off, press or 'D' a second time. (This feature was added by user request to speed up navigation on a relatively slow machine.) Pressing or the letter 'T' will toggle the active window's display to show additional information on the files being displayed, as previously described in the "Displayed data" section above. Pressing or the letter 'M' when no files have been selected will cause the Move command to act on the currently highlighted file. If any files have been selected, the Move command acts on the selected files. If the Move command is given while in the "Compressed" window, the DOS command " " is executed for each selected file, where is the name of the uncompression program and is the name of the file to uncompress. If the Move command is given while in the "Uncompressed" window, the DOS command " " is executed for each selected file, where is the name of the compression program and is the name of the file to compress. Pressing "Alt " or "Alt M" from either the Compressed or Uncompressed window will open an input window which will allow the user to temporarily "Alter", or override, the method of compression currently defined in DIRX.CFG, on the fly, from within DirX. For compressing/uncompressing to work, the commands and/or should either be available in a directory included in the PATH environment variable, or in the current directory. Tip: Either of these "programs" may be batch files. Files may be selected, or tagged, either individually or by wildcard selection. The key may be used as a toggle to select and unselect individual files. Pressing on an unselected file selects it. Pressing on a selected file unselects it. To select a group of files using DOS-type wildcards, press the plus ('+') key. This opens up an input window into which a file specification may be entered. To unselect a group of files, press the minus ('-'). This opens up an input window similar to the one for selection. The suggested keys are the gray plus and minus keys found near the numeric keypad of many keyboards. Pressing or the letter 'S' will open an input window for the user to enter a file specification to search for within the current window. If wildcards are used, and the Search command is repeatedly invoked without changing the search specification, the program will cycle through all matching file names. Pressing or the letter 'P' or '/' will invoke the pull-down menu system. Pressing , or the letter 'Q' will exit the program. Pull-down menus: ================ The pull-down menu system duplicates in functionality many of the commands already described in the Commands section. The purpose of this menu system is to de-emphasize the use of function keys and cryptic Alt- and Ctrl-key sequences when adding new commands in the future. The Move command, invoked by function key, is replaced by two separate commands in the pull-down menu system. These are the "Compress" and "Uncompress" commands, listed under the "File" submenu. For the Uncompress command to work, the Compressed window must be the current one. This command is equivalent to using the Move command while in the Compressed window. The Compress command, depending on which window is active, can act on files in *either* the Compressed or Uncompressed windows. The purpose of allowing the user to *attempt to* compress already compressed files (something that is available from the command line anyway) is to facilitate experimentation on the effects of compression by a variety of methods - compressing files already compressed with EXEPACK, for example. Closing remarks: ================ If you find this program useful, E-mail sent to me at my CompuServe ID, or a postcard or letter mailed to my P.O. Box, communicating this to me will always be appreciated. While comments and suggestions on my freeware are welcome and encouraged, my personal preference is for small, simple utilities. As I take user feedback collectively as a pool from which to draw for ideas, please do not be offended if I don't incorporate your particular suggestion(s), as yours may possibly be one of many I receive, and my programs cannot be all things to all people. In any case, please bear in mind that I'm currently employed full-time in a salaried, non-programming position, and that I'm only one person "supporting" my free utilities on my spare time. I will personally upload new public releases of DirX first to CompuServe's IBM Sys/Utilities Forum (GO IBMSYS), where the files are posted in Library 0 (New Uploads) for a period of 30 days before they are moved into Library 6 (File Utilities). Only *after* the distribution archives have been made available for public downloading on IBMSYS might I then personally upload copies of these files to other forums, networks or BBS's, if at all. Downloaders are welcome to distribute copies of the distribution archives to other networks and BBS's. My upload policy is subject to change in the future. I may be reached at the addresses below: By conventional mail: --------------------- Raymond T. Kaya P. O. Box 1436 Honolulu, HI 96806 By electronic mail: ------------------- CompuServe: 71230,2500