DISK-EASE v0.8.1 Copyright 1995, 1996 by Kim Forwood - All Rights Reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS: ------------------ Introduction...............Introduction by the author Menu Options...............Overview of menu options Hot Keys...................Overview of hot keys Notes......................General notes on Disk-Ease Data Format................Format of the database file Updates and Fixes..........Updates and fixes since previous versions Contacting the Author......Registration, suggestions, and problem reports INTRODUCTION: ------------- Welcome to Disk-Ease! This program is designed to help you keep track of the contents of your floppy disks. It works by keeping a database of the contents of your floppies, which you can use to quickly view or search through your stored files without the need to actually insert any disks into your floppy drive. Disk-Ease not only records information about ordinary files on each disk, but also records information about files compressed with PKZIP. You can easily view listings of these archived files from within Disk-Ease, as well as perform other functions on them such as searching and printing. Disk-Ease also records information about the disks themselves, including the amount of free space remaining and the disk volume label. You can perform searches on this information as well, which makes it very easy to find disks with a particular volume label, or to find a disk with enough space to store additional files. The documentation for this program is fairly basic, but I feel confident that this program is fairly intuitive and simple enough to use that you should have no problem at all in using it. If you wish to contact me with your questions, comments, or problems, I would be more than happy to hear from you, and will respond immediately. Kim Forwood MENU OPTIONS: ------------- File Menu - (Alt-F) Open File - (Alt-O) This option allows you to select a database file to work with. Selecting it will bring up a dialog box with a list of all files in the program directory which have a DAT file name extension. If the selected file is not the proper format, an error message will be displayed. If another database file is already open when you select this option, it will be closed before a new one is opened. The currently opened database file (if any) is shown on the status bar at the bottom of the screen. View File - (Alt-V) This option allows you to view the current database file. If you select this option and a database file is not already open, you will be prompted for one. Exit - (Alt-X) This option closes any currently opened database file and exits the program. Log Menu - (Alt-L) Log Disk - (Alt-D) This option allows you to add floppy disk information to your database files. When you select it you will be prompted for the letter of the floppy drive to use (A or B only), and if a database file isn't already open you will next be prompted to select one. After this you may start cataloging as many floppy disks as you wish. Disk-Ease will prompt you when it has finished reading each disk, and will instruct you to mark the outside of the disks with a specific catalog code (this code is for referencing the disk, and should not be substituted with another code or marking, otherwise Disk-Ease will not work properly). When you have done cataloging disks, you may hit the escape key to quit. Search - This option brings up a submenu with the following options: File Name - This allows you to search for a files in the database (wildcards are supported). A dialog box will show the search process and will provide information on each file as it is checked. When a match is found the the search will temporarily stop to allow you to see the found file information until you hit a key to continue, or hit the escape key to abort the search. You can search just normal files or all files including PKZIP archives, depending on whether or not you have Disk-Ease configured to show ZIP file data (see Zip Data below). Volume ID - This allows you to search the database by disk volume label (wildcards are supported). All disks matching the search criteria will be listed in a traversible window, and you can then view the contents of the listed disks selectively. Free Space - This allows you to search for disks with a specified amount of free disk space. All disks matching the search criteria will be listed in a traversible window, and you can then view the contents of the listed disks selectively. Update Log - (Alt-U) This option allows you to update your database when the contents of floppy disks have changed. When you select it you will be prompted for the letter of the floppy drive to use (A or B only), and then prompted to insert the disk for updating. Disk-Ease will then reread the disk contents and update the database file for that disk. If the disk has not been previously cataloged, Disk-Ease will notify you. Print Log - (Alt-P) This option allows you to print out the contents of a database file to a formatted text file in order to make it easy for you to create lists of files you have stored away. You can create short lists or full lists, depending on whether or not you have Disk-Ease configured to show ZIP file data (see Zip Data below). Configuration Menu - (Alt-C) Sort Disks - This option allows you to select the sort method for disks when both viewing and printing a database file. Selecting this option brings up a submenu which allows you to toggle one of three choices (By Disk Number, By Volume ID, By Free Space). Sort Files - This option allows you to select the sort method for normal files when both viewing and printing a database file. Selecting this option brings up a submenu which allows you to toggle one of four choices (By Name, By Date, By Time, By Size). Sort Zips This option allows you to select the sort method for files archived within ZIP files, and takes effect when both viewing and printing a database file. Selecting this option brings up a submenu which allows you to toggle one of four choices (By Name, By Date, By Time, By Size). Reverse Sort - This option allows you to toggle reverse sorting, which will affect all other sort methods (see above). Sound - This option allows you to toggle the sound on or off. Zip Data - This option affects both file name searches and printing of database files. By toggling it off you can restrict Disk-Ease from searching or printing files archived within ZIP files. Colors - This option brings up a color configuration menu which allows you to set almost all the colors in the program interface. Use the tab or enter key to switch between the selection list and the color chart. When you exit your new color configuration will be saved to disk in the file DISKEASE.CFG, which will be located in the same directory that Disk-Ease resides in. Colors for some items will not take effect until the next time Disk-Ease is run. HOTKEYS: -------- ALT-C - Open the Configuration menu. ALT-D - Log a disk to the current database file. ALT-F - Open the File menu. ALT-L - Open the Log menu. ALT-O - Open a new or existing database file. ALT-P - Print the current database file to disk. ALT-U - Update the current database file. ALT-V - View the current database file. ALT-X - Exit the program. TECHNICAL NOTES: ---------------- - The data files must reside in the same directory as the executable program. They can be a user specified name, but must have the DAT extension. - The program will place an identification file on each catalogued disk. This file is named DISKLOG.ID, and will be both hidden and read-only. This file will only use 9 bytes of disk space. - The "Search Log" option will also search within ZIP files. - The "Print Log" option will optionally include files archived within ZIP archives. - The Search functions fully support wildcards similar to DOS but slightly better. - Sorting can be specified separately for disks, files, and archives. - Reverse sorting is global, meaning that if you select reverse sorting, all disks, files, and archives will be reverse sorted. - Maximum number of disks = 8000 - Maximum number of files per disk = 4096 - Maximum number of archives per file = 1024 DATA FORMAT: ------------ [ Available in registered versions only ] UPDATES AND FIXES: ------------------ DISK-EASE v0.1.1 (released as CATADISK v0.1.1) Feb. 11, 1996 : Fixed problem with log update procedure, where the program couldn't rename the temporary update file and would abort. Fixed a problem where the update procedure wasn't updating the remaining free disk space. DISK-EASE v0.1.2 (not released) Feb. 16, 1996 : Added routines to log and view archives within ZIP files. DISK-EASE v0.2.0 Mar. 4, 1996 : Added ability to print log to text file. DISK-EASE v0.2.1 (not released) Mar. 5, 1996 : Added checking to make sure the program isn't run from a floppy drive. Fixed problem with detecting write-protected disks. DISK-EASE v0.2.2 (not released) Mar. 30, 1996 : Added improved wildcard search routine to allow more extensive use of wildcards in database searches. DISK-EASE v0.3.0 (not released) Apr. 1, 1996 : Made slight changes to the order of the disk information in the information window. Added ability to select file sort method by file name, date/time, or size. DISK-EASE v0.4.0 (not released) Apr. 7, 1996 : Added improved menus with hotkeys. Added information window for when viewing contents of a ZIP archive. DISK-EASE v0.4.1 (not released) Apr. 8, 1996 : Fixed problem in search routine where program was giving a "file not found" message when search was immediately aborted. Modified the search output routine to show more file information, including the parent file of any archived file matching the search string. DISK-EASE v0.4.2 (not released) Apr. 10, 1996 : Added ability to toggle the sound on or off. DISK-EASE v0.5.0 (not released) Apr. 12, 1996 : Added ability to search for disks with a specified amount of free space. Changed the file name input window for the print function so it displays a default file name. Added ability to toggle whether ZIP file contents are included in text printout. DISK-EASE v0.6.0 (not released) Apr. 17, 1996 : Added ability to select database file to work with through a file list box. Added ability to select whether to include the contents of ZIP files in printouts and file searches. DISK-EASE v0.6.1 (not released) Apr. 19, 1996 : Reduced some of the memory requirements. Apr. 21, 1996 : Added automatic sorting to the print function. Improved the speed of the print function, with less disk reads. Apr. 23, 1996 : Fixed a bug in the directory change procedure. DISK-EASE v0.6.2 (not released) May 2, 1996 : Implemented sorting functions in the print option. DISK-EASE v0.6.3 (not released) May 6, 1996 : Added ability to search database for free disk space equal to or greater than a given amount. Added ability to search database for volume labels matching a given string. DISK-EASE v0.6.4 (not released) May 13, 1996 : Fixed a bug in the update routine. DISK-EASE v0.7.0 (not released) May 22, 1996 : Added ability to select disk sort method by catalog number, volume label, or free space remaining. DISK-EASE v0.7.1 (not released) May 27, 1996 : Fixed a bug with the database file selection routine, where ThunderByte's ANTI-VIR.DAT files were being listed. Fixed a bug with the database file selection routine, where selecting the default "*.DAT" in the input window caused the program to crash. Fixed problem with the update function, which was causing the program to leave the user in the program's working directory at termination. DISK-EASE v0.7.2 (not released) June 1, 1996 : Fixed problem with printout routine, which was putting the output text file in the program's working directory even when run from another directory. The program now puts the printout in the same directory that the user executes the program from. DISK-EASE v0.7.3 (not released) June 4, 1996 : Improved the file name selection routine in detecting invalid input. DISK-EASE v0.7.4 (release version) June 13, 1996 : Fixed a bug in the file selection routine where the file listings were not properly resetting after tabbing to and from the input window. DISK-EASE v0.7.5 (not released) Sep. 7, 1996 : Fixed the menu hotkeys that weren't enabled. Added a menu option to select the log file, and got rid of annoying prompt for file every time the user made a menu selection. Added signature identification to DAT files, in order to resolve problems with DAT files from other programs. Added ability to print log to text file with disks sorted by catalog number, volume label, or space free. DISK-EASE v0.7.6 (limited release) Sep. 12, 1996 : Added ability to select Zip file sorting method. Added menu option to toggle reverse sort order. Fixed a bug introduced in an earlier version which was causing only the first subdirectory on a floppy disk to be logged. Fixed a bug with the hilight bar in the file listing window which was not returning to the proper row after pressing to view a file's contents. DISK-EASE v0.7.7 (release version) Sep. 21, 1996 : Added automatic sorting to volume and disk-free search results (forward or reverse). Added ability to selectively view contents of disks listed in search results window. Re-enabled ability to include or exclude searching the contents of ZIP files when doing a file name search (this option had been accidentally disabled in the last released version). Fixed bug that was causing updated data files to be renamed to DISKEASE.DAT, no matter what they were named before the update. Fixed a bug introduced in v0.7.6 that was causing the program to crash when trying to create new database files. Sep. 25, 1996 : Fixed a bug that caused the program to crash when viewing a blank file window (when no files are on the disk) and the user presses the Enter key. Fixed a problem that was allowing the disk logging routine to continue even when no floppy drive letter was provided when prompted for one, and the user just hit . Sep. 29, 1996 : Added updating of floppy disk volume label when updating disks. DISK-EASE v0.7.8 (release version) Oct. 3, 1996 : Added improved key movements to all viewing windows. Oct. 22, 1996 : Fixed a minor bug with the string input routines. DISK-EASE v0.7.9 (not released) Dec. 15, 1996 : Fixed a bug that was causing a runtime error #6 (invalid file handle) when trying to catalog disks. DISK-EASE v0.8.0 (release version) Dec. 16, 1996 : Added full color configuration options. DISK-EASE v0.8.1 (release version) Dec. 16, 1996 : Fixed a bug that was causing the program to attempt to write the configuration file to the current directory, rather than the program directory. REGISTRATION: ------------- If you like this program and continue to use it after a 30 day trial period, I encourage you to spend the $20 for registration. By doing so, you will receive the latest registered version, as well as free updates for one full year. You will also be helping me to earn an honest living, which in turn will benefit you and the rest of society by removing one more person from the welfare lines. CONTACTING THE AUTHOR: ---------------------- Registration, comments, suggestions, and problem reports should be sent to the author at: postal mail: Kim Forwood 906 Greenwood St., Campbell River, B.C. Canada V9W-3C3 email: kim.forwood@access.cn.camriv.bc.ca or: kforwood@goodship.cn.camriv.bc.ca Latest versions of Disk-Ease are always available first at: http://goodship.cn.camriv.bc.ca/~kforwood/