EZ-DIZ v2.0 Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 By Rick Kuban INTRODUCTION: ------------- EZ-DIZ is a utility program written to automate a PCBoard 4.5+ sysop's maintainance of directory file lists using the FILE_ID.DIZ and DESC.SDI files found in many ZIP/ARC/ARJ/PAK/LZH archives. It provides similar functions as the PCBDESC utility, but also functions from the command line, unlike PCBDESC, and *DOES NOT* require the sysop to perform "Local Uploads". It may be used as a replacement for PCBDESC.EXE in PCBTEST.BAT, manually to process one file at a time, or, by clever use of a batch file (as intended), can be used to automatically process an entire directory at one time. It contains the intelligence required to not re-process a file that has already been placed in the dir listing, but it can be forced to write the description again, if desired. It is suitable to run in an event. EZ-DIZ automatically recognizes ZIP/PAK/ARC/LZH and ARJ formats, and, if the appropriate decompressor is available, will process the file. If a file in the directory is not an archive, it will simply be skipped. STANDARD "DEMO" LICENSE: ------------------------ EZ-DIZ is a Shareware program, and uploading of the code to various bulletin boards and Shareware libraries is encouraged. Several limitations must be implied, however: 1) Under no circumstances should the code be modified or dis- tributed in any other form than what it was originally supplied by the author. The exception is that EZ-DIZ may be compressed using techniques other than ZIP, but the de-compressed form of EZ-DIZ must remain intact. No files may be added to or removed from the archive contents. This explicitly includes bbs ads of any kind. Files included in the original archive are: EZ-DIZ.EXE - the executable program file EZ-DIZ.DOC - this documentation file README.1ST - a quick start for old & new users EZDIZ.BAT - sample batch file (single) B-DIZ.BAT - sample batch file (batch) PCBTEST.BAT - sample batch file for upload mode EZ-DIZ.REG - registration form FILE_ID.DIZ - description file WHATS.NEW - list of new features in version 2.0 2) EZ-DIZ may not be redistributed in any manner other than electronic file transfer unless cleared with the author beforehand. Registered versions of EZ-DIZ shall not be redistributed at all. No money may be received for EZ-DIZ except to cover for telecom- munications/service charges, and in such a case the cost may not exceed $5.00 in US funds. 3) EZ-DIZ may be run for a period of time adequate to allow for full testing of the software. If, after running the code for one month, you decide not to purchase the registration license, you must forfeit this license and remove EZ-DIZ from operation on your system(s). You may keep a copy online for distribution purposes only. 4) EZ-DIZ may not be hacked, disassembled, reverse engineered, or modified in ANY manner. REGISTRATION LICENSE: --------------------- 1) Once purchasing the registration license, the license is extended for life. All future releases of EZ-DIZ will be made available, upon request, for no additional charge (postage and handling excepted, if requested on diskette). Registered users in the continental US may call Technoid's Toybox BBS and use the online EZ-DIZ Registration Upgrade Door to get their serialized copy of the latest version of EZ-DIZ. Upon each issuance of a later revision, registrations will not be accepted for older versions (ie... in case of a registration fee increase, the newer version must be registered). 2) The registration license is non-refundable and non-transfer- able. The registration license permits the licensee to operate EZ-DIZ on one (1) system only. The definition of "system" will be construed to include a multiple node network at the same physical location, operating under the same bbs name. 3) Product support and distribution for EZ-DIZ will be provided to registered users thru Technoid's Toybox BBS, (214) 226-6017. The user should call Technoid's Toybox, after giving the mail time to arrive, and read the message directed to them for instructions on how to download their registered copy, which will remove the "UNREGISTERED COPY" notices from the program. 4) The registration fee for EZ-DIZ v2.0 is $10.00 in US funds. Texas residents must add 8-1/4% sales tax ($10.83 total). If desired, the user can include an additional $5.00 US with the registration fee to cover postage and handling and their copy of the registered version of the latest EZ-DIZ will be returned via U.S. Mail on 5.25" 360k IBM Format disk. DISCLAIMER: ----------- Although the program has been tested, and is currently in use on the authors bbs, the author assumes no responsibility nor liability for any data loss, incurred costs, equipment or other damage as a result of the use of EZ-DIZ. The user assumes all risk for damages incurred from the use of this product. In any case, the limit for damages will not exceed the amount paid for registration of EZ-DIZ. EZ-DIZ has been tested on PCBoard v14.5a & 15.0, multi-node, running on a LANtastic v4.0 network under MS DOS v5.0. The versions of various decompression programs used in testing are: PKUNZIP v2.04g / PKUNPAK v3.61 / LHA v2.12 / PAK v2.10 / ARJ v2.10 OPERATING EZ-DIZ: ----------------- EZ-DIZ is very simple to operate. No setup or configurations are required. It is suggested that a batch file be used to call EZ-DIZ in order to eliminate keystrokes. Study the enclosed examples for reference. EZ-DIZ should be placed in any convenient directory, and must have available to it either directly, or in the path, of the appropriate versions of PKUNZIP/PKUNPAK/PAK/LHA/ARJ in order to be able to retrieve the FILE_ID.DIZ or DESC.SDI file from the archives. EZ-DIZ may be called from any directory, as long as it is on the path. * Note that this is different from previous versions, which required a registration keyfile. * EZ-DIZ relies on three command line arguments passed to it upon invocation. The first argument is the fully qualified path and filename of the PCBoard directory file to be updated (Example: C:\PCB\GEN\UPDIR). The second argument is the name of the archived file to be processed (Example: D:\UPLOADS\EZ-DIZ.ZIP). An example of such a command line might be: C:\PCB> EZ-DIZ C:\pcb\gen\updir d:\uploads\ez-diz.zip Use of a batch file with replaceable parameters would look like this: EZDIZ.BAT REM - Process one zip file echo off ez-diz c:\pcb\gen\updir d:\uploads\%1 The above would be called as: C:\UPLOADS> DIZ ez-diz.zip The third parameter is a single letter (F/f/U/u) to enable the Forced Write or UPLOAD options described later. B-DIZ BATCH FILE: ----------------- When calling up EZ-DIZ, you may want to automatically process the entire directory without intervention. Consider the following batch file example: B-DIZ.BAT REM - Process all files in d:\uploads for %%x in (d:\uploads\*.*) do ez-diz c:\pcb\gen\updir %%x The above command line will process every archive file in the specified uploads directory, placing any FILE_ID.DIZ or DESC.SDI descriptions found into the directory file UPDIR in the C:\PCB\GEN subdirectory. This process runs very quickly. By calling one or more batch files with different archive format specifications (ie... d:\uploads\*.arj would process all ARJ), one can exercise great power over which files are supported or processed. OPTIONS: -------- EZ-DIZ now has 2 optional modes of operation: 1. Forced Write Mode - If the command line switch F is given, EZ-DIZ will write any found FILE_ID.DIZ or DESC.SDI description to the target directory file regardless of whether or not the description already exists. This mode is useful to replace any old user entered descriptions that are inadequate with a better description that exists in the file itself. 2. UPLOAD Mode - If the command line switch U is given, EZ-DIZ will work as a replacement for PCBDESC.EXE in the PCBTEST.BAT file, giving more flexability in retrieving imbedded file descriptions from all uploaded archive formats, instead of being limited to just ZIP formats as is with PCBDESC.EXE. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: ----------------- PAK; NoGate Consulting LHA; Haruyasu Yoshizaki ARJ; Robert K. Jung PKUNZIP, PKUNPAK; PKWare, Inc. PCBoard, PCBDesc, PCBFiler; Clark Development Co., Inc ------------------------------------------------------------------------------