******************************************* FSEARCH 1.0 a PCBoard file list searching utility (c) 1992 by Timothy C. Barmann ******************************************* USAGE ----- C:>FSEARCH file1 [file2 ... file_n] /word1 [/word2 ... /word8] [-A] [-S] DESCRIPTION ----------- FSEARCH has a very specific purpose. It searches file lists found on bulletin boards running PCBoard software, for a particular word or words. The program works similarly to the (z)ippy search function on PCBoard BBS's, except that it's used offline. FSEARCH was written to help bulletin board callers to find files they are interested in downloading before calling the BBS. FSEARCH will scan through any part of the file list text, including filenames, sizes, dates and up to 8 lines of the extended description of each file. FSEARCH will run on any IBM compatible computer and should be able to read file lists found on BBS's using PCBoard 14.x software. Note: It's recommended that you load ANSI.SYS on your computer before running FSEARCH. See below for more information. WHAT'S A FILE LIST? ------------------- A file list is a text file that describes a particular bulletin board's files available for downloading. PCBoard file lists are formatted in a unique way and contain a file's name, size, date it was created, and description. The file list itself often is posted on the bulletin board and can be downloaded. If you cannot find such a file on the PCBoard bulletin board you call, ask your sysop how you might be able to get it. (If you are still unsure what a file list looks like, see SAMPLE.LST included with this package.) FSEARCH will ignore any lines that don't conform to the PCBoard file list format. HOW TO USE FSEARCH ------------------ C:>FSEARCH file1 [file2 ... file_n] /word1 [/word2 ... /word8] [-A] [-S] Where: file1.ext is the name of the file you want to search. At least one filename is required. Wildcards and full pathnames are valid. file2.ext The second file you want to search. Enter as many filenames as you wish. /word1 The forward slash followed by the word you want to find. If searching for a phrase, it must be surrounded by quotation marks. Ex: "/find this phrase". At least one word or phrase to search for is required. The search is NOT case sensitive. /word2 Finds word1 and word2 and whatever other words or phrases you specify, up to 8. It finds only records that contain all the words or phrases. OR searches are not supported. -A Turns off the screen codes ANSI.SYS uses to highlight keywords found. Use this option if you choose not to load ANSI.SYS or are redirecting the output to a file. This switch is optional. See below for more information on redirection. -S Suppresses the "scanning file xxx for ..." remarks as FSEARCH is working. Separate parameters with spaces. They can be entered in any order on the command line with the exception of the DOS commands that allow redirecting and pausing of the output. Those commands must come at the end of the command line. Those commands are explained in more detail below. Use the enclosed sample file list included with this package called SAMPLE.LST to try the program out. EXAMPLES: --------- C:>FSEARCH sample.lst /bart displays any records that contain "bart" in the file list sample.lst C:>FSEARCH sample.lst /bart /simpson /gif displays any records that contain both "bart" and "simpson" and "gif" C:>FSEARCH *.lst "/source code" /c++ searches through any file in the current directory with the extension lst for any records that contain both "source code" and "c++". Note that wildcards are NOT supported within a WORD search. Eg.: C:>FSEARCH sample.lst /anyfile.* will look for text that exactly matches "anyfile.*". The asterisk will not be expanded. PAUSING THE OUTPUT ------------------ To display the output of FSEARCH one page at a time on your screen, use the DOS pipe feature and the MORE command. For example: C:>FSEARCH sample.lst /gif |MORE Will search through the file list called sample.lst for the word "gif" and display the files it finds. Adding |MORE at the end of the command line will cause DOS to display information bound for the screen one page at a time and wait for you to press any key. This must be the last parameter on the command line. Note that when using this DOS feature, FSEARCH will not display anything on the screen until the entire file or files have been searched. This may make the program appear to be hung up. But as long as you see your disk drive light flashing occasionally, be patient. See your DOS manual for more information about piping and the MORE command. REDIRECTING THE OUTPUT ---------------------- If you'd like to save the list of files that FSEARCH finds, you can do so by redirecting the output to a file. This is how: C:>FSEARCH sample.lst "/sound blaster" -A >blaster.fls will search the file sample.lst for the phrase "sound blaster". The -A switch turns off the ANSI.SYS screen codes as they are meaningless unless the output is destined for the screen. The > is the DOS redirection symbol. It will create or write over the file you specify right after the symbol. This must be the last parameter on the command line. See your DOS manual for more information about redirection. It is recommended that you always use the -A switch when redirecting output to a file. It won't harm anything if you don't, but the ANSI codes will be captured in the file and may make reading the output file confusing. ABOUT USING ANSI.SYS -------------------- Though it's not necessary, loading ANSI.SYS on your system allows FSEARCH to highlight the keyword or words on the screen that it finds. Loading ANSI.SYS is accomplished by putting the line DEVICE=ANSI.SYS in your system's CONFIG.SYS file. After adding that line, you must reboot your computer for the changes to take effect. See your DOS manual for further information. If you choose not load ANSI.SYS, use the -A switch when running FSEARCH to turn off the highlighting feature. TO REGISTER ----------- FSEARCH is shareware. You may distribute this archived package freely in its original, unmodified form. If you like FSEARCH and plan to use it, please register it! The registration fees will help me recoup the large investment I've made in software development programs used to write this and other shareware programs. Send the registration fee of $10 to me at: Timothy C. Barmann 87 Marbury Ave. Pawtucket, RI 02860 For now, FSEARCH 1.0 works only with file lists created by PCBoard bulletin board systems. If enough people register this program, I plan to rewrite some of the software so it will support the file lists of other bulletin boards, including Ultra BBS and Wildcat BBS. HISTORY ------- V. 1.0 Initial release, March 1, 1992. Thanks to John Barmann and John Granatino for their helpful suggestions. OTHER PROGRAMS OF INTEREST -------------------------- Look for PCB2REC.ZIP, another shareware program that will convert a PCBoard file list into a file containing ASCII delimited records that can be read by most database programs. This will allow you to use your favorite database program to do more powerful searches and sorting of PCBoard file lists. Contact me if you can't find this program and you'd like to try it. YOUR COMMENTS ------------- I'd appreciate any questions, comments, suggestions and bug reports about FSEARCH 1.0. Direct correspondence to me at the above address or through Compuserve: 72070,652 or the Internet: tim@bbs.sys.com. CLOSING THOUGHTS ---------------- Use this program at your own risk. The author of FSEARCH is in no way associated with PCBoard software or its authors. (He is a fan, though, of their excellent bulletin board software.)