Copyright: (c) 1993 - 1994 Central Point Software


Optimizer Help Contents
 Contents for Optimizer Help

For information about help, press F1 or choose How to Use Help from the Help menu.

How to...

Choose an Optimization Method

Arrange Files for Maximum Disk Efficiency

Write Over Free Space for Security

Keep Files as Defragmented as Possible

Optimize in Continuous Mode

Menus

File

Options

Help


Introduction to Optimizer
About Optimizer

PC Tools for Windows Optimizer arranges files on almost any disk for faster disk access. It can

Move each file so that it occupies contiguous clusters.

Arrange files so that all free space is contiguous at the end of the disk.

Arrange files on the disk so that all files are in contiguous clusters at the start of the disk, and all free space is contiguous at the end of the disk.

Clear unused disk space by writing over it for security.


File Menu

Use commands on this menu to print the Optimizer report, to set up the printer, and to exit from Optimizer.

Optimize	Begins disk optimization, using the method you selected.

Optimize Continuously
Performs disk optimization when the system has been idle for a specified number of minutes.

Scheduler	Runs Scheduler so that you can set up regular disk optimization sessions that use your default Optimizer settings.

Fragmentation Analysis
Analyzes the disk for fragmentation and display the list of fragmented files.

View Report	Displays and prints the Optimizer report.

Exit	Exits from Optimizer.


File Menu Commands

Optimize	Optimize Continuously
View Report	Fragmentation Analysis
Exit


Start command
 Optimize

Begins disk optimization, using the method and settings specified in the Optimization Methods, File Sort, and Unmovable Files dialog boxes from the Options menu.

The Optimizer processing dialog box appears. As optimization occurs, the title bar shows each stage of optimization, while the progress bar shows the percent of the task performed.

When disk optimization is complete, the main window appears.

To halt optimization during any optimization task, choose Stop.

__________

See Also

Optimization Methods


Optimize Continuously

Lets you set up and start disk optimization to begin automatically after a specified idle time interval.  The default interval is 30 minutes.

If you select more than one drive letter in the Optimize Continuously dialog box, the selected drives are optimized in sequence.

Dialog Box Options

Optimize Continuously
Check this box to specify continuous optimization.

Idle Time Interval	The default idle time is 30 minutes. Optimizer will begin disk optimization after the specified time period elapses.

Select Drives to Optimize
Click drive letters to specify which drives you want optimized. You must select at least one drive, but you can select more than one drive.

________

See Also

Using Optimize Continuously


Using Optimize Continuously

Select Optimize Continuously to optimize your disk during idle time, using the optimization method you have selected.

Optimize Continuously works efficiently with your screen saver. Because screen savers sometimes write to a file on the hard disk to swap the active process when they start, if you run Optimizer in its ordinary mode, all optimization might stop and not finish. When you run Optimizer in Continuous Mode, however, optimization starts again automatically and finishes optimizing the disk.

To run Optimizer continuously:

1.	Select the optimization method you want to use in the Optimization Methods dialog box from the Options menu.

2.	Choose Optimize Continuously from the File menu.

3.	Select Optimize Continuously and select the drives to be optimized continuously.

You can also change the idle time interval.

4.	Return to your usual tasks.

As long as the Optimize Continuously option is active and the Optimizer icon is minimized on the desktop, Optimizer will check your disk and perform the selected disk optimization during idle time periods while the computer is on. For example, if you go to lunch and leave your computer running, Optimizer uses this time to optimize the disk.

Note

To use continuous mode most efficiently, add Optimizer to your Startup folder and select the Run Minimized box in the Program Item Properties dialog box.

When you start using your computer, Optimizer pauses until the end of a specified idle time interval. To stop optimization entirely, choose Stop.

If you have selected Turbo Mode from the Options menu, it is not in effect during optimizations started by Optimize Continuously.

________

See Also

Optimize Continuously Dialog Box


View Report

Displays the Optimizer analysis report.

The analysis report shows how long it took to optimize your disk and what optimization method was used. It also tells you the number of bad, free, allocated, and total clusters found.

To save this information in a file, choose Save As. Enter the file name in the dialog box that appears.

To print this information, choose Print. Output is sent to your current Windows printer.

To change the printer or printer setup, choose Setup.

To mail a copy of this report to a network user, choose Mail. This option is available only if Microsoft Mail is running on your system.

The Send Note dialog box appears, containing the report as an attached file. Enter the name of the user you want to send it to, and choose Send. Then close the dialog box.

________

See Also

Save Report Dialog Box

Setting Up the Printer


Save Report File

Saves the Optimizer report as a file.

Dialog Box Options

File Name	Enter a file name for the report. Existing files with .RPT and .TXT file extensions appear in the list box by default.

Directories	Use the directory tree to select a directory for the report file.

List Files of Type	Specify all files, or enter any other file specification, using wildcards.

Drives	Select the drive from this list box.


Setting Up the Printer

Lets you select a different printer and change print options, such as landscape or portrait orientation.


Show Fragmented Files
Fragmentation Analysis

Analyzes the selected drive, then lists all of the files on the drive.

The current directory name appears above the list box.

The list displays the information about the clusters assigned to a file. If the drive is compressed, such as a DoubleSpace drive, the file list refers to sectors instead of clusters.

The Areas column shows the number of separate contiguous cluster groups these clusters occupy on the disk. If a file's clusters occupy more than one area, the file is fragmented. The more areas a file is broken up into, the more fragmented the file is.

To see fragmented files in subdirectories, double-click the directory name in the list box. Directory names are marked <DIR>. The root directory on the disk is marked <ROOT>. To move up one directory level, double-click the double dot symbol (..).

To see where file clusters are located on the disk, click the file name in the file list box. By default, the file clusters appear as green squares in the drive map on a color monitor. (Note that you can change the colors used in the drive map by selecting Drive Map Color from the tool bar or the Options menu.)

To exit from the dialog box and return to the Optimizer main window, choose Close.


Exit command
Exit

Closes the Optimizer application.

If you have selected Save Settings on Exit on the Options menu, all Optimizer settings are saved for use in your next Optimizer session.


Options Menu

Use commands on this menu to customize the Optimizer window and specify how optimization is performed.

Commands that invoke a dialog box:

Customize	Lets you configure the tool bar, menu system, shortcut keys, and adds custom commands. If you run PC Tools for Windows from a network, this option might be password-protected.

Drive Map Color	Lets you specify different colors for the drive map.

Optimization Methods 	Specifies the order of directories and files on the disk after optimization.

File Sort 	Arranges files in a specified order in their directories.

Unmovable Files	Lists special files that must not be moved by disk optimization.

Turbo Mode	Provides Optimizer with exclusive use of the CPU during optimization. Turbo Mode is active only during optimization sessions that you start. It is not active during optimization in continuous mode.

If these options are checked, they are active:

Toolbar	Specifies whether the tool bar appears in the Optimizer window.

Status Bar	Specifies whether the status line appears at the bottom of the Optimizer window.

Save Settings on Exit	Specifies whether Optimizer option settings are saved when you exit. If options are saved, you can use the optimization method, file sort order, and unmovable file list for future disk optimization without resetting them.

__________

See Also

Arranging Files for Maximum Disk Efficiency

Keeping Files as Defragmented as Possible


Options Menu Commands

Customize	Optimization Methods

File Sort 	Unmovable Files

Turbo Mode 	Toolbar

Status Line 	Save Settings on Exit

Drive Map Color


Drive Map Color

Lets you select different colors for the drive map elements, such as Free and Used blocks, and the colors that show the progress of optimization, such as Read and Write.

48 basic colors appear by default. You can also define custom colors.

Follow these steps to change the color of an element:

1.	Choose its button. The Color dialog box appears.

2.	Click the color you want to use and choose OK. The Drive Map Color dialog box appears.

3.	Choose OK to apply your color choices and display the main Optimizer window.

To reset colors to the default values, choose Default.

Defining and Selecting Custom Colors

To create special colors, choose Customize Colors in the Color dialog box.

Create a color by clicking in the color spectrum box that appears. Then click Add to Custom Colors to make this color available in the Color dialog box. Custom colors are added one by one to the Custom Colors boxes under the Basic Colors choices.

After you have created and added custom colors, you can select them as you select Basic Colors.


 Optimization Methods

Specifies the method for disk optimization, including

Which general method to use: quick, full, or free space only.

Whether to clear free space, and if so, by what method.

How to arrange directories on the disk.

Whether to run Mirror after the disk is optimized.

 If you select Save Settings on Exit, the methods you choose are used for future disk optimization.

Optimization Methods
The basic disk optimization you want performed.

Data Clear Options 	How Optimizer treats space that it frees.

Ordering Methods 	The ordering method you want to use. If you select an ordering method, you can choose Order to specify the order of directories.

Mirror Option	Whether Optimizer runs Mirror after it completes disk optimization. Note that if there is a Mirror file on your disk, Optimizer will update it, regardless of the Mirror Option setting.

Defaults Button	Restores the Optimization Method to these settings:
Quick Optimization
Do Not Clear Free Space
No Mirror Option (unless Mirror file already exists on the disk).

________

See Also

Arranging Files for Maximum Efficiency

Choosing an Optimization Method


Optimization Techniques Options
Choosing an Optimization Method

You can tailor the disk optimization method to your system so that the order of files and directories on your disk makes file access more efficient.

Quick Optimization	Rearranges files so that as many as possible are in contiguous blocks for faster disk access.

Optimize Free Space	Moves all data clusters currently used by files toward the beginning of the disk to create as large a free space area as possible at the end of the disk. This optimization method does not defragment files. If free space is scattered through the disk in single clusters, Optimizer might actually fragment some files to fill the single clusters of unused space.

If you move all the free space to the end of the disk, however, you keep new files from being fragmented. For example, if you use this optimization method before you copy a large file to your disk, the copied file will probably not be fragmented.

Full Optimization	Defragments all files and moves all free space to the end of the disk. If you select a non-Standard ordering method, files and directories can be arranged in an order you specify. Recommended when more than 10% of your disk space is in fragmented files.

Because this method is more complete, it takes more time than simpler optimization methods. The time it takes depends on the disk size, the current disk organization and degree of fragmentation, and the file sorting and directory arrangement methods you specify.

Note

Because Optimizer does not move hidden, system, or open files, some fragmentation might remain, even after disk optimization. If you optimize your disk regularly, however, fragmentation is kept to a minimum.

________

See Also

Arranging Files for Maximum Disk Access Efficiency

Writing Over Deleted File Space For Security


Data Clear Options

Determine how free space is treated:

Do Not Clear	Do not write over free space.

Quick Clear	Clear free space by using the standard method.

DOD Clear	Clear free space by using the DOD method, which conforms to the US Department of Defense standard.

Note

Disk optimization takes about seven times longer with the DOD Clear method. To conform completely to DOD standards, each cluster is cleared after its contents are moved and before data is written to it again.


Ordering Methods

Determine the order of directories and files on the disk.

To specify a file sort order, choose the File Sort command on the Options menu.

Standard Order	Directories and files are arranged on the disk as they occur during defragmentation. This is the default order.

Directories First	Directories first, then files. Choose Order to specify a directory sort order. Choose the Options menu File Sort dialog box to specify a file sort order.

Directories with Files	Each directory, followed by its files. Choose Order to specify a directory sort order. Choose the Options menu File Sort dialog box to specify a file sort order.

Files	All files first, then directories. Choose Order to specify directory sort order. Choose the Options menu File Sort dialog box to specify a file sort order.

________

See Also

File Sort Dialog Box


Order

List the directories in the order you want them placed on the disk. Directories that are not in this list are placed in the order in which they are encountered.

The directory order determines how directories are organized on the disk when you choose Full Optimization with any ordering method except Standard.

To put a directory in the Directory Order list, type a directory name or select one in the list box  and choose Add. You can enter up to 20 directory names.

To delete a directory from the order list, select the name of the directory in the Directory Order list, and choose Delete.

________

See Also

Arranging Files for Maximum Efficiency


Unmovable Files

Lets you specify files that should not be moved on the disk. Optimizer does not move any files marked by DOS as hidden files or system files.

For example, copy-protected programs should not be moved on the disk because many copy-protection schemes record the exact location of the program file, and will refuse to run if its location changes.

Note

Optimizer does not move open files. Files that are currently open cannot be defragmented. To make sure that as many files as possible are defragmented, close as many applications as you can before you run Optimizer.

To add a file to the list of unmovable files, select the drive, directory, and file name from the list boxes in the dialog box, then choose Add.

To delete a file from the list of unmovable files, select the file name in the list, then choose Delete.

To save the list of unmovable files, choose OK.


File Sort Options
File Sort

Specifies the order in which you want files sorted.

Files are grouped according to the Ordering Method scheme you select in the Optimization Methods dialog box. Within each group of files, the files are sorted in the order you select in the File Sort dialog box.

Sort By

No sorting (default)	As they occur on the disk.

File name	Alphabetic order by file name.

Extension	Alphabetic order by file type.

Date/time	Date and time order.

Size	Size order.

Sort Direction

Ascending (default if any sort order is selected)

Descending

Buttons

Defaults	Sets sort order to the default (no sorting).


Optimizer Main Window

The main Optimizer window contains the following panes:

Disk Information	FAT, size, and cluster information for the selected drive.

Drives	Drives you can optimize. The icon of the selected drive is highlighted.

You see icons only for drives you can optimize. For example, you cannot optimize a network drive, so you do not see network drive icons.

Disk Map	Diagram of the selected drive. Each square in the disk map represents the number of clusters specified in the map legend. Allocated and unallocated clusters are indicated by squares of different colors.

To see the names of files in specific clusters, double-click an allocated square in the disk map. The Cluster Block Analysis dialog box appears, listing the range of cluster numbers and the files in that cluster block.

To start optimization using the method shown in the Options menu dialog boxes, choose Optimize.

________

See Also

Cluster Block Analysis Dialog Box

Drive Map Color Dialog Box


Cluster Block Analysis

Displays information about the cluster blocks shown in the disk map. If you analyze a compressed drive, such as a DoubleSpace drive, you see information about sectors instead of clusters.

To display cluster (or sector) and file information, double-click one of the blocks in the map.

Optimizer displays the range of cluster numbers represented by the block, and the number and names of the files using those clusters.

A fragmented file might use clusters in several cluster blocks, so you could see the same file name appearing in more than one cluster block file list.

Squares of a special color (red by default) indicate cluster blocks that contain one or more bad clusters. The bad clusters are marked in the FAT as unusable, so that a bad cluster is not assigned to a file. If you click a square that indicates a bad cluster in the disk map, you see the names of files using the good clusters in the cluster block.

________

See Also

Drive Map Color Dialog Box


Drive Selection

The Drive Selection pane displays an icon for each disk you can optimize. Note that you cannot optimize a network drive or a substitute drive.

To select a disk to optimize, double-click its drive icon.

A map of the disk appears in the Map pane at the bottom of the window.

_______

See Also

Drive Map Color


Arrange files for maximum disk efficiency
Arranging Files for Maximum Disk Efficiency

The purpose of disk optimization is to arrange files so that they can be accessed as quickly as possible.

The optimization method you should choose depends on how you use your system, and what you did most recently. For example, if you added data to files and wrote the new file versions to the disk, the new files are more likely to be fragmented.

Here are two general guidelines:

Files are loaded faster if they occupy contiguous sectors.
Defragment your files so that the drive heads do not have to search the disk for sectors that belong to a file. But note that Optimizer does not defragment hidden, system, or open files.

Files that are used together are accessed faster if they are stored together on the disk.
If you usually work with files in one directory at a time, perform a Full Optimization with the Directories with Files directory order, which groups files together by directory. You can select a sort order for the files.


Write Over Deleted File Space for Security
Writing Over Deleted File Space for Security

If your work requires strict data security, you might need to write over free space created by disk optimization so that no one can read data written there.

To write over free space, select either Quick Clear, or DOD Clear.

Note, however, that optimization with Data Clear takes longer than optimization alone. How much longer depends on the data clear method you choose and the amount of free space to be written over.


Keep Files as Unfragmented as Possible
Keeping Files as Defragmented as Possible

If you turn on Optimize Continuously, you can be sure that file access is always reasonably efficient.

Running Optimizer continuously does not interfere in any way with your work.

In Optimize Continuously mode, Optimizer runs only while you are not working. If it starts disk optimization while you are at lunch, for example, it will mark its place and suspend the process as soon as you start to work again. Then if you take an afternoon break, it will finish the job.

To run Optimizer automatically after a specified idle time period, choose Optimize Continuously on the Options menu, start the selected disk optimization, and minimize Optimizer to an icon at the bottom of your screen.

_______

See Also

Continuous Operation Mode


Turbo Mode

Locks out other applications during optimization sessions that you start. If you have set up continuous optimization from the File menu, Turbo mode is not in effect.

Optimization in Turbo mode is intended to provide faster optimization by giving Optimizer exclusive access to the CPU.


Continuous Operation Mode

In Continuous Operation mode, Optimizer runs only while you are not working.

To begin continuous operation, you select Optimize Continuously in the Optimize Continuously dialog box. Then you minimize Optimizer to its icon.

When optimization begins after a specified period of idle time on your system, the Optimizer window opens. Optimization progress information appears.

If you start to work again, it stops optimizing, and minimizes itself until the next idle-time interval occurs.


Standard Clear Method

Writes over clusters with the hexadecimal character F6.

If you do not need to comply with US Department of Defense security standards, this method adequately destroys any readable data in the free area and is much quicker.


DOD Clear Method

Writes over clusters first with the hexadecimal characters FF and 00 three times, then writes the hexadecimal character F6 once. This method takes longer than the standard method, but it prevents any traces of data from being read, even with sophisticated methods.


Mirror

Mirror saves File Allocation Table (FAT) and root directory information for emergency repairs.

You should run Mirror after each disk optimization to keep the Mirror information files up-to-date. Many users also run Mirror from the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to make sure that changes to the FAT and root directory are recorded regularly.

If you use inaccurate Mirror information to make disk repairs, you might create additional problems instead of solving the ones you have.


 Help Menu

Use commands on this menu to display information about Optimizer, and about the help system.

Contents	Opens the table of contents for this help file.

Search for Help on	Displays a list of index terms for this help file. Follow the instructions in the dialog box to search for a help topic.

How to Use Help	Provides detailed information about using Microsoft Windows online help.

About Optimizer	Displays the application version, a copyright notice, and user and Windows environment information. This includes the Windows mode (enhanced or standard), the presence of a math co-processor in your computer, and the amount of free memory and resources in Windows.


Free Memory and Resources

The amount of unused memory, in kilobytes, and the percent of unused system resources available in Windows.

In enhanced mode, memory includes virtual memory, which is disk space used as memory instead of as file storage. The system resources include various memory areas set aside for running Windows applications. You can use this information to get an idea of when your system is nearing its capacity.


Help System Developers

Colin B.

Ed B.

Hanna M.

Jack D.

Robin D.


  Customize

Customizes the toolbar, menus, or keyboard shortcuts in your Central Point application. If you choose All from the Customize submenu, all available tabs appear in the Customize dialog box. If the application does not have a toolbar or menus, those tabs are not available.

Select a tab from the top of the Customize dialog box to customize the following:

Toolbar	Commands on the toolbar.

Menu	Commands on the menus.

Keyboard	Shortcut keys for commands.

Commands	Custom commands that start other applications.

The dialog box may contain any of the following buttons:

Buttons	Save	Default	Copy


Toolbar Tab
Toolbar

Creates a new series of toolbar commands or changes an existing one.

To change the appearance of the buttons on the bar, choose the Style button and select a style from the choices that appear.

To add a command to the toolbar, select the command from the Commands drop-down list box and choose Insert.

Dialog Box Options

Toolbar	Click the arrow to the right of the list box to see the toolbar schemes you have saved. The name of the current scheme appears by default. Scheme names are case-sensitive. For example, you can have a scheme named Projects and another named PROJECTS.

(Toolbar Display)	A representation of the current toolbar.

Commands 	This drop-down list box displays the names of commands you can add to the toolbar. The list includes any custom commands you have set up.

Buttons	Copy	Remove
Insert	Delete

Default 	Style

Note

Use the toolbar only for commands that perform tasks. Some commands shown in the list box do not perform actions, but display information. These commands are not appropriate for the toolbar.


Tool Bar Styles
Toolbar Style

Displays tool buttons in different styles and locations in the window.

Dialog Box Options

Button Style	Select a style. You can display large or small icons, with or without text, or text only. When you select a style, the sample command button shows you what it looks like.

Placement	You can display the toolbar at the top of the window (the default position), the bottom, or the left or right side. In applications where you want a long screen window rather than a wide one, you might prefer to display the buttons on the side.

Show Toolbar Balloons	Displays on-screen balloons that identify a toolbar button when the mouse pointer pauses over it. Toolbar balloons appear only if the button style does not include text.

Note

In some Central Point applications, the Placement options are not available.


Button Style

Select one of five tool button styles.

Large Icon and Text	Shows both the large command icon and the name.

Large Icon Only	Shows only the large command icon.

Small Icon and Text	Shows both the small command icon and the name.

Small Icon Only	Shows only the small command icon.

Text Only	Shows only the command name.

ShowToolbar Balloons	Displays on-screen descriptions of a toolbar button when the mouse pointer pauses over it. Toolbar Balloons only display if the button style does not include text.


Toolbar Position

In many Central Point applications, you can display the toolbar in one of four locations in the window.

Top	Horizontally, across the top of the window, under the menu bar.

Bottom	Horizontally, across the bottom of the window, above the status line.

Left	Vertically, at the extreme left of the window.

Right	Vertically, at the extreme right of the window.


Keyboard Tab
Keyboard

Adds or removes keyboard shortcut keys for commands.

To change the shortcut key associated with a command, select the command, type a new shortcut key, and choose Insert or Replace. (Replace appears if the shortcut key is already assigned to another command.)

Dialog Box Options

Shortcut Keys	Click the arrow to the right of the drop-down list box to see the keyboard schemes you have set up. Scheme names are case-sensitive. For example, you can have a a scheme named Lisa and another named LISA.

(Command List)	A list of commands and associated shortcut keys.

Shortcut Key	Key names are entered automatically in the box when you press the keys. If you enter a shortcut key already in use, you replace the command currently assigned to the key.

Commands 	This list box displays the names of commands you can assign shortcut keys to. The list includes any custom commands you have set up.

Buttons	Replace or Insert	Delete
Default


Shortcut Key Schemes

You can create named keyboard schemes (that is, sets of shortcut keys) for special purposes.

If you choose Default, you reset the named scheme to the default keyboard settings.


Menu Tab
Menu

Lets you add, delete, rename, or reorder pull-down menu commands.

To add a command to the menu at the level of the selected menu item:

1.	Scroll through the Commands list box.

2.	Select the command you want to add.

3.	Choose Insert.

Dialog Box Options

Menu	Click the arrow to the right of the list box to see the menu schemes that are set up. Scheme names are case-sensitive. For example, you can have a scheme named Maria and another named MARIA.

(Menu Display)	The Menu window shows the selected menu scheme. You can delete existing commands and add new commands at any level. Choose the Separator command to insert a separator bar.

Commands	This drop-down list box displays the names of commands you can add to the menu. The list includes any custom commands you have set up.

Buttons	Copy	Remove 	Insert
Delete	Default

Note

Choose the Default button only if you want to change the selected menus to match the default menu scheme.

________

See Also

Editing Command Names

About Editing Menus


About Editing Menu Schemes

In several Central Point applications, you can select a Long Menu scheme or a Short Menu scheme.

You can modify a menu scheme in the following ways:

Delete commands you do not use.

Add a new menu category.

Add custom commands you have created.

Change the order of commands on a menu.

Move commands from one menu to another.

Add separator bars.


Edit Menu Items
Editing Menu Command Names

You are most likely to edit the names of commands that you have created yourself. For example, you might edit a menu level header you have added, and give it a unique name.

To change the name of any command on the menu, select the command, then press F2 to edit the name. Type the name you want to assign to the command, and press Enter.

To create an underline character for use as a keyboard shortcut, insert an ampersand (&) before the letter you want to use. Make sure that the shortcut key you create does not conflict with another shortcut key. If you want to include a literal ampersand character in the command name, insert two ampersands.

For example,
My&Command produces MyCommand.
My&&Command produces My&Command.


Default Menu Schemes

Each Central Point application with menus has a default menu scheme. When you choose the Default button in the Menus tab of the Customize dialog box, the selected menu is reset to match the default.


Menu Scheme Names
Menu Schemes

Available menu schemes (sets of menus and commands) appear on the Options menu. Several Central Point applications offer default long and short menus.

If you have created custom menu schemes, they are available from the Options menu in the application.

To switch to another menu scheme, choose a scheme from the Options menu.


Separator

To add a line that divides one group of commands in a menu or toolbar from another group, select the Separator command from the commands shown in the list box, or click the Separator icon.

The line appears above the selected command (in a menu) or before the selected button (in a toolbar) when you choose Insert.


Toolbar Schemes

The list of toolbar schemes (sets of toolbar buttons) appears on the pop-up menu for the toolbar.

If you have created custom toolbar schemes, the names of these schemes appear in the list.

To change to another toolbar scheme, choose it from the pop-up menu.


Custom Commands

You can add your own custom commands to Central Point applications.

Custom commands do not have online help at the menu level. If the command is a Windows program, you can use the Microsoft Windows help after you choose the command to start the program.

If the command is a DOS application or a macro from another application, help is probably not available.


Custom Commands
Creating Custom Commands

Adds commands to the list available for the menu and toolbar. A custom command may be any of the following programs or documents:

Another Windows application, such as Word for Windows or Central Point Backup.

A macro, such as a Central Point ScriptTools .RUN program.

A DOS application you run in a DOS window.

A document associated with an application.

To use a custom command after you create it, you need to assign it to a menu, the toolbar, or a keyboard shortcut.

Dialog Box Options

Commands	The Commands box shows a list of custom commands that you have added.

Command Name	The name you assign to the command.

Command Line	The full path of the command document or application program. Use the Browse button to look for the file and insert its name.

Working Directory	The directory where the command looks for data files and other documents. This information is optional. If you leave the working directory box blank when you first create a new command, the default is the program directory. If you delete the working directory information, the default is the Windows directory.

Description	A descriptive comment that appears on the status bar.

Show Style	The size of the window where the command runs: normal, minimized, or maximized.

Button Text	A very short title to appear on a button for this command.

Menu Text	A short title to appear in a menu listing for this command.

Buttons	New 	Copy
Browse	Icon
Password	Delete


Select Icon Dialog Box

Selects an icon for a command or item.

You can select an icon from any file that contains icons in the standard format, such as MORICONS.DLL. You can also select an icon that you have created yourself in an application such as Central Point Icon Editor (in PC Tools for Windows).

To use a different icon file, choose Browse and use the directory tree and file list to select an icon file. Then choose OK to apply it to the custom command.

To select a new icon, select the icon in the selection box and choose OK.

Dialog Box Options

Current File	The name of the file containing the current icon. A file can contain multiple icons.

Total Icons	The number of icons in the current icon file. Icons are shown in the selection box. Use the scroll bar at the bottom of the selection box to see all available icons.

Available if you choose the Browse button:

File Name	The names of files in the current directory that might contain icons.

Directories	The directory tree on the current drive.

List Files of Type	The file types displayed in the file list. Select from the drop-down list a file type that contain icons.

Drives	The list of drives available to your computer. The current drive is displayed.


Icon Files

Files that contain icons have the following file types: DLL, EXE, ICO, RSL, and ICL.


Save

Saves all new or changed configurations for this part of the Customize dialog box.


Copy

Makes a copy of the named scheme so that you can modify it and create a new scheme.


Copy

Makes a copy of the selected custom command.

You can modify the copy by editing the command line or other options in the text boxes to create a different version of the command.


Default

Returns the named scheme to the default, even if it has been saved. All changes are lost.

If more than one menu scheme is shipped with the application, the scheme used to reset menus to the default is the menu scheme in use when you first installed the application.


Password

Enter a password for this command. After you assign a password to a command, you are prompted to enter it when you choose the command. You must also enter the password to change any of the command attributes in the Commands tab of the Customize dialog box.


Insert

Inserts the command that appears in the Commands box into the toolbar, menu, or keyboard shortcut key list into the named scheme. The command is positioned either to the left of the selected item or above it.

In the Keyboard tab, the Insert button is inactive until you specify the shortcut key.


Delete

Deletes the selected item on the toolbar, menu, or keyboard shortcut key list.


Delete

Deletes the selected custom command.


New

Adds a new named configuration scheme.

When you select New, a default name appears selected in the Scheme box. To enter a different name, type over the default.


New

Displays the generic command template.

You can enter all necessary information yourself, or choose Browse to select a .PIF, .RUN, .EXE, or other executable file. When you select the file, the Command Name, Command Line, Description, Button Text, and Menu Text boxes are automatically filled in with defaults for the executable file. You can edit these defaults to make them more descriptive.


Replace or Insert

This button is labeled Insert if the shortcut key you have typed is not assigned to another command.

The button is labeled Replace if the shortcut key you have typed is already assigned to another command. No confirmation message appears.


Remove

Deletes the entire named configuration shown in the Scheme text box.


New Menu

Adds a new menu at the level of the selected box.

The default name for the new menu is Custom Menu.

Immediately after you create the new menu item, you can enter a descriptive name to replace Custom Menu. If you want to change the name later, select the menu name, then press F2 to edit the name.

If a menu name is selected, a new menu is inserted above it. If a menu command is selected, a cascading submenu, accessed through the command, is inserted.


Arrows

Click the arrow keys to move the selected item to the right or left in the toolbar, and up or down in the menu list hierarchy.


Icon

The icon appears on the button if you put the command on your toolbar.

You can select any icon file available on your drive. Choose Browse in the Icon dialog box to find icon files and apply them to the new command.


 Password for Customizing

If you are using a Central Point application from a network, the network administrator might have password-protected the Customize command to prevent individual users from changing the toolbar, menus, shortcut keys, or custom command list.

If you find that you cannot use the Customize dialog box because it is password-protected, see your network administrator.


Browse

Selects a drive, directory, and file from the Browse dialog box.


Browse Dialog Box

Selects a custom command program file from the directory tree and file list.

To select a file, highlight the file name in the file list box. Then choose OK.

Dialog Box Options

File Name	Enter the file-name pattern you are looking for. If you enter the full path of the files you want to select from, the drive and directory name change automatically.

For example, if the current directory is C:\WINDOWS, you can enter D:\LETTERS in the box. Files in D:\LETTERS appear when you press Enter. The drive and directory names shown in the Drive and Directory lists also change.

File List 	Files that match the file-name pattern appear here. Select a file name and choose OK to select it.

Directory	Change the selected directory by clicking the directory folders.

Drive	Change the selected drive by clicking the arrow at the right of the box and selecting another drive from the list that appears.

List Files of Type	Click the arrow at the right of the box to select a different file category. You can override the category that appears here by typing another category specification in the File Name text box.


File Companions

File Companions can manage files (for example, copy a file or create a directory) from the Browse, Open, or Save dialog box in any application--even non-Central Point applications--without switching to File Manager. For example, suppose you're about to save a newly-created file but need a new directory for it. From the Save dialog box you can create the directory and save the file--without leaving the dialog box.

File Companions are available when Desktop, rather than Program Manager, is your shell application. (To use Desktop as the Windows shell, open the Configure icon in the PC Tools for Windows group.)

To use File Companions from any Browse, Open, or Save dialog box:

1.	Click the [image] icon (next to the Control-menu icon) to open the File Companions menu and choose a file management command.

2.	Use the Copy, Rename, or other dialog box to perform the chosen function.

You can choose the Help button for information about the active file management dialog box.

You can also display the File Companions menu by clicking the right mouse button on the background of the Browse, Open, or Save dialog box.