Frozen Fish 1: Amiga/FrozenFish-Apr94.iso/bbs/alib/d5xx/d540/browser.lha/Browser/BrowserII.docE

Text File | 1991-08-27 | 18KB | 631 lines

BrowserII.docE


Copyright:
__________


ParM  and  BrowserII  are copyrighted; they may not be sold in or together
with  commercial  software  without written approval by the authors.  They
may  be  freely distributed for a fee which will not exceed the equivalent
of  French  Francs  15.-  (this  includes the cost of the diskette and the
postage);  they  cannot  be  made  available for downloading from a server
which  is  a  commercial  operation.   The general principle is that it is
forbidden  to  make  a  profit  through  the  use or distribution of these
programs without our written consent.


DISCLAIMER:
___________

    We  accept  no  responsability for the use or misuse of these programs,
and   for   the  damage  they  could  produce.   Use  at  your  own  risks.
Nevertheless,  we  think  that  after  two  month  of intensive use by four
persons, thay have been tested enough to say they are safe.


History:
________


We  wrote  BrowserII  after  having  used for 2 years the original Browser
(version  1.6A)  written  by  Peter Da Silva.  We were not fully satisfied
because  of  some  of  its  limitations  so, as soon as we felt capable of
writing  a  program  which  would  overcome  those  limitations, we made a
decision to do it.  So BrowserII was born ...  The Return !

We  felt the overall layout and display mode of Browser were very good, so
we  decided  to  keep  them,  as well as the name, so that actual users of
Browser would immediately feel home with BrowserII.

As  we  never  had  the  sources  of  Browser  at hand, we rewrote it from
scratch.




Installation:
_____________


While  you  can put BrowserII in any directory, you must copy parm.library
and  req.library  in  LIBS:.   If  you  want  to  take  advantage  of  the
parametrable  menus  of  BrowserII, don't forget to build a BrowserII.menu
file, and to put it in S:.


Menus:
______


* BrowserII

  BrowserII -> Update menus

reloads  the  parametrable menus file "S:BrowserII.menu".  This file is an
ASCII  file  with  the same syntax as the configuration file of ParM.  One
option  has been added:  the name of a file which has been selected in one
of the windows of BrowserII will be inserted at the [].

Example:    you have selected "S:" in the main window of BrowserII
            you have defined a menu item as follows:

            ITEM Sizer SHELL Sizer [] ; WaitReturn

            activating the menu item Sizer will be equivalent to
            executing the following script:

            Sizer S:
            WaitReturn
            Endcli > Nil:

If there are no [], then the names of the selected files are simply
appended to the command line.


  BrowserII -> Cmd Mode -> Simple
  BrowserII -> Cmd Mode -> Shell
  BrowserII -> Command

          same usage as with ParM

  BrowserII -> Screen -> Workbench

BrowserII opens its windows in the Workbench screen

  BrowserII -> Screen -> Custom

BrowserII  opens  its own screen and opens all its windows in that screen.
However  at  this time the custom screen is a copy of the Workbench screen
and  this  option  is taken into account only at the startup of BrowserII.
Consequently,  if  you  want  to  have  BrowserII to operate from a custom
screen, you have to select

                BrowserII -> Screen -> Custom
                BrowserII -> Save Config

then quit BrowserII and reload it.


  BrowserII -> Run Mode

The  submenu items of this item will determine the mode according to which
the  files  on which you double-click will be opened.  If other files were
selected  at  the  time of the double-click, their names become parameters
for the double-clicked file.

If  the  file  has  an  icon, it will automatically be opened in Workbench
mode.

Also  note  that BrowserII does a CD to the active window before to open a
file,  wether  you  have  double-clicked  the  file  name, or activated it
through a menu selection.  This is often VERY useful.


  BrowserII -> Run Mode -> Runback

Launches  the  program  on  which  you have double-clicked as a background
task.   This  mode is 100% safe only if you use the NULL:  handler (as you
know there is a well known limitation in the NIL:  device, which BrowserII
will use anyway if it can't find NULL:).

  BrowserII -> Run Mode -> Shell

Launches  the  program on which you have double-clicked, via a SHELL which
BrowserII  opens  for  you.   This  mode is 100% safe but it requires that
BrowserII can have access to your favorite shell, as well as to the EndCli
command  ;  you  have to specify this in your "S:BrowserII.menu" file (see
the  sample  BrowserII.menu  file).   We  recommend  that  you  make these
commands resident.

  BrowserII -> Run Mode -> Request

If   this  option  is  activated,  a  requester  will  appear  before  the
double-clicked program is actually launched, so you can confirm or cancel.
(except for Workbench)

Remember  though, that a program which has an icon, will be launched in WB
mode il all cases.



  BrowserII -> Copy Mode


  BrowserII -> Copy Mode -> Context

If you move a file, BrowserII will in fact perform a rename if the
source and destination files are on the same volume. Across volumes,
BrowserII will perform a copy.


  BrowserII -> Copy Mode -> Always Copy

BrowserII will systematically make a copy of the file.


  BrowserII -> Copy Mode -> Always Move

BrowserII  will copy the file to the destination directory and then delete
the source file.


  BrowserII -> Copy Mode -> Update

BrowserII  will  copy the file only if the source file is more recent than
the destination file, or if the destination file does not exist.


  BrowserII -> Copy Mode -> Don't overwrite files

BrowserII  will  not  overwrite  an  existing  file.   If  there  exists a
destination file with the name you gave for the destination, the copy will
not be performed.


  BrowserII -> Copy Mode -> Ask before Overwrite

BrowserII  asks  for  confirmation  before  overwriting.   This  option is
naturally mutually exclusive with the former one.


  BrowserII -> Copy Mode -> Copy Empty Dirs

This  option will enable to re-create empty directories in the destination
directory.   It  is  particularly  useful  in  its disabled mode, so empty
directories are not copied.



  BrowserII -> Copy Flags


  BrowserII -> Copy Flags -> Clone

All  attributes  of  the  file  will  be copied (date, comment, protection
bits).


  BrowserII -> Copy Flags -> Date

The destination file inherits the date of the source file.


  BrowserII -> Copy Flags -> Protect

The destination file inherits the protection bits of the source file.


  BrowserII -> Copy Flags -> Comment

The destination file inherits the comment of the source file.



  BrowserII -> Display


  BrowserII -> Display -> Devices
  BrowserII -> Display -> Volumes
  BrowserII -> Display -> Assigns

  BrowserII 's main window shows the appropriate list.



  BrowserII -> Options ->


  BrowserII -> Options -> Keep Selected

After  an  action  (  copy,  delete,  etc  )  the  selected  entry  is not
automatically deselected.


  BrowserII -> Options -> Toggle selection

If  this  option  is activated, clicking on a name will alternately select
and deselect it.  If this option is not activated, the selected entry will
not be deselected.


  BrowserII -> Options -> Move files into subdirectories

Once  this  option  is set, BrowserII will put the selected entries in the
subdirectory  un  which  you  release the left mouse button.  Otherwise it
will put them in the window which contains this directory.


  BrowserII -> Options -> Ask before moving into subdirectories

BrowserII asks for confirmation before moving the entries.


  BrowserII -> Options -> Asynchronous Action

You  will  love that one or I'll eat my tie (as I never wear one, the risk
is limited).  When this option in on, any action requested executes in the
background,  and the next action can be started without a delay.  Like for
the  multitasking,  you  will wonder how you could live without it before!
Switching it off has been made possible mainly for debug purpose.


  BrowserII -> Save Config

Saves  all your options in the file "DEVS:BrowserII.cfg" (don't confuse it
with  the  file  "S:BrowserII.menu"  which contains the definition of your
personal  menus).   Saves  the content of the Filter of the current window
and Selection requesters as well.


  BrowserII -> Quit

We  did  not  plan  for  implementing  this  option,  but a few crazy guys
screamed for it, so there it is...  Anyway, you won't be surprised to read
that  you  won't  be  able  to  quit  BrowserII  as  long  as  one  of the
Asynchronous Actions is still running.





* Window


  Window -> Rescan

BrowserII  rescans  the  content of the directory which corresponds to the
active window.


  Window -> Open Parent

Opens a window for the parent directory (if any).


  Window -> Open Dir ...

Opens a particular directory, for which you type the full pathname.


  Window -> Select Match

Selects, in the current window, the entries which match criteria which you
have given.  See below the paragraph on the Requesters.


  Window -> Select all

Selects all entries in the active window.


  Window -> Filters

Another  important  feature  of BrowserII.  Only the files which match the
criteria  you  set will be displayed, but all will be counted (look at the
bottom string on the lower border of the window).


  Window -> Filters -> Set...

Calls the filters requester and enables you to set your filters.


  Window -> Filters -> Prefs

Set the filter that was saved in "DEVS:BrowserII.cfg" .


  Window -> Filters -> No .info

Hides the icon files. This filter comes on top of the other filters.


 Window -> Filters -> Clear

Removes all filters, all files and dirs will be visible.


  Window -> Filters -> Invert

Reverses  the  action  of all filters, so all visible files will be hidden
and  vice-versa.  Useful for checking wether a file which you expect to be
there has not been hidden through the action of one of the filters.


  Window -> File info

  Window -> File Info -> Size in Bytes

    Gives file sizes in bytes.


  Window -> File Info -> Size in blocks

    Gives file sizes in blocks.


  Window -> File Info -> Protection

    Shows protection bits.


  Window -> File Info -> Date

    Shows date according to Amigados idiosyncrasies.


  Window -> File Info -> Disk Key

    Sows the disk key of the entry (i.e. the block number of the file
    header block).


  Window -> Sort by ->

  Window -> Sort by -> Name
  Window -> Sort by -> Date
  Window -> Sort by -> Size
  Window -> Sort by -> Key

Sorts  entries  by  name (alpha), date (most recent first), size (smallest
first), disk key.


  Window -> Sort by -> Type

This  does  not really refer to a sort type.  If this option is set, files
and directories are listed separately (directories first).


  Window -> Affect all

The preferences set for the active window will be active for all windows.


* Actions

  Actions -> Rename

Renames  the  selected  entry.   If  several entries are selected, you can
rename  them  with  jokers "à la ARP".  If you are not familiar with this,
exercise on some files of no value before using this action for good.


  Actions -> Makedir

Creates  subdirectories  in  the active window.  You can create several of
them by separating the names with a space.

Example: Work Games Work/Src

Warning:   Games  Work/Src  Work would not be valid because you attempt to
create a subdirectory of Work before having created Work itself.


  Actions -> Duplicate

Makes a copy of a file, you will be prompted for a new name.


  Actions -> Touch

Changes the date of the selected entry (entries) to the actual date.


  Actions -> Set Comment

Will  enable  you  to  write  a  new  comment for the entry.  If there was
already  a  comment,  it  will  be  displayed.   80  chars only, this is a
limitation of AmigaDos.


  Actions -> Set Protect

Enables you to change the protection bits of the selected entry.

You  cannot  set  the C bit, as it is not really a protection bit, it just
tells  you  that  the  selected  entry has a comment, but you can set this
pseudo-C bit to " - ", this will delete the comment.  Handle with care, it
is easy to get a lot of comments gone forever in no time.


  Actions -> Delete

Deletes the selected entries.  You will (fortunately) be asked to confirm.
If  at  least  one  directory is selected, "Delete" will delete only empty
dir, "Delete All" will delete the selected directories as well.



The Requesters:
_______________


* Filters:

BrowserII tests all files against the criteria set in this requesters, and
shows those for which the test is positive.


    Files: if Y is shown, if an entry is a file, the result is
           positive and the entry is displayed. If N is shown, the
           files will not be displayed. If ? is shown the result
           will depend on the pattern defined.

    Dirs: same thing for directories.

    Pattern: you can use ARP and/or AmigaDos conventions.
             examples:
             *.doc      shows only the xxxx.doc files
             ~*.(o|dbg) hides the xxx.o  and xxx.dbg files

    Min Size: if the file is smaller, it is hidden

    Max Size: if the file is bigger, it is hidden

    Newer Than: shows files with more recent date than the date
                entered ( Amigados Date format )

    Older Than: same thing in the other direction

    Protection bits: shows only the files with the specified bits.

          Example:

          C H S P A R W E D

            -                hides files which have the hide bit set

                  +          shows only files with the archive bit set


* Select Match:

    This  requester is the same as precedent one, but with one gadget more,
"Affect  subdirs".   This enables you to virtually select files in selected
directories.
    As  we  say  in  french,  a  good example is better than a long speech.
Suppose you want to clear archive bit of all files you have in a disk.
    1.  Open volume's window.
    2.  Call Select Match.
    3.  Put Files to ? and Dirs to N.
    4.  Clear all protection bits and set A to +.
    5.  Switch on Affect subdirs.
    6.  Validate the requester.
Result: All files which have their archive bit set are selected, but any
directories are selected since you set Dirs to N. Now:
    7.  Hold <Shift> key while selecting all dirs of this window.
    8.  Call Set Protect.
    9.  Switch protection bits to:
            C H S P A R W E D
            _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _
    10. Validate.
Et voilà!

    Each  time  you click left mouse button over a BrowserII window, if you
DON'T  hold  <Shift> at the same time, the file under the mouse pointer, if
any, becomes selected, all others are deselected, and Affect subdirs bit is
cleared.   That  is  to  say after each operation with affect subdirs, this
option  is  reset  (except  if you allways hold shift key), and must be set
again if you want to do another action with this option.
    Within  actions  with  affect  subdirs, if a directory pass through the
filters,  the  action  will take place also on the directory itself once it
has  been  examined.   But  even  if the directory doesn't pass through the
filters,  it  will be entered, and files within this dir may be affected by
the action.
    This  is  a bit different for Copy action.  If a directory doesn't pass
through  the  filters,  it won't be entered, and files within this dir will
never  be copied.  But read carefully:  Empty directories may be considered
useless.   So you can decide not to copy them by switching off this option.
But Copy process is even more powerfull.  If for example, you decide not to
copy  empty  dirs,  if  you  copy  a  directory with affect subdirs and any
entries  of  this  dir  pass  through  the  filters,  the directory will be
considered  as  empty and won't be created in destination path.  This makes
it  possible  to  make  selective  backups,  without useless directories in
destination volume.



Buffer size for copy:
_____________________


BrowserII will test wether destination and one of source concerned volumes
are mounted, i.e.  one of source and destination volume are simultaneously
present to the system (a diskette with a given volume name may not be in a
drive), in which case BrowserII will make use of a 200 K max buffer.

If  any  source  or destination volume is mounted (you have only one drive
for  instance),  BrowserII will use 880 K max for buffers if enough memory
is  available.  This way, in order to copy some files from a diskette into
another  one,  you  don't  need  to  go through the RAM DISK.  Buffers are
allocated  during  copy,  and in any case BrowserII will not use more than
80% of the available memory for its buffers.




Hints and tips:
_______________


* If you hold the shift key down while closing the window corresponding to
  a  volume,  all windows corresponding to directories of that volume will
  close at once.

* To validate and quit a filter/select requester, press shift-return.

* The unmounted volumes appear in boldface.

* Files which have just been deleted appear in italic and are unselectable



parm.library:
_____________


Programmers  are free to use parm.library, and to read the parmbase.h file
to  use  it.   Sorry, there is is no doc available at this time, look into
the sources of ParM and BrowserII for further details.



Shareware / distribution :
_________________________


BrowserII  and ParM are both shareware.  If you use them consistently, you
ought to send us a contribution or your conscience will itch.

Any  contributor for more than 50 French Francs (about $ 10) will become a
registered  user and will automatically receive one update.  Don't fail to
mention  the  version  number of your copy.  If there is no newer version,
you  will  be  put  on  a  list and receive one update whenever it becomes
available.



Many thanks to the donators:

Philippe Rey        (France)
Marcel Hennion      (France)
Craig L. Blackman   (U.S.)
Christian König
Dr H. Schneider     (to both of you, the beer in ParM V1.6 was a joke).


and also to:

ASDG for CED (a fantastic editor)
Pierre Ardichvili for his kindness and his support to the Amiga
Lymann Epp for the excellent QMouse V1.6
W.S. Hawes for AREXX.




Sylvain Rougier and Pierre Carette.