High Voltage Shareware/high1.zip/high1/DIR24/FMBETA6.ZIP/FM.DOC

Text File | 1993-10-17 | 30KB | 712 lines

This is the last beta!  Please send comments and suggestions to address
at the bottom of these docs.  Thanks.


    F(ile) M(anager) copyright (c) 1993 by M. Kimes (Bare Bones Software)
                            All Rights Reserved



Overview:
========

FM can be considered something of a "super Drives object" to replace or
use with your WPS Drives objects and directory folders (although FM is a
PM program, not a WPS object or folder).  FM displays the contents of
your drives, directories, files and archives, and allows maintaining
your file system as well as executing programs by selecting them or
their datafiles and viewing and editting datafiles (and more).  Drag and
drop and context menus are fully supported, as well as more traditional
pulldown menus and accelerator keys.



Installing FM:
=============

If you intend to always run FM from the same directory (as from a WPS
object), you can create that directory and unpack the archive there.
The first time you run FM, answer "Yes" to the initial popup asking if
you want FM.INI located in the current default directory.  You're done.

If you want FM to be accessible from anywhere (as from a command line),
unzip the archive into a scratch directory.  Copy FM.EXE into a
directory listed in your Path (see SET PATH= in your CONFIG.SYS file)
where you can start it from anywhere.  Copy BAREBONE.DLL into a
directory listed in your Libpath (see LIBPATH= in your CONFIG.SYS file).
Copy FM.HLP into a directory listed in your Help path (see SET HELP= in
your CONFIG.SYS).  If you want to be able to view the contents of
archives, copy ARCHIVER.BB2 to a directory in your Dpath (see SET DPATH=
in your CONFIG.SYS).  By default FM places FM.INI in the first directory
of your path; if you'd like it somewhere else, set environment variable
FMPROF_PATH to point to the directory in which you want FM.INI kept.
The first time you run FM, answer "No" to the initial popup asking if
you want FM.INI located in the current default directory.  You're done.

Note that you can't install a new copy of FM over an old copy if the old
copy is running because OS/2 won't let you.

Unregistered users will need to keep FM.DOC where FM can find it (default
directory, PATH or DPATH).

FM uses some temporary files and directories off of its default
(working) directory, so you might want to set its Working directory in a
program object to your temporary directory ,and enter the
director(y)(ies) that you would like windows for in the FM program
object's Parameters field, like this (obviously, replace the paths shown
with what's right for your system):

   ╔══╤══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╤══╤══╗
   ║--│ FM.EXE - Settings                                    │  │  ║
   ╟──┴──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴──┴──╢
   ║┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐             ║
   ║│                                                ├┐            ║
   ║│                                                │├┐           ║
   ║│                                                │Program      ║
   ║│                                                ││││          ║
   ║│                                                ││Session     ║
   ║│ Required                                       ││││          ║
   ║│   Path and file name:                          │││Assocation ║
   ║│   ┌───────────────────────┐   ┌───────╖        ││││          ║
   ║│   │C:\FM\FM.EXE           │   │Find...║        ││││General   ║
   ║│   └───────────────────────┘   ╘═══════╝        ││││          ║
   ║│                                                ││││          ║
   ║│ Optional                                       ││││          ║
   ║│   Parameters:                                  ││││          ║
   ║│   ┌───────────────────────────────────┐        ││││          ║
   ║│   │E:\MYDIR                      <────┼────────┼┼┼┼──────────╫─Dir(s) to
   ║│   └───────────────────────────────────┘        ││││          ║ see and
   ║│   Working directory:                           ││││          ║ manipulate
   ║│   ┌───────────────────────────────────┐        ││││          ║
   ║│   │D:\TEMP                       <────┼────────┼┼┼┼──────────╫─Temporary
   ║│   └───────────────────────────────────┘        ││││          ║ directory
   ║│                                                ││││          ║ (see SET
   ║│ ┌───────╖   ┌───────╖                          ││││          ║  TEMP=
   ║│ │ Undo  ║   │ Help  ║                          ││││          ║  in
   ║│ ╘═══════╝   ╘═══════╝                          ││││          ║  CONFIG.
   ║│                                             < >││││          ║  SYS)
   ║└┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┘│││          ║
   ║ └┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┘││          ║
   ║  └┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┘│          ║
   ║   └────────────────────────────────────────────────┘          ║
   ║                                                               ║
   ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝



Starting FM:
===========

Command line arguments are optional.  If there are any, FM opens windows
for any listed drives and directories.  Examples:

FM              Starts one window in the root of the current drive
FM D:\FILES     Starts one window in D:\FILES
FM D:\ E:\ F:\  Starts three windows in the roots of drives D:, E: and F:

FM can also, of course, be started from a WPS program object in the
usual manner.

There's a special form of command line argument that can be used to
exclude drives from Trees:  /D.  If present, drive D will be excluded.
Examples:

FM D:\FILES /E  Starts one window in D:\FILES, excludes drive E from Trees

If you forget the command line syntax and don't have the docs handy, type
FM /? to get brief command line help.



Using FM:
========

Each FM main window (you can have more than one; see Misc->Toggles->New
Window and Starting FM) presents you with a split view; on the left is a
directory tree showing all the available drives and subdirectories, on
the right is container showing the contents of a single directory.  You
might imagine that these windows are similar to a "multiple drive"
object and a directory folder that are linked together, so that
selecting a directory in the tree causes the directory view to switch to
the selected directory rather than opening another folder (you can
alternatively open a new window).

By "select" I mean double-clicking a file (or arrowing the dotted-line
cursor to it and pressing [Enter], but use the mouse, it's faster).
Similarly, if you select a subdirectory in the directory view, the
directory changes to that subdirectory.  If you select a file, however,
the action is different.  First, FM checks to see if you've associated a
matching file mask with a program and executes that program on the
datafile.  If it's not associated, FM checks to see if the file is an
archive and views it as one if so.  If it's not an archive, FM checks to
see if the file itself is executable and, if so, runs it.  If it's not,
FM views the file using an internal viewer (or one you've configured
with Misc->Program Setup).

Drag-and-drop:
-------------

FM makes heavy use of intuitive drag-and-drop operations.  Drag-and-drop
and context menus are the recommended methods of getting things done
with FM (or the WPS, for that matter), although FM offers other options,
and selecting (double-clicking) directories and drives is the recommended
method of moving about your file system.

You can move files between directories by dragging them from the
directory view to a directory in the tree (or wherever).  You can drag
them to WPS drives or folder objects, too, or to another FM window.  To
copy instead of move, hold down the CTRL key while dragging.  In other
words, drag and drop works pretty much as it does from a WPS object.

You can also drag files to some of the Toolbox buttons (the Toolbox is a
separate window that contains icon buttons for common tasks; see
Misc->Toolbox), and their action will be performed on the files.  For
instance, you can drag a file to the trashcan and it'll be deleted.

If you drop a file onto another file you'll get a dialog allowing you to
select from a list of options (concatenate the dragged file(s) to the
target, compare the files, etc.).  If you link-drag (hold down CTRL and
SHIFT when you start the drag operation) a file onto an executable file,
the executable will be started with the dragged file(s) as arguments. If
you link-drag a directory onto another directory they'll be compared.

All in all, you'll find that drag-and-drop can be used to perform most
common file management tasks quickly, conveniently and intuitively.
(Note:  in a full details view, there's no "white space!"  Therefore,
for convenience, you may also drop on the text lines above the
container.)

Context menus:
-------------

Of course, drag and drop is not the only method of getting things done
in FM, nor are moving and copying the only actions available.  You can
click the second button on your mouse inside the tree or directory
container to get a context menu of options from which to select an
action applicable to where you requested the context menu.  For
instance, if you request a context menu on a drive, you'll get a menu
that includes the ability to check or format the disk, get information
about the drive, and so on.

Some of the Toolbox buttons have their own context menus to allow
fine-tuning the command you give FM.

Other methods:
-------------

Pulldown menus, accelerator keys (they're listed in the menus by their
functions) and an optional Toolbox are also available.

Aside from the obvious (drag and drop, menus) you can do a few other
things.  You can rename files by holding down the ALT key and clicking
on their names in the window as well as by the methods described above
(just like in the WPS).  If you select Move or Copy from a menu or via
an accelerator (remember, drag-and-drop is faster and more intuitive),
you'll be presented with a dialog that lets you "walk" to the drive and
directory where you want the files placed.  The Parent and Root buttons
can be used to quickly move the directory view to the previous or root
directories. When you move around your drives, FM remembers where you've
been so you can get back easily using the Misc->Pick Directory command.


Customizing FM:
==============

FM allows you to customize both appearance and function.  Appearance is
altered through the Views menu, by selecting different view-types for
the containers, changing fonts and colors, setting sort type, and so on.
Function is customized by setting associations (Misc->Edit Associations),
installing Commands (Commands->Edit Commands), changing the default
programs that AV uses for some commands (Misc->Prog Setup) and macros
(Misc->Macros).  Some behavioral changes can be made by setting some
miscellaneous toggles (Misc->Toggles).  Be sure to click Misc->Save
Settings after making changes if you want them all to be "permanent."

The first time you run FM, please take a moment to browse through the
menu items noted above and tweak FM to your taste.  It's configurable,
and the odds are it's not quite exactly like you want it out-of-the-box.
Besides, it's a good way to get a feel for it.



Now we'll go into a little detail about the pulldown menu system.  This
help is also available online, as well as more detailed help on most
items, so you need only browse this right now:


Files Menu:
==========

(Note:  you can get the applicable portions of the Files menu, and
 possibly some specific additional items, by clicking button 2 on
 an object in a container)

Most of the commands under the Files menu are extremely obvious, but a few
might not be&colon.

Shadow:
------

Creates shadows of selected files and directories on the desktop. If one
file or directory is selected, creates only one lone shadow object
directly on the desktop.  If several are selected, creates a folder to
contain them on the desktop, then places the shadow objects in the
folder.

Settings:
--------

Calls up the object's Settings Notebook.  Use this sparingly; about 200
bytes are consumed (EAs, etc.) to "turn the file into an object" if it's
not already one.

Command:
-------

Calls up the Command Edit dialog and lets you select a command from the
listbox (you could even add one on the fly), then executes that command
against the selected files.

Archive:
-------

Creates an archive containing the selected files.  If a directory is
selected, all the files in the directory go into the archive.

Extract:
-------

Extracts from selected archives.  FM ignores any selected files that
aren't archives.

Collect:
-------

Places the selected files into the Collector and brings up the Collector
if it's not already on the screen.

Hide:
----

Hides selected items (recall with Views->Set Filemask).

Save to clipboard:
-----------------

Saves the selected files into the clipboard, one filename per line.
Whatever text is in the clipboard, if any, is replaced.

Select:
------

This submenu contains several ways to select files in the directory
container.  You should be able to quickly select a subset of the records
in a container using these options.



Commands Menu:
=============

Commands are shortcuts to execute programs with selected files or
directories as arguments.  Suggestions for commands:  virus scanning
software, data format conversion software, file transfer software;
anything for which an association isn't better suited.

Edit Commands:
-------------

Leads to a dialog that lets you add, delete and change Commands.

The remaining items in this menu will be the Commands that you have
entered.  The contents of this menu can change dynamically as you use
the Edit Commands dialog.



Views Menu:
==========

(Note:  you can also get the Views menu as a popup by clicking button 2
 in a vacant area of one of the container boxes or on one of the static
 text fields above the containers)

Tree:
----

This submenu lets you customize the appearance of the tree container.
Tree Icon:  this view contains both text (directory name) and icon for
each drive/directory.  Tree text:  contains only text.  No Treelines:
toggles the lines that connect the subdirectories in an expanded tree
view.  Collapse all:  collapse all drives and subdirectories.  Expand
all:  expand all drives and subdirectories (except floppies, so as not
to force you to insert a disk if they're empty).

Directory:
---------

This submenu lets you customize the appearance of the directory
container.  Icon:  the ubiquitous icon view has text under the file's
icon.  Name:  similar to the icon view, but text is beside the icon.
Text:  only text (the filename) appears.  Details:  arguably the most
useful view; contains full information on the files and subdirectories
contained in the directory you're viewing.  Details setup:  this submenu
allows you to toggle the detail view's titles and icons on and off.

Force uppercase:
---------------

Forces file and directory names to be uppercased in the display.  Note
that filenames are displayed in mixed upper and lower case, as stored in
the directory, by default (FAT drives always store files in uppercase
only, HPFS allows mixing cases but is case insensitive with regard to
comparisons).

Force lowercase:
---------------

Forces file and directory names to be lowercased in the display.  This
usually saves a bit on the horizontal room required by text.

Icons:
-----

This submenu lets you toggle mini-icons and whether or not FM will load
the icons for files and directories when loading other info.

Font change:
-----------

Calls up the standard font dialog to let you pick a new font for the
window.  You can also drag a font from the Font Palette WPS object to
the window to set a new font.

Colors:
------

This leads to a dialog which can change the window's colors.
You can also drag colors from the Color Palette WPS object to the
window.

Set filemask:
------------

Lets you enter, or pick from a list, a new filemask to filter the files
shown to you in the directory container.  This can be a powerful tool;
please see the detailed help available online in the filemask dialog.

Sort by:
-------

This submenu presents you with a number of ways to sort the files in the
directory container.

Rescan:
------

This submenu lets you rescan part or all of the main window.  Directory:
rescans the current directory.  Drive:  rescans the subdirectories of
the currently highlighted drive.  Tree:  rescans the entire tree and the
directory listing.  All main windows:  like selecting Tree for all main
windows.



Misc Menu:
=========

Collector:
---------

The Collector is a temporary place to hold files that you want to do
something to later.  No physical (disk) storage is used; the Collector
just holds the filenames until you're ready to do something with them.
You can drag files and directories to the Collector from a main file
window or from a Grep window.  Be careful where you drop the files;
directories and files already in the Collector are "targets."  If you
drop on a directory, the files are moved or copied to the directory, not
into the Collector.  If you drop on a file, you get the usual option
dialog.

Grep (Seek and scan files):
--------------------------

The Grep window can be used to find files with a certain filename
pattern and/or that contain a certain text string.  Grep can work
on more than one drive, directory and mask.  This is useful for doing
things like finding all .INF files and then using Shadow to make a
desktop folder containing shadows of all the found files.  You can drag
files from the Grep window, but not to the Grep window (makes sense).

Toolbox:
-------

The toolbox is a separate window that contains icons that you can click
to send commands to the main file window.  The icon buttons in the
toolbox are graphical "mnemonics" for some menu commands and will
probably be helpful to novice users.  You can make the title bar come
and go by clicking mouse button 2 (usually the right button on two
button mice) in the client area of the window.  When the title bar is
visible, the buttons are described on it as you pass the mouse over
them.

Kill Processes:
--------------

If you have a renegade process that won't die, try Misc->Kill Process on
it.  You'll get a list of running processes; pick one and click Kill.
This doesn't always work, but usually will.  Be careful that you don't
kill FM.  It won't show in the list, but a parent process (like a
CMD.EXE shell that started FM) may.  It won't be fatal if you do, just
inconvenient.

Undelete Files:
--------------

If you have the OS/2 undelete command activated in CONFIG.SYS (SET
DELDIR=) for the current drive you can use Misc->Undelete Files as a
front end to the Undelete command.  You'll be presented with a list of
files that can be undeleted on the current drive; pick one or more and
click Okay.

Instant Cmd File:
----------------

Need a one-shot batch file?  Click Misc->Instant Cmd File and type one
into the MLE, then click Okay.  Click Help if knowing the name of the
batch file is important; it'll tell you what it will be.

Program Setup:
-------------

Here you can set the name of a default viewer and a default editor that
will be used where appropriate instead of the internal viewer/editor.
It's recommended you do so as the internals are rather limited.  You can
also assign a program to be run when you request to compare files by
dragging one file onto another; if you link-drag, this is the default
action, otherwise you get a dialog where you can choose Compare.
COMP.COM is the default.

Save Settings:
-------------

When you've got your windows looking just the way you want them, select
this.  It'll save window positions and other miscellaneous defaults so
they'll be there the next time you run FM.

Associations:
------------

When you double-click a file in a container FM first checks to see if
you've associated a matching file mask with a program.  If so, that
program is started with the datafile as its argument.  The Associations
dialog lets you enter, delete and change these associations.

A few recommended associations to get you started:

Filemask:   Command line:                           Signature:      Offset:
--------    -------------                           ---------       ------
*.CMD       %c /C %a
*.BAS       QBASIC.EXE \RUN %a
*.BAT       COMMAND.COM /C %a
*.INF       VIEW.EXE %a                             HSP             0
*.ICO       ICONEDIT.EXE %a


Pick Directory:
--------------

FM keeps track of where you've been for quick recall via a dialog box
that this menu option pops up.  If you pick a directory from the listbox
(double click it, or highlight and click Okay) it becomes the new
current directory, or a new window is started depending on the setting
of New Window above.

Toggles:
-------

Contains toggles you can set or unset (set toggles have check marks by
them).

Exit FM:
-------

If you have a lot of windows open it can take a while to close them all
manually.  You can select this to completely shutdown FM (you could also
select Close from the Window List).

Shutdown OS/2:
-------------

If you're running FM as a Workplace replacement, this option appears at
the bottom of the menu to allow you to shut down the operating system.



Miscellaneous Window Maps:
=========================

Following are some diagrams of multifield windows you'll run into often
(or may run into often, depending on your usage) in FM.  These are
provided to familiarize you with the various controls and information
fields, though most will be self-explanatory.

Main Window:
-----------                                    ┌─Menus
  ┌─System Menu  ┌─Titlebar (FM: D:\Dir)       │     ┌─Min/Hide
  │              │                             │     │ ┌─Max
  │              │      ┌─Parent dir button    │     │ │
  │    ┌─Free    │      │                      │     │ │
  │    │ space/  │      │                      │     │ │
  │    │ #drives │      │                      │     │ │
 ╔╪╤═══╪═════════╪══════╪══════════════════════╪════╤╪╤╪╗
 ╟─┴───┼────────────────┼──────────────────────┼────┴─┴─╢
 ╟─────┼────────────────┼───────────────────────────────╢
 ╟───────────────────┐┌─┼───┐    │               ┌─────┐║
 ║                   │└─────┘    │  │            └──┼──┘║
 ║                   │   │       │  │             │ │   ║
 ║                   │   │       │  │             │ └───╫──Root dir button
 ║                   │   │       │  │             │     ║
 ║                   │   │       │  │             └─────╫──# selected
 ║                   │   │       │  │                   ║
 ║                   │   │       │  └───────────────────╫──Misc. info
 ║                   │   │       │                      ║
 ║                   │   │       └──────────────────────╫──k free/#files@size
 ║                   │   │                              ║
 ║                   │   └──────────────────────────────╫──Bytes selected
 ║                   │                                  ║
 ║                 ──┼──────────────────────────────────╫──Drive/directory
 ║                   │                                  ║  tree
 ║                   │                                  ║
 ║                   │                                ──╫──Directory
 ║                   │                                  ║  contents
 ╚═══════════════════╧══════════════════════════════════╝

Archive listing:
---------------                                  ┌─# selected
  ┌─System menu ┌─Titlebar (arcname -- type)     │   ┌─Min/Hide
  │  ┌─Bytes    │       ┌─total # files          │   │
  │  │ selected │       │                 Menu─┐ │   │ ┌─Max
  │  │          │       │                      │ │   │ │
 ╔╪╤═╪══════════╪═══════╪══════════════════════╪═╪══╤╪╤╪╗
 ╟─┴─┼──────────────────┼──────────────────────┼─┼──┴─┴─╢
 ╟───┼──────────────────┼────────────────────────┼──────╢
 ║                                                    ──╫──Column titles
 ║                                                      ║
 ║                                                      ║
 ║                                              ────────╫──Archive contents
 ║                                                      ║
 ║                                                      ║
 ║                                                      ║
 ╟────────────────────────────┐           ┌──────┬──────╢
 ║                            │           │      │    ──╫──Walk pushbutton
 ╚══╪═════════════════════════╧═════╪═════╧═══╪══╧══════╝  (walk to extract
    │                               │         │             dir)
    └─Extract dir        Bytes free─┘         └─Pick pushbutton (pick
      entry field        in extract dir         extract dir)

Grep:
----
  ┌─System menu    ┌─Titlebar                     ┌─# lines
  │                │                              │  ┌─Min/Hide
  │  ┌─# files     │                      Menu─┐  │  │ ┌─Max
  │  │             │                           │  │  │ │
 ╔╪╤═╪═════════════╪═══════════════════════════╪══╪═╤╪╤╪╗
 ╟─┴─┼─────────────────────────────────────────┼──┼─┴─┴─╢
 ╟───┼────────────────────────────────────────────┼─────╢
 ╟───┼──────┬────────────────┬┬─────────────┬─────┼─────╢
 ╟──────────┘                ││             └───────────╢
 ║                       ────┼┼─────────────────────────╫──Files found
 ║                           ││                         ║
 ║                           ││                         ║
 ║                           ││                         ║
 ║                           ││                 ────────╫──"Found" lines from
 ║                           ││                         ║   files -- vanishes
 ╟───────────────────────────┘└─────────────────────────╢   if no search text
 ║                                                      ║
 ╟───────────────────────────┐┌─────────────────────────╢
 ║                           ││                       ──╫──Search text
 ╚══╪════════════════════════╧╧═════════════════════════╝
    │
    └─File masks



Speed tips:
==========

These tips may seem obvious, but if you're looking for the fastest
methods of doing something, read them, as there may be something that
you've forgotten or haven't thought about.

The fastest view for a container to maintain is the Text view.  It also
provides the least information.

If you can't or won't use drag-and-drop, try the accelerator keys.
They're faster than menus.  Context menus are generally faster than
pulldowns (fewer items from which to choose).

In main windows, you can tell FM not to load the icons of files and
directories, marginally speeding up disk scanning (they're normally
loaded even if you aren't displaying them, in case you turn them on
later).  Defaults are used if FM doesn't load the icons and you turn
them on.  I'm not sure the advantages outweigh the disadvantages...

Picking a directory to switch to from the Tree or the Pick Directory
dialog is faster than "walking" drives, since each directory through
which you pass doesn't have to be scanned.

Starting all the main windows you'll need from the command line or
program object, when you know ahead of time, avoids the need for
interaction to start them manually, and so is faster.

Picking a Command from the Commands pulldown menu is faster than picking
it from the Command dialog, which you get when you use the context menu
or Toolbox button.

Using Commands that can act on all selected files with one invocation of
the Command program is faster than Commands that require starting
separate sessions for each datafile.

Using pattern matching in the Grep window is slower than absolute
text searching, and no text to search for (just filemask matching)
is faster yet.



Registering FM:
==============

License:
-------

FM is shareware, not free; you can try it before you buy it, and decide
not to buy it if it doesn't meet your needs.  If you continue to use it
beyond thirty (30) days, though, you must register your copy, or stop
using it.

Permission is given to distribute the unaltered FM archive at no cost.
Distributors may charge small fees for download time or distribution
media, but may not under any circumstances charge anything for FM
itself.

How to register:
---------------

To register FM, register AV (if you've already registered AV, don't
worry about registering FM -- check the about box, you already are
registered).  $35.00 in US funds ($75.00 US for a commercial
registration) registers both programs.  Send it to:

M. Kimes
542 Merrick
Shreveport, LA  USA  71104

Add $5.00 US for disk shipment outside the US.  You can pick up the
registration program (about 12K) online @ [phone] or file request
it from Fidonet#1:380/16.0; set it up with me first.

Registration entitles you to free upgrades for a period of at least one
year from the date of shipment of your registration materials.