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- File Selector Box (FSELECT.PRG)
- by Martin Patzel, West Germany
- translated into English by Andreas Ramos
-
- All rights reserved © 3/1989 by Martin Patzel Version 3/89
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
- What it is: FSELECT is an improved file selector window. It should be
- started from an AUTO folder. Whenever a file selector box is needed,
- FSELECT appears instead.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
- How to install FSELECT: (a very short manual) Place FSELECT.PRG in the
- AUTO folder on your start up disk. If you don't have a folder called AUTO,
- use the CREATE FOLDER option in your FILE menu from the desktop (and read
- your manual!)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Copyright message: This program and its files may be copied freely between
- all ST users according to the following conditions: FSELECT is copied with
- all files (FSELECT.PRG, FSELECT.INS, PATCH.PRG, BOXTEST.PRG, READ_ME.TXT).
- No PD service may charge more than £3, 10DM, 40 DKr, or 4 US Dollars or
- the equivalent for this program. No portion of this program may be used
- for commerical purposes. The copyright of this program remains the
- property of Martin Patzel.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- FSELECT consists of:
-
- FSELECT.PRG The file selector.
- FSELECT.ING The keyboard definition.
- PATCH.PRG A program to add the changes to FSELECT.
- BOXTEST.PRG A small program to display the file selector.
- FSELECT.TXT Documentation for FSELECT.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Contents:
-
- I. Changes since version 5/88
- II. Description of FSELECT.PRG
- 1: The main window
- 2: The options window
- 3: Keyboard commands
- III. Description of FSELECT.INS
- IV. Description of PATCH.PRG
- V. Appendix.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- I. Changes since version 5/88
-
- Works with all TOS.
- Keyboard commands.
- Works with programs which were problems until now.
- Accepts up to 16 drive buttons.
- The directory can be displayed as "unsorted".
- The path name can be saved in different ways.
- Wordplus's FORMAT folder is correctly handled.
- Path name correction was improved and expanded.
- The box appears lower on the screen in order not to cover any possible
- information lines.
- Several small errors were removed.
- Uses the fsel_exinput() function from the new TOS 1.4. This function is
- part of TOS 1.4, but FSELECT has already incorporated it, and therefore
- every TOS can use it. See the PATCH.PRG.
- The box is now in Vector 2 (GEM) and Vector 13 (BIOS). In both vectors,
- FSELECT remains within the XBRA protocolls.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- II. Description of FSELECT.PRG
-
- Introduction:
-
- FSELECT is a program for the AUTO folder on your boot disk (startup disk).
- Whenever your program needs a File selector box (opening a file, saving,
- etc.), the FSELECT will appear instead of the standard File Selector.
-
- If you start FSELECT directly from the desktop, then please start a *.TOS
- or *.TTP program afterwards. This causes the FSELECT to become active. You
- can also just display a text file (double click on any text file ((*.DOC,
- *.DOK, *.TXT, etc)). Scroll through the first page by pressing the SPACE
- BAR, and then exit by pressing Q (QUIT). I regret that these extra steps
- are needed, but this has the advantage of allowing FSELECT to be used by
- any TOS version.
-
- Normally, you should place FSELECT in your AUTO folder. This allows it to
- be automatically started.
-
- FSELECT is designed to be comfortable in use. Wherever possible, a button
- is used so that you can just point and click. Buttons can be changed by
- you so that your favorite style can be used. Unnecessary drive buttons
- automatically disappear. The second window, which is rarely used, is kept
- out of sight. The most important / most used fields and buttons are
- grouped near the top right.
-
- FSELECT is made up of two windows:
- 1: Main window. Appears as a file selector.
- 2: Options window. Appears by clicking on the copyright bar.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 1: The Main Window
-
- Copyright Bar: (first line)
- Click here to go to the second window.
- If your program uses a fsel_exinput(path,filename, button, message), then
- a message will appear here instead of the copyright message. This message
- can be up to 30 characters long.
-
- Drive Buttons A, B, C, D... P:
- Click on the drive button to go to that drive.
- Only active drives are shown.
- Up to 16 drives can be used.
- Double-click on a button to see information about a disk.
- If you change drives, FSELECT goes automatically to the path which you
- last used. FSELECT remembers where you were working on the disk. (Great!)
-
- Path Name Bar: (second line)
- This line shows the current path. This path can show up to 256 characters.
- You can write in this path (edit the path). Afterwards, click in the Mover
- field (the gray bar over the file names). For example, you can write:
-
- - "A". FSELECT automatically adds the ":*.*".
- - Just a folder name. FSELECT enters the folder and shows the contents.
- - Or any path name, such as "\FOLDER\DEF\*.C". Click on the Mover bar
- afterwards.
-
- File Name Bar: (third line, left side)
- The name of the selected file appears here.
- If you want to create or delete a folder, you must write its name here.
-
- File Selector Window: (Eleven lines for files and folders)
- This is made up of several elements:
-
- Mover Bar: The top grey bar.
- Closer Button: (Top left). Click on this to exit a folder.
- Arrow Up/Down: To scroll up or down. Auto-repeats.
- Arrow left/right: Click here to show Name/Size/Date/Time.
- Slider box: (Right side) Point the mouse, press, and hold down the
- mouse ear to "grab" and move the slide bar.
-
- The 11 file name lines:
- These are the files/folders on your disk. To select one, click once and
- then click OK. Or, doubleclick on a name. This is the same as clicking OK.
- To "enter" a folder, click on it.
-
- Extender buttons: (the twelve buttons to the right)
- These let you select an extender. This "masks" the file names and lets you
- see only those files which you want. A file name is like a person's name:
- it has a first name and a family name. By using "*" for the first name and
- choosing ".DOC" for the last name (the extender), we can see all files
- that end with .DOC. If there are more than one character, you can use a
- question mark. (eg: you have files which end with both DOK and DOC. To see
- all of them, use an extender "*.DO?".) The double combination of "*.*"
- (pronouced "star point star") means anything first name and any extender
- name. This displays all files.
-
- You can change (edit) the extenders. Doubleclick on them. When you finish,
- press RETURN or ENTER. To save these extenders, enter the second window
- and click "Save my Set-up."
- Several suggested extenders:
-
- *.*, *.DOC, *.DOK, *.DO?, *.SDO, *.LIB, *.BAK, *.TXT, *.PRG, *.RSC, *.IMG,
- *.PIC, *.PI?, *.CMP, *.INF, *.IN?, *.BAS, *.C, *.ASM, etc.
-
- You should place your favorite/most common extenders on the left side,
- starting from the top. This makes it easier/quicker to reach them. The
- "everything.everything" mask (*.*) should always be at the top left.
-
- FSELECT allows you to use "first" names as well. You can write "R*.*";
- this shows all files that start with the character "R". This is useful for
- finding "READ_ME" files which can be "README, READ_ME, READ.ME,
- READ_ME.TXT, READ_MEE.DOC, etc). All of these variations will be shown.
-
- Sorting: (Bottom right)
- You can see files organized from top to bottom either by name
- (alphabetical order), extender (alphabetical order), size (smallest
- first), date/time (newest first), or unsorted.
-
- Unsorted display lets you see the files as they really appear on the disk.
- This lets you see the order of files which are loaded in the AUTO folder
- or the accessories. Doubleclick on any sorting button to select
- "unsorted."
-
- Note: In normal display, folders are always shown. But if you select
- unsorted display and use an extender mask (such as "*.DOC"), the folder
- will NOT be shown (unless it ends with .DOC). The folders remain invisible
- until you use a normal sorted display or use the *.* extender.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 2: The Options Window
-
- Enter this window by clicking on the copyright bar.
-
- This is made up of several parts.
-
- 1) Redraw: (a) Fixed, (b) Auto, (c) Redraw.
- 2) Clamp: (a) Path (b) Extension
- 3) Path Sv (a) Fsel (b) TOS (c) T->F
- 4) Delete Files/folder.
- 5) Create Folder.
- 6) Save Set up!
-
- 1) Redraw: When a file selector box is opened, the center of the screen is
- "erased" and the file selector box is "drawn" in that space. The ST has to
- know what that center was that it can be redrawn after the selector box
- goes away. Several programs have problems in redrawing the screen after a
- file selector box has been used. Other programs had parts of the message
- box missing. If your screen looks strange, then these options let you take
- care of this.
-
- 1c) Redraw mode: this lets the current program take care of redrawing the
- screen itself. FSELECT does not bother with making a buffer. If there are
- problems (grey bars refuse to disappear, etc), then select either AUTO or
- FIX.
-
- 1b) Auto mode: If Auto is selected, then FSELECT takes over the screen
- redrawing. The entire screen is moved into a 32KB buffer. When the
- selector box disappears, the entire screen is moved back from that buffer
- and the buffer is deleted. This is a extremely fast way to solve this
- problem.
-
- Some programs (1ST Word, STAD, etc), however, grab the entire ST's memory,
- and don't leave 32KB left for the Auto redrawing. Therefore...
-
- 1a) Fix mode: The 32KB buffer is kept permanently: it is not deleted. Thus
- FSELECT, which is started first, grabs its 32KB buffer, and holds on to
- it. (German: "fest" = firm, continuous, which I translated as "fixed").
- If you find that you are running out of memory, select Redraw, save
- configuration, exit the file selector and all programs, and reboot.
-
- So... normally, use AUTO mode. It is the fastest. If the FSELECT runs out
- of memory, then it automatically switches over into REDRAW mode. If that
- doesn't help, exit the program, switch to Fix mode, save configuration,
- and start up again. If you are using a large screen (19 inches or more),
- then the entire screen will take up too much memory. You should then use
- the REDRAW mode.
-
- 2) CLAMP: (Martin uses "Klemmen", which means "to clamp", or "fasten
- down". Not even Roget could suggest a better translation, so it remains
- "clamp.")
-
- There are two ways of deciding which path/file/extender will appear.
- Either the box does it or the program does it. If the program decides,
- then it will always show a particular path/extender (eg. REDACTEUR always
- shows only \POLICES\*.LIB, which is rather annoying). This button lets you
- put a clamp on that stupid bug: you can choose to override the program. If
- you click on PATH or EXTENDER, then FSELECT will remember your selection
- and use that instead of the program's choice.
-
- 3) PATH-SV (Path Save)
- There are minor bugs / poor design in TOS and several programs: the paths
- of disks aren´t remembered. There are several ways of dealing with this.
-
- 3a) FSEL(ect)
-
- FSELECT takes over the entire work of keeping track of paths.
-
- 3b) TOS
- Previous versions of FSELECT used this method. The path is taken from
- GEMDOS. However, a small bug appeared with 1ST WORD: it couldn't find its
- FORMAT folder. Another bug: if you entered several folders
- (C:\Folder_A\Folder_B\Folder_C\*.*) and then switched disks, the file
- selector would look in Folder C. This is a common bug on the desktop: open
- a folder, change the disks, and press ESCAPE. TOS doesn't realize that the
- disk was changed, and shows the (empty) non-existent folder on the new
- disk.
-
- 3c) T(OS)->F(Select)
- This mode is a compromise between the other two modes. Whenever a selector
- box is used, all of the active drives are checked and the current paths
- are read. This lets the box work in mode b: it opens in the path which was
- last used. You don´t need to "enter" the folder again. Mode c then
- proceeds to work in mode a. This means that pathnames are not saved.
- Therefore, 1STWORD´s FORMAT folder works with this mode. But there is a
- (very) small problem: the paths are not saved.
- For harddisk users, there are several points. If you have only one drive
- and a harddisk and you have three windows open (A, B, and C), then you
- will get a message telling you to "Insert Disk B into Drive A". The
- solution for the file selector is to ignore A and B disk paths and to
- accept them only when you click on an A or B drive button.
-
- Again, the best to use is mode a: FSEL.
-
- 4) Delete Files/Folder
- This option deletes the file or folder which is in the selected line (Main
- window, line 3, NAME:_____).
- To delete a file, click on it once (its name will appear in the file
- select line), click on the copyright message to go to the options window,
- and click on "Delete files/folder."
- To delete a folder, write its name in the file select line, go to the
- options window, and click "Delete file/folder."
- Using a keyboard command, you can press Control + Delete: whatever file is
- in the file select line in the main window will be deleted.
- From the keyboard, you can delete files or folders by clicking on the
- file´s name so that it appears in the file select line or by writing the
- folder´s name in the file select line in the main window and then pressing
- Control + Delete.
-
- 5) Create Folder:
- This option lets you create a folder. To create a folder, write its name
- in the file select line, click on the copyright box to go to the options
- window, and click "Create Folder."
- From the keyboard, you can create folders by writing the new folder name
- in the file select line in the main window and then pressing Control +
- Insert.
-
- 6) Save my set-up!:
- This lets you save your file selector settings. The sorting style, the
- default extenders, the Redraw-mode, the Clamping of paths or extenders,
- the option to save paths, and the file display in the file window (name,
- size, date/time). This option works only if FSELECT.PRG is in the AUTO
- folder in the boot drive and the program is not "write-protected" in any
- way. This option changes the program directly.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 3: Keyboard commands:
-
- A major change in the new version of FSELECT are the keyboard commands.
- FSELECT can be used either by mouse or by keyboard. The entire options
- window can be used by keyboard commands; you do not need to go into the
- second window.
-
- You can change the keyboard layout to suit yourself. This can be done by
- editing (changing) the file FSELECT.INS. Use any text editor or 1STWORD
- with WP MODE switched off. You must save in Non-WP mode (ASCII mode). Use
- PATCH.PRG to change the FSELECT to use the new layout.
-
- All of the keycommands can be seen in FSELECT.INS. Here are the main ones:
-
- Undo = Abort.
- Help = Option Window.
- Control + A, B, C, or up to P = Drive A, B, C, to P.
- Control+Shift+ A, B, C, or up to P = Show disk info for disk A, B, C, etc.
- Control + Insert = Create Folder.
- Control + Delete = Delete file/folder.
- Control + the numerical keypad = extender buttons.
- Control + 1, 2, 3, etc above the QWERTY = select lines.
- Control + Shift + 1, 2, 3, etc above QWERTY = Double click on line.
- Control + w = Sort by name.
- Control + x = Sort by extender.
- Control + z = Sort by size.
- Control + t = Sort by date.
- Control + s = Save set up.
-
- There are more for the Options box; if you want to use these, see
- FSELECT.INS.
-
- (Translator´s comment: Many programs now use keyboard commands. FSELECT
- conflicts with the program´s keyboard. You will need to edit and change
- the FSELECT keyboard layout. For example, REDACTEUR wordprocessor uses
- Control + A to abort a text. But FSELECT uses Control + A to access a
- drive. The result is that nothing happens. So, use a text editor (such as
- TEMPUS) to change FSELECT.INS. But... nearly every program with keyboard
- commands has a different layout; it is not easy to find unused keys or
- combinations. After working with FSELECT for several weeks now, I never
- use the keyboard commands (except for Create Folder/Delete file). It is
- much easier to use the mouse. It is impossible to remember the 50 or so
- commands for FSELECT. So... if you want to use it, it´s there. But if you
- don´t, just ignore it.)
-
- Other:
- If you are having problems with booting, press ALTERNATE key during
- booting and FSELECT will not be used.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- III. Description of FSELECT.INS:
-
- FSELECT.INS is a file which you can edit so that your own keyboard
- commands are used in FSELECT.PRG. Use any text editor or 1ST WORD (WP mode
- switched off) to change FSELECT.INS and save in ASCII mode. Use PATCH.PRG
- to patch the new changes into your FSELECT.PRG.
-
- The order of lines is not important.
- Any line which starts with a hash symbol is "commented out", or inactive.
- You can also simply delete the line.
- You can use either capital or small characters.
- C = control, C+S = Control + Shift.
- Each line begins with a keyword. It defines the object for the keycommand.
- You can describe the key either as:
-
- $4C = Hex format.
- 76 = Decimal format.
- L = ASCII format.
-
- An example:
-
- Drive0 = ´5´, shift, alt
-
- This means that drive A can be used by pressing Shift plus 5. By pressing
- Alternate + 5, you can get information about the disk.
-
- "ext0 = ´a´, , shift"
-
- By pressing only "a", you can select the first extender button. By
- pressing Shift + a, you can edit the extender button.
-
- Only one object can be defined for one key. But you can use combinations
- of control, shift, and alternate with that key. Each object can have
- however multiple keys.
-
- If you want to get rid of commands (control + delete is dangerous: it
- deletes whatever is in the selected line), simply delete the line and use
- PATCH.PRG to redefine your FSELECT.PRG.
-
- Here is a syntax diagram in EBNF notation for all keywords (this is for
- programmers only).
-
- lines: { line }
- line: [ "fixdrives" : ( OBJECT "=" KEY kshifts ) ] "\n"
- kshifts: [ "," ( kshift [ "," kshift ] ) : ( "," kshift ) ]
- kshift: SHIFT [ "+" SHIFT [ "+" SHIFT ] ]
-
- Shift key / key word.
- SHIFT : "shift" : "s" Left/Right shift key.
- : "alternate" : "alt" : "a" Alternate key.
- : "control" : "ctrl" : "c" Control key.
-
-
- Key words for the main window.
-
- KEY : "DRIVE0" Drive 0 (normally A:)
- : "DRIVE1" Drive 1 (normally B:)
- : "DRIVE2" etc...
- : "DRIVE3"
- : "DRIVE4"
- : "DRIVE5"
- : "DRIVE6"
- : "DRIVE7"
- : "DRIVE8"
- : "DRIVE9"
- : "DRIVE10"
- : "DRIVE11"
- : "DRIVE12"
- : "DRIVE13"
- : "DRIVE14"
- : "DRIVE15"
- : "HEADER" Title bar.
- : "WICLOSE" Closer field.
- : "WIMOVE" Mover feild.
- : "WI0" 1st file line in window.
- : "WI1" 2nd file line in window.
- : "WI2" etc...
- : "WI3"
- : "WI4"
- : "WI5"
- : "WI6"
- : "WI7"
- : "WI8"
- : "WI9"
- : "WI10"
- : "WIUPARR" Window arrow up.
- : "WIDNARR" " " down
- : "WILTARR" " " left
- : "WIRTARR" " " right
- : "EXT0" Extender fields. "*.C"-"*.*"
- : "EXT1"
- : "EXT2"
- : "EXT3"
- : "EXT4"
- : "EXT5"
- : "EXT6"
- : "EXT7"
- : "EXT8"
- : "EXT9"
- : "EXT10"
- : "EXT11"
- : "SORTNAME" Sort by Name
- : "SORTEXT" " Extension
- : "SORTDATE" " Date
- : "SORTSIZE" " Size
- : "EXIT" Abort the main box.
-
-
- Key words for the Option window.
-
- : "OPFEST" Fixed mode.
- : "OPAUTO" Auto mode.
- : "OPREDRAW" Redraw mode.
- : "OPKLPF" Clamp the path.
- : "OPKLEX" Clamp the extender.
- : "OPSPFSEL" FSELECT remembers the path.
- : "OPSPTOS" TOS remembers the path.
- : "OPSPTOSFS" FSELECT takes path from select.
- : "OPREMOVE" Delete folder/file.
- : "OPMKDIR" Create folder.
- : "OPSAVE" Save set up.
- : "OPEXIT" Abort options box.
- OBJECT: ( "$" ( "0".."9" : "A".."F" ) { "0".."9" : "A".."F" } )
- : ( ( "0".."9" ) { "0".."9" } )
- : ( "'" " ".."~" "'" )
- : "Z(" Keys from the numberic keypad.
- : "Z)"
- : "Z/"
- : "Z*"
- : "Z+"
- : "Z-"
- : "Z."
- : "Z0"
- : "Z1"
- : "Z2"
- : "Z3"
- : "Z4"
- : "Z5"
- : "Z6"
- : "Z7"
- : "Z8"
- : "Z9"
- : "ZCR" ENTER on the nummeric keypad.
- : "ENTER" ditto.
- : "HELP" Various special keys.
- : "UNDO"
- : "INSERT"
- : "HOME"
- : "CLR"
- : "CURUP"
- : "CURDOWN"
- : "CURLEFT"
- : "CURRIGHT"
- : "ESC"
- : "TAB"
- : "SPACE"
- : "BACKSPACE"
- : "RETURN"
- : "DELETE"
- : "F1"
- : "F2"
- : "F3"
- : "F4"
- : "F5"
- : "F6"
- : "F7"
- : "F8"
- : "F9"
- : "F10"
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- IV. Description of PATCH.PRG:
-
- This patches your new keyboard layout into the FSELECT program. Select the
- FSELECT.INS to be used; select the FSELECT to be changed, and press OKAY.
- If there are problems, you´ll get a message. Otherwise, press reset to
- load your new FSELECTor.
-
- To use, doubleclick on PATCH.PRG. It first asks you for the .INS which you
- edited and then asks for the FSELECT.PRG which you want to change. Click
- OK. That´s it!
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- V. Appendix:
-
- BOXTEST.PRG is a little program so that you can see your file selector.
- You can change around with the FSELECT INF file, patch it into the FSELECT
- program, and then test it with BOXTEST and see how it came out.
- To use, double click on BOXTEST. It asks for two lines: press any keys
- plus ENTER. Click on Exit to quit.
-
- As always, do all tests and experiments on a separate disk. Make a backup
- first!
-
- If you want the FSELECT source code, just send me 30 Deutsch Mark. You´ll
- recieve 170 KB source code and 400 KB of files (all material in German).
-
- Send a formatted, blank disk, a self-addressed envelope with postage (or
- international response coupons), and, of course, 30 DM or the equivalent
- in pounds, dollars, or gold.
-
- Recommended compilers:
- Mark Williams C, 3.0 or better. 2.1.7 is nearly okay.
- For PATCH.PRG, lex and yacc are very useful (but not necessary).
-
- Comments, criticism, and bug reports are always welcome!
-
- My address:
-
- Martin Patzel
- Promenadeweg 15
- 7905 Dietenheim
- West Germany
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- History of FSELECT:
-
- FSELECT was written by Martin Patzel, West Germany. It was written for the
- German and Spanish TOS. Heine Svendsen, of the 68000 UG in Denmark, asked
- him if it could be configured to the Danish TOS as well; Heine sent him
- the Danish TOS; Martin did even better and updated it to all TOS. He sent
- it to us; I translated it from German into English and sent copies to Paul
- Glover ST CLUB (England), Steve Delaney (Scotland) and Phil Reeves,
- Paragon Computers (Australia). We uploaded it onto BBS systems in England,
- Holland, Sweden, and other countries as well. Heine Svendsen translated it
- into Danish. All of these persons work together to distribute
- shareware/freeware/public domain to all ST users around the world.
-
- FSELECT is a major improvement to the daily use of the ST. Programs do not
- fall out of the sky. Please support shareware and freeware authors. They
- are writing excellent programs for all users. If you use a shareware
- program, send the author the registration fee. If you use a freeware
- program, send the author money, several disks, or something. Only by
- cooperation and support between users and authors will we see more, better
- programs. We recommend that you send 25 DM, 20 US$, £10 or 100 DKr. to:
-
- Martin Patzel
- Promenadeweg 15
- 7905 Dietenheim 1
- West Germany.
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
- For a complete copy of FSELECT (program, documentation, patch, INF file),
- find one of the PD services noted above in ST WORLD magazine or contact
- us.
-
- For more information on Auto folders, file selectors, TOS, text editors,
- etc, see "YOUR SECOND MANUAL TO THE ATARI ST" by me. Available in English,
- German, Dutch, Swedish, and Danish. We can be contacted at:
-
- Andreas Ramos
- Jaegergaards Gade 142
- DK-8000 Aarhus C,
- Denmark, Scandinavia
-
- Heine Busk Svendsen
- Ingerslevs Boulevard 22.3
- DK-8000 Aarhus C,
- Denmark, Scandinavia
-
- BBS: Denmark 86/202016
- Tlf: Denmark 86/201117
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-