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******************************
* *
* *
* QFILER *
* *
* *
* USERS'MANUAL *
* *
* *
******************************
A File Maintenance Utility
written by Kenn Flee
of
Jamestown Software
2508 Valley Forge Drive
Madison WI 53719
Copyright (C)1986 by Jamestown Software
Version 2.1
August 8, 1986
Jamestown Software will not be liable for any damages,
including any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental
or consequential damages arising out of the use of or
inability to use QFILER.COM, even if Jamestown Software has
been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for any
claim by any other party.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 1
QFILER TABLE OF CONTENTS
User interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
Starting Qfiler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
Screen sample illustration . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
Geography and Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Function Key assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5
Menu selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6
Control/Alternate-key combinations . . . . . . . . . Page 8
User-support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10
Sample Invoice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11
QFILER FILES
You should have the following program and documentation files
included in your distribution copy of QFILER.
README - Quick start instructions.
QFILER.COM - Executable program.
QFILER.DOC - This documentation.
QFKEYS.TXT - Printable Function Key template.
QFUPDATE.DOC - QFILER update/revision history.
The following are Jamestown Software products which may be
used as standalone products or as integrated parts of QFILER.
FCDISK.COM - Disk-Directory file builder.
FCDISK.DOC - Documentation for above.
FILCAT22.TXT - Filecat revision history.
FILECAT.COM - Disk cataloging database.
FILECAT.DOC - Filecat documentation file.
FILECAT.KWD - Library of keywords. .
FINC01.CHN - Required FILECAT program file.
FINC02.CHN - Required FILECAT program file.
Additionally, the following programs may also be included. If
not, check your BBS source for a LIST593.ARC file.
LIST.COM - Vern Buerg's great browse program.
LIST.DOC - Documentation for LIST.COM.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 2
USER INTERFACE
QFILER outwardly resembles FFM (A popular user-supported file
management program by Neidert Software) in its user
interface, but has many additional features and enhancements.
QFILER is written in Turbo Pascal and is extremely fast -- as
you will see. The program makes full use of the PC keyboard,
using the function keys, the cursor keys, tab key, space bar,
and several control-key combinations. In order to make full
use of all of QFILER's features, the following conditions
should be met.
The program is designed to operate satisfactorily with
DOS 2.x and above. DOS 3.x is the operating system of
choice, however. In some cases, the extensions offered
by QFILER depend on the presence of DOS 3.x
enhancements.
QFILER requires a minimum of 192K memory and one
diskette drive for operation on an IBM-PC or compatible
computer. Additional memory is required to use shell
options.
The monitor may be either a color or a monochrome unit,
with a command line option supplied for use with mono
monitors attached to color video cards.
Printers to be used with QFILER's setup options <Ctrl-P>
should be EPSON-command compatible.
STARTING
In preparation for using QFILER, if DOS 3.x is in use, invoke
PRINT.COM from either your autoexec or from the DOS prompt.
QFILER.COM is started by typing QFILER at the DOS prompt.
For ease of invoking, it may be advisable to rename
QFILER.COM to QF.COM, but that is up to the user. There are
currently three command line options that can be used at
program startup, which are [M]onochrome, [S]ort-on-name, and
[V]ideo-reverse-marks. Any or all of these options may be
utilized by entering:
QFILER [M[S[V]]]
at the DOS prompt. The square brackets are used to denote
the options, and are not typed. The option(s) may be entered
in any order. Spaces are not required between options.
The M option turns off color, and may be used whenever a
monochrome monitor attached to a color video card is used,
for ease of screen reading.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 3
The S option turns on the "Sort by File Name" option, and
should be used if sorted directories are desired in both
windows, at all times. When this option is not used, the
display will be unsorted, showing the real order of the files
on the chosen drive or directory, and the display will be
slightly faster, depending on the number of files the user is
working with.
The V option, which may also be called by <Alt><V> from
within QFILER, will cause marked files to be displayed in
reverse-video. This is useful on composite monitors which
may not adequately display high-intensity, which is the
default display for marked files.
The following is a facsimile of QFILER on a monitor screen.
Some of the on-screen refinements are, of course, not
possible when printers are concerned, so it will look
somewhat different in actual use, and will contain more
lines. Use this illustration for reference in the User's
Manual.
|--------------------------------------||--------------------------------------|
| JAMESTOWN || |
|--------------------------------------||--------------------------------------|
| C:\DOS || Quick-Filer 2.1 by Kenn Flee |
|--------------------------------------||--------------------------------------|
| >. <DIR> 071186 15:41 || |
| .. <DIR> 071186 15:41 || |
| ASSIGN COM 1509 030785 13:43 || USER SUPPORTED SOFTWARE |
| BACKUP COM 5577 030785 13:43 || |
| BASICA COM 27520 030785 13:43 || If you are using this program |
| CHKDSK COM 9435 030785 13:43 || and find it to be of value, |
| DEBUG COM 15552 030785 13:43 || your contribution of $20 |
| DISKCOMP COM 4073 030785 13:43 || will be appreciated. |
| DISKCOPY COM 4329 030785 13:43 || |
| ED COM 7261 122185 23:08 || Jamestown Software |
| EXE2BIN EXE 2816 030785 13:43 || 2508 Valley Forge Dr. |
| FASTFMT HLP 1195 031486 9:43 || Madison, WI 53719 |
| FFLABELS HLP 128 020386 0:17 || |
| FFMT EXE 12800 031486 9:28 || Please copy this program |
| FILECOMP COM 3664 030785 13:43 || and share it with others. |
| FIND EXE 6403 030785 13:43 || |
| FORM## COM 9398 102985 17:14 || Press <H> for help or spacebar, |
| GRAPHICS COM 3111 030785 13:43 || tab or first character to select |
| IBMUTIL LIB 6144 071884 12:01 || |
| LABEL COM 1826 030785 13:43 || |
|--------------------------------------||--------------------------------------|
|dir: 385K mrk: 0K left: 2136K|| Copyright (C) 1986 Jamestown Software|
|--------------------------------------||--------------------------------------|
Clear all marked files.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UnMarkAll Copy Delete MarkAll Rename Execute List VolLabel Quit Help
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Figure 1 - Facsimile of QFILER on a monitor screen.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 4
GEOGRAPHY OF QFILER
The QFILER screen, as seen in Figure 1, is divided into three
sections with dual side-by-side upper windows for the display
of file information, and a two-row bottom section for
messages and menu. Each top window row shows the Volume
Label for the respective displayed disk. The second window
row, in reverse-video, will display the full DOS path for the
directory displayed in the window. The large central window
area is the main file display area, in which a full DOS
directory (DIR) format is shown. The directory additionally
displays hidden files and, when applicable, file attributes
Read-only, Hidden, and System. Only one of the two windows
may be considered "current" for menu or function key actions.
Currency is shown by a blinking arrow pointer in the left
margin area of the display area. The pointer also indicates
the "current file" within the "current window". Below the
main display, another reverse-video row, shows the directory
size, total bytes marked, and remaining bytes of disk space.
The bottom section contains, as its top row, the message
line. Here QFILER tells the user what is happening, or what
the current menu selection description is. Finally, the last
row is the Menu Bar, with the current selection highlighted
and the rest in reverse video.
NAVIGATION
QFILER utilizes most of the keyboard in its operation. There
are three logical areas of keyboard control:
1. Cursor pad selector/pointer movement.
2. Function key program control.
3. Typewriter keyboard command control.
The cursor-key pad controls the combination file-selector and
window-selector. The keys used on the cursor pad, and
their functions are:
1. Right-Arrow - Select Right Window.
2. Left-Arrow - Select Left Window.
3. Up-Arrow - Scroll selector pointer up or
window down a line.
4. Down-Arrow - Scroll selector pointer down or
window up a line.
5. Home - Selector to top of Window.
6. End - Selector to bottom of Window.
7. Page-Up - Scroll window up one page.
8. Page-Dn - Scroll window down one page.
Control-cursor-key combinations.
1. Ctrl-Home - Scroll window to top of disk/dir.
2. Ctrl-End - Scroll window to end of disk/dir.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 5
The function keys control all the display options. These
include sort order, drive or subdirectory viewed, and sound
effects. The function keys also allow modification of file
attribute bytes and creation/deletion of subdirectories.
To use a function key, point (with arrow keys) at a file you
wish to use, or mark the files you wish to use (see F9 or the
MarkAll command below), and press the key. The function keys
are used as follows:
Normal Function-Key assignments.
F1 - Create a new subdirectory (DOS MKDIR/MD).
User is prompted for name at command line
at the bottom of the display.
F2 - Remove selected subdirectory. (DOS RMDIR/RD)
F3 - Display selected subdirectory in left window.
F4 - Display selected subdirectory in right window.
F5 - Prompt for a new path in left window.
F6 - Prompt for a new path in right window.
F7 - Sort the current window by name.
(Same as command-line option [S].)
F8 - Sort the current window by extension.
F9 - Mark or unmark current file for group action.
F10 - Toggle sound effects on/off. (default = off)
Shifted Function-Key assignments.
F3 - Hide current file, directory, or marked files.
F4 - Unhide current file, directory or marked files.
F5 - Protect current or marked file(s).
(Make them "Read-Only").
F6 - Unprotect current or marked file(s).
F7 - Sort current window by file size, ascending.
F8 - Sort current window by file date, then time,
ascending.
F9 - Set time and date stamp on current or marked
file(s). You may accept system parameters.
Date is entered as: 7/4/86. Time is entered
as: 8:5:0 or 11:56:23. Zero-padding the
entry is unnecessary. Enter as 24-hour clock.
Menu-Bar selections control QFILER actions, and are invoked
by either moving the highlight to the desired command via the
spacebar or tab-key, and pressing [Enter], or by keying the
first letter of the command name. The spacebar or tab-key
moves the highlight to the right and the tab-key, when
shifted, moves the highlight to the left. Of the various
options, mnemonic control is the fastest method of control.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 6
MENU COMMANDS
The commands are as follows:
UnmarkAll.. Will turn off any file highlighting within
current window.
Copy....... Will cause DOS copy to be executed on current or
marked files.
Delete..... Will cause DOS delete to be executed on current
or marked files.
MarkAll.... Will turn on file highlighting for all files
within current window, so that all files will be
subject to action. You may unmark selected files
with F9.
Rename..... Will cause DOS rename to be executed on current
or marked files. New name will be prompted for.
Files may be moved (rather than copied) across
subdirectory boundaries if the following
conditions are met:
1. You are using DOS 3.x
2. Two directories of the same disk drive are
displayed in the two windows.
3. One or more files are MARKED.
4. You select RENAME and answer yes to the
question displayed.
The advantages of moving files are that the move
is performed faster than copy and that moving
files does not degrade your hard disk performance
through disk fragmentation caused by reorg-
anization. Note that MOVE is the equivalent of
copying from one subdirectory to another, then
deleting the files from the original directory...
except the files are not physically moved, just
their disk location identifier.
In addition (if you are using DOS 3.x) you may
rename the subdirectories themselves by making
them the current file, then selecting RENAME.
After renaming a subdirectory, that subdirectory
will be displayed in the alternate window.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 7
Execute.... The current file, if an executable type, i.e.,
with extension BAT, COM, or EXE, will be run with
a command line furnished for parameter entry.
There are two additional methods included that
will allow you to run other programs from within
QFILER. These are covered in the CONTROL-KEY
area of this document
List....... The user is given a choice of <S>creen, <P>rint,
<C>ancel all print jobs, or <ESC> to quit. <S>
will invoke the browse program LIST for the
current file. LIST will allow full screen ASCII
or HEX browse. You must have LIST.COM (or other
"browse" program renamed to LIST.COM) in the same
directory as Quick Filer, or have the List.Com
directory identified in your PATH declaration.
LIST.COM is a fine user-supported program by
Vernon D. Buerg, 456 Lakeshire, Daly City CA
94015. It is available on many bulletin boards
and from users and user groups. If you are using
DOS 3+, and have installed PRINT.COM before
running Quick Filer, you may add files to the
print queue without exiting the program. If you
wish, you may cancel all jobs in the print queue
by pressing "C". (Equivalent to the /T terminate
command).
VolLabel... The current window disk may be given a volume
label with this option. The user is prompted for
the label.
Quit....... Exits program and returns to DOS.
Help....... Full screen of help notes for user reminder.
After a menu selection is made, either by spacebar/tab-key or
mnemonic choice, QFILER will check to see if any files are
marked. (These are files highlighted by the F9 key.) If it
finds marked files, it will ask whether the user wants to act
upon the marked files or the current file only. The user will
see a prompt on the message line and a small two choice menu
replacing the main one, which indicates the two available
choices. A spacebar or mnemonic choice is to be made here. If
no files are marked, the user is prompted for appropriate
path or name entry. Then QFILER will ask for verification of
the pending action. A "y" response causes execution of the
command, and an "n" aborts the operation and returns to the
normal display with any highlighted files still highlighted.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 8
CONTROL/ALTERNATE-KEY COMBINATIONS
<Ctrl><B> Will initiate the QFILER BACKUP utility. Any
marked files in the "source" directory window
will be compared to files in the "target"
directory window. Files will be copied, only if
they do not exist on the target, or if the
date/time stamp on the source files are newer
than those on the target files.
<Ctrl><E> Will allow you to enter a program name as if you
were at the DOS prompt. For your convenience,
<F10> will return the current path+filename.
QFILER will then change to your ENTRY
drive\directory and pass your command line to
COMMAND.COM. Upon completion of the passed
program, press any key to return to QFILER.
EXAMPLE: Suppose you wished to run DISMOD on your
current file. First press <Ctrl><E>.
Then type DISMOD. Then press <F10> to
return your current file. Press Enter.
<Ctrl><F> Provides an automatic link with FILECAT (through
FCDISK) that creates a text file on a target disk
that lists files on the disk (in alpha order),
filesize, and description of the file (if the
file is included in the FILECAT database). To
use this feature you must have both FCDISK and
FILECAT. To use, do the following:
a. Be certain that FCDISK is either with your
FILECAT data files, or pathed.
b. Bring up your target disk/dir (the one where
you wish your text file to be written) on one
side of QF.
c. Bring up your FILECAT data file disk/dir on
the alternate side.
d. Be certain the flashing cursor and pointer are
on the FILECAT side of the QFILER display.
e. Press <Ctrl><F>. QFILER will automatically
load FCDISK.
f. Answer the questions that are asked. The text
file will be created on your target disk and
you will be returned to QFILER.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL PAGE 9
NOTE: The following steps are optional:
g. Make the target disk side the current window.
h. Press <Ctrl><R> to refresh the side and
display your new file.
i. Point to the new file, then press "L" then "S"
to list to the screen and view what was
created.
<Ctrl><P> From the main display, will bring up a menu to
set or cancel skip-over-perf and to send a
form-feed, for Epson-compatible printers.
<Alt><R> Will refresh the entire screen display of QFILER.
This will straighten out a screen that may have
been messed up by stray DOS hardware messages and
the like.
<Ctrl><R> Will refresh the display of the current window.
This is handy if you have "shelled" to DOS and
have changed the displayed directory by adding or
deleting a file. The refresh will display the
new, changed directory.
<Ctrl><S> Is for those instances where the previously
explained <Ctrl><E> procedure won't work
(commands within COMMAND.COM itself, like DIR).
You may press Control-S to load a secondary copy
of COMMAND.COM and be returned to the DOS prompt.
(You will be in the CURRENT drive\directory).
When you are ready, type EXIT to return to
QFILER.
<Alt><V> Will toggle between hi-intensity white and
reverse video display for marked files. (Useful
for monitors that don't display hi-intensity or
bright colors).
You may also include the command line option [V]
to invoke QF with the inverse video option ON.
QFILER USERS' MANUAL PAGE 10
MISCELLANEOUS
QFILER has as many user safeguards built in as possible, with
as many user escape opportunities as is prudent. Overt
hand-holding has been avoided, however. This program, used
carefully, will be of immense value to the user. If used
carelessly however, it can be dangerous. Please be careful.
READ the messages and prompts as they are presented.
QFILER documentation is written, keyed, and formatted for
Jamestown Software by QFILER Beta-Tester:
James L. Wargula
760 Pilgrim Trail
Sun Prairie, WI. 53590
If you wish any additional features included in QFILER or
discover any program errors (write down any numbers displayed
on the screen), please contact:
Kenn Flee
Jamestown Software
2508 Valley Forge Drive
Madison WI 53719
Compuserve # 74275,745
BBS: 608-251-7734
(24 Hr., 300-1200-2400, 8-N-1, no nulls)
USER SUPPORTED SOFTWARE
This program is distributed with the understanding that if
you use the program and find it to be of value, your
registration with a contribution of $20 will be appreciated.
Upon registration, you will be mailed a disk with the most
recent version of QFILER, plus printed manual and function
key template.
In any case, copy the program and share it with others.
For the convenience of corporate users and others, a printed
invoice is included on the next page.
--------------------------
INVOICE
--------------------------
JAMESTOWN SOFTWARE
2508 Valley Forge Drive
Madison WI 53718
Sold to: ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Date: ______________________________
============================================================
_____ copies of QFILER at $20 each ............$____________
Wisconsin residents add 5% Sales Tax .... ____________
TOTAL ENCLOSED.......$____________
Send this invoice and your check to:
Jamestown Software
2508 Valley Forge Drive
Madison WI 53719
============================================================
Thank you for your support................Jamestown Software
Registered owners will be sent a disk containing the most
recent version of QFILER, a printed manual and function key
template. Registered owners will be notified of any
upgrades and/or future enhancements.
For a large number of QFILER packages, contact Jamestown
Software for site licensing or quantity pricing.