Here is the command that we have all been waiting for. This should prove to be the handiest filecopier around. It can actually completely replace the existing fcopy command. This comand started life as the 'update' command. But it grew and obtained many more features. The 'u' in ucopy stands for update, but you might get to thinking that it stands for 'ultimate' after you've used it a few times.
If you are a regular user of fcopy, then you will get to know ucopy real fast. First of all, anything that you can do with fcopy, you can do with ucopy. It is written such that it can be used exactly the same way as fcopy. For information on this method of it's use, refer to your geoSHELL manual. Here's a few examples to refresh your memory:
ucopy b filename
ucopy b newname=oldname
ucopy h15 filename
The first example copies a file to drive B. As always, the source drive is the currently active drive. The second example will make a duplicate copy of a file on the same drive or a different one while giving it a new name. The third example will copy a file to partition 15 of a CMD hard drive.
Now comes the new stuff. Since this command has updating capabilities, it can copy multiple files. You can give it a filetype parameter like you might do with the 'dir' command.
You can give it a time or date parameter similar to the way you would when using the 'cdir' command.
Any matches that are found will be copied to the destination drive. In addition to this, you can also supply a filename with wildcards. Every match that is found will be copied. This is one way that ucopy differs from fcopy. If a wildcard is used with fcopy, only the first match that is found is copied. If a filename is supplied with ucopy with no wildcards, then only one file will be copied.
@USING THE DIFFERENT PARAMETERS
Let's start out with an example using the filetype parameter:
ucopy c 8
@USING THE DIFFERENT PARAMETERS
Let's start out with an example using the filetype parameter:
ucopy c 8
This will copy all font files to drive C. It's very logical and simple to use. Font files all have a filetype of 8. By using the 'dir' command, you can remind yourself of the different filetype numbers.
Let's see how to use a time or date parameter. If you've used the 'cdir' command, then you should have no problem with this one. When using cdir with a date parameter, you will be presented with a directory of all files that have a time/date stamp from that date on. The same applies here with the ucopy command.
ucopy b 011094
This will copy all files from January 10, 1994 and later. The time parameter works in a similar manner, except that it only works with files within the last 24 hours.
ucopy b 0500p
This would copy all files that were created since 5:00pm. Let's say that it is 2:00 in the afternoon. This would copy all files since 5 o'clock of the previous afternoon. If you wanted to copy all the files from today, then you would use a date parameter of today's date. This is the only area where ucopy differs from cdir. If you use cdir without a parameter, it will give you a directory of today's files. Without a time or date parameter with ucopy, then the time/date stamp is not checked, and all files that meet any other desired criteria will be copied. You also cannot use both a time and date parameter, only one or the other.
ucopy b *LQ
This example uses a filename with wildcards. It will copy all files that end with 'LQ'. That should be fairly easy to understand. You can use wildcards just like you would with most anything else in geoSHELL. You can use one or two asterisks to take the place of one or more characters. Or you can use a question mark to take the place of exactly one character. Up to 16 question marks can be used since the maximum length of a filename is 16. You can combine asterisks and question marks also.
ucopy c ???
This would copy all files that have three characters in their names.
@COMBINING PARAMETERS
Let's see how to combine parameters. Here's an example for copying us
@COMBINING PARAMETERS
Let's see how to combine parameters. Here's an example for copying using a filetype and a filename:
ucopy c 8 *LQ
This has a filename with wildcards added. This will copy all font files that end with 'LQ' to drive C. If you were to leave out the '8' in this example, then any file of any type that ends with 'LQ' will be copied.
ucopy h10 7 012094
This would copy all application data files that have been created since January 20, 1994 to partition 10 on the hard drive.
ucopy a 7 1000p CHAPTER*
This example would copy all data files created since 10 o'clock at night that begin with CHAPTER in their filename.
ucopy b 1000p titlepic
This would copy the file called 'titlepic' to drive B only if it was created since 10 PM.
You can see that the parameters are easy to understand. But you are required to use them in a certain order. The command name is naturally always first. Next comes the destination. This can be a, b, c, or d or a partition destination just like fcopy uses. After the destination, everything else is optional. Take this next example for instance:
ucopy b
This would copy every single file that is in the directory. Relative files and subdirectories cannot be copied however. To copy the files contained within a subdirectory, you must open the subdirectory and then copy the files. Using ucopy with just a destination for a parameter is a good way to straighten out the files on a disk for faster access. When a lot of deleting, copying and editing takes place on a well used disk, the order of the sectors in each individual file can become quite disorganized. That is why you might hear the drive's head do a lot of moving about, perhaps more than on other disks.
When using multiple parameters, the filetype always comes first, if used, followed by a time or date, if used, and finally a filename, if used. So, if a filename is used, it is always last. And since
When using multiple parameters, the filetype always comes first, if used, followed by a time or date, if used, and finally a filename, if used. So, if a filename is used, it is always last. And since a filename is optional and the fact that ucopy's parameter/s can be of an unknown length, if you use this command in an exec or startup file, or if you want to use another command on the same line from the keyboard, you must end it with a terminator, as in the following example:
ucopy b 9 ^ date
This would display the current date after ucopy copies all of the printer drivers to drive B. The terminator in this case takes the place of the filename. When no filename is used, as in this example, the terminator begins where the filename would begin, with a space just prior to it. If a filename is included, then the terminator would be immediately following the filename. Just remember that this is only needed when another command is used on the same line.
When you use ucopy, you will notice that it gives you the opportunity to back out before the copying begins. It will first tell you what you have chosen to do. This gives you the chance to check that you did not mistype the command and it's parameters. However, if you use ucopy either in an exec or startup file, it will proceed without interacting with you. It was done this way since it is expected that if used in any manner other than being typed in from the immediate mode or a function key, you would want it to proceed without stopping and asking questions. But it is easy to realize that you have made a mistake just as you hit the RETURN key. So, ucopy will let you double check yourself here.
You might also enjoy the added error messages contained in this command. It helps to diagnose when you have a problem with a disk.
@ONE LAST FEATURE
As with fcopy, ucopy is a destructive f
@ONE LAST FEATURE
As with fcopy, ucopy is a destructive filecopier. In other words, if a file of the same name is found on the destination drive, it is replaced by the file from the source drive. The only exception to this rule is when using the 'duplicate' mode.
Now you have a choice. By default, ucopy will still delete the file on the destination drive and then proceed with the copy, unless you add one more parameter. You can tell ucopy to skip over any files that are already on the destination drive, or you can have ucopy ask if you wish to replace the file with the one from the source drive. You do this by adding either an uppercase 'S' or an uppercase 'A' just before the destination parameter as in the following two examples:
ucopy Ab 7 0800p
ucopy Sr4
In the first example, whenever ucopy is about to copy a data file since 8 o'clock PM that already exists on drive B, you will be asked if you wish to replace it or skip it. In the second example, ucopy will copy all files to partition 4 of the RamLink unless a file of the same name already exists. Notice that no space if used after the A or S.
You might also notice that the STOP key is active while the copying is taking place. Just hold down the STOP key to halt the copying process. If this is done while a file is being copied, no harm will be done, the destination disk will be in a state that is no different than if the file never got copied. The one thing to remember is that if a file existed on the destination drive of the same name, it may have already been deleted by the time you press the STOP key. So check your disk any time you do this.
@RE
@REPLACING FCOPY IN GEOSHELL
Since ucopy is every bit as good as fcopy, you might want to consider replacing fcopy with it. You already have the tools to do this. Start by copying ucopy to the disk that has geoSHELL on it. Then use the 'external' command to remove fcopy from geoSHELL as follows:
external fcopy
This will remove fcopy from geoSHELL and place it into it's own file on the disk. Then enter the following two lines:
del fcopy
ren fcopy=ucopy
You should be able to figure out that fcopy is completely deleted and ucopy has been renamed to fcopy. There is only one thing left to do:
internal fcopy
This now puts your new fcopy (ucopy) into geoSHELL. You may keep on using it just like you have always used fcopy. When you need the added features, just use the needed parameters. Just remember that it is now called fcopy instead of ucopy. It is not really necessary that you rename ucopy to fcopy. You can always just add ucopy to geoSHELL instead of doing it this way. But there is no need to keep the original fcopy around anymore. The fcopy that was supplied with geoSHELL V2.0 was a good copier. In V2.2 it got better. Now 'ucopy' is the one to have. Renaming it to fcopy is purely up to you.
I hope you enjoy this command. Sorry for putting so many different possible parameters in this one, but sometimes to give you added power, this becomes necessary. As far as speed goes, ucopy appears to be about 5 percent faster than fcopy. About the only drawback is it's extra size compared to fcopy. If you do a lot of work with multiple files every day, you should find ucopy to be a great pleasure to have handy.
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