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********************************************************************
"D" - Directory, File, and Disk Information Tool Version 2.11
--------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENTS:
(1) Introduction
(2) "D" versus "DIR"
(3) Syntax
(4) Imbedded pattern matching
(5) Multiple searchname patterns
(6) Model
(7) Case
(8) Fuzzy
(9) Hidden
(10) Color
(11) Detail
(12) Archive
(13) Subdir
(14) Skan
(15) Bonus switches (stats, change, actual)
(16) Miscellaneous "D" techniques
(17) Versions
********************************************************************
(1) INTRODUCTION:
This documentation is to supplement the on-line documentation in "D"
that you may view any time by typing "D/HELP" or "D/?". "D"'s on-
line documentation explains all features, and gives a few examples.
This documentation avoids repeating information exactly as the HELP
screen presents it. Your best success at using "D" will be achieved
by reading both this documentation AND the on-line help.
You may find some features are elaborated on a little more in this
documentation since the on-line screens dictate a more brief pres-
entation.
Generally speaking, "D" is an enhanced alternative to the DIR com-
mand. It is not limited by the current directory or by the usual
limitations of DOS filename patterns.
"D" displays the Directory entries first, then the Hidden files, and
finally, the rest of the files. They are always sorted alphabetic-
ally, and (if the Pretty switch is active) displayed in different
colors based on the most common file extensions.
When using either color option (Pretty or Color), the directory
entries are displayed in Light Green; the Hidden files, which are
also grouped together, are displayed in Light Magenta. You will see
that some file entries have the letter "A" appended to them in Light
Blue. This indicates that the archive bit is set.
********************************************************************
(2) "D" VERSUS "DIR":
"D" is first and foremost a replacement for the DIR command. To be-
come a skilled user of "D" you should first use it instead of DIR.
You will see the same information, but it will be more organized,
and more informative. Using "D" in this context will allow you to
increase your level of information, and do so in a more space
efficient way than DIR provides.
To use "D" as a simple replacement for the DIR command just type "D"
followed by the searchname:
D AUTOEXEC.BAT
instead of using DIR, as in:
DIR AUTOEXEC.BAT
"D" will accept the same search arguments as DIR does, but removes
the limitations by alowing you to imbed one or more asterisks in the
searchname and by allowing you to specify more than one searchname
at a time.
By default "D" looks only in the current directory just like DIR
does, but the searching may be increased to the current and all sub-
ordinate directories, or to the entire disk based on your choice in
the form of a command line switch or an environmental variable.
"D" will display any file or directory on your drive. Using the DIR
command can cause you to overlook files and directories that you
were unable to see. Hidden and archived files are easily recogniz-
able with "D".
********************************************************************
(3) SYNTAX:
D /switch(es) searchname(s) OR D searchname(s) /switch(es)
The searchname is similar to the DOS standard filename with wildcard
characters allowed. Imbedded pattern matching is supported, and
multiple searchnames can be specified by connecting them with plus
signs.
Switch values are 1 character in length. The first switch must be
preceded by a slash (/). If more than 1 switch is specified, the
2nd through last switches cannot have spaces between them. Switches
can have the following values:
Switch Valid Values (Just use capitilized letter of Value)
------- -----------------------------------------------------
model LMTF Large, [M]edium, Tiny, best Fit
case UXW Upper, mi[X]ed, loWer
fuzzy ZE fu[Z]zy, Exact
hidden HR [H]idden, Regular only
color PCB [P]retty, Color, Black&white
detail OG Omit files, Grand total only
archive A Archive files only
subdir SD Subdirectories, entire Disk
skan K sKan target drive
stats % display disk used/free as percentage (%)
change * change to displayed directory (*)
actual # display byte counts as actual bytes allocated (#)
If you almost always specify a certain switch, you can save yourself
some keystrokes by setting the environmental variable DSET equal to
the value of the switch(es). For example, if you would prefer to
see the filenames displayed in upper case, then at the DOS prompt,
you would type:
C:\> SET DSET=U
The DSET values override the default values, and the command line
values will override the DSET values.
********************************************************************
(4) IMBEDDED PATTERN MATCHING:
If you don't quite remember the name of a file, but remember a frag-
ment of it's name, you can use D's imbedded pattern searching logic
to help you remember.
Let's say you remember the file's name had the string "YES" in it,
but you can't remember if the "YES" was in the beginning, middle, or
the end of the file's name. Also, to make things more difficult, you
can't remember which directory it's in. "D" will take care of you if
you type:
D/D *YES
If the fuZzy switch is in effect, this will have the same effect as
if you had typed D/D *YES*.*.
Since the DIR command will only allow the "*" to be the last charac-
ter in a file or extension name, this feature should be a welcome
alternative.
Important definition: "*" <---- The asterisk says "zero or more of
any character."
You can mix asterisk's and other characters freely, for example:
D *U*O*X
would find AUTOEXEC.BAT and UTOEXEC.BAT and AUTOEX.DAT
Another definition: "?" <----- each question mark says "one of any
character except when the "?" is at
the end of the searchname in which
case it means zero or one character
to comply with the DOS standard".
********************************************************************
(5) MULTIPLE SEARCHNAME PATTERNS:
"D" does not limit you to 1 SEARCHNAME! Let's say you just want to
select the .BAT files and the .EXE files. Type:
D *.BAT+*.EXE
Use the plus sign (+) to connect the searchnames. If you want to
find all of the HELP files on your drive, you could do 2 searches:
D/D *H*LP
D/D *.HLP
But you'd find all of the same files by typing:
D/D *H*LP+*.HLP
Of course you don't need to use wildcards:
D AUTOEXEC.BAT+CONFIG.SYS
There would be no limit to the number of searchnames that you can
connect, but the DOS command line is only "so long" (128 characters,
or something like that). Do feel free to type as many names as you
want to as long as there's room to type them!
Limitation: Only the first SEARCHNAME can refer to a disk/directory
path, the second through the Nth SEARCHNAMES are only
examined for their FILE and EXTENSION values.
In other words the target drive and/or directory is de-
termined solely by examining the first SEARCHNAME.
********************************************************************
(6) MODEL:
Use the model parameter to determine how much information you will
see:
L = Filename, Extension, Size, Date & Time, Attribute
[M] = Filename, Extension, Size, Attribute
T = Filename, Extension, Attribute
F = Best Fit. The largest model that will fit all filenames on
1 screen will be chosen. If that is physically impossible,
the Tiny model is chosen.
********************************************************************
(7) CASE:
Determines whether the file information is displayed in UPPER,
lower, or Mixed case:
U = UPPER CASE
[X] = Mixed Case
L = lower case
********************************************************************
(8) FUZZY:
Can be used to automatically make all searches look for whatever you
type as your searchname PLUS anything else that starts with that
pattern.
When fuzziness is active, typing "D TEST" is the same as typing
"D TEST*.*".
Also, typing "D TEST.B" is the same as typing "D TEST.B*".
If you'd prefer to be consistant with the DOS standard which doesn't
append "*"'s, use the E switch.
[F] = Fuzzy
E = Exact
********************************************************************
(9) HIDDEN:
The Hidden switch decides if you see the hidden/system files of not.
This also means that the total files and bytes won't reflect the
totals of the hidden/system files. Unless you specify the "O" or
"G" parameter, only displayed files are totalled.
[H] = Hidden and Regular
R = Regular only
********************************************************************
(10) COLOR:
The color option can be used to enhance the readability of the dis-
play. If you have an LCD screen, use the "B" switch. Otherwise,
you'll probably want to choose between "P" or "C". The "C" switch
causes the display to be in plain color mode. The "P" switch will
show the files in different colors based on the file extension.
[P] = Pretty
C = Color
B = Black & White (LCD)
********************************************************************
(11) DETAIL:
This option will eliminate the filenames from the display, giving
you just the counts and totals. Using the "O" switch (omit files)
is most useful if you are doing a subdirectory or full disk search,
and want to see the totals by directory. To say "Omit files" is the
same thing as saying "directory totals only." To just see a grand
total, use the "G" switch; you won't see totals by directory, but
you will get a count for number of directories in addition to file
counts and byte quantities.
If you are just focusing on 1 directory, there is no practical dif-
ference between using "G" and "O".
O = Omit Files (Directory Totals Only)
G = Grand Total Only
********************************************************************
(12) ARCHIVE:
When the "A" switch is used, only files with the archive bit set
will be chosen. If you regularly clear your archive bits by backing
up or some other method, this option will make it easy to track
which files you've changed or added. If you want to look at all of
the archived files on your disk, type "D/AD". If you just want to
know the total of all archived files, type "D/ADG".
A = Only find archived files
Archived files are indicated by the letter "A" to the right of the
archived file.
********************************************************************
(13) SUBDIR:
Use the Subdir option to determine the scope of your searches rel-
ative to the target directory. Using "S" will cause the search to
execute for whatever the target directory is, and extends into any
directorys subordinate to (beneath) it. If you want your searches
to look over the entire disk, just use the "D" switch.
These switches make it possible for you to find a file (or files) no
matter where they exist. They also make totalling and listing much
more flexible.
S = Current and Subordinate Subdirectorys
D = Entire Disk
********************************************************************
(14) SKAN:
Yes, I know it's usually spelled differently, but the "C" switch was
used up by the time I got to this one!
Anyway, the skan option causes the file of directory names used by
"D" to be updated or created. There is one file for each drive ever
skanned except for A: and B:. The files have the .TRE extension,
and are created and maintained in the same directory that contains
"D.EXE". The files are used for Subdirectory or Full Disk searches.
The first time you search a disk with the "S" or "D" option, the
file for that drive is created. After that, you must remember to
use this option whenever you add a new subdirectory. This might seem
a little inconvenient, but saves you beaucoup time, especially when
searching the entire disk.
K = Skan the drive being searched to
rebuild the directory table.
********************************************************************
(15) BONUS SWITCHES:
Not much explanation needed for these simple purpose switches, but
they sure do come in handy occasionally!
Use "%" (stats) when you want to see the disk used and free quan-
tities expressed as percentages on the bottom line instead of the
default byte counts. The total quantity for the disk is still ex-
pressed as a byte count.
Use "*" to (change) to the most recently viewed directory after it
has been displayed.
The "#" (actual) switch causes the byte counts on the top line, and
for each displayed file entry to reflect the actual number of bytes
allocated for the file on the target drive. It is assumed that you
understand that the smallest unit of allocation that DOS can use is
a cluster. It then follows that all byte counts will be evenly div-
isible by the cluster size of the target drive.
% = display disk used/free as percentage
* = change to displayed directory
# = display byte counts as actual bytes allocated
********************************************************************
(16) MISCELLANEOUS "D" TECHNIQUES
--------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have a filename on drive C:, and you want to go to the direc-
tory where it is, just type:
D/*D searchname.ext
It doesn't matter which directory you're in, you will be taken to
the directory where that file is. If more than one directory get's
a "hit", each one will be displayed, and you can terminate "D" by
hitting the Esc key when your chosen directory is displayed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
To get the size of the current directory in a 1 line display, just
type:
D/O
To get the size of the current and all subdirectories, one line each
directory, just type:
D/OS
To get the size of the current and all sub directories, one line for
number of directories, files, and bytes, type:
D/GS
--------------------------------------------------------------------
To find all of the archived files on your drive, type: D/AD
********************************************************************
(17) "D" VERSIONS:
1.10 - The original shareware Version
1.11 - Colors added based on file extensions - ([P]retty Switch)
1.12 - Colors refined based on actual feedback
2.10 - Multiple Searchnames enabled
2.11 - Option to display byte counts as bytes allocated
********************************************************************