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DFL311B.ZIP
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DFLREAD.ME
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1992-04-27
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11KB
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223 lines
DUPLICATE FILE LOCATOR v3.11b
THIS IS VERSION 3.11b OF DFL. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS VERSION AND
VERSION 3.11a IS A MINOR DOCUMENTATION CHANGE INDICATING A NEW SUPPORT BBS
AND EMAIL NETWORK FOR DFL. THE NEW BBS IS: TOAD HALL 415-595-2427. THE
NETWORK IS RIME, SHAREWARE CONFERENCE (check with your sysop on how to access
it). EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS PACKAGE IS UNCHANGED.
Welcome to DFL. If you are running the installation program, you can print
any of these documents by hitting <F2> while viewing them. Help can be
obtained by hitting <F1>.
---------------------------------- Summary ----------------------------------
DFL provides a complete pulldown menu system with context help to allow you
to find and process duplicate files.
- DFL will find duplicate files by any of these modes:
Name - DFL will find files with identical names.
Length - DFL will find files with equal lengths.
Name1-11 - DFL will find files with the first N matching name letters.
Dos Path - DFL will search the Path for duplicate executables like DFL.EXE,
DFL.BAT & DFL.COM.
FastAlias- Files with duplicate contents are found using a 32 bit CRC and
filelength combination. Filenames are ignored.
FullAlias- Files with duplicate contents are found using the 32 bit CRC and
filelength combination followed by a byte-by-byte binary
comparison. Filenames are ignored.
Ex. Sysops find that one of the many uses for the alias modes is
to find all those BBS advertizing files that have been
embedded in their archives. It's nice to tag all of them and
hit one key to make them go away.
- The files can then be:
Viewed.
Deleted.
Printed.
Compared in either binary (internal comparison) or ascii (user-customized).
Tagged and group-deleted.
- You may specify a filemask such as *.* or *.exe.
- DFL will scan multiple drives including network drives.
- The duplicate list can be printed to an ascii file or printer.
- Virtual Memory is created and cached to allow the proccessing of huge
numbers of files. About 1 meg of disk is needed for every 25,000 files.
- DFL can be run unattended from a batch file.
- DFL will perform all of the above operations for files in any type of
archive. DFL can be customized to run with up to 10 archive compression and
extraction systems of your choosing. DFL is pre-cusomtized for ZIP, PAK,
LZH, PKARC, ARJ, ARC by SEA and ZOO.
More detailed discussions follow...
---------------------------- TO INSTALL AND RUN -----------------------------
Assuming you're logged to the directory that contains the DFL files (listed
below) -
Type: INSTALL (or A:INSTALL if the DFL files are in drive A:)
Hit: <ENTER>
The install program will search for previous copies of DFL and prompt you for
the directory to copy DFL311S.EXE and DFL.SAV. This should be somewhere on
the DOS PATH. Install will optionally rename DFL311S.EXE to DFL.EXE
(recommended).
Once installed on the PATH, to run DFL -
Type: DFL (or DFL311S if not renamed)
Hit: <ENTER>
That's it!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This group of files is the latest shareware version of DFL. The compressed
file DFL311.ZIP should contain the following files:
DFL311S.EXE - The shareware executable program
DFL.SAV - The default configuration file
DFL.DOC - The manual
ORDER.DOC - The program registration order form
DFLREAD.ME - Read Me file with misc. notes
WHATSNEW - List of new features.
VENDOR.DOC - Information for vendors.
INSTALL.EXE - DFL installation program.
After reading these documents, the only files you should need to keep are
DFL311S.EXE & DFL.SAV. All the help information can be accessed on-line. Over
the past few years, you won't believe the number of DOC/TXT/README files I've
accumulated ( or would you ? ) and had to keep around in order be able to use
a program a month later.
Nevertheless, the extended documentation manual is included as the file
DFL.DOC. It contains information and tips that may be helpful while running
this newer, more complex program. The manual file is the same manual that we
provide with the REGISTERED version. The only difference between the
shareware version and the registered version is that the shareware version
has opening and closing registration reminder screens.
DFL uses a proprietary technique to create Virtual Memory. By caching to disk
as it processes, DFL can handle an 'unlimited' number of files. Previous
versions scanned until they run out of memory at around 8000 files. The
internal data structures used to capture the contents of the disk are as
small as can reasonably be expected. Depending on how many directories you
have, it is safe to assume that DFL will require about 40 bytes of disk space
per file. Based on this, DFL should be able to handle approximately 25,000
files for every megabyte of free disk space. Please consult the manual for
more discussion on the Virtual Memory System.
Thanks to the Virtual Memory, DFL only requires about 340K of memory to run.
So, some of the more advanced functions that require spawning to other
programs can now be performed.
Enter, stage left, Dos Shell, File Compare and COMPLETE ARCHIVE SUPPORT. Dos
Shell speaks for itself. The File Comparison program may be used by DFL to
examine in detail the actual differences between any two files. And, by
COMPLETE ARCHIVE SUPPORT, we mean:
- Archives are treated as regular directories. The files within these
directories can be manipulated in every way that normal files can. This
includes:
- Archived files can be deleted.
- Archived files can be viewed.
- Archived files can be compared to other archived or normal files, in
either binary (internal comparison) or ascii (user-customized) regardless
of the type of archives in which they reside.
- Archived files can be tagged and group-deleted.
- Archived files can be processed by every DFL Scan Mode including Name,
Partial Name, Length or Alias regardless of archive type.
- DFL can handle up to 10 archive types of your choosing.
In addition to supporting archives, the other features of DFL which we have
not found in any other similar program are its ALIAS modes of operation.
Using these modes, the contents of equal-length files, archived or not, are
examined to identify duplicates. The file names play no role whatsoever. For
example, this will allow the user to locate files such as PROGRAM.C and
PROGRAM.BAK which have the same contents but different names. This may also
be of use to sysops who want to weed out duplicate uploads or semi-duplicate
archives which contain the same files, but have a comment or something to
hide the overall archive as a duplicate.
DFL will also find duplicate files by any of these other Modes:
Name - DFL will find files with identical names.
Length - DFL will find files with equal lengths.
Name1-11 - DFL will find files with the first N matching name letters.
Dos Path - DFL will search the Path for duplicate executables like DFL.EXE,
DFL.BAT & DFL.COM.
As should be expected from any half way interactive system, complete context
sensitive help is available, as well as an extended online manual. The idea
is that, as stated above, you should never need to look elsewhere for
assistance while running the program. However, there are some situations
during the initial definition of an archive format that can be a little
tricky. DFL comes with several predefined formats, but when adding one of
your own, you may need to consult the more extensive manual or call us.
You may use MicroSoft's EXEPACK.EXE utility to decrease YOUR copy of the
program by about 14k. We stopped packing the distributed copy after running
across a cache program and some multitasking software which rendered it
inoperative. Please don't upload EXEPACKed copies, or for that matter, copies
other than exactly what was downloaded or otherwise obtained.
DFL311.EXE compresses very well (50-60%) with PKLITE, LZEXE and other similar
executable compressors.
We recommend that you rename your copy of DFL311S.EXE to DFL.EXE for typing
and memory convenience.
------------------------------ HOW TO REACH US ------------------------------
Anyone with comments, suggestions, complaints or bug-reports can reach us in
one of these ways:
Write: W. S. Ataras Engineering
40 Laughton Street
Upper Marlboro, Md. 20772
Voice mail: 1-301-249-1141 East coast
Voice mail: 1-408-648-3662 West coast
BBS: Toad Hall 415-595-2427 for the current version.
Leave message to BILL ATARAS.
Look for DFL*.*.
The latest version will be a free download.
Networks: RIME - Shareware conference.
CompuServe: William Ataras
70322,1514
IBM System\Util. Forum
-------------------------- REGISTERED USER SUPPORT --------------------------
If you find Duplicate File Locator (DFL) of benefit to your operations, and
use the program as one of your utilities, you must purchase a REGISTERED
copy. See the order form included with this program to receive complete
registration instructions. Upgrades to subsequent versions can be obtained
for a nominal fee.
Please consider becoming a REGISTERED USER as a sign of your support for our
ongoing efforts to enhance DFL and to provide quality software to the public.
Consider what you'll save by using the program in the coming years.
REGISTERED USERS RECEIVE :
1. The latest version.
2. Any releases issued to correct bugs found in your version.
3. No shareware reminder screens.
4. Phone & modem support.
5. Printed manual.
6. A 30 day money-back satisfaction guarantee.
7. Upgrade & follow-up notifications.