Softdisk PC 99/sofd99.zip/DOSMAN.HLP

Softdisk Text Compressor Document | 1994-11-29 | 14KB | 579 lines

^P
^C^IHot-Key Information

F1   Help                     Shift-F3  duplicates single file
F2   toggles sound/silence    Shift-F4  renames file(s)
F3   copies file(s)           Shift-F5  shells to DOS prompt
F4   moves file(s)            Shift-F7  create & edit file
F5   prints directory         Shift-F8  continues search
F6   selects sorting options  Enter     views file
F7   edits file               Space     marks/unmarks files
F8   searches for a file      +         marks all files
F9   shows credits screen     ~         inverts marks
F10  change drive/directory   -         unmarks all files
Ins  creates directory        Del       deletes file(s)
@    hides/unhides file(s)    #         protects file(s)

ESC       exits program
Ctrl-A    formats disk in drive A
Ctrl-B    formats disk in drive B
Ctrl-C    compresses text file(s)
Ctrl-D    decompresses file(s)
Ctrl-H    changes user hotkeys
Ctrl-I    shows information on all marked files
Ctrl-T    sets DOS date/time
Ctrl-Z    views marked files from cursor downward.
/ (slash) runs program or executes command
*         shows information about currently highlighted file
Ctrl-Enter views all marked files.
PgUp, PgDn, Home, End, and arrows move through directory.

User Hotkeys:
Alt-F1    ~1
Alt-F2    ~2
Alt-F3    ~3
Alt-F4    ~4
Alt-F5    ~5
Alt-F6    ~6
Alt-F7    ~7
Alt-F8    ~8
Alt-F9    ~9
Alt-F10   ~0

Shift-F1 brings up this screen.
F1 brings up context-based help.  While in a context-based
help screen, F1 again brings up full instructions.
^P


^C^I

^CSoftdisk Publishing Presents:

^C^1DOS Manager
^C^V

^CAnother exciting PC program from Softdisk
^CPublishing's Personal Software Collection

^CCopyright 1990-1994 Softdisk Publishing
^CProgrammed by Daniel Tobias
^CSoftdisk Publishing is a registered
^Ctrademark of Softdisk, Inc.

^C^I[Press SPACE BAR to continue]
^P
^C^IMain Screen

The main screen of DOS Manager shows you the current directory.
Use the arrow keys to move around on the directory, or start
typing the name of a file to jump straight to it.  Press ENTER
to view the current file (or, if it is a subdirectory, to go to
it.)  Double-clicking with the mouse has the same effect.

To select multiple files for an operation such as copying,
moving, or deleting, use the space bar to toggle a check mark in
front of the currently-highlighted file, or click with the
middle mouse button if you have a three-button mouse.

Various functions are available from menus which can be "pulled
down" from the top line with a mouse click, or by pressing Alt
and the first letter of the menu.  Each function also has a "hot
key" to access the function without going through the menus.

^C^IPress F1 again now to read the full instruction manual.
^P
^C^IGetting Ready to Print

You have selected a printout, and DOS Manager is getting ready
to write to your printer.

Be sure your printer is turned on, on line, lined up with the
top of a page, and is set to the proper mode in which you would
like the printout to appear.

After pressing ESC to leave this help text, press the space bar
to begin printing, or ESC if you decide you don't want to print
after all.
^P
^C^IText Editor

 F1    Help                     Home       Go to start of line
 F2    Toggle sound             End        Go to end of line
 F3    Toggle fast paging       Ctrl-Home  Go to top of file
 F4    Insert another file      Ctrl-End   Go to end of file
 F5    Print the file           Shift-F5   Shell to DOS
 F6    Insert a line            Backspace  Delete before cursor
 F7    Delete current line      Del        Delete at cursor
 F8    Search for text          Shift-F8   Repeat search
 F9    Program information      Ins   Toggle insert mode
 F10   Save file and exit       Esc   Exit without saving
 Alt-S Save without exiting     Alt-B Mark block
 Alt-C Cut block                Alt-O Copy block
 Alt-P Paste block              Alt-E Export block
 Alt-R Clear buffer or marks    Alt-M Convert Mac characters
 Alt-V View cut buffer          Alt-W Convert Windows characters
 Arrows move around, and PgUp and SDPCPgDn page.
 Ctrl-Right and Ctrl-Left step by words.
^P
^C^ICreating a Text File

You are first asked for the name of the file to create.  You are
then placed into the DOS Manager text editor to let you put text
into the new file.  You must type a name that is not already in
use for another file.  If you want to replace an existing file,
use the Delete command on it first.  If you want to edit an
existing text file, use the Edit command.

The text editor creates standard ASCII text files.  Once you are
in the editor, you can press <F1> for more help on the editor
functions.
^P
^C^IChanging Directories

You are being asked for a new directory to go to, which can be
on the same disk drive or a different one.  Type the MS-DOS path
specification, in the standard format, such as:

^1    C:\TEXT\DOCS\
^1    A:
^1    SUBDIR\NEXT

You can get a full tree to select from by pressing F8, or access
the history of past directory changes with the arrow keys.

You can also navigate the directories of the current drive by
moving to a subdirectory on the main screen and SDPCpressing ENTER,
or moving to the ".." entry at the top of a directory and
pressing ENTER to go up to its parent directory.
^P
^C^ICreating a Directory

To create a subdirectory within the current directory, simply
type the desired directory name.
^P
^C^IRun Program or Command

You can type the name of any executable program or batch file
you wish to run, or a DOS command such as DIR.

You can add any parameters you wish to pass to the program or
command.  Type the command you wish to execute exactly as you
would from the DOS command line.

Note that it's possible to do destructive things through DOS
commands, such as DEL *.* to delete all files in a directory, or
FORMAT C: to reformat your hard disk.  DOS Manager doesn't do
any command parsing to screen out harmful commands, so be
careful what you do with this function just as you would be
careful what you type at the DOS command line.

%F will be replaced with the name of the current highlighted
file, %M will be replaced in turn with the names of all marked
files, and %P will be replaced with the current directory path.
^P
^C^IFind File

You are being asked for the name of a file to search for.  Don't
include any drive or path information; the file will be searched
for in all directories of the current drive.

You may include MS-DOS wildcard characters:

       STUFF.*        selects all files with the name "STUFF"
                      no matter what extension they have

       A*.TXT         selects all .TXT files starting with A

       DEMO?B.ARC     selects all .ARC files starting with DEMO,
                      followed by any character, then a B.

Once a file is found, you can go to it, keep searching, or abort
the search.
^P
^C^ICopy and Move

These commands will act on the files in the current directory
which you have selected by pressing the space bar, or by
pressing + to select all files.  If directories are selected,
all of their contents, including subdirectories beneath them,
will be acted on as well.  If no files are selected, the file
at the current highlight-bar position will be chosen.

Copy makes a copy of the files to another directory, leaving the
originals alone.  Move puts the files in a different directory,
removing them from the current place.

Copy and Move keep the filenames the same as they presently are.
Use Duplicate if you want to copy a single file to a new file of
a different name.

If the destination disk lacks enough space, you will be prompted
to insert a new disk, with an option to format it.
^P
^C^IRename

This command will act on the files in the current directory
which you have selected by pressing the space bar, or by
pressing + to select all files.  If no files or directories are
selected, the file at the current highlight-bar position will be
chosen.

You are then prompted for new names for each of the files and
directories you have selected.  A directory is treated just like
any other file; you can rename it to any other legal name.
(Files within a directory are not changed.)

Legal filenames consist of up to eight characters, followed
optionally by a period (.) and SDPCup to three characters as an
extension.
^P
^C^IDuplicate

This command lets you copy a single file into a different name,
either in the current directory or a different directory.

Duplicate always acts on the file at the current highlight-bar
position, whether or not you have selected other files using the
space bar or +.

You are prompted for the name of the new file you wish to create
as a duplicate of the selected file.  If you type a name with no
path, the current directory will be used.  You can type any
drive or path preceding the name to select the position of the
file you are creating.

Subdirectories can't be duplicated using this command; use the
Copy command to copy files from one directory to another.
^P
^C^IDeleting Directory

You are about to delete a directory.  If you do this, everything
in the directory, including any files and SDPCsubdirectories, will
be removed.  Thus, you'd better be really certain that this is
what you actually want to do, so you don't accidentally lose
files you wanted to keep.

It's always a good idea to make regular backups of your hard
disk, so that you can recover files you delete by mistake.

MS-DOS's UNDELETE command (5.0 and SDPCup), and some other software
packages, might be able to recover some of the files you have
deleted, but this is dubious, particularly after you've written
other information to your disk.  So, always regard all deletions
as permanent and SDPCirrevocable.
^P
^C^IDelete

This command will act on the files in the current directory
which you have selected by pressing the space bar, or by
pressing + to select all files.  If no files or directories are
selected, the file at the current highlight-bar position will be
chosen.

Say "Y" as each filename is shown to confirm that you really
want to delete it.  Be careful you don't delete something you
wanted to keep.  Press the exclamation mark (!) to skip further
questions and delete all remaining selected files without asking
you first.

You will still be asked to confirm deletion of subdirectories
and of hidden, system, or read-only files, as such deletions are
potentially more perilous than deletion of normal files.
^P
^C^IDirectory Tree

You can display the tree of any drive in order to select a
directory to go to or to copy files to.

First, press the letter of the desired drive when prompted (or
ENTER to use the current drive).  Then, the tree will be
generated.

When the tree is displayed, use the arrow keys to move around,
and ENTER to choose the currently highlighted directory.  You
can also double-click the mouse on a directory name to select
it.  Press ESC to abort without selecting a directory.
^P
^C^IDirectory Sorting

You may select a sorting order to use in displaying directories,
or choose Unsorted to leave them in their actual order.

These options affect only the order files are shown within DOS
Manager; they don't change the actual order on your disks.

Your chosen directory sorting order remains in effect until you
change it by bringing up this command again.

Numeric sorts put files in order of any numbers found within
their names or extensions, so that HELP9.TXT sorts before
HELP10.TXT, whereas normal alphabetic sorting would put these
files in the opposite order.

Size sorting proceeds from largest to smallest; if you copy
files in this order to multiple floppy disks, you will generally
get a reasonably efficient utilization of space.
^P
^C^IViewing Spreadsheet

You are viewing a spreadsheet or template created using
Lotus 1-2-3, Symphony, or a compatible program.

You can use the arrow keys, PgUp, PgDn, and Home to move
around in the spreadsheet to view other parts of it, but
you can't change data in the spreadsheet.

Each time you move, the whole spreadsheet is reloaded,
so this can be slow for large spreadsheets.  However,
you needn't wait for the loading to complete before
pressing another key to move again or exit.

<Esc> or <Enter> returns you to the main screen.
If you are viewing multiple files, <Space> goes to the next one.
^P
^C^IFile Contents

DOS Manager has the built in capability of listing a number of
specialized file types, such as ARC, ZIP, LZH and SDPCARJ archives,
DBase-style database files, Lotus-style spreadsheet templates,
and GIF, PCX, BMP, LBM, and Print Shop graphics.  The file type
is automatically detected when you press ENTER to view a file.
Files that are not of a supported type will be displayed either
as ASCII text or as raw hexadecimal dumps depending on their
content.  Ctrl-Enter views all marked files; while viewing
multiple files, Space goes to the next, and ESC stops viewing.

Specialized-format file listings are shown one screenful at a
time, and you should press ENTER to continue to the next screen.
F5 will print the entire listing (not just the current page),
and F6 switches to a raw hexadecimal dump of the file.  These
"hex dumps" will probably not be meaningful to non-technical
users, but may be helpful to PC experts who want to see what the
innards of their files look like in their raw form.
^P
^C^IPrinter Error

DOS Manager is unable to send output to the printer.

You may be out of paper, or the printer may be offline.

Please correct this and press ENTER to try again, or else
press ESC to abort the printout.
^P
^C^IHide/Unhide, Protect/Unprotect

These command will act on the files in the current directory
which you have selected by pressing the space bar, or by
pressing + to select all files.  If no files are selected,
the file at the current highlight-bar position will be chosen.

For each file, if it is already hidden (or read-only, depending
on which command you chose), it will be un-hidden (or un-
protected) if you say Yes, and left alone if you say No.
Conversely, if it is not already hidden (or read-only), it is
set to this status.

A Hidden file will not show in a normal DIR listing from the
DOS prompt (though it still shows in DOS Manager).  A read-only
file is not deletable or modifiable, except with programs that
can handle such files (like DOS Manager, which will allow you
to delete read-only files after a warning).  You may want to
use these commands to set your files so that others can't see
or change them, but be aware that some programs might not be
able to work with files that have been so modified.
^P
^C^IQuitting

You are being asked if you want to leave DOS Manager.

Press <Y> to quit, or <N> to return to the main DOS Manager
screen.  You can also click on the "Y" or "N" yellow-on-blue
areas in the dialog box to select one of these choices.

<Esc> or the right mouse button are equivalent to saying No,
and will return you to the DOS Manager main screen.
^P
^C^IChanging Directories while Files are Marked

When you change directories, all files in the current
directory will be un-marked, since marks are only preserved
in one directory at a time.

Because of this, you are warned before you change directories
using the <Enter> command, to prevent you from accidentally
undoing marks you really wanted to leave.

Your choices are <C> to continue changing to the selected
directory, in the process removing file marks;  <V> to
view the list of files in the selected directory without
going there or undoing file marks;  or <A> to abort and
return to the main screen without any change of directory or
file marks.
^P
^C^IText Compression

DOS Manager will compress and decompress text files in the
Softdisk format, which is used for text files on Softdisk PC
(VGA edition).  Compressed files will be given the extension
.CTX.  When decompressing, the resulting file will have the name
of the original file that was compressed to produce the
compressed file, unless you type in a different name.

If a file of the same name as the destination file already
exists, you will be warned before it is overwritten.  If you say
no, the file will not be compressed or decompressed, but will be
left alone.

The original compressed/decompressed file will be preserved
unchanged, in addition to the resulting file.
^P
^C^IHot-Keys

You can set up the ten key combinations from Alt-F1 through Alt-
F10 to run programs of your choice.  On the hotkey setup screen,
you can set a path to go to and SDPCa program to run for each key.
The program or DOS command in the "run" column will be executed
in the directory in the "path" command whenever the hotkey is
pressed.  If the "run" column is blank, DOS Manager will switch
to the directory you specified in the "path" column, without
running any command.  Conversely, if the "path" column is blank,
the command in the "run" column will be executed from the
current path.  To go to a DOS command prompt, use "*" (an
asterisk) in the "run" column.

In the run column, %F will be replaced by the name of the
currently-highlighted file.  %M will be replaced, in turn, with
the names of all marked files.  %P will be replaced by the
current directory path.
^P
^C^IFormatting Disks

DOS Manager will format floppy disks in drives A and SDPCB. You can
select the "Format" commands from the menu, and also get a
chance to format disks when you are copying files to a floppy
disk and SDPCit runs out of space.  You are asked which format to
use in formatting; the list will vary depending on the drive
type DOS Manager detects that you have.  With most drives, you
will get a choice of high-density and low-density formats; be
sure to pick the format that matches that of the floppy disk you
have inserted.

Formatting will erase all data presently on the floppy disk, so
be sure it is either an unused disk or one with data you no
longer need.
^P

^CThis program is the copyrighted work of Softdisk Publishing.
^CIt is not intended for distribution as
^Cpublic domain or shareware.

^C^1Softdisk Publishing
^C^1606 Common Street
^C^1Shreveport, LA 71101
^Cor
^C^1P.O. Box 30008
^C^1Shreveport, LA 71130-0008

^CCorporate Offices: 1-318-221-8718
^CTo Place An Order: 1-800-831-2694
^CFor Technical Support: 1-318-221-8311
^COur Fax number: 1-318-221-8870

Softdisk Publishing offers monthly software subscriptions for
the following computer models:  IBM PC, Macintosh, Apple II,
Apple IIGS, Commodore.

Softdisk Publishing also provides software through the
Softdisk Publishing "Download Superstore" on Prodigy
(JUMP DOWNLOADSUPER) and SDPCon GEnie (SOFTDISK).
^P

^C^1LIMITED WARRANTY AND DISCLAIMER

SOFTDISK PUBLISHING WARRANTS THAT THIS PRODUCT IS DELIVERED
TO THE USER FREE FROM DEFECTS IN MEDIA, DUPLICATION OR
DELIVERY METHOD FOR 90 DAYS, AND WE WILL REPLACE THE PRODUCT
IF ANY SUCH DEFECTS ARE ENCOUNTERED.  SOFTDISK FURTHER
WARRANTS THAT THIS SOFTWARE WILL PERFORM SUBSTANTIALLY IN
ACCORDANCE WITH ANY WRITTEN GUARANTEES PUBLISHED BY
SOFTDISK.

SOFTDISK PUBLISHING DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES RELATING
TO THIS SOFTWARE, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR IN
ANY COMMUNICATION WITH YOU, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY
IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE.  SOFTDISK PUBLISHING DOES NOT
WARRANT THAT THE OPERATION OF THIS SOFTWARE WILL BE
UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE.

SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES
SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.  THIS WARRANTY
GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS.  YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER
RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

^C^1LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

IN NO EVENT WILL SOFTDISK PUBLISHING BE LIABLE FOR ANY
DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF DATA, LOST PROFITS, COST OF COVER
OR OTHER SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INDIRECT
DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OR ATTEMPTED USE OF THIS
SOFTWARE OR ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION, HOWEVER CAUSED AND
ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY. THIS LIMITATION WILL APPLY EVEN
IF SOFTDISK PUBLISHING HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY
OF SUCH DAMAGE.  UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL THE LIABILITY
OF SOFTDISK PUBLISHING EXCEED THE ACTUAL AMOUNT PAID TO AND
RECEIVED BY SOFTDISK PUBLISHING IN CONNECTION WITH THE
PARTICULAR COPY OF THE SOFTWARE IN QUESTION. SOME STATES DO
NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION
MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CHOICE OF LAW RULES OF SUCH
STATE.
^P

^C^ITime/Date

The current DOS time and SDPCdate are shown in the lower left corner
of the main screen.  You can set the time and SDPCdate by clicking
on the on-screen clock, or selecting the "Set DOS Time/Date"
item on the Settings menu, or pressing Ctrl-T.  This puts you in
a box that shows the time, where the left and right arrows move
between the different items (hour, minute, second, etc.), and
the up and SDPCdown arrows (or the + and SDPC- keys) change the
currently highlighted item upward or downward.  The zero key (0)
resets the seconds to zero.  This is useful for synchronizing
the time to a time signal, if a radio station chimes at the top
of the hour, for instance.
^P

^C^IFile Mask

This lets you choose what files to display on the main directory
screen.  The default mask is *.*, which causes all files to be
listed.  If you use a different mask, like *.txt, this causes
only the matching files to be selected -- in this case, the
files with a .TXT extension.  You can use the standard DOS
wildcard characters - * to match all names, and ? to match
all characters in a single position.  You can also specify a
file mask on the command line when you run DOS Manager, like
"DOSMAN *.WAV" to just list .WAV files.
^P

^C^IFile Information

Pressing the asterisk (*) gives you information on the currently
highlighted file.  Ctrl-I gives information on all marked files.
This information shows what type of file it is out of the many
file types recognized by DOS Manager.  Also, for some file types
additional information is shown, like the dimensions of graphic
files.  When using the Ctrl-I option to view information on all
marked files, you can press F5 to print the listing.

Also, while viewing the information on all marked files, you can
use the PgUp and SDPCPgDn keys to page within the report, or ESC to
exit.