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Replicator Version 1.28 The Diskette Database Copyright c 1994-1996 by Stevenson Technical Services, Incorporated 108 Second Avenue West, PO Box 297 Bertha MN 56437-0297 USA Phone/FAX: 218-924-2050 The STSI BBS: 218-924-2060 Internet: http://www.stevetech.com E-Mail: support@stevetech.com Welcome! Thank you for trying Replicator! Replicator is a disk image utility designed to create images of diskettes and catalog them in a database. Optional compression routines can be used to reduce the image size. The database stores up to 10 lines of descriptive text, the date the file was created, and a complete list of all files contained on the original diskette! Database entries can be modified at any time. Replicator has an easy push button interface to make it fast and user-friendly! Network support is included! If you appreciate Replicator, you are encouraged to call The STSI BBS at (218) 924-2060, and let us know! Comments, suggestions, and enhancement requests are always welcome! Requirements To run Replicator reliably, you will need the following: · DOS 3.3 or Higher · IBM PC, PC-Compatible or MS-DOS Computer · 80286 Processor or Higher · Hard Drive, and 640K RAM Disclaimer / License Agreement What is shareware? Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details - some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee - if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. Disclaimer - Agreement By using Replicator, users indicate their acceptance of the following terms: "Replicator is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. Neither STSI, The STSI BBS, or any STSI employees will be held responsible for any damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of Replicator." "Information in this documentation is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of STSI. STSI may make improvements and/or changes in this documentation or in the products and/or programs described in this documentation at any time." Replicator is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program useful and find that you are using Replicator and continue to use Replicator after a reasonable trial period, you must make a registration payment of $49.95 (+S&H) to Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. (STSI). This registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another. Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time, Replicator should not be used on two different computers at the same time. Commercial users of Replicator must register and pay for their copies of Replicator within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn. Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting STSI at (218) 924- 2050. Anyone distributing Replicator for any kind of remuneration must first contact STSI for authorization. This authorization will be automatically granted to distributors recognized by the (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin offering Replicator immediately. (However STSI must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up- to-date with the latest version of Replicator.) You are encouraged to pass a copy of Replicator along to your friends for evaluation. Please encourage them to register their copy if they find that they can use it. All registered users will receive a copy of the latest version of the Replicator, along with a printed manual and bonus disks. ASP Notice: STSI is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX 616-788-2765 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. Registration Replicator is distributed under the shareware concept. You may try Replicator for a period of two weeks. After this period, you must either discontinue using it, or register it. A single-user license is only $49.95 (+$5.00 Shipping & Handling in the U.S., or $10.00 Shipping & Handling on Foreign Orders). (For network or site-license pricing, see the file REGISTER.DOC.) This price includes a printed manual, 3 1/2" and 5 1/4" diskettes, removal of nag screens and the 10-record database limit, along with a Registration Name and Number allowing you to register your copy of Replicator. To register over the telephone, call STSI at (218) 924-2050, and charge it to your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover credit card. Once registered, you will no longer see the nag screens, reminding you to register Replicator. For further registration information and pricing, please read the REGISTER.DOC file included with Replicator. How To Order To register, do ONE of the following (whichever you prefer): 1. Call The STSI BBS at 218-924-2060 and order online. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards. This method of ordering can be performed 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. (Ordering this way is fast and easy, allowing us to process your request quickly.) 2. To order using our voice line, call 218-924-2050. Please have your credit card handy. 3. You can FAX your order to 218-924-2050. Simply fill out the registration form provided with the program (REGISTER.DOC), include your credit card information on the bottom of the form, and sign it. (Most FAX transmissions will be automatically routed to the FAX machine. If you have problems reaching our FAX machine, wait until after the first ring, press 11, and then begin transmitting.) 4. Send PRIVATE CompuServe mail to 76300,3066, stating that you would like to register this program. Please include your name, address, telephone number, credit card number, and credit card expiration date. Also include the name you want the program registered to, such as your company's name, etc. If you want to receive a temporary registration code that can be used until you receive your order in the mail, simply request this, as well. (Comments and questions are also welcome when you place your order.) 5. Mail the registration form along with your payment to: Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. (STSI) 108 2nd Avenue West, PO Box 297 Bertha, MN 56437-0297 USA. Technical Support: Technical support is available through the following means: Internet: Access STSI's internet home page at http://www.stevetech.com. Check the bulletins for information on the latest versions of our software. Software updates can be downloaded through our web site or via anonymous ftp to stevetech.com (files are located in the \pub directory). Internet Mail: STSI will respond to messages sent via the Internet. Send any tech support related questions, comments, or suggestions to support@stevetech.com. The STSI BBS: New versions of this program will be posted here as soon as they are available. The STSI BBS uses a U.S. Robotics V.Everything modem, which is capable of V.FAST, V.32bis, V.32, and 2400 baud connect speeds. The access number for The STSI BBS is 218-924-2060. Technical support questions posted on the bulletin board system should be addressed to Craig Stevenson. STSI FAX: STSI has a FAX machine on-line 24 hours-a-day to accept FAX transmissions. Technical support questions / problems may be faxed to 218-924-2050. Most FAX transmissions will be automatically routed to the FAX machine. If you have problems reaching our FAX machine, wait until after the first ring, press 11, and then begin transmitting. Telephone: Technical support calls may be placed at (218) 924-2050. Office hours are from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday thru Friday, Central Standard Time (CST). Please read the following before placing a technical support call to STSI: 1. Read the documentation files (and the help screens, if available). Most questions can be answered by simply reading the docs. 2. If you have a modem, call The STSI BBS and download the latest version. (Read Bulletin #1 on our BBS to find out the latest version and release date of this program. When downloading a file, keep in mind that STSI's programs are always posted in area 27.) After you download the latest version, try it and see if you are still experiencing the same problem. We attempt to fix problems as soon as we become aware of them, and post the updated versions on the bulletin board system. (Check the .REV revision file for information on feature enhancements and bug-fixes.) 3. If you still cannot find an answer, contact us through one of the means outlined above. We will do our best to assist you and answer any questions you may have. 4. When calling or leaving a message, please be prepared to answer the following questions: What version of this program are you using? What problem(s) are you having, if any? What type of computer CPU do you have (486DX2-66, etc.)? What version of DOS are you using? Please be as specific as possible. The more specific you are, the faster we will be able to assist you. 5. When placing a technical support call via telephone, please be seated behind your computer. We may ask you to perform a couple of simple tasks in order to help us narrow down any potential problems. 6. When speaking with any of our employees, please be considerate. Speak clearly, explaining your problem as carefully as possible. Please do not use any harsh or inappropriate (profane) language. 7. If one of our employees is able to help you, and you continue to use this program, register it! We cannot continue to produce quality programs without the continuing support of our users. What Is Replicator? Thank you for trying Replicator! Replicator is a disk image utility designed to create images of diskettes and catalog them in a database. Optional compression routines (compatible with PKZIP 2.0) can be used to reduce the image size. The database stores up to 10 lines of descriptive text, the date the file was created, and a complete list of all files contained on the original diskette! Database entries can be modified at any time. Replicator has an easy push button interface to make it fast and user-friendly! Network support is included! Why Use Replicator? When I first became involved in computers, keeping track of program diskettes wasn't really a problem. I put the DOS disks in a three-ring binder sleeve, and the Lotus 1-2-3 disks in two sleeves. I placed the three sleeves into the binder containing the operating manual for my computer, and everything was in one place. As computer software has become more complex, this technique has proven to be impractical, if not impossible. When I purchased OS/2, it arrived on twenty-one 3 1/2" high- density diskettes! If I were to put all of the original program diskettes for every piece of software that I own into a three- ring binder, I'm sure I couldn't even lift it! Another situation that I run into occasionally is that an original program diskette will go bad. Of course I never know that the diskette has gone bad until I desperately need it, and then it is too late. In our business, we use a wide variety of software on a regular basis. Since our hardware changes frequently, it is necessary to update drivers periodically. This creates a problem, since we store original program diskettes off-site to prevent against fire loss. Programs installed on my computer at home have the original diskettes store at our office and programs installed on the computer at our office have the original diskettes stored at home. I have probably made enough trips to the office and back to qualify for frequent flyer mileage. Replicator is a program designed to take a "snap-shot" of a floppy diskette, and store the information in an image file. This image file contains all of the information stored on the original diskette, including DOS, directories and sub- directories, programs, and data. The image file can be stored on a hard disk, and even transferred over a modem. When the diskette is needed at some future date, Replicator decompresses the image file onto a blank (formatted) diskette, creating a look- alike version of the original. When the image file is created, Replicator adds a record to the database containing information about the archived diskette. The database stores up to 10 lines of descriptive text, the date the file was created, and a complete list of all files contained on the original diskette! Database entries can be modified at any time. Replicator has an easy push button interface that includes simple browsing, printing support, and extensive searching capability. Network users will also appreciate Replicator's ability to manage the database files in a network environment. Now, when a new program arrives at our office, the original disks are replicated using Replicator, and the image files are stored off-site in a diskette archive. The original disks are available locally if needed, but can be reproduced by Replicator if disaster strikes. One obvious application for Replicator is for network supervisors who need to access original program diskettes from any workstation on a network. If the Replicator diskette images are maintained on a network drive, any workstation can have access to the images, allowing the recreation of program diskettes that contain special printer drivers or other needed configuration files. Installing Replicator The installation procedure for Replicator is quite simple. The package includes a program, "INSTALL.EXE", which automates the entire process. You will need about 1 megabyte of available disk space on the hard drive on which you plan to install Replicator. The exact steps you need to take will depend on how you received Replicator. Installing From Diskettes To install from diskette(s), you need to perform the following steps. 1. Place Replicator distribution diskette "Disk 1" in the appropriate diskette drive. 2. Execute the "INSTALL.EXE" program on the distribution diskette. For example, if the distribution diskette is in drive A:, type the MS-DOS command, "a:install". 3. Follow the instructions presented by the installation program. You will have a chance to approve installation before any changes are actually made to the contents of your hard drive. The program will ask you for a destination directory, and will copy the Replicator files to that directory. If you received Replicator on two diskettes, you will need to insert Disk 2 in the diskette drive when asked to do so. If you so direct it, the installation program will install executable programs and documentation in other directories of your choice. Installing From A Hard Drive If you downloaded Replicator from a BBS (or received it in the form of archive files from some other source), you will need to perform the following steps. 1. Extract the contents of the archive file(s) in a temporary directory on your hard drive. The procedure for doing this varies, depending on the form in which you received the package. In all likelihood, the fact that you are reading this text means that you already have the necessary tools and knowledge to perform this step. If not, you should be able to obtain directions for this from the same source from which you received the package. 2. Execute the "INSTALL.EXE" program which you have extracted. For example, if the temporary directory into which you have extracted the program files is C:\TEMPDIR, you would execute the MS-DOS command, c:\tempdir\install". 3. Follow the instructions presented by the installation program. You will have a chance to approve installation before any changes are actually made to the contents of your hard drive. The program will ask you for a destination directory, and will copy the Replicator files to that directory. If you so direct it, the installation program will install executable programs and documentation in other directories of your choice. When you're satisfied that the installation was successful, you should delete the temporary directory FROM which you installed the program files, (C:\TEMPDIR, in the above discussion), including all its contents. Note : If you are upgrading from a previous version, Replicator will issue a warning before overwriting the file REPLICAT.INI. If you have already set up your registration information and user preferences in the REPLICAT.INI file, answer "N" (No) to instruct the installation program not to overwrite this file. When the installation is complete, you will be returned to the operating system. (Replicator can be installed on any drive in your system, including network drives.) Create Image From Disk Description: This screens allows you to enter the information needed to create a Replicator image file (.RIF) file. If this is the first image file you are creating during this session of Replicator, the default settings will be used. After the first image file has been created during a session, Replicator will remember the information provided for the previous disk image, and place it into the appropriate fields. This is useful when creating image files for a disk set, such as Microsoft Windows. Instead of retyping the title, "Microsoft Windows 3.1" into one of the description fields each time, Replicator will remember your settings, saving you keystrokes. To clear the settings and reset them to the defaults, select the "Clear" button. Drive: This field should contain the drive letter of the diskette that will be copied to an image file. The letter in this field must be A or B. Disk Detection: The Auto Detect Diskette Size option allows you to specify whether or not Replicator should attempt to automatically detect the type of disk in the specified disk drive when creating the image file. (This option is disabled under OS/2 due to certain incompatibilities when using floppy disk routines. If you are using OS/2 you must MANUALLY specify which disk type you are using.) Disk Type: Select the type of floppy disk that you are using to create the disk image file. Users only need to select the floppy disk type manually if the automatic detection feature outlined above is not being used. File To Create: Enter the name of the disk image file that should be created. A path designation is optional. An extension of .RIF (which stands for Replicator Image File) is appended to the filename automatically. Compress File?: Enter Y (Yes) or N (No) to specify whether or not Replicator should compress the image file after it has been created. If compression is specified, Replicator will use built-in compression routines to store the image file in a PKZIP 2.0 compatible ZIP file. Description 1..10: Enter up to 10 lines of descriptive text about the disk image that will be created. This text is stored in the database, and allows you to more easily locate a needed file in the future. For example, you may want to store the name of the program that was contained on the disk, its original author, the disk sequence (disk 1 of 5), and any registration or serial numbers assigned to the program. Ok: When the Ok button is selected, Replicator will attempt to read the disk in the specified disk drive and create an image file. If the image file was successfully created and compression was specified, Replicator will attempt to compress the image file into PKZIP 2.0 format. If this process is successful, the record will be added to the database. Cancel: Selecting the Cancel button causes Replicator to close the displayed dialog and return to the main menu. Clear: The Clear button can be used to erase all of the text in the description fields and reset the drive, path, and compression settings to the defaults. Create Disk From Image File To Read: Enter the name of the image file that should be restored to the specified disk. This file does not need to exist in the database in order for Replicator to restore it. If the file is in compressed format, Replicator will decompress it prior to creating the disk image. If the file is not in compressed format, Replicator will automatically begin creating the disk image. Target Drive: This field should contain the drive letter of the diskette that will be created from the existing image file. The letter in this field must be A or B. Disk Type: Select the type of floppy disk that you are going to restore the disk image to. Verify Disk?: Enter Y (Yes) or N (No) to specify whether or not Replicator should verify the tracks on the diskette after they have all been written. If this option is set to Yes, Replicator will write all of the information to the diskette and make a second pass in order to verify the tracks. Browse: When the Browse button is selected, the database browsing screen is displayed. The database contains information about each disk image file that has been created using Replicator. To move around in the browsing screen, use the Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, and arrow keys. Pressing a letter will move the highlight bar to the beginning of the corresponding section. For example, pressing the letter "B" will move the highlight bar to the first filename that starts with B, and pressing the letter "S" will move the highlight bar to the first filename that starts with S. Once you have found the name of the file you want to restore, press ENTER on it. The browser will disappear, the filename will be placed in the "File To Read" field, the original disk type will be selected in the Disk Type field, and the file list box will show a list of all files that will be contained on the created disk. Ok: When the Ok button is selected, Replicator will search for the image file. If it exists, it will attempt to write it to the specified disk drive, creating an image of the original disk. If Replicator cannot find the image file with a .RIF extension, it will search for the same file using a .ZIP extension, indicating that it is in compressed format. If the compressed file exists, Replicator will decompress it and then attempt to write it to the specified disk drive. Cancel: Selecting the Cancel button causes Replicator to close the displayed dialog and return to the main menu. Database Management Description: The database management screen allows users to view and modify records of disk images that have been created with Replicator. While the filename, date, location, and description fields may be modified directly, some of the other fields maintained with each record (such as the total files on the disk, bytes consumed, bytes free, volume label, and file list) may only be modified by updating the disk record as explained below. New: When this button is pushed, Replicator goes into "edit mode", and allows you to enter a new record. When Replicator is in edit mode, you cannot move between records, delete records, call up the browser, or search for data. Once you have finished adding the new record, click on "Save" to save it into the database, or select "Cancel" to exit from edit Mode. If you have made any changes, Replicator will issue a prompt to check whether or not you want to save any changes before leaving. Note: While it is possible to add new records to the database in this manner, it is recommended that you actually perform the Create Image From Disk routine. When the disk image is created, a new record is created in the database with the information you enter on that screen. Edit: When this button is pushed, Replicator goes into "edit mode", and allows you to modify the current record. When Replicator is in edit mode, you cannot move between records, delete records, call up the browser, or search for data. Once you have finished modifying the current record, click on "Save" to save the modified record into the database, or select "Cancel" to exit from edit mode. If you have made any changes, Replicator will issue a prompt to make sure that you don't want to save any changes before leaving. Editing an existing record is extremely handy for changing the location of a particular file, or modifying the description lines associated with the record. Delete: When the Delete button is selected, Replicator issues a prompt to confirm that you want to delete the current record from the database. When you choose "Yes" at the prompt, the record is deleted, and Replicator resets the record display to the next record in the database. At this point, Replicator also prompts you whether or not you want to the delete the actual file from the hard drive, if it exists. If you answer Yes, Replicator will search for and delete the associated file. Browse: When this button is pushed, Replicator displays a browsing screen that contains all of the records in the database. To scroll through the browser, use the Up Arrow, Down Arrow, PgUp, and PgDn keys, or the mouse to scroll through all of the records. Pressing a key such as "N" will move the highlight bar to the beginning of the records beginning with the letter "N". Pressing Escape will erase the browser and redisplay the editing screen. Pressing ENTER on the highlighted record will erase the browser and cause Replicator to display the selected record on the editing screen for viewing, editing, or deleting. Search: When Search is selected, Replicator displays a dialog box giving you the option of the type of search to perform. There are three types of searches to perform on a Replicator database. The first two types are extremely fast and efficient, while the third is much slower, although it is much more thorough. When "Search One Field Only" is selected, Replicator allows you to search for a text string in any one of the following seven fields: Filename, Location, Desciption 1 through Description 5. The search string must be located at the beginning of the field you decide to search. If Replicator cannot find a record with the specified text, it issues an error message. Otherwise it displays the browser screen containing all of the entries that matched the search criteria. Since the seven fields mentioned above are all indexed fields, the search can be completed very rapidly. When "Range Search" is selected, Replicator allows you to perform a search where the only records that are found must be within the a specified range of values. For example, if you wanted to locate all records whose filename was (alphabetically) between the values WIN31 and WINNT, you could enter these two values as the starting and ending search values, and select the filename field as the field to search. If no records could be found within that range, an error message would be issued. Otherwise, all records within that range would be displayed. As with the first search method, the range search allows you to find a text string at the beginning of any one of the seven indexed fields (see previous paragraph for the names of these fields). When "Search Entire Record" is selected, Replicator will perform a search of the entire database for a specified text string. The search can be performed as a case- sensitive or case-insensitive search, with case- insensitive being the default. The text string you enter can be located at ANY location within the record. It does not have to be at the start of an indexed field. If Replicator locates the text anywhere within the record (including all individual fields and the file list), it is included in the search results. When Replicator starts the search process, it creates a temporary database. When a record is found that contains the search string, it is added to the temporary database. After the search has been completed, you can browse through the filtered records. If you wish to narrow down the search criteria even further, you can perform a secondary search on the database. At this point, when you select "Search Entire Record", you will only be searching for a text string located in records that have been placed in the filtered database. For example, if you search the database for the keyword "WINDOWS", and then perform a secondary search for "SETUP.EXE", your resulting search would only find records that contained BOTH of the specified keywords. You can continue to perform a filtered search as long as necessary, thus narrowing the search criteria every time. (Each consecutive search should also be less time consuming, since it does not need to search as many records for the specified text.) Once this type of search is complete, you can browse through the filtered records by using the browser, or by selecting Next, Prev, First, and Last. When you select Quit at this point, the search will be cancelled, and you will return to the previous editing screen, allowing you to view all of the records in your original database. Other: When the Other button is selected, Replicator displays a secondary menu of options. These options are Info, Paths, Print, and Update. These options are explained below: Info: This button, located on the Other Options dialog box, allows you to view specific information about the original diskette used to create the disk image. When the Info button is selected, you can view the Total Files on the original disk, the total bytes consumes, the total bytes free, the volume label, and the original disk size. Paths: By using the Paths button, users can enter a new path (Location) for every record in the database. After entering a new path and selecting Ok, Replicator asks for confirmation, and then changes the Location field of every record to the path you specified. Use this option when you want to move all of the image files to a common location, such as "C:\REPLICAT\IMAGES\". Note: This procedure does NOT move files to a new destination on your hard drive. It simply updates the "Location" field in the database. If you need to move the image files, you must use a separate utility designed for this purpose. Print: The record that is currently being viewed on the screen can be printed by using the Print option. Using the print option, you can print the current record, or all records in the database. If you have just executed an "entire record" search of the database, printing all of the records will cause all of the matching records to be printed. Replicator supports printer ports LPT1 through LPT3, as well as printing to a file. Update: This option allows users to update the fields of the database record by viewing the contents of a disk. When the Update feature is used, Replicator updates the file list, total files, bytes consumed, bytes free, and volume label fields of the current record. This feature is useful for users who are upgrading from a version of Replicator prior to 1.20. (Since these database fields were only added in version 1.20, they are zeroed out when the database is upgraded to the current version. If it is desired, users of previous versions may want to perform this simple update to maintain a record of the files on each disk, etc. However, updating the record in this manner is completely optional.) Note: Using this feature does NOT update the image file on the hard drive. It only updates the database record to contain the current disk information. Quit: Selecting Quit will close the Database Management screen and return to the main menu. If you have just completed a search through the "Search Entire Record" process, Quit will close the Search results screen and return to the main Database Management screen. Next: Pushing the Next button will cause the record subsequent to the current record to be displayed. Prev: Pushing the Prev button will cause the record previous to the current record to be displayed. Up Triangle: Pushing the Up Triangle button will cause the first record in the database to be displayed. Down Triangle: Pushing the Down Triangle button will cause the last record in the database to be displayed. Cancel: The Cancel button is only displayed when Replicator is in edit mode, and when it is selected, Replicator will Cancel the editing process, exit from edit mode, and redisplay the current record. F1: By pressing the F1 function key, users can have access to the Replicator help system. The F1 key is available at any time within Replicator, and will offer helpful information and instructions. Format A Diskette Drive: This field should contain the drive letter of the diskette that will be formatted. The letter in this field must be A or B. Disk Type: Select the type of floppy disk that you are using to format the specified disk. Verify Disk?: Enter Y (Yes) or N (No) to specify whether or not Replicator should verify the tracks on the diskette when it is formatted. Volume Label: Enter the volume label that should be placed on the diskette that will be formatted. Ok: When the Ok button is selected, Replicator begins to format the diskette you specified. Cancel: Selecting the Cancel button causes Replicator to close the displayed dialog and return to the main menu. Upgrade From Replica Description: Users upgrading from Replica version 1.00, 1.01, or 1.02 will want to use this screen to convert their data files and perform any desired cleanup action. Replicator (originally named Replica) underwent a name change between versions 1.02 and 1.10. To update the data files to the new naming convention, this procedure must be run. Path To Old Version: Enter the path to the old data files. If you had originally installed Replica in the directory C:\REPLICA, this would be the text to enter in this field. Path To New Version: Enter the path to the new program files. This is typically the directory where you are executing Replicator from. If you accepted the defaults during the installation process, this path would be C:\REPLICAT. Remove Old SET Statement: Enter a "Y" (Yes) or "N" (No) to indicate whether or not Replicator should remove the old SET statement from your C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If you allowed the installation program (for Replica) to place a SET statement (such as SET REPLICA=C:\REPLICA) in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, this should be removed. Use Old Database Files: Due to the new naming convention, Replicator will rename old data files and move them into the new Replicator program directory. This will ensure that you do not lose the database of your previously created image files. Defaults Description: The fields on this screen specify the default values that will be used for Replicator when it displays the Create Image From Disk screen, Create Disk From Image screen, and Format A Diskette screen. Drive: This field should contain the drive letter of the diskette drive that will be used most often. The letter in this field must be A or B. Disk Type: Select the type of floppy disk that you will be using most often. Image Path: This field should contain the default path where your disk image files should be stored. In most cases, you will want to maintain the image files in the \REPLICAT sub-directory. Working Directory: This field should contain the path where Replicator will decompress the compressed image files, in order to write the image to a diskette. In previous versions of Replicator, the decompressed file was created in the same directory as where the compressed file existed. Internally, however, we have placed most of our compressed image files on CD-ROMs, making the "working directory" feature a necessity. Most users will want to decompress the image files into the \REPLICAT directory. Other Options: Auto Detect: Check whether or not Replicator should automatically detect a disk's size when the Copy Disk To File option is being used. Note: This is only a default setting, and can be overridden when creating each individual disk image. This option is ON by default. Compress File: Check whether or not Replicator should compress the image file after it has been created. If compression is specified, Replicator will use built-in compression routines to store the image file in a PKZIP 2.0 compatible ZIP file. Note: This is only a default setting, and can be overridden when creating each individual disk image. This option is ON by default. Beep When Done: Check whether or not Replicator should beep when it is done copy a disk to a file, copying an image file to disk, and formatting a disk. This option is ON by default. Int 25/26 Reading/Writing: Check whether or not Replicator should use Interrupt 25 and 26 for the reading and writing of floppy diskettes. This option is ONLY recommended on systems that use OS/2 (version 2.x or 3.0) and have been experiencing intermittent errors, such as "DMA Crossed 64K Boundary", "Sector Not Found", "Bad Disk", time-out errors, and others. This option is OFF by default. Video Mode: This field allows a user to select how many lines of text Replicator should display on his/her monitor. This feature allows users to view more lines of the file list windows. Note to users: Replicator will change the video mode to display the selected number of lines when it is executed. To override this setting from the command line use the parameter /V=nn (where nn is 25, 28, 43, or 50). This changes the number of displayed lines to 25, 28, 43, or 50. Explode Delay: This number specifies the number of seconds used as an "Explode Delay" for dialog boxes within Replicator. To eliminate all exploding effects, set the number in this field to 0. OS/2 Verify Delay: Enter the number of seconds that Replicator should pause (only under OS/2) after a disk has been created (using Create Disk From Image) before it should begin the verify process. This delay is needed due to the way OS/2 handles floppy drives. If you experience time- out errors during the verify process, add or increase the delay time. The default delay time is 10 seconds. Ok: When Ok is selected, Replicator saves the options on this screen to the file REPLICAT.INI. Cancel: Selecting Cancel leaves all options on this screen in the state they were set to when this screen was initially displayed. Network Options Description: The options on this screen determine the default behavior of Replicator on your computer system. Optimization: This option is used to specify whether Replicator should optimize database management for Data Integrity or Speed. If Optimize For Data Integrity is chosen, access to certain routines may be impacted by a reduction in speed. If Optimize For Speed is chosen, Replicator will attempt to optimize access to routines without a reduction in speed. When Optimize For Data Integrity is turned on, Replicator will write portions of the database to be modified to the dialog (.DIA) file before any changes are made. Then, in the event that an error occurs, the database can be restored to its known state prior to the operation. If the computer system crashes before an operation is complete, Replicator automatically repairs the database by using the information in the dialog file the next time the database is opened. Based on our internal testing, Optimize For Speed is MUCH faster. If you decide to use Optimize For Speed, however, we recommend that you maintain a regular backup. If you are more concerned about data integrity, even to the point of sacrificing some performance, select Optimize For Data Integrity. Network Type: Even if you don't use a network, you may need to change the default Network Type from None to the MS-Net Compatible option. Make sure to read the following section! None: When "None" is selected as the network type, file sharing and record locking routines are not used. Do NOT run Replicator in a multiuser setting with the network type set to "None". If you do, the data and index files are likely to become corrupt if two or more nodes try to access the program! Novell: If you are running on a Novell NetWare 2.x, 3.x, or 4.x network, be sure to set the network type setting to "Novell Network". MS-Net: The "MS-Net Compatible" setting should be used for the following networks and environments: LANtastic, LAN Manager, IBM PC-LAN, Personal NetWare, NetWare Lite, DESQview, and Windows. When using this option, you must load SHARE.EXE. (When running under Windows, either SHARE must be loaded prior to running Windows, or the VSHARE driver must be loaded in Windows.) Refresh Delay: This number specifies the number of seconds that Replicator will use as an update interval when displaying the browser screen. If this value is set to 5, Replicator will update the browser screen every 5 seconds with any changes that have made from other workstations working on the same database file. Fast Search: When the Fast Search option is enabled, the search speed for the "Search Entire Record" option is increased substantially. To do this, Replicator places a "Read Lock" on the entire database to prevent other users from writing to it. This can produce search speeds up to 3 times as fast as when Fast Search is disabled. However, if Fast Search is enabled, other users CANNOT make changes to the database when another user is performing this type of search. Network supervisors should consider this situation carefully before enabling the Fast Search option. Ok: When Ok is selected, Replicator saves the options on this screen to the file REPLICAT.INI. Cancel: Selecting Cancel leaves all options on this screen in the state they were set to when this screen was initially displayed. Virus Scanner Scan Disks Before Creating Image (Default) Check whether or not Replicator should scan the disk for viruses before creating an image from disk. Note: This is only a default setting, and can be overridden when creating each individual disk image. This option is OFF by default. Enable Virus Scanner 1 / 2 This switch determines whether or not the corresponding virus scanner (#1 or #2) should be used when scanning disks for viruses. Users can run virus scanner #1, virus scanner #2, or both virus scanners when scanning a diskette. Virus Scanner #1 / #2 This field should contain the full path and filename of the virus scanner to be executed. Examples are: C:\SCAN\SCAN.EXE C:\F-PROT\F-PROT.EXE C:\CPAV\CPAV.EXE C:\DOS\MSAV.EXE Parameters #1 / #2 The Parameters field should contain any command line parameters that should be passed to the corresponding virus scanner. For example, if you are using McAfee's SCAN.EXE, you may want to specify /NOMEM to skip the memory test and /PAUSE to pause after each page. See the documentation for your virus scanner to determine the command line switches you will want to use. Pause After Scanning Disk This option controls whether or not Replicator adds a pause after executing the corresponding virus scanner. This is especially useful for virus scanners that do not automatically pause at the end of the virus test, allowing users to view the test results. Ok: Selecting Ok instructs Replicator to save this configuration information to the file REPLICAT.INI. Cancel: Selecting Cancel instructs Replicator to ignore any changes that have been made to the previous settings, and return to the main menu. Register Replicator Description: Once you register Replicator and pay the requested fee to STSI for registering, you will receive a registration name and number. Enter your name and number in the fields shown on this screen, and Replicator will be registered to you. You will no longer see "nag screens" or "reminders" pressuring you to register. If your name and number are entered accurately, Replicator will display a thank- you message. Otherwise, Replicator will warn you that the registration number you entered was not valid. Registration Name: The Registration Name text field allows users to enter their personal name or the name of their company or organization. Registration Number: The Registration Number text field allows users to enter the registration number they received from STSI upon registering Replicator. For information on how to register, please see the "Registration" section near the top of this documentation file. Network Users: This field contains the numbers of network users for Replicator. To receive a registration number that provides support for network users, see the file REGISTER.DOC. If you are registering a single-user version of Replicator, enter 0 in this field. Ok: Selecting Ok instructs Replicator to save this configuration information to the file REPLICAT.INI. Cancel: Selecting Cancel instructs Replicator to ignore any changes that have been made to the previous settings, and return to the main menu. Using UNREP.EXE The program UNREP.EXE is a small command line utility designed to recreate a disk file from the command line. In order to use UNREP.EXE, you simply need a .RIF file created with Replicator and the file UNREP.EXE. Command Line Structure: UNREP FILENAME DRIVE FILENAME .RIF File To Extract DRIVE Extract File To Which Drive? Example UNREP DRIVERS.RIF A: Note: UNREP.EXE cannot be used on .ZIP files created by Replicator. The file must have a .RIF extension! (This "limitation" allows us to keep the executable file extremely small, since we do not need to include the decompression code.) UNREP will recreate the disk using the disk image file specified on the command line. License Information For UNREP.EXE Companies wishing to use Replicator to create disk image files for widespread distribution can use and distribute UNREP.EXE freely, as long as they have registered their copy of Replicator. For more information, please contact STSI at (218) 924-2050. Cautions Do not attempt to use Replicator with 2.88 Megabyte floppy diskette drives. Replicator only supports 360K, 720K, 1.2MB, and 1.44MB floppy drives. Do not attempt to use Replicator on copy-protected diskettes. Using Replicator on these type of diskettes could cause unpredictable results. Be careful when using Replicator under OS/2 v2.x. We have noted several peculiarities under OS/2 that do not exist under DOS. See the troubleshooting section for more information. Troubleshooting / Common Problems One known problem when using Replicator is its operation under OS/2 v2.x. When verify is turned on, the verifying process will start out going very fast, and slow down progressively as the process continues. This is because the drive is being recalibrated after every track under OS/2. We have also noted occasional erroneous error messages, such as "Disk Bad" after formatting a diskette. We have added several features to address such problems as these, and will continue to enhance the operability under OS/2. If you have questions or concerns about Replicator's operation under OS/2, please feel free to call us at one of the technical support numbers listed in this documentation file. Products By STSI Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. 108 Second Avenue West Bertha MN 56437-0297 Phone / FAX: (218) 924-2050 The STSI BBS: (218) 924-2060 Internet: http://www.stevetech.com Internet Mail: support@stevetech.com (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, & Discover Accepted) · BBS Informant <ASP> Comprehensive BBS List / Search Door! BBS Informant is a comprehensive BBS door used for adding, listing, and searching through BBS names and numbers. BBS Informant stores over 40 fields of data on each BBS! Store up to 3 phone numbers, software & version, sysop, emphasis, rate, location, number of lines, storage space, CD-ROMS, date of origin, services offered, summary, and much more! Network support is included! BBS Informant works on Wildcat, PCBoard, and any BBS that supports DOOR.SYS. Registration Fee: $49.95 · BOOT'R <ASP> -DOS Multiple Configuration Manager BOOT'R allows the management of multiple configurations on a single machine. 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