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Cream of the Crop 1
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Cream of the Crop 1.iso
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UTILITY
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XPRO11A.ARJ
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XREADME
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1992-05-11
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(xreadme)
DOS Extensions for Professionals
is a Unified Package of file utilities bringing to the PC the power,
functionality, and increased personal productivity usually associated
only with minicomputer-based software. Designed to meet the processing
needs of the corporate community as well as of demanding home users,
these utilities feature designed-in robustness, flexibility, and
generality leading to predictable results in the most trying and
unusual situations.
Quick Start:
The fastest way to get an overview of the capabilities of this program
is to print this 12 page file and, while it is printing, run the Ten
Minute XDEMO.
The simplist way to run the demonstrations and install this product is
to make a temporary copy of the distribution disk on your hard disk.
(The demonstrations require extra free space for the creation of
temporary subdirectories. Documentation and installation procedures,
which are compressed on 360K disks, must also be expanded.)
Create a temporary directory of any name and copy the contents of the
distribution disk to it. Assuming your current drive is your hard
disk and drive A: contains the distribution disk:
mkdir \DOSX
cd \DOSX
copy A:*.*
copy XREADME prn (or print XREADME)
XDEMO
XDEMO gives a live overview of the utilities found in "DOS Extensions
for Professionals".
XDEMO_AD gives a more detailed look at some of the capabilities of
"DOS Extensions for Professionals". Execute it when you feel the need
for more complicated examples.
The temporary directory you just created can be removed after "DOS
Extensions for Professionals" has been fully installed and after you
have run both demonstrations.
Contents of Disk:
The shareware distribution disk contains the following files:
xreadme general information and instructions
xinstall.bat installation batch file
xdemo.bat introductory demo program
xdemo_ad.bat advanced demo program
register.doc shareware registration form
* xmanual.doc a high-level manual of commands
vendor.doc distributor information & product description
rev22.old demo text
rev22.new altered demo text
diff.exe
dump.exe
search.exe
split.exe
sub.exe
xdel.exe
xdir.exe
xhelp.exe
* add2dos5.bat DOS 5 supplementary installation procedure
addhelp.exe updates doshelp.hlp
* xdosshel.scr edlin commands for updating dosshell.ini
* xdosshel.add text for updating dosshell.ini
* xdoshelp.ad? text for updating doshelp.hlp
* On smaller distribution disks, these files have been imploded into the
self-extracting file XMANUAL.EXE.
Installation Instructions:
Copy the .EXE's and Set the Path:
Many users store their DOS executable images under the \DOS
directory on their hard drive. They often keep utility programs
in a separate directory.
XINSTALL, which installs "DOS Extensions for Professionals" on
your system, must be called with the target drive/directory path
as its first argument and must be run from your distribution disk
(or from the directory to which you copied it on your hard disk.)
The example outlined below assumes that you've copied your
distribution disk to the directory \DOSX on your hard drive, that
drive C: is your target hard drive, and that you've chosen \UTIL
as the directory for your utilities.
cd \DOSX
XINSTALL C:\UTIL
DOS's search path dictates which directories, in addition to the
current directory, will be searched for executable and batch
files. Assuming you have already set the path for your \DOS
directory, the following command, which already has been executed
from within XINSTALL.BAT, adds \UTIL to it.
path=c:\util;c:\dos
Note that \UTIL will be searched before \DOS. This is important
if you want to replace standard DOS commands with your own
variants. You don't actually have to delete the DOS version if
the \UTIL directory is searched first.
Update Autoexec.bat:
To make the above path change permanent, you must include it in
C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT, the file that is executed each time your system is
booted. Use your favorite editor.
Expand Compressed Files:
The shareware version of "DOS Extensions for Professionals" does
not fit on one 360K diskette. If you have XMANUAL.EXE rather than
XMANUAL.DOC, you must expand compressed files to read the manual
and to integrate with DOS 5.
To expand, you must copy the contents of the distribution disk
to your hard drive - outlined in the Quick Start section above.
(If you don't have a hard drive, copy XMANUAL.EXE to an empty
diskette.)
Execute the self-extracting file XMANUAL.EXE from your hard drive.
cd \DOSX
XMANUAL
The file XMANUAL.DOC and a number of files required for the next
step are created.
Integrate with DOS 5:
To fully integrate "DOS Extensions for Professionals" into systems
running DOS 5, you must run the batch file ADD2DOS5 from the
distribution disk (or from your distribution directory on your
hard disk.)
Make the drive/directory containing the (expanded) distribution
disk your current drive and directory. Run ADD2DOS5 with the
path of the directory containing your DOS 5 system as its first
argument.
cd \DOSX
ADD2DOS5 C:\DOS
This procedure works only if you are running a DOS 5 system.
The batch file does two things:
it updates the file DOSHELP.HLP, a text file containing high
level documentation for each system command, and
it adds the new Group "DOS Extensions for Pros" and new
Programs Items reflecting the utilities found in "DOS
Extensions for Professionals" to the system file DOSSHELL.INI.
You will notice the new Group and Program Items when you are in the
dosshell environment.
These additions have been placed there for your convenience. Feel
free to modify or change them as you wish. The original system
files are preserved as DOSHELP.BAK and DOSSHELL.BAK in case you
want to restore them. Rename them to more permanent names,
perhaps ending in .V1 for "version 1" for safe keeping.
C:> ren C:\DOS\DOSHELP.BAK DOSHELP.V1
C:> ren C:\DOS\DOSSHELL.BAK DOSSHELL.V1
Note:
Addition of the new Group and Program Items to the system
file DOSSHELL.INI uses the system program EDLIN by redirecting
a simple command script to its standard input. This process
obviously can't work if EDLIN is unavailable on your system.
Use your favorite editor to insert XDOSSHEL.ADD into
DOSSHELL.INI after the first occurrence of the text
"program =", near line 39.
In the unlikely event that EDLIN is available but your system
hangs without exiting the EDLIN command (a TSR problem?),
reboot and run EDLIN manually typing the three commands found
in the script file XDOSSHEL.SCR. Its surprisingly easy!
Having taken the preceding steps, "DOS Extensions for Professionals"
is completely installed. Execution of the individual programs is
available from anywhere on your system.
System Requirements:
Exact system requirements vary from program to program. Most need
minimal memory: less than 160KB free, although some, like XDEL, can
require considerably more depending upon the extent of the particular
task being performed. DOS version 3 or later on any IBM compatible
provides a satisfactory operating environment. A hard disk is
recommended for practicality.
Elements Common to All Programs:
Programs in "DOS Extensions for Professionals" share a common command
line interface and are bound together several common threads.
1. Recursive Notation
The recursive (tree) notation "..." is supported by those commands
for which it makes sense.
XDIR ...
gives a listing of all files falling in the current directory and in
directories under it.
2. Truncatable Command Modifiers
Command Modifiers are truncatable. You don't have to enter the
entire modifier, just enough to let the computer know what you want.
If you want a directory listing sorted by date, you could enter
XDIR /byda
and the program knows you mean
XDIR /bydate
3. Explanatory Error Messages
If you don't enter enough letters to be unambiguous, the program will
list all possibilities.
XDIR /by
Ambiguous Command Modifier "/by"
/bydate
/bysize
4. Built-in Help
On-line help is always available by entering -HELP or /? on the command
line. e.g.
XDIR -HELP or XDIR /?
The four different levels of built-in help are discussed in the next
section.
Built-In Help:
Built-in help for each command is one of the more important aspects of
"DOS Extensions for Professionals". There are four levels of help.
The first is the top level, and is accessed by entering a Command
followed by -HELP or /?.
SEARCH /?
or
SEARCH -HELP
or
SEARCH -H
or
SEARCH -HE
etc
gives you a list of the Command Modifiers for the SEARCH command:
/before /case /context /numbers /pause /since
followed by a list of help topics associated with this command:
-ALL -HELP -VERSION
The second level of help explains command detail and may, therefore,
be the most important. You can access it by inserting /?, -HELP, or
any other topic preceded by a "-" on the command line with any Command
Modifiers you may wish to learn about.
SEARCH /numbers -HELP
outputs the detailed description
/numbers
/nonumbers (d)
/Numbers prepends each matched line with its line number in that file.
/Nonumbers, the default, outputs only the line and not its number.
These first two levels of help embody the essence of the help
philosphy of "DOS Extensions for Professionals". The top level list
of Command Modifiers reminds us of all that a command does while the
second level reveals the details.
Built-in help is also a great way to learn as you compute. No need to
master the details of all commands at once. As you have time, scan
the top level helps to learn new Command Modifiers or to reacquaint
yourself with options that have slipped your mind.
In case you can't remember the name of a command or want a more
detailed discussion of the design criteria of a command, there are two
similar levels of help available from XHELP.
Entering
XHELP
or
XHELP -HELP
gives you a list of all the commands found within "DOS Extensions for
Professionals" plus several topics which refer to all commands:
-BUG_REPORTING -LICENSE -MODIFIERS -WILDCARDS
(You may want to review these on-line background topics before delving
into specific programs in depth.)
You get the more detailed overview and discussion of each command by
entering XHELP followed by a command or a general topic. For example,
XHELP SEARCH
lists SEARCH's Command Modifiers, examples of its use, and any notes
pertaining to the command.
In review, the four levels of help are:
Command -HELP (You know the command's name but not
all the Command Modifiers.)
Command /Command_modifier -HELP (You know the
command but want details about
one or more Command Modifiers.)
XHELP (You want a list of all commands.)
XHELP command (You want an overview, examples, or
design information about a command.)
If all else fails, all you have to remember is "XHELP".
Complete help from any program can always be redirected to the
printer or to a file for later printing by entering
command -ALL /nopause > prn
or
command -ALL /nopause > file
(/Nopause inhibits the normal pause after each screen full of
information.)
DOS 5 Compatible Help:
The "DOS Extensions for Professionals" utilities also support the "/?"
help notation used in DOS 5. This notation behaves exactly as the
"-HELP" notation. You are free, for example, to type either "XDEL -h"
or "XDEL /?" for high level command help and "XDEL /secure -h" or
"XDEL /secure /?" for detailed command help.
The DOS 5 command HELP gives one line explanations of all functions
including the "DOS Extensions for Professionals" utilities. XHELP
gives one line explanations only for DOSX utilities.
The support of the "/?" notation enables users to type "HELP XDEL" and
receive single-page high-level command help for a DOSX utility just as
they would for any system function. Entering "XHELP XDEL" gives
examples and more detailed utility information in a multi-page format.
DOS 5 Marco Command Redefinitions:
DOS 5's macro support is a handy way to define or redefine your
favorite "DOS Extensions for Professionals" commands, or any other
command for that matter.
If, for instance, you prefer XDIR's /FULL option, you could replace it
with DIR by defining the macro
C:> doskey dir=xdir /full
either at the command line or in your AUTOEXEC.BAT startup batch file.
Then when you type DIR, you would get XDIR /FULL. (The way to get the
real DIR command is to enter " DIR".)
The down side of this technique, especially when working between many
machines, is that you're never sure what's which way on which
computer, and you may forget the full command syntax if you never use
it. Sometimes plain vanilla is simpler unless you are in a position
to define strawberry to be vanilla everywhere.
Program Highlights:
DIFF
displays the differences between two similar text files. Whether
you've made minor or massive changes, DIFF displays only the
differences while resyncing on identical text.
DUMP
displays the contents of binary files, directories, disk sectors
(including an interpreted boot sector), disk FAT's, and cluster chains.
Address the internals of any file by sector or byte. Search the FAT
for bad clusters, see what's really in your directories, and snoop
through deleted files.
Learn about the details of the DOS file structure with the on-line
DISK_TUTOR and BOOT_TABLE help sections.
SEARCH
Locates text strings in any file anywhere on your whole disk - and only
tells you when they've been found! The simplicity of this favorite
program belies its power and usefulness.
SPLIT
splits text files into pieces or segments by three methods. Specify the
number of segments, the length of each segment, or that breaks be made
only at lines containing specific search text.
SUB
substitutes characters in lines in text files. This program deletes
characters, adds characters, replaces tabs with spaces, and replaces
spaces with any size tabs. It strips trailing blanks from lines or
pads out each line to a fixed length.
SUB can also limit its operations to lines containing search strings
and anchor operations to that text.
This utility is useful for dynamically creating complex batch and
script files based on directory contents. This is one of those
utilities for which you may see no need - until you need it, and then
it's indispensable.
XDEL
recursively deletes files and removes directories operating in either
the default normal mode or in a secure overwrite mode.
XDEL deletes hidden, readonly, and system files or files by date.
Verification is available on the command, directory, or file levels as
requested, or you can bypass all verification for batch operations.
The secure overwrite mode is flexible, allowing you to specify the
number of overwrites and whether they are with random data or with
patterns of your own choosing.
To a large extent, XDEL parallels XDIR in syntax and operation.
XDIR
recursively lists files in directory trees giving subtotals and
grandtotals of file sizes and disk allocations. (Bottom line
enthusiasts can specify totals or grandtotals only - without file
detail.) Directories are displayed in UPPER CASE and regular files in
lower case for easy discrimination. The default sort order is
alphabetic unless you request ordering by file size or date.
Searches can specify hidden, readonly, system, or modified files only,
and can limit the scope of a search before or after any time and date,
or use the generic keywords "yesterday" and "today".
XDIR supports leading and multiple wildcards as do most "DOS Extensions
for Professionals" utilities.
XHELP
supplements the help built into each command and becomes the first
stop for those not knowing where to look. It contains a brief
description of each program in "DOS Extensions for Professionals" as
well as examples, notes, and discussions of features common to all
commands.
Legal Considerations:
Copyright:
The collection of software described in this file and contained on
this disk is the Shareware Version of "DOS Extensions for
Professionals" (the Software) and is Copyright 1991 John B. Allison.
Ownership:
You have purchased or otherwise obtained media containing a copy of
the Shareware Version of "DOS Extensions for Professionals". The
Software contained on the media and all rights pertaining thereto
remain the sole property of John B. Allison. By continuing to use the
Software, you indicate your acceptance of the terms and conditions
outlined below.
Shareware License:
You are permitted to use the Software for an evaluation period of
THREE WEEKS. After the evaluation period, you must either remove all
copies of the Software from your computer system(s) and refrain from
all additional use, or register your copy of the Software with
Allison Software
166 Shady Lane
Apollo, PA 15613 USA
(412) 727-2198
CompuServe 72600,1200
(See the file REGISTER.DOC on the distribution disk for registration
instructions.)
Shareware Distribution:
You may give copies of the Software IN ITS UNMODIFIED ENTIRETY to
friends or to other parties.
You may distribute copies of the Software IN ITS UNMODIFIED ENTIRETY
on a commercial basis for a fee not to exceed FIVE DOLLARS (US), or you
may post the Software on electronic bulletin boards if you package the
Software so that it must be downloaded as a single unit IN ITS
UNMODIFIED ENTIRETY.
ASP Member:
This program is produced by 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 or send a CompuServe message via
CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. The OMB may be contacted
by FAX by sending to the ASP FAX number: (616) 788-2765. In communi-
cation with the OMB, please include a telephone number and/or FAX if
available.
Limited Warranty:
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFOMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE IS
YOURS. SHOULD THIS SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU (AND NOT JOHN B.
ALLISON, ALLISON SOFTWARE, OR AN AGENT) ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL
NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION.
SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE
ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC
LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE
TO STATE.
Limitation of Remedies:
IN NO EVENT SHALL JOHN B. ALLISON, ALLISON SOFTWARE, OR AN AGENT BE
LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION,
DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF
BUSINESS INFORMATION, OR OTHER PECUNIARY LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THE
USE OF OR INABILITY TO US THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF JOHN B. ALLISON OR
ALLISON SOFTWARE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL
OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY
NOT APPLY TO YOU.
This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the applicable laws
of the United States of America and shall inure to the benefit of John
B. Allison dba Allison Software and any successors, administrators,
heirs, and assigns. Any action or proceeding brought by either party
against the other arising out of or related to this agreement shall be
brought only in a Commonwealth or Federal Court of competent
jurisdiction located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The parties
hereby consent to in personam jurisdiction of said courts.