BLOAT (id=256)
BLOAT

Overview

The Selection Criteria Window

The Configuration dialogue

The Results Windows

3D Dialogues

The Virus Detector

About Bloat V1.2


The Selection Criteria Window (id=258)
The Selection Criteria Window

When you run the program this selection criteria window appears. It allows you to select which files you wish to include in your search.

Press the Show button to begin a search.


The Show Button (id=259)
The Show Button

This button starts a search. During the search the Cancel dialogue will be displayed. When the search ends the Results windows will be displayed.


Hotspots (id=260)
Hotspots

File Mask

Selected Directory

Size Boxes

Drives

Directories

Include and exclude by property

After and Before

The Configuration Button

The Help Button

The Exit Button

The About Button

The On Checkbox

Date

Time

The OK Button

The Cancel Button

Configure Style

Configure Virus Detector

Configure Viewer

Configure Mask

Configure Initial directory

Configure Stash

Configure Drives Option

Configure Default Chart

Configure Default Sort

Configure File Size Filter

Configure Display Options

Configure Properties Filter

The Colour Configuration Button

The Archive Configuration Button

The 3D Controls Configuration Button

The Save Button

Colour Selection Buttons

Colour Squares

Colour Selection Scroll Bars

Colour Count Box

Monochrome Setting

Default Archive File

Archiver Setting

Archiver Switches

Archiver File List Switch

The Archive Default Settings

Iconising during a search

Directory Count

The Cancel button

The Directory List

One Level Only

Display Empty Dirs

Space Used

Free Space

Sort Order

The Top Button

The Up Button

The Down Button

The Files Button

The Copy Button

The Done Button

The Files List

Selected Files

The OK Button

The View Button

The Launch Button

The Display Button

The Move Button

The Delete Button

The Archive Button

File Date

File Time

File Size

File Attributes


Selected Directory (id=261)
Selected Directory

The Top Directory of the search is displayed along the top of the dialogue. If the Drives checkbox is set then no top directory is displayed here.


File Mask (id=262)
File Mask

You can enter one or more file specifications, separated by spaces, in here. Only files which match these specifications will be included in the search. The specifications may include wild cards.


Size Boxes (id=263)
Size Boxes

You can enter minimum and maximum file sizes in these two boxes. Only files whose sizes fall within the specified range, in Kilobytes, will be included in the search.

If you enter 0 for the maximum size then there will be no upper limit on file sizes.


Directories (id=264)
Directories

This list box allows you to select the top directory for the search. The top directory is displayed above this list box. Only files in this directory and the directories below it will be included in the search.

If the Drives checkbox, just below the list box, is selected then this list box will instead contain just the list of available drives. Any or all of these can then be included in a single search. If you select none then they will all be included.


Drives (id=265)
Drives

If this checkbox is not set then the listbox above it displays the directories on a drive, so that the search covers one drive or a portion of one drive.

If it is set then the list box displays the available drives and allows more than one entire drive to be included in the search.


Include and exclude by property (id=266)
Include and exclude by property

These checkboxes allow you to select which files will be included in the search by property.

Bloat will first check whether each file has any of the include properties and reject it if not. It will then check whether it has any of the exclude properties and reject it if it has.

The no flags boxes specify whether files with no property flags are to be included.


After and Before (id=267)
After and Before

The After and Before buttons display the Date/Time dialogue. They allow you to set a time filter for files to be included in the search. When an after or before filter is set the date/time is shown below the button (in short format).


The Configuration Button (id=268)
The Configuration Button

This button displays the Configuration dialogue which allows you to configure Bloat and specify its default settings.


The Help Button (id=269)
The Help Button

This button displays this help file.


The About Button (id=270)
The About Button

This button displays information about Bloat. If you have registered Bloat then you can switch off the nag screens by entering your registration information via the About dialogue.


The Exit Button (id=271)
The Exit Button

This button exits Bloat.


Date/Time dialogue (id=272)
Date/Time dialogue

This dialogue is reached by pressing the After or Before button on the Selection Criteria Window.


The On Checkbox (id=273)
The On Checkbox

If this checkbox is selected then this part Date/Time filter will be used. If not, then this Date/Time limit cannot be entered.


Date (id=274)
Date

These three boxes allow you to enter the date part of the filter. They default to the current date.


Time (id=275)
Time

These three boxes allow you to enter the time part of the filter. They default to the current time.


The OK Button (id=276)
The OK Button

This button exits the dialogue and accepts any changes made.


The Cancel Button (id=277)
The Cancel Button

This button exits the dialogue and ignores any changes made.


The Configuration dialogue (id=278)
The Configuration dialogue

This dialogue is reached by pressing the configure button in the Selection Criteria window.

It allows you to configure Bloat and set a wide range of default values and options.


Configure Style (id=279)
Configure Style

These radio buttons allow you to select whether you prefer Bloat to use the 3D style or the normal Windows style.

This setting takes effect the next time Bloat is started.


3D Dialogues (id=280)
3D Dialogues

Bloat contains code which allows it to use a dynamic link library (called three_d.dll). This library provides facilities which allow Bloat to display its windows with a 3D style, quite different to the normal Windows style.

Bloat does not insist on the use of this library and will even run without the library being present. (If you obtained Bloat from a Bulletin Board then the library may not have been included).

To use the 3D facility three_d.dll must be present in a directory specified in the PATH environment variable of DOS, your Windows directory or the directory containing bloat.exe.

If the library is available the 3D style can be switched on or off from the Configuration dialogue.


The Virus Detector (id=281)
The Virus Detector

Bloat contains a simple virus detector which is capable of warning that its executable

image (bloat.exe) has had a virus attached to it. This virus detector should not be used in place of a comprehensive virus protection system, but is supplied because it may give an earlier warning of the presence of a virus than might otherwise be the case.

By default, the virus detector is switched off. This is because it takes several seconds to run, and slows down loading of the program.

The program can be set to use it by selecting its Virus Checker setting in the Configuration dialogue.


Configure Virus Detector (id=282)
Configure Virus Detector

This checkbox allows you to switch on the automatic virus checker built into Bloat.

This setting takes effect the next time Bloat is run.


Configure Viewer (id=283)
Configure Viewer

If you enter the pathname of a file viewing program in this box then Bloat will use the program to display files. If you leave the box blank then a simple, very limited, built-in text viewer will be used.

This setting takes effect when the configuration is saved.


Configure Mask (id=284)
Configure Mask

This box allows you to enter the default file mask which will be displayed in the Selection Criteria window when Bloat is run.

The setting takes effect the next time Bloat is run.


Configure Initial directory (id=285)
Configure Initial directory

This box allows you to enter the initial directory which will be selected in the Selection Criteria Window when Bloat is run.

This setting takes effect the next time Bloat is run.


Configure Stash (id=286)
Configure Stash

This box allows you to set the default directory for Bloat to move files to (in the Files Window). You may wish to use a hard disk directory to temporarily store files before archiving them or you may prefer to set it to a floppy drive.

This setting takes effect when the configuration is saved.


Configure Drives Option (id=287)
Configure Drives Option

This setting controls whether the Drives checkbox in the Selection Criteria window is set when Bloat is run.

This setting takes effect the next time Bloat is run.


Configure Default Chart (id=288)
Configure Default Chart

These radio buttons allow you to choose whether the Chart Results Window will initially display a Piechart or a Barchart.

This setting takes effect when the configuration is saved.


Configure Default Sort (id=289)
Configure Default Sort

These radio buttons allow you to select whether the Text Results window will initially display the directories in Name or Size order.

This setting takes effect when the configuration is saved.


Configure File Size Filter (id=290)
Configure File Size Filter

These boxes allow you to enter the default values which will appear in the Size boxes in the Selection Criteria Window when Bloat is run.

These settings take effect the next time Bloat is run.


Configure Display Options (id=291)
Configure Display Options

The 1 Level Only, Space Used and Display Empty Dirs checkboxes define the default settings of these options in the Text Results window.

These settings take effect when the configuration is saved.


Configure Properties Filter (id=292)
Configure Properties Filter

These checkboxes define the default settings for the Properties filter in the Selection Criteria window when Bloat is run.

These settings take effect the next time Bloat is run.


The Colour Configuration Button (id=293)
The Colour Configuration Button

This button displays the Colour Configuration dialogue.

Any changes to the colour configuration take effect when the configuration is saved.


The Colour Configuration Dialogue (id=294)
The Colour Configuration Dialogue

This dialogue allows you to set the colours used in the Chart Results Window.


The Archive Configuration Button (id=295)
The Archive Configuration Button

This button displays the Archive Configuration dialogue.

Changes to the Archive configuration take effect when the configuration is saved.


The Archive Configuration Dialogue (id=296)
The Archive Configuration Dialogue

This dialogue allows you to set up Bloat to use your preferred archiver/compresser.

Bloat is only able to use DOS archive programs at present. The files bdb.exe and bdb.pif must be present on the PATH or in the same directory as bloat.exe for the archiving operation to operate.


The 3D Controls Configuration Button (id=297)
The 3D Controls Configuration Button

This button displays this dialogue. It is only available if you are using 3D Controls.

If you find that the background colour that the 3D Control setting gives all controls makes them difficult to use then you can switch off the background colouring by unsetting the relevant checkbox. This facility is of most use if your editing caret is the same colour as the background.

These settings take effect the next time Bloat is run.


The Save Button (id=298)
The Save Button

This button saves the current configuration and returns to the Selection Criteria Window. If changes are made to the Colour and Archive etc configurations then they will not be saved unless this button is used to exit the Configuration dialogue.


Colour Selection Buttons (id=299)
Colour Selection Buttons

These Radio buttons allow you to select which colour you wish to change.

When you change the selection the scroll bars on the right hand side of the dialogue move to represent the selected colour.


Colour Squares (id=300)
Colour Squares

These squares show the colours which will be used to display the Charts. It is best to choose contrasting colours.


Colour Selection Scroll Bars (id=301)
Colour Selection Scroll Bars

These scroll bars allow you to modify the currently selected colour square. The RGB values of the colour are displayed below the scroll bars.


RGB Values (id=302)
RGB Values

RGB stands for Red-Green-Blue. By using combinations of these colours you can produce all the colours which windows can display. Some combinations, however, will produce dithered results. You can create grey scales by setting all three colours to the same value.


Colour Count Box (id=303)
Colour Count Box

Enter the number of colours you want to define in this box. You can enter any number between 3 and 10 inclusive.


Monochrome Setting (id=304)
Monochrome Setting

If you are using a monochrome monitor, or you wish to print the Chart Results window on a B/W printer, then it is probably a good idea to set this checkbox. It will cause the Chart Results to be displayed without colour.


Default Archive File (id=305)
Default Archive File

Enter the default pathname of the archive target into this box. This is the name of the archive file into which Bloat will move files when you use the Archive Button on the Files Window.


Archiver Setting (id=306)
Archiver Setting

Enter the pathname of the archive program you wish to use in this box. If you use one of the archivers listed then you should not need to change this.


Archiver Switches (id=307)
Archiver Switches

Enter the switches you wish Bloat to pass to the archiver when it is invoked. You should use switches which will move files into the archive and delete them if the operation is successful. If you use one of the archivers listed then you should not need to change this.


Archiver File List Switch (id=308)
Archiver File List Switch

Some archivers are able to accept a list of files to be archived from a separate file. If the archiver you use can do this then enter the characters used on the command line to identify such a list file. If it cannot, and the files must be listed on the command line, then leave this blank.


The Archive Default Settings (id=309)
The Archive Default Settings

These Radio Buttons allow you to select an archiver. Selecting one of these will change the default settings in the rest of the dialogue automatically.


Overview (id=310)
Overview

Bloat is a program designed to help you keep your hard disk or network clear of unwanted files.

It can also give you interesting statistics about how you are using the space on your disks.

Bloat carries out a search on a directory, or several disks, that you select. The search includes all of the subdirectories below that. When the search has completed it displays the results in 2 windows. One shows a chart of disk usage, either a pie chart showing the percentage use in each subdirectory or a bar chart, and the other shows the same results as a text tree.

You can use the text tree to move around the directory structure and display a list of the files in any of the directories which were searched. Using this list you can look at the files, to see if you want them, delete them, move them somewhere else, or even run an archiving program to store them more compactly.

Rather than including all sorts of files in the search you can target certain types, such as graphics files, files which were created before or after a certain date, or files with particular attributes (eg all the files which need backing up).


The Cancel dialogue (id=311)
The Cancel dialogue

This is the dialogue which is displayed during a search.

When the search ends the Results Windows will be displayed.


Iconising during a search (id=312)
Iconising during a search

This button allows you to iconise Bloat while it is searching. When the Search completes the Results Windows will be displayed even if Bloat has been iconised. When you press this button the Selection Criteria window disappears.

Here's a tip. If you want to display this dialogue but not the Selection Criteria Window then iconise Bloat and double click on the title bar of the icon (rather than the icon itself).


Directory Count (id=313)
Directory Count

This displays the number of directories that Bloat has searched so far. It's just there to let you know that it hasn't stopped.


The Cancel button (id=314)
The Cancel button

This button cancels the search and returns you to the Selection Criteria Window.


The Results Windows (id=315)
The Results Windows

When a search is completed Bloat displays the Results in two Windows. One shows the Results as Text and the other as either a Bar Chart or a Pie Chart.


The Text Results Window (id=316)
The Text Results Window

This window displays the results of a search in text form as a tree.


Bar Chart (id=317)
Bar Chart

The bar chart display shows the current top directory and the levels below it. It has two menus, Chart and Help.

Each bar represents the size of a directory and its subdirectories. The largest directory has a bar with a width slightly less than that of the screen. Each subdirectory is represented by a bar at least one pixel wide, so it is possible for rounding errors to occur, making the bar for a directory with many subdirectories slightly longer than it should be

While the mouse is positioned over a directory the size and name of the directory (not including its subdirectories) is displayed in the ribbon at the bottom of the window.

You can bring up the Files Window for a directory by double clicking on a bar.


Pie Chart (id=318)
Pie Chart

The pie chart display shows the total proportion of the space taken in each of the the subdirectories of the current top directory. It has two menus, Chart and Help.


The Directory List (id=319)
The Directory List

This list box shows the directories which were searched. The second column displays the  size of the selected files in the named directory. The third column shows the total size of the files in the directory and all of its subdirectories.

The dashes at the start of the first column show the depth of the directory.

You can move down the tree by double clicking on a directory. If it has no subdirectories then the Files Window for the directory will be displayed.

The first entry in the list is the current top directory.


One Level Only (id=320)
One Level Only

If this box is checked then the directories list will show only the current top directory and the directories one level below it. Otherwise the entire tree from the current top directory downwards will be shown.


The Current Top Directory (id=321)
The Current Top Directory

Once Bloat has completed a search you can move down, and back up, the tree from the Text Results window. The current top directory is the "highest" directory displayed at any time.

The (original) top directory immediately a search ends is the directory you selected for the search.


Display Empty Dirs (id=322)
Display Empty Dirs

If this box is not checked then directories with no selected files will not be displayed.


Space Used (id=323)
Space Used

If this box is checked then all the displays will show file and directory sizes calculated using the number of bytes in the file (the size shown by the DOS dir command and by the Windows File Manager).

If it is not checked then Bloat will show the sizes based on the amount of space taken up by each file (the number of clusters in the file multiplied by the cluster size of the disk).

There does not appear to be a reliable method of determining the cluster size of a network drive so these always display the space used.

If you don't understand any of that then just leave the box checked.


Free Space (id=324)
Free Space

This box displays the free space on the disk and the total size of the disk in kilobytes. If several disks have been searched and the current top directory is "all the disks" then it will show the totals for them all.


Sort Order (id=325)
Sort Order

These radio buttons determine whether Bloat sorts the directories and files by Total Size or by Name.


The Top Button (id=326)
The Top Button

This button is only available if the current top directory is not the original top directory. Pressing it moves you back to the top of the searched tree.


The Up Button (id=327)
The Up Button

This button is only available if the current top directory is not the original top directory. Pressing it moves you back up one level of the searched tree.


The Down Button (id=328)
The Down Button

This button is only available if a directory is selected in the list box and that directory has subdirectories. It moves you down the tree and makes the selected directory the current top directory.

Double clicking on a directory with subdirectories will do the same.


The Files Button (id=329)
The Files Button

This button is not available if a directory is selected but its Own Size is 0 (ie has no selected files). It is also not available if no directory is selected but the current top directory has no files.

Pressing this button will bring up the Files Window for the selected directory. Double clicking on a directory with files but no subdirectories will do the same.


The Copy Button (id=330)
The Copy Button

This button will copy the results in the list box to the clipboard in text (comma-delimited) form.


The Done Button (id=331)
The Done Button

This button exits the Results windows and returns to the Selection Criteria window.


Chart Menu (id=332)
Chart Menu

The Chart menu has three options.

Pie Chart Switches the chart display to the Pie Chart.

Bar Chart Switches the chart display to the Bar Chart.

Copy Copies the chart to the clipboard as a bitmap.


Help Menu (id=333)
Help Menu

The Help Menu has four options.

Contents Displays the contents page of the help for Bloat.

Chart Displays help for the Chart display.

Help On Help Displays help on using the Windows Help utility.

About Bloat Displays information about Bloat.


The Files Window (id=334)
The Files Window

This window displays information on the files in a directory which were included in the search.


The Files List (id=335)
The Files List

The list of selected files in the directory. The list is sorted by either name or size, as selected in the Text Results Window.

The size is either the space used or the space taken up by the file, also as selected in the Text Results Window.

Files may be selected from this list so that actions can be carried out on them by pressing the buttons on the right.


Selected Files (id=336)
Selected Files

This box displays the total number of files selected, and their total size, from the list above.

The size shown is either the space used or the space taken up by the files, depending on the setting selected in the Text Results Window.


The OK Button (id=337)
The OK Button

This button exits the Files Window and returns you to the Results Windows.


The View Button (id=338)
The View Button

This button displays the first selected file using the default file viewer defined by the configuration. If no file viewer is set in there then a simple, built in, file viewer will be used. This is limited to displaying text files of less than 32K in length.


The Launch Button (id=339)
The Launch Button

This button will Launch the application associated with the first selected file, and pass the file name as the parameter to it. So, for example, if the file is an Excel spreadsheet it will run Excel and load the file into it.

If the file is an executable then it will be run. If it is not an executable, and there is no association for its extension, then it will be loaded into the default file viewer.


The Display Button (id=340)
The Display Button

This button will display the details of the first selected file on the File Display Window.


The File Display Window (id=341)
The File Display Window

This Window displays details of a file.


The Move Button (id=342)
The Move Button

This button will allow you to move the selected files to another directory or disk.If the operation is successful they will be removed from this directory.

A dialogue is displayed which allows you to select the directory to which you wish to move the files. The default directory to which to move files is defined by the Stash setting in the Configuration.


The Delete Button (id=343)
The Delete Button

This button will delete the selected files. You will be prompted to confirm each file deletion, or to delete all of them.


The Archive Button (id=344)
The Archive Button

This button will attempt to move the selected files into a compressed archive file. You will be given the option to set the name of the archive file.

The default archive file, the archiver and its switches can be set in the Archive Configuration.


File Date (id=345)
File Date

The Date the file was last modified.


File Time (id=346)
File Time

The time the file was last modified.


File Size (id=347)
File Size

The size of the file (always the Space Used).


File Attributes (id=348)
File Attributes

The Attributes of the file. One or more of

Archive

Read Only

System

Hidden


About Bloat V1.2 (id=350)
About Bloat V1.2

Shareware

Babbacombe Computers Ltd

Acknowledgments


Shareware (id=351)
Shareware

Bloat is shareware, which means that you may use it for evaluation purposes without registering it for up to 21 days. If at the end of this period you decide that you want to continue to use the program you must register it.

To register, send cash, cheque or money order for £15 or $25 US to Babbacombe Computers Ltd, using the Order Form in the documentation. It is not possible, at present, to pay using credit cards.

In return, we will send you a registration number, which you can enter by pressing the Register button in the About box. This will disable the nag windows which appears when the program is run. If the program is not registered then the nag windows get more annoying after a while, but the program will continue to operate.

Why register, given that the program will work anyway? You will receive notification of further releases of Bloat and, if you wish, a disk with each new release (of Version 1) will be sent to you free of further charges. But, more importantly, shareware authors can only afford to spend the time to write these programs if the users register them.


Babbacombe Computers Ltd (id=352)
Babbacombe Computers Ltd

Mail:

Babbacombe Computers Ltd

397 Meanwood Road

Leeds

LS7 2LL

UK

Phone:

(44) 532 459673

(you will not often receive an answer during working hours)

Email:

share@babbacom.demon.co.uk

tprinn@cix.compulink.co.uk

100016,2726 on CompuServe


Acknowledgments (id=353)
Acknowledgments

Bloat was written by Trevor Prinn of Babbacombe Computers Ltd. using Borland Pascal with Objects and ObjectWindows.

The Virus detection code is based on a program by Nick Wallbridge, published in Personal Computer World (Aug 1991).

Three_d.dll is used by permission of Ray Donahue.

These Help Screens were generated using Xantippe, from Iris Media Systems.


Ray Donahue (id=354)
Ray Donahue

He can be reached on CompuServe as 70324,1204.


Iris Media Systems (id=355)
Iris Media Systems

1684 Locust St, Suite 125

Walnut Creek

CA 94596

USA

Compuserve: 76547,706

GEnie: RODNEY.LAI

America Online: RodneyLai

Internet: rlai@netcom.com