home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Phoenix CD 2.0
/
Phoenix_CD.cdr
/
02a
/
pmcat56.zip
/
PMCTIPS.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1990-07-08
|
9KB
|
182 lines
PMCAT+
Tips and Hints and General Information
General Information:
PMCAT+ is a "disk file catalog" program.
It is designed to allow you to do pretty much whatever
you want to do with file information DOS stores in the
directories of a disk or diskette.
You may however, read the contents of files using PMCAT+ in
conjunction with a file lister and extractor (if the file is
within an archive) utility.
IF you need to work on the physical file itself, you may
either use one of the file managers, or through the DOS
shell of PMCAT+, run whatever program you need to accomplish
those ends.
Hints and Tips:
THINK ABOUT IT! -
Before you begin cataloging your diskettes, you owe it to
yourself to give the matter of organization a bit of thought.
PmCat makes it possible to catalog your collection of files
with just about any method you wish. BUT for maximum benefit,
you don't really want to redo everything after you've cataloged
a couple of hundred disks.
Here are a few suggestions as to how you may want to do it:
By CATEGORY and DISK # - this is my preference. Each
volume is assigned a CATEGORY according to the type
of files it contains. The DISK # allows you to have,
for example GAMES 1 through GAMES n and just add new
files to the same category, increasing the highest
number as you add new files.
By DISK # - some users have all their disks in a numeric
order with a small label identifying the disk. You
may still use CATEGORIES with this method, but just
keep the DISK # automatic at all times.
By Volume Label - the volume label of a an entry in PmCat
MUST always be unique. However, PmCat will keep track
of sequentially numbered volumes automatically if you
wish. This method can be used like the DISK # above
(which is NOT written to the disk)..but the volume label
CAN be written to the disk if you wish.
ARCHIVES -
PMCAT+ has the ability to allow reading the contents of
ARC, ZIP ,LZH, ZOO and PAK files. If your memory
requirements are great (lots of disks) you probably
shouldn't read them with the ARCHIVE reading feature
turned on. You can then comment only the archived file
or volume name.
If you wish to read and catalog the contents of archives,
a good alternative to the above is to read your disks
with archive reading turned on and the masking feature
also active to get only the FILENAME.EXT's that you
want. Remember though, you won't have access to the
contents of text files contained within archives unless
you catalog them with archive reading turned on. The
choice is of course, yours.
MULTIPLE CATALOGS -
Although PMCAT+ was originally intended to be used with
small to moderate (50 - 200 diskettes) catalogs, it is
quite capable of managing very large diskette
collections. At least least two current users manage
libraries of over 500 disks (one of 700-800 360K
floppies and one with over 1100 high density floppies).
I've talked to both of these individuals about turning
PmCat into a disk based catalog that would handle 32,000
files. Neither of them thought it was a good idea.
There may be a future version that keeps the catalog on
disk rather than in memory ... but that's another story.
SEARCHING FILENAMES AND COMMENTS -
This version of PMCAT+ has had some surgery done on its
searching routines ... for the better, we think.
Wildcards, ('*' represents any number of characters of any
form, '?' represents any single character of any form)
may be used in your search of filenames or comments.
The search is now consistent in both areas due to
improvements in the speed of 'parsing' (looking through
the files and comments). SOUNDEX searching of filename
was implemented in version 5.2.
Remember that Volume labels are considered similarly to
filenames when viewing in PmCat.
VIEWING FILES WITHIN A CATALOG -
IMPORTANT CONCEPT ---> Your PmCat catalog acts as a 'pointer'
or reference to find the actual physical file you wish to
read, edit or do what-ever with. PMCAT DOES NOT STORE THE
ACTUAL FILES THEMSELVES! ... just their names and other
pertinent information.
The viewer provided with PmCat PLUS is PMLIST.COM. This is
a small, simple public domain program called R.COM which
was renamed so you would know what it is for.
Alternatively, you can use LIST, ML or any other 'lister'
type program for the purpose. I personally use ML, which
was written by Gil Yoder, specifically to be used in PmCat
and I highly recommend it, especially for mouse users.
If you use a PATH statement in your autoexec.bat file, then
it is only necessary that the files PmCat PLUS uses to
view archives be found in the defined path. A complete
pathname CAN also be specified in the Set Defaults section
of PmCat+.
Note that if the file to be viewed is inside an archive, it
must be extracted and placed in a working or scratchpad area
so that it can be viewed. All of this takes place without
your doing anything but assuring there is adequate space for
the extracted file. (The extracted file is deleted after you
are finished with it.)
DISK NUMBERING
The disk number is separate from the Volume Label and may
be made automatic-sequential, fully manual or ignored. PmCat
will check to make sure the disk number matches an existing
number assigned to the volume when it is later updated.
(This check may be overridden with no problem, though)
CONTACTING AUTHOR
Whether you have registered or not, I would very much like
to hear from you concerning your likes/dislikes about PmCat.
Anyone who has even taken the time to look at PmCat has my
ear immediately. If they like and use it, BOTH ears perk
up. The registrations are nice. If I were a puppy dog,
though, the registrations are my master filling my dish with
food and the knowledge that someone uses PmCat is like
getting my tummy scratched. (Ever ask a poopy dog when he's
the happiest? <grin> ... I think if he isn't hungry, he's
happier when he's getting attention ... most of my dogs
would even stop eating to have their ears scratched!) ...
hmmm, maybe I'll be a better programmer when I can learn to
program and wag my tail at the same time ...
You can contact me by letter, phone, or the Coalgate BBS
which I've established to both support PmCat and for other
reasons which have nothing to do with programming.
Coalgate BBS 24hrs
(405) 927-2541
USR HST 14.4 modem - 9600/2400/1200/300 baud 8-N-1
D/L on your first call ... 70 MB's of Seagate storage
Address:
William C.(Chris) Scott
PO Box 474
Coalgate, OK 74538
(405) 927-3840 voice