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DFLREAD.ME
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1990-10-03
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DUPLICATE FILE LOCATOR PROGRAM Version 1.50
This group of files is the latest version of a full-featured copy
of DFL - the Duplicate File Locator Program. The compressed file
DFL150.ZIP should contain the following files:
DFL150.EXE the executable program with self-contained help
ORDER.DOC the program registration order form
DFLREAD.ME this file
After reading these documents, the only file you'll need to keep
is the EXE. All the help information can be accessed on-line.
Over the past few years, you won't believe the number of
DOC/TXT/README files I've accumulated ( or would you ? ) and had
to keep around in order be able to use a program a month later.
Use may use MicroSoft's EXEPACK.EXE utility to decrease YOUR copy
of the program by about 10k. I stopped packing the distributed
copy after running across a cache program which rendered it
inoperative. Please don't upload EXEPACKed copies.
DFL, as of 10/2/90, has no reported bugs - especially the ones we
wrote DFL to get around. In addition, the internal data
structures used to capture the contents of the disk are as small
as can reasonably be expected. When used on a 330 Megabyte
Miniscribe ESDI drive, with approximately 3200 files in 150
directories, only 200 Kbytes of RAM is used. Based on this, DFL
should be able to handle approximately 8,000 files before memory
becomes full.
We will be using any available expanded memory in the future.
Usually, machines that have disks big enough to consume 640k also
have some expanded/extended memory laying around. If that's not
enough, we will be caching the disk to create a virtual memory
space limited only to the size of your disk.
For you techies out there, we are also looking into directly
accessing the FAT and directory clusters rather than using
Findfirst/Findnext to build the file list. This will allow DFL to
scan that 330 meg disk practically before you can release the
<Enter> key. DFL presently scans disks about twice as fast as
other similar programs ( Not file 'finders' ).
The main feature of DFL which we have not found in any other
similar program is its ALIAS mode of operation. Using this mode,
the contents of equal-length files are compared to identify
duplicates. The file names play no role whatsoever. For example,
this will allow the user to locate source files such as PROGRAM.C
and PROGRAM.BAK which have the same contents but different names.
This may also be of use to sysops who want to weed out duplicate
uploads which have different names. Using alias mode, I was able
to free about 20megs of disk space on one of the drives at work.
WHAT IS NEW IN VERSION 1.50
Here's the list :
1. Process files found up to abort request.
2. Added command-line interface & arguments.
Arguments specify :
'/d=' - Disks to scan.
'/m=' - Scan mode.
'/f=' - Filename mask.
'/l=' - List output filename. Return to DOS.
3. Disk spanning
4. Filename scan mask.
5. Speed enhancements.
6. User-interface enhancements.
7. Status display additions.
8. Miscellaneous internal changes.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR DFL?
Here's the list :
1. Process zip's.
2. Process other archive formats.
3. Expanded memory support.
4. Virtual memory emulation.
5. Direct disk scanning.
6. Perform and examine the results of the Dos FC.EXE ( File
Compare ) command... on-line.
7. System history-related maintenance/analysis.
The processing of zip's and other archives will help sysops smoke
out duplicates contained in compressed files with different
names. Usually, the .COM and .EXE files are the same in such
situations, but some trivial change has be made to a .DOC or .TXT
file so that the size of the diddled file is slightly different
than the original compressed file. We will all benefit if the
boards are not cluttered with duplicates.
HOW TO REACH US
Anyone with comments, suggestions, complaints or bug-reports can
reach us in one of these ways:
Write: W. S. Ataras Engineering
40 Laughton Street
Upper Marlboro, Md. 20772
Voice mail: 1-301-249-1141 East coast
Voice mail: 1-408-648-3662 West coast
BBS: Cricket 1-408-373-3773
Leave message to BILL ATARAS.
Look for DFL*.*
FAX: 1-301-627-7510
Be sure to include the east coast voice mail
number on the FAX cover sheet.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
If you find Duplicate File Locator (DFL) of benefit to your
operations, and use the program on a regular basis, a
registration fee of $ 35.00 must be paid.
Please consider becoming a REGISTERED USER as a signal of your
support for our ongoing efforts to enhance DFL and to provide
quality software to the public. Consider what you'll save by
using the program in the coming years.
When you register, you will receive registered copies of :
1. Your current version.
2. The latest version.
3. The next version released in the near future.
State the current version number of the software you are
presently using. Send check or money order to the address above.