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P D E L E T E ------------------------- Users Guide and Reference ------------------------- Version 4.4 May 1992 Questions and support -- Patriquin's BBS 714-352-2825 (Data) 714-352-2820 (Voice) 714-352-1527 (FAX) Copyright 1992 by Norm Patriquin PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents What is PDELETE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Command Mode Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Setting of default parameters (DOS Environment) . . . . . 12 Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Registration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Version History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 i PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- What is PDELETE --------------- PDELETE is an advanced Delete command to be used in DOS operating systems. It may be used in place of the DOS Erase and Delete command or instead of it. Like other Patriquin utilities, PDELETE gives you more control of command processing and provides a much safer way to process files. PDELETE also provides several features not found with the standard DOS command. Unlike other delete utilities, PDELETE does support DOS paths and wildcards. It keeps you aware of what files are being processed and provides an emergency stop feature just in case you have started something you feel is wrong. PDELETE's file selection parameters provide you with numerous options for specifying the files to be deleted. You may select by directory, file, date, attribute, size, and even starting and ending filename. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Features: --------- ** Advanced file selection ** Emergency STOP by pressing any key ** Delete entire directories and remove them from disk ** Optionally wipe file data from disk during delete to prevent it from being recovered by unauthorized person. ** Optional verify feature lets you approve each file before it is deleted ** Optionally deletes HIDDEN / SYSTEM / READONLY files ** Delete files until specified freespace is available ** Advanced DOS Pattern capability. *TEST*.* ** Test feature allows you to try a command before actually deleting any files. ** Deletes from multiple disk drives with a single command ** Accepts a list of files to be deleted. ** Exclusion capability allows files to be protected from deletion. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Command Parameters ------------------ PDELETE allows several command parameter switches to be specified to customize the process. All these parameters are optional. The command format and switch parameters are described below. A quick review of command parameters is always available by entering the PDEL command with no parameters. COMMAND FORMAT: PDEL filespec,filespec,filespec [ (/ switches) ] filespec Enter a DOS file specification. Pathnames and standard DOS wildcard characters are allowed. Multiple file specifications may be provided as shown in the above example. Separate each filename pattern with a single comma. For example: PDEL *.BAK,*.BK!,*.TMP Special pattern selection like *DISK*.* may be specified. *DISK*.* would select all files that have the chars 'DISK' anywhere in the first portion of the filename. *DI*S*K*.* type specification also works. As an alternative, a file containing a list of input files may be supplied. Create a file containing lines with a filename or complete pathname on each line. Provide this filename as the source filename to PDEL and add an @ character before the name. The list of files will be processed as if they were all specified on the input command line. When the /S parameter is specified, an input filelist may only contain file names. It may not contain directory names. For file list processing, PDEL understands the output of the DOS DIR command. You may use the DOS redirection feature to direct DIR output to a file, edit the file to add or remove entries, and then provide this to PCOPY as input. For example: DIR A: >DIRLIST (edit dirlist) PDEL @DIRLIST B: PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- /A Archive - Selects only files that have been marked updated by DOS. This flag is updated by DOS whenever a files is processed with an intent to change or create new data. /BA Batch file processing. PDEL always check to determine if the user has pressed a key to pause processing. This check can interfere with programs that store keystrokes in the keyboard buffer for subsequent processing. The /BA parameter sets no-windows mode and disables the key press check to leave stored keystrokes undisturbed. /BW Forces PDEL to use monochrome colors even when it detects color display environment. (Black & White) /C Overrides /NC when /NC is placed in the DOS environment variable. /C indicates to ask before deleting any files if a file pattern of *.* is specified. /C2 /C3 Specify /C2 or /C3 to display the window processing screen in an alternative color scheme. To make this color change permanent, specify the parameter in the DOS environment variable. /CE Clean Empty directories. Usage: PDEL <path> /DE. PDEL will scan the entire disk and remove all empty directories in the specified tree. To process an entire drive, specify the root directory. Ex. PDEL C:\ /DE. Note: Only /T can be used with this parameter. No files will be deleted at any time. /DE Delete Empty directories. Using this parameter, PDEL will remove all directories in which all files have been deleted from. For example, if PDEL deletes all files from the directory C:\WORK, it will then remove the directory. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page ---------------------------------------------------------------------- /D:[(]xxx Date. Select files based on the relationship between [)] their last update date and the date specified. This [=] parameter includes a date or number of days value. It may also contain a modifier that reverses or modifies the use of the date specified. When xxx contains a date the date is compared to the last update date of the file. The last update date of the file is the date contained in its directory entry. The file is selected if the condition specified by the condition modifier is met. The condition modifier meanings are: '(' = Select files whose date is older than the date specified. ')' = Select files whose date is newer than the date specified. '=' = Select files whose date is equal to the date specified. If the condition modifier is not specified, ')' is assumed. Date values may be specified in any of the following formats: MM/DD/YY MM-DD-YY DDMMMYY 12/31/80 12-31-80 31DEC80 If xxx contains a numeric value, that positive number is used to calculate a date value a number of days prior to the current date. Then that date is used as in the calculation above. Example: /D:(1JAN86 - Process files updated before 1JAN86 /D:)1JAN86 - Process files updated after 1JAN86 /D:=1JAN86 - Process files updated 1JAN86 /D:(5 - Process files modified prior to 5 days ago /D:)5 - Process files modified within the last 5 days /D:=5 - Process files modified 5 days ago PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page ---------------------------------------------------------------------- /DI Delete the disk DIrectory specified in the command. This will remove the directory, all files within it and all the directories and files subordinate to it. Only use this as a stand alone parameter. Use a command like the following one to remove a directory from your disk: PDEL \OLDDIR /DI PDEL *.*/DI -- or -- PDEL \OLDDIR\*.* /DI /DR:xxx Use to process multiple disk drives. Processing will attempt to delete the specified files from all drive letters provided with the /DR:xx parameter. For example, the following command will delete *.BAK files from hard disks C:, D:, and E:. PDEL *.BAK/DR:CDE /EQ Exit PDEL without user intervention. Before PDEL exits window operation, it requests you to press any key. This parameter bypasses this request so you can use PDEL in DOS batch files. /EX Exclude files. The exclude facility allows you to provide a list of pathname and filename specifications that are to be excluded from processing. The exclude facility is implemented with two actions. First, you will need to create an exclude specification file and place it in the same directory where PPDEL.EXE is installed on your hard disk. This file will contain the names of all the files and paths to be excluded. Name the file PDEL.EXC. You may specify DOS pattern names to exclude groups of files with a single specification. Like DOS, use the '*' to indicate the last part of a filename or filename extension may be any set of characters. Also like DOS, use the '?' to indicate that any single position of a filename may be any character. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- In addition to DOS, two additional pattern features are available. You may place an '*' anywhere in the filename to indicate any set of characters may exist in this point in the name. For pathnames, you may place an '**' at the end of a directory path specification to indicate the specification applies to the specified directory and all subordinate directories. Using '**', you can exclude an entire path with a single specification. Following are examples: 1. *.EXE 2. *.COM 3. TEST*.* 4. *TEST*.* 5. DO?FIX.* 6. PC*XX.* 7. C:\DOS\*.* 8. \TEST\*.* 9. D:\GAMES**\*.* Explanations for the above examples: 1. Excludes all filenames with the extension .EXE from processing. 2. Excludes all filenames ending with extension .COM. 3. Excludes all filenames beginning with the letters "TEST" from processing. 4. Excludes all filenames having the characters "TEST" anywhere in the first portion of the filename. 5. Exclude files having 'DO' as the first 2 characters of the filename, and 'FIX' as the 4th, 5th, and 6th filename characters. The 3rd character of the filename may be any character. 6. Exclude files having a name beginning with the 2 characters PC and where the first portion of the filename ends with the characters 'XX'. Any 0 to 4 characters may exist between the 'PC' and 'XX' in the first portion of the filename. 7. Exclude all files from the DOS directory on drive C:. 8. Exclude all files from the TEST directory existing on any drive searched. 9. Exclude all files from the D:\GAMES\ directory and also exclude all files and directories subordinate to the GAMES directory. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Activating exclude -- Exclude will only be functional when the /EX command parameter is specified. When /EX is specified, you must have a valid exclude file. PDEL will not continue without one. If you wish exclude to be active during all executions, specify /EX as part of the PDEL= DOS environment variable. See later in the documentation for a description of this feature. /F:file First. Indicates that processing is not to start until the specified full filename is encountered in the scan of the directory. /FS:nnnn Freespace. PDELETE will delete files as long as there is less than nnnn thousand (nnnn * 000) of free space available on the disk. This is very helpful for cleaning up disks but retaining as many files as possible. /L:file Last. Indicates that processing is to stop after the specified full filename is encountered in the scan of the directory. The file specified will be processed if it matches selection criteria. /M Stop screen from scrolling from scrolling past the end without user intervention (MORE). /NC PDELETE asks "Are you Sure?" when you request files to be deleted with "*.*" patterns. To ignore this question specify /NC. Place this in the DOS environment variable with SET PDEL=/NC to prevent PDEL from ever asking if you are sure. /NT Prevent ending statistics about freespace and files deleting from printing. /NS sets all sounds generated to the speaker OFF. (No Sound) PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- /NW No Windows - Do not use windows during processing. All screen output will be done through standard DOS facilities. /O:filename-list Specify a list of filename patterns that are to be Omitted (excluded) from PDEL processing. If multiple filename patterns are specified, separate them with commas. For example: /O:*.BAK,*.EXE,TEST*.* An alternate form of the /O parameter allows all files but the original filename pattern to be deleted. Specify /O without any filename. FOr example, to delete all files except *.EXE files ===> PDEL *.EXE /O /P Pause before each file is updated to allow user to approve or reject the action for each file. /RE Use the /RE parameter to indicate any file with special attributes is also to be removed from the disk. Files with HIDDEN, SYSTEM, or READONLY attributes will be processed. /RO Include files marked with DOS readonly attribute. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 10 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- /S System -- If a source directory is supplied, that directory and all subordinate directories will be searched for files to delete. If no source directory is specified, all directories on the disk will be searched for the specified filename pattern to delete. /SH Include files marked with DOS Hidden attribute. Normally PDELETE will bypass these files. /SF Include files marked with DOS System attribute. /SO Process files from oldest to newest /SN Process files from newest to oldest /SZ: [(] [)] nnn Select a file based on its size. The left paren indicates that files less than the indicated size are to be selected. The right paren indicates to select files greater than the size. If right or left paren are not specified, a left paren is assumed. Following are examples. /SZ:100 -- Select files less than 100 characters /SZ:(100 -- Select files less than 100 characters /SZ:)100 -- Select files greater than 100 characters /T Test the command. Use this switch when you would like to test the command entered without actually updating any files. This is one of the best features of PDEL. Since PDEL is so powerful, the /T parameter is provided to allow you try any command in a simulate mode before actually deleting any files from your disk. Provide the /T parameter with any PDEL command to get a trial run without having any files deleted. For example: PDEL *.BAK/T/S will search all directories in the current disk for *.BAK filers and will show what files would be deleted if this same command was run without the /T parameter. for a /TF Like test but after test operation is complete you will be asked if delete is actually to be done. (Test First) The test first allows you to try a command and then immediately execute the command again without the test option. It is a way to perform the test and live runs using a single command. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 11 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- /W Forces window operation. Since PDEL defaults to window operation, this parameter is only useful when you have previously deactivated window operation by placing /NW in the PDEL= DOS environment variable. /WI For data security, erase all disk areas that contain the file when it is deleted. This will prevent unauthorized users from recovering the file or examining its data by using special disk utilities. /WH PDELETE will indicate to you WHy files did not get processed. Normally PDELETE will not tell you why or when if a file is bypassed. Use /WH when you want to determine why PDEL has not deleted a file you felt it should. /WH causes PDEL to show why it bypassed processing for any files. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 12 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Setting of default parameters (DOS Environment) ----------------------------------------------- Default parameters are parameters that do not need to be specified each time PDEL is started. Any PCOPY parameter may be specified as a default parameter. Use the DOS SET command to specify the parameter name and contents to be used by PDEL each time it is started. The following example indicates that PDEL is always to assume /NC and /NW are specified: SET PDEL=/NC/NW Once this DOS command is issued, each subsequent use of PDEL will operate as if these parameters have been specified on the command line. The SET command is most commonly placed in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file so it may be in effect every time your machine is started. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 13 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Examples: --------- Delete all *.BAK files on current default drive PDEL *.BAK /S Delete all *.BAK files over 30 days old PDEL *.BAK /S/D:(30 Remove directory \ACCTING1 from drive a: PDEL A:\ACCTING1 /DI PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 14 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Registering The Utilities ------------------------- PDEL is distributed under the Shareware concept. This allows users to evaluate software for a short time to determine if it is useful to them. If you decide the software is of value to you, you are required to register it. This concept allows for quality software to be distributed at a reasonable cost. Hundreds of hours of my time has been invested in PDEL. Continued registration will justify the continued upgrading of this utility to insure it remains up to date with current technology. In any case, I do greatly appreciate all users that care enough to register. I try to provide the best possible software for all you faithful supporting users. You may use the order form on the next page when registering PDEL. Send registration requests to: Patri-Soft 5225 Canyon Crest Drive Suite 71-358 Riverside, CA 92507 The registration charge is a one time fee that entitles you to all future versions of the product. These may either be obtained from normal Shareware sources or from me. I am not able to automatically send product updates to registered users. It is impossible to provide automatic upgrades at the low costs of these utilities. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 17 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PDELETE Version History Program Maintenance: -------------------- Version 1.0 October 10, 1986 Version 1.2 January 6, 1987 -- Corrected bug that sometimes incorrectly processed filenames without extension names. -- Added /FS parm to delete until spec freespace is available. Version 2.1 June 7, 1987 -- Added color support -- Added freespace display and improved messages Version 2.2 December 1, 1987 -- Correct a pattern matching problem that caused some files to be skipped when they should have been processed. Version 2.3 May 3, 1988 -- Add /TF (test first) parameter to allow real delete after test specified Version 2.4 May 12, 1988 -- /TF was forgetting what drive to process on. deleted incorrect files. Version 2.5 May 29, 1988 -- If a pathname without wildcard characters * ? was specified with the /S parameter, not all directories would be searched. -- Added display of directories being scanned -- Corrected colors after processing was interrupted and restarted. -- /F: and /L: parameters now accept wildcard characters in the filenames Version 2.6 June 2, 1988 -- /TF parameter was being ignored with /DI parm -- When /TF parm specified, do not ask if ok to continue after an error has been found. PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 2.7 November 30, 1988 -- /TF parameter was being ignored with /DI parm -- If a space was entered between the drive letter and the name of the file to be deleted, pdelete would ignore the name and delete all files on the drive. (fixed) -- Ability to process any number of directories. Version 2.8 December 2, 1988 -- Version 2.7 has a serious problem that prevented the /S directory scan option from working. -- Allow key press to pause scan of directories when no matching files are being found. -- Correct problem where directory scan function would not scan directories if no wildcard (pattern) characters (* or ?) were in filename to be deleted and it did not exist in the current directory. Version 2.9 January 17, 1989 -- Version 2.8 directory scan was skipping directories when the root directory contained no files. Version 2.9a February 6, 1989 -- When /B:filename/TF was specified, the test would work fine but the real delete would delete all files in the directory. Version 2.9b February 16, 1988 -- Special wildcard pattern matching capability added. *DISK*.* will select all files that have the chars 'DISK' in the primary part of the filename. *DI*S*K*.* also works. -- Add feature to take environment variable and add to PDEL command line data. For example: SET PDEL=/P Will cause all PDEL commands to assume /P is specified Version 2.9c March 22, 1989 -- /O (omit) option did not work in version 2.9b. Fixed. -- Support longer DOS environment variable string - 500 Version 3.0 May 12, 1989 (Major release) -- Support of full windowed operation -- "Are you sure?" message added when *.* specified. -- /NS /NM /SH /W /NW /C /NC parms added -- Only print dir name when file deleted from it PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 19 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 3.2 July 4, 1989 -- Improved /S parm. When dir name specified with /S, only that dir and subordinates will be processed. -- Corrected line highlighting in 3.0 -- Corrected PDEL lockup when invalid command entered -- When /BA specified do not stop when key pressed -- /DI - delete even if dir has readonly hidden system files -- /DI - improve display -- /DI - Correct errors. -- /DI - allow delete of current directory -- /RE option is obsolete. Assumed if /SF /SH /RO specified. Version 3.3 July 8, 1989 -- fixed (again) problems causing invalid commands to lock up PDELETE -- Show directory being searched in window when /S is used to search for files across directories. -- Added /WH parameter to show while files are not processed. -- Added /NT parm to allow user to prevent ending -- Improved "Are you sure?" msg to show delete pattern -- Added --> to delete msgs for clarity in /NW mode Version 3.3c July 27, 1989 -- Corrected Begin msg with /NW specified -- Added --> to /NW delete lines for readibility -- Improve "are you sure" msg -- Add help windows -- Remove copyright msg from /nw executions -- Correct system lockup when /NM /DI specified PDEL Users Guide/Reference Copyright 1992 N. Patriquin Page 20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 4.0 July 29, 1990 -- Add exclude file PDEL.EXC. See /EX parameter. -- Added /DR:CDE multiple drive parameter -- Added @filelist capability -- Added ability to enter multiple filenames on command line with , separators. -- /NM now suppresses all messages except errors -- FIX - In test mode the /DI parameter would remove directories that did not contain any files. -- Corrected problem where System/Hidden files could not be deleted when /REset specified. -- Added emergency stop (press any key) to /DI processing -- Old /EX (end quick) parameter changed to EQ for consistency with PCOPY -- /EX (exclude) parameter allows exclude file -- /O: parameter can work as before or with list of pattern files. /O:file*.*,file2*.*,file3*.* Version 4.1 August 2, 1990 -- Added registration options to PDELETE to help determine if worthwhile to enhance. Only about 1 registrations a month were received. Version 4.2 October 2, 1990 -- Fixed the long beep caused by a compiler problem -- Corrected the divide error when deleting a non- existant directory Version 4.3 November 14, 1991 -- Added /SO and /SN Version 4.4 May 1, 1992 -- Added /DE (Delete Empty directories)