Simtel MSDOS 1992 September/Simtel20_Sept92.cdr/msdos/catalog/catdisk.arc/CATDISK.DOC

Text File | 1987-11-24 | 20KB | 356 lines

CATDISK                                                                  Page 1


     CATDISK.ARC contains two skeleton databases,  several report  definitions,
and  a  supplementary program which will help you create and maintain a catalog
of diskettes and their contents using PC-FILE+,  the  User  Supported  database
program from Buttonware, Inc.

     The skeleton databases have "smart-key" definitions which add entries cre-
ated by the CATDISK.EXE program to the database and  write various reports  and
special table of contents files.   In addition to the reports PC-FILE+ can pro-
duce, you can also use the program QDRSUM,  found as QDRSUM.ARC in the data li-
brary  of  COMPUSERV's IBMSW SIG,  to create report listings for the databases.
The documentation for QDRSUM gives some examples using CATDISK's databases.

     The file information database,  CATALOG,  has fields for the file's  name,
its  size,  creation date,  a category (such as Communications or Database),  a
brief description of the file's function, and a category group code.  This last
field  can  be  used to group a common set of files together under a particular
category.  All of the PC-FILE+ files can be grouped this way, as can QMODEM 3.0
files.

     The disk volume database, VOLCAT, has fields for the diskette's volume la-
bel, diskette type, amount of free space left ,  and a short description of the
diskette.

     Records  are  originally read into the databases from import files created
by CATDISK.EXE.  The CATALOG database data entry screen includes a list of sug-
gested category values.  You  can tailor the screen to your own preference.  If
you modify a record, you must enter the full value for CATEGORY, as there is no
way to get PC-FILE+ to fill it out for you.  You can use SUPERKEY, or a similar
program, to simplify the data entry.

     The program CATDISK.EXE reads a diskette's volume label  and  root  direc-
tory.    If  a  diskette has no volume label,  you are prompted to provide one,
which is written to the diskette.   CATDISK writes an import data file for  the
CATALOG database giving file name, creation date, file size,  and diskette vol-
ume label for each entry in the directory.  It also creates import data for the
VOLCAT database, giving volume label name, diskette type (8 or 9 track, single-
or double-sided, or 1.2MB high density),  and amount of free space on the disk-
ette.   There are also options to allow CATDISK to update records for the data-
bases for diskettes whose contents have changed.   CATDISK has  provisions  for
noting special files and directories, and uses CATEGORY to indicate them.

     If called with no parameters, CATDISK writes import records that match the
CATALOG and VOLCAT database templates.   The import file for the CATALOG  data-
base  is named CATDISK.CAT and the import file for VOLCAT is CATDISK.VOL.   The
user can give a different filename to use instead of CATDISK as the first argu-
ment,   and can also choose to add records to the end of previously created im-
port files by specifying the /A option.
CATDISK                                                                  Page 2


     The format of the CATALOG import records without an update database is:

     [FILE_NAME][DATE][SIZE][VOLNAME][CATEGORY][TIME]

where the TIME field is only written if /T was specified on the call line.  The
values  for the fields are taken from the root directory of the diskette.   The
possible values for CATEGORY are described on page 4.   No spaces  are  written
between field contents, which are blank filled to the following sizes:

Name         Size
---------    ----
FILE_NAME     12
DATE           8
SIZE           6
VOL_NAME      11
CATEGORY      10
TIME           5


     The format of the VOLCAT import records without an update database is:

     [VOL_NAME][FREE_SPACE][DISK_TYPE]

and volume information fields are blank filled to the following sizes:

Name         Size
----------   ----
VOL_NAME      11
FREE_SPACE    10
DISK_TYPE     20

     The  user can have CATDISK update CATALOG and VOLCAT databases,  by speci-
fying either one or both of the /U and /V options.   CATDISK  uses  the  record
layout given by the databases' .HDR files to construct any import records.

     If you so choose, you can change the database layouts, including the names
of the fields.   When you do,  you have to tell CATDISK what the new names  are
for  those  fields.    Use the options shown on page 4 to provide names for any
fields whose names differ from the original templates.   CATDISK validates that
the named fields are large enough to hold the related values.  The size of each
field can be larger than necessary and the order of  the  fields  can  also  be
changed.

     The  next  two pages describe how to call CATDISK,  and try to explain the
meanings of the arguments.   Many of the arguments are only  necessary  if  you
change  the  names of the databases and/or the names of the fields in the data-
bases.  The /U option does not need the optional database name [db], unless the
name for the file information database is other than CATALOG.   Similarly,  the
/V option needs the [db] only if the volume diskette  information  database  is
not named VOLCAT.  For the TIME field, you MUST specify the /T option to have a
time field written, but the [fn] is only needed if its name is not TIME.
CATDISK                                                                  Page 3


                              Calling CATDISK.EXE

     Call CATDISK with the parameter "?" to get  a  usage  help  screen.    The
command  line for CATDISK is as follows:  (square brackets indicate an optional
field)

     CATDISK  [flnm] [/A] [/U[db]] [/V[db]] [/R] [/Cfn] [/D[fn]] [/Ffn]  [/Kfn]
              [/Lfn] [/Nfn] [/Sfn] [/T[fn]] [/Mfn] [/Xc]

where:

     flnm    is a file name to use for the import files.  The actual file names
             will be  flnm.CAT  and  flnm.VOL.   If no file name is  specified,
             CATDISK is used.

     /A      indicates to append output to any import file that exists.   If /A
             is not specified, any existing files are overwritten.

     db      is a PC-FILE+ database name

     fn      is a database record field name

     /U[db]  Update the related databases,  and set the file information  data-
             base  name  to  db--default is CATALOG  If a record is found for a
             file/volume label pair in the database,  the fields for file size,
             creation date, (and time if /T is given) are updated.   The volume
             database will have the free space and type of diskette information
             updated for each volume read which has a record in the database

     /V[db]  Set Update, set volume information database name to db--default is
             VOLCAT.  Same rules as given under /U apply for updates.

     /R      Review (show) field definitions,  giving location in database rec-
             ords,  size and full name,  as CATDISK reads them from the command
             line.   This is useful if you want to make sure the correct  field
             is being used when you use shortened names on the call line

     As  you can see,  all fields are optional.   The import files' filename is
defaulted to CATDISK, and no updating is assumed.  One of the options /U  or /V
must  be  specified to cause updating.   Each option must be separated from the
others by at least one space.

     Two update options define what to do when a record is found in  the  data-
base for a particular file name/volume label pair, and the file is not found on
the dis-kette.  If no option is specified,  the first field in the record has a
'/' put in its first character,  resulting in PC-FILE+ treating it as a deleted
record.  If you wish a less drastic action, you can specify:

     /Xc     the character following X marks a deleted file,  put in the  first
             character  of the delete marker field (first field in the database
             record, unless the following parameter is used)--default is "/"

     /Mfn    the named field, fn, is used for the delete mark,  rather than the
             first field in a database record.
CATDISK                                                                  Page 4


     CATDISK uses the following defaults for database and field names:

Related   Default
 Option    Name        Description
-------   ----------   ------------------------------------------------
  /U      CATALOG      name of the file information database
  /V      VOLCAT       name of the diskette volume information database
  /C      CATEGORY     name of the category field
  /D      DATE         name of the the file's creation date field
  /F      FILE_NAME    name of the file name field
  /L      FREE_SPACE   name of the diskette's free space left field
  /K      DISK_TYPE    name of the diskette's disk type field (kind)
  /N      VOL_NAME     name of the diskette's volume label name field
  /S      SIZE         name of the file size field
  /T      TIME         name of the file's creation time field

       Each of the defaults can be overridden by the related  option  given  in
front  of the default.   You specify the option with the database or field name
immediately after it--no spaces.  The TIME field option MUST be specified for a
time  field  to be written,  but you needn't give the field name,  unless it is
other than TIME.

       Thus, to indicate that the file information database name is FILES,  the
category field is named CLASSIFICATION, and a TIME field is to be written,  you
would include the following on the command line:

       /UFILES /CCLASSIFICATION /T

       The initial value put into the CATEGORY field depends on the  nature  of
the   file  found  on  the  diskette.   If the file is an "ordinary" file,  the
CATEGORY field is left blank.  For this discussion,  subdirectories are counted
as files, as well.  If the file is a directory with no special attributes (Read-
Only,  Hidden,  or System),  it will have "<DIR>" put into its category  field.
For files having special attributes, a code indicating the attributes is placed
in angle brackets (<>) for directories,  and in colons (:) for  regular  files.
The following are the possible codes:

     RDONLY:   Read-Only               HIDDEN:    Hidden
     SYSTEM:   System                  RDNL-HID:  Read-Only and Hidden
     RDNL-SYS: Read-Only and System    HID-SYS:   Hidden and System
     RO-HI-SY: Read-Only, Hidden, and System

     A bootable diskette will have two hidden system files.   For MSDOS,  their
names  could be MSDOS.SYS and MIO.SYS.   I have a diagnostics diskette which is
bootable, labeled DIAGNOSTICS.  CATDISK wrote the following CATDISK.CAT file:

AUTOEXEC.BAT86-02-05     8DIAGNOSTICS
COMMAND .COM85-11-26 22885DIAGNOSTICS
DIAGX   .EXE86-07-04 38342DIAGNOSTICS
ERROR   .LOG87-05-17   320DIAGNOSTICS
MIO     .SYS85-11-18  9054DIAGNOSTICS:RO-HI-SY:
MSDOS   .SYS85-11-18 27856DIAGNOSTICS:RO-HI-SY:
CATDISK                                                                  Page 5


     In  order for CATDISK to search the CATALOG database correctly for updated
files, the database must have been sorted with the volume label field specified
as  the first (primary) key to SORT.   If a diskette is read which has an entry
in the volume catalog database,  CATDISK updates the record  with  the  current
diskette type and amount of free space.   It then searches the file information
database for records with the same volume label.   If no records are found,  an
error message "NOT FOUND" is posted,  since this should not happen,  unless you
have changed the volume label in one of the two databases.  The records for all
files still residing on the diskette are updated,  and all others are marked as
deleted.  Records are written to the import file for all new files found on the
diskette.

     For example,  to update the databases CATALOG and VOLCAT and write records
for  new  files  and  diskettes  to files CATDISK.CAT and CATDISK.VOL,  use the
following call:

     CATDISK /U

     To update a database pair whose names are NEWCAT and NEWVOL,  where NEWCAT
has a TIME field,  write import files NEW.CAT and NEW.VOL,  and put the charac-
ter '@' in the field named CAT_GRP for any  files  found  in  the  database for
a volume being read, but which cannot be found on the diskette, use:

     CATDISK NEW /CNEWCAT /VNEWVOL /T /MCAT_GRP /X@

     Speaking  of  volume  names,   there  is one restriction that DOS does not
impose which you should follow,  if you intend to use  the  Table  of  Contents
report:    do  not  include  any dashes (-) in the name.   PC-FILE+ attempts to
perform a calculation when a relational  lookup  is  intended.    I  am  unsure
whether to term this a bug, or merely an unfortunate byproduct of the fact I am
using a form that the documentation does not specifically  describe:   a  value
within quotation marks, rather than a field reference.

     To create a new diskette file catalog,  put all the files from CATDISK.ARC
except the .DOC file on a diskette,  or in a directory on your hard disk.    If
you have a floppy diskette system, change the default drive to B and place your
CATALOG diskette in drive B.   Place a diskette you wish to have catalogued  in
the A drive, call CATDISK and specify drive A to it.  It will write CATDISK.CAT
and CATDISK.VOL files to your default drive.   Continue to insert diskettes and
press the letter of the drive to have CATDISK read more volumes.  When finished
feeding diskettes to CATDISK, press RETURN to stop.

     If  using floppies,  change the default drive back to A,  place a diskette
with the PC-FILE+ executables and associated .PRO file in  drive  A,   and  the
catalog  diskette  in drive B.   You should make the PROfile select drive B for
the databases.   For a hard disk,  make  certain  that  PC-FILE+'s  executable,
PCF.EXE,  is located in a directory covered by your PATH statement,  and change
to the directory containing the CATALOG and VOLCAT databases.   Finally,   call
PCF  and  make  certain  that  it is looking in the right place for the CATALOG
database.
CATDISK                                                                  Page 6


     Choose the CATALOG database for starters,  and press the ALT-7 key  combi-
nation,  that is,  press ALT and the 7/& key simultaneously.   You are prompted
for an import file name,  which is defaulted to CATDISK.CAT.   Press RETURN  to
use  that  name.    All  the  file  information  records are then read into the
database from the CATDISK.CAT file.

     When the import is finished,  switch over to the diskette volume  database
by pressing Q, then D,  and select the VOLCAT database.   Press ALT-7 to import
the CATDISK.VOL file.  After importing the data,  you can add a description for
each  volume.   Once you finish with the diskette descriptions,  change back to
CATALOG and add comments to the file records.

     The CATALOG database has seven  "smart  keys"  set  up.    Their  specific
functions are as follows:

ALT-1:  Sort the database by Category,  Category Group,  File Name,  and Volume
        Name.   Puts database in the sort order expected by the CATEGORY report
        form, used by ALT-2 and ALT-3 keys.

ALT-2:  Write a report to CATEGORY.LST,  assume database is sorted by Category,
        etc.  Produce subtotal information per category.

ALT-3:  Write two-part report,  CATGORY1.LST and CATGORY2.LST,  split at  Cate-
        gory  = "Games".   The first report has all entries with Category lower
        than "Games",  the second has the rest.   This is useful for my PC Club
        library,  which has over 4500 entries,  and produces a report file lar-
        ger than fits on a 362K diskette.   Of course,  a database  this  large
        only  fits on a hard disk or high density diskette.   The user can edit
        the smart key definition to make the break occur at some other point.

ALT-5:  Sort the database by Category,  Volume Name,  Category Group,  and File
        Name.  This is the order expected by the CATSUM program.

ALT-7:  Import file information written by  CATDISK.EXE   Default  import  file
        name is CATDISK.CAT, but user can enter an alternate name.   Just press
        RETURN when CATDISK.CAT appears to accept the default.

ALT-8:  Sort the database by Volume Name and File Name,  as expected by the TOC
        report format.

ALT-9:  Write  a  diskette  table  of contents using the DISKCAT report format.
        User is prompted to fill in the complete eleven character Volume  Name,
        within  the quotation marks.   After typing the Volume Name,  press the
        RETURN key,  and an output file whose name is the first  eight  charac-
        ters  of  the  Volume  Name with a file extension of ".CAT" is written.
        Exit PC-FILE+ and copy the file to the diskette with that  Volume  Name
        and  you have a table of contents.   Make sure that the disk which con-
        tains the CATALOG and VOLCAT databases has room  for  however  many  of
        these  table  of contents files you plan to create in one PC-FILE+ ses-
        sion.  If this is unclear, just try it, and look at the file created to
        see what a table of contents looks like.
CATDISK                                                                  Page 7


     The VOLCAT database has three "smart keys" set up.  Their functions are as
follows:

ALT-1:  Sort the VOLCAT database by diskette Volume Label Name.

ALT-2:  Write a report file named VOLCAT.LST.

ALT-7:  Import  file  information  produced by CATDISK.EXE  Default import file
        name is CATDISK.VOL, but user can enter an alternate name.   Just press
        RETURN when CATDISK.VOL appears to accept the default.


NOTE:   All of the report output files whose name have an extension  of  ".LST"
are  96 characters wide.   You will need to set your printer to elite type mode
to print on a standard 80 column printer.   The program ELITE.COM will cause an
Epson or IBM graphics printer to use elite type (12 characters per inch).   The
file PICA.COM puts the same printers into 10 characters per inch mode.

     These files are supplied at no charge to all interested parties.  The only
reservation  is that you may not use these files for a commercial profit.   The
name PC-FILE+ is a trademark of ButtonWare, Inc.

Archie Strong
1690 Peachtree Lane
Norristown, PA  19403

COMPUSERV USERID: 73167,1205