PDA Software Library/pdasoftwarelib.iso/PSION/UTILS/JBFND24C/JBFIND.TXT

Text File | 1995-01-21 | 11.9 KB | 351 lines

                                JBFind
                          (formerly Search)
                             Version 2.4
                           (c)JBSoft 1992-4
                 with loads of help from Tom Dolbilin

JBFind is a program that will search for files or text/hex within
files, optionally down directory trees, across drives and within files
that are open. Please report any bugs or funnies as soon as possible
so that I can sort out any teething problems. Please not that all the
code was written by me - Tom is the ideas man on this project. If you
have any problems please direct them my way.

The program is installed in the usual way by copying it to an \APP\
directory using your preferred Link program, from the System screen,
pressing Psion-I and selecting JBFind.OPA. If you do not wish to use
the program as an Application but as an .OPO file, simply place it in
an \OPO\ directory and rename it to JBFind.OPO. It will then run just
like any other OPO file and will appear under the RunOPL icon.

The first options given when running the program is whether to search
for a file, to search within files or go straight to the list viewer.
Next, either the filename is prompted for, or the text to search for
within files. If Search Within was selected then an option for case
sensitivity is also available. Filenames permit wildcards (e.g.
AGENDA.*).

If you require a Hex search then input the Hex digits preceded by the
'$' character and make sure that each digit comprises of two
characters (e.g. $AB010020 would mean search for the digits AB 01 00
20). The Hex stream will be converted to ASCII characters and the
search will actually look for that string. You may keep a space
between the hex characters if you wish but you should only use '$' at
the start of the search string and _not_ before each Hex value.

The drives to search are also selected at this stage - the choices are
individual (A/B/M/ROM), selected (Choose), all (Every) drives or down
a directory tree (Tree). The program is intelligent and only offers
drives that exist. To select Choose or Tree select the option, keep
the cursor on that line and press Enter.

Although ROM:: has been included it is only implemented as a stand-
alone search and cannot be included with other drives at present.

If Choose is selected an additional dialog is given - push the buttons
of the drives you wish to include in the search (a tick will appear to
show selection). The buttons act as a toggle so deselection is also
possible. Once the drive selection has been completed, press Escape
and you will return to the previous dialog. Press Enter and the search
will start.

If the Tree option is chosen a dialog will be shown which allows a
directory and drive to be chosen. This will be the start point for the
search.

Sound can be chosen on the main dialog - the options are No/Yes or
just beep On completion of the search - the default is sound off (No).
If enabled (Yes), the computer will beep when files are found or if
there is a problem.

Closing Apps
------------
If searching within files has been selected then an option is included
to enable the search of all files or only closed files. There are
actually three options - All / Only Closed / Partial. If the All
option is selected then all open Applications are closed before the
search and opened up afterwards (if possible, any unsaved alterations
will be saved when closing). Partial will only close those
applications that have associated datafiles (e.g. Data, Agenda and
Word).
There is a limit as to how files can be opened up so, if you are in a
Memo within the Agenda, after the search has ended you will be in the
Agenda proper rather than the Memo.

The program will attempt to open you in the view (e.g. Day or Week)
mode you left the Agenda in but, if your datafile takes more than 5
seconds to load you will end up in the Day mode regardless of which
mode you were in originally.

I have tried to keep the various guises of Word correct (e.g. Program
and Word) but there may be occasions when the file is opened in the
wrong mode. If you come across this please let me know and I will
endeavour to rectify the situation. At present, it seems to work in
every mode that I use.

If only Closed or Partial files are chosen then any files that could
not be searched will be displayed briefly as the program runs. When
the option to save the results to a file has been taken then these
unchecked files are also written to the file at the end of the list of
found files.

Filenames that match or contain the text being searched for are
displayed in a window as the search progresses. It is possible to
terminate the search early by pressing Escape.

When the search is completed the list of files found or files that
contained the search string are displayed in a simple viewer. Use the
cursor controls to move around this list. A menu is available for
additional options at this stage.

N.B. If Word files are password protected then JBFind will fail to
     find the data - this is not a fault of JBFind but due to Word
     encryption which is activated when Password protection is used.

Search Data
-----------
If search within was used then, on pressing Psion-I, some details of
the find are shown. This shows where the string was found within the
file and the part of the file that included the search string. Psion-I
is a toggle - press it again to remove the information.

New Search
----------
A new search can be started by pressing Psion-F. This option will
ignore all currently found data and start again from scratch.

Narrow Search
-------------
It is possible to narrow down the search once the initial search has
ended by pressing Psion-N. This will prompt for a new search string
and the options to search For or In a file. If In a file is selected
then, if the files are not already closed, an option will be given to
search within only closed files or all files. This works in the same
way as the main search routine. An additional option is to deselect
files found so the list shown after the Narrow search will show less
the files found on the last search (e.g. If original list was a file
search for *.OP? then an excluding search of *.OPL will leave just OPO
and OPA files).

N.B. The list of files previously found is not will not normally kept
- although, if a narrow search does not find any matching files, the
previous list is shown with the comment that no files were found.

Launch file
-----------
Psion-L (or Enter) will attempt to launch the highlighted file. When a
file is launched and the Application is a built-in one, then the Find
routine for that application should be accessed (all things being
equal - they very rarely are), leaving you at the find position of the
data within the file.
Delete file
-----------
Psion-D will produce a dialog box which will enable you to delete the
currently highlighted file. Be careful with this command as there is
no way back once 'Y' is pressed as a response to whether you wish to
delete the file or not.

Exclude File
------------
Psion-R will remove the currently highlighted file from the list (but
will not delete the file).

Sort List
---------
An option to sort the list of found files is available -  use Psion-S
to access this option. It is possible to select a sort on the
Filename, the Extension to the file, the Directory and the Drive.

Save List
---------
The list of found files can be saved to a text file using Shift-Psion-
S. The default file is M:\FIND.DAT but can be altered to anything you
wish.

Load List
---------
A previously saved list can be reloaded using the command Shift-Psion-
L. Before loading the file this checks that the list is one created
earlier with JBFind otherwise an error is displayed.

Delete List file
----------------
Shift-Psion-D will delete a previously saved list of found files. This
command works in exactly the same way as Psion-D but starts off by
defaulting to M:\FIND.DAT.

Other keys
----------
Psion-A will produce an About screen. To terminate the program use
Psion-X.

Limitations
-----------
There are limitations - these are the one's I've thought about!

     999 - Maximum Finds per search
     254 - Maximum Search string length

     56k - RAM required for File search (approximate)
     68k - RAM required for In File search (approximate)
     plus there is a requirement for RAM for filename storage - this
     is not predictable.

If you come across any other limitations please let me know and I'll
adjust the program or the documentation accordingly.

Miscellaneous Information
-------------------------
One file may be temporarily created during the operation of this
program - in the Root directory of the M: (Internal) drive. This is to
keep a note of the files that have been closed when searching all
files (this file is not created unless the Search All Files option is
selected). This filename is SELECT.DAT. If the program crashes this
file may still exist but can be deleted with no problems.

I hope this program is what people wanted - if not, please let me know
and I'll see what I can do...



Thanks
------
My profound thanks to Tom Dolbilin for his continued assistance with
my programming - his comments are what make my programs pretty and
usable. The code was written by me - the interface look is primarily
Tom's. Any remaining bugs are mine alone (I collect them you know
<g>). Don't blame Tom for anything - blame me!

Version 2.0 (4/4/94)
-----------
1st public release

Version 2.1 (5/4/94)
-----------
Added option for Case sensitive searching within files.
Added option to switch off beeps when searching.
Now finds all files as specified rather than just the first one in any
directory.
Fixed Search within files so that it actually works properly now!
Reduced RAM overhead needed to run the file.
More rigorous checking of available drives whilst the program is
running.

Version 2.2 (13/4/94)
-----------
Rewrote the search routines to account for Data files and to clean up
the wildcard searches.
Added an internal viewer for matches.
Added information on finds within files.
Added ability to launch some files.
Added ability to have the launched files display the find (internal
applications only).
Added ability to delete a file.
Now can start a new search from within the program.
Allows for a narrowing of the search using only found files.

Version 2.3 (8/6/94)
-----------
Missed Psion-S from documentation with version 2.2.
Changed interface to pretty things up a bit.
Changed display of Search Information within a file.
Save to file option deleted from opening dialog - only available on
Menu at end of search now.
Able to select drives for searching independently now.
Load file list added to Menu.
Sort a list now available.
Exclusion options added to the Narrow Search.
Remove a file (without deleting it) from the list added.
Ability to go straight to View List screen without search added.
Tries to open Agenda in the view mode that was current when closed.
Added ability to search a tree.
Added option to delete a saved file list.
Now opens up in the correct Word mode after closing down files.

Version 2.3a (11/6/94)
------------
Fixed 'terminal' bug in search within.

Version 2.4 (1/7/94)
-----------
Spy now reports the program as JBFind (not SYS$PRGO)
Added Hex search.
Added search of ROM drive.
Fixed not searching Directories with extension (it treated them as
files)
Fixed program thinking Files with no extension were directories!
Fixed problem of starting a new search producing an error
occasionally.


Version 2.4a (26/9/94)
------------
Fixed problem of saved list not loading if it was a file list rather
than a within file list.

21/1/95
Renamed from Search to JBFind.

Contact
-------
John Boyce
CompuServe: 100014,1240
CIX/Internet: [e-mail]