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****************************** * * * * * QFILER * * * * * * USERS'MANUAL * * * * * ****************************** A File Maintenance Utility written by Kenn Flee of Jamestown Software 2508 Valley Forge Drive Madison WI 53719 Copyright (C)1986 by Jamestown Software Version 2.0 July 4, 1986 Jamestown Software will not be liable for any damages, including any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of or inability to use QFILER.COM, even if Jamestown Software has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for any claim by any other party. QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 1 QFILER TABLE OF CONTENTS User interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2 System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2 Starting Qfiler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2 Screen sample illustration . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 Geography and Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Function Key assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 Menu selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Control-key combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 User-support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Sample Invoice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9 Revision History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 QFILER FILES You should have the following program and documentation files included in your distribution copy of QFILER. README - Quick start instructions. QFILER.COM - Executable program. QFILER.DOC - This documentation. Additionally, the following programs may also be included. If not, check your BBS source for a LIST591.ARC file. R LIST.COM - Vern Buerg's great browse program. LIST591S.COM - Smaller version (no help screen). LIST.DOC - Documentation for LIST.COM. QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 2 USER INTERFACE QFILER outwardly resembles FFM (A popular user-supported file management program by Neidert Software) in its user interface, but has many additional features and enhancements. QFILER is written in Turbo Pascal and is extremely fast -- as you will see. The program makes full use of the PC keyboard, using the function keys, the cursor keys, tab key, space bar, and several control-key combinations. In order to make full use of all of QFILER's features, the following conditions should be met. The program is designed to operate satisfactorily with DOS 2.x and above. DOS 3.x is the operating system of choice, however. In some cases, the extensions offered by QFILER depend on the presence of DOS 3.x enhancements. QFILER requires a minimum of 192K memory and one diskette drive for operation on an IBM-PC or compatible computer. Additional memory is required to use shell options. The monitor may be either a color or a monochrome unit, with a command line option supplied for use with mono monitors attached to color video cards. Printers to be used with QFILER's setup options <Ctrl-P> should be EPSON-command compatible. STARTING In preparation for using QFILER, if DOS 3.x is in use, invoke PRINT.COM from either your autoexec or from the DOS prompt. QFILER.COM is started by typing QFILER at the DOS prompt. For ease of invoking, it may be advisable to rename QFILER.COM to QF.COM, but that is up to the user. There are currently two command line options that can be used at program startup, which are [M]onochrome and [S]ort-on-name. Either or both of these options may be utilized by entering: QFILER [M[S]] at the DOS prompt. The square brackets are used to denote the options, and are not typed. The option(s) may be entered in any order. Spaces are not required between options. The M option turns off color, and may be used whenever a monochrome monitor attached to a color video card is used, for ease of screen reading. QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 3 The S option turns on the "Sort by File Name" option, and should be used if sorted directories are desired in both windows, at all times. When this option is not used, the display will be unsorted, showing the real order of the files on the chosen drive or directory, and the display will be slightly faster, depending on the number of files the user is working with. The following is a facsimile of QFILER on a monitor screen. Some of the on-screen refinements are, of course, not possible when printers are concerned, so it will look somewhat different in actual use, and will contain more lines. Use this illustration for reference in the User's Manual. |-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------| | JAMESTOWN | | | |-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------| | C:\DOS | | Quick-Filer 2.0 by Kenn Flee | |-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------| | >. <DIR> 010180 0:04 | | | | .. <DIR> 010180 0:04 | | | | ASSIGN COM 2K 030785 13:43 | | USER SUPPORTED SOFTWARE | | BACKUP COM 6K 030785 13:43 | | | | BASIC EXE 66K 102485 13:00 | | If you are using this program | | BASICA COM 2K 102485 13:00 | | and find it to be of value, | | CHKDSK COM 10K 030785 13:43 | | your contribution of $20 | | DEBUG COM 16K 030785 13:43 | | will be appreciated. | | DISKCOMP COM 5K 030785 13:43 | | | | DISKCOPY COM 5K 030785 13:43 | | Jamestown Software | | ED COM 8K 122185 23:08 | | 2508 Valley Forge Dr. | | EXE2BIN EXE 4K 030785 13:43 | | Madison, WI 53719 | | FASTFMT HLP 2K 031486 9:43 | | | | FFLABELS HLP 1K 020386 0:17 | | Please copy this program | | FFMT EXE 14K 031486 9:28 | | and share it with others. | | FILECOMP COM 5K 030785 13:43 | | | | FIND EXE 7K 030785 13:43 | | Press <H> for help or spacebar, | | FORM## COM 10K 102985 17:14 | | tab or first character to select | | GRAFTABL COM 2K 030785 13:43 | | | | GRAPHICS COM 4K 030785 13:43 | | | |-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------| |dir: 385K mrk: 0K left: 2136K| |Copyright (C) 1986 Jamestown Software| |-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------| Clear all marked files. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UnMarkAll Copy Delete MarkAll Rename Execute List VolLabel Quit Help ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure 1 - Facsimile of QFILER on a monitor screen. QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 4 GEOGRAPHY OF QFILER The QFILER screen, as seen in Figure 1, is divided into three sections with dual side-by-side upper windows for the display of file information, and a two-row bottom section for messages and menu. Each top window row shows the Volume Label for the respective displayed disk. The second window row, in reverse-video, will display the full DOS path for the directory displayed in the window. The large central window area is the main file display area, in which a full DOS directory (DIR) format is shown. The directory additionally displays hidden files and, when applicable, file attributes Read-only, Hidden, and System. Only one of the two windows may be considered "current" for menu or function key actions. Currency is shown by a blinking arrow pointer in the left margin area of the display area. The pointer also indicates the "current file" within the "current window". Below the main display, another reverse-video row, shows the directory size, total bytes marked, and remaining bytes of disk space. The bottom section contains, as its top row, the message line. Here QFILER tells the user what is happening, or what the current menu selection description is. Finally, the last row is the Menu Bar, with the current selection highlighted and the rest in reverse video. NAVIGATION QFILER utilizes most of the keyboard in its operation. There are three logical areas of keyboard control: 1. Cursor pad selector/pointer movement. 2. Function key program control. 3. Typewriter keyboard command control. The cursor-key pad controls the combination file-selector and window-selector. The keys used on the cursor pad, and their functions are: 1. Right-Arrow - Select Right Window. 2. Left-Arrow - Select Left Window. 3. Up-Arrow - Scroll selector pointer up or window down a line. 4. Down-Arrow - Scroll selector pointer down or window up a line. 5. Home - Selector to top of Window. 6. End - Selector to bottom of Window. 7. Page-Up - Scroll window up one page. 8. Page-Dn - Scroll window down one page. Control-cursor-key combinations. 1. Ctrl-Home - Scroll window to top of disk/dir. 2. Ctrl-End - Scroll window to end of disk/dir. QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 5 The function keys control all the display options. These include sort order, drive or subdirectory viewed, and sound effects. The function keys also allow modification of file attribute bytes and creation/deletion of subdirectories. To use a function key, point (with arrow keys) at a file you wish to use, or mark the files you wish to use (see F9 or the MarkAll command below), and press the key. The function keys are used as follows: Normal Function-Key assignments. F1 - Create a new subdirectory (DOS MKDIR/MD). User is prompted for name at command line at the bottom of the display. F2 - Remove selected subdirectory. (DOS RMDIR/RD) F3 - Display selected subdirectory in left window. F4 - Display selected subdirectory in right window. F5 - Prompt for a new path in left window. F6 - Prompt for a new path in right window. F7 - Sort the current window by name. (Same as command-line option [S].) F8 - Sort the current window by extension. F9 - Mark or unmark current file for group action. F10 - Toggle sound effects on/off. (default = off) Shifted Function-Key assignments. F3 - Hide current file, directory, or marked files. F4 - Unhide current file, directory or marked files. F5 - Protect current or marked file(s). (Make them "Read-Only"). F6 - Unprotect current or marked file(s). F7 - Sort current window by file size, ascending. F8 - Sort current window by file date, then time, ascending. F9 - Set time and date stamp on current or marked file(s). You may accept system parameters. Date is entered as: 7/4/86. Time is entered as: 8:5:0 or 11:56:23. Zero-padding the entry is unnecessary. Enter as 24-hour clock. Menu-Bar selections control QFILER actions, and are invoked by either moving the highlight to the desired command via the spacebar or tab-key, and pressing [Enter], or by keying the first letter of the command name. The spacebar or tab-key moves the highlight to the right and the tab-key, when shifted, moves the highlight to the left. Of the various options, mnemonic control is the fastest method of control. QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 6 MENU COMMANDS The commands are as follows: UnmarkAll.. Will turn off any file highlighting within current window. Copy....... Will cause DOS copy to be executed on current or marked files. Delete..... Will cause DOS delete to be executed on current or marked files. MarkAll.... Will turn on file highlighting for all files within current window, so that all files will be subject to action. You may unmark selected files with F9. Rename..... Will cause DOS rename to be executed on current or marked files. New name will be prompted for. Files may be moved (rather than copied) across subdirectory boundaries if the following conditions are met: 1. You are using DOS 3.x 2. Two directories of the same disk drive are displayed in the two windows. 3. One or more files are MARKED. 4. You select RENAME and answer yes to the question displayed. The advantages of moving files are that the move is performed faster than copy and that moving files does not degrade your hard disk performance through disk fragmentation caused by reorg- anization. Note that MOVE is the equivalent of copying from one subdirectory to another, then deleting the files from the original directory... except the files are not physically moved, just their disk location identifier. In addition (if you are using DOS 3.x) you may rename the subdirectories themselves by making them the current file, then selecting RENAME. After renaming a subdirectory, that subdirectory will be displayed in the alternate window. QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 7 Execute.... The current file, if an executable type, i.e., with extension BAT, COM, or EXE, will be run with a command line furnished for parameter entry. There are two additional methods included that will allow you to run other programs from within QFILER. Pressing Control-E will allow you to enter a program name as if you were at the DOS prompt. For your convenience, <F10> will return the current path+filename. QFILER will then change to your ENTRY drive\directory and pass your command line to COMMAND.COM. Upon completion of the passed program, press any key to return to QFILER. EXAMPLE: Suppose you wished to run DISMOD on your current file. First press Ctrl-E. Then type DISMOD. Then press <F10> to return your current file. Press Enter. For those instances where the above procedure won't work (commands within COMMAND.COM itself, like DIR), you may press Control-S to load a secondary copy of COMMAND.COM and be returned to the DOS prompt. (You will be in the CURRENT drive\directory). When you are ready, type EXIT to return to QFILER. List....... The user is given a choice of <S>creen, <P>rint, <C>ancel all print jobs, <ESC> to quit, or <H>elp. <S> will call Vernon Buerg's great shareware LIST program for the current file. LIST will allow full screen ASCII or HEX browse. Optionally, a user may rename another browse program for this use. If using DOS 3.x, and if PRINT.COM was previously invoked, the user may send a file to the printer by pressing <P>. Pressing <C> will cancel the jobs in the PRINT queue. <H> gives a help screen for Listing functions. Control-P, from the main display, will bring up a menu to set or cancel skip-over-perf and to send a form-feed, for Epson-compatable printers. VolLabel... The current window disk may be given a volume label with this option. The user is prompted for the label. Quit....... Exits program and returns to DOS. Help....... Full screen of help notes for user reminder. QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 8 After a menu selection is made, either by spacebar/tab-key or mnemonic choice, QFILER will check to see if any files are marked. (These are files highlighted by the F9 key.) If it finds marked files, it will ask whether the user wants to act upon the marked files or the current file only. The user will see a prompt on the message line and a small two choice menu replacing the main one, which indicates the two available choices. A spacebar or mnemonic choice is to be made here. If no files are marked, the user is prompted for appropriate path or name entry. Then QFILER will ask for verification of the pending action. A "y" response causes execution of the command, and an "n" aborts the operation and returns to the normal display with any highlighted files still highlighted. MISCELLANEOUS QFILER has as many user safeguards built in as possible, with as many user escape opportunities as is prudent. Overt hand-holding has been avoided, however. This program, used carefully, will be of immense value to the user. If used carelessly however, it can be dangerous. Please be careful. READ the messages and prompts as they are presented. If you wish any additional features included in QFILER or discover any program errors (write down any numbers displayed on the screen), please contact: Kenn Flee Jamestown Software 2508 Valley Forge Drive Madison WI 53719 Compuserve # 74275,745 USER SUPPORTED SOFTWARE This program is distributed with the understanding that if you use the program and find it to be of value, your registration with a contribution of $20 will be appreciated. Upon registration, you will be mailed a disk with the most recent version of QFILER, plus printed manual and function key template. In any case, copy the program and share it with others. For the convenience of corporate users and others, a printed invoice is included on the next page. -------------------------- INVOICE -------------------------- JAMESTOWN SOFTWARE 2508 Valley Forge Drive Madison WI 53718 Sold to: ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________________________ ============================================================ _____ copies of QFILER at $20 each ............$____________ Wisconsin residents add 5% Sales Tax .... ____________ TOTAL ENCLOSED.......$____________ Send this invoice and your check to: Jamestown Software 2508 Valley Forge Drive Madison WI 53719 ============================================================ Thank you for your support................Jamestown Software Registered owners will be sent a disk containing the most recent version of QFILER, a printed manual and function key template. Registered owners will be notified of any upgrades and/or future enhancements. For a large number of QFILER packages, contact Jamestown Software for site licensing or quantity pricing. QFILER USERS' MANUAL Page 10 REVISION HISTORY We try not to overwhelm the user with seemingly daily updates, but if a problem error arises or if the changes are judged to be of a major nature, a new version will be released. The following is a list of changes made since version 1.8: Version 1.9 Changed the sort-by-date so that the file time 6/14/86 is used as the tie-breaker, then file name. MOVE now will work with the root directory as well as with subdirectories. Corrected a problem with the Hidden attribute. Previous versions confused System files with Hidden files. Added an indication of the sort type being performed. Corrected the Ctrl-E prompts and drive\direc- tories used. Control is now passed to Entry directory with Current directory used for <F10> file name. Version 2.0 Added ability to hide/unhide directories. Hid- 7/04/86 den directories may be renamed and deleted, (if empty). Added time-and-date-stamp alter function where a user may set current or marked files with either the current system time/date or with a new user- entered time/date. Allow group hide/unhide and group protect/un- protect. Added form-feed to printer-control menu.