Stars of Shareware: DFÜ und Kommunikation/SOS-DFUE.ISO/programm/dos/terminal/telixadd/dlrk24/dlrk24.doc

Text File | 1993-09-22 | 20.0 KB | 411 lines

DOWNLOAD RECORDKEEPER version 2.4       by Allen Brown
CIS 72760,667, Internet [e-mail], Prodigy MMMJ81A.
Compatible with Telix v3.15, v3.20, v3.21, and other Telix versions which
   use the same Usage Log format.

CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT:
--------------------------
WELCOME
ZIP FILE CONTENTS
DATA FILE AND SETUP FILE CONTENTS
A NOTE TO DOWNLOAD RECORDKEEPER V1.1 AND V1.2 USERS
PROGRAM OPERATION
* OPTION ONE: UPDATE DATA WITH TELIX USAGE LOG
* OPTION TWO: DISPLAYING THE DATA
* OPTION THREE: CONFIGURATION SETUP
* OPTION FOUR: MANUAL DATA ENTRY
* OPTION FIVE: FILENAME SEARCH
* OPTION SIX: PRINTING THE DATA
IF DOWNLOAD RECORDKEEPER WON'T WORK
THE ORIGIN OF DOWNLOAD RECORDKEEPER
HOW TO REGISTER YOUR COPY OR CONTACT THE AUTHOR
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THE END


WELCOME to Download Recordkeeper version 2.4.  If you use Telix
as your modem/communication program, DLRK is about to make keeping
track of your downloads a very simple and convenient matter.  If
you don't use Telix, you can still use DLRK (via option 4 from the
main menu), but you won't be able to make use of the Telix Usage Log
which frees you from all the manual data entry associated with earlier
versions of Download Recordkeeper.  Or, if your modem program keeps a
usage log in the same format as Telix, then Download Recordkeeper can
use that usage log just as well.
   DLRK 2.4 reads the Telix Usage Log, pulls out the names of files
you've downloaded, and stores them in alphabetical order and/or
extension order to your hard drive.  The list(s) can easily be
displayed or printed, making for easy reference while you're on-
line and ready to download.
   A glitch found in DLRK version 2.3, involving the Telix default
download directory, has been corrected in DLRK version 2.4.
   This program is shareware.  See the end of this file for information
on how to register.  And, this copy of DLRK is not crippled or diminished
in any way to coerce you into registering.  I prefer to use the honor
system.


ZIP FILE CONTENTS
Before you do anything else, make sure you have received the proper
files.  The DLRK24.ZIP archive you've acquired should contain the
following seven files:
DLRK24.EXE      <--   the program
ALPHA.DNL       <--   alphabetical-sort data file
EXTEN.DNL       <--   extension-sort data file
ALPHAPRN.DNL    <--   a sample file produced by the print feature
EXTENPRN.DNL    <--   another sample file for the print feature
SETUP.DNL       <--   program's default configuration
DLRK24.DOC      <--   the file you're now reading


DATA FILE AND SETUP FILE CONTENTS
Download Recordkeeper will not run properly unless the data files and
SETUP.DNL are in the proper form.  Make sure ALPHA.DNL and EXTEN.DNL
both contain only the following five records when you first receive them:
Download Recordkeeper v2.4
0
0
1
DLRK24.ZIP


And, SETUP.DNL should initially contain the following eight records:
TELIX.USE
C:\TELIX
700
500
ENABLED
YES
no
3


A NOTE TO DOWNLOAD RECORDKEEPER V1.1 AND V1.2 USERS
If you wish to use the data file from a version prior to 2.0, it
must first be configured to run with DLRK 2.4.  Use option 5 from
the Configuration setup menu to configure an old data file.  DLRK
2.4 will create its own new files.  Your old data file will not be
affected.  See the section below entitled OPTION THREE: CONFIGURATION
SETUP (5) for more information on this process.


---------------------------------------------------------------------


PROGRAM OPERATION
Running the program is very easy.  You might decide to create a sub-
directory for DLRK and all its data files included in DLRK24.ZIP.  The
program does not *have* to have its own directory, but DLRK'S DATA FILES
MUST BE IN THE CURRENT DIRECTORY WHEN YOU RUN THE PROGRAM.  When you
first run DLRK24.EXE, choose Option 3 to configure the setup for your
system, or the program will use the default configuration in SETUP.DNL.
(See OPTION THREE below.)

The main menu presents seven options.

OPTION ONE: UPDATE DATA WITH TELIX USAGE LOG
When you choose this option, the program first reads ALPHA.DNL which
contains an alphabetical list of the names of all the files recorded
previously.  Then it reads the Telix Usage Log and finds the filenames
to be added to the data files (ALPHA.DNL and EXTEN.DNL).  After updating
ALPHA.DNL, the program reads and updates the sorted-by-extension list
contained in EXTEN.DNL, provided this feature is enabled from the
Configuration Setup menu.  The alphabetical list will be updated in
either case.  The preexisting data file(s) will be backed-up if you
choose the back-up feature at the Configuration Setup menu.
   Telix Usage Logs can become large in a short amount of time.
To keep from having to sort through every bit of the log everytime
the program is run, Download Recordkeeper 2.4 keeps track of the date
and time of the most recent addition to its data file(s), and will
only analyze log entries made after that point.  So, an internal clock
or accurate date and time entries at start-up are necessary for the
program to operate properly.
   It's a good idea to either delete or rename your Telix Usage Log when
it becomes sizeable.  I start a new usage log at the beginning of each
month.  If you want to keep your old usage log(s) for posterity or whatever,
just rename the active log periodically and let Telix start a new usage
log.  The smaller the usage log, the less searching the program must do
before it begins the actual work.  By the way, Download Recordkeeper will
not alter the Telix Usage Log in any way.
   NOTE: DLRK was originally written for use with Telix v3.15, but it's
compatible with Telix v3.20 and v3.21 as well since they all use the same
usage log format.  If you use another version of Telix (or any other modem
program, for that matter), its usage log will work only if it uses the same
format as Telix v3.21.  (See IF DOWNLOAD RECORDKEEPER WON'T WORK below for
the proper format.)


OPTION TWO: DISPLAYING THE DATA
This option reads ALPHA.DNL from disk and displays it to your screen,
80 filenames at a time.  It will also display EXTEN.DNL if you have it
enabled.  It's also a simple matter to print out small sections of your
data files by displaying them to the screen and using the <Print Screen>
key.  To print the entire file(s), see OPTION SIX below.


OPTION THREE: CONFIGURATION SETUP
This option presents a menu of six choices.
   (1) This choice asks for the name and location of the Telix Usage
Log.  TELIX.USE is the default for both Download Recordkeeper and for
Telix itself.  (By the way, Telix does not necessarily maintain a
usage log unless it is set up that way.  If you're not sure if
your copy of Telix is keeping a log, start up Telix, hit ALT-O,
choose General Options, and turn option G on.  Then go back one
screen, choose Filenames and Paths, and enter a name for the usage
log at letter E, or let it use the default, TELIX.USE.  Then go
back one screen and choose Write Setup to Disk.  Now Telix will
automatically keep a usage log everytime you run Telix.)
   (2) This choice will ask you to input the maximum number of
records to be stored in the data file(s).  You should set this
value based on how large your data files currently are and how
much memory your computer has at its disposal.  The smaller you
make your data file capacity, the less memory is used for the
string variable dimension, so don't make it bigger than you need
it to be.  (If you make it about 100 more than your current total,
then it'll be a while before you need to change it again.)  DLRK
will alert you if it's too small.  When you need more room in the
future, just reconfigure when the time comes.
   (3) With this choice you either enable or disable the sort-by-
extension feature.
   (4) This choice will toggle between backing-up or not backing-up
your old data file(s) as you update the data.
   (5)  Choose this if you have a data file from DLRK 1.1 or DLRK
1.2 that you want to convert to 2.x compatibility.
   (6) Save configuration.  This choice will write a new SETUP.DNL file
and return you to the main menu.
   NOTE: SETUP.DNL also contains a value used by the Filename Search
feature which can be changed when you use that feature.


OPTION FOUR: MANUAL DATA ENTRY
This option will allow you to enter filenames into the data file(s)
that may not be in the Telix Usage Log.  You'll have to use this option
at some point if you've downloaded files in the past that can no longer
be retrieved from a usage log.  When you choose this option, the program
reads the data file(s) and asks you to type in whatever filenames you wish
to be added.  You have the option of calling up a directory of various types
to make it easier to see which filenames need to be input.  Enter filenames
only one at a time.  Hitting <Enter> alone will end the data entry.  The
program will then list all the new entries, if there are any, and ask if
the new data are correct.  If not, it will ask for a record number to
change.  It displays the old record and asks the user to input the new
data for that record.  When the user is satisfied that all the data are
correct, the program will then sort and save the data just as it does
after extracting filenames from the usage log.


OPTION FIVE: FILENAME SEARCH
As you record more downloads, this feature becomes more and more valuable.
This option allows the user to search ALPHA.DNL for specified filenames.
When you input a filename, the program will look for that specific name,
plus any other filenames that begin with the same characters, up to a
range which you dictate.  Or, you can use an asterisk for a wildcard
character.
   The search feature is especially useful if you have a large ALPHA.DNL
file and you want to know whether or not you've recorded a certain file.
You can input that specific filename, or if you can't remember it exactly,
you can input the first one, two, three, or however many characters, and
Download Recordkeeper will display all filenames which begin with those
characters.
   You can print out the display using the <Print Screen> key.


OPTION SIX: PRINT DATA
Choose this option and you'll be asked which of your data files to
print, and whether to send the output to both the printer and to a
data file, or to a data file only.
   Output to the disk in ASCII text is automatic in either case.  This
is done in case you cannot print directly to LPT1.  In such a case, you
can send the data to a file only and then use a word processor to print
it later.  The output file will be named either ALPHAPRN.DNL or
EXTENPRN.DNL.  Any preexisting file of the same name will be backed-up
with the BAK extension.


OPTION SEVEN: QUIT THE PROGRAM
Don't worry -- I'll keep the verbiage on this option to a minimum.
See?  It's over already.


-----------------------------------------------------------------


You might want to keep a hard copy of one of the data files at
your computer so you can refer to it when you decide to download
files.  The sorted list(s) should make it easy to find a filename.
   Or, you can always drop to the DOS shell with the ALT-J command
in Telix, and run DLRK's Filename Search feature while you're on-line.
   REMEMBER: No matter how you use it, DLRK will not do you much
good unless you keep your data file(s) updated.


IF DOWNLOAD RECORDKEEPER WON'T WORK:
* First, make sure that the data files (ALPHA.DNL, EXTEN.DNL, SETUP.DNL,
  ALPHAPRN.DNL, and EXTENPRN.DNL) are all in the current directory when
  you run DLRK24.EXE.
* Next, make sure that your copy of Telix is actually maintaining a
  usage log.  See OPTION THREE (1) above for more information.
* Next, make sure you have configured the program setup to match
  your system setup (Option 3 from the Main Menu), especially with
  regard to the name and path for the Telix Usage Log.  See OPTION
  THREE (1) above for more information.
* Make sure that the version of Telix you're using is 3.15, 3.20, or
  3.21, or that the version you're using keeps a usage log in the
  format of the following example:

92-10-03  17:36:12  Telix Usage Log Created.
92-10-03  17:36:12  Telix Usage Log Opened.
92-10-03  17:36:14  Elapsed time online 00:00:00
92-10-03  17:36:20  Connected with : Bob's BBS
92-10-03  17:36:20  ++ At phone #  : [phone]
92-10-03  17:36:20  ++ Settings    : 2400,N,8,1
92-10-03  17:41:46  Download using Zmodem protocol.
92-10-03  17:41:46  ++ File : c:\telix\download\file1.zip
92-10-03  17:44:02  ++ Chars per second : 232
92-10-03  17:44:10  ++ File : c:\telix\download\file2.zip
92-10-03  17:47:24  ++ Chars per second : 230
92-10-03  17:49:55  Upload using Zmodem protocol.
92-10-03  17:49:55  ++ File : c:\archives\dlrk24.zip
92-10-03  17:55:16  ++ Chars per second : 231
92-10-03  17:55:33  Elapsed time online 00:19:13
92-10-03  17:55:39  Exiting Telix.
92-10-03  17:55:39  Telix Usage Log Closed.

  According to the Telix documentation, the usage log should be in
  the above format.  Note the YY-MM-DD arrangement of the date, and
  the HH:MM:SS (24-hour) arrangement of the time.  Also note two
  spaces between the date and the time, and between the time and the
  log notation.  The usage log MUST be in this format for Download
  Recordkeeper to extract data from it properly.
* If the program keeps giving you "Out of string space" or "Out of
  memory" errors, then use the Configuration Setup (option 3 from the
  main menu) to lower the limit on the size of your data file capacity.
  Or, try to free up as much of your conventional memory as possible.
* If the program won't pull new download filenames from your usage log,
  even though you know new filenames are there, check the 2nd and 3rd
  records of your data file(s) against the most recent download dates
  in the usage log.  These 2nd and 3rd records contain the date and
  time, respectively, of the most recent download the program has
  recorded.  They should contain something like 921011 and 131026,
  which translate to 92-10-11 (the date) and 13:10:26 (the time).
  Now, the program will only extract downloads from the usage log
  which were entered into the log AFTER the date and time indicated
  by the 2nd and 3rd records of the data file(s).  If your internal
  clock has been reset, or if you entered an incorrect date/time at
  system start-up, then the most recent downloads in the usage log
  could have a date/time that's BEFORE the date/time of the most
  recent data file update, as indicated by the 2nd and 3rd records
  of the data file(s).  If so, use an ASCII text editor to change
  the 2nd and 3rd records to a date/time that's before the date/time
  of the downloads in question contained in the usage log.  Be sure
  to keep the 2nd and 3rd records of the data files in the YYMMDD and
  HHMMSS form (no hyphens or colons).  To avoid this trouble, keep
  your internal clock accurate, or be sure to input the accurate date
  and time at start-up.
* If you've satisfied all the above conditions, and the program still
  won't work, you might have found a bug that escaped my notice.  Make
  note of the circumstances surrounding the failure, and the error code
  displayed at the failure, and contact me using my CIS account, my
  Internet account, my Prodigy account, or my mailing address, all
  denoted near the end of this document.


THE ORIGIN OF DOWNLOAD RECORDKEEPER
I decided to write the program after I began to download files from
CompuServe and various bulletin board systems.  After I had downloaded
a certain number of files (some of which I kept, and some of which I
discarded), it became more and more difficult to remember right off
the top of my head which files I had already downloaded.  Specifically,
I would be looking through a BBS's list of downloadable files, while
on-line, thinking something like, "Hmmm, that file sounds pretty good.
I think I'll download it," only to discover later that I had already
downloaded the file previously.  Naturally this was pretty frustrating,
especially if I wasted long-distance time or added a debit to my
upload/download ratio by needlessly downloading the same file twice.
Surely I'm not the only one to suffer from such an experience.
   I asked my friend and computer-communications guru, Bob O'Lary,
if there was any way to get Telix to alert me if I should tell it
to download a file I had already downloaded.  Cheerfully but incredulously,
he replied with something like, "You mean you want Telix to somehow
sort through a list of the all the hundreds of files you've ever
downloaded, everytime you download?"  I gave up on that idea.
   Of course, many communication programs will allow users to display
a directory of their own files while on-line, and many times I used
this option to try to keep from performing repeat downloads.
However, this course of action can quickly become tiresome if you
have to search through multiple directories.  Furthermore, it is
of no use at all if you have already deleted the first download from
your hard drive.
   So, after a number of wasteful repeat downloads, I decided to write
Download Recordkeeper.  I think it's comprehensive, effective, and
easy to use.

I've gone through the program many, many times and removed all the
bugs I could imagine, and even some I didn't imagine, but there
could still be some bugs lurking around.  If you find an error you
can't fix, drop me some e-mail or send me a letter as denoted below.
I've built in some error trapping routines to handle the most likely
errors you might encounter, but I realize that some could fall through
the cracks.  If an error pops up that Download Recordkeeper isn't
programmed to handle, it'll be announced as a "fatal error," and the
program will end.  This is most likely to happen if your SETUP.DNL,
EXTEN.DNL, and/or ALPHA.DNL files aren't in the proper form.  You
can find the proper forms of the data and setup files near the top of
this document.  The files are all ASCII, so use a standard text editor
if you need to make them right.


HOW TO REGISTER YOUR COPY OR CONTACT THE AUTHOR
Download Recordkeeper was written by Allen Brown.
CIS 72760,667
Internet [e-mail]
Prodigy MMMJ81A
All rights reserved.

This modest program is SHAREWARE.  If you keep it and use it, you
are obligated to send $5.00 (a very reasonable price), or more if
you think the program is worth it, to:

Allen Brown
P.O. Box 681
Gulf Shores, Alabama  36547

On the other hand, if you have not registered the program, don't
feel like you can't contact me about it.  I'm willing to discuss
DLRK with you, whether you've paid for the program or not.
   This program is presented "as is."  The author will not assume
responsibility for any data mishaps.  Feel free to send comments,
suggestions, or bug reports.  Registered users who donate at least
$5.00 will receive notice of program updates.  Please include your
CompuServe, Internet, and/or Prodigy ID numbers if you subscribe to
them.

Feel free to upload DLRK24.ZIP to any BBS you like, as long as you
include all the original files.  The original data files and SETUP.DNL
are described at the top of this document.  Please be sure to include
the *original* data files and the original SETUP.DNL, not your own
modified files.  If you no longer have the original DLRK24.ZIP, or the
original data files and SETUP.DNL file, you can easily create them by
using the first several paragraphs of this document as a guide.  If you
do not include the proper files in the proper form, then anyone who
acquires your upload might run into trouble, especially if they don't
read DLRK24.DOC.  Also, do not upload Download Recordkeeper without
including this documentation file.


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to Bob O'Lary for his specific advice and for his general
words of wisdom.  (Call Bob's BBS at 904-656-6178, 8-N-1.)

Telix Copyright (C) 1986-93 deltaComm Development, PO Box 1185, Cary,
NC 27512.

Download Recordkeeper was written with MS QuickBasic 4.50.  I hope
the program proves useful to you.  It works great for me.

Thanks for supporting the shareware concept!  Only you can make
shareware work!


THE END