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MANUAL.TXT
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1992-04-12
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The Command Line Utilities
Version 1.99
by
Erik Skamser
1406 S. Marengo Avenue
Forest Park, Illinois 60130
ph. (708) 771-8931
CompuServe 70521,260
(c)1989, 1990, 1991
All Rights Reserved
INTRODUCTION
------------
The Command Line Utilities is a set of some simple programs that make working
on personal computers -- at the DOS command line -- just a little easier.
At the time of my first release of The Command Line Utilities, the popular
GUI's such as Microsoft Windows and OS/2 were still inadequate for getting real
work done. Today Windows v3.1 has changed all that; however, there are still
computer users who prefer the DOS command line and there are certainly also
many, many very useful PC's too old and underpowered for Windows which will
remain in service for a long time to come.
This is version 1.99 of The Command Line Utilities (I have fixed some bugs
and added some enhancements from user suggestions since version 1.0 was
introduced in November 1989). These utilities were created with the idea that
often the simplest programs are the best. They are meant to be useful and
intuitively obvious, so that recourse to the manual (such as it is) will seldom
be necessary.
MOVE.EXE
--------
Have you ever understood why there isn't a DOS file called MOVE? I haven't.
So I wrote a MOVE utility; actually two of them (see MOVESAFE.EXE).
MOVE.EXE does just what you'd think it would; you just type
MOVE [d:][path]filename [d:][path]filename
and the file(s) are moved. The DOS wildcards * and ? are supported. If you
wish to move a file into the current (default) directory, there's no need to
repeat the filename; the file will be copied into the current directory and
the original file deleted, if and only if the copy is successful. Further,
MOVE.EXE will only overwrite a file with a file the same age or newer. It
checks the file creation dates to be sure you're not replacing a newer file
with an older one. But be careful not to move a file from and to the current
directory. "MOVE filename.ext" (when filename.ext is already in the current
directory) will copy AND THEN DELETE the file! It does warn you first; if you
see the "Careful!..." error message, please do be careful. This is the
situation it refers to. Simply press the letter C while holding down the Ctrl
key to abort the process -- and save your file.
The usual DOS rules for copying and deleting apply. So be careful; I once did
this:
MOVE filename.ext \utils
but I misspelled the name of the directory (it was \util). I ended up with my
file in the root directory of the current drive, renamed "utils"!
MOVESAFE.EXE
------------
I wrote MOVESAFE.EXE out of a fear that I might have two completely different
files with the same name; it does happen sometimes. How many READ.ME files
have you seen, for example?
MOVESAFE.EXE takes the safety feature of MOVE.EXE (overwriting files only with
newer versions) one step further and refuses ever to overwrite any file with
the same name.
However, there's a price to pay for this; you must always specify the target
filename with MOVESAFE.EXE. If you don't specify two complete filenames,
MOVESAFE.EXE will refuse to do anything at all. So if you don't mind a little
extra typing, MOVESAFE.EXE will provide that little bit of added security. As
with MOVE.EXE, the syntax is:
MOVESAFE [d:][path]filename [d:][path]filename
You may want to rename MOVESAFE.EXE to MOVE.EXE (or just M.EXE) for
convenience.
EXTRACT.EXE
-----------
Have you ever had trouble remembering the syntax to use in extracting a .ZOO
file as opposed to a .ZIP file as against a .PAK file? How about a file
you've just downloaded from your favorite BBS which has an .SDN extension?
Well all of the programs needed to make these compressed files functional with
all of their different command-line switches can be confusing. So I wrote
EXTRACT.EXE which does it all for you!
EXTRACT.EXE works with the appropriate shareware programs to automatically
extract .ARC, .ZIP, .PAK, .SDA, .SDN, .DWC, .LZH, and .ZOO files. All you
have to remember now is that you must type:
EXTRACT [d:][path]filename
or, if you want to extract the contents of the archive to a different drive
and/or directory:
EXTRACT [d:][path]filename d:\path
and be sure not to use the filename extension, since EXTRACT.EXE determines
that for you. That's it!
EXTRACT.EXE doesn't do all the work of extracting these files by itself; it
relies on the programs written by the authors of the various compression
formats to work with it to do the job. The file names required to be in a
subdirectory listed in your PATH along with the complete shareware files that
contain them are as follows for each format:
Extension File Name Parent File
--------- --------- -----------
.ARC PAK.EXE and PAK.CNF PAK251.EXE
.ZIP PKUNZIP.EXE PKZ110.EXE
.PAK PAK.EXE and PAK.CNF PAK251.EXE
.SDA PAK.EXE and PAK.CNF PAK251.EXE
.SDN PAK.EXE and PAK.CNF PAK251.EXE
.ZOO LOOZ.EXE LOOZ210.ZIP
.DWC DWC.EXE DWC501.EXE
.LZH LHA.EXE LHA213.EXE
.ARJ ARJ.EXE ARJ222.ZIP
Please note that if the appropriate shareware files are not in your path you
will get a "Bad command or filename" error message when using EXTRACT.EXE and
your file will not be extracted.
PRINTIT.EXE
-----------
By first logging onto the drive and directory that contains The Command Line
Utilities (in particular, PRINTIT.EXE and MANUAL.TXT) and typing PRINTIT, the
manual will automatically print out on your printer.
REGISTRATION
------------
Please register your copy of The Command Line Utilities if you find one or
more of them useful. A good rule of thumb is that if you find yourself using
them even occasionally after 30 days, register. If, however, you've deleted
them from your hard drive... well, then don't register.
Registration is $5.00 for the complete set, and will get you (optionally) a
disk with the most recent version of all the utilities plus the on-disk
manual.
If you would also like the shareware file extraction utilities listed above,
enclose an additional $2.00 and I will send them to you as well. I have no
connection whatsoever with the authors of those shareware programs and I
provide them in their original forms simply as a convenience to you. There
are additional registration fees connected with these programs.
You may fill out the form at the end of this manual as an easy way to
register.
DISCLAIMER
----------
The Command Line Utilities are provided as-is, with absolutely no guarantee or
warranty of any kind. There is no verbal or implied warranty and none should
be inferred. The author cannot be held responsible for any damages resulting
from the use of any of The Command Line Utilities.
REGISTRATION FORM
-----------------
===============================================================================
REGISTRATION FORM
The Command Line Utilities
Version 1.99
_____ I enclose $_____ for _____ copies of The Command Line Utilities @ $5.00.
_____ $2.00 is also enclosed for one copy of all of the shareware extracting
utilities PK361.EXE, PKZ110.EXE, PAK251.EXE, DWC501.EXE, LHA213.EXE,
ARJ222.ZIP and LOOZ210.ZIP (or newer versions).
Send me [] two 360K 5.25" or [] one 1.2M 5.25" or [] one 720K 3.5" disk(s)
NAME ________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________________
CITY_____________________________________STATE_______________ZIP_____________
Please make your check or money order payable to Erik Skamser and mail to:
Erik Skamser
1406 S. Marengo Avenue
Forest Park, IL 60130
Where did you learn about The Command Line Utilities? (Please be specific):
Comments:
===============================================================================