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1993-01-12
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*******************************
* *
* CMFiler -- Version 5.35c *
* *
*******************************
Changes Since Version 5.22:
The following features have been added or improved since Version 5.22, in
reverse chronological order:
o In the main module, the file date/time change service has been
expanded to permit mass date/time setting by tagging a
collection of files, and pressing Alt-F as before. If files
are tagged, the user must then confirm the desire to have all
tagged files set to the same date/time stamp. The default
values in the data entry windows are taken from the topmost
tagged file in the listing. (5.35c)
o The logic which retains knowledge of the current cursor
position in the target directory during directory-altering
operations, such as file copying, has been refined to remove
some anomalies. (5.35c)
-----
o In the editor, to support easier updating of the on-disk file
copy during long editing sessions, a fourth option has been
added to the Escape sequence -- "Return to editor? (y/n)", with
the default set to N, since in most cases the user wants to
leave the editor. So to update the on-disk copy of the file
being edited, the following keystrokes might be used in the
middle of the editing session: Esc-Enter-Enter-Enter-Y.
(5.35b)
o In the main services file module, pressing Enter to view a
.ZIP, .LZH, .ARJ or .ARC file displays a listing of the names
of all the files compressed in that archive file (maximum of 60
file names). (5.35b)
o In the main file services module, user now has the option to
continue copying or moving tagged files after a disk file
creation/write/read error, rather than having the operation
automatically cancelled. Also, the error trapping routines
were updated and one anomaly corrected. (5.35b)
-----
o Different users on a network may now specify their own
configuration through the environment, by setting the
environment parameter CF-CFG before running the network copy of
CMFiler. For example, User 1 is assigned logical drive U in
the network, and User 2 drive V. CF.COM and .OVY are on drive
C. User 1 could execute CMFiler with a batch file that reads:
SET CF-CFG=U:\SETTINGS\CF.CFG
C:\PROGS\CF
and User 2, using the same copy of CF.COM and .OVY, could
execute:
SET CF-CFG=V:\CONFIGS\CMFILER.CFG
C:\PROGS\CF
In these two cases, of course, U:\SETTINGS and V:\CONFIGS must
be valid, existing paths. The files CF.CFG and CMFILER.CFG
need not already exist. If it does not find the file in the
path, CMFiler will create the file the first time configuration
data is saved. (5.35a)
o Because of the incompatibility of the I/O buffer clearing
feature with DR DOS, a safeguard was added that detects DR DOS,
and blocks the buffer clearing option even if invoked by the
user. (5.35a)
o The "trash can" directory for "soft-deleted" files has been
renamed from "CF_TRASH.CAN" to "~TRASH~" for two reasons: in
at least one case, a user's configuration included a TSR that
caused system hangups in the presence of directories with an
extension in their name (even though this is a perfectly legal
DOS naming convention); and several users asked for a new
trash can name that would appear as the last directory of their
listing, rather than in the middle of the listing.
***NOTE***: This will be a nuisance to previous users the first
time running Version 5.35a or later, but will be worth it in
the long run for the neater directory list it will bring.
(5.35a)
o The upper limit of directory size was increased to 2400 in the
main file services module, and the sorting algorithm changed
from a bubblesort to a quicksort for improved speed. (5.35a)
o In the editor, the action of the Home and End keys has been
expanded as follows: the first press of Home/End goes to
beginning/end of line, if not already there; the second press
goes to top/bottom of page; the third press goes to
beginning/end of file. (5.35a)
o A function "Refresh panel from disk" (Shift-R) was added to the
main file services module, used when you change disks in a
drive as a one-keysytoke alternative to N and the drive letter.
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-2
The similar function which already existed in the tree module
was remapped from Alt-R to Shift-R for consistency. (5.35a)
-----
o A new user option has been added to the Shift-O option facility
to allow turning off the automatic screen saver (5.34d)
o Two new ordering options have been added to the Ctrl-O ordering
facility, to permit ordering by file size, either smaller first
or larger first. (5.34d)
o The file mask (Ctrl M) in the main service module now only
applies to the panel the cursor was in when the mask was
specified. This is so that you can apply different masks to
the two panels. (5.34d)
-----
o The NARATIVE.CF files, containing the file and directory notes,
are well protected from inadvertent overwriting or destruction
within the CMFiler environment. However, there is no provision
for their protection from inadvertent erasure or overwriting in
over environments, such as from the DOS command processor. To
afford some level of protection, a switch has been added to the
user option (Shift-O) screen to let you set the Read-Only
attribute of the NARATIVE.CF files, in addition to the Hide
attribute. Most command processors will prohibit deletion or
writing to Read-Only files. (5.34c)
-----
o In trying other archive utilities in response to recent
requests from users, I have discovered that CMFiler has always
(accidently) supported LHA and ARJ, and perhaps others in
addition to the PKWare utilities, simply because they all use
the same syntax in the command line, namely:
archiver options archivefile file1[,file2,[...]]
To clarify that other archivers may be supported by the Zip and
Unzip commands in the main module, I have revised the help
screen and the F10 user-definition screen. CMFiler still
defaults to PKZIP and PKUNZIP unless otherwise specified.
However, if you want to use ARJ or LHA instead, press Shift-F10
from the main screen, and change both the fields "Compress = "
and " Extract = " to read "ARJ.EXE" or "LHA.EXE". Add the path
to these file specs if ARJ/LHA is not on a path in the DOS path
environment. Also make the "Compress Options = " line read "a"
(this is both ARJ's and LHA's way of knowing you want to add or
create a .ARJ or .LZH archive file), and the
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-3
" Extract Options = " line read "x" (for extract). (Command
line option parameters are necessary with ARJ and LHA because,
unlike the PKWare utilities which have separate compression and
extraction programs, the same program does both functions.)
Use of LHA or ARJ by this facility is the same as use of the
PKWare utilities. To compress, put the directory where you
want the archive file to be created or added to in one panel
and tag the archive file to be added to (if it exists); set up
the other panel with the directory of the files to be archived,
and optionally tag them (if none are tagged, the command line
parameter defaults to *.*); press Z, check and edit the command
line paramters if desired, and press Enter.
Extraction is easier. Set up the target panel in the directory
you want the extracted files to go, put the cursor on the
archive file, press U, check the command line parameters, and
press Enter. (5.34b)
-----
o The naming convention for backup files, created with the
command B in the main module, has been changed so that the
backup file will appear closer alphabetically to the original
file. If the original file has a three character extension,
the third character will be replaced with a tilde (~; ASCII
126). If the extension has less than three characters, it will
be padded with one or two exclamation points (!; ASCII 33), so
that the third character can be a tilde. (5.34a)
o When creating appended files (ie, Alt-tagging several files
followed by the command C to copy to the target, or B to copy
to the source), a default appended file name will be generated
(name of the first file in the append list plus extension APF),
but the user may edit that name before the file is created.
(5.34a)
-----
o In the tree module, while the cursor is in the file list during
a Show files or Goto file command, several commands are
available for disk cleanup that mimic commands in the main
module. Files may optionally be tagged with T or Spacebar, and
then deleted individually (if no tags are set) or as a group
with the D (soft) or Ctrl-D (hard) delete command. The command
A (tagAll) clears any tags set, or sets all tags, as in the
main module. (5.34)
o In the editor, the keypad map to the cursor movement functions
is now independent of Num Lock. Shift-Up/Down Arrow moves to
top/bottom of current video page. Gray+/Gray- function the
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-4
same as Alt-Plus/Alt-Minus, toggling the delimiter and bottom
displays. (5.34)
-----
o Navigation and file-finding in the tree module was revised to
follow the "G" and "Alt-G" conventions of the main module:
(5.33b)
- G ("Goto file") has replaced "F" as the file-finder
command. Pressing "G" commences a filename search, and as each
letter in the filename search string is typed, the tree and
file list dynamically adjust to highlight the matches and
position the cursor to the directory with the first match.
Mode is toggled off with G, Alt-G or Esc.
- Alt-G ("Goto directory") commences a directory name search
in the same fashion. As each letter of the search string is
tpyed, the matches are highlighted dynamically and the display
is adjusted so that the topmost match is show. Mode sets for
both panels, and stays until G, Alt-G or Esc is pressed.
o An anomaly was fixed to let the directory be re-read in its
"natural" DOS order after switching to Order mode 7. (5.33b)
o An anomaly was fixed which prevented CF from checking the
CF_TRASH.CAN directory on execution. (5.33a)
o A workaround was devised for an anomaly in the directory
structure of some netware, that prevented CF from navigating
back through the parent subdirectory in the main module.
(5.33a)
o The ZIP feature was revised to permit the use of either normal
or Alt-tags to denote which files to decompress. (5.33)
o The following improvements were made to the editor: (5.33)
- The notation of typeover/insert mode and wrap/no wrap mode
has been shortened and moved to the upper right corner of the
screen. It stays on the screen when the lower information area
is blanked.
- On color monitors, the lower five lines of text (which
become the top five lines on PgDn) are in red vice white, to
distinguish this area from the "active" video page (the top 20
lines), and to help the eye find its place in the text during
scrolling.
- The exit defaults after editing have been adjusted so that
most users will be able to answer the three questions with
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-5
three strokes of the Enter key most of the time. (Yes, save
this edit; No, don't reuse the date/time stamp from the
original file; No, don't save the original file as *.BKP).
- You may switch from View mode to Edit mode within the
editor, with the combination Alt-S(witch mode).
o In the tree module, on the Show files screen, Enter views the
file (same convention as main module), and Shift-Enter returns
to the main module with the cursor on that file name. (5.33)
-----
o The I/O buffer clearing feature was extended to support MS-DOS
Ver 4 and 5. (5.32b)
o The file 4DOS2CF.COM was added to the CMFiler collection, with
its companion documentation 4DOS2CF.DOC. 4DOS2CF does a
directory-by-directory search and coverts any 4DOS/NDOS notes
(in files called DESCRIPT.ION) into CMFiler format, and appends
them to existing (or creates new) NARATIVE.CF files. This way,
4DOS/NDOS users don't have to reenter all their notes to take
full advantage immediately of CMFiler's notes facility.
(5.32b)
o Memory allocation logic error in the tree module was fixed.
This error resulted in fragmented memory for applications run
from CMFiler after a call to the tree module. (5.32a)
o In the editor, a logic error was corrected which prevented use
of the block move and copy operations when the screen lower
information area was turned off. (5.32a)
o In the editor, The Home and End keys were redefined to move the
cursor to the beginning or end of the line (same as Shift-Left
and Right Arrow), rather than to the top or bottom of the
current screen page, in keeping with the rest of the world.
(5.32a)
o Version number changed to 5.32 to avoid confusion with several
versions of 5.31 released to selected users for beta testing.
(5.32)
-----
o The command line support has been expanded to include an
optional path specification(s) to the directory(ies) initially
displayed and an optional initial file mask, as well as an
optional color attribute setting. The command line syntax is
now as follows, where the square brackets indicate optional
parameters: (5.31)
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-6
cmfiler [pathspec1[\mask] [pathspec2]] [@color]
where "mask" is a file mask of the form "*.ext", and may be
attached to pathspec1 or pathspec2, and color is C, M, L or T
for standard color set, monochrome attribute set, LCD (except
Tandy) and Tandy LCD attribute sets. Parameters are separated
by blanks. The leading "\" may be omitted from the mask if
there is no pathspec in the command line.
Examples of valid command lines might be:
cmfiler c:\assembly\*.doc c:\pcw\letters @t
CF C:\ASSEMBLY C:\WP51\DOCS\*.DOC
cf assembly @c
cf *.exe
cmfiler d:
CF C:\QBASIC A:\QBASIC /*.BAS
o In the tree module, after the delete commands (D for soft
Delete, Ctrl-D for hard Delete), CMFiler marks the deleted
portion of the image of the tree structure in memory so that it
will no longer be shown on the screen, but does not refresh the
tree structure from disk or update the directory size and files
information. This saves time so that you can do several delete
operations without having to wait for the tree structure to be
reread from disk after each deletion. When you finally want to
refresh the tree from disk after one or more deletes, the
command is Alt-R (for Refresh). (5.31)
o In the tree module, a new text searching function is available
for searching for a text string of 25 characters or less, using
up to eight file filters separated by + signs. Preceding a
file filter with the pipe symbol (|) excludes it from the
search. You may restrict the search to files only in the
currently selected block of the tree (the "painted" structure
in the source panel), or expand it to the entire disk. The
search text entry "*" is permitted, which hits any text (useful
in scanning for several filenames at once in text find mode,
instead of individually in file find mode). The command is
"Shift-F" in the tree module. (5.31)
The screen display in file find and text find modes has been
revised to eliminate the use of blinking to signal the presence
of a "hit". The directories containing hits are shown in high
intensity (underlined in monochrome) with "right arrowheads"
(ASCII character 16) in front of them, and the files containing
hits are shown in high intensity (monochrome underline) at the
top of each file list.
Also, while the results of a text search (Shift-F) or file name
search (F) are displayed on the screen, the command Alt-L
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-7
(print tree List) prints a copy of, not the tree structure, but
a listing of the directories containing "hits" and the names of
the files in those directories.
o In the main menu, the function of the tagging options Alt-N and
Alt-O has been changed to "tag all files Newer than the file at
the cursor", and "tag all files Older...". A new tagging
option is added as Alt-D, "tag all files with same Date as file
at cursor". (5.31)
o Esc from the main menu now presents the followup choice of
"Esc to remain in CMFiler, any other key to quit." (5.31)
o A bug has been corrected which precluded running batch files
with command lines. (5.31)
o When shelling out of CMFiler, the DOS prompt has been modified
so that it retains the caller's PROMPT string, and imbeds into
it the string <CMFiler> (CR-LF) so you are reminded you are in
a shell from CMFiler. (5.31)
-----
o The annotation of files backed up with the backup facility
("B") is now that the first character in the extension is the
tilda (~) instead of underscore (_), for readability and to
ensure that backed-up files always follow the original in an
alphabetical listing. Thus the backed-up file to READ-ME.DOC
would be READ-ME.~DO. (5.30)
o The notes facility was expanded to provide for two cases, and
its mnemonic command changed: (5.30)
- The "edit notes" function has been reassigned the command
"Ctl-N" (was "O"), and its operation is much the same as
modified in version 5.28
- A new "view notes" function is added, as "Shf-N", which
displays the notes in the opposite panel covering the file list
for the target directory, but the cursor remains in the source
panel and all the file services are still available, including
copy and move to the target directory. Toggle out of "view
notes" mode with Shf-N or Esc.
o A display option was added ("Ctl-E" for casE) which lets you
display file lists and trees in one of four possible letter
case conventions: (5.30)
- Files and directories all caps
- Files lower case, directories all caps
- A "modified-Tauck" convention, (eg, Read-Me.Doc)
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-8
- Files and directories all lower case.
o In the application launcher, when the command line is shown for
editing just before file execution, you may swap the command
line shown in the window for the last one used in a previous
file execution with Up Arrow, Down Arrow (twice), PgUp or PgDn.
This simplifies multiple execution of the same file with
slightly different command lines, and works with ZIP/UNZIP as
well as user specified applications. (5.30)
o The options screens invoked by Shf-O, Ctl-Enter and Ctl-O were
"spiffed" up. (5.30)
o A separate help screen was added for the edit notes facility,
invoked by F1 or Alt-H from the Ctl-N screen. (5.30)
o The file mask facility was revised to make the method of entry
similar to other data entries, and the default value was
changed from ????????.??? to the simpler *.*. (5.30)
-----
o A logic error that prevented applications launched by CMFiler
from finding the COMSPEC string in the environment was
corrected. (5.29a)
o Improvements were made to the editor as follows (5.29):
- The record delimiter marks are now toggled with "Alt-
Minus" and the bottom display is toggled with "Alt-Plus". The
current states of both of these switches are stored as the
program startup defaults by "Shf-S".
- The line wrapping mode can be toggled between Wrap and
NoWrap with "Alt-W". If this is done while viewing any but the
first section of a very long file, the editor has to go back to
the beginning of the file to avoid confusion when it
reestablishes the array of memory pointers to the text lines.
The current state of this switch is saved as the startup
default by "Shf-S".
o Wolfgang Stiller's Integrity Master system integrity and virus
checking application generates files named ")(.ID" in each
directory, to record signatures of all the files in the
directory for later integrity checking. It is important that
those not be disturbed, and so CMFiler now has a protective
feature that prevents their being overcopyied. (5.29)
o The Home and End key actions in the main file services memu
have been revised slightly, to make navigation from long
directory lists to long file lists easier. If the cursor is in
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-9
a directory list, the first press of End puts the cursor at the
top of the file list, and the second press goes to the end of
the file list. Within a file list, the first press of Home
goes to the top of the file list, and the second to the top of
the directory list. (5.29)
-----
o The file editor is now accessible from the nOtes panel, so you
can take a peek at (or even edit) files while you are looking
at or writing the associated notes. Press Alt-E to Edit, Alt-V
to View. (5.28)
o Tagging files may be done from the nOtes as well. Ctl-T for a
normal Tag (since the letter "T" would be taken as text to be
typed into the note), and Alt-T (as froom file listing screen)
for Alt-Tag. (5.28)
o Improvements have been made to the editor as follows (5.28):
- The algorithm which calculated the display parameter
"Record Number" was not corrected when the line wrap feature
was added. "Record Number" was actually counting the number of
screen lines, and so a record (the material delimited by a
carriage return, line feed or combination) longer than 80
characters might appear to be 2,3,4 etc., records. That is now
corrected.
- The find-string feature has now been made case-
insensitive.
-----
o The configuration file format for version 5.27 is unavoidably
different from that of the interim version 5.26. Users of 5.26
will have to respecify configuration (F1-F9, Hide and Compare
switch settings, etc.) (5.27)
o If there is old "trash" in the trash can directory
TRASH_CAN.CF, CMFiler only asks once each day if you want to
delete or look at it, rather than each time the drive is
selected. (5.27)
o The "Go to..." commands for navigating within a long directory
listing ("G" to go to a file name in a directory list beginning
with a certain character, "Alt-G" to go to a directory name)
have been expanded. Now you can keep typing the name of the
file or directory you are trying to find, and as you type the
second letter, then third, etc., the cursor moves if necessary
to the file described, until the string of characters you have
typed no longer describes a file or directory name, or you
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-10
press Enter or Esc to leave the "Go to" command. The cursor
stays positioned on the last file described by the string you
were typing. (5.27)
-----
o The name has been changed to remove the nuisance underscore
character. In searching for itself and its overlay, it looks
first for CFV if it is the evaluation version, then CF, then
CMFILER. (The evaluation version is identical to the
registration version except that it has an opening screen which
provides a license for 60-day evaluation and information on how
to register.) (5.26)
o You may now edit or view files directly while in the tree
module, without having to exit back to the main module. In the
tree module, press "F" to find files or "S" to show files, and
move up and down the directory tree until you find the
directory of interest. Arrow left or right across to the file
list, move the cursor (dark bar, actually) up or down until it
is on the file of interest, and press "E" or "V", for Edit or
View file. You will be in the editor module directly. Exit
back to the tree module with Esc or, in view mode, Enter. If
you then want to return to the main file services module with
the cursor selected to this file for editing, printing,
execution, etc., just press Enter again. (5.26)
o Rather than overwriting part of the .COM file to record setup
parameters, which forces the user to reestablish the setup
parameters each time a revision to the program is received, a
separate file is created called CMFILER.CFG (or CF.CFG), which
CMFiler will look for each time it runs. This should be kept
on the same path and be given the same name as the .COM file.
(5.26)
o Logic errors have been corrected to make file moving smoother
for the case where there is already a file by the same name in
the target directory. Previously, this case would cause an
error message "Access denied renaming file", which was not too
enlightening. Now, this case is handled just like copying --
if the target file by the same name is older, it is simply
deleted before the newer file is moved in. If it is newer, the
user is asked to confirm that it should be replaced with the
older file. (5.26)
o A choice of four color pallettes in now available for color
monitors. Press "Ctl-P" (for "Pallette"), then roll through
the choices with the spacebar. Esc to cancel any change, Enter
to change the default color set. (5.26)
o A new option setup menu has been added to permit easy
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-11
reconfiguration of a few features. (5.26) It is called by
"Shf-O" (for "Options"), and it presents this menu:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Move cursor with Up/Dn Arrow. Type option desired.
Define F1 as Help? N
Define "D" as HARD Delete? N
Clear I/O buffers if located? N
Overcopy files with same date/time/size? N
Refresh directory contents after Screen Saver? N
Assign Hidden attribute to NARATIVE.CF file? Y
Monitor (C=Color, L=LCD, T=Tandy LCD, M=Mono) C
Press Esc to cancel changes, Enter to accept.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
These seven "switches" represent setup features that various
users have asked for, but that not all users would want. Any
of the first six may be toggled between Y and N by putting the
cursor on it using the Up/DnArr keys, and pressing the
spacebar, or pressing Y or N. The seventh must be set for your
monitor type by pressing one of the key choices. Once you have
reconfigured the way you wish, press Enter. Esc exits with no
changes. Here is an explanation of each feature:
1. The F1 key has been added as a Help call in the editor and
tree modules, and can be so designated for the main module by
resetting this switch to Y. The sacrifice is loss of F1 as a
user-defined application.
2. For those who do not wish to use the "soft" delete feature
nor be bothered with the directory "CF_TRASH.CAN", the "D" key
may be reconfigured to "HARD Delete", identical to "Ctl-D" by
resetting this switch to Y.
3. The I/O buffer clearing feature for data security during
file writing operations runs into problems on some system
configurations with DR DOS 6.0 as the operating system. It has
been set to a default mode that does NOT clear buffers before
writing. If you want to invoke this security feature, you have
to reset this switch to Y.
4. In the default setting, CMFiler does not waste time during
file copy operations overcopying any file in the target path
that are reported by DOS to be the same date/time and size as a
file in the source path. However, sometimes you might want to
mass-overwrite files on a backup directory or disk that are
suspect, even though they may appear to be identical. Just set
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-12
the Overwrite switch to Y.
5. For Windows users, if you run CMFiler in a window, it does
not have any way of knowing when it returns to the foreground
whether any other application has written to the directories
that it is selected to. In the default setting, it does not
refresh the file listing (reread the directory tables).
Windows users may want to reset this switch to Y.
6. Users have asked to be able to specify that the
NARATIVE.CF file, containing the file/directory notes, not be
assigned the hidden attribute. This switch may be reset to N
for this purpose.
7. CMFiler can detect the presence of a true monochrome video
card, and when a monochrome card is present, there is only one
color set available. However, when CMFiler detects a color
card, there is a range of possibilities. The attached monitor
may be an LCD or monochrome monitor, in which case a set of
default color attributes designed for a CGA/EGA/VGA monitor
would be awful. On initial execution, CMFiler establishes what
type of monitor you have atached by forcing a choice. This
setup option lets you change that initial choice if you wish.
o CMFiler now does a rudimentary self-check for integrity each
time it loads. If the file has become corrupted by tampering
or a disk sector gone bad, you will get a message to that
effect and the program will offer you the option of continuing
or terminating. This will detect some of the file-infecting
viruses, as well as corruption by editing or defective media,
but should NOT be counted on as an anti-virus measure. (5.26)
[There is no substitute for a good virus checking/integrity
checking software suite. I recommend the shareware program
Integrity Master by Wolfgang Stiller.]
o A new "Save configuration" command has been added as "Shf-S" to
make saving the current configuration (Hide switch, Compare
mode switch, file Order mode, etc.). This saves all the
current setup data to the .CFG file. (The Options command at
"Shf-O" also calls the same save routine when it exits, so you
do not need to press Shf-S after Shf-O.) (5.26)
o The spacebar has been remapped to tag files. The date/time
display is toggled with the "5%" key. (5.26)
o The editor module has been revised to wrap lines longer than 79
characters, so that there is never any information off-screen.
This makes viewing .COM and .EXE files much easier, and has
little effect on edited text files. This is a display feature
only -- the editor does not insert line delimiters in the text.
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-13
(5.26)
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o The on-screen Help in the main module has been reoganized for
clarity. (5.25)
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o A new file copying option, "copy with rename", has been added
as the command "Alt-R" in the main file services module. It
operates only on the file at the cursor. (5.23)
CMFiler -- Addendum 1-14
