DiskCat is a Control Panel Device/Extension which catalogs any or all of a Macintosh╒s 3 1/2 floppy diskettes onto it╒s system╒s startup hard drive. It updates the catalog as one adds or deletes files from the diskettes as per the options that are set up in the DiskCat Control Panel. Except for the initial load needed to store the diskettes╒s file information into the DiskCat Catalog, one does not have to load all their diskettes each time to learn where their files are located. DiskCat has all that information already in the Catalog with all the changes one has made since the last diskette was ejected from the system. DiskCat will help keep track of all the files on all the diskettes that one uses for their system, thus providing for maximum free space on one╒s hard drive and accessibility to the offline files on the diskettes. DiskCat is compatible with both of Apple Macintosh╒s Operating Systems, System 6.x and 7.x.
The purpose of DiskCat is to keep track of less important or backup files that are on diskettes in a catalog on the hard drive and free up space on the hard drive for more important work. DiskCat accomplishes this by storing the file name images, not the physical files on the hard drive. There is no application to start up to view the DiskCat Catalog. DiskCat uses the Macintosh╒s File System (HFS - Hierarchical File System), which means that one accesses the catalog by using the Macintosh╒s FINDER. Also by using the FINDER to view the catalog, one does not have to pop diskettes in and out of the MAC to find files. The Macintosh╒s Desk Accessory (DA) FIND FILE can be used to search the catalog to locate the diskettes in which the files are on. Likewise Applications that read a hard drive╒s Macintosh File System for file reports, can read the catalog to get file reports on what is on the diskettes without spending the time popping in and out the diskettes for the report.
Along with maintaining the features of prior versions, DiskCat has also added some new ones. The most important one is that the DiskCat Catalog is now in color. See the Section called Version 3.0 Enhancements to DiskCat for information.
DISKCAT INSTALLATION
Move DiskCat cdev into the Systems Folder on the Macintosh.
If using System 7 move the cdev into the Control Panels Folder of the Macintosh╒s System Folder.
Restart the Macintosh.
DiskCat is shipped with it╒s features turned off. (A X appears thru the DiskCat Icon)
To turn on DiskCat:
Go into the Control Panel Menu Entry on the Apple Icon.
Access the DiskCat Control Panel.
Under DISKCAT OPTIONS, a Pop-up Menu exists:
Select the DiskCat Option desired (Check DiskCat Options).
In DISKCAT CATALOG SETUP, another Pop-up Menu exists:
Setup your DiskCat Catalog as you prefer.
If a name change on the catalog is desired, update Catalog Name.
Close Control Panel.
There is no need to restart the MAC again since the newly selected options will take effect immediately.
Insert a diskette into the MAC, eject the diskette.
Open the Startup Hard Drive.
On the initial level (first level) a folder should be present with the DiskCat
Catalog Name as per the Control Panel Setup. If not, close all Startup Hard Drive windows and open them again. Open the DiskCat Catalog Folder. Inside the catalog folder is a folder for each diskette loaded and ejected by it╒s internal label name. Each diskette folder contains all the folders and file images that the diskette currently holds.
** NOTE **
If upgrading DiskCat to Version 3.0, the current catalog may have to be deleted (dragged to the Trash Can) and a new DiskCat Catalog created, if any the the new 3.0 options are going to be used.).
** NOTE **
If upgrading from System 6.x to System 7.x and are currently using a DiskCat Version 3.0 created catalog, one does not have to delete the catalog as part of the upgrade from System 6 to System 7 unless you are changing the any of the DiskCat Ver 3.0 options. The DiskCat Catalog should show the System 7 DiskCat Icons automatically when the Mac comes up under System 7.
DISKCAT OPTIONS:
TURN OFF DISKCAT
This option turns off DiskCat. No diskette cataloging occurs.
UPDATE IF IN CATALOG
This option updates diskettes only if they already exist in the DiskCat Catalog.
PROMPT TO CATALOG
This option will issue a prompt to the Macintosh Operator to see if they want to catalog this diskette.
CATALOG ALL DISKS
This option catalogs all diskettes that the Macintosh System accesses.
DISKCAT CATALOG SETUP:
SHOW ICON AT STARTUP
This option shows the DiskCat Icon at System Startup Time.
USE DISKCAT ICONS
Have the DiskCat Catalog use the DiskCat Icons. Note: This option controls the COLORIZE DISKCAT ICONS option.
SHOW DISKETTE FREE SPACE
Have the DiskCat Catalog generate an Icon showing the Free Space left on a diskette (File is placed inside the Diskette Directory on the Catalog).
SHOW DISKETTE USED SPACE
Have the DiskCat Catalog generate an Icon showing the Used Space left on a diskette(File is placed inside the Diskette Directory on the Catalog).
SHOW CATALOG DATE
Have the DiskCat Catalog generate an Icon showing the Date that a diskette was last used or cataloged(File is placed inside the Diskette Directory on the Catalog).
COLORIZE DISKCAT ICONS
If the Macintosh has Color Quickdraw and has a Color Monitor, All the DiskCat Icons can be setup to use color. Note: To run this option USE DISKCAT ICONS must be turned on. Note: Some of the DiskCat Icons will show up in color even if USE DISKCAT ICONS is turned off. Note: This option will be greyed if the Macintosh does not support Color Quickdraw or does
VERSION 3.0 DISKCAT ICONS
╩
VERSION 3.0 ENHANCEMENTS TO DISKCAT
DiskCat Catalog Icons can be set up in color.
DiskCat Catalog shows how much Used/FreeSpace are on each diskette.
DiskCat Catalog shows a last catalog date, useful for determining when the last file backups have been made.
Option to turn on or off and select which DiskCat Options wanted, based on the needs of each Macintosh User╒ Computer System and Hard Drive FreeSpace. This option is designed to let the user determine how much space will be used by DiskCat. See DiskCat Catalog Space Consumption.
DISKCAT CATALOG SPACE CONSUMPTION
The objective of DiskCat is for a Macintosh User to see Offline Files thru the Finder without the aid of Application Program and for DiskCat files to use minium Hard Drive Storage for the user to see all their files. The options for the user to determine how to view the DiskCat Catalog varies based on cosmetics of the Catalog and amount of free space on the Hard Drive which holds the Catalog. Studies were done on DiskCat with 10 HD Diskettes to determine Hard Drive Space Usage in three views: 1) No options selected except the Free Space Flag, Used Space Flag and Catalog Date, 2) Use of DiskCat Icons, with the Free Space Flag, Used Space Flag and Catalog Date (the color option was turned off), 3) Everything turned on. Below are the results of the studies.
In all three views the ten diskettes contained 293 files using 9,830K and had 4,265K free left in the diskettes.
View 1 Catalog created 30 additional DiskCat Support Files and used 117K to show the Diskettes on the Hard Drive. This is an increase of 1.19% or a savings of 98.81% if the actual files existed on the Hard Drive.
View 2 Catalog created 78 additional DiskCat Support Files and used 264K to show the Diskettes on the Hard Drive. This is an increase of 2.69% or a savings of 97.31% if the actual files existed on the Hard Drive.
View 3 Catalog created 78 additional DiskCat Support Files and used 994K to show the Diskettes on the Hard Drive. This is an increase of 10.11% or a savings of 89.89% if the actual files existed on the Hard Drive.
Please note that using Color for all the DiskCat Icons increases almost 10 times over view 1 and 5 times over view 2. Also as there is smaller files and more of them with more folders, DiskCat File Space Usage goes up. The average file size in this test was 33.5K.
On a full blown system with DiskCat using color, the Catalog contained 95 diskettes which had 2,098 files using 81,453K and having 33,720K free on the diskettes. The Catalog incurred an additional 716 DiskCat Support Files using 7,530K of Hard Drive Space for 9.24% or a savings of 90.76%.
DISKCAT WARNING
DiskCat was designed to use the Macintosh╒s FINDER or FIND FILE to help locate files on diskettes. To correctly locate the physical diskette that the file is on, the diskette volume name must be unique and the volume internal name must match the external label in the diskette. If diskettes have duplicate volume names, but different files residing on each diskette, DiskCat will only keep the most recent diskette in the catalog, since it has no other way of knowing that a duplicate volume name exists. If a large number of physical diskettes exist, a numbering and external labeling strategy may be needed to keep diskette volume naming unique.
Some letters have asked if separate folders could be created in the DiskCat Catalog to hold the diskette image files instead of in the Catalog, based on user criteria, all diskettes a Certain Application, Business Function, etc. Currently the answer is no, since DiskCat cannot discern between diskette names(labels) and user defined folders on the next level of the Catalog Directory. Also having DiskCat look thru User Define Folders, may slow down DiskCat significantly. However the idea is being looked into. One idea is to create a stand-along folder on the diskette with the user criteria. Put nothing in the folder. Catalog the Diskette. Do a Find File with the user criteria. The folder shows up under the Diskette Label Name. Do a repeat find and find all the diskettes tied to that criteria. This is great idea if certain diskettes are for backing up certain files. Create a stand-alone folder in all the Diskettes called Backup. Now you can find all your backup diskettes.
Some letters have expressed problems with DiskCat Control Panel and ejecting diskettes simultaneously. Currently DiskCat design includes that the DiskCat Control Panel and the DiskCat Extension to read the same file. So both cannot use the file at the same time. DiskCat is not an application. You set up your DiskCat Options thru the Control Panel and then close out the panel and go on to your business. Meanwhile DiskCat handles your diskette cataloging based on how you set up the Control Panel, without you being involved as you eject your diskettes.
The minimum Hardware Requirements are a MAC PLUS and a 20 Meg Hard Drive. DiskCat has been tested and free of all known bugs. It is presented without warranty of any kind and user agrees to hold program author harmless if DiskCat does not perform satisfactory.
DiskCat is SHAREWARE. Distribute it freely among your friends as long as this program and notice have not been altered.It can not be sold without written consent of the author. If it helps to organize your diskette files please send $25 Dollars (USA) to address below. Please note: That all checks must be drawn on US Banks. Because of bank fees, there is a two week turnaround time for out of town checks and one week for local.
If you have any ideas of improvement, bugs or comments, please send to:
