RBBS in a Box Volume 1 #2

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ RBBS in a Box Volume 1 #2 / RBBS_vol1_no2.iso / 014r / pdel12.zip / PDEL.DOC next >

Wrap

Text File | 1987-01-07 | 15KB | 449 lines

P D E L E T E by Norm Patriquin Version 1.2 January 1987 Questions and support -- Patriquin's BBS 714-369-9766 (data) Copyright 1986 by Norm Patriquin Table of Contents What is PDELETE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Command Mode Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Registration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Problems and Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Version History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Page 1 What is PDELETE --------------- PDELETE is an advanced Delete command to be used in DOS operating systems. It may be used in place of the DOS Erase and Delete command or instead of it. Like other Patriquin utilities, PDELETE gives you more control of command processing and provides a much safer way to process files. PDELETE also provides several features not found with the standard DOS command. Unlike other delete utilities, PDELETE does support DOS paths and wildcards. It keeps you aware of what files are being processed and provides an emergency stop feature just in case you have started something you feel is wrong. PDELETE's file selection parameters provide you with numerous options for specifying the files to be deleted. You may select by directory, file, date, attribute, size, and even starting and ending filename. Page 2 Features: --------- ** Advanced file selection ** Emergency STOP by pressing any key ** Delete entire directories and remove them from disk ** Optionally wipe file data from disk during delete to prevent it from being recovered by unauthorized person. ** Optional verify feature lets you approve each file before it is deleted ** Optionally deletes HIDDEN / SYSTEM / READONLY files ** Delete files until specified freespace is available Page 3 Command Parameters ------------------ PDELETE allows several command parameter switches to be specified to customize the process. All these parameters are optional. The command format and switch parameters are described below. A quick review of command parameters is always available by entering the PDEL command with no parameters. COMMAND FORMAT: PDEL filespec [ (/ switches) ] filespec Enter a DOS file specification. Pathnames and standard DOS wildcard characters are allowed. /A Archive - Selects only files that have been marked updated by DOS. This flag is updated by DOS whenever a files is processed with an intent to change or create new data. Page 4 /D:[(]xxx Date. Select files based on the relationship between [)] their last update date and the date specified. This [=] parameter includes a date or number of days value. It may also contain a modifier that reverses or modifies the use of the date specified. When xxx contains a date the date is compared to the last update date of the file. The last update date of the file is the date contained in its directory entry. The file is selected if the condition specified by the condition modifier is met. The condition modifier meanings are: '(' = Select files whose date is older than the date specified. ')' = Select files whose date is newer than the date specified. '=' = Select files whose date is equal to the date specified. If the condition modifier is not specified, ')' is assumed. Date values may be specified in any of the following formats: MM/DD/YY MM-DD-YY DDMMMYY 12/31/80 12-31-80 31DEC80 If xxx contains a numeric value, that positive number is used to calculate a date value a number of days prior to the current date. Then that date is used as in the calculation above. Example: /D:(1JAN86 - Process files updated before 1JAN86 /D:)1JAN86 - Process files updated after 1JAN86 /D:=1JAN86 - Process files updated 1JAN86 /D:(5 - Process files modified prior to 5 days ago /D:)5 - Process files modified within the last 5 days /D:=5 - Process files modified 5 days ago Page 5 /DI Delete the disk DIrectory specified in the command. This will remove the directory, all files within it and all the directories and files subordinate to it. Only use this as a stand alone parameter. Use a command like the following one to remove a directory from your disk: PDEL \OLDDIR /DI -- or -- PDEL \OLDDIR\*.* /DI /F:file First. Indicates that processing is not to start until the specified full filename is encountered in the scan of the directory. /FS:nnnn Freespace. PDELETE will delete files as long as there is less than nnnn thousand (nnnn * 000) of free space available on the disk. This is very helpful for cleaning up disks but retaining as many files as possible. /L:file Last. Indicates that processing is to stop after the specified full filename is encountered in the scan of the directory. The file specified will be processed if it matches selection criteria. /M Stop screen from scrolling from scrolling past the end without user intervention (MORE). /O Indicates that all filenames except those matching the filename specified on the input command are to be selected for processing. /P Pause before each file is updated to allow user to approve or reject the action for each file. Page 6 /RO Include files marked with DOS readonly attribute. /RE If the file to be deleted has a DOS attribute of Hidden, System, or Readonly, REset it so proper delete may occur. /SF Include files marked with DOS System attribute. /SZ: [(] [)] nnn Select a file based on its size. The left paren indicates that files less than the indicated size are to be selected. The right paren indicates to select files greater than the size. If right or left paren are not specified, a left paren is assumed. Following are examples. /SZ:100 -- Select files less than 100 characters /SZ:(100 -- Select files less than 100 characters /SZ:)100 -- Select files greater than 100 characters /T Test the command. Use this switch when you would like to test the command entered without actually updating any files. Messages will indicate what will happen if the command is executed without the /T switch. /W For data security, erase all disk areas that contain the file when it is deleted. This will prevent unauthorized users from recovering the file or examining its data by using special disk utilities. Page 7 Examples: Delete all *.BAK files on current default drive PDEL *.BAK /S Delete all *.BAK files over 30 days old PDEL *.BAK /S/D:(30 Remove directory \ACCTING1 from drive a: PDEL A:\ACCTING1 /DI Page 8 Registering PDELETE ------------------- PDELETE is distributed under the Shareware concept. This makes it available for anyone to try without obligation. If you decide it is useful and want to keep it, I ask that you register your use of it. This will allow for continued support and maintenance of the program and will help to encourage that more quality software be made available through this channel. We require all corporate and government users of this utility register their copies. To simply register the program, $15 is requested. If you would like the newest program disk and a copy of the manual send $30. If you would like to register all the Patriquin utilities, and receive programs on disk and manuals, send $45. Send registration requests to: Norm Patriquin P.O. Box 8308 San Bernardino, CA 92412 The registration charge is a one time fee that entitles you to all future versions of the product. These may either be obtained from normal Shareware sources or directly from me. Any organization ordering more than 100 copies is also entitled to telephone support and will be given the technical support number. Following is a form that may be used to register PDELETE. Page 9 PDELETE Registration Version 1.2 Please Register PDELETE to the following person. We will use ____ copies of the program and have enclosed $____ for each copy to be used. ************************************************************** _____ Registration only.............................. $15.00 _____ Registration, program disk and manual.......... $30.00 _____ Registration of all Patriquin Utilities with program disks and manuals................... $45.00 _____ Update of newest Patriquin Utility disk with manual. ................................... $15.00 ************************************************************** Name: __________________________________________________ Company: _______________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ City: ______________________________ State: ___________ Zip: ______________________ I obtained my copy of PDELETE from: ____________________________ If BBS indicate name and number please._________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Please register the software under the following name: ____________________________________________________ Send to: Norm Patriquin P.O. Box 8308 San Bernardino, CA 92412 Page 10 P D E L E T E Problems and Maintenance ------------------------ For online support -- Call Patriquin's BBS 714-369-9766 I welcome all comments or enhancement suggestions. Please document each item clearly and provide printed examples if possible. Please be sure to include this form with all requests, it will help to make sure we can provide you with the best possible service. Name: __________________________________________________________ Company: _______________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ City: __________________________________ State: _______________ Zip: ______________________________ Telephone: _______ / ________________________ (Home / Work) Date: _________________________ Description of problem or enhancement: ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Suggested solution: ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Page 11 P D E L E T E Program Maintenance: -------------------- Version 1.0 October 10, 1986 Version 1.2 January 6, 1987 -- Corrected bug that sometimes incorrectly processed filenames without extension names. -- Added /FS parm to delete until spec freespace is available.