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- File Commander/2 V0.1
- ---------------------
-
- File Commander/2 is intended to be an OS/2 version of the popular Norton
- Commander(tm) DOS program. It implements a subset of the features provided by
- Norton Commander but adds some features of its own that are only possible
- under OS/2.
- This is a preliminary release of File Commander/2. I have released it to
- get some feedback as to how many people are interested in this type of
- program. The software is currently free, however any donations will be
- gratefully accepted. The more support I get (especially monetary), the more
- likely it'll be that I'll continue development of the program. See the end of
- this file for how to contact me.
- I would like to thank the people responsible for the EMX/GCC package,
- especially the video library, for making this program much easier to write.
-
- The following features of Norton Commander are NOT (yet) implemented:
- Online Help
- User Menu
- File search
- File tree
- History window
- Pull down menus and most functions on them
- (there may be some others I've forgotten)
-
- So after all that, you may be wondering what IS implemented? Well here is a
- list of keys and their functions:
-
- F1: Brings up the .inf file(s) of your choice. (See section on Configuration)
-
- F3: Views the current file with the viewer of your choice (no internal).
-
- F4: Edits the current file with the editor of your choice (no internal).
-
- F5: Copies the current file or currently tagged files. Default destination
- directory is that of the opposite panel.
-
- F6: As above but moves the file(s).
-
- F7: Make a directory. You are prompted for the name of the directory.
-
- F8: Delete current file or tagged files. There is a double confirmation on
- a tagged file delete.
-
- F10:Exit program.
-
- Esc: Clear command line.
-
- Tab: Switch cursor between panels.
-
- Ctrl-E: Scroll back through command history. Note that this wraps around.
- ie pressing Ctrl-E when the oldest command is showing will bring up
- the newest command.
-
- Ctrl-X: Scroll forward through command history.
-
- Ctrl-R: Re-read the current panel. (Useful if you changed a floppy or if
- another process has altered the directory contents.
-
-
- Ctrl-J: Insert name of current file into command line or if there is a
- non-space character before the cursor searches history. Note that
- only text before the cursor is used when looking for a match in
- history. Note also that if pressed again, the next match from history
- will be recalled. This key alters the history position used by Ctrl-E
- and Ctrl-X.
-
- Ctrl-Enter: Same as Ctrl-J.
-
- Enter: Execute command line, or if command line is empty, execute current
- file. If the file matches an association, then the program associated
- with it will be used on the file (See Section on Configuration).
-
- Alt-Enter: Same as above but the executable is run in a separate session.
-
- Ctrl-O: Turn panels On/Off. Useful if you want to see the output of the
- program you just ran or if you just want a command line for a while.
-
- Ctrl-\: Moves to the root directory of the current drive.
-
- Ctrl-L: Toggles drive information panel on/off. Shows drive total space, free
- space, number of files and total bytes occupied by current directory.
-
- Insert: Tag current file and move cursor down.
-
- Home: Moves cursor to the first file on the panel.
-
- End: Moves cursor to the last file on the panel.
-
- Ctrl-Home: Moves command line cursor to the start of the line.
-
- Ctrl-End: Moves command line cursor to the end of the line.
-
- Cursor Up/Down: Moves the cursor up or down one file name. Will scroll window
- if necessary. Also if panels are off, scrolls through history.
-
- Cursor Left/Right: Moves the command line cursor.
-
- Grey +: Tag files by wildcard. Note that this uses REAL wildcards.
- ie "*" matches EVERYTHING, "*x*" matches everything with an 'x' in it,
- "??*" matches everything with 2 or more characters, etc.
-
- Grey -: Same as above, only UNTAGS.
-
-
-
-
- Why use File Commander/2 instead of Norton Commander in a DOS session?
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- FC/2 offers the following benefits over Norton Commander in a VDM:
-
- HPFS long filename support. Long names can be seen and used wherever
- you would expect. Also if no files are tagged, up to 36 characters
- of the current file name are displayed at the bottom of the panel.
- If file name is to long to fit in the file name column of the panel,
- the first 12 characters are shown with an arrow indicating there is
- more. Also the case of file names isn't lost.
-
- Can execute OS/2 programs (PM and text mode) as well as DOS and Windows
- programs.
-
- Can spawn off child processes (Run commands in a separate session).
-
- Doesn't hog CPU time when idle.
-
- Better wildcards.
-
- Copy/Move will handle a directory tree if the source file name is a
- directory. (Note: if moving a tree between drives (or partitions), the
- source directory is not deleted, yet...to be fixed).
-
- Starts up faster (no VDM to start).
-
- Uses less system resources than a DOS session. (a VDM uses ~1MB of
- system memory).
-
- Association by wildcard instead of just extension.
-
-
-
-
- Configuration
- -------------
- Configuration is done with the file fc.ini which must be in the same
- directory as fc.exe. It contains statements in the form:
-
- keyword=value
-
- to set a configuration setting (see below for valid forms) or
-
- wildcard:program
-
- to create an association. The effect of this is to use "program" on any file
- matching "wildcard" when ENTER is pressed on the file.
-
- e.g.
-
- *.zip:unzip
- *.inf:view
- *.ico:iconedit
- *.zoo:zoo x
- *.tif*:pmview
- (matches both x.tif and x.tiff, not actually sure if pmview handles tiffs...)
-
-
- Do NOT use spaces around the '=' or ':' or at the start of the line.
- Any line not containing an '=' or ':' will be ignored entirely.
- Do not use quotes around string values. (used below for clarity only)
-
- Configuration keywords are:
-
- background String prepended to a command to start it in a separate
- session. Default "start /f /c"
-
- editor name of editor used when F4 is pressed. Default is "e"
-
- help names .inf files viewed by pressing F1.
- eg 4os2.inf+cmdref.inf
-
- hidden=on/off Specifies if hidden files will show up. Default off.
-
- numlock=on/off Specifies if numlock should be fixed on or not (affects both
- FC/2 and any program started by FC/2.
- Note: does NOT word for a windowed session as PM keeps its own
- idea of keylock status.
-
- right directory that the right panel starts in. The left panel is
- always the current directory.
-
- viewer name of file viewer used when F3 is pressed. Default is "list"
- as in the one built into 4os2.
-
-
-
- Contacting the Author
- ---------------------
- I would appreciate some feedback including bug reports, suggestions, most
- missed NC features etc.
- You can contact me by either of the following means:
-
- Internet: s902150@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au
- (at least until end of 1993)
-
- Snail Mail: Brian Havard
- 16a Rennison St,
- Mordialloc 3195,
- Victoria
- AUSTRALIA
-
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Since this software is free, it is supplied WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
- without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
- A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. It is supplied as is, in the hope that people
- will find it useful.
-
- You are free to copy this software ONLY if you include this document file with
- it. You may NOT charge anyone for a copy of this software other than a small
- copying fee. You may NOT include this software with any commercial software
- without the consent of the author.
-
- Norton Commander is a trademark of Symantec Corporation.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
- Release History
- ---------------
- 22/4/93 v0.1 Initial Release
-