OS/2 Shareware BBS: 6 File/06-File.zip/filef202.zip/filefrdm.hlp

OS/2 Help File | 1999-10-07 | 62KB | 1,998 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Overview ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

To see a list of Contents, press Control+C

General Features

File Freedom is a program designed to help in the organization and movement of
files.  It has features to allow for the examination, compression and
manipulation of files which are intended to simplify and speed this process.
With it's integrated Info-Zip support, it also assists with back-ups of
critical files as well as evaluations of new software.  Create Desktop objects
with the click of a button.

File Freedom provides two different methods for file handling - Drag And Drop
file management with which most users will be familiar, and an alternative file
management method which is described first.

File Freedom's alternative file management method is based on the concept of
'Source' and 'Destination' file movement.  Using Copying a file(s) as an
example:
A destination is chosen for the file movement by moving to the drive and/or
directory desired.  Click on the destination button (or press F7) and the
destination is set.  Then, move to the drive/directory where the file(s) are
stored that must be copied.  Highlight the files and press the copy pushbutton
(or press Control+C).  Simple as that!

It must be remembered that all file movements, whether it is copying or moving
or unzipping, will go the Destination directory.  To copy files to the same
directory, but with a different name, simply make the destination the same as
the source (press F7) and change the file name in the copy dialogue.

Drag and Drop file management is fast and easy.  Selected files can be dragged
to a Drive Letter Icon by holding down the right mouse key, and dropped on the
desired destination drive.  A menu will allow the user to guide the file to the
correct directory. Files may also be dropped on directories in the Directory
Tree window or on directories in the Files Window itself.  If files are dropped
on other file names, they will be treated as though they are being dropped on
the current directory itself.  The default operation is to Move files, but this
can be changed to Copy by holding down the Control key before releasing the
right mouse button.  If the desired operation is to Zip a group of files, or
Unzip a file to a destination, these options are available when the Drag and
Drop dialogue appears after the files are dropped on the Drive Icon.  The Drag
and Drop Dialogue also allows the user to select the directory on the drive
chosen, or to enter a path for a directory not yet created. One important point
to remember is that the mouse pointer must be over one of the selected files
when the drag operation is started.  If it is not, the file underneath the
mouse pointer will be acted on instead.  This allows the user to operate on
single files without selecting them.

File Freedom also uses a split screen which divides the current source into two
views: Directory Tree and Files.  This allows somewhat easier movement between
sub-directories.  Folders in the tree view can be double-clicked on to open
that folder in the files view.  In the files view, double-clicking on a
sub-directory will open that sub-directory in the files view but limits
movement up or down to one level at a time.
Although most operations are initiated from the Files Window, some may also be
started from the Tree Window such as Directory Tree Size, Rename Directory,
Directory Tree Copy and Directory Tree Delete.

The divider that separates the two windows can be adjusted either left or
right.

Fonts and Colors can be dropped on the various parts of the File Freedom
window. These will be saved along with the size and position of the window for
the next time the program starts.

Menu Help

Pop-Up Menu Help

Settings Notebook

Keys

Mouse Usage

Tool Bar

Drive Table

Status Bars

Directory Tree Window

Files Window

Zip Viewer

Installing Other Viewers/Players

Installing User Programs

PMSeek or User Defined Search Tool

Colors and Fonts

Default Settings

Directory Bookmarks

Volume Labels

Refresh Timers

Program and Contact Information


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Key Use and Special Keys

Hot Keys are provided for file manipulation features such as Copy, Move etc.

Pressing any alpha-numeric key, without using the Shift, Ctrl or Alt keys, will
move the cursor (selection box) to the first file or folder that starts with
that letter.  If the key is held down, all files starting with that character
will begin to be selected.

Pressing the Enter key is the same as double-clicking on an item with the
mouse.  If the item is a sub-directory, it will cause the directory to open.
If it is a file, it will call up the viewer that has been selected for that
file extension. If the file extension does not have a viewer listed for it, the
defaut viewer (which is normally an ascii viewer) will be called, unless the
file is an executable file with an exe,  cmd or bat extension, in which case
the program will be started.

Grey +  -  Causes the file within the selection box
         to be marked/unmarked (toggled) and
         moves the selection box to the next
         file.

SpaceBar -   Marks/Unmarks the file within the
          selection box.

Tab    -   Moves the focus between the Tree
         window and the Files window.

PageUp  -   Moves the selection box a page up in
          the list.

PageDown -  Moves the selection box a page down in
          the list.

Home   -   Moves the selection box to the
          beginning of the list.

End    -   Moves the selection box to the end of
         the list.

Up Arrow -  Moves the selection box up one item in
         the list.

Down Arrow - Moves the selection box down one item
          in the list.

Ctrl a  -  Change File Attributes

Ctrl b  -  Open Bookmark window

Ctrl c  -  Copy File(s), and Directory Trees

Ctrl d  -  Delete File(s), and Directory Trees

Ctrl e  -  Move the Divider Right

Ctrl f  -  Move the Divider Left

Ctrl m  -  Move File(s)

Ctrl p  -  Append File(s)

Ctrl r  -  Rename File or Directory

Ctrl s  -  Show Size of Directory Tree

Ctrl t  -  Create Directory

Ctrl v  -  Name View (File Names Only)

Ctrl w  - File Flowed View (File Names in Multiple
       Columns)

Ctrl x  -  File Icon View

Ctrl y  -  File Detail View (Show File Attributes and
        Size)

Ctrl z  -  File Headings (Display Headings over
       Attributes in Details View Only)

Ctrl Left Arrow  -  Switch to Preceding Drive

Ctrl Right Arrow -  Switch to Next Drive

Ctrl Up Arrow   -  Refresh Volume Labels

Ctrl Down Arrow -  Write Volume Labels

F1  -   Help

F2  -   Zip Files, Directory Trees, Drives
       using Info-Zip

F3  -   UnZip Files using Info-Zip

F4  -   Test Zip File Integrity

F5  -   UnMark All Marked Files

F6  -   Mark All Files

F7  -   Set Current Directory as Destination
       Directory

F8  -   Swap Source and Destination Directories

F9  -   Print File

F10 -   Menu

F11 -   Edit File

F12 -   Settings Notebook

Alt   - Menu

Alt 1 - User's Program 1

Alt 2 - User's Program 2

Alt 3 - User's Program 3

Alt 4 - User's Program 4

Alt 5 - User's Program 5

Alt 6 - User's Program 6

Alt 7 - User's Program 7

Alt 8 - User's Program 8

Alt F4  - Quit

Alt F5  - Restore from maximize

Alt F7  - Move window

Alt F8  - Size window

Alt F9  - Minimize window

Alt F10 - Maximize window

Alt Space - System Menu

Shift F2  -   Force Zip Viewer

Shift F3  -   Unzip to New Dir

Shift F5  -   Sort Files by Name Ascending

Control + Shift F5  -   Sort Files by Name Decending

Shift F6  -   Sort Files by Date Ascending

Control + Shift F6  -   Sort Files by Date Decending

Shift F7  -   Sort Files by Size Ascending

Control + Shift F7  -   Sort Files by Size Decending

Shift F8  -   Sort Files by Extension Ascending

Control + Shift F8  -   Sort Files by Extension Decending

Shift F11 -   Search Tool

Shift F12 -   Refresh Display

Control F11 - Create Desktop Object


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Tool Bar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Using the Tool Bar

The Tool Bar contains single-click pushbuttons for many of the most often used
features. Hot keys are also available for all features except for the Push
Button which can change the tool bar position (see below).

Tool Bar Push Button Descriptions

To identify the function of a tool bar button, simply move the mouse pointer to
the push button and a short description of the button's function will appear on
the upper Status Bar at the bottom of the window.

Tool Bar Shape and Position

The Tool Bar can be oriented in either a vertical position along the right side
of the main window, or it can appear horizontally along the top of the window,
under the menu. This is done by pressing the first pushbutton on the Tool Bar.
It will also fold itself into two columns if the space for it is constrained by
the size of the window.

Hiding the Tool Bar

The Tool Bar can be hidden from view for those who prefer to use the keyboard
equivalents and want to reclaim the screen real estate taken up by the Push
Buttons.  One thing to remember is that since the Drive Bar moves with the tool
bar when it is repositoned from/to vertical/horizontal, place the drive bar in
the orientation you desire before hiding the Tool Bar. To hide the Tool Bar,
press Control+F12 or click on the ToolBar menu item under Settings.  See
ToolBar Help for more information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Drive Bar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Using the Drive Bar

On start-up, File Freedom creates a Drive Pushbutton for every drive the system
has identified and positions a row of Drive buttons under the Tool Bar.  A
single click will change to the drive indicated. Drives can also be changed
using the Ctrl + Left or Right arrow keys.
There is also a final button at the right of the row with only an asterisk.
This button calls up the Bookmark facility.  The Bookmark facility provides a
list of up to ten Sub-directory paths that can be used as short cuts to load
your most frequently used directories.  It also allows the the current
directory path to be added to the list.

The Drive Bar will follow the Tool Bar around if the tool bar is re-oriented.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Status Bars ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Status Bar Descriptions

There is a status bar in each of the two main windows and two status bars along
the bottom of the frame.

The Status Bar in the Tree window indicates the Drive that is current and
displays how many free bytes are on that drive.

The Status Bar in the Files window shows the path to the files currently being
displayed.

The first (top) Status Bar along the bottom of the frame indicates how many
files and bytes are in the Source directory currently displayed.  If files are
selected, this information changes to show also how many files have been
selected and what their accumulated byte-count is.  This status bar also
displays a mini-help line for the pushbuttons in the Tool Bar when the mouse
pointer is positioned on a pushbutton.

The second (bottom) Status Bar along the bottom of the frame displays the
current drive and path of the Destination directory.  If the path is longer
than 80 characters, the path after the drive designator is foreshortened and
periods inserted as indicators.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Directory Tree Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Tree Display

The Tree window presents the directories contained on a drive or partition,
arranged in alphabetical order.

Moving Around

The directory names are displayed beside a folder icon that represents the
state of the directory, open or closed.  The words 'Folder' and 'Directory'
will be used interchangably. To move to directory name that begins with a known
letter, simply press that letter and the selection box will move to the first
directory that begins with that letter.  To move to the next directory name
beginning with the same letter, press the letter again. Moving around the
window can also be done by using the mouse and scroll bars or the PageUp,
PageDn, Home, End, Arrow Up and Arrow Down keys.

Opening and Closing a Folder

Move the selection box to the folder.  To open the folder, press the Enter key
or double-click on it with the mouse pointer.  Opening a folder that is not a
descendant of the folder currently open will close the folder that is open.
Closing a folder will also close any descendant folders that are open.  When a
folder is opened, the contents will be displayed in the Files Window. A folder
can also be closed with a single mouse click.  This will not disturb the
display in the Files Window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Files Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Files Display

The Files window presents the files and sub-directories contained in a
directory, sorted in alphabetical order from name or extension, or sorted by
size or date.  The sorting method can be changed to any other sort order during
the session and the last sorting method used is saved from session to session.
Sub-directory names can be distinguished from regular files since they end in a
backslash and are coloured blue.
The class of file displayed can also be controlled via the Show Hidden Files
and Show System Files filters.
There are also four different views of files available, File Detail, Files
Icon, Files Flowed and Default.  With the Files Detail View there is also an
option that allows column headings to be displayed which identify which column
is the Date column, the Size column etc.

Sorting and the other viewing options are found under the View Menu item.

Moving Around

Sub-directory names that appear in the Files window are followed by a
backslash. These sub-directories may be opened by a double-click or by
selecting and pressing the Enter key. To move to a file or directory name that
begins with a known letter, simply press that letter and the selection box will
move to the first name that begins with that letter.  To move to the next name
beginning with the same letter, press the letter again. Moving around the
window can also be done by using the mouse and scroll bars or the PageUp,
PageDn, Home, End, Arrow Up and Arrow Down keys.

Selecting Files

Move the selection box to the file.  Pressing the space bar once will mark the
file.  Pressing the space bar again will unmark the file.  This can also be
done with a single click of the mouse on the file.  Multiple selections can be
made in any manner.  See Mouse Usage for a description of the Auto Scroll
feature.  The Grey + key will also mark or unmark a file (if it is already
marked) and advance the selection box to the next file.  Files can also be
marked when a letter search is made by holding down the letter.  Again, if a
file is already marked, it will be unmarked.  Finally, all the files in the
Files window may be marked at once by clicking on the Mark All button on the
Tool Bar and all files can be unmarked by clicking on the UnMark All button.

Viewing Files

File Freedom has built in connections that allow file viewers to be attached
for various file formats.  These viewers are external programs that can be
activated from within File Freedom by double-clicking on a file name in the
Files window.  The viewers used can be selected from the Settings Notebook
under the Viewers choice. Some default viewers are pre-set to take advantage of
the viewers that come with the Multimedia programs in the Bonus Pak.  While
there are other freeware viewers that also are quite good, the pre-set viewers
are generally already installed on the system.  If these viewers are not
installed, others may be subsituted or added as desired.  See the section on
Viewers in the Settings Notebook for instructions on adding or changing
viewers.

Running Programs from the Files Window

Files that have an exe, cmd, or bat extension can be run in the same manner
that files are viewed. Double-click on the file or put the cursor over the file
and press enter.  Be aware, however, that not all programs or batch/command
files will run simply because they may need a set-up procedure to be run first,
or may need access to other paths that have not been configured.
If it is not desireable to have programs run in this way, this default action
can be overridden by designating a viewer for files that have these extensions.
The viewer could be a do-nothing cmd file or simply a text viewer.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Zip Viewer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Using the Built-In Zip Viewer

Info-Zip's Unzip.exe must be installed to use the Zip Viewer. See Archiver for
details.

If the user selects and presses Enter (or double clicks) on a Zip file, by
default the built-in zip viewer will open a window and display the contents of
the archive.  If the archive has a comment attached, it will automatically be
displayed as well in a smaller window within the main window.  Clicking the
mouse anywhere outside of the comment window will cause the Comment Window to
close.  It may also be closed by double-clicking on the titlebar icon. The
display of the contents will include file names, compressed and uncompressed
sizes, method of compression, percentage of compression, date of file creation,
time, CRC, individual file comments (if available), number of files in archive,
total uncompressed and compressed bytes in archive, and percentage of
compression for total archive. The selection bar may be moved to a file of
interest and the file extracted to the destination directory (set in File
Freedom) by pressing the spacebar.  By pressing the Enter key or
double-clicking on a file, the file may be viewed with the same viewers that
are used elsewhere in File Freedom.  These viewers are set-up in the Settings
Notebook and are tied to the extension of the file being viewed. There is also
an option to force the use of the Zip Viewer (Force Zip Viewer) under the
Options menu.  This enables looking inside self-extracting Zip executables
whose extension is "exe" and other zip packages with non-standard file
extensions.

Installing a Different Zip Viewer or Shell

If a different Zip Shell or Viewer is preferred, the default Zip Viewer can be
replaced simply by defining a Viewer for the zip extension in the Viewers
set-up.  This user-defined viewer will also respond to the Forced Zip Viewer
option. To go back to using the built-in Zip Viewer, just delete the viewer and
extension pair previously defined.

Note

If the default built-in viewer is used, a zip file found within a zip file may
also be viewed in the same manner.  This ability is limited to two layers of
zip files.

Help for View File

Help for Extract to File to Destination

Help for Extract to File to Destination with Path

Help for Delete File

Help for View Zip File Comment

Help for Quit


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Installing Other Viewers/Players ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Using Third Party Viewers/Players

Viewers are configured in the Settings Notebook on the Viewers page. File
Freedom provides links for as many file viewers as desired.  These can be
graphics viewers, WAV players, document viewers or any other kind of
specialized file handler that will take a file name as a command line
parameter.  Once installed, they are activated simply by double-clicking or
pressing Enter on a Filename.
As a added feature, the viewer name can be a Rexx .cmd file.  This enables the
use of Rexx batch files for setting up more complex viewers. The file name is
passed as a parameter to the Rexx script.

By default, File Freedom is set to use the OS/2 multimedia viewers for
examining graphics files and sound files.  If the Multimedia package was not
installed with Warp, these viewers will be missing. Some may prefer other, more
capable, viewers however.  A very capable and fast freeware graphic viewer is
GBMV written by Andy Key.  It is available on Hobbes (hobbes.nmsu.edu) as
"os2/graphics/gbm.zip".
For viewing text files and file types that haven't been designated, the EPM
editor (the Enhanced Editor) running in a read-only mode is the default.  This
can be replaced by any viewer or by other freely available viewers such as
"pmview5b.zip" also available on Hobbes. It is a freeware text viewer from the
PC Magazine Utilities collection.
Many other freeware and shareware file viewers can also be found there.

Note that the default action for exe, cmd or bat files is to run the program
when the file is double-clicked on.  If a viewer is specified for files with
these extensions, this default action will be unavailable.

For more instructions on Setting Up Viewers, see Viewers.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. Installing User Programs ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Creating Links to User-Defined Programs

It is possible to run external programs from within File Freedom.  Links are
provided for up to eight programs determined by the user, which can be
executable programs (OS/2, Windows or PC/DOS programs) or Rexx cmd files. These
User-Defined programs can be handed (optional) command line parameters as well
as (optional) a filename when a file is currently selected.
Each program can also accept a defined working directory.  This makes it simple
to set up a link to a program if it has an object already on the desktop.
Simply copy the settings that are specified in the settings notebook for that
object.
A name which will show up in the Options menu can also be specified.
These are entered in the User page of the Settings Notebook.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11. PMSeek or User Defined Search Tool ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The PMSeek Search Tool

PMSeek is a great program that comes with OS/2 and can be found in the OS2/APPS
directory. It will search for duplicate files or text within files in any
drives you select.  It is a great asset and has many other features I will
leave for you to discover.

Using PMSeek

PMSeek is installed as the default Search Tool so that it can be run from
within File Freedom.
There is a Search pushbutton as well as a hot key (Shift F11) and a menu
position as Search Tools under Options.  It is also simple to use.  To search
for duplicate files, highlight a filename and push the Search Tool Pushbutton.
If PMSeek is used, the program will pop up (complete with it's own online Help)
with areas indicating drives to search, editor selection (you can directly edit
files located) and a listbox containing files found.  You can also run programs
selected from this list of found files.
To search for text within a file, it is not necessary to select a file before
calling PMSeek.  Just summon PMSeek and fill in the Text to Search For (if any)
area.  Then select the drives to search and file pattern to search under and
press Enter.

Installing a Different Search Tool

If a different search tool is desired, it can be subsituted by opening the
Settings Notebook and turning to the page labelled Search.  Edit out PMSeek.exe
and insert the pathname of the program you wish to use, for example
c:\utilities\pmgrep.exe.  There is also an area to enter parameters that may be
required for any particular program.  The file name (if a file is selected when
the search is started) will be handed to the program as a parameter also.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12. Directory Bookmarks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Navigating with Directory Bookmarks

Directory Bookmarks will take you directly to a subdirectory on any drive
without going through the process of opening a drive and working through the
subdirectory hierarchy.  Up to ten bookmarks are supported.  To find out more
go to Directory Bookmarks.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13. Volume Labels ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Reading and Writing Volume Labels

Every logical drive can have a Volume Label.  While some drives may already
have a label, others may not.  To determine if a drive is labelled, move the
mouse pointer over the drive button and the Label will show up on the status
line.  If there is no label, the line will remain blank.

Volume Labels will be read for all drives except floppies whenever the program
is started and whenever the Refresh button is pressed.  The Volume Labels for
floppies will be read whenever a floppy drive is selected or when the Ctrl-Up
Arrow is pressed.

Labels can also be written to drives by pressing Ctrl-Down Arrow or refreshed
by pressing Ctrl-Up Arrow.  See Refresh Volume Label or Write Volume Label for
more information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14. Refresh Timers ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Refresh Timers for Network Users

Users on networks doing file maintenance have the additional problem of drives
being taken off-line as well as drives being put on-line at unscheduled times.
Files and complete directories may also appear or disappear.
File Freedom now contains two timers which can be enabled by the user, to allow
automatic refreshing of these resources at all times when the file manager is
running.
To set-up or activate these timers, open the Settings Notebook and turn to the
Refresh page.

Single Refresh
A one-time refresh of these resources may also be accomplished by pressing the
Refresh Display button or Shift-F12


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 15. Mouse Usage ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Basic Mouse Use

The mouse is used within File Freedom to operate push buttons on the Tool Bar
and Drive Bar, select files and Menu choices, and drop colors or fonts onto the
program window.
A single-click of the first Mouse button selects, while a double-click acts as
the Enter key.

Pop-Up Menu

A pop-up Menu is activated near the position of the Mouse Pointer any time the
second Mouse button is clicked.  This menu contains all the same options as the
main Menu in a cascading format.

Automatic Scrolling While Selecting

When making multiple selections/deselections with the mouse in the Files
Window, upon reaching the top or bottom of the visible files list, continue
above or below the visible area of the window with the mouse button held down
to automatically scroll the window while selecting/deselecting.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 16. Colors and Fonts ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Changing Colors and Fonts

Colors and fonts can be changed by dragging them from the system Font Palette
or Mixed/Solid Color Palette and dropping them on various parts of the File
Freedom windows. It would be a good idea to keep the Files window titlebar the
same color as the upper Status bar (Source status bar) to highlight the
connection between the Source status information and the actual Files (source)
display.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 17. Default Settings ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Restoring the Default Settings

Sometimes experimentation can lead to a hopeless blend of fonts and colors.
For these instances, the out-of-the-box default colors and fonts can be
restored by running File Freedom with a -d parameter.  This can be done by
closing the program and clicking on the File Freedom icon with the Right mouse
button.  This will display the Pop-Up menu for the program object.  Select
Settings from the menu and the first screen presented will be for Program
Settings.  In the Optional Parameters field, enter "-d" and close the pop-up
menu.  Re-start the program and the fonts and colors will return to their
defaults.  If the "-d" parameter is not removed, the program will continue to
re-start with default settings regardless of changes made.

FILEFRDM.INI File
Many other settings for such things as divider line position, viewers, paths
for the source and destination, Editor and User Program settings, are saved
each time the program is closed in a file named FileFrdm.ini.  If this file is
deleted while File Freedom is not running, these settings will be lost and the
program will restart with it's default settings (the INI file will be
recreated) .  File Freedom re-writes the ini file each time it is closed, so
deleting it from within File Freedom will not be effective.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 18. Program and Contact Information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

File Freedom is Freeware

File Freedom is distributed electronically as Freeware.  Since there is no fee
associated with use, support will be provided only when time permits.

Bruce Henry
Red Paint Software
703 Hillview Rd.
Cambridge, ON
Canada N3H 5C2

My current email address is:

[e-mail]

Copyright (C) 1996, 1999  Bruce Henry
FILE FREEDOM IS PROVIDED AS IS AND COMES WITH NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. IN  NO  EVENT  WILL BRUCE HENRY BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES
RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE OR FROM THE FREELY AVAILABLE SOURCE
CODE ASSOCIATED WITH SAME.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 19. Menu Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Menu Choices

Choose a Menu Heading:

Help for Files

Help for Directories

Help for Drives

Help for View

Help for Options

Help for Settings


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20. Pop-Up Menu Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Menu Choices

The Pop-Up menu contains the same choices as the Main menu and only differs
insofar as it is summoned with a click of the second Mouse button and will
appear close to the Mouse pointer position in a cascading format.  To
familiarize yourself with these menu choices, see Menu Help.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1. Help for File Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Refresh Display

Copy

Append

Move

Delete

Rename

UnMark All

Mark All

Change Attributes

Quit


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.1. Refresh Display ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Refreshing the Current Display

When using other programs concurrently with File Freedom, or possibly using an
external program from within File Freedom, the display of files and directories
upon returning may no longer reflect the current reality.  To quickly rebuild
the display with current information, use the Refresh Display option.
This also refreshs the Drive Map and rebuilds the drive button bar.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.2. Copy ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Comparing 'Copy' Between Systems

Copying files with OS/2 uses rules different than Dos which mainly concern the
possibility of HPFS formatted partitions and the resultant use of long
filenames and filenames with extra periods and/or embedded spaces.  If your
partitions are all FAT type partitions, filenames are limited to standard 8.3
(eight character name, three character extension) format. Use of wildcards,
however, is still slightly different than Dos.  A single asterisk used as a
wildcard to reference a filename will reference both the name and the extension
instead of the name only. This is why, in the Copy Dialogue box, a single
asterisk is presented in the Filename entry field. Accepting the default
asterisk will copy the filename in whole, without changes.  It is possible,
however, to edit the filename and Destination path.

Using Wildcard Characters with HPFS

Use of wildcard characters with long filenames support in HPFS is slightly
different. Some examples will illustrate the differences best.

Examples:

When the filename is "longfilename.with.many.dots"

"Copy c:\longfilename.with.many.dots d:\*"
          will produce
  "longfilename.with.many.dots"

"Copy c:\longfilename.with.many.dots d:\*xx"
          will produce
  "longfilename.with.many.dotsxx":

"Copy c:\longfilename.with.many.dots d:\*.*xx"
          will also produce
  "longfilename.with.many.dotsxx"

"Copy c:\longfilename.with.many.dots d:\*.xx"
          will produce
  "longfilename.xx"

"Copy c:\longfilename.with.many.dots d:\*.*.xx"
          will produce
  "longfilename.with.xx"

"Copy c:\longfilename.with.many.dots d:\*.*.??xx.yy"
          will produce
  "longfilename.with.maxx.yy"

Copying Files with Drag and Drop

Using Drag and Drop to copy files is done by selecting the files and/or
directory tree structures with the cursor/spacebar/grey+ or with a mouse single
click or swipe.  Dragging the selected files to the Drive Letter Icon (or to
directories in the Directory Tree window or to directories and general areas
within the Files Window) is done with the right mouse button held down, and
dropping them on the target is done by releasing the button.  The default
operation is Move but can be changed to Copy by holding down the Control Key.
If the mouse is not over one of the selected files when the drag is started,
the single file under the mouse pointer will be dragged instead. This enables
the user to operate on a single file without selecting it.
The Drag and Drop dialogue is presented when the file(s) is dropped.  All of
the options described in the Copy Dialogue (below) are available, as well as
the options to Zip, Unzip, Copy, Append or Move files.  A tree structure is
shown which allows the user to choose the destination directory.

Copying Files without Drag and Drop

Selected files and/or directory tree structures will be copied to the
directory/drive chosen as the Destination. A destination is chosen for the file
movement by moving to the drive and/or directory desired.  Click on the
destination button (or press F7) and the destination is set.  Then, move to the
drive/directory where the file(s) are stored that must be copied. Select the
files/directories to be copied and press Control+c or click on the Copy Files
Icon. A Copy Dialogue appears which presents an entry box with the Destination
Path entered, and a Filename entry box with a single asterisk.  Below the entry
fields there is a check box which must be checked if the copy process must
overwrite files in the destination directory.

The Destination Path can be edited should the wrong destination path be
selected, and the Filename can be edited as well, with or without wildcard
characters.  If files are to be copied to the same directory that they are
found in, the names must be changed, since files cannot be copied onto
themselves ( this would be meaningless).

Press the Enter key twice to copy, or click the mouse on the "OK" button.

To cancel the copy operation, click on "Cancel" or use the tab key to select
the Cancel button, then press Enter.

Creating a Destination Directory on the Fly

As mentioned above, the Destination path can be edited and a different
destination directory substituted.  This does not have to be a sub-directory
that already exists.  If the Destination directory needs to be created, a
message box will pop up and request confirmation that this is what is desired.
An opportunity exists to cancel the Copy or proceed and create the Destination
directory on the fly.
A few rules must be followed when specifying a new directory name. If any
subdirectory names specified in the path name do not exist, the subdirectory
cannot be created.  This is to say that a new directory can only be added to a
path that already exists.  Upon successful creation of the new directory at the
end of the specified path, the files are copied to this new Destination as they
would be normally.

Copying Directory Trees containing Files and/or other Directories

Copy can also be used to copy complete directory structures that may contain
files and various other sub-directory structures.  These may be selected
one-at-a-time from the Tree window or as groups from the Files window.  This is
a very powerful tool and so when File Freedom encounters a directory marked for
copying, it queries the user for permission to continue with the operation. If
CANCEL is chosen at this time, the other selected files and directories will
still be copied but the directory in question will be skipped.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.3. Append ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Append Operation

The Append operation should be used only with text or ascii files.  When
Appending files, bytes from one file are added or concatenated to an existing
or newly created file so that two or more files are combined.  This is useful
for combining a bunch of separate text files and having them form a single file
that can be later edited or used as a reference.
A target file can be chosen from the list of selected files to be the master or
mother file, or a new or existing filename can be specified.  A default
filename (FFappend.txt) is entered as the target file initially, but this can
be replaced or edited.

When the selected files are added to the target file, a separator line is first
written to the current end of the target file in the form of
+-+-+-+-+-filename-+-+-+-+-+
where 'filename' is the filename of the file being added.  This makes each file
that is added to the master file easy to distinguish or find using a search
tool from within an editor.

Deleting Selected Source Files

There is also a checkbox in the Append window that allows the user to specify
that the selected files are to be deleted when they are appended.  This saves a
step in file maintenance and organization.

Appending Files with Drag and Drop

Using Drag and Drop to Append files is done by selecting the files with the
cursor/spacebar/grey+ or with a mouse single click or swipe.  Dragging the
selected files to the Drive Letter Icon (or to directories in the Directory
Tree window or to directories and general areas within the Files Window) is
done with the right mouse button held down, and dropping them on the target is
done by releasing the button.  The default operation for Drag/Drop is Move but
can be changed by selecting the Append button.  If the mouse is not over one of
the selected files when the drag is started, the single file under the mouse
pointer will be dragged instead. This enables the user to operate on a single
file without selecting it.
The Drag and Drop dialogue is presented when the file(s) is dropped.  A tree
structure is shown which allows the user to choose the destination directory
from the folders.  The destination directory path may be edited and the Append
button must be selected. When this is done, press OK and and the Append window
will open.  You may then follow the instructions given below, describing the
Append Window.

Appending Files without Drag and Drop

Appending files is a simple operation with File Freedom. A destination is
chosen for the target or master file by moving to the drive and/or directory
desired.  Click on the destination button (or press F7) and the destination is
set.  Then, move to the drive/directory where the file(s) are stored that are
to be appended. Simply select the files to Append and press Control+p or click
on the Append Files button on the Tool Bar.

The Append Window

A dialogue is presented that displays a scrollable list of the file names
selected.  This is to enable the selection of a target (master) file from the
list.  This is not necessary, however, and an original name or the default name
can be used. Double-click on a file name to make it the target file.  This will
remove the file from the list and make it the Target file.  A file in the
destination directory that has the same file name will have the files appended
to it if it exists.  Otherwise a file will be created.

To cancel the Append operation, click on Cancel or use the tab key to select
the Cancel button, then press Enter.
Click on Append to complete the operation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.4. Move ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Moving Files with Drag and Drop

Using Drag and Drop to move files is done by selecting the files with the
cursor/spacebar/grey+ or with a mouse single click or swipe.  Dragging the
selected files to the Drive Letter Icon (or to directories in the Directory
Tree window or to directories and general areas within the Files Window) is
done with the right mouse button held down, and dropping them on the target is
done by releasing the button.  The default operation is Move but can be changed
to Copy by holding down the Control Key.  If the mouse is not over one of the
selected files when the drag is started, the single file under the mouse
pointer will be dragged instead. This enables the user to operate on a single
file without selecting it.
The Drag and Drop dialogue is presented when the file(s) is dropped.  The
option to edit the destination directory name is presented, as well as the
options to Zip, Unzip, Copy, Append or Move files and the option to overwrite
existing files.
A tree structure is shown which allows the user to choose the destination
directory.

Moving Files without Drag and Drop

Moving files is a simple operation with File Freedom. A destination is chosen
for the file movement by moving to the drive and/or directory desired.  Click
on the destination button (or press F7) and the destination is set.  Then, move
to the drive/directory where the file(s) are stored that must be moved. Simply
select the files to move and press Control+m or click on the Move Files button
on the Tool Bar.  A dialogue is presented that displays a scrollable list of
the file names selected.  This is to enable last minute removal of files from
the list.  Double-click on a file name to remove it from the list.  Files in
the destination directory that have the same file name will not be overwritten
unless the check box below the list has been checked.

The Move dialogue also presents an entry box with the Destination Path entered.
The Destination Path can be edited should the wrong destination path be
selected, and even a directory that doesn't yet exist can be specified (see
below).

To cancel the Move operation, click on Cancel or use the tab key to select the
Cancel button, then press Enter.
Click on Move to complete the operation.

Creating a Destination Directory on the Fly

As mentioned above, the Destination path can be edited and a different
destination directory substituted.  This does not have to be a sub-directory
that already exists.  If the Destination directory needs to be created, a
message box will pop up and request confirmation that this is what is desired.
An opportunity exists to cancel the Move or proceed and create the Destination
directory on the fly.
A few rules must be followed when specifying a new directory name. If any
subdirectory names specified in the path name do not exist, the subdirectory is
not created.  That is to say that a new directory can only be added to a path
that already exists.  Upon successful creation of the new directory at the end
of the specified path, the files are moved to this new Destination as they
would be normally.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.5. Delete ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Deleting Files and Empty Sub-Directories

Files and Sub-Directories trees can be deleted from the Files Window as
multiple selections while Sub-Directory trees can also be deleted from the Tree
Window as a single selection. Read-only files cannot be deleted by Delete. To
delete a read-only file, you must first remove the file's read-only Attribute,
then delete the file.
As stated above, multiple files can be selected for deletion.  Press the Delete
button on the Tool Bar and the files will be presented in a list.  To remove a
file from the list, double-click on the file name.  Press 'Delete' and the
files will be removed.

If a storage directory for the drive has been defined with the SET DELDIR
command, the UNDELETE command may recover the deleted file.

Deleting Directory Trees containing Files and/or other Directories

Delete can also be used to delete complete directory structures that may
contain files. This is a very powerful tool and so when File Freedom encounters
a directory marked for deletion that is not empty, it queries the user for
permission to continue with the operation. If CANCEL is chosen at this time,
the other selected files and directories will still be deleted but the
directory in question will be skipped.
Proceed with caution!  Be sure that the window that you wish to operate on has
the focus (the colored title bar indicates the window with the focus) and that
the Directory named is indeed the Directory selected in the correct window.

Delete and 'ACCESS DENIED'

A common error message encountered when attempting to delete files or
directories is ACCESS DENIED.  This message usually means that a file with
Read-Only or System attributes has been found in one of the directories.  This
will cause the Delete routine to abort.  The file causing the problem will be
easily found since it will be the next file still highlighted or in the next
directory still highlighted.  Use the Attributes pushbutton or press Control+A
to change attributes.  See Change Attributes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.6. Rename ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Renaming Files or Directories

Renaming and the use of wildcards follows all of the rules for Copying Files to
another name.  Only a single file or directory can be renamed at a time.  The
original name is presented for editing or replacing. Be careful when using
wildcard characters. The results may not be what you expected!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.7. UnMark All ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Unmark All Files

All files that have been selected in the Files window will be unmarked.  The
cursor position will be remembered.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.8. Mark All ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Mark All Files

All files in the Files window will be selected.  The cursor position will be
remembered.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.9. Change Attributes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Change File Attributes

File Attributes include the standard Archive, Read-Only, System and Hidden
attributes as well as Time and Date attributes.  Editing of EAs (Extended
Attributes) is not supported at this time.

A list of the selected files is displayed in a listbox preceeded by their
current attributes. Attributes that aren't set for a file are indicated by a -.
For instance, if a file has all of it's attributes set, the attributes would
read rhsa where:
The letter r stands for Read Only
The letter h stands for Hidden
The letter s stands for System
and
The letter a stands for Archive
If only the Read Only and Archive attributes were set, the attributes would
appear as r--a

A list of files can be processed at one time.  Check the appropriate box to set
the attribute, leave the box unchecked to remove an attribute.

Time is set via Spin Buttons and defaults to the current time and date.  The
time in Seconds has not been included.

The standard attributes and the Time and Date attributes can be set in one
operation or separately. Press the appropriate pushbutton.  Press the Cancel
pushbutton to exit without changes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.1.10. Quit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Quiting File Freedom

Using Quit is the same as a double-click on the Title Bar Icon.  Window
position, size, fonts and colors will be saved for the next use.  The Hot Key
for this is Ctrl-Q.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.2. Help for Directories ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Create Directory

Set Destination

Swap Source and Destination

Show Directory Tree Size

Directory Bookmarks


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.2.1. Create Directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Creating a New Directory

A new Directory will be created in the current Source directory.  You will be
prompted for the name to give the directory.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.2.2. Set Destination ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Setting the Destination Directory

The Destination Directory is the default destination of any file movement.  The
current Destination Directory is displayed on the lower Status Bar at the
bottom of the window.  The startup Destination and Source Directories can be
set in the Settings Notebook under Paths.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.2.3. Swap Source and Destination ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Swap the Source and Destination Directories

After a File copy or other file movement operation has completed, choosing this
feature will instantly move you to the target of the operation.  It also makes
the current Source Directory the new Destination Directory.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.2.4. Show Directory Tree Size ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Show the Size of the Directory Tree

If a directory is highlighted in the Files View Window, the size (in bytes) of
this directory and all of its subordinate directories will be totalled and
displayed in a box.  Because the directory will be deselected after the size is
given, numerous directories can be highlighted and worked through in order by
repeatedly pressing Ctrl-s after the size of the preceding tree has been
displayed.
Directories shown in the Tree View Window can also be sized, but only one
directory at a time can be selected.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.2.5. Directory Bookmarks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Using Directory Bookmarks

Directory Bookmarks offer a way to jump to frequently used Directories first
without moving through the directory hierarchy directory by directory.  This
can be done with a few mouse clicks by opening the Bookmark window and
double-clicking on the directory path desired.

Opening the Bookmark Window
By pressing Ctrl B or the Drive button with the * symbol, a window opens that
contains a list area that can be filled with up to ten directory paths.
Directory paths are added to this list by first moving to the directory and
then, after opening the Bookmark window, pressing the Add Bookmark button. It
is always the current Source directory that is added to the bookmark list.
Once the list is full, bookmarks may be replaced by first highlighting the old
bookmark and again, pressing the Add Bookmark button to substitute the current
Source directory path.

Selecting a Bookmark
To load a Bookmark, open the Bookmark window and move the selection bar to the
directory desired and press the Enter key or double-click on the selection with
the mouse.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.3. Help for Drives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Next Drive

Previous Drive

Refresh Volume Label

Write Volume Label


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.3.1. Next Drive ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Changing to the Next Drive

The Next Drive is the drive to the right of the current drive, in the Drive Bar
directly below the Tool Bar.  If the current drive is the last drive in the
table, the Next Drive will be the first drive in the Drive Bar (wraparound).
The Hot Key for this is Crtl-Right Arrow.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.3.2. Previous Drive ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Changing to the Previous Drive

The Previous Drive is the drive to the left of the current drive, in the Drive
Bar directly below the Tool Bar.  If the current drive is the first drive in
the table, the Previous Drive will be the last drive in the Drive Bar
(wraparound).  The Hot Key for this is Crtl-Left Arrow.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.3.3. Refresh Volume Label ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Checking the Volume Labels for Removable Media

Some drives, such as floppies, CD Roms or Zip Drives, can have the media
exchanged at any time.  To find out what the Volume Label is for these
exchanged disks, place the mouse pointer on the Drive Button and press the
Ctrl-Up Arrow.  If it has one, the new label will show up on the status line.
If media is absent from the drive, a question mark (?) will be displayed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.3.4. Write Volume Label ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Writing and Modifying Volume Labels

Anytime it is required to modify an existing Volume Label, or to write a new
Volume Label, press the Ctrl-Down Arrow.  A window will open that contains a
drop-down list for Drives and an area to write the new label.  If a label
already exists, it will be displayed also, and allow editing.  This is also an
easy way to get an overview of existing labels, since they are displayed
dynamically when any Drive on the list is highlighted.  Labels are restricted
to eleven alphanumeric characters. Embedded spaces are also supported.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4. Help for View ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Display Detail Headings

File Details View

File Icons View

File Flowed View

Name View

Sort By Name in Ascending Order

Sort By Name in Decending Order

Sort By Age in Ascending Order

Sort By Age in Decending Order

Sort By Size in Ascending Order

Sort By Size in Decending Order

Sort By Extension in Ascending Order

Sort By Extension in Decending Order

Show Hidden Files

Show System Files

Move Divider Right

Move Divider Left


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.1. Display Detail Headings ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Display Detail Column Headings

When the File Details View is chosen, this option will display column headings
over the appropriate columns.  For instance, File Name, File Size, and so on.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.2. File Details View ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Displaying File Details

Choosing this option displays the File Name, File Size, File Attributes, File
Date and File Time in sequence.  This option can be combined with Display
Detail Headings. Adjust the display divider to fit all the information in the
Files Window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.3. File Icons View ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Display File Icons

Choosing this option displays the File Name alongside the System designated
Icon or Program Icon. Filename/Icon pairs are displayed in multiple columns
that flow across the screen horizontally.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.4. File Flowed View ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Display Files in a Flowed View

This option displays file names only in multiple columns that flow across the
screen horizontally.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.5. Name View ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Display File Names Only

The Name View is a simple view of the file names only in a single column.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.6. Sort By Name in Ascending Order ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Files Sorted by Name in Ascending Order

In this view, files are sorted by the first letters in a file name.  The sort
order is from the lowest alphabetical value to the highest.  The cursor
selection box will remember it's position over the current file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.7. Sort By Name in Decending Order ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Files Sorted by Name in Decending Order

In this view, files are sorted by the first letters in a file name.  The sort
order is from the highest alphabetical value to the lowest.  The cursor
selection box will remember it's position over the current file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.8. Sort By Age in Ascending Order ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Files Sorted by Date in Ascending Order

In this view, files are sorted by the file date and time.  Files with the
oldest date come first.  The cursor selection box will remember it's position
over the current file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.9. Sort By Age in Decending Order ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Files Sorted by Date in Decending Order

In this view, files are sorted by the file date and time.  Files with the
newest date come first.  The cursor selection box will remember it's position
over the current file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.10. Sort By Size in Ascending Order ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Files Sorted by Size in Ascending Order

In this view, files are sorted by file size.  The smallest files are listed
first.  The cursor selection box will remember it's position over the current
file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.11. Sort By Size in Decending Order ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Files Sorted by Size in Decending Order

In this view, files are sorted by file size.  The largest files are listed
first.  The cursor selection box will remember it's position over the current
file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.12. Sort By Extension in Ascending Order ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Files Sorted by File Extension in Ascending Order

In this view, files are sorted by the first letters found in the File
Extension.  If the file name does not have an extension, it will come first in
the list.  When many files with the same extension are found, the sort order
within that group is dependant on the last used sort order.  The cursor
selection box will remember it's position over the current file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.13. Sort By Extension in Decending Order ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Files Sorted by File Extension in Decending Order

In this view, files are sorted by the first letters found in the File
Extension.  If the file name does not have an extension, it will come last in
the list.  When many files with the same extension are found, the sort order
within that group is dependant on the last used sort order.  The cursor
selection box will remember it's position over the current file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.14. Show Hidden Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Hidden Files Filter

Hidden files will be displayed if this option is checked.  The check mark is
toggled with each mouse click.  This option can be combined with the Show
System Files option.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.15. Show System Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

System Files Filter

Sytem files will be displayed if this option is checked.  The check mark is
toggled with each mouse click.  This option can be combined with the Show
Hidden Files option.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.16. Move Divider Right ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Move the Divider Right

The line that separates the Files Window from the Tree Window can be moved to
the right to give a greater proportion of the available display area to the
Tree Window at the expense of the Files Window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.4.17. Move Divider Left ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Move the Divider Left

The line that separates the Files Window from the Tree Window can be moved to
the left to give a greater proportion of the available display area to the
Files Window at the expense of the Tree Window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5. Help for Options ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Print File

Edit File

Search Tool

Force Zip Viewer

Zip File

Unzip File

Unzip to New Dir

Test Zip File

User Option 1

User Option 2

User Option 3

User Option 4

User Option 5

User Option 6

User Option 7

User Option 8

Create Desktop Object


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.1. Print File ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Print the File

This is a simple copy file to printer operation that occurs in the background
and is not followed by a form feed. This is good for printing out small
snippets of text that may only take a few lines. For more demanding printing,
use Edit File which will (if EPM or other full-featured editors are used)
provide formatted output in your choice of fonts.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.2. Edit File ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Edit the File

Plug your favourite editor into the Editor setting in the Settings notebook.
The EPM editor, which is available in a 32-bit version now, is set as the
default.  If you do not have EPM (the Enhanced Editor) installed, you're
missing out on a very configurable free editor.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.3. Search Tool ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Search for Duplicate Files or Text

A link is provided for a Search tool to be used which will respond to the
pushbutton that depicts the magnifying glass.  The default is an OS/2
application called PMSeek.Exe although other search tools can be substituted.
See PMSeek or User Defined Search Tool.
If a file is selected before calling PMSeek, a search can be made for duplicate
files. Searches can also be made for text in files.
For more information, see the extensive online Help within PMSeek.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.4. Force Zip Viewer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Using the Zip Viewer for Files with Extensions other than ZIP

To force File Freedom to use the Zip Viewer (either built-in or user
configured) with a file that has an extension other than zip, use this option.
It permits looking inside of self-extracting exe files as well as other Zip
compatible files with non-standard file extensions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.5. Zip File ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

By default, files will be added to the zip file if the file name already
exists.  This can be changed by changing the parameters in the Archiver
parameters line in the Settings Notebook.

Zipping Files with Drag and Drop

Using Drag and Drop to Zip files is done by selecting the files with the
cursor/spacebar/grey+ or with a mouse single click.  Dragging the selected
files to the Drive Letter Icon (or to directories in the Directory Tree window
or to directories and general areas within the Files Window) is done with the
right mouse button held down, and dropping them on the target is done by
releasing the button.  If the mouse is not over one of the selected files when
the drag is started, the single file under the mouse pointer will be dragged
instead. This enables the user to operate on a single file without selecting
it.
The Drag and Drop dialogue is presented when the file(s) is dropped.  The
option to edit the destination directory name is presented, as well as the
options to Zip, Unzip, Copy or Move files.
A tree structure is shown which allows the user to choose the directory.
Multiple files can be compressed and added to a zip file at once.  After you
have accepted the Drag Drop selections, you will be prompted for a zip file
name and the compressed zip file will be placed in the Destination directory.

Zipping Files without Drag and Drop

A destination is chosen for the zip file by moving to the drive and/or
directory desired.  Click on the destination button (or press F7) and the
destination is set.  Then, move to the drive/directory where the file(s) are
stored that must be compressed. Then, select the file(s).  Pressing F2 or
clicking on the Compress Files button can zip a single file or a group of
files.  The created zip file is deposited in the destination directory.
Multiple files can be compressed and added to a zip file at once.  You will be
prompted for a zip file name and the compressed zip file will be placed in the
Destination directory.

Zipping Directory Trees

Complete directory trees can be zipped by selecting a Directory in the Files
Window and pressing F2.  Only one directory can be zipped at a time.  If other
directories or files are selected, only the first directory will be chosen and
the other files and directories will be ignored.  Again, you will be prompted
for a zip name and the zip file will be placed in the Destination directory.
The tree will be zipped using -rS parameters (this archives all files and
preserves pathnames) and the parameters in the Settings Notebook will be
ignored.

Zipping Entire Drives

The entire Source Drive can also be zipped.  To zip the drive, do NOT select
any files or sub-directories and press F2.  You will prompted for a zip name
and then a message box will pop up and ask you if you want to carry on and zip
the complete drive.  If you answer yes, the zip file containing the contents of
the Source Drive will be placed in the Destination directory. The drive will be
zipped using -rS parameters (this archives all files and preserves pathnames)
and the parameters in the Settings Notebook will be ignored.

Zip Info

File compression and archiving are done with Info-Zip's Zip 2.1.  This is a
freeware file compression/decompression set of programs (Zip 2.1 and Unzip 5.2)
that produce and read zip files compatible with the popular zip format. This
link requires Version 2.1 or higher.
See the Readme file for sources for Info-Zip's latest versions.
The directory holding Zip.Exe must be included in the Config.Sys path statement
or the fully qualified path/name (including the drive) must be entered into the
Program Name line on the set-up page, or it must be the File Freedom home
directory.
Additional parameters can be added in the Archiver parameters line in the
Settings Notebook.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.6. Unzip File ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Unzipping Files with Drag and Drop

Using Drag and Drop to Unzip a file is done by selecting the zip file with the
cursor/spacebar/grey+ or with a mouse single click.  Dragging the selected file
to the Drive Letter Icon (or to directories in the Directory Tree window or to
directories and general areas within the Files Window) is done with the right
mouse button held down, and dropping it on the target is done by releasing the
button.  If the mouse is not over the selected file when the drag is started,
the single file under the mouse pointer will be dragged instead. This enables
the user to operate on a single file without selecting it.
The Drag and Drop dialogue is presented when the file is dropped.  The option
to edit the destination directory name is presented, as well as the options to
Zip, Unzip, Copy or Move files.
A tree structure is shown which allows the user to choose the directory.
Once the file is dropped, it will be automatically unzipped to the chosen
destination.

UnZipping Files without Drag and Drop

A destination is chosen for the uncompressed file(s) by moving to the drive
and/or directory desired.  Click on the destination button (or press F7) and
the destination is set.  Then, move to the drive/directory where the file is
stored that must be uncompressed.  Now, select the zip file and simply press F3
or click on the Uncompress Files button.  The file will be unzipped to the
destination directory.
To Unzip files to a destination directory that is created 'on the fly' and has
the same name as the zip file, see Unzip to New Dir.

File de-compression and unarchiving are done with Info-Zip's UnZip 5.2.  This
is a freeware file compression/decompression set of programs (Zip 2.1 and Unzip
5.2) that produce and read zip files compatible with the popular zip format.
This link requires Version 5.2 or higher.
See the Readme file for sources for Info-Zip's latest versions.
The directory holding UnZip.Exe must be included in the Config.Sys path
statement or the fully qualified path/name (including the drive) must be
entered into the Program Name line on the set-up page, or it must be the File
Freedom home directory.
Additional parameters can be added in the Archiver parameters line in the
Settings Notebook.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.7. Unzip to New Dir ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

UnZipping Files to a New Directory

First, select the zip file. Using this feature is the same as Unzip File with
an added bonus.  A new directory with the same name as the zip file is created
on-the-fly in the Destination directory and the files are unzipped into this
new directory.  This feature is only available from the Options menu or by
pressing Shift F3.
This feature, combined with the Create Desktop Object feature, make it easy to
unzip and evaluate new software.  When evaluation is complete, select the
directory and delete the directory and it's contents with Delete.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.8. Test Zip File ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Testing the Zip File

Select the file to be tested (for CRC errors) and press F4.  When the check is
complete, press Alt, then C to close the window.
File de-compression and unarchiving are done with Info-Zip's UnZip 5.2  This is
a freeware file decompression program that reads zip files compatible with the
popular zip format.  This link requires Version 5.2 or higher.
See the Readme file for sources for Info-Zip's latest versions.
The directory holding UnZip.Exe must be included in the Config.Sys path
statement or the fully qualified path/name (including the drive) must be
entered into the Program Name line in the Archiver page in the Settings
Notebook, or it must be the File Freedom home directory. The Test Zip File
procedure shares this line with the UnZip File procedure.

The file test examines the CRC value of the files in the selected zip file and
displays the results in a window.  This window is persistent to allow the user
to see the results of the test and must be closed with a double-click on the
Title Bar Icon or via the pull down menu.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.9. User Options ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

User Defined Programs

A link is provided for eight programs determined by the user, which can be
executable programs or Rexx cmd files.  Each User Program will also accept
optional command line parameters. If a file is selected when the User Program
is initiated, the command line parameters will be be passed as a first
parameter, and the filename will be passed as a second parameter.  If a file is
not selected the program will still be initiated, but only the optional
parameters will be passed.
If optional parameters are not specified but a file is selected, the filename
will become the first and only parameter passed to the program.
These are entered in the User page of the Settings Notebook.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.5.10. Create Desktop Object ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Creating a Desktop Object the Easy Way

If you want to create a Desktop Program Object, just select the program file
you want to appear as an object on your Desktop and press Control+F11. This
will create a program object on the desktop with a working directory the same
as the program directory.  Some fine tuning may be required in some cases, but
most programs should run as is.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6. Help for Settings ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Settings Notebook

ToolBar


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6.1. Help for the Settings Notebook ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Settings Notebook within File Freedom contains settings for
User-Configurable options.  This is found in the Menu under Settings and is
different from the settings notebook for the File Freedom Object found in the
Desktop menu for this object. Once options have been configured, pressing the
"Done" pushbutton below the Settings Notebook will dismiss the notebook and
save any changes made.  It is the same as double-clicking on the titlebar icon.
For Help on an individual page, choose one of the following:

Paths

Viewers

Editor

Archiver

User

Refresh

Search


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6.2. Paths ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Source and Destination Path Settings

This is where the default paths for the Source and Destination directories can
be set.  If these fields are left blank, File Freedom will start with the
directory that the program is found in, as the Source and Destination
directories.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6.3. Viewers ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

File Viewer Settings

File Freedom provides links for as many file viewers as desired.  Program
names, including paths, may be up to 50 characters long.  If the directories
holding these viewers (including cmd files) are located in directories included
in the Config.Sys path statement, or they are located in the File Freedom home
directory, paths are not required.

The default viewers can be edited or deleted except for the viewer associated
with <none> which can only be edited.  The use of EPM as a viewer in read-only
mode (browse mode) is designated by entering <epm> in the viewer entry field
and this is the default for <none>  This prevents accidental editing of the
file being viewed. The viewer for <none> is the viewer for all file types (with
or without extensions) that don't have a designated viewer, with the exception
of exe, cmd or bat files which will run by default when double-clicked on.

Examples

To use PMView as the viewer instead of <epm>, simply place the cursor in the
Edit Viewer Name entry field and replace <epm> with pmview.exe.  A path may be
included with the viewer name, eg. C:\graphics\pmview.exe, but the total length
of characters used must not exceed 50.
If the viewer program is already located in a directory that appears in the
path statement, or if it is located in the File Freedom home directory, a path
is not required.
To use epm in normal editing mode as the viewer, replace <epm> with epm.exe.
Other default viewers can be edited in the same way.

File viewers for other file types can also be added.  Click the mouse pointer
in the Add extension entry box and type in the file name extension for the file
type desired, then press Enter.  The cursor will move to the Edit Viewer Name
entry box where the name of the viewer is then entered.  Be sure to include the
program name extension.  The Name and Path of the Viewer cannot exceed 50
characters.  As a added feature, the viewer name can be a Rexx .cmd file.  This
enables the use of Rexx batch files. The file name is passed as a parameter to
the Rexx script.

To delete or edit a viewer, select the viewer by first clicking on the
Drop-Down list symbol under the File Extensions heading and then selecting from
the list by double-clicking on the extension. The matching viewer will appear
in the Edit Viewer Name box. To delete the pair, press the Delete button.  To
change the Viewer, simply edit the viewer name and press  Enter.

To restore the default viewers, press the Defaults button.

Note

To understand the implications of installing your own Zip viewer instead of the
built-in viewer, see Zip Viewer.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6.4. Editor ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Editor Settings

The name of your favourite PM (or Dos, Windows or non-PM OS/2) editor can be
entered here, along with command-line parameters. Be sure to include the
program name extension.  The directory where the editor program is located must
be the File Freedom home directory, or it must be in the Config.Sys path
statement or a fully qualified Drive:\Path\Name must be entered as the program
name.  The file selected at the time the editor is invoked will also be handed
to the editor as a second parameter.  The editor can be invoked without
selecting a file, however.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6.5. Archiver ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Archiver Settings

The Archiver Settings are found on the Archiver page of the Settings Notebook
which is accessed with F12 or found under the menu item Settings.
The Zip.Exe and Unzip.Exe program names and parameters are entered here.
Zip.Exe is used by ZIP FILE and Unzip.Exe is used by UNZIP FILE, TEST ZIP FILE
and ZIP VIEWER. If the program names alone are entered, the executables must be
in the File Freedom home directory, or in the path statement as listed in the
Config.Sys file or, if the path statement in the Config.Sys file does not
contain the directory where the executables can be located, fully qualified
path/names must be entered such as "H:\progs\zip.exe" and "H:\progs\unzip.exe".
Info-Zip's Zip.Exe 2.1 and Unzip.Exe 5.2 or greater must be used.

Additional command-line parameters can also be added for Info-Zip's Zip and
Unzip programs.  A common parameter for Zip or Unzip would be -j to exclude
pathnames, either on creation (zip.exe) or unzipping (unzip.exe).
The extra parameters added will have no effect on the ZIP VIEWER or on TEST ZIP
FILE.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6.6. User ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

User Program Settings

There are eight pages of User-Defined Program settings.  The small arrows at
the bottom of the page must be used to turn to pages 2 through 8.  Each page
contains the settings for one program.

Enter the program names (including extensions) here as well as (optional)
command line parameters and (optional) a working directory.  You can also give
a name to your program which will be listed in the Options menu.  This name can
be up to 13 characters long.
The directory where the user programs are located must be in the Config.Sys
path statement or a fully qualified Drive:\Path\Name must be entered as the
program name.
See Installing User Programs for more details.

Note
Windows 3.1 programs and PC/DOS programs will be opened as Windowed
applications instead of Full-Screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6.7. Refresh ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Timed Refresh

Two separate timers are available to allow automatic refresh of the Directories
content and the Drive Table.  These timers are intended for users on networks
who must cope with the disappearance and reappearance of network drives and
files.  Setting the automatic refresh allows some degree of confidence that the
file or drive displayed is still available.

Directories
Check this box to allow a timed refresh of the files and directory tree
display.  Time units are in seconds, with the default set for 30 and a maximum
of 600 seconds (ten minutes).  This information is saved in the File Freedom
INI file and initialized at start-up, if set.
If enabled, this feature completely re-reads the contents of the source
directory and modifys the tree display, removing or updateing files and
directories that may have been deleted or modified by others on a network.
If files are marked (selected) for some operation, this refresh is temporarily
ignored until the operation has been completed.  This keeps the display
coherent until all files are unmarked again.

Drives List
Check this box to allow a timed refresh of the Drives list and the Drive button
bar.  Time units are also in seconds, with a default of 30 and a maximum of 600
seconds (ten minutes).  This information is also saved in the File Freedom INI
file and initialized at start-up, if set.
If enabled, this feature reloads the Drive Map and displays only those drives
currently available. If a network drive has been taken off-line, or a network
drive put on-line, the Drive Button Bar will be changed to reflect the
availability of these drives.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6.8. Search ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Installing a User-Defined Search Tool

Although PMSeek is the default search tool, other search tools can be installed
instead.  To do this, edit out PMSeek.exe and insert the pathname of the
program you wish to use, for example c:\utilities\pmgrep.exe.  There is also an
area to enter parameters that may be required for any particular program.  The
file name (if a file is selected when the search is started) will be handed to
the program as a parameter also.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.6.9. ToolBar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Toolbar Visibility

If this menu item is checked, it indicates that the ToolBar is visible.  If it
is unchecked, the ToolBar is currently hidden.  To toggle the visible state of
the ToolBar, click on this item or press Control+F12.  See Tool Bar for more
information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.7. View File ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Viewing Files in the Zip

The selection bar may be moved to a file of interest and, by pressing the Enter
key or double-clicking on a file, the file may be viewed with the same viewers
that are used elsewhere in File Freedom.  These viewers are set-up in the
Settings Notebook and are tied to the extension of the file being viewed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.8. Extract File to Destination ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Extracting Single Files from the Archive

The selection bar may be moved to a file of interest and the file extracted to
the destination directory (set in File Freedom) by pressing the spacebar.
Using the Spacebar alone will eliminate the path if one was stored for that
file within the archive.  To extract a file and preserve/build the path in the
destination directory, see Extract Files to Destination with Path


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.9. Extract File to Destination with Path ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Extracting Single Files from the Archive

The selection bar may be moved to a file of interest and the file extracted to
the destination directory (set in File Freedom) by pressing the spacebar.
Using the Shift + Spacebar combination will preserve and build the path for the
file if one was stored in the archive.  To extact a file and eliminate the
path, see Extract File to Destination


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.10. View Zip File Comment ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Viewing Archive Comments

There are two kinds of Comments that may be found in a Zip file.
One Comment is attached to the file as a whole and is usually a description of
the contents, or sometimes an advertisement.  This is the Comment that is
displayed with this command.  Once displayed, this comment will disappear with
a mouse click anywhere esle on the screen.
The other kind of Comment is attached to individual files within the archive
and these are displayed (if available) at the end of the file description in
the main Zip Viewer window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.11. Quit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Quitting the Zip Viewer

This command will dismiss the Zip Viewer window and return you to the main File
Freedom window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20.12. Deleting Files from the Archive ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Deleting Single Files from the Archive

The selection bar may be moved to a file of interest and the file deleted from
the zip by pressing the Del key.