PC Plus SuperCD (UK) 1998 August/PC Plus SuperCD 50b Issue 142 (CD142b) (August 1998).iso/handson/HelpScrn/R-UTIL.EXE/lzh/UN_DUP.DOC

Text File | 1998-03-31 | 14.8 KB | 252 lines

     Rosenthal Engineering P.O.Box 1650, San Luis Obispo CA USA 93406
      U.S. Patent No. 5,359,659, Copyright 1994 all rights reserved.

                    Rosenthal Un_Dup (tm) (FREE BONUS!)

"Rosenthal  Un_Dup" is provided ABSOLUTELY FREE with paid registration  or
upgrade  of  the   highly acclaimed program  "Rosenthal  UnInstall  (tm)".
Duplicate files waste valuable disk space, so "Rosenthal Un_Dup" finds any
files  that  are  redundant  and may be removed.  The  path  statement  is
optimized  and  directed to the remaining identical files. Files  must  be
identical  in name, size and contents to be considered duplicates. If  the
duplicate  executable  file  (.COM, .EXE and .BAT) which  is  exempted  by
Rosenthal  Un_Dup from removal is not in the path, the new directory  will
be  added to the path statement of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The decision  of
which  duplicate file to exempt from removal is based on the  most  direct
and  efficient path. Additional, the user may use the E - Exempt  function
to keep files by selectively removing them from the deletion list.

The  path  statement  sequence order is reorganized based  on  the  actual
directory  structure of the disks to optimize access times with  the  most
efficient search for all drives from C: through the last one in the path.

All  files are displayed for user confirmation before being  deleted.  The
current original AUTOEXEC.BAT file and new the proposed modifications  may
be  displayed  for confirmation. A report file shows the  files  that  are
exempted  and  will not be deleted and may be reviewed. (R -  Report  file
UN_DUP.DAT display).

When  the  P  - Purge option is employed, a backup copy  of  the  original
AUTOEXEC.BAT is saved as AUTOEXEC.OLD. The report file UN_DUP.DAT is  then
available  and  will  show the files that were exempted by  the  user  and
automatically exempted by Un_Dup as well as the files that were deleted.

Selecting the  P - Purge option will delete the duplicate files  displayed
and  make the modifications to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file that include the  new
optimized  path  statement.  A warning will alert the user  to  read  only
and/or  hidden  duplicate  files for confirmation. The P  -  Purge  option
shares  data with  "Rosenthal UnInstall" which must be installed first.  A
registration serial number for "Rosenthal UnInstall" is required for these
programs to fully support each other. (See ORDER.FRM)

Confirmation  by  the user will always be required ("Are you  sure?  y/N")
prior to deleting duplicate files or making changes.

                      How to use Rosenthal Un_Dup

Execute  "UNINSTAL.EXE"  before adding each new  software  package.  After
you've installed and evaluated the new software, you can elect to keep  it
by  selecting the "U - Update" function. The map is then updated  and  the
current  time  and  date  are recorded.  Both  "Rosenthal  UnInstall"  and
"Rosenthal  Un_Dup" may be used without a registered serial number for  an
evaluation period.

Copy the files from your distribution diskette, CD-ROM or archive to  your
hard disk.  For example:    COPY A:*.* C:

Execute "UN_DUP.EXE" and review the files and the proposed changes to  the
AUTOEXEC.BAT  file. Changes made to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file go  into  effect
when  the system is started. Duplicate files that may be removed  will  be
displayed with their full path names.

It  is  not enough that a file has an identical name to  be  considered  a
duplicate.  For  example files named READ.ME are quite common  and  almost
always  different.  Files  with both the same name and  size  may  not  be
identical either. For example FILE_ID.DIZ files are often the same length.
Un_Dup will only consider a file to be a duplicate if it has the same name
and is byte for byte identical. File date stamps are ignored because if  a
file is otherwise identical, it is functionally a duplicate.

Option "N" displays proposed changes to the AUTOEXEC.BAT path statement.

Option "C" displays the current AUTOEXEC.BAT file for review. It's a  good
idea  to examine it as well before committing to purge  anything.  Changes
made to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, are saved as AUTOEXEC.OLD.

To  view the report file use the "R" option. A plain text report  file  is
maintained as UN_DUP.DAT and will shows exempted and deleted files.

In  addition to the files automatically exempted from deletion by  Un_Dup,
files may selectively exempted from the removal list using the "E" option.

The  "PATH"  command  statement lines in the AUTOEXEC.BAT  file  sets  the
system  to  search  through the listed directories  for  executable  files
(.COM,  .EXE  and .BAT). The search starts in the  current  directory  and
continues through the extended directories in the sequence they appear  in
the  path  statement.  The path can span several disks and  the  order  is
rarely in the optimum sequence to minimize access time. "Rosenthal Un_Dup"
organizes the path sequence so it is sorted in the order that  directories
are found on the actual disk. This can result in a significant improvement
in  disk  access times. Disk drives are mechanical devices,  so  the  less
distance  the  heads must travel when searching for a  file,  the  faster.
There  will also be an improvement when disk caching is employed,  because
more of the disk information can be buffered by the cache in memory.

Many installation programs modify the path statement and over time some of
the  directories listed become obsolete or redundant. This  is  especially
true  of MS-Windows users. When a directory is listed in the path, but  no
longer  resides on the disk, the path command forces the operating  system
to still search for it through each directory every time without  success.
This  wastes time and degrades performance. Often an installation  program
will  list a directory in the path more than once which forces the  system
to  waste time searching that directory again even though the file  wasn't
found the first time.

Each  application  program will have its' own requirements  for  where  it
expects  to  find  the files it needs. Many only require  the  program  to
reside somewhere in the path. Some programs have their own path statements
and MS-Windows programs often have their own separate .INI files. Programs
that  need to be directed to the files they use may need to  be  adjusted.
Unfortunately each will have its' own unique way of implementing that,  so
refer to the producer of the program directly for help.

Occasionally, a program needs one of the duplicate files that was  deleted
to  be in a particular directory and is unable to locate it. If a  program
is  unable to find the deleted file even though directed to it by the  new
path  statement, it can still be recovered. Use your ASCII text viewer  to
review  the report file (UN_DUP.DAT) generated by UN_DUP. Locate the  file
and  copy  it  to the directory. One copy of a duplicate  file  is  always
exempted  from  deletion and executable files  will be in  the  new  path.
Often  it  is  possible to move an exempted file  from  one  directory  to
another so a duplicate copy is not always necessary.

"Rosenthal Un_Dup" will optimize the order of the directories to match the
structure  found on the actual disk drive. Directories that are listed  in
the  path but no longer found on the disk are removed. Only a single  copy
of each directory is listed in the new, more efficient path statement.

A well maintained system will have a minimum of duplicate and extra  files
wasting  valuable  disk  space. The best way to prevent  the  system  from
becoming cluttered with extra files is to clean out the unused files on  a
regular basis. Using "Rosenthal UnInstall" each time a new application  is
installed will help a tremendous amount, and it also checks for  duplicate
files as they are installed.

When  "Rosenthal UnInstall" and "Rosenthal Un_Dup" are used on  a  regular
basis, it is much easier to keep the system free of extraneous junk  files
and  running  efficiently. If a system has not been keep up  to  date,  it
becomes  increasingly  more difficult to remove extra files and  may  even
seem  to be an overwhelming task. It's best to not let things  reach  this
level, but here's how it can still be done.

Don't ever try to do too much at one time. If several applications  report
duplicate files, break the task of deleting them into smaller portions. Do
one  application at a time by deleting the files manually one at  a  time.
Print  out  the UN_DUP.DAT text file and refer to it if  that  will  help.
Always test each application after duplicate files are deleted from it  to
make  sure  it  can  still find the one  copy  remaining  that  have  been
exempted. Make any corrections as you go along before deleting more  files
or moving on to different programs.

Don't  just use the purge option when there are a large number of  changes
to be made. Systems that have been keep free of extraneous files can  take
advantage  of this option, but it's best to clean things up and test  them
one  at  a  time  to begin with. It's always easier  to  keep  the  system
maintained when only minor changes are made at each session.

Managing a computer need not be difficult or time consuming when done on a
regular  schedule. Make backups of files, use a deframenter for  the  hard
disk. Test for viruses. Use "Rosenthal Cleaner" (see TRY_THIS) to maintain
the  floppy diskette drives. Always use "Rosenthal UnInstall" when  adding
new  software and to remove unwanted software. Use "Rosenthal  Un_Dup"  to
manage duplicate files and an efficient AUTOEXEC.BAT path statement.

Registered users of "Rosenthal UnInstall" will receive the latest  version
of  this program the and the very useful BONUS utility "Rosenthal  History
(tm)" FREE with their paid registration or upgrade. Also the  unregistered
software to evaluate listed in the TRY_THIS.DOC will be included. See  the
ORDER.FRM file for details.

                         Rosenthal UnInstall (tm)

Automatically remove unwanted Windows and DOS programs, files, directories
and restore the system's AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, WIN.INI, SYSTEM.INI and
disk boot sector system tracks. Quickly and easily! You'll wonder how  you
ever  did without it!. Run "Rosenthal UnInstall" before you  add  anything
new  to your system. New programs can then be added and, at  your  option,
kept, or deleted, and the system completely returned to normal.

Single  systems,  as  well as networks with multiple  and  even  removable
drives  are supported. Safeguards provide display of all  directories  and
files  (including hidden and duplicate ones) for review and  confirmation.
Accept additions, or safely delete them.

"Rosenthal UnInstall" maintains a map of your disk drives and records  the
appearance  of  each  new installation. When  you  execute  "UNINSTAL.EXE"
before  adding  new  software to your system,  "Rosenthal  UnInstall"  can
automatically remove it at some latter date.

The best way to determine if any program will satisfy your needs is to try
it  for  yourself. "Rosenthal UnInstall" makes trying  new  software  more
attractive  by  eliminating  the  aggravation  normally  associated   with
removing unwanted software and restoring the system. Unwanted software  is
removed   and   the  system  restored  safely   and   automatically.   All
modifications,   additions  and  deletions  made  to   the   AUTOEXEC.BAT,
CONFIG.SYS, WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI can be restored. At your option, any of
the  added  files  and  subdirectories may  be  kept  or  safely  deleted,
including  hidden  and  read-only files. Even the disk  boot  sectors  are
handled.

                  Rosenthal History (tm)  (FREE BONUS!)

The  path changes made by "Rosenthal Un_Dup" to the AUTOXEC.BAT file  will
be recorded by "Rosenthal History (tm)".

The  bonus  utility "Rosenthal History (tm)" is included  ABSOLUTELY  FREE
with  paid  registration or upgrade. It maintains a  running  timeline  of
changes,  additions  and deletions made to the  AUTOEXEC.BAT,  CONFIG.SYS,
WIN.INI  and  SYSTEM.INI  files. An easy to understand,  plain  text  file
(RE_HIST.DAT) history report can be referred to when uninstalling software
or  to resolve conflicts. Add "Rosenthal History" and begin recording  the
timeline  as  soon as possible. Read the RE_HIST.DOC file for  a  complete
description of this very highly acclaimed, must have utility.

                          Orders Outside the U.S

All  international  orders  are  sent by  air-mail.  See  the  order  form
(ORDER.FRM)  for shipping and handling rates. Please be sure to make  your
payment in "US Dollars" either by (US) cash, international money order  or
check  drawn  on  a US member bank. Otherwise banks want  a  fifty  dollar
processing fee to cash a twenty five dollar check. Sorry, euro-checks  and
credit cards can not be processed.

                        Software License agreement

You  are  encouraged  to copy and distribute  this  software  provided  it
remains unmodified, complete in its original form, and no fee (other  than
a  nominal  copy charge) is required. This software is  provided  "as  is"
without warranty either expressed or implied.

You may not make any changes or modifications to the software, and you may
not decompile, disassemble or in anyway reverse engineer the software.

This  software  is  provided  "as is"  without  warranties  of  any  kind.
Responsibility rests entirely with the user to determine its fitness for a
particular purpose. ROSENTHAL ENGINEERING SHALL NOT IN ANY CASE BE  LIABLE
FOR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT OR OTHER SIMILAR  DAMAGES
ARISING  FROM  ANY USE OF THIS SOFTWARE. Some states may not  allow  these
limits  on  warranties,  so they may not apply to you. In  no  case  shall
Rosenthal  Engineering's liability exceed the license fees paid by you  to
Rosenthal  Engineering  for the right to use the Licensed  Software.  Use,
duplication, or disclosure by the U.S. Government of the computer software
and  documentation  in  this package shall be subject  to  the  restricted
rights  applicable  to  commercial  computer  software  as  set  forth  in
subdivision  (b)  (3) (ii) of the Rights in Technical  Data  and  Computer
Software    clause    at    252.227-7013    (DFARS    52.227-7013).    The
Contractor/manufacturer is Doren Rosenthal, Rosenthal Engineering, P.O.Box
1650, San Luis Obispo, California 93406.

This  constitutes  the  entire agreement  and  understanding  between  the
parties  and supersedes any prior agreement or understanding whether  oral
or written and may only be modified in writing.