The Business Master (3rd Edition)

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XTREE The World's Leading Disk Management Software XTree Company a division of Executive Systems, Inc. 4330 Santa Fe Rd San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 COPYRIGHT NOTICE This software package and document are copyrighted (c) 1985-1990 by Executive Systems Incorporated. All rights are reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in any retrieval system, or translated into any language by any means without the express written permission of Xtree Company, a division of Executive Systems, Inc., 4330 Santa Fe Rd., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA. LICENSE You must read the license agreement supplied on the distribution disk prior to using this evaluation version of XTree. DISCLAIMER XTree Company makes no warranties as to the contents of this documentation and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. XTree Company further reserves the right to alter the specifications of the program and/or the contents of the manual without obligation to notify any person or organization of these changes. Third edition, April 1990 Printed in the United States of America - i - TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION...........................................1 1.1 XTree's Features...................................2 2.0 STARTING UP............................................4 2.1 System Requirements................................4 2.2 Contacting XTree Company...........................4 2.3 A Cautionary Note..................................5 3.0 THE XTREE DISPLAYS.....................................6 4.0 XTREE COMMANDS........................................11 4.1 Directory Window Commands.........................11 4.2 File Window Commands..............................17 4.3 Function Keys.....................................24 5.0 TECHNIQUES............................................25 5.1 Backing Up........................................25 5.2 Statistics........................................25 5.3 Helpful Hints.....................................26 6.0 ERROR MESSAGES........................................27 A.0 APPENDIX..............................................31 A.1 Mini Glossary.....................................31 A.2 Common Filename Extensions........................32 - ii - Introduction _________________________________________________________________________ 1.0 INTRODUCTION Every person who uses computers creates numerous files for storing information and data. Often, files concerning similar topics can be found throughout several disks or in a haphazard arrangement on a single disk. To access any given file, the user must struggle through multiple directory listings, issue many complex commands, and usually view and review to remember what's in what and where. This process is confusing and time consuming. MS-DOS provides a useful organizational structure called a directory . Directories allow the computer user to store files in separate groups on a disk. The files in a directory are kept distinct from files in other directories. MS-DOS also allows the user to organize and separate directories. Each directory on a disk, in addition to containing a group of files, can have sub directories own group of files and subdirectories, and so on. This directory branching organization is called a tree structure. When there is more than one directory on a disk, to find the way to a particular subdirectory on a disk, the user specifies a path As an example, let us imagine a file drawer. Within this drawer there are three major sections labelled 1983, 1984, and 1985. In each of these sections are smaller sections called Taxes, Benefits, Earnings, Prizes, etc. In each of the small sections are folders containing summaries of calculations, one folder for each of several companies. In this example the 1983, 1984, and 1985 sections are directories. The subsections called Taxes, Benefits, Earnings, and Prizes are subdirectories to these directories. The folders are files, one file per company. To find the Tax summary for Company X in the current year, the directory path 1984/TAXES and the file COMPANYX would be specified. A drawback of the MS-DOS implementation of the concepts described above is that as the number of directories and/or files grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of them, find the data that you require, and to throw away any unneeded data. The purpose of XTREE is to facilitate the file and directory maintenance process by providing you commands to access, delete, rename, view, move, list, or show any and all files within any and all directories on your floppy and hard disks. XTREE is remarkable for its ease of use, clarity of organization, and multitude of services. XTREE presents a visualization of the directories, subdirectories, and files on your disks in clear, graphic screen displays. Statistical data is also displayed at all times; this data is updated as you perform your tasks. - 1 - Introduction _________________________________________________________________________ 1.1 XTREE's Features XTREE performs the work of several MS/DOS commands and makes these command functions available in its onscreen menus. These commands are: DIR - You can see all the directories, subdirectories, their files, and file statistics in a single display. DEL - You can delete files one at a time or in groups. COPY - You can copy files, one at a time or in groups, to any directory on any of your available disks. TYPE - You can view the contents of any text file. REN - You can change the name of any of your files. You can rename a group of files or a single file. MKDIR - You can create new subdirectories within your current directory. RMDIR - You can remove empty directories. CHDIR - You can change your current directory simply by moving a cursor. VOL - You are always informed of the Volume Name of your current disk. XTREE further offers some special operations that MS-DOS commands may not provide: o You can see the complete directory structure of any of your disks in one clear graphic display. You can also print the directory structure. o You can see every file on a disk in a single display, no matter which directory it is in. The files can be shown with or without sizes, dates, and attributes and can be displayed in different sort orders. o You can change the name of any directory on your current disk. o You can modify disk volume names (labels) at any time, without having to reformat the disk. o You can move a file or group of files from one directory to another on the current disk. Moving files is faster than copying them. - 2 - Introduction _________________________________________________________________________ o You can copy a group of files to a different disk, with each file going to a directory of the same name as its own directory. If the directory doesn't exist on the destination disk, XTREE creates it for you. o You can display and/or modify the MS-DOS attributes of any file. - 3 - Starting Up _________________________________________________________________________ 2.0 STARTING UP Before running XTREE, you should use the MS-DOS commands TYPE or PRINT to examine the contents of the file READ.ME which is on your distribution disk. This text file contains notes regarding your particular version of XTREE and may be helpful in running the program for the first time. Starting up XTREE is a simple operation. At the standard MS-DOS prompt type the word XTREE followed by the RETURN or ENTER key. If you wish to have XTREE work with the directories and files of a disk other than the currently logged MS-DOS disk, type a space, the letter for the desired drive, and a colon before pressing the ENTER key. XTREE will present its opening screen, read the directory and file names from the requested disk, and display a highlight bar over the disk's first directory name when it is ready to accept your commands. 2.1 System Requirements For XTREE to run smoothly, your system should conform to the following requirements: o 192K or more of Ram Memory o MS-DOS version 2.0 or later o IBM PC compatible, i.e. BIOS and DOS functions that are PC-DOS compatible, as defined in the IBM Technical Reference Manual and the IBM DOS 2.1 Technical Reference Manual. o No more than 2500 files and 180 directories on a disk 2.2 Contacting XTree Company Should you want to contact XTree Company for technical support, site licensing, or sales information, or to share your ideas for other software programs, refer to the following information: Mailing Address: 4330 Santa Fe Rd. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 FAX Number: (805) 541-8053 Technical Support: (805) 541-0604 (800) 551-5353 in California (800) 634-5545 outside California Please have you serial number ready when you call for technical support. Your program's serial number is displayed on its opening screen. To freeze this screen, - 4 - Starting Up _________________________________________________________________________ press F1 while XTREE is logging the disk. Copy the serial number and then type "N" to continue the logging operation. Only registered users are eligible for technical support, upgrade notification, and other information/services. Be sure to complete and return the enclosed registration card. 2.3 A Cautionary Note XTREE is such a delight and so easy to use, you will want to begin working immediately. But do remember that XTREE is a very powerful tool. You could unintentionally erase an entire group of files with just a few keystrokes. Therefore, you should proceed slowly and be attentive at all times. If you initiate a command that could result in a problem, just use the F3 key to cancel that command. - 5 - The XTree Displays _________________________________________________________________________ 3.0 THE XTREE DISPLAYS When you first bring up XTREE, you see an initial screen that is organized into nine separate sections ([A] - [I]): [A] Path: \SPREADS\BUDGET\1988 +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | \ [D] |FILE: *.DAT | | |--ACCTS |--------------------| | |--SPREADS |DISK: C: MAIN DRIVE | | | |--BUDGET [E] | Available | | | | |--1987 | Bytes: 5,498,880 | | | | `--1988 |--------------------| | | `--PROJECT |DISK Statistics | | | |--1988 | Total | [B]| | `--1989 | Files: 1,298 | | |--TOOLS | Bytes: 4,277,461 | | `--WORDPROC | Matching | | |--CONTRACT | Files: 48 | | `--LETTER [F] | Bytes: 30,720 | | |--BUSINESS | Tagged | |------------------------------------------------| Files: 3 | | APRIL .DAT JANUARY .DAT MAY .DAT | Bytes: 1,920 | [C]| AUGUST .DAT JULY .DAT NOVEMBER.DAT | Current Directory | | DECEMBER.DAT JUNE .DAT OCTOBER .DAT | 1988 | | FEBRUARY.DAT MARCH .DAT SEPTEMBR.DAT | Bytes: 7,680 | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ [G] DIR Available Delete Filespec Log disk Makedir Print Rename COMMANDS ^Showall ^Tag ^Untag Volume eXecute [H] <||> scroll RETURN file commands ALT menu F1 quit F2 help [I] Figure 1 - XTree's Main Display The first six display sections present different facets of your disk's structure, displaying your directories, subdirectories, files, and valuable statistical information. The final three display sections provide indications of the command, control, and function keys available for use. Let's look at each of these display sections: [A] PATH IDENTIFICATION LINE. This will identify the precise directory path through which you pass on your way to the current directory. If only the "\" symbol is displayed, you know that you are in the disk's Root Directory. [B] THE DIRECTORY WINDOW. This will show the directory structure of your current disk, which appears in a graphic outline form much like a tree structure. The ROOT Directory (\) is at the top of the disk, and all other directories are - 6 - The XTree Displays _________________________________________________________________________ sorted alphabetically and displayed from the top of the Directory Window to the bottom. Main directories are to the left. Subdirectories are indented. Initially, the highlight bar is over the Root Directory. As you scroll through the directory list using the arrow keys, the highlight bar will always identify your current directory. The size of this window varies, depending upon the number of directories and subdirectories on the current disk. If only a few directories exist on the disk, the window will be smaller; if more directories exist than can be conveniently shown, you can scroll the cursor downward to access them. [C] THE FILE WINDOW. This window alphabetically lists the files found in the current directory. Only those files whose names match the current File Specification are listed. Pressing the ENTER key will move the highlight bar into this window so that you can work with your files. Pressing the ENTER key while your highlight bar is in this window will cause it to expand and show you more files in a single display. This is the Expanded File Window display. Pressing ENTER again will restore you to the Directory Window. In the normal File Window display, from 12 to 36 files may be shown on the screen at one time. In the Expanded File Window display, as many as 57 files can be listed. If you have more, you can scroll the highlight bar to the upper left or lower right of the screen in order to access them. Note also, that sometimes the File Window will display the information "No Files!" In this case, there are no files (that match the File Specification) contained in the current directory. [D] FILE SPECIFICATION BOX. This is the key for XTREE file operations. Only those files whose names match the name shown here can appear on the screen. You will normally choose to have a wildcard name here as opposed to a single file name. When XTREE is first started, the *.* wildcard specification will appear, and all files will be available to XTREE. Files that match the File Specification are called matching files [E] DISK SPECIFICATION BOX. Not only does this box identify the disk you are referencing, it also notes the Volume Label for that disk, if you have one. This box also informs you of the number of bytes still available on your current disk for file and directory storage. This display is immediately updated each time you log onto a new drive or make a change to the disk you are referencing. - 7 - The XTree Displays _________________________________________________________________________ [F] DISK/DIRECTORY STATISTICS BOX. When the highlight bar is in the Directory Window, the statistics which appear reflect the data storage for the entire disk. On the other hand, when the highlight bar is in a File Window, only the statistics for the current directory are displayed. This display is immediately updated each time you make an organizational change. In this display box, you can check on the number of files currently on the disk or directory and how many bytes these files use. You can also see how many files match the current file specification and the amount of disk space they utilize. Moreover, you can see how many files have been tagged (marked with a diamond shape) for later processing and how many bytes these tagged files take up. Finally, the Disk/Directory Statistics Box will always identify (in capital letters) the current directory or file in which you are working. The number bytes in your current directory or in your current file will also be displayed. [G] DIRECTORY COMMANDS and FILE COMMANDS MENUS. Below the windows are two lines that identify which XTREE command keys you can use at a particular time. The first letter of the command word is bold; this identifies the key you should press to invoke the command function. Some of the command words are preceded by a "^". This indicates that the command has an additional form which can be invoked by holding the CTRL key when pressing the command letter. The single-key commands usually act upon individual directories or files. The CTRL key commands will typically act on tagged or multiple files. There are two separate XTREE commands menus. The DIRECTORY COMMANDS affect directories and are visible only when the highlight bar is in the Directory Window. The FILE COMMANDS affect files and are visible only when the highlight bar is in a File Window. From each of the two commands menus you can see another set of commands by pressing the ALT key. You can use any of the ALT commands by continuing to hold the ALT key and pressing the appropriate letter. These ALT commands are typically seldom used commands or commands that are an alternate form of the commands shown in the main Directory or File Commands Menus. [H] THE PROMPT LINE. This helpful guideline is always available to you, no matter what window you may be in. It provides directions for moving within the windows or between them, or for keying in information XTREE may be waiting for. [I] THE FUNCTION KEY LINE. This line is your reference for XTREE's useful function keys. A more detailed explanation of the Function Keys can be found in a later section. - 8 - The XTree Displays _________________________________________________________________________ 3.1 Moving Around the Windows In XTREE, you move within and between windows in order to accomplish your various organizational tasks. Whichever window the highlight bar appears in is considered to be the active window. The active window determines which commands are currently available, and whether the disk's files or directories will be affected. There are two types of windows available: the Directory Window and the File Window. The File Window takes on the following three formats: Normal - Smaller window underneath the Directory Window. File commands affect matching files in the current directory. Expanded - Large window which replaces the Directory Window and the normal File Window. As above, file commands affect only matching files in the current directory. Show All - Large window similar to the Expanded File Window. However, matching files in all directories on the disk will be ___ shown and will be affected by the file commands. A variation of the Show All window will initially display only the tagged files in all directories. The ENTER and F3 (cancel) keys are used to move between windows (and, therefore, change which commands can be used) as shown in the following diagram: ENTER S <-----------------< Directory Window >----------------> | ^ ^ ^ | | +------------------' | `----------------+ | | | | ENTER ENTER | | | | F3 | F3 F3 | | | ^ ENTER ^ ^ | Normal File >----------> Expanded File Show All File Window Window Window Pressing the cursor (arrow) keys will move you from item to item within a window. In the Directory Window, the up arrow and down arrow allow you to scroll through the directory list in either direction. In the File Windows, the right arrow and left arrow are also available to allow you the further option of moving horizontally from column to column. The Page Up and Page Down keys provide for major movement between the first element of a window and the last, and then from one section of a list to another. For example, if the highlight bar were positioned in the File Window at the first file name of a directory, you could move - 9 - The XTree Displays _________________________________________________________________________ to the last file in the window by pressing the Page Down key. Pressing the Page Down key again would show the next section of the file list. A reverse movement would be accomplished by pressing Page Up. The Home and End keys allow you to move directly to the first item of the entire list (Home) or to the last item (End). - 10 - XTree Commands _________________________________________________________________________ 4.0 XTREE COMMANDS There are two command menus. The first is the DIRECTORY COMMANDS, which may only be executed while you are positioned in the Directory Window. The second is the FILE COMMANDS, which may only be executed while you are positioned in any of the File Windows, and which will only operate on matching files in the current directory (unless in the Show All display). These are the commands that actually do the organizational work on your disk. In the commands menus you can see that some of the names are preceded by a "^" symbol. This tells you that there are actually two forms of the command that you may use. The first form is invoked by keying the first letter of the command and usually operates on individual directories or files. The second form is invoked by holding the CTRL key down as you key the first letter of the command name; these commands typically act on tagged or multiple files. From each command menu you may invoke an alternate set of commands. To view this ALT command menu hold down the ALT key. To use one of the commands, press the first letter of the command while pressing the ALT key. When you need to input additional data for any command, the Prompt Line will request it. Simply key the text as required. If you need to correct the entry, use the Backspace key to erase the previous character and the ESCape key to erase the entire line. 4.1 Directory Window Commands When your highlight bar is located in the Directory Window, the directory commands are visible (see Figure 1, reference G). The following is an explanation of their functions: Available calls for a report of any available, still unused space on any disk. When you invoke this command by pressing the A key, XTREE will ask you to enter the disk specifier, that is the letter name of the disk you wish to check. This disk will then be accessed, and the number of bytes available will be reported. The Prompt Line instructs you to press any key to continue; once you do so, the commands will reappear. Delete commands the program to remove the current directory from the current disk. To be deleted, a directory must be empty. It may not have any files or subdirectories within it. Furthermore, it may not be the ROOT directory. - 11 - XTree Commands - Directory Window _________________________________________________________________________ When you press D for Delete, you will be asked to confirm this operation. If you answer Yes by pressing the "Y" key, XTREE will delete the directory and update the information in the Directory Window. If you change your mind or decide to keep the directory, press "N" for No or F3 to cancel the operation. Whether you complete the Delete operation or cancel the command, the Prompt Line disappears and the commands will appear. Filespec changes the File Specification, i.e. selects a new group of files to be used in XTREE's operations. When you choose Files, you will be asked for a new files specification. You may press ENTER, which enters *.* resulting in the opportunity to act on all the files in your operations. Or, you may enter a file name, using * and/or ? characters to specify a particular group of files to be used. Notice that if you specify a new group, for example *.EXE, the File Specification Box as well as the Matching Files Information in the Disk Statistics Box will be updated to reflect your new selection. The prompt disappears and the commands will reappear. The files on the screen will match the new specs. Log disk allows you to change to a new disk for further operations. When you select this command, XTREE will prompt you for the name of the new disk. Enter the letter that identifies the new disk. If you try to log on to a disk which is unavailable (like a hard disk that may not be turned on), the screen will tell you that you've chosen an invalid disk drive. If your choice is appropriate, XTREE will read all the directories on the newly logged disk and will then construct a new directory tree within your Directory Window display. The Disk Specifications Box and the Disk Statistics Box will both be updated as well. Makedir adds a new directory to the current disk. This command is used to create a subdirectory under the current directory, identified as current by the highlight bar. When you choose this command, XTREE will prompt you for the name of this new subdirectory. This name must be a singlename. It may not contain any backslash characters; it must follow the normal rules for DOS file names without wild card characters. After XTREE creates the new directory, the Directory Window is updated to show this directory or subdirectory in its proper place within the tree structure. - 12 - XTree Commands - Directory Window _________________________________________________________________________ Print lists directory information on your printer. When the command is invoked, XTREE asks you to select the type of directory data to be printed. The following choices can be selected by keying the appropriate letter: Catalog of tagged files. If you select this option, XTREE prints the names and statistics of all files that have been tagged on the disk. The printout contains a heading for each directory on the disk that has at least one tagged file, followed by the list of files in that directory that are tagged. The files are listed in the sort order that is currently in effect for the File Window (see ALT/Sort). Pathnames. This option causes XTREE to print a list of all the path names on the disk. Each path name will be printed on one line, and the names will be printed in the order that you see them in the Directory Window. Tree. Selecting this option gives you a printout of the directory tree structure as you see it in the Directory Window. When XTREE performs any of the print functions, it prints a heading at the top of each page. The heading contains the name of the disk, time and date of the printout, and the page number of the printout. XTREE assumes that each print page is 66 lines long which is standard for an 11-inch form. Printing can be cancelled at any time by pressing the F3 (cancel) key. Rename changes the name of the current directory. Before you invoke this command, you need to locate the highlight bar over the directory you wish to rename. Then you may choose this command. XTREE will prompt you for the new name. This entry must be a single directory name, without backslash characters, which adheres to the normal rules for a DOS file name without wild card characters. XTREE will rename the directory and will update the Directory Window to show the new name. ^Showall calls for a shift to the Expanded File Window. However, this Expanded File Window differs from the one that can be called up by pressing ENTER from the File Window. In this Show All Files version, XTREE displays ALL the matching files on the - 13 - XTree Commands - Directory Window _________________________________________________________________________ disk, not just those in the current directory. All of these files are then available for viewing and for XTREE operations. Note that as you move through the list of files, the path notation at the top of the screen may change. Also the Disk/Directory Statistics Box will display the Disk statistics, not the Directory statistics. Remember, this display is the only way you have to work with files across the entire disk, i.e. without regard to which directory they are in. For example, all *.DOC files in all directories on the disk can be deleted, copied, or renamed in a single operation from this display. The CTRL version of the Showall command initially displays all tagged files on the disk that match the File Specification. All subsequent operations will work in a manner identical to the normal Show All display. ^Tag tags (marks with a diamond-shape) all the matching files in the current directory, allowing them to be affected by XTREE's multi-file commands. After XTREE has tagged all the files within the directory, the File Window will be updated to show tag markers on all files displayed. Also the statistics for tagged files in the Disk Statistics Box will be updated. Once a file is tagged, it is eligible for XTREE multiple file commands such as copying and deleting. The CTRL form of the Tag command tags all matching files on the entire disk, no matter what directory you may be in. Tag markings appear adjacent to all file names so that they may be acted on by other XTREE commands. If you want to perform a command on all the files of a disk (by performing a multiple file command from the Show All display), pressing this combination will save you considerable time and effort. ^Untag clears (removes) the tag from all matching files in the current directory, protecting them from being affected by XTREE's multi-file commands. Files not matching the current File Specification will not be untagged. Both the File Window and the statistics for tagged files in the Disk Statistics Box will be updated. Untag files when you complete an operation so that they will not accidentally be acted on at a later time. The CTRL form of the Untag command clears (removes) the tag from all matching files on the entire disk, no matter what directory you may be in. All tag markings adjacent to any file names are removed so that they will not be affected by - 14 - XTree Commands - Directory Window _________________________________________________________________________ any commands you may subsequently issue. This is a good command to use periodically in order to protect your files from yourself while using XTREE. Volume changes the volume label name of the current disk. When you choose this command, you have the opportunity to enter a new volume name of up to eleven characters, using standard DOS rules for volume labels. You do NOT need to reformat. After you enter your title, XTREE writes the new volume name to the disk. The prompt then disappears and the commands will reappear. XTREE will report an error if the new volume name is the same as the name of a file or directory in the Root directory. eXecute provides a way to run programs and execute MS-DOS commands without leaving XTREE. When executing commands and programs in this manner, XTREE remains in memory. When you select the eXecute command, XTREE clears the screen and displays a command line prompt. The prompt reminds you which is the current directory for the disk you are logged onto, and asks you to enter a command just as you would if MS-DOS were prompting you. When you wish to return to XTREE, just press the ENTER key on an empty line. XTREE re-logs onto the current disk, and places the highlight bar in the directory window. ALT/File Display changes the format of the display in the File Window. Normally, XTREE lists only the name and extension of each file in the File Window, and the list of files is shown in three columns. There are two alternate formats: o 1-column display: shows the file name, extension, size, date of creation/last modification, and attributes. o 2-column display: shows the file name, extension, size, and attributes. If you wish to change the current File Window format, press ALT/F until you see the format you want. All subsequent displays in the File Window are seen in the new format, until you use the ALT/File Display command again. - 15 - XTree Commands - Directory Window _________________________________________________________________________ ALT/Sort Files changes the order in which files are displayed in the File Window. Normally, XTREE displays files in alphabetic order by name. When you select this command, XTREE will ask you to select a new sort order which XTREE is to use in all subsequent displays in the File Window. The following choices are possible and are selected by keying the appropriate letter: Name. This is the normal sort order. Files are displayed in alphabetic order by their names. Extension. Selecting this sort order will cause XTREE to display the files in alphabetic order by their file name extension. For example, all the *.DOC files will appear before the *.TXT files. Files with the same extension will be displayed in alphabetic order by name. Date. Selecting this sort order will cause XTREE to display the files in order of creation/last modification date. The files that were created or modified most recently will be shown first, followed by the oldest files. Files with the same date and time are ordered by name. Size. Selecting this sort order will cause XTREE to display files ordered by their size. The largest files will appear first, followed by smaller size files. Files with the same size will be ordered by name. ALT/Tag tags all matching files on the disk that have a certain file attributes setting. File attributes are four special switches that can be set on or off, causing the status of the file to change in certain ways. These attributes are discussed in more detail in the File Window Commands section and in your MS-DOS documentation. When you select the ALT/Tag command, XTREE prompts you to enter a set of attributes. To enter these attributes, type a "+" or a "-" followed by the attribute letter you want. Typing a "+" in front of the attribute tells XTREE that the file must have the attribute set ON in order for the file to be tagged. Typing a "-" in front of the attribute tells XTREE that the file must have the attribute set OFF in order for the file to be tagged. You may enter from one to four attributes. XTREE ignores any attributes that are not entered when it tests a file to see if it should be tagged. For example, "+A-R" would tell XTREE to tag all matching files which have the Archive attribute ON and - 16 - XTree Commands - Directory Window _________________________________________________________________________ ALT/Untag removes the tag from all the matching files on the disk that have a certain attributes setting. The entry of the desired set of file attributes is identical to that discussed in the ALT/Tag command. ALT/eXecute allows you to execute programs and DOS commands from XTREE. This command is identical to the eXecute command with the following important exceptions: o During execution of the program or command, XTREE occupies over 100K less memory than it does when you use the normal eXecute command. o When you return to XTREE, does not take the time to re-log the current disk. If you have not added, removed, or changed any files or directories on the logged disk, XTREE will perform normally. However if any changes were made to the logged disk, XTREE may report errors while performing its operations. If you see the following error message during any of XTREE's commands: ERROR: Disk has been changed XTREE is telling you that information on the disk was changed during the ALT/eXecute command, and you should use the Log command to re-log the disk. 4.2 File Window Commands When the highlight bar is positioned in the File Window, the FILE COMMANDS become available for use. Remember that file commands work only on matching files in the current directory, unless you are in the Show All Files display. In that case, file commands operate on files matching in all directories on the disk. The normal file commands operate on the current file in the directory. The CTRL group of file commands operates on several files at once. The files that XTREE uses in these commands are those matching files in the current directory that are tagged. These commands can be called by holding down the CTRL key and then pressing the key corresponding to the first letter of the command. These multi-file commands are shown on the screen preceded by a ^ character. When a CTRL type command has finished processing, it redisplays the File Window. If the command had caused any files to be renamed, they may disappear during this redisplay. Don't be alarmed if this - 17 - XTree Commands - File Window _________________________________________________________________________ happens. The files are still on your disk. XTREE is simply doing what it always does: displaying only those files that match the current File Specification. Attributes shows the time, date, and attributes for the current file and allows the attributes to be changed. These attributes are four special switches that can be turned on or off, causing the status of a file to change in specific ways. Here are definitions of the four attributes: a = Archive. When this attribute is switched on, the file is marked as having been modified at some time since its creation. Backup programs can only back up those files that have the Archive bit set. After the files are backed up, the Archive bit is deleted. Entering +A turns this bit on. Typing -A will turn it off. If you type -A, when you back up files, this particular one won't be part of your backup operation. r = Read Only. When this attribute is switched on, the file appears on your directory and can be read. But it cannot be erased or added to. This protects the file and keeps it visible. This bit is turned on by entering +R. Typing -R turns it off. h = Hidden. When this attribute is switched on, the file is still on the directory, but it remains invisible, although XTREE can see it. Hidden files are protected because they cannot be erased. This bit is turned on by entering +H. Typing -H turns it off. s = System. When this attribute is switched on, the file is classified as a system file. This is how DOS protects its own operating files. System is reserved for IBMBIO.COM and IBMDOS.COM files. When a disk is formatted with a system on it, the system is in a specific place on the disk. This bit is turned on by entering +S. The file is hidden from the directory and protected from erasure, although XTREE can always see the file. Typing -S turns it off and is quite a dangerous move. You wouldn't want a Wildcard Delete to erase your whole system. This -S attribute should be used ONLY if ____ the system has already been copied to another disk. When you press A, the screen prompts: ATTRIBUTES for file: (FILENAME) mm-dd-yy hh:mm [attribute] : enter attribute changes (+/- R A S H) - 18 - XTree Commands - File Window _________________________________________________________________________ Displayed for you are the file name, the date and time the file was created, and which attributes are already switched on. You may change from one to four of the attributes in a single operation. Suppose you want to alter your file so that it is Read Only and Archived. You would type +R+A and press ENTER. Once you have set the attributes, they are written to the disk directory. If you want to view the attributes without changing them, simply press ENTER (or F3). The prompt disappears and the commands will reappear. ^Attributes allows you to set or clear the attributes on the tagged this command draws a prompt for the attribute settings you want installed. After you type in your choices, press ENTER. The cursor moves across the tagged files as each is changed. The prompt disappears and the File Commands menu will reappear. Giving your files a Read-Only status can be a fine safety precaution. Thereafter you must deliberately remove a file's protection in order to erase it. Copy permits you to copy the current file to another disk and/or directory. When you press C, the screen will prompt you first to enter the name of the new file. Normally, you will wish to retain the same name and you can press ENTER to do so. If you wish to copy the file using a new name, simply enter the desired file name and ENTER. XTREE then prompts you for the destination of the new file. Type in the drive and path destination for the file, then press ENTER. If a drive is not entered, XTREE assumes the current drive is the destination. If a drive is entered and path is not, XTREE assumes the Root directory. When the destination has been entered, the copy operation will start. When the copy is complete, the File Commands menu will reappear. ^Copy copies the tagged files to another disk and/or directory. XTREE duplicates these files in any directory on any drive. As in the single file Copy command, you can rename the files (as in the ^Rename command) as they are copied. In addition to the prompts issued by the Copy command, you are asked whether to automatically replace existing files or not. Choose "Y" to automatically overwrite files of the same name. If you respond with "N", XTREE will ask for your confirmation each time a file is about to be copied over a file with the - 19 - XTree Commands - File Window _________________________________________________________________________ same name. XTREE will move the highlight bar over each tagged file as it is being copied. When all copying is completed, the prompt disappears, and the file commands will reappear. If you are doing a copy of tagged files to a disk that becomes full, XTREE will alert you with the message: Error: Disk Full, press ANY KEY to continue At this point you can replace the filled disk with another that has more available space and then press any key. After specifying the drive and path again, copying will continue. In this way, large groups of files can be copied in one operation without regards to whether or not they will fit on one destination disk. Delete removes the current file from the disk. When you press D, the screen prompts you to choose whether or not you wish to complete this command. After choosing either "Y" or "N", the prompt disappears, and the commands will reappear. ^Delete removes the tagged files from the disk. This command offers you the option of double-checking each deletion before you allow it to happen by typing "Y" in answer to the question: confirm delete for each file? The screen will prompt you for each file's deletion, and you may choose "Y" to delete a particular file or "N" to not delete. In this way, XTREE protects you from an accidental erasure you might regret. When deleting is completed, the prompt disappears and the file commands will reappear. Filespec changes the File Specification, i.e. selects a new group of files to be used in XTREE's operations. This command is the same as the Filespec command in the Directory Commands menu. Log Disk selects a new disk for your XTREE operations. This command is the same as the Log Disk command in the Directory Commands menu. - 20 - XTree Commands - File Window _________________________________________________________________________ Move moves the current file to another directory. This operation is similar to a copy followed by a delete of the original file, except that it executes much faster. When you have selected the Move command, XTREE prompts you for a new name to give to the file. If you wish to keep the same name, press ENTER. XTREE then asks you which directory is to receive the file. You may enter any directory on the logged disk, but you may not enter a disk specifier. XTREE only moves files to the currently logged disk. ^Move moves the tagged files to another directory. This operation is similar to a ^Copy command followed by a ^Delete command except that it is much faster. The prompts for this command are the same as those for the ^Copy command. Remember, when this command has completed, the moved files will no longer reside in the current directory. Print lists the contents of the current file on your printer. If the file you wish to print does not contain text information, you may see random and/or nonsense characters appearing on the printout. When you select this command, XTREE will prompt you to ready your printer. Make sure the printer is turned on and that the paper is aligned the way you want it. During the printing of the file, you may cancel the operation by pressing F3. After the printing has completed, XTREE will issue a top-of-form command to the printer. ^Print lists the contents of the tagged files on your printer. The command operates just like the single file Print command, except that all the matching tagged files are printed, one after another. Since XTREE sends a top-of-form command after printing each file, every file will start at the top of a new page. Rename changes the name of the current file. Use up to eight characters plus a three-character extension, and then press ENTER. XTREE writes the new name to your disk and updates the list in the File Window. - 21 - XTree Commands - File Window _________________________________________________________________________ ^Rename changes the names of the tagged files. This command applies the same set of characters to every tagged file. If their names are different you can give them identical extensions. If their extensions are different, you can give them identical names. You use wildcards (* and ?) to make substitutions to parts of file names. For example, to change a group of files from .DOC extensions to .SAV extensions, type *.SAV. The cursor moves across the files as the names are changed. When the rename process is completed, the prompt disappears and the file commands will reappear. Tag places a tag or marker on the current file, allowing you to affect it by using other XTREE multi-file commands such as ^C (copy) or ^D (delete). ^Tag places tags on all the matching files in the directory. This is a real time saver when you want to initiate a multi-file command such as ^C (copy) or ^D (delete). Untag removes the tag from the current file, protecting it from being affected by other XTREE multi-file commands such as ^C (copy) or ^D (delete). ^Untag removes tags from all the matching files in the directory. This protects these files from being acted on by other XTREE multi-file commands such as ^C (copy) or ^D (delete). View displays the contents of the current file on the screen. When you press V, the screen displays the first page of the file. The cursor keys, Page Up/Down keys, and Home/End keys can all be used to move around the file. Normally XTREE displays the file contents as text. You may view a file in Hex mode (i.e. you may see the binary value of every byte in the file) by pressing the H key. Pressing the H key again will cause the file to be redisplayed in text mode. Here are some of the other keys that you can use when Viewing a file: S - Sets one of 10 markers in the current place in the file. - 22 - XTree Commands - File Window _________________________________________________________________________ G - Goes to one of the 10 markers, i.e. you can instantly move to a section of the file that you had previously marked with the S command. Shift Up/Down Arrows - These keys cause the file being viewed to scroll continuously without holding down the arrow keys. Pressing keys 0-9 causes the scrolling speed to change, with 0 being the fastest speed. Just hit any key when the file has been scrolled to a point where you wish to stop. When you have finished viewing the file and wish to return to the File Window, press ENTER. ALT/Copy copies the tagged files to another disk, each file going to a directory of the same name as the directory in which it originated. The purpose of this command is to preserve the directory structure of the source files. It is extremely useful for performing backup operations. It is similar to the ^Copy command with the following exceptions: o When you enter the destination for the copy, you enter only a disk drive letter. The disk must be different from the currently logged disk. o When XTREE copies a file, it checks to see if the directory that currently contains the file exists on the destination disk. If it doesn't exist, XTREE creates the path. o XTREE copies each tagged file to the destination disk using the source path name as the destination path name. When using ALT/Copy from the Show All display, XTREE temporarily sorts the files by directory and copies them in that order. This means that when copying files to several diskettes, files within one subdirectory are likely to be on the same diskette. ALT/File Display changes the format of the display in the File Window. This command is identical to the ALT/F command in the Directory Commands menu. ALT/Sort Files changes the order in which files are displayed in the File Window. This command is identical to the ALT/S command in the Directory Commands menu. - 23 - XTree Commands - File Window _________________________________________________________________________ ALT/Tag tags all matching files that have a certain file attributes setting. This command is identical to the ALT/T command in the Directory Commands menu, except that only files in the current directory are scanned for matching attributes. ALT/Untag removes the tag from the matching files that have a certain attributes setting. This command is identical to the ALT/U command in the Directory Commands menu, except that only files in the current directory are scanned for matching attributes. 4.3 Function Keys XTREE recognizes several function keys which you can use to control some of its operations. The F1, F2, and F3 labels are displayed in the lower right hand corner of the screen (see Figure 1, reference I) during those times that the corresponding keys can be used. F1 Quit Press F1 to exit from XTREE whenever you wish and return to the MS/DOS command prompt. When you press F1, XTREE double- checks this action by asking whether or not you really wish to leave XTREE. Enter "Y" if so, or "N" to return to the XTREE menu. You can also press ALT/F1 to exit XTREE. This form of the F1 key will return you to the DOS prompt, but the "current directory" used by DOS will be the same as the current directory you had last selected while in XTREE. F2 Help Press F2 to begin a display of helpful information screens. These screens are quick-reference explanations of the windows, boxes, and commands of XTREE. You can use the arrow and Page keys to read through the material. Just press ENTER to restore the screen. F3 Cancel Press F3 to cancel any command in progress. Your command menu will be restored. This function key is extremely useful because with a utility as speedy and powerful as XTREE, the danger of accidentally erasing valuable files is a very real one. Sometimes there is a delay before cancellation, such as during a file copy command. In multiple file operations, the command will not cancel until it finishes with the file it is currently working with. - 24 - Techniques _________________________________________________________________________ 5.0 TECHNIQUES This section offers you a few ideas and suggestions on how to make good use of some of XTREE's commands and features. 5.1 Backing Up Backing up your files on a regular basis is that ounce of prevention that may save you hours or days of recreating lost data should you develop disk hardware problems. XTREE provides you with simple but effective methods for archiving files. Here are some suggestions: 1. Backing up the entire disk with XTREE is easy. From the Directory Window press S to obtain the Show All display. Next, use CTRL/T to tag all the files. Finally, use ALT/Copy (in order to preserve the directory structure) to copy all the files to a diskette. If the diskette becomes full, XTREE prompts you to change disks and resumes the copy using the new diskette. When the ALT/Copy is complete, it's a good idea to remove the Archive attribute from all the files you have copied. Then in the future, you will be able to see which files have been modified or created by observing the Archive attribute. To remove the Archive attribute from the files you just copied, use CTRL/A (since the files are still tagged) and enter -A for the attribute setting. 2. To back up only those files that have been modified or newly created, use the Show All command to obtain the Show All display. Next, use the ALT/T command and enter +A to tag all files that have the Archive attribute set. Now you can use the ALT/Copy command as described above to save these files. When the ALT/Copy command is complete, remember to remove the Archive attribute from the files that were copied. As you can see, ALT/Copy is very useful for creating backup diskettes. By keeping files in the same subdirectories, entire directories or disks may be easily restored to their original configurations. 5.2 Statistics XTREE is very useful for determining information regarding disk space utilization. Remember the following points: o When in the Directory Window or Show All display, statistics are for the entire disk. - 25 - Techniques _________________________________________________________________________ o When in the File Window, statistics are only for the current directory. o Matching files statistics represent those files that match the File Specification in the upper right box. o Tagged file statistics represent those files that are tagged, even those not matching the current File Specification. To determine the size of an entire branch of your directory structure, simply use the Tag command from the Directory Window to tag those directories. The Tagged files statistics represent all the directories you tagged. 5.3 Helpful Hints Here are a few pointers to make your work with XTREE easier: o Directory commands are only available from the Directory Window, and file commands are only available from one of the following File Windows: o Normal File Window - commands affect matching files in the current directory. o Expanded File Window - commands affect matching files in the current directory. o Show All Files Window - commands affect matching files in ALL directories. o Always make sure you are logged into the correct drive before you begin your organizational operations. Check the Disk Specifications Box to see the drive letter and Volume Label displayed. XTREE will only use directories and files on the currently logged disk. o Always check your File Specifications Box before you begin any operations. Remember that your File Specification determines which files will be shown on the screen and will be eligible for XTREE functions. They are the ONLY files that you may access at any given time. o XTREE protects against input errors as much as possible. Keys which would be inappropriate for a particular command are locked out of the keyboard automatically. For example, if you try to enter a "/" in a file name or too many characters in the name, XTREE will not echo what you key. If you see XTREE rejecting the characters you type, check back to verify that you are inputting correctly. - 26 - Error Messages _________________________________________________________________________ 6.0 ERROR MESSAGES A number of error messages could appear while you are using XTREE. If you see any one of these, please refer to this list for an explanation and a suggestion on how to recover from your difficulty. These error messages are listed alphabetically for your convenience: ALT Copy MUST be to Another Disk When entering a destination for the ALT Copy command, you must specify a disk other than the currently logged disk. If you wish to copy files to the same disk, use the CTRL Copy command. Can't Delete Root Directory The Root Directory is a permanent part of every MS/DOS disk, and cannot be removed. Can't Rename Root Directory The Root directory is permanently designated by a slashmark (\) in MS/DOS, so you may not rename it. Should you try, this error message will appear. Directory Full The directory in which you are currently working has reached its maximum capacity of files. Before you can add more, you will have to delete some. Directory Not Empty A directory cannot be deleted if it contains files or subdirectories. Delete its files and subdirectories first, and then you will be able to delete the directory. Disk Drive Error. Abort, Retry? There could be a number of reasons why this message might appear. Your diskette may not be in the drive, or it may be incorrectly inserted. A disk may also become physically damaged. Check your disk and drive, then retry by pressing R. If you are still unsuccessful, press A to abort the program. Restart XTREE and attempt your operation again. If you continue to have a problem, your disk is probably defective. Disk Full The disk cannot hold any more files. Direct the files to another disk. - 27 - Error Messages _________________________________________________________________________ Disk Has Been Changed XTREE keeps a record of your disk's file structure in its memory. XTREE reads this structure from your disk when you log on. Should you change a diskette without logging on and try to initiate an operation on that diskette, XTREE will point out that there is a difference between the record in memory and the actual structure on the diskette. Log on to the diskette again to read the correct file structure. Then try your operation once more. This message may also appear when you attempt to execute certain XTREE commands after you have returned from ALT/eXecute. XTREE may have problems if, during the ALT/eXecute, you added, removed, or changed any files or directories on the logged disk. Simply re-log the disk to avoid further warnings. File Can't Be Copied Into Itself You just can't copy a file to itself; you must copy it to a different directory, or into the same directory using a different file name. File Is Read Only When files have their R/O attribute set ON, they can neither be erased nor written over. Use the -R attribute option to change the file's status. Invalid Disk Drive The drive you have specified doesn't exist or isn't available. Specify an appropriate drive letter. Invalid Entry The prompt cannot accept the letters you've typed in. Check your entry carefully, then retry the operation. MOVE file MUST be to the Same Disk When entering the destination path for a Move operation, you should not specify a disk. XTREE moves files to a directory which is on the same disk as the original directory. If you wish to move files to another disk: tag the files to be moved, use the CTRL Copy command to create copies on the destination disk, and then use the CTRL Delete command to remove the original files. - 28 - Error Messages _________________________________________________________________________ Name Exists MS/DOS prevents confusion in its system by restricting the use of identical names for files, directories, and volume labels. Files in separate directories may have identical names, but any duplication of names such as directory-file, directory- volume label, or file-volume label is prohibited. You will get this error message if you attempt such a duplication. Choose a different name and try the operation once again. Out of Memory During a copy operation or a Make Directory operation you are attempting to create more files or directories than XTREE can process. You should make space on the disk by removing any unwanted files and/or directories. Path Not Found XTREE cannot find the path you've specified. Check to see if your entry is correct and that you are logged on to the disk you want. Print Error. Abort, Retry ? There could be a number of reasons why this message might appear. Your printer may be turned off or it may not be selected. You may be out of paper. Check your printer and the paper, and retry by pressing R. If you are still unsuccessful, your printer may not be working. Press A to abort the print command. Too Many Directories - Extra Ignored During a log disk operation, XTREE has reached its directory limit (approximately 180). The program will not log in any more directories. Too Many Files - Extra Ignored During a log disk operation XTREE has reached its file limit (approximately 2500). The program will not log in any more files. Unable to Make Directory Perhaps there is already a file of the same name or a directory of the same name, or perhaps the disk or directory have reached maximum capacity. If you have a problem with similar names, simply choose an alternate one. If your disk is full, delete some files first, and then create a new - 29 - Error Messages _________________________________________________________________________ directory. If your directory is full, delete some files or create your new directory from a different parent directory. - 30 - Appendix _________________________________________________________________________ A.0 APPENDIX A.1 Mini Glossary File = An organization of data on a disk. Each file has its own name, which is from 1-8 characters long. A space character may NOT be part of a filename. Whether you specify upper or lower case characters, DOS treats them as upper case. The file may also have an extension to its name. This appendage is separated from the file name by a period. It is optional, and has no more than three characters. The purpose of an extension is to indicate a general category for the filename. It is an informal indication of the type of file you are creating or dealing with. Directory = An index for files and/or other directories. This is a useful organizational structure for accessing computer data. All of the names in one directory, whether they are file names or subdirectory names, must be unique within that directory, but the same names may be used in other directories. Path = How we find our way to a particular directory or subdirectory on a disk. The path is the route we follow to trace our way from a disk's Root directory to some point in its branching directory tree. It begins with a slash (\) which designates the ROOT. Directories through which we move are separated by further \ marks. Current Disk = The disk XTREE is currently operating on. Only those directories and files on the current disk are shown. The current disk identifier is displayed in the Disk Specification Box. Current Directory = The directory whose name is covered by the highlight bar while in the Directory Window, or whose name is marked by the left-arrow indicator when the highlight bar is in the File Window. Only the files in the current directory are show in the File Window. Current File = The file whose name is covered by the highlight bar while in a File Window. Matching Files = Those files whose names match the current File Specification. Only matching files are shown to the user, and are eligible for XTREE operations. Tagged Files = Those files which have been marked by a Tag command. Tagged files have a diamond shaped marker to the right of their names. A file will stay tagged even after the File Specification has been changed. Tagged and Matching files are eligible for XTREE multiple file functions. - 31 - Appendix _________________________________________________________________________ A.2 Common Filename Extensions ASM assembly source BAK text file backup copy BAS BASIC source code BAT batch processing files BLD BLOAD format for BASIC C C source file CAL Spread sheet calculation file COB COBOL source code COD object code listing, from compilers COM executable programs, in memory-image format DAT data files, in general DBF data base files DIF data interchange files, as from VisiCalc DOC document files, for word processors EXE executable programs, in relocation format FMT word processor format specifications FOR FORTRAN source code H Include file for some programming languages LIB library routines, for compilers LST printable listing files, in general MAP program maps, from a program linker OBJ program object code, from compilers PAS PASCAL source file TMP temporary work file TXT text files, for word processors VC spreadsheet data, from VisiCalc WKS spreadsheet data, from Lotus 1-2-3 $$$ temporary work file Using these extension names will help you organize your files in a consistent manner. - 32 -