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File-Ex (tm) : File Dialog Extensions for Windows 3.1 and 3.11 --------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 1996 by Cottonwood Software Thank you for trying File-Ex! File-Ex adds file management functions like Find, Copy, Delete, Rename, and MakeDir to the Open and Save dialogs of most Windows applications automatically (any that use the Windows common dialogs in COMMDLG.DLL), and can be trained to work with all others. No more jumping back and forth between your application and File Manager or DOS to do common functions! Search every disk drive at once for files, specifying multiple masks if necessary. Make a new directory as you save files, delete old versions, make backups before you open a file, etc. -- it's so easy, all from the same Open or Save dialog. If you have just installed File-Ex and are reading this from the Notepad program, try it out now by selecting File from the menu, then Open. You should see an extra row of buttons at the bottom of the Open dialog. If you need help, click the 'File-Ex' button, and then the Help button from that dialog. Enjoy! Readme.txt Contents: -------------------- File Packing List System Requirements Installation How File-Ex Works About the Evaluation Period Giving Copies to Friends -- (Please Do!) Distribution by Vendors, BBS's, etc. Ordering Site licenses & multiple-user pricing Troubleshooting Support Un-installing File-Ex ASP Ombudsman statement Warranty & License info File Packing List ----------------- These files should be included in this distribution set. If any are missing, please contact Cottonwood Software or your distributor for a complete set. (You can download the latest version from Compuserve or our Web page -- see the Support section) README.TXT This file SETUP.EXE Installation program REMOVE.EXE Removal (un-install) program FILEEX.EXE Main program FXHOOK.DLL Part of the main program COMMEX.DLL "CommEx" portion of the program (installs as commdlg.dll) FILEEX.HLP Help file FILEEX.DAT Data file for 'trained' not-so-common dialogs FILEEX.BIN Registration file (purchased version only) ORDER.TXT Text form for ordering File-Ex REVISION.TXT Program revision history FILE_ID.DIZ Short description file (shareware version only) VENDINFO.DIZ Vendor distribution info, automated (shareware version only) System Requirements ------------------- File-Ex will work with Windows versions 3.1 and 3.11 (including Workgroups). Windows 95 and NT users: ------------------------ Do NOT install this version of File-Ex if you run Win95 or NT! It will work fine for 16-bit applications, but will cause 32-bit applications to malfunction. There will be a Win95 version of File-Ex available in mid- 1996, and an NT version shortly thereafter. Let us know if you need an upgrade to the Win95 or NT versions. Just E-mail, FAX, or mail your address to us, and we will let you know when they are released and where to download them from. Installation ------------ Warning: Installing File-Ex from within WinZip or other ZIP viewing utility is not recommended, since Setup must exit to DOS during installation. Note: If you already have CommEx installed, File-Ex will replace it with the newer version of the CommEx DLL. If you have purchased CommEx already, then the CommEx part of File-Ex will remain fully functional, even if you don't purchase File-Ex. (You can purchase File-Ex at a discount; see the Order Form or Help file for information.) To install File-Ex, run SETUP.EXE from Windows: 1. From the Windows Program Manager, select File, Run... 2. In the Command Line box, type d:\path\SETUP, where 'd' is the letter of the drive and 'path' is the directory where the File-Ex files are. For example: C:\FILEEX\SETUP 3. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen. 4. After File-Ex installation is complete, it will need to validate some files. This will happen automatically the first time File-Ex is invoked, so you don't need to do anything special for this to happen. 5. If you're not familiar with File-Ex, open the Help file and read through the Overview sections. What files should be where, after installation ---------------------------------------------- These files should be in your program directory (eg. c:\fileex) README.TXT FILEEX.EXE FXHOOK.DLL FILEEX.HLP FILEEX.BIN ORDER.TXT REVISION.TXT REMOVE.EXE The file FILEEX.DAT will be copied to the 'Data' directory. (This is usually the same as your Program directory, but may be different, for instance, in a network environment where the Program directory is shared. The FILEEX.DAT file should be in a place not shared by users, similar to INI files.) These files are not copied anywhere, and are not needed by File-Ex after setup: SETUP.EXE FILE_ID.DIZ VENDINFO.DIZ These files will be copied to your Windows System directory, if possible, or to the Windows directory if Windows System is not accessible: COMMEX.DLL (copied as COMMDLG.DLL) The files COMMEX.INI and FILEEX.INI will be created by the Setup program, and will be placed in the Windows directory. The file FILEEX.LOG will be created in the Windows directory, and is useful for troubleshooting. If everything works after installation, this may be deleted. Technical information on installation ------------------------------------- The installation procedure does the following: Create a DOS batch file (file-ex.bat) to do the following from DOS: Rename commdlg.dll (in the Windows System directory) to commold.dll (File-Ex passes most functions through to commold.dll) Copy commex.dll to commdlg.dll If commdlg.dll exists in the Windows directory, rename it to commdlg.bak (should not be in both Windows and Windows System directories). Copy other files to the Program and Data directories. Add a File-Ex group with appropriate icons. Add File-Ex to the startup group, if requested. Add the setup program to the run= line in win.ini Exit to DOS, execute the batch file (if needed), and return to Windows (When setup runs again after returning to Windows:) Verify that the operations succeeded (files in the right places) Clean up (delete the batch file) Run notepad to display the readme.txt file When File-Ex is actually invoked for the first time (through a File/Open or File/Save command, or by automatically loading File-Ex), it validates the information files (fileex.hlp, readme.txt, order.txt). This ensures that File-Ex cannot be modified and re-distributed with different company contact/order information. How File-Ex Works ----------------- File-Ex consists of two parts: 1. The CommEx DLL, which intercepts calls to commdlg.dll (by replacing it) in order to add the File-Ex functions to the File dialogs. 2. The File-Ex program, which can capture other File dialogs and make them use commdlg.dll, thus enabling all of the File-Ex features. The CommEx DLL replaces the commdlg.dll file that comes with Windows, so that it is always 'active'. Any program that was written to use commdlg.dll will now be using the CommEx DLL, which contains all of the added functions for the File dialogs. (You may have seen the CommEx part as a stand- alone program, before File-Ex was created.) Since it is now part of the Windows System, no program needs to be 'running' for it to work. The File-Ex program is actually a separate program, which may be optionally used to add the File dialog enhancements to programs that don't normally use commdlg.dll. It does this by recognizing when a program is opening a File dialog and either replacing it with the File-Ex version of the dialog, or adding a button to the program's dialog to invoke File-Ex. File-Ex must first be 'trained' to recognize a program's File dialogs. This is easily done, and should only need to be done once for each dialog that you want to add the File-Ex functions to. However, remember that the File-Ex program must be running for these non-common dialogs to have the File-Ex functions added. The File-Ex program runs as an icon only, and its Configuration, Help, and Learning functions are accessed through its system menu (click once on the icon). For more information on training File-Ex, see the help file. About the Evaluation Period --------------------------- File-Ex is Shareware. This means that you are free to try it out for 30 days. It will be fully functional during that time, so you can try all of its functions. After using it for 30 days (not necessarily calendar days, but when it's been used on 30 different days), some of the functions will be unavailable. You will still be able to use the basic functions like Copy and Delete, but the advanced functions (Find and MakeDir) will not be available unless you register (purchase) the program. Giving Copies to Friends -- (Please Do!) ---------------------------------------- Shareware works best when you 'share' it with other people! If you like this program, we would appreciate it if you spread it around. Give copies to friends and co-workers, or even upload it to your favorite BBS. Note: If this is a registered copy, please DON'T distribute it! The registered copy contains your registration key file, and giving this to someone else is pirating. Please only distribute the shareware version! Please use the original disk or ZIP file when giving out copies. If you only copy the files from the File-Ex directory (where you installed it), some important components will be missing. Distribution by Vendors, BBS's, etc. ------------------------------------ Commercial vendors please refer to the VENDINFO.DIZ file for complete details. If this file is not present, please contact Cottonwood Software for a replacement copy. Ordering File-Ex ---------------- For a complete order form you can print the text file ORDER.TXT, or click the 'File-Ex' button in an Open/Save dialog and select the 'Order Form' button. Benefits of ordering: The latest version as of the day you order, with no 'reminders', registered in your name. Notification of bug fixes and update releases when available. Free technical support. More shareware programs by Cottonwood Software and other author(s). Big discounts on updates and other products, as available. A good feeling that you're helping to support the shareware industry! To order, send $24.95 (U.S.) plus $2.00 S&H ($4.00 S&H outside the U.S. or Canada) to: Cottonwood Software P.O. Box 6546 Leawood, KS 66206-0546 USA Please pay by check in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. Bank, by international money order, or in U.S. currency. (See below for credit card orders.) All orders are usually shipped within 24 hours. You may also order online through Compuserve: GO SWREG, product #10614. Ordering on the World Wide Web: ------------------------------- You can now order directly on the Web using a major credit card. Simply go to Cottonwood Software's home page, and click on 'Order File-Ex right now with any major credit card!'. Point your Web browser to http://users.aol.com/cottonwdsw/ CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY - ------------------------- Mastercard, Visa, and American Express credit card orders may be placed directly with Cottonwood Software. (Also see the ORDER.TXT file.) Phone: 913-663-3022 (evenings and weekends) FAX: 913-663-3747 E-mail: 75264.1630@compuserve.com Mail: Cottonwood Software P.O. Box 6546 Leawood, KS 66206 USA. World Wide Web: See 'Ordering on the World Wide Web' above You can also order from Public (software) Library. They provide telephone ordering services during normal U.S. business hours. Phone: 800-2424-PsL (800-242-4775) International: 713-524-6394 Please refer to product ID #14533 when ordering through PsL. THE ABOVE NUMBERS ARE FOR CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY. THE AUTHOR OF THIS PROGRAM CANNOT BE REACHED AT THESE NUMBERS. Any questions about the status of the shipment of the order, refunds, ordering options, product details, technical support, volume discounts, dealer pricing, site licenses, non-credit card orders, etc, must be directed to Cottonwood Software (see Support... below). Site licenses & multiple-user pricing ------------------------------------- File-Ex purchases for multiple users (computers): For 2-3 users: $20.95 each For 4-6 users: $17.95 each For 7 or more users: $14.95 each (These include a disk for each user) Site licenses: 20- user licenses use are available for $199.95, shipping included 50- user licenses use are available for $399.95, shipping included 100- user licenses use are available for $599.95, shipping included Higher quantities may be purchased in any combination of the above sets. Each site license includes 5 master disks. Please order multiple copies through Cottonwood Software directly. Other ordering channels, such as SWREG and PsL, are not set up to apply the discount to multiple copy orders. Support ------- We will gladly answer any questions and help you with File-Ex problems during the 30-day free evaluation period. (After the free trial, we will still answer 'simple' questions, but may, at our discretion, require you to purchase File-Ex before providing technical support.) Any suggestions, comments, support questions and bug reports are welcome and encouraged! All questions will be answered promptly. This is offered to both registered and unregistered users because we appreciate the assistance in making the program better! When the File-Ex Setup program runs, it creates a file FILEEX.LOG in your Windows directory. If you need support, we will need to view that file, so please include it with your E-mail or have it available when you call. For support, contact Cottonwood Software by phone, fax, mail, or E-mail. (E-mail is preferred, and will get a fast response.) Mail: Cottonwood Software P.O. Box 6546 Leawood, KS 66206-0546 USA Phone: (913) 663-3022 FAX: (913) 663-3747 Compuserve: 75264,1630 America Online: CottonwdSW Internet: 75264.1630@compuserve.com WW Web: http://users.aol.com/cottonwdsw/ The Cottonwood Software Home Page on the World Wide Web ------------------------------------------------------- Visit our home page for information about all of our shareware programs. You can download the latest versions from there, view online documentation for all of our software, order by credit card, and send us E-mail. You can find answers to common problems as well. It also has links to other worthwhile shareware pages, like the ASP and STAR home pages. Troubleshooting --------------- While File-Ex has been tested on many systems and in many situations to fine-tune the installation process and the program itself, there may still be unexpected problems. If things work fine in general, but the Open or Save dialog of some application does not look or work right, try holding down the Shift key when clicking the File/Open or File/Save As menu item (or whatever menu item or button brings up the dialog). This will disable File-Ex's enhancements so you can compare it with and without File-Ex. If it is definitely File-Ex causing the problem, please contact us and we will attempt to solve the problem. If things don't seem to work at all, or if File-Ex doesn't seem to be installed, then take a look at the sections below. If these don't fit the problem (or don't solve it), contact us for help. We will want to look at the FILEEX.LOG installation log file, which is created in your Windows directory during installation, so please have this available (or send it along with your E-mail support request if possible). ---If you get an error message when trying to use File-Ex: If you get a message like: "COMMOLD.DLL file not found" when you try to Open or Save a file, then File-Ex was not installed successfully. This is most likely due to not finishing the installation (an error occurred or you aborted before it exited to DOS). File-Ex will attempt to reconstruct it the first time it encounters this error -- if that is successful, you should not see this error again. If it is not successful, check the explanation of the next error condition below for more information on installation problems. If you get system errors (General Protection Fault, for instance), then there may be more than one copy of COMMDLG.DLL on your system (see below). ---If you don't see anything different in your Open or Save dialogs This could be an installation problem. Make sure that the date on the COMMDLG.DLL file in your Windows System directory matches the COMMEX.DLL date in the File-Ex installation set. If they do not match, then perhaps the installation was aborted, or could not succeed because of a write-protected windows system directory (common when running Windows from a network drive). Network Installations: The network administrator (with write access to the Windows System directory) should install File-Ex first. Then each user can set it up. (See Site Licenses for information on purchasing File-Ex for networked installations.) If the dates look OK and everything else above is checked, and you're sure that you have started Windows fresh during installation or since you installed File-Ex, then it could be that the application you're using does not use the common dialogs in COMMDLG.DLL. Some programs, especially older ones and ones with unique requirements in their Open/Save dialogs, have internal custom dialogs. To teach File-Ex to work with one of these 'uncommon' dialogs, see the help file. ---Any of the above, or other problems A common problem is that there is more than one copy of COMMDLG.DLL on your computer, and Windows is getting confused about which one to run. This can cause system errors, printing problems, or any number of odd things to happen. After making sure that there is a COMMDLG.DLL and a COMMOLD.DLL in your Windows System directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM), search your hard disk (and network drives) for any other copies of COMMDLG.DLL that might be visible to Windows. Any other copies should be deleted (or renamed)! ---If some of the buttons at the bottom are greyed out (unusable), or if the recent files and directories lists are missing This means that your free evaluation period has run out. To re-enable these functions, you must purchase File-Ex. Other problems -------------- If you encounter any other problems, please contact us for support. We will gladly answer any questions and help with problems during the 30-day free evaluation period. After the free trial, we will still answer 'simple' questions, but may (at our discretion) require you to purchase File-Ex before providing technical support. Un-installing File-Ex --------------------- If you encounter insurmountable problems, or just don't like the new functions that File-Ex provides, you may need to un-install it. A Remove program is provided for your convenience. Its icon is installed in your File-Ex program group. Please see the help file for more information on this. If you prefer to remove it manually, or want to see what the procedure is, it is outlined below. This is a simple procedure, but must be done carefully. Do NOT just deleteCOMMDLG.DLL! This will cause most Windows programs to stop working! ---To un-install File-Ex: 1. Delete the File-Ex program group. 2. Remove the File-Ex program item (icon) in the Startup group, if present. 3. Exit Windows -- the rest cannot be done from within Windows. 4. In your Windows System directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM), copy COMMOLD.DLL to COMMDLG.DLL. Example: C: CD \WINDOWS\SYSTEM COPY COMMOLD.DLL COMMDLG.DLL 5. You may also delete COMMOLD.DLL (after you verify that the above copy command has worked!), and these files may be deleted to completely remove File-Ex: COMMEX.INI in your Windows directory FILEEX.INI in your Windows directory FILEEX.LOG in your Windows directory All files in the File-Ex program & data directories (which you specified during installation). ASP Ombudsman statement ----------------------- _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER Cottonwood Software is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI USA 49442-9427, Fax 616-788-2765, or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. Warranty and license info ------------------------- ===== Warranty ========================================= LIMITED WARRANTY -- SHAREWARE VERSION THIS SOFTWARE AND MANUAL ARE PROVIDED FOR EVALUATION ONLY, ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. COTTONWOOD SOFTWARE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES RELATING TO THIS SOFTWARE, WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NEITHER COTTONWOOD SOFTWARE NOR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, PRODUCTION, OR DELIVERY OF THIS SOFTWARE SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE SUCH SOFTWARE, EVEN IF COTTONWOOD SOFTWARE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR CLAIMS. THE PERSON USING THE SOFTWARE BEARS ALL RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE. LIMITED WARRANTY AND MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE -- PURCHASED/REGISTERED VERSION THE PURCHASED VERSION OF THIS SOFTWARE CARRIES A 90-DAY FULL MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE. ALL LIABILITIES BEYOND THE PURCHASE PRICE ARE DISCLAIMED AS IN THE SHAREWARE VERSION, ABOVE. This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Kansas and shall inure to the benefit of Cottonwood Software and any successors, administrators, heirs and assigns. Any action or proceeding brought by either party against the other arising out of or related to this agreement shall be brought only in a STATE or FEDERAL COURT of competent jurisdiction located in Johnson County, Kansas. The parties hereby consent to in personam jurisdiction of said courts. ===== License for Use and Distribution ================= TRIAL USE LICENSE This package is NOT a public domain program. It is copyrighted by Cottonwood Software. This software and accompanying documentation are protected by United States copyright law and also by international treaty provisions. Shareware users: Cottonwood Software grants you a limited license to use this software for evaluation purposes for a period not to exceed thirty days. If you continue using this software after the thirty-day evaluation period, you MUST make purchase it from Cottonwood Software. You may not use, copy, rent, lease, sell, modify, decompile, disassemble, otherwise reverse engineer, or transfer the licensed program except as provided in this agreement. Any such unauthorized use shall result in immediate and automatic termination of this license. All rights not expressly granted here are reserved to Cottonwood Software. LIMITED DISTRIBUTION LICENSE ASP member vendors may distribute this package, completely unaltered, without further permission. For other cases or to distribute in modified form, you must consult the attached data record (VENDINFO.DIZ or VENDOR.DOC), which is hereby incorporated by reference. Any distribution satisfying all the distribution requirements expressed in that data record is hereby authorized. Permission to distribute this package is not transferable, assignable, saleable, or franchisable. Each vendor wishing to distribute the package must independently satisfy the terms of this limited distribution license. U.S. Government Information: 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 Cottonwood Software, P.O. Box 6546, Leawood KS, 66206, USA. Cottonwood Software may revoke any permissions granted here, by notifying you in writing. All rights not expressly granted here are reserved to Cottonwood Software.