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ARCHIVES.ARJ
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QUESTION.TXT
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1991-07-04
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If you are viewing this from Archives, click the F6 button located below
HELP on Archives menu. (All of those other button color objects are
buttons too! Left or Right mouse will activate 'similar' but slightly
different functions (except the right mouse is inactive for the [..]
and drive buttons.)
Some common questions and answers relating to the operation of Archives
are listed below: (Review TUTOR.TXT as well. A user recommended
TUTOR.TXT.)
Call me if you have problems setting up Archives. I want
you to enjoy working with Archives!
(Ted Wall ph 1-415-484-4129 8-5 M-F Pacific Time 510-484-4129 after 9/2/91)
1. When I enter directory names, sometimes I have to enter the last
backslash and sometimes not.
Archives assumes the last backslash if you are working with a
directory name only. However, if Archives was anticipating a
filename (as in copying files) and you don't enter the last
backslash, then it assumes that the name entered was a filename.
For Example when changing directories using the F5 hot key if you
type:
a. TEMPDIR then Archives will look for a child
directory below the current parent
directory named TEMPDIR.
b. \TEMPDIR then archives will look for a child
named TEMPDIR off of the root
or directory. And,
\TEMPDIR\ either method is correct to type.
When copying files if you type the copy to location as:
a. TEMPDIR then Archives will assume that either of
or these entries is a filename.
\TEMPDIR
b. \TEMPDIR\ then archives will look one child level
or off the root directory and copy these
\TEMPDIR\*.* file(s) using the copy to file mask of
*.* for this directory. Either method
is correct to type.
2. How do I enter an @file for ZIP files?
When ZIPPING a file, you will select this one @file from the
Viewer Window BEFORE you select ╗Compress½. This means that the
FILE STATS must be displayed in the Window Title bar and you will
be selecting the file from the Viewer Window.
When UNZIPPING a file, you will enter the @file AFTER you select
½Decompress╗. (A small dialog box opens when you check to use the
@File on the decompress dialog box. You will enter the @File
name in this small dialog box.)
I'm NOT a sales representative for ZIP files, but another
questions maybe, Why do I want to use an @File to ZIP files?
Well, one of my favorite @files is used to ZIP up the latest
copy of all my batch files, *.INI files, and other files that
I don't want to lose. A sample of this @file includes:
1. {drive}:\{directory}\*.bat (for my DOS batch files)
2. {drive}:\{directory}\*.ini (for my Windows INI files)
3. {drive}:\{directory}\*.grp (for my Windows GRP files)
4. etc....
3. The root drive where the temporary files are located is littered
with !ARCH00.bat or !ARCH00. files.
These are temporary files sometimes created and always deleted by
Archives if ARCHIVES.EXE and ARCH.PIF were setup properly.
Archives automatically deletes these files when the \Archive COM
window (the DOS window) is closed. If the name of this window
is not the same as in Archives, then Archives may prematurely
delete these files. similarly, if you keep one of these DOS
windows open, then Archives doesn't know when to delete the
temporary files.
This DOS window is named in both [Configure]+[Setup-Part-A] and
ARCH.PIF, and these names must match. They did in the original
version as shipped.
The !ARCH00.bat file is a temporary hidden batch file. It is
hidden so that it doesn't get zipped into a file if you are
compressing files from the root directory where this temporary
file is located.
The !ARCH. file (note, no file extension) is sometimes created by
Archives and is used as an @file for ZIP type files.
You can delete these files using Archives. Archives can view
and delete hidden files.
And no, these temporary files are not always used. Archives
creates them when your request will not fit on one command
line.
4. Can I run more than one window of Archives at a time? Sure.
Just close all \Archives COM windows (the DOS window) as they
finish and try not to have more than one \Archives COM window
opened at a time.
If you open 2 Archives, try the DDE feature under the Configure
Menu. Archives will look to see if another Archives is running
that isn't already in a conversation and link up to it. If
another Archives isn't running, Archives will execute another
copy of Archives, then link.
5. Can I start Archives from a windows Run command and include the
filename that I am wanting to view on the Command Line with
Archives?
YES! Enter Archives.exe drive:\directory\filename.ext
and Archives will switch to that directory and open
the file.
6. Can I launch a DOS window and get the DOS prompt from Archives?
Yes, try F12 key then press enter.
7. How do I get Archives to start up in my normal Download directory
from Program Manager (or other menu program)?
In Program Manager:
a. highlight the Archives Icon,
b. Select File + Properties from the Program Managers menu.
c. Append to the end of Command Line the drive:\directory &
file Mask where you want to start up Archives. If you
don't enter the file mask, be sure to end the directory
name with a backslash '\'.
Example:
If the command line in Program Manager, Program Item
Properties dialog box was:
C:\WINDOWS\archives.exe
Change to:
C:\WINDOWS\archives.exe D:\DOWNLOAD\*.*
And Archives will always start up in the D:\DOWNLOAD directory
using the file mask of *.*
Or Change to:
C:\WINDOWS\archives.exe D:\DOWNLOAD\BIN\
And Archives will always start up in the D:\DOWNLOAD\BIN\
directory using your user file mask entered during Setup.
Upper or lower case characters, it doesn't matter.
Another version for the computer wise...
C:\WINDOWS\archives.exe D:\DOWNLOAD\*.zip;*.lzh;*.arc
(Archives accepts multiple extensions for your File Mask if
the multiple Masks are separated by a semicolon.)
8. When I start Archives in DDE mode the windows overlap a bit.
This was done on purpose.
All of the information you need is shown plus more of the
Viewer Windows are shown for both Archive windows involved in
the DDE. The Client starts up in the bottom window so you can
see the title bars for both the Client and Server. If the
Archives title bar (Caption) is covered, it is always the
Server because the Client always is the window with the current
focus.
9. When I'm running DDE does it matter which Archives window I use?
No. The window with the focus will be the Client, its CAPTION
changes to show this. The other window will be the Server.
10. DDE doesn't automatically CheckIn a temporary directory when I
check one out like it in the previous versions of Archives.
You still can checkout a file and CheckIn as you did in the
previous versions of Archives using the consecutive checkout
option. You'll know if applications are consecutively
checked out because the title bar of Archives will show #1, or
#2 etc.
However, during DDE Archives the title bar shows [Client] and
[Server]. During DDE, Archives cannot keep track of infinite
variation of user preferences, yet (I'll figure something out).
Therefore, when you are done in the temporary directory you can
manually check this directory in. Go to the Archives window
that is showing the files in the temporary directory, Normally
this Archives window is in a directory named \CHK##\ where the
'##' represent numbers. Select 'Compress + CheckIn and then OK.
This will delete the temporary directory and obviously the files
in this directory.
11. Why is there a Full Menu option and a Short Menu option?
Windows has a 'dumb' 64K resource limit. The Menu consumes this
resource. Have you ever had megs of memory left but Windows
reports that you cannot open another application? This is
because this 64K resource is consumed.
The Short menu uses 3-5% less of your Windows resources. When
you become familiar with the Accelerator Keys (Hot Keys), then
the short menu is the one to use. The same Accelerator Keys
work for both the Short & Full Menu. ie. Even though F7 doesn't
show as an accelerator key on the Short Menu, it still will
open File Selected in the Files Window using Notepad or whatever
editor you chose.
Since Archives is a memory miser, it always starts with the
Short Menu.
You can switch back and forth between the Full option and Short
menu. Archives dumps the unused menu from memory. If you are
using a resource memory monitor, the resource memory may not
come back to the original value, but it is available. Windows,
compacts this when required.
12. The Red CheckIn in the Viewer Window chops off some of the text.
Nothing is wrong with your monitor or the program if it is just
chopping off one pixel's worth. I just squeeze as much as I can
out of your computer, and I'm trying to give you an extra line or
two of text to view without repainting the previous line.
If the red CheckIn just doesn't work right, try changing fonts.
Changing fonts is located on the Full Menu. I've only seen this
as a problem so far on CGA systems. Windows and the variations
in user's systems is CheckIn complicated. If changing fonts
doesn't work, call me.
The OEM font displays more text in the Viewer Window, but the
pixel is cut off the top. Moving the cursor across the
OEM font tends to be more of a problem on EGA systems. I
intended OEM to be used only to view DOS BATCH files to show
the ASCII characters properly. I can set up Archives to not
squeeze the text on EGA systems, but then what do you gain?
I've not seen or hear of any problems squeezing extra text out
on VGA or better systems unless they are viewing foreign
characters.
13. Why don't some of the Archives button squish like the scroll
Up/Down buttons?
You must be using a VGA monitor, because the buttons in
Archives look more like buttons with the VGA or better systems.
However the answer is a Trade secret, but it is to your
advantage, and definitely wasn't to my advantage except for
the fact that I also use Archives.
14. Why does the DOS pause and beep still continue when I try to
change it?
I've seen this happen when you have 2 ARCH.PIF files on your
computer and the one configured in Archives follows the other
in your path statement. Sometimes, Windows (not Archives)
will append the path off of my command line if the PIF file
is in your path. Look in ARCHV.INI and see which PIF file
you Setup for Archives to use, then delete the other ARCH.PIF
that is in your path.
The only solution is to make sure that only one ARCH.PIF file
is in your path.
15. I did the above for question 14, but DOS still pauses?
Open the ARCH.PIF file with your PIFEDIT.EXE. Then place a
check mark in the "Close Window on Exit box". You may have
to do this to your _DEFAULT.PIF as well.
16. When I run DOS, I get messages that I am out of environment
space?
There are 2 changes that you have to make, assuming that you
had enough environment space before you started Windows.
1st, edit your_DEFAULT.PIF using your PIF editor so that the
'Optional parameters' edit text box shows /E:1024. The 1024
represents the environment size that you are requesting and
you can raise or lower this number to suit your needs.
2nd, the open the Archv.ini file. Near the bottom of the
Archv.ini file is a line 'that looks like' depending on your
system:
C:\COMMAND.COM=C:\COMMAND.COM /E:512
Change the 512 to 1024. Save the Archv.ini file. Close
Archives and then reopen so Archives rereads this change.
Since Archives launches other programs, you cannot edit the
'Optional parameters' edit text box to make this changes as
you did for _DEFAULT.PIF. Windows performs special processing
for the _DEFAULT.PIF that isn't performed for the other PIFs.
Finally, if the above doesn't work, try taking the /E:512
totally out of both Archv.ini and your _DEFAULT.PIF. There
are so many variations of the COMMAND processor (4DOS etc)
and yours may automatically inherit the environment size from
DOS.
Finally to answer the last question:
Did the programmer study English? Yes. Born in the USA, but
I have been working on the code versus the Text. Off the WALL
Software is a one person show. I answer the phones, pay the
bills, vacuum the office, write the code, and text. (To the
other shareware programmers, you have my sympathy.) I will set
a better example in future versions. I'm embarrassed by some
of the text but obviously eager to get Archives in the user's
hands.
I hope you enjoy using Archives,
Ted Wall