Cream of the Crop 26/Cream of the Crop 26.iso/utility/pock51.zip/README.D

Text File | 1997-07-26 | 14KB | 297 lines

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   *                    POCKETD PLUS v5.1 Readme File                       *
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   The older PocketD v1.67 has been in circulation since January '92, and has
   registered  users in the  USA, Canada, Britain, France, Germany,  Austria,
   Italy,  Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden,
   Norway,  Cyprus,  Israel,  Iceland, India, Taiwan, Singapore,  New Guinea,
   Malaysia,  Dubai,  Brazil  &  Australia.  During the last 4 years  it  has
   received:

      * "BEST UTILITY 1995" Ziff-Davis Awards, Two BBSCON feb95, UK Division
      * "BEST UTILITY 1994" Runner up:What-PC, May - (Joint with Stacker 4.0)
      * "BEST UTILITY 1992" award by the top US Shareware catalog PsL
      * "Trophy-Rating"  Public Brand  -  Ziffnet,  making it  "best  program
         anyware for the job".
      * 9 Excellent reviews in magazines, totalling over 6000 words of review
         text and earning 5 stars out of 5 in most assessment categories.


   >>>>>>>> WHAT IS IT ?

    PocketD Plus is first and foremost a small command-line file manager,
    with a separate and optional menu-driven interface. Its purpose is to
    provide  the user with a  highly productive tool for day-to-day  disk
    housekeeping  for DOS/Windows. It may well be the tool you have  been
    looking  for. It has been designed to be small enough for any DOS  or
    Windows  user to want to use it on their PC, even if they only use 2%
    of its facilities. At the same time its comprehensive copy facilities
    and  flexible programmable templates should make it indispensable for
    heavy-duty users such as network administrators & sysops.

    --> PocketD Plus is still based on a DOS executable. How come it is
        still relevant in this age of improved Windows-based file
        managers?

    The  answer is that the new  crop of tools around still do not  match
    PocketD's  extrordinary flexibility. Tools provide enhanced searching
    and  browsing, but cannot use files selected to perform tasks in  the
    way  that PocketD can. If you  want more power than PocketD then  you
    will have to resort to C, Perl or Unix shell, but at the cost of much
    more  effort and less convenience. PocketD is a truly general-purpose
    tool.  Which  Windows file manager  could  be used to do all  of  the
    following?  Create HTML scripts to view JPEG/GIF files, catalog  your
    log  files,  provide  a  programmable  file browser,  organise  daily
    archiving and even generate a C source ?


   >>>>>>>> WHAT DOES IT OFFER ?

   PocketD Plus comes as 2 key programs:

   D.EXE      This is a small color directory listing program & exceptionally
          powerful  DOS file manager. It allows the user to easily  carry
          out  automated  tasks  that  would be either too  difficult  or
          impossible  by other means. D.EXE has a staggering 300+ options
          and  sub-options, including filename, string and archive search
          (supports  ZIP, CRU, ARC, PAK, PKA, ZOO, ARJ, LZH and SFX arc),
          analyse EXE/COM files,  file view, advanced copy (23  options),
          programmable execution and display template(s) (50 parameters),
          sorting,  color user-defines menus, supports all  screen sizes,
          advanced wildcards,  user-defined  parameters (37), Win95  long
          filenames,  many display formats, barchart summary,   directory
          and  archive  browsing (allows  viewing of files in  archives),
          recursive  disk analysis, environment variable analysis &  much
          much more. The executable D.EXE is only 35k in size (registered
          version 34k), with an optional 107k of indexed on-line help.

   MENUD.EXE  This  is  the  39k  front-end  to D.EXE introduced  with  v3.0,
          allowing users to gain access to D.EXE's extensive command-line
          power  through the comfort of a menu-driven system. D.EXE is an
          innovative  DOS  tool,  MENUD.EXE is an innovative  menu-driven
          system!  MenuD's 60 menus and  over 400 options not only  allow
          the  user  to  build  D.EXE command-lines, but also  provide  a
          compound description of the operation in English! MenuD fulfils
          the following roles:

          (1) Menu-driven File Management
          For users who want to gain access to D.EXE facilities
          without learning the command-line syntax.

          (2) A Tutorial For PocketD
          For users who want a fast way to learn D.EXE's command-line
          syntax. MenuD demonstrates which options can be used
          together.

          (3) A Utility Factory
          No need to search for that special utility that you want.
          MenuD lets you create it! The BAT files created by MenuD
          are also automatically commented.


   >>>>>>>> WHY MIGHT I NEED POCKETD PLUS?

     1. Use it as a color-coded directory listing program.

    If  you  are frustrated  by  DOS 6.0's failure to allow files  to  be
    differentiated  by  color,  then  this  is for you.  PocketD  (D.EXE)
    provides  more  power to  control  color and far more  tailoring  and
    display  format options than any other program. Combine this with the
    extensive options for choosing files (such as non-executable, today's
    and hidden etc..), and PocketD becomes indispensable.

     2. Use it as a browsing tool.

    D.EXE  allows the user  to easily browse subdirectories and  archives
    simply  by  using  the  cursor  keys. Files can  be  viewed,  copied,
    uncompressed and deleted. The contents of files can be viewed even if
    they   are  inside  ZIP/CRU/ZOO/ARJ/LZH/ARC/PAK  archives.  You  will
    probably forget how to use PKUNZIP!

     3. Use it as a tool for managing your hard disk.

    PocketD  provides  exceptional  power  for  performing  both   simple
    operations,  such  as daily backups,  and complex tasks such as  disk
    cataloguing.  PocketD will replace almost any file utility you  might
    already have and, in many cases, will do a much better job.

     4. Use it for managing a network.

    PocketD was designed for a network environment! It can perform such a
    wide  range  of useful tasks that  you should not be without it,  and
    provides   many  facilities  for  monitoring  disk  usage,   removing
    temporary   files,  managing  backups,  manipulating  accounts  etc..
    PocketD's generality of design really comes into its own with network
    management. (See the file NETWORK.DOC).

     5. Use it on your laptop.

    At 34k in size (registered version, minimum installation), PocketD is
    a laptop user's dream. It is small enough to fit on anyone's machine,
    and  will allow you to  dispose of many other utilities, leaving  you
    with  a  single  consistent  utility  for all tasks,  rather  than  a
    hotch-potch of cumbersome and incompatible programs.


   >>>>>>>> I ALREADY HAVE A BUNCH OF UTILITIES. WHY BOTHER WITH POCKETD?

      Are you nervous about your BACKUPs?

    Programs  such  as NORTON,  PC-TOOLS and FLEXIBAC will  irresponsibly
    backup  a corrupted 4k file  over an uncorrupt 100k previous  version
    without a squeak. PocketD will let you fine-tune exactly how cautious
    your  backups should be. It will also tell you exactly what is  going
    on,  and warn you if the system clock is wrong! If you want a secure,
    fast  and convenient tool for  backing up selected daily work  files,
    then PocketD is ideal.

      Are you sure that your existing utilities can do all that you need?

    Have you ever needed to do any of the following?

    Copy and optimally pack files to multiple disks?
    Look for a file containing a particular piece of text?
    Reverse an accidental copy into the wrong subdirectory?
    Move a subdirectory tree to another part of the disk?
    Search for a file in any disk or archive using multiple criteria?
    Look at the contents of an SFX archive before running it?
    Have your machine remind you when your next backup is due?
    Have a program that could tell you how big your subdirectories are?
    Test whether the correct disk is in a drive?
    Automate commonly carried out operations?
    Add questions to your AUTOEXEC.BAT or batch files?
    Create a formatted audit file for all your machines?
    Scan your hard disk to check that every byte is readable?

      PocketD's flexible design will do these things and countless other tasks.


   >>>>>>>> WHAT MAKES POCKETD SPECIAL?

    The  key feature that makes  PocketD exceptional is its power to  mix
    and  match its enormous range of features to perform almost any task.
    Many  utility  packages  provide  "set-piece" facilities  to  perform
    particular  tasks.  PocketD will often  be able to provide  the  same
    functionality  by combining options in appropriate combinations,  but
    with  the added advantage that  PocketD can go further and provide  a
    much  larger superset of facilities, which can be exactly tailored to
    the user's needs.

     For example: PocketD provides ARCHIVE support

    Since  PocketD  can see a  file  inside an archive, the rest  of  its
    general purpose facilities can be brought to bear.

    How many other archive handlers could do the following?

    (a)  Take  all ZIP archives on drive A: and uncompress each into  its
         own  subdirectory on the current drive. (e.g. DIET14.ZIP becomes
         DIET14\*.*)

         D A:.ZIP [md $n//PKUNZIP $w $n\]R

    (b)  Delete  all the files in the current subdirectory that are  also
         present  within any archive in the current directory  (including
         ZIP,  ARJ,  LZH,  CRU,  ZOO, ARC, PAK, PKA  and  self-extracting
         archives created by PKZIP, ARJ, LHA or LHARC).

         D [D $f/hzz]ZRAZ              reporting each deletion, or...

         D [D $f/hzz:=$d=$s]ZRAZ       checking first that date & size of
                       file is the same before deletion.

    (c)  Search  the current drive  looking inside all .ZIP archives  for
         files  with  the extension .DOC  or with a name  containing  the
         string  "READ",  that were modified  during the last 5 days  and
         uncompress them into the current directory.

         D /WZ[zp]:-5 *READ* .DOC [PKUNZIP $p$B $f]R

    (d)  Show how much space would be needed to uncompress the archive in
         the  current  directory which  uncompresses to the largest  size
         (not  necessarily the biggest archive, after taking into account
         the cluster size of the current drive!), also reporting how much
         space is actually available.

         D /ZDUKss [$s bytes needed ($Rk available)]

         (option  "Z" scans archives,  "D" shows only archives/dirs,  "U"
         actual  space  used, "ss"  sort  by size, "K" shows  only  first
         sorted item.)

    From this it can be seen that almost anything might be possible, e.g.
    automatic  VIRUS checking of files in SFX and other archives, on-line
    viewing  or running of files  in archives, checking whether files  in
    one  archive  are present  in  another, etc... See UNARC.BAT  on  the
    release disk for a further good archive example.


   >>>>>>>> WHAT ABOUT THE SIMPLER DAY-TO-DAY UTILITIES?

    PocketD  can also enrich even simple utilities, providing that  extra
    functionality to make them that much more useful. For example:

    Take  the  simple utility  WHEREIS.  The PocketD release disk  has  a
    pre-prepared batch file to do this.

    WHEREIS filename         is   available   in  most   users'   utility
                 repertoires, but PocketD will let you expand
                 this, for example:

    WHEREIS *A*=D* /c A:     "Search  for filenames with an 'A'  followed
                 later  by a digit and copy them to drive  A:
                 (giving  the  user  the chance to view  each
                 file, and warning if the file already exists
                 on A:, whether it is bigger, smaller, older,
                 newer, MUCH older etc..)"

    WHEREIS /TZQ             "Search  for  all  the files  created  today
                 (including  those in archives) and provide a
                 scrolling list from which to choose files to
                 view"


   >>>>>>>> JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF NONE?

    NO!...  PocketD, almost  without exception, provides facilities  that
    are  individually  more comprehensive  than those provided  by  other
    dedicated  programs. For example,  only 10% of PocketD's options  are
    devoted  to file copy/move, but there  is no program (at the time  of
    writing)  that comes close to PocketD's copy power. Even  heavyweight
    copy  specialists (with over three  times the code size) do not  come
    near.

    Finally, PocketD gains substantially from its use of templates, which
    allows the user to construct exotic combinations of nested calls that
    make almost any operation possible.

    This  flexibility  makes PocketD  one  of the few programs  that  can
    provide a viable substitute for a command line programming language.


   >>>>>>>> WHAT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO LEARN HOW TO USE POCKETD?

    PocketD  is  primarily  a  command-line  tool,  but  the  menu-driven
    MENUD.EXE  provides  the  easiest  way  to  explore  its  facilities.
    MENUD.EXE  allows  the user to  pick options from menus and  see  the
    equivalent  command line constructed, with a full description of  the
    command  in  English. The user can  then run it using the F3 key,  or
    save it as a fully commented BAT file using F2.

    The user can also run "DEMO" for a quick demonstration of D.EXE.

    Having  grasped the basic rules for constructing D.EXE command-lines,
    the next step is to use the on-line guide for examples of using D.EXE
    to perform particular tasks. This is accessed by typing:

         D /??

    from  the DOS prompt. The user can also examine the pre-prepared  BAT
    utilities provided on the release disk for extra inspiration.

    Finally  the user can always register PocketD or PocketD Plus(!), and
    receive  the 108-page mini-manual, jam packed with many detailed  and
    instructive examples not provided in the on-disk documentation.