Cream of the Crop 1

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#1# EZ-Disk Admiral by EZX Publishing EZ-Disk Admiral (EZDA) was written by Bruce Savaglio and David Black. EZDA provides fast and easy access to information concerning your diskette collection. Context sensitive help, on-line manual, and pulldown menus make it easy. Comments or suggestions for improving EZDA will be appreciated. EZDA requires an IBM PC or compatible with 640K of RAM. Display adapters known to work with EZDA are the IBM monochrome (MDA), color (CGA), enhanced graphics (EGA), and video graphics array (VGA) adapters. #20# General help for all menus: This menu is broken up into two basic windows. The window at the top of your screen shows several options to choose from. The window at the bottom of the screen expands on what will occur if you choose the highlighted option (the one that has a different background color). Options may be selected in one of two ways. You can either press the first letter of the desired command or move the highlight bar over the desired option and press enter. To move the highlight bar use either the space bar, up arrow, down arrow, left arrow, or right arrow. You can also use home to move to the first top line item on the menu. Using the first letter of a command only works in the ACTIVE window. If you don't have any pulldown then the active window is the top window. Once you pulldown one of the options that becomes the active window. You must use one of the commands in the pulldown once it is active. You can always use Escape to back out of the pulldown and return to the top menu. #21# You are now using the EZDA Main Menu. From here you can access the main functional areas of EZDA. Refer to the On-Line Manual to get a feel for what a fully featured diskette cataloger can do. Please note that an abbreviated directory window will appear in the middle of your screen as soon as a valid source diskette has been loaded. It will show the diskette volume label (if any) and the first four file names. We have tried to design EZDA to let you get your job done quickly and easily. Please feel free to forward any suggestions for improvement to us at EZX Publishing, Attn: EZDA Author. #50# This option allows you to define the default path for accessing the on-line manual and context sensitive help. Make sure you include the index file (EZDA_HM.INX) along with the help and manual file (EZDA_HM.TXT) in the specified directory. #55# This option allows you to enable/disable the sound or beeps on errors. Some people find programs that beep on errors to be annoying (me for one). This option will allow you to disable ALL warning beeps in EZDA. #60# This menu allows you to change all the colors used in EZDA. To change a default color - first use the up or down arrow key to select the color, then type in the new color. When you have changed all the colors press Ctrl+D to display these colors in a sample window. As with allinstallation options, these changes will not be used until you choose the retain option on the main menu. This allows you to experiment with the installation options and then not have to lose your original defaults. Please keep in mind the foreground text colors can be 0-15, the background 0-7. If you choose a text color the same as a background color then the text will disappear. You may notice some of your installed color combinations result in invisible lines on the Ctrl+D popup window. Please be careful not to choose this color for one of your text colors!! Note: For many of the EZDA options and user inputs you will see a prompt containing the characters . If you count the number of 's yoy will find the maximum number of characters that can be entered. Also Escape is used throughout EZDA to signal "I want out". Press Enter, up arrow, down arrow, or whatever is asked for to enter the desired value. Escape will throw away any immediate changes and get you out of the area you are in. #61# Please note that the background color (0-7) is one digit long and the foreground color (0-15) is two digits long. That is why you will see the input prompt (the s) change it's width as you go between the colors. #65# This screen shows the possible combinations of colors in EZDA. If you are using a non IBM display adapter you may have to "play" with the colors to get a pleasing combination. EZDA defaults to colors that work well with the IBM Color Graphics Adapter, IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter, and IBM Monochrome Display Adapter. On some monochrome display adapter clones you may need to alter a foreground text color to get the background to change intensity. The default combination of colors will work on any 100% IBM PC compatible display adapter! #70# EZDA allows the default paths, program colors, etc. to be saved in a configuration file. If no configuration file is specified on the command line (ex. C:>EZDA /c=MyConfg.CNF) when you call up EZDA then EZDA will use the default name of EZDA.CNF. You are being asked for the name of the configuration file to load. You may have several configuration files saved under different names. Examples: LPT2.CNF (for printers attached to lpt2), BW.CNF (for black and white composite monitors attached to a composite color card), etc. Please make sure the configuration file you are asking EZDA to use is really a configuration file! Any invalid configuration file will be ignored. This includes configuration files from previous versions of EZDA. Remember you can always press ESC if you got into this area by accident. #75# EZDA allows the default paths, program colors, etc to be saved in a configuration file. If no configuration file is specified on the command line (ex. C:>EZDA /c=MyConfg.CNF) when you call up EZDA then EZDA will use the default name of EZDA.CNF. You are being asked for the name of the configuration file to save all the program defaults to. You may have several configuration files saved under different names. Examples: lpt2.cnf (for printers attached to lpt2), BW.CNF (for black and white composite monitors attached to a composite color card), etc. Please remember you can always press ESC if you got into this area by accident. #80# EZDA will look for the database file name with an optional drive and directory path that you enter here. It will append the "DBF" extension if you omit it. The example below is of a fully qualified database name with drive letter (C:), Directory (EZDA) and database file name (DataBase.DBF); ALL Caps, all lower case or mixed case will work. Example: C:\EZDA\DataBase.DBF │││ ││ │ ╞╛╞═══╛╘═══════════╧═ The file you want to use │ ╘══════════════════ The working directory ╘════════════════════ The working drive NOTE!!! Whenever you change database files ALL index file information becomes invalid. This means you will have to reindex the database. If you have a large database this could take quite a while. A suggested approach to overcome this problem is to save your current index files in another directory or on another disk BEFORE you change databases. Later, you can recopy the index files into the default directory and select the matching database file with the selectDB or Type Name functions. #81# EZDA will create a new database file using the name you enter. A path name is optional If you don't enter one EZDA will use the current default path. You don't have to specify the extension. If you don't, EZDA will add the "DBF" extension. If you do specify an extension, it must be "DBF". The new database will be empty until you begin to add disks using the catalog function. The first thing you will notice after you press enter is new index files being created. NOTE!!! Whenever you change database files ALL index file information becomes invalid. This means you will have to reindex the database. If you have a large database this could take quite a while. A suggested approach to overcome this problem is to save your current index files in another directory or on another disk BEFORE you change databases. Later, you can recopy the index files into the default directory and select the matching database file with the selectDB or Type Name functions. #82# The file you are asking EZDA to create already exists. If you proceed, EZDA will create a new file that is empty which has the effect of erasing all data in the file. The new file will have no records. When you are finished with this menu you will notice the index files being re-created. NOTE!!! Whenever you change database files (or create a new one) ALL index file information becomes invalid. This means you will have to reindex the database. If you have a large database this could take quite a while. A suggested approach to overcome this problem is to save your current index files in another directory or on another disk BEFORE you change databases. Later, you can recopy the index files into the default directory and select the matching database file with the selectDB or Type Name functions. #85# EZDA couldn't locate any database files in the specified directory. Your computer uses a "mask" for directories. Our default mask used for databases is "*.DBF". EZDA automatically adds this mask to the path for you. In this case, EZDA could not find any files with the "DBF" extension. #90# EZDA couldn't locate your path. Are you sure you entered the correct path to get to your file. Computers are dumb, you have to tell them everything. Try using the select file option on the main menu. EZDA will find all the files in your specified directory and allow you to use a color bar to select the desired file. #91# EZDA couldn't locate your path. Are you sure you entered the correct path to get to your database. Computers are dumb, you have to tell them everything. Try using the select database option on the main menu. EZDA will find all the files in your specified directory and allow you to use a color bar to select the desired database. Please ensure that what you are trying to open really is a database. It will have a .DBF extension if it is a valid database. #95# Your floppy or hard disk is used to store files. Many times, files will be organized into groups and stored in specific areas called subdirectories. The computer needs to be given a location called a directory, to find the files. The computer's first "guess" on where to find the files will be your current default subdirectory (unless you install a default path under the installation section). Most of the time this will be what you want. If in doubt, press enter! The files are probably located in the current directory which is normally the default. A more technical description follows on the next help page. #96# This feature allows you to specify the path EZDA will use to access your files. You can access files anywhere on your system. Example: C:\EZDA │││ │ ╞╛╞═══╛ │ ╘═════════ The working directory ╘═══════════ The working drive In the above example EZDA will ask your computer to tell it all the database files on drive C: in the subdirectory \EZDA. The "mask" usec to get the directory is C:\EZDA\*.DBF. If there are no files in the directory you specified you may see the error message that says "Could not find C:\EZDA\*.DBF". If you are not sure what you should use just press enter without changing any of the information. Chances are that the default is what you want (that is why we made it the default). Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on paths and file names. #100# EZDA is asking if you would like to continue adding more disks to the current disk database you are using. If you answer Y for yes, the disk in the default source drive will be read and its files added to the current disk database shown in the database status window. If you answer N for no or press escape, no diskettes will be added. #101# EZDA is asking if you would like to continue deleting addtional disks from the current disk database you are using. If you answer Y for yes, the disk in the default source drive will be read and its files deleted from the current disk database named in the database status window. If you answer N for no, no further operation will be performed. #102# EZDA is asking if you would like to continue updating disks to the current disk database you are using. If you answer Y for yes, the volume label of the disk in the default source drive will be read and its files first deleted from the current disk database and then added to the disk database named in the database status window. If you answer N for no, no further operation will be performed. Press N for no or press Escape to get out of this loop of updating more diskettes. #110# The name to which you are trying to save the new file already exists. EZDA is asking if you would like to use the name anyways. In that case the old file will be overwritten by the new file. You will lose the old file forever. So be careful. If you answer "N" for no to -- OK to erase (Y/N)? -- EZDA will allow you to enter a new name and will try again using the new name. #200# Help for Directory Screen: To edit a file use the up or down arrows on the numeric keypad to highlight a file name and then press enter. All files in the directory listing are sorted. EZDA can handle a directory containing up to 500 files. If you have more files than that in a SINGLE directory then please break the directory into smaller ones before running EZDA. Cursor key movements: Up Arrow - Move up one file. Down Arrow - Move down one file. PgUp - Move up one page of files. PgDn - Move down one page of files. Ctrl+Home - Move to the first file in the directory. Ctrl+End - Move to the last file in the directory. Use Enter to select the highlighted file and start operations using it. #205# EZDA will sort the directory you are viewing based on the "field" you select. It may be: 1. The name of the files. 2. The date the files were last modified. 3. The size of the files. 4. You may also choose the direction of the sort. Forwards or backwards. #210# No Disk Label on disk There is no label on the disk you are adding. EZDA uses the label or Volume Name as it is sometimes called to keep track of the files on this disk. This label is included in the database file and is used to tell you which disk the file is on. EZDA permits two options for creating a disk label. The first option is to create a label and write it to the disk. The label will then be a permenant part of the disk and you will see it when you do a directory ("DIR") using DOS. The second option will not write a label to the disk. It will, instead, generate an internal label (used by EZDA only). In this case you should write this label on the disk so that you know what name EZDA is using. In the DBMS, this name will be shown under the "Volume" heading. #211# This function permits you to retrieve a database file from a list of database files. #221# This function permits you to use an existing database file. You must specify the name... don't forget the ".dbf" extension. #231# This function permits you to create a new database file. #311# The drive you select here is the drive EZDA will use to retrieve the file information for the database. If you choose drive A, for example, the files on the disk in drive A will be the ones that EZDA copies into your catalog. You select "Add A Disk" on this menu to began retrieving files and building a database. The drives you see here are the ones that exist in your system. This includes physical and logical drives. You may select a drive by pressing the letter key or by using the arrow keys to highlight the letter drive you want to use and then pressing enter. When you return to the main window the "DataBase Status" window will display the new drive you select here. If you press escape, there will be no change. #315# High level problem description: EZDA has sensed an error while trying to initialize your printer. The perceived error may or may not be real. The most common problem here is that your printer is not turned on. The second most common problem is that your printer is off-line. If you are fairly sure that every thing is all right with your printer, then tell EZDA NOT to abandon printing and to try printing again. If there really is an error or a problem in your system and you try to print again then your system may lock up! Technical problem description: Interupt 24 (Abort, Retry, Ignore) checking has been vectored thru the EZDA code disabling that message. The result of an interupt call indicates that there is a serious printer problem in your system. You will no longer have the option to abort thru the Int 24 handler. If you choose to proceed with printing, ALL further error messages will be disabled. This will cause one of three things to happen. One - if there is no problem, then printing will work as normal. Two - you may be able to "print thru" the error with EZDA continually ignoring the errors (nothing to the printer). Three - your system locks up forever, there really is a serious problem! #317# Did you press one of the keyboard keys? That is the signal to EZDA that you would like to abandon printing. If you pressed a key by accident and would like to continue printing, tell EZDA , N for no, you don't want to abandon printing. Otherwise, press Y for yes and abandon printing. #321# Select Archived Files to include in database. This feature allows you to choose which type of archive files you want EZDA to include in your database. Pressing the Space bar will place a check mark (√) under the type of archive file you want to include in the directory search. If a check mark already exists under an archive type, pressing the space bar will de-select the type and the check mark will disappear. EZDA will add the information about every file when it encounters an archive file of this type during the "ADD A DISK" function. The archive types are determined by the three letter file extension which is unique to the archive program which creates it. For example PKA and PK and ARC are the file extensions used by the files archived with SEAWARE inc programs. The EXE extension is the self extracting file created by Haruyasu Yoshizaki's Lharc program. (See the users manual for a full description of the file types supported.) #405# EZDA allows you to specify how the database directories will be sorted. You can specify both the field to sort on and the direction. The installation section you are using allows you to specify these options. When EZDA first comes up it will use these installed options as the directory sort options. Any change you make to the sort options while viewing the directory will be retained during the use of EZDA. If you want the options to be permanent then they must be installed and saved using the installation section of EZDA. #410# The index file for the search criteria you selected is not current. EZDA must first reindex the database on this index to be able to find files based on this field. The listing in the window below is sorted on the search criteria you now have higlighted. When you select a value to search for or when you tab down to the file display window, the index file for the highlighted criteria (Filename, Extension, Size, etc) must be current. You will have to return to "Filename", which is always current or another current criteria, in order to jump down to the window below. You can tell which criteria have current index files by their color which will be the same as "Filename". #411# The Database Management System The Database Manager and catalog display features you are now in, permit you to search for a file using the Filename, file Extension, file Time, file Date, file Size, etc. The Volume selection will display information about a disk volume, either floppy or hard. The Comment selection allows you to enter a comment (up to 64 characters ) about a file and the Archive selection will display all files found in the matching archive name you enter. To select by filename, extension, filesize, filedate or time, simply use the cursor keys to highlight one of the words "filename", "Exten","Size", etc, and press enter to select it. A window will open asking you to enter the value for which you want to search. You will then enter the value. For example, you might enter "com" or "COM" or "Com" or "cOm"(any combination of upper or lower case) after selecting "Exten" to list all files with extension of "com". To get to the display window below from this window, press the TAB key. #412# Search by Filename Enter a Filename without the extension. EZDA will search for a filename that matches the one you entered. If a match is found, the first file displayed in the display window below will be the file you requested. If no match is found the first file displayed will be the one closest to the file name you entered. If you are Printing Reports, the first file printed will be the one that matches the search filename you entered. If no match is found, the report will not be printed. Press the TAB key to access the window bellow. #413# Search by Extension Enter the file Extension (the three or less letters after the dot "."). Disk will search for an extension that matches the one you entered. If a match is found, the first file displayed in the display window below will contain the extension you requested. If no match is found the first file will be the one closest to the extension you entered. If you are Printing Reports, the first file printed will be the one that matches the search extension you entered. If no match is found, the report will not be printed. Press the TAB key to access the window bellow. #414# Search by File Size Enter the file size. Disk will search for a file size that matches the one you entered. If a match is found, the first file displayed in the display window below will have the file size you requested. If no match is found the first file will be the one closest to the file size you entered. If you are Printing Reports, the first file printed will be the one that matches the search file size you entered. If no match is found, the report will not be printed. Press the TAB key to access the window bellow. #415# Search by File Date Enter the file date. Enter the date in month, date year format. Use two digits for the month and day plus four digits for the year. EZDA will search for a file date that matches the one you entered. If a match is found, the first file displayed in the display window shown below will have the file date you requested. If no match is found the first file will be the one closest to the file date you entered. If you are Printing Reports, the first file printed will be the one that matches the search date you entered. If now match is found, the report will not be printed. Press the TAB key to access the window bellow. #416# Search by File Time Enter the file time. Enter the time in hours and minutes format. Use two digits for the hour and minute Disk will search for a file time that matches the one you entered. If a match is found, the first file displayed in the display window below will have the file time that you requested. If no match is found the first file will be the one closest to the file time you entered. If you are Printing Reports, the first file printed will be the one that matches the search filetime you entered. If no match is found, the report will not be printed. Press the TAB key to access the window bellow. #417# Search by Attribute Enter the file attribute. If a match is found, the first file displayed in the display window below will have the file attribute you requested. If no match is found the first file displayed will be the one with a file attibute closest to the file attribute you entered. Enter a lower case s, a, r, d, to search for System, Archive, Read Only and Directories that are Hidden. ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ Archive file (normal file) A or a. PK File (compressed file) K. ║ ║ Hidden file (normal file) H. PKA File (compressed file) P. ║ ║ Read Only file (normal file) R or r. ZIP File (compressed file) Z. ║ ║ System file (normal file) S or s. ZOO File (compressed file) O. ║ ║ Direcory File (normal file) D or d. EXE File (LZH format exe file) L. ║ ║ ARC File (compressed file) C. ║ ║ DWC File (compressed file) W. ║ ║ LBR File (compressed file) B. ║ ║ LZH File (compressed file) L. ║ ║ Lower case indicates hidden files. Reports will only be printed ║ ║ if a match is found ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╜ #418# Search by Volume Enter the Volume name of a disk. If a match is found, information about the disk will appear in a window. The information contained is Free space, date created, and time created. When the window closes the display will begin with the first volume matching the name you enter. If no match is found, a window will open telling you no match was found. If you are Printing Reports, the first file printed will be the one that matches the search volume name you entered. If no match is found, the report will not be printed. Press the TAB key to access the window bellow. #419# Search by Archive Enter the name of an archive file as it exists on the disk. For example, an LZH file might be called DISKADM.LZH. Enter the name as "DISKADM.LZH". If a match is found, information about all files in the archive will be listed in the lower window, beginning with the first file in the archive. If Printing Reports, the first file printed will be the one that matches the search archive name you entered. If no match is found, the report will not be printed. Press the TAB key to access the window bellow. #420# Enter or Edit a Comment Enter a Comment of up to 64 characters. If the file contains no comment, the column under the COMMENT heading will be blank. If the file contains a comment a check mark (√) will be displayed in this column. Press the TAB key to access the window bellow. #421# The lower window contains the listing of the file information that matches your selection. Each line contains the filename, extension, size, date,time,attribute, volume name, archive and comment indicator. The line you are on will be highlighted and you may move around the database using the up and down arrow, page, home and end keys. The bottom of the screen contains help information on what the keys do. Pressing the letter "C" displays a comment (if you have entered one ) or allows you to enter a comment. If you attempt to move in a direction in which there is no more records you will here a beep and there will be no change in the display. For example, if you have reached the top of the database for the field you have selected you will hear a beep if you try a page up or an up arrow key. The same will happen if you are at the bottom of the database for the field you have selected and you select a page down or down arrow key. The letter "P" will change the display to the path (including the drive designator) of the file you have highlighted. The Label in the center of the window will change from FILES to PATHS and any movement through the database will display paths. To change back to display file records, press the letter "F". #422# The order of the records displayed in the window below depends on which field you selected in this window. The records will be displayed in alphabetical or numeric order based on that field. For example, if you select extensions, the first record at the top of the window will be the extension with the letter starting with 'A' or closest to 'A'. However, numbers will be displayed first. The other fields will be ignored as far as sort order is concerned. This means that identical names will appear in the order in which they were entered into the database. Another example: SCREEN .BAT 09 1989/12/22 10:22:34 BOOT-DRIVE COMMAND.COM 45654 1988/02/21 05:00:00 BOOT-DRIVE BASIC .EXE 56767 1987/04/12 05:00:00 BASICPROGS APPEND .EXE 3454 1988/02/21 05:00:00 MSDOSDISK In this example the listing is sorted by the extension. As you can see, no regard is given to the file names nor any other field. This situation will be true for all fields. The display window will display the closes match it can find to what you enter. When it cannot find a match on the first letter you enter #423# you will see a message stating that the value you entered was not found. In these cases the the display will begin with the first value in alphabetcal order for that field. This sorting and displaying by field permits some powerful uses of the display window. For example, When selecting by Attribute, you may display all hidden system files by entering 's' or all directories by entering 'D'. You can select all files in an Archive by selecting Archive and entering the archive name. You can select all files by size. If an exact match is not found the closest file larger than what you entered will be displayed first. You can display files by date. If no exact match is found on the date you entered, the closest date will be displayed first. #424# You will notice that some of the file records are displayed in a different color These are higlighted because they do not represent file records but rather information about a disk(ette). The "V" in the attribute means these are "VOLUME" records. The filename matches the volume name. The SIZE value is the free space on the disk. The date and time displayed are the date and time the volume was created. These records will not have paths. All record may contain comments. In this case you can enter some definitive information about the entire disk. For example, you might enter a comment for BASICPROGS that states: "This disk contains all of my basic programs from 1989". #428# The features in this window allow you to go up a line, to go down a line, go to the top and bottom of the database using the corresponding keys of page up, page down, home and end. The letter "P" will display the path of the highlited file record and the letter "C" key will display any comment you may have entered for this file. When "Paths" is displayed in the window label, however, the letter "F" key will return you to the FILES display mode. When displaying files, the label for this window will be: FILES. When you are displaying paths, the label for this window will be: PATHS . The Window above this one is used for selecting the way files are displayed. It also acts as the headings for the information. That is, the filenames of your files are under Filename, the extenstions are under Exten, etc. For more information about the meaning of each line item, go to the window above, (use the TAB key) highlight the item you want information on and press the F1 (help) key. #450# There are NO FILES IN THE DATABASE! The database file you have selected is empty. Go to the "ADD A DISK" menu under "CATALOG" and add files or select a database file that contains file records. #460# You must reindex the index files whenever you add or delete files from the database. The amount of time for this process will increase as the number of database records (given in the database status window) increases. The time will vary with the type of processor your computer has and the speed of its hard disk. Generally the times that are given are for a 5 MHz 8088 processor. A rule of thumb you may use is 1 second per 15 records in the database. #470# Is the drive door is open? Have you inserted a disk in the drive? These are common problems. Before you answer 'Y' at the next screen, which will ask if you want to add another disk, be sure the drive door is closed and (in the case of a 3½ inch disk you do not have a door to close) a disk has been inserted into the drive. #500# You may print reports in a number of ways. This window asks you what data base info you want in the reports and how you want this data sorted. A. You can select all of the information in a record: filename, extension, filesize, date, time, volume label and archive info. S. Or you can select that only the filename, extension and the comment be printed. You may also select only records containing certain values in certain fields. In this case the report will contain only a listing of the records with fields that contain that information. If you select the entire database to be printed, the report will be sorted on the field you select. #509# The Disk you have inserted doesn't have files on it. If you wish, Disk will allow you to enter it any way. All you will have in the database is an entry for the volume, that is, a volume label record and no more. #525# The selection you are about to make will determine whether the output on your paper will contain all information about a file or only the file name, the extension, and the contents of the comment. Selecting A will print a heading that looks like this: "REC File File File File File File Volume" "No Name Exten Size Date Time Attr Label Archive Comment" Selecting B will print a heading that looks like this: "No Name Exten COMMENT" #530# This selection allows you to choose: (1) whether to print the entire database or (2) only records matching a selected. input. If you choose 2, you will be asked to select filename, extension, size, etc, as the criteria for a specific string. For Example: After choosing 2, if you then choose extension, you will be be asked to enter an extension to search for. Entering com in this example will print all files in the currently selected database that have an extension of "com". If you choose 1, you will be asked to select filename, extension, size, etc, as the SORT criteria for printing the entire database. #550# The attribute index is not current. It is needed to find the volume label files for printing labels which are based on the volume label. If you do not reindex, you will not be able to use this feature. #555# Enter a number that represents the size of label you are going to print. This entry determines the spacing used by the printer, so it is important to be correct.If necessary, you should measure your labels if your not sure. After this screen you will be asked to select what labels to print. #560# Select the way you want to print labels: A Print labels for all volumes. S Print labels for selected volumes. Enter Label Print type: If you select A, ezda will print labels for every disk you have catalogued. If you select S, ezda will print only the labels you enter on the next screen. #590# Update the DATABASE. This feature allows you to change the database to reflect changes in your disks. What it does is to first mark all of the present records from the volume you insert (or name) for deletion. Then it adds the information from the volume as new records. EZDA does not immediately delete the records. This process takes as long as reindexing, so EZDA gives you the option of waiting to actually delete the records. Until you do this, however, the records will be carried in your current database. #592# The Volume to update does not exist! You entered a Volume name (EZDA Internal Label) or have inserted a disk in the drive that is not in the current database. If you want to add the disk, go to the ADD menu. You may also have entered this disk into another database. #595# Database Update Is Not Completed Your last update to the database marked records for deletion but never actually did the deletion. If you answer yes to this question, the marked records will be deleted. The marked records will remain, even when you quit the program. However, if you reindex before quitting, the marked records will be deleted. If however, you exit without deleting these records, you will not be given the chance to delete them again until you do another update. #596# Interrupt Indexing If you stop indexing before you have reindexed all files, then when you try to use the database management system (DBMS) you will not be able to search for information in some fields. For Example, if you quit indexing and you only reindexed the Filename and Exten- sion files, then you cannot search for information based on filesize, filedate, attribute, etc. #597# Update DISK You are updating the database and EZDA has detected the name of the disk disk in the source drive in the database. You are presented two options and should select one of letters in parenthases: 1. (I) Return to the Update menu and DO NOT ADD this disk. 2. (U) Update the database. If you select option 2 (U), EZDA will delete all files in the database belonging to this disk. It will then add to the database all of the files as they now exist on the disk in the source drive. Pressing the Escape key will also return you to the previous menu. #598# No Disk Label This disk has no DOS label. Since you are attempting to update, DISK has no way of telling which records to update. In Order to make this task possible, you must enter a EZDA Internal label. This label always starts with "ADM:" and is followed by some number. Please enter the number. If EZDA cannot find this label, it will tell you and return to the update menu. #599# Duplicate DISK EZDA has detected another disk with this name is in the database you are now using. You may encounter this screen if you are (1) Adding New disks or (2) Updating the database. In either case you are presented three options: 1. (A) Add this disk to the database anyway, you will now have two disks (or more) with this name. 2. (R) Return to the previous (either add or update) menu and DO NOT ADD this disk. 3. (U) Update the database. If you select option 3 (U), EZDA will delete all files in the database belonging to this disk. It will then add to the database all of the files as they now exist on the disk in the source drive. #600# Macros allow you to record a keystroke sequence for later playback. EZDA maintains a general buffer to record your keystrokes. Once you have recorded a keystroke sequence you can write it to a disk file for later playback. Over 100 macro keys are supported. The shifted function keys 1 thru 10 are supported directly (just press one of them). The other macros are available by pressing control O then the second key. Be sure to take advantage of the descriptive text label for your macro when you write it to disk. Use Ctrl+Q to flush the keyboard buffer if your macro gets out of control. Macros can contain virtually any keystroke that you can enter from the keyboard. Here are some suggestions to make using macros easier. 1. If you start a macro from the main menu use the numeric keypad home key to reset the menu to a known starting position. 2. When using editor commands in your macro try to start from a known position. Examples: a. Use Ctrl+Home to move the cursor to the upper left corner of the form for a starting position. b. When using Alt+G in a macro, set the default palette first. #601# 3. Be aware of the keystroke limit. As you enter each keystroke you will see a small box in the center of your screen that shows which keystroke you are entering and the maximum allowable keystrokes. Once you have created a set of macros, write them to disk. You have complete freedom to give it any name you desire. This allows you to have multiple sets of macros defined. EZDA will automatically load the macro EZDA.MAC if it exists on the default drive and directory when you first bring up the program. You will probably want your most useful set of macros as the default. When you run EZDA use EZDA /m=macrofile to specify a name other than EZFX.MAC for the macros. You can execute the keyboard macros at any point. However, the macro attached to Shift+F10 will automatically execute when you get past the opening screen(s) as you first bring up EZDA. Hint: Macros emulate you at the keyboard. As you record a macro try to start at a known position and enter the keystrokes just as you would like the macro to be played back. Don't try to design a macro in one area of the program and play it back in another area. It may work but the macro will be harder to visualize and enter. #610# EZDA allows the default macro file name to be changed from within the program. Normally the name EZDA.MAC is used. To tell EZDA to default to another macro file at load time use the command line: EZDA /m=MyMacros.MAC You are being asked for the name of the macro file to load. You may have several macro files saved under different names. Please make sure that the macro file you are asking EZDA to use is really an EZDA macro file! Remember you can always press ESC if you got into this area by accident. #620# Sorting large macro files may take a while. We have went to great lengths to minimize to requirement for additional disk space during the sorting process. The macro file can be over 200K in size. Creating and managing backup files would require a lot of extra program code and disk space. We have opted for a disk based sort that sorts the macro file without creating a backup. If you would like an unsorted backup, copy the macro file to another name prior to sorting it. The sorting may take a while for a large macro file. Please be patient. #630# Each of the over 100 macros can have a descriptive text label added. This description serves as a reminder of its function. As you create macros, use a long description of the macro's function. You will find the description extremely important both to yourself and to other people who also use the macros you create. The macro file is built as you define the macros. This ensures the macro file is small as possible but the macros may be out of order. Use the change macro order option to sort the macros back into key order. The maximum file size with all macros defined is over 200K (102 macros with each having 1000 keystrokes of two bytes each - 102*1000*2 plus overhead). We have defined S+F10 to be the "Autostart" keyboard macro since it will be automatically executed when you run EZDA. Please note that it doesn't start execution until you get past the opening screen(s). #660# EZDA allows you to write the defined macros to disk for later use. If you would like for your macros to be automatically loaded then use the default name EZDA.MAC. EZDA is asking you for two pieces of information before it saves your macro to disk. The first is which key would you like to use to call up the macro at a future time. The second piece of information is the textual label or comment that will be shown when you ask to see all the recorded macros. This piece of information is optional but its use is strongly recommended if you are to figure out what the macro is supposed to do at a future time. Use the up arrow key to move from the description back up to the keystroke definition if you have changed your mind about which key to attach the macro to or pressed the wrong key. You may have multiple sets of macro commands defined. Save each set under a different file name and use the load macro command to read it from disk or specify a different macro file when you call up EZDA. Example: EZDA /m=MyMacros.MAC #670# A file error occured while trying to save your macro to a disk file. The macro file grows as you add new macros to it. If you redefine an existing macro, the space within the macro file is reused. When a file error occurs, it is typically due to one of the following: 1. You are out of hard disk space. 2. You specified an invalid filename or path for the macro file. 3. There is a bad area on your hard disk that can't be written to. Please ensure that you have used a valid name for the macro file. #700# This feature allows you to delete all information on the database that relates to one or more volumes. if you select 1, EZDA will prompt you for a disk. if you select 2, EZDA will ask you to enter a volume name. If you select 1 you will be asked to insert a disk. EZDA will read the volume label and delete all files in your database that are from that volume. This feature is useful when you change the files on one of your disks. #710# UPDATE THE VOLUME INDEX FILE Before you can delete a disk from the database file, the index that is used to look for the volume to be deleted must be current. If you press 'Y' as your response, EZDA will update the Volume index file. Note! For a large database this process could take quite a while. #715# You have elected to enter a volume name and have EZDA delete all files from that volume. Note: This is the only way to delete volumes that have a "ADM:" prefix; that is, a EZDA created, database-only label. #720# EZDA is asking you to confirm that the disk you have inserted is the one you want to delete from the database. This message also means that EZDA found a match. All of the files associated with this disk will be deleted from the database. -- Not from your disk,so don't worry about your disk(ette) being affected, it won't be. #730# The volume label on the diskette you inserted or the the name you entered was not found. EZDA looks for a match on this volume label and then attempts to delete all of the files associated with that label. In this case it found no matching volume label name. You may have changed the name of this disk or never have entered it. #740# A number of records are being marked for delettion. Deleting records is a two step process. First the records to be deleted are marked for deletion and then a "Pack" procedure is performed which actually deletes the record. This process saves you the time of waiting for the pack process to complete before entering another disk for deletion. When you have finished entering disks for deletion answering "y" or "Y" to the question will begin the packing procedure. #1000# EZ-Disk Admiral ran out of memory while trying to perform the requested operation. Generally this will only happen if you have limited free system memory (RAM) and try to perform an operation on a large section of a very large database. The notepad and block copy/move commands will ask your computer for memory to perform the requested operation only when you use the command. That way the drain on your system resources is kept to a minimum. However, if you have limited free memory you may see this message. Possible corrective measures: 1. Limit the number of memory resident programs you load. 2. Upgrade your system RAM if you have less than 640K. 3. If you have anything stored in the notepad and run out of memory during the block copy operation - delete the notepad contents first. #20050# Quick startup info: EZDA allows you quickly and easily organize your collection of files. Unlike most disk catalog programs, EZDA has virtually no limit on the number of files you can catalog (limited to 2,000,000,000 files). Once you create your database of files, you can then search for a specific file based on its name, size, creation date, file attributes, etc. This means that you can find those files that you know you have but can't remember all the information about the file and which disk it is located on. EZDA even supports "looking" into archives and self extracting LZH files! A few of the formats supported are: ARC, ZIP, PKA, DWC, ZOO, LZH, LZH, EXE (from LHARC), plus more. We will try to remain current with the latest popular archive formats. Refer to other sections of the On-Line Manual for additional information. F1 is available to call up help while you are using EZDA. #20051# ┌──────────────────────────┐ │ Commonly Asked Questions │ └──────────────────────────┘ 1. Does EZDA (EZDA) support "looking" into archive files? Yes! Virtually ALL of the popular archive formats are supported. We will constantly update EZDA to keep current. 2. Is EZDA limited to one database? No, you can specify any number of databases. 3. Is EZDA limited to 32,767 files like some of the other disk catalog programs? No, you can have up to 2,000,000,000 files. However, we would like to see the disk that could hold a two billion record database. #20100# EZDA requires an IBM PC or close compatible with at least 640K of RAM and DOS 3.0 or later. A hard disk is not required but is strongly recommended. EZDA supports "looking" inside archives, two billion records, and DBase file compatibility. Our context sensitive help and on-line manual are designed to make using EZDA a snap. #20200# Archive Information: The archive files supported by EZDA are listed in the manual and on the help screen under the archive screen. EZDA does not de-archive your files. Instead, it looks up the information in the file defining name, extension, file size, etc. If a file is corrupted, EZDA will generally detect the problem and not include the file or the archive in the data- base. If you notice strange looking symbols in your datbase on a line for an archive file, then most likely the problem slipped through our error detection. Check the disk for any errors and remove the files for that disk using the remove option. #20300# HISTORY OF REVISIONS: ═════════════════════ EZDA ver 1.0 August 1990 Initial release. Provided support for a database of over 2,000,000,000 filenames, descriptions, and other information all in a easy to use menu driven interface. Now is the time to organize your diskette collection! November 1990 Enhanced keyboard macros, additional validity checking of archive files, integral mouse support added, plus minor bug fixes. #20500# GENERAL: ════════ 1. EZ-Disk Admiral was developed by Bruce Savaglio and Dave Black. 2. EZ-Disk Admiral was written in C with the core disk routines in assembly language. It uses the Professional C Windows described below. The source for EZ-Disk Admiral consists of about 20,000 lines of code. 4. The dBASEIV database is created and manipulated with Code Base 4 from Sequitter Software Inc. 5. Special thanks to Jim Nech at SSS for his excellent C & Assembly language windowing package (Professional C Windows) used in EZ-Disk Copy. It comes with complete source code and is only $89. This package is a must for software developers (info/orders 713-726-0386). #20900# Unable to run EZXINFO.EXE - The latest information on our products! Please ensure EZXINFO.EXE is in your current working directory. Are you out of free RAM (see the bottom line of this screen)? If it shows less than about 80K, try running EZXINFO.EXE directly from DOS. If EZXINFO.EXE has been lost, call: Voice 1-713-280-9900 BBS 1-713-280-8180 FAX 1-713-280-0525 #20950# Unable to run SUPPORT.EXE - The latest information for technical support! Please ensure SUPPORT.EXE is in your current working directory. Are you out of free RAM (see the bottom line of this screen)? If it shows less than about 80K, try running SUPPORT.EXE directly from DOS. If SUPPORT.EXE has been lost, call: Voice 1-713-280-9900 BBS 1-713-280-8180 FAX 1-713-280-0525 #END#