DISKALOG REGISTRATION:

I am enclosing $8.50 to register my copy of DISKALOG.
I understand that this registration fee entitles me to use
DISKALOG, and that I will be sent the latest version.
(Please print the following info. clearly!)

Name __________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________

City ______________________ State _______ Zip Code ____________

Indicate disk format desired: ____ 5.25" 360K ____ 3.5" 720K

I obtained my copy of DISKALOG 3.03 from the following source:

Shareware distributor (name and address): _____________________

_______________________________________________________________

Bulletin board: _____________________ Other: _________________


Suggestions as to how to make DISKALOG better:












Please make U.S. funds payable to:

Philip P. Kapusta
P.O. Box 5423 Falmouth, Va. 22403 U.S.A.

(???ZCODE???)

Notes: Registered copies are personalized and do not have registration
reminders or delays. Virginia residents MUST ADD VA. SALES TAX.
Canadian orders, add $1.50 to registration. Foreign, add $3.00.


DISKALOG

Purpose:

DISKALOG is a utility that allows the user to add
descriptions and comments (up to 300 characters in length) to
each file name (including directories) on a disk.

For instance, in DOS, the "DIR" command will result
in the following directory listing:

Volume in drive B is EXAMPLES
Directory of B:\

BROWN_R EST 1725 5-23-86 2:30p
COMMAND COM 23612 3-21-86 12:03p
TELCOM COM 1523 12-23-86 11:34p
CHECKIT EXE 9680 3-01-86 10:21p
PCSTRING $$$ 8234 4-11-86 12:00p
BCKUP EXE 23404 7-07-86 5:27p
6 file(s) 245323 bytes free

Not bad for DOS' DIR command. But if you don't have an
excellent memory, how do you keep track of what each file does?
Or what are the contents of each file? This is where DISKALOG
can help.

For instance, the above directory listing after being
DISKALOGed can become this:

DISKALOG 3.03 BYTES FREE: 245,323 TOTAL: 362,496 FILES: 6
DATE: 05-14-1991 DIRECTORY: B:\*.* VOLUME: MISC_DATA
DISK NOTES: Misc. utility programs

BCKUP .EXE 23404 07-07-86 17:27 ..RA Backs up one or more files
BROWN_R .EST 1725 05-23-86 14:30 H.RA Cost estimate quoted to Richard Brown
CHECKIT .EXE 9680 03-01-86 10:21 ..R. Scans the disk and checks for errors
COMMAND .COM 23612 03-21-86 12:03 ..RA Starts the DOS command processor
PCSTRING.$$$ 8234 04-11-86 12:00 H.R. Spill file created during error
TELCOM .COM 1523 12-23-86 11:34 .... Telecommunications file transfer

|___________________________________|
|
User added descriptions


Requirements/limitations:

DISKALOG will run on IBM PC's (and true compatibles)
using DOS 3.0 and above and a minimum 128K RAM. Versions 1.x
and 2.x limited the user to a maximum of 250 files per
directory. This restriction has been removed with version 3.x.
The maximum number of files displayed is now determined by the
free memory available.


To begin:

At the DOS prompt, type ---> DLOG then

The above command will load DISKALOG and will instruct
the program to read the default drive. If the user wishes to
load DISKALOG but read a directory other than the one on the
default drive, then add the pathname after "DLOG". Here are
some examples of proper format:

DLOG B:
DLOG C:\DOS
DLOG A:\BASIC

With a DISK.LOG file on the screen you can begin adding
your descriptions and notes to each file listing. Simply type
your comments within the highlighted bar area. Use the cursor
control keys (up/down arrows) when you wish to go on to the next
file comment.


Cursor movement:

When a DISK.LOG file has been displayed you can move the
highlighted marker bar in the following ways:

UP ARROW: Moves the highlighted bar up one position. If at the
top of the first page, the cursor moves into the "DISK NOTES:"
field, where the user can add a general comment concerning the
files on that particular disk/directory.

DOWN ARROW: Moves the highlighted bar down to the next file.

PAGE UP: Moves the bar up to the top of the page. If the bar
was already at the top of the page, then will display
the previous page (if one exists).

PAGE DOWN: Moves the bar down to the bottom of the page. If
the bar was already at the bottom of the page, then
will display the next page (if one exists).

CTRL + PAGE UP: Will move the marker bar to the very first file.

CTRL + PAGE DOWN: Will move the marker bar to the last file.


Entering descriptions, comments, notes:

As previously noted, to add a description to any file
listing simply begin typing text while the cursor is next to the
file listing you wish to add a comment to. As you type, your
note will be displayed within the highlighted bar.

While in this highlighted area, the ,
, , , keys will be available
for editing your work. will erase/clear the current
description from the cursor position to the end of the line.
and will move the cursor to
the next word (left and right respectively).

Although the user can enter a total of 300 characters
per each file, only a certain number of characters can be dis-
played at the cursor position. The number of characters dis-
played can be expanded by using the + keys (hold
down the key, and at the same time press . This
key combination will toggle the screen mode display. There are
4 different screen displays available.


keys:

If you wish to leave DISKALOG temporarily, press
for a temporary shell to DOS. will permit the user to
shell out to DOS (if the COMMAND.COM file is on the default disk,
or COMSPEC is set to indicate COMMAND.COM's location). To return
to DISKALOG, enter "EXIT" at the DOS prompt.

Several other useful key functions are also available:

- Duplicates/copies the highlighted file to a new file.

- Allows the user to change the attributes of a file.

- Will run the utility program "BROWSE"* with the high-
lighted file.

- Will move up/down the directory tree to the highlighted
directory. The user can move UP the directory tree by using
while the highlighted bar is over ".." directory listing.

- Will delete the highlighted file or directory.

- Quick glance of contents of highlighted file.

- Will run the utility program "LIST"* with the high-
lighted file.

- Will prompt for a new subdirectory name and then make/
create it.


- Will enable the file display list to be sorted
according to the user's preference. The display list can be
sorted by 1) file name, 2) file name extension, 3) file size,
or 4) file date.

- Will prompt for a new file name to rename the existing
file.

- Will perform a DOS "TYPE | MORE" command with the high-
lighted file. This is only useful if the file to view is a text
file, and DOS' MORE command is accessible.

- Depending on the file extension, this will run either
PKUNZIP or LHARC on the highlighted file (.ZIP/.LZH only).
After decompression, DISKALOG will re-read the drive/directory
and update the file list. PKUNZIP and LHARC must be accessible
to DISKALOG for this function to work. .ZIP files can be
viewed prior to decompression.

- Will run the .EXE, .COM, .BAT file that is currently
highlighted. Parameters can be passed by two methods: 1) manual
entry - after the key combination, type in the parameters
on the request line at the prompt, or 2) automatic - any cha-
racters that are found within { } brackets in the file descrip-
tion line will be transferred to the parameter line automatically
after the key combination. An example of the "automatic"
parameter passing follows:

UNZIP .COM 25634 05/14/88 14:30 ...A Restore archived files {-A}
WP .EXE 231321 12/21/89 12:00 ..RA Word Perfect word processing {/M ALTI}

If the entry is input while the highlighted bar
is over WP.EXE above, then at the parameter line "/M ALTI" will
appear automatically, because it was included in the file descrip-
tion enclosed in { } brackets.


* These programs are available from most shareware/public domain
distributors and are not a part of the DISKALOG package.


Main Menu:

Access to the Main Menu is available by pressing .
Choose one of the five menu options:

N - New file (exit the current DISK.LOG file on the screen and
begin a new one)

P - Print file (print the current DISK.LOG file)

Q - Quit (terminate DISKALOG and return to DOS)

R - Return (return to previous screen)

S - Save file (save the current DISK.LOG file)


IMPORTANT NOTE: The entries/descriptions that the user adds will
NOT be saved unless the user selects "S" from the Main Menu line.
DISKALOG does NOT automatically save your work, although it will
remind you if you have made any changes without saving your work!
Remember, the user must initiate a "S"ave!


Printer options:

If your printer is capable of printing in a condensed
mode (15 or more characters per inch) you might be interested in
creating a .PTR file. Or if you are using a printer port besides
"LPT1:" creating a .PTR file will be necessary in order to perform
printer operations.

Before DISKALOG performs its first print job it looks on
the default drive/directory for a file named "DLOG.PTR". If
"DLOG.PTR" exists, then DISKALOG will load it and use its data to
perform subsequent print jobs. "DLOG.PTR" can be created in a
number of ways. Any line editor will work (see your DOS disk for
EDLIN) or see examples of COPY CON DLOG.PTR below.

Although one can externally set many printers for a
condensed character pitch, there is a benefit in creating a
"DLOG.PTR" file. Besides not having to remember to set your
printer pitch each time, if a "DLOG.PTR" file exists DISKALOG will
create a printout in a handy 5" by 5" (approx.) format with (cut
along dashed line) borders. This printout format is only avail-
able IF a "DLOG.PTR" file exists and the proper printer parameter
codes have been entered into it!

DISKALOG, if it finds a "DLOG.PTR" file, expects it to be
in the following sequential format...

Printer port
Escape code number
Escape code number
" " "
" " "
Escape code number
EOF marker


The easiest way to create such a "DLOG.PTR" file is the
following. At the DOS prompt, type the following...

COPY CON DLOG.PTR
LPT1:
15



Valid printer ports are LPT1: LPT2: (don't forget the
colon). It will be necessary when entering printer escape codes
to have your printer manual at hand. Enter only the ASCII value
after the escape code Chr$(27) or ESC. For instance, according
to the owner's manual, a Hewlett Packard Deskjet/Plus/500 printer
must receive the following escape code to print in condensed type:

(s16.67H

In order to create the correct "DLOG.PTR" file for the
HP Deskjet you must enter each character following the ESC with
its corresponding ASCII value.

ESC ( s 1 6 . 6 7 H

COPY CON DLOG.PTR | | | | | | | |
LPT1: | | | | | | | |
40 ---/ | | | | | | |
115 ------/ | | | | | |
49 ---------/ | | | | |
54 ------------/ | | | |
46 ---------------/ | | |
54 ------------------/ | |
55 ---------------------/ |
72 ------------------------/



Here's another example. If your printer manual says
that ESC Chr$(15) must be sent to the printer to enable
condensed print, then the appropriate "DLOG.PTR" file would be
created thusly...

COPY CON DLOG.PTR
LPT1:
15



If registered users have problems creating a "DLOG.PTR"
file, contact the program author with a large SELF-ADDRESSED
STAMPED ENVELOPE and a copy of your printer manual's printer
codes.