Category : File Managers
Archive   : ELFTREES.ZIP
Filename : README.DOC

ELFTREE (TM)

(C) Copyright 1988-1994 By Alan J. Avery

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Alan Avery (developer)
Elvish Consulting
1408 Noble Avenue
Springfield, Illinois 62704
(217)-698-8600 (8 a.m. to 9 p.m. CDT only, please)
(217)-698-8601 (FAX - 24 hours)

DISCLAIMER

Users of ELFTREE must accept this disclaimer of warranty:
"ELFTREE is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties,
expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties
of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes
no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result
from the use of ELFTREE."

Thank You!

Many people have told us that ELFTREE is vastly more powerful than
any commercial product sold as a `DOS shell'. We've been praised
for making ELFTREE simple to use (it hasn't been easy!), fast (it's
written in Borland's Turbo C and Turbo Assembler), and intuitive.
We thank all of you who have used ELFTREE and have helped, with your
ideas, to make it such a wonderful product. No programmer has the
skill to think of all the wonderful ideas blended together in this
version of ELFTREE. Thank you all!

Why Shareware?

This is a shareware version of ELFTREE. It is distributed as
shareware for the following reasons:

1. You get to use it for 30 days, to see how you like it. We are
sure you will love it.
2. When you ask for features to be included, they are usually
added to the next release - often within a week! This means
that you don't have to wait six months to a year for the next
upgrade, a problem with most commercial software. Also, you
get to see your ideas incorporated!
3. Advertising is expensive. For example, a full page ad in one
issue of one computing magazine can cost $25,000. By telling
10 of your friends about this great product, and giving them
a shareware copy of it, you can keep its cost extremely low.
If you upload the latest version to BBS's you know, you'll be
doing an even greater service.
-- Page 2 --

Tell Me More About Shareware

Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before
buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you
are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details --
some request registration while others require it, some specify a
maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the
simple right to continue using the software to an updated program
with printed manual.

Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and
the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific
exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished
programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of
comparable quality. The main difference is in the method of
distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and
distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific
group. For example, some authors require written permission before
a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware.

Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You
should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether
it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting
your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because
the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate
money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay
for it!

AGREEMENT

ELFTREE is produced by 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 49442 or send a CompuServe message via
CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536."

All users of ELFTREE must register and pay for their copies of ELFTREE
within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn. For site
licensing, please refer to the file SITELICE.DOC elsewhere in this
package. If this file is missing, please contact Elvish Consulting at
217) 698-8600 for a free replacement.

Anyone distributing ELFTREE for any kind of remuneration must first
contact Elvish Consulting at the address below for authorization. This
authorization will be automatically granted to distributors recognized
by the (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines for shareware distributors,
and such distributors may begin offering ELFTREE immediately (However
Elvish Consulting must still be advised so that the distributor can be
kept up-to-date with the latest version of ELFTREE.).

You are encouraged to pass a copy of ELFTREE along to your friends for
evaluation. Please encourage them to register their copy if they find
that they can use it. All registered users will receive a copy of the
latest version of ELFTREE, a toll-free number for tech support, a
printed manual, and updates for a nominal fee.
-- Page 3 --



Does Shareware Mean Crippled?

This version has all the functions of the version you'll get when you
register, but there is an opening message screen, and a delay before
you can start using the product. Also, this version does not have
any additional progams you can get when you register for the full
version: editor, external viewers, etc. Read on for information on
how to get these valuable enhancements.

You are free to use ELFTREE for 30 days, to test it and to determine
if it is useful to you. If you are still using it after 30 days, you
must register with us. The file ORDER.DOC, included with this package,
has an order form. Just fill out the form, print it, and mail it to
us along with your check or money order.

When you register with us, you get the latest version of ELFTREE,
with all reported bugs fixed, with any new or enhanced features
that may have been incorporated, a professionally printed manual,
a toll-free number for tech support, notices of updates as they
become available, and one FREE update. In addition, you can get the
ELFTREE editor, any viewer(s) we've developed, and a flat-file
database sort program. This is a great value for you! More
importantly, you make us want to keep improving ELFTREE so that
it can do even more for you!

Cheap Upgrades!

Once you license ELFTREE, you can upgrade to the latest registered
version at a nominal cost. Through December 31, 1994, this fee is
US$6, a very reasonable cost for you.

ELFTREE System Requirements

ELFTREE requires you to have a screen so that you can see what it
shows you, a keyboard to give it commands, and some memory to hold
information. You determine how much memory it needs (minimum is
about 150K free) by customizing it, whether by command-line switches
see end of this document) or with the [F4] key once it first comes
up for you. It can take advantage of EGA or VGA displays, it works
with the largest hard disks (even under DOS 3.31 and above), it works
on all DOS-compatible networks, etc. In other words, it has modest
requirements, and it should run on any hardware you've got. ELFTREE
will operate much faster on a particular machine with disk caching
enabled than with disk caching turned off. ELFTREE understands FAT
and other system tables under DOS, but it only reads this information.
It NEVER writes it.

Environment Variables

ELFTREE recognizes the following optional environment variables:

ELFTREEPATH - For DOS 2.X, specifies where ELFTREE files are stored.
ETCONFIG - Specifies the configuration file to use.
ETDRIVES - Specifies a default selection of drives to search
ETFIND - Specifies where to store menus, tree maps, etc.
ETIDENT - Specifies a session identifier.
ETMAP - Specifies where to store tree maps for removable
drives (such as Bernoulli cartridges, optical
media and floppy disks).
ETMAPCDR - Helps control CDROM tree map management.
when using the FIND command.
ETVALTREE - Specifies what drives to limit the Validate Tree
customize option to.
-- Page 4 --


Introduction

ELFTREE is designed to simplify your goal of getting the most out of
your computer. The heart of the program is a powerful, intuitive
and marvelously integrated file, directory and application manager.
With it, you can install software in record time, move files from
one place to another (even across a network!) with ease, and locate
files fast on even the largest hard disk, regardless of whether you
use DOS or 4DOS! You won't believe how easy it is to run a program
from within ELFTREE, or to customize it to suit your tastes. You
will see in all of ELFTREE's features that great care was taken to
marry great power with extreme convenience. The result is a
delightful product that can help you be more effective in how you
use your computer.

What Makes ELFTREE Special? What Makes ELFTREE Special?

Power - For the full story, print the file ELFTREE.HLP.

Notes - Attach short notes to files in any directory. If
you use 4DOS, ELFTREE can read/write 4DOS note files!

Brains - When you choose an option, ELFTREE anticipates your
next need, where possible. For example, when you:

a. Rename a directory, the tree is adjusted automatically.
b. Attempt to use an unformatted floppy disk, ELFTREE will
let you format it (even if you are in the middle
of copying files).
c. Create a directory in the middle of specifying where
to copy or move files, ELFTREE will highlight the
new directory for you.
d. Select a menu option that has a submenu, ELFTREE will
highlight the most likely submenu option for you.
e. Rename an item with spaces in the name, the spaces are
conveniently removed for you.

Convenience - Integrated customization; associate file extensions
with programs for quick launching.

Menus - 13 main menus, 10 levels of submenus, 100 selections per
menu. Programmable symbols to integrate your commands
with your files or ELFTREE actions. The file SAMPLE.ETU
is included to get you started.

Trim - Either 0 or 2K is used when running a program, and you
determine how much.

Strong Editing - Edit many files at once, cut/paste between
them, speedy search/replace, and tiny!

Viewing - Many customizable settings plus a host of block
operations for cleaning up files and FAST text searching!

Video - Full support for standard EGA/VGA display modes, plus
accommodation of non-standard ones.

Flexibility - You tell ELFTREE how much memory to use for
files, directories and notes.
-- Page 5 --


INSTALLATION

To install it, just copy the files into whatever hard disk
directory you want to start it from. To start it up, just
type: ET and tap [ENTER].


These are the files that should have been included in the ELFTREE
package. If any are missing, please call us at (217) 698-8600 to
correct it.

! - Used for self-extracting archives.
ASKET.EXE - Used when repeating commands in 0K RAM.
AUTOEXEC.DOC - examples of SET ELFTREEPATH, PATH commands
DESCRIPT.ION - File of notes (4DOS format)
ET.EXE - starts up the program
ETT.BAT - used when ELFTREE runs a program in 0K RAM.
ELFTREE.CHL - part of the program
ELFTREE.HLP - Help file (Think of it as on-disk manual)
ELFTREE.NTE - File of notes (ELFTREE format)
FEATURES.ET - Brief list of ELFTREE features.
ORDER.DOC - Invoice for ordering ELFTREE
README.DOC - this file
SAMPLE.ETU - Sample menu file
SITELICE.DOC - Site license agreement
SNOOZE.ELF - File of screen saver messages
TITLES.PF - File of notes (ProFinder format)
VENDOR.DOC - Required reading for disk distributors
WHATSNEW.ES - List of recent enhancements to ELFTREE.


DOS 2.X CONSIDERATIONS

If you have DOS 2.X, you need to give the following command
before you can successfully bring up ELFTREE:

SET ELFTREEPATH=C:\TREE (use the directory ET is installed in)

It is recommended that you put this command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

ORDERING

If you like ELFTREE, order it! When you order, you get the most
recent version of the software, an editor that can handle multiple
files at once, a dBase viewer, a toll-free support number, a
professionally printed wire-spiral-bound, manual and notices of
updates to ELFTREE (your first update is FREE). If you prefer,
you can order ELFTREE without the editor and viewers.

See the file ORDER.DOC for an invoice/order form.

Credit card orders are handled via the Public Software Library,
and cost $54.00 (free shipping). Call (800)242-4775 to order.
From outside the US (same price), call (713)524-6394.

Enjoy using all of ELFTREE's features.
-- Page 6 --



ELFTREE Command-Line Switches
____________________________________________________________

In addition to the customize menu, you can configure ELFTREE with
certain command-line switches that you type after the ET that gets
ELFTREE up and running. Here are the switches that may be used,
and what they represent:

/#=- If you prefer not to use '#' as the symbol that identifies
a macro symbol (for example, you may have files with '#' in
their names), use this to select another symbol. For example,
to make '+' the symbol, use /#=+
/4 - Use 4DOS-style note files (file name DESCRIPT.ION).
/5 - Use ET-style note files (file name ELFTREE.NTE).
/6 - Use ProFinder-style note files (file name TITLES.PF).
/C - if you have a composite monitor.
/D=#### - Set maximum # of directories to handle. Each uses
16 bytes. (max is 3,999; default is 1000)
/F=#### - Set maximum # of files to handle. Each uses 22 bytes.
(max is 16384; default is 5000)
/G=#### - Set maximum # of directories that Find can handle.
Each uses 64 bytes. (max is 999; default is 50)
/H=# - If # is 1, this activates high-speed disk scanning routines
for non-networked drives.
(default is 1, or ON; /H=0 turns it off)
Note: A separate logical variable is maintained for high-speed
scanning in the OS/2 Compatibility Box. This switch affects only
that variable's setting.
/K=#### - If # is at least 10, this refers to the number of internal
macro keys to allow. (max is 5000; default is 100)
/L=Z - Sets last drive accessible to user. (default is Z)
/N=#### - Set maximum number of notes to handle. Each one uses 64
bytes; the space is shared with /G=####.
(max is 1,000; default is 50)
/R=### - ASCII code of `retag' character to use (1-255).
(default is 9, which looks like a hollow circle)
/T=### - ASCII code of `tag' character to use (1-255).
(default is 4, which looks like a solid diamond)
/U=#### - if #### is at least 500, this sets the maximum allowable
length of a menu command line.
(max is 10,000; default is 500)
/Y=# - If you do not have an enhanced keyboard, but you want
ELFTREE to think that you do (this will let you use
[Ctrl-Del] and other nonstandard keys), use 1 for #.
Use 0 for # if you do not want ELFTREE to use any of
the enhanced keyboard facilities, even if you have
such a keyboard. (default is 1 if an enhanced keyboard
is detected, and 0 if not)

Here is an example of how to set up ELFTREE to use 2,000 files,
300 directories and 500 notes per directory:

ET /F=2000 /D=300 /N=500