FastErase version 3.02, a fast and
flexible Erasing utility. this all
new version includes: Erase up to
sixteen file specs in one command,
erase entire directory structures,
destroy files, select files on date
and time, exclude files on name or
attributes, and more! FREEWARE.

FastErase version 3.02, Copyright (c) 1993, 1994 Arjen Wolfs
This documentation was written by Arjen Wolfs, January 7th, 1994.

Contents of this document:
- WARNING
- INTRODUCTION
- FEATURES
- REQUIREMENTS
- HOW IT WORKS
- IMPORTANT NOTE ON OPTIONS
- EXAMPLES
- EXIT CODES
- TESTING THE PROGRAM YOURSELF
- DISCLAIMER
- DISTRIBUTION/USAGE RESTRICTIONS
- CONTACTING THE AUTHOR


WARNING

You are strongly advised to read this manual thoroughly.
If you you start using with this program without really
knowing what you're doing, unrecoverable data loss may be
the result!


INTRODUCTION

FastErase is an erasing utility. So what? you might say, what
do I need an erasing utility for? DEL and DELTREE are good
enough for me. Okay then, try to figure out how you would
complete the following tasks with DEL or DELTREE, in ONE command:

- Erase all .BAK files on drive C
- Erase all .BAK files on drives C, D, E and F
- Erase all .BAK files AND all .OLD files on drive C
- Erase all files on drive C, created before September 24th, 1987
- Erase all files on drives C and E, created between
October 11th, 1989 and May 17th, 1991
- Erase all files on drive C, with a length of zero bytes (empty files)
- Erase all .BAK files on drive C, EXCEPT all files named MIRROR.BAK
- Erase all files on drives C and F, beginning with the letter C,
EXCEPT all files named COMMAND.COM and CONFIG.SYS.
- Erase your computer diary, stored in file DIARY.DOC, but make it
unrecoverable, so your wife/husband/mother/father/brother, etc
won't be able to UNDELETE and read it.
- Erase all files and directories (including the volume label) on
drive A, without any prompting.
- etc........

(I could go on for hours, but that would be a waste
of disk space and paper)

I think you will have quite some trouble with the given examples,
if all you can use is DEL and DELTREE. It would probably take a
lot of time, IF it's even possible to do it.
I hope that you now see the use of this program, if you
don't, than I think you better DELete this program and
continue your game of PacMan.


FEATURES

The FastErase program includes some very powerfull features,
which enable you to do everything stated in the list above
and more. These features are:

- Erase up to sixteen file/directory specifications in ONE command.
- Erase entire directory structures
- Search through an entire drive for files to be erased
- Select files on date and/or size
- Exclude files with specific attributes from being erased.
- Exclude up to seven files specifications from being erased.
- Ask permission before erasing each file.
- For optimum security, you can make erased files unrecoverable,
so no one will ever be able to recover the erased data.
- List details about the files that are erased.
- Supports redirection (FE > file)


PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The requirements for running this program are:

* An IBM PC or compatible computer
* DOS version 3.0 or higher
* About 75K of memory (max)


HOW IT WORKS

The FastErase program must be started from the DOS command
prompt, like this:

C:\>FE [options]

All information needed to run the program must be supplied after
the program name, this information consists of the following:

- The name(s) of file(s) and/or directories to erase.
You can specify a maximum of sixteen file/directory
names. The files/directories may be on different
drives.

Note: The program assumes that any information specified
on the command line that doesn't start with an option
marker ("/") is the name of a file or directory to erase.

- Options, as implied by the name, are optional, the program
doesn't need them to operate, but you can use them to control
the working of FastErase. Options always start with an option
marker, "/", and can be one of the following:

/? Displays command line help
This options displays a short help screen on the usage
of the program. The help screen is also displayed if no
command line information is supplied, so you don't really
need this option, but it's included for compatibility.

/Q Prompt before erasing each file
When this option is specified, the program will ask for
your permission before it erases each file.

/R Search through all subdirectories
With this option on, the program will search through all
subdirectories of the specified drive for files to be erased.

/T Test mode
When you specify this option, the program will function
normally, except for one (very important) thing: it will
NOT erase any files and/or directories.

/U Make erased files unrecoverable
When you specify this option, the program will destroy
the specified file(s), which means that they cannot be
recovered in ANY way, the data will be gone FOR EVER.
You are strongly advised to use this option with great care.

/V Verbose output
This option will display information about the files that
are erased. The information will consist of the full name
of the file, its size, its date and time, and its attributes.
You can redirect the output of the program to a file or to
your printer, in this way:

C:\>FE [options] /V >

You can also use the MORE command to view the output one
screen at a time by using this command:

C:\>FE [options] /V | MORE

Please refer to your DOS documentation for a detailed explanation
of redirection.

/DA:date Erase files created after date
When you specify this option, the program will only erase
files that are dated after the given date. The date must
be supplied in the format: mmddyy
By example January 4th, 1994 becomes: 010494

/DB:date Erase files created before date
This option has the same effect as the /DA option, but
now only files created before the given date will be
erased. Note that both date options can be used at the
same time to define a date range.

/SB:size Erase files bigger than size
With this option, the program will only erase files
with a size bigger than the given size. The size
must be specified in bytes.

/SS:size Erase files smaller than size
This option has the same effect as the /SB option, but now
only files smaller than the given size will be erased.
Note that both size options can be used at the same time
to specify a size range.

/A:attr Exclude files with attributes from being erased
With this option, you can specify that you don't want
to erase files with special attributes. These attributes
are identified by a letter, these letters are:

R - Read Only files
H - Hidden files
S - System files
V - Volume labels

Any combination of these letters is possible.
By example, if you don't want to erase System files and
Volume labels, you have to specify /A:SV (or /A:VS)
Please see your DOS documentation for a detailed
explanation of file attributes.


/X:file[,...] Exclude files from being erased.
Use this option to exclude certain files from being erased.
The name(s) of files to be exclude may contain wildcards, but
no drive and/or path information. You can specify up to seven
names, separated by commas, with NO spaces.
By example, if you don't want to erase all files that have
the extention .SYS and the file COMMAND.COM, you have to
specify /X:*.SYS,COMMAND.COM.
Please not that there may be NO spaces between the filename(s)
to exclude, if you do put spaces between them, the files you
wanted to exclude will be erased!


IMPORTANT NOTE ON OPTIONS

Please note that when you specified the name of a directory to erase,
the following options will have NO effect at all at the operation of
the program. Directories will totally be erased without any prompting.

These options have NO effect at the process of erasing directories:

/Q, /R, /DA, /DB, /SB, /SS, /A, /X

Please remember this, it's VERY important!


EXAMPLES

As examples I will use the list given in the INTRODUCTION section.

Example 1: Erase all .BAK files on drive C
Command line: FE C:\*.BAK /R

Example 2: Erase all .BAK files on drives C, D, E and F
Command line: FE C:\*.BAK D:\*.BAK E:\*.BAK F:\*.BAK /R

Example 3: Erase all .BAK files and all .OLD files on drive C
Command line: FE C:\*.BAK C:\*.OLD /R

Example 4: Erase all files on drive C, created before
September 24th, 1987
Command line: FE C:\*.* /DB:092487 /R

Example 5: Erase all files on drives C and E, created between
October 11th, 1989 and May 17th, 1991
Command line: FE C:\*.* E:\*.* /DA:101189 /DB:051701 /R

Example 6: Erase all files on drive C, with a length of zero
bytes (empty files)
Command line: FE C:\*.* /SS:1 /R

Example 7: Erase all .BAK files on drive C, EXCEPT all files
named MIRROR.BAK
Command line: FE C:\*.BAK /R /X:MIRROR.BAK

Example 8: Erase all files on drives C and F, beginning with
the letter C, EXCEPT all files named COMMAND.COM
and CONFIG.SYS.
Command line: FE C:\C*.* F:\C*.* /R /X:COMMAND.COM,CONFIG.SYS

Example 9: Erase your computer diary, stored in file DIARY.DOC,
but make it unrecoverable so your wife/husband/mother/
father/brother/etc. won't be able to UNDELETE and read it.
Command line: FE DIARY.DOC /U

Example 10: Erase all files and directories (including the volume label) on drive A, without any prompting.
Command line: FE A:\


EXIT CODES

The program returns exit codes, which can be used in batch files.
The following exit codes can be returned:

0 - No errors occurred
1 - Incorrect command line
2 - Path not found
3 - Drive is not ready
4 - Drive is write protected
5 - Disk error
6 - File error
7 - Disk read error
8 - Disk write error
9 - Not enough memory
10 - Program was aborted by Ctrl-Break
255 - Unknown error


TESTING THE PROGRAM YOURSELF

The best way to find out how this program really works, and what
every option does, is by using it. To test it, always run the
program in Test mode (The /T option), so you can be sure that nothing
will be erased. You can also use the Verbose (/V) and Prompt (/Q)
options for testing purposes. This way you can also convince yourself
that it's really safe to use this program and that it will never erase
anything else than what you tell it to.


DISCLAIMER
(Non-lawyers can skip this section)

The FastErase (FE) program is provided on an "as is"
basis, Arjen Wolfs can in no way be liable for any damage,
whether direct, indirect or consequential, that could arise
from the use or misuse of this software. The user of this
software bears all risks as to the quality and performance
of this software.


DISTRIBUTION/USAGE RESTRICTIONS

The FastErase program is FREEWARE, it may be freely used and copied,
as long as the following conditions are met:

- The program must remain in its complete form.
- The program itself, nor this document may be changed.
- No fee may be charged for the program itself, but
a small fee may be charged for distribution.
- This program may not be used in a commercial enviroment.

I did not wrote this program to make money out of it, but
even more, I did not wrote this program for OTHER people
to make money out of it!

CONTACTING THE AUTHOR

I have included all functions I found useful in this program,
though if you have any suggestions, contact me and I'll have
a look if it's worth adding to the program.
If you find any bugs in this program, PLEASE report it to me so
I can remove them. I can be reached at this adress:

Arjen Wolfs
Pr. Margriethof 96
1411 BZ Naarden
The Netherlands