--------------------------

QFLIST

USERS' MANUAL

--------------------------



A User-Supported
File Browse Utility
written by Kenn Flee
of
Jamestown Software
2508 Valley Forge Drive
Madison WI 53719




Version 1.1 - August 29, 1989







Copyright (c) 1989 by Jamestown Software



Jamestown Software will not be liable for any damages, including
lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential
damages arising out of the use of or inability to use QFLIST,
even if Jamestown Software has been advised of the possibility of
such damages, or for any claim by any other party.
Page 2 QFLIST Manual


TABLE OF CONTENTS
-------------------

Introduction and credit . . . . . . page 3

Description of use . . . . . . . . . page 3

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . page 3

Text vs. Binary Files . . . . . . page 4

Screen Layout . . . . . . . . . . page 4

Information Line . . . . . . . . page 5

Status Line . . . . . . . . . . . page 5

Screen Colors . . . . . . . . . . page 6

Finding Text . . . . . . . . . . page 6

Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7

Saving a Config File . . . . . . page 7

Commands and Keys . . . . . . . . . page 8

Cursor keys . . . . . . . . . . . page 8

Function keys . . . . . . . . . . page 8

Alt keys . . . . . . . . . . . . page 8

Letter keys . . . . . . . . . . . page 9

Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . page 10

User Support Software . . . . . . page 11

Invoice / Registration . . . . . . page 12
QFLIST Manual Page 3

INTRODUCTION AND CREDIT
-------------------------

QFLIST is a file browse utility modeled after the excellent
user-supported LIST.COM program by Vernon D. Buerg, (456
Lakeshire, Daly City, CA 94015). However, QFLIST supports only a
subset of the many options offered by LIST and is intended
primarily for use with QFILER (a popular DOS file manager) and
QFMENU (a menu system), both by Jamestown Software.

QFLIST may also be run as a stand-alone utility and allows you to
select the file you wish to view from a sorted list of available
files -- including the ability to change drives and directories
from within QFLIST.



DESCRIPTION OF USE
--------------------

Getting Started
---------------

USAGE: QFLIST [drive:][path][filename]

QFLIST is used to view or browse the contents of a file, allowing
for scrolling and positioning within the file. To use QFLIST,
just type the command QFLIST at the DOS prompt, followed by the
name of the file you wish to see. For example:

QFLIST QFLIST.DOC

would display this file.

Use of the filename is optional. If you simply type the command
QFLIST at the DOS prompt, you are prompted to enter a filename.
You may then just press enter without entering a filename, or may
enter a path with wildcards. An alphabetical list of files
matching your entry will be displayed.

When the available files are listed, use the cursor keys to
select the file you wish to view. Optionally, you may press the
first letter of the desired file and the cursor will be
positioned on the first entry starting with that letter.

Once the selected file is displayed, you may use the cursor
positioning keys to view different parts of the file. The file is
displayed in "pages" of 23 lines. To see the next page, press the
PgDn key. The PgUp key moves back one page, the up-arrow and
down-arrow keys move one line at a time, the home key moves to
beginning of the file and the end key moves to the end of the
file. When you are done, press the ESCape key to return to the
DOS prompt. Page 4 QFLIST Manual

You may rename QFLIST to any convenient name, such as V.EXE,
READ.EXE or LIST.EXE. If you are using a QFILER version 3.1HD or
older, you must rename QFLIST.EXE to LIST.EXE for QFILER to be
able to recognize the program and link to it.


Text vs Binary Files
--------------------

QFLIST may be used to view both text files and binary files.
Text files are those which contain text (such as this QFLIST.DOC
file) and not binary or control codes. Text characters usually
range from a value of 32 through 127. Binary files, such as those
with the extension .COM and .EXE, have characters ranging from 0
through 255 and may be viewed conveniently by pressing alt-H, the
hex dump display command.

Characters below the space character 32 and characters above 127
(graphic characters) are displayed if the "8" command is in
effect. To filter out these normally non-text characters, use the
"7" command.


Screen Layout
-------------

The top, or information line of the QFLIST screen displays the
file name, file creation time and date, top line number and left
offset. The bottom, or status line shows the file size and the
status of various options. The middle section between the top and
bottom lines, or display window, shows 23 lines of the selected
file.

If you have an EGA or VGA monitor, you may use the alt-E command
to change to EGA 43-line or VGA 50-line mode. Press alt-E again
to return to the standard 25-line mode.

Each line that is displayed either ends in a line feed or has a
length of 1024 characters, whichever comes first. If a line is
not fully shown, you may press the cursor right and left arrow
keys to scroll right and left.
QFLIST Manual Page 5

Information Line
----------------

The top information line has the following format:

QFLIST llll nnnn mmmm fileinfo

where:

QFLIST is name of the program

"llll" is the line number of the first line shown in the
display window

"nnnn" is the total number of lines in the file

"mmmm" is the left offset, or number of characters you have
scrolled right.

fileinfo is either the file name and extension with creation
time and date, or optionally (with the alt-A command)
the full path name of the displayed file.


Status Line
-----------

The bottom status line has the format

message F1=help X=exit Options: ????? nnnn bytes

where "message" can be a command prompt "Find?", displayed in
response to the F9 or F command, where you are being asked to
enter the text you wish to find, or a status message:

"*** Text not found ***" - your text was not found
"*** Top-of-file ***" - first line of the file is being displayed
"*** End-of-file ***" - last line of the file is being displayed

"Options" show the status of toggles -- capital letter means on:

"A" means the alternate file display is active (alt-A)
"H" means the hex display mode is active (alt-H)
"P" means that print is active (P)
"T" means tab characters are expanded (alt-T)
"7/8" means 7- or 8-bit display is active (7 or 8)

"nnnn" is the size of the file displayed.
Page 6 QFLIST Manual

Screen Colors
-------------

There are three colors used by QFLIST:
- for the top information and bottom status lines (1/25)
- for the text in the middle display window
- a "highlight" color for lines containing "find" text

There are a pair of function keys assigned to change each of the
colors. One of the function key changes the background color and
the other function key changes the foreground or character color.

Colors may be changed with the use of the following function
keys:

Top information and bottom status lines:
F7 - background color
F8 - character color

Text in the middle display window:
F5 - background color
F6 - character color

Highlight for "find" text:
F3 - background color
F4 - character color

If you wish to make the color changes permanent, you may use the
alt-C configuration command to save your choices.


Finding Text
------------

If you wish to locate a character string, you may use the F9 or F
"Find new text" command, followed with one or more characters you
wish to find within the file.

While QFLIST is scanning the file for the text, the bottom status
line will display "Searching for ????". If the text is found, the
line containing it will be displayed in the "highlight" color. If
it is not found, the bottom status line will read "*** Text not
found ***". Pressing any key will redisplay the normal bottom
status line.

To find the next occurrence of the same text, you may use the A
or F10 "Find text again" command.
QFLIST Manual Page 7

Printing
--------

The file may be printed as it is displayed. The P command toggles
the default printer on or off. When first entered, the P command
causes the current screen to be printed. As new lines are
displayed, they are also printed. Printing may be stopped by
entering a second P command.


Saving a Config File
--------------------

If you wish to "permanently" save QFLIST's current screen colors
and other options, you may use the alt-C "save current config"
command. For this command to function properly, QFLIST must be in
a pathed subdirectory. In other words, if you enter PATH at the
DOS prompt, the subdirectory in which QFLIST is located must be
listed. The list of pathed subdirectories is set up with a
"PATH=" entry in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file and is read by DOS when
your computer is first turned on.

If the QFLIST subdirectory is located, the current options will
be saved in a configuration file named QFLIST.CFG, which will be
located in the same directory as QFLIST.EXE.

The options that are saved are:

- The current screen colors
- alt-A alternate file name display
- alt-E EGA/VGA mode switch
- alt-H hex file display mode, like the DEBUG format
- alt-T tab character expansion
- 7/8 7-bit or 8-bit display mode

You should save a config file before renaming QFLIST.EXE.
Page 8 QFLIST Manual

COMMANDS AND KEYS
-------------------

Cursor key Function
------------- -------------------------------------------------
up arrow up one (previous) line
down arrow down one (next) line
left arrow scroll left 10 columns
right arrow scroll right 10 columns
PgUp scroll up one page
PgDn scroll down one page
HOME position to first line, left offset 0 (top)
END position to end of file (bottom)
ctrl-left set left offset to 0

Function key Function
------------- -------------------------------------------------
F1 Help - display summary of commands
F2 Exit to DOS

F3 change background color for FIND text
F4 change character color for FIND text

F5 change background color for top and bottom lines
F6 change character color for top and bottom lines

F7 change background color for main text window
F8 change character color for main text window

F9 Find new text
F10 Find next occurrence of text

Alt key Function
------------- -------------------------------------------------
alt-A toggle filename display on top information line
alt-C save current options in a configuration file
alt-E toggle EGA 43-line or VGA 50-line mode
alt-H toggle HEX display mode (for binary files)
alt-T toggle tab expansion mode
QFLIST Manual Page 9

COMMANDS AND KEYS (continued)
-------------------------------

Letter key Function
------------- -------------------------------------------------
A Find next occurrence of text
F Find new text
H Help - display summary of commands
N Get new file
P Toggle printing
X Exit to DOS

T Position to first line, left offset 0 (top)
B Position to end of file (bottom)
D Down one (next) line
U Up one (previous) line

7 Strip hi-bit - don't show graphic characters
8 Leave hi-bit - show all characters



LIMITATIONS
-------------

QFLIST uses as much memory as is available to store both the text
itself and information about the displayed file. If there isn't
enough memory to perform the minimum functions, QFLIST will
terminate with an error message.

Files larger than available memory can be displayed. However,
files displayed in text mode can have no more than 10,000 lines
and files displayed in hex mode can be no larger than just over 1
megabyte (1,000,000 bytes).

QFLIST first scans the file to locate the beginning of each line,
then stores several "chunks" of the file in memory. If you scroll
into an area of the file that is not currently stored in memory,
QFLIST will pause briefly to read another "chunk" of the file and
store it in place of the least recently viewed chunk.
Page 10 QFLIST Manual

MISCELLANEOUS
---------------

QFLIST is a very simple alternate to Vern Buerg's excellent
LIST.COM utility. If you are a "power" user, get and register
Buerg's LIST. Buerg's LIST.COM is small, fast and very
affordable, with a suggested registration amount of only $15
(Vernon D. Buerg, 456 Lakeshire, Daly City, CA 94015).

If you want something a little simpler, with fewer options but
allowing the selection of files from a list of available files,
try QFLIST. QFLIST is a good choice for novice users.

QFLIST was developed primarily to work with QFILER. QFILER (a
popular DOS file manager from Jamestown Software) can interface
with both Buerg's LIST and Jamestown's QFLIST. If you are using a
version of QFILER that has a version number of 3.1HD or older,
you must rename QFLIST.EXE to LIST.EXE so that QFILER can find
it. Be sure to save a config file before renaming QFLIST if you
prefer different screen colors and so on.

If you wish additional features to be included in QFLIST or
QFILER, if you discover any program errors (write down any
numbers displayed on the screen), or if you wish information on
quantity purchases please contact:

Kenn Flee
Jamestown Software
2508 Valley Forge Drive
Madison WI 53719

Voice: 608-271-2090

Compuserve # 74275,745

BBS: 608-271-3685
(Public Technical Support Node)
(24 Hr., 300-1200-2400, 8-N-1, no nulls)
QFLIST Manual Page 11

USER SUPPORTED SOFTWARE
-------------------------

This program is distributed for personal, private use and with
the understanding that if it is used and found to be of value,
the user will register with a contribution of $15. This action
will be appreciated and will encourage further development. Upon
receipt of registration, a disk with the most recent version of
the registered program(s), plus appropriate supporting programs
will be mailed to the user.

Commercial and corporate use without registration and license is
prohibited.

In any case, copy the program and share it with others.

For the convenience of corporate users and others, a printed
invoice is included on the next page.

------------------------------
INVOICE / REGISTRATION
------------------------------

JAMESTOWN SOFTWARE
2508 Valley Forge Drive
Madison WI 53719


Sold to: ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________


Date: ______________________________


=================================================================


_____ copies of QFLIST 1.1 at $15 each ....... $____________

_____ copies of newest QFILER at $20 each .... ____________

_____ copies of newest QFMENU at $20 each .... ____________

Special bundled prices:

_____ copies of QFLIST+QFILER at $30 ........ ____________

_____ copies of QFLIST+QFILER+QFMENU at $45 .. ____________

_____ 3.5" disk (in place of 5.25") at $3 each ____________

Wisconsin residents add 5% Sales Tax ... ____________


TOTAL ENCLOSED....... $____________


Send this invoice and your check to:

Jamestown Software
2508 Valley Forge Drive
Madison WI 53719


=================================================================

Thank you for your support ............... Jamestown Software

For a large number of QFILER packages, contact Jamestown
Software for site licensing or quantity pricing.