File storage v1.3 by Joep Grooten (c) Digital Intelligence 1992 What is file storage ? File Storage is a file librarian, a database for files. The database exists of a number of index files (index files contain information about files in the collection) and disks where File Storage puts your collection of files. You can add files to the collection and File Storage will put it on a disk for you. File Storage 'remembers' how many free bytes each storage disk has and tries to fill the disks to the maximum. For each file you can add a 320 characters long description and set 16 different (user definable) filetypes. Searching / adding / deleting / changing it's all there ! INDEX 1.0 Installation 1.1 Explanation of main screen gadgets 1.2 Preferences 1.3 Print menu 1.4 About 1.5 Quit 1.6 Total free bytes 1.7 Total Info 1.8 Date search 1.9 No description search 2.0 Filetype search 2.1 Check disks 2.2 Copy/paste description 2.3 Distribution 1.0 Installation In the package of filestorage you'll find 'FileStorage' and 'FileStorage.small'. 'FileStorage.small' is a limited version of the normal File Storage. It's limited in it's use (only 5 disks). The file 'FileStorage' is ment for registered users. If you have registered for FileStorage use the program 'Unlock' to unlock 'FileStorage'. Just double click it's icon or type 'Unlock' in the CLI. Unlock will prompt you for your name and key (the key you received when you registered) If you type in your name and key correctly (key must be in UPPERCASE !) Unlock will make the program FileStorage usable. When you startup FileStorage for the first time you'll see a requester that will tell you the preferences can't be found. Just click 'Okay' and you'll enter the Preferences menu. Change the preferences to your own needs and click 'Save Prefs' Data directory : Disk/Directory where to keep the datafiles for FileStorage Disk Name : Name to use for floppy disks to store your files example : 'Storage-#' (FileStorage puts numbers behind it starting at zero) Safety Bytes : Number of bytes to keep free on each disk. Just to be sure it fits. Printer output : Name of the device to send printer output to Prt prefix : This string will be printed BEFORE the filename Prt suffix : This string will be printed AFTER the filename (You can use Prt prefix and postfix to print filenames in a different font for example) Edit file types: Will be explained later in this documentation. Save changes : Will be explained later in this documentation. immediately After you clicked 'Save Prefs' a requester will appear 'Can't open...' Click 'Yes' and the index file for filestorage will be created. FileStorage now is ready to use. 1.1 EXPLANATION OF MAIN SCREEN GADGETS * [Addfile(s)] Adds one or more files to your collection. For each program it searches for a disk where it will fit. Added files appear in the listview gadget at the bottom of the screen. To select more than one file keep shift pressed and click on files you want to add. * [Add file(s) no copy] Adds a file to the collection without copying it. This is handy when a file is already on a storage disk, but you haven't cataloged it yet. Insert the disk containing the file in a disk-drive. You'll have to know the number of the disk the file is on. Make that disk the current disk (see disk info box). You can make a disk the current disk by jumping to the disk or use the disk up/dn gadgets. After you jumped to the right disk, you can add the file (by pressing the add files (no copy) gadget) The file info will be added to the collection data, but the file will not be copied again. * [Copy current file] Allows you to copy the current file to another (hard)disk. * [Search for text] Searches the entire collection for a piece of text (it searches both filenames and descriptions) Usage of wildcards is allowed. When the search string is found, the entry will appear in the listview gadget. Search is NOT case sensitive. * [>] Shows the next entry of the current disk * [<] Shows the previous entry of the current disk * [>>] Make next disk the current disk * [<<] Make previous disk the current disk * [Jump to disk] Asks for a disk nr to make the current disk * [Disk locked] When you click this gadget, a checkflag appears. The current disk is now locked. No more files can be added to or deleted from this disk. This option is useful if you have disks that are so old you don't want to write to them again. Press the Disk locked gadget again to unlock a disk. * [Create new disk file] If you press this gadget, a requester will appear with the message : 'Next disk will be 'DISKNAME xx' Do you want to create it ?' If you press the YES gadget, an index file for disk xx of your collection will be created. You'll have to format the disk yourself and use the diskname you saw in the requester. After you clicked YES, File Storage asks you to insert this disk to read the free bytes. If everything went okay, this disk is ready to be used by File Storage. * [Clear scroll list] Clears all the names in the listview gadget (NO FILES ARE DELETED BY THIS ACTION !!!) * [Delete file] Deletes the current visible file. * [Type] Set filetype (multiple selections are possible) Below [UP] and [DN] is an information line that displays some info about the current file. Example : 16-oct-92 [3][002] LhA_e138.run (13865) The first item is the date the file was added to the collection. Next [3] is the disk the file is on. The next nr [002] is the file nr. Then the filename is displayed, and between brackets is the file length. Under this line are 4 gadgets containing the file description. You can change descriptions at all times. When you go to another disk or quit the program, file descriptions are automatically saved. You can click on the data to change it. * If you press the space bar, the current file will be added in the listview gadget. 1.2 PREFERENCES To go to the preferences menu use the pull down menu or the short-cut Amiga-P. Data directory : Directory where to keep the datafiles for FileStorage Disk Name : Name to use for floppy disks to store your programs example : 'Storage-#' (FileStorage puts numbers behind it, starting at 0) Safety Bytes : Number of bytes to keep free on each disk. Printer output : Name of the device to send printer output to Prt prefix : This string will be printed BEFORE the filename Prt suffix : This string will be printed AFTER the filename (You can use Prt prefix and postfix to print filenames in a different font for example) Edit file : In edit file types you can change the names of the 16 file types types. When you add a file, set the filetype for that file. Later you can search for certain types of files. Save changes : If you turn this option on, all data will be saved after immediately every change you make. If you turn this option off, data will be saved when you jump to another disk or when you quit the program. [Save prefs] Saves the preferences and uses it [Use prefs] Uses the preferences (doesn't save) [Cancel] Quit to main menu and don't use the new changes 1.3 PRINT MENU To go to the print menu use the pull down menu or the short-cut Amiga-M. [Print current disk] Prints all the files on the current active disk [Print items in list] Prints all the items in the listview gadget [Print current item] Prints the current visible file [Print all disks] Prints all files of all disks [Cancel] Quit to main menu 1.4 ABOUT (pull down menu) This gives you some information about the program. 1.5 QUIT (pull down menu) Quits the program. Everything will be saved. 1.6 TOTAL FREE BYTES (pull down menu) Shows the total number of free bytes of all unlocked disks. 1.7 TOTAL INFO (pull down menu) Shows nr of disks used, nr of files, nr of bytes used, nr of bytes free (of unlocked disks) nr of free bytes (all disks). 1.8 DATE SEARCH (pull down menu) Date search allows you to search for files with a certain date, files before / after a date. Search files from .. to .. and list all the files (old to new / new to old) Found files will be displayed in the listviewgadget of the main screen. 1.9 NO DESCRIPTION SEARCH (pull down menu) Search for files without a description. Handy for tracking down files you forgot to give a description. 2.0 FILE TYPE SEARCH (pull down menu) File type search allows 2 different ways of searching. 1) 'File may have extra types'. If a file has more types than you searched for it will still appear in the listview gadget. 2) 'File may not have extra types'. Found files must match the type you searched for. 2.1 CHECK DISKS (pull down menu) Check disks checks if all files are still present and looks for uncataloged files. 'Check one disk' checks just one disk of your collection. 'Check all disks' (what else) checks all disks of your collection. 'See error list' shows the last error list generated by check one/all disk(s). 2.2 COPY/PASTE DESCRIPTION (pull down menu) Copy description copies the description and filetype of the current file to a buffer. Paste description puts back the buffer into the current file description. You can use this when you are adding a newer version of a file to the library. It saves you the work of typing a new file description. 2.3 Distribution """""""""""""""" File Storage may be freely distributed as long as the package is still in it's original form. All files included in the package are copyright (c) Digital Intelligence. You may use the small version as long as you like. If you want to use the normal version (up to 1000 disks !) you'll have to register by sending 20 Dutch guilders (approx. 12 US dollars) to : Digital Intelligence J.J. Allanstraat 222 1551RR Westzaan Holland Please send Eurocheques (HFL) or Dutch guilders (preffered) ONLY. Other forms of payment can't be accepted. After you have registered you'll receive a disk containing the latest version of File Storage plus the key to unlock future versions of File Storage. After this you must obtain future versions of File Storage yourself (for example by downloading them from BBS's) THANKS : (random order) """"""""""""""""""""""" Ewout Kramer, Stephan Möding, Paul van der Valk, Stanley Merkx. HISTORY """"""" 29-sep-92 : First 'release' (to Ewout Kramer only :-) 30-sep-92 : Lot's of complaints from Ewout : * Data always to DH1: * Disk names couldn't be changed * Couldn't create new datafiles for disks Added preferences menu + print menu. 31-sep-92 : Multiple file select implemented (added files appear in listview gadget) 01-oct-92 : Searching for a string that is found in all files over 13 disks takes 11 secs. Trying to improve that. 01-oct-92 : Searching is now 3 times faster. Searching for a string that is found in ALL files over 13 disks takes 4 seconds. Searching for a string that is only found once or twice takes less then a second. 13-oct-92 : Jump to disk no longer jumps to unused disks. After create new diskfile automatic jump to new disk. AddFile first checks if a file is already on disk. Added pattern matching to search function. 14-oct-92 : Free bytes display now displays all free bytes (and not free bytes minus safetybytes) 15-oct-92 : Added menu 'Total free bytes' and 'Total info' 16-oct-92 : Added file dates (I had to change the data structure, so this will be version v1.1) Turned 'Information line ' into a gadget. Now you can change the file information (date/name/re-read size) 17-oct-92 : No more 'free disk bytes : -1' when free disk bytes can't be read, old value is used. 22-oct-92 : Finished the 'print items in list' in print menu (completely forgot to finish it ;-) Changed the printer menu. Now files can be 'printed' to a file too ! Added date search menu. Date of file is now also displayed in listview gadget. Added Check disks menu. Check disks checks if files are missing or not cataloged. 27-oct-92 : Added 'No description search'. It allows you to search for files without a description. Added file types. You can now define 16 different filetypes. Again I had to change the data structure. I added one word (16 bits) so I could use 16 filetypes, this version will be v1.2 28-oct-92 : Added 'Filetype Search' 11-nov-92 : Removed 'bug' When cancel after addfiles, FileStorage asked for disk 0 19-nov-92 : Release of FileStorage v1.2 24-nov-92 : Changed Read() and Write() functions into FRead() and FWrite for speed. 05-jan-93 : Made userinterface a lot friendlier (suggested by Paul van der Valk). No longer a messy listview (suggested by Stefan Möding). Added copy back function (suggested by Stefan Möding). Added save changes immediately option (suggested by Ewout Kramer). 06-jan-93 : Delete file requester now displays filename before deletion. Added a progress bar while copying files. Added copy/paste description. 13-jan-93 : Search function handles deleted files now correct (error reported by Ewout Kramer). 13-jan-93 : Release of FileStorage v1.3