/************************************************************************/ /** Documentation about **/ /** GCd V2.3 **/ /** **/ /** a Shareware program written by Giulio Ceriola **/ /** **/ /** ( Version finished on 15-Dec-94 ) **/ /************************************************************************/ This program was written by Giulio Ceriola and it is freely distributable with the only restriction of distribuite all the relative documentation; it consists of: GCd Executable file that can run on O.S. 2.x and superior (included 2.0). It supports two language: italian and english GCD_1.3 Executable file compatible with the O.S 1.2 and 1.3 (see the readme) GCd.doc Italian documentation about the program, for each version. GCd.doc.eng English documentation (this file) GCd_1.3.leggimi Short italian readme for 1.2 and 1.3 users GCd_1.3.readme As the precedent, but in english libs20/reqtools.library The required reqtools.library for SO 2.x to be copied in the libs: directory if not already present. libs20/reqtools.library As above, but for SO 1.x. libs13/arp.library The required arp.library for the version for O.S. 1.x Due to the time and the efforts spent to write this program, I decided to make Gcd a Shareware program. It means that, if you like this program and use it regularly, you has the moral duty to sent a contribute to the author (me). For any other inrfomation, pleas read the Shareware section of this file. The idea of writing Gcd was born from the need of well manageing, through AmigaShell, the great number of directory that my system has, after the adding of an HD. It was necessary a command, "cd" like, that was able to find, and enter, a directory; giving it only a partial name independently from its path ! The first hint was given me by a similar programm which tried to solve the same problem; it was DC written by Peter Struijk that I thanks. ;-) ********** FEATURES * ********** GCd can enter a directory in four different ways. Tha first is the same of the Shell command cd; with same syntax and symbolism. The second is to enter a directory which is directly "visible" from the shell's actual directory, specificating a part of its name, too. For example, if the current directory is Ram: and here there are the T,ENV,TOOL,WORK directory; you can enter in one of them specifying only a part of their name (i.e.: 'to' let you to enter in TOOL, 'o' let you to choose to enter in wOrk or in ToOl; but if you specify 't' you will directly enter in T ("cd" mode)). The third way is to enter in ANY directory which is present in ALL the "fisical" device of the system, using only a part of its name. That's possible thanks the use of a file, that must be located in the s: directory (or in gcd:, if the user has assigned it), named Lista.gcd which contains all the complete path and names of the directory that the user want to be 'visible' from Gcd. This file is an ASCII file and can be edited with a normal text editor; but the program itself can efficently manage it. To refer to this file in the next chapter, I will use the expressions 'LIST' or the full name Lista.gcd. The last way is by file requester. *********************** LINE COMMAND's SYNTAX * *********************** Gcd can be used only from Shell or CLI ! Its syntax is: Gcd [argument] [options] [number] POSSIBLE USES Gcd, as the command "cd", can be used in various manners: - To Show a brief help (1) Syntax: Gcd ? - To Show the actual directory (2) Syntax: Gcd - To enter in the parent directory(ies) of the actual (3) Syntax: Gcd / (// ...) - To enter in a directory which name is ENTIRELY specified (4) Syntax: Gcd - To enter a directory searching it in the stored 'LIST' and (5) between the "visible" ones Syntax: Gcd [options] [number] - To enter a directory and to search another between the (5a) "visible" ones, specifying, in the argument, the WHOLE path of the first one (first level directory) and else a part of the name of the second one Syntax: Gcd - To enter a directory by choosing it with a file-requester. (6) The requester let the multi-selection, but only the first selection will be considered. Syntax: Gcd ! - Modify the stored file Lista.gcd (7) Syntax: Gcd options (options necessary !) OPTIONS All the options must be togheter and preceded from the symbol "-", and them must be put always after an argument. Them modify (or let) the precedent action numer (5) and (7). Option logically linked to the searching function (5) Character option Effect p The searching between the path stored in Lista.gcd will not be done. e It asks the program of searching a directory whose name is EQUAL to the argument specified in the argument line (if present) f The program will choose always the first directory found. Options logically linked to the functions of manageing the tile Lista.gcd (7) Whithout them the manageing function will not work Character options Effect s The program will delete the actual LIST and will create a new which contains all the path of the device specified as argument in the command line. a As the previous, but the LIST will not be deleted; and the path will be only added to it. u The program will update the LIST. All the old path of the device specified as argument will be first removed then the new ones will be added. n The program will not check if the argument specified is a "real" (ok) device or an "assigned" one (wrong). (really I never use that features, but someone could like it) o All the previous operations are done serching for the file Lista.gcd in the device Gcd: P.S. When I write about a "real" devices, I refer to a "Fisical device". I often exchanng the word "directory" and "path", becouse I means the same thing: a directory with its full path. NUMBER When a partial name is specified as 'argument' and the funtion (5) works successfully, you can choose directly which of the founded directory, will be entered, by specifying the correspondent number of the directory that you want (only between the directory present in the LIST). Where is the usefulness if you don't know or remember the right number ? You can always choose a number a bit inferior than the right one, so at the next search the program will start from it instead of the first one. For good understand that, please read the next chapter and so reread this passage. ********************************** WORKING OF THE VARIOUS FUNCTIONS * ********************************** About the function numbered (1) (2) (3) (4): the use and syntaz are exactly the same of the AmigaDOS Cd command's one. About the functions (5): The program, IN EACH CASE tries to execute the function (4), and ONLY if it fails, the program will do the searching. In this case, Gcd compare the 'argument' with all the NAME (without the path) of the stored directory in Lista.gcd. At the end of the comparaison there are three possible case: -Searching successfull ... only a path was found. The program will show its name with the full path, and will enter it. -Searching successfull ... more than one path found. The program will enter one of the found directory. In this case the program will store in a file in the ENV: directory, the partial name specified as 'argument', the number of found path and the number of the one actually selected (and entered). For shifting between the various directory found, it is enough to repeat the command with the SAME 'argument'; so the program will enter the next directory found. When the last found directory is enter, the program will re-start from the first one. In each case, the program will show the name of the directory entered, its number and the number of the all ones found. If the ENV: device is not assigned, this last features will not work (but the number option will yet work). -Searching failed ... no path found. (or when the 'p' option is specified) In this case the program will compare all the directory visible from the actual one with the 'argument' specified. At the end of the comparaison the program's behaviour will be similar the precedent: -Searching successfull ... only a path found. The program will show tha path's name, and will enter it. -Searching successfull ... more than one path found. The program will show the name of the first found and will wait a key. If the is pressed the program will show the next and so on; otherwise the program will enter the actually showed path. -Searching failed ... no path found An error message will be showed, stating 'directory not found' and the program will end. About the function (5a) The program splits the arguments passed in the command line and gets the path of the first level directory (by finding the last modifier: the ':' or '/' characters). After that it enters this and, if all is right, makes its search between the "visible" paths and the program acts as described in (5). If the program can enter the first level directory it will be displayed the relative error message. About the function (7) The program creates/updates the small database LIST, inserting the paths of the selected device It must be noticed that this function will be activated ONLY IF the corresponding options 'a','u' or 's' are specified. For working corretly the program store some preferences in the s: directory in a file named "gcd.cfg". At now it is not modifyable from the user ... but the future versions will let it. ************************** RUN TIME ERRORS - ADVISE * ************************** The run time errors and relative behaviour of Gcd are the following: - Failure ot all the (1-5) operation <-> Directory not found - Failure or problems in writing/reading the archive Lista.gcd (not recoverable, unless all the Lista.gcd is rebuild) - Failure in reading/writing the file Gcd.ENV in th logic device ENV: (the prg goes on, but is no more possible to manage (or choose) all the directory found) - Failure in allocating the resources (not recoverable) - Error in command line syntax (the program not starts) Not recoverable = the program shows the kind of the error and ends. ATTENTION in using the 'n' options. It is not logically compatible with the filosofy of Gcd (becouse often it happens that the SAME path is stored under different device, so is repeated more times); but it was added to satisfy the more malizious users ! ****ATTENTION**** Iff you want to "manually" (with an editor) edit the file Lista.gcd instead of doing it by Gcd, you MUST REMEMBER of ADDING AT THE END of the file, a 'LF' line feed (or another character, but LF is preferred by me) after the last path ... otherwise a GURU will visit you !! *************** COMPATIBILITY * *************** The GCd package includes two versions. One of them is compatible with O.S. 2.0, 2.x and superior is localized and can use two language, italian and english. It not uses any catalogs, but open the locale for detecting the system language. It locale is not supported, the language selected is the english. The other version is compatible with O.S. 1.2 and 1.3. The only language suported is the english one, but the italian can be forced by using the special option -i present only on this version. GCd needs the reqtools.library (must be stored in the libs: directory) for performing the entering of a directory by requester (6). Also the 1.x version need the arp.library for manageing the wildcards. ************************* SHAREWARE's INFORMATION * ************************* Becouse the time and efforts spent for writing and testing this program I make GCd a shareware program. It means that if you like it and use it regularly it is your moral due to send me a contribute. The not registeres program has now some limitation in working and no limit in using during time. The disabled feature are the choosing by requester and use of wildcards. The requested contribute is 10000 Lit for users who lives in Italy or 9$ (USD) for all others (because of the different postal cost). Possible way of payment: - Postal Money Order (it is the best for me) - Cash or other forms that you prefer, sending it to: Giulio Ceriola v. C.Rosalba 38/a 70124 BARI ITALY if you are interested my phone number is (intern. prefix)-80-513311 You should write me a letter, too. You have to specify your full address, your system (incluse version of O.S.), if you use HD or not and if you can access to some E-mail net, please state it in the letter. After register, I will send you the last version of the program and a key. ***************** HISTORY VERSION * ***************** 1.0 First version released 1.1 Changed the program structure Corrected some small bug in recognaising the options Speeded up the managing of the file Lista.gcd Optimized the program's dimension (not released) 1.6 Modified the layout of the operation of choosing the path between the ones found between the visible ones. Now the -e option work correctly Added the number feature. Added the support of the LIST in the Gcd: device. Added the possibilty of making the "search between visible paths" starting from another directory (instead of the actual one). 2.0 Added the possibility of enter a directory by selecting it from a requester; for that the program structure has been changed a lot. The program will work only for 30 days. Version for the 1.x O.S developed, too. 2.2 Added the use of wildcards in the 2.x version, only for registered users. Now the wildcards work in the 1.3 version of the program, too, thanks to the Arp.library. 2.3 Changed the shareware's limitations. Now limits are about not use of option ! and of wildcards. **************************************** FUTURE PLANNING - EXTERNAL SUGGESTIONS * **************************************** For the next version I thik to abandon the 1.3 version; unless some registration for that version will arrive. Now I am working on these new features: - Option for excluding the searching using the Lista.gcd database. - Selecting a dir specifying some other "clues" other than entire path - Possibility of manageing the path found using Lista.gcd, in the same manner of the other one, using a particolar option. Every suggestion, critics or request is well accepted. To contact me you can write a letter at the addres above specified or via E-Mail at the following addresses: Fidonet 2:335/704.4@fidonet.org Amiganet 39:102/602.4@amiganet.ftn RPGNet 96:390/1.4@rpgnet.ftn VNet 46:1390/11.4@vnet.ftn o connecting to the BBS: Prometheus tel. ++39-80-5515278 on Modem USR HST 21600. and sending a message to me (the Cosysop :-) ).