ViDir(tm)/ViRes(tm) File Monitoring System Read-Me File Version 1.02 Copyright (c) 1994 Vahnzinn(tm) international All rights reserved Last updated: February, 1994 Congratulations on and thank you for selecting our file monitoring system! Table of Contents Line Number ----------------- ----------- What is this File? 30 How to Register 46 Benefits of Registering 95 Vendors Please Register 121 Quick Installation 133 Quick Start 169 Examples 199 What is this File? ------------------ The ViRead.Me file (this file) tells you how to begin immediately using the ViDir/ViRes system. The file can be viewed as a text file by any editor or word processor. It can be printed by copying it to the printer (type: "COPY ViRead.Me PRN:") or by using the print menu option in ViInstal, the installation program. **Important Note** The help file is the same file as the user manual! It is named ViDir.HLP. For detailed information on the ViDir/ViRes system, please refer to that file. It can be viewed by the ViInstal installation and ViDir directory programs by pressing the ALT-H or F1 key at any time. It can be copied to the printer by typing "COPY ViDir.HLP PRN:" or by using the print menu-option within the ViInstal and ViDir programs (recommended). How to Register --------------- Registration of the Shareware version is required if you use this product past its evaluation period. If you already have the Registered version, use this procedure for additional product orders. You can also use it to receive, at no charge, the latest freely distributable shareware version (license restrictions apply). From the ViDir Action menu or the ViInstal menu, choose ALT-R (Print registration form), fill out the form, and send it in with the fee. Alternatively, from the DOS prompt, type "COPY \Vi\Register.DOC PRN:", fill out the form, and send it in with the fee. The form of payment can be a check in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank or cash. For cash payments, please ensure proper safe mailing procedures, such as using registered mail, insurance, and/or return receipt. CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY You can order with MC, Visa, Amex, or Discover from Public (software) Library by calling 800-2424-PsL or 713-524-6394 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM central U.S. time Monday-Friday or 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM Saturday and Sunday; or by FAX to 713-524-6398; or by CIS [CompuServe] Email to 71355,470. You can also mail credit card orders to PsL at P.O.Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705. THESE NUMBERS ARE FOR CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY. Any questions about the status of the shipment of the order, refunds, registration options, product details, technical support, volume discounts, dealer pricing, site licenses, etc, must be directed to Vahnzinn international. Product issues and returns must be made to Vahnzinn international; do not call PsL's 800 number. To insure that you get the latest version, PsL will notify Vahnzinn international the day of your order and we will ship the product directly to you. If you have not already done so, please register. This is not a free program; it is an innovative, copyrighted Shareware program. Vahnzinn international requires that you pay a registration fee if you make use of this product after evaluating its utility. To use this program after the evaluation period is a violation of the copyright. Feel free to copy the shareware version and pass it on for free to your friends and colleagues for them to evaluate. A few conditions apply to using the shareware program, and to Non-Commercially distributing it -- please read the on-disk SLICENSE.DOC. Please pass on only the complete, unaltered shareware diskette, with all files intact. Benefits of Registering ----------------------- 1. You will receive the latest, registered version of the ViDir/ViRes File Monitoring System, which does not contain those "please register" reminder screens and allows up to 700 directory entries. If the current date is more than 6-12 months from the date of these products, you may have an out- of-date version. 2. You are placed on the mailing list. You receive notification of updates to the product and a reduced registration fee for purchasing the update. 3. According to the United States Copyright Office, "Shareware is copyrighted software which is distributed for the purpose of testing and review ... subject to the condition that payment to the copyright owner [Vahnzinn international] is required after a person has secured a copy and decides to use the software." In other words, you must make the registration payment to Vahnzinn international once you have evaluated this product's utility and begin using it. Attention! The ViDir/ViRes File Monitoring System that does not contain the reminder screens shall not be copied, except as noted for backup purposes. To do so is a violation of the copyright and can subject violators to the full penalties of the law. Vendors Please Register ----------------------- Conditions apply to Commercial Distribution. Vendor-members of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP) should read the on-disk SLICENSE.DOC for details. Others wishing to Commercially Distribute should read VENDOR.DOC. If the ViDir/ViRes File Monitoring System is to be compressed in a ZIP file, please use the name ViDir102.ZIP. This is short for ViDir/ViRes Version 1.02. Thank you. Quick Installation ------------------ Refer to the User Manual and Help File (ViDir.HLP) for more detailed instructions. Use this procedure to install the ViDir/ViRes File Monitoring System onto another disk. Follow these directions to use the ViInstal program to do the installation automatically for you. 1. Make a backup copy of this diskette (DISKCOPY a: a:). 2. To run ViInstal, first insert the backup copy diskette into your floppy drive, type "a:" and ENTER, where "a" is your floppy diskette letter, then "ViInstal" and ENTER. When you execute ViInstal, you can choose to immediately display the ViInstal menu or display the Help/How-To screen. If you choose Help, press ESC to leave it, once you have finished reading it, to display the ViInstal menu. Verify and/or change the source diskette drive letter and the target disk and new directory name, then press ALT-S to start the copying process. Press ALT-H or F1 for help any time. Press ESC or ALT-X and respond Y to the "Are you sure?" question to exit. If your PC has a gray-scale video monitor, common on portable computers, you may need to force Black & White video display mode. To do this, type "ViInstal /"; (i.e., type the program name, followed by a space, and then a slash). Recommended commands to be added to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file are: CD \Vi ViRes 400 [Leave room for 400 directory entries. In the Unregistered Evaluation Shareware version, the maximum is 200.] ViDir @A @L y @A @O y @X y [Load previously saved directory & Program CD \ Exclusion List] Refer to the Installation Overview section of the User Manual and Help File (ViDir.HLP) for further details. Quick Start ----------- To run from a floppy diskette, change to the appropriate drive by typing "a:", where "a" is your diskette drive. To run from a hard drive, change to the directory containing the ViDir/ViRes File Monitoring System (CD \Vi). Load the memory-resident portion of the ViDir/ViRes File Monitoring System by typing "ViRes". A message confirming its successful loading is displayed on the screen. In the upper right of the screen appears the current number of files that have been referenced. Use "ViRes N" to not display the count. Use "ViRes 700", for example, to increase the number of files that can be monitored to 700. Use "ViRes N 700" to do both. [In the Unregistered Evaluation Shareware version, the maximum is 200.] Execute your programs, word processors, and spread sheets. Take a look at what files have been referenced by typing "ViDir". (Make sure you are in the \Vi directory first or have changed to the appropriate diskette drive.) Press ALT-H or F1 for help any time. If your PC has a gray-scale video monitor, common on portable computers, you may need to force Black & White video display mode. To do this, type "ViRes /" and "ViDir /"; (i.e., type the program name, followed by a space, and then a slash). Use the ViSv2Dsk.BAT file to save the in-memory directory to disk just before you turn off or reboot your PC. Examples -------- A. How can I free up huge chunks of my hard disk? To free up space on your hard disk, you can delete files you don't use. However, you really do not want to delete all of the files you do not use until you copy them to a backup diskette. The ViDir/ViRes File Monitoring System helps you do this. We will do this for a sample directory you select. Keep the ViRes monitor loaded in memory from the moment you turn on your PC. After running your programs, use ViDir menu actions to copy to a diskette all of the files you never use in the directory. First, you choose the directory: after starting the ViDir directory, press ALT-O (Options); type your directory name and preferred diskette drive; then ESC back to the main menu. Then, press ALT-A (Action), then ALT-Y (Copy unused files in directory to diskette). This action copies every unused file in the directory you specified to the diskette you selected. Now, let's delete those files (i.e., delete all of the files that are never used in the directory you selected). Press ALT-A (Action), then ALT-F (Delete unused files in directory). This deletes every unused file in the directory you specified. Repeat these steps as needed for other directories. Once you have completed these brief steps, press ALT-X or ESC to exit the ViDir directory, responding Y to the "Are you sure?" question. That's it! You have now saved all of the files you do not regularly use, to diskette and deleted them from your disk. If your program ever tells you that you need one of those saved files, you can merely insert the diskette and use the DOS COPY command to copy it from the diskette to the proper directory on your hard drive. B. I have all of these files on my hard disk; do I really ever use them and do I need to keep them around? This has the same answer as A. C. Which, of all my files on my hard disk, are used the most? Then I can move these highly referenced files to my RAM disk. Keep the ViRes monitor loaded in memory from the moment you turn on your PC. After running your programs, execute the ViDir directory. Sort the files in the order of least-referenced to most-referenced. Press ALT-F (Format menu), then ALT-U (Usage Count). Use your END key to go to the end of the directory, and take a look at how often the files are referenced. Wow, you say! Now you can make an informed decision about which files to move to your RAM disk. (Caution: You may need to experiment to get your program to operate on a RAM disk. Also, not all programs work on a RAM disk.) D. I am going on a trip and I want to take my word processor and spread sheet with me, to do work on my portable PC. How do I know what files I need? Load the ViRes monitor. Execute your word processor (or spreadsheet, or whatever). Do everything from within your word processor you intend doing on the portable PC. Then, execute the ViDir directory. This list of displayed files are the ones you need to put on a diskette and take with you on your trip. So, first tell the ViDir directory which diskette you want to copy all of these files to by pressing ALT-O (Options) and typing the diskette letter (usually "a" or "b"). The diskette may already be correct; the ViDir directory remembers your selections from session to session. Then, ESC back to the main menu. (This saves your values.) Now, type ALT-A (Action), then ALT-K (Enter marking mode). This allows you to select the files you want to copy to diskette. Type an asterisk ("*") next to every file. (You may choose to not asterisk the files that the ViDir directory has itself referenced.) Then ESC out of marking mode. Then from the Action menu, type ALT-A (Copy marked files to diskette) to copy every marked file to diskette (that is, copy the files used by the example word processor). Once you have completed these brief steps, select ALT-X or ESC to exit the ViDir directory, responding Y to the "Are you sure?" question. That's it! You now have a diskette that has all of the files on it you need to run your word processor (or spread sheet, or whatever program you choose)! As a final step, test your word processor, now on the diskette. [Please observe copyright laws and license restrictions regarding copying software and using it on another PC.] E. My secretary has a laser printer, and I want to put my word processor and document on a diskette and take them over to his/her PC and print the document. Which word processor files do I need to put on the diskette? This is just like D, except now walk over to your secretary's desk. [Please observe copyright laws and license restrictions regarding copying software and using it on another PC.]