                           The File Catalog

                              Version 1.2
                             February 1993

                       Written in GFA Basic 3.5e
                           by Randy Hoekstra

                This version may be freely distributed
          in it's unaltered form with this document included.
                    All Commercial Rights Reserved


     * Changes for Version 1.2 (02/93):
       - Fixed a bug seen when selecting list to display (Window)
       - Various code clean-up and enhancement
       - Added a point and click to RENAME/DELETE file.  Any
         filename displayed on the screen can be clicked on to
         bring up a RENAME/DELETE Alert.  An alert will indicate
         if a selected file does not exist on the drive (when
         chosing from the old file list or the delta list) and
         the RENAME/DELETE alert will not be presented.
       - Added a SEARCH FOR FILE command to allow searching of
         any list for a given string of characters.
       - Added a DO ALL command that will load the old list, 
         generate a new list, and perform a delta all in one.
       - Added keyboard equivalents for nearly all menu commands.
     * Changes for Version 1.1 (12/92):
       - Window redraws are handled correctly with ACCs.
       - The selected drive is initialized to the drive the 
         program was run from instead of drive A.
       - Drives that do not exist are disabled from the menu.

     ------------------------------------------------------------
          
     The File Catalog is a simple utility that keeps track of the 
     files on a disk or hard drive partition and allows you to 
     monitor changes to your files.  The program reads in all the 
     files on a disk or partition and stores them in a file.  
     Later, a new list can be generated and the old and new lists 
     can be automatically compared to see what has changed.  The 
     'delta' of the old and new file lists will show all files 
     that have been deleted, added, or changed (size or date).  It 
     can not detect files that have been changed without a change 
     in size or change in the date stamp.
     
     I have been using this program for awhile to help manage hard 
     disk back-ups.  By finding out what has changed since the 
     last back-up, I can decide what files need to be backed up 
     and what files need to be deleted before a tape back up.  
     Since recently upgrading to GFA Baisc 3.5e and joining GEnie, 
     I thought I would tidy it up a bit and make it available in 
     the public domain.  I have attempted to make the program 
     compatible with monochorme and color monitors, but I only 
     have a Mega ST and do not know how it will perform on an STe 
     or TT.  If you have problems running The File Catalog using 
     one of these machines, please let me know and I will try to 
     fix it.     

     I also plan to continue enhancing the program as time 
     permits.  If you have any suggestions for enhancements, new 
     features, or whatever, I would love to hear them.  I would 
     also like to hear about any bugs, and will do my best to 
     correct them as soon as possible.  For any of the above, or 
     to just let me know you're using the program, you can contact 
     me at the following:
     
          Randy Hoekstra
          3414 Norwood Circle
          Richardson, Texas  75082
     
          GEnie:  R.Hoekstra1
     
     
     
     Using The File Catalog:
     -----------------------
     For a quick start, run the program, select the desired drive 
     under the DRIVE menu, and select GENERATE FILE LIST under the 
     DO menu.  This will bring up a list of current files on the 
     selected drive.  The SAVE NEW LIST under the FILE menu should 
     then be used to save the list to the selected drive.  Not 
     much else to do now but go about your normal business of 
     computer using.  After changes have been made to the files on 
     the drive, you can return to The File Catalog, load in the old 
     list (LOAD OLD LIST under FILE), generate a new list (GENERATE 
     FILE LIST under DO), and then see what has changed (DELTA OLD 
     & NEW under DO).

     The File Catalog can also be used to search for a file on a 
     given disk or hard drive partition.  Using the SEARCH FOR 
     FILE command under the WINDOW menu, you can enter any 
     character string up to 12 characters in length to search for.  
     The search routine will find any occurrance of the string at 
     any position within the searched text (search for PRG will
     find any file that ends in .PRG or contains PRG somewhere 
     within the filename).
     
     Limited file maintenance can also be performed by generating 
     a new file list and then selecting (clicking with left mouse 
     button) any displayed file to rename of delete the file.
     An alert will be presented with the options and a chance to 
     cancel the command.
          
     The program is very simple to use and should be fairly 
     intuitive from the Menus.  The following brief overview of 
     the menu commands should get you going.

     
     FILE
     ====
     
     Load Old List ^L:  Once a file list has been generated and saved 
     -----------------  to disk, this command can be used to load 
     that list back into memory.  The old file list must be loaded 
     before a delta can done between the old and new.
     
     Save New List ^N:  This command is used to save the current 
     -----------------  (new) file list to disk.  The command can 
     only be selected after the GENERATE FILE LIST command is used 
     to create a new file list.  You must initially generate a 
     file list and save it to disk in order to have a list of 
     files that can be compared to a new list at a latter date.

     Delete File:  This command can be used to delete any file 
     ------------  using the standard file selector to choose the 
     file to be deleted.  You will be prompted to verify the 
     delete before it is performed.
     
     Print Window:  This command will print only the visable   
     -------------  contents of the currently selected window. 
     
     Print Entire List:  This command will print the entire list 
     ------------------  of files in the currently selected window.
     
     Quit ^Q:  This will terminate execution of the program after 
     --------  prompting you to save the new file list if it has been 
     generated but not saved.
     
     
     DRIVE
     =====

     This menu list is used to select the drive on which all 
     other operations will be performed.  When a new drive is 
     selected, the current file lists are cleared from memory.
     
     
     DO
     ==
     
     Generate File List ^G:  This command reads in all the files on 
     ----------------------  the currently selected drive.  The file 
     list generated must be saved to disk using the SAVE NEW LIST 
     command if it is to be used at a latter date as the old list.

     Delta Old & New ^D:  This command compares the old and new file 
     -------------------  lists and generates a list of changes.  
     Changes include files added, files deleted, files changed, 
     folders added, and folders deleted.  In order to perform this 
     delta, an old file list must be loaded and a new file list 
     generated.
     
     Do All ^A:  This command will perform the three most common 
     ----------  commands used in The File Catalog (Load Old List,
     Generate File List, and Delta Old & New) all in one.  See
     the description of these three commands for details on what
     each one does.  Upon completion, the delta list will be
     displayed.
          
     WINDOW
     ======

     Old File List, New File List, Delta List:
     -----------------------------------------     
     Use this menu to select the file list to display in the 
     widow.  The active display will be shown with a check mark to 
     the left of the file list name.  The window can display 
     either the old file list, new file list, or the delta list.

     Search for File ^S:  This command will search any list for a
     -------------------  string of characters up to 12 chars in
     length. The search routine will find any occurrance of the 
     string at any position within the searched text (search for 
     PRG will find any file that ends in .PRG or contains PRG 
     somewhere within the filename).  The search will begin at the 
     top of the list and the first occurance found will then 
     become the top of the displayed list.  By selecting search 
     for file again and selecting 'Okay' without changing the search 
     string, the search will continue from the last occurance.  To 
     reset the search pointer to the top of the list, clear the 
     search string (hitting ESCape or backspaces) and select 
     'Okay' and select the search command again.


     EXTRAS:
     ~~~~~~~
     - Any file in any list displayed on the screen can be 
     selected with the left mouse button to bring up a alert 
     allowing the file to be renamed or deleted. An alert will 
     indicate if a selected file does not exist on the drive (when 
     chosing from the old file list or the delta list) and the 
     RENAME/DELETE alert will not be presented.  If RENAME is 
     selected, a dialog showing the current filename and allowing 
     input of the new filename will be presented.  If DELETE is 
     selected, an alert confirming the delete will be presented.

     
     That's all there is to it.  Like I said, it's pretty simple.  
     I find it useful for general file maintenance on my hard 
     drive and maybe you will too.  If you have any questions, 
     suggestions, or whatever, please contact me at the addresses 
     above.  Thanks for allowing me to occupy your disk space.

