
				Find Text Fast
				 Version 4.0
			      Copyright (c) 1994
				      by

				Harold Schwartz
				P.O. Box 104482
			   Jefferson City, MO  65110





	What is "Find Text Fast" ?  It's simple.  Find Text Fast is a
	utility  to  help locate  missing files on your  system.  For
	instance,  you know that you wrote a letter last month to the
	Internal  Revenue  Service.  It  was a long,  detailed letter
	that maybe described just why you took the big tax  deduction
	on  your  home computer system.  Now,  yesterday the  auditor
	called  and made an  appointment to  meet you to  discuss the
	letter in more detail.

	Where is that letter?  You have written literally hundreds of
	letters since then and your hard drive is packed with letters
	that  you have written  over the past  five years.  You can't
	possibly  remember what you  named that file and you  need to
	find it right now.  It's going to take you hours and hours to
	look through all of those  files one by one  to find it.  You
	are about to panic when you remember  "Find Text Fast".  With
	"Find Text Fast"  (FTF, for short) finding that file is going
	to be a snap. In less than a minute you can find the file you
	need and are ready for the IRS auditor with time to spare.

	How can Find Text Fast do it? It's easy, just follow along...

	Find Text Fast  has only one mission: to  find missing files.
	Often, you  may spend  hours  composing a  letter, getting it
	just right.  Perhaps the letter contains some tables that you
	spent a lot of time getting set up.  When you save the letter
	you usually give it a  file name that will  help you remember
	what is in the file.  However, since  DOS is  limited to only
	eight letters in a file name, by the time you have worked for
	awhile  there are so many  saved  files on your  machine  you
	can't possibly remember what all of the file names mean.

	If only you could search each file for some keyword or phrase.
	You know that you used the word "computer" a  number of times
	in the  letter you  wrote to the  IRS.  There probably aren't
	many files on your  system that have the word "computer" used
	in them.  If you could search each file for that  keyword you
	would probably find the file you need.

	Enter, "Find Text Fast"...

	Simply run  "Find Text Fast", tell it where to search (in one
	directory or a hundred), and tell it what to search for (some
	keyword or phrase).  "Find Text Fast" will  search every file
	in the  directories you  specify, line by line, word by word,
	looking  for the  keyword or  phrase.  Each time it  finds an








								    Page 2


	occurence of it, "Find Test Fast" shows a snippet of the file
	where the  keyword or phrase was found in the 'Hit' window at
	the top of the screen.  The  'Hit'  window will contain a few
	lines before the keyword or phrase and a few lines after.  By
	examining the snippet of the file, you can determine the con-
	text the  word or  phrase was used in and you can easily tell
	if this is the letter you are  trying to locate.  Each time a
	snippet of a file is  shown in the  'Hit'  window, the  lower
	window shows the exact path and filename of the file.

	Now for more of a  "nuts and bolts"  description of how "Find
	Text Fast" operates.  It couldn't be easier. "Find Text Fast"
	prompts you for everything it needs to do a search.   All you
	have to do is  follow the prompts.  But first, a word on what
	comes in the  "Find Text Fast"  package and  how you go about
	registering it.


What is included in the "Find Text Fast" package?...

	There are four files contained in the package:


		 FTF.EXE     -  This is the "Find Text Fast"
				program.
		README.TXT   -  This the documentation  file
				that you are reading now.
		FTFREG.FRM   -  This is the registration form.
		SITEREG.TXT  -  This is the site registration form.


Is "Find Text Fast" free software?...

	No,  "Find Text Fast"  is not free.  It is  marketed  under a
	concept  called  ShareWare.  You  are  entitled  to  use  the
	ShareWare version of  "Find Text Fast"  for one  month to see
	if  you like it  and  if it is useful to you.   If you decide
	that you would like to continue to use it,  you must register
	it. Registration is easy.  You can print the FTFREG.TXT file,
	fill in the blanks, and send the form, along with your regis-
	tration fee of $10.00 (U.S. funds only) to the address  shown
	below.  There is  NO  shipping or  handling for orders to the
	U.S. or Canadian addresses.  For shipping  to any other coun-
	try,  please  include  $2.50  U.S.  to  cover  the  increased
	shipping costs.






			   Harold Schwartz
			   P.O. Box 104482
			   Jefferson City, MO  65110









								    Page 3


	Printing the form is easy. Just type

			  COPY FTFREG.FRM PRN

	and press <enter>.  Send in the completed form and $8.00 U.S.
	to the address given above.

	You have another option to order  "Find Text Fast".  When you
	run the shareware  version, you will have the  opportunity to
	print the registration form as you leave the program.  Simply
	make sure your printer is turned on and press  <Print Screen>
	after the registration info is on the screen.

	Software development is a very time consuming process.  There
	are  many,  many  hours invested in  the development of "Find
	Text Fast". Do your part to support the ShareWare concept and
	send in your registration.  You will receive the  latest ver-
	sion of  "Find Text Fast".  It will not have the registration
	screen that you see as you leave the ShareWare version.


How do I install "Find Text Fast"?...

	To install  "Find Text Fast" just copy the files that are in-
	cluded in the  "Find Test Fast" package into a directory that
	is located on your path.  A good place to put the files is in
	the same directory with your word processor.  Just make  sure
	that  whatever directory you  put the files in is on the  DOS
	path so that  DOS can find  FTF.EXE  no matter  where you are
	when you try to  run it.   The only  file you  really have to
	have on your computer is FTF.EXE,  although it is often handy
	to have the  configuration utility,  FTFCFG.EXE,  in the same
	location.


Is "Find Text Fast" difficult to use?...

	Definitely not.   The interface used is  very  intuitive with
	plenty of prompts along the way.   Even novice computer users
	should have little problem learning to use  "Find Text Fast".
	The next section gives more than enough details on the proper
	use of "Find Text Fast" to get you started.


How do I run "Find Text Fast"?...

	To run "Find Text Fast" simply type  FTF  and press the enter
	key.   Assuming  FTF.EXE  is located on your DOS path as men-
	tioned above,  "Find Test Fast"  will prompt you for the path
	you want to search.   When  prompted for the  search path you
	have a choice.  If you  press  <enter>,  you will  select the
	default  path shown in the lower window  (I'll say more about
	the default path later).  If you  wish to  search a different
	path than that  shown as the default path,  you may enter the
	new path in the upper window. If you enter a new path at this








								    Page 4


	point, the new path entered becomes the default path for this
	session in "Find Text Fast".  The default path will revert to
	the original default path the next time you start  "Find Text
	Fast".

	Once you enter the path to search, you will be prompted for a
	search string.  The string you  enter may be a single word or
	a group of words.  The  case of the word or  phrase you enter
	makes  no difference.  You may enter the  search  text in all
	upper case, all lower case, or as a mixture of upper case and
	lower case.  "Find Text Fast" will search for the text string
	you enter with no reference to the case.  Note that  FTF must
	have  a  string for  which to  search.  If you do not enter a
	search string, FTF will abort the search.

	After you have entered the search text, you are asked whether
	you wish the search to  recurse all  subdirectories below the
	starting directory.  If you press N'for 'no', FTF will search
	only the files in the starting  directory for the text string
	you have  specified.  If you  press  'Y'  for 'yes', FTF will
	begin the search with all of the files in the starting direc-
	tory and then will search all the files in all of the subdir-
	ectories below the  starting directory.  For  example, if you
	tell "Find Text Fast" to begin the  search in the root direc-
	tory of your C-drive (C:\*.*)  and also tell it to search all
	of  the  subdirectories  below  the  starting  directory, the
	search will cover all of the files on your hard drive. (There
	are some types of files that "Find Text Fast" will not search
	by default.  This will be discussed more later.)

	Once the search begins you will be able to see the files that
	are being searched listed in the bottom window.   Most of the
	file names will  scroll by so  fast that you will not be able
	to read them.  However, when your search text is located in a
	file,  a section  of the file  contents will be  shown in the
	upper window.  The  'found' text will be highlighted.  By ex-
	amining the surrounding text you can  determine if this might
	be the file you are searching for.  If it is,  you can obtain
	the filename and location from the lower  window.  Each  time
	your search  text is located you  will be  given a  choice of
	whether you want to continue searching the file,  whether you
	want to go on to the next file, or  whether you  want to quit
	the search.  At any time during a search you may press  <Esc>
	if you want to quit the search.


Is the search 'case sensitive'?...

	Only if  you want it to be.  Notice that  at the  top left of
	the  main  window  there  is a  menu  selection  item  titled
	"F1 Toggle Case".  If you press the F1 key anytime you are in
	the  path  edit prompt or the  search text entry prompt,  you
	will toggle case sensitivity on and off.  Each time you press










								    Page 5


	the F1 key the status indicator in the top left corner of the
	bottom  window  will  change  from    "Case Insensitive"   to
	"Case Sensitive".

	When the  status  is  "Case Insensitive", it  doesn't  matter
	how you type in the search string; the search will ignore the
	case.  For instance, typing in the string 'President Lincoln'
	is equivalent  to typing  in the string  'PrEsIdEnT LiNcOlN'.
	The  search  would  find  every  occurance of the  string, no
	matter the case.

	When the  status indicator shows  "Case Sensitive",  entering
	the string 'President Lincoln' would cause the search to find
	only the  occurances that are  exactly like  you  entered the
	search string. The search would NOT find occurances such as
	'president Lincoln' or 'PRESIDENT LINCOLN'.

	Note  that it is  normally  preferable to do case insensitive
	searches because they yield  EVERY occurrence of a word, even
	if it  comes at the  beginning of a  sentence, where it would
	be capitalized.

	When you exit the program,  "Find Text Fast" will  'remember'
	the setting of this option.  When  you next use the  program,
	the setting will be the same.


Can I force "Find Text Fast" to search for whole words only?...

	Yes.  Notice that in the top right corner of the main window
	there's  a  menu  selection  item  titled  "F2 Toggle Word".
	If you  press the  F2  key  anytime you are at the path edit
	prompt or at the  search text  entry prompt, you will toggle
	the  whole word option on and off.   Each time you press the
	F2 key the  status indicator at the  top right corner of the
	bottom  window changes from  "Whole Word Only" to  "Embedded
	Text".

	When the  status is  'Embedded Text', searches will find all
	occurrences of a string,  even if the string occurs within a
	word. For example, a case insensitive search for 'IRS' would
	find every occurrence of  'IRS', as well as every occurrence
	of  'heirs',  'first', 'thirst', etc.  Even so, this type of
	search would not miss occurrances such as '(IRS)' or 'IRS,'.

	When  the  status is  'Whole Word Only',  searches will find
	only  occurrences of a  search  string that  stand  alone as
	whole words. For instance, a case insensitive search for the
	string  'IRS'  would find only each occurrence of  'IRS' and
	NOT 'heirs', 'first', etc. A case sensitive search for 'IRS'
	would yield only 'IRS' and  NOT 'FIRST', 'THIRST', etc.  You
	would  normally do a  'Whole Word Only'  search when you are
	sure t hat the  word or  string for which you are  searching
	does not occur within parentheses or where it is followed by
	a comma or a period.








								    Page 6


	When you exit the program,  "Find Text Fast" will  'remember'
	the setting of this option.  When  you next use the  program,
	the setting will be the same.


Does "Find Text Fast" search ALL files?...

	Yes, if you want it to.  By default  "Find Text Fast" doesn't
	search in files with file extensions EXE, COM, ZIP, PAK, ARC,
	ZOO, ARJ, SQZ, and LZH  because these types of  files are not
	likely to contain  text strings that you would be  interested
	in searching.  If you do want  "Find Text Fast"  to search in
	these types of files also, you can  'tell' it to by including
	the command line option /e. The /e option is used by starting
	"Find Text Fast" as follows:

				 FTF /e

	When started with the  /e  command  line  option,  "Find Text
	Fast" will  search in  EVERY  type of file in the search path
	for the text string you specify.


Are there other command line options?...

	Yes.  There are  three command line  options that may be used
	when starting  "Find Text Fast".  The first is the /? option.
	This  option  gives a  small  help  screen  showing the three
	command  line  options and giving the usage for each.  The /e
	command line option was discussed in the prior section.

	The last command line option is the /c option.  The /c option
	is used to reconfigure the default search path used by  "Find
	Text Fast".  When you first start  "Find Text Fast"  you will
	notice that the  default  search  path is shown as *.*.  This
	signifies all of the files in the  current directory.  If you
	happen  to be in the  C:\WORD\DOC  directory  when  you start
	"Find Text Fast", every  file in  the  C:\WORD\DOC  directory
	will be searched, unless you specify a different search path.
	If you wish, you may permanently set a different default path
	by running  "Find Text Fast" with the /c command line option.
	You will be prompted for a new default search path which will
	then be used  every  time you start  "Find Text Fast".   This
	feature is particularly useful if you usually search the same
	location for missing files.


Can I tell how may files "Find Text Fast" has searched?...

	Yes.  When "Find Text Fast" has finished searching all of the
	files  in the  path you  specified, a small  'history' window












								    Page 7


	will appear inside the  upper window.  The  'history'  window
	will show  various facts about the  search that has just been
	completed. A sample history window is shown below:


		   ==================================
		  ||                                ||
		  ||  Directories searched:    0    ||
		  ||  Files searched:          0    ||
		  ||  Files containing text:   0    ||
		  ||  Times text found:        0    ||
		  ||                                ||
		   ==================================


Must I restart "Find Text Fast" each time I want to do a search?...

	No.  Once a  search is  complete or  when you have  aborted a
	search,  you are asked if  you want to do another search.  If
	you do, you will be  returned to the  beginning of the search
	process and  you may  enter a new  path and/or a  new  search
	string.





		   Thanks and ***ENJOY*** Find Text Fast.





			   ***** DISCLAIMER *****

			       (please  read)

	  "Find Text Fast" is a  powerful  program.   While I  have
	  attempted to build in reasonable safeguards, as with  any
	  useful  computer software,  "Find Text Fast"  may contain
	  errors in the program or documentation.  The  author does
	  not give any  warranty, either  expressed or  implied, to
	  anyone using this program other than for the  replacement
	  of defective media.  In no event shall the author be lia-
	  ble for any damages, including loss of profits or antici-
	  pated  profits, lost  savings,  or  other  incidental  or
	  consequential damages arising out of the use or inability
	  to use this program.  The program comes "as is" and it is
	  the user's  responsibility to  determine whether the pro-
	  gram is suitable for his or her computer system and soft-
	  ware needs.












								    Page 8



			   ***** COPYRIGHT *****


	  Copyright (c) 1994  Harold Schwartz.   All Rights Reserved
	  You may copy "Find Text Fast" for backup purposes, and you
	  may give copies of the unregistered version to other indi-
	  viduals, which they may also use and  copy under the terms
	  of this agreement.  If you copy the unregistered version
	  of  "Find Text Fast"  for others,  you must include all of
	  the files distributed with it. "Find Text Fast" may not be
	  sold, licensed, or a fee charged for its use.  If a fee is
	  charged  in  connection  with the  unregistered version of
	  "Find Text Fast",  it must  cover the  cost of  copying or
	  dissemination only.  Such  charges must be clearly identi-
	  fied as such by the  originating  party.  Under no circum-
	  stances may the purchaser be given the  impression that he
	  is buying "ShowMe Saver" itself.

	  The author  encourages  BBS operators to post the unregis-
	  tered  version of the  "Find Text Fast"  package on  their
	  systems for  download by users wishing to evaluate it.  No
	  other  reproduction  or  use  is  authorized  without  the
	  express prior written consent of the copyright owner.

