SDL.COM - TUTORIAL - Copyright (c) 1987,88,89,90,91 Bob Stephan You will be able to browse through the TUTORIAL information at your own pace. Just use the keys on the cursor pad to turn the pages as you read. Note the reminder at the top of the screen, and remember that you can exit at any time by pressing Esc. I hope you will take a few minutes to complete this TUTORIAL which includes some explanation and then the DEMO. This will help you to understand and make full use of SDL. In addition to this general documentation, be sure to read the new features file. Either select it from the README menu, or just read the file named MASDIR54.NEW. (Now press the PgDn key to turn the page). SDL TUTOR file for SDL.COM, Sorted Directory and Disk Label Printer Version 5.4, April 1991, Copyright (c) 1987,88,89,90,91 Bob Stephan MASDIR (pronounced 'master') is an acronym for MASter DIRectory System. SDL is the main program. To use SDL simply copy SDL.COM to the disk and/or directory where you keep your other DOS command files or utilities. Then just use SDL in the same way you use DIR. This is a brief explanation of the features of SDL.COM. After you become familiar with these basics, please run the demo and read any additional information provided to learn how to get the most out of SDL. WHAT IS SDL AND WHAT CAN IT DO? SDL is a Sorted Directory Listing program that is used in place of the DOS DIR command. You can invoke it from the DOS prompt just like DIR, and it accepts the same file specifications (filespecs) that DIR does including paths and wild cards. But there the similarity ends. SDL has these features and more: <> Sorts the listing alphabetically by name, or optionally by extension, date, size, or (like DIR) not at all. <> Presents the listing in 2, 4 or 6 columns of file names in easy to read format. This permits you to see up to 126 file names on the screen to get a good overall view of the contents of the disk or directory. SDL automatically calculates the number of columns to use, or you can specify the format you want. <> Pauses after each screen until you are ready to continue. At the pause you can make new option selections, page backward or forward, exit, or continue. <> The options are selectable at the DOS prompt by adding them to the SDL command (like you can add /P or /W to the DIR command). <> Many options can also be selected from a menu that is presented at the bottom of the screen at the end of the listing. This permits you to change your mind as often as you like, and adjust the listing to obtain just the right information from it without having to return to DOS and enter a new command. <> Other useful options are available that will be explained further in this TUTORIAL and in the DEMO to follow. <> A setup program lets you select your own defaults for the various options by entering single keystroke answers to a few questions. You can make SDL work the way you want it to. <> On screen help by entering SDL /? at the DOS prompt. <> Unique to SDL are some excellent printing capabilities! With a single keystroke you can print the directory you see on the screen in your choice of five print modes: 1. Regular printing in whatever mode your printer is set for with no changes to your printer setting. 2. A "sleeve insert", which is printed on your regular printer paper in a format that can be trimmed to a convenient size to slip into the diskette sleeve for future reference. 3. A disk label which can be printed on the special labels that are included with the SDL system kit. This uses compressed print and 8 lines per inch to fit the filenames into a small space. 4. Another style of disk label printing which uses "tiny" printing to fit even more names onto a label. Tiny print makes use of the compressed and superscript modes that are available on Epson compatible printers. 5. Print-to-file to save a file copy of the directory listing. <> Very useful when using the print options is the ability to enter up to 3 lines of titles for your sleeve inserts or labels. Two of these lines can be customized with the setup program, and any or all of the 3 can be specialized for any individual listing. HOW TO USE SDL To use SDL simply copy SDL.COM to the disk and/or directory in which your other DOS commands and utilities are kept. Then use SDL in the same way you use DIR. Be sure to back up your SDL diskette by copying everything to another diskette. You will probably want to customize SDL with the setup program, so make a working disk or directory by copying just the SDL*.* files from the MASDIR disk to a working disk or directory. You can use the program INSTALL to help you do this. Just enter INSTALL at the DOS prompt, or select it from the MASDIR menu. There is a full DEMOnstration available on this disk. You will be given a chance to run the DEMO at the end of the SDL TUTOR program. To run it later by itself just enter DEMO. SDL is used very much like DIR. It takes the same path and file specifications, but it presents a much more readable listing. By using 2, 4, or 6 columns of file names instead of one, it lists many more files on one screen. If the screen becomes full, it automatically pauses. You can immediately shift to a different number of columns to see more files on the screen, exit if you have seen enough, or continue with the listing. SDL can be used in menu mode. Enter SDL with your filespec just like DIR, then make your selections from the menu at the bottom of the screen. SDL also has many options that can be entered on the command line in the usual fashion using / as a "switch" or option indicator. The command line is the line on which you enter your DOS commands at the DOS prompt. At first, SDL /? will be useful to bring up a help screen. The /? option displays a reminder of the syntax and options. To see these help screens just enter SDL /? at the DOS prompt. You will be given a chance to see this screen during the DEMO. Although there are quite a few options to provide the capabilities requested by users, you will find them to be quite intuitive and easy to use. After a few minutes of experimentation you will find a few of them that you like to use. This experimentation can be taken care of in the DEMO program to follow. As soon as you find the options that you like, you can customize your copy of SDL with the SDLSETUP program. We have tried to configure SDL the way we believe most users would like it, but you might want to change it for your own use. If you would like one or more of the defaults to work differently, run SDLSETUP. Then it will only be necessary to use options occasionally when you want something different. The SDL /? help screen is always available as a reminder at those times. The MENU program will give you an opportunity to read the SDLSETUP documentation, but SDLSETUP is easy to use, requiring only simple answers. The printing capabilities of SDL are most useful and remarkably easy to use. For example, to print a label for the diskette in drive A, just enter SDL A: /L. Nothing could be simpler. The /L is an option mnemonic for Label, and SDL will calculate how many file names it can fit on a label and select the print mode to do it. Of course, if you want more control, and less automation, SDL will always let you make your own specifications. You can print labels in either of two print styles, labels and sleeve inserts, in a variety of sort orders and columns of file names, or you can print with your own normal printer setting. The 3-line title option (/E) provides a means to include printed explanatory information about the contents and use of the files on the disk. You now have enough information to experiment with SDL. To display a directory at the DOS prompt (A>, etc.), enter SDL just as you would the DIR command. This is called the "command line". On the command line you may include one or more of the useful options, such as /X to sort the files alphabetically by their eXtensions, or /S by their Size. The default is to sort alphabetically by Name. (The DEMO will show you more.) Example: SDL B: /S /4 will display the files on the B: drive in 4 columns sorted by size. The reminder line at the top of the display gives a terse list of the options available to use on the command line, with the key letters shown in CAPS. It looks like this: /OPTS:/? More PRInt Cls titlE Hdr Fre Lbl All rK Byt Wid 2 4 6 N X S D[n] - dOs Use the key letters in CAPS, or '?', or one of the numbers 2, 4, or 6, each preceded by the 'switch' character '/' as shown in the example. Start out with the different column numbers (/2 /4 or /6) and different sort orders (/N for name, /X for extension, /S for size, /D for Date, or /O for no sort at all to view the files in the same mixed up order that DIR would show them). The letter options can be entered in either upper or lower case. They are shown in upper case merely to highlight them as key characters. After you see how easy it is, you can learn about the other options, or just try them to see what happens. A few experiments will quickly give you the hang of it. The DEMO that follows will guide you through a few examples, then you can try it out on your own when you finish the DEMO. Try all of the options, but note that you must have a printer on line to use the /P or /L options. /P will display a print options menu from which you can select F(ile), L(abel), I(nsert), R(egular), or T(iny). For I, T and L the printer must be Epson/IBM compatible. (Contact me if you want to use SDL with some other printer.) The R option will print with any printer - just set the print mode that you want then use SDL. Important! On multi-screen displays, at the bottom of each screen or directory you will be presented with a prompt containing some of the same options you saw in the reminder line at the top. This is intermediate menu. If you select one of the options shown using the letter in CAPS or the number, that action to be taken immediately. If you press any key (including ENTER) that is NOT shown in the prompt, SDL will continue normally. When it has completed the display of the directory you can EXIT by pressing Esc, End, space, or Enter(Return). To eliminate the pausing and the menus you can use the /M (for More) switch on the command line. Just remember, if you want to display the directory AGAIN, press only one of the keys shown in CAPS or numbers. If you want to exit or continue, press Esc, Space, End, or Enter. For example, if you want to change COL's, simply press the 2, 4, or 6 key. By permitting you to adjust the display of the directory without exiting to DOS, SDL is much more useful than many other programs. Along with the label and sleeve insert printing capabilities, it should prove to be an invaluable addition to your software library. Don't forget to use SDLSETUP to set it up YOUR way! Just a note about reading documentation on the disk. You are reading this file using a public domain program named SDL_SHOW. If you want to use it to view the setup documentation, enter SDL_SHOW SDLSETUP.DOC or type README to bring up the menu. Use the cursor pad keys to browse, and remember that you can exit at any time by pressing Esc. Finally, there are some additional programs on this disk. These are provided at no extra charge. They are not to be sold commercially and are not part of the SDL package. They are provided simply as a free service. You might find some of them useful. Most are public domain programs and are provided on an "as is" basis. Each file is accompanied by a .DOC file explaining briefly its purpose and use. Any "shareware" programs will explain the concept of shareware and request a fee for continued use. Use SDL to display the names of all of the DOC files by entering the command SDL *.DOC then take a few minutes to read them. They are short enough to use TYPE, but you can use SDL_SHOW to display them, or any other file display program such as Verm Buerg's LIST. * ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! I M P O R T A N T ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! * * MASDIR54.ZIP is a complete copy of the user-supported version * * of SDL.COM and associated files. It contains all the files * * "zip"ped into one compressed file. Popular zipping programs * * such as PKUNZIP can restore the files in MASDIR54.ZIP to a * * workable system. DO NOT MIX THE FILES FROM MASDIR54.ZIP * * WITH ANY OF THE OTHER FILES ON THE DISK!! You may, however, * * give copies of MASDIR54.ZIP to your friends, donate a copy to * * your user group software library, and upload copies to * * electronic bulletin board systems. Remember, protect your * * investment in SDL by keeping the entire system separate * * from the files in MASDIR54.ZIP. Although they have similar * * capabilities, they are incompatible with each other. * * ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! I M P O R T A N T ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! * Thank you for taking these few minutes to become acquainted with a few of the features of SDL. It may be slightly confusing at first, most powerful programs are, but your patience will be well rewarded. After a few more minutes in the DEMO, you will have a much clearer picture about what SDL can do for you. Trying to explain it makes it sound much more complicated than it really is. Don't be hesitant to try out SDL on your own. After you see the usefulness of the many features, you will want to run SDLSETUP to customize SDL to your own tastes. Please let us know if you have any problems, questions, or suggestions. That concludes the TUTOR information. We have prepared a demonstration program to show you how to use some of the features of SDL. This would be a good time to take a look at the demo. In addition to this general documentation, be sure to read the new features file. Either select it from the README menu, or just read the file named MASDIR54.NEW. MASDIR - The MASter DIRectory System Review of new features introduced in Release 4.3 ************************************************************ Special Offer--FREE LABELS--See Below The main enhancement is printing directory labels for 3.5" disks. This is controlled by the 3 and 5 options--3 for 3.5" disks and 5 for 5.25" disks. On the command line you can enter either /3 or /5 to prepare SDL to print the style of label you want. The Print Options menu is brought up by entering either P or R from the menu, or /P or /R on the command line. From this menu you can select, or change your selection, by pressing either 3 or 5 as appropriate. The default 3.5" disk form depth is set for the 2-3/4" labels that wrap around the top of the disk. The setup program permits setting it for the 2" labels that do not wrap. The default is set for the 5.25" labels, so use the 3 or /3 option to get 3.5" labels, or change it with SDLSETUP. There is also a new W or /W option that will list the files in sort order across the Width of the screen vice down the columns. When printing a 3.5" disk label this is the only method of list- ing file names that is available, but for listing on the screen or on a 5" label you can choose by toggling with W or /W. Another new feature is the option to set the cluster size for the total bytes. Since 1.2Mb and 1.44Mb disks use 1-sector clusters, the default rounding up of the file size total in 1Kb increments is not accurate for these disks (or for hard disks). A new /B (for Bytes) command line option is available to adjust for the number of kilobytes per cluster. /B1 (the default) for 1 Kb (2 sectors) per cluster as on 360k and 720k diskettes, /B for .5 Kb (1 sector) per cluster as on 1.2Mb and 1.44Mb diskettes, and /Bn, n=2-8 for hard disks as appropriate where n indicates the number of Kb per cluster. This option is only available on the command line, but SDLSETUP is able to set the default as desired. Note that /Bnothing (or /Banything other than 1-8) drops to 1 sector per cluster, and /B1 is the same as the current de- fault. The number, if used, must immediately follow the B with no spaces. A few notes about 3.5" disk labels: (For convenience the labels and disks will be referred to as 3" and 5".) Until actual printing is started the screen display will be the normal display. If 3" disk label or Insert printing is selected, each line of the display will be split to fit the 2-3/4" width of the label. Thus, a 2 column screen display will result in a 1 column 3" disk label, a 4 column screen display will be a 2 column label, and a 6 column screen display will be a 3 column label. The 2, 4, and 6 selections remain unchanged for either type of label. To keep the file names sorted properly, the W op- tion will automatically be invoked during the printing of labels for 3" disks. -2- The R print option is not affected by the label setting, but the File option is. You can use this to create a directory catalog file with space for your own comments after each file name. When entering titles for 3" labels, each line will be split after the 40th character. The vertical bar indicates the position of the last character that goes on the first line of the split. The next character after the bar will start the second line of the split. If you need to see the effect of the split on the screen before printing use the File option and create a temporary file that can be erased later or specify the NUL output device which gives no output at all but does show the screen display. Then "what you see is what you get". When it is what you want you can select the print mode. FREE LABELS! With each registration of Release 4.3 you may select ONE (1) FREE unit of labels from the ORDER FORM. Just write FREE in the Amount column. You must include the $2 handling fee with any label order, FREE or not. This offer may be retracted or changed at any time. Units are either 100 or 50 labels as indicated in the Quantity column of the Order Form. ************************************************************ Review of new features introduced in Release 4.2 Use of the PgUp, PgDn, Home, and End keys. These keys can be very useful for paging backward and forward through large direc- tories. Pressing the PgUp key will redisplay the previous screen. This can also be used on the first screen to eliminate the header completely and display up to 144 filenames on one screen. B for Back will also work. PgDn pages to the next screen the same as C, End ends the display the same as Esc, and Home returns to the first screen--similar to pressing C at the end menu, but Home can also be used for this purpose at the intermediate menu. To quickly get to the end of the listing, press the '-' key. Reverse sorting. The '-' character is the symbol to sort the file names in descending, vice ascending order. On the command line this can be /-, /a-, or /-a where a is one of the alphabetic characters N, X, S, or D. (There is no reverse for DOS order.) At either the end or the intermediate menu, pressing the "-" key will re-sort the names in reverse order using the same sort field. The third major new feature is the print-to-file capability. Now on the Print Options menu a "File" option appears. If you select F you will be prompted for a file name. This can be any valid non-ambiguous file specification (no wildcards). If the file exists, the directory output will be appended to the end of the file. Be careful not to use reserved DOS names such as COM1, AUX, LPT1, PRN, NUL, etc.; although you can use NUL to preview the printing of a disk label with no output. -3- ************************************************************ Review of new features introduced in Release 4.1 Control of printing is much more versatile. The prompt line in- dicates whether printing is on or off (Prn=ON or Prn=OFF). The P option brings up a print menu. On the print menu Esc will turn printing off if it was on, or exit without turning it on. Press- ing C for Cls turns on page eject (ff for form feed). This is also indicated on the prompt line with (ff=ON or ff=OFF). Disk Free Space is no longer shown unless specifically asked for with the /F option on the command line, or F at the menu. DOS takes a noticeable amount of time to calculate the disk free space, so eliminating the display of this information greatly speeds up the directory display. The calculation of the total "Bytes in xxx Files" is rounded up to the next exact kilobyte for each file. (Individual file sizes are not.) SDL automatically adjusts for any number of lines of text your monitor is set for such as 43 line EGA, or 50 line VGA modes. Additional New Configuration Features in SDLSETUP A setup option to use the box drawing characters on the printer like those on the screen. (Use only if your printer supports it.) Suppression of the . and .. file directory entries. The sort orders of N for Name (the default), X for eXtension, D for Date, and O for Original or dOs (nO sort at all), are avail- able. SDLSETUP now has a (cr) option to select "no change" for any question and just move on to the next. Pressing Esc will skip to the next section. You can adjust the number of rows that you want on labels when you use the Tiny option to get the maximum your printer will sup- port. ******* Now, if you want to exit, remember to press Esc. *******