Overheard: "I know I have that file in an archive on a disk SOMEWHERE!
If only I could find it!"
Also Overheard: "There is no way that I can effectively manage
all of these files!"
Sound familiar? Many people that we know are in this predicament. With
the easy access that the internet provides to so many "collectable"
files, the above statements are even more valid today than they were
back in October 1986 when the first version of Catdisk For DOS was first
released.
Catdisk was created to provide a total solution to managing, identifying
and finding your files in your disk collection, whether they are on
your hard drive, on CD ROM, DVD ROM, floppy disks or other removable
media.
Catdisk builds and maintains a database of all of the files that you
have on your disks by examining the folders of any disk, readable by
Windows, that you "feed" to it. Additionally, you can add
descriptions and categories to the disk and file entries in the program,
which is very handy in identifying the purpose of a given file at a
later date.
Catdisk can also look inside of files produced by all of the popular
archive programs, such as PKZIP, ARJ and many others, and include the
directory information from those files in your catalog as well.
A large number of pre-defined, handy reports are available, as well
as a custom report generator that will allow you to create you own.
You can even open files directly from any reports that show filenames.
Catdisk will initially look in the drive from which the file was originally
cataloged and open it directly. If it cannot find the file, it will
prompt you for the disk.
As if being the best disk catalog system since 1986 isn't enough, Catdisk
also provides invaluable tools that automate and optimize the operation
of offloading files to "archival" media (eg. ZIP disks, floppies,
etc.), assist you in removing duplicate files or redundant versions
of programs that may be present in your disk collection, allow you to
perform general "housekeeping" functions on the files in your
collection and assist you in bringing back archived files from their
off-line storage media back to any DOS directory from which they can
be used.
Simply put, Catdisk is a program that you
should not be without!
For those who have asked, we have provided a more detailed "point"
list of the wealth of features that Catdisk provides to assist you in
maintaining and keeping track of your file library. Here are some of
the highlights:
Disk Cataloging Features
- Disk cataloging features allow you to keep track of all of the
files in your disk library, including files inside of archives or
cabs.
- Can maintain multiple catalogs, each with a capacity of up to two
billion files or disks.
- Any disk readable by Windows can be read and cataloged by Catdisk.
- Supports long filenames.
- All cataloging/un-cataloging/re-cataloging functions are fully automated,
and many options in this regard may be fully customized.
- File include/exclude filters allow general control over which files
get cataloged.
- Selective cataloging feature allows precise control over which files
get cataloged and can work in conjunction with the include/exclude
filters.
- When labeling a disk, Catdisk can recommend sequential volume labels
for you to use.
- A disk may be cataloged under an "alias" instead of its
actual volume label.
- Can read the directory contents of all popular archive file formats.
- File categories and comments may be added to the database to better
describe and categorize your files. This may be done as disks are
cataloged or at a later convenient time.
- Can read comments directly from within archive files that support
them.
- Can extract certain technical information from GIF, PCX, Targa (TGA),
Bitmap (BMP) and MPeg 3 (MP3) files and place that information in
the file comment.
- Can extract and read comments from FILE_ID.DIZ and DESC.SDI files
in ZIP arvchives.
- Comments may be imported from an ASCII text file, such as a BBS
listing.
- Directory listings from ASCII text files, such as those produced
by tape backup programs may be read in "just like a disk"
and cataloged.
- Disk summary report shows disk statistics to give you a "bird's
eye view" of your disk collection.
- The disk summary may also be searched by comments or keywords.
- Custom disk summary reports allow you to design your own summary
reports.
- Full range of file reports, including custom reports for full flexibility.
- Custom reports support "prompt" fields, allowing you to
design "report templates" for which you can fill in search
specs at report time.
- All file reports support "launching" - simply double click
on a file in the report and it or the appropriate application will
automatically be launched.
Catalog Management Tool Features
- Can be used to split/merge complete or partial catalog files.
- Point and shoot selection of individual cataloged volumes to move,
copy or delete.
- Cataloged volume names may be renamed internally.
Catalog Comparison Tool Features
- Allows you to compare two catalogs (eg. yours and that of a friend)
to determine which files are present in one and not the other, vice
versa, and those that are common to both catalogs.
File Offload Tool
- A handy tool for offloading files from your hard drive to removable
medcia such as zip disks, etc.
- Fully automates and optimizes offloading of files to removable media
using point-and-shoot file selection, and uses a "best-fit"
arrangement to minimize wasted disk space.
- Copy and move operations are both supported.
- As disks are filled with files, those disks may optionally be cataloged
as they are processed.
- Can recommend previously cataloged disks that contain sufficient
free space to hold one or more of the selected files, allowing you
to "fill in the holes" of free space in your disk collection.
- Disks cataloged from certain drives or whose volume labels match
a certain criteria may be "suppressed" from being recommended
(eg. so that non-writable disks such as CD-R's are not recommended).
- Can compare the Offload directory to a catalog to identify duplicate
files BEFORE they get into your disk collection.
Duplicate/Redundant File Cleanup Tool
- Identifies duplicate files or redundant versions of files and programs
through its "versions" feature, and brings up a point-and-shoot
listing from which you can select files for elimination from your
disk collection.
- You will then be prompted for the appropriate disks from which
the selected files will be automatically erased, and optionally have
your catalog updated as each disk is processed.
- Files from disks cataloged from certain drives or from disks whose
volume labels match certain specifications may be "suppressed"
from being tagged so that non-writable disks such as CD-R's are not
requested.
General File Cleanup Tool
- Brings up a list of files matching a filespec (that you can change)
in a point-and-shoot manner such that you can select files that you
wish to remove from your disk collection. CLEANUP will then prompt
you for the appropriate disks, erase the files and optionally update
your catalog as each disk is processed.
- Files from disks cataloged from certain drives or from disks whose
volume labels match certain specifications may be "suppressed"
from being tagged so that non-writable disks such as CD-R's are not
requested.
- Great for performing periodic general "housekeeping"
duties.
File Retrieval Tool
- A handy utility for bringing archived files back from off-line
storage to "live" storage so that they can be used.
- Retrieve brings up a listing of files in your catalog that match
a pattern that you specify, from which you may select files that you
wish to copy from off-line storage to a path that you specify.
- Both copy and move operations are supported.
- Operation is fully automated once the procedure has been initiated.
