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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 I know are in this predicament.
CATDISK was written 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 or offloaded to floppy disks.
When moving files offline for archival purposes, CATDISK is an invaluable
tool in assisting you in the entire process. The DISKFILL feature
automates and optimizes the operation of offloading files to "archival"
media. The DUPCLEAN feature can assist you in removing duplicate files
or redundant versions of programs that may be present in your disk
collection. The CLEANUP feature allows you to perform general "housekeeping"
functions on the files in your collection and the RETRIEVE feature
completes the cycle by assisting you in bringing back archived files
from their offline storage media back to any DOS directory from which
they can be used.
The key that integrates all of these features is the CATDISK program
itself. CATDISK can read the directory of any disk that is readable
by DOS and maintain a catalog of those files. Additionally, you can
add descriptions 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.
In a nutshell, with CATDISK, you never need worry about not being
able to find a file again!
Major Features - CATDISK (Main Program)
- Runs within the standard limitations of the DOS 640K barrier.
- Interface features pull down menus, popup windows, context-sensitive
online help, and mouse support making the system very easy to use.
- Background printing facility (configurable) allows printing reports
while performing other tasks within CATDISK.
- Keyboard macro facility automates and speeds up repetitive tasks.
- Built-in "roving clock" screen-saver protects your screen
from burn-in.
- Supports EGA 43- and VGA 50-line modes.
- All features fully customizable, including all screen colors.
- 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
volume label.
- Supports up to 65,534 files or 4,000 disks per catalog, which can
be reduced through the general settings to better optimize memory
usage.
- Depending on available memory, CATDISK can read in up to 4500 files
per disk being cataloged.
- Supports up to 512 subdirectories per disk being cataloged.
- You may have any number of catalog files present, limited only by
available disk space.
- Can read the directory contents of all popular archive file formats.
- You can attach a 40 character comment to each disk in the catalog,
which may be done as disks are cataloged or at a later convenient
time.
- You can attach a file category and a multi-line comment (up to 10
lines of 43 characters each) to each file in the catalog, which may
be done while cataloging a disk or at a later convenient time.
- Can read comments directly from within archive files that support
it.
- Can read 4DOS/NDOS directory comments and add them to your catalog.
- Can extract resolution/color information from GIF, PCX, Targa (TGA)
and Bitmap (BMP) files and include it as the default comment.
- Can extract and read comments from FILE_ID.DIZ and DESC.SDI files
in ZIP and ARJ archives.
- 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.
- Reports may be sent to the screen, LPT1, LPT2 or a disk file.
- Printer reports can be printed in a two-sided format to conserve
paper (CATDISK is, quite possibly, the first environmentally friendly
software product in terms of built-in reporting facilities).
Major Features - CATMGR Facility
- Built right into the main CATDISK program for optimal integration.
- Can be used to split/merge complete or partial catalog files.
- Point and shoot selection of individual cataloged volumes to move,
copyor delete.
- Cataloged volume names may be renamed internally.
Major Features - COMPARE Facility
- Built right into the main CATDISK program for optimal integration.
- Allows you to compare two catalog files (or a catalog created from
a BBS listing) to determine which files you have that the other does
not and vice versa.
- Useful when dealing with BBS systems that impose an upload:download
ratio or when swapping software archives with a friend.
Major Features - DISKFILL Facility
- DISKFILL is a bonus utility that becomes available when CATDISK
is "branded" with your registration information.
- Built right into the main CATDISK program for optimal integration.
- Fully automates and optimizes offloading of files to floppies 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.
- Can compare the offload directory to a catalog to identify duplicate
files BEFORE they get into your disk collection.
- 4DOS/NDOS file descriptions are fully supported.
Major Features - DUPCLEAN Facility
- DUPCLEAN is a bonus utility that becomes available when CATDISK
is "branded" with your registration information.
- Built right into the main CATDISK program for optimal integration.
- Identifies duplicate files or redundant versions of programs (eg.
CATDISK v8.00, v8.10, v8.20, v8.30, etc) through its "versions"
feature, and brings up a point-and-shoot listing from which you can
select files for elimination from your disk collection. DUPCLEAN will
then prompt you for the appropriate disks, erase the files and optionally
update your catalog as each disk is processed.
- Operation is fully automated, once started.
Major Features - CLEANUP Facility
- CLEANUP is a bonus utility that becomes available when CATDISK is
"branded" with your registration information.
- Built right into the main CATDISK program for optimal integration.
- 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 theappropriate disks, erase the files and optionally update
your catalog as each disk is processed.
- Great for performing periodic general "housekeeping" duties.
- Operation is fully automated, once started.
Major Features - RETRIEVE Facility
- RETRIEVE is a bonus utility that bcomes available when CATDISK is
"branded" with your registration information.
- Built right into the main CATDISK program for optimal integration.
- A handy utility for bringing archived files back from offline 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 offline storage to a path that you specify.
- Both copy and move operations are supported.
- Operation is fully automated once the procedure has been initiated.
Major Features - CATLOOK Utility
- Small size allows it to be used when available memory is restricted
(i.e. less 128K).
- Command line parameters allow any of CATDISK's reports to be created,
including custom reports.
- Output may be re-directed to a file or printer.
CATDISK/D - A DPMI-Compliant Protected Mode Version
- Looks, feels and operates exactly the same as the standard version
of CATDISK.
- The program is DPMI-Compliant and runs in protected-mode to break
the DOS 640K barrier and access ALL available base and extended memory
in your system to support higher capacities.
- Maximum catalog size is increased to 999,363 files or 4,000 disks
per catalog.
- File capacity per disk being cataloged increased to 65,500 files.
- Subdirectories per disk being cataloged increased to 2000.
- All bonus utilities mentioned above are also built into CATDISK/D
and also benefit from the increased available memory.
In a nutshell, CATDISK is a program that
you should not be without!!
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