
                     =============================
                            DiskEase v1.01
                     =============================

                     (C) Copyright Simon Page 1996



Important Information
---------------------

     DiskEase is not a Public Domain program and is not free. DiskEase
     is Copyright (C) 1996 by Simon Page. DiskEase is a shareware
     program that is provided for a 30 day trial period. You are
     permitted to use DiskEase during the trial period to evaluate its
     suitability for your requirements.

     If you wish to continue to use DiskEase after the 30 day trial
     period, you MUST register the program. See the section on
     registration for more information or select registration from
     the programs menu.


What is DiskEase ?
------------------

     DiskEase is a tool for recording details of all the files on any
     type of drive for later viewing, comparing and searching. DiskEase
     'scans' the selected drive recording file names and all details
     along with a description and the disk label and serial number. The
     scans can then be stored and catalogued for:

          1. Viewing scan in a similar way to most file manager programs
             display the current contents of a drive. Selected parts
             of the scan can be printed out for reference.

          2. Searching for files/directories using a file mask with
             wildcard characters and by date, time, attributes etc..
             The searching can be of a specific scan, scans of a
             specific drive letter, scans of a certain type of drive
             or all scans. The results can be viewed or printed.

          3. Comparing with each other or with a current disk. The
             comparing function can find all differences or selected
             types of change such as time, size, attributes, new or
             deleted. The results can be viewed, printed and stored.
             Stored comparisons can be re-opened and used to remove
             unwanted NEW files from disks.


     DiskEase is ideal for:

          1. Finding misplaced files on non-removable media without
             using traditional tools that have to keep physically
             checking a disk for every search you make which can be
             very time consuming especially on slow/network drives.
             In comparison DiskEase can check thousands of files per
             second for your search criteria.

          2. Cataloguing removable media such as CD ROMs so that useful
             files can be located easily.

          3. Removing files added by new programs. Obviously DiskEase
             can do nothing about files that have been modified or
             deleted but it enables selected removal of new files and
             details of the other changes.

     DiskEase is written so that most tasks can be carried out without
     having to close other viewing, searching, etc windows. Additionally,
     once a search is started it is carried out in the 'background'
     enabling multiple searches to be in progress at the same time or
     using other parts of the program while the search is in progress.

     There are real and protected mode versions of DiskEase. The real
     mode version can only use the free RAM in the first 640K (and
     any available expanded memory for certain operations such as
     sorting). The protected mode can use as much extended memory as
     is available which improves the speed of sorting scans and allows
     more search / comparison results to be found. However, if you want
     to keep DiskEase on an emergency/handy tools disk, the real mode
     version is slightly smaller and does not need the two DPMI files
     listed below.


Files
-----

     RTM.EXE        Borland redistributable DPMI file (See note 1)
     DPMIBI16.OVL   Borland redistributable DPMI file (See note 1)
     DISKREAL.EXE   Real mode version of DiskEase
     DISKEASE.EXE   Protected mode version of DiskEase
     DISKEASE.HLP   Help file
     README.TXT     This file
     DISKEASE.ICO   Icon for DiskEase

     (Note 1: Only required by protected mode version)


Installing DiskEase
-------------------

     To install DiskEase simply copy all of the files to the required
     directory. Then run either version of DiskEase - DISKREAL.EXE or
     DISKEASE.EXE. The first time that it is run it will display a
     dialog box giving you the option of creating a new catalogue
     file, exiting the program or setting the location to an existing
     directory containing DiskEase data files.

     Select the SETUP DEFAULT option to have a new sub directory added
     to the location where DiskEase is installed and a new catalogue
     file created in that directory. The data directory can be moved at
     a later date and the path updated in the program. All new scans
     and the catalogue file will be stored in that directory.

     The real and protected mode versions of DiskEase are completely
     interchangeable.


Usage Notes
-----------

     After exiting the protected mode version when in Windows 95 you
     may get a message saying 'Microsoft Windows Pop-up Program
     Support' and have to press CTRL-C to end. This is not a problem
     and can be prevented by simply opening the Windows 95 properties
     box for DiskEase and ticking the 'Close on exit' option on the
     'Program' settings page.


Limitations of SHAREWARE version
--------------------------------

     In the shareware version:

          1. The number of scans that can be made and stored in the
             catalogue file is limited to 10. The registered version
             has a limit of 10,000.

          2. The 132 column modes can be tested (if your graphics card
             has them) but not used in normal program use.


Registration
------------

     To register, GO SWREG on Compuserve and enter the ID 11909
     The cost is $25 (US) for which you will receive via email a
     registration program that will upgrade both versions to the full
     versions.

     This method of registration means that if minor upgrades are
     released, these can be downloaded and upgraded using your
     existing registration program.


Revision History
----------------

V0.50 13/05/96

     First BETA version

V0.60 01/06/96

     Second BETA version

V1.00 15/06/96

     First release.

V1.01 18/10/96

     Bug fixed in Borland Pascal library code that would cause the
     program to crash at start up on a Pentium Pro 200 or faster
     machine.

     Bug fixed that would allow the delete key to be used in the
     Delete Scans window even when there were no scans left, causing
     the program to crash.

     Stack usage improved to allow up to 126 directory levels.
     Currently this is more than is possible due to the current DOS
     total path length maximum of 127 characters but will allow for
     scanning of Windows 95 long names/paths in future revisions.

     Error check added so that when the length of a complete path name
     could exceed the 127 character DOS limit (as can be created with
     Windows 95) a warning message is displayed. DiskEase displays this
     warning when the current path length plus an 8.3 file/directory
     name is greater than 127 characters. Previously a > 127 character
     path could cause DiskEase to report a path not found error, miss
     the deeper directories or even crash. The varying behaviour was
     due to DOS 7 having different capabilities when run in and out of
     Windows 95. For those interested: DOS 6 and DOS 7 (not within
     Windows 95) are happy with paths up to 127 characters (apart
     from CHDIR command and equivalent DOS call - 64 chars max), and
     DOS 7 within W95 will change to and return paths up to 255
     characters long !


Possible Future Improvements
----------------------------

     I am planning to write a Windows 95 version and have designed the
     scan file structure to accommodate Windows 95 long file names. At
     this stage I don't know whether it would be sensible to store all
     of the extended file information (which would need a revised scan
     file structure) as well because this would greatly increase the
     size of scan files.

     The current DOS version could be extended to store Windows 95 long
     file names (which may also involve long paths) as there are new
     function calls that DOS programs can use (when running in a DOS
     window under W95, not if raw DOS 7) to retrieve them.

     The facility to enter a list of exclusions (directories and/or files)
     before completing a scan comparison.

     Although you can change between multiple data directories in the
     current version it may be useful to have some functions to move
     scans between catalogue files and directories. At present you can
     move them manually, but you then have to rebuild affected catalogue
     files to keep them up to date.

     The facility of specifying a favourite list of drives for scanning
     to enable them to be scanned as a group.

     The facility to perform scans and compares via command line
     parameters (useful as part of a routine backup schedule).

     Other suggestions and/or votes for any of the above always welcome !


Contacting the author
---------------------

     Author: Simon Page


     Suggestions, comments and problems to:

     Email     : Compuserve 100407,2171

     Snail Mail: 1 Albert Villas,
                 Pean Hill,
                 Whitstable,
                 Kent,
                 CT5 3AY
                 United Kingdom.





