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Conference hydra::amiga_v1

Title:AMIGA NOTES
Notice:Join us in the *NEW* conference - HYDRA::AMIGA_V2
Moderator:HYDRA::MOORE
Created:Sat Apr 26 1986
Last Modified:Wed Feb 05 1992
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5378
Total number of notes:38326

1263.0. "Directory Utility #9999...." by HOUSE::FRACTAL () Mon Mar 21 1988 02:17

    
    
    Hi there. Over the past 2 years, most workbench screens seem to have been
    possessed by some type of Directory Utility. Since last year, I
    think I have seen 25 dirutils. I was wondering if maybe we could
    dedicate this note to reviewing a few.
    
    Here are the utils that I have seen.
    
    DirUtil2 -Workbench based window, no customization, built in type
    command, requires run command in ram: assigned as C: approx 30000K
    
    DiskMan1.0a - Separate Screen, 2 windows, 8 customizable gadgets,
    built in type, hires, ARC and Zoo options requires lots of memory.
    Approx 50000K
    
    CliWizard - Separate Screen, 1 flippable window, approx 30 customizable
    gadgets, med-res, arc, sound, play, approx 70000K
    
    Jobs4B - Incredible, Workbench Window, 1 flippable window, well
    over 150 (yes that's right) customizable gadgets, patterns, sorting
    by date,name or size, all devices including VD0:, CLI submission,
    parameters. approx 45000K. Low memory required. Practically useless
    with one drive.
    
    Have you seen: Menurunner, hermes25, dirplus, dirmaster1.0b, Logger,
    Leon Leader's DU1.4, DirUtil6, M2DU29.arc (I have just seen the
    arc on MSS), dir5util, DU-VI.arc, and DUX2.arc
    
    
    
    Thanks for any input,
    
    -ph




    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1263.1FORTY2::MCCARTNEYColin McCartney, MB DevelopmentMon Mar 21 1988 08:1816
    > DirUtil2 -Workbench based window, no customization, built in type
    > command, requires run command in ram: assigned as C: approx 30000K
    
    > DiskMan1.0a - Separate Screen, 2 windows, 8 customizable gadgets,
    > built in type, hires, ARC and Zoo options requires lots of memory.
    > Approx 50000K
    
    > CliWizard - Separate Screen, 1 flippable window, approx 30 customizable
    > gadgets, med-res, arc, sound, play, approx 70000K

    Hope you don't actually mean 30000, 50000 and 70000 K (i.e KILOBYTES)
    or they will never fit on my little 512 K A500 :-).

    Colin
    
    
1263.2CLIMATEWJG::GUINEAUDo you know we exist?Mon Mar 21 1988 12:386

Add CLIMATE from SUPRA.  I'm a CLI hacker so I don't use the dirutils
much - otherwise I'd describe CLIMATE :-)

John
1263.3Zing! and CLImateHYSTER::DEARBORNTrouvez MieuxMon Mar 21 1988 19:1534
    ...and Zing!  Zing! is OK, but is slow.  It also creates a lot of
    .zing files in all your directories.  These are an attempt to speed
    up disk access times when loading directories.  CLImate does the
    same thing with their .fastdir files.
    
    Zing! lets you use a mouse, or function keys for most functions.
    They also use several of their own functions in the C directory,
    so much so that no room is left for anything else on the Workbench
    disk.
    
    I find I use CLImate now, instead.  It seems faster to use, but
    has some limitations.  The print command has never worked right
    for me.  It does strange things like adding an additional form feed
    between pages of text that are improperly formated.  One nice thing
    it does tho...when you use CLImate to format a disk, it creates
    a nice little disk icon with the 'double check' logo on it that
    is the same size as the default icon.  I have now copied this new
    icon onto all my disks (including an entry in my startup-sequence
    that copies it into the ram disk too.)
    
    It would be nice if CLImate multi-tasked a little better.  Copying
    a number of files, or doing other time intensive operations produce
    the little thinking cloud...meaning you have to wait until the function
    is done before you can do anything else.  Other than that, it is
    in a window that can be pushed to the back, allowing to get to other
    programs...as long as CLImate isn't actually doing anything at the
    time.
    
    On CLImate, it will recognize DH0: and DH1: but no others...so if
    your hard disk is partitioned into more than two areas, it will
    ignore them.  I don't remember how well Zing! handles this.
    
    Randy
    
1263.4Oops...HOUSE::FRACTALTue Mar 22 1988 01:1013
     Re: .1
    
    Yup, you are correct. They are in bytes not kilobytes.
    
     Re: others
    
    Thanks, for the info.
    
    Does either CLImate or Zing! assist in arcing files? also can they
    run stuff without the run command in ram:?
    
    
    -ph
1263.5HYSTER::DEARBORNTrouvez MieuxTue Mar 22 1988 13:084
    Neither one can ARC.  Zing! can run batch programs, but I've never
    used that feature.  It always seemed easier to just open a newcli
    and do it there.
    
1263.6ARC & DiskWizWAV12::HICKSTim Hicks @BXOTue Mar 22 1988 16:267
    Disk Wizard has a gadget for ARC, but you must have ARC in you're
    ram:c to use it.  BTW, although I really like Disk Wizard, I never
    use any of the external commands (ARC, ED, FORMAT, SHOW, etc.) as
    this invariably freezes the Disk Wizard's screen (ie no more use,
    must reboot to get rid of it).  Has anyone else had this experience?
    
    I still find Disk Wiz very useful (and no hi-res flicker).
1263.7CLI-Wiz 1.2WAV12::HICKSTim Hicks @BXOFri Mar 25 1988 11:2420
    Re: .6
    
    I don't know where I got the name "Disk Wizard" from. The utility
    I'm referring to is CLI Wizard.  But you guessed that, didn't you?
    
    I just downloaded version 1.2 of CLI-wiz form Plink, and the problems
    I referred to in note .6 have been fixed.  It really is a very well
    done piece.  PAK, Show, Sound, etc. are all part of the
    "non-customizable" gadgets, and Arc includes arc list, which displays
    in a separate window on the Wiz screen.  You can use any favorite
    file reader ie. More, Less, etc.  You can mercifully turn off the
    sounds (I get rather tired of hearing a gunshot every time I delete
    a file).  As was mentioned before, 24 custom gadgets (2 X 12 sets).
    
    The author notes that this will be the last shareware version, and
    that updates will be free to registered users.  At $15 its very
    nice program.  If you're not religious yet about a DOS utility,
    give it a try.
    
    
1263.8Make mine DiskmanLEDS::ACCIARDIFri Mar 25 1988 11:4217
    I dunno, I'm still very partial to Diskman (you know, the memory
    hog that runs on a 16 color 640 x 400 custom screen).
    
    With 48 lines of text displayed, you can usually scan entire
    directories without scrolling.
    
    Another slick feature (undocumented; wait, maybe it's a bug?) is
    that after performing a hard disk backup using any utility that
    sets the file's archive bit, the file name is tinted a light green
    instead of being displayed in white characters.  After doing a full
    disk backup, I can recognize all new files in seconds for selective
    backups.
    
    Diskman also supports configurable gadgets, built-in ARC and Zoo
    menus, etc.
    
    Ed.
1263.9Mine, too.SOFTY::HEFFELFINGERGive my body to science fiction.Sat Mar 26 1988 01:0514
    Yeah, I prefer Diskman as well.  Ed, any idea which version you're
    running?  I just checked, (love that multi-tasking) and I'm running
    version 2.0.  Anything newer?   
    
    I especially love the fact that I can have 2 directories on the
    screen at the same time.  The older dirutils and the afforementioned
    Wizard only show you one directory.  I'm willing to settle for fewer
    buttons so I can see more of my disk.
    
    The default colors are dreadful though.   The author should've
    made the colors as configurable as the rest of the program.
    
    Gary
    
1263.10DiskMan 2.0LEDS::ACCIARDISat Mar 26 1988 03:515
    I'm using DiskMan v2.0.  I haven't seen any later versions, but
    I scan the Plink libraries every few days on the lookout for newer
    versions of my favorite goodies.
    
    Ed.
1263.11Use POPCOLOURSEAYV01::THOMSONC'mon, git aff! /The Kelty ClippieSat Mar 26 1988 12:036
    re .9
    I agree whith your comment on the colours but I use POPCOLOURS and
    reconfigure them when I use Diskman. Makes it 10 times easier to
    use.
    
    				Alan T.
1263.12 HOUSE::FRACTALSat Mar 26 1988 22:218
    
    Looks like Diskman is a favorite. Is 2.0 on the net?
    
    
    
    thanks,
    
    -ph
1263.13LEDS::ACCIARDISun Mar 27 1988 00:553
    DiskMan 2.0 is in MVCAD3::USER0:[AMIGA.ARC]
    
    Ed.
1263.14DiskMan blues?LOWLIF::DAVISThat's not a BUG, it's a FEATURE!Sun Mar 27 1988 06:3912
While we're talking about DiskMan... I agree, it is the best CLI utility I've
seen so far.  Though I usually hack away through CLI, this utility is great
for compiling new disks to share with friends.  Beats typing umpteen-million
COPY commands.

Question:  Have any of you had DiskMan freak out on you?  I just started using
it this weekend, and twice today it died.  I mean real bad!  My screen jumped
around and the disk drive came on and started grinding (yuck!).  Once, my
printer even started printing a bunch of garbage.  Both times I was copying
files from RAM: to a disk in DF0:

			...richard_who_doesnt_like_grinding_disk_drives
1263.15SOFTY::HEFFELFINGERGive my body to science fiction.Sun Mar 27 1988 22:1316
1263.16 HOUSE::FRACTALWed Apr 13 1988 03:117
    
    Just downloaded DU-VI. Very nice, especially when used in conjunction
    with iconify.
    
    Thanks for the info guys,
    -ph
    
1263.17Disk-Man to the rescue!WAV12::HICKSTim Hicks @BXOMon May 02 1988 15:0810
    Since writing note .6 & .7, I've done an abrupt about face.  One
    weekend I accidentally scratched a diskette, and began the grim
    task of rebuilding its contents.  CLI-Wizard froze-up and/or guru-ed
    on me enough times that I finally swore it off like a reformed
    alcoholic.  In desperation I started up Disk-Man, and I've run it
    almost constantly since then.  What a great utility!  With a 1meg
    A500, two diskettes and Disk-Man, I'm all set!  (I try to avoid
    looking at ads for hard drives, though.)
    
    Question:  Is version 2.0 still the most current version of Disk-Man?
1263.18LOWLIF::DAVISThat's not a BUG, it's a FEATURE!Tue May 03 1988 03:373
DiskMan 2.0 is what I'm still using...

					...richard