Save Procedure

                Save Procedures

 To save a description:

1.Choose the file first. If you entered the description or keywords first , use Save   As.

    a.Choose the drive by clicking on it in the Drives List Box.

    b.Select a directory by clicking one in the Directory List Box.

    c.Select the file you want in the File List Box.

 2.Click the mouse in the Description Box.

    a.(OPTIONAL)Write the description of the file (up to 256 total letters and spaces)

       using the  keyboard, or by cutting and pasting from the file opened in a word

       processor like  Notepad.  See:Edit Procedures

 3.Use the Tab Key to move to the Keyword Boxes or Click in any of the

    Keyword Edit Boxes.

    a.Enter a keyword of your choice(up to 32 total letters and spaces).

    b.Use Tab Key to move to the next box.

    c.Repeat step 3a, filling all four Keyword Edit Boxes if desired. Only one keyword is

       required.

 4.Select Save from the "Descriptions" menu or click the "Save Description" Button in the

    Main window to save. When saved, an asterisk will appear in the Files List Box.


             Save As Procedure

 Using Save As Dialog Box:

 1. If you have already typed in the description and keywords and have not chosen

     the correct directory and file name in the Directory and File List Boxes,

     choose "Save As" from the  Descriptions menu.

 2. The  Save As Dialog Box will appear.

       a. Using the "Drive, Directory, and File List Boxes" below the dialog, select the Path

           and file name you want for the discription you have just written.

       b. When the names for Path and FileName are correct in the Dialog box, click the

           "Save" Button or hit ENTER.

Also See:

                 Save Procedure


            Main Window Procedure

 Using the Main window:

     1. The current  description you  are working on is shown in two places;

          above the "Description Edit Box", and to the right of the "File List Box".

     2. Select a Drive:

         a.Choose the disk drive you want by clicking on the letter of the drive

            you want in the "Drive List Box".

     3.Select a Directory:

         a. Click the directory you want in the "Directory List Box". If the directory

             has any subdirectories, the label [ Has SubDirectories] will appear

             below the directory you chose.

         b. To see these subdirectories, double click on the directory name you

             originally selected.

         c. You can continue clicking or double clicking as necessary to get to

              the subdirectory level you desire. The "Selected Path" and "Selected File"

              static texts will always reflect your choices.

         d. To go backwards up the subdirectory chain, double click on the [..]

             symbol at the top of the list.

     4.Select a File:

         a. Once the directory is found, choose the file you want by clicking on it in the

             "File List Box". The file has a description if there is a asterisk next to the name

             in the "File List Box".

         b. To view the description associated with the path and file name you

             have selected, double click the name in the "File List Box" or click the

             "Open Description" Button.

         c. You may view other descriptions in the same directory by double

             clicking on them.


                         Modify Procedure

    Modifying a Description:

       1. Once a description has been saved it can be modified.

       2. Select the description and view it. See: Main Window Procedure

       3. Make any changes desired to the description or  keywords by typing or

           copying and pasting from the original document.

       4. Select "Modify" from the "Descriptions" Menu.

       5. A Message Box will appear telling you that the description was modified.


                 Copy Procedure

     Copying a description:

     NOTE: Copying a description makes a duplicate description under a new file name.

                If a description becomes lost see  Unassociated Descriptions.

     1. Choose the description you want to copy. The description text does not have

          to be visible.

     2. Select "Copy" from the "Descriptions" menu.

     Copy Descriptions Dialog Box:

     1. The file path and name you selected to copy should appear in the From: side

         of the dialog box.

     2. Use the Drive,Directory and File List Boxes to select the destination (path and file name) of

         the new copy which will appear on the To: side of the dialog box.

     3. When both From: and To: are correct, click the "Copy" button or hit ENTER.

      Also see :

                        Move Procedure


           Unassociated Descriptions

    Definition:

       Unassociated Descriptions are descriptions which have no file associated with

    them. They were originally created with a file name and then the file itself was

    deleted or moved to another directory. The original description exists in the data

    base under a file name and path that no longer exists or was moved to another

    directory.In effect, it's a lost description.

    Accessing Unassociated Descriptions:

       They can be viewed, moved to a valid file name(a file that exists on your hard drive),

    or deleted by selecting the "Validate Data" Submenu of the "Search" Menu and then

    Clicking  the "Validate" Button.  After a search, Unassociated Descriptions will be

    listed in the Unassociated Descriptions Found Dialog Box and can be moved or deleted from this dialog.


Unassociated Dialog Box

      Unassociated Descriptions Found Dialog Box

Using:

1. To select and view a description, click on the file name you want in the list box.

2. To delete the selected file, click the "Delete" Button.

    a. A message box will ask you to reaffirm your decision. Choose "OK".

3. To move the unassociated description to another directory click the "Move" Button

     and follow the procedures in the Move Descriptions Dialog Box.

4. To find other files with the same file name (the location you might have moved

   the file too), select the unassociated file and display its description.

   a. Click the "Find Files" button. The "Search by File Name " dialog box will appear.

        After setting the file search parameters you desire, click the "Search"

        button. The "Files Matching Unassociated Description"

        dialog will contain all files with the same file name.

   b. Moving the unassociated description to the found file name is accomplished by:

        1. Clicking the "Move button".

        2. Select the destination by clicking on

            your choice in the "Files Matching

            Unassociated Description" dialog box.

        3. Clicking the "Move"  Button in the "Move

            Description" dialog box.


        Move Procedure

 Moving Descriptions:

 1. Select the description you want to move using the Directory and File List Boxes.

 2. Choose "Move" from the "Descriptions" Menu;

 3. The Move Descriptions Dialog Box will appear.

      a. The chosen path and file name of the one you want to move will be in the "From:" side of the dialog box.

      b. Use the Drive, Directory, and File List Boxes to choose the destination directory and

          file name in the "To:" side of the dialog box.

 4. When both sides of the dialog box are correct, click on the "Move" Button.

 To move all descriptions in a directory See:

                                                                       Directories Procedures


                  Delete Procedure

  Deleting a Description:

  1. Select the description using the Directory and File List Boxes.

  2. Select "Delete" from the "Descriptions" Menu.

  3. The Delete Description Dialog Box appears.

       a. If the path and file names are correct, click on Delete or hit ENTER.

  4. A message box will appear and ask you to reaffirm your choice.

      a. Click "OK".

  5. An asterisk will be removed from the file name you chose in the File List

      Box.

To delete all descriptions in a directory see:

                                                                           Directories Procedure


            Directories Procedures

Deleting a directory of descriptions:

1. Select the directory of descriptions to delete by using the Directory List Box.

2. Select "Directories" from the "Descriptions" Menu

     a. Select "Delete" from the popup submenu.

3. The Delete Directories Dialog Box appears.

     a. Verify that the directory you chose is correct.

     b. Click the "Delete Button".

     c. A message box will ask you to reaffirm your decision. Click the "YES" Button.

Copying a directory of Descriptions:

1. Do operations 1 and 2 only above.

2. Select Copy from the popup submenu.

3. The Copy Directories Dialog Box appears.

     a. Verify that the From: directory is correct.

     b. Use the Drive and Directory List Box to set the To: path (the destination of the copies).

4. Click on the "Copy" Button.

     a.Messages may appear about file names and the status of the copying. If a

        description exists in the From: directory and not the file in the To: directory it will

        not be copied.You might need to write down any pertinent file names of

        descriptions that were NOT copied. A subsequent deletion of all descriptions

        in the From: directory will cause the descriptions to be lost.

Moving Directories:

   COPY the files to the new directory using a utility or Windows File Manager,

copy the directory of descriptions to the new directory following the steps above and

lastly delete the original directory.


                  Configure Tools Procedure

Tools may be almost any Windows application. examples: Paint Brush, AmiPro,Microsoft Word. DESCRIBE IT automatically runs the last file you have

selected with the Directory and File List Boxes.

To Add a new Tool:

1. Select the "Tools" submenu of the "Configure" Menu.

Configure Tools Dialog:

2. Click the Add Button.

    a. Fill in the Menu Entry Edit Box with the name you want to appear as a submenu

        of the Tools Menu.

    b. Type the full path and file name of the application you want to run from this

        menu. A Windows PIF file will also work.

3. Click the "OK" Button and the new tool will be added to the Tools Menu.

NOTE: A maximum of ten tools are allowed.  Windows NotePad, the first "Tool "

           Submenu, is hard wired into DESCRIBE IT (permanent).

To Delete a Tool:

4. Follow step one above.

5. Select with your mouse the tool to delete in the Current Tools List Box.

6. Click the "OK" Button.

NOTE: After deleting a tool DESCRIBE IT rearranges the "Tools" Menu.


Cut,Copy,Paste, and Delete Procedures

                       Edit Procedures

 Using the Cut,Copy,Paste and Delete Menus:

  The Cut ,Copy,Paste and Delete commands are standard and similar in almost

      all Windows applications.

  2. You can minimize DESCRIBE IT, open the application and document you are

      describing, copy a piece of text to the clipboard, restore DESCRIBE IT, and paste

      the text into your description.

   TIP:

           If you use an application often to view files(almost any application), it can be

           added to the Tools Menu and be activated with one click.

           See: Configure Tools Procedure


Configure Icons

                    Configure Icon Procedures

 Changing the icon on minimize:

1. You may configure the icon that DESCRIBE IT displays when it is minimized by

     selecting Icon from the Configure Menu.

 Icon Configure Dialog Box:

1. Click the "Standard Icon on Minimize" check box to display a normal icon at

    the  bottom of the screen.

2. Click the "Icon with Last Chosen..." check box to display a special icon with

    the last chosen path and file name at one of three locations.

    a. The three possible locations are displayed graphically. Click the check box

        which works best for you.

3. Click the "OK" Button.

Tip: With this feature enabled, when you switch away from DESCRIBE IT the file name

       that you found after a search is displayed in the icon for reference.

               See: Tools Procedure

                   Configure Tools


      Configure Start Up Procedure

Configuring DESCRIBE IT when it starts:

1. Select the "Configure" Menu from the main menus.

2. Select "Start Up" from the submenu.

3. Click the "Drive and Directory" submenu.

Drive and Directory Dialog Box:

4. When Describe It starts up you can choose the drive and directory that it

    displays first.

    a. Click on the drive you want in the "Choose Start Up Drive:" Combo Box.

    b. Click on the directory of your choice in the "Choose Start Up Directory:" List

        Box. Subdirectories are not available.

    c. Click the mouse on the "Set" Button.

Minimize on Start Up

5. If you want Describe It to always start minimized click in the check box.

 Validate Data Base Submenu Item:

5. Click on the "Validate Data Base" Menu to set a check. This will cause DESCRIBE IT

    to Validate the Data Base every time the program starts.See:

                                                                              Search Validate Procedure

                                                                              Unassociated Descriptions


               Search by File Procedure

Finding a file by file name:

1. Select the "Search" Menu from the main menus.

2. Select the "File Name" submenu.

Search by File Name Dialog Box:

3.Select the drives you want to search by clicking in the "Drives" list box or by

    clicking the search all drives check box.

4.Type in the file name, root ,or extention you're looking for in the "Enter File Name"

    Edit box. The Edit box accepts DOS search wildcard characters" * ", " . ", and

    " ? ". example:  read*.*

5. When correct, click the "Search" Button or hit ENTER.

6. If files are found, the Files Found Dialog will be displayed.


               Search by Keyword Procedure

Finding a file by Keyword:

1. Select the "Search" Menu from the main menus.

2. Select the "Key Words" submenu.

Search for Descriptions by Keywords Dialog Box:

3. Select the drive you want to search by clicking on the drive letter in the "Select

   One Drive" list box.

4. Type in from one to four keywords in the "Enter from 1 to 4 Key Words" edit

    boxes. Jump between edit boxes with the Tab key.

5. When correct, click the "Search" button or hit ENTER.

6. Found descriptions will be listed in the Descriptions Found Dialog.

 Tip : Keywords should be short unique text that you will remember.You can use up to

         a total of 32 characters and spaces for a keyword.


                 Tools Procedures

Tools Menu:

   Tools are Windows applications that can be added to this menu. You can

add almost any Windows executable up to a total of ten to the menu. When

DESCRIBE IT starts the application, it sends along the directory and file name

you currently have selected in the "Directory and Files List Boxes" as a

command line argument . Examples of tools are NotePad(permanent),AmiPro

for Windows,Paint Brush. DOS executables can be run by specifying a Pif file.

To Add and Delete Tools See:   Configure Tools

Using Tools.

1. Once a tool is installed, select the file you want to run with the "Directory

    and Files List Boxes".

    a. Select "Tools" from the main menu.

    b. Click on the tool you want to use. DESCRIBE IT will start the application

        and run the selected file.

NOTE: Most Windows executables that don't take command line arguments

           seem to run fine, but there are exceptions.


           Quick Start

See : Introduction

Make a Description:

                       See: Save Procedure and Main Window

Using Descriptions:

                       See: Introduction

 Finding Files:

                       See: Search by File Name

                               Search by Keyword


            Introduction

                                             "WHEN YOU FILE IT, DESCRIBE IT"

   Describe It :

  Describe It is a fast and easy way to keep track of all your files on multiple hard drives by category and topic. By associating keywords with individual files, you can find them quickly without remembering their DOS file name. By using the same keyword for multiple files,you can place files in groups. With Describe It you can enter up to 4 keywords (32 characters long each) and a 256 character description for each file. The description and keywords are kept in a proprietary data base. You can display the description, search for the keywords associated with a file, search for a file by file name using DOS wildcards, and when you REGISTER Describe It, view the keywords as an index. Once you have found the file, it may be viewed from inside Describe It by using the tool menu to launch any one of up to 9 windows programs that you have installed on your system, such as AmiPro,WordPerfect for Windows, Excel, etc.

   The best feature of Describe It is your ability to place groups of files in categories.Suppose you have lots of correspondence with one client, the Smith Company. The first keyword for all letters to them could be "Smith Co".The second keyword for a letter could be the person you wrote to,"John Smith". The third keyword for this letter could be the month you wrote it in, "April93". The last keyword could be the subject of this letter,"hard drives".

     Three months later you're looking for the file containing the letter you sent to Smith Co. but you can't remember the name of the file. Using a keyword search in Describe It  for "Smith.Co" will list all files concerning the Smith Company. You remember the letter was about hard drives. A keyword search for "hard drives" will turn up any letters regarding this subject. Using the keywords as categories can save time and effort in finding files, and grouping files by keyword will create many new possibilities. Finding all the files on your machine concerning Smith Company to give to a co-worker will be a snap.

Descriptions:

  Use the description text for any information useful to you in determining the identity of a specific file. Your descriptions should be concise and contain information unique to the file.Alternately, use the text for any useful information,notes about the file, people you sent a copy to. Use Describe It to track e-mail messages. ANYTHING! You can use Windows clipboard to copy sections of text from a document to the description in Describe It. The description is displayed within the Descriptions Edit Box.

Keywords:

  Any unique 32 character statement can be used as a keyword. Spaces or hypenation can be used in a keyword. You can personalize them or use more generally reconizeable words if your computer files need to be found by others.

  Use the keywords to categorize the file. The first keyword for all files concerning a subject, project, etc. could be the same, followed by three other keywords, each getting more specific. A search for the first keyword will turn up all the files on this subject,facilitating transfer to a co-worker. Describe It finds all files for a search of up to four keywords at one time.

The Files You Describe:

  You can write a description about any type of file. For example, graphics files can be described and categorized by keywords, facilitating quick search and retrieval, and avoiding the long process of opening a graphics application and displaying each file you think might be the one "with the unicorn". Having used "unicorn" as a keyword would save you time.

  With Describe It, no file will ever be displaced or lost. When it's time to make space on your hard drive, Describe It will identify your files with a click of the mouse . Scan the files in a directory for descriptions, view them, and make your decisions on which files stay or go. Programers can distinguish one version of a file from another.

Features:

  1.Tools allow you to view files from within Describe It. You can add up to 9

     different windows executables to the "Tools" menu. When a tool is clicked the execut-

     able launches with the last file name you chose in the Main Window.

  2. The Describe It icon may be configured so that when you minimize Describe It

      an extra icon-like box appears with the file name of the last selected file in it.

  3. Searches by file name can be conducted using DOS wildcards.

  4. Searches by keyword can be conducted for up to 4 keywords at one time.

  5. Describe It will start up in a drive or directory of your choice.

  6. You can configure Describe It to validate its data base on start up. Validate

       means to find any descriptions whose original file has been moved or

       deleted.

  7. When you REGISTER Describe It, you can scan a alphabetical list of keywords

       for each drive. This helps if you forgot a keyword.

NOTE: Describe It can not affect any of your files. It does NOT attach its data to the file but keeps it's own data base in it's own directory.


         Search Validate Procedures

Validation of the Data Base:

   When you move or delete a file and have a description written for that file, the

description becomes unassociated. See Unassociated Descriptions

To Manually Validate the Data Base:

1. Click on the "Search" menu in the main menus.

2. Click the  "Validate Data Base" submenu.

Validate Data Base Dialog Box:

3. The first time you do this, read the text in the dialog.

4. Click the "Validate" Button.

5. If any unassociated descriptions are found they will be listed in the

    Unassociated Descriptions Dialog Box where you can

    delete or move them to other directories.

NOTE: The validation of the data base may be done automatically when the

            program starts up each time.See Configure Start Up


         Files Found and Descriptions Found Dialogs

Both Dialogs Work Identically:

To Display the Description:

1.If the file has a description an asterisk will be next to the file name.

    a. Click the description you want to see in the big file list box.

To Go Back and Search Again:

1.Click the "Repeat Search" Button.

To Modify the Description Displayed:

1. Make the text modifications to the description and key words by typing.

2. Click the "Modify" Button. A message box will tell you whether the modification

    was sucessful or not.

To Copy a Description:

1. Select the description to be copied by clicking on it.

2. Click the "Copy" Button.

3. The Copy Description Dialog Boxwill appear.

To Delete a Description:

1. Select the description to be deleted by clicking on it.

2. Click the "Delete" Button.

3. A message box will ask you to reaffirm you decision. Click "YES".

To Move a Description:

1. Select the description to be moved by clicking on it.

2. Click the "Move" Button.

3. The Move Description Dialog Box will appear.


Index

                             DESCRIBE IT Index

Introduction

Quick Start

Configure Drives Dialog

Configure Icons

Configure Start Up

Configure Tools

Copy Description

Delete Description

Descriptions Found Dialog

Directories of Descriptions

Edit Descriptions

Files Found Dialog

Main Window

Modify Description

Move Description

Save Description

Save As Description

Search by Index of Keywords(only if you REGISTER)

Search by File Name

Search by Keyword

Search Validate Procedure

Tools Procedures

Unassociated Descriptions

Unassociated Found Dialog


Index of KeyWords

                              Index of KeyWords Dialog

  Using the Dialog:

  When you click on the "Index of Key Words" submenu under the Search

 menu this dialog appears. All keywords for the drive you select will be

alphabetically listed.

1. Select the drive you want to examine by clicking the

    letter in the "Drives:" List Box.

2. All keywords for this drive are displayed in the

    "Indexed Keywords;" List Box.

3. To view the description for any keyword just click on

    the keyword.

4. Once the you have found the correct file it may be

    viewed by clicking the appropriate tool in the tools

    menu.

5. You may change the drive to search at any time by

    clicking again in the "Drives:" List Box.


Configure Drives

                               Configure Drives Procedure

Configuring the drives visible to Describe It:

Choose the "Drives" Submenu from the Main Menu "Configure".

   1. The "Configure Drives" Dialog box will appear.

        a. In the drives list box choose any drives that you don't want

             Describe It to be able to access. Once this drive is highlighted

             the drive letter will not show up in any Combo or List box in

             Describe It. It will be invisible to Describe It

        b. Click the "Configure" button.

        c. The change you have made will not take effect until Describe

             It has been closed and restarted.

 Tips:  Select any drive that has removable media such as CD ROM drives

            to be invisible. If the disk in a CD ROM is changed all the files you made

            descriptions for will become unassociated.

            Select any drive that you don't want to use.

Special Note. Describe It has not been tested on any type of network. Its

                           ability to see and access drives is not known.