Contents

Click on one of the following Help sections:

What Does SHERLOCK Do?

Command Buttons

Menu Bar

Exit Help

For Help on Help, Press F1


What Does SHERLOCK Do?

SHERLOCK compares two ASCII files line by line and indicates when text in corresponding lines does not match.  You may then scroll either or both files past the mismatch to put them in sync and then continue.  SHERLOCK contains features for searching, jumping around the files, restarting, and copying lines to a printer.  SHERLOCK does not write to either file.

SHERLOCK displays multiple lines of each file in separate windows.  The line from each file that is being compared is in the center of the window and highlighted.  When the center lines in each window do not match, the color of the text changes.  If SHERLOCK was scanning, the scan would stop.

The name of the file is displayed in the frame of the window.  The number of the line in the center of the window is displayed to the left of the window.

SHERLOCK is designed as a tool for programmers, writers and workstation support personnel.  It is ideal for comparing program source files, AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, and text documents.

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Command Buttons

Click on a command button or a dotted boxed area for its description.  Commands with underscored letters can be executed in SHERLOCK by pressing ALT and the underscored letter.

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Menu Bar

Click on a topic to display its drop down menu.

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Files

Click on a menu item for the description.

File Names on Menu Below Exit

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Search

Click on a menu item for the description.

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Bookmark

Click on a menu item for the description.

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Go To Line

Click on a menu item for the description.

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Filter

Click on an item for its description.

An X in the box means that filter is selected.

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Configuration

SHERLOCK provides the capability to change its appearance and functionality to suit your personal requirements.  Try all of these to see the options available to customize it.

Click on a menu item for the description.

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Help

Click on a menu item for the description.

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Open File

Opens the Windows File Selection Window.  Two files may be opened at once if both files are in the same directory.  Click on one file name, then hold down the Ctrl Key and click on another file name.  Both will be marked.  Click Okay.  If the files go into the wrong window, use the Swap Windows command in this menu.


Swap Windows

Moves the file in the top window to the bottom window, and the file in the bottom window to the top window.  Both files will be set to line 1.


Print

Allows you to print lines from either or both files.  It has options to print just the current line, the whole file, or to specify a range by line numbers.  You can also select to print the file name and/or the line numbers.


Exit

Ends the execution of SHERLOCK,

Saves the current configuration, and

Closes the SHERLOCK window.


Text To Find

Enter or change the text to search for here.  A statement is made in the prompt window about the status of the sensitivity  when you enter search text from the keyboard.

If you have not entered any search text or have deleted it, you may skip this step and immediately select Search File 1 or Search File 2 and this prompt will automatically be activated.  F2 will also activate this prompt directly from the keyboard.


Search File 1

Initiates the search through file 1 from the line after the current line to the end of the file.  If search text has not been entered, an input window will open for entering the search text.  When a match is found, the line the match is located in will be displayed on the current line in the window, and a notice will be displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. If no match is found, a message window will be displayed.  F3 will also activate this command.


Search File 2

Initiates the search through file 2 from the line after the current line to the end of the file. If search text has not been entered, an input window will open for entering the search text.  When a match is found, the line the match is located in will be displayed on the current line in the window, and a notice will be displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. If no match is found, a message window will be displayed.  F4 will also activate this command.


Search Both

This command functions exactly like Search File 1 above except it performs the search on both files.  A message will state in which files it did not find a match.  Note.  Searching always begins at the line after the current line.  F5 will initiate this search.


Marked Text to Find

This command allows you to enter search text without typing it.  Before selecting this option, mark text in either SHERLOCK window by dragging the mouse over the text while holding down the left mouse button.  Then select this option or press Control C.  This text will be used as the search text when any of the search commands are used.  Note.  Text can only be selected from a single line.


Case Sensitive

Clicking on this item or pressing F6 toggles case sensitivity on and off.  A check in the menu line indicates sensitivity is on.  A statement is made about the status of the sensitivity in the prompt window when you enter search text from the keyboard.

This has no effect on the case sensitive attribute for comparing lines of text during scan, which is controlled by the Case Sensitive item in the Filter menu.


Display Buttons

This toggles the search display buttons on and off.  The search display buttons are another way of initiating a search.  When toggled on, two buttons are displayed between the Home and End buttons on the right.  The bottom buttons work just like F3 and F4.  The top buttons do also, except they search toward the top of the file starting at the line above current line.  Use this command to toggle them on and off to locate them.


Go to...

A list of all the bookmarks you have set for both files is displayed with their name and line number.  Click on the one you want.  You may select a bookmark from one or both files.  If you have not set any bookmarks, a message will appear.  F7 will also activate this prompt directly from the keyboard.


Set Bookmark

This sets a bookmark for the chosen file at the current line that will allow you to quickly return to this line later.  You may give the bookmark a 12 character name, but you do not have to.  The name can have imbedded spaces.  SHERLOCK will always assign the line number automatically, and right justify the line number.  When you select Go to... to go to a bookmark, the list of names and line numbers will be displayed for you to select one.  You may also delete a bookmark from this window.

F11 and F12 activates this prompt for file 1 and file 2 respectively.


Go to Line in File

You are prompted to enter the number of the line to go to in the selected file.  SHERLOCK will make this the current line.


Go to Line in Both

You are prompted to enter the number of the line to go to in both files.  SHERLOCK will make these lines current.


Display Of During Scan
Display Off During Scan

The purpose of this function is to speed the operation of SHERLOCK.  With scan on, every line will be displayed as SHERLOCK scans through both files.  With scan off, the window will go blank until the scan is completed.  This can also be toggled with F7.


Number of Text Lines

The text display windows can have an odd number of lines from 1 to 11.  Set the number with this command.


Set Text Line Width

The width of the window can be set from 20 to 70.  This approximates the number of characters and will vary with font type and size.


Lines Under Text

Horizontal lines between lines of text in the display windows is optional.  This is a personal preference item.  Try it to determine your preference.


Select Colors

Select the colors for each component of the SHERLOCK screen using the standard Windows colors.


Select Font

Select the fonts for each component of the SHERLOCK screen using a subset of the standard Windows fonts.  Fonts outside this range do not fit in the display window lines and would get chopped off.


SHERLOCK Help Contents

This activates SHERLOCK Help


Help on Help

This activates the Windows Help that explains how to use Windows Help files.  SHERLOCK Help and SHERLOCK Tutor operate like a Windows Help file.


About


Case Sensitive Compare

If this box is NOT checked, SHERLOCK will ignore case when doing a compare.

This has no effect on the case sensitive attribute of Search which is controlled by the Case Sensitive item in the Search menu.


Ignore Leading Spaces

When this is checked SHERLOCK will ignore leading spaces when it compares the lines.  SHERLOCK always ignores trailing spaces.


Ignore All Spaces

When this is checked SHERLOCK will ignore all (leading and imbedded) spaces when it compares the lines.


Ignore All Tabs

When this is checked SHERLOCK will ignore all tabs when it compares the lines.


Current Line

The current line is the line in the center of each window and is highlighted.  The current line in the top window is compared to the current line in the bottom window to determine if the lines match.


File Names on Menu Below Exit

The names of the 10 previously opened files are listed below the menu item "Exit."  Click on one to open it.  The first name you click on after starting SHERLOCK will be placed in the top window.  The second name will go into the bottom window.  If you click on names from this list after that, SHERLOCK will ask what window to place the file in.


Home

This will return the file to its beginning.


End of Document

This will advance the file to the end. The phrase "- end of file -" will be displayed in the bottom line of the window when the end of file is reached, unless you have configured single line windows.


Position Document in Window

Use the slider to position the document in the window. Click on the top or bottom arrows of the slider to move one line.


Scan Up

The file in the window selected is compared line by line to the current line in the other window until the lines match. The scan proceeds from the start position to the beginning of the selected file.


Scan Down

The file in the window selected is compared line by line to the current line in the other window until the lines match. The scan proceeds from the start position to the end of the selected file.


Search Up

Initiates the search in the window selected from the line before the current line towards the beginning of the document.

All search buttons can be hidden with the menu item Display Buttons in the Search menu.


Search Down

Initiates the search in the window selected from the line after the current line towards the end of the document.

All search buttons can be hidden with the menu item Display Buttons in the Search menu.


Set Scan Direction Up

This button performs two functions:

1.	It sets the direction of the scan for comparing both files toward the beginning of the files.

2.	It advances both files one line towards the beginning of the files and does a compare.


Set Scan Direction Down

This button performs two functions:

1.	It sets the direction of the scan for comparing both files toward the end of the files.

2.	It advances both files one line towards the end of the files and does a compare.


Top of Both Documents

Resets both files to the first line in the file.


End of Both Documents

Resets both files to the last line in the file.


Start or Stop Compare

Click on the Scan button to start a continuous scan and compare.  Each file will be advanced one line in the scan direction indicated by the radio buttons below it, then the current lines will be compared.  If the lines are equal, the scan will continue, otherwise the scan will stop.

Click on this button again to stop the scan.  The scan will automatically stop when the end of either file is reached.  The phrase "- end of file -" will be displayed in the bottom line of the window when the end of file is reached, unless you have configured single line windows.


Shift View Right

Each click on this button will shift the displayed lines 20 characters to the left in both windows, i.e., your view of the document is shifted to the right.  The number to the left of this button indicates the character position of the leftmost character displayed in the window.  Both windows stay in horizontal synchronization, so as soon as one window is scrolled, both will be aligned to the beginning of the line.


Shift View Left

Each click on this button will shift the displayed lines 20 characters to the right in both windows, i.e., your view of the document is shifted to the left.  This button does not function when the leftmost character in the window is the first character in the line.  The number to the right of this button indicates the character position of the leftmost character displayed in the window.


Scan Direction Indicator

Click on the radio button to indicate the direction you want to scan the next time you press the Scan button.


Shift Position Indicator

This number indicates the character position of the leftmost character displayed in the window.


Tutorial

Starts the SHERLOCK tutorial. The tutorial quickly demonstrates all of the basic SHERLOCK functions. It is the best way to become familiar with the features of SHERLOCK.

When the tutorial is selected, the SHERLOCK window is resized so the entire window will be visible when the tutorial runs. The tutorial is placed to the right of the SHERLOCK window.


Reset SHERLOCK after Tutorial

After you exit the tutorial, return to the Help menu and click on this item to restore the before tutorial parameters and window size.


Shareware Registration

This window gives a brief explanation of the Shareware principle and SHERLOCK registration information. From this screen you may print the registration form on a printer or to an ASCII file for emailing it.