File-Ex (tm) 95, version 2.0 : File Dialog Extensions --------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 1996 by Cottonwood Software All Rights Reserved Thank you for trying File-Ex! File-Ex adds file management functions like Find, Copy, Delete, Rename, and MakeDir to the Open and Save dialogs of most Windows applications automatically (any that use the Windows common dialogs in COMMDLG.DLL), and can be trained to work with almost any other program. If you have just installed File-Ex and are reading this from the Notepad program, try it out now by selecting File from the menu, then Open. You should see the 'recent...' lists at the bottom of the Open dialog. If you need help, click the 'File-Ex' button, and then the Help button from that dialog. File-Ex runs as a taskbar tray icon in Windows 95 -- you should see a small File-Ex icon at the far right of the taskbar. Right- click on this for the main menu, or double-click on it to bring up a dialog with configuration, help, & option functions. Enjoy! ================================================================= Notes on the File-Ex 95 v2.0 Beta Release ================================================================= As with any beta software (and many 'released' programs), you may encounter program bugs using File-Ex. These can be anywhere from a spelling error to a system crash. We recommend that you save your work often "just in case", which of course is good practice any time. If you do see any problems that seem to be related to File-Ex, please let us know (preferrably by E-mail). Be sure to check back at our web site on a weekly basis for updates! These are some known problems at this point: On some systems, when File-Ex is in the StartUp group (to load when Windows loads), Windows will seem to 'freeze' when starting up, before it displays the desktop. Just move the mouse around to get it to continue. (If you do see this problem, please let us know so that we can narrow down the cause.) There has been a problem reported with some uninstaller and virus programs. If you encounter any problems (or for that matter if you _don't_ have problems and you're running an uninstaller or virus program), please let us know. Other known features that still need to be addressed: If an application uses long file names but does NOT use the explorer-style dialog, File-Ex does not know it can handle long names and will get a mixture of long/short names, and not allow long-name entry in its Copy/Move/Rename/etc functions. For 16-bit applications that use common dialogs, File-Ex defaults to using short names. To get it to use long names, it must be trained (Learn New Dialog). All trained dialogs will use the old-style file dialog (but with long name capability). There will be an option later to use the new explorer-style dialog. Applications that use explorer-style dialogs will have the row of file management buttons added to them by default. However there is an option in the dialog configuration to not add those buttons, in case you prefer using the right mouse button to do file management and want to make the dialog smaller. Applications that use explorer-style dialogs but not comdlg32.dll (such as Word 7) can only be trained for bringing up the old-style dialog. This will be changed to allow adding the recent file lists and file information directly to the original dialog. (This will be an option regardless of the style of the original dialog.) Other things to be aware of: There has been a problem reported with the COMCTL32.DLL that is installed with the Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, which affects not only File-Ex but other programs. If you get the 'big yellow screen' with a COMCTL32 bug message, please let us know what you had just done at the time -- we're not sure if this is a problem with the new DLL with MSIE 3.0 or if it's something else, so we also need to know whether you have installed MSIE 3.0. (We think Microsoft has a patch for this, but we have not yet located it. Re-installing the original COMCTL32.DLL may be the best option. File-Ex does not cooperate well with some other programs that do the same thing (modify the file dialogs). If you have these, then you should disable them when running File-Ex. These include: Instant File Access (don't load it at the same time) Long File Names (some reported problems, but usually works) Norton File Assist (disable it from the desktop options) If you discover others, please let us know. Beta evaluation period: This beta version will 'time out' after 30 days of use, just as the shareware version (it will still be functional at a reduced level). However, when File-Ex 95 is released, you can also download the shareware version and you will have another 30 days to evaluate it (the count-down will be reset). So don't worry that you're using up your evaluation time on a beta version! You may also purchase File-Ex 95 at any time during the beta, in which case you will receive the full released version as soon as it's ready. Thanks for helping us beta-test File-Ex 95! ================================================================= ================================================================= Readme.txt Contents: -------------------- File Packing List System Requirements Installation About the Evaluation Period Giving Copies to Friends -- (Please Do!) Support Ordering Site licenses & multiple-user pricing Troubleshooting Un-installing File-Ex ASP Ombudsman statement Warranty & License info Distribution by Vendors, BBS's, etc. File Packing List ----------------- These files should be included in this distribution set. If any are missing, please contact Cottonwood Software or your distributor for a complete set. (You can download the latest version from Compuserve or our Web page -- see the Support section) README.TXT This file SETUP.EXE Installation program REMOVE.EXE Removal (un-install) program FILEEX.EXE Main program (please run Setup before using!) FILEEX32.EXE 32-bit portions of the program FXHOOK.DLL Part of the main program COMMEX.DLL "CommEx" portion FXCOMN.DLL File-Ex common functions FILEEX.HLP Help file FILEEX.DAT Data file for 'trained' not-so-common dialogs FILEEX.BIN Registration file (purchased version only) REVISION.TXT Program revision history ORDER.TXT Text form for ordering File-Ex (shareware only) FILE_ID.DIZ Short description file (shareware version only) VENDINFO.DIZ Vendor info (shareware version only) System Requirements ------------------- File-Ex will work with Windows 95 Windows NT users: ------------------------ Do NOT install this version of File-Ex if you run Windows NT! There will be an NT version of File-Ex available in mid-1996. Let us know if you need an upgrade to the NT version. Just E-mail, FAX, or mail your address to us, and we will let you know when they are released and where to download them from. Installation ------------ If you're not familiar with File-Ex, please read the 'Overview' section in the Help file after installation. To install File-Ex, run SETUP.EXE from Windows: 1. From the Start Menu, select Run... 2. In the Command Line box, type d:\path\SETUP, where 'd' is the letter of the drive and 'path' is the directory where the File-Ex files are. For example: C:\FILEEX\SETUP 3. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen. 4. After File-Ex installation is complete, it will need to validate some files. This will happen automatically the first time File-Ex is invoked, so you don't need to do anything special for this to happen. 5. If you're not familiar with File-Ex, open the Help file and read through the Overview sections. What files should be where, after installation ---------------------------------------------- These files should be in your File-Ex program directory : README.TXT FILEEX.EXE FXHOOK.DLL FXCOMN.DLL COMMEX.DLL FILEEX32.EXE FILEEX.HLP FILEEX.BIN (if it's a purchased copy) ORDER.TXT REVISION.TXT REMOVE.EXE The file FILEEX.DAT will be copied to the 'Data' directory. (This is usually the same as your Program directory, but may be different, for instance, in a network environment where the Program directory is shared. The FILEEX.DAT file should be in a place not shared by users, similar to INI files.) These files are not copied anywhere, and are not needed by File-Ex after setup: SETUP.EXE FILE_ID.DIZ VENDINFO.DIZ The files COMMEX.INI and FILEEX.INI will be created by the Setup program, and will be placed in the Windows directory. The file FILEEX.LOG will be created in the Windows directory, and is useful for troubleshooting. If everything works after installation, this may be deleted. Technical information on installation ------------------------------------- The installation procedure does the following: Copy appropriate files to the Program and Data directories. Add a File-Ex group with appropriate icons. Add File-Ex to the startup group, if requested. Verify that the operations succeeded. Run File-Ex if requested. Run notepad to display the readme.txt file if requested. When File-Ex is actually invoked for the first time (through a File/Open or File/Save command, or by automatically loading File-Ex), it validates the information files (fileex.hlp, readme.txt, order.txt). This ensures that File-Ex cannot be modified and re-distributed with different company contact/order information. About the Evaluation Period --------------------------- File-Ex is Shareware. This means that you are free to try it out for 30 days. It will be fully functional during that time, so you can try all of its functions. After using it for 30 days (not necessarily calendar days, but when it's been used on 30 different days), some of the functions will be unavailable. You will still be able to use the basic functions like Copy and Delete, but the advanced functions (Find and MakeDir) will not be available unless you register (purchase) the program. Giving Copies to Friends -- (Please Do!) ---------------------------------------- Shareware works best when you 'share' it with other people! If you like this program, we would appreciate it if you spread it around. Give copies to friends and co-workers, or even upload it to your favorite BBS. Please only distribute the original compressed (.ZIP) file that you received File-Ex in. This is the only way to have the complete file set needed to install File-Ex, since the File-Ex directory after installation does not contain all of the necessary installation files. Note: If this is a purchased copy, please DON'T distribute it! The registered copy contains your registration key file, and giving this to someone else is illegal. Please only distribute the shareware version! Support ------- For support, contact Cottonwood Software by phone, fax, mail, or E-mail. (E-mail is preferred, and will get a fast response.) Mail: Cottonwood Software P.O. Box 6546 Leawood, KS 66206-0546 USA Phone: (913) 663-3022 FAX: (913) 663-3747 Compuserve: 75264,1630 America Online: CottonwdSW Internet: 75264.1630@compuserve.com WW Web: http://www.cottonwoodsw.com Please see the Help file for more information. Ordering File-Ex ---------------- Benefits of ordering: The latest version as of the day you order. Notification of bug fixes and update releases when available. Free technical support. More shareware programs by Cottonwood Software and other authors. Big discounts on updates and other products, as available. To order, send $24.95 (U.S.) plus $2.00 S&H ($4.00 S&H outside the U.S. or Canada) to: Cottonwood Software P.O. Box 6546 Leawood, KS 66206-0546 USA For a complete order form you can print the text file ORDER.TXT, or click the 'File-Ex' button in an Open/Save dialog and select the 'Order Form' button. Please see the Help file or ORDER.TXT for complete information and other ordering options. Site licenses & multiple-user pricing ------------------------------------- Please see the Help file for complete information. Troubleshooting --------------- Please see the Help file for complete information. Un-installing File-Ex --------------------- If you encounter insurmountable problems, or just don't like the new functions that File-Ex provides, you may need to un-install it. A Remove program is provided for your convenience. Its icon is installed in your File-Ex program group. Please see the help file for more information on this. ASP Ombudsman statement ----------------------- _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER Cottonwood Software is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware- related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI USA 49442-9427, Fax 616-788-2765, or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. Warranty and license info ------------------------- Complete Warranty and license information may be found in the Help file, FILEEX.HLP. Distribution by Vendors, BBS's, etc. ------------------------------------ Commercial vendors please refer to the VENDINFO.DIZ file for complete details. If this file is not present, please contact Cottonwood Software for a replacement copy.