Help Index
Contents

SpaceMaker® for Windows (Standard Edition) is the latest disk management utility that gives you a chance to reclaim additional free space by removing files you no longer need. The newly gained space can be later used to install other applications. SpaceMaker quickly identifies duplicate files on your system and lets you mark them for easy removal. It also scans and displays all your files found on the disk and allows you to select any files or directories [image] you wish to delete, such as *.BAK or *.~*  files. The deletion process is very fast, easy and safe. Names of all deleted files are optionally recorded in a log file for a later review [image]. File version information retrieval has been added to help identify duplicate files with better accuracy [image].

SpaceMaker Plus® for Windows (Enhanced Edition) is the enhancement to the SpaceMaker for Windows. It identifies duplicates, oldest, newest and largest files, as well as it allows you to combine file searches across multiple drives and directories by utilizing File Manager`s drag and drop capabilities. You can list files by their name, extension, or path. The Enhanced Edition is available only to registered users for a small fee.

SpaceMaker® for Windows and SpaceMaker Plus® for Windows are fully functional, powerful, safe, efficient, and easy to use programs. Features available in the SpaceMaker Plus are marked with a [image] symbol throughout the help file.

Commands	Topics	Procedures

Toolbar Commands	Enhanced Edition	Registering

File Menu	Standard Edition	Selecting Files

Edit Menu	Reclaiming disk space	Deleting Files/Directories

Options Menu	New Features	Printing

Dragging & Dropping	Browse Window	Copying to Clipboard

Windows Key Strokes	Exiting


For information on how to use Help, press F1 or select the Using Help command under the Help menu.


New Features

This version of the program is the major new release. It has been improved for speed and usability. New features have been added along with some minor enhancements and bug fixes. Here is the history of the changes and additions to the latest releases of the software:

Version 2.10

- Deletions are now optionally recorded in a log file. Toolbar button:

- Directories can be now deleted from the list in the same way as other files.

- Files can be deleted by using the Browser popup menu (right-button click in Browse Window).

- After searching for files in the list (F3 key) the program reports now correct number of kB occupied.

- Appearance of the title bar text is improved for 1024x768 SVGA mode with large font.

- Cursor shape changes when moved over active titles (i.e. titles that can be clicked with a left or right mouse button).

Version 2.01

- Dropping files from the File Manager corrected: after drag & drop, version info and some speed buttons didnt work as they should.

Version 2.00

- 3D title bar for compatibility with Windows 95. A single click on a title re-sorts the list

- Resizable columns

- Popup menus for each title (right mouse button click)

- Popup menu for the Browse Window (right mouse button click)

- Vertical lines and file icons

- Both directories and files are listed in the Browse Window

- Free HD space above 1 GB is reported in gigabytes

- Size and available space of large hard drives are correctly displayed

- Version column is automatically inserted after reading version info

- Optional clearing of existing file selections before Find and Select Command (F3 key)

- Minor enhancements and fixes

Version 1.66

- minor bug fixes and enhancements to version 1.65

Version 1.65

- Version information added as an additional column in the Browse Window. New toolbar button [image] added for easy file version retrieval.

- minor enhancements added.

Version 1.60

- SpaceMaker recompiled to take advantage of Intel I386 instruction set. The application will work only with 386 IBM-compatibles or better.

Version 1.50a

- displays the name of the associated program to be executed after double-clicking on the file

- file attributes can be set or reset for all selected files at once

- saves/restores last window position and size, including maximized and minimized state

- minor bugs fixes

Version 1.50

- now reports actual number of bytes deleted from the disk. This report is more accurate if you have drives compressed using programs such as DoubleSpace or Stacker.

- displays free disk space

- file list navigation is now similar to that of the File Manager`s

- improved copying Browse Window contents to the clipboard; now you can choose to copy selected files only

- added hide selected files option

- added sort by type option

- added file attribute buttons

- added single keypress file search

- added file color highlighting

- added balloon help to the command buttons

- added horizontal scroll bar for easier viewing

- program position and size are now preserved between sessions

Version 1.40

- added listing files by pathname option

- added listing newest files option

- added removing identical entries option

- improved printing Browse Window contents; now you can print selected files

- file list is now printed to a printer in the same font and size as displayed  in Browse Window

Version 1.30

- printing is handled by the Print Manager

- fonts in Browse Window can now be changed

- Browse Window list can be toggled between lower and upper case

- Hiding and showing columns are now possible from the menu

- initialization file is used to save current environment status

- numbers larger then a thousand are shown with a comma

- duplicate files are shown in mixed normal and bold font types

- fixed error when searching for files without extensions

Version 1.21

- installer is now used to setup the program on a hard drive

- toolbar icon are updated

Version  1.20

- executing programs from the Browse Window are possible now

- Ctrl-C accelerator introduced to copy the contents to the Clipboard

- Help button added in file open dialog box

Version 1.00

- initial release


Shareware Edition
SpaceMaker® Shareware Edition

The Shareware Edition of the SpaceMaker for Windows is a fully functional and powerful duplicate file search utility which has the same functionality as the Standard Edition. It is available from most ftp sites on Internet as well as from many BBSs around the world. You can evaluate SpaceMaker Shareware Edition for a period of 30 days but if you continue on using the program you must register. Upon registration you will receive the latest release of the SpaceMaker Standard Edition.

You can also order SpaceMaker Plus® Enhanced Edition for a small additional fee at the time of registration. Please see How to Register for more information.

Main features of the Standard Edition include searching for duplicate files on any disk, file version information look-up [image], searching and listing files in alphabetical order, easy and quick file deletion and program execution, drag and drop, logging deletions, and more.

See also: Enhanced Edition, Version Info


Enhanced Edition
SpaceMaker Plus® Enhanced Edition

The Enhanced Edition of the SpaceMaker for Windows is available only to registered users. Please see How to Register for more information. In addition to the Standard Edition features, the Enhanced Edition contains many new capabilities and improvements. They are marked with a [image] symbol throughout the help file.

Features added to the SpaceMaker Plus:

♦	Listing largest files on any disk,

♦	Listing oldest files on any disk,

♦	Listing newest files on any disk

♦	Combining file lists from multiple disk drives using drag and drop feature,

♦	Easy switching between different views:

- duplicates, largest, oldest and newest files

- files sorted by name, extension and pathname

♦	And more . . .

See also: largest files, oldest files, newest files, duplicates, drag and drop


The Toolbar

The Toolbar is a row of buttons at the top of the main window which represent application commands. Clicking one of the buttons is a quick alternative to choosing a command from the menu. Buttons on the toolbar activate and deactivate according to the state of the application. Some buttons on the toolbar marked by [image] are available only in the SpaceMaker Plus® for Windows Enhanced Edition.

Button	Action	File Menu Equivalent

List duplicate files on the disk	List Duplicates

 	List oldest files on the disk	List Oldest

 	List newest files on the disk	List Newest

 	List largest files on the disk	List Largest

List files by names	List by Name

 	List files by type	List by Type

 	List files by pathnames	List by Pathname

 	Read files version information	Version Info

Delete selected files or directories	Delete File

Start/stop logging, or view log file	Start/Stop logging

Button	Action	Edit Menu Equivalent

Find and select files in the list	Find and Select

Select or deselect all listed files	Select All

 	Hide unselected files	Hide Unselected

 	Hide selected files	Hide Selected


Edit Menu

The Edit menu provides commands to copy the file list from the Browse Window to Clipboard, select files for deletion, show and hide unselected files, search specific files in the list, and delete files from disk.

Find and Select	Find and select specified files in the Browse Window.

Hide Unselected	Hide unselected files in the Browse Window.

Hide Selected	Hide selected files in the Browse Window.

Select All	Select or deselect all listed files.

Hidden Attr	Change files hidden attribute

System Attr	Change files system attribute

ReadOnly Attr	Change files read only attribute

Archive Attr	Change files archive attribute

Cleanup List	Remove identical entries from the Browse Window.

Show All	Restore original list of files including all hidden entries

Copy to Clipboard	Copy selected text to the clipboard.


Options Menu

The Options menu provides commands for customizing the Browse Window. You can change character font and size used to display information in the window, change letter case, and disable or enable output columns.

Font	Change current font face and size

Colors	Change colors used for file highlighting

Show Version	Show or hide version information column

Show Size	Show or hide file size column

Show Date	Show or hide file date column

Show Time	Show or hide file time column

Show Attributes	Show or hide file attributes column

Show Path	Show or hide file location

Lowercase	Display list of files in lowercase or uppercase.

Use Colors	Enable color highlighting in Browse Window

Show Icons	Display or hide file icons in Browse Window

Show Grid Lines	Display or hide vertical lines in Browse Window


File Menu

The File menu provides commands for searching and listing specific files, printing and exiting the application.

List Duplicates	List all duplicate files.

List Oldest	List oldest files.

List Newest	List newest files.

List Largest	List largest files.

List by Name	List files in the alphabetical order.

List by Type	List files by extensions.

List by Pathname	List files by pathnames.

Delete File	Delete selected files or directories from the drive.

Start/Stop Log 	Start or stop logging deletions, or view the log.

Version Info	Read version info for selected files.

Disk Info	Display information about the current drive.

Print	Print the list of files.

Print Setup	Set printer characteristics.

Execute File	Execute file in the Browse Window.

Exit	Exit SpaceMaker for Windows.


Browse Window

The Browse Window in this application is where you can browse the list of files. You can choose commands by selecting any one of the active buttons from the Toolbar or the menu. For standard mouse or key actions refer to Selecting Files section. You can also use mouse to perform additional actions:

Mouse action	Event

Left button double click	Execute highlighted program or document.

Right button click	Display the Preferences popup menu where you can delete files or change Browse Window options.

Left click on column titles	Change the sort order of the list. For example, clicking on the Path title re-sorts the list by path.

Right click on column titles	Display the column popup menu where you can choose to hide the column or re-sort the list.

Drag and drop	Dragging and dropping files from the File Manager into the Browse Window. The existing list will be cleared just before dropping new files. To append new files to the existing list hold down the Ctrl key while dropping files from the File Manager.

Keyboard action	Event

Pressing a letter or digit	Scan list, starting from the current position, for the first occurrence of a file with the name beginning with the pressed key. Using Shift-letter combination re-starts the search from the beginning of the list.

Alt+Enter	Read version information for selected files.

Ctrl+C	Copy list of selected files to clipboard.

F3	Search for specified files in the Browse Window.

Del	Delete selected files or directories

The status bar at the bottom of the screen displays context sensitive messages, indicates current search option used and shows the line number of the file in focus. It also tells how many files are currently displayed in the window along with their total size as reported by DOS, and how many files are selected and the space they occupy on the disk. See disk allocation unit for information on the difference between a file size and space they actually occupy on the disk.

There are two fields to the right of the toolbar buttons. One field shows current drives available space and the second field contains the name of the initial scan directory.

You can also use color highlighting to easily spot files of interest, such as *.BAK files. To add, delete or change color assignments use Options | Colors menu item.

See also: Colors, Selecting Files, Version Info


Drag/Drop from the Program Manager
Drag & Drop from the File Manager

Directories and files can be dragged from the File Manager and dropped into the applications Browse Window. Make sure that you start dragging them from the right panel of the File Manager`s window. You can tell whether you are able to drop files or directories into the program by looking at the cursors shape. The cursor should look like a document symbol with a plus sign inside it.

Dragging new items from the File Manager replaces contents of the Browse Window. If you want to append items to the existing list, hold down the Ctrl key while dropping them into the Browse Window

Hint: You can use the above append feature to list files and directories from different drives at once. Just select desired items from any drive and directory and append them to the existing list. You can repeat this procedure to append more files from other disk drives.


Options Preferences Commands
Lowercase Command

The Lowercase command under the Options menu toggles Browse Windows display between lowercase and uppercase letters.

Use Colors Command

The Use Colors command under the Options menu turns on or off color highlighting in the Browse Window.

Show Icons Command

This option turns on or off file icons in the Browse Window. Using this option slows down scrolling and displaying the list.

Show Gridlines Command

This option turns on or off vertical gridlines in the Browse Window.

See also: Colors Command


Show Version Command

The Show Version command under the Options menu displays or hides the file Version column. Hidden columns are not displayed on the screen and will not be sent to the printer. An alternate way of hiding the Version column is to right click the title bar and select the Hide command from the popup menu.

The version information is used primarily for retrieving additional information about the file, such as its description, company name, etc.

See also: Version Info Command


Show Size Command

The Show Size command under the Options menu displays or hides the Size column. Hidden columns are not displayed on the screen and will not be sent to the printer. An alternate way of hiding the Size column is to right click the title bar and select the Hide command from the popup menu.


Show Date Command

The Show Date command under the Options menu displays or hides the Date column. Hidden columns are not displayed on the screen and will not be sent to the printer.

An alternate way of hiding the Date column is to right click the title bar and select the Hide command from the popup menu.


Show Time Command

The Show Time command under the Options menu displays or hides the Time column. Hidden columns are not displayed on the screen and will not be sent to the printer.

An alternate way of hiding the Time column is to right click the title bar and select the Hide command from the popup menu.


Show Attributes Command

The Show Attributes command under the Options menu displays or hides the Attributes column. Hidden columns are not displayed on the screen and will not be sent to the printer.

An alternate way of hiding the Attributes column is to right click the title bar and select the Hide command from the popup menu.


Show Path Command

The Show Path command under the Options menu displays or hides the Path column. Hidden columns are not displayed on the screen and will not be sent to the printer.

An alternate way of hiding the Path column is to right click the title bar and select the Hide command from the popup menu.


Font Command

The Font command under the Options menu executes the Windows Font dialog box. It allows you to customize font type and size that is used to display information in the Browse Window. Font attributes such as italics and bold can also be changed.

Note: Changes to the font settings will affect printing, i.e., currently selected font and size will be used to send data to the printer. Therefore, before printing a large list of files try on a small sample first.


Colors Command

The Colors command under the Options menu executes the colors dialog box where you can assign different colors to different file types. You can assign colors to any type of files, such as *.BAK or *.ZIP files. When Color Highlighting option is turned on each file name is displayed in a different color depending on the file's extension. Color highlighting helps quickly locate important files in the list.


Changing colors
Color Highlighting Dialog Box

This dialog box is used to assign colors to different file types. You can add new color assignments and delete or change existing ones.

File Type	- here you type in a new file extension so that files of this type could be displayed in different color.

Color	- select a new color from the list to be assigned to the current file type. Changes to that field are immediately reflected in the Browse Window.

Add	- press this button if you want to add a new file type to the list. This button is activated only when you enter new extension in the file type list box

Delete	- press this button to remove color assignment to the specified file type. Changes are immediately reflected in the Browse Window.


Edit Hide Unselected
 Hide Unselected Command

The Hide Unselected command under the Edit menu hides all unselected files in the Browse Window. This feature is very handy in managing larger selections of files.

To restore entire list of files right click anywhere in the Browse Window and select Show All from the popup menu.

See also: Hide Selected Command


Edit Hide Selected
 Hide Selected Command

The Hide Selected command under the Edit menu hides all  selected files in the Browse Window. This feature is very handy in managing larger selections of files.

To restore entire list of files right click anywhere in the Browse Window and select Show All from the popup menu.

See also: Hide Unselected Command


Edit Clean up List Command
Cleanup List Command

The Cleanup List command under the Edit menu removes identical entries from the Browse Window . It does not remove files from the disk drive however. This feature is useful when some entries were duplicated while appending files using the drag and drop feature. By default, the program does not compare dropped files with what it already has in the Browse Window since it slows down the operation. Therefore, this feature is left for the user to activate.

Note: This option is enabled only when the Browse Window contains files appended by using drag and drop feature.


Show All Command

The Show All command under the Edit menu restores the original list of files including entries hidden earlier by Hide Selected or Hide Unselected Command.

See also: Hide Selected,  Hide Unselected


Execute files
Execute File Command

The Execute File command under the File menu executes the file in focus. The alternative would be to double click on the line with the left mouse button. If the file is a document, the program associated with it will be launched automatically.


Start/Stop Logging Command
 Start/View Log Command

The Start/View Log Command under the File menu starts logging file deletions. Filenames of all deleted files or directories are recorded in the log file for later review. To view the log file click on the View button in the Log dialog box.


File Attributes Changing
Hidden, System, ReadOnly, Archive Command

These menu commands under the Edit/File Attribute menu toggle hidden, system, read only, and archive attributes of a file in focus. Note, that changes to the file attributes are immediately updated on the disk.


File List Duplicates Command
 List Duplicates Command

The List Duplicate command under the File menu scans selected drive for duplicate files and lists them in the Browse Window. The search starts from the directory chosen in the open file dialog box and continues until all its subdirectories are processed.

To scan the current list of files for duplicates right click on the Filename title and select the List Duplicates from the popup menu. This option will be disabled if the list already shows duplicate files.

See also: Reclaiming Disk Space


File List Largest Command
 List Largest Command

The List Largest command under the File menu scans selected drive for the largest files and lists them in the Browse Window. The search starts from the directory chosen in the open file dialog box and continues until all its subdirectories are scanned.

To sort the current list of files by size right click on the Size title and select the List Largest from the popup menu. This option will be disabled if the list is already correctly sorted.

See also: Reclaiming Disk Space


File List Oldest Command
 List Oldest Command

The List Oldest command under the File menu scans selected drive for the oldest files and lists them in the Browse Window. The search starts from the directory chosen in the open file dialog box and continues until all its subdirectories are scanned.

To sort the current list of files by date right click on the Date title and select the List Oldest from the popup menu. This option will be disabled if the list is already correctly sorted.

See also: Reclaiming Disk Space,  List Newest Command


File List Newest Command
 List Newest Command

The List Newest command under the File menu scans selected drive for the newest files and lists them in the Browse Window. The search starts from the directory chosen in the open file dialog box and continues until all its subdirectories are scanned.

To sort the current list of files by date right click on the Date title and select the List Newest from the popup menu. This option will be disabled if the list is already correctly sorted.

See also: List Oldest Command


File List by Name Command
 List By Name Command

The List By Name command under the File menu scans selected drive for files and lists them alphabetically in the Browse Window. The search starts from the directory chosen in the open file dialog box and continues until all its subdirectories are scanned.

To sort the current list of files by name right click on the Filename title and select the Sort by Name from the popup menu. This option will be disabled if the list is already correctly sorted.


File List by Pathname Command
 List By Pathname Command

The List By Pathname command under the File menu scans selected drive for files and lists them by pathnames in the Browse Window. The search starts from the directory chosen in the open file dialog box and continues until all its subdirectories are scanned.

To sort the current list of files by pathname right click on the Path title and select the Sort by Path from the popup menu. This option will be disabled if the list is already correctly sorted.


File List by Type Command
 List By Type Command

The List By Type command under the File menu scans selected drive for files and lists them by their extensions in the Browse Window. The search starts from the directory chosen in the open file dialog box and continues until all its subdirectories are scanned.

To sort the current list of files by type right click on the Filename title and select the Sort by Type from the popup menu. This option will be disabled if the list is already correctly sorted.


Edit Delete Command
 Delete File Command

The Delete File command under the File menu deletes all files or directories [image] currently selected in the Browse Window. You will be asked for confirmation before the files are deleted. You can choose to delete a single file, delete all selected files, skip a file, or cancel the procedure.

After deleting directories the list shown in the Browse Window is not updated. Therefore you may see files in the list that have already been deleted. You can re-scan the drive to refresh the list.

Warning: Be careful while deleting directories. All subdirectories of the directory being deleted will also be deleted.

Caution: Selecting delete all in the dialog box will delete all remaining files without further confirmation. However,  if a selected file is a system, hidden, or read-only file you still will be asked to confirm the deletion. Make sure, however, that the files you wish to delete are not being used by other applications.

See also: Reclaiming Disk Space


Edit Select All Command
 Select All Command

The Select All command under the Edit menu toggles selection of all files in the Browse Window. If one or more files are already selected in the list the command deselects them. If no files are selected, the command selects entire list.

If all files are hidden, i.e. nothing is displayed in the list, but files were previously read from disk, the Select All command re-displays entire list. This is the same as selecting Show All from the main or popup menus.

See also:  Show All,  Hide Selected,  Hide Unselected


Edit Find and Select Command
 Find and Select Command

The Find and Select command under the Edit menu searches the list of files in the Browse Window for files matching user supplied pattern. The search compares filenames only. As each match is found, it is highlighted in the list. The filenames may contain standard DOS wild card characters such as ? and *. Please refer to your DOS reference manual for rules governing usage of wild card characters.

If one or more files are already selected in the list, the Clear existing selections check box will be checked. Reset the checkbox before pressing OK if you prefer to retain those selections and combine them with the search results.


File Disk Info Command
Disk Info Command

Selecting the Disk Info command under the File menu displays information about the current drive, such as a total disk space, amount of free memory and the size of the disk allocation unit.


 Version Info Command

Selecting the Version Info command under the File menu displays version information for a selected file or files. A keyboard shortcut for this command is the key combination: Alt+Enter.

The most interesting field in the version information module is the version number. Analyzing this field, if present, will help you identify the latest or the newest files when comparing duplicates. Sometimes, it is the only save method of selecting files you want to keep on your hard drive while discarding older duplicates.

If more than one file is selected in the Browse Window version numbers for all files are read from disk and, if found, displayed in the Version column. If the Version column is hidden and at least one file contains version information the column is automatically shown in its original place.

If only one file is selected then the whole contents of the version information module will be fetched from disk and displayed in a dialog box.

Since version retrieval must actually read each file from the disk, the process may take a few minutes to complete if the list of selected files is long. You can always cancel the operation and select a smaller set of files. Keep in mind that only certain files may contain version information, such as exe, com, dll, vbx, drv and FON files. Selecting only these files will inevitably shorten the time required to complete the scan.

The following list identifies fields present in the version information module. Most of the fields are usually defined, although the final decision about the contents of the module is made by the maker of the file.

Name	Description

Comments	Specifies additional information about the file that should be displayed for diagnostic purposes.

CompanyName	Specifies the company that produced the file.

FileDescription	Specifies a file description to be presented to users.

FileVersion	Specifies the version number of the file.

InternalName	Specifies the internal name of the file.

LegalCopyright	Specifies all copyright notices that apply to the file, legal symbols, copyright dates, and so on.

LegalTrademarks	Specifies all trademarks and registered trademarks that apply to the file, legal symbols, trademark numbers, and so on.

OriginalFilename	Specifies the original name of the file, not including a path. This information enables an application to determine whether a file has been renamed by a user.

PrivateBuild	Specifies information about a private version of the file.

ProductName	Specifies the name of the product with which the file is distributed--for example, "Microsoft Windows".

ProductVersion	Specifies the version of the product with which the file is distributed.

SpecialBuild	Specifies how this version of the file differs from the standard version.


File Print Command
Print Command

The Print command under the File menu prints the contents of the Browse Window. Use the Print Setup command under the File menu to select a printer, and to set printer options. You can choose to print entire list or its subset. To print a subset of the list mark files you want to print before executing the print command. Later, in the printer dialog box choose Selection radio button as the print range rather then All radio button.


Printing

There are two commands on the File menu which support printing. The Print Setup command under the File menu allows you to select and configure your printer device. Print command under the File menu allows you to print the entire contents of the Browse Window or its selections. Note that you can print only those columns that are visible. You can show or hide these columns from the Options Menu.


File Print Setup Command
Print Setup Command

The Print Setup command under the File menu displays the Printer Setup dialog box which allows you to select and configure your printer.


Copying Text

To copy the list of files from the Browse Window to clipboard choose the Copy command under the Edit menu.


Edit Copy Command
Copy to Clipboard Command

The Copy to Clipboard command under the Edit menu copies the list of files from the Browse Window into the clipboard. You can copy either the entire list or selections.

You can paste the copied information into another application by selecting the Paste command under the Edit menu of that application. If the copied list looks misaligned in the clipboard, change the font to a fixed width font by selecting the OEM Text command under the Display menu.


Deleting Text
Deleting Files

To delete files or directories [image] from the Browse Window, select them by clicking with the left mouse button while holding the Ctrl key, and do one of the following:

- choose the Delete File command under the File menu,

- press Del key on the keyboard, or

- click on the [image] button in the toolbar.


A line in the Browse Window is in focus if it is surrounded by a dotted rectangle. Note, that the line itself does not have to be selected or highlighted to be in focus.


File Exit Command
Exit Command

The Exit command under the File menu exits SpaceMaker for Windows. The program will terminate immediately.


Exiting

To exit the application, choose Exit command under the File menu. You can also press Alt-F4 key combination to exit any Windows application.


Duplicate files
Duplicate files are files that have the same name and the same extension but are located in different directories. They can have different lengths and creation dates however.


Output Columns

The information displayed in the Browse Window is composed of output columns. There are seven column: Filename, Version, Size, Date, Time, Attr and Path. All columns except the Filename can be either shown or hidden (see Options Menu). The Filename column is always visible and cannot be removed from the screen.

Note that hidden column will not be sent to a printer.


Disk allocation unit

Disk allocation unit is the least amount of disk space that can be allocated by a file. Files can be of any size but they are stored on disk in the series of clusters of equal size. Depending on the type of the drive, the disk allocation unit can have different lengths. For example, a floppy drive allocation unit usually has 512 bytes and hard drives units start from 2,048 bytes and go up to 32,768 bytes and more. Even though your file contains only a single character it will use disk space equal to at least one allocation unit.


Reclaiming disk space

The Murphys Law says that the larger the disk drive the faster it will fill up. And as the result you may quickly end up with the hard drive almost completely full. If you have come across errors such as Insufficient disk space or Destination disk full when attempting to write to a disk drive you know the problem first hand. But do not worry, the situation need not necessarily force you to buy a new, larger hard drive. Here are some hints on how to manage your disk space and, at the same time, save your money:

Delete old files that are no longer in use

Delete large files you do not need

Delete duplicate files

Combine small files into one larger file

Delete backup and temporary files

See also: SpaceMaker Plus,  List Duplicates,  List Largest,  List Oldest,  List Newest


Deleting backup and temporary files
Delete backup and temporary files

Almost every application creates backup copies of files or documents you have modified. Although this safety mechanism allows you to restore original data after you have made changes, it also effectively reduces the disk space available for other programs. Sometimes you do not need this extra protection. You can then remove those backup files still leaving original copies on the disk. Good candidates for deletion here are files with extensions such as bak,  bk!,  ~*.

See also:  List Duplicates,  List Largest,  List Oldest,  Combine Small Files


Combining small files
Combine small files into one larger file.

Each file stored on the disk occupies at least one disk allocation unit of disk space. The unit size is related to the capacity of the drive itself. The larger the drive the larger the unit size. For example, if the unit size is 4kB it means that 4kB is the smallest space that can be allocated to one file. Eliminating small files or combining them into a larger one may therefore save you thousands of bytes of disk space.

See also:  List Duplicates,  List Largest,  List Oldest,  Delete Backup and Temporary Files


Deleting old files
Delete old files that are no longer in use.

If you have executable files (those with EXE or COM extensions) from 1987 or so, there is a chance you dont really need them. By now you either have newer versions of these programs, or they are simply obsolete. These executables tend to be large so the disk space savings can be significant. Be careful though not to delete files you do use or those required by other programs. When in doubt - keep them.

See also: SpaceMaker Plus,  List Oldest,  List Newest


Deleting old files
Delete large files you do not need.

Your hard drive may easily become a collection of large and very large files. And you might not be even aware of that. They can easily tie up many megabytes of precious disk space! These files are listings produced by parsers and capture programs, bitmaps, sound waves, and symbolic tables just to name a few. Some of them are created automatically by your applications without your knowledge. Delete them - chances are you wont be using them anyway. Be careful though not to delete files you might need!

See also: SpaceMaker Plus,  List Largest


Deleting duplicate files
Delete duplicate files.

It is amazing how many files are duplicated. You can have the same libraries, executables, configuration and initialization files. You may also have different versions of the same utility programs, documents, games... The list goes on, and on. In most cases you need only one copy of the file.

There is a simple rule of thumb which of the two files should be deleted: pick a much older copy or if the dates are not too distant, choose a smaller one. If in doubt - examine them to verify the contents or compare version numbers.

See also: SpaceMaker Plus,  List Duplicates


Selecting files dialog box
File Search Dialog Box

This dialog box is where you specify names of files you wish to find and where you change a starting search directory.

File name

The File Name input box is where you enter the name or name pattern of files to search. You can use standard DOS wildcards: ? and *. If you enter a file name with a wildcard and press Enter, you will see a list of all matching files in the file list box below.

Example:

*.exe 	- search for executable files with an EXE extension

*.*	- search for any file

README.TXT 	- search for README.TXT files

List Files of Type

In this list box you can select the predefined file name pattern to search. If new file pattern is selected the changes will be reflected in the File name input box.

Directories

The Directories list box displays directories on currently selected drive. Double-click a directory name or icon to switch to a new directory. Use this list box to choose a directory you want the file search to start from. All subdirectories of the selected directory will also be scanned. For example, selecting c:\ (root directory) will search the entire C: drive.

Drives

This list box is where you select a new search disk drive.

See also: List Duplicates,  List Largest,  List Oldest,  List in Alphabetical Order


Selecting Files

Before you can delete a file or directory, you must select it. There are several ways to select files in Browse Window. If the files you want are visible in the window, you can use the mouse or keyboard to quickly select them. If the files are not visible, or if you want to select a group of files with similar names, use the Find and Select menu command under the Edit menu option.

For help on selecting files, choose one of the following tasks:

Using a Mouse to Select Files

Using the Keyboard to Select Files

Using the Find and Select Command to Select Files


Using a Mouse to Select Files

You can use a mouse to select a file or group of files. Before you select files, they must be visible in the directory window.

To select a file:

Click the filename or directory name.

To select two or more items in sequence:

Click the first file you want to select.

Press and hold down SHIFT while you click the last file in the group.

To select two or more items out of sequence:

Press and hold down CTRL while you click each file.

To cancel a selection:

Press and hold down CTRL while you click the selected file.

See Also: Using the Keyboard to Select Files, Find and Select


Using the Keyboard to Select Files

You can use the keyboard to select a file or group of files. Before you select files, they must be visible in the Browse Window.

To select a file:

Press	To Select

Up or Down Arrow	A file above or below the current selection

End	The last file in the list

Home	The first file in the list

Page Up	The file at the top of the previous screen

Page Down	The file at the bottom of the next screen

A character	The next file that begins with that letter or number

To select two or more items in sequence

Use the arrow keys to move to the first file you want to select.

Press and hold down SHIFT while you select the remaining items in the group.

To select two or more items out of sequence

Use the arrow keys to move to the first file you want to select.

Press and release SHIFT+F8. The selection cursor begins to blink.

Move to the next item you want to select.

Press the SPACEBAR to select each file or directory.

Press SHIFT+F8 when you finish selecting files.

To cancel a selection

Press SHIFT+F8 so the selection cursor begins to blink.

Move to the selection you want to cancel, and then press the SPACEBAR.

Press SHIFT+F8 when you finish canceling selections.

See Also: Using a Mouse to Select Files, Find and Select


If you have a printer you can print the order form by selecting Print Topic command under the File menu in this help file.


How to register
How to Register SpaceMaker

If you use SpaceMaker for Windows (Shareware Edition) for over 30 days you must register the program. Upon registration you will receive the latest version of the utility and you will be eligible for upgrades at lower prices.

Please note that registered users can upgrade to SpaceMaker Plus for only US$5.95 a copy!

If you have any comments or questions please fax us at (604) 669-9766 or e-mail to paul.kowalow@deepcove.com.

Registration/Order Form


Registration/Order Form
SpaceMaker Registration and Order Form (Ver. 2.10+)

Please, send the registration form (you can print this form) and a check or money order drawn on any Canadian or US bank to:

Copernicus Software International

Box 2354, 349 West Georgia Street

Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 3W5

International postal money orders are also accepted. At the present time we do not process Visa or Master Card charges.

We have had many requests for accepting cash payments by registered mail. You can do so if you are ordering our products from outside USA or Canada, but remember that it is not as save as making a payment through the banking system. You can use any currency that can be converted to US dollars while paying in cash, but make sure the total amount sent is equivalent to the price shown below in US dollars.

If you have any comments or questions please fax us at (604) 669-9766 or e-mail to paul.kowalow@deepcove.com.

REGISTRATION FORM

Name: 	__________________________________________	Phone:	_____________________

Company: 	____________________________________________________________________

Address:	_____________________________________________________________________

City: 	___________________________________________	State/Prov:	_________________

Country: 	________________________________________	Zip/Post Code:	______________

E-mail: 	_________________________________________	Computer type:	______________

Where did you hear about the SpaceMaker?	 ________________________________________

Any comments and suggestions will be appreciated	 __________________________________

ORDER FORM (the latest version will be sent)

SpaceMaker copies ordered:	______ x	US$15.95	(Can$19.95) 	per copy = 	_________

For SpaceMaker Plus add	______ x	US$5.95	(Can$7.95) 	per copy = 	_________

OR Upgrade to the latest version:	______ x	US$2.95	(Can$3.95) 	per copy = 	_________

(for registered users only)

Site License:

10 to 50 computers:	______ x	US$11.95	(Can$14.95) 	per copy = 	_________

more then 50 computers:	______ x	US$9.95	(Can$12.95) 	per copy = 	_________

For SpaceMaker Plus add 	______ x	US$3.95	(Can$4.95) 	per copy = 	_________

Subtotal	_________

Canadian residents add 7% GST = 	_________

B.C. residents add 7% PST = 	_________

Shipping & Handling ($3.00 US & Canada, $5.00 overseas) = 	_________

Total	_________

The program is shipped on 3½ floppies.

Please allow up to 4 weeks for delivery.


Windows Keys

Cursor Movement Keys

Dialog Box Keys

Editing Keys

Help Keys

Menu Keys

System Keys

Text Selection Keys

Window Keys


Cursor Movement Keys

Key(s)	Function

Arrow key	Moves the cursor left, right, up, or down in a field.

End or Ctrl+Right Arrow	Moves to the end of a field.

Home or Ctrl+Left Arrow	Moves to the beginning of a field.

Pape Up or Page Down	Moves up or down in a field, one screen at a time.


Dialog Box Keys

Key(s)	Function

Tab	Moves from field to field (left to right and top to bottom).

Shift+Tab	Moves from field to field in reverse order.

Alt+letter	Moves to the option or group whose underlined letter matches the one you type.

Arrow key	Moves from option to option within a group of options.

Enter	Executes a command button.

Or, chooses the selected item in a list box and executes the command.

Esc	Closes a dialog box without completing the command. (Same as Cancel)

Alt+Down Arrow	Opens a drop-down list box.

Alt+Up or Down Arrow	Selects item in a drop-down list box.

Spacebar	Cancels a selection in a list box.

Selects or clears a check box.

Ctrl+Slash	Selects all the items in a list box.

Ctrl+Backslash	Cancels all selections except the current selection.

Shift+ Arrow key	Extends selection in a text box.

Shift+ Home	Extends selection to first character in a text box.

Shift+ End	Extends selection to last character in a text box


Editing Keys

Key(s)	Function

Backspace	Deletes the character to the left of the cursor.

Or, deletes selected text.

Delete	Deletes the character to the right of the cursor.

Or, deletes selected text.


Help Keys

Key(s)	Function

F1	Gets Help and displays the Help Index for the application. If the Help window is already open, pressing F1 displays the "Using Windows Help" topics.

In some Windows applications, pressing F1 displays a Help topic on the selected command, dialog box option, or system message.

Shift+F1	Changes the pointer to [image] so you can get Help on a specific command, screen region, or key. You can then choose a command, click the screen region, or press a key or key combination you want to know more about.

(This feature is not available in all Windows applications.)


Menu Keys

Key(s)	Function

Alt	Selects the first menu on the menu bar.

Letter key	Chooses the menu, or menu item, whose underlined letter matches the one you type, when a menu has focus.

Alt+Letter key	Pulls down the menu whose underlined letter matches the one you type.

Left or Right Arrow	Moves among menus of the main menu bar.

Up or Down Arrow	Moves among menu items within a drop-down menu.

Enter	Chooses the selected menu item.


System Keys

The following keys can be used from any window, regardless of the application you are using.

Key(s)	Function

Ctrl+Esc	Switches to the Task List.

Alt+Esc	Switches to the next application window or minimized icon, including full-screen programs.

Alt+Tab	Switches to the next application window, restoring applications that are running as icons.

Alt+PrtSc	Copies the entire screen to Clipboard.

Ctrl+F4	Closes the active window.

F1	Gets Help and displays the Help Index for the application. (See Help Keys)


Text Selection Keys

Key(s)	Function

Shift+Left or Right Arrow	Selects text one character at a time to the left or right.

Shift+Down or Up	Selects one line of text up or down.

Shift+End	Selects text to the end of the line.

Shift+Home	Selects text to the beginning of the line.

Shift+Page Down	Selects text down one window.

Or, cancels the selection if the next window is already selected.

Shift+Page Up	Selects text up one window.

Or, cancels the selection if the previous window is already selected.

Ctrl+Shift+Left or Right Arrow	Selects text to the next or previous word.

Ctrl+Shift+Up or Down Arrow	Selects text to the beginning (Up Arrow) or end (Down Arrow) of the paragraph.

Ctrl+Shift+End	Selects text to the end of the document.

Ctrl+Shift+Home	Selects text to the beginning of the document.


Window Keys

Key(s)	Function

Alt+Spacebar	Opens the Control menu for an application window.

Alt+Hyphen	Opens the Control menu for a document window.

Alt+F4	Closes a window.

Alt+Esc	Switches to the next application window or minimized icon, including full-screen programs.

Alt+Tab	Switches to the next application window, restoring applications that are running as icons.

Alt+Enter	Switches a non-Windows application between running in a window and running full screen.

Arrow key	Moves a window when you have chosen Move from the Control menu.

Or, changes the size of a window when you have chosen Size from the Control menu.