Contents

VDM General Help

Directory Tree Window

Drive Toolbar

FIle List Window

Directory Path

File Viewer

Trashcan

Status Window

Function Toolbar


VDM General Help

The Disk Manager performs similar functions to the Windows File Manager but with a more intuitive interface.  Most of the functions performed are done by dragging and dropping items (files, directories, etc.).  You can use the drag and drop facility of the Disk Manager with any other application that supports drag and drop.  You can tell if an application supports the function by simply seeing if the cursor changes shapes.  You cannot drop files while the cursor resembles the 'do not enter' sign (a circle with a diagonal line through it).

Note: The Windows File Manager acts only as a drag and drop server, it will not accept dropped files.  The ProgramManager will only accept dropped files but will not act as a server.

The Disk Manager allows you to organize and maintain your disk file system.  You can move, copy, delete, and rename files or whole directories.  You can search for a file, create a directory, execute an application, or get detailed information about a file.  You can select one or multiple files or directories and perform any of the above operations on the selected items.  And, you can display your files in any order you desire.  All of these functions are easily identifiable and are initiated by simply selecting the appropriate button on the Function Toolbar.

The Disk Manager is intended to be as intuitive as possible.  In addition to providing a graphical button for most of the functions, there is also a status window that continuously displays information about what functions are available or what function is being performed.

For more HELP see the Table of contents


Directory Tree
Directory Tree Window

The directory tree window displays the directories and sub directories of the selected drive.  You can display the contents of any directory by positioning the mouse cursor over the directory name and clicking the left mouse button.  The directory contents will be displayed in the File List window.  Double clicking the left mouse button on the directory name will expand the directory tree to show any sub directories in the selected directory.  Double clicking on an open directory will close that directory and contract the displayed tree.  The Directory Tree window is also used as the destination for copy and move operations.


Drive Toolbar

The Drive Toolbar displays drive icons for all drives in your system. Selecting a drive by depressing the left mouse button over the desired drive icon will change the directory being displayed.

The Drive Toolbar icons are also used as destination for copy operations.  When dragging items, a focus rectangle will appear over the drive icon which will receive the dragged items if dropped.

Depressing the right mouse button over any of the drive icons will start a new Disk Manager window for that drive.


File List Window

The File List Window displays the contents of the selected directory.  All items that are going to be copied, renamed, or deleted are selected in this window.  This is also the source for all drag and drop operations.  Items are selected by depressing the left mouse button over the desired item.  Multiple items can be selected by holding down the Control key while selecting the items.  A section of items can be selected by selecting the first item and then holding down the Shift key while selecting the end inclusive item.  Global selects can also be made by selecting the Global Select button in the Function Toolbar.  Double clicking on a directory item in the File List window will affect the same operation as selecting the directory in the Directory Tree window.


Directory Path

The title bar of the Disk Manager displays the full path of the currently selected directory.


File Viewer

Dragging and then dropping a file on the File Viewer window will activate the associated editor.  If you do not have previously defined an association for the file, you can either create one or the default is to invoke Notepad.


TRASHCAN

The Trashcan is the destination for any files and/or directories that you wish to delete.  Just select the items then drag and drop them over the trashcan.  The trashcan lid will open to indicate that you are about to 'throw away' the selected items.


Status Window

The Status Window displays information about the various functions that you will be performing. Here is some of the information displayed.  When the mouse cursor is over the title bar the disk space of the current drive is shown in the status window.  When you move your cursor over any of the items in the Function Toolbar, the Status Window displays a description of the button function.  Some of the Function Toolbar buttons toggle between two states.  For example the MOVE/COPY button allows you to determine what will happen when you drag some file, either it will be copied to a new location or it will be moved to a new location.  The Status Window will indicate the state of the button.  As you select items in the File List Window, the number and size of the items will be displayed in the Status Window.  When you are dragging items, the Status Window will display the function that you are performing.


Function Toolbar

Here's a short description on the function of each of the buttons in the

Function Toolbar.

Expand Directory Tree Window-If you have expanded the directory tree by double clicking on a directory name and your directory tree is very deep, then it is possible that the tree will be larger than the window size.  You can expand the Directory Tree Window by clicking on this button.

Contract Directory Tree Window-To close the window after you have expanded it.

Global Select-Depressing this button will bring up a dialog box where you can enter a select criteria.  For example you might want to select all *.doc files, or all *.txt.  This action is cumulative so any files that you may have selected manually will still remain selected.

Change Sort Key-Depressing this button will bring up a dialog box that will allow you to change the way that items are sorted in the File List Window.  You can select either by type, size, date, or name.  Once set the type will remain in effect until you change it again.

Find File-This will search through the current drive for a file or for files that match a certain search criteria.

Create Directory-Depressing this button will prompt you for the name of the directory to create.  The new directory will be created in the current directory which is also displayed for your confirmation.

COPY/RENAME-This button is used to rename the file in the same directory or to make a copy of the file within the same directory.  The function that is performed will depend on the state of the COPY/MOVE toggle button.  You can always check the state of the COPY/MOVE button by passing the mouse cursor over the button and the state will be shown in the Status Window.

COPY/MOVE-This button toggles between the two states when depressed.  This sets up the function that will be performed when you drag and drop items or when you select the COPY/RENAME button.  The state of this button is displayed in the Status Window when the button is depressed.

Refresh Window-Depressing this button will cause the disk to be re-read to update the window contents.  This is specially useful when you change disks in your floppy drives.

LONG/SHORT File List Window Format-This button will toggle between the short and long list formats for the File List Window.  The short format will only display the names of the directories and files.  The long format will display the file size, date and time of creation.

Menu-Depressing this button will display a menu of least used items.  The first two items will allow you to set associations for the viewer and for Window's executables.  For example if you wanted Notepad to be invoked whenever you double-clicked on '.bat' files.  Or if you dragged '.txt' files on to the File Viewer. The fifth item allows you to change the font being used by the various windows of the Disk Manager.

Launcher-This button will allow you to invoke any application in your system by typing in the name.  And also allows you to add a command line parameter for that executable.