DC File (tm) Windows File Manager Shareware Copy Release 1.0 ----------------------------- DC SOFTWARE (tm) 5276 HOLLISTER AVE. SUITE 405 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93111 Tel: 805-964-0473 Fax: 805-683-7690 BBS: 805-964-2833 ----------------------------- THANK-YOU --------- Thank you for downloading DC File, the second in a series of quality products scheduled for release this year. We hope you enjoy this shareware version, and that you will register your copy of DC File which will entitle you to our complete package including a published User's Manual, better graphics, faster disk logging and more. For imformation regarding registration please read the text file "Register.txt" DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM ---------------------- DC File is a intuitive file management utility for windows that makes copying and moving files easier for the beginner as well as providing unique tools for the more experience PC user. DC File allows you to click and drag files, multiple files, directories or multiple director- ies to the same disk or other disks. With DC File, you can view two drives at the same time by simply selecting the drives at the top of the program. ******[ TABLE OF CONTENTS ]****** SECTION 1: GENERAL Features............................. Keyboard User........................ Mouse User........................... Click and Drag.................... Launching Executable Files........ Edit Text Files................... Opening Windows Files............. SECTION 2: BUTTONS Exit................................. Control Panel........................ Find File............................ Go To Directory...................... Statistics........................... Rename............................... Create Directory..................... Delete File/Directory................ Edit Text File....................... Launch............................... SECTION 3: USING DC FILE Exit................................. Control Panel........................ Find File............................ Go To Directory...................... Statistics........................... Copy................................. File.............................. Directory......................... Move................................. File.............................. Directories....................... Rename File/Directory................ File.............................. Directory......................... Create Directory..................... Delete............................... File.............................. Directory......................... Edit Text File....................... Launch............................... Programs.......................... Files............................. SECTION 1: GENERAL ------------------ Features -------- * Create New Directories * Delete single directories, multiple directories or files * Copy files or multiple files to the same disk or other disks * Easy, click and drag copies and moves (Directories or Files) * Rename files or directories * Locate files (Find File), or Directories (Go To) * Disk Statistics (Total Disk Space Available...etc) * View File Specifications (Archive, Hidden, Read Only, System) * Launch programs * Auto launch and open Windows programs files * Edit Text files using Windows easy-to-use notepad * Quick access buttons for faster functions * Hot Keys for keyboard users Keyboard Use ------------ Although DC File is designed to be used with a mouse, you do not need to have a mouse attached to your computer in order to easily use the full range of DC File features. When DC File is running, you can use the pull down menu's to access all of the copy and move features of the program or access certain commonly used functions directly by simply pressing the hot key of choice. A list of the hot keys accessible from the main screen is listed below. X = EXIT N = NEW DIRECTORY D = DELETE TAGGED FILES F = FIND FILE C = COPY CHECKMARKED OR HIGHLIGHTED FILES/DIRECTORIES M = MOVE CHECKMARKED OR HIGHLIGHTED FILES/DIRECTORIES E = EDIT TEXT FILE L = LAUNCH PROGRAM The following is a list of other keys that work with DC File. HOME = Moves the cursor (highlight) to the top of the tree/files END = Moves the cursor (highlight) to the end of the tree/files PGUP = Moves the cursor (highlight) to the top of the window PGDN = Moves the cursor (highlight) to the bottom of the window INSERT = Creates a new directory if you are in the directory tree DELETE = Deletes all checkmarked or highlighted files CURSORS = Up, Down, Right, Left moves the highlight between drives SPACEBAR = Checkmarks the highlighted directory/files Mouse User ---------- Since DC File is a Windows program, many of the functions are activated by highlighting and clicking the left mouse button twice. To highlight a directory or file, move the mouse over the object and click the left mouse button once. The following list outlines other functions and how to access them using the mouse. Click and Drag: You can click and drag both files and direc- tories to and from different disk drives. To copy or move a file from one directory to another, simply grab the file by clicking and holding the left mouse button while on the file. Then, while still holding the file, drag the file to the directory you wish to move the file to and then let go of the but- ton. A window will appear asking you if you want to "Move or Copy" the file. You can move multiple files the same way, simply check- mark the files you wish to move and then grab one of the files and all of the checkmarked files will follow. You will know that you are holding multiple files with the cursor because the cursor will resemble the outline of multiple files. Launching Programs: Highlight executable file and double click left mouse button. Edit text files: Move the mouse cursor over the text file you wish to edit, now highlight the file by pres- sing the left mouse button once, then go to the buttons and press the edit button. Opening Windows Files: All files written with windows programs have a unique file extension which Windows can recognize. For example: Microsoft Word files usually end in .DOC and Microsoft Excel files end in .XLS. In the Windows directory, there is a file called WIN.INI. In this file, there is a file extension directory which tells Windows what file extensions belong to what programs. To open files directly, without going to Program Manager and starting the program first, simply double click on the file in DC File. If Windows knows what program made the file, it will automatically start the program and open your file selection. SECTION 2: BUTTONS ------------------ The following is a short description of the 3-D buttons on the left of the directory and files windows. Button Name Description ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Exit Exits the program immediately 2 Control Panel Brings up the Control Panel * Change File View * Change Font Size * Save Window Size and Location * Highlight Selected Files 3 Find File Allows you to locate files 4 Go To Directory Allows you to locate a directory 5 Statistics Shows you available disk space 6 Rename Rename files or directories 7 Create Directory Create a new subdirectory 8 Delete Delete a file(s) or directory(ies) 9 Edit Text File Opens text file in Windows Notepad 10 Launch Runs windows and non-windows applications ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 3: USING DC FILE ------------------------ Exit ---- In order to exit DC File quickly without having to pull-down any menu's, DC File has a quick exit button located at the top of the buttons. If using the mouse, click once on this button and you will immediately exit DC File. Control Panel ------------- The control panel allows you to configure what you want to see and how you want to see it in DC File. You can highlight certain files, save your windows size and location for later sessions, set which drives you want to automatically log upon start-up and more. To bring up the control panel, go to the pull-down menu option Utility and select "Control Panel". If you are using a mouse, simply click on the second button down from the top and the control panel window will appear. Turning functions on and off is simply a matter of checkmarking the corresponding box to the left of the feature. Find File --------- It is often easy to forget where you have placed certain files when you have a lot of directories and a lot of files. The Find File feature of DC File allows you to quickly locate the file if you know what its name was or at least part of the missing files name. To find a file, press on the 3rd button from the top, (Magnifying Glass). A window will appear asking you what you are looking for. Enter in as much of the name as you know while placing a wildcard symbol "*" when you don't know what comes next. For example, lets say you do not know what directory you placed DC File in. Let's also say you forgot whether DC File had a hyphen or not (DC-File). To find where this file was, you could enter "DC*.*" at the Find File prompt and it would show you all files beginning in "DC." Go To Directory --------------- This feature works just like Find File except it is used to find a directory instead of a file. Simply type in the name of the directory or the first couple of letters and DC File will highlight that directory. Statistics ---------- Statistics shows you how much available space you have on your harddisk as well as how much space is being used. It also shows you how much space you have checkmarked in case you want to delete certain files based upon their size. Use this window when deleting files or director- ies so that you know exactly how much you are deleting. When you are finished reviewing statistics, press the "Close" button to close the window. Copy Command ------------ Copy File(s): There are many ways in which to copy files to other directories or other disks. The fastest method is to pick the file up and drag it to the directory you wish to copy it to and then let go of the mouse button. This is the "Click and Drag" approach. The second method is to select the file or files you wish to copy by checkmarking them and then pressing "C" for "Copy." This hot key was implemented for exper- ienced keyboard users. The third method is to again highlight the file or files you wish to copy and then select "File" from the pull down menu's. When the menu comes down, select "Copy." Now double click where you which to copy the file(s) to. Copy Directory(ies): You can copy a single directory or multiple directories by simply grabbing the desired directory icon and dragging it to a destination on the same disk or another disk. Before you can copy a directory to another disk, you must first have opened and logged that disk by click- ing on the drive icon at the top of the window. To copy multiple directories using the mouse, first checkmark the directories you wish to copy by highlighting them and pressing the space- bar or by single clicking the left mouse button while highlighting the directory icon. Then grab one of the directories and begin dragging. You will know that you are actually dragging the directories because the mouse cursor will change to that of a directory outline. Like copying files, you can mark the directories to copy and then press "C" for "Copy". The last method is to highlight or mark the directories and then select "Copy" from the "Directories" pull down menu. Tip: To checkmark multiple directories you can click on the tree branch the contains the direct- ories you which to copy or move. Move Command ------------ Move File(s): Moving files is done exactly the same way as copying if you are using a mouse in click and drag mode. When you are done dragging your files, a window will appear asking you if you want to "Copy or Move" the selected files, select "Move" instead of "Copy." If using the keyboard, the hot key is "M" for "Move." To use this hot- key, first select the file or files you wish to move by checkmarking or highlighting, then press "M" for "Move." Then highlight the destination and press "Enter" Move Directory(ies): Like moving files, moving directories can be accomplished with the mouse by selecting the directory(ies) and then dragging them to the destination directory. Using the keyboard, you can press "M" for "Move", then highlight the destination and press "Enter" Tip: It is not neccessary to log the drive to move or copy a file or directory. You may simply drag them to the drive icon. Note: You will not be able to specify where you are placing the files or directories. Rename File/Directories ----------------------- Using DC File, you can rename any file or directory with a acceptable DOS file name. The format for a valid DOS file name is eight characters followed by a period and then another three characters. Format: AAAAAAAA.AAA You may use either numbers or letters in both the 8 character prefix or the 3 character extension. If you enter a file name that has 9 characters in the prefix, only the first 8 will appear. Rename File: To rename a file, highlight it using either the mouse or the keyboard cursor keys and then press "R" for "Rename." If you are only using the mouse, highlight the file and then press the rename button which is represented as "ab-ba" on the buttons panel. Rename Directory: Directories are named with eight characters and NO extension. When naming a directory, readability is important as is length if you use dos commands. CREATE DIRECTORY COMMAND ------------------------ To create a new directory or subdirectory, highlight the directory where you would like the new directory to go under and then either press the "Insert" key located next to the "delete" key or press "N" for New. When using the mouse, press the "Create" button. A window will appear asking you to name the new directory. Type in the name of the new directory and press OK. Directory names, like file names, are limited to eight characters, a period, and then three more characters. EXAMPLE: AAAAAAAA.AAA Usually however, you do not use extensions when naming directories. DELETE COMMAND -------------- Deleting files and directories can be done a number of ways. If you are sure that you would like to delete a file, you can delete it instantly by highlighting the file and then pressing the delete file button. If you are using the keyboard, you can highlight the file you want to delete and then press "D" for "Delete." Likewise, you can highlight the file you want to delete and select "Delete" from the File pull down menu. If you wish to delete multiple files, simply checkmark the files you wish to delete using the spacebar or by clicking once on the file icon and then pressing the delete button or by pressing "D" for "Delete." When using the mouse it is also possible to "click and drag" a file(s) or directory(ies) to the delete icon. Edit Text File -------------- If you use a lot of batch files or if you occasionally need to edit a text file, the Edit Text File button will be quite handy. Using this feature, you can edit text files using DC File by simply highlighting the file you wish to edit and then pressing the Edit button. The edit button is represented with a pencil. When finished editing the file, use the pull-down menu's in Notepad to save your changes. Launch ------ You can run programs out of DC File by highlighting them and then pres- sing the launch button (rocket). This is a great way to open certain files that may be difficult to find. For example, if I wrote a Excel worksheet using Microsoft Excel and placed it accidentally into the a directory with tons of other files, I could use Find File to locate it and then simply double click on it or press ENTER to open the file. This only works with files written with Windows Applications. File/ Program associations do not yet exist for most dos programs. Windows is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation. Excel is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation. DC File is a trademark of DC Software