© Copyright 1992-1995 MAWEK
All Rights Reserved.
Last update: 8 October 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

If you are using the DOS operating system, you know you're limited to that filename consisting of 8 characters, a dot and again 3 characters. Well, those 3 characters (the extension) are used to make it a lot easier for use to recognize file types. But can you see that a .PCX is REALLY a .PCX ? Sometimes this extension just isn't meaningful. After all, there are only finitely many permissible file extensions, but probably uncountable many purposes to use files for.

What is EDIR?

EDIR is a program that displays the directory. But is does something more, it tries to identify the filetype (it examines the file). It is hard to see which resolution the file PICTURE.GIF has (and you don't wanna startup your favourite picture-viewer). It is even harder to see that the file WOW.VOC is really a .VOC file (the extension doesn't say anything at all).

Well, EDIR tells you. Not only that but much more. Underneath is a list of the file-formats which are recognized by EDIR.

I will update this list as much as possible (except if nobody likes this utility).

Shareware

EDIR is Shareware and as such may be freely distributed for no money other than those incurred in copying costs. If you decide to use this program you are expected to pay a registration fee of $10 (Dollars) or Hfl. 15 (Guilders). If you are going to distribute it with a commercial project drop me a line and get written permission before doing so. I hope you find it a worthwhile addition to your software library.

This program is freely distributable, all use is at your own risk. I assume no responsability or liability for any problems that might occur.

Trademarks

All names of companies and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Registration

THIS IS NOT FREE SOFTWARE! If you paid a 'public domain' vendor for this program, you paid for the service of copying the program, and not for the program itself. Proceeds from such transactions would never reach the maker of this product. You may evaluate this product for a period of 30 days, but if you decide to make use of it, you should register your copy.

To register : fill in the file REGISTER.FRM and return it to me.

I offer several inducements to you for registering. You are entitled to support for EDIR, which can be quite valuable at times.

The unregistered version of EDIR does print a message every time you use it. Once you have become a registered user yourself, this message will be gone and your name will be displayed in the help screen (EDIR /?).

Registered users receive a registration key. The registration key contains important information such as the licence number and the name of the licensee. It is NOT allowed to sell or give away the registration key. When you enter the registration key in the REGISTER program, a key file will be created. EDIR searches for the key file in the current directory. If it does not find it there, it searches the same directory where the program file EDIR.EXE resides. If the key file is corrupt or invalid, EDIR quits and an error message will be displayed.

This registration key is valid for all future versions of EDIR. So if you ever get a new shareware version (e.g. by modem, through a computer network like Fido or Internet, or from a CD-ROM), it will automatically become the registered version again because of the registration key.

Although you are allowed to evaluate EDIR for a trail period of 30 days, it is ILLEGAL to use EDIR in combination with a key, produced without authorization of MAWEK, or generated by any software not distributed by MAWEK.

Using EDIR

The minimum requirements of EDIR are :

Command Line

All the commands are entered on the command line at the DOS prompt. These options tell EDIR to carry out certain commands when the program is loaded. Below is the description of the command line options.

The EDIR command line structure is: 

     EDIR [drv:][path][filename] [options]

Parameters lists in [] are optional. The path can contain wildcard characters '*' and '?'.

[options] are the EDIR options that you can specify. The following is a summary of all options available in EDIR. 

     /A  Displays files with specified attributes
     /O  List by files in sorted order
     /P  Pauses after each screenful of information
     /S  Displays files in specified directory and all subdirectories
     /Q  Quick display (does not examine)
     /H  Heuristic scan

Command Options

All command options must be preceded by a '-' or '/' character. The options are described below. 
     /A  Displays files with specified attributes.

              Attribs:  D  Directories
                        R  Read-only files
                        H  Hidden files
                        S  System files
                        A  Files ready to archive
                        -  Prefix meaning "not"

     /O List by files in sorted order.

             Sortorder: N  By name (alphabetic)
                        S  By size (smallest first)
                        E  By extension (alphabetic)
                        D  By date & time (earliest first)
                        G  Group directories first
                        -  Prefix to reverse order

     /P  Pause after every page.
This option pauses after each screenful of information. 
     /S  Display files in specified directory and all subdirectories.
This option will browse through all subdirectories. 
     Example : EDIR C:\WP\DATA /S

     /Q  Quick display (does not examine).
This option does not display the examine information and is because of this much faster. Use this when you want a quick view of your complete harddisk (in combination with /S)
     Example : EDIR C:\ /Q /S

     /H  Heuristic scan.
If you use this option EDIR will try to identify files which have not always a MAGIC number. For example a C++ source file. Normally these files start with something like " /* TEST.CPP */ " or " #include ". Most times EDIR has it right but it is not always reliable. EDIR uses " >> description " to identify these files.

Environment Variable

EDIR will first look for an environment variable named EDIR and use its value as switch options for EDIR. 
     SET EDIR=

     Example : SET EDIR=/S /P
Do NOT add any blanks after the variable name EDIR.

Date Format

EDIR chooses the date format for you. So, if your country uses the European date format, then EDIR will use this one.
EDIR knows three date formats : DD-MM-YY (Europe), MM-DD-YY (USA) and YY-MM-DD (Japan).

File Formats

EDIR recognizes the following file formats.

History

The history of EDIR.

Bugs Report

Please send the following information to me : For bugs (or features) or just to say hat you REALLY LOVE my program, write to :

Marco van den Broek
Linde 71
2925 CE Krimpen a/d IJssel
The Netherlands (Europe)

or via Internet Email : edir@mawek.com

How to get updates

Below some ways to get the lastest version of EDIR.

Internet Email

If you have an Internet Email address, you can reach me via Internet.

Internet Email address : edir@mawek.com

If you decide to register your version of EDIR, don't forget to write down your Internet Email address. I can mail your "registration number" via Email and even the latest version of EDIR (UUEncoded of course).

World Wide Web Home Page

If you have Internet Access and a Web Browser, you can look at
The MAWEK Home Page
http://www.mawek.com

or the EDIR Page
http://www.mawek.com/edir

The EDIR WWW Page contains links to several places where you can get EDIR (usually FTP references). You also find useful information about EDIR here (latest news, known bugs and other interesting things).

UseNet News

Current versions of EDIR are posted regularly to the Usenet newsgroups:
"alt.binaries.pictures.utilities" and "alt.binaries.sounds.utilities"

Also available

I also have a Unit (for Turbo Pascal 6.0) with the basic routines to identify a file. With this Unit you can use the power of EDIR in your own programs. Contact me for more information. 

© Copyright 1992-1995 MAWEK   All Rights Reserved.
Last update: 8 October 1995