Graphic Vision File Manager =========================== Copyright (c) 1995 - 2001 Jason Burgon All rights reserved All rights not expressly licensed to the user are reserved to the developer. Version 1.33 15:09:2001 Graphic Vision File Manager is an graphical DOS file manager and program launcher with long file name and full drag and drop capabilities. It has the look, feel and functionality similar to that of MS Windows File Manager. GVFM can use any high resolution 256-colour SVGA video mode up to 1600x1200, or any 16-colour mode up to 800x600. Supports long file names when run in a Win9x DOS box or other LFN-capable operating system. MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS =========================== DOS 3.3 386 processor (486 or better recommended) 2MB RAM VGA Graphics system (VESA SVGA recommended) Mouse Microsoft 7.05 compatible (or better) mouse driver WARRANTY ======== This software is provided "as is", with no warranty expressly stated or implied. The user of this software assumes all risk of use. Jason G Burgon will not be held liable for any loss of profit or damages due to claims based on consequential, incidental, or other similar damage claims. Please note that this is freeware, and while I know of no bugs, there might be some, though the actual file/directory copy, move and delete functions have proven reliable for a couple of years. NETWORKS ======== I have tested this software on both Win9x and OpenDos pier-to-pier networks and all works very well for me, so it should be quite happy on any network. GVFM loads and stores a configuration file when it loads and exits. This file is used to restore the desktop and the users configuration each time GVFM loads. By default, GVFM looks for a file called GVFM.CFG in the same directory as GVFM.EXE. However, if you want to put GVFM.EXE onto a file server, then it is far better to have a unique GVFM configuration file each network user. This can now be acheived because GVFM looks for a DOS enviroment variable called "GVFM". If this variable contains a valid [path and] filename then GVFM will use this as its configuration file instead. So all you (the network administrator) has to do is make sure that each machine has a GVFM environment variable set so that each network user sees his or her correct GVFM configuration file. There are a billion ways to acheive this - here is just one suggestion: Place GVFM.EXE in a directory on the server that all users can see, eg: put it in \\SERVER1\SHARE\BIN This directory will be mapped to a user drive (lets say S:), so all users see "\\SERVER1\SHARE\BIN" as "S:\" and "S:\" will be in each users dos PATH. This directory can be set for read-only. Each user has a "private" data directory (with read/write privaliges) on SERVER1 that only [s]he can see. Something like: \\SERVER1\C:\USER\DATA\JOHN \\SERVER1\C:\USER\DATA\PAUL \\SERVER1\C:\USER\DATA\GEORGE \\SERVER1\C:\USER\DATA\RINGO etc, and the NET login script for "John" maps \\SERVER1\C:\USER\DATA\JOHN to (lets say) his P:\ drive. the NET login script for "Paul" maps \\SERVER1\C:\USER\DATA\PAUL to P:\ and so on. Now all you have to do is put a "SET GVFM=P:\GVFM.CFG" in each machines autoexec.bat (or login script file) and each user will get their own unique GVFM.CFG file regardless of which machine they log in on. COPYRIGHT ========= Copyright (c) 1995 - 2001 Jason Burgon All rights reserved All rights not expressly licensed to the user are reserved to the developer. You may use and distribute this software freely as long as no charge is made and you do not add, remove or alter any files in it. The JPEG code was originally translated to Tubo Pascal by NOMSSI NZALI Jacques H. C. His code is based on the Independent JPEG Group's JPEG software release 6b INSTALLATION ============ You may already have copies of DPMI16BI.OVL and RTM.EXE on your machine, but I strongly recommend you use the versions supplied with GVFM as problems have been found with other versions. All you have to do is extract DPMI16BI.OVL and RTM.EXE into a directory in your Dos PATH, or into the same directory as GVFM.EXE. The *.GVP's are alternative colour schemes for GVFM. You may want to add the following line to AUTOEXEC.BAT, or issue from the DOS prompt or other batch file before running GVFM.EXE: SET RTM=EXTMAX 8192 The number specifies the amount of RAM (in kilobytes) to use for GVFM. This figure can be set as high as you like or as low as about 2024 if you want, but will reduce the amount of memory available to GVFM for things like bulk caching of files when they are being copied or moved. You will also want to keep this value high if you intend to use GVFM as a graphics file browser. Files being moved are always written to their destination before being deleted from their original location for the safeties sake - I've never lost a file using GVFM. If your mouse pointer "jumps" several pixels at a time instead of moving smoothly accross the screen in SVGA modes then your mouse driver is buggy. Some mouse drivers simply do not report the virtual position of the mouse pointer correctly. A good Logictec mouse driver that works with any standard PC mouse can be obtained from the SimTel repositary. The directory and filename is: msdos/mouse/drvr624.zip UNINSTALLATION ============== GVFM makes no changes to any of your system files (eg CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT), so unistalling simply means deleting GVFM.EXE and the GVFM.CFG file that GVFM.EXE creates in the same directory as itself. If a previously working GVFM suddenly causes a crash when it initializes, then you should try deleting the GVFM.CFG file (found in the same dir as GVFM.EXE), then re-running GVFM. This will reset the default settings and video mode (mode 12h - 640x480x16). USING GVFM ========== There is no on-line help for GVFM at the moment, but everything should be very intuitive to use. Its operation and look is very similar to MS Windows File Manager. The [SHIFT] and [CTRL] keys are effective when selecting and dragging and dropping files and directories with the mouse: If the drag-drop cursor is showing a "+" symbol then the operation will be to copy the file(s) or directory. If no "+" is showing then the operation is a move. All operations will ask you for confirmation by default. Selecting Options|Confirmations from the main menu will allow you to switch off the confirmations you don't want. I recommend you at least leave all the directory confirmations enabled. Some programs, such as ones that use the DOS4/GW 32-bit DPMI server can't be launched from GVFM under some DPMI servers such as the supplied DPMI16BI.OVL. The reason is that DOS4/GW doesn't like the Borland DPMI server used by GVFM. There should be no problem under a Windows 3x/9x DPMI server. GVFM is very good for really getting rid of, or repairing a Win9x partition, since it is capable of displaying and manipulating hidden files and directories. This is the first release of any Graphic Vision application that can use Linear Frame Buffer video modes, so it's possible it might not work on every machine. Please tell me if it doesn't work [properly] on yours! Long file names are only available when the Operating System provides it: This means only when runing a Win9x Dos Box at present. Please report any bugs you find. CONTACTING THE AUTHOR ===================== Please to tell me what you think of GVFM, good or bad, especially if it won't run on your machine. GVFM was originally written purely as an example application of my Graphic Vision(tm) Pascal programmers API, and this is still its primary function, but it is now turning into a good product in itself. This version was built with Graphic Vision 2.13. By the way, the code for GVFM.EXE is only about 330K (including the JPEG decompressor). The rest of GVFM.EXE is comprised of resources (bitmaps mainly). Please don't hesitate to email me to let me know what problems you're having and what you like and don't like about it, and what features you would like to see it have. My aim is to eventually turn it into a powerful "DOS command centre", but the first goal is to make it at as powerful as the MS Windows "File Manager" program, which it now nearly is. My next job is to then add archive support with archives shown as directories, with their own sub-directories if the archive contains directory info. Jason G Burgon Email address: gv@jayman.demon.co.uk World Wide Web: http://www.jayman.demon.co.uk The above URL will always contain the most recent evaluation versions of Graphic Vision, GVFM and Bruce Ruona's Mahjong! game. Mahjong is an excellent example of what can be done with Graphic Vision - Like most GV applications, you'll find it hard to believe Mahjong is just a DOS program. -- End of File