MATCHDIR.TXT File  
=================


Documentation for MatchDir.exe, Version 1

Copyright Jack MacDonald, 1996
========================================================================
This file has 4 parts:

Part		Title
1		Installing MatchDir
2		Using MatchDir 
3		Reporting Bugs
4		Disclaimer, Registration, and Redistribution
========================================================================
Part 1: Installing MatchDir

The Zip File
You should have received MatchDir as a zip file, and the file you 
are reading is part of that zip file. 

The Individual Files
MatchDir consists of three files in total. This file, MatchDir.TXT 
is the documentation and MatchDir.EXE is the program file. Register.txt
contains instructions for registering with the author. Unzip all
the files into any directory of your choice. 

Use Win3.x File Manager to drag MatchDir.EXE into one of your 
Program Manager groups, or make a shortcut on your Win95 desktop 
or Start menu.

MatchDir is written in Visual Basic 3.0, therefore, it requires 
VBRUN300.DLL to be installed on your computer. In order to save 
space, VBRUN300.DLL has not been included with this distribution 
file, but you likely already have VBRUN300.DLL on your computer. 
If you have any difficulty running MatchDir, then look through 
your computer to locate VBRUN300.DLL. Move the file into your 
\WINDOWS directory (you need just one copy of this file). 

If you can't find VBRUN300.DLL on your computer, ask a friend or 
download it from one of the more popular shareware sites on the 
Internet, Compuserve, America Online, or other sites.

To uninstall MatchDir, just delete the EXE and INI files.

========================================================================
Part 2. Using MatchDir 

Program Overview
MatchDir is used to compare the contents of two directories and 
then to copy, delete, or move files from the source directory. 
You can copy files to a third directory if desired. The source 
directory is always on the left, and the target on the right. 

You can press the GoSource button to set the target directory to 
the same location as the source directory. Press Swap to swap the 
source and target directories.

Press the Mirror button to go to an identical-named directory on 
the target drive as on the source drive. MatchDir will create the 
directory if it does not exist on the target drive.

File Views
MatchDir uses two different views to show the files. The first 
view shows the source and target directories in two lists, while 
the second view shows a single, matched-list view of the files. 
The source and target directories display the files in "dimmed" 
mode, and you cannot select the files from these lists. You can 
do file-management only when the matched-list view is 
displayed because the command buttons are hidden until the 
matched-list view is displayed. 

When a file in the source directory has an identically-named mate 
in the target directory, then both files are shown on the same 
line. When a file does not have a matching file in the opposite 
directory, it is shown on its own line. 

On slower computers or over a network connection, the matching 
process may take a few seconds -- that's why the two views were 
required. As you navigate through directories, MatchDir will 
display the files in the two-list view without the processing 
delay. When you settle on the source and target directories, 
MatchDir will automatically change to the matched-list view after 
a few seconds. You can also press the Match'Em button to switch 
to the matched-list view.

You can press the Cancel File Matching button during the matching 
process. MatchDir will display the list of files to the point 
when you pressed Cancel.

MisMatched File Extensions
MatchDir has a special mode where it can match files between 
directories if they have the SAME NAME but DIFFERENT EXTENSIONS. 
To invoke this mode, just type a "*.ext" partial file name into 
the file-mask box (e.g. *.cdr). MatchDir will display a second 
file-mask box. When you enter a "*.ext" mask (e.g. *.wmf) into 
the second box, MatchDir will turn the second box red and disable 
the Copy and Move buttons.

When using the MisMatched Extensions mode, MatchDir will match 
(for example) DEMO.CDR in the source directory with DEMO.WMF in 
the target directory. This can be quite handy if you process some 
files through various filters to create new files. You can easily 
check that all the source files have mates in the target directory,
even if the file extensions are different.

Managing Files
After creating the matched-list view, MatchDir makes it easy to 
determine if the same-named file exists in both directories, and 
which version is newer. For identically-named files, a symbol is 
shown between the two names to indicate whether the source file 
is newer, older, or the same age as the target file.

You can control whether the list includes all the files, files 
with same names, or files with different names. Press the All, 
Same, or Different buttons. For files with identical names, you 
can control whether all, same, or different dates will be 
displayed by using the appropriate radio buttons. Experiment... 
You will figure it out in a hurry.

You select files using standard Windows techniques: click single 
files or Ctrl-click multiple files. Shift-click ranges of files. 
The Select button cycles between selecting the newer, equal, or 
older files in the source directory.

Press the Copy, Move, or Delete buttons to perform the action. 
File movement is always from the source (left) to the target 
(right).

To copy files from the target to another location, press the Copy
To.. button. MatchDir will ask for the location of the target 
directory.

Setup and the INI File

The default symbols for newer, equal, and older files are +, =, 
and < respectively. I found that + is easier to distinguish for 
newer files than >. Your tastes may vary...  Use the Setup button 
to enter the symbols of your choice.

You can also determine the delay that MatchDir uses before 
switching from the two-list to the matched-list view. I find that 
a longer delay is better on slower computers in order to avoid 
the annoying processing delay while MatchDir compares the source 
and target directories, especially when the directories contain 
hundreds of files.

MatchDir will write MatchDir.INI when the program exits. It will 
save the location of the source and target directories so you can 
start again in the same location for your next session.


Command-Line Operation
MatchDir will use an optional command-line parameter to determine 
the initial source directory. You can add a command-line 
parameter to the icon properties under Win 3.x or to the shortcut 
properties under Win 95. For example:
     c:\util\matchdir.exe c:\
will start the program in the root directory of c: You can make 
several icons or shortcuts to start the program in different 
directories.

You can also use the command-line parameter under programs like 
Norton File Manager for Win95. For example, I have a custom 
command button on my Norton Toolbar that launches:
     c:\util\matchdir %dir%
This starts MatchDir in the currently-selected directory in File 
Manager. Very handy..

Network Installation
MatchDir looks for Matchdir.INI in the same directory as 
MatchDir.EXE, and MatchDir will create the file if it does not 
exist.

If you want to share MatchDir on a network and allow each user to 
customize the MatchDir settings, then you should add the 
following lines to MatchDir.INI in the program directory:
     [matchdir]
     IniFile=x:\dir\matchdir.ini

where x:\dir is a unique network location for each user, as 
controlled by their login script. You could even enter 
c:\windows\matchdir.ini if you wanted the INI file to be located 
on the individual computer instead of the server. 

Give all users read-only privileges to MatchDir.EXE and 
the shared copy of MatchDir.INI.

MatchDir will create the INI file for each user as specified in 
the shared MATCHDIR.INI file that is located with MatchDir.EXE.

========================================================================
Part 3: Reporting Bugs

If You Find A Bug
In the event that MatchDir doesn't do what you have asked, try 
deleting the files and re-installing from the Zip file. Ensure 
that VBRUN300.DLL is available on your computer in a directory on 
your search path. 

If you are still convinced that MatchDir has a bug, please inform 
me by writing to macdonald@infomatch.com with the subject line 
MatchDir Bug.

========================================================================
Part 4: Disclaimer, Registration, and Redistribution

Standard Disclaimer
MatchDir is provided AS IS without warranty of any kind, either 
express or implied. In no event shall Jack MacDonald be held 
liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, 
incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or special 
damages.

Registration
MatchDir is distributed as shareware. If you use MatchDir for 
more than a 30-day evaluation period, then you are obliged to 
register it with the author. Registration is $15. 

Send your $5 registration fee to:
Jack MacDonald
5465 Maple Crescent
Delta, BC  Canada   V4K 1G3

If you email me for registration, you will receive a registration 
code that removes the "nag" screen. Registration will also encourage 
me to continue to enhance MatchDir.

I wrote MatchDir because the programs I was using failed to meet 
my needs in a few instances. I took inspiration from PC Magazine 
/ Michael Mefford's DirMatch utility, a DOS program that I have 
used for years. PC Magazine updated DirMatch to a Windows version 
recently, but I found it somewhat limited. I tried some other 
programs with similar features, but I decided to write my own 
program.

Redistributing MatchDir
Pass MatchDir to all your friends and colleagues. MatchDir can be 
posted to newsgroups, or put on web pages, provided that the 
entire zip file is included and not just the program. 

You can find the latest version of MatchDir on my Web page:
     http://www.infomatch.com/~macdonald


