DIR creates a more convenient directory for diskettes than that of DISK BASIC
on the RS DVI. Here's how to use it:

1. Read DIR.DVI and Rick Perry's SORT.LDR from DL7. Convert both to BASIC (see
   DOWNLD.HLP in XA0 if you're not sure how) and run SORT.LDR to create SORT.CO.
   DIR will not need SORT.BA or SORT.LDR; you can delete them.

2. Create a .DO file (using TEXT) with four carriage returns in it and store it
   on the DVI as "DIRECT" (i.e., hit F3, then enter 0:DIRECT). This creates a
   dummy directory, which DIR needs to get started. You can KILL the RAM file
   after you've created 0:DIRECT.

3. Run DIR. It will prompt you for comments on each disk file and on the disk;
   comment length is limited only by print line length (for 80 columns, it's
   37 characters). I use the disk comment field to store a disk number and
   description.

   DIR creates a .DO file called "DIRECT" and stores it on disk; you may delete
   it from RAM (see notes below).

4. To print a directory, simply press "p" or "P" when asked. The directory
   lists the file name, Data/Program/Machine language designator, date & time
   posted, bytes, and comments. Its heading tells when it was printed, and
   contains the disk comment field. It ends with a "TOTAL BYTES" figure.

NOTE WELL: Files in the directory appear in alpha order, thanks to Rick's SORT.
The directory name arrays (A() and B()) are DIMensioned for 55 entries in line
  20; change to suit.

Each time you run DIR, it checks the diskette directory and compares it with
DIRECT. DIR prompts you for comments on newly-added files, and deletes ones 
that no longer appear in the diskette directory. You need not print the
 directory. If you do print it, a copy of DIRECT.DO is left in RAM. Line one
 contains [date printed],[time printed],disk comments; the rest of the
 directory looks like this:

	Bytes	Field
	_____	_________________________________________
	1-9	File name
	10	CHR$(128) for .BA; CHR$(01) (not visible) for .CO
	10-17	Date created (9-16 for .DO files)
	18-25	Time created (17-24 for .DO files)
	26+	Comments (25+ for .

You may modify DIRECT.DO and store it on disk; there is nothing you can do to 
it that will hurt your data. At worst, DIR will halt with a "beyond end-of-
file" error, if you erase DIRECT.DO's contents entirely before storing it. 
If that happens, just go back to step 1, above.

Your comment field can be 225 characters long, but it will "wrap" to the next
 line on your printer if its length exceeds 35.

If you don't want DIRECT.DO to be created, simply "REM out" lines 243,
 245, and 250.

Please let me know if you have any difficulties with DIR.

                                                       <<Joel Orr, 72126,1613>>