Documentation for FilVue.TDD/v1.0
=================================
joel dinda
[75725,1134]


FilVue lets you peek at TDD files; I use it to help me identify files whose
purpose I've forgot.  (It makes a nice companion program to NDX100/200, or any
other indexer.)  FilVue displays the first 280 bytes in the file, which usually
includes some indentification information.  FilVue's designed to reduce the
number of times that it's necessary to load the entire file into RAM just to
check its identity.  When it succeeds, FilVue is much quicker.

This program works with:
      M100/T102 and Powr-DOS for TDD1.
      M100/T102/T200 and FLOPPY for TDD2.
Unfortunately, there's no available tool for the T200/TDD1 combination.

FilVue converts non-printing and control characters to reversed-diamonds; no
other characters are converted.  With .BA and .CO files, this results in
improved but still very limited readability; identification clues, if any, will
be in text strings located near the start of the file.  While I've usually
found such clues, this program is sometimes no help whatever.  (MultiPlan files
*do* make an interesting display, though....)

For .DO files, FilVue's display is *far* preferable to "print-to-screen"
utilities.

One Preliminary Matter
----------------------
This program which writes names to diskette directories.  If you'd rather not
have the diskette named, the feature can be avoided by write protecting the
diskette or by just declining to name the diskette when the program asks.

Using FilVue
------------
Except at the "File to View" prompt, <Esc>ape always escapes to some more
useful place.  "File to View" can be escaped with <Return>.

After setup, FilVue asks you to insert a diskette.  It checks the diskette for
a disk name and reads the directory.

If no diskette name was located, the program checks whether the diskette is
write-protected; if it's not, you'll be prompted for a diskette name.  If you
fill in a name, you'll be asked to verify it; it will be written to the
diskette.  If you'd rather not name the diskette, just press <Return> at the
"Diskette name?" prompt.

After the diskette name has been settled, FilVue asks which file you wish to
view.  Type in the name and press <Return>; FilVue will check for the name and
either display the start of the file or report failure.  Some concerns:
      Extensions are not required for document files, as the program adds a .DO
      extension to any file without an extension.
      
      Extensions *are* required for .CO and .BA files.
      
      Directory prefixes are required *only* if the same name is on both TDD2
      directories and you wish to view the file on 1:.  For any other case,
      FilVue will locate & display the file if it is on the diskette.
      
      Full filespecs [0:RENAME.BA] are permitted but not usually required.
      
      Some obviously incorrect "file names" are trapped to return to the "File
      to View" prompt.
      
When you're through checking files on the diskette, press <Return> at "File to
View".  <Return> takes you to:
      <F>ile/<D>iskette/<Q>uit
<F> returns you to "File to View"; <D> returns you to "Insert Diskette"; <Q>
exits to the computer's menu.

Programmer's Note
-----------------
While this program is an obvious followup to NDX100/NDX200, it's designed as a
test program for a couple other projects.  I mention this in case someone
decides to look at the code; there are a couple peculiar touches which make
sense only if I intend extensions to the code.

Hope you find it useful.  If there are any problems, feel free to leave
complaints or suggestions.
joel dinda
27jul88