FATCAT INSTRUCTIONS ------------------- Hello. If any significant changes or additions have been made to Fatcat since this manual was printed, you may read about them in the NOTES file on the Fatcat disk. ]RUN NOTES FATCAT ------ FATCAT is a "multiple-disk catalog" program that reads and organizes all of your Apple DOS 3.3 and ProDOS file names together into one or more "Master Catalog" files. Each Master Catalog may be sorted, searched, printed, and saved on disk, thus becoming a handy reference guide to your personal disk library. Master Catalogs may be updated at any time by reading in new or altered disks. Fatcat lets you assign an optional short "File Description" for each file name in each Master Catalog. DOS 3.3 disks may be assigned a descriptive "Disk Tile" that will optionally appear at the top of each disk's normal Catalog. (Note: ProDOS disks are named during normal formatting. The disk name appears in the catalog as a normal ProDOS feature.) BEFORE YOU START ---------------- We assume you are familiar with the basics of disk handling and DOS. If terms like "file name" and "boot", and commands like "CATALOG" are foreign to you, maybe you should read at least part of your Apple manuals. We'll wait here... BACK IT UP! ----------- Fatcat, and all Beagle Bros disks, are unprotected. This means you can, and should, make a backup copy for safekeeping. RUN COPYA from your DOs 3.3 System Master disk to copy Fatcat onto a blank disk in a minute or so. Since Fatcat is not copy protected (just copyrighted), it is easier to use and, therefore, more valuable to you, the purchaser. Please honor our copyrights by not giving copies of our products away. You support us and we'll support you. NORMAL DISKS PLEASE ------------------- Fatcat will not be able to read or otherwise cope with copy-protected disks or disks that aren't formatted with reasonably-standard DOS 3.3 or ProDOS. Please don't make it try. ABOUT DOS 3.3 AND PRODOS ------------------------ Your Apple can run under two standard "Disk Operating Systems". Therefore, you might have two different kinds of disks in your library. Fatcat can tell which "DOS" (rhymes with "boss") is which by "reading" a disk. you can tell by booting the disk in question and typing "CAT". If you get a "?Syntax Error" message, you have booted DOS 3.3. If a disk catalog appears, it's Apple' newer DOS--ProDos. There are many other Dos's out there (too many if you ask us). Fatcat only works with Apple's DOS 3.3 and ProDOS. ONE OR TWO DRIVES ----------------- Fatcat will work with either one or two disk drives. The Fatcat disk comes from the factory configured for one drive; see "Parameters Menu" on page 8 for changing to two. Fatcat is somewhat easier to use with two drives, because you can keep your Master Catalog disk in one drive and use the other drive for swapping "Subject Disks", the disks you will be reading into the Master Catalog. 1000 FILE NAMES MAX (Unless...) ------------------------------- Due to Apple's memory limitations, the largest possible Fatcat Master Catalog is 1000 file manes and/or 100 disks. The limit may be increased to 1500 file names if you have at least 64K of memory (all Apple IIe's and IIc's do) and a "DOS-Move" program such as the ones included with Beagle Bros' GPLE and ProntoDOS disks. A Plug: ProntoDOS will provide the additional benefit of tripling the speed of Fatcat's disk operations--reading, loading and saving files. Important: Master Catalogs saved when DOS is moved (and vice versa). DOS-moved Master catalog files are preceded by "DM.". Other Master Catalogs are preceded by "MC.". SOME DEFINITIONS ---------------- MASTER CATALOG: the file on disk or in memory containing information about your disks. The Master Catalog file may be given any legal file name. The file name will automatically be preceded by "MC" or "DM", depending on whether DOS has been moved (see above). MASTER DRIVE: The disk drive that contains your Master Catalog disk. See "One or Two Drives" on page 4. SUBJECT DISK: Any normally formatted DOS 3.3 or ProDOS disk that you want to enter into a Master Catalog. SUBJECT DRIVE: The disk drive you will use to read Subject Disk from. See "One or Two Drives" on page 4. FILE TYPES: The codes you normally see in a disk Catalog next to the file names (like B,A,T,etc., for DOs 3.3; or BIN, BAS, VAR, etc., for ProDOS). These codes tell you the format of each program or file. FILE DESCRIPTIONS: The optional short description (like "GAME" or "UTILITY") that you may give each of your Master Catalog file names (see page 16). GROUP YOUR DISKS ---------------- If you have more than 100 disks or more than 1000 file names (or 1500; see page 4) in your library, arrange your disks into logical groups, each to become part of a separate Master Catalog. NAME YOUR DISKS --------------- Please label each of your disks with a unique name, 15 characters or less. You might want to use short names like: "A1", "A2", etc, or "Games 1", "Games 2"... It's up to you. Treat two-sided disks like two separate disks. If you visit the local stationery store, you'll find some small self-adhesive labels, perfect for labeling disks. We like the brightly-colored round ones, about 1" in diameter--one color for ProDOS and another for DOS 3.3 You can use a felt-tip pen to write on a disk's existing label, but WATCH OUT-- you can damage a disk if you press down too hard with the pen or with your big fist. And don't tell anyone where you read this, but you can write directly on the black surface of a disk's jacket with a red or non-repro blue pencil, or one of those gold or silver felt pens. ABOUT DISK NAMES... ------------------- Actually, disk names are not critical to the operation of Fatcat, but they are critical to you being able to find the disk you are looking for. And by the way, if you have two or more disks with the same name, it might confuse you, but not Fatcat. Fatcat "imprints" each disk, the first time it sees it, with a unique, one-in-a-zillion, code number (invisible to you, but not to Fatcat). DATA DISK RECOMMENDED --------------------- Although not absolutely necessary, we suggest initializing a separate DOS 3.3 Fatcat "data disk" with only your Master Catalog (s) on it. Here's what you do: 1. Boot the Fatcat disk without running Fatcat. 2. Type "NEW" (return) 3. Remove the disk from the drive (IMPORTANT) 4. Insert a blank or erasable disk. 5. Type "INIT HELLO" (return) 6. Wait until the cursor returns. 7. Type "DELETE HELLO" (return) Do not put Fatcat program and related files on this disk (you could, but they would just take up space). Instead, RUN FATCAT from another disk, put it away and use your new data disk for storing up to four Master Catalogs. WRITE-PROTECT TABS OFF PLEASE ----------------------------- Please remove the write-protect tab from a disk being read by Fatcat for the first time, so a disk ID number and disk name may be written onto the disk. See pages 11 and 12 for more details. ]RUN FATCAT ----------- Fatcat is a normal DOS 3.3 disk. Boot it and you're in business. If you answer "Y" to the question "Run Fatcat?", Fatcat will automatically be run. OR boot any normal 3.3 disk; then insert a disk with Fatcat on it, and type "RUN FATCAT" (FATCAT is one word; don't ask why). Note: If you boot ProntoDOS (our triple speed DOS disk) before Running Fatcat (don't boot Fatcat), you will benefit from Pronto's speed when loading and saving your Master Catalogs. THE PARAMETERS MENU ------------------- Right after the Fatcat title page appears, you will be given the option of customizing Fatcat for your Apple system. If the values shown in the menu on the screen agree with you and your system, answer "Y" (yes) to the "Parameters OK?" question. If you want to make some changes, answer "N" (no). Then type the number that appears next to the parameter you want to change. Note: You can only access the Parameters Menu when Fatcat is first run. If you need to change a parameter later. it will be necessary to quit and RUN FATCAT again. SLOT AND DRIVE NUMBERS (Parameters 1-4) --------------------------------------- One-Drive Systems: If you only have one disk drive, both the Master and Slave Drive numbers should be set at Slot 6 Drive 1. Two-Drive Systems: Every two-drive system we know of uses Slot 6, Drive 1 and Slot 6, Drive 2; disk drive slots other than 6 are rarely used. PRINTER SLOT NUMBER (Parameter 5) --------------------------------- Slot 1 is standard. If you use a different slot, however, it's ok with Fatcat. COLUMN WIDTH (Parameter 6) -------------------------- The choice here is 40 or 80-columns. 80-columns looks better and allows more information to appear on the screen. However, some Apples are not equipped with 80-column hardware. If yours is, select 80. Printer printouts are not affected by the column-width chosen. PRINTER STRINGS (Parameters 7, 8, 9 and 0) ------------------------------------------ You may want to send special words or characters to your printer before it prints your Master Catalogs. For example, to have your name printed above all of your Master Catalog printouts, select "7" (if 7 is unused); then type your name and press Return. Your name will appear next to number 7 in the Parameters Menu and be printed above all of your Master Catalog printouts. Or you may need to print "(ctrl-I)80N" to get your printer to work in 80-columns, or "(ctrl-I)60P" to print 60 lines per page (depends entirely on your brand and model of printer and interface card). Enter these printer commands just as you would your name (example above). Normally-invisible control characters will appear in inverse ont he screen. Your printer may support other control-characters commands for emphasized type, condensed type, etc. Check your manual. When the Parameters Menu reads the way you want it, press the Esc key, and the updated parameters will be saved on disk. The next time you use this same Fatcat program, these new parameters will appear in the Parameters Menu. THE FATCAT KEYCHART ------------------- Whenever you use Fatcat, position the Keychart that came with the disk behind the front roe of keys on your Apple. Each top row key corresponds to a different Fatcat function, and may be selected from the "KEYCHART COMMAND" mode. The Keychart command screen supplies you with information about which slots and drives are active, the number of files and disks that have been read into memory, the amount of free memory, and the printer's off/on status. Whenever the Keychart Command screen is visible, Fatcat is ready for you to make a selection from the keychart. The name of the function being performed will then be printed at the top of the screen. If you wonder what's happening, look at the top of the screen. If you make a wrong move, just press the Esc key to return to the Keychart Command mode. KEYCHART OPTIONS ---------------- (1) and (!) CATALOG AND DRIVE 1 AND 2 ------------------------------------- Pressing "1" or "!" (shift-1) will catalog the disk in Drive 1 or 2, respectively. DOS 3.3 disks will catalog normally. ProDOS catalogs will show you the main directory plus ALL of the files in ALL catalog sublevels. (2) DISK NAMES -------------- Pressing "2" will let you perform several functions concerning disk names-- 1. Display the disk names of all disks that have been read so far into the Master Catalog in memory. 2. Display the name of the disk currently in the Subject Drive. 3. Add or change the name of the disk in the Subject Drive. DISK NAMES IN DOS 3.3 CATALOGS ------------------------------ Fatcat will let you specify that a disk's name will appear as a title when you execute a normal DOS 3.3 "CATALOG" command. Try this feature on a backup disk to see if you like it. (ProDOS disks are al assigned names automatically by the ProDOS filer program.) Catalog Disk Titles look like this: DISK VOLUME 123 GEORGE'S DISK *A 042 HELLO *B 003 DATA FILE *A 015 ANOTHER PROGRAM Technical stuff: The Disk Title "GEORGE'S DISK" in the sample above is a dummy file name created with 7 backspaces (control-H's) followed by the name. The file name is inserted at the top of the catalog by "sliding" all of the other file names down one position. See "Deleting the Disk Title", next page. More Technical stuff: Fatcat hides its DOS 3.3 disk name and 6-byte ID numbers in the VTOC; track 17 ($11), sector 0. DELETING A DISK TITLE --------------------- To delete a Disk Title from the catalog, select keychart option 2 (Disk Names) then screen menu option 3 (Change Disk Name). Type the disk's name and answer "N" to "Name in Catalogs?". (3) READ SUBJECT DISK INTO MEMORY --------------------------------- Type "3" to read the directory (catalog) of a Subject Disk into memory. As the directory is read, the disk's name is displayed, followed by each file name and a number indicating its current position in the Master Catalog. If a disk has never been read by Fatcat, it will be assigned an invisible ID number. If it has not been assigned a name, you will be asked to name it. Don't miss this opportunity to name your disk; you'll be glad you did later. After naming a 3.3 disk, you will be asked if you want the name to appear at the top of your catalogs (see page 11). Answer "Y" or "N". If "Y" is your answer, stand by while Fatcat rearranges your catalog and adds the title. WRITE-PROTECT PROBLEMS: If a disk is write-protected (if the notch on the side is covered), then Fatcat cannot assign a disk name or ID number to the disk. For best results, please remove all write-protect tabs temporarily to accommodate Fatcat the first time a disk is read. If a disk is not assigned an ID number, Fatcat will not be able to identify the disk the next time it "sees" it (a potential problem for both you and Fatcat). If a disk is permanently write-protected and has not notch (like the Apple System Master), make a backup on a normal notched disk and have Fatcat read that disk instead. (4) CLEAR MEMORY ---------------- Type "4" if you want to erase the current Master Catalog from memory and start a new one. This should be done if you are finished with one Master Catalog and are starting another (be sure you save the first one on disk), or if you simply want to start over. (5) LOAD MASTER CATALOG INTO MEMORY ----------------------------------- Type "5" to load a Master Catalog from disk into memory. This must be done before you can update, list or print a Master Catalog. Master Catalog file names are preceded by an "MC." (normal Master Catalog) or "DM." (DOS moved) prefix. Do not type this prefix when loading (or saving) Master Catalogs from Fatcat. For your viewing pleasure, a Master Catalog named "BEAGLE" has been provided on the Fatcat disk. Load and display it (option 8) to list the current Beagle Bros disk and file names. (6) SAVE MASTER CATALOG ----------------------- Type "6" to save the Master Catalog that is currently in memory onto a disk. You must use a disk with enough free space--about 100 free sectors for each normal Master Catalog or about 130 sectors if DOS is moved (see "Data Disks" on page 7). If Fatcat gives you a "Disk Full" error message, you will have to insert another disk with plenty of free space. Master Catalog file names are automatically prefixed with "MC." (or "DM." if DOS is moved; see page 4). Do not type this prefix when saving (or loading) Master Catalogs from Fatcat. WE REPEAT: Make sure the disk you are saving onto has plenty of free space! (7) PRINTER OFF/ON ------------------ Type "7" to get your printer ready for one of these print functions: *CATALOG A DISK *DISPLAY MASTER CATALOG *SEARCH Each of these functions will print only on the screen (not the printer) unless you have pressed "7" to connect your printer. Each "7" keypress toggles from Off to On and back again. The Off/On status is always displayed in the middle of the screen in the Keychart Command mode. By the way, Fatcat has no way of knowing if your printer itself is turned on (or even plugged in, for that matter). Option 7 just gets it ready to print if it is. When a printing function is completed, the printer is automatically disconnected (Off). You will need to reactivated it (On) to print something else. (8) DISPLAY MASTER CATALOG -------------------------- Typing "8" will list the Master Catalog in memory to the screen (printer off) or to your printer (printer on; option 7). This option assumes there is a Master Catalog in memory. Press any key to pause the display and any key to resume. Press Esc or control-C to terminate the listing. SAMPLE MASTER CATALOG The Master Catalog is displayed in nearly the same format as a DOS 3.3 catalog except that the disk name appears before the file names, and an optional File Description (in parentheses) follows the file name. If you are using a 40-column screen, the File Descriptions will appear on the next line. If you are using a 40-column screen, the File Descriptions will appear on the next line. (Printer printouts are not affected by 40 or 80-column screen width.) Control characters in file names will appear on the screen in inverse, but print as normal upper-case characters on your printer. See page 11 for explanation of why some file names have control-h's in them. Fatcat disk titles that appear in disk catalogs (page 11) will not be read or printed as file names by Fatcat. ProDOS NOTES ------------ ProDOS Disk Names are always preceded by a slash (/). ProDOS just likes it that way. Fatcat displays ProDOS blocks (file sizes) in their corresponding sector size (1 block = 2 sectors). A Master Catalog ProDOS file showing the number "010" (meaning 10 sectors) under "Sec" would show "005" (meaning 5 blocks) in its disk catalog. (9) ADD FILE DESCRIPTIONS ------------------------- Type "9" to add File Descriptions to any or all file names in a Master Catalog. File Descriptions allow you to do searches on them. For example, you can search for and list all of the file names with a "GAMES" description. File Descriptions appear in parentheses in the Master Catalog after the main file information. Here's the procedure for adding File Descriptions: Select keychart option 9. Fatcat will first ask "Stop at Each File Name?". IF YOU ANSWER "Y", each appropriate File Name will be displayed one at a time, and you will select a File Description from a menu at the top of the screen. Something like this: 1:BACKUP 2:DATA 3:DEMO 4:GAME 5:HIRES 6:UTILITY If you want to select a File Description that doesn't appear in the menu, press "A" to add a new one (9 characters or less). If you want to rename a description, type "R". There is a maximum of 45 File Descriptions. IF YOU ANSWER "N" to "Stop at Each File Name?", you will then select a "Search Type": 1. FILE NAME 2. DISK NAME 3. FILE TYPE 4. FILE DESCRIPTION If you select 1 (File Name) or 2 (Disk Name), you will be asked to type in a Search Word (see page 19). If you select 3 (File Type) or 4 (File Description), you will select from a menu on the screen. ADDING FILE DESCRIPTIONS ------------------------ EXAMPLE #1 ---------- Suppose you want to add various File Descriptions to all of the files on a disk named "BEAGLE BAG". Here's what you would do: 1. Select keychart option 9. 2. Answer "Y" to "Stop at Each File Name?". 3. Answer "2" (Disk Name) when asked for "Search Type". 4. Type "BEAGLE BAG" after "Search For:". (or a partial string like "BAG" or "BEAG" would probably work). The disk name, "Beagle Bag", will be displayed followed by the first file name on the disk. 5. If you see a File Description that describes this file name (in the menu at the top of the screen), type its number. If you want to add a new File Description, type "A". To rename a Description, type "R". If you don't want a File Description for this file name, just press Return. If you want to exit this mode, press Esc. 6. Continue selecting File Descriptions for each file name. Press Esc to quit early. EXAMPLE #2 ---------- Suppose you want to add the File Description "Utility" to every file name containing the word "Fatcat" in it. 1. Select keychart option 9. 2. Answer "N" to "Stop at Each File Name?". 3. Select the number for "Utility" from the menu at the top of the screen. 4. Answer "1" (File Name) when asked for "Search Type". 5. Type "FATCAT" after "Search For:". (or a partial string like "FAT" or "ATC" would probably work). File Descriptions will automatically be added and displayed. (0) DELETE FILES ---------------- Type "0" if you want to delete some file names from a Master Catalog. The files to be deleted are selected with a search word (see "Search Words" on page 19). If you answer "Y" to "Stop at Each File Name?", Fatcat will stop at each file name that matches your search word and ask if you want to delete it. If you answer "N" to "Stop at Each File Name?", Fatcat will automatically list each file name it thinks it should delete. You will then have the opportunity of approving the list before actual deletion. (-) SORT MASTER CATALOG (colon key on Apple II or II+) ------------------------------------------------------ Select this option to search through the Master Catalog and list or print those entries that match a search word (see below). Connect your printer first (option 7) if you want a search to be printed. Note: If you sort a master Catalog before you use the Search option, you will, of course, get a sorted search. SEARCH WORDS ------------ A search word is simply all or part of the word(s) to be searched for. For example, a file name search on the search word "CAL" would select the file names VISICALC, CALIFRAGIC and LOCAL NEWS. COMPARE ------- When using Fatcat, you will undoubtedly uncover many files with identical names. COMPARE lets you compare any two files. If they are identical, Compare will tell you so. Important: There are two versions of Compare-- one for DOS 3.3 (called "COMPARE"), and one for ProDOS (called "COMPARE.PRO"). To compare DOS 3.3 files, BRUN COMPARE with DOS 3.3 booted. To compare ProDOS files, you must convert the program "COMPARE.PRO" to ProDOS using the CONVERT program that was included with ProDOS. Then, with ProDOS booted, BRUN COMPARE.PRO. Both versions of Compare work the same; just follow the instructions on the screen. You will be asked to type the names of the two files you want to compare. You may specify slot and drive as part of the file name (for example, HELLO,S6,D2). For ProDOS file names, you will need to specify the full path name. For applesoft comparisons, you may enter a Return-keypress only to specify the program currently in memory. Compare will list the line numbers of all program lines that are different (and optionally those that are the same). A character will appear next to each line number: "1" means a program line exists in program #1 but not in program #2. "2" means a program line exists if program #2 but not in program #1. "D" means both program have the same line number, but the lines are different. "S" means the lines are the same ("S" appears only if the "Same" option was selected). SORTCAT ------- SORTCAT lets you rearrange the file names in individual DOS 3.3 or ProDOS directories (catalogs). A directory may be sorted in its entirety, or you may move files one at a time to any position. To run Sortcat, Type "BRUN SORTCAT". You will be presented with the DOS 3.3 Menu below. To switch to the ProDOS Menu type "8". DOS 3.3 MENU (select Option 8 for ProDOS) (1) READ DIRECTORY (2) DISPLAY DIRECTORY (3) SORT FILE BY NAME (4) SORT FILE BY TYPE (5) MOVE FILE NAMES (6) WRITE DIRECTORY (7) DISPLAY DELETED FILE NAMES (8) SWITCH TO PRODOS MODE (9) QUIT (1) READ DIRECTORY (DO THIS FIRST) ---------------------------------- Use this option to read a DOS 3.3 directory into memory. This must be done before using any of the other options (except 8 and 0). (2) DISPLAY DIRECTORY --------------------- Use this option to list the directory in memory, and to see any sorting that might have been done so far. Changes are not written to the disk until you use option 6. (3) SORT BY FILE NAME --------------------- Use this option to sort the directory alphabetically by file name. When the blinking cursor returns, the sort is finished. Use option 2 to examine the sorted directory. (4) SORT BY FILE TYPE --------------------- Use this option to group file names by file type. You will probably want to use option 3 before option 4. (5) MOVE FILE NAMES ------------------- Use this option to move individual file names. For example, after sorting, you may want to move the HELLO program to the top of the catalog, or you may have dummy label file names that need to be placed in proper positions. This option will first list the directory in memory; use control-S to pause and continue the listing. A number will appear next to each file name; use it to select which file name to move and where to move it. Sortcat will move the FROM file name in front of the TO file name. To move a file to the end of the directory, enter the number+1 of the last file name. (6) WRITE DIRECTORY ------------------- After the directory has been rearranged to your liking, type "6" to write the directory back onto the disk. If you don't, any changes will be made in memory only, but not show when you catalog the disk. WARNING: MAKE SURE YOU WRITE ONTO THE SAME DISK YOU HAVE READ. WRITING A DIRECTORY TO THE WRONG DISK WILL TURN THAT DISK INTO A COFFEE COASTER. (7) DISPLAY DELETED FILE NAMES ------------------------------ Type "7" to see which files have recently been deleted from the disk. These files can (possibly) be recovered by using the UNDELETED utility on Beagle Bros' SILICON SALAD disk. (8) SWITCH TO ProDOS MODE ------------------------- Use this option if you want to change a ProDOS catalog. You will then see this screen menu: ProDOS MENU (select option 8 for DOS 3.3) (1) READ MAIN DIRECTORY (2) DISPLAY DIRECTORY (3) SORT BY FILE NAME (4) SORT BY FILE TYPE (5) MOVE FILE NAMES (6) WRITE DIRECTORY (7) READ SUBDIRECTORY (8) SWITCH TO DOS 3.3 MODE (0) QUIT (1) READ MAIN DIRECTORY ----------------------- Type "1" to read a disk's main directory into memory. This must be done before using any of the other options (except 8 and 0). Options (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (0) are the same as DOS 3.3. (7) READ SUBDIRECTORY --------------------- Type "7" to read a ProDOS subdirectory. Sortcat will list the current directory and allow you to select one of the subdirectories. That subdirectory then becomes the current directory. It may be rearranged and then written back to the disk, or you may read in one of its subdirectories. Confused? Well, WE didn't write ProDOS! (8) SWITCH TO DOS 3.3 MODE -------------------------- This option returns the DOS 3.3 Menu.