
                   HELPFUL HINTS

               NSWEEP - Version 2.07

                  by Terry Smythe
                 Sysop,  Z-Node 40
                 Winnipeg,  Canada
              (204) 832-4593 (Z-Node)


In  my  role as Sysop of Z-Node 40,  I have come  to 
depend  upon  NSWEEP V.  2.07 for much of  my  Board 
maintenance.  With it's constant use, I have learned 
about  some  interesting,  but not  well  documented 
features and applications of this wonderful utility.  

As  this  file moves around the RCPM's I would  hope 
that  other  people  will  add  to  it  from   their 
experiences  and put it back up again for others  to 
enjoy.   For the sake of brevity, I will assume that 
everyone  has renamed this file on their systems  to 
SW.COM, and that it is sitting on their A drive.

1. LOG DIRECT

   SW B  <cr>         Will log directly to the B 
                      drive.
        
   SW B3  <cr>        Will log directly to the B 
                      drive, User 3         

   SW B*  <cr>        Will log directly to the B
                      drive, all user areas.

   SW B*:*.DOC  <cr>  Will log directly to the B
                      drive, all files *.DOC in all
                      User areas.

2. CHANGING USER AREAS

   When in SW,  use the RENAME function,  and  there 
   are a number of options:

   a. Specify the Drive/User Area as part of the new 
      file   name.   e.g  If  the  file  is   called 
      NSWEEP.COM  and  it's in A0:  and you want  it 
      into  A15:,  use the (R)ename function and  in 
      response to the prompt, name it:

      A15:NSWEEP.COM  <cr>

   b. With wildcards "?" and "*", you can change the 
      user  area for a group of file have some  like 
      characteristic in their file names.   Use  the 
      (R)ename function,  and respond with "*".  You 
      will be prompted: 




      Prompt       Your Response

      Old Name?  *.*     (or whatever)
      New Name?  A15:*.* (or wherever      

   c: As this is the rename function,  you may also 
      simultaneously change the name while at it.

   With this feature,  the files are not copied into 
   another  user area,  NSWP simply changes the User 
   Area byte in the directory entry.

3. ERASING FILES

   a. To  erase  a  single  file,  simply  use  the 
      (D)elete function and answer "Y" to the prompt

   b. To  erase  a group of files,  use  the  (T)ag 
      function to identify those to be erased,  then 
      use  the  (E)rase  function.    You  will   be 
      prompted with (T/U) ?
                     | |____ (U)ntagged files
                     |______ (T)agged files

      In this case, respond with   T   <cr>

      You  will be asked if you wish to be prompted, 
      by the prompt (Y/N/A) ?
                     | | |___ (A)bort
                     | |_____ (N)o, do not prompt.
                     |_______ (Y)es, do prompt.

      If you are confident, respond with   N  <cr>
      If uncertain, respond with a   Y  <cr>

   c. To erase a group of files, and leave untouched 
      a  few  files,   use  the  (T)ag  function  to 
      identify  those  to be  saved,  then  use  the 
      (E)rase function,  and in response to the next 
      prompt, select   U  <cr>

      This will erase only the (U)ntagged files, and 
      leave behind the desired files.

   d. To  erase a complete drive (or disk) and  all 
      its user areas,  log onto that drive using the 
      wildcard option:

      SW B*   <cr>

      Then use the (E)rase funtion, respond with the 
      (U)ntagged option, and (N)o, do not prompt.

      Great  for cleansing a hard  disk  immediately 
      following a back-up.

4. HARD DISK BACKUP

   Have  ready  a series of blank  formatted  floppy 
   discs  adequate to contain your total hard  disk, 
   and  get  ready for repeated disk  changing.   Be 
   sure  all  have lables and you have  a  felt  pen 
   nearby.   Start by logging onto the desired drive 
   with the all user areas option:

   SW B*   <cr>

   Use the (W)ild card function,  followed by a  *.*  
   response.   Every  file on that total drive,  all 
   user   areas,   will  be  (T)agged   for   (M)ass 
   operations.
 
   Use  the  (M)ass operations  function,  and  send 
   (copy)  the  contents of the entire hard disk  to 
   floppies.  

   As  each destination disk fills up,  the  copying 
   process  will be interrupted by the  "Destination 
   Disk  Full"  warning  message.    Touch  NOTHING!  
   Change  your  disks,  do NOT  attempt  to  relog, 
   simply  use the (M)ass operations function again.  
   The  copying  process will resume from  the  last    
   file   not   completed,    and   continue   until 
   interrupted  once again by the disk full  warning 
   message.

   The nifty feature here is that a file's user area 
   ID  is carried across into the new  directory  on 
   the  back-up  disk.   What  this  means  is  that 
   anytime it becomes necessary to restore your hard 
   disk  from your back-up disks,  the process  need 
   only  be reversed,  and all files will drop  back 
   into their respective user areas.

5. FIND A FILE

   Using  the  (F)ind function,  you do NOT need  to 
   respond  with a full file name.   Wild cards  are 
   allowed, and also incomplete names.  For example:

   Suppose  you  wish  to  find  SD.COM  on  a  disk 
   containing about 60 or so files:

   F   Find What?  S  <cr>
   |       |       |    |__ Go find it!
   |       |       |_______ First letter of fn.ft
   |       |_______________ Response
   |_______________________ (F)ind function


   NSWP  will instantly find the first occurance  of 
   an  fn.ft starting with  S and as file names  are 
   in  alphabetic  sequence,  all other  file  names 
   starting with  S will immediately follow.

   Any  number of characters may be  keyed  in,  but 
   usually only one or two will suffice.   Saves all 
   that finger tip wear and tear tabbing down to the 
   desired  file.    Also  works  like  a  charm  to 
   instantly find a file on a large hard disk,  from 
   within any user area if NSWP is first logged onto 
   the  desired  drive  with the  (*)all  user  area 
   option.

6. SET & REMOVE FILE ATTRIBUTES

   This option (Y) only works with previously tagged 
   files  where  you might typically want to  set  a 
   series  of  files to Read Only (R/O)  status,  or 
   perhaps  hide  them  with  a  System  (SYS)  file 
   status, or alternatively remove the status flags.  
   A number of different status flags are poossible.

   To set the flags,  first (T)ag the desired files, 
   then select the (Y)flags option.   You may select 
   more than one flag to the response.

   Removal is equally simple by selecting nothing  - 
   i.e., hit the space bar once, then  <cr>, and the 
   flags on all (T)agged files will be removed.

****************************************************

These are but a few uses,  not readily apparent,  of 
NSWEEP v.2.07,  by Dave Rand, from Edmonton, who has 
given us one of the finest file management utilities 
ever.   No doubt there are others out there who have 
similarly discovered new and unusual applications of 
this fine utility,  and they are invited to add them 
to this list, increment the release #, re-upload  it
to where you got it, and let this file grow.

Terry Smythe
Sysop, Z-Node 40
Winnipeg, Canada
(204) 832-4593 (Z-Node)
(204) 832-3982 (Voice)
20 Jan 1986
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(Room for more)
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20 Jan 198