Home » Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1993-06.adf » !StarInfo_StarInfo » !ArcUtils/!Help
!ArcUtils/!Help
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1993-06.adf » !StarInfo_StarInfo |
| Filename: | !ArcUtils/!Help |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 0B2F bytes |
| Load address: | 0000 |
| Exec address: | 0000 |
File contents
ArcUtils By Andrew Timms ArcUtils is a multi-tasking Risc OS application that performs many useful tasks, and is an invaluble desktop utility. In the info window, I put 'Lots of utilities' in the 'Purpose:' icon, because that is basically what ArcUtils is - lots of small utilities rolled into one program. ArcUtils is better than small specialised utilities because it is one big, easy-to-use program and it only takes up 32K, which doesn't waste much memory even on a 1Mb machine. To load ArcUtils, double-click on the application in the directory display, and then the icon will install on the icon bar; the program is fully RISC OS compliant. The application's icon is the key to the program, and from here, two immediate tasks can be performed. The first is the dismounting aid. By clicking Select over the icon, the disc currently in drive 0 will be dismounted - this is mainly for Risc OS 2 users, as it may help to avoid the 'FileCore in Use' bug. The other direct iconbar function is the desktop redraw - if any application gets behind with the window redraws, by clicking Adjust the whole desktop will be redrawn. I find this particularly useful with Draw, where it sometimes gets behind redrawing text and graphics. The icon can also be used for directory setting - just drag the directory to the icon, and the CSD will be set to it. This also saves time and is much easier than going via the command line. The only menu that the program has can be called up from the iconbar. Info leads to the standard info window, and Quit quits the program as normal. By choosing Keystrip, a window will open - this is the function keystrip, and by clicking on say F1, the computer will perform the function associated with that key in the application that has input focus (or has any 'hot-keys' set). If you try it out on an empty desktop, F12 will make the command line appear, and this should give you an idea of how the window works. The File info entry on the menu opens up the file information window, where the filetype and full pathname of any file are displayed if you drag it to the iconbar or to the window. The File ops submenu offers two options: Set root sets the CSD to the root directory of drive 0, and Open window opens the file operations window. To set a directory as the CSD, drag it to the icon 'Directory setting' in this window. To delete a file immediately, drag it to the immediate file deleter. To make the computer ask for confirmation before deleting the file, drag it to the 'Confirming file deleter'. NOTE: In both the file deleters, the file will be deleted whether locked against deletion or not. The application interacts fully with Acorn's Help application, and you can easily drive the program from the extensive information provided via this application that comes with your machine. � Copyright BBC Acorn User 1993
00000000 41 72 63 55 74 69 6c 73 0a 42 79 20 41 6e 64 72 |ArcUtils.By Andr| 00000010 65 77 20 54 69 6d 6d 73 0a 0a 41 72 63 55 74 69 |ew Timms..ArcUti| 00000020 6c 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 6d 75 6c 74 69 2d 74 61 |ls is a multi-ta| 00000030 73 6b 69 6e 67 20 52 69 73 63 20 4f 53 20 61 70 |sking Risc OS ap| 00000040 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 |plication that p| 00000050 65 72 66 6f 72 6d 73 20 6d 61 6e 79 0a 75 73 65 |erforms many.use| 00000060 66 75 6c 20 74 61 73 6b 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 |ful tasks, and i| 00000070 73 20 61 6e 20 69 6e 76 61 6c 75 62 6c 65 20 64 |s an invaluble d| 00000080 65 73 6b 74 6f 70 20 75 74 69 6c 69 74 79 2e 20 |esktop utility. | 00000090 49 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 66 6f 20 77 69 6e 64 |In the info wind| 000000a0 6f 77 2c 0a 49 20 70 75 74 20 27 4c 6f 74 73 20 |ow,.I put 'Lots | 000000b0 6f 66 20 75 74 69 6c 69 74 69 65 73 27 20 69 6e |of utilities' in| 000000c0 20 74 68 65 20 27 50 75 72 70 6f 73 65 3a 27 20 | the 'Purpose:' | 000000d0 69 63 6f 6e 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 74 68 |icon, because th| 000000e0 61 74 20 69 73 0a 62 61 73 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 20 |at is.basically | 000000f0 77 68 61 74 20 41 72 63 55 74 69 6c 73 20 69 73 |what ArcUtils is| 00000100 20 2d 20 6c 6f 74 73 20 6f 66 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c | - lots of small| 00000110 20 75 74 69 6c 69 74 69 65 73 20 72 6f 6c 6c 65 | utilities rolle| 00000120 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 6f 6e 65 0a 70 72 6f 67 72 |d into one.progr| 00000130 61 6d 2e 20 41 72 63 55 74 69 6c 73 20 69 73 20 |am. ArcUtils is | 00000140 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 73 6d 61 6c |better than smal| 00000150 6c 20 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 69 73 65 64 20 75 74 |l specialised ut| 00000160 69 6c 69 74 69 65 73 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 0a |ilities because.| 00000170 69 74 20 69 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 62 69 67 2c 20 65 |it is one big, e| 00000180 61 73 79 2d 74 6f 2d 75 73 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 |asy-to-use progr| 00000190 61 6d 20 61 6e 64 20 69 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 74 |am and it only t| 000001a0 61 6b 65 73 20 75 70 20 33 32 4b 2c 20 77 68 69 |akes up 32K, whi| 000001b0 63 68 0a 64 6f 65 73 6e 27 74 20 77 61 73 74 65 |ch.doesn't waste| 000001c0 20 6d 75 63 68 20 6d 65 6d 6f 72 79 20 65 76 65 | much memory eve| 000001d0 6e 20 6f 6e 20 61 20 31 4d 62 20 6d 61 63 68 69 |n on a 1Mb machi| 000001e0 6e 65 2e 0a 0a 54 6f 20 6c 6f 61 64 20 41 72 63 |ne...To load Arc| 000001f0 55 74 69 6c 73 2c 20 64 6f 75 62 6c 65 2d 63 6c |Utils, double-cl| 00000200 69 63 6b 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 61 70 70 6c 69 |ick on the appli| 00000210 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 |cation in the di| 00000220 72 65 63 74 6f 72 79 0a 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 2c |rectory.display,| 00000230 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69 63 | and then the ic| 00000240 6f 6e 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 69 6e 73 74 61 6c 6c 20 |on will install | 00000250 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69 63 6f 6e 20 62 61 72 3b |on the icon bar;| 00000260 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 0a 69 73 20 | the program.is | 00000270 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 52 49 53 43 20 4f 53 20 63 6f |fully RISC OS co| 00000280 6d 70 6c 69 61 6e 74 2e 20 54 68 65 20 61 70 70 |mpliant. The app| 00000290 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 27 73 20 69 63 6f 6e 20 |lication's icon | 000002a0 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6b 65 79 20 74 6f 20 74 68 |is the key to th| 000002b0 65 0a 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 66 |e.program, and f| 000002c0 72 6f 6d 20 68 65 72 65 2c 20 74 77 6f 20 69 6d |rom here, two im| 000002d0 6d 65 64 69 61 74 65 20 74 61 73 6b 73 20 63 61 |mediate tasks ca| 000002e0 6e 20 62 65 20 70 65 72 66 6f 72 6d 65 64 2e 20 |n be performed. | 000002f0 54 68 65 0a 66 69 72 73 74 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 |The.first is the| 00000300 20 64 69 73 6d 6f 75 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 61 69 64 | dismounting aid| 00000310 2e 20 42 79 20 63 6c 69 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 53 65 |. By clicking Se| 00000320 6c 65 63 74 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 69 63 |lect over the ic| 00000330 6f 6e 2c 20 74 68 65 0a 64 69 73 63 20 63 75 72 |on, the.disc cur| 00000340 72 65 6e 74 6c 79 20 69 6e 20 64 72 69 76 65 20 |rently in drive | 00000350 30 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 64 69 73 6d 6f 75 |0 will be dismou| 00000360 6e 74 65 64 20 2d 20 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 6d |nted - this is m| 00000370 61 69 6e 6c 79 20 66 6f 72 20 52 69 73 63 0a 4f |ainly for Risc.O| 00000380 53 20 32 20 75 73 65 72 73 2c 20 61 73 20 69 74 |S 2 users, as it| 00000390 20 6d 61 79 20 68 65 6c 70 20 74 6f 20 61 76 6f | may help to avo| 000003a0 69 64 20 74 68 65 20 27 46 69 6c 65 43 6f 72 65 |id the 'FileCore| 000003b0 20 69 6e 20 55 73 65 27 20 62 75 67 2e 20 54 68 | in Use' bug. Th| 000003c0 65 0a 6f 74 68 65 72 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 20 69 |e.other direct i| 000003d0 63 6f 6e 62 61 72 20 66 75 6e 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 |conbar function | 000003e0 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 64 65 73 6b 74 6f 70 20 72 |is the desktop r| 000003f0 65 64 72 61 77 20 2d 20 69 66 20 61 6e 79 0a 61 |edraw - if any.a| 00000400 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 67 65 74 73 20 |pplication gets | 00000410 62 65 68 69 6e 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 |behind with the | 00000420 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 20 72 65 64 72 61 77 73 2c 20 |window redraws, | 00000430 62 79 20 63 6c 69 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 41 64 6a 75 |by clicking Adju| 00000440 73 74 0a 74 68 65 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 20 64 65 73 |st.the whole des| 00000450 6b 74 6f 70 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 72 65 64 |ktop will be red| 00000460 72 61 77 6e 2e 20 49 20 66 69 6e 64 20 74 68 69 |rawn. I find thi| 00000470 73 20 70 61 72 74 69 63 75 6c 61 72 6c 79 20 75 |s particularly u| 00000480 73 65 66 75 6c 0a 77 69 74 68 20 44 72 61 77 2c |seful.with Draw,| 00000490 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 69 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 | where it someti| 000004a0 6d 65 73 20 67 65 74 73 20 62 65 68 69 6e 64 20 |mes gets behind | 000004b0 72 65 64 72 61 77 69 6e 67 20 74 65 78 74 20 61 |redrawing text a| 000004c0 6e 64 20 67 72 61 70 68 69 63 73 2e 0a 0a 54 68 |nd graphics...Th| 000004d0 65 20 69 63 6f 6e 20 63 61 6e 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 |e icon can also | 000004e0 62 65 20 75 73 65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 64 69 72 65 |be used for dire| 000004f0 63 74 6f 72 79 20 73 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 2d 20 |ctory setting - | 00000500 6a 75 73 74 20 64 72 61 67 20 74 68 65 0a 64 69 |just drag the.di| 00000510 72 65 63 74 6f 72 79 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 69 |rectory to the i| 00000520 63 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 43 53 44 |con, and the CSD| 00000530 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 73 65 74 20 74 6f 20 | will be set to | 00000540 69 74 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 73 61 |it. This also sa| 00000550 76 65 73 0a 74 69 6d 65 20 61 6e 64 20 69 73 20 |ves.time and is | 00000560 6d 75 63 68 20 65 61 73 69 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e |much easier than| 00000570 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 76 69 61 20 74 68 65 20 63 | going via the c| 00000580 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 20 6c 69 6e 65 2e 20 0a 0a 54 |ommand line. ..T| 00000590 68 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6d 65 6e 75 20 74 68 61 |he only menu tha| 000005a0 74 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 20 68 61 |t the program ha| 000005b0 73 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 |s can be called | 000005c0 75 70 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 69 63 6f 6e |up from the icon| 000005d0 62 61 72 2e 0a 49 6e 66 6f 20 6c 65 61 64 73 20 |bar..Info leads | 000005e0 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 6e 64 61 72 64 20 |to the standard | 000005f0 69 6e 66 6f 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 2c 20 61 6e 64 |info window, and| 00000600 20 51 75 69 74 20 71 75 69 74 73 20 74 68 65 20 | Quit quits the | 00000610 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 20 61 73 0a 6e 6f 72 6d 61 |program as.norma| 00000620 6c 2e 20 42 79 20 63 68 6f 6f 73 69 6e 67 20 4b |l. By choosing K| 00000630 65 79 73 74 72 69 70 2c 20 61 20 77 69 6e 64 6f |eystrip, a windo| 00000640 77 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6f 70 65 6e 20 2d 20 74 68 |w will open - th| 00000650 69 73 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 0a 66 75 6e 63 74 69 |is is the.functi| 00000660 6f 6e 20 6b 65 79 73 74 72 69 70 2c 20 61 6e 64 |on keystrip, and| 00000670 20 62 79 20 63 6c 69 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 | by clicking on | 00000680 73 61 79 20 46 31 2c 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 |say F1, the comp| 00000690 75 74 65 72 20 77 69 6c 6c 0a 70 65 72 66 6f 72 |uter will.perfor| 000006a0 6d 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 6e 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 |m the function a| 000006b0 73 73 6f 63 69 61 74 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 |ssociated with t| 000006c0 68 61 74 20 6b 65 79 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 61 |hat key in the a| 000006d0 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 68 61 74 0a |pplication that.| 000006e0 68 61 73 20 69 6e 70 75 74 20 66 6f 63 75 73 20 |has input focus | 000006f0 28 6f 72 20 68 61 73 20 61 6e 79 20 27 68 6f 74 |(or has any 'hot| 00000700 2d 6b 65 79 73 27 20 73 65 74 29 2e 20 49 66 20 |-keys' set). If | 00000710 79 6f 75 20 74 72 79 20 69 74 20 6f 75 74 20 6f |you try it out o| 00000720 6e 20 61 6e 0a 65 6d 70 74 79 20 64 65 73 6b 74 |n an.empty deskt| 00000730 6f 70 2c 20 46 31 32 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6d 61 6b |op, F12 will mak| 00000740 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 20 6c 69 |e the command li| 00000750 6e 65 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 |ne appear, and t| 00000760 68 69 73 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 0a 67 69 76 65 20 |his should.give | 00000770 79 6f 75 20 61 6e 20 69 64 65 61 20 6f 66 20 68 |you an idea of h| 00000780 6f 77 20 74 68 65 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 20 77 6f |ow the window wo| 00000790 72 6b 73 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 46 69 6c 65 20 69 |rks...The File i| 000007a0 6e 66 6f 20 65 6e 74 72 79 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 |nfo entry on the| 000007b0 20 6d 65 6e 75 20 6f 70 65 6e 73 20 75 70 20 74 | menu opens up t| 000007c0 68 65 20 66 69 6c 65 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 |he file informat| 000007d0 69 6f 6e 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 2c 0a 77 68 65 72 |ion window,.wher| 000007e0 65 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 6c 65 74 79 70 65 20 61 |e the filetype a| 000007f0 6e 64 20 66 75 6c 6c 20 70 61 74 68 6e 61 6d 65 |nd full pathname| 00000800 20 6f 66 20 61 6e 79 20 66 69 6c 65 20 61 72 65 | of any file are| 00000810 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 65 64 20 69 66 20 79 6f | displayed if yo| 00000820 75 0a 64 72 61 67 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 |u.drag it to the| 00000830 20 69 63 6f 6e 62 61 72 20 6f 72 20 74 6f 20 74 | iconbar or to t| 00000840 68 65 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 |he window...The | 00000850 46 69 6c 65 20 6f 70 73 20 73 75 62 6d 65 6e 75 |File ops submenu| 00000860 20 6f 66 66 65 72 73 20 74 77 6f 20 6f 70 74 69 | offers two opti| 00000870 6f 6e 73 3a 20 53 65 74 20 72 6f 6f 74 20 73 65 |ons: Set root se| 00000880 74 73 20 74 68 65 20 43 53 44 20 74 6f 20 74 68 |ts the CSD to th| 00000890 65 0a 72 6f 6f 74 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 6f 72 79 |e.root directory| 000008a0 20 6f 66 20 64 72 69 76 65 20 30 2c 20 61 6e 64 | of drive 0, and| 000008b0 20 4f 70 65 6e 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 20 6f 70 65 | Open window ope| 000008c0 6e 73 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 6c 65 20 6f 70 65 72 |ns the file oper| 000008d0 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 0a 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 2e 20 54 |ations.window. T| 000008e0 6f 20 73 65 74 20 61 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 6f 72 |o set a director| 000008f0 79 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 43 53 44 2c 20 64 72 |y as the CSD, dr| 00000900 61 67 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 69 63 6f |ag it to the ico| 00000910 6e 20 27 44 69 72 65 63 74 6f 72 79 0a 73 65 74 |n 'Directory.set| 00000920 74 69 6e 67 27 20 69 6e 20 74 68 69 73 20 77 69 |ting' in this wi| 00000930 6e 64 6f 77 2e 20 54 6f 20 64 65 6c 65 74 65 20 |ndow. To delete | 00000940 61 20 66 69 6c 65 20 69 6d 6d 65 64 69 61 74 65 |a file immediate| 00000950 6c 79 2c 20 64 72 61 67 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 |ly, drag it to t| 00000960 68 65 0a 69 6d 6d 65 64 69 61 74 65 20 66 69 6c |he.immediate fil| 00000970 65 20 64 65 6c 65 74 65 72 2e 20 54 6f 20 6d 61 |e deleter. To ma| 00000980 6b 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 20 |ke the computer | 00000990 61 73 6b 20 66 6f 72 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 61 |ask for confirma| 000009a0 74 69 6f 6e 0a 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 64 65 6c 65 |tion.before dele| 000009b0 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 6c 65 2c 20 64 |ting the file, d| 000009c0 72 61 67 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 27 43 |rag it to the 'C| 000009d0 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 69 6e 67 20 66 69 6c 65 20 64 |onfirming file d| 000009e0 65 6c 65 74 65 72 27 2e 20 0a 0a 4e 4f 54 45 3a |eleter'. ..NOTE:| 000009f0 20 49 6e 20 62 6f 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 6c | In both the fil| 00000a00 65 20 64 65 6c 65 74 65 72 73 2c 20 74 68 65 20 |e deleters, the | 00000a10 66 69 6c 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 64 65 6c |file will be del| 00000a20 65 74 65 64 20 77 68 65 74 68 65 72 0a 6c 6f 63 |eted whether.loc| 00000a30 6b 65 64 20 61 67 61 69 6e 73 74 20 64 65 6c 65 |ked against dele| 00000a40 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 72 20 6e 6f 74 2e 0a 0a 54 68 |tion or not...Th| 00000a50 65 20 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 69 6e |e application in| 00000a60 74 65 72 61 63 74 73 20 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 77 69 |teracts fully wi| 00000a70 74 68 20 41 63 6f 72 6e 27 73 20 48 65 6c 70 20 |th Acorn's Help | 00000a80 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 |application, and| 00000a90 20 79 6f 75 0a 63 61 6e 20 65 61 73 69 6c 79 20 | you.can easily | 00000aa0 64 72 69 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 |drive the progra| 00000ab0 6d 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 65 78 74 65 6e |m from the exten| 00000ac0 73 69 76 65 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e |sive information| 00000ad0 20 70 72 6f 76 69 64 65 64 0a 76 69 61 20 74 68 | provided.via th| 00000ae0 69 73 20 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 |is application t| 00000af0 68 61 74 20 63 6f 6d 65 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 79 |hat comes with y| 00000b00 6f 75 72 20 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 65 2e 20 0a 0a a9 |our machine. ...| 00000b10 20 43 6f 70 79 72 69 67 68 74 20 42 42 43 20 41 | Copyright BBC A| 00000b20 63 6f 72 6e 20 55 73 65 72 20 31 39 39 33 0a |corn User 1993.| 00000b2f
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