DOCUMENTATION FOR FIXDIR.COM

Introduction
------------

     FIXDIR  is  program to allow renaming or erasing of  illegal 
filenames from CP/M directories.

Usage
-----

     FIXDIR [d:]

Where

     [d:]           is an optional drive identifier or ?

Examples
--------

     FIXDIR

          This  will check the directory of the currently  logged 
          drive.

     FIXDIR B:

          This will check the directory of drive B:.

     FIXDIR ?

          This  will display a short "usage" message and  return 
          to CP/M without doing any directory checking.

Error Messages
--------------

     If more than one argument is given on the command line,  the 
command  line error is displayed and the "usage" message is  dis
played.

A>FIXDIR A: B:
	FIXDIR version 0.95 (Preliminary evaluation release)
	(C) 1981, Software Tools - Sydney, Australia.
	Corrects illegal file names in a CP/M disk directory.

Command line error : B:

USAGE :
	FIXDIR
	FIXDIR B:

	Exiting to CP/M

Internal Prompts
----------------

     If  an illegal filename is located in the directory the user 
is  prompted to erase or rename the file.  If rename is chosen  a 
new  filename is prompted.  The entered filename is also  checked 
for legality:-

	Illegal CP/M file name : bad     .fil

        Press 'E' to erase  file:  
		Or
	Press 'R' to rename file : 

	Enter new file name : goo,d.one

	BAD FILENAME entered as new name !

	Enter new file name :good.one

	RENAMING bad     .fil to GOOD    .ONE
	
Performing another pass.


	No illegal file names in directory on this pass.

	There were 2 passes performed.



Tutorial on FIXDIR
------------------

     There  are  certain  characters which are  illegal  in  CP/M 
filenames  as  far as a CP/M disk directory is  concerned.  These 
are:

        <>.,;:=?*[] and all lower case alphabetical characters

     Note  that  some  of the characters are legal in  CP/M  file 
specifiers which may be given to utility programs or used in BDOS 
calls but the should NEVER appear in a directory display. 

     Also note that the Digital Research documentation  specified 
the  comma "," as illegal but that the CCP will accept  filenames 
with  embedded commas.  FIXDIR follows the printed  specification 
and considers commas illegal in directory enteries.

     In  general  the CCP (console command  processor)  will  not 
accept  illegal file names so it is not possible to put them into 
to the directory with the "SAVE" command.  There is no protection 
built  into the BDOS to stop illegal filenames being  created  in 
the  disk  directory  as a result of BDOS file create  or  rename 
commands. The most common way that illegal filenames get into the 
disk directory is as a result of a save operation from  Microsoft 
BASIC.  If  the  filename is typed in lower case characters  from 
within  Microsoft  BASIC  it  will  be  saved  that  way  in  the 
directory.  The  next  most common way is as a result of  a  high 
level language program going wild and creating spurious files.

     Directory  enteries which contain illegal file names  cannot 
be  erased with ERA command as they will never be matched by  the 
CCP  (Except if you specify *.*).  The CCP converts  all  command 
lines  to  UPPER  CASE before processing them,  so  even  if  you 
specify  a lower case file name it will be upper case by the time 
the BDOS tries to match the filename with a directory entry.

     FIXDIR  is written in the "C" language and directly  examins 
directory  enteries  without relying on the BDOS individual  file 
name  matching  function.  The illegal name finding  function  is 
renterent  and is called repeatedly until no more  illegal  file
names  can  be located.  The total number of passes  through  the 
renterent  function is reported at the end of the program if  any 
illegal file names were found.

END OF FIXDIR.DOC


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