ACROSS LIBRARY SEARCHING
========================
 
  CompuServe has released a new version of the Forum Libraries that provide
many additional features.  The main enhancement is the new ability to find
a file in a forum no matter what library you are in.  Other minor features
include a new directory display with more information in an easier to
understand format, the ability to go backwards as well as forwards through
a BROWSE, new valid characters for file names, easier to understand error
messages, the ability to count files in the libraries easily, and improved
context sensitive HELP available with the HELP command.
 
CHANGES TO MENU MODE
====================
 
  For "Menu Mode" users, almost everything will look and act the same.  You
still enter the libraries by selecting "LIBRARIES" from the main Forum Menu,
and then selecting which library you wish to enter.  Selecting BROWSE from
the main Library menu will bring up the first change in the new Libraries--
the addition of one prompt.  Here's what it looks like:
 
	IBM Communications Forum	Library 2
 
	Comm Utilties
 
	 1 BROWSE Files
	 2 DIRECTORY of Files
 
	 3 UPLOAD a File (FREE)
	 4 DOWNLOAD a file to your Computer
 
	 5 LIBRARIES
 
	Enter choice ! 1				<==== Choose BROWSE
 
	Enter libraries (e.g. 1,2,4 or ALL)		<==== * New Prompt *
	or <CR> for current library: 
 
	Enter keywords (e.g. modem)			<==== Same as before
	or <CR> for all: 
 
	Oldest files in days				<==== Same as before
	or <CR> for all: 
 
  Note the new "Libraries" prompt.  You can simply press <Return> to choose
files in the current library.  This operates the same way as the "old" BROWSE
selection worked.  Or you may enter specific libraries that you wish to
see.  Each library should be separated by a comma or a space, as in "1,3,5"
to browse files in libraries 1, 3, and 5.  Only files in the libraries you
list will be browsed.  If you are in Library 2, and enter a "4" at that
prompt, only files in library 4 will be displayed.  You may also use the
hyphen "-" to specify ranges of libraries, as in "1-6" to specify that you
want to browse files in libraries 1 through 6.  You can mix and match these,
as in "1,3,7-11" to browse libraries 1, 3, and 7 through 11.  If you want
to examine the files in all libraries at once, you can type the word "ALL".
 
  The second thing a Menu Mode user will notice is the new format for the
File displays.  Information about a file has been re-arranged to be easier
to read and understand.  In addition, the Library number is included when
searching for files in libraries other than the "current" library.  See the
examples at the end of this document for more details on these changes.
 
  While BROWSING, there is a prompt after each file (this prompt is the
"Disposition" prompt).  Pressing <CR> at this prompt takes you to the next
file.  If you press <CR> too many times accidentally, or want to go back
and see a previous file, you can now go back to the previous file.  Entering
a "P" and pressing Return will back up one file.  Using "P", you can now
move forward and backward through a browse at will.  You may also use "B"
for "Back" if you wish.  It works exactly the same as "P".
 
CHANGES TO COMMAND MODE
=======================
 
  For "Command Mode" users, several new commands and options have been added.
All old commands continue to work exactly as before, and you still enter the
libraries in exactly the same way.
 
The most important addition is the "LIB:" option.  This option can be added
to almost every command (DIR, BROWSE, DOWNLOAD, etc) to specify which library
to use. For example, the command:
 
	DIR LIB:4
 
will give a directory of all files in library 4, newest first.  You can be
as specific as you want:
 
 DIR A*.* LIB:1-5	- Directory of all files starting with the letter "A"
   			  in libraries 1 through 5, in alphabetical order.
 
 DIR KEY:GAME LIB:ALL	- Directory of all files with a keyword of "GAME" in
 			  all libraries the user has access to, newest first.
 
 DIR *.TXT LIB:1,5,7-9	- Directory of all files with the "TXT" extension in
 			  Libraries 1, 5, and 7 through 9, in alphabetical
			  order.
 
 DIR AGE:30 LIB:ALL	- Directory of all files uploaded in the last 30 days
 			  in all libraries, newest first.
 
  Two new commands have been added as well.  They are the LIST and COUNT
commands.  They do the following:
 
 
  LIST		- This command is simply a short cut for a "DIR SHORT".  It
  		  will always give the one-line-per-file "short" listing,
		  regardless of your "Library Options" setting.  It has the
		  same syntax and options as the DIR command.
 
  COUNT		- This command allows you to count the number of files in
  		  a Library or Libraries.  It has the same syntax and options
		  as the DIR command.  It works in a very similar way, except
		  that it does not display the files, but only a summary count
		  of files.  In this way, you can count the number of files
		  that will be listed by an equivalent DIR command (so you
		  can "preview" a potentially long listing).
 
		  Examples:
 
		  COUNT			 - Count of all files in the current
		  			   Library.
 
		  COUNT LIB:ALL		 - Count of all files in all Libraries
 
		  COUNT KEY:GAME LIB:ALL - Count of all files with the keyword
		  			   GAME in all libraries.
 
  To accompany the "COUNT" command, the DIR and LIST commands have a new
option, the "COUNT" option.  When this option is specified, a summary count of
the files displayed is printed at the end of the listing.  Just add COUNT to
the command line (COUNT can be abbreviated to the first three letters "COU",
or to "CNT"):
 
  DIR *.* COUNT	- Lists all files in the current directory in alphabetical
  		  order, and prints the total number listed at the end.
 
  The "AGE:" and "DAY:" options have been enhanced to accept ranges of days.
You can now specify that only files OLDER than a given number of days be
listed, or that only files with ages that fall in a given range of days
be listed.  The "AGE:" and "DAY:" options work identically.
 
  Examples:
 
  DIR AGE:30	 - This command produces a directory of files uploaded between
  		   today, and 30 days ago.
 
  DIR AGE:30-	 - This command produces a directory of files uploaded MORE
  		   than 30 days ago.
 
  LIST DAY:30-90 - This command produces a listing of files uploaded between
  		   30 and 90 days ago.
 
  For all users, the valid characters that can be used for a File Name in
the Libraries have been extended.  The following characters are now valid
in file names and extensions for files uploaded to the CompuServe Libraries:
 
  A-Z  0-9  !  @  #  $  %  -  _  &  +
 
File names are still limited to only six characters.  If an invalid character
is found in a file name, or if the name is too long, it will not be accepted.
 
  Keywords have changed just a bit too.  The maximum length of a keyword is
now 17 characters, and may consist of _only_ the following characters:
 
  A-Z  0-9  _  -  &  .
 
  There are also a maximum of 10 keywords per file, and any duplicate keywords
are automatically removed.  There is a "Stop-List" of keywords that are
removed as well:
 
	A	ALL	AN	AND	ARE	BUT	BY	FOR
	FROM	I	IN	IS	IT	ME	MY	NOT
	OF	ON	SO	THAT	THE	THIS	TO	TOO
	WITH	YOU
 
  None of the keywords that are automatically removed count towards the
ten keyword maximum per file.
 
  You can search for multiple keywords at once by separating them with
commas, as in:
 
  DIR KEY:GAME,BOARD LIB:ALL
 
  The above command will produce a directory of all files in all libraries
that have the keyword GAME _and_ the keyword BOARD.
 
EXAMPLES OF NEW DIRECTORY DISPLAYS
==================================
 
Example of the new DIRectory format:
 
Lib 4! DIR
 
[70000,1047]
TEST.TXT/Asc    Bytes:   9295, Count:    0, 22-Jul-91
 
[76702,1102]
COMDL4.DES/Asc  Bytes:   1503, Count:   36, 01-Jan-91
 
[72777,1312]
DELFAC.ZIP/Bin  Bytes:  14152, Count:   18, 13-Nov-90
 
[73407,3163]
DVINTS.ZIP/Bin  Bytes:   9806, Count:   33, 21-Oct-90
 
[70130,330]
TTLSLC.ZIP/Bin  Bytes:   3443, Count:   50, 22-Aug-90
TTLCTL.EXE/Bin  Bytes: 107373, Count:  251, 22-Aug-90
TTLCTL.TXT/Asc  Bytes:   1942, Count:  448, 19-Aug-90
 
[73530,2037]
XFAX15.ZIP/Bin  Bytes:  39936, Count:   91, 21-Jun-90
 
[remainder deleted for brevity]
 
 
Example of the new DIRectory format with Library number:
 
Lib 4! DIR LIB:4		<=== Use the LIB: option to "force" the
				     display of the library number.
 
[70000,1047]    Lib: 4
TEST.TXT/Asc    Bytes:   9295, Count:    0, 22-Jul-91
 
[76702,1102]    Lib: 4
COMDL4.DES/Asc  Bytes:   1503, Count:   36, 01-Jan-91
 
[72777,1312]    Lib: 4
DELFAC.ZIP/Bin  Bytes:  14152, Count:   18, 13-Nov-90
 
[73407,3163]    Lib: 4
DVINTS.ZIP/Bin  Bytes:   9806, Count:   33, 21-Oct-90
 
[70130,330]     Lib: 4
TTLSLC.ZIP/Bin  Bytes:   3443, Count:   50, 22-Aug-90
TTLCTL.EXE/Bin  Bytes: 107373, Count:  251, 22-Aug-90
TTLCTL.TXT/Asc  Bytes:   1942, Count:  448, 19-Aug-90
 
[73530,2037]    Lib: 4
XFAX15.ZIP/Bin  Bytes:  39936, Count:   91, 21-Jun-90
 
[remainder deleted for brevity]
 
 
 
Example of the new LIST (DIR SHORT) format:
 
Lib 4! LIST			<=== The library number is *always*
				     displayed in the LIST or DIR SHORT
				     displays.  The File Type has been
				     removed to make room for the Lib number.
 
TEST.TXT    4   10K 07-22-91 test upload
COMDL4.DES  4    2K 01-01-91 One-line descriptions of files in Library 4
DELFAC.ZIP  4   14K 11-13-90 Delete Fax Files
DVINTS.ZIP  4   10K 10-21-90 DESQVIEW PIF AND PROGRAMS FOR BITFAX
TTLSLC.ZIP  4    4K 08-22-90 FHOST.SLC for prev dwnld of TTLCTL.EXE & TELIX us
TTLCTL.EXE  4  105K 08-22-90 TotalCtl, the software phone switch see TTLCTL.TX
TTLCTL.TXT  4    2K 08-19-90 Short text file describing TTLCTL.EXE more fully
XFAX15.ZIP  4   40K 06-21-90 XFAX v1.5: allows one fax to service network
 
[remainder deleted for brevity]
 
 
Example of the new BROWSE format:
 
Lib 4! BROWSE LIB:4
 
[70000,1047]    Lib: 4
TEST.TXT/Asc    Bytes:   9295, Count:    0, 22-Jul-91
 
  Title   : test upload
  Keywords: TEST UPLOAD
 
  This is a test upload.
 
Disposition !
 
 
[76702,1102]    Lib: 4
COMDL4.DES/Asc  Bytes:   1503, Count:   36, 01-Jan-91
 
  Title   : One-line descriptions of files in Library 4
  Keywords: LIBRARY4 DIRECTORY SUMMARY BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS
 
  One-line descriptions of files in Lib 4 as of Jan 1, 1991. 
  Updates (including separate change file) are prepared approximately monthly. 
  The file showing changes since Dec 1 for all Libs is in Lib 0 as 
  COMCHG.DEC. If you want all the summaries for Libs 1-7,9-11, COMSUM.ZIP is 
  available in Lib0.  (This is an ASCII file which can be Read and captured to 
  disk or downloaded with a protocol.)
 
Disposition !
 
 
[72777,1312]    Lib: 4
DELFAC.ZIP/Bin  Bytes:  14152, Count:   18, 13-Nov-90
 
  Title   : Delete Fax Files
  Keywords: FAX COMPLETEFAX SHAREWARE DELETE UTILITY
 
  This is a utility file to delete facsimile files created by the CompleteFax 
  Board or similar boards using file names with numerical extensions.  Files 
  are deleted based on age in the range of 1-30 days. Particularly useful to 
  prevent filling up a hard disk while still preserving files for possible 
  reuse.  Zip file includes executable file  and documentation.  Written in 
  Pascal.
 
Disposition !
 
 
[remainder deleted for brevity]
 
Example of LISTING across libraries:
 
Lib 4! LIST LIB:ALL
 
CISEXE.BIN 15    7K 08-02-91 Script for Dialogue 128 use of CIS forums rev. 30
GAMES.ZIP   8  160K 07-31-91 Games file.  DO NOT DISTRIBUTE
CISOP.TXT   1    5K 07-29-91 Information about CISOP (Automate CIS OPerations)
USTBUG.LOG  5    7K 07-27-91 Bug, UST, Capture
TEST.TXT    1    2K 07-27-91 Test
SENDS.TXT   5    7K 07-27-91 CON Demonstrating Problems with the NOSEN Command
RAM2WS.SX  15   18K 07-28-91 Test binary upload
USTBUG.TXT  6    5K 07-22-91 Capture of a session dealing with UST bug.
TEST.TXT    4   10K 07-22-91 test upload
SENBUG.ARC  6    7K 07-22-91 capture of a problem with SENS
NOUSER.BUG  3    9K 07-22-91 Capture of NOUSERS bug.