ABOUT ACROSS LIBRRARY SEARCHING
October, 1991
 
 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
===================
 
  CompuServe has released a new version of the Forum Libraries, which provides
many additional features.  The main enhancement is the ability to find a file
within a forum -- no matter what library you are in. Other features include:
 
* a new directory display, providing more information in an
easier-to-understand format
* the ability to move 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 more easily
* and, improved context sensitive HELP, available with the HELP command.
 
All features are outlined below. They are available in ASCII mode. Changes
will be incorporated into the CompuServe Information Manager at a later date.
 
CHANGES FOR MENU MODE USERS
===========================
 
A New Prompt
 
  For "Menu Mode" users, almost everything will look and feel the same as
the previous version of the Libraries.  You still enter the libraries by first
selecting "LIBRARIES" from the main Forum Menu, and then by selecting the
library you prefer from the next menu.
 
However, selecting BROWSE from the main Library menu will shed light on the
first change in the new Libraries -- the addition of one prompt. Here's what
it looks like:
 
       IBM Communications Forum    Library 2
 
       Comm Utilities
 
        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 previous
       or <CR> for all:                                      version
 
       Oldest files in days                      <==== Same as previous
       or <CR> for all:                                      version
 
  Note the new "Libraries" prompt. You have two options here. You can simply
  press a carriage return (<CR>) to select from files in the current library.
  This works the same way as the BROWSE selection worked in the previous
  Library version.  Or, at this prompt, you may type in numbers corresponding
  to the specific libraries that you wish to browse.
 
  Each library number 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
  enter will be browsed.  For example, if you are in Library 2, and enter a "4"
  at the new prompt, only files in library 4 will be displayed.
 
  At the prompt, you may also use the hyphen ("-") to specify ranges of
  libraries, as in "1-6," to indicate that you want to browse files in
  libraries 1 through 6.
 
  You can mix and match the approaches, 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."
 
A New Format for File Displays
 
  The second thing a Menu Mode user will notice is the new format for the
  File displays. The displays have been re-arranged, and are easier to read
  and to understand.  In addition, the Library number is included in the
  display when you're searching for files in libraries other than your
  "current" library.  See the examples at the end of this document for more
  details about these changes.
 
  "P" Means "Previous;" "B" Means "Back"
 
  While BROWSING, a "Disposition" prompt displays after each file. Pressing
  <CR> at this prompt takes you to the next file. If you press <CR> too many
  times, or want to move back to a previous file, you can now do so.
 
  Enter a "P" and press <CR> to back up one file. You may also use "B" for
  "Back," if you wish.  It works exactly the same as "P."
 
CHANGES FOR COMMAND MODE USERS
==============================
 
The "LIB:" Command
 
For "Command Mode" users, several new commands and options have been added.
All commands in the previous version continue to work, and you still enter the
libraries in the same way.
 
The most important addition is the "LIB:" option.  This command can be used in
conjunction with almost every existing command (DIR, BROWSE, DOWNLOAD, etc.)
to designate a library or libraries.
 
For example:
 
       DIR LIB:4
 
will display a directory of all files in library 4, newest first. You can be
as specific as you want. More examples:
 
     COMMANDS                      RESULT
 
 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: LIST and COUNT
 
 Two new commands, LIST and COUNT, have been added as well. Here are
 specifics:
 
 
  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.  However, this command 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 shown 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").
 
  For example:
 
  DIR *.* COUNT       - Lists all files in the current directory in
                      alphabetical order, and prints the total number listed at
                      the end.
 
Enhanced "AGE:" and "DAY:" Options
 
  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.
 
File Name Characters and Keywords
 
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
10-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
==================================
 
1) 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]
 
 
2) 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]
 
 
3) 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]
 
 
4) 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]
 
5) 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.
 
