1 DX
DX (Directory eXtension) is a VAX/VMS utility that performs various
file operations on a VT100 or upper terminals.  It allows you to
delete, type, copy, set protection, compare, and edit one or more
files at once.  DX is a customizable, flexible, real-time directory
browser/editor.  You can use it to open multiple windows on the
same or different directories.

DX provides the following main features:

o  Flexible display and sorting

o  Pull-down menu for point-and-shoot interface

o  Display sub-directories and directory contents with flexible
   "filters"

o  Multiple inclusion/exclusion patterns in file operations

o  Multiple windows provides different views

o  Display a tree-like directory structure in a scrollable window



*****
VAX and VMS are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation.

2 Getting_Started
DX provides multiple windows and point-and-shoot menus that
greatly simplify file operations including delete, copy, type,
rename, set protection and many more.



Format:

	$ DX filespec[,...]

3 Parameters

4 filespec[,...]
Specifies one or more files to be listed.  Wildcard characters
can be used to specify the directory specification, file name,
file type, or version number fields of a file.  If you specify
more than one file, separate the file specifications with either
commas (,)  or plus signs (+).

3 Command_Qualifiers

4 /INITIAL_FILE=init_file
When DX is started, it normally loads various settings from
the file 'DX$STARTUP.DAT' in your current directory.  If it
doesn't exist, DX tries your home directory.  The command
qualifier /INITIAL_FILE can be used to load an init file
with another name or from another directory.

4 /SORT_BY=criteria
DX provides several way to sort the files.  You can sort
files by NAME, TYPE, SIZE, DATE, or MARK.  The default is
sort by NAME.

4 /ASCENDING
Sorts the files in ascending order; this is the default
setting.

4 /DESCENDING
Sorts the files in descending order.

4 /BRIEF
Lists the files in multiple column output; only the file name,
file type, and version are displayed.

4 /DETAIL
Lists in long format, giving file name, file type, version,
date, size in blocks, and protections.  Depending on the
date type you specified, the date can be displayed in
creation date, last modified date, expired date, or backup
date.

4 /BEFORE=time
Lists only the files that was created before the specified
date.  You can use the following values:

o  TODAY

o  YESTERDAY

o  TOMORROW

o  absolute time (dd-mmm-yy:hh:mm:ss.tt)

4 /SINCE=time
Lists only the files that was created after the specified
date.  You can use the following values:

o  TODAY

o  YESTERDAY

o  TOMORROW

o  absolute time (dd-mmm-yy:hh:mm:ss.tt)

4 /CREATED
Lists with the creation date; this is the default setting.

4 /MODIFIED
Lists with the last modified date.

4 /EXPIRED
Lists with the expired date.

4 /BACKUP
Lists with the backup date.

4 /MAXIMUM=blocks
Lists the files that are equal or smaller than the specified
blocks.

4 /MINIMUM=blocks
Lists the files that are at least as large as the specified
blocks.

4 /EXCLUDE=filespec
Lists only the files that are excluding from the specified
filespec.

3 Examples
1. Lists the files in the current directory.

	$ DX



2. Lists all the files in SYS$USER02:[JDOL.DOC] and all the
.com files in SYS$USER05:[DREMKER].  The output is sorted by
last modified date in descending order.

	$  DX/SORT=MODIFIED/DESCENDING SYS$USER02:[JDOL.DOC], -
	_$ SYS$USER05:[DREMKER]*.COM



3. Lists all the .doc and .exe files in the current directory
that are larger than or equal to 50 blocks.  Only the file name
is listed.

	$  DX/MIN=50/BRIEF *.DOC, *.EXE

2 Pulldown_Menus
The main menu for DX displays a row of choices across the top
of the screen.  All other menu are sub-menus of the main menu
and appear as vertical lists of choices.

You can select a menu choice by typing the capital letter of
the desired item.  For example, press the letter w (or W)
to bring up the Window sub-menu.

Within the sub-menu, you can use the UP or DOWN arrow keys
to position the cursor to desired item (shown by the
highlighting) and press RETURN.  Alternately, you can type the
capital letter of the item;  DX executes it immediately if it
can be uniquely identified.  You can also move between menu
choices using the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys.

If you accidentally call up the sub-menu and want to cancel
it, simply press the keypad 0 key and the sub-menu disappears.

2 Window_Menu
The Window_Menu provides window management operation, which
can display parts of different directories, or different parts
of one directory.

The following list summarizes the supported functions.

Split window     Splits the selected window in two, with all
                 the windows get the same number of lines.
                 Depending on the terminal you used, the number
                 of windows splited can be ranging from three
                 to seven.

Delete window    Gets rid the selected window.

One window       Gets rid of all windows except the selected
                 one.

Next window      Selects the next window.

Previous window  Selects the previous window.

eXit             Quits DX and set default directory to the
                 current directory.

2 Action_Menu
The Action_Menu provides all the VMS file management
operations.  And multi-file mode let you work with one
file or several hundred files with equal ease.

The following list summarizes the supported functions.

Type             Reads the file and display it on the
                 terminal.  It normally pauses after
                 each screenful.  If you press DOWN
                 arrow, one more page is displayed.
                 If you press UP arrow, previous page
                 is displayed.  You can press keypad 0
                 key to return to DX.

Edit             Edits the highlighted file use desired
                 editor.  See Editor under the
                 Customize_Menu for more detail.



Delete           Deletes the highlighted file.

Purge            Purges the highlighted file.

Rename           Renames the highlighted file.  You
                 are prompted to provide a new name.

Copy             Copys to another file.

Append           Appends to another file.

Set protection   Changes the file protections.

Print            Outputs the file to a printing device.
                 Currently, only SYS$PRINT is supported.

Show             Shows the details of the file attributes.

Find             Searchs the file for lines matching a
                 pattern.  The patterns are fixed strings.

Run              Executes the file.  Normally, you select
                 this option to execute on the .COM or
                 .EXE files.

Compare          Differential file comparator.

pacK             Compresses a file.  All the file
                 attributes are preserved along with
                 the file contents.

Unpack           De-compresses a file.  The original
                 file attributes are also restored.

2 Execute_Menu
The Execute_Menu allows you to execute DCL commands
without leaving DX.

Command          Executes a DCL command.

VMS Gateway      Spawns a subprocess.  You can type
                 "LOGOFF" to kill the subprocess and
                 return to DX.

2 Sort_Menu
Sorts the files in different ways.

The following list summarizes the supported functions.

by Name          Sorts files by name.

by Type          Sorts files by type.

by Date          Sorts files by date.

by Size          Sorts files by size.

by Marked        Sorts files by marked.

2 Filter_Menu
The Filter_Menu allows you to use different selection
criteria to select any subset of files you need.

The following list summarizes the supported functions.

Name             Selects files by name.  You can specify
                 one or more regular VMS file specifications,
                 separated the file specifications by commas
                 (,) or plus signs (+).

Exclude          Selects files that are not in the specified
                 file specification.

Since            Selects files that were created after
                 the specified date.

Before           Selects files that were created before
                 the specified date.

maXimum          Selects files that are less than or equal to
                 the specified blocks.

Minimum          Selects files that are larger than or equal
                 to the specified blocks.

2 Option_Menu
The Option_Menu provides additional directory or file
management operations.

The following list summarizes the supported functions.

Direct tree      Displays a graphic directory tree, starting
                 from the current root directory.

Update           Refreshs the screen by re-reading the
                 files from the disk.

Mkdir            Creates a new directory.

show Buffer      Displays information about the buffers.
                 DX keeps the file information in a buffer
                 each time you visit a directory.

Write            Outputs the listing to an external file.

Goto             Goto the specified page.

Short form       Lists the files in multiple column output;
                 only the file name, file type, and version
                 are displayed.

Long form        Lists in long format, giving file name, file
                 type, version, date, size in blocks, and
                 protections.

Include all      Marks all files to be included in multiple
                 mode.

Exclude all      Un-marks all files.

Re-include all   Marks all the files that have been executed
                 during previous multiple operation.

About DX         Displays DX version information.

3 Moving_Around_Dirtree
For details, please see the topics under Keypad.

2 Customize_Menu
The Customize_Menu allows you to tailor to your personal
preferences (i.e. the editor you want to use, or confirmation
before each file deletion.)

The following list summarizes the supported functions.

Editor           Specifies the desired editor.  The valid
                 value are: EDT and TPU.  (You can also
                 specify LSE if your site have it installed.)

Display with date
                 Specifies the kind of date to disply on
                 the screen.  The valid values are:
                 CREATION DATE, MODIFIED DATE, BACKUP DATE,
                 and EXPIRED DATE.

Type file        Specifies whether the Type operation should
                 pauses after each screenful of display.

Auto update      Specifies whether DX should re-read from
                 the disk after an edit, execute DCL command,
                 or VMS gateway operation is performed.

Delete confirm   Specifies whether DX should prompt you
                 for confirmation every time a deletion
                 operation is performed.

Purge confirm    Specifies whether DX should prompt you
                 for confirmation every time a purge
                 operation is performed.

Show clock       Specifies whether DX should display a
                 clock at the upper right corner of the
                 screen.

Flash clock colon
                 Specifies whether DX should flash clock
                 colon on and off.

Save settings    Saves the current settings to a file.

Restore settings Restores the settings from a file.

Use defaults     Use the default settings.

2 Multiple_Mode
DX normally operates in single mode; a file
operation only affects the highlighted file.  If,
however, you want to perform a file operation on
more than one files, you can use multiple mode as
follows:

o  Move the cursor to the desired file and press
   keypad 7.  You will notice an inclusion mark,
   expressed as an asterisk (*) sign, is displayed
   to the left of the file.  Repeat this step as
   needed.

o  Press keypad 9.  Now the mode in the status line
   changes from SINGLE to MULTIPLE.

o  Select a file operation and start execution.
   As DX is visiting each file, the inclusion mark
   is replaced by a plus (+) sign.

2 Keypad
You move the cursor from one file to another using arrow
keys and the keypad keys.  For example, when you press
keypad 8, DX scrolls up or down one screenful of files.
You can press keypad 2 to toggle the direction.

Here is a summary of the functions that the keypad performs:

  KEYPAD  FUNCTION
  ------  ------------------------------------------------
    1     Display this help text.
    2     Toggle direction between forward and backup.
    3     Search the file or directory matching a pattern
    4     Search next file or directory.
    5     Move to the first file or directory.
    6     Move to the last file or directory.
    7     Toggle multiple inclusion flag in FILER mode;
          or move to the initial directory in DIRECTORY
          mode.
    8     Scroll up or down one screenful of display.
    9     Toggle between SINGLE and MULTIPLE mode (in
          FILER mode).
    0     Cancel current operation.

2 Entering_Input
There are several function keys you can use when DX
prompts you for some input:

o  CTRL/U      Delete the whole input line
o  CTRL/J      Delete the previous word
o  CTRL/H      Move the cursor to beginning of the input line
o  CTRL/E      Move the cursor to end of the input line
o  CTRL/A      Toggle overwrite or insert mode
o  UP arrow    Restore the previous input from the buffer
o  DOWN arrow  Restore the next input from the buffer
o  Keypad 0    Cancel current operation

2 Warranty
DISTRIBUTION AND COPYRIGHT:

Copyright (C) 1989, 1992 Chau-Kuang Hung
This program is free software; permission is granted to any
individual or institution to use, copy, or redistribute this
software so long as it is not sold for profit, provided this
copyright notice is retained.

DISCLAIMER:

This software and its documentation are provided "AS IS" and
without any expressed or implied warranties whatsoever.  No
warranties as to performance, merchantability, or fitness for
a particular purpose exist.

In no event shall any person or organization of people be
held responsible for any direct, indirect, consequential
or inconsequential damages or lost profits.

2 Problems_and_Comments
  Please direct all comments, suggestions, and bugs to

      Chau-Kuang Hung (chung@appseq.us.oracle.com)
      Oracle Corporation
      300 Oracle Parkway
      BOX 659304
      Redwood Shores, CA 94065
