Conference 7.286::atarist

I've been wanting to catalog some of my floppies lately, but until 
note 9.157 I had no suitable tool.  In the past, I've tried a few 
pd or shareware catalogers and none have been satisfactory - until 
STDCAT (ST Disk Catalog).  After just a half hour with this program 
I can say that it is definitely worth adding to Jeff's list of programs 
without which "life wouldn't be the same".  STDCAT is to my floppy 
collection as PHASAR is to my checking account.

I was able to feed a collection of 80 sequentially numbered floppies into 
STDCAT nearly as fast as I could insert the disks in the drive.  It took only 
15 or 20 minutes to obtain the catalog.  The program is loaded with functions 
and uses a 2-window scheme with full gem sizing and placement control to 
allow you to browse your directories.  It uses the random disk serial number 
to help you make sure you've stuck the correct disk in the drive, and it deals 
well with duplicate numbers.  It lets you put comments in the database and 
search with wildcards for nearly anything in the database.  And it does it all 
with lightning speed.  

There's more.  This program has something that *real* software has and almost 
no personal computer software has - an API!  (Application Program Interface) 
The program comes with an example C program which shows you how to access the
database.  So you don't necessarily have to always use the interactive interface 
to access your database.  You can write your own programs to do it.  So if you 
can think of something that this program doesn't do for you that involves the 
floppy data base, you can go do it yourself. 

As for the other program posted in note 9.157, (FFIND_10.ARC), I tried it also 
and I am not impressed.  About the best features it has are its R2D2-like bells
and whistles (it "talks" to you) and its graphic rendition of a "file".  It's 
worth downloading for it's 1-time entertainment value, but in my opinion it is 
an "also ran" when it comes to file management.  I will demonstrate the sound 
and graphics to my kids, then delete it.  It allows only 75 floppies per
collection (vs 999 for STDCAT) and it requires that you use volume labels. 
It doesn't put nearly as much information on the screen, doesn't use windows, 
and doesn't even run in monochrome! 

I like STDCAT also. It's a neat thing and very useful.

Some points to be aware of:

When deleting a disk, all disks with higher numbers will get new numbers
-- too bad if you just wrote the numbers on the disks :-) 

After erasing the boot-sector of one of my previously catalogued disks 
I discovered that the disk serial number had been modified. STDCAT was 
no longer able to associate the disk with the stored disk contents.

It seems that the PRINT function only uses the parallel printer port. I 
have not been able to print any catalogue via the modem port (LA50). 
Well, there is still the API...

	-Peter

I used STDCAT extensively this weekend, and now have a usable 
library of floppies.  (It's a tray full of floppies weighing 
over 8 kg, containing over 300 disks, 10000 files, 1800 folders, 
200 MB capacity, 75% used)

I had a little problem with several disks that had identical 
serial numbers.  This comes from using PROCOPY to copy and format 
floppies.  Too bad STDCAT doesn't have a "write-new-random-number" 
option.  It was easy enough to write a small C program to do that, 
following examples in the Mark Williams C manual.  (If you want my 
source code for such a program, send me mail.)  The problem was 
especially severe when feeding floppies with identical serial 
numbers one after the other.  It seems that STDCAT does not force 
"media-change" when reading a new floppy, so TOS gets confused and 
directories don't get read properly.  The solution is to make 
sure all your disk have different serial numbers.  STDCAT is good 
at finding duplicates.

Another problem is that you can't really have 999 disks in a 
catalog if you only have 1 MB of memory.  STDCAT insist on reading 
the whole data base into physical memory.  With FOLDR999.PRG using 
over 100K and a few other auto folder/desk acc's running, I have 
about 600 K available for STDCAT.  That just barely accomodates my 
300 disk data base.  Actually, I have the 300 disks recorded in 
about 20 smaller files, so unless I need to search all 300 disks, 
I usually only open the smaller data bases one at a time.

Also, updates to large data bases are time consuming because 
STDCAT does not open the file for random update.  Rather, it 
writes out the whole data base even if only one disk was changed.  

Here's a hint on how to add one more level of heirarchy to your 
data base: Use the "disk comment" to record the name of the .cat 
file and the disk number. Then when you load several data bases 
into STDCAT for a large search, you will have a reference as to 
which disk of which data base you are looking at without having to 
resort to using the volume name.  The disk comment is easier to 
use than the volume name, because the comment exists only in the 
data base and does not get written to the floppy.  So it takes 
only moments to add a comment to every disk in a small data base.

I haven't tried printing from STDCAT yet.  I plan on modifying the 
CATTOASC program to produce a report similar to the report produced 
by SHOWDIR.  (LISTDIR/SHOWDIR are the disk cataloger I previously used.)

I find it handy to run a file viewing DA concurrently with STDCAT, 
and also a DA that can delete files from floppies, such as MINIDOS. 
Watch out for MINIDOS - access only floppies from it.  It doesn't 
seem to work with my hard disk.) 

If your backup utility stores the files in standard floppies,
STDCAT can be a good way of locating an individual file for
manual restoration, as an alternative to using the backup utility. 

    I use STDCAT and like it.
    
    I got around the "renumbering when deleting" problem mentioned in .3 by
    creating a blank floppy which I called DUMMY.  Now instead of deleting
    a disk, I just replace it with the DUMMY floppy.  I also use the DUMMY
    floppy to create spaces in the catalogue so that I can insert future
    new disks and have related floppies close together in my catalogue.
    
    The programme uses volume names extensively, and I have created a
    naming convention for my floppies.  I use this when creating new
    floppies, and it certainly helps manage my STDCAT library file better.
    
    Alex
    

    You'll have to excuse my ignorance here. I have STDCAT and I think its
    the greatest program in the world. The problem is, I want to use it to
    catalog the files on my hard drive. I just got the hard drive (hence my
    ingorance) so I have no idea what people are using (supposed to use) in 
    order to keep track of files on their hard drives.
    
    I've seen some PD programs that have something to do with "finding"
    files on hard drives. Is that what I'm looking for?? Can anyone
    recommend a good PD one? What I really want is for STDCAT to work with
    my hard drive (so I can browse directories at my leisure or so I can
    use the "find" command).
    
    Thanks,
    Jim
       

I think you're looking for a file selector with better filtering than the
default one. UIS III (commercial and cheap) has a FIND command. There are PD
file selectors such as Little Green Item Selector that offer this feature.
Also, there are a few PD CLIs (pcommand, gulam...) that allow you to
selectively list files in directories and subdirectories.

If you're having trouble finding your programs in order to run them, you might
a consider one of the program manager shells such as HotWire  (commercial) or
QuickRun (PD). These programs are very handy. Register the pathname of the
executable, then you simply click on a menu entry (or assign a hotkey)
to run them.

    
    
    I've been searching for long time a ctalog tool for ST. STDCAT seems
    to comply all features needed, except availability on the net, even
    on location writen in 9.157 !!!          Where can I find it now ?
                                                                    
    
    If anyone could help, he would be welcome !

    I found a problem with STDCAT in that it only catalogues from floppy
    A...or am I using an old version. I means I can't catalogue my 1 meg
    disks on drive B.
    ...Howard

             <<< BOLT::MAY14$DUA1:[NOTES$LIBRARY]ATARIST.NOTE;3 >>>
                       -< Atari's 68000 based systems. >-
================================================================================
Note 795.1                     STDCAT on drive B:                         1 of 4
JARETH::GILLIAM                                      16 lines  16-MAR-1990 12:31
                                 -< some info >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The DOC file for STDCAT 4.0 states that the program was never tested
    on a two-drive system. However, it was tested with a ram disk, a
    single-drive system, and a  hard disk.
    
    
    His address is
    
    Bob Silliker
    13097 107th Ave
    Surrey, BC.
    Canada V3T 2G2
    604-584-3668
    
    [email protected]
    
    The current version is 4.3.
    
    He's working on Version 5.0. Send him e-mail or a postcard describing the
    problem.
        

re: .6  finding files on hard drive 

You don't really need a program like STDCAT to find files on a hard drive, 
unless it is a cartridge drive and you have more than one cartridge, in which 
case it is the same as a floppy drive.  The general idea of STDCAT is that 
you maintain an online data base of information relating to disk volumes 
that are stored offline. 

As recommended in .7, a better file selector will help.  I use FSELECT (V6.0)
which is a freely distributed program ($10 voluntary shareware fee suggested). 
This alternative file selector has drive buttons, various sorting options, and 
other features that work very well for finding files. 

However, the very best thing you can do to enhance your ST and your hard drive 
is to purchase NEODESK 3.  This alternative to the GEM desktop is worth every 
penny you pay for it.  It will solve your (online) file finding problem, and 
many other frustrations of using the GEM desktop.  

    I heartily concur. NeoDesk really enhances the ST, and the added features
    of NeoDesk3 are dynamite.
    
    

    The docs for STDCAT V4.3 promised a V5.0 in 1989....is this available? 
    4.3 is the most recent on panarthea.
    
    							Brian