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START
START with Pointer2001

Pointer 2001 by EFsoft is a standalone program of about 80kb.

As it does not use OCX, DLL or other proprietary libraries there is no any SetUp program to install it.

You have only to create a directory  "C:\Pointer98" and copy the application into.

(Do not use the Pointer95 folder of the previous version as the new version is only  partially compatible with Pointer95 and Pointer2000).

Out of the above Pointer2001 needs as the previous versions to find correctly installed the VBruntime (VB5 runtime) and PKzip/PKunzip located into the C: root directory to be

fully used.

(the program uses Regedit.Exe also but as usually win95/98 install this program automatically it should not be a problem)

HOW TO USE POINTER2001

UNISTAL PROGRAM - DISCLAIMER

To unistal Pointer2001 ( as usually happens for all EFsoft programs) you have only to delete the folder created to contain the programs and all its service files. (no keys have bee added to the registry neither on intallation nor using the program)

THE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE FREEWARE AS IS WITHOUT

ANY KIND OF GUARANTY FOR  PERSONAL USE ONLY.

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HOW
HOW to use Pointer2001

The ones that tried and use (i hope) the previous versions of Pointer  will not find here surely, anything new

This is because all the usual options and functions remained unchanged.

The code has been revised to gain some speed and this decreased the dimension of the program. Only a function has been added to try if it may be useful.

The designed interface appear now more simple.

When you run the program you see an InputBox that ask you to select the drive on which you like to operate.

If you wish to save the sys by the relative function, select the default value C: else select whatever drive you like.

As on starting the program reads all the content of the selected drive, if you want to use function that are indipendent from the drive selection (Canc Tmp for example) it will be better to select a drive with few files to expedite the start.

The image shown below is about the program interface that you see after your reply to

the input box request.

It is not the true interface as you will not see the listbox and you will not see the buttons

but only their captions as they become visible on mouse move.

To use the program you have to consider various separate command's' zone.

1)  Basic commands

2)  Display zone

3)  Functions' zone

4)  Services' zone

5)  Central panel

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BASIC
BASIC COMMANDS

The basic commands are the four objects that you see, about, at the corners of the windows' program.

They are respectively the commands:

RESET button

This command allows to clear all the input and results windows and must be used before to require a new function or service.

The program usually do not perform a new request if you do not use Reset before.

SELECTION combo box

The combo box in question allows you to select on which drive you wish to execute your check. On starting you select the drive replying to the inputbox request, thence you may

change the drive in use by clicking on the items in the combo box.

This cause the loading of the content of the selected after which you are ready to execute checking on the new drive. (the program shows the word 'Ready')

EXIT button

There is nothing to say. The command allows to close the program.

PRINT button

Using this command you may print all the results that you may get using a program's function. The output of this print command is only the memo text of the results  that you got into the list box in the DISPLAY ZONE.

SAVE SYS  button ( the Red button on top of the program's windows )

This command requires some detailed informations.

Using this command you may save all the relevant system files (i.e. autoexec.bat, config.sys, win.ini, system.ini, system.dat and user.dat) into a zip file that you may

use to recover a system crash.

Pressing the button you start the saving function that end when the caption button shows the saving date. (during saving a 'WAIT' advice is shown)

If a previous saving existes you are required  confirm a backup option.

When your system files are saved, if you need to reinstate the system you have only to restart system  in  DOS  and then type ' syspoint', thence restart system.

Your machine will be restored with the settings on the date of the last saving.

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DISPLAY
DISPLAY ZONE

The Program's display zone is the low part of the windows' program.

Here the user find many information about the system, the result of the selected operation and the informations that the program show while it is active.

You may find here at the bottom of the windows:

DIR label

This label show the total number of folders (Dirs) on the selected drive

FILES / KEYS label

This label show the total number of files that are loaded on the selected drive.

When you ask Registry informations the label text change to show the total number of the keys found.

MEMORY label

This label shows the total amount of fysical memory and its percentage usage.

HD label and Led spy

You can find here the letter of the drive, the type, the free space on it and a Led usually green that becomes red when you have a low free space on it (about 5. mega)

SWAP label

You find here the space allocated by the swap file of Windows.

DATA Label with Led spy

You may see here a date when the Led spy is Red. This means that the content's data of the selected drive has been memorized (and when) and that the function Check Disk may be used. If no data for the actual drive have been stored the Led spy is green .

INFORMATION  zone

Above this line of labels, between the Print and Exit Buttons there is another information zone where you may see  the information during  the program activity and a progress line that advise you if some function require a long time to show that program has not crashed.

The above information are available and change when you select and use a button concerning available FUNCTIONS or SERVICES

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FUNCTION
FUNCTION' S COMMANDS

The Functions'  commands are those you see in the column between the Reset command and the Print command.

You usually see them a word only on the side of the central panel of the windows.

When you move the mouse on this words an hidden button is shown and if you

click on it the button remain visible (showing the function chosen) while the relative

operation start.

The available funcions are:

FIND button

Clicking on this command you will get two new objects.

A combo box listing some of the most usual files' extensions (.dll,.exe, etc) from which you can select what kind of files you whish to find. You may also see all the files on the drive or find only a single file (you have to write its name in the combo text) using also the Jolly characters (?.*). The results will be shown into a list that will appears at the bottom of the windows. Thence you will see also to check boxes to select to Move or Cancel a file. To do this you have to click on the file's name in the list and confirm action on the warning box that will appear.

DUPLICATE button

The Duplicate command operates exactly as the above Find command but it show only the files with the same names. After abtaining the results' list a separate buttons will allow you to filter results to see only the files with the same name and dimension.

CHECK DISK button

This is the primary function of this program. It allows to see anytime the files/Dirs added or deleted on the selected drive. You may see also the erased or added files only using the relative buttons that are shown after you got the results' list.

To performs thi action you have to save before the current contents of your drive using the Command Save Sys otherwise the program will advise you to be unable to operate.

This function can require a long time as (particularly if you use Internet programs) there are a lot of programs that the system adds and cancels during the use.

REGISTRY button

The reading of the registry in Pointer is limited to the most relevant keys only. This means that it does not operate as he usual Registry programs. The functions allows you to see the keys added and is limited to show what, in the registry, you may read easyly. If you whish to see whatever keys, you should select the root key in the combo box and clicking on the key you wish  following the key path using the Key value button when you like to see the relative value. To change the key path you have to click on the the key list that is shown into the list of results.

This version of Pointer allows to perform an 1 level undo to correct or check all the keys shown in the current level.

CPU/TASKS button

Using this command you will see some detail on the current system's usage.

In addition to the Dirs, files, memory, HD space and Swap dimension currently available you will be enabled to see the CPU work (by a graphical object), the Thread, Tasks and

Virtual Machine currently running.

All the functions above mentioned use to complete your request some commands or objects that are shown in the CENTRAL PANEL of the windows' program.

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CENTRAL
CENTRAL Panel

You will not see all the above commands at the same time as Pointer will show you only the ones that you need to perform the selected function.

This avoid to have to remenber their use each time because you will see what you need only.

There is here a quick reference to the above commands:

Name File/Files  combo box

Start Search       button

are usualy shown on FIND and DUPLICATE functions' use

Under same functions, after obtaining results in the hiding list, you see and you may use also:

Same Files  button

to use to filter a DUPLICATE search by name  to a duplicate files for dimensions also.

Move Single File to   check box

Cancel Single File     check box

(Path input text box)

You may use these command to move or cancel a file. Select the check box you like then, click on a file name in the result list  and you will be prompted to confirm operation.

Added Keys  button

When you ask the function REGISTRY you get a list of the most relevent keys. Using the above button you can see which keys have been added to the registry after your last system files saving by SAVE SYS

(Keys type's path)  combo box

Keys Value             button

Undo                       button

If you want to see any kind of keys instead of the ones authomatically selected, use the combo box to select a group of keys and the list will show you all the subkeys contained. and the relative path on the above label. Clicking on a key name in the list

you may see the subkeys relating the Key clicked  and so on up to the last key of the path for which the value (if any) is shown.

If, using this procedure, you want see a particular value, press the button Keys Value while if you want to go back from a subkeys list to the previous keys list you have to

press the comand Undo. The function allows you to read only the keys so strings and

integer are are correct while exadecimal information may be uncomplete. Do not us that

values to write into the registry.

Unnamed windows  graphical object and labels

These objects show respectively the CPU LOAD , TASKS number, THREADS and VIRTUAL MACHINE (Dos) numbers. The botton list shows all the active tasks' names.

With the others informations as Dirs, Files, memory, free space and swap dimension you may have a view of the actual activity of your system

Type of Msg Code  buttons and input tex boxes

As i said this is only a gadget tha may be useful or not. If your system advise you an error quoting a number only you may type it into the text boxes (decimal or hexdecimal)

and you will see under the central apnel the litteral descriptio of the error.

(it is valid for system error and not exactly for runtime error and it is shown using your  system language)

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SERVICE
SERVICE's commands

This commands are named Services as the do not show any readable results, They perform only operations in the system that

are visible by a change of Led spy or the change of a label caption.

Refresh  button

This command executes a new reading of your system. It may be used (or has to be used) when, while Pointer is running, you modify some item of the system, loading a file for example.

This is due to the fact that Pointer use the data read on start and not use direct connection with the system (except on user request)

to avoid problems and it does not check immediatly your adding or

other actions.

......Data  button

You have to use it to Save and memorize the system status that will be used as reference fot the command CHECK SYS.

If the reference file has been saved you will use the same button to Cancel it and thence to save a new reference data files.

The date of the last saving is shown on the relative label below and

the Led spy turns to red otherwise it is green.

Canc Tmp  button

By this command you may cancel temp files that a crash or a wrong application may have forgotten into your temp directory.

To avoid problems only the files with a date one day oldest than current date are deleted. You are also required to confirm to cancel

Icon cache file  (it is a file that is used to espedite windows use but

may become very big memorizing also images that you will no longer use anyway it will be immediatly recreated by windows with

the used images only).

Exp Registry  button

This commands calls regedit.exe to copy the content of the registry into a text file that you may read easyly.

System Msg  button

Call the relative service (see CENTRAL for further infornations)

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