Purpose of LCAT series.
Origin.
LCAT.COM
NAMESLBR.SUB
MASTL.CAT
CATL.COM
Erasing complete disks from MASTL.CAT files.
Problems with LCAT.
:
                   PURPOSE OF THE LCAT SERIES


        LCAT will read CP/M disks directories and the directories 
of  the  library files on the disks.  It will even  read  library 
directories  within libraries within libraries within  libraries. 
If  you should happen to have disks that are layered deeper  than 
this  I  suggest a reorganization of your disks,  as knowing  the 
files were there would not help much as it would take a long time 
just to remove them.


        The  disk  directory  structure for the  LCAT  series  is 
similar  to  the  FMAP,  UCAT  and  MAST.CAT  series.  The  disk 
directory needs a title file that begins with a '-',  this should 
be  the  only file on the directory with a leading  '-'.  If  any 
files in the libraries have a leading '-' it is all right as  the 
leading  '-'s  will be removed in the NAMESLBR.SUB  listing.  The 
extent of the title file doesn't have to be numbers, but it helps 
to  keep  track  of  the  disks if  each  has  a  unique  number, 
preferably starting at 000 or 001.


:          Ward  Christensen's  FMAP,  UCAT  and  MAST.CAT  files 
provided  the inspiration of the LCAT series.  Without  them  the 
idea of LCAT would have taken longer if it would have occurred at 
all.  However  it  was  noticed that  library  files  were  being 
overlooked by  the  cataloguing  system.   Some  disks  even  had 
libraries within libraries!

        LCAT.COM and CATL.COM  are the result of much  work  with 
Turbo Pascal ((c) Borland International) which  turned out to  be 
a good vehicle for the LCAT series.  

        LCAT.COM  and  CATL.COM  are  copyrighted  by  Paul Nance 
of Phoenix, Arizona and released to the public domain. 

After considerable thought the source code is not being  released 
at this time. The complexity of the code however will probably be 
of  interest to some and the source will be given to all who ask. 
See problems area of this help file for more info.

:       LCAT.COM is like FMAP.COM except it does not give the map
of the directory, but it does give the library file directory. It 
is used by typing:
                         LCAT d:

where  d:  is the drive whose disk directory is to be  read.  The 
temporary file NAMESLBR.SUB will be created on the LCAT directory 
and erased after the listing is added to MASTL.CAT.





:        NAMESLBR.SUB  is  not included in the source library  as 
it is created only by LCAT.COM to be used and erased.



:        MASTL.CAT  is supplied in the source library but will be 
created  by LCAT.COM  if it is missing from the  LCAT  directory. 
The  first  files  listed in MASTL.CAT are in a  single  pair  of 
parentheses.   The files between the parentheses are not included 
in  the listing.  The system files on each disk will appear  many 
times  in  the MASTL.CAT file if they are not in  this  location. 
PIP.COM and DIR.COM are already on the source MASTL.CAT file. The 
listing  can  be  altered  with  up to  20  files  excluded  from 
MASTL.CAT. Typing MASTL.CAT looks like this:

                     (DDT.COM
                     DIR.COM
                     PIP.COM
                     STAT.COM)
                






:        CATL.COM  is  similar  to  CAT.COM,  there  are  several 
different ways to use the file.

        CATL                    ;types all the files one screen at
                                ;a time (24 x 80)

        CATL *.COM              ;types all COM files in MASTL.CAT
                                ;directory one screen at a time

        CATL *.* *.020          ;types all files on disk 20

        CATL H*.* UTIL*.*       ;types all files that start with a
                                ;H on disks that have a title name
                                ;starting with UTIL

        CATL *.* *.* $L         ;types all files and also lists to 
                                ;the printer, screen is paged
                                ;24 x 80 and printer is paged 
                                ;66 x 80, the *.* *.* may be any of
                                ;the above combinations.

:
                 ERASING ENTIRE DISK DIRECTORIES

     If  a  you  should  need to remove all  the  entries  for  a 
particular  disk  from  the  MASTL.CAT  file,  and  the  disk  is 
unavailable for the purpose,  a blank disk will have to be  used. 
The  disk  directory name should be entered on the disk  and  the 
LCAT  and ULCAT programs used,  this will delete all the programs 
that were entered with the missing disks name.


:
                            PROBLEMS

        There  are  several  changes to the LCAT  series  in  the 
works,  including  an entire rewrite in assembly  language.  That 
will probably be release 3.0 however any problems in the meantime 
can  be  reported  to the author at either of the  two  RCPMs  in 
Phoenix, AZ.

        Address problems, complaints and praise via bulletins to:

                Paul Nance

                Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine RCPM
                Phoenix, AZ                     602-848-6708

                Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine #2
                Phoenix, AZ                     602-863-1435

