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                                  ERASE.COM                                   

             Size (recs) CRC   Version    Author/Latest Issue      Disk
ERASE54.COM    3k (26)   4C10  5.4        Gene Pizzetta 7/90       Z3COM3
ERASE54.CIM    3k (26)   47B7  5.4        Gene Pizzetta 7/90       Z3COM3

  1- Syntax/Options  2- Usage  3- Notes                                       


   ERASE is the transient counterpart of ERA.  It erases read/write files from 
the command line and  prompts for erasure of read-only files.   Options  allow 
prompting before each file is erased, inclusion of system files, erasing read-
only files  without prompting,  and erasing all files (*.*) without asking you 
if you know what you're doing (handy for aliases and batch operations).  

   Vs. 5.0 (5/84) by R. Conn.
:1
 Syntax   ERASE {dir:}afn.aft{,{dir:}afn.aft{,...}} {{/}options}


   If no DIR or DU  specification is given,  the current logged drive and user 
is assumed.   Multiple file specifications must be separated by commas without 
intervening spaces.
 Options - 1/2   

   A leading slash is optional.

   A    Erase all (*.*) files without asking.   By default if an all files *.*
        filespec is given,  ERASE will prompt with  "Erase all files on A0: ?"  
        Using this option will cause all files (except read/only) to be erased
        without prompting.

   I    Inspect mode.   Each matching  filename is  displayed  and the user is 
        prompted.   A  response  of  "Y" will  cause  the  file to  be erased.  
        Entering  "Q" or  ^C will exit the program.   Any  other response will 
        skip the file and then prompt for the next matching filename.

   R    Erase read/only files.   By default  ERASE will prompt the  user if  a 
        read/only file is encountered.  This option will cause matching  read/
        only files to be erased without prompting.
 Options 2/2 

   S    Toggle inclusion of system  files.   Whether ERASE  recognizes  system 
        files by default is determined  by a configuration  byte in  the first 
        record of the COM file  preceded by the ASCII string "SYSFILES>".   If 
        the byte is zero, system files are ignored;  if it is non-zero, system 
        files  are erased.   The default condition is reversed by this option.  
        As distributed, the default is to exclude system files.
:2
 Usage 

   If the ZCPR3 quiet flag is set,  all  screen output is  suppressed,  except
error messages and required  prompts.   If the R option is not given and ERASE
encounters a read/only file, for instance,  it prompts for permission to erase
the file even if the  quiet flag is on.   Inspect mode prompts normally at all
times.

   ZEX input is turned off while ERASE is running.

   On exit the program error flag is set to 10  (source file not found)  if no
files are erased, unless the program was  aborted at  a prompt with "Q" or ^C.
In addition the number of files erased is entered into ZCPR3 Register 0 (up to
a maximum of 255).   If an invalid option is given,  the program error flag is
set to 19 and the error handler is invoked.

   If  a list of files on  different drives is given  on the command line, the
disk free space report is for the last drive accessed by ERASE.
:3
 ERASE Notes - 1/3 

   a. Version 5.4 updates (Gene Pizzetta, 7/01.90):
      - Eliminated internal environment assembly option.  
      - Added configuration byte  after  ASCII  string  'SYSFILES>'  to  chose
        whether to include system files by default  (non-zero) or exclude them 
        by default (0).  
      - S option now toggles the default meaning (it's current action is shown 
        by the usage screen).  
      - Now filters high  bit of filenames for terminals  that display special 
        characters that way.  
      - ERASE no longer signs  on  with its load  address and  version number; 
        these are displayed only on the usage screen.  
      - Restored Q  (quit) as a valid response to an erase query, but ^C still 
        works.  
      - Display has been  made  even  more compact than last version.  Many of 
        these changes are to make the  ERASE interface very similar to the RCP 
        version.
 ERASE Notes - 2/3 

      - Program error flag is now set to 10 if no files are erased, unless the 
        program is aborted with a ^C or with a  "Q" response to a prompt.   If 
        an invalid option is given the program error code is set to 19 and the 
        error handler is invoked.  
      - Added disk free space display.  
      - Now obeys ZCPR3 quiet flag,  except when in  inspect  mode  or  when a 
        prompt is necessary (when a read/only file is found, for instance).
      - Removed Wheel byte protection for S and R options.

   b. Version 5.3 updates (Gene Pizzetta, 3/28/90):
      - Adds "A" option to suppress "Erase all files?" question  when "*.*" is 
        given as  a filespec.   This option is  primarily  for  use  in  alias 
        scripts and  batch  files,  where you might want to clear  a directory 
        without ERASE stopping to ask if you know what you're doing.  
      - Display cleaned up for prompted erasures.
      - Q (quit) option has been eliminated.   Instead, ^C now aborts ERASE at 
        any prompt.
 ERASE Notes - 3/3 

   c. Version 5.2 updates (Rick Charnes, 1/24/89):
      - Turns off  ZEX input  while  running.   This is  important  under some 
        circumstances when  ERASE is in  an  alias  running  in  a  ZEX  file, 
        allowing the user rather than the ZEX script to answer a prompt.
      - Sets ZCPR3 error flag if no files were erased.
      - The number of files erased is put into ZCPR3 register "0".

   d. Version 5.1 updates (Bruce Morgen, 12/30/87):
      - Rewrite in Z80 opcodes, Zilog mnemonics and ZCPR33 Type 3 format.  
      - ZCPR 3.3 parser used if available.
      - Help message gives the correct COMfile name of the program.  
      - Wheel byte checked before  granting  "S" or "R" option or help text on
        those options.
