[719] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
SOFTWARE: PMDMatch 1.10.07 Directory Matching Program (update)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mick Brown)
Fri Feb 23 23:28:06 1996
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU
Date: 21 Feb 1996 07:26:53 GMT
From: lfirrantello@BIX.com (Mick Brown)
Reply-To: 71333.2463@compuserve.com
Reply-To: 71333,2463 on CompuServe
Submitted by: Larry R. Waibel
Source: Larry R. Waibel
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I [Larry Waibel] have just uploaded the registered user's passworded version
1.10.07 of PMDMatch, THE directory matching utility to CompuServe's OS2BVEN
library 1, OS/2 Shareware, where support will be provided.
PMDMatch is a 32-bit native OS/2 PM program inspired by the DirMatch utility
originally published years ago in PC Magazine. It compares directories based
on filters which allow it to only show, for example, those files which exist
in both, but the file in one has been modified. It allows file manipulations
such as copy, delete, edit, etc. on all or selected files. It can be used to
maintain floppy backups of the projects you're working on by matching the
project directory with the same directory on the floppy and only having to
copy files that are newer. It can also be used to take a 'snapshot' of the
directories, which can be used later to compare to the same directory. This is
handy for determining which files were changed when a new software package is
installed. It is a specific purpose utility which doesn't try to address every
feature of a file management package; however, it does what it does very well
and is very flexible and configurable. It makes extensive use of the powerful
PM control features and is CUA compliant and certified as 'Ready for OS/2
Warp' (tm).
If you ever need to:
- compare the contents of two directories (and optionally all of their
sub-directories),
- copy and/or move files between these directories based on various
comparison criteria,
- record a snapshot of the contents of a directory (and optionally all
of it's sub-directories) for later comparisons,
then you'll find PMDMatch as an absolutely super tool.
It was originally designed for developers who need to move files between
directories containing various versions of their products' files. I'm not a
developer, but I use PMDMatch to address lots of similar needs.
Since I was the user who originally requested the "snapshot function", let me
give you one example of how I use this super function.
First, I have an OS/2 program-reference object named "Snapshot Drive c:",
which invokes PMDMatch with the appropriate parameters to create a snapshot
file containing a point-in-time record of ALL the files and directories on my
boot drive. All I have to do to record a boot-drive snapshot is double click
on this object and name the snapshot file when PMDMatch pops up its file-save
dialog (in which I also enter an optional comment that describes the snapshot
-- e.g., "Boot-Drive Contents Before Installing AmiPro for OS/2). BTW, in
response to OUTSTANDING user input <grin>, Larry puts this comment at the top
of the snapshot file itself -- AND in the snapshot file's comment EA.
I ALWAYS snapshot my boot drive before installing a new application. And,
after the installation, I record another one, using the same object (above).
Then, using another program-reference object named, "Save Delta Snapshot", I
almost automatically create a third snapshot that contains ONLY the changes
that were introduced to my boot drive during the installation. You'd be
surprised at what some applications do to our boot drives. <grin>
With these "delta" snapshots, I have a record of boot drive changes for EVERY
application I've ever installed on a system.
Anyway, that's just ONE example of how I use this SUPER tool, FWIW."
You may want to check out the July 1994 issue of PC Magazine article on "The
Perfect Utilities Toolkit" where they actually mention several OS/2 utilities.
Of course <s>, one of them is my PMDMatch shareware utility! I'm working hard
on another release which will first go to my registered users, so if you want
to keep up, don't forget to register <s>...
You can also find a review in the February 1995 issue of OS/2 Magazine where
Brian Proffit says "PMDMatch is a very handy utility for tracking changes to
your disk."
The most recent public version can also be found in:
CompuServe's OS2BVEN (OS/2 Shareware library 1) as 'pmdmat.zip'
ftp://ftp.wilmington.net/bmtmicro/PMDMatch.zip
ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/os2/diskutil/PMDMatch.zip
[moderator's note: on HOBBES it may be necessary to switch the URL to
entirely lower case to fetch the file.]
Larry R. Waibel 71333.2463@compuserve.com [OS/2 Advisor]
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