twiley@VAX1.CC.UAKRON.EDU (Timothy J Wiley) (03/17/89)
Hi all, I have a question about the msdos directory indexes on the simtel20 public library. When are those updated to list all the current files, what they are and what they do?? In response to a previous question about when Simtel is "NOT BUSY" I find it easyier to get on at a later time like midnight, one or two o'clock. thanks Tim Wiley
w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL (Keith Petersen) (03/18/89)
In response to the query regarding descriptions for the files at WSMR-
Simtel20, the following should provide the requested information:
A list of all files in the <msdos> archives is contained in directory
PD1:<MSDOS.FILEDOCS> as follows:
NODESCR.IDX contains a listing of those files that do not have a discrip-
tion.
SIMCVT.BAS is a BASICA/GWBASIC program to convert SIMIBM.IDX to a human-
readable text file.
SIMIBM.HDR contains a PC-File+ database header for use with SIMIBM.IDX.
SIMIBM.IDX contains a listing of all files that have a one line descrip-
tion. SIMIBM.IDX (updated monthly) is automatically created by
taking the latest FILES.IDX (updated daily) and comparing it against
a combined list of current files on several BBS systems.
Also available:
FILDIF.ARC a program for comparing a previous copy of PD1:<MSDOS>FILES.IDX
with a new copy. It displays files added and deleted since you got an
older index. This is useful if you are trying to maintain an archive
in sync with SIMTEL20. It can generate output scripts for batch FTP
processing.
SIMIBM.ARC contains the latest SIMIBM.HDR, SIMIBM.IDX, AAAREAD.ME (this
file), SIMCVT.BAS, SIMIBM.DB3 (information on how to use the index
with dBASEIII), and SIMIBM.INF (explains the fields in the index).
PD1:<MSDOS.FILEDOCS>SIMIBM.ARC is updated at approximately one month inter-
vals (more frequently, time permitting).
PD1:<MSDOS>FILES.IDX is updated on a daily basis (sometimes several times
a day when a lot of new files are uploaded). This file is a comma-
delimited file, suitable for importing into PC-File+ or DBase III.
It's impossible to make a daily updated list with descriptions with the
quantity of new programs available. We average about 200 new files per
month.
--Keith