The LangaList

Yow! Last issue's item on how to print the directory listing, or "contents of a folder," (See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-04-13.htm#6) brought a *flood* of questions and alternative suggestions. Thanks to all who wrote in!

I had no idea this was such a hot button to so many people. With as much mail as I got, I figured this is a topic that deserves more coverage---so here we go with the highlights of the reader mail:

First, many readers suggested creating an ultra-simple batch file containing just the line

DIR >LPTX

(where you replace "X" with the number of your active printer port---1, 2, etc.).  You'd simply drop to DOS, navigate to the directory you want, and then invoke the Batch file (or you can just type the command---it's certainly easy enough). The advantage of this approach is utter simplicity; the disadvantage is that you don't get an editable file; the formatting may or may not be OK depending on your printer setup; and it probably won't work from DOS with USB printers.

But there are lots more tips. Check out the next few items:

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3) More Simple Folder-Printing Tips #2

Fred, Power Desk 4 from http://www.ontrack.com  is a FREE software program that has many options, ie. print screen, print directory, handles all major zip file type. If you heard of it you may want to scope it out. Microsoft should have had this program part of the windows OS instead of the file manager they use.---Ralph Pepper

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4) More Simple Folder-Printing Tips #3

Fred, I really enjoy your newsletter and get something useful out of each one. In your newsletter of April 13 Jeff asked about printing folder contents. I have been using a program named SuperCat from http://no-nonsense-software.com  long enough to know that it is fantastic. You can catalog your hard drive all your CD-ROMs and anything else that you have. The catalog is stored on your hard drive so you can search a CD-ROMs contents or display it without inserting it. It does a lot more too. It's ad supported freeware or an ad free version for $25.00. I use the ad free version and they just notified me of a version upgrade, free. Another real handy utility is TreePrint. It replaces DOS tree.com, but supports long file names. You right click in Windows Explorer to use it to open a file in notepad or elsewhere, or to print it. It's freeware from http://hotfiles.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/swlib/hotfiles/info.html?fcode=0012RF&b=pcm. Thanks for a useful newsletter.---Tom Swartout

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5) More Simple Folder-Printing Tips #4

If you want to list the files in a directory, and then list the files in the sub-directories which belong to the directory, you can add the /S switch to the command line in the DOS box:

dir c:\123files\*.* /s > c:\123files.txt

which not only lists the files and sub-directories in \123files, but then continues to list the files in all the sub-directories, and in turn the sub-directories to the sub-directories.

I find it rather interesting that many of the old DOS commands that I learned eons ago still find use today in Windows.---Duane Welch

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6) More Simple Folder-Printing Tips #5

In reference to Printing your folder, "PrintFolder" is a simple utility to print a list of files and folders, a feature missing in Windows Explorer. Right-click any folder in Windows Explorer and choose "PrintFolder", or select a folder with the browse button on the toolbar menu. http://no-nonsense-software.com This is a FREE PROGRAM, which is a shell extension program.---John W Camp

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7) More Simple Folder-Printing Tips #6

Fred, for owners of Microsoft Outlook 98 or 2000, there's a great way to print out a customizable directory listing for free! In Outlook, on the Outlook Bar select Other Shortcuts, My Computer and then choose the disk, directory or folder that you want to print. Using the View, Current View menu, you can customize the columns, column widths, order etc., to get exactly the detail you need and print it out. Much better than any third party utility and almost worth getting Outlook just for that!--- Terry Farrell

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8) Why Nonspecific URLs? (And A New Feature!)

Reader Daniel asked an entirely reasonable question:

Hello Fred,

I am a subscriber to langalist and I like it. I speak for myself but I think all of us with slow connections and high phone rates (or that get pages by email as in my case) will appreciate if you include more direct URLs to the articles you mention, like the one in the last langalist:

"Come check it out at http://www.byte.com  starting Monday...!"

I give specific URLs when I can, but often when I prepare an issue of the newsletter, the item I'm referring to has not yet been posted by the staff of the publication I wrote the referenced column for: No URL yet exists. I could guess at the URL (because many follow a repeating pattern), but that would be a guess, and patterns sometimes break.

And even if I guess what the URL will be and get it 100% correct, you'll still get a "404--- Page Not Found" error if you click on the URL before the item is actually posted. (And that's something I, as a freelancer, have no control over.)

That's why I stick with pointing you to known-good home pages. I know those links will work; that you won't get a 404 error; and that you will be able to link to the item I'm talking about from there, once it's posted.

I'll give you precise URLs whenever I can. But at least now when you see a generic URL from me, you'll know why. <g>

But one place I have started adding specific URLs is at the top of this newsletter, just above the main "The LangaList" title: There you'll now find a one-click direct link to the HTML version of the newsletter. If you're reading this in an all-text email, try the link above the main title!

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