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From: phoenyx <quazar@dcnet2000.com>
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Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 00:59:46 -0600
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Xref: news1.icaen comp.binaries.apple2:10680

    Phoenyx's 'File Modified Date/Time' modifier 
 
    This program is released as (c) freeware. I, the author, retain all
rights. 
You the user have the right to use the program for the purpose intended.
You 
also have the right to distribute this file to anyone who may benefit
from it's 
use. Feel free to post it on any Apple2 file site also. 
 
    As is normal, I make no warranties regarding useability and/or
fitness for 
any specific purpose, functionality or program usage. You use the
program at  
your own risk of data loss and/or system failure. 
    Don't you hate these disclaimers??? Don't worry, I have tested the
program 
on my system without damage or file loss! 
 
    This program was designed for one purpose, and (IMHO) it performs
that 
function well. It's purpose is to change all the modified date/time
stamps in 
any specified directory tree to 01-JAN-00. This is primarily of benefit
to 
users who make backups based on the modified date/time stamp. When Y2k
comes 
these programs will get confused if some dates specify 9x and others
specify 
0x. In other words, the results you get won't be the results you expect. 
 
    Here is one method to avoid this. Perform your standard file backup
on 
31-DEC-99 or 01-JAN-00. Then run this program for both the source
directory 
and backup directory trees. When finished, you will have a current
backup of 
your files and they will have matching modified date/time stamps. From
this 
point on all P8 modified files will have a newer modified date/time
stamp 
and the copy/backup programs should function as normal. 
 
    As designed it has no limits on the number of files and should be
able to 
handle deep directories. I have tested it on several mass media devices
with  
varying file counts (thousand++) and varying directory depths. 
 
    The program was written to run on any 64k Prodos compatible Apple ][
or 
emulator system, yes even the GS. It was created with Aztec C as a stand
alone 
system application. It offers a simple interface where you specify the
Prodos 
path you want to modify the date/time stamp in. Then you specify where
the 
program should put the work file. This work file is the key to the
safety 
of this program. By gathering all the file names at once, the program
can 
then read the file and perform Prodos MLI functions to modify the
directory 
entries. This elimimnates the danger of directory damage which might
occur  
when modifying the directory file itself. My motto is better safe than
sorry. 
 
    Since the program uses external memory, aka a disk file, to store
the file 
names you are only limited by the size of the external memory media. It
is 
suggested you use a large ram-disk. It may even work with the Prodos
/RAM 
drive as the file is really not that big. It uses a maximum of 65 bytes
for 
each directory entry. This entry consists of the absolute Prodos
pathname. The 
program will leave the work file on the media for your perusal and/or
future 
use. The program will modify ALL directory entries except deleted files,
whose 
directory entry has not been re-used. It also respects the locked status
or 
in the case of GS files, the active status. 
 
    You can specify any Prodos directory tree. It does not need to be
started 
in a root directory although that is the normal usage. 
 
    I want to thank the Phade authors for an excellent set of Prodos
libraries 
which they released in the early 90's. This program uses parts of those
lib's 
as well as a highly modified recursive tree routine from that archive.
This 
greatly eased the development of this program. So, portions of this
program 
are (c) by Phade Software. 
 
    There may also be portions (c) by Manx, the original publisher of
Aztec C. 
Unfortunately, I have been unable to contact them. I would love to get
this 
development system into the Apple2 freeware society with proper
documentation. 
The shell offers more functionality than many of the others. Oh well,
maybe 
later. 
 
    Hope I explained it enough. If it is needed I might be able to
modify the 
program to accept any date instead of 01-JAN-00. This was the
specifications 
required by the original request. 
 
Enjoy, 
Phoenyx 
 

Note: This is just the blurb about the file. The file will sent
seperately