From: w8sdz@tacom-emh1.army.mil (Keith Petersen)
Subject: How to find files in the SIMTEL20 msdos collection
Summary: The index and programs to search/display it
Followup-To: comp.archives.msdos.d
Organization: The SIMTEL20 Archives
Keywords: simtel20,archives,msdos,index,search
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 07:22:37 GMT

[File: PD1:<MSDOS.FILEDOCS>AAAREAD.ME    Last revised: November 17, 1992]

Lists of all files in the WSMR-SIMTEL20.Army.Mil MSDOS archives and
utilities to display, search, or print them are contained in directory
PD1:<MSDOS.FILEDOCS> as follows:

SIMIBM.ZIP contains SIMIBM.IDX, a comma-delimited listing of all files
     in the MSDOS subdirectories with a brief one line description for
     each file, which is suitable for importing into a database program.
     This file is updated at approximate 7-10 day intervals.

SIMLIST.ZIP contains the latest SIMIBM.IDX in text format for those
     would would rather not deal with the comma-delimited index.  The
     format of this file is the same as that produced by the SIMCVT
     programs.

These programs can be used to display and search the index:

SIMDIR22.ZIP displays the file SIMIBM.IDX.  You can browse through the
     list by moving a highlight bar and by pressing function keys.
     The file is displayed as a two-level hierarchy.  The upper
     (initial) level consists of a list of directories, and the lower
     level consists of a list of files within a single directory.  At
     the lower level, you can move directly to the next or previous
     directory by pressing a single key, and you can search across
     directory for strings of text.  At either level, you can exclude
     all files that were uploaded before a specified date.  It will
     optionally create an output file of selected file names, suitable
     for use with the BSD Unix BATCHFTP or AUTOFTP programs which are
     available in SIMTEL20's PD8:<MISC.UNIX> directory.

SIMTEL35.ARC is a program which will import any SIMTEL20 comma-delimited
     catalog file and convert it to a .DBF and allow viewing, searching,
     printing reports, etc.  The user does not need dBASE and all the
     necessary files will be created as they are needed by the program.
     It will optionally create an output file of selected file names,
     suitable for use with the BSD Unix BATCHFTP or AUTOFTP programs
     which are available in SIMTEL20's PD8:<MISC.UNIX> directory.

SIMAIL50.ZIP reads the output file of the SIMTEL35 or the SIMDIR22
     programs and translates it to multiple output files suitable for
     mailing to LISTSERV or TRICKLE file servers.

WSIM11.ZIP is a Windows 3.x program that can convert SIMIBM.IDX to a
     dBase III .DBF file.  It then uses this file to do searches on
     filename, directory or description.  All searches are substring
     searches and are not case sensitive.

Also available:

QUICKREF.LST a quick reference list of SIMTEL20 MSDOS directories.

SIMCVT.BAS and SIMCVT2.BAS are BASICA/GWBASIC programs to convert
     SIMIBM.IDX to a human-readable text file.

SIMCVT.C is a Unix C program to print SIMIBM.IDX.

SIMCVT2.C is a Unix C program to search and print SIMIBM.IDX.

SIMCVT.EXC is a VM/CMS REXX program to print SIMIBM.IDX.

SIMCVAX.BAS is a VAX/VMS BASIC V3.3 program to print SIMIBM.IDX.

SIMCVT.FOR is VAX/VMS FORTRAN program to print SIMIBM.IDX.

SIMCVT.SPS is VAX/VMS SPS program to print SIMIBM.IDX.

SIMDISP.AWK is an awk script for displaying SIMIBM.IDX in outline form.

SIMDISP.DOC explains how to use SIMDISP.AWK.

SIMDISP.PL is a Perl script to print SIMTEL20's SIMIBM.IDX.

SIMFLT10.ZIP extracts dirs from SIMIBM.IDX, writes to new file.

SIMIBM.DB3 tells how to use SIMIBM.IDX with dBASEIII.

SIMIBM.HDR is a PC-File+ database header for use with SIMIBM.IDX.

SIMIBM.INF contains information on record structure of SIMIBM.IDX.

SIMRAZ12.ARC is a program to merge, shorten, rearrange SIMTEL indices.

IDX2DAT.C is a program to make AutoFTP/BatchFTP scripts from SIMIBM.IDX.

FILDIF.ARC is 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.

PD1:<MSDOS>FILES.IDX is a comma-delimited file, without descriptions,
     of the MSDOS directory, suitable for importing into PC-File+ or
     DBase III.  This file is updated on a daily basis (sometimes several
     times a day when a lot of new files are uploaded).

It's impossible to make a daily updated list with descriptions with the
quantity of new programs available.  We average about 300 new files per
month.

             OTHER SITES THAT OFFER SIMTEL20 FILES

See file PD1:<MSDOS.FILEDOCS>DOWNLOAD.INF for details.

         WHERE TO SEND COMPLAINTS, PROBLEMS, QUESTIONS

Messages about SIMTEL20 system problems, FTP problems, and network
problems should be directed to Action@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL.

Messages about files in the MSDOS collection should be directed to
w8sdz@TACOM-EMH1.Army.Mil.

Messages about problems with BITNET or EARN file servers should be
directed to the system administrator at the server location.

                          Internet                  BITNET

        "John Fisher" <FISHER@VM.ECS.RPI.EDU>   <FISHER@RPIECS>
         "Marty Hoag" <INFO@VM1.NODAK.EDU>      <INFO@NDSUVM1>
"TRICKLE Maintainers" <RED-BUG@EGE.EDU.TR>      <RED-BUG@TREARN>

SIMTEL20 does NOT run these servers.

Keith Petersen
Maintainer of the MS-DOS archive at WSMR-SIMTEL20.Army.Mil [192.88.110.20]
Internet: w8sdz@TACOM-EMH1.Army.Mil     or      w8sdz@Vela.ACS.Oakland.Edu
Uucp: uunet!umich!vela!w8sdz                         BITNET: w8sdz@OAKLAND
Newsgroups: comp.archives.msdos.announce