IDXMAN
Index Manager for  Remote Site FTP Access

By Rob Reuss				62 Third Place
rsr@cunyvms1.gc.cuny.edu		Brooklyn NY 11231
beta version 0.1			(718) 596-5923

IDXMAN will parse CICA index files creating a database of
directories, files, file descriptions, etc.

IDXMAN is designed to work in concert with FTP clients that 
offer the ability to download a remote text file into a local file editor.  
In the case of  WS_FTP by John Junod, you can specify your file editor 
in the options window, and in situations like this IDXMAN is specified 
instead of a file editor.  If a file is a text file, IDXMAN will check and see 
if it is an index of files, and if so, will automatically parse that file adding 
site, directory and file information to its database.  Otherwise, IDXMAN will 
launch NOTEPAD.EXE or any other file editor that you specify once you have run 
the program.

IMPORTANT: You need also to have VBRUN300.DLL on your
path in order to run this program.  You can find that file at CICA.

1. Copy all files with a *.VBX  or a *.DLL extension to your Windows/System
directory.
2. Put IDXMAN.EXE and IDXMAN.MDB in the same directory.
3. Start WS_FTP and change the file editor to point instead to IDXMAN.EXE
   (If you do not put IDXMAN on your PATH you must specify a full qualified
    command line, path and all.)
4. FTP to CICA and download an index.  IDXMAN should be invoked and will parse
   the file, adding the site, directories and files to its database.  
5. The main part of the IDXMAN application will start, where you can browse
   the file descriptions.  There is no reporting functionality yet.
6. Because you have downloaded an index into IDXMAN, you can now simply
   launch the program without designating an index.
   If you do not FTP in this manner, but still want to use IDXMAN you can simply
   designate an index file on the command line when you launch IDXMAN.

Please note also that IDXMAN currently only works with CICA indexes.  What other 
index formats should be included?  Beats me.  Drop me a line and suggest some.  
Obviously they need to have some kind of "signature" to them, so they can be made 
sense of by IDXMAN.  

Please note that you must keep IDXMAN.EXE and IDXMAN.MDB in the same directory.  

I'll offer more documentation as the program becomes more stable, and more 
rigidified in its design.  I am making it available in its current incarnation 
to get suggestions about what people need and want from such a program.  The 
obvious thing that is lacking is built-in FTP support so that you can mark files 
for retrieval and have the IDXMAN simply get them for you (whenever).  I can't 
afford to purchase the tools necessary for this (i.e. custom controls providing 
winsock protocol network access) so if you want to send me money, I'll glad put 
it into my piggy bank dedicated to buying these tools!  In lieu of such a capability, 
what is the best way for me to provide this second stage functionality of retrieval?  
Should I simply provide some sort of report generating function, listing files marked 
for retrieval?  Maybe just a concise, color-coded window, since who wants more paper 
littering their desk?  


Portions of this program are Copyright 1993/1994 Sheridan Data Systems, Inc.

