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TK3 DIRECTORY NOTES - 22FEB03

Some of this information may update that given in the published EPE TK3 text.

Always check the Updates file for any information that affects these notes. It is normally issued whenever an update to TK3 is released and is accessible via the "Latest Updates" button at the bottom of the main TK3 screen.


Full access to all drives and directories (folders) is available through the Directory screen. The extension name used is always that allocated by the calling path, i.e. if entering the directory from an ASM path, the extension is .ASM.

On entry, the search filter is normally (see later) set at "*", e.g. *.ASM and all files matching this search path are shown.

The available calling paths are:

  *.ASM
  *.OBJ
  *.HEX
  *.MSG
  *.INC

with an additional *.PSF path if PICtutor (accesible via PIC Tutorial button) is in use.

It is not possible to change the extension from within the directory. 

An additional filter prefix can be added to the search path, via the Filter text box. For example, if you want to display all file names commencing with "TUT" and having the extension .ASM, type in the TUT letters sequence, click on the Filter On/Off box to reveal a tick mark, whereupon any file names that match the search filter of TUT*.ASM will be displayed.

Do not add * or extension characters.

The search filter prefix may be changed while the filter tick is shown, allowing selective seaching of the file names. Clicking on the Filter tick box to turn off the tick allows the filter prefix to be ignored and the "*" filter character automatically used instead.

The search filter status remains as set even when the directory is exited, allowing the same search to be used next time you enter the Directory, irrespective of which option box on the main screen you enter from. For example, if you set for TUT*.ASM having entered from the Assembly box, and then later re-enter from the Programming HEX box, the search path will become TUT*.HEX.

At the top of the Directory screen is a History box. This records all directory path changes made for the selected hard drive (usually set for Drive C - see Check PCB Notes available from the main screen). This information is stored when TK3 is exited and recalled when next run. The information may be edited via file TK3history.txt, stored in the same folder as TK3.

Clicking the arrow at the right of the History box displays a drop-down menu. Any of the paths shown can be selected by clicking on the one required. This then becomes the chosen path until such time as you change it. The path history only applies to the Hard Drive since the disks in other drives can be changed manually, which would severely complicate the record keeping.

The Hard Drive letter set through the Check PCB option is displayed near the top left of the Directory screen, e.g. Hard Drive = C. The letter allocated to the hard drive can only be changed through the Check PCB option.

When a Drive (e.g. Drive A) has been selected from the Drive Path box, the disk in that drive can be changed and its contents displayed by clicking on the Refresh button. The Refresh button can also be used if a new file has been created while in Edit mode, but which will not be immediately displayed if the Directory path is still the same as the path that is active when Edit is entered.

File details can be viewed by clicking once on a particular name, the details vary depending on the file name extension in use. For OBJ and HEX paths, for instance, the file length and commands contained in the file are shown, plus the percentage capacity that the file would consume of the principal PIC sizes, and the space remaining. The cursor arrows can be used to pan up or down the file name list, the file details being shown accordingly.

When single-clicking a name, the file is not treated as having been selected for use by the calling routine. An exit from the Directory can be made by clicking on the EXIT button.

To select a file as the active name for use by the calling routine from which you have entered, the file name should be doubled-clicked, which also causes the Directory window to be closed. 

The text box below the Path Change sub-window shows the name of the last file selected for use by a calling routine.

Note that when a function uses the data from an input file and sends processed data to an output file, the output directory path is always the same as that of the input file. If you wish to place output files in another directory (folder) this can only be done after having exited TK3, using the usual Windows copying facility.

If a file name is too long for it to be fully shown in a particular text box, click on the text box and use the cursor keys to scan along its full length. Alternatively, double-click on the text box to activate a message window showing the full details. Note that file names cannot be changed from a text box.

Filter details are lost when TK3 is exited. They may also be lost if the main TK3 window is minimized and then re-maximized, and if you close the Directory window via its top-right X box instead of the allocated EXIT button, you could also lose the information, plus some of History as well.

CREATING NEW FILES

Some types of new file may be created from within the Directory screen (at the bottom when the facility is active). The files are automatically assigned the same directory (folder) path and extension that is current for the route from which DIR has been called. DO NOT attempt to change these parameters from within the Directory option, since unpredictable errors could occur. If you need to change a file's path and extension, this should only be done outside Toolkit's environment (i.e. through Windows' own facilities). 

File creation is limited to extensions .ASM, .INC (from the Assembly DIR buttons) and .MSG (via the Message DIR button). The Directory's file creation options are hidden when entering from other DIR buttons. If you think this limitation is unreasonable, tell us, but it seems improbable that creation of .OBJ and .HEX files could ever be needed through manual data entry, or the creation of files that then need conversion from one dialect to another.

In the Programming area on the main screen a Create New File button is included. This has been added so that readers initially unfamiliar with TK3 know where to create new source code files. It provides an identical access to the Directory as does the DIR button next to it, and either button may be used.

FINDING FILES

You may also search for files (but not select for use by TK3) using Windows own Find facility, accessible in the usual way via the Windows Start button at the bottom left of the screen.

ADDING YOUR OWN NOTES

These notes are displayed via an "Active" text editor and you may add your own notes to them, saving them to disk in the usual way.

