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PIC MET OFFICE DIRECTORY NOTES - 27JUN03

Full access to all drives and directories (folders) is available through the Directory screen. The extension name used is always .TXT and it is not possible to change it.

On entry, the search filter is normally set at "WEATHER" plus a midfix (infix) of "ED", "EP", "LD" OR "LP" followed by "*.TXT", e.g. WEATHERLP*.TXT and all files matching this search path are shown. The letter "E" in the midfix refers to files holding data downloaded from the PIC unit's EEPROM chips. Letter "L" refers to files whose data has been recorded live by the PC itself. Letter "D" in both cases means the original data values actually received and unprocessed. Letter "P" in both cases means that the file holds the processed values.

An additional filter midfix can be added to the search path via the Filter text box. For example, if you want to display all file names commencing with "WEATHERLP ??MAR" and having the extension *.TXT, type in the ??MAR sequence, click on the Filter On/Off box to reveal a tick mark, whereupon any file names that match the search filter of WEATHERLP ??MAR*.TXT will be displayed. The "wild card" question mark symbol ("?") is used in the same way as with Windows. The filter prefix can be in upper or lower case letters.

Do not add * or extension characters.

Your search filter midfix 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 your midfix to be ignored and just the selected the prefix/midfix filter characters 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.

At the top of the Directory screen is a History box. This records all directory path changes made for the selected hard drive (Drive C). This information is stored when the Met Office software is exited and recalled when next run. The information may be edited via file WeatherHistory.txt, stored in the same folder as the PIC Met Office software.

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.

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 when new data has been input via the Download button, but which will not be immediately displayed if the Directory path is still the same as previously entered. (Download files are stored in the same folder the rest of your PIC Met Office softare).

In the file selection box, the cursor arrows can be used to pan up or down the file name list, the file details being shown accordingly.

Single-clicking a name allows that file to be read via the View File button. This option also allows files to be edited and resaved. Original (unprocessed) files can be recompiled (reprocessed) via the "Revise D Files" button. Reprocessed files have an "R" infix added.

Double-clicking on a Processed (EP or LP) file causes its data to be plotted to the graph screen.

An exit from the Directory can be made by clicking on the EXIT button.

The text box below the Path Change sub-window shows the name of the last file selected. If the file name is too long for it to be fully shown in the allocated  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 path details. Note that file names cannot be changed from a text box.

Filter details are lost when PIC Met Office is exited. They may also be lost if the main 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 filter information, plus some of the History as well.

FINDING FILES

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

HARD DRIVE SELECTION

The hard drive used by this program is Drive C. The ability to install to another drive letter, e.g. Drive E on a partitioned drive, has not been provide with this program. Although the author has previously offered the option with some other VB6 programs, feedback from readers has indicated that the option is not always reliable with some systems. Consequently, it has been dropped from this program.

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.

