
				  DIXCOPY.EXE

			   Franck UBERTO - 94/09/15
				Grenoble - FRANCE
				   email : uberto@esrf.fr


 DIXCOPY is a replacement for MS-DOS diskcopy. It permits to copy a diskette 
without swapping between source and target... It uses XMS, EMS, disk (hard or
ram disk) in this order of priority and if there's enough space.
 To use it a machine with a 286 or upper processor is needed.
 To get help for running it, just type: DIXCOPY.


 * Usage: DIXCOPY <src> <dest> [options]
 ---------------------------------------

 'src' and 'dest' may be either drives or files, however they cannot both be
files at the same time.

 Arguments of DIXCOPY (drive, file and options) can be entered in any order.
Options are preceded by '-' and are CASE-SENSITIVE. Otherwise they can be 
contiguous or each one separated by a white space and a minus. Only options 
waiting for an argument must be "white-spaced" from next option.

 See examples below.

 Options are:
 ------------

 -? or -h: help.
  Outputs on screen a little help.

 -n number: number of copies.
  'number' of copies will be written to destination disk. If not specified
  default is one.

 -d path: temp path.
  This path is necessary if disk is used and you want to force the location of
  the temporary file (if you have a ramdisk for example). If path is not
  specified, or invalid, and disk is used then DIXCOPY searches for TEMP or TMP
  environment variables, if they don't exist then it tries to use current
  directory. If this also fails it parses disks and uses the current path of
  the first disk with enough space.

 -f: format.
  By default DIXCOPY detects if formatting of destination disk is needed by
  reading track 0. Moreover it aborts if destination disk is not formatted
  like the source one. However format can be forced if destination disk is not
  completely formatted or if destination disk must be "format converted".

 -v: verify.
  By default DIXCOPY does not verify what is written (writing are very
  reliable). If you are a bit paranoid this can help.

 -i: ignore bad sectors.
  DIXCOPY tries to read bad sectors 3 times. Previous versions replaced bad
  sectors with a blank sector (filled with 0). This is also the case if option
  'i' is used, otherwise, after 3 unsuccesful reads, user is prompted for 
  abortting current copy.


 What else...
 
 DIXCOPY can be aborted by hitting Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.


 * Examples of use
 -----------------

 dixcopy b:
	One copy of floppy in drive b:.
	Space for "disk image" is searched in XMS then EMS and finally in 
	'TEMP' or 'TMP' directories. If neither is large enough (or valid) then
	current	directory is used and finally, if this also fails, current
	directory of first disk with sufficient room is used.

 dixcopy b: -fn2
 dixcopy b: -f -n2
 dixcopy b: -f -n 2
	Same operation but 2 copies, with format of destination disks.

 dixcopy b: -fvn2
 dixcopy b: -fv -n2
 dixcopy b: -v -f -n 2
	Same operation with verify of destination disks.

 dixcopy a: -dg:\foo
 dixcopy a: -d g:\foo
	If not enough space in XMS or EMS and path 'g:\foo' exists, then it is
	used for "disk image". This is (very) useful if g:\foo is on a ramdisk,
	otherwise let DIXCOPY do its work ...

 dixcopy a: -d g:\foo -n2
 dixcopy a: -n 2 -dg:\foo
	Same operation but 2 copies.

 dixcopy b: e:foo
	A disk image is written in file "foo" under current directory of drive
	e: (if it exists).

 dixcopy -fv e:\foo a: -n 2
 dixcopy e:\foo a: -fvn2
	Disk image "foo", in root of e:, is used to create 2 copies on disk in
	drive a:, this one is formatted and verified. This can be used to
	create unusual formats (e.g.: 1.2Mb disk in 1.4Mb drive).

 dixcopy a: b:
	Disk in drive a: is copied on disk in drive b:.


 * History
 ---------

	v1.0 (May 92)	Initial version. Only disk support.
	v1.1 (June 92)	Add XMS and EMS support.
	v1.2 (Aug. 92)	Correct some bugs.
	v2.0 (Oct. 93)	Add support for extended formats, compatible with
	              	FDFORMAT (820k, 1.72M, ...).
	v2.1 (Dec. 93)	Correct some bugs.
	v3.0 (Feb. 94)	Not released.
	              	Add support for direct handling of floppy disk and DMA
	              	controllers.
	v3.1 (Aug. 94)	Correct some bugs.
	              	Add sector sliding and some other improvements for 
	              	higher performance.
	              	Add auto-adaptive format analysis to deal with extended
	              	formats and interleaves.
	v3.2 (Sept. 94)	Correct a bug for double density rate.
			Change command line options:
			- options 'r' and 'w' were a bit confusing
			- add option 'i' for bad sectors.


 * Misc.
 -------

 FDFORMAT is a useful formatting utility to get more space on diskettes. See
your local SimTel mirror for msdos/diskutil/fdform18.zip.

 XMSDSK and EMSDSK are tiny (about 400 bytes) resizable (on the command line)
RAM disks. See your local SimTel mirror for msdos/ramdisk/ramdsk13.zip.
(This is pure advertisement :-).


 * Disclaimer
 ------------
 
 Copyright (C) 1992, 1993, 1994  Franck UBERTO

 DIXCOPY is offered to you "AS IS" without any warranty. This software has
been thoroughly tested but no guarantee is given that it will work on every
computer. The copyright owner may not be held liable for any damages, direct
or consequential, which may result from the the use of this program.

 This program is freely distributable. You may use the software and share it
with all your friends (or others) as long as the program is supplied in its
original, unmodified form, which includes this documentation. This program
must not be distributed for profit.
