checksum 1.5.8.4

Another Beta release of checksum is available.

NOTE: to get version update notifications for beta releases, enable the beta_channel preference.

Changes..

~   Faster string search routines (now almost twice as fast). This impacts
	hash synchronization, checking files from the list of existing hashes. I
	have tested the new routines against a range of strange foreign
	languages and Unicode characters with 100% success.

*   Fixed sync issue when using absolute paths inside root hashes. This was
	leading to duplicate hash entries.

*   Fixed issue with hash comments not respecting the always_store_unc pref
	(they were using UNC-style paths even when this was disabled - it caused
	no issue, but looked incongruous).

*   Fixed a bug in applying unified extension to multiple legacy hash files.
	This almost never happens, but if you happen to have .md5/.sha1/.blake2
	hash files for a file and applied a unified extension, hashes for second
	and subsequent algorithms were being re-calculated.

Full details in the itstory.

You can grab this latest checksum (and simple checksum) beta from the usual place.

for now.

;o)

checksum 1.5.7.0

Another Beta release of checksum is available.

NOTE: to get version update notifications for beta releases, enable the beta_channel preference.

Changes..

+   Added search + verify command to checksum's default installed Explorer
	context commands. It's that handy! (see 1.5.6.3 changes)

	If you want this NOW, either uninstall+reinstall checksum (all your
	settings will remain intact) or else merge the sample registry file
	found here: https://corz.org/windows/software/checksum/files/

++  Directory Exclude Masks. You can now specify one or more directories
	which you would like to exclude from the hash creation process, using
	standard file masks (?,*). The "x" switch, followed by a set of exclude
	masks in braces, enables this functionality. Separate individual masks
    with a comma.

	For example, you want to create a root hash, but not hash any
	directories who's names begin with "Foo", or end with "Bar", or starts
	with "baz" AND ends "qux", do..

		checksum.exe cr1x(foo*,*bar,baz*qux) "D:\MyDir"

*   Fixed long path handling in search+verify function - Of course Explorer
	is sending short paths. Doh!

Full details in the itstory.

You can grab this latest checksum (and simple checksum) beta from the usual place.

for now.

;o)

checksum 1.5.6.3

Another Beta release of checksum is available.

NOTE: to get version update notifications for beta releases, enable the beta_channel preference.

New features..

++  checksum will now post the path that was hashed/verified in the final
    tooltip, in case you forgot what it was you were hashing, e.g..

    checksum completed verifying: e:\music\jazz\ in 3.55 seconds.. [100% OK]


++  Added new method (actually, the original method!) for testing
    writeability of directories. Normally we use the most accurate method,
    which is to write an actual test file to the directory. However, this
    will also change the "last modified" timestamp on that directory.

    If you would prefer this to /not/ happen, you can do (in checksum.ini)..

        relaxed_write_test=true

    which will instead rely on the system's "read-only" flag for the
    directory. This works in most ordinary scenarios.


++  Added Individual file verification search feature. This enables you to
    verify a single file, anywhere in your system, /from/ anywhere in your
    system, regardless of where its associated .hash file is in the file
    tree.

    This is extremely useful when you want to verify a single file but don't
    have an individual .hash for it, especially when the entry is inside a
    .hash file with thousands or millions of other entries, or you aren't
    sure exactly which .hash file contains the entry.

    Normally, for verification you feed checksum .hash (or .md5, whatever)
    files and it scans them looking for matching files to hash. Using /this/
    method, you feed checksum a regular file path and it scans your .hash
    files looking for a matching hash entry!

    checksum will search up the tree, first looking for matching individual
    .hash files, and then folder hashes, all the way up to the root of the
    volume until it finds one containing a hash for your file, at which
    point it will verify that one hash and return the result.

    The final dialog will also tell you *which* .hash file contained the
    entry for your chosen file.

    Thanks to Brett Lang for the original idea, which he presented to me as
    a DOS batch script doing a similar thing. I have to admit, it took me a
    while to get my head around the idea (it's just so back-to-front!), but
    once I did, I immediately saw how useful such a feature might be.

    You can enable this operation by using an "i" on the command-line, think
    "individual" file verification, or perhaps "Inverted operation"! e.g..

        checksum.exe vi "C:\some\path\to\file.ext"

    This works best as an Explorer context command. Future versions may have
    this built-in to the installer setup. For now, an example .reg file is
    at https://corz.org/windows/software/checksum/files/

Full details in the itstory.

You can grab this latest checksum (and simple checksum) beta from the usual place.

for now.

;o)

checksum 1.5.4.4

Another Beta release of checksum is available.

NOTE: to get version update notifications for beta releases, you need to enable the beta_channel preference.

New features..

++  Exit command..

	checksum can now launch another program/process/task on completion of
	its job.

	NOTE: you can use @tokens in this setting, including the new @exit
	token, which will transform into checksum's exit code, to pass to the
	program..

		exit_command=c:\path\to\my\app.exe /foo @exit

	There is also a special @fullpath token which you can use to insert the
	full path of the item that was originally sent to checksum, and
	@fullpathnounc, which does the same thing, except the path will NOT be
	a UNC-style path, e.g..

		@fullpath       = \\?\C:\path\to\my\stuff
		@fullpathnounc  = C:\path\to\my\stuff

	FYI, using the @item token would get you "stuff" in this example.

	You can enable processing of the exit command by either setting..

		do_exit_command=true

	.. in your ini file, or by passing the "0" switch on your command-line
	(zero, no quotes - think standard exit code). If it is enabled in your
	ini, you can temporarily disable it by passing "-0".


++  Custom blake2 extension. You might prefer "b2" or "blake2s" or something
	else. Simply set the blake_name preference..

	blake_name=blake2

++  Added count to final dialog, so you always know exactly how many files
	were hashed at-a-glance. I can't believe I didn't think of this! Thanks
	Badon.

+   Improved responsiveness of initial HotKey modifiers (Shift & Ctrl) so
	that one should only need to hold them down momentarily, as opposed to
	waiting for the options dialog (for example) to appear. Most people will
	probably not notice any difference.

*   Fixed an issue which caused checksum to crash when the max folders limit
	is reached. Of course, you could increase this in your checksum.ini, but
	still, it wasn't being handled. checksum will now automatically increase
	the folder limit if required.

~   Removed Max Folders preference (due to above - new automatic limit).

*   The "checksum was given nothing to do" dialog has been made *much*
	smaller and now always opens a web page in your browser with more help
	than can be fit into a dialog window. (it tells you it has done this).
	With the advent of the new startup command facility (v1.5.2.0+), I
	expect less people will be seeing that dialog, anyway.

Full details in the itstory.

You can grab this latest checksum (and simple checksum) beta from the usual place.

for now.

;o)

LiNK Fixer 0.3.2

LiNK Fixer is a simple, FREE, Windows accessory for fixing the paths inside .lnk files, aka. "Windows shortcuts".

If you move a drive, upgrade to a 64 bit system, indeed any number of scenarios, you have probably encountered the situation where shortcuts no longer work. Windows will offer to search for the moved target, but often fails or worse; links it to the wrong item.

Nine times out of ten, we know where it's supposed to point to, so it's generally easier to edit the shortcut manually. But what if you have more than one to edit?

This is where LiNK Fixer comes in, with its ability to fix all the shortcuts in a particular folder/tree/drive in one click. You simply select the path to scan, enter a string (path) to look for, and another to replace it with, and let rip!

More info, downloads and such can be found on the LiNK Fixer page..


for now..

;o)

A.R.S.E 2.5

The Automatic Router Scripting Engine has had a major update. In short, it can now work with ANY device that supports telnet. Perhaps it's time for a change of name!

At any rate, all the info, downloads and such can be had here..

for now..

;o)