Excellent HTML indexer for hdd.

  • Thread starter Thread starter fitwell
  • Start date Start date
F

fitwell

Well, this one was a lucky find. After only 3 links into the search
found one that finally works.

Why did all the other directory indexers I tried over the years not
work? Because if you changed the folder name sometime down the road,
or moved it, bye-bye index and you had to re-generate one.

This one easy to use once you know what options to set to get a
flexible index with no absolute paths. Also it's incredibly small,
less than 45kb once installed (and I suspect that the 54.5kb EXE I can
get rid of. I hate installs as a rule, so once installed, I take the
main files and zip, uninstall the program and then unzip files and see
if they still work. This one does.

Re the options to get a flexible index, see below after the program
URLs and info.

DIR2HTML v1.1.0:
http://www.sharewarejunction.com/info1605.htm
only screenshot itself:
http://www.pc-tools.net/images/dir2html.png

Now here's the deal, to get an index and _not_ just a list of html
document filenames I DE-SELECT the "Link only directories". Also, I
chose to sort by name but choose the "(insensitive)" option.

That seems to work just fine. I tested it. First I changed the
folder name slightly to fill in some missing info. The links in the
index html still worked. Then, although this was overkill, moved the
folder. Index still worked fine.

*********************************************************************
GRAPHICS, which I don't want indexed:

Also, I always move all the saved webpage graphics out of all the
folders that MSIE generates upon saving into one lone folder. That
means there is a folder there full of graphics that I don't want
included in the index. When that is the case, I select the 'SINGLE"
directory depth rather than the recursive one.

With those 3 changes, I've been able to create the exact html index I
need that will work work even if folder name changed or folder moved.
Great for when I decide just need a backup copy on a CD somewhere and
can take off my hdd. I know the index will still work.

Cheers!
 
fitwell wrote in said:
DIR2HTML v1.1.0:
http://www.sharewarejunction.com/info1605.htm
Click to expand...

Yes this is a good one by Jem Berkes. Although its been a while since
I last used it. Another one you might want to have a look at, which I
have preferred for my own use (more options I think), is
Dirhtml by Eric Nitzsche
<http://home.pacbell.net/nitzsche/dirhtml.html>.

I have nominated the latter for the Pricelessware list in
<
You might want to consider nominating "your" candidate as well (and if
so let the "masses" decide in the final vote if both or only one of
them should make it to the list :). See the Nomination thread for
details.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
 
Yes this is a good one by Jem Berkes. Although its been a while since
I last used it. Another one you might want to have a look at, which I
have preferred for my own use (more options I think), is
Dirhtml by Eric Nitzsche
<http://home.pacbell.net/nitzsche/dirhtml.html>.
Click to expand...

That is the one that doesn't work, Bjorn. I tried two different
versions of it about over a year apart. Both are more difficult to
set up the index with and watch out if you change the folder name or
move the folder. At least, that's the experience I had.

I must say that I prefer the one I found today which is why I posted
about it. dirhtml _is_ very good, but only up to a point.

If you find differently, pls let us know. I found the interface
cumbersome and perhaps there is a way to do what is needed but I
didn't find it, iirc, under rigorous testing.

Thanks!
 
[snip]
Re the options to get a flexible index, see below after the program
URLs and info.

DIR2HTML v1.1.0:
http://www.sharewarejunction.com/info1605.htm
only screenshot itself:
http://www.pc-tools.net/images/dir2html.png

Now here's the deal, to get an index and _not_ just a list of html
document filenames I DE-SELECT the "Link only directories". Also, I
chose to sort by name but choose the "(insensitive)" option.
Click to expand...

It seems that it's, instead, making sure that the "MAKE LINKS. PREFIX"
is selected that creates the links. It's the "PREFIX" reference that
made me overlook this. I just keep that box blank.
That seems to work just fine. I tested it. First I changed the
folder name slightly to fill in some missing info. The links in the
index html still worked. Then, although this was overkill, moved the
folder. Index still worked fine.

*********************************************************************
GRAPHICS, which I don't want indexed:

Also, I always move all the saved webpage graphics out of all the
folders that MSIE generates upon saving into one lone folder. That
means there is a folder there full of graphics that I don't want
included in the index. When that is the case, I select the 'SINGLE"
directory depth rather than the recursive one.

With those 3 changes, I've been able to create the exact html index I
need that will work work even if folder name changed or folder moved.
Great for when I decide just need a backup copy on a CD somewhere and
can take off my hdd. I know the index will still work.
Click to expand...

Another great thing, I associated HTML files to DIR2HTML via
ContextEdit (I took out the "%1") and it automatically launches the
app already pre-set to the folder to be indexed!

Talk about fab-u-lous!!
 
That is the one that doesn't work, Bjorn. I tried two different
versions of it about over a year apart. Both are more difficult to
set up the index with and watch out if you change the folder name or
move the folder. At least, that's the experience I had.
Click to expand...

You could be right. I havent done any extensive testing now (and its
been a while since I deiced for the one over the other). I will see if
I can get to try both programs again some more, at least before the
final vote :)

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
 
fitwell wrote in said:
That is the one that doesn't work, Bjorn. I tried two different
versions of it about over a year apart. Both are more difficult to
set up the index with and watch out if you change the folder name or
move the folder. At least, that's the experience I had.
Click to expand...

I had to get back to this now. I think I may have found the root of
the problem you experienced with dirhtml: Under MISC options there is
the "Fully Qualified Path To Links"option. As explained in the help:

<quote>
Fully Qualified Path To Links

HREF links are fully qualified
(e.g. <a href=”C:/Windows/Desktop/whatever.txt”>whatever.txt</a>).
By default, links are relative
(e.g. <a href=”/Desktop/whatever.txt”>whatever.txt</a>)
</qoute>

Thing is, DirHTML seems to use Fully Qualified Path (aka absolute
paths) not matter if this options is toggled on or off. In other words
- what is said to be the default (relative links) does not seem to
work. At least that is what I experienced with version 4.7 of DirHtml
here. And if so - this probably explain why you experienced links
breaking if renaming a folder after having created the index.

But wait a minute: Ah, here it is: It seems when toggling this option
on or off - it is not written to the ini file - until you choose to do
so - se write option on the input/output tab (or press F9). So, after
having deselect the option "Fully Qualified Path To Links" (under
MISC) , and then written this to a custom ini file - or the default
one if one pleases - the new ini file shows:
full_pathname_links=FALSE". Now reloading the new ini file (use Read
option on input/output tab) - and relative links works just fine.

At first sight this seems kind of backwards to me, maybe a bug, having
to invoke a "write" (to ini) command to save some options while
seemingly not others. On the other hand, Dirhtml offer many formatting
options, - including the ability edit a custom html template file
(formatting), and custom.ini file(s) with your preferred options - as
well as the ability to create a batch file to rebuild a index. (help
file explains how - and that you an "copy/past" several batch files
into one if you need to recreate serval index files regularly in one
go).

I have not looked into all the options of Dirhtml now (nor Dir2html),
but there are may of them - for those who want and need them. Maybe
the conclusion could be to suggest Dir2html for ease of use and
reasonable options, DirHtml for those in need of even more options
formatting options and extensive "tailoring"? At least I think they
both deserve a place on the list. This all based on my own limited
use and prima face impression of the two. Take it for what it is...an
impression (that may change)...

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
 
Bjorn Simonsen wrote in said:
work. At least that is what I experienced with version 4.7
Click to expand...

meant version 4.57 (of DIRHTML). sorry about any other typos...

Allt the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
 
meant version 4.57 (of DIRHTML). sorry about any other typos...
Click to expand...

No problem, Bjorn and thank you very much for your comprehensive test
of this just now!

I did find that the new app found today was a lot more user-friendly
and easily did away with the absolute vs. relative path that gave me
trouble with all the rest; but I will definitely take a look at
dirhtml again.

Re DIR2HTML, it's easy to remember what to de-select/select on the
one interface screen but I ended up writing a batch in case I forget.
When I'm positive I remember what to do, then, through the ContextEdit
entry I made I can launch DIR2HTML already set to the folder to index.
If not, I can go to start menu and click on the link which is actually
that batch file which launches the app simultaneously with a quick
screenshot. Extremely easy to use. That way, all my saved html
tutorials will be easy to get at and update.

People will decide which one fits the bill best, of course. There are
probably pros/cons to both, as per normal.

Good luck!
 
I had to get back to this now. I think I may have found the root of
the problem you experienced with dirhtml: Under MISC options there is
the "Fully Qualified Path To Links"option. As explained in the help:

<quote>
Fully Qualified Path To Links

HREF links are fully qualified
(e.g. <a href=”C:/Windows/Desktop/whatever.txt”>whatever.txt</a>).
By default, links are relative
(e.g. <a href=”/Desktop/whatever.txt”>whatever.txt</a>)
</qoute>

Thing is, DirHTML seems to use Fully Qualified Path (aka absolute
paths) not matter if this options is toggled on or off. In other words
- what is said to be the default (relative links) does not seem to
work. At least that is what I experienced with version 4.7 of DirHtml
here. And if so - this probably explain why you experienced links
breaking if renaming a folder after having created the index.

But wait a minute: Ah, here it is: It seems when toggling this option
on or off - it is not written to the ini file - until you choose to do
so - se write option on the input/output tab (or press F9). So, after
having deselect the option "Fully Qualified Path To Links" (under
MISC) , and then written this to a custom ini file - or the default
one if one pleases - the new ini file shows:
full_pathname_links=FALSE". Now reloading the new ini file (use Read
option on input/output tab) - and relative links works just fine.

At first sight this seems kind of backwards to me, maybe a bug, having
to invoke a "write" (to ini) command to save some options while
seemingly not others. On the other hand, Dirhtml offer many formatting
options, - including the ability edit a custom html template file
(formatting), and custom.ini file(s) with your preferred options - as
well as the ability to create a batch file to rebuild a index. (help
file explains how - and that you an "copy/past" several batch files
into one if you need to recreate serval index files regularly in one
go).
Click to expand...

I'm not sure which version you are using (there never has been a v4.7), but it
is not necessary to write to an ini file to change this setting unless you want
to build via a batch file.

I did make one relevant change in v4.57, that being that fully qualified links
are now preceded by "File://".
(e.g. <a href="File://D:/something/PIC.JPG">PIC.JPG</a>)

-Eric Nitzsche
 
nitzsche wrote in said:
I'm not sure which version you are using (there never has been a v4.7), but it
is not necessary to write to an ini file to change this setting unless you want
to build via a batch file.

I did make one relevant change in v4.57, that being that fully qualified links
are now preceded by "File://".
(e.g. <a href="File://D:/something/PIC.JPG">PIC.JPG</a>)
Click to expand...

Nice to hear from the author him selves. Yes I got the version wrong,
I'm using 4.57. As to the setting for "Fully Qualified Path To Links":
Sorry but here toggling on/off the said setting did not stick (always
on). Not until I choose to write and re-read the ini file after
turning it off did it stick. (Closing down and restarting the app
after toggling on/off did not change anything by it self)
Don't know why. This on Win2k SP4.


All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
 
fitwell wrote in said:
People will decide which one fits the bill best, of course. There are
probably pros/cons to both, as per normal.
Click to expand...

Agreed. If you want to see Dir2html as a candidate for the
Pricelessware site - you can nominate it in the Nomination thread,
see <I think you should.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
 
Bjorn said:
Nice to hear from the author him selves. Yes I got the version wrong,
I'm using 4.57. As to the setting for "Fully Qualified Path To Links":
Sorry but here toggling on/off the said setting did not stick (always
on). Not until I choose to write and re-read the ini file after
turning it off did it stick. (Closing down and restarting the app
after toggling on/off did not change anything by it self)
Don't know why. This on Win2k SP4.


All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
Click to expand...

Well that's odd. I'm also on Win2K SP4, and it's working normally after
tests on several folders with both recursive and non-recursive builds.
I have also reconfirmed that the version on my web site is the current
build (circa May 30, 2003).

-Eric Nitzsche
 
nitzsche wrote in said:
Well that's odd. I'm also on Win2K SP4, and it's working normally after
tests on several folders with both recursive and non-recursive builds.
I have also reconfirmed that the version on my web site is the current
build (circa May 30, 2003).
Click to expand...

Yes odd. But now it works as it should here, no need to write/read ini
first. Strange, but proof is in the pudding - the generated html
index. When I tried this earlier today, I built several indexes, and
named the output index according to the current setting (full or
relative) - to keep track of the changes. And then - all indexes ended
up with full path links, no matter if this was toggled on or off. Not
until ini write/read did it "obey". But not so now - when I tried it
again just now. Now it seems OK. Just tried - toggled setting back and
fort an generated new indexes - and now the links followed the current
setting (full or relative ) just fine. So all is fine then. I will let
you know via mail if I run into said problem again.

Anyway, thank you very much for a very nice program!

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
 
in message
...
Re the options to get a flexible index, see below after the program
URLs and info.

DIR2HTML v1.1.0:
http://www.sharewarejunction.com/info1605.htm
only screenshot itself:
http://www.pc-tools.net/images/dir2html.png
...
*********************************************************************
GRAPHICS, which I don't want indexed:

Also, I always move all the saved webpage graphics out of all the
folders that MSIE generates upon saving into one lone folder. That
means there is a folder there full of graphics that I don't want
included in the index. When that is the case, I select the 'SINGLE"
directory depth rather than the recursive one.
...
Click to expand...

Uh, please excuse me, but I don't understand that last part.
Doesn't that "break" the saved webpages?

I'm using IE 5.5, and one reason I finally upgraded is that it
saves a page's graphics into a folder and changes the links
in the saved page to point into that folder, allowing off-line
reading and viewing.

At least I thought that was what it did. Am I wrong?


Now that I think of it, I don't think I checked to see
what happens to the page-to-page links in the
saved page. I just assumed they pointed back
out to the Net. ????

Aloha,
 
Bjorn said:
Yes this is a good one by Jem Berkes. Although its been a while since
I last used it. Another one you might want to have a look at, which I
have preferred for my own use (more options I think), is
Dirhtml by Eric Nitzsche
<http://home.pacbell.net/nitzsche/dirhtml.html>.

I have nominated the latter for the Pricelessware list in
<
You might want to consider nominating "your" candidate as well (and if
so let the "masses" decide in the final vote if both or only one of
them should make it to the list :). See the Nomination thread for
details.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
Click to expand...

Bjorn, maybe you can answer this:
I just ran Dirhtml.
1. I wanted an index file of my IE Favorites. Maybe I missed a setting,
but I wound up with an index.htm, it shows the few favorites not in
folders, but only the folder names and no included favorites inside
those folders.

Is that normal?

2. Also, the output file is located in the Favorites location, not in
the location of Dirhtml.

And, there is no advantage I see in this program for Netscape bookmarks,
as opening an htm file opens Netscape anyway, with a good view of
bookmarks.

Comment?

Mike Sa
 
fitwell said:
Well, this one was a lucky find. After only 3 links into the search
found one that finally works.

Why did all the other directory indexers I tried over the years not
work? Because if you changed the folder name sometime down the road,
or moved it, bye-bye index and you had to re-generate one.

This one easy to use once you know what options to set to get a
flexible index with no absolute paths. Also it's incredibly small,
less than 45kb once installed (and I suspect that the 54.5kb EXE I can
get rid of. I hate installs as a rule, so once installed, I take the
main files and zip, uninstall the program and then unzip files and see
if they still work. This one does.

Re the options to get a flexible index, see below after the program
URLs and info.

DIR2HTML v1.1.0:
http://www.sharewarejunction.com/info1605.htm
only screenshot itself:
http://www.pc-tools.net/images/dir2html.png
snip
Click to expand...

I also don't like installs. Since you have already installed it, could
you zip the folder contents (?) and upload to the binaries ng? I would
like to try it (see other post in this thread), maybe have better
results with it.

Thanks,

Mike Sa
 
ms wrote in said:
Bjorn, maybe you can answer this:
I just ran Dirhtml.
1. I wanted an index file of my IE Favorites. Maybe I missed a setting,
but I wound up with an index.htm, it shows the few favorites not in
folders, but only the folder names and no included favorites inside
those folders.
Click to expand...
Is that normal?
Click to expand...

Depends on your settings. Read the help and try different settings-
like under "Recursion". (and make sure you have not used a filemask
that excludes *.URL)

I suggest you try the following: See options - Recursion tab.
Select [] One HTML file per folder and [] Build files recursively.
When you click build button - another option screen will appear.
Make sure you do NOT select the option that says not to build html
file in root folder (or something like that).

When you do this, the program will build one index file inside every
sub folder in your favorite directory, and in addition a index file in
the root of your favorite folder that links to all the sub index
files. That is if I am not mistaken - I just did a quick try now.
If this does not work for you - try the various settings until you
figure out what they do :)
2. Also, the output file is located in the Favorites location, not in
the location of Dirhtml.
Click to expand...

This is how it is supposed to work - it creates a html index file for
a folder and places the index file in that folder. It is not a
bookmark manager. You can hover move the index file to a folder of
your choice, but only if you used absolute links (fully qualified path
to links, under Misc setting) when generating the index.
And, there is no advantage I see in this program for Netscape bookmarks,
as opening an htm file opens Netscape anyway, with a good view of
bookmarks.
Click to expand...

I don't use Netscape - not sure how it stores it bookmarks. All I can
say is that this is not a bookmark manager. Read the help and try
understand what the program does, rather than what you hope it will
do (although I'm pretty sure it can do that too, if you learn it
inside out :).

HTH

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
 
I also don't like installs.
Click to expand...

I would not worry...I found only 8 registry entries for it after
installing it.

If you do worry, you could use a program like Total Uninstall
<http://www.pricelessware.org/2003/PL2003SYSTEMUTILITIES.htm#Install-UninstallTool>
Use it when you install dir2html - then zip up the files in the
Dir2html program directory, then use Total Uninstall to uninstall
Dir2html, then unzip the dir2html program file(s) you zipped before
uninstalling it to use it. Or something like that...

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
 
Bjorn said:
ms wrote in said:
Bjorn, maybe you can answer this:
I just ran Dirhtml.
1. I wanted an index file of my IE Favorites. Maybe I missed a setting,
but I wound up with an index.htm, it shows the few favorites not in
folders, but only the folder names and no included favorites inside
those folders.
Click to expand...
Is that normal?
Click to expand...

Depends on your settings. Read the help and try different settings-
like under "Recursion". (and make sure you have not used a filemask
that excludes *.URL)

I suggest you try the following: See options - Recursion tab.
Select [] One HTML file per folder and [] Build files recursively.
When you click build button - another option screen will appear.
Make sure you do NOT select the option that says not to build html
file in root folder (or something like that).

When you do this, the program will build one index file inside every
sub folder in your favorite directory, and in addition a index file in
the root of your favorite folder that links to all the sub index
files. That is if I am not mistaken - I just did a quick try now.
If this does not work for you - try the various settings until you
figure out what they do :)
snip
I don't use Netscape - not sure how it stores it bookmarks. All I can
say is that this is not a bookmark manager. Read the help and try
understand what the program does, rather than what you hope it will
do (although I'm pretty sure it can do that too, if you learn it
inside out :).

HTH

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice.
There is another program I used awhile ago, that directly created a text
file with bookmarks and IIRC, favorites listed. I wll try to find it.

Mike Sa
 
in message


Uh, please excuse me, but I don't understand that last part.
Doesn't that "break" the saved webpages?
Click to expand...

(Server glitch again, hope this isn't a repeat.)

Yes. But even after all these years, I go back and quickly edit via
Notepad saved HTML file(s) to point to a standard "IMAGES" folder into
which I move _all_ graphics to. I know and understand that most
people won't do that, but I save so many webpages during any given
month and I access that info a lot - whenever I use the program for
example - that it's worth _my_ while. It's a simple find/replace from
the MSIE folder path to my own plain "images" one in the html doct.
At the same time, however, I also clear out 20 million folders. As
you know, MSIE dumps all the graphics, etc., into one folder _per_
saved page. That's a lot of junk and often repeated graphics. I
might have 20 html docts in a directory but after such an edit I have
_only_one_ graphics folder source instead of the MSIE's 20 that it
generates.

(Not an issue re excess graphics if only one or two html docts. ever
copied out of a compilation of html files. It's only happened once or
twice that I needed to do this and "excess" graphics files negligible
from the one source folder I must also copy.)
I'm using IE 5.5, and one reason I finally upgraded is that it
saves a page's graphics into a folder and changes the links
in the saved page to point into that folder, allowing off-line
reading and viewing.

At least I thought that was what it did. Am I wrong?
Click to expand...

No, you're very right. One forgets what other people might do. And
sorry about the confusion.

In my case, I still would only need one folder level indexed with
DIR2HTML because I rarely save in any other manner. I think most
situations might not call for more, either. However, if it did, and
the subfolders to be indexed contained additional webpage graphics
folders, then the resulting index file would be a mess to read!!

Thank goodness this isn't an issue in most cases for me!

I can see DIR2HTML's recursive feature being useful when we have
subfolders with individual file formats and not composite ones like
html+graphic(s) folders. Then there wouldn't be any extra files not
needed in the list.
Now that I think of it, I don't think I checked to see
what happens to the page-to-page links in the
saved page. I just assumed they pointed back
out to the Net. ????
Click to expand...

lol, you lost me, there.

:oD
 
Back
Top