Keyboard Enhancement Utilities

Keyboard enhancers, as the name implies, enhance the function of the PC keyboard. These programs (which are usually RAM resident programs) translate a single keystroke into user-defined macro commands. A macro consists of one instruction that represents many instructions. For example, Ctrl-Alt-C keystrokes

could be simplified as the Esc key with a user-defined macro. Any string of keystrokes or characters can be stored as a macro. More importantly, once you have defined the macro, it can be stored as a file for use with different applications. In short, by shortening commands and character strings, keystroke repetition is greatly reduced.

Desktop Organizer Utilities

Desktop organizers consist of programs that emulate such things as calculators, notepads, phone directories, calendars, and appointment books. Most of these utilities are RAM resident. This means they can be accessed from within other applications programs. For example, you can call up the calculator utility while you are currently working in a word processing application. An image of a calculator will "pop-up" in a small window on your monitor's screen. You then perform the necessary calculations, and return to the word processing application. Some desktop organizers allow you to take the resulting calculation and place it directly into the word processing document you are working on. This is refereed to as "cut and paste." Most programs included in desktop organizers also operate in this pop-up mode.

Backup Utilities

As computer specialists, we should all be familiar with backup utilities. Disk backup utilities provide us a cost effective way to backup a hard disk. Advanced features, such as automatic backup (backups taken at predescribed intervals), file compression (which allows more data to be placed on a diskette), and automatic disk formatting, make disk backup utilities a good alternative to the backup utilities supplied with most operating systems. Backup utilities also allow you to save your files to tape, or even to another hard disk.

File Management Utilities

As the capacities of hard disks increase, so does the need for file management utilities. Try keeping track of the files on a 2Gb hard disk without any type of file management utility. It is next to impossible. Adding to the problem can be a maze of subdirectories\ originally set up to keep order\that can easily hide a file or two. File management utilities help you avoid these problems by manipulating files and directories. They perform tasks such as searching for files, deleting files, tagging files (to allow for file manipulation on groups of unrelated files), relocating files, and setting file attributes. In short, file management utilities provide you with a convenient way to keep hard-disk directories, subdirectories, and the files themselves organized and under control.

File Maintenance Utilities

File maintenance utilities include file recovery utilities (including backup and restore) and programs that manipulate files, such as data compression and file security programs. File recovery utilities are designed to identify, diagnose, and repair every form of data and low-level format damage on standard DOS hard disks. One of the most critical areas of file maintenance is file recovery. If you should accidentally erase a file, it can easily be recovered (unerased) by using a recovery utility.

Compression utilities save disk space by reducing file size by 40 to 60 percent. Encryption utilities are designed for file security. Using one of several encryption algorithms, these utilities will encode a file so that it is readable only by reversing the encryption process. Other utilities are designed to "hide" files from the operating system; that is, the file "disappears" from the operating system and is only accessible with a password. Still others are designed to control access to files, programs, and communications devices.

DOS Shells

These utilities, called DOS shells, help translate DOS codes into English words, phrases, and diagrams. They act as a liaison between you and the operating system. They display disk and file information, adding commands not available in DOS and tend to simplify the execution of standard file management commands, such as DELETE, COPY, and PRINT.

Printer Utilities

Printer utilities provide software support for the enhanced fonts and graphics found in many printers. They also provide such features as menu control for printer functions, print spooling, and printing horizontally. Printer utilities allow you to use a printer that your applications software may not support. They also allow you to make better use of your standard printer.

Virus Utilities

Virus utilities are designed to keep out the malicious logic (unfriendly viruses) that attack

computer system software. This type of software is designed to prevent both known and unknown viruses from invading a system, and to detect and remove those already present. Virus detection software (IBMAV) is available free to all DON activities from Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center In-Service Engineering, East Coast Division (NISEEAST), in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information concerning virus software, refer to chapter 2 in this module.

Utilities of the Future

What can you expect to see in the fuure? More and more, you will see vendors combining several utilities into one package. These packages will be difficult to categorize because they will work with operating systems, application programs, and peripherals. For example, a file maintenance utility may combine several commonly used programs such as disk diagnostic and recovery utilities, a DOS shell, hard-disk backup, a desktop manager, and a disk optimizer (a compression utility).

So, how do you go about staying on top of the latest and greatest utility packages available? That's easy ! You can learn about utility programs by reading trade magazines and software reviews. Let the experts do the leg-work of evaluation for you. There are so many utilities available on the market that it would be impossible for you to do a good job of evaluating them on your own. Vendors of application software and local computer clubs are other good sources of information.