Diskette Manager 3 - produces labels and reports for disks
                         Copyright 1989 David Batterson

     Diskette Manager 3 reminds me a lot of the utility and novelty programs I
used to run on my Apple //c.  They were fun to play around with but I didn't
make serious and regular use of them.
     The idea behind Diskette Manager 3 is good:  to create a diskette catalog
database, and later print out labels for your disks, including date, comments
and selected files.  Diskette Manager 3 works with both 5 1/4" and 3 1/2"
disks, and comes with 100 pin-feed blank labels for each disk size.
     I can see where this program would be useful in a corporate or
organization setting, where they have boxes of backup disks to keep track of.
A software librarian would make good use of it, but I'm not so sure about the
end user.  I could be wrong, though.
     The program is intuitive and uncomplicated.  You pop a diskette into a
drive, then use the Read command to display the files on screen.  Then you
select a name for that disk, up to 22 characters long.
     You also decide what files you want to include or exclude (using the
FILTER command).  You can have up to eight lines for comments, which are
printed in condensed type on the label.  (This is the default layout; you can
customize the layout you want.)
     The Type command lets you assign a code of six characters, such as
"Backup," "100005," "GRAPHS," etc.  Diskette Manager 3 can automatically assign
sequential numbers, if selected in the SETUP section.
     Printing a label is easy as pie, once you get the blank labels lined up
properly, both horizontally and vertically.  This takes a few label printings
to get it right.  Use your printer's draft mode until you get the positioning
down pat, or it'll take longer.
     Unfortunately, you cannot print multiple copies of a label, except by
using the Print command over and over.  If you wished to distribute 25 disk
copies of some text or data files to employees, it would be nice to be able to
"Print 25."  I think the program's author goofed on that point.
     A catalog database can contain up to 500 diskettes and 32,000 files.  You
can create an unlimited number of catalogs.
     There are three types of reports: standard diskette report, files cross-
reference report, and label report.  These can be output to screen, disk or
printer.  Various templates (called structure files) are provided by Diskette
Manager 3.  These can be modified, or new ones created any time.
     Diskette Manager 3 supports "any parallel or serial printer" as well as
"ALL printer control codes, font types and character sizes."  Since blank
disk labels also come on single sheets for laser printers, it would be nice to
be able to print those.  The box indicates to "Call for laser printer
compatibility."
     Diskette Manager 3 requires 256K RAM, any display adaptor, and a printer
of course.  The suggested list price is $59.95.  That seems a bit high, so do
some comparison shopping!
     For more information, contact BLOC Publishing Corporation, 800 Southwest
37th Avenue, Suite 765, Coral Gables, FL  33134; 800-888-2562, 305-445-0903,
FAX: 305-444-5010.
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     David Batterson writes about various microcomputer applications.  Send
comments or questions via MCI Mail: DBATTERSON