Review of the dir tools on simtel: I recommend ** DRL ** freeware

Hi, first the info on licensing:
CDIR, DD, DI (Maxdir), DRL, LC, SDIR are all freeware.

D (Masterdir), Hdir (HotDir), LFNsort, DirEdit, MDir, SD62 and Zdir all
call themselves shareware, but Simtel calls them legacy.

So about... DRL:
Picks attribs, sorts, uses 1/2/4/6 columns, includes subdirs on request.
Can take several filespecs on one invocation. Includes a pager. Coloured.
One column is very verbose, 2 normal, 4 only name and size, 6 only name.
CDIR:
Uses 1/2/3/5 columns like DRL uses 1/2/4/6, but less info in 1 column mode.
Can be configured a lot. Includes a pager. Warns about but works with the
xdosemu screen mode (DRL had no problems at all).
DD:
With a pager and 1/2/4/6 columns, has "filename only" mode for batch files.
Displays year 2000 as 100, as does CDIR. DRL just shows 2000 as 00. No color.
DI:
Shows drive details (cluster size and the like) on request, colored, with
pager, sorted, is MaxDir ... Color can be turned off, as with all other tools
so far (pager as well, as with all other tools so far). Only 4 column mode.
http://www.c-shore.com/maxdir may be better by now.
LC:
A bit like LS but very few features. Better use LS for DOS :-).
SDIR:
No command line help. Have to use readme.bat for that...
Displays 2000 as :0, no color, but pager, not impressive.

I have not reviewed the shareware tools. Conclusion:
DRL is pretty cool. CDIR can be configured more but does not like dosemu.
DD lacks color. DI has useful drive info mode but lacks other features.
(DI /x /v nul is the mode I love most ;-) - shows sector size, cluster
size, free cluster count, cluster count, disk usage stats).
Forget about LC (use LS). Forget about SDIR, too.

I recommend DRL !

DRL can select attributes, sort by name/extension/time/size normal/reversed,
has optional subdir listing (like dir /s: drl /g) and du-like mode (/j).
Color and ANSI can be turned off by using /o, Pager can be turned off by
using /o=con (but you lose the color). Selectable number of columns.
More y2k compatible than the others. Second pick is CDIR.

Eric