Sherlock extends the Windows filing environment by replacing the Windows "Save" and "Open" dialog boxes with access to Sherlock's file access cards and 254 character file descriptions. This provides an instant retrieval of saved files using a "best-fit" lookup, including a string/words/sentence search. Searching also supports the use of optional fields that categorize files by document type, contact, dates, full text search, and more.

You never have to quit your application programs in order to use Sherlock because it works from within the Windows applications programs, without changing the way they operate. The program works simply by substituting its own save and retrieve dialog boxes for the DOS file name boxes that the application would normally use. Sherlock is available directly from the application's pull-down menus and keyboard accelerators, without having to run a separate application.

The product also provides a visual filing environment with familiar screen icons: network stations look like offices, drives are file cabinets, and sub-directories resemble file drawers and folders, and each of these can have a 41 character name (including spaces). Sherlock also allows the automatic launching of applications for the selected document. Features include--

* full text search feature to locate a file that contains a specific word or set of words,

* ability to print without opening the document, and

* ability to find files on removable media and optical drives.

Sherlock works with your system's existing network security--it recognizes all servers and drives that are available to a user, and maintains a local catalog of all locally stored documents, which are synchronized with the network document catalog. This provides access to local files even if the network is down or unavailable. Sherlock can be installed on any Novell Netware network.

Documents that are saved using Sherlock are stored side-by-side with DOS files. DOS files can be moved into and out of the Sherlock environment. Utilities are also provided for finding and inspecting Sherlock stored files while working in DOS.

Watson is a Windows utility which can find a file and then display and copy its full DOS pathname to the clipboard.

Evaluation

I have been using Sherlock 2.0 for several months and have found it to substantially reduce the time that I spend needlessly searching for files when I can't remember their names. I no longer have to come up with cute mnemonics for file names--which I eventually forget. Sherlock's search speed is considerably faster than Windows'. If you want to eliminate file-name confusion, Sherlock will do it for you.

Requirements. 386 IBM-PC or higher, 2MB of RAM, and approximately 2MB of free hard disk space. For servers, a minimum configuration of a 386/20 and 4MB of RAM.

* Price: $139 for single user; $695 for a ten-station LAN-pack.