Copyright: Copyright 1995 by P. Scott Antony


 VBFile Stamper

The timestamp is often one of the first things you check when you think there's a problem with a file. "Stamping" your files with a specific date/time makes it easier to identify them quickly and easily, and it also adds that "professional" look to your program when all your files have the same date/timestamp. To use the timestamp as a version tag, use the following syntax:

  Time

Version 3.0  	= 	03:00:00

Version 3.01 	= 	03:01:00

Version 3.1  	= 	03:10:00

Version 4.0  	= 	04:00:00

The Date doesn't really matter, except that it should be consistent.  Use it for whatever purpose you see fit.  Unless they're your own creations, you probably shouldn't stamp EXE, VBX, DLL, or like files.  Any programs, or custom controls you use (commercial, or free/shareware) should retain their original date whenever possible.

Setting the New Date/Time from Another File.

If one of your files is already stamped with your intended New date/time, simply select it in the Filename list, and then click the Set From Current... button to copy it to the New Date and New Time inputs.  Select the files to stamp, and you're ready to go.

 Changing the Stamping Victim

By default, VBFile Stamper "stamps on" the Red Cat, each time a file is stamped.  If you're a cat lover, and can't stand the sight, or you need a little more variety in your life, you can change the stamping "victim".  Double click on any icon file (*.ICO) in the Filename list, and VBFile Stamper will copy the icon to its own directory as "stamped.ico", and will use it as the new victim.  You can also do this manually by copying any icon to your VBFile Stamper directory as "stamped.ico".  What this boils down to is: if VBFile Stamper can find an icon file named "stamped.ico" in its directory, it will attempt to use it as the victim.  If there is no "stamped.ico" file, VBFile Stamper will use the Cat as the default stamping victim.

 If you're in need of some humerous stamping victims, see Potential Stamping Victims.

HINT: Click and hold the mouse over the hammer, to see your victim.  Clicking like this DOES NOT stamp a file.

VBFile Stamper can be started directly from the menu of Easy Uploads!

Credits

VBFile Stamper would not be possible were it not for the freeware DLL created by Rick Esterling (FSTAMP.DLL) which performs the actual stamping, and I wrote all that goes around it. Rick placed his DLL on CompuServe, and a few others have used it for their own freeware stamping programs, so I decided to do so as well, as a compliment to Easy Uploads, since many of its users are programmers.

Thanks Rick!

VBFile Stamper, Copyright 1995 by P. Scott Antony


Contents
 VBFile Stamper

Version 1.0

VBFile Stamper is a fun and convenient way to change the Date and Time Stamp of files in Windows.

Welcome to VBFile Stamper.  This FREEWARE utility is my Thank You for all the support I've received for the Shareware version of Easy Uploads.  If you enjoy this utility, and find it useful, I hope you'll give the full Easy Uploads program a try and see all that it can do in addition to this file stamping utility.  The full shareware version of Easy Uploads can be found in many forums on CompuServe, however you'll always find it in the WinCIM and CSNav Support forums (GO WCIMSUPPORT, and GO CSNAVSUPPORT respectively).  Search for EASYUP.ZIP, or contributor 74002,2373.

DO NOT Blindly Stamp Files while you're Evaluating this program!

This program is NOT a Toy, and you could potentially date and time stamp

files that you later wish you hadn't, if you're not sure of what you're doing!

I'm anticipating that most of the people who will use this program are Programmers, or Computer Professionals.  If you're a Novice, you should probably file this one away somewhere until you're a little more experienced, and have a real need to stamp your files!

Warranty Disclaimer

Using VBFile Stamper

Programmers Only

What is Easy Uploads?

VBFile Stamper, Copyright 1995 by P. Scott Antony


What is Easy Uploads?

Easy Uploads is a Windows utility to help save you time and money when uploading ("Contributing") files to CompuServe Libraries using WinCIM or CSNav.  Easy Uploads also helps insure that Descriptions, Titles, and Keywords for your files are consistent across all the Libraries you decide to place them on.

Additional Features:

Save your Descriptions as DIZ files (DIZ - Acronym for: Description in ZIP).

View the contents of your source ZIP file.

Note where you've uploaded your files with the integrated Forum Tracker.

Spell check your descriptions with MS Excel or Word.

Print Description and Forum Tracker data.

 	Click the VBFile Stamper 'About' button!

Why Easy Uploads?

I'm not sure how you've been doing it, but until now, every time I wanted to upload a new file, or an update to an existing file, I was always spending way too much time typing, and would wrack my brain trying to remember the description I used the last time.

Sure, I would use Notepad, or Write to compose my thoughts beforehand, but there was never any way to get all the data over to the File Description in one clean shot, and Pasting was really difficult (since the Library Contribute dialog box is modal [focus cannot shift until the dialog is closed], you cannot get at Paste in the Edit menu).  By the time I was ready to upload the file, I inevitably had one or two overlooked typos, and had spent a good 5 minutes getting everything just right. Forget it!

So I thought I'd buy CS Navigator, so I wouldn't have to retype all the data every time.  I'd create my script once, and then forget about it, because CSNav lets you do everything off line, right? WRONG!  While still a great program overall, much to my surprise, CSNav DOES NOT save the data for Contributing Files with your Script.  You must still type your Title, Keywords, Descriptions, etc. every time. Forget it!

Don't get me wrong, they're both great programs, but I have a lot of files to update, and I don't want to do all that typing!  I suppose it would have been easier if I could have found something already on the Shareware market, but none could be found, so I built my own.  As probably one of its biggest users, you can be sure that I will continue to improve it, until it's as easy as it can be!  Your suggestions to help attain that goal are always appreciated.

The Solution to My Problems

I created Easy Uploads.  With Easy Uploads, you create a simple text file with all your upload data, before that scary "Contribute" dialogs confronts you!  This gives you a chance to spell check your work, and give it a good going over, without the pressure of being on-line, and incurring connect charges, or constantly fiddling with the Description.  The text file uses the Windows INI format, so it's easy to understand and create.  In fact, all the data for the Easy Uploads descriptions on CompuServe Forums were entered using Easy Uploads (obvious right, I mean I certainly wouldn't create this great utility, and then type in all the data!).  Most uploads required less than 10 mouse clicks, and were begun within 10 seconds of entering a Forum with WinCIM, and filling the Contribute dialog in CSNav is a snap!

For WinCIM

Once you get on-line, and in a Forum Library, you can start uploading your file within seconds of beginning connect charges $$$.  With Easy Uploads, once you're in a Forum, you can upload a file with as little as three clicks of the mouse!

For CSNav

CSNav already helps you save $$$ in connect charges, however by using Easy Uploads you can quit busting your knuckles typing your descriptions every time.

Soon to Come:

Easy Uploads will also work with America Online.  This feature is currently under construction, and will appear in a future version.

VBFile Stamper, Copyright 1995 by P. Scott Antony


Warranty/Disclaimer
Warranty Disclaimer

Copyright/License/Warranty

VBFile Stamper - Copyright © 1995 by P. Scott Antony.

All rights reserved.

Contact me at: 74002.2373@CompuServe.com

or	P.O. Box 11047

Shorewood, WI  53211

License Agreement

You should carefully read the following terms and conditions before using this software.

Freeware Version

The VBFile Stamper is distributed as Freeware. You are hereby licensed to use this software and distribute it in its entirety, however all rights and ownership remain with P. Scott Antony.

Distribution

You are hereby licensed to make as many copies of the Freeware version of this software and documentation as you wish; give exact copies of the original Freeware version to anyone; and distribute the Freeware version of the software and documentation in its unmodified form via electronic means.

You are specifically prohibited from charging, or requesting donations, for any such copies, however made; and from distributing the software and/or documentation with other products (commercial or otherwise) without prior written permission, with one exception:  Disk Vendors approved by the Association of Shareware Professionals are permitted to redistribute Easy Uploads, subject to the conditions in this license, without specific written permission.

Governing Law

This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Wisconsin.

Disclaimer of Warranty

THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING FILES ARE SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT

WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.  Because of the various hardware and software environments into which Easy Uploads may be put, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED.  Good data processing procedure dictates that any program be thoroughly tested with noncritical data before relying on it.  The user must assume the entire risk of using the program.

VBFile Stamper, Copyright 1995 by P. Scott Antony


 Potential Stamping Victims

To give you a few more victims to choose from, I've included a second ZIP file of humerous icons called VBFSICONS.ZIP.  Of course, you can use ANY icon file, but if you have the urge to stamp Bart Simpson, Bugs Bunny, Bullwinkle, Gumby, Calvin, Hobes, or Stimpy above, then unzip the file to a convenient directory, and select one from the Filename list!  Over 25 humerous potential victims are included!

VBFile Stamper, Copyright 1995 by P. Scott Antony


Programmers Only

If you need to stamp EXE, COM, DLL, VBX, etc. files, or want to disable any of the warnings, I've included options in the INI file that will allow you to do this.  I didn't make this too easy, as I didn't want users without these needs, to indiscriminately turn them off and on.

To disable any of the protections:

1). Hold CTRL AND ALT, and click on the VBFile Stamper icon under "Freeware!".

This will bring up the VBFile Stamper INI file.

[VBFile Stamper]

AutoTimeChange=0	Warn you that it will round down the seconds, if odd.

ProtectOff=0	Protect Extensions (exe, com, dll, vbx, etc.).

WarnOff=0	Get confirmation before stamping files.

Version=1

2). Change ANY of the first three options to a "1", to turn off the protection, or warning.

[VBFile Stamper]

AutoTimeChange=1

ProtectOff=0

WarnOff=1

In the above example, VBFile Stamper WILL NOT warn you that it will round down the

seconds, or before it starts, but it WILL protect EXE, VBX, etc. files.

3). Save the INI file, and Close it.

4). Exit and Restart VBFile Stamper.

When ANY option is disabled, you will be warned when VBFile Stamper first opens, and given a choice whether to re-enable the option for the current session.

Super Stampers

If these warnings are still too much, because you're a super stamper, and you couldn't possibly make a mistake, like me <G>, then adding the line:

[VBFile Stamper]

AutoTimeChange=0

ProtectOff=0

WarnOff=0

StamperPro=1

Will turn EVERYTHING OFF!  Be Careful Now!

VBFile Stamper, Copyright 1995 by P. Scott Antony