.I 3 1 Beginning with the Dec '92 edition, SNIPPETS has been distributed in two .D 4 1 .I 8 2 archive utility extension. For example, I distribute the Mar '95 edition as SNIP9503.LZH, using the LHA.EXE archive utility. .D 9 2 .I 22 45 TLIB version control system. PORTABILITY =========== All SNIPPETS code is tested with PC compilers from Microsoft, Borland, Watcom, and Symantec/Zortech, unless otherwise noted. Where possible, code is also tested under one or more of HP/UX, SCO Unix, or AIX, using appropriate vendor or FSF compilers. COMPILING SNIPPETS CODE ======================= SNIPPETS files fall into 5 categories: 1. Archive information files. These provide information on SNIPPETS itself. You're reading one of these right now. The most important of the information files is SNIPPETS.NDX which contains a descriptive list of the "real" SNIPPETS files. You should at least browse all of the information files, grouped conveniently at the beginning of the archive. 2. Macros and true code snippets. These will not compile to anything meaningful by themselves. Macros are designed to be included in file headers, while code snippets are incomplete pieces of code used to demonstrate a general principle. Most SNIPPETS macros appear near the beginning of the archive in .H files. True snippets are rare, but should be obvious when you run across one. 3. Functions. Most of the SNIPPETS files are functions. Many SNIPPETS functions also have test code built-in which will allow them to be compiled to stand-alone versions by defining the macro TEST during the compilation process. Individual functions appear in the archive immediately following the macros. SNIPPETS also contains larger, multi- file function packages, noted by sections in SNIPPETS.NDX. 4. Stand-alone utilities. SNIPPETS utilities are grouped at the end of the archive in a section noted in SNIPPETS.NDX. Many utilities contain useful functions and demonstrate useful C programming techniques. 5. Educational files. Between the individual functions and the function packages comprising two or more files, there is a short section of text files answering frequently-asked questions or providing tutorials on various aspects of C programming. .D 23 1