======== ====== ======= == == == === == == === === == == == === == ====== ======= ======================================= The DeAdZoNe Utilities for RemoteAccess ======================================= D-SoRt FILES.BBS sorter for RemoteAccess Version 3.00 January 8, 1993 (C) Copyright Victor Magdic 1992-93 All Rights Reserved Description ----------- D-SoRt is a feature packed utility for RemoteAccess which is designed to easily and quickly sort your FILES.BBS files in alphabetical order. D-SoRt is designed for use with RA 1.11 (compatibility with future versions is not gauranteed). Note: Please read the "Considerations" section below, before attempting to use D-SoRt. Features -------- * D-SoRt can be configured to skip certain file areas from being sorted. * If you have header lines (which provide the user with information about the file area etc.) at the top or anywhere else in your FILES.BBS D-SoRt will preserve them intact.(Please read the section labelled "Header lines" below.) * D-SoRt will preserve `blocks' of text and only sort within those blocks (for example, if you have FILES.BBS broken down into sections, D-SoRt will preserve those sections). * D-SoRt is FREE! How much does it cost? ---------------------- This utility is FREE! If you like it you can continue to use it for as long as you like free of charge! If you do decide to use it, I would be excited to hear from you !! I encourage you to send me a postcard at the address listed below (see the end of this text file), or send me a message via netmail. It will cost you practically nothing, and will let me know you're enjoying the program. It will also give me incentive to keep improving the program and make it even better! Of course donations are graciously accepted -and if you want to make a donation please see the address at the end of this text file. How To Use D-SoRt ----------------- To sort your file areas simply run DSORT.EXE. One command line switch is supported: DSORT /N Suppresses the creation of a backup file of your FILES.BBS (called FILES.BAK) before sorting begins. Normally D-SoRt will make a backup of FILES.BBS, this switch will turn that feature off. If you want to configure D-SoRt to exclude certain file areas from being sorted, run it with the /C switch. This will bring up the built in configuration "editor", which you can use to choose the file areas you want sorted. The editor is self-explanatory. example: DSORT /C Location of Files ----------------- D-SoRt requires that your RA environment variable is set so that it can locate certain RemoteAccess files (D-SoRt reads FILES.RA for the file area information). D-SoRt can be run from any directory. but be sure to run it from the directory where the D-SoRt config file is located (DSORT.CTL). Header Lines ------------ Many sysops like to put header lines at the top or in the middle of their FILES.BBS, which provide some kind of information to the user about the files in that particular file area (e.g. download restrictions or warnings etc). Other sysops like to split each FILES.BBS into `blocks' of files, separating the blocks with dashes, or text. Most sort utilities will not recognize these situations and will sort your descriptive text (header lines) into your file descriptions -in short you will end up with one ugly jumbled mess! D-SoRt does away with these problems by *recognizing* such header lines, and not disturbing them. In fact, D-SoRt's intelligent sort routine will recognize header lines anywhere in FILES.BBS. For example, consider the following FILES.BBS layout: HEADER 1 -------- File1 File2 ---> Block 1 File3 HEADER 2 -------- File4 File5 ---> Block 2 File6 D-SoRt will sort Block 1 and Block 2 separately. In other words, File1,2,3 will be sorted, and kept under Header 1, then File4,5,6 will be sorted and kept under Header 2. D-SoRt will also maintain the proper placement of dashes, blank lines, and other separator lines. D-SoRt determines whether a line is "header" information, or whether it is a valid filename/description by using the following criteria: The line is assumed to be a header line if it starts with: a space; or a dash `-'; or an equals sign `=`; or is a blank line Considerations -------------- The following considerations apply when using D-SoRt, * D-SoRt will handle a maximum line length of 255 characters. If your file descriptions exceed this length they will be truncated to 255 characters. * D-SoRt is unable to sort file descriptions which span multiple lines at this time. I am working on a version which will accomodate this. * D-SoRt will handle a maximum of 1000 file entries within each `block' (see above under `Header Lines' for explanation of blocks). There is no limit to the number of blocks you can have, so as long as you do not exceed 1000 file descriptions per block, D-SoRt will have no problems sorting that particular FILES.BBS. Note: If you have more than 1000, that particular FILES.BBS will not be sorted and D-SoRt will abort with an error message. Even though an error message is generated, no modifications will be made to the FILES.BBS, so nothing will be "damaged". Legal Stuff and Disclaimer -------------------------- "D-SoRt" refers to the executables and documentation in the original distribution archive. D-SoRt is copyrighted material by the author, Victor Magdic. All rights are reserved. The author grants you a licence to use this software free of charge. The program is provided "as is", without warranty or guarantee of any kind, either expressed or implied, as to its quality or performance. The author will not be held liable to you or anyone for any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages, including but not limited to any lost profits, or lost savings which may result from the use or inability to use this program. The author is in no way obligated to provide future versions of this software. Your use of the program constitutes your agreement to these terms and to this disclaimer. All mentioned products are copyrighted by and trademarks of their respective holders. Credits ------- Thanks to George Cedeno and James FitzGibbon for helping me beta test D-SoRt. And a very special thanks to James for his numerous suggestions and helpful criticism. Updates ------- Please see the enclosed file DEADZONE.TXT for information on how to obtain the latest version of D-SoRt. Suggestions always welcome! --------------------------- If you have any suggestions for improvement or wish to report any bugs, you can reach me via netmail: The DeAdZoNe Victor Magdic FidoNet: 1:259/427 TeleNet Canada: 20:22/104 or by writing to: Victor Magdic 424 Camden Circle Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 2P4 CANADA ------------------------------------------------------------------ end