PACK v1.1
                              Short Text File
                        Written by Michael MacDonald
                                 01/01/91

PACK is a compiled Clipper PRG program. It is 'freeware'. No fee is expected
or will be accepted. It's purpose is to 'Pack and Reindex' RoboComm's
NEWFILES.DBF (the database that keeps track of new files on the BBS's you
call) much the same as the 'Pack' option when you exit RoboComm. The
difference is speed, and I think you will find it remarkable. There is a
reason for this, and it wouldn't be fair to RoboComm's author not to explain
it. RoboComm uses a safer method. Instead of rewriting the new database
directly over the old one, the way PACK does, RoboComm creates a temporary DBF
file, that only contains the files that aren't deleted. It then deletes the
original DBF and renames the temp. A power outage, or 'disk full' error in the
middle of running PACK could possibly end up in a corrupted database. The
'cost' of this safety is pretty high, in terms of speed. And I have tried to
'create' circumstances where my way could corrupt the database. I haven't been
able to do it. Even by rebooting, or shutting the PC off in the middle of the
routine. But, in theory it is possible. The 'worst' I've been able to do is
corrupt the indices. But, if this happens, just run PACK again, or let
RoboComm rebuild them. Hey, they're just file NAMES, not files. If you were
ever unlucky enough to have a power outage at just the right moment, you keep
a HD back up, right? Even if you didn't, and if the worst happened, just put a
'Newfiles Scan since 01/01/01' in your agenda and let RoboComm create a new
database for you. Also, PACK will not shrink the NEWFILES.DBT, the way Robo
will when you do a Pack and Exit. If you're only deleting 10-20 filenames,
this is no big deal. The difference in speed is worth it, in my opinion. What
I do is, every so often, like maybe when I'm going to eat dinner or something,
is let Robo PACK and REINDEX everything. The DBT file will then be rewritten,
without the deleted files extended descriptions in there.

DUP can reside anywhere, but you must be in the directory where you keep your
RoboComm files when you invoke it. The source code has been included for any
Clipper users that wish to play with it.

Ver 1.1

PACK will now detect if you're using Robocomm ver 3.x, and if you are it will
refuse to run. The reason for this is ver 3.0 uses a new method for keeping
track of the data that used to be held in DBT files. Using PACK on this new
database would end up corrupting the file where the info is now stored.
(ROBOCOMM.DBV) This makes PACK's usefullness pretty limited, once 3.0 is
released. Well, in fact, it's useless, except to those that remain with 2.0.
(Why anyone would do that, I'm not sure) Anyway, if you're running Robo 2.0,
PACK will work fine. If you're running 3.0, PACK won't hurt a thing, because
it will know better than to mess with it.

                            Michael MacDonald
                          15509 183rd  Place NE
                          Woodinville, WA 98072