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║                            HelpCOM Help                            ║
║                                                                    ║
║ HelpCOM is a utility for adding embedded command-line help to COM  ║
║ format program files.  This help information is displayed when a ? ║
║ or /? appears after the name of the COM file on the command-line.  ║
║                                                                    ║
║ The syntax of the HC command-line is:                              ║
║                                                                    ║
║                    HC [-d] filespec [helpspec]                     ║
║                                                                    ║
║ Filespec is the name of the COM program file to be modified.  Path ║
║ and drive information may be included.  You do not need to specify ║
║ a file extension but COM must be this extension if specified.  The ║
║ size of the COM file must not exceed 32K.                          ║
║                                                                    ║
║ Helpspec is the name of the HLP file containing ASCII text which   ║
║ will be inserted into the COM program file.  The size of this file ║
║ is limited to a maximum of 80 columns by 150 lines and the minimum ║
║ size is eight characters.  Path and drive information may also be  ║
║ included.  The extension must be HLP if specified.                 ║
║                                                                    ║
║ Helpspec is optional.  If it is not provided then HC expects to    ║
║ find a file in the current directory with the same name as the COM ║
║ program file but having an HLP extension.                          ║
║                                                                    ║
║ The "-d" or "-D" option will cause HC to delete embedded help info ║
║ and restore filespec to its original state including file contents ║
║ and size, and date/time stamps.                                    ║
║                                                                    ║
║ You cannot use a dollar-sign character in your help text because   ║
║ this character is used to indicate the end of a string by function ║
║ 9 of interrupt 21 hex (which sends a string to standard output and ║
║ is used in displaying the help text).                              ║
║                                                                    ║
║ HC does not come with built-in help.  The file which you are cur-  ║
║ rently reading contains this help.  You can install this help into ║
║ HC by typing either "HC" or "HC HC".  You can view this help by    ║
║ typing "HC ?" or "HC /?".                                          ║
║                                                                    ║
║ HC requires DOS 2.1 or higher.  Extensive error checking is per-   ║
║ formed while modifying a COM file.  If an error should occur then  ║
║ a suitable error message is displayed along with a strange number. ║
║ This number has no meaning to you but I use it for locating the    ║
║ code in the source file which generated the error.  You can ignore ║
║ this number.                                                       ║
║                                                                    ║
║ HelpCOM was developed as a simple utility for adding command-line  ║
║ help to your own COM program files.  You should not modify any COM ║
║ files which are not your own (for legal reasons).  If you go ahead ║
║ and modify such files then you assume full responsibility.  Also,  ║
║ certain COM files such as COMMAND.COM are monitored by anti-virus  ║
║ programs.  If you use an anti-virus program and it detects changes ║
║ to COMMAND.COM or any other COM program that it is monitoring then ║
║ it will probably complain.  Fortunately, HC provides an option of  ║
║ easily restoring the COM file to its original state.  I would like ║
║ to stress that HC is different from a virus program.  Although it  ║
║ also modifies COM files, it does so in a beneficial way and allows ║
║ you to remove these changes at your convenience.                   ║
║                                                                    ║
║ If you have enjoyed using HelpCOM then please register your copy.  ║
║ The registration fee is 20 dollars and, in return, I will send you ║
║ a copy of HelpEXE which is functionally identical to HelpCOM but   ║
║ works with EXE files instead of COM files.  Please specify your    ║
║ disk size (5-1/4 inch or 3-1/2 inch) when registering.  My address ║
║ is:                                                                ║
║                                                                    ║
║                          Geoff Friesen                             ║
║                          General Delivery                          ║
║                          Dauphin, Manitoba                         ║
║                          Canada R7N 2T3                            ║
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