ReadMe.Txt file for Params.Zip   2-1-95

[Sections]

    Keywords   Overview   Packing List   Legal Stuff   Author

[Keywords]

command line   parameter parsing   configuration utility

[Overview]

The Params and CmdLine units provide these features:

    consistent methods for interpreting the DOS command line
    permits single- and double-letter function codes
    handles filenames, expands wild-card specs
    detects syntax errors, provides error messages
    works with multiple sources -
        option string built into the program .exe
        option string from an external file
        the DOS command line

The last feature makes it easy to set and change 'default' values.
For example, you can put a string constant into your program that
sets the initial parameters for your program, using the SAME syntax
as the command line, and/or you can read the parameter string from
a 'configuration' file.  Then your program can scan the command line
to override these defaults.  

Furthermore, the companion Config program allows you to write 
parameter strings into your program .exe file.  For example, you
type:

    config myprog /P20/Tc:\temp/Bc:\bp\bgi

and afterward whenever you type

    myprog

to run your program, it behaves as if you had typed

    myprog /P20 /Tc:\temp /Bc:\bp\bgi 

CmdLine is an OOP rewrite of Params.  Skel.pas and Skel1.pas are
'skeleton' programs to help you get started.  The comments in these
files provide the documentation.

Target.pas is a practice target to demonstrate use of Config.exe.
Documentation is in Config.doc.

[Packing List]

 Length  Method   Size  Ratio   Date    Time    CRC-32  Attr  Name
 ------  ------   ----- -----   ----    ----   -------- ----  ----
  10957  DeflatN   3486  69%  06-16-94  21:57  0f69291a --w-  PARAMS.PAS
  12531  DeflatN   3816  70%  12-09-94  23:07  ff7cc005 --w-  CMDLINE.PAS
   4090  DeflatN   1547  63%  02-02-94  18:07  42eb3875 --w-  SKEL.PAS
   2273  DeflatN   1004  56%  03-24-94  10:27  484b1442 --w-  SKEL1.PAS
    235  DeflatN    167  29%  02-02-92  00:56  f0ec36ce --w-  TARGET.PAS
   8879  DeflatN   3180  65%  02-26-92  18:55  6080cf38 --w-  CONFIG.DOC
   6704  DeflatN   3938  42%  02-20-92  16:59  bba40721 --w-  CONFIG.EXE
 ------          ------  ---                                  -------
  45669           17138  63%                                        7

[Legal Stuff]

This software and documentation is copyrighted by the author,
James M. Clark (February 1995).

These files are provided "as is", and no warrantee of any kind is
expressed or implied.  You may use them without charge.  You may
distribute the complete ZIP file without modification to others,
but you must not charge for more than the actual cost of distributing.
You may distribute the CONFIG.EXE and CONFIG.DOC files as a set
but you may not modify them.  You may use the source code (*.PAS files),
without royalty, but you must leave the copyright notices in the
PARAMS.PAS and CMDLINE.PAS files.

If you have ideas for improvements, please write to me.  If you add
improvements that you believe will be generally useful, I would
appreciate it if you would send me a copy.  I will give you recognition
if your improvements are incorporated in a future version.

[Author]

Jim Clark  71672,1755 (CompuServe)