FIL2DATE - Converts a filename to a DATE  by Tom Moore & NoTiE Software


I run a BBS.  Every time a user calls the board, entries are made to a file
that keeps this sort of information for later perusal.  As this file can
grow quite large very quickly, I wanted a way to ZIP it up as an event that
runs every day.  Trouble was that the filename is always the same and when
I'd run PKZIP, it was REPLACING the current entry instead of adding it to
the ZIP as I wanted.  This is my quick solution.

FIL2DATE takes a filename passed on a command line and converts it to a DATE
value while retaining the filename's extender.  For example:

FIL2DATE DAYFILE.LST

... would rename DAYFILE.LST to 09-10-94.LST    (assuming today is 09/10/94)

Now when you run PKZIP or whatever compression program you use, you can add
this file to a ZIP file and the entries will be nicely dated for you.

One thing to keep in mind: IF you run FIL2DATE a 2nd time in a 24 hour
period AND the file name you pass to FIL2DATE has the SAME extender as the
previous file that day, the 1st file will be OVERWRITTEN by the 2nd!!


Here is a batch file I use that might help show you a way to use FIL2DATE.
This batch file does several things that I used to have to do manually.
Now this all runs as a part of my daily events:


REM RUN TSTAT & ARCHIVE DAYFILE batch file
J:
CD\
COPY J:\DAYFILE\DAYFILE.LST J:\DAYFILE\TSTAT\DAYFILE.LST
CD DAYFILE\TSTAT
TSTAT26
DEL *.LST
CD\
CD DAYFILE
FIL2DATE DAYFILE.LST
PKZIP -a DAYFILE.ZIP *.LST
DEL *.LST
CD\
C:


The BBS creates the DAYFILE.LST file in J:\DAYFILE.  I 1st COPY it to a work
directory called J:\DAYFILE\TSTAT and change to that directory.  Then I run
TSTAT26, which is a program that takes the information in the DAYFILE.LST
file and creates cool looking reports based on it.  Then I DELETE *.LST
files in the work directory.  I change back to the directory where the BBS
stores DAYFILE.LST and I run FIL2DATE DAYFILE.LST to covert DAYFILE.LST to a
DATE format.  Then, PKZIP gets run, creating or adding to a ZIP file called
DAYFILE.ZIP.  Again, the .LST files get deleted and I get out.


I hope you find a tasty use for FIL2DATE.  Oh yes, you will need to know the
following about the OVL file: You only need ONE!  Which one?  Beats me.
The one I have included works on my 486/40 with math co-processor just fine
but might not work for you.  There are 4 of these overlays available and
each is 'tweaked' for different machine's "personalities".  If you have ANY
trouble running FIL2DATE, call the Gator Gulch TBBS and DOWNload 4GFAOVL.ZIP
which includes all 4 of the possible OVL files, or grab it from the BBS you
found FIL2DATE on.  You will have to rename one of the OVLs at a time to
GFABASIC.OVL.  Please see the DOCs in 4GFAOVL.ZIP for more info.  

Call the Gator Gulch TBBS for a fast version of FIL2DATE with NO annoying
advertising in it.  Our 5 line board's main number is 904/746-6542.  Thanks
and enjoy using FIL2DATE!