LSORT for Windows Copyright (c) LONDON Computing 1988-1995.
All rights reserved.

LSORT for Windows is a sort program for Microsoft
Windows Release 3.0 and above.  It will sort text
files, xBase files, comma delimited files and fixed
files on 1 - 15 sort fields.

Any sort field can be sorted into ascending or descending
sequence.  Sort fields may be:
o    Case independant character strings,
o    Case dependant character strings,
o    Numbers stored as character strings,
o    2 byte binary integers (Intel Format)
o    4 byte binary integers (Intel Format)
o    4 byte IEEE floating point numbers,
o    8 byte IEEE floating point numbers,
o    xBase Logical fields (True/False fields),
o   IBM Mainframe style binary integers,
o   IBM Mainframe style packed decimal numbers.

LSORT runs as a Windows application.  The front end was
written with Visual Basic and the Sorting Engine is a
modification of the LSORT sort/merge utility compiled using
Visual C++ 1.5.

LSORT for Windows also runs under OS2 2.x and Microsoft
Windows NT and Microsoft Windows 95.  Under these
environments, the Windows sort engine is replaced by
LSORTOS2 or LSORTNT, 32 bit versions of LSORT.

The LSORT for Windows menus has six options on the
menu bar:  File,  Record,  SortField,  Go, Help and Exit.

Use the File menu to specify:
o    The type of Sort to run (Heap Sort, Quick Sort or Merge),
o    The name(s) of the input file(s)
o    The name of the output file
o    The drives to be used for temporary sort work files
     Once a file has been selected, LSORT will display the file
     name with a View button next to it.  Clicking the View
     button will allow you to view first 16KB of the file.

The Files menu has 11 options:

Load, Save, Heap Sort, Quick Sort, Merge, Input, Output,
Work Drives, Clear, Go and Exit.

Select Load to load a previously saved sort/merge definition.

Select Save to save the current definition for later reuse.

Select Input to specify the name of the Input file.

Select Output to specify the name of the Output file

Select Heap Sort or Quick Sort to pick the Sorting Algorithm
(Quick Sort is usually fast, but slows down with some data.
Heap Sort is usually slower, but is always more consistant.

Select Merge to specify a Merge operation.  Up to 5 files
can be merged at a time.

Select Work Drives to specify the drives to be used for
merge files.  Merge files are created whenever the file
being sorted is too large to fit in memory.

Select Clear to remove all file and field definitions.

Select Exit to quit LSORT for Windows.

The Go button is used to start the sort/merge. Go is
initially disabled.  When SORTING, You must specify an
input file, an output file and at least one Field
Definition before Go is activated.  When MERGING, you
must specify between 2 and 5 Input Files, an output
file and at least one sort field before Go is activated.

Click the Go option to start the sort or merge.

Use the Record menu to define the type of file to sort:
o  Text
o  Fixed Length Record
o  Comma Delimited Text
o  xBase File

Use the SortFields menu to define the fields to be
sorted. Selecting Sortfield allows you to specify from
1 to 15 sort fields.  A sort field definition consists
of four pieces of information:

o  The starting position of the field, from 1.
o  The length of the field (1 ... 127).
   The field length is not needed and may not be entered
   for Comma Delimited Files.
o  The Field Type (Character, Case Independant Character,
   2 Byte Binary, 4 Byte Binary, 4 Byte IEEE Floating
   point, 8 Byte IEEE Floating Point and xBase Logical,
   IBM mainframe style binary integers and IBM mainframe
   style packed decimal numbers.)
o  Ascending or Descending Sort.

When SortFields is selected, a list of defined sort
fields are displayed along with Add, Edit, Delete,
Cancel and Ok buttons.

You can insert a new sort field before an existing field by
highlighting a field definition and clicking Add.

You can modify a definition or fill in a blank definition
by highlighting an item (possibly empty) in the list of
defined fields and pressing Edit or by double clicking a
field definition.

The Delete button will remove the current field definition.

The Cancel button will return you to the main menu.  Any
changes made before Cancel will be ignored.

The Ok button applies changes to field definitions before
returning you to the main menu.

When you select a sort field to Edit, a field definition
form is displayed.  You may set or change the starting
position, field length, field type and sort sequence.

A sample record is also displayed.  You can define a
field by selecting clicking on the first character
of the field and dragging the mouse to the last character
of the field.  The starting position and field length will
be filled in.  LSORT will also set an initial field type.
These values can be changed later.

When a sort field is defined, it will be displayed on
the main menu.  Sort fields are displayed top to
bottom, left to right.  A displayed sort field and be
modified by clicking the text.  The field definition
window will open allowing you to modify the entries.
All fields is Comma Delimited files are shown with
their field length set to 0.

The Go option on the main menu is initially disabled.
You must specify an input file, an output file and at
least one sort field before Go is activated.  Click
the Go option to actually sort the file.

LSORT for Windows is Shareware.  You may distribute
freely for non commercial use.  Registration is
required for commercial use.  Registration is $35.00.
Please send registration fees to:

LONDON Computing,  PO Box 696, Cherry Hill,  NJ  08003
