Short:    2.0 - Flexible catalogs (C, Asm, Oberon, E, ARexx, Modula...)
Author:   Marcin Orlowski <carlos@amiga.com.pl>
Uploader: Marcin Orlowski <carlos@amiga.com.pl>
Version:  2.0
Type:     dev/misc
Www:      http://amiga.com.pl/flexcat/



  INFO
  ----------

    FlexCat creates catalogs and the source to handle them.  The difference
  between FlexCat and KitCat, CatComp and some others is, that FlexCat is
  designed to produce any source you want:  any programming language, any
  individual needs should be satisfied.  However, FlexCat is not more
  difficult to use.

    This sounds like a contradiction.  FlexCat's solution is to use
  template files, the so called "source descriptions".  Ready to use examples
  for Assembler, C, C++, E, Oberon and Modula-2 are distributed, additionally
  an example for supporting catalogs on Workbench 2.0.  Any other examples
  are welcome.


  Archives
  ----------

    Since release 2.0, the FlexCat distribiution is splitted into the
  smaller archives. They are (in order of importance):

  FlexCat.lha          - Latest FlexCat, user contribitions, english manual
                         and foreign catalog files

  FlexCat_0x0.lha      - patches for 020, 040 and 060 versions of FlexCat
                         (PPC makes no sense here. I checked that).

  FlexCat_XtraDocs.lha - FlexCat's guide in non english languages. Currently
                         Svenska, Espanol and Deutsch are provided

  FlexCat_CatSrc.lha   - #?.cd and #?.ct files for existing translations and
                         #?.texinfo documents

  If you just want to use FlexCat, the 1st archive is all you need.
  If you want to have CPU optimised binaries, take both 1st and 2nd
  and patch the original release.  If you want to read translated manual,
  get the 3rd one.  If you want to make the translation take the 4th one
  (but I suggesto to join the Amiga Translators' Organisation
  <http://ato.vapor.com/ato> first!)


  Changes since previous release:
  -------------------------------

  * v2.0 (25.02.98) - Unfortunately, 2.0 does not meanw break thru
                      technologies implemented here. It is just the next
                      version numer FlexCat should have...

                      Added a workaround for problems some people may
                      encounter while creating catalogs for languages
                      with corrupted converstion table (part of #?.language
                      file). FlexCat uses utility.library function to convert
                      ##language name to lowercase, which leads to
                      wrong strings with e.g. czech environment.
                      Use NOLANGTOLOWER (CLI and prefs) to tell FlexCat
                      to not to lowercase the name (but remember to keep
                      it lowercased manually!).

                      FlexCat now uses buffered IO operations.
                      That may increase the overall speed of FlexCat,
                      however it's not the must, so you can use
                      NOBUFFEREDIO switch to fall back to previous
                      poll mode. Please test the overall performance,
                      and tell me the results. The IO buffer is now
                      2048 bytes large.

                      While creating new #?.ct file FlexCat puts contents
                      of Language system variable if possible as the
                      #langauge argument.

                      Fixed bug causing random memory writes under
                      some, but very rare, circumstances.

                      ARexx.sd source descriptor added thanks to
                      Kai Norhausen <kn@tribal.line.org>

                      Users' stuff added. Look at the contents of
                      the "Contribution" drawer!

                      Renumbered the version of catalog files. Most
                      recent catalog version is 2.0. Older and outdated
                      are 1.x.

                      French catalog updated. Thanks to Julien `GiZmO' Wilk
                      <wilkj@esiee.fr>

                      Finnish translation updated by Mika Lundell
                      <c71829@uwasa.fi>

                      Nederlans translation by Leon Woestenberg
                      <leon@stack.nl>

                      Norsk translation thanks to Eivind Olsen
                      <eivindo@bgnett.no>

                      Italian catalog updated by Luca Nora
                      <ln546991@silab.dsi.unimi.it> and Giovanni
                      Addabbo <gaddabbo@imar.it>

                      Portugese translation updated by Frederico
                      Borges <famb@mail.telepac.pt> and
                      Alexandre Gabriel <chryse@mail.telepac.pt>

                      The new spanish translation by Marcos Broc
                      <amiga187@arrakis.es> and Samuel Aguilera
                      <slyguy@mx2.redestb.es>

                      Croatian translation by Mladen Ili¹inoviæ
                      <milisino@jagor.srce.hr>


  * V1.9 (01.08.97) - Now you can use special $TODAY attribute
                      in your $VER string. While creating catalog,
                      $TODAY will be replaced by current date (note,
                      only 1st occurance will be processed). If you
                      want your version strings to always be recent
                      dated type: $VER: FlexCat.catalog 3.0 ($TODAY)
                      NOTE: This string is CASESENSITIVE!

                      FlexCat preferences added. To define your own
                      defaults, set the environmental variable
                      "flexcat.prefs" with the contents matching
                      following template: "SDDIR/K,MSG_NEW/K,
                      WARNCTGAPS/S,NOOPTIM/S,FILL/S,FLUSH/S,NOBEEP/S,
                      QUIET/S". Note FlexCat is using ReadArgs()
                      to parse the preferences, thus place all the
                      items in one line.

                      If you use FlexCat for #?.ct updating, you
                      probably was missing any additional markers
                      to let you easily find the new strings. Now
                      you get them. By default the "***NEW***", 
                      is used, but you may configure it using
                      FlexCat preferences.

                      QUIET switch used to suppress error messages.
                      Fixed.

                      New C source descriptor Cat2h_?.sd. Read
                      the manual or Lib/Cat2h.readme for more
                      information.

                      Version of updated catalogs bumped to 2.5

                      Portugese translation of program catalog, thanks
                      to Frederico Borges <famb@mail.telepac.pt> and
                      Alexandre Gabriel <chryse@mail.telepac.pt>

                      Swedish translation of FlexCat manual,
                      thanks to Magnus Holmgren <cmh@lls.se>

                      Spanish translation reworked by
                      Marcos Broc <amiga187@arrakis.es> and 
                      Samuel Aguilera <slyguy92@arrakis.es>

                      Now FlexCat does DisplayBeep() when any error
                      or warning happen (but don't worry, it's smart
                      enough, so you won't experience any Beep() bombing ;).
                      By using NOBEEP switch you can shut it up.

                      Previous releases had problems with comment lines
                      ending with \'s, which made FlexCat think it's multiline
                      string. Now it is not as dumb to get fooled any longer.

                      You can now use octal, decimal and hexadecimal
                      (e.g 0x20) digits for all FlexCat digital arguments
                      (like ##version) as well as for (ID/MIN/MAX),
                      ##codeset and others.

                      FLUSH switch added. By using it all unused
                      catalogs (but also libraries, fonts, devices etc) will
                      be flushed from memory, whenever new catalog is
                      written. So note: FLUSH works only with CATALOG switch
                      (it means while compiling new catalog).

                      New C source descriptors: catcomp_h.sd creates
                      source (almost) identical to CatComp's ones, but
                      expanded for multicatalog support. With this
                      descriptor you can handle more than one catalog
                      in your program harmless.  NOTE:  for compatibility
                      reasons, other descriptors remain unchanged (however
                      additional, multicatalog versions may appear
                      in next release).

                      FlexCat does not accept empty ##language argument
                      any longer.

                      FILL switch. This feature is highly useful for the
                      translators, and probably for them only. Normally,
                      when you're working on the new translation, some
                      of the strings remains untranslated due the work
                      is just in progress. Unfortunately all catalog
                      tools write all these empty strings into the catalog
                      file, which will cause empty buttons, menus or simmilar
                      things to appear whenever you check your unfinished
                      translation with the program, which isn't nice effect.
                      Using FILL you may force FlexCat to ignore all empty
                      translations (strings from #?.ct file) and instead
                      to write original string (from #?.cd) to the catalog.
                      That prevents you from watching empty GUI etc.
                      NOTE: this option is only for testing purposes.
                      Final catalogs should always be created without FILL
                      switch used!

                      English manual is now up-to-date.

                      Added %a, %t and %z operands for source
                      descriptors. See (probably english and
                      swedish only, for now) manual for detailed
                      information


============================= Archive contents =============================

Original  Packed Ratio    Date     Time    Name
-------- ------- ----- --------- --------  -------------
    2628    1138 56.6% 24-Feb-98 22:42:40 +FlexCat.catalog
    2732    1151 57.8% 24-Feb-98 22:42:38 +FlexCat.catalog
    3374    1496 55.6% 24-Feb-98 22:42:42 +FlexCat.catalog
    3040    1236 59.3% 24-Feb-98 22:42:36 +FlexCat.catalog
     637     303 52.4% 15-Feb-98 20:36:32 +ato.readme
    2992    1373 54.1% 24-Feb-98 22:42:40 +FlexCat.catalog
    3362    1555 53.7% 24-Feb-98 22:42:40 +Flexcat.catalog
    3238    1406 56.5% 24-Feb-98 22:42:42 +FlexCat.catalog
    3072    1423 53.6% 24-Feb-98 22:42:40 +flexcat.catalog
    3456    1650 52.2% 24-Feb-98 23:46:10 +FlexCat.catalog
    3924    1615 58.8% 24-Feb-98 22:42:38 +FlexCat.catalog
    2390    1164 51.2% 24-Feb-98 22:42:38 +FlexCat.catalog
    2908    1296 55.4% 24-Feb-98 22:42:38 +FlexCat.catalog
    3276    1512 53.8% 24-Feb-98 22:42:40 +FlexCat.catalog
    3008    1366 54.5% 24-Feb-98 22:42:38 +FlexCat.catalog
    3246    1587 51.1% 24-Feb-98 22:42:36 +FlexCat.catalog
    1344     656 51.1% 02-Oct-97 23:45:54 +Flex_Arexx
    1797    1114 38.0% 02-Oct-97 23:17:52 +Flex_Arexx.info
    3024    1086 64.0% 02-Oct-97 23:04:32 +LMake
    1932    1063 44.9% 10-Aug-97 14:26:24 +LMake.info
    3132    1295 58.6% 02-Oct-97 23:10:18 +LMake.readme
    3122    2360 24.4% 15-Aug-97 18:07:10 +LMake.readme.info
   62039   20029 67.7% 24-Feb-98 22:46:08 +FlexCat_english.guide
     464     241 48.0% 25-May-97 15:47:24 +FlexCat_english.guide.info
    1886     838 55.5% 08-Nov-94 11:17:16 +AmigaOberon.sd
    1009     572 43.3% 01-Oct-97 13:51:18 +ARexx.sd
    2746    1123 59.1% 05-Mar-97 15:52:28 +AutoC_c.sd
     511     258 49.5% 07-Nov-94 22:24:44 +AutoC_h.sd
    2247     824 63.3% 07-Nov-94 22:26:22 +AztecAs_asm.sd
     383     180 53.0% 07-Nov-94 22:28:10 +AztecAs_i.sd
    3272    1267 61.2% 13-Jul-94 22:16:24 +C++_CatalogF.cc
    1319     671 49.1% 07-Nov-94 22:15:02 +C++_CatalogF.h
     506     242 52.1% 07-Nov-94 22:29:42 +C++_cc.sd
     739     376 49.1% 18-May-97 11:57:52 +C++_h.sd
    5422    1916 64.6% 13-Jan-96 19:08:48 +C_c.sd
    5300    1856 64.9% 08-Nov-94 20:46:40 +C_c_V20.sd
    1624     689 57.5% 08-Nov-94 20:47:38 +C_c_V21.sd
     733     365 50.2% 10-May-95 00:53:40 +C_h.sd
    1511     796 47.3% 25-May-97 23:25:04 +Cat2h.readme
    1573     735 53.2% 25-May-97 05:44:22 +Cat2h_c.sd
     367     187 49.0% 25-May-97 05:43:52 +Cat2h_h.sd
    2363     747 68.3% 27-May-97 10:59:34 +CatComp_h.sd
    1501     628 58.1% 07-Nov-94 22:16:04 +E21b.sd
    1953     750 61.5% 07-Nov-94 22:16:14 +E30b.sd
     483     272 43.6% 07-Nov-94 22:28:38 +Modula2Def.sd
    2118     827 60.9% 07-Nov-94 22:28:50 +Modula2Mod.sd
    2074     878 57.6% 08-Nov-94 11:17:34 +Oberon-A.sd
    1684     747 55.6% 07-Nov-94 22:29:06 +Oberon_V38.sd
    1683     743 55.8% 07-Nov-94 22:29:14 +Oberon_V39.sd
    2293     840 63.3% 07-Nov-94 22:25:56 +SASasm_a.sd
     370     175 52.7% 07-Nov-94 22:28:26 +SASasm_i.sd
     632     278 56.0% 25-May-97 15:47:24  Docs.info
   33220   19341 41.7% 24-Feb-98 23:46:44  FlexCat
   13367    4417 66.9% 24-Feb-98 22:31:08  FlexCat.history
   10442    3836 63.2% 24-Feb-98 23:29:42  FlexCat.readme
-------- ------- ----- --------- --------
  229468   96489 57.9% 25-Feb-98 19:04:50   55 files
