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1994-06-08
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8KB
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212 lines
FIXUP
By Peter Zicari
June 1994
A reformatter for stripped-ASCII files.
WHAT IT DOES
FIXUP converts files saved by word processors such as Xywrite in "stripped
ASCII" format -- that is, without line endings -- to lines with carriage
return-linefeed at the ends.
Many bulletin boards and network services such as SprintMail limit line
lengths or reformat them automatically in strange ways.
FIXUP will format your file almost instantly, and spares you from having to
change print settings you use in Xywrite. It also eliminates non-printing
characters that may cause the mail service to stumble.
It can be set to skip un-transmittable headings inserted by a word
processor. Type an at sign (@) at the top.
It also strips out non-ASCII characters and command codes that might
be in the text.
An indent is placed in the first line of each graf that ends with a hard
return.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FIXUP
If this is your first time using FIXUP and you are going to use it on a
hard drive, please follow the INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS before proceeding.
1. Process the text, spell-check it, do whatever you need to do. Save it
(as a DOS text or ASCII file) from Xywrite and quit the program.
If you are not using FIXUP on a hard drive, skip to ALTERNATE INSTRUCTIONS
below.
2. At a DOS prompt (C:>) Type FIXUP and the name of the file you plan to
transmit. Fixup will reply:
Reading filename.ext (your filename appears here)
Checking filename.OUT (a new filename is automatically created to receive
the changed text)
3. A message appears asking if you want to change the default line length
(75) or the default paragraph indent (5). Press enter to go on.
4. Fixup will reply:
Done!
Press enter to go on.
Press Enter. You're done.
When you send the file to SprintMail, send filename.OUT rather than the
original.
ALTERNATE INSTRUCTIONS:
These instructions are written for use with a floppy system.
1. Put the FIXUP disk in the A: drive.
2. At an A:> prompt . . .
Type FIXUP.
Press Enter.
FIXUP will reply:
Please enter Input file
Press Enter to choose from list; to quit, press Esc.
3. Take the FIXUP disk out of the A: drive and insert the disk with your
file.
4. Type the filename you want.
FIXUP will reply:
Please enter Output file
Press enter to write to A:\filename.OUT. To quit, press Esc.
Press Enter.
5. A message appears asking if you want to change the default line length
(75) or the default paragraph indent (5). Press enter to go on.
FIXUP will reply:
Done!
Press enter to go on.
Press Enter. You're finished.
When you transmit the file to Sprintmail, send filename.OUT rather than the
original file.
VARIATIONS & ERROR MESSAGES
I. When you aren't sure of the filename, begin the program with FIXUP
alone.
Then:
1. Pressing Enter on the blank line of the first prompt.
Fixup produces a directory of the files on the default drive/directory.
Use the cursor keys to move the selector bar up and down to select a
filename from the box.
2. Press enter to process the filename of your choice.
To see more of the directory, use PageUp and PageDown.
To change the directory sort order or specify another directory:
1. Press F2.
2. Type the letter of your choice.
(You can also select by moving the bar up or down and pressing
enter).
3. If you select "d", type the new directory specification in the
box that appears next. Press Enter when you're through.
(If the directory box goes blank, press PageUp a couple of
times to return to the top.)
II. To send the output of FIXUP to some file other than Filename.OUT, you
may either . . .
Type FIXUP filename1 filename2 on the command line
or . . .
Enter the new name after "Please enter Output file.''
This is how you would put the output file on the b: disk, for example:
a:\>FIXUP filename1 b:filename2
III. If the output filename you use is already on the disk, FIXUP will
report:
Filename1.OUT already exists. Press Y or y to rewrite it.
Do what it says. If you don't want to overwrite Filename1.OUT, press n and
enter a new filename at the prompt.
IV. To change the line length or size of the paragraph indent:
1. Type Y when the box appears with the option of making the change.
2. Type the new figure for the line length. The maximum is 255, and
the minimum is 11.
or...
Accept the default length by pressing enter.
3. Type the new figure for the indent. The maximum is 10, the minimum
is 0.
or...
Accept the default indent by pressing enter.
V. Error messages ("File not found," "You must enter a number," etc.)
appear in boxes at center screen. Press enter to acknowledge and
clear them.
VI. You should be able to quit the program at any point by pressing Esc
several times.
VII. Some editing programs insist on putting data at the top of a file as
it is saved on disk. To avoid trying to transmit such material, type an @
(at) sign at the top of the text.
It follows that if you type an @ sign in the text somewhere, every-
thing to that point will be skipped. Therefore, while the @ at the
top is optional, it is required if you put one somewhere else in the
text.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Before you use FIXUP, install it somewhere convenient on your hard drive.
Get a DOS prompt: C:\ Type this command: Path Press enter. A list of
directories will appear that looks something like this:
PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WP51\LEARN
Every hard drive is different, so yours will be unique. Individual
directory names appear between semicolons. Choose a directory to keep FIXUP
in.
C:\ or C:\DOS are good choices, if they're on the list.
Put the FIXUP disk in your A: drive.
Type this command: Copy a:fixup.* {enter the directory you chose here}
Example: Copy a:fixup.* c:\dos Press enter.
Take out the FIXUP disk. You're done with it.
CHANGE HISTORY
6/94 Fixup3 is special version for bulletin boards with setup option for
line length.
5/94 Fixup copies to intermediate array so as to delete chars and add
spaces
after #13. Fixed line length.
Fixup2 produces CR without LF with character-by-character algorithm.
Oldfixup takes a char-by-char approach to the algorithm.
Further problems: I can be reached at: PETER_ZICARI@PCOHIO.COM or
7170,2575@Cserv.com
DISCLAIMER
FIXUP is shareware. Individual users may use and copy it freely, subject to
the following:
-- No charge may be made for distributing it beyond the cost of media.
-- The program and accompanying documentation must be distributed
unaltered.
-- I will accept no responsibility for problems that may arise from
the use of FIXUP.
All other rights are reserved.
No registration is required of invidivual users. Corporate users may
contact one of the e-mail addresses above.