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Software Vault: The Gold Collection
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Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO
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EXTRACT.DOC
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1993-05-25
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EXTRACT.EXE is a program to convert a QWK packet to ASCII.
Why would you want to do this? I have thought of a few reasons.
For those of us interested in the CUISINE, RECIPE, GOURMET
conferences, an ASCII conversion of the conference can be read by
MEALMASTER and the message's recipes that are in MEALMASTER format
extracted quickly and painlessly. Of course, you have to go back later to
pick up the chit-chat and non-MEALMASTER recipes. But when pressed for
time...
Another use is in STORY conferences. It is tedious to read long
stories with a reader. With this program you can convert the conference to
a text file and print it out to read.
Going to be away from a computer for a while? Download, convert and
print your messages to take with you.
The program when run without parameters gives the following help
information:
version 1.01 QWK packet to ASCII by Rodney Grantham
Usage: C:\TC\FILES\EXTRACT.EXE conferencenumber [outfile]
Either unpack MESSAGES.DAT from .QWK packet or
run the program in your mail reader's work space
and copy the output file to another directory.
conferencenumber of 9999 means convert all messages.
Message files are created for groups of about 50 pages
of output each. Messages aren't split across files.
If the program is renamed, the new name will display in the help
message.
MESSAGES.DAT is the section of a QWK packet with your messages in it.
The program looks for this when run and converts it. If the CONTROL.DAT
file is found, the BBS name will be read from it. Otherwise, default will
fill in with: BBS: QWK to ASCII by EXTRACT 1.01.
The second parameter is the conference number. Integer values are used
in the program. 9999 was selected as an arbitrary indicator for 'ALL'
conferences. I have heard rumor of boards with thousands of conferences.
If you encounter a problem with this convention, let me know.
If you are only interested in CUISINE, conference 333. Then enter, for
example:
EXTRACT 333.
By default the output file is: QWKmmdd.1. mmdd representing 2 digit
month and day, of course. You may enter your own outfile as the second
parameter. After about 50 standard printer size pages of messages are
written to the file, a new file with the same base and '.2' is created.
Messages are not split between files so the size of the output files
varies somewhat. Successive files are numbered similarly.
A message with the file name and the messages it contains is printed as
each file is closed. Filenames for which there are existing files are
skipped. To write to CUIS0201.1 (conference name & date to keep
files straight) enter:
EXTRACT 333 CUIS0201.1
The output file contains a header with a portion of the normal QWK
information which is followed by the full text of the message:
============================================================================
BBS: QWK to ASCII by EXTRACT 1.01
Date: 03-07-93 Number: 1133
From: RODNEY GRANTHAM
To: ALL
Subj: EXTRACT PROGRAM 1.01
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to register to be notified of upgrades, send $3 to:
Rodney Grantham
770 Cranberry Tr.
Roswell, GA 30076
Please include the version number which displays when EXTRACT is run
without any parameters.
If you have suggestions send them to the same address. The current
program does what I need. If there is interest, I can think of a number of
enhancements:
User control of size of files when split or override of
splitting of files.
Ability to skip short messages. This would be handy to
skip the chit-chat in a message conference. Would
require that message title be tracked to avoid skipping
a short conclusion to a story.
Program to use ALL rather than the arbitrary number for
all conferences. My assumption is that generally one
conference will be converted. This 9999 was just added
for generality.
If you use the program and don't want to register, drop me a postcard
anyway. Include any comments. I'd like to track the spread and usage just
out of curiousity. At least splurge enough to blow a quarter.
------------------------------------------------------------
I want to acknowledge the use of Patrick Y. Lee's excellent
QWKLAY15.zip which includes extensive information on QWK file format. The
documentation says latest version can be found on: Aardvark BBS (NY, NY) at
212-496-8324. Also Lunatic Fringe (Plano TX) 214-422-2936. Both provide
first time callers download privileges.
An abbreviated version of this file called QWKLAYOT.zip which I don't
think acknowledges Patrick Lee was my first encounter with this. If you
have that, trust me that Patrick Lee's version is much more extensive and
worth the trouble of looking for.
The QWK format is copyrighted by Sparkware 1987.