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1989-03-25
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TC Companion
For The Atari ST In Medium Or High Resolution
By John Hickey
Copyright 1988, All Rights Reserved
This Program Is Distributed As Shareware!
INTRODUCTION
TC Companion is a program utility I wrote to make my life
using GENIE easier and less expensive! Basically, it allows you
to call GENIE, get a current listing of new files available for
downloading, hang up, pick the files you want to download, then
call GENIE back and download your files in one easy batch. It
does this by working with FLASH! to create DO files for you
automatically. Unlike other programs I have seen like this, you
do not have to do any typing, or even know what a DO file is!
In addition to making your downloading easier, it also makes
your post-download activities easier, with utilities for de-
arcing, copying files, erasing files, renaming files, formatting
disks, viewing ASCII files, and making and deleting folders. I
think once you start using it, you'll agree it's a complete
TeleCommunications Companion (see where the name comes from?!).
Now, for a short message from our legal department...
DISCLAIMER:
We make no implied claims or warranties as to the suitability
of this software for any particular purpose. We are not
responsible for incidental and/or consequential damages incurred
while using this software. We also reserve the right to upgrade
or otherwise alter this product and/or documentation without
notification of any person of such changes (although, if you are a
registered user, you WILL receive notification of any upgrades!).
Use this software at your own risk!
SHAREWARE ALERT!
This software is shareware. It may be distributed freely,
provided that no part is changed or altered. If you use this
software, you ARE obligated to pay for it.
Your support is appreciated, and will register you for
updates. your first upgrade will be sent to you free of charge.
It will get rid of the annoying Alert Boxes at the beginning of
the program, as well as include any last-minute enhancements
and/or bug fixes. Future updates will be available to you either
by mail (you send a blank disk with return postage), or by BBS
(you will be placed in a special section on my Starship II BBS,
where you can download the update for just the cost of the phone
call). With your payment, please include any suggestions
concerning this product... Thanks!
Page 2
USE THIS FORM (OR FACSIMILE) TO REGISTER YOUR SOFTWARE!
NAME: ________________________________________________________
ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________
CITY: _____________________________ ST: ______ ZIP: __________
PHONE: ____________________________
YOU WILL BE REGISTERED ON THE STARSHIP II BBS. WE NEED TO KNOW A
HANDLE AND PASSWORD YOU WISH TO USE:
HANDLE (20 LETTERS MAX.): _____________________________________
PASSWORD (6 LETTERS MAX.): ________________
ARE YOU USING: [] MONOCHROME [] COLOR
SUGGESTIONS: __________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Please send $15.00 ($25.00 if you would like the original GFA
BASIC source code) to:
John Hickey
2320 Easton Ave.
Richland, WA 99352
Page 3
ON WITH THE SHOW...
The following files should be on your disk (after you de-arc
them!)
TC-COMP.PRG
TC_MENU.PRG
TC_COMP.DAT
TC_COMP.DOC
FLASH.CNF
Put all of the TC_ files in the same directory (either the
main directory or a sub-directory). TC COMPANION will also
require access to FLASH.PRG and ARC.TTP. You can copy these files
(and any related files FLASH requires) to the same disk (or
subdirectory), but you don't have to; the program allows you to
set a path to where these files are.
Copy the file FLASH.CFG to the same directory as your
FLASH.PRG is located. Or, if you are familiar with FLASH, add the
line DO TC_COMP.DO to your FLASH.CFG file using the AUTO command.
You can also run TC_COMPANION from a Ramdisk. Simply copy
all the TC_ files to the Ramdisk and off you go! (NOTE: TC
COMPANION uses the file TC_COMP.DAT to remember your password,
paths, etc. If you make any changes to your configuration, be sure
to copy the TC_COMP.DAT file from the Ramdisk back to your working
disk!).
Now, run the TC_MENU.PRG. You will be prompted for the
correct time and date (IMPORTANT! Always make sure you have the
correct Time and Date set! TC_COMPANION uses the date to save
your Browse Files!!) After you set the date, the TC_MENU logo
appears. Drop down the FILES menu, and select RUN TC_COMPANION.
After a few moments, you're in the COMPANION and ready to start.
SET UP YOUR CONFIGURATION
Under the heading IMPORTANT are several items you need to set
up. First, go to SET ROUNDTABLES/PATHS. This section tells the
program what you want to call the GENIE sections, what page in
GENIE they are on, where you want to save your BROWSE files, and
where you want to save your DOWNLOAD files. Example paths are
already set. Change them as you will, but remember, when setting a
path, always put the "\" character on the end! Do not worry if
you have not already created the folders that you type in...
COMPANION will create them for you! (NOTE FOR SINGLE DRIVE USERS:
You may want to use drive B as your download and browse path; that
way, your ST will prompt you to switch disks whenever it needs
your data disk.).
Page 4
You will also tell COMPANION the directory where your FLASH!
program and ARC.TTP are located. IN ALL CASES, ONLY TYPE IN THE
NAME OF THE DIRECTORY WHERE THE FILES ARE LOCATED, NOT THE
FILENAME ITSELF! When you're done, click on OK.
Next, set up your GENIE SPECIFICATIONS. Here, you will tell
the program your GENIE ID and PASSWORD, the phone number to call,
and how many times you want it to re-dial. When you're done,
click on OK.
Finally, you will want to set your Baud Rate. click on 300,
1200, or 2400. Then, click on SAVE CONFIGURATION. Now, you won't
have to set these the next time you use the program.
CALLING GENIE
Now it's time to call GENIE and get a listing of new files.
Under the FILE heading, select BROWSE FROM LAST DATE CALLED or
BROWSE BY SEARCH STRING.
If you select:
BROWSE FROM LAST DATE CALLED: You will be presented with a list
of the Roundtables that you use. Click on the ones you want to
browse. When done, click on CLICK WHEN DONE (is this easy or
what??!). You will be asked if you want to stay on GENIE or hang
up after you browse. Click on whichever you want to do. A DO
file will then be created n your FLASH disk.
BROWSE BY SEARCH STRING: A box will pop up that will let you
select how many days back you want to browse, and the Search
String you wish to search for. You may type ALL under "Number Of
Days Back" if you wish to look at all files for a particular
Roundtable. When done, click on OK. You will be asked if you
want to stay on GENIE or hang up after you browse. Click on
whichever you want to do. A DO file will then be created on your
FLASH disk.
Now, go to FILE and QUIT. You are now back to TC_MENU.
Click on RUN FLASH!. FLASH! will run, execute the DO file, get a
listing of the files you requested, save them to disk, then return
to TC_MENU quick as a wink!!! (NOTE! If using BROWSE FROM LAST
DATE CALLED for the first time, and if you have not previously
used this option on GENIE before, you may have to hit your BREAK
key (usually CONTROL Z) in order to stop the listing. You will
only have to do this once!)l
NOW FOR THE FUN PART!
Page 5
Select RUN TC_COMPANION. After TC_COMPANION comes up, go to
FILE and select SELECT FILES TO DOWNLOAD. you will get a
selector box that asks if you wish to input from the Keyboard or
File. Select FILE. Then, you will be asked which Roundtable to
download from. Now, a file selector box appears, with a file
listed something like 1A090988.TXT (a quick explanation; the "1"
is for the Roundtable you have selected (1-5). The "A" means that
is the first one you did for the day (the 2nd would be "B", the
3rd a "C", etc. This way, you can scan the same Roundtable
several times in one day without erasing previous browse listings.
The rest is the date when you BROWSED the roundtable.). Click on
the file and click OK. Now it gets neat!
A description of a file will appear in the upper left corner
of the screen. If you want to download it, click on YES. The
file will be listed on the screen as a selection, and a new file
will appear in the upper left corner. If you don't want to
download the file, click on the arrow pointing right (forward) to
get a new file listing. you can go backward, too! Now, check out
the bottom of the screen; it tells you how many bytes worth of
files you are downloading, and the approximate time it will take
to download them (based on the Baud Rate you have selected)! Keep
selecting files until the end of the list. If you need to edit
the listing (delete or change a name), just point to the file you
need to edit. Click on the left mouse button to edit the name or
number, or the right mouse button to delete the file from the
list.
When you are done selecting files, click on QUIT. Now, if
you have any more Roundtables that you Browsed earlier, just
repeat the above sequence, but select the new roundtable. After
you are done selecting files, you may want to make sure you have
enough room on your data disk (or whatever path you selected in
the configuration stage for downloads) to download all the files.
Under UTILITIES, there is a selection CHECK FREE DISK SPACE.
Pretty handy, eh?
If you find you have selected more files than you have space
or time to download, you may select EDIT DOWNLOAD FILE to delete
some of your selected downloads.
You can also select which kind of download protocol you wish
to use. The program defaults to YMODEM BATCH, and I recommend you
leave it as that. However, you may use whichever protocol you
feel most comfortable with.
Make sure the disk with your FLASH! program is in the drive,
then select SAVE DOWNLOAD DO FILE. You will be asked if you want
to stay on GENIE or hang up after you download. Click on
whichever you want to do. A DO file will then be created on your
FLASH disk.
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Now, go to FILE and QUIT. you are now back to TC_MENU.
Click on RUN FLASH!. FLASH! will run, execute the DO file,
download all the files you have selected, then return to TC_MENU,
quick as a wink!!!
JEEPERS THAT WAS QUICK AND EASY! BUT WAIT, THERE'S MUCH MUCH MORE!
Now that you've downloaded everything, you probably need to
de-ARC them. TC_COMPANION has a powerful DE_ARC utility! Run the
TC_COMPANION again. Under the ARC heading, you can select several
parameters. The default is to automatically make folders for the
ARCed files to go into, NOT erase the original ARCed files, and
NOT confirm each de-ARC. Change these as you want (although I
would recommend you only erase COPIES of your original downloaded
ARC files!). Now, select DE-ARC FILE(s). Follow the prompts.
You can de-ARC only selected files, or all the files in a
directory or sub-directory. The program will even automatically
create a new folder for you to place all your new de-ARCed files
into! Nifty, eh?
SO WHAT ELSE?
TC COMPANION has all sorts of other neat utilities, like Copy
files, delete files, make/delete folders, rename files, read Text
files, and ARC files. They're all pretty self-explanatory. If
you have any questions, register and I'll answer them!
SUPPORT AND THE FUTURE.
When you register your software, you will be sent a new disk
with any current ehancements/bug fixes, those nasty ALERT boxes
gone, and information on how to reach me by phone, and where to
call by BBS for future upgrades.
This is the ONLY version of TC COMPANION that will be
released to the general public. All future enhancements will be
available ONLY to registered owners! Some of these enhancements
that I have in mind are:
* Support for quick capturing of new messages and topics in
the message base
* Support for the new ST-TALK PROFESSIONAL Script Language
* Improved COPY FILES function
* Support for more than 5 Roundtables
* Whatever else may pop-up!
Page 7
Remember, the only way to get the upgrade is to register! I
firmly believe that if you use TC COMPANION, you will SAVE MONEY
by using less time while browsing and downloading. And with
GENIE, time is money, so you should make up the registration fee
in no time flat! So, what are ya waiting for?? Fill out the form
and send it in!
Thanks,
John Hickey
(GENIE ID: J.HICKEY) (Write Me!)