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GIFTXT.DOC
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1992-09-12
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GIFTxt version 1.0 User Documentation
(c) Copyright 1992 by Tim Kilgore
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Protected Under Missouri General Copyright Laws
< FREEWARE >
What it Be -
GIFTxt is, as far as I am aware, a first in BBSing. GIFTxt scans
GIF files for internal comments and exports these comments to a
text file or directly into MSI's WILDCAT file database.
Disclaimer <sigh> -
YOU USE GIFTXT.EXE AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE AUTHOR WILL NOT BE HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES, INTENTIONAL, UNINTENTIONAL, OR OTHERWISE.
YOUR USE OF GIFTXT.EXE INDICATES YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THESE TERMS.
Using GIFTxt -
Typing GIFTxt and pressing enter will summon a help screen. This
screen details the four modes of operation. If you are in hurry,
try this now.
GIFTxt has 4 operational modes, 3 of which are WILDCAT! specific
and require WILDCAT! system files to be present before the mode
will function correctly.
Here is the calling syntax for each of the four modes:
* GIFTXT all Scans ALL WC! file areas
* GIFTXT drv:\path\filename.GIF SCANFILE.BAT mode for WC!
* GIFTXT a=nn Scans a single WC! file area
GIFTXT CDROM Dumps output to a text file
for later processing.
* (WC! mode, must be executed from the main WC subdirectory.)
The ALL mode -
Calling syntax: GIFTXT all
GIFTxt will cycle through all WC file areas and secondary file
areas scanning for matching *.GIF files. When it locates a file,
it scans the file for a comment.
Once a complete area is scanned, GIFTxt will summon MSI's WCFILE.EXE
if comments have been found. WCFILE will perform the actual job of
inserting the comments. GIFTxt will then proceed to the next file
area until all file areas have been processed.
This mode will make use of the WCNODEID environment variable. It
is not required, though. File sharing is active.
The SCANFILE mode -
Calling syntax: GIFTXT drv:\path\filename.GIF
GIFTxt extracts the drive and path information from the command-
line and compares this to the information contained in FILEAREA.DAT.
If a match is made, GIFTxt will scan the GIF for a comment and
summon WCFILE to insert the comment.
This mode makes use of the WCNODEID environment variable if it is
available. File sharing is active.
To use GIFTXT as a part of your SCANFILE.BAT, add the following
lines to SCANFILE.BAT
CD\WC30
GIFTXT %1
The FILEAREA mode -
Calling syntax: GIFTXT a=nnn (where nnn is replaced by digits)
GIFTxt will scan FILEAREA.DAT and extracts record number nnn. This
record contains all path information for a corresponding file area.
GIFTxt will use the path information to scan all subdirectories
attached to a give file area. If GIF's are found, GIFTxt scans
the GIF file for comments and (if necessary) summons WCFILE to
insert the comments into the WC file database.
This mode make use of the WCNODEID environment variable if it is
available. File sharing is active.
The CDROM mode -
Calling syntax: GIFTXT CDROM
This is the only mode than does not use WILDCAT! system files and
and may be used from any subdirectory as a result.
GIFTxt will scan the current subdirectory for *.GIF files that
contain comments. If one or more are found, you'll be prompted for
an path/filename to use for an output file.
The output file uses the following format:
[ 1-12 ] [ 15 - ?? -------------------------------------->
FILENAME.EXT resxres COMMENT LINE 1.............................
COMMENT LINE 2.....................................
etc, etc...........................................
The output is suitable for use with MSI's WCFILE.EXE and will be
useful to any WILDCAT sysop with a CD-ROM. This mode may also allow
other BBS systems to utilize GIFTxt.
This mode is also useful if you are uncertain if you want to use
GIF comments as file descriptions. It can be used safely to create
a preview.
NOTE: GIFTxt does NOT format the text in any way. Lines can easily
exceed 80 columns.
Comment Manipulation -
GIFTxt does NOT send all lines of a description to output files or
to WildCat!. GIFTxt intentionally strips copyright information
and distribution notices. The end viewer can read these things
once he downloads the file.
GIFTxt also strips "FILENAME:" and "TITLE:" lines since this gets
redundant and boring. GIFTxt also strips blank lines since they
are not needed (or even used) by WildCat!.
GIFTxt adds the resolution of the GIF to the first line of the file
description. Note that the color palette information is NOT added.
(GIFTxt will add "640x480" for a 640x480x256 GIF file.)
Operational Limitations and Notes -
Speed was a major concern during the design of GIFTxt. I made several
very small concessions to functionality to improve performance.
First, GIFTxt will scan only files that are 4000+ bytes in size.
Smaller GIF's are ignored.
Second, GIF's that have comments greater than 3500 bytes will be
skipped. GIFTxt starts looking for a comment at FILE_SIZE - 3500.
This means that GIFTxt doesn't have to read the entire file looking
for a comment that would be too long to be included as a BBS
description anyhow.
GIFTxt uses file locking/sharing as needed making it safe for use
in multinode environments. No WC! system files are EVER opened in
a WRITE or READ/WRITE mode.
Real-world Limitations -
You'll soon discover that _very_ few GIF's have comments. GIF's
originating on CIS tend to have nice descriptions added to them,
but very few other sources make use of GIF comments.
I think that a good explaination for this is that nothing has
every really made use of GIF comments except after the GIF is
downloaded and is already in the hands of an individual. By then it
really doesn't matter too much. GIFTxt might help to change that
since a long description should help to 'sell' the GIF to the
intended audience.
Creation Tools used -
GIFTxt was written in 100% MicroSoft PDS BASIC 7.1 (aka QBX). No
external libs or routines were used. This means that if it's broke,
it can and will be fixed.
About the Author -
He smokes too much, drinks too little, but is an otherwise decent
joe that usually writes a program because he wants it _just_ so.
In Closing -
GIFTxt was an accident. I didn't plan on writing it, but I stumbled
across a GIF that had a desciption and got curious. My BBS, the ><,
has thousands of GIF's, so rather than use a viewer to sloooowly
find GIF's with comments, I wrote a little tool just to locate them.
Well, the tool was ok, but it would have been nicer to see the comment
without shelling to another program. So I added a display and dumping
it to a file was just a little more work. Anyhow, things continued to
escalate and GIFTxt just sorta happened.
If GIFTxt doesn't work, needs a new feature, or something else has
rattled your can and ya gotta talk about it, you can contact the author
at -
Planet ><
1:289/5
314.443.0319 HST/DS
If you are an author and are using GIFTxt, SDIZ, SDIZ2, or any other
FREEWARE util that I've written, you might think about sending me a
registered copy of whatever fabtabulous program(s) you've written.
It'd be a nice way of saying thanks and would probably earn you a
gratis registration of one of my mega-wunnferful pay-to-play programs.
Trading is inexpensive and fun...
One More Thing -
I need beta testers. Bad! GIFTxt had _no_ testing because I can't
find a soul to beta test.
If you've got a v.32 or HST modem, a netmailer, and want to beta test
utils and doors (games, mostly), then talk to me. Please.
Send netmail to 1:289/5 and include a voice number and a convienant
time range (6pm-10pm, whatever) for me to call you.