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1995-03-24
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= NewDayPC - Mike Ratledge, 995 Buck Hall Landing, McClellanville, S.C. 29464 =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
= Version 4.90 - Released March 24th, 1995 - (C) CopyRight 1989 thru 1995 =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This program performs similar functions, and accepts the same
datafiles as "Today" (Patricks Kincaid's original history program).
I wrote "NewDayPC" because I really liked Patrick's program, but was
unable to use it on my BBS due to file-sharing conflicts. At the
time I released "Today/PC II vers 1.0", Patrick had not changed his
program in several years, I (not anyone else) was able to contact him
for many months (years?), and I assumed it was a "dead" project for
him. However, Patrick did release follow-up versions (latest being
TODAY version 2.3?), and decided that my program's name was "too
similar." So, as of version 4.0, I renamed Today/PC II to
NewDay/PC.
Although I've never had a serious bug reported by any user of
Newday/PC, it is possible that some unexpected combination of events
may produce an error! If this does happen, Newday/PC automatically
does a traceback through stack code to show the calling procedure
tree and addresses. Please include this information if you report a
bug! (It appears similar to the error message normally seen in a
failed "Turbo Pascal" program, except it will contain at least three
or four sets of codes instead of one address & error number.)
This program is part of a series of utilities for TComm Bulletin
Board SysOps. The program originally designed by Patrick Kincaid
known as "Today" (which was written in 1986) was my inspiration. I
have taken his concept and extended it to accommodate my needs as a
SysOp. It works equally well as a 'stand-alone' program for personal
use, as long as you have an ANSI.SYS-compatible device driver in your
CONFIG.SYS file (see 'updates to version 4.9, below).
My original version corrected some drawbacks with Kincaid's
original Today.
. Handles files larger than 50K
. Handles more than 60 entries per date
. Incorporates full DOS 3+ (network-compatible) file-sharing
for the multi-user Bulletin Board Systems
The filesize isn't limitted at all, in fact - you can use as large a
database as you wish, with as many entries per day as you can find!
Multiple concurrent accesses to databases are supported for
networks, as well. Note that in a multi-user environment, it would
be unadvisable to use the "ONCE" option and expect it to work with
any consistency, since multiple stations would update the file
timestamp.
The actual data displayed by "Newday/PC" is taken from files
compiled by Bruce T Goldman and Robert Braunwart. These files are
distributed on bulletin boards as DAY9*.ARC. All the formats &
parameters in the original program ("TODAY") written by Patrick,
work the same as before. There are many new parameters, as well (See
below). The basic coding of the input database is discussed later
in this document. I also explain the new features and coding
changes. Type "NEWDAYPC HELP" for a fast "tutorial."
In order to keep the archive size down to a minimum, I only
include the program and docs. The TODAY database files are
available for download from many bulletin board at numbers below.
NOTE:
I use a simple parsing routine to check the command-line
parameters, and I don't recognize mixed-case parameters - just all
upper- or lower-case letters on the command-line. Color parameters
may be mixed upper and lower, though.
Listing of enhancements in reverse order...
Changes in version 4.9: (Mar 24, 1995)
Version 4.9 is a complete rewrite of "NewDay/PC" from the ground up,
and it's the first new version released since Hurricane Hugo destroyed
the source-code and both my homes September 21st, 1989. It basically
should work exactly like 4.5, but the "A.S.P." author logos have been
removed and method of payment can no longer be 'plastic' - I have not
been able to justify keeping the "Merchant Account" open. Please send
a personal check or a bank-check (or money order) written in US$ payable
on a bank in the US, or a postal money order. A small temporary fix in
the form of "EAT-WHYS.EXE" is included to strip any "Y" type database
entries from Bruce Goldman's latest (by my records "DAY908-x.ZIP" where
'x' is '1' thru '6') version which are not properly supported by this
version, although version 5.0 will correct this problem. Run "EAT-WHYS"
once - it will 'clean' your TODAY.xxx databases until I get a chance to
implement the changes necessary to support this new functionality. (I
expect version 5.0 will be out mid-year, time allowing) Note that since
NewDay/PC was originally written for usage by bulletin boards, currently
it requires an ANSI.SYS (or replacement) driver to be loaded in your
CONFIG.SYS file. You may eliminate this necessity (although you will
also eliminate color output) by putting "NOCOLOR" on the command-line.
Version 5 will work with or without an ANSI.SYS-compatible device driver
so it can be used as a BBS door or a free-standing program equally well.
If you're not a documentation reader and anxious to just use the program
type "NEWDAYPC /?" for command-line options and you're off! Remember -
if you get updated databases, and version 5 still isn't available, you
will need to run "EAT-WHYS.EXE" again (once). It doesn't actually take
any entries out - just makes NewDay/PC ignore those it doesn't handle
properly... (and is reversible when 5.0 comes out!)
Changes in version 4.5: (Feb 5, 1989)
Version 4.5 basically incorporates two changes: the addition of
three new event catagories - "H" for Holidays, "I" for Religious
occurances and "D" for deaths. This allows the database to be
further diversified with many more events, without lumping them all
into one category. Bruce Goldman is going to issue completely new
version 9, TODAY.xxx files, all of which are available on EBX (phone
numbers above) to go with this version. Secondly, I fixed the "span
date" feature so that it works even if the beginning of the period
is not in the current months (that's a *feature* - Nope! That was a
bug <grin>...). Note that the limiting used by the randomizing code
still only effects types "B" (birthdates) and type "S" historical
events.
I have also expanded the header data to accept up to 72 characters
to permit use of ansi-color.
Also, there is code added specifically for use with TComm/TCommNet
systems which detects whether or not the caller is in ANSI Color
mode or not. If the current caller on the BBS is not in color mode,
the display is in all black and white.
What's new in version 4.0: (Oct 16, 1988)
Name Change (NewDay/PC) Starting with version 4.0, this program
has been renamed "NewDay/PC" in order to cause less confusion with
Patrick Kincaid's Today program.
Slight Mod: (Check for .EXE) Since I have renamed the program
"NEWDAYPC" I now look for either NEWDAYPC.EXE or TODAY.EXE instead
of TODAY & TODAYPC2 .EXE files for the file-sharing test. In other
words - you can rename this program "TODAY.EXE" and the file-sharing
check still works - but you can't use the old "TODAYPC2.EXE" name
any more - it doesn't check for that one. This only effects people