Cream of the Crop 4/Cream of the Crop 4.iso/readme.1st

Text File | 1994-07-25 | 19KB | 348 lines

                         Thank you for purchasing:

                            Cream of the Crop 4

                              Distributed by:

                               Terry Blount

                           Voice - 205-824-2552
                            BBS - 205-824-2611
                           Fidonet - 1:3625/441

                            Table of contents:

 1.   Important notice about shareware.
 2.   Cream.exe - the file view and retrieval program.
 3.   Notes on file compression.
 4.   A couple extra features!
 5.   A word of caution.
 6.   BBS support programs: AnyStyle, MX_Cream.exe SF_Cream.exe
      QB_Cream.exe RA_Cream.exe PC_Cream.exe PB_Cream.exe
 7.   Groups of files were not included on this disc.
 8.   Notes on the classification/cataloging of topics.


                         ************************
                             IMPORTANT NOTICE
                         ************************

 "Shareware" is a concept where you have an opportunity to try a software
 program before  you  buy  it.  Shareware  is  comparable  to  commercial
 software in quality, but not usually in  price.  Shareware  is  normally
 much less expensive because the author has not spent the many thousands,
 even millions,  of  dollars  on  advertising  that  commercial  software
 companies do. Thus, the overhead is much less  and  your  cost  reflects
 this. If you use a shareware program for a reasonable period of time you
 are required to register it. Please honor the author's registration  fee
 and register the programs you use. Many shareware programs  on  this  cd
 required hundred's of hours to develop. Many of the programs you will be
 using were written by authors who fully depend on the support of  honest
 users to continue making affordable software.   Your  registration  does
 count! ...not only to the author and his/her family, but also  when  you
 register there are usually many additional benefits that are available.


        *** Information on the file view and retrieval program  ***


                                CREAM.exe

 This is a view and retrieval program that will assist you in  retrieving
 and  viewing the files on this disk,  along with their size,  date,  and
 description. To run this program, simply type "Cream" and  press  enter.
 There is no setup required. Cream.exe is in the directory with this file
 you are reading now. You can exit Cream.exe at any time by pressing your
 escape key. Cream.exe is NOT for use for any purpose  outside  this  cd.
 Please do not place it for download on a BBS.

                     Features and notes on Cream.exe:

 a. This version is mouse aware. Most commands and features can  be  used
 with a mouse. You can make selections from any menu  and  when  you  are
 viewing a file listing you can place the cursor on the left  scroll  bar
 and click once to jump to that position in the listing.

 b. You can mark up to 13 files to copy or  uncompress  at  once  from  a
 single area to a specific target directory on your hard drive.  You  can
 mark the files with the space bar or + key or click  your  mouse  twice.
 When you press enter you will be prompted to type the  target  directory
 to copy or uncompress the tagged files.  Protection is incorporated into
 the uncompress option to prevent accidentally overwriting your Autoexec.
 bat and Config.sys   ...therefore you cannot uncompress any files to the
 root directory of your C: drive.

 c. When you are viewing an area you can press the first  letter  of  the
 name of the files you want to view and jump  to  that  position  in  the
 listing immediately. This feature also works as a file  search  utility.
 After you press the first letter the next letter you press  will  go  to
 the second character of the file name... etc. If there is  no  match  or
 you press your tab key you will clear the buffer and begin a new search.

 d. If you press enter when there are  no  files  tagged  you  will  have
 additional options available. One of these options is a key word  search
 in the file description field. This function is  intuitive.  Just  enter
 the word(s) you want to locate in the descriptions and  each  line  with
 the occurrence of the word will be marked with an asterisk (*) in column
 #23. You may repeat this process several time or clear your markers  and
 start over. This search is not case sensitive.

 e.  While viewing the opening index of the file categories you will have
 the option to load the entire listing and browse an alphabetized listing
 of all files or search for a specific file name.   Because  this  option
 loads the entire listing of every  file  on  the  cd  and  most  of  the
 description into memory this option may take a few moments on slower rom
 drives.  However  when the list is loaded the search feature  is  almost
 instant.


                        Notes on File Compression

 The programs on this cd are compressed with Pkzip from  Pkware  Inc.  If
 you use Pkware for any purpose other than the one  provided  to  extract
 files from this cd from within Cream.exe you are  required  to  register
 your own copy.

 The programs on this and other shareware  cd  discs  are  compressed  in
 order to save space and keep all the necessary  support  files  together
 with the program that needs them  to  run.  Compression  also  makes  it
 possible to include the same amount of data that would  require 3  or  4
 cds in an uncompressed format.

 Many authors do not allow their programs to  be  distributed  under  the
 shareware concept if they are not compressed - without  the  distributor
 paying a fee for each disc distributed. This is because they  know  that
 it is unlikely they will ever receive  any  registration  from  programs
 that are distributed in a format that is already set  up  and  ready  to
 run. Please support the shareware concept and register the programs that
 you use.

                            An Extra Feature!

 The files on this cd include the description inside the ZIP comment. You
 can simply run "Pkunzip <filename> -c ="  to read the description of any
 file.  This  feature makes it simple to build a description list of  the
 files that have been removed from this disc.  The following command will
 build a description listing of all the files that have been removed from
 Cream of the Crop:            Pkunzip * -c = >  filename

 Note:  "Filename"  is the name of the file you wish to direct the output
 into.  I have included a program named "TrimOut.exe" that can be used to
 remove then nonessential information from a  rebuilt description file to
 only leave the file name and description.   Execute  "TrimOut"  with the
 name of the description file you have built as the first parameter. Your
 work will be saved under the same file name except an "!" will begin the
 new file name.  Example:  "TrimOut Files.bbs" ...will save the work into
 a new file named  !files.bbs.

 Also included in the root directory is a program named AVGage.exe. This
 program will calculate the average date of ALL the ZIP files on a cdrom
 disc and return the average age/date of the disc. This utility can also
 be used to find the average date of a group of files in a  subdirectory
 or on a hard drive. To use this utility in that manner place it in  you
 path and change to the directory you wish to process.

                            A Word of Caution

 All risks involved with using the programs on this cd are assumed by you
 alone. Some programs on this cd, especially those  that  manipulate  the
 data on your hard drive, (ie. optimizers and low level disk  management)
 can potentially cause loss of data. Be careful!  Reading  the  docs  and
 taking serious the warnings is the only reasonable thing to do.

                           BBS Support Programs

 If you run a Maximus, Proboard, Remote Access, Quick  BBS,  PcBoard,  or
 Spitfire BBS one of the following programs  may?  automatically  set  up
 this disk for your bbs file database structure in  only a  few  minutes.
 Since the file base structures used by these BBS's change so often it is
 likely that some of these programs may work only on the older  versions.
 ALL of these programs will AUTOMATICALLY copy (and correctly format) the
 Files.bbs from this cd to suit the structure of your bbs  and  increment
 the file names, placing the "Files.<x>" ( or File<XX>.bbs in some cases)
 into the directory you specify. Please backup your file data base before
 you run any of these programs. For an extra  precaution,  you  can  copy
 your file databases to a temporary  directory  and  use  your  temporary
 directory to set up this disk. If the setup  is  satisfactory  when  you
 view it with your BBS management program (or text editor) then  you  can
 copy it to your BBS home directory. These programs are NOT  to  be  used
 outside the scope of this cd rom disk. Please  do  not  place  them  for
 download on a bbs.

                               AnyStyle.exe

 If you run a BBS software that was not mentioned above this utility will
 build file listing in almost _ANY_ format.   You may want to convert the
 file descriptions into your favorite format even if you don't run a BBS.
 This utility will do that.  You have numerous of combinations of options
 to choose from.   You can  include  or  exclude  the file size, and date
 columns or commas in the file sizes. But the best feature is the options
 to format the extended descriptions as you like...  including  insertion
 of control characters.   You also have 3 options as to the style of file
 naming incrementing. Even with all these options it is still very simple
 to operate.  Just execute  "AnyStyle"  from the directory with this file
 you are reading now and answer the questions.

                               MX_Cream.exe

 This is the program to set up  Maximus  BBS.  Actually  it  builds  your
 "Filearea.ctl" control file then you can run FB to compile the  changes.
 It is important that your Filearea.ctl be correctly  formatted  so  that
 the last area can be located to provide accurate file  naming  when  the
 Files.bbs are reformatted and copied to your  fixed  media  path.  "Area
 <X>" MUST begin on column #1 (at least  for  the  last  record  in  your
 Filearea.ctl  control file).  Sorry  only   numeric   incrimination   is
 supported. (ie. The  format:  Area  A,  Area  B,  Area  C,  etc  is  NOT
 supported.) This program has several added options that will be  obvious
 to you when you run it. You may want to read the section  of  your  docs
 that explains the advantages and disadvantages  of  including  the  file
 size and date column before you execute this program and  have  to  make
 that decision.

                               SF_Cream.exe

 This is the program to set up Spitfire BBS. You will need  to  know  the
 path  to  your  Sffarea.dat  file  and  your  display  directory   where
 "Sffiles.<x>" will be placed, before you run this program.  The extended
 descriptions  will  be  automatically  formatted  with  the  #2  control
 character for Spitfire when the Sffiles.<x> are being  created  in  your
 display directory.

                               QB_Cream.exe

 This is the program to set up Quick BBS. You will need to know the  path
 to your Filecfg.dat and your "File list" path directory before  you  run
 this program. When you use this program you will be given an  option  to
 override the default and  select a  different  record  number  to  begin
 setting up this disc. This option is dangerous if you do not  understand
 its purpose.  If you have a empty record in your  file  data  base  (the
 area name description field is keyed on to determine  an  empty  record)
 QB_Cream will will find it first and assume that it has reached the  end
 of your file settings. This record number will be  the  default  setting
 used to begin setting up this cd. You should know the record number that
 is your highest file area setting to verify (and correct  if  necessary)
 the default setting. This option to use  your  own  default  setting  to
 begin the setup of this cd is also useful if you wish to  _insert_  this
 cd in place of one you are removing.  The cd  you  are  removing  _MUST_
 have used at least 27 file areas  in  order  that  sufficient  space  be
 available to insert the 27 file areas on this disc  without  overwriting
 the next cd's file directory records.  If all this is unclear to you  it
 would be a good idea to call 205-824-2552 for support.

                               RA_Cream.exe

 This is the program to set up Remote Access version 2.0  or  later.  You
 will need to know the path to your Files.ra and your  "Alternative  file
 list path for read-only media" path before you run  this  program.  When
 you use this program you will be given an option to override the default
 and select a different record number to begin setting up this disc. This
 option is dangerous if you do not understand its purpose.  If you have a
 empty record in your file data base (the area name description field  is
 keyed on to determine an empty record) RA_Cream will will find it  first
 and assume that it has reached the  end  of  your  file  settings.  This
 record number will be the default setting used to begin setting up  this
 cd. You should know the record number that is  your  highest  file  area
 setting to verify (and correct if necessary) the default  setting.  This
 option to use your own default setting to begin the setup of this cd  is
 also useful if you wish to _insert_ this cd in  place  of  one  you  are
 removing.  The cd you are removing _MUST_ have used  at  least  27  file
 areas in order that sufficient space be available to insert the 27  file
 areas on this disc without overwriting  the  next  cd's  file  directory
 records.  If all this is unclear to you it would be a good idea to  call
 205-824-2552 for support.

                               PC_Cream.exe

 This is a simple program to _assist_ the setup of Pcboard BBS.  PC_Cream
 will copy the Files.bbs file listings to the directory of your choice on
 your hard drive * AND * increment the  file  listing  names,  ie.  Dir1,
 Dir2,  Dir3  etc.  The  extended  description  portion   of   the   file
 descriptions will be correctly formatted for Pcboard format. The listing
 of the file area descriptions is included (under the name DIR)  in  this
 directory.

                               PB_Cream.exe

 This is the program to set up a Proboard BBS. You will need to know  the
 path to your FileCfg.pro and the path to your "listing file"  directory.
 Since Proboard (and the structure for FileCfg.pro) is written C and this
 program is written in Pascal it is not easy to determine how  many  file
 areas you currently have setup. If you are currently  incrementing  your
 file listings in the File<x>.bbs naming  format  you  should  set  up  a
 separate directory for this program to place the file listings for Cream
 of the Crop III. The file listings will be named  File1.bbs,  File2.bbs,
 File3.bbs etc. and the corresponding path and names of these files  will
 be written to your FileCfg.pro. Remember to run  "Pbutil  FI"  when  you
 finish to reindex your file base.   It has been reported  that  Proboard
 cannot correctly display the filesize when commas are used. This program
 will remove the commas from the filesize.


 With  few  exceptions the following groups of files were  not  included:

 Files that were older than Sept. 93, sexually explicit (adult)  programs
 and text, newsletters and magazines (except  for a  few  that  contained
 programming code), pictures (gifs, fli, animation, fracturals, graphics,
 clipart, fonts, images, cartoons, ext), music (Cmf, Mid, Mod, Mus,  Rol,
 Voc, Wav, etc.) windows icons, Macintosh & Unix operating system support
 programs, demos, and ham radio.

 Files were cataloged under the following 29 categories:

    BATCH          CRAFTS         FAQ            PROGRAM        WINDOWS
    BBS            C_LANG         GAMES          RELIGION
    BUSINESS       DATABASE       KEYBOARD       SCIENCE
    CAD            DIAG           LAN            SCREEN
    CLIPPER        DISK           OS2            SOUND
    COMM           EDITOR         PASCAL         UTILITY
    COMPRESS       EDUCATE        PRINTER        VIRUS


 For the most part these directory names connotes the kinds of files that
 would be cataloged in them.  Here are a few additional notes about  some
 of the areas:

 BBS  -   ONLY a few  utilities  that  are  specific  for a  single  bbs
          program were included.  Programs  that  support  network  mail
          transfer and programs that manage cd rom drives were included.

 BUSINESS -  Spread  sheets,  Lotus,  Quattro   support   programs,  tax
             calculation,  payroll...  anything  dealing  with  money.

 DATABASE - Genealogy, zipcode, phone numbers, and other databases, Dbase
            III & IV and  Foxpro  support,  collector's databases,  etc.

 DISK     -  Menu programs for disk management,  including  tape  backup.

 EDITOR   -  Text editors with support/tips for word processing programs.

 EDUCATE  -  Educational programs including some text information  files.

 KEYBOARD -  Keyboard, mouse and other  input  device  support  programs.

 LAN      -  Every thing dealing with networking. Novel,  Lantastic  etc.

 SCIENCE  -  Science,  math,  measurement  conversion,  and  engineering.

 UTILITY  -  DOS replacement utilities and security encryption  programs.


                          For Shareware Authors

 If you are a programmer who would like to have your programs included on
 future releases of Cream of the Crop you can mail them  to  the  address
 below on a floppy disk or upload them to the bbs number  listed  at  the
 beginning of this doc.  This will insure that  the  latest  versions  of
 your unmodified programs are distributed.

                                Final Notes

 The files on this cd have been scanned for known viruses.  All  possible
 efforts were made  to  prevent  commercial  software  from  accidentally
 getting included on this disc. If you detect a virus or a  program  that
 is not released under the shareware concept, please report your  finding
 to Terry Blount at 205-824-255 or P.O. Box 36, Bayou La Batre, Al. 36509

                                Thank You.