T R I M
                       
                     Version 3.0
                    December 1992
            (c)1990-1992 Arrow Software

Trim is a simple but remarkably useful utility which will
remove, or  'Trim', all or part of a directory tree. Trim
will delete any specified directory and all the files and
sub-directories contained therein.

Trim is also useful for erasing ALL files and directories
on a  floppy disk  which  is  much  quicker  than  either
manually deleting the files or re-formatting the disk.

Although Trim  is useful  for removing single directories
and their files, a good example of Trims ability would be
the  removal  of  a  complex  software  product  such  as
Borlands excellent  Turbo C++  package. This package - if
installed using the defaults - creates the 15 directories
shown below.

                     C:\
                     |---TC
                     |  |---BIN
                     |  |---INCLUDE
                     |  |   +---SYS
                     |  |---LIB
                     |  |---BGI
                     |  |---TOUR
                     |  |---CLASSLIB
                     |  |   |---EXAMPLES
                     |  |   |---INCLUDE
                     |  |   |---LIB
                     |  |   +---SOURCE
                     |  +---EXAMPLES
                     |      |---STARTUP
                     |      +---TCALC
                     V

Removing this  manually would  require some  considerable
effort using some THIRTY normal MS-DOS commands since all
the files  in each  directory  would  first  have  to  be
deleted before  repeated RemDir commands could be used to
remove each  directory in  turn. Trim however will remove
the entire tree with just one command:- TRIM TC


 *    Note that  Trim ALWAYS prompts for confirmation
 *    at least  once before  starting to  delete  any
 *    file or directory!    Trim is invoked in one of
 *    three ways.


i)   TRIM
     
     This  will   Trim  from  the  root  of  the  current
     directory. For example - if you are in the directory
     C:\TP5\ALPHA then  Trim will  assume that  the  \TP5
     tree is to be removed.


ii)  TRIM ZAPPA
     
     Trim  will  assume  that  you  wish  to  remove  the
     directory tree under \ZAPPA


iii)  TRIM E:

     Trim will  assume that  you wish  to erase ALL files
     and directories on drive E:
     
     
     
Note that Trim has no regard for System, Hidden, or Write
protected files.  Trim  was designed  to provide  a quick
and  efficient  way  of  removing  directories  and files.
Quick it is! TAKE CARE.


Note also  that if  you should Trim the directory you are
currently in  - the  program will  move you  to the  Root
directory of the current disk.


WIPE
----

TRIM accepts one extra command line switch which is /WIPE
and causes Trim to not only erase files, but to overwrite
the space that they  occupied.  This was added in version
2.2 of Trim  as an extra security feature.  The files are
over-written with $F6's which is the value used by the Ms
disk formatter.  The wipe option was added for use during
a software audit recently carried out so that software 
could be 'properly' erased from a disk.

Eg:-
       TRIM C:\MYCPROGS /WIPE

The wipe option not only over-writes files before erasing
them, it also renames the file to a string of E5h's as
used by Dos when deleting a file. Therefore it is impossible
to tell what the file which has been wiped was originally
called. This is also true for directories.


INSTALLING TRIM
---------------------------------------------------------
This couldn't be easier. simply copy the TRIM.EXE file to
any directory listed in your PATH statment.


SHAREWARE
---------------------------------------------------------
This utility is offered to you under the shareware principle.
If you like it, then be a decent member of the computing
community and send 15 UK Pounds to Arrow Software. In return,
you'll receive the next copy of Trim for free. (See below)


LIABILITY
---------------------------------------------------------
Whilst great care has been taken to ensure that this program
functions as described, Arrow Software will not be held
responsible for any damages arising from the direct or indirect
use of this program.


TRIM version 4
---------------------------------------------------------
Work is currently under way on Trim version 4 which gives
the ability to only trim a part of a directory tree. Using
the directory structure shown above, Trim 4 would allow you
for example to Trim just the CLASSLIB directory and those
below it.  Register Trim 3 and you will automatically receive
a registered version of Trim 4.

Comments, suggestions etc are welcomed either to the address
below or via e-mail to   roysan@uxb.liverpool.ac.uk

          TRIM is copyright (c)1990-92 Arrow Software

                          Arrow Software
                          25 Cleveley Road
                          Calderstones
                          Liverpool
                          L18 9UN

                         - END -