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MAKE-LST.DOC Page:1
MAKE-LST Version 1.00
The Most Powerful Master File List Creation Utility
Copyright (C) 1992 Lightning Software, All Rights Reserved
Written And Coded By Robert L. Folmer
** Support Board: Software Express (404) 941-2822 **
Warranty
========
MAKE-LST 1.00 is distributed without warranty. In no event
will Lightning Software be liable to you for any damages from
running this program. Including any loss of profits, lost
savings, or other incidental or consequential damages arising
out of your use of or inability to use the program, even if
Lightning Software or a authorized representative has been
advised of the possibility of such damages.
Lightning Software will not be liable for any such claim by
any other party. All risk associated with using this program
are the complete responsibility of the user.
Introduction
============
MAKE-LST is a powerful utility for use with most any Bulletin Board
System that uses standard ASCII directory listing files, among these
include RBBS-PC (using standard .DIR ASCII files), TriBBS, PCBoard
plus thousands of others. MAKE-LST (short for Make-List) allows you
to generate a complete master file listing for your users to download
and view in their own individual time, it's not your ordinary file
list utility! Here are just a few of it's many useful features:
- FAST processing! MAKE-LST is capable of processing up to 10,000
files within one minute, of course this does vary with different
CPU processors.
- High speed CPU timer clock routines, assure that you won't be
waiting for MAKE-LST.
- Supports up to a total of 50 file categories (not files) which
allows you to categorize your files as they are on your system.
- Supports an unlimited number of files, MAKE-LST is capable of
processing an unlimited number of files, which means it can
process how many ever files you have with no worries on future
expansion.
- Includes handy sort utility, that sorts file listings by name,
keeps your file listings up to date.
- Direct support for RBBS-PC (using standard .DIR ASCII files),
TriBBS, PCBoard and many more, supports any system that uses
standard ASCII text file directory listings for each file
MAKE-LST.DOC Page:2
category.
- Written in QuickBasic 4.5 for speed and memory optimization.
- Easy to use and requires no maintenance.
As you can see from above MAKE-LST has numerous features, it's also
very easy to install and get running! Please remember that MAKE-LST
is distributed under the shareware concept, and requires registration
for continued use, MAKE-LST is the result of hundreds of hours and
deserves your support. The evaluation version of MAKE-LST is a fully
functioning software package, rather than disable any of the programs
features MAKE-LST has been distributed completely functional and
therefore generates all file lists, however there are a few
restrictions, the unregistered version of MAKE-LST cannot be run
as a nightly event, and contains unregistered notices throughout
the software and in the lists it generates. Registering MAKE-LST will
get rid of all of these restrictions and will be registered in your
(or your BBS's) name which will then be displayed to your callers.
There are also many other registration benefits, please see the
section titled "Registration" in this users guide for complete
details. Thank you for using MAKE-LST!
Installation
============
Installing MAKE-LST is very simple and straight forward, there are
only a few installation steps necessary before use. To begin you
must first select where you would like to install MAKE-LST, the
program can be run from a floppy diskette based system, a hard disk
drive or a RAM disk, in all respects it is recommended that MAKE-LST
be installed on a hard disk drive or a RAM disk, use of a floppy disk
based system is not recommended. MAKE-LST can also be placed in a
path statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, doing so allows you to run
the program without first having to change to the directory it's files
reside in. This guide assumes you are installing MAKE-LST on a hard
disk drive.
To install, create a directory to hold all of the MAKE-LST files,
then uncompress the MAKE-LST archive into the newly created directory.
There are a few configuration files which must be made before MAKE-LST
can be used, first you must create a main configuration file, the
format of this file is shown below, you may name the file anything
you wish (MAKE-LST.CFG is recommended).
MAKE-LST.CFG Format:
Software Express - The name of your BBS as it will
appear to your callers.
Hardware & System Utilities - List all of your file categories
Entertainment here, 1 per line, 50 lines
Communications & Protocols maximum. List only the title
DOS & General File Utilities of each area here.
Magazine Files & Misc
MAKE-LST.DOC Page:3
NOTE! THERE SHOULD BE NO BLANK LINES IN MAKE-LST.CFG!
The next step is to create a directory locations configuration file,
this files purpose is to tell MAKE-LST where each directory listing
is located and their filename, these directories should be in the
order you listed the category names in MAKE-LST.CFG. Here again this
file may be named anything you wish (DIR.CFG is recommended).
DIR.CFG Format:
C:\BBS\FILES\SYSTEM\FILES.LST - List all of your file and
C:\BBS\FILES\ENTAIN\FILES.LST directory list locations here,
C:\BBS\FILES\COMM_PRO\FILES.LST include the full path and
C:\BBS\FILES\UTILITY\FILES.LST filename of each list. 1 per
C:\BBS\FILES\MAG_MISC\FILES.LST line, 50 lines maximum. These
should be entered in the order
of the categories you entered
in the MAKE-LST.CFG file above.
NOTE! THERE SHOULD BE NO BLANK LINES IN DIR.CFG!
After completing the above steps, MAKE-LST is completely setup and
ready for operation! The next section details how to start and use
the MAKE-LST master file list creation utility.
Running MAKE-LST
================
MAKE-LST uses several command line parameters for the greatest
flexibility, the following shows the MAKE-LST command line syntax:
Command Line Syntax:
MAKE-LST [full path & name of config file] [full path & name of
directory locations file] [optional master file list name defaults to
'MASTER.LST' if no name given]
As an example, if you have installed MAKE-LST in a directory of
C:\MAKE-LST, you could run the program with the following command
line, this example will name the master file listing BBS.LST, if you
do not specify a name of the list to generate, MAKE-LST uses
MASTER.LST.
MAKE-LST C:\MAKE-LST\MAKE-LST.CFG C:\MAKE-LST\DIR.CFG BBS.LST
Note: If running MAKE-LST in the same directory as it's configuration
files reside, it is un-necessary to enter a path, the only time
this procedure is necessary is when running MAKE-LST from
a path with the configuration files located in another
directory.
Remember that MAKE-LST always creates a file listing in the current
directory, so if MAKE-LST was installed in your path and you run the
program from the C:\BBS directory, the output file listing would
MAKE-LST.DOC Page:4
reside in the C:\BBS directory. MAKE-LST always deletes the old
listing if it exist before creating a new master list. DO NOT include
any pathname when specifying a master file list! MAKE-LST is designed
to generate it's file list in the current directory the program is
run from, list ONLY the filename of the file list you want generated.
Using The T-SORT Utility
========================
T-SORT is a "quick and simple" utility that has been included with
MAKE-LST, it's purpose is to sort your file listings by filename,
T-SORT is intended for use only with file listings which have only
the filename in column 1, it does not sort by date, T-SORT should
not be used on systems having multiline file descriptions, since
all data would appear throughout the listing in the wrong order.
Using T-SORT will allow you to keep your file listings up to date
in alphabetic order, doing so allows your callers to find files
much quicker and easier. T-SORT is a command line driven utility
which has 3 arguments passed to it, the format is as follows:
T-SORT [input file name] [output file name] [/r (optional)]
The [input file name] should be the full path and filename of a ASCII
file list to sort, and [output file name] should be the full path and
filename of the output sorted file list. And finally the /r is an
optional switch that lets you specify whether sorting should be
performed in reverse order, T-SORT normally sorts files from top to
bottom (A-Z), using this switch forces T-SORT to sort from bottom to
top (Z-A), this is an optional switch, if not specified, T-SORT will
perform sorting in top to bottom fashion (this is the recommended
order).
It is important to note that T-SORT requires the DOS utility SORT
to sort files properly, the T-SORT utility requires information
output from SORT in order to write sorted data correctly to the
target file. SORT should be installed either in the same directory
T-SORT is run from, or somewhere in your path.
T-SORT should not be used on the master file listing MAKE-LST
generates, if you would like the files sorted in the master listing
run T-SORT to sort your original directory listings first, then run
MAKE-LST.
T-SORT can handle files as large as 64K.
T-SORT is not limited to processing file listings, you may use T-SORT
on any ASCII text file that you want sorted in alphabetic order.
T-SORT is a free utility included with MAKE-LST and does not require
registration to use. However it is part of the MAKE-LST software and
should be distributed only with MAKE-LST and never distributed by
itself.
Registration
============
MAKE-LST.DOC Page:5
MAKE-LST 1.00 is being distributed under the shareware concept,
you are free to use this product for a period of 30 days after
which you must either register the program or discontinue it's use.
Registration is only $10.00, registering MAKE-LST allows you to run
the utility during a nightly event for completely automated
processing, and removes the "Hit [ENTER]" prompt appearing when
processing has completed, registration also removes all unregistered
notices seen throughout the software and in the master file listings
MAKE-LST generates. When you register MAKE-LST you will receive a
fully functional registered version of the software registered in
your (or your BBS's) name, your registration number will then
appear when running MAKE-LST and displayed within the master file
list MAKE-LST generates on your choice of 3 1/2" or 5 1/4" diskette,
complete printed documentation, the latest version, updates to all
future releases and complete lifetime product support. To register
your copy please complete the included form (REGISTER.FRM), and
return it to the address on the form.
Questions And Or Comments
=========================
If you have questions or comments about this or any other
Lightning Software product, please write to the address below
or call the Lightning Software support BBS (Software Express)
at (404) 941-2822 24 hours a day.
Lightning Software
P.O. Box 177
Lithia Springs, Ga 30057