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OS/2 Shareware BBS: 3 Comm
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1991-07-09
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This REXX program will convert messages captured
from IBM's NSC BBS into a format ready for compilation
by the IPFC compiler. Since this is my first crack at REXX,
this program is in no way complete and most likely not
the most efficient way to achieve these results.
However, most important to me, it works.
ASSUMPTIONS:
You have the IPFC compiler installed on your machine.
The following line in your config.sys (inserted by the toolkit during install)
ensures the compiler is found.
SET IPFC=C:\TOOLKT13\IPFC;
You have unzipped the captured message base. I thought of automating this,
however this introduces more variables than I wish to tackle at this time.
USAGE:
NSCTOIPF msgfile - If you don't enter the message file on the command line
you will be prompted.
This program will create a file in the format 19910707.IPF
which is ready to be compiled.
If you choose to have the file compiled, the output in this case would be
19910707.INF
You will then be given the chance to VIEW the compiled file.
After you are finished VIEWing the file, you will be asked if you want to delete
the IPF file. For myself I have automated the whole procedure without prompts,
including the deletion of the original text file. I did not want to make any
assumptions because we all know where that leads!
LIMITATIONS:
Currently this program will convert the IPFC special characters & and :
to their valid IPFC counterparts &. and &colon. This covers most of
the situations I have encountered. I am pursuing screening other strings
of illegal IPFC characters as I encounter them. Since the impact of these
other characters is minimal and the procedure is so slow to begin with
(even on a 486-33), I am not going to worry about these anomolies unless
they cause a problem.
I have not done any error checking to see if IPF and INF files with the same
name exist. If you download the message bases more than once daily,
this will cause problems.
Currently the linking between messages is primitive at best. There are
some obvious bugs when you try to jump to a previous message when you
are at the top of the file (Linking not found). I will fix these as time permits.
Also, the last message of each conference doesn't have any link to the
next conference. Currently I haven't tried to link threads together. Once
again as time permits.
Please let me know if you find this helpful. Also, If anyone has ideas to
improve on this, I would love to hear about them.
I frequent the IBM NSC BBS and OS/2 Shareware BBS
Dave Pinard
145 Candlewood Drive
Enfield, CT 06082
(203) 749-5671