OS/2 Shareware BBS: Product/Product.zip/mesacomp.txt

Text File | 1997-02-12 | 8KB | 153 lines

    Mesa(tm) Workbook Compactor from Sundial Systems
    Version 1.0 for use with Mesa 2.1.6
    December 1996

    This program is designed to remove unneeded information from Mesa files
    to decrease the size of the file.  Smaller files tend to load faster
    and also tend to use less memory once loaded so there are many reasons
    to try and get the files smaller.  Also, if you have to transfer a file
    via a slow modem, smaller files are always better.

    There are three levels of compression that can be performed on a file.
    The first level, minimum, only removes entirely unneeded information.
    Mesa optimizes its files fairly well so there are very few things that
    fit this category.  The typical shrinkage of this type is only about
    1-3%.  This is the safest level of optimization because no data is
    removed except data that is not referenced.

    The second (normal) and third (maximum) levels involve removing data
    that is not visually needed.  An example is a cell that had it's format
    set to a date format, but doesn't have any contents.  Visually, this
    cell doesn't display anything and it doesn't contribute to the
    recalculations.  Thus, it can be removed without affecting the visual
    representation of the sheet.

    The difference between levels two and three is the extents to which
    this cell removal is performed.  Level three removes ALL such cells
    within the workbook.  Level two only removes such cells that lie
    outside the used section of each sheet.

    For example, you have a sheet with 1000 rows and 20 columns.  The data
    that you enter occupies only the first 100 rows and 10 columns.  (The
    bottom right cell that you stick something in is J100) Level two would
    only remove blank cells to the right of column J and below row 100.
    Level three would remove all blank cells, even those inside of A1:J100.

    How are these blanks cells created?  The most common way that these
    blank cells are created is formatting an entire column or row.  If you
    have 1000 rows in your worksheet and you select column B and format it
    to a specific format, all cells down the column are set to that format
    even though they might not contain data.  All 1000 of these cells are
    then saved in the file.

    Why doesn't Mesa do this during file saving?  There a couple of
    reasons:

           You may WANT cells to have a format but not
            display contents.  A good example of this would
            be a template type of file in which data cells
            are all blank, but when the user enters the
            data, it needs to be displayed in a specified
            format.

           Speed: Mesa could safely perform the minimal
            level of compression during file saving.  The
            multiple passes that are needed to support this
            however would greatly increase the time it
            takes to save the file, especially on older
            computers.  We felt that an average savings of
            only 1-3% was not worth the loss in
            performance.


    Use of the program is fairly simple.  Start the program by running
    mesacomp.exe from the command line or from a program icon.  After the
    window comes up, select the options that you want from the options
    menu.  These options include the compression level (explained above)
    and also whether to create a backup file or not.  After selecting the
    options, select the "Select Files" option from the File menu.  This
    open up a file dialog and allow you to select the files you want
    compacted.  Click on OK after you select the files and MesaComp will
    start processing the files.  It will indicate the progress of each file
    in the window as one of the following:

         Waiting        MesaComp uses 10 background threads
                        to perform file compacting. Files in the
                        waiting category are waiting for a
                        thread to become available.

         Pass 1         The file is being examined to
                        determine the extents as well as
                        having certain structures loaded from
                        it.

         Compacting     The structures are being examined and
                        the ones that are not referenced are
                        being removed.

         Pass 2         The output file is being created by
                        loading the structures from the old file
                        and copying them to the new one,
                        performing the needed compression as
                        it does so.

         Done           The file compacting is complete.  It
                        will also display the level of
                        compression that was performed.

    When the file is finished being compacted, it displays the new file
    size along with the original size so you can see the space savings.


    The Legal Fine Print


    This program modifies and removes information from data files.  Make
    sure you back up data files before performing the compression on them.

    Limited Warranty:  SUNDIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION DISCLAIMS ALL
    WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
    IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
    PURPOSE, TITLE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT, WITH RESPECT TO THIS PRODUCT.

    Under no circumstances will Sundial Systems Corporation be liable to
    you or any other party, for damages, including the loss of profits,
    savings, or other incidental or consequential damages, stemming from
    your use of misuse of the program - even if Sundial Systems or its
    authorized representative has been advised of the possibility of any
    such damage.  You agree that the only remedy available to you will be
    replacement of the Product.

    Some states do not allow limitation of how long an implied warranty
    lasts, so the above limitation may not apply to you.  Some states do
    not allow exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential
    damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.
    This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have
    other rights which vary from state to state.

    License:  You are licensed by Sundial Systems Corporation to use the
    software only in conjunction with your use of one of more licensed
    copies of the Mesa software product.  You may not reverse engineer,
    decompile, disassemble, or make any attempt to discover the source code
    of the software.

    All rights not expressly granted are reserved by Sundial Systems
    Corporation.

    Copyright:  The software and documentation (Product) contained in this
    package are copyrighted and protected by United States and
    international copyright laws and international treaty provisions.  You
    must treat the Product like any other copyrighted material, except to
    the extent that this License provides to the contrary.

    U.S.  Government Restricted Rights:  Use, duplication, or disclosure by
    the U.S.  Government is subject to the restricted rights applicable to
    commercial computer software under DFARS 252.227-7013 and FAR
    52.227-19.  Manufacturer is Sundial Systems Corporation, 909 Electric
    Avenue, Suite 204, Seal Beach, CA 90740.

    Trademark:  Mesa is a trademark of Athena Design, Inc., and is used by
    Sundial Systems Corporation under license.