This program is an answer to the many requests I have seen on the network lately asking for a text concatenater. What differs between this program and the other file joiners you may ask? Here are a list of some of the features I find very useful.
1) Removes headers and footers. Often when downloading binhexed files, there are headers and footers on each document. Obviously, if you concatenate the files as they are, binhex will give you an error. Up to this point, the alternative has been to use a word-processor with multi-document capabilities and use the Cut and Paste functions.
2) Delete as you go. An option will let you delete the multiple parts of the posting after you have finished making the single larger file.
How to use this program
In the Other menu you will find "Delete when done" option. If this option is left checked, it will delete the intermediary files (e.g. foo1,foo2, and foo3 will be deleted, but leave foo). When you have this option set as desired, go to the Join command in the File menu. You will be presented with a standard dialog box. Select the first part of the file you wish to concatenate. Combiner will automatically read through the files sequentially, stripping all headers and footers.
For this reason, it is imperative that you store your files with the same name, changing only the number. Some valid examples are: foo1, foo2, foo3; foo1.hqx, foo2.hqx, foo3.hqx. Note that the number comes after the core name and before the extension (if any). When Combiner reaches the end of the last file it will automatically stop.
One drawback; this program becomes more valuable when there are more parts to combine. The time it takes for a two-part posting to be joined is too long. A ten-part posting has a little more usefulness, as far as time is concerned.
Planned improvements
1) Obviously, there will be bugs in this program. I would appreciate it IMMENSELY if you send your bug reports directly to me at the address listed below. Since this is my first "real" Macintosh program, I would like to make this as much of a learning experience as possible.
2) MultiFinder backgrounding.
3) Improvement in speed.
4) Implemented Split command. This will allow you to split a large text file into arbitrary file sizes. This feature is useful as most EMail systems and USENet have definitive size limits when it comes to sending files.
Stuff you see in every ReadMe document
First and foremost, this program is free-ware. You can distribute this program to any and all interested parties, so long as there is no profit made from this program.
Secondly, I wish to thank Rick Keir and all of the posters to comp.sys.mac.programmer for their assistance and ideas.
