Short: Grabs short descriptions from readmes. Author: CAT Uploader: hoss satech net au (Ian Hoskins) Type: comm/bbs Architecture: m68k-amigaos My. I've released a bit of code (?!?) . Get Short v1 ================ * Disclaimer Yup, the usual stuff here, if my program doesn't work, doesn't work properly, damages a disk, ruins files, blows up your mother, well, frankly, I don't care. You can't blame me. However if your Mum does blow up cuz of my program, I'd really like to hear about it. And any bugs you come accross. And any improvements you can think of, altho for a program like this, there really isn't much else you could want it to do. * Why GetShort? A friend of mine is constantly uploading files grabbed from AmiNet to a local BBS, I was always amazed at how he got the descriptions to sound so, well, professional. He isn't usually much of a serious character, and on many descriptions he didn't even leave a smiley face :) The other day, I find out that he grabs the short descriptions from each readme file one by one, and shoves them in the comment line to each archive, and moves them to the Uploads/ directory. All by hand. I admire this quality of his, it's called patience, and I could never keep it up :) Anyway, I ask him if he'd like me to make him a program to do half the work for him, and he says yes, so this is where GetShort comes in. This program is dedicated to all those who have mass-uploaded files from AmiNet to FREDs BBS. It's really appreciated. Excuse the shockingness of this docfile. If you don't understand what I'm babbling about, well just run the program and figure it out yourself. It really isn't complicated. * How do I run it? Either double click it's icon or type in it's filename from CLI. You need ReqTools.library. It doesn't support tooltypes or cli arguments. * What does it do? OK first it asks you how long the description length will be. This is so 1) The program knows when to stop if it doesn't encounter a `return' character 2) For BBS programs that allow only one line of text (ie Maxs BBS). If it encounters more text after the max length you set, it will put in the short description a nice "..." at the end, to signify that the description got cut off. The default value is 70 characters. ***BUGS*** Well, the default value SHOULD be 70 characters. On my A500 it's the memory address where a variable or library base is held. Umm. I don't know why, but I put it down to another Blitz bug :) The defaultvalue function used to work on the 1200, but I can't test it cuz it's in for repairs :) Anyway, after that, it brings up a groovey ReqTools loadfile requestor, suggesting you to select the readme files you want to have GetShorted. You can select any number of files by holding down a shift key when you click on them. You can click Cancel here to Quit. So you've selected your files. Let's say the first one is named JuicyFruit.readme. Don't ask me why :) The program then goes and locates the first file, grabs any Short: description it finds (in case someone writes a doc in the wrong order) and shoves it in a file named JuicyFruit.short. Note that at the moment the extension changing routine isn't very smart, and if you select a file named Bonkawillietoottoot, the outputted filename is Bonkawillietoshort. Maybe I'll make it smarter later, but I really don't see the point, as AmiNet readme's have to be named .readme anyway. Well, they're supposed to. Now. Say you use NComm (the best!). Instead of typing the description for the file you just ASCII Upload it. 70 character descriptions should fit quite nicely on Maxs BBS filelistings. Anyway, when GetShort has finished all the files, it'll tell you, and you get the choice to select some more or quit out. There are a number of error messages that could come up, but you shouldn't see them often and when you do, I'm sure you'll work out what exactly went wrong and how to fix it. * Requirements: Well, you first up need ReqTools.library. You MAY need Kickstart 2. But you shouldn't. And well, the program eats up about 32k of memory, and everybody has that. So no probs there. * Bugs It wouldn't suprise me if it doesn't work on your A4000/060/2chip/32fast/ hardwarehacked/remotecontrolkeyboardsupport, but nevertheless, it should. The default description length value may be a little larger than 70. If it is, then for god sakes tell me and I'll take the default value out. I think it should work on a kickstart 3.0 or '020 machine perfectly. If you give GetShort a file that doesn't have a Short: description, it will do one of two things: 1) Go to the next file 2) Grab a random piece of the file and decide that that looks like the description. No, really. I ran it through the Readme file for OctaMED Soundstudio. This is what it came up with: ing OctaMED! This file contains important information, so... It's a really good description for that file. Trust me. :) Why does it do that? I don't know. And I don't care. You shouldn't be running this program on all your files in the C: directory anyway :) If you want to test my program, run it through this readme file, and it *should* select the line at the very top. No, it will. I hope. * Contact me! This program is considered to be IWantLotsOfMoneyware. If you like it and use it a lot, then send me at least $AUS10. You won't get a registered version, or a copy of my next util, if I release one, or a poster, or anything like that. If you're lucky you'll get a message saying thanks If you want to just tell me how bad my code is, then contact me at this address: hoss@satech.net.au or visit his webpage: http://www.satech.net.au/~hoss/index.html And address it to CAT, or Toby, because it's my friend's email address. * (C) This program is (C) 1996 Toby Zuijdveld of RESISTANCE. If you use it in a commercially released program without my consent, well, I won't care but don't do it anyway :) ReqTools is (C) 19xx Nico Francais. Or something. Don't hurt me for not spelling your name right please :) I think I was right wasn't I? Blitz Basic II is (C) 19xx Acid Software. The ReqTools commands were strung together by Neil O'Rourke. The machine on which I programmed this was originally thankedest to Commodore. Now I don't know who to blame. Urrr what else. Let's see. OctaMED got a mention, that's thanks to Teijo Kinnunen. Hmm. Out of things to blame people for. Urr. You can blame Civilization on Sid Meier, and Australia's Choice Anzac Biscuits on Australia's Choice. And K-Mart. Sorta. * Nothing else to crap on about Yup, This doc file's finished. Now go away. CATChas.