ATOSEDIT selectively picks messages out of
an AUTOSIG incoming or saved message file.
ATOSEDIT is useful for reducing the size of
saved message files, or for extracting
single or groups of messages for specific
purposes. Small, fast, and free.
Written/uploaded by Paul Munoz-Colman.

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Paul Muoz-Colman TECHNICAL SUPPORT:
FunStuff Software Voice 703-435-1110
11645 Charter Oak Court 703-693-5227
Suite 201 FAX 703-435-3130
Reston, VA 22090-4526 USA CompuServe 71141,1224


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ATOSEDIT v1.4
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ATOSEDIT Version 1.4
8 July 92


written for AUTOSIG users by

Paul Muoz-Colman 71141,1224


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PURPOSE
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ATOSEDIT is a separate program which allows you to selectively pick messages
out of an AUTOSIG incoming or saved message file. These are files with names
of the form:

M.ATO incoming message file and
S.ATO saved message file

such as IBMCOMS.ATO and IBMCOMM.ATO. You may run ATOSEDIT from DOS, or from
AUTOSIG's SHELL capability ("E" from the Forum Menu).

ATOSEDIT is useful for reducing the size of saved message files, or for
extracting single or groups of messages for specific purposes.


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DESCRIPTION
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ATOSEDIT is simple to operate. You give it the complete DOS file name of an
incoming or saved message file as input, and another DOS file name to save the
output result. Any drive or directory can be used for either file.

Messages are displayed one at a time, with multi-screen messages having a
paging capability.

On each message screen, you can do the following:

Ins (or Enter) = Save the current message to the output file.

Del (or "D") = Skip the current message and go on to the next one.

\ or / = Search (case-insensitive or case-sensitive) for text. When
the text is found, the search stops and displays the message
containing the text.

F3 = Continue an active search

F1 = Save the current message to yet a third file. You are
prompted for the filename. This is *very* useful if using a
single message as input to a new message, because you can then
use AUTOSIG's message editor to import this file.

PgUp/PgDn = If a message takes more than one screen, this allows you
Up/Dn Arrows to view all of it, scrolling a page or a line at a time.

Esc = Stop where you are, saving only those messages chosen thus
far.

Tab = Stop choosing messages, and save the remainder of the input
file to the output file.

S = Disable or enable the audible prompts.

When you use Esc or Tab to stop the message choice operation, you can then
switch the input and output files, and optionally delete the input file. Or
you may leave the input and output files as they are. (If nothing was written
to the output file, it is not saved.)

The program then prompts you for a new pair of input and output files; a null
response terminates.

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OPERATION
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ATOSEDIT is packaged in a self-extracting archive file, called ATOSnn.EXE,
where nn is the release number. The following files are contained in the
archive.

ATOSEDIT.EXE The program
ATOSEDIT.DOC This document

If you are in AUTOSIG, from the Forum Menu, type "E" to SHELL to DOS.

From terminal mode, type Alt-E.

From the message viewer, type Alt-E.

WARNING: It is not advisable to cause ATOSEDIT to *change* the contents
of an AUTOSIG file while being "R"ead (new messages) or
"V"iewed as saved messages, since unexpected results may
occur when returning to AUTOSIG. This is because the file
you are reading or viewing won't be the same when you return
to where you left off.

At DOS, type ATOSEDIT.

If you stay in the same directory with AUTOSIG, ATOSEDIT's screen colors will
match those of AUTOSIG, otherwise, black and white are used. If you are in
another directory and want AUTOSIG's colors, copy your AUTOSIG.DFN file to the
directory you will run from.

If your AUTOSIG.DFN file is your current directory, you are also given a list
of valid message files to look at, which have been matched against your current
list of fora.

When prompted, enter the name of the input and output files. Enter by itself
quits the program. If the output file exists, you are given options to
overwrite it or append to the end of it.

At the message screen, follow the prompts on the screen.

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PROBLEMS
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I can be reached by CompuServe mail, 71141,1224, with comments or problems.

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SUMMARY
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I hope you enjoy ATOSEDIT, and that it makes your AUTOSIG experience a
happy one! Let me know if you have suggestions for improvements!


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Copyright 1990-1992 by Paul Muoz-Colman. All rights reserved.
Member, Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP).

By FunStuff Software, publishers of Personal Calendar, DiskLeft,
Subjects, ATOSEdit, and other quality software.

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