COMCOL - Text File Conversion Utility, Comma Separated to Columns
Copyright (C) 1988, Henry C. Clark, All rights reserved.

Hershel Enterprises, Inc.
Software Mechanics, FONDIR
P.O. Box 832052
Richardson, TX 75083

214-881-2627 14400/9600/2400/1200/300 bps 24hr 1:124/6119

NO WARRANTY : It works on my Gateway 486-33, with my 10 megabyte ram
disk and 16 bit SVGA adapter. You should get 100%
compatible with this.



1 -- FONDIR ARCHIVE.

COMCOL is shipped in an archive file, FONDIRxx.ZIP. The 'xx' is the
version number. The archive should contain the following files :

COMCOL.EXE - program to convert comma separated files to
the columnar format used by FONDIR,
COMCOL.DOC - document file you're reading now.


COMCOL stands for Comma to Colmun. Un-zip the FONDIRxx.ZIP file and
either :

a.) keep the .exe program with your bbs list files, or
b.) keep the .exe program with your comm program files.

COMCOL will convert a text file with comma separated fields to a
vertical column field text file.



2 -- ONLINE HELP.

You can get the following help information by entering the COMCOL
command with NO parameters, with the /h parameter, or with the /?
parameter.

format : COMCOL comma-filename [/m:15 /s:1]

Converts a comma separated file to a columnar text.

/m:nn option for maximum column width. /s:n for column divider spaces.
/c:c comment character to ignore when first.

Output is to STDOUT, which may be redirected.

Example : comcol list.txt > newlist.txt

24hr. Help/Register at 124/6119 MY BBS 1-214-881-2627




3 -- THE OPTIONS.

MAXIMUM COLUMN WIDTH ( /m option )

Normally COMCOL will set column widths according to the longest data
length contained in each field in every record. You can set a maximum
column width with the /m: option. Specify a decimal number of
characters that no column width shall exceed.

For example, I only want the first 15 characters of each field. I
would use :

comcol list.txt /m:15 > list.lst

Fields which do not contain the /m number of characters are padded
out to /m width, as per normal operation.


COLUMN DIVIDER SPACES ( /s option )

If you want columns separated by more than 1 space character, use the
/s option. Specify a decimal number of character spaces between
each column of data. The default is one.

For example, I want 3 spaces between each column; I use :

comcol list.txt /m:15 /s:3 > list.lst


COMMENT CHARACTER ( /c option )

If you want to ignore text records in the input file, each record
line must have a comment character as the first character of the text
line. You can specify the comment character with the /c option.
Specify a single character as the comment character.

For example, I have a comma separated file with comment lines ( not
comma separated ) in it. The comment line begin with the semi-colon
character, ';'. I want COMCOL to ignore these lines because they
would mess up the column width calculations. I use :

comcol list.txt /m:15 /c:; > list.lst




4 -- COMCOL CALL SYNTAX.

EXAMPLES.

COMCOL list.txt
COMCOL list.txt > list.lst
COMCOL list.txt /m:15
COMCOL list.txt /m:50 > list.lst
COMCOL list.txt /s:5
COMCOL list.txt /m:10 /s:2 /c:;
COMCOL list.txt /m:15 /s:4 /c:* >> list.lst
COMCOL list.txt /m:15 /c:; >> biglist.lst

Yes, you can use this command :

COMCOL list.txt /m:12 /s:2 /c:; >> biglist.txt


ERROR CHECKING OF INPUT ( SEMANTIC ).

COMCOL usually validates everything you enter, and it usually HAS to be
valid or COMCOL will generate a message, usually telling you ( by
re-displaying your input ) the part which COMCOL did not understand.



WHAT TO EXPECT

Suppose you have a file containing the following three text lines :

MY BBS,214-881-2627,24 hr.
Joe's Health Food,555-1212,8-5 M-F
Download City,817-555-1234,$12.50/hour

and you run COMCOL without parms, then your output will look like :

MY BBS 214-881-2627 24 hr.
Joe's Health Food 555-1212 8-5 M-F
Download City 817-555-1234 $12.50/hour

and if you ran COMCOL /m:13, then :

MY BBS 214-881-2627 24 hr.
Joe's Health 555-1212 8-5 M-F
Download City 817-555-1234 $12.50/hour

and if you ran COMCOL /m:13 /s:3, then :

MY BBS 214-881-2627 24 hr.
Joe's Health 555-1212 8-5 M-F
Download City 817-555-1234 $12.50/hour



5 -- PROGRAM SWITCHES, MAGIC VARIABLES, AND DEFAULTS.

The default column divider space count is 1.

The default comment character is ''. This character is the
'squared' symbol, and is used to avoid problems when the user does
not want any comment line handling.



6 -- SHAREWARE REGISTRATION.

Print out this following page. Write a check. Address an envelope.
Mail it. You will feel really good about yourself.

COMCOL is free if you have registered FONDIR.

....... that character is a printer top of form command.
v



COMCOL Phone List Translator Utility Registration Form and
Payment Invoice #910801

Name _______________________________________

Address _______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

Phone _______________________________________


Version ________________ Date Received ________________


Check one :

( ) Enclosed is U.S. ____________ Dollars for ___________ copies

at U.S. 20 Dollars each.

( ) Enclosed is U.S. ____________ Dollars for ___________ copies

of customized versions at U.S. 50 Dollars each.

Enter customization parameters : _______________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

( ) Enclosed is U.S. 200 Dollars for 10 or more copies

on a site license ( make your own copies, documents ).

Send this form with check or money order to :

Hershel Enterprises, Inc.
Software Mechanics, FONDIR
P.O. Box 832052
Richardson, TX 75083
U.S.A.



7 -- LICENSE AGREEMENT.

The SOFTWARE is COMCOL, Text File Conversion Utility, Comma Separated
to Columns, Copyright (C) 1988 Henry C. Clark, Hershel Enterprises, Inc.

BY USING OR DISTRIBUTING, OR ALLOWING TO BE DISTRIBUTED THE
SOFTWARE, YOU ARE AGREEING TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS
AGREEMENT.

IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, PROMPTLY
DESTROY ANY AND ALL COPIES OF THIS SOFTWARE.

The Terms of this Agreement :

1
You may NOT accept money, or otherwise charge a fee for the
SOFTWARE because you transfer a copy of the SOFTWARE to another party.
You may NOT alter the SOFTWARE files, nor distribute the files using
a file name other than that name which you received. The SOFTWARE
may be compressed using different techniques, only if all the
component files of the original package are included. You may NOT
decompile, reverse engineer or include the SOFTWARE in another work.

2
You may NOT accept money, or otherwise charge a fee for ANY medium
upon which the SOFTWARE is transferred, including but not limited to
modem carrier, diskettes, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, etc. without written
permission from Hershel Enterprises, Inc.

3
You may NOT use or distribute the Software in ANY manner for or by
commercial or governmental entities without first correctly filling
out and sending the registration agreement and payment.

4
You accept and understand that NO warranty is expressed or implied.
The person using the SOFTWARE bears all risk as to the quality and
performance of the SOFTWARE. In no event shall Hershel Enterprises'
liability for any damages ever exceed the price paid for the license
to use the SOFTWARE, regardless of the form of the claim, even if
Hershel Enterprises has been notified of such a possibility.

5
You MAY distribute freely the Software within the above
restrictions. You may use the Software on a trial basis, and you are
required to pay for the Software if you use it on a regular basis.