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/**/
/*ng_split - splits Norton Guides database into components*/
/**/
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/**/
/*ng_split, Copyright (C) 1988, by John C. Gordon*/
/*Norton Guides Splitter, 12 August 1988, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED*/
/**/
/*This program is meant for those of us who bought the Norton*/
/*Guides and were disappointed by the fact that we couldn't*/
/*modify the databases provided for our own purposes (by making*/
/*the fatal assumption that "customizing the Guides" included*/
/*the ability to customize the published databases).*/
/**/
/*I have been able to take the databases provided in the Guides,*/
/*"un-compile" (split) them into their component parts, and*/
/*then re-compile them back into a database using the NGC and*/
/*NGML utilities provided with the Guides. The resulting*/
/*database is identical to the original using DOS 'comp'*/
/*(except for a six-character difference in the Microsoft C*/
/*database, which does not affect execution).*/
/**/
/*I have tested this program on the Norton Guides for Turbo C*/
/*Microsoft C. Others have tested it on the other published*/
/*databases and some public domain ones. If you find that it*/
/*does not work for some database, I will be glad to look at*/
/*the code to see if I can get it to work. I will need a copy*/
/*of the database file, however (only for debugging - the*/
/*disk(s) will be returned with a copy of the new program).*/
/**/
/*There are some funny file formats possible which NG_SPLIT*/
/*doesn't handle right now. They will be corrected in V2.0 in*/
/*a couple of months. They do not appear in any of Norton's*/
/*databases (as far as I know), but they can be created by the*/
/*NG software. Please send me a copy of anything that NG_SPLIT*/
/*can't handle, so I can make sure that everything is covered.*/
/*Included in V2 or V3 will be a utility to re-write the funny*/
/*source code into something more reasonable, since usually the*/
/*strange formats mess up the operation of the grey + key.*/
/**/
/*If you like this program and would like to see more like*/
/*it, please contribute whatever you think this program is*/
/*worth to you (recommended $5 or $10). Thank you.*/
/**/
/*John C. Gordon*/
/*Post Office Box 25107*/
/*Alexandria, VA 22313-5107*/
/**/
/*Home phone : (703) 528-2205*/
/**/
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/**/
/*ng_splitVersion 1.212 August 1988*/
/**/
/*Purpose:Split a Norton Guides .ng database into*/
/*its original component source files*/
/**/
/*Syntax:ng_split db_name*/
/*Where:'db_name' = the name of the Norton Guides*/
/*database (with or without the .ng suffix)*/
/**/
/*Restrictions:1) The NG database must be located in your*/
/* current working directory.*/
/*2) The database must not be "active" when*/
/* you run ng_split. You must either*/
/* uninstall the Guides or copy the database*/
/* to a different (work) directory first.*/
/*3) Due to the intensive character I/O, you*/
/* should run from your RAMdisk, if possible.*/
/**/
/*Remarks:ng_split will create several files in your*/
/*current working directory :*/
/**/
/*'db_name':the menu link control file*/
/*'db_name'.bat:a batch file containing the commands*/
/*to re-create the database*/
/*'dbxx'_000:the individual source data files are*/
/*named 'dbxx'_000 through 'dbxx'_999, depending*/
/*on how many files are needed. Note : 'dbxx'*/
/*is the first four characters of 'db_name'.*/
/*temp:a temporary file which is deleted on exit*/
/**/
/*For example : if you are splitting the Turbo C database tc.ng,*/
/*you would use the command:ng_split tc*/
/*which would create files:tc*/
/*tc.bat*/
/*tc_000 through tc_011*/
/*temp (deleted)*/
/**/
/*Change history:*/
/*V 1.0 - 17 June 88 - original program*/
/*V 1.1 - 18 July 88 - allow databases with names longer*/
/*than six characters or with more than*/
/*26 source files and update docs*/
/*V 1.2 - 12 August 88 - fix bug with !short with no data*/
/*following it and !file. also added*/
/*status lines and better error messages*/
/**/
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/**/
/*Hints on interpreting error messages :*/
/**/
/*In general, all error messages indicate that NG_SPLIT was*/
/*unable to successfully split your database. In those cases,*/
/*I would appreciate it if you could send me a copy of the*/
/*database, so I can correct the program. There are two error*/
/*messages, however, which I can do nothing about :*/
/**/
/*Write error - possibly out of disk space*/
/*- this indicates that either you are out of space*/
/* OR your directory cannot hold any more files.*/
/**/
/*WARNING - Database error*/
/*- this one comes up if there is an error in the*/
/* database itself. It occurs when it is trying to*/
/* locate a !seealso segment and the database contains*/
/* an illegal address. You can verify this by looking*/
/* at the output file which contains the error and*/
/* searching for the string :_???.ngo:*/
/* Make note of the name of the faulty !seealso clause*/
/* ( the name in quotes after the colon ) and the name*/
/* of the !short section which contains it ( backward*/
/* search for !short: ). Next, look at the menu link*/
/* control file ( same name as the database, but without*/
/* the .ng suffix ) and look for the name of the output*/
/* file which contained the error. Make note of the*/
/* menu heading and the menu item which corresponds to*/
/* that file. Now, bring up the database and find the*/
/* menu heading and menu item. Then, look up the name*/
/* of the !short item you located before. You will*/
/* notice that it has a !seealso item with the faulty*/
/* clause name. If you try to select that !seealso*/
/* clause, nothing will happen. I don't know why this*/
/* happens and have only seen it happen in one database*/
/* If I get several different databases with this*/
/* problem, I may be able to find a pattern and find a*/
/* way to correct the database and the source files.*/
/**/
/* Of course, the above instructions to verify the*/
/* database error are a little more complicated if the*/
/* error is in a !file instead of a !short called from*/
/* the menu, but its the same principle - its just a*/
/* little more work to find out which !short the error*/
/* is in.*/
/**/
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