The following files should be included:

ALIAS.EXE - Used to build the ALIAS DATABASE
UPDATE.EXE - Used to update the file on the local pc
README.DOC - The file you are reading now

Purpose:

To allow the system administrator to distribute new versions of files
to workstations. The program, UPDATE, builds a database keyed on the
STATION ID. If the ID# is found in the database, then the workstation
has already been updated. If not, the new file is sent to the workstation
and the ID is added to the database.

As of this date this program will only distribute files, it will not
handle complete directories.

Instructions:

Place UPDATE.EXE in a directory accessible by the users (such as PUBLIC).
Place ALIAS.EXE in the PUBLIC directory.

Make one directory under PUBLIC called UPGRADED and give the following
trustee rights to the group EVERYONE [RWC EF]

Determine which files you want to update. For example, say you want to
put down a new autoexec.bat file. Run ALIAS (you must run alias from a
network directory, and you must be either mapped to it, or in it.).

The progam will prompt you for the name of the filesystem to use...
Pressing enter will use the default (\PUBLIC\UPGRADED\ALIAS). Press
enter. The progam will then inform you that it will be using the default
database. Press enter again. You are now ready to start.

Press 'A' to add a new entry. Decide on a code (the code can be anything,
it is simply a shorthand way of referencing the files. I usually use
1A, 1B & 1C (1A for the file name on the PC, 1B for the file name on the
SERVER, and 1C for the file name to backup the original file to.) So,
after you put the code in, press enter. Then enter a description... this
is only a comment for you so you know what the file is. Press enter. Then
enter the file name (fully qualified - complete path and file name).
Press enter. Now do the same thing twice more, for the server file name
and the backup file name.

The reason I use ALIAS is rather simple. Originally when I wrote UPDATE
I didn't see a need for it. But when you start to use rather long path
names (for the workstation and the server), you could run out of room on
the command line.

After the ALIAS database has been built, you are ready for step2. This
can be accomplished in a few ways. The way I do it, which I think is
the best is... I create a batch file called (whatever), and in the batch
file is issue the UPDATE command(s). This batch file is then invoked
through the command facility in the system login script as such...

#COMMAND /C \PUBLIC\SENDNEW.BAT

In the SYSTEM LOGIN SCRIPT, add the following line BEFORE you put the
command to run SENDNEW.BAT (otherwise you will get ERROR OBTAINING SYSTEM
ID)

DOS SET ID = "%P_STATION"

(The quotes are included in the command)

After SENDNEW executes, you can place the line DOS SET ID= in the system
login script to remove the variable ID from the environment.

The syntax and principle behind UPDATE is very simple. Type UPDATE to
see the command line syntax. All files should have an entry in the ALIAS
database, including the message text file (fn_4), if you choose to use one.

The "db" parameter of UPDATE allows you to build as many databases as you
wish... Therefore, you can have one database for each file you want to
update.

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I have only used this program on NW 3.x (because that's my network). As long
as you can extract the system ID, there's no reason why it wouldn't work
on another NOS.

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Please feel free to distribute this program, but please do not modify it
of the documentation.

Should you have any questions or comments, please leave me mail on CIS
to user id: 70650,3154.