MEGA-COPY v1.0
-=RyanWare=-
Graphical, multi-tasking compliant,
replacement for DOS' copy command.

Accepts the @ directive, thus may
be used as an "External batch protocol" on
local nodes of BBS systems. Progress status
bars, multi-disk copies, etc...

Version 1.0

A Multi-tasking "Copy" File Utility


Released 4/27/93

Copyright(c), 1993
-=RyanWare=-
Melbourne, Florida

FidoNet: 1:374/81
SL_Net: 250:307/958


What is Mega-Copy ?

Mega-Copy was designed to be used as a "Local" file transfer
protocol for multi-node Searchlight BBS systems, but works
fine from the DOS command-line, and should work fine for any
BBS that can use external protocols such as DSZ.



Why Mega-Copy ?

Mega-Copy was written to be used on our BBS as an alternative to
the DOS copy command for 2 reasons:

1) DOS' copy command would slow the BBS down to a crawl anytime
we tried to copy files to a floppy drive.

2) Most of the files we copied to floppies where from our files
section, either for users that stopped by, or for us to use/

test on another system. Though I have searched, I was unable
to find a replacement copy command that would accept the
@ directive - as used by batch file transfer protocols,
such a Zmodem. Thus requiring opening a DOS window any time
we wanted to copy multiple files to a floppy from the BBS -
A lot more difficult than tagging files .



What can Mega-Copy do, that DOS' copy can't ?

Graphical user interface.

Multi-Tasking:

Mega-Copy will attempt to detect any of the following
multi-tasking operating environments:

DesqView
Windows
OS/2 (DOS Box)
DoubleDOS

If such an environment is found, Mega-Copy will use a small
4k buffer, for uploading/downloading (copying) files, in the
following manner:

1) Read 4k of the source file into the buffer.
2) Write the 4k buffer to the destination file.
3) Pass 6 time-slices to the OS environment.
4) Repeat until the file is copied.
5) Repeat until all queued files copied.

If you are running under DOS, with no multi-tasking environment,
Mega-Copy will use a larger 64k buffer, and skip the above time-
slice routines - copying at about the same speed as DOS' copy
command.

Local Protocol:

Mega-Copy can be used as an external protocol on any BBS system
that allows such. If used on a "Local Only" node, it will be
invisible to remote callers. Any BBS that uses DSZ or a like
protocol engine for batch uploading and downloading should create
a temporary "batch queue" file - a file that lists each file to be
transferred, one file per line.

Mega-Copy will accept this "batch queue" as a command-line argument.

Multi-Disk file copies:

If you queue more files than will fit on your destination drive,
Mega-Copy will prompt you to replace your disk prior to starting
the copy procedure on the file that would exceed the disk's capacity.

Wildcards:

Mega-Copy will accept the "*" and "?" wildcards as part of the
file spec of any/all files being copied. The wildcards may be
in the "queue list" or on the command-line.



Examples:

Command Syntax:

MC [@] [d:][path]

ex. mc @tempfile.txt a:\

Would copy all files listed in "TEMPFILE.TXT" to the root
of drive a:

ex. mc a:\*.*
-or-
mc a:\.

Would copy all files from A: drives root directory to the
current directory.


Searchlight Sysops :


To run Mega-Copy as a "Local" protocol on your Searchlight
multi-node BBS, run CONFIG.EXE from your local node's home
directory, select "A. General Configuration", then select
"E. Xfer Protocols Setup".

Either select an empty spot, or replace a current protocol
with the following:

Searchlight BBS External Protocols Setup Menu
1. Protocol Name ................. Mega-Copy A:
2. Protocol Type ................. External
3. External Send Command ......... c:\utils\mc.exe @d:\NODEx\tempfile
4. External Receive Command ...... c:\utils\mc.exe a:%F

Line 1: This is optional .
Line 2: This MUST be set to EXTERNAL.
Line 3: This is a two part "Send" (or download) command-line.
The first part must contain the path from where MEGACOPY
is located, eg...
C:\UTILS\MC.EXE
The second part must start with the "@" character, then
a full legal DOS path\filename to a unique file from any
other node. Searchlight will create this @filename, in
which will contain a list of all queued files for download.
ex: @F:\NODEx\tempfile
where [F:\NODEx\] is the path to your local node's CONFIG.SL2

Line 4: This is a two part "Receive" (or upload) command-line.
The first part must contain the path from where MEGACOPY
is located, eg..
C:\UTILS\MC.EXE
The second part must contain the path for the files
you wish to upload to your BBS (usually a floppy drive),
and the meta-string character that passes the uploaded
file name to the BBS.
eg...
A:%F

W A R N I N G ! !


If you can NOT secure Mega-Copy from remote users, either by
security levels, or private "local node" configurations,
DO NOT USE MEGA-COPY as a protocol on your BBS!


User Interface :


Aborting:
You may, at any time, abort any file-copies in progress by
simply hitting your key.

Disk full:
During file transfers there are several potential user error
menus that may pop up. The most common of which, will appear
when your target drive has insufficient space for the next file.
In such cases, you will be prompted with the following choices:

eplace removable media on drive [d:]
kip to next file.
bort.

Choosing eplace will give you the option to replace a floppy
diskette.
Choosing kip will dump the current file from the copy queue.
Choosing bort will abort the program.

Other errors:
Most other potential errors have been trapped, and will respond
either by halting the program with a brief note and error number,
or prompt you with the following menu:

bort
etry

If you encounter an error that was not coded into the error
trapping routines, Mega-Copy should respond with the following
message:

Unknown: xxx

where "xxx" is an error number. Please report any untrapped
errors to -=RyanWare=- so that they may be corrected in a later
version.


Usual Legal Stuff :

Mega-Copy has been provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind.
-=RyanWare=-, or agents of -=RyanWare=-, will not be held liable
for lost or damaged software or hardware, or costs incurred by such
loss.

This program may be freely used for no charge, in non-commercial
environments. Commercial users please contact -=RyanWare=- for
extended use of this product. Comments are always welcome.

You may freely distribute Mega-Copy, provided it is distributed
in it's original form: no files are missing or altered on the
distribution disk, or in the distribution archive. Commercial
shareware distributors may distribute this package, provided their
distribution fees are deemed reasonable by -=RyanWare=-, and their
intent of distribution is on file with -=RyanWare=-.


Trademarks :

Searchlight BBS is a trademark of Searchlight Software.

If you are interested in the finest BBS software available,
please contact Frank LaRosa at (516) 751-2966
or call Searchlight BBS at (516) 689-2566

DSZ is a trademark of Omen Technology.


-=RyanWare=-

Mega-Copy and this document are copyright(c), 1993 by

-=RyanWare=-
Melbourne, Florida

The author of Mega-Copy may be contacted at:

@FidonetUSA : 1:374/400
@SL_NetUSA : 250:307/0
Enigma BBS : (407) 253-1229 (1200-14.4k)
Voice : (407) 253-2287
Snail Mail : Ron Ryan
1078 Mollie Ln.
Melbourne, Fl. 32935


-=RyanWare=- Products :


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ArcDoctor ............. Last word in upload file processing.
Best of Taglines '92 .. One-liner interface for BBS systems and DOS.
CVTMSG ................ Search and replace for Fido *.MSG files.
Last Accessed ......... Subboard management tools for Searchlight.
Mega-Copy ............. Graphical, multi-tasking copy protocol.
RamPack ............... Increase the speed of SL Pack by 1,200%!
Scrab2SL .............. Imports MSG.xxx files into SL mailboxes.
SL2OOII ............... Creates a drop file for Operation Overkill.
SL2SR ................ Creates a DOORFILE.SR from Searchlight.
StatsBar .............. Users files info in Stats bar for use w/GSZ.
Sublist ............... Enhanced "List" command for Searchlight BBS'