Attacher 1.03
=============


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+  John Allen 1997, 1998.  This application is Freeware and is     +
+ supplied on the understanding that:                               + 
+                                                                   + 
+ 1. The source code is not altered in any way                      +
+ 2. Any copies made contain all of the files in the directory      +
+ 3. It is not sold for a profit                                    +
+ 4. It is not included on any disc costing more than 2 or         +
+    CD rom costing more than 15 without my prior written          +
+    permission                                                     +
+                                                                   +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Attacher codes and decodes uucode and base64 files such as might be 
sent and received as attachments via Usenet newsgroups or e-mail 
on the Internet.  It works totally on the RISC OS desktop and is 
designed to work under RISC OS 3.00 and later versions.

As well as decoding single files it will also turn a series of messages 
containing sections of a uu encoded file (such as might be found in 
newsgroups with'binaries' in the title) into a single decoded file.  

Likewise it will split long uuencoded files into short sections to send in 
separate messages.

It will extract multiple uuencoded or base64 coded files from a single 
message, such as might be created by as attachments by a PC mail
application.

Interactive help is fully supported in all windows and menus.

The following files should be included in the Attacher directory:

!Boot
!Help
!Run
!RunImage
!Sprites
!Sprites22
TypeTrans
TypeTransH
Resources directory containing: Messages, Sprites, Sprites22, Templates


Use 
===

Double click on the Attacher icon in the Filer window.  This installs 
Attacher on the iconbar and opens the main coding and decoding window.

Clicking on the Attacher icon on the iconbar will re-open the main 
window if it has been closed.  If the window is already open it will 
bring it to the top of the window stack.

Attacher is designed to be simple to use, making use of file drag and
drop.  To decode: drop a file icon on the decode icon and to code drop 
it on a code icon.  The resulting file can then be dragged where ever 
it is required, or named and saved or double clicked to load it into
an appropriate application.


Choices window
==============

This allows Attacher to be cusomised to individual users' requirements.
Setting can either be saved, by clicking 'Save', to be used by Attacher
each time it is loaded until different options are selected or, by
clicking 'Use' they can be used for the session, the previous settings
being used when Attacher is next loaded.  The window is selected from the
Attacher main window.

The options that can be set are:
  
* Filename of coded file (different options for uucode and base64)
* Whether attacher should try to identify a PC file extension for
    coded files
* Whether uucoded files should be split into segments (if so the size
    of segments and their names can be set)
* Whether PC file extensions should be stripped from the filenames of  
    decoded files
   

Decoding files
==============

To decode a file or series of files:

1. Drag a file containing coded data to the decode icon at the 
top left of the main window.  There's no need to edit the header 
off the file, just use the whole file.  If it is uuencoded Attacher 
will detect whether it is a complete uuencoded file or give a prompt 
for the next file in a series.  (If so continue dragging the series 
of coded files to the decode icon until Attacher detects the end of 
uuencoded data).  The files must be dragged in order.

3. Attacher decodes the complete coded file.

3. Edit the supplied name as appropriate, then drag the file icon to a 
Filer directory display or to another application.  Alternatively enter 
the full pathname of the file and click select on the 'OK' icon.  
Additionally you can double-click select over the file icon to load it 
into an appropriate application (if known to RiscOS at the time of 
clicking). 

4. If there are further files in the message they will be presented for 
saving in turn.


Coding files
============

1. Drag the file you wish to encode to one of the the code icons at the 
bottom left or middle left of the main window.  In case of doubt it is 
usually better to uuencode rather than use base64. 

2. Attacher will encode the file.

4. Edit the file name supplied by Attacher as appropriate and drag the 
file icon to a Filer directory display or to another application.  
Alternatively enter the full pathname and click select on the 'OK' icon.  
If you have the split option set, and the file is longer than the 
maximum length, Attacher will split the file and keep presenting new
part-files for you to save until the whole file has been saved.


Features 
========

* Attacher will accept coded files direct from other applications so, 
for example, you can use the 'Save File' option of a news/mail reader 
such as TTFN, Messenger or Marcel and drag the file icon to the Attacher 
decode icon rather than saving the file on disc first.

* Attacher will save coded files to other applications so, for example, 
you can insert an encoded file (or section of file) into a message 
being composed by a news/mail reader.

* Attacher will also transfer decoded files directly to other 
applications which accept direct transfer.  

* Double clicking a coded or decoded file will attempt to load it into 
an application that accepts that filetype.  Note that some applications 
(e.g. Spark) do not take possession of files loaded this way so it is 
vital that the file is processed and saved elsewhere before Attacher is 
closed down - as all Attacher working files (kept in an Attacher sub-
directory in the system Scrap directory) are deleted when it is quitted.

* Closing the main window part way through any operation will destroy 
the unsaved data (as per Acorn's guidelines).  To keep the data while 
closing the Attacher main window, hold the shift key down when closing 
it.  This will iconise the window on the pinboard allowing it to be 
reopened by double clicking select on the window icon.

* Attacher uses solid sprite dragging if you have it enabled on your 
machine.

* Attacher will put the RiscOS filetype at the end of any file it 
uuencodes.  If the "add PC file extension" option is set it will also 
convert the RiscOS filetype to a PC style file extension and append it 
to the filename.  Note this will use any DOSMap settings on your machine
or, if none are set, its own defaults.  In cases where more than one PC 
type is mapped to a RiscOS filetype, the first specified PC type will be
used as the default extension for that type.

* When decoding uuencoded files Attacher will check whether there is a 
RiscOS filetype given after the file and will use it to filetype the 
decoded file.  It will also check for the filetype being appended to the 
filename as a comma extension.  

* When base64 coding Attacher will append the RiscOS filetype to the 
file name as a comma extension.  At decoding any comma extension will be 
used to set the filetype.

* Attacher will translate PC-type file extensions to RiscOS filetypes 
according to the host machine's DOSMap settings using the TypeTrans module.
If no DosMap is set TypeTrans has a default table which is used.  This 
means that output files can easily be double clicked to load them
into other applications.  To add you own translations, or to modify the
ones in use, set your translation by adding DOSMap commands either in
your boot file of Attacher's !Run file (there is an example in the
Attacher !Run file).

* Combines and decodes files which have been downloaded on a PC where 
lines end <CR><LF> rather than <LF> in RISC OS.

* The "Open Dir" entry on the main menu opens the Attacher work directory
which will contain copies of all files that have been double clicked to
load into other applications.


The TypeTrans module
====================

This application contains and uses the TypeTrans module by the same author.  
This has an SWI interface to the coders and decoders as well as other 
support fuctions.  Note that although supplied with this application it is 
not Freeware and the user interface is unpublished (except for the calls
documented in the file TypeTransH).

Other Freeware authors may request a copy of the user interface specification
and use/distribute the module with their own applications.

Authors of commercial software will be expected to pay a royalty if they make
use of calls in this module.


Any comments, queries, donations or bug reports to:

John Allen - e-mail: john@bramber.demon.co.uk 

Updates to the software and latest development information can be found 
at:  http://www.bramber.demon.co.uk/john/soft.html
