Help for AutoArc
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AutoArc is designed to help people who archive a lot of software and get
sick of using extra directories to get the archives the same name, and
who get sick of creating archives, opening them, then dragging files.

AutoArc should work with all versions of ArcFS read/write from 1.00 upto
the current version. (It has only been tested with 1.09 and 2.02).

AutoArc functions with all versions of RISC-OS from 2.00 onwards, but if
you are using RISC-OS 3.10, the template file "Templates3" will be
loaded. This makes use of 3D icons, which are built into RISC-OS 3.10.

The Main Menu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The menu is accessed as usual by clicking the MENU button over the icon
bar icon. The options provided are:

Info           Leads to info box which leads to SJPD info box
------------
Compressed      When ticked CFS# will be added to the front of the pathname
Auto save       When ticked objects will be auto-archived to themselves
Arc access     Leads to the Archive access box
Save setup      Saves the current setup
------------
Quit            Quits the program

'Compressed' option
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you tick this option then 'CFS#' will be added to the front of the
source filename. It should be used if you have, say, a disc full of
programs compressed with Computer Concepts' Compression program, and you
want to change them to the more compact ArcFS format. It simply allows
you to drag the files from the ADFS viewer so you don't have to wait 4
years while the CFS viewer updates. If you don't understand the above
then don't use this option.

'Auto save'
~~~~~~~~~~~
When this option is ticked, the files will automatically be archived to
the same place, ie the source will be wiped & replaced with the
destnation. This is equivalent to clicking 'OK' or pressing return in
the save box without changing the filename. I usually have this turned
on but if you are unsure or want to keep the original then turn it off.

When this option is on, you may drag more than one source file to the
icon and they will be processed one after the other. This is handy if
you have a large number of programs you want to archive.

Beware that using this option can be dangerous when archiving large
items with small amounts of free memory. See "WARNING" lower down this
file.

Access privilages
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 'Arc access ' option leads to a window where you can set the access
privilages for the archive files created when archiving. The 'owner
read-access' is always on because there's no point turning it off.

Saving setup
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just choose 'Save setup' and the current status of the 'Compression' and
'Auto save' menu options and the current access privilages will be saved
to inside the !AutoArc directory. These will then be restored next time
AutoArc is loaded.

Auto Archiving
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once you've set your menu and access options, drag what you want to
archive (app, dir or file) to the icon. If 'Auto save' is on then the
process will begin straight away (with multiple files if they were
dragged). If 'Auto save' is off then a save box will appear. Drag the
Archive icon somewhere or enter a new pathname to save the output
somewhere else. Just press return or click 'OK' to overwrite the source.

The Hourglass
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
During the archiving operation the hourglass will be displayed. When
copying is in progress, both LEDs will be on. When compacting is in
progress just the bottom LED will be on. This can give you a rough idea
of what is happening.

WARNING
~~~~~~~
If you use !Memphis then don't use 'Auto save' or save the file to
itself unless you are sure there is enough memory in the sprite area, or
you may lose your programs. If, while archiving, you get an error and
your file has disappeared, try looking for the system scrap file - it
should be an archive containing your program. You can sometimes get
errors in the middle of an AutoArc process, and this may result in half
your app being where it was, and the other half in the scrap file.

Even if you don't use MemFS, make sure that there is more than enough
free RMA for ArcFS (less of a problem on RISC-OS 3). Attempting to
AutoArc files that are too large to be processed by ArcFS will almost
certainly result in losing the file altogether. For large files, either
AutoArc to somewhere else, or take a backup before AutoArc'ing a file to
itself.

FLOPPY USERS: When AutoArc archives back to the original file, the
ScrapFile is used as a temporary store for the Archive. This will result
in a great deal of disc swapping. Also, if there isn't enough room for
the archive on the disc containing the scrap file (!System or !Scrap),
you will probably lose the file. So, DON'T ARCHIVE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL
WITH A FLOPPY ONLY SYSTEM UNLESS YOU ARE SURE THERE'S ENOUGH SPACE FOR
THE SCRAPFILE AND YOU DON'T MIND SWAPPING DISCS A LOT.

I take no responsibility for loss of data due to the use or misuse of
this application.

Version history
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1.00    This was a quick application made when I had 36 discs of demos to
        convert from CFS to ArcFS. The menu was only a quit option and the
        CFS option was chosen from the RISC-OS action window (yuk!) and you
        couldn't see what you were doing and my friend pressed the wrong
        button and we wasted ages (about 20 discs were just archives of
        compressed files). I then decided to write a better one!

1.50    Menu options 'CFS' and 'Verbose' (now removed) were added but no
        info box or save box (but at least I could tell if CFS was selected
        or not by the tick!).

2.00    This version. With info box, Compression, Auto save, Arc access and
        Save setup options and also with save box so you could save to
        somewhere else if you didn't want to wipe the original.

2.01    A slight update from version 2.00, but I can't remember what!

2.10    Now allows windows to be dragged around by their 'unused' parts. On
        RISC-OS 3.10 machines, an alternative template file is used with 3D
        bordered icons. Pressing return in the save box now actually presses
        the OK button.

Boring  notice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may copy this application freely so long as all the following files
remain in the !AutoArc directory, untouched:

     !Help, !Run, !RunImage, !Sprites, Setup, Templates, Templates3.

You may not add any files of your own to the !AutoArc directory.

This applcation may not be sold for a profit. If you want to use it in
your P.D. library of upload it onto your B.B. then that's fine, so long
as you do not charge for the application in any way, and you DON'T add
any extra files to the !AutoArc directory. You may make a small charge
for P&P and media though.

Apart from that, please copy this application to everyone you know!

If you have any bug reports or ideas for improvements then PLEASE write
to the address below. Send a disc & SAE and I'll send some more of my
stuff. If you are sending a disc then please include an S.A.E. or I'll
make a profit of 1 disc! Donations also welcome!

     Simon Hatliff
     4 Elmlands Grove
     Stockton Lane
     York YO3 OEE

I can also be contacted on The World of Cryton BBS, user 812.

 Simon Hatliff 1992

