QWK2TXT - Copyright 1990 by Jeffery Foy. All rights reserved.

Introduction
------------

QWK2TXT  is the first (and currently only known) QWK -> TXT  file
format   converter.   Specifically,  it  indirectly   reads   the
information  from  the .QWK file and converts the  messages  (and
files such as WELCOME or NEWS) to ASCII and puts them into a file
named MESSAGES.TXT.

Why would anyone want such a program? Well, I wrote it so I could
backup  my QWK files into monthly text archives. I also wrote  it
as  a method of learning about the QMail format  of  MESSAGES.DAT
and *.NDX.

How to run QWK2TXT
------------------

First,  uncompress your .QWK file into an unused  directory.  Run
QWK2TXT.EXE  and,  if all goes well, you'll wind up with  a  file
called MESSAGES.TXT that looks like this:

WELCOME:
========

                  Welcome to Generic BBS Node 17

    New users: read all bulletins...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWS:
=====

===================[ Generic BBS News ]=========================
=                                                              =
= Looks like the new hard drive is here and running well.      =
= Thanks to those who contributed to it!                       =
================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Conference: Generic Stuff
Message:    14630
From:       JOE USER
To:         SYSOP TYPE
Subject:    New User Query
Date:       08-16-90 13:21

Thanks for your help. Really appreciate the list of stuff that  I
should have for BBSing. That PKZIP program is really interesting.
I do wonder, though, why compression is still necessary with  all
the  hype about super-fast modems with hardware compression  like
MNP, etc.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Conference: File Query o73 
Message:    14633
From:       BAD GUY
To:         SYSOP TYPE
Subject:    Files not any good
Date:       09-12-90 22:17

ST>This board is NOT meant as a file trough. There ARE messages
DP>here too! If you can't participate in the message areas too
DP>then you can expect your file access to diminish.

Well EXCUSE ME! BBSes are here for the users not some greedy
sysop like yourself. You better change your attitude or I'll get
my friends to boycott this board and call your voice number at
inconvenient times.
---
 ~ ME 1.99 #910 ~ Over the Edge.
----------------------------------------------------------------------


As  you can see, the text is just a simple text file. This  makes
it easy to print, save, compress, or whatever you wish.

At  the current time, bulletin file(s) (the ones that start  with
BLT) are NOT put into MESSAGES.TXT. As a matter of fact, only the
text files listed in CONTROL.DAT are put into MESSAGES.TXT.

After  QWK2TXT  has processed the files, you can  erase  all  but
MESSAGES.TXT. Then you can do with MESSAGES.TXT what you wish.

A Little Begging
----------------

I  am asking for a $10 registration fee for QWK2TXT. If you  find
that you are using QWK2TXT after an evaluation period of 45 days,
please  send  in the fee (with the REGISTER.FRM). The  number  of
registrations will determine if QWK2TXT gets any further work. It
will  eventually  wind up as a mail reader program  IF  there  is
enough interest.

For  those  of  you  interested in  the  source,  read  the  file
SOURCE.INF that is in this .ZIP file.

Thank YOU for taking the time to evaluate this program!

Jeffery Foy, October 26, 1990