Introducing MergeFile Professional and MergeFile for Sysops! This document applies to both MERGEPRO and MERGESYS. The only difference between these two programs is the default switch settings. MERGEPRO is set for one line records with the entire input line as the merge key and MERGESYS is set for multi-line records of the PCBoard DIR format with the first field (file name) as the merge key (both are in ascending order). With the proper option settings, each can handle the other's default type files. To use MERGESYS on MERGEPRO type files, add to commands: /s1 /fl To use MERGEPRO on MERGESYS type files, add to commands: /s /f1 CAUTION: MERGEPRO performs a self-test for viruses and/or tampering on startup to insure that you have an unaltered program. You cannot use an executable file compressor such as PKLITE on MERGEPRO or it will fail its self-check and overwrite itself. MERGEPRO was derived from the MERGEFILE merge program after a sysop wondered if it could be made to do this, and that, and ... There is no other merge program like it! Even calling it a merge program now is not accurate, although it will merge almost ANY kind and size of sorted ASCII text file that doesn't have imbedded word processor formatting control codes (these might produce a problem, and the file probably wouldn't sort as intended anyway). MERGEPRO is more like a list management tool, capable of comparing two files and removing cross file duplicates (records from one file whose keys match those in another) without merging them, or retaining the cross file duplicates but removing all others, or even merging into a file only records that match, allowing existing records to be replaced. The user can select the order (ascending/descending), keep or remove duplicates, write a "trash" file of stripped duplicates and records with errors, delimiters, case sensitivity, fixed or variable length records, and even skip over a heading at the beginning of the files to merge. MERGEPRO can also read or write its own configuration files so complex commands don't have to be repeatedly entered. If desired, MERGEPRO will write a log file of all its activities. In the verbose mode this includes a brief description and location of all duplicates and errors encountered in the input files. The merge key can be the entire input line or any of the first forty fields, with multiple fields in sequence of priority, e.g., merge first on field three, then field seven, followed by five. Date and time fields can also be selected as keys and even the order of any field can be varied, e.g., one is ascending and another descending. The fields are "free form" in that they are not specified by column numbers, since a new field begins each time a delimiter is located (default is one or more spaces, although the number of delimiters between fields can also be fixed). In other words, even the merge fields can be variable length. Right justification which is needed by some data to merge correctly, e.g., numerical, is also available. A single file can be "merged" on itself to remove duplicates from a sorted list. MERGEPRO can detect up to eight types of errors in the input files: blank or empty line, missing key or field, line is too long (it can be up to 254 characters), out of sequence record, and date or time is not an actual date or time. Blank and empty lines or all records with errors can optionally be stripped from the files being processed. MERGEPRO will prompt before the overwrite of an existing file, giving you the option to rename the output file (the prompt can be disabled for batch processing). Because MERGEPRO can do so much, it can be confusing to learn. Thus there is an extensive help system with over 7,600 words, an on-line manual! Enter MERGE without any parameters for help. Individual or all topics can be printed to a file or printer. Six screens of examples and hints are also available. Commands can even be entered from the help system while the references are visible. MERGEPRO will run with DOS 2.1 and above on an IBM compatible PC, and should perform in a DOS window with other operating environments as well. The minimum free disk space required is the size of the two input files combined. More should be allotted when writing log and trash files (different drives can also be specified for all output files). MERGEPRO/MERGESYS is not "officially" released and this is a beta model, although it has already been exhaustively tested. Please do not try to register this program yet. It is being distributed for evaluation purposes only, and your comments are welcome on every aspect, including the unregistered version's "nag" screens (are they too annoying?) and the registration price (it's just a suggestion for now). The keypress that's required to start this unregistered version can be bypassed by entering a "/9000" anywhere on the command line, allowing MERGEPRO to be used in a batch file. You can print and mail the registration form with your comments and if you indicate on it that you would be interested in registering when MERGEPRO is released (around the end of 1994), you will be contacted by mail. Thank you for your interest. Now for the legal stuff! DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY This software and documentation are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either implied or expressed, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to the results and performance of this product is assumed by the user. In no event will the author of this program, or anyone else who has been involved in its creation, production, or delivery, be liable to you or any other party for any direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages arising from the use of or inability to use this product. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which this software may be placed, it should always be thoroughly tested with noncritical data before relying on it. Your use of this product indicates that you have read and agreed to these terms. You may contact me at any of the addresses given below. Write to: Hal Parks E-Mail: 8:970/201 RBBSNet HAL SoftWare 1:11/157 FIDONet 404B W. Oak InterNet Carbondale, IL 62901 charlies@twister.c-lib.siu.edu OR leave a message for me with InfoQuest BBS at 618-529-0000 OR through InfoQuest's sysop (safest bet for E-Mail and messages) InterNet: charlies@twister.c-lib.siu.edu RBBSNet: 8:970/201 FIDONet: 1:11/157 USERNAME: Charles Strusz FIDO NODELIST CORRECTION: Phone should be 618.529.0000 PCBoard is a registered trademark of Clark Development Company, Inc. PKLITE is a registered trademark of PKWARE, Inc.