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Aragorn! Presents:
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INFO.TXT
CONTENTS
========
What is ICE?
Distribution
Legalese
Running ICE
Requirements
Installation
Instructions
Revision History
Known Bugs
Future Plans
Updates
Credits
What Is ICE?
============
Ice is a file splicer for storing storing self extracting PKzip's,ARJs,
LHARCs etc.
It creates files which are compatible for use with id's DE-ICE.
The main reason for writing it was to store sets of PWADS etc. in a nice easy
format for installing as well as backing up Doom as it was updated (final
version is 1.9 now) rather than having disks of update patches everywhere.
Distribution
============
The file should be disributed as received, ICE???.EXE, with all files intact.
It is freeware so give it to anyone, just don't play with it.
Legalese
========
Copyrights.
Not much to say here really. Hope id don't mind me obviously naming
it after DE-ICE, but it seemed the most obvious name really.
All copyrights are recognized, namely
id for DE-ICE
PKWARE for PKZIP
R. K. Jung for ARJ
Haruyasu Yoshizaki for LHA
Running ICE
===========
Requirements
Not a lot - DOS (give Novell a try it's better than MS!!!)
Installation
Extract the file into a suitable dir and thats it.
Instructions
Dead simple, run the file and enter the filename of the
self-extracting file o.k
The file needs to be in the current DIR.
Enter the details as requested and off it goes.
It's helpful to know the uncompressed space before running
ICE though.....
Don't see the point in adding any more substantial instructions
here as it's not that hard to use.
Revision History
=================
V1.0 - First attempt, basic data input. Never released.
V1.1 - First release.
Includes - Colour boxes (looks nice)
All input data can be seen on screen
Bug Fix - Can create files if less than 1.4Mb (why'd you want
to ice it anyway?)
V1.11 -Internal improvements - better code structure.
V1.12 - Bug Fix - V1.11 created a file 0 rather than 1 if creating more
than 1 file
V1.13 - Bug Fix - Now allows 8 character files, previously 8 chars resulted
in funny errors.
V1.2 - New exit screen, other minor improvements.
V1.21 - cls routine converted to asm to remove screen glitch on exit
main screen now fades individual colours rather than all white
to black.
Fixed new bug caused by inline assembly which crashed program if
default install dir was 8 chars long.
Known Bugs
==========
Interesting One this... On my machine it takes four minutes to create a 1.4Mb
file whereas on my mates machine it takes 14secs. Don't know why.
Maybe converting file access to Assembly might fix it...
Apparently memory managers do have something to do with it, but again, this
varies from machine to machine. Qemm causes a big slow down on another mates
machine.
If in trouble, try using just Himem or EMM386 instead.....
Otherwise hope for some sort of bug fix. If you want more details to try and
fix it then contact me.
Future Plans
============
Hopefully the ability to automatically calculate the uncompressed file size.
If i can work out the zip file format or some other way of doing it.
Updates
=======
Updates as when they become available should be found at the following
places :
wherever you got it from.
Should be available on various ftp sites around the world
in pub/msdos/utils or similar directory.
otherwise i can email updates to you if you want.
Credits
=======
Written by Aragorn! using Borland C++ 3.1 and some Assembly.
(c) Aragorn! 1994,95
Any queries or suggestions can be sent to :
Email - bsc4074@dcs.napier.ac.uk
Snail Mail - 91 Heslington Lane
Fulford
York
England
Y01 4HP
I am always open to suggestions for enhancements to the program.
Any included features will be documented as nescessary.