                        Quake C Patch Launcher, (c) 1996                  v3.0
                    |=====================================|
                          created by Michael Gansel
                            hengan@werple.net.au
                  visit the QCPL home-page for up to date news
                        http://www.iol.ie/~mikeg/QCPL
         visit the Quake Fiction home page for the latest Quake news.
                          http://www.iol.ie/~mikeg

FIRST THINGS FIRST
------------------
    I would like to thank David Ganly of 'Quake Fiction' for beta
    testing, creating and maintaining the QCPL Web Page.
    Also Blue's Quake Rag, Quake Fiction (once again) and 
    The Quake Stomping Grounds for up-to-date Quake Info, and of course,
    id Software for Quake.

WHAT IS Quake C Patch Launcher (QCPL)?
--------------------------------------
    I personaly have alot of Quake C patches, and can't keep track
    of what they are and where they are. Sure, naming a directory
    to describe the patch does the job ... for a while. Then your
    patches all pile up and you have no clue which is one what. 
    That's where QCPL comes in. It can make a description for all
    your patches and offers a good File-Management interface.   

INSTALLATION:
-------------
    Copy QCPL.EXE to you Quake directory. That's it! Oh, make
    sure you have some patches to try it out with.
    NOTE: To turn on the ability to compile QC files, you must copy 
    QCCDOS.EXE and CWSDPMI.EXE to your Quake directory as well. 
    IF YOU EXPERIENCE LOCK-UP OR LACK IN SPEED WHEN QCPL SEARCHES
    FOR PATCHES, PLEASE RUN 'SMARTDRV' FROM MS-DOS OR GOTO A DOS
    SHELL IN WINDOWS 95.

USAGE:
------
    Make sure your directory structure is correct, by that i mean
    that all Quake C patches should be under the Quake directory.
    ie   C:\QUAKE        <-- Your Quake directory.
         C:\QUAKE\CBOT   <-- A Quake C Patch.
         C:\QUAKE\ID1    <-- Quake Data. 

    NOTE: The above is only an example, Quake does not have to be
          installed in C:\QUAKE.    

FEATURES:
---------
  * When you launch QCPL, there is a small one second pause. QCPL
    searches the for Quake C patches, and if found, displays them 
    on the screen, allowing you to choose which one you want to play.
    Currently ID0.PAK and PROGS.DAT are supported. 
    (Are these the only way of distributing patches? e-mail me please)

  * If source QC files are found, and you choose to lauch them, QCPL
    will search for every single necessary file, and missing QCPL will
    inform you of the missing one(s). You then have the option of
    compiling all QC files into a working PROGS.DAT.
   (This option can be turned off via the Override Compilation option)
    
  * QCPL's strongest feature is its description option. I urge EVERY
    author of a Quake C patch to include a file called QUAKE_C.INF
    in their archive as QCPL searches for this file and if found, 
    displays the contents. This way, users have a small description
    of the patch. If no description file is found, the directory name
    is shown. BTW: Make sure QUAKE_C.INF is one line, and under 60
    characters. 

  * QCPL has a setup option to launch Quake with with additional
    parameters. ie -NOJOY or -LISTEN.
     
  * Full QC-file management menu bar.
 
REQUIREMENTS:
-------------
  * A computer would be nice :), and of of course Quake Registered.

RESTRICTIONS:
-------------
  * QCPL is still limited to just a maximum of 8 patches.
    I though about changing it, but that would require changing half
    the code ... maybe in future version.
  * QCPL can't read directories over eight characters,
    sorry Win95 users! It also can't read extended directories like
    QUAKE.101 - NOTE the '.' QCPL can't recognize this ... YET.

DISTRIBUTION: 
-------------
   QCPL is freeware, all i ask of you is feedback. Any suggestions or
   bug reports are more than welcome.
   Please don't include this utility on a CD or a commercial product 
   without my permission.

FUTURE FEATURES:
----------------
  * Extend the description to > 60 characters.
  * Break the 8 directory limitation.
[The following two features will cause a problem, that being that 
 all the patches won't fit on the screen, maybe i should support
 43 lines instead of 25?!!?] 
  * A nicer user interface. 
    (What i want to do is place a picture in the background and work
    on top of that, but how!??!)
  * Other little features.
  * e-mail me with suggestion.
  * Ability to create config files for every patch.
  * More detailed manual.

REVISION HISTORY:
-----------------
  * v1.0   
    -Hmm, started out as just a small .BAT file.

  * v1.1         
    -Remade the whole thing in Turbo Pascal 7.0.
    -Added all the goodies like description stuff etc.

  * v1.2
    -Added support for PAK0.PAK files.
    -Fixed a few bugs.
    -Crossed my fingers.

  * v2.0
    -First public release.
    -Ability to compile QC files.
    -Fixed MOST bugs.
    -Nicer interface
    -Heaps of other stuff i can't remember.
  * v3.0
    -Created a XTree Gold style interface.
    -Instead of the old 'Type Name of Patch to Execute' i replaced
     it with a menu bar thingy.
    -Dumped all Command line parameters.
    -Fixed a weird bug where QCPL halted when you used command line paramters.
    -Fixed 'execution of empty directory' bug.
    -Added the following to the menu bar:
        *Help
        *QCPL setup
        *Override Compilation
        *Delete Patch
        *Rename Patch
        *Dos Shell
        *About
        *Exit
    -Dumped the intro screen messages. (They were a pain in the ass)   
 
 * v4.0
    -Hehhe, visit the QCPL home page and see what it's all about!
    
LEGAL STUFF:
------------
  Quake is of course a registered trademark of id Software.
  QCPL is a trademrak of Michael Gansel.

MISC INFO:
----------
  This program was compiled under Turbo Pascal 7.0
  Despite its crappy visual appearance, it does the job quite well.
  I'm very happy with it and actually do use it (unlike my other programs).
  
