FileChopper-32 X'tra  v2.0
The Small Big-file Splitter

Copyright (c) 1999/2000 JfChua
All rights reserved
===================

  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT ANY GUARANTEE MADE
  AS TO ITS SUITABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IF
  YOU CHOOSE TO USE IT, YOU DO SO ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE
  AUTHOR TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT MAY DIRECTLY
  OR INDIRECTLY BE CAUSED THROUGH ITS USE OR MISUSE. IF YOU DO
  NOT OR CANNOT ACCEPT THESE TERMS FOR WHATEVER REASON, DO _NOT_
  USE THIS SOFTWARE.
     THIS SOFTWARE MAY BE FREELY DISTRIBUTED PROVIDED ITS PACKAGE
  AND CONTENTS ARE NOT MODIFIED. NO FEE MAY BE CHARGED FOR SUCH
  DISTRIBUTION OR FOR THE SOFTWARE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION FROM
  THE AUTHOR.

Introductory
------------
FileChopper (Fc32) is a file-splitter for Win95/98. Its
"pocket-utility" size belies what it can do. You may find it does
more than some other splitters which, as one user best put it,
"are so big, they themselves need splitting!"

Easy to use
-----------
The Zip package contains:

             fc32.exe      -  the program
             options.exe   -  accessories (see below)
             stamp.exe
             readme.txt    -  this file

Fc32 is basically one small exe. So no install. Just unZip to any
folder/directory of your choice. Non-intrusive software, it
doesn't muck about your registry or system files. Input fields
turn active/inactive, buttons change names, to guide you at every
step.

Selecting a file
----------------
Drag-&-drop is best. (In Windows Explorer, click on the file
you want to select and, while keeping the mouse button down, move
the cursor into the Fc32 window, and then release the button.)

You can also use Fc32's Browse to select your file.

Or use the desktop's Start/Run with a command-line parameter of
the selected file. With this parameter, Fc32 then does its
chopping/joining in the background, using the default options,
and then exits.

Chopping
--------
Part files are written to the same folder where fc32.exe is. You
can then copy these parts to floppies, or to any other folder.

Original filename and time stamp are preserved. Eg, if you split
a biggie called "Monster File.doc", the part files will be named
"Monster File.doc.1", "Monster File.doc.2", etc. Each part file
has the same time stamp as the original.

Joining
-------
To get back the big file, copy all the parts to a folder. Select
the _first_ part file. If Fc32 finds the extension ".1" (must be
".1", not ".2" or ".120", etc), the Chop button automatically
becomes Join.

The rejoined file will have the same name and time stamp as the
original, and be written to the folder where the parts are. Make
sure that all the parts are present.

The options
-----------
There are four check boxes which indicate the set options:

1) Topmost.  To facilitate drag-&-drop, Fc32's window remains on
   top even when inactive. Uncheck to turn off.

2) Irreg.  This is the "X'tra" in Fc32. Check it to chop
   on-the-fly! Set a different part size as you go along, halt at
   any point -- a feature I think you'll find nowhere else at
   this time.

3) Bat.  Check this if you want a join.bat file generated after
   chopping. This batch file is useful if you're sending the
   parts to someone who doesn't have Fc32 to do the joining. Or
   you may simply prefer to rejoin using a .bat? (A .bat however
   cannot set the original time stamp. If this is important,
   ensure that the accessory program stamp.exe is in the same
   folder as the .bat and the part files during rejoin.)

4) Default part size.  1,440,000 is what you're offered at the
   start, to suit the floppy disk and allowing some room for bad
   patches. But you can change to any size you want.

The option changes you make inside Fc32 are lost once you exit
the program (as Fc32 eschews writing to the registry and spawning
ini files). To make permanent changes, run the supplied accessory
program options.exe to make and write changes to fc32.exe itself,
when Fc32 is not running.

Conclusion
----------
That's it. And that's all, really. They don't call me a
minimalist programmer for nothing. I mean, we're long past the
take-on-everything, single-tasking Dos-program days. We're into
multi-tasking Windows, or aren't we? You chop a file with a
splitter, and if you want to copy the parts to floppies you use
Explorer, or if you want to email them you call up your favorite
emailer, heavens to Murgatroyd!

Fc32 is freeware ... but if you like it and use it and can afford
to show your appreciation in monetary terms, send any amount of
your choice (making allowance for bank charges which are about
US$10) to:

  Chua Jan Fui
  c/o 21 Sennett Avenue
  Singapore 467029
  Republic of Singapore.

In any case, emails from all users are most welcome, especially
suggestions for improvements:

  jfchua@mailcityasia.com

or visit my homepage at:

  http://www.topcities.com/Computers/jfchua/

to look over my pocket utilities, shareware and freeware and
download the latest versions.


Acknowledgments:
===============
My gratitude to the following friends who told me exactly how to
improve Fc32:

SPIKE WILLIAMS (USA)  Versions 1.2s through 1.5s were the result
--------------------  of hours of deliberation on file-splitters
between Spike and me. Spike's a software connoisseur if ever
there's one. The "s" in those version numbers was my salute to
his generous efforts in bringing me round to tweaking countless
improvements.

GABRIEL MIHAUS (Romania)  Apart from sharing with me the healing
------------------------  power of natural herbs, hot drinks and
hot baths to undo a 'flu attack, Gabriel urged me to add some
command-line convenience. So all the parameter-passing and
"operating entirely in the background" in Fc32 are his idea.

CAREY GEBERT (Australia)  Meticulous, uncompromising and of an
------------------------  ordered mind, (rather sharp eyes,
even), Carey helped to remove an interesting bug to do with
command-line parameters and long filenames. Then he dragged me
over the coals to re-think the logic of every approach for
version 2.

