_____________________________________________________________

Copyright 1994,1995 by Frank E. Haggar - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
_____________________________________________________________

                                                            15-Aug-1995

Program:    EXECHAIN, Version 3.0 - SHAREWARE, $20.00 US FUNDS

Purpose:    Shrinks the file size of Windows programs
            Speeds program loading and startup

Register:   $20 (Twenty dollars) in US funds sent by check or money order.
            INCLUDE $4.00 FOR A REGISTERED DISKETTE (specify size 3.5/5.25)

            There is NO TRIAL PERIOD PAST THE USE ON ONE EXECUTABLE!
            REGISTER IT NOW!!

            (See accompanying documents for ordering instructions and licensing
             information: ORDER.TXT and LICENSE.TXT)

Description:
              This program shrinks Windows 3.x New Executable (NE) files.
            Examples of NE files are EXE, DLL, DRV, SCR, CPL, and other
            extentions are also common.

              It is possible to achieve from 5% up to 25% reduction in the
            file size of a NE program built by BC++ 4.0 or earlier. Although
            BC++ 4.5 has added the ability to eliminate duplicate relocation
            records, there are still cases where EXECHAIN can gain additional
            space and speed on executables produced with the latest version
            of TLINK.

_______________________________________________________________________________

  WARNING: THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT MODIFIES 16 BIT NE FORMAT EXECUTABLE
           FILES TO COMPRESS THEIR SIZE ON DISK.  NO LOGIC ALTERATIONS ARE
           PERFORMED, BUT PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS PRODUCT IS WRITTEN
           BY A HUMAN AND IS SUBJECT TO IMPERFECTIONS.

            NO GUARANTEE IS SUPPLIED OR IMPLIED WITH THIS PROGRAM!


                    ******* USE AT YOUR OWN RISK ********


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                 UPDATE/REVISION HISTORY FOR EXECHAIN
                 ====================================


New for Version 3.0:
-------------------

 *  NEW - "Save" updates the current file, optionally creating a backup file.

 *  NEW - "Save As" creates a new file, leaving the original untouched.

 *  NEW - Option to strip any DEBUG information

 *  NEW - Option to retain the original file's date/time settings

 *  NEW - "List Directory" now provides a dialog to change drive/directory


Version 3.0 BUG Fixes:
----------------------

 * FIX  - Corrected the Time/Date file stamp to retain the original settings

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

New for Version 2.21:
---------------------

 *  NEW - Accepted in the SWREG database on CIS. Register as ID# 4843.

 *  NEW - Added detection of relocation tables >64K (more than 8192 records)

 *  NEW - Error messages improved to provide byte counts, file names, etc.


Version 2.21 BUG Fixes:
-----------------------

 *  FIX - Reduced/eliminated GPF when relocation tables >64K are encountered.

 *  FIX - SplashBox/Nag screen now allows keyboard user to reach the OK button.

 *  FIX - Better use of HUGE pointers prevents GPFaults.

 *  FIX - Changed to use _hread/_hwrite instead of _lread/_lwrite for >64K I/O.

 *  FIX - Text background colors now match window background colors.

 *  FIX - Command-line arguments no longer discarded by SplashBox/Nag screen.

 *  FIX - Error Messages no longer show "NewView". Now they show "EXECHAIN".

 *  FIX - Problem that left a few bytes of junk after debug info trailer

 *  FIX - "Error Reading File" caused by no resources or debug information and
          an odd number of relocation records in the last segment.

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New for Version 2.1:
--------------------

 *  NEW - Improved compatibility with BC++ 4.02 and BC++ 4.5

 *  NEW - Directory List scan shows how much space can be saved per file.

 *  NEW - Support for a wider variety of linker/RC options and configurations

 *  NEW - Improved error messages, summaries, and statistical accuracy

 *  NEW - "/DEBUG" command-line option displays a log showing OpenFile calls

 *  NEW - "/1" command-line option that supresses reworking of relocations,
          and only eliminates duplicates (compatible with EXECHAIN 1.0)


Version 2.1 BUG Fixes:
----------------------

 *  FIX - Now detects and skips ITERATED segments without damaging them.
          This enables EXECHAIN to open BC 4.5 files (BCW.EXE,IDECRTL.DLL)

 *  FIX - Files without resources caused problems when writing debug trailers
          This enables successful processing of BC 4.0 files (IDEEDIT.DLL)

 *  FIX - Now detects and skips HUGE segments without errors

 *  FIX - Better calculations for disk space when file already exists


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

New for Version 2.0:
--------------------

 *  NEW - It's faster, faster, fasterrrr

 *  NEW - Additional chaining creates smaller, faster loading EXE files

 *  NEW - No "offset" fixups make it harder to reverse-engineer your programs

 *  NEW - Improved out-of-diskspace handling, share violations, etc

 *  NEW - Improved file open handling reduces stress on system and hard disk

 *  NEW - A partial or incomplete file now deleted after severe errors

 *  NEW - "Overwrite" prompt states whether existing file is an EXE or not



Version 2.0 Bug Fixes:
----------------------

 *  FIX - Now correctly supports separate PRELOAD/LOADONCALL resource areas

 *  FIX - No longer allows file to overwrite itself, leaving 0 byte EXE


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Version 1.0
-----------

 *  NEW - Initial public BETA release of this program, no charge

==========================================================================


  LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
  -----------------

     THE INFORMATION AND CODE PROVIDED HEREUNDER (COLLECTIVELY REFERRED
   TO AS "SOFTWARE") IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
   EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
   OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

    IN NO EVENT SHALL FRANK E. HAGGAR, MICROSOFT, BORLAND INTL., OR
   ANYONE ELSE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT,
   INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR
   SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF FRANK HAGGAR OR ANY OTHER PARTY CREDITED
   WITHIN THIS SOFTWARE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
   DAMAGES.

     USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!   PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

   RUNNING THIS PROGRAM ACKNOWLEDGES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT.

============================================================================


    ORDERING INFORMATION:
    ---------------------

     Please register your copy to recieve technical support and to be legal.

       The cost to register is $20.00   See ORDER.TXT for complete ordering
     information on how to get an official registered copy of the software,
     and for information on SHIPPING/HANDLING charges.


     Thank you all for your support, and please don't forget to register!


     Frank E. Haggar
     21118 Madria Circle
     Boca Raton, Fla. 33433

     CompuServe: 75672,1206
     INTERNET: 75672.1206@compuserve.com


_____________________________________________________________________________
        Copyright 1994,1995 by Frank E. Haggar    (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
