Sortie¿ v1.2 by Terry May
                         Copyright ½ 1993, Shark Bytes

                               F R E E W A R E !


 VERSIONS:
 """""""""

     1.0 - 22-May-91 - First public release!
     1.1 - 01-Feb-93 - Added -Date sort.
     1.2 - 06-Feb-93 - Fixed cosmetic bug with long folder names.


 INTRODUCTION:
 """""""""""""

     Sortie was conceived while Tư Ltd. owned BBS Express! ST, and was our
 first freeware offering at Tư Ltd.  BBS Express! ST has long since been
 sold to C&R Systems, but Sortie lives on -- now under Shark Bytes, my
 freeware/software 'company.'  Although this program was designed and
 written mainly for use as an Express! utility, there are many other uses
 for a utility of this nature.

     What Sortie does is sort the files in any directory, alphabetically
 or by date (in ascending or descending order).  Although the desktop and
 many programs will show you the files in order by Name or by Date (none
 in ascending order, that I know of), there are many programs, such as BBS
 Express! ST and most picture slide shows, that show files in the order
 they are on disk.  Well, Sortie sorts them on disk in a perfectly SAFE
 way, so that the program in question shows them in the order you wish.

     You've probably seen programs that allow you to sort your AUTO
 folder, to put programs in a certain order.  And you may have seen
 programs that allow you to sort files in alphabetical order.  Sortie will
 not allow you to sort your directories on a file by file basis, but it
 will allow you to sort by Name and by Date, probably easier and faster
 than any other program currently in existance.

     Sortie operates in two modes, which I'll call "Batch" and "Manual":


 BATCH MODE:
 """""""""""

     In Batch mode, Sortie will take on a command line the path\filename
 of an ASCII list (data file) of folders you'd like sorted, in the
 following format:

D:\SORTIE\SORTIE.DAT [-DATE|+DATE]

     The path\filename can be anything and doesn't have to have a DAT
 extender (or any extender at all).  Capitalization is optional and can
 even be mixed.  "-DATE" and "+DATE" are optional parameters that tell
 Sortie to sort by Date in descending or ascending order, respectively.
 If "-DATE" or "+DATE" are not found, a Name sort will be done.

     Your data file can contain comments or anything else you wish.  Just
 be sure that all valid path\filenames start in the first column and
 contain a drive specification.  (Sortie looks at the 2nd character in
 each line for a ":" character to determine whether it's a path or a
 comment.)  Trailing backslashes (\) are entirely optional, as is
 capitalization.  Examples:

c:           <- Good
D:\Files     <- Good
e:\FILES\    <- Good

c            <- Bad
 D:\Files    <- Bad
\FILES\      <- Bad

     Sortie will ignore any line that doesn't follow the prescribed
 format.  If the line follows the prescribed format (i.e., any line with
 ":" as the second character), but can't find the path, no harm is done.
 Sortie will simply ring the bell, display "NOT FOUND" in the status
 window, and then go on to the next line.

     It is not possible to sort folders by Name and Date on an individual
 basis within a Batch listing.  ALL folders will be sorted either by Name
 or by Date, depending on the parameters sent on the command line.  To
 sort on a folder by folder basis, use Manual mode or run Batch mode two
 or three times, using two or three separate data files and command lines.


 MANUAL MODE:
 """"""""""""

     Manual mode allows you to use the file selector to sort your
 directories one at a time.  This mode is automatically envoked if Sortie
 is not given a valid path\filename on the command line, or if no command
 line was used.

     You will first be presented with an Alert box, asking if you wish to
 sort by -Date, Name or +Date.  (Name is initially the default button, but
 after the 1st use on any session, the default will be the last button
 pressed.)

     Select -Date for sorting by date in descending order (i.e., newest
 files first); select Name for sorting by name, in alphabetical order; and
 select +Date for sorting by date in ascending order (oldest files first).

     Next you'll be given the file selector.  Simply choose the directory
 or folder you wish to sort and press Return.  If you change your mind and
 don't want to sort any directory, simply click on CANCEL in the file
 selector.

     After Sortie is done doing its thing you will again be presented the
 Alert box.  Again choose your preferred sorting method for sorting a new
 folder.  If you don't wish to sort anymore folders, simply click on any
 of the three buttons (or press Return) and then click on Cancel in the
 file selector.


 SCREEN DISPLAY:
 """""""""""""""

     After receiving a valid path from your Batch list or from Manual
 mode, Sortie will go to work on sorting that directory.  In the upper
 left hand corner is the File Counter.  It counts only files that are
 being sorted.  In the upper center is the Folder being sorted.  And in
 the upper right corner is the Status indicator.

     The middle (and vast majority) of the screen is used to display the
 files currently being sorted.  They will first be shown in inverse, with
 the Status indicator showing "Sorting."  They will then be displayed
 again in normal text, with the Status indicator showing "Writing."

     The screen will hold 100 filenames.  If you're sorting more than
 that, Sortie will not clear the screen, but will simply start over in the
 first filename 'slot.'  The screen is not cleared, so that you can see
 what Sortie has done on the previous screen.  A ">" marker tells you what
 file is currently being sorted, so there is no confusion.

     With each new sort (even if there are no files to sort), the screen
 will be cleared, as if you were starting new.


 MISCELLANEOUS:
 """"""""""""""

     - Worry not about what Sortie is doing to your fragile drive.  Sortie
 does not directly access your FAT; it uses only _legal_ GEMDOS calls.
 It is literally as safe as renaming files from your desktop.

     - If Sortie gives you an "Error 36" Alert box, check the folder
 you're sorting for a folder named \ZZZZZ\.  If found, MOVE all files (if
 any) from the \ZZZZZ\ folder to their original folder and then delete the
 \ZZZZZ\ folder.  Sortie uses a \ZZZZZ\ folder for temporary storage, and
 if it is aborted for any reason during the sorting process, you'll have
 to do this to restore those files to their original directory and before
 that original directory can be sorted again.

     - Sortie requires at least 2k of free space on the drive you're
 sorting, more if you have lots of files in that directory (figure an
 additional 1k for every 75 files or so).  If you try to sort a directory
 on a drive without enough free space, no harm will be done, but Sortie
 will abort and you'll be presented with an Alert box.

     - Sortie will even sort files that are locked (set to READ ONLY).
 After sorting they'll be restored to locked status.  (Locked files will
 be shown with an (*) asterisk next to them.)

     - Sortie will restore your Archive Bits to their original setting
 after it's done.  This is useful if you backup your drives by Archive
 Bit; you surely don't want to backup the same file twice, just because it
 was sorted.

     - If you use a PC emulator, it is recommended you do NOT sort the
 root of your PC boot drive, as your System files will be sorted along
 with everything else, likely causing your drive to no longer autoboot.

     - Sortie will not run in LOW REZ, due to its 80x25 screen display.

     - Maximum files in a folder that can be sorted is 999.  Any files
 over 999 will simply be ignored (no harm done).

     - Maximum lines in a Batch data file is 100.  Any lines over 100
 will be ignored (no harm done).

     - When using manual sort, Sortie will back out to the parent
 directory (if any) of the last path sorted, the next time it calls up
 the file selector for another sort.  This is handy if you have a lot of
 folders with the same parent directory to sort.

     - Sortie will only sort enough files that are necessary to put your
 directory in the proper order.  If the directory is already sorted, it
 won't do anything, obviously.  If it has been previously sorted and then
 you add a file or two, then it's likely Sortie will only have to sort
 some of the files.

     - Name sort is useful for putting all your pics in order for a
 slideshow program, or for BBS (Express) programs that show files in the
 order in which they reside on the disk, and you want the files shown in
 alphabetical order.

     - -Date sort is useful for BBS (Express) programs that show files in
 the order in which they reside on the disk, and you want the files shown
 by date, with the newest files first.

     - +Date sort is useful for BBS (Express) programs that show files in
 the order in which they reside on the disk, and you want the files shown
 by date, oldest files first, particularly for weeding out old uploads.


 COPYRIGHT:
 """"""""""

     The "Sortie" name, program and documentation is a copyright of Shark
 Bytes.  The Sortie program is FREEWARE and may be distributed freely,
 provided this documentation is included and unaltered.


 WARRANTY:
 """""""""

     There is none!  Although Sortie is believed to be perfectly safe, I
 still must insist that you use at your own risk.  Shark Bytes will not
 accept responsibility for damage to hardware or loss of data that results
 from the use or misuse of this program.


 EPILOGUE:
 """""""""

     Geez, so much documentation for such a simple, easy to use program!  :^)

     If you have any comments (good or bad), suggestions, or whatever,
 please don't hesitate to drop me a line.  Send private mail to:
 
     Delphi   : OUTRIDER
     GEnie    : OUTRIDER
     FidoNet  : 1:209/745 (Terry May)
     AtariNet : 51:2/0 (Terry May)
     BBS      : 702/435-0786 (Outrider)

     Happy sorting...

     - Terry May @ Shark Bytes