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NuFX Messenger
==============
"NuFX" is the name given to the file format used by ShrinkIt, the
standard archiving utility for Apple II's. When you pack files or a
disk with ShrinkIt, the archive file you create is a NuFX file.
One of the features of the NuFX format is that it supports
"messages" contained within the archive file. That is, by using an
appropriate utility, you can embed a small piece of text within a
NuFX archive before uploading it, and the person who downloads it
can read your text by using a similar utility. Because this message
is a part of the NuFX file, rather than a separate, compressed file
within the NuFX file, it can be read without unpacking anything
from the archive.
GS-ShrinkIt supports messages directly; you can read or write a
NuFX message by opening an archive and then clicking on the "Info"
button when a file with a little document icon displayed to the
right of the filename is highlighted. The current 8 bit version of
ShrinkIt does not support message editing or viewing, however, and
it is this "gap" that NuFX Messenger fills. NuFX Messenger allows
owners of 8 bit Apples to read and write NuFX messages.
All archives created with version 3.0 or later of the 8 bit
ShrinkIt include a small amount of space set aside for a message.
This space allows up to 200 characters of text, and the message is
"attached" to the first file in the archive. When archives are
created with GS-ShrinkIt, messages can be up to 1000 characters
long, and GS-ShrinkIt can be set either to attach a message only to
the first file in the archive, or to attach one to each of the
files in the archive.
Limitations
===========
NuFX Messenger can only display a single message per archive -- the
one attached to the first file (or "item") in the archive. As noted
above, if the archive was created with GS-ShrinkIt, it is possible
that all of the files in the archive will have separate messages
attached to them. NuFX Messenger can only display or write messages
up to 7 lines long. Each line can have up to 79 characters, so the
maximum message length is about 553 characters. As was also noted
above, archives created with GS-ShrinkIt can include messages up
1000 characters long. I expect that these limitations will not be
too troublesome; most users of GS-ShrinkIt will only want to attach
a small message to the first file of any archive they are going to
be distributing. (If they attach any message at all.) In any case,
I may address these limitations in a future version of NuFX
Messenger.
Using NuFX Messenger
====================
NuFX Messenger is a Applesoft program. It requires an enhanced //e,
a //c, //c+, or IIgs. When launched, it presents a display very
much like ShrinkIt's File Dialog screen. If you use the 8 bit
ShrinkIt (3.0 or later), you'll find NuFX Messenger familiar. This
display is used to select the archive file that you want to read
the message of, or write a message to. In addition to the File
Dialog options found in ShrinkIt (TAB to change drives, ESC to
close, RETURN to open), there are three other "buttons" on NuFX
Messenger's screen:
Quit to ProDOS: OA-Q (Open Apple-Q) This is the equivalent of
"Q-Quit" in ShrinkIt's main menu. It
returns you to your program selector.
Quit to BASIC: OA-B Ends the program with Applesoft active.
Typing "BYE" will then return you to your
program selector.
Launch ShrinkIt: OA-L Because it's very likely that you will want
to use ShrinkIt after you have used NuFX
Messenger, I have included an option to
launch ShrinkIt directly. To use this
option, however, you will first have to do
a little editing of NuFX Messenger's code.
This is very easy if you have any
experience with Applesoft. At the beginning
of NuFX Messenger's listing is a line
reading SH$ = "". Put the full pathname of
your copy of ShrinkIt between the quotation
marks, enter SAVE NUFX.MESSENGER, and
you're done. You can use the pathname of
ShrinkIt itself; you don't have to use the
SHRINKIT.SYSTEM file that's usually needed
when launching ShrinkIt from BASIC.
Reading or Entering a Message
=============================
Any archive that you select with NuFX messenger must be one that
was created with ShrinkIt 3.0 or later, or GS-ShrinkIt. It can be a
.SHK (straight NuFX) file or .BXY (NuFX within Binary II) file.
NuFX messenger will let you know if you select a file of the wrong
type. After selecting a file, you will be sent to a new display.
The upper portion of this screen is entitled "Current message:" and
the lower part "Enter new message:" If there is a message in the
archive you selected, it will appear (slowly -- this is an
Applesoft program) in the upper half. In the lower half of the
screen you can enter a new message if you like. The editor for
entering your message is very simple. Its only "features" are word
wrapping (you don't have to press <return> to end each line), and
delete. As mentioned, ShrinkIt 3.0 archives allow messages up to
200 characters long. The editor won't let you enter a message
longer than the maximum the archive permits.
At the bottom of the message editor screen two options are shown:
Save New Message: OA-<return> (Open Apple-<return>) This will
write your new message to the
archive, replacing the old message
(if there is one).
Cancel: OA-. (Open Apple-period) This will return
you to the File Dialog with no
changes made to the archive.
Important!
==========
ShrinkIT is a trademark of L&L Productions. //e, IIgs, etc. are
trademarks of Apple Computer Incorporated. ShrinkIt, GS-ShrinkIT
and NuFX were developed by Andy Nicholas. NuFX Messenger was
developed by Karl Bunker (me). I am solely responsible for any
problems you may have with NuFX Messenger. Andy Nicholas is NOT
responsible for any problems with NuFX messenger.
Etcetera:
=========
This program is Freeware. I'd like to hear of any problems you may
have with it, or comments you have about it, but I don't want any
money for it. (Heck, it only took 3 days to write.)
Karl Bunker
GEnie: K.BUNKER
CIS: 71540,1767