
                              Extractor V2.0

                             by John Augustine

  "Extractor" was written in Assembly for Ms Dos systems, but can be used
with Windows.  Little memory is used and no installation is required.

  Please read "IMPROVE.TXT" for details about improvements.

  WINDOWS 3.1/95/98/ME/XP/etc.

  No installation is required.  Simply copy "XTRACT.EXE" into a directory
(folder) of your choice (example: "UTILS").  Click on "Start" (Windows 3.1,
"File") and "Run".  Type path\XTRACT (Example: "C:\UTILS\XTRACT") and press
Enter (or click "Ok") to launch Extractor.

  You can create a shortcut icon so you can launch Extractor as you do any
Windows program.

  NOTES:

  Please see "CONCLUSION" near the end of this document for details on making
a small "donation" (greatly appreciated) and becoming a "donor".

  The original ("input") file is never changed.  A new file is created.

  Extractor Has Two Extract Modes:

  1. You can extract lines/parts from a file to go into a new file.

  2. Create a new file with all the lines/parts of the original file except
the "marked" lines/parts.

  Extractor Has Two View/Access Modes:

  1.  "Text" mode is for text extraction (files that contain text).

  2.  "Raw" mode is for any type of file.  This mode is very useful for file
recovery, but it can be used for other reasons.

   TEXT MODE:

  How many times have you viewed a file (document) such as a list of files
(programs), web sites, e-mail addresses, instructions, etc., and found
yourself writing down information from the file because it is too much trouble
to "mark" those parts using a text editor, then save those "parts" as
individual files which you have to "merge" together, or "copy" the parts and
"paste" the parts together?  Extractor makes it easy.

  If the file contains non-text characters, those characters are replaced with
spaces in order to create a file that is more compatible with text
viewers/editors.

  One Example for Using "Extractor":

  I use Netscape browser.  There is a sub-folder called "MAIL" which contains
files such as "INBOX", "OUTBOX", "TRASH", etc.  I often use Extractor to
"mark" (pick) parts of messages that I have received with useful information
and extract those parts into a file (created).

  Important Text Mode Note:

  Although an entire screen line is always highlighted (marked) when only a CR
(Carriage Return) exists at the beginning of the screen line, the CR is the
only character, for that "line", to be Extracted.  Also, anything up to a CR,
including the CR will be Extracted (lines with a CR).

  "RAW" MODE:

  Unlike "text" mode that filters out non-text characters (replaces them with
spaces), "raw" mode displays everything without any modification or line
termination.  NOTE: Three bytes ("characters") such as a 00 (zero), 20 (hex)
and FF (hex) appear as a space/s on the screen.

  This mode's main purpose was added as an aid in file recovery such as
a lost file that ends up somewhere in "FILE001.CHK", which is the result of
lost clusters put into this file by a "SCANDISK" function.  Also, it can aid
in recovering a file from a string of sectors saved to a file using
"Sector Access" (see "OTH-PGMS.TXT").

  USING EXTRACTOR:

  You use Extractor to view any file.  In text mode, "long line" text will be
wrapped at the 80th column to keep everything on the screen.  In "raw" mode,
everything is on the screen in 80 byte rows.  If you see something you want to
extract, simply position the "marking" bar, then press the space bar (toggles
"Mark" on/off).  Move the bar down over the area you want to extract.  It can
be one line, or as many lines as you want.  If you made a mistake, simply move
the bar to the starting line, and press the U (UnMark) key.  Note: "UnMark"
clears marked lines when you move the bar down over the line/s.

  Note: Pressing the "U" (UnMark) key turns off "Mark" and vice versa.

  In "raw" mode, you mark the area you want to extract into a new file. You
can mark more than one area, but for a file recovery, one area is enough.  The
actual start of the file most likely will not start at the beginning of the
marked area or end at the end of the marked area. It usually will (should be)
be at some point within the first 80 byte line of the "marked" area and end at
some point within the last 80 byte line of the marked area (area you want to
extract).  After you are finished "marking", when you exit the viewer, you
will have the option to save the marked area/s along with another option to
trim the start and ending (first and last 80 byte lines).

  MISC. "RAW" MODE NOTES:

  In "raw" mode, you can also extract a part/s that you do not want, and
create a file without those marked parts.  This would not usually be done to
recover a file/s.

  In "raw" mode, a moveable "box" is present in the mark bar that allows you
to see the byte number in hexadecimal (bottom right side) for any "character"
the "box" is over.

  An example of a file recovery process using "Raw" mode comes with the
registered version of "Extractor".  See "CONCLUSION", near the bottom, for
details on getting a registered version.

  NOTE:

  Extractor does NOT put markers in the file.  The size of the file for "text"
mode can be huge, up to 524,160 Lines!  If the lines have an average of 60
characters per line, that would be 31,449,600 characters!  In "raw" mode, the
file can be as large as 41,932,800 bytes!  The maximum number of individual
"parts" that you can Extract (at one time) is 262,080 (every other line
marked).  Extractor copies (option) the "marked" lines/parts to a new file
when you exit View mode.  Also, Extractor can create a new file without the
"marked" lines/parts.

  If you are "marking" (editing) a very large file, you can stop at anytime.
The marked references are always saved to a file.  Exit Extractor, and resume
the next day.  The View menu has two options.  Simply select number "2" ("View
a file and load the marked reference file").  Now you can resume "marking"
(editing).

  "TEXT" MODE EMPHASIZE (V1.5 feature) OR SEARCH (V1.8 feature):

  Here is one of many possible uses for this feature: If you have a large file
(example: Netscape's "INBOX" or "TRASH" in the "MAIL" directory) containing
many e-mail messages you have received, and you would like to Extract the
e-mail addresses of messages in a certain category (example: programmers,
astronomy, etc.) to create a list, use this feature and enter (without quotes)
"From:" as the pattern.  It will be easy to locate (see) "From:" (in the
message header) in each message so you can "Mark" that line for Extraction,
which contains the e-mail address of the sender.

  Search:

  If you are looking for a pattern/s relating to a part/s that you want to
extract in a very large file, instead of browsing while looking for emphasized
patterns, simply press the "S" (search) key instead. "Another" (search) allows
you to enter a new (change) pattern while in the viewer.  Doing so will cancel
the previous pattern/s and modes.  This feature (V1.9) has case sensitive
(option) feature, but not the "exclusive" or "wildcard" options that the
original emphasize/search feature has at the menu.

  You can "emphasize" or search for one or two text patterns with options such
as "wildcard" (pattern ex. "04-**-99"), "exclusive" (pattern ex. "ram", ignore
"frame", etc), "AND" (two patterns on the same or adjacent line), "OR" (one OR
the other).  The patterns you specify will be easy to notice as you browse or
search through the document.

  GETTING STARTED: ("FileName" represents the name of a file)

  To use Extractor in Windows, see "WINDOWS 3.1/95/98/ME/XP/etc." near the
beginning of this document.

  Type (without quotes): "XTRACT FileName" and press Enter to set a "default"
file name.  Note: You can "select" another file within Extractor.

  or

  Type "XTRACT" and press Enter (You can enter a filename or "select" a file
within Extractor).

  MISC. NOTES:

  Extractor only marks/unmarks lines moving the "marker bar" downward.  You
can move the bar up to lines that are not marked above, then move the bar down
to mark (or unmark) them.

  For marking (or unmarking) large areas (many lines), press the "PgDn" key to
save time.  Note: Tab key is equal to 10 PgDn key presses for even faster
coverage.

  While you are marking or unmarking lines, if you press the "Home" key (go to
the beginning), the "End" key (go to the end), or the "S" (search) key,
marking or unmarking is automatically switched off.  This is a safety feature
incase you accidently press one of those keys.

  "Marking" beyond the end of the file (past the last line) is harmless.  It
doesn't actually go beyond in the extraction process.

  CONCLUSION:

  A one time donation (at least $5.00) will be greatly appreciated.  For your
donation, you will become a "donor".  Your name, etc. will be added to the
"donors" list.  As a "donor" (one time donation), you can select (ask for) one
or more programs to receive FREE such as "Tree Restore", etc.  See (use
"HELP.EXE") "OTH-PGMS.TXT" for information about other programs.  Please
include your e-mail address if you want one or more of the programs available
to "donors" only, and the name/s of the program/s.  I will tell you in the
email message about the attachment (programs.zip) so you know it is safe to
open.  As a "donor", you will be entitled to receive all improved and new
programs (at your request) developed in the future (sent to you by e-mail). As
a "donor", you may request (from time to time) the latest list of programs
from which you can select to receive FREE.  NOTE: You will not receive
anything from me via email unless you request it.

  If you know another shareware author with a better offer, please let me
know.

  The donation will motivate me to develop more programs and make improvements
in existing programs (add new features).

  Comments or complaints are always welcomed via email.  If you use "snail
mail" and expect a reply, please include a S.A.S.E.

  If you are overseas, the local bank charges a $10.00 service fee for checks
outside of U.S. I recommend that you send U.S. cash instead.

  Send $5.00 (or more) check, money order, or cash (put in foil for security)
to:

                     John Augustine N3AOF
                     3129 Earl St.
                     Laureldale, Pa 19605

            E-Mail:  jaugust@bellatlantic.net
 
