              Squish Message Base Reply Linker, Version 2.0
                    Copyright (c) 2000-01 Serge Nozhenko


This readme file contains the following information:

  I.   General Information
  II.  Installation Instructions
  III. Copyright and Disclaimer
  IV.  Limited Support


I. General Information
======================

What is Reply Linker?
  
  This program is a by-product of the www.fido-online.com server development.
  It can be used to link messages in Squish message bases. Squish is a message
  base format widespread in FidoNet and other networks using FidoNet technology.
  Reply Linker links messages in trees and linear chains by ^MSGID and ^REPLY
  kludges or by identical subjects or a parts of subject, ignoring any number
  of Re:, Re^N: and Re[N]: prefixes.

What are the software requirements for Reply Linker?

  This program requires operating system based on the Win32 API,
  namely Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 9x or Windows 2000.


II. Installation Instructions
=============================

  To a certain extent this program emulates Link[F] command of
  ParToss echoprocessor. So if you are using ParToss, run
  Reply Linker after incoming mail is imported or after packing
  message bases with Purge command. Here is one of the possible
  scenarios: 

  c:
  cd \partoss
  partossw In Out Send -fechotoss.log
  if exist echotoss.log sqlinkw partoss.cfg -kechotoss.log

  If you are using echoprocessor other than ParToss, see its
  manual to find out what command sequence is suitable for
  your echoprocessor.


  Run Reply Linker as follows:

  SQLINKRW <config file> [-f<echotoss.log file or echo tag>] [-k<file>] [-p]
           [-q] [-t<type>] [-s<number in range 1-72>] [-$] [-![+] <command>]

  Reply Linker uses configuration file of the echoprocessor.
  In addition to the list of echoareas, it is aware of the following 
  configuration keys (in ParToss format):

  Include <path>    File specified by path is considered as a part
                    of the main configuration file.

  LogFile <path>    Path to the log file.

  LogLevel <n>      Required level of the log file. Default is 8.

  LogLevelShow      With this key activated, minimal LogLevel is
                    printed for each string in the log file.

  LinkType <type>   Type of linking. If type is not one of 'Flat', 'Reply',
                    'Subj' or 'TimEd', only echoareas that have one of
                    the following flags specified are linked:
                    -$l1 (Reply), -$l2 (Subj), -$l3 (Flat), -$l4 (TimEd).

  LinkType <type>   Type of linking. If type is not 'Subj', only
                    echoareas that have -$l2 flag specified are linked.
                    (Link type Subj only).

  EchoArea <tag> <path> [flags] [nodes]   Description of echoarea.


  -f specifies either area list file, or individual echo tag if
  specified file is not found. Area list file is assumed to be
  a file created by ParToss after running it with mail import
  command and -f switch.

  -k is the same as -f, but forces linker to delete the specified
  area list file at exit.

  -p is specific for Russian conferences. Use it to link original
  messages with Russian 'a', 'e', 'o', 'p', 'c', 'y' letters in subject
  to the replies in which Russian letter was converted to the similiar
  Latin letters by the software of reply author. (Link type Subj only).

  -s specifies the maximum number of subject symbols to compare
  (without leading spaces and Re: prefixes). This switch overrides
  configuration file settings. Default number is 15. (Link type Subj only).

  -t specifies the link type. <type> is one of the following symbols:
  f - type Flat  (links liniar chain of replies to the original message,
                  where reply messages have the same ^REPLY kludge as
                  ^MSGID of the original message);
  r - type Reply (the same as Flat, but messages with identical ^REPLY are
                  linked together even if original message is already gone.
                  This link type is used by default);
  s - type Subj  (links messages with identical Subjects in liniar chains);
  t - type TimEd (links many replies to one original message).
  This switch overrides configuration file settings.

  -$ turns on strict check of echoarea descriptions for the -$ flag.
  Only areas with this flag specified will be linked. Note that ParToss
  relies solely on the EchoArea keyword and ignores this flag, so
  there may be Squish echoareas without -$ flag in the ParToss
  configuration file.

  -! specifies a <command> to execute for each processed echoarea.
  -!+ specifies that echoareas should be linked after the <command> finishes.
  Use the following parameters in the <command>:
  %a - area tag
  %p - area path
  %s - area path containing short 8.3 names only


III. Copyright and Disclaimer
=============================

  Squish Message Base Reply Linker is
  Copyright (c) 2000-01 by Serge Nozhenko

  Squish Message Base Reply Linker is a freeware program.
  Permission to use, copy and distribute this software and its
  documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee,
  provided that the above copyright notice and this permission
  notice appear in all copies of the software and related
  documentation.


  NO WARRANTY

  THIS SOFTWARE AND ITS ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION ARE PROVIDED
  "AS-IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR
  IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY WARRANTY OF
  MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER BE LIABLE FOR ANY
  DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL
  OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF
  THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.


IV. Limited Support
===================

  The latest version of Squish Message Base Reply Linker can be found at

  http://www.aha.ru/~snn/fido/sqlinkw/

  If you find a problem in this software package, you are encouraged
  to report it to the author. Please send me a mail to one of the
  following addresses:

  E-mail:   admin@fido-online.com
  FidoNet:  2:5020/175
