     Wincode: Multi-Purpose Encoder/Decoder for Windows
              (C) _Snappy_ (1993-1996)
------------------------------------------------------------
             written by George H. Silva


     ***PLEASE DISTRIBUTE FREELY WITH ALL FILES INTACT***

Files:    WINCODE.EXE    the main executable program
          WCENGINE.DLL   dynamic link library of coding functions
          WCEHOOK.DLL    dynamic link library of menu hook functions
          WCEFMEXT.DLL   File Manager Extension dynamic link library
          WCHLPKEY.DLL   Help file option dynamic link library
          WCESOCK.EXE    a companion Winsock e-mail/post daemon
          WCEPADDR.WAB   default Wincode address book
          WINSORT.EXE    a companion file-sort utility
          UNINSTLL.EXE   Wincode package UnInstall program
          ZIPLINK.EXE    executable link to PKZIP/PKUNZIP
          ZIPLINK.PIF    ZIPLINK.EXE program information file
          VSWLINK.EXE    Windows executable link to VSDLINK
          VSDLINK.EXE    executable link to DOS Virus Scan software
          VSDLINK.PIF    VSDLINK.EXE program information file
          VSDLINK.DAT    VSDLINK Virus Scanner exit codes
          MACAPPFC.DAT   MAC Finder information database
          WCEDCSIG.DAT   Application information database
          WCEMIME.DAT    MIME information database
          WAOL.HKS       Hook Script for AOL software
          WINCIM.HKS     Hook Script for WinCIM software
          SUM.EXE        a BONUS "sum -r/size" DOS utility
          README.NOW     important info file
          README.TXT     this file
          HELPME.HLP     Wincode basics and information for obtaining
                         the real HELP file (WINCODE.HLP)
          LICENSE.TXT    _Snappy_ "User-Friendly" FREEWARE License
          INSTALL.EXE    the Install/Upgrade program
          INSTALL.HLP    the Installer HELP file
          INSTALL.INF    the Installer information file
          CHECKSUM.REF   checksum reference file
          FILE_ID.DIZ    BBS identification file

        ****************************************************

        PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING FILES FOR MORE INFORMATION:

        README.NOW
        HELPME.HLP (formerly HELPME.TXT -> now a Windows HELP file)
        VSDLINK.DAT
        LICENSE.TXT

        ****************************************************


This file contains the following information:

I.    About Wincode
II.   Wincode Features (very brief list! - MANY NEW FEATURES :-)
III.  Coming Soon
IV.   Requirements
V.    Installing/Running/UnInstalling Wincode
VI.   Availability
VII.  Note to HELP Registered Users
VIII. Copyrights


NOTE: There is alot of helpful information in the file HELPME.HLP.
You can now automatically access this file from Wincode by selecting
any "Help" option (this file is now the "default help file" if you
are not a registered user - if you are registered, this file is not
needed since it duplicates portions of the *real* HELP file :-).



I. *** About Wincode ***

Wincode is a Windows 3.1x program which converts 8-bit BINARY (EXE,
COM,GIF, etc) files to 7-bit ASCII (Text) files (and vice versa)
through a process known as bit-shifting. Wincode currently supports
UU, XX, USR, Base64 (MIME 1.0 conformant), BINHEX, BTOA and BOO
encoding/decoding. This BINARY/ASCII conversion allows you to send
and receive binary files via e-mail or any other ascii-based
communications system. It provides a quick and easy way to distribute
programs to people all over the world (it takes a few minutes, on
average, for e-mail to reach across the world). UUcoding is a common
practice on many Internet NewsGroups in which users wish to exchange
binary data. Base64 coding is used by MIME (Multipurpose Internet
Mail Extensions) conformant e-mail software as a method for attaching
binary data to ascii e-mail. BINHEX is a popular encoding algorithm
used mainly on Apple Macintosh computers. BTOA is a somewhat
different variation of the common BINARY/ASCII conversion process
which supports simple compression, several checksum options and will
generally create encoded files that are smaller than other methods
due to its conversion algorithm (mod 85). BOO is an older (extinct?)
algorithm used in cross-platform file transfers that is provided for
compatibility (it requires previous knowledge of decoded output
filesize and may hence be unreliable). All these methods perform the
same overall function (i.e. allow binary data to be safely
transmitted through e-mail) but require different formatting
algorithms (e.g. BINHEX supports Run-Length Encoding, BTOA uses mod
85 coding, etc).

Wincode and the associated executables and DLLs (NOT including the
HELP file) are distributed as FREEWARE. However, we want to make a
distinction: the program is FREEWARE, but it is NOT Public Domain.
_Snappy_ still retains the Copyright to the source code and to the
use and distribution of the program (see the file LICENSE.TXT). The
HELP file is available for a small fee ($10.00 US) but is NOT
required for Wincode to function correctly. Ordering the HELP file
also entitles you to future updates and e-mail based support. The
$10.00 fee is mainly to offset development costs and the amount of
personal time invested. See below and the file HELPME.HLP for more
information on obtaining support.

Wincode is 100% compatible with all standard UUcoders, MIME 1.0
conformant software, BINHEX 4.0 and BTOA v4.0 and v5.2 coders. The
MIME (Base64) support was developed under the guidelines of RFC 1521
(September 1993) and is subject to our understanding of the document.
The BINHEX support was developed under the guidelines of RFC 1741
(December 1994) and is subject to our understanding of the document.
The BTOA v4.0 and v5.2 support was developed based on freely
available documents by Paul Rutter, Joe Orost & Stefan Parmark (the
creators of BTOA). We welcome all comments and error corrections. 

As part of our goal to support all BINARY/ASCII conversion methods in
one (quality :-) product, Wincode now supports encoding/decoding of
*seven* different formats. We have tried to incorporate as many extra
features as possible to make the en/de-coding process painless (check
out the two forms of auto-detection used by the decode algorithm -
refer to the HELPME.HLP file (Decode section) for details). The
average user may not need/use all of Wincode's features, but they
*are* Free!

NOTE TO DEVELOPERS: WCENGINE.DLL contains ALL of Wincode's 'working'
code (currently) accessed through 80+ functions/procedures. We
created this SIMPLE interface to allow Developers to integrate the
Wincode Engine into any program. We will provide the API and royalty
free usage to interested developers under certain conditions. Please
contact the _Snappy_ development team for more details:

   development@snappy-software.com



II. *** Wincode Features (very brief list!) ***

       - Full featured Windows 3.1 program
       - Easy access ButtonBar for hassle-free operation
       - Drag and Drop support (use for batch en/de-coding -> Wincode
         also allows multi-file selection from File Open dialogs)
       - SMART decoding (handles single files, multi-part files, can
         determine what is encoded or not, etc. -> see the HELP file
         for more information)
       - Fully configurable...We're not joking!
       - EMBL UUcode compatible
       - Supports UU, XX or User defined En/De-coding
       - Supports Base64 (MIME conformant) En/De-coding
       - Supports BINHEX En/De-coding (with option to include MAC
         finder info when encoding to make decoding on a MAC *very*
         easy!)
       - Supports BTOA v4.0 and v5.2 En/De-coding
       - Supports BOO En/De-coding
       - Supports En/De-coding to/from the Clipboard!
       - Supports automatic CODE TYPE detection - either "quick-pass"
         (Auto-1) or "full-pass" (Auto-2) - see HELPME.HLP.
       - Powerful Scripting language can be used to "program" Wincode
         (includes new automatic "Repair" damaged files option!)
       - Supports automatic ZIP/UNZIP (requires PKWare's
         ZIP/UNZIP 2.0)
       - Supports automatic Virus Scanning (requires a DOS Virus
         Scanner - see the VSDLINK.DAT file for more information)
       - Application menu hooking option to integrate Wincode's menu
         into any application. New scripting feature makes encoding
         *into* application documents a SNAP!
       - Includes INSTALL program for upgrades
       - Includes UNINSTALL program for removal
       - Integrated file-sorting companion program (separate
         executable for easier upgrading) which handles MANY types
         of file header formats
       - Integrated Winsock compatible e-mail/post daemon (separate
         executable for easier upgrading) to allow for automatic
         e-mailing and posting of encoded documents (see
         Requirements)
       - Multimedia support - see the HELP file for details
       - It's ALL FREE...



III. *** Coming Soon ***

       - 32-bit Win95/WinNT version. In progress but no date set yet.
         Keep an eye on our HomePage for early BETAs...
       - User suggestions...?



IV. *** Requirements ***

      - IBM compatible running DOS 3.3 or higher
      - 286 or higher processor with at least 2MB memory
      - Windows 3.1/3.11 running in standard or enhanced mode OR
        Win95/NT
      - About 1.8MB of disk space without HELP file (~2.5MB with HELP
        file) Sorry about the disk space - this should be reduced in
        the coming months with the release of 32-bit version.
      - ***NOTE*** To use Wincodes built-in E-Mail/Post capabilities,
        you must have a Winsock setup. This means that you are using
        a Windows Socket stack (WINSOCK.DLL) of some sort connected
        directly to the internet (ethernet, SLIP, PPP, TwinSock, TIA,
        SLiRP, etc). The E-Mail/Post Daemon is a Winsock v1.1
        compatible app and has been tested with Trumpet Winsock,
        SunSoft PCNFSPro Winsock, and Winsock running under Win95.
        Improper or missing Winsock setup will only result in
        harmless error messages :-)



V. *** Installing/Running/UnInstalling Wincode ***

If you have not already done so, expand the ZIP archive into a
temporary directory (or a floppy-disk). Start Windows, select
FILE|RUN from Program Manager or File Manager and type in the full
path of the INSTALL.EXE program (run it). The INSTALL program will
copy/expand all the files to a directory you specify (overwriting
older files), upgrade your WINCODE.INI (if you are running an older
version of Wincode) and create a Program Manager Group and/or icon.
See the HELPME.HLP file for basic instructions on using Wincode.

***IMPORTANT NOTES:
   1) ALL files (listed above) must be present in the same directory
      for Installer to function properly. You should INSTALL first,
      then move selected files to directories of your choice (i.e.
      delete the README.TXT, place SUM.EXE in your DOS directory,
      etc). The install program uses the Windows LZEXPAND.DLL to
      decompress and copy the required files. If you receive any
      error messages during install, please contact _Snappy_ for
      assistance.
   2) If you receive a Program Manager DDE failure (usually under
      Windows95), try RE-STARTING Windows. We have only observed this
      error under Win95 on computers that have been used extensively
      without restart. If this fails, installation WILL proceed but
      PM Groups will not be created.

Wincode can now be un-installed in 2 easy steps. First, run Wincode
and select 'Options|Configuration...' (CTRL-F) from the menu. You
will see the configuration dialog which has an 'UnInstall...' button.
Choose this to select the UnInstall method. You may also use the
"Uninstall Wincode" icon in your "Wincode" Program Manager group. The
UnInstaller will remove/copy/list all files included in the Wincode
package. However, it does NOT remove itself OR the directories that
Wincode may have used. Therefore, the second step is to remove these
directories and UNINSTLL.EXE from your drive. Wincode should now be
completely erased from your drive.



VI. *** Availability ***

Recent versions of Wincode (or other _Snappy_ software) are always
available at the following locations:

    - The Internet - the _Snappy_ Software site! All of our software
      is available by three different methods:

      1) WWW forms - point your browser at:
         
         http://snappy-software.com/

         and check out our HomePage! If you can't get through, try
         our MIRROR site at:
         
         http://www.global2000.net/users/snappy/snappy/
         (YES, there are two "snappy/" in the address! :-)

         You can also try one of the many WWW search engines to
         locate "Wincode".

      2) Anonymous FTP - visit us at: snappy-software.com
         MIRROR: www.global2000.net/users/snappy/

      3) Automated e-mail - send a request to our server and receive
         an encoded copy by e-mail. Visit our HomePage for more info
         or send a BLANK e-mail to: snappy@snappy-software.com for
         a TEXT copy of our HomePage.

      In the future, we will try to establish mirror sites for our
      software. Please visit our HomePage for recent developments...

    - CompuServe (check the WinShare forum; keyword: Snappy,
      Wincode, etc)

    - America Online (keyword: Snappy, Wincode, etc)


      
VII. *** Note to HELP Registered Users ***

If you are a registered user but have not received your HELP file,
*please* contact us at: support@snappy-software.com with your
registration info (name, address, e-mail address, etc). Many orders
arrived with illegible and/or missing e-mail addresses. _Snappy_ uses
your e-mail address as your user registration code. Further, some
orders were shipped but *not received*. We can't track mail failures
(we don't have the resources) so we rely on customers to please get
in touch with us if they have a problem.

Please note that registration is a ONE-TIME fee. In other words, your
initial registration keeps you in our database to be eligible for
future HELP file updates! However, it is up to YOU to keep us up to
date with your registration info (e-mail address) and to request the
HELP file updates from our server (this is now a built-in feature of
Wincode).

If you need phone support, drop us an e-mail and we'll send you a
contact number. This service is ONLY for registered users and calls
are INCOMING ONLY.



VIII. *** Copyrights ***

Wincode is a TradeMark of _Snappy_ Software.

- portions of this program are copyright (C) 1983,1995 Borland
- Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation
- PKZIP/UNZIP are copyright (C) 1989-1993 PKWARE Inc. All Rights
  Reserved.
- GIF is a service mark of CompuServe Incorporated
- WordPerfect is a registered trademark of Corel Corporation.
- Procomm Plus for Windows is copyright (C) 1992-1993 Datastorm
  Technologies, Inc.
- Star Trek: The Next Generation is a registered trademark of
  Paramount Pictures
- The Simpsons is trademark and copyright (C) Twentieth Century Fox
  Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
- Pinky and the Brain is copyright (C) Amblin Entertainment in
  association with Warner Bros. Animation
- DOOM is copyright (C) 1993 Id Software, Inc.

Copyrights or Trademarks referenced in any material accompanying this
software but not mentioned above have been omitted in error. _Snappy_
observes and respects all copyrights and trademarks.



Have fun!

_Snappy_ Software ;-)


_Snappy_ Info:  snappy@snappy-software.com
Wincode Info:   wincode@snappy-software.com
Bug Reports:    bugs@snappy-software.com
FeedBack:       feedback@snappy-software.com
HomePage:       http://snappy-software.com/
MIRROR:         http://www.global2000.net/users/snappy/snappy/
               (YES, there are two "snappy/" in the address! :-)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[GHS 10/31/96]
