						   
				User's Information
			      For THE FAST PC LINKER
	       			Rev June 18, 1998

ABOUT THE FAST PC LINKER:
	THE FAST PC LINKER works on any Windows or DOS based PC. It was created
    with Microsoft's VBDOS Windows/DOS programming language, so that it runs
    from both Microsoft Windows and from DOS.
	THE FAST PC LINKER has a very versatile tag-to-transfer system. By tag-
    ging an entire directory or drive, then untagging a few entries, you can
    quickly select just the items you want to transfer.
	An option is provided so that tagging or untagging a directory tags or
    untags all files in all of its sub-directories.

PROGRAM DIRECTORY:
    The following files are installed on your hard drive in the chosen directory:
	FL.EXE		Main DOS program - Runs without Windows
	USERINFO.TXT	This file
	LICENSE.TXT	End User Agreement
	ANOTHER.EXE	Creates a new Setup Diskette for installation on another
			PC.
	FLLAUNCH	A Windows program - Encapsulates and launches FL.EXE
	FL2REM.EXE	Uninstall.
	FPCL.BMP	Image file used by Setup Disk
	FL.PIF		Program Information file for launching FL.EXE

INSTALLING THE PROGRAM FILES ON YOUR PC FROM A FLOPPY DISK:
    Windows 3.1 Users - Insert the disk in your floppy drive. Start Windows.
	From Program Manager, select "Run" from the FILE menu. Type "A:SETUP"
	(or B:SETUP" if floppy drive B).
    Windows 95, 98 Users - Insert the disk in your floppy drive. Start Windows.
	Click "START", then RUN" and type "A:SETUP" (or B:SETUP" if floppy
	drive B). Although Windows 95, 98 supports long file names, this version
	of THE FAST PC LINKER does not.
    DOS Users - Run SetupDOS.Exe.

INSTALLING THE PROGRAM FILES ON ANOTHER PC:
        To transfer files between PCs, THE FAST PC LINKER needs to be running
        on both. Run the same Setup Diskette on the other PC. If you don't have
	the diskette or if it is ever lost, you can create one by selecting the
	icon entitled "Setup 2nd PC". Follow the directions provided. At the
        new PC, run Setup.Exe if Windows is present or run SetupDOS.Exe if only
        DOS is present.
		
INSTALLING THE HARDWARE:
	Connect the Parallel Communications cable from any printer port on
	one PC to any printer port on another PC.

TO RUN:
	Click THE FAST PC LINKER icon in Microsoft Windows. If Windows has
	crashed or hasn't been installed, type FL from DOS (if you are in the
	directory containing that file). The program will automatically find
        which printer port is connected to the cable. Select the menu options.
	
MOUSE SUPPORT:
   	THE FAST PC LINKER supports virtually all mouse types and will auto-
        matically sense if a mouse of the proper type is present and use it.

NOTES:
     1) File Transfer Utilities are generally intended to transfer work files.
	If you transfer applications (examples are MS WORD, MS-DOS, WORD
	PERFECT, WINDOWS, VISUAL BASIC...), the destination PC's operating
	system does not know the source PC's icon information and other info
	that may be buried in system initilization files, causing you to
	laboriously create the critical	information that the application needs.
	If you have the original installation disks or CD-ROM, it is usually
	faster to use them instead.

     2) Be aware that THE FAST PC LINKER transfers files, regardless of file
        attributes (read-only, archive, system, and hidden). However, hidden
        files in the root directory are assumed to be DOS Operating System files
        and THE FAST PC LINKER deems it unsafe to transfer them. If you need to
        change those files at the destination PC, use your original DOS disk to
	install them before transferring files. See your DOS manual for
	instructions. THE FAST PC LINKER prompts you for confirmation when you
	are about to transfer any other hidden file. You will also be prompted
	if transferring CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT (if in the root directory of
	drive C), as overwriting those files may disrupt the operating system
	of the destination PC.

     3) At any point in the program, pressing ESC will back up to the prev-
        iously displayed screen (same as the Back button).

     4) If a mouse is not present, use the TAB key to move the highlight to the
        desired control. Use the UP or DN arrow keys if a list of entries is
        highlighted.

     5) Either ENTER or SPACE BAR will select the highlighted button.

     6) In rare cases, the "Disk Full" message may occur even though the
        "Available" entry shows otherwise. This is because DOS never uses less
        than 1 cluster (unit of disk space) per file. If the file is 10 bytes
        and a cluster is 1024 bytes, THE FAST PC LINKER will indicate that 1014
        bytes are available even though DOS will refuse to use it. When a large
        number of small files are transferred, the discrepancy may be large.
        Most programs that display disk space have the same discrepancy.

     7) Another characteristic of transferring a large number of small files is
        that the destination PC may appear to bog down and write files very
        slowly, especially if the disk is more than half full. This is because
        the location of the file and the location of the FAT (file allocation
        table used for keeping track of file locations) is physically distant.
        Excessive time may be used as the disk head moves back and forth for
        each small file. Most programs that handle files have the same
        difficulty.
		
     8) THE FAST PC LINKER makes an internal note of each file as it begins to
        be received. Should the sending PC be interrupted by a power failure
        before the transfer is complete, the program will remove the beginning
	file remnant. If the receiving PC is interrupted, file remnants (also
	called "lost clusters") cannot be removed by THE FAST PC LINKER. Use
	DOS's CHKDSK command to remove lost clusters. See your DOS manual for
	details.
	      
     9) Always be aware of the possibility that some of the files you are
        transferring may be virus-infected. THE FAST PC LINKER has no way of
        knowing whether a virus is present. A file with a virus will be trans-
        ferred just like any other file. Use anti-virus software frequently to
        test your hard drives and floppy drives.
    
    10) Empty directories are not re-created at the destination PC. Only 
        directories containing files are created.

    11) Some boxed versions of THE FAST PC LINKER include an adapter that
	converts the included cable from a straight-through type to a Communi-
	cations cable. If you have this version, attach the adapter to the cable
	and treat the entire assembly as a cable.


			    
			Rainy City Computer Products
			PO Box 282
			Bothell, WA 98041-0282, USA
			Phone (425) 402-8117
			FAX (425) 672-8788
			URL: http://users.aol.com/racity/link.html
			E-Mail  RonSaund@aol.com
