



                                 QWK-TXT Addendum  
                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~    
                                  
        Version 2.0 of 'Silly Little Message Reader', by Greg Hewgill 
        contains a particularly nasty bug concerning file access modes.

        If you are using SLMR2 on a computer with the DOS driver SHARE 
        loaded, SLMR2 opens all data files in a non-shareable mode.     
        The same is true of any system providing similar file locking 
        features as SHARE, including Novell Netware.     This means that 
        programs such as QWK-TXT which need to access the mail packet 
        data files while SLMR2 is running are locked out.      Greg has 
        indicated that he hopes to correct this problem in a future 
        release.     In the meantime...

        Included in this archive is a hand assembled TSR adapted from the
        genius of Richard Sadowski.      This tiny jewel intercepts all 
        file open requests and forces them into a sharable mode. 



                                   Installation  
                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~    

        SLMRFIX is a Terminate and Stay Resident program that needs to be 
        loaded into memory prior to running SLMR2.     While loaded, this 
        program intercepts all file opens and forces them to shareable.

        In addition to the QWK-TXT files, you should have:
        
                SLMRFIX.COM.....TSR program.
                SLMRFIX.TXT.....TSR documentation.
                INSTALL.COM.....memory manager
                 REMOVE.COM.....memory manager


        I recommend using a set of TSR management programs such as the 
        PC-MAGAZINE utilities INSTALL and REMOVE (provided) to put SLMRFIX 
        into memory only while SLMR2 is in use.     The simplest method 
        of accomplishing this is to create a simple batch file to perform 
        the necessary steps.     Here's an example SLMR batch file:

           @echo off
           cd\slmr
           install slmrfix
           slmrfix
           slmr
           remove

        This would make the SLMR directory current, install a memory 
        mark, install SLMRFIX, run the SLMR2 program, and finally remove 
        SLMRFIX.

     
    7/15/91                          SLMRFIX                          Page 1 




                                     CAUTION 
                                    ~~~~~~~~~
        
        Read and understand the following notes before using SLMRFIX. 
        Used as described, SLMRFIX has proven to be quite safe and 
        reliable, but the potential does exists for data corruption. 
        

        The purpose of the DOS supplied SHARE driver (or workalike) is to 
        keep multiple users / processes from destroying each others data.     
        The primary cause of trashed data without SHARE locking would 
        likely be concurrent reads / writes of the same data files.      


        When SLMR2 runs an external program it goes "dormant", optionally 
        swapping a large portion of its code to EMS or disk.     The key 
        here is that while swapped, SLMR2 will NOT be accessing its data 
        files.      Because of this, we can safely disable SHARE locking 
        and safely READ the mail packet data files without fear of 
        corruption.     
        

        The SLMRFIX program effectively disables all SHARE locking,  so 
        if you choose to work in the SLMR shell, YOU must take the 
        responsibility of ensuring that any files you work with will not 
        be accessed by another user or process until you are finished. 


        You should never attempt to WRITE to any of the mail packet data 
        files while in the shell (although SLMRFIX makes it possible).      
        The SLMR program is likely to have SOME of the information in 
        memory, and tampering with the file is a sure way of corrupting 
        the mail packet, or possibly crashing your system. 
        

        SLMRFIX should only be used while SLMR2 is active, and never, 
        ever, EVER, with applications that rely on SHARE locking such
        as databases!


        Consider yourself warned...       












     
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