                        Sortlog v1.8 MSDOS Version
                        --------------------------

Introduction
------------

Sortlog is an MS-DOS program that reads in an ACSII contest/DX-pedition log
and then generates sorted files for use by the G4ZFE log search java applet.
The applet uses these sorted files as it improves search time considerably
over the Internet.

The following log formats are supported:
a. ADIF (Amateur Radio Data Interchange Format);
b. Printer output file;
c. ASCII log (e.g CT .res or SuperDuper .log).

Contents
--------

README      - this file
SORTLOG.EXE - MS-DOS executable
SORTLOG.C   - MS-DOS 'C' source code
EXAMPLE.LOG - an example contest log file (CT .res format)
EXAMPLE.ADI - an example contest log file (ADIF)
EXAMPLE.PRT - an example contest log file (Printer output format)

Requirements
------------

* Minimum 80486 processor (80286/80386 version available on request)
* Needs minimum of 20 open files. Ensure that config.sys has at least
  "FILES=20".
* Uses the MS-DOS SORT.EXE program. Ensure that this command is in your
  PATH.

Usage
-----

From the MS-DOS prompt:

        sortlog [-nodate -notime -comment] filename

e.g. using the example log file supplied "sortlog example.log".

The program will then start running and create 36 sorted files
- '0.TXT' to 'Z.TXT'. These files should then be transfered to the 
web server where the search applet is stored. Ensure that the filenames
are transferred preserving upper case.

The optional -nodate and -notime parameters have been added to produce 
limited log date to prevent use of the log data for cheating purposes. 
By default the log data produced consists of
<date> <time> <band> <mode> <callsign>

The -nodate option will not write date information to the log
e.g sortlog -nodate example.log
<time> <band> <mode> <callsign>

The -notime option will not write time information to the log
e.g sortlog -notime example.log
<date> <band> <mode> <callsign>

The -nodate and -notime options can be used together to prevent both 
date and time information from appearing the logs
e.g sortlog -nodate -notime example.log
<band> <mode> <callsign>

The -comment option allows the ADIF comment field to appear in the logs.

----------

Any problems/bugs please contact 

Richard Everitt, G4ZFE
richard@babbage.demon.co.uk

If the program fails with your log format, please send me a few lines from
your log file so that I can investigate.

73 de Rich, G4ZFE

Last updated: 3rd September 1998