ZSVSTAMP USAGE NOTES



1.0  INTRODUCTION

     ZSVSTAMP is a utility program that saves the create
date/time stamp of a given file in memory.  At a later time,
ZSVSTAMP can restore the create stamp to a file.  This can be
useful when modifying a file with an editor that actually creates
a new copy of the file rather than modifying it in place.
ZSVSTAMP allows the original creation date of the document to be
retained.

     In order to support all types of date stamping under ZSDOS,
ZSVSTAMP uses the get/set stamp functions of ZSDOS (or ZDDOS) and
thus may only be run under these operating systems.  It also
requires ZCPR3 with multiple command line, external FCB and
message buffer.  If an attempt is made to run ZSVSTAMP on a
system that does not meet these requirements, the program will
abort with an error message.



2.0  OPERATION

     ZSVSTAMP has two modes of operation -- Manual and Automatic.



2.1  Automatic Mode

     This mode is the most commonly used.  It is extremely well
suited for use in alias scripts and can make the whole process of
saving and restoring date stamps virtually transparent to the
user.  The syntax is:

     ZSVSTAMP approg [ufn]

where "approg" is the program, such as an editor, that you wish
to run and "ufn" is an unambiguous file name to be modified by
"approg." When a command of this type is given, ZSVSTAMP saves
"ufn"'s creation date in protected memory.  It then causes
"approg" to be run, and when "approg" finishes, ZSVSTAMP is
automatically run again to restore the original create stamp to
"ufn." If "ufn" does not exist, or if the disk does not support
date stamping, ZSVSTAMP displays a warning message and
immediately passes control to "approg" without attempting to save
a stamp.  In this situation, ZSVSTAMP is not rerun when "approg"
completes execution.

     Some editors allow a syntax such as

     EDIT oldfile newfile

When ZSVSTAMP is invoked with more than one parameter following
the application name, no stamps are saved or restored.  This
feature can be disabled if desired, (see the section on
customization).



2.2  Manual Mode

     Manual mode can be used to save or restore a file's create
stamp.  The syntax is:

     ZSVSTAMP ufn /G or /S

to Get or Save a file's create stamp, or:

     ZSVSTAMP ufn /P or /R

to Put or Restore a saved stamp back onto a file.



3.0  CUSTOMIZING ZSVSTAMP

There are five configuration flags located near the beginning of
the program.  Each flag is preceeded by an ASCII string to help
identify its function.  These flags may be patched to customize
ZSVSTAMP as desired.

     The first four flags determine whether or not various
warning messages can be displayed when ZSVSTAMP is being run in
Automatic Mode.  Setting a flag to 0 disables its associated
message;  any other value enables the message.  The flags are
labeled "NOSTMP," "NOFILE," "READERR," and "UPDTERR," and they
affect the "Disk has no time/date stamps," "File not found,"
"Can't read time/date stamp," and "Can't update time/date stamp"
messages respectively.  The program is distributed with all four
messages enabled.  Please note that these flags have no effect in
Manual Mode where error messages are always enabled.

     The fifth and final configuration flag is labeled
"REPLALWS." It determines what ZSVSTAMP will do when more than
one parameter follows the application name in an Automatic Mode
command.  If the byte following the "REPLALWS" label equals 0,
ZSVSTAMP checks to see if there is more than one parameter
following the application program name.  If there is, ZSVSTAMP
simply exits to the application without saving or updating any
stamps.  (This is the default setting in the distributed
version.) If the "REPLALWS" flag is non-zero, no such check is
made.  



4.0  CONTACTING THE AUTHOR

     Howard Goldstein may be contacted at:

     Newton Centre Z-Node, (Z-Node  3):  617/965-7259

     Ladera Z-Node, (Z-Node  2):  213/670-9465

     Home phone, (voice):  203/787-1918