QUOTE, copyright 1985 by Mark E. Mallett, is a program which
randomly selects a quote from a quote database and prints it.  Permission
is given to distribute this program indiscriminately.

This file is an informal and brief description of the quote program.

Basic usage of this program is simply to give the command

	QUOTE

and you'll get a cute message.  Read on if you want to know more
than that.

Please note that specifics mentioned here (such as data widths and defaults)
apply to the CP/M implementation compiled with the Aztec C compiler from Manx.


QUOTE uses two files in looking up something to print:

	- A quote index file.  (this file may be constructed by the
	  quote program from a properly formatted quote database).
	- A quote database (text file)

The quote index file is of the form:

	first) A line of ASCII text, ending with newline, identifying
		the name of the quote file that the index file was made
		from.

	second) A binary number, of size "int" to the C language (16
		bits here), which is the number of quote reflected in
		this index.

	last)  For each quote indexed, a binary number of size "long"
		(32 bits here), which is the file position in the quote
		file of the corresponding quote.


The quote database (text file) is of the form:

	For each quote,

		first) a single line of keywords indicating the class of
			the quote.  The class keyword is something that you
			just make up, there are no built-in classes.  The
			keywords may be separated by any nonalphanumeric
			character.
			If the quote is not to be tagged with any keywords,
			this line should contain some printing character
			such as a colon.

		second) The body of the quote, as many lines as it takes.

		third)  The end-of-quote signal, which is a line beginning
			with a right angle bracket (">").  (Don't ask why.
			Ok, it is for historical reasons.)

	it might be noted that in between quotes, blank lines may appear
	anywhere, as may lines beginning with an exclamation mark, which
	lines are ignored.


The general command line to the quote program is:

	QUOTE [options]

An option is, of course, optional, and specifies some non-default action
to take or information to use.  Options are signaled by a hyphen, and
are as follows:

	-c		Create an index file instead of printing a quote.

	-e rest-of-line	The rest of the line is to be used as the next
			operating system command when this program exits.
			It provides a way of secure chaining for CP/M
			systems (my BBS, in particular).

	-i name		Use this as the name of the index file, instead of
			the default (which is QUOTE.INX).

	-n list		When creating an index, do NOT include quotes with
			class keywords which are in this list.  The list
			may not contain spaces or tabs, but should be a
			group of names separated by commas.

	-o list		When creating an index, include ONLY the quotes
			with class keywords which are in this list.

	-q name		Use this as the name of the quote file, instead of
			the default.  The default is the name which is
			contained in the index file, or if creating an
			index file, the default is QUOTE.TXT.

	-r nn		Repeat factor (print nn quotes).  Default is 1.

	-s		Suppress the copyright notice when the program
			starts.




It should be noted that the "-o" and the "-n" may not both be used, as
they are conflicting options.  If neither of these options are used, then
all quotes are included (when creating an index file).


For example, you might create an index this way:

	QUOTE -c -i goodstuf.inx -n llong,dune

This says "create an index called goodstuf.inx from the file quote.txt
which does not include quotes tagged with either 'llong' or 'dune'".
You would then use this index as:

	QUOTE -i goodstuf.inx

For CP/M systems, the quote program and databases (databii?) should probably
be put on user 0, and marked with the SYSTEM attribute, to allow the program to
be invoked (and work) from any user number.


						Mark Mallett
						20 Jeff Lane
March 29, 1985					Manchester NH 03103
						Voice: 603 424 8129
						BBS:   603 424 8124
						  (1200 baud; wait for boot).