READ Version 0.3 - CP/M-86 ASCII Text File Viewer
Freeware from Kirk Lawrence


READ is a simple text file viewing program, which displays a standard
80-column ASCII text file on the screen, one "page" (23 lines) at a
time...from beginning to end.

Syntax: READ [d:]filename.ext

"filename.ext" is the name and extension of the file you want to read.
[d:] is the optional drive letter where the file is located.  If no
drive letter is specified, the current drive is assumed.

User areas numbers are NOT supported.  The current user area is assumed.

Wildcards ("*" or "?") in the filename are not accepted.

Once you're in the program and are displaying a text file to the screen,
the following keys control the action:

    PGDN displays the next page of the file.  (ENTER and SPACEBAR
    perform the same function.)  

    HOME causes the file to be re-displayed, starting from the very
    top, or beginning.  This is a handy way to view the file again,
    without having to exit and re-start READ.

    ESC exits the program at any time.

These commands are displayed continuously on the program's "status line"
at the bottom of the screen, so you don't have to remember them.

Unlike most other CP/M-86 file viewing programs, READ does not strip high
bits...and therefore WILL properly display high-ASCII characters.  If you
display a text file which was saved in a proprietary word processor format
(such as WordStar's "document" mode), the high-ASCII characters which the
word processor puts into the file are displayed as written.  Files designed
for on-screen viewing (such as .DOC files) should always be written in flat
ASCII ("non-document") mode.

=> IMPORTANT: Do not use READ to display binary files.  It wasn't designed
for that, and doing so can cause unpredictable and undesireable results.

READ.CMD is free.  As is alway the case with "freeware," there are no guar-
antees whatsoever.  If you use the program, you do so entirely at your own
risk and peril.  Your use of READ.CMD shall be prima facie evidence under
law that you understand and accept these terms and conditions.