Index Compression Utility (ICU) Docs
Copyright 1988 Tom Fitzpatrick [72237,2656]

Intro:

NDX100, the TDD2 disk indexing program in dl9, is wonderful.  Using it was 
such a breeze I couldn't stop at just indexing my working disks.  As a result, 
deeming it was the proper thing to do, I embarked upon indexing all my backup 
disks as well.

Before I knew it, all sixty-some odd backup and working disks were indexed.  I 
used a desktop computer to sort what had become a 43K, 1807 line index file.  
If I were to print it out, at 66 lines per page, that would work out to 28 
pages!

Ah, but I hate to waste paper.  And the file was rather repetitive, using a 
seperate line for each disk oft-used and backed-up programs, like PRINT.CO, 
were stored on.  Such was the beginning of ICU.

ICU reformats repetitive INDEX files created by NDX100/NDX200 that look like 
this:

AELECT.DO  4231 0:Backup7
AELECT.DO  4231 0:Backup8
AENVIR.BA   895 0:Backup9
AENVIR.BA   895 1:Backup3
AENVIR.BA  1198 0:a4
AENVIR.BA  1198 0:Backup5
AFSPEL.BA   543 0:a8
AFSPEL.BA   543 0:Backup9
AFSPEL.BA   543 1:Backup1
AGBASI.BA   223 0:a7
AGBASI.BA   223 0:Backup3
AGBASI.BA   223 1:a8
AGH!  .BA   230 0:a4

to files that looks like this:

AELECT.DO  4231 0:Backup7, 0:Backup8
AENVIR.BA   895 0:Backup9, 1:Backup3
AENVIR.BA  1198 0:a4, 0:Backup5
AFSPEL.BA   543 0:a8, 0:Backup9, 1:Backup1
AGBASI.BA   223 0:a7, 0:Backup3, 1:a8


The first list took up 326 bytes; the second, ICU-processed version uses 192.  
My 43,682 byte index file was cut to 21,658 bytes.


Use:

To use ICU, first run NDX100/NDX200, create an INDEX file and sort it with 
SORTHI as directed in the NDX documentation.

Next, examine your free RAM.  Is there enough to hold a SECOND index file?  If 
so, run ICU and answer both prompts with a CR (carriage return, or ENTER).  
ICU will go about creating a compressed index file named LIST.

If there is not enough RAM for a second index, you can either store INDEX on 
an external device (0: [for POWR-DOS (dl9), TS-DOS or Disk Power users], A: or 
R: [for option RAM users], CAS: or COM:), or store the processed file on an 
external device (0:, A:, R:, CAS:, COM: or LPT:).  For example, I stored my 
43K index on the TDD2 using the POWR-DOS operating system, answered the "Index 
name" prompt with 0:INDEX and the "Output file" with LPT:.  The result:  
INDEX.DO was read in from the disk, processed and printed.


Etceteras:

This is a short, simple program.  It's not much on sophistication or length, 
but it works.

License is granted by this-here copyright owner to anyone who wants to do so 
to modify (perhaps remove the first three comment lines to save memory) or 
improve upon ICU.  In other words, the copyright is only there 'cause the 
contest rules require it!


The Program:
1 'Index Compressioh Utility (ICU)
2 'Copyright 1988 Tom Fitzpatrick
3 'For use with NDX100 or NDX200
4 MAXFILES=2:CLEAR1024:CLS:DEFSTRA,B:A="RAM:INDEX
5 ?"Index",," Compression",,"  Utility",,"Index name (CR="A")";:INPUTA
6 OPENAFORINPUTAS1:A="RAM:LIST":?"Output file name (CR="A")";:INPUTA
7 OPENAFOROUTPUTAS2:LINEINPUT#1,A
8 IFEOF(1)THENBEEP:ENDELSELINEINPUT#1,B
9 IFLEFT$(A,15)=LEFT$(B,15)THENA=A+", "+MID$(B,17):GOTO8
10 PRINT#2,A:CLS:?@0,A:A=B:GOTO8