User Guide for TRANSLAT v1.13 - 26 OCT 2003

(c) G4EEI http://www.g4eei.co.uk/ 

    e-mail: translat@g4eei.co.uk


OVERVIEW
========
The program is a limited trial version and is freely available to all.

Its purpose is to remove, translate or display characters from a file
which contains other than just plain ASCII text.

Usage examples:

  - extracting all printable text from executable files
  - converting files for use on other operating systems
  - examining characters in binary files
  - displaying the CR, LF, TAB characters in text files
  - displaying text or binary files at variable speed

Translation files are used to determine which characters are to be replaced.
These are a simple text file table containing a list of characters to be
replaced or removed. They can be created in any text editor.


TRANSLATION TABLE FILES
=======================
The translation file is specified with the /T= switch.

The file format is as follows:

<character-to-replace> = <replacement-character>

Specified as decimal values.

The replacement character may be given as a literal by preceding it with
quotes.

A character can be removed completely by using the string "nul" as shown
below:

065 = nul   removes all capital A's
065 = 066   replaces all A's with B's
065 = "B    also replaces all A's with B's (closing quotes not required)


DISPLAY OF CONTROL CHARACTERS
=============================
The output displayed on the screen will show any non printing characters
as a decimal value within angle brackets ( '<' and '>' ).

A character following the '<' and preceding the '>' indicates whether or
not a translation has occurred. If it is '=' then no change was made
whereas '+' means that the character was replaced.

e.g. <+13+> would indicate a character that has been translated into
a cursor-return code (CR) in the output file, whereas <=213=> is a character
read from the source file and no substitution has been found in the
translation table.

Printable characters are always white. The non-printing codes will be
displayed as brown (not replaced), or grey (replaced) unless the /M switch
has been used.


RUNNING THE PROGRAM
===================

Command line format:

   TRANSLAT <infile> [<outfile>|*] [/T=<filename>] [/V] [/S]

If <outfile> is omitted then output will be screen only. If no translation
file is requested then all non printing characters will be displayed as
<=nnn=>.

A * in place of the output filename will use the input name but change the
extension to .TXL

NOTE: Filenames are restricted to the MS-DOS the 8+3 format.

SWITCHES
========
  /M   (monochrome) overrides colour changes.
  /S   to slow down screen output (cursor left/right changes speed).
  /SS  same as above but provides audio indication of the speed change.
  /V   to view and verify translation table on screen.
  /I   ignore expansion of CR & LF characters (13 & 10).
  /T=<filename>   to use a translation table.

  NOTE: Switches must follow input and output filenames.

  The SPACE BAR pauses or resumes processing.

  CTRL+C aborts processing.

Any comments on the program welcome; please email to the above address.


OTHER PROGRAMS
==============
If you find this program useful then you may find some of my other DOS
utilities useful too.

CLEANTXT ; strips out control characters and reformats text.
SELFILES ; allows a command to be applied to files matching search criteria. 
XCHSRCH  ; database of dialling codes.
LOTTERY  ; random number generator for The National Lottery & Thunderball.
KEYCODES ; displays keyboard/ASCII code info.

Please let me know if you are using any of these programs so that I know
that it is worth updating them.


