Hi Paul,
          I've been thinking about TIC, which gives you an idea of my
life.

  I plan to do it in two parts:

1.  Check/accept files
    
    Check the inbound for .TIC
    Read file name and check that the file exists
    Read the point name, password, and area.
    Check the password, and area access.
    Move the file to the correct directory.
    Add the file details in a line on the end of the FILES.TXT
    Add the name and date to "LATEST FILE" field in header

  This could be done online, which means the next caller could get the
file rather than wait overnight.

2. Update FILES.TXT

    Read a directory (starting at #1) for list of file names.
    Sort names
    Read FILES.TXT, copy section header. 
    Find same name, copy that line to new FILES.TXT
    If no name in FILES.TXT add a new line with no description

  This will create an updated FILES.TXT that conforms to the actual
directory on disc, sorted alphabeautifully. If you start from scratch
with no previous FILES.TXT it will knit one with no file descriptions.
I'll always keep the old one as a backup, just in case. I have to read
right through the file anyway, but in most cases the files will be in
order with minimal file pointer movement, and it'll be a straight
copy.

  The bit I don't like is that your FILES.TXT has sections numbered,
and I need to keep a master list of numbers, real directory names, the
names you use in the list... plus the names you use in the TIC. It is
too easy to screw up. Did I ever tell you what a hopeless engineer you
are? To make it worse, there is nowhere in FILES.TXT I can read the
number, with those fancy ascii-art numbers. 

Regards,
Bob             
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12
@EOT:

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