                       Ŀ
                        Madison & Assoc., Ltd. 
                          Easy Update System   
                       


Introduction
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Madison & Associates provides product updates in the form of either
complete new files for download or patch files generated by the .RTPatch
utility from Pocket Soft.

The .RTPATCH utility compares a group of files and generates a list of
differences in a single patch file. The patch file is processed by a
utility named PATCH.EXE, which applies the patches to your existing copy
of the product, updating it to the newer version.

PATCH.EXE ver. 2.01 is included with this file, and is distributed by
permission of Pocket Soft.

By using this system, your download time can be materially reduced,
since you need only download a small patch file rather than the entire
product.


General Instructions
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Follow these general instructions to take advantage of the Easy Update
System.

1. The patch file (extension "RTP") can ONLY be applied to the UNMOD-
IFIED FILES as provided in your original download. You must re-apply
modifications which you have made, following the patching operation.

2. Store PATCH.EXE in a directory on your DOS PATH. This utility is used
to apply all patch scripts. (Note that we are using version 2.01 of
PATCH.EXE. If you have an earlier version of PATCH, it may or may not
work with the patch files we provide.)

3. Download the appropriate patch files, whose names match NNVVV.zip
(e.g., SK210.zip). The patch file is an archive in the ZIP format. Move
the ZIP file into the main directory of the associated Madison & Assoc.
product (e.g., into the \SkyHawk directory). Un-ZIP the file, which will
extract itself into a DOC file (e.g., SK210.DOC), one or more patch
scripts (extension RTP), and perhaps a batch file.

4. Read the DOC file for instructions specific to the product and
version. In some cases it will instruct you to run PATCH.EXE directly.
In other cases you will run a supplied batch file. The DOC file also
specifies any limitations and restrictions of the patch.


PATCH.EXE Options
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This section describes options that can be used with the PATCH.EXE
program. Generally, you don't need to know these options, because each
patch's DOC file tells you how to run the patch. You can use these
options to perform partial patches, custom patches, and so on.

General command line:

  PATCH [Options] [<UpdateDirectory>] <PatchFile>

By default UpdateDirectory is the current directory.

Options:

  /BACKUP[:<Directory>]
    Causes PATCH to make backup copies of any files affected by the
    updating process. If Directory is specified, the backup files are
    stored in that location. If Directory is not specified, the backup
    files are stored in a subdirectory of UpdateDirectory named
    BACKUP.

  /ERRORFILE
    Causes PATCH to log all error and warning messages to a file named
    PATCH.ERR in UpdateDirectory. This option is useful when the patch
    summary indicates that certain files could not be updated, to
    determine the names of the files and the exact problems.

  /FILE:<EntryName>[,<entryName>[,...]]
    Updates just the specified file from the patch.

  /IGNOREMISSING
    Causes PATCH to ignore any files normally needing updating, if not
    present. YOU MUST USE THIS OPTION IF YOU ARE USING ONLY SELECTED
    FILES IN THE PRODUCT; for example, you may have elected not to ex-
    tract the test suite from the original download packet.

  /LIST
    Lists information about the patch entries in PatchFile.

  /SUBDIRSEARCH
    Search subdirectories of UpdateDirectory to find files to patch. The
    default is /NOSUBDIRSEARCH.

  /PATHSEARCH
    Searches the DOS PATH to find files to patch, after looking in
    UpdateDirectory and, if directed, subdirectories of UpdateDirectory.
    The default is /NOPATHSEARCH.

  /QUIET
    Disables all PATCH messages except for errors.

  /UNDO
    Allows PATCH to undo all completed patches if an error occurs
    while processing any patch. Requires enough free disk space to
    back up every patched file until all patches are complete.

