
QUICK START  for IBM OS/2 2.x 
-----------

1) put the binary ATP.EXE anywhere in your path. If you wish to run
   ATP from the desktop, you should install it as a full screen
   application. ATP will work in a window but it was designed to be
   a full screen text mode application. See your OS/2 docs for info
   on how to set an application to full screen.

2) set the environment variable ATP to point to where you want ATP
   message bases to reside (add this to your config.sys and reboot).
   For example:

   set ATP=c:\foobar\qwks

3) put the configuration file `atprc' in your ATP directory pointed to
   by the environment variable which you set in step (2) above. Edit
   the `atprc' file to your personal taste and circumstances.

4) put the taglines file "taglines.atp" in your ATP directory.

5) edit the following entries in your atprc :
   
    a) user = Your Name

    b) editor = your_editor

    c) mail = \your\mail\path\for\new\QWK\packets

    d) reply = \your\reply\path\for\outgoing\rep\packets


6) enter `atp' at the prompt to start atp.

7) at ATP's prompt enter `load bbsname.qwk' to view your first packet.

8) type `help' for help, `q' for quit.

9) read the docs!

10) read the docs!!

OS/2 TIPS
---------

Please read the docs to get the most out of ATP. ATP functions like
a mini-shell and allows you to enter many common system commands from
the command line. It is very powerful and allows you to navigate QWK
message bases with a couple key strokes. But you will have to read
the docs ...

Note that your COMSPEC variable must point to a command interpreter
which must be compatible with CMD.EXE at the switch level (i.e. it must
accept options introduced by the foreslash instead of the Unix style
dash: /c instead of -c). If your COMSPEC points to BASH.EXE you might
experience problems. There is a workaround if you need BASH or KSH to
be your secondary shell; send me e-mail if you need info. Note that 
BASH as your *primary* shell will work fine with ATP.

Your choice of editor is important. Many "ports" of Unix editors to OS/2
lack the ability to reference a file by absolute path (including drive
letter). This is because those who "ported" these softwares overlooked
the fact that OS/2 (and DOSish operating systems in general) require a
drive letter in an absolute path designator. One nice Unix style editor
that does work well with ATP for OS/2 is ELVIS 1.7.  

Note: the 1989 version of PKzip for OS/2 has many known bugs. Please
don't use it. The freeware ZIPs from Info-Zip are *highly* recommended
instead. 

COMPILING ATP
-------------

ATP.EXE for OS/2 2.x was compiled using EMX 0.8g (which is based
on GCC 2.4.5)  under OS/2 2.1 and linked with a modified
Salz/Tumlee editline library. The file "makefile.os2" should work
with either DMAKE or GNU MAKE when used with EMX. Remember that
these makes will require you to use a command line of the form:
   
                make -f makefile.os2

This "-f" switch is to insure that make selects the correct makefile
for the build. If you need a current version of GNU make for OS/2,
send me e-mail for information on my port of GNU make for OS/2.

CONTACT INFO
------------

Comments and bug reports welcome.
 
thanks,

Thomas McWilliams (KI4N)
P.O. Box 7545
Arlington, VA  22207
USA

email: Internet:  thomas.mcwilliams@f615.n109.z1.fidonet.org
       Fido    :  netmail to 1:109/615

I can also be found in the RIME, FIDO, and SmartNet Unix and
Offline conferences, and I usually monitor comp.os.linux.* .  You
may also leave me a message at Enlightened BBS (703) 370-9528 or
Brodmann's Place BBS (301) 843-5732.

