UTILITY  NOW 1v02               (c) Copyright 1993/1999 Sigma Delta Systems
************

This utility allows DOS users to run other programs with filenames created
from today's date and time. This is especially useful from within Batch
files (e.g. a batch file for snapshotting directories and then archiving
data etc.).


NOW is invoked either from the command line (C:> prompt) or from within a
batch file. NOW expects a number of parameters, the first parameter being
the name of the program to be run. Subsequent parameters can have special
special strings embedded.


If NOW is typed on the command line with no parameters then help pages are
displayed.



INVOCATION:  NOW progName param [param [param [...]]]
**********

      where  progName is the name of the program to run
  and each   param    is a parameter for progName and may include one or
                      of the "Special Strings" (see String Table).

Restriction: Enclose any redirection operator <, >, >> in double quotes.


Examples:
            NOW PKZIP -arP [yr][mo][dy] SUBDIR*.*
    will become PKZIP -arp 990514 SUBDIR*.*

            NOW DIR ">" [mon][dy]-[hh].[day]
    will become DIR > MAY14-09.FRI

            NOW COPY DIR-[yr-1]\*.WRK DIR-[yr] ">" NULL
    will become COPY DIR-98\*.WRK DIR-99 > NULL



NOW SPECIAL STRINGS
*******************

STRING   +-----------+--------------------------------------+------------+
TABLE    |  SPECIAL  |                                      | STRING     |
         |  STRINGS  |  SPECIAL STRING MEANING              | TRANSLATION|
   +-----+-----------+--------------------------------------+------------+
   |     |  [year]   |  Year, four digits                   |  1999      |
   |     |  [yr]     |  Year, two digits                    |  99        |
   |  D  |  [yr-1]   |  Last Year, two digits               |  98        |
   |  A  |  [yr+1]   |  Next Year, two digits               |  00        |
   |  T  |  [mo]     |  Month, two digits                   |  05        |
   |  E  |  [mon]    |  Month, three letters                |  MAY       |
   |     |  [month]  |  Month, full name                    |  May       |
   |     |  [dy]     |  Day number, two digits              |  14        |
   |     |  [day]    |  Day, three characters               |  FRI       |
   |     |  [wkday]  |  Day, full name                      |  Friday    | 
   +-----+-----------+--------------------------------------+------------+
   |  T  |  [hh]     |  Hour number, 2 digits, 24 hr clock  |  09        |
   |  I  |  [hr]     |  Hour number, 2 digits, 12 hr clock  |  09        |
   |  M  |  [am]     |  AM or PM                            |  AM        |
   |  E  |  [mm]     |  Minutes, 2 digits                   |  47        |
   |     |  [ss]     |  Seconds, 2 digits                   |  34        |
   +-----+-----------+--------------------------------------+------------+
   Restriction : Enclose REDIRECTION OPERATORS <, >, >> in double quotes



REGISTRATION                                       (Use Print Screen button)
************

If you find NOW useful and intend using it for more than 30 days then please
register. 

Registration will allow Sigma Delta Systems to provide you with technical 
support and send you the next version when it becomes available.

From:  Name _____________________________________________________________

    Company _____________________________________________________________

    Address _____________________________________________________________

            _____________________________________________________________

            _____________________________________________________________

      Email _____________________________________________________________

      Phone _____________________________________________________________


To:  Sigma Delta Systems, 
     Unit 6, 
     Shrewsbury Rd, 
     Redhill, 
     England, RH1 6BH

     Please Register _____ Copies of NOW 1v02 at 10.00 (UKP) each _________

To:  Sigma Delta Systems, 
     PO Box 3181, 
     Ontario, 
     California 91761, 
     USA

     Please Register _____ Copies of NOW 1v02 at $15.00 (USD) each _________


If a tax receipt is required then please enclose a Stamped, Addressed envelope.



SUPPORT: If you have any queeries then please address them to:
*******

     Sigma Delta Systems, 
     Unit 6, 
     Shrewsbury Road, 
     Redhill, 
     Surrey, England RH1 6BH.

or

     Sigma Delta Systems, 
     PO Box 3181, 
     Ontario, 
     California 91761, 
     USA

Alternatively direct them to...

        Steve Dyson at sigmadel@globalnet.co.uk



YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCY
********************

There are no known problems associated with the Year 2000 (assuming that the
the computer and operating system it is running upon is Y2K compliant).



WARRANTY: This program is supplied as is. No warranty is made either
********  expressed or implied.



COPYRIGHT: This program is copyright. Permission is granted by the copyright
*********  holder for you to copy and use this program provided it is not
           altered or patched in any way.



VERSION HISTORY
***************

1993     1v01  Initial release
1999/05  1v02  Update support eMail address.


