MRARPFile - Extended ARP File Support
            Version 1.1
            Mark Rinfret, 04/15/89
            Public Domain

This package constitutes a non-approved (at this time) extension to the ARP
(Amiga  Resource  Project) programmer's support library.  It is intended to
be used with ARP version 1.3 and higher.

I  like  ARP.   I  would  like all of my utilities to take advantage of its
shared  library  and  resource  tracking.   While  attempting  to convert a
program  which  appeared  on the net not long ago, I realized that it would
have  been  nice, had ARP provided the FGets/FPuts routines.  Sure, you can
simulate  FPuts with FPrintf, but that's kludgy.  You're still left hanging
in the breeze when it comes to FGets.  So, I started writing...

This   package  provides  an  orthogonal  set  of  routines  which  support
generalized  I/O  with  resource  tracking (and early release, if you want)
while  using  the  ARP  library.   There  are essentially 3 tracked objects
associated with a file:

    - a structure describing the file
    - the file itself
    - an optional buffer

Access  to  files  is  gained  via  the  OpenARPFile function.  A companion
routine, CloseARPFile, will release all resources associated with the file.
CloseARPFile  must  be  called  if  buffered output is present since I have
provided  no  tracking  mechanism  to cause the output buffer to be flushed
(thanks to Chris Wichura for pointing this out).

File  buffering  is  optional,  and recommended when using the FGetsARP and
FPutsARP  routines (typically used with text files).  A SeekARPFile routine
allows you some freedom of access, in both input and output files, properly
managing the optional buffers.

Please see the embedded documentation in the source for more usage info.  I
feel  this  is  just  another  of those little hacks that anyone could have
done,  but  I needed it and thus appointed myself to do it.  I hope some of
you  out  there  find  it  useful.  I'd appreciate hearing any constructive
comments that you might have.

What's Included?

    MRARPFile.doc   - this file
    MRARPFile.h     - include file defining ARPFileHandle, routines
    MRARPFile.c     - source for the MRARPFile support routines
    Makefile        - rules file for the make tool
    Test.c          - small test program source
    Test            - small test program executable
    MRARPFile.lib   - 32 bit Manx Aztec C V5.0a library
    MRARPFile16.lib - 16 bit Manx Aztec C V5.0a library
    functions.diff  - some changes I made to my Aztec functions.h file.
    StoreTracker.asm - A derelict from an uninformed age :-). Provides an
                      alternative method for obtaining the LastTracker.
                      You shouldn't need it, but "it's in there".

                                            Mark Rinfret

                                            mrr@amanpt1.Newport.RI.US
                                            BIX: markr