AOL to URL	version 0.1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  This little program converts the Favorite Places saved in an AOL .pfc file into .url links.  You can then use these internet shortcuts without needing to run AOL's browser software.  The internet shortcuts will (probably) be placed into the appropriate folders.  

  The program is known to work on .pfc's saved from AOL 9.0.  I'm not really certain if it works on anything before or after that version.  If you're lucky, maybe it does ;*)

@_@

Usage:

  Using the program is simple.  You can drag-and-drop a .pfc file onto it and it will create the folders and links in the working directory.  You can also just run the program and tell it where the .pfc file is at.  There are also features that can be used from the command line:
AOLtoURL.exe <filename.pfc> [-h] [-q] [-w] [-d] [-u] [-a] [-f]

<filename.pfc>	Optional: filename for the .pfc you want to extract links from
[-h]	Optional: displays a help message detailing what all these are and do
[-q]	Optional: quiet.  Doesn't display text on-screen
[-w]	Optional: allow characters that can't be used in Windows filenames.
		Only use this if you are on a system that allows /\":*?<>| in filenames
[-d]	Optional: creates DOS filenames for files, following the 8.3 pattern
		Note: files can be overwritten this way.  "Filename1" and "Filename2" would both be reduced to "Filename"
[-u]	Optional: use only ASCII characters.
	Use this for systems that don't allow Unicode filenames, such as win9x without unicows
[-a]	Optional: use only alpha-numeric characters.  That's A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and no punctuation or whitespace
[-f]	Optional: doesn't create folders.  All URLs are placed in the working directory.

+_+

Caveats:

1) I don't know for certain if this works on any AOL .pfcs earlier than AOL 9.0
2) AOL keyword links are, at the moment, not saved.
3) If you have folders within folders, hopefully you don't have them nested more than 64 deep, because that would be a big issue.
4) If it can't write a file, the file isn't written.
5) If it can't write a folder, the contents of that folder will appear in the parent's folder.  That can get messy at times.
6) It will, absolutely, overwrite anything with the same name in the same place

#.#

Psuedo-Legal

  As should be expected from about everything on the internet, I make no bold claim this won't destroy the contents of your computer.  It shouldn't, and you can tell that for sure since the source is provided in this zip file as well.  However, if this doesn't work, works adversely, or fails to work adversely to your own satisfaction, it is, unforunately, your own problem.  I suggest cursing your luck, quietly, away from my email account.

=_=

  I only have sporadic access to the internet, but if there's any really terrifying problem or you have samples of .pfcs from earlier AOL versions, you can always attempt to write.  If the email doesn't get disabled or the mail doesn't find its way to the spam folder, I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible.

-Zoinkity
nefariousdogooder@yahoo.com

3:30 PM 11/24/2008