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1993-09-09
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TimeZone v2.1 Shareware Time Slot Manager for PCBoard v15.0
The installation of TimeZone is fairly simple. TimeZone should be in-
stalled into logon script questionnaire (my setup is shown below). Run
PCBSetup, go to File Locations and then to the Questionnaires section
as shown below. Now in my setup, the file defined below as "LOGON" is
not actually a script questionnaire, but it's really a text file, also
shown below. Substitute file names and paths that apply to your setup.
You must also enable the "Notes PSA" in the user records. See PCB doc.
╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ File Locations ║
║ NewUser/Logon/Logoff Questionnaires ║
║ ║
║ Name/Loc of New Reg Questionnaire : E:\PCB\MAIN\LOGONNEW ║
║ Name/Loc of Answers to New Reg. : ║
║ ║
║ Name/Loc of Logon Script Quest. : E:\PCB\MAIN\LOGON ║
║ Name/Loc of Logon Script Answers : ║
║ ║
║ Name/Loc of Logoff Script Quest. : E:\PCB\MENU\BYE ║
║ Name/Loc of Logoff Script Answers : ║
║ ║
║ Press F2 to edit the the NEWASK file or F3 to edit the the NEWASKG file ║
╚═ hh:mm:ss ═══ mm-dd-yy ══════ F1 ═ help ════ caps: OFF num: OFF ins: OFF ═╝
My "LOGON" script questionnaire really only consists of two lines, the
first one is the only applicable one for the installation of TimeZone.
Change the path to fit your setup though. here's my LOGON script file:
!E:\PPE\TIMEZONE\TIMEZONE.PPE
!E:\PPE\UAI\UAI.PPE
Please note that the ! in the above paths needs to be in column one!
This is all that is needed to be done to call TimeZone whenever users
call into your system. That's the installation, now to configure it...
The configuration file must be located in the same directory as the
TIMEZONE.PPE and must be called TIMEZONE.CNF.
Config File Details
┌────────────────┐
│ Intelec Online │ -> Who registered to (a BBS name or SysOp name)
│ 00000 │ -> Registration number (00000 if unregistered)
│ ##### │ -> Validation code (assigned upon registration)
│ A or B │ -> See notes on A/B switch (You will love this)
│ 60 │ -> The "exempt" security level (blank if none)
│ 22:30 │ -> The time when TimeZone is to be "activated".
│ 06:30 │ -> The time when TimeZone is to be de-activated
│ 1 │ -> Which note line to write time slot or EXEMPT
└────────────────┘ to in user's record. Enter time slot as (ex)
02:30-03:30 in the 1st 11 spaces in the note
field. Don't put anything else in this field!
See note below on the EXEMPT flag in the user
record notes.
The A/B Switch!
There are now two methods of operation in TimeZone now! A, the standard
way I've seen any time slot utility operate, is that you assign a user a
"minutes window". If they call in any time during that window then they
are granted access with their full amount of allotted time. Problem here
is that if a user has 30 minutes allotted and calls at the very "end" of
his or her window, there's the possibility of this user running into the
next users "window". Scenario: John Smith has a time slot of 06:30-07:00
and Jim White has a window of 07:00-07:30. They both have 30 minutes per
day allotted to them. If John Smith calls at 06:59 he can tie up the BBS
until 07:29. Now, Jim White has only 1 minute in which to make his time
window. Thus the B Switch! When using this B method of operation you can
prevent the above scenario from happening. If John Smith calls at 06:45,
instead of having his full 30 mins, now he only has 15 mins, preventing
him from interfering with Jim White's time slot. I do this by adjusting
the "time left" info in the user record, *not* the time used info. This
way if they call back when TimeZone is not enabled they have their full
allotment of unused time. But there are the traditionalists <g> who will
prefer to run this the "standard" way, and if so, just use the A Switch.
Exempt Flag Options
There are two ways of exempting users from being effected by TimeZone's
operation. One is exempting all user with xx security level or higher by
entering this desired security level on line 5 of the config file. (Ex:)
If you want to exempt level 60 users and higher from being "cut off" by
TimeZone, place a 60 in line 4 of the config file. If there's a user who
has a securoty level below 60 and you want to exempt this user as well,
then place EXEMPT in the first 6 spaces of the notes field. Note: If you
are using the "B method" of TimeZone, this "exemption method" won't let
them have more time than what would exceed TimeZone's "starting time".
The other way of exempting users on an individual basis is to place the
string EXEMPT in the designated user record note field. This method WILL
totally exempt the user from any type of time adjustments that TimeZone
would normally attempt to make on the user regardless of who's time slot
this user may infringe upon. This should not be used too frequently but
has been included to make TimeZone the most effective and flexible way
to manage time slots on your system.
What It Does To Who
If a user calls you when TimeZone is enabled, and they do not have a
slot, they will be displayed the time, the time frame that TimeZone is
enabled, and then logged off.
If a user calls you when TimeZone is enabled, and they DO have a time-
slot, if they called when it was their proper time they will be shown
a screen showing that TimeZone has let them pass. But if they called
outside of their assigned time slot, they'll be displayed the current
time, and what their time slot IS, and then it logs them off.
If a user calls you when TimeZone is disabled, whether they have been
assigned a time slot or not, TimeZone will let them pass and it is up
to you to determine what commands are available to them at that point.
Node Specific TimeZone Control
If you want to run TimeZone on one node only (or specific nodes) then
on this (or these) nodes you need to update this node(s) PCBOARD.DAT
to reflect a "different" logon script that contains TimeZone in it.
TimeZone History
v1.0 on 08-04-93
Initial release and looking good right out of the gate!
v1.1 on 08-05-93
Changed the delay from a "PCBoard @pause@" to about a 2 second delay.
Don't want to mess with anyone's scripts now <g>.
v2.0 on 08-13-93
TimeZone goes through a complete format change. Instead of using the
config file for the user time slots, now TimeZone uses the notes field
of the user's record to store this info, thus removing the 30 user limit
in the old config file. See the 2.0 docs for details on the config file
format. Also, TimeZone offers 2 methods of operation! You can either run
it in the traditional manner whereby the users time slot is only a window
that they have to "clear" to have their full time allotment. The other
method is that TimeZone will adjust a users time depending on how close
to the users "end time" it is. This prevents users from interfering with
the next users' time slot. You can also exempt users by security level
or with an EXEMPT flag in the notes field, or both, for total flexibility!
See the docs for a breakdown of these new features. Lastly, TimeZone is no
longer free, sorry. A meager $10 registration fee is in place. Money well
spent in my opinion <g>. Versions prior to 2.0 are no longer supported.
v2.1 on 09-09-93
Now part of the PCBoard PPE Powerpack!
Shareware
TimeZone is not free, versions prior to 2.0 are no longer supported.
You have 30 days to evaluate it, then you must register or remove it.
You use TimeZone at your own risk. I will not be responsible for lost
data or any damage that the use or misuse of TimeZone may cause. It's
been thoroughly tested on my system and works flawlessly here but I'm
just covering my assets. If you have any ideas & suggestions that can
improve on TimeZone, let me know in the Intelec Network's PPL forum.
TimeZone is not crippled in any way, all features are enabled so that
you may fully evaluate it's power & flexibility. In the unregistered
version, there is a "10 second delay" and an UNREGISTERED notice.
To Register
Registering TimeZone replaces the 10 sec delay with a 2.5 sec delay,
removes the UNREGISTERED display and replaces it with your personal
registration number and ID. Registration grants you a license to use
TimeZone on the (one) BBS that it is being registered to and licenses
may not be transferred.
Registration is only $10 U.S. Send checks or money orders payable to
Cliff Watkins at the address shown below. If you are outside the US
please only use Postal Money Orders in US $. Non-U.S. personal checks
cannot be accepted, please don't send cash! If in the U.S. include a
voice number and best time to reach you and I will call you with the
registration number and validation code. If outside the U.S. then you
must call my BBS for this info. There is no "online registration" at
this time, sorry. Thanks for evaluating TimeZone! Look for my many
other fine PCBoard PPE utilities!
Cliff Watkins
P.O. Box 212
Baldwin, NY 11510
Intelec Online
(516) 868-0662 (D/S 16.8)
Public from 09:30-22:30 EST