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1994-05-15
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┌─────┐ ┌─┐ ┌─┐ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ ┌───┘ │ │ │ │ │ ┌─┐ │ │ ┌───┘ │ ┌──┐ │ │ Super Vote v3.00 │
│ └───┐ │ │ │ │ │ └─┘ │ │ └─┐ │ └──┘ │ │ Copyright 1994 by ArcticSoft │
└───┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ ┌───┘ │ ┌─┘ │ ┌─┐ ┌┘ │─────────────────────────────────│
┌───┘ │ │ └─┘ │ │ │ │ └───┐ │ │ │ └┐ │ Programmed by Mario Mueller │
└─────┘ └─────┘ └─┘ └─────┘ └─┘ └──┘ └─────────────────────────────────┘
** Super Vote v3.00 - (c) Copyright 1994 by ArcticSoft **
┌────────────────────────────────┐
│ I. Introduction to the Program │
└────────────────────────────────┘
Super vote is probably one of the best voting programs you will ever come
across. I have used some other voting programs that had been lacking
some really important features. Some of these voting programs were just
way too over priced. I don't know where most of these shareware authors
get these prices. Sometimes I think that PPE was invented for those
sysops that wanted to get revenge on those authors who charged so much
for a simple program. Now I look at PPE as a more versatile programming
language for BBS communications. One of the main reasons why I wrote
this program in PPE is because it required little hard drive space. The
other reason why I wrote it in PPE would be because I run PCBoard BBS
software. And PPE is simply the best language to use for PCBoard.
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ II. Features of the Program │
└─────────────────────────────┘
The following is a list of features of this Program:
* Can be Installed almost anywhere in PCBoard
* Small and will not take up much hard drive space
* Enhanced Keyboard Support for ANSI Callers
* Usable in all Graphic Emulations
* Easy to Setup and Configure
* Keeps track of all of the Users who have Voted
and their Selections
* Allows users to add their own Options
* Supporting the RIP Graphics Emulation
* Unlimited number of Booths can be Created
* Optional Caller Logging
* Unlimited number of Options can be Created
* External DOS setup program for easy Configuration
* Calculates Percentages and Bar Graphs for Result
Display
* Configurable Security Levels for Each Command
* Online Booth Editing Commands
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ III. Installing the Program │
└─────────────────────────────┘
The really nice thing about PPE, you can install it almost anywhere on
your bulletin board. You probably will want to install this program at
the main menu as a command. This is done by specifying the program in
the PCBoard CMD.LST. Use the following process to accomplish this:
* Execute the PCBSETUP program
* Select B for File Locations
* Select B once again for Configuration Files
* Use the Arrow keys to High-Light the CMD.LST File and Press F2
* Press ALT-I to Insert a fresh blank
* Specify the command name VOTE or any other command you would
rather use and press ENTER
* Specify the minimum security level as 0 or any other security
you would rather use and press ENTER
* Specify the PPE path and filename. Be sure to include the .PPE
file extension. (eg. D:\PPE\VOTE\VOTE.PPE)
Once you have completed the above task, leave the PCBSETUP program and go
to the Super Vote directory. You should then execute the setup program
SVSETUP.EXE to create the VOTE.CFG file. The SVSETUP.EXE program is very
well documented and understandable. You shouldn't have any problems with
creating your configuration file. When you are done running the
SVSETUP.EXE program, you will be able to run Super Vote.
I suggest reading the rest of this documentation to get a better
understanding on what options and commands are available for you.
┌───────────────────────┐
│ IV. Log User Commands │
└───────────────────────┘
Super vote has the option to LOG each of the commands that the user
decides to take. Most doors don't log since they usually carry there own
type of log file. Since this program is more attached to PCBoard, I like
to make it log to the actual PCBoard caller log. Which is optional since
some Sysops don't like other programs writing to the caller log.
I recommend this option to be activated for the safety of your system.
So if something strange goes wrong, you can check it out in the caller
log. This option can be activated/de-activated by using the SVSETUP
program included with this program.
Super vote will then keep detailed logging on when the caller enter the
program and exited. It will also log if a caller has voted, listed,
viewed, added, deleted, or edited a voting booth. The following is an
example on what the logging will look like:
*** Super Vote v3.00 (Closed) at (19:47:04) ***
-> Quit and Exit to Main Menu
* Booth (TEST) Deleted
-> Delete an Existing Booth
* Booth (TEST) Created
-> Add a New Voting Booth
-> Delete an Existing Booth
-> Add a New Voting Booth
-> List Available Voting Booths
* Option (1) Selected
* Booth (BOARD) Changed Vote
* Booth (BOARD) Voted
-> Vote on a Specified Booth
* Booth (BOARD) Edited
-> Edit an Existing Voting Booth
*** Super Vote v3.00 (Opened) at (19:46:25) ***
* NOTE: This is just an example of SOME of the notifications left in
the caller log.
┌───────────────────────┐
│ V. Graphics Emulation │
└───────────────────────┘
Super vote is programmed to support any graphics emulation. Even if you
have a user with a Macintosh, they will be able to use Super Vote. If
you have a user with an XT without ANSI graphics, they will be able to
use the Super vote program. One nice thing about Super vote is that it
supports the new RIP graphics emulation. Although the RIP graphics
currently programmed into Super vote are quite basic. In the near future
I plan to add more detail and mouse support to the RIP menus.
If your caller supports Enhanced ANSI graphics (most IBM callers do),
your user will be able to interact with the program using the arrow keys
and high-lighting the commands they would like to execute.
If you would like to use the arrow keys local, you must remember that UP
arrow is used for the the scroll back buffer. In this case, you should
use the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys or simply press the key displayed next
to the voting command.
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ VI. Non-Voted Booth Notifier │
└──────────────────────────────┘
Just recently, I have added this external utility that will notify users
how many voting booths they haven't voted on. This utility is not
required to be run. It is only an optional external utility that you can
place in one of your logon screens. An example, say a user of your BBS
adds a new voting booth. You now have one new voting booth, when the
next user logs on, this utility will be executed and will check the data
files for any unvoted voting booths. When it finds the new voting booth
the user has not yet voted on, it will notify him or her.
You haven't voted on 1 booth(s).
This is good if you would like promote the usage of the voting booth
program, it will help keep the users up-to-date on how many new booths
have been added, and if he or she needs to vote or not.
How should you go about installing this utility? You probably want to
put it somewhere in the logon screens. This gives you the option of your
news screens, security screens, logon questionnaire, etc. You select
which one works best with you. The following is an example on how you
would execute this utility:
!D:\PPE\VOTE\CHKVOTE.PPE
You can also alter the text display of CHKVOTE.PPE by using SVSETUP.EXE
program. It will emulate MKPCBTXT so things should be quite familiar.
┌───────────────────────────────────┐
│ VII. Bulletin Statistic Generator │
└───────────────────────────────────┘
Included with this program is a file with the filename SVSTAT.EXE. It is
a program that simply creates a bulletin of all of booth results. It can
be some what time consuming to go through each and every booth every day
to check out updated voting statistics. This was made so that users can
quickly check out the results of all of the booths by simply viewing a
bulletin and not having to go into the voting program all the time.
Setting up the program is very simple. Simply go into the SVSETUP
program and specify the bulletin path in the 'Adjust Program Paths and
Filenames' section. There will probably be a default already provided
for you.
It is good to run the utility in your $$LOGOFF.BAT, this way it is
updated more often. It won't take much time to create the bulletins, the
program is very fast. If you still don't feel that it should go into
your $$LOGOFF.BAT program, then my other recommendation would be your
nightly event batch file. Simply execute it with the following syntax:
SVSTAT.EXE (PATH AND FILENAME TO CONFIG)
Once that is done, the program will run and create the bulletin with the
specified filename in SVSETUP.
┌─────────────────────────┐
│ VIII. Other Information │
└─────────────────────────┘
This program is SHAREWARE and requires a fee of $10. You may evaluate
the program for up to 30 days. If you don't plan to register the
program, I ask you to remove it from your system. If you would like to
continue using this program, please register it by reading the
registration form. The program is fully functional when UNREGISTERED
except the 8 second delay and no more than 6 booths can be created. When
the program is REGISTERED, there is no limit and there is no delay. I
think the price for this program is fair unlike many other SHAREWARE
programs. I encourage anyone to distribute this program and upload it
to all your favorite bulletin boards. ALL files in archive must be
included if you plan to distribute this program. If you have any
comments or suggestions about the program, feel free to leave me mail at
the following net mail address if you have InterNet access:
mario.mueller@merchant.com
If you have access to Fido-Net style Crash mail, you can send me crash
mail at the Fido-Net node number 1:270/619. You can also FREQ the latest
version of Super Vote from the same node number with the MAGIC name SVOTE.
Latest versions are available for download on the support bulletin board
called The Antarctica Bulletin Board System (717) 755-2440 located in
York Pennsylvania. I appreciate any comments and suggestions about any
of my programs. I am open for ideas that you may have.
I now have a SUPPORT conference on the support bulletin board for all of
the programs I have available. You can find the LATEST versions of all
of the programs there. If you logon to the system, simply type SUPPORT
at the main prompt and you will be taken to the support conference.
Super Vote v3.00 was programmed in [PPL] PCBoard Programmable Language
for PCBoard v15.1 and above. The SVSETUP.EXE program was programmed
in Turbo Pascal v7.0 used for creating and editing the VOTE.CFG file.
The CHKVOTE.PPE v3.00 was programmed in [PPL] PCBoard Programmable
Language for PCBoard v15.1 and above. The SVSTAT.EXE program was
programmed in Turbo Pascal v7.0 used for creating bulletins.
*** END OF DOCUMENT *** SUPER VOTE v3.00 ***