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TEXTVIEW.DOC
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1994-06-22
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┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TEXTVIEW 3.4 │
│ A PCBoard Programming Language based Application │
│ By Joseph Sheppard - The Ledge PCBoard (818) 896-4015 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
───────────
DESCRIPTION
───────────
Textview allows the Sysop to make text based features available to
callers in an online magazine format. It includes an option to
allow your users to download from a list of files you specify. The
sysop can also give extra time in the application to users of a
defined security level. All of the PCBoard function keys are
supported, including Sysop Chat (F10).
TextView is written using the PCBoard Programming Language. This
being the case, the program is compatible with any setup that is
successful at running PCBoard 15.1 or greater.
Downloading is handled using your PCBoard setup, so all of the
protocols you have working in PCBoard, will be used automatically
by TextView including external protocols.
Textview can shell to another program or batch file from inside
TextView if you wish. This can be any kind of routine you like as
long as you have enough free memory to support it.
The program supports menu branching. You can make up menu
selections, that when selected execute another Textview based
feature, and will return to the original feature when exited. This
can be done in multiple layers.
TextView features can be launched from most files that can be
displayed via PCBoard. For example, you can launch a TextView
feature from your Bulletin menu.
TextView can launch other PPE programs. Simply place an
exclamation point, followed by the path and name of the PPE, plus
any parameters needed to run the PPE in the first column of any
TextView displayed file, and the PPE program will be executed!
If you have software that you want to distribute to users of a
certain security level only, you can make TextView available to
users with the same security level as your customers or higher.
When your customer goes into TextView, he can read new product
information and download an ZIP of the latest version of your
software. You choose the download path, so you can put the files
in a directory only accessible via TextView. You can even give
him extra time when he is in the application, which will be
deducted when he exits, restoring the original time he had left
when he entered.
The following user created files are supported in both ASCII and
ANSI:
Welcome screen (TVHELLO & TVHELLOG)
Menu screen (TVMENU & TVMENUG)
Download Directory (TVDIR & TVDIRG)
Goodbye Screen (TVBYE & TVBYEG)
TextView can display as many files as you can support on your
system ASCII and ANSI versions are displayed depending on which
mode your caller is in. The caller has the option to toggle
between ANSI and ASCII display mode. Both file formats
(ASCII/ANSI) are supported, but not required. If one or the other
format is unavailable, the caller will be shown what is available
for that menu selection. TextView will also convert PCBoard @x
color codes on the fly, as well as text @VARIABLES@.
Command stacking is supported, so callers can capture several menu
selections with a command such as 1;2;3;4;NS.
─────
SETUP
─────
Here is a description of the files you will need to get started:
1. Filename: TV.PPE
Purpose: Textview program
Location: The directory specified in CMD.LST
2. Filename: TV.CNF
Purpose: Defines parameters for TV.PPE
Location: The same directory as TV.PPE.
Sample File:
RESERVED
D:\TV
20
0
0
M
D:\TV\DL
RESERVED
DEFAULT
TextView
N
RESERVED
NONE
D:\TV\TVMENU
D:\TV\TVHELLO
D:\TV\TVBYE
Explanation:
RESERVED: Reserved for Future Use.
D:\TV: This is the path to the files you want to display. I would
suggest putting these files in their own directory.
20: This is the number of files available for display. It can
be any number higher than 1.
0: Replace this with the security level you want to all more
time in the application for. For instance if you are providing
product support for your level 50's and up, AND you want to
give them more time in the application, put a 50 here. If you
don't want to give anyone more time put a 0 here.
0: Replace this with the number of minutes you want to add to
the security level defined above. If you want to give your
customers an extra 15 minutes in the application, then put a 15
here. If you don't want to add any time, put a 0 here.
M: This line tells TextView how you want to handle downloading.
Your choices are: Single file, Multiple files or No files
(downloading not allowed). If you only have one file that you
want available for downloading, then put the letter S on this
line. If you have a list of files you want the user to be able
to download then put an M on this line. If you don't want the
user to be able to download at all, put the letter N on this
line (if N is selected the download option won't appear on the
command line at all).
D:\TV\DL: Replace this with the path to the files you want the
user to be able to download. Be sure that there is nothing in
this directory that you don't want downloaded because the user
will be able to take whatever is there. Please don't call me
and yell at me because a user downloaded the USER file while in
TextView. The only way this could happen is if you screw up
and put \PCB\MAIN on this line. IMPORTANT: If you have
selected the Single file option (an S on line 6) then you will
need to add the filename to the path (example
D:\TV\DL\FILES.ZIP). If you aren't going to allow downloading,
then put the word NONE on this line.
RESERVED: Reserved for Future Use.
DEFAULT: This line affects Registered Versions of TextView
only. Registered Sysops may place a filename on this line,
which must include the path if the file isn't in the same
directory as TV.PPE. The file named on this line must be an
ASCII file containing the names and paths of the files to be
displayed. This feature is designed to cut maintenance time
for Sysops who display online magazines which are updated
frequently, but have the same filenames week to week. USAToday
and NewsBytes are examples of these types of magazines. The
files must be listed in the order that they appear on the menu.
For example, a file that had these three lines:
C:\TEXT\WELCOME
D:\TV\NEWUSER
D:\PCB\MAIN\CALLER
Would cause TextView to display your WELCOME screen if the
caller chose #1 off the menu. Your NEWUSER file if he chose #2
and your CALLER log if he picked #3. The number of files
listed in this file MUST be the same as the number you have on
line 3 of the .CNF file.
TextView: You can give your TextView application a name that
will be placed in the CALLER log to let you know what features
are being used.
N: TextView can run as a "Sub-System". This means that you can
run one application, then follow it with TextView
automatically. The original purpose for this is to display game
door scorecards. One put the letter Y on this line followed by
the desired prompt, and TextView will give the option to answer
(Y)es, (N)o, (G)oodbye before running. For a score door, the
sysop might put the following on this line:
Y;View the Scorecards?
TextView will show:
View the Scorecards?
(Y)es, (N)o, (G)oodbye: _
If the caller answers Yes, then TextView is run, and he is
shown the material. If he answers No, then he is returned to
the BBS. If he answers Goodbye then he is properly logged off.
This feature is valuable if you want to give a user certain
material to read before or after a particular application. For
example, you might use it to launch an TextView application
from a bulletin, giving the user an option to execute the
feature or not. Leave the letter N on this line if you don't
want TextView to act as a "Sub-System".
RESERVED: Reserved for future use.
NONE: Replace this with the name of a batch file or program you
would like your users to be able to run from the TextView menu.
This can be any kind of routine you like as long as you have
enough free memory to support it. Programs that write directly
to screen will need a program like Marshall Dudley's "Doorway"
to redirect the output. The program or batch file specified
must be in the same directory as TV.PPE. The user can run the
routine by typing the word you put on this line. For example,
if the routine you want to run is called REGISTER, then you
would need a program called REGISTER.EXE or REGISTER.COM, or a
batch file called REGISTER.BAT in directory with TV.PPE. Then
your caller would type the word REGISTER from the TextView
command line to run the routine.
D:\TV\TVMENU: The Name and path of your TextView Menu.
D:\TV\TVHELLO: The Name and path of your TextView opening
screen (leave a blank line to not show an opening screen).
D:\TV\TVBYE: The Name and path of your TextView closing screen
(leave a blank line for no closing screen).
──────────────────
TEXTVIEW AS A DOOR
──────────────────
3. Filename: TEXTVIEW
Purpose: Used by PCBoard to run the TextView from
the DOOR menu
Location: Your Door batch file directory
Sample file:
@ECHO OFF
ECHO !D:\TEXTVIEW\TV.PPE TV.CNF > PCBDOOR.TXT
Explanation:
@ECHO OFF: Stops echoing commands to the local screen
ECHO !D:\TEXTVIEW\TV.PPE TV.CNF > PCBDOOR.TXT:
Creates a file called PCBDOOR.TXT in the default directory for
the node the caller is on. Inside the file is the command to
run the specified TextView feature from the door menu.
Note: In order to run TextView from the Door menu, you must enter
TEXTVIEW in your DOORS.LST file. This is done by via
PCBSETUP.EXE. Set it up as a SHELLED door, by putting the letter
"Y" under the column that says "SHELL". "USERS.SYS" and "DOOR.SYS"
should be set to "N".
───────────────────────────
TEXTVIEW FROM THE MAIN MENU
───────────────────────────
To execute a Textview based feature from the Main Menu Command
prompt, you must put an entry in your CMD.LST file. To do this,
you have to run PCBSETUP.EXE. Go from the main menu to "File
Locations", then to "Configuration Files". Next cursor down to
your CMD.LST file and hit F2 to edit it. You must put in an entry
for each TextView based feature. It might look like this:
Command Security PPE/MNU File -or- Keystroke Replacement
============ ============ =======================================
1) NEWUSER 10 D:\TVIEW\TV.PPE NEWUSER.CNF
2) SUPPORT 10 D:\TVIEW\TV.PPE SUPPORT.CNF
The First column is the word the caller will type to view the
feature. The second is the minimum security level the caller must
have to use the feature. The third is the command required to run
the feature with the location of TV.PPE first, and the name of
the configuration file second. IMPORTANT: the configuration file
must be in the same directory as TV.PPE.
────────────────────────────
TEXTVIEW FROM A DISPLAY FILE
────────────────────────────
You can automatically execute a TextView feature from most files
that PCBoard can display. For example, I launch three different
TextView features from my Bulletin Menu. One menu item is for
information on the U'NI-net Echomail Network. When the caller
goes to read this item, the TextView U'NI-net Menu is instantly
produced, from there the caller can read from a menu of text
files, or even download programs. When the caller exits that
feature, the Bulletin menu prompt is displayed!
The way this is done is to go into BLT.LST from PCBSETUP.EXE and
assign a file name to display as a bulletin. Then hit F2 to edit
that file. Place a single line in the file to execute the
TextView feature you want. The line must start in column one with
an exclamation point, then the path to TV.PPE, a space, then the
name and path of the configuration file. It would look like this:
!D:\TVIEW\TV.PPE UNI.CNF
You can launch other PPE's as well in this from an TextView based
feature.
Several features can be stacked in this fashion. For example, on
my BBS a caller can go to the Bulletin Menu, Select "New User
Information", the "NewUser" TextView menu is produced instantly.
From there, if the caller selects the menu item for "Information
on Internet Email", the "Internet" TextView menu is produced. When
the caller exits the Internet feature, the Newuser menu is
produced, and when that is exited the Bulletin prompt is back.
This makes TextView amazingly flexible. If you run another
program of mine called DDoor, you can launch any door on your
system from a TextView menu selection! < Shameless Plug <g>
─────────────────
FILES YOU PROVIDE
─────────────────
The following files can be used to enhance your TextView features.
You don't have to create them. If you don't, then the code will
handle it by skipping to the next step, so if you don't want to
support an ANSI version of each file, simply don't include it. If
you do use these they must be in the path defined by you in
TV.CNF. These files can be created with any ASCII or ANSI editor,
or PCBEDIT from CDC. Security Level specific and Language Specific
files are also supported, as well as RIP screens.
TVHELLO & TVHELLOG: These are like PCBoard's WELCOME & WELCOMEG.
will be shown to your callers inside the application.
TVDIR & TVDIRG: This is the directory of files you are offering
for download in the TextView application. If you don't allow
downloading, then this file need exist. You can use any of the
PCBoard directory maintenance programs to create and maintain this
file, including PCBFILER. This file will be automatically
colorized. To make this work correctly, reserve the first three
lines of the file for header information. Have the first filename
and description on LINE 4.
TVBYE & TVBYEG: This the last thing the caller sees before leaving
the feature to go back to PCBoard.
TVx & TVxG: These are the actual files available for viewing. x
equals the menu number of the file (So, TV1 and TV1G would be Menu
item 1). It is VERY important to remember to rename each feature
in this manner. This is written in the same manner as the PCBoard
Bulletins (BLT1, BLT1G, etc.). Registered users may specify their
own filenames in a file defined on line 9 of the .CNF file.
──────────────────
NON-STANDARD PORTS
──────────────────
If your non-standard setup (multiport board or whatever) works
with PCBoard, it will work with TextView. Don't give this a
second thought, this is one of the reasons I completely rewrote
the program using the PCBoard Programming Language. Compatibility
is guaranteed!
────────────────────────────
TEXT VARIABLES & COLOR CODES
────────────────────────────
All display files will respond to the standard PCBoard text
variables and color codes. Place the variables anywhere in any
line to be displayed by TextView and they will be translated.
───────────────────────────
DOWNLOADING INSIDE TEXTVIEW
───────────────────────────
Under most circumstances, Downloading with TextView is simple,
because it uses PCBoard's own downloading routines.
However, when you want to give people who don't have downloading
access on your BBS the ability to download specific files
inside a TextView application, it can be a little tricky.
First, you must give these callers some daily K-bytes in the PWRD
file. TextView bypasses the fact that they don't have access to
the main board (D)ownload command, but they still have to have
some K-Bytes available in the PWRD file for it to work.
The other consideration is that the routine from PCBoard that
TextView uses to download files, flags only the legit files they
are allowed to download, but then presents them with a prompt to
"Download Flagged Files (Y)". I found out that if the caller
answers (N) to this question, he can then flag any file on the
system! To get around this, you have to manipulate your FSEC file
a bit. Here is what mine looks like:
D:\NU\DL\,*.*,10,
,*.*,30,
The first line lets anybody with level 10 or greater download any
file in my D:\NU\DL directory. This is the directory for my "New
User Door". The next line tells the system to only allow level 30
or above (registered users) to download from any other directory.
If you set it up this way, your unregistered callers can download
from the TextView door, but if they try to flag other files on the
system, they will get a security message.
The FSEC file can be edited using PCBSETUP.EXE.
────────────
REGISTRATION
────────────
TextView represents years of work. I have been supplying updates
of this program since June of 1988. In November of 1993 I did a
complete rewrite as a PPE without charging people who registered
the program before anything. The fact that TextView is a PPE
guarantees future compatibility with PCBoard. If you exploit the
full power of TextView it will become an important part of your
BBS. For this reason, you should pay to register it.
If you find that your are still running TextView 30 days after
setting it up, or if you'd like to unlock the registered features,
please call The Ledge PCBoard at 818-896-4015 and type REGISTER at
the main menu command prompt. This will allow you to register by
MASTERCARD, VISA, DISCOVER or AMERICAN EXPRESS.
If you prefer to pay by check or money order, please fill out
REGISTER.TXT and send it in with a shareware contribution of
$20.00 in US Funds.
Registered users will receive a file called TV.KEY that when
present in the same directory as TV.PPE will bypass all
"unregistered" references, bypass the "Press Enter to Continue"
prompt before TVHELLO is displayed, and will allow you to use line
9 of the .CNF file to specify your own custom filenames for
display instead of TV1, TV2, TV3, etc.
Valid TV.KEY files will automatically register this version of
TextView and ALL FUTURE VERSIONS! There is no need to call my BBS
each time I release a new TV.PPE to get your registered copy.
Just download it from any source and your TV.KEY file will unlock
the new version for you just by being there no mumbo-jumbo, no
passwords...just run the program!
───────
SUPPORT
───────
I can be reached at my BBS, The Ledge PCBoard (818) 896-4015 -
HST/V.32bis, U'NI-net Echomail Network (for which I am the
International host), Internet: sysop@ledge.com, Compuserve:
76175,623 or US Mail at the address listed in REGISTER.TXT.
If you contact me on my BBS, please ignore the mail-in validation
procedure. Simply leave me a [C]omment with your questions and I
will validate you as a "visiting Sysop" without delay.
LEDGE SUPPORT: Please note that on your first call to the ledge,
you can enter the Ledge Support area. It is a TextView feature
that will allow you to view the current "TEXTVIEW.DOC" file and
download the very latest version of TextView. You DON'T have to be
a registered user on The Ledge to use this service! Please let me
know you called though so I can validate you for future calls.
UPDATES VIA INTERNET FTP: You can get all of the latest releases
of programs written by Joseph Sheppard, including Textview via
Internet File Transfer Protocol at the following locations:
iia.org /pub/users/uninet/sheppard
kaiwan.com /user/uninet/sheppard
UPDATES VIA FTPMAIL: If you have access to internet email, you can
receive uuencoded TextView updates! Send a message addressed:
To: ftpmail@ledge.com
In the body of the message put the following words:
list ledge
You will receive a listing of the files available for download via
ftpmail, including the name of the latest TextView. When you get
the correct filename, send another message to ftpmail@ledge.com,
this time put the following words:
get ledge TVIEWxx.ZIP
(Where the xx equals the version number, ie: TVIEW99.ZIP).
──────
THANKS
──────
Thanks to Samuel Smith, the genius behind Prodoor, ProKit, HS/Link
and other programs we have all benefited from. I learned to
program in Turbo Pascal so I could write the original TextView
door using Sam's door kit routines. I have moved on to the
PCBoard Programming Language, but I still owe Sam a lot for making
his source code public so I could learn from it. Sam's Tool Shop
BBS can be reached by calling (818) 891-6780.
Thanks to Charles Shapiro, Sysop of Absolut(e)ly Temporary (702)
254-8601 for his valuable help in beta testing TextView.
Thanks to Mark Rapp, Sysop the MicroSellar BBS (201) 239-1346 for
some great technical suggestions that were very helpful in the
creation of the original TextView door.
──────────
DISCLAIMER
──────────
I make no warranty of any kind, express or implied, including
without limitation, any warranties of merchantability and/or
fitness for a particular purpose. I shall not be liable for any
damages, whether direct, indirect, special or consequential
arising from a failure of this program to operate in the manner
desired by the user. I shall not be liable for any damage to data
or property which may be caused directly or indirectly by the use
of this program.
IN NO EVENT WILL I BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY
LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM,
OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY.