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whatsnew.txt
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1994-01-07
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470 lines
Lora Bulletin Board System and
Electronic Mail Interface
Version 2.34
Copyright (c) 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 by Marco Maccaferri
All rights reserved
Changes made from version 2.33
=====================================================================
- Added the paging hours menu, that allows you to define when
you are available for chat during the entire week.
- Added the option to change the date format to the BBS / General
options menu. The available choices are: DD-MM-YY, MM-DD-YY and
YY-MM-DD.
- The file upload command now asks for the file name and the
description before the beggining of the file transfer. This means
that the duplicate upload check is made before and after the file
transfer.
- Changed a bit the code related to the link tearlines option. Now
it should work correctly, the <space>/<space> betweed the original
tearline and the Lora's tearline (when you choose to link the
tearlines) isn't automatically added.
- Fixed a long standing bug usign numbers as hot keys for menu.
- The structure of the CONFIG.DAT file was changed a little to get
around a bug of the Borland C compiler for OS/2. The affected
items are: Global / General / Monochrome and BBS / New users / New
files check, that sould be reconfigured.
- Added support for extended netmail flags. Currently handled flags
are the following: DIR (Direct, produces a .DUT packet), TFS
(Truncate File Sent) and KFS (Kill File Sent).
- Added the flag CD-Rom to the BBS / Files / Flags field. When this
flags is set to yes, the file search by date (new files search)
automatically skips this area.
- Added the flags 'Unknow can request', 'Protect can request' and
'Known can request' to the BBS / Files / Flags field. This flags
allows you to control the file request privilege for that area
using the file index created with FILEIDX.
- Now Lora updates every nodediff found in the nodelist directory,
and not the next week's nodediff (referred to the current
nodelist) only as before.
- Fixed a bug displaying the new files list.
- Added two more modem init strings to the Modem / Command strings
menu. This will allows you to verbosely configure your modem (used
mainly for FAX/Modem setups).
- Added the hangup string to the Modem / Command strings menu. This
will avoid some problems with the modem not hanging up after a call
or not being reinitialized correctly.
- Added a new menu item to the Modem menu: Dialing strings, that was
previously located in the Modem / Command strings menu.
- Now Lora-OS/2 allows you to receive fax calls without hang up the
phone when calling the fax receiving software. If you set the
fax errorlevel (Modem / Hardware menu) to 0, when a fax call is
detected Lora calls the external program RCVFAX, that can be and
executable or a batch file, without closing the com port. The
com port number, speed and com handle are passed on the command
line.
The OS/2 version should use this method to receive fax, since OS/2
automatically closes the com port when a program terminates. DOS
users can choose from this method and the old exit with errorlevel.
- Fixed a bug that hangs the machine when using the internal TIC
processor.
- Fixed a bug with the file listing command.
- Fixed a bug with the import empty message option.
- Fixed a bug when tagging files during a file listing.
- Fixed a little bug (debris on the line) with the ^OC embedded
command, not working properly in certain situations.
- Added the dialing directory to the terminal emulator. The structures
are not available because they need to be expanded and defined
a little more.
- Fixed a bug that puts real big numbers inthe seen-by and path lines
using the OS/2 version.
- Now the serial routines under OS/2 initializes the SIO drivers for
RTS/CTS handhsaking.
- The date format field in the BBS / General options menu, now has
effects on the date displayed during the file listings. Change it
as you need.
- Added the switches /2, /3 and /G=<n> to the menu type 86 (QWK tag
message areas), that are working the same way as the menu type 17.
- Added support for new USRobotics V32terbo 21600 connect speed.
- Added support for the V.FAST connect response at 28800 baud.
- Fixed a bug in the passthrough areas: the AREA: line is now added
correctly.
- In the previous whatsnew.txt file it's incorrectly stated that
the subscription days left are displayed with the ^F9 embedded
command. The correct command is ^F1.
- Fixed a problem with the verify of packet passwords when the
passwords are less than 8 characters.
- Added support for the CARRIER <baud> connect responses. That's the
factory setting for some modems.
- Fixed a bug updating the download counters with CD-ROM file areas.
- Fixed a bug with the internal upload protocol handler that cannot
updates the user's upload kbytes and number fields.
- Now the answers from the message and file area managers (named
Areafix and Raid) are originated by Lora-BBS vX.YY rather than
Areafix and Raid.
- Added the command NODELIST to build the nodelist indexes from a
batch file.
- Fixed a bug with modems that cannot report the connect flags in
the form "CONNECT 9600/V32/V42B".
- The language file has changed (4 lines added).
- The subscription field of the users editor is now active and fully
functional. There are two system files that can be displayed
according with the subscription date:
SUBDATE.* - Is displayed when a users calls your board after
the subscription date has expired.
SUBWARN.* - Is displayed when the number of days before the
expiration date is less that 31 days.
- Added the embedded command ^F9 that shows the number of days before
the subscription expires.
- The user editor is now built into LSETUP under the Manager menu.
- Added the B???????.* system file. It is shown to the user with the
BPS rate as specified behind the B. B2400.* would be shown to
a 2400 BPS caller and B14400.* would be shown to a 14400 BPS
caller. You can make a file for the following BPS rates:
300
1200
2400
4800
7200
9600
12000
14400
16800
19200
38400
- Added the FGOODBYE.* system file. It is displayed when the user
decides to hangup after a file transfer. Do not use embedded
commands that pauses the file otherwise the user can't use the
automatic logoff.
- Made a lot of fixups to both the serial port handling and video
functions routines to prevents uncontrolled loops and speed
bottlenecks even with windowed sessions.
- Added the 'Quote header' parameter to the BBS / General options
menu. The reply header is displayed at the top of a message that is
quoted in a reply.
The following macro characters may be used within this
field:
@ Expands into the person's name to which the original message
was addressed.
# Expands into the person's name who posted the original message
(the one being replied to).
` Expands into the date that the original message (the one being
replied to) was posted.
~ Expands to the time that the original message (the one being
replied to) was posted.
For example, if the following reply header was specified:
In a message originally to @, # said:
Would expand in a message to:
In a message originally to All, Joe User said:
- Added the 'Quote string' parameter to the BBS / General options
menu. This allows you to select the string of characters which
Lora will place before any message text that is quoted in a reply.
This is useful for separating quoted message text from reply
message text within a message. For example, a message quote string
specified as the ">" character might look like this:
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ > I have been using Lora BBS for two │
│ > months now and love it! │
│ │
│ I have to agree with you there, John. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
In this example, you can see that the message text that is being
quoted begins with the defined Quote String. This makes the
message easier to understand.
Two macro characters are also supported within the quote
string. They are:
@ This macro character is expanded within message text into the
upper-case initials of the person who is being quoted or
replied to.
# This macro is expanded into the lower-case initials of the
person who is being quoted or replied to.
~ This macro is expanded into the initials of the person who is
being quoted or replied to without changing the case.
For example, if the quote string was specified as "@>", quoted
message text might look something like this:
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ JP> I have been using Lora BBS for two │
│ JP> months now and love it! │
│ │
│ I have to agree with you there, John. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
This gives an even better idea of which message text is being
quoted.
- Added the flags definitions for both Areafix and Raid processors.
Now you can define up to 32 flags for your downlinks like the flags
you have with the users.
- Increased the size of the netmail akas. Now you have 20 slots at
your disposal.
- The 'Translate to' field of the cost manager has been increased in
width to allow telephone credit card numbers.
- Added the 'packers engine'. Now the Manager/Packers menu allows
you to define the packers/unpacker for both the QWK mail
door and the Fidonet mail processor. You can define the pack/unpack
commands and the identification bytes for each packer, this allows
you to add packer without changing the executable files.
The packers identification string is made by pairs of hexadecimal
numbers representing the bytes that can be found at the byte position
specifyed by the 'Offset' parameter.
- Added the 'Netmail messages tracker', that checks every netmail
message that your system imports for valid origin and destination
nodes. You can enable or disable the message tracker with the
Mailer / Miscellaneous / Track msgs. option.
- Added the TIC file processor. Now each file area has a TIC tag field
(like the echomail tag) and three forward lines.
- Added the item 'Import TIC.CFG" to the File menu, that allows you to
import your existing TIC configuration. This item imports only the
file area names, paths and forward, due to the internal handling of
the TIC processor, the passwords are defined in the Manager / Nodes
menu and are unique for each node, you cannot define a different
password for the same node in different areas.
- Added the file area processor (named Raid) to allow your downlinks
to add, remove and query their echo file areas status. The provided
RAID_HLP.TXT shows you the commands available.
- There is a new LMSG.EXE that should fix some problems. It has a
new command line switch: -L that allows you to reply-link the
messages by subject. It works for Squish and QuickBBS message bases
only, it will completed in the next release.
- For everyone has complained about the midnight trap that occurs
with Lora/2: check your scheduler setup (Manager / Events menu)
and be sure that your events covers the entire 24 hours range.
That means that the last event must end at 24:00 and not at 23:59.
- Improved the screen output routines.
- This beta was recompiled using the Borland C/C++ 1.0 for OS/2.
The previous release was compiled with an early beta of the
Borland compiler.
- The language files are changed (one line was added). Make sure to
update your custom files.
- LMSG -I over a Fido *.MSG area, causes the creation of the
MSGTOIDX.DAT file. This file will be used by the personal mail
scan to find out the messages in the Fido areas.
- Improved the Squish message scan.
- Several improvements are made to the outbound scanning routines.
Note that a new file appears in the Lora's system directory:
QUEUE.DAT. This file contain an index to the outbound packets
and should be deleted only if you must completely rescan the outbound
directories.
- Fixed a bug with the download counters that weren't updated when
using the file list parameter.
- Added the check on the fidouser.lst file in the nodelist
directory as an alternative to the names.cfg file.
- Added the 'Carrier mask' parameter to the Modem/Hardware menu,
that allows you to specify the bit mask with which the carrier
must be detected (normally it's 128).
- Added the 'DCD drop timeout' parameter to the Modem/Hardware menu,
that allows you to specify a timeout in seconds for which the
carrier must be down before hangup the line. This avoids some
problems with extremely noise lines.
- Now the input routines accepts the entire ASCII character set,
except for the unprintable codes (below 0x20). With this "fix" it's
now possible to use country-specific characters in messages and
in every input request. I think that the Chinese character set may
be used too.
- Improved the speed of LMSG when packing Squish and QuickBBS
message bases.
- LMSG now correctly updates the QuickBBS LASTREAD pointers.
- When a user uploads a file into a filebox, his/her name will always
be put following the file's description, regardless of the setting
made with LSETUP. This allows the filebox owner to know who has sent
the files without guessing it.
- If your menus are made by external ANSI/Avatar files, if the user
presses an hotkey, the file's output is stopped immediately, and
the key processed.
- Fixed the file request loops, without using the index files.
- Now the .ILO files works correctly when Lora rereads the outbound
queue.
- Fixed the strange reactions when creating new echomail areas (like
strange areas.bbs and newareas.bbs popping-up everywhere).
- Fixed a bug using the Areafix processor from a point.
- Added the embedded command ^WkN<flags> that shows the rest of the
line if the specified user's <flags> are zeroed.
- Added the password protection feature to the file indexes for the
file request. Just add the password after the file name, like the
following:
$C:\Lora\PROTECT.IDX !PWD
- Added the parameter /P to instruct Lora not to interpret any
embedded command when reading files with the menu types 5 and 97.
- Fixed a bug when packing Squish messages using LMSG: the loss of
the high water mark and lastread pointer.
- Added the 'Internet mail' type-flag to the message areas setup.
It's act like a normal netmail area, but the fidonet's to and
address fields are automatically filled with the data found in the
configuration file (see the 'Internet gateway' menu) and the system
will ask you the destination internet address to send the message
to.
- Added the 'Internet gateway' menu to the lsetup's 'Global' menu.
You can define the user's name and fidonet address of your zone's
internet mail gateway.
- Added the ASCII control file NAMES.CFG. In that file you can list
the names and addresses of people you write most, in the following
format:
Marco Maccaferri, 2:332/402.1
Mario Battacchi, 2:332/403
- If you experience missed duplicate messages situations, try to
delete the files DUPES.IDX and DUPES.DAT. I have changed the
duplicate check method, something has gone wrong and the files
aren't perfectly up-ward compatible.
- Fixed the 'Limited hours' answer bug.
- Bug del QWK che causava uno sharing violation se si faceva un
download subito dopo aver mandato le repliche.
- Fixed a bug with the duplicate uploads check.
- Made some changes with the share file management, this may be
improves the system security with the share loaded.
- Added some embedded commands that where missing from the 'User
display' menu parameter. Now the commands available are exactly
the same as with the external file commands.
- Added the file request file index. You can put a line in the
OKFILE.LST file (or whatever you call it) like the following:
$C:\Lora\FILES.IDX
And Lora will look inside this file to search the files requested
instead of looking inside every directory every time. This may speed
up the scan process and considerably improve the overall performance
with CD ROMs and other slow devices (like file areas on remote file
servers under network).
You can mix the old search method with the new as you wish, you can
also adds multiple file indexes (if you limits the file requests on
certain areas to certain nodes).
- Added the external program FILEIDX that allows you to create the
index files. The command syntax is very simple, if you start the
program without parameters it shows the command summary. Following
is an example on how the create a file index:
FILEIDX C:\Lora\FILES.IDX AREA 1 5 7 RANGE 50-200 300-400
This line creates the file index C:\Lora\FILES.IDX and includes the
files inside the areas 1, 5, 7, the areas from 50 to 200 and the
areas from 300 to 400 (bounds included).
- The external protocols support has been fixed and now is usable:
with the download command you can specify the %1 paraneter that will
be replaced by the file name to be downloaded (only if the control
file isn't specifyed too).
With the upload command you can specify the %1 (destination path
without the trailing backslash) and %2 (file name to be received)
parameters.
With the control files and download / upload commands, you can
specify every external program parameters (take a look at the
description of the menu type 10 - External programs in the sysop's
manual).
- LMSG has finally been updated. This is a completely new version
of the message maintenance utility, it still needs some changes
and enhancements, but now it's usable.
- Added the switch /L=<filename> to every GOTO or GOSUB menu types
(including the line-editor and mail reader one) to check for the
menu name inside the file <filename>.MNU instead of inside the
language's default menu file.
*IMPORTANT* Do not include the file extension, Lora automatically
adds the .MNU extension.