Shareware Grab Bag/Shareware Grab Bag.iso/081/chat.arc/CHAT.DOC

Text File | 1988-04-13 | 7KB | 157 lines

CHAT                    (Current Version 1.03b)
By: Tom Evans
Jax C-Scape             (Opus 1:112/1027.0)     [phone]
             Specializing In Custom Opus Utility Software
                                and
                        Custom C Programming

                    Documentation For CHAT Program

        The CHAT program is a utility program for OPUS bulletin board
systems that will allow your users that use ansi graphics to chat with
you in a split screen mode with the text that the sysop types on the
bottom, and the text that the user types on the top.  It also allows
for both parties to talk at the same time.

        Unlike previous versions of this program, version 1.02f and above
does check whether or not the user has ansi graphics enabled. If they do
not, and you allow the chat, they will see a normal chat without any ansi
graphics, while you will see the screen as normal.

        I will explain how to install this program as part of your OPUS
board, but first, I would like to explain the parameters that CHAT uses
on the command line when activated.

        The first and second parameter on the command line are reserved
for the sysop's name.  These are the only required parameters.  Actually,
they are not even required.  If they are not supplied, then CHAT, instead
of displaying the sysop's name in the lower window, will display "Sysop".
One word to note here.  It does not matter if you put your name in all
caps or all lower case letters, or however you want.  When activated, CHAT
will automatically convert all of the characters to lower case, except the
first character of each part of the name.  For example:
        CHAT tom evans
Will display the sysop's name as Tom Evans.

        The third (and later) parameter is optional.  There are a number
of things you can put in the third parameter position.

        The first is the port number. CHAT defaults to using COM1 as the
communications port.  This may be changed with the third parameter.
Specifying 1 for this will default to COM1, 2 will use COM2, and so on.

         The second thing you may specify for the third parameter is
for those sysops who wish to use the CHAT program when they want to chat
with a user.  This is normally accomplished using the opus "c" command
when the user is at a menu.  If you use AUTOCHAT as the third paramater, then
CHAT will start up and go directly into the chat mode.  This will alleviate
CHAT from paging the sysop when it is the sysop who is requesting the chat.

        The third thing you may specify for the third parameter are the
hours for which CHAT will be avaliable.  You may only specify one start time
and one stop time.  For instance, you may want to turn chat on at 11:00 am,
and off at 10:30 pm.

        If you specify either AUTOCHAT or the availablilty time for CHAT as
the third parameter, then you may also still specify the com port number that
you would like to use by putting the communications port number as the fourth
parameter instead of the third.

Some examples of use:
        To start CHAT on com2 (user invoked):
        CHAT tom evans 2

        To start CHAT on default com port of com1 (sysop invoked):
        CHAT tom evans AUTOCHAT

        To start CHAT on com2 (sysop invoked):
        CHAT tom evans AUTOCHAT 2

        To make CHAT available only from 11:15 am to 10:35 pm on com1
        (user invoked): [Note the 24 hour format for the start/stop time]
        CHAT tom evans 1115/2235

        Same as above only using com2:
        CHAT tom evans 1115/2235 2

        You may not specify AUTOCHAT with a time value, but this is
irrelevant, since if the sysop is initiating the chat, then there needs to
be no start/stop time.

INSTALLATION NOTES:
        There are many ways to install this program with opus.  I will
discuss each one of them briefly.

        To install CHAT as a sysop invoked program to chat with a user,
you may use one of the Function keys on your keyboard to activate CHAT.
If for example, you wanted F6 to invoke the CHAT program, then you would
create an F6.BBS file with the following line in it:
(Note that ^O is control-O)
        ^OCc:\opus\chat tom evans AUTOCHAT

        To install CHAT as a user invoked program to chat with the sysop,
while retaining the normal OPUS Y)ell at sysop function, you could put the
following line in your bulletin.bbs file if a user selects a particular
choice from your bulletin menu:
        ^OCc:\opus\chat tom evans 1115/2235 2

        To install CHAT in place of the OPUS Y)ell at sysop menu selection
at the MAIN MENU, you can use a program such as OPRIV to edit your mainpriv
file to change the Y)ell at sysop selection to something else and making the
menu selection hidden.  For instance, change "Y)ell at sysop" to
"Z)ell at sysop" and make this selection "hidden".  This will keep the normal
OPUS chat routine from running when the user types "y" at the MAIN MENU.  Now,
to install CHAT into the MAIN MENU, you can change the "O)utside" selection or
the "E)ditorial" selection to be "Y)ell at Sysop".  If you use the "O)utside"
approach, then in your OPUS.CTL file, you will need to change the line
which selects the program to run as an OUTSIDE program.  First, comment out
(place a "%" in front of the line) the:

Uses Outside  c:\opus\misc\leaving

Also, comment out the line:

Uses Return c:\opus\misc\return

Then, remove the comment from the "outside dos" line to read:

Outside Dos c:\opus\chat tom evans


        Advanced users will note that you could make one selection activate
CHAT with a time specification on it for normal users, and make another
CHAT available as the normal OPUS chat routine for your special users.
This will allow normal users to page during certain hours only, but will
allow users with higher privilege levels to chat with you at any time.

        One final note.  As with all my programs, there is no warranty.
Especially since this version is not even a public release version.  The
program has been tested on a few systems however, and no known bugs exist.
If you do however, find an undocumented "feature" of this program, please
send mail to me at my board noted at the beginning of this document describing
the problem.  I will more than likely make repairs immediately.

Revision Notes:
    1.03a   Added some minor improvements to chat for testing (paving
            the way for version 2.0).  Improved Clear Window speed.

    1.03b   Fixed infamous bug which may have caused problems on
            ports other than COM1.



Future Expansion:
        1.)  Use the OPUS schedule file for the chat times instead of
             specifying them on the command line.

        2.)  Read the OPUS.PRM file for things like the sysop's name, and
             the COM port that is being used.

Done    3.)  Make a check for users who do not have ansi graphics enabled
             or do not have an 80x24 screen, and make the program go into
             a line mode chat, similar to the current OPUS 1.03a version
             chat mode.

        If you can think of any other expansions or changes that you would
like to see, just drop me a line, and I will see what I can do.