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1993-01-21
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░┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐░░░░
░│ ╔═════════╗ ██ ██ ██████ █████▄ ▄████▄ ▄██▄ ╔═════════╗ ├┐ ░░
░│ ║News and ║ ████ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ████ ║News and ║ │├┐ ░
░│ ║Bulletin ║ ██ ██ █████ ██████ ████ ║Bulletin ║ │││ ░
░│ ║Generator║ ████ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ▀▀ ║Generator║ │││ ░
░│ ║ v3.0 ║ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ▄▄ ║ v3.0 ║ │││ ░
░│ ╚═════════╝ ╚═════════╝ │││ ░
░├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤││ ░
░│ Copyright (c) 1993 BDSoft/PbP Productions All Rights Reserved │││ ░
░├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤││ ░
░└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ░
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
(This document is formatted for printing)
DISCLAIMER:
----------
BDSoft nor any of its assigns are in no way responsible
nor can be held liable for any consequences incurred as
a result of the usage of this program. BDSoft offers
no warranty, expressed or implied, for this program.
The user assumes all responsibility.
ABOUT XTRA! v3.0:
----------------
XTRA! is a utility for Bulletin Board Systems to create
bulletins or news displays. It is totally self contained,
meaning the text file to use in the display is created
within the program itself by the user. XTRA! can create
both ansi and ascii displays, and offers the user choice
of colors when producing an ansi display.
XTRA! v3.0 now offers command line options. The previous
versions only allowed the user to enter the text while in the
editor screen. With the development of version 3.0, options
can be entered on the command line which will allow the user
to create files longer than 10 (text) lines. These will be
discussed later.
DISTRIBUTION AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
-----------------------------------------
You are free to distribute XTRA! to anyone as long as no
files are removed from the package, and no file or files
is(are) modified or tampered with in any way. You are
encouraged to upload XTRA! to BBS's or make copies for
friends.
ii
You are granted a 30 day trial period to evaluate XTRA!
After this trial period, should you decide to continue
using the program, you must register it or discontinue
its use. Registration is $7.50 U.S., plus $2.50 S&H if
you would like a disk mailed to you, and entitles you
to free upgrades to future versions. Please support and
promote the shareware concept by registering your copy!
If you would like your registered copy available for
download, you may receive it from :
The Old Poop's World Bbs
(214)-613-6900
Dallas, Tx.
after payment has been received. Even if you don't call
to register, just call! You will LOVE Dallas' BEST BBS!
And tell The Old Poop Brent sent ya!
See REGISTER.DOC for more information on how to register
your copy!
************************ NOTE **************************
If your BBS type is not currently supported and you
would like it to be, there is a section of the
registration form where you can supply all of the
necessary information to have your BBS type added
to the data.
************************ NOTE **************************
I would appreciate the reports of any bugs or problems
found in XTRA!. It has been tested under MS-DOS 5.0
and DRDOS 6.0. If any errors are incurred please
note where you were in the program and what you were
doing. If you encounter any run-time errors, please
write down the error message (it will be in the form
Run-time error at XXXX:XXXX). There is a section on
the registration form for Bug Reports. Thanks!
iii
CONTENTS
--------
Introduction........................................i
Disclaimer..........................................i
Registration........................................i
How it Works........................................1
Registration........................................i
CONFIGURATION.......................................1
Active Keys...................................1
BBS Type......................................2
Default Screens...............................2
Display Files Path............................2
Control Codes.................................2
Clear Screen........................2
Disable Abort.......................2
Disable More........................2
More Prompt.........................2
CHOOSE COLORS.......................................3
Active Keys...................................3
Using.........................................3
CREATE SCREENS......................................4
Setting Attributes............................4
Selecting Box Types...........................4
Centering Subject.............................5
Selecting Screens.............................5
Setting Colors................................6
Append Option.................................6
Editing Environment...........................6
Active Keys.........................6
Entering Text.......................7
Flash Feature.......................8
COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS.............................8
Syntax........................................8
Switches......................................10
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....................................10
Page 1
HOW IT WORKS:
------------
To begin XTRA!, simply type 'XTRA3'. The BDSoft/PbP Logo
screen will be presented. Pressing the return key will
take you to the opening screen. Press any key to access
the Main Menu. The Up and Down arrow keys move the
highlight bar. Move the bar to the desired function and
press the return key. The options presented are Create
Screens, Choose Colors, and Configure XTRA!.
CONFIGURE XTRA! FUNCTION (Main Menu):
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Selecting this option will take you to the config-
uration screen. If a config file has not been found,
a warning message will appear while at the main menu.
In the configuration screen, you are presented with
eight(8) configuration variables :
BBS Type :
Default ANSI Screen :
Default ASCII Screen :
Display Files Path :
Clear Screen :
Disable Abort :
Disable More :
More Prompt :
The following keys are active while in the configuration menu:
Left, Right Arrow keys : Change option
ENTER : Accept Option, move to next
ESCape : Exit Configuration and Save
BBS Type:
--------
The type of BBS Software you are operating.
XTRA! defaults to NONE. To change this,
press the left or right arrow keys. XTRA!
currently supports EzyCom, PcBoard, QuickBBS,
Remote Access, Renegade, Spitfire, SuperBBS,
TriBBS, UltraBBS, Wildcat!, and WWIV. It is
important that you set this as this tells XTRA!
Page 2
what control codes it is to use when creating the
display screens. If your BBS type is not
currently supported, simply select NONE as
XTRA! will nullify all control codes.
Default Ansi & Ascii Screen:
---------------------------
You will notice that as the BBS type changes,
the default Ansi and Ascii screens change also.
The screens have been selected as the default
screens as they are usually the display screens
shown to all callers at logon or after the logon
process. You may change these screens by pressing
the left or right arrow keys. After pressing one
of these keys, a cursor will appear and you may
then enter the name of the default file you wish
to use, followed by the ENTER key.
Display Files Path:
------------------
This is the path to where the BBS software reads
the display files. XTRA! will automatically use
the current directory for this path. You may
change this path by pressing the left or right arrow
keys. After you have pressed one of these keys, a
cursor will appear, and you may enter the path you
wish to use. You do not have to place a backslash "\"
after the pathname as XTRA! will add one for you.
Clear Screen:
------------
When set to "On", XTRA! will place the particular
code your BBS uses to clear the screen in the display
file created. XTRA! defaults to "Off". To change
this, simply press the Right arrow key to toggle it
"On". The Left arrow key toggles it "Off".
Disable Abort:
-------------
When set to "On", disables the caller's ability to
break out of the display.
Disable More:
------------
When set to "On", disables the more prompt. Most BBS
types, after reading so many lines of a file, automatic-
ally place a [MORE] prompt, interrupting the display.
This will disable that when set to "On".
Page 3
More Prompt:
-----------
When set to "On", places the code for the [MORE] prompt
at the end of the file.
When using the configuration editor, you may exit and save your
configuration at any time (except while entering default Ansi/Ascii
and Display Path information) by pressing the ESCape key. You may
change any particular option at any time, such as default screens
or display path without affecting the rest of your configuration.
The only option that affects a part of the rest of the configuration is
the BBS type. As you select a different type of BBS, the default Ansi
and Ascii screens change.
CHOOSE COLORS (Main Menu):
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This option will set the default colors in the configuration
file that XTRA! will use when used on the command line. The
four option presented are:
Text Color (Default : Bright White)
Subject Color (Default : Bright White)
Border Color (Default : Bright White)
Background Color (Default : Black)
A miniature display screen is presented to the right with
these four components.
As with the Configuration Menu, these keys are active:
Left, Right Arrow keys : Change option
ENTER : Accept Option, move to next
ESCape : Exit Configuration and Save
As you change a components color, its representation in the
miniature screen to the right will change to reflect your
color choice.
Page 4
CREATE SCREENS (Main Menu):
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Selecting this option will take you to the setup screen for the
editing mode. In this screen you are presented with six (6)
options:
FROM:
----
This allows you to choose how the top line of the display
screen is to read. XTRA! will add what you enter to the line:
XTRA! XTRA! from <from who>
'XTRA!' will be blinking in the Ansi display screen.
If you simply press ENTER, XTRA! will default to SYSOP.
TOPIC:
-----
This should be what the news or bulletin is about. If
you simply press ENTER, XTRA! will default to GENERAL.
Box Text?:
---------
This option, if you have entered 'Y', will allow you to select
the type of box to use when creating the display screen. If
XTRA! v3.0 is not registered, you are limited to boxtypes 1 and
2 only. Pressing ENTER alone will default to 'No'. This will
create this type of screen:
XTRA! XTRA! from SYSOP
╔═════════╗
║ General ║
╚═════════╝
01-01-1993
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
XTRA! v3.0 (C) 1993 BDSoft Registered To: UNREGISTERED
Page 5
Or if you have selected 'Y' :
XTRA! XTRA! from SYSOP
╔═════════╗
║ General ║
╚═════════╝
01-01-1993
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ║
║ Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ║
║ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. ║
║ ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
XTRA! v3.0 (C) 1993 BDSoft Registered To: UNREGISTERED
Regardless if you have selected to box the text or not, the subject
will always be boxed.
Center Subject?:
---------------
If you enter 'Y' here, the subject will be centered over the
text.
XTRA! XTRA! from SYSOP
╔═════════╗
║ General ║
╚═════════╝
01-01-1993
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
XTRA! v3.0 (C) 1993 BDSoft Registered To: UNREGISTERED
Note that the center subject option is independent of the box
option.
ANSI & ASCII Display Screen:
---------------------------
Here you would enter, including full path (if different from
current path), first the Ansi filename to be created, then the
Ascii filename to be created.
Page 6
XTRA! will read the configuration file and add the default
display files path to the display file name. You must enter
the full path and filename if you wish to use a directory
other than the default.
SELECTING COLORS:
----------------
Next, you will be presented (on the same screen) a list
of colors you may use for the display screens.
Here you may select, by entering the number that corresponds
with the color, what color the Text, Subject, Border, and
Background will be. If you press ENTER alone, all except
the background color will default to bright white (background
is black).
When entering numbers, after a single digit number (1-9), you
need to press the return key. Two-digit numbers (10-15) do
not need a key pressed afterwards. After the second number
is entered, it will automatically advance. Numbers entered
outside the range 1-15 will result in bright white for
Text, Subject, or Color, and Black for background.
APPEND OPTION:
-------------
After the colors have been selected, XTRA! will search for
both the Ansi and the Ascii file you have entered. If either
file is found, a message stating this will appear and ask you
if you want to append the file. Select 'Y' for yes, 'N' for
no. Note that the two files are independent of each other.
For example, if there is already a file named NEWS.ANS, but not
one named NEWS.ASC, then only a message for NEWS.ANS will be
displayed. In this way it is possible to append one file while
at the same time creating the other. When files are appended,
the most current news is placed at the beginning of the file.
Note that if you do not select to append the files that they
will be erased and new ones created.
EDITING ENVIRONMENT:
-------------------
Next, you will be taken to the editing or text entering
environment. You have available a 10 row by 70 column
(characters) wide field. The following keys are active :
ESCape : Abort files and leave editor
ENTER : Accept line of text entered
and advance one line
CTRL-S : Save files and leave editor
Page 7
CTRL-D : Delete current line
(returns cursor to beginning of line)
CTRL-F : Enable (begin) Flashing Letters
CTRL-E : Disable (end) Flashing Letters
CTRL-C : Change Function Key Character Set
Function Keys 1-10 : Special characters to use for drawing,
etc. (Such as ╔,╗,╚,╝,═,║, etc.) The
set type can be changed with CTRL-C.
The text editor also has wordwrapping ability.
Note: The Flash Feature and ability to change Fkey Sets are
available only in the Registered version.
Entering Text:
-------------
When the editing screen is presented, it will represent the
finished product according to the type of box and colors you
have selected. In the top right-hand corner will be a miniature
of the finished product representing your selected layout.
The miniature will have the background color you have chosen,
while the editing screen will always have a black background
(for ease of text entering and viewing). Please note that
this editor is not full featured, meaning that it does not have
and cannot perform all the functions of a basic text editor.
This is due to the Flash feature. XTRA! writes your file one
line at a time as you go, inserting the necessary codes to
enable\disable flashing, thus making it impossible to estimate
how many times a user will enable\disable this feature.
The text entering screen is continually being worked on to
easier facilitate this process, and hopefully in the next version
will contain a "full featured" text editor, allowing you to
edit lines, etc. (This is one reason why the command line
parameters have been added to this version).
Once you have completed entering your text, press CTRL-S to
save and exit. You may exit without disabling the flash
feature or pressing ENTER after the last line. In fact, it
is best not to press enter after the last line as XTRA! uses
a blank line to separate the top and bottom of the border from
the text automatically. Pressing ENTER will create an extra
blank line. This, however, is up to you and how you prefer your
display to look.
If you have selected to Append the files, then the files will
also be appended at this time.
Page 8
Pressing ESCape at anytime during the text entering screen will
abort the files and return you to the Main Menu. If you have
selected to Append the files, then the original files will not
be erased. If not, then the files will be erased.
A NOTE ABOUT THE FLASH FEATURE:
------------------------------
While the flash feature is activated, or has been used on
the current line, the wordwrapping feature is disabled.
Any key press while at the end of the current line will
result in a beep until the ENTER key is pressed, where the
cursor will advance to the next line. If the flash feature
is active, then the text entered on the next line will flash
until CTRL-E is pressed. Again, this is due to the impossibility
of estimating how many times the flash feature will be enabled\
disabled, thus not allowing XTRA! to properly adjust the line
of text.
Also, if the flash is active do not backspace PAST the beginning
of the flashing text. For example if you entered ...
Now is the time fer all good men to come to the aid of....
and the words 'all......aid' were flashing, you would not back
up to 'fer' to correct it as this would not be properly done
due to the control codes for the flash feature. You will have
to use CTRL-D to delete the line and begin again. Backspacing
UP TO the first letter of the word, then pressing CTRL-E to end
the flashing will have the same effect. In other words, once
you have used the flash feature on a line, you can only delete
the line and start over if you need to correct any text that
occurs before the flashing sequence. Any text occurring AFTER
the flashing sequence can be treated as normal.
Hopefully, an improvement on this will be in the next version.
USING THE COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With this version of XTRA!, command line parameters have been added
for those who wish to create a file with more than ten (10) lines of
text. All features, except the flash feature, are available. Also
included is a paginating option for long text files.
The command line syntax is :
XTRA3 [ASCII sourcefile] [ANSI file] [ASCII file] <switches>
Note: The parameters MUST ALWAYS be at least the sourcefile followed
Page 9
by the Ansi and Ascii files to be created, or an error will generate.
Here you must use full path\filenames if the files are located or are
to be created in a directory different from the current one. The only
information XTRA! will read from your configuration file is the color
setup and control codes. If no configuration file is found, then an
error message will display and defaults will be used. These are
bright white for Text, Subject, and Border, and black for Background.
The default files are NEWS.ANS and NEWS.ASC.
These switches are available and can be in any order. Case is not
important:
A : append files
C : center subject
P : paginate long files
1-7 : box type to use (only types 1 and 2 if not Registered)
? : display help screen
BOXES : display box types available
If you do not wish to use a switch, simply omit it!
Switch A:
--------
Tells XTRA! to Append the files. If the file does not exist,
XTRA! will then create the file as normal.
Switch C:
--------
Tells XTRA! to center the subject.
Switch P:
--------
Tells XTRA! to Paginate long files. Most BBSes will display a
[MORE] prompt after so many lines of text. What this switch does
is paginate a long file so that it is shown a page at a time. The
[MORE] prompt is displayed after each page, and when the caller
presses a key, the screen is cleared and the next page shown and
so on until the end. Appended files that were not previously
paginated will not be affected, only the current file. This feature
was added for those who do not like a long file to scroll across
the screen, being interrupted by the BBS's [MORE] prompt.
HINT:
----
If you DO wish to have a long file scroll and the BBS to insert
the [MORE] prompt, simply disable the Disable More code in your
config file, and omit the P parameter.
Page 10
Switch ?:
--------
This switch will display a help screen showing command line
syntax. Ex. XTRA3 ?
Switch BOXES:
------------
This switch will display the numbers for the available box types.
Ex. XTRA3 BOXES
You must separate each parameter by ONE space. XTRA3 recognizes up to
seven (7) parameters (including sourcefile and Ansi/Ascii files). Any
number beyond this and XTRA3 will run in editing mode.
Using A Separate Text File:
--------------------------
When using the command line parameters, the text file you use
must have the following two conditions met:
1) The VERY first line of the text file is the subject, no more
than 35 characters long. DO NOT start the file with a blank
line, as this will be used for the subject!
2) The lines of text should be no more than 70 characters in
in length. XTRA! will truncate the line to 70 characters
if it is longer.
Note that the entire file should start at position 1, meaning that
the file should all be left justified to position 1. If you wish
any lines centered, keep in mind that your range is from 1-70, not
1-80 as a normal line. Therefore, to calculate how far to indent
the line:
35 - [(length of line) / 2] = position to start line
Example:
News of the Day <----- VERY FIRST line of file
In today's news......... <-----
........................ <----- rest of text file
........................ <-----
That's about it! I hope you enjoy XTRA! v3.0 and find it useful!
Special thanks to Sonny Grissom of The Old Poop's World for all
of the support!
P.S. Please register! All monies help me to get my BBS up and
running! (Almost there!) Thanks to all who have registered,
you've helped me get one step closer!