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Text File | 1991-09-23 | 28KB | 660 lines

ST-Keep Update Information: -------------------------- 23Aug91 * The door system has been fixed so your door BBS's will run correctly now. I overlooked some code when installing Fido compatibility which wasn't passing the baud rate to the BBS when it was executed, therefore ST-Keep was confused. * Within the extended directory the users download ratio was not being checked, it is now and won't allow users to download if they don't have enough uploads for their ratio. * Sometimes Viewing an ARC or LZH file would not operate correctly, it is fixed now. 21Aug91 * The door editor from within ST-Keep has been removed ([.][C][M]). I'm working on a utility program that will allow the editing of doors and user accounts in various ways. Use a text editor to edit your door.sys file if necessary in the future. * If a users city or state field in their log is empty when they logon, they will be aske for this information. I'll keep this code in the program for a couple weeks in order to get all the new users to fill out that reference. 18Aug91 * In each user account there were a few extra bytes for future expansion. I have stolen 20 of them for a new user configuration field. The users can now enter their City and State from the [E] option in the configuration menu. All new users are asked for their City and State when they logon. * As you may know, ST-Keep supports the requirements to run the Fidodoor and front ends necessary for Fido networking. This includes file networking, message networking, and mail networking, as well as Intergalactic wars with the SEE on-line game. You will need to get ahold of a suitable front end (i.e. BinkleyTerm, The Box) and the FidoDoor program itself in order to use this state of the art feature. An ST-Keep BBS in Arizona has been networking for a month now, and I'm releasing this version for others who are interested. I am not that familiar with how to set up a Fido node or even configure the programs required, so you'll need to contact someone that does. When I get my system networking you'll be the first to know! 17Aug91 * Bug fix - when the SysOp chose CANCEL from the fileselector when attempting to save the chat buffer the BBS would crash, this no longer happens. 16Aug91 * Load STK_INFA.SYS into a text editor and add 2 lines at the bottom of this file. The first line should be the SysOp's first name and the second line should be the SysOp's last name. This is used for the Fido networking door as well as BBS registration. * Users are no longer allowed to change their name to "ST-Keep". * The DORINFO1.DEF file is now created correctly. It seems the Fido author changed the format but we're compatible now, keep looking here for a notice on Fidonetworking RSN! * ST-Keep will release any file upload that returns an error code via XYZ.TTP, I'll change this in the future to include ONLY 0 byte files since an abort in the middle of a file may simply be repaired but resuming the Zmodem upload. 14Aug91 * Two new Co-SysOp functions: [.][C]o-SysOp [C]all Speeds - shows the number of connects at the various baud rates since BBS.PRG was last run. [.][C]o-SysOp [T] Call Times - shows the number of calls at each of the 24 hours since BBS.PRG was last run. Each "*" is one call. 12Aug91 * When a user attempted to enter mail to someone, then instead of typing any text inside the message they just hit RETURN twice to exit the editor, ST-Keep would erroneously save msg pointers for the addressee even though a message wasn't sent. Thus some users were getting strange mail messages, from and to other people, as well as public messages appearing in their mail room. This is fixed and will no longer happen when using the editor in such a way. * ST-Keep now supports graphic codes in ALL textfiles. You can edit any of your *.MNU, *.BLB, *.HLP files and include color graphics in all these files, but you only need one file for all three modes (ASCII, VT-52, ANSI). ST-Keep will determine the necessary codes to send to the user. You must use these commands to send color from within your textfiles. Code VT-52 Equivalent ANSI Equivalent ---- ------------------------ ------------------------ black foreground black foreground red foreground red foreground red foreground green foreground red foreground yellow foreground blue foreground blue foreground blue foreground magenta foreground white foreground cyan foreground white foreground white foreground black background black background red background red background red background green background red background yellow background blue background blue background blue background magenta background blue background cyan background white background white background save cursor position save cursor position restore cursor position restore cursor position clear screen clear screen Print the ROOMCMDS.MNU included with this archive for an idea on color codes. If the user is in ASCII mode, no codes will be sent. Note: These colors may not be the same on your system if you've changed your default colors or use STK_INFC.SYS for ST-Keep's colors. 10Aug91 * The current status of chat mode (i.e. SysOp available or not available) is now saved with your INFA.SYS file along with the other system flags. This way you can have your BBS boot up with a specific setting for chat mode. * Private messages in public rooms will no longer be shown automatically to a user with access level 255. To view these messages the current user must have logged on to the BBS using the system password. If you are running ST-Keep as a door and allowing another user to be SysOp it is not suggested that you give out the system password. * Anonymous message headers are no longer shown automatically to a user with access level 255. To view the headers of these messages the user must have logged on to the BBS using the system password. 05Aug91 * The DORINFO1.DEF file will now record the screen LENGTH and user's first and last name correctly. 03Aug91 * The die roller wasn't operating correctly for more than one of the same type of die. It is correct now. * The DORINFO1.DEF addition was made at 6am haphazardly, pardon me for the problems. It is fixed now with one problem. You will need to go through your STK_DOOR.SYS file and edit the 4th line for each door and make sure it is a BLANK line, just a carriage return, or the BBS will not pass the username properly along the command line when required. If you are calling another BBS as a door, line 4 should say "-BBS" and with this the DORINFO1.DEF file will be created along with passing the baud rate along the command line. 02Aug91 * A few cosmetic changes have been made. * ST-Keep will now create a DORINFO1.DEF file in the door directory that it is running if the 4th line of that door information in the DOOR.SYS file contains any text other than a blank line. 01Aug91 * A new system file can be created for function key macro's from within the BBS. Use a text editor to create a file called STK_FUNC.SYS. You can have up to 10 lines of macro's up to 30 characters in length, just hit RETURN after each one. These can be used via the ALT-F# (F1-F10) or ATL-SHIFT-F# (F11-F20) keys from within ST-Keep for various reasons. You could set up a macro key to type your username, password for faster logon (I don't suggest this) or for a greeting that you can use when you enter chat mode with a user... Have fun! 26Jul91 * Finalized [.][C][A] and [F8][A]. This "Access User" function will allow the SysOp to edit all the user parameters while they are on-line, so the SysOp doesn't have to logon under their account to modify the majority of the user functions. Use [F8] then [A] to get the password prompt, then enter the system password (it will be masked), and you'll be given the user editor menu. Note, this only chnages the users data in RAM, not on disk, so when the user terminates connection (or loses carrier) the new stats will be saved to disk. Continue to use [.][C][U] when you wish to edit a user on disk whil you are on-line. 25Jul91 * The die roller feature has been changed to a simple [%] keypress from any room prompt. The roller menu will come up and is self explainatory. After the roll has been made the message will be immediately saved into the current room. RPG's HAVE FUN! 23Jul91 * Added a new feature at the message "Edit Command:" level. [*] will prompt for specifications on a die roll. The user will be asked for the number of die to roll and then the number of sides on the die, at which time ST-K will "roll" the die/dice for the user and immediately save the current message with this information appended to it. This was at the request of a SysOp running on-line RPG's. 21Jul91 * Removed [.][A][Z] Add File Description since it is available from the extended directory prompt if the user has such access. 17Jul91 * Fixed the reporting of username or real name change. * Added option for the SysOp to control whether or not the user status line will appear after a remote logon. This is found in the Co-SysOp Options menu, [.][C][O]. The status line is still not show when the logon is local. 14Jul91 * Fixed the archive backup process. I left out a the folder name where the system files were at so the archive sometimes wouldn't operate unless the current working directory was your system folder. 10Jul91 * Fixed "System Options" in the user configuration menu, I left it as "Terminal Options" which is now defunct. * The new multiple VOTE system should be operable. See the instructions below. Be sure NOT to edit a *.VOT question after you install it otherwise all the users will be requested to take it again. 07Jul91 * The file archive system has changed. You must load STK_INFA.SYS into a text file and insert a new line after 15 (your backup path) to be the pathname and filename of the archive program you wish to use. This way if you prefer ARC over LZH it is now your choice. You should use "c:\stkeep\lzh11316.ttp" as an example. The last backup date will follow this line. If this program is not available, a direct copy of each file will be made to the backup pathname so a backup is still made. * [.][C][R] has been changed to [.][C][B] so update your COSYSOP.MNU file. * I changed the user account configuration menu set-up and added a "Terminal Options" key. You may want to notify your users of this change. * The new vote system is inoperable at this time, standby for an update. 05Jul91 * You may now have an unlimited number of votes. The old user.vote flag is no longer used. The time/date stamp on each vote file will be compared against the users last call to determine if they have taken the vote in question. You MUST place all your vote questions and answers in a folder called VOTE inside your system (BBS.PRG) directory. The first 8 characters of your vote question filename can bye any unique name, the extension MUST be "VOT" (i.e. VOTE1.VOT, ATARI.VOT, etc...) The first 8 characters of your answer filename must be the same as the original vote, the extension must be "ANS" (i.e. VOTE1.ANS, ATARI.ANS, etc...) To view the vote results, use either [v][v] or [r][v] from any room prompt. You may have as many files in this folder as you wish. Make sure not to edit the original VOT file once you create it, otherwise you'll update the time/date stamp on it and all your users will end up taking it again. 04Jul91 * When a file is moved from one room to another via the extended directory, the description is posted along with the filename in the move message in the new room. 03Jul91 * New backup *.SYS files feature. Under the [.][C][O] menu, you can toggle the backup routine so that it will copy your *.SYS files one by one into your backup path, or so it will archive (LZH) your *.SYS files into a single file named for the current date. This will save quite a bit of file space and allow for efficient multiple backups. LZH11316.TTP must be in your system folder along with BBS.PRG for the archive toggle to work. While the backup is running, the modem auto-answer will be disabled. My system has a 500K message base, 75 rooms, and 150 users and it took about 5 minutes to LZH all the system files, but instead of using 650K, the LZH archive only used 260K. 01Jul91 * New Co-SysOp function [.][C][L] will list more information on the userlog. Account number, number of calls, access level, last call, username, real name. If you want something else listed here let me know and I'll consider putting it in. 24Jun91 * New Co-SysOp option [G], toggle file transfer download record. You can choose to record downloads in the DWNL.SYS file or as messages in the Aide room. If the latter is chosen, a message will not be saved until the user terminates the connection, at which time a list of all the files downloaded while they were online will be saved. * The note "Private Message" will appear when the user is reading messages in a room and the current message is private and not directed to or from him. Hopefully this will calm the users down as they seem to think they are missing valuable entries! 22Jun91 * Users were allowed to download files from an extended directory even if their access level was 1 and the system was in secure mode. Fixed so that no user with access 1 can not download any files with any command, although textfiles can be read. 17Jun91 * Fixes global search commands (@ and #) so they work again, they were made inoperative after the file description change. 13Jun91 * The ST-Keep color file (STK_INFC.SYS) has had a format change. You MUST run the desk accessory included to create your new color definitions. PolyChrome will allow you to edit your colors and save this information to a data file, use the same filename. When you run the new BBS.PRG it will use this more standard Atari palette format instead of my previous kludge. PolyChrome works best in Low Resolution in order to set your first 4 colors, which is all ST-Keep uses. For some reason it won't allow you to set the colors effectively in Medium Resolution. * File downloads give the transfer time in minutes and seconds rather than in minutes plus a fraction as before. * SysOp can choose to have file transfers verbose (report the transfer status) or non-verbose. If you turn verbose mode on, the transfer may proced around 10cps slower than with verbose on, but at least you'd be able to view the progress. Use the new [C][O]options menu to toggle this status. It will be saved as a bit in the STK_INFA.SYS file so once you change it, this will be your new default when booting the BBS. The initial default is with verbose messages on. * Many of the old [C]o-SysOp features have been changed to the new [C]o-SysOp [O]ption menu. 12Jun91 * Fixed color routine so when a door returns control to ST-Keep the SysOp's choice of colors in STK_INFC.SYS are restored instead of the ST-K defaults. 11Jun91 * Attempt at solving crash bug after d/l'ing a file with no description. 09Jun91 * Users with access level lower than 2 can not enter doors. * Known Groups and Doors do not show their slot number for users lower than access level 100. Number listings for floors has been increased to 3 spaces to facilitate the possibility of more than 99 floors. 08Jun91 * You can use commas "," in your floor and group names along with in your vote polls. Previously ST-Keep would interpret the commas as an EOF and not allow it to run due to bad data. 07Jun91 * You can create Permanent Bulletins now. Not to say they are so permanent that you can never remove them... I mean that all users will see these bulletins on EVERY logon until you delete the bulletin, hence it is not just displayed if it is new for that user. Just put your bulletin in the same directory (BULL) as your others, but the extension must be BUP instead of BUL. Any file here found with a BUP extension will be shown to the user after every logon. 05Jun91 * Took out status messages during file transfer in hopes of regaining 235 cps during Zmodem transfers. The new version of XYZ apparently is slower. * Added [B]ack at message prompt. This will subtract one from the current message and display the previous message. 04Jun91 * I've added a TAB feature inside the message editor. A user can hit their TAB key (ASCII 9) and send a number of spaces equal to that of their tab setting in their user configuration [X]. If their tab setting is 0, TAB will not do anything, otherwise it will insert that number of spaces. Note: This feature only operates on column 1 (left margin of screen) so it can only be used at the beginning of a message or after they hit RETURN or the screen format sends a CR for their width. 02Jun91 * You will find with this archive a new XYZ.TTP and doc file. This new version allows carrier detect while the transfer is going on, so if a user drops carrier during a transfer the program will return to ST-Keep so the BBS can handle the hang-up. Alan Hamilton has upgraded his great transfer program hopefully due to the fact of us sending in our shareware donations along with suggestions. If you have sent yours in yet, send him $10 and get it over with. * ST-Keep's buffer is no zero'd out after being used in hopes that this will save some RAM for doors. 31May91 * If you wish to change the default colors for ST-Keep, you must create a file with the name STK_INFC.SYS in your system folder (where you run the BBS.PRG from). It will contain 4 lines of numbers. Line 1 = Background color, Line 2 = Msg Header Color, Line 3 = Prompt Color, Line 4 = Message text color. ST-Keep's defaults are as follows: 0 1792 7 1911 This will make the background black, message headers red, prompts blue, and normal text white. In order to formulate the color, you have to mix red, green and blue, and do the following to obtain the number. number=RED X 256 + GREEN X 16 + BLUE. So, to come up with red in line 2 above, I used 7 X 256 + 0 X 16 + 0 = 1792. RED, GREEN, and BLUE must be a number from 0 to 7, with 7 meaning the maximum amount of that color is included. If you want white you mix the maximum of all the colors, 7, 7, and 7 and come up with 1911. If you wanted a white background, purple message headers, green prompts, and black text, you'd do the following: 7 X 256 + 7 X 16 + 7 = 1911 5 X 256 + 0 X 16 + 5 = 1285 0 X 256 + 7 X 16 + 0 = 112 0 X 256 + 0 X 16 + 0 = 0 Then you would save those 4 values in that order in STK_INFC.SYS, just make sure they are on separate lines. If ST-Keep can't find this file, it will use the defaults of black background, red message headers, blue prompts, and white text. 30May91 * Allows viewing LZH, ARC, or TXT/ASC files from an extended directory prompt. * Directories will not be allowed by users with an access level lower than 100 if the room is upload only. * ALL ROOM file directories re-installed. * Bug fixed which reported the wrong room where a d/l took place. 28May91 * If you do not enter a filename to save your chat buffer with, the bbs will no longer crash. * Users with access level 1 can not create rooms ([.][E][R]) * Users can be killed by their user number. Just type a number in after [.][C][K] or the user name (or partial name) to kill. 20May91 * When you edit a users group status, the group name is now displayed along with the group number. * I have re-written the file directory commands. This was mainly done to allow versatility with new commands and to allow more information to be recorded along with the file description. The ALL FILES IN ALL ROOMS ([!][@][#]) are currently disabled until I have time to finish them, but the [1][2][3] & [R][D] & [R][E] commands currently work with this version. The normal directory ([1] or [R][D] haven't changed, but the extended directory has. I hope it is more cosmetically appealing and more user friendly. As aides and higher will notice, there is now a [M]ove file feature. You can move a file (along with it's description) to a new room, and a message will be posted in the new room stating this fact. Each directory for your room must now contain a folder called FILES. This is where all the descriptive information for the files are held. The data is held in a file with the exact same name of the file in question. The format is in 3 lines of information. The first line is the name of the uploader (CR if none), the second is the number of times this file has been downloaded, the 3rd is unused at this time (thus it must be a CR), and the 4th starts the file description. If this file is not present the directory will show N/A for those fields. I realize this will create a lot of work for you to convert your descriptions over, but it should be worth it. If I have time I'll write a program that will create the FILES directory and make the required file for all the current descriptions you have now, but don't count on it! 18May91 * Chat mode uses the file selector to save chat (press [HELP] while in chat mode to use this feature). You should create a folder named CHAT in your system directory to keep them organized, otherwise save them wherever you wish. While you are saving chat the user is told "SysOp working, please hold..." * Floors changed so that you can have up to 255 instead of 15. You MUST load your STK_FLRS.SYS file into a text editor BEFORE running this new BBS.PRG or it won't run at all. Insert a line at the begining of this file and type the number of the floors you have active. This line should end with a CR but the following line should be the group number of the first floor, then the floors name, then on to the 2nd and 3rd, etc... This is similar to how the doors are loaded. The first line in this file will always contain the number of floors on your system. You can edit floor names and group access via [.][C][F], but if you wish to add more floors, you must use a text editor. Just load this file, then increase the first line by the numver of floors you are going to add, then add 2 lines for each floor. The first is always the group number from 1 to 15 (0=all users have access), the second the floor name. 17May91 * Fixed [W]rite To Disk from the message prompt menu so that it doesn't bomb when you just press return or enter an invalid path/filename. * Added some debugging functioons for myself. 16May91 * Aide room records only the user's name and handle change instead of copious amounts of user data. * [S]croll taken out of message prompt, user must turn scroll on or off via the account configuration command [X]. * Added a field for the roomname to be recorded along with the file downloaded from that room in STK_DWNL.MSG. 15May91 * Replies to private messages in public rooms are made private, previously they were wrongly made public. 14May91 * Downloaded files are now recorded in the file STK_DWNL.MSG rather than cluttering up the Aide room. To view this file use [V][F]. If a "Code" is a negative number, the transfer was unsuccessfull and you may want to inquire with the user as to what went wrong. Copy the new VIEW.MNU into your BLB folder, it's included in this archive. * Userboot works properly now; the user on-line can't see anything your typing when your booting them, nor the userboot prompt, they'll just get the actual boot file. * The read textfile routine has been re-written to be more efficient, the user/SysOp should not notice any difference, but I thought I'd mention it just so you keep your eyes open. All logon files and helpfiles and textfiles are shown with this routine. 12May91 * You must enter the system password in order to use the [.][C]o-SysOp [A]ccess function. * More information is recorded when a user edits their account. * Added [R]ead [B]ulletin which displays BULL.MNU from your BULL folder in your system directory. This menu should be updated with a text editor and contain a list of your bulletins that the users can read. * Fixes a few problems when addressing a private message to a user in a public room. * Stops showing messages that appear randomly in rooms where they didn't belong, temporary fix until the bug is found that is actually copying the message pointers erroneously. 08May91 * Added folder BULL inside system directory. Place all your bulletins in this folder (previously in your HLP folder) and rename the extensions to BUL. When a user logs on, this folder will be searched sequentially for files matching the *.BUL filename. If the date/time stamp of this file is newer than the users last logon, they will be shown this file. You can keep older bulletins or other files in this folder so long as they don't end with the BUL extension, otherwise they will be analyzed as if they were a bulletin. 06May91 * Removed [.][A][V] because of [V] or [.][V] which supports those features now. * Added 50 bytes to each user account, 30 for real name field, 20 for future expansion. * Placed *Mail* before a private message in a public room to facilitate the noticablity of such message. * [.][V][?] commands, ARC, LZH and TEXT are added, [.][R][T]ext removed. 30Apr91 * [R]ead [L]ocate forward search string added in messages. * Allows users to read previous mail even if they change their username. * [M] mail msg at "Edit Command" during message entry allows sending private mail to any user in any room, although Mail> will be the only room that tells the user that they have private mail waiting. Any user with an access level of 255 will be show all private messages. [.][E][P] can be used to enter a private message in a room as well, only the user will be given a prompt for who to send the message to, instead of requiring the [M] keypress from the editor. * Does not print HELP or UNDO chr$ over modem when used in chat. 29Apr91 * You can have now have commas in your vote answers. * Anonymous rooms working, only users with access level 255 (SysOp) may see the authors name of messages in these rooms. 26Apr91 * [V]ote added for room menu. * [ESC] checked during most input to abort command. * Added group names. Use [.][C][G] to edit them; show via [.][k][g] and active groups show under [r][s]. Command added to COSYSOP.MNU for the BLB folder. * Other cosmetic changes.