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Text File | 1993-05-08 | 22KB | 505 lines

Network Message Viewing Utility, (NETMSG) Copyright 1992 Micro-Support 302 Garner Avenue Waldorf, Md. 20602 (301) 843-8234 All Rights Reserved Overview - NETMSG is a utility that allows network administrators to show LAN users a single message or a series of messages. The administrator can opt to show each message only once, or several times. There are several other options that can be configured. A date to start showing this message, or to stop showing it during the logon process. Addtionally, the message requires that the LAN user type something to acknowledge that the message has indeed been read. If messages are not purged from the file, a record is kept showing who has read each item and who has not. Why - Every network administrator has at one time used LOGIN script files to display messages to users. The message displays on the screen with a prompt to 'Press any Key to continue...'. While some users will read this information, others will not. This utility was written to address the latter group. Using NETMSG will allow you to show LAN users important information without getting them into the habit of banging away on the keyboard while trying to login. So in essense it serves two purposes: 1. Show a user a message a specified number of times and requires that they read a portion of it at minimum. 2. Keeps a record of who has read each message and keeps LOGIN interuptions to a minimum. Contents - NETMSG contains the following files: NETMSG.EXE - The main executable MSG_SHOW.DBF - Message database MSG_SHOW.DBT - Message text database MSG_USER.DBF - User database USER_FDX.FDX - Index to user database NETMSG.EXE is the only required file. All of the other files will be created if they do not exist in the current directory. Installation - NETMSG should be installed on the file server by the system administrator. It does not require any specified directory or volume name or other complicated scheme. Simply place the NETMSG.EXE file in a directory that all users will have READ and WRITE access to. READ access is required so they can read the messages. WRITE access is required so that the user database can be updated when a message has been read. If you do not already have a DOS environment variable called 'USER_NAME', you can create one in the LOGIN script or from any batch file. EXAMPLE: - From LOGIN Script: DOS SET USER_NAME="%LOGIN_NAME" From DOS: - SET USER_NAME=DSMITH (or whatever you want) Usage - This utility was written to accept information from the DOS environment. The USER_NAME variable M U S T be set to SUPERVISOR if you wish to use the editing functions. SUPERVISOR is the only name recognized to allow adding/editing/deleting records in the message database. So to create a new message file, follow these steps: 1. Install the software on the file server 2. Insure that users have read/write rights 3. Set an environment variable for each user 4. Set your DOS environment variable to 'SUPERVISOR' 5. Then enter the program name at the DOS Prompt, eg; F:\PUBLIC\SET USER_NAME=SUPERVISOR f:\PUBLIC\NETMSG (your prompt may be different than this) The screen will clear and you will be presented with this prompt. Do message base maintenance ? (Y/N) N Just press the Enter key, and the system will process you just as if you were a normal user logging onto the network. Enter a 'Y' and pressing Enter will bring up the maintance screen. Add Edit Next Prev Memo Del Quit ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │Message ID Number ............... 1 │ │Message Start Date .............. 07/09/92 │ │Message Stop Date ............... 07/16/92 │ │Number of Viewing Repetitions ... 3 │ │ByPass Instructions prompt ...... │ │ TYPE 'OK' TO QUIT VIEWING THIS MESSAGE │ │What must the user type to leave? OK │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Add a message to the Database If the database is empty (which is the case the first time), You will notice that the message ID number has been incremented to 1 and the cursor is flashing. It is suggested you accept the default message ID. Message ID's are automatically incremented by one. NETMSG as present does not check to see if a duplicate message ID has been entered. You do not have to accept the default ID and can in fact assign any four character ID you wish. You can come up with as complicated a scheme to number messages as you feel comfortable with. (Just DON'T duplicate the ID's). Entering your first message consists of two steps: 1. Complete the fields displayed on the screen 2. Enter the actual message text into the database. The fields and their descriptions from top to bottom are as follows: a. Message ID Pressing the Enter key will accept the default. The ID field is incremented by one automatically. b. Message Start Date This is the date you want the messgae to start appearing. It will default to today's date, but can be overwritten with any date you wish. It is in the format MM/DD/YY. c. Message Stop Date This is the date the message will stop displaying. Start and stop dates are inclusive. The format is the same as the start date and defaults to 7 days later. d. Number of viewing repetitions This is the number of times a user will see the message. You may enter any number from 0 to 99. Entering a zero will result in a user never seeing the message. e. Instructions on how to bypass the message screen. You may enter a one line set of instructions on what the user must type to quit viewing this message. Another alternative to this is to include the instructions in the message text and leave this line blank. It is your choice. f. What must the user type This field contains the keystrokes the user must enter to acknowledge that the message has been read and continue on to the next message or complete the LOGIN process. This is a character field and all entry is converted to uppercase. You could have the user enter OK,YES,ABCD, or any combinations of alphanumeric text. For example, A178CD. It is suggested that you vary the place you include instructions and that you also vary what the user must type. Remember, this utility is supposed to insure that a user will read the message and not merely bang on the keyboard to bypass it. Since you will only be showing it to them a specified number of times, it shouldn't get too boring for them. If you wish, you may leave the 'what the user must type' field blank and the user may just press the enter key to continue on. You should still include the appropriate message in the 'ByPass' field. Once you have entered all the information, you will be prompted if you wish to save the information. Press 'Y' to save or press the Enter key on the default of 'N' if you decide to to save the message. The options in the edit screen are as follows: Add - Add a new record Edit - Edit the contents of the record displayed Next - Skip to the next record in the database Prev - Skip backwards to the previous record Memo - Add/Edit the actual message text Del - Delete this message Quit - Quit from the maintance screen NOTE: Once you quit, the databases are checked for deletions and both files are purged of deleted records and user records that indicated that a message that has been deleted has been read. If you wish to keep a record of messages that have been posted and who has read them, just change the stop date to yesterday's date. It will then remain in the system but will not be shown to anyone else. While the files are being purged, you will see the following message: Checking databases for deletions ... please wait Once the databases have been purged, you will automatically go through the message viewing process. When you have viewed all the messages currently in the system, you will be returned to DOS. Messages are kept in a memo field. (Hence the command 'MEMO' on the menu ). It is suggested you keep messages to about 21 lines of 75 characters each. This will allow them to be displayed on one screen without the user needing to press any keys other than what is required to exit that message. The following figure details the memo editing keys. ╔══│ KEY(s) │═════════════════════│ ACTION │═══════════════════════╗ ║ ║ ║ Right arrow ............... Moves cursor to the right ║ ║ Left arrow ................ Moves cursor to the left ║ ║ Ctrl-Right arrow .......... Moves word right ║ ║ Ctrl-Left arrow ........... Moves word left ║ ║ Ctrl-PgUp ................. Positions cursor at beginning of text ║ ║ Ctrl-PgDn ................. Positions cursor at end of text ║ ║ Ctrl-K-F .................. Search for a word ║ ║ Ctrl-K-L .................. Continue word search ║ ║ Ctrl-T .................... Deletes word ║ ║ Ctrl-Y .................... Deletes line ║ ║ Ctrl-N .................... Insert a line ║ ║ Ctrl-KR ................... Read in a text file ║ ║ Ctrl-KW ................... Write text ║ ║ Ctrl-W ................... Save text and exit ║ ║ End ....................... Moves cursor to the end of line ║ ║ Home ...................... Moves cursor to beginning of line ║ ║ Escape .................... Abort editing ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Listed below are sample data for the two databases. Notice that USER_NAME DSMITH will see message number one two more times, but will not see message number three anymore because the stop date has been passed. This data assumes that today's date is 07/12/92 Record# MESS_ID START STOP REPS U_PROMPT U_ASK MESS 1 1 07/09/92 07/16/92 3 TYPE 'OK' TO QUIT VIEWING THIS MESSAGE OK Memo 2 2 07/09/92 07/16/92 1 TYPE 'EXIT' TO EXIT THIS MESSAGE OK Memo 3 3 07/09/91 07/10/91 1 READ THE MESSAGE FOR EXIT INSTRUCTIONS! EXIT Memo Record# MESS_ID U_NAME REPS 1 1 DSMITH 2 2 1 SUPERVISOR 0 3 1 JJONES 0 4 2 DSMITH 0 5 3 DSMITH 1 Below is an example of the message viewing screen. Notice how the instructions and what the user was required to type are at the bottom of the screen. The second screen has an example of including the user instructions in the body of the text. The third screen will allow the user to just press the ENTER key. You accomplish this by not placing any required text in the field 'What must the user type'. ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Welcome to NETMSG! │ │ │ │ NETMSG is a nifty little program that will allow │ │ you to see important messages when you LOGIN to │ │ the Local Area Network. │ │ │ │ Most messages you will only see once. │ │ │ │ Some messages may appear more often. If you think you │ │ are seeing a message(s) to many times, your │ │ LAN ADMINISTRATOR has the time to hear your concerns. │ │ │ │ We hope you enjoy this NEW utility! │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ TYPE 'OK' TO EXIT THIS MESSAGE OK ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ This extremely IMPORTANT message requires you to: │ │ │ │ │ │ a. READ the MESSAGE │ │ │ │ b. Type the letters 'EXIT' without the quotes │ │ and then press your ENTER key. │ │ │ │ │ │ Once you do these two things, you'll never have to │ │ bother with this message again! │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ READ THE MESSAGE FOR EXIT INSTRUCTIONS! EXIT ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ This extremely IMPORTANT message requires you to: │ │ │ │ │ │ a. READ the MESSAGE │ │ │ │ b. Press the ENTER key to quit viewing this message. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Once you do these two things, you'll never have to │ │ bother with this message again! │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ PRESS THE ENTER KEY TO EXIT THIS MESSAGE DISCLAIMER - MICRO-SUPPORT DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED AND ANY CLAIMS AS TO MERCHANTABILITY OF FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. ALL RISKS IN USING THIS SOFTWARE ARE ASSUMED BY THE USER. USE OF THE SOFTWARE ACKNOWLEDGES AGREEMENT. Distribution - There is no cost associated with this software. Feel free to upload it to Electronic Bulletin Boards, copy it for friends, mail it to business's, or hand carry it to all your business associates. You may not charge for this software or include it as part of a package you do charge for except for a nominal disk duplication fee. If you charge a fee for disks, drop a postcard in the mail to the following address: Micro-Support 302 Garner Avenue Waldorf, Md. 20602 (301) 843-8234 Registration - You don't have to do anything to register this software. Just start using it. If you like this utility, use this utility, have comments about this utility, or would like to suggest enhancements or point out obvious bugs, please drop a note in the mail. Comments and suggestions will be implemeted at my sole discretion, but if you don't make them or I don't think of them, too bad. If you want to send a donation, send it payable to the above. If you have questions call the number above. Additionally, you may reach me in one of the following ways: CIS : 76420,1077 GEnie: MICRO.SUPPT Updates - This is the last update I will send out electronically. Version Control - Version 1.0 July 31, 1992 A suggestion was made to restore the screen colors after leaving the message showing routine. Actually the screen colors were restored, just didn't clear the screen. So you ended up with yellow text on a blue background. Now the screen colors are set back to DOS black and white and then the screen is cleared. Message text is entered separately from the rest of the data. This resulted in a few of my users seeing the screen and the instructions on how to exit, but they never saw the message. This only happened when someone was logging in during the editing process. I suggested that we were trying a new invisible screen color. They bought it! That is a weakness in the way this language handles the text portion of the record. My suggestion to you if it is a big problem; create the message text as an ASCII file and use the Ctrl-K-R keys to read the text into the memo field. It's more work, but then you don't have to explain why you are experimenting with invisible screen colors. AND thats all the suggestions I got! Not bad for a first release of such a wonderful utility! Thanks for all those kind comments, cards and letters. Version .90 July 10, 1992 Completed first bugfree version for release Coming Attractions - Do away with ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES Limit messages to GROUPS or USERS Add Reports to the SUPERVISOR options Add archive database to track all message reads forever Get a real (better) editor for messages Specify alternate USERID's for Adding/Editing etc. Add a USER FEEDBACK/SURVEY option configurable by message. Add a daily quote (might even make it a security type message!) Add option to reset message counter for all USERS or a GROUP Add 'TechnoFlash' to message display These enhancements will constitute a major upgrade and will be available for the nominal charge of $49 US per server. One word of caution to those who are considering purchasing the upgrade. The enhanced version currently takes 2-4 seconds to load on a 4 megabit Token Ring network. The load size is currently 328k. There are many more features, hence the larger file size. Upgrades include a printed bound manual and new disk. The upgrade will not be compatible with older files.