FILES.BBS Convert is a utility to convert the FILES.BBS directories found on many IBM CDs into a form suitable for use with the Hermes BBS.
Setting it up.
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Before you useFILES.BBS Convert, there are several options you may wish to set. The first is the uploader name that should be used when uploading all the files. You should enter the name you used to register FILES.BBS Convert in the dialog brought up by chosing "Register" under the options menu. This will allow you acess the other options described below.
The second set of options involves customizing the names BBIB-->HRMS uses in creating the directories:
If checked, directory prefix will be added to the beginning of each Hermes' directory file.
If checked, directory suffix will be added to the end of each Hermes' directory file.
Running it.
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Running FILES.BBS Convert is really simple. All operations are from the main dialog.
The 'Add' button will call up a standard open dialog allowing you to chose the FILES.BBS files you would like to convert. New files will be added to the list to the left. The dialog will show all text files so it is important that you only choose FILES.BBS files. Other files will be processed but with unpredictable results.
The 'Remove' button will remove a selected file from the list of files to be processed.
The 'Clear' button will remove all files from the list.
The 'Process' button will call up a save dialog:
In order to begin processing you must first select the folder in which to save the new Hermes directories and the FILES.BBS Convert log file. Save the log file in the location where you would like the directories to be saved and processing will begin. Hitting cancel will return you to the main dialog.
Using your new directories
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In order to use the new directories you must do the following:
1) Rename the directories exactly as you would like them to be displayed in your transfer section. You will have to be sure to name both the description file and the transfer section with exactly the same name or Hermes won't recognize the file.
2) Once the directories have be properly named, you next need to create new directories with the exact same names you used above. Create these by going to the 'Transfers' menu option under the 'Sysop' menu in Hermes. The directories will look best if you use a filename size of 31 characters. The 'Directory Path' option for these directories is not necessary since Hermes now saves the full path to all files on the CD. It would probably be a good idea to have this path point somewhere valid just in case you ever move anything else to this directory.
3) Once the new directories have been created, quit Hermes and move the directory files to the Data folder inside the Hermes Files folder.
4) You can now start up Hermes and should see all the files in the proper directories. These files are not in alphabetical order so if you would like them to be, you need to sort them. You should do this online rather than from the sysop interface since most of the directories are too large to be displayed in the "Downloads" dialog in Hermes.
Limitations, problems etc
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I don't know of any major problems but please let me know if you discover any. FILES.BBS Convert is slow but it is processing quite a bit of information. Plan ahead; converting an entire CD could take as long as an hour on slower machines.
Future features
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This version is fairly complete but there are many options that could be added if users want them. In particular, all of the information Hermes saves for each file could be customized. If you have anything you would like to see in possible future versions let me know.
The plea.
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FILES.BBS Convert is SHAREWARE. I think this is a really useful product. I am more than willing to support it but new versions are of course dependent on interest and interest is dependent on feedback and the best feedback is registration. I have written a few shareware applications and it is getting discouraging, not to mention financially hard, to justify all the time. If you use it please register your copy. I feel that shareware has fallen into the same trap as the commercial system it is supposed to be an alternative to. Authors ask for such large fees because so few people actually send them in. This in turn causes fewer people to send them in, which makes authors feel they need to ask for more, which…you get the picture. I have intentionally made the price so reasonable you don't have any excuse not to pay the shareware fee. If you don't think the application is worth $10 then DON'T USE IT.
Registration info
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To register send $10, *and* the registration form below (the form does make things easier) to Chris Owen, PO Box 1471, Garden City, KS 67846 (before August 1994 you can send it to me at 27 Bishop St #2R, New Haven CT 06511 for faster registration). The fee will also cover future versions as they come out.
If you have any questions or comments about FILES.BBS Convert, I would appreciate hearing them. I can be reached on Olympus or at the numbers below.
Chris Owen #681 on Olympus
Chris Owen #1 at Mulligan's Valley (203) 772-4485
owen-christopher@yale.edu <---I prefer this address
