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1994-06-06
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Synchronet Multinode BBS Software Vesion 2.00a Release Notes
==============================================================
This document was created on 06/06/94 as a general response to the most
frequently asked questions and comments regarding the Synchronet v2.00a
release on 06/02/94.
Registration Key File
---------------------
Version 2 requires a different key file from version 1c (to run unregistered).
If your original purchase of Synchronet was on or after August 27th 1993,
you can call our BBS and download a version 2 key file for your current
node license from the Synchronet Upgrade Door. You cannot use the "Guest"
account to download a key file. If your original Synchronet purchase was before
August 27th 1993, you will need to send in an order form. Download V20ORDER.TXT
from our BBS for the pricing and details.
PCMS and Baja
-------------
PCMS stands for Programmable Command and Menu Structure. It is the technology
implemented in version 2 that allows the sysop a high level of customization
of the user interface. It also allows third parties to develop add-ons or
replacement command shells for the BBS. A command shell is the over-all
look and feel of the BBS. Six command shells were included with the release
of Version 2 - Classic Synchronet, Synchronet Novice, and emulations of
Wildcat, PCBoard, MajorBBS, and Renegade. Expect to see more command shells
and add-on modules for PCMS in the future from Digital Dynamics and other
developers.
Baja is the language and compiler included with Synchronet used to create
Command Shells and Modules for Synchronet. Baja will convert a text source
file (.SRC) into a binary executable (.BIN) to use with Synchronet as either
a command shell or plug-in module.
Command shells are added via SCFG->Command Shells. Mmodules are added by
editing a command shell source file (.SRC) and adding an EXEC_BIN line to load
and execute a module. Brief information about the instructions and functions
available via Baja are availble in the file DOCS\BAJA.DOC. This file is just a
preliminary reference. A complete user guide is in the works and will be
available for download soon.
Message Base
------------
The version 2 message base is more than just a disk-space saver. It is a
technical achievement that will remain reliable and extensible as an e-mail
storage format for many years to come. Development of the version 2 message
base started almost one year ago after close examination and experimentation
with other message formats (including Hudson, JAM, and Squish). It was not
our desire to introduce yet another format if one existed already that was
extensible and reliable enough. Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately) such
a format didn't exist until the formalization of the Synchronet Message Base
(SMB) specification in January of this year.
SMB is a public specification that exceeds the capabilities of any other
standard message base format (we could find) and then some. It is fast,
reliable, and extensible. We spent considerable energy writing an 80 page
technical specification and 34 function royalty free C library for other
developers to utilize. It is only a matter of time before the developers of
editors, EchoMail programs, off-line mail doors, network gateways, etc. get
wind of SMB and add support into their product line. The first and foremost of
such developers is Merlin Systems - developing a UUCP/Internet Gateway for
SMB (913-441-1336 voice). Please help out the developers of the products
you use (GEcho, FrontDoor, D'bridge, GoldEd, BlueWave, etc) and encourage them
to add support for SMB. To help them out even further, download SMB_111.ZIP
(the spec and programmers' library) and send it to them. We encourage
developers to call us voice if they have questions about SMB or need
assistance. Complete source code to conversion programs for QWK, Fido, UUCP,
and Synchronet v1c formats are included free - as well as the source to CHKSMB
and SMBUTIL. Which brings me to an important note regarding SMBUTIL.
SMBUTIL
-------
If you are upgrading from version 1 of Synchronet, you will need to add the
following to SCFG->External Programs->Timed Events:
Start-up Dir : ..\DATA
Command line : %!smbutil mp100 mail subs\*.shd
The event needs to be set to run EXCLUSIVELY. This will maintain (delete
over-the-max and out-dated messages) and pack the message base (to conserve
disk space). Your message bases will exceed the maximum you have specified in
SCFG, but will be trimmed back down when this event is run. The internal
code used for the event is not significant. If you have a lot of large
capacity message areas (1000 msgs+), you may want to reduce the amount of
time the event spends packing by changing the "mp100" portion of the above
command line to "mp500" or "mp1000". This will not conserve as much disk
space in general, but will cause the event to run quicker by not packing
message bases that will not benefit much (save much space) if compressed.
The "p100" or "p500" specifies to only pack a message base if 100k or 500k
respectively, can be saved. If you want the message base to be packed even if
only 50 bytes can be saved, change the parameter to "mp". If nothing can
be saved by packing, SMBUTIL will not pack the message base.
Original installers of v2.00a, should change SCFG->External Programs->
Timed Events->MSGMAINT to be configured as mentioned above.
The utility MSGPURGE included with version 1c is obsolete and should not be
used with Version 2 (just delete MSGPURGE.EXE). If you were using MSGPURGE
to speed up your message imports via your QNET or other batch file, you no
longer need this and can delete any reference to MSGPURGE.
Also, when you create new message sub-boards, you'll probably want to change
the storage format to "Fast Allocation" from self-packing. There is no
advantage to using Self-Packing method for only some sub-boards and the 1CTO20
conversion utility set all your existing sub-boards to "Fast Allocation".
"Fast Allocation" will be the default storage format in future releases of
SCFG. The "Self-Packing" storage format is slower at importing, but convserves
disk space immediately (rather than waiting until the event). It should only
be used on systems where up-time (non-event time) is more critical than the
speed of importing messages.
Mail
----
In version 2, mail is not immediately deleted when you hit the 'D' key. Instead
it is marked as deleted (denoted after the "ATTR:" portion of the message
header) and can be undeleted by hitting 'D' again until you exit mail-read
mode, when the message is physically deleted (and cannot be undeleted).
Doors from the Main and Transfer Menus
--------------------------------------
The main and transfer command options were removed from the online external
program (door) configuration in SCFG in version 2. To add external programs
and main menu commands in version 2, you must edit the appropriate menu
file (e.g. TEXT\MENU\MAIN.ASC) and then add the command to the shell (.SRC).
Example:
cmdkey $
exec_xtrn DTELLER
end_cmd
The exec_xtrn command executes an external program specified by its internal
code (as listed in SCFG) - "DTELLER" is used in the above example for the '$'
command.
After making any changes to a command shell source file (.SRC), you must
recompile with Baja to create the executable binary file (.BIN).
Sysop Commands
--------------
When "Hot Keys" are disabled from the User Defaults, the ";" commands work
in a strange way. You must hit ';', then enter, then type the command (e.g.
MEM, UPLOAD, DOS, etc.) or you can fix the problem by editing the file
EXEC\DEFAULT.SRC with a text editor and change the following:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:str_cmds
getstrupr 40
logstr
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To this:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:str_cmds
compare_user_misc COLDKEYS
if_true
shift_str 1
else
getstrupr 40
end_if
logstr
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then recompile the shell by typing "BAJA DEFAULT".
This command shell fix (and others) will be made available for download on
our BBS in the near future.
If you find something that works different than version 1, you may be able
to fix/change the way it works by editing the command shell and recompiling.
See the included command shell source files (.SRC) for examples.
A few of the sysop command were removed/changed on purpose, but some can be
added or changed back to the version 1c way fairly easily. An example is the
";CHAT" command being removed due to the redundancy on the Chat: prompt. You
can put this command back in the command shell by adding the following lines
in the section titled "cmd_str" in DEFAULT.SRC (if you have done no programming
of any kind, you may not want to mess with this):
# Sysop Chat
compare_ars exempt C
if_true
compare_str "CHAT"
if_true
page_sysop
end_if
end_if
A Baja command shell/module programming document (as mentioned before) will
be released soon to explain how and why all this works.
Memory and Message/File Areas
-----------------------------
Now that file areas and message areas require less disk storage space, it
seems that sysops are adding more message and file areas than ever. And many
of them are hitting the DOS 640K limit like a brick wall. We have been working
on a solution to this problem (namely the OS/2 version), although we are
also researching solutions for the DOS version and things are looking good. In
the mean-time, fuss with QEMM and hang in there.
SBBSFIDO
--------
The 's' switch mentioned in 1CTO20.DOC is not valid or necessary for SBBSFIDO.
Please ignore the reference using it for "Fast Allocation".
Synchronet BBS List in Online Access Magazine
---------------------------------------------
If your BBS is in the BBS Database on our BBS, your system was included in
a list of Synchronet systems published in a national publication known as
"Online Access - BBS Edition". So when you start getting calls from users
saying they heard about your system from Online Access, you'll know what
they're talking about.
We hope you'll be pleased with the response of this "free advertising". We
encourage the publication of our list and will continue to do so. So, if you
don't want your BBS number spread around the globe, don't put it in our list :)
Rob Swindell
Digital Dynamics
Voice: 714-529-6328
BBS: 714-529-9525
FAX: 714-529-9721
/* End of NOTE200A.TXT */