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1992-10-06
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A2T version 2.3d copyright (c) Robert Kirby compuserve id 76620,2313
Disclaimer:
Use this software at your own risk. No guarantees or warranties.
File info:
VALIDATE 0.3 Copyright 1988-89 by McAfee Associates. (408) 988-3832
File Name: a2t.exe
Size: 15,904
Date: 1-2-1990
File Authentication:
Check Method 1 - 49C6
Check Method 2 - 0A4F
A2T.EXE --> executable program.
A2T.DOC --> the docs.
Introduction to A2T, the ASCII to Telix dial directory utility:
This is a program to convert an ASCII file, such as a BBS list into
a Telix dialing directory. The program is relatively fast and command
line driven. I tailored the default configuration after a popular BBS
list that we have here in Houston called "Judy's List", and the most
common dialing directory settings for an IBM PC or compatible but these
defaults can all be overridden with the config parameter.
With A2T, I can set up all sorts of BBS lists that I download as a
Telix dialing directory without having to type them up. A2T will compile
up to 1000 BBS names and numbers from an ASCII BBS list.
I have listed some configs for popular BBS lists towards the end of
this file.
Instructions for running A2T:
1) setup the bbs list - this is crucial for proper results.
2) if you plan to overwrite your current Telix dial dir,
MAKE A BACKUP of the file named TELIX.FON!
2) run a2t
At this time, A2T has 3 optional parameters. They are the input
parameter, the output parameter, and the config parameter. The input
parameter is the name of your BBS list in ASCII form. This must come
BEFORE the output parameter on the command line. The output parameter
if the name of the dialing directory file to be created. Both of these
parameters are optional. If you leave the first one off, A2T will assume
you are using an ASCII input file called INPUT.BBS and the output file will
automatically be OUTPUT.FON. To take advantage of the second optional
output filename parameter, you must enter the first parameter also.
No suffixes are assumed, that is you must enter them (if you want them)
in the filename parameters. You may enter paths for these parameters.
The third optional parameter is the config parameter. This is how
you control the compiling of your BBS list. The third optional
parameter is preceeded by a forward slash, and then a code list
to inform A2T what you want done with the BBS list. This parameter
can appear anywhere on the command line, but you may have only one config
parameter. Config codes can be strung together in the config parameter.
If you enter no config parameter at all, you will be given a dialing
directory that will use 2400bps, and the BBS list should use a '.' for
the delimiter for the BBS name, and a ' ' for the delimiter for the
phone number. This was the easiest way to compile Judy's list, but
you can override these defaults with config parameters.
The codes in the config parameter are listed after the forward slash
and can be combined in various ways but they must have the proper
syntax as described below. Note in the descriptions below, a COLUMN is
the width of ONE character. Only the first 80 characters in each line
of the BBS list can be processed.
Here are the config parameter definitions:
/? where ? = ? This simply displays a quick reference help screen.
/B? where ? = 0, 1, 2, or 9
This is the Bps parameter code, and will define the bps rate that
you want in your dial dir.
Here are the code parameter definitions:
0 = 300 bps
1 = 1200 bps
2 = 2400 bps
9 = 9600 bps
Note: you'll soon find that the B parameter should be the last one
on your list. If added to the N or P it will terminate processing
at that point, so make it the last one if you have more on the code
string.
/D? where ? = S or , or . or * or 0
This is Delimiter parameter code. When I first wrote A2T, I wrote
it for Judy's list which contained a period for the first delimiter
(which terminates the BBS name) and space for the second delimiter
(which terminates the phone number). This strange case is still
the default if you don't give a delimiter parameter, but if you
give one, both the BBS name and BBS number delimiters become the
delimiter that you specify.
Here are the code parameter definitions:
S = a space delimiter
, = a comma delimiter
* = a star delimiter
. = a period delimiter
0 = no delimiter (you get the maximum characters for each field)
/I? where ? = 0 through 9
This is the Ignore parameter code. This will skip a given number
of FIELDS in the BBS list, before processing the BBS NAME.
Note that each field is terminated by a delimiter. Since I
originally wrote A2T for a case in which the two delimiters were
different, the FIRST delimiter (a period) is used for the default
case. This can be combined with the D config parameter to use
a different delimiter. The delimiter given will only be for the
BBS name. The default delimiter of a space will still be used for
the number. I put the minimal amount of effort into the I parameter
but will try to expand upon it in future releases.
Also note that a delimiter consists of one character. For example,
if you are using a space for a delimiter, and you have several spaces
before the BBS name is to be processed, they are each a field skip
and must be counted separately. A total of 9 fields can be skipped.
Note: the following config codes must trail a name or phone number code,
so that is why they are listed AFTER the N or P code.
/N??d! where ?? = a 2 digit number, and ! = BBS name delimiter
This is the BBS name parameter code. This will move to the Nth
COLUMN on one line of the BBS list before proceeding to process
the first field. This parameter shouldn't be combined with the
I parameter.
The ?? field must be a two digit number, and it specifies the
Nth column to move to before processing the BBS name. The number
must be two digits even if less than 10. i.e. 09 is OK but 9 isn't.
After the ?? field is processed, a D (or L as described below)
parameter code is looked for. In this way, you may specify a unique
delimiter for the BBS name. The D parameter follows the same rules
as the global d parameter, and if left off will default to a period.
This code can be combined with the following P parameter, and used
to specify the starting columns for both the BBS name and phone number,
with unique delimiters for each. Either the N or the P must be the
first parameter in the code list, i.e. the first character after the
backslash.
/P??d! where ?? = a 2 digit number, and ! = Phone Number delimiter
This is the phone number parameter code. This will move to the Pth
COLUMN on one line of the BBS list before preceeding to process
the SECOND field, i.e. the phone number. This parameter shouldn't
be combined with the I parameter.
The ?? field must be a two digit number, and it specifies the
Pth column to move over before processing the phone number. After
the ?? field is processed, a D (or L) code will be looked for.
Again, the ?? field must be a two digit number including numbers
less than 10, so 08 is OK but 8 isn't. In this way, you can specify
a unique delimiter for the phone number. The d parameter follows the
same rules as the global D parameter, and if left off will default
to a space.
This code can be combined with the preceeding N parameter, and used
to specify the starting columns for both the BBS name and phone number,
with unique delimiters for each. Either the N or the P must be the
first parameter in the code list, i.e. the first character after the
backslash.
NOTE: unless the P parameter is used, the default will be to look
for the first occurance of digits after the BBS name delimiter or max
length occurred.
/N??L!! where !! = a 2 digit number.
This is the length parameter code. This will specify the maximum
number of columns that either the name or the phone field can occupy.
This parameter can be added onto either the phone or name code but
shouldn't be combined with the delimiter parameter.
It is for the situation where you want to ignore delimiters and
simply take a specified number of characters beginning at the starting
column of either the name or the phone field. The L must be followed
by a TWO digit parameter specifying the width of the field. It comes
in very handy with bbs names that have spaces in the names but no
delimiter to terminate them.
If you go over the maximum of 25 characters for the name or 17
characters for the phone, then you will be given the maximum.
Setting up the BBS list file:
This is the most important part of the whole deal. As mentioned
earlier, I tailored the program after a popular list here in Houston,
and used the format of that list so that minor modifications to the
list would render it usable.
Three characters have special meanings in the ASCII text file.
They are:
';' -----> the semicolon in the FIRST COLUMN of the line, is used
to comment out the whole line. It is VERY important to
comment out any line that is not going to be processed!
'.' -----> (or the delimiter you gave on the command line)
the period is used to terminate the NAME of the BBS. This
worked fairly well with Judy's list, although I did have
to add a terminating period to one or two names, and one
or two or three names terminated early because they had
periods in the name. Telix only allows 25 characters for
a name, so it is wise to stay below this in your entries.
' ' -----> (or the delimiter you gave on the command line)
the space is used to terminate the PHONE NUMBER of the BBS.
Telix only allows 17 characters for a phone number,
so it is wise to stay below this in your entries.
;BBS List setup Example:
; second is the number, variable length <= 17 (space terminates)
; Comment line v
BBS Name.........212-111-1111 Maybe a comment could be here...
; ^
; the name comes first, variable length <= 25 (period terminates)
;
; Note : this is the DEFAULT, you can override these settings with parameters
The rest of the information in the ASCII import file will be discarded.
There are some other givens that you should be aware of. These are the most
common settings in a Telix dialing directory for an IBM PC or compatible
user:
Parity = NONE
Data Bits = 8
Stop Bits = 1
Protocol = Zmodem
Emulation = ANSI-BBS
Script = Left Blank
Password = Left Blank
Command line Examples:
A picture tells 2000 words (that is if you're in text mode)
MSDOS_Prompt> A2T [D:path\file] [[D:path\file]] /config parameter (can appear
^ ^ anywhere on command line
| | and consists of strings
| | of codes)
| |
| |
This is the optional input file This is the optional output file
parameter. If left off, A2T parameter which is only accessible
will assume an input file name by entering the input parameter.
of 'input.bbs'. If left off, A2T will assume an
output filename of 'output.fon'.
Config parameter examples:
Note: the default (with no config parameter) is 2400bps, a period for the
first delimiter with processing beginning in the first column, and
a space for the second delimiter with processing beginning where the
numbers start. Judy's 80COL.TXT BBS list will compile fairly well
with no parameters given. To override these defaults, use config
parameters.
/D,I4 use comma for delimiter, skip 4 fields first
/B9DS use bps rate of 9600, use a space for the delimiter
/B1DsI2 use bps of 1200, use a space for delimiter, ignore 1st 2 fields
/n01L22p23 start at column 1, use a length of 22 characters for the bbs
name, and start at column 23 for the phone number use the default
phone number delimiter of a space. (a little secret : even though
I wrote the program defaults with Judy's 80COL.TXT in mind,
this results in a cleaner looking dial dir)
/n01d0p52L08 start looking for the name in col one, with the max width
for the field. next get the phone number at col. 52 with a
length of 8 characters. This works nicely on Judy's 64COL.TXT
BBS list.
/n12ds start at the 12th column, use a space for a delimiter. This
config works nicely on the PHOENIX Nodelist (with the NetHost
Lines commented out). Do not leave this list in the Phoenix
directory or you will have problems.
/n59d0p01 start at the 59th column for the name and don't use a delimiter,
start at the 1st column for the phone number, use (default) space
for a delimiter.. this works nicely on USBBS66.LST (the eoln is
used for the bbs name delimiter, and since it's such a big list,
it will terminate at 1000 records.)
/n17L20p38 start at the 17th column for the name and use a maximum length
of 20 characters, then start at the 38th column for the phone
number and use (default) space for a delimiter. this works nicely on
WORLDBBS.LST. (although the format at the end of this list had
to be commented out since it was very chaotic. --got most of it
though.)
Messages:
The + and * will click off for every 25 records that have been processed.
If you simply enter :
MSDOS_Prompt> A2T
Then a help display will scroll on your screen. (you get same with A2T /?)
"Output file exists. Hit <ESC> to abort, any other key if OK."
If the output file you give exists, you will be notified.
You will be prompted to hit the <ESC> key to abort the compilation if you
do not want your output file overwritten. If you hit any other key,
the compilation will proceed.
"<BEEP>Sorry, one of your config codes has an error, try again."
The main causes for this message is you have a syntax error in your
config parameter list.
"<BEEP>Sorry, the input file you gave doesn't exist, try again."
Self explanatory.
"<BEEP>Sorry, your output/path has a problem, try again."
Self explanatory.
Version info:
1.0 - 12-24-89 This is it! The first version. I hope to add more
enhancements very soon.
1.1 - 12-24-89 Corrected a problem that occurred when the user
entered an incorrect bps parameter.
2.0 - 12-25-89 Added more parameter command line options and changed some.
2.1 - 12-26-89 Improved the record processing display.
2.2 - 12-27-89
* Added the N and P parameters and took away the M
parameter since the N will do the same thing and more.
* Improved the record processing display to display both
reading and writing.
* Added more error checking.
* Changed the default output filename to 'OUTPUT.FON'
2.3 - 12-29-89
* Changed the default input filename to 'INPUT.BBS'.
* added the help screen for the ? parameter or A2T w/ no parameters.
* Added more error checking
* Added the L parameter
2.3c 12-30-89
* a little better display of the processing
* a little better display of help
2.3d 1-1-90
* not much change, just found a few minor errors in the help text.