Beijing Paradise BBS Backup/PARADISE.ISO/software/BBSDOORW/AUTOMTE2.ZIP/AUTOMATE.DOC

Text File | 1993-06-09 | 7.8 KB | 156 lines

                    BBS Automator Version 2.0
                   Release Date: June 9, 1993


First, the legal stuff:

PAUL TRAVERSE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES RELATED TO THIS SOFTWARE,
WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, AND ALL SUCH WARRANTIES ARE EXPRESSLY AND SPECIFICALLY
DISCLAIMED. NEITHER PAUL TRAVERSE NOR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN
INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, PRODUCTION, OR DELIVERY OF THIS SOFTWARE
SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL
DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE SUCH SOFTWARE
EVEN IF PAUL TRAVERSE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES OR CLAIMS. IN NO EVENT SHALL PAUL TRAVERSE'S LIABILITY FOR
ANY DAMAGES EVER EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE LICENSE TO USE THE
SOFTWARE, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF CLAIM.  THE PERSON USING THE
SOFTWARE BEARS ALL RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE
SOFTWARE.

   Some states do not allow the exclusion of the limit of liability
for consequential or incidental damages, so the above limitation
may not apply to you.
   This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the Province of
Newfoundland and shall inure to the benefit of Paul Traverse and
any successors, administrators, heirs and assigns. Any action or
proceeding brought by either party against the other arising out of
or related to this agreement shall be brought only in the PROVINCE
or FEDERAL COURT of competent jurisdiction located in St. John's,
Newfoundland. The parties hereby consent to in personam
jurisdiction of said courts.

This is copyrighted software. You are not obtaining title to the
software or any copyright rights. You may not sublicense, rent,
lease, modify, translate, convert to another programming language,
decompile, or disassemble the software for any purpose.
   Since this software is distributed as shareware, you are free to
copy and distribute the shareware version, including posting it on
BBS's (Bulletin Board Systems).  You are free to use the program
for an evaluation period not greater than 21 days. After 21 days,
the software must be registered with the author.  Use of a
shareware version after 21 days is an infringement of copyright.

                    BBS Automator Version 2.0

Introduction:

     Thanks for trying a copy of BBS Automator.  Perhaps your
asking: What exactly does it do?
     BBS Automator was designed for people who want to run their
own Bulletin Boards (BBS) but, because of only one phone line, one
computer, etc. they are unable to.  Well, this program lets you!
     This program allows the BBS software to have control of the
phone for a specified number of hours and then the program clears
the modem and allows for voice calls to be answered.  For example,
say you want to run a BBS in the night from 12:00 Midnight until
the next morning, say 6:30 AM, just before you get up.  At 6:30,
your BBS software will run AUTOMATE.EXE as an event.  It is at this
time that BBS AUTOMATOR takes over.  The AUTOMATOR will run until
Midnight, at which time control is returned to the BBS to answer
the phone.  During the day, when AUTOMATOR is running, the computer
will not answer the phone.  Won't all this tie up my computer?
Well yes it will!  But AUTOMATOR as a shell to DOS function to let
you use your computer during the day for what ever you wish.

Installation:

     Installation is not very hard.  First, copy the file
AUTOMATE.EXE into your bulletin board software's main directory.
I use Spitfire, so for me the directory is C:\SF.  Next, run
AUTOMATE.EXE to configure it.  You will be asked to enter the COM
port of your modem, and enter the time you wish your bulletin board
to start running every day.  (If you are not, it means there is a
file called AUTOMATE.DAT already there.  If this is your first time
using BBS Automator, delete it.)  Using the example above, this
would be 12:00 Midnight.  Of course you don't have to use 12
midnight, use whatever time you wish.  The time must be entered in
24 hour format with two colons (:).  For example, 12:00 Midnight
would be entered as 00:00:00, 11:40 PM would be entered as
23:40:00, 1:00 AM as 01:00:00 and so on.  (Make sure you use a 0 in
front of single digit times such as 1:00 (01:00:00)).  After you
have correctly answered these two questions and the BBS Automator
main screen comes up, press R and the Automator will return to DOS.
     The next step is to set BBS AUTOMATOR up as an event on your
BBS.  The procedure differs from BBS to BBS.  I use Spitfire, so I
will use that as an example.  When Spitfire is running, Press ALT-E
to configure an event.  Select an unused event, (I will use Event
A for my example).  Enter the time of the event.  This is when the
BBS will turn control over to BBS AUTOMATOR.  Once again, to use
the example in the introduction, this will be 6:30 AM.  Select 7 to
run the event everyday, and mark as an on time event.
     The final step, for those who are using Spitfire, is to edit
the file SF.BAT.  Use a text editor, such as the one provided with
DOS (edit.com).  Find the events slot.  For Event A, change it to
the following:


REM Place Event A Commands Here
     AUTOMATE.EXE
     GOTO LOOP

And that's it!

To start up your board, you must run the BBS software and allow the
Bulletin Board software to run AUTOMATE.EXE.  BBS Automator will
not operate properly if you simply run the AUTOMATE.EXE file.  What
this means is you will have to start up your BBS at whatever time
you want to start it, and after that, everything is fully
automated!

Using BBS Automator:

     While BBS Automator is running, there are two commands that
you have access to: R - Return to BBS and S - Shell to DOS.

R - Return to BBS: This will quit BBS Automator immediately and
     return control to the BBS again. The BBS will continue to run
     until it is scheduled to run BBS Automator again.

S - Shell to DOS: This will quit BBS Automator and return you to
     the DOS prompt.  From the prompt, you can run other programs
     while your BBS is down.  To return to the Automator, simply
     type EXIT at the DOS command prompt.  WARNING! If you shell to
     DOS and stay in DOS until after the time that BBS Automator is
     supposed to return control to the BBS, it will not return
     control until the next day.  If this happens, simply press R
     to return to the BBS after you exit back to the Automator.

BBS Automator also has a screen saver that blanks the screen after
one minute.  To get the screen back, simply press any key.

This program is distributed as shareware.  It isn't crippled in any
way.  If you find BBS Automator useful, please contribute to it.
I am charging $6.50 plus $1.50 shipping in handling.  I consider
this to be a reasonable price for this software.  On receipt of
your check or money order (don't send cash in the mail!) I will
send you a registered version with your name and BBS name imbedded
in the code.  I will also send you another shareware copy of BBS
Automator with a serial number on it.  You can help me distribute
the program far and wide by sending out the shareware copy with the
serial number on it.  When I receive a registration from a user who
got a copy of your shareware disk, I'll send you a percent as a
distribution royalty! Simply print out the ORDERFRM.DOC distributed
with the program, fill it out, and send it along with your payment
to:

                          Paul Traverse
                           P.O. Box 96
                      Freshwater, Plac. Bay
                           NF, Canada
                             A0B 1W0

If you are having problems with the program, leave a message for me
(sysop) on The Science Alliance BBS [phone].  Thanks a lot,
hope to add your name to the list of BBS Automator users soon!