Beijing Paradise BBS Backup

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INDEX INDEX OUTLINE OF SOFTWARE LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS CONTACTING THE AUTHOR FEEDBACK DOOR Enter Question How to Vote vote Summary Page the SYSOP eXit door Help Screen Delete seTup SETUP PROGRAM BBS and SYSOP NAME COLOR SCHEME PAGE HOURS V.I.P. USERS MENU OPTIONS LANGUAGES EXIT SETUP STATUS BAR OUTLINE OF SOFTWARE There are two main aspects to the FEEDBACK door. 1. The FEEDBACK door program (for all users) 2. The SETUP program (for the sysop and V.I.P. users) This documentation will demonstrate the indented use of these programs. For greater information on how the FEEDBACK door and it's associated files work, please see the TECHNICAL manual. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS This program is * * * F R E E * * * for anyone to use in any fashion that they see fit. There is absolutely no guarantees, nor do I take any responsibility for the use of this program. The only restriction I would bring is that NO ONE CHARGES for this software. Indirect charges placed on bulletin boards, freeware vendors or CD ROM freeware collections are acceptable. CONTACTING THE AUTHOR You may contact the author, to relay bug reports or suggestions and to check up on the latest release of this software. You can contact me via email on: internet address meandean@dbgate.bnc.com.au fidonet address DEAN MENHENNET 3:637/103.0 Or by mail DEAN MENHENNET 406 LEARMONTH ROAD WENDOUREE 3355 VICTORIA. AUSTRALIA. FEEDBACK DOOR The first thing you will see when you enter the FEEDBACK door from the bulletin board is a introduction screen. Below is an example of the high detail introduction screen. Press any key, and the main screen of the program will then appear. The main options for a user are: Vote Enter Question vote Summary Page the SYSOP eXit door Help Screen The other options listed are for the sysop and any listed V.I.P. users: Delete seTup Enter Question If the user wants to enter a question for everyone to vote on, select the "E" option from the main menu. The user will be asked a number of questions. If any of these questions, including the first possible answer are not responded to, then you will be returned to the main menu and the question will not be saved. You will be asked the following: 1. The topic of your question 2. The question you want to ask 3. A number of possible answers (Maximum of 20) Enter a blank line to end the input of possible answers. Then you will be prompted to save the question. If you do not answer yes, then your question will not be added to the database of questions. (Below is a example of entering a question). How to Vote From the main menu press the "V" key. There will be a list of topics displayed containing questions that you have not already voted on. (if there are no new topics to vote on you will receive the following message) After you have selected an existing topic, you will be displayed the question and the possible answers. Enter the number that corresponds to the answer you think is the most suitable. If you feel you have an option that is not there, choose "O" for other. Then you will have the chance to add your own answer to the question. (There are a maximum of 20 answers per topic). Below show's how to enter a new answer. vote Summary To get a summary of topics that have been voted on (by you) press "S" for summary. As with the voting, you will be displayed a list of topics that you have voted on. If you haven't voted on any topics, then there will be no topics to vote on. The below screen shows the Topic, Question, Author, the number of votes on each answer as well as percentages and the possible answers. Page the SYSOP The "P" function lets the user page the sysop between valid hours, as set by the sysop. If you try to page beyond the valid hours you will be informed that the sysop is not available. The screen below shows the user entering a reason to chat to the sysop. The user will hear a bell ring for a limited time. The sysop, if available will enter into a chat session for you, otherwise you will get a message saying there was no response from the sysop. eXit door When you have finished with the feedback door, choose the "X" option to exit back to the bulletin board. Help Screen If you require some useful help while online, you can press the option "H" and the following help screen will be displayed. Delete The "D" delete function is reserved for the sysop and those users who the sysop has granted V.I.P. status. If you are allowed entry, you can select a topic (as you did when you voted on the topics). Before the door deletes the topic, you will be required to confirm the deletion with a y/n to indicate yes or no. seTup The "T" setup function is also reserved for the sysop and V.I.P. users. This option actually starts another program called SETUP.EXE and is used to configure the door to conform with the desire of the sysop/V.I.P. After exiting the SETUP program, you are returned into the feedback door. For more information on how to use the SETUP program, refer to the next section in this manual. SETUP PROGRAM This program is intended to be run online, but can be run from the dos prompt as long as there is a drop file in the feedback door's sub directory. Either way of entry will bring you to the main menu as shown below. The options from the main menu are: BBS Name Sysop Name Color Scheme Page Hours V.I.P. List (Co-Sysops ECT) Menu Options Language Options eXit the SETUP program BBS and SYSOP NAME The first two options are relatively simple. You (as sysop) place the name of your bulletin board system (BBS) and your name as the sysop (system administrator). A maximum of 25 characters can be used. These details are used when the feedback door closes and to check security clearance for privileged operations. COLOR SCHEME The color scheme option has it's own sub menu as displayed below. The options are: PROMPT COLOR USER'S INPUT COLOR SYSOP'S INPUT COLOR VOTE QUESTION COLOR QUIT BACK TO MAIN MENU Colors are indicated by selecting the number associated with the color (as shown below). The prompt color is that of the text that is displayed by the computer when asking the user a color. The user's input color is used when chatting with the sysop and entering of information into the computer. The sysop's input color is used when chatting with a user. The vote question color is used to display the vote question. The quit option will return you to the setup program's main menu. PAGE HOURS The page parameters also have a separate sub menu as pictured below. The options are STARTING PAGE TIME ENDING PAGE TIME LENGTH OF PAGE QUIT BACK TO MAIN MENU The starting page time represents the time at which a user may start paging the sysop Example of use :You may not want your users to disturb you before 12 noon. The ending page time represents the cut off time, after which a user may not page the sysop. Example of use :You may not want your users to disturb you after 10pm. The length of page refers to how long you want the alarm bell to ring on your pc. It can be set from 0 to 99 seconds The quit option will return you to the setup program's main menu. V.I.P. USERS V.I.P. users would normally be people who help run your bulletin board ( sometimes called co-sysops ). The V.I.P. option gives listed users the same security clearance in this door as the sysop. The V.I.P. sub menu is displayed below. The options are. ADD A V.I.P. DELETE A V.I.P. LIST V.I.P.'s QUIT BACK TO MAIN MENU The add option will add a user's name to the V.I.P. list. There are only 9 spaces for V.I.P. names. The delete option will remove a user's name from the V.I.P. list. The list option will display the names of users that are on the V.I.P. list. The quit option will return you to the setup program's main menu. MENU OPTIONS The next option from the main menu is the menu display, which has it's own sub menu. This is where you can set the feedback door to display one type of ansi screen (low in detail to increase speed of use when using a low speed data transfer rate modem ) and to use another ansi screen ( of higher quality graphic detail for high speed data transfer rate modems). The options are DEFAULT MENU DISPLAYED MULTIPLE BAUDRATE MENUS SPLIT POINT FOR MENUS QUIT BACK TO MAIN MENU The default menu type will display the same ansi screen for all speed modems. The choices are HI (good quality) or LO (inferior quality but quicker). The multiple baudrate menus option will enable/disable the use of single ansi screen or alternate ansi screens for different speed modems. The split point, is the speed at which all modems, up to the given speed will use the LO (inferior quality but quicker) ansi screens. The quit option will return you to the setup program's main menu. LANGUAGES This door supports the use of a language file. This is a plain ascii text file that is read in when the program starts. It gives the door it's personality. It can be formal by using a formal English language, comical or foreign (ie French). An example of the included languages are as follows; language filename example ENGLISH Do you wish to save this question ? SURFER Keep this question Dude ? STARTREK Will I save this into the ship's log ? I have included the above 3 mentioned language files, but you can easily edit or create your own. For more information see the TECHNICAL MANUAL. EXIT SETUP This option will take you back to the feedback door. Before you leave the setup program you will be asked if you want to save the configuration. Any input other than "N" for no will save the file prior to returning to the feedback door. STATUS BAR From the sysop's view point there will appear a 2 line deep status bar at the bottom of the screen (this does not appear on the user's screen). For information regarding features of the status bar, please consult the TECHNICAL manual.