Beijing Paradise BBS Backup

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Beijing Paradise BBS Backup / PARADISE.ISO / software / BBSDOORW / TLNKD2G1.ZIP / TOPLINK.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1996-06-07 | 15.1 KB | 330 lines

TOPLink Version 2.00g1 User Documentation Copyright 1996 by Paul Sidorsky, ISMWare Original Documentation Copyright 1994 by David Ong, OmniWare [ Description ] TOPLink is a teleconference linking program. Specifically, it links TOP (The Online Pub) teleconferences to almost any other teleconference program such as another copy of TOP, a Major BBS teleconference, or even IRC on the Internet! [ Gamma Notice ] This is a gamma version of TOPLink, release in conjunction with the gamma version of TOP. It is fully functional but not complete. Please report all bugs to the author immediately! See the end of this file for information on how to contact the author. The final release of TOPLink will contain the following enhancements: - File locking for more stable and secure interaction with TOP. - Support for TOP's Crash Protection. - Support for TOP v2.00 (final) when it is released. [ Requirements ] TOPLink requires: 128K of memory. The Online Pub Teleconference (TOP) v2.00g1 or higher. FOSSIL Communications Driver loaded. SHARE.EXE loaded (or an operating system with built-in SHARE support, such as OS/2). NOTE: At this time, there is no OS/2 or Win95 version of TOPLink. This DOS version of TOPLink should work seamlessly with TOP for OS/2 or TOP for Win95. [ Licence ] You may upload TOPLink to any bulletin board, distribute copies to other users, and use TOPLink provided these conditions are met: 1) You may use TOPLink for a 60 DAY TRIAL PERIOD after which you MUST register TOPLink or discontinue using it. 2) None of the files contained in the archive have been added, deleted, or modified in any way prior to being distributed. 3) There is no charge other than a nominal fee for the diskette and cost of sending the program. 4) Shareware distributors MUST make it clear that they are receiving an unregistered EVALUATION copy that requires a registration fee be sent to the author after a trial period. 5) Registered versions of this program ARE NOT TO BE DISTRIBUTED. 6) This licence may be revoked by the author without prior notice. [ Files ] TOPLINK.EXE TOPLink program for BBSs running TOP 2.00g1 or higher. TOPLINK.DOC This file. Documentation for TOPLink. UPGRADE.DOC What to do if you're upgrading from RAPLink. HISTORY.DOC Program history. REGISTER.FRM Registration form. README.1ST Important program information. DONTSHOW.TXT Sample file used with TOPLink. FILE_ID.DIZ Archive description, for BBSs. *** WARNING: Do not PKLITE, LZEXE or do any similar thing to TOPLink. Doing so will corrupt the program! TOPLink writes its configuration directly to the TOPLINK.EXE file. It is recommended you put these files in a seperate directory from TOP. [ Configuring TOPLink ] Run TOPLink with a /CONFIG parameter to access the configuration manual. Command line> TOPLINK /CONFIG You will be able to configure these options by using the up/down cursor keys to move to the option you wish to change. Then hit ENTER to change that option. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your BBS Name - This is the name of your BBS system. ANSI Stripping - If this is set to ON, TOPLink will remove all ANSI coming from the BBS you have linked to. PubColour Code Sending - If this is set to ON, TOPLink will send PubColour codes to the BBS you have linked to. This can be set ON if you are connect to another TOP teleconference, otherwise it should be OFF. Show BBS Name - When turned ON, the name of the BBS is displayed in front of the text received from that BBS. TOPLink usually looks better with this setting turn OFF, but can be confusing to the users especially if TOPLink is connected to another TOP teleconference. Sending Delay - Some teleconference programs cannot received data at the rate TOPLink sends it. If this is true of the teleconference TOPLink is linked to make sure this setting is set to a suitablely long delay. For TOP systems a delay of 7ms works well. Checking Delay - In order to reduce the stress on a multi-tasking or network system TOPLink can be set to delay for a certain number of seconds between checking incoming text from the linked BBS, and incoming text from local useres. If this setting is set to 0, TOPLink will continuously be checking for incoming messages. Direct Text - This can be used to turn off access to direct text. Direct text is text from the user that is sent exactly as the user writes it. No braces "[]" or any other text is added to it. BBS Commands - TOPLink has commands which the linked BBS can send. If you do not want them to be able to, turn this option to OFF. Give Time Slices - When there is no incoming text from the linked BBS and no incoming text from the local users, TOPLink will give up time slices to the operating system. This can help overall system performance on a multitasked PC. Channel Number - This is the channel number that you want TOPLink to "inhabit". It can range from 0 to 2147483647. TOPLink is currently _NOT_ able to use channels right up to 3999999999 (as TOP supports), nor is it able to use Personal Channels or Conferences. Setting this to 0 means that TOP will reside in EVERY channel simultaneously. Minimum Security - TOPLink can appear invisible to users who don't have a certain security level. This allows you to prevent "twit" users or unverified users from using or seeing the link. All text sent by TOPLink will be ignored by users who don't have this security level, and all text sent by these users will be ignored by TOPLink. This can be set from 0 to 65535. MaxNodes Setting - This should be set exactly the same as the MaxNodes setting in your TOP.CFG file. Crash Prot. Delay - This setting is not used in this version of TOPLink, but it will be used in the next (release) version. For now, you MUST set the CrashProtDelay setting in TOP.CFG to 0! TOPLink does not currently support TOP's crash protection. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- After you have set the options to your preference press the <ESC> key. You will be prompted as to if you want to save the settings. Type "Y" if you want them saved, "N" if you don't. [ DONTSHOW.TXT File ] Any message you don't want displayed from the other BBS should be added to this file. Usually message sent text is ignored since it adds a lot of extra clutter. Up to 50 lines can be placed in the DONTSHOW.TXT file with an ASCII text editor. Sample DONTSHOW.TXT file: -Sent- -- Message Sent -- -- Sent -- The file must be placed in the SAME directory TOPLink is in. [ Linking to a BBS ] First of all, make sure TOP HAS BEEN RUN PREVIOUSLY OR IS RUNNING. TOPLink will not initialize/create the *.TCH files. Then call the BBS you want to link to using any terminal program that allows you to shell to DOS. Enter the BBS's teleconference and shell to DOS. Then run TOPLink with these parameters: ========================================================================= TOPLink <com port> <BBS Name> <TOP work path> <node> <comport> Is the com port you are going to use. COM1 = 1, COM2 = 2, etc. <BBS Name> Is the name of the BBS (Only one word!) you are linking to. <work path> Is the path to TOP's work directory. <node> Is the node TOPLink should use. Example: Command Line> TOPLINK 2 Nucleus d:\top\workdir ========================================================================= [ While TOPLink is Running ] TOPLink will load and a Pub entry message should appear to all the TOP users. The screen should look something like this once TOPLink has started: ***************************************************************************** TOPLink v2.00g1 Copyright 1996 Paul Sidorsky, All Rights Reserved. ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░┌── Com Port: 2 ─────────────────────────────────────── Node: 3 ───┬────┐░░░ ░│[ TOPLink v1.00 Activated ] │Sent│░░░ ░│[ TOPLink v1.00 Activated ] │Rcvd│░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░│ │ │░░░ ░├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴────┤░░░ ░│L)inked to: Nucleus │░░░ ░│A)nsi Stripping is: Off B)BS Name Displaying is: On │░░░ ░│S)end TOP codes: Off D)irect Text is: On │░░░ ░└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ <ESC> Exits TOPLink and disengages the link Unregistered ***************************************************************************** The window displays what TOPLink sends or receives from the com port and what it does to it shown by the right hand section of the window. These are the codes and what they mean: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sent - Text that is sent to the other BBS. Rcvd - Text received from the other BBS but not broadcasted to the local TOP users. Brod - Text received from the other BBS and is broadcasted to the local TOP users. DTxt - Direct text sent from a local user. No braces "[]" or any other text is added to it. -Who - Sending response from a (TOP:WHO) command issued by the linked BBS. -Ver - Sending response from a (TOP:VER) command issued by the linked BBS. Availible commands in the TOPLink session: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Key to press What it Does L Change the name of the link. A Toggles ANSI stripping of incoming text. B Toggles display of linked BBS Name to local users. S Toggles sending of TOP colour codes to linked BBS. D Toggles ability of local users to send text directly to the linked BBS. ESC Exits TOPLink Alt-J Shells to DOS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Commands for Users ] By typing text as usual, TOPLink will send it over the modem to the linked BBS. Actions, talktypes, profile editor enter/exiting, and many other things are sent to the linked BBS. Direct text can be sent to the linked BBS by a user by whipsering to the link and putting a "*" before the text. eg: Rebel: /q *poker scan Commands from the other BBS can be sent to TOPLink. There are currently two commands availible. They must be enclosed with parentheses "()". (TOP:WHO) - Shows who is in TOP at the moment. (TOP:VER) - Shows version and copyright of TOPLink. [ Acknowledgements ] The author of TOPLink wishes to thank David Ong for providing me with the original source code and documentation for RAPLink so it could be adapted for TOP. David was too busy with university and related happenings to do this job. I am immensely grateful to him that I didn't have to rewrite TOPLink and its documentation, because it saved me months worth of work. [ Disclaimer ] This software and accompanying materials are distributed "as is" without warranty, expressed or implied; including but not limited to any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall Paul Sidorsky or anyone else involved with the creation and production of this product be held liable for any damages, including, but not limited to, any lost profits, savings, data or other incidental, indirect, special, or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use this software, or for any claim by any other party, even if Paul Sidorsky have advised of the possibility of such damages. The person using the software bears all risk as to the quality and performance of the software. [ Copyright Acknowledgements ] This document may have mentioned other products. All copyrights, trademarks and reserved rights held by these products are acknowledged. All trademarks and registered trademarks belong to their respective owners. [ Registering TOPLink ] TOPLink is shareware. If you use TOPLink for more than a 60 DAY TRIAL PERIOD you MUST register it or discontinue using TOPLink. Registering TOPLink costs $15. Please see REGISTER.FRM for payment details. TOPLink is NOT CRIPPLED (I don't like crippling my software), but does have "reminders" that it is unregistered. Registering TOPLink will remove all these reminders that TOPLink. ************************************************************************** *Print out REGISTER.FRM, complete the form and mail to the address shown!* ************************************************************************** [ Reaching the author ] Please report any bugs and feel free to send comments/suggestions! FidoNet - 1:134/31 Internet - paulsid@nucleus.com Or call the ISMWare Support directly (403)686-0449 and leave a message by pressing L at the main menu. Or send mail to: Paul Sidorsky 1414 45th Street SW Calgary, Alberta CANADA T3C 2C2 The latest version of TOPLink can be downloaded from the ISMWare Support BBS by calling (403)686-0449. The current version of TOPLink can also be freqed using the magic name of "TOPLINK".