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HELP.TXT
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1996-06-17
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──══ Galaxy 5 ══──
Help With Doors
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
This file explains how to setup a door, and the use of fossil
drivers, and related topics. It is primarily for those who are not
yet familiar with the setup of doors on their BBS (new SysOps). If
you already know how to setup doors, then you do not need to read
this file. It starts from the basics of door setup.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Please keep in mind that I run a Wildcat! 4 system, and will be
giving many examples using the Wildcat! doors setup. If you are
running BBS software other than Wildcat!, then setup points
referred to in this file, may differ slightly, or greatly.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
DOOR SETUP
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
When you first install a door, you should read any documentation
on the setup of that particular door. Most doors are similiar in
setup, but alot have their own requirements on setting up.
Sometimes door authors will include a SYSOP.DOC file with their
door. This file usually contains everything you need to know on
how to setup the door. If there is no SYSOP.DOC file, look for
one or more of these files,
SYSOP.TXT
README.TXT
READ1ST.TXT
README.1ST
INSTALL.TXT
INSTALL.DOC
SETUP.DOC
SETUP.TXT
If you see any of these files (especially the README files), you
should refer to them immediately before attempting to install the
door. If none of the above files are included, then look for a
.DOC or .TXT file with the same name as the door. Such as
GALAXY5.DOC for Galaxy 5.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
First, if necessary, run the setup program that comes with the
door (or any install programs needed, or both if necessary). If
you need to edit a .CFG file, then do that also. In some setup
programs, and/or .CFG files, you will be asked where the door can
find your BBS drop file. Drop files have different names for
different BBS platforms, and some use the same drop files. Here is
a list of a few of them,
DOOR.SYS
DORINFO*.DEF
CALLINFO.BBS
PCBOARD.SYS
SFDOORS.DAT
Among many others. Many new SysOps ask the common question, "I
don't have a DOOR.SYS file! Where is mine?" Or whatever drop file
your BBS uses. The answer is simple, there isn't one! These files
are temporary files created when a user uses a door on your BBS.
The door then reads this drop file to gather caller information
such as name, security level, time left on BBS, COM port info,
etc. After the door exits, and your BBS returns, the drop file is
erased. So you will not see a door drop file at any given time,
unless you are in another "window" in a multi-tasking environment,
looking in the drop file directory while a caller is using a door.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Sometimes the door configuration will ask for your drop file type.
This is where you either use the file name of the drop file your
BBS creates, or a special abbreviation or other code the door uses
for each different type of drop file (the config file or setup
program will usually inform you of the code to use if any). Then
you may be asked for the directory where to find this drop file. A
Wildcat! single node system would use the C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE1
directory (replacing C:\WILDCAT with your home Wildcat!
directory). And sometimes the door configuration will ask for the
full path and file name of the drop file. A Wildcat! single node
system would use, C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE1\DOOR.SYS (again
replacing the C:\WILDCAT with your home Wildcat! directory).
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
SETTING UP THE BATCH FILE(S)
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The most important thing you probably need to look for, in the
documentation, is how to set up the batch file(s) for the door.
The batch file(s) to run the door, are ran from your BBS software.
In a Wildcat! 4 setup, these batch files have the .BAT extension,
and are placed in the WILDCAT\BATCH subdirectory. Here is a basic
example of a batch file used to run a door when the BBS is setup
to "shell" to doors instead of terminating (the recommended
setting),
@ECHO OFF
D:
CD\DOORS\DOORNAME
DOORNAME FILENAME.CFG
Here are explanations of each command
---------------------------------------
@ECHO OFF - This turns of echoing these commands to your screen.
It is not really a necessary command, but is used by
many SysOps (including myself!).
D: - This is only needed if your doors are located on a
different drive than your BBS software. It will change
to that drive before executing the door.
CD\DOORS\DOORNAME - Changes to the directory containing the door
about to be executed. Most of the time, this
is necessary for the door program to be able
to find its program files. If you use a
command like,
D:\DOORS\DOORNAME\DOORNAME.EXE FILENAME.CFG,
then if the door needs to use any external
program files, it will not be able to find
them, because you are actually running the
door from your drop file directory this way,
instead of the doors own directory.
DOORNAME FILENAME.CFG - Executes the door using the configuration
file as the command line (if needed). Here
is where door batch files usually get
tricky. Many doors use many different
command line parameters (the command line
parameter in this case is the FILENAME.CFG
command) to initiate the door. You will
have to find out what command line
parameters you need to use to execute each
door from your BBS batch file, in one of
the documentation files explained earlier.
Most doors need the name of the config
file as the only parameter, but this is
not always the case, so you really should
look at the docs to find out what
parameters you need to use.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Case is not important in your batch file(s). Upper or lower case
can be used anywhere in the above commands.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Sometimes you will need to change back to your drop file directory
after the door is run (if