Magnum One/Magnum One (Mid-American Digital) (Disc Manufacturing).iso/d20/zipstr25.arc/ZIPSTER.DOC

Text File | 1990-02-18 | 11KB | 295 lines

           Zipster 2.5 by Bill Hay

  A Door to View/Read/Test/Extract Zipfiles

              February 18, 1990


  Table of Contents:

     I  -  Files Needed
    II  -  Basic Features of Zipster
   III  -  Disclaimer
    IV  -  The Zipster Configuration File
     V  -  Using Zipster with QuickBBS
    VI  -  Using Zipster with other BBSes
   VII  -  Trouble Shooting
  VIII  -  Acknowledgements
    IX  -  Reaching the Author


  I. Files Needed

  Zipster should include the following four files:

    ZIPSTER.EXE - The Zipster door
    ZIPSTER.DOC - This documentation file
    ZIPSTER.CFG - The sample configuration file
    ZIPSTER.NEW - The list of changes to Zipster

  Zipster is basically a BBS shell for Phil Katz's PKZIP.EXE and
  PKUNZIP.EXE utilities. It was tested with version 1.02 of those
  utilities, available as PKZ102.EXE on many bulletin board systems.
  Zipster was tested with version 2.63 of QuickBBS, but should work
  with most types of BBS software that create a DORINFO1.DEF file.

  Zipster requires a fossil driver, such as BNU 2.70 by David Nugent.
  A fossil driver allows for greater compatibility with various
  computer systems. QuickBBS also requires a fossil driver, so this
  does not mean any added work for QuickBBS sysops.


  II. Basic Features of Zipster

  Zipster allows the viewing of Zipfiles on QuickBBS systems, and also
  allows the reading, testing, and extraction of files within Zipfiles.
  Zipfiles almost always end in .ZIP, but Zipster can also handle
  self-extracting Zipfiles that end in .EXE.

  Zipster will monitor a user's remaining time, whether carrier is
  dropped, and whether the user waits too long to press a key. Do not
  use a separate utility to monitor the carrier.

  When Zipster is run, it locates the file DORINFO1.DEF which is created
  by QuickBBS. This file gives Zipster information such as the user's
  remaining time, graphics capability, and security level.

  If the sysop wants more than one directory to be checked for
  Zipfiles, Zipster will use a file called FLSEARCH.CTL (QuickBBS
  sysops should already be familiar with this file) to determine the
  directories in which to search. If the user does not have a high
  enough security level for a given directory, then that directory
  is not searched.


  III. Disclaimer

  Zipster has been tested by the author and it appears to be safe.
  However, only use this program if you agree not to hold the author
  responsible for any damage that it may cause your system.


  IV. The Zipster Configuration File

  The sysop must edit a configuration file called ZIPSTER.CFG in order
  for Zipster to function.

  Here is a sample:

  C:\BBS\DORINFO1.DEF
  The Teletech BBS
  C:\UTILITY\PKZIP.EXE
  C:\UTILITY\PKUNZIP.EXE
  C:\BBS\WORK
  C:\BBS\FILES\UPLOADS
  250

  The file is 7 lines total, and breaks down into this:

  Line 1 - The path and name for DORINFO1.DEF.

           QuickBBS, OLEcom, XBBS, and some other BBSes create a file
           called DORINFO1.DEF when a door is executed. The file is
           placed in the main BBS directory.

  Line 2 - The name of your BBS.

  Line 3 - The path and name of your PKZIP utility.
           (PKZIP can be named whatever you choose).

  Line 4 - The path and name of your PKUNZIP utility.
           (PKUNZIP can also be named whatever you choose).

  Line 5 - An empty directory that Zipster can use as a work directory.

  Line 6 - The directory where EXTRACT.ZIP will be placed.

           EXTRACT.ZIP is the name of the Zipfile that extracted files
           are placed in, so this line should specify a directory from
           which files can be downloaded.

  Line 7 - The Maximum size for EXTRACT.ZIP.

           This prevents a user from creating huge extract files in an
           attempt to decrease the number of their downloads. Also, it
           prevents an evil hacker from trying to clog your system
           with a 20 Meg Zipfile. I suggest you place 250 here, which
           means the file cannot be added to once it reaches 250
           kilobytes.


  V. Using Zipster with QuickBBS

     A. The Preferred Method for QuickBBS

        If you want to have Zipster search more than one directory,
        you will need to have QuickBBS's FLSEARCH.CTL set up, and
        have it placed in the main BBS directory. The directions for
        setting this up are in the QuickBBS documentation, and also
        in the section below (Part VI).

        First, put ZIPSTER.EXE and ZIPSTER.CFG in the QuickBBS
        directory.

        Next, create a QuickBBS Type 7 menu item, with this on the
        Optional Data line:

        To search all directories    : ZIPSTER.EXE

        To search a single directory : ZIPSTER.EXE [Name of directory]
                         For example : ZIPSTER.EXE C:\BBS\UPLOADS

        If no directory was specified, Zipster will use FLSEARCH.CTL to
        search all the directories in which a user has high enough
        security to view.

        If a directory was specified, then Zipster will only search that
        directory. FLSEARCH.CTL will not be used in this case. The sysop
        is able to set up his menus so that only a person with a high
        enough security level for the directory is allowed to use the
        door.

     B. The Not-Preferred Method for QuickBBS

        Zipster can also be called from a batch file, but will not load
        as quickly. The advantage is that ZIPSTER.EXE and ZIPSTER.CFG do
        not have to reside in the BBS directory. Here are two examples,
        both of which assume ZIPSTER.EXE and ZIPSTER.CFG are in the
        directory C:\ZIPVIEW:

          To use FLSEARCH.CTL to             To search a single
          search directories:                directory:

          CD \ZIPVIEW                        CD \ZIPVIEW
          ZIPSTER.EXE                        ZIPSTER.EXE C:\BBS\UPLOADS
          CD \BBS                            CD \BBS
          EXIT                               EXIT

        If the chosen batch file was called ZIPVIEW.BAT, this would be
        the Optional Data line for a QuickBBS Type 7 menu item:

                      *C /C C:\ZIPVIEW\ZIPVIEW.BAT


  VI. Using Zipster with other BBSes

  If you are using a type of Bulletin Board System that creates a file
  called DORINFO1.DEF when it shells to DOS, then chances are it will
  work with Zipster. OLEcom, XBBS, RBBS, and other BBSes create such a
  file, and will probably work fine with Zipster (as long as it is a
  single-node BBS). If your BBS does not use a fossil driver, then make
  sure you load a fossil driver before running Zipster.

  If you want to have Zipster handle more than one directory, you will
  need to create a file called FLSEARCH.CTL. This file tells Zipster
  which directories to search for files in, and also whether or not a
  user has a high enough security level for a given directory.
  FLSEARCH.CTL should go in the directory where DORINFO1.DEF will be,
  which is not necessarily the Zipster directory!

  Here is the structure of FLSEARCH.CTL:

  [Directory] [Security Level Needed] [Name of Directory]

  To give a real-world example:

  C:\BBS\FILES\GAMES 20 Games
  C:\BBS\FILES\COMM 10 Communications
  C:\BBS\FILES\UTIL 20 Utility_Files
  C:\BBS\FILES\UPLOADS 10 Uploads

  Note: All that is needed by Zipster are the directories and security
        levels. The directory descriptions were only shown because that
        is the format as QuickBBS originated it.

  ZIPSTER.EXE and ZIPSTER.CFG must reside together in the same
  directory.

  The first line of ZIPSTER.CFG specifies the name and location of
  DORINFO1.DEF. If more than one directory is to be searched, then
  create the FLSEARCH.CTL file and place it in the directory where
  DORINFO1.DEF will be written by the BBS.

  The command lines for calling Zipster are as follows:

  To search all directories    : ZIPSTER.EXE

  To search a single directory : ZIPSTER.EXE [Name of directory]
                   For example : ZIPSTER.EXE C:\BBS\UPLOADS

  If Zipster is called from a batch file, the batch file should switch
  to the directory that has ZIPSTER.EXE, and then run Zipster.
  For example:

     CD \ZIPVIEW
     ZIPSTER.EXE
     CD \BBS
     EXIT


  VII. Trouble Shooting

  If you run into problems, chances are the ZIPSTER.CFG or FLSEARCH.CTL
  file was not created properly. So it's a good idea to double check
  them.

  Another possible problem is insufficient memory. Zipster itself
  requires about 40K, but PKZIP and PKUNZIP will add about 90K to this.
  QuickBBS sysops who have insufficient memory to properly run Zipster
  should use the overlay version of QuickBBS, or should experiment with
  QuickBBS's Type 15 menu item. Type 15 removes the BBS from memory, so
  it is a much slower method than Type 7.

  For the hang-up feature, Zipster toggles the DTR. If you try this
  feature and it doesn't drop carrier on the caller, then you might
  want to try adding &D2&C1 to your modem's initialization string.

  The jump to DOS feature and the main test Zipfile feature look at
  COMSPEC for the location of COMMAND.COM. If you boot off of a floppy
  drive, you might want to add this to the floppy's AUTOEXEC.BAT:

  SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM

  That will speed things up a bit, and will also guard against the fact
  that the boot floppy may no longer be in the floppy drive, or that
  the floppy drive may be open.

  Zipster uses Bios screen writes, so its graphics should be compatible
  with multi-taskers.


  VIII. Acknowledgements

  Phil Katz, Loren Strand, Leif Manley, and Joshua Ellis gave me
  financial contributions for Zipster, which went to support my BBS.
  Thanks!

  I'd also like to thank everyone who has offered suggestions and
  helped test various versions of Zipster.

  Much credit also goes to Adam Hudson and the QuickBBS Group for
  writing QuickBBS, and Phil Katz for writing PKZIP and PKUNZIP.


  IX. Reaching the Author

  If you run into any bugs or problems you cannot solve, I can be
  reached either through my BBS or my home address:

         The Teletech BBS
         [phone]
         1:271/306

         Bill Hay
         5284 Fairfield Blvd.
         Virginia Beach, VA 23464

  Although payment is not required for using Zipster, a contribution of
  ten dollars would be appreciated. All proceeds go toward the upkeep of
  my BBS.

  Thanks for trying Zipster!