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1991-04-28
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A2T 2.1 by Robert Kirby
Disclaimer:
Use this software at your own risk. No guarantees or warranties.
File info:
VALIDATE 0.3 Copyright 1988-89 by McAfee Associates. (408) 988-3832
File Name: a2t.exe
Size: 10,864
Date: 12-26-1989
File Authentication:
Check Method 1 - 5EF7
Check Method 2 - 048F
A2T.EXE --> executable program.
A2T.DOC --> the docs.
Registration:
This is a shareware program.
Send $5.00 to:
Save the Chip Channel
P.O. Box 270019
Houston, Tx 77277-0019
Or call:
The Houston Chip Channel, BBS# (713)/660-7565
Node 860/1 of the PhoenixNet
Introduction to A2T, the ASCII to Telix dial directory utility:
This is a program to convert an ASCII file, such as a BBS list into
a Telix dialing directory. The program is relatively fast and command
line driven. I tailored the initial configuration after a popular BBS
list that we have here in Houston called "Judy's List", and the most
common dialing directory settings for an IBM PC or compatible.
At this time, Judy's List is what A2T works best on, but I will try
to enhance it to compile just about any ASCII BBS list into a Telix
dialing directory with a minimum of effort on the user's end.
A2T takes approximately 2.5 seconds to compile "Judy's List" into a
Telix dialing directory, and that is on an XT clone. With A2T, I can
set up all sorts of BBS lists that I download without having to type
them up.
Instructions for running A2T:
1) setup the bbs list - this is crucial for proper results.
2) if you plan to overwrite your current Telix dial dir,
MAKE A BACKUP of the file named TELIX.FON!
2) run a2t
At this time, A2T has 3 optional parameters. They are the input
parameter, the output parameter, and the config parameter. The input
parameter is the name of your BBS list in ASCII form. This must come
BEFORE the output parameter on the command line. The output parameter
if the name of the dialing directory file to be created. Both of these
parameters are optional. If you leave the first one off, you will be
asked for the name of the ASCII input file, and the output file will
automatically be TELIX.FON. To take advantage of the second optional
output filename parameter, you must enter the first parameter also.
No suffixes are assumed, that is you must enter them (if you want them)
in the filename parameters. You may enter paths for these parameters.
The third optional parameter is the config parameter. This is how
you control the compiling of your BBS list. The third optional
parameter is preceeded by a forward slash, and then a code list
to inform A2T what you want done with the BBS list. This parameter
can appear anywhere on the command line.
If you enter no config parameter at all, you will be given a dialing
directory that will use 2400bps, and the BBS list should use a '.' for
the delimiter for the BBS name, and a ' ' for the delimiter for the
phone number. This was the easiest way to compile Judy's list, but
you can override these defaults with config parameters.
The codes in the config parameter are listed after the forward slash
and can be in any order but they must have the proper syntax
to work as described below.
Here are the config parameter definitions:
/Bz where z = 0, 1, 2, or 9
This is the Bps parameter code, and will define the bps rate that
you want in your dial dir.
Here are the code parameter definitions:
0 = 300 bps
1 = 1200 bps
2 = 2400 bps
9 = 9600 bps
/D? where ? = S or C
This is Delimiter parameter code. When I first wrote A2T, I wrote
it for Judy's list which contained a period for the first delimiter
(which terminates the BBS name) and space for the second delimiter
(which terminates the phone number). This strange case is still
the default if you don't give a delimiter parameter, but if you
give one, both the BBS name and BBS number delimiters become the
delimiter that you specify.
Here are the code parameter definitions:
S = space
C = comma
/Ix where x = 0 through 9
This is the Ignore parameter code. This will skip a given number
of FIELDS in the BBS list, before processing the BBS NAME.
Note that each field is terminated by a delimiter. Since I
originally wrote A2T for a case in which the two delimiters were
different, the FIRST delimiter (a period) is used for the default
case. This can be combined with the D config parameter to use
a different delimiter.
Also note that a delimiter consists of one character. For example,
if you are using a space for a delimiter, and you have several spaces
before the BBS name is to be processed, they are each a field skip
and must be counted separately.
/My where y = 2 digit number
This is the Move parameter code. This will move a specified number
of COLUMNS on one line of the BBS list before proceeding to process
the first field.
This parameter is a little different than the other parameters.
Firstly, it MUST be the first parameter in the config parameter list.
For example: /M02ds is OK, but /dSM02 isn't OK.
Secondly, the M must be followed by a two digit number representing
the number of columns to move over, even if the digit is less than
10. For example: /M02ds is OK, but /M2ds isn't OK. You can use a
number anywhere from 01 to 99 to move specific columns.
Thirdly, the M parameter shouldn't be combined with the I parameter.
The I parameter is used for one case of skipping fields, and the M
parameter is used for a completely different case of skipping columns.
Command line Examples:
A picture tells 2000 words (that is if you're in text mode)
MSDOS_Prompt> A2T [D:path\file] [[D:path\file]] /config parameter
^ ^
This is This is the optional output file
the input parameter which is only accessable
ASCII file. by entering the first parameter.
different config parameters:
/DcI4 ---> use comma for delimiter, skip 4 fields first
/B9DS ---> use bps rate of 9600, use a space for the delimiter
/B1DsI2 ---> use bps of 1200, use a space for delimiter, ignore 1st 2 fields
/M11ds ---> move over 11 columns, use a space for a delimiter.
Setting up the BBS list file:
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE WHOLE DEAL. As mentioned
earlier, I tailored the program after a popular list here in Houston,
and used the format of that list so that minor modifications to the
list would render it usable.
Three characters have special meanings in the ASCII text file.
They are:
';' -----> the semicolon IN THE FIRST COLUMN OF THE LINE, is used
to comment out the whole line. It is VERY important to
comment out any line that is not going to be processed!
'.' -----> (or the delimiter you gave on the command line)
the period is used to terminate the NAME of the BBS. This
worked fairly well with Judy's list, although I did have
to add a terminating period to one or two names, and one
or two or three names terminated early because they had
periods in the name. Telix only allows 25 characters for
a name, so it is wise to stay below this in your entries.
' ' -----> (or the delimiter you gave on the command line)
the space is used to terminate the PHONE NUMBER of the BBS.
Telix only allows 17 characters for a phone number,
so it is wise to stay below this in your entries.
;BBS List setup Example:
; second is the number, variable length <= 17 (space terminates)
; Comment line v
BBS Name.........212-111-1111 Maybe a comment could be here...
; ^
; the name comes first, variable length <= 25 (period terminates)
;
; Note : this is the DEFAULT, you can override these settings with parameters
The rest of the information in the ASCII import file will be discarded.
There are some other givens that you should be aware of. These are the most
common settings in a Telix dialing directory for an IBM PC or compatible
user:
Parity = NONE
Data Bits = 8
Stop Bits = 1
Protocol = Zmodem
Emulation = ANSI-BBS
Script = Left Blank
Password = Left Blank
Messages:
If you simply enter :
MSDOS_Prompt> A2T
Then you will be prompted :
"Enter the text input filename:"
"Output file already exists. Hit <ESC> to abort, any other key if OK."
If the output file you give exists, you will be notified.
You will be prompted to hit the <ESC> key to abort the compilation if you
do not want your TELIX.FON file overwritten. If you hit any other key,
the compilation will proceed.
"<BEEP>Sorry, one of your parameters has an error, try again."
The two main causes for this message are 1) you gave an input filename
that doesn't exist or 2) you have a syntax error in your parameter config
list.
Version info:
1.0 - 12-24-89 This is it! The first version. I hope to add more
enhancements very soon.
1.1 - 12-24-89 Corrected a problem that occurred when the user
entered an incorrect bps parameter.
2.0 - 12-25-89 Added several more parameter command line options.
2.1 - 12-26-89 Improved the record processing display.