Magnum One/Magnum One (Mid-American Digital) (Disc Manufacturing).iso/d7/host44.arc/WHATS.NEW

Text File | 1990-10-26 | 15KB | 314 lines

This is a complete list of all changes made to HOST44 from the previous
HOST43.
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Changed the way HOST44 does it's Kill Message routine. Now the option
is no  longer a "Menu" option  but is  contained in the  read message
routine, this allows the user to kill a message  that they have  just
finished reading (like WildCat! does)

Added ability for access level 9 users to be able to read ANY message
even if private.

Fixed bug that caused HOST43 to not  work if it was started up with a
user already online.

Fixed bug in full screen  editor which caused the ESC, Redraw command
to not show the line currently on after doing a message redraw.

Sped up remote input so  that HOST44 now pretty  much stays with  the
remote users typing.

Added "Delete Line" command (Ctrl-Y) in the message editor.  Now  the
user can delete a whole line from the message with one keystroke.

Added "Insert Line" ability with the ENTER key.  Now the editor  will
add a new line each time the enter key is  pressed.  If in the middle
of a sentance and  it is pressed a new line is  inserted and the rest
of the sentence will be "Moved" into the new line.  his works basicly
like most editors/word processors.

Fixed bug with certain  modems which caused HOST43  to go into a loop
after a caller called and then hung up before a connection was  made.
This caused a endless loop of HOST43  trying to hangup/connect/hangup
etc.

Speed up the process which saves messages, now the editor saves large
messages in less then three seconds.

Fixed Bug  in the read message  section that when ANSI was off caused
the first line of every  message to be printed on the bottom  line of
the screen

Added option of exiting Telix when a shut down of the system is done.

Added full HOST44 support for the numeric keypad, now you can use the
keypad to enter numbers in ALL parts of the system including defaults
message editor, etc!

Added option to allow HOST44 to use the modem's  auto answer ability,
by turning on the option (in modem config) this will make  HOST44 run
like HOST41 and previous versions instead of watching for the RING.

Changed way HOST44 determines the baud rate.  Now HOST44 will get all
input from the modem and then strip out the connect string.  As well,
HOST44  will  now  use  the  Connect string  specified  in the  Telix
configuration to scan for the correct baud rate.

Added *.* download ability for levels 7-9 users only.

Added Quick Logon feature at  ANSI prompt.  Now you can type  in your
name  and password  without  having to  go through  the prompts.  The
format is Y{NAME{PASSWORD with the "Y" being either a [Y]es  or  [N]o
for supporting ANSI.

Made  HOST44 require that  it's data files be  located  in their  own
directory.  You must now run HINSTALL.SLC and it will then  correctly
install  HOST44 and all  it's files for you,  this is done by placing
all  the files  in the archive  into your  Telix directory, then  run
HINSTALL.SLC (from within Telix) and it will install the files.

Fixed Problem in ADDFILES  program which required  you to press ENTER
on each input in order to save the input. Now it is automaticly saved
when you move to the next/previous field.  Also the Addfiles  program
now updates all the items before it saves the file to the database.

Added pause routine to read message function.  Now will pause on each
full screen of a message.

Increased allowed size of messages. Now you can have messages with up
to 40 lines of text.  This is double the lines  available in previous
versions of HOST

Added feature that  prints a line  saying End Of Message when on  the
last  screen of  the message editor  input.  This  is a reminder  for
people so they don't think they have more room to work with.

Rewrote H44COMP.EXE file base  compressor.  Now can handle up  to 999
total files, and  requires less memory to run in. (will conduct tests
to find  out exact memory  requirements).  The new  format makes  the
compression slightly slower then before, but is offset by less memory
requirements and more files allowed.

Changed the tag routine of ADDFILES.EXE. Now when you tag/untag files
the scroll  bar is automaticly  moved to the  next file.  This  works
pretty much like Xtree, and PCShell work.

Added feature  to the ADDFILES.EXE  program which  will automatically
advance to the next file  after saving the current file  information.
Also switched the operation of the F1/F2 keys in the file information
section.  Now F1 saves the file (which goes along with pressing F1 to
get into the file information  section) and F2 now  skips to the next
file.

Increased the speed of  the Message Editor  when it wraps lines.  The
improvement in speed is greatly noticed on the XT speed machines.

Added User Search when a user writes a message to someone.  This will
search the user file for the person who the message is to, and if the
person is not found will ask the person to input the message again.

Rewrote  source code to  allow for  greater watching  of the  carrier
signal.  Now  HOST44 will  properly handle a  carrier  loss or a user
termination at all inputs in the program.

Added Non-FullScreen Message Editor.  Now the user is able  to choose
to use either the full screen visual editor or the line editor.  This
allows users who can't support ANSI to use the message editor.

Added Quoting of reply messages!  Now you can quote any  line(s) from
the original message (only available if an actual reply to a message)
by hitting  either Ctrl-O or  ESC-O in the  Full Screen Editor or  by
hitting return and then O in  the Non FullScreen Editor.  This  works
pretty much like ProDoor's quote feature.

Removed the Archive  Directory option in configuration.  HOST44  will
now use the PATH statement to find the  archive programs it needs  to
use.

Added ALT-A shell to Editor to the main menu.  This will allow you to
hit ALT-A and automaticly run the Editor you have specified in Telix.

Added a new GetHotNumber function which is used by the  Bulletins and
the user color change routine.  his allows the user to have "HotKeys"
but also input double and triple digit numbers instead of only single
digits.  This is done  by examining  the inputed  number  against the
highest  allowed number.  This  will allow  users to  view bulletins,
go to specific messages, choose  numbered options, by just  typing in
the number on the  line like in choosing lettered options.  This will
allow for up to numbers from 1 to 99,999.

Changed all single  inputs (menus,  Yes/No prompts, and others) to be
automatic HotKeys, and only the key's needed are allowed to be chosen
This now makes HotKeys on constantly and thus the user default  is no
longer needed.

Added TrashCan List.  This is a data file which you would  create and
place in the HOST Data  Directory.  It is a straight  ASCII file with
the format o f each line being a  name that is NOT allowed  for a new
user to use, thus if  you had two names you did not want to have used
ie (Joe Blow, NightHawk) you would have a file format like this:

****** START OF FILE ******
Joe Blow
NightHawk
******  END OF FILE  ******

This would then  not allow users to  input those names  as new users.
The filename for the list should be TRASHCAN.DAT and should be put in
the HOST Data Directory.

Changed Read Message  routine.  Now there is  no longer the need  for
the "#" to be used to move to a specific message.  You can now change
to a specific message by just typing in the number you want to read.

Improved  ADDFILES.EXE.  Now the program  only allows a <RETURN> on a
directory (so no more screen updates if you press return on a  file).
Also added Mouse Support! You can use the mouse to move the light bar
to the file/directory, the left button is for clicking on directories
and the right is for tagging files.

Added Password file  protection  to files.  Now  level 7-9 users  are
prompted if they wish to  password protect the file, if  they do they
are prompted to input a password for the file.  When the file is then
choosen for download the user will be asked to input the password. If
they  fail to give  the  correct one  they  will not  be  allowed  to
download  the file.  Level 9 users  can also change  the password (or
remove it) by using the Edit File command.

Added new feature to  the ADDFILES program.  Now it will try  to find
its data files by getting the data directory from HOST44.SLC. It find
HOST44.SLC by using  the TELIX.CNF file  to get the script directory.
The only  requirement to running the program from a different  drive,
or directory is  that you have the  TELIX variable  set correctly  in
your environment (which it should be anyway).

Increased total number of files that ADDFILES can handle.  Now it can
handle up to 400  files at once, and can  allow the tagging of up  to
100 files.

Fixed Bug in Chat  Mode which did not  check the ANSI status for  the
user.  This  resulted in  Chat  sending the ANSI  color c odes to the
user even though they did not support ANSI.

Added a Screen  Blanking routine.  This  routine will blank the  main
screen (waiting for  call screen) at  a specified  number  of minutes
(set by  config option  in configuration  program).  Also  after  the
screen has been  blanked a single line will be  printed on the screen
to remind you that HOST44 is running.  Pressing any key  will restore
the  screen.  The single  line rotates to  three positions  every  10
seconds to avoid burn.

Increased number of messages allowed in registered  version!  Now the
registered version can have up to  29,999 messages, the  unregistered
version now allows up to 99 messages.

Changed Bulletin setup.  Now the Configuration  program has it's  own
Bulletin Input Routine which  will allow you to Add, Delete, and Edit
bulletins from the list.  Now you can have up to 999 bulletins in the
registered version, and 10 in the unregistered version.

Changed the [MORE] prompt.  Now the prompt will allow you to continue
'Y'/ENTER, or quit 'N'.  This works in the files list,  typing a text
file, viewing bulletins, et all.

Added routine  to allow user  to have HOST44 disconnect  after a they
have completed a download.

Added Doors to HOST44, now you  can add doors to HOST44 by  using the
configuration program to configure each door (up to 999).  The  doors
can be any file (EXE, COM,  BAT, SLC) and can also be  located in any
directory. HOST44 will allow you to specify a command line to be sent
to the program as well you can choose to convert and run PCBoard 14.x
QBBS/RBBS, GAP/Doorway  doors.  Also the  new format will  allow easy
installation of new door converters by sticking the new converter  in
the HOST data directory. HOST44 will automatically sense its addition
and will use it.

Increased  user  access level's to 9.  9, is  now the  "Sysop"  level
and 7-8  are "Co-Sysop"  level's.  All other level's  are basicly the
same with  the exception of  level's 3 and  up having  access  to the
extract  archive  command and  level's  1, 2 not  having access.  The
increase in level's is basicly for time purposes in  allowing certain
users to have more time (but same access) then the others.

Added ability for HOST44 to keep track of users time left on. Now the
user only get's his allotted time  for that whole day and after  they
has used it all up they will be disconnected and  will not be allowed
on the system until the next day (Like most major BBS systems).

Added  routine to  configuration program  called Configure  Archives.
This routine will  allow the  sysop to add, remove, or edit up to  10
different archive formats.

Added New "Message Editor"  to HOST44.  Now when you are  prompted to
use the Full Screen Editor you can also (besides Y/N)  choose 'U' for
UPLOAD an  ASCII message.   This allows  people  to compose  messages
offline and then do a quick ASCII  upload to HOST44, HOST44 will then
input the message and save it. Note that the character limit per line
is 75, and that you should not attempt to upload  a message with more
characters.

Completely re-wrote the chat logic statements and d ecreased the size
of the function by quite a bit.  Also made it a little easier for the
chat status to work with chat periods which go over midnight.

Added Macro's to HOST44! Now you can assign a macro to almost ANY key
(with exception of a few specific keys as F1-F10, ALT-X, ALT-J, etc).
The macro's are  configured in  H44UTILS under the  section Configure
Macros.  This will allow you to display  the macro assigned  to a any
specific key and edit the key to  add a macro.  The macro's can  only
containe standard ASCII characters and  Ctrl characters designated by
adding  a carate '^' in front  of the  letter  (for  example:  Ctrl-M
<ENTER> would be '^M').

Added the ability for the sysop to change the  BACKGROUND colors  for
the  five major HOST44  colors.  You  can now change  the  background
colors by hitting PgDn/PgUp when using the  Arrow key's to choose the
specific color.

Removed the '"USERNAME" Correct (Y/N)' statement from the logon. This
was no longer needed as the user  search routine already  allowed for
the user to re-enter their name if the made a mistake.

Added new feature to the NEWS screen.  Now the news  will be shown on
the first time a user calls  each day ONLY.  If the user calls back a
second time that day they will not be shown the news again.

Changed all  '['/']' to '('/')' for  European use, the '['  was being
written as different  characters due to usage of a  different country
keyboard setup (For example, in Sweden the ']' was shown as 'å').

Added new configuration option to change the name of the Telix Config
file being used with HOST44.  Note this should NOT be  changed unless
you are using Telix with a multiple  configuration setup.  If you are
running HOST44 with Telix having a different configuration file other
then TELIX.CNF, then you MUST change  this option "U" to the  correct
configuration file!

Added  routine to HOST44 which  checks the AutoBaud setting  from the
Telix configuration file (set by option  in config).  This allows the
removal  of the  AutoBaud  routine in  HOST44 as well as  making  the
program easier to setup.

Added routine to  check the version of Telix to  make sure  it can be
run under that version of Telix (3.0).

Added a few command variables which can be placed in the door command
lines as well as the Doorway command line.  These new variables  will
allow the sysop to provide a better interface between HOST44  and the
Doors, as well it will allow sysops to use DOORWAY.EXE on Comm3/Comm4
by using  the PORT:XXXX:A  command on  the doorway command  line,  by
substituting in the %P/%I.

          %C - Com Port Number
          %P - Port Address
          %I - IRQ Line
          %B - Baud Rate
          %D - DTE Rate
          %M - Minutes Left On System
          %S - Seconds Left On System
          %L - Location of Door System File