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- News Maker, V2.03 by Gibi Cohen. 1991,92(c)
-
- for:
- RemoteAccess , SuperBBS , QuickBBS
-
-
-
-
-
- All programs mentioned in this documentation
- are owned by their respective owners.
- All programs are (C)opyrighted.
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- - 2 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- GNEWS Files:
- ────────────
- The files listed below are part of GNEWS. Depending on where you
- obtained your copy, you may find the files in a compressed form,
- usually in a file with the extension .ZIP, .ARJ or .LZH.
- The original package is distributed as a Self-Extract file (with the
- extension .EXE), created by Haruyasu Yoshizaki's LHA (tm).
- These files may change from time to time.
-
- GNEWS.EXE The GNEWS main program.
- GNEWS203.DOC GNEWS document file for version 2.03.
- GNEWS.LIC GNEWS license agreement.
- GNEWS.REG Registration form.
- GNEWS.HIS History of GNEWS releases.
- GN_LOGO.BIN Data file used by GNEWS.
- NEWS.GNS CTL file demo to create NEWS.AVT/ANS/ASC.
- REPLACE.GNS Demo file, to GNEWS String converting capability.
- EXCLUDE.GNS Demo file, to GNEWS Excluding capability.
- NEWS.ANS Demo file, to GNEWS output.
- 2to202.doc Upgrade the CTL file.
- 202to203.doc Upgrade the CTL file.
- CRC32.EXE Checksum for the files in this package.
- CRC32.LST List of original checksums I made.
-
- -NOTE CRC32.EXE is not for commercial use.
-
- License agreement:
- ──────────────────
- Please referee to GNEWS.LIC file in this package for a complete
- license agreement.
-
- How to register
- ───────────────
- In order to register you must send me the registration form. Please
- print the GNEWS.REG file, fill it properly, and send it to:
-
- Gibi Cohen,
- P.O.Box 292
- Kiryat-Motzkin
- Zip Code: 26100
- I S R A E L
-
- I will send you the latest version of GNEWS.
-
- What does it do...
- ───────────────────
- GNEWS was created to make reading messages simple and nice. It reads
- the messages from your BBS message base and generate avatar, ansi & ascii
- files that contains all messages read.
- You can than use this files as news files or as any other regular bulletin
- files.
-
-
- - 3 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- How to install:
- ───────────────
- As you can see, there is no install batch/program for GNEWS, simply
- because installation is a brief.
- I suggest that GNEWS will be placed in a separate directory. Unpack
- the GNEWS archive file into that directory. It is also possible to
- place GNEWS in your BBS system directory.
-
- GNEWS uses 2 environment variables:
- (1) BBS environment variable, this variable contains the path
- to your system directory.
- You can set this variable by using the dos SET command, for example:
- SET RA=C:\RA or,
- SET SBBS=C:\SUPERBBS or,
- SET QUICK=C:\QUICKBBS
- If you prefer (from any reason) not to use this variable, you MUST place
- GNEWS in your BBS system directory.
-
- (2) GNEWS environment variable contains the path to
- GNEWS directory. If you decided to place GNEWS outside your BBS
- system directory, you MUST set this variable to where GNEWS resides.
- For example: SET GNEWS=C:\BBSUTILS\GNEWS , and add the same for your PATH.
-
- (3) If you prefer not to use the above recommendations, you can run GNEWS
- by specifying the Pull PathName in the Command-Line for example:
-
- C:\BBSUTILS\GNEWS\GNEWS <command-line>
-
- and GNEWS will locate it's files automatically.
-
- Remember all the following files MUST be in the same directory:
- GNEWS.EXE, GN_LOGO.BIN, NEWS.GNS, REPLACE.GNS, EXCLUDE.GNS
-
-
-
- - 4 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- Running GNEWS :
- ═══════════════
-
- -Note:
- GNEWS truncate the message SUBJECT to 57 characters (originally 72 chars).
-
- CommandLine :
- ─────────────
- GNEWS CTLfile [/DV] /R|/S|/Q [/T|/F] [/?]
-
- CTLfile - The name of GNEWS control file (no extension).
- /DV - Force GNEWS to use BIOS screen writes when in DeskView,
- or other multitasking environment.
- /R - Use RemoteAccess environment.
- /S - Use SuperBBS v1.16 and later.
- /S15 - Use SuperBBS v1.15 and earlier.
- /Q - Use QuickBBS environment.
- /T - Process only the messages that were sent to a specific user
- for example:
- /T=All will process only messages that were sent
- to All users.
- /T=Roger_Rabbit will process only messages that
- were sent to Roger Rabbit.
- /F - Same as /T but refers only to messages that were sent FROM
- the specified user.
- /F=Micky_Mouse
- /? - Brief summery of command-line parameters.
-
- The 3 Output Files that GNEWS will create will have the same
- name as the CTLfile, with .AVT / .ANS / .ASC extensions.
-
- Printing Messages :
- ───────────────────
- GNEWS is capable of printing messages to printer.
- The SysOp can define a special message-area where every message
- that will be posted to it will be printed by GNEWS and will be
- marked 'RECEIVED'.
- The best way to utilize this option is to place the following command
- in your BBS batch file, just before the BBS load command:
-
- GNEWS ScanArea /ExMail [/S:] [/E:] [/FF]
-
- ScanArea - Area number that contains the messages to be printed.
- /ExMail - Express mail, tell GNEWS to process Messages
- to printer (LPT1).
- /S: - StartTime, GNEWS will not print before this hour.
- /E: - EndTime, GNEWS will not print after this hour.
- /FF - FormFeed, GNEWS will send a Form Feed command to the
- printer after each message.
-
- For example: GNEWS 167 /ExMail /S:0900 /E:2300
- Will scan area 167 and print the messages if current time is
- between 9:00 am to 11:00 pm.
-
- ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
- │- IMPORTANT NOTE !!! - │
- │ In multi-line systems DO NOT run GNEWS while other users are On-Line, │
- │ results may be unpredictable. │
- │ If another On-Line user is updating any of your BBS files while GNEWS │
- │ is running, sharing conflicts may cause damage to your files. │
- └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
-
-
- - 5 -
-
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
-
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- Commands & Switches in the Control file :
- ═════════════════════════════════════════
-
- (*** Options marked with {+} are Registered only ***)
-
- AsciiFile = true | false
- ────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will produce an Ascii file.
- Default is true.
-
- AvtRLEmode = true : false
- ─────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will produce an Avatar compressed file.
- Default is false.
-
- {+} GnewsLogo = true | false
- ────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will display the logo.
- Default is true.
-
- ScanAnimation = 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
- ─────────────────────────────────────
- Define the Logo screen for GNEWS. The logo screen may be
- one of 6 logo screens supplied in this package, each one
- will present the logo in a different animation:
- Value = 1 will present the logo in "TOP" animation.
- Value = 2 will present the logo in "CLOCK" animation.
- Value = 3 will present the logo in "CHECKER BOARD" animation.
- Value = 4 will present the logo in "GATE" animation.
- Value = 5 will present the logo in "DOOR" animation.
- Value = 6 will present the logo in "SCRAMBLED" animation.
-
- Default Value is 1.
-
- MessageHeader = 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
- ─────────────────────────────
- Message Header, define the type of header GNEWS will use.
- You can choose between the following header types:
- Value = 1 Regular format, such as: Oct 3, 1991 ■ 22:13
- Value = 2 Detailed format, such as: Fri ■ Oct 3, 1991 ■ 22:13
- Value = 3 Full format, such as: Friday ■ October 3, 1991 ■ 22:13
- Value = 4 Simple format, such as: 10-03-91 ■ 22:13
-
- Default Value is 1.
-
-
- - 6 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- {+} Loging = true | false
- ─────────────────────
- Log activities to your BBS log file.
- Default is false.
-
- ProductSupport = true | false
- ─────────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will display it's Support BBS message.
- Default is false.
-
- MessageArea = [1 - 200]
- ───────────────────────
- This directive may be repeated as many as 200 times in the control file.
- Each line tells GNEWS which message-area to scan for active messages.
- Default area is 1.
-
- Just_Subject = "Message Subject"
- ────────────────────────────────
- This directive may be repeated as many as 20 times in the control file.
- Each line tells GNEWS to scan messages, that contains in their subject
- field the specified line.
- GNEWS can scan for a whole subject, or just for part of the subject.
- Default is "".
-
- WordWrap = [0 - 255] | [0]
- ──────────────────────────
- This directive causes GNEWS to wrap lines longer than the specified
- value for this directive.
- This option is useful in cases in which the editor used to write
- the message does not wrap lines, for example GoldED.
- {+} In the registered version the valid values are 0 - 255.
- In the Non-Registered version the valid value is - 0.
- When the value is 0, no wrapping will take place.
- Default is 78.
-
- PrivateMsgs = true | false
- ──────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will scan for private messages.
- Default is false.
-
- PublicMsgs = true | false
- ─────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will scan for public messages.
- Default is true.
-
- ScreenTitle = "Title"
- ─────────────────────
- GNEWS will display the "Title" before the first message.
- Default is "".
-
-
- - 7 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- {+} No_Active_Message_Screen = true | false
- ───────────────────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will produce a special screen that indicates that there
- are no Active messages in the specified areas.
- Default is true.
-
- Title_When_No_Active_Messages = true | false
- ────────────────────────────────────────────
- -NOTE This switch has no affect if No_Active_Message_Screen switch is set to
- false.
- true : GNEWS will display the "Title" (see previous directive)
- only when there are no active messages.
- Default is true.
-
- {+} No_Active_Messages_Message = "Message"
- ──────────────────────────────────────
- -NOTE This switch has no affect if No_Active_Message_Screen switch is set to
- false.
- What message will be displayed in your "No Active Message Screen".
- Default is "No active messages found."
-
- Add_Cls_At_End = true | false
- ─────────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will add ClearScreen after the last message.
- Default is false.
-
- Disable_Stopping_With_S = true | false
- ──────────────────────────────────────
- true : Force users to read your messages.
- Users won't be able to press 'S', to abort the screen display.
- Default is false.
-
- Enable_Stopping_With_S_after_First_Msgs = true | false
- ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
- -NOTE This switch has no affect if Disable_Stopping_With_S switch is set to
- false.
- true : Enable the 'S' key, and give the users the ability
- to stop reading after the first message has been displayed.
- Default is false.
-
- Enable_Stopping_With_S_after_High_Date = true | false
- ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
- -NOTE This switch has no affect if Disable_Stopping_With_S switch is set to
- false.
- true : Enable the 'S' key, and give the users the ability
- to stop reading only after the first messages with the
- same date were displayed.
- For example: Suppose your last three messages have the same date,
- setting this switch to true will force the users to read
- these messages, and will enable the 'S' key only after
- the last message with that date was displayed.
- Default is false.
-
-
- - 8 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- Pause_After_N_Lines = n
- ───────────────────────
- -NOTE This directive has no affect if Disable_Stopping_With_S switch is set
- to false.
- GNEWS will pause the display after n lines.
- If n is set to 0, this option will be disabled.
- Default Value: 23
-
- PauseMessage = "message"
- ────────────────────────
- This option is used with the above option.
- It tells GNEWS what message to display when pausing.
- Default is "<< PAUSE >>".
-
- {+} MessageStatAtStart = true | false
- ─────────────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will produce a nice looking Message-Base Statistics report,
- before the first message.
- Default is false.
-
- {+} MessageStatAtEnd = true | false
- ───────────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will produce a nice looking Message-Base Statistics report,
- after the last message.
- Default is false.
-
- {+} ExcludeFileName = "FileName"
- ────────────────────────────
- "FileName" is a file which contains users names whose
- messages will not be displayed.
- GNEWS supports up to 100 names to be excluded.
- Default is "".
-
- Pause_After_Last_Message = true | false
- ───────────────────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will pause after the last message.
- Default is true.
-
- Max_Messages_Age = n
- ────────────────────
- GNEWS will not display messages older than n days.
- If n is set to 0, this option will be disabled.
- Note however, that it is a good habit to maintain your
- message base regularly through the tools provided by your
- BBS system.
- Default is 0.
-
-
- - 9 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- Pause_After_Each_Message = true | false
- ───────────────────────────────────────
- true : GNEWS will pause after each message.
- Default is false.
-
- Clear_After_Pause = true | false
- ────────────────────────────────
- -NOTE This directive has no affect if Pause_After_Each_Message switch is set
- to false.
- true : GNEWS will clear the display after each message.
- Default is false.
-
-
- - 10 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- {+} Controlling Colors:
- ───────────────────
- -NOTE Directives marked with {*} can be changed also in Un-Registered version.
-
- Color Table:
- ┌────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────┐
- │ Foreground Colors... │ Background Colors... │
- ├────────────────────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────┤
- │ │ │
- │ · Black · Flashing Black │ · Black │
- │ · Blue · Flashing Blue │ · Blue │
- │ · Green · Flashing Green │ · Green │
- │ · Cyan · Flashing Cyan │ · Cyan │
- │ · Red · Flashing Red │ · Red │
- │ · Purple · Flashing Purple │ · Purple │
- │ · Brown · Flashing Brown │ · Brown │
- │ · White · Flashing White │ · White │
- │ · Gray · Flashing Gray │ │
- │ · Bright Blue · Flashing Bright Blue │ │
- │ · Bright Green · Flashing Bright Green │ │
- │ · Bright Cyan · Flashing Bright Cyan │ │
- │ · Bright Red · Flashing Bright Red │ │
- │ · Bright Purple · Flashing Bright Purple │ │
- │ · Bright Yellow · Flashing Bright Yellow │ │
- │ · Bright White · Flashing Bright White │ │
- └────────────────────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────┘
-
-
- - 11 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- The following color directives uses the following format:
- ColorDirective = COLOR
- The default values appears on the right column.
-
- Color Directive: Description: Default Value:
- ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
- ColScreenFg = Screen FG color (Bright White)
- ColScreenBg = Screen BG color (Blue)
- ColShadowBg = Shadow BG color (Black)
- ColProductSupportFg = Product Support color (Bright Green)
- ColProgTitleFg = Version title FG color (Bright White)
- ColProgTypeFg = Register title FG color (Bright Yellow)
- {*} ColPauseMessageFg = Pause message FG color (Flashing Bright Red)
- {*} ColPauseMessageBg = Pause message BG color (Black)
- ColBulletTitleFg = Screen Title FG color (Bright White)
- ColBulletTitleBg = Screen Title BG color (Red)
- ColMsgHeaderFg = Message Header FG color (Bright White)
- ColMsgHeaderBg = Message Header BG color (Red)
- ColMsgHeaderSquareFg = Message Header Square color (Bright Yellow)
- ColMsgHeaderConstFg = Message Header constants (Bright Yellow)
- ColMsgHeaderDataFg = Message Header data (Bright White)
- ColMsgStatBg = Statistics BG color (Red)
- ColMsgStatTitleFg = Statistics title FG color (Bright Yellow)
- ColMsgStatSquaresFg = Statistics Squares FG color (Bright Purple)
- ColMsgStatConstFg = Statistics constants (Bright Cyan)
- ColMsgStatDataFg = Statistics data (Bright White)
-
- (FG = Foreground color, BG = Background color)
-
- REPLACE.GNS :
- ═════════════
- In this file you can specify strings that will be searched in the
- messages and will be replaced with a corresponding strings.
-
- The following example will cause GNEWS to replace any occurrence
- of the string '@1' in a message with the string 'W'.
- ('W' is a special character, the BBS recognize and translate).
-
- '@1' 'W'
-
- For Un-Registered version GNEWS supports up to 10 replacement strings.
- Registered version supports up to 50 replacement strings.
-
- This file is optional.
-
-
-
- - 12 -
- GNEWS v2.03, Documentation, 1991/92(C)
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
-
-
-
- Special thanks to:
- ╓───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╖
- ║ Nir Yaniv for designing the beautiful LOGO for GNEWS. ║
- ║ David Pinto for his great help on this project. ║
- ║ And also to Asi Azulay. ║
- ╙───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╜
-
- ╓───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╖
- ║ ║
- ║ For latest release of GNEWS - ║
- ║ or any Questions/Troubles/Bug Reports & Feedback ║
- ║ ║
- ║ ║
- ║ ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐ ║
- ║ │ Call Northern Castle, 972-4-762-554 │ ║
- ║ │ 22:00 - 16:00 │ ║
- ║ │ SysOp: Eran Tromer │ ║
- ║ │ 2:401/250@Fidonet │ ║
- ║ │ 111:404/0@TechNet │ ║
- ║ └────────────────────────────────────────┘ ║
- ║ ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐ ║
- ║ │ GNEWS is FREQable from Northern Castle │ ║
- ║ │ by the magical name GNEWS │ ║
- ║ └────────────────────────────────────────┘ ║
- ║ ║
- ║ NetMail: Gibi Cohen, 2:401/250.3@Fidonet ║
- ║ 111:404/3@TechNet ║
- ║ ║
- ║ Mailing Address ║
- ║ ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐ ║
- ║ │ Gibi Cohen │ ║
- ║ │ P.O.Box 292 │ ║
- ║ │ Kiryat Motzkin │ ║
- ║ │ Zip Code: 26100 │ ║
- ║ │ │ ║
- ║ │ I S R A E L │ ║
- ║ └────────────────────────────────────────┘ ║
- ║ ║
- ╙───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╜
-