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┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ Oblivion/2 Bulletin Board System │ │ Version 2.30 │ │ │ │ Copyright (C) 1991-1995 Darkflame Enterprises. │ │ All rights reserved. No part of this documentation may │ │ be altered without the consent of Darkflame Enterprises. │ │ │ │ Written by: Eric Katz (Referred to as Darkened Enmity) │ │ : Rony Daher (Referred to as Lord Tracer) │ │ Documentation: Rony Daher │ │ : Morten Mertner │ │ : Guy Rotowski │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ TABLE OF CONTENTS ───────────────── LEGAL INFORMATION 1 GENERAL OVERVIEW 1.1 REGISTRATION 1.2 FOR THE BEGINNING SYSOP 1.3 ACS SYSTEM 2 CONFIGURATION PROGRAM 3 MENUCODE/STATCODE/MAKEPROM/MAKEHELP 4 DATA AREA CONFIGURATION 5 CONFERENCE EDITOR 6 SYSOP ONLINE FUNCTIONS 7 INFOFORMS 8 MAKING REPEAT ANSIS 9 MAKING STANDARD ANSIS 10 MCI CODES / SYSOP CONFIGURABLE TEXTFILES 11 CONFIGURABLE CHAT 12 MENU EDITOR 13 MESSAGE / FILE BASE SETUP 14 UPLOAD CHECKER 15 CONFIGURABLE ARCHIVERS 16 GENERIC MENU CONFIGURATION 17 FUNCTIONS OF ANSI.SYS 18 SETTTING UP WITH OS/2 19 USING E-MAIL TAGS 20 SECTION 1: LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────── Darkflame Enterprises grants to the Purchaser and Purchaser accepts a nontransferable and non-exclusive license to use, on a single computer, the Software Products and accompanying materials provided to Purchaser by Darkflame Enterprises. Purchaser is hereby licensed only to read the program from its medium into the memory of a single computer solely for the purpose of executing the program. Darkflame Enterprises shall have the right to terminate this license if purchaser violates any of its provisions. Purchaser agrees that the Software Products and accompanying materials are the property of Darkflame Enterprises and that Darkflame Enterprises shall maintain title to and ownership of the Software Products at all times. Purchaser agrees to make no more than one (1) additional working copy and one (1) backup copy of the Software Products for personal use only. Except as indicated above, the Software Products may not, in whole or part, be copied, reproduced, translated, or distributed to other parties. Darkflame Enterprises makes no warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, with respect to the quality, performance, accuracy, or fitness of the Software Products for any particular purpose. Darkflame Enterprises assumes no responsibility for any decisions made or actions taken on the part of the Purchaser because of the use of the Software Products. In no event shall Darkflame Enterprises, or any of its representatives, be liable for any loss of profit or any other damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential or other damages, arising out of the use or inability to use this product -even if Darkflame Enterprises or an authorized agent of such has been advised of the possibility of such damages -or for any claim by any other party. SECTION 1.1: GENERAL OVERVIEW ───────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 BBS was designed with two things in mind: The SysOp, and the user. This bulletin board program attempts to give the best of both worlds: Power for the SysOp, and ease of use for the user. With the unique menu editor, and configurable ACS system, the power is present. The possibility for change gives the SysOp his power, while also giving the user an easy interface for operations. List of major features: o Powerful menu editor. Allows for configuring all aspects of the BBS. o Configurable String editor. No more internal strings. Add a personal touch to your BBS! o Optimized for increased speed. Runs fast on any machine! o Support for multiple menu sets. o Support for multiple stat screen sets. o Echomail/Netmail Compatible. o Configurable Data Area System. Create your own BBS/VMB/NUA listing, and configure them any way you wish. Similar to an online database, but completely configurable. o Support for SR/PCBOARD.SYS/CHAIN.TXT door file formats. o Support for up to 255 separated message/file conferences. o Support for multiple prompts. User selectable. o Integrated upload checking system! Checks all uploaded files for CRC, viruses, and runs age tests. Also includes ability for additional SysOp specified maintainence to uploaded files! o Support for multiple, SysOp configurable archivers! Anything on the BBS can be packed and unpacked in your favorite archive type. Also includes automatic archive signature recognition. The BBS knows what type of archiver a file was packed in w/o looking at its extension! o Advanced user editor with integrated searching functions! o Parameter editor for easy control and maintenance of user levels! o Advanced online RIP graphics support for transmitting graphic images over the modem. o Configurable Generic Menu system. No longer do SysOps have to edit menus when they change commands. With the generic menus, the BBS can do your editing for you. SECTION 1.2: REGISTRATION ───────────────────────── Registration of Oblivion/2 is simple. All of our registrations are handled through our HQ support system. This system, The Fringes, can be reached at 216-464-4856. The registration fee for Oblivion/2 is $50 US payable in either a cashier check or money order. Please fill and print out a copy of ORDER.FRM (available with the distribution ZIP or from the Fringes). Include the form with your registration fee. Please send registration to the following address: Rony Daher PO BOX 43364 Cleveland, OH 44143-0364 USA Make checks payable to: Rony Daher To clear up certain things about registration, keep these things in mind: o A completed ORDER.FRM MUST be sent with your order. o Personal checks are NOT accepted. If you send one, your order will be returned. Please send a cashier check or a money order. o You cannot transfer your registration to a friend. All registrations are handled with us. o Please do NOT send Canadian Postal money orders. They're hard to cash. o If you're registering overseas, or anywhere outside of the US & Canada, make sure to get your money order from a larger bank. Smaller chains are VERY hard to cash here. For Europeans and Australians, Citibank seems to work well. o If your handle on the Fringes is different than the SysOp name which you are using for your BBS, please indicate this somewhere on your ORDER.FRM. If you fail to do this, your registration may be delayed. o Once you are validated on the Fringes, you are free to register at any time. You need not get any sort of approval as in previous release versions. Registration is handled through a serial number system. When we validate your registration, you will receive a ZIP containing a textfile named SERIAL.NUM. Inside this textfile, you'll find a BBS Name, BBS SysOp, and a 20-digit serial number. Enter that information in your Obv/2 config EXACTLY as they appear in the SERIAL.NUM. If the information is not correct, the BBS will not register. Should you lose your SERIAL.NUM, please contact any member of the Oblivion/2 staff, and a new one will be made available to you. If you decide to distribute your SERIAL.NUM file, a beta version of Oblivion/2, or anything reserved for registered SysOps only, your registration will be immediately cancelled. No questions asked. No refunds given. No exceptions made. If you wish to get in contact with the Oblivion/2 team, please mail us on The Fringes, or at this address. Due to the large amount of mail received, we cannot guarentee replies. Oblivion/2 Team Post Office Box 43364 Cleveland, Ohio 44143-0364 USA SECTION 1.3: FOR THE BEGINNING SYSOP ──────────────────────────────────── This section has been designed to provide general information for a SysOp who is not familiar with the basic operations of Oblivion/2. If you are an advanced user, or have more than the basic knowledge and understanding of the software, skip this section. (1) The DSZLOG - If you're new to SysOping or new to Oblivion/2 you might encounter the error "Set the DSZLOG to C:\OBV\DSZLOG.1" or an equivelant. The DSZLOG is a textfile which logs the activity of one of Oblivion/2's support programs, DSZ.COM. DSZ is used by Oblivion/2 for X/Y/Zmodem Transfers. The BBS reads this DSZLOG file following a transfer in order to determine the status of the transfer. You see this in the upload/download status screen (displayed just after you upload or download.) If this setting is not present, Obv/2 will not run. The DSZLOG is set by adding the line "SET DSZLOG=C:\OBV\DSZLOG.1" into your AUTOEXEC.BAT, or a batch file that runs Oblivion/2. Replace "C:\OBV\DSZLOG.1" with the value that Oblivion/2 gives you. (2) Batch Oriented File System - Oblivion/2's file system is known as a batch oriented file system. This means that you are able to do operations on many files at once. Operations include downloading, uploading, typing, moving, deleting, changing, getting information on, and so forth. Almost all of Oblivion/2's file functions are designed with this sense of a batch. In order to utilize these powerful tools, you must create a batch of files. Do this by selecting files (using your up/down arrow keys, or the numbers 8/2 for up/down respectively) Once a batch has been created, you can execute one of the many batch functions (download, move, type etc.) and all of the files in the batch will be downloaded, moved etc. You can also create a batch by using wildcards or entering individual filenames. You may do this at a prompt similar to this (prompts may be different if SysOp has modified them). You may download up to 50 files Enter Filenames: When you get a prompt similar to this, you have several options. You can enter a filename, a wildcard or a number/range of numbers. The numbers correspond to the ones shown to the left of the filename in the file listing. Enter a range such as 10-15, and files 10 through 15 will be tagged for a download. Other batch operations operate in the same fashion. This batch oriented file system gives Oblivion/2 the flexibility and power that both SysOps and Users can appreciate. (3) The menu hierarchy - The default menu setup that comes with Oblivion/2 has been divided for an ease of use for the SysOp and user. In order to keep things neat, and keep related commands together, we have divided the menus into two different types. The first type is known as a user menu, and the second known as a Sponsor menu. The user menus contain commands accessable to ordinary users, and the Sponsor menus contain commands that are used to maintain said areas, and should only be executed by those of high security levels. I will illustrate a few menus and associated Sponsor menus so that you can better understand the reason for dividing them. The file menu contains commands like "Newsan Files" "Upload Files" "Download Files" "Get Information on Files" etc. The file Sponsor menu contains commands such as "Reorder File Bases" "Offline Cleanup" "Make File Areas" etc. As you can see the sponsor menu contains functions that are available to SysOp. (4) Creating the NEWS message base - SysOps can use NEWS to convey important information to their users. Before you can create this base, you need to know how to create a message area. Section 14 of this document contains information on creating message bases. Follow those instructions on the creation of the base, but make sure that the option "Mandatory" is set to ON. This will force the BBS to newscan the message base upon the user's login. When you post a new message in this base, all people with access will see the new message. You can create more than one news base, and give each of them different ACS. Users will have to have the specified ACS to view the new news messages. SECTION 2: ACS SYSTEM ───────────────────── ACS, or Access Conditioning System, has become a reality for many BBS programs being produced today. With ACS you can allow and restrict user's access to a certain area to the board based not only on level but on Baud Rate, Time Left, Number of File Points and much more. In essence, ACS offers the SysOp "Total Control" of his system. Before any SysOp can use the ACS System, it must be known it can get very complicated (as you will see). It can become a programming language in itself. So if your access doesn't go as planned the first time, continue to experiment until you find the results you are looking for. The following is a list of valid ACS Commands: Flag Description ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - False + True SXXXX True if Level Greater or equal to X. VX True if user is on Node X. DXXXX True if File Level Greater or equal to XXXX. EX True if user called more than X times today. BXXX True if BPS Rate (w/o 00's) is Greater or equal to XXX. (ie:3, 12, 24, 48, 96, 144, 168, 192, 384) CXXX True if user hasn't changed his password in xxx days. FX True if X flag is set. (A-Z) HX True if user is using menu set X. IX True if user is using stat set X. JX True if user has ANSI and X=0, or user has AVATAR and X=1, or if user has RIP and X=2. OX True if flag X is set in the second group of ACS Flags. (A-Z) See *** Note following commands. PXX True if user has XX file points. YXXX True if it is at least XXX minutes past midnight. ()'s Tells Obv/2 to Process Codes in parenthesis before any other codes. | Used to "Or" what is on the left side of the | with what is on the right side of the |. ~ Makes a Code False that would otherwise be true and vice versa. \ True if Fail Flag is True. = True if user is local. [ True only when system is run multinode. ; True if input is not broken using space or ESC. ' Used to prompt for SysOp password. KX True if absolute file area # is equal to value of X. LX True if absolute message area # is equal to value of X. MX True if MSG conference is equal to the value of X. NX True of FILE conference is equal to the value of X. PXXXX True if # of file points is greater than the value of XXXX. TXXXX True if time left is greater than the value of X. UXXXX True if the user # is equal to X. AXX True of age is greater than XX. GX True if user is male (X must be 0), or user is female (X must be 1) QX True after user has called more than X times RX True if total calls exceed X. * True if user meets his Post/Call Ratio Xyyy True of the first three #s of the user's phone number match. ie: A216 holds true for all users who's area code is 216. A216464 holds true for all users who's number is in area code 216 and prefix 464. Zx True if Day of the Week = X 0=Sunday...6=Saturday _ True if user is available for Multinode Chat $xx True if the user has changed his password in xx days. ie: $10 is true if the user changed his password more than 10 days ago. ] True if screen pausing is on The Following are a few examples of the ACS System: ~U2 - Creates a base that can be accessed by everyone EXCEPT User #2. S20D20 - Creates a base that anyone can access as long as their main/file levels are greater/equal to 20. Y120 - Creates a Base that will open after 2:00 am and close at 11:59 pm. y60~y120 - Creates a base that will be open from 1am to 2am. =S255 - Creates a base that can only be accessed via the local terminal, AND the user online must have a security level of 255. P100|S50 - Creates an option that can be accessed only if the user has 100 or more file points, OR if the user has a security level of 50 or greater. T90|FABC - Creates an option that can only be used if the user has 90+ minutes of time, OR if he has flags A,B,C set. B144|FA - Creates an option that can be accessed only by someone who has a 14.4k or better modem, OR if the user has flag A set. A18G0 - True if the user is male, and 18 or over. A18G1 - True if the user is female, and is 18 or over. s20d20~U2|(U2Y60~Y120) - Creates a base that will allow anyone except user #2 who has both a Main Level and Transfer Level Greater than or equal to 20 OR Allow User #2 to access this base from 1am to 2am. *** There are 2 separate sets of ACS flags. Use the Fx ACS Command to access the first set of ACS Flags, and use the Ox ACS flag to access the second set of ACS Flags. Both sets of flags can be toggled on and off in two ways. First, both sets of ACS flags can be toggled on/off with the user editor. The second way to toggle these flags on/off is by use of the following menu commands. To adjust flags in set 1: Command Key: -S Function : Toggles on/off flag in CString CString : +x (turns on flag x) or -x (turns off flag x) To adjust flags in set 2: Command Key: -Y Function : Toggles on/off flag in CString CString : +x (turns on flag x) or -x (turns off flag x) SECTION 3: CONFIGURATION PROGRAM ──────────────────────────────── In version 2.0 and later, the configuration program is now an active part of the BBS. No longer do you have to exit the BBS, and run a large, clunky config, but you can do all of your configuration needs online. The configuration program has a number of global commands. To Clear a field, use the CTRL-Y command, to advance to the next option, use either your arrow keys, or your ENTER key. To enter into insert mode, or to exit from it, use the CTRL-V option. To end configuration from a certain menu, use CTRL-Z (Unless otherwise told). Each Section of the configuration program covers a different aspect of the BBS. Use your arrow keys to navigate throughout the config. In the next part of this section, certain commands in the configuration program will be explained in detail. Commands that are obvious, will be skipped. System Information: Multinode Operation - If you plan to run your system with multiple nodes, select yes for this option. Node Number - This is the node number for the current node. Leave this at 1 if you do not plan on running more than one node. Mins to Time Out - This value (in minutes) will tell the BBS when to hang up if there has been no keypresses from the remote side. Days to save log - This number (in days) tells the BBS how long to save the system log. The log will automatically be purged after that number of days. This is primarily a security feature. Lines of Scrollback - This number tells the BBS how many lines of text to save in the scrollback buffer. This buffer can be accessed via the F4 SysOp command, and is used to view any text/ansi that scrolled off the screen. The higher you make this number, the more memory you'll need. If you make the number too high, your system will crash with an ERROR 203. Should this happen, lower this number! Page Times - This number tells the BBS how many times to allow the user to page the SysOp. If he pages more than this amount of times, a textfile, ENOUGH.ANS, will be printed. QWKName - (Max 8 letters, no extension) This is the filename that your BBS will generate when a user creates a QWK packet for download. ie: OBV2 would make a packet called OBV2.QWK. BIOS Writes - If this option is Yes, then screen writes will be handled through the BIOS. This is very slow, but may sometimes be needed if you have multitasking problems. For normal operations, change this to No. Use MAINTAIN.BAT - Read the section on the upload checker for information on this batch file. Starting Menu - After the BBS finishes with the MATRIX.MNU file (your matrix), which menu should it then go to. This option tells Obv/2. Do not include a .MNU extension; That is assumed. Use Status Bar - If you wish to use the status bar, turn this option on. If not, keep it off. The status bar is located on line 25 of your local screen. It gives important user info on the current user. There are three different parts to the bar. Toggle all of these by using ALT-B. You can also turn off your status bar at anytime by using ALT-B. System Information 2 Data Library Ansis - Tells the BBS if the ansis for data areas are in the current status screen library, or if they're in the textfile directory. Yes = Ansis in status library, and No = Ansis are in textfile directory. Note: If you enter yes for this field, and the ansis are not there, the BBS will then look in the textfile directory. Scan all areas - When this option is set to yes, then the BBS will check all file areas for duplicates when globally uploading files. This method is slower, but there's no possibility of having the same file in 2 directories. If the option is set to no, then the current area will only be scanned for duplicates. Use upload checker - If you want your uploads CRC tested, age checked, and virus scanned, turn this option on. Read the section on the upload checker for more information on the upload checker. SCAN Command - This is the commandline of the virus scanner that the upload checker will use. IE: SCAN /A /NOMEM /NOPAUSE for SCAN.EXE from McAfee. Comment File - This is the filename of the comment that the upload checker will add to your checked files. Make sure that the file is in your textfile. If you don't want comments added, leave it blank. File to add - This is the filename of the file that the BBS will add to checked files. Again leave it blank if you don't want a file added. Age for files - If the newst file in an archive is older than this date, then the file will fail the upload checker. Delete List - This filename (in your textfile directory) contains files that the upload checker will delete from uploaded archives. Put one filename per line. Special Login - This option is used to allow the SysOp to completely configure the login. If this option is set to no, the BBS will NOT display welcome files, check the notices, display status screens, check for new email etc.. (Everything the BBS does on a regular login). Instead, the BBS will just go to your starting menu as set in the CONFIG. (This defaults to TOP.MNU). If you want to alter any aspect of the login, or make a login that looks like another software's then this is the option you'll want to use. If you want to duplicate Oblivion/2's login to modify later, here are the commands that should be present in the beginning of your TOP.MNU file (or whatever menu you have configured as the 'startup menu' in the CONFIG) Command Key : -+ Function : Displays random WELCOME.x file Command Key : -N CString : STATUS.ANS Function : Displays STATUS.ANS (Login status screen) Command Key : -( Function : Prompts the user to hit return Command Key : -@ Function : Reads System notices Command Key : &] ACS : [ Function : Sets user as not available for multinode chat Command Key : &A ACS : [& Function : Asks user whether he wants to be available for multinode chat Command Key : EN Function : Scans for new E-MAIL Command Key : -| Function : Checks for incomplete infoforms Command Key : MZ Function : Scans for new system news Command Key : VC Function : Checks for unanswered voting questions Command Key : -_ Function : Pages SysOp is user has wanted flag set Allow G and I - Allow use of the G and I commands from the message reading menu. These commands store replies and threads. In low memory situations, these commands can lock the system. Drop carrier after - Toggle this option to YES if you want the BBS to drop carrier on users when they logoff. If you do NOT want the BBS to drop carrier on users after they logoff (if you're running Obv/2 as a door), set this option to NO. MAINTAIN.BAT door file-If on, the BBS will create a DORINFO1.DEF type of door file in the door directory before the BBS executes MAINTAIN.BAT. If your file maintainence program requires a door file to run, turn this option on. System Information 3: Swap to EMS - Toggle this option to YES if you want the BBS to swap to EMS memory instead of XMS or disk. Swap to XMS - Toggle this option to YES if you want the BBS to swap to XMS memory instead of EMS or disk. Open/Close FDF - Tells tells the BBS whether to open and close the file description file while doing file listings. This option slows down file listings, and should only be used on multinode systems if you experience problems. Use Timeslices - If you are running a multitasking operating system such as IBM OS/2, Microsoft Windows 95, or DOS based equivelants like Windows 3.11, and Quarterdeck DESQView, turn this option on, and Obv/2 will release CPU timeslices back to the operating system. This helps to speed the overall speed of both foreground and background tasks by making sure that the CPU isn't always processing instructions from one single task. Look and Feel: Top Ten Character - This ASCII character is the one the BBS will use in the top ten bar graph. Commonly used ones are (ALT-255), or ■ (ALT-254). Use Greater than - If yes, the BBS will put a > sign before quoted text. Use Quote Headers - If you want to use quote headers, turn this option on. Quote headers are strings displayed in the message at the beginning and end of a user's quoted message. They tell when the person started, and stopped quoting. Common phrases: User Opened his mouth (start), and User Shut his mouth (end). Use Message Help - Toggle this option to yes if you want to use an external screen (MESHELP.ANS) for the message reading help. (? from the message reading prompt) Use file help - Toggle this option to yes if you want to use an external screen (FILEHELP.ANS) for the file listing help. (? from the file listing prompt) Communications: Manual Answer - When this command is set to yes, Oblivion/2 monitors the carrier pin on your serial card. When this pin signals true (when the phone rings), the BBS sends the answer string. This method is quicker than waiting for the "RING" message from the modem. It doesn't work with all modems, so experiment. Initialization String- This string is sent to the modem after every call, and when first loading up the BBS. Use | as return, and ~, or comma, for pauses. Use "+++" to put the modem into command mode. Hangup String - This string is sent to the modem when you want it to hang up the phone. Use the same symbols as above. Send Carrier Str. - This string is sent when you want to send carrier to another user. (ie: User is in his term program, and you want to switch form a voice call to a data call. User receives carrier (ATX1D), and you send carrier (ATA)) Receive Carrier Str. - Same as above, except this will receive carrier. This is typically ATX1D. Lockout Password - This password is required for a user to login when his baud rate is under the minimum baud rate. Wait Until Sent - If this option is true, the BBS will pause until the output buffer is empty after a file transfer. This may help to alleviate problems with the higher speed modems. (28.8k) 115.2k Locking - If you want to lock your comport at 115,200 baud, set this option to yes. It will ignore the port lock rate, and lock at 115,200. SysOps with 28.8k modems should set this to yes for maximum performance from their modems. ACS Configuration: Post Anonymous ACS - ACS required to post anonymously in any base. (See the section on ACS for codes) SysOp ACS - ACS required to be a full SysOp. When you have this ACS you'll be able to access all SysOp commands. (Unless otherwise changed by the menu editing) Message SysOp ACS - ACS required to have access to the message sponsor commands. (Again, this can be overriden by menu editing) File SysOp ACS - Same as above, except for file system. Exec in MiniDOS ACS - ACS required to use the *COMMAND, or &COMMAND commands in MiniDOS. *COMMAND will execute COMMAND after performing a DOS shell. Use this to run PKZIP etc.. &COMMAND will execute command w/o a DOS shell. Use this to run any commands that are internal to COMMAND.COM. (ie: DEL, ERASE, COPY) //\\COMMAND ACS - //\\COMMAND is a quick way to execute any command from anywhere. You must have the specified ACS. To use //\\COMMAND, type //\\ followed by the corresponding menu command. For example, the menu command for text editor is *T. If you've got //\\ ACS, you'd type //\\*T. This would be the same as executing the text editor from the SysOp menu, but you can do it from anywhere! Use this access with extreme caution. Anyone with this access can execute ANY command regardless of it being in your menus or not. If it's a valid menu command, the user will be able to execute it if he meets the ACS requirement. Post Mandatory ACS - ACS required to post a message in a mandatory (NEWS) message base. Mandatory message bases are automatically newscanned upon logon to the system. Use them to post news bulletins. Be sure to purge them periodically, as they will get numerous. Topten exempt ACS - ACS for users to be exempt from the top ten listing. Certified Mail ACS - ACS required for a user to send certified mail. Cerified mail is a type of Email that sends the sender a notice when the receiver has read the mail. Filemail ACS - ACS required to attach files to email. //\\xx ACS - The remaining options on this screen, and ones similar to that in ACS configuration II are used to limit your CoSysOp's use of the //\\ ACS. Each option is as follows '//\\*? ACS' This is the ACS for any //\\ command followed by a *?. For example, //\\*T is the command used to activate the text editor. If you don't want your CoSysOp accessing any of the *x functions, but wish to let him have access to other menu commands not in your menus, set the ACS higher. (Read explanation of //\\ACS just above) File Section Config: K per point - This is used to establish a file point ratio. How many K is one point worth? External Area Listing- If you have made an external file area listing, using either the straight ANSI method, or the repeat method, set this option to Yes. Repeat Method - If you made your area listing using the Repeat Method select yes. (Read the section on making external screens for instruction on making repeat method screens.) Filepoint Commission - If this option is toggled to yes, a commission system for filepoints will be used. The commission system grants the uploader a percentage credit (in FP's), when someone downloads his file. This encourages good uploads. If nobody downloads the file, then the uploader doesn't get credits. Percentage Commission- Percent of the total filepoints to give the uploader when someone downloads his file. Example: Points per 10K = 1 Percentage Commission = 100% User downloads a 100K file, and the uploader will get 10 points added on to his account. Times Point Back - When you rate a file, the uploader will get that rating multiplied by this number. (ie: if this was 2, and you rated a file at 5 pts, the user gets 10 pts added to his account) Description form 1-8 - This feature allows you to append certain options to your file listing. You can let users know who uploaded the file, the date of upload, the size compressed, the size uncompressed etc. (see the MCI code section for those codes) If you wish to use these options, simply start at line 1, and add whichever options you want your users to see in the file listing. (Suggested that you use Uploaded by, and the date of upload) Lines of extended - Tells the BBS how many lines of extended description description to use. Maximum is 7. This option has nothing to do with FILE_ID.DIZ which will use more than 7 lines of it is infact longer than 7 lines. Percent Time back - How much time back (in %) should the user get back after his upload. Autovalidate files - If yes, files will automatically be validated after upload. Otherwise, they will be marked as NEW, and must be manually validated. Min K for upload - (in Kbytes) When your HD his this amount of space, or less, uploads will not be accepted. Use Average CPS - If this option is set to true, time estimates for transfers will be made on the average CPS rate of that user. If it's set to no, time estimates will be made based upon the connect rate. Extraction Percent - When the user extracts a file, he is charged the file size multiplied by the percentage in this field. For example, if the user extracts a 100K file, and this value is set to 60%, then the user is charged 60K for the extraction. If file points are used, the extraction percentage is multiplied by 1/total # of filepoints to determine how many credits to remove. Email Config: Allow Filemail - When this option is set to yes, users will be allowed to send files to each other through Email. Days to keep filemail- Filemail will be kept for this amount of days. It will then be auto-purged. Message Section: External Base List - Use an external base listing in the message section? (See section on making an external listings in these docs) Repeat Method - If you made your base listing using the repeat method, select yes. Val User/NUV Settings: Default Flags - When a user is validated, he will receive these access flags. Daily Flag Change - Flag changed on first call of each day. (Format: +FLAGS -FLAGS) (ie: +ABC-XYZ - Adds ABC, turns off XYZ) Call Flag Change - Flag changed on every call. (Format: +FLAGS -FLAGS) (ie: +ABC-XYZ - Adds ABC, turns off XYZ) SECTION 4: MENUCODE/STATCODE/MAKEPROM/MAKEHELP ────────────────────────────────────────────── MENUCODE: Before your users can choose from multiple sets of menus, you must first code your ansi/ascii menu files into a single library file. To do this, you will need the enclosed utility MENUCODE.EXE. The commandline for the code utility is as follows. MENUCODE <.LIB Name> Note: You might want to do this in a separate dir. Also, if a file is missing the program will inform you. You may be thinking to yourself, What do I name the files? The answer is simple. With versions greater than 2.0, the SysOp decides which menu(s) will be in each library file. Do this by entering an up to 8 letter filename (no extension) in the HELP ID field in the menu editor. (Once you've begun to edit any menu, HELP ID is on the menu editor change screen.) If you do not want an ansi menu coded for a specific MNU file that you have, leave the HELP ID blank. After all files are successfully coded, copy the *.LIB, and *.NDX files to your data directory. Proceed to login to the BBS, and enter the main SysOp menu. When you've reached that, option "N" will allow you to edit your status screens or menus. Since you'll be adding menus, select M. Option "A" will add a menu set for users to choose from. Select this, and fill out the questions. If you do not wish to use Library set menus, use the Obv/2 TEXTFILE directory as the LIB filename. Example: Menu Name : Normal Menus Library File: C:\OBV2\TEXTFILE\ If you take this approach, no LIB/NDX files are necessary. STATCODE: With the ability to code multiple menu sets, the idea of being able to do the same with status screens was invented. We call these 'Status Screen Libraries. Using a small utility, called STATCODE, you will be able to code multiple statistic screen sets for your users to choose from. The status library consists of a few configurable ANSI screens, they are as follows: NEWSHEAD.ANS - The News Header EMAILHDR.ANS - Header for E-mail HDR.ANS - The Header HEADER.ANS - Message Header ZIPHEAD.ANS - Internal ZIP Viewer Header (Optional) FSEHEAD.ANS - Header for fullscreen editor BCHANGE.ANS - Base Change Header SUBSSRT.ANS - Sub Listing Start ANSI (Optional) SUBSMID.ANS - Sub Listing Repeat ANSI (Optional) SUBSEND.ANS - Sub Listing End ANSI (Optional) AREASRT.ANS - File Area Listing Start ANSI (Optional) AREAMID.ANS - File Area Listing Repeat ANSI (Optional) AREAEND.ANS - File Area Listing End ANSI (Optional) USERSRT.ANS - User Listing Start ANSI (Optional) USERMID.ANS - User Listing Repeat ANSI (Optional) USEREND.ANS - User Listing End ANSI (Optional) STATUS.ANS - Login Status Screen USERSTAT.ANS - Your Stat ANSI FILESTAT.ANS - File Status FCONFIGS.ANS - File Listing Configuration Screen CONFSCR.ANS - Config Screen QWKDN.ANS - QWK Screen (For creating/downloading QWK) QWKUP.ANS - QWK Screen (For REP upload/message posting) It is now possible to code any screen that you want into the status library. With the invention of the -N menu command (see the menu editor documentation), you may now display status screens anywhere in the BBS. To code additional screens, create a textfile called *.LST. (ie: If you code OBV.LIB, you'll create and OBV.LST) In this textfile, each line should have a valid DOS filename without any path information. When you run STATCODE, make sure to have this textfile in the main BBS directory. You can also code the data area ansis into your status screen libraries. Simply toggle that option on in the CONFIG, and place any ansis that have to do with data areas in the temp directory that you're using, and run STATCODE. (See the section on the data areas on these ansi files) As you can see, there are quite a few files that you can include in your status screen library. You'll also notice that some of the screens were optional. Those do NOT have to be included in your library, but can be. To Code a Status Library: 1. Create a temporary directory, copy ALL files to this directory. 2. Make sure to have your .LST file in the main directory. 3. Run STATCODE.EXE with this format: STATCODE <libname> <directory> ie: STATCODE PMD C:\TEMP\ (No extension on libname!) 4. Add the status set with the "N" SysOp command. 5. If you coded any of the 3 part listing screens (ie: SUBXXXX.ANS, USERXXXX.ANS, or AREAXXXX.ANS) you must toggle their use in the CONFIG. (See the chapter on the configuration program on just where to find these options.) 6. If you coded the data area ansis, make sure that the corresponding option is turned on in the CONFIG. MAKEPROM: With the new-and-improved string system in version 2.00 and greater, there is no more need for a string compiler. Instead, we've written a new utility called MAKEPROM which will add/arrange any new strings. No textfiles, no compilers, nothing but a simple executable file. This utility will add any new strings to the data file, and will arrange them in their specific order. Do not run this program more than on time per new version. The program will inform you which prompts it can convert, and all you need to do is run it once to update your PROMPTS.DAT. MAKEHELP: With the new configuration system in version 2.0 and greater, we've created a help system. This system will give the SysOp a brief description of each option. Whenever new options are added to the config, new descriptions must be added to the data file. MAKEHELP will update your help file. Run this only once per new version, just like MAKEPROM. SECTION 5: DATA AREA CONFIGURATION ────────────────────────────────── The data area is a new outlook on an old idea. This data area system draws on the old database system found in some BBS softwares. This system takes the good features of the database, and combines them with the configurability of Oblivion/2. Data areas can be used for a few very practical applications. We've already utilized these areas in making a BBS list, Rumors, and One Liners. All of these are completely SysOp configurable, and can be altered in any way the SysOp chooses. To show the configurability of the data areas, I will demonstrate making a BBS listing, along with explaining how these data areas work. When you first enter the data area sysop menu, you'll be presented with a few self-explanatory options. (Add, delete, change, quit.) Since we're just starting out, we'll select add. You'll be presented with the following screen: (A) Area Name : BBS List (B) Access ACS : (C) Add ACS : (D) List Prefix : BBS (E) Add Ansi : ADDBBS.ANS (F) Sponsor : Lord Tracer (G) Allow Anonymous: No (H) Store Message : Yes (I) Data File Name : BBSLIST (J) Show Ansi : SHOWBBS.ANS (K) AutoDelete : 0 (L) Directory : (M) Node Number : Area name - Name of the data area. In our case, this will be BBS list. Access ACS - ACS required to access this data area. Add ACS - ACS required to add an option. In this case, it would be adding your BBS entry. List Prefix - This prefix (up to 5 letters) tells the BBS the name of the 3-part listing file to use. Using BBS, the 3 ansis you'd need to make would be BBSSRT.ANS, BBSMID.ANS, and BBSEND.ANS. (See the section on making 3 part repeat ansis for help with this) Add Ansi - The ANSI that appears when the user wants to add to the database. In this case, this ansi could be a box with BBS name, number etc. Each of these options requires an MCI code. Worry about that later. (If you use %xx as your MCI codes instead of |xx, the BBS will force input.) Sponsor - The user that can edit the database. If you want to give specific users their own database, you do not need to give them SysOp access to edit their database. Allow Anonymous - Can the user add to this database anonymously? If so, set this to yes. Store Message - Can this database store an ANSI file or description for each entry? If so, change this to yes. In our case, we wish to allow the SysOp to upload his BBS ad, or write a description. Data filename - This is the filename the BBS uses to store information about this database. Do not include an extension. Show Ansi - This ansi is displayed when the user views one of the data listings. In this example, you'd want to give a lot of information in the Show Ansi. Stuff that you didn't put in the listing ansi. Again, you'll use MCI codes for this ansi, worry about what codes to use later. Autodelete - This number is the maximum number of entries in one database. Entries will be auto-purged to stay below this number. Directory - Like message bases, data areas can also be echoed with Obv/2's DATAMAIL.EXE utility. This directory stores the *.MSG files that contain the information to network for the current data area. Node Number - Enter the node number assigned to you by your network admin. Make sure to enter the node number of the net that supports networked data areas. (IE: If you're in ImpactNet, and you want to net BBS lists with the ImpactNet SysOps, don't put your Cybercrime node number) After you've completed the configuration of the data area, press q to quit. The BBS will ask you "Edit Options?" Select yes. In this section, there are 3 options: Name : BBS Name String Length : 40 MCI Code : BN Enter every piece of information that you want to prompt the user. (You should use all of these MCI codes in your add ansi. Use the important ones in your listing ansi, and finally, all of them in your show Ansi. See the example BBS list provided with the BBS.) Taking a look at the above example, the name of the field is BBS name, you can enter up to 40 characters for this field, and the MCI code for your ansis is |BN. Notice that you do NOT put the | in the editor! Just BN! The data areas require a little work to create, but when you put in the effort, and understand how it works, the results are pleasing. With v2.20 and later, you can network your data areas. This is done just like networking a message base. You'll need an import/export directory, and a node number. The import/export directory stores the message files, and the node number tells the tosser which network it's tossing. You can only run DATAMAIL.EXE in a network that supports the networked data areas. Once you've found a network that does this, you'll just use your node #, and then a dir on your HD. Set this up JUST like a message base. Go into your tosser program, and add this area into the listing. You'll be given more information by your network admin. on exactly how to set it up. SECTION 6: CONFERENCE EDITOR ──────────────────────────── With the conferencing system, there can be up to 255 separated message and file conferences. Also with the system comes many security features to prevent unwanted users in your conferences. The Conference Manager is located in the main SysOp menu. Upon entering, you will be asked whether you wish to edit a message or a file conference. Select the appropriate option. You will be taken to the main menu of the manager. It looks a bit like this: Add Conference Edit Conference Delete Conference Change Type Users w/Access Reorder List Quit Add/Edit/Delete/List - These are quite self- explanatory. Reorder - Will allow you to change the order of your conferences. (ie: Making Conference 2 into Conference 1) Users with Access - This command will display a listing of all users that have access to the conference. When you wish to add/edit a conference, you are presented with the following: Description : Oblivion/2 Support ACS : S25 Conference ID : 1 Password : Description - This is the name of the current conference. ACS - This is the ACS required to enter the conference. Password - This is the password required to enter the conference. Conference ID - This number is used internally by Oblivion/2 to tell the BBS which conference is which. You must use this number when working with the JT, and JF menu commands. It's also used in the sub/file area listing when you don't use repeat method screens. SECTION 7: SYSOP ONLINE FUNCTIONS ───────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.0 was designed specifically with the SysOp in mind. There are a few global SysOp commands that can be accessed via the local terminal. You can also get a listing of these keys by pressing ALT-H from within the program. F1 - Bring User Into Chat mode (Split-Screen) F2 - Bring User Into Chat mode (One line) F3 - User Editor F4 - Scrollback Buffer F5 - Screen Image F6 - Toggles on/off logging of text typed in the chat F9 - Input Lockout (Locks incoming data from modem) F10 - Output Lockout (Locks BBS output to modem) ALT-A - Toggle chat availability ALT-B - Toggle Status Bar (on/off) ALT-N - Nuke User (Hangs up) ALT-M - Access to all message bases ALT-O - Toggle Input timeout ALT-X - Access to all file areas ALT-T - Temporary SysOp access ALT-J - SysOp Shell to DOS ALT-V - Validate user ALT-Q - Displays KICKOFF.ANS in textfile directory, and drops carrier on user Commandline parameters for OBV.EXE: -B xxxxx : Pass xxxxx baud rate to OBV.EXE -E : Forced event run -A : Return to DOS after user hangs up -D : BBS doesn't check for work/swap directories -L : Local Login (Logs in as SysOp from DOS prompt) -N x : Load up node x -EMS : Loads OVR (Overlay) into EMS memory -MENU : Loads menu editor from DOS -USER : Loads user editor from DOS -PROMPTS : Loads string editor from DOS -CONFIG : Loads CONFIG program from DOS -T xxxx : xxxx = time in minutes after midnight before which users should be kicked off. (ie: -T 120 means that users will be kicked off until 2:00am) -M xxxx : xxxx = number of minutes until the next event before which users should be kicked off. (ie: -M 120 and an event of 7:00pm would mean that users cannot access the BBS from the hours of 5:00pm until 7:00pm) -D : Overrides the current swap directory setting. (In case you made a mistake in entering the directory, this command will allow you to enter the BBS and change the bad swap directory name.) EVENT EDITOR ──────────── One of the many great features of Oblivion/2 is its powerful event editing system. With the internal event editor, you're able to perform most any daily maintainence you wish, toggle SysOp availability, and much more. There are four basic types of events. They are: Errorlevel - BBS exits at a certain errorlevel to run batch files. Code - Executes one or more menu commands with full CString support. Availability- Toggles on/off SysOp availability. User ACS - Allows you to define ACS required to login to the BBS at certain times. Errorlevel events are ones in which the BBS will exit at an errorlevel of your choice, and run a batch file, or other program of your choice. To make the BBS run a batch file, you need to add statements to your batch file that runs the BBS. They will look similar to this: If errorlevel xx then runme.bat (Use batch knowledge) Define your errorlevel, and replace xx with that level. Assign a time for this event, and away it goes. This is an example of a batch file that runs the BBS, and can be used in an errorlevel event. @ECHO OFF if errorlevel 100 then speedisk if errorlevel 255 then exit :BBS OBV.EXE :SPEEDISK cd\norton SPEEDISK.EXE /BATCH C: cd\obv2 goto obv :exit exit As you can see, the errorlevel event is Norton Utilities Speedisk. The batch file was written to run speedisk when the BBS exits with errorlevel 100. It then re-loads the BBS when the program is done executing. Use this as a basis for other events you may wish to add in. Code events are probably the most useful. They allow you to perform certain menu commands with full CString support at any hour of the day. The uses for this are endless. One example is packing the Email. This should be done often to keep the Email system quick. To do this, add a 'Code' event that runs the Command Keys "EZ". Assign a time for it, and away it goes. SysOp availability is toggled through the event editor. You can toggle when the SysOp is in/out by using this event type. Select Availability event, and toggle whether it is to be when the SysOp is available or not. Assign a time, and thats it. The final event type is User ACS. This event type is used to restrict BBS logins to certain ACS requirements. For example, you can make it so that only user 20 can log into the system at 5:00am to 6:00am. Add a User ACS event, and make the ACS "U20" (No "" marks). Add 5:00 am as the start time, and 6:00 am for the end time. Simple as that. The commandline switch -E is used to execute your events if you're running FD. When running any type of mailer, chances are that the BBS will miss its events. If the time has already passed (Say you've got an event scheduled to pack the message bases at 2:00am), Obv/2 will run that 2:00am event. (Only if its past 2:00am) DELETED LIST ──────────── The deleted list is like an improved blacklist. It gives you much more control over who gets on the system, and who stays off, and for how long. Here's how it works. When you want to delete someone, he can optionally be tossed into this deleted list. When inside of the list, there are 3 types of deletions: Immediate: File displayed to user, Then he's off the blacklist, and can re-apply. Expiration: File displayed to user until date specified. After date specified, user is off deleted list. Never: File displayed to user. Permanantly on the blacklist. If you noticed above, each level of deletion displays a file to the user. When you add a user, you can change the blacklist file for each one. This lets you put 'personal' messages to your blacklisted users. The default is BLACKLST.ANS. If you want to change the filename, enter a different one when the BBS prompts you for a filename. STRING EDITOR ───────────── With new versions of Oblivion/2, string editing has become much easier. You no longer need to compile your strings, the BBS will do it all for you. This new version now has an online string editor. Some features include: strings of up to 255 characters, being able to use filenames in place of strings, and customized variables for displaying BBS information in your strings. Moving around in the editor is quite simple. Press [,] to view 5 more strings. When you see a string that you wish to edit, press that strings corresponding number. The BBS will then allow you to edit that string on the lower half of the screen. You may use CTRL-V to toggle insert mode, and use CTRL-U as an ascii chart. (Use the cursor to pick the upper ASCII character you want, and it will be printed in the cursor's current position in your string). Notice that when you see your strings, you'll see 2 lines for each string. The upper line is what the string description is, and the lower line is what you've configured that string to be. You may use |Ux (1-6) for each of the six user colors. You can also use |01-15 to force a certain color. |OT, and |O2 are internal variable MCI codes that the BBS uses to place information. If you see one of the prompts with a |OT, or |O2, make sure that your string also has one. Another approach to string editing is filenames. You can have the BBS print a file instead of a string. This comes in handy for places where you just need to put more information. For example, you might want to configure your message reading string, or file newscanning string to use a textfile. This is a simple process. Create your ANSI, and place it into your textfile directory. Use %%FILENAME.EXT for that string in your editor. This will force the BBS to read that string from the file. In this external file, you may use 3 percent codes: %IN, %OT, and %O2. %IN tells the BBS where to place the cursor after the screen has been drawn. Use this to place user input anywhere you want. The input color will be the same as the color that you use with %IN. Like above %OT, and %O2 are information placers. Only use them if the original string has them. A new code has been added to let the string pause for a return. This string is |PA. When you add this anywhere in your string, you'll be paused until the user hits return. You should run the Oblivion/2 Utility MAKEPROM.EXE when you are instructed to by us. This updates your prompts automatically. It saves a lot of time, and is better than the old PROMPTS.TXT way of doing things. Make sure not to run the program more than one time, as it could lead to damage of your string file! MENU PROMPT EDITOR ────────────────── The menu prompt editor allows you to configure many different prompts, and have your users choose which one they like. These prompts can range from something simple like this: Main Menu: to something more extravagant: [10:06 pm EST] [Main Menu] [?/Help]: The operations of this editor are quite self- explanatory. When making menu prompts, you'll be in the Fullscreen editor. There are several MCI codes that you'll be able to use in your prompts. |01-|15 : ANSI colors from 01-15 |MN : Menu Name (Name in prompt in Menu editor) |TL : Time Left |TM : Time Now |FLxx : Sets input length to xx |RC : Regular Color |SC : Status Color |PC : Prompt Color |EC : Input Color |VC : Inverse Color |XC : Box Color |Ux : Moves up x amount of lines |Dx : Moves down x amount of lines |Fx : Moves forward x spaces |Bx : Moves backward x spaces |Xxx : Moves to absolute X value. ie: |X10 moves to the 10th row |NN : Displays Node Number SysOps may place %%filename.ext anywhere in the menu prompt to display filename.ext from the prompts directory. Use the %MN code to display the Menu's Name in Prompt (in filename.ext). Set the Prompts directory in the CONFIG. PROTOCOL EDITOR ─────────────── With version 2.xx of Oblivion/2, protocol editing has been made much easier. All protocol setup is done internally. When you first enter the protocol editor. You'll be asked which type of protocols you want to edit. There's four types of protocols: Single File, Batch, Resume, and Bidirectional. Single File protocols (both upload and download) are used in sending QWK Packets, Receiving REP Packets, Receiving Filemail, Sending Memorized Messages, Sending Complete File Lists, etc. Batch Protocols are the heart of the file system. Resume Protocols are used to let a user resume an uncompleted upload. (Only some protocols support this, DSZ, MPT, HS-Link are a few examples) Once you've selected which type of protocol you want to edit, you'll be placed in an Oblivion/2 Box editor. The options available from this screen are: Description, Key, Program Name, and Commandline. Description is the description you want to give the protocol. (ie: Zmodem Mobyturbo). Key is the KEY that users must press to activate that protocol. (for Zmodem, this could be Z). Program Name is the protocol executable itself. (For Zmodem, DSZ.COM, or GSZ.EXE) Finally, the commandline options are to be placed in the commandline string. (See the DSZ documentation for the best string to use) PARAMETER EDITOR ──────────────── The parameter editor is a quick and easy way of utilizing levels. What the editor does is allow you to define a level (lets say 50), and let you give that level certain PCR, UD, UD K, Time, DL K PER DAY ratios, and various expiration values. To use the editor, just create a level (say 50). Then, enter in level 50's PCR, UD, UD K, TIME and DL K PER DAY ratios/values. Now, when someone's given level 50 from the user editor, they'll get these specified amounts. You can now also specify a # of days til expiration, and the level that the user will receive when his account expires for each level in your parameter editor. The unique feature of this Paramater editor is that it can be totally invisible to the SysOp if he/she desires. In your CONFIG, under 'Validated User Levels' there are a few 'Default XXXX level' entries. Should you wish to use the parameter editor, change those values from whatever they may be to zero. (Do this only for the Default UD, UD K, DL K per day, Time etc. Do not change Average CPS to 0). When the value is Zero, it tells Obv/2 to read from the parameter editor values. Should you wish not to use this editor, change the values to whatever you wish. The parameter editor will have no function. If you want to change a certain field for a certain user, it's simple. Say you wanted to give Joe User 30 minutes instead of 15 mins. (Say level 50 had 15 mins in it). You'd then go to the user editor. Option 'time left' should be changed to 30. Thats it. Please note, in the user editor, DL K per DAY, Time, UD, UD K, and PCR must all be zero. The parameter system will only look at those values in the parameter editor if the values for the above, in the user editor, are zero. There is a function in the editor which allows you to Zero-Out certain levels of users, so that they can follow the parameters. Also note that the default CONFIG levels must also be zero for the parameter editor to take effect. If they're not, the parameter editor will not function correctly. USER EDITOR ─────────── The user editor in 2.xx has been completely overhauled. It's now completely batch oriented, and allows for many new options. A few of these include Infoform Extraction, Searching, Quick Loading of Users, Highlight Selected User Editing and more. When you first select the user edit option, you'll be asked 'Edit Individual' If you pick yes, the BBS will prompt you to enter a username. If you select no, the BBS will clear screen, and print 23 user names, and let you select them with a highlight bar. Hit "Q" to quit that process, or RETURN to select the highlighted user. Once inside the editor, you'll find a myriad of configurable options. Note a few important keys: [,] move to the previous/next user. {,} move to the previous/next user in your search link. * extracts the selected Infoform to a file. Finally, S takes you into the Search Editor. It looks like this: (H) Handle String : [OFF] (A) ACS : [OFF] (L) Level : [OFF] - [OFF] (F) File Level : [OFF] - [OFF] (D) Days Since 1st : [OFF] - [OFF] (S) Days Since Last: [OFF] - [OFF] (E) Flag : [OFF] (N) Number of Calls: [OFF] - [OFF] (Y) Age : [OFF] - [OFF] (G) Gender : [OFF] (P) PCR : [OFF] - [OFF] (U) % U/D Ratio : [OFF] - [OFF] (K) % U/D K Ratio : [OFF] - [OFF] (X) Expiration Date: [OFF] - [OFF] (T) Tabulate Search This unique editor allow you to have the BBS search for specific users, using your search criteria, and let you edit all of them easily. This makes manual changes a breeze. The options above are pretty self-explanatory. Make sure to press "T" to 'Tabulate Search' If you don't, your search won't run, and you'll lose your search criteria. When in the user editor, use the {,} keys for quick backward/forward progress in your search editing. SECTION 8: INFOFORMS ──────────────────── Infoforms are a sysop's easy way of keeping information about his users. Usually, when you login to a BBS, you'll be asked to fill out forms. Sometimes forms are used as applications to groups or whatnot. None the less, they are very useful in storing information. Making Ansi or Ascii infoforms is quite simple. For Ascii infoforms create your ascii file with questions, and using Qedit or any similar text editor use one of these following characters depending on what you wish to do: * -- Waits for a response. (Abortable) |Xx -- Limits User input to xx spaces. %xx -- Accepts up to xx characters, and will repeat the question if the user leaves it blank. @ -- Gets input similar to *. It will repeat the the question if the user leaves it blank. You have space for 5 information forms. After you've created your ANSI/ASCII infoform, name it INFOFORM.1 through INFOFORM.5. INFOFORM.5 is the form used by New User Voting. If you want NUV, make sure to put the appropriate form in INFOFORM.5. You can force users to fill out certain infoforms by making them mandatory in the CONFIG. Users must fill those forms out in their login in order to gain access to the system. You can clear your infoforms by using the Clear Infoform command from the SysOp menu. If you have altered your infoform, it's a good idea to clear out your infoforms because the answers could end up in the wrong spots. New with version 2.20, you can now have multiple infoform sets. Instead of letting users fill out only 5 forms, you can have an unlimited amount of infoforms. The default 5 infoforms are stored in a data file called INFOFORM . To have more than 5 forms, you can change the file that the infoforms are stored in. The user editor, and the -) menu command allow you to change the data file to another name. Each new data file stores 5 new infoforms for each user. SECTION 9: MAKING REPEAT ANSIs ────────────────────────────── In an effort to add more configurability to Obv/2, we've created the 'Repeat Method' of making ANSI screens. These screens are used all around the BBS. Some areas include: Message base/File Area Listings, One Liners, Rumors, User Listing, Last Caller Listing, BBS Listing and more. It's important that you learn how these work. Please read carefully. In the repeat method, there are 3 screens for each type of listing. The first, an intro, the second is the actual way to repeat, and the 3rd is an ending. For example, to make a messge base listing that looked like this: Base Description Network ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1 General Talk ImpactNet 2 BBS Advertisements ImpactNet ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The 3 files used in message base listing are: SUBSSRT.ANS - Intro to listing SUBSMID.ANS - Middle (This uses MCI codes, and is the one that will be repeated) SUBSEND.ANS - The end of the listing. Our SUBSTART.ANS would look like this: Base Description Network ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Our SUBSMID.ANS would look like this: |AN |BN |NN Our SUBSEND.ANS would look like this: ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── As you can see, the repeat ansi is one of the most powerful features of Oblivion/2. Due to several bugs in TheDraw and missing features in the ANSI.SYS device, you need to make a few manual changes to the middle part before they will work properly. (Middle part = xxxxxMID.ANS) Load TheDraw and draw your ansi. When done, enter animation mode using top rescan (others may work, but this is standard). Place the appropiate MCI codes and save the ansi. (If you are doing a plain non-animated ansi, save it as a block. Note that this cannot be done with animated screens). Exit TheDraw, and run ANSITRAN on it. ANSITRAN is a utility supplied with the Oblivion/2 package, and is supposed to clean the ANSI saved in TheDraw from unwanted escape codes. Mostly it makes a good job of this, but since you are going to edit your ANSI anyways, you might as well double- check. To do this, load your finished ANSI into QEdit or a similar ASCII based text-editor. The strings ANSITRAN looks for are esc[255D and esc[Aesc[B (the two codes together like that or esc[Besc[A). If you see them, remove them. The important part in making your repeat ANSI work, is to replace any esc[yy;xxH codes with esc[;xxH. This is because ANSI.SYS doesnt support going to XXth column in current row, and thus TheDraw doesn't add that code in. According to the ANSI 3.64-1979 standard esc[;xxH should go to XXth column in first row, however Oblivion/2 interprets the code differently in middle repeat ansis (and only middle in the repeat ansis). Instead of going to XXth column in first row, it will go to XXth column in current row, thus making repeat ANSIs possible. Having completed this, your repeat ansi is ready for use. It may take a while to become familiar with the ANSI codes, but after a while you learn them and this procedure will be mere routine. An example of a middle repeat ansi, created for the oneliners follows below. This example repeat ansi would look like this: "█ Here goes your oneliners... Column 80 -> █" This is how TheDraw saved the animated middle ansi I just made: [255D [0B [255D [0;1;30m█ [78C█ [2C [1A [0;32m|ON [0m We remove the esc[255D's and notice the esc[0B. It moves the cursor 0 chars down, so we can remove that too. The esc[78C moves the cursor 78 spaces to the right, we could also have done this using esc[;80H, thus moving the cursor to a fixed position in column 80. This is quite useful in some cases, and it makes it easier to recognize what is being done. After editing, it now looks like this: [0;1;30m█ [78C█ [2C [1A [0;32m|ON [0m Here's what it does: esc[0;1;30m equals the three ansi codes esc[0m, esc[1m, and esc[30m, color manipulations. Stacking commands using semicolon is used very often, and can be done as long as the last letter of the command (in this case m) is the same. Next, it puts a █ at position one, moves 79 spaces to the right and dumps another one █, wordwrapping onto the next line. Then it goes two more spaces to the right, and one line up, fixing out location at column 3. Cursor color is set to dark green. The MCI code will be replaced by your oneliner when this is shown. At last, the colors are reset so as not to interfere with your next ansi. And this is already a working repeat ansi! If you'd rather use the esc[;xxH code, it'd look like this: [0;1;30m█ [;80H█ [;3H [2;32m|ON [0m I prefer this one myself, but both will work in this case. As you can see, the system is very easy to use, and is very versatile. Please note that each screen type has certain MCI codes that go with it. Only in Data Areas can you define your own MCI codes. These are as follows: With versions after v2.20, you must be careful with your xxxxMID.ANS files. They must not be over 16K. If they are, there will be certain problems. Some screens cannot even be 16K, those screens will be noted as they are listed. SUBSSTAR.ANS - Message Base Listing Start SUBSMID.ANS - Message Base Listing Middle |AN - Base Number |BN - Base Name |SS - Sponsor SUBSEND.ANS - Message Base Listing End AREASTAR.ANS - File Area Listing Start AREAMID.ANS - File Area Listing Middle |AN - Area Number |AI - Area Name |AS - Area Sponsor AREAEND.ANS - File Area Listing End USERSTAR.ANS - User Listing Start USERMID.ANS - User Listing Middle |UH - User Handle |LE - Level |UN - User Note |AC - Area Code |LC - Last Call USEREND.ANS - User Listing End LASTSRT.ANS - Recent Callers Start LASTMID.ANS - Recent Callers Middle |UH - User Handle |DO - Date On |TO - Time On |BR - Baud Rate LASTEND.ANS - Recent Callers End DAILYSRT.ANS - Daily Log Start DAILYMID.ANS - Daily Log Middle |DT - Date |NP - New Posts |NF - New Files |NC - Number of Calls |TU - Time Used |NU - New Users DAILYEND.ANS - Daily Log End PRO?SRT.ANS - Protocol Listing Start PROT?MID.ANS - Protocol Listing Middle (Limit: 1024 bytes) |KE - Key |DE - Protocol Description PROT?END.ANS - Protocol Listing End ? = 1 for download protocols │ PROT1SRT.ANS ─┐ 2 for upload protocols │ PROT1MID.ANS │──┐ 3 for batch download protocols │ PROT1END.ANS ─┘ │ 4 for batch upload protocols │ ┌──────────────┘ 5 for resume protocols │ For a download protocol 6 for bidirectional protocols │ listing. INCSRT.ANS - Incoming E-Mail Start INCMID.ANS - Incoming E-Mail Middle |NU - Mail # |TI - Title of E-Mail |ST - Status -- (New or Old) |FM - From User INCEND.ANS - Incoming E-Mail End OUTSRT.ANS - Outgoing E-Mail Start OUTMID.ANS - Outgoing E-Mail Middle |NU - Mail # |TI - Title of E-Mail |ST - Status -- (New or Old) |TO - To User OUTEND.ANS - Outgoing E-Mail End GENSRT.ANS - Generic Menu Template Start |TI - Menu Title GENMID.ANS - Generic Menu Template Middle (Limit: 2048 bytes) |K? - Keys for option ? in the line |D? - Description for option ? in the line GENEND.ANS - Generic Menu Template End (For more information on generic menus, see that section of the documentation.) SECTION 10: MAKING STANDARD ANSIS ───────────────────────────────── When making the animated statistic screens, such as a new Main User Stat screen, a few simple rules must be followed. Screens should be made in this manner to insure that they will work correctly with Oblivion/2. These are the instructions to make a non-animated status screen. Animated Status screens require a bit more work and will require maintenance if they are not correctly made. To make Stat Screens w/o Complex Animations, follow these steps: 1] Draw Basic Screen. 2] Put Thedraw into ANIMATION Mode. And when prompted to select scanning method, use "TOP" (Others may work, but this is standard.) 3] Add the Appropriate MCI Codes, some external screens use the |xx codes and others use the %xx codes. Make sure you use the right ones. 4] After you've finished adding the MCI Codes, Save Animation in Ansi file format. Select Clear Screen, and Maximum line length to 255. Again, other numbers work, but this is standard. If your MCI codes seem out of place (ie: The stat isn't showing up where I put the MCI code for it), this could be one of two things. 1] |xx codes were used instead of %xx and vice versa. 2] Thedraw has expanded the MCI codes and Oblivion/2 cannot recognize them. If you used the right type of MCI codes, chances are that your problem is #2. Thedraw has a nasty habit of expanding MCI codes to more than 3 letters, therefore making them unrecognizable to Oblivion/2. There is a solution to this, ANSITRAN.EXE was written by Darkened Enmity to combat this problem. It is included in the distribution ZIP. Here are the instructions for using this utility: 1] Save ANSI in 80 character per line mode. With whatever preparation you've previously chosen. 2] Run ANSITRAN filename to correct the MCI bug. Another Screen that requires Attention is CONFSCR.ANS Use the appropriate |xx codes for this screen, but there is a difference in this screen than in others. When making your ansi, you MUST make the Color Bar. Use Ansi Block Characters to make the bar. ALL COLORS 0-15 must be in this bar if you want it to work correctly. After you have made the main ansi with the color bar, put it into Top Scan Animation. Add the |xx codes. When you are adding the |CB code (|CB is color bar), put this code OVER the Black on Black Box. It will look a bit like this. 0123456789ABCDE (You'll have boxes, numbers are used only for example) |CB go right over 0,1, and 2. An example will be provided for you. SECTION 11: MCI CODES / SYSOP CONFIGURABLE TEXTFILES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────── STANDARD CODES: All preceeded with % UN Handle RN Real Name PN Phone Number AD Address LO Location UC UserNote UL Level FL File level FP File Points UK Uploaded K DK Downloaded K UP Uploads DN Downloads PS Posts CS Calls TL Time Left NF New Files NP New Posts CR Connect Rate TT Daily Time Limit LC Last Caller TC Total Calls CT Calls Today FT Files Uploadded or Added Today PT Messages Posts Today NT New Users Today UU User Number BN Board Name SN Sysop Name DT Date TM Time SS Current Status Screen Library Name MS Current Menu Library Name PC Post/Call Ratio PF Turns Screen Pausing Off PO Turns Screen Pausing Back On (Provided User has enabled Screen Pauses) NR U/D Ratio KR U/D K Ratio LD Last On Date UA Makes anything below it unabortable. Use it for screens that you want to force users to see. CA Current Area CB Current Base DU Days until expiration NN Node Number PA Pauses the screen VN Version Number VD Version Date TF Total Files TP Total Posts CF Current File Conference CM Current Message Conference CE Message # (Only activated when used with the Nx message newscanning commands) ANSIS IN STATUS SCREEN LIBRARIES: BCHANGE.ANS - Message Base Changing Ansi |SN - Base Name |SS - Base Sponsor |NM - Number of Messages |UP - Number of Posts you made |LR - Last Read |DT - Date |TI - Time HDR.ANS - Message |HM - Header Message |LH - Repeats next character for as many characters there are in the header message |CC - Repeats next character for as many characters as are needed such that four |CC and |HM fill a line. |CH - Displays a centered header message ZIPHEAD.ANS - Internal ZIP Viewer Header (uses same codes as HDR.ANS, and is packed with status libraries) HEADER.ANS - Message Header |BN - Base Name |RT - Message to which current is a reply |MN - Message Number |OU - Total Messages |TL - Title |UN - Poster's Note |FM - Poster's Name |DT - Date Posted |TI - Time Posted |TO - Sent To |ST - Status CONFSCR.ANS - User Config Screen |CB - Color Bar Starting |FS - Full Screen Editor Toggle |PL - Page Length |DP - Pause |AD - Address |LC - Location |RC - Regular Color |PC - Prompt Color |IC - Input Color |VC - Inverse Color |SC - Status Color |BC - Box Color |CP - Current Prompt |EP - Emulation |CM - Current Menu |CS - Current Status Screen |RR - Reply Reading |UN - User Note |YN - Yes No Bars |RM - Redisplay Message |SF - Scrollable File Listing &xy - X = User flag. Y = Key to toggle flag. - With this code, you can add in your own configuration - options. FCONFIGS.ANS - File List Config Screen |O1 - Option 1 - Status Points |O2 - Option 2 - Points |O3 - Option 3 - Size |O4 - Option 4 - Date Uploaded |O5 - Option 5 - Downloads |O6 - Option 6 - Uploader |O7 - Option 7 - File Description |US - Used Space |EX - Example FSEHEAD.ANS - Full Screen Editor Header |TI - Title |ST - Send To |AN - Anonymous |AU - Autosig |DT - Date |TM - Time SUBSSTAR.ANS - Base Listing Start SUBSMID.ANS - Base Listing Middle |AN - Base Number |BN - Base Name |SS - Sponsor SUBSEND.ANS - Base Listing End FHEADER.ANS - File List Header |FH - Line of Information STATUS.ANS - User's Status Standard Codes FILESTAT.ANS - User's File Status Standard Codes USERSTAT.ANS - User's Stats Standard Codes AREASTAR.ANS - File Area Listing Start AREAMID.ANS - File Area Listing Middle |AN - Area Number |AI - Area Name |AS - Area Sponsor AREAEND.ANS - File Area Listing End NEWSHEAD.ANS - News Header |BN - Base Name |RT - Message to which current is a reply |MN - Message Number |OU - Total Messages |TL - Title |UN - Poster's Note |FM - Poster's Name |DT - Date Posted |TI - Time Posted |TO - Sent To |ST - Status USERSTAR.ANS - User Listing Start USERMID.ANS - User Listing Middle |UH - User Handle |LE - Level |UN - User Note |AC - Area Code |LC - Last Call USEREND.ANS - User Listing End LASTSRT.ANS - Recent Callers Start LASTMID.ANS - Recent Callers Middle |UH - User Handle |DO - Date On |TO - Time On |BR - Baud Rate LASTEND.ANS - Recent Callers End OTHER: (Not in STAT libraries) SYSPASS.ANS - System Password Ansi |PP - Place to prompt for password |BP - Place to put any error messages USERLOG.ANS - Username Ansi |NP - Place to prompt for username |PP - Place to prompt for password |QP - Place to prompt 'Use xx for quicker login' |IP - Place to prompt 'Invalid User name' QWKUP.ANS - QWK - Upload REP Packet/Process Posts ANSI |BP - Message Base |SP - Message Sent To |TI - Title of Message |OP - Operation Messages (IE: Echomail post etc..) QWKDN.ANS - QWK - Download QWK Packet/Archive Packet ANSI Note: All Light MCI Codes will blink until that operation ends. : For ease, usually codes |B1 and |B2 are placed adjacent. |L1 - Light #1 - Creating Control File |L2 - Light #2 - Creating Door Information File |L3 - Light #3 - Conference Light |L4 - Light #4 - Message Base Light |L5 - Light #5 - Post Information Light |L6 - Light #6 - Archiving Mail Packet Light |CP - Current Conference # |BP - Current Message Base |TP - Total Posts in Message Base |NP - New Posts in Message Base |EP - End - Place Where Cursor Goes After Processing |B1 - Location of Bar + Color of Blocks as they Fill |B2 - Color of Background of Bar SYSSTAT.ANS - System Statistics Screen (This screen just uses any standard % MCI codes you want) FILEINFO.ANS - File Information Screen |FN - Filename |UL - Uploader |FP - File Points |TD - Times Downloaded |SK - File Size (in bytes) |FK - File Size (in kilobytes) Template: TOPTEN-??.ANS --- ?? = the following: TOP-1.ANS - Top ten best uploaders TOP-2.ANS - Top ten worst uploaders TOP-3.ANS - Top ten best downloaders TOP-4.ANS - Top ten worst downloaders TOP-5.ANS - Top ten best Post/Call ratios TOP-6.ANS - Top ten worst Post Call ratios TOP-7.ANS - Top ten best uploaders in K TOP-8.ANS - Top ten worst uploaders in K TOP-9.ANS - Top ten best downloaders in K TOP-10.ANS - Top ten worst downloaders in K TOP-11.ANS - Top ten best message posters TOP-12.ANS - Top ten worst message posters TOP-13.ANS - Top ten best callers TOP-14.ANS - Top ten worst callers TOP-XX.ANS must be in the following format. MCI Codes as follows: |TN - Topten Name |N1 - User name for position #1 |V1 - Value for user #1 |B1 - Bar for user #1 |N2 - User name for position #2 |V2 - Value for user #2 |B2 - Bar for user #2 |N3 - User name for position #3 |V3 - Value for user #3 |B3 - Bar for user #3 |N4 - User name for position #4 |V4 - Value for position #4 |B4 - Bar for user #4 |N5 - User name for position #5 |V5 - Value for user #5 |B5 - Bar for user #5 |N6 - User name for position #6 |V6 - Value for user #6 |B6 - Bar for user #6 |N7 - User name for position #7 |V7 - Value for user #7 |B7 - Bar for user #7 |N8 - User name for position #8 |V8 - Value for user #8 |B8 - Bar for user #8 |N9 - User name for position #9 |V9 - Value for user #9 |B9 - Bar for user #9 |N0 - User name for position #10 |V0 - Value for user #10 |B0 - Bar for user #10 EMAILHDR.ANS - E-Mail Header ANSI |FM - From |DT - Date |TM - Time |ST - Sent To |UN - Sender User Note |TI - Title FILE DESCRIPTION CONFIG MCI CODES: |DE - Main description line. |Dx - Extended description line. |TC - Size uncompressed. |CC - Size compressed. |UL - Uploader of file. |UD - Date of upload. |TM - Time of upload. |DD - Date of FILE_ID.DIZ |ND - Newest File Date |OD - Oldest File Date Background Color Codes: |16 - Black |17 - Blue |18 - Green |19 - Cyan |20 - Red |21 - Magenta |22 - Brown |23 - Gray PRINTED FILES: ALL use standard codes: NOTLEFT .ANS - No Time Left WELCOME .XXX - Welcome Screen EXPIRED .BBS - Account Expired SLOWBAUD.ANS - User's baud rate is too low and does not know lockout pass PRELOGON.ANS - Prelogon Screen TOONODE .ANS - User already on another node CHECKED .XXX - User checked for access, but has level less than zero XXX is a level less than 0 that the user has. PRINT .APP - User starts applying NUPBAD .APP - Does not know NUP BLACKLST.ANS - User in Blacklist LETTER .APP - Send letter to the sysop during application DONE .APP - User done applying ENOUGH .ANS - User paged more than the specified times GOODBYE .ANS - User logging off SUBS .XXX - User viewing message base listing where XXX is the conference ID, external listings are on, but repeat method is not. XFER .XXX - User viewing file area listing where XXX is the conference ID, external listings are on, but repeat method is not. (Conference ID's can be found in the Conference Editor) LINEMENU.ANS - Help Screen for the Line Editor ULCHECK.ANS - Upload checker display screen. SYSPASS.ANS - Ansi displayed when prompting for System Password USERLOG.ANS - Ansi displayed when prompting for user username and password. NUVDOWN.ANS - File displayed to a user when he is turned down by the new user voting committee. KICKOFF.ANS - File displayed to a user when the SysOp decides to kick him off using the ALT-Q key command. SECTION 12: CONFIGURABLE CHAT ───────────────────────────── Configurable Chat was added to allow for more configuration for the SysOp, therefore making his board different than anybody else's. You can make horizontal split screen chats, vertical ones, diagonal ones, or anything that pops into your head. To make a chat follow the following instructions: 1] Create the design for your chat, name this CHATDEF.ANS It will be placed in the TEXTFILE directory when you're all done. 2] Put CHATDEF.ANS into Animation Mode, and use TOP Scan. 3] You must now create the "Margins" for the SysOp side of the chat, and the user's side of the chat. To do this, you'll need some MCI codes. For the left border of each line of the SysOp's side, You use ^xx, and for the right margin of the SysOp's type, use &xx. Do the same for the user side. Here are the codes for the user side, `xx for the left, and ~xx for the right margin. These MCI codes will tell Oblivion/2 where to wordwrap each line. Here is an example Horizontal Split Screen Chat (Non-animated, of course). This will help you to get the idea of what you must do. ^01 &01 ^02 &02 ────────|SN───────────────Split Screen Chat───|UN─────────── `01 ~01 `02 ~02 As you can see, the start MCI code will tell the program where to start typing, and the end MCI code will tell the program where to wordwrap. If you notice, the xx has been replaced by numbers. Each line must have a number, so Line 01 will wordwrap onto Line 02. So, don't mix up the numbers or you'll have a REAL MESS! If you notice in the example, the end MCI codes have been placed right at the end of the line. This is because the wordwrap starts where the MCI code starts. Placing them as they are above will prevent any problems that could arise. Place them in that fashion when you make your own. Another thing to notice is the |SN and |UN. |SN is the MCI code for the SysOp Name, and |UN is the pipe code for the current user name. These are NOT required in your screen. So if you want to play some kind of game with the user, you can do that too. This is an example of a vertical chat screen, if you want to do one of those instead of the horizontal shown above: ──────────────|SN──────────────┬──────────────|UN─────────── ^01 &01`01 ~01 ^02 &02`02 ~02 ^03 &03`03 ~03 ───────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────── In the user side, the lines `01, `02, `03 should be one space to the left. This will become obvious when you animate the screen in thedraw. The reason being that the user's type starts at the `xx code. You want to give the user the most typing he can get, so you want to start close to the middle line. Notice the SysOp side. Look at the &xx codes. Notice where I put them. The SysOp's type will end on the space where the &xx begins. To give the SysOp maximum typing, I put the codes right over the middle line. Remember, you won't overwrite this line because you'll animate the codes in using TheDraw. 4] Save the Screen, and use the ANSITRAN.EXE utility if it doesn't show up properly. See the docs of ANSITRAN for more info. There are a few options that SysOps and users can use in the chat mode: /TYPE - Allows the SysOp to type any file in the textfile directory. /PAGE - In one line chat, /PAGE will page the SysOp. In split screen chat, /PAGE will page the user. SECTION 13: MENU EDITOR ─────────────────────── Introduction............................... "-" Control Commands....................... "&" MultiNode Commands..................... "{" Matrix Commands........................ "!" Global Newscan Commands................ "[" Main Menu Commands..................... "." Door Commands.......................... "*" SysOp Commands......................... "^" New User Voting Commands............... "C" Conference Editor Commands............. "D" Data Commands.......................... "E" Email Commands......................... "F" File Commands.......................... "J" Join Conference Commands............... "M" Message Commands....................... "Q" QWKMail Commands....................... "R" Top Ten Listing Commands............... "S" Message Sponsor Commands............... "T" File Sponsor Commands.................. "V" Voting Booth Commands.................. "+" Color Setting Commands................. Menu Editor Function Over-View............. Introduction Oblivion/2 2.0 Menu Editor. This is, in my opinion, the best feature ever offered in any BBS software. The menu editor will allow you to modify, customize, or make a totaly unique menu system for your BBS. The Menu Editor is a very simple yet uses a complex system of commands that can be used individualy or stacked. The commands can be restricted to access levels, flags, conferences, age, and a variety other levels. Due to the fact that just about everything in Oblivion/2 2.0 can be configured via the Menu Editor, it's pretty much impossible for us to show you examples of how to use every command (Not to mention I doubt anybody would actuly print 25 meg of documentation). Instead we've put together a few samples of what can be done, and a descriptive list of all the available commands. After that is's up to you and your imagination. Have fun with it & take your time. ------------------------------------------------------------ "-" = Control Commands ------------------------------------------------------------ Command Key: -A Function : Writes CString into the Header (Use With : Stacking) CString : <String You Would Like Displayed> Command Key: -B Function : Sets the Bad Prompt to CString CString : <String You Would Like Displayed when an invalid command is entered, blank if none> Command Key: -C Function : Clears The FailFlag CString : None Command Key: -D Function : Sends CString to the modem. CString : ~ = .5 sec delay, | = Return, ^X = Ctrl-X : Note: Make sure to put your modem back : into online mode after you execute this : command, otherwise your BBS will be hung. : Use the ATO command to do this. Also, make : sure to use the +++ escape sequence to put : the modem into command mode. Otherwise, your : commands won't get to the modem. Command Key: -E Function : Writes Characters with ^ control char support CString : <String to be displayed> Command Key: -F Function : Displays A Text Or ANSi File CString : <FILENAME> <filename> A MS-DOS filename. This command will display a text file located in the TEXTFILE directory. Command Key: -G Function : Goes in the x,y position specified in the : CString CString : X,Y Command Key: -H Function : Gets String with Hidden Input CString : # <Length of Hidden Input String> Command Key: -I Function : Gets String with Normal Input CString : # <Length Of Normal Input String> Command Key: -M Function : If the string inputted with -I or -H is not the : Cstring the fail flag is set to true. CString : <String To Check> Command Key: -N Function : Displays a status screen from the current status library. (Use this in correspondence with the STATLIST. textfile to put status screens anywhere you want.) CString : <Filename to print> : IE: STATUS.ANS Command Key: -J Function : If the Sysop is not Available, the Fail Flag is : Set to True If he/she is available, the fail : flag is set to false CString : None Command Key: -K Function : Change Starting Menu to CString, so all -^ will set the fallback to the old starting menu CString : <Menu Name> Command Key: -L Function : Clears the Screen CString : None Command Key: -O Function : Displays file from current status screen library CString : <File from status library to display> Command Key: -P Function : Pauses X Number of seconds CString : X <Number Of Seconds> Command Key: -Q Function : Sets the current menu prompt to the value in the : cstring CString : <Menu Prompt #> Command Key: -R Function : Prints a Return CString : None Command Key: -S Function : Changes User Flags : Used for the first set of ACS flags. CString : <+,-> <Flag Letter> A "-" followed by certain letters will turn off That flag in the users account A "+" Followed by certain letters will trun on That Flag if it's active in the users account Command Key: -T Function : Sets the Status Library to the Value in the : Cstring CString : <#> # is the number of any Status Library Command Key: -V Function : Sets Menu Library to the Value in the CString CString : <#> # is the number of any Menu Library Command Key: -U Function : Sets the Starting Menu to cstring and sets the : fallback of all the : menus called with the -^ : command to the menu name in the cstring. CString : <Menu Name> Menu Name is the name of any menu Command Key: -W Function : Writes CString in the Log CString : Whatever You Want Written in the SysOp Log This Command is good for keeping track of your SysOp's And Co-SysOp's By Stacking it with other commands. Command Key: -X Function : Returns failflag if file specified by CString doesn't exist. CString : Filename Command Key: -Y Function : Changes User Flags : For use with the second set of user flags. CString : <+,-> <Flag Letter> A "-" followed by certain letters will turn off That flag in the users account A "+" Followed by certain letters will trun on That Flag if it's active in the users account Command Key: -Z Function : Pauses other commands until output (send) buffer is empty. CString : None This command is useful for displaying a textfile before hanging up on a user. Stack this command after your display textfile command and before the hangup command. Command Key: -+ Function : Displays a random WELCOME.x file from textfile directory. CString : None Command Key: -| Function : Checks user's infoforms to be sure that he's filled out all mandatory infoforms. If he hasn't, the system will go to the infoform that was not completed and force the user to complete it. CString : None Command Key: -@ Function : Reads system notices CString : None Command Key: -_ Function : Pages the SysOp if the user has the wanted flag (The wanted flag can be toggled from the online user editor) CString : None Command Key: -/ Function : Goes to the menu name in the Cstring and sets : the fallback to the current menu CString : Menu You Wanna Go To Command Key: -\ Function : Goes to the fallback menu and sets the fallback : menu to the previous fallback CString : Menu You Wanna Go To Command Key: -^ Function : Goes to the menu name in the Cstring and sets : the fallback to the starting menu CString : Menu You Wanna Go To Command Key: -* Function : Sets the input variable usually inputted with -I : and -J to the string in the Cstring CString : String Command Key: -= Function : Sets User Level to value contained in the : CString CString : User Level : (Be carefull w/how you use this one..) Command Key: -& Function : After The execution of an external program via : door commands, the errorlevel with which the : external program exited will be put into the : input string, the one that is also set with -I, : -J, and -M. Command Key: -( Function : Send's The "Hit Return" prompt and waits for a : return CString : None Command Key: -) Function : Changes to the infoform set specified in the CString CString : Infoform set to use Command Key: -{ Function : Goes to the menu specified in the CString, : but will not execute any FIRSTCMD statements. CString : <Menu to go to> Command Key: -} Function : Drops to the previous menu, but will not run any FIRSTCMD statements. CString : None Command Key: -: Function : Toggles locking of output to the modem. CString : None : Note: Use this command again to unlock the : output to the modem. Command Key: -; Function : Toggles locking input from the modem. CString : None : Note: Use this command again to unlock the input : from the modem. Command Key: -$ Function : Goes to a menu keeping the current fallback menu : and it will process FIRSTCMD statements. CString : Menu name to goto. Command Key: -% Function : Goes to a menu keeping the current fallback menu : but it won't process FIRSTCMD statements. CString : Menu name to goto. Command Key: -- Function : Displays and gets input in same format as prompt string. CString : None Command Key: -# Function : Sets Time left to value found in CString. CString : Time Left Command Key: -! Function : Displays current menu prompt using CString as the name in the prompt. CString : Name in the prompt Command Key: -. Function : Sends the file specified in the CString. : Note: This command automatically checks : to see that the file being sent is not : in the menu or data directories. If it is, : the command is aborted. CString : Path and Filename of the file to be sent Command Key: -< Function : Displays Prompt String CString : Absolute Prompt #,Other Text 1φOther Text 2 Command Key: -~ Function : Sets Chat Reason in Status Bar to Value in : CString. If the CString is blank, the BBS : removes the chat reason from the status : line. CString : Chat Reason, or Blank to remove chat reason Command Key: -" Function : Sets the number of lines scrolled to 0. : This is used to stop the screen from pausing : for another screenful of text. CString : None Command Key: -1 Function : Sets Screen Pausing (variable toggled in : user config) on/off CString : + sets pausing on, anything else turns pausing : off. Command Key: -2 Function : Suspends Screen Pausing until next textfile : display. CString : + suspends pausing, and anything else returns : to the default settings. Command Key: -, Function : Sets starting Option in a pulldown Menu CString : Pulldown ID of the starting option Command Key: -' Function : Turns on Pulldown Menu Re-entrance CString : None Explain : This option returns to the selected option : when the user re-enters the pulldown menu. : This works ONLY if the command that the user : executed does not go to another menu. IE: If : your doors menu is set up as a pulldown menu, : the user selects 'Solar Realms Elite'. Upon : finishing the game, and returning to the doors : menu, the option 'Solar Realms Elite' will be the : highlighted option. Command Key: -` Function : Turns off Pulldown Menu Re-Entrance CString : None ------------------------------------------------------------ & = MultiNode Commands ------------------------------------------------------------ Command Key: &A Function : Gets Page Status CString : None Command Key: &C Function : Enters Into Multinode Chat CString : None Command Key: &D Function : Changes the activity in the logs to : the activity that you specify in : the CString CString : The user's new activity Command Key: &F Function : Forces a user into multinode chat CString : None Command Key: &L Function : Views the log of a user on the other node. CString : None Command Key: &M Function : Sends a MultiNode Message to another node CString : None Command Key: &N Function : Allows a user to kick a user off of another node CString : None : Make sure to use an appropriate ACS on this : option so that only certain people can access : it. Command Key: &R Function : Allows user on current node to join multinode : split screen chat. CString : None Command Key: &S Function : View MultiNode Status CString : None Command Key: &U Function : Sends a Message to all available nodes CString : None Command Key: &X Function : Sends Message in CString to all available nodes CString : Note to send Command Key: &[ Function : Sets user as available for multinode chat CString : None Command Key: &] Function : Sets user as unavailble for multinode chat. CString : None ------------------------------------------------------------- { = Matrix Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: {A Function : Applies as New User. If User completed the : application, fail flag is set to false, : otherwise it is true. CString : None Command Key: {C Function : Checks User Access. If User is validated, : failflag is set to false, otherwise it is true. CString : None Command Key: {D Function : If user can logon w/account and password : (Doesn't need System Password), failflag is set : to false, otherwise it's set to true. : None Command Key: {F Function : Leaves Feedback to the user number contained in the cstring CString : User # of the user to send Matrix FeedBack to Command Key: {G Function : Logs Off From the Matrix CString : None Command Key: {L Function : Launches Extra System CString : System Password,ErrorLevel : System Password being the Password a user needs : to get to the extra system, and ErrorLevel the : Errorlevel that Oblivion/2 would drop at. (ie : "GETIN,58" would make the Password GETIN and : would make Obv/2 drop at an ErrorLevel Of 58) Command Key: {P Function : Matrix Chat CString : None Command Key: {S Function : Loads The Main BBS System CString : x (Number between 1-999) : When a CString is specified, PRELOGON.X, an : USERLOG.X, and SYSPASS.X will be displayed. : Using CString 1, these files would be printed : PRELOGON.1, SYSPASS.1 USERLOG.1. Use for : increased matrix effects. Command Key: {T Function : Sets FailFlag to false if user is able to get to : main system through knowing the system password : and having an account. : This would be used for stacking commands at the : matrix without actually logging onto to the : board. CString : Same as for {S. Command Key: {X Function : Drops into the BBS CString : None : Use This Command With Caution! - NOTE> ------------------------------------------------------------- ! = Global Newscan Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: !A Function : Scans Message and File Conferences CString : None Command Key: !F Function : Scans File Conferences CString : None Command Key: !M Function : Scans Message Conference CString : None ------------------------------------------------------------- [ = Main Menu Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: [A Function : Edits AutoSig CString : None Command Key: [C Function : Pages Sysop CString : N (Doesn't ask for reason) : A (Forces SysOp to be available) Command Key: [D Function : Does the Infoform with the value contained in : the Cstring CString : Number Of The Infoform To Fill Out Command Key: [F Function : Fills out infoform into a textfile. CString : INFOFORM#,TEMPLATE : TEMPLATE format is a directory, and : a filename w/o period or extension. : IE: 1,C:\APPS\OBVAPP : This would fill out infoform #1, and : put it into the file OBVAPP.1, then : OBVAPP.2, etc. These files would be : located in the C:\APPS\ directory. Command Key: [G Function : Logs Off CString : None Command Key: [H Function : Logs Off without displaying the goodbye ansi CString : None Command Key: [I Function : Fills out Infoform CString : None Command Key: [K Function : User Configuration (Goes To The "Konfig" Menu) CString : <valid DOS filename> : You can create multiple configuration screens : by telling the BBS which screen to go to. Make : sure that the screen is in your status screen : library. (Read the STATCODE section on how to : code an extra screen in the status libraries) Command Key: [L Function : Lists Users CString : None Command Key: [S Function : System Status CString : None Command Key: [U Function : Time Bank CString : {Maximum Total Time} {Maximum Time to Deposit : Today} Maximum Total Time Being total time : allowed in the time bank. Maximum Time Today : being the total time allowed per day. (ie 60 15 : would make a max of 60 minutes and 15 minutes : per day) Command Key: [V Function : Views Daily Log CString : # of days back to display, or blank for the : complete log listing. Command Key: [W Function : Last Callers CString : 1-20 : Tells how many callers to list. Command Key: [X Function : Transfer to User CString : None Command Key: [Y Function : Users Status CString : None Command Key: [+ Function : Change Password CString : None Command Key: [- Function : Forces user to change his/her password CString : None ------------------------------------------------------------- . = Door Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: .E Function : Executes file in your main BBS Directory (No : Door File Created) CString : %1 = Connect Rate : %2 = User Number Command Key: .N Function : Makes Door RBBS DORINFO1.DEF File with COM0 : in the DORINFO1.DEF if you are local and executes file in the door directory CString : <FILENAME> Command Key: .R Function : Makes Door RBBS DORINFO1.DEF File with LOCAL in : the DORINFO1.DEF if you are local and executes : the file in the door directory CString : <FILENAME> Command Key: .S Function : Makes SRE DOOR.SR file and executes the file in : the door directory CString : <FILENAME> Command Key: .T Function : Makes Standard DOOR.SYS file (GAP - TeleGard - : WildCat 3.0+) ------------------------------------------------------------- * = Sysop Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Note - All of the following commands can be dangerous if accessed by un-authorized users. Use them with caution! Command Key: *# Function : Runs The Menu Editor CString : None Command Key: *B Function : Allows The SysOp To Edit/View The Blacklist CString : None Command Key: *C Function : Enters The System Configuration Menu CString : None Command Key: *D Function : Enters MiniDos CString : None Command Key: *E Function : Edits Strings (Internal Prompts) CString : None Command Key: *I Function : Shows Infoforms CString : None Command Key: *K Function : Clears Infoforms CString : None Command Key: *L Function : Shows SysOp Log's CString : None Command Key: *M Function : Make User CString : None Command Key: *P Function : Enters the Protocol Editor CString : None Command Key: *R Function : Configures Menu Prompts CString : None Command Key: *S Function : Sets Libraries CString : None Command Key: *T Function : Runs the internal Text Editor CString : None Command Key: *U Function : User Editor CString : None Command Key: *V Function : Event Editor CString : None Command Key: *X Function : View Voting Command Key: *Y Function : Parameter Editor CString : None Command Key: *Z Function : Archiver Editor CString : None ------------------------------------------------------------- ^ = New User Voting Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: ^D Function : Starts new user voting without asking the user : if they would like to skip it CString : None Command Key: ^L Function : Lists Users in the NUV CString : None Command Key: ^S Function : Ask's User if they would like to vote on new : users CString : Q : If "Q" is specified as the CString, then users : are forced to vote on new users. They cannot : quit Command Key: ^Q Function : Goes through the NUV without allowing the : user to skip or exit. CString : None Note : ACS for all NUV commands is as follows: : <NUV Level>,<Yes Votes>,<No Votes>,<Success>, : <Deny>,<Val> : NUV Level is the level of the users to be voted : on, Yes/No Votes are the # of each required : for validation or denial, Sucess/Deny Levels : are the user levels given to users who pass and : fail the NUV, and Val can be set to + to : validate the user giving him the default levels. ------------------------------------------------------------- C = Conference Editor ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: CA Function : Adds a Conference CString : None Command Key: CD Function : Deletes a Conference CString : None Command Key: CE Function : Edits a Conference CString : None Command Key: CI Function : Initializes Conference Editor CString : None Command Key: CL Function : List Conferences CString : None Command Key: CR Function : Reorders Conference CString : None Command Key: CT Function : Selects Conference Type CString : None Command Key: CU Function : List Users with Access to a Conference CString : None ------------------------------------------------------------- D = Data Area Menu ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: DA Function : Adds Data CString : None Command Key: DD Function : Deletes Data CString : None Command Key: DC Function : Edits Data in a data area CString : None Command Key: DE Function : Edits Selected Data Area CString : None Command Key: DF Function : List Data w/o asking for range limits CString : None Command Key: DG Function : Puts the data area listing into a file, and : if you're remote, it will send it to you. CString : None : This option would be equivelant to listing the : data area, and turning on a capture in your term : program. Command Key: DK Function : Deletes Selected Data Area CString : None Command Key: DL Function : Lists Data w/ asking for range limits CString : None Command Key: DM Function : Add Data Area CString : None Command Key: DR Function : Displays a Random Entry in this data area using : the List Prefix followed by "RAN.ANS" as the : ansi to tell it how it should look. CString : None Command Key: DS Function : Shows Data CString : None Command Key: D* Function : Selects Data Area in the Cstring CString : # of Data Area, if blank, will let user select : which ------------------------------------------------------------- E = Email Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: EA Function : Sysop Option to Scan Email CString : None Command Key: EB Function : Looks in a User's Mail Box CString : None Command Key: ED Function : Delete Incoming piece of Email CString : # of Email - Asks For # if none is specified Command Key: EE Function : Edits Outgoing Email CString : # of Email - Asks For # If None is specified Command Key: EF Function : Forwards Mail CString : # of Email - Asks For # if None is Specified Command Key: EG Function : Edits Groups CString : None Command Key: EI Function : Lists Incoming E-Mail CString : None Command Key: EK Function : Kills Outgoing Mail CString : # of Email - Asks For # if None is Specified Command Key: EL Function : Lists Mail CString : None Command Key: EM Function : Memorize E-Mail Message CString : None Note : Be sure to put the M! command in the E-Mail Menu : to allow the user to download the memorized : messages. Command Key: EN Function : Scans for Email CString : None Command Key: EO Function : Lists Outgoing E-Mail CString : None Command Key: EP Function : Replies to Incoming Email CString : # of Email - Asks if None is Specified Command Key: ER Function : Read Incoming Mail CString : # of Email - Asks if None is Specified Command Key: ES Function : Sends Email CString : # Of the user to send Email to - Asks if None is : Specified Command Key: ET Function : Shows Incoming/Outgoing Information CString : None Command Key: EV Function : Views Outgoing Email CString : # Of Email - Asks if None is Specified Command Key: EX Function : Purges FileMail older than a number of days set : in the config CString : None Command Key: EY Function : Spy Mail : Allows user to read his/her mail without : marking it as read. CString : None Command Key: EZ Function : Packs Email, do this every once in a while, it : clears out deleted email and thus speeds up the : searching for new email CString : None Command Key: E+ Function : Allows user to read all mail. Used with the : E-Mail tags. Read that section for more information. CString : None Command Key: E- Function : Allows user to see mail only mail addressed to him. : Used with E-Mail tags. Read corresponding section. CString : None Command Key: E$ Function : Sets incoming E-Mail tag to value of CString. : Used with E-Mail tags. Read corresponding section. CString : (0-255) - E-Mail tag to use Command Key: E# Function : Sets outgoing tag to value of CString. : Used with E-Mail tags. Read corresponding section. CString : (0-255) - E-Mail tag to use ------------------------------------------------------------- F = File Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: FA Function : Lists File Areas Does Not Ask Which Base To : Switch to CString : None Command Key: FB Function : Batch Menu CString : None Command Key: FC Function : Change Files CString : FILENAME or # of first file to edit - Will ask : if None is Specified Command Key: FD Function : Downloads Files CString : FILENAME of # of the first file to Download : Will ask if None is Specified Command Key: FE Function : Newscanns the current file area. CString : None Command Key: FF Function : Newscans File Areas without asking if you want : to scan them all CString : None Command Key: FG Function : Custom File Operations CString : Operation Name, batchfile This function is used to add functions not supported by Oblivion/2 into your file sections. The command works via a batchfile that you create. The custom file operations command will generate a list of files in the user's batch que with pathnames. This file is called FILELST. It will be found in the work directory. The 'operation name' part of the CString is the name of this operation. It will be displayed to users in the format of 'Enter up to 50 files to (Operation Name Here)' (Just like the rest of the file section does). The batchfile will then tell the BBS which DOS commands to execute to perform your operation. An example setup of this command is as follows. Say that you have an artwork oriented board, and you leave the ansis uncompressed on your HD. You want to let the users ZIP up all the ANSI files they want to download into one ZIP file for easier downloading. Say you want to call this operation 'Zip up'. This is the command in the menu editor you'd use. Command Key: FG CString : Zip Up,ZIP.BAT ZIP.BAT would look like this: C:\OBV\PKZIP.EXE %1ZIPDANSI.ZIP @%FILELST. When executed, it would look like this: C:\OBV\PKZIP.EXE C:\OBV\WORK\ZIPDANSI.ZIP @C:\OBV\WORK\FILELST. Command Key: FI Function : Inits File Areas in the file conference selected CString : None Command Key: FK Function : User Configurable File List Configuration CString : None Command Key: FL Function : Lists Files in current file area CString : None Command Key: FM Function : Bidirectional Transfer CString : None Notes : For bidirectional protocols, you need to create : a progam that will convert the protocol's log : files to a DSZLOG compatible log. The filename : should be the same as the 'LOGNAME' option in : the config with a U or D as the last part of the : extension. IE: If you had C:\OBV\DSZLOG. The : filename would be C:\OBV\DSZLOG.1U or DSZLOG.1D. : U for upload, and D for download. Command Key: FN Function : Newscans File Areas, asks if you want to scan : them all CString : None Command Key: FO Function : Shows info for files CString : FILENAME or # - Will ask if None is Specified CString : None Command Key: FP Function : Requests file (Will Generate Notice for Each : File Requested) CString : None Command Key: FQ Function : Used to turn on/off options in the user's file : listing configuration CString : +/- (Option number) : 0 Turns off All options Example : CString: 0+127 first turns off all options, and : then turns on options 1,2, and 7. Command Key: FR Function : Resumes file(s) CString : FILENAME or # - Will Ask if None is Specified Command Key: FS Function : Sets File Area CString : Area # - if zero, Obv/2 will prompt Command Key: FT Function : Type file(s) CString : FILENAME or # - Will Ask if None is Specified Command Key: FU Function : Upload CString : None Command Key: FV Function : Views files CString : None Command Key: FW Function : Lists users with access to the current file : area. CString : None Command Key: FX Function : Extract file(s) CString : FILENAME or # - Will Ask if None is Specified Command Key: FY Function : File Status CString : FILENAME or # - Will Ask if None is Specified Command Key: FZ Function : Search for File CString : None Command Key: F[ Function : Previous Area CString : None Command Key: F] Function : Next Area CString : None Command Key: F| Function : Generate Complete File List CString : None Command Key: F= Function : Toggles on/off scrollable file listing. CString : Y = ON, N = OFF Command Key: TG Function : Create/Update File Catalog CString : None : The file catalog is a data file that contains : the filenames of all files on your system. The : BBS reads this file for some operations. This : method is very fast, but before you can use it, : you must create the catalog data file with this : menu command. Also make sure to toggle the : option 'Use file catalog' in the CONFIG. ------------------------------------------------------------- J = Join Conference ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: JF Function : Joins Relative File Conference CString : Conference # - Will ask if None is Specified. : If the User types, Q, the fail flag will be set : Otherwise it will not be. What Relative : Conference means is the number of the conference : that the user sees This means, that if there are : 3 conferences to which user has access, the : relative file conference number corresponds : to the number of the conference in the listing Command Key: JM Function : Joins Relative Message Conference CString : Conference # - Will Ask if None is Specified : If the User types, Q, the fail flag will be set : Otherwise it will not be What Relative : Conference means is the number of the conference : that the user sees This means, that if there are : 3 conferences to which user has access, the : relative file conference number corresponds : to the number of the conference in the listing Command Key: JS Function : Joins Absolute Message Conference CString : Conference ID # : Will set the message conference to the : conference that has the conference ID of the : Cstring. Unlike the relative conferences : the number never varies, however with this : command, a user can join a deleted conference or : one to which he does not have access Command Key: JT Function : Joins Absolute File Conference CString : Conference ID # : Will set the message conference to the conference that has the conference ID of the Cstring. Unlike the relative conferences the number never varies, however with this command, a user can join a deleted conference or one to which he does not have access ------------------------------------------------------------- M = Message Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: MB Function : Backwards title scan CString : None Command Key: MC Function : Newscan Config for the current conference CString : None Command Key: MD Function : Deletes a Message CString : None Command Key: ME Function : Edits a Message CString : None Command Key: MF Function : Message Newscans all areas CString : None Command Key: MG Function : Display BCHANGE.ANS CString : None Command Key: MH Function : Sets Message Header CString : 0 = Internal : 1 = External : 2 = HEADER.1, 3=HEADER.2 etc... : HEADER.X files can be found in your status : screen library or textfile directory. Command Key: MI Function : Inits Message Bases in this conferences CString : None or N : If "N" is the CString, then the BCHANGE.ANS : Header will not be displayed. Command Key: MJ Function : Newscans by type, but does NOT update : message pointers. CString : T,F,D,I, or X : T = To Current User : F = From Current User : D = After Date : I = Containing Certain Information : X = Containing Certain Text Command Key: ML Function : Lists Message Bases in this conference CString : None Command Key: MM Function : Memorize Message in CString CString : # to memorize, if no # is specified, the BBS : will prompt the user. Command Key: MN Function : Newscans w/ prompt to scan all CString : None Command Key: MO Function : Newscans messages by Type, updates pointers CString : See MJ Menu Command Command Key: MP Function : Posts Message CString : None Command Key: MR Function : Reads Messages CString : None Command Key: MS Function : Selects Message Base CString : # of Messages base - if 0 Obv/2 will prompt Command Key: MT Function : Reads Messages in this base in reply reading : newscan CString : None Command Key: MU Function : Lists Users w/ access to this conference CString : None Command Key: MV Function : Reads Messages in this base w/ normal reading : newscan CString : None Command Key: MW Function : Forward Title Scan CString : # of message to start scan Command Key: MZ Function : Scans for new system news CString : None Command Key: M[ Function : Previous Message Base CString : None Command Key: M] Function : Next Message Base CString : None Command Key: M! Function : Download Message Capture CString : None Command Key: N# Function : Reads the message with the # specified in the : CString CString : Message # to read. Command Key: NA Function : Reads the current message again. CString : None Command Key: NB Function : Backward thread of messages. CString : None Command Key: ND Function : Delete current message. CString : None Command Key: NE Function : Edits the current message. CString : None Command Key: NF Function : Forward Title scan with pointer advance CString : None Command Key: NI Function : Sets the fail flag to true if the user is at the : last message. CString : None Command Key: NL Function : Sets the fail flag to true if the user is at the : last message base. CString : None Command Key: NM Function : Memorize Current Message CString : None Command Key: NN Function : Reads next message. CString : None Command Key: NO Function : Backward title scan from current message. CString : None Command Key: NP Function : Private Reply to Message. CString : None Command Key: NR Function : Reply to the current message. CString : None Command Key: NT Function : Forward title scan from current message. CString : None Command Key: NU Function : Update current message as lastread message. CString : None Command Key: NX Function : Backward Title scan with pointer retreat CString : None Command Key: NY Function : Returns failflag if current base is not in newscan ------------------------------------------------------------- Q = QWKMail Menu ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: QD Function : Updates Last Read Message # to the first message : after the date specified. CString : None Command Key: QL Function : Allows the user to edit the last QWK Reply : Upload Date CString : None Command Key: QM Function : Make QWK Packet CString : None : Hitting ESC two times aborts the creation of a : QWK packet. Command Key: QR Function : Receives REP Packet CString : None Command Key: QU Function : Updates user pointers so that all messages : are marked as READ. CString : None : You might want to force your users to use this : when they first login so that they don't DL a : huge QWK packet. ------------------------------------------------------------- R = Top Ten Listing ------------------------------------------------------------- Note for ALL Top Ten menu commands: If you put a * after your header (in the CString field), the top ten listing will NOT pause (prompt for return). Command Key: RA (Top Ten #1) Function : Top Ten List by Top Uploaders CString : Header Command Key: RB ( Top Ten #2) Function : Top Ten List by Worst Uploaders CString : Header Command Key: RC (Top Ten #3) Function : Top Ten List by Top Downloaders CString : Header Command Key: RD (Top Ten #4) Function : Top Ten List by Worst Downloaders CString : Header Command Key: RE (Top Ten #5) Function : Top Ten List by Top PCR CString : Header Command Key: RF (Top Ten #6) Function : Top Ten List by Worst PCR CString : Header Command Key: RG (Top Ten #7) Function : Top Ten List by Top K Uploaded CString : Header Command Key: RH (Top Ten #8) Function : Top Ten List by Worst K Uploaded CString : Header Command Key: RI (Top Ten #9) Function : Top Ten List by Top K Downloaded CString : Header Command Key: RJ (Top Ten #10) Function : Top Ten List by Worst K Downloaded CString : Header Command Key: RK (Top Ten #11) Function : Top Ten List by Top Posters CString : Header Command Key: RL (Top Ten #12) Function : Top Ten List by Worst Posters CString : Header Command Key: RM (Top Ten #13) Function : Top Ten List by Top Callers CString : Header Command Key: RN (Top Ten #14) Function : Top Ten List by Worst Callers with header in : Cstring CString : Header ------------------------------------------------------------- S = Message Base Sponsor ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: SC Function : Copy One Message Area to Another Area CString : None Command Key: SE Function : Edit Current Message Base CString : None Command Key: SK Function : Kill Current Message Base CString : None Command Key: SM Function : Make Message Base CString : None Command Key: SP Function : Packs Message Bases CString : None Command Key: SR Function : Reorders Message Bases CString : None Command Key: SX Function : Moves a Message from one base to another CString : None Command Key: S@ Function : Toggles Access to all file bases CString : None ------------------------------------------------------------- T = File Sponsor Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: TA Function : Add Files CString : None Command Key: TC Function : Offline Clean Up, takes files that are not : present out of the file listings CString : None Command Key: TD Function : Delete Files CString : FILENAME or # to start list - Will Ask if None : is Specified Command Key: TE Function : Edit Current File Area CString : None Command Key: TF Function : Move Files CString : FILENAME or # to start list - Will Ask if None : is Specified Command Key: TJ Function : If a file doesn't exist in the directory : specified by its individual file record, the : path will be changed to the one of the area. CString : None : This command should be used when you want to : move a whole area from one drive to another one. : Instead of editing every file's directory, : simply move the files to the new drive, change : the area's directory, and then run this command. : All of the files will be updated to the new : directory. Command Key: TK Function : Kill File Area CString : None Command Key: TM Function : Make File Area CString : None Command Key: TN Function : Copys One File Area to Another CString : None Command Key: TP Function : Global Point Reassign CString : None Command Key: TR Function : Re-Order Areas CString : None Command Key: TS Function : Sort Areas CString : None Command Key: TT Function : Offline Tag, Tags files that are not there as : offline and offline : files that have been : returned as online. CString : None Command Key: TU Function : Global Local Upload CString : None Command Key: TV Function : File Validation CString : None Command Key: T@ Function : Toggles Access to all file areas CString : None Command Key: T+ Function : Increases the user's file points by the value : found in the CString CString : # of points to add the user's record Command Key: T- Function : Decreases the user's file points by the value : found in the CString CString : # of points to remove from the user's record Command Key: T= Function : Sets the user's file points to the value in : the CString CString : # (Value to set user's points to) ------------------------------------------------------------- V = Voting Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: VA Function : Add Question CString : None Command Key: VC Function : Checks for unanswered mandatory questions CString : None Command Key: VD Function : Deletes voting question CString : # of voting question to delete - will prompt if blank Command Key: VL Function : Lists Voting Questions CString : None Command Key: VR Function : Answers Voting Question CString : # of voting question - Will Prompt if zero Command Key: VS Function : Shows Results to Voting Question CString : # of voting question - Will Prompt if zero ------------------------------------------------------------- + = Color Setting Commands ------------------------------------------------------------- Command Key: +1 Function : Sets Regular Color CString : Color (ie 15 would set to white) Command Key: +2 Function : Sets Prompt Color CString : Color Command Key: +3 Function : Sets Input Color CString : Color Command Key: +4 Function : Sets Inverse Color CString : Color Command Key: +5 Function : Sets Stat Color CString : Color Command Key: +6 Function : Sets Box Color CString : Color Command Key: +S Function : Sets your colors to the default colors defined : in the System Configuration CString : None ------------------------------------------------------------- Oblivion/2 Menu Editor ------------------------------------------------------------- Oblivion/2's Menu Editor is much like Telegard / Renegade's Menu editing system. There are some expanded functions that should be known. The main menu editing interface consists of 9 commands. A sample of the interface is shown below. (Scaled down) ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Menu Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Name : BBS List │ │ (B) Password : │ │ (C) Fallback Menu : │ │ (D) Help ID : BBSLIST │ │ (E) Name In Prompt : BBS List │ │ (F) Menu Title : BBS List │ │ (G) Pulldown ANSI : │ │ (H) Edit Options │ │ (I) Generic Menus │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ (A) The first command is plain and simple... The name of the menu. It is there for the user's reference. (B) A Password for the menu can be specified. (C) A Fallback menu. This is the menu that will be used as a return of fallback. If no fallback is specified, then the system will make the last menu in the stack as the default fallback. (D) This is the ID for the file to be hardcoded when Menu Libraries are coded. (ie: MAIN = MAIN.ANS in a menu LIB file) (E) Menu Title To Be Displayed in the menu prompt. (F) (Reserved) There may be utilities that may use them such as ones that will generate generic menus that look half-way decent. That is if anyone gets around to writing the utility. (G) Pulldown Ansi. This option will be explained further in the documentation. (H) Allows Editing of the menu's actual options (I) Displays a generic menu. Most of these options are pretty much self explanitory, so if you don't understand what one does - experiment. ------------------------------------------------------------- (H) Edit Options. The following is a sample screen of the option editor. 1 FIRSTCMD D* 2 A* -A 3 A* DA 4 D* DD 5 L* DL 6 S* DS 7 Q* -\ (A)dd (C)hange (D)elete (M)ove (Q)uit : From this menu there isn't all that much to do. You can simply add, delete, move, or change menu functions. To Edit an option, hit C then the option number. The following screen will be displayed. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : D* │ │ (E) Keys : *D │ │ (F) Command String : 1 │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ (+) Next Option │ │ (-) Previous Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ (A) Option Name - Name Of the option the way you want it displayed in a generic menu. (This is also used in a pulldown menu. SEE Pullown Menus for more) (B) ACS - Access Level, Flag, or other restriction to use for this option. (C) Hidden - Determines if the option name will be displayed in a generic menu. (This is also used in pulldown menus) (D) Command Keys - The actual Command that will be executed. (E) Keys - this is the key, or keys used to execute the command. You can put FIRSTCMD to execute the command when the user goes to the menu or EACH to do it before the prompt is drawn, every time the user is at the menu. (F) Command String - Some commands will allow the use of a command string. See each command for a command string(s) if any. (G) Pulldown ID - This is used in pulldown menus. (SEE Pulldown Menus for more) ------------------------------------------------------------- In the Pulldown Filename, there can be the following: <blank> Draws Menu Prompt with the name in the prompt in the prompt and does standard input ::X Where X is a letter in the alphabet. Randomly picks a letter from A to X, and will act as if the user pressed that key. Example: Random Matrices The above command can be used to easily make random matrices. Say that you have 4 matrices that you want to randomize. Since D is the 4th letter of the alphabet, your pulldown filename will be ::D. (Without the period) In your MATRIX.MNU, you'll have need to have four commands with the 'Key' Field set to A,B,C,D. Now, for each command, you'll want it to go to a different menu. That new menu will be one of your matrices. Here's an example of one command that you'll have in the MATRIX.MNU. Description : Go to DOS Matrix Hidden : No Command Keys: -^ (GOTO Menu) Key : A CString : DOSMAT Do the same thing for the other 3 letters. Note that you can't have other commands in the menu as they won't be executed. Only commands that will be executed will be the ones with the keys A-D. N Writes the Name in the Prompt alone May Contain: ^R - Regular Color ^S - Status Color ^P - Prompt Color ^E - Input Color ^V - Inverse Color ^X - Box Color ^M - Goes down a line Using The Following To End: / Yes/No Bar Prompt beginning with No \ Yes/No Bar Prompt beginning with Yes = Yes/No/Quit Bar Prompt Beginning with Yes | Yes/No/Quit Bar Prompt Beginning with No @ Yes/No/Quit Bar Prompt Beginning with Quit * Inputs String : Inputs String with a : in a different color # Hotkey without Echo ) Hotkey with Echo ( Sets the string equal to the Input Question varaible set with -I, -J, or -M You can use the following characters in the keys of a menu using a name in prompt ending with a # or ). ALT-200 (Up) ALT-208 (Down) ALT-205 (Right) ALT-203 (Left) ALT-199 (Home) ALT-207 (End) All pipe codes are also applicable in this prompt. This command is used to make menus that ask questions, create hotkeyed type menus, or get input from users. Bx Does Bar selection menu with x number of columns R Uses a one-line bar menu. When creating command stacks, make sure to only put a description on the first option in the stack, otherwise your whole command stack will appear on this menu. Also, make sure that all options don't exceed 80 colums, as this is a ONE line bar menu. If your options exceed the 80 column limit, use the bar menus. <filename.ext> With this option in the menu editor, you can create your own pulldown menus! You'll need to create an ansi design for your menu and add in a few MCI codes to tell the BBS where to place information. There are two types of MCI codes that you'll need to use for this menu. The first, |xx, tells the BBS where to put the highlight bar. The second type is the %xx, this tells the BBS what color to use when the option is not highlighted. When you place these codes in your ansi, it becomes practical to place them next to each other like this. |xx%xx. You can include any other |xx color codes (1-15) to change colors in the unhighlighted display. Use the |- command to return to the original unhighlighted color. These xx's must be replaced by numbers so that the BBS knows which option to execute. Thats where the pulldown ID field of the menu editor comes into play. You need to give each one of your options a unique ID#. Start at 1 for the first option, and then use 2 for the second option and so on. If you're stacking commands for a certain part of your menu, only give the first command a pulldown ID. So, say you want to make a pulldown matrix with 5 options. Logon, Check, Apply, Feedback, and Logoff. Create your MATRIX.MNU, and add in each of these 5 options. (Look at the above documentation for all of the menu commands to use). After that is done, go back and place a pulldown ID for each option. Since you have 5 options, and no command stacking, just give login a pulldown ID of 1, Check a 2, Apply a 3, Feedback a 4, and Logoff a 5. After you've done this, create your ANSI for the pulldown menu. Put in the MCI codes as described above, and your menu is all ready to go. Now, say that you wanted to make that same matrix but you wanted to use some type of command stacking in it. For example: Say that you want the BBS to login a user after they've checked and found out that they have access. This is done by using the failflag and a few menu commands. Since this option requires more than one menu command, it's called a command 'stack'. Now, the first option in this stack is going to be the check command. Only use the pulldown ID for this command, and not for any other command in the stack. (For this example, the other command would be the Drop into BBS menu command {X. Make sure not to give that a pulldown ID.) Now, you're probably wondering why you only put an ID on the first command in the stack. Think about it this way, you only want the pulldown bar to go onto the options that the user can execute, and not commands that you've customized to perform more than one function. Only the first function should have the ID. Instead of only using up and down in your pulldowns, you can use left and right. Below are the sybmols that you'll need to use in the "Keys" field for the BBS to recognize left and right. Left : ╦ (ALT-203) Right: ═ (ALT-205) If you want to use left/right, make the option(s) hidden, and give them a pulldown ID of 0. If you put "L" as the name in prompt of a pulldown menu, left will be interpreted as up, and right will be interpreted as down. Another handy option that you might consider using is the hidden flag. You can make a hidden option that doesn't appear on the pulldown menu, but that the user can execute via hotkey. So, give your hidden option a pulldown ID of 0, and turn on the hidden flag, and the command will become hotkeyed, and you'll be able to execute it w/o using the bar. There is wildcarding for menu commands: If you set the Key to X*, then you can put * in the Cstring and that will put what follows the X in the Cstring. This is advisable for such cases as file conference jumping such as J* with would do JM with a Cstring of * so one could J1,J2, etc. Also a possibility for CString is & in which is set to the input gotten with -I, -J, or set with -*. There are a few special menus in the editor. One, called MATRIX.MNU, is your logon matrix. You can call other menus with it, but your starting menu must be MATRIX.MNU. A second important menu is called GLOBAL.MNU. In this menu, every command will you add will be valid on every other menu. (Example, adding a goodbye command into the GLOBAL.MNU will allow your users to hang up at any menu.) A second thing you'll see mentioned in the menu editor is called 'Command Stacking'. Think of this as command linking. One command can do more than one operation. For example, you can have a command that clears the screen (-L), and prints a file to the screen (-F). To do this, you need to make your 'Keys' Field in the menu editor identical. Example: Create a command with 'Keys' as "T". Make one command with the 'Command Keys' as -L, and another with 'Command Keys' as -F. Make sure the 'Keys' field is "T" in both. Notice now, that the command will first clear the screen (-L), and then print a file (-F) (Enter a filename in the Cstring of the -F command). This is a simple example, but the idea is the same. Stacks get bigger and more complicated, but the general idea stays the same. (Notice examples below) Examples: GOODBYE.MNU - Pulldown Logoff Verify Menu ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Menu Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Name : │ │ (B) Password : │ │ (C) Fallback Menu : │ │ (D) Help ID : │ │ (E) Name In Prompt : │ │ (F) Menu Title : │ │ (G) Pulldown ANSI : LOGOFF.ANS │ │ (H) Edit Options │ │ (I) Generic Menus │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Use Pulldown Ansi LOGOFF.ANS ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : Yes │ │ (D) Command Keys : [G │ │ (E) Keys : Y │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Y as a hotkey to logoff ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : Yes │ │ (D) Command Keys : -\ │ │ (E) Keys : N │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ N as a hotkey to go back ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : Yes │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : [G │ │ (E) Keys : 1 │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 1 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ " Yes" will appear in pulldown option 1 and when selected it will do a logoff. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : No │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -\ │ │ (E) Keys : 2 │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 2 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ " No" will appear in pulldown option 2 and when selected it will go back. Another example, the not very nice case. This was devised by me, Darkened Enmity for Whiplash. He wanted to use a pulldown menu to select file conferences. I got the idea of the -* command and the use of & in the CString. I knew that would work, and the next day I wrote out the codes. This is the CONFHAND.MNU for you to look at since it is complex, but will allow you to understand how things are done. There is a menu called CONFSEL.MNU that will select the file conference in a pulldown. CONFHAND is called like this: Command 1 in Stack: Command Keys : -* Keys : T* Command String: * Command 2 in Stack: Command Keys : -/ Keys : T* Command String: CONFHAND Now here is CONFHAND.MNU: ╒═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Menu Editor │ ╘═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Name : │ │ (B) Password : │ │ (C) Fallback Menu : │ │ (D) Help ID : │ │ (E) Name In Prompt : │ │ (F) Menu Title : │ │ (G) Pulldown ANSI : │ │ (H) Edit Options │ │ (I) Generic Menus │ ╘═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Not very interesting, but then the user does not even know that it is doing anything. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -S │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : -B │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Turns off the B user flag. It will be used later in the menu as an indicator. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -M │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Compares the inputted variable with a blank string. Remember, before CONFHAND was called, the inputted variable was set to what was entered after T by the -* command. If what was entered was blank, the failflag is false, otherwise it is true. ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : \ │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -S │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : +B │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ This command will be executed if the failflag is true, in other words, what was entered after T was not blank. Therefore, if the user had type T1, then B will be set, otherwise it remains blank. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : JF │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : & │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ If flag B is set, the BBS will do a file conference jump to that conference. A trace through up until this point: User enters Txxx xxx is put into the input variable The BBS compares xxx to a blank string They are not equal, flag B is set The BBS joins relative file conference xxx ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -C │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Turns failflag off, thats necessary to know if the next command failed. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : FI │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Tries doing a file initialization. If its successful, fail flag is still false. ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB~\ │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -^ │ │ (E) Keys : FSCAN │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ If flag B is set and the file init was successful, the BBS will go to FSCAN, the menu that asks if you want to scan the file bases. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -^ │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : MAIN │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ If flag B is set, meaning the BBS would have tried initing the file section and was not successful, and the BBS is still reading CONFHAND, then the BBS will go to the main menu. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -^ │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : CONFSEL │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ If you are still in this menu, meaning that the user did not enter anything at the prompt, then go right ahead to CONFSEL. Yeah, a complex example that does not do much physically, yeah, I know, but it demonstrates a lot, plus it shows some similarities between high-level menu editing and assembly. SECTION 14: MESSAGE / FILE BASE SETUP ───────────────────────────────────── Setting up message and file bases is quite easy. Both message and file bases have editors for easy changing of options. In the message menu, the editor looks just like this: ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Base Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Base Name : System News │ │ (B) Access ACS : S30 │ │ (C) Post ACS : S255 │ │ (D) Allow Anonymous: No │ │ (E) Sponsor : Lord Tracer │ │ (F) Origin Line : │ │ (G) EchoMail Dir : │ │ (H) NetMail : No │ │ (I) Node : │ │ (J) QWKName : SYSNEWS │ │ (K) Autodelete : 200 │ │ (L) Real Names : No │ │ (M) Base File Name : NEWS │ │ (N) Mandatory : Yes │ │ (O) Allow Private : No │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Base Name - Name of message base. Access ACS - ACS required to get into message base. Post ACS - ACS required to post in message base. Allow Anonymous - Can users post anonymously in this message base? Sponsor - Pseudo-SysOp. Can delete all messages, read all messages in the current base. Origin Line - Line BBS adds to the end of a echomailed message. Usually showed BBS name and #. Pipe codes supported. Echomail directory - Directory where echomail MSG files will be held, imported, and exported from. Netmail - Should this base support private netmail through Fidonet mail. For this option to work, you must compile a copy of your nodelist and place it in your Echomail directory. Compile the nodelist as filename nodelist.dat, and using BINKLEY6 format. The reason you must compile the nodelist in the echomail directory is for the nodelist lookup function of the BBS. The BBS will allow users to search the nodelist for the node that they wish to send netmail to. Node - Assigned to you by your network moderator. Basically shows location. Form varies, but usually its X:XXX/XXX. QWKName - Shortened name of the message base to be displayed to users in their offline readers. Most offline readers cannot support message base names over 10-12 spaces. Use this option so that users can better recognize which base they are in from their reader. Autodelete - How many total messages do you want in the message base. When the # of messages in the base is equal to the number in this field, 5 messages will be erased. This keeps your message base files from growing increasingly large. Real names - Should the user's real name be used in place of a handle in this message base? Base filename - This is an up to 8 character filename that the BBS will use to store your messages in. Mandatory - When this flag is set to Yes, all the messages in this base will be forced. Users must read these messages. Use message bases like this for news. Allow private - Should users be able to post private messages in this base. Use this flag if the network you're in supports private echomailing. Using the base filename, you can create a 'shared' message base. What this means is that you can have the same message base in more than one conference, or if you run multiple Systems, can have it on two different boards. (ie: System one, and System two can have identical message bases if the sysop should wish). To create a shared message base, use the same base filename in two message areas. They will then be shared. Once you post a message in one area, it will appear in both, and vice versa. When you wish to remove a shared message base, you have an option. You can either delete the data file, or leave it. By deleting the data file in a shared area, both message bases that were sharing that data file will lose all of their messages. By leaving the data file there, you can remove the base from one place, but keep it in another. To create a message base for system news, it takes a few simple steps. First, create a message base, and name it System news, or whatever you want. Fill out the rest of the questions. When you come to 'Mandatory', turn it to Yes. When a user logs on, the BBS will check this message base for new posts, and then proceed to show them to the user. (Look at the example screen for the message base editor. This is an ideal setup for news.) Another thing to be clear about: If you ever have a base that you are using for echomail, and want to turn off echomail, do this: Edit the Import/Export directory setting, and then press 'CTRL-Y'. The field will be cleared. Press enter. Now, this base is no longer an echomail base, but now a normal message base. When going to edit a file base, you will be presented with a similar looking editor. It looks a little like this: ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Area Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Area Name : New Uploads │ │ (B) Access ACS : S25 │ │ (C) Upload ACS : S25 │ │ (D) Download ACS : S25 │ │ (E) List ACS : S25 │ │ (F) Sponsor : Lord Tracer │ │ (G) Password : │ │ (H) Area File Name : UPLOADS │ │ (I) Path : C:\UPLOAD\ │ │ (J) Default Sort : F │ │ (K) Multipiler : 1 │ │ (L) Free Area : No │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Area Name - The name of the current file area. Access ACS - ACS required to enter the file area. Upload ACS - ACS required to upload to the area. Download ACS - ACS required to download from the area. List ACS - ACS required to list files in the area. Sponsor - Pseudo SysOp of the file area. User gets extended functions. Password - Password required to enter file area. Area filename - Filename (w/o extension) that the BBS will use to store file information for the current area. Path - Path to the files for this area. Default sort - Sort type to use when sorting the file areas. (example: F=filename, E=extension etc..) Multiplier - When you set the points of a file, that value is multiplied by the number you put here. This is used to make downloading from one area cost more than downloading from others. If you don't want to use this option, set it to 1. Free Area - If this is set to yes, all files in the area are marked as free and no credit is deducted for their download. You may also create 'shared' file areas. Read the above paragraphs for explanations on how to do this. SECTION 15: THE UPLOAD CHECKER ────────────────────────────── The upload checker will check all uploaded files for CRC errors, viruses, age, and can optionally add/delete files, or add a comment to your uploaded files. Operation of the checker is quite simple. It only requires the creation of one screen. This screen, called ULCHECK.ANS, will be the display to the user when files are being checked. Making this screen is really easy, there are a few MCI codes to use in the screen. They are as follows: |FN - Filename |B1 - ■ in CRC Checking. |M1 - Strings displayed during CRC checking. |B2 - ■ in virus scanning. |M2 - Strings displayed in virus scanning. |B3 - ■ in age tests. |M3 - Strings displayed during age testing. |B4 - ■ in deleting files from archive. |M4 - Strings displayed during deleting. |B5 - ■ in adding files. |M5 - Strings displayed in adding files. |B6 - ■ in comment adding. |M6 - Strings displayed when adding comments. |B7 - ■ in file maintainence. (MAINTAIN.BAT) |M7 - Strings displayed when running MAINTAIN.BAT. These codes are pretty easy to figure out. Each option has a blinking ■ that is displayed when that operation is in process. When the option completes, the ■ will stop blinking. The |Bx MCI goes where you want the ■ to go for each option. The |Mx MCI codes go where you want any progress/error messages displayed about the current operation. All of these messages can be configured via the string editor. All of the setup for the upload checker is done in the CONFIG program, specifically under 'System Options #2'. You can completely toggle off the checker, or certain operations of it by leaving the field blank. For example, if you don't want to add any files to your checked files, then leave 'Files to add' in the CONFIG blank. The same goes for commenting, or scanning. A nice feature of the upload checker is that it can perform age constraint testing on your uploaded files. In System Options #2, there is a date field. Set this to whatever you want, and if the newest file is older than the date specified, the file will fail the upload checking. The unique part of the upload checker is that you can perform additional maintainence via a batch file called MAINTAIN.BAT. (Note: FILE_ID.DIZ checking is now internal to the upload checker, so you don't have to create a special maintain.bat that will extract FILE_ID.DIZ). There are two % codes that can be used in the maintain.bat. These are %1 for filename, and %2 for path of the work directory. Note that %2 will also include the trailing backslash of the work directory's path. SECTION 16: CONFIGURABLE ARCHIVERS ────────────────────────────────── The configurable archiver system allows the SysOp to setup multiple archivers, and allow the BBS to use these archivers for various operations. You can configure as many archivers as you want, and the users will be able to choose which archiver they want to use. The BBS will then use their default choice to pack QWK packets, pack message captures, pack filelists etc, View Files, Extract Files etc.. Another good thing about the archiver system is that it can automatically detect what type of archive it's working with. It doesn't use the extension, but it uses the signature to find out what type of archive is present. A signature is a certain identification string that lets you identify what type of archive is being used. More on this will be explained later. Editing, and adding archivers is quite simple. The menu command for configurable archivers is *Z. Once you're in the archiver editor, the screen will look a bit like this: ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Archiver Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Archive Name : PKZIP │ │ (B) Archive Ext. : ZIP │ │ (C) Use Zip Viewer : Yes │ │ (D) Swap for Coms : Yes │ │ (E) Compress Com : PKZIP.EXE %1 %2 │ │ (F) Extract Com : PKUNZIP.EXE %1 %3 %2 │ │ (G) View Com : VIEWZIP.BAT │ │ (H) Make SFX Com : ZIP2EXE.EXE %1 │ │ (I) Error/Test Com : 1/PKUNZIP.EXE -T %1 │ │ (J) Add Comment Com: ADDCOM.BAT │ │ (K) Add Files Com : PKZIP.EXE -A %1 %2 │ │ (L) Sig String : PK │ │ (M) Sig Location : 1 │ │ (N) List Prefix : @ │ │ (O) Checker Only : No │ │ (=) Insert Archiver │ │ (-) Delete Archiver │ └═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ The above commands will be explained here: Archive name - Enter the name of the archiver. Archive extension - Enter the extension that this archiver produces. Use ZIP viewer - This toggles the use of the Obv/2 internal ZIP viewer. Only turn this on if the archiver is ZIP compatible. Swap for commands - If you want the BBS to swap to DISK/EMS XMS before running archiver commands, turn this option on. Compression command - Place the command that the archive uses to compress files. %1 = Path and filename, and %2 = wildcard. (All of this will be filled in by the BBS.) Extraction command - Place the command that the archive uses to extract files. %1 = Path and filename, %2 = wildcard, and %3 = Path to your work directory. View command - Place the command that the archive uses to view files. You must force output to a file using DOS redirection commands, BUT you must do this using a batch file . The file that contains the output from the archiver must be named ARCLIST. and it must be in your work directory. %1 = Path and filename, %2 = wildcard, and %3 = path to your work directory. Here is an example batch file: @%2..\PKUNZIP.EXE -V %1>%2ARCLIST. See the example above if you don't understand how to redirect the output of the archiver. Make SFX command - This is the command that the archive uses to create Self-Extracting (.EXE) archives. %1 = Path and filename, %2 = wildcard, and %3 = path to your work directory. Maximum Errorlevel - Errorlevels above this # will be interpreted as a failed upload. #'s under this will be passed uploads. Due to PKZIP's -AV, you should make this option 1 for ZIP. Other archivers vary. See the archivers documentation on the errorlevels it passes on failed and passed archives. Add comment command - This is the command that the archive uses to add comments to the archive. Again, you must follow the above example of redirection with a batch file. %1 = Path and filename, and %2 = Comment file. You can setup this file in the CONFIG under System Options #2. Add files command - This is the command that the archive uses to add additional files to an archive. %1 = Path and filename, and %2 = the files to add to the archive. This also can be configured via System Options #2 in the CONFIG. Signature String - This is the signature identification of the archiver. Each archiver has a certain ID string that it uses to identify archives that it made. For example, PKZIP puts a PK in the first two bytes of its files. This lets PKZIP know that any file with a PK in the first two bytes was created by PKZIP. If this ID changes, like in LHA, you can use a ? in the signature location to signify a wildcard. You MUST have other letters that the program can search for. DO NOT JUST PUT ? in the sig string! You must enter all of the signature ID's in HEX format. So, go into a hex editor, and find the signature and its location, then enter the string in HEX. Signature location - This is the location in bytes of the starting location of the signature string. So, if the first two letters of the archive are PK, then you'd put 1 in this field. List prefix - Many archivers use a certain charater when you want the program to read in a list of files from a textfile. IE: In PKZIP, you can ZIP a group of files that you specify in a textfile like this: PKZIP OBV2-210.ZIP @C:\OBV2\OBV2.LST It will ZIP up all of the files in OBV2.LST. Well, as you can see, you had to preceed that file by a @. This @ is the list character. Enter the list character in this field. Checker Only - This option should always be set to No for an archiver such as PKZIP, ARJ, LZH etc. If you want to add a program which is not an archiver to manipulate the files, then set this option to yes. An example of this would be a program that took the GIFspec of a file, and placed that information into a FILE_ID.DIZ which the BBS could import. Included with Oblivion/2 is support for SAUCE commenting standard. The program called SAUCEPAN.EXE will read the ansi, and create a FILE_ID.DIZ according to a sysop-specified template. This FILE_ID.DIZ will be imported after the program runs. The above 2 examples (GIFSpec, and SAUCE) are two times when the 'Checker Only' option should be set to yes. See the docs to SAUCEPAN for info on how to setup SAUCE with Oblivion/2. Add/Insert Archiver - Self-Explanatory. SECTION 17: GENERIC MENU CONFIGURATION ────────────────────────────────────── Ever needed to complete that killer configuration, but you were missing one part. Which part could that be? You have your status screens, menu (MNU) files, prompts, strings. What else is there? The ANSI menus. ANSI menus can be used to give that final touch. What if you can't make them as good as other people? What if you don't want the ones available. What if you want a simple straightforward, no-nonsense menu set. What can you do? The answer is generic menus. Don't let the name fool you, these are more powerful than ANSI menus. You don't need to constantly edit these menus whenever you modify your menu commands. These will update themselves automatically. How do you make these generic menus? It's done simply by making a REPEAT ansi. This 3-part repeat ANSI will let the BBS automatically update the menus when a new command is added. (Read the section on making repeat ANSI files before you continue further.) Now that you're fimilar with the 3-part repeat ANSI method, lets make some generic menus. First, you'll need to know the MCI codes for theses screens. They are as follows: GENSRT.ANS -- Generic Menu Template Start ANSI MCI Code: |MT -- Menu Title GENMID.ANS -- Generic Menu Template Middle ANSI MCI Code: |K? -- Keys for option ? in the line MCI Code: |D? -- Description for option ? in the line GENEND.ANS -- Generic Menu Template End ANSI Now, if you'd read the section on making repeat ANSIs, this should be really easy for you. If not, go back and read them! The first ansi GENSRT.ANS is pretty straightforward. So is the last one, GENEND.ANS. The middle ANSI, GENMID.ANS needs a little explaining. Before you can edit the GENMID.ANS file, you should decide how many options you want per column in your generic menus. This is a CONFIG option under System Configuration #2. The limits are 1-9. After you've entered this #, you're ready to make a set of generic menus. The two pipe codes |Kx, and |Dx that make up the GENMID.ANS file are very simple. One prints the KEY, and the other prints the DESCRIPTION. Say you wanted to make a generic menu set that had 3 columns, and 5 options per row. First, you'll need to go into the CONFIG, and set that # of lines option to 5. (This option was discussed about 2 paragraphs above.) Next, edit the GENMID.ANS file. Place your MCI codes in a simple fashion like this: [|K1] |D1 [|K2] |D2 [|K3] |D3 With an arrangement like this, your generic menu will look something like this. [1] Option #1 [2] Option #2 [3] Option #3 [4] Option #4 [5] Option #5 [6] Option #6 (And so on for 5 total lines. This menu would fit a maximum of 15 total options. 3 columns x 5 rows) As you can see making these menus is quite simple. Now, after you've made your menus, you have a few choices of where to put them. You can code the menu into a status screen library, or you can code it into a menu library. If you wish to code it into a status screen library, include the GENxxx.ANS files in your temp directory, and STATCODE.EXE will automatically include them in the completed LIB/NDX files. If you want to code the generic menus into a menu library of their own, you'll need to add a commandline option to menu code. This option, /G, will code generic menus into a menu library file. An example commandline would be: MENUCODE.EXE OBV2 C:\TEMP\ /G This codes the OBV2.LIB file from the files found in C:\TEMP\. It will also code the GENxxx.ANS files in the temp directory. You also get another added feature when you code the generic menus through a menu library. You can override that config option we spoke of. (# of options per row). In our example, we had 5 options per row. Say that you wanted to change that to 3 options per row for this PARTICULAR set only. You'd do the following. MENUCODE.EXE 3OBV2 C:\TEMP\ /G The 3 before the rest of the library name told Obv/2 that this generic menu set will be using 3 options per row. You can make that number anything between 1-9. This allows you to make differently styled menus and let the users select. Note that now your compiled library is called 3OBV2.LIB and not simply OBV2.LIB. SECTION 18: Functions of ANSI.SYS ───────────────────────────────── The ANSI escape codes for screen control supported by the MS-DOS ANSI.SYS device are a subset of the ANSI 3.64-1979 standard. They are used by Oblivion/2 to manipulate screen information, primarily cursor position and color changes. An escape code consists of two segments of data: (1) an identifier (the esc[ part, esc being the ASCII char AltGr-27 or 1Bh) and (2) the control code, the actual command to perform on the cursor or screen. Thus, all ANSI codes begin with esc[ and end with a code. All codes supported by ANSI.SYS are listed below, the identifier included, with a short description of it's use. Note that case is significant for the last character in an escape sequence and that numbers must always be represented as ASCII digit strings, not as their binary values. Also note, that cursor positions are one-based, making 1,1 upper left corner (and not 0,0). (A separate set of escape sequences supported by ANSI.SYS, but not compatible with the ANSI standard, may be used for reprogramming and remapping the keyboard. These are not supported by Oblivion/2). ================================================================ Escape Sequence: Meaning: ================================================================ Esc[2J Clear screen. Place cursor in upper left corner (home position). Esc[K Clear from cursor to EOL. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Esc[row;colH Position cursor. (Row is the y coordinate in the range of 1-25 and col is the x coordinate in the range of 1-80 for 80-by-25 text display modes). Escape sequences terminated with the letter f instead of H have the same effect. (Esc[H will home cursor). *NOTE* Since ANSI.SYS doesn't support go to X column in current row, and thus TheDraw doesn't add that code in, Obv/2 uses it's own. Esc[;xxH should go to XXth column in first row, but for middle in the repeat ansis (and only middle in the repeat ansis), it goes to the XXth column in the current row. You therefore need to edit your repeat ansi in an ascii editor when you've finished the middle part. See the section about repeat ansis for more information. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Esc[nA Move cursor up n rows. Esc[nB Move cursor down n rows. Esc[nC Move cursor right n rows. Esc[nD Move cursor left n rows. Esc[s Save current cursor position. Esc[u Restore cursor to saved position. Esc[6n Return current cursor position on the standard input handle in the format esc[row;colR. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Esc[nm Select character attributes (values for n): 0=no special attibutes 1=high intensity 2=low intensity 3=italic 4=undeline 5=blink 6=rapid blink 7=reverse video 8=concealed text (no display) 30=foreground black 31=foreground red 32=foreground green 33=foreground yellow 34=foreground blue 35=foreground magenta 36=foreground cyan 37=foreground white 40=background black 41=background red 42=background green 43=background yellow 44=background blue 45=background magenta 46=background cyan 47=background white ================================================================= Esc[=nh Select display mode (values for n): 0=40-by-25, 16-color text (color burst off) 1=40-by-25, 16-color text 2=80-by-25, 16-color text (color burst off) 3=80-by-25, 16-color text 4=320-by-200, 4-color graphics 5=320-by-200, 4-color graphics (color burst off) 6=620-by-200, 2-color graphics ----------------------------------------------------------------- 14=640-by-200, 16-color graphics (EGA and VGA) 15=640-by-350, 2-color graphics (EGA and VGA) 16=640-by-350, 16-color graphics (EGA and VGA) 17=640-by-480, 2-color graphics (MCGA and VGA) 18=640-by-480, 16-color graphics (VGA) 19=320-by-200, 256-color graphics (MCGA and VGA) Escape sequences terminated with l instead of h have the same effect. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Esc[=7h Enable line wrap. Esc[=7l Disable line wrap. ================================================================= ASCII Bell ^G ----------------------------------------------------------------- Esc[#;string;p Reassign a "string" or another value to a key. The first # or esc[#;#p can be also written as 0;# for extended ASCII key codes. ================================================================= SECTION 19 - SETTING UP WITH OS/2 ───────────────────────────────── ABOUT OS/2 ---------- OS/2 is probably the best operating system available, whether for running DOS, Windows or OS/2 applications. It gives you superb multitasking, while still being easy to use and setup. However, the default configura- tion provided by IBM may not be the best for your system, and you can probably gain in performance by changing a few things. This chapter is divided into four parts, each covering their own topic: The first is an introduction to OS/2 for those still using DV (either loving or hating it) - when and why they should consider upgrading to OS/2. The second is a collection of tips and tricks I have learned through using OS/2 for a long time, as well as a guide to optimizing your system for performance. The third is a list of utilities for OS/2 - what they offer you, and how you use/install them. The fourth and last part is specifically dedicated to running a bbs and a mailer under OS/2 - a few last words on the experiences I have made while running a BBS under OS/2. 1: About OS/2 ------------- First, let's make sure you aren't wasting your time. In order to use OS/2 (as opposed to just looking at it or waiting for it), you need a 386dx40 with 8mb ram. Dont install OS/2 if you have less ram - it's well worth the money for some extra ram, and you're going to need 8mb ram anyways in case you consider running Chicago when that arrives late 1995 <g>. In general, ram is more important to OS/2 than cpu - I'd choose a 486sx20 with 16mb over a 486dx2 with 8mb any time. Why should you install OS/2 in the first place? First, there's the multitasking. Since you're a sysop, wouldnt you like to browse the networks while a user was online - or zip those private files for the online user, without shelling to dos. Ofcourse, formatting those 50 disks and 10 tapes you just bought is much less time consuming in the background. Processing a lot of mail? - you just run GEcho in the background when you get a mail call. A future version of Oblivion/2 may support background upload checking, so your users can continue being online while Obv/2 processes their uploads! You get the point :) But you can do all that under DesqView, no need for you to switch from your current system. Or? You'll gain memory management like you've never dreamed possible. No matter how many device drivers you load, they will eat 0 bytes low DOS memory, so you always end up with around 640kb largest executable program size. I'd say that's fairly nice. It's one of the advantages of the DOS running under OS/2 being 100% emulated. As opposed to DV, if you run a nasty application and it crashes/hangs, you simply close it and start a new task - it wont crash the whole system. That's very valuable when testing task settings or testing a fragile product. Another valuable addition is virus, ansi bomb and trojan protection through omitting certain functions from the DOS emulation. Direct sector- writes are not allowed, and if you try to format a drive you are asked for additional confirmations, not just (y/N). That gives protection from almost anything, except ViSiON-X <G>. You hate that graphical user interface (GUI) - it has to be much slower and complicated to use than good old DOS? Look out your window at that car passing by. Was that a yellow sports-car or was it a SUPRA G9/XLi? Pictures are much easier to remember, and you can customize your OS/2 desktop in every aspect. Colors, folders (they're like directories under DOS), icons, and much more (far too detailed to put here). Do you use Norton Commander? That's one way of simplifying commands and putting up an easier interface for accessing your files. OS/2's GUI is but a step further up the interface. Dont be mistaken though, you're not replacing your prompt and putting a shell around your computer. OS/2 doesnt turn your PC into a MAC - you simply press enter or double-click an icon, and you're back where you feel home. You arent loosing anything, thus you can only be gaining - right? :) 2: Optimizing OS/2 ------------------ This section assumes you know OS/2 and how to get from the desktop into the different settings and configuration menus. If you dont, read whatever comes with OS/2 (I havent seen the 2.1 manuals :), and it will most likely tell you how you do this. As you will have noticed, in the menu where you specify whether a task is to be DOS or OS/2, Full-screen or window, there is no OS/2_Settings button next to the DOS_Settings. That is because OS/2 tasks figure this out on their own - they are written to work with OS/2 and dont need to be customized like DOS programs. Thus, this section will only explain settings related to DOS programs. Lets take a look at your CONFIG.SYS - here's a few tips on setting it up correctly: IFS=F:\OS2\HPFS.IFS /CACHE:1024 /CRECL:64 /AUTOCHECK:DEF This line determines the cache size for HPFS, OS/2's file- system. Unless you're using OS/2 only, and never booting DOS, I suggest you have at least 10mb ram before considering HPFS. It is faster on big drives, but will eat too much ram if you have only 6 or 8mb. If you have no HPFS drives at all, make sure this line isnt present or contains a REM to disable it. BASEDEV=IBM1S506.ADD /A:0 /U:0 /SMS /V This one is your IDE/AT-BUS device driver. The above will boost performance on drive 1 in your system, in case it supports SMS. Look up BASEDEV for more information on this. SET AUTOSTART=TASKLIST,FOLDERS,CONNECTIONS Remove PROGRAMS from this line, or you may end up with a loop crashing your system. SET COMSPEC=F:\OS2\CMD.EXE Normally you dont have an autoexec.cmd file when starting OS/2 programs. Adding "/K AUTO.CMD" will run AUTO.CMD every time you start an OS/2 task. SET DELDIR= REM SET DELDIR=C:\DELETE,512;E:\DELETE,2048; OS/2 handles deleted files by copying them into a directory specified here. Turning off the delete directory as done in line 1, severely speeds up delete time as OS/2 doesnt copy/move your file(s) to the delete directory. Instead of using DELDIR you should install GammaTools, please see section 3 (utilities) for more on this. SET DPATH=F:\OS2;F:\OS2\SYSTEM;... This is NOT your DOS path, as one is led to believe through the name. DPATH is your data path, and you seldom need to edit this yourself. LIBPATH is you library path, and it is wise to add a directory to that where you store DLL's from installed programs, so as not to mix them up with OS/2's own DLL files. Finally, PATH is your OS/2 path and here goes the path to your OS/2 batch directory (*.CMD files), utility directories, etc. Use the autoexec files to set your DOS path. SET OS2_SHELL=F:\OS2\CMD.EXE That "/K AUTO.CMD" might be for this line, I'm not using it myself :-) Experiment, and tell me ;) SET PROMPT=[$p] To get rid of that help line OS/2 has, remove "$i" from your prompt line. PRIORITY_DISK_IO=NO Give the foreground task priority in disk I/O? Since you're running a BBS setting it to NO will give better disk access for upload checking or searching, while you may feel a slowdown in your current task. The slower your computer is, the more you'd probably want to put it to YES. THREADS=128 A program can branch off a thread - it's the way to do multiple things at once within the same program. Unless you're doing a lot of work, you can reduce the default to 128 and save some RAM. Read section 3 (PM Patrol) to find out how you can monitor active number of threads. AUTOFAIL=YES Removes those ugly big-screen error messages when you fx access a floppy drive w/o a disk inserted. Instead, OS/2 simply fails and reports "Drive A: not ready". DISKCACHE=512,LW,64,AUTOCCHECK:C This is for FAT formatted drives only. LW enables Lazy- Write; 64 is similar to the CRECL value in the HPFS statement, and determines how large chunks of files should be cached. The AUTOCHECK statement specifies which drives to check after a system crash (those forced by a reset or power loss). In general, make sure all drives are listed in your AUTOCHECK statements. Refer to your OS/2 manual for FAT cache sizes - remove it if you have no FAT drives at all - and _DONT_ install an external cache. SWAPPATH=F:\ 2048 8192 This is where your swapfile resides, how much space should be left on the drive where it resides before OS/2 alerts you of low disk space, and how large it should be initially. Specifying the root of a drive speeds up performance a weeny bit, but that's for the fanatics like me :) Specifying too small a value for the swap file size will make OS/2 continually work on keeping the swap file within the limits you specify, causing overall performance to drop. A good rule of thumb is to set the size = ( 20 - xx mb ram installed). I have 16mb, and have an 8mb swap file - 4 would probably suffice, but I dont mind the space for the gain in performance. RMSIZE=640 If you want to use the MODE_RESTRICTION=CGA setting found in the DOS_Settings, you should set this to 639 (kb) instead, as a bug in OS/2 2.10 turns off that options when 640 is specified. Not all programs like CGA to be off, but it will give you another 96kb low DOS memory, and could be useful in some cases. It is similar to the QEMM STEALTH option, if I recall correctly. DEVICE=C:\OUTIL\FOSSIL\SIO.SYS (COM1:38400,3F8,IRQ4,,F) Replace COM with SIO (Serial I/O drivers), they are much better and they also provide a fossil for use in DOS boxes under OS/2. They are written by the author of X00 - read more in section 3 about SIO. DEVICE=F:\OS2\VDISK.SYS 512,, A ram disk such as this is useful for swap files and temporary packets such as created by InterMail. Use only if you have enough ram! DOS=HIGH,UMB Make sure you change that default LOW,NOUMB into HIGH,UMB to get more DOS memory. I wonder what IBM was thinking when they made LOW,NOUMB default! DEVICE=C:\OUTIL\FOSSIL\VSIO.SYS SIO again - this is the VCOM replacement. DEVICEHIGH=F:\OS2\MDOS\ANSI.SYS All those nice DOS devices - just put a DEVICEHIGH instead of DEVICE and you might gain an extra kb or two in DOS memory. I am using this, and it certainly won't make your system crash, but I can't vouch for the memory gain. Further, you can speed up your boot time by sorting the commands in your config.sys. Beware of doing this, as OS/2 will refuse to boot if you make a mistake, and the order in which to sort may not seem 100% clear (it's NOT A-Z!). But there is a lot to gain (I went from 45 to 30 seconds boot time!) by doing it. Grab the file called CFGSRT11.ZIP off your local PD OS/2 board, or do it as in my config.sys, which should be included in the Obv/2 package. But be careful and have a backup ready. Next, lets take a quick look at the "DOS Settings", which is your way of customizing every single DOS task to it's specific needs and 'bugs'. I shall do this like the config, and only comment those worth commenting: DOS_AUTOEXEC [F:\AUTO_BBS.BAT] Specify a different one for every task is a good way of customizing your DOS task, regarding environments, doskey, command processor (4DOS), etc... DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION [ON] Leave on for the BBS, but off for TheDraw or SimCity, as they shouldnt use any cpu when you're not in that task. DOS_DEVICE [C:\FOSSIL\VX00.SYS] This is the fossil driver for DOS, found in the SIO package. Be sure to load it in every task using com ports, and don't use X00 as VX00 was written specifically for DOS under OS/2. A good tip is to write "SIZE=0 " before the actual device driver - and it will use no DOS memory. DOS_STARTUP_DRIVE [] Having problems making a program work? Use VMDISK to create a DOS image file, from which you can boot (fx [DOS.IMG] would boot from a file called DOS.IMG). It makes your task just like a real DOS, you can also specify fx [C:] in the brackets, causing you to boot from your C: drive (while running OS/2 ofcourse :) DOS_VERSION [C:\DOS\FORMAT.COM,6,20,255] The format command of OS/2 doesnt support the /Q switch - using DOS_VERSION you can make all the nasty MSDOS utils work too. HW_TIMER [OFF] Hardware timer - unless you want that yeller Obv/2 has to go bananas you should turn this on, although it may decrease performance a bit. I'm not sure :-) IDLE_SECONDS [0] Specifies the amount of time a program has to be idle before OS/2 will quench it's cpu usage - this is useful in making keyboard polling programs use less or no cpu. In most cases a setting of 0 will be best, although I recommend 2-3 for your BBS task - you wouldnt want OS/2 to take back cpu at a critical moment when your modem re-negotiates. IDLE_SENSITIVITY [50] This is _THE_ setting of them all to optimize your system. Set it to at least 40 for your bbs task, or higher if your computer isnt at least a 486dx ;) Reduce to 1 on programs doing nothing mission critical but stealing all of your cpu - this goes for programs like Borland Pascal, TheDraw, Norton Commander or Boomer's Utils. Set it to 100 on sensitive programs such as CP Backup (which tolerates almost nothing). Use PM Patrol (see section 3) to determine the correct setting for a specific program. VIDEO_XXX All the VIDEO setting need only be changed when you run a game or similar thing - the defaults are okay for your plain DOS tasks. And finally, all kinds of extra tricks about OS/2 - either performance or usage related, in no special order: - Turn animation and progress indication off - they're just slowing down your system. Dont install a picture as a background, it will eat about 1mb valuable memory and use a lot of extra cpu in usage. - Putting programs in the startup folder causes them to start at boot. You can control the sequence by making the startup folder "flowed" and adding the icons in a FIFO way (first in, first out). - Remove unused DOS device drivers from your CONFIG.SYS. Those will usually be the CD-ROM driver or the HPFS cache. - To save space on your boot drive, you can delete all MCA drivers. They can be recognized by two files having the same name except for a digit which will be either 1 or 2. For example, IBMxFLPY.ADD. The 2 files are only for MCA machines. - Changing resolution can be a pain if OS/2 does not detect your hardware correctly. After a boot your screen will be out of sync, and you can see nothing. (A) Boot OS/2 from floppy, go to your boot drives \OS2 directory and run "SETVGA X:" (X being your drive letter). This restores your mode to the default. (B) Delete the file called SVGADATA.PMI in your \OS2 directory and reboot. This may only work for standard cards such as TSENG, but it worked for me, and you can always use (A) to restore whatever you've messed up. - Put "[]" in the parameter field of a task and it will ask you for parameters on execution. Good for a virus- scanner or defragger. Any text you put between the brackets will be displayed to you when OS/2 prompts for the parameter. - When you change settings for your tasks OS/2 often 'forgets' your icon. Just click the UNDO button in the 'General' settings, and it'll be back. - Deleting undeletable objects: Move the file onto a floppy drive by dragging it there, then format the floppy. - Using && and || on your command-line. Fx. "COPY *A* C:\ && DEL *A*" will only execute the DEL command if COPY was succesful. Using || would make DEL execute only if COPY failed. Powerful, but simple. 3: Utilities ------------ (SIOxxx.ZIP) First, let's get SIO installed. The worst part about SIO are the settings you need to setup in DOS_Settings - they have no description and thus you have no clue what you're working on. SIO is wonderful, but it can also make your system crash every now and then if configured incorrectly. The following is a list of the settings I use - they are certified to work with HS/Link which was a problem in the default configuration. Here goes: SIO_Idle_Sensitivity [100] DONT change this - it made my system hang ever so often. Last time I tested was version 1.24 though. _Mode_DTR [No change..] _Mode_FIFO_Load_Count [16] _Mode_IDSR [Ignore..] _Mode_OCTS [..RTS/CTS or Ignore/None] _Mode_ODSR [..DTR/DSR or Ignore/None] _Mode_RTS [No change..] _Mode_XON/XOFF [No XON/XOFF..] _Sync_Kludge [Off] _Share_Access_With_OS/2 [Off] _Virtual* [On] Also, make sure you have an 16550A UART on your serial port, if you use 9600 or higher. (GAMMAxx.ZIP) Next, GammaTools. They feature a lot of good utilities for OS/2, such as Defrag, SectorEd, Undelete, etc.. Fairly poor coding but they do what they were made to do, which is the important part. (EXDESK.ZIP) Get EXDESK - it adds a grid option to your desktop so you can align your icons a bit nicer. It also removes "arrange" from your dekstop-menu, which really makes this program a must. (PMPxxx.ZIP) PM Patrol is a status bar for your desktop, showing all you need to know about your system in a compact way - cpu/memory usage, drive info, swapfile size, processes, threads and windows open, and much more.. (MNICON.ZIP) A utility adding drag'n'drop capability to your icon files, making it easy to assign new icons to your programs. (WPSBKxxx.ZIP) Creates a backup of your desktop, so you restore it the day you change to another version oredition of OS/2, or out of some other reason have messed your setup. (AMOSxxx.ZIP) AMOS is a program to access your HPFS drives from native DOS - this is extremely helpful if you need to edit your config.sys and you dont want to boot from the install disks. Further AMOS can rescue your data the day OS/2 wont boot and your data reside on HPFS volumes. (HSTARTxx.ZIP) A replacement to the OS/2 start command, so you can start a new task from another DOS task. This is how I do my mail tossing in the background: HSTART /DOS /FS /B /C C:\BATCH\GTOSS.BAT Look in the HSTART docs for details. 4: Running a BBS under OS/2 --------------------------- Generally you can put all DOS programs into three categories: 1 - Those supporting OS/2 by slicing in an OS/2 friendly way. These will use no cpu when idle and only as much as they need when being used. HS/Link is a fabulous example, as it will eat no more than 5% of your cpu when a user is transferring files! 2 - Those whose slicing can be detected by OS/2, and quenched according to the values specified in the IDLE SECONDS and IDLE SENSITIVITY settings. Most programs with standard program loops can be detected. They will use more cpu than they need when in use, but almost nothing when idle. A good example is TheDraw, which is 'tamed' completely through the IDLE settings. 3 - Those who either require all available cpu or using non-standard loops for polling the keyboard. An example is GSZ, which uses 100% cpu for the same transfer HS/Link can do using only 5% of the total cpu. A lot can be gained by testing this, and replacing the poorly behaving programs with alternatives supporting OS/2. Up to version 2.10 of Oblivion/2 it was in the 3rd category, using all available cpu for polling the keyboard. As of version 2.20 this has changed, and Oblivion/2 is now a much more OS/2 friendly program - it will be much easier running multiple nodes under OS/2 with the new version, and you can run at least 3-4 nodes on a single machine without any problems. A later version of Oblivion/2 will include additional support, such as turning off local screen display, background upload processing and maybe even background transfers :-). Using a mailer under OS/2 is equal to running a bbs - a well behaved program will eat much less of your valuable resources. InterMail and FrontDoor are very much alike, yet IM is a much better behaved application. In comparison, IM will use between 0% and 20% cpu in idle mode, while FD will clog your system and use whatever it can get. Althogh newer versions of FD may have improved, I would still recommed IM over FD. In short, use the cpu monitoring program PM Patrol whenever possible to determine if a program is well behaved or you should go look for an alternative. REM *********************************************************** REM ****** OS/2 v2.10 - Optimized CONFIG.SYS - Feb 2, 1994 REM *********************************************************** REM *********************************************************** REM IFS's REM *********************************************************** IFS=F:\OS2\HPFS.IFS /CACHE:1024 /CRECL:64 /AUTOCHECK:EF REM IFS=F:\OS2\SUBSTFSD.IFS REM *********************************************************** REM BASEDEV's REM *********************************************************** BASEDEV=OS2DASD.DMD /Q BASEDEV=PRINT01.SYS BASEDEV=IBM1FLPY.ADD BASEDEV=IBM1S506.ADD /A:0 /U:0 /SMS /V REM *********************************************************** REM SET statements [sorted alphabetically, to look nicer] REM *********************************************************** PROTSHELL=F:\OS2\PMSHELL.EXE SET AUTOSTART=TASKLIST,FOLDERS,CONNECTIONS SET BOOKSHELF=F:\OS2\BOOK; SET COMSPEC=F:\OS2\CMD.EXE SET DELDIR= REM SET DELDIR=C:\DELETE,512;E:\DELETE,2048; SET DPATH=F:\OS2;F:\OS2\SYSTEM;F:\OS2\INSTALL;F:\;F:\OS2\BITMAP; F:\OS2\MDOS;F:\OS2\APPS; REM SET EPMPATH=F:\OS2\APPS; SET GLOSSARY=F:\OS2\HELP\GLOSS; SET HELP=F:\OS2\HELP; SET IPF_KEYS=SBCS SET KEYS=ON SET OS2_SHELL=F:\OS2\CMD.EXE SET PATH=F:\OS2;F:\OS2\SYSTEM;F:\OS2\INSTALL;C:\CMD;F:\; F:\OS2\MDOS;F:\OS2\APPS;C:\OUTIL\TOOLS;C:\OUTIL\PACK;C:\OUTIL\Q; SET PROMPT=[$p] SET RUNWORKPLACE=F:\OS2\PMSHELL.EXE SET SYSTEM_INI=F:\OS2\OS2SYS.INI SET USER_INI=F:\OS2\OS2.INI SET VIDEO_DEVICES=VIO_SVGA SET VIO_SVGA=DEVICE(BVHVGA,BVHSVGA) REM *********************************************************** REM OS/2 specific commands [protectonly, etc] REM *********************************************************** LIBPATH=.;F:\OS2\DLL;F:\OS2\MDOS;F:\;F:\OS2\APPS\DLL; PRIORITY_DISK_IO=NO THREADS=128 AUTOFAIL=YES DISKCACHE=512,LW,64,AC:C IOPL=YES MAXWAIT=2 MEMMAN=SWAP,COMMIT,PROTECT PRIORITY=DYNAMIC SWAPPATH=F:\ 2048 8192 REM TIMESLICE=60,125 PRINTMONBUFSIZE=0,0,0 PROTECTONLY=NO RMSIZE=640 CODEPAGE=865 COUNTRY=045,F:\OS2\SYSTEM\COUNTRY.SYS REM *********************************************************** REM OS/2 devices [sorted alphabetically, where applicaple] REM *********************************************************** DEVINFO=KBD,DK,F:\OS2\KEYBOARD.DCP DEVINFO=SCR,VGA,F:\OS2\VIOTBL.DCP REM DEVICE=F:\OS2\TESTCFG.SYS DEVICE=F:\OS2\DOS.SYS DEVICE=F:\OS2\PMDD.SYS DEVICE=F:\OS2\MOUSE.SYS SERIAL=COM2 RELAXED DEVICE=F:\OS2\POINTDD.SYS DEVICE=C:\OUTIL\FOSSIL\SIO.SYS (COM1:38400,3F8,IRQ4,,F) REM DEVICE=F:\OS2\APPS\SASYNCDA.SYS DEVICE=F:\OS2\VDISK.SYS 512,, REM *********************************************************** REM DOS specific commands [dos=high,umb, etc] REM *********************************************************** BREAK=ON BUFFERS=60 DOS=HIGH,UMB FCBS=1,0 REM FCBS=16,8 FILES=60 REM *********************************************************** REM DOS devices [sorted alphabetically, where applicaple] REM *********************************************************** DEVICEHIGH=F:\OS2\MDOS\ANSI.SYS DEVICEHIGH=F:\OS2\MDOS\EGA.SYS DEVICEHIGH=F:\OS2\MDOS\VDPMI.SYS DEVICEHIGH=F:\OS2\MDOS\VDPX.SYS DEVICEHIGH=F:\OS2\MDOS\VEMM.SYS DEVICEHIGH=F:\OS2\MDOS\VMOUSE.SYS DEVICEHIGH=C:\OUTIL\FOSSIL\VSIO.SYS DEVICEHIGH=F:\OS2\MDOS\VXMS.SYS /UMB DEVICEHIGH=F:\OS2\MDOS\VSVGA.SYS SHELL=F:\OS2\MDOS\COMMAND.COM F:\OS2\MDOS REM RUN=C:\OUTIL\TOOLS\SUBSTHST.EXE REM *********************************************************** SECTION 20: USING E-MAIL TAGS ───────────────────────────── The E-Mail tag system is a powerful system that gives you extended control of your electronic mail. The tag system allows you to assign certain tags with certain types of email. For example, you could assign new user application mail a tag of 1. Then, you could give a user (other than the sysop) access to read mail with tag 1 (CoSysOp for example). Then, the CoSysOp would be able to validate new users. This system can be used for many other things. It's all up to your imagination. The system has 4 basic menu commands. They are as follows: E+ - Allows user to read all mail with specified tag. (Use the E$ and E# commands to set the Tag#) E- - Lets user see only mail addressed to him. (Puts things back to normal) E$ - Sets the incoming E-Mail tag to the value of CString. CString: 0-255 -- If CString = 0, user can see ALL mail regardless of tag. E# - Sets the outgoing E-Mail tag to the value of CString. CString: 0-255 -- If CString = 0, user can see ALL mail regardless of tag. This is how one would go about setting up the above example of allowing a cosysop to read the new user feedback. Step 1: Stack a E$ command with a CString of 1 before the apply command at the matrix. Step 2: Stack a E$ command with a CString of 0 AFTER the apply command at the matrix. Step 3: Add 2 commands to the E-Mail menu. The first being E$ with a CString of 1. The second one should be an E+ command. (These should be stacked together Give them a certain key, so that your cosysop will hit this key to read the new user mail.) Step 4: Add 2 commands to the E-Mail menu. The first being E$ with a CString of 0. The second should be an E-. (Stack these together, but make sure that the key that you use is different than the key that you used in Step 3. When the cosysop presses this key, it will make it so that he reads his mail normally (no new user mail).) The members of the Oblivion/2 team, and all Oblivion/2 SysOps would like to thank you for your interest in Oblivion/2. I hope this documentation helped you resolve many of your problems with the BBS. Thank you for your support of Oblivion/2, the leader in telecommunications excellence!