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1994-12-30
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FE2WC or FE2WCT v1.01 - Frontend to Wildcat translator utility
Copyright (C) 1994 by Lawrence Gordon
All Rights Reserved
Note: If you are running your Wildcat! v4.x under OS/2, please use FE2WCT.EXE
because this program is already hard-coded with the /T switch command
parameter required for running Wildcat! v4.x under OS/2 multitasker.
Other installation instructions for FE2WC.EXE is the same for FE2WCT.EXE.
1. Introduction
During the course of the last year, I have written and released numerous
"translators" for FrontDoor, InterMail and Wildcat. The number of these
utilities have grown to the point where I now have trouble keeping track of
which program works with which frontend and which version of Wildcat.
Thus, I have written what I hope to be is the last of my translation
utilities for Wildcat, FE2WC or FE2WCT. This program will work with any
version of FrontDoor and InterMail and either Wildcat v3.x or Wildcat v4.x.
Quite simply, the purpose of FE2WC or FE2WCT is to translate the information
found in your frontend's DOBBS.BAT drop file into Wildcat's commandline
format.
Because of the different flavors of FrontDoor and InterMail and versions
of Wildcat, each configuration will be discussed.
2. Wildcat v3.x and v4.x
Wildcat v3.x and v4.x basically operate on the same commandline
parameters when called from a frontend:
WILDCAT /B 14400MNP 560
| | | | |
| | | | Time until frontend's next hard event
| | | Error correction flag (must be MNP)
| | Connect speed
| Switch used with frontend
Program name
However, when using Wildcat with a frontend, the difference between
versions is significant.
Wildcat v4.x can support any connect speed passed to the bbs by the
frontend. Legal connect speeds are user-defined in Wildcat v4.x
by using the Makewild program.
On the other hand, Wildcat v3.x's legal connect speeds are hardcoded
into the program, and in order to pass a connect speed that is not
supported by Wildcat, such as 12000 or 28800, a workaround is necessary.
3. FrontDoor 2.02/nc and InterMail v2.1x
The DOBBS.BAT produced by FrontDoor v2.02/nc and versions of InterMail
prior to versions 2.2 looks something like this:
EXEBBS 14400 2 560 /ARQ
| | | | |
| | | | Error correction string
| | | Time until next hard event
| | Comport
| Connect speed
Program to run BBS
4. InterMail v2.2x
The DOBBS.BAT produced by InterMail v2.2x looks something like this:
EXEBBS 14400 2 560 /Arq 1
| | | | | |
| | | | | Mailer ID number
| | | | Error correction string
| | | Time until next hard event
| | Comport
| Connect speed
Program to run BBS
Note: For FE2WC.EXE or FE2WCT.EXE to work correctly with InterMail, all
possible connect speeds should be set to Y(es) for Error Correction, even
if certain connects do not support error correction.
5. FrontDoor 2.1x/Shareware
The DOBBS.BAT produced by FrontDoor v2.1x/Shareware looks something
like this:
EXEBBS 14400 2 560 0 /ARQ N/A
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | Caller ID
| | | | | Error correction string
| | | | Task number (always 0)
| | | Time until next hard event
| | Comport
| Connect speed
Program to run BBS
6. FrontDoor 2.2x/ml
The DOBBSx.BAT produced by FrontDoor v2.2x/ml looks something like
this:
EXEBBS 14400 2 560 1 /ARQ N/A
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | Caller ID
| | | | | Error correction string
| | | | Task number (defined by environmental variable)
| | | Time until next hard event
| | Comport
| Connect speed
Program to run BBS
Note that FrontDoor v2.2x/ml produces a DOBBSx.BAT file, where x is
the environment variable set in your frontend's batch file:
SET TASK=1 will produce a Task number 1 when FrontDoor 2.2x drops to
call DOBBS1.BAT.
SET TASK=2 will produce a Task number 2 when FrontDoor 2.2x drops to
call DOBBS2.BAT.
7. Using FE2WC or FE2WCT in your EXEBBS.BAT
FE2WC.EXE or FE2WCT.EXE may be placed in any directory in your path, but it
must be run from an EXEBBS.BAT in your mailer's home directory because that
is where it looks for the DOBBS.BAT file produced by your frontend.
With any version of FrontDoor, the home directory is usually D:\FD, where
D is the drive letter of your system.
With a single-line version of InterMail, the home directory is usually
D:\IM, where D is the drive letter of your system. With a multiline
version of IM, the home directory is the home directory of each mailer
id number, each requiring a separate EXEBBS.BAT file.
FE2WC.EXE or FE2WCT.EXE takes 3 commandline arguments (4 if used with
FrontDoor v2.2x/ml).
For example an EXEBBS.BAT used with InterMail v2.2x and Wildcat v3.x
might look like this:
REM Start of EXEBBS.BAT
@ECHO OFF
FE2WC C:\WC30 IM 3
C:
CD\WC30
CALL DOWC.BAT
C:
CD\IM
REM End of EXEBBS.BAT
You'll notice that EXEBBS.BAT runs FE2WC with three commandline
parameters:
FE2WC C:\WC30 IM 3
%1 %2 %3
%1 = Wildcat's home directory
%2 = Mailer type
%3 = Wildcat version number
%1: Wildcat's home directory is simply the directory where WILDCAT.EXE
is located. Do not use a trailing backslash "\" after the drive and
directory name.
%2: Mailer type is the frontend in use. Valid mailer types are as
follows:
IM - InterMail v2.2x
FDNC - FrontDoor v2.02/nc and InterMail v2.1x
FDSW - FrontDoor v2.11/Shareware
FDML - FrontDoor v2.2x/ml
%3: Wildcat version number:
3 - Wildcat v3.x
4 - Wildcat v4.x
If you are using FrontDoor v2.2x/ml, a fourth parameter is necessary:
FE2WC C:\WC30 FDML 3 %TASK%
|
replaceable environmental parameter for the
task number defined in FrontDoor v2.2x/ml's
batch file
For example an EXEBBS.BAT used with FrontDoor v2.2x/ml and Wildcat v3.x
might look like this:
REM Start of EXEBBS.BAT
@ECHO OFF
FE2WC C:\WC30 FDML 3 %TASK%
C:
CD\WC30
CALL DOWC%task%.BAT
C:
CD\IM
REM End of EXEBBS.BAT
8. Line by Line Explanation of EXEBBS.BAT
This EXEBBS.BAT assumes you are using InterMail v2.2x and Wildcat v3.x.
It also assumes that your frontend is set to drop a DOBBS.BAT with
an errorlevel of 225 on a bbs call like so:
:loop
IM
IF Errorlevel 225 goto bbs_call
IF Errorlevel 10 goto bye
:bbs_call
CALL DOBBS.BAT
goto loop
:bye
exit
REM Start of EXEBBS.BAT
1: @ECHO OFF
2: FE2WC C:\WC30 IM 3
3: C:
4: CD\WC30
5: CALL DOWC.BAT
6: C:
7: CD\IM
REM End of EXEBBS.BAT
Note: the above line numbers are for reference only and should not appear
in your actual EXEBBS.BAT file.
1: Turn echoing to the screen off
2: Run FE2WC telling it that (%1) Wildcat's home directory is located
in C:\WC30; (%2) that InterMail v2.2x is your mailer; and (%3) that
you are running Wildcat v3.x.
3: Change drive to Wildcat's home drive.
4: Change directory to Wildcat's home directory.
5: CALL DOWC.BAT - this file is created by FE2WC. Be sure to use
CALL so that control of the program flow will be returned to
EXEBBS.BAT after DOWC.BAT runs Wildcat.
6: Change drive back to InterMail's home drive.
7: Change directory back to InterMail's home directory.
Since EXEBBS.BAT ends and was CALLed by the frontend's batch file,
control of the program flow is now returned to bbs_call: in your
batch file, which loops back to restart your frontend.
9. DOWC.BAT
The batch file created by FE2WC.EXE or FE2WCT.EXE is called DOWC.BAT,
and it's written to your Wildcat home directory. It simply runs Wildcat
with the correct commandline parameters. In the above example,
using InterMail v2.2x and Wildcat v3.x, the DOWC.BAT file will look
something like this:
@ECHO OFF
WILDCAT /B 14400MNP 560
REM =====================================
REM This file was created by FE2WC v1.0
REM Copyright 1994 by Lawrence Gordon
REM =====================================
A new DOWC.BAT will be written each time your frontend drops a DOBBS.BAT
file on a bbs call, creating the correct commandline for that bbs call.
10. Wildcat v3.x and "oddball" connects
As explained above, Wildcat v3.x has certain "hardcoded" connect speeds
and rejects calls where the actual connect speed differs from one of the
hardcoded connect speeds. Without a means to translate a CONNECT 16800,
for instance, Wildcat will reject a call at that speed, because 16800
is not one of the hardcoded connect speeds.
FE2WC provides a "workaround" for this problem. Suppose your frontend
receives a bbs call with a connect speed of 16800. FE2WC will "fudge"
the connect speed to allow Wildcat to see the connect speed as 19200,
which is one of Wildcat v3.x hardcoded connect speeds.
For example, say your frontend drops the following DOBBS.BAT:
EXEBBS 16800 2 560 /Arq 1
After running FE2WC through your EXEBBS.BAT file, your DOWC.BAT
will call Wildcat like so and Wildcat will "think" it has a valid
19200 connect:
@ECHO OFF
WILDCAT /B 19200MNP 560
REM =====================================
REM This file was created by FE2WC v1.0
REM Copyright 1994 by Lawrence Gordon
REM =====================================
11. Files In This Archive
FE2WC.DOC This document
FE2WC.EXE The program
FE2WCT.EXE The program for people running under OS/2 with /T appended
EXEBBS.FDN Sample EXEBBS.BAT for FrontDoor v2.02/nc
EXEBBS.FDS Sample EXEBBS.BAT for FrontDoor v2.1x/Shareware
EXEBBS.FDM Sample EXEBBS.BAT for FrontDoor v2.2x/ml
EXEBBS.IM Sample EXEBBS.BAT for InterMail v2.2x
DESC.SDI One line bbs description
FILE_ID.DIZ Detailed bbs description
12. Freeware
Note: If you are running your Wildcat! v4.x under OS/2, please use FE2WCT.EXE
because this program already have the required /T command switch
parameter required by Wildcat! v4.x hard-coded in it.
You can ONLY use FE2WCT.EXE with Wildcat! v4.x because ONLY Wildcat v4.x
required this /T command switch.
There is no charge for using this program; however, FE2WC or FE2WCT is not
public domain. I retain the copyright.
Lawrence Gordon, Author
Toast House BBS
(314) 994-0312
Fidonet 1:100/560