Monster Media 1994 #1/monster.zip/monster/BBS_UTIL/BM0406_A.ZIP/DOCS.ZIP/RBBSCDR.DOC

Text File | 1994-04-03 | 10KB | 180 lines

                      RBBS/CD-ROM support in BusiMods (tm)
                           (c) 1994 Richie Molinelli

03/27/94

With this version of the BusiMods (tm) there is a new feature that will be
of great interest to the SysOp who has CD-ROM drive(s) online.  RBBS can now
support all CD-ROM disk(s) besides the PC-SIG library, while still maintaining
compatibility with the PC-SIG feature.  In addition, this support of other
CD-ROMs includes the ability to copy the file the user wants to download to
a download directoy, the creation of a sempahore file for notification to other
nodes (in a multinode setup) that the drive is busy, will wait 30 seconds or
till clearing of the semaphore file (whichever is less) to copy the file and
suports as many drives as you have online (drive letters).  And it is relatively
simple to set up and supports multidisk changers like the Pioneer DRM-600.

There are two ways you can signal RBBS/BM that you are using a CD-ROM.  Both
methods require that you use RBBS's FMS (File Management System).

Method #1 :  If your main download area is from a CD-ROM, you can add the
keyword CDROM to your FMS header in your file listing.  When the user views
this listing, and subsequently downloads, the file will be copied to a directory
named NODEx (where x is the node number) right below the directory you have
listed in CONFIG param #208 as your upload directory.  (ie:  if you have
C:\RBBS\FILES\UPLOAD as your upload directory in CONFIG param #208, and this is
node number 1, then files will be copied from the CD-ROM to the directory
C:\RBBS\FILES\UPLOAD\NODE1)  If the directory does not exist, RBBS will create
the directory.  When the transfer is completed (or aborted) the files in this
directory will be deleted.  Since the user must first "list" the FMS listing to
activate this feature, this is not the recommended way to implement the CD-ROM
support (though it does work fine).  You CAN chain different directories
together as in stock RBBS, and as long as you have the keword in EACH of the
chained files, all files will be copied to the download directory.  When an
FMS listing that does not have the CDROM keyword is displayed, the copy feature
is disabled.  As with ALL CD-ROMs, it is advisable to have the FFS (Fast File
System) implemented, though not necessary when using this method.  You MUST list
all downloadable directoies in CONFIG param #208 if you do not have the FFS
implemented (ugh!).  In addition, RBBS will always copy files from the CD ROM
to the download directory.


Method #2 :  This is by far, the preferred method of implementing the additional
CD-ROM support.  First, you must create an FMS listing for EACH CD-ROM disk.
Since most good disks come with an ALLFILES.BBS, half of the work is done for
you.  And best of all, since this is a CD-ROM, you only have to create the
necessary files once.  In the FMS header record (the first line in the FMS file)
add the CDROM keyword (though not necessary).  Second, you MUST create the FFS
files for each disk.  It is recommended that you use a separate directory to
store the files for each disk.  On my system I have 2 CD-ROMs online.  The
first, The Shareware Studio Vol. III, has it's necessary files located in my
C:\RBBS\SWS3 directory.  The second, The MegaWinOS2, has it's files located in
my C:\RBBS\MEGAWIN2 directory.  If there were more disks, I would have each
disks files in separate directories (though this is not necessary).  This makes
it easier if you should have to do any trouble shooting later, or when you
remove a disk.  For instructional purposes I am going to list the files
associated with the Shareware Studio Vol. III disk:

FMS.SW3       - the FMS file for listing
SWS3.CAT      - the directory catalogue (DIR.CAT) for this disk
DIR.SW3       - the directory of directories for this disk
CDFIDX.DEF    - the FFS file index for this disk
CDLIDX.DEF    - the FFF location index for this disk
CDFIDXT.DEF   - the FFS tabs file for this disk

I also have a CDFIDX.CFG file in this directory to implement wild card
downloading.  See the separate document on wild card downloading.

ALL of the above files reside in my C:\RBBS\SWS3 directory.

In order to signal to RBBS/BM that I am using the RBBS Library function with
CD-ROMs other than the PC-SIG library, you must then create a file named
CDRx.CFG (x being the node number) for EACH node.  This file is located in the
node work directory (where you told CONFIG that the CALLERS file is located).
The reason for having a configuration file for EACH node is for the SysOp who
may want to limit access by node, and the SysOp who may have multiple drives
online, and limit which drives are accessable from which nodes.  The contents
of EACH line in the CDRx.CFG file is as follows:

(Sample)
Shareware St,C:\RBBS\SWS3\FMS.SW3,DIR.SW3,SWS3.CAT,CDFIDX.DEF,CDLIDX.DEF,P,Y,N
|     1    | |         2        | |  3  | |   4  | |    5   | |   6    ||7|8|9

So as you can see, there are 9 parameters.  They are as follows:

1:  The name of the disk that you want shown to the user.  This will be
    truncated to the right margin the user has set.
2:  The <drive>\<path>\filen.ame  of your FMS list.  Drive and path MUST be
    included since the same drive and path is used for the following parameters.
3:  The name of your directory of directories (DIR.DIR) file.
4:  The name of your directory catalogue file (DIR.CAT).
5:  The name of your FFS file index file. (FIDX)
6:  The name of your FFS file locator file. (LIDX)
7:  The drive letter for this disk.  Used in creation of semaphore file to lock
    out only the particular physical drive.
8:  Whether to copy files to hard drive before downloading. "N" disables copy
    feature...anything else will enable.
9.  A "Y" indicates multi-disk changer(s) (like the Pioneer DRM-600).  Anything
    else indicates separate physical drives.  This parameter is used in the
    creation of the semaphore lock out file for copying files to the hard drive
    on multinode systems.  Instead of locking out the individual physical drive,
    as with separate CD-ROM drives, the semaphore will physically lock out
    the entire multichanger from access by another node while a file is being
    copied.


You will have one line of entry per CD-ROM disk you are putting online.

THERE MUST BE 9 PARAMETERS......8 COMMAS IN EACH LINE!

The tabs file will be found from the name of the FFS file index.  ALL files will
use the same path as determined from your FMS file.  You can have as many
separate lines in the config file as you have disks that you want the user to be
able to access and string space enough to display.  All parameters MUST be
separated by commas.  There can be NO blank parameters.

You must tell CONFIG param #301 a drive letter.  Since this implementation does
not use this drive letter, you can put ANY valid drive letter in here.  I use
the drive letter of the drive where my upload directory is located.  In CONFIG
param #31 be sure to have a valid command for the Library listed.  A lot of
SysOps have replaced the "@" with a blank space to disable the library function.
In CONFIG param #130 make sure the security level to access the "@" command is
set to one your users can access.  In addition, set the "A" command (archive)
to a blank in CONFIG param #310 (since the archive function is not used).  Make
sure that you have enabled the security levels for the remaining Library
functions in CONFIG param #311.  Finally, you will want to have a menu for
display listed in CONFIG param #309.  You can ignore most of the other library
params since they are not implemented in this setup.

That's it.  When a user enters the library area, the CD-ROM disk listed in the
first line of the CDRx.CFG file will be the default disk.  If you have more
than one disk listed in your CDRx.CFG, then when the user enters the "C" command
(for change disk), he/she will be presented with a list of all the disks you
have listed in the CDRx.CFG file.  As each disk is selected, the file system
files that correspond to that disk will be loaded.  When the user leaves the
library, the default file system files (for your regular files system) will be
reloaded.  Since you can set download security in the library area separately
from the files area, a user can have download privileges in the files system,
and be denied download privileges in the library system.

When a user downloads a file, the file, found through the fast file system, is
copied to your hard drive.  This eliminates the excess load that can slow a
system dramatically (especially in multitasking environments).  A semaphore
file (named CDROMx.WRK - where x is the drive letter for the disk) is created
in the main RBBS directory, indicating that the CD-ROM drive is busy, and
denying other nodes from accessing the drive.  If you have enabled the MultiDisk
Changer option (parameter #9 in the CDRx.CFG file), the semaphore file will
be named CDROM.WRK.  Remember, you must set the MultiDisk enabled for ALL disks
from the same changer if you are using one of these changers.  Other nodes will
wait till either the flag is cleared, or time out in 30 seconds.  If the flag
clears, they will then start to copy their files.  (Thirty seconds was selected
for the slower CD-ROM drives and large files.  I show a big difference in time
between my two drives on the same file.  One drive will take 23 seconds on a 1.1
meg file while the other only takes 8 seconds.)  When the download is completed
(or aborted), the copied files are then deleted.


If you experience any problems with this modification, you can contact me at
my Fido Net node address of 1:107/272 or 1:107/273.  If you have any suggestions
for improvement, please mail me at those addresses.

Richie Molinelli
The Small Time BBS
Runnin' RBBS/BusiMod v17.4a
1200 thru 14400 bps
516-579-7929

Notes:

No warranty is implied nor offered/given.  This modification is not suitable for
any particular purpose.  User assumes all risk of use and implementation.
I ain't responsible for nutin!

Copyright 1994 by Richie Molinelli - (c) 1994
I retain all rights to the copyright on this modification.  I will assign my
rights to this code if used in stock RBBS as implemented by Ken Goosens and
the RBBS development team.