Monster Media 1994 #2

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Text File | 1994-06-02 | 15KB | 337 lines

*************************************************************************** *********************** GIF PreView SysOp Documentation ******************* *********************** Version 1.00 COPYRIGHT (C) 1994 ******************* *********************** Program By Vince Jacobs ******************* *********************** Written In Borland C++ ******************* *********************** And Open Doors C Tool Kit ******************* *************************************************************************** o What it is... The GIF Preview door allows callers to list available GIF files on your BBS and tag up to 50 to transfer. So what's so different about that you might ask. Welllll, the user also has the option to convert the GIF files to JPG before the transfer begins. The JPG version of the GIF file will be less than 10 percent of the size of the original GIF file. JPEGs can be viewed with many popular graphic file viewers like CSHOW and The Graphics Work Shop. So if a user tags a 150k GIF file and converts it to a JPG file, the resulting file size is about 10k which tranfers in under 8 seconds at 14,400 baud. JPEG files are of a lesser quality than GIF files, but make for an excellent way of previewing the GIF to see if it is actually worth the time needed to download. o But there's more... If the user calls in with RIPterm, they can actually view the JPG or GIF file while STILL ON-LINE! Yes that's right the JPG or GIF File will pop up on there terminal immediately after the transfer. A FREEWARE Graphic Module called GIFVU100.EXE is available from the main menu of the gif door as a down loadable option. All the user has to do is to select the (G)et GIFVU100.EXE Graphic Module option from the Main Menu within the door, and the module is sent to them. The user must place the file in their RIPterm directory and unarchive the self-extracting file and they're all set, the module configures itself. The user is given ample instructions on how to install the graphic module, during the transfer. A user can download a JPG file and view it on line often in less than 10 seconds! Be sure to promote this feature to your callers that use RIPterm, they will love it. o Getting started... The following info will guide you through the install process. A quick NOTE here, you must follow the install steps in order, as some of the DATA files created by the process must exist before some of the programs are executed. ************************************** o STEP 1 GIFSETUP.EXE set up program. ************************************** Execute the program GIFSETUP.EXE. The program is pretty much self- explanatory. Hit the F1 key to bring up the over all system config window below. PATH TO LOG FILE: C:\RA\RA.LOG This is where you want all of the door's activities logged to in a text file. FILE OPERATIONS PATH: C:\TEMP\ This directory MUST exist or the program bombs! Please note that everything in this directory WILL BE DELETED each time the door exists. This is a work directory that GIF VIEW uses to do all it's conversions and such in. DO YOU WANT RIP GRAPHICS: Y This switch determines whether or not you want the door to display it's internally generated RIP menus to the user. Also this switch is used to determine if RIP version of the external help files are sent. The help files are BULLETIN.RIP, BULLETIN.ANS, ROBOHELP.RIP and ROBOHELP.ANS. The BULLETIN files are sent when the user first enters the door and can be customized by the sysop to make annoucements to the user. The ROBOHELP files are sent if the user selects the (?) key from the main menu. DISPLAY RIP GRAPHICS LOCALLY: Y If you have an EGA or better color monitor, you can have the door display the RIP main menu on your local screen also, allowing you to see the same screen as the user. Please note that this requires extra memory to use this option. Also some multi-tasking software has a problem displaying high resolution graphics in a window. If you experience problems, disable this feature. SECURITY LEVEL OVERIDE: 100 Any user with a securty level equal or higher than this number will have an unlimited amount of time in the door, this is really only useful for the sysop. o Setting Up The File Areas... Select F2 now to set up the file areas that will be available. The first window that pops up will be the drive type window. DRIVE TYPE FOR THIS AREA [ ] CD ROM DRIVE [X] HARD DRIVE This allows you to set up the gif door area for either CD or Hard drives. This feature must be set to the correct drive type for this area. Files on the CD are moved to the temporary work directory before conversions or transfers take place. Use the TAB key to move the cursor between the two options. After you have selected the correct drive type hit the ENTER key and you'll be sent to the next window. FILE AREA NAME: PIXnet Bikini GIFs This is the name of the file area as it will be shown to the user. PATH TO FILES: D:\CDR16\ This is the drive and directory that contains the GIF files for this area. ACCESS SECURITY LEVEL: 5 A user must have this security level on your BBS to access or see this area. The security level is acquired from the BBS door information file (DORINFO1.DEF, DOOR.SYS, etc...). To enter your registration info, select F3 and enter your name and code. ********************************************** o STEP 2 The GIFMGR.EXE file data base engine. ********************************************** Next you need to execute the GIFMGR.EXE program. This is where you will import the information on the GIF files for the door to use. GIF VIEW uses it's own data base management files to keep track of the GIFs. Each file area has three data files associated to it, these files are in the Dbase IV, FoxPro format and are named AREAxxx.DBF, AREAxxx.CDX, and AREAxxx.FPT memo file that holds the descriptions. Upon executing the GIFMFR.EXE program, your presented with two options. Select the F1 key to import files into the data base. The next screen gives you two options. You must highlight the file area you wish to import files into (using the up and down arrow keys) and select either, o F1 IMPORT FROM ASCII FILE This allows you to import files that are contained in an ASCII file listing for this area. An example would be a FILES.BBS file listing. The program defaults to FILES.BBS but you can change this to what- ever you want by typeing in the name of the ASCII file you wish to read in. The ASCII file listing must be in the standard file list format, in other words the files name should begin in column one, and be followed by the files description. An example would be MOOSE002.GIF A herd of them suckers MOUNTAINS.GIF An excellent picture of the Grand Tetons Please note the space between the file name and the description. o F2 SEARCH DIRECTORIES FOR ORPHANS This option searches the directory for this area looking for files that exist but are not contained in the data base listing for this area. The orphaned files are then presented to you one at a time, you may choose to include them or pass them up. If you choose to import them you are given the option to input a description in for the file. The default line, "New File Description Coming..." can be changed by simply typing in your own description. Both of the above options will gather info for each file imported. The file's NAME, DESCRIPTION, SIZE, DATE, TIMES DOWNLOADED, and the GIFs resolution and colors are added to the data base. o DATA BASE MAINTENANCE From the main menu, you can select F2 to enter the Data Base Manager. We are still working with the GIFMGR.EXE program, just in case you wondering. From here you can manage all records within the data base. You should highlight the file area you wish to work with and hit the ENTER key. The manager presents each record on file along with all the info gathered during the import process. You can edit, delete, undelete, and even view the GIF files from within the manager. Below are the options available. (E)dit: You can edit all the info that was gathered for this file by selecting this option and using the arrow keys to highlight the field you wish to change. (N)ext: Moves you to the next record. If the record you are currently at is the last record, you will be sent back to the file area list, and the database will be packed. (P)reviouse: This option returns you to the previouse record in the data base. (D)elete: This option deletes the record for the file from the data base. This does not physically remove the file from the drive. A record can only be undeleted if you do so before Quitting. (U)ndelete: This option allows you to undelete a record that has been marked for deletion. (V)iew: This command loads the GIF file into the data bases's internal GIF viewer. You must have an EGA or better monitor for this command to work. If the GIF file is bigger than 640X480, you can use the arrow keys to move around within the GIF to view the whole file. This is the command I use most often to view all the GIFs I have for download on my BBS. It is very handy! (Q)uit: This command returns you back to the area list box and also packs the data base removing any records that have been marked for deletion. ********************************************* o STEP 3 Setting up your BBS to run the door. ********************************************* Now we come to the actual door program. The door program is named VUGIF100.EXE, this is the file you'll call from within your BBS to allow the users to browse the file areas, tag GIFs and do the conversions and transfers. VUGIF100.EXE (not to be confused with the Graphic Module GIFVU100.EXE), supports many different door information file formats. Among those that are supported are, DORINFOx.DEF, DOOR.SYS, CHAIN.TXT, SFDOORS.DAT. Unless the door information file is copied to the same directory the door is residing in, you must pass the path to the drop file on the command line, like so.... VUGIF100.EXE C:\SLBBS Notice that I only passed the directory and not the drop file name. The program will look in the path passed to it for any of the above mentioned drop file types. A VERY IMPORTANT NOTE! The door REQUIRES that either DSZ or GSZ from Omen Technology be some where in your system's path. The door uses DSZ / GSZ to handle the JPG/GIF transfers. I use a batch file called SENDFILE.BAT to call DSZ / GSZ from, you can modify this file to suit your needs, it come pre-configured to use GSZ, but can be easily changed to use DSZ by changing one line. You may also use DSZ's command line options to support non standard IRQ's and such. Another important subject is the fact that the door also REQUIRES a FOSSIL DRIVER to be loaded before executing the door. If you run a front end mailer or a bbs that requires a fossil, then you already have this installed. If you don't know what a fossil driver is, then look for a program called X00 or BNU on a bbs, either one works fine. Remember that there are three things that are REQUIRED for the door to operate... 1 - A valid DROP FILE. 2 - A copy of DSZ or GSZ somewhere in your PATH. 3 - A FOSSIL DRIVER. The door can be run locally without a drop file with the -l command line parameter. This defaults to a security level of 10. ************************** o REGISTRATION INFORMATION ************************** GIF VIEW is shareware and you should register after running the door for awhile. I'm only asking $10 US dollars for the programs, that's a bargain considering I'm throwing in a GIF viewer also! Check out the file REGIST.FRM for more info on registering. Your registration code will be good for all future versions, and the price will go up on the next version. Future plans call for support of the new RIP2 graphics protocol, sound board support, 16.7 million colors, 24 bit image support, and more. As well as more file areas, up to 200 areas. *********************** o CONTACTING THE AUTHOR *********************** I can be reached by any one of the following means. Netmail to.... FidoNet 1:3813/309 a reply will be placed on HOLD for you as quick as possible. InterNet vince.jacobs@brushy.com By voice at 1-918-687-0274 between the hours of 6pm and 10pm CST week days. all day Saturday, and after noon on Sundays. Or US mail to.... Vince Jacobs PO BOX 1755 Muskogee, OK 74402-1755 USA ************* o LEGAL STUFF ************* All products mentioned are property of their respectful owners. Although I have tested these programs on several machines, I take no responsibity for their behaviour, use or inability to use. Use these programs at your own risk, the programs are guaranteed to do nothing more than take up drive space (if that). ****************** o TROUBLE SHOOTING ****************** Sometimes files can become corrupt for any number of reasons. The program GIFBASE.EXE is provided to rebuild the file area DAT file (ROBO400.DAT). Run this program only as a last resort as all file area info will be reset. Also if an area listing becomes corrupt, you may need to delete all of the AREAxxx.* files for that file area, the x's are numbers that match the file area. AREA002.* files would be the data base files for area number two. If the door refuses to fire up, be sure you have it pointed to a valid door info file (DOOR.SYS and so on) that contains the proper baud rate and such for the current session. Also be sure that a FOSSIL DRIVER is loaded. If your having trouble with transfers, be sure that either DSZ or GSZ is in the path some where and the file SENDFILE.BAT contains the proper command line for your set up.