Monster Media 1996 #15

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INI File | 1996-05-24 | 15KB | 409 lines

[]INTRO ┌──NodeManager───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ What is it? ■ NodeManager is a tool that allows a sysop running a multiline BBS to handle all of their nodes from a single station. You can see who is online all nodes, or you can view a users actions on a specific node. The most important, and most powerful, feature of NodeManager is that, with a network and the IPX protocol you can assume full control of a workstation. This means that your screen and keyboard act as the workstations own screen and keyboard. ■ Other features include sending users online messages, rebooting remote workstations, full system usage charts and graphs. You can also initiate jobs and events based on time of day, file semaphores as well as spooled commands. ■ NodeManager not only shows you when a user is logged onto the BBS, but shows you when the mailer is using a node for either inbound or outbound calls. Is it hard to setup? ■ NodeManager comes with various command line options to help you setup the required files. The default setup will get you to an operational point, then you simply enter the finer details. ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ └──────────────────Copyrighted 1995 by Multiboard Communications Centre──┘ []COMMANDLINEHELP System Information ■ This is where you define important information regarding the BBS paths, or where you enter the registration information. Display Information ■ This is where you select your mailer (if you have one), the mailer paths, and the drives to use for statistics. Misc Options ■ This is where you define the specifics to NodeManager such as what to display, how often to rescan the userson and check for semaphores, and other specific information. Edit time based events ■ You are able to configure and run up to 100 events. You can define which days, at what time each event should be executed. Edit file triggered events ■ You are able to configure up to 25 file triggered events. You can base your event on a file that either exist, is missing, or has been updated. Edit ALT-keys ■ You can have up to 9 Alt keys programmed. These keys can be used to execute other programs. This is simply a faster way than manually shelling to DOS, and typing the command to run the desired program. As optional parameters, you may wish to use some of the control keys and parameters: ^` Simulates an ESC key ^@ or *N Enters the current node number ^A..^Z Note: ^M is the ENTER key &MSG <filename> Sends the file as a text message to all tagged nodes &KICK <filename> Sends the file as a text message to all tagged nodes, and kicks the users offline. Edit macros ■ You are able to send a node a string of characters as if you typed them yourself. A list of the available control characters: ^` Simulates an ESC key ^@ or *N Enters the current node number ^A..^Z Note: ^M is the ENTER key Edit semaphores ■ You can define up to 50 semaphore files to search for. If the file is found then the node that is found in the file name will have the information changed to that as was entered. When defining the filename use *N to represent the node number. IE - C:\BBS\BUSY.*N or C:\BBS\NODE*N\BUSY.YES Logging Options ■ This is where you decide what where to place the log file, and what events you would like to log. Alert Options ■ This is where you configure what actions should be performed and when they should be performed, when a node has been determined to be inactive. You define which semaphores to look for, and how old they can be, before an alert should be issued. Page Options ■ If you are going to use the replacement paging program then this is where you define the settings for the programs. Colour Configuration ■ This is where you enter to change virtually every color used by NodeManager. Command line parameters... ■ /NOEVENTS, /NOJOBS, /NOFILE, /NA By using one or a combination of the first three parameters you will disable some of the file executions. By using the /NA parameter you will disable all three of the first parameters ensuring that your session will remain uninterrupted. ■ /SCAN=# This will replace the rescan rate entered in the setup program. This may be useful if you are running more than one copy of NodeManager at a time. ■ /NOVGA NodeManager will be forced to use the standard 25 line screen mode when executed with this parameter. This is useful if you are running NodeManager on more than one computer, because not all computers will have a EGA/VGA monitor. ■ WATCH #, REBOOT #, REBOOT ALL These options will load the program and return to a DOS prompt when the desired task has been completed. This simply provides you with an automated way to perform key functions. ■ SEND # This allows you to send a string to a remote node, this is not sending a user message, but stuffing the remote keyboard, so that a command or series of commands can be executed. All parameters that follow the # parameter will be sent as the input text. ■ BUILDSET If the paths to each node resemble each other, then this feature will automatically build the required NODEMAN.SET file. ■ For example... NODEMAN BUILDSET PATH=C:\BBS\NODE*N LOCAL=3,4 ■ BUILDLIST This will use your mailer's inbound and outbound history files to build the lookup files used by NodeManager. []BBSHELP System and Sysop name ■ Both the system and the sysop name is taken from the RemoteAccess configuration file. Serial number and registration code ■ This is the serial number and the registration code that you received for your registration. Please ensure that the entered numbers are the same as they appear on the registration form. []MAILERINFO Display mailer info type ■ You can select to display either information from the selected mailer's lastcalls, or information regarding drive space. Mailer system directory ■ This is the where the lastcall, inbound and outbound history files are stored. This path must be the same as the system path defined in your mailer. Mailer semaphore directory ■ This is where the mailer creates the semaphore files. This path must be defined if you want to see mailer activity. This path must be the same as defined in the mailer. Display mailer at startup ■ If you have one of the compatable mailers, you can decide whether to display the mailer's lastcall information or the disk information when the program is first launched. The two information types can be toggled from NodeManager. If you did not pick a mailer then the disk information will always be shown. NetMail editor ■ You can load your netmail editor from Nodeman by pressing Alt-E. This field should include the path and executable name of your editor. Drive 1 and drive 2 ■ This is where you place the letters of the drives you would like to see information on. []CONFIGURATIONOPTIONS Rescan rate ■ This indicates how long to wait before reading the user on file and checking for mailer and defined semaphores. If you have a low number, then the information displayed will be more accurate than if you have a high number. A high number however will be less task intensive on the hard drive. Sound if paged ■ This will sound three beeps through the PC speaker only if a user has attempted to page the Sysop. Show password ■ When a user record is brought up you have the choice of viewing the user's password. Last field display ■ You have the option of displaying the time that a user has logged on/off or the amount of time that has elapsed since log on. When idle display ■ If a user logs off, by default NodeManager will display where the user logged off from. By selecting "Change action" you can have the "Waiting" prompt displayed when the user logs off. If you choose "Clear line" then the line will be entirely blanked, except the action field which will say "Waiting" Semaphore precidence ■ Nodemanager looks for both mailer semaphores and defined semaphores, because there is a possibility of two semaphores being defined for one node, it is important to know which semaphore should be displayed. Create system history file ■ If you would like to be able to view yesterday's statistics and callers then you will need to create a history file. Time slice release level ■ This number will alter how often you release time slices. When this number is increased, the fewer number of slices will be sent. Each system may require a different number so play with the numbers until you find the system that suits you best. If you do not wish to release time slices, then set this number to 0. Remote connection key ■ This will let you set one of the predefined keys to use to connect to one of the remote machines. (Can connect if NODETSR is loaded) Allow Escape to exit ■ This will allow you to use the Escape key, as well as the Alt-Q key to exit NodeManager. Node reboot method ■ If you would like to reboot a remote node, you have the choice to send it a hard or a cold reboot. You can only reboot the remote node only if you are able to connect and control the node. Time to view tagged nodes ■ You can define how many seconds you would like to view a node when cycling tagged nodes, or nodes with users on. Viewing mode ■ If you would like to see more nodes on the screen, then you have the option of using 43/50 line mode, which requires an EGA/VGA compatible monitor and video card. []LOGGINGOPTIONS Nodeman's full filename ■ This is the path and filename of the log file for NodeManager to log its various events. Log events, jobs, file, and alert triggers ■ These options will log when the executed command began, what the command was, and when the command was finished. Pager's full filename ■ This is the path and filename of the log file for Pager to log its page reasons and other pertinent information. Page reasons ■ These options will log when the executed command began, what the command was, and when the command was finished. []PAGEINFO Music duration ■ This is how long to wait if you do not respond to the page. The music will play for this long, unless the PAGE.RA file is missing. Page length ■ This is how long of an input line there should be for the user. The maximum length available is 79 characters. Use internal chat ■ If you select yes, then you will use the chat within PAGER, however if you select no, then PAGER will bomb out and use the RemoteAccess chatting program. Notes... ■ The Pager program is used so that the chat reason can be obtained from the user. If you are using Pager then the chat reason will replace the fwd line in the user info screen ("I" from NodeManager). If you are not using Pager then the page reason can not be obtained and the fwd line will still be displayed. []ALERTOPTIONS Method to Alert ■ There are three methods to alert you of a nodes activity, including: Beep : This will cause your pc speaker to beep. Flash : This will flash 'Alert' in the bottom left corner. External program: This will execute a defined external program. You can select either one, or a combination of these methods to alert you when a node has been determined inactive. Delay between beeps ■ If you have set your computer to beep to alert you, then you can define the number of seconds, between beeps. External program to execute ■ This is the program you would like to execute if a node has been determined inactive. Delay between external program ■ If you are executing and external program to alert you, then you can define the number of seconds, between executions. Threshold delay ■ If you are using a multitasker such as Desqview, Windows, or OS/2, you may wish to delay calling the external program for xx number of seconds. This is so you can tell if just one window is hung, or the entire machine is down. If you do not wish to use a delay, this number must be 0. Execution times ■ These times will determine the times you will allow the computer to execute an external program, or beep. You can define a starting and stopping time for every day of the week. To be active for 24 hours you would set your times like: Monday 00:00 23:59 []ALERTSETUP Configuration ■ This is where you determine what form of alert you would like to use, the amount of time between specific forms of alert, and what times to permit these specific alerts. Semaphores ■ You can check up to 10 defined semaphores against the current time, to see if a node is inactive(hung). You must define the semaphore to look for, how old the semaphore is allowed to be (in seconds), and whether or not to search for it. You must use *N to indicate where the node number will be. IE - C:\SEMAFORE\FDALIVE.*N []