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Monster Media 1996 #15
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STARBAR.DOC
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StarBar FileLister/Browser V2.0
Public Domain Software
(!) 1996 Larry Monte/StarLab Systems Software
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Release : StarBar V2.0 is a Wide-Beta realease due to the fact
Notes : it's been completely re-written from the ground up.
I promise a V2.1 release after I have heard from
the people using it. If nothing else, I hope to
include additional language files submitted by our
international friends to make StarBar available in
many languages.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GUARANTEES:
-----------
None expressed or implied. If StarBar works for
you...great. If not, feel free to modify the code
to work on your system.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
OS/2 Sysops:
------------
Although effort was made to make StarBar universally
compatible between DOS and OS/2, there is no promise
that StarBar will behave properly for you.
My main concern is the *.CMD files which are used for
extracting files from within Archives. Because I have
no access to an OS/2 system, I could not test these
files properly.
I suspect they may work, but if they don't you will
have to modify the CMD files yourself.
Further, if you do get them to work (or the originals
work in the first place) please NetMail me the
corrections so I can include them in the V2.1 release!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why I Created StarBar:
----------------------
Beats me! It was something to do. What was once an
experiment to see if I could actually program, it
grew into the monster we now know.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This file instructs you on the BASIC setup of StarBar. For information
on customizing colours, hotkeys, etc, see CUSTOM.DOC.
-------------==============Basic Setup Instructions=============-------------
NOTE: I suggest everyone to setup StarBar by the proceedures outlined below.
This will make it easier to track down problems if everyone uses the
program the same way.
The installation of StarBar V2.0 is a little more involved than in
previous versions, but that's to be expected when providing better
flexability. If you stay close to the following instructions, you
should have little or no problem.
1) Make sure ALL your archivers are somewhere in your DOS path! You need to
do this for your daily BBS operations, so this _should_ be done already
2) Make sure you have the MEX_INCLUDE environment set in your autoexec.bat
file. Your autoexec.bat should have this line:
SET MEX_INCLUDE=c:\max\m
^^^^^^^^^
Should be set to where you keep your *.MH MEX files...
If you don't have this set, add the above line to autoexec.bat and reboot
your computer!
3) Unpack the STBAR20.ZIP archive into a directory off your main BBS dir
called STARBAR.
Here, it's : C:\MAX\STARBAR
4) MOVE (not copy) both STARBAR.LH and STARBAR.MH into your ..\m directory.
Here, it's : C:\MAX\M
Do not leave a copy of these files in the STARBAR directory. Make sure
they are in your ..\m dir ONLY!
5) Change to your ..\lang directory and load your main <language>.mad file
(here it's ENGLISH.MAD) into your favorite text editor.
NOTE: See CUSTOM.DOC on creating StarBar language files for multiple
language systems.
At the end of your language file is a section called "User Heap". You
may see another include file there. Add the following to this section:
; Include any user heaps here
<Other includes may be defined here>
#include <../m/starbar.lh>
I know there is a USER.LH file where other language files can be defined
but to keep the least amount of confusion, put the above include line
in the main <language>.mad file.
6) Compile your language file:
MAID <Your language here>.mad
7) Change to your ..\m dir and load STARBAR.MH into your favorite text
editor.
The first part of this file contains #defines that _MUST_ be changed
before you compile and run StarBar. Leave the optional changes for now.
We are more interested in getting StarBar to work at this point.
Instructions on these changes are within STARBAR.MH, so just follow
those.
8) After you are finished with the MH file, change to the main StarBar
directory and compile StarBar using:
MEX STARBAR
Note that no other parameters are needed with this version. If you get
errors, see PROBLEM.DOC for some answers to common problems.
9) Included with StarBar is a MEX program called: STTOG.MEX
This is a NEW VERSION for StarBar V2.0! Even if you have STTOG already,
replace it with this version!
What this does is sets a user's access key to let StarBar know if the
user wants to use StarBar or the canned FILE_TITLES menu command. The
distribution of STTOG uses the user access key "O" (not zero) to
determine the listing type. If you don't use this key for anything
else, you can leave it as it is and skip to the next step.
If the "O" key is already used for something else on your BBS, then
you will need to edit LINE 18 in STTOG.MEX as follows:
#define KEY "O"
Just pick a key not in use. Make sure the key defined here is the same
as the key you defined in STARBAR.MH.
10) Compile STTOG (in the StarBar dir) using:
MEX STTOG
11) Make sure SBHELP0.MEC is in your STARBAR dir, _NOT_ your \MISC dir.
Compile the help file using:
MECCA SBHELP0.MEC
See CUSTOM.DOC for information about using multiple language help files.
12) Make the following changes to your FILE SECTION in MENUS.CTL:
To install the StarBar Toggle (STTOG):
MEX StarBar\Sttog Normal "! Toggle StarBar"
^
Or whatever menu
option you want
to make it.
To install StarBar:
MEX Starbar\StarBar Normal "File Titles"
^^^^^^^^
This replaces the FILE_TITLES entry in the FILE section.
13) SILT MAX
14) Run StarBar on each node once, and use the V)iew Long Description option
on each node.
You need to do this once so StarBar can create a node-specific work
directory.
StarBar will report there is no descriptor file on the first run, but
will work fine after that.
That's it. You should have a fully operational copy of StarBar working on
your BBS!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------About the BAT/CMD/GUS/ACL Files------------------------
The distribution setup of StarBar uses batch files which do the external
archive snooping/unpacking. The current *.BAT *.CMD files will work without
need of 3rd party utils. (You only need the archive programs themselves)
Included are *.GUS(DOS) & *.ACL(OS/2) files. These are included in case you
wish to use GUS or ACLE to do your archive unpacking. In this case, simply
rename the *.GUS (for DOS) files to *.BAT or *.ACL (for OS/2) files to *.CMD.
EG:(DOS)
You have CONTENT.BAT - Delete or rename these
GETDESC.BAT
CONTENT.GUS - Copy or rename these to CONTENT.BAT
GETDESC.GUS GETDESC.BAT
(OS/2)
You have CONTENT.CMD - Delete or rename these
GETDESC.CMD
CONTENT.ACL - Copy or rename these to CONTENT.CMD
GETDESC.ACL GETDESC.CMD
NOTE: If you use GUS or ACLE, they _MUST_ be in your main BBS directory, not
in the StarBar dir!! (The *.BAT/*.CMD's should be in your StarBar dir)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
See Register.Doc for mailing information, if you need to contact me.