Monster Media 1996 #15

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Text File | 1996-05-08 | 20KB | 392 lines

▄──┐▄ ┬▄──┐▄──┐▄──┐ ▄ ┬▄──┐▄──┐▄──┐ ▄──┐▄ ┬ ▄──┐▄ ┬▄──┐▄──┐▄──┐▄──┐ ▀──┐_ │_──┘_─┤ _─┬┘ _ │▀──┐_─┤ _─┬┘ ▀──┐_──┤ _ │_ │┌┘_ _──┤▀──┐_─┤ ═──┘═──┘═ ═──┘═ ┴ ═──┘═──┘═──┘═ ┴ ═──┘═ ─ ═──┘═─┴┘ ═──┘═ ┴═──┘═──┘ ┐┌ ┐ ┌─ └┘ERSION ┴∙─┘C (c) 1993-1996, Jeff Rosowski. -= PURPOSE AND INTRODUCTION =- This program was written for the purpose of creating configurable Top Ten bulletins containing user information. The original release was for VBBS, but since I never ran the software, and didn't plan on it, continued support didn't seem like a logical choice. Why did I write it for VBBS? Well it's a long story, I was bored, etc... Having recently switched to Renegade, I found that I needed a top ten user stats again. So I grabbed a copy of the RECORDS.H file, and the rest is history. UnRegistered Features: * Creates 14 different bulletins (both in ANSI and ASCII format) based on user information contained in the Renegade USERS.DAT. * Creates Top: Callers, Users with Time Logged, Message Posters, E-Mail Post/Call Ration, Posters, Feedback Posts, User File Points, Uploaders, Uploaders in K, Downloaders, Downloaders in K, Uploader & Downloader Ratio, and Top Files Downloaded * Lets you specify the number of users to put in each bulletin. (i.e. Top Ten, Top Thirty, etc..) * Allows for sysop-specified user exemptions for EACH bulletin created. * Sysop definable Reward/Penalize system for number One users in all bulletins (file points, time, or both). * Posts a message to the sysop via the short messages when Super User Showcase rewards users. * Sysop defined frequency period for the built-in Reward/Penalize system. (daily, weekly, montly, etc.). * Sends the Top User from each bulletin a sysop defined e-mail to congradulate (or ridicule) the user for their achievement. * Sysop definable filenames for all bulletins. * Easy to configure and view all bulletins. * Give your bulletins a customised looks by using bulletin templates. * Doesn't fix your morning coffee. Registered Only Features: * Good Karma. -= REGISTRATION =- This program is Freeware. You don't have to register it, and there are no extra features that you get by doing so. But if you do for some reason wish to let me know it's a cool program send $5.00 or even an e-mail message. I've done a lot of work on the program and it's nice to know that people use it and like the program. Also as a side note. In the entire time this program has been available for renegade I have only received money for ONE registration, and that was from a personal friend of mine. I received $75 worth of registrations over three years for the VBBS version of SUS, of which there was only ONE version done back in 93. I would probably still be receiving registrations for it, but I've moved 5 times since then and i don't think the mail is keeping up with me anymore. Goes to show you people who run Renegade are cheap bastards. Oh well. -= DISCLAIMER =- This piece of work is in no way guaranteed for any particular use or purpose, implied or expressed, whether privately or commercially. It runs error free on the systems it was programmed and tested on, but that is as far as anything set in stone will allow. If you choose to use this utility, you do so at YOUR OWN RISK. Krux may NOT be held liable for any damage sustained to your equipment or information contained therein by your voluntary use of Super User Showcase. In other words, if your hard drive some how crashes because of this program... Your screwed dude. But then that's not likely to happen, but I have to say it otherwise people point fingers at me for every problem in the world. -= GETTING STARTED =- What you will need to run Super User Showcase: * an IBM compatible computer * RENEGADE version 04-05 or later * about 700 k free disk space. What the Super User Showcase Archive contains: * SUS_SHOW.EXE - Super User Showcase Executable * SUS_DNLD.MSG ┬ These are the e-mail message templates. For use in the * SUS_CALL.MSG │ reward/penalty feature, and must be located in the * SUS_CRED.MSG │ directory that SUS is run in. * SUS_DNLK.MSG │ * SUS_DRAT.MSG │ Instructions for proper alterations are included in each * SUS_MAIL.MSG │ separate file. * SUS_MSGS.MSG │ * SUS_POST.MSG │ * SUS_TIME.MSG │ * SUS_UPLD.MSG │ * SUS_UPLK.MSG │ * SUS_URAT.MSG │ * SUS_FILE.MSG ┴ * SAMPLE1.TNS ┬ Sample Template files for bulletin customisation. * SAMPLE1.TSC │ * SAMPLE2.TNS ┴ * SUS_SHOW.DOC - This file * README.1ST - A quick start * REGFORM.TXT - Registration form * WHATSNEW.TXT - A revision history ** MAIN MENU ** You can place the SUS files in the the Renegade main directory. Upon start up, SUS looks for RENEGADE.DAT and the configuration file called SUS_SHOW.CFG. If one is not present in the directory where SUS was *run from*, a configuration file is then created. Each time the program is run after the initial time, the bulletins are automatically created in the directory specified in the configuration file. To change these settings later on, type: SUS_SHOW /C This will place you once again in the set-up main menu. SUS can be run in a nightly event, or as a logoff event by placing: SUS_SHOW somewhere in the batch file. Just be sure that SUS_SHOW.CFG is in the same directory as SUS_SHOW.EXE, and that you specify the full path and drive, and all will be well. ** CONFIG ** Choose this option from the main menu by moving the highlight bar across the top display with the cursor keys. Once this choice is highlighted, press enter. Each field comes configured with default information. The default values are automaticly setup from your RENEGADE.DAT file. All else is purely your own decision. You can move among the fields with the following keys: UP/DOWN - moves from field to field in the same column LEFT/RIGHT - moves left and right inside a field ENTER - advances one field to the right CTRL-ENTER - retreats one field to the left INS - insert text in a field (default is ON) PAGEUP - moves to the first field at the top of the CONFIG screen, and up one page in the EXEMPTIONS screen. PAGEDOWN - moves to the first field in the second section of the CONFIG screen, and down one page in the EXEMPTIONS screen. BBS: This is the name of your BBS, and should appear exactly the way it did on the registration form. Sysop: Yes, you type your very own name, right here. Also should be exactly as it appeared on the registration form. Top Number: This is the configurable number of users to place in the Top bulletins generated. Reg. Code: The code you will enter when you register your version supplied by the author. Period: Length of days passed when you wish SUS to either Reward or Penalize the Top User in each bulletin. You can make this system not work at all (0), work on a daily basis (1), weekly (7), monthly (30), or virtually any length of time you so desire. When run on the day specified, SUS will deduct or add to the users account as specified later on. OR, you can run SUS with the command line parameter of /R to reward/penalize the users before this period has been reached. Post: Defaults to 'No'. This toggle tells SUS to send or not to send your form letter to the Top User of each bulletin. Possibilities are either 'N' or 'Y', but a yes response only counts for registered versions. Credits: Amount to be added or subtracted from the user's account once SUS determines that 'Period' has passed. This amount can be either positive or negative. A negative amount will result in withdrawal from the user's account. Time: Same as above, only with a specified amount of time added or subtracted to the user's account via the Time Bank. Name: What title you would like to appear in the first line of each bulletin SUS creates. The defaults are listed on the screen, and may be left as is, or changed to your own preference. The phrase "for BBS NAME" is appended right after the title of each bulletin. This is an example of one possible result: "Top Ten Callers For CrossBonZ Inc. BBS" FileBasename: This is the basename for each of the files created or used by SUS. The filename specified here will be duplicated for the ANSI/ASCII bulletins, and message file templates corresponding to each bulletin (these were included in the archive). **NOTE** If you change any of these defaults, you must rename the actual files containing the e-mail and bulletin templates to match your changes here. If you do not do this, they will not be properly recognized by SUS. FileExtension: The actual file extensions SUS will give to differentiate the ANSI screens from the ASCII screens. The default is .ANS, .ASC, and .MSG, but can be changed to provide maximum flexibility. These files should be placed in the same directory as the SUS_SHOW.CFG file. Leaving any one of these blank will tell SUS to skip the creation of this bulletin or post. Likewise, having the file not be there will tell SUS not to post the message. **NOTE** For the Bulletin Templates, the extensions .TNS and .TSC for the ANSI and ASCII bulletin respectively. ** EXEMPT LIST ** This is the screen where you may enter the users you wish to be exempted from the bulletins. For instance, the Sysop would totally skew the percentages on the e-mail bulletin since he or she would naturally be the one individual sending the most. Or, if you use a credit system, you may grant extra credits to certain users (such as visiting sysops), and would not want to make the other users jealous by letting them see this. Of course ALL exemptions are discretionary. CTMAEFRUPDNBW: These are the letters corresponding to the list appearing in the far right hand colomn, and are the toggles for making the applicable user exempt from the indicated bulletin. To toggle the letter, either type the individual letter itself, the letter X, the spacebar, or the minus (-) key. If the letter is toggled ON the bulletin will NOT include the user, OFF and the user WILL be included. The meanings are as follows: C = number of calls T = total time on M = messages posted A = post/call ratio E = E-mails sent F = Feedback sent R = total user credits U = uploads P = uploads in K D = downloads N = downloads in K B = upload ratios (best) { indicates who is W = download ratios (worst) { a file leech UserName: This is the user's correctly spelled handle. The presence of capital letters is ignored, but SUS must have the correctly spelled name in this field. **NOTE** If a user has Pipe Color Codes in their name, (A big thing around this part, and a real pain for the sysop as nearly all programs DO NOT like this) you do not have to enter them here. Super User Showcase filters out pipe codes in the user names. TAB: This will insert a blank entry on the highlighted line. SHIFT-TAB: This will delete the highlighted entry. ** GENERATE BULLETINS ** This is straight forward. Choosing this will send SUS to create each bulletin. Be patient though, SUS must search through your entire user file for the users appearing in the exemption list and exclude them from the creation of the bulletins. This takes time, proportionate to the size of this file. ** VIEW BULLETINS ** This will create each bulletin, and then show it to you upon completion of each. The SPACEBAR aborts the processing of the specified bulletin, and ESC aborts all processing. The output to this function is screen only, no files are created or overwritten. ** QUIT ** Bloody obvious, if you need an explanation for this one, type FORMAT C: right now and save yourself the hassel. <grin> -= Templates =- You can make your bulletins completely customisable by using the ANSI Templates for the bulletins, so you are no longer stuck with with default screens. You can create a template with any standard editor, provided it does not interfere with the files and function data. The Draw works well. Just make sure to save the files without a line lenght. Everything else is translated verbatum. You could likely create an Avatar file if you wished. And so the text is also translated by Renegade, Pipe color codes are also valid. Note that with The Draw and other ANSI Art programs, some manual fine tuning to the colors may be necesary to get the desired look. In most cases these are minute, and not really even noticed unless you were looking for them, but then there are other times when it doesn't. An example of this is when a color changes in the bar chart and the drawing program wrote the file so that there was no color change expected. Just insert the color codes with and editor that lets you work with escape codes, and you should be fine, or take and modify the color to something else, and change the color via the in function capabilities. Templates are mainly done by using a combination of funtions and fields. Simmilar to MCI codes, however there are significantly fewer, and tend to be more compled in nature. I have proveded a sample template in the SUS archive for you to look at and get ideas from. Of course one looks exacly like the default screen, as I rather liked how they look. But I have also included a more flamboyant version for ideas. **Syntax** The basic syntax for the fields is a group of funtions folowed by a delimitor. @Function_@Function____________delimiter There are six basic functions for insterting titles, dates, names, etc.. into the Bulletin. They are as follows. @T - Title. This is the standard "'Bulletin title` for 'BBS Name`" that is in the default screens. However you can usually substitute this easily with a fancier title as there are individual templates for each bulletin. @D[x] - This is the in the default format 'WeekDay, Month Day, Year` or optionally in other formats if you provide a parameter. 0 = 'Monday, December 25, 1993` 1 = 'December 25, 1993` 2 = 'Dec 25, 1993` 3 = '25 Dec 93` 4 = '12/25/93` @Nx - Name in number x slot. This simply is the users handle for each of the ten positions. @Ax - The coresponding numberic value for the x numbered slot. @Bx["Char"[,col]["Pattern"[,col]]] - Configurable bar graph for the x position. This takes a bit of explaining, so we will go through what each section is for. The x is for which of the 10 values to use. The items in [] are optional parameters. The first parameter is the bar character to use. This is a single character enclosed with "" quotation marks. The third parameter is teh optional color of the bar, which is a ',` followed by a numberic value. This is a calculated value wich ranges from 0 to 127, and uses the following formula, col=(background * 16) + foreground. So blue letters on a grey background would be (7 * 16) + 1 = 113. This parameter defaults to whatever the current color is. The next parameter is the background fill patter to use. This may be any lenght and is repeated as needed to fill the area. The default pattern is just a blank space for nothing behind the bars. However the default bulletins have the pattern " ª". after that you can optionally change the color of the filled background to something other than the current color which was used for the bars. You can see an example of this in the Sample files included with this program. @Px - Shows the percentage of the total top ten that slot x has in the format ##.#%. Each function is terminated with a deliminator. The deliminator tells the program specificly what type of justification to use. And is either the lower case letters, r for right, l for left, c for center, or j for fully justified. The centering and justification is based on the field lenght. Excess text is truncated. Added space is padded with spaces. So a sample field would be: @N1_____________________@A1j Note that it doesn't really matter where the functions are placed in the field when using multiple functions per field, as they will in the end wind up at the same positions. But it helps clear things up. Also the text in between the functions the fields is ignored, so any characters (except a delimitor, @ symbol or " symbol) can be present, but underscores clean things up a bit in the templates. Also note that if there is an invalid function in a field, it and the funtions before it are tossed, and outputed as is. Also if a function occurs, and a deliminator is not found within 80 characters, the text is outputed as is. So this let's you have things like Internet addresses, etc... in the text with minimal problems. There are cases where you may create a valid function, but odds are against it. -= COPYRIGHTS =- Renegade - Cott Lang. PKUNZIP - PKWARE Inc. -= CONTACTING THE AUTHOR =- The author may be reached at: U.S. Mail Krux 522 Prescott Las Vagas, NV 89110 Internet krux@310.genesplicer.org Please feel free to contact me with any comments or criticisms, or if you just want to BS about nothing in particlar.