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BBS Informant Version 1.11 Copyright c 1995 by Stevenson Technical Services, Incorporated 108 Second Avenue West PO Box 297 Bertha MN 56437-0297 USA Phone/FAX: 218-924-2050 The STSI BBS: 218-924-2060 Internet: cstevens@bertha.polaristel.net Welcome! Thank you for trying BBS Informant! If you appreciate BBS Informant, you are encouraged to call The STSI BBS at (218) 924- 2060, and let us know! Comments, suggestions, and enhancement requests are always welcome! Requirements To run BBS Informant reliably, you will need the following: · DOS 3.3 or Higher · IBM PC, PC-Compatible or MS-DOS Computer · Hard Drive and 640K RAM Disclaimer / License Agreement: What is shareware? Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details - some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee - if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. Disclaimer - Agreement By using BBS Informant, users indicate their acceptance of the following terms: "BBS Informant is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. Neither STSI, The STSI BBS, or any STSI employees will be held responsible for any damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of BBS Informant." "Information in this documentation is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of STSI. STSI may make improvements and/or changes in this documentation or in the products and/or programs described in this documentation at any time." BBS Informant is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program useful and find that you are using BBS Informant and continue to use it after a reasonable trial period, you must make a registration payment of $49.95 (+S&H) to Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. (STSI). This registration fee will license one copy for on one BBS node at any one time. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another. Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time, BBS Informant should not be used on two different computers at the same time. If you need to license BBS Informant for use on more than one BBS node, please see the file REGISTER.DOC for site-license pricing. Commercial users of BBS Informant must register and pay for their copies within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn. Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting STSI at (218) 924-2050. Anyone distributing BBS Informant for any kind of remuneration must first contact STSI for authorization. This authorization will be automatically granted to distributors recognized by the (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin offering BBS Informant immediately. (However STSI must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version of BBS Informant.) For complete terms, refer to the file VENDINFO.DIZ. All registered users of BBS Informant will receive a copy of the latest version, along with a printed manual and bonus disks. ASP Notice: STSI is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX 616-788-2765 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. Registration: BBS Informant is distributed under the shareware concept. You may try BBS Informant for a period of two weeks. After this period, you must either discontinue using it, or register it. A single-user license is only $49.95 (+$5.00 S&H USA/Canada / $10.00 S&H on Foreign Orders). This price includes a printed manual, along with a 3 1/2" diskette containing the most current version, along with some bonus disks. Registered users will receive a Registration Name and Number allowing the removal of the 10-record database limit. To register, call STSI at (218) 924-2050 and charge it to your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover credit card. Upon request, you will receive a temporary registration name and number over the telephone. Network & Site-License Users When purchasing a site-license of BBS Informant, you should consider the following: You only need to purchase a site-license based on the number of CONCURRENT users that will be allowed to access the door at one time. For example, if you run a 50-line BBS, but decide to only allow 5 users into the door at one time, you only need to purchase a 5- user license. (In this instance, if 5 users were accessing the door, and a 6th user attempted to access the door, he would receive an error message stating that no more users were allowed into the door at this time.) When you read the file REGISTER.DOC, you should see that network and site-license pricing is very reasonable. How To Order To register, do ONE of the following (whichever you prefer): 1. Call The STSI BBS at (218) 924-2060 and register online. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards. This method of registration can be performed 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. (Registering this way is fast and easy, allowing us to process your registration quickly.) 2. To register using our voice line, call (218) 924-2050. Please have your credit card handy. 3. You can FAX your registration to (218) 924-2050. Simply fill out the registration form provided (REGISTER.DOC), include your credit card information on the bottom of the form, and sign it. (Most FAX transmissions will be automatically routed to the FAX machine. If you have problems reaching our FAX machine, wait until after the first ring, press 11, and then begin transmitting.) 4. Mail the registration form along with your payment to STSI at 108 2nd Avenue West, PO Box 297, Bertha, MN 56437-0297 USA. If you have already registered BBS Informant, you should have received a registration name and number with your registration packet. Information is contained in this manual about how to register your copy of BBS Informant to remove any limits imposed on unregistered versions. Technical Support: Technical support is available through the following means: The STSI BBS: New versions of this program will be posted here as soon as they are available. The STSI BBS uses a U.S. Robotics V.Everything modem, which is capable of V.FAST, V.32bis, V.32, and 2400 baud connect speeds. The access number for The STSI BBS is (218)-924-2060. Technical support questions posted on the bulletin board system should be addressed to Craig Stevenson. STSI FAX: STSI has a FAX machine on-line 24 hours-a-day to accept FAX transmissions. Technical support questions / problems may be faxed to (218) 924-2050. Most FAX transmissions will be automatically routed to the FAX machine. If you have problems reaching our FAX machine, wait until after the first ring, press 11, and then begin transmitting. Internet Mail: STSI will respond to messages sent via the Internet. Send any tech support related questions, comments, or suggestions to cstevens@bertha.polaristel.net. Telephone: Technical support calls may be placed at (218) 924-2050. Office hours are from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday, and 8:00 am - 11:00 am on Saturday. Please read the following before placing a technical support call to STSI: 1. Read the documentation files (and the help screens, if available). Most questions can be answered by simply reading the docs. 2. If you have a modem, call The STSI BBS and download the latest version. (Read Bulletin #1 on our BBS to find out the latest version and release date of this program. When downloading a file, keep in mind that STSI's programs are always posted in area 27.) After you download the latest version, try it and see if you are still experiencing the same problem. We attempt to fix problems as soon as we become aware of them, and post the updated versions on the bulletin board system. (Check the .REV revision file for information on feature enhancements and bug-fixes.) 3. If you still cannot find an answer, contact us through one of the means outlined above. We will do our best to assist you and answer any questions you may have. 4. When calling or leaving a message, please be prepared to answer the following questions: What version of this program are you using? What problem(s) are you having, if any? What type of computer CPU do you have (486DX2-66, etc.)? What version of DOS are you using? Please be as specific as possible. The more specific you are, the faster we will be able to assist you. 5. When placing a technical support call via telephone, please be seated behind your computer. We may ask you to perform a couple of simple tasks in order to help us narrow down any potential problems. 6. When speaking with any of our employees, please be considerate. Speak clearly, explaining your problem as carefully as possible. Please do not use any harsh or inappropriate (profane) language. 7. If one of our employees is able to help you, and you continue to use this program, register it! We cannot continue to produce quality programs without the continuing support of our users. What is BBS Informant? BBS Informant is a BBS door used for adding, listing, and searching through available BBS names and numbers. BBS Informant is a comprehensive list/search door that stores over 40 fields of data on each BBS. Store up to 3 phone numbers, baud rates, and modem types for each bulletin board system. BBS Informant also contains fields for Software, Software Version, Sysop, Operating System, BBS Emphasis, Rate, Location, Number of Lines, Megabytes of Storage, Number of CD-ROMS, Date of Origin, Services Offered, Summary, and more! Why use BBS Informant? Recently, our company embarked on a marketing effort for our shareware programs by calling various bulletin board systems around the country. Once connected, we would fill out the initial registration form, and attempt to upload our programs. Naturally, we called the largest BBS's first, but as the days passed, we found it more and more difficult to connect to high- quality BBS systems. We experienced numerous problems. The BBS lists we looked at typically contained a name and number, but not much else. Before calling a new system, we wanted to know the following: 1. Does the BBS have a V.34 modem. If so, what is the brand? (As many of you already know, certain brands do not hook up as well as others...) 2. What type of software does the BBS use? The BBS software was important, since some software packages were obviously easier to use and navigate than others. 3. What was the emphasis of the BBS? BBS's that catered to the professional user were more apt to receive our programs than others. 4. Did the BBS have Planet Connect access? Since our files were distributed via satellite, there wasn't much use in calling a system that already had our programs. 5. Did the BBS have alternate access numbers? Getting a busy signal for days-on-end can be extremely frustrating for new callers. Alternate numbers gave us a better chance of connecting, without having to put up with busy signals. We found that many of the BBS lists seemed inadequate to meet our needs. We needed a comprehensive list that gave us as much information as we could possibly want. That's when we started development on BBS Informant. BBS Informant provides all of the following fields in a BBS record: · BBS Name · Phone #1 · Phone #1 Baud Rate · Phone #1 Modem · Phone #2 · Phone #2 Baud Rate · Phone #2 Modem · Phone #3 · Phone #3 Baud Rate · Phone #3 Modem · Software · Software Version · ASP (Association of Shareware Professionals) Member (Yes/No) · AOP (Association of Online Professionals) Member (Yes/No) · Satellite Access (Planet Connect, etc) (Yes/No) · Internet Access Offered (Yes/No) · RIME (Yes/No) · FIDO (Yes/No) · Adult Files/Topics (Yes/No) · Sysop Name · BBS Address 1 · BBS Address 2 · City · State/Province · Zip Code · Country · Voice Phone # · FAX Phone # · CompuServe Address · Sysop's Internet Address · BBS's Internet Address · Number Of Lines · Megabytes of Storage · Number of CD-ROMS · Rate (Fee) For Access · BBS Emphasis · Online Since (Date) · Callback Verifier (Yes/No) · Environment · Access Type · Summary (Up to 4 Lines) · Date Last Updated How's that for a comprehensive list? Many of the fields are made up of pick lists. This allows the BBS list to be somewhat consistent in capitalization, formatting, etc. For example, listed below are the fields that contain pick lists, and the available options: Access Type: · Access on first call · Access after registration · Access after automatic callback verification · Access after manual verification · Access after payment Baud Rates: · 300 · 1,200 · 2,400 · 4,800 · 9,600 · 14,400 · 16,800 · 19,200 · 28,800 Modem Brands: · ATI · AT&T Paradyne · Best Data · Boca Research · Cardinal · CPI (Viva) · Digicom · GVC · Hayes · IBM · Intel · Microcom · Motorola (UDS) · Other · Pract. Periph. · Prometheus · Supra · Telebit · U.S. Robotics · Zoom · Zyxel Software: · Auntie · Custom · DBBS · FIDO · GAP · Genesis · GT Power · Magnum · Magpie · Major · Maximus · Opus · Other · PCBoard · PC-Host · Phoenix · PowerBBS · RBBS · Remote Access · Renegade · RoboFX · ROS · RyBBS · Searchlight · Spitfire · SuperBBS · TBBS · Telegard · TPBoard · UltraBBS · Wildcat · WWIV Environment: · DESQview · DOS · LANtastic · Novell · OS/2 · Other · Unix · Windows The questionnaire for BBS sysops entering a new name in the BBS Informant door is straight-forward and simple. When needed, a few lines of description are added to instruct the user what to enter in a particular field. Once the user completes the questionnaire, he/she is given the opportunity to modify any and/or all of the fields. At any future date, the user can simply call back to change or verify the existing information. When he finishes making changes to the record, the Date Last Updated field is modified and the new record is saved. BBS Informant also allows the Sysop and/or CoSysop to modify ANY BBS record, no matter who originally entered it. Installing BBS Informant The installation procedure for BBS Informant is quite simple. The package includes a program, "INSTALL.EXE", which automates the entire process. You will need about 1 megabyte of available disk space on the hard drive on which you plan to install BBS Informant. The exact steps you need to take will depend on how you received BBS Informant. Installing From Diskettes To install from diskette(s), you need to perform the following steps. 1. Place BBS Informant distribution diskette "Disk 1" in the appropriate diskette drive. 2. Execute the "INSTALL.EXE" program on the distribution diskette. For example, if the distribution diskette is on drive A:, type the MS-DOS command, "a:install". 3. Follow the instructions presented by the installation program. You will have a chance to approve installation before any changes are actually made to the contents of your hard drive. The program will ask you for a destination directory, and will copy the BBS Informant files to that directory. If you received BBS Informant on two diskettes, you will need to insert Disk 2 in the diskette drive when asked to do so. If you so direct it, the installation program will install executable programs and documentation in other directories of your choice. Installing From A Hard Drive If you downloaded BBS Informant from a BBS (or received it in the form of archive files from some other source), you will need to perform the following steps. 1. Extract the contents of the archive file(s) in a temporary directory on your hard drive. The procedure for doing this varies, depending on the form in which you received the package. In all likelihood, the fact that you are reading this text means that you already have the necessary tools and knowledge to perform this step. If not, you should be able to obtain directions for this from the same source from which you received the package. 2. Execute the "INSTALL.EXE" program which you have extracted. For example, if the temporary directory into which you have extracted the files is C:\TEMPDIR, you would execute the MS-DOS command, "c:\tempdir\install". 3. Follow the instructions presented by the installation program. You will have a chance to approve installation before any changes are actually made to the contents of your hard drive. The installation program will ask you for a destination directory, and will copy the program files to that directory. If you so direct it, the installation program will install executable programs and documentation in other directories of your choice. When you're satisfied that the installation was successful, you should delete the temporary directory FROM which you installed the program, (C:\TEMPDIR, in the above discussion), including all its contents. Once you have successfully installed BBS Informant, follow the instructions under Initial Setup to get the door up and running. Initial Setup These setup instructions will assume that you have installed BBS Informant in the directory C:\INFORMNT. If you installed BBS Informant to a different directory, simply substitute your own directory in place of the C:\INFORMNT specification. The first step is to run the program "ICONFIG.EXE", which is the sysop's configuration utility for BBS Informant. (Note: This utility is designed to be run locally. If you need to run it over a modem, you must use a program such as Doorway.) BBS Name: IConfig allows you to enter the name of your BBS, the sysop's name, and the cosysop's name (if applicable). The BBS name is used for customization purposes within BBS Informant. Sysop Name: You must enter the Sysop's name in the Sysop Name field so BBS Informant will allow you to have access to additional information and settings within the door. CoSysop Name 1 - 3: The CoSysop Name fields are optional, and can contain the names of cosysops who will also have access to the Sysop's information and settings within the door. Inactivity Timeout: The inactivity timeout can be used to change the number of minutes of inactivity BBS Informant will wait before automatically terminating a user's access to the door. When BBS Informant reaches the specified amount of inactive time, it closes the database and exits back to the BBS. Port Type: BBS Informant currently supports 4 different port options. The UART option is designed to work with the serial ports as supplied on standard IBM PC's, compatibles, and PS/2's. The Fossil option can be used to support standard Fossil device drivers used by many BBS systems. The DigiBoard option supports DigiBoard intelligent multiport boards using the DigiBoard Universal Device Driver (XIDOS5.SYS). The DigiBoard option will support the following DigiBoards: COM/Xi, PC/Xi, and PC/Xe. The Interrupt 14 option can be used with PC's that don't work with the UART option, or for network modem-sharing based on interrupt $14 services. Display Format: BBS Informant supports 3 display formats when listing entries within the database. The expanded list (the default) displays as much information as possible on one page, and allows the user to press ENTER to see the next entry in the database, resulting in a one-at-a-time viewing process. The concise list displays each BBS in a less-extensive format, which allows up to four BBS entries to be displayed on each page. The one-line display format lists one BBS Name per line. Although the user can change the format before listing the records, the sysop can select the default format used. Use Additional Prelog Screen: When this check box is selected, BBS Informant allows you to specify an additional ANSI screen to display when entering into the door. The name of the ANSI screen must be placed in the "Prelog Screen" field, or BBS Informant will issue an error when it executes. The Additional Prelog Screen is only allowed for REGISTERED versions of BBS Informant. Prelog Screen: As mentioned above, this field contains the name of the additional ANSI screen to display when BBS Informant is executed. This screen can be used to display a welcome file with your own BBS name on it. The Additional Prelog Screen is only allowed for REGISTERED versions of BBS Informant. Network: To set up BBS Informant for use on your network or multitasking computer system, select the Network button. From this screen, you can select whether BBS Informant will optimize the database for speed or data integrity. You can also select whether BBS Informant will be run on a Novell Network, MS-Net Compatible Network, or no network at all. Important! If you run DESQview or Windows (for a multi-node system), but have no network, make sure to set the network type to MS-Net. Ports This option allows sysops to specify the IRQ's and Base addresses to use for non-standard COM ports. COM ports 1 through 8 are supported. If you make a change to the defaults and want to restore the default port settings, simply select the "Defaults" button on the Com Ports screen. BBS Informant also supports the use of an environment variable to specify one or more COM ports when using BBS Information. To use this feature, add a statement similar to the following to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file: SET BINF=COM1,3F8,4 COM2,2F8,3 COM3,3E8,5 (etc., etc., etc.) The first parameter specified is the COM port, the second parameter is the I/O Base, and the last parameter is the IRQ number (in decimal). Each COM port group is separated by a space. The individual settings within each group must be separated by commas. Only settings that differ from the normal COM port settings need to be specified. (Com ports 1 through 8 are currently supported.) Register: When this button is selected, you can enter your Registration Name, Registration Number, and the number of Network Users that will be accessing this copy of BBS Informant at any one time. Use this screen when you have registered BBS Informant with STSI. (When you register, you will receive a registration name and number, allowing you to have access to the advanced features. For more information, see the Registration section of the documentation.) The second step to perform to get BBS Informant running is to set up a batch file to run it. Since BBS Informant was developed and tested using WildCat v4.10 running on individual nodes over a Novell NetWare v3.12 network, all examples provided are based on this configuration. However, BBS Informant should work with any BBS that supports DOOR.SYS. BBS Informant should be executed from its own sub-directory. A batch file should be created that logs to the proper drive, changes to the BBS Informant sub- directory, and then executes BBS Informant passing a full path to the DOOR.SYS file. After execution, the batch file should change the current directory back to the BBS sub-directory. If sharing violations or other network errors occur when executing BBS Informant, the INFORMNT.EXE file should be marked as read-only using the DOS ATTRIB command. (Novell NetWare users should use the Novell FLAG utility.) << Example Batch File #1 For WildCat: >> @ECHO OFF C:\WILDCAT\INFORMNT\INFORMNT.EXE C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE%WCNODEID%\DOOR.SYS << Example Batch File #2 For WildCat: >> @ECHO OFF C: CD\WILDCAT\INFORMNT INFORMNT.EXE C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE%WCNODEID%\DOOR.SYS CD\WILDCAT The drive letters and paths should be updated to reflect your system. WildCat uses the %WCNODEID% variable (in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file), to create the DOOR.SYS file in the node work sub-directory. For example, node 1 would have a SET WCNODEID=1 statement in its AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The DOOR.SYS file would then be created in the C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE1 sub-directory. Other BBS programs may require different steps to properly run BBS Informant. See the documentation for your specific BBS program for additional information. The third (and last) step to perform is to set up a hook in your menuing system to allow users to access the door. The door/menu hook should call the batch file that you created in the previous step. (See the documentation for your specific BBS program to find out how to set up a door / menu hook.) A Wildcat Example BBS Informant was patterned loosely after a WildCat utility called WCList. WCList, written with WCCode and provided with the WildCat/WCCode package, is a simple BBS List Door. WCCode is a versatile programming language that allows simple doors to be created and run in combination with WildCat. However, WCList was too simple to meet my needs, so the attempt was made to enhance it using WCCode. Unfortunately, WCCode was not up to the task of creating a comprehensive BBS list door, such as BBS Informant. WCCode could not deal with multiple users accessing the database or with the increased size of the resulting program. Performance was also lackluster, due to limitations within WCCode. Development was moved to the Pascal platform, and BBS Informant is the result of that effort. BBS Informant contains a full- blown, network aware database, capable of storing in excess of 2 BILLION records! This gives BBS Informant a level of scalability that is not possible with a WCCode application. Since it is compiled, not interpreted, it is also extremely fast. And because of it's Pascal roots, BBS Informant can be enhanced to meet future needs. Setting up BBS Informant under Wildcat: 1. Execute ICONFIG.EXE to set the BBS Name, Sysop and CoSysop Names, and the inactivity timeout. If you are a registered user of BBS Informant, select the "Register" button to enter your registration information. IMPORTANT! Select the "Network" button and set up BBS Informant for your environment if your BBS is a multi-node system. (Even if you run DESQview or Windows, but have no network, these settings apply.) Save and exit ICONFIG. 2. If you plan to implement BBS Informant as a menu hook, execute MAKEMENU.EXE to add the proper menu option. For example, to set up BBS Informant to run from the Main Menu using the "!" key (just like we do on The STSI BBS), use the following procedure. 1. Execute MAKEMENU.EXE from the WildCat sub-directory. 2. Highlight "Main menu" and press [ENTER]. 3. Move the highlight bar to the position you would like BBS Informant to appear, and press [INS]. 4. Enter "!" as the Selection key. 5. Enter "BBS Informant" as the Description. 6. Highlight "Command type", press [F2], select "Door/Menu hook" from the pick-list, and press [ENTER]. 7. Highlight "Parameters", press [F2], select an unused door, and press [ENTER]. (In this example, we will select "Main 1".) 8. Press [F10], and BBS Informant should now appear in your list of available Main Menu options. 9. Press [F10] twice to exit MAKEMENU. 3. If you use custom menus, modify your screens to include BBS Informant, using the "!" key (or whatever key you selected) for access. 4. Take down all nodes and execute MAKEWILD from the WildCat sub- directory. (All nodes must be down to execute MAKEWILD in read/write mode.) Proceed with the following steps. 1. Highlight "Menu hooks" and press [ENTER]. 2. Highlight "Main 1" (or whatever menu hook you selected) and press [ENTER]. Make any changes to the "Menu description", "Menu batch file", and "Menu display file" that you desire. (This example assumes that no modifications have been made.) 3. This step is only necessary if you are running a multi- node system. If you are running a single node system, proceed directly to the next step. Otherwise, highlight "Menu multiuser" and change this value to "Y" to allow multi- user access to BBS Informant. 4. Press [F3] to set up the Profile Access For BBS Informant. Select each security profile that should have access to BBS Informant, and press [F10] when done. 5. Press [F4] to set up Conference Access for BBS Informant. Select each conference that should have access to BBS Informant, and press [F10] when done. 6. Press [F10] to quit editing, and press [ESC] to return to the MAKEWILD Main Menu. Press [ESC] or select "Exit" to exit to DOS. 5. Change to the C:\WILDCAT\BATCH sub-directory (or wherever your WildCat Batch sub-directory is located). Edit the MAIN1.BAT file with the BBS Informant command-line. (Use one of the examples given below.) << Example Batch File #1 For WildCat: >> @ECHO OFF C:\WILDCAT\INFORMNT\INFORMNT.EXE C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE%WCNODEID%\DOOR.SYS << Example Batch File #2 For WildCat: >> @ECHO OFF C: CD\WILDCAT\INFORMNT INFORMNT.EXE C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE%WCNODEID%\DOOR.SYS CD\WILDCAT Save the file and exit. 6. Bring up WildCat, and select the "!" option from the Main Menu to execute BBS Informant. Running BBS Informant Once you have properly set up BBS Informant and given it a menu hook, you can execute it. After the initial screen is displayed, the opening menu will be displayed, allowing you to add/edit/remove a BBS, list all BBS names, and search for a BBS based on specific criteria. BBS Informant stores over 40 fields of information for each BBS listed. <Add/Edit BBS Information Under Your Name> When a user selects this option, he/she can add a new BBS to the list, edit an existing entry (if the original entry was entered by him/her), and remove their BBS from the list. Normal users will see a list of all BBS's listed under their name. (BBS Informant allows up to 10 entries per user.) The sysop (and cosysop) will see a list of all BBS's, allowed them to edit ANY information, even if it was originally entered by another user. <Download BBS Informant List> Users can download the entire BBS list using this option. When this option is selected, BBS Informant performs the following steps: 1. A temporary directory (TEMP0001, TEMP0002, etc) is created where the ASCII text file will be generated. (This prevents possible conflicts on networks and multi-user systems.) 2. The ASCII text file (INFORMNT.LST) is generated in the temporary directory. The format of this list depends on the "Format For Display List" option described below. When BBS Informant is generating this list, the user will see a status message indicating the number of records that are being written to the text file. 3. After the text file has been successfully generated, the user is prompted for the protocol to use. BBS Informant currently supports XModem, YModem, and ZModem protocols. (The user also has a "[N]one" option to cancel the download.) After the download has been completed, the user is returned to the main menu. <Format For Display List> BBS Informant supports 3 display formats when listing entries within the database. The expanded list displays as much information as possible on one page, and allows the user to press ENTER to see the next entry in the database, resulting in a one- at-a-time viewing process. The concise list displays each BBS in a less-extensive format, which allows up to four BBS entries to be displayed on each page. The one-line list displays one BBS name per line, with 15 names being displayed on each page. Although the user can change this format before listing the records, the sysop can select the default format from within ICONFIG.EXE, or from the Sysop menu. <List All BBS Informant Entries> The list command displays as much of the BBS information as possible about each BBS, allowing users to press ENTER to cycle through all entries in the list. <Search The BBS Informant List> The search command allows users to perform a fast (indexed) search on any one of seven different fields. The last option on the search screen allows users to search for a text string located anywhere within the database record. <Sysop Menu (System Operator ONLY)> The sysop (and cosysops) will see an option on the main screen which allows them to access all of the settings that were available from the IConfig program. (For specific information on these settings, see the Initial Setup section.) <System Information (System Operator ONLY)> The sysop (and cosysops) will also see an option on the main screen to access system information. This screen displays items such as available memory, current com port, current node number, time elapsed, time remaining, baud rate, parity, data bits, etc. This is helpful for making sure that system parameters are set up correctly, and troubleshooting any errors that occur. <Quit, Return To The BBS> Lastly, users can select "Q" to Quit and return to the BBS. If you entered your BBS name (using the IConfig program or from the Sysop Menu), it will be displayed on this line. Operating Environments Even if you don't use a network, you may need to change the default Network Type from None to the MS-Net Compatible option. Make sure to read the following section! When "None" is selected as the network type, BBS Informant's file sharing and record locking routines are not used. Do NOT run BBS Informant in a multiuser setting with the network type set to "None". If you do, the data and index files are likely to become corrupt if two or more nodes try to access the program! If you are running on a Novell NetWare 2.x, 3.x, or 4.x network, be sure to set the network type setting to "Novell Network". The "MS-Net Compatible" setting should be used for the following networks and environments: LANtastic, LAN Manager, IBM PC-LAN, Personal NetWare, NetWare Lite, DESQview, and Windows. When using this option, you must load SHARE.EXE. (When running under Windows, either SHARE must be loaded prior to running Windows, or the VSHARE driver must be loaded in Windows.) Optimization When changing the optimization setting for BBS Information, you should be aware of the difference between Optimize For Data Integrity and Optimize For Speed. If Optimize For Data Integrity is chosen, access to certain routines may be impacted by a reduction in speed. If Optimize For Speed is chosen, BBS Informant will attempt to optimize access to routines without a reduction in speed. When Optimize For Data Integrity is turned on, BBS Informant will write portions of the database to be modified to the dialog (.DIA) file before any changes are made. Then, in the event that an error occurs, the database can be restored to its known state prior to the operation. If the computer system crashes before an operation is complete, BBS Informant automatically repairs the database by using the information in the dialog file the next time the database is opened. Based on our internal testing, Optimize For Speed is MUCH faster, especially when saving and updating records. If you decide to use Optimize For Speed, however, we recommend that you maintain a regular backup. If you are more concerned about data integrity, even to the point of sacrificing some performance, select Optimize For Data Integrity. Cautions! As with any program that maintains large amounts of data, there is the possibility for data loss. BBS Informant contains special precautions, such as having the ability to rebuild the database index if it should become corrupt. However, regular data backups are strongly recommended. Hard drives can fail, files can become corrupt, and data loss can occur. Your best protection is a regular (verified) backup! Future Enhancements STSI plans to add the following features and enhancements in future versions of BBS Informant (with priority put on the feature(s) most requested by our users): · Compress ASCII text list in .ZIP format before user downloads it. (If BBS operators request it.) · Other features based on user requests. If there are features you would like to see added to BBS Informant, call The STSI BBS at 218-924-2060 and let us know. We welcome comments and suggestions. If there are more modem brands or software brands you would like to see added to our pick lists, give us your feedback! Products By STSI Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. 108 Second Avenue West Bertha MN 56437-0297 Phone / FAX: (218) 924-2050 The STSI BBS: (218) 924-2060 Internet Mail: cstevens@bertha.polaristel.net (Visa, MC, American Express, & Discover Accepted) · BBS Informant <ASP> Comprehensive BBS List / Search Door! BBS Informant is a comprehensive BBS door used for adding, listing, and searching through BBS names and numbers. BBS Informant stores over 40 fields of data on each BBS! Store up to 3 phone numbers, software & version, sysop, emphasis, rate, location, number of lines, storage space, CD-ROMS, date of origin, services offered, summary, and much more! Network support is included! BBS Informant works on Wildcat, PCBoard, and any BBS that supports DOOR.SYS. Registration Fee: $49.95 · BOOT'R <ASP> -DOS Multiple Configuration Manager BOOT'R allows the management of multiple configurations on a single machine. BOOT'R can modify the CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, and more. Modify up to 5 files for each configuration. Useful for changing files such as NET.CFG too! Ideal for creating custom configurations for memory-hungry games. Easy to use push-button interface w/mouse support! Online reference tools! Registration Fee: $34.95 · CompuSlave For DOS <ASP> Master Your Messages! 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Sample import file is included. Documentation contains helpful hints on how to create a CompuServe forum message capture file. Registration Fee: $49.95 · Infodex <ASP> - Multipurpose Database! Infodex is a versatile database manager used to keep track of names and addresses, equipment, computer software, books, and much more! Includes a FREE-FORM layout. Add, delete, or rearrange fields EASILY! Search for text in any field. Import and export to a delimited text file. Quickly browse through a list of records. Easy push button interface! Both protected- mode and real-mode versions are included to support various memory requirements. Registration Fee: $34.95 · QwkSlave <ASP> - QWK Packet Message Database! QwkSlave imports QWK mail packets, storing each message as a database record. Add, edit, delete, print, browse, sort, & search through messages. Cross referencing makes finding an original message and its response as easy as a mouse-click. Ideal as a technical support reference tool. Network support is included. Easy to use push-button interface! Registration Fee: $49.95 · Replicator For DOS <ASP> - The Diskette Database / Duplicator! Replicator is a disk image utility designed to create images of diskettes and catalog them in a database. Use optional compression to reduce the image size. Recreate disks as needed. Store up to 10 lines of descriptive text for each disk image in the database. Database entries can be modified at any time. Easy push button interface! (286 or higher) Registration Fee: $49.95 · Replicator For Windows <ASP> - The Diskette Database / Duplicator! Replicator is a disk image utility designed to create images of diskettes and catalog them in a database. Optionally compress image files and scan disks for viruses. Recreate disks as needed. Store up to 10 lines of descriptive text for each disk image in the database. Database entries can be modified at any time. Network support included. Easy to use Windows interface! Registration Fee: $49.95 · Subber <ASP> - The BBS Character Subber! Subber is designed to substitute characters in a WildCat! bulletin, menu, or other .BBS display file. Create a generic background using WCDraw or TheDraw, and create text using your favorite text editor. Use Subber to combine the two together! Ideal for BBS system notices, news, & info screens that need to be changed frequently. Registration Fee: $29.95 · ZIP'R Pro For DOS <ASP> - Hard Drive Tripler For DOS! ZIP'R Pro stores programs in compressed form when they are not being used. Use ZIP'R Pro to automatically decompress a program, execute it, and recompress it again. Uses ARJ, LHA, PKZIP, or built-in compression. Integrate with a menu system, or use ZIP'R Pro's button menu. Works with networks & multitaskers. Easy to use push-button interface with mouse support! Registration Fee: $49.95 · ZIP'R Pro For Windows <ASP> - Hard Drive Tripler For Windows! 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