JCSM Shareware Collection 1993 November

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Text File | 1992-11-18 | 12.3 KB | 301 lines

============================================================================== ======================== ============================ ======================== AUTOGIVE ======================= ======================== ======================= ============================================================================== AutoGive is Copyright (C) 1992 by Pinnacle Software, CP 386 Mount Royal, Quebec Canada H3P 3C6 U.S. Office: Box 714 Airport Road, Swanton, Vermont 05488 USA Customer Support Service (514) 345-9578 Free 9600 bps files BBS (514) 345-8654 -==*==- Created for Pinnacle Software by Timothy Campbell, 1250 Laird #1A, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3P 2T2 ============================================================================== OVERVIEW ============================================================================== AutoGive is a utility for Pinnacle Software's Sapphire bulletin board system. It simulates Sapphire's "GIVE" command from the DOS command line. This is required if you wish to create a file during an event. (For a description of event processing, consult your Sapphire manual.) ============================================================================== INSTALLATION ============================================================================== The AutoGive program (AUTOGIVE.EXE) must be placed in your Sapphire directory. It will not function correctly if placed elsewhere. You may also need to obtain Pinnacle Software's MAKENAME utility -- this is explained in the section entitled "How to Code the Batch Files". ============================================================================== USING THE AUTOGIVE COMMAND ============================================================================== COMMAND FORMAT ============== The format of the AUTOGIVE command is: AUTOGIVE filename level area All parameters are required (none are optional). They are used as follows: filename This is the name of the file to be placed on file list. It must be the file name only, since AutoGive (like the GIVE command) expects to find the file in the Sapphire files directory. (Use Sapphire's CONFIG program to set the files directory.) level This is the level of the user who may download this file. You can set this as follows: S Sysops only (level 7 and higher) E Everybody (level 1 and higher unless otherwise set in CONFIG) 2 Level 2 and higher 3 Level 3 and higher : : 7 Level 7 and higher 8 Level 8 only area This is the "file area" designation. The file area is an arbitrary character you assign to the file in order to categorize it. For example, you may put all Financial files in area F, while Shareware files go in area S. In all cases, all files go in the Sapphire files directory, even if they are assigned to different file areas. THE DOCUMENTATION FILE ====================== The online documentation file is assumed to have the same root name as the file being given, but with an extension of S-D. It must be in the Sapphire files directory. AutoGive will not fail if the documentation file is missing, but it is always a good idea to associate some documentation with each file you give. EXAMPLES ======== Here are some examples of the AutoGive command: AUTOGIVE FORSYSOP.ZIP S X This would place the file FORSYSOP.ZIP in file area X. Nobody but the sysops would be able to download the file. The documentation will reside in the text file FORSYSOP.S-D in the files directory. AUTOGIVE HIGHLEVS.LZH 5 Y This would place the file HIGHLEVS.LZH in file area Y. Only people at level 5 or higher would be able to download the file. ERRORLEVELS =========== The success or failure of the AutoGive command can be tested within a batch file by using IF ERRORLEVEL, as follows: ERRORLEVEL MEANING ---------- ------- 0 AutoGive worked successfully 200 There was no room on list for the file (see below) 255 Other error (e.g. file was not found) Remember that in batch file programming, you must test the higher error levels first, so check 255 before you check 200, and 200 before 0. (Consult your DOS manual for details about IF ERRORLEVEL.) Sapphire is self-maintaining, so when you give a file, it will try to find a file that can be replaced. If it finds an unpopular (seldom downloaded) file, it will replace it, and delete the associated files from the files directory. However, if the file list has been filled during the past few weeks, Sapphire has insufficient information to make that kind of decision. In such case, AutoGive (like the GIVE command) will fail. ============================================================================== SECURITY ============================================================================== You can control access to files in two ways: by level and by list. CONTROL BY LEVEL ---------------- When you give a file, you assign it a level. If you assign it a level of 5, people at level 4 or lower can not download the file; indeed, they won't even see it on the files list. You can adjust a user's level by signing on as sysop and using the VALIDATE command. CONTROL BY LIST --------------- You can place a "private header" at the beginning of the documentation file. (Consult the file GIMMXX.STD for details about private headers.) Anybody who is not included by the list (or anybody who is excluded by the list) will not be able to download the file. So if you gave a file named FRED.ZIP, and the file FRED.S-D looked like this: <<FRED><MARY><JOE>> Here's the file you wanted! Then only Fred, Mary and Joe would be able to download the file. You can use this technique in a more general way, as follows: <<CA><NY><NJ>> Here's the price list for California, New York and New Jersey. If you assign generic user accounts to groups of people, you can give them access by group, rather than by individual. Thus, a salesperson from New York would sign on as NY and be able to download the file associated with the documentation file shown above. ============================================================================== HOW TO CODE THE BATCH FILES ============================================================================== Here is a sample batch file that uses AutoGive. You could use this batch file as an event (see the Sapphire manual for details about events). BATCH FILE EXPLANATION -------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ @ECHO OFF Turn off command echoing CD \MYDATA Switch to a directory MAKEDATA Run a program to create a file CD \SAPPHIRE\FILES Switch to Sapphire files directory PKZIP -a NEWDATA.ZIP \MYDATA\*.DAT Compress the file using PKZIP (*) AUTOGIVE NEWDATA.ZIP 5 M Place the file on the list (*)PKZIP is an excellent file compression program created by PKWare Inc. (PKWARE, Inc. 7545 N. Port Washington Road. Glendale, Wisconsin 53217 USA.) An alternative is the freeware program LHA, which is available on the Pinnacle Support BBS. The problem with this routine is that it always uses the same file name. To solve this problem you can run the program MAKENAME, which is available separ- ately from Pinnacle -- you can download a copy from our support BBS. MAKENAME writes a short batch file (named SETNAME.BAT) which sets a DOS environment variable to an 8-character string that reflects the date and time when the program was run. You can then use the batch CALL facility to run SETNAME, and then use the environment variable as needed. Here's an example that uses this technique: BATCH FILE EXPLANATION -------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ @ECHO OFF Turn off command echoing CD \MYDATA Switch to a directory MAKEDATA Run a program to create a file CD \SAPPHIRE\FILES Switch to Sapphire files directory MAKENAME MYFILE Run MAKENAME CALL SETNAME.BAT Call SETNAME to set the variable PKZIP -a %MYFILE%.ZIP \MYDATA\*.DAT Compress the file COPY STDDOCU.S-D %MYFILE%.S-D Create a standard documentation file AUTOGIVE %MYFILE%.ZIP 5 M Place the file on the list ============================================================================== SHAREWARE TERMS ============================================================================== If you wish to register AutoGive and Sapphire, contact Timothy Campbell at 514-345-9578 for complete details. You must be a registered Sapphire sysop to register AutoGive. STANDARD REGISTRATION: Standard registrations are processed by mail. Remit the registration by cheque or money order, U.S. or Canadian funds, drawn on a U.S. or Canadian bank. Sorry, no CODs. PURCHASE ORDERS: We accept purchase orders from Fortune 500 companies, government offices (municipal, state, provincial, national), nationally- disseminated print, radio or television media, and major educational insti- tutions. CREDIT-CARDS: The extremely low price of AutoGive makes it impossible for us to process credit card orders. If you require fast turn-around, we suggest you use our Instant Registration Service (described below). REGISTRATION PROVISIONS: Registered owners receive a disk containing the current latest version of the program, plus bonus software, plus 30 minutes of dial-in (voice or modem) phone support, plus a 25% discount on upgrades, plus a registration number that will allow you to automatically register any new shareware version we issue for a period of two years following the date of your registration. INSTANT REGISTRATION SERVICE: When you order using our Instant Registration service, we will phone you as soon as we receive your order to give you your registration number. This number can be used to register any new shareware copy of AutoGive for two years. Instant Registration is offered only on registrations paid by purchase order (if qualified) or money order, or certified cheque. This service is available in North America only. SOURCE CODE: Source code may be purchased for personal and in-house use only. You must be a licensed owner to purchase the source code. PROGRAM CUSTOMIZATION: We can customize to your requirements! Modifications are performed at our standard contract rate of $35/hr, but this rate may be negotiated, or reduced, based upon the applicability of your modification to our other customers. PRODUCT SUPPORT: Dial-in support covers the product itself; it does not cover instruction in DOS or programming. SHAREWARE: This is a SHAREWARE product. That means we encourage you to pass around unregistered, unaltered copies of this program. We keep our price LOW by concentrating on the PROGRAM, not fancy packaging or expensive advertising. If you agree with us that shareware keeps down the high price of software, you can help the process along, by giving other people unregistered, unaltered copies of AutoGive, or uploading it to your favourite bulletin-board system. Please support the shareware concept ... by sharing!