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MULTI - NODE OPERATION
------------------------------------------------------------
It is assumed that you have some knowledge of running
RemoteAccess already, or have at least run a single line BBS
for some time. If you haven't, it is strongly recommended
that you run one line for a little while to familiarise
yourself with the terminology and operation of RemoteAccess.
The idea of multi-node operation is that more than one user
can be on-line at the same time to the same BBS. To do this
safely, it is necessary for RemoteAccess to manage the
configuration and data files it uses very carefully.
Firstly, tell RemoteAccess that it's running in multi-node
mode by setting the MULTI LINE option to "Yes" in RACONFIG.
You should also set CHECK FOR MULTI LOGON to "Yes". Not
doing this can cause unpredictable results when a user logs
on to more than one line at once.
Set the SYSTEM LOG NAME to "RA.LOG". Make sure you do NOT
specify a full path with the name.
Next create one child directory of your system directory for
each line you intend to operate. For example, assuming that
the system directory is C:\RA, for two lines create
C:\RA\LINE1 and C:\RA\LINE2 (the actual directory names are
not important).
At this stage, ensure that the RA environment variable
points to the system directory so each line will be able to
locate the configuration files.
Why separate directories? Many on-line utilities and doors
are not multi-node aware, so they must be isolated from
themselves in the event that more than one copy of the same
door is executed at the same time. Thus it may be necessary
to place extra configuration files for some doors in each
line directory.
For example, to install QuickEd in a multi-node environment,
ensure that QUICKED.EXE is in the system directory (C:\RA in
this example) and that the EXTERNAL EDITOR setting in
RACONFIG is set to "C:\RA\QUICKED.EXE". To complete the
installation, copy the files QUICKED.HLP and QUICKED.CFG
into each line directory; these two files need not be
present in the system directory.
All that is necessary now is to create the batch files that
call each copy of RA for each line:
REM Sample batch file to fire up line 1
:START
CD \RA\LINE1
RA -N1
REM Check errorlevels etc
GOTO START
Note that the -N1 parameter is not required since
RemoteAccess defaults to line 1; it is included only for
completeness.
REM Sample batch file to fire up line 2, using FrontDoor
REM as a front-end mailer in shell to mailer mode
:START
CD \RA\LINE2
RA -M\FD\FD.EXE*M -N2
REM Check errorlevels etc
GOTO START
RemoteAccess will keep a separate system log (RA.LOG) and
usage graph file (TIMELOG.BBS) in each line directory.
The placement of the EXITINFO.BBS and DORINFO1.DEF door
files is handled differently in a multi-node environment. In
a single line installation these files are written to the
RemoteAccess system directory. In multi-node mode they are
written to the current (default) directory, thus ensuring
that each door has it's own set of info files from the BBS
at all times.
Additional configuration flexibility is provided in the
method RemoteAccess uses to locate the configuration (*.RA)
files. If one or more of the *.RA config files is present in
a particular line directory, then the information in those
files will override the information contained in the
corresponding config file in the system directory.
For example, it may be necessary for each line to use
different modem configuration information. This data is
contained in CONFIG.RA, so make a copy of this file in each
line directory. Change to the line 1 directory and use
RACONFIG to edit the modem settings. Save your changes and
repeat the procedure for line 2. When RemoteAccess fires up,
it will use the CONFIG.RA in the current directory that you
just edited, and the other config files in the system
directory.
The LIMITS.CTL file works in the same way; you may override
the global settings in the system directory by making a copy
of LIMITS.CTL in one or more line directories and editing
with an ASCII text editor. This enables each line to exhibit
different download and time limits for one particular
security level.
Beware of third party utilities that write to the system
files! RemoteAccess is specifically written so that many
users can read and post messages simultaneously to the same
message-base, but other programs probably AREN'T. Check the
documentation very carefully before you fire up your
favourite off-line mail editor and start posting messages
while someone else is on-line. Similarly, if your echomail
processor does not lock the message-base files while
working, you should set up your system to ensure that mail
is never imported when there is a user on-line. Exporting
messages however, IS permitted.
It's quite likely that you'll need to increase the FILES
setting in your CONFIG.SYS if RemoteAccess is running
several lines under a multitasker. You'll also need a
separate batch-file for each line to invoke RemoteAccess
with the correct command-line parameters. See the reference
section on command-line parameters for information on the -N
parameter .
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Written by Dave Pearson