We lost the the updated FAQ I originally done on our HDD and deleted the one that was previously on this site. Our apologies if this FAQ seems a little out of date.
Not that many updates/changes this time. Thanks to those who have sent us their comments.
All changes to this FAQ are highlighted by ** next to the question.
Updates will appear bi-monthly on this site, and a plain ascii version will be posted to the Fido ProBoard echo. We really need your help - if you have any suggestions, corrections or ideas for the FAQ, please get in contact with us.
Pro's
Cons
Suggestion
Setup
Tip
Programming
link to return to the Contents.
What is ProBoard?ProBoard is a computer program that allows you to run a BBS.
A BBS is a computerized Bulletin Board System, where files, messages and other useful items may be exchanged between users.
The operator of a BBS is called the System Operator, or SysOp. The SysOp is responsible for setting up and maintaining the BBS, therefore, this manual is primarily geared towards the SysOp, or people who are interested in becoming SysOps.
ProBoard has everything you need to efficiently run a BBS, and more! It's state of the art technology allows you to run a BBS without consuming large amounts of your hard disk space.
ProBoard provides the ability to run a multi-node BBS, allowing more than one user to be online at a time. It's small size and lightning fast speed make it ideal for running under a multi-tasker like DESQview, or on a network.
ProBoard also fully supports the ability to interface with mail networks such as FidoNet, UseNet, EchoNet, and mail processors such as SQUISH, FastEcho, GEcho, Fmail, and others.
The greatest asset of ProBoard, is it's ability to be enhanced by you the user, through the use of programs written in C/C++ using the provided ProBoard SDK (Software Development Kit). You can do virtually anything with your BBS using the SDK and a C/C++ compiler. Programs written with the ProBoard SDK are called PEX (ProBoard Executable) files. This built in "PEXability" assures you that there's nothing ProBoard can't do!
You do not have to be a C/C++ programmer to enjoy the benefits of ProBoard's SDK or these PEX files. There are many 3rd party PEX files available for ProBoard right now with more being released every day.
Through its SDK, ProBoard offers the user with a desire to learn C/C++, the ability to do so with a more gentle learning curve.
ProBoard has the ability to run most, if not all doors programs and other utilities written for other BBS systems such as PCBoard, QuickBBS (QBBS), SuperBBS, RemoteAccess (RA), etc.
(The above information was taken from the PB215.DOC file that comes with PB 2.15)
** What is the current version of ProBoard?The current, released version is 2.15. This is the last DOS only version. Sometime in the first quarter of 1997, ProBoard Version 3.00 will be released. The OS formats will be : OS/2, DOS and Windows95/NT.
** Will there be 32bit versions of ProBoard?Yes there will. (see question above)
The Win95/NT version is due to go into beta testing sometime this Autumn and expected to be released early next year (1997). The OS/2 version should be about a month after that.
** Will there be an upgrade fee for ProBoard v3.00?Yes there will be. Full details on the Authors WWW site.
What is the best Operating System/multitasker to use?This has been an ongoing debate, probably since multitaskers were first available for the PC.
The most popular multitaskers are: DesqView, OS/2, Windows 3.1x and Windows 95.
It is not really our place to say which is best as at least 3 out of the four do a very good job. We have used DesqView, OS/2 and Windows 95 so will try and describe the good and bad points of those.
Very good if you only want to run DOS applications, but some DOS applications don't run (well) under DV. Probably the fastest platform.
Has very good crash protection, even if OS/2 itself crashes (very rare) then you can configure so that the computer is automatically rebooted and the BBS restarted. Probably the most configurable for setting up a DOS session, and with the SIO serial drivers a very reliable comms engine. There are several BBS utilities with 32bit OS/2 specific versions eg. Mailers and Tossers.
There isn't much you can say about Windows 95, it runs most programs, takes a bit of tuning to get best Comms performance and we're still dubious about it's multitasking ability for more than one remote node, ProBoard seemed reluctant to answer the phone when not the active window.
What are the Minimum Specifiactions for running ProBoardThese specifications are based on our own knowledge of running the 3 OSs under different specifications. They may not be acurrate and we would like to hear any information you have of running ProBoard successfully on a lower specification than the ones we used.
DesqView will run quite happily on a 386sx with only 4 megs of ram with 1 remote and 1 local node. The speed leaves a little to be desired but is not sluggish. The most realistic specification in our opinion for 1 remote and 1 local node is :
OS/2 needs quite a large amount of RAM to run smoothly. We have run OS/2 and a ProBoard BBS (1 remote node and 1 local node) on a 486sx-25 with 4meg and it crawled along.
The lowest specification that we have found mentioned from various sources for running a ProBoard 2 node BBS is :
Win95, like OS/2 needs quite a large amount of RAM to run smoothly.
The lowest specification that we have found mentioned from various sources for running a ProBoard 2 node BBS is :
OS/2 and Win95 don't just require more RAM for DOS Based BBS packages, they also require more Ram to make the OS run smoothly.
Does the Author really exist?Philippe Leybaert, the author of ProBoard, prefers a behind-the-scenes approach to support, concentrating most of his energies on development, and has the assistance of various National Support Sites worldwide to answer people's queries.
Is ProBoard well supported?ProBoard has the author's full support as he is constantly developing and updating the software. It is just a pity that he does not take enough time to give some input to the various support Echos.
There are several networks dedicated to ProBoard (The Global ProBoard Network, PSN, DqP and PBNET), a Backboned Fidonet Echomail Area (PROBOARD), several FDN File Echos (see FILEBONE.NA) and also an Internet USENET Newsgroup (alt.bbs.proboard).
Many existing ProBoard sysops carry a lot of ProBoard related files, and give what support they can in the various echos.
The best place to go for support is your National Support BBS. See later in this FAQ for the details.
Why are Users getting garbage when logging into my BBS?This is usually a result of the COM port (controlled by the fossil driver) being locked and the modem not setup to work with a locked BaudRate or vice versa.
To lock the COM port using X00 for DOS/Windows, use :
DEVICE=X00.SYS E [ports to enable] b,[port-1],[baudrate]
Add as many b,.... as you have modems to setup.
For SIO under OS/2, use:
DEVICE=SIO.SYS (COM[port]:[baudrate],,,)
Read the SIO manual for more information.
** How do I make my BBS TELNETable?This is possible with OS/2 and we understand it is also possible under DOS.
Below is detailed instructions for making your ProBoard BBS telnetable under OS/2.
Add the following to your DEVICE=SIO.SYS line:
(COM[port]:[lock baud],INTERNET:[dos port address],NONE:[dos irq])
where:
If you are not connected to a network and have a dial-up Internet connection, you will want to set up your system so that you don't have to be online to test it out.
in config.sys:
SET USE_HOSTS_FIRST=1
SET HOST=localhost
in your TCPIP\ETC directory you should edit the file HOSTS adding the line:
127.0.0.1 localhostadd a program object to your startup folder:
Path & Filename: x:\TCPIP\BIN\IFCONFIG.EXE
Parameters: lo 127.0.0.1 up
Time to ReBoot to setup SIO and your hostname and startup TCPIP (don't worry it won't take you online :-)
You can test your settings once you have rebooted by opening an OS/2 window and typingPING localhost
If you get a "unknown host localhost" error, check the SET USE_HOSTS_FIRST=1 line is in your config.sys and that you have put the correct line in your HOSTS file.
If you get several 64 bytes... lines then press CTRL-C - all is well.
In the OS/2 window, change to your SIO directory and type VMODEM.
All being well, you should see a blue screen with what looks like a text version of modem lights which means Vmodem is running. Minimise the window.
Now use ProCfg to set up another node with the modem on your newly setup INTERNET port, use the same settings you used in SIO for your Node specific Modem settings. And set up a batch file to run ProBoard standalone for this new node.
Now you can try it out.
Start your batchfile, making sure that ProBoard displays an OK message in the modem window and says that it is ready for calls.
Start a Telnet session, if it tells you that you aren't online and do you want to connect, click don't connect as it will still load and work locally. Open a connection to 'localhost' without the quotes and after a few seconds delay (you can see what is happening by opening the VModem and ProBoard windows) you should see the familiar ProBoard Intro screen displayed ready for you to login.
Now when you are online to the Internet, people can Telnet to your BBS as long as they know your hostname or IP Address.
Is there an IRC channel for ProBoard?Yes there is.
A channel called #proboard has been created on the galaxynet IRC servers.
The channel has 2 bots online 24hours per day.
Below is a list of all known Galaxy-Net servers.
Madison.wi.us.galaxynet.org (0) P11 AXCess IRC Server minneapolis.mn.us.galaxynet.org (1) P10 The "Best Served Cold" IRC Server gainesville.fl.us.galaxynet.org (2) P11 [205.229.48.20] ..Penance Suits You. atlanta.ga.us.galaxynet.org (3) P11 [206.165.169.2] Has anyone seen Winternet milledgeville.ga.us.galaxynet.org (4) P11 [206.155.129.200] irwinton.ga.us.galaxynet.org (4) P11 [206.155.128.25] Accucomm IRC Server services.galaxynet.org (4) P11 [127.0.0.1] GalaxyNet Services fortworth.tx.us.galaxynet.org (4) P11 [206.149.24.100] FlashNet Server Honolulu.HI.US.GalaxyNet.Org (3) P11 [206.154.207.100] Inter-Pacific Networks milwaukee.wi.us.galaxynet.org (4) P11 [156.46.216.2] Milwaukee's IRC Junkie halifax.ns.ca.galaxynet.org (5) P11 [192.75.2.221] Dallas Cowboys RULE! StJohns.Nf.Ca.Galaxynet.Org (6) P10 [198.165.248.2] Gilex Internet Services vancouver.bc.ca.galaxynet.org (6) P11 [142.58.222.11] Vancouver BC, Canada chicago.il.us.galaxynet.org (5) P11 [138.87.151.59] Kam's Shroomy Server houston.tx.us.galaxynet.org (5) P10[198.64.247.150] Hukuna Mutata IRC Server elpaso.tx.us.galaxynet.org (5) P11 [206.154.190.1] Axis Internet Provider provo.ut.us.galaxynet.org (5) P10 [206.107.246.23] The 'we hate censorship' Hilo.HI.US.GalaxyNet.Org (4) P11 [206.154.202.101] Inter-Pacific Networks Kauai.HI.US.GalaxyNet.Org (4) P11 [206.154.198.100] Kauai Internet Charlotte.nc.us.galaxynet.org (4) P11 [206.74.254.26] Info Avenue's GalaxyNet tuebingen.de.galaxynet.org (4) P11 [134.2.170.160] GalaxyNet DE Server berlin.de.galaxynet.org (5) P11 [130.149.10.3] GalaxyNet Germany - Berlin fresno.ca.us.galaxynet.org (4) P11 [204.216.82.50] Gymnet Communications StLouis.mo.us.galaxynet.org (3) P11 [206.114.193.40] Diamond Net Public valdosta.ga.us.galaxynet.org (3) P11 [204.252.40.5] We oper the worldntu.sg.galaxynet.org (2) P11 [155.69.1.19] The Nanyang Technological eee.ntu.sg.galaxynet.org (3) P11 [155.69.15.45] The NTU EEE SGI IRC Server kuala-lumpur.my.galaxynet.org (2) P10 [161.139.168.249] GalaxyNet MY Server
Which Mailers/Tossers support ProBoard?All these Mailers have been tried and work very well with ProBoard :
BinkleyTerm is FreeWare and Portal Of Power is CardWare.
You will find the most popular Mailers on any ProBoard Support BBS and many of the large shareware collections.
There are many Mail Tossers that ProBoard can work with :
Using a Tosser that directly supports ProBoard is really a priority as it can make your message base maintenance a lot quicker and easier.
Squish and Fmail are the only Tossers that we know of that are free for non-commercial use.
You will find the most popular Tossers on any ProBoard Support BBS and many of the large shareware collections.
** Is it possible to display the last BBS caller in my Mailers idle screen?"This depends on your Mailer. The following programs can be used :
FrontDoor pblc2fd (by Dqp) Last On (by Filip Duyck) InterMail pblc2fd (by Dqp) p2ilc (by Silicon Creations Inc.) Xenia LastXen (Ruben Provoost) MainDoor Last On (Filip Duyck)
Why does ProBoard say every call is at xxx baud?If you are using ErrorLevels to pass the Baudrate of the call to ProBoard, make sure you are checking them in reverse order.
If errorlevel 200 goto 28800:
If errorlevel 199 goto 26400:
If errorlevel 198 goto 24000:
.
.
.
If errorlevel 10 goto 1200:
The ideal way is to use the DOBBS.BAT method for passing the Caller info to ProBoard.
Are there any programs to convert my ProBoard MESSAGES.PB into...?Yes. Use SCIUTIL by Silicon Creations Inc. It allows you to export your Message base to a plain ascii text file, which you can then edit, and import back. You will find SCIUTIL on most ProBoard BBSs or on the Authors WWW site. SCIUTIL does a lot more than this one function and is Freeware.
ProBoard comes with a utility to convert MESSAGES.PB, CONFIG.PRO and FILECFG.PRO into Remote Access Format.
CONVERT SIMUL1 (for Remote Access 1.xx)
CONVERT SIMUL2 (for Remote Access 2.0x)
Allowing you to run many Remote Access Doors.
Yes. We know of one program. SQ2PB by Logical Decisions. This program will also allow you import your SQUISH.CFG into messages.pb. You should be able to find this program on most PB BBSs, and on the authors WWW site.
What is the ECHOTOSS.LOG file?ECHOTOSS.LOG is a plain ASCII file that ProBoard creates/appends to whenever a EchoMail Message is entered on your BBS. This file only seems to be compatible with the Squish message base format and the Squish mail tosser.
Are there any programs to convert ECHOTOSS.LOG into something useful?Yes. there are 2 programs that can convert the ECHOTOSS.LOG file into an ECHOMAIL.JAM file that can be used by most Mail Tossers to make the scanning of new echomail to be packed for exporting a lot faster. The two files are : JAMMIT (PEX) and PBJAM (EXE).
JAMMIT is written by Fe-line Software and works on-the-fly. This basically means that when setup in your ProBoard Menu's, an ECHOMAIl.JAM file complete with message ID's is created as and when messages are entered into an echomail message area. JAMMIT at the moment will only work on a system with only 1 remote node.
PBJAM is written by Steven Williams. It is an EXE utility that will allow you to convert your ECHOTOSS.LOG into ECHOTOSS.JAM without message ID's.
I am evaluating ProBoard v2.11 but I can't get it to run.ProBoard v2.11 had a bug which prevents it from working for unregistered users. Download v2.15 from any ProBoard Support BBS.
How do I stop ProBoard from setting all mail areas to ON for New Users?There are 2 PEXs available that we know of at the moment. SetArea by Fe-line Software and MailX by Silicon Creations inc. Both have the ability to turn off/on, force and cursor key selection of mail or QWK boards.
Both are Freeware.
Is IEMSI possible with ProBoard?ProBoard does not come with IEMSI support as standard, but there are, at the moment, several IEMSI Login PEXs.
Some of my Users keep having their Security Level dropped to 0 when logging in.If you have set the maximum download in ProCfg/Download Limits and have not changed the Fall-to Level to some level other than 0 (default), then the User will be dropped to level 0 when they reach the Maximum Download limit and in effect locked out of your system.
I converted my User Base from another BBS package but the Passwords are not visible in ProCfg/User Editor.The User is still able to log onto your BBS because although the Password is not visible in their User Record, the CRC of their Password is stored.
There are only 2 ways that we are aware of to save the Password in visible form automatically from the CRC :
Why do my ANSIs stick sometimes when displaying?If you are using ANSI Animation then the probability is you will create a file with more lines in it than ProBoard thinks will fit on one screen.
To get over this problem, put a CTRL-E in your ANSI File at the start. CTRL-E disables the More Prompt. CTRL-D re-enables it. (See page 172 in PB215.DOC)
If you are using OS/2 and you set the Idle Sensitivity too low, then the ANSI screens stick
Should I use ANSI or Avatar?There is no reason why you shouldn't use both. There are many utilities to convert your ANSI into AVATAR (AVTCONV is one). The difference between ANSI and AVATAR is that AVATAR uses 8bit control codes and supports run-length encoding. With the result of quicker displays with compatible terminal software.
What's the difference between Avatar and AVT/0+?AVT/0+ is an extension of Avatar which allows further compression of the file. Very few terminal programs are fully AVT/0+ compatible.
** Can I force ANSI on for callers?Yes you can. If you use either FastLog/IEMSI (by Fe-line Software) or NutLog (by DqP) then you can enable this option. Otherwise, you will need a PEX written especially for this.
How do I display an .A?? file to a particular node only?If you are using a version of ProBoard prior to 2.15, follow these instructions :
Create a menu entry something like :
This will display hello1 on node 1, hello2 on node 2 and so on.
If you are using ProBoard 2.15+, then you can toggle the nodes that the ANSI will be displayed upon in the Menu Editor.
How do I make a full screen ANSI menu?You need to draw the screen in a program like TheDraw and AcidDraw and then put the file in your TEXTFILES directory.
Insert a menu entry:
+-----------------------------[ MAIN ]----------------------------------+ Ý0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Ý Ý01234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890Ý Ý;_____________________________________________________________________ Ý Ý Ý Ý Color : Bright White on Black Example Text Ý Ý Ý Ý Hotkey : <CTRL>-A Ý Ý Function : 40 - Display .A?? file with menu hotkey Ý Ý Data : MAIN Ý Ý Ý Ý Min.Level: 0 Nodes: All nodes Ý Ý Max.Level: 0 Ý Ý Flags : -------------------------------- Ý Ý Min. Age : 0 Password required: No Ý Ý Max. Age : 0 Password: Ý Ý Sex : Don't Care Ý Ý Time Left: 0 +-RIP---------------+ Ý Ý Time Onl.: 0 Ý Show remote : No Ý Ý Ý Timeframe: Fully enabled Ý Show local : Yes Ý Ý Ý Min.Speed: 0 Ý Reset screen: Yes Ý Ý Ý Max.Speed: 0 +-------------------+ Ý Ý Ý +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+For advanced animation options, refer to the ANSI section in the PB-Lib FAQ.
What does that smiley face in the Hotkey space mean?A smiley face is how <CTRL-A> is displayed, it means that the menu entry is AUTOEXECUTING and will run as soon as the menu is displayed.
How do I make something happen as soon as a user goes into the menu?Set the HOTKEY entry of the Menu Item to <CTRL-A> (It will be displayed as a smiley face) see above.
Why am I getting extra lines tagged on the end of my menu screens?Check that all the entries which aren't being displayed with normal ProBoard menu display have a Semicolon in the description line.
Is it possible to add cursor key control to my Menu's?Yes, 2 PEXs exist that we are aware of. HiLITE by Fe-line Software and Cursory by (Jens Rathmann).
Cursory uses .ini type files which you must manually edit to work with your menu's. HiLITE uses a built-in editor which allows you to draw the highlights over your menu's whilst online.
Cursory has a dedicated file area in PSN for the distribution of .CSI files that other sysops use for their menu's.
Both HiLITE and Cursory are Shareware.
What ANSI Full Screen Editors are available?There are many ANSI Full Screen Editors available in both PEX and EXE format. NSDEdit, TheEdit, FullEdit in PEX format and GEdit, Ice-Edit and several others in .EXE format. TheEdit seems to the most popular PEX Editor and Ice-Edit the most popular EXE Editor.
ProBoard 2.15 comes with an Internel Full Screen ANSI Message Editor.
Are there any advantages in using a PEX version over an EXE version?PEX ANSI Full Screen Editors are a lot quicker in loading and are more likely to work with your BBS setup - If ProBoard works for you, then a PEX will.
PEX versions are easier to install but TheEdit seems to be the only PEX which is reliable.
EXE versions seem to be a lot more reliable than PEX versions, but unless you have a fast machine, they could take a little while to load.
Where can I get these Editors?You will find PEX and EXE ANSI Full Screen Editors from most ProBoard BBSs and most certainly from a ProBoard Registration and Support BBS.
You will also find Ice-Edit on the Internet at : http://www.ionsys.com/~mckkev
What message base format should I use?This is where the flexibility of ProBoard can be somewhat confusing. Don't fret, just follow those guidelines and you will be all set. A 'message base' in the sections that follows is assumed to be the collection of all 'message areas', which are simply where all related messages from an echo or conference will go. For example, all mail from the PROBOARD FidoNet echo will go to its own area, regardless of the message base type.
Important note: ProBoard will let you mix different base formats! Use it to your advantage.
The original FidoNet format. Very easy to use, very wasteful, inefficient and limited. Each message area requires it own sub-directory and each message is kept in a separate file. While easy to program, this is a nightmare to use. Because of the HDD cluster size, you end up with a lot of wasted space, and the numbering scheme makes it really awful to do anything in a reasonable amount of time. This format is really only useful for netmail areas.
| Virtually non-existent. Only used by mailers and because of standards. |
| You name it, it's there. Slow, inefficient, and all. |
| Your netmail areas only. |
| In ProCFG, you need to define the directory where the messages will go. Set the flags to 'Private Only'. This format does not really have anything resembling maintenance. Some programs will let you purge messages and renumber them. I usually do it by hand when need arises. |
| Don't use it (apart from netmail, that is) |
| C/C++ interface is included with the Squish SDK. For Pascal programmers, use Mark May's excellent kit. |
Developed by Adam Hudson when he was still a teenager, this was one the first successful attempt to cope with the disadvantages of the *.MSG system. It offers speed that is still unmatched by the other advanced formats. All message areas will be stored in only 6 files: MSGTXT.BBS, MSGTOIDX.BBS, MSGINFO.BBS, MSGIDX.BBS, MSGHDR.BBS and LASTREAD.BBS thus offering incredible processing speeds. However, this comes at a cost: you are limited to only 200 message areas for the whole BBS (of this type), the area numbers cannot exceed 200, the maximum storage capacity is around 16Mb and it is vulnerable to corruption as if one record in the main file goes bad, you may kiss the whole base goodbye. A lot of programs support this format, though.
| Compact, efficient, fast, and widely supported. |
| Limits to number of areas and total size the whole base, very vulnerable to corruption. |
| Local areas that don't have much traffic. |
| When you specify an area as type Hudson in ProCFG, you don't have to worry about the location, just the area number, which cannot exceed 200. ProBoard will automatically use the path you specified in the 'Msgbase Path' under Options~Paths. I wish that was not the case because we could have had multiple Hudson areas, but, alas, it is. This format also requires maintenance with PBUTIL to renumber, reindex and purge messages. |
| There are no readily available routines for Hudson for C/C++ apart from shareware libraries. Mark May's (Mythical Kingdom) free MSGBASE source is very good for Pascal users. |
Squish was developed by Scott Dudley while he was a teenager too. It was designed primarily to be a native format for his BBS software Maximus. While Maximus itself wasn't that impressive, the message format was and it gained popularity. The mail tosser and scanner (Squish) is free too. This format uses advanced access methods and is self-maintaining too. Each message area is stored in its own three files, which makes it very difficult to lose data (even with a corrupted area, Squish is often able to reconstruct most of the messages).
| Flexible, fast, free, stable. Somewhat supported. |
| Can become a little clumsy with a lot of messages. |
| Echomail areas with average traffic |
| In ProCFG, you need to define the path and the root file name (i.e. a name without an extension) for each area. Squish will create its files there. You don't have to do any special maintenance because it is done on the fly. You may want to use QQLink which is a faster reply linker after tossing and you may want to use SQPack weekly to get rid of some holes in the message area that may have developed during the maintenance. |
| Use the '-f' option to specify the path to the ECHOTOSS.LOG file that ProBoard creates when scanning. This will improve the speed considerably as only the areas with new mail in them will be processed. Same goes for QQLink after tossing. |
| A complete C/C++ SDK is available from the author (which also has *.MSG support). It is also free and comes with source code. Has support for MS-DOS and OS/2. For Pascal programmers, Mark May's kit has Squish support too. |
This format was developed by the authors of FrontDoor and RemoteAceess (and other two guys). It is probably one of the best around as far as speed and extendibility go. Each area is kept in its own separate files (like Squish) and thus possibility of corruption is minimal and always localized. There are a lot of programs out there that work with this format. It's fast (faster than Squish, IMHO) too.
| Very fast, popular, limited by disk size, stable. |
| ProBoard seems to have a problem with the last read pointers (I have not been able to verify it) and does not create the ECHOMAIL.JAM that is the JAM equivalent for ECHOTOSS.LOG (there is a program that will convert the latter, though). |
| Echomail areas with heavy traffic. |
| In ProCFG, you need to define the root filename only (like with Squish). You will need to run daily maintenance for JAM for renumbering, re-indexing and purging. PBUTIL does it all. |
| If your tosser does not create missing (new) areas, like InterEcho, for example, load ProBoard and simply select 'Change to area' for that area. This will create the base files. Also, use the JAMMIT PEX or PBJAM program to convert the ECHOTOSS.LOG file for use with your scanner. |
| JAM C/C++ SDK is available free from the authors, for Pascal, use the ever-present Mark May's kit. |
Thanks to Branislav Slantchev for the above information.
When I load BlueWave for ProBoard there are no message areas to select, but they do exist.Make sure that you have setup the QWK Tags in ProCfg/Message Areas and BlueWave. BlueWave for ProBoard requires these.
How do I send a message to all my users?In ProCFG, define the message area as 'To-All'. Then, when you write the message, address it to 'All'. That's it.
| Make the default reply area something else so users don't clutter this one as they try to reply to the announcements. Also, make sure you set the Sysop level high enough so they don't delete the messages. |
Thanks to Branislav Slantchev for the above information.
** How do I set the default Message Area and/or Group instead of
ProBoard defaulting to the first message area the User has access to?The simplist way is to edit the menu option that goes to your Message Menu and put the following on the data line :
/MG=<msg group number> /M=<msg area number>
For example :
This will put the User into message group 1 and message area 3 when they enter the Message Menu. You can expand on this idea to create a Conference type menu system or to control new users.
Thanks to Wim Jams for the above information.
I use QWK and have Message Areas numbered greater than 1000, but they aren't shown.This is a limitation from within ProBoard. Until Philippe increases this limit, then you are stuck with this problem. Sorry.
I use JAM for (some of) my Message Areas and when checking for new mail and ProBoard finds some, selecting "Read" displays "No messages found."There is reports of a problem with PBUTIL when used with a JAM message base. If your Mail Tosser supports JAM, try using that instead for your Message Base Maintenance.
When I write a message PB says "Message aborted." or simply exits to DOSIf you are using JAM or Squish, you need to have SHARE.EXE loaded for the file locking mechanism they use to work. Generally, it is a good idea to have SHARE loaded anyway because a lot of programs will behave a lot better and you will have less file corruption. Note that if you are running under OS/2 or Win95 File sharing is built in.
** When I check for new messages, ProBoard says 'xxx messages found'
but either doesn't let me read any or only some of them. Why?The most likely cause of this is that some of the messages are probably private (to other users) and ProBoard only looks at the date rather than the Users security level access.
Are there any utilities to allow me to manage my Message Area configuration?Yes. There are several available as both Freeware and Shareware. PBMove is the recommended Shareware one and FileCfg/Pro is the recommended Freeware one. Both can move, delete and edit file areas as well as a few other things.
How do I setup multiple directories for each file area?Create a file in your ProBoard system directory called FA_ .CTL, where 'area' is the number of the file area you are working on. This number should _not_ have any leading zeroes. This is a plain ASCII text file which consists of all directories you want included in the file area, one per line, without a trailing backslash. Next, enter the full path to this control file, including the name, in the "File Location" entry in ProCFG's File Area configuration for this area. Create a master file list for all directories in the extended FILES.BBS format and put its full path in the "Listing File" entry in ProCFG for that area. Run PBUTIL FI and you are ready to roll.
In case this sounds a litte confusing, here is an example :
Assuming you have following setup :
* ProBoard is installed in 'C:\PB'
* The CD-ROM drive is 'E:' and the directories we want to include in one
file area are called 'GAMES1', 'GAMES2', 'GAMES3' and 'GAMES4'.
* We store our file listings in 'C:\PB\LISTS'.
* The file area we want to create is number 45.
* You have a FILES.BBS file in each directory on the CD-ROM and it is in
the required format.
The sequence of steps to take:
* With a straight ASCII editor (EDIT, QEDIT, BOXER, etc.), open a file
and type the following:
E:\GAMES1
E:\GAMES2
E:\GAMES3
E:\GAMES4
Save the file as 'C:\PB\FA_45.CTL'
Execute the following commands (yes, they can be shorter):
copy /b e:\games1\files.bbs + e:\games2\files.bbs c:\file.tm1
copy /b e:\games3\files.bbs + e:\games4\files.bbs c:\file.tm2
copy /b c:\file.tm1+ c:\file.tm2 c:\pb\lists\files.45
del c:\file.tm?
We chose the name 'FILES.45' arbitrarily, it can be anything you might
possibly want.
Change directory to 'C:\PB', run PROCFG and choose File Areas. In the
configuration for file area number 45, enter
In the File Location slot put : C:\PB\FA_45.CTL
In the File Listing Location slot put : C:\PB\LISTS\FILES.45
For ProBoard v2.10+, set the FILES.BBS date format to MM/DD/YY and the
'Copy Local' flag to 'Yes'.
For ProBoard v2.01 or older, set the 'CD-ROM area' flag to 'Yes'.
Save the configuration and exit PROCFG. Run 'PBUTIL FI' to update your
file index and you're done!
Thanks to Branislav Slantchev for this information.
What is the Extended FILES.BBS format?FILENAME.EXT size date description | | | | | | | +----- text description of the file | | +------------- file date, usually MM-DD-YY | +------------------ file size (in bytes, no commas) +--------------------------- file name and extension
This basic line can contain a download counter between the 'date' and 'description' entries. The text description may span across multiple lines, but the first character of each line should be either a space, tab, '!', '+' or ';' (you can read about these on page 124 of the User's Manual).
Usually, most CD-ROMs for BBS usage come file FILES.BBS already on the disk. Most of the time, however, they are not in the required format. If they are not, you can use a program like the freeware PBCD to create the file listings for you. When you have the FILES.BBS for each directory ready, simply concatenate them into one big file. You can use the 'copy' command to do this.
Thanks to Branislav Slantchev for this information.
After tagging files for download, "No files found" is displayed when attempting to download.This is an error caused by failing to reindex the File Base index. Type in PBUTIL FI to reindex.
After a file has been uploaded, ProBoard reports that no files were received.If you have set the DSZLOG environment variable in AUTOEXEC.BAT then remove it. ProBoard sets this environment variable up automatcially when required.
What alternatives are there to the supplied Local FTP PEX?There are currently 2 local FTP protocols available. Fe-local by Fe-line Software which is a PEX and Local by DqP which is an EXE.
Both function very similarly except that Fe-local allows multiple wildcards when uploading/downloading. eg, *.zip *.rar.
Is there a utility to convert HDD format files.bbs into a CDRom format files.bbs?Yes. STD2EXT and SCiUTIL, both by Silicon Creations Inc can do this.
Are there any utilities to allow me to manage my File Area configuration?Yes. There are several available as both Freeware and Shareware. PBMove is the recommended Shareware one and FileCfg/Pro is the recommended Freeware one. Both can move, delete and edit file areas as well as a few other things.
How do I make the File Area headers coloured?Using an ANSI editor, load your File Area header and use the following <ctrl> codes to make it colourful.
How do I skip the CDRom when searching for new files.Set the COPY-LOCAl to YES in each CDRom area using ProCfg/File Areas.
What are Offline Mail Doors?Offline Mail Doors are an extension to your BBS which offer the User a way to download a message packet which contains all the new mail. The User can then use an Offline Mail Reader to read the packets.
After reading their message packet offline, the User can optionally log back onto your BBS and upload a message reply packet with any replies or new messages they created. The Offline Mail Door will process the uploaded message packet and insert the messages into the correct message area.
What formats of Offline Mail Doors are available?Where can I get an Offline Mail Door?What are PEXs?PEXs are ProBoard Executables. They are programs created in C/C++ using the SDK which is supplied with ProBoard.
PEXs run as part of ProBoard which means they load faster than standard BBS `doors' and also have direct access to ProBoard functions.
** Where can I get PEXs?What are the advantages of using PEXs over using EXE doors?PEXs are specially designed for ProBoard and because they run as an integral part of ProBoard, have greater access to the ProBoard functions and files.
PEXs are usually less than 50k in size and more often less then 10k.
PEXs can also be run when any language prompt is displayed.
How do I write my own PEXs?Writing PEXs is simple if you are already a capable C/C++ programmer, and easy to learn if you are not. You need a compatible C/C++ Compiler: Borland, Zortech, Microsoft and several others which can use the standard .LIB format library files.
Follow the instructions in PB215SDK.DOC, and Structures in PB_SDK.H and PB_STRUC.215.
** Where can I get ProBoard?** Where can I register ProBoard?This List is taken from the PB 2.15 manual and updated from each registration site. We cannot be held responsible if these sites no longer provide registration for ProBoard - CALL FIRST!
For The U.K.:
ProBoard UK
c/o Sarah Pearson
7 Stopford Road
Plaistow E13 0LY
United Kingdom
FidoNet : 2:254/278
TGPBN : 752:752/0
Internet: sysops@fe-line.demon.co.uk
Bank Account Number:
30-92-90 (Sort Code) 7207547 (Account Num.)
Send cash, cheque or postal order in UK currency (£) only please!
You can also transfer the money to our account number listed above.
For the U.S.A. and Canada (Registration Site #1)
The Chess Board
c/o Ken Givens
2735 Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75207
USA
Fax # : (214) 905-3629
BBS # : (214) 641-1136
FidoNet : 1:124/2213
Internet: kgivens@whytel.com
We accept Visa, MasterCard, personal checks and money orders.
U.S. currency only please. Do not send cash!!
Please make checks and money orders payable to:
Ken Givens
For the U.S.A. and Canada (Registration Site #2)
Silverado Online
c/o Chuck King
4810 Reginald Drive
Wichita Falls, TX 76308-5105
USA
Fax # : (817) 691-7315
BBS # : (817) 691-9251
(817) 691-8119
FidoNet : 1:3805/3
1:2805/17
Internet: chuckking@cyberstation.net
We accept Visa, MasterCard, personal checks and money orders.
U.S. currency only please. Do not send cash!!
Texas residents MUST add an additional 6% sales tax.
Please make checks and money orders payable to:
Silverado Online
For Germany :
ProBoard Germany
c/o Constantin Spiess
Orchideenweg 15
D-70736 Fellbach
GERMANY
Fax # : +49-(0)711-95182-76
BBS # : +49-(0)711-95182-77 (ZyXEL 19k2)
+49-(0)711-95182-78 (V34/ISDN)
FidoNet : 2:246/1013 (ZyXEL 19k2)
2:246/1033 (V34/ISDN)
PB-Net : 246:6106/1001
Internet: cns@mars.gp.schwaben.de
Bank Account Number:
KSK Fellbach , KtoNr: 2076692 , BLZ: 602 500 10
Send money order or check in German currency (DM) only please!
You can also transfer the money to our account number listed above. We also accept Visa and MasterCard.
Note: The price for the commercial version is without VAT (Preisohne MWSt.)
For Australia:
*** Brett tells us his BBS has closed down **
ProBoard Australia
c/o Brett Wilkinson
P.O. Box 1786
Macquarie Centre
North Ryde, NSW 2113
Australia
BBS # : +61-47-32-1417
FidoNet : 3:713/320
Internet: brett@unsw.edu.au
Send money order or check in Australian Dollars only please!
For The Netherlands :
DEMOLITION BBS
c/o Eddie van Loon
Postbus 8697
5605 KR Eindhoven
THE NETHERLANDS
BBS # : +31-40-2573503
+31-40-2550265
FidoNet : 2:284/407
Internet : edvloon@iaehv.nl
c868421@nlevnccm.snads.philips.nl
Bank Account Number (SnS): 86.35.85.175
Giro account : 51.30.3.14
(transfer money to "E. van Loon", with description "PROBOARD")
Send money order or check in Dutch (FL) currency only please! You
can also transfer the money to our account numbers listed above.
For Belgium and all other countries:
Philippe Leybaert
Groenplein 15
B-9060 Zelzate
BELGIUM
Fax # : +32-9-343-0592
BBS # : +32-9-343-8886
FidoNet : 2:291/1905
Internet : philippe@proboard.be (as of June 1st 1996)
Internet : info@proboard.be
CompuServe: 70314,2021
Bank Account Number (BF) : Kredietbank 449-2761441-25
Bank Account Number (US$): Kredietbank 449-2761440-24
Send international money order or check (EuroCheque preferred) in
Belgian currency (BF) only please! (refer to the registration fee
table above). International money orders are accepted in U.S.
Dollars also. You can also transfer the money to our account
number listed above. We also accept Visa and MasterCard/EuroCard.
You can also register online on the Internet at The Official ProBoard WWW Site.
Where can I get support?Many ProBoard Sysops provide unofficial support via one of the following networks:
TGPBN exists to provide ProBoard sysops around the world access to the many PEXs and utilities that are available. Many sysops have been missing out due to the limitations of the existing ProBoard Networks and whether they can receive it in their Country.
TGPBN utilises the Internet as a means of distribution for Zone Coordinators and it may be possible at a later date for everyone who has access to the Internet to download files and echomail packets from an FTP site using a fakenet address.
TGPBN will try to hatch all the files that are written for ProBoard. If you have written a utility for ProBoard then just pass it on to your nearest Host or Regional coordinator for hatching.
TGPBN has already linked many countries together and some previously had no contact with other PB Sysops *at all*.
TGPBN is not the work of one person, but is a combined effort between Faye and Sarah Pearson, Branislav Slantchev and by many helpful people worldwide.
You can obtain the latest information about TGPBN from :
Fe-line BBS
Sysop : Sarah Pearson
Freq : GPB-INFO.RAR
Networks : 2:254/278@fidonet, 173:902/300@dqp
Internet : http://www.fe-line.demon.co.uk
Silicon Creations : 1-915-949-4798
Sysop : Branislav Slantchev
Freq : GPB-INFO.RAR
Networks : 1:383/47@fidonet
Internet : sci@webstar.net
http://www.webstar.net/sci
Netmail or email Christian Schulz at Highlander (2:240/6120@Fido) for information on your nearest PSN RC/Host.
A special feat of PB-Net is that it offers a range of both mail and file echoes that are related to Proboard. There are many experienced PB sysops who run PB under all kinds of operating systems, with all kinds of hardware, and thus can give excellent support. Constantin Spiess, the German PB support site (who is one of the founders of PB-Net) is also very active there. Apart from sound support, there is also an echo just for friendly chat among the participants world-wide.
As regards files, PB-Net concentrates on distributing good utilities that are more or less closely related to PB. In the interest of quality, new files are being hatched only by the three major systems, which has so far been much approved of by most of our members.
This Internet USENET group has very few ProBoard related messages and is not as effective as a means of support as the other methods.
This USENET group is gated into The Global ProBoard Network.
Thanks to the following people for their input :
Copyright and DistributionThis FAQ is Copyright ©1996 Sarah & Faye Pearson, Fe-line Software.
This FAQ may only be distributed and displayed on any WWW Site with written permission of Fe-line Software and also as long as it remains unchanged.
This FAQ will be updated bi-monthly and posted to Fido PROBOARD (text).
If you have any questions or suggestions for inclusion in this FAQ, please EMail Sarah and Faye Pearson through any one of the following ways :