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▄▓▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄ ▄▄ ▄▓▄▄ ▄▄▓▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄███ █▓▄ ███▓ ███▓ ███▓ █▓▄ ███▓ ▄███ █▓▄ █▓███ ▓█▄ █▓██ ▓█▄ ▐█▓█▌ ▐█▓▌█▓██▄ ▐▓██▌ ▓███ ▄▓█▄ ▐█▓▌▓███▐█▓█▌ ▐█▓▌█████ ▐▓█▌ ▀▀▀▀ █▓█ ▐▓█▓▌ ▐██▌███▓▀█▄ ▐██▓▌ls! ██▓█ ▓█▓█ ▐██▌██▓█▐▓█▓▌ ▐██▌███▓█ ▐██▌ ██▓█▀▀▀ ▐▒▓█▌ ▐▓█▌▓█▓█ ▐█▌▐▓▓█▌ █▄ ▓▓██ ▒▓██ ▐▓█▌▓▓██▐▒▓█▌ ▐▓█▌▓█▓██ ▐▓█▌ ▐▓▓█▌ ▐▓▄ ▐░▒▓▌ ▐█▓▌▒▓██ ▐▓▌▐▒▓█▌ █▓█ ▒▓██ ░▒▓█ ▐█▓▌▒▓██▐░▒▓▌ ▐█▓▌▒▓██▓ ▐█▓▌ ▐▒▓█▌ ▐█▓▌ █░▒▓ ██▀ ░▒▓█ ██▀ ░▒▓█ ██▀ ░▒▓█ ▀░▒▓ ██▀ ░▒▓█ █░▒▓ ██▀ ░▒▓██ ▐██▌ ▐░▒▓▌ ███ ▀░▒▀▀o ▀░▒▓▀▀b ▀░▒▓▀▀l ▀░▀i ▀▒▓▀v ▀░▀i ▀░▒▀▀o ▀░▒▓▀ ▀▀▀n ▀░▒▓██▀2 Oblivion/2 Bulletin Board System Version 2.35 Copyright (c) 1996 Murray Stokely All rights reserved. No portion of this documentation may be changed or altered without the express prior permission of the authors. Oblivion/2 v2.35 TABLE OF CONTENTS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 1: Legal Information ..................................... 2 1.1 Foreword .................................................. 3 1.2 General Overview .......................................... 3 1.3 Registration .............................................. 4 1.4 For the Beginning Sysop ................................... 6 1.4.1 Security Considerations ............................... 6 1.4.1.1 Co-Sysops ......................................... 6 1.4.1.2 Group Modifications ............................... 7 1.4.1.3 Sysop Functions ................................... 7 1.4.1.4 Other Tips ........................................ 7 1.4.2 The DSZ Logfile ....................................... 8 1.4.3 Batch Oriented File System ............................ 8 1.4.4 The Menuing System .................................... 8 1.4.5 System News Message Base .............................. 9 1.5 Waiting For Caller Screen Commands ........................ 9 Section 2: Access Conditioning System ........................... 12 Section 3: Configuration ........................................ 15 3.1 System Information ....................................... 15 3.2 System Information 2 ..................................... 18 3.3 System Information 3 ..................................... 20 3.4 Look and Feel ............................................ 22 3.5 Communication Information ................................ 23 3.6 Filename Configuration ................................... 25 3.7 ACS Configuration / ACS Configuration 2 .................. 26 3.8 File Section ............................................. 28 3.9 Email Information ........................................ 30 3.10 Message Section ......................................... 30 3.11 Color Configuration ..................................... 31 3.12 Val User/NUV Configuration .............................. 31 3.13 Infoforms ............................................... 33 3.14 WFC Options ............................................. 35 Section 4: Oblivion/2 External Utilities ........................ 36 4.1 MenuCode ................................................. 36 4.2 StatCode ................................................. 37 4.3 UnPack ................................................... 39 4.4 MakeProm ................................................. 39 4.5 MakeHelp ................................................. 39 4.6 EP ....................................................... 39 4.7 IP ....................................................... 40 4.8 AnsiTran ................................................. 40 Section 5: Oblivion/2 Commandline Parameters .................... 41 Section 6: Sysop Online Keys .................................... 42 Section 7: Event Editor ......................................... 44 7.1 Errorlevel Events ........................................ 45 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Main Documentation i Oblivion/2 v2.35 TABLE OF CONTENTS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 7.2 Code Execution Events .................................... 46 7.3 Sysop Availability Events ................................ 46 7.4 User ACS Events .......................................... 46 Section 8: User Editor .......................................... 48 8.1 User Search Editor ....................................... 50 8.2 Wanted Users ............................................. 51 Section 9: Parameter Editor ..................................... 52 Section 10: Blacklist ........................................... 54 Section 11: Prompt Editor ....................................... 55 Section 12: Menu Prompt Editor .................................. 57 Section 13: Protocol Editor ..................................... 59 Section 14: Archive Editor ...................................... 62 14.1 Archive Signature Strings ............................... 65 Section 15: Conference Editor ................................... 67 Section 16: Data Area Configuration ............................. 68 Section 17: Email ............................................... 72 17.1 The Email Tag System .................................... 72 17.2 Group Mail .............................................. 73 Section 18: The Chat System ..................................... 75 18.1 Configurable Chat Screen ................................ 75 Section 19: Generic Menu Configuration .......................... 78 Section 20: Mini-DOS ............................................ 80 Section 21: Echomail Networking Oblivion/2 ...................... 81 21.1 Using a FrontEnd Mailer with Oblivion/2 ................. 81 21.2 Using a Mail Processor with Oblivion/2 .................. 82 Section 22: Menu Editor ......................................... 84 22.1 Using the Menu Editor ................................... 84 22.2 The Pulldown System ..................................... 86 22.3 Hidden Commands and Wildcarding ......................... 89 22.4 Command Stacking ........................................ 90 22.5 The Command Editor ...................................... 97 22.5.1 -? : Control Commands ............................... 98 22.5.2 &? : MultiNode Commands ............................ 105 22.5.3 {? : Matrix Commands ............................... 107 22.5.4 !? : Global Newscan Commands ....................... 108 22.5.5 .? : Door Commands ................................. 109 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Main Documentation ii Oblivion/2 v2.35 TABLE OF CONTENTS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 22.5.6 ^? : New User Voting Commands ...................... 110 22.5.7 *? : Sysop Commands ................................ 111 22.5.8 +? : Color Setting Commands ........................ 112 22.5.9 [? : Main Menu Commands ............................ 113 22.5.10 C? : Conference Editor Commands ................... 116 22.5.11 D? : Data Area Commands ........................... 116 22.5.12 E? : Email Commands ............................... 118 22.5.13 F? : File Commands ................................ 121 22.5.14 J? : Join Conference Commands ..................... 125 22.5.15 M? : Message Commands ............................. 126 22.5.16 N? : Message Reading Commands ..................... 129 22.5.17 Q? : QWKMail Menu Commands ........................ 131 22.5.18 R? : Top Ten Listing Commands ..................... 132 22.5.19 S? : Message Base Sponsor Commands ................ 133 22.5.20 T? : File Sponsor Commands ........................ 134 22.5.21 V? : Voting Commands .............................. 137 Section 23: File Areas ......................................... 138 23.1 File Area Editor ....................................... 138 23.2 File Listing Prompt Commands ........................... 139 23.3 The File Catalog ....................................... 140 Section 24: The Upload Checker ................................. 142 Section 25: Message Bases ...................................... 144 25.1 Message Base Editor .................................... 144 25.2 Using the JAM Message Base ............................. 144 25.3 Message Reading Prompt Commands ........................ 147 Section 26: Message Editor Commands ............................ 149 Section 27: Making Repeat Ansi Screens ......................... 150 Section 28: Making Standard Ansi Screens ....................... 153 28.1 Standard MCI Codes ..................................... 153 28.2 Status Screen Library Ansis ............................ 155 28.3 Miscellaneous Ansis .................................... 161 28.4 File Description MCI Codes ............................. 162 28.5 Color MCI Codes ........................................ 162 Section 29: Functions of ANSI.SYS .............................. 165 Section 30: Help Systems, Registration Sites, Support .......... 168 Section 31: Acknowledgements, Credits .......................... 170 Section 32: Thanks ............................................. 171 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Main Documentation iii Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 1: LEGAL INFORMATION This is copyrighted software owned by Murray Stokely. This is NOT public domain or freeware. Murray Stokely grants you a TEMPORARY license to try this software for EVALUATION purposes ONLY! You may use this package for an evaluation time of 30 days. After this time you have to register Oblivion/2 or stop using it. Any further use of this software is strictly forbidden and may result in legal action. To register Oblivion/2, see Section 1.3 and the order forms called ORDER.FRM in this package. This is for NONCOMMERCIAL users only! Commercial users please contact Murray Stokely directly. In no way does the author guarantee future versions of Oblivion/2, nor is he in any way obligated to provide future versions of, or support for, Oblivion/2. Other members of administration are also not obligated to provide support for Oblivion/2. Oblivion/2 is provided "as is" without warrant of any kind, neither expressed nor implied. The author only guarantees that Oblivion/2 will occupy disk space. In no event will the author be liable to you for any damages, including lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of this program. All mentioned products and packages are copyrighted by and trademarks of their respective holders. Registered users receive a text file with a unique serial number. These files are copyrighted stuff owned by Murray Stokely and MUST NOT be distributed, hacked, reverse-engineered, etc. If you don't follow these regulations, your license expires immediately and legal actions may be started against you. One unique serial number allows you to run Oblivion/2 on ONE system at the same time only (system meaning installation/configuration). If you are using the same serial number on different systems you need an extra license (serial number) for the other system(s). This does not apply to multi-line systems running Oblivion/2 on the same machine but on several lines, nor does it apply to multi-line systems running Oblivion/2 on a single network, using several lines, but for one bulletin board system. Modification, reverse engineering, and "run-time" manipulation of any of the files included in the Oblivion/2 packages - especially development, distribution, and use of so-called "patch programs" which modify the executables - is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate legal action. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 2 Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1.1: Foreword Welcome to the world of the Bulletin Board System, and more importantly, to the realm of the aspiring or veteran sysop. Before you sits the archive of an exceptional BBS package, Oblivion/2. With today's bulletin board demands, Oblivion/2 is a high ranking contender with the competition. Today's sysop looks for high configurability, ease of use, power at their finger tips. Oblivion/2 presents all of these in an easy to use and easy to understand package. Whether you're a beginner or a veteran sysop, Oblivion/2 can offer you what few other softwares can. Amazing expandibility and flexibility, molding the look and feel of the software to any other software you might like (without their annoying qualities), and a simple, sysop-friendly configuration. The documentation you are reading was rewritten with you, the end sysop, in mind. It was written to be clear and concise and answer any questions about the package you might have. I hope it is adequate, that it will open your eyes to an incredible software, and that it will help you take those first steps towards what could be a wonderful sysoping experience, as well as what will ultimately be a system that any user will call and enjoy. Oblivion/2 BBS was originally designed by Eric Katz (also known as Darkened Enmity) and Rony Daher (also known as Lord Tracer). However, in the construction of version 2.35, Darkened Enmity dropped Oblivion/2 as the main programmer of the software and gave control to Murrary Stokely (also known as Shivan Bastard). There are a few sections in this documentation that were written by Lord Tracer, and as such I want to acknowledge the work he did on the original Oblivion/2 documentation. The parts of his documentation that were used have been noted. 1.2: General Overview Oblivion/2 was originally designed to meet the needs of today's system operators and users. Thus it has virtually combined the two main elements essential to any bulletin board software: Power and ultimate configurability for the sysop, and ease of use for the user. There are many things that make Oblivion/2 the software of choice for many sysops, two of these being the incredibly powerful (yet easy to use) menuing system, and the ACS system as well. With these two tools alone, possibilities are nearly endless. And, in future versions SPaM (definition?) will be developed and it increases the previously remarkable levels of configurability to new and exciting heights. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 3 Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── This is a list of the major features inherent in Oblivion/2: ■ Powerful menu editor. Allows for configuring all aspects of the BBS. ■ Configurable string (prompt) editor. Internal strings are a thing of the past, and with this editor, you can add a 100% original feel to your system. ■ Optimized for increased speed. Runs fast on any machine. ■ Support for multiple menusets. ■ Support for multiple status screen sets. ■ Support for multiple menu prompts. ■ Echomail/Netmail compatible in the JAM and Fido/*.MSG formats. ■ Configurable Data Area system. With this you can create your own BBS lists, oneliners, rumors, ansi galleries, and configure them to look and behave however you wish. ■ Support for DORINFO1.DEF/DOOR.SR/DOOR.SYS door file formats. ■ Support for a maximum of 255 message and 255 file conferences. ■ Internal upload processing system. Checks all files for CRC errors and viruses, runs age tests, can insert and remove text files. Can also perform other sysop definable maintenance routines. ■ Support for multiple archivers. Any of these archivers can be used to pack and unpack anything on the BBS, from files to QWK packets. This system also uses archive signature string recognition, thus not having to rely on file extensions. ■ Advanced user editor with internal searching routines. ■ Parameter editor for easy control and manipulation of user levels. ■ Configurable generic menu system. It is no longer necessary for sysops to change ansi's anytime a menu change is made with this system, as it is all internal. ■ The ability to run more than one BBS software as sub-boards. ■ The ability to password-protect entry to your BBS to make it more secure. ■ Internal ANSI and Avatar drivers - ANSI.SYS is not required. ■ Releases all unused time slices in multitasking environments, specifically DESQview, OS/2, and Windows. ■ Fullscreen ANSI message editor with sysop-defineable message headers. ■ Contains full featured split-screen chat. 1.3: Registration The registration of Oblivion/2 is simple. All of the registrations are handled through the HQ support system. This system is currently Stronghold Enterprises at 403-456-5699. The registration fee for Oblivion/2 is $50 US, payable in either a cashier's cheque or a money order. Please fill out and print a copy of the ORDER.FRM file (available in all distribution archives or on Stronghold Enterprises). Include the order form with your ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 4 Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── registration fee when you mail it to the following address: Vincent Danen #108 13806-24 St Edmonton, AB T5Y 1J7 Canada Make all cheques or money orders payable to Vincent Danen. To clear up some fine points on registration, please keep the following in mind: ■ A completed ORDER.FRM MUST be sent with your order. ■ Personal cheques are accepted, however your registration will be delayed due to the time it takes for the banks to clear the cheque. Cashier's cheques or money orders are preferred. ■ You cannot transfer your registration to a friend. All registrations and transfers are handled by us. ■ If you're registering overseas, or anywhere outside of North America (US and Canada), make sure to get your money order drawn up at a major bank. Smaller chains are VERY hard to cash here. For Europeans and Australians, try to use Citibank as it works well. ■ If your handle on Stronghold Enterprises (if you are a user) is different from the sysop name which you are using for your BBS, please indicate this somewhere on your ORDER.FRM. Registrations are handled through a serial number system. When we validate your registration, you will receive a ZIP file containing a textfile called SERIAL.NUM. Inside this textfile you will find a BBS Name, BBS Sysop, and a 20-digit serial number. Enter that information in your Oblivion/2 System Information Configuration EXACTLY as it appears in the SERIAL.NUM file. If the information is not correct, the BBS will not register. The method on receiving the serial number must be indicated clearly on your registration form. You may choose from obtaining it from Stronghold Enterprises or via crash netmail or via the postal service. If you choose the postal service, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Should you lose your SERIAL.NUM, please contact any member of the Oblivion/2 staff and a new one will be made available to you. If you decide to distribute your SERIAL.NUM file, a beta version of Oblivion/2, or anything reserved for registered sysops only, your registration will be immediately cancelled. No questions asked. No refunds given. No exceptions made. The Oblivion/2 team consists of the following members: ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 5 Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Shivan Bastard Programmer Lasher Documentation, Beta Coordinator, Registrations, Canadian Headquarters Patriot Maintaining the support networks MindCrime World Headquarters If you wish to reach a member of the Oblivion/2 team, please mail us on Stronghold Enterprises or at the below address. Due to the large amount of mail received, we cannot guarantee replies. Oblivion/2 Team #108 13806-24 St Edmonton, AB T5Y 1J7 Canada or via the following internet email addresses: Shivan Bastard obv@acid.org Lasher obv@acid.org Patriot jwaleke@sun.science.wayne.edu MindCrime mike@exit109.com 1.4: For the Beginning Sysop This section of the documentation is to help out first-time sysops new to Oblivion/2. As Oblivion/2 is very different from most other softwares, there are a few things that may throw off and discourage the beginning sysop. This section is designed to get you on track quickly and easily. Veteran sysops of Oblivion/2 probably have no need to read this section. 1.4.1: Security Considerations Oblivion/2 is one of the most secure BBS softwares ever written, certainly a lot better than your average Telegard or PCBoard setup. But there are still some BASIC security issues that need to be studied, these are not Oblivion/2 specific, as you can apply these topics to ANY software. 1.4.1.1: Co-Sysops 90% of the time, when someone does damage to a computer system, it is accessed from a co-sysop account. Whether your co-sysop has turned against you (unlikely) or someone has hacked his passsword, it doesnt realy matter, theres only one way to prevent it. Keep a ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 6 Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── tight grip on his security level. If he's a file sysop, does he need access to the menu editor? Does anyone need access to the textfile editor? The textfile and menu editors can become a lethal combination in the hands of an intelligent hacker. All you have to do is write a batch file to do your damage with the text editor, then use the menu editor to execute that batch file (.E). I suggest taking the text editor out of your sysop menu all together, or at least give it the "=" ACS (local keyboard only). 1.4.1.2: Group Modifications Never, EVER install a mod you dont understand... Look through the menu editor in one menu, with your obv2 docs in another window (or printed out) and look for commands that run external programs, modify users ACS, preform sysop commands, etc. Also look to see if any batch files were included with the mod, if there were, then look over them. Just because a mod was released by a respectable group like illness or acidic, it doesnt mean that someone hasn't modified it since then (look for the zip-verification in newer acidic mods). 1.4.1.3: Sysop Functions If you're running under Windows95, DESQview, or OS/2, the first thing you want to do is set up another node, only for local access. This way you can do all you want to the board and still have it online for incoming callers. This is also an excellent security measure. You can set the ACS for ALL potential security compromising commands to "=" (local access only) or "V#" (only available on node #). Another tip for the highly cautious sysop is to make all your menus READ ONLY (through dos's ATTRIB command). 1.4.1.4: Other Tips Rename FORMAT.COM and DELTREE.COM, this will prevent extensive damage done from batch oriented hacking. Just rename them to format-.com and treedel.com or whatever you like best. You can also just delete them and keep them on floppy disk if you don't use them very often. Add the following to your autoexec.bat "SET COPYCMD /-Y". This will force DOS to prompt for action when you try to copy a file over an existing one, this is sometimes the default setup, sometimes it isn't. Better to be safe than sorry. This will prevent a potential hacker from having the ability to copy over important system files. The most important thing to understanding Oblivion/2 security is to read the ACS and menu command sections of the docs. If you dont ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 7 Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── understand your software, you wont be able to use it efficiently. Simple as that. 1.4.2: The DSZ Logfile This trips up a lot of new sysops and needs a brief explanation. Many times a new sysop, eager to take a look at the package is stumped by the error message: "Set the DSZLOG to C:\OBV\DSZLOG.1 or something similar. The DSZ log is a logfile that logs file transfers for many different protocols, but most notably DSZ.COM. DSZ is for X/Y/Zmodem file transfers. The logfile is read by Oblivion/2 for many different reasons, and therefore one needs to be (and usually is) created. However, many programs need to know where to create the logfile, thus the DSZLOG environment variable. If you have not defined this variable, Oblivion/2 will not run. You can define this a few different ways, but the most popular is to add the line "SET DSZLOG=C:\OBV\DSZLOG.1" in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. You can also define this logfile in the batch files that load up Oblivion/2. However, if you run a multinode system, the extension of the logfile must reflect the node that is currently running. For example, if you have users logging into node 2 of your BBS, set DSZLOG to C:\OBV\DSZLOG.2 in the batch files that loads the BBS. Replace the path with your main Oblivion/2 directory path (the path that Oblivion/2 gives you when exiting with an error). 1.4.3: Batch Oriented File System Oblivion/2's file system is known as a batch oriented file system. This means that Oblivion/2 can easily interface with common DOS batch files for various different tasks. You can do things like downloading, uploading, typing, moving, deleting, changing, information gathering, custom batch operations, etc. Nearly all of Oblivion/2's file operations use this batch method. This batch system is inherent to Oblivion/2, and you may select up to 50 files for any given operation. You can also customize operations by using DOS batch files. Batch Oriented File System is a good name for these operations, as Oblivion/2 gathers the files into a "batch" of files, while also allowing you to use normal batch files to manipulate them further. 1.4.4: The Menuing System Oblivion/2 was created with both sysops and users in mind, and the menus reflect this. There are menus that everyone can access, and then there are "sponsor" menus that sysops, co-sysops, etc. can use. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 8 Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The sponsor menus are there to maintain certain sections of the system: overall, files, and messages. The sponsor menus, since they contain some commands that could be damaging to your system in the wrong hands, are generally reserved for sysops and co-sysops and the access on these menus should be fairly high. The default menus that come with Oblivion/2 are designed like this. The sponsor menus can be reached by pressing the % key at the main, file, and messages menus. 1.4.5: System News Message Base This base is particularly useful to sysops who wish to alert users to new news, bulletins, etc. It is a normal message base (see Section 25 later in the documentation for details on how to setup message bases), with the MANDATORY flag set to Yes. This means that when users log in, they will read the messages posted there. This should have a post access where only you and (optionally) your co-sysops have access. You can also change the read access so that only certain users can read it. This way, you can make multiple news bases that will be scanned upon login for different users of different access levels. There is a lot to learn with Oblivion/2, but it is easier to take your time and learn things one by one as opposed to trying to mash it all into your head at once. These four tips will give you a basic understanding of some very rudimentary commands you can make Oblivion/2 do, and also give you an understanding of how the software can be made to operate. The rest of the docs contain clear information on how to set up, maintain, create, and modify your Oblivion/2 system. 1.5: Waiting For Caller Screen Commands The Waiting for Caller Screen, or WFC screen, has many commands that you can use to ease maintenance on your BBS. With 27 built-in commands with an additional 9 that are sysop-defined, you have a fair amount of power at your fingertips. But they need a little explaining as well. You may also select which WFC screen you wish loaded. You may use the 2.30 WFC screen or the new 2.35 WFC screen by Chromatik. Use the TAB key to switch between them. In order to define the 9 sysop-defined functions available at the WFC screen, you will need to edit the WFC Options in the System ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 9 Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Configuration (see Section 3.14). More Commands This will call up the next screen of 9 commands for you to choose from via using your function keys. Exit This will exit Oblivion/2 and go back to DOS. Local Calls a local logon. Send Carrier This command will send carrier. This is typically used if a user is in his terminal program and you want to switch from a voice connection to a data connection. See Section 3.5 for more information. Rec Carrier This command will receive carrier. This is the opposite of the above command. Launch Menu This command will launch a specific menu. It will prompt you for the MNU name and will load that specific menu. Dos Shell This will invoke a DOS shell. Config This command loads the System Configuration. Term Program This command will run a batchfile called TERM.BAT in your main Oblivion/2 directory. You can use this to load up your favourite terminal program. View Logs This command will allow you to view the sysop logs. Mess. Newscan This will invoke a global message newscan. File Newscan This will invoke a global file newscan. Sysop Mail This command will read any new email written to the sysop, or user number one. Mail Scan ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 10 Section 1 LEGAL INFORMATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── This command will scan all the email on your system from the date specified to the current date. Sysop Menu This command will launch SYSOP.MNU. MiniDos This command will invoke Oblivion/2's mini-dos. Menu Editor This command will invoke the menu editor. User Editor This command will invoke the user editor. Menu Prompts This command will invoke the menu prompt editor. Prompt Editor This command will invoke the prompt (or string) editor. Protocols This command will invoke the protocol editor. Event Editor This command will invoke the event editor. Libraries This command will invoke the library editor, where you can manipulate your menu libraries and status screen libraries. Infoforms This command will allow you to view your user's infoforms. You may choose to look at only one infoform for one user or all infoforms for all users, or a combination thereof. Deleted List This command will invoke the Deleted List (or Blacklist) editor. Make User This command will allow you to make a new user. You can only define a few fields for the user, but when that user first applies, they will be prompted to fill out any mandatory infoforms, their birthdate, and other user-specific fields. Level Editor This command will invoke the parameter editor. Archivers This command will invoke the archiver editor. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 11 Section 2 ACCESS CONDITIONING SYSTEM ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 2: ACCESS CONDITIONING SYSTEM The Access Conditioning System (ACS) is a very unique and powerful tool that many BBS systems are now utilizing. With ACS you can restrict baud rates, time limits, area codes, file points, as well as the traditional user access levels. ACS gives you, the sysop, total control over who is accessing your system and when. Before you attempt to use ACS, however, you should realize that it does not have to be a complicated thing, but can often become one. It can seem like a programming language all on it's own. And in some respects it is. If you have problems with ACS and things don't go quite as planned the first time, try it again. It's almost like math in where things are processed in different places with different conditioners... It may take some time to get used to. Below is a list of valid ACS commands: ACS Flag Description ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Ax True if user age is greater than X Bx True if baud rate (without the trailing 00) is greater or equal to X. (ie. 3, 12, 24, 48, 96, 144, 168, 192, 384, 576) Cx True if user hasn't changed his password in X days Dx True if user file level is greater or equal to X Ex True if user called more than X times today Fx True if X flag is set in the first flagset (A-Z) Gx True if user is male and X=0, true if user is female and X=1 Hx True if user is using menuset X Ix True if user is using statset X Jx True if user has ansi and X=0, true if user has avatar and X=1, true if user has RIP and X=2 Kx True if absolute file area # is equal to the value of X Lx True if absolute message area # is equal to the value of X Mx True if message conference # is equal to the value of X Nx True if file conference # is equal to the value of X Ox True if X flag is set in the second flagset (A-Z) Px True if user has X file points Qx True after user has called more than X times ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 12 Section 2 ACCESS CONDITIONING SYSTEM ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Rx True if user total calls are greater than X Sx True if user level is greater or equal to X Tx True if user time left is greater than the value of X Ux True if user number is equal to X Vx True is user is on node X Yx True if it is at least X minutes past midnight Xy True if the first three numbers of the user's phone number match (ie. X216 holds true for all users in the area code 216) X216464 holds true for all user's who are in area code 216 with the prefix 464 Zx True if day of the week is equal to X where X can be 0=Sunday through 6=Saturday - False + True ()'s Tells Oblivion/2 to process the codes in parenthesis before any other codes | Used to "or" what is on the left of the pipe with what is on the right of the pipe ~ Makes a code false that would otherwise be true and vice versa \ True if the Fail Flag is true = True if user is local [ True only when system is run multinode ] True if screen pausing is on ; True if input is not broken using the space bar or the ESC key , Used to prompt for the sysop password * True if user meets their Post/Call Ratio _ True if user is available for Multinode Chat $x True if user has changed their password in X days (ie. $10 is true if the user changed his password more than 10 days ago) :x True if the current message # in single reading is greater or equal to X !x True if the current menuset number is equal to X %x True if the current status screen set number is equal to X ^x True if the current menu prompt number is equal to X Below are a few examples of ACS usage: ~U2 The option is accessible by everyone EXCEPT user #2 S20D20 The option is accessible to everyone as long as their main/file levels are greater or equal to 20 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 13 Section 2 ACCESS CONDITIONING SYSTEM ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Y120 The option is accessible from 2:00am until 11:59pm Y60~Y120 The option is accessible from 1:00am until 2:00am =S255 The option is accessible only to people on the local terminal, and the user has a security level of 255 P100|S50 The option is accessible to people with 100 or more file points OR they have a security level of 50 or more. T90|FABC The option is accessible to people with more than 90 minutes left OR have flags A, B, and C in the first ACS flag set turned on. B144|FA The option is accessible to people connected at 14400 bps or higher, OR have flag A in the first ACS flag set turned on. A18G0 The option is accessible to people 18 years of age and older, who are male. A18G1 The option is accessible to people 18 years of age and older, who are female. s20d20~U2|(U2Y60~Y120) The option is accessible to anyone with a security level AND a file level of 20 or higher, EXCEPT user #2, OR is accessible by user #2 between the hours of 1am and 2am. NOTE: There are two different sets of user ACS flags. The first set is accessible by the Fx ACS flag, while the second set is accessible by the Ox ACS flag. These are internal flags you can use to configure different things for different users. When referring to ACS flags and user ACS flags, remember that they are two different things. The users have two sets of user ACS flags attributed to them, each from a range of A through Z. Both sets of user ACS flags can be toggled in two different ways. The first is manually in the User Editor, where you can toggle and view the user account while manipulating their ACS flags. The second is through the menuing system and menu commands. The menu commands for each set is as follows: First set of user ACS flags: Command Key: -S CString : +ABC Function : Turns flags A, B, and C on. The syntax is +x to turn flag x on and -x to turn flag x off. Second set of user ACS flags: Command Key: -Y CString : -XYZ Function : Turns flags X, Y, and Z off. The syntax is +x turn flag x on and -x to turn flag x off. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 14 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 3: CONFIGURATION The main Oblivion/2 configuration is like the "central processor" of your entire Bulletin Board System. This is where you will define constants for your system, things that are not varied and will remain virtually permanent. The configuration system has a number of global commands you may use to ease your editing. CTRL-Y will clear an entire field, to advance to the next option, use the down arrow or the ENTER key. To go back to the previous option, use the up arrow. CTRL-V will toggle insert mode on and off. CTRL-Z is the command to exit from the configuration menus. Each menu in the configuration system deals with a different aspect of your BBS. Use your arrow keys to scroll your way through the menus. 3.1: System Information Board Name The name of the BBS that you registered. This must be spelled the same as in the SERIAL.NUM file you received upon registering. Sysop Name The name or alias that you registered. This must be spelled the same as in the SERIAL.NUM file you received upon registering. Validation Code This is the serial number you received in the SERIAL.NUM file you received upon registering. MultiNode Operation This option must be set to Yes if you intend to run more than one node. Node Number This is the node number for the current node. Leave this at 1 if you are not going to be running the BBS multi-node. This field must only be changed if you are not going to use the -N x command line parameter when loading Oblivion/2 (ie. if you use different executables in different directories with different configuration files, then set this number to the proper node number). Max. Mins before Time-Out This field can be anything in a range of 1 through 5. This is the amount of minutes Oblivion/2 will sit idle without any keyboard input from the user before dropping carrier on them. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 15 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Sysop Password The sysop password, which is used to protect the sysop menu and other definable functions. System Password If this is set, the user will have to enter this password before being able to login to the BBS. New User Password If this is set, the user will have to enter this password before being able to apply for an account (go through the new user process). Days to Save Log This field can be anything in a range of 1 through 200. This is the amount of days Oblivion/2 will save the system logs before purging them and keeping them at this number. ScrollBack Lines This field can be anything in a range of 1 through 2000. This is the amount of lines Oblivion/2 will keep in the scrollback buffer. This buffer can be accessed by the online sysop function key F4 and can be used to look at any text or ansi that may have scrolled off the screen. The higher this number is set, the more memory Oblivion/2 will require. If this number is too high, Oblivion/2 will crash with an ERROR 203 because it will have found no memory for it to use. If this happens, lower this number. Page Times This field can be anything in a range of 1 through 100. This is the number of times a user may page you before the system will disallow them from paging again. QWKName This is the filename (maximum of 8 characters) that Oblivion/2 will place before the .QWK extension (ie. OBLIVION would produce OBLIVION.QWK and require OBLIVION.REP reply uploads) for QWK downloads. BIOS Writes If this option is set to Yes, the screen writes will be handled through the BIOS. This is normally very slow and should not be used, but may improve some multitasking problems. For normal options, this should remain No. Use MAINTAIN.BAT Refer to Section 24 for more information on this batchfile. Kick Off Unvalidated Users If this option is set to Yes, users who are trying to check their ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 16 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── status and are not yet validated, will be hung up on. If it is set to No, they will be allowed to return to the Matrix. Starting Menu This option tells Oblivion/2 which menu to go to once the MATRIX.MNU (your matrix) is finished with and a user is logging in. This is the first menu a user will go through after logging into the system via the matrix. Do not include a .MNU extension. Sysop Autologin If this option is set to Yes, when you load the BBS with the -L commandline (local) you will be automatically logged into the system. Turn Status Line On If this option is set to Yes, the sysop status line (appearing on line 25 of your local screen) will be turned on. This status line gives important information about the current user. Special Login If this option is set to Yes, you can define how user logins are processed. Leaving this at No will make Oblivion/2 use the default login. This is a nice option to use as you can configure the user login process completely. You can put it any order you want, make it look however you like, it's entirely up to you. The BBS will go to the menu defined in the Starting Menu (above; the default is TOP.MNU) after the user logs in. The following is a menu re-creation of Oblivion/2's default login process: Command Key: -+ Function : Displays a random WELCOME.x file. Command Key: -N CString : STATUS.ANS Function : Displays STATUS.ANS from the current Stat Screen Library (this is the login status screen). Command Key: -( Function : Prompts the user to hit return. Command Key: -@ Function : Reads system notices. Command Key: &] ACS : [ Function : Sets user as not available for multinode chat IF multinode operations are on. Command Key: &A ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 17 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ACS : [& Function : Asks user whether he wants to be available for multinode chat or not IF multinode operations are on AND Command Key: EN Function : Scans for new personal Email. Command Key: -| Function : Checks for incomplete infoforms. Command Key: MZ Function : Scans for new messages in mandatory message areas. Command Key: VC Function : Checks for unanswered mandatory voting questions. Command Key: -_ Function : Pages sysop if user has the Wanted flag on. 3.2: System Information 2 Library Data Ansis If this option is set to Yes, all the ansis for the data areas will be looked for in the status screen libraries. If it is set to No, the ansis will be looked for in the textfile directory. However, if the BBS cannot find the correct data area ansis in the user's current status screen library (and this option is set to Yes) it will automatically search for those ansis in the textfile directory. Search All Areas If this option is set to Yes, the BBS will check all of the file areas on the BBS for duplicate files when you are globally uploading or adding files. With this option enabled, uploads may take a little longer, but there is no risk of having the same file in two different file areas on the BBS. If this option is set to No, only the current file area will be searched for duplicates. Use U/L Checker If this option is set to Yes, when files are uploaded to the board, they will be checked with the internal upload checker. See Section 24 for more information on the upload checker. Day Constraint This field can be anything in the range of 0 to 5000. This setting defines, by number of days, the oldest files that can be sent to the system. For example, if this field was set to 365 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 18 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── days, anything older than one year (by newest file date) will fail the internal upload checker's Age Test. A setting of 0 will disable this option. Scan Command This is the command line used by the internal upload checker to scan new uploads for viruses. You can also call a batchfile instead of an executable. When uploads are sent to the BBS, they are unarchived into the defined work directory (ie. C:\OBV\WORK). If the system is run multinode, the work directory is different for each node. C:\OBV\WORK\1 for node 1, C:\OBV\WORK\2 for node 2, etc. It is suggested that when you define the virus scan command, that you use the wildcard C:\OBV\WORK\*.* and any other commandline the virus scanner needs to scan all subdirectories as well. This will insure, that no matter what node you or the user is on, the scanner will scan all directories and will get the uploaded file. BBS Ad to Add You can define a file to be inserted into every archive uploaded with this command. Define the full path and filename of the file you wish inserted. This can be a loader, textfile, or any other file you wish. For example, the file C:\OBV\CALL.ME! would be inserted to each uploaded archive if it was defined on this line. Zip Comment This is where you define the comment file to be inserted into uploaded archives (ZIP, ARJ, RAR, etc.). Use the full path and filename. Delete List This is a simple text file with a list of file names you wish to be deleted from uploaded archives if they are found. These are typically other BBS ads. Be careful that you only insert UNIQUE filenames otherwise you may end up deleting an important file. One filename per line in the text file. Check For Free Space at WFC Whether the BBS will check all disk drives for the amount of free space each time the Waiting For Caller screen is loaded. If this option is set to Yes, some LAN users may experience problems when running the BBS on a network. Opts Per Line The number of options per line the BBS should place in the generic menus. This field can be anything in the range of 1 through 9. Generic in Menu Libs Whether or not generic menu ansis will be included in the menu set library files as opposed to the default of being included in the status screen library files. Please refer to Section 19 for more ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 19 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── information on generic menusets. Use File Catalog If this option is set to Yes, the BBS will use the File Catalog to do duplicate file searches upon a file being uploaded. File Catalog Look Up If this option is set to Yes, the BBS will use the File Catalog for the look up functions on various file options. Be sure that if you have the File Catalog options set to Yes that you generate a File Catalog using the TG menu command. Conf Search If this option is set to Yes, the BBS will search all conferences for duplicate files upon a file being uploaded. Lines Per Node This field defines the number of lines (on the screen) per node for real-time multinode chat. It may be a value between 2-12. Support RIP If Yes, the BBS will attempt to detect if the caller is using a RIP terminal. If this is set to No, the BBS will simply check for Ansi, Ascii, and Avatar. Allow G and I Whether or not the use of the G and I commands can be used from the message reading menu. These commands store message replies and threads, and in low memory situations can lock up the BBS if used. If you experience lockups due to the use of G and I commands, set this to No. In multitasking environments, it would be best to set this option to No regardless. Hang Up After Calls If Yes, the BBS will drop carrier when the user logs off or is disconnected. If No, the BBS will not drop carrier until it cycles back to the WFC screen or until some other program (like a frontend mailer) toggles the modem DTR. MAINTAIN.BAT Door File If this option is set to Yes, the BBS will generate a DORINFO1.DEF dropfile before MAINTAIN.BAT is run on files. 3.3: System Information 3 Swap to EMS If set to Yes, the BBS will swap to EMS memory instead of to disk or XMS memory. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 20 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Swap to XMS If set to Yes, the BBS will swap to XMS memory instead of to disk or EMS memory. Open/Close FDF If this option is set to Yes, the BBS will open and close the File Description File while doing file listings. This option is a little slower, but may prevent problems in a multitasking environment. If the system is an active multinode system, this should be set to Yes. Give up Time Slices Whether or not Oblivion/2 should give up Time Slices in a multitasking environment. This should be set to Yes if multitasking. Inform Nodes Whether or not the BBS should alert online users to another user logging on the BBS on another node. Use Xfer Line The field may contain a number between 1 and 25. This is the line on which the message text "User is uploading/downloading" will appear on the local monitor. This is more cosmetic than anything else. Use Chat Log Whether or not you wish to log all sysop to user chats. If set to Yes, the chat log is opened automatically upon entering sysop to user chat mode. Rename Files Whether or not the BBS should use the DOS RENAME command when moving files from one directory to another. Use COPY Whether or not the BBS should use the DOS COPY command when moving files from one directory to another. Multinode Friendly Ops If this option is set to Yes, all transfers will be done through the work directory (to insure that each node is accessing a different directory). All files will be sent to the node's work directory, and all files will be sent from that directory as well. Please note that files will not be sent to the work directory for bidirectional transfers. No Device Check Whether or not the BBS should use BIOS checks to see if the user is accessing a device driver. Some methods of locking boards is to get the board to access a device driver (ie. CON, etc.). The ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 21 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── BBS uses BIOS checks to see if certain filenames correspond to a device driver name. However, this BIOS checking may lock up some OS/2 setups. This option should be set to Yes ONLY if you have experienced said lockups. If not, and by default, this option should be left to No, meaning that the BBS will continue to do it's BIOS device checks. Inform on Logoff Whether or not the system should inform online users that another user on another node has logged off. Auto Val New Users Whether or not the system should automatically validated new users during the application process. If set to Yes, they will be given the default access level (defined in Val User/Nuv Config (Section 3.12)). If set to No, they will remain at level 1 and be unvalidated pending manual sysop validation or NUV validation. 3.4: Look and Feel Hidden Input Character This is where you define the character that you want displayed anytime a user has to enter hidden input (ie. passwords, etc.). Most typically this character is ALT-254 (■) or a decimal (.). Top Ten Bar Character This is where you define the character that you want displayed when the top ten listings are displayed. This character will make up the segments of the bar showing certain values. Again, it is typically ALT-254 (■). Use Quote Header If Yes, when someone is replying to a message and quotes part of it, the text defined in the quote header/footer strings (absolute prompt numbers 154 and 155) will be placed before and after the quoted segment. If No, no headers or footers will be inserted when a user is quoting. Use Greater Than Sign If Yes, when quoting, the BBS will place a Greater Than sign (>) before the quoted text. If not, there will be no character placed before the quoted text and it will be placed flush against the left margin. Use Prelogon If Yes, the BBS will display PRELOGON.x ansis before the user is prompted for his alias and password. These ansis should be in your textfile directory. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 22 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Use Welcome If Yes, the BBS will display WELCOME.x ansis after the user has entered in his alias and password. These ansis are found in your textfile director. External Message Help If Yes, the BBS will display the file MESHELP.ANS in your textfile directory as opposed to displaying the internal message help (seen when the user presses ? at the message reading prompt). External File Help If Yes, the BBS will display the file FILEHELP.ANS in your textfile directory as opposed to displaying the internal file help (seen when the user presses ? at the file listing prompt). Both FILEHELP.ANS and MESHELP.ANS can also be placed in status screen libraries. Yes/No Shown in App If set to Yes, in the new user application process, a "(Y/n)" will be shown at the end of your prompts for the questions asking "Use ansi?" and "Use avatar?" and "Use yes/no bars?". If this is set to No, the "(Y/n)" will not be shown. This is useful if you are using ansis or animation in your new user login and you don't want the display messed up by the BBS appending a "(Y/n)" at the end of any strings. 3.5: Communication Information The following are modem commands that Oblivion/2 will recognize: | Enter ~ Pause , Pause +++ Used to put modem in command mode COM Port This is the COM port that the modem is sitting on. You may enter in 0-4 where 0=local and 1-4=COM ports 1-4. Man. Answer If this option is set to Yes, Oblivion/2 will monitor the carrier pin on your serial card. When this pin signals true (meaning the phone is ringing), it will send the answer string. This method is faster than waiting for the RING message to come from the modem. However, this option does not work with all modems so you will need to experiment to see if it works for you. Init Str This is the initialization string Oblivion/2 sends to the modem ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 23 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── when the software is loaded up at the WFC screen. HangUp Str This is the string used to hang up the phone (toggle DTR). Off Hook Str This is the string used to take the phone off the hook. Send Car. Str This string is sent when you want to send carrier. This is typically used if a user is in his terminal program and you want to switch from a voice call to a data call. The user will receive carrier (usually ATX1D) and you will send it (usually ATA). Rec Car. Str This string is the opposite of the one above, as it will receive carrier, but the same principles apply. This string is usually ATX1D. Default Baud The baudrate that your COM port is locked at. You may select any value from 110 through 57600. Min. Baud This is the minimum baudrate a user must connect at to access the board. Below this baudrate, the caller will be asked for the Baud Lockout Password (if defined) or hung up on if not defined. It can be anything from 110 to 38400. Lock Out Pass This is the Baud Lockout Password. If the minimum allowable baudrate is 9600 and a user calls in at 2400, they will have to know this password to gain access to the system. If this password is not defined, the BBS simply hangs up on slow callers. 115.2k Locking If you want to lock (or have locked with a fossil driver like X00) your comport at 115200, set this to Yes. It will override the Default Baud setting (above). Sysops with 28.8k modems or higher may want to set this option to Yes to get the maximum performance from their modems. Wait Until Sent If this is set to Yes, the BBS will pause until the output buffer is empty after a file transfer before continuing. This may help to prevent some problems with higher speed modems (28.8k). Base Address This is where you define the base address of the COM port to be used as a protocol parameter. This field should only be filled in if you are using a nonstandard comport. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 24 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── IRQ Number This is where you define the IRQ number (from 0 to 15) of the COM port to be used as a protocol parameter. This field should only be set to other than 0 if you are using a nonstandard comport. 3.6: Filename Configuration BBS Directory This is the directory where you store the BBS executables. Text Directory This is the directory where you store the message text files (the files that store the actual text for all the message areas). Board Directory This is the directory where the files defining the message bases are stored. File Directory This is the directory where the files defining the file bases and storing file information (size, descriptions, etc.) are stored. Data Directory This is where Oblivion/2 stores it's data files. Menu Directory This is where the menu files (*.MNU) that are the underlying structure of the BBS are stored. Work Directory This is the temporary directory that the BBS uses to store message captures, creates QWK packets, etc. Note that under multinode operations, subdirectories are created. Ie, if this field was C:\OBV\WORK and the system was run multinode, node 1's work directory would be C:\OBV\WORK\1, node 2 would be C:\OBV\WORK\2, and so forth. TextFile Directory This is the directory where all of the BBS textfiles (ansis, asciis, RIP, etc.) are stored. File Mail Directory When a user sends filemail (file attaches to email) to another user, the files are stored in this directory. Log Directory This is where Oblivion/2 writes all of it's logs. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 25 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Door Directory This is where the door executables (batch files) should be stored. However, under multinode operations, subdirectories are created for each node in the same manner as the work directory (\1, \2, etc.). The batch files for each node should be in their own directory, as depending on which node the user is on will reflect which directory Oblivion/2 looks for for the batch files. Please see OBV.FAQ for more information on setting up Doors with Oblivion/2. Swap Directory This is the directory Oblivion/2 uses for it's memory swapping. Under multinode operations, subdirectories are created in the same manner as with the work and doors directories. Bad Directory This is where the BBS will place all files that have failed the upload checker. MultiNode Directory This is where the BBS stores all of it's multinode files (only used under multinode operations). Prompts Directory This is where the textfiles (ansis) that are displayed in prompts (See Section 11 for more information on this) are stored. DSZ Log This is the name of the DSZ logfile. Put in the full path and name of the file without the three character extension (ie. C:\OBV\DSZLOG.). The BBS will append the node number as the extension to the file (node 1=DSZLOG.1, node 2=DSZLOG.2, etc.). Be sure that you SET the DSZLOG environment variable for each node to correspond to the filename defined here. See Section 1.4.2 for more information. 3.7: ACS Configuration / ACS Configuration 2 In the two ACS Configuration menus, all ACS commands (see Section 2) are applicable and may be used here. Post Anon ACS ACS required to post anonymous in any message base. Sysop ACS ACS required to be a full sysop. When you have this ACS you will be able to access all sysop commands (unless otherwise changed by menu editing). ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 26 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Mes. Sysop ACS ACS required to have access to the message sponsor commands. Again, this can be overridden by menu editing. File Sysop ACS ACS required to have access to the file sponsor commands. Exec in MiniDos ACS required to use the *COMMAND or &COMMAND commands in the MiniDos. *COMMAND will execute COMMAND after performing a DOS shell. This can be used to run PKZIP or other files from the MiniDos. &COMMAND will execute COMMAND without performing a DOS shell. This can be used to run commands that are internal to COMMAND.COM (ie. DEL, ERASE, COPY, etc.). To run DEL without a DOS shell you would issue &DEL, to run PKZIP in a DOS shell, you would issue *PKZIP. Post Mandatory ACS required to post a message in a mandatory (generally news/ announcements) base. //\\ Usage ACS ACS required to use the //\\COMMAND codes. This should be set to sysop only as this is a powerful command. It can be accessed at any menu with a prompt, regardless of where you are, and it can process any menu command. For example, typing //\\*T at a menu prompt would be the same as accessing the menu command *T (Text Editor) from the sysop menu. If it is a valid menu command, the user will be able to access it if he meets the ACS requirement. FileMail ACS ACS required to send filemail (file attachments to email). Reply Receipt ACS ACS required to request a receipt to email. If a user meets this ACS requirement and selects Yes to receive the receipt, he will be notified in the system notices when the user to whom the email is addressed reads the email. Top Ten Exempt ACS ACS required to be exempt (excluded) from the Top Ten listings. Ask Availability ACS ACS required to be asked about MultiNode chat availability. A user that meets this ACS requirement will be able to choose whether or not he is "available" for multinode chat. //\\xx Usage ACS ACS required to use specific //\\xx commands where xx is of type -? (control), &? (multinode), {? (matrix), !? (global newscan), [? (main menu), .? (door), *? (sysop), ^? (new user voting), C? ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 27 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── (conference editor), D? (data area), E? (email), F? (file), J? (join conference), M? (message), Q? (qwkmail), R? (top ten), S? (message sponsor), T? (file sponsor) or V? (voting). These may be set at different ACS settings for different users (ie. allowing file sysops access to //\\T? but not anything else). Hidden Files ACS ACS required to see hidden files in the MiniDos. Change Directory ACS ACS required to change directories in the MiniDos. 3.8: File Section K for each point This is used to establish a file point ratio. This field tells the BBS how many K each point is worth. It can be anything from 0-1000. For example, if this field was 10, each 10k would be worth a file point (a 200k file would be worth 20 file points). Ext. File Area List If you wish to use an external file area ansi (either a straight ansi or using the repeat method) select Yes. If this option is No, the BBS will use an internal listing method. Repeat Method If your external area listing is using the Repeat Method, select Yes. Please refer to Section 27 for instructions on how to create Repeat Method ansis. Use FP Commission If this option is set to Yes, a file point commission system is enabled. What this does is give the uploader a percentage back of the file's file point worth when someone downloads his file. This encourages good uploads, because if someone uploads a good file that 20 people download, he gets X times 20 amount of file points credited to his account for merely having uploaded a good file. If no one downloads the file, the uploader gets no extra credits. Percent Commission Percentage of the total file points the uploader will receive again when someone downloads his file. For example, if a 100k file was worth 10 file points, and the percent commission was 50%, the uploader would receive 5 file points credited to their account. Valid ranges are 1 through 1000. Times Point Back The amount of file points the uploader receives for uploading a file. If each 10k of a file was worth 1 file point and the ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 28 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── uploader sent a 100k file, the file would be worth 10 file points. If this field was set to 2 (meaning double the points back), the uploader would receive 20 file points for uploading a file worth 10 file points. Valid ranges are 0 through 10. Desc Form 1-8 This feature allows you to append any miscellaneous information to file descriptions through the use of certain MCI codes. See Section 28.4 for a listing of the MCI codes. You can define up to 8 lines of information to be appended to a description. Desc Form 1 will be the line following the last line of the description (whether entered manually by the user or imported from a FILE_ID.DIZ). Lines of Ext. Desc This tells the BBS how many lines of extended description is permitted for the user to enter. This option has no bearing on FILE_ID.DIZ description imports as the BBS will import as many lines as are in the actual DIZ file. Valid ranges are 1-7. Percent Time Back This tells the BBS how much time to give back to the user after an upload (in a percentage). If this was set to 100 (100%) the user would get the same amount of time it took to upload a file, credited to their account. Valid ranges are 1-500. Autovalidate Files If set to Yes, all uploads will be automatically validated and will be available for immediate download. If set to No, all files will be flagged with a NEW status and must be manually validated. Min. K For Upload The minimum free space (in K) to allow uploads to the system. If the amount of free space on your hard drive is equal to, or less than, this amount, uploads will be refused. Valid ranges are 1-20000. Remember that this is in K, so a value of 200 would mean at 200k or less free space, uploads will be refused. Use Average CPS If set to Yes, time estimates for transfers will be made on the Average CPS rate of the user (based on previous transfers, and stored in the user's account). If set to No, time estimates will be made based on the connected baudrate. Extract Percentage When a user extracts a file, he is charged the file size multiplied by the percentage in this field (in file points or file size, depending on which is used). For example, if a user extracted a 100k file, and this field was set at 60 (60%), the user would be charged 60k for the extraction. If file points are used, the extraction percentage is multiplied by 1 divided by the ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 29 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── total number of file points (at a value of 60% this would be 60x(1/10) if the file was 100k and each 10k was 1 file point). To be clearer: Charge in K for a value of 60% on a 100k file: (Extract % (as a decimal of 100%))x(file size) 0.6x100 = 60 or 60k charged Charge in FPs for a value of 60% on a 100k file where 10k=1 FP: (Extract % (as whole number))x(1/file's FP value) 60x(1/10) or 60x0.1 = 6 or 6 file points charged Valid range is from 1-2000 (1% to 2000%). 3.9: Email Information Allow File Mail If set to Yes, filemail is permitted on the system, however the ACS restrictions still apply (see Section 3.7). Days to keep File Mail The amount of days file mail is allowed to remain on the system before it is auto-purged. If a user hasn't picked up his filemail in this time, the filemail is deleted. Valid ranges are 1-10. 3.10: Message Section External Base Listing If you wish to use an external message area listing (either a straight ansi or using the repeat method), select Yes. If you select No, Oblivion/2's default internal listing method will be used instead. Use Repeat Method If your external message area listing ansis are using the Repeat Method, select Yes. Please refer to Section 27 for instructions on how to create Repeat Method ansis. QWKMail Time Left Check If this option is set to Yes, the BBS will check to see if the user will have enough time to download their QWK packet (it takes the size of the QWK packet and the speed of the connection to determine if enough time is left). If the user does not have enough time, the BBS will not allow them to download the QWK packet. If this option is set to No, the BBS will allow them to ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 30 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── download their QWK packet regardless of how much time the user has left. 3.11: Color Configuration This is where you can define your BBS's system colors. There are six different main colors that are used for various different parts of the BBS. These are Regular, Prompt, Input, Inverse, Status, and Box. You may have to play with the color configuration a bit to get it to a system that you like. These are the DEFAULT colors given to users. However, if you allow them to, they can change these colors for their own account to be different so that the BBS will display different colors to them and only them. 3.12: Val User/NUV Configuration Oblivion/2 has a unique way of handling user validation. Instead of the traditional sysop validation or automatic validation, Oblivion/2 allows the current USERS (or anyone else the sysop defines) to vote on new applicants. This is much like a voting booth, but instead of voting on questions, the users can vote on new users. This can take some of the stress of new applicants to the system off of the sysop. Of course, the sysop may choose not to use NUV (New User Voting) and validate users himself, use automatic validation, or give access to NUV to certain users or co-sysops. As with all other aspects of Oblivion/2, this is totally configurable. Default Flags These are the default user ACS flags that are given to new users upon validation (either automatic, manual, or through the NUV process). These flags are of the FIRST user ACS flag set. Default Level This is the default security level given to new users upon validation. It can be in the range of 1 through 255. Default File Level This is the default file level given to new users upon validation. It can be in the range of 1 through 255. Default File Points This is the number of file points given to new users upon validation. It can be in the range of 1 through 32767. Default U/D Ratio This is the default upload/download ratio given to new users upon validation. It can be in the range of 1 through 200. This value ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 31 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── is how many files they can download for 1 upload. For example, a value of 10 would make a 1:10 U/D ratio (10 downloads for one upload). Default U/D K Ratio This is the default upload/download kbyte ratio given to new users upon validation. It can be in the range of 1 through 200. This value is how many kbytes they can download for 1k uploaded. A value of 10 would make a 1:10 U/Dk ratio (10k download for 1k upload). D/L K Per Day This is the default amount of kbytes a user can download in one day. It can be in the range of 0 through 32767 (0k through 32.767 megs). Default PCR This is the default Post/Call Ratio a user is given upon validation. For a PCR of 50%, a user must post 1 message every 2 calls. The formula for PCR calculation is: (PCR (in decimal form))x(amount of calls)=(posts needed) For example, a PCR of 25% and 12 calls would give: .25x12 = 3 or 3 messages to post This would mean that a user who called 12 times, with a PCR of 25% would have to post 3 messages to meet his Post/Call Ratio. This is a good way of restricting access to doors or files if the user does not post any messages. Use it in conjunction with the * ACS code. This can be in the range of 0 through 500, where 0 will disable the PCR. Default U/L CPS This is the default upload CPS rate given to new users upon validation. If you use the average CPS rate in the user's account, this is a good setting to set. If you don't use it, it doesn't matter. See Section 3.8 for more information on average user CPS. This can be in the range of 0 through 3000, but should be set at 1000 or 1440. Default D/L CPS Same as above, except for download CPS rate. Again, this can be in the range of 0 through 3000, but should be set at 1000 or 1440. Default Time Limit This is the default amount of time given to new users upon validation. This defines the amount of time they have on the board per day. This can be in the range of 0 through 1440. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 32 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── NUV Votes to Validate This is the amount of new user votes needed for a user to be validated. If a user gets this number of Yes votes when in the New User Voting process, he will be validated (and granted the defaults defined above). This can be in the range of 0 through 255. NUV Votes to Delete This is the amount of new user votes needed for a user to be deleted. If a user gets this number of No votes when under NUV, he will be deleted and placed in the systems Blacklist (or deny list). This can be in the range of 0 through 255. Default User Note All users on Oblivion/2 systems can define (or the sysop can define for them) a user note. This typically states any group affiliations or area codes. This is the default user note given to new users upon validation. Daily Flag Change This defines any flag changes made to a user's account on their first call of the day. The format for this command is -FLAGS+FLAGS. Please note that this only works with the FIRST set of user ACS flags. For example, a field of -ABC+XYZ would turn off flags A, B, and C and turn on flags X, Y, and Z. Call Flag Change This defines any flag changes made to a user's account each time they call the board. The format for this command is -FLAGS+FLAGS. Again, this will only work with the FIRST set of user ACS flags. Days to Add on Del This defines the number of days a new user who was denied in the New User Voting process will be kept in the blacklist. This basically defines the number of days a user will not be able to apply again using the same handle they originally applied with. After this number of days, the user will be able to apply to the system again. This can be in the range of 0 through 3650. 3.13: Infoforms Infoforms are a simple way of keeping information on a user on record. They can be used to ask different questions (like where they got the number, user references, if they run a BBS, etc.) and will be stored along with their user account for the sysop to view at any time. Making infoforms is very simple. You can have either ansi or ascii infoforms. They are both fairly simple to make, however with ansi ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 33 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── infoforms it takes a little more time. With ansi infoforms, you can also have elaborate animation to make it look nice. The following commands are universal for ansi and ascii infoforms. Oblivion/2 will process them, and depending on which code you use, act accordingly. * Waits for a response. This is abortable (meaning the user can simply press enter and move on to the next question without having to enter anything in the particular field). |xx Limits user input to xx spaces. This also is abortable. @ Waits for a response. This is not abortable. If the user tries to press enter without entering a response, Oblivion/2 will repeat the question (will not move on to the next question). %xx Limits user input to xx spaces. This also is unabortable. To make an ascii infoform, simply use your favourite text editor and write up the infoforms (the questions). Then insert any of the above codes anywhere in the text. Because of the limitations of ascii infoforms, the codes (above) MUST be at the end of any given line, because if there is text AFTER the code, Oblivion/2 will move the text over and you'll get a messed up display. To make an ansi infoform, you can do the same thing as above (with the ascii infoforms) with the same restrictions. However, the ansi color codes will be displayed and interpreted. To make a more elaborate ansi infoform, with perhaps two columns or other animation you must use an ansi editor like TheDraw with animation capabilities. Draw the infoform template first, and then turn on animation (in TheDraw you would use ALT-J and select the animation scanning method you want to use). After TheDraw has redrawn the screen so that it is animate ready, insert the above interpreter codes where you want the user input. You may have to play with it for a while before the infoform you want is read the way you want it read, but generally speaking, this is the process in which you would do it. In this part of the configuration, you have space for 5 infoforms. Once you have drawn up your ascii or ansi infoforms, name them INFOFORM.1 through INFOFORM.5 and place them in your textfile directory. INFOFORM.5 is reserved for the New User Voting infoform (this is the infoform displayed to users voting on new users), so make sure you number the infoforms accordingly. You can also make certain infoforms mandatory in this section of the config. Turn Mandatory on for those infoforms you want users to fill out before they are able to finish the new user application. These infoforms will be displayed automatically and must be filled ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 34 Section 3 CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── out by new users before they are permitted to continue. You can also give the infoforms names that will be displayed to new users (ie. INFOFORM.5 would be mandatory and perhaps called New User Voting - Shown to all users!). After your system has been up for a while, you may wish to change your infoforms. Since Oblivion/2 only keeps a copy of the input in the infoform storage file, if you change an infoform, it will read in the new infoform for the background and place in the user's text from the old infoform on top of it (giving very strange and awkward results). To prevent this, you can use the Clear Infoforms command in the sysop menu and clear that particular infoform (as in erase all of the infoform answers for that particular infoform for all users and reset it to unanswered). If the infoform is mandatory, all of your users will be required to fill in the new infoform on their next login, and when you go to view infoforms, you will see the new answers on the new infoform ansi/ascii background. In this part of the configuration, you are only permitted to use 5 infoforms. However, if you feel that you need more infoforms, you can use different menu commands to access different infoforms. These infoforms can be shown to users with a specific access level and be restricted to other users. These other infoforms can either be written to the main infoform storage file (INFOFORM.) or they can be written to a text file and placed into a directory of your choosing. Please refer to Section 22.5.1 for more information on other infoform storage methods and commands. 3.14: WFC Options With Oblivion/2, you can define more Waiting For Caller Options than those that are built in (ie. local logon, launch menu, send carrier, config, etc.). These extra options are all defined by batch menus and are very easy to setup. All you need is a batch file. Use WFC Batch Opts If Yes, a single screen will appear displaying the Batch Options you have defined here, that you can access using the F1 (more) key. If No, the use of WFC Batch Options will be disabled. Option x Tag This defines the name for the particular option (ie. Pack Echomail). x is the number of the Batch Option (1-9) while option 10 is reserved for the More key. Option x Batch This defines the batchfile corresponding to the Tag. The batchfiles must be in your main Oblivion/2 directory. If the Tag was Pack Echomail, the batchfile might be called PACK.BAT. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 35 Section 4 OBLIVION/2 EXTERNAL UTILITIES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 4: OBLIVION/2 EXTERNAL UTILITIES There are a number of external utilities you can use with Oblivion/2. These include managing your menusets, status screen sets, and translating ansis, just to name a few. You will find some of these utilities invaluable as you create your new BBS. 4.1: MenuCode Oblivion/2 allows for multiple menusets and status screen sets. However, before these multiple sets of ansis can be available to your users, you must compile them into a library. MENUCODE.EXE will compile your menuset ansis into a file library that Oblivion/2 can read. The commandline for MenuCode is: MENUCODE.EXE <LIB name> <target dir> Where LIB name is the name of the library file to create (ie. MENU1.LIB) and target dir is the directory where the uncompiled menu ansis are stored. Oblivion/2 will compile all of the ansis in the target directory and place the finished library file (MENU1.LIB) and index file (MENU1.NDX) into your data directory. If a menu screen that is defined in one of your menus does not exist in the target directory, Oblivion/2 will inform you that the menu ansi is missing, but will not stop compiling the library. Any files in the target directory that are NOT valid menu ansis (as defined in the menu (.MNU) files themselves) will not be compiled. The ansis that Oblivion/2 will be looking for are defined in the menu files by the HELP ID field in the menu editor. The HELP ID field will take a filename (8 characters max, no extension) which will be displayed to users when they press the ? at a prompt. Promptless menus, pulldown menus, or other menus that you do not wish placed into the compiled menu library should have the HELP ID field left blank. After you have compiled your menu library, and the .LIB file and .NDX file are in your data directory, log into your BBS. Go into the sysop menu and press "N". This will allow you to edit either status screen or menu libraries. The menu command is *S and the "N" command is part of the default sysop menu. Next press "M" to edit the menu libraries. Option "A" will allow you to add a menuset for your users to choose from. It will prompt you for a name to display to the users (ie. Menu Set #1) and the filename of the library (8 characters max, no extension). If you do not wish to use menuset libraries, you may ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 36 Section 4 OBLIVION/2 EXTERNAL UTILITIES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── enter in the Oblivion/2 textfile directory as the filename, and the BBS will look for the menu ansis there. You may also define different directories for different menusets and point the BBS to those menusets. However, using the compiled libraries is more efficient. For example: Using the compiled library: Menu Name : Menu Set #1 Library File: MENU1 Using the textfile directory: Menu Name : Menu Set #1 Library File: C:\OBV\TEXTFILE\ If you use the textfile or multiple directories method, no LIB/NDX files are created and the BBS will only look in the specified directories for the different menusets. 4.2: StatCode As with MenuCode, you may define multiple status screen sets for your users to choose from. StatCode uses the same commandline as MenuCode: STATCODE.EXE <LIB name> <target dir> StatCode produces the same results as MenuCode. The target directory is where you have placed all of the status screen ansis to be compiled, and LIB name is the filename of the library file (8 characters max, no extension). It will create the appropriate LIB/NDX files in your data directory. StatCode is programmed to look for the following specific files: NEWSHEAD.ANS The News Header EMAILHDR.ANS The Email Header HDR.ANS The Header HEADER.ANS The Message Header * ZIPHEAD.ANS Internal ZIP Viewer Header FSEHEAD.ANS The FullScreen Editor Header BCHANGE.ANS The Base Change Header * SUBSRT.ANS Sub Listing Start * SUBSMID.ANS Sub Listing Repeat * SUBSEND.ANS Sub Listing End * AREASRT.ANS File Area Listing Start * AREAMID.ANS File Area Listing Repeat * AREAEND.ANS File Area Listing End ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 37 Section 4 OBLIVION/2 EXTERNAL UTILITIES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * USERSRT.ANS User Listing Start * USERMID.ANS User Listing Repeat * USEREND.ANS User Listing End STATUS.ANS Login Status Screen USERSTAT.ANS User's Statistics Screen FILESTAT.ANS User's File Statistics Screen FCONFIGS.ANS File Listing Configuration Screen CONFSCR.ANS User Configuration Screen QWKDN.ANS QWK Downloading/Packet Creation Screen QWKUP.ANS QWK REP Uploading/Posting Screen The ansis with an asterix before them are optional screens. The other screens are optional as well, however they should be created as they are needed for the proper operation of the BBS. Not all of the above "mandatory" ansis need to be compiled in the status screen libraries, they may be left in the textfile directory and will be used despite which status screen set the user has selected. If Oblivion/2 cannot find an ansi that it needs in the user's current status screen set, it will look for it in the textfile directory. If you wish to code additional screens into the status screen library that are not included in the default list above, you must create a .LST file in the main BBS directory. For example, if your statscreen set was STAT1, you would have to create a textfile called STAT1.LST in your main directory. This file contains the filenames of the ansis you want to be additionally coded into the status screen libraries (one filename per line, include the file extension). If you wish to compile your data area ansis (see Section 16 for more information on the data areas) you must simply toggle the Library Data Ansis option to Yes in System Information 2. Then place all the appropriate data area ansis into the same target directory as the rest of your status screens and StatCode will compile them as well. Remember, that if an ansi is not found in the status screen library, Oblivion/2 will look for it in the textfile directory. This goes for the data area ansis as well. If you use the above optional SUBxxx.ANS and AREAxxx.ANS files, you must turn their usage on in the Configuration (in the File Section and Message Section parts of the Configuration). They are Repeat Method ansis, so that option must be turned on as well. After you have finished compiling your status screen libraries and StatCode has created the LIB/NDX files in your data directory, log into the BBS and goto the sysop menu. Use the *S (option "N" in the default sysop menu) command and select "S" for status screen libraries. Using the same process as adding menusets (see Section 4.1 above), you can define status screen libraries or directories in the same manner as MenuCode. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 38 Section 4 OBLIVION/2 EXTERNAL UTILITIES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 4.3: UnPack This utility will unpack your library files (either menu or status) into the directory of your choice. When you compile a library and later want to make changes to a particular screen, you will need to unpack the library, change the screen, then re-code it using MenuCode or StatCode. The commandline for UnPack is: UNPACK.EXE <LIB name> <target directory> Where LIB name is the name of the library file you want to unpack and target directory is the directory where you want to place the ansis. 4.4: MakeProm This utility should be run only once, and that's when you upgrade to a new version of Oblivion/2. MakeProm will add and re-arrange your PROMPTS.DAT file so that any new strings that were made configurable since the last release will be available to you. MakeProm eliminates the need for textfile string files or string file compilers. Simply execute MakeProm after any upgrade (make sure you use the copy of MakeProm included in the upgrade archive) and then delete it. If you run MakeProm more than once on any given version, you risk corrupting your PROMPTS.DAT file. 4.5: MakeHelp This utility should be run only once, and like MakeProm, it should be run when you upgrade to a new version of Oblivion/2. What it does is update the help file for the Configuration system. When new options are added to the Configuration, or obsolete options are removed, the help system must be changed accordingly. The help system is the brief description at the bottom of the screen in any Configuration menu. It will give you a brief description of the currently highlighted option. Once you have run this utility after an upgrade, delete it. 4.6: EP This utility will pack your email text file. When a user (or you) deletes email, it is still kept in the text file that the email uses to store all of the messages. The email must be purged either by an ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 39 Section 4 OBLIVION/2 EXTERNAL UTILITIES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── EZ menu command or by EP.EXE. EP is handy because you can use it in your nightly maintenance to pack the email text storage file to keep it small and fast. 4.7: IP This utility will pack your infoform text file. When a user is deleted from the system, their infoform is marked as deleted, but must be purged from the text storage file. IP will do this. It might not be a good idea to run IP as a nightly event as it may cause unneeded stress on the storage file, but you should run it once a month or after you delete users to keep the infoform text storage file small. 4.8: AnsiTran This utility is sometimes needed due to the limitations of some ansi editors and Oblivion/2's internal ansi-reading interpreter. What AnsiTran does is take the input ansi and translate any codes that might confuse Oblivion/2 into codes that Oblivion/2 understands. Oblivion/2's internal ansi-reading routines are different from standard ansi codes to disallow ansi bombs and the like. The commandline for AnsiTran is: ANSITRAN.EXE <ansi name> The ansi name is the name of the ansi you want to translate. AnsiTran will make a backup file (*.UNT) in case the translation actually makes the problem worse. In most cases you won't need to use AnsiTran, but in some ansi animation screens you may have to. If AnsiTran does not work for you, try hand-editing the ansi yourself. There's no better way to make something correct than to do it by hand. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 40 Section 5 OBLIVION/2 COMMANDLINE PARAMETERS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 5: OBLIVION/2 COMMANDLINE PARAMETERS Oblivion/2 has a number of different commandline parameters that make it easy to load from different batchfiles for different purposes. The commandline parameters for OBV.EXE are as follows: -A Returns to DOS after carrier is lost (user hangs up or is kicked off). -B xxxxx Passes baudrate xxxxx to Oblivion/2. -D Oblivion/2 doesn't check for work/swap directories. -E Forces Oblivion/2 to run an event. -F Loads Oblivion/2 without fossil driver support. -L Local login (logs in as sysop from the DOS prompt). -M xxxx xxxx is the time in minutes until the next scheduled event that users should be kicked off (ie. -M 120 and an event at 7:00pm would mean that users would be disallowed access from 5:00pm until 7:00pm). -N x Loads node x. -T xxxx xxxx is the time in minutes after midnight before which users should be kicked off (ie. -T 120 would mean that users would be disallowed access until 2:00am). -CK Loads the new Chromatik WFC screen -EMS Loads the overlay (OBV.OVR) into EMS memory. -MENU Loads the menu editor from DOS. -USER Loads the user editor from DOS. -PROMPTS Loads the prompt (string) editor from DOS. -CONFIG Loads the configuration system from DOS. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 41 Section 6 SYSOP ONLINE KEYS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 6: SYSOP ONLINE KEYS Oblivion/2 has a number of keys that the sysop can use while users are online. These keys can be used anywhere within the BBS. F1 Bring user into Split-Screen Chat or if used within chat, will exit chat. F2 Brings user into Single-Line Chat or if used within chat, will exit chat. F3 Online User Editor. F4 Open ScrollBack Buffer. In the buffer, you can use the up and down arrows to scroll, or use PgUp and PgDn. Esc exits the buffer. F5 Generates a screen image. Will capture the image on the screen and write it to an ansi file called OBV.IMG. If OBV.IMG already exists, it will append the new capture to the end of the existing file. F6 Toggles the Chat log on and off (used only in Split-Screen or Single-Line chat modes). F9 Modem Input Lockout (locks out incoming data from the modem). F10 Modem Output Lockout (prevents BBS output from going through the modem). ALT-A Toggles Chat availability. ALT-B Toggles the Status Bar and flips through the different displays. ALT-H Displays listing of all online sysop keys to the sysop. ALT-J Shells the sysop to DOS. ALT-M Gives user access to all of the message bases. ALT-N Nukes user (drops carrier on them). ALT-O Toggles Input Timeout (activate/deactivate Config setting). ALT-Q Displays KICK-OFF.ANS in the textfile directory ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 42 Section 6 SYSOP ONLINE KEYS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── and drops carrier on the user. ALT-T Gives user temporary sysop access. ALT-V Validates user ALT-X Gives user access to all of the file bases. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 43 Section 7 EVENT EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 7: EVENT EDITOR One of the more powerful features of Oblivion/2 is it's internal event editor. With the event editor you can perform any type of maintenance you like, whether it's toggling sysop chat availability or running external utilities. Event Number:1 [T] Event Type :User ACS [A] ACS :s32766 [F] File :ZONEHOUR.ANS [S] Starting Time :02:00 am [E] Ending Time :03:00 am [N] Node Number :0 [K] Limit Time :On [D] Delete [I] Insert [[] Previous []] Next [Q] Quit Command: Option T defines the event type. There are four basic types of events: Errorlevel The BBS exits with a certain errorlevel (useful for batch maintenance commands). Code Executes one or more menu commands with full CString support. Availability Toggles sysop availability on or off. User ACS Restrict login to the BBS at certain times via user access levels and ACS commands. Option A defines the ACS required to log in at this time for User ACS events. For Availability events, Option A defines whether the sysop is available or unavailable. Option C defines the Code (menu command) to be executed for Code Execution events. Option L defines the Errorlevel Oblivion/2 should exit with. Only in Errorlevel events. Option F defines the file to show users who do not have access to the system at this time. Only in User ACS events. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 44 Section 7 EVENT EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Option S defines the starting time of the event. Use the format hh:mm [am|pm]. For all events. Option E defines the ending time of the event. Use the format hh:mm [am|pm]. Only in User ACS events. Option N defines the node number this event affects. Use Node 0 for an event to affect ALL nodes. For all events. Option K defines whether or not to limit the time of the user. If this event runs at 10:00pm and a user logs on at 9:45pm and they have 45 minutes left for the day, it will limit their time on to 15 minutes and restore the remaining 30 minutes after the event has been run. For all events. If you are using a frontend mailer such as FrontDoor or D'Bridge, you won't have Oblivion/2 loaded all of the time and thus won't be able to make use of all of the different ACS types unless you use the -E commandline, as the BBS will often miss it's events. All that is required is a simple "event on event" type system. If you have defined an event at 2:00am to pack your file description file, simply have your frontend mailer, at 2:01am, drop to it's batchfile and run OBV.EXE -E and Oblivion/2 will process the 2:00am event. However, the -E commandline will only work if it is used AFTER an event is scheduled. If your event is at 2:00am and you have your mailer drop to run OBV.EXE -E at 1:59am, it will not work. 7.1: Errorlevel Events The BBS can exit at a certain time with a defined errorlevel which will then drop into the batch file that loaded up Oblivion/2 and process any IF ERRORLEVEL commands. The following errorlevels are reserved for Oblivion/2 usage: 255 Normal exit (no errors) In order to make your BBS respond correctly to your errorlevel, you must have a correctly written batchfile. The following is a simple example batchfile that can be used to load the BBS and exit with an errorlevel of 100 (as defined in the event editor) to run Norton's SpeedDisk: @echo off :begin OBV.EXE if errorlevel 255 goto exit if errorlevel 100 goto speeddisk ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 45 Section 7 EVENT EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── goto begin :speeddisk cd\norton SPEEDDISK.EXE /BATCH C: cd\obv goto begin :exit exit What happens in the above batchfile is when the time for the event rolls around, it exists with an errorlevel of 100. By using the clause "IF ERRORLEVEL 100 GOTO SPEEDDISK" the batchfile will go to the title ":SPEEDDISK" and process the commands in that segment of the batchfile. It will run Norton's SpeedDisk and then return to the ":BEGIN" clause, which re-loads Oblivion/2. Basic batchfile programming knowledge is needed to write a proper batchfile to interface properly with Oblivion/2. 7.2: Code Execution Events Code events are possibly one of the most useful type of events. With it, you can do any maintenance you wish, from purging email to packing the file description file. Simply select the Code event type, enter in the Command Key as EZ (to pack email), give it a time, and when the time comes, Oblivion/2 will process that event. 7.3: Sysop Availability Events With the Sysop Availability Event, you can turn on and off your chat paging availability status. Perhaps you wish to have a chat "window" from 6pm to 10pm. You will need three availability events. One to turn chat status on at 6pm, one to turn it off at 10pm, and another to turn it off at 12:01am. The last event is needed because at midnight, the chat status will be reset to it's default (on). 7.4: User ACS Events This event type is a useful one to restrict logins to the BBS at certain times. Perhaps your system is a popular one with constant callers and your co-sysop is complaining that he cannot ever login to do his job. Simply define a user ACS event that will allow him entrance (either by using the sxxx ACS command (ie. s250 will allow users with a security level of 250 and higher to access the BBS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 46 Section 7 EVENT EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── while those with a lower level will be kicked off) or by using the Ux ACS command (ie. if his user number was 3, you could define it so that the ACS was U3 which would give him and him alone access to the system)). With the wide variety of ACS commands, you should be able to define an ACS restriction that meets your needs, whatever they might be. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 47 Section 8 USER EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 8: USER EDITOR Oblivion/2's user editor is a powerful one. It is run by a batch oriented system, much like everything else in Oblivion/2, and this allows for a lot of flexibility. A few features of the user editor include infoform extraction, user searching by defined criteria, highlight selected user editing, and more. When you first select the user editor command, you will be given an "Edit Individual?" prompt. If you select Yes, you can type in the name of the user editor, or use DOS style wildcards. If you wanted to edit a user with the alias of Diabolous, but you can't remember how to spell it, simply type in Dia* and it will try to match a user name to the wildcard, and then prompt you if it is the correct user. Select Yes to edit the user it found, or No to continue the search. If you simply type in * at the prompt, you will be prompted, one by one from the first user to the last, whether or not you would like to edit that individual. If, at the "Edit Individual" prompt you select No, you will be given a list of users and can use your arrow keys to scroll up and down the list via a highlight bar. It will show you the first 23 users, and then once you reach the last user and press the down arrow again, will clear the screen and display the next 23 users. You can press Q to quit the process or ENTER to edit the highlighted user. When you enter the actual user editor, you will see something like this: ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │(H)andle : Lasher (L)evel : 32766 │ │(-)User Flags : BCHSVXZ (F)ile Level : 32766 │ │(R)eal Name : Vincent Danen (P)oints : 32698 │ │(()Phone : 4034744444 (T)ime Limit : 1440 │ │(N)User Note : SysGod ■ EViL.mOrtal ($)Time Left : 1300 │ │(A)ddress : yeah right =) (C)Calls : 365 │ │(=)Location : Edmonton, AB (U)ploads : 2 │ │(!)Uploaded K : 32 (D)ownloads : 3 │ │(@)Download K : 684 (#)U/D Ratio : 0 │ │(^)Posts : 1603 (%)U/D K Ratio: 0 │ │(|)Password : yeah right! (&)PCR : 0 │ │(W)anted : False (B)NetMail B : 10000 │ │(X)Expiration : N/A ( )Last Call : 01/11/96│ │(')D/L CPS : 2846 (J)New Level : 0 │ │(\)K Per Day : 0 (E)dit User │ │(/)User Flags2: (+)Validate User/Advance│ │First Call: 00/00/80 Birthdate: 01/01/01 (>)Edit Description │ │(S)User Search (I)nfoforms │ │(*)Extract Infoform (K)ill User ([,{,},])Prev/Next Reg/Search Link│ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 48 Section 8 USER EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The following keys edit certain fields in the current user's account: H User's handle. - User's ACS flags that are active in the FIRST user ACS flag set. R User's real name. ( User's phone number. N User's User Note A User's street address. = User's City/State. ! Amount (in k) that the user has uploaded. @ Amount (in k) that the user has downloaded. ^ Amount of posts user has made. | User's password W Whether the user is wanted by the sysop or not. (See Section 8.2). X The date the user's current security level will expire. (See Section 9). ' User's average download CPS rate. \ The amount the user can download per day (in k). / User's ACS flags that are active in the SECOND user ACS flag set. L User's security level. F User's file level. P User's amount of file points. T User's time limit per day. $ User's time left today. C User's total number of calls to the system. U Amount (in number of files) that the user has uploaded. D Amount (in number of files) that the user has downloaded. # User's upload/download ratio. % User's upload/download K ratio. & User's Post/Call Ratio. B User's amount of netmail credits. (See Section 8). User's last call date. J User's new level when current level expires. The following keys call up general editing and viewing commands: E Edit another user. + Advance the user to the next defined level (as defined in the parameter editor). > Edit the user's description. The description is where you can store miscellaneous info on the user by typing it in using the internal message editor. I Display the user's infoforms. * Extract infoforms to a text file or sends them to you if you are remote. K Deletes the current user. [] Previous/Next user directly (ie. user 2 to user 3 and user 3 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 49 Section 8 USER EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── to user 2). {} Previous/Next user as defined by the search criteria (see below). S Searches for users by using the tabulated search method. 8.1: User Search Editor The Oblivion/2 User Search Editor (accessed by option "S" in the User Editor) is a powerful tool and can be used in many ways to search for users meeting the same criteria. It has many uses and has a variety of different criteria it can search for: ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Search Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (H) Handle String : [OFF] │ │ (A) ACS : [OFF] │ │ (L) Level : [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (F) File Level : [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (D) Days Since 1st : [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (S) Days Since Last: [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (E) Flag : [OFF] │ │ (N) Number of Calls: [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (Y) Age : [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (G) Gender : [OFF] │ │ (P) PCR : [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (U) % U/D Ratio : [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (K) % U/D K Ratio : [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (X) Expiration Date: [OFF] - [OFF] │ │ (I) Infoform Str : [OFF] │ │ ($) Password Str : [OFF] │ │ (T) Tabulate Search │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ H Searches for a particular handle string. A Tries to meet input ACS (ie. if you entered X219 it would look for all users with an area code of 219). All valid ACS commands are allowed to be used here. L Searches for security level in between the Low mark and the High mark (ie. 0 - 50 would tabulate all users with a security level between and including 0 through 50). F Searches for file level in between the Low mark and the High mark. D Searches for amount of days since first call in between the Low mark and the High mark. S Searches for amount of days since last call made to the BBS in between the Low mark and the High mark. E Searches for users with the defined user ACS flags, but only ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 50 Section 8 USER EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── from the FIRST set of user ACS flags. N Searches for number of calls to the BBS in between the Low mark and the High mark. Y Searches for ages in between the Low mark and the High mark. G Searches for defined gender. P Searches for Post/Call Ratios in between the Low mark and the High mark. U Searches for upload/download ratio in between the Low mark and the High mark. K Searches for upload/download K ratio in between the Low mark and the High mark. X Searches for expiration dates (of accounts) in between the Low mark and the High mark. I Searches infoforms for a particular string. $ Searches for a particular password string. 8.2: Wanted Users A unique feature of Oblivion/2 is the "wanted" user feature. What this feature does is allow the sysop to flag certain individuals as wanted. This could be so that the sysop can be called to the computer to see what the wanted user does, or it could be because the sysop wishes to talk to the wanted user. The uses for this function are endless. What it does is when the system comes across a -_ menu command (usually in the login process) it will page the sysop without alerting the user. This page signal is the same as a normal page when a user wants to chat with the sysop. When the sysop hears this page, if he has a wanted user, he can check to see if it is indeed the user he wants. If it is, he can then sit and watch the user or break in for chat, whatever the sysop desires. The wanted flag is toggled in the User Editor. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 51 Section 9 PARAMETER EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 9: PARAMETER EDITOR Oblivion/2's Parameter Editor is an easy way for the sysop to utilize different user levels. With this system, you can define a number of different user levels to manage your users instead of manually handling their account information on an individual basis. To use the parameter editor, simply choose a user level. Perhaps you want level 50 to be your default user level for all users. You will need to decide what security level 50's Post/Call Ratio, Upload/Download Ratio, Upload/Download K Ratio, time per day, as well as how much they can download (in K) per day. Enter in the values you want and you have your level 50 defined. You may also wish to have temporary levels. For example, maybe you run a pay system where users get access to certain echomail networks or file areas for paying a certain fee per month. You can define a number of days until expiration for a specific user security level as well, and the BBS will automatically adjust the user's account when their paid level (or whatever) subscription and they would be once again reduced to level 50 (default un-registered user, perhaps). The nice thing about Oblivion/2 is how the parameter editor and the user editor work hand in hand. Whatever security level is defined by the parameter editor is by no means set in stone. Any value defined in the parameter editor can be over-ridden in the user editor. For Oblivion/2 to know that it must read a value from the parameter editor and not the user editor, that value must be 0 (zero) in the user editor. This will tell Oblivion/2 that the value is found in the parameter level for the user's defined security level. If you want a specific user to have, say, more time per day but don't want to give him a different security level, simply enter in the amount of minutes per day you want him to have in the user editor. Since the value is a non-zero value, Oblivion/2 will read it from the user's account and not a value defined in the parameter editor. If you wish to use the parameter level right from the beginning for new users, you must zero some field in the Val User/NUV Configuration menu in the Configuration system. All of the default values that you can define in the parameter editor should be (in the Val/NUV Configuration) set to zero. Do not set fields like Upload CPS or Download CPS to zero. If the fields in the default settings (see the diagram below for all of the values the parameter editor can define) are not zeroed, the parameter editor will not function correctly. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 52 Section 9 PARAMETER EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Parameter Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Level : 50 │ │ (B) PCR : 25% │ │ (C) Time Limit : 45 │ │ (D) U/D Ratio : 10% │ │ (E) U/D K Ratio : 10% │ │ (F) D/L K Per Day : 3000k │ │ (G) Days until Exp : 0 │ │ (H) Level upon Exp : 0 │ │ ([) Previous │ │ (]) Next │ │ (I) Insert │ │ (K) Kill │ │ (Z) Zero User Info │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ A The security level that is being defined. B The Post/Call Ratio for this level. C The time limit for this level. D The upload/download ratio for this level. E The upload/download K ratio for this level. F The amount (in kbytes) that users with this security level can download per day. G The amount (in days) that users with this level will be able to retain this level before it expires. H The security level a user at this security level will be dropped (or raised) to when this level expires. Z This will zero all of the options A-F for this particular security level. (Ie. if defining security level 50 and you Zeroed User Info, all users with a security level of 50 would have the defined options A-F zeroed in their user account). ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 53 Section 10 BLACKLIST ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 10: BLACKLIST With Oblivion/2, you can define something called a Blacklist. It can also be known as a Delete List or Twit List. What it is is a database of users that are not wanted on the system, for one reason or another, for a particular length of time. There are three types of deleted status. They are described as follows: Immediate The defined file is shown to the user, he is disconnected, and then he is removed from the blacklist and is able to apply again. Expiration The defined file is shown to the user until the date specified. After the date specified, the user will be removed from the blacklist and he will be able to apply again. Never The defined file is shown to the user always. He will always be in the blacklist and will never be able to apply again. Each level of deletion will display a file to the user. This file can be different for each user (the default file is called BLACKLST.ANS). These files are stored in the textfile directory. You can also store a description on each deleted user in the same way you can store descriptions of your users. These are simple text descriptions you must enter in yourself using the internal message editor. The blacklist is a good way to keep unwanted users off of your BBS. However, it is not fool-proof. If the offending user applies again under a different alias, he will not be hung up on. If security is important on your system, it would perhaps be best if you used the description storage to your benefit by perhaps taking a screen capture of the deleted user's personal information (press F5 in the user editor) and locally uploading it into the description. Also entering in information like real name and phone number, address, etc. will help you if you suspect a blacklisted user trying to apply with a different alias because his current one is in the blacklist. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 54 Section 11 PROMPT EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 11: PROMPT EDITOR The prompt editor is an integral part of any configurable software, and Oblivion/2 has one of the best. It is an online prompt editor so there is no need for clumsy external applications to edit your prompts. There are currently over 200 configurable prompts, each with a length of approximately 255 characters. There are a few commands in the prompt editor that you should be aware of, as they will make your prompt editing that much easier. Control Commands: CTRL-V Toggles insert mode. CTRL-U Pop-up ascii chart. Instead of having to remember the high ascii characters or refer to your DOS manual, you can use the ascii chart and select which character you wanted printed at the cursor position of your prompt. MCI Codes: |Bx Moves backward x amount of columns (where x = 1-9). |CR Carriage return. |CS Clear screen. |Dx Moves down x amount of lines (where x = 1-9). |Fx Moves forward x amount of columns (where x = 1-9). |OT-O2 Pipes OT and O2 are internal variables that Oblivion/2 uses for certain strings. If the example string contains the pipe codes, be sure that your prompt contains the same pipe codes as they present to the user vital information. |PA Pause. |Ux This will translate to a color corresponding to the user's six selected colors (where x = 1-6). In the prompt editor, you will see two lines for each prompt. The upper line is the "example" string, while the bottom line is the what the prompt currently looks like. All of the supported color codes can be used in your prompts as well, whether they are the standard pipe (|) color codes or the PCBoard (@X) color codes (see Section 28.5). However great the 255 character limit for prompts is, it is sometimes not enough. Sometimes you need to give more information, or perhaps you want a full-screen ansi displayed where a 255 character prompt would not be enough. You can use another code to direct Oblivion/2 to read an external textfile (stored in your prompts directory) instead of reading a prompt. Place your textfile in the prompts directory and for the prompt in question, simply ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 55 Section 11 PROMPT EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── enter in %%FILENAME.EXT. In the textfile itself, you can use three MCI codes. %OT and %O2 correspond to the prompt MCI codes |OT and |O2. Place them in the textfile how you would place them in the string. The third code is %IN, and it tells Oblivion/2 where to place the cursor once the textfile has been read. If you draw an ansi, the color that %IN is in (in the ansi itself) is the color the user's input will be. The informational pipe codes, OT and O2, should only be used if the example prompt has them. If the example prompt does not contain those two codes, or one of them, do not place them in your prompt/ textfile. If you do, it will not be translated to anything and you will have a very silly looking prompt. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 56 Section 12 MENU PROMPT EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 12: MENU PROMPT EDITOR With multiple menusets and status screen sets at your fingertips, it is only logical that multiple menu prompts are a reality. You could design your system so that the user picked one menuset and a corresponding menu prompt and status screen set would be turned active, to give the system more of a unified feeling in regards to the way it looks. The menu prompt editor is another powerful tool that allows you to define more than one menu prompt. Menu prompts can look however you want them to, from the simple: Main Menu: to the more extravagant: [10:06pm EST] Main Menu (?/Help) : To make a menu prompt is a very simple process. You simply use the internal FullScreen Editor to create it, or design the prompt externally and use the FSE's import command. Menu prompts have the potential to give little information or give a lot, and so the following MCI codes are available for you to use when designing your menu prompt: |00-23 This will translate the color to the corresponding pipe color code, where 00-15 are foreground colors and 16-23 are background colors. |Bx Moves backward x columns (where x = 1-9). |Dx Moves down x amount of lines (where x = 1-9). |EC User's input color. |Fx Moves forward x columns (where x = 1-9). |FLxx Restricts input to xx characters. * |MN Menu name (as defined in the menu editor). * |NN Current node number. |PC User's prompt color. |RC User's regular color. |SC User's status color. * |TL User's time left. * |TM Current time. |Ux Moves up x amount of lines (where x = 1-9). |VC User's inverse color. |Xxx Moves to absolute xx value (ie. |X10 goes to 10th row). |XC User's box color. You may also use external textfiles for menu prompts. These files must be stored in the textfile directory. As with the prompt editor, %%FILENAME.EXT is the MCI code to use in the menu prompt editor. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 57 Section 12 MENU PROMPT EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The above MCI codes with an asterix (*) before them can also be used in the external textfile, but must be a % code, not a | code. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 58 Section 13 PROTOCOL EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 13: PROTOCOL EDITOR The protocol editor is where you can setup external protocols like GSZ, HSLink. It is fairly easy to setup and easy to understand. The hardest thing you will have is the configuration of the protocols themself. When you first enter the protocol editor, you'll see a menu like this: [1] Download Protocols [2] Upload Protocols [3] Batch Download Protocols [4] Batch Upload Protocols [5] Resume Protocols [6] Bidirectional Protocols Enter Protocols to Edit [1-6,Q] : Option 1 is the download protocols. These are the protocols used for single file downloads. Option 2 is the upload protocols. These are the protocols used for single file uploads. Option 3 is the batch download protocols. As the name implies, they are used for batch (more than one file) downloads. Option 4 is the batch upload protocols. Option 5 is the resume protocols. Not all protocols are able to handle resuming files (if during a transfer, the connection gets severed, the protocol does not delete the file but will save it allowing the user to continue uploading from where they left off instead of doing the entire upload over again). A few examples are DSZ/GSZ and HSLink. Option 6 is the bidirectional protocols. These protocols allow users to upload and download files simultaneously. A few examples are HSLink and HydraCom. Once you have selected the type of protocol you would like to edit, you will be taken to the actual protocol editor. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 59 Section 13 PROTOCOL EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Protocol Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Description : Zmodem (GSZ 06-07-95) │ │ (B) Key : Z │ │ (C) Program Name : GSZ.EXE │ │ (D) Command Line : %1 %2 est len %4 sz -s -m %3 │ │ (E) Erase the Current Protocol │ │ (I) Insert Protocols │ │ ([) Previous Protocol │ │ (]) Next Protocol │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Option A is the description of the protocol. Your users see this description when they are about to upload or download. Option B is the key that the user has to press to activate this particular protocol. Option C is the actual executable name (full name). The executables will be looked for in your main Oblivion/2 directory. However, you can use the batch/redirection method where you use a batchfile and call the protocol executable from a different directory. For example, to use the same commandline as above, but wanting to call GSZDOWN.BAT you could use: @echo off C:\UT\GSZ.EXE %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 This also makes it easier for the people who want to perform additional maintenance around running the protocol. For example, you can turn MicroSoft's SmartDrv on and off in this method, toggle X00 port locking, etc. The uses are endless, and for some external protocols, such as HSLink and vFAST, you may need a convertor to convert their native log file to a DSZLOG compatible format. You can run the log convertor last, right before the batch file exits and jumps back into Oblivion/2. Option D is the actual commandline for the protocol. Refer to the protocol's documentation for the proper commandlines for your system and the protocol direction you wish to use. Option E deletes the current protocol. Option I inserts a new protocol. Options ] and [ take you one protocol right or left. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 60 Section 13 PROTOCOL EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The following is a list of percent codes you can use on the commandline to give the protocol different information on the user's connection: %1 COM port in use (1-4). %2 Locked speed (what the COM port is locked at). %3 The filename to be sent or received, or the filename of the textfile containing the list of files to be sent or received. %4 The connected baudrate (the actual connection speed). %5 The logfile name (DSZLOG.n where n=current node). %6 Base address for the current COM port. This is only necessary if you defined it in Section 3.5: Communication Information, for a nonstandard COM port. %7 IRQ number for the COM port, only if defined in the Configuration for a nonstandard COM port. %8 Current node's node number All of the information for these codes are supplied by Oblivion/2 so you don't have to worry about them. All you need to do is make sure the communications information is correct (see Section 3.5). ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 61 Section 14 ARCHIVE EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 14: ARCHIVE EDITOR The archive editor allows the sysop to setup and define a number of archivers for the use of both him and his users. This is a powerful menu and should be setup carefully, as errors in the configuration can cause your upload checker to constantly fail files or could even damage some of your archives. The archive editor is instrumental in allowing the users the ability to choose which archiver they would like to use for their personal use. Their configured archiver can be used to package their downloaded QWK packets, message captures, file lists, etc. Oblivion/2, when dealing with archives, does not rely on the file extension to determine what kind of archive type it is. A file compressed with PKZip does not have to have a ZIP extension for Oblivion/2 to recognize it. Oblivion/2 goes by the signature string of the archives when determining the archive type. A list of different archive signature strings is given below for your use. Once you enter the archive editor, you will be presented with a number of options. Don't be overwhelmed by them. There are many, but it is easy enough to setup, properly, a new archive type. ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit [,] Change Arc Oblivion/2 Archiver Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Archive Name : PKZIP │ │ (B) Archive Ext. : ZIP │ │ (C) Use Zip Viewer : Yes │ │ (D) Swap for Coms : Yes │ │ (E) Compress Com : PKZIP.BAT -rpaex %1 %2 │ │ (F) Extract Com : PKUNZIP.BAT -o -) %1 %3 %2 -N │ │ (G) View Com : ZPVIEW.BAT %1 %3 │ │ (H) Delete F Com : PKZIP.BAT -D %1 %2 │ │ (I) Max Ok/Test Com: 1/PKUNZIP.BAT -T %1 │ │ (J) Add Comment Com: ZPADDCOM.BAT %1 %2 %3 │ │ (K) Add Files Com : PKZIP.BAT -A %1 %2 │ │ (L) Sig String : PK │ │ (M) Sig Location : 1 │ │ (N) List Prefix : @ │ │ (O) Checker Only : No │ │ (=) Insert Archiver │ │ (-) Delete Archiver │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Option A is the name of the archive. This name is displayed to the user when they choose their default archiver. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 62 Section 14 ARCHIVE EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Option B is the usual extension of the archive (ie. ZIP, RAR, UC2, LZH, etc.). Option C determines whether or not you will be able to use the internal ZIP viewer. In most cases you will not be able to unless the archiver is ZIP compatible. Option D determines whether or not the BBS should swap into memory to execute the archiver commands. This is probably a good idea as some archivers will not function properly unless given a healthy amount of memory. Option E is the commandline to compress files with this archiver. Oblivion/2 will look for the executable in the main BBS directory. If you want to use an archiver and you don't want to place it in your BBS directory, you can call a batchfile to call the archiver instead. In the above example, PKZIP.BAT looks like this: @echo off @C:\UT\PKZIP.EXE %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 In this field, the following percent codes are valid: %1 Path and filename. %2 Wildcard. Option F is the commandline to extract files with this archiver, with the following valid percent codes: %1 Path and filename. %2 Wildcard. %3 Path to the work directory. Option G is the commandline to view the contents of the archive. This must be done using DOS redirection commands and through the use of a batchfile. The file that contains the output from the archive LIST command must be called ARCLIST. in the work directory for the particular node. The following percent codes are valid: %1 Path and filename. %2 Wildcard. %3 Path to your work directory. An example batchfile using the DOS redirection commands with PKZip would look like this: @echo off @C:\UT\PKZIP.EXE -V %1 > %2ARCLIST. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 63 Section 14 ARCHIVE EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Option H is the commandline to delete files from the archive, with the following valid percent codes: %1 Path and filename. %2 Filename to delete OR list of files to delete (read from the configuration (see Section 3.2)). Option I is the commandline to test the integrity of archives and the maximum errorlevel the archiver can give to report that the archive is ok. Errorlevels reported back by the archiver that are higher than this number will be considered an integrity test failure. PKZip archives with the verification (AV) stamping will report an errorlevel of 1 if they are ok, but most errorlevels report back an errorlevel of 0 if they are ok. However, this varies for each archiver, so refer to the archiver documentation to find out for sure. Option J is the commandline to add comments to the archive. Again, you must use the DOS redirection commands in a batchfile in order for this to work. The following percent codes are valid: %1 Path and filename. %2 Comment file (read from the configuration (see Section 3.2)). Option K is the commandline to add files to the archive (such as BBS advertisements, etc.). The following percent codes are valid: %1 Path and filename. %2 File to be added OR list of files to be added (read from the configuration (see Section 3.2)). Option L is the signature string of the particular archive. See below for some signature strings for different archiver types. Option M is the location (in the file) of the signature string. See below. Option N is the list prefix for files containing a list of files to be either deleted or added, etc. See below. Option O tells Oblivion/2 whether this archiver is to be used for upload processing only and NOT for personal use by the user (in QWK packaging, message captures, etc.). Set this to Yes if the archiver type is to be used only by the upload checker and No if it can be used by the users for their personal use. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 64 Section 14 ARCHIVE EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 14.1: Archive Signature Strings Archive signature strings are relatively easy to find out. However, below is a compiled list of some of the more popular ones. If you need to use an archiver other than one of the ones listed below, you must refer to the documentation for the information needed (signature string, list prefix, and signature location). NOTE: I wasn't able to find all of the list prefixes for all of the archivers listed below, so the ones with a ??? in the List Pref field are unknowns and you'll need to find them yourself. PKZip v2.04g Sig : 504B0304 Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: @ ARJ v2.50 Sig : 60EA Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: ! RAR v1.55 Sig : 52617221 Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: @ UC2 r3PRO Sig : 554332 Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: @ LHA v2.13 Sig : 2D6C68352D Sig Loc : 3 List Pref: @ HPACK v0.78A0 Sig : 4850414B Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: ??? Hap&Pah TM v3.00 Sig : 91334846 Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: ??? ZOO v2.10 Sig : DCA7C4FD Sig Loc : 21 List Pref: ??? ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 65 Section 14 ARCHIVE EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── HA v0.98 Sig : 4841 Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: ??? DWC v5.10 Sig : 445743 Sig Loc : -4 List Pref: None PKPak v3.61 (SEA compatible mode) Sig : 1A Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: @ PAK v2.51 Sig : 1A0A Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: ??? HYPER v2.6 Sig : 1A4850 Sig Loc : 1 List Pref: None ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 66 Section 15 CONFERENCE EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 15: CONFERENCE EDITOR The conferencing system of Oblivion/2 allows for a lot of flexibility and a lot of room for expansion of your system. There are two types of conferences: Messages and Files. Of each type, you may have up to 255 conferences, making a total of 510 conferences allowed on your system. The conferences can also be used to seperate different sections of your board, as each can be configured with different access requirements. The Conference Editor is located in the sysop menu. Once you select it, you will be asked whether you want to edit file conferences or message conferences. Once you have selected the conference type you want to edit, you will be in a menu where you can Add a conference, Delete a conference, Edit a conference, Users with access, List, Reorder or Change Type. All are self-explanatory, but the Change Type command will allow you to switch between message and file conferences without having to exit the menu. Reorder will allow you to change the conference IDs of the conferences (ie. making conf 1 into conf 2, etc.). Users with access will display a list of all users with access to the conference. ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Conference Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Conference ID : 3 │ ├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ (A) Description : DaemonNet International │ │ (B) ACS : ~FD │ │ (C) Password : │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ The Conference ID is the absolute ID number of the conference. This is the number you will need to use when using the JT or JF menu commands (see Section 22.5.14). Option A is the description, or name, of the current conference. Option B is the access required to access the conference. In the above example, you must NOT have ACS flag D (in the first user set) to have access. In the internal conference listing, if a user does not have access to a conference, they don't even see it. In the above example, a user with user flag D will not see this conference listed. Option C is the password required to enter the conference. If the user doesn't know the password, they will return to the conference listing. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 67 Section 16 DATA AREA CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 16: DATA AREA CONFIGURATION The data area system of Oblivion/2 is simply a more configurable form of databases. With it, you can make almost anything you could think of. The default Oblivion/2 setup already comes with a BBS List, Rumors, and Oneliners. All of these are created with the data area system, and can be altered and modified any way the sysop chooses. ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Data Area Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Area Name : BBS List │ │ (B) Access ACS : │ │ (C) Add ACS : │ │ (D) List Prefix : BBS │ │ (E) Add Ansi : ADDBBS.ANS │ │ (F) Sponsor : Sysop │ │ (G) Allow Anonymous: No │ │ (H) Store Message : Yes │ │ (I) Data File Name : BBSLIST │ │ (J) Show Ansi : SHOWBBS.ANS │ │ (K) AutoDelete : 0 │ │ (L) Directory : │ │ (M) Node Number : │ │ (N) Force Message : No │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Option A is the name of the data area. In this case, the BBS List. Option B is the access needed to enter the data area. Option C is the access needed to add an entry to the data area. Option D is the prefix (max 5 characters) of the 3-part ansis used in the listing. In this case, you would need to create the three files BBSSRT.ANS (the header), BBSMID.ANS (the repeating middle), and BBSEND.ANS (the footer). See Section 27 for more information on making the repeat ansis. Option E is the name of the ansi that is displayed when the user wishes to add to the data area. In this case, the ansi could be a box or design with BBS name, number, etc. fields in it. The ansi is going to have to contain some MCI codes (see below). Option F is the name of the user that can edit the data area. You can appoint data area sysops or allow users to maintain their own data areas in this manner. The user does not have to ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 68 Section 16 DATA AREA CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── have sysop access in order to edit their data area. Option G defines whether or not additions can be made anonymously. If Yes, users will be allowed to add anonymously to the data area. Option H defines whether or not this data area will be permitted to store an additional message. Users will be able to fill out the basic information, and then, if this option is Yes, they will be prompted as to whether or not they would like to add an accompanying message. In the case of a BBS List, this could be used to store an ansi or ascii advertisement of the board. Option I is the name of the data file, where all the information in this data area is stored. It is stored in the same manner as message areas, so it should be unique from any other data area or message base. Option J is the name of the ansi used to show the information contained in an entry (it should show what the users entered when they added to the data area). Since in the listings, you can only put in a certain amount of information, this would be used to show more detailed information, and should contain the same MCI codes as the Add Ansi contained. Option K defines the maximum number of entries in the data area. Entries will be auto-purged to remain equal to or lower than this number. A value of 0 tells the BBS not to auto-purge anything. Option L is the directory to export messages to when DATAMAIL is called. Because you can network these data areas between Oblivion/2 systems, this would work much the same as any message base. DATAMAIL is used to export and import messages to and from the data base files, while your mail tosser would look in this directory to scan for outbound "mail". Option M is your node address for the network you are in that is allowing the networked data area. If the area is the ImpactNet Networked BBS List, you would put your ImpactNet node address here and nothing else. Option N defines whether or not the additional message will be optional or forced. If set to Yes, the users will be forced into the message editor. After you have completed configuring this part of the data area configuration and you press "Q" to quit, you will be prompted as to whether or not you want to edit the Options. Select Yes and you will see a screen similar to that below: ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 69 Section 16 DATA AREA CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Data MCI Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (O) Option : BBS Name │ │ (L) Length : 35 │ │ (M) MCI Code : BN │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ │ (D) Delete Option │ │ (A) Add Option │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Option O is the name of the option. Option L is how long this option's field can be. In the above example, the option has a field that allows a maximum of 35 characters to be entered. Option M is the MCI code for this option. In the above example, the defined MCI code is BN, so in your Add Ansi and Show Ansi you would use either |BN or %BN in the ansi behind a "BBS Name:" prompt or something similar. The beginning of the MCI code is where the user will be prompted to enter their input. For example: BBS Name: |BN ^---- user's cursor would go here. The actual MCI codes are either |BN or %BN. As you can see above, the | and % are not to be placed in the editor. Those are simply markers in the ansi and should not be placed in the Options Editor. If you used, as shown above, |BN in your ansi, the user would be able to press enter through the field; in other words it is abortable. If, however, you used %BN, Oblivion/2 would not move the cursor to the next field until the user had entered some data in that particular field. Data areas take a little bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you can do almost anything you like, and a properly setup data area will be pleasing to both you and your users. As it was stated above, you can network the data areas. When a user adds an entry to a networked data area, it is similar to writing an echomail message, and the entry will be exported in the same manner that a message would. There is no special technique to use with your mail tosser. You would merely setup a networked data area exactly the same as you would an echomail area. The JAM base defined above must be the same as that defined in the mail tosser ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 70 Section 16 DATA AREA CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── for it to work correctly. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 71 Section 17 EMAIL ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 17: EMAIL Email is private user to user mail. This is as close to private mail as any system is going to get with a BBS. 17.1: The Email Tag System The Email Tag system is a powerful system that gives you extended control and manipulation over your system's electronic mail features. The tag system allows you to assign certain tags to certain types of email. For example, you could assign new user application mail a tag of 1. Then you could give a user (other than the sysop) access to read mail with a tag of 1 (your co-sysop for example). Then the co-sysop would be able to validate new users. This system can be used for many other things as well as this. The uses are endless. The email tag system has four basic menu commands which are as follows: E+ Allows user to read all mail with the specified tag. (Use the E$ and E# commands to set the tag number). E- Allows user to read only mail that is addressed to him, taking away the email tag access. E$ Sets the incoming email tag to the value of CString, where the CString is of a value between 0 and 255, where 0 allows user to see ALL mail regardless of tag (ie. general public message). E# Sets the outgoing email tag to the value of CString, where the CString is a value between 0 and 255. The following is how you would go about setting up the above example of allowing a co-sysop to read the new user application letter: Step 1: Stack an E$ command with a CString of 1 before the apply command at the matrix. Step 2: Stack a E$ command with a CString of 0 after the apply command at the matrix. Step 3: Add two commands to the Email menu. The first being E$ with a CString of 1. The second command is an E+ command. These commands should be stacked together so that your co-sysop can press one key to read the new user mail. Step 4: Add two commands to the Email menu. The first being E$ with a CString of 0. The second should be an E- command. These commands should be stacked together so that your co-sysop can press one key to return back to ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 72 Section 17 EMAIL ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── his normal email privelidges (reading his own mail). 17.2: Group Mail Another nice feature of Oblivion/2 and the way it handles electronic mail is the Group Mail feature. This will allow users to send mail to an entire defined group of people (kind of like mass emailing). You may have this group open for users to define or you can restrict it so that only the sysop can add and delete groups. When you select to edit an email group, you will be asked if you want to add, delete, or edit a group. If you select to add a group, you will be asked a number of questions. Enter Group Name: This is the name you are assigning this group. This will be used by users. When a user enters email to this group (in the To: field) the mail will be sent to all members of this group. Should this group be for your use only? If you select Yes, you will be the only person able to use this group. If set to No, anyone can send mail to this group. Should this group be for members use only? If Yes, only the defined members of this group will be able to use it. If set to No, anyone, regardless of whether they are in the group or not, will be able to use it. Include yourself in this group? If Yes, you will be a member of the group. If No, you will not be a member of it. Set group by ACS? If Yes, you will be prompted for an ACS string. All users who match this ACS string will be added to the group. For example, if you enter A18, all users 18 years old and older will be added to the group. Enter member to add: This is where you can define the single members of the group ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 73 Section 17 EMAIL ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── by entering in their name. Wildcarding of names is allowed. If you enter * alone, you will be prompted for users one by one. If you entered H*, all user aliases beginning with the letter H will be prompted for you to add. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 74 Section 18 THE CHAT SYSTEM ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 18: THE CHAT SYSTEM The chat system of Oblivion/2 is one that is a little more versatile than most other chat systems. With it you can define your own chat screen and have a little control over the chat logging system. There are a few commands that can be used when chat mode is engaged: /TYPE Allows the sysop to type any file in the textfile directory. /PAGE In single-line chat, this command will page the sysop. In split-screen chat, this command will page the user. F6 This command is used by the sysop to toggle on/off the chat logs. 18.1: Configurable Chat Screen The configurable chat screen was born of the idea that every sysop should be able to make a board so unique that even the entire chat system was 100% sysop defined. With it, you can design horizontal chat screens, vertical, diagonal, anything that pops into your mind. It is so versatile that you can do almost anything you like with it, instead of simply designing an enter chat and exit chat string. To define your own chat screen, follow these instructions: 1) Draw the ansi design for your chat screen. This file must be called CHATDEF.ANS and must be in your textfile directory. 2) Using TheDraw, place CHATDEF.ANS into animation mode (ALT-J, A) and choose your scanning method. Generally, TOP scan is chosen, but you can use any scanning method you like. 3) You now have to define the margins for the sysop half of the chat screen, and then the user half of the screen. This is done using special MCI codes, which are as follows: ^xx Sysop half, left margin &xx Sysop half, right margin `xx User half, left margin ~xx User half, right margin These MCI codes will tell Oblivion/2 where to word-wrap each line when chat is engaged. The below is a sample of a chat screen showing sysop and user margin MCI codes: ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 75 Section 18 THE CHAT SYSTEM ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ^01 &01 ^02 &02 ────|SN────────────────[ Split Screen Chat ]────────|UN───────── `01 ~01 `02 ~02 As you can see, the first MCI code (^xx and `xx respectively) will tell Oblivion/2 where to begin typing the text to the screen. The first letter typed on the beginning of any line will begin where the ^ and ` characters are placed. So if the sysop typed the word "Hello" on the first line, it would look like this: Hello &01 ^02 &02 ────|SN────────────────[ Split Screen Chat ]────────|UN───────── `01 ~01 `02 ~02 The MCI codes have been expanded from "xx" to a number value. This tells Oblivion/2 which line of text it is working with. The ^01 and &01 MCI codes tell Oblivion/2 to begin line 01 for the sysop, and end line 01 for the sysop. So these MCI codes must be on the same line, indicating start and stop "margins" otherwise your screen will become a huge mess. The word-wrapping feature begins where the right margin MCI codes (&xx and ~xx respectively) begin. Oblivion/2 will word-wrap as soon as it encounters the & and ~ characters. If the user typed in a full line of text and continued without pressing the enter key, the following would be displayed: ^01 &01 ^02 &02 ────|SN────────────────[ Split Screen Chat ]────────|UN───────── This is a really cool board, I love it. I don't think you could have done anything better. ~02 Because the word "could" was longer than the allowable space after the word "you" and before the ~01 MCI code, it was wrapped, beginning where the `02 MCI code began. You can also use the following two MCI codes in your chat screen. |SN Sysop name |UN User name These MCI codes are not required in your chat screen, and are there only if you wish to use them. The following is an example of a vertical chat screen: ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 76 Section 18 THE CHAT SYSTEM ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ──────|SN──────────────────────┬──────|UN─────────────────────── ^01 &01`01 ~01 ^02 &02`02 ~02 ^03 &03`03 ~03 ───────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────── For the user's left margin, you want to place the MCI codes directly after the │ character so that the user can have as much typing room as possible, and since their typing begins at the position the ` character holds, this will ensure it. The sysop's right margin MCI codes should be as shown above, with an extra space before the │ character, as this will ensure that the line does not get overwritten. As shown above, the MCI codes overwrite the middle line. However, since you animate the codes on "top" of the line in TheDraw, the line will be visible while the MCI codes will become invisible as Oblivion/2 interprets them. As mentioned before in regards to repeat ansis, TheDraw will try to use the following segment of ansi code: ^01esc[34C&01 This is not good and may mess up your screen, because what it is doing is telling the cursor to move 34 characters to the right and then draw the &01 code. You should always hand-edit your finished product so that it goes to absolute screen positions, like so: ^01esc[2;37H&01 This will tell the cursor to go to row 2, column 37, and then insert the &01 command. The esc is, of course, the ALT-027 key. You may want to do this with the |SN and |UN MCI codes as well. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 77 Section 19 GENERIC MENU CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 19: GENERIC MENU CONFIGURATION The generic menu system was designed for sysops who wanted an easy to use, yet powerful, menuset system. You could almost say it was designed with the "lazy sysop" in mind. The generic menu system is, basically, a repeat method of menus. The commands and keys are read from the menu file so if you change your menus, you need never change your ansis, no matter how many times you change them. This is, simply, the answer to many sysop's annoyances, in terms of ansi menu editing. This system will allow the sysop to design a nice looking menuset and never maintain it again. It is a simple, yet powerful, ansi menu system, as the ansis "update" themselves automatically whenever a change is made. The design is the same as Repeat Method ansis. The following MCI codes are used in the repeat generic menu ansis: GENSRT .ANS - Generic Menu Template Header |MT Menu title GENMID .ANS - Generic Menu Template Middle (Repeat) |K? Keys for option ? in the line |D? Description for option ? in the line GENEND .ANS - Generic Menu Template Footer Now, if you read Section 27 on the Repeat Ansi Method, this will be very easy for you as it follows the basic principles of ansi creation as the other Repeat Method ansis. The header and footer ansis (GENSRT.ANS and GENEND.ANS respectively) are very straightforward. These should not cause you any problems. The middle ansi, GENMID.ANS, needs a little explaining. Before you begin designing your middle ansi, you need to decide how many options you want per column in your generic menus. This is an option defined in the System Configuration (see Section 3.2). The limits are 1-9 (or 1-9 options per line). After you have defined this value, you are ready to make your generic menus. The two pipe codes, |K? and |D? that make up GENMID.ANS are very easy to understand. |K? will print the key (what the user must press to access the option), and |D? will print the description of the command. Perhaps you wanted to make a generic set of 3 columns, with 5 options per row. You would set the value (discussed above) in the System Configuration to 5. Then you would have to edit the GENMID.ANS and place your MCI codes in a similar fashion: [|K1] |D1 [|K2] |D2 [|K3] |D3 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 78 Section 19 GENERIC MENU CONFIGURATION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── With a design like this, your generic menu will look something like this: [1] Option #1 [2] Option #2 [3] Option #3 [4] Option #4 [5] Option #5 [6] Option #6 And so on, for a total of 5 lines. This menu would fit a maximum of 15 total options (3 columns x 5 rows). The creation of the ansis is very simple. And the fact that you only have to do it once is very appealing. Now that you have created your generic menuset, you have a few choices of places to put them. You can code the menu into a status screen library, or you can code it into a menuset library. If you wish to code it into a status screen library, you must include the three-part GENxxx.ANS files with the other files in the specific library in your temporary directory. STATCODE.EXE will automatically include them in the completed LIB/NDX files, along with your other status screens. If you wish to code the generic menus into a library of their own, you'll need to include a commandline option to MENUCODE.EXE. This switch, /G, will code generic menus into a menu library file. An example commandline would be: MENUCODE.EXE OBV2 C:\TEMP /G This will code OBV2.LIB (with the index files being OBV2.NDX) with the GENxxx.ANS files found in the directory C:\TEMP, along with any other files in the directory. This way, you can use a combination of regular ansis for some menus, and use the generic menus for the rest. You can also use another feature when coding the generic menus into your menuset libraries. You can override the System Configuration setting (see Section 3.2) of the options per row. In the above example, we had 5 options per row. Perhaps you wanted to change that value to 3 options per row for this SPECIFIC menuset alone. You would use the following commandline to do this: MENUCODE.EXE 3OBV2 C:\TEMP /G The "3" before the rest of the library name tells Oblivion/2 that this generic menuset will be using 3 options per row, as opposed to the default of 5 options per row. This number can be anywhere within the defined limits, 1-9. This allows you to make different generic menus and let your users select which one they prefer. Please note that if you use this option, your compiled library will be called 3OBV2.LIB and not just OBV2.LIB. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 79 Section 20 MINI-DOS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 20: MINI-DOS The Mini-DOS system in Oblivion/2 is a handy feature for remote sysops to do some maintenance on the system. It supports the following "DOS" commands: X VZ <filename.zip> Views the contents of a zip file DIR Displays the files in the current directory CD <dirname> Changes Directories MD <dirname> Creates Directory RD <dirname> Removes Directory EDIT <filename.ext> Edits text file HELP Displays help TYPE <filename.ext> Display a text/ansi file COPY <source> <dest> Copy a file SEND <filename.ext> Sends a file to the user from local machine RECV <filename.ext> Recieves a file from the user HANGUP Hangsup on user EXIT Return from minidos ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 80 Section 21 ECHOMAIL NETWORKING OBLIVION/2 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 21: ECHOMAIL NETWORKING OBLIVION/2 21.1: Using a FrontEnd Mailer with Oblivion/2 It is very easy to integrate a frontend mailer with Oblivion/2. There are many mailers to choose from, such as InterMail, FrontDoor, D'Bridge, and Portal of Power, to name a few. Each runs a little differently, but the concepts are basically the same. When you have set up your mailer and want to have it exit to load your BBS, there are a few different methods you can use, depending largely upon which mailer you have chosen. The two most common methods are the long batch method and the triple-batch method. Your mailer documentation will explain these in more detail (or describe something completely different, again depending on which mailer you are using), but the basics are thus. The long batch method means you use one batchfile to run everything. The triple-batch method means your mailer, when receiving a human caller for the BBS, will create a batchfile (typically called DOBBS.BAT) which will then call another, definable batchfile, typically called EXEBBS.BAT. Of course, the names of these batchfiles depend upon which mailer you are using. The triple-batch method is the easiest, and perhaps the fastest. With it you define an errorlevel, in your mailer, which, when a human caller for the BBS is received, will exit with the defined errorlevel. For this example, the errorlevel defined will be 99. Your batchfile would look something like this, after you have called the mailer: :start mcmail.exe %1 %2 %3 %4 if errorlevel 99 bbsbat1 This will call up MCMAIL.EXE (the main executable for McMail) with any commandline parameters, and if McMail exits with an errorlevel of 99, will load BBSBAT1.BAT (which McMail creates). The BBSBAT1.BAT will look something like this: SPAWNBBS 14400 1 What this does is call SPAWNBBS.BAT with the connect speed (14400) and the com port (1). Your SPAWNBBS.BAT, then, to load Oblivion/2 would look like this: OBV.EXE -B %1 -N 1 -A ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 81 Section 21 ECHOMAIL NETWORKING OBLIVION/2 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── This is very simple. It loads Oblivion/2 with a baudrate of 14400 (the first parameter after SPAWNBBS in the BBSBAT1.BAT file), loads node 1, and -A tells Oblivion/2 to exit back to DOS when the user logs off, instead of cycling back to the WFC screen. The longbatch method is a little more complex. With it, a series of errorlevels are predefined for you. These are typically 24 for a 2400 connect, 144 for a 14400 connect, etc. Your main batchfile will look, then, like this: :start mcmail.exe %1 %2 %3 %4 if errorlevel 144 goto 14400 if errorlevel 24 goto 2400 :14400 obv.exe -B 14400 -N 1 -A goto start :2400 obv.exe -B 2400 -N 1 -A goto start This is a simple method as well, but involves bigger batchfiles and a little more typing. For each connect rate is a defined errorlevel, as shown above. For each errorlevel, you must define a corresponding label for the batchfile to go to should McMail exit with that errorlevel. And then, as shown above, for each label, you must define what baudrate Oblivion/2 must then be loaded with. It is very simple to incorporate Oblivion/2 with a frontend mailer. You can have it fully functional within a matter of minutes. There are no hidden tricks, just simple and straightforward. 21.2: Using a Mail Processor with Oblivion/2 There as many different mail processors out there as there are frontend mailers. A mail processor will import inbound echomail or netmail, and export outbound echomail or netmail. It can also maintain your JAM message bases. Two of the most popular mail tossers are FastEcho and GEcho. It is very simple to set these up with Oblivion/2, as both support JAM and Fido/*.MSG. Your mail processor will also come with a maintenance utility, FEUtil for FastEcho, and MBUtil for GEcho. These will perform maintenance on your JAM bases, purging, deleting, renumbering, and linking messages, to name a few. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 82 Section 21 ECHOMAIL NETWORKING OBLIVION/2 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── As most mail processors are fairly generic in terms of how they run, they won't be explained in detail here. Suffice it to say that if you have an operational mail processor, it will work with Oblivion/2. Please read your mail processor documentation for exactly how to set them up to work with the JAM message base type. Also refer to Section 25.2 for more information on the JAM message bases. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 83 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 22: MENU EDITOR The Oblivion/2 menu editor is THE single most powerful function in this package. It's power is virtually unmatched by any other BBS software package. The menu editor will allow you to modify, customize, and create a completely original menu system that could, in essense, create a totally original feel for each different Oblivion/2 system. The menu editor is simple to use, but is built on a complex series of menu commands. These menu commands are the heart and soul of any BBS, and the wide variety and flexibility offered by Oblivion/2's menu commands make it a force to be reckoned with. Commands can be used alone or stacked together, they can be restricted by access levels, user ACS flags, age, conference number, number of calls, or a whole host of other levels. Because of the variety of Oblivion/2 menu "programming" and the sometimes complex menuing systems you can create, it is impossible to clearly illustrate just how powerful the system is. In fact, even if many examples and illustrations were given, the documentation would only grow larger than could be handled. The adventure, the actual exploring, relies with you. There are many "third-party" examples of menu "programming" available that will give you plenty of ideas, however please be aware and always remember that you will NEVER know how powerful the menuing system is unless you can get your hands in and get them dirty yourself. In the next few sections, all of the available menu commands will be explained to you. It is up to you to decide what to do with them. 22.1: Using the Menu Editor Oblivion/2's menu editor is much like Telegard's (and it's succeeding hacks). However, it is far more advanced and has more expanded functions. The main menu editing screen consists of a few major functions that need explaining. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 84 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Menu Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Name : Main Menu │ │ (B) Password : │ │ (C) Fallback Menu : │ │ (D) Help ID : MAIN │ │ (E) Name In Prompt : Main │ │ (F) Menu Title : Main Menu │ │ (G) Pulldown File : │ │ (H) Edit Options │ │ (I) Generic Menus │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Option A is the name of the menu. This has no bearing on the menu itself other than as an identifier for you. Option B is an optional password to the menu. If a user does not have the password, they are sent back to the menu they were attempting to leave. Option C is the fallback menu. This is the menu that is returned to on an issued fallback command. If no fallback menu is specified, then the BBS will make the last menu in the stack as the fallback menu. Option D is the ID that is hardcoded into the menu libraries. For example, in the above example, the Help ID of "MAIN" would make Oblivion/2 look for a file called MAIN.ANS when compiling the menu libraries and would be shown to users issuing a "?" at the menu prompt. Option E is the menu title to be displayed in the menu prompt. Option F is not used at the moment and is merely a reserved field. In the future, there may be third-party utilities that use this field. Option G is the pulldown ansi. See Section 22.2 for more information on the pulldown system. Option H allows for editing of the menu's actual commands and options. Option I displays a generic menu. It is not difficult to get the hang off the main menu editing. It is straightforward and simplistic, although it may take some time getting used to. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 85 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── When you press H to edit the menu's options, you will be greeted by a screen similar to the one below: 1 FIRSTCMD -F 2 FIRSTCMD E# 3 FIRSTCMD {A 4 FIRSTCMD E# 5 FIRSTCMD {X Add Change Delete Move Quit : This merely lets you move swiftly between commands. You may add new commands here (entering blank spots for later configuration), change an existing option, delete an option, reorder (move) the order of the options, and quit back to the main menu editor. 22.2: The Pulldown System The pulldown system is a powerful system that allows you to go beyond simple prompt menus. This will allow you to create matrix menus (also known as lightbar menus) or other, simpler single-task menus. In the main menu editor, Option G is the Pulldown File field. This field can contain a number of commands. If the Pulldown File field is blank, the user's current menu prompt will be drawn with the Name in Prompt (Option E) in the prompt, and takes standard visible input. Other commands are as follows: ::x The system will randomly pick a letter from A to x (where x is a letter in the alphabet (ie. ::C will randomly pick a letter between A and C)) and reacts as if the user pressed that key. For example, this command can be used to randomize different matrices or lightbars. Perhaps you have four different matrices that you want to randomize. Since the letter "D" is the fourth letter in the alphabet, you would fill in the Pulldown File field with "::D". In your MATRIX.MNU, you will need four commands that have the Key field set to A, B, C, and D. For each command (A, B, C, or D) you will want it to go to a different menu. Those four menus will be your random matrices. The below is an example of one command that would be used in your MATRIX.MNU: Description : Go to DOS matrix Hidden : No Command Keys: -^ Key : A CString : DOSMAT Pulldown ID : 0 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 86 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── You will have to do the same thing for the other three letters (B, C, and D). In a random menu of this type, the only commands that will be executed will be commands belonging to those letters (and FIRSTCMD commands). If you had the Pulldown File field set to "::D" and you had an option with the Key as "Q", it would never be selected or usable. This type of menu works WITHOUT user input. N Writes the Name in Prompt alone. It may contain the following control codes: ^E User's input color. ^M Goes down one line (acts as a carriage return). ^P User's prompt color. ^R User's regular color. ^S User's status color. ^V User's inverse color. ^X User's box color. You can use the following commands to end the Name in Prompt field: / Yes/No bar prompt beginning with No \ Yes/No bar prompt beginning with Yes = Yes/No/Quit prompt beginning with Yes | Yes/No/Quit prompt beginning with No @ Yes/No/Quit prompt beginning with Quit * User inputs string : User inputs with a : in a different color # Hotkey input without echo and responds to arrow keys and gives the appropriate ascii equivalent in an invisible prompt ) Hotkey input with echo and responds to arrow keys and gives the appropriate ascii equivalent in an invisible prompt ( Sets the string equal to the input question variable set with the -H, -I, or -M menu commands [ User inputs hidden string You can use the following characters in the Keys field of any menu when using a Name in Prompt ending with a # or ): ╚ Up arrow key (ALT-200) ╨ Down arrow key (ALT-208) ═ Right arrow key (ALT-205) ╦ Left arrow key (ALT-203) ╟ Home key (ALT-199) ╧ End key (ALT-207) The following can be used in the Keys field for any menu: ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 87 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Enter key (ALT-013) All pipe color codes are also applicable in this prompt. This form of menuing is used to make single-task menus that ask questions, create hotkeyed menus, or get various input from the users. For example: ^EToggle Expert Mode? \ This will print "Toggle Exper Mode?" in the user's input color and will print "Yes No" behind the question mark with "Yes" highlighted as the default selection. Bx Creates a bar selection menu (lightbar) with x number of columns. This is a lot like your pulldowns, except that it is all on one line. R Creates a single line bar selection menu (lightbar). When creating command stacks, make sure to only put a description on the first option in the stack, otherwise the descriptions for each command in the entire command stack will appear in this menu. Also make sure that the descriptions for all the commands in this menu do not exceed 80 columns, as this is a ONE line bar menu. If your descriptions exceed 80 columns, either shorten them or use a bar menu with the Bx command. <FILENAME.EXT> This is the name of the pulldown ansi to be used in your pulldown menu. You must create an ansi to use and add some MCI codes to tell the BBS where to place certain information. There are two types of MCI codes that you will need to use in this ansi. The first, |xx, tells the BBS where to put the unhighlighted bar, and the second, %xx, tells the BBS where to put the highlighted bar (bars are highlighted when the user moves the cursor to that particular bar). When you place these codes in your ansi, it is practical to place them directly next to each other like this: |xx%xx. You can include any other pipe color codes to change the color in the unhighlighted display. Use the |- MCI code to return to the original unhighlighted color. You would use the pipe codes only if you were making a pulldown file that was drawn up in ASCII form (as Oblivion/2 will use the ANSI color codes to translate the bars). The xx values in the | and % codes must be replaced with ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 88 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── numbers so that the BBS knows which option to execute. This is where the Pulldown ID field of the menu editor comes into play (Option G). You must give each one of your options a unique ID number, and they must be consecutive (first option is 1, second is 2, etc.). If you are stacking commands for certain parts of the menu, only give the first command in the stack a Pulldown ID. Perhaps you wanted to make a pulldown matrix with five different options that were: Login, Check, Apply, Feedback, and Logoff. You would create your MATRIX.MNU and add in the five options (see Section 22.5.3 for the proper menu commands to use). Once this is done, go back and place in a Pulldown ID for each of the five commands. Since you only have five commands with no command stacking, give Login a Pulldown ID of 1, Check an ID of 2, Apply an ID of 3, Feedback an ID of 4, and Logoff and ID of 5. After this is done, create your pulldown ansi and place in the MCI codes as described above (|01%01 for Login, |02%02 for Check, etc.), and your pulldown menu is complete. Perhaps you wanted to use the same matrix (described above), but wanted to add some command stacking to it. For example, perhaps you wanted the system to log a user into the BBS after they had checked their access and were validated for the system. This would be done using the FailFlag and a few menu commands. Since this option requires more than one menu command, it is called a command "stack". The first option in this stack is going to be the check menu command. This option alone will contain a Pulldown ID of 2 (as in the above example) and every other command in the stack will have a Pulldown ID of 0 (or the default of none). The default pulldown menus are designed to only use the up and down arrows. However, you can create pulldown menus that use the left and right arrows as well. If you want the pulldown to use the left and right arrows, make each one a menu command where each would contain the ascii equivalent of the arrow key (ALT-203 for left and ALT-205 for right). The options must be hidden (Option C) and they must have a Pulldown ID of 0. If you put the letter "L" in the Name in Prompt field of a Pulldown menu, left key strokes will be interpreted as up, and right key strokes will be interpreted as down. 22.3: Hidden Commands and Wildcarding Within each menu command you define, you can also define whether or ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 89 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── not the command is hidden. The default is no, but you can change it in the Command Editor (Option C). With this, you can create an option in a pulldown menu that will not appear on the pulldown file, but users can access it via a hotkey (ie. Q to Quit). The option must be hidden and must have a Pulldown ID of 0. This will turn the option into a hotkeyed command and users will be able to execute it without using the lightbar. You can also wildcard menu commands. If you set a Key (Option E) to X*, and then put an * in the CString, anything that follows the X key on the menu prompt (that the user inputs) will be placed into the CString, replacing the * that is defined there. This can be used in such cases as file conference jumping, where a Key of J* would execute the JF menu command with a CString of *, so a user could type in J1 to jump to conference 1, type J2 to jump to conference 2, etc. You can also place an & character in the CString which is set to the input gained with a -H or -I menu command, or else set with a -* command (the & character will be filled with the input gained from the above menu commands, so the CString would not be &, as defined in the menu editor, but would be whatever input was gained). 22.4: Command Stacking Already you have heard the term "command stacking" many times, but it has not yet been defined in such a way to show you it's true potential. With command stacking, you can do multiple things with the touch of one key. It, in essence, links multiple commands together to work in unison. For example, perhaps you wished to display a textfile, but wanted the screen cleared first. You would create your first command to clear the screen (with a -L menu command), and perhaps you wanted the user to press the letter "T" to print the textfile. In the Keys field you would enter the letter "T". Then you would, directly after the -L command, create another command that used the -F menu command. Also give it a Key of "T", and when the user presses the letter "T" at the menu prompt, the -L command will be executed to clear the screen, and then the -F command will be executed to print a particular textfile. Command stacks can be as simple as this example, or far more complex, but the basic principle behind it remains the same. As long as the commands you wish to stack all contain the exact SAME Key field, your commands will be stacked. If your first command is K* and the command you want to stack after it is K, the stack will not work. Both commands need to be K* or K, and not a combination of both. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 90 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Below is a few examples that Lord Tracer wrote up. They accurately show command stacking and linking, and will give you a better picture of how it can be used. The examples shown use both the Menu Editor and the Command Editor. See Section 22.5 for information on how to use the Command Editor. Examples: GOODBYE.MNU - Pulldown Logoff Verify Menu ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Menu Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Name : │ │ (B) Password : │ │ (C) Fallback Menu : │ │ (D) Help ID : │ │ (E) Name In Prompt : │ │ (F) Menu Title : │ │ (G) Pulldown ANSI : LOGOFF.ANS │ │ (H) Edit Options │ │ (I) Generic Menus │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Use Pulldown Ansi LOGOFF.ANS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 91 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : Yes │ │ (D) Command Keys : [G │ │ (E) Keys : Y │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Y as a hotkey to logoff ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : Yes │ │ (D) Command Keys : -\ │ │ (E) Keys : N │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ N as a hotkey to go back ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : Yes │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : [G │ │ (E) Keys : 1 │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 1 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ "Yes" will appear in pulldown option 1 and when selected it will do a logoff. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 92 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : No │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -\ │ │ (E) Keys : 2 │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 2 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ "No" will appear in pulldown option 2 and when selected it will go back. Another example, the not very nice case. This was devised by me, Darkened Enmity, for Whiplash. He wanted to use a pulldown menu to select file conferences. I got the idea of the -* command and the use of & in the CString. I knew that would work, and the next day I wrote out the codes. This is the CONFHAND.MNU for you to look at since it is complex, but will allow you to understand how things are done. There is a menu called CONFSEL.MNU that will select the file conference in a pulldown. CONFSEL is called like this: Command 1 in Stack: Command Keys : -* Keys : T* Command String: * Command 2 in Stack: Command Keys : -/ Keys : T* Command String: CONFHAND Now here is CONFHAND.MNU: ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 93 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ╒═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Menu Editor │ ╘═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Name : │ │ (B) Password : │ │ (C) Fallback Menu : │ │ (D) Help ID : │ │ (E) Name In Prompt : │ │ (F) Menu Title : │ │ (G) Pulldown ANSI : │ │ (H) Edit Options │ │ (I) Generic Menus │ ╘═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Not very interesting, but then the user does not even know that it is doing anything. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -S │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : -B │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Turns off the B user flag. It will be used later in the menu as an indicator. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -M │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 94 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Compares the inputted variable with a blank string. Remember, before CONFHAND was called, the inputted variable was set to what was entered after T by the -* command. If what was entered was blank, the failflag is false, otherwise it is true. ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : \ │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -S │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : +B │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ This command will be executed if the failflag is true, in other words, what was entered after T was not blank. Therefore, if the user had type T1, then B will be set, otherwise it remains blank. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : JF │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : & │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ If flag B is set, the BBS will do a file conference jump to that conference. A trace through up until this point: User enters Txxx xxx is put into the input variable. The BBS compares xxx to a blank string, if they are not equal, flag B is set. The BBS joins relative file conference xxx. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 95 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -C │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Turns failflag off, that is necessary to know if the next command failed. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : FI │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Tries doing a file initialization. If its successful, fail flag is still false. ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB~\ │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -^ │ │ (E) Keys : FSCAN │ │ (F) Command String : │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 96 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── If flag B is set and the file init was successful, the BBS will go to FSCAN, the menu that asks if you want to scan the file bases. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : fB │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -^ │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : MAIN │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ If flag B is set, meaning the BBS would have tried initializing the file section and was not successful, and the BBS is still reading CONFHAND, then the BBS will go to the main menu. ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -^ │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : CONFSEL │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ If you are still in this menu, meaning that the user did not enter anything at the prompt, then go right ahead to CONFSEL. Yeah, a complex example that does not do much physically, yeah, I know, but it demonstrates a lot, plus it shows some similarities between high-level menu editing and assembly. 22.5: The Command Editor The Command Editor is where the dirty work actually happens. It is here that you design each level of your menus, from strings ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 97 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── displayed to commands processed, whether individual or stacked. ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Command Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Option Name : display info ansi │ │ (B) ACS : │ │ (C) Hidden : No │ │ (D) Command Keys : -F │ │ (E) Keys : FIRSTCMD │ │ (F) Command String : mustfill.inf │ │ (G) Pulldown ID : 0 │ │ ([) Previous Option │ │ (]) Next Option │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Option A is the name of the option, as shown in generic menus (and is generally for your own reference). Option B is the access required to use this option. Any of the ACS commands (see Section 2) are valid to use here. Option C determines if the option name will be shown in the generic menus. Option D is the command key to be executed. Option E is the key that the user must press to execute the command. There are two other keys you can as well as any other key on your keyboard: FIRSTCMD Executed when the user first enters the menu and before the prompt is even displayed. EACH Executed after every command in the menu before the prompt is displayed. Option F is the command string or CString. Not all menu commands use them, so look in the following sections for which ones make use of it and which do not. Option G is the Pulldown ID. This is used for pulldown menus (see Section 22.2). The following subsections deal with the different menu commands that are used in the menu editor. 22.5.1: -? : Control Commands ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 98 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── These menu commands are miscellaneous control commands that can be used in any menu anywhere on the system. They allow the sysop a wide range of manipulation on how the system looks and reacts and interfaces with the user and their account. Command Key: -A CString : <String to be displayed> Function : Writes CString into the Header (use with stacking). Command Key: -B CString : <String to display when invalid command is entered, blank if none> Function : Set the Bad Prompt to CString. Command Key: -C CString : None Function : Clears the FailFlag. Command Key: -D CString : ~ = .5 second delay; | = carriage return, ^X = CTRL-X. Make sure to put the modem back into online mode after executing this command, otherwise the BBS will be hung. Use the ATO command to put the modem into online mode. Also be sure to use the escape code (+++) to put the modem into command mode, or your commands won't get to the modem. Function : Sends CString to the modem. Command Key: -E CString : <String to be displayed> Function : Prints string with control (^) character support. See Section 22.2 for the listing of control codes. Command Key: -F CString : <FILENAME[.EXT]> Function : Displays a text or ansi file, where FILENAME.EXT is a valid DOS filename and is located in the textfile directory. [.EXT] may be omitted to turn on random file selection (FILENAME.1 to FILENAME.255). Command Key: -G CString : <X,Y> Function : Goes to the X,Y coordinates on the screen that are specified by the CString. Command Key: -H CString : <number value> Function : Gets string with hidden input, where the CString is the maximum number of characters a user can enter. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 99 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: -I CString : <number value> Function : Gets string with normal (displayed) input, where the CString is the maximum number of characters a user can enter. Command Key: -M CString : <String to check> Function : If the string entered with the -I or -H menu commands is not the CString, the FailFlag is set to true. Command Key: -N CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : Displays FILENAME.EXT from the user's current selected Status Screen Library. Command Key: -J CString : None Function : If the sysop is available, the FailFlag is set to false and if the sysop is not available, the FailFlag is set to true. Command Key: -K CString : <Menu name> Function : Changes starting menu to CString, so all -^ commands will set the fallback menu to the old starting menu. Command Key: -L CString : None Function : Clears the screen. Command Key: -O CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : Display's FILENAME.EXT from the user's current selected Menu Set Library. Command Key: -P CString : <X> Function : Pauses for X number of seconds. Command Key: -Q CString : <Menu prompt #> Function : Sets the current menu prompt number to the value in the CString. Command Key: -R CString : None Function : Prints a carriage return to the screen. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 100 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: -S CString : <+/-><Flag letter> Function : Changes user flags for the first user ACS flag set. A "-" followed by the flag letters will turn those flag letters off in the user's account. A "+" will turn the following flags on. Command Key: -T CString : <#> Function : Sets the current status screen library number to the value in the CString. Command Key: -V CString : <#> Function : Sets the current menuset library number to the value in the CString. Command Key: -U CString : <Menu name> Function : Sets the starting menu to the menu in the CString and sets the fallback of all the menus called with the -^ menu command to the menu in the CString. Command Key: -W CString : <String> Function : Writes the text in the CString to the sysop logs. This is a good command to use to keep track of the actions of your sysops and co-sysops by stacking it with other commands. Command Key: -X CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : Returns FailFlag as true if the filename in the CString does not exist. Command Key: -Y CString : <+/-><Flag letter> Function : Changes user flags for the second user ACS flag set. A "-" followed by the flag letters will turn those flag letters off in the user's account. A "+" will turn those flags on. Command Key: -Z CString : None Function : Pauses all other commands until output (send) buffer is empty. This is a good command to use for things like displaying a textfile before hanging up on a user. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 101 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Stack this command after the display textfile command and before the hang up command. Command Key: -1 CString : <+> or None Function : Sets screen pausing on or off (this is the variable a user determines in their user configuration). A "+" will turn screen pausing on and anything else will turn it off. Command Key: -2 CString : <+> or None Function : Suspends screen pausing until the next textfile display. A "+" will suspend pausing and anything else will return it to the default setting. Command Key: -3 CString : <#> Function : Adds the number of minutes specified by the number in the CString to the user's time. Command Key: -4 CString : <#> Function : Removes the number of minutes specified by the number in the CString from the user's time. Command Key: -+ CString : None Function : Displays a random WELCOME.x file from the textfile directory. Command Key: -| CString : None Function : Checks the user's infoforms to make sure that he has filled out all of the mandatory infoforms. If he has not filled one out, the system will force the user to fill out the infoform he had not previously filled out. Command Key: -@ CString : None Function : Displays the system notices. Command Key: -_ CString : None Function : Pages the sysop if the user has the Wanted flag set. (The Wanted flag can be toggled for anyone's account in the user editor. See Section 8.2.) Command Key: -/ CString : <Menu name> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 102 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Goes to the menu in the CString and sets the fallback menu to the current menu. Command Key: -\ CString : None Function : Goes to the fallback menu and sets the fallback to the previous fallback menu. Command Key: -^ CString : <Menu name> Function : Goes to the menu name in the CString and sets the fallback to the starting menu. Command Key: -{ CString : <Menu name> Function : Goes to the menu specified in the CString, but will not execute any FIRSTCMD statements. Command Key: -} CString : None Function : Drops to the previous menu, but will not execute any FIRSTCMD statements. Command Key: -$ CString : <Menu name> Function : Goes to the menu specified in the CString, keeping the current fallback menu and will process FIRSTCMD statements. Command Key: -% CString : <Menu name> Function : Goes to the menu specified in the CString, keeping the current fallback menu, but will not process FIRSTCMD statements. Command Key: -* CString : <String> Function : Sets the input variable usually inputted with the -I and -H commands to the string in the CString. Command Key: -= CString : <Security level> Function : Sets the current user's security level to the security level specified in the CString. This can be a potentially dangerous command if not used correctly. Command Key: -& CString : None Function : After the execution of an external program via door commands, the errorlevel with which the external ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 103 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── program will be placed into the input string (the same string set with the -I and -H menu commands) and can be checked using the -M menu command. Command Key: -( CString : None Function : Prints Prompt #1 (Press Enter) and waits for the user to press enter. Command Key: -> CString : <Infoform set> Function : Changes to the infoform set specified in the CString. Command Key: -; CString : None Function : Toggles locking of output to the modem. This command must be used again to unlock the output to the modem. Command Key: -: CString : None Function : Toggles locking of input from the modem. This command must be used again to unlock the input from the modem. All characters that the user types are stored in a buffer until after another -: command is issued again. Command Key: -- CString : None Function : Displays and gets input in the same format as a prompt string. Command Key: -# CString : <#> Function : Sets the user's remaining time left to the value in the CString. Command Key: -! CString : <String> Function : Displays the current menu prompt using the CString as the name in the prompt. Command Key: -. CString : <drive:\path\FILENAME.EXT> Function : Sends the filename specified in the CString to the user. This command will automatically check to make sure the file is not in the menu or data directories and will abort if it is. Command Key: -< ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 104 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── CString : <Absolute prompt #>,<Other Text 1>φ<Other Text 2> Function : Displays prompt string specified in the CString, and will use Other Text 1 in place of |OT and Other Text 2 instead of |O2 that were defined in the real string. For example, instead of displaying the time and number of downloads in a string, it could be used to display anything you like. This will override what Oblivion/2 usually fills those MCI codes with, with your own text. Command Key: -~ CString : <String> or None Function : Sets the chat reason in the sysop's status bar to the string in the CString. If the CString is empty, the BBS removes the chat reason from the status bar. Command Key: -" CString : None Function : Sets the number of lines scrolled to 0. This is used to stop the screen from pausing (if turned on in the user's account) for another screenful of text. Command Key: -, CString : <Pulldown ID> Function : Sets the starting option in a pulldown menu to the ID in the CString. Command Key: -' CString : None Function : Turns on pulldown menu "re-entrance". This will return the user to the selected option when the user re-enters the pulldown menu. This will only work if the command the user chose does not take them to another menu. When a user chooses an option that does not take them to a menu, upon returning to the menu (ie. if the BBS swapped out for a door game) the option they had just selected will remain highlighted. Command Key: -` CString : None Function : Turns off pulldown menu "re-entrance". 22.5.2: &? : MultiNode Commands These menu commands are for use with multinode systems and allow ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 105 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── users to interact with other users on different nodes. Command Key: &A CString : None Function : Asks user whether or not he wishes to be available for multinode chat. Command Key: &C CString : None Function : Enter multinode chat. Command Key: &D CString : <String> Function : Changes the multinode activity in the logs to the string specified in the CString. Command Key: &F CString : None Function : Forces a user into multinode chat. Command Key: &L CString : None Function : Views the log of a user on another node. Command Key: &M CString : None Function : Sends a multinode message to a user on another node. Command Key: &N CString : None Function : Allows a user to kick a user off of another node. Since this command has some power, it is best to restrict it's use to sysops and co-sysops. Command Key: &R CString : None Function : Allows user on current node to join multinode split screen chat. Command Key: &S CString : None Function : Views multinode status. Command Key: &U CString : None Function : Sends a multinode message to all available nodes. Command Key: &X CString : <String> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 106 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Sends the text in the CString as a multinode message to all available nodes. Command Key: &[ CString : None Function : Sets user as available for multinode chat. Command Key: &] CString : None Function : Sets user as unavailable for multinode chat. 22.5.3: {? : Matrix Commands These menu commands are used to load the bbs or allow callers to page the sysop or leave the sysop feedback without actually logging into the system. A matrix is the menu that allows callers to either log in or do different functions. It is similar to a frontend system. Command Key: {A CString : None Function : Applies as a new user. If the user completes the application, the FailFlag is set to false, otherwise it is set to true. Command Key: {C CString : None Function : Checks user access. If the user is validated, the FailFlag is set to false, otherwise it is set to true. Command Key: {D CString : None Function : If the user can logon with an account and password and doesn't need the system password, the FailFlag is set to false, otherwise it is set to true. Command Key: {F CString : <User number> Function : Leaves feedback to the user number specified in the CString. Command Key: {G CString : None Function : Logs off of the matrix. Command Key: {L ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 107 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── CString : <System password>,<Errorlevel> Function : Launches an additional system. The system password is the password the user needs to be dropped to the other system, and the errorlevel is the errorlevel Oblivion/2 will exit with (use in co-ordination with the IF ERRORLEVEL commands in your batchfile). Command Key: {P CString : None Function : Matrix chat. Command Key: {S CString : <#> Function : Loads the main BBS system, where # is the number to use for logins. For example, a CString of 5 would show PRELOGON.5, SYSPASS.5, and USERLOG.5. This can be used for enhanced matrix effects. Command Key: {T CString : <#> Function : Sets the FailFlag to false if the user is able to get to the main system through knowing the system password and having an account. This could be used for stacking commands at the matrix without actually logging into the BBS. It uses the same CString system as the {S menu command. Command Key: {X CString : None Function : Drops into the BBS. This command should be used with caution. 22.5.4: !? : Global Newscan Commands These menu commands are used to newscan either message or file conferences for new messages/files. Command Key: !A CString : None Function : Newscans message and file conferences. Command Key: !F CString : None Function : Newscans file conferences. Command Key: !M CString : None ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 108 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Newscans message conferences. 22.5.5: .? : Door Commands These menu commands are used to load up online door games or other doors for the users to play or use. Please refer to OBV.FAQ for information on how to setup doors with Oblivion/2. Command Key: .E CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : Executes FILENAME.EXT in your main BBS directory without creating a dropfile. The following percent codes are valid: %1 Connect rate %2 User number Command Key: .N CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : Creates a RBBS DORINFO1.DEF dropfile with COMO in the dropfile if you are local and executes FILENAME.EXT in the doors directory. Command Key: .R CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : Creates a RBBS DORINFO1.DEF dropfile with LOCAL in the dropfile if you are local and executes FILENAME.EXT in the doors directory. Command Key: .S CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : Creates a SRE DOOR.SR dropfile and executes FILENAME.EXT in the doors directory. Command Key: .T CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : Creates a standard DOOR.SYS dropfile (GAP, Telegard, WildCat! v3.0, etc.) and executes FILENAME.EXT in the doors directory. Command Key: .U CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : Creates a standard DOOR.SYS dropfile (GAP, Telegard, WildCat! v3.0, etc.) and executes FILENAME.EXT in the doors directory. This command is different from .T in that it will read the DOOR.SYS file on return and adjust ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 109 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── user records accordingly. This is the command you would use for CBV's, etc. 22.5.6: ^? : New User Voting Commands These menu commands are used for New User Voting. If you do not validate your users immediately upon application, they can be placed into NUV where a select group of people with the proper access, or all of your users, can vote on them as to whether they will receive access to the system. The ACS string for all NUV commands is as follows: <NUV level>,<Yes votes>,<No votes>,<Success>,<Deny>,<Val> where NUV level The security level of users to be voted on. Yes votes Number of yes votes needed for validation. No votes Number of no votes needed for denial. Success Security level given to validated users. Deny Security level given to denied users. Val Set to "+" to validate the user and give him the default levels and flags. For example: 10,20,15,50,1,+ would be: Users with a security level of 10 are to be voted on; they need 20 votes of Yes to be validated or 15 votes of No to be denied; they are given security level 50 if validated or security level 1 if denied; they will be given all the new user defaults as defined in the Configuration (see Section 3.12). Command Key: ^D CString : None Function : Begins new user voting without asking the user if they would like to skip it. Command Key: ^L CString : None Function : Lists the users that are currently in NUV. Command Key: ^S CString : <Q> or None ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 110 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Asks the user if they would like to vote on any new users. If "Q" is specified in the CString, the users cannot quit NUV. Command Key: ^Q CString : None Function : Goes through NUV without allowing the user to skip a user or exit. 22.5.7: *? : Sysop Commands This set of menu commands are all potentially dangerous commands if used by the wrong people. Use them with caution. These are menu commands that are reserved for sysops. Command Key: *# CString : None Function : Enters the menu editor. Command Key: *B CString : None Function : Allows the sysop to edit and view the system Blacklist. Command Key: *C CString : None Function : Enters the system configuration menu. Command Key: *D CString : None Function : Enters the MiniDOS. Command Key: *E CString : None Function : Enters the prompt editor. Command Key: *I CString : None Function : Shows user infoforms. Command Key: *K CString : None Function : Clears (resets) user infoforms. Command Key: *L CString : None Function : Shows the sysop logs. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 111 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: *M CString : None Function : Allows the sysop to make a user. Command Key: *P CString : None Function : Enters the protocol editor. Command Key: *R CString : None Function : Enters the menu prompt editor. Command Key: *S CString : None Function : Allows the sysop to edit and view either the menuset libraries or the status screen libraries. Command Key: *T CString : None Function : Runs the internal text editor. Command Key: *U CString : None Function : Enters the user editor. Command Key: *V CString : None Function : Enters the event editor. Command Key: *X CString : None Function : Views the voting booth results. Command Key: *Y CString : None Function : Enters the parameter editor. Command Key: *Z CString : None Function : Enters the archiver editor. 22.5.8: +? : Color Setting Commands These menu commands are used to set the user's color configuration. The number defined in the CString is a value of 1 through 15 as they correspond to the foreground color codes (ie. 15 is bright white). ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 112 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: +1 CString : <#> Function : Sets the user's regular color to the value in the CString. Command Key: +2 CString : <#> Function : Sets the user's prompt color to the value in the CString. Command Key: +3 CString : <#> Function : Sets the user's input color to the value in the CString. Command Key: +4 CString : <#> Function : Sets the user's inverse color to the value in the CString. Command Key: +5 CString : <#> Function : Sets the user's status color to the value in the CString. Command Key: +6 CString : <#> Function : Sets the user's box color to the value in the CString. Command Key: +S CString : None Function : Sets the user's default color configuration to the colors defined in the system configuration. 22.5.9: [? : Main Menu Commands These menu commands are miscellaneous system commands that are primarily used in the main menu but can be used for various functions almost anywhere. Command Key: [A CString : None Function : Edits the user's autosignature. Command Key: [C ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 113 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── CString : <N> or <A> Function : Pages the sysop to chat. A CString of "N" will not ask for a chat reason, and a CString of "A" will force the sysop to be available. Command Key: [D CString : <#> Function : Makes the user fill out the infoform specified by the CString (ie. a CString of 2 will force the user to fill out INFOFORM.2). Command Key: [F CString : <Infoform#>,<Template> Function : Fills out the infoform specified in the CString to the template file specified in the CString. The template format is a filename without an extension or trailing period. For example, a CString of "12,C:\APPS\OBVAPP" would fill out INFOFORM.12 and write it to the textfile C:\APPS\OBVAPP.1, and the next would be OBVAPP.2, and so on. You are not limited to the traditional 5 infoforms with this command, and can have the user fill out any infoform from 1 to 999, as long as the filename is INFOFORM and the extension is the infoform number. Command Key: [G CString : None Function : Logs the user off of the system and displays GOODBYE.ANS before disconnection. Command Key: [H CString : None Function : Logs the user off of the system and does not display GOODBYE.ANS. Command Key: [I CString : None Function : Fills out infoforms and prompts user for which infoform to fill out (1-5). Command Key: [K CString : <FILENAME.EXT> Function : User configuration. With this command you can create multiple "konfig" screens that the user can use, using the same MCI codes as CONFSCR.ANS (the default configuration screen, see Section 28.2). These screens must be coded into your status screen libraries (see Section 4.2). Command Key: [L CString : None ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 114 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Displays a complete user list. Command Key: [S CString : None Function : Displays system statistics. This command will either display SYSSTAT.ANS (in the current status screen library or the textfile directory) or else display an internal display if no ansis are found. Command Key: [U CString : <Max total time> <Max day's deposit> Function : Internal time bank. The maximum total time is the maximum amount of time available for users to store in the time bank, and the maximum day's deposit is how much they can deposit per day. Command Key: [V CString : <#> or None Function : Views the daily log where # is the amount of days back to display. If the CString is left blank, the entire system log is displayed. Command Key: [W CString : <1-20> Function : Lists the last callers to the system, and can be in the range of 1 caller through 20 callers. Command Key: [X CString : None Function : Transfers to another user's account. This command should be restricted to sysop's alone, as it allows one user to (in essence) log off and log back in as a different user with full use of their account. Command Key: [Y CString : None Function : Displays the user's statistics (in the file USERSTAT.ANS which is found in the status screen libraries or the textfile directory). Command Key: [+ CString : None Function : Allows the user to change their password. Command Key: [- CString : None Function : Forces the user to change their password. 22.5.10: C? : Conference Editor Commands ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 115 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── These menu commands allow you to edit and manipulate your message and file conferences. Command Key: CA CString : None Function : Adds a conference. Command Key: CD CString : None Function : Deletes a conference. Command Key: CE CString : None Function : Edits a conference. Command Key: CI CString : None Function : Initializes the conference editor. This has to be done before you can actually edit your conferences. Command Key: CL CString : None Function : Lists all conferences. Command Key: CR CString : None Function : Reorders the conferences. Command Key: CT CString : None Function : Selects conference type (messages or files). Command Key: CU CString : None Function : Lists users with access to a conference. 22.5.11: D? : Data Area Commands These menu commands are used to manipulate the data areas. The data areas are not unlike an online database that is completely configurable to the sysop's tastes and can be used for many different things. See Section 16 for more information on the data areas. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 116 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: DA CString : None Function : Adds data to current data area. Command Key: DD CString : None Function : Deletes data from current data area. Command Key: DC CString : None Function : Edits data in current data area. Command Key: DE CString : None Function : Edits selected data area. Command Key: DF CString : None Function : Lists data in current data area without asking for range limits. Command Key: DG CString : None Function : Puts the current data area listing into a file and if remote, will send it via file transfer. This option would be equivalent to turning on your term program's capture feature and listing the data area. Command Key: DK CString : None Function : Deletes selected data area. Command Key: DL CString : None Function : Lists data in current data area with asking for range limits. Command Key: DM CString : None Function : Adds a data area. Command Key: DR CString : None Function : Displays a random entry in the current data area, using the list prefix followed by RAN.ANS. See Section 28.3 for more information. Command Key: DS CString : None Function : Shows a data entry in the current data area. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 117 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: D* CString : <#> or None Function : Changes to the data area specified in the CString (by using the data area's ID number). If the CString is blank, the user will be prompted for which data area to select. 22.5.12: E? : Email Commands These menu commands are used to read and write and otherwise manipulate private email. Private email is messages that are written directly to another user on the system, or written to a group of users as defined in the Group Manager (see Section 17.2). Command Key: EA CString : None Function : Sysop option to scan email. This will scan all email, regardless of sender or receiver. Command Key: EB CString : None Function : Looks in a user's mailbox to view email. Command Key: ED CString : <#> or None Function : Deletes incoming email, where the number in the CString is the email number to delete. If the CString is blank, the user is prompted for which piece of email to delete. Command Key: EE CString : <#> or None Function : Edits outgoing email, where the number in the CString is the email number to edit. If the CString is blank, the user is prompted for which piece of email to edit. Command Key: EF CString : <#> or None Function : Forwards incoming email, where the number in the CString is the email number to forward. If the CString is blank, the user is prompted for which piece of email to forward. Command Key: EG CString : None ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 118 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Edits email groups. See Section 17.2 for more information on email groups. Command Key: EI CString : None Function : Lists incoming email. Command Key: EK CString : <#> or None Function : Kills outgoing email, where the number in the CString is the email number to kill. If the CString is blank, the user is prompted for which piece of email to kill. Command Key: EL CString : None Function : Lists incoming and outgoing email. This command would be the equivalent of stacking an EI menu command with an EO menu command directly after it. Command Key: EM CString : None Function : Memorizes email. Be sure to put the M! menu command in the email menu or stacked in your logoff commands so that the user can download the email capture. Command Key: EN CString : None Function : Scans for new email. Command Key: EO CString : None Function : Lists outgoing email. Command Key: EP CString : <#> or None Function : Replies to incoming email, where the number in the CString is the email number to reply to. If the CString is blank, the user is prompted for which piece of email to reply to. Command Key: ER CString : <#> or None Function : Reads incoming email, where the number in the CString is the email number to read. If the CString is blank, the user is prompted for which piece of email to read. Command Key: ES CString : <#> or None ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 119 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Sends email message, where the number in the CString is the user number to whom the email should be sent. If the CString is blank, the user is prompted for which user he wishes to send email to. Command Key: ET CString : None Function : Shows incoming/outgoing email information, displaying the number of incoming email and the number of outgoing email. Command Key: EV CString : <#> or None Function : Views outgoing email, where the number in the CString is the email number to view. If the CString is blank, the user is prompted for which piece of email to view. Command Key: EX CString : None Function : Purges filemail older than the number of days defined in the Configuration (Section 3.9). Command Key: EY CString : None Function : Allows the user to read their email without it being marked as read. (Also known as Spy Mail.) Command Key: EZ CString : None Function : Packs email and physically removes all deleted messages. It's best to do this every once in a while to speed up email operations. Command Key: E+ CString : None Function : Allows user to read all mail. This command is used with the Email Tag System (see Section 17.1). Command Key: E- CString : None Function : Allows user to read only his own mail. This commands is used with the Email Tag System (see Section 17.1). Command Key: E$ CString : <#> Function : Sets the incoming email tag to the value in the CString, where the valid range is 0 through 255. Command Key: E# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 120 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── CString : <#> Function : Sets the outgoing email tag to the value in the CString, where the valid range is 0 through 255. 22.5.13: F? : File Commands These menu commands are used to list, view, and otherwise manipulate the files that are on your board. They are primarily used in the file menu. Command Key: FA CString : None Function : Lists all file areas in the current conference but does not prompt the user for which area to switch to. Command Key: FB CString : None Function : Enters the batch manipulation menu. Command Key: FC CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Changes files. If a filename is specified in the CString, or a file number (of file in current area), then that file will be edited, or the system will prompt if the CString is blank. Command Key: FD CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Downloads files. If a filename is specified in the CString, or a file number (of file in current area), then that file will be downloaded, or the system will prompt in the CString is blank. Command Key: FE CString : None Function : Newscans the current file area. Command Key: FF CString : None Function : Newscans all file areas in current conference. Command Key: FG CString : <Operation name>,<Batchfile> Function : Custom File Operations. This command is used to add functions not internally supported by Oblivion/2. This command works via using DOS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 121 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── batchfiles for manipulation. The custom file operations menu command will create a list of files that are in the user's batch queue with full drive and pathnames, called FILELIST., which is found in the work directory. The Operation Name in the CString is used in prompt #XX (Enter up to 50 files to <Operation Name>.). The batchfile then tells the BBS which DOS commands to execute. An example of a custom file operation is this: Perhaps you have an artwork oriented board with a number of ansis uncompressed in your file lists. The user then tags which ansis he would like to download, and then selects an option called "Zip Up" which will zip up all of the ansis into one archive for them to download (as opposed to them downloading 50 ansis). This is how it would be executed: Command Key: FG CString : Zip Up,ZIP.BAT ZIP.BAT would look as follows: @echo off C:\OBV\PKZIP.EXE %1ZIPDANSI @%1FILELIST. where %1 is the full drive and path of the work directory. When expanded, the commandline of ZIP.BAT would look like this: C:\OBV\PKZIP.EXE C:\OBV\WORK\ZIPDANSI.ZIP @C:\OBV\WORK\FILELIST. Command Key: FI CString : None Function : Initializes the file areas in the selected file conference. This command must be used before any file manipulation or any file area listing. Command Key: FK CString : None Function : User configurable file list configuration. Command Key: FL CString : None Function : Lists files in the current file area. Command Key: FM CString : None Function : Bi-Directional file transfers. Keep in mind that for bi-directional file transfers, you must have a program that will convert the protocol's log files ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 122 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── into a DSZ compatible log file format. The filename it creates must be the same as the logname defined in the Configuration (see Section 3.6) with a U or D as the last character in the filename's extension. For example, if the logname was defined as C:\OBV\DSZLOG, the filename would have to be C:\OBV\DSZLOG.1U or C:\OBV\DSZLOG.1D for uploads or downloads, respectively. Command Key: FN CString : None Function : Newscans file areas, and prompts user whether they wish to scan all areas or only the current area. Command Key: FO CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Shows extended information on files. If a filename is specified in the CString, or a file number (of file in current file area), then that file's info will be displayed, or the system will prompt if the CString is blank. Command Key: FP CString : None Function : Requests files, and will generate a sysop notice for each file requested. Command Key: FQ CString : <+/-><Option number> Function : This command is used to toggle options in the user's file listing configuration. A "+" followed by option numbers will turn those options on, while a "-" will turn the following options off. Valid options are: 0 Turns all options off. 1 Turns on file status. 2 Turns on file points. 3 Turns on file size. 4 Turns on file upload date. 5 Turns on file number of downloads. 6 Turns on file uploader. 7 Turns on file description Command Key: FR CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Resumes files. If a filename is specified in the CString, or a file number (of file in current file area), then that file will be resumed, or the system will prompt if the CString is blank. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 123 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: FS CString : <#> or None Function : Selects file area from current file conference. If the CString contains a number, then that file area will be selected, otherwise the system will prompt the user. Command Key: FT CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Types text files. If a filename is specified in the CString, or a file number (of file in current file area), then that file will be typed, or the system will prompt if the CString is blank. Command Key: FU CString : <Blind> or None Function : Uploads files. If the CString contains the word "blind" then the system will not prompt for filenames and descriptions until after the files have been received, otherwise it will prompt first. Command Key: FV CString : None Function : Views a list of files contained in an archive. Command Key: FW CString : None Function : Lists users with access to the current file area. Command Key: FX CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Extracts files. If a filename is specified in the CString, or a file number (of file in current file area), then that file will be extracted, or the system will prompt if the CString is blank. This will extract files from an archive for user viewing (ie. with the type files command). Command Key: FY CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Displays FILESTAT.ANS (user's file statistics screen). Command Key: FZ CString : None Function : Performs a key word or wildcard search for files. Command Key: F[ CString : None Function : Goes to previous file area. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 124 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: F] CString : None Function : Goes to next file area. Command Key: F| CString : <-> or None Function : Generates a complete file list of all files listed that the user has access to. If the CString contains "-" then the output file will be strictly ascii, if the CString is blank, the output file will contain ansi codes. Command Key: F= CString : <Y/N> or None Function : Toggles scrollable file listings. If the CString is "Y" then scrolling listings are on, if the CString is "N" then they are off. If the CString is blank, it will toggle the listings (ie. if scrolling is on and CString is blank, when selected scrolling will be off). Command Key: F+ CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Tags files. If a filename is specified in the CString, or a file number (of file in current file area), then that file will be tagged, or the system will prompt if the CString is blank. 22.5.14: J? : Join Conference Commands These menu commands are used to join different conferences, whether they be message or file conferences. You will need to understand one thing for these menu commands to make sense to you. There are two "kinds" of conferences, relative and absolute. Relative conferences are the number of conferences that the user "sees", or has access to. If, for example, you have 5 file conferences, but a user only has access to 3 of them, he will see conferences 1, 2, and 3 regardless of whether he may have access to conferences 1, 3, and 5. Absolute conferences are those where the conference number never varies. If the user does not have access to a conference, he will be able to see it, whereas with relative conferences he would not see it. A user might be able to join a deleted conference if you use the absolute conference method. Command Key: JF CString : <#> or None Function : Joins relative file conference in the CString or ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 125 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── the system will prompt if the CString is blank. If the user presses "Q", the FailFlag will be set to true, otherwise it will be false. Command Key: JM CString : <#> or None Function : Joins relative message conference in the CString or the system will prompt if the CString is blank. If the user presses "Q", the FailFlag will be set to true, otherwise it will be false. Command Key: JS CString : <Conference ID> Function : Joins absolute message conference specified in the CString. Command Key: JT CString : <Conference ID> Function : Joins absolute file conference specified in the CString. 22.5.15: M? : Message Commands These menu commands are used for reading messages and manipulating messages online. They are primarily used in your message menu. Command Key: MB CString : None Function : Scans messages backwards by title. Command Key: MC CString : None Function : Newscan configuration for the current conference. This allows users to choose which message bases will be included in their newscans and QWK packets by using the spacebar to toggle areas. Command Key: MD CString : None Function : Deletes a message. Command Key: ME CString : None Function : Edits a message. Command Key: MF CString : None ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 126 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Newscans all message bases in current conference. Command Key: MG CString : None Function : Displays BCHANGE.ANS. Command Key: MH CString : <#> Function : Selects message header where CString can be: 0 Internal header 1 External header (HEADER.ANS) 2 External header #1 (HEADER.1) 3 External header #2 (HEADER.2) etc... The HEADER.ANS file is found in the status screen libraries and the HEADER.x files can be found either in the status screen libraries or the textfile directory. Command Key: MI CString : <N> or None Function : Initializes the message bases in this conference. This command must be used before any base listing or message reading commands. If the CString is "N" then BCHANGE.ANS will not be displayed, otherwise it will. Command Key: MJ CString : <T/F/D/I/X> Function : Newscans message by type, but does not update lastread pointers, where type is: T To current user. F From current user. D After date. I Containing certain information. X Containing certain text. Command Key: ML CString : None Function : Lists message bases in current conference. Command Key: MM CString : <#> or None Function : Memorizes the message number in the CString, or will prompt the user if the CString is blank. Command Key: MN CString : None Function : Newscans message bases and prompts the user whether ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 127 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── they wish to scan all bases or only the current base. Command Key: MO CString : <T/F/D/I/X> Function : Newscans messages by type and will update the lastread pointers. This command uses the same CString format as the MJ command. Command Key: MP CString : None Function : Posts a message. Command Key: MR CString : None Function : Reads messages. Command Key: MS CString : <#> or None Function : Selects the message base specified in the CString or the system will prompt if the CString is blank. Command Key: MT CString : None Function : Reads messages in the current base with reply reading newscan (basically follows the reply threads in a consecutive format in regards to message titles). Command Key: MU CString : None Function : Lists users with access to the current conference. Command Key: MV CString : None Function : Reads messages in the current base with normal reading newscan. Command Key: MW CString : <#> or None Function : Scans message from the message number in the CString (or system prompted user entry) for forward title scanning. Command Key: MZ CString : None Function : Scans for new system news (scans through all mandatory message bases that the user has access to). Command Key: M[ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 128 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── CString : <N> or None Function : Goes to the previous message base. If the CString contains an "N" then BCHANGE.ANS will not be displayed, otherwise it will. The FailFlag is set to true if the user is at the first message base. Command Key: M] CString : <N> or None Function : Goes to the next message base. If the CString contains an "N" then BCHANGE.ANS will not be displayed, otherwise it will. The FailFlag is set to true if the user is at the last message base. Command Key: M! CString : None Function : Downloads captured messages. 22.5.16: N? : Message Reading Commands These commands are used within message reading. With these menu commands, it is possible to create your own message reading or message newscan sub-menus instead of using the internal one. Command Key: N# CString : <#> Function : Reads the message number specified in the CString in the current message base. Command Key: NA CString : None Function : Reads the current message again. Command Key: NB CString : None Function : Backwards thread of messages. Command Key: ND CString : None Function : Deletes current message. Command Key: NE CString : None Function : Edits the current message. Command Key: NF CString : None Function : Reads messages with forward title scan (scans for ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 129 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── upcoming messages with a similar title) with lastread pointer advance (updates lastread pointer with each match). Command Key: NG CString : None Function : Sets the lastread message pointer to the current message. Command Key: NI CString : None Function : Sets the FailFlag to true if the user is at the last message in the current base. Command Key: NL CString : None Function : Sets the FailFlag to true if the user is at the last message base in the current conference. Command Key: NM CString : None Function : Memorizes the current message. Command Key: NN CString : None Function : Reads the next message in the current base. Command Key: NO CString : None Function : Backward title scan from the current message in the current base. Command Key: NP CString : None Function : Private reply to the current message. Places the reply in email. Command Key: NR CString : None Function : Replies to the current message. Places the reply in the current message base. Command Key: NS CString : <#> or None Function : Sets the current message in single message reading to the previous message if the current message number is greater than the number specified by the CString. Command Key: NT CString : None ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 130 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Forward title scan from the current message in the current base. Command Key: NU CString : None Function : Moves the reading pointer to the message that is stored as the lastread message. This command will begin the user reading at their lastread message. Command Key: NX CString : None Function : Reads messages with backwards title scan (scans for previous messages with a similar title) with lastread pointer retreat (updates lastread pointer with each match). Command Key: NY CString : None Function : Returns the FailFlag if the current message base is not in the user's newscan (by means of them toggling the base off in their newscan configuration). 22.5.17: Q? : QWKMail Menu Commands These commands are used for QWK packet manipulation. A QWK packet is an extraction of all the messages on the board that the user has access to which is archived and sent to them so that they can read it offline with an offline reader such as BlueWave. Command Key: QD CString : None Function : Updates the lastread message number to the first message after the date specified by the user (ie. if the user specified 01/12/96, all messages written previous to this date will be marked as read, while messages written on and after this date will be marked as unread). Command Key: QL CString : None Function : Allows the user to edit the last QWK reply (.REP) upload date. Command Key: QM CString : None Function : Makes a QWK packet for the user. If the user ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 131 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── presses ESC twice during the creation process, it will be aborted. Command Key: QR CString : None Function : Allows the user to upload a QWK reply (.REP) packet. Command Key: QU CString : None Function : Updates the user's lastread pointers so that all messages are marked as read. This command would be a good one to force on new users when they first logon the board so that they don't download a massive QWK packet. 22.5.18: R? : Top Ten Listing Commands These menu commands are used to display top ten listings to the users. For all of the top ten listing menu commands, there is a similar feature in the CString for each command. If you place an * behind the top ten header (as defined in the CString), the listing will not pause and prompt for a return from the user. If the CString contains only a header with no * at the end, the listing will prompt for a return. Command Key: RA CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by best uploaders where the header in the CString is the header to display in the list. Command Key: RB CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by worst uploaders. Command Key: RC CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by best downloaders. Command Key: RD CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by worst downloaders. Command Key: RE CString : <Header> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 132 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Function : Top ten list by best post/call ratio. Command Key: RF CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by worst post/call ratio. Command Key: RG CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by best uploaders in Kbytes. Command Key: RH CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by worst uploaders in Kbytes. Command Key: RI CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by best downloaders in Kbytes. Command Key: RJ CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by worst downloaders in Kbytes. Command Key: RK CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by best message posters. Command Key: RL CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by worst message posters. Command Key: RM CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by best callers. Command Key: RN CString : <Header> Function : Top ten list by worst callers. 22.5.19: S? : Message Base Sponsor Commands These menu commands are basically sysop commands for message base creation and manipulation. Access should only be given to sysops, co-sysops, or message base sponsors. Command Key: SC CString : None Function : Duplicates current message base to a new one. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 133 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: SE CString : None Function : Edits the current message base. Command Key: SK CString : None Function : Deletes the current message base. Command Key: SM CString : None Function : Creates a message base. Command Key: SP CString : None Function : Packs the message bases. This is a useful command to run every once in a while to keep the message bases smaller. Command Key: SR CString : None Function : Reorders the message bases. Command Key: SX CString : None Function : Moves a message from one base to another base. Command Key: S@ CString : None Function : Toggles user access to all message bases. 22.5.20: T? : File Sponsor Commands These menu commands are basically sysop commands for file base and file creation/manipulation. Access should only be given to sysops, co-sysops, or file sponsors. Command Key: TA CString : None Function : Locally adds files to the file areas. Command Key: TC CString : None Function : Cleans up offline files. Any files with a status of offline (files that are listed but are not physically present on the hard drive) will be deleted from the file listings. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 134 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: TD CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Deletes files from the file listings, where the beginning file is the filename or file number (of file in current file area) specified in the CString, or the system will prompt if the CString is empty. Command Key: TE CString : None Function : Edits the current file area. Command Key: TF CString : <FILENAME> or <#> or None Function : Moves files from one file area to another, where the beginning file is the filename or file number (of file in current file area) specified in the CString, or the system will prompt if the CString is empty. Command Key: TH CString : None Function : Packs the file description file. This is a good command to run every once in a while as the descriptions of deleted files remain in the description file until it is packed. Command Key: TJ CString : None Function : If a file doesn't exist in the directory specified by it's individual file record, this command will change the file record directory to the directory specified in the current base's configuration. This command should be used when you want to move an entire file area from one drive or directory to another. Instead of editing each file's directory or manually moving all of the files inside Oblivion/2, simply move all of the files from the old directory to the new directory, change the file area's directory (in it's configuration), and then run this menu command, and all of the files will have their paths updated to the new directory. Command Key: TK CString : None Function : Deletes the current file area. Command Key: TM CString : None Function : Makes a new file area. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 135 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Command Key: TN CString : None Function : Duplicates current file area to a new one. Command Key: TP CString : None Function : Globally reassigns file points to the new value. If, for example, the files in one file area were worth 1 credit per 10k and you wanted to change it to 2 credits per 10k, you could do it with this command. Command Key: TR CString : None Function : Reorders the file areas. Command Key: TS CString : None Function : Sorts the files in the current file area according to the area's configured sort method. Command Key: TT CString : None Function : Tags all files that are physically missing from the directory specified in it's individual file record as offline, and any files previously with an offline status that have been returned to the hard drive will be tagged as available. Command Key: TU CString : None Function : Globally uploads all files in directories specified in the file area configuration that are not currently in the file listing. This is only for local files. Command Key: TV CString : None Function : Validates new uploads that are not yet validated. Command Key: T@ CString : None Function : Toggles user access to all file areas. Command Key: T+ CString : <#> Function : Increases the user's file points by the value specified in the CString. Command Key: T- ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 136 Section 22 MENU EDITOR ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── CString : <#> Function : Decreases the user's file points by the value specified in the CString. Command Key: T= CString : <#> Function : Sets the user's total file points to the value specified in the CString. 22.5.21: V? : Voting Commands These menu commands are used primarily in the voting menu to create, list, respond to, and otherwise manipulate voting questions. Command Key: VA CString : None Function : Adds a voting question. Command Key: VC CString : None Function : Checks for unanswered mandatory voting questions. Command Key: VD CString : <#> or None Function : Deletes the voting question specified in the CString or the system will prompt if the CString is empty. Command Key: VL CString : None Function : Lists all voting questions the user has access to. Command Key: VR CString : <#> or None Function : Answers the voting question specified in the CString or the system will prompt if the CString is empty. Command Key: VS CString : <#> or None Function : Shows the results of the voting question specified in the CString or the system will prompt if the CString is empty. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 137 Section 23 FILE AREAS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 23: FILE AREAS 23.1: File Area Editor The File Area Editor is where you would define your file areas for your BBS. Remember, you can have 255 file areas per conference, and 255 file conferences. The File Area Editor looks similar to this: ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Command : (Q)uit Oblivion/2 Area Editor │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ╒══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ (A) Area Name : User Uploads │ │ (B) Access ACS : │ │ (C) Upload ACS : │ │ (D) Download ACS : │ │ (E) List ACS : │ │ (F) Sponsor : Lasher │ │ (G) Password : │ │ (H) Area File Name : uploads │ │ (I) Path : c:\uploads\ │ │ (J) Default Sort : F │ │ (K) File Area Mult : 1 │ │ (L) Free Area : No │ │ (M) Copy Files : No │ │ [,] Previous/Next Area │ ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ Option A is the name of the current file area. Option B is the access needed to be able to join the file area. If a user does not have this access, they will not even be able to select this area. Option C is the access needed to upload to this area. Option D is the access needed to download files from this area. Option E is the access needed to list files in this area. Option F is the file area sponsor. This would be like the "sysop" of the file area. The person defined here has sysop access for the current area alone. Option G is the password needed to access the file area. If the user does not know the password, they will be denied access. Option H is the filename for the area. The filename is where all the file information will be stored, so it should be unique ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 138 Section 23 FILE AREAS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── for each area. The filename must not have an extension. Option I is the path to the files for this file area. Option J is the default sort method for this area where F Filename E Extension Option K is the file area multiplier for file points for this area. You may assign different file point "values" for each file area. They follow the defaults specified in the system configuration (see Section 3.8). This way, you can make files cost more in one area than in another. If you set the value here to 2, for example, files will cost twice as much as the default (a file point multiplier of 2). If you want the area to have the default values as specified in the system configuration, leave this value at 1. Option L defines if this file area is free or not. If Yes, all files will have a credit and ratio cost of 0 and will not charge the user for downloading. If No, the user will be charged credit and ratio for downloading from this area. Option M determines whether the files from this area will be copied to the work directory before being downloaded, and if they will be sent to the work directory before being copied to the proper directory upon upload. This is primarily for CD-ROM bases and should be used in multinode operations. 23.2: File Listing Prompt Commands The file listing prompt has numerous commands that should be pointed out to you. Below is a capture of all the commands available at the file listing prompt: [UP] Move Up File Bar [DOWN] Move Down File Bar [CR] Next Screen [B] Go Back a Page [+] Tag Current File [-] UnTag Current File [A] Add Tagged Files to Batch [T] Type Tagged Files [V] View Tagged Files [I] Info on Tagged Files [J] Quit Current Area [?] Listing Help [Q] Quit Listing ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 139 Section 23 FILE AREAS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── UP - moves the highlight bar one file up (by use of the up arrow key). DOWN - moves the highlight bar one file down (by use of the down arrow key). CR - Displays the next screen of files in the current file area. B - Goes to the previous screen of files in the current file area. + - Tags the file. - - Untags the file. A - Adds all of the tagged files from this screen to the user's batch queue. T - Types the tagged file (only if it is a textfile). V - Views the tagged file. This will show an archive listing of the contents of the tagged archive. I - Shows information on the current file (using the FILEINFO.ANS). J - Quits current file area and will proceed to the next one if used in global newscans. ? - Displays the internal file help (the above capture) or the file FILEHELP.ANS if the option is turned ON in Look and Feel in the System Configuration (see Section 3.4). Q - Quits file listing, both for single listings and global newscans. 23.3: The File Catalog The file catalog is an indexing system that Oblivion/2 uses. The file is called CATALOG. and it is stored in your data directory. This file contains all of the filenames of the files on your system. It can be used for numerous things, like quick file searches, duplicate searches, etc. In order to initialize the file catalog, you have to use the TG menu command. This will, initially, create the file catalog, and everytime afterwards that the TG command is issued, it will update it. You will need to modify some fields in the System Configuration, primarily System Information 2 (see Section 3.2). The Use File Catalog option must be set to Yes. This will enable Oblivion/2 to use the catalog to check for duplicate files. The File Catalog Look Up function should also be set to Yes, as this will allow Oblivion/2 to use the catalog for different lookup functions (ie. to see if a file exists when a user enters a filename to add to their batch, thus not requiring the user to be in the actual file area that contains the file). ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 140 Section 23 FILE AREAS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The file catalog is a handy little system to use, but you don't have to use it. It will slow things down a little bit when searching for files upon upload, but it also allows for some added features (like the search feature explained above). It is in my opinion that every sysop should use it, but again, it is personal preference and taste. You should update your file catalog regularly to keep it accurate as a system with heavy traffic where new files are uploaded daily will have a quickly out-dated catalog. Running the TG command once a day manually or as an event is a good idea if you use the file catalog. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 141 Section 24 THE UPLOAD CHECKER ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 24: THE UPLOAD CHECKER The upload checker is an integrated file testing system that eliminates the need for clumsy third-party upload checkers. The internal upload checker will perform the following on all new uploads: Check for CRC errors in the archive Virus scanning Check for definable age constraints Add definable files to archives Delete definable files from archives Comment-stamp archives Perform any other sysop-defined maintenance on archives As you can see, it is a very powerful system. But it is also very simple to use. It requires two things: A custom ansi screen and the above options defined in the System Configuration (see Section 3.2 for information on the configuration). The custom screen, which is called ULCHECK.ANS will be displayed to the user when their upload is being processed. Creating this screen is simple, and there are a few MCI codes that can be used when creating it. |FN Name of the file being tested |B1 Position of blinking ■ in CRC checking |M1 String displayed during CRC checking (string number xxx) |B2 Position of blinking ■ in virus scanning |M2 String displayed during virus scanning (string number xxx) |B3 Position of blinking ■ in age testing |M3 String displayed during age testing (string number xxx) |B4 Position of blinking ■ in file deletion |M4 String displayed during file deletion (string number xxx) |B5 Position of blinking ■ in file addition |M5 String displayed during file addition (string number xxx) |B6 Position of blinking ■ in archive commenting |M6 String displayed during archive commenting (string number xxx) |B7 Position of blinking ■ in additional file maintenance |M7 String displayed during additional file maintenance (string number xxx) Each of the above aspects of the file checking displays a blinking ■, which is shown using the |Bx MCI code. When the operation is in use, the ■ will blink, when it has been completed, the ■ stops blinking, and the next one will begin to blink. The uploads are checked in the above order, so each consecutive number in the MCI codes relates to the order in which the maintenance is run. If one ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 142 Section 24 THE UPLOAD CHECKER ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── or more of the options are disabled, nothing is shown. All of the commands for the upload checker are defined in System Configuration 2, where each has it's own field (see Section 3.2). If you do not want to perform a certain operation (for example, adding files) leave that field in the config blank and the checker will skip it. The one aspect of the internal upload checker that makes it superior to other upload checkers is the age constraint. With it, you can pass or fail uploads depending on it's date. The checker will look at the date of the NEWEST file in the archive and compare it to the defined allowable age. If the file is older, the file fails the age test, if it is of the same age or newer, the file is passed. This can keep your system from receiving outdated files. The age constraint can have a value of 0 through 5000 days, where 0 will disable the age test and 5000 days is 13 years and 255 days (not including leap years). Another aspect of the internal upload checker that makes it unique is it's ability to perform additional sysop-defined maintenance on any archive or file uploaded. This maintenance is defined in a file called MAINTAIN.BAT which you can use for any number of things. You can convert archives, set file dates to the current date, etc. The only thing you are limited by is your imagination and the batch language of your operating system. The following two percent codes can be used in your MAINTAIN.BAT file: %1 filename %2 path of the work directory The %2 code also includes the trailing backslash so do not place a %2\ in your batchfile. Oblivion/2 allows for file descriptions of a maximum of 24 lines. FILE_ID.DIZ files are imported automatically by the upload checker. If, however, you want to import something different into the file description field, you can use MAINTAIN.BAT to accomplish this. Oblivion/2 will extract a FILE_ID.DIZ file to one called IMPORT.DES in your work directory, and read IMPORT.DES for the description to import. With this, you can extract any filename you wish, copy it to IMPORT.DES, and have Oblivion/2 import it. Be careful with the filename you use, however, as having Oblivion/2 import a binary file could cause things to look a little ugly. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 143 Section 25 MESSAGE BASES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 25: MESSAGE BASES 25.1: Message Base Editor [this section will be completed in Oblivion/2 2.40] 25.2: Using the JAM Message Base New with Oblivion/2 v2.40 is the JAM base support. Previous versions of Oblivion/2 used the old Fido/*.MSG system, which, although a very workable and configurable system, left a lot to be desired in terms of speed and space. The JAM system is much faster, much smaller, and still very usable. However, many sysops used to the old Fido/*.MSG system may find JAM a little confusing, so I will try to explain a little bit about JAM and it's uses here. JAM was originally designed in 1993 by Joaquim Homrighausen, Andrew Milner, Mats Birch, and Mats Wallin. The API for JAM is freely available in a file called JAMAPI.* (ZIP, RAR, etc.). This is the same system that Oblivion/2 is now using. Many different Mail Tossers interface with JAM. In fact, most of them do. I am currently using FastEcho to toss and scan my message bases, and as such, I am going to use FastEcho as the main example for this section. However, most, if not all, of what FastEcho can do, other mail tossers (like GEcho, Squish, etc.) can do as well. First, a little bit about the technical JAM stuff. A single JAM message base consists of four files: *.JDT - Message text data *.JDX - Message index *.JHR - Message header data *.JLR - Lastread information The JAM system is fast for one reason. Whenever you or a user posts a message in a JAM base, depending on what kind of message base it is (echomail or netmail, local bases have no bearing here), a file will be written containing the name of the base and the number of the newly written message in that base. If it's echomail, the file will be called ECHOMAIL.JAM, and if netmail, NETMAIL.JAM. This tells your mail processor which areas to scan. In this way, your tosser will scan ONLY the bases that have a message to export. This makes the system VERY fast. With the old Fido/*.MSG system, when ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 144 Section 25 MESSAGE BASES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── mail needed to be exported, OBVMAIL.EXE would have to toss messages from the message base into directories, and then your mail tosser would have to scan all of the directories, checking pointer data, and then package up the *.MSG files that needed to go out. In essence, JAM takes these two steps and combines them into half a step. On my system, with well over 200 message areas, it would take approximately five minutes to package outbound mail, even if it was only one small message. This is because OBVMAIL had to check each message base to see if messages needed to be exported, export those messages to a file in a directory, and then FastEcho would have to scan every directory (over 200) and package the messages that needed to go out. With JAM, the mail tosser will scan the bases specified in ECHOMAIL.JAM and immediately package them. No need for hundreds of directories, no need for an intermediate mail tosser. One mail tosser, one single process. Sounds nice doesn't it? Well, it is. But there are a few things that should be noted, and for those of you experienced with JAM, you can skip this. For those of you unaccustomed to JAM, or used to the Fido/*.MSG style of messaging, read on. As I stated before, my system had over 200 message areas. All of these were stored in one directory. With JAM, you can specify any directory you like where to put the bases. I would suggest, however, that you pay careful attention to where you place your JAM bases, and how many you place in one directory. Remember, each JAM base consists of four files. I would advise not putting in more than 20 bases in a directory. This is because of DOS's 100 file per directory limitation. It's not really a limitation, but when you go over 100 files in a directory, it really slows things down when those files are being accessed. Try calling a DIR command in a directory that contains 500 files as opposed to one containing 99 files. Which one takes longer to begin displaying the files? The 500 files directory. So make sure that you don't place more than 20 JAM bases in any one directory for optimum speed from your machine. Another nice thing about JAM is the fact that it is such a standard. Previously, the *.MSG files were tossed into a file that was specific to Oblivion/2, thus cutting down on the use of third-party utilities to manage your message bases. With JAM, you can use any third-party utility that supports JAM that you like. This is useful for maintenance on your JAM bases. Let's take a look at your mail tosser. Most mail tossers have a "sister" maintenance program. In FastEcho's case, it is a program called FEUtil. I use FEUtil to manage my JAM bases. There are quite a few different ways of purging your JAM bases. The following is an excerpt from the FESETUP.EXE program, in regards to FEUtil's parameters: ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 145 Section 25 MESSAGE BASES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── FESetup System Data Export Import ░░░░░░░░░░░░░┌────────────────────────┐░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ Network addresses │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ User names │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ Miscellaneous │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ Pathnames │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ Filenames │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ Parameters │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ Advanced options │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░│┌───── FEUTIL parameters ────┐░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░││ PURGE - Messages 150 │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░││ Days 14 │p 1.45a ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░││ Rcvd Days 14 │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░ Copyrigh││ Use arrival date Yes │urchhardt. All rights r ░░░░░░░░░░░░░││ Autorenumber at 0 │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░││ Exclude Users Yes │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░└│ Exclude SysOps Yes │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ Include USERS.BBS Yes │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ Keep imported NetMail No │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ Kill grunged date No │░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░└────────────────────────────┘░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ As you can see above, you can purge the message bases accoriding to the amount of messages, the amount of days old, or the amount of days received. In the above FastEcho setup, messages in the JAM bases would be deleted after 150 messages, OR if they were 14 days old OR if they had been read by the recipient of the message 14 days ago. In this manner, if mail took a long time to reach you and was already 20 days old when it reached your system, it wouldn't be deleted for 14 days after you read it, or until it was pushed out by the maximum message limit, allowing you and your users time to read it. Of course, you might be asking yourself the question right now, What about local message bases? You can use your mail tosser, in most cases, to maintain your local JAM bases as well. Define your local bases in your mail tosser's Area Manager in the same way as an echomail or netmail message area, except the "type" of message base will be Local, as opposed to Echomail, Netmail, Badmail, etc. This will tell your mail tosser that the messages in this JAM base are not to be exported, nor are messages to be imported to them. You will need to define a few things, like area tag and a group, same as any echomail area. Your best bet would be to make a Local Group that you use only for local areas, and when defining the area tag, make it something unique to your BBS so that you don't accidentally choose a name that might be in use in an echomail network. For example, for my BBS, Stronghold Enterprises, I might use SH_CHAT or SE_CHAT or something similar for my local Chat base. Remember not to define any connections or links to this area as this area will not be exported. And it would be best to also make the group hidden ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 146 Section 25 MESSAGE BASES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── or given a security level so that if any of your downlinks send a %LIST meta-command to your AreaFix processor (%LIST tells AreaMgr to send a list of available areas to the sender), they won't see your local echos. JAM is a very easy system to get accustomed to, and once you do, you won't want to go back to anything else. Out of all the message formats that are standards, JAM is by far one of the most superior. With the variety of third-party utilities available for managing your JAM bases, you'll be sure to find something that suits your needs and something that you like. 25.3: Message Reading Prompt Commands The message reading prompt has several commands that should be pointed out to you. Below is a capture of all commands available at thethe message reading prompt: [A] Read Again [S] Backward Title Scan [T] Forward Title Scan [B] Backwards Thread [F] Moving For. T Scan [X] Moving Back. T Scan [#] Goto Message # [CR,N] Next Message [D] Delete Message [E] Edit Message [P] Post Message [C] Remove [R] Reply to Message [H] Go to Highest Message [U] Edit Sender [V] Edit Receiver [G] Store Thread [I] Store Replies [M] Store Message [L] Set Last Read to Current [J] Jump to next base [W] Private Reply [Z] Move Message [Q] Quit A - Displays the current message again. T - Lists the next 23 messages, displaying their title, author, and receiver. F - Moves you to highest message shown with the T command. # - Goes to message number #. A user could type in the number 203 and it will take them to message number 203. D - Deletes the current message or restores the current message if it is already deleted. Only available to sysops and the authors of the current message. P - Posts a new message. R - Replies to the current message. U - Edits the account of the sender of the message. Only available to sysops. G - Stores entire message thread for user download. M - Archives the current message for the user to download later. J - Quits the current base and goes to the next base, only ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 147 Section 25 MESSAGE BASES ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── available in global newscans. Z - Moves current message to another message base in any conference and deletes the original. Only available to sysops. S - Lists the previous 23 messages, displaying their title, author, and receiver. B - Follows the current reply thread backwards to the first message in the base with with this topic. X - Moves to lowest message shown with the S command. CR - Goes to the next consecutive message in the current base. N - Goes to the next consecutive message in the current base. E - Edits the current message. Only available to sysops and the author of the message. C - Removes the current message. H - Goes to the highest message in the current message base. V - Edits the account of the receiver of the message. Only available to sysops. I - Archives the current message and any further replies for the user to download (like a memorize command). L - Updates the lastread pointers to the current message. W - Replies to the current message in email. Can only be used if the author of the message is a member of the system. Q - Quits reading, both for single message area reading and global newscans. The G and I commands can cause some systems to lock up. If you or your users experience such lockups, disable the use of G and I message reading commands in the Configuration (see Section 3.2). ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 148 Section 26 MESSAGE EDITOR COMMANDS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 26: MESSAGE EDITOR COMMANDS The FSE (FullScreen Editor) has many different commands that you can use while you are in it. These commands are: Menu Commands /A Abort message /C Continue message /Q Quote from previous message /S Save message /U Import into message /? Help (displays LINEMENU.ANS) ^KA Abort message ^KS Save message Control Commands Home Beginning of line End End of line ^S/Left Move left ^D/Right Move right ^A Word left ^F Word right ^G/DEL Delete BackSpace BackSpace ^Y Delete line ^N Insert line ^V Toggle insert ^QY Truncate line ^B Reformat paragraph Info Commands ^O Toggle anonymous ^U Toggle autosig ^T Change title ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 149 Section 27 MAKING REPEAT ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 27: MAKING REPEAT ANSI SCREENS In an effort to make Oblivion/2 more configurable, and at the same time, easy to use, the "repeat method" of ansi display was developed. These screens are used all around the BBS, and include such things as message base/file area listings, oneliners, rumors, last caller listings, data area listings, and more. Because they are relied upon so heavily, it is important that you understand how to create your own. In the repeat method, there are three screens for any type of listing. The first is the header, or "introduction", the second is the actual repeating ansi that contains the data you want displayed, and the third is the ending, or footer. For example, to make a message base listing that looked similar to this: Base Description Network ───────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1 General Discussion ImpactNet 2 BBS Advertisements ImpactNet ───────────────────────────────────────────────────── you would have to create three ansis called SUBSSRT.ANS (the header of the subs listing), SUBSMID.ANS (the repeating ansi which can use various MCI codes), and SUBSEND.ANS (the footer). Below is what the ansis would look like (devoid of ansi codes): SUBSSRT.ANS: Base Description Network ───────────────────────────────────────────────────── SUBSMID.ANS: |AN |BN |NN SUBSEND.ANS: ───────────────────────────────────────────────────── As you can see, the repeat method of ansi display is one of the more powerful aspects of Oblivion/2. However, due to several bugs and incompatibilities in TheDraw you will need to make some manual changes to the middle part of the ansi (*MID.ANS) before they will display properly. It should be noted, however, that although Oblivion/2 is primarily a text-based BBS system, it does not rely on the ANSI.SYS device driver to display ansi on the local end. Oblivion/2 has it's own ansi driver, which makes ansi display faster and more reliable than ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 150 Section 27 MAKING REPEAT ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── conventional ansi drivers. Oblivion/2's ansi driver is NOT subject to ansi bombs or ansi redirection as it is it's own independant ansi system. Your users, however, must load an ANSI driver in order for ansi to be displayed to them. To make your repeat ansi, first load TheDraw and draw your ansi. When done, animate your ansi using the TOP rescan method (ALT-J, T). Other scanning methods may work, but this is standard. Insert the appropriate MCI codes and save the ansi. Exit TheDraw and you can, optionally, run ANSITRAN.EXE on the ansi. AnsiTran is a utility that will clean the ansi of unwanted escape characters to make the ansi smaller and display faster, and also makes it consistent with Oblivion/2's ansi displaying routines. AnsiTran does not always do an excellent job of cleaning up ansis, but since you are going to be hand-editing the ansi anyways, those few instances where AnsiTran does not perform adequately, you should be able to notice and fix it yourself manually. To edit the ansi manually, load up QEdit or any other ASCII based text editor. You will have to scan the ansi for some specific codes, namely esc[yy;xxH. This code tells ANSI.SYS where to place the next pieces of text on the screen (with x and y coordinates). However, ANSI.SYS (and thus, TheDraw) do not support going to the xxth column of the current row, which is what is needed for Oblivion/2 to display the repeat ansis correctly. According to the ANSI 3.64-1979 standard, esc[;xxH should go to the xxth column of the first row, which is not what we want. Oblivion/2, however, will interpret the esc[;xxH code differently, and will take it to read the xxth column of the current row, thus making repeat ansis possible. All you need to do is edit the esc[yy;xxH code and make it an esc[;xxH code. Having done this, your repeat ansi is ready for use. It may take a while to become familiar with the ansi codes (see Section 29 for a complete break-down of all the ansi escape sequence codes), but after a while you will learn them and this procedure will become routine. You may even prefer to do all of your MCI code placements for all ansis this way. An example of a middle repeat ansi, created for the oneliners, follows. This example repeat ansi would look like this: φ Here goes your oneliners... Column 79 -> φ This is how TheDraw would save the animated middle ansi: [255D [0B [255D [0;1;30mφ [77Cφ [2C [1A [0;32m|ON |0m We would remove the esc[255D commands, as they move the cursor 255 columns to the left. Then we have a esc[0B, but since this moves ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 151 Section 27 MAKING REPEAT ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── the cursor 0 rows down, we don't need it, so we can remove that as well. The esc[77C command moves the cursor to the right 77 columns to get to column 79 (after the φ character and a space are displayed). We could also do this using a esc[;79H command, which would be faster and more efficient, as it would move the cursor to a FIXED position at column 79 and not move the cursor 77 spaces over (which sometimes can prove inaccurate). Then we also notices an esc[2C which moves the cursor two spaces over, causing it to wrap to the next line to column 3. Then we see a esc[1A which moves the cursor up one row to put |ON after the space that follows the φ character. All of this is inefficient, slow, and sloppy. Using some simple command changes, we can make the above piece of ansi code look like this: [0;1;30mφ [;79Hφ [;3H [0;32m|ON [0m Much smaller, much more compact, a lot faster to display. What this does is this: [0;1;30m Changes the color to light black (esc[0m turns off all special attributes, esc[1m turns on high intensity, and esc[30m turns the color to black). [;79H Moves the cursor to a fixed position at column 79. [;3H Moves the cursor to a fixed position at column 3. [0;32m Changes the color to dark green (esc[0m turns off all special attributes, esc[32m turns the color to green). This smaller piece of ansi code will be displayed FAR faster than the monstrous amount of code TheDraw generated, and they do exactly the same thing. The |ON in the ansi code will be padded out to the oneliners string. As you can see, the system is very easy to use and can be very versatile. Please note that each listing has it's own MCI code set that can be used in it. In the data areas, you can define your own MCI codes, but in some of the repeat method ansis that are built into the BBS, there are only a few MCI codes that can be used (see Section 28.1 for a full list). ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 152 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 28: MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS When making your own custom animated statistic screens, such as a new User Statistics screen, there are a few general rules that must be followed. All screens should be made according to these rules so that you don't run into any problems with Oblivion/2 displaying them (this is due to it's internal ansi driver). The following are the instructions on making animated status screens that do not have COMPLEX animation in them (ie. moving blocks, etc.): Step 1: Draw your basic screen. Step 2: Put TheDraw into animation mode (press ALT-J). When prompted for the scanning method, select TOP. Step 3: Insert the appropriate MCI codes. Some screens use |xx codes, while others use %xx codes. Be sure you are using the right ones. Step 4: After you've finished adding the MCI codes, save the screen to an ansi file. Select Clear Screen and the line length to 255. Others will work, but you risk having your MCI codes go from one line to the next (ie. %F on one line of text with a save cursor marker behind it and then the next line beginning with a restore cursor marker and finishing by placing an M behind it (esc[u). If Oblivion/2 comes across a split code like that, it will not process it as it must read the MCI code %FM directly from the text, uninterrupted, and 255 line length (or unlimited line length) reduces the chances of cutoff MCI codes. If your MCI codes are out of place, it is because of one of two reasons. The reason explained above in Step 4, or else you used a |xx code instead of a %xx code, and vice versa. The problem in Step 4 can be corrected, however, using AnsiTran (see Section 4.8). It will remove the padding TheDraw put in the MCI code using the save cursor (esc[s) and restore cursor to saved position (esc[u) commands. 28.1: Standard MCI Codes The following MCI codes can be used in virtually any ansi you display on your BBS. These are all %xx codes. %UN User's handle %RN User's real name %UU User's user number ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 153 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── %PN User's phone number %AD User's address %LO User's location %UC User's User Note %UL User's security level %FL User's file level %FP User's file points %UK User's uploaded Kbytes %DK User's downloaded Kbytes %UP User's number of uploads %DN User's number of downloads %PS User's number of message posts %CS User's number of calls %TL User's time left today %TT User's daily time limit %CR User's connect rate %SS User's current status screen library name %MS User's current menu library name %PC User's post/call ratio %NR User's upload/download ratio %KR User's upload/download Kbyte ratio %LD Date that user was last on the system %DU Days until expiration of user's account %NF New files %NP New posts %LC Name of the last caller to the system %TC Total calls to the system %CT Calls today %FT Files uploaded or added today %PT Messages posted today %NT New users today %BN BBS name %SN Sysop name %DT Current date %TM Current time %CA Current file area %CB Current message base %CF Current file conference %CM Current message conference %NN Current node number %VN Oblivion/2 version number %VD Oblivion/2 version date %TF Total files on the system %TP Total posts on the system %CE Current message number (only activated when used with NX menu command) %PF Turns screen pausing off temporarily %PO Turns screen pausing back on (provided user had screen pausing enabled in their account previously). %PA Prompts for user to press enter %UA Makes anything below it unabortable by spacebar (use ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 154 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── this code to force users to view certain screens) 28.2: Status Screen Library Ansis AREASTAR.ANS - File Area Listing Header AREAMID .ANS - File Area Listing Middle (Repeat) |AN File area number |AI File area name |AS File area sponsor AREAEND .ANS - File Area Listing Footer BCHANGE .ANS - Message base changing ansi |SN Current base name |SS Current base sponsor |NM Number of messages in current base |UP Number of posts current user made (total) |LR Last read message by current user |DT Current date |TI Current time CONFSCR .ANS - User Configuration Screen |CB Color bar start |RC User's regular color |PC User's prompt color |IC User's input color |VC User's inverse color |SC User's status color |BC User's box color |FS Full screen editor toggle |DP Screen pausing toggle |RR Reply reading toggle |RM Redisplay messages toggle |YN Yes/No bar toggle |SF Scrollable file lists toggle |PL Page length |EP Emulation (Ansi/Avatar) |AD User's address |LC User's location |UN User's user note |CA User's selected archiver type |CP Current prompt name |CM Current menuset name |CS Current status screen set name &xy Sysop definable configuration options (where x=user flag (first set) and y=key to toggle flag active/inactive) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 155 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── DAILYSRT.ANS - Daily Log Header DAILYMID.ANS - Daily Log Middle (Repeat) |DT Date |NP New posts |NF New files |NC Number of calls |TU Time used |NU New users DAILYEND.ANS - Daily Log Footer EMAILHDR.ANS - Email Header |FM User email is from |DT Current date |TI Current time |ST User email is sent to |UN Sender's user note |TL Email title FCONFIGS.ANS - File Listing Configuration Screen |O1 Option 1 - Status of file (free, offline, etc.) |O2 Option 2 - File points |O3 Option 3 - File size |O4 Option 4 - Date uploaded |O5 Option 5 - Number of downloads |O6 Option 6 - Name of uploader |O7 Option 7 - File description |US Number of used characters |EX Example of listing FHEADER .ANS - File Listing Header |FH Line of information FILEINFO.ANS - File Information Screen |FN Filename |UL Uploader's name |FP File points the file is worth |TD The amount of times the file has been downloaded |SK File size in bytes |FK File size in Kbytes FILESTAT.ANS - User's File Statistics Standard Codes FSEHEAD .ANS - Full Screen Editor Header |TI Title of message |ST Who the message is sent to |AN Anonymous toggle (on/off) |AU Autosig toggle (on/off) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 156 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── |DT Current date |TI Current time GENSRT .ANS - Generic Menu Template Header |TI Menu title GENMID .ANS - Generic Menu Template Middle (Repeat) |Kx Keys for option x in the line |Dx Description for option x in the line GENEND .ANS - Generic Menu Template Footer (for more info on Generic Menus, see Section 19) HDR .ANS - Header |HM Header message |CH Header message (centered) |LH Repeats the next character (directly after the code) for as many characters as there are in the header message |CC Repeats the next character (directly after the code) for as many characters as are needed such that four |CC and |HM fill an 80 character line HEADER .ANS - Message header |BN Current base name |RT Message to which current is a reply |MN Current message number |OU Total messages in current base |TL Title of message |UN Poster's user note |FM Poster's name |DT Date current message was posted |TI Time current message was posted |TO Who the message is sent to |ST Status of message (echomail, received, etc.) INCSRT .ANS - Incoming Email Header INCMID .ANS - Incoming Email Middle (Repeat) |NU Email number |TI Email title |ST Email status (new/old) |FM Name of whom the email is from INCEND .ANS - Incoming Email Footer LASTSRT .ANS - Last Callers Header LASTMID .ANS - Last Callers Middle (Repeat) |UH User's handle |DO Date on ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 157 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── |TO Time user logged in |BR Connected baud rate |NN Node number LASTEND .ANS - Last Callers Footer NEWSHEAD.ANS - News Header |BN Base name |RT Message to which current is a reply |MN Message number |OU Total messages |TL Title |UN Poster's note |FM Poster's name |DT Date posted |TI Time posted |TO Sent to |ST Status OUTSRT .ANS - Outgoing Email Header OUTMID .ANS - Outgoing Email Middle (Repeat) |NU Email number |TI Email title |ST Email status (new/old) |TO Name of who the email is addressed to OUTEND .ANS - Outgoing Email Footer PROxSRT .ANS - Protocol Listing Header PROxMID .ANS - Protocol Listing Middle (Repeat) |KE Key to activate protocol |DE Protocol description PROxEND .ANS - Protocol Listing Footer where x is one of the following: 1 Download protocols 2 Upload protocols 3 Batch download protocols 4 Batch upload protocols 5 Resume protocols 6 Bi-directional protocols (PROT1SRT.ANS, PROT1MID.ANS, and PROT1END.ANS would all be needed for a download protocol listing). STATUS .ANS - User's Statistics Standard Codes ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 158 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── SUBSSTAR.ANS - Message Base Listing Header SUBSMID .ANS - Message Base Listing Middle (Repeat) |AN Base number |BN Base name |SS Base sponsor SUBSEND .ANS - Message Base Listing Footer TOP-xx .ANS where xx is one of the following: TOP-1.ANS - Top ten best uploaders TOP-2.ANS - Top ten worst uploaders TOP-3.ANS - Top ten best downloaders TOP-4.ANS - Top ten worst downloaders TOP-5.ANS - Top ten best post/call ratio TOP-6.ANS - Top ten worst post/call ratio TOP-7.ANS - Top ten best uploaders in K TOP-8.ANS - Top ten worst uploaders in K TOP-9.ANS - Top ten best downloaders in K TOP-10.ANS - Top ten worst downloaders in K TOP-11.ANS - Top ten best message posters TOP-12.ANS - Top ten worst message posters TOP-13.ANS - Top ten best callers TOP-14.ANS - Top ten worst callers All of the TOP-xx.ANS files share the same MCI codes: |TN Top ten name |N1 User name for position 1 |V1 Value for user 1 |B1 Bar for user 1 |N2 User name for position 2 |V2 Value for user 2 |B2 Bar for user 2 |N3 User name for position 3 |V3 Value for user 3 |B3 Bar for user 3 |N4 User name for position 4 |V4 Value for user 4 |B4 Bar for user 4 |N5 User name for position 5 |V5 Value for user 5 |B5 Bar for user 5 |N6 User name for position 6 |V6 Value for user 6 |B6 Bar for user 6 |N7 User name for position 7 |V7 Value for user 7 |B7 Bar for user 7 |N8 User name for position 8 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 159 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── |V8 Value for user 8 |B8 Bar for user 8 |N9 User name for position 9 |V9 Value for user 9 |B9 Bar for user 9 |N0 User name for position 10 |V0 Value for user 10 |B0 Bar for user 10 USERSTAR.ANS - User Listing Header USERMID .ANS - User Listing Middle (Repeat) |UH User's handle |LE User's security level |UN User note |AC User's area code |LC User's last call USEREND .ANS - User Listing Footer USERSTAT.ANS - User's Statistics Standard Codes QWKDN .ANS - QWK Download Packet/Archive Packet Screen |L1 Light 1 - Creating control file (all "light" ansis will blink a ■ when they are processing and will stop blinking when the current operation is finished) |L2 Light 2 - Creating door information file |L3 Light 3 - Conference |L4 Light 4 - Message base |L5 Light 5 - Post information |L6 Light 6 - Archiving mail packet |CP Current conference number |BP Current message base |TP Total posts in message base |NP Total new posts in message base |EP End placement marker (this is where the cursor will go when everything is done and the QWK packet is ready to be downloaded) |B1 Location of bar (the color of this code will determine the color of the blocks as they fill in) |B2 Background bar color (the color of this code will determine the background color of the bar) QWKUP .ANS - QWK Upload (REP) Packet/Processing Screen |BP Message base |SP Who message was sent to |TI Title of message |OP Operation message (ie. echomail posted, etc.) ZIPHEAD .ANS - Internal ZIP viewer header ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 160 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── [Uses the same codes as HDR.ANS] 28.3: Miscellaneous Ansis SYSPASS.ANS - System Password Screen |PP Place to prompt for password |BP Place to display bad password message (String ***) USERLOG.ANS - User Login Screen |NP Place to prompt for user name |PP Place to prompt for user password |QP Place to display quick login message (String ***) |IP Place to display error message (String ***) The following screens use the standard %xx MCI codes: EXPIRED .BBS - File is displayed to user when their account has expired. BLACKLST.ANS - File is displayed to users in the Blacklist. A %OT MCI code will show the user when they can next apply (immediate/date/never). ENOUGH .ANS - File is displayed to user when he/she has paged more than the specified amount of times. GOODBYE .ANS - Shown to user when logging off. KICK-OFF.ANS - File is displayed to user when sysop nukes him with the ALT-Q command. LINEMENU.ANS - Help screen for the Line Editor. NOTLEFT .ANS - File is displayed to user when he/she has used all of their time. NUVDOWN .ANS - File is displayed to user when he/she has been turned down by the New User Voting committee. PRELOGON.ANS - Prelogon screen. SLOWBAUD.ANS - File is displayed to users who are calling in at a baud rate too slow for the system and who do not know the slow-baud lockout password. SYSSTAT .ANS - System statistics screen. TOONODE .ANS - File is displayed to a user trying to login while already on another node. ULCHECK .ANS - Upload checker display ansi. DONE .APP - File is displayed to user when he/she has finished applying. LETTER .APP - File is displayed to user before he/she is prompted to send a new user letter to the sysop during the application. NUPBAD .APP - Displayed to users who do not know the New User Password. PRINT .APP - Displayed to users before they begin applying. CHECKED .xxx - Displayed to a user who is checking for access, but ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 161 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── has a security level less than 0 where xxx is the level less than 0 that the user has (ie. CHECKED.1 would be displayed to user with a security level of -1). SUBS .xxx - Shown to user when viewing message base listing where xxx is the conference ID, external listings are on, but the repeat method is disabled. WELCOME .xxx - Welcome screen (rotates; where xxx=1-999). XFER .xxx - Shown to user when viewing file area listing where xxx is the conference ID, external listings are on, but the repeat method is disabled. 28.4: File Description MCI Codes The following MCI codes can be used in the file description fields in the File Configuration in the System Config (see Section 3.8). |TC Archive size uncompressed |CC Archive size compressed |UL Uploader's name |UD Date of upload |TM Time of upload |DD Date of FILE_ID.DIZ |ND Newest file date |OD Oldest file date 28.5: Color MCI Codes The following are all of the color MCI codes that Oblivion/2 supports. Namely these are the standard pipe color codes and the PCBoard color codes. In the foreground box below, the first codes are the low intensity colors while the second codes are the high intensity (bright) colors. All of these codes are in the form |xx where xx is one of the codes below: Foreground Background ┌──────┐ ┌──┐ Black │00 08│ │16│ Blue │01 09│ │17│ Green │02 10│ │18│ Cyan │03 11│ │19│ Red │04 12│ │20│ Magenta │05 13│ │21│ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 162 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Brown │06 14│ │22│ White │07 15│ │23│ └──────┘ └──┘ The color sequence indicator for the PCBoard color codes is @X, followed by a two digit code: 0-F, to form the color code. The color chart below is for the PCBoard color code set, and the codes are listed together, low intensity and high intesity. The top row of colors are foreground colors, while the colors listed on the left-hand column are background colors. All of these codes are in the form @Xxx where xx is one of the codes listed below: ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 163 Section 28 MAKING STANDARD ANSI SCREENS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Regular colors: Black Blue Green Cyan Red Mag. Brown White ┌─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┐ Black │00 08│01 09│02 0A│03 0B│04 0C│05 0D│06 0E│07 0F│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Blue │10 18│11 19│12 1A│13 1B│14 1C│15 1D│16 1E│17 1F│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Green │20 28│21 29│22 2A│23 2B│24 2C│25 2D│26 2E│27 2F│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Cyan │30 38│31 39│32 3A│33 3B│34 3C│35 3D│36 3E│37 3F│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Red │40 48│41 49│42 4A│43 4B│44 4C│45 4D│46 4E│47 4F│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Magenta │50 58│51 59│52 5A│53 5B│54 5C│55 5D│56 5E│47 5F│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Brown │60 68│61 69│62 6A│63 6B│64 6C│65 6D│66 6E│67 6F│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ White │70 78│71 79│72 7A│73 7B│74 7C│75 7D│76 7E│77 7F│ └─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┘ Blinking colors: Black Blue Green Cyan Red Mag. Brown White ┌─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┐ Black │80 88│81 89│82 8A│83 8B│84 8C│85 8D│86 8E│87 8F│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Blue │90 98│91 99│92 9A│93 9B│94 9C│95 9D│96 9E│97 9F│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Green │A0 A8│A1 A9│A2 AA│A3 AB│A4 AC│A5 AD│A6 AE│A7 AF│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Cyan │B0 B8│B1 B9│B2 BA│B3 BB│B4 BC│B5 BD│B6 BE│B7 BF│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Red │C0 C8│C1 C9│C2 CA│C3 CB│C4 CC│C5 CD│C6 CE│C7 CF│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Magenta │D0 D8│D1 D9│D2 DA│D3 DB│D4 DC│D5 DD│D6 DE│D7 DF│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ Brown │E0 E8│E1 E9│E2 EA│E3 EB│E4 EC│E5 ED│E6 EE│E7 EF│ ├─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼─────┤ White │F0 F8│F1 F9│F2 FA│F3 FB│F4 FC│F5 FD│F6 FE│F7 FF│ └─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴─────┘ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 164 Section 29 FUNCTIONS OF ANSI.SYS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 29: FUNCTIONS OF ANSI.SYS The ANSI escape codes for screen control supported by the MS-DOS ANSI.SYS device are a subset of the ANSI 3.64-1979 standard. They are used by Oblivion/2 to manipulate screen information, primarily cursor position and color changes. An escape code consists of two segments of data: (1) an identifier (the esc[ part, esc being the ASCII char AltGr-27 or 1Bh) and (2) the control code, the actual command to perform on the cursor or screen. Thus, all ANSI codes begin with esc[ and end with a code. All codes supported by ANSI.SYS are listed below, the identifier included, with a short description of it's use. Note that case is significant for the last character in an escape sequence and that numbers must always be represented as ASCII digit strings, not as their binary values. Also note, that cursor positions are one-based, making 1,1 upper left corner (and not 0,0). (A separate set of escape sequences supported by ANSI.SYS, but not compatible with the ANSI standard, may be used for reprogramming and remapping the keyboard. These are not supported by Oblivion/2). ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Escape Sequence: Meaning: ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Esc[2J Clear screen. Place cursor in upper left corner (home position). Esc[K Clear from cursor to EOL. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Esc[row;colH Position cursor. (Row is the y coordinate in the range of 1-25 and col is the x coordinate in the range of 1-80 for 80-by-25 text display modes). Escape sequences terminated with the letter f instead of H have the same effect. (Esc[H will home cursor). *NOTE* Since ANSI.SYS doesn't support "go to X column in current row", and thus TheDraw doesn't add that code in, Obv/2 uses it's own. Esc[;xxH should go to XXth column in first row, but for middle in the repeat ansis (and only middle in the repeat ansis), it goes to the XXth column in the current row. You therefore need to edit your repeat ansi in an ascii editor when you've finished the middle part. See Section 27 about repeat ansis for more information. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Esc[nA Move cursor up n rows. Esc[nB Move cursor down n rows. Esc[nC Move cursor right n rows. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 165 Section 29 FUNCTIONS OF ANSI.SYS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Esc[nD Move cursor left n rows. Esc[s Save current cursor position. Esc[u Restore cursor to saved position. Esc[6n Return current cursor position on the standard input handle in the format esc[row;colR. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Esc[nm Select character attributes (values for n): 0=no special attributes 1=high intensity 2=low intensity 3=italic 4=undeline 5=blink 6=rapid blink 7=reverse video 8=concealed text (no display) 30=foreground black 31=foreground red 32=foreground green 33=foreground yellow 34=foreground blue 35=foreground magenta 36=foreground cyan 37=foreground white 40=background black 41=background red 42=background green 43=background yellow 44=background blue 45=background magenta 46=background cyan 47=background white ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Esc[=nh Select display mode (values for n): 0=40-by-25, 16-color text (color burst off) 1=40-by-25, 16-color text 2=80-by-25, 16-color text (color burst off) 3=80-by-25, 16-color text 4=320-by-200, 4-color graphics 5=320-by-200, 4-color graphics (color burst off) 6=620-by-200, 2-color graphics ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 14=640-by-200, 16-color graphics (EGA and VGA) 15=640-by-350, 2-color graphics (EGA and VGA) 16=640-by-350, 16-color graphics (EGA and VGA) 17=640-by-480, 2-color graphics (MCGA and VGA) 18=640-by-480, 16-color graphics (VGA) 19=320-by-200, 256-color graphics (MCGA and VGA) Escape sequences terminated with l instead of h have the same effect ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 166 Section 29 FUNCTIONS OF ANSI.SYS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Esc[=7h Enable line wrap Esc[=7l Disable line wrap ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ASCII Bell ^G ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Esc[#;string;p Reassign a "string" or another value to a key. The first # or esc[#;#p can be also written as 0;# for extended ASCII key codes. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 167 Section 30 HELP SYSTEMS, REGISTRATION SITES, SUPPORT ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 30: HELP SYSTEMS, REGISTRATION SITES, SUPPORT If you would like to register Oblivion/2, find some utilities for it, or simply get some help and/or support for the software, please refer to the following help systems: World Headquarters: Alderaan Tel. 1-908-224-8780 Email: 141:100/8@OSNet (MindCrime) USA Headquarters, Support Network World Headquarters: Dark Side of the Moon Tel. 1-810-979-3178 Email: 141:200/3@OSNet (Patriot) 152:5810/0@ImpactNet 1:120/412@FidoNet (James Waleke) Canadian Headquarters, World Registration Site: Stronghold Enterprises Tel. 1-403-456-5699 #108 13806-24 St Edmonton, AB T5Y 1J7 Canada Email: 141:500/0@OSNet (Lasher) 152:500/0@ImpactNet 23:100/17@BlackNet 20:100/4@TabNet 50:200/0@fORCENEt 109:403/0@DarkNet 111:1403/0@Sysop's TechNet (Vincent Danen) 100:1403/4@RPGNet 411:230/0@IVNet 753:1000/102@GPBNet 1:342/52@FidoNet obv@acid.org Support Sites ───────────── ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 168 Section 30 HELP SYSTEMS, REGISTRATION SITES, SUPPORT ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── These support sites always have the latest version of Oblivion/2 available for download or file-request, can provide help for setting up Oblivion/2 and will try to help when you have problems with Oblivion/2: Lasher Stronghold Enterprises 141:500/0 1-403-456-5699 Patriot Dark Side of the Moon 141:200/3 1-810-979-3178 MindCrime Alderaan 141:100/8 1-908-224-8780 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 169 Section 31 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, CREDITS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 31: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, CREDITS Oblivion/2 uses the JAM(mbp) API - Copyright 1993 Joaquim Homrighausen, Andrew Milner, Mats Birch, Mats Wallin. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. All brand and product names are copyrighted material, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders: FrontDoor Joaquim Homrighausen, Absolute Solutions InterMail Further Development, Inc. BinkleyTerm Bit Bucket Software McMail Albert Freriks and Gordian Schuermann D'Bridge Mosaic Press Portal of Power The Portal Team FastEcho Software Technik Burchardt GEcho Gerard J. van der Land PKZIP, PKPAK PKWARE, Inc. LHA Haruyasu Yoshizaki PAK NoGate Consulting ARJ Robert K. Jung ARC Systems Enhancements Associates RAR Eugene Roshal UC2 Ad Infinitum Programs HA Harri Hirvola DWC Dean W. Cooper Hyper P. Sawatzki and K.P. Nischke DSZ, GSZ Omen Technology Inc. HSLink Samuel H. Smith vFAST International TeleCommunications X00 Raymond L. Gwinn Avatar G. Adam Stanislav TheDraw TheSoft Programming Service and Ian E. Davis Norton Utilities Symantec Corporation DESQview, QEMM QuarterDeck Office Systems Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, Windows95 Microsoft Corporation IBM, PC-DOS, OS/2 International Business Machines ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 170 Section 32 THANKS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Section 32: THANKS I would like to thank all of the people who contributed to this documentation with their ideas and suggestions. There are too many of you to mention, but rest assured I remember you all. I would like to send a very special thank you to Eric Katz (formerly known as Darkened Enmity) for making Oblivion/2 such an excellent program, and to Murray Stokely (aka Shivan Bastard) for continuing on to make Oblivion/2 even better. I'd like to thank all of the beta sysops for their hard work and dedication to the progression of this software. Finally, but certainly not least, I'd like to thank God for the talent He's given me in writing this documentation. If you would like to get in contact with me, for either support or suggestions for the future of the documentation (to either make things easier to understand or add something I may have forgotten) please look above for all of the many ways you can contact me. .──+──. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Oblivion/2 v2.35 Bulletin Board System Documentation 171