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13 ============================================================================ Batch Files Door Batch Files Event Batch Files External File Transfer Protocols NODE.BAT PCBCMPRS.BAT PCBQWK.BAT PCBTEST.BAT PCBVIEW.BAT REMOTE.SYS $$LOGON.BAT $$LOGOFF.BAT This chapter discusses the various batch files used by PCBoard including any special information you should know about these files. PCBoard uses numerous batch files to increase its flexibility. Because batch files are used throughout PCBoard you can control the programs that are actually run. If you are unfamiliar with batch files, please refer to your DOS manual for further instructions on creating batch files. Door Batch Files One of the most flexible aspects of PCBoard is its ability to run applications as door programs. As mentioned previously, a door simply executes a batch file. Since it is a batch file, you can run anything for a door. However, if you want the door to interact with the user, you must insure that the program supports the serial ports you have installed on your machine. If you are using the multiport version of PCBoard and COMM-TSR, the program that you want to interact with the user must support the FOSSIL interface. In the DOORS.LST file for each conference, you specify the batch file that will be run when the user opens the door. To find out the filename and the location of the batch file, combine the Filename and Path to DOOR files fields. The following entry requires that you edit C:\PCB\QUERY to modify the batch file: USER DOOR Filename Password Sec Login SYS SYS Shell Path to DOOR Files ---------- ------------ --- ----- ---- ---- ----- --------------------- 1) QUERY 0 N Y N N C:\PCB\ Notice that there is no BAT extension that is usually associated with a batch file. Rather than editing the batch file from the DOS prompt, you can highlight the Filename field and press F2 to use the text editor defined in System Manager. Event Batch Files Each event can have a batch file for each node. If a node-specific batch file is not defined, it will run the batch file without an extension. For example, if you have the following event defined Batch Begin End Act Mod File Time Time --- --- -------- ----- ----- 1) Y E DAILY 06:45 07:00 and the location of your event batch files are: Location of EVENT Files : C:\PCB\EVENTS\ you would need to edit the C:\PCB\EVENTS\DAILY to modify the programs that will run during your event. As with door batch files, you will notice that this batch file does not have a BAT extension. This gives you the ability to create node-specific batch files, if you have different nodes performing different tasks. Hypothetically, you could have one node packing the message and user files while other nodes run maintenance programs for door or other utility programs you have installed. To perform this in a two node system, you would create the following batch files: DAILY.001 DAILY.002 The extension specified represents the node number that the batch file will run on. Under no circumstances will DAILY.001 run on node 2 or likewise DAILY.002 on node 1. If a node cannot find a node-specific event batch file it will check to see if a batch file exists without the node number extension. If it exists, that batch file will run. If it does not, the node will not run the event. External File Transfer Protocols Even though 8 file transfer protocols are provided with PCBoard (7 internal and 1 external), you may need to add additional protocols to satisfy the needs of your users. Any protocols that you add to the system are called external protocols. External protocols require two batch files to be created before the protocol will be available to your callers -- one for receiving and one for sending. In the batch files, you will need to run the external protocol program. Most external protocols ship with one executable and you use command line parameters to determine if the protocol is sending or receiving. Protocols are defined by a letter or digit in PCBPROT.DAT (PCBSetup | File Locations | Configuration Files). The receive batch file will be named using the following convention: PCBR[protocol letter].BAT Likewise, the send batch file will be named: PCBS[protocol letter].BAT In these examples, replace [protocol letter] with the character you entered in the Use column of PCBPROT.DAT to define the protocol. Because there are so many external protocols, no specific instructions can be given for installing the protocols. To help interface with the external protocol, PCBoard passes parameters to the batch file. Parameters Passed To use a parameter in your batch file, enter the parameter when you want to use what it represents. For example, %1 for external protocols will return the COM port number defined in PCBSetup | Modem Information | Modem Setup. If your protocol needs this information, place %1 in the appropriate place in your batch file. The parameters passed to external protocols are: %1 Returns the COM port number defined in PCBSetup | Modem Information | Modem Setup. If you are using standard serial ports with non-standard definitions for the base address or IRQ, you will need to provide that information to the protocol yourself because PCBoard does not provide this information. %2 Returns the speed between the modem and the computer. This is commonly referred to as the DTE speed. For modems which support locked port rates, the value of %2 will be the opening port rate speed defined in PCBSetup | Modem Information | Modem Setup. %3 Specifies the file(s) to transfer. The actual text that is passed as the parameter varies depending on the type of protocol and whether files are being sent or received. Batch file transfers (Protocol types D and B): When sending a single file, the location of the file will be passed. When sending more than one file, the filenames that are to be transferred will be provided in a carriage return / line feed delimited list. An @ sign is specified before the filename to the list as it is the most common way to refer to such a list. Check to make sure that your external protocol supports this method. When receiving files, the private upload directory for the current conference will be passed. Non-batch file transfers (Protocol type S): The filename to be sent or received is always specified. %4 Returns the connect speed as reported by PCBoard. Error-correcting modems will report the locked port rate speed. Other connections will report the carrier speed. %5 Returns the connect speed as reported by the modem. This is referred to as the carrier or DCE speed. %6 Returns the private upload directory for the current conference. This parameter is most commonly used in conjunction with bi-directional protocol because they need to know where the upload directory is even while downloading. NODE.BAT In addition to displaying who is online to the system, PCBMoni has the capability to run a batch file for a particular node. Why would you want to do this? Most networks have what is called a spy utility. This utility enables you to spy on another machine in the network. Typically, you can view the screen of this machine and take control of the keyboard. Obviously, this would be handy to be able to access. When scrolling through the list of nodes in PCBMoni, you can press ENTER on any node and PCBoard will run NODE.BAT. So that you know the node number that was specified, PCBoard will pass two parameters to NODE.BAT. You should use these parameters when calling your spy utility. Parameters Passed %1 The node number is specified as Node[number] where [number] is replaced by the node number you pressed ENTER on. The following are examples of what will be passed: Node 3 Node 4 Node 5 %2 The node number with no preceding text is passed to the batch file. The following are examples of what will be passed: 3 4 5 PCBCMPRS.BAT If you will recall, the R user command has a Z subcommand that can be used to capture messages in a compressed format. To compress the captured messages, PCBoard will execute PCBCMPRS.BAT with two parameters. Parameters Passed %1 Returns the target filename. PCBoard uses the capture filename that you enter in PCBSetup | Configuration Options | Messages and the extension specified in PCBSetup | File Locations | Configuration Files. %2 Returns the source filename. This will be the filename that PCBoard temporarily captured the messages to. If your file compression program uses the following syntax COMPRESS -a [target filename] [source filename] you would create a PCBCMPRS.BAT which looks like this: COMPRESS -a %1 %2 If the target filename does not exist when PCBCMPRS.BAT is done executing, PCBoard will report that there was an error compressing the file. If you see this error message, check the syntax of your batch file and make sure that you have used the parameters properly. NOTE: PCBoard ships with a PCBCMPRS.BAT that is already setup for use with PKWare's PKZIP (R) compression program. PCBQWK.BAT To create QWK packets and to uncompress REP packets, PCBoard will execute PCBQWK.BAT. There are four parameters that will be passed to the PCBQWK batch file. Parameters Passed %1 Either COMPRESS or EXTRACT is returned in all upper case. When COMPRESS is returned, a QWK packet is being created. When EXTRACT is returned, the user uploaded a REP packet and it needs to be uncompressed so that PCBoard can insert the messages. %2 Returns the target filename to be compressed or extracted. The actual filename will be taken from PCBSetup | Configuration Options | Messages. If a QWK packet is being created, QWK will be added to the filename. Likewise, if a REP packet is being uncompressed, REP will be added to the filename. %3 Returns the work directory specified in PCBSetup | File Locations | System Files. %4 Returns a filename that lists the files that need to be included in the QWK packet. Most compression programs usually have some method for accepting file lists. Check your manual for further details. A sample PCBQWK.BAT might resemble the following: if %1==COMPRESS compress %2 @%4 if %1==EXTRACT uncompres %2 %3 NOTE: PCBoard ships with a PCBCMPRS.BAT that is already setup for use with PKWare's PKZIP« compression program. PCBTEST.BAT One major concern of most system operators is the spread of harmful computer viruses and trojans through electronic means such as bulletin board systems. Another concern is to make sure that all files uploaded pass integrity tests especially if the file is compressed. If you want, you can configure PCBoard to test each file that is uploaded to the system. If you want PCBoard to do this, you must enable the Verify Uploads switch in PCBSetup | Configuration Options | File Transfers. When upload verification is enabled, PCBoard will execute PCBTEST.BAT with three parameters. Parameters Passed %1 Returns the complete drive, path, and filename of the file that should be tested. %2 Returns one of three responses. If UPLOAD is returned, the file being tested has just been uploaded and consequently is a new file to the system. If TEST is returned, a user is using the TEST user command to verify the integrity of the file presumably before downloading it. If ATTACH is returned, the file was uploaded to the system as a file attachment. You can use the response to determine what type of tests (if any) should be used on the file. %3 When %2 returns UPLOAD, this parameter will return the location of the filename that contains the description entered by the user. Programs can modify this description file and PCBoard will import the changes back into the file directory when posting the file. Returning Status of File Tested Once PCBTEST.BAT has been executed, PCBoard checks to see if either PCBPASS.TXT or PCBFAIL.TXT exists in the current directory. The existence of one of these files determines whether or not the file passed the tests. If PCBFAIL.TXT exists, PCBoard will display the contents of the file and then fail the upload. The file that was uploaded will remain in the private upload directory for the conference and a FILE FAILED VERIFICATION CHECK line will be added to the description of the file. In addition, if a file description is modified (%3) and the file fails verification, PCBoard will not add the FILE FAILED VERICATION CHECK line to the description. If PCBPASS.TXT exists, PCBoard will display the contents of the file. If you have defined any upload or byte credits for uploads in PCBSetup | Configuration Options | File Transfers, those credits will be issued. In the event that both PCBPASS.TXT and PCBFAIL.TXT exist, PCBFAIL.TXT will take precedence. In fact, any time that a PCBFAIL.TXT exists, the file will be failed. NOTE: The PCBTEST.BAT that comes with your copy of PCBoard will test the integrity of ARC, ARJ, and ZIP compressed files. If you want to do virus scanning and other tasks, you will need to use a third-party program that will help you do this or modify the batch file yourself. PCBVIEW.BAT In addition to testing a file before downloading it, a user may want to view the contents of the file. The user can view a file while listing file descriptions or by entering F;V at the conference command prompt. When the user views a file, PCBoard executes the batch file that is specified in the Batch file for viewing compressed files field of PCBSetup | File Locations | Configuration Files. By default, this filename is called PCBVIEW.BAT. When executing this batch file, only one parameter is passed to the batch file. Parameter Passed %1 Returns the full drive, path, and filename of the filename that has been requested for viewing. After Execution of The Batch File After the batch file has been executed, PCBoard checks for the existence of PCBVIEW.TXT in the current directory. The contents of this file will be displayed to the caller. If it does not exist, it is assumed that an error occurred when viewing the file. NOTE: The PCBVIEW.BAT that has been supplied with your copy of PCBoard, will list the files that are stored in ZIP, ARJ, ARC, and PAK compressed files. In addition, it will view any filename that has a TXT extension to the screen. If you examine the default PCBVIEW.BAT, you will notice that it uses TESTFILE.EXE (also included with your copy of PCBoard) to determine the extension of the filename and branch to an appropriate part in the batch file. REMOTE.SYS When you request a remote drop to DOS using the 9 SysOp command, PCBoard will use REMOTE.SYS as a batch file. Therefore, you can have REMOTE.SYS load just about anything you desire to drop to DOS. You will need to run some sort of program that will redirect a local DOS session to a serial port because DOS does not provide this capability. Included with your PCBoard package is a shareware copy of DOORWAY by TriMark Engineering and a REMOTE.SYS that is pre-configured to use DOORWAY on COM1. This program has the capability of redirecting text screens to a standard serial or FOSSIL port. The ASCII version of the DOORWAY documentation is included in a file called DOORWAY.ZIP in your \PCB directory in case you want to make any changes to the default REMOTE.SYS. In order to return back to PCBoard, your REMOTE.SYS should reload the proper BOARD.BAT file. If you do not load BOARD.BAT or if you load the wrong BOARD.BAT, you could cause your entire system or a node on your system to remain off-line until you get a chance to correct the mistake. $$LOGON.BAT Similar to $$LOGOFF.BAT, you can use $$LOGON.BAT to do special processing after a user has logged into the system. Once the user has properly entered their name, and password, PCBoard will execute $$LOGON.BAT if it can be found. There really is no restriction on what you can run in this batch file, but as a general rule, keep it short so that the callers do not have excessive delays when logging in. $$LOGOFF.BAT If you need to do special processing after each caller has disconnected from the system, you can use a program called $$LOGOFF.BAT. PCBoard checks for the existence of this file in the current directory and in each directory in your PATH= statement. If it is found, it will be run after the caller has been disconnected and all files except PCBOARD.SYS have been closed.