home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Media Share 9
/
MEDIASHARE_09.ISO
/
ra
/
ffra02wb.zip
/
FFUSER.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-02-25
|
36KB
|
993 lines
┌───────┐ ┌───────┐
│ │ │ │
│ ┌────┘ │ ┌────┘
│ │ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ │ │ ┌─┐ ┌─┐ ┌─────┐
│ └──┐ │ ┌─┐ │ │ ┌───┘ └─┐ ┌─┘ │ └──┐ │ │ │ │ │ ┌───┘
│ │ │ └─┘ │ │ └───┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └──┐
│ ┌──┘ │ ┌─┐ │ └───┐ │ │ │ │ ┌──┘ │ │ │ │ │ ┌──┘
│ │ │ │ │ │ ┌───┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └───┐ │ └───┐
└──┘ └─┘ └─┘ └─────┘ └─┘ └──┘ └─┘ └─────┘ └─────┘
for RemoteAccess
A RemoteAccess filedoor and filemanager written by
Richard Skalsky & Hakan Akerberg
Copyright (c) 1993, 1994 R.H. Creative Computer Software
USER GUIDE
FASTFILE FOR RA 0.02ß (WIDEBETA 2) - 1994-02-25
INDEX
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Copyright and trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
DESCRIPTION OF FUNCTIONS
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Group menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Area menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
FastAreaChange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
File menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Long file descriptions, Information files . . . . . . . 10
Tagging files for download . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Download . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
FILES.FF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Upload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Locate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
ScreenColor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
ChangeTimeMode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
OnlineHelp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Redraw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Quit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
OTHER
Special Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1
Copyright and trademarks
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
RemoteAccess Andrew Milner and Wantree Development
SuperBBS SuperBBS group (AA & RV)
ProBoard Philippe Leybaert
DESQview Quarterdeck Office Systems
IBM International Business Machines
OS/2 International Business Machines
MS-DOS Microsoft Corporation
Windows Microsoft Corporation
X00 Ray Gwinn
BNU David Nugent
DSZ Omen Technology Inc
GSZ Omen Technology Inc
FidoNet Tom Jennings
HS/Link Samuel H. Smith
BiModem Erik Labs
ProcommPlus Datastorm Technologies Inc
Telix deltaComm Development
Telemate White River Software
FrontDoor Joaquim Homrighausen
PKZIP PKWARE Inc.
LHA Haruyasu Yoshizaki
ARJ Robert K. Jung
SQZ J. I. Hammarberg
2
Background
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Why should it be that complicated to download files from a BBS?
Is it really necessary with all those jumps between the area menu,
the file menu and the file lists? And when you at last have found
the files of interest - you have to choose a protocol and name the
files to download. It doesn't make it any easier when the files
have awkward names such as PCWL103B.ARJ. Does it have to be that
complicated?
During summer 1991 I met Hakan Akerberg. He was just as interested
in PCs, programming, modems and BBSs as I was. Neither one of us
had seen a BBS where the procedures were as simple as we had
wanted. There were certainly programs where you could tag files
but those programs could not be used for downloading the files.
Instead you were forced to return to the file menu and start
another program for the file transfer.
Hakan suggested that we together should write the perfect file
door. It couldn't be too difficult, simply tagging the files and
then automatically starting an external protocol for the file
transfer. A few weeks job maybe...
Hakan started with the routines for listing files and I with the
routines for ANSI sequences and the main menu. After two weeks of
work we had made a program with features for tagging files
directly in the file list and for downloading. But by then we had
got more ideas. Why not implement a feature for viewing text?
While doing this we could just as well implement an archive-
viewer at the same time. A locate feature would be useful and why
not a split-screen chat mode?
Some improvements for the SysOp would also be a good idea. We
implemented a couple of features for administrating the file-lists
in the BBS as well.
Over a year later and after a number of closed beta releases had
been tested by a 20 man strong team, the first WideBeta version of
FastFile was released in January 1993. This version was designed
for use with RemoteAccess 1.11, SuperBBS and ProBoard BBS, and
soon created considerable interest from users. We received many
letters and file requests from all over the world.
After two WideBeta releases we were almost ready to release
FastFile 1.0 when, during the spring of 1993, RemoteAccess version
2.00.g1 suddenly appeared. The entire file system had been
redesigned in this release and it became quickly apparent that
FastFile 1.0 would not work together with this new version of
RemoteAccess - thanks Andrew ... :-)
We soon began to receive letters desiring a new version of
FastFile adapted for RemoteAccess 2.0x ...
So here it is - after almost another year's work - the first
WideBeta version of FastFile for RA !! This version of FastFile is
intended for use only with RemoteAccess 2.0x.
3
FastFile for RA has the same user interface as FastFile but under
this exterior nothing is the same. Almost all code has been
rewritten and it now consists of some 25 modules and approximately
8000 lines of code. As a result of this amount of code, we have
also been forced to change our development system. The new code is
for the most part divided into threads which allows, for example,
file reading to take place as background activity while the user
continues in foreground !! This can be noticed in the revised
locate function - FastFile searches for files in background while
the user can continue to page file lists and tag files.
FastFile is a filedoor containing all the features which one can
find in the file menu of most BBS's plus much more ! It also
contains a powerful file manager for maintaining RAs filedatabase.
Many thanks to ALL users of FastFile. We have not had time to
reply to all the letters that we have received but we have been
proud to read all the Net- and Crash- mail sent to our BBS.
Without this fantastic response, FastFile for RA would never have
been a reality ... ** Thanks **
We also like to thank our incredible *beta-team* and all other
persons who came up with good ideas, sent bug reports, lent us
hardware and kept us working many nights :-). Thanx guys !!
** Robert Burgess and family, Leffe Forsstrom, Johan Fernberger,
Roger Persson, Leif Mortenssen, Henry Dahl, and many more .... **
Richard Skalsky - Stockholm, Sweden
4
General
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
FastFile for RA is a filedoor and filemanager for RemoteAccess 2.0.
The program is built around a "graphic" user interface which makes
usage simple. It is for example possible to tag files in the lists
by using the cursor positioning keys and space. Transfer of the
tagged files is then initiated by the user pressing "Ctrl-Z" or
"D" and "Z" for ZModem download.
Using FastFile requires that ANSI emulation is handled by the
user's communication program - for example Telemate, FrontDoor,
ProComm Plus and Telix.
Since FastFile transmits many ANSI sequences the modem speed
should be at least 2400 BPS. Otherwise it will be experienced as
slow.
FastFile contains *all* the features usually found in the file
menu on most BBS's!
The most important features are:
------------------------------------------------------------------
- Changearea and FastAreaChange.
Choose an area from an area list or use the FastAreaChange
feature from a file list.
- FileTagging.
Tag files for download from file lists, the locate list or Raw
Dir. It is also possible to tag single files in an archive !
- Upload and Download.
No file transfer protocols are embedded. You can easily install
any number of external protocols. FF.CTL included in the
FastFile archive contains the commands for DSZ or GSZ 10-15-91,
HSLink 1.0 and Bimodem 1.24.
- Locate.
Search filenames, descriptions or new files. Tag files in the
located files list and download!
- TXTView.
Displays text files online. Even archived text files can be read
online.
- ARCView.
Lists files saved in ARJ, ZIP, LHA, LZH and other archives.
- GIFView.
Displays information about GIF pictures. Colors, resolution.
- MODView.
Displays information about MODules.
- ChatMode.
Split-Screen ChatMode. Internal chat feature for user and SysOp.
FastFile can also be started directly in chat mode and may
thereby be used as an external chat program.
5
- Help.
Online Helpscreen.
- Long Descriptions.
For the sake of clearness the file lists displays only one line
of the file description. But just one keystroke and FastFile
displays file descriptions which are up to 15 lines long.
- NewFilesSearch.
Displays new files that have been received since the previous
logon. FastFile may also be started in the NewFilesSearch
mode and may thereby be used as an external NewFiles program.
- Download Counter.
Counts the downloads in a configurable format.
- MonoBaud.
Runs FastFile in a black/white display mode when used below a
configured (in FF.CTL) baud rate.
- DownloadDescription.
FF can optionally send a list with descriptions of the files
downloaded by the user.
6
DESCRIPTION OF KEY FUNCTIONS
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Key descriptions
────────────────
The following table shows the keys and ESC-sequences that are used
to control FastFile both locally and remotely.
╒════════════╤═══════════════╤═══════════════════════════════════╕
│ Key │ ASCII Sequence│ Description │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ │ │ ARROW KEYS │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ Up │ 27+91+65 │ Move cursor up │
│ 8 │ 56 │ │
│ Down │ 27+91+66 │ Move cursor down │
│ 2 │ 50 │ │
│ Right │ 27+91+67 │ Next file area (in file list) │
│ 6 │ 54 │ │
│ Left │ 27+91+68 │ Previous file area (in file list) │
│ 4 │ 52 │ │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ │ │ OTHER POSITIONING KEYS │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ PgUp │ 27+91+80 │ Previous page in the file list │
│ 9 │ 57 │ │
│ - │ 45 │ │
│ │ │ │
│ PgDn │ 27+91+78 │ Next page in the file list │
│ 3 │ 51 │ │
│ + │ 43 │ │
│ Enter │ 13 │ │
│ │ │ │
│ Home │ 27+91+72 │ First file in current page or - │
│ │ │ first file in the file list │
│ 7 │ 55 │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ End │ 27+91+75 │ Last file in current page or - │
│ │ │ last file in the file list │
│ 1 │ 49 │ │
│ │ │ │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ │ │ TAGGING FILES │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ Insert │ 27+91+83 │ Tag one file in the file list │
│ 0 │ 48 │ │
│ Space │ 32 │ │
│ T │ 84 │ │
│ * │ 42 │ Show all tagged files │
│ / │ 47 │ Remove all file tags │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ │ │ FAST AREA CHANGE │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ F │ 70 │ Fast Area Change (in file list) │
│ Del │ 127 │ │
│ , │ 44 │ │
│ Backspace │ 08 │ Remove last typed character │
└────────────┴───────────────┴───────────────────────────────────┘
7
╒════════════╤═══════════════╤═══════════════════════════════════╕
│ Key │ ASCII Sequence│ Description │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ │ │ FUNCTIONAL KEYS │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ A │ 65 │ Area menu - show area menu │
│ L │ 76 │ Locate - file name/description│
│ T │ 84 │ Tag File - tag file │
│ U │ 85 │ Upload - upload file │
│ D │ 68 │ Download - download file │
│ CTRL-X │ 24 │ Download - Xmodem download │
│ CTRL-Y │ 25 │ Download - Ymodem download │
│ CTRL-Z │ 26 │ Download - Zmodem download │
│ V │ 86 │ View - ARCHIVE,TXT,GIF,MOD │
│ I │ 73 │ File Info - show long filedesc. │
│ Y │ 89 │ Chat mode - call SysOp │
│ W │ 87 │ Color/Mono - choose color/mono │
│ S │ 83 │ Stop list - stop file list │
│ H │ 72 │ Help - show help display │
│ R │ 82 │ Redraw - refresh display │
│ N │ 78 │ NewFiles - Search for new files │
│ M │ 77 │ ChangeTime - choose time mode │
│ $ │ 36 │ Information- show system info. │
│ Q │ 81 │ Quit - terminate FastFile │
│ G │ 71 │ Goodbye - terminate FastFile │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ │ │ FUNCTIONS IN CHAT MODE │
├────────────┼───────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│ ESC │ 27 │ Stop Chatmode │
│ CTRL-C │ 03 │ Erase Chat-window │
└────────────┴───────────────┴───────────────────────────────────┘
8
The Group Menu
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The first displayed menu when starting FastFile is the group menu.
Each group has a number and by choosing a number and pressing
Enter, the areamenu for that group is displayed. The arrow keys
or the mouse, if used by a communication program that supports it,
together with Enter can also be used to select an group. The group
menu can display up to 38 areas per screen. If more than 38 groups
exist, plus (+) and minus (-) can be used to swap pages.
The functions Chat (Y), Upload (U), Locate (L), Redraw (R), Color
Toggle (W), Quit (Q), NewFilesSearch (N) and Help (H) can also be
invoked from the group menu.
The Area Menu
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Each area has a number and by choosing an area number and pressing
Enter, the file list for that area is displayed. The arrow keys
or the mouse, if used by a communication program that supports it,
together with Enter can also be used to select an area. The area
menu can display up to 38 file areas per screen. If more than 38
file areas exist then plus (+) and minus (-) can be used to swap
pages.
The functions Chat (Y), Upload (U), Locate (L), Redraw (R), Color
Toggle (W), Quit (Q), NewFilesSearch (N) and Help (H) can also be
invoked from the area menu.
FastAreaChange
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The FastAreaChange feature can be used in a file list as a short
cut to change file area without selecting it from the area menu.
If F is pressed in a file list then the area name in the
lower left corner of the screen starts blinking. A new file area
can then be selected by either choosing an area number or entering
the first letter of the area name, and then pressing Enter to
confirm. That character can be deleted with the help of Backspace.
The arrow keys too can be used to select the previous or the next
file area respectively.
The Left/Right keys can be used directly, omitting first pressing
Enter, in order to select the file area previous or next to the
current area. In this case the file list will be displayed
immediately without the need to press Enter to confirm.
9
The File Menu
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The file menu display shows file names, dates, sizes and descrip-
tions. Each screen of the file menu display shows up to 21 files.
The keys PgUp(9,-), PgDn(3,+,Enter), Home(7), End(1) are used to
swap between file menu display screens. Up(8) and Down(2) are used
to point at a file within the file list. Pressing END once results
in pointing to the last file of the current screen. Another
press of END makes the last file of the file list pointed to.
Pressing Home once and twice works similarly.
The Left and Right keys can be used to select the previous and the
next file areas directly (FastAreaChange).
Long File Descriptions
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
If the description of a file is too long for the line then the
character (i) is displayed at the right of the description. Those
longer file descriptions can be displayed by pressing "I".
Tagging files
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Files in the file list can be marked for downloading by using the
up and down arrow keys (or 8 and 2 keys) to position the cursor in
front of a desired file, and then pressing Space, T, 0, or INSERT.
The status line at the top of the display shows the number of
files thus tagged, the total size in KBs and the time required to
transfer those files using Zmodem (or another protocol if so
desired by the SysOp). If too many files corresponding to the
users limits are tagged then either the size or the time in the
status line blinks, and the download cannot be initiated.
In file area 0 (Tagged Files) all the tagged files from all file
lists are shown. This area is displayed either by pressing "*", by
choosing area 0 from the area menu, or by using FastAreaChange.
Pressing the character "/" will remove all file tags in all file
areas.
10
Download
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
FastFile uses external protocols (such as GSZ) for transferring
files. A download is initiated by pressing "D". A menu will be
displayed from which the desired protocol can be selected, for
example by pressing "Z" for Zmodem. The download is then started
and all the tagged files will be transferred.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: If using Xmodem only one file can be sent contemporaneously!
------------------------------------------------------------------
A download can also be started directly, without using the
protocol selection window, by simply pressing Ctrl-X, Ctrl-Y,
Ctrl-Z, Ctrl-B, Ctrl-H for transfer using Xmodem, Ymodem
Zmodem, BiModem or HSLINK respectively when pointing at the wanted
file (Ctrl-hotkey).
The information file FILES.FF {+}
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
If "DL description" is set to YES in RACONFIG an information file,
with name FILES.FF, is sent to the user as part of the download.
This information file contains the names and descriptions of the
downloaded files.
Upload
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
An upload is initiated by pressing "U". A menu will be displayed
from which the desired protocol can be selected, for example by
pressing "Z" for Zmodem. The upload is then started by the user
in his local communications program. On completion of the upload
the user must provide a description of the file, using the
embedded full-screen editor. The arrow keys, Home, End, Delete,
Insert and Ctrl-Y (delete line) can be used in this editor.
Before requesting the user for the description, FastFile checks
for the file FILE_ID.DIZ in the uploaded archive - this file
should contain text describing the archive. If found, FastFile
will ask if this text is to be used as the description.
The file description is saved by pressing Ctrl-Z. If an upload
area is specified in FF.CTL (UpLoadArea = ) then all files sent to
FastFile are stored in that directory. If no upload area is
specified the files are stored in the current file area, which is
the area in use by the user when the upload is initiated, provided
that uploads to this area are allowed.
If the file description begins with "/" then the file is private
to SysOp and will not be included in the file list.
11
Locate
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The Locate feature can be used to search for a file within the
file areas. FastFile searches all file areas and displays a
listing of the found files. It is then possible to select files
for download by tagging in this list.
The locate feature is invoked by pressing "L". A locate window is
then displayed in which the user enters search parameters. By
specifying "*" only, a search is initiated for the files that have
been added since the user's previous login.
The searching for files thus initiated is performed in background.
This allows the user to continue scanning the lists and tagging
files at the same time as the search is performed.
The search text in the search window can be edited using the Left,
Right, Backspace, Delete and Insert keys.
Examples of search parameters:
FILE NAMES -
------------------------------------------------------------------
FFRA02WB.ARJ
FFRA02
FFRA0*.*
*.ARJ
FF.C*
------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTIONS -
------------------------------------------------------------------
REMOTEACCESS
RemoteAccess
FastFile for RA
------------------------------------------------------------------
12
View
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The FastFile viewer is a combined Archive, Text, GIF and MODule
viewer which is very easy to use. Viewing is initiated by pointing
to a file in the filelist and pressing "V". FastFile automatically
detects the type of the selected file and views it.
If the file is of type ZIP, LZH, ARJ or SQZ, then FastFile will
list the content of that archive.
Similarly text files can be viewed online by pointing to the file
and typing "V".
T (tag) can be used to tag individual files in the archive for
downloading and V (view) can be used to view an archived file.
It is also possible to view the contents of, or text files in, an
archive which is itself archived.
Ex. 1. Position the cursor before the file FF.ZIP in the file list.
2. Type V (view). The contents of the archive (FF.ZIP) are now
displayed.
3. Position the cursor before the file DOC.ZIP in the archive
FF.ZIP.
4. Type V again. The contents of DOC.ZIP are now displayed.
5. Position the cursor before the file READ.ME in the archive
DOC.ZIP (which itself resides in the archive FF.ZIP).
6. Type V again. The contents of READ.ME are now displayed.
The locate function (L) can also be used for searching for
keywords in text files.
Ex. 1. Type V to view a text file.
2. When the file is displayed, type L (locate).
3. A locate window is displayed which provides the possibility
to search for a text string in the file.
View can also be used for GIF format files. In this case the size
of the file and the picture resolution and number of colors will
be displayed.
If a MOD-file is viewed then FastFile displays the modules
different samples with names, durations and sizes etc.
Within the view window the keys Up/Down, +/-, Home and End can be
used to swap pages within the viewed file.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: ** The SysOp function F3 can also be used to view files ! **
------------------------------------------------------------------
13
Chat
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
FastFile has an embedded Full Screen Chat. User calls (yelling)
for SysOp by pressing "Y". FF will then "call" for SysOp.
Special keys that can be used during chat:
Key Function Available to
------------------------------------------------------------------
Ctrl-C Clear chat window (User/SysOp)
ESC Ends the chat. (User/SysOp)
------------------------------------------------------------------
ScreenColor
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The ScreenColor feature (W) allows the user to use FastFile in
monochrome mode if he prefers. This speeds up the displaying of
file lists. Pressing "W" causes toggling between color and
monochrome modes.
ChangeTimeMode
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The status line at the head of the display shows the time required
to download the currently tagged files using Zmodem. Pressing "M"
toggles between by Xmodem, Ymodem and Zmodem required times.
Online Help
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
A FastFile Help-screen is displayed by pressing "H" or "F1". That
screen shows all the FastFile commands and a short description of
each command. The help-screen(s) can be edited with FFCONFIG.
Redraw
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The Redraw feature (key R) results in FastFile redisplaying the
current screen. This is useful if communication line disturbances
caused corruption of transmitted data.
Quit
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The feature Quit (Q) or Goodbye (G) is used to exit FastFile.
FastFile will update information such as Timelimits, WantChat in
the file EXITINFO.BBS before terminating.
SysOp can also use ALT-H or F10 to quit FastFile.
14
Special Acknowledgements
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
We would like to give special credits to the following persons who
have assisted in the development of FastFile for RA !!
Robert Burgess and family
-------------------------
Thank you for all your assistance in translation this manual
from Swedish - we would probably never have finished without this
help ... And also thanks for all good bug reports!
Henry Dahl
----------
Thank you for your good ideas ! And for editing this manual. It's
always interesting to chat with you and obtain new insights !
Johan Fernberger
----------------
Thank you for all those bug reports.
Leffe Forsstrom
---------------
Thank you for being first to register FastFile !, hope that many
more will follow you ... and also thanks for all credit that you
always give us. Lets hope that this beta is not to stable for you.
Leif Mortenssen
---------------
Thank you for being first outside Sweden to register FastFile !
A ***BIG THANK YOU*** to all other beta-testers and all others who
came up with ideas during the development of FastFile, Thanx Guys!
Richard & Hakan
FastFile is written by Hakan Akerberg and Richard Skalsky
Copyright (c) 1993, 1994 R.H. Creative Computer Software
15