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SabreChat! Version 5.02.00 Copyright (C) 1993 Shawn Gresham
What is SabreChat!?
───────────────────
SabreChat! is simply a user to user chat program. It is run
from each node of a bulletin board system allowing the users
online to talk with each other. This connection is made
possible by the SabreMixer! TSR that comes with the SabreChat!
package.
This SabreChat! version has the following features:
Line-by-line or character-by-character chat modes that
are toggled by the user.
Communication between nodes separated by a multi-tasker or a
network in character-by-character mode. Disk-based
communication in line-by-line mode.
Full ANSI color coding support.
Multiple conferencing support for more than one chat session
at the same time.
Supports up to 50 nodes.
Sysop-defined action commands for user entertainment.
Sysop-defined questionnaire feature to give each user
more identity.
Three different prompting modes for user identification.
Ability to capture conversations to a text file.
Log file generation.
By The Way
──────────
SabreChat! is distributed as shareware with nothing stating
the user has to register the program within a certain number
of days. The unregistered version of SabreChat! has a
built-in limitation of 10 minutes for each execution and no
other limitations. There is no restriction for use by
corporations or govermental agencies. The software is
distributed as is. I am not liable for any damage cause by
the use of this software.
Trademarks of any companies mentioned in this doc appears for
identification purposes only and likewise, belong to their
respective companies.
Requirements
────────────
The following are required to execute SabreChat!:
8086 or better
DOS 3.3 or newer
a communication fossil for port access
SHARE.EXE must be loaded
SabreChat! uses the following files:
File Description Found
─────────────── ─────────────────────── ───────
SCHAT!.EXE Main Executable archive
SCHT!WC.DOC Documentation archive
SMIXER!.COM SabreMixer! archive
SMIXER!.DOC Doc for SabreMixer! archive
SCHT!HI.ASC welcome text (ASCII) archive
SCHT!HI.ANS welcome text (ANSI) archive
SCHT!HLP.ASC help text (ASCII) archive
SCHT!HLP.ANS help text (ANSI) archive
SCHT!MNU.ASC menu text (ASCII) archive
SCHT!MNU.ANS menu text (ANSI) archive
SCHT!ACT.EXE action compiler archive
SCHT!ACT.TXT sample actions (text) archive
SCHT!ACT.DAT sample actions (compiled) archive
SCHT!REG.EXE registration program archive
SCHT!KEY.DAT registration key file created
SCHT!QST.EXE questionnaire compiler archive
SCHT!ASK.TXT questionnaire questions archive
SCHT!QST.TXT uncompiled questionnaire data archive
SCHT!QST.DAT compiled questionnaire data created
SCHT!USR.SWD user data created
SCHT!CNF.SWD conference data created
SCHT!LIN.SWD line data created
SCHT!LOG.SWD log file created
SCHT!CAP.xxx capture file for node xxx created
SCHT!ALS.SWD user alias information created
SCHT!NFO.SWD user questionnaire information created
ARCHIVE = found in the SabreChat! archive.
CREATED = created by SabreChat!.
Registering SabreChat!
──────────────────────
The copy of SabreChat! that you possess is the full-working
version with only one drawback. Users are limited to ten
minutes in the door before they are returned to the board.
Afterwards they may return to SabreChat! for another ten
minutes and so on. This limitation is merely to allow the
user and sysop to have a sufficent evaluation periods to
determine if they wish to register SabreChat!.
Why register at all then? Well, there are few reasons you
might consider...
1) Upon registration, you will be added to a list of names
that I personally inform when a newer version of SabreChat!
comes out.
2) You will receive priority support, in the unlikely event that
you run into any problems or if you just have some questions.
3) Registrations keep me informed on just how interested
people are in my software. If I don't receive any feedback
then I can only assume that my efforts were in vain and I
should find something else to do.
4) Registrations are forever. Once registered, you will never
have to register for a newer version of SabreChat!.
5) Upon receiving the registration key, the ten minute
limitation will be removed.
To register SabreChat!, please fill out the registration form
included in the archive and send fifteen US dollars ($15 US)
address found at the end of this document.
Be sure that the names given are the names that you wish to
appear in the registration. The registration will look
similar to this:
Registered to SHAWN GRESHAM of MAXIMUM INTENSITY.
------------- -----------------
The information is merely for my records so that I can keep
tabs on where the program is headed and such. Plus the
comments and suggestion are invaluable to the production of
future versions.
Installation
────────────
To install SabreChat! please read the installation text file
also included in this archive. This fill will be called
INST!xxx.DOC with xxx being the bbs software type.
RA = Remote Access
WC = Wildcat
TAG = TAG BBS
Also note that though all of the installation docs for each
system (RA/WC/TAG) are included, only the system supported
by Schat!.exe will work.
NOTE: I have included a user tutorial text file,
SCHT!USR.DOC, that can be set up as a bulletin on your
system to help people get the hang of SabreChat!.
Customizing SabreChat!
──────────────────────
Using the installation instructions, you should have a
standard working version of SabreChat!. The following section
gives a list of command line options that you can use to
customize the way SabreChat! works on your system. I would
recommend make very few changes until you are certain that the
base setup will operate correctly. Customizing would
complicate debugging a problem.
Note that some options are already set by the DOOR.SYS or
DORINFO1.DEF file for you. These commands are identified by
having [DOOR.SYS] or [DORINFO1.DEF] after their name. Normally
you would not have to set these commands unless you wanted to
over-ride the DOOR.SYS or DORINFO1.DEF settings.
The command line parameters are listed in the following
format:
Option <letter>, <short description> [DOOR.SYS] [DORINFO1.DEF]
<full description>
Usage : SCHAT! <option usage description>
Default : SCHAT! <example>
Example of how to activate option from
command line.
DOOR.SYS
Means that the option is read from
DOOR.SYS if the Y option has been set.
DORINFO1.DEF
Means that this option will be set if
you use the O (read dorinfo1.def)
option.
None
Means that the option has no default
value or is not activated by default.
AutoDetect
Means that SabreChat! tries to
determine this value when it is
executed, and that by setting this
option, you are overriding the
detected value.
Option A, Select Graphics Mode [DOOR.SYS] [DORINFO1.DEF]
This command is set by DOOR.SYS and DORINFO1.DEF.
This command selects the graphic codes that SabreChat!
uses to send colors to an online user. SabreChat!
supports two standard graphic conventions, ANSI and
AVATAR. This option will be set by DOOR.SYS and
DORINFO1.DEF, if you are using option Y or O, based on
the user's flags in RA.
Usage : SCHAT! A<0..3>
0 No graphic codes
1 ANSI graphics
2 AVATAR graphics
3 Both ANSI and AVATAR
Example : SCHAT! A1
Default : SCHAT! A0 or DOOR.SYS or DORINFO1.DEF
Option B, Black and White Local Screen
This command informs SabreChat! not to use colors
locally. Color codes will still be sent to the user
online. This is necessary on some black and white
monitors that translate certain colors as black and
cannot been seen against the black background.
Usage : SCHAT! B
Default : Color used.
Option C, Set Default Conference Name
This option sets the conference name that user will
be joined to when he enters SabreChat!.
Usage : SCHAT! C<conference name>
Example : SCHAT! CCOMICS
Default : SCHAT! CPUBLIC
Option E, Enable DOS 3.3 COMMIT flushing
This option enables file flushing for some of the
temporary files that SabreChat! uses to communicate.
Enabling this will slow down operation a tad, but will
ensure that the data gets written to the disk as soon
as possible. Do not use this unless some nodes are
receiving the wrong text lines (ie. old lines of text
or massive garbage, etc).
Usage : SCHAT! E
Default : Inactive
Option F, Set Page Search Frequency
This command defines the frequency that SabreChat!
checks to see if someone has paged you while in
SabreChat!. SabreChat! looks for pages once every 5
seconds by default. Using the F command line option,
you can change this value or disable page checking
entirely by setting it to zero.
Usage : SCHAT! F<frequency in seconds or 0 (disabled)>
Default : SCHAT! F5
Option G, Log Activity
This option creates a file called SCHT!LOG.SWD and
logs the doors activity. You can safely delete this
file whenever it becomes to larger and SabreChat! will
create a new one. This keeps a list of who enters and
leaves and any errors that may occur.
Usage: SCHAT! G
Default: Disabled.
Option I, Set SabreMixer! Interrupt Number
This option sets the interrupt number that SabreChat!
will expect to find SabreMixer! installed. The default
for SabreChat! is interrupt $66. If you suspect an
interrupt conflict with other software, be sure to change
both SabreChat! and SabreMixer! to the same interrupt.
I would suggest placing I$68 on both command lines, this
will change both to interrupt $68. Use this option with
extreme caution and only if you are sure that SabreMixer!
and another TSR are conflicting.
Usage: SCHAT! I<int number>
Default: SCHAT! I$66
Example: SCHAT! I$68
Option L, Line-by-line Mode
By putting this option on the command line, SabreChat!
will default to line-by-line mode instead of
character-by-character mode.
Usage : SCHAT! L
Default: Disabled.
Option M, User Prompting
This command sets the type of prompting that
SabreChat! while use to distinguish between users.
Usage : SCHAT! M<0..3>
0 No prompting
1 Initial prompting
2 Full name prompting
3 Preceding Fullname
Default : SCHAT! M2
Option N, Select Node [DOOR.SYS]
This command is set by DOOR.SYS.
This option tells SabreChat! which node it is
operating on. This option is also read from DOOR.SYS
if the Y option is selected and will not need to be
explicitly set.
Usage : SCHAT! N<node 1..50>
Default : SCHAT! N1 or DOOR.SYS or DORINFO1.DEF
Option O, Read User Information from DORINFO1.DEF.
This option tells SabreChat! to read DORINFO1.DEF for
information pertaining to the user setup. This
command will automatically set the com port, graphic
mode, and time remaining. Theses options should not
need to be set once the O command has been used unless
the values are desired to be forced.
Usage : SCHAT! O<path to DORINFO1.DEF>
Default : None
Option P, Select Online Communications Port [DOOR.SYS]
[DORINFO1.DEF]
This command is set by DOOR.SYS and DORINFO1.DEF.
This command sets the communications port (COM) that
it will talk to an online user with. A port value of
zero is assumed to be a local user. A communications
fossil will be used to access the port.
Usage : SCHAT! P<0,1..8> (local,com1..com8)
Default : No ComPort or DOOR.SYS
Option Q, Activate Questionnaire.
This command activates SabreChat! questionnaire
feature. The files SCHT!QST.TXT and SCHT!ASK.TXT will
need to have been created and SCHT!QST.EXE executed
before this works correctly.
Usage : SCHAT! Q
Default : Inactive
Option S, Set SEMAPHORE Path
Remote Access allows you to specify a semaphore path
to a drive for quick access temporary files. This is
usually a ramdisk drive. Remote Access will put its
paging files in there. If you specified RA to use a
semaphore path, then you will need to tell SabreChat!
where this path is with the S<path> command.
Usage : SCHAT! S<semaphore path>
Default : None
Example : SCHAT! SE:\
Option T, Set User Time Remaining [DOOR.SYS] [DORINFO1.DEF]
This command is set by DOOR.SYS and DORINFO1.DEF.
This option tells SabreChat! how long the user has
access to this door in minutes. Once this time is
used, the user is returned to the board.
NOTE : This command is ignored in the unregistered
version of SabreChat! and the user time limit
is set to 10 minutes.
Usage : SCHAT! T<1..255 minutes>
Default : SCHAT! T20 or DOOR.SYS or DORINFO1.DEF.
Option U, Auto-Line Mode Switch
This command line option sets the number of users that
must be in SabreChat! before SabreChat! will
automatically switch to line-by-line mode. Setting
this value to 0, disables the auto-switch.
Usage : SCHAT! U<number of users>
Example : SCHAT! U5
-- go to line-by-line mode when the 5th user
enters a SabreChat! conference
Default : SCHAT! U3
Option Y, Read User Information from DOOR.SYS
This option tells SabreChat! to read DOOR.SYS for
information pertaining to the user setup. This
command will automatically set the user node, com
port, graphic mode, and time remaining. This options
should not need to be set once the Y command has been
used unless the values are desired to be forced.
Usage : SCHAT! Y<path to DOOR.SYS>
Default : None
Option Z, Set Local Screen Length
This option informs SabreChat! of the size of the
local screen. Though the size of the local screen is
read from BIOS upon program initialization, you may
desired to force the size if SabreChat! does not read
the value correctly or if you wish to make the
SabreChat! window shorter than screen. The latter use
is nice if you are using SabreChat! in a windowed
enviroment and you wish to see the status bar at the
bottom of each window.
Usage : SCHAT! Z<1..50 lines>
Default : AutoDetect
Option &, Immediate User Mode
This option allows you to use SabreChat! without the
need of a BBS user file (NODEINFO.DAT or USERON.BBS).
The user name is set to the name entered on the node
specified by the N option, and on the port specified
by the P option.
Usage : SCHAT! &<FirstName_LastName>
Default : SCHAT! None
Example : SCHAT! &Shawn_Gresham
Note: This option also allows you to use SabreChat!
as network chat utility by assigning a node
number to each workstation. Thus workstation
#5 could just type 'SCHAT! &John_Doe N5' and
JOHN DOE would enter SabreChat! as node 5.
Customizing Menus
─────────────────
There are three screens in SabreChat! that can be modified.
These are SCHT!HLP, SCHT!MNU, and SCHT!HI. Each consists of
two files that end with .ASC, a straight ASCII file, and .ANS,
an ANSI file. You may modify these files as you wish to give
any extra information or flash to your copy of SabreChat!.
However, modifying the command names in the SCHT!MNU file will
NOT modify the command names in SabreChat!. This will only
confuse your users.
Also, some ANSI screens may contain commands that SabreChat!
does not correctly interpret. This screens will appear wrong
on the local side only.
Action Commands
───────────────
SabreChat!'s action feature allows the user to make gestures
with just a few keystrokes. An example would be /SMILE that
sends "SHAWN GRESHAM smiles." to each user in his conference.
These commands are an attempt to give SabreChat! a more
conversation atmosphere.
The action commands can be altered by modifing the file
SCHT!ACT.TXT. Before doing so, be sure to change into the
directory containing that file. Each line of SCHT!ACT.TXT
is in this format:
<COMMAND> <TEXT>
<COMMAND> is a word of ten characters or less that will be used
by the users to invoke this action command. Verbs usually
work best for this.
<TEXT> is a coded string that is used to produce the action text
that will be displayed to everyone in the chat.
example defined in SCHT!ACT.TXT:
SUCK There is a vast sucking noise.
example as used in chat:
/SUCK
There is a vast sucking noise.
There are also two special variables that can be used.
These are:
%1 user's name
%2 destination user's name
Example defined in SCHT!ACT.TXT:
JUMP %1 jumps.
KISS %1 kisses %2!!
example used in chat:
/JUMP
SHAWN jumps.
/KISS Gina
SHAWN kisses GINA!!
And one last special command that is based off of the sex
of the user.
This is:
@male string@female string@
Example defined in SCHT!ACT.TXT:
FLAP %1 flaps @his@her@ arms.
example used in chat:
/FLAP
SHAWN flags his arms.
SabreChat! will support as many action commands as memory
allows.
After modifying the file SCHT!ACT.TXT, you will need to run
SCHT!ACT.EXE. This will convert SCHT!ACT.TXT into
SCHT!ACT.DAT that is read by SabreChat!. SCHT!ACT.EXE will
notify you if you have made any mistakes regarding the size of
an action command.
Questionnaire
─────────────
The questionnaire feature of SabreChat! allows you to ask
additional information on a user. This information will be
available to other users when they encounter each other by
using the /LOOK command. This feature is an attempt to
'flesh' out a chatting session. Users will be able to put a
description along with the 'voice' of the person they are
chatting with.
The questionnaire consists of three files: the aspect
definition file (SCHT!QST.TXT), the ask file (SCHT!ASK.TXT),
and the show file (SCHT!SHW.TXT). To set up a questionnaire
file you can edit the files that came in the SabreChat!
archive or by create a new ones by deleting the SCHT!QST.TXT,
SCHT!ASK.TXT, SCHT!SHW.TXT files and doing it from scratch.
For a start, I suggest slightly altering the ones that I made
until you get the hang of it.
Following I will explain how each of these files are set up:
The aspect definition file - SCHT!QST.TXT
-----------------------------------------
We start with the aspect definition file which is the heart of
the questionnaire. It contains information about the various
aspects of an user. Each line in this file defines an aspect.
The format for each line is as follows:
<aspect name> <length in characters of entry>
for example:
hair_color 10
defines the aspect HAIR_COLOR that can be up to 10 characters
long. This information will be used by SabreChat! when the
user answers the questionnaire. Which leads us to...
The ask file - SCHT!ASK.TXT
---------------------------
The ask file is displayed when a user enters SabreChat! for
the first time or when the user wishes to change his/her
current aspects/answers. Basically, the ASK file asks the
questions that the ASPECT DEFINITION file will contain. The
format for this file is simple. Everything will be printed as
is except lines that begin with a % (percent) character. A
line beginning with a percent character is expected to contain
an aspect name (for example HAIR_COLOR). Using the example
above:
SCHT!ASK.TXT:
What color is your hair?
%HAIR_COLOR%
This sample prints the line 'What color is your hair?' and
then prompts for a string up to 10 characters long as defined
in SCHT!QST.TXT and assigns the string to the name HAIR_COLOR.
The show file - SCHT!SHW.TXT
----------------------------
Where the ASK file asks the questions, the show file shows the
answers. The show file will appear to the users when they use
the /LOOK command from SabreChat!. The format for this file is
a little more complicated than the previous SCHT!ASK file as
it allows for some minor formatting of the aspects. The text
will printed as is to the user except for the user aspects
which should be prefixed and suffixed with a % (percent)
character. Using the previous example, you might display the
user's hair color with the following line:
SCHT!SHW.TXT:
Hair color : %HAIR_COLOR%
The show file also allows you to define how big the space is
that the answer will appear in. Though this may seem awkward
at first, it becomes very powerful when you wish to align your
text into two or more columns. You can specify the aspect
field size by placing the field size in letters between the
first % (percent) and the aspect name:
%<field size>[ASPECT name]%
Using the example above with a few new aspects:
Hair Color : %38HAIR_COLOR% Eye Color : %EYE_COLOR%
Height : %38HEIGHT% Weight : %WEIGHT%
This example would display the four aspects with the WEIGHT
and EYE_COLOR being lined up regardless of the lenght of the
HAIR_COLOR or HEIGHT answers.
The field size is completely optional and is assumed to be the
length of the answer if left out.
Finally
-------
After completing these three files, you will need to run
SCHT!QST.EXE to compile SCHT!QST.TXT into SCHT!QST.DAT. The
compiler will notify you of any errors found in the TXT file.
And very last, you will need to use the Q option on the
command line to activate the questionnaire.
Technical Information
─────────────────────
Following is some technical information that may be useful in
debugging application conflicts.
■ The communication fossil is expected to be at interrupt 14h.
■ NetBIOS is accessed through interrupt 5Ch.
■ Interrupt 66h is used to communicate with SabreMixer!.
■ NetBIOS datagrams are used in NetBIOS mode.
■ Record locking is used to safely access USERON.BBS (ra/tag)
and NODEINFO.DAT (wc) files.
Thanks
──────
Thanks to my very very responsive beta testers!!!! Give these
guys a call to see the lastest SabreChat! in action!
Wildcat BBS
-----------
Greg Day Steve Henry
Suburban Computer Connection AMBASSADOR BOARD
Garden City, MI Ontario, Canada
1-313-427-0223 1-519-925-0724 v.32bis
1:2410/193
Jeff Shapiro Chuck Alpert
Computer Junction Short Circuit
Elizabeth, NJ Boca Raton, FL
1-908-354-6979 1-407-997-2235
1:107/900 1:369/78
TAG BBS
-------
Allen Crist
Code Three
Prescott, AZ
1-602-771-8646
1:15/23
Remote Access BBS
-----------------
Rick Sande Josh Zerlan
LifeStyles BBS The Temporal Alliance
Branford, CT Ft. Collins, CO
1-203-481-4836 1-303-490-1047
1:141/107 1:306/23
Chris DeClerk
Yolanda's Wonderland
State University, AR
1-501-972-6549
1:389/12
Also many thanks to Joel Karr for initially getting me started
in SabreChat! and offering his system as the birth place of
this program.
To Ellis Green of Ellwye's Funhouse the use of his system as
a distribution point and mail contact before my arrival into
the FIDOnet and BBS world.
To Gina Lewter for the many hours of putting up with me and my
'puter and, foremost, for agreeing to be my wife (May 8, 1993!
everybody be there!) Love you babe! (yes, we can go eat now)
And to everyone of you users out there who poke, jab, pummel,
and basically pull the arm of your sysop to register
SabreChat!!!!
Future Versions
───────────────
Here are a few ideas that my beta testers and I have come
up with for future versions:
* adding a KNOCK command for users to request entrance to a
private conference (room)
* expanding the IGNORE command to allow a user to ignore a
certain node
* possibly adding a sysop page option and apporiate handling
* detection of users logging on/off the board...
Let me know what you think or if you have any other
suggestions.
Contacting The Author
─────────────────────
You can reach the author by sending netmail to SHAWN GRESHAM
on the following board:
Maximum Intensity
Whitesboro, Texas, 76273
FIDOnet 1:19/129
1-903-564-3853 22:00 to 06:00 cst
Or by sending a letter to:
Shawn Gresham
Route 1 Box 544
Gordonville, Texas 76245-9789 USA
Or, by dropping a message on the RA_UTIL or WILDCAT echos to
SHAWN GRESHAM.
Any comments or suggestions would be treasured.
If you are having problems and wish to contact me, please
have the following information handy:
BBS System (ra/wildcat/tag)
Machine types. (8086, 80286-10, 80486DX-50, etc)
Memory Manager (if any) (QEMM, 386MAX, etc...)
System Type (DESQview, network, WINDOWS, etc...)
Operating System (MS-DOS 3.3, MS-DOS 5.0, DRDOS 6.0, etc...)
Number of nodes in your system
Command line used for SabreChat! (as in the MAIN1.RUN)
Command line used for SabreMixer! (as in AUTOEXEC.BAT)
Current S!NODE= environment setting (as in AUTOEXEC.BAT)
Current S!EXE= environment setting (as in AUTOEXEC.BAT)
This information is invaluable for debugging SabreChat! problems.
──────────────────────────────────────────────
SabreChat! Copyright (C) 1993 Shawn Gresham