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-
- Welcome to BBSkit! First, let me thank you for taking an interest in
- this package. I feel that BBSkit is easily the best package of its kind for
- BBS and door applications. (Yes, BBSkit can just as easily be used to write
- door programs!)
-
- WHAT IS BBSKIT?
-
- BBSkit is just exactly what the name implies: it is a toolkit designed
- to help you, as a Pascal programmer, author a BBS. Usually, a BBS author
- needs to be concerned with all kinds of dirty things like serial routines,
- time limits, ANSI terminal emulation, and the like. BBSkit relieves you of
- this tedious burden by providing a very complete BBS template. This template
- includes the various procedures and functions needed especially by a BBS
- author, such as:
-
- * Both an object and procedural calling method. The object version
- gives ideal support for a BBS, while the procedural calling method
- is where most of the gritty low-level stuff is contained. You
- pick the method that works best for you!
-
- * Support for up to 8 simultaneously operating serial ports.
-
- * Low-level serial routines, written in 8088 assembler, to provide up
- to 115,200 bits per second through any kind of National-based UART,
- from the 8250B up to the FIFO buffered 16550A. And since these
- routines are in assembler, they're FAST! No need for a FOSSIL or
- other type of device driver, either!
-
- * BBSkit allows you complete control over where I/O goes: the console,
- the serial port, the printer, a disk file, or any combination of
- the four.
-
- * Pascal-like procedures to read and write strings of text, from
- either the console or the serial port, or both at the same time!
-
- * A complete emulation system, allowing you to simply load a template
- and have the complete control over any terminal you desire, from
- simple VT-52 to full-color ANSI. Now your BBS need only ask for
- a code (for example, to change colors) and BBSkit will return the
- proper string to perform this action, based on the template you have
- loaded.
-
- * Support for the three most popular file transfer protocols,
- including Xmodem (and derivatives), Ymodem and Ymodem-G. Full
- batching support is included for Ymodem.
-
- * DOS-like "TYPE" procedure, to send entire text files out the serial
- port.
-
- * Optional paging: when a screen of text fills up without any user
- input, BBSkit can be instructed to wait for the user to press a
- key to continue. This works with ALL of BBSkit's output procedures.
-
- * Mouse support over a serial connection! Your programs can now
- allow the remote user to use a mouse to make selections on your
- system, with very little additional coding on your part.
-
- Don't let the toolkit intimidate you. It may seem hulking and
- complicated, but once you get the hang of it, serial communications will never
- be easier. The included BBSKIT.DOC file is a fairly complete excerpt of the
- registered version's printed documentation. This .DOC file will explain all
- of the procedures and functions included in BBSkit, and you can use it as a
- base for experimenting on your own.
-
- INSTALLING THE TOOLKIT
-
- Probably the easiest way of installing the kit is to place it in your
- units directory, or a directory in your units path. Optionally, you can place
- the files in your source directory.
-
- If you plan the use the toolkit in real-mode programming (TP6 or BP7
- in real mode target), you will need to rename some files. TP6 users need to
- rename the *.TP6 files to *.TPU, and BP7 users will need to rename the *.TP7
- files to *.TPU. Example: REN *.TP7 *.TPU
-
- Additionally, you will need to unzip the MTASK archive contained here.
- MTASK is a public domain unit that provides multithreading in Turbo Pascal
- programs and is used by BBSkit 3.0. You can use any type of unzipper,
- including the one provided for TP6+ installations, to unarchive this file.
- PLEASE NOTE THAT MTASK WAS NOT WRITTEN BY BBSKIT'S AUTHOR! I don't claim any
- credit for writing it; I just think it's a great unit and really useful.
-
- COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
-
- If you have any comments or questions regarding BBSkit, I would love
- to hear from you! You can reach me in several ways:
-
- Home address: 1888 Edith Marie Drive
- Beavercreek, OH 45431-3377
- USA
-
- CompuServe: >INTERNET:sjmadsen@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu
- Internet: sjmadsen@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu
- BITNET: SJMADSEN@MIAVX1
-
- The latest version of BBSkit is always available on the Internet and
- is available for anonymous ftp at any time. ftp to ftp.cas.muohio.edu and
- look in the directory /pub/dos/bbskit. There are also some examples here as
- well as information which may be of interest to BBSkit users. See the manual
- for more information on the ftp site and the mailing list which has been
- started for BBSkit users.
-
-
- Thanks again, and enjoy BBSkit!
-
-