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N NN BBBBBB Novell Netware Bulletin Board NN N BB B w/ QuickMessage and Phone List NNN NN BB BB OOO AA RRRR DDDDD NNNN NN BB BB OO O AA A RR R DDD D NN NN NN BB BB B OO OO AA A RR R DD D NN NNNN BBB BB OO OO AAAAAAAA RRRRR DD D NN NNN BB B OO OO AA AA RR R DD DD NNN NN BBBBBBB OOO AA AA RR RR DDDDD version 1.5 Fall, 1989 by: Martin Bryant F1 Business Systems (512) 892-1176 4816 Canyonbend Circle, Austin TX 78735 for: ALCOA Rockdale Works Power Plant Rockdale, Texas User Documentation...................................................... NBoard is an easy-to-use network communications tool. It is intended as an electronic version of the cork board and push-pin bulletin board found around water coolers. However, it is designed with flexibility that allow NBoard to be an electronic mail system. It also features a shared phone list and easy access to Novell's SEND and CASTOFF/CASTON commands. Pass- word security, ASCII imports and exports, and convenient search functions also enhance the program. In general: -PRESS F1 AT ANY TIME FOR THE ON-LINE HELP MENU. -Use the UP/DWN or RIGHT/LEFT keys to highlight an option and press ENTER or type the menu number of the option to select it. -Press ESC at any time to cancel the current procedure or return to the last menu or screen. Some effort was made to allow you to back out of every procedure. Please inform the author of any exceptions. -A simple highlighted box marked "Continue" requests you to press ENTER. Some screens may request Ctrl-W to continue. Please hold down the Ctrl key as you press the W key. -Function keys invoke a function that will dedicate all or part of the screen to a specific task. The rest of the program (and the screen) is suspended. When the function key task is complete (or you cancel with ESC), you should be returned to the program at the point where you pressed the function key. Please note that all function key operations are not available at all times, and although a key should perform the same type of function (add/print, etc..) function key operation may vary appropriately with context. -You should be able to use only the cursor keys, Enter, Esc, and function keys to use NBoard. Only rudimentary keyboard skills are required to enter messages and phone data. -Look for the available function keys and other helpful hints across the bottom of the screen. -If you have any questions, contact the person listed as the Publisher in your F1-Help screen, or call the author in Austin at the number above. The Main Screen / NBoard Menu......................................... Usually many options are message lists displayed in the following format: Message list topic/title number of messages password restrictions R - messages cannot be reviewed without a password E - messages cannot be added, deleted, altered without editor's password If a board is not marked with an R or an E, any user can read or edit any message within it. Phone lists are marked with a P. Names, numbers, and addresses are stored in these lists. Phone lists may also be password protected. Some options may display an ellipse (...) after the title. Selecting these options will branch to another NBoard file, offering a new main menu. When you press escape to exit from this second or any subse- quent NBoard menu you should return to your original main menu and file. NBoard User Documentation Martin Bryant Fall, 1989 page 2 About Passwords......................................................... You may be prompted for a password to perform many of the functions of NBoard. Passwords are case insensitive (upper or lower), and have a maximum length of eight characters (letters or numbers). Only the Publisher of the NBoard can change any password. Message Lists and Messages ............................................. Each message list will display a brief title for each message, the author's name, and the date each was entered. Select a message to review by highlighting it and pressing ENTER. If the list offers more messages than can appear, you may scroll the list with the up/dwn keys. Messages appear from the most recent to the oldest. Press F2 to print the list. After you select a message from the list, the text of the message will be displayed. If the message is short, press enter to return to the list. If the message is longer, scroll through the message with the up/dwn keys and press Ctrl-w to dismiss the message. Three functions are available when viewing a message. Press F2 to print the message. Press F4 to export the message to an ASCII file. Upon selecting the export, the program will prompt you for a drive and file filename. The suffix 'ASC' is assumed. You may recall this file with virtually any word processing program (including Professional Write). Finally, press F8 if you'd like to alter or delete the message (with appropriate password access). Message Search.(F3)................................................... If you select the message search from the main menu you will be prompted for a text string of up to 12 characters. NBoard will find all messages which contain these characters in either upper or lower case in either the message title or author's name from all of the regular message lists. NBoard will compose a new list of these messages, from which you may review messages and print the list. The main menu number of the list for each message appears to the left. If you select a message for review that is password protected, you'll be prompted for the password. You may also employ the message search by pressing F3 at any message list. To return to the original complete list, press F3 and enter a blank prompt. New Messages............................................................. By selecting the New Messages option, you generate a list of all messages added today and yesterday to any regular message list. The main menu number of the list for each message appears to the left. Select a message by highlighting it and pressing ENTER. Use the up/down keys to scroll a long list. Messages are ordered from most recent to oldest. Press F2 to print the displayed list. If you select a message for review that is password protected, you'll be prompted for the password. The Search and New Messages options may not appear in the main screen menu of every installation. Contact your Publisher with questions about the avail- ability of these features. Adding messages.(F7)................................................... You may add messages to lists which are not password protected against editing (marked with an 'E') or if you've been given the editor's password for that list by the publisher. To add a message, press F7 when the appropriate message list is displayed or press F7 directly from the Main Screen and select the message list from the resulting menu. Fill out the top part of the screen with a short title and your name, then enter your message. Press Ctrl-w to close the text part of the message. Press ESC at any time to cancel and return. Remember that the title and author are the search fields for this message. Please include any 'key' words for this message in the title or author to facilitate this search. NBoard User Documentation Martin Bryant Fall, 1989 page 3 Importing ASCII text .(F4)............................................... When adding or updating(changing) a message, you may press the F4 button and import an ASCII file into the text part of your message. Press F4 right away, before you edit the title and author fields. Enter the drive, path, filename, and suffix at the new filename prompt provided. The import will replace any text in the text box. Deleting or editing messages.(F8)......................................... You may change or delete messages in lists which are not password protected against editing (marked with an 'E') or if you've been given the editor's password for a given message list by the publisher. Highlight a message in the list and press F8 to delete or change a message. If you select Delete, Nboard will ask you to confirm the deletion. Select Change to alter any part of the message. Press Ctrl-w to complete changes to the text part of the message. You may also press F8 when reviewing a message to change or delete it. Press ESC to cancel these operations. Phone List.(P)........................................................... If you select an option from the Main Screen marked with a 'P' you'll call a phone list. The names and numbers are displayed alphabetically according to a key established when the number is entered. You may scroll through the phone list with your up/dwn cursor or type any letter key to 'jump' to that alphabetic section of the list. Highlight a number and press ENTER to view the address and comments. Press ENTER again to dismiss this display and return to the list. By pressing F3 you can search for phone numbers as you can messages. Enter a search string of up to 12 characters. NBoard will search for any occurrence of this text in upper or lower case in either the name or note fields and assemble a new list of these entries. To add a new number, simply press F7 when the list is displayed. You will be prompted for the editor's password if required. Complete as much of the screen as you like. In the address, separate fields are provided for city, state, and zip. Only fields entered will be printed. Enter the name or department for the entry into the sort order field in the way you'd like the entry to appear in the order. i.e.: Name Field department Sort Order Jim Davis cartoonist DAVIS JIM Westron Industries Electronic Supplier WESTRON Max Debits CFO, Controller ACCTG-1 If you leave the sort order blank, the first 12 characters of the name will be inserted into this field. To edit or delete a number, highlight the entry and press F8. After satisfying any required passwords, you'll be prompted: Delete or Change. If you select Delete, you will be asked to confirm the deletion. If you select Change, alter any field. Cancel either option with the ESC key. To print or export a phone list press the F2 button. First, specify whether you wish to direct your output to the printer, or display it to an ASCII file. If you select the file, you'll be prompted for the filename; please include the drive and path. The suffix .PHL is attached. After this you may request a list of just the name, department/company 'note' field and number, OR a full report of the addresses and phone numbers. The *.BUK files which hold the phone lists are standard *.DBF files. They have a different suffix only to avoid naming conflicts with related NBoard message files. Thus, you can use these BUK files directly from DBase, Professional File, or any other program which can employ *.DBF standard files. You can use NBoard to maintain data for your mail merges. Contact your Publisher or Network Administrator for help with this. NBoard User Documentation Martin Bryant Fall, 1989 page 4 QuickMessage.(F10)................................................. The QuickMessage function allows you to send a short (60 character) message to any currently active user of the network. The message will interrupt whatever program the recipient is running, but should not disrupt their session. To dismiss the message, the recipient presses CTRL ENTER, and they are returned to whatever they were doing. The sender of the message is identified by network login. To send a Quick Message, press F10. A list of the currently active users will be displayed. Select a recipient from the list, type a short message (up to 60 characters) and press ENTER; send it by pressing a confirming ENTER (press ESC to cancel). Try it out by sending a message to yourself. The QuickMessage features may not be available in all installations, contact your publisher about the availability of these features. Enable/Disable QuickMessage Receive .(F9).............................. Often a network user may not want to be interrupted with QuickMessages. By selecting Disable from the F9-Enable/Disable QuickMessage Receive menu, you may take your QuickMessage "phone" "off the hook". You won't be interrupted until you log on or enable this function through NBoard. Returning to DOS/Network Menus.(alt-Q).................................. NBoard saves as it goes; there is no need to 'save' your work. To exit and return to your network menus or DOS prompt, press ESC from the main menu or press ALT-Q at any time. Using the Help Screen.(F1)............................................. Press F1 to access the help screen. You will see the NBoard main menu name, the Publisher's name and then some information about the program. Across the bottom of the screen is a menu of help topics. Select a topic with the spacebar or cursor keys and ENTER. Return to the menu by pressing Esc or ENTER. Press F2 to print this file. Return to the program with Esc. You should be returned to precisely the screen and situation that were present when pressed F1. A Note for Electronic Mail Users........................................ To send a message, press F7, 'Add a message', and select your recipient from the resulting list. To check your own messages, select your name from the main menu and satisfy the password. The Search and New Messages will probably not appear on the main menu, however any new messages will appear at the top of your list and you may press F3 to search. Others will not be able access your message list without your password. Printing................................................................ NBoard does not transmit any printer control commands with the print stream. It has been tested for several Epson models and the HP Ljet II. The page length is set to 66 lines. When you have problems.................................................. Problems with NBoard can be difficult to identify: network problems, installation problems, data problems, PC problems, etc.. When you have a problem, please press the Print Screen button while any error messages are still on the screen. Of course this will only work if screen print is functioning but it may be helpful. Then contact your Publisher or Network Administrator with a description of the problem. Function Key Summary F1 = Help F7 = Add mail/message/phone number F2 = Print F8 = Edit or delete message/entry F3 = Search (where appropriate) F9 = Enable/Disable QuickMessage F4 = Import/Export (as appropriate) F10 = Send QuickMessage alt-Q = Quit (from anywhere) Publisher / Network Administrator Documentation page 1 NBOARD - Novell Netware Bulletin Board version 1.5 Fall, 1989 by: Martin Bryant F1 Business Systems (512) 892-1176 4816 Canyonbend Circle, Austin TX 78735 created & compiled with Nantucket's Clipper (S/87) source code available, suggestions appreciated for: ALCOA Rockdale Power Plant Rockdale, Texas Although NBoard is designed to be easy to use and install, it's flexibil- ity presents some potentially confusing choices. Each NBoard main menu can be a menu of options that call other menus, a menu of public bulletin board message lists, a menu of public or private phone lists, a menu of private electronic mail boxes, or a menu of any of the above in combin- ation. I have also already employed NBoard as a quick and dirty on-line network help/tutorial. I can see how it could easily be employed as a card catalog for a small library. Although some thought might best be given to the menu layout before you start, changes to the design can be made later. NBoard supports many types of changes, and any others can be made with any DBase data format utility (DBaseIII, DBU, etc..). NBoard can be used as a standalone product, but it features extensive network file and record locking and custom error messages for the network environment. It should run fine with as little as 360K available RAM. The program may be best suited to small network environments. The Publisher of the NBoard menu is a key figure, not only in designing the main screen, but in maintaining the efficiency of the databases and controlling password security. Several publishers may actually oversee an installation, as 'branched' or 'switched' files can each have a dif- ferent Publisher, or any number of people can use the Publisher's password (even simultaneously). Editors can be assigned for message lists or phone lists who have add/delete/change capability. However, only the Publisher can change passwords. Installation ........................................................... Only the NBoard.EXE and NBoard.DOC files are required for installation. To install NBoard, enter NBOARD INSTALL at the DOS/Novell prompt in the directory where you wish to install. You should have read/write/create/ delete rights in this directory. Install the initial NBoard data files into the same directory as the NBoard.EXE file, or allow access to NBoard.EXE through a search path. After entering NBoard install, you will be asked to answer some questions about your installation. There is useful help on this screen. First you will enter a banner title for the NBoard menu. The filename requested is the DOS filename for all of the files associated with this NBoard. The default is NBOARD but feel welcome to use a descriptive name. The pub- lisher can be you or anyone that users may contact with questions about this NBoard menu. Please do not forget the Publisher's password. You will be asked for it at the end of the Install Screen. It is the key to establishing other passwords and otherwise configuring your NBoard. Although the program will function without a Publisher's password I recommend that you use one. The work drive, usually a network Home directory or local drive C:, should be both unique and writable for each user. It is used to store temporary files. Do not enter the current (installation) as the work drive if it is write protected or shared. Temporary files created by NBoard with the suffixes *.TMP or *.NTX or the file NBSTR.DBF may be deleted whenever the program is not running and using that directory as a work area. NBoard Publisher Documentation Martin Bryant Fall, 1989 page 2 Installation continued................................................. NBoard install creates a message list/menu file: filename.DBF; a text storage file: filename.DBT; a configuration file: filename.MEM; and a batch file: filename.BAT. The batch file can be used as a pattern for entering NBoard into your network menu system: SET CLIPPER= v006; r064; e000 NBOARD filename Note that the filename of the NBoard you want to call is passed as a parameter from the DOS command line (or your menus). A second parameter can also be passed to bypass the main menu and take the user directly to a specific message or phone list. This parameter must be a number from one to nine and should appear with this format: NBOARD filename 1 . By by using this feature and encouraging users to use Alt-Q, you can use only one phone or message list conveniently from your network menu. Due to NBoard's use of the external Novell utilities, it does not use expanded memory well. The SET DOS command in the .BAT file denies this high memory to NBoard and solves this problem as well as more efficiently allocating memory in other ways. Although NBoard will function in many environments without the SET DOS environmental command, I recommend you employ it to avoid memory problems. Publisher's Setup Screen / Configuring NBoard.(F6)...................... After you've entered the Install screen, or if you press F6 from the main NBoard screen and satisfy the publisher's password you'll see the Publisher's Setup Screen. The first option on the left is the Main Banner Title. If you select this, you can change the options from the install screen here. A few questions are presented here that are not in the install screen. The first is an optional access password which would be required before any access to the main screen is permitted, whether from DOS or through another NBoard. This should not be necessary in most installations. The second option asks whether you would like to display the Search and New Messages options on the main screen menu. There may be circumstances where these options are not appropriate. Finally, you may also not display and thus disable the QuickMessage functions. Note: if you change the filename after installation in this screen, it does not change the filenames on the disk. You must do this with DOS. Configure each of the nine available options in the menu by selecting them and answering the few prompts necessary to customize them. Only options which you have named will appear in the main menu. The choices in the main menu should not skip numbers; they must be continuous. After selecting an option from the Publisher's Setup screen, NBoard will ask that you name this prompt for the main menu and report/list banners. The next question will be whether you want the option to invoke a message list, a phone list, or a switch to another NBoard menu/datafile name. Return to the main menu (or continue to there when installing) by pressing Esc at the Publisher's Setup Screen. Changing the configuration.............................................. As the message lists refer to the messages by the order on the main menu, you cannot move message lists in the main menu without renumbering them with a database utility. This illustrates the need to backup all of your files before undertaking a redesign of any significance. When changing the configuration through the Publisher's setup screen, after returning to the main menu, your changes may seem not to have taken place. To realize the changes, rebuild the screen by selecting any main menu option and returning to the main screen. NBoard Publisher Documentation Martin Bryant Fall, 1989 page 3 Message Lists........................................................... When configuring a main menu option, when you select Message List, the only two questions are the title for the option and the optional passwords for this option. All messages associated with a given main menu are stored in the filename.DBF and filename.DBT files identified by the main menu number of the message list. NBoard Install creates these files; or you can create them by press F4 from the Publisher's Setup Screen. Phone Lists........................................................... If you configure a menu option as a phone list you'll be prompted for the option title, any passwords for this option, and the filename of the phone list. This filename can be the same name as the NBoard filename, as the phone lists employ a *.BUK suffix. Of course, it must follow DOS file naming conventions. After completing these questions, NBoard will build the phone list if it cannot find it. Please note the optional drive prefix in the phone list file naming. This can be used to have NBoard call a 'personal' phone list from the users home or local C: drive. This list would then be different for each user. You can offer several different phone lists in a menu: national (long distance) numbers, corporate (switchboard network) numbers, departmental numbers, local city numbers, clients, and personal phone lists. These phone lists can be shared by different NBoard files, and can be centrally or collectively maintained. As NBoard exports and prints a nice phone list (and you can select what numbers to include in the list), you can minimially use NBoard for maintaining your office phone lists and users can post printed lists. Alternatively, NBoard can be a sophisticated phone number and address multiuser database. Branch to another NBoard menu.......................................... This is a powerful feature which allows you many design possibilities. When designing a menu option to be a branch, there is only one prompt: the NBoard filename to branch to. Unlike the phone list option, NBoard doesn't immediately create an NBoard file by this name if it cannot find it. You can build these files with NBoard Install or by pressing F3 from the Publisher's Setup screen. Passwords are not an option as access and alteration rights are controlled by the next NBoard main menu/file. Many design ideas are possible: a main menu with a public bulletin board or two, a shared phone list, a user/private phone list, and a branch to another menu of electronic mail boxes may be right for many installations. As each E-mail user requires a main menu option, branching makes a more sophisticated E-mail system possible, setting up each workgroup as a menu and tying them together with NBoard branches. The drive reference as part of the filename permits you to have personal NBoard menus on a private drive, or share NBoard files between primary NBoard file installations or file servers. The primary NBoard menu on one file server can appear as an option on an NBoard main menu for another file server and visa versa (if ATTACH and MAP commands are properly setup by the network menus). Although all passwords, work drive selections, and other parameters are controlled by the current main menu, when the user escapes from subsequent menus they will be returned to the original NBoard main menu for that session. Of course, you can still Alt-Q to directly quit at any time. As different publishers may control different NBoards, branching cancels the publisher's password effects. Note: specifying a BRANCH menu option as the second DOS Parameter to avoid the main menu and go to a subsequent menu is not supported and is ignored by NBoard. NBoard Publisher Documentation Martin Bryant Fall, 1989 page 4 Delete / Archive Messages.(5)..................................... Press the F5 key to select a message list from which to archive and/or delete old messages. You may also select 'All' message lists. Next you'll be prompted for a date. All messages with a date PRIOR to this date will be counted and the number displayed. The next prompt asks whether you'd like to archive these messages. If you request the archive, NBoard will prompt you for the archive filename. A default file name of A:NBARCHIV.ymm or A:NBARCHBn.ymm is presented. n = the main menu option number of the specific list to archive from ymm = last digit of the current year and number of the current month. To use this function to make a backup and not continue with deletion, simply answer No when prompted for confirmation of the deletion. If you should need to restore the messages from the archive, use a *.DBF data format utility. Next, you'll be prompted to confirm deletion of the messages described by the date and message list parameters. Following this operation, NBoard will attempt to cleanup (pack) the data files. This will only be success- ful if exclusive network access to these files is available. Although it is not required, I suggest that you do these archive and deletion opera- tions when no other users are employing the NBoard file. If you are unable to proceed with the cleanup operation, there are no performance benefits to deleting old messages. A publisher or editor may want to set certain message dates to the future, to assure that they are not deleted by this procedure. You may press Esc at any time during these procedures to cancel them. Passwords............................................................. As you configure a message or phone list, you will encounter a prompt requesting an edit and/or read password. Both are optional. If defined, the editor's password is requested whenever the user requests to add, delete, or change a message or phone number from a given list. The read password is requested before the message or phone list is shown. It is also requested before individual messages from a New Messages/Search list can be viewed if they are associated with a message list which requires an R password. Passwords are case insensitive (upper or lower), and have a maximum length of eight characters (letters or numbers). Only the Publisher can change any password, and it must be done through the Publisher's Setup Screen (F6). The passwords allow the publisher to delegate control of a message or phone list to an editor, without giving that person full Publisher's authority. Once the publisher's password has been entered, password checking through- out NBoard is suspended for that session (unless you branch to another NBoard file/menu). To restore password checking press Alt-F6. The Pub- lisher's password will satisfy any password request, so be sure that the Publisher's password is unique among passwords. Other passwords, however, can be duplicated, and it may be appropriate to do so. Quick Messages........................................................... For the Quick Message functions, NBOARD employs the Novell SEND, USERLIST, CASTOFF, and CASTON utilities. Please assure that they are available and properly licensed. You can disable the QuickMessage features and remove them from the main menu display by selecting this from the Publisher's Setup screen under the main banner title option. Disabling QuickMessage would be appropriate to stand-alone installations, non-Novell networks, or situations where QuickMessages have become an annoyance. As they appear in the user list and recieve messages sent to everyone, please use CASTOFF in the login script for communications gateway servers and other value-added user/servers. NBoard Publisher Documentation Martin Bryant Fall, 1989 page 5 Installing NBoard for E-Mail............................................ NBoard can provide electronic mail to small networks. Setup each user as a message list on the main menu. Establish a READ/REVIEW password but no EDIT password. Inform the mailbox owner of the password. Persons desiring to send a message can press the F7 key from the main menu, and select the recipient from the resulting list. However, they will not be able to review that message list without the READ/REVIEW password. Without access to the list, they cannot delete or changes messages, even though no password is set up to restrict this. The mailbox owner reviews his or her message list through the main menu and the 'R' password. The owner can then review, delete, and change messages freely without password checking. If more than nine mailboxes are required, group the user/mailboxes into NBoard main menus/files by workgroup and link them through branches. Mailboxes and menus of mail-boxes (workgroups) can be intermingled. Use meaningful banner names and filenames for clarity. NBoard E-Mail systems may even cross file servers if your attach and maps are set up properly. You may wish to conceal the New Messages and Search menu items from the main menu. These message lists will show anyone the titles, authors, and dates of messages to any mailbox in the NBoard file. Users will be prompted for the Read/Review password to review the text of the message. Mailbox owners will find any new messages at the top of their message lists and may press F3 to search among files on their list. The Quick- Message features make a nice companion to an E-Mail system. A note about NBoard, file sharing, and security......................... Both the *.BUK files for the phone lists and the message files are in standard *.DBF file format; they are not otherwise encrypted. You can use this data from many programs recognizing this standard: SPC's Professional File , A-T's DBase III/IV, FoxPro, or many word processing programs. This can provide a useful link between NBoard and other products for mail- merges and other data sharing opportunities. Security is not the most important feature in most productivity-enhancing communications system; ease-of-use is. With this in mind, know that NBoard is not very secure, especially as an E-Mail system. Only the publisher can change passwords, and the Publisher has complete access to any NBoard file. Although the passwords are encrypted, the messages are readily available to anyone with a *.DBF format data utility. Data Structure of Ratliff/DBase format files........................... Message List Files: filename.DBF Phonebuk List Files: filename.BUK fieldname type length/dec fieldname type length BOARD N 1/0 NAME C 25 TITLE C 40 NOTE C 20 AUTHOR C 15 NUMBER C 12 DATE D 8 ADD2 C 25 MESSAGE M 10... ADD3 C 25 related to *.DBT file... ADD4 C 25 CITY C 12 STATE C 2 ZIP C 9 ORDER C 12 COMMENT C 60 NBoard Publisher Documentation Martin Bryant Fall, 1989 page 6 Function Key Summary .................................................. User Function Key Summary Editor Function Key Summary F1 = Help F4 = Import/Export F2 = Print F7 = Add message/phone number F3 = Search F8 = Edit or delete message F9 = Enable/Disable QuickMsge F10= Send QuickMessage Publisher Function Key Summary Alt-Q = Quit F6 = Publisher's Setup Screen F3 = Build Message/Menu files F4 = Build Phone List files F5 = Delete/Archive Old Messages Alt-F6 = Cancel Publisher's Pswrd Programmer's Notes................................................... NBoard represents a somewhat thorough exploration of Summer '87 Clipper. Among the Clipper features employed in NBoard: DOS Set Clipper command SAVE SCREEN TO Memory Overlays SET COLOR TO Assembly routine calls SET FILTER TO RUN/! SET KEY TO ERASE DOS command line Parameters FILE() On-line help CREATE/CREATE FROM ENCRYPT()/DECRYPT() memory variable SAVE/RESTORE RLOCK()/FLOCK()/NETERR() Arrays SET EXCLUSIVE PROMPT/MENU TO ISPRINTER() TEXT/ENDTEXT SET PRINT TO file DBEDIT() TYPE to print ACHOICE() memo fields/MEMOEDIT() LASTKEY() MEMOREAD()/MEMOWRIT() ISCOLOR() MEMOTRAN()/MEMOLINE()/MLCOUNT() many user-defined functions... and much more.... Contact the author for complete source code. It is well-documented with comment statements. I employ a strict set of indention and lettering conventions that clarify it as well. I'm an independent contractor installing Novell, 3COM, and Tops networks and creating multi-user databases for them. I have a background in accounting and corporate microcomputer / information center management. In network installations, I'm quite familiar with mainframe links, interlan bridges and other sticky network problems. Programming remains my primary interest, however, and I specialize in multiuser applications. I employ Clipper and Paradox in the DOS environment and Foxbase Mac for Macintoshes. I have both a 386 clone and heavily upgraded ancient Mac at my home office. I hope to be offering SQL contracting by the end of '90. NBoard was developed on a Novell 286/2.15 ethernet network at ALCOA's Rockdale, Texas Power Plant with the cooperation of Larry Parsons and Chris Frazier. Peter Squier of Squier Computer Services was also a sponsor. I'd like to thank Steve Straley for his book: Programming in Clipper (Addison-Wesley/1988). Thanks to Ron Nauert for beta-testing. Thanks to my wife Mary K. and daughter Kibbie for their patience and to my brother Mark for his inspiration. You probably know Nantucket Software's Clipper, Ashton Tate's DBase, and Novell's Netware, etc... are copyrighted by those guys. Martin N NN BBBBBB Novell Netware Bulletin Board NN N BB B w/ QuickMessage and Phone List NNN NN BB BB OOO AA RRRR DDDDD NNNN NN BB BB OO O AA A RR R DDD D NN NN NN BB BB B OO OO AA A RR R DD D NN NNNN BBB BB OO OO AAAAAAAA RRRRR DD D NN NNN BB B OO OO AA AA RR R DD DD NNN NN BBBBBBB OOO AA AA RR RR DDDDD version 1.5 Copyright / Licensing Notice Fall, 1989 F1 Business Systems 4816 Canyonbend Circle Austin TX 78735 (512) 892-1176 This release of NBoard is distributed as shareware. I'm delighted for you to test this program and copy it for others in the LAN community. Please convey the help file NBOARD.DOC with any copies of NBOARD.EXE. Distribute these files through dial-up bulletin board services or club library diskettes. Companies wishing to distribute NBoard through a catalogue of shareware offerings and make a profit from handling fees are requested to contact the author. However, if you install this software on your file server, you are obligated to register your installation and license your usage of NBoard. Although NBoard comes to you as shareware, the author and sponsor retain full copyright to this software. The author maintains all potential liability for this product in exchange for marketing rights. User registration and single server LAN licensing are available from F1 Business Systems for $70. Feel free to call anytime before midnight CST for registration information. Complete source code (Clipper S/87) is available for an additional nominal fee of $30. The source code is well documented with comment statements. It will not run under interpretive DBase. Registered users are entitled to - the current shareware release (please specify disk format) - notifications of future releases and priority registration at cheapo upgrade prices - one hour or so of phone support at the author's Austin phone number - input to the selection of enhancements for future releases (see below) - a warm, fuzzy feeling, knowing that they are doing their part to support shareware software and that my killer cat Vladimir won't be coming after them. Be assured that all funds derived from registration will result in time spent enhancing the product. I encourage you to review the following list of potential enhancements to the product and communicate your priorities to me by phone or mail, with your registration or later. NBoard Publisher Documentation Martin Bryant Fall, 1989 Potential Enhancements: - Novell utility-a-like menus - more than nine options - end-user/editor password changes - on-line publisher's help - 3Com support (MSoft LAN Mgr, Banyon, etc...) - improve QuickMessage send selection list to include Novell groups - DBase III/IV or FoxBase support - lower RAM requirements - improved performance - improved documentation - improved error messages - color customization by publisher - modem support for auto-dialing from phone list - context-sensitive help - quick telephone message format - easier/more complete reconfiguration - eliminate need for *.DBF - file utility for file maintenance / archive restoration - ability to call applications as options, use NBoard as menu system - Macintosh version - improved printer support (printer drivers by type etc..) - additional Novell utilities: (attach, capture, endcap, map, ndir, pstat, setpass, whoami, station address, etc..) - a selection of indexing (message sort) options or custom indices - full message text search capability (not just title/author) - improved text editing (block commands, etc...) - improved export: word processing programs (PFS:Write, etc...) electronic mail programs (Higgins, etc...) for mail merges, etc.... - improved import: word processing, electronic mail packages.. - mouse support/mouse drivers - asynch dial-in / auto answer capabilities - desktop functions: to do list, scratchpad, calculator, clock, game.. - basic shared/public/private scheduling and calendar - TSR (terminate & stay resident/background) capability - graphics interface - encryption of all database data (optional?) - call logging module time/ date/ who/ how long/ summary of talk - time billing/job cost entry module - installer custom defined message/field formats - spell checking - OS/2 version Any more ideas? Please call (512) 892-1176.