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.TOPIC:
Doors Configuration
VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 2-K-1
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ CHAPTER TWO ANNEX K A. DOORS CONFIGURATION ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
VBBS will run almost all modern doors and online games
created for use on BBSes, either straight from the command line
or through the use of an external door converter, such as DOORWAY
or DoorMaster. Doors can be called from function blocks or from
scripts, as well as this internal doors configuration.
VBBS shrinks out of memory for all external programs, re-
serving only a small amount of RAM for its "hooks" that allow
the user to return to the BBS. VBBS creates the CHAIN.TXT,
DOOR.SYS, and DORINFOx.DEF "drop files" which contain user infor-
mation for use by the door program; most doors will accept at
least ONE of these formats. It should be noted, however, that
some games, particularly WWIV- and PCBoard-specific games, re-
quire the use of a door converter because of their use of DOS
interrupts and their methods of handling ANSI graphics.
When you choose item [A] from the VCONFIG Main Menu, you
will see a scrolling-window screen listing the door programs you
have installed, along with the SL needed to access them. Moving
the highlight bar and pressing [Enter] selects that program's
configuration entry.
When configuring a door program in VCONFIG, you will be
prompted for the following information:
1) Program Name
════════════
The name of the door program, as it will be presented to
the user. Try to keep it short; long names will be trun-
cated (not good if you like to include version numbers).
2) Command Line
════════════
The name of the batch file or command line to execute the
door program, along with any command-line parameters that
need to be passed to the door. Again, full pathnames are
recommended.
3) Security Lvl
════════════
The MSL (remember *that* abbreviation?) needed to access
the program.
4) Access Flag
═══════════
If set, allows only those users with matching access flags
to access the program. Access flags are set in the user
editor; for more information, see "The User Editor".
╔═╗ Access flags can be useful in "beta-testing" door programs
╚═╝ to see if you've installed them correctly. Before announ-
cing you've got a new online game, give a couple of your
trusted users access to the game using access flags and
VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 2-K-2
get them to try to crash the game, tweaking your game set-
up as necessary. Once all the glitches are fixed, THEN
drop the access flag requirement and announce your new on-
liner; this can spare you some grief from vexed hard-core
gamers (the kind of feedback you LEAST want to hear).
5) Single User
═══════════
Indicates whether the game is playable on single nodes or
multi-nodally. Single-line installations should leave
this set to YES.
6) Credit Cost
═══════════
Allows sysops running a credit system to charge credits
for door program access. This is configurable for each
individual game.
╔═╗ Setting up a credit cost for games can either be a great
╚═╝ boost for your message-base traffic, or it can be a night-
mare. If you use this feature, make sure you don't set
your credit costs so high that it takes an inordinate
number of posts or uploads to earn enough credits to play
the games.
D) Delete This Entry
═════════════════
Self-explanatory.
╔═╗ Getting door programs to run correctly, especially upon
╚═╝ exiting and re-entering the BBS, is probably the most
difficult task a sysop faces. Door games are rapidly
becoming more complex, and as they do so, their indivi-
dual requirements and quirks are doing likewise.
In installing door programs, patience IS a virtue; many
times, installation involves a good deal of trial and er-
ror. The importance of reading the door program's docu-
mentation, especially with regard to installation, can
not be overstressed.
In addition, Appendix J contains sample batch files and
command lines for some of the more popular online games.
╔═╗ Some door converters (not included with VBBS) will allow
╚═╝ the sysop to configure a remote sysop drop-to-DOS; this
is a chancy business at best, and caution is advised.
▒▒ For installation of games under OS/2, please refer to
Appendix D for information.