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.TOPIC: Messaging Functions VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 6-A-1 ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ CHAPTER 6 ANNEX A MESSAGING FUNCTIONS ║ ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ The default VBBS setup places all communications functions in the Main Menu. As stated earlier, separate menu displays for messaging and/or E-mail (for instance) may easily be customized to present whatever type of interface the sysop wishes. Again, see "Customizing VBBS" for more information. Main Menu Commands and What They Do -- Messaging ════════════════════════════════════════════════ [L] List Messages Lists message bases in current topic area, then prompts user to enter a sub, change topics, or quit. [P] Post Message Post a message in the current message base. [N] New Message Scan Allows user to scan all new mes- sages in configured bases. [R] Read Sequential Read messages in current base se- quentially. [S] Scan Brief Scans posts in current base in groups of 10, showing the mes- sage number, author, and subject. [J] Join/Ignore Bases Allows users to set up bases to ignore or mark for scanning. [>] Next Base Move to the next message base in sequence; also activated by [+]. Note that a user moving through three consecutive bases using [+] may actually activate his or her modem's hangup string. [<] Previous Base Move to previous base; also acti- vated by [-]. [#] Change to Base # Change to a particular message base by entering its number. [$] Change Topic Lists available topic areas, then asks user which one to go to. SETTING UP TOPIC AREAS ══════════════════════ Topic areas are used by VBBS to join databases together into more manageable groups for sysops and users. Both message databases and file databases can be linked together into Database Topic Groups. By running VCONFIG and choosing option 3. Database Configuration, you will see the following menu: VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 6-A-2 ┌────────────┤Type├────────────┐ │ Message Bases │ │ File Directories │ │ Custom Databases │ │ Sort Configuration │ │ Compile Network Info │ └──────────────────────────────┘ VBBS comes preconfigured with three main Database Topic Groups already set up: Message Bases, Files Directories, and Custom Databases. Topic Groups are identified by using a letter, number, or symbol from ascii characters 33 to 255. Thus, letter A is already used for the Message Bases, letter F is used for File Directories, and letter O was designated for the Custom Databases. Thus, many characters are available after VBBS is installed for the sysop to use for adding other Database Topic Groups. These are called DBGroup Identifiers. Adding Topics for Message Bases ═════════════════════════════════ To add another Topic Group to be used for messages, simply highlight Message Bases on the Type menu above, and press the Return key. You will then see the following menu: ┌─────────────────┤Select Group├───────────────────┐ │ A - Main │ │ │ │ │ └[Up ]─[Dwn]─[Enter]=Select─[F1]=SubMenu─[Esc]=Quit┘ [Arw] [Arw] Pressing F1 will bring up the SubMenu: ┌──────┤F1 Sub-Menu├───────────┐ │ Add New Database Group │ │ Delete Database Group │ │ Edit Topic Name │ └──────────────────────────────┘ Highlighting "Add New Database Group" here will prompt you for a topic letter. Choose an unused letter from A-Z, enter the name of the Database Topic Group you would like users to see, and press Return. --> IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to use a unique letter for each topic group you add since inadvertently reusing a letter will cause the existing databases to be linked to the new topic you have created, as well as the existing topic. To add message bases to the new Topic Group you have created, simply choose the new topic letter now listed on the Select Group menu and add normally as outlined in the "Configuring and Editing Databases in VCONFIG" section of this manual. VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 6-A-3 --> IMPORTANT NOTE: Be aware that each Database Topic Group set up may contain a maximum of 100 databases. Each database itself may hold up to 32000 entries. Creating Topics for File Directories ════════════════════════════════════ To add new topics for use by file directories, the same procedure is followed, except that on the Type menu above, you must select File Directories. ╔═╗ Before setting up new topic areas, try ╚═╝ to plan ahead and divide the existing characters between message areas and file areas. Since the characters are shared between both types, a little planning will save you some reshuffling later on. Similar to the above, Custom Databases may also be set up. These are treated as message type databases in formatting and are used mainly in conjuction with specialized scripts to add, for example, a quote of the day, random logoff screens, etc. Deleting Topics ═══════════════ To delete Database Topic Groups, again the F1 Sub-Menu allows for this; however, you should delete each individual database first if it is no longer desired. --> IMPORTANT NOTE: Deleting a Database Topic Group does not automatically delete the databases which belong to it. Moving Databases to Different Topic Areas ═════════════════════════════════════════ Once databases are created within a Database Topic Group, it is possible to easily move them to a different existing topic area. This is accomplished by editing the information for the database entry itself. Option Z) DB Group: in each database can be changed at any time to change a database to another topic. --> IMPORTANT NOTE: After adding, deleting, or moving any Database Topic Groups, you must run the Sort Configuration and Compile Network Info options on the Type menu for any of the changes to take effect. VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 6-A-4 VFSE Full-Screen Editor ═══════════════════════ VBBS comes with both a standard line editor and a powerful built-in full-screen editor. The full-screen editor features 36 text color choices which are enabled by hitting [Ctrl-P], then a number from 0 to 9 or a letter from A to Z. [Ctrl-P] followed by a question mark will display a list of color choices. Other con- trol-key options exist for various other functions including cur- sor movement, line feeds, line and character deletes, cut-and- paste, etc. These commands may be found in the editor help-file by pressing [Ctrl-Z]. On the top line above the workspace, the user is shown the message or E-mail title, the current line number, and the insert/overwrite status. The editor starts in OVR (overwrite) mode and can easily be toggled to INS (insert) mode by using either the Insert key or [Ctrl-O]. The VFSE allows user to upload previously-prepared text at any time. Pressing the slash [/] key and supplying a file name at the prompt inserts the prepared text into the workspace. This is a neat and efficient way for the sysop to create or edit .MNU-type menus, system taglines (see "System Taglines" for more information), bulletins, or whatever. The full-screen editor is an ANSI-based editor; users who have their ANSI preference enabled should be encouraged to use the FSE for its superior features. Message Quoting ═══════════════ VBBS features advanced message quoting in messages and in E-mail. Users who reply to posts or E-mail are asked whether they wish to quote from the post or E-mail to which they're re- plying. If the user chooses "yes", then a special screen will appear, allowing him or her to choose which lines are to be quo- ted in the reply. The user is prompted at each line of the mes- sage whether to [A]dd that line into the quote workspace, [S]kip that line and advance to the next, jump to the [N]ext portion of the original message, [R]estart the quoting process (useful in case of an accidental skipped line), or [Q]uit from the quote workspace altogether. There is a 20-line limit on the amount of previous text that may be quoted; upon reaching the 20th line, the quoter automatically returns the user to the editor workspace. The quoted lines are prefaced with a bright green ">" symbol. VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 6-A-5 ╔═╗ There is a definite "art" to effective quoting. Beginners ╚═╝ sometimes quote more of the original message than is ne- cessary, but this decreases with practice, especially in networked message bases. Note that quoted lines may be edited to remove extraneous words or phrases; this can help the quoter "zero in" on the essence of the quote. Message Threading ═════════════════ In addition to quoting, message "threading" exists in all message bases. This allows the user to search for the original message in a "thread" (line of discussion) and all replies to that message. It should be noted that the threader searches on the title field of the message; if the title has been changed by someone replying to the message, the threader will not pick it up as a reply. ╔═╗ In order to facilitate threading on network subs, users ╚═╝ and sysops are being encouraged to make titles as descrip- tive of the contents as possible; one- or two-word titles like "YO!", "Hmmm...", "Why don't...", and the like are being discouraged. Users replying within the context of a particular message thread should not change the working title if they want it to be included in a thread; if they are digressing, changing the subject, or starting a new thread, they should come up with a new title. Message Search ══════════════ VBBS messages may be searched in two ways. Pressing [S] from the message submenu prompt will display the next 10 messages in sequence. Following that, pressing [R] will bring up a "search" prompt that allows the user to search the message data- base by title. ╔═╗ The [S]can feature is one of the most useful tools a sysop ╚═╝ has, especially if her board carries a lot of active net- worked message bases. Scanning titles takes MUCH less time than reading EVERY message; this is another argument in favor of descriptive message titles. Message Sub Validation ══════════════════════ Each message base may be assigned a "requires validation" status from within the DATABASE Configuration of VCONFIG. This is to allow the sysop a degree of control over what goes out onto a network from his system. Some network subs require net validation to be set to "on"; when subscribing to a "secured" sub, the subscribing sysop should inquire about this. ╔═╗ One caveat about message sub validation: sysops some- ╚═╝ times forget to validate the messages, resulting in a pileup of messages, especially on active subs. VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 6-A-6 Message Sub Moderators ══════════════════════ Moderators, sub-ops, and co-sysops can be very useful for any BBS. In local messaging areas, sub-ops can be invaluable as discussion leaders, often causing a far greater user participa- tion in subs than if those subs were without a moderator. As mentioned above, some network subs require net validation, and often a sysop may not have the time each day to validate the messages in those subs. In that case, a sub-op can be very use- ful in performing those duties for the sysop. To designate a user as moderator for a particular sub, go into VCONFIG and enter his or her user number in the "Data- base Co-sysop" field for that sub. Messaging Sub-Menu ══════════════════ While reading messages, a user has several options that are presented at each message prompt. These are hard-coded into VBBS, so altering them requires a source-code modification. [Enter] Next Message Read the next message. [R] Reply to Message Post a public reply to the cur- rent message. [A] Read Message Again Re-read the current message. [D] Delete Message Delete the current message. [###] Jump to Number ### Entering a number will take you to that message number. [S] Scan Next 10 Mes- Show the titles of the next 10 sages messages. This is a very use- ful feature, especially on ac- tive message bases. [B] Bypass Sub (Quick If you're doing a quick-scan, [N] Scan) from the main menu, this will move you to the next sub with- out having to read all the mes- sages in the current sub. If you find yourself using this option a lot, you might consider using the [J]oin/Ignore Bases command to configure your new- message scan. [E] Send E-mail Reply Send a private E-mail to the au- thor of the current message. His/her network address is in the message header. [Z] Non-Stop Allows a user to read messages without stopping. [Q] Quit Reading Mes- Returns to the Communications sages Menu. VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 6-A-7 [+] Thread Forward Search for replies to current message (if any). Quite use- ful in eliminating redundant replies; if someone's asking a question, use this to check to see whether someone else has already answered it to your satisfaction. [-] Thread Backward Search for the original post that prompted the reply you're rea- ding now (if any). ──────── Sysop ────────── [X] Extract Text Allows sysop to extract the text of a message for later reading or printing. Sysop is prompted for a filename (.PST is a good extension to use, as it won't be confused with .TXT files). Sysops beware: liberal use of this function can greatly bloat your Main VBBS directory! :-) [M] Move Message Moves message to a different sub. Useful for combatting off-topic posts, or for bringing in rele- vant posts from other subs. [P] Toggle Permanent Toggles current message between permanent/non-permanent. This is quite useful in making the first message of a sub a "sub rules/policies" post. A word on message threading: if a thread-search fails to find an original or a reply, it doesn't mean there ISN'T one; the thread function searches by TITLE. If someone has entered a related message under a different title, it will not show up as relating to the current thread.