home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- .TOPIC:
- Database Configuration
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 2-E-1
-
-
- ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
- ║ CHAPTER 2 ANNEX E 3. DATABASE CONFIGURATION ║
- ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
-
- At the heart of VBBS are the DATABASES. They are used for
- such functions as message bases, file directories, and various
- other creative functions that might be, for example, part of a
- custom script-based application. Databases may be set up or al-
- tered in VCONFIG at any time, and the only limit to the number of
- databases you can have is the amount of storage space on your
- hard drive.
-
- ╔═╗ Most sysops spend the greater portion of their time spent
- ╚═╝ in VCONFIG adjusting existing databases and adding or de-
- leting databases, so this section of the documentation is
- of particular importance. For this reason, we'll take a
- little extra time going over the principles behind data-
- bases, topic areas, and their use.
-
- There are three basic types of databases: message data-
- bases, file databases, and other databases. All databases may
- be set up and grouped into TOPIC AREAS. Each topic area needs
- its own DBGROUP identifier, which may be any letter, number or
- symbol from ascii characters 33 to 255.
-
- ╔═╗ We'll hold off on discussing topic areas in detail until
- ╚═╝ after we get through learning about databases and how to
- configure them and we know what a "function block" is.
-
- When you enter the DATABASE configuration screen, you
- are presented a scrolling menu of choices:
-
- ∙ Message Databases
- ∙ File Databases
- ∙ Custom Databases
- ∙ Sort Database Configuration
- ∙ Compile Network Info
-
- We'll take a moment to describe each option in detail.
-
-
- Message Databases
- ═════════════════
- Message bases, also known as "message subs" or simply
- "subs", are databases in which messages are stored. Subs may be
- about a specific topic, or they may simply be "chat"-type subs
- in which people can write messages, or "post", about whatever is
- on their minds.
- In VBBS, message subs are automatically pathed to the
- \VBBS\DB directory when you run INSTALL.EXE. If you want to put
- them somewhere else (I have mine on the larger of my two hard
- drives), you need to specify a separate path using the PATHS
- configuration (this is discussed in the next manual section).
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 2-E-2
-
-
- File Databases
- ═══════════════
- The file databases work in much the same way as the mes-
- sage bases, except that they store actual files instead of mes-
- sages. The major difference between the way file and message
- databases are set up is that while message bases are automatic-
- ally pathed to the \DB directory during the installation process,
- each file database requires a unique, specific DOS path, which
- you, the sysop, have to supply. The file directory must be
- physically made by the SysOp in DOS, and the files placed there.
- To 'upload' these files locally, the SysOp uses the 'Z' command on
- the Transfer Menu where he will be prompted to add descriptions.
- Like message databases, file databases may be grouped in-
- to topic areas by giving each topic a unique letter DBGROUP
- identifier.
-
-
- Other Databases
- ═══════════════
- Custom databases may be set up to work in conjunction with
- script-based applications. Entries in custom databases, be
- they text or screens, may be called up from scripts using
- the DISPLAYTEXT and related script commands.
-
-
- Configuring and Editing Databases in VCONFIG
- ════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- K) DB Group:
- ════════
- This is a letter, number or symbol from ascii characters
- 33 to 255 which designates which database topic group
- this database belong to. See "Setting up Topic Areas"
- for details.
-
- --> IMPORTANT NOTE: It is NOT necessary to create a new
- database group each time you wish to add
- a new database.
-
- 1) File Name
- ═════════
- This is the eight-character-or-less name of the database
- file, entered in ALL CAPS. It is also a good practice to
- avoid "odd" characters such as "#", "!", "%", and the
- like in these filenames, as they might confuse the soft-
- ware.
-
- --> IMPORTANT NOTE: Even though message databases don't have
- an actual DOS directory, they have to have
- unique filenames; this is for VBBS' data-
- base configuration files.
-
- ╔═╗ The importance of giving databases UNIQUE filenames can't
- ╚═╝ be overemphasized. Database entries that have the same
- DB name and DB path specify the SAME database! Don't use
- a particular filename more than ONCE across all databases
- -- message, file, and custom.
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 2-E-3
-
-
- ╔═╗ New sysops sometimes forget and use a filename more than
- ╚═╝ once in their configuration; while this doesn't do any
- damage per se, it is embarrassing to have your file
- descriptions show up as posts on networked message
- bases.
-
- 2) Files Path
- ══════════
- Enter a path in this field ONLY if you are creating a
- FILE database or a CUSTOM database that uses messages or
- files. If you're setting up a message database, leave
- this field blank; VBBS automatically paths message bases
- to the \DB directory. Again, avoid "odd" characters and
- and lower-case letters.
-
- 3) Long Name
- ═════════
- This is the longer, more descriptive database name that
- is displayed to the user, like "Virtual BBS/NET Support".
-
- 4) Private? (Y/N)
- ══════════════
- This switch is for special uses only; you should set
- this to NO when creating public-access message and file
- databases.
-
- 5) Max Entries
- ═══════════
- Defines the desired size of the database (in messages or
- files, not bytes). A value of 0 in this field allows un-
- limited message/file storage; a number in this field sets
- a limit on the number of messages/files.
-
- When VBBS runs daily maintenance, it will "pack" the
- database down to size by removing enough of the oldest
- messages to bring the database back to the specified
- limit. Beginning sysops sometimes wonder why they have
- 84 messages in a database they've configured for 50
- messages; daily maintenance would, in this case, remove
- the 34 oldest messages, bringing the total back to 50.
-
- ╔═╗ For file databases, you should set the limit to 0 unless
- ╚═╝ hard-drive space is at a premium; if you put enough new
- files in a limited database to take it over the limit,
- VBBS will pack that file database just like any other.
- Fortunately, however, the files will NOT be erased; they
- will simply become unavailable for download.
-
- ╔═╗ Gauging the proper limit for a message database is largely
- ╚═╝ a matter of trial and error. For "slow" message bases,
- you'll want to keep the limit fairly low to keep messages
- turning over. For active subs -- like large FIDOnet and
- InterNet conferences -- you may want to set it as high as
- 500 or 1000. It's NOT a good idea to enter a 0 in
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 2-E-4
-
-
- this field for a message base; for example, on the Vir-
- tualNET Sysops' Sub, it would take less than a month to
- accumulate over 3000 messages!
-
- 6) Read SL
- ═══════
- This is the minimum security level needed to access (read)
- the database. If the user's SL is less than this value,
- the database will not show up in his listing.
-
- 7) Write SL
- ════════
- This is the minimum security level needed to write (post)
- in the database. If the user's SL is less than this
- value, the database will not allow input (or uploads)
- from her.
-
- 8) Access Flag
- ═══════════
- This setting defines what access flag (if any) must be
- set in the user's account to access the database. This
- value may be NONE or a letter from A to Z. If set to a
- letter, the user must have a matching access flag in his
- account information in order to access the database. Ac-
- cess flags are set in the user editor (see "The User Edi-
- tor" for details).
-
- ╔═╗ Access flags are useful for restricting access to certain
- ╚═╝ databases to certain users. For example, if you wanted
- to have a sysops-only sub, you could enter an 'S' in
- this field and give visiting sysops an 'S' access flag;
- they would be the only users who could access the data-
- base (unless, of course, there were other users who also
- had the same flag).
-
- 9) Age Limit
- ═════════
- The minimum age a user must be in order to access the
- database. For example, a value of 18 in this field would
- require that a user be at least 18 years old to have ac-
- cess to the database.
-
- --> IMPORTANT NOTE: A quick word about database access control
- and adult-oriented material ... while VBBS
- *does* offer a high level of security, NO
- software that restricts access to materials
- on the basis of age can protect a sysop
- from underage users who lie about their age
- in order to get adult-oriented materials.
-
- As sysop of your BBS, it is your responsi-
- bility to be aware of federal, state, and
- local laws regarding the distribution of
- and access to adult-oriented material. In
- no case will the author of VBBS or the au-
-
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 2-E-5
-
-
- thors of the documentation be held respon-
- sponsible for underage users gaining access
- to adult-oriented materials on your BBS.
-
- A) Tagline
- ═══════
- This instructs VBBS which tagline (if any) to append to
- messages posted in the database. If set to zero or left
- blank, no tagline is added (see "System Taglines" for
- more information).
-
- B) Random Titles
- ═════════════
- This setting specifies which random title file to use in
- messages, and is disabled if set to zero. The range for
- this value is 1 to 999; specifying a value here instructs
- VBBS to look for the file RNDTITLE.xxx (where "xxx" is
- the entered value, without leading zeroes <for example,
- RNDTITLE.1, not RNDTITLE.001>) in your \TXT directory.
- Entries in RNDTITLE.xxx may be made using an ASCII text
- editor and should be made one per line in this file.
-
- ╔═╗ It should be noted that the current line of thinking on
- ╚═╝ VirtualNET (at least) is that message titles should be
- descriptive of the contents of the message, not simply
- assigned at random. Many users -- and especially other
- sysops -- will simply skip oddly-titled messages when
- doing a new-message title scan.
-
- C) Name Used
- ═════════
- This setting defines the name used in the database. The
- possible settings are HANDLE, REAL NAME, or ANONYMOUS.
-
- Note that message bases marked "Anonymous" do not allow
- quoting of previous messages, and that the posting user's
- real name or handle will show up locally. Remote users
- will see "-- ANONYMOUS --" or "-- Guess Who? --" on their
- screen. In addition, there is some question as to whe-
- ther "Anonymous" posts remain anonymous on networked mes-
- sage bases.
-
- D) QWK Conference
- ══════════════
- This setting defines the database's QWK conference num-
- ber as used by QWK-format offline mail readers. The
- range for this value is from *2* to 255, and each QWK
- conference assignment MUST be unique to the particular
- database. QWKable message bases are marked with a "!"
- in the subs listing.
-
-
- When you have configured a database to this point, VCONFIG will
- shift to the display of message bases in whichever topic area
- the database is included. It will prompt you to tell it where
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 2-E-6
-
-
- to insert the new database, even though there are still options
- which may need to be configured. Don't panic. This is an added
- level of organization that helps prevent the networks from being
- flooded with messages from subs that have accidentally been mis-
- configured. It's not infallible, but it DOES help. The addi-
- tional configuration options are described below.
-
-
- E) Database Co-Sysop
- ═════════════════
- Some sysops allow trusted users to moderate discussions on
- local message bases; this setting defines the co-sysop,
- sub sysop, or moderator for the database. Leaving this
- field blank disables this feature; any nonzero value spe-
- cifies the user number of the moderator. The moderator
- information is displayed in the message sub listing.
-
- ╔═╗ Having a user serve as message-sub sysop can be a good
- ╚═╝ way of breathing a little life to a sub that's been "down
- in the dumps", especially if the user has strong opinions
- on the topic at hand. Just make sure the user knows about
- any policies you might have regarding message content,
- etc.
-
- F) Req Net Validation
- ══════════════════
- If you wish to review posts before they are transmitted
- out to any networks, turn this option ON. Post valida-
- tion is handled via the [V] option from the Sysop Menu
- within VBBS.
-
- --> IMPORTANT NOTE: This switch needs to be set to YES for the
- VirtualNET non-secured subs (the ones that
- are preset in VBBS) and support subs
- such as the "Virtual BBS/NET Support Sub".
- Net validation may also be required for
- some VirtualNET "secured" subs; contact the
- sub's host sysop via E-mail for specifics.
-
- G) Networks Configuration
- ══════════════════════
- Selecting this option allows you to edit the network con-
- figuration for the database. If you wish the database to
- be LOCAL ONLY, set this to NONE.
-
- If you wish the database to be networked, you must con-
- figure the network and network sub/conference identifier.
- VCONFIG will prompt you for the network, then for the
- identifier. The format of the identifier will vary from
- network to network.
-
- For Type 1 (VNET.EXE-based) and Type 2 (VWW4.EXE-based)
- networks, the identifier is a number; for Type 3
- (VUUCP.EXE-based) and Type 4 (VFIDO.EXE-based) networks,
- the identifier is a string. Type 5 (VNET2.EXE-based) net-
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 2-E-7
-
-
- works are still in the experimental stage as of this wri-
- ting, and more network utilities are in development such
- as VRIME and VQWKNET.
-
- You can configure a database to be on one network or on
- several networks. Configuring a database to be on mul-
- tiple networks (there is theoretically no limit) creates
- a "gateway" between two or more networks (the common term
- is "gating").
-
- --> IMPORTANT NOTE: Prior to establishing a gateway connection,
- you should obtain permission from any con-
- ference or message base host/moderator sys-
- ops involved.
-
- The networking utilities VWW4.EXE, VUUCP.EXE,
- and VFIDO.EXE are available to sysops and
- are fully operational in the DEMO version
- of VBBS. They are automatically
- inactivated if VBBS remains unregistered
- after 60 days.
-
- Database Considerations
- ═══════════════════════
-
- There are some things to keep in mind when setting up or
- reconfiguring databases:
-
- ╔═╗ Setting up more databases is easy -- simply add them into
- ╚═╝ existing topic area(s) where they belong. When you
- add message databases, you MUST SORT and COMPILE your
- configurations using the appropriate commands from the
- initial DATABASE Configuration screen for the changes to
- take effect.
-
- ╔═╗ Plan out your file databases ahead of time; too many file
- ╚═╝ databases can become unwieldy and hard to navigate (trust
- me on this one).
-
- ╔═╗ It's a good idea to periodically use VAREA to go through
- ╚═╝ subs and cull out the ones that aren't getting much traf-
- fic (and there WILL be some eventually). Whether you re-
- place them with new subs or just make do with fewer subs
- is up to you; just remember to keep your users in mind
- when choosing which subs to carry.
-
-