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- .TOPIC:
- VBBS From the Command Line
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 3-1
-
- ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
- ║ CHAPTER THREE VBBS FROM THE COMMAND LINE -- WHAT HAPPENS? ║
- ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
-
- When running VBBS, a RAM-resident VBBS.EXE controls the
- program. It should be used as the ONLY means of starting VBBS,
- as it transfers needed information into the program.
-
- The basic syntax for bringing VBBS online is
-
- BBS <channel number>
-
- where <channel number> is a number from 0 to 4 (for the share-
- ware version). For larger multi-line installations (after the
- software is registered), it could be a number from 0 to as high
- as 64.
-
- Note that ALL single-node installations use the command line
-
- BBS 1
-
- and that the command line
-
- BBS 0
-
- specifies LOCAL MODE operation only, using the console keyboard
- and bypassing WFC initialization.
-
- Command line options include:
-
- /AC Use this option when running VBBS as a door, or
- from a matrix logon. It has VBBS maintain sepa-
- rate user data (etc.) and maintains the doored
- VBBS as an independent system.
- /H Used with the /AC option, forces VBBS to hang up
- when the user logs off.
- /Bxxxxx Used with the /AC option, passes the baud rate
- of the modem connection to VBBS.
- /CHAIN Command for logging user to VBBS being run as a
- door from inside another VBBS system, or any
- BBS software using the CHAIN.TXT format (such
- as WWIV). This option will use VBBS' user re-
- cord and will NOT prompt the already-online user
- to log on to the doored VBBS separately. BBS
- softwares that do not produce CHAIN.TXT can
- still use this option by using a door converter
- to obtain the CHAIN.TXT format.
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 3-2
-
-
- ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
- ║ FIRST-TIME STARTUP ║
- ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
-
- Before You Log In the First Time
- ════════════════════════════════
-
- Before you do your first login to VBBS, there are a few
- final checks you need to make:
-
- 1) Make sure the following files are available to VBBS via a
- PATH= statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
-
- DSZ.COM (or DSZ.EXE)
- LIST.COM (not needed immediately if you're using the
- DOS command TYPE as described on p. 33, but
- you ought to consider getting it)
- PKZIP.EXE
- PKUNZIP.EXE
-
- For example, you might have these files in a directory on
- your hard drive called BBSUTIL; the PATH= statement might
- read
-
- PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\BBSUTIL
-
- For more information on the PATH= statement, please refer to
- your DOS documentation.
-
- ▒▒ OS/2 Version : Please refer to the VBBS OS/2
- instructions in Appendix D.
-
- 2) Make sure the device driver ANSI.SYS is loaded with the ap-
- propriate statement in your CONFIG.SYS file:
-
- DEVICE=ANSI.SYS
-
- This enables your computer to handle the ANSI displays VBBS
- uses and generates. For more information on the DEVICE=
- statement, please refer to your DOS documentation.
-
- There are many alternative drivers available - particularly
- ZANSI.SYS and NNANSI.SYS -- that handle ANSI graphics
- MUCH faster than DOS' default ANSI.SYS. These programs
- are available on BBSes all over the country.
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 3-3
-
-
- Logging In the First Time
- ═════════════════════════
-
- By executing the statement
-
- BBS 1
-
- on a single-node installation, you will bring up VBBS in the WFC
- [Waiting For Call] mode. This is the online control panel for
- VBBS, and when you see this screen, the BBS is said to be in a
- "waiting for call" state. Congratulations; you're now the proud
- "parent" of a bouncing baby BBS! :-)
-
- --> IMPORTANT NOTE: From the WFC screen, you will see that the
- [F] key does something called "Fast Local
- Login"; DO NOT use this until you have
- created the sysop account (see below)!
-
- The reason you don't do a fast login is that your VBBS is new,
- and your user information file (USERFILE.DAT) is empty; there
- is no account there that a [F]ast local login can find as belon-
- ging to the sysop.
-
-
- Creating the Sysop Account
- ══════════════════════════
-
- From the WFC screen, type [L] to do a local login. You
- will see the LOGIN.MNU screen from the Virtual Technologies BBS
- (the author's BBS); you will, of course, need to change this be-
- fore bringing your own BBS online.
- Immediately following the LOGIN.MNU screen will be the
- login prompt. Type NEW (capitalization for clarity only; it's
- not case-sensitive) to create the first entry in your user data
- file. You will then see the file NEWUSER.TXT, followed by
- prompts to fill in your user information.
- Once you have finished entering this information, press
- the F2 key; this will bring up the user editor. Once there,
- type the following:
-
- G
- 255 [Enter]
- M
- 1440 [Enter]
-
- This gives you a SL of 255 (sysop access) and a maximum time
- per day of 1440 minutes (24 hours); while you likely won't ever
- need to stay on the BBS the entire 24 hours, it's nice to have
- the luxury.
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation -- 3-4
-
- While you're in the user editor, you may also edit any
- information there by pressing the letter of the appropriate
- field and entering the correct information. Some sysops use
- this opportunity to set all their access flags and such (so they
- cannot be accidentally "locked out" of any section of the BBS);
- see "The User Editor" for more information.
-
- --> IMPORTANT NOTE: If you encounter any program errors at this
- point, it is likely that you have mistyped
- a path in the Paths Configuration, moved a
- file to the wrong directory, for forgotten
- to compile any scripts you may be using.
- Use the DIAGNOSTICS option in VCONFIG to
- try to isolate any problems.
-
-
-