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1990-09-10
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SFCOMTRV
Release 2.5
by Bernard King of
NEWS CARRIER BBS
INTRODUCTION
------------
SFCOMTRV is a fast paced trivia game designed to run as a door feature
within the SPITFIRE Bulletin Board System. The data file contains approx-
imately 310 assorted trivia questions based on the design and operation
of computers. During execution this file is randomly accessed displaying
the questions to the screen.
With each display, four multiple choice options are provided from which
the player has ten seconds to read and respond with the number correspond-
ing to the answer they wish to select. The file is then scrolled after
the selection is entered or upon time out.
SFCOMTRV SETUP
--------------
To set up SFCOMTRV to be executed as a door, it is recommended that
a separate directory be created. For example if the directory DOORA was
created for use with SFCOMTRV, then copy the following files to that
directory:
SFCOMTRV.EXE The actual game program.
SFCOMTRV.DAT The data file containing the trivia questions.
SFCOMTRV.TOP This is a listing of the top ten players. SFCOMTRV.EXE
will create this file if it is not found.
SFCOMTRV.LMT This file contains the time limit set for each security
level on your system.
Now use your favourite text editor to edit the SF.BAT file as illustrated
below:
:DOOR_A
COPY SFDOORS.DAT C:\SF\DOORA
SFCOMTRV /D /P C:\SF\DISPLAY\DORBUL1
ERASE SFDOORS.DAT
GOTO LOOP
:DOOR_B
You will notice from the example above that the commands to execute
SFCOMTRV are placed between :DOOR_A and GOTO LOOP command lines. The
commands are entered in place of the "Rem place program name here."
COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS
-----------------------
/P - Specifies the drive, path, filename and extension of the
high score bulletin.
/D - Specifies the delay time (in seconds) that the user is
allowed to answer the question before it times out. If
not included the program will default to a ten second
delay.
/L - Allows local usage.
The following will briefly explain each of the commands which were
set up within SF.BAT file to run SFCOMTRV as a SPITFIRE Door program:
Line: 1 Select the Door number under which SFCOMTRV will run.
Line: 2 Copy SFDOORS.DAT which is created automatically by SPITFIRE
to the directory where SFCOMTRV resides. This file contains
information about the user such as name and password. There-
fore, before executing the program it must be copied to the
directory in which SFCOMTRV will be running.
Line: 3 Execute the game program SFCOMTRV from within the door. If
the optional parameters "/D" and "/P" are used the program
will time out by the number (in seconds) set by the "/D(xx)"
and the dorbul(x) file will be written to the directory
specified by the "/P".
Line: 4 Erase SFDOORS.DAT on termination of the game.
Line: 5 Recall the BBS.
SFCOMTRV SETUP AS A SYSOP CONFIGURABLE COMMAND
----------------------------------------------
SPITFIRE has a sysop configurable command for the Main, Message
and File menus. The sysop configurable command is executed through
a batch file which corresponds to the menu chosen. In other words,
SFMAIN.BAT runs the sysop configurable command from the Main Menu,
SFMESS.BAT runs the one from the Message Menu and SFFILE.BAT the
one from the File Menu. The commands necessary to execute SFCOMTRV
can be set up in either one of the batch files mentioned above.
The first thing you will need to establish is which of these menus
you wish to use to run SFCOMTRV. For this purpose, let's assume that
it is going to be set up so it can be run from the Main Menu. (It
should be noted that the set up procedure is the same regardless of
which Menu you plan to use.)
Next, you will have to decide what you wish to name the command
option and establish what security level will be required for
users of your system to be able to access this option. Once this
is determined modify the SFMAIN.MNU file using your favorite text
editor, as long as it saves in ASCII format. (Refer to the SPITFIRE
manual for further documentation on this if needed. It should also
be noted that if SFCOMTRV were being set up to run from the File
Menu, you will have to modify the SFFILE.MNU file or SFMSG.MNU if
the Message Menu is being used.)
Examining the default SFMAIN.MNU file, you will notice the sysop
configurable command appears as:
<K>............. Add Your Own,,1000,@
Replace the command character <K> with the character of your choice
that will be used to select the option from the menu. It is ASOLUTELY
IMPERATIVE that the Command Character must not duplicate an existing
Command Character for another menu option. Now include a brief descript-
ion of SFCOMTRV, two commas, the security level required to access this
feature, and another comma followed by the @. The @ must not be changed!
(For more detailed information on modifying your SFMAIN.MNU, SFMSG.MNU
or SFFILE.MNU refer to your SPITFIRE manual.)
<K>.... Brief Program Description,,10,@
Now you would modify the corresponding batch file, SFMAIN.BAT, so
that it can be executed from the Main Menu. Do this using your favorite
text editor, as long as it saves in ASCII format. (Again, it should be
noted that if SFCOMTRV were being set up to run from either the File
Menu or the Message Menu, you will have to modify the SFFILE.BAT or
SFMESS.BAT respectively.
Place the SFCOMTRV.EXE file in the directory from which it will be
executed. The program will create its own player score file, SFCOMTRV.TOP,
if it does not already exist.
The commands set up in the SFMAIN.BAT file are very similar to
those used for executing the game through a door in the SF.BAT file.
For instance, if you were running SFCOMTRV from the main SPITFIRE
directory your SFMAIN.BAT file might look like this:
ECHO OFF
BRK OFF
SFCOMTRV
BRK ON
(BRK is not included in the SPITFIRE package because it is written
and copyrighted by Solid Systems, but can be downloaded from either
Buffalo Creek BBS, News Carrier BBS or many other systems around. BRK
is not required to run SFCOMTRV, however, it is recommended since it
will prevent a user from using the CTRL BRK command to terminate the
batch file, thus gaining access to your system at the DOS level.)
If you wish to set SFCOMTRV up in a separate subdirectory from
SPITFIRE, for instance, a subdirectory named SFCOMTRV, your batch
file might look like this.
ECHO OFF
BRK OFF
COPY SFMAIN.DAT \SF\SFCOMTRV
CD \SF\SFCOMTRV
SFCOMTRV /D /P C:\SF\DISPLAY\DORBUL1
ERASE SFMAIN.DAT
CD \SF
BRK ON
When SFCOMTRV is executed, from either the door with the SF.BAT file
or from the sysop configurable command through a menu with the
corresponding batch file, it will first look for the SFMAIN.DAT file,
then the SFMESS.DAT file, then the SFFILE.DAT file and lastly the
SFDOORS.DAT file. It will look for each of these files until it finds
it and the commands required for its execution. If none of these
files are found, SFCOMTRV will halt its execution.
LOCAL PLAY OF SFCOMTRV
----------------------
It should also be noted that a Sysop can play SFCOMTRV locally by
entering the following command at the DOS prompt:
C:> SFCOMTRV /L
DTE LOCK FEATURE
----------------
SFCOMTRV automatically detects if the DTE is locked at 19200 baud. If
SFCOMTRV detects that the DTE is locked, then SFCOMTRV opens the serial
port to the maximum baud rate of your system. If SFCOMTRV does not
detect that the DTE is locked, then the serial port is opened to the
baud rate of the caller.
SYSOP FEATURES
--------------
This door program contains several features which gives the Sysop
control over the game as it is being played on their BBS. First, a
status line is displayed on the BBS monitor that provides information
concerning the caller's name, baud rate and security level.
A SFCOMTRV.LMT file has been incorporated which allows the sysop
to establish a time limit for door play according to the security
level the caller has on the system. To modify the accompanying
SFCOMTRV.LMT file, use your favorite text editor to represent the
various security levels you have available on your system, a comma
then the corresponding time you wish to allow for that particular
security level in minutes. For instance, it might look like this:
10,15
25,20
50,25
999,30
Each security level should begin a new line and you should have a
setting for each security level you have available on your system.
If you do not have a time limit set for a particular security
SFCOMTRV will default to the level 10 security level setting.
Function Keys
-------------
Pressing the Shift Key and the F1 key simultaneously will
terminate game play of SFCOMTRV and return the caller back to the
BBS. Pressing the Shift Key and the F9 key simultaneously will
terminate game play of SFCOMTRV and log the caller off of the BBS.
If the Shift Key and the F9 key are pressed together, logging the
caller off the BBS, SPITFIRE will recycle and return to the
SPITFIRE Ready For Caller Prompt.
By specifying the optional parameter /P on the command line, it
forces SFCOMTRV to write dorbul(x) in ansi and ascii to the directory
you select. These bulletin files can be viewed by the users through
your Doors bulletin menu.
By using the optional parameter /D the Sysop can regulate the
delay time (in seconds) that is allowed for the answer to be
given after the question is displayed on the screen.
Your command line would be as was mentioned before:
SFCOMTRV /D /P C:\SF\DISPLAY\DORBUL1
NOTE: The /D, /P and /L command parameters can be used together in
---- one command line and in any order.
SFCOMTRV EXECUTION
------------------
When first executed, SFCOMTRV will display a list of the Top Ten high
score players and the percentage of correct responses they acheived
while playing SFCOMTRV. Initially, this will be a dummy listing with
ten lines that display:
0%...............YOUR NAME COULD BE HERE
However, as the game is played, this will fill with the name of the
players and their percentage ratings.
NOTE: At least twenty questions must be attempted before SFCOMTRV will
---- will figure the percentage rating for the player.
To keep things interesting...the Sysop can erase the file which contains
the top ten listings SFCOMTRV.TOP on a routine basis to give additional
players a chance to have their name added to the list.
As the top ten list is displayed, at the bottom of the screen is a
question which prompts the user whether they want to have ANSI Graphics
(y/n)? available to them during game play. If the user responds with a
y (for yes) the game will display in color and if the user responds with
a n (for no) the game will display in monochrome.
PLAYING SFCOMTRV
----------------
Immediately after pressing any key (other than <Q> for Quit) from
the Top Ten listing the game screen is displayed. The screen will
look like the following:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ >>>>>>> SFCOMTRV <<<<<<< ║
║ Release 2.5 ║
║ Computerese Trivia For SPITFIRE Doors ║
║ Freeware from NEWS CARRIER BBS ║
║In co-operation with Buffalo Creek Software║
║ All Rights Reserved ║
║ Copyright (C) by Bernard King, 1989, 90 ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════╝
RIGHT: 0 WRONG: 0
QUESTION:
The assorted trivia questions will be displayed
here.
<1> Choice 1 <2> Choice 2
<3> Choice 3 <4> Choice 4
Enter Answer: [ 1 2 3 4 <Q>uit]?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The first randomly choosen trivia question is selected from the data
file and is displayed to the screen.
The player makes his selection by entering the corresponding number.
As the game progresses, SFCOMTRV will provide a running total of the
correct answers and also of the wrong answers the user has selected
during the game play.
If your response time should elapse before you respond, SFCOMTRV
will count this as a wrong response and add an incorrect answer to
the total WRONG answers obtained so far.
EXITING PLAY
------------
When you are ready to exit the game, simply select press "Q" for
<Q>uit. If you qualify as one of the top ten players to date,
SFCOMTRV will congratulate you for becoming one of the top ten scorers
and add your name to the Top Ten listing. You will once again see the
Top Ten list displayed with your name added to the list.
If you exit the game before you have completed the twenty
questions required for eligibility to the Top Ten list or if you do not
qualify as a Top Ten player, the Top Ten listing will be displayed and
you will be prompted to press any key to return to SPITFIRE.
DISTRIBUTION
------------
Please feel free to share SFCOMTRV.ZIP with others. However, it must
be distributed with SFCOMTRV.EXE, SFCOMTRV.DAT, SFCOMTRV.TOP, SFCOMTRV.LMT
and SFCOMTRV.DOC in the distribution package. These files must
not be altered in any way, shape or form.
PUBLIC DOMAIN - DISCLAIMER
--------------------------
SFCOMTRV is distributed under the public domain concept. The software
and its accompanying documentation are provided "as is" without warranties
expressed or implied as to the performance or merchantability. No regis-
tration fee is required and the program can be distributed freely. How-
ever, by the use of SFCOMTRV, the user assumes all responsibilities and
agrees that Bernard King shall not be held liable for any damage incurred
to hardware, software or peripheral devices while running same.
Many thanks are indeed owed to Mike Woltz Sysop of Buffalo Creek BBS
(515)-225-8496 and author of SPITFIRE whose ingenious talent provided
the ENGINE for this CAR.
History
-------
Release 1 Sfcomtrv set free.
Release 2 Added file sharing and locking capabilities for smooth
operation under a multi-node environment.
Release 2.5 Added the /D command line parameter which allows the
Sysop to configure the delay time in seconds that a
user is allowed before the question times out. Defaults
to ten seconds if not used.
Added ASYNC routines for high speed modems with the
16450 or 16550 UART chip.
SFCOMTRV and other SPITFIRE programs are available for download from:
Buffalo Creek BBS The Mother Board BBS
Sysop - Mike Woltz Sysop - Jacque Shipley
(515) 225-8496 (515) 986-3445
38400/19200/9600/2400/1200 9600/2400/1200
NEWS CARRIER BBS
Sysop - Bernard King
(416) 291-4903
19200/9600/2400/1200