BBS Toolkit/BBS Toolkit.iso/doors_2/shmpg320.zip/WHAT'S.NEW

Text File | 1992-08-01 | 11KB | 244 lines

Fri  07-31-1992
Ver 3.20:


* The typing routines in Split-Chat mode have been modified to better handle
  multiple-line entries. Whenever the cursor reaches column 80, the next two
  lines are cleared and when the line number reaches the split-screen limit,
  the line wraps up to the top line. (If you don't think THIS was a bitch,
  you've got another thing coming!). This prevents, among other things, the
  SysOp inadvertently overtyping the ▓▓▓▓Sysop  Name▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓User Name▓▓▓▓
  line in live chat mode and keeps the cursor always in the correct portion
  of the screen.

* Added the feature that's been requested most often - the ability to send
  the contents of a text file upon a key word match. This is implemented
  using a new variable in the data file as follows: if the left-most string
  in a key word reply is *FILE* (as always, upper case with the asterisks),
  SHAMpage will open a file matching the name on the remainder of that line
  and "type" its contents to the caller. If this is unclear, take a look at
  the sample SHAMPAGE.DAT, under the key word REGIST. You will see the
  following:

;----------------------------------------------------------------------------
;                                  KEY WORD #68
;----------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGIST
1
*FILE* Sendit.Asc
;----------------------------------------------------------------------------

  In this case, when SHAMpage finds the string REGIST it looks at the key
  word reply and sees *FILE*. That tells it to send the caller the contents
  of a file. Next, it reads the rest of the line for the name of the file to
  access, which in this case is SENDIT.ASC. That file, is opened, read and
  closed. Its entire contents are then typed, line by line, to the caller. If
  the file does not exist, SHAMpage will error out (and log the reason for
  the error in SHAMPAGE.ERR). There is no limit, other than the normal limit
  of ten (10) replies to each key word, to the number of different *FILE*'s
  you can use for responses. You should be aware that, in split-screen mode,
  if the file is over nine (9) lines in length, the first line(s) will be
  overwritten by the last one(s) as the lines wrap at the end of the SysOp
  screen.

* Added the option to use two different data files: one for normal day time
  use, the other for late night hours (as defined by the times you have the
  page bell turned on or off). If SHAMpage finds a file named MIDNITE.DAT
  (which should be in your SHAMpage directory), it will be used instead of
  the regular data file whenever the page bell is turned off. If SHAMpage
  cannot find MIDNITE.DAT, your regular data file will be used. Which data
  file is used is noted in SHAMPAGE.LOG.

* Changed the DOS prompt when dropped to DOS to remind you that you are in a
  shell.

* Memory requirements have been slightly decreased.

* Bug Fixes: If both *USER* and *TIME* appeared on the same line, only one
  was being translated properly. All occurrences of these variables are
  now converted. Repaired the "Error 5: Illegal function call" which had
  slipped into some intermediate versions between v3.13 and v3.20.


Ver 3.13:

* The local screen is now saved, and restored after the SysOp drops to DOS or
  views User's Stats.

* Made [F7] "Live Chat On" and [F8] "End Live Chat" keys hot from anywhere,
  AFTER the opening greeting and PRIOR to end of chat. Enabled those keys in
  local mode. All functions, with the obvious exception of the comm routines,
  are now fully enabled in local mode.

* Typo's now appear anywhere in the line. Varied the amount of time it takes
  the "SysOp" to recognize a typo and correct it.

* Appended "am" or "pm" to the translation of the *TIME* variable.

* Added new information to SysOp's line 24: user's location and (if using
  DOOR.SYS) his age.

* "SysOp has control...", etc. no longer printed on the local screen each
  time it's the Sysop's turn to type while in full-screen chat mode. Toggled
  "[F7] Live Chat On" with "[F8] End Live Chat" on line 25. New command line
  parameters force full-screen or split-screen chat mode. The new parameters
  are FULL and SPLIT. The syntax is: SHAMpage SHAMpage.Cfg FULL/SPLIT.

* Error messages were made much more specific; if an error occurs, please
  read SHAMPAGE.ERR. The answer to your problem is probably logged. If you
  have trouble deciphering the problem by yourself, feel free to send me your
  SHAMPAGE.CFG, SHAMPAGE.DAT and SHAMPAGE.ERR files. I'll try to replicate
  the error and see if I can help. This still does NOT entitle you to bitch,
  though! <grin>


Ver 3.10:

* SHAMpage now checks the caller's time-left and updates the SysOp screen
  more often. The time-left warnings to the caller have been discarded, since
  they are rather meaningless in "chat" anyway and their main effect was to
  alert the caller that he was in a door instead of live chat. The caller
  will still get booted out of the door when he runs out of time, however.
  While rewriting this routine, I noticed and fixed a misplaced input-timer
  routine. The door now terminates as it should after 3 minutes of input
  inactivity.

* Added a new variable to be checked in the data file. The variable name is
  *TIME* (upper-case, with the asterisks). If this string occurs anywhere
  within the line, the current time, in 12-hour format, will be substituted
  in that position.

* Added a new option to run SHAMpage locally, from the command line. The
  syntax is: SHAMpage SHAMpage.CFG LOCAL

* Key word search & match routine modified to work faster and more reliably.

* Typo & correction routine redone. Typo's now vary more in length and
  SHAMpage will no longer make a typo of a non-letter. Corrections no longer
  make typos themselves.

* Wrote a new routine to restore the proper screen colors after use of one of
  the SysOp hot keys. Made some minor color changes to lines 24 & 25. Also
  changed "Press [ENTER] to continue" prompt to "Press [ENTER] to return to
  BBSname".

* Fixed some errors in the disabling of IRQ masks on the Interrupt Controller
  when exiting SHAMpage. This could cause certain BBS's which don't reset the
  port when returning from a door to appear to "lock up" when they regained
  control.

* Cleaned up, optimized and reduced the size of the code once again. SHAMpage
  is now nearly 20% smaller and loads and executes much faster than ever
  before.


Ver 3.05:

* Made the "exit" message configurable. If SHAMPAGE.DAT contains the Key Word
  EXITMSG, its "keyword responses" (up to four lines) will all be sent, in
  order, upon door termination. If EXITMSG does not appear as a key word, the
  default hard-coded exit message will be used.

* SHAMpage now checks for a variable in the data file so you can personalize
  your responses a bit more. You will find that the more personal your
  responses, using such things as your real name, the caller's name and your
  board's name, the more believable the program becomes. The variable name is
  *USER* (upper-case, with the asterisks). If this string occurs anywhere
  within the line, the caller's first name will be substituted in that
  position. This affects the format of the opening lines, where the caller's
  name had previously been inserted automatically and necessitates changes to
  your SHAMPAGE.DAT file. Please see the enclosed SHAMPAGE.DAT for examples.

* ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
* │ MAINTAIN.EXE HAS BEEN UPDATED TO CONVERT THE OLD SHAMPAGE.DAT TO THE  │
* │ LATEST FORMAT, WHICH SUPPORTS THE CHANGES NOTED ABOVE. BE SURE TO RUN │
* │ IT IF YOU INTEND TO USE YOUR OLD CUSTOMIZED DATA FILE.                │
* └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

* Added support for DORINFOx.DEF drop file (refer to line 4 in SHAMPAGE.CFG).
  Due to the limited amount of information included in DORINFOx.DEF, the
  [F2] User's Stats function is not quite as informative in this mode.
  SHAMpage is now running on WildCat!, PCBoard, Remote Access and QuickBBS
  boards that I am aware of. Support for CALLINFO.BBS and/or other BBS drop
  files can be implemented if there is sufficient interest.

* Rewrote the error routines to be a bit more specific, for diagnostic
  purposes, whenever an error occurs.

* Added a few new key words to SHAMPAGE.DAT.


Ver 3.02:

* Added some new means for the caller to exit SHAMpage: by entering G, Q, X
  or two consecutive empty lines.

* Reworked some I/O routines. The transmit buffer now works much better.

* Minor color change to match WildCat!'s chat.

* Edited SHAMPAGE.DAT to make it somewhat "kinder & gentler." Also added a
  few new key words after rechecking my own SHAMPAGE.LOG

* Initial release of MAINTAIN utility for maintaining SHAMPAGE.DAT

* Additional information is now written to both SHAMPAGE.LOG and SHAMPAGE.ERR

* Cleaned up, optimized and reduced the size of the source (and resultant
  executable) code.


Ver 3.0:

* The Com routines have been completely rewritten to get around the poor
  communications support provided by QuickBASIC. SHAMpage now controls
  COM1 - COM4 at speeds up to 115,200 baud. The serial driver includes
  XON/XOFF and CTS/RTS handshaking. Serial input is interrupt driven, with
  incoming XOFF flow control (if enabled) and/or RTS flow control (if
  enabled) to prevent overrunning the input buffer.

* Compiled SHAMpage as a stand-alone program. BRUN45.EXE is no longer
  required.


Ver 2.1:

* Added two (optional) lines to SHAMPAGE.CFG to allow enabling/disabling the
  page bell by the hour.

* Changed the page bell to more closely mimic WildCat!'s page bell.

* Changed the [F2] User Stats to be transparent to the caller.


Ver 2.0:

* Randomized key word responses so they come up in a different order each
  time the door is run. Previously, they always appeared in last-to-first
  order.

* Made new option for WildCat! split-screen chat emulation.

* Modified opening "Paging SysOp... " to mimic WildCat!'s

* Modified SysOp's lines 24 & 25 to show other options (which were in
  previous releases - but nobody knew about them).

* Rewrote documentation.

* Changed colors to match WildCat!'s

* Changed some other colors for cosmetic reasons.


Ver 1.1:

* Added "Delay Factor" to make the typing rate realistic on any machine.


Ver 1.0:

* First version released to the public.