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1992-09-08
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Silver Xpress Mail System Addendum File
(c) copyright 1988-1992 by Santronics Software
This document contains last minutes changes and extra information possibly
excluded in the official documentation.
A.1 Calling XPMAIL from the BBS
A.2 Miscellaneous Display Files in the MISC directory.
A.3 Silver Xpress and Communications
A.4 How Baud Rates Are Used in Silver Xpress
A.5 What is XPRENUM? And who should use it?
A.6 About about SuperBBS BBS?
A.7 About about TAG BBS?
A.1 Calling XPMAIL from the BBS
The Silver Xpress Mail System main program is XPMAIL.EXE. You should call
this program using a batch file. XPRESS.BAT is provided to serve as an
example (XPRESS for PCBOARD).
The file CALLXP.ZIP contains example BBS system files to call XPRESS.BAT
using BBS proper switches. (PCBOARD and RBBS do not have this file. They do
not need it).
Sample call to XPMAIL:
C:
CD \XPRESS
XPMAIL [switches]
CD \BBS
PCBOARD has a different type of logic for calling a DOOR program. Use the
XPRESS file provided. It should be all you need. Just add the proper line
to the DOORS.LST file making sure the USERS.SYS file is created for Xpress.
A.2 Miscellaneous Display Files in the MISC directory.
The following is the list of default display files shown to the user during
various points of Xpress. Some of these files required the VCC compiler to
create files with XPV extensions.
WELCOME ANS Welcome screen shown with ANSI on.
WELCOME TXT Welcome screen shown with ANSI off.
WELCOME GX Welcome screen shown with GX menus enabled.
REGISTER TXT Registration information shown to non-registered users.
NEWS XPV News information shown during when logging into XpMAIL.
NEWS VCC Source file to NEWS.XPV
NEWUSER XPV If the user is new to Xpress, this file will be shown.
NEWUSER VCC Source File to NEWUSER.VCC
GOODBYE TXT File shown when hangup from XPMAIL
GOODBYE GX File shown when hangup from XPMAIL with GX menus enabled.
XPVSAVER TXT File shown when user enabled VACATION SAVER.
EXIT TXT File shown when exits from XPMAIL
EXIT GX File shown when exits from XPMAIL with GX menus enabled.
BADXPRV TXT File shown to user when using old version of Reader.
BADXPRV GX GX menu version of BADXPRV.TXT
GOLDXP XPV File shown when user enables GX menus
GOLDXP VCC Source to GOLDXP.XPV
To compile a VCC file, use the VCC.EXE compiler. i.e,
VCC XPVSAVER
The logic XPMAIL will use to display these files is as follows:
1) If the file does not exist, XPMAIL will skip the display. If the
file is a XPV file, XPMAIL will display a local console error
message.
2) If the file is NOT a XPV type, XPMAIL will use the following order
to look for the file:
ANSI ON: Look for file with ANS extension. Fall back to TXT.
ANSI OFF: Look for file with TXT extension.
GX MENUS: Look for file with GX extension.
You should modify the XPVSAVER file if you intend to provide VACATION
SAVER service to your users. Tell them when your events occur and when
to pick up the mail.
A.3 Silver Xpress and Communications
Silver Xpress supports two types of communications:
Direct Communications
Fossil Communications
Fossil Communications is generally use with bulletin board systems such as
OPUS, Maximus, Remote Access and QuickBBS. PCBOARD supports only direct
communications. RBBS supports both.
With Silver Xpress, you have the option to use one or the other but not
both at the same time. If you use the fossil, you must have a license (free
or paid) to use fossil protocols such as X00 by Ray Quinn, or BNU by David
Nugent. Santronics Software does not distribute X00 or BNU with Silver
Xpress Mail System, however, we do make it available on our support BBS.
Silver Xpress will follow any fossil protocol which support the Standard
Fossil Communication Specification defined in FTSC.
Direct Communications
---------------------
When using direct communications, com ports 1 thru 8 are supported.
Direct communications will not work beyond com port #8.
If you are using irregular com port or UART settings, you can edit the file
called XMT.CFG to define the new UART settings. This file is also used by
XMT.EXE.
To change the UART settings, modify the file XMT.CFG using a normal text-
based editor.
Fossil Communications
---------------------
When using fossil communications, XPMAIL will not impose a com port limit.
It is based on what what your particular fossil supports. In addition,
irregular UART settings are completed defined by the fossil as well so
there is not need to edit XMT.CFG unless XMT is used in direct
communication mode.
Silver Xpress will by default define the FOSSIL for XPMAIL during
installation. This is true for OPUS, MAXIMUS, QBBS, and REMOTE ACCESS which
require the fossil to operate.
You can also force FOSSIL usage by using the -F switch.
The only advantage we see by sticking with the FOSSIL with XPMAIL is that
fossil with handle all flow control and buffering that is necessary.
Flow Control
------------
Silver Xpress has 3 types of flow controls:
Transmit XON/XOFF flow control
Receive XON/OFF flow control
HardWare RTS/CTS flow control
You can set these in XPADM or use the switches:
-FTX Enable transmit xon
-FRX Enable receive xon
-FHW Enable hardware flow control
All transmit XON/XOFF and Hardware flow control should always be enabled.
Receive XON/XOFF is optional but it is recommended that you keep it on.
It won't hurt anything in Xpress.
A.4 How Baud Rates Are Used in Silver Xpress
Silver Xpress, ideally, would love to have both the pc-modem lock baud rate
and the actual user connect baud rate whenever possible.
The Silver Xpress Mail System, as a door program, does not do anything with
the comm port as far as baud rates are concern. These values are only used
for information display purposes and to estimate mail transfer times.
The user baud rate is used to calculate the "approximate transfer time"
after the mail scan and packing is completed. The user baud rate and lock
baud rate can be optionally passed to an external file transfer program.
See the XPPROT.CTL file.
If you are using DSZ or XMT, by passing the lock baud rate and the user
baud rate, these programs will display file transfer efficiency
calculations during the file transfer. Note: if a locked baud rate is not
passed to XMT, XMT will determine the lock rate automatically by checking
the UART.
How does XPMAIL get the baud rates in the first place?
Each BBS is different and only with newer BBS systems do they provide both
values. If available, Silver Xpress has been optimized to get these baud
rates from the DOOR INTERFACE files the BBS system creates.
Below is a table summary on how XPMAIL retrieves the lock baud rate and the
user baud rate when XPMAIL starts it's initialization process.
If there is any question how a BBS is passing baud rates to door interface
files, to insure XPMAIL gets the information, you can use the -LB and -B
switches.
-Bxxxx - where xxxx is user connect baud rate.
-LBxxxx - where xxxx is the lock baud rate.
These switches will override how Xpress gets it's baud rate from the door
interface files shown below. It will guarantee Silver Xpress will know how
to calculate transmission times and properly pass this information to
outside transfer programs.
BBS MODEL LOCKED BAUD USER BAUD
---------------------------------------------------------------
OPUS 1.03 DEFINE IN XPADM LASTUSxx.BBS FILE
OPUS 1.10 DEFINE IN XPADM LASTUSxx.DAT FILE
Taken From BBS.PRM
during Install
OPUS 1.7x DEFINE IN XPADM LASTUSxx.DAT FILE
Taken From BBS.PRM
during Install
MAX 2.00 DEFINE IN XPADM LASTUSxx.BBS FILE
Taken From BBS.PRM
during Install
PCBOARD PCBOARD.SYS PCBOARD.SYS
RBBS DORINFOxx.DEF MAIN MESSAGE BASE
CHECK POINT RECORD
RBBS (NON RBBS BBS) DORINFOxx.DEF USE -B SWITCH
HMS DEFINE IN XPADM EXITINFO.BBS
Taken From BBS
CONFIG file during
Install
For BBS systems where the lock baud rate is not being passed by a door
interface file, you might be better off using the -LB switch. This is
particularly true for multi-line situations. If the lock baud is different
from node to node, use the -LB for each XPMAIL.EXE node.
A.5 What is XPRENUM? And who should use it?
XPRENUM is a FIDO-BASED message (*.MSG) renumbering system.
This program is provided as a utility for sysops using Silver Xpress models
F1, P1, and R1. Any other models do not require it, however you can still
use this program as a replacement of your current renumber utility.
F1 is the OPUS 1.03 model of Xpress. OPUS 1.03 does not HAVE a last read
pointer system for users. So by using XPRENUM, you will ensure a proper
last read pointer system for Xpress.
P1 and R1 are the PCBOARD and RBBS models of Xpress. If you are using any
of the models for FIDO-BASED message areas where you are not converting
from a FIDO mail format to the BBS mail format, then you should use the
XPRENUM to ensure a proper last read pointer system for these FIDO message
areas.
XPRENUM program is a simple, but very fast, renumber system for fido
(*.msg) mail areas only.
XPRENUM will maintain a file called XPLREAD.IDX for each FIDO area. XPMAIL
will look for this file for the user's last read pointer.
XPRENUM will adjust the Silver Xpress last read pointer file located in
each fido area (XPLREAD.IDX). The program should be run in place of your
current Fido Base message renumbering program.
You should run XPRENUM during your MAIL events. The following is a
summary of the XPRENUM command line switches:
Parameters Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-V : view renumbering/relink process
-R : perform a renumbering/relink process. Update XPLREAD.IDX
-N #1 #2 : Save first #, and Keep the LAST # msgs and delete the rest.
-S : Update the FIDO LASTREAD file as well if -R is used.
-O170 : Update the OPUS 1.70 LREAD.DAT file as well if -R is used.
-M102 : Update the Maximus 1.02 LASTREAD.BBS file as well if -R is used.
msg_path : directory location of fido area. Must be last on cmd line.
WARNING!
Not using this program will guarantee FAILURE of keeping up-to-date last
read pointers for fido areas. Silver Xpress version F1 requires this
program. Silver Xpress model P1 and R1 require this program if and only if
you are integrating pure FIDO areas into your BBS setup.
Examples:
xprenum -R -N 1 30 e:\msg\net
xprenum -R -n 1 50 e:\msg\xpress
xprenum -S -R -n 1 50 e:\msg\xpress
xprenum -S -R -O170 -n 1 50 e:\msg\xpress
xprenum -S -R -M102 -n 1 50 e:\msg\xpress
A.6 About about SuperBBS BBS?
Silver Xpress Model H1 (HMS Xpress as we called it) will support any HMS
based BBS. The H1 model will directly support:
Remote Access 1.xx
QuickBBS 2.7x
QuickBBS 2.64
If you wish to support SuperBBS, you must use conversion tools which
convert the SuperBBS system files into one of the above formats. As of
today, these conversion tools exist for SuperBBS to QuickBBS 2.64 format.
XPADM will prompt you to select the version you want to install. Choose
QuickBBS 2.64 but you must have the QuickBBS 2.64 files around to be
successful.
We do plan direct support of SuperBBS. But we also need your support as
well. To will ensure that we speed up the development process.
A.7 About about TAG BBS?
TAG BBS can use the RBBS version of Xpress or the HMS version of Xpress.
RBBS Xpress support Fido Areas so if only want fido areas, RBBS Xpress is
the right way to go. Download this file called XPR1TAG.ZIP by Rick Cooper.
XPR1TAG.ZIP - Explains how to install the RBBS Model of Xpress with TAG.
As of this writing, the only thing you will have to change,
based on what I saw, are his references to the XPMAIL
switches in the example batch file. They have CHANGED!!!!
See the WHATSNEWS.300 for a summary of command line
switches.
If you want to support HMS areas, then you can use the H1 model of Xpress.
A few TAG/Xpress packages have been put together to assist in the
integration process.
The following was put together by Tom Schwarz.
In order to use Xpress with TAG you will have to download the HMS version
of Xpress if you are using the Hudson message bases. This doc file
describes how to use Xpress with Tag's Hudson message bases only!
After you download this file you will also need a file called HMSTOOLS.ZIP.
This file has a program that converts from a DOOR.SYS type file to an
EXITINFO.BBS type file. Xpress needs the EXITINFO.BBS file and as I could
find no way to make one I had Hector write up this short program. It is
called DSYS2EI.EXE and takes one parameter, the location of the DOOR.SYS
file as shown in the example below. The only other utilitiy you will need
is the QCONFIG program from the QBBS system. This allows you to make up
the CONFIG.BBS file that Xpress needs. You can download this file from CIS
or probably any of the other online services or from you local QBBS system.
After you set up your message areas in the QCONFIG program you will be
almost all done. Put the batch file at the end of this document in your
BBS directory and then add the command to your menus using the following
parameters:
PKey: =
Command: *XPRESS.BAT
You can set all the other options for the command to anything you want. If
you have any questions on this please leave a message on Hectors board and
I will check in from time to time to help anyone out that might be having a
problem. If you need help quickly Hector knows how to get in touch with me
right away. Hope this doc file helps you out. The only other thing is follow
Hectors configuration program allowing and you should have no trouble.
Thomas Schwarz
Here's a sample XPRESS.BAT file for all of you. Hope this helps...
--XPRESS.BAT---
@ECHO OFF
DSYS2EI.EXE C:\BBS\DOOR.SYS
cd \xpress
xpmail -LB19200 -P1 -F -FCTS -TS -NU -A%2
cd \qmail
if exist f:\msgs\echotoss.log qm scan pack netmail_scan
if exist F:\QMAIL\ECHOMAIL.BBS QM SCAN PACK NETMAIL_SCAN
if exist F:\QMAIL\NETMAIL.BBS QM SCAN PACK NETMAIL_SCAN
ERASE F:\QMAIL\ECHOMAIL.BBS
ERASE F:\QMAIL\NETMAIL.BBS
EDITOR NOTE: Rick Cooper at 1:236/16 is almost complete with a complete
TAG/XPress interface system so that you don't need the QBBS Qconfig.exe
program. It should be done by the end of September 92.