BBS Toolkit/BBS Toolkit.iso/doors_2/twdoc98.zip/TWDOC98.DOC

Text File | 1992-04-05 | 10KB | 174 lines

*********************************************************************
*                       N O T I C E ! ! ! !                         *
*  You hold in your hands a BETA copy of the Trade Wars 2002 data   *
*  correction utility called the TWDoctor.  Though this version has *
*  been rigorously tested, we still advise you to make complete     *
*  backups of your .DAT files in the \TRADEWAR subdirectory before  *
*  you attempt to use this utility.  I seriously doubt running this *
*  program will do anything but good for your game's data, but a    *
*  little precaution goes a long way.  Also please note that this   *
*  utility is NOT free!  It is a shareware product with a $10       *
*  registration fee.  Registering does not enable any more features *
*  as you have the complete program in your hands, but please take  *
*  the time and effort to register in appreciation of the effort    *
*  that went into the making of this utility.  After all, its YOUR  *
*  game that this utility will save for you. (grin)  Support the    *
*  Share Ware process while its still around.                       *
*                                                                   *
*  Martech Software                             4-5-92              *
*  134 Indian Avenue                   Registration cost = $10 U.S. *
*  Lawrence, Kansas 66046                                           *
*********************************************************************




TWDoctor, a Trade Wars 2002 file correction utility.
Copyright 1992, by Martech Software, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.


        As a sysop, you're well aware of the problems that arise with running
DOS-based applications in the BBS environment.  Users can get disconnected in
the middle of processes causing corrupted files, disk write errors can dump
the whole BBS program and dozens of other un-correctable errors can put
garbage into your files and databases!

        Well here at Martech Software, we've heard the anguished cries of
harrassed Sysops who've had their Trade Wars 2002 files corrupted from the
usual BBS environment problems.  We've responded with this utility, the Trade
Wars 2002 Data Doctor.

        This utility should correct almost any data corruption problem that
can possibly occur in the DOS environment.  As long as your data files are
still there, there is hope that this utility can resurrect your ongoing TWs
game.  Though the Utility is rather self-explanatory, (a help screen will
appear if you do not enter any command-line options) here is a run down of
what each module of the TWDoctor does.


-A  Perform All Operations.
        Pretty straight-forward, this command will execute all of the other
        repair modules in the Trade Wars data Doctor.  This command does
        not write to a log, so you'd still need to use the -O option for
        that.

-B  Resize the Tradewars data files
        An odd side effect of leaving a Turbo Pascal file handle open on
        a DOS based machine is that unallocated clusters can end up being
        attached to the end of the actual file.  This can result in your
        TWDATA.DAT file becoming HUGE!  (couple of megs or more).  The
        actuall size that TWDATA.DAT should be is 214,452 bytes.  Resizing
        just frees up more disk space, much like using CHKDSK /F to recover
        lost clusters.  The file SHIPFILE.DAT is also resized with this
        command to its proper size of 17,480 bytes.

-Cx  Reset the game date
        This module will globally reset the date in TW2002.  Have you ever
        accidently set the date wrong on your BBS?  After someone enters
        TW2002, the game dates are updated to reflect the PC's date.  When
        you discover your problem and put the date back, the TW2002 dates
        are then all wrong.  This can cause effects like everyone being
        locked out of the game for xxxxx days (date was accidently moved to
        the future, then back) or things like planets dying out from
        over production (date was moved to the past and then back).  This
        function will globally move through the Trade Wars databases and
        reset all activity dates to YESTERDAY (one day less than the current
        date in the PC's CMOS setup).  Also, you may optionally specify the
        number of days back you'd like the date set to, from 1 to 100 in the
        format of just calling this option like:   -C25   (set for 25 days
        back, ports and planets will have had unmolested production for
        25 full days).

-D   Invalid Pointers (error 100s with abnormal ends)
        From time to time, pointers within the database can get corrupted from
        the previously mentioned DOS errors and end up pointing into
        never-never land.  This module will assure that they are all valid
        and should stop the occurance of the game kicking users back out
        to the BBS with an "Error Code 100"

-E   Invalid Reals (error 2xxs with abnormal ends)
        Reals can also get corrupted within the game and cause abnormal ends.
        (The user gets kicked back to the BBS with an "Error Code 2xx")
        Use this module to correct such problems.

-Ofilename   Log the TWDoctor run to a filename
                Specifying the -O option followed by a legitimate DOS file
                name (no space between O and the filename) will log the
                entirety of the run to a text file of your choice.  You can
                use the TWDoctor as a part of your nightly maintenance
                batch runs and use the logging function to view the results.
                If you specify a filename that already exists, the TWDoctor
                will append this run's results onto the end of that file.

-P   Repair Players
        Now we're getting down the the core modules.  This function cleans
        garbage out of the Player's name and BBS name.  It insures that these
        names are within length limits imposed by the game.  It then checks
        and fixes any negative values or over the limit values it encounters
        in the player's records.  I won't go into detail on what this module
        does, but suffice it to say that its many pages of code.

-S   Repair Sectors
        Like the Repair Players function above, this module cleans and trims
        the Sector nebulae names and beacons that are invalid.  It sorts
        the warps out of the sector in ascending order and removes any
        duplicate warps that it finds.  Invalid warplanes are removed.
        All other sector values are validated.

-T   Repair Ports
        Besides cleaning and trimming Port names and LastShip docked names,
        this module also does major validation on the specifications of each
        port.  This module RECREATES Sol, Alpha Centuari, Rylos and
        StarGate Alpha 1 if they have been corrupted or destroyed.  All
        Port Types are checked to insure that they accurately reflect what
        type each port is and all production and inventory values are
        repaired if needed.  The ports will also be restocked and will appear
        as if they've been unmolested for twenty days, enough to regenerate
        all onhand amounts to maximum.  Obviously, you would NOT want to
        run this module every night as much of the strategy in TW2002 is
        finding and defending a good set of ports.  If each port was fully
        regenerated each night, it would make it just too damn easy to play.
        (grin)

-N   Repair Planets
        Planet names and owners will be cleaned and trimmed.  All onhand
        amounts will be validated, production levels adjusted and invalid
        construction days/types will be fixed.

-F   Repair Ferrengi
        Names and shipnames will be cleaned and trimmed.  Invalid values
        will be reset, and if the file itself (FERRENGI.DAT) is missing,
        it will be rebuilt from scratch.

-A   Repair Aliens
        This module is virtually identical to the Ferrengi module with the
        exception being that the filename involved is (ALIENS.DAT)





        There are bound to be some problems yet that this utility cannot
correct, but as they are encountered, we will release subsequent versions to
handle those problems.  Should you find a problem that the TWDoctor cannot
fix, zip up your *.DAT files in the /TRADEWAR subdir and upload it to Sysop
on Castle RavenLoft [phone] and [phone].  Please verify that you
have the LATEST release of the TWDoctor before you do this as your problem may
have already been added to the capabilities of the TWDoctor.

        As far as I know, the TWDoctor is a unique offering from ANY shareware
author.  Many authors put out bug fixes, but we decided to follow the approach
of Peter Norton in offering a chance to recover your data instead of just
scrapping it and starting all over.  This utility has been a challenge to
write and will be continually updated as long as problem reports come in that
it can't handle.  So please show your support for our efforts by registering
this product!  Registration is only Ten Dollars U.S.   If you know that you do
not have the latest version of the TWDoctor, include an additional $5 and we
will mail it to you on your choice of low density diskette.

Martech Software, Inc.
134 Indian Ave.
Lawrence, Kansas 66046