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╔══════════════════════════════════╗
║ The Express Call-Back Verifier ║
║ Version 1.1 ║
║ For Renegade Bulletin Boards ║
║ Copyright 1992 Phil Baggett ║
║ All Rights Reserved ║
╚══════════════════════════════════╝
FILE LIST
---------
The Express Call-Back Verifier (XCBV) package consists of the following
files:
XCBV.EXE - Main program
XCBV.BAT - Sample batch file
XCBV.DOC - Program documentation
XCBV.DAT - Call-back database
XCBV.CFG - Configuration file
INTRO.TXT - [ Sample ]
INSTRUCT.TXT - [ display ]
SUCCESS.TXT - [ files ]
BADACODE.TXT - [ ]
COMPATIBILITY
-------------
This version of the XCBV was written for Renegade release 8-10 (beta) or
later. I plan to modify this program as needed to be compatible with future
versions of Renegade unless there's no demand for it, so if you like it,
TELL ME!
LICENSE
-------
No person shall use this software on a regular basis without first notifying
the Author, Phil Baggett, via conventional mail or some form of electronic
mail, and thereby receiving permission. There is NO FEE involved. The
Author only wishes to be informed as to where his creation is being
implemented.
INTRODUCTION
------------
The Express Call-Back Verifier serves two main purposes:
(1) Automatically upgrades users' SL and DSL to predetermined values
after successful verification.
(2) Keeps a record of users' tested-and-verified phone numbers.
(3) Allows SysOps to prevent users from calling under multiple user
accounts.
This CBV is quite different from others you may have used. First of all,
this program, when calling the user back for verification, does not dial the
area code. Therefore, it WILL NOT DIAL LONG DISTANCE unless you can do so
in your area by omitting the area code and dialing only the 3-digit prefix
and the 4-digit suffix of the number.
In fact, users' area codes are not stored in the phone number database at
all. This feature should be welcomed by those who hate calling long
distance, as I do, and hated by those who like their BBSs to call back any
user, regardless of the phone bill incurred.
■ SysOps can search through and edit the call-back database, which will
contain each verified user's real name, phone number, and date of
verification.
■ A special option is included for globally scanning and updating the
call-back database, so SysOps can plug some or all users' current
phone numbers into the database.
■ Customized text or ANSI files will be displayed at appropriate times
when the door is being run, so you can give the program a personal
touch.
■ Keeps a detailed log of all errors and call-back failures.
INSTALLATION
------------
To install the program, make a new subdirectory and copy all the files
there. Use a text editor to modify the configuration file, XCBV.CFG:
Line 1: Name of your BBS.
Line 2: Name of your BBS drop file (NOT including path); must be either
CALLINFO.BBS, PCBOARD.SYS, or DORINFOx.DEF. (DOOR.SYS, as
generated by Renegade, will not work with this program, due to
the fact that my door-building toolkit does not support the new
(longer) DOOR.SYS standard that Renegade produces <sigh>.)
CALLINFO.BBS has been tested with Renegade and is recommended.
Line 3: Should be a line of the following form (which tells the program
to use a fossil driver):
PORT:F:C
where C is the COM port number (for example, PORT:F:1 for
fossil on COM1). This configuration line was included to allow
future expansion for supporting non-standard port base
addresses and IRQs should Renegade drop fossil driver reliance.
Line 4: BBS main directory (for example, C:\BBS\).
Line 5: BBS data directory (for example, C:\BBS\DATA\).
Line 6: SysOp security level. When a user with this SL runs the door,
the program will allow the user to run in Edit Mode.
Line 7: New SL to be given after successful verification.
Line 8: New DSL to be given after successful verification.
Line 9: Area code that your BBS is in. The program will refuse to call
back any user who doesn't have this area code.
Now edit the special display files as desired. (Make sure you replace any
area codes mentioned in the files with YOUR area code.) When the program
needs to display one of these, it first looks for the filename with the .ANS
extension, and if found, shows it as an ANSI display. Otherwise, it looks
for the .TXT extension and shows it. (This method is similar to how
Renegade itself works.) The files (not including extensions) are:
INTRO - Displayed first, just after the program title screen.
INSTRUCT - Displayed just before asking the user if he/she is ready to
disconnect for call-back.
SUCCESS - Displayed after successful verification.
BADACODE - Displayed when user isn't in the correct area code and
therefore can't complete the call-back procedure.
Next, make a batch file (or modify the sample provided) that changes to the
correct directory and executes the main program. Example:
cd \bbs\doors\xcbv
xcbv
Finally, inside Renegade, add a menu command to run this batch file. You
might want to have Renegade automatically run the CBV if a user has a
certain "new user" SL, or you can put the option on a displayed menu, or
both. Refer elsewhere for help with Renegade's menu commands.
USING THE PROGRAM
-----------------
Before you use this program, BACKUP YOUR USER FILES! The files that this
program uses are RENEGADE.DAT (main BBS directory), USERS.DAT and USERS.IDX
(both in data directory). Although it's been tested extensively, there are
no guarantees. Be warned.
This program will function locally (without a real carrier), but it will not
attempt the actual call-back process. It will simply upgrade the user who
runs it locally (which is really not very useful).
If you or a user gets the "Fatal Error" message, check the log file,
XCBV.LOG. You also need to periodically check the log to make sure folks
are not having problems. The most recent messages are listed at the bottom
of the file. You can edit or delete the log file at any time if desired.
Use of the program is fairly straightforward. When the program is run, it
allows the user to correct the phone number if necessary (allowing only YOUR
area code), then disconnects, calls the user back, and asks for the user's
BBS password. On success, the user's REAL name and phone number are stored
in the database, and the user is upgraded to the SL and DSL given in the
configuration file (see INSTALLATION), and returned to the BBS.
If verification fails, either because it can't reconnect, the user failed
the password check, or the user's phone number is already recorded, the
user's security level is unchanged, and the reason for failure is written to
the log file. In this case, upon returning to the board Renegade will
detect a lost carrier, so there will be a "Hung up" entry in Renegade's
sysop log, which is normal.
Since the program won't upgrade callers outside your area code or users who
duplicate a phone number already on record, in these cases manual
verification is necessary for those to whom you want to grant access.
EDIT MODE
---------
A user with the configured SysOp SL (see INSTALLATION) can run the CBV in
"Edit Mode". This mode allows viewing/editing of the call-back database.
You can search for a certain record by partial user real name or phone
number, and make any desired changes. Most commands on the menus are
self-explanatory. Note that you can usually abort an operation by just
hitting ENTER at the prompt.
IMPORTANT: Never try to empty the database by deleting the file (XCBV.DAT).
Instead, use the "Zap database" option.
When running searches on the database, just hitting ENTER when prompted for
a "partial" name or number causes every record to match, thus allowing you
to view all records in sequence. Otherwise, if you enter a search string
the program will find records that contain that string of characters
anywhere in the field.
ADDING NUMBERS FROM YOUR BBS USER FILE
--------------------------------------
One Edit Mode option that deserves explanation, the "Scan & update records"
option, was included so that you could have a fairly accurate and complete
record of all your current users' phone numbers when you first install the
XCBV, without forcing all current users to run the verifier. USE THIS WITH
CAUTION, because indiscriminate use will cause undesired results to the
database. If the program has already verified a substantial number of
people, you might want to backup the database before using this option.
With this option, you can scan for certain user names, certain security
levels, or all users. It searches through your BBS user file, looking for
numbers (in your area code) that are not already in the call-back database,
and adds them. Keep in mind that the numbers in Renegade's user file are
users' voice numbers, so in a few cases the number added to the call-back
database may not be the user's data line.
The "scan" option also reports (on screen and to the log file) any duplicate
phone numbers it finds (when the users' real names don't match), which is
helpful for tracking down users who have already logged on as different
people (if the user gave the same phone number every time). Remember that
these may in fact be seperate individuals who reside in the same household,
so you'll have to decide what to do about their access (voice verification
perhaps). In the case of duplicates, the one already in the database will
remain there, and the duplicate in the user file is not added.
Remember, the "Scan & update records" option should normally only be needed
ONCE--when you first install the verifier--if you use it at all. After
that, the program will keep a lookout for duplicate numbers as each user
tries to get verified.
CONTACTING THE AUTHOR
---------------------
Thanks for trying this program, and if you have any comments, questions, or
problems, please let me know. The quickest way to reach me is to call my
BBS:
Unitron
(404) 445-8200
I can also be reached through one of the Renegade echos. Just send mail to
Phil Baggett. If you prefer, or if you can't seem to reach me any other
way, please write to this address:
Phil Baggett
3285 Buchanan Hwy.
Dallas, GA 30132
DISCLAIMER
----------
The Author, Phil Baggett, hereby disclaims all warranties, express or
implied, concerning this software. The Author shall not be liable for any
damage caused by this software, whether or not he is aware that such damage
may occur. By using this software, the user agrees to these terms.
Furthermore, I don't guarantee that this program won't scramble or otherwise
destroy or deface your user files, or any other file, in some vicious and
unpredictable way.