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Text File | 1990-06-27 | 23KB | 452 lines

VOICE B.J. GUILLOT MODEM (713) 893-9123 2611 RUSHWOOD CIRCLE (713) 893-9124 HOUSTON, TX 77067-1941 Copyright B.J. Guillot (C) 1990 - All Rights Reserved ============================================================= BGRDR 1.2 26 JUN 90 ============================================================= ------------------------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT ------------------------------------------------------------- BGRDR uses control files generated by BGPCK, or a compatible door program, allowing a user to download and read messages on their own system at their convenience. No time is wasted reading messages while on their favorite host system. Both ANSI graphics and ANSI music are fully supported. Message quoting and area unjoining as well as unattended mail events which transfer messages when you are away are now supported. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS A SHAREWARE PRODUCT IF YOU USE THIS PROGRAM ON A REGULAR BASIS, A TEN DOLLAR REGISTRATION FEE IS REQUIRED TO HELP ME SUPPORT THE PRODUCT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------------------------------------- COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS ------------------------------------------------------------- BGRDR [/C] [/M] [/Exx:xx] All switches are optional. They may be entered in all caps, all lower case, or mixed. The forward slash is required. The /C parameter will force the reader to use its default color palette, which I happen to perfer. t uses the colors yellow, cyan, and red. Normally, without the /C parameter, when a new message data file is loaded, the color palette will be shifted to the default colors of the destination bulletin board. The /M parameter will force the reader to ignore any "ansi" music strings that are encountered. This may be helpful for those night owls that use the reader and do not want to wake up their spose. The /E parameter will allow you to reset the reader's event time. The default setting is midnight, 00:00. The time must be giving in twenty-four hour notation. Please see the MAIN MENU section below for further information. Example: BGRDR C:\BGRDR /E14:00 ...would change the default event time from midnight to two in the afternoon. The time must be in the format xx:xx, so a leading zero is required on both the hour and minute side. ------------------------------------------------------------- PROGRAM EXECUTION ------------------------------------------------------------- When running the reader from the DOS prompt, one command line parameter, the work directory, is OPTIONAL. Example: BGRDR C:\BGRDR ...would execute the mail reader. Because the work directory must always be listed, I would recommend that you create a batch file to run the reader. See the sample batch file included within the ZIP file. If you do not specify a work directory, it will assume the current directory is the work directory. If it cannot find the control file, it will prompt you for a new work directory and create a new control file if none is found. This reader will be of little use to you, the user, if there is no GT board in your local calling area. I would assume there is a good probability the board you downloaded this program from has the ability to produce BGRDR packets. When you call a board and wish to download your new mail, you must open a door called "BGPCK" or the "MailPack" door. The MailPack door extracts all new messages from the areas to which you are joined. It is recommend that you first use the UN)join feature of GT so that messages are not included for areas you are no longer interested in. The reader itself also provides an UN)join feature that you can use after your first run. When the reader is loaded it checks for mail packets in your download directory and message data files in the reader work directory. If neither are found the program will quit with a message confirming the action. If all is successful, the reader will perform a short routine that will unpack any new mail and then take you to the main menu. ------------------------------------------------------------- MAIN MENU ------------------------------------------------------------- You can use the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the list of available board data files on your system. Pressing the DEL key will delete the current message data file. It will confirm that you wish to delete it. If you have entered messages on certain boards, you can use the INSERT key to bag up the new messages so that they may be uploaded through the MailPack door. You can tell if you have mail waiting for a certain board by the color of the indicator next to the filename. If it is yellow, you do. Pressing the TAB key will allow you to modify your control file that contains all directory names and filenames and locations. It is self-explanatory. Just use the up and down arrow keys to manuever around the menu and use F10 to save your changes. If you are registered user, you place your registration code in the first box marked "Reg Key". Pressing F1 will allow you to perform a momentary DOS shell. Pressing F10 will activate the event timer. You can set the event time with the optional /E parameter, but if not, it will default to midnight. A portion of your screen will flash with colors until the event time is reached so that you know your computer is not locked up. When the event time is finally reached, BGRDR will halt with an errorlevel of 255. The included batch file shows you an example of how you would use a system such as this. If errorlevel 255 is detected by the batch file, it executes your communications program and runs a script to pick up any new mail on the boards that you normally call. After that, you return to the reader. This option is intended for advanced users only, as all that is done with automation. The ESC key will return the reader to your operating system. While you think remembering these commands may be difficult, don't worry. The commands are listed on screen. ------------------------------------------------------------- SUB MENU ------------------------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Messages available are 398 to 402. The last you read was #402. Area Check Dos Nonstop Keep Print Enter Reply Scan Thread Quit +/- Msg# ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The sub menu is the heart of the reader and will probably be where you spend 95% of your time. It is basically a clone of GT Power's "message read" menu with a few added features. It appears after you have selected a desired bulletin board number off the main menu. All commands on the submenu are executed by typing the first letter of the command. To date the AA command, to list all available message areas, is the only exception. At this time, Command stacking is supported only for the Area change command. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The "Area" command will display a menu of all message areas in the reader that contain new messages waiting to be read. The "Check" command will display the message numbers of any messages that are addressed to you with no attention paid to the message received flag. The "Check" function originally included a list of mail from you, but newer versions of the MailPack door, do not export messages from you into the message data file. The "Dos" command performs a shell to your operating system. To return to the reader, remember to type "Exit" at the operating system prompt. To retain all memory, you must do a proper exit from the reader. The "Nonstop" command will allow you to read all messages at a very rapid rate without stopping. It is not a recommend way to view the new mail. However, if you chose to use this method, pressing any key will abort the display after the current message is finished displaying. "Keep", a command unique to the reader, "captures" the text from the last message read and appends it to a text file named KEEPERS.ASC in the reader work directory. "Print", another command unique to the reader, allows the same option as the "Keep" command, but output is redirected to the printer, rather than a file. The "Enter" command allows you to enter a mesage to anyone on the host system. It will ask you basic information such as who the message is to, the subject of the message, and the security. If the message area is a netmail message area, you will also be required to give the net/node address. It should be noted that *ONLY* experienced users should enter mail in the netmail area. You are not allowed to enter messages in "read-only" message areas. If you enter a message to "sysop", it will be routed to the appropriate sysop using the correct name. Once all the required data is entered, the reader loads your favorite editor f or use in drafting your message. The "Reply" command is basically the same as the "Enter" command. The differnece is that when your editor loads, the message you are replying to is listed on the screen in reader "quote" format. Example: BG▐ This is an example of text from the original message when ▐ placed in reader "quote" format. Please note that is ▐ different from GT's right arrow, >, quoting format. The ▐ text is also *not* automatically justified as this. ▐ IT IS COMMON PRACTIVE TO DELETE SEVERAL LINES OUT OF THE ▐ ORIGINAL MESSAGE IF THEY ARE NOT NEEDED. Messages entered using the "Enter" or "Reply" commands are tagged with a line similar to this: ##RDR 1.0 Entered 12:56 Tue 20 Mar 90 [Reg BG] If you are running an unregistered reader, the tag line will show a [Unreg'd] tag at the end. If you are using a more recent version of the mailpack door, you may see a "#0" or the BGPCK site number. When your message packet is bagged and you forward your new replies to the host system, the message date will be the date the message was receievd on the host system, not the date the message was created by you; (That is the reason for having the date the message was entered displayed on the status line). Security methods available to you when using the reader include Pubic, Private, and No Kill. Recurring netmail netmail messages will *NOT* be supported. The "Scan" command provides you with a list of message headers in the current area beginning with the message entered at the prompt. If no number is entered the scan begins with the current message. The "Thread" command in this reader has not yet been fully developed. At this time, it supports only Topical and Address Threads, as compared with GT's Textual and Reverse Reading Direction Threads. The "Quit" command returns you to the original main menu. Relative area movement is supported by the plus and minus commands. Please note that these commands are relative and not absolute as in GT. That means the plus and minus keys will take you to the next (or previous) message areas with mail, not just the "next" area. A "plus" in my opinion. For simplicity, the "=" key may be used in place of the plus key eliminating the SHIFT/plus key combination. Pressing [ENTER] alone on a line will advance you to the next message, the next message area, or the main menu. Messages will be displayed as usual as long as the lines are less than 128 characters. Messages containing text lines of 255 characters will not be displayed properly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four unlisted, powerful, commands are also available to you: The "All Areas" command, AA, is the only two lettered command pair. It simply lists all available message areas on the screen whether they have new mail in them or not. If they do have new mail, an asterick is placed on the left hand side The Unjoin, "UN", command will allow you to remotely unjoin message areas from the host system. The "aGain" command will redisplay the last message you read in an area. Please note the "G" key executes this command. The "J"otter command will load your editor when you are in need of a notepad right away and have anything to write on. The name given to the note file is NOTEPAD.ASC and will be located in the reader work directory. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ While reading, messages longer than 24 lines will produce a "More?" prompt. Pressing "N" will end display of the current message. ------------------------------------------------------------- ACTION MENU ------------------------------------------------------------- When you are done with your message and exit the editor, you will find yourself at the "action" menu. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Action: Save, Edit, Import, Check, Who to, Topic, or Abort: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The "Save" command will, as it says, saves your message. Please note that the message is appended to an *.BAG file. which should not be tampered with. All data in that file, although plain text, is very sensitive. It is in a fixed format and *SHOULD NOT* be edited in any way unless you have consulted me first. The format of this message storage file, prevents you from viewing your message using the reader. The "Edit" command will reload your editor allowing modificatons to the current message. This can only be done prior to saving the message. The "Import" command allows you to bring an ascii text file into the message in the case that your text editor cannot do it automatically. You must know the filename before hand. The "CHECK spelling" command, one letter, will appear only if you have a spell checker available and defined in the config file. If you select this option, the reader will make a copy of the current work message into your spell check directory. It will then change directories and run your spell checker. The message will then be copied back to its original position and the work file deleted from the spell checking directory. A simple, yet, complicated function that only the most experienced users should employ. The "Who to" command, one letter, will allow you to change the addressee of the message. The "Topic" command will allow you to change the message subject matter. The "Abort" command will allow you to scrap your message and return to the "sub menu". It will confirm your action. ------------------------------------------------------------- YOUR EDITOR ------------------------------------------------------------- When entering and replying to messages, an external editor is required. I would suggest using QEDIT. However, I am including TED.COM, Tiny EDitor, by Ziff-Davis Publishing. It is an editor small enough to include with the package. The source code is available from PC Magazine's PCMAG-NET. All of TED's commands are controlled by function keys. Help for function key commands is provided at the bottom of the screen at times. The co mmands you will probably use most are F1 (Abort), F7 (Save), and F9 (Delete Line). If you do not have Q-edit, TED would be my second choice. ------------------------------------------------------------- FILE DESCRIPTIONS ------------------------------------------------------------- In the reader work directories, it is possible to find the following files created either by the reader or the MailPack door: Any *.BAG files are gathering replies to specific boards. These files should *not* be deleted. Any *.BAQ files were gathering replies to boards, but have been already been packed by the B)ag up new mail for uploading command, and renamed for safekeeping. These files may be deleted at will, as they are not needed. Any *.MSG files are the message data files themselves. They are held by the reader until replaced by new message files or deleted by you. No consequences occur opon deletion besides the fact that you lose all messages from that packet. If you are a programmer, I can provide you with the necessary Turbo Pascal 5.5 include files that will let you write your own compatible reader or door program. KEEPER.TXT is created and appended to by the reader whenever the K)eep command is used on the sub menu. It may be deleted at will. This filename can be changed in the config screen. JOTPAD.TXT is created an appended by your editor when you use the J)ot command off the sub menu. This filename can be changed in the config screen. ------------------------------------------------------------- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ------------------------------------------------------------- I would like to thank all my beta testers for all the new suggestions and ideas they have given me to implement in this release. I especially thank (in alphabetical order): Michael Arnett Broby Bates Greg Brewer James Craig Jim Kreyling Douglass Pippel Shelby Starr Without them, I would not have had enough new improvments. ------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER INFORMATION ------------------------------------------------------------- This program was written in Borland Turbo Pascal 5.5 and the EXE file has been compressed with LZEXE 0.91. If you have any trouble running the compressed EXE file, I will be happy to give you a copy of the uncompressed EXE file. If you have any suggestions or comments please address them to me via netmail or any appropriate echomail conference, or via a direct voice or BBS phone call. The program is SHAREWARE. If you find this program useful and use it on a regular basis, a ten dollar registration fee is required. I would suggest that if you do use this program you register as soon as possible, before the price increases again and/or any "time delay" devices become incorporated into unregistered versions. Your registrations will give me the support I need to continue upgrading the product. Remember, this is SHAREWARE. ------------------------------------------------------------- REGISTRATION ------------------------------------------------------------- When running the reader as an unregistered program, you will be prompted to press a random key to start it up. While it may be annoying, the screen can be bypassed by registering the reader for the incredible low price of just ten dollars. Print out REGISTER.DOC and mail it with your check or money order for ten dollars. You will receieve a letter from me in a matter of days containing your bypass code. If you live in a country other than the United States, you may go ahead and send an EQUIVILANT amount of foriegn CURRENCY.