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1992-02-24
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│ ╚═══╗ ║ ║ │
│ ║ ║ ║ ╠═╗ ═╦═ ║ │
│ ════╝ ╚═╣ ╚═╝ ═╩═ ╚═ WARE │
│ ║ by boB Gage │
│ ══╝ Available on Sybil BBS │
│ (703) 951-2708 HST DS │
│ │
│ S Y S O P D O C U M E N T A T I O N │
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========================[ Setting Up NameChng ]========================
In ALL batch files, NameChng, NameChk, and all other Name*.EXE files should
ALWAYS be run from the same directory. The smaller this directory, the
faster NameChk will run, so I suggest using a seperate directory for the
NameChange door files. This directory will be used for flag and save files.
You should NEVER delete any *.SNC or *.ALI file from this directory!!!! This
directory SHOULD NOT be on a RAM drive or other easily lost storage device.
Using a RAMdrive VIRTUALLY GUARANTEES eventual corruption of your USERS file,
locking a user into their alias until you manually restore them.
Setting up NameChng is a 5 to 9 step process:
1) Write the batch file (or files) to run the door
2) Include the batch file(s) in your DOORS.DAT file
3) Make the alias text file ] - Use NameUtil for these
4) Modify NameChng.CFG to suit your needs ] - for simpler editing!
5) Modify or create $$LOGOFF.BAT files for each node (NameChk)
6) Optionally modify the various TXT files
7) Optionally add NameIndx & NamePurge to your event
8) Optionally modify and add User Bulletin to your bulletin list
9) Optionally modify and add HLPName to your PCB Help directory
1) - Write the batch file (or files) to run the door
There are two options for setting up your door batch files. You can have a
single door that the user calls with a parameter of either REAL or ALIAS (ie
NameChng Alias to get into the alias and NameChng Real to switch back) OR
You can set up two doors, one to enter the alias and one to leave it.
Personally I'm using both approaches with different alias files; a single
batch, Name, calls using my adult & "other" aliases file, and two batches,
D&D and LeaveD&D, operate using my D&D players/characters alias file.
Note that using the two batch file option locks the user away from the REQUEST
and SHOW commands, as well as the sysop commands VERIFY & REJECT.
The format for calling NameChng.EXE is:
NameChng <file> ALIAS [#] - change to alias name
NameChng <file> REAL - change to real name
NameChng <file> REQUEST Alias Name - request alias
NameChng <file> VERIFY Alias Name conference mask
- sysop only, verify alias
NameChng <file> REJECT Alias Name - sysop only, reject alias
NameChng <file> SHOW - show aliases
The first two parameters are required! <file> is the alias text file,
discussed below. The second parameter is the command NameChange is to
execute, and these commands ARE configurable in the NameChng.CFG file.
An OPTIONAL parameter is used on the ALIAS line to implement multiple
aliases. If a number is given here, it is the alias number to use. For
example, if a person had three aliases defined on your system (all with the
same real name), he could switch to the third one with NameChng Alias 3.
The single batch file, Name, looks like this:
o:
CD \NAMECHNG
NAMECHNG ADULTS %PCBDOOR%
exit ^^^^^^^^^^ that's PCB145a's command stack variable
which should include either REAL or ALIAS
and an optional numeric parameter OR
the word REQUEST and the desired alias
OR any other valid NameChange command.
The D&D conference batch files look like this:
File: D&D - Enter the alias & RPG conference
o:
cd \namechng
namechng DNDPLAY Alias
exit ^^^^^ Notice the dropped 3rd parameter, it
uses first alias encountered in file
by default. Including %PCBDOOR%
here would enable players with 2
or more characters to switch
between names by typing D&D #,
where # is the character number.
File: LEAVED&D - Exit the alias & conference
o:
cd \namechng
namechng DNDPLAY Real
exit
Notes: When using the two batch file method described above, you lose the
ability for the SHOW, REQUEST, VERIFY, and REJECT commands unless you install
seperate batch files for these as well (not suggested). In this case, modify
the NOALIAS.TXT file to tell the user the proper alias registration method
(ie C)omment to sysop).
Using the single batch file method gives you complete access to all
existing and possible future commands through the %PCBDOOR% environment
variable.
2) - Include the batch files in your DOORS.DAT file
After setting up your batch files, add NameChng to your PCBoard door
directories. NameChng does NOT need any extra files, but should be set up as
a SHELL door, your DOORS.DAT line will look similar to this:
Name,,42,0,0,P:\DOORBATS\,0,Y
^^^ ^^^ Shell door!! Should be YES
NO USERS.SYS/DOOR.SYS!!
Creating a USERS.SYS for NameChange WILL CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH PCBOARD!!
3) - Make the alias text file
The alias files used by NameChng determine who gets what aliases and which
conferences they are allowed in. The easiest way to create an alias text file
is by using the NameUtil editor. From your NameChange directory, type NameUtil
<file> where <file> is the name of the alias file you want to create. Select
edit alias file and you're in business. Press INSert to add each alias to the
list. Make sure you use F3 to get to the group list and make your default
conference groups!
You can also use a text editor to create your alias file, Here is a sample
with comments: +-- column 26 begins alias name
| +--column 51 begins confs
1 2 V 3 4 5V 6
123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
<Top of File>
!D 27 28 ; Defines group D, conferences 27 & 28 only
!A 56-65 55 ; Defines group A, conference 55-65, 56 is "home"
GEORGE JOHNSON FISTANTALUS D ; Group D alias
TERRY HEIGHT PRATAR D
FISTANTALUS WILLIAM SMITH ; unrestricted alias
CYNTHIA MURRELL GWYN AP RHYS D
MARC ZALDIVAR BOLARON D
CHUCK HEIM BART A ; Group A alias
ROBERT JARRETT NITEBREED A
GEORGE STEVENS RICH MOORE
CHARLIE MOODY MR. DUDE A
MARY STEWART DAMNIT JANET! A 23 24 ; Group A + 23 & 24
<End of File>
All comments above begin with semi-colons and SHOULD NOT be included in the
file used online!
The alias file has two types of lines, any line begining with an exclamation
point followed by a letter defines a group of conferences so that it can be
referred to later easily. In the above example, I defined two groups, D for
D&D characters restricted to the D&D conferences, and A for adult aliases
restricted to ThrobNet.
Other lines are real names in columns 1 thru 25, alias name in 26 thru 50, and
conferences allowed starting in column 51. The first conference allowed (the
"home" conference) will be joined when the alias is assumed. The group
letters eliminate the need to type the conference numbers over and over, all
aliases marked with a D above can ONLY be used in conferences 27 & 28, and the
user will by joined in 27 when entering the alias. The ones marked by A are
limited to 55-65, and are joined in conference 56 (THAT's why 55 is listed
last in the series, to make 56 the "home" conference).
An alias WITHOUT a conference lockout will be allowed in all conferences (as
in George Stevens' case above). Additional conferences can be allowed to
individual users on a case-by-case basis (see Mary Stewart's access to
conferences 23 & 24 as Damnit Janet!).
Multiple aliases are simple to set up, but are only supported in the
registered version of the program. Simply have several lines in your alias
file with the same real name. The user can differentiate between aliases by a
numeric parameter. The first alias encountered in the file is #1, the second
#2, etc. If using the one batch file method, no special changes are needed to
implement multiple aliases, but if using the two batch file method, the
%PCBDOOR% variable should be added to the ALIAS call to NameChng.
Trying to get around registering by listing an alias as a real name (ie giving
the alias an alias) WILL lock up the system when the user runs NameChange.
NameChange will find his name as an alias, and change to his "real" name, and
then start searching the alias file again. This will go on forever and ever.
This wasn't an intentional lock on the multiple aliases, it was a side effect
of being able to switch from alias to alias without going back to your real
name in between.
4) - Modify the NameChng.CFG file to suit your needs
The NameChng.CFG file contains configuration & options information about
your setup that all the NameChange programs use. The file is a simple text
file. The easiest way to edit it is with NameUtil, but if you want to use
your text editor, here's the format:
Line 1: Name of BBS
Line 2: Registration Number (or blank)
Line 3: Path to your PCB\MAIN directory (USERS,CALLER,et al)
Line 4: Should message be sent to Sysop when user REQUESTs alias? Y/N
Line 5: Should message be sent to the User when sysop changes alias? Y/N
Line 6: Path & File name of Msgs file to log messages to
Line 7: Should the "Thanks for reistering" line be suppressed from messages?
Line 8: User ALIAS command Lines 8- 13 are optional
Line 9: User REAL command if left blank, will default to ALIAS,
Line 10: User REQUEST command REAL, REQUEST, VERIFY, REJECT, and SHOW.
Line 11: User VERIFY command
Line 12: User REJECT command
Line 13: User SHOW command
The name of your BBS on line 1 must EXACTLY match the name you gave me
for verification or your registration code WILL NOT work. It IS case
sensitive. Changing lines 8 thru 13 gives you the ability to completely
customize NameChange to your own needs. Each line contains a single
word command that the user types to activate that particular function.
ie, by putting FAKE on line 8, you make the command to change to an
alias NAME FAKE instead of NAME ALIAS.
5) - Modify or create $$LOGOFF.BAT files for each node
NameChk should be called in the $$LOGOFF.BAT file, and will restore the user's
name & conference registrations back to normal. If multiple alias files are
used, you should call NameChk once for each file. This is a small and fast
file, so calling it a few times will still be pretty quick. (I get 2 sec runs
on a 386 and 6 sec on an XT, and that includes load times)
The format for calling NameChk.EXE is:
NameChk <file> <PCB node number>
Make sure that NameChng and NameChk are ALWAYS run from the same directory, as
it uses save files to store conference registrations and alias flags. For
this reason, NameChng should NOT be run off of a RAMdrive unless you're
willing to risk USERS file damage in the case of a reboot.
If you have a user stuck in an alias, look for a *.SNC or *.ALI file. The
first three digits of the filename are the node number. Calling NameChk with
the proper alias file & node number should restore the user properly.
6) - Optionally modify the various TXT files
ALL of NameChng's user displays are in text files that must reside in the
NameChng directory. These fully support all current & future PCB's @
commands (especially considering that it's PCBoard that displays them)
and can be modified at your discretion. The files are:
BADPARAM.TXT - Shown if the parameters given are not correct
NOALIAS.TXT - Shown if the user is not listed as a real name or if
an alias number beyond those defined is used (ie asking
for the third alias when the user only has two)
ALIAS.TXT - Shown when the user has been put into the alias
REAL.TXT - Shown when the user has been changed to real name
REQUEST.TXT - Shown when the user requests an alias
NOTREG.TXT - Shown if user is not registered in alias's home conf
NameChng will add a single door identification line at the end of the TXT file
when it is displayed. A blank line will be added before it.
Other text files used by NameChange are the MSG files which are the messages
sent to the user when a VERIFY or REJECT is used.
APPROVE.MSG - Message sent on alias approval
REJECT.MSG - Message sent when alias rejected
Each message is preceeded by "The sysop has APPROVED [REJECTED] your alias of
xxxxxxxx" and a blank line.
7) - Optionally add NameIndx to your event
NameIndx is a "trade-off" utility. A side effect of aliasing on PCBoard is
that messages TO an alias don't cause the mail flags to be set, and also cause
the user to get a "So and so not found, (C)ontinue, (R)etype, ..." error
unless the conference is declared as an ECHO conference. And even then, the
user has to answer the "Echo message?" prompt, even though the conference may
be local.
NameIndx solves that problem by re-building the PCBNDX files with additional
entries from your alias files. See NameIndx.DOC for documentation on setting
up NameIndx.
The reason NameIndx is called a trade-off is that if you do use it, it solves
the problems with mail flags and with message entry. But there is a side
effect that may confuse your users. A user will be able to log on using their
alias name, which may lead them to believe they are logged on AS their alias,
but they will really be in their real name. NameIndx makes multiple
references to the same user record, and PCBoard gets the user name from the
record, NOT from the answer to the logon prompt.
So, you decide which problem you want, the mail flags & msg entry problem OR
the logon side-effect. Personally I feel that NameIndx is the way to go, but
know that others may feel differently, so I left it as a completely seperate
program.
8) - Optionally Modify and add User Bulletin to your bulletin list
The User bulletin (USER.BLT) explains to your users how to operate
NameChange on your system. Since every system can have a different
setup, some things may need to be modified on your system.
Some typical global changes that may be made: (EXACT case matches, whole
words only)
NAME - name of the door file to call NameChng
ALIAS - your defined ALIAS command
REAL - your defined REAL command
SHOW - your defined SHOW command
REQUEST - your defined REQUEST command
It is suggested that you add the bulletin in the Main Board AND use the Help
file below. Otherwise, the user may find themselves in their alias and not
able to get to the docs to figure out how to get back again.
9) - Optionally modify and add HLPNAME to PCB\HELP directory
Adding this file to your PCB\HELP directory will give users the ability
to type H NAME and have the file displayed to them. This will give them
help anywhere on the board, no matter what name they are in. You need
to rename the file to NAME (if you want H NAME to retrieve it) after you
move it. If you change the name of the door batch file, you should
change the help file name to match it.
You should make the same Global, EXACT case match changes in this file
as you made in the User Bulletin above if you have changed either the
name of the door file or any of the command keywords.
---
Think that's about it, if you have any problems, I can be contacted at
Sybil BBS (703) 951-2708 or through the ThrobAdmin conference on
ThrobNet or the Sysop, Shareware, or UNINet conferences on U'NI-Net/US.
Support Shareware!!!! Register NameChange Today!! See REGISTER.DOC for more!