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Text File | 1992-02-01 | 18KB | 355 lines

PCBDBASE 'PCBoard USERS DataBase' Version 1.1 by Barry Young System Support BBS PCBoard 3-node vrs 14.5a Westminster, Colorado (303)-469-9359 02/01/92 Thank you for downloading this program! This program was originally designed for my personal use to help me in searching various statistics about the callers on my board. The PCBSM program that comes with PCBoard is a very good User Maintenance program, but when wanting to search for info on more than one user, or on more than one particular user field, I would have to run multiple searches. There are some other Shareware/PD packages out there that were of use, but none that I had found, would do my multiple searches, or was too complicated to use easily. I originally intended on writing a simple program, but had gotten carried away with it. There may be more enhancements/features to this DataBase program as time goes by, whether from my own ideas, or from feedback from fellow sysops that have tried this package out. As you read this manual, you will find that I, as many others, am not fond of creating documentation, and prefer to get to the point. I will try to make the setup and procedures to this package as easily as possible so that you can get it going and experiment with it. The files included in this ZIP'ped package are: PCBDBASE.EXE (main program) PCBDBASE.HLP (help file on the various variables for searching) PCBDBASE.DOC (the manual that you are presently reading) PCBDBASE.CFG (sample configuration file, although not required) SUPPORT (my BBS advertisement and logon screen) PCBDBASE.OUT (sample output from database run) PCBDBASE.EX (sample Exclusion variable file) This is a ShareWare package. I currently have four other PCBoard utilities available, in which are Public Domain packages. The non-registered version (provided for being passed around the BBS world) has three differences. One being the heading of the output (screen or printout). The non-registered version will state 'NON-REGISTERED' whereas the registered version will list your BBS Name. The second one being the registered version will store your Input variables and options in the configuration file (.CFG) after it has completed the run. This will save time in having to re-input your selections each time you run the program. This is also quite handy if you select the program to create a File output (instead of screen or printout) in which you can copy the output file to be listed as one of your BBS Bulletins. The third feature of the registered version allows you to re-run the program without having to reload it from the DOS prompt, in case you want to check on more than one outputted result. When you register this package with me, I will mail you the latest version of the program and the .KEY file. Files being accessed from this package: The only two files required to run this program are the PCBDBASE.EXE and the PCBDBASE.HLP files. They can be stored in any subdirectory, although I keep mine in my \PCB directory. They, in turn, will create two sort files, called SORTTEMP and SORTOUT. The two sort files can be deleted upon completion, but I just leave them alone. The next time you run the program, they will be replaced with the latest execution. If you want provided defaults for the program, you can create a PCBDBASE.CFG (configuration file) that will be read in by the program (if found in the same directory as the program is). The program will then allow you to hit the <ENTER> to accept the defaults, or allow you to over-ride them with your new Input variables. The registered version will store your new inputs for your next run. This will save you from having to re-input the Input variables each time. The PCBoard USERS file will be accessed (read (share) only mode) to search for your selections. It will NOT be written to or modified in any fashion. In the future, I may provide an option to update the USER records depending upon your selections. If you select to create a File Output option, it will create a file called PCBDBASE.OUT in the same directory as the program. This file can be viewed or printed or copied to one of your BLT (bulletin) files to be viewed while online your BBS. I currently use the program to find users that have gone over the File Upload/Download Ratio and create a bulletin for me in my own private conference. ____________________________________________________________________ PCBDBASE.CFG File Layout: 0 <1> <Automatic/Manual mode> D:\PCB\MAIN\USERS <2> <USERS drive:\path\filename location> ACCLVL <3> <1 of 3 Variable selections> < <4> <1 of 3 Variable criteria> 10 <5> <1 of 3 Variable searches> FDN/FUP <6> <2 of 3 Variable selections> > <7> <2 of 3 Variable criteria> 19 <8> <2 of 3 Variable searches> LDATE <9> <3 of 3 Variable selections> < <10> <3 of 3 Variable criteria> 040191 <11> <3 of 3 Variable searches> A <12> <AND OR option if two Variables> A <13> <AND OR option if three Variables> ACCLVL <14> <1 of 6 Output Variables> FDN/FUP <15> <2 of 6 Output Variables> LDATE <16> <3 of 6 Output Variables> NAME <17> <4 of 6 Output Variables> FILESDN <18> <5 of 6 Output Variables> FILESUP <19> <6 of 6 Output Variables> N <20> <Re-Run program after? (Yes or No) F <21> <Output results:Screen,File,Printer> ____________________________________________________________________ If you not require all three sets of Variable selections, then just blank out the field records in the .CFG file. This also goes for the AND/OR records, and same for the Output Variables. In the above example .CFG file, I am using every option. The 1st record is normally set to 0. If it has a 1, the program will automatically run the program and exit back to DOS. It will not ask for any input options. This would be useful for SysOps that want the program to create a Bulletin file during their daily Event without requiring operator input. If there was a 0 there, the program would be waiting for the operator. You will need to use your own editor to change this variable. If you wanted to run this program more than once, using different variables, for more than one Bulletin file, the following is an example of the procedure: CD\PCB COPY PCBDBASE.CF1 PCBDBASE.CFG PCBDBASE COPY PCBDBASE.OUT \PCB\GEN\BLT10 COPY PCBDBASE.CF2 PCBDBASE.CFG PCBDBASE COPY PCBDBASE.OUT \PCB\GEN\BLT11 This assumes that you had created two .CFG files, one being labeled PCBDBASE.CF1 and another PCBDBASE.CF2. It also assumes that you wanted to have two bulletins available for online viewing. One being BLT10 (bulletin #10) and BLT11 (bulletin #11). The 2nd record is the location of the BBS USERS file, including drive, subdirectory, and filename. The 3rd thru 11th records are to tell the program what to search for. You are only required to have 1 of 3 Search Variables. In the above configuration file, I had elected to search for 3 variables: ACCLVL FDN/FUP LDATE Each variable will require a criteria condition. In the above case, the program will only look for users that have an Access Level less than 10 on the 1st variable. Each variable also requires what to search for, based on the Variable and Condition. In this case, I was only looking for Users that had an access level less than 10, AND that their Files Downloaded to Files Uploaded ratio was worse than 19/1 AND that they hadn't been online (LAST-TIME-ON) since before 04/01/91. The 12th and 13th variables will only be required if you are searching for more than one Variable. There are two conditions: AND or OR. In the above options, I wanted to search for: ACCLVL < 10 AND FDN/FUP > 19 AND LDATE < 040191 If I had used the OR condition, the program would have searched for any one of the 3 selections. Another example: ACCLVL < 10 AND FDN/FUP > 19 OR LDATE < 040191 That would have found anyone with ( ACCLVL < 10 AND FDN/FUP > 19) OR anyone that had not been online (LDATE) since before 040191. The 14th thru 19th variables are for the output report. You can have up to 6 variables being reported upon. You are only required to have one variable. The program will sort the output based upon the 1st variable. In the above example, I wanted the report to be sorted by ACCLVL. The 20th option is only valid to registered versions. If it is set to Y (yes),the program will re-run after completion (keeping your previous Input selections). If N (no), it will return back to DOS. The 21st (last option) is used for your output. (S) for screen display, (F) for file output (PCBDBASE.OUT will be the name), or (P) for printer output. If you elected for the File output, you could then COPY the PCBDBASE.OUT file to one of your BLTxx (bulletins) to be displayed while online the BBS. The PCBDBASE.CFG file is NOT required. If found, the program will use its options within the program for Defaults, in which can be manually over- written by you. Provided is a sample PCBDBASE.OUT output file from the above conditions: PCBoard 14.5 USERS DATABASE Registered to System Support BBS by Barry Young │ System Support BBS Version 1.0ß 07/28/91 Latest Updates available at (303)-469-9359 Westminster, CO ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The following conditions were met as of 07-29-1991 10:27:02 ACCLVL (less than) 10 AND FDN/FUP (greater than) 19 AND LDATE (less than) 040191 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ACCLVL FDN/FUP LDATE NAME FILESDN FILESUP ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 9 20 01/15/91 name removed 20 9 20 03/06/91 name removed 20 9 21 03/08/91 name removed 43 2 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 3 of 663 Records found. While you are selecting your Input Variables, you can type in a question mark in front of the variable to get a simple explanation about the variable. If you do not want all three variables to be searched upon, you can bypass the rest by typing in a B (bypass remaining). In most cases, you can type in END to abort the program. To run the program, change to the drive:\directory in where you have placed the PCBDBASE.EXE and PCBDBASE.HLP file, and type in PCBDBASE <ENTER>. It will 1st ask you of the location of the USERS file, and then the variables. For your own protection, in case you elect to create bulletins from this, I have excluded the 1st USER record (yours) from being displayed at all times. VERSION 1.1 CHANGES:------------------------------------------------------- If you want other people to use this program, BUT want to be able to EXCLUDE particularly sensitive variables (such as PASSWORD, PHONE #,etc..), PCBDBASE now has the ability to exclude those variables. You will need to create a simple text (ascii) file containing the variables (exact spelling). Example: If you wanted to set PCBDBASE up as a door (using DOORWAY or similar Communications gateway program for handling the comm ports), but you DIDN'T want the caller to see someone else's PASSWORD or PHONE #'s, or the COMMENT fields, you would have a simple text file such as: PASSWORD HPHONE BPHONE COMMENT1 COMMENT2 This file MUST be named PCBDBASE.EX and must be in the same subdirectory as the .CFG and .HLP files. Any Excluded variable will now be displayed as 'excluded' and will NOT be available as a search or output variable. Although the program has always had the ability to display a simple one- line description about the various User Variables, it was never shown on the screen as how to do it. It now shows: 'Variable_Name? describes the description of variable' which lets the user type in the variable (such as BPHONE?) which will show the meaning of that variable at the bottom of the screen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I can be reached on my BBS in Colorado: System Support BBS Barry Young Westminster , CO (303)-469-9359 (PUBLIC line with USR HST 14.4 v.42bis) (303)-469-9389 (MEMBERS ONLY line with USR HST/DS 14.4 v.32 v.42bis) I also echo-mail both the SMARTNET and METRONET systems. Leave me a message in the SMARTNET 'SysOp' or 'SmartNet' conference. I presently only carry a handful of MetroNet conferences, so most likely the KMAIL or PCBHINTS conference would get my attention. Neither of those really pertain to my program, but I read both of those conferences. If you like this program, and continue to use it, you are required to register this program for continued usage. My other 4 BBS utilities are Public Domain and can be used and continued by anyone. I feel this program to be of more value to the SysOp and that is why it was made ShareWare. Without registrations, I will be more inclined in not producing more features for anyone besides myself in future updates. If you have any problems, complaints, suggestions for improvements, PLEASE, feel free to pass them along to me. If you want to register this program, please include $15 made out to BARRY YOUNG Mail the registration check and a simple form to me at: E.K. Williams & Company C/O Barry Young 8774 Yates Drive Suite 210 Westminster, Colorado 80030 Upon receipt, I will mail you the latest version of PCBDBASE on a 360 kb formatted disk along with the encrypted .KEY file. You will also be entitled to a one-year membership to my BBS. The normal Contribution is $10 or $20 a year, each rate gives more access. This includes having access to either the Public Node or the Members Node. Both are HST 14.4 9600 baud modems locked in at 19,200, with the Members Node being a Dual Standard for v.32 connections by other non-USR v.32 9600 modems. ALSO, please include what your User Name and Password, along with your CITY/STATE and Phone #'s. I will add you to the BBS files as well as mailing out your registered copy of the program. And ESPECIALLY include the name of your BBS to be displayed on the top line of the output. This must be 30 characters or less to fit on the output. NAME :_________________________________ (1st and last, no handles) STREET :______________________________________ CITY/STATE :______________________________________ ZIP CODE :______________ PHONE #(s) :______________________________________ PASSWORD :___________________ BBS NAME :__________________________________ (30 char's or less) Besides the PCBDBASE package, I also have available the 4 Public Domain utilities: PCBCITY.ZIP 35550 05-01-91 PCBoard 14.5 Utility to Display Out of State | Callers. You define what States are to be | excluded from the display. | This can be redirected to a file to be used | as a bulletin on your system. PCBCPS.ZIP 66936 04-20-91 Utility to DISPLAY File Transfer Information | This will create a graph that displays the | various Baud-rate, CPS, and Protocols used. | You can use it to display the graph to your | screen, or use it to be redirected to a | bulletin. Multi-Node capable (file-sharing) PCBDIRSD.ZIP 36988 05-05-91 DISPLAY PCBoard's DIRectories Statistics | This will create a graph that displays the | total number of bytes used and number of | files used within each of your DIR files. | You can use it to display the graph to your | screen, or use it to be redirected to a | bulletin. Multi-Node capable (file-sharing) PCBDRST1.ZIP 39458 05-27-91 PCBoard Utility to DISPLAY DOOR Statistics | This will create a graph that displays the | Door usages of all or selected doors used. | You can use it to display the graph to your | screen, or use it to be redirected to a | bulletin. Multi-Node capable (file-sharing)