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VOTEFIX.DOC
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1993-04-17
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8KB
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─ VoteFix v0.04ß ───────────────────────────── Copyright Steve Mulligan 1993 ─
|Lines that start with a | have been added/changed from v0.03ß
|I could not write these docs without saying thanks to the gang in TEST305.
|Bill, Brian, Paul, Elaine, Shayne, Malcolm, Marc, Steve, Rick - Thanks a
|million! I coulnd't have released this without your help.
NOTE: This program is FREE to use. There is NO price to this. I don't
believe in charging for software. If you plan to use this program
you SHOULD register with me by sending me NetMail telling my
| how/why you're using VoteFix.
WARNING: This is a Beta Version. It has tallied small elections on my
computer and my beta testers systems but yours may be diffrent
or you may not understand how to configure VoteFix right. (Just
NetMail me if you're not sure) It might not be too smart to
hold a major election for your local NC or RC. It will only
handle about 512 candidates. It will however allow for up to
2147483647 votes for each candiate.
─ Introduction ─
VoteFix is a program for holding elections via FidoNet style technology.
Elections can be held on nodes or points and users can send mail to VoteFix
to vote in these elections. VoteFix will manage the election, print reports
as to who has voted so far and tally the results at the end of the election
for you.
─ The Files ─
These files come with VoteFix:
VOTEFIX.EXE Executable.
VOTEFIX.OVR Overlay File.
VOTEFIX.DOC This documentaion.
VOTEFIX.CFG The configuration.
VOTEFIX.USE Short description of VoteFix. Like AREAFIX.USE.
VOTEFIX.INF Sample election information.
VOTEFIX.VOT Sample valid vote list.
VOTEFIX.DEF List of all DEF numbers. Controls what VoteFix looks like.
| VOTEFIX.LST Sample registered voters list.
Either you or VoteFix will make these:
*.DEF Definition files to change the way VoteFix appears.
If these are not found, VoteFix will create a set of
default DEF files.
*.INF Information about elections. This is sent to people when
they request information about an election. You should
also post it somewhere before the election so people know
what is happening.
*.VOT Valid vote list. Every line contains a valid candidate in
the election. If a file with this extension exists for an
election that you have defined, every ballot cast will be
compared against the candidates in this file. This is good
to avoid spelling errors.
| *.LST Registered voters list. If a file with this extension exists
| for an election that you have defined, only people listed in
| this file will be able to vote. The format of this file is
| simple. Each line contains one entry. The line looks like
| this : <address> <username>
|
| eg: 1:163/307.30 Steve Mulligan
─ Quick Setup ─
Edit the VOTEFIX.CFG file. Change the following options to your liking:
Address
SystemName
SysopName
MsgBase
Subject
Tally
| Optionally, make your INF, VOT and LST files. Then, make sure VoteFix gets
executed :
a) Once a day if you scan the whole message base * RECOMENDED
b) Everytime you get mail if you scan from the lastread message
─ Full Configuration ─
Read the config file for full configuration information. This section will
be added in the final release.
─ Usage ─
Once you have configured all the needed files, you should install VoteFix
somehow so it gets run :
a) Once a day if you scan the whole message base * RECOMENDED
b) Everytime you get mail if you scan from the lastread message
The -C command line options specifies the config file to use.
eg: VOTEFIX -CMYFIX.CFG
Will tell VoteFix to use the MYFIX.CFG file as the config file.
The -R command line will build a report of the results so far in every
election (or only the one specified after the -R), consisting only of users
passwords who have been received and post the report to the message bases
pointed to in the Tally config verb.
eg: VOTEFIX -R
Will build a report of all elections and post them to the bases pointed to
by the Tally config verb.
VOTEFIX -RSOFTDRINK
Will build a report of ONLY the SOFTDRINK election and post it to the bases
pointed to by the Tally config verb.
The -T command line will tally the results so far in every election (or only
the one specified after the -T) and post the report to the message bases
pointed to in the Tally config verb.
eg: VOTEFIX -T
Will tally results of all elections and post them to the bases pointed to
by the Tally config verb.
VOTEFIX -TSOFTDRINK
Will tally results of ONLY the SOFTDRINK election and post it to the bases
pointed to by the Tally config verb.
| The -B command line loads the built in valid voters list builder. It's a
| very crude implementation. It's not very good but it works okay. If you
| want to make a better one, please do. The valid voters list builder first
| asks you what election you want to build a valid voters list for. It then
| allows you to manually register voters or register voters by pulling them
| right from the nodelist using wildcars.
─ Holding An Election ─
To hold an election, you should first setup VOTEFIX.CFG to recognize
messages about that election. Do this with the Subject verb.
Then, you should make a .INF file with the same filename you used when you
defined your election with the Subject verb. To get an example of an .INF
file, see VOTEFIX.INF (distributed with VoteFix).
Then, you should make a .VOT file with the same filename you used when you
defined your election with the Subject verb. This file is a plain text file
that has only the valid votes for the election. It looks something like this
(SOFTDRNK.INF) :
COKE
PEPSI
7UP
SPRITE
ABSTAIN
| Once that is finished, you should make a .LST file with the same filename
|you used when you defined your election with the Subject verb. The file is
|a plain text file containing the addresses of people allow to vote in the
|election. NOTE: Only make this file if you want to limit the people who
|participate in your election. A sample file looks like this:
|1:163/307.30 Steve Mulligan
|1:163/307.4 Shayne Macaulay
|1:163/307 Malcolm Campbell
─ Beta Testers Wanted ─
If you are in the 163 or 243 net or you don't mind polling long distance
you are eligible to be a beta tester. Simply NetMail Steve Mulligan at
1:163/307.30. I will reply to you and tell you how to get the latest beta
versions of software I make.
─ On the Drawing Board ─
This is a list of all the features my beta testers and I want to have added
to VoteFix. I'll get around to it in a while. PLEASE ADD TO LIST AND FORWARD
TO STEVE MULLIGAN 1:163/307.30. If you want to become a Beta Tester, NetMail
me and I'll send you beta releases.
NOTE : Anything you suggest at the moment WILL BE ADDED IMMEDIATLY.
|v1.00 · Unlimited number of candidates to tally by using disk file
| to store information.
| · Any bug fixes that are reported.
v1.10 · Report config verb. Works much like Tally only used when your
do a -R command line.
· Allow to change appearance of Large Tally Report and Password
report.
v1.20 · Add optional SoundEX comparisons.
If you have any additions to this list or any bugs, please let me know!
Steve Mulligan 1:163/307.30@fidonet.org