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_____________________________________________________________
Y a m E D
Yet Another Menu EDitor for QuickBBS menus.
Version 1.10
Released in Denmark on June 4th, 1990
_____________________________________________________________
Program Reference Manual
(C) Copyright P.H.Rankin Hansen 1989, 1990
(C) Copyright 1989, 1990 by PingSoft
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PingSoft
SchacksGade 1,1.tv,
5000 Odense C,
Denmark.
INTL-45-65-916475
1
YamED Copyright and License Agreement
(C) Copyright 1989 PingSoft. All rights reserved.
No part of this manual may be reproduced, transmitted,
transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any
language (natural or computer), in any form or by any means,
except as described in the following license without the prior
written permission of PingSoft.
You are granted a limited license to use the software described
in this manual. The software may be used or copied only in
accordance with the terms of that license, which is described
under SINGLE COPY SOFTWARE LICENSE.
Information in this manual is subject to change without notice
and does not represent a commitment on the part of PingSoft.
PingSoft may make improvements and/or changes in this manual
and/or in YamED at any time.
SINGLE COPY SOFTWARE LICENSE
------------------------------
THIS IS A SINGLE COPY SOFTWARE LICENSE granted by PingSoft whose
mailing address is at Schacksgade 1, 1.tv, 5000 Odense C,
Denmark. YamED is licensed to you as the end user.
YamED is copyrighted material. You may use it on a trial basis
provided you do not violate the copyright and if you follow these
simple rules.
Use of YamED on a regular basis requires purchase as described
later.
You may not make any changes or modifications to YamED, and you
may not decompile, disassemble, or otherwise reverse-engineer it.
You may not rent or lease it to others.
You may make copies of YamED only under the terms of the
following section entitled "Limited License to Copy".
LIMITED WARRANTY. PingSoft makes no warranty of any kind, either
expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to,
implied warranties of merchantability, and fitness for any
particular purpose with respect to both the software and the
documentation included in this package.
IN NO EVENT SHALL PingSoft OR ANY OF ITS PRINCIPLES BE LIABLE FOR
ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES
ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT EVEN IF
PingSoft HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR
CLAIM.
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The warranties set forth above are in lieu of all other express
and implied warranties, whether oral, written, or implied, and
the remedies set forth above are your sole and exclusive
remedies.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. In no case shall PingSofts liability
exceed the license fees paid for the right to use YamED or five
dollars ($5.00), whichever is greater.
INTEGRATION. This License constitutes the entire agreement and
understanding between the parties and supersedes any prior
agreement or understanding whether oral or written, relating to
the subject of this License. This Agreement may only be modified
by a written agreement signed by PingSoft.
All differences shall be settled according to Danish law and in a
Danish court.
LIMITED LICENSE TO COPY
-------------------------
You are granted a limited license to copy YamED only for the
trial use of others subject to the software license described
above, and also the following:
YamED must be distributed in absolutely unmodified form,
including ALL program, documentation, and other files.
YamED may not be included with any other product for any reason
whatsoever without a license from PingSoft.
YamED may not be offered through Public Domain, Shareware,
Freeware, or other offers of mass media distributions unless
prior permission has been granted in writing by PingSoft. This
includes disk vendors.
Operators of electronic bulletin board systems (Sysops) may post
YamED for downloading by their users without written permission
only as long as the above conditions are met. A fee may be
charged for access to the BBS as long as no specific fee is
charged for access to the YamED files.
YamED may not be used by persons working AS or FOR lawyers, by
politicians or, by persons engaged in any other form of
terrorism.
QuickBBS is trademark of QuickBBS Group, inc.
<Flame: OFF> :-)
Now that we have dealt with legal nonsense the those damned
liability lawyers force us to guard our butts with, we can get
down to the real thing - the program and what it is all about.
3
As You may have noticed, this piece of software is neither in the
public domain nor UserWare but ShareWare. I would prefer to make
this program free for all, BUT, there is so much nice ShareWare
that I (beeing an honest person) would like to register myself.
Acknowlegements
-----------------
I would like to seize this opportunity to thank the authors of
the following ShareWare or Public Domain programs for their work:
BiModem, Binkley, DSZ, FileDoor, JModem, LHArc,
PKZip, Pak, Telix, QuickBBS, QuickED, XRS.
and many others too numerous to mention here who contribute to
keeping the world of BBS'ing alive.
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Program description
---------------------
Syntax:
---------
YamED {filename} {/Path_to_A??_Files}
If You do not specify a filename, the program will prompt You for
one. Default file-extension is '.MNU'. If the specified file does
not exist, the program will create it. The optional parameter is
the directory to search for .A?? files. Default directory is the
current dir. The file specification MUST be the first parameter.
i.e. :
"YamED Top" or "YamED Top.Mnu" will start YamED and load Top.Mnu
"YamED /C:\Qbbs\Text" or "YamED /C:\Qbbs\Text\" will start YamED
and set the SearchPath for textfiles to C:\Qbbs\Text\
"YamED Top /C:\Qbbs\Text" will start YamED, load Top.Mnu and, set
the textfile SearchPath to C:\Qbbs\Text.
The path specified on the commandline overrides the default in
the configuration file.
Editor Commands:
------------------
The commands available when in the main window are:
F1 : Get Help
F2 : Save Editor File
F3 : Load New File
<^Enter> : Change the String colors
F10 : Pop up menu
Alt-S : Set the Security level
Alt-T : Define the Menu Type
Alt-H : Change the HiLight Attribute
Alt-K : Define the HotKey
Alt-C : Change the String colors
Alt-F : Edit the flags
Alt-D : Edit the optional data string
Alt-P : Set Simulation Parameters
Alt-R : ReDraw the Screen.
Alt-U : Toggle 'Ugly' mode.
(i.e. the bloody awfull selection bar)
Alt-X : Exit the Program
<Enter> : Edit String
<Shift-Tab> : Toggle StatusBar Information
<BackSpace> : Toggle 'SemiColons' mode.
<Left>/<Up> : Goto Previous Menu.
<Right>/<Dn> : Goto Next Menu.
<Home> : Goto First Menu.
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<End> : Goto Last Menu.
<Ins> : Insert a new Menu.
<Del> : Delete a Menu.
Detailed description of commands:
-----------------------------------
F1 : Get Help
This will display the help-screen.
F2 : Save File.
The Editor File is saved. You will be prompted
for a filename (Just press enter to keep the
current).
F3 : Load a new file.
Load a new file into the editor. If changes have
been made to the file You will be asked if You
want to save the file. <Y> to Accept, <N> to
Reject or <Esc> to ReEnter.
Alt-K : Define the HotKey
Define the key to activate this menu. <Enter> to
accept, <Esc> to forget.
F10 : Menu
Pops up a menu with various options. Use Mouse,
prefix or cursors to select action <Enter> to
accept, <Esc> to close.
Alt-T : Define the MenuType
Pretty obvious. <Enter> to accept, <Esc> to skip.
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Alt-S : Set the Security level
<Enter> to accept, <Esc> to skip.
Alt-H : Change HiLight Attribute
Use <Left>/<Right> to select BackGround, and
<Up>/<Down> to select ForeGround attributes.
<Enter> to accept, <Esc> to skip.
Alt-C or
<^Enter> : Change the String Colors
Use <Left>/<Right> to select BackGround, and
<Up>/<Down> to select ForeGround attributes.
<Enter> to accept, <Esc> to discard changes.
Alt-D : Edit the Optional Data-String.
This envokes the line-editor for the 'optional'
data-string.
Alt-F : Edit UserFlags A,B,C,D
Edit the UserFlag A,B,C or, D. You <Space>
toggles the bit inder the cursor. <Left> and
<Right> have a rather obious use. <Enter> accepts
edit, <Esc> to forgets. If You have a mouse with
three buttons, the middle one works just like
<Space>.
Alt-P : Set Simulation Parameters
Set the 'User parameters' for simulation. This
option let You simulate the menus without running
QuickBBS. Default SecurityLevel is 3200 and
Default flags are all set - i.e. show everything.
Alt-R : ReDraw the Screen.
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Alt-X : Exit Program.
If changes have been made to the file You will be
asked if You want to save the file. Active keys
are : <Y>, <N>, <Esc>, <Enter>, The CursorKeys
and the mouse.
<Enter> : Edit Current String
Obvious !. Uses Wordstar-like editor keys.
Currently defined commands are:
<Ctrl-Y> : Delete Line.
<Ctrl-T> : Delete Word.
<Left> :\
<Right> : \
<Home> : \
<End> : - have a guess
<Delete> : /
<BS> : /
<Ins> : Toggles insert mode.
(no visible indication.)
<Enter> : Accept Edit, return to prev. level.
<Esc> : Abandon Edits, return to prev. level.
<^Left> : Word Left.
<^Right> : Word Right.
<Shift-Tab> : Toggle StatusBar Information
This will toggle the StatusBar information at the
bottom of the screen between Typ/Sec/Key/Flags
and the 'Optional Data'.
Alt-U : Toggle 'Ugly' mode.
To improve 'visibility' for NearSighted users I
have included a selection-bar for navigating the
menus. I have chosen colours that no NORMAL human
beeing would ever, willingly, select - hence the
name 'Ugly'.
<BackSpace> : Toggle semicolon mode.
To support 'empty' entries without too much fuss
I have included this toggle to enable display of
the trailing semicolons in menus. (This feature
is also handy for updating the display).
8
<Left>/<Up> : Goto Previous Menu.
<Right>/<Dn> : Goto Next Menu.
<Home> : Goto First Menu.
Moves the cursor to the first menu.
<End> : Goto Last Menu.
(This is allways the 'Command:' menu.)
<Del> : Delete a Menu.
Delete the current menu (with confirmation). You
can not delete the 'Command:'-menu.
<Ins> : Insert a new Menu.
Pressing <Ins> will insert a new menu before the
current menu if there is room in the structure.
Adam has made provisions for 50 menus, and I
shall not argue. If the current menu is the
'Command:'-menu, a menu will be added (no
difference really).
Configuration File:
---------------------
You don't have to use it, but YamED will look for a configuration
file called YamED.Cnf. If You are using DOS 3+ YamED will look
for the file in the directory where YamED.exe is located. If You
are using a DOS version prior to 3.0 the configuration file has
to be located in the current directory.
The configuration file is a plain ASCII file and the parameters
You can define are:
MenuPath: To specify the directory where YamED shall look for the
menu files You place a line like "MenuPath C:\BBS\Menus" in
YamED.cnf.
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TextPath: To specify the text-file directory the KeyWord is
"TextPath".
NoCrc: You can tell YamED not to check the CRC of the file at
startup by placing the KeyWord "NoCrc" on a line.
MenuType: MenuType allows You to define mew menu types for the
pick list as they appear. To define a new type 99 menu with the
string "Something new", place the following quoted line in Your
YamED.cnf: MenuType 99 Something new
Common rules for the entries:
One parameter per line, terminate lines by carriage return, lines
are case in-sensitive, lines starting with anything but a letter
are discarded.
StartUp Fase:
---------------
When YamED is fired up it starts by displaying the copyright
notice and then proceeds by doing a CRC-Checksum on itself. If
You think this thakes too long time, well.. You'll have to do two
things to skip the CRC-Check. First You have to register YamED.
Second You have to place the KeyWord "NoCrc" on a line in
YamED.Cnf. Easy, isn't it ?
Menu Chaining:
----------------
Any keypress wich is not an editor command AND is defined as the
'HotKey' for a Type 1, 2, 3 or, 4 SubMenu, will cause YamED to
load the menu defined by the 'optional' datastring. I.e.: If You
have a type 2 SubMenu with the hotkey 'M' YamED will 'GoSub' the
specified menu if You press 'M'. You will also be able to
'Return' from a SubMenu as YamED maintain a four-level
QuickBBS-like menu-stack. If You have an Auto-executing Type 1
menu, YamED will ask if it shuold chain to the next menu or stay
in the current menu. Menu Chaining is only enabled for registered
versions (except for the automatic Type 1 menus).
Using the Mouse:
------------------
YamED is intended to be used with a Microsoft compatible Mouse.
You can make do without one, but YamED will only reach its full
potential with a mouse. You can use the mouse for almost any
function available (short of entering data). In fact, if You find
any function not supported by the mouse it is most likely
something coming in the next release.
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When in the file-selection window, use the mouse to select an
entry. Pressing the left button will select the highlighted file.
The Right button will work like pressing <Esc>.
When in the main window, clicking the left button will Position
the cursor at the beginning of the string under the Mouse-Cursor
(or the one nearest to it). Double-Clicking on a string will
bring You to the line editor.
Clicking on an item in the Status line at the bottom of the
screen, will edit the item in question for the selected sub-menu.
Clicking on the [D] symbol at the end of the line will allow
editing the "Optional data string".
Likewise, clicking the right button will pop up a menu allowing
You to select most of the remaining options. Use the mouse, the
cursor-keys or, the prefix to select the desired action.
If You use the Norton Guides, You will find that the mouse
sometimes has mysteriously disappeared when You return from the
guides. This is easy to fix - just click the mouse or press the
spacebar and it should be right back.
Registering YamED:
--------------------
Print the file 'Register.frm', Fill out the form, fold it and
mail it. - oh yes - dont forget the $10. I cannot accept credit
cards and I would actually prefer Plain green bank notes (saves
me a lot of trouble with the bank).
You will then recieve a diskette with the latest version of YamED
and a key-file wich contains information to unlock and register
YamED. The Key-file will be valid for all minor updates of YamED
like from 1.07 to 1.15 but not for major updated like from 1.xx
to 2.xx. (Major updates will of course be available to registered
users for a minor fee).
When You recieve the registration key You must run the program
YedUpd.exe to record the changes. Every new release of YamED will
bring a new version of YedUpd so You will be able to use Your
registration key for each minor update.
Why Register?
---------------
I have no hopes that YamED will make me a rich man, but I need
the money, partly because I need new equipment (I hope to be able
to start my own BBS someday) and partly because there is a lot of
ShareWare I (being an honest person) would like to register
myself. Therefore I have put in a few (hopefully annoying)
features in the unregistered versions. First You can't skip the
crc-check at startup. Second You will not be able to use an
unregistered version for more than thirty days unless You are a
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very patient person and an asshole.
History:
----------
1.10 : This release.
1.01 : Maintanance release of 1.00
1.00 : First public release of YamED.
See YamED.hst for further information.
Known bugs:
-------------
QuickBBS has a quirk - or maybe it is a feature :-). If You end
the last menu with a semicolon it will still make a linefeed
before writing the prompt line. I have written the QuickBBS
Group, Inc. about this. I don't know if RA does the same RA, but
The Post Office does not.
Planned Updates:
------------------
Support for more menu types as they appear - specifficly there
seems to come new RA menus wich each release.
I an planning a Quick'n'dirty editor for those who do not use the
'display part' of the menus, but use displayable ASC/ANS files
instead.
I am thinking of a way to implement support for RA templates in
the menus and for RA speciffic control chars in text files.
Files:
--------
The Archive contains five files, namely:
YamED.exe - the editor
YamED.doc - You're reading it !
YamED.cnf - sample configuration file
YedUpd.exe - Utility for 'registering' YamED
Mailer - Form for registering.
12
Acknowlegdements:
-------------------
I wish to thank the Beta-Testers Henrik Vejhe, SysOp of Imladris
BBS (Closed), and Dan Wulff, SysOp of Dragons Lair (2:231/57),
for their invaluable help in the process of creating YamED.
Final Notes:
--------------
If You have any comments, suggestions or (hopefully not) bug
reports, please do contact me.
You can reach me as 'Ping Hansen' on:
FidoNet: TBSM BBS - INTL+45-75-534886.
2:231/62.58
or by good old fashioned mail:
PingSoft
Att: P.H.Rankin Hansen
Schacksgade 1, 1.tv
5000 Odense C
Denmark.
INTL+45-65-916475 (Voice)
Regards
P.H.Rankin Hansen
( Ping. )
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