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Documentation for SMLMESS.EXE ver.1.01 A simple utility to help RBBS sysops [03/31/88] [ This program is fully compatible with RBBS 15.1A to 16.1A ] [ You do not need to change anything when running either vers.] ! Due to my Time restraints, I ask (request) that all uses reports bugs. ! This program was created to aid Sysops (and remote Cosysops) and normal callers to do Flexible reading(and writing) on their Conferences and the main Message Base. Messages can be displayed upon 'Search' options for the From: , To: , Re:(Subject) , and the body of the message. So, if a person wanted to read all messages with a certain subject or is looking for a message with a particular text in it, they can. For the sysops (and cosysops) side, they can pack(and renumber) the Main Message base or any of the conferences. Also, they can extract messages into an ascii readable file that can be downloaded. A new feature is the ability to import textfiles (upto 90 lines) into the message/conference bases, as well import a message capture from a co-system BBS. This turkey can do a bunch of stuff...? [ Important: You must have all the MESSAGES/Conference Files on the ] [ same drive letter has SMLMESS.EXE. It doesn't need to be in the ] [ same subdirectory but it must be on the SAME DRIVE. ] [ Extract File Path\Name may be anywhere. ] Quick Start: - Unarc the Smlmess Stuff into RBBS SubDirectory. - Backup the Messages, until you are familar with all commands. - Type SMLMESS LOCAL (which is to use it local mode) - Type 8 to configure where your Messages and Conferences are - Have fun with the commands, but be aware of what you are typing. - If you find bugs, please let me know. - Have more Fun - ESC key will return you back to the Main Menu from about everywhere - When you get a chance or need to, please read the remainder of these Docs [[[ Limited License ]]] This software is copyrighted but a limited license is granted and you are free to use and share it under the following conditions: 1. SMLMESS is not distributed in modified form 2. No fee or other consideration is charged for this program itself 3. Reference to the copyright and author is retained. / 4. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED THEN : ------------------------------- | If your Callers Like this program, OR | If you want updates sent to you, OR | If you need support or answers to problems | then please send $20 to | Darwin Collins | c/o Silicon City RBBS | PO BOX 532293 | Grand Praire, TX | 75053-2293 | | With a donation of at least this amount: | One Year Subscription to: | Program support (Official Updates will be Sent to You) | Automatic Registration to ALL my other DoorGames and Software | Personal Modifications will be done (if possible) | Access to Silicon City RBBS (214) 641-2537 | [ There will be periodic updates to this program and to others ] | [ If possible, I will upload it to your board, but likely it ] | [ will be mailed. I will try to Create something or at least ] | [ Update a Program every 2 to 3 months. Registered Members ] | [ will always get the latest versions as soon as they are ready.] | | For those that will not Register: | [ Whenever they are major releases, I will upload them to boards ] | [ but, not always to the same boards. If you do have problems, ] | [ you have to donate either Monetarily, Files, Time, OR provide ] | [ detailed Info on New Bugs, to possibly be considered as a member] | [ to get help. I want to spend time taking care of those that ] | [ have registered and also to writing more Game and Utilities. ] \------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[[ Warranty ]]] SMLMESS is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for any purpose. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of this program is with the user and should the program prove defective, the user and not the author will assume all responsiblity with correcting all information. The author does not warrant that this program will function in the desired mode or will meet any users requirements or that the operation of the program will be error free. But, You are certainly entitled to complain about Bugs you find in this program and Paid Users SHOULD have a BugFree program. This program is written in MicroSoft QuickBasic vr. 2.01, with the DTR patch. This program does not need BRUN20.EXE. The program was optimized for Speed and DOES monitor the Carrier. If You Can Not use this Program, (ie. Don't Like it or don't run Doors ) then please make it available for others to Download. Thank You SmlMess ( Small Message Utility ) comprises of the following files: Files used: SMLMESS.EXE Main Program (editible) SMLMESS.DOC (Text) Documentation File (editible) SMLMESS.SCR (Text) Sample Script File SMLMESS.LOG (Text) Log File displaying usage of this program SMLMESS.DAT (Text) File containing Username that authorized for sysop access. Whoever signs on, and is not in this file, has the access of a normal caller. It is best that all Files are kept in the same directory as RBBS. If not, then a method must be used so that it can get access to your RBBS?PC.DEF and MESSAGES files. [[[[ Setup to Run ]]]] This Program will eat up approximately 200K of your Memory. [[[ RBBS-PC Environment ]]] All files are provided for to get it up and running. If you will be running it under Monitor, then you need to add to the GAMES.DOR : SmlMess---> Read MessageBase and Conferences If you will be running it directly from RBBS, then you need to add MESS to your Menu5. MESS.BAT is provided. Lines 1 and 2 of Mess.bat delete the Games Monitor Data files, that shouldn't exist if called from RBBS. (Safety procedure). Lines 3 calls Smlmess program [[[ RunTime with RBBS-PC ]]] To access the program Locally, type SMLMess LOCAL SmlMess can also recognize you are running Locally or COM0 mode if you are running RBBS-PC 15.1x or 16.1A If SMLMess 1, or SMLMess 2, or... is typed then it will first read the specified RBBS#PC.DEF file. It will then search for the TIMEOFF#.DOR file, if this file doesn't exist then it will assign 60 minutes online time. Any problems that you have with Monitor & SmlMess, Registered Users can contact me, and we can go over it. It will get the UserName from the MESSAGES file, if ran Remotely. If Local, then it will use "SYSOP". Comment. If you are running this program directly from RBBS, it is not necessary to do the Ctrl-Break routine out of RBBS to run SmlMess Locally, you can type D (for Doors) and SMLMess (for SmlMess) and then RBBS will chain to SMLMess, SMLMess will see you are Local and select the local mode and automatically put your name in. This program will monitor Carrier, and will exit the program whenever it sees that the Carrier has dropped. Currently, it can support COM1 and COM2 only. (this can be expanded when necessary info is available.) [[[ Function Keys Supported: ]]] Currently only F10 is supported. Chat Mode F10 F10 will interrupt the Command -> prompt and will enter a routine for Chat Mode. If you press the F10 key when Chat is already engaged it will Beep both you and the remote user. Though, You may also send Beeps (ASCII 7) to each other. Either the remote user or the sysop can send the ESC code and Chat will then be terminated. The Timeout default of 4 minutes is not monitored in Chat Mode, but Loss of Carrier is. [[[ SmlMess.EXE ]]] [ My Documentation is not very clearly written, but if you grind your way thru the program you may find it very very usefull. ] This program was written to work with RBBS versions 15.1A thru 16.1A, though this program may work with older version of RBBS as well. The main purpose of this program is so that the remote co-sysop can pack the message bases, as well, as do more with messages. Remote Access: You may even call it from Monitor! or just straight from RBBS. It is compatible to all 15.1(a-c)(16.1A) formats, and also monitors carrier. (When carrier is dropped, it will exit program). Hopefully, this feature will help you Remote Cosysops out-there that have been looking to do some remote work on RBBS messages. [[[ SCRIPT USAGE ]]] Script Usage is the same method as used in SmlCall This program can be called Remotely (or of-course Locally) and also automatically executed by a Script Batchfile. There are 2 ways that you can call the Script Usage. One by saying SmlMess AUTO , which then the program will read all commands from a file called SmlMess.SCR . The other is if, you want to use a batchfile by a different name, (say MESSMON.SCR) then you can call (and execute) it, by SmlMess MESSMON.SCR , the '.SCR' is important to tell the program that you want to call it by a Script File. Basically, you will put in each line of the SmlMess.SCR the seq of events that you would want to have done in SmlMess. You will need to learn what keystrokes are required. Since, it is in script mode, you will not need to type a CR symbol for the Pause prompts, because they will not appear if you are using the SCRIPT (AUTO) mode. Special Symbols used in the SmlMess.SCR file: { Symbol for press ENTER at the prompt * Symbol for press ESC at the prompt ' Anything after this Symbol is ignored by SmlMess This symbol is used for identifying the beginning of remarks about the script command An example script to do a Message Packing of the Main MESSAGES base. (The Main MESSAGES base is default upon execution of the program, unless you configure it differently.) ' ' The below lines will tell SMlmess to Pack the Main Messages base. ' Note: anything after a ' is ignored by Smlmess ' 4 ' command # to specify Pack the Message Base Y ' Specify Y es, that you want to pack the Message Base N ' To tell it, you do not want to Renumber the Messages ' ' After you had pressed N then this program should be ' Packing the MessageBase. If there is any problems, ' then a message will left in Smlmess.Log ' 9 ' to exit SmlMess and return to DOS and that's all it takes... You would use the similar sequence for the other commands as well, except for perhaps some differences because of that command's options. Your SmlMess.SCR file may be as long as you want and you can execute SmlMess AUTO from a Batch file that you setup to automate your analysis. The enclosed SmlMess.SCR is a working example for you to study from in order to make your own SmlMess.SCR file. You may create different SmlMess script files to do different operations automatically. You can call these by (for example): SmlMess FILE.SCR Additional Notes: Leading and Trailing Spaces are ignored When the end of the Script file is Found, SmlMess will Exit { symbol can be used to default the Search string, Dates * symbol(ESC) is not needed but is supplied. ' use this symbol alot to clearly document your SCRipt file. [[Commands in Very Brief]] Commands in Brief: 0 < Set Extract Path\Filename 1 < Select the Current Message Base 2 < Read/Extract the Current Message Base 3 < Delete Messages by a Criteria 4 < Pack the Current Message Base 5 < Attach a MessageBatch onto the Message Base 6 < Create a New Message 7 < View this Documentation while in the Program 8 < View Documentation > 9 < Exit to DOS (Quit Program) A < Set the Screen Defaults B < View Node Status [[[ A brief description of the commands in SMLMess ]]] ___________________ There are Ten Commands in this Program: _______________ Command# 0. Set Extract Path\Filename The default Extract Filename is Initialized each time the program starts. (the default filename is configed by Option 8.) The sysop would select the filename for the message extractions to be appended to. This extract file can be located in any drive or subdirectory. From the Extract Menu you can : 1 > Create a new extract file 2 > Select an existing extract file 3 > Delete a file 4 > View current extract file An idea is to put this extract file, into a downloadable subdirectory so that a caller can download it, if needed. Example: You have a caller that has accidently left a message in the wrong conference. Let's say he left a 'For Sale' message in the 'Basket Weaving' conference. The following steps illustrate how you can move that Message or a series of messages to another conference. Select Main Command 0 to select the Extract Menu. For this example, lets say you want to use the file SMLMESS.EXT to temporily hold the messages. Use the 2 (in Extraction Menu) to select the SMLMESS.EXT file to be used for extractions. To make sure that the extract file is empty, we select 3 for Delete a file. Type in SMLMESS.EXT to Delete, and type Y to delete the file. Now, we are sure that we are working with a blank file. Okay, now we are ready to go extract the file from the conference. Select Main Command 1 to select the 'Basket Weaving' conference. After it is seleted and you have returned to the Main Menu, then Select Main Command 2 to read the messages. Answer the search criteria so that you can get to the 'wrong area' conferences quickly. When the 'wrong area' messages are displayed you would type X at the prompt to then Extract that Message to the Smlmess.Ext file. You may then go back and delete those 'wrong area' messages. In your Smlmess.Ext file, there is the Xtracted messages in normal readable ascii format. You can edit the file, or copy the contents to other subdirectories to be used for Archive Purposes. (Hint: You may have a Xtract file called OUTSTATE.BBS which would have the Xtracted messages from Out-of-State Sysops that have left validation info, or other Info.) Okay, then return to the Main Command menu. Select Main Command 1 to select the 'For Sale' conference. Select Main Command 5 for 'Insert MessageBatch into conference.' This program will read your 'ascii text' message and insert into the current conference base. That's it. Important: If you are inserting messages from a Screen Capture that you have gotton off of other BBSs that we ask that you assign a 10 character code for that BBS. So, then callers know where the source of the Message is. Also, that you get permission from that BBS first before you capture their messages to be reposted on your (and others) board(s). Command# 1. Select the Current Message/Conference Base The sysop (using Command #8) will setup different Message/Conference bases that everyone can use. This Command is used to Join another Conference. If you do not have Sysop access, then you can not Join a Conference that has the word 'SYSOP' in the conference description. Command# 2. Read/Extract the Current Message Base This option will allow the normal caller or sysop to read the message base using a more complex search criteria. During the actual display of the messages, the Prompt commands are similar to RBBS, except that there are differences and several enhancements. You the Caller can: (on a Message From: or To: you) Change the Direction of the message displays Kill and Unkill a Message Make a Message either Private or Public Change the subject heading REply to the Message Thread (term and concept from RBBS 16.1A) You the Sysop can do additional commands: Make it a Bulletin Message Xtract the Message into a Extract file But, first before this you can specify exactly the type of messages that will be displayed. Messages will only be displayed if it matches the search criteria that you have provided. [If you press ENTER without typing anything then it will use the bracketed default criteria.] Your criteria is: Active Messages Only :If yes, then only active messages will be shown. If no, then deleted messages (not packed yet) in addition to active ones will be displayed. Starting Message # :You would type the message number to start reading at. If you wish to read the messages in reverse direction, you would type a - after the number. ie. 345- Messages will default in the forward direction. The searchs are more complex. Whatever is in a search criteria the message must have that in it, or else it won't be displayed. For example, if you specify, SYS for the From: criteria then only messages that are from those containing the letters SYS like SYSOP or PARALYSYS will be displayed. To null out a specified search request you would type * at the prompt to be deleted. (You would only need to * it, if the bracketed default is not already null). [For search purposes, Upper and Lower Case letters are the same.] Example 1: You want to read all messages that are from John Smith to you (John Doe). You could Specify: Search on From: JOHN SMITH Search on To : JOHN DOE then this smlmess will only display messages that are from John Smith to John Doe. Example 2: You want to read all messages that have the subject of SWAP MEET then you may specify: Search on Subject: SWAP then smlmess will only display messages that have the word SWAP anywhere in the subject (RE:) heading. Example 3: You remember a message from John Blake, and that he talked about a Compaq 386 but don't remember the rest of it. So, you would specify: Search on From: JOHN Blake You may specify 386 or COMPAQ for the 'text' criteria. What the Text criteria is, that if a text is specified, then the message must have that fragment somewhere within the body of the message, for it to be displayed. To the right of the Msg#, Date, and Time, may be shown: Security # - means the Security Level that a caller would need to be in order to read this message. Security Level is new in 16.1A. Sec.Level may be change by the L command. <Deleted> - means this Message has been Deleted. (ready to be removed at next packing) Deleted can be Unkilled by the U command. <Private> - means this Message is marked Private, (for receiver only) Private can be made Public by P command. While reading the Messages. You may be shown this options at the end of each Message, they are : [Y] - Yes, continue reading. This is default unless you press N . B - Bulletin Message. This Message will never be Deleted (thus Purged) unless specified told by the Caller (by doing a K) or by the Sysop in the Delete Command. + - Change the Direction of reading the Messages. - + for Positive, - for Backward(reverse) reading then D will start reading messages in the Opposite Direction. J - Edit the Subject of this Message K - Kill the Current Message N - No, stop reading messages. R - Reread the Message. Displays the same message again. RE - Reply to a Message S - Change the Security Level of this Message U - UnKill the Current Message X - Makes a text version of the message in the Extraction File. Some options may stacked. for example USBR will Undelete, Security change, Bulletin, Reread Command# 3. Delete Messages by Criteria For this deleting command, there are several toggles that you can use to specify which messages to Delete. For example: (criteria can be in any combination as below) Delete Bulletin Messages Delete All Private Messages except for those that are Unread Delete Unread Private Messages also Delete only Messages that are From: a specified caller Delete only Messages that are To: a specified caller Delete Public Messages Only Delete Messages before a specified date You would type Y or N at each criteria prompt depending on the deletions that you want to take place. Messages that are deleted are listed on the screen. More Info. 'Bulletin Messages' these messages are characterized by the symbol '[B]' in the Subject heading of the message. This symbol is meant to be used on Mesages that the sysop does not want to delete unless specifically told to. ie. He may have some real good messages or informative ones that he does not want the Massive delete routine to delete. (unless told to, or Killed by the sysop or caller) Idea, for the use of 'Bulletin Messages'. Is for the Sysop that sees important messages (like his advertising, or other long term bulletins), that he can mark with as a 'Bulletin Message' so then it will not be deleted out of his Messagebases in his monthly maintainance routines. Command# 4. Pack the Current Message Base This command will pack the current message base or conference. And, will (if specified) renumber the MessageBase at the same time. It will pack all deleted messages out of it, and then recreate the message base (or conference). The old copy of the Pack Message/Conference base is called SmlMess.Old. Which will exist until the next Packing takes place. At the end of the packing, it will display the number of messages active and the number packed, as well as the number available. This process may take several minutes, and will depend on the size of your messages base. Command# 5. Attach a MessageBatch onto the Message Base This command is brand new, and so may have some bugs. The story behind this. A number of times, I had seen messages on other BBS systems that I would like to post on here. The normal method is to capture the message (using the communication program's capture) and then do a Ascii Upload onto the Message Base. Well, of course this isn't the best method, so i created this method to help out. Because of this option, I will need to just do a scroll capture of the another BBS that I am signed onto. Edit the file for any miscellanous fragments out, but still keep the Msg # date time from to re : and that stuff like that. Then I can use this program to read the captured text file, and automatically insert into the message base. This program keeps the Date, Time, From, To, and Subject info intact so that then credit goes where it is deserved. Also, you may give the command, the option to put in a 10 character header to insert into the messages origin (From:) so that they will know which system it is from. (also, so you don't have to insert lines into their message.) Currently, the option can only read RBBS captured messages. To me, this command is great, it will allow me to post Warning Messages that I have seen on out-of-state boards on your board,too. Command# 6. Create a new message This command will allow you to create a new message into the current Message base. You can create a message by using the Message Editor or you may insert message text from a text file. You have upto 90 messages lines to store the message in. [This is useful for the sysop that would like to put a already edited (word processed) message out for everyone, but wants to make it a message instead of a bulletin or something. ] Note: A caller with normal access will only be able to create a message using the Editor, they will not be able to access files. You will need to specify who the message is FROM and who is to TO, as well as the Subject of it. It will be saved onto the end of your current Message base (or conference) as a public (or private) message. Command# 7. View SmlMess Documentation This Command will print out the SMLMess.DOC file onto the screen. This file (SMLMess.DOC) is in Text form, so can printed out to the printer or the screen. Command# 8. Configure the Defaults You must use this command to notify Smlmess on what MessageBases and Conferences will be accessed and where they are. This program can currently handle upto 40 conferences. When configuring the conferences (this section), ten conferences will be shown at a time. Press ENTER to continue on to the next ten conferences. To delete a conference, pick the #, that belongs to it. Then, type * for the pathname or the description. This conference name is then removed from Smlmess's Conference Listing. If your Conference Description has the word 'SYSOP' then the only people that will granted to enter this conference are the ones that are listed in the SMLMESS.DAT file. (hence, means the ones that have Sysop Access.) Also Configured are: Board Name Default Extract Path\Filename Command# 9. Exit to DOS (Quit Program) Quits program. Command# A. Set Default Color Set the Default Text Color Command# B. View Node Status You can view the current status of each Node. Also, toggling of the Sysop Available, Sysop Annoy, and the Snoop Screen is available. [[[ Limitations of the Program ]]] (Items that can be changed if needed) A maximum of 3000 Messages in a Base can be accessed. A maximum of 40 Message/Conferences can be accessed. A maximum of 90 lines for each message for Extracting/Saving. (Current Version) This program does not do any type of File or Record Locking, so if you must take proper precautions if operating in a Multi-Tasking / Multi-User environment. Could someone send me some Good DOCS on how to do record/file locking ? Can not save the Last Message read for the normal Callers that use this program. Future versions can read Users. (The purpose of this program is mainly for the Sysops) [[[ Revisions to the Program ]]] Version 1.1: ??? April or May 1988 More support for RBBS 16.1A. Ability to read Users file for Security Level and 'Last Read'. Threading option while reading messages finished. Version 1.0: March 31, 1988 The very first version of this program. Since this is the very first version of this utility, it might have some bugs in it. Many thanks to Ray Smith of Aviation Connection RBBS at (214) 416-5933, [1200/2400/9600] who had enlightned me on what was happening with RBBS 16.1A . Have fun with the program, it includes about every possible (useful) command that could be done with the MESSAGES base. If you need more, just let me know. ═══ END OF SMLMESS DOCUMENTATION ═════════════════════════════════════════════ ------ Okay, now commercial time !!! for any Unregistered ones -------------- The 1988 software concept so far involves... (As of 03/31/88) 1. SY <Can you complete your assignment?> (Still in Development) A very MultiPlayer DoorGame (PCboard/ RBBS compatible) 2. SIDROIDS (Command BattleDroids in a 30,000 cell field, with the use of Messages, Teams, and Scripts that will control your Droid during anothers play period) (Current ShareWare version 2.01. (Registered version also has some more stuff..(2.3x) (PCboard/ RBBS compatible) 3. THAI The UnderGround Thai Lottery - A Lottery Simulation DoorGame (Play the Thailand Lottery...) Current Version 1.11 (A minor program but kinda educational...) (PCboard/ RBBS compatible) 4. SMLMESS Small Message Utility is created for RBBS sysops (Egads, another Message Editor?) 5. SMLCALL Small Caller Analyzer - is utility created for RBBS sysops wanting to do simple but effective analyzing on their Callers and System. Remote and Batch Support. Current version 2.1 and few other worthless RBBS help files and text stuff... (like ColorMods, Conference stuff, and other patches)