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1990-11-24
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S-VER
COPYRIGHTED 1990
BY
STEVE GABRILOWITZ
A CALLBACK VERIFIER FOR QUICKBBS OR REMOTE ACCESS
Table of Contents:
Item of Information Page #
---------------------------------------------
Reason S-VER was written ................ 2
Beta Testing Cycle ...................... 2
Registration ............................ 2
Installation ............................ 3
Control of Phone Numbers .............. 3,4
Convert.exe Program ..................... 4
S-VERCFG.EXE ............................ 4
Support Files ........................... 4
S-INTRO.A?? ........................... 5
S-TRASH.A?? ........................... 5
S-DUPE.A?? ............................ 5
S-LOGIN.A?? ........................... 5
S-VALID.A?? ........................... 5
S-LONGD.A?? ........................... 6
S-VERM.ASC ............................ 6
S-VERM.MNU ............................ 6
Operation of S-VER ...................... 6
Warranty ................................ 6
Progess Report / Updates ................ 7
Special Mentions ........................ 7
CopyRights .............................. 7
S-VER.DOC PAGE 1
REASONING FOR WRITING "S-VER"
-----------------------------
'S-VER' is a 'callback verifier' written original for use with the
Remote Access bulletin board system. As far as I know, this is the
only program of its kind that is designed with a multi-node RA system
in mind. The reason I wrote it is because I couldn't get any of the
other callback systems to work right on my multi-node system and
figured that there must be other Sysops having the same problem! Of
course, it will also work on a single node Quickbbs or RA system and
also has features intended to make it as flexible and easy to set up
as possible.
BETA TEST CYCLE
---------------
'S-VER' has currently been tested on computer systems ranging from
the slowest XT to a 34 Mhz 386, and with modems ranging from 2400
baud internal to a 14.4 HST, and has performed well on all.
REGISTRATION
------------
THIS IS NOT FREE SOFTWARE!
If you like and use S-VER on your system, please show your apprecia-
tion by registering. Until you are registered and recieve your regis-
tration key, the software will make a note in your log reminding you
to register. It will also inform your users that it is not registered
and subject them to a 10 second delay before asking them which phone
number to dial. If you try it and it doesn't work for you, or if you
decide you don't like it, then please drop me a note telling me why.
This will help me make improvements as needed in future versions.
I have just heard of a New Concept in software marketing called
DinnerWare. If you like this program, you can treat me and my wife out
to dinner. We like to eat at Burger King and Pizza Hut, but also
really enjoy Red Lobster and Olive garden <grin> Seriously, send what
you feel you can afford, or what you think the program is worth.
Also, if you have any bug reports or suggestions for improvements,
please send them electronically (1:363/1701) 1-407-380-1701 or via
US mail to:
Steve Gabrilowitz
122 North DeerWood Avenue
Orlando, Florida 32825
S-VER.DOC PAGE 2
INSTALLATION
------------
First UnZip the 'S-VER.ZIP' package... Inside you will find a menu,
support files, questionnaire, config & Exe. files. All Text files will
be placed in the Text files directory defined in your BBS configuration.
The Menu goes into the Menus directory defined in your BBS config-
uration. All other files are placed in The Main BBS directory.
When install 'S-VER', you must first run the configuration program
SVER-CFG. It will create the Configuration file in the current direc-
tory. This may be either your main BBS system directory as pointed to
by the environment variable RA on a RA system, or one of the multi-node
sub-directories. On a QuickBBS system, it must be in your main BBS
directory. If in the main directory, the configuration will apply to
all nodes that don't have their own configuration. This allows you to
customize the setup as much as may be necessary.
'SVER-CFG' is pretty much self explanatory, but a few comments on the
modem specific portion are in order. First, try the default setup. It
has worked on every system I've tried it on so far, so why mess with
success? ;-) If you need to modify the init string, settings higher
than X3 have been observed to cause problems when it tries to dial out.
In the current version I think I have fixed this, but if you have
problems that is the first place to look. On some 1200 baud modems,
you may need to use X1 or X2. The modem must return verbose status
codes for this program to work, numeric ones won't be recognized. To
toggle the settings between Yes and No, use the space bar. Also, the
long distance Calling hours will not be displayed unless you have long
distance Set to Yes - set them both to the same time (doesn't matter
what time you put in) if you want to allow long distance calling 'round
the clock.
CONTROL OF PHONE NUMBERS
------------------------
The phone number setup is done in a manner similar to what you are
probably familiar with in your nodelist processor. The control file
for this purpose is called PHONE#.CTL and may reside either in your
main directory or a node directory. Each line in the file looks like
this:
Prefix_From_User Prefix_To_Dial Cost
The cost field may be omitted, and will be taken as 0 if blank.
The prefix_to_dial may also be omitted as of Version 0.91, if it is
then the corresponding prefix supplied by the user will be stripped out
before dialing.
S-VER.DOC PAGE 3
For example, if I wanted to be able to call other systems in the
Orlando 380 exchange no matter whether the user entered an area code or
not, I would put the following lines into my PHONE#.CTL:
407-380 380
380 380
Phone numbers will be dealt with based on the first match in the
PHONE#.CTL file. Therefore if you had a sequence like:
407 1-407
407-380 407
Then 407-380 would be dialed as 1-407-380 which is probably not what
you wanted. If a number is not found, it is treated as long distance.
Otherwise you can control whether each number is long distance or
local by using the cost field. This scheme should provide you with
enough flexibility so that you can make the program do what you need
no matter where in the world you are ;-)
CONVERT.EXE
-----------
This little program will help you convert the LOCAL.CTL file used
with other Callback verifiers to the PHONE#.CTL needed by S-VER.
LOCAL.CTL Varies slightly in the first few lines depending on which
program it was set for. And all of these lines must be deleted
before using CONVERT. You must specify the local area code on the
command line. IE:
CONVERT 407
SVER-CFG.EXE
------------
After installing the new files, you MUST run SVER-CFG to upgrade
your config file to the new version.
SUPPORT FILES
-------------
You completely control the look of S-VER by placing these files in
your text files directory (each may have .ANS and .ASC flavors). You
may create your own or edit and use the ones provided.
S-VER.DOC PAGE 4
S-INTRO.A??
-----------
The first file the user sees. After this file is displayed, a
prompt is made to get phone number selection / confirmation. S-Intro
.A?? can be a short intro into the S-VER system to explain uses.
S-TRASH.A??
-----------
This file is displayed if the phone number the user has selected is
found in the PHONENUM.CTL file. This would indicate that you have
blocked the number out for some reason.
S-DUPE.A??
----------
This file is displayed if another user has the same phone number as
the one currently chosen by the user, and you have selected dupe
checking in the S-ver config. A good idea here is to tell users to
Leave a message to the Sysop if they are requesting access and inform
them of Duplicate Phone Number.
S-DISC.A??
----------
This file is displayed after the prompt, and before hanging up.
The purpose of S-DISC.A?? is to inform the user that they are about
to be disconnected. Good idea here is to remind the users how to
make their modem answer for them.
S-LOGIN.A??
-----------
This is file that is displayed after the user answers the callback.
S-LOGIN.A?? should be edited to customize the look and style of your
board.
S-VALID.A??
-----------
This file is displayed after the user properly enters his or her
password. S-VALID.A?? is a welcome back to the system after comp-
leting the Callback verifier. A lot of Sysops tend to create custom
screen here.
S-VER.DOC PAGE 5
S-LONGD.A??
-----------
This file is displayed if the user is long distance, and you have
configured no long distance calls or it's the wrong time of day for a
Long distance callback. If you have configured for long distance
during limited hours, you will want to indicate in this file the time
period when the user should call back and try again. Please be
specific as to the Hours the user can call, IE: 10pm to 3am East
Standard Time. Do not assume that everyone is on your time zone when
allowing long distance call backs.
S-VERM.ASC
----------
This file contains the Users Manual for on-line help to the user.
The S-VERM.ASC is called in from the S-VERM.MNU, as a list ascii file
option.
S-VERM.MNU
----------
This is a sample menu ready to run.. just edit the necessary areas
and colors to customize for your system. The return to Main menu
calls an option 3, but to be safe you can use an option 2 and give
the menu name.
OPERATION OF S-VER PROGRAM
--------------------------
'S-VER' may be run either as a type 15 or a type 7 on a RA system.
On a QuickBBS vs 2.66 , but not for Quickbbs 2.75 system, it must be
run as a type 15. On multi-node systems, if there is no CONFIG.RA in
the current directory, you must specify the comm port number to use.
This is easily done by using the *P parameter on a type 7 command.
If CONFIG.RA is in the current directory, 'S-VER' will take the comm
port from there and ignore anything on the command line. Command
line parameters are completely ignored on a QuickBBS system as it is
always possible to get the comm port from CONFIG.BBS.
WARRANTY
--------
If you break it, and tell me as much as you can about the circum-
stances, I will do my level best to make it work. No other warranty
is offered or implied. You assume all responsibility for any damage
to your equipment or data as a result of using this product. I may
feel bad about it, but I'm Not responsible or liable. Use of the
product constitutes acceptance of this agreement.
S-VER.DOC PAGE 6
PROGRESS REPORT / UPDATES:
--------------------------
7/2/90
Version 0.90
Initial Release for S-VER090.ZIP. This was the First release of the
Beta Copy of S-VER.
8/20/90
Version 0.91
Fixed problem where file is not displayed fully before hanging up.
Fixed long distance calling hours bug.
Added capability for sysop to abort call during dial process.
Changed delay after modem initialization.
Fossil advertisement no longer trashes the screen.
Added support for higher X settings, let me know if this works right.
Added errorlevel exit depending on results of validation:
1: Validation successful
2: Validation failure
3: Validation not attempted
4: Sysop error
5: Program error
Added registration key system.
9/17/90
Version 0.92
QuickBBS support added!!!
Fixed problem where user was allowed back on BBS, even if S-VER
configuration said not to!
S-VER now waits for a carriage return from the user before displaying
S-LOGIN.A??, this should fix the problem where S-LOGIN was not always
displayed after connect.
Minor bug in phone dupe checker fixed.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
----------------
A thank you goes out to: Peter Kling, The Computer Group, Ltd (tm)
1:267/169. For all of his work with this Fine Documentation, and
Alpha Bashing... Printed copies of 'S-VER' Documentation and Current
copies of the Files are available through Peter Kling...
COPYRIGHTS NOTICES
------------------
S-VER (tm) is Copyrighted by STEVE GABRILOWITZ.
QUICKBBS (tm) is Copyrighted by STEVE GABRILOWITZ & RICHARD CREIGHTON.
REMOTE ACCESS (tm) is Copyrighted by CONTINENTAL SOFTWARE, LTD.
S-VER.DOC PAGE 7