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PreScan (tm)
Version 2.11.00
Copyright (c) 1992, 93, Jeff Hasz
All Rights Reserved
Page i PreScan
Forward
I'll try to be brief here, in my forward, but I would like
to thank a few people for helping make PreScan a reality.
First, I'd like to thank my wife for putting up with me
working into the wee smalls, and my daughter, Sara, who
corageously puts up with my rantings. They are both a
fountain of inspiration to me.
Secondly, I'd like to thank Laughlin (you know who you
are) for the patience to test this thing and await the
next beta release while I was implementing and debugging
the excellent suggestions you gave me for improving
PreScan. (Next thing I work on L is better doc
formatting, OK?)
And finally, to my former employer, who, in a surprise
decision, gave me the time to get those creative juices
flowing again, without which, I would never have even
conceived of PreScan let alone had time or energy to create
it.
There, I think that's short enough...
Enjoy,
Jeff - November 1992
Page 1 PreScan
Hello, first a word of advice, if you are viewing this with your
text based word processor, you will have to set your tabs to
four. This document was save with actual tabs in it. if you
wish them to be spaces you will have to edit it and place four
spaces for every tab.
First off, these are the files you should have received in the
PRESCAN.ZIP:
PRESCAN.EXE The PreScan executable.
PRESCAN.CFG A sample configuration file.
PRESCAN.BAT A sample prescan.bat file.
PRESCAN.DOC This documentation file.
Additional Files you will receive upon registering your copy
of PreScan:
DAYERR.EXE A program to generate a errorlevel
based on the current day.
I will quote myself:
"However, if enough respondants request that PreScan be made
available as a stand alone door program, I will incorporate
all of the required code to make it a stand alone door program."
Well it's here! PreScan V 2.0.0! Now New! Improved! (oops,
sorry, I'm getting carried away).
But it is here...Prescan, version 2. Now a stand-alone door
program.
Please feel free to support this shareware development effort
through the registration proceedure and through your comments.
Page 2 PreScan
Contents:
Packing manifest................................ 1
Table of Contents............................... 2
Terms and Conditions............................ 3
Restrictions.................................... 3
Introduction.................................... 4
Installation.................................... 4
Configuration................................... 5
Configuring the PRESCAN.BAT file................ 6
The PRESCAN.HLP file............................ 7
Why Should I Register?.......................... 8
Registration Form............................... 9
Appendix A......................................10
Appendix B......................................11
Page 3 PreScan
Terms and Conditions:
PreScan is a shareware package. To those of you who don't
know or have a vague idea what this means, read on.
Otherwise, skip to the next section. Shareware is software
you may "share" with your friends and colleagues. You may
use PreScan as much as you wish for up to 45 days with
absolutely no obligation to buy it. But shareware isn't
free. You must pay for PreScan if you decide to use it past
45 days. The initial charge for PreScan is $21, which now
includes printed documentation and a registered diskette.
This is a departure from version 1 where it was a bit less
expensive but did not include printed documentation and disks.
Registering PreScan still includes free upgrades to the
software for up to 1 year.
The copy of PreScan you have is not crippled, and hopefully
it isn't "annoyware."
Restrictions:
You have obtained a copy of a shareware package, which means
you may let your friends and colleagues have a copy if you
wish, as long as you abide by the following restrictions:
1. You do not charge for the transfer of PreScan or any
of its components.
2. You supply the exact files and packaging for the
shareware version of PreScan that you obtained
electronically or by other means.
3. You DO NOT share the licensing information provided
once you register PreScan.
The author, Jeff Hasz, makes no claim as to the viability or
usefulness of the product to suit particular needs. Use the
product initially for no charge, and when the test drive is
over, decide if you like it and register it if you do.
PreScan is copyrighted property developed by Jeff Hasz.
Page 4 PreScan
Introduction:
PreScan was conceived as a timesaving program for the
Ship to Shore On-Line Information Service to allow some
user maintenance.
It allows the on-line user to select to have his mail
packets prepared for him prior to his logging onto your
system.
This is done by calling the mail door through the
PRESCAN.BAT file and allowing it to create individual
mail packet files for each listed user.
It was originally created to run under the WildCat!
BBS system with the Tomcat! mail door. It has not been
fully tested with any other mail door yet. (read, "Any
volunteers out there?")
It has the capability to support almost any mail door
that supports prescanned packets.
Finally, PreScan REQUIRES the use of a fossil driver to
work, it has been tested with X00.
Installation:
PreScan should be installed in the same directory that
your BBS software is. This is not mandatory, but it
helps keep things straight.
PRESCAN.HLP _must_ reside in the same directory as
PRESCAN.EXE as this is where PRESCAN.EXE looks for
the help file.
The PRESCAN.CFG file _must_ be installed in the same
directory as PRESCAN.EXE. PreScan looks for the
configuration file in the same place that it exists.
The configuration file contains information needed
by PreScan to determine where the CALLINFO.BBS file
and the PRESCAN.BAT file are located as well as the
actual name of the CALLINFO file (Some BBS's create a
file called PCBOARD.BBS or DORINFO.DEF).
It also contains information about what line(s) the
user name is located as well as where to find the baud
rate and the COM port.
Also in this file is the name of the mail door you are
using and the format that it is called with.
Page 5 PreScan
Configuration:
Ok, so now you have the files all unpacked, so now it's
time to set up the configuration of PreScan.
Below is a sample PRESCAN.CFG file. A discussion of
each line will follow.
d:\wc30\callinfo.bbs
d:\wc30\
1, 1, 29, 31
tomcat %s /prescan
tomcat
d:\wc30\
Ok, clear as mud, right?
The first line is the line that contains the path and
file name of the "callinfo" file. For WC! this *will*
be CALLINFO.BBS (boy those guys as MSI think of
everything!). This could be PCBOARD.DEF or something
else that some BBS author dreams up.
The second line indicates where the PRESCAN.BAT file
is located.
The third line contain the line number in the "callinfo"
file that has the users first name and second name
respectively.
Also in the third line are the line numbers for the COM
port and the modem speed (baud rate).
The fourth line is the format line for how your mail
door is called for creating prescan packets.
The fifth line is the name of your mail door (this
should be the same as the first word of the line
preceeding it in the file i.e. the fourth line).
The final line MUST exist, even if it's blank. If this
line is left blank then no logging will occur. To
institute logging of the additions to your PRESCAN.BAT
file, put the path to where you want the log file to
be placed here.
Once you have this file created and setup properly
you can test the door with your PRESCAN.BAT file to
determine if it is setup correctly.
Page 6 PreScan
However, this supposes that you have created a minimal
PRESCAN.BAT file already. And you do know how to do
that, don't you? Oh that's right. I haven't explained
that part yet...Ok, I'll get on with it.
Configuring the PRESCAN.BAT file:
The correct format for the PRESCAN.BAT file is as
follows:
@echo off
c:
cd \wc30
dayerr nnn /* This line exists only for registered versions */
/* nnn = the number to start your error level at */
/* in this example nnn would equal 10 */
if errorlevel == 16 goto SATURDAY
if errorlevel == 15 goto FRIDAY
if errorlevel == 14 goto THURSDAY
if errorlevel == 13 goto WEDNESDAY
if errorlevel == 12 goto TUESDAY
if errorlevel == 11 goto MONDAY
if errorlevel == 10 goto SUNDAY
:SUNDAY
goto DAILY
:MONDAY
goto DAILY
:TUESDAY
goto DAILY
:WEDNESDAY
goto DAILY
:THURSDAY
goto DAILY
:FRIDAY
goto DAILY
:SATURDAY
:DAILY
tomcat sysop /download
tomcat JOHN SMITH /prescan
d:
cd \fd
Page 7 PreScan
You *must* begin with at least one call to your mail
door already in place (see appendix A).
The labeled points are required only for the registered
version...<hint, hint>...If you don't run the registered
version, then you can leave them out. But if you
decide to register your PreScan (and I hope you will),
you will need to put them back in.
If you have the registered version of PreScan, the
labels are required and they are required to be in the
order shown (you can use the sample PRESCAN.BAT file
supplied as a beginning).
I trust that the rest of this file will be self
explanatory.
The PRESCAN.HLP File:
You can edit this file to reflect you own systems
attitude or flavor.
Simply use an editor that will write a flat text
file for output.
If you need more than one screen of help information,
simply place a @PAUSE on a line by itself with the '@'
in the very first column.
This will pause the output at that line and print
[C]ontinue, [S]top...[C]
at the bottom of the screen. If the user has read
enough of the help text, thay can elect to stop and
return to the option selection menu. Otherwise,
selecting continue will display the balance of the text
upto the end of the help file or the next @PAUSE,
whichever comes first.
Page 8 PreScan
Registration:
Please register PreScan if you find it helpful in
your BBS maintanance. It will help promote further
enhancements and other new, useful doors that I might
develop. It also might inspire me to add features to
Prescan or create other good, easy-to-run programs for
us sysop types.
Remember that if you don't register it, I absoulutely
will *NOT* tolerate any mail, phone calls, etc. that
are whiney, nasty, or complaining from you. Constructive
suggestions are always welcome.
However, if you do register I will welcome any thoughts
about improving PreScan.
Registration is truly a bargain at $21.00 US plus $3.00
S + H and brings with it many benefits. Some of which
are notification of free upgrades (downloadable from
my system), a typeset, printed manual, and the *now*
available, multi-day option (See appendix A and thanks
Laughlin). None-the-less, it is still a bargain.
And I will appreciate it.
Site licensing and multiple copy discounts are
available. Write to the address below for further
details.
Page 9 PreScan
Registration Form:
Name:____________________________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________________
City:______________________________ State:______ Zip:____________
Version of PreScan you have:_________________
Copies you wish to register:_____
* $21.00
=======
=
=======
+ $ 3.00 Shipping and Handling
=======
Total:
Mail to:
Jeff Hasz
5000 Carriage Way Drive
Suite 109
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
Thank you,
Jeff Hasz.
Page 10 PreScan
Appendix A
This appendix is to describe some of the additional features
that you will receive with a registered copy of PreScan.
The biggie feature that will be available to you will be the
ability of users to select a single day, combination of days
or every day of the week to have the prescan packet made up
for them. This also requires another file, which you will
receive from me when I receive your registration.
To illustrate:
A user calls once a week and would like to get the mail for
the echos/conferences he reads for the whole week. He simply
selects the day to perform the prescan on every week and
PreScan will create his .QWK file on that day, to be ready
for when he calls.
Other minor advantages are a typeset, printed manual and
notification of new versions (and other software that I
might develop).
Another benefit of registration is that you may be given
the option of becoming a Beta test site for upgrades/new
software and you will get to see/have the new stuff first!
This is hightened by one of the rewards of Beta testing
which is a registered copy of the tested software, free, or
if you are already a registered user and are testing an up-
grade, a selection from our catalog (when we develop other
packages! ;-))
Also, you will now you are supporting the development of
new and timesaving software for your use at a reasonable
cost. (I'll appreciate it, too!)
Thanks for your support of the shareware concept.
Jeff Hasz
1:115/670 (fido)
Page 11 PreScan
Appendix B
Features Summary:
There are a number of features in this release of PreScan
that are not completely intuitive. These include the
capability of running it locally and, in the registered
version, the ability to scan by indivdual days, as well as
daily.
To run PreScan locally, from the command line type:
PRESCAN B0 <ENTER>
This will run PreScan in a stand alone mode locally.
To implement the individual scans (including daily), the
PRESCAN.BAT file must be created in the same manner as the
example given previously. This will ensure that all the
days are accounted for, and that after each individual days
worth of users packets have been created it will create
those whose packets are "daily" packets.
After the PRESCAN.BAT file has been created in this manner,
an event must be created that will exits with a specific
errorlevel. This can be done in Front Door, Wildcat,
and many of the other mailers and BBS packages around.
Call the PRESCAN.BAT file by calling it from CAT.BAT (or
other batch file) in the following manner:
PRESCAN.BAT
The PRESCAN.BAT file, if created correctly, will handle the
rest.