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1992-02-02
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Wildcat-HSlink utility. (c) 1992 Karl Schneider
8505 Woodwick Ct.
Tampa, FL 33615
813-884-9661 voice days/eves
" " " BBS midnight to 0700 EST
For WILDCAT 3.x+(c) and HSLINK(c) 14.4 HST
>>> PLEASE READ THIS FILE CAREFULLY BEFORE/WHILE INSTALLING. <<<
>>> ALSO, PLEASE SEE THE READ.ME FILE IN THIS ARCHIVE <<<
These files should be in WCHSLINK.ZIP:
DESC.SDI Description for automatic desc progs like AUTODESC
HISTORY Revision history of WCHSLINK, latest listed first
POSTCALL.BAT Sample POSTCALL file
RH.BAT Sample UPload batch file
SH.BAT Sample DOWNload batch file
WC3UTILS.LST List of all my WC3 utility programs
WCHS.DOC This Document/Instruction file
WCHSCK.EXE Program to test for uncompleted HSLINK transfers
WCHSD.EXE Download converter program
WCHSU1.EXE Upload converter program #1
WCHSU2.EXE Upload converter program #2
QBEW.ZIP Utilities to let Qmodem's BEW work with HSLINK, DSZ, etc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareware release: This version ONLY SUPPORTS COM1 AND COM2.* The
REGISTERED version supports COM3 and up, is DESQview optimized **,
offers a few more features such as the ability to automatically create
a USERx.BBS notice to anyone who fails to complete (add file descrip-
tions, etc.) after a Bidirectional HSLINK transfer. Note, however,
the programs in this release are NOT CRIPPLED, have no 'time-bombs',
and do not write any 'secret' files or write into any existing Wildcat
or other system or program files. See 'REGISTRATION' at the end of
this file.
* If you use COM3 or COM4 with 'standard' addresses and IRQs, the
program may work properly. Try it and see.
** This version will run fine in DV, but is not optimized for it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HSLINK (c) is a widely distributed and frequently updated Beta of a bi-
directional (as well as one-way) high speed file transfer protocol writ-
ten by Samuel Smith. The first non-Beta versioin has just been re-
leased as HSLINK10.ZIP (1/14/92). If you plan to offer this protocol, be
sure to try to keep the latest version installed. Note that HSLINK
does not perform very well on a USR HST modem, since its backchannel
is slow...but it _will_ work. Some comments have been floating around
saying it can NOT be used with an HST but that's not correct.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The programs in this archive will enable you to use HSLINK for
regular (one-way) *AND BIDIRECTIONAL* transfers to and from your Wildcat
3.x+ BBS. The implementation is not quite 'perfect' in that it requires
your users to perform ONE ADDITIONAL STEP after doing a two-way
transfer. It is, however, quite simple, and the users are CLEARLY
INSTRUCTED how to go about it by the enclosed program WCHSD.EXE.
>> Please read these instructions carefully---the setup is NOT
>> complicated, but it MUST be followed properly. You MUST USE the
>> directory paths specified in the included .BAT files for the programs
>> to work correctly!
First, let me explain how your users will do a BIDIRECTIONAL file
transfer. The first step is just as explained in the HSLink Documents;
that is, the user picks the file(s) he wishes to DOWNload from the Files
Menu as usual, chooses [H]slink (or whatever letter you have set up
in Makewild), and when Wildcat instructs him to begin the download,
he initiates an UPLOAD using HsLink from his usual COMM program, after
telling it what file(s) to SEND (upload) to your BBS.
HSLINK will perform the transfers, and when it is finished, your SH.BAT
file (or whatever it's named) will call the program WCHSD.EXE which
will check to see if HSLINK RECEIVED any files (UPloads to your sys-
tem, that is)...and if so, will instruct the user to COMPLETE THE
OPERATION by entering [U] from the Files menu when it reappears, then
selecting HSLink and WAIT for the prompts: 'Do you wish to password
protect this file', 'Enter Description', and so forth. He will be
told NOT TO INITIATE ANOTHER UPLOAD AT THAT TIME - ONLY TO WAIT FOR
THE PROMPTS ASKING FOR THE FILE INFORMATION!
You will see this same message on your BBS screen. The user will
have 30 seconds to 'press a key', which should be sufficient to under-
stand the instructions. If he does not press a key, Wildcat will
restart anyway after 30 secs.
After descriptions, etc. have been entered for all files, WILDCAT will
go through the normal SCANFILE testing routine for the uploads, just
as in a NORMAL UPLOAD. (Since you probably use something like ZIPLAB (c),
CATSCAN (c), etc. Note that AUTODESC, my automatic description in-
serting program, DOES function properly in this procedure).
Here are some possible problems that may arise:
1. The user attempts to UPLOAD files again after the HSLINK
transfer is complete. This will result in incoming binary
data which will probably cause WILDCAT to do who knows what.
You have all seen this...different menus coming up, etc. etc...
caused, of course, by a protocol sending (usually compressed) data
not intended to answer prompts from Wildcat or be inserted into
file descriptions. If, however, he DOES finish the pro-
cedure properly, he can then successfully upload and/or download
more files using any supported protocol.
This will not cause any serious problem, but the uploads may
be lost, have wrong descriptions, or the user may just get
frightened by the furious activity caused by sending nonsense to
Wildcat, and hang up. I suggest posting a bulletin or Hello
screen with some instructions for doing HSLink transfers.
2. The user fails to complete the transfer procedure...that is,
does not select [U]pload and enter the information for the files
he has already sent.
(Note that this works a little differently with WC 3.01 and 3.02:
In 3.01, it will 'accept' the 'uploads', THEN ask for the 'pass-
word', 'description', etc. With 3.02, it will want this infor-
mation FIRST---and then will complete the 'upload'...and will
function normally even if more files are found than were described!)
If he LOGS OFF BEFORE DOING THIS (Actually, he can EXIT THE FILES
MENU and do OTHER THINGS, then come BACK and do the 'Upload' just
fine!), the HS uploads will be moved into a designated 'hold'
directory and a note will be put into the appropriate ACTIVITY.00x
log file notifying you that he did not complete the procedure.
You can do whatever you like with the uploaded files afterwards;
they will be intact in your 'hold' directory.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK....now how to set all this up?
Let's take it step by step -- (5 steps) - you gotta do 'em all!
1. Starting from your Wildcat HOME directory, in DOS, type the
following:
md wcwork\node#\ep\temp
Replace the '#' above with the NODE NUMBER you are installing
this package in.
If you are installing it in more than 1 node, REPEAT the above
command with the appropriate node numbers.
If you have NEVER installed EXTERNAL PROTOCOLS, you may get a DOS
message like 'unable to create directory'. In this case you will
probably need to first enter:
md wcwork\node#\ep
^same as above for the Node #
To create the \ep directory, then create the \temp dir under \ep
as above.
2. Now put all 4 of the .EXE files in this archive (WCHSD.EXE,
WCHSU1.EXE, WCHSU2.EXE, and WCHSCK.EXE) someplace in your DOS
PATH.
3. Be sure your WCNODEID= Environment variable is properly set
for each node using this package. (page 278 in my manual).
THIS IS REQUIRED.
4. Set up HSLINK as an External Protocol in Makewild. I use SH.BAT
as the Download (Send) batch file, and RH.BAT for UPloads (Receive).
Set 'batch transfers' to Yes.
Sample batch files are included in this archive. Make them
EXACTLY AS SHOWN in the included examples except as noted below.
Remember that these batch files go in your Wildcat HOME DIRECTORY.
Here are copies:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
REM THIS IS SH.BAT
REM download from Wildcat 3.x+
HSLINK -P%2 -E%4 -A -R -HS -NV -Uc:\wc30\wcwork\node%WCNODEID%\ep\temp %5
if errorlevel 1 goto bad
goto ok
:bad
copy d:\wc30\all.ok transfer.bad
goto end
:ok
wchsd %1 %2
:end
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
You will need to adjust the pathnames in lines 3 and 7
depending on your WC setup drive\dir, etc. Check the HS Docs for
info on the HSLINK command line parameters. Take out the REMs and/or
add 'echo off' at the top, if you prefer. Be sure you have an 'ALL.OK'
file in the proper place (or, you can use another existing file
pathname, just so WILDCAT can detect a TRANSFER.BAD file in the \ep
directory when a transfer fails).
===========================================================================
REM THIS IS RH.BAT
REM upload to Wildcat 3.x+
wchsu1
if errorlevel 1 goto skip
hslink -P%2 -E%4 -A -R -HS -NV -Ud:\wc30\wcwork\node%WCNODEID%\ep
goto end
:skip
wchsu2
:end
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The only changes that will be needed here are the paths to your \ep
directory. Refer to the HS Docs for further info.
Ditto as above for SH.BAT concerning REMs and 'echo off', etc.
===========================================================================
5. Create or edit a POSTCALL.BAT file, in your WC HOME DIRECTORY to
contain the following line:
wchsck c:wc30\hold
^^|^^^^^^^^
This is the drive\directory where UNCOMPLETED HSLINK
UPLOADS are to be MOVED to. A note in your ACTIVITY.00x
file will inform you when this is done. If the directory
does not exist, WCHSCK will create it for you. Note that
the files will NOT BE IN YOUR WILDCAT FILES DATABASE and
the user who sent them will NOT BE CREDITED FOR THEM!
End of Installation steps.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTES:
Regular Downloads and Uploads (One-way transfers) are handled in
the normal way...NO extra steps are required for the user.
In summary, the only thing different required of the USER is:
After doing a BIDIRECTIONAL transfer, he needs to do [U]pload
from the [F]iles Menu, select [H]Slink, and simply WAIT (just a few
seconds) until Wildcat asks for the 'password protect', 'Description',
etc. The WCHSD program will specifically instruct him to do this.
No special procedures are required for you, the SYSOP, other than
monitoring your 'hold' directory for 'uncompleted' uploads, and possibly
communicating with the uploader to explain the correct procedure. If
you choose to register this program, you will get another quick little
program that will automatically create a USERx.BBS file for anyone who
fails to complete the file descriptions, etc.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This package is running on several 3.01 and 3.02 systems and so far has
not produced any problems, but as with any software that must run in
many different environments, some bugs are possible. I make no war-
ranties that these programs will perform properly in all installations,
and welcome any bug reports or suggestions.
REGISTRATION:
This package may be used for a reasonable period not to exceed 30
days from its installation for evaluation. If you continue to use
it afterward, a $10 registration to the above address is required.
A payment of $25 or more will constitute registration to this package
PLUS ALL of my other WC3 utilities! Registration of course entitles
you to full phone/bbs support and even customization you may wish,
within reason. Thank you!
-eof-