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Pete & clyde's 4D Point System REFERENCE MANUAL Revision 1.26 25/06/92 ▄▄ █ █ █ █ ██▀▀▀▄▄ █ █ ██ ▀▀▄▄ █▄▄▄▄▄█▄▄ ██ █ █ ██ ▄▄▀▀ █ ██ ▄▄▀▀ █ ▀▀▀ Chief Design Consultant: Paul J. Henry Project Conception: Peter G. Zion Goofy Illustrations: Mr. I-don't-want-my-name-in-this-document This documentation and the P&c4DPS are Copyright(c) 1991, 1992 CPU Productions. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT RIGHTS ARE CONSIDERED TO ENCOMPASS THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE OF THE P&c4DPS PACKAGE, AND ANY BATCH OR EXECUTABLE PROGRAM EXPLICITLY DECLARED AS HAVING BEEN WRITTEN BY CPU PRODUCTIONS (CPU). COPYRIGHT RIGHTS IN THIS INSTANCE DO NOT INCLUDE ANY THIRD PARTY EXECUTABLES. CPU MAKES NO CLAIM TO WARRANTY OR RIGHTS WITH REGARD TO ANY THIRD PARTY EXECUTABLES. REGISTRATION OF THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES REGISTRATION OF THE ENCLOSED CPU EXECUTABLES, BATCH FILES AND ANY OTHER EXPLICIT CPU DATA STRUCTURES. REGISTRATION DOES NOT INCLUDE, NOR DOES IT IMPLY REGISTRATION OF THE THIRD PARTY EXECUTABLES INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE. This is a Canadian Product eh. Page 1 Table of Contents ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ CREDITS ...page 1 KUDOS ...page 2 WARRANTY ...page 2 SETUP ...page 3 RUNNING THE CONFIGURATION PROGRAM ...page 3 - the point setup ...page 3 - the areas selection menu ...page 4 - setting up the files ...page 4 - on-line help ...page 5 POLLING YOUR BOSSNODE ...page 5 RUNNING THE MESSAGE EDITOR ...page 5 MAINTAINING YOUR DIRECTORIES ...page 6 ERRORS ...page 6 APPENDICES ...page 7 - FIDONET(tm) ...page 7 - future releases ...page 8 - technical specs ...page 9 - registration ...page 10 CREDITS ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Documentation: Was written using QEdit Advanced v2.1 Copyright(c) 1985-90 Applied Systems Technologies Inc. Licence: Concept from Microsoft Canada's Canadian Licence Agreement Copyright(c) 1991 Microsoft Corporation. CONFIG-4D / LPR / RMRENUM: Were written using Borland Turbo C v2.01 Copyright(c) 1988 Borland International. FOSSIL: BNU Revision 5 FOSSIL v1.70 Copyright(c) 1989 David Nugent. VFOSSIL: VFOS_IBM VFOSSIL v1.10 Copyright(c) 1988 Spark Software, Inc. Mailer: BinkleyTerm v2.50 Copyright(c) 1987-91 Bit Bucket Software,Co. Mail Processor: Squish(tm) v1.01 Copyright(c) 1990-92 Scott J. Dudley. Message Reader: GoldEd(tm) v2.40. Copyright(c) 1990-92 Odinn Sorensen. On-line HELP processor: HELP v1.42 Copyright(c) 1990-91 OVERERX Inc. Internal Archive Software: LHarc version 1.13c Copyright(c) Haruyasu Yoshizaki, 1988-89 LHarc's SFX 1.13S (c) Yoshi, 1989. CONFIG-4D, LPR, RMRENUM and the P&c4DPS are Copyright(c) 1991, 1992 CPU Productions. All rights reserved. This is a Canadian product eh. "ClydeWare" and "ClydeWare is Environmentally Friendly!" are trademarks of CPU Productions. Copyright(c) 1990. Page 2 Kudos ▀▀▀▀▀ We would also like to thank: Kevin Dean for use of his proprietary code in CONFIG-4D. Robert Kline for his WINDOWS package. Coca-Cola Ltd. and the Humpty Dumpty potato chip people. Scott J. "Scooter" Dudley just for being there! <evil grin> (No, seriously, thanks Scoot!) WARRANTY ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ In order to preserve and protect its rights under applicable laws, CPU Productions (hereinafter called CPU) does not sell its rights to CPU software. Rather, CPU grants the right to use CPU software by means of a SOFTWARE LICENCE. CPU specifically retains title to all CPU software. CPU SOFTWARE LICENCE You, the end-user (hereinafter called the licencee) are granted a non-exclusive right to use this software on a a trial basis to determine if this software meets your needs. If it does not, all copies are to be destroyed. Please see the registration section of this document for further information on receiving a licenced copy of this software package. This software and the accompanying written materials are copyrighted. Unauthorized copying of any kind is expressly forbidden. You will be held legally responsible for any copyright infringement which may come about as a result of your violation of this licence. You may physically or electronically transfer the software from one location to another for purposes of proliferation. You are encouraged to upload this software to local BBS's or file servers, provided all files included in the distribution archive are included at the time of transfer. You may not modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works based on this software. You may not alter, change, or otherwise transform the written materials that accompany this software. This licence is governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario, and the government of the Dominion of Canada, and shall benefit CPU Productions, its successors and assigns. THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING WRITTEN MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. CPU PRODUCTIONS DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY CLAIMS REGARDING THE USE OR EFFECTS OF THIS SOFTWARE IN TERMS OF CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR PURPOSE. THE USER ASSUMES ALL RISKS. IF THIS SOFTWARE IS DEFECTIVE, YOU, AND NOT CPU PRODUCTIONS ASSUME ALL COSTS FOR ANY NECESSARY SERVICING OR REPAIR. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. Page 3 SETUP ▀▀▀▀▀ 1. Create a directory on C: called POINT. 2. Copy all of the files from the distribution archives into that directory, taking care to overwrite the BNU, GOLD, BT, VIBM, and SQUISH archive defaults with the changed files found in the P&c archive. 3. Sit down and relax. RUNNING THE CONFIGURATION PROGRAM ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ To begin the configuration program type: CONFIG C at the command line. CONFIG presents a screen that looks like this: ┌────────────────────────────────── MESSAGES ──────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔════ « CONFIGURATION PROGRAM FOR Pete & clyde's 4D Point System » ═════╗ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ Configure Point ║ ║ Configure Areas ║ ║ Setup Files ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ -> Quit <- ║ ║ ║ ║ Select item using <up><dn> keys.... ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ CONFIG-4D Copyright(c) 1991 CPU Productions. All rights reserved. ║ ║ Version 1.31 Compiled: 03/12/91 under DOS 5.0 <F1 HELP> ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ The MESSAGES window will contain any error messages that CONFIG-4D thinks you need to know about. In the main window, you are given three options: CONFIGURE POINT CONFIGURE AREAS SETUP FILES Each one of these areas will be dealt with separately. 1. CONFIGURE POINT This section is pretty simple: Fill in the blanks. COM: Your COM port BAUD: Your MAX baud Prefix: Either ATDT or ATDP Name of Point: Be creative Your Name: Look on birth certificate MaxMsgs: Maximum number of messages to keep per area Page 4 These items you will have to ask your BOSS about: ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐ BOSSPASS //..........│________________________________________│ ADDRESS //...........│________________________________________│ BOSS ADDRESS //......│________________________________________│ PACKING //...........│________________________________________│ PHONE //.............│________________________________________│ └────────────────────────────────────────┘ Fill in the info here for reference! 2. CONFIGURE AREAS These options are available in this section: ESC to quit <up><dn> to select the echotag <Home><End> selects the beg/end of the list <CR> brings up the edit menu for that tag <A> adds a blank line onto the end of the list (MAX: 20) <D> deletes the currently highlighted tag The list of areas are contained in a file called AREAS.P&C. EchoMail needs three things: a TAG: in ALL caps (up to 20 characters long) talk to your BOSS about valid ECHOTAGS a DESCRIPTION: this is where you tell yourself what the echo is about a SQUISH FILE: Squish(tm) takes care of this when needed, but if you delete the area, you need to delete the files yourself (This is done so that you don't accidentally hurt yourself.) Remember also that when you create the areas, you still have to run the setup option from the main menu in order to create the needed files. 3. SETUP FILES This section requires nothing from you! All you do is select the option, and hope that all goes well. If not, a message will appear in the MESSAGES window. 4. On-line help From any window, you can get help instantly by pressing the <F1> key. The on-line help facility also allows you to save your own notes on each topic as well as presenting a general info area where you can put messages that you can access from any help menu. (Like specifications for instance.) Page 5 POLLING YOUR BOSSNODE ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ In order to poll your BOSS node, run: POLL.BAT This file looks like: @BNU /r4096 /t4096 @BT Mail @BNU /UN @if exist c:\point\netfile\*.* SQUISH IN @seterr 0>nul: What this does is run the FOSSIL, load Binkley(tm), poll your BOSS node, and if it receives any mail, process it. RUNNING THE MESSAGE EDITOR ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ When you receive mail, you need to run a message editor in order to read and reply/enter messages. This is done with the GOLD.BAT file. This file looks like: @golded @if errorlevel 8 goto error @if errorlevel 2 goto process @goto exit :process @SQUISH OUT squash LINK -fechotoss.log :exit @seterr 0 > Nul: @if exist *.bak del *.bak :error @echo First, GoldEd(tm) is run, which scans all available message areas for new mail. When you exit, it processes mail you entered, and deletes all extraneous backup files. All of the GoldEd(tm) functions are documented in the GOLDED.DOC file included in the DOCS archive. You can also change the GOLDED.TPL file when you receive the package. This file is the template and controls the default 'look' of your messages. You can change it using QEdit(tm). As well, should you wish to, you can enable the FIDOUSER.LST feature, or the NODELIST lookup feature. This is a look-up system that makes sending netmail easier. When you type in the name, GoldEd will look up the address for you. To do this, you need to have an active nodelist. Get this from your BOSS, in addition to the other files you'll need. GoldEd(tm) has its own nodelist processor, called GOLDNODE. Check the Documentation to find out how to use it. Page 6 MAINTAINING YOUR DIRECTORIES ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ CONFIG-4D will create any necessary directories and files, but if you delete any Echoareas, you need to delete the Squish File for that area. To do this you type: DEL MSG\<Squish_Area>.* Squish will automatically delete messages over 150. To change this number see the MaxMsgs keyword in the Point config section. There is also a DELLOG.BAT file in the package that allows you to quickly delete the Binkley(tm) and Squish(tm) log files. SQPACK.EXE should be run at least once a week to free up space in the Squish Areas. The syntax is: SQPACK MSG\* As well, we recommend that you run CHKDSK once and a while as rapid file creation/deletion tends to leave wandering allocation units. This is much the same effect as when you walk into a university pub and shout "FREE BEER!". ERRORS ▀▀▀▀▀▀ There are a few errors that can crop up, so watch for them. 1. CONFIG-4D: Errorlevels and messages 0 SUCCESS 1 SOME PROBLEM: USUALLY FILE RELATED. Check the MESSAGES window. 69 A VIRUS PROBLEM: Contact us for help with cleaning your HD. "This program requires Microsoft Windows." Ha Ha Ha <evil grin> READ YOUR DOCS. (I kill me!) "This program is designed to be executed in the C:\POINT directory." This is self-explanatory. "Cannot open <filename> for read. Aborting." CONFIG-4D was unable to find a file it needed to open. Go and find out where it went! CONFIG-4D will only create its configuration file. Any other files will have to already exist for CONFIG-4D to use them. 2. All other EXEs Check the documentation for errorlevels and if an error occurs, consult the log files for each program for a detailed description of the problem. 3. Shell errors Errors sometimes occur when the programs attempt to shell out to perform some function. Squish(tm) for example, will not shell to ARJ when it is run within the Shell program. Go out and buy a 486 with 16M on-line and this problem will be solved. Page 7 APPENDIX I: FIDONET FIDONET is an international amateur network run by pompous goons. (Sorry.) FIDONET is a network that allows users to interchange messages and files. This is done through something called the MATRIX or the WEB. Plainly put, the MATRIX is a bunch of computers strung together. These computers call each other _every_ bloody day, and exchange mail packets. (Beware of fast talking modems.) These computers identify each other by means of an ADDRESS. An ADDRESS consists of four parts (hence 4D [groovy eh?]) : ZONE signifying a geographic area like North America. Looks like 1: NET signifying a grouping in an area like Kingston. Looks like 249/ NODE signifying a single system in the NET. Looks like 69 POINT this is you -- an associated computer. Looks like .1 The BBS that you badger (Umm... ask politely) to let you poll off of is called your BOSS node. Your BOSS will assign your POINT number, as well as any passwords that may be required. In addition, they will tell you what packing program they are using (ZIP,ARJ,ARC etc). Get them on the phone while you set this up. It makes it easier. POLLing simply means that you call a BBS using Binkley(tm). FIDONET "mail" consists of two kinds: MATRIX or private mail ECHOMAIL These are message areas where you can leave messages for other people. Remember: everyone who reads the echo can read the mail you post here. Examples of EchoMail areas are KUBCAR249, MUFFIN and C_ECHO. Check with your BOSS to see what echos you can participate in. A NODELIST is simply a computer generated list of the NODES in the NET. It is used by Binkley(tm) and other mailer programs. There is no reason why you should have to contact any other Fido Node other than your boss. (There are exceptions, such as F/req'ing.) "Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of Fido Software, Box 77731, San Francisco CA 94107, USA. Page 8 APPENDIX II: FUTURE RELEASES You can expect a new version at some point in time that makes more use of colour and pop-down windows. I started designing CONFIG-4D as a GUI, but because of time constraints, I didn't get around to designing my own windows package (go figure eh!). Until then you'll have to put up with the scroll speed as is.... Don't even think about mouse support. A GUI was far enough. As well, FIDONET is in the middle of deciding what it wants to do with pointnodes. 5D addressing is also in the works, but currently I've only seen Binkley(tm) use it. (zone:net/node.pt@domain) Putting points into the nodelist would seem, to me at least, to be a bit of a pain. We'll be coming out with something that edits the nodelist to include points, so that point polling and nodelist look-ups can be done easier. As well, David Nugent is coming out with a more dynamic version of BNU that has the video functions built-in as well as several other features. Look for a new release of P&c shortly after. Page 9 APPENDIX III: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR CONFIG-4D Requirements: 1 test tube 1 small nuclear reactor 1 day-old doughnut OOPS! Wrong Technical Specifications! Here goes: These are the configuration files that CONFIG-4D manipulates: BINKLEY.CFG Used by Binkley(tm) GOLDED.CFG Used by GoldEd(tm) ROUTE.CFG Tells mail processor how to send mail SQUISH.CFG Used by Squish(tm) CONFIG.P&C List of point specs AREAS.P&C List of areas and their descriptions These are the extra files that CONFIG-4D will look for: NO_TEST.P&C Causes Config-4D to not place test echos at the end of the GoldEd echolist (can be zero length) ALIAS.P&C Adds aliases to GoldEd(tm) (1 alias per line) CONFIG-4D was written on a 386-33 with lots of memory and a 52M Quantum HD running MS-DOS 5.0. You don't need one of these to run it (not yet...) but it helps. CONFIG-4D makes backup files with the extension PSV of any file that it changes. (eg. BINKLEY.PSV). If at any time it encounters an error, it will abort with the PSV files intact. You are invited to figure out the options in each configuration (CFG) file and change them. I suggest you read the documentation for Binkley(tm), GoldEd(tm) and Squish(tm) before you do this however. This way you can set your own colours and other neat stuff (like pagebar in GoldEd(tm)). Source code is available from the author at the address listed below, for a horrendous sum (I might add). You are invited to try and bribe me however. CONFIG-4D has been tested with DESQview(tm). It has also been tested with 4DOS and MS-DOS 5.0. It has NOT been tested on a Tandy or on a Nintendo. If you choose to run this program on a Nintendo, the author will take no responsibility for your hi-score, or lack thereof. The author suggests you eat high-fibre cereals in order to promote regularity. The author also suggests that you don't write docs while avoiding studying for your exams. They might get very silly. And you might start putting C code on your Ancient History exam. Not a good sign, I can tell you. Page 10 APPENDIX IV: REGISTRATION This package follows the ClydeWare(tm) principle. If you like it, use it (see below). If you don't, don't use it. Registration is easy! 1. Buy a stamp. 2. Fill out the form. 3. Put form in envelope, add stamp, and send away! The Form: NAME:────────────────────────────────────────────── ADDRESS:─────────────────────────────────────────── ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ANY OTHER STUFF: Send to: ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ C P U Productions │ │ c/o Paul J. Henry │ │ RR #2 Branchton ON │ │ NOB 1LO Canada │ ├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ Systems design, consulting, custom software and publishing │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ CONFIG-4D, LPR, RENUM and the P&c4DPS are Copyright(c) 1991, 1992 CPU Productions. All rights reserved. This is a Canadian product eh. "ClydeWare" and "ClydeWare is Environmentally Friendly!" are trademarks of CPU Productions. Copyright(c) 1990.