synchro.net

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ synchro.net / synchro.net.tar / synchro.net / modem.madness / SMMPROG / TPASM95.ZIP / TPASM.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1993-06-01 | 19.3 KB | 397 lines

------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | | | TPASM Version 0.95ß | | | | TPA System Manager | | | | For | | | | PCBoard Doors & Utilities | | | | | | TPASM (C) Copyright 1992, 1993 Gary Meeker | | | | 725-C Old Norcross Road | | Lawrenceville, GA 30245 | | | | BBS -- (404) 962-1788 (V.32bis) | | | | June, 1, 1993 | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------ TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ----------------- ---- INTRODUCTION ------------ 1.0 What Is TPASM 2 1.1 Disclaimer & Warranty 2 1.2 About the Author 2 RUNNING TPASM ------------- 2.0 Where to place the files 3 2.1 How to use TPASM 3 2.2 The future of TPASM 5 2.3 How to obtain updates 5 2.4 Revision History 6 2.5 Registration 6 2.6 Acknowledgments 6 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 2 TPASM Page 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.0 What is TPASM -------------------- TPASM is a System Manager for Third Party Applications installed in PCBoard's USERS.INF file. It is designed to allow Door and Utility Authors to create a control file to allow the Sysop to edit various parameters of the Door or Utility for each User, much the same way PCBSM allows the Sysop to edit the standard User record. It also allows the Sysop to move conferences around by swapping up to 15 pairs of conferences and swaps message pointers and all flags for the standard PCBoard Users record as well as the swapping the TPA Dynamic area for each TPA area installed. The CNAMES.@@@ records are swapped. For PCBoard 15.0 CNAMES.ADD records are also swapped. 1.1 Disclaimer & Warranty -------------------------- TPASM is a shareware product. TPASM may be uploaded to BBS systems as long as copyright notices are not removed and no changes are made to the program. There are no warranties, expressed or implied, for unregistered copies of TPASM. Sysops who install TPASM on their systems assume any and all liabilities for anything which may result as a consequence of running TPASM. For registered copies of TPASM, Gary Meeker warrants that TPASM will perform as described in this documentation. In the event that TPASM does not perform as specified, then I may elect to fix TPASM or refund the amount paid, if notified within 30 days of registration. I shall not be liable for any damages, whether direct, indirect, special or consequential arising from a failure of this program to operate in the manner desired by the user. I shall not be liable for any damage to data or property which may be caused directly or indirectly by the use of this program. IN NO EVENT WILL I BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. PCBoard is a registered trademark of Clark Development Co. Inc. 1.2 About the author --------------------- I have been programming for fifteen, starting with my first IMSAI 8080 home built computer. Most of my programming experience has been in assembly and BASIC (QuickBasic most often) although I have done some work in Turbo Pascal. I have written inventory control programs and order processing systems for a couple of clients. I started my BBS in 1986 as a Technical Support BBS for the company I work for, but it quickly became a public BBS and I started writing utilities to assist me in it's operation (PCBoard 10.0) and wrote a utility to convert all the files over when I upgraded to PCBoard 14.x. A few of the Utilities I have written or had a hand in modifying are CL-PRINT, ANSI.COM (ANSIPCB.COM) and CALLS.EXE. This is my first experience with releasing SHAREWARE and I hope it will be a good experience. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 3 TPASM Page 3 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.0 What directory do the files need to be in? ----------------------------------------------- TPASM needs a few files to run properly. First, it needs PCBOARD.DAT to locate the other PCBoard files. If a path is given on the command line TPASM will first look in that directory for the file, then it will look in the current directory for the file (as with all files). Failing to find it there, it will check the Environment for PCBDAT and if present it will use the FileSpec returned to locate the file. If that fails, also, then it will check the Environment for PCBDRIVE and PCBDIR and test again for the file. If the file can not be found then an error message will be printed and the program will terminate. Second, the PCBoard file PCBSM.CLR is used to define the colors for TPASM, which is designed with the look and feel of PCBSM and uses the same color scheme you have designated. In order to perform it's real magic though, TPASM needs to find a .TPA control file for each TPA to be viewed/edited which defines to TPASM what fields are present and their data types, etc. TPASM will check the current directory and if not present will check the home directory from which the program loaded. A future version of TPASM will most likely have a .CFG file to define directories. The other file(s) TPASM will require are TPASM.KEY and a .KEY file for each TPA area to be viewed/edited. For a fully registered copy of TPASM, only a TPASM.KEY file will be required. Optionally, the Author of a Door or Utility might want to include TPASM with his/her program, rather than write a separate such program. A .KEY file will be included with this copy of TPASM that enables viewing/editing of that TPA area, but not others. 2.1 How do I use TPASM? ------------------------ After executing the program, you will be in the Main Menu. From here you select the main features of TPASM. To make a selection from the menu you may use press the Letter shown in the first column or you may use the cursor keys or TAB key to highlight the desired selection and press the ENTER key. Some selections will not be available (depending on registration type) and will be displayed in a different color to indicate that the selection is not available. > Select "User Info File TPA Maintenance" to view/edit the TPA area of an application. You will then be shown a menu of the TPA areas that are installed in your USERS.INF file. Those that are available for viewing/editing will be shown in a different color from those that are not. You will not be allowed to select those that are not able to be viewed/edited. There must be a .TPA definition file for each TPA area (and a .KEY file for unregistered versions) before TPASM can know how to handle the TPA area. After selecting a TPA area you will see a screen very much like the PCBSM screen for editing each Users record. Many of the same functions for moving from record to record are available and on screen directions are shown. NOTE: In this Beta release, Editing is not complete and only the Static portion definitions are worked out. Since there are no TPA definition files though, this is not important yet. TPA definition files for PCBoards PSA installations are included so you can play with editing these screens if you are running PCBoard 15.0 already. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 4 TPASM Page 4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > Select "Edit TPA Definition File" to view/edit the TPA definition files. You will then be shown a menu of the TPA areas that are installed in your USERS.INF file. In this Beta release, that is the only portion of the function completed. In a future release this will allow Door & Utility Authors to create the TPA file. Sysops might be allowed to change the file, but only the display position and label portion of it. The actual parameters will only be edited and displayed to the program author for his/her TPA area(s). > Select "Swap Conferences" to rearrange your conferences. This is the number one feature currently in demand, and it is the reason for the Beta release of this program. After making the selection, you will presented with a screen in which you may enter up to 15 conference pairs to be swapped. You may move around the screen using the cursor and TAB keys and after entering all the conferences desired, press the PgDn key to start the process. You will be first prompted for confirmation and if you left any lines blank, lines below that will be moved up to fill the vacant slots. The program will then swap the CNAMES.@@@ records for the conferences. Then it will process each User Record and the User Record number will be displayed at the top right of the screen. For PCBoard 15.0 CNAMES.ADD records will also be swapped. CAUTIONS: Make backups of your CNAMES, CNAMES.@@@, CNAMES.ADD, USERS & USERS.INF files. I have tested the program thoroughly, but anything could go wrong or power loss during the program could result in a loss of these files. The program reads/ writes directly to these files. The Users Last In Conference value will also be swapped if they were in one of the two conferences involved. > Select "Copy Conferences" to Copy conferences instead of swapping. The conference data will be copied from one conference to another. The Users Last In Conference value will be set to 0 if they were in the destination conference and not changed if they were in the source conference. > Select "Move Conferences" to Move conferences instead of swapping. The conference data will be moved from one conference to another and the source conference will then be blanked. The Users Last In Conference value will be set to 0 if they were in the destination conference and will be changed to the destination if they were in the source conference. > Select "Swap Conference Range" to swap a range of conferences. Conferences from a starting point to an ending point will be Swapped with conferences starting from a specified point. > Select "Copy Conference Range" to copy a range of conferences. Conferences from a starting point to an ending point will be Copied to conferences starting from a specified point. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 5 TPASM Page 5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > Select "Move Conference Range" to move a range of conferences. Conferences from a starting point to an ending point will be Moved to conferences starting from a specified point. This allows Inserting and Deleting conferences by moving conferences up or down. Example: Given 200 conferences defined in PCBSETUP, to insert 10 conferences at number 50 you would specify moving conferences 50-190 to 60-200. Given 200 conferences defined in PCBSETUP, to delete 10 conferences at number 50 you would specify moving conferences 60-200 to 50-190. TPASM will move them in reverse order if the Target range starting point is within the range to move. (The same applies for swap & copy). > Select "Zero Message Pointers to zero out LMR pointers in conferences. Only the Last Message Read pointers will be affected. 2.2 What is the future of TPASM? --------------------------------- Additional features are planned. * Conference Clearing, this will allow simple clearing of the TPA area and message pointers/flags portion of the standard PCBoard record. CNAMES.@@@ & CNAMES.ADD will not be cleared as I don't see the need to do so. * Completion of TPA definition file creating/editing for use by program Authors, then for use by Sysops. * Completion of User File maintenance to include conference areas and more data types as they arise. Input from Authors will be needed to determine these types. I am depending on the support from Authors who have a need for this type of program to define the structures that need to be supported. 2.3 How will I get updates? ---------------------------- Updates will be available directly from my BBS and will be posted on other fine BBSES as soon as version 1.00 is released. Beta versions will only be posted on my BBS. The .KEY files will only available from my BBS after registration is received. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 6 TPASM Page 6 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.4 Revision history --------------------- Date Version Details -------- ------- ------- 03-27-92 0.90ß TPASM initial Beta release. 04-07-92 0.91ß TPASM second Beta Release. Wasn't finding PCBOARD.DAT from environment Error in USER.INF file reading/writing - forgot LastMsgs pointers were LONG Int- big oops Changed to /AH & Far Array's to extend conference handling. 04-13-92 0.92ß TPASM third Beta Release. PCBOARD.DAT was being read improperly if any line being skipped over contained a comma. Fixed. Added Conference Copy & Move features. Put creating CNAMES back into code at exit from program instead of doing it at each change. It's still slower than PCBSETUP. 04-14-92 0.93ß TPASM fourth Beta Release. I failed to test it with less than 40 conferences and it issued an error with less than 40. Also if NO TPA's were defined it would issue an error. 12/17/92 0.94ß TPASM fifth Beta Release- Added Last Message Pointer Zero feature 06/01/93 0.95ß TPASM sixth Beta Release. Added conference range Swap, Move & Copy features Added Support for more TPA definitions & PCBoard 15.0 PSA definitions. Added PCBoard 15.0 compatibility using CNAMES.ADD Removed text CNAMES generation as PCBoard 15.0's PCBSETUP does not read this file any longer. 2.5 Registering TPASM ---------------------- TPASM is not free software. TPASM should be registered no later than 30 days after installation. Registration is $25.00 and may be paid by check or money order. Refer to the enclosed file ORDER.FRM for complete registration instructions. 2.6 Acknowledgments -------------------- Appreciation and many thanks are in order for the following people: * David Terry and the entire staff at Clark Development Co.