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- ╓──┐ ╓─┐ ╥──┐ ╥──┐ ╓──┐ ╓─┐
- ╟──┤ ╙─┐ ╟─┬┘ ─── ║ │ ║ │ ╙─┐ For Total On-line TBBS
- ╨ ┴ ╙──┘ ╨ ┴ ╨──┘ ╙──┘ ╙──┘ C O N T R O L !
- ────── Anywhere, Anytime ───────
-
- A PRODUCT OF ADVANCED SYSTEMS RESEARCH
- Copyright 1994 Advanced Systems Research
- Programmed by Alan McNamee
-
-
-
- ┌──────────┐
- │ OVERVIEW │
- └──────────┘
-
- ASR-DOS is the child of many years of working with TBBS systems remotely,
- and the frustrations that have been generated when the only way to
- perform an operation was to take the system down and spend hours
- walking someone on site through the DOS processes.
-
- This product was designed to allow the TBBS system to do what it does
- best, stay online! There have been so many times that I have had to
- take my system down when all of my lines were full, just to make a
- simple change to a .ctl file or to edit a pdir.
-
- This system gives you the ability to completely navigate and run your
- BBS without ever leaving the DOS prompt. After just a few hours of
- working in this environment, you'll find your systems menus to combersome
- and restrictive and realize that ASR-DOS is a partner in running a
- TBBS System.
-
- It is also very time consuming when you need to allow a user or co-sysop
- the ability to do certain system functions and have to provide that
- access through SDL and menus. With ASR-DOS, you can allow full or
- limited access to every feature and function of ASR-DOS. This means
- that you can allow access to DOS without worrying that maybe you gave
- up to much control.
-
- This version of ASR-DOS has 77 commands, all designed to allow the
- complete online operation of a TBBS System. With its User Command
- system, you can also create unlimited commands that can be used for
- the custom operation of your system.
-
- ASR-DOS is written in TDBS 1.2 and requires TDBS. Although it has
- been written in the TBBS Data Base Language, it delivers an unbelievably
- realistic look and feel of DOS.
-
-
- ┌──────────────┐
- │ INSTALLATION │
- └──────────────┘
-
- To install ASRDOS, create a directory for it and then edit the ADOS.SDL
- file for that path. Then compile ados.sdl and copy the menuados.ctl
- onto your tbbs machine in with your existing .ctl files. Also
- copy asrdos.* into your asrdos directory.
-
-
- (1)
- To execute ASRDOS, call ADOS with a type 5.
-
- Example:
-
- Entry:
- Key=D Type=5 Optdata=ADOS
-
-
-
- (2)
- If you plan on using the ANNOUNCE command, and you have the MONITOR TSR,
- you can then create and autoexecuting entry in your logon menus and
- place the following entry:
-
- Example:
-
- Entry:
- Key=^@ Type=200 Optdata=c:\tbbs\monitor\asrann /q
-
- NOTE: The ASRANN.TPG file MUST be placed in the same directory as the
- MONITOR TSR is in!
-
- (3)
- If you plan on using the ALERT command, and you have the MONITOR TSR,
- you can then create and autoexecuting entry in your logon menus and
- place the following entry:
-
- Example:
-
- Entry:
- Key=^@ Type=200 Optdata=c:\tbbs\monitor\asralrt /q
-
- Next, edit the ASRALRT.FIL file with a text editor and enter the user
- names of the users that you wish to have asrdos send logon alarms for.
-
- Example:
-
- :ALAN MCNAMEE:
- :PHIL BECKER:
- :TONYA HARDING:
- :MICHELLE PFEIFFER: (MY FAVORITE)
-
- Each name is prefixed and suffixed by the : character.
-
-
- NOTE: The ASRALRT.TPG and ASRALRT.FIL file MUST be placed in the same
- directory that the MONITOR TSR is in!
-
- Also, if you are using the ANNOUNCE command, ASRALRT MUST immediately
- follow the ASRANN sdl entry, this will cancel out the logon
- announcement in favor of the LOGON alarm that ASRALRT provides.
-
- Thats the entire installation requirement!
-
-
- ┌───────────┐
- │ OPERATION │
- └───────────┘
-
- For help with commands type HELP, this will display the following screen
- full of ASR-DOS commands:
-
- Commands supported under this DOS emulator are:
-
- ULEDIT WHO HEXEDIT HOME CLS VER DIR
- DEL ERASE REN RENAME MV MOVE FF
- FIND CD CHDIR MD MKDIR RD RMDIR
- COPY TYPE D U REMSYSOP TIME DATE
- HELP DOTBBS RUN RUNCTL RUNBAT EDIT PRINT
- DOSADM DOSKEY PAGE IGNORE TOUCH SYSCON SDL
- SDLDC DIAL FAX DBU TREE ZIP UNZIP
- CHAT MONITOR SET MORE ANSI GRAPHICS LOGOFF
- UCOMS DRVHST TIMS QSO PIMP SYSOM CLANG
- YELL PROTECT DRIVESP HIDE MC KILL MAIL
- PVTMSG IC ANNOUNCE TDBS ALERT BACKUP EXIT
-
- If you have created User Commands, the help screen will be followed
- by a display similiar to the following:
-
- User Commands: (UCOMS)
-
- DD EM ESOFT FM ASR BYE SM
- SU STATS UTILS
-
-
- For help with specific commands, type HELP {command}. This will
- display full screen help for that command and give all that that
- commands usage and syntax as in the following example:
-
- Command: SDL ASR-DOS HELP UTILITY
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- Syntax: SDL source {/M:name}
-
- SDL allows you to compile TBBS SDL code and produce CTL files while
- the system is running. This will allow you to modify your system
- while you are logged on remotely or on the local console.
-
- source = file spec of source file (.SDL assumed if .ext absent)
- /M:name = Compile only menu nnnn. Skip all other menu definitions in
- source and don't produce listings for them.
-
- Output: Individual MENUxxxx.CTL files placed in the
- current logged drive and directory.
-
- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
- F:\ASRDOS >
-
-
- After you have completed the installation, the use of the DOSADM command
- is recommended. This will allow you to further setup ASR-DOS for operation
- on your system. You may change the default colors, assign paths to other
- optional programs that ASR-DOS can run with and assign network drive
- mappings for the ZIP, UNZIP and TDBS commands. The DOSADM command can also
- be used to setup ASR-DOS account profiles for users or co-sysops that you
- wish to allow access but restrict the commands and operations that they
- may use.
-
- Because of the security issues of allowing users access to the DOS level
- of operation of your system, ASR-DOS does not have any associated
- datafiles in which is stores its configuration and access information.
-
- All setup and control information is written back into the ASRDOS.TPG file
- in an encrypted format. This means that the entire ASRDOS system needs
- only 1 file in order to run. Because of this, only a level 255 access
- may download a file called ASRDOS.TPG regardless of the access you have
- setup for the user in asrdos.
-
- Because of this internalizing storage method, updating ASR-DOS or
- reinstalling it would wipe out all of you configurations. ASR-DOS
- has 2 commands in the DOSADM command that are designed to deal with
- this situation. The <D>UMP TO FILE and <R>EAD FROM FILE options will
- allow you to write your configuration out to a text file called
- ASRDOS.DAT and then reinstall using that text file.
-
- Those of you that are using the COPYIT! LAN request processor, the
- TBBS=COPYIT mapping prompt from the DOSADM command would take on this
- form:
-
- C=FD=GE=HF=IG=JH=C
-
- The drive letter to the left is a drive letter that is reconized by
- TBBS and the drive letter to the right of the = is the drive letter that
- the COPYIT! machine maps that drive to.
-
- Also note, that when setting up a user profile in ASR-DOS, if you
- select 'N' to allow that user to change drives, that user will also not
- be able to perform any operation that requires a full path in a commands
- syntax. This means that a user with rights to the COPY command could
- use a the copy command as follows:
-
- C:\TBBS\FILES >COPY GAMES.DIR TEMP.DIR
-
- But he could not use the COPY command in this form:
-
- C:\TBBS\FILES >COPY C:\TBBS\USERLOG.BBS
-
- This user is thus restricted to commands that he has rights to and only
- use those commands in directories that his rights will allow him to
- CHANGE DIRECTORY into. Essentially, if you say 'N' to change drives and
- 'N' to access to the CD and CHDIR commands, that user can only perform
- operations in the directory that he is initially placed into and only
- with commands that he has rights to.
-
- Also, since it is not noted anywhere else except for the HELP DOSKEY,
- The command recall buffer is accessed by using the UP and DOWN arrow
- keys. This will enable you to recall your last 20 commands. The
- UP arrow will access your last 20 commands in reverse order, and the
- DOWN arrow will access them from the oldest command to the newest
- command.
-
-
- ┌──────────────────┐
- │ COMMAND OVERVIEW │
- └──────────────────┘
-
- The following is the complete list of internal commands that are in
- this version of ASR-DOS with a short description.
-
- The * denotes that the command is enhanced by the requirement
-
- The & denotes that the requirement is necessary for the command
- to operate.
-
- ┌───────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬──────────────┐
- │ COMMAND │ DESCRIPTION │ REQUIREMENTS │
- └───────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────┴──────────────┘
-
- ULEDIT Allows access and editing of the TBBS Userlog &SYSOM
- WHO Displays whos online *MONITOR
- HEXEDIT Allows online Hexadecimal editing of any file
- HOME Returns to the Home Directory
- CLS Clears the video screen
- VER Displays ASR-DOS and TBBS Version
- DIR Lists Directory contents
- DEL Deletes one or a group of files
- ERASE Same as DEL
- REN Rename a file
- RENAME Same as REN
- MV Move one or a group of files
- MOVE Same as MV
- FF Find one or a group of files anywhere on a drive
- FIND Same as FF
- CD Change the current default directory
- CHDIR Same as CD
- MD Create a new directory &MONITOR
- MKDIR Same as MD
- RD Remove an empty directory &MONITOR
- RMDIR Same as RD
- COPY Copy one or a group of files
- TYPE Display the contents of a file in ASCII or HEX
- D Download one or a group of files
- U Upload one or a group of files
- REMSYSOP Remote Sysops Panel
- TIME Display or optionally change the system time *MONITOR
- DATE Display or optionally change the system date *MONITOR
- HELP Display ASR-DOS commands or individual commmads
- DOTBBS Executes any valid SDL command entry
- RUN Execute any TDBS program
- RUNCTL Loads any TBBS menu
- RUNBAT Run ASR-DOS restricted batch files
- EDIT Edit any text files in a full screen editor
- PRINT Print text files to the printer
- DOSADM Allows setup and user configuration of ASR-DOS
- DOSKEY Displays or Flushes the Command Recall Buffer
- PAGE Enter a type 51 chat area
- IGNORE Turn ON or OFF system messages
- TOUCH Change a file OR files date and time stamp
- SYSCON Allows access to ASR's SysMon Full Console Mode &SYSMON
- SDL Online SDL menu compiling
- SDLDC Online CTL decompiling
- DIAL Allows direct manual out dial &IC or MONITOR
- FAX Allows Faxing of any TEXT, PCX or DCX file online ©IT!
- DBU DataBase Utility for editing and viewing .dbf files
- TREE Displays a graphic tree of a drives dir structure
- ZIP Online file archiving using .ZIP format ©IT!
- UNZIP Online file unarchiving from any format ©IT!
- CHAT Pull users into sysop chat &MONITOR
- MONITOR Monitor and Control any TBBS line &MONITOR
- SET Display system environment variables
- MORE Display or change your page length
- ANSI Display or change your ansi settings
- GRAPHICS Display or change your ibm graphic settings
- LOGOFF Logoff using a tbbs menu
- UCOMS User created commands
- DRVHST Display the paths of the last drives you accessed
- TIMS TIMS Console access &TIMS
- QSO QSO Console access &QSO
- PIMP PIMP Console access &PIMP
- SYSOM SYSOM access &SYSOM
- CLANG Change the current TBBS Langauge file for your line &RIPOM
- YELL Send or Broadcast a message to a line or all lines &MONITOR
- PROTECT Allows you to password protect your ASR-DOS session
- DRIVESP Displays the formatted capacity of a drive &MONITOR
- HIDE Display or change your invisibility settings
- MC Takes direct control over a modem in Terminal Mode &MONITOR
- KILL Terminate or Reset a line &MONITOR
- MAIL Display/Read waiting messages
- PVTMSG Send a private message to any line up to 254 chrs &MONITOR
- IC InterChange Console access &INTERCHANGE
- ANNOUNCE Sets user logon announcements from anywhere in TBBS &MONITOR
- TDBS Allows online compiling of TDBS programs ©IT!
- ALERT Sets user ALERT logon alarms from anywhere in TBBS &MONITOR
- BACKUP Allows online backup of ANY file(s)
- EXIT Exit ASR-DOS and return to TBBS
-
-
- NOTE:
-
- MONITOR TSR 2.0
- SYSMON 6.0
- COPYIT! 5.0
- Are products of Advanced Systems Research
-
- SYSOM 1.1
- TIMS 1.1
- QSO 1.0
- RIPOM 1.0
- INTERCHANGE 1.0
- TDBS 1.2
- Are products of Esoft, Incorporated
- Copyright Philip L. Becker, Ltd.
-
- PIMP 2.55
- Is a product of Boardwatch Magazine
- Copyright Jack Rickard
-
- All of these products are distributed by Advanced Systems Research.
-
-
- ┌────────────────────────┐
- │ CONFIGURATION ADDENDUM │
- └────────────────────────┘
-
- 1. The ZIP, UNZIP and TDBS commands require COPYIT! v5.0. In addition,
- POLYXARC & TDBS.EXE MUST reside in the COPYIT! directory along with a
- path statement to your archivers. In order for ASR-DOS to unarchive
- any archive format, you must have all archivers present. The ZIP
- command will only do PKZIP format and PKZIP must exist in the
- COPYIT! directory or in the path of the COPYIT! machine.
-
- 2. The FAX command also requires COPYIT! v5.0 and COPYIT! must be
- setup for its faxing operations. Refer to the COPYIT! documentation.
-
- 3. The UCOMS command will create a file called ASRUCOM.FIL. This is
- the TEXT file that you configure your user commands in. This
- does not provide any method for the use of the context sensitive
- help system that is part of the hardcoded ASR-DOS commands. You
- may edit the ASRDOS.HLP file and add the help information directly
- to this file. Type HELP HELP from the asrdos prompt for information
- of the format of the help file entries.
-
- 4. The BACKUP command requires the TRESTORE.EXE file that is contained
- in ASR's TAPEMAN demo. This is required in order to RESTORE files
- that have been backed up using the BACKUP command.
-
- ┌─────────────────────┐
- │ LINE MONITORING USE │
- └─────────────────────┘
-
- One of the most powerful features of ASR-DOS is its ability to monitor any
- line of your system that is not configured as a 000 base address. This
- will even allow monitoring of lines using:
-
- RIP Graphics
- NAPLPS Graphics
- InterChange Lines
- UltraChat Link Lines
- ASR-DOS or SYSMON 6.1 who are monitoring lines
-
- Since ASR-DOS is designed to be a multi-user application, many sysops and
- co-sysops can use the monitor command at the same time. This does have its
- limitations. The diagram below shows the type of monitoring that can be
- done by more that one person at a time and the topology that ASR-DOS can
- support.
-
-
- DO's without KEYBOARD control (1 x Many)
-
- SYSOP_A ─────> USER
-
- SYSOP_A ─────> SYSOP_B ─────> USER
-
- SYSOP_A ─────> SYSOP_B ─────> SYSOP_C ─────> USER
-
- SYSOP_A ─────> USER_A
-
- SYSOP_B ─────> USER_B
-
- Etc. ...
-
-
- DO's with KEYBOARD control (1 x 1)
-
- SYSOP_A ─────> USER_A
-
- SYSOP_B ─────> USER_B
-
- DO's with SYSOP Chat control (1 x 1)
-
- SYSOP_A ─────> USER_A
-
- SYSOP_B ─────> USER_B
-
- DO's with MONITORING, SYSOP CHAT, KEYBOARD control
- during an InterChange Connection (1 x Many)
-
- SYSOP_A ─────> USER_A ─────> INTERCHANGE ─────> REMOTE BBS
-
- SYSOP_B ─────> USER_B ─────> INTERCHANGE ─────> REMOTE BBS
-
- DONT's while monitoring
-
- ┌─ SYSOP_A <─┐
- │ │ This will create an infinate loop of echoing characters.
- └─> SYSOP_B ─┘ (ASR-DOS does check for this condition)
-
- SYSOP_A ──┐
- ├─> USER The last sysop will cancel out the first
- SYSOP_B ──┘ (ASR-DOS does check for this condition)
-
-
- DONT's of KEYBOARD and SYSOP Chat control
-
-
- SYSOP_A ─────> SYSOP_B ─────> SYSOP_C ─────> USER
-
- If sysops are monitoring a user in this fashion, and SYSOP_B does
- a Keyboard or Chat contorl on SYSOP_C, SYSOP_A and SYSOP_C will
- loose there monitoring connections as follows:
-
-
- SYSOP_A ──x──> SYSOP_B ─────> SYSOP_C ──x──> USER
- (ASR-DOS does check for this condition)
-
- DONT's of ULTRACHAT LINK Line monitoring (1 x Many)
-
- SYSOP_A ─────> ULTRACHAT LINK
-
- Monitoring the UltraChak Link line is permitted, BUT, do not
- use KEYBOARD control or Sysop Chat on this line. Any Characters
- that are inserted into the Ultrachat Link will be echoed on the
- connecting links. This will create double characters for all of the
- systems that are part of the link except for your system.
-
-
- ┌───────────────────┐
- │ SPECIAL ATTENTION │
- └───────────────────┘
-
- ASR-DOS envokes a control over TBBS that must be used carefully. Very
- little interference by ASR-DOS is used in most of its commands. This
- can also lead to problems if you are not aware of the ramifications of
- the use of some of its commands. The following list of commands and
- the special attention requirements are given.
-
- 1. MONITOR COMMAND, This command is mentioned only to relieve you
- of any concerns about monitoring users during file transfers.
- During the early beta testing, this had to be watched carefully
- in order to prevent the monitoring of a users during file up/downloads.
- This can be safely done now. If you monitor a users during a file
- transfer, a message saying (File transfer in Progress) will appear
- on the screen during the duration of the file transfer.
-
- 2. CHAT COMMAND, This command will allow you to do a remote sysop chat
- of a users line. Although it will display the user and his current
- TBBS FUNC before prompting you to proceed. ASR-DOS does not surpress
- output from TBBS during the sysop chat. This means, that if a user is
- currently in a program that is constantly sending data to the user,
- that information will continue to be sent while you are chatting him.
- If the application is also repositioning his cursor, it will be very
- hard for him to follow what you are typing. It is recommended that
- you do not do this. Take the users Keyboard, and move him to a neutral
- area before envoking the sysop chat.
-
- IMPORTANT: NEVER try to chat a ghost task, OPTION MODULE or a ghost
- line! ASR-DOS will detect a NUL port address and will prevent you
- from Chatting a 000 port or ghost task line, but Ghost Task can use
- lines that are configured as modems and the result of attempting
- to chat a ghost program could be unpredictable.
-
-
- 3. MC COMMAND, This command allows you to take direct control over a
- modem. Since TBBS does not know that you have done this, and the
- modem is in Auto Answer mode by default, it is recommended that
- you do an ATH1 immediately to take the modem off hook so that
- callers can't connect with that modem. Also, do not attempt
- a MODEM Control of a line that is currently in use unless you
- intend to terminate that users line.
-
- IMPORTANT: NEVER try to do modem control on a ghost task, OPTION MODULE
- or a ghost line! ASR-DOS will detect a NUL port address and prevent you
- from doing modem control on a NON Modem line, but still, you must be wise
- when using this command.
-
- 4. If you have selected MONITOR TSR as the interface for the DIAL command,
- you must be aware of its current limitations. Since MONITOR provides
- no flow control, you will encounter problems is some cases when you
- try and do UPLOADS when the line that you are connected to is faster
- the the line you selected to dial out on. This is not as severe in
- situations where your line is a hardwire at 57.6bps or less and you are
- dialing out on a 19.2 modem. But it will fail 100% of the time when
- you try to use a hardwire at 115,200bps out a 19.2 modem. This should
- not be a problem in normal use where you have called in on a 19.2 modem
- and dialed out on a 19.2 modem. Future versions of MONITOR TSR will
- provide flow control and resolve this situation.
-
- ┌───────────────────┐
- │ FUTURE DIRECTIONS │
- └───────────────────┘
-
- Because of the scope and size of the first release of ASR-DOS and the
- collateral developement of MONITOR TSR 2.0, alternate methods were
- employed in this 1st release for the FAX command. The next release of
- ASR-DOS will employ MONITOR TSR 2.0 for these operations and thus releaving
- the use of COPYIT! for this operation.
-
-
- ┌────────────────────┐
- │ PRODUCT INFOMATION │
- └────────────────────┘
-
- The DEMO version of ASR-DOS is limited in ONE way. Since this is a
- behind the scenes program and is not something that is very effective
- with a demo message, it will treat every user as a DRIVE restricted
- user. This means that you will not be able to change drives or
- include pathing information in any command that would normally allow
- a path to be used.
-
- ASR-DOS represents over a 1900 hours of programming and research and years
- of programming experience.
-
-
- ┌──────────────┐
- │ FILES IN ZIP │
- └──────────────┘
-
- ASR-DOS comes with the following files in its archive:
-
- ASRDOS.TPG - ASRDOS TDBS program
- ASRDOS.OVR - ASRDOS internal overlay file
- ASRANN.TPG - ASRANN is used in your logon menus for the announce command
- ASRALRT.TPG - ASRALRT is used in your logon menus for the alert command
- ASRALRT.FIL - This is the text file that contains the userlist for alert
- ASRDOS.HLP - Online command help file (may be modified for Language)
- ASRDOS.DOC - This documentation file
- ADOS.SDL - Sample SDL file for calling ASR-DOS
-
- If you create User Commands, ASR-DOS will also create a file called
- ASRUCOM.FIL. This is a text file and can be edited online or by any
- text editor.
-
- You may also see ASRDOS##.MEM files in your ASRDOS directory. These are
- only temporary memory files and may be deleted. They contain information
- about drive access histories and the command recall buffer for the ##
- that last used ASRDOS.
-
- ASRDOS will also create a file called ASRDOS.DAT when you used the <D>ump
- option from the DOSADM command. This file contains your ASRDOS setup and
- user accounts. It is intended for use by the <R>ead command from the
- DOSADM command. This file should not be left on your Hard Drive if you
- are allowing users and co-sysops access to ASRDOS. It is only for use
- when upgraded to a newer version of ASRDOS.
-
-
- ┌────────────────┐
- │ ACKNOWLEGMENTS │
- └────────────────┘
-
- During the developement of ASR-DOS, I did not have my TBBS or TDBS manuals
- available and had to clarify command syntax and TBBS structures over the
- phone. I'd like to thank Christian Huygen who fielded dozens of these
- phone calls a day during his equally busy schedule.
-
- I also like to apologize to those who called during this programs
- developement and only received half of my attention.
-
-
- ┌───────────────┐
- │ ORDERING INFO │
- └───────────────┘
-
- ASR-DOS may be purchase online on ASR's Support system for $102.00 U.S.
- and accessed immediately with Visa/MC or American Express. If you
- do not have a sysops account on The Advanced System BBS, then you must
- logon ONE time as TBBS SYSOP so that the system can create a sysops
- account for you.
-
- You may also register by sending a check/money order to Advanced Systems
- Research at:
-
- Advanced Systems Research
- P.O. Box 157
- Marylhurst, OR 97036
-
- 503-655-7031 (voice)
- 503-657-3359 (bbs)
-
-
- ┌──────────────┐
- │ LEGAL NOTICE │
- └──────────────┘
-
- This software is NOT in the PUBLIC DOMAIN and is protected by U.S. Copyright
- Law and U.S. Copyright Treaties. You may not alter, disassemble or in any
- other way change this software. You are authorized to use your registered
- copy on a single cpu. Transfers of registration must be made through
- Advanced Systems Research.
-
-
-