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MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ╒═════════════════════════════════════╕ │ │ │ MKFLIBBS v1.2 │ │ │ │ Shareware version │ │ │ │ │ ╞═════════════════════════════════════╡ │ │ │ │ │ USER'S GUIDE │ │ │ │ │ ╞═════════════════════════════════════╡ │ │ │ Software by SOGY sc │ │ │ │ Copyrights (c) 1995-96 │ │ │ ╞═════════════════════════════════════╡ │ │ │ May 1, 96 │ ╘═════════════════════════════════════╛ ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Page 1 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ╒════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ │ │ CHAPTER I │ │ │ ╞════════════════════════════════════════╡ │ │ │ Introduction │ │ │ ╘════════════════════════════════════════╛ Important Notice: if you are upgrading MKFLIBBS from v1.0 to v1.2: ■ see section IV.2.B for the only one modification that is required to the batch file that creates your FLIBBS Data Set. ■ be aware that FLIBBS Data Set created with v1.1 or v1.2 of FLIBBS CAN NOT BE READ by FLIBBS v1.0. So you must warn your users to upgrade their version of FLIBBS before downloading your v1.2 FLIBBS Data Set. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── I.1 What is MKFLIBBS ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── MKFLIBBS is a simple batch utility program that creates a FLIBBS Data Set from a given BBS ASCII File List. It is intended primarely for SYSOPS that want to provide their user with the BBS list of files in the FLIBBS format, that is as a FLIBBS Data Set. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── I.2 Organization of this document ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── This document explains how to use MKFLIBBS. It is organized as follows: ■ Section II describes what it means to distribute an ASCII BBS File List as a FLIBBS Data Set ■ Section III explains how to use the program MKFLIBBS ■ Section IV shows how you may automatize the production of the FLIBBS Data Set using a batch file ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Introduction Page 2 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── I.3 Installing MKFLIBBS ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── There is nothing to do to install MKFLIBBS. It comes as a component of the FLIBBS distribution file, and you need only to have installed FLIBBS correctly to be able to use MKFLIBBS. In practice, it means only that MKFLIBBS.EXE must reside in the same directory as FLIBBS.EXE. Note: if you are upgrading MKFLIBBS from v1.0 to v1.2, see section IV.2.B for the only one modification that is required to the batch file that creates your FLIBBS Data Set. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── I.4 What you need to know to use MKFLIBBS ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── To be able to use MKFLIBBS properly, you need to have a general understanding of how FLIBBS does work. You also need to know what a template is, and how to define and use them. Please refer to the documentation of FLIBBS for more information on these topics. ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Introduction Page 3 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ │ │ CHAPTER II │ │ │ ╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╡ │ │ │ What it means to distribute a FLIBBS Data Set │ │ │ ╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ The basic idea behind distributing your File List as a FLIBBS Data Set is to provide to your users a compressed file that they will uncompressed in their FLIBBS data directory. They will then be ready to use the downloaded files directly, without any other file manipulation. To allow your BBS users to download your File List as a FLIBBS Data Set, you need thus to create a compressed file that contains all the required information. Let us see how to name this file, and what it must contain. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── II.1 The name of a FLIBBS Data Set distribution file ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Of course, you are free to name the FLIBBS Data Set distribution file as you like. However, in order to try to standardize what is, after all, a very important information file of your BBS, I would recommend to name the FLIBBS Data Set distribution file as follows: FLBBBBBn.ZIP where ■ "FL" is a constant, to help find the file easily ■ "BBBBB" is the (short) identifier of your BBS (sorry that they are only 5 characters available, but so is MS-DOS ...) ■ "n" is a letter used to identify the type of file list. If you have no objection, use the following letters: - "A" for the "All Files List" ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ What it means to distribute a FLIBBS Data Set Page 4 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ - "M" for the "one Month new Files List" - "W" for the "one Week new Files List" ■ "ZIP" is the extension of the compressed file's name, corresponding to the file compressor you are using (ARJ, LZH, ...) ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── II.2 The description of the compressed FLIBBS Data Set ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── In the description of the file, you must (to be in accordance with the licence agreement) specify at least two things: ■ "The File List is provided as a FLIBBS Data Set" ■ "The use of this file requires the FLIBBS shareware program, available on this BBS as FLIBBSnn.ZIP", (where "ZIP" corresponds to your compression utility, and "nn" to the version of FLIBBS you are distributing) ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── II.3 The name of the distributed FLIBBS Data Set ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Now we know how the compressed distribution file is named. But what about the name of the distributed FLIBBS Data Set that is included in this compressed file ? Here, you need to be very consistent with yourself. You must understand that the user will uncompress the distribution file directly in its FLIBBS data directory. Normally, he will overwrite the existing files that bear the same names as the ones included in your distribution file. After all, the goal is to update on his disk your list of files, isn'it ? So, use the name you want, but do not change it later. I would recommend to use directly the name of your BBS, with a maximum of 7 characters (this constraint is build into FLIBBS). Do not use names like "MYFILES" because your are not the only one that could have that name, or names like "X" because it is to short and your user could have created a FLIBBS Data Set with that name. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── II.4 What need to be distributed ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── A FLIBBS Data Set is a set of files that must be consistent with ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ What it means to distribute a FLIBBS Data Set Page 5 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ each others. So, when you deliver a FLIBBS Data Set, you need to distribute all its components. Here is the list of the files you must distribute, assuming that the name of your FLIBBS Data Set is "FLIDATA": FLIDATA.DFL FLIDATA.DAT FLIDATA.IX FLIDATA_.DZF Note that version 1.0 did include the files called FLIDATA_.DAT, FLIDATA_.IX and FLIDATA.TST that no longer exist. They have been replaced by the new file FLIDATA_.DZF. See FLIBBS documentation for a complete list and descriptions of the files created and / or used in a FLIBBS Data Set. II.4.A The logo window ══════ ═══════════════ If you want to make some advertisement for your BBS, distribute an ASCII file called FLIDATA.SPL. This file can have up to 48 columns and 9 lines, and will be displayed in the middle of the user's screen each time your FLIBBS Data Set will be the current one. You can use four different colors to display a string by delimiting this string with control characters. A string not delimited with control character will be displayed in the default color (blue). A string delimited with the ASCII character ^A will be displayed in red. With ^B the color will be white, and with ^C it will be black. ^A, ^B and ^C correspond to the ASCII codes 1, 2 and 3. Note that FLIBBS deletes the logo window file when the corresponding FLIBBS Data Set is deleted. Therefore, when you have created a logo file for your BBS, save it under an other name to avoid any loss. Note, however, that MKFLIBBS does not delete this file when deleting an existing FLIBBS Data Set. II.4.B The template file ══════ ═════════════════ If you want to distribute the template to be used for your ASCII File List, name your template with the name of your FLIBBS Data Set (assumed here to be "FLIDATA"), and distribute the file FLIDATA.TPL. ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ What it means to distribute a FLIBBS Data Set Page 6 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ╒════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ │ │ CHAPTER III │ │ │ ╞════════════════════════════════════════╡ │ │ │ How to use MKFLIBBS │ │ │ ╘════════════════════════════════════════╛ ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── III.1 Syntax ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── You call MKFLIBBS with the following command line: MKFLIBBS Arg1 Arg2 Arg3 This command will create a new FLIBBS Data Set, or update an existing one, according to the value of the arguments: ■ Arg1 is the name of the Template to be used (no path, no extension, just up to eigth caracters) ■ Arg2 is the full path name of the BBS ASCII File List in which to read the data to be imported (directory, file name, extension) ■ Arg3 is the FLIBBS Data Set name to be created, or deleted and recreated if already existing (no path, no extension, just up to seven caracters). The FLIBBS Data Set will be located in the FLIBBS directory (as if you had used the FLIBBS interactive program). You may call MKFLIBBS from anywhere you want, the program will always use the same directory to find and create its templates and FLIBBS Data Set. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── III.2 Exit code ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── If there are no problems, MKFLIBBS exits with a ERRORLEVEL = 0, else the ERRORLEVEL is set greater than 0. ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ How to use MKFLIBBS Page 7 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ╒════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ │ │ CHAPTER IV │ │ │ ╞════════════════════════════════════════╡ │ │ │ Producing the FLIBBS Data Set │ │ │ ╘════════════════════════════════════════╛ This section describes in details how to create automatically the FLIBBS Data Set from your BBS ACSII file list. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── IV.1 Assumptions ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── To clarify the things, let us assume that: ■ You have uncompressed the FLIBBS distribution file in a directory called "C:\FLIBBS". This directory is thus the data directory of FLIBBS and MKFLIBBS, where the templates and FLIBBS Data Set files will be found and /or created ■ Your BBS is called "MYBBS", and the FLIBBS Data Set you want to distribute will have the same name ■ You have previously used FLIBBS in interactive mode to define and test the template to be used to read your BBS ASCII File List. Let us also assume that you have given the name "MYBBSTPL" to this template ■ You have defined a directory "C:\FLIBBS\FLI" to contain the files to distribute ■ You have created a logo window file called "MYBBS.SPL". ■ Your ASCII File List from where you want to import the data is called "C:\MYDIR\MYASCII.TXT" ■ You will use the Pkzip compression utility to create a distribution file called "C:\MYDIR\FLMYBBSA.ZIP" ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Producing the FLIBBS Data Set Page 8 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── IV.2 Creating the FLIBBS Data Set distribution file ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── To create the FLIBBS Data Set distribution file requires you to create a batch file that will be executed each time your ASCII File List has been updated. Let us see what is the content of this batch file: IV.2.A Importing the data ══════ ══════════════════ The first action to be taken by the batch file is the creation of FLIBBS Data Set in the FLIBBS directory. Use the following command (remember the assumption that where made in the previous section): MKFLIBBS MYBBSTPL C:\MYDIR\MYASCII.TXT MYBBS IV.2.B Copy the data files to the temporary directory ══════ ══════════════════════════════════════════════ The second action is to copy the data files created in the temporary directory. Use the following commands: copy C:\FLIBBS\MYBBS*.DAT C:\FLIBBS\FLI\*.* copy C:\FLIBBS\MYBBS*.IX C:\FLIBBS\FLI\*.* copy C:\FLIBBS\MYBBS*.DFL C:\FLIBBS\FLI\*.* copy C:\FLIBBS\MYBBS*.DZF C:\FLIBBS\FLI\*.* copy C:\FLIBBS\MYBBS.SPL C:\FLIBBS\FLI\*.* Note that version 1.0 did require to copy the file MYBBS*.TST. This file no longer exists, and has been replaced by the new file MYBBS*.DZF. IV.2.C Create the distribution file ══════ ════════════════════════════ You may now create the FLIBBS Data Set distribution file. Use the command: pkzip C:\MYDIR\FLMYBBSA.ZIP C:\FLIBBS\FLI\*.* IV.2.D Clear the temporary directory ══════ ═════════════════════════════ If you wish, you may now clear the temporary directory "C:\FLIBBS\FLI". IV.2.E Adding the file description ══════ ═══════════════════════════ You now have to add to the newly created distribution file the comment that your users will see on the screen. Remember to put ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Producing the FLIBBS Data Set Page 9 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ the references to FLIBBS, as stated in section II.2. That's all folks ! ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Producing the FLIBBS Data Set Page 10 MKFLIBBS USER'S GUIDE v1.2 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ TABLE OF CONTENTS I Introduction ............................................... 2 I.1 What is MKFLIBBS ....................................... 2 I.2 Organization of this document .......................... 2 I.3 Installing MKFLIBBS .................................... 3 I.4 What you need to know to use MKFLIBBS .................. 3 II What it means to distribute a FLIBBS Data Set ............. 4 II.1 The name of a FLIBBS Data Set distribution file ....... 4 II.2 The description of the compressed FLIBBS Data Set ..... 5 II.3 The name of the distributed FLIBBS Data Set ........... 5 II.4 What need to be distributed ........................... 5 II.4.A The logo window ................................... 6 II.4.B The template file ................................. 6 III How to use MKFLIBBS ...................................... 7 III.1 Syntax ............................................... 7 III.2 Exit code ............................................ 7 IV Producing the FLIBBS Data Set ............................. 8 IV.1 Assumptions ........................................... 8 IV.2 Creating the FLIBBS Data Set distribution file ........ 9 IV.2.A Importing the data ................................ 9 IV.2.B Copy the data files to the temporary directory .... 9 IV.2.C Create the distribution file ...................... 9 IV.2.D Clear the temporary directory ..................... 9 IV.2.E Adding the file description ....................... 9 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 11