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Message To Next Caller Door ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████║ ║████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████║ ║█████████ ██ ████ ████ ████ ████ ██████████║ ║█████████ ██ ██ ███████ ███████ █ ███ ████ █████ ██████████║ ║█████████ ██ ██ ███████ ███████ █ ▀██ ████ █████████████████║ ║█████████ ██ ██ ███████ ███████ ██▄ █ ████ █████████████████║ ║█████████ ██████ ███████ ███████ ███ █ ████ █████ ██████████║ ║█████████ ██████ █ ████ ████ █ ████ █ █ █ ███████║ ║████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████║ ║████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████║ ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ (M.T.N.C.) Version 2.20 for RemoteAccess, (v2.00 and v1.1x) QuickBBS, and any Bulletin Board program that can create DORINFOx.DEF files that are compatible with those mentioned above! Written By Alexander Barbara Copyright (C) 1993 by Alexander Barbara/aleXware. All Rights Reserved. The Golden Phoenix BBS 716/872-3911 1:2613/123 - Fidonet alex@rochgte.fidonet.org - Internet /*/ Release Date /*/ Friday, March 12, 1993 ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 2 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ What is the Message To Next Caller Door? ──────────────────────────────────────── The Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) is a program that can be run as a shell from a BBS program (a door). It allows the caller to leave a small message to the next users who call the Bulletin Board. This message can be saved in ANSI, ASCII, and AVATAR screen formats, and will remain as-is until another user enters a new message and has it saved in this door. This documentation will explain to you how to install the Message To Next Caller Door. It assumes that you have already read the documentation which comes with your BBS software concerning doors and their use. If you are not already running doors and/or you find that the doors explanation in your BBS software documentation is not sufficient, you should contact a system already running doors for assistance. Copyright Notice ──────────────── The Message To Next Caller Door package (including executables, documentation, examples, and source code, of course), are Copyright (C) 1993 by Alexander Barbara. You may not distribute modified or otherwise reverse-engineered portions of the M.T.N.C. package without the written permission of Alexander Barbara, the author. You are encouraged to distribute M.T.N.C. in archived form, but you must include all original files in the archive. Registering M.T.N.C. ──────────────────── M.T.N.C. is not free software, it is ShareWare. You are allowed to use M.T.N.C. for a reasonable trial period. If, after this trial period, you continue to use M.T.N.C., you are expected to register with the author. When you register, you will receive a registration key number. Put the registration key in your configuration file, and you will be officially registered. The registration form is enclosed in REGISTER.FRM. Registering entitles you to use all past, present, and future versions of M.T.N.C. for as long as you desire to use M.T.N.C. Also, the program will state that it registered to you. ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 3 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Disclaimer ────────── I'm sure you've heard it all before... the M.T.N.C. package (including executables, documentation, and examples) is provided as is, without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. In no event shall I, Alexander Barbara, be liable to you or anyone else for any damages, including any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use this program. Reporting Problems ────────────────── Problems encountered in running M.T.N.C. should be reported to the author immediately via FidoNet, or via normal 'snail' mail. Please include any error information which may have been reported on the screen. Most errors are the result of incorrect installation of the program. Check the configuration file(s) and reread the documentation thoroughly. The most common errors are typos made while configuring the door, as well as the batch files. Product Support ─────────────── Support for M.T.N.C. is available via FidoNet Netmail to 1:2613/123, e-mail to "alex@rochgte.fidonet.org", via the RA_SUPPORT, RA_UTIL, or PACKER echos on FidoNet, or via normal U.S. Mail. Installation ──────────── The Message To Next Caller Door is very easy to setup. M.T.N.C. must be placed in its own directory, and a simple batch file can be used to run it from the BBS program itself. If you were using RA, you could set M.T.N.C. up in your menu as such: Menu Type: 7 Optional Data: c:\command.com /c mtnc.bat MTNC.BAT should change to the M.T.N.C. directory, execute the program, and return to the BBS directory. For example, if M.T.N.C. was in D:\DOORS\MTNC, and if the BBS was in D:\BBS, your batch file would be: echo off cls cd\doors\mtnc mtnc mtnc.cfg /Lc:\bbs\system.log /Gg /W /A cd\bbs ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 4 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Pretty easy, huh? M.T.N.C. could also be used with a type 15 command, but that is too much hassle in my opinion. It works nicely as a type 7 on my system, running RemoteAccess. If your BBS program doesn't create a DORINFO1.DEF file, you must use a converter to obtain one. To use M.T.N.C., you must also create a configuration file. It is a text file. The correct format is: Alexander Barbara -> SysOp Name The Golden Phoenix BBS -> BBS Name 0 -> Registration Key C:\BBS\ -> Path to DORINFOx.DEF C:\BBS\SCREENS\MTNC.ANS -> ANSI Message FileName (or NONE) C:\BBS\SCREENS\MTNC.ASC -> ASCII Message FileName (or NONE) C:\BBS\SCREENS\MTNC.AVT -> AVATAR Message FileName (or NONE) 1 -> Node Number Press <Return> to Continue... -> Prompt Text 5 -> Inactivity Limit 10 -> Message Length (Max. Lines) 15 -> Normal Text Foreground 14 -> Highlight Color (Foreground) 12 -> Foreground Color of Hotkeys 15 -> Foreground in Title Bar 4 -> Background in Title Bar 12 -> Foreground for bars 0 -> Background for bars 15 -> Foreground for menu Prompt 15 -> Foreground for Hit CR Prompt NOTE: The arrows, '->' are *NOT* part of the configuration file. They are merely above to make it easier for you to make sense out of it. The following is detailed information regarding the contents of the configuration file: System Operator Name ──────────────────── This is the name of the SysOp of the BBS. This is used to generate a registration key, so it should be EXACTLY as you wish to have it. If you plan to set up this door, then it is probably YOUR name. Bulletin Board Name ─────────────────── This is the name of your Bulletin Board, as you wish to have it displayed in several places of the program. Registration Key ──────────────── This is the OFFICIAL registration number that you received from the author of M.T.N.C. If you are running an unregistered copy of M.T.N.C., then you must make this 0. Further information on Registering can be found in REGISTER.FRM. ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 5 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Path to DORINFOx.DEF ──────────────────── This is the full path to the DORINFOx.DEF file made by your BBS. If your BBS doesn't make this data file, then you must use a door converter. M.T.N.C. needs only DORINFOx.DEF, and does not use an EXITINFO.BBS file, or any other BBS-specific files, unless you are running multi-node. The path to DORINFOx.DEF must have a backslash, "\", at the end. ANSI Message Path and FileName ────────────────────────────── This is the full path and filename of the ANSI screen made by M.T.N.C. When a user enters a message to the next caller, the system will save the ANSI message as this filename. If you do not want M.T.N.C. to save an ANSI message, set this to "NONE". ASCII Message Path and FileName ─────────────────────────────── This is the full path and filename of the ASCII screen made by M.T.N.C. This is similar to above, except the ASCII file will be black and white, and will contain no IBM Extended ASCII Characters unless you allow them with the "/E" parameter. If you do not want M.T.N.C. to save an ASCII message, set this to "NONE". AVATAR Message Path and FileName ──────────────────────────────── This is the full path and filename of the AVATAR (AVT/0) screen made by M.T.N.C. AVATAR is smaller and faster than ANSI, and is slowly gaining popularity. M.T.N.C. is able to create an AVATAR (AVT/0) screen. If you do not want M.T.N.C. to save an AVATAR message, set this to "NONE". The screens that M.T.N.C. creates (ANSI, ASCII, and AVATAR, all of which are optional) can be displayed on your BBS. Also, the user is allowed to view the ANSI and ASCII screens in the door. Node Number ─────────── This is the Node Number (1-99) of the system that the door is running on. If you are running a multiline system, you can run M.T.N.C. on all of your lines, provided you have a separate configuration file for each line. Prompt Text ─────────── At the end of the ANSI, ASCII, and AVATAR screens, M.T.N.C. will center this prompt in the color of your choice. This prompt should ask the caller to "Press Return to Continue", and have a Control-A character at the end. ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 6 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ If you are running RemoteAccess, QuickBBS, or any other QuickBBS clone, a Ctrl-A character (ASCII #1, "") is required at the end of the text. This character waits for the user to hit <Return> before continuing. If the Ctrl-A character is NOT in the prompt text, then the screen will scroll, and users will have difficulties in viewing it. The Ctrl-A character is also interpreted the same way in RA, QBBS, and several other BBS programs. If your BBS does not interpret the Ctrl-A character this way, you may see the "smily face" () when your BBS displays the output screens. If this occurs on your system, you may wish to add the command line parameter "/NOCA". More information on this parameter is later in the documentation. Inactivity Timeout ────────────────── This is the number of minutes that M.T.N.C. will wait before hanging up on the caller for inactivity. If s/he does not press a key for that number of minutes, s/he will be logged off. Message Length ────────────── This is the maximum line length of the message that the user is allowed to enter. Recommended message length is 5 lines. Many of the colors used by the program are configurable for the ANSI and AVATAR screens. All colors are numbers: foreground colors can range from 0-15, and background colors can range from 0-7. For example, Black is 0, Blue is 1, Green is 2, Cyan is 3, etc., etc. COLOR CHART 0...Black 8...Dark Gray 1...Blue 9...Light Blue 2...Green 10...Light Green 3...Cyan 11...Light Cyan 4...Red 12...Light Red 5...Magenta 13...Light Magenta 6...Brown 14...Yellow 7...Light Gray 15...White Normal Text Color (in Screens) ────────────────────────────── This is the foreground color of the text of the message entered. It is recommended that this color be white or light gray, so that the message text is read easily. ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 7 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Highlight Text Color (in Screens) ───────────────────────────────── This is the foreground color of highlighted text in the message entered. At this time, the only text that is highlighted in screens is the name of the user that entered the message. Hotkey Color ──────────── This is the foreground color of the hotkeys (menu command keys) in the Main Menu of the door. For example, in the menu, the first command is "( R ) ... Read Message". The letter "R" is the menu command key, or hotkey. Title Bar ForeGround ──────────────────── This is the foreground color of the title bar, in both the screens made and the main menu of the door. In both the screens made, and the menu in the door, there is a "title bar", identifying M.T.N.C., etc. For example, in the screen, the title bar says "Message To Next Caller Door, Copyright (C) 1993 by Alexander Barbara". Title Bar BackGround ──────────────────── This is the background color of the title bar, in both the screens made and the main menu of the door. For more information on what the "title bar" is, refer to "Title Bar ForeGround". ForeGround for Bars ─────────────────── In both the screens made, and the menu in the door, M.T.N.C. makes extensive use of "bars", or lines made using ASCII #205 ("══════"). This is the foreground color for the bars. BackGround for Bars ─────────────────── This is the background color for the "bars" used in the screens made and in the main menu of the door. It is recommended that this be 0 (black), but it can be configured to anything. For more information on what the "bars" are, please refer to "ForeGround For Bars". Prompt ForeGround ───────────────── This is the foreground color of the menu prompt in the door. ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 8 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Carriage Return Prompt Foreground ───────────────────────────────── This is the foreground color of the "Hit Return" prompt in the screens made by M.T.N.C. the Message To Next Caller Door is run using this syntax: ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────── MTNC.EXE <Configuration File> [Options] The <Configuration File> MUST be included as the first parameter. The following are optional command line parameters for M.T.N.C.: "REGISTER" ────────── Adding this option allows you to enter your registration key into the configuration file. "/A" ──── Adding this option allows the message left by the user to be "anonymous". This means that, basically, instead of the user name it will say that "An Anonymous User" left the note. The name can be changed in the language file. If logging is enabled, the user's REAL name will be in the log. "/G<Key>" ───────── Adding this option gives the user the OPTION to log-off from inside the door. The "<Key>" is the key you would like to activate this option. For example, using "/GG" would allow the user to log-off in M.T.N.C. by hitting the "G" key from the menu. "/E" ──── Adding the "/E" option will allow the door to accept EXTENDED IBM ASCII characters (ASCII #128-255) when the user enters a new message. Having the "/E" parameter included in the command line allows the user to enter extended IBM ASCII characters. It is recommended that you do NOT use the "/E" option in your command line. M.T.N.C. automatically strips all CONTROL CHARACTERS such as those used by RemoteAccess (ASCII #1-12, and #14-26), regardless of if you use the "/E" parameter or not. ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 9 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ "/W" ──── After several SysOps complained that the big M.T.N.C. in the welcome screen of v2.00 and v2.01 gave me TOO much credit <grin>, I decided that SysOps might want to customize their version of M.T.N.C. if they have nothing better to do. With the use of the "/W" parameter, when M.T.N.C. loads up it will display one of the following screens: MTNC_SCR.ANS - Screen for ANSI users MTNC_SCR.ASC - Screen for ASCII users Both MTNC_SCR.ANS and MTNC_SCR.ASC must exist for M.T.N.C. to use them. These screens must be in the same directory that MTNC.EXE is in. In these screens, you can have whatever you want. You can customize the colors, ask users to "adopt" the door, etc. After the screen is displayed, M.T.N.C. will display the customary copyright notice, etc. "/L<Logfile>" ───────────── With the "/L<Logfile>" option, M.T.N.C. will log activity to a system log file which you specify. For example: MTNC.EXE MTNC.CFG /Lc:\bbs\system.log This will run M.T.N.C. reading MTNC.CFG as a configuration file. It will enable the user to enter extended IBM ASCII characters (ASCII #128-255) in the message. Also, it will log activity in the door to 'c:\bbs\system.log'. "/LANGxxx" ────────── If you wish to customize your copy of M.T.N.C., this is for you. M.T.N.C. supports up to 999 different "language" files. Basically, a language file is a TEXT file containing the various prompts, as well as the command letters. With the support of multiple languages in RemoteAccess 1.10, adding this is a big plus. The language filename is MTNCLANG.xxx, whereas xxx can be 1-999. To tell M.T.N.C. which language file to load, add the parameter "/LANGxxx". For example, if you wanted to load language #2 (the enclosed MTNCLANG.2 is "Jive"), you'd add the parameter "/LANG2". If M.T.N.C. cannot find the proper language file, it will use its own hard-coded language file. More information on the language file and its format is in LANGUAGE.DOC. ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 10 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ "WRITELANG" ─────────── [*] This parameter causes MTNC to write its default hard-coded language file to a text file so that it may be edited and used as a custom language file. "/NOCA" ─────── The "/NOCA" parameter makes M.T.N.C. more generic; in other words, it will facilitate the installation into other BBS programs, such as Telegard, PCBoard, UltraBBS, etc. Use of the "/NOCA" parameter is highly recommended if you have intentions of running any BBS package which cannot comprehend the ^A (Control-A) character as RemoteAccess, QuickBBS, etc. can. Basically, if you add "/NOCA" to your command line, M.T.N.C. will disregard the Carriage Return Prompt line in your configuration file; that is, the line that says "Press <Return> to Continue...". Instead, M.T.N.C. will not add anything to the end of the screens. Because the program needs a way of halting the display at the bottom of the screen (if not, when a user in the door attempted to read a message it would scroll), M.T.N.C. prompts the user to 'Press [any key] to Continue'; this line is configurable in the language file, and its color is the color for the 'Carriage Return Prompt' in the configuration file. I will most graciously accept any ideas and/or suggestions you may have for how to make M.T.N.C. more "generic" when the "/NOCA" parameter is used, or any other suggestions for allowing M.T.N.C. to work with other BBS programs. RemoteRegistration ────────────────── If you are planning to register M.T.N.C., you may notice that the new available option for registering is "RemoteRegistration".. here's how it works.. the author calls your BBS, using his name, and the password you specify on the registration form (you must have already signed the author up to your system using that password, with an access level high enough to access the M.T.N.C. door). You then should write on the lines provided on the form (continue on the back if you do not have enough space to make comments/suggestions as well as leave the important info) the necessary keys to access the M.T.N.C. door on your system. The author will call, enter the door, and register it for you. If you are running a system with more than one configuration file, you will have to copy the registration key into all the valid configuration files. Please note that due to long distance charges, the RemoteRegistration option is only available in the U.S.A. at this time. ┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐ the Message To Next Caller Door (M.T.N.C.) v2.20 Page 11 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Contacting the Author ───────────────────── If you need more information, feel free to netmail me at 1:2613/123. Updates to M.T.N.C. and my other programs will definitely be File requestable from there; other sites will vary. My mailing address is: Alexander Barbara P.O. Box 68 Webster, New York 14580-0068 U.S.A. Final Notes and Credits ─────────────────────── Thanks to everyone who helped with the development of M.T.N.C., you guys have helped me release what I consider to be a relatively "bug-free" product... :-) I'd especially like to thank Jerry Masefield for his suggestions, for all his help with this documentation, and for never wanting to beta test my programs <grin>.