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1993-08-22
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PhidoQWK Docs
August 2,1993
Introduction
What is PhidoQWK? This is a doors program for FIDODOOR users that
will allow your users to log in, download new messages from the bases
that they have selected (and you have validated them for) in a
compressed format. They can then take this packet and through
MaxiMiser (for ST's) or any IBM QWK compatible program (Deluxe2,SLMR,
Ezreader all have been tested) enter their replies to be uploaded and
posted in the correct message bases.
PhidoQWK maintains complete BBS security:
Checks for Message Read flags
Checks for Message Enter Flags
Checks User Time limits (Can't enter without enough time)
Checks free disk space so it will not crash or overfill HD
Checks Ram available to ensure safe execution of ARC/LZH/ZIP
Validates packets to ensure correct Compression program used
Updates Messages Entered Counter
Updates Messages Read Counters
Allows you to configure:
Which commands to pass to ARC/ZIP/LZH
Which commands to pass to external protocols
Online help text.
How Many messages a user can get from a Base by baud rate
How many messages a user can get from a Session by baud rate
Do you wish to delete extra included lines
Logging
Allows user to configure:
Which Compression they want to use
Which protocol they want to use
How many messages they will receive (<= you global choice)
Maintains Users High Message read counters
What does running PhidoQWK mean to you the Sysop?
Your BBS will become more available to other users. I can log onto the
a BBS, grab 700 messages and download the packet and be off in 9 mins
instead of the usual 90 (and even in 90 I didn't get to read everything).
If you have a second system you to will be able to take advantage of
offline entry of messages. PhidoQWK in local mode copies files to disk
so that you may take you packet to your other system and stay current.
Again you BBS will be available to your users even though you are "on it"
The message content will be more accurate and precise. People will be able
to take their time in composing responses so typo's will be reduced and
the message will be more coherent and to the point.
(With the added time maybe even FLAMES will be toned down)
Without Toll charges hindering some of your long distance callers, they
to will become more involved in the BBS.
Setting up
First you should have in this LZH the following files:
PhidoQWK.PRG - This is the main program
MAXICFG2.PRG - The configuration program
MAXIHELP.DAT - The online HELP file
MAXIHELP.IDX - The index file for the help
MAXIIDX.PRG - Creates the IDX file if you change the
MAXIHELP.DAT
PROTOCOL.DEF - External Protocol Definitions
MAXBAUD.DAT - Sample Messages/Baud dat file
PhidoQWK.TXT - You are reading it
You will need to supply from your own collection:
ARC.TTP -
This is the default compression used in PhidoQWK
For speed I recommend ARC 6.02 but any will work.
LHARC.TTP -
This is Optional but it provides an alternative
Compression. I have used LZH201i successfully.
STZIP.PRG -
This is also optional. This will provide your
IBM Users with a alternative as many of their
readers default to ZIP. I have used STZIP2 with
success.
XYZ.TTP -
This is the file protocols I use to send and
receive the packets. Please get version 2.01.
Remember that XYZ is shareware and Mr. Hamilton deserves his money.
Now with all of these gathered together in one place (the main
BBS folder where FIDODOOR.CFG is) you should run MAXICFG.PRG. It
will ask you to fill in a few pertinent details that PhidoQWK
needs to know. Here is an overview of each configuration option:
1) BBS Name - The is the full name of your BBS
2) Location -
There is the City and State/Province in which you are
located.
3) Logoff -
This is where you enter a text file that will be displayed
to the user when they terminate their offline session.
4) Sysop - Your Name/Alias
5) Welcome -
An intro screen shown to the user when they begin to
read a packet generated from your BBS.
6) Shortname-
This is a name (less then 8 characters) that will be
applied to the packets outgoing and incoming from
your BBS. Please note that no spaces or none ascii
characters are allowed. LEFTOVER is valid but LEFT OVER
is not.
7) Bulletin - This is a file shown to the user directly after the
intro screen. This may contain any news or bulletins
you feel the user should see.
8) Phone # - The Phone # for the BBS
9) ARC Location -
This is where you tell PhidoQWK where to find ARC.TTP
10) ARC Extract -
These are the commands you pass to ARC to extract a
file.
11) ARC Move - These are the command you pass to ARC to MOVE a
group of files into a compressed format.
12,13,14) - Same as 9,10,11 except this is for ZIP
15,16,17) - Same as 9,10,11 except this is for LHARC
**Note leaving 9,12 or 15 blank will disable the availability of those
compressions to the users.
18) Protocol Def. - This is where you will supply the Name of the
protocol (as the users will see it), the path
to the executable and the command line parame-
ters. This is needed to send and receive the files.
19) Max Messages/baud -
This will take you to a submenu when you can
define BY BAUD RATE, how many messages will be sent both per
conference and per session. This will allow you to fairly decide which
baud rates can receive more or less. I support only bauds
300,1200,2400,9600 & 19200 at this time. IF the bbs reports any other
baud rates please let me know and I will make the adjustments.
20) BBS Type - This is where you enter FOREM/TURBO or TURBO2 (for
turbo 2 owners I will add the necessary offsets for the expanded
pas.dat file and adjust for the different file directory structure).
If you are using PHIDOQWK you can also enter OTHER in this line and
you will be prompted for the Drives online for your BBS and the name
of you main BBS folder. These are store in an ASCII file called PHIDOQWK.OPT.
21) Allow MaxiMiser Quotes -
A YES will allow the initials in quote lines to be left in. A NO will strip the initials
out and leave the > symbol only.
23) Location of LOG file - This is the name of the PhidoQWK log file.
If you do not wish to have one then enter NOLOG on this line.
25) Censor Taglines -
There are 3 possible options here, ALL, NONE or
a base list. If you enter ALL or a base list then taglines will be
removed from messages entered offline into those bases select or ALL
bases. NONE would be the preferred choice here as all the programmers
use their taglines as a method of tracking their programs and
potential theft of their products.
26) Delete >8 includes - This is PhidoQWKs' IMS routine. If you enable
this routine then PhidoQWK will strip excess quoted lines from the
uploaded messages. This will work in blocks of 8 so that an offline
reader can intelligently quote upto 8 lines, generate a response then
quote 8 more for the next section of their reply.
27) Chars to be treated as quote chars - Different offline readers use
different characters to define a quote. What you enter here is a
string of characters that you want treated as potential quote
characters. If PhidoQWK finds these characters in the position used by
the quote characters it will recognize them and have the IMS routine
treat them accordingly.
28) Base user is forced to read - This is a base that will be sent to
the user regardless of whether it is flagged or not. This could be
used for a base where you keep your users posted on the current
happens with the BBS. Entering 0 disables this feature.
Hints for using MAXICFG.PRG...
-
When MAXICFG asks for path names you must supply full path names
eg. C:\FOREM\XYZ.TTP
- To save you some typing you may hit return and select the
programs/Paths via a file selector by hitting return
The Extract and Move Commands are left in the case you type them and are
passed to the program unmodified. I have supplied suggested parameters as
defaults but you are free to modify them as you wish. I HEARTILY RECOMMEND
THAT YOU DO A SEND QWK AND RECEIVE REP WITH EACH COMPRESSOR YOU HAVE ONLINE
BEFORE YOU LEAVE THEM UNATTENDED.
Once you have finished, press return to save the file.
MAXICFG6 will now save your CFG file and it will examine your Pas.Dat (or
TPAS.DAT for turbo 2 owners) and create a file called MXUSPREF.DAT. This is
the file that contains your users preferences when they use the door.
Now create a PhidoQWK folder on EVERY drive the BBS knows about.
When I create the packets I use the drive with the most free space.
PhidoQWK will create them if needed but in the interest of time please do
it yourself.
Now, edit your LOGOFF.BAT file to pass the parameter LOGOFF to PhidoQWK.
Eg. C:\FOREM\PhidoQWK.PRG LOGOFF
If you fail to do this step properly, your users hi message counters
and messages sent counters will not be updated.
The Logoff routine is NOT needed for PHIDOQWK
Now edit your FDOORS.DAT file to add PhidoQWK.PRG in as per the
BBS instruction manual:
PhidoQWK
0
C:\forem\txt\maxi.in
C:\forem\PhidoQWK.prg
C:\forem\PhidoQWK.prg
C:\forem\txt\maxi.out
You have now successfully set up PhidoQWK.
Extra Features
-------------- REDIRECTION
The program automatically attempts to redirect the text output from
ARC/ZIP/LZH to the user, but in case you start having problems from
this feature, you can pass the command REDIRECT OFF to the program,
and it will refrain from doing this action. So, your line in your
FDOORS.DAT would be more like.
C:\FOREM\PhidoQWK.PRG REDIRECT OFF
PhidoQWK Deluxe Enhancements
PRE-PREPARED PACKETS
Create a text file with all of the user names you wish to pre-pr-
epare
mail packets for, called PACKING.LST. These must contain names of users
who have already used the door, and saved their preferences. In a BAT
file of your choice, preferably, DAILY.BAT or FMAINT.BAT, enter a line
to tell PhidoQWK to pre-prepare a packet. Eg.
C:\FOREM\PhidoQWK.PRG PACK
General Comments
I love user feedback on new features and ideas please
encourage your users to try PhidoQWK and let their imagination
run wild about what they would LIKE it to do in the future.
This program is playing with your config.dat and message bases.
While I have made every effort to ensure their safety something
may go wrong. Please while testing make regular backups and I do
recommend running Don Liscombes' Message Manager to ensure your
message bases continued health.
This version of PhidoQWK is released as FREEWARE. You are expected to
pay NOTHING for using it. I (Shawn Smith) do retain all rights to the
program and it is provided strictly on an "AS IS" bases. I take
absolutely no responsibility for the programs performance (or lack
thereof).
If you should desire to send me a "thanks" my address is:
27 Carr Dr
Ajax, Ontario
L1T 3E2
Enjoy and I hope to hear from you soon, I can be reached at node 68
and I do run a MaxiMiser/PhidoQWK support conference (Code 10068) if
you would like to join drop me a line there.
ADDENDUM
Description of MXUSPREF.DAT
This file at present contains the users Rec # in the pas.dat,
User name (for comparison in case the user got deleted and a new user
was assigned to the rec #. There is all the various options the user
selects like ARC/LZH/ZIP, # of messages/base, # of messages/conference.
I have left some expansion as I do have future plans.
The structure is as follows:
struct userpref {
int rec; /* Record # in pas.dat */
char uname[31]; /* User name */
char Mxflags; /* User flags */
int Messperconf; /* Messages per conference */
int Messperpack; /* Messages per packet */
char mxflags2; /* User flags 2*/
char Expand[212]; /* Expansion, Seems like a lot but I have
plans */
};
/* User flags definition
bit 0 = ARC
bit 1 = ZIP
bit 2 = LZH
bit 3 = Confmail allowed
bit 4 = Xmodem
bit 5 = 1K Xmodem
bit 6 = Ymodem
bit 7 = Zmodem
User Flags 2 definition
Bit 0 = Confmail Messages shown
bit 1 = Do not Clear lines
bit 3-7 = Future Expansion
*/