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* Telix PEP Tools v1.5 * TELIX v3.12 Script File Tools Written by Michael Gillum Last Updated: 03-12-91 The Telix PEPTOOLS v1.5 are provided as Shareware. Meaning you have the right to try them out for a limited period of 30 days. After which you should either register them with the author, or discontinue usage. Registering the tools will provide you with: a) An unlimited version of PEPTOOLS. A few of the TOOLS such as SEDITOR, and ROBOLOG, and PInstall are limited versions. The limitations do not take away from the actual work-a-bility of these tools, but the registered versions support many more features. For example: SEDITOR, as is, does not support word-wrap or insert mode. These are additional features that will enhance its functionality, but do not limit its present usage. ROBOLOG, is for the most part complete. However, some modifications will be necessary to the scripts that are created with the "Learn" facilities. The registered version clears this up. With registration, the "Learn" facility is expanded and writes totally completed, totally functional scripts. This is not to say that the scripts created with the Un-registered version are not workable, only that there is some modification required for decision making process that have been kept out of the unregistered version. PINSTALL, as is, assigns the tools to predetermined keys (as shown on the screen). The registered version of PInstall allows for custom selecting of keys to use in the installation. Also. A few of the tools will check for color display (based on what is installed in Telix) and use these, but most are configured for Black & White display only. In the registered version, full-color support is activated for ALL tools that use the display screen. b) Notification, and access to any "fixes" free of charge. c) Upgrades at a very low cost. d) Registration will also provide you with unlimited technical support. e) A complete listing (reference manual) of instructions and syntax for using the "called" scripts, or "Utilities" in PEPTOOLS, (plus an extended version of the utilities) for scripts you may decide to write yourself. As is, the called scripts included are used by many of the TOOLS, most of these (and others) can be used just as easily by you. f) Access to the complete source code for all scripts, at a small, additional charge of $5.00. No source code is available without registration. Even as is, the PEPTOOLS are quite a bargain, but as you can see, registration greatly expands many of the ideas present in the PEPTOOLS. I highly recommend registration of the tools (of course!) Registration of PEPTOOLS costs a mere $15.00 payable in check, or Money Order, payable to: Michael Gillum 20806 S. Western Ave. #1 Torrance Ca. 90501 (213) 787-9461 An order form is provided in a separate document, for your convenience. Contents: Documentation: PEPTOOLS.DOC SEDITOR.DOC ROBOLOG.DOC ORDER.DOC Compiled Scripts ---------------- ROBOLOG .SLC SEDITOR .SLC PINSTALL.SLC VIEWFILE.SLC LISTDIR .SLC SEARCHER.SLC TDIR .SLC DIALDIR .SLC FILE_ERR.SLC READCFG .SLC GETATTR .SLC LASTPOS .SLC ASCIIUP .SLC DATETIME.SLC KEYS .SLC LOADKEYS.SLC LOGOFF .SLC MEMEXTRC.SLC BAUDDRAG.SLC ANSISCRN.SLC Here are a set of automated scripts that were basically designed to be timesavers. Installing PEPTOOLS ------------------- For a custom installation of all the PEPTOOLS, execute first, a script called "PInstall." This script does a couple things. First, it creates a color config file for a few of the scripts by reading both, the attributes from the screen, and then comparing those with Telix's actual configuration, in "Telix.cnf." Second, it installs all the tools to a Telix "key" file of which you provide the name. This allows all the tools to be called by pressing a function key (or Alt-function key), making usage much easier. Telix defaults to a key file called "Telix.key" when first loaded. You can either select this as your key file, or give it any name you wish. As a rule, if you do not choose Telix.key as your "tools key file" I would at least, add to Telix.key, two tools. First, "Keys" as this shows what is stored in the active key file, and second, "Loadkeys" since this makes loading other key files a lot easier than Telix does. Summary of Scripts: ------------------- PInstall : As mentioned above, this is the installation script for all the tools. This script should be executed first, even if you are not going to assign the tools to function keys because PInstall also creates a color config file for a couple of the tools. ROBOLog : Automated-Timed script executor, with built in Script Writer. *Documentation contained in a separate file. Seditor : An online editor that offers more flexibility than many of the "Line Type" editors encountered on many services. Seditor is small, 18 lines max, with 60 character right margin. Designed as an "on-the-fly" basic message editor to alleviate the need for loading a bulky, external editor from TELIX simply to compose a short message. *Documentation contained in a separate file. ViewFile : Allows viewing any file. Saves you from having to load your editor just to view the contents of a file. Will handle files up to 175,00 bytes in size (approx 200 pages). Also accepts (*) wildcard character, to specify a particular set of files. ListDir : Displays a "wide screen" disk directory for selected directories. You provide the search path. Dos wildcard character (*) is acceptable. Searcher : Searcher v1.0 is a modem number seeker. You choose a set of prefixes and a low to high number, then Searcher will dial those prefixes and numbers searching for a modem. If a modem is found, the number is logged in a file named MODEMS.SRC. A log of prefixes with low and high numbers is kept for future reference in a file named SEARCHER.LOG. Searcher acknowledges a "carrier signal" as a modem number. Any numbers called that are busy, voice answered, or not answered at all are ignored. No log is kept of Non-Modem numbers. It is possible that Searcher will overlook some actual modem numbers due to either no answer, or a busy signal. Only one attempt per number is executed when dialing. Datetime : Displays the date and time on the screen for approx, 5 seconds. AsciiUp : Prompts you for a filename, then does an ASCII upload. Saves you from having to select a protocol simply to upload a message, etc. This will only work for ASCII (Text) uploads. Keys : Shows special key assignments for the Function, Alt- Function, Shift-Function, and Ctrl-Function keys of the presently loaded key file. Put this one in ALL your key files to show what's stored in your function keys. LoadKeys : Loads selected Key Definition file. This script offers a more direct way of loading Key-Def files than TELIX v3.12. Simply type in the name, and it's loaded (provided it exists - of course!) LOADKEYS assumes all key definition files to have the extension of ".KEY" * Keep in mind, that if you load another Key file, unless you have defined a few of the "Tools" to those keys too, you will lose the present Key assignment until reloaded. (I recommend you at least assign F1 in all your Key files to KEYS.SLC to display available keys and existing assignments - also, I would assign to some key THIS script, LOADKEYS.SLC, so you will retain the ability to reload the "Tools") AnsiScrn : Qwik display of many of the Ansi Control codes, and gives a few brief examples. DialDir : Displays Dialing Directory without pausing at the "Stat Bar" like Alt-D does. Instead, this script takes you directly to the Directory. LogOff : Gracefully logs you off from anywhere online (even the PUBLIC FORUMS, or CHAT situations). There are always many ways to "hang-up" the modem connection, but to use anything other than the method supported by your BBS (Alt-H, Power Off, etc;) is an injustice to the Sysop and his equipment. LOGOFF.SLC first issues a Ctrl-C (to exit you from most situations - ie:Forum, Chat, etc;), then issues "Bye" to the system. * Called Scripts * ------------------ These scripts do little, or nothing by themselves, but play an important role in the support of other scripts. MemExtrc : Grabs your user number from the dialing directory entry. For use by scripts that automatically log you onto a BBS, that require a user number, as well as a password. BaudDrag : This script determines the Baud you are using, and sets a "Drag Factor" for slower (300-1200) Baud rates. Used by scripts that wait for prompts to occur from a host, so the quick looping involved with checking the terminal for incoming characters is closer matched with the speed of the modem. No "Drag Factor" is set if baud is 2400 or greater. File_Err : This script handles the display of an error message for problems associated with opening files used by various scripts. TDir : Handles the display of a files directory for other scripts. GetAttr : Reads attributes from two spots on the screen (the status bar line, to determine reverse color, and one line above that, to determine general text color) returning both. ReadCfg : Looks for a file named "PEPCOLOR.CFG" and loads colors for a few of the scripts. PEPCOLOR.CFG is a standard Ascii text file with 3 numbers in it. The first designates standard text color, the second designates reverse video color, and the third designates bold color. PEPCOLOR.CFG is created by PInstall, when first run. LastPos : Searches for the last occurrence of a character within a string. Most notably used in the tools to find the last position of the '\' character in determining the correct path of a directory search that includes a wildcard (*) character. As in: "C:\Telix\upload\*.*". SCRIPT EXECUTION ---------------- First, you should copy all the files with the extension ".SLC" to your TELIX v3.12 directory so TELIX v3.12 can find them. ** TELIX v3.12 can also load scripts by pressing special keys. ** To execute any of these scripts press ALT-G and type the name of the script you wish to start. Rather than use this method, however, I recommend instead, that you assign the scripts to Function keys. Assigning the scripts to Function keys is easy, and gives you access to the tasks the scripts perform in "one-key stroke." * Note on assigning scripts to a keystroke * ---------------------------------------- If you choose not to use the PInstall assignments, you can individually assign the tools to function keys yourself. By pressing ALT-K while in TELIX v3.12, you will be taken to the Keyboard assignment section. From here press 'E' for edit, then press the key you wish to assign to the execution of a particular script. When assigning a keystroke to an executable script file you have to begin the line with the '@' character. Simply type @[name of script] (no brackets) and the selected key will be assigned to execute that particular script. Next, press 'S' to save the assignments you have just made. (You will be prompted for a filename to save your keyboard definitions to) - I recommend you select the default file 'Telix.Key' since this is the keyboard file that is automatically loaded upon start-up of TELIX v3.12. As an example, (using KEYS.SLC to display the assigned Function keys,) here's a possible suggestion for key assignments to some of the TELIX v3.12 Tools: ============================================================================ | Special Function Key Assignments | |=======[F1-10]==========[AltF1-10]========[ShfF1-10]========[CtrF1-10]===== | 1| @Keys | @DialDir | | | |--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| | 2| @LoadKeys | @PInstall | | | |--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| | 3| @Seditor | @Searcher | | | |--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| | 4| @ListDir | | | | |--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| | 5| @ViewFile | | | | |--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| | 6| @RoboLog | | | | |--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| | 7| @AnsiScrn | | | | |--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| | 8| @DateTime | | | | |--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| | 9| @AsciiUp | | | | |--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |10| @LogOff | | | | ========================[Press any key to continue]========================= A Note on Script Files ---------------------- Just as "line-noise" reeks havoc with your terminal and connection, scripts (that are of a "log-on nature") can also suffer. In the event there is extreme line noise and the script is not functioning as intended, you can abort at anytime. Simply press "Esc" and answer "yes" to cancel the script completely. This will merely leave you wherever you were when the script was operating. All included Scripts are "safe." Meaning, none of them, if a problem does occur, will hinder or harm normal operations while on-line. The worst case scenario would be a "hanging" of the script due to either line-noise interference, or other unforeseen circumstances. Any Script can be aborted, at any time, simply by pressing "Esc" and choosing "cancel script" when prompted. Tips on usage, and TELIX v3.12 ".KEY" files -------------------------------------------- Chances are, you have many BBS's you log onto. Generally, I keep a different ".KEY" file for different BBS's (sometimes, more than one per BBS). This allows me to keep "special keys" for each BBS separate. Loading a script from the command line -------------------------------------- Telix supports loading a script from the command, as you start-up Telix. Sometimes, if you keep separate key files for assorted tasks, you may want to load the script "Loadkeys" as you enter Telix. This way, immediately you will be able to choose the keyfile you want to start with (Telix does not support loading a key file from the command line). To do this (or to load ANY script as you start Telix) issue from the Dos command line: Telix s[scriptfile name] (leave the brackets off. There should be no spaces between the 's' and the scriptfile name. For example: Telix sloadkeys Would start Telix, and automatically execute the script called "loadkeys". All Scripts were written and compiled using SALT, the TELIX v3.12 script language provided as in integrated part of TELIX v3.12 itself. TELIX v3.12 has one of the most powerful scripting languages I have seen (aside from some of the more expensive packages, such as CROSSTALK Mach IV) and is very similar in nature to the 'C' language. Comments are welcome, and appreciated. If you have further questions or discover any problems, contact: Michael Gillum at 213-787-9461