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Chapter 1: The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel 5 1 The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel This chapter provides quick and (we hope) easy instructions on how to get your BBS up and running. We recommend that you also read, at least, Chapter 2 [Sysop Theory], page 14, so you know what's what, and whichever other parts of the manual tickle your curiosity. 1.1 Initial Preparations In order for Fnordadel to run at all, you need to have the following: o An Atari ST or TT series computer with at least 512K of RAM and at least one 360K disk drive. More of both RAM and disk space always helps; in particular, a hard disk is real nice. o An RS-232 modem and cable. The modem must be able to autoanswer. Most modems are Hayes-compatible; if yours is, it should work with Fnordadel. o A text editor or word processor which reads and writes plain ASCII files. Any text editor will work, and most word processors will work if you turn off ``WP mode'' or whatever they happen to call it. Check your word processor's manual. o Optionally, some sort of shell or CLI (``command line interpreter''). The Fnordadel programs work by taking arguments on the command line which are clumsy to specify using the GEM desktop; additionally, some features of Fnordadel, like events, are unavailable or nearly useless unless you use a shell. 1.1.1 Disk layout The first thing you should do is to set aside space on your storage devices to hold the Fnordadel binaries, the online help files, and the data files comprising your BBS. How you do this will depend on how large you want your BBS to be, and what storage devices you have. Fnordadel's space requirements are roughly detailed below: o The two essential binaries, citadel and configur, take around 210K. o The help files consume about 110K of disk space. o The userlog takes approximately 512 bytes (i.e., 0.5K) per user. For a decent sized log of around 100 users, allow 50K. o The room files take at least 1K per room. Allow about 60K for a set of 40 rooms. o Other miscellaneous system files, including `ctdlcnfg.sys' (the configuration file), the floors, net and other files can be expected to take about another 50K. Chapter 1: The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel 6 o And finally, the message base takes exactly as much space as you allocate to it. For a reasonably busy system and allowing for old messages to be around for about a week, you'd like around a 300K message base. This is enough for about 1000 average-sized messages. With the preceeding in mind, here are a couple of suggestions for various setups. Hard disk systems If you have a hard disk, things are relatively easy. Here's one way of doing it. o Make a directory someplace on your hard disk to hold Fnordadel and your BBS. We recommend something close to the root of the drive, since all pathnames will have to be specified relative to the root directory, and you don't want to type `d:\foobar\bletch\blort\weevil\bbs\...' all the time. So pick `d:\bbs', say. o Make a directory under `d:\bbs' called `bin', and put all of the Fnoradel binaries in it. o Copy the file `ctdlcnfg.doc' from the Fnordadel distribution into `d:\bbs'. o Make another directory under `d:\bbs', calling this one `help', and copy all of the Fnordadel online help files into it. Also, if you do not already use a disk cacheing program you may want to get one, as they can greatly improve disk performance. Try `dcache' or `Cold Hard Cache'. If you have a hard drive based on an ICD host adaptor, use the cache built into the ICD software. Floppy disk only systems If you have only floppy disks, you'll need to plan things a bit more carefully. You will probably want to use some kind of RAMdisk to hold parts of your system; not only does this increase the amount of space you have online, but it speeds things up considerably as well. There are thousands of RAMdisk programs available for the ST. We supply one called Flashdisk which seems to work well; see the accompanying documentation. You will probably also want to format your BBS disks using an extended formatter of some kind, to increase your available storage capacity. We recommend DC Format. A decent Fnordadel system will fit on one double-sided (i.e., 720K) disk, although things will be a little cramped. If you have two double-sided drives, you're laughing---just put your `auto' folder, the Fnordadel binaries and help files, `ctdlcnfg.sys', and whatever other utility things you need on the first disk (in drive A), and put all the data files for your BBS on the second disk (in drive B). Paths to Fnordadel data files should begin with `B:\...'. You may optionally run things with some or all of the data files from drive B living in a RAMdisk instead; you Chapter 1: The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel 7 might want to configure the RAMdisk program so that at boot time it copies all necessary files from drive B into the RAMdisk. If you have only single-sided drives, you'll need to split the files over two disks. If you have only one single-sided drive, you're still in the Stone Age---but yes, you can still run Fnordadel. Here's one suggested way: Drive A: will contain: o `citadel.tos' o the `help' directory o a directory called `audit' o `configur.tos' o `ctdlcnfg.sys' o a small text editor or word-processing program You will also want to create a RAMdisk of as large a size as possible; if you have a 512K machine, you're limited to about a 200K RAMdisk, while if you have a 1Mb machine, you can use a RAMdisk of up to 700--750K. You'll set the data file paths so that after you run configur (see Section 1.2.2 [Running configur], page 9), the RAMdisk will contain: `ctdlmsg.sys' the message base `roomnnnn.sys' the room files; you specify how many in `ctdlcnfg.sys' `ctdlflr.sys' the floors file `ctdllog.sys' the user log file You would then copy these files (which are empty to begin with) onto another floppy, so that you have a physical backup version of them. 1.1.2 Other details There are a few other things which you may need to attend to before you can configure your system. In no particular order: o If you're going to be using the GEM desktop, you will have to rename most of the Fnordadel binaries from `.tos' to `.ttp' extensions. This is because most of them take arguments (parameters) on the command line, and you need to give them `.ttp' extensions to force GEM to pop up the parameters dialog box. Chapter 1: The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel 8 o If you have a hard disk or you have TOS 1.4 or higher, you should ensure that you have foldr100 in your `auto' folder, or that you have some other form of workaround for the TOS 40-folder bug. (If you have an STE, you have TOS 1.6, to which this item applies.) o If you have TOS 1.4 or greater, you should have poolfix in your `auto' folder. 1.2 Configuration Briefly, here's how configuration goes. First, you edit `ctdlcnfg.sys' to customize your system. Then you run configur, which digests `ctdlcnfg.sys' and creates all of the needed files and directories. Simple, eh? 1.2.1 Editing ctdlcnfg.sys The base Fnordadel configuration file is supplied to you as `ctdlcnfg.doc'. It is exhaustively commented, so we recommend that you read it from start to finish, changing the parameters as you go. When you're done, save it as `ctdlcnfg.sys'. After doing so you may wish to move the original `ctdlcnfg.doc' off of your working disks if you're short of space; you might also want to remove the comments from `ctdlcnfg.sys'. The following sections give you a few insights into which parameters you should set and how. 1.2.1.1 General parameters The following general parameters should all be altered by you. If you don't, some won't make any sense on your BBS, while others will make the configuration program crap out as it tries to do its thing. Read the parameter descriptions in `ctdlcnfg.doc'. Here's the list: Misc. Sizes and such Directories --------------------------------------------------- #nodetitle #define logsize #msgdir #nodename #define messagek #sysdir #nodeid #define cryptseed #roomdir #organization #define maxrooms #helpdir #domain #define mailslots #auditdir #baseroom #define sharedrooms #netdir #basefloor #syspassword #sysop With the various directories, you might wish to combine one or more of them together, especially if you're running on floppy disk drives or RAMdisk. In that case, just define the various directory parameters to the same value. Chapter 1: The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel 9 1.2.1.2 Modem parameters The following parameters are all modem-related. If you have a Hayes-compatible modem, you'll have to change very few of the parameters. If your modem is not a Hayes-compatible but is still driven by software commands of some kind, you still might be able to get it working. If you have to do anything that you think is unusual to make your modem work, let the Fnordadel team know so they can pass the info along to others. Here's the list of parameters to look at: Misc. Connect reply messages ---------------------------------------------- #calloutprefix #reply300 #calloutsuffix #reply1200 #define sysbaud #reply2400 #define init-speed #reply9600 #modemsetup #reply19200 #define hayes With the modem reply messages, you'll probably want to comment out the ones that don't apply to your modem, e.g. #reply19200, or else set them to the empty string `""'. Other general tips are that the modem must report the true state of the DCD and DTR signals, and should be set to have command echoing off and numeric result codes. For more details, see Chapter 6 [Modem Stuff], page 86. 1.2.1.3 Networking parameters For this first pass through the configuration, our recommendation is that you pretty much ignore networking. However, you should comment out the following items in `ctdlcnfg.doc' (by placing a `*' at the beginning of the line) to avoid possible glitches. #event NETWORK #polling #define poll-delay 1.2.2 Running configur When you've edited `ctdlcnfg.doc' to your satisfaction and saved it as `ctdlcnfg.sys', you're ready to run the configuration program, configur. Ensure that the current directory is the one in which `ctdlcnfg.sys' resides, and then invoke configur by typing its name (if you're using a shell), or by clicking on its icon (if you're using the GEM desktop). Don't supply any arguments. configur should run and begin to display various messages about what it's doing. One of the first things it will do is stop to report that it can't find certain directories (the ones you specified in `ctdlcnfg.sys') and will ask you whether you'd like configur to create them. Answer `yes'. It will then proceed to create various system files. If anything is screwed up with your configuration, or if configur encounters any other error, it will complain and probably stop. If this happens you may have to Chapter 1: The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel 10 go back and edit `ctdlcnfg.sys' some more. (A good rule of debugging is ``Never change more than one thing at a time.'') If configur is successful, it will leave a file called `ctdltabl.sys' in the same directory as `ctdlcnfg.sys'. This file contains all of the information that citadel and the rest of the Fnordadel programs need to run properly. 1.3 Bringing Up The System If you've made it this far, it means that configur has run and has deposited `ctdltabl.sys' on your disk. Now you're ready to bring up the BBS for the first time. To do this, run citadel. You don't need to pass it any parameters. When citadel runs, you'll first see a few lines of identifying bumph, followed by the contents of `banner.blb', which lives in your help files directory (specified by #helpdir in `ctdlcnfg.sys'). (As with all help files, you can edit this with a normal ASCII text editor to reflect details of your own system.) Next you'll see some more gibberish, and finally a prompt consisting of a line of helpful reminders of commands to use, and another line that looks something like this: Lobby> 1.3.1 Logging in The first thing to do now is to login. To do this, you must first bring Fnordadel into ``console mode'' by hitting the `<ESC>' key. Now type [L]ogin (i.e., type `L' and watch the BBS echo `login'). The BBS will now do one of two things, depending on whether you told it (via the getname parameter in `ctdlcnfg.sys') that you wanted it to log users in using their usernames and passwords, or with just their passwords. If the former, you'll see login: Type the username you wish to use on your system; it should match the one you defined in `ctdlcnfg.sys' as #sysop, and should not be more than 19 characters long. The BBS will then ask: password: at which point you should type the password you wish to use; passwords may be no longer than 19 characters, and should *not* be easily guessable. If you told the system that you'd like it to use passwords only when logging people in, then you'll instead see: Chapter 1: The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel 11 Enter password (just carriage return if new): Since you're new, just hit `<CR>'. In either case, the BBS will now reply: No record. Enter as new user? (Y/[N]): Answer `Y' for `yes'. The system will then ask you a series of questions about your desired user configuration. Answer them however you like, but when the system asks Are you an experienced Citadel user? (Y/[N]) you'll probably want to answer `No'. The system may then print out a warning about choosing an intelligent password. If you haven't told the system your name yet, it will now ask: What is your name: and you should tell it. If you haven't given it a password yet, it will now ask for one: What is your password: and you should give it one, of no more than 19 characters. The BBS will now reply with: Name: username Password: password OK? (Y/N): Type `y' to accept it, or `n' if you want to change something. You will now be logged in to your BBS. You will see the ``room prompt'' again: Lobby> 1.3.2 Giving yourself power If you've done as we suggested and logged in using the name you specified as #sysop in `ctdlcnfg.sys', you'll find that you have magically been given Sysop, Aide and Network privileges. If you didn't, then you'll want to assign these privileges to yourself manually. To do this, hit `^L' at the room prompt. You should see Chapter 1: The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel 12 sysop cmd: which is the prompt for the Sysop command menu. Here, as elsewhere, you can type a `?' to see a list of options, but right now we're here on business, so type `U'. You'll see status cmd: which is the prompt for the ``user status'' menu. Type `S' for [S]ysop privileges, and the system will ask you for the name of a user on whom to bestow Sysop privileges. Type the name you logged in with and answer the confirmation username gets Sysop privileges - confirm? (Y/[N]): with `Yes'. You should repeat the above exercise using the [N]etwork privileges command to give yourself network privs. 1.4 Backing Up There are lots of things you can do now, but we recommend the following: o If you aren't at the room prompt but are still in one of the menus under the `sysop cmd:' menu, type `X' for e[X]it until you reach the room prompt. o Type `T' for [T]erminate and confirm with `Yes'. This is to log you off the system. The system will return to ``modem mode'' where it is waiting for a caller. o Press `<ESC>' and `^L' to get to the Sysop menu again. o Type `Q' for [Q]uit Fnordadel. This is to exit from citadel and return you to your shell or desktop. Confirm the quit with `Yes'. Now that you're back on the shell or desktop, you should figure out how to back your system up and do it for practice. If you're running from a RAMdisk, you should copy all files down onto a physical disk. You should make copies of the physical floppies on which you run the system, if you use floppies. If you use a hard disk, make a directory on a separate partition (or better yet, a separate drive) and copy the contents of your BBS directory into it. We Fnordadelians recommend that you keep at least two sets of backups on floppy disks, which you alternate between every other backup session. This is to guard against data file corruption which might go unnoticed until after one backup has been made---if you have more than one backup, your chances of possessing an uncorrupted one are greater. If you ever need to restore your system from a backup, you should restore the *entire* backup, unless you are very familiar with the interactions of various system files and therefore know what you are doing. Chapter 1: The Fifteen Minute Guide to Fnordadel 13 Mixing old and new files can have strange and often bad results, especially with respect to networking. Play it safe and restore all matching system files, unless you have a very good reason not to. 1.5 Doing It Properly There, you've got it up and running. Sort of. Now we recommend that you do one or both of the following things: 1. Sit down with a large cup of something liquid, preferably containing caffeine, and read through parts of this manual. You should absolutely read Chapter 2 [Sysop Theory], page 14, and should skim Chapter 3 [User Command Reference], page 24, Chapter 4 [Aide and Co-Sysop Command Reference], page 62, and Chapter 5 [The Sysop Command Reference], page 75. Read the remaining chapters as your interest and persistence dictates. 2. Bring up citadel again and start playing around---create some rooms, enter some messages, and generally goof off. You'll learn about how the user interface and the system in general works, and you can't hurt much. (You *did* make a backup, didn't you?). At bare minimum you will want to go through the help files directory and edit most of the files that end in `.blb'---these are ``blurb'' files like the banner, the logout notice and so on, which you should customize. You should also edit two of the `.hlp' files: `policy.hlp' (your system policy), and `localbbs.hlp' (a listing of other systems). (The `.mnu' files should be left alone; these are the command menus, and there's no good reason to change them unless you don't like the format.) You will probably also want to go through `ctdlcnfg.sys' again and fine-tune some of the more esoteric options.