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SoftSpan_v1.1
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readme
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1990-11-09
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Soft Span BBS (C) 1989 Mark Wolfskehl
User Documentation
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See the file 'Addendum' for information on versions since 1.0
and information on the upcoming VERSION 2.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello and welcome to Soft Span BBS. This documentation will be brief and
to the point. But first, some business:
Soft-Span is distributed as shareware. Copy this program and share it with
your friends. If you like it and use it to put up a bulletin board of
your own, I request that you send me a very nominal fee of $25. Send your
check or money order to:
Mark Wolfskehl
5 Hazelwood Avenue
Livingston, NJ 07039
(201) 994-9592
Again, this is a very nominal fee considering the amount of work that went
into the program's development. It will also support continued development
work. In addition, the registration fee will qualify you for a special price
of Version 2.0 when released. (Probably the regular price - $25)
You can also reach me via Usenet.
Address your mail to: wolfskeh@acf9.nyu.edu
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK- now, down to business.
First, these are the files on the disk:
In the root directory:
Addendum - Updated material for new versions
ReadMe - This file
Execute.Me - A file containing necessary assign statements
bbsport - This is the Soft Span BBS program
Here are the other directories:
data - Contains settings and other general data for the BBS
log - Where the user log goes
text - Various text files and help files
bases - Where the message base files are located
dl - Contains the download directories
ul - The upload directory
In: soft_span:data
access - Info on "standard" access levels
bases - Info describing the message bases
dloads - Info describing the download and upload directories
general - Some general settings
modem - Description of modem messages, etc... Set for Hayes compat.
Be sure to read these files thoroughly and edit them to customize the BBS
for yourself. The documentation for these files is contained within the files
themselves.
In: soft_span:text
Bulletin.txt - The current bulletin to users
DescMenu.txt - Descriptive menu. Called up by MENU command
LogOut.txt - Message displayed at logoff
MailMenu.txt - Menu within the mail read system
Main.txt - The BBS's main menu
NewInfo.txt - Displayed after a new user gives his info
NewWelcome.txt - Displayed to new users before giving info
ReadSys.txt - Menu displayed when '?' chosen from the read system
Tty_ed.txt - Displayed within the editor if '/?' is entered
Upload.txt - Displayed before someone uploads a file
Welcome.txt - Displayed right after copyright notice
Be sure to edit these files to suit your own BBS
In: soft_span:text/help (General help files)
general.hlp - General description of Soft Span's operation
morehelp.hlp - Description of the HELP command to get help on commands
MsgSystem.hlp - Explanation of the message base system
tty_edit.hlp - Help on using the tty(line) editor
xfer.hlp - Explanation of file transfers
In: soft_span:text/cmd (Command help files)
Each file in this directory is a help file on a specific command.
The name of each file is <command>.hlp
Where <command> is the name of the primary command.
In: soft_span:bases
Each file corresponds to a mesage base (or Email, or feedback).
The name of each file is <name>.base
Where name is the name given to the base.
EMAIL.base - The Email file
FBACK.base - The feedback file
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The software's files are set up so that you can start running the software
right away from the distribution disk.
Just issue the following CLI commands:
execute execute.me
run bbsport
Make sure your modem is on, and then click the requestor away.
You can now log in locally by hitting F1
Choose Quit from the intuition menu or AMIGA-Q to exit the program
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Necessary ASSIGNS:
If you install the BBS on a hard disk or in a RAM disk, you will need to
assign the following logical device names:
bbs_data: -- This is where the configuration files go
bbs_log: -- This is where the user log will go
bbs_text: -- This is where the general text files/
help directory goes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The operation of the system is pretty much completely described in the help
files. However, here is some general information anyway:
Most listings/menus can be paused with CTRL-S and aborted with any other key.
If you abort, the character you hit is placed in a buffer and immediately
fed into the next input routine.
The main promt always displays the current message base and directory, if any.
For instance, if the current base is AMIGA: AMIGA>
If the current directory is GAMES: !GAMES>
If the current base is AMIGA and the current directory is GAMES:
AMIGA!GAMES>
The directory name is always preceeded by an eclamation point.
Don't be too confused by this system. It is pretty similar to the CLI's
command system. Once you get used to it, it will become much more intuitive
than the "dumb menu" system used by other programs.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes about uploads and downloads:
File descriptions are stored in the filenote for each download file.
To set a description name, use the FILENOTE command from the CLI.
Uploaded files also have the computer type in the filenote. Use LIST from
the CLI to see it.
When files are uploaded, you'll have to move them into the appropriate
download directory at the CLI by using the COPY or RENAME commands.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The USERED and DEL commands do not have help files:
DEL deletes specified message(s) in the current message base
For instance :
DEL 5
Deletes message number five.
DEL 2-4
Deletes messages 2, 3, and 4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USERED is the user editor:
Choose N to edit new users
Choose H to edit a specific user
Choose U to get a user listing
When editing users, enter the letter or number corresponding to the field
you want to change. Or, choose the number corresponding to a standard access
level. Choose '6' do delete the user. Choose '0' when you're done.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's some information about CHAT
The user's handle, name, baud rate and a "chat reason" is displayed at top.
When a user chooses 'CHAT', he is asked why he wishes to chat. That reason
is then displayed at top until he/she logs off.
When the user selects CHAT, the sysop will be paged by a beeping noise.
The local sysop hits F2 to enter chat or F10 to deny a chat request. The
request will also be denied if the sysop doesn't respond.
In chat, the user and sysop can have a conversation.
=========================================================================
Hitting F3 will bring up the user's information which can be edited as with
USERED.
=========================================================================
Hitting F10 exits chat and returns the user to the BBS
In addition, you can break into chat in several places:
1) Before log-on, at the "Enter your handle" prompt
2) At the "Enter your password" prompt
3) At the main menu
You can do this by pressing the F2 function key.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Setting up Soft-Span
====================
As there is currently no setup utility, you will have to log on as a new user.
To give yourself full sysop access:
Log on as a new user, giving all the required information
enter CHAT
enter any reason for chatting
Hit F2
You are now in chat
Hit F3 - you will be in the user editor
Give yourself access
When you're done enter '0' and 'Y' to save your information
You're back in chat
hit F10 to exit chat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Again, be sure to look over the files in the data directory, and in the
text directory.
Once you log on, you can learn to use the system through the HELP system.
The HELP files are extensive, and a careful reading of them should
elucidate the operation of the system.
I'm sorry that the documentation for setting up the system is kind of scanty,
but I just don't have the time to write extensive documentation right now.
My primary goal was to make the program available to the public right away,
and better documentation will be forthcoming.
P.S. You'll need a text editor. I use MicroEmacs, the version supplied with
the 1.3 system software, but you can use any you like.
Also, you'll need a working knowledge of the CLI in order to get things
running.