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Text File
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1994-10-03
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6KB
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98 lines
SYSOPS!
This utility will hopefully make managing your bbs a little less
time consuming. It was written at the request of the same PCBoard
sysop that is responsible for MERGEPRO (or MERGESYS, the new sysop
version). He uses a concept he calls "shovelware", which translated
means he gets files from satellite, fidonet, internet, other bbs,
wherever, "shovels" them all into a directory to extract their file
descriptions, then "uploads" them to his bbs. His desire to
automate this process as much as possible led to the development of
this program (see PRODUCTS.DOC for related programs). It works on
ASCII text file descriptions in either WildCat! (the first two lines
of the description start at the left margin and the description ends
with a blank line) or PCBoard DIR format (only the first line starts
at the left margin and the descriptions are contiguous).
When you have a list of file descriptions that are ready to be added
to, say, your main upload directory, instead of copying them all
there at one time, ADDTODAY can be run each day (e.g., from a batch
file) on a list of new file descriptions and add those whose "day of
month" number matches the current system day (e.g., the file date is
08-30-93 and the system date is 11-30-94). Also, when ADDTODAY
appends the descriptions, it changes the file date to the current
date (e.g., 11-30-94). As far as callers to your bbs are concerned,
they just see a bunch of new files every day. The default file
description date starting column is 24, which can be changed.
You can set both a minimum and maximum number of descriptions to be
added if desired (setting the minimum and maximum to the same value
will add a fixed number each day). ADDTODAY can also execute an
optional batch file with each file name whose description has been
added, such as moving the parent file to your uploads directory. As
descriptions are added, they are removed from the new files list and
when it is empty, you are notified with a message to replace it.
WildCat! bbs's can still use this technique, but with an extra step.
Today's descriptions could be written to a new text file each day,
which is then converted to the database format and inserted into the
existing file list database. The work files should be deleted
afterwards in preparation for the next day's run.
This program is a "beta" model and is being released for evaluation.
You are invited to try it out and share it with other sysops. Just
enter ADDTODAY without any parameters and a help screen will come
up. I'd welcome any feedback, good or bad. At Charlie's (that's
the sysop I keep mentioning) insistence, I've installed unregistered
version "nag" screens, and I'd like to know if you think they are
"too much" of an annoyance (if a keypress isn't entered, they'll
both end after a few seconds). Also, the registration prices are
just suggestions at this point, so any comments you have about them
would be appreciated. Please don't try to register this program
yet, but if you'd like to be registered, just contact me through any
of the methods shown below and I will notify you as soon as it is
"officially" released (before the end of 1994).
Since this utility is designed to run unattended from a batch file,
it quits with an errorlevel that can be tested. For a list of the
various exit codes, please see the help screen. Its screen output
can also be redirected to create a log by using the "greater than"
symbol, e.g., ADDTODAY addlist uploads > today.add. Using ">>" will
append each day's log rather than overwriting the previous day's.
Please excuse the disclaimer that follows, but as a sysop, I'm sure
you understand I need to cover my butt (such as it is)!
This software and documentation are provided "as is" without
warranty of any kind, either implied or expressed, including
but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability
and fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to
the results and performance of this software is assumed by
you. In no event will I, or anyone else who has been
involved in its creation, production, or delivery, be liable
to you or any other party for any direct, indirect,
consequential, or incidental damages arising from the use of
or inability to use this program.
I also need to acknowledge the other copyrighted products mentioned
here. PCBoard is a registered trademark of Clark Development
Company, Inc. and WildCat! is a trademark of Mustang Software, Inc.
Live long and prosper.
I can be reached at any of these addresses.
Write to: Hal Parks E-Mail: 8:970/201 RBBSNet
HAL SoftWare 1:11/157 FIDONet
404B W. Oak InterNet
Carbondale, IL 62901 charlies@twister.c-lib.siu.edu
OR leave a message for me with InfoQuest BBS at 618-529-0000
OR contact me through InfoQuest's sysop (safest bet for all E-Mail)
InterNet: charlies@twister.c-lib.siu.edu
RBBSNet: 8:970/201 FIDONet: 1:11/157
USERNAME: Charles Strusz
FIDO NODELIST CORRECTION: Phone should be 618.529.0000