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1992-08-15
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─ File Announcer for Points v1.00 ──────────── Copyright Steve Mulligan 1992 ─
Special Thanks go to Peter Beeftink for writing the really important parts
of FAP that I didn't know how to do. He told me to learn Pascal so I did and
this program is the result. Steve Mathieson for his great beta testing and
constant support. Paul Venne for opening up an echo area for us called
BETA305. This was where all the beta testing was done and it really helped
a lot. Jeff Galbraith for making a great program called MAKEMSG. It is
distributed in this archive because FAP needs it to announce files in it's
message bases.
─ Introduction ─
File Announcer for Points (also called FAP) is a program that will scan
any specified directory for new files and post the new files in a Squish or
MSG style message base. It will also convert RSP files to messages for you.
I made FAP because I like to F'REQ files a lot. Sometimes too much. Anyhow,
I get all these files in and forget that I F'REQ'ed them and when I go look in
my NetFile directory, I've got a ton of files. After a long time, I wished I
had a program that would announce these files for me when they arrived. So...
I saddled up my trusty Turbo Pascal book and gathered up my beta testers and
here you go. FAP. A program that announced new files for you in a Squish or
MSG style message base.
─ Setting up FAP ─
To install FAP, just copy all the files to your mailer directory (if you
have one). Files in this archive should be:
FAP.EXE - Executable program you run
FAP.DOC - Your reading it
FAP.CFG - Sample config file
MAKEMSG.EXE - Text file to message converter
MAKEMSG.DOC - Documentation to MAKEMSG
After all the files are in the right spot, edit the text file FAP.CFG and
change the options as necessary. See the next section on how to set up the
configuration file.
─ FAP and the Config File ─
Here is a list of all the config verbs that FAP understands. All commands
and parameters are not case sensitive. They can have spaces anywhere. If a
line starts with a ; then it will be treated as a comment and skipped.
NetFile
The NetFile option tells FAP where to look for new files. You can enter up
to 8 of these. Duplicates will be ignored. This should point to the
directory that your mailer puts new files into.
eg : NetFile d:\modem\bbs\file
FileExclude
The FileExclude verb tells FAP where to find the list of files to exclude from
new file scanning. This file holds the full path and file name of any file
that has been scanned by FAP. If a file is found in a directory and is in the
FileExclude file, it is not announced. This stops files from being announced
more than once. The default is EXCLUDE.DAT.
eg : FileExclude EXCLUDE.DAT
Area
The Area verb tells the FAP where to put the file announcements. It should
point to a Squish or .MSG style base. NOTE: This message base must already
exist or it will not work. THIS MUST BE INCLUDED. THERE IS NO DEFAULT!
eg : Area d:\msgs\cvpfiles
NumberAnnounce
The NumberAnnounce verb tells you how many files announcements will go in each
message. The default is 3. If there are more than the number specified, it
will be broken into multiple messages. You cannot have more than 32 files per
message. Any number greater will be reset to 32. The larger the number, the
less FAP has to shell to DOS to run MAKEMSG so FAP will run a lot faster if
you get many files in one transfer.
eg : NumberAnnounce 3
AreaType
The AreaType verbs tell FAP what message area to support. Right now, FAP
supports Squish and MSG bases. Put the word Squish after AreaType to use
Squish style bases. Put the word MSG after the AreaType to use MSG type
bases. Squish is the default
eg : AreaType Squish
or
AreaType MSG
AddressFrom
The AddressFrom verb is to define the address the message is from. This MUST
be included if there is no AddressTo verb.
eg : AddressFrom 1:163/305.30
AddressTo
The AddressTo verb is to define the address the message is from. This MUST
be included if there is no AddressFrom verb.
eg : AddressTo 1:163/305.30
FAPTempFile
The FAPTempFile verb points to the temp file. The default is NEWFILE.FAP. The
temp file simply stores the text that will go into the file announcement
message. If a file by the name given already exists, it will be erased.
eg : FAPTempFile NEWFILE.FAP
MAKEMSGTempFile
The MAKEMSGTempFile verb points to the temp file that FAP makes for MAKEMSG.
The default is MSGMK.CFG. If this file already exists, it will be erased.
eg : MAKEMSGTempFile MSGMK.CFG
From
The From verb is what appears on the From line of the message. FAP and then
the version is the default. If you want the right version number displayed,
do not include a from line.
eg : From FAP v1.00
To
The To verb is what appears on the To line of the message. All is the
default.
eg : To All
Subject
The Subject verb is what appears on the Subject line of the message.
"New Files" is the default. (without the surrounding quotes).
eg : Subject New Files
OriginLine
The OriginLine verb tells FAP what to put on the Origin Line of your message.
DO NOT PUT YOUR ADDRESS HERE. It will be added to the end of the Origin Line
by FAP. The default is :
'Point System Using FAP ' + Version + ' * (' + FromAddress + ')'
eg : OriginLine Carp Valley Point * Carp, Ontario
AutoUpdate
The AutoUpdate verb tells FAP that the EXCLUDE.DAT file will be automatically
updated. This means if there is a file in a directory listed in the
EXCLUDE.DAT file and it is later deleted, it will also be removed from the
EXCLUDE.DAT next time FAP runs. AutoUpdate can be Yes or No. The default
is Yes.
eg: AutoUpdate Yes
TICAnnounce
The TICAnnounce verb tells FAP if it should read into TIC files and announce
the files that appear in them. Valid options are Yes and No. The default is
Yes. This is useful if you get files from a file distribution net because
files you get from there often come with TIC files accompanying them. This
will allow files to have descriptions and other important information added
to the file announcement.
eg : TICAnnounce Yes
RSPAnnounce
The RSPAnnounce verb tells FAP if it should convert files with the RSP
extension into a message. Valid options are Yes and No. The default is Yes.
Sometimes when you file request a file from a BBS but you get the password
wrong or the file cannot be found, they BBS will return a RSP file. FAP will
post this file to you message base.
eg : RSPAnnounce Yes
─ Running FAP ─
Once you have done all the above, you can run FAP. It takes one command
line argument; the config file name. You can rename FAP.CFG to any file and
then type FAP <configname> or just keep the name and run fap without any
command line options.
FAP will display a title screen and proceed to scan your directories using
some calls to DOS. It will then put a list of all files that did not appear
in the ExcludeFile file in a file called TempFile you define. FAP then shells
to DOS and runs MAKEMSG and your Squish or .MSG base gets a new message in it.
If a file did not appear in the ExcludeFile file, it will be added so that
when FAP runs again, you will not get the same files announced over and over.
If you continue to use FAP, I would LOVE to hear from you. I just want to
know if you like the program or you think I should stop development. If you
wish to make a comment (PLEASE) NetMail Steve Mulligan 1:163/305.30
NOTE: MAKEMSG is distributed also in this archive. It is in no way at all
related to me. I did not make it. Jeff Galbraith did. I use it because I
do not yet know how to convert text files to Squish or .MSG bases. If you
have any code you could give me, please forward it to me.
─ Beta Testers Wanted ─
If you are in the 163 or 243 net or you don't mind polling long distance
you are eligible to be a beta testers. Simply NetMail Steve Mulligan at
1:163/305.30. I will reply to you and tell you how to get the latest beta
versions of software I make.
─ On the Drawing Board ─
This is a list of all the features my Beta Testers and I want to have added
to FAP. I'll get around to it in a while. PLEASE ADD TO LIST AND FORWARD TO
STEVE MULLIGAN 1:163/305.30. If you want to become a Beta Tester, NetMail me
and I'll send you beta releases.
1.01ß · Allow user to config appearance of file announcements.
1.02ß · Command line usage.
1.10 · Next public release.
THE FOLLOWING VERSIONS ARE EXPECTED AFTER SEPT 1st. NOT BEFORE.
1.11ß · Support FLE files. All I have to do is get the format of
these files! Any idea's?
1.12ß · Get rid of excess units and global variables.
1.13ß · Get rid of MAKEMSG. Drop MSG support.
1.20 · Another public release. Should be smaller and faster!
1.21ß · Add MSG support.
1.22ß · Look into Hudson message bases and MAYBE use them.
1.30 · Probably the last release. Alas.
?.?? · My file FDN. This way, I can release updates & patches
to my users really fast.
If you have any additions to this list or any bugs, please let me know!
Steve Mulligan 1:163/305.30@fidonet.org