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1989-08-25
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THE WWIV USER'S GUIDE
By William Daystrom
Original User Guide by Michael Coyne
Copyright (c) 1989 White Star Software
The WWIV User's Guide
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION......................................................... 1
Logon.......................................................... 1
Registration................................................... 1
The Message Editor............................................. 3
COMMANDS FROM THE MAIN MENU.......................................... 4
Miscellaneous Section.......................................... 4
Auto-Message............................................. 4
View BBS List............................................ 4
Page Sysop for Chat...................................... 4
User Defaults Section.................................... 5
System News and Info..................................... 7
Caller Log............................................... 7
Off the System........................................... 7
User List................................................ 7
Voting Section........................................... 7
Expert/Novice Toggle..................................... 7
Personal User Stats...................................... 8
List Available Subs...................................... 8
N-Scan................................................... 8
Posting.................................................. 8
Q-Scan................................................... 9
Remove a Message......................................... 9
Scan..................................................... 9
Z-Scan................................................... 10
Change subs.............................................. 10
Electronic Mail Commands....................................... 11
E-Mail................................................... 11
Feedback................................................. 11
Kill Sent Mail........................................... 11
Read Your Mail........................................... 12
System Features................................................ 13
General Text Files....................................... 13
Transfer System.......................................... 14
On-Line Programs......................................... 14
Quick Log Off............................................ 14
Multi-Mail............................................... 14
Clear Screen............................................. 14
Version Number........................................... 14
Network Connect List..................................... 15
Clear Q-Scan Pointers.................................... 15
Upload a Message......................................... 15
The WWIV User's Guide
TRANSFER SECTION COMMANDS............................................ 16
Miscellaneous Section.......................................... 16
Page Sysop for Chat...................................... 16
Extract a File........................................... 16
ARC Commands............................................. 17
Off the System........................................... 18
Remove a File............................................ 18
Quit to BBS.............................................. 18
Transfer Options......................................... 18
Personal User Stats...................................... 19
Advance/Retreat Dirs..................................... 19
Listing Files.................................................. 20
ARC Listing.............................................. 20
Find Text in Description................................. 20
List Files............................................... 20
New File Search.......................................... 20
New File Search Date..................................... 20
Search All Dirs.......................................... 21
List Available Dirs...................................... 21
File Transfer Commands......................................... 21
Batch YMODEM Download.................................... 21
Download a File.......................................... 22
Upload a File............................................ 22
Upload to Sysop Only..................................... 22
The WWIV User's Guide
SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION
This segment of the WWIV documentation is a comprehensive manual for
callers and sysops alike. For callers, it will review each command WWIV
accepts, along with some examples of usage. For sysops and co-sysops, it
will elaborate on sysop functions and how they are used. This manual is
written specifically for WWIV v4.10. Updates of this manual will be
available as new versions of WWIV are distributed.
Logon
After a connection is established, one of two things will happen. If
the sysop has created an ANSI welcome message (WELCOME.ANS), the caller
will be prompted for ANSI support. Depending upon the caller's response,
the appropriate welcome message will be displayed. After the message has
been sent, three prompts will appear in sequence. The first prompt asks
for the caller's name or number. If the caller types "NEW" at the
prompt, he/she will be taken to the registration procedure. Otherwise,
once the caller's name or number has been entered, the BBS will prompt
for the caller's password. On the sysop's screen, topscreen information
will appear at this point which, among other things, includes the
caller's password on the far right of the lower line (this reverts to
the caller's time-left once logon is complete). Once that is done, the
caller will be prompted for the last four digits of the caller's
seven-digit phone number. If any of the information entered does not
match what the BBS expects, an illegal logon attempt will be recorded in
the sysop log, and the caller will have another chance to logon. In all,
the caller has three attempts to correctly answer all three prompts -
name or number, password, and phone number. If the caller has tried to
logon three times without success, the caller will be disconnected.
Registration
If the caller entered "NEW" at the first logon prompt, the registration
procedure is initiated. First, SYSTEM.MSG, from the GFILES directory, is
displayed. This file generally describes the sysop's system, theme,
purpose, and general rules. Next, NEWUSER.MSG is printed. This file
contains information new callers might need to know, such as a brief
explanation of how on-line help (Control-O) works, or what the sysop
expects from the caller. Following the output of these two files, the
actual registration questions are asked. In order, these questions ask
for the caller's full name (or alias), real first name, voice phone
number, amateur radio callsign, sex, date of birth, computer type,
screen width and height, ANSI support, color monitor (if ANSI is
supported), and finally password. With the password prompt, the caller
is first offered a randomly-selected password to use. The caller may
change the password if desired. Now that the caller has entered all of
that information, he/she is presented a summary of the data just given.
At this point, the caller may change any of the information if errors
are present. This is the only opportunity the caller will have to change
this data (except for the password, ANSI support, and screen parameters)
without sysop intervention.
- 1 -
The WWIV User's Guide
Once the caller has confirmed that all is correct, FEEDBACK.MSG is
displayed, and the caller is prompted to write a validation letter.
FEEDBACK.MSG tells the caller what to write in the letter, which is a
request for access. All callers should write validation letters;
otherwise, the sysop's task of finding new callers would be much more
difficult.
If the caller is registered (note the distinction between registered and
validated; a registered caller isn't necessary validated), LOGON.MSG (or
LOGON.B&W or LOGON.ANS, depending upon the caller's ANSI setting) will
be printed. This file contains system news from the sysop. Next, a list
of the last few callers is displayed. This list will be longer for
sysops and co-sysops then it will be for regular callers. The
information given will be the last few caller names, numbers, baud
rates, and times on (that day). Once that is complete, the auto-message
is output. The auto-message may be thought of as a public three-line
bulletin which the callers may change. They can use it, for example, to
advertise another BBS, or to make a quick announcement to the other
callers. The file used to store the auto-message is called AUTO.MSG. If
that file does not exist, "No auto-message" will be displayed. The file
is created once a caller or sysop enters a new auto-message, so sysops
probably won't need to alter the file manually.
Following the system news, list of last callers, and auto-message, a
brief list of additional information is given. Among the data is the
time the caller will be allowed on for that call, the number of illegal
logons attempted on that account (if any), the last date the caller
logged-on, the chat status of the sysop (Available means that the sysop
is available for chats, Not Available means that callers cannot request
chats), and the version number of the BBS. If the BBS is registered, the
registration number appears after the version number. If the BBS is a
part of WWIVnet, the node number will also be listed.
All of those displays having been given, the caller is finally
presented with the Main Menu (if the caller has not toggled the Expert
setting, discussed later) and the main prompt. The main prompt is the
place where most major commands are entered, by both caller and sysop.
T - 04:14:55
[1] [General] :
The main prompt, an example of which appears above, tells you the time
left remaining on this call in an hh:mm:ss format, and the name and
number of the message base (sub-board) you're in at the moment. The Main
Menu presents a list of all commands available from the main prompt.
- 2 -
The WWIV User's Guide
The Message Editor
When writing e-mail, feedback, or posts, a message editor is used.
Unless the caller has specified a full screen editor to use (discussed
later), the standard WWIV editor is chosen. This editor is quite simple
to use, once you are familiar with the commands. Word-wrapping is
active, so you don't have to worry about words being split between
lines. A few editing features are also available to help correct
mistakes. When the editor is activated, you are prompted for a title.
This is the heading of your message, and should describe what your
message will be about. After entering the title, you will be told how
many lines you can write, and that assistance is available by typing
/HELP. The /HELP command brings up a menu of options available to you.
Remember, you can press Ctrl-O for help with using the editor (so you
don't have to refer back to this file). The menu you will see looks
similar to this:
-= WWIV Editor Commands =-
/ES - Immediate Save
/ESY - Immediate Save Anonymously (If allowed)
/ESN - Immediate Save NOT-Anonymous (If allowed)
/ABT - Immediate Abort
/CLR - Clear Message and Start Over
/RL - Replace Last Line
/TI - Re-Write Title
/LI - List Message so Far
/C: - Center Rest of Line
/SU/old/new - Substitute Text in Last Line
Ctrl-P+Digit - Change Colors
All commands save the last one are entered by typing the command on a
blank line while you are writing the message. The /ESY and /ESN
commands are basically time-savers; if you are able to post
anonymously, you would be prompted if you wanted to do so after saving
the message. Those two commands bypass that prompt. Also, /S may be used
to save a message as well as /ES (another time-saver). When you use /RL,
the last line you entered will be printed, and you will be prompted to
enter the line you want to replace it with. To delete the last line, you
would just hit [Enter] at that prompt. The center command lets you
center text on the screen. To use it, you would type /C:, immediately
followed by the text you want centered (don't hit [Enter] after typing
that just /C:). The /SU command allows you to replace selected text in
the last line you entered. The last command is different from the
others in that it doesn't use the slash-command system. It allows you to
change the colors of the text you are typing (if you have ANSI active).
As you will see in the Defaults Section, each color has a number
assigned to it, from 0 to 7. To change colors, just press your control
key, then P, then release those keys and tap a number, from 0 through 7.
The color of the text you type from that point will be whatever you
selected, unless you change it again. Below is a chart showing you what
the default WWIV colors are; your colors may differ.
0 - White 4 - Bright White on Blue
1 - Bright Cyan 5 - Green
2 - Bright Yellow 6 - Bright Flashing Red
3 - Magenta 7 - White
- 3 -
The WWIV User's Guide
SECTION TWO: COMMANDS FROM THE MAIN MENU
This section will detail all commands available from the Main Menu, as
well as the sub-commands available in options from the Main Menu.
Miscellaneous Section
'A' Auto-Message
An auto-message is a short (3 line limit) note that all callers see
when they log on the board. You can use it to announce anything you'd
like to other callers (ie, advertisements for new bulletin boards,
endorsements or challenges concerning the online games, happy birthday
messages, etc.). When you choose the Auto-Message selection, a prompt
appears:
A-msg: R:ead, W:rite, A:uto-reply, Q:uit :
At this prompt, you can choose to read the auto-message, write an
auto-message to replace the existing one, or reply to the auto-message.
If you choose Auto-reply, the board will take you to the Email section
and automatically address your reply to the person who wrote the current
auto message. NOTE: The Write option may or may not be present,
depending on the caller's access restrictions.
'B' View BBS List
This choice will display a BBS list maintained by the board. You will
then have the opportunity to read or add to the list. Adding to the
list will prompt the caller for a series of information, such as the
name and telephone number of the BBS to be listed, the system's maximum
baud rate, and the type of BBS it is. If the phone number entered
already exists in the BBS list, the caller is told this and the entry is
not accepted. Also, if the BBS is a member of WWIVnet, a listing of all
WWIVnet systems can be read here.
'C' Page Sysop for Chat
If the sysop is available when you choose this option, the board will
signal that a caller wishes to chat. You will be asked for a reason for
the chat, then the board will inform you that chat call is turned on
(which may or may not be true, as the sysop can disable the chat alarm
in INIT). The reason given by the caller will be displayed in the
topscreen information of the sysop's screen. If the sysop is not
available, you will be informed of this and asked if you'd rather send
e-mail to the sysop. If you answer yes, you'll be taken directly to the
message editor to send feedback to the sysop.
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The WWIV User's Guide
'D' User Default Section
This is where you can configure the board to work the way you like.
Choosing this option calls up a sub-menu of choices:
1. Screen size : 80 X 25
2. ANSI : Color
3. Pause on screen : Off
4. Mailbox : Normal
5. Configured Q-scan
6. Change password
7. Update macros
8. Change colors
9. Full screen editor: None.
Q. Quit to Main Menu
Screen size
Screen size refers to the number of columns and rows (c x r) of text
your screen can display. Most IBM-compatible screens display the
default 80 columns and 25 rows. Some machines, however, display more
or less than this default. If your screen is a TV set, for example,
you may have to set this option to 40 x 25. At this setting, some of
the text sent by the board may appear strange; line breaks will occur
at unusual places.
ANSI
ANSI stands for American National Standards Institute, and it refers
to a set of instructions that handle video displays on DOS
computers. Put simply, ANSI is used when you want to be able to
display color on your screen. IBM-compatible computers are capable of
using ANSI, as are some other computers using ANSI emulation
software. On the IBM, ANSI instructions are contained in a file
called ANSI.SYS, found on your DOS disk. If you're seeing things that
look like [30;46m or [20;20H all over your screen, you do not have
ANSI.SYS enabled (loaded) at your end. You must have the statement
"device=ansi.sys" in the CONFIG.SYS file of the disk from which you
boot your computer, and the file ANSI.SYS must reside there also for
the driver to be loaded when you boot your machine (if that made
little or no sense to you, see your DOS manual). Some communication
programs are unable to display ANSI graphics even if you have the
driver loaded (BitCom, for example). If your computer or program does
not support ANSI, keep the ANSI setting in the OFF position. If you
do support ANSI, you may choose color or black and white display
modes.
Pause on screen
This option allows you to tell the board how to handle the screens.
If you'd like the display to pause after each screenfull, you should
set this option to on. When on, the BBS will print a [PAUSE] message
on the screen whenever the maximum number of lines have been output
(specified by your screen height), and wait for a key to be pressed.
- 5 -
The WWIV User's Guide
Mailbox
This is used to determine whether or not your mail is forwarded to
another account. There may be times when you would prefer that your
mail be forwarded to someone else (for example, you are going on
vacation and want somebody else to be able to respond to mail that
arrives for you). If the BBS is a part of WWIVnet, you may forward
mail to any account on any other WWIVnet system.
Configured Q-scan
This allows you to choose which sub-boards are scanned for new
messages in an N-scan (I know, not logical, but c'est la vie). An
N-scan will operate on all the message bases (a global scan), EXCEPT
any sub-boards you have locked-out of the N-scan with this command in
defaults. If there is a message base you would prefer to skip in a
N-scan (for example, you are an IBM user and you don't want to read
the Apple messages), you can do it here. The sub-menu presented is
very simple. All message subs are listed, with asterisks next to the
subs enabled in N-scans. Entering the number of a sub will toggle the
asterisk on/off.
Change password
Naturally, this option allows you to change your password. You must
have your current password handy in order to change it; the board
will first ask you to enter your current password as a security
precaution. Please try to remember your password, and don't choose
something easily guessed by others (like your first name). Your
password must be 3 to 8 characters long, and may contain any
combination of letters and numbers.
Update macros
Each caller can design three macros. A macro is a recorded set of
keystrokes that can be repeated by pushing a key combination. This
can be a real time-saver when used for often-repeated tasks. For
example, you may wish to enter a signature macro to use when
"signing" messages you write. By entering the update macro section,
you can assign a key sequence (either Ctrl-A, Ctrl-D, or Ctrl-F) to
repeat a series of keystrokes, saving you the time of typing them
every time you need them.
Change colors
This allows you to alter the colors the BBS will display for prompts,
messages, etc. There are eight settings you can change, and each
setting may have a different color and attribute assigned to it.
There are eight colors to choose from, and each color may either be
normal, intensified, flashing, or a combination of the three. This is
generally left alone, but it is available to you should you want to
experiment with different settings. Monochrome callers may find this
useful in order to make certain text easier to read while in ANSI
mode.
Full screen editor
You may select which text editor you'd like to use when entering
messages or e-mail. Depending on the sysop's setup, there may or may
not be a full screen editor available. If there is, you can use it to
write e-mail and posts instead of WWIV's built-in line editor, which
may be awkward for some people to use.
- 6 -
The WWIV User's Guide
'I' System News and Info
Choosing Information from the Main Menu will tell you the version
number of the BBS, redisplay the news and announcements file shown at
logon, and show any additional information the sysop has provided about
the system (These are the LOGON.MSG and SYSTEM.MSG files).
'L' Caller Log for Today
This choice will display the names and numbers of callers who have been
on the board today. It will also show the baud rate at which they
connected to the system, as well as the number of times they've been on
today. Note that the sysop is not included in the log of the day.
'O' Log Off the System
This will log you off the system, with confirmation requested by the
board. The log off message will be displayed, and the connection will
be broken.
'U' View User List
Choosing this selection will display a list of registered callers who
have access to the message section you're in. Entrance to some message
sections requires higher security access than others; this is not
necessary a complete user list, but only a reflection of which callers
have access to the current sub-board.
'V' Voting Section
This choice brings you to the voting booth, where you can cast your
votes for questions the sysop has set up. If you see "You haven't voted
yet" when you log on, choose this command to cast your votes. The voting
booth offers up to twenty questions to all callers (with access), each
question having up to nineteen possible answers. As each caller votes,
the BBS will compile statistics pertaining to how many votes were cast
per answer given, as well as what percentage of the total number of
callers had voted.
'X' Expert/Novice Toggle
This choice will stop the main and transfer menus from appearing on
your screen unless you specifically request them by typing a question
mark at the prompt. X acts as a toggle, turning the expert mode on and
off.
- 7 -
The WWIV User's Guide
'Y' Personal User Stats
This item will display basic information the board maintains about you.
The screen that appears looks similar to this:
Your name : User #62
Phone number : 213-549-4133
Sec Lev : 30
Transfer SecLev: 20
Last on : 09/04/88
Times on : 110
On today : 1
Messages posted: 11
E-mail sent : 24
Time spent on : 496 Minutes
The information presented there should be self-explanatory.
Message Base Commands
'*' List Available Subs
Typing an asterisk at the Main Menu will produce a list of the message
subs to which you have access on the board. The subs will be identified
by name and number. If the BBS is a member of WWIVnet, any
network-linked sub-boards will be identified with <NET> preceeding the
title.
'N' New-Scan All Subs
This command will cause the board to show you all messages you have not
yet read. It will search all message bases that you have access to,
provided you haven't configured the scan to skip any (see Default
Section, above). For all the message bases, after showing you all the
new messages in a particular base, the board will ask if you wish to
post a message to that area. If you answer yes, the board will take you
to the editor, where you can compose your message. After completing and
saving your message, the board will jump to the next message area, and
the process will continue. If you answer no to the post prompt, the
board will jump to the next message base and display all new messages
there. When you have scanned all the message bases, you will be returned
to the Main Menu.
'P' Post a Message
This selection will take you to the editor to compose a message to be
posted on the message base you're currently in. The current (active)
message base is identified at the Main Menu prompt, as in:
[2] [Complaints] :
which shows you you're in message base 2, and the type of messages that
should be posted there are complaints (hopefully not a very popular
message base). To change message bases, type the number of the area you
wish to go to at this prompt (ie, 4 to go to area 4), or repeatedly
press + or - (or < and >) to go forward or backward in base numbers,
respectively.
- 8 -
The WWIV User's Guide
'Q' New-Scan Current Sub
This function is similar to the N-scan (described above), showing you
all new messages, except that it works on the active message sub only.
'R' Remove a Message
This command allows you to remove (delete) old messages written by you
in the current sub only.
'S' Scan Message Titles
This command also works only on the active message base, and is
equivalent to the "read" command most bulletin board programs use. It
allows you to read any message in the current area. It will show you how
many messages are in the area, and ask you where you'd like to start
reading. The prompt looks like this (for the General message area):
12 msgs on General
Start listing at?
You can type the number of the message at which you wish to start
reading, and that message will be displayed. If you hit [Enter] at this
prompt, the titles and message numbers of the first 10 messages will be
displayed, as in:
(1) Well...
[2] System News...
*(3) OS who?
*(4) New user
.
.
. etc.
Read:(1-12,^1),? :
As you can see, each message is given a number. If a number is enclosed
in brackets instead of parentheses, it means that you wrote it
yourself. Type the number of the message at which you wish to start
reading at the Read prompt. The asterisks identify messages you haven't
read yet. A question mark at this prompt will call up a menu of options.
The menu will be different depending upon ANSI settings, but will have
the following options:
- 9 -
The WWIV User's Guide
-= WWIV v4.10 Sysop Message Base Commands =-
(RETURN) Next Message
'-' Back One Message
'B' Bypass Current Sub
'N' Permanent Message Status
'R' Re-Read Last Message
'U' Un-Anonymous Message Status
'#' Go to Message #
'A' Auto-Reply in E-Mail to Last Message
'C' Continuous Read
'Q' Quit to Main Menu
'T' Titles of Next Ten Messages
'V' Validate Author of Last Message
'W' Publicly Reply with "Regards" to Last Message
'P' Post a Message in Current Sub
The exact choices which appear on this menu are determined by your
security access level; you probably will not have all of these. Most of
the commands above are self-explanatory. "B" will continue on to the
next sub in a N-scan, without bothering to read any remaining new
messages in the current sub. "A" will allow you to use the editor to
write a personal reply to the author of the message you just read. "W"
allows you to write a public reply to the message just read. "C" will
print out all remaining messages without prompting you after each post.
Where sysop commands are concerned, "N" allows you to mark the last read
message permanent; that is, it won't be auto-deleted as new messages are
added to the base. "V" will allow you to change the security and access
levels of the author of the current post. After finishing the scan, you
will be asked if you wish to post a message to that area. Answering yes
takes you to the editor, answering no (or hitting enter) takes you back
to the Main Menu.
'Z' Continuous N-Scan
This will read all new messages on all selected message areas, similar
to the N-scan, but without pausing between messages. This type of scan
is useful if you wish to capture the messages to a file for review and
replies off-line. During a Z-scan, pause-on-screen is disabled.
#:Go to Message Base #
After you've found the number of a message base that interests you (see
List Message Bases, above), you can change to that area by typing its
number at the Main Menu prompt. Type just the number, not the # sign.
For example, to change to message base 5, type a 5.
- 10 -
The WWIV User's Guide
Electronic Mail Commands
'E' E-Mail a User
Choosing this selection will allow you to send E-mail to any user of
the board. You can address the letter by using the name of the person
to whom you want to send mail, or their user number. You can find
someone's name and user number by using U (user list) at the Main Menu.
If you are unsure about how to spell the name of a person you want to
write, you can type a partial name. The BBS will then search the user
list and begin listing all names that come close, prompting you if that
is the person you wanted to send mail to. The number of e-mail messages
you can send per day is determined by you security level, as is whether
you can send anonymous e-mail. Sending feedback does not detract from
the number of e-mail messages you can send.
'F' Feedback to Sysop
This is the preferred method of sending mail to the sysop. The letter
will be sent to the sysop directly; you can send five feedback messages
per day.
'K' Kill E-Mail You Sent
This command does much more than kill old e-mail, despite the name.
Invoking this command will call up information pertaining all e-mail
messages written by you still on the board (ie, have not been deleted
yet). When you enter this command, you will be asked if you want to see
the most recent e-mails first. Answering no will start listing e-mail at
the oldest e-mail on the system. You will be shown the recipient of the
message, the title of the message, and how long ago it was sent. The
screen provided by this command is illustrated below.
To: John Smith #31
Title: Your downloading habit...
Sent : 2 days ago
R:ead, D:elete, N:ext, Q:uit :
You then have the option of reading the text of the message, deleting
the message, or skipping the message. If you skip the message, the same
information about the next message will be displayed. This process will
continue until you've reviewed all messages sent by you, or until you
quit.
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The WWIV User's Guide
'M' Read Your Mail
This command enables you to read any e-mail that may be waiting for
you. If you have one letter waiting, it will be immediately displayed.
If you have more than one letter waiting, you will see a list of
numbers, next to which will be the source of each e-mail you have in
your mailbox. Below this, you will be prompted to enter the number of
the message you want to read, press enter to read mail starting at the
first letter, or press Q to abort. Once you have read an e-mail, another
important prompt appears, illustrated below.
Mail {?} :
Typing a question mark at this prompt will call up a menu similar to the
following:
-= WWIV E-Mail Commands =-
(RETURN) Read Next Piece
'-' Back One Piece
'D' Delete Last Piece
'G' Go to a Piece
'Q' Quit to Main Menu
'S' Save Piece and Reply
'A' Auto-Reply and Delete Last Piece
'F' Forward Mail to Another User
'I' Ignore Last Piece
'R' Re-Read Last Piece
Most of this menu is self-explanatory. Auto-reply will delete the
current message, and then you'll be taken to the editor to compose your
reply. If you wish to save the message, use Save and reply. Again,
you'll be taken to the editor to write e-mail to the user who wrote the
original message. You can forward mail to another user; invoke this
command and the board will prompt you for the name or number of the user
you wish to forward the mail to. Normally, after a message has been
deleted or replied to, the sender of the mail is informed with a note at
logon that you read it. Sysops may bypass this message by using "Z" at
mail prompt to delete mail instead of "D." Sysops may also save the mail
to a text file in the GFILES directory for later viewing by typing "E"
at the prompt. You will be asked to input a filename not already in use.
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The WWIV User's Guide
System Features
'G' General Text Files
This function is hiearchical. "G" at the Main Menu will bring you to a
sub-menu which displays a list of text file sections available on the
board, and ask you which section you'd like to enter. Depending upon the
sysop's selections, this is an example of a main gfiles menu:
G-Files sections available:
1. Communications Files
2. Humerous Files
3. ANSI pictures
Which section (Q=Quit) ?
Choosing a number from the list will bring you to that section, and
display the names of the text files available. For example, choosing
section 1 from the above menu might produce this screen:
G-Files in this section:
1. How to download a file.
2. Local bulletin boards
3. WWIV User's Guide
Which G-file (Q=Quit) ?
You then choose, by number, the file you wished displayed. All the
files in these sections are text files, which will be displayed to the
screen. You can capture them to a file for later reading, or read them
as they are displayed. Remember that P pauses the screen if you're going
to read them on-line. After viewing the file, you'll be left at the
"Which G-file" prompt. To redisplay the list of available files, type a
question mark. Cosysops and sysops will have the option of adding or
deleting gfiles. To add gfiles, the files must already be present in the
currently-selected gfile directory on disk. When you add gfiles, the BBS
will list the filenames of all gfiles not yet in the section, and prompt
you for descriptions. When deleting gfiles, you will be asked for the
number of the gfile you want to delete. The BBS will ask for
confirmation, and will give you the option of actually removing the file
from your disk.
Typing a Q will quit the section and bring you back to the "Which
section" prompt, one level above. Again, a question mark here will
redisplay the available sections, and Q will return you to the Main
Menu.
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The WWIV User's Guide
'T' Transfer Section
This will bring up the file transfer menu. It is similar in appearance
to the Main Menu, but has a different set of commands. The commands
available at this menu are discussed in another portion of this user's
guide. You must be a validated user to access the file transfer section.
'.' On-Line Programs
Typing a period at the Main Menu will call up a list of external
programs available on the board, from which you choose the program
you'd like to run by its number. Most on-line programs are games
designed for the entertainment of callers. Some on-liners are utility
programs, such as those which tell you if your phone prefix is local to
the BBS or not. The games are fun, but they can be abused as well.
Calling up the board and repeatedly heading straight for the games to
play all your time away is not, shall we say, very participatory. This
usually forces sysops to come up with some way to limit your time spent
at the games, by earning and spending gold, for example.
Extended Commands
'/O' Fast Log Off
Put simply, /O is used when you really have to go quickly. It will log
you off immediately. No confirmation will be requested, and the log off
message will not be sent. Whether you prefer to use O or /O to log off
the system isn't important, what is important is that you log off
correctly. No damage will be done to the system if you drop carrier
inappropriately, but it is considered bad manners, and the sysop may
just decide to remove you from the user list if you do it frequently.
'/E' Send Multiple E-mail
You can send identical e-mail to more than one user by choosing this
command. You will be asked to enter the names or numbers of the users
to which you wish the mail sent, one per line. An identical message can
be sent to up to twenty users this way.
'//CLS' Clear Screen
This command will, quite simply, clear your screen.
'//VER' WWIV Version Number
This tells you the version of the WWIV program the BBS is using, as well
as the name and address of where the author can be reached.
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The WWIV User's Guide
'//NET' Complete Network Connection List
If the BBS is a member of WWIVnet, this command will display a long
list of data containing the names and numbers of all WWIVnet systems,
as well as the number of hops (one hop is considered a message being
sent from one BBS to another) to other boards, the next hop a message
would take to get to its destination, and the estimated cost per minute
to get the message there.
'//QSCAN' Clear Q-Scan Pointers
The BBS keeps track of which messages you have not read. This
information is used by the BBS as pointers so it can show you all new
messages in a New-Scan. This command will reset those pointers, so that
all messages on the system will be considered already read by the user.
This command is most often used when there are a large number of new
messages in the message sub-boards, and you don't want to have to
New-Scan through all of them.
'//UPLOAD' Upload a TEXT file for use in a post or E-Mail
There may be times when you would prefer to prepare a text file
off-line to be posted on the BBS or sent as e-mail. This command allows
you to upload a text file for that purpose. After entering the command,
you will be informed of the maximum size of the file you can upload
(determined by your SL), and you will be able to select a protocol to
use in the transfer. If the file you upload is larger than the maximum
size allowed, you are not allowed to use the file.
This command is usually employed when you have a very long message or
any ANSI graphics screen you want to post. WWIV does not allow you to
upload an ANSI screen to a post using the ASCII protocol while in the
text editor, so when you want to post such a screen, this command is
your option. Sysops should use the //LOAD command for uploading files of
any size locally, as this command only works when someone is on-line
remotely.
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The WWIV User's Guide
SECTION THREE: TRANSFER SECTION COMMANDS
This section of the WWIV help file will cover all the commands
available on the Transfer Section menu. The menu for the Transfer
section looks very similar to that of the Main Menu, but most commands
are totally different. Understanding these commands can make your time
on-line more efficient and less frustrating. After the menu is
displayed, the transfer system prompt is shown:
T - 03:25:52
(1)-(Miscellaneous) :
As is the case with the Main Menu, the last two lines on the screen
show you your time left on-line, and which file directory you're in
currently. On-line help is available by choosing Ctrl-O (hold the Ctrl
key down and press O) and information about your time on-line is
available by pressing Ctrl-T. As always with WWIV software, pressing p
will pause a scrolling screen (similar to Ctrl-S on other software), and
pressing the spacebar will abort the screen and bring you directly to
the next prompt. We will now examine each available command in detail.
One other note: when you are prompted to enter a filename, the extension
is usually optional. This means that you don't have to type a file's
extension in order for the BBS to find it. The exception to this is
when you are uploading a file, or when more than one file exists in the
same directory with the same filenames but different extensions.
Miscellaneous
'C' Page Sysop for Chat
This command works exactly the same way in the transfer section as it
does at the Main Menu. If you choose this command, and the sysop has
his or her chat call enabled, the sysop will be summoned. If the sysop
is not available when you choose chat, you will be informed of this, and
asked if you'd like to send feedback to the sysop instead. If you answer
yes, you'll be taken to the editor to compose your message. Answering no
will drop you back where you started.
'E' Extract ARCed File
WWIV allows you to create custom archives for downloading. Using various
commands available from the transfer menu, you can search any archived
file on the board, view its contents, extract individual files to a
temporary directory, archive your custom file, and download it. This is
useful if, for example, you wish to just grab the document files out of
an archive file to see if the program is what you are looking for before
downloading the whole file, or if the size of a file makes downloading
it in one session impossible due to time restraints. Once you have
identified the file you wish to extract (using the list files command,
discussed below), your first step is to extract the file(s) of interest
from the archive to the temporary directory. This is accomplished by
choosing the E:xtract Archive command. The types of archives you can
manipulate depends upon what the sysop has setup, but most boards will
support at least ARC and ZIP files. A prompt will appear asking you to
identify the file you wish to extract:
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The WWIV User's Guide
Extract to temporary directory:
Filename:
Type the name of the file you wish to extract at this prompt. If the
file is found (you must be in the directory that holds the file, and
spell it's name correctly), the board will show you the information
about the file, followed by a prompt asking you what you wish extracted
from the file:
Extract what (?=list,Q=abort) ?
Typing a question mark here will show you a listing of the files
contained in the archive. Enter the name of the file you wish extracted
(wildcards are supported), and the file(s) will be sent to the temporary
directory (by the way, this is called the temporary directory because
anything you put here will be deleted when you log off). You can send
files from as many archives as you'd like here. When you have finished,
your next step is to prepare the archive for downloading. This is
accomplished by using the next command on the menu...
'G' ARC Commands
Choosing this command will call up a rather cryptic prompt, illustrated
below:
Arc: Q,D,R,A,V,L,T:
Typing a question mark at this prompt reveals the power of this command
by calling up the following menu:
A:dd to Temporary ARC File
D:ownload Temporary ARC File
L:ist Files in Directory
Q:uit to File Transfer Menu
R:emove File(s)
V:iew Temporary ARC File
T:ext download file(s)
Arc: Q,D,R,A,V,L,T:
Adding files to the temporary arc file will create an archive file
called, appropriately enough, TEMP.ARC (the extension will vary,
depending upon which archive program the sysop has chosen to be the
primary one used on the BBS). You can manipulate the contents of this
archive by choosing other commands on this menu until it contains what
you want, then you can download it right from here. In addition, you can
type text files to the screen by choosing Text download file(s). These
can be read on-line (p pauses the screen here, too) or captured to a
file for later review. When you extract files to the temporary directory
(using the Extract File command discussed above), they are just that -
files. You must first Add files to the TEMP.ARC file (ie, create it)
before you can download it. In other words, other than using the Text
download command, you cannot download unarchived files from the
temporary directory. At least one file must first be A:dded to the
TEMP.ARC file before normal downloading can occur.
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The WWIV User's Guide
'O' Log Off the System
A self-explanatory command if there ever was one, choosing this will
cause the board (after confirming your intentions) to display the sign
off screen and drop the connection.
'R' Remove a File
This command allows you to remove a file you uploaded to the board. It
is useful if you're uploading a later version of a program you uploaded
before (deleting older versions this way, by the way, is generally
appreciated by sysops). Sysops and cosysops can remove any file on the
BBS.
'Q' Quit to Main Menu
This will end your session at the Transfer Menu and return you to the
Main Menu.
'T' Transfer Options
Using this command, you can change the defaults the board uses when
you're in the Transfer Menu section. You will first see the following
screen:
1. Set N-Scan Directories.
2. Set Default Protocol.
3. N-Scan Transfer after Message Base.
4. Number of lines of extended description to print.
Q. Quit.
Which?
From here, you can set the directories searched by the New Files command
(discussed later), set the download protocol you wish to use by
default, tell the board whether you'd like to automatically scan for
new files after you've scanned for new messages (using the New Messages
command from the Main Menu), and specify the number of lines of extended
descriptions you want to see when listing files. If you choose 1, the
board will present you with a list of directories available on the
board, and you can set it to skip those directories you're not
interested in. The directories presently included in the search (all by
default) are identified by an asterisk; the screen appears similar to
below:
Dirs to n-scan marked with '*'
* 0. Telecommunication / BBS programs
* 1. DOS utilities
* 2. Educational Games
* 3. Games for the IBM
* 4. Unprotects and Patches
* 5. Graphics
Enter directory identifier, ? to list, or Q to Quit
Config:
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The WWIV User's Guide
Enter the number of the directory you'd like to skip, and the board
will not include new files added to that directory in your New File
scan. This operates as a toggle, so you can turn a directory back on by
re-entering its number. Enter one directory at a time, and type a
question mark to redisplay the list, if necessary.
Choose number 2 from the Transfer Options sub-menu to set your default
protocol. If you have no default protocol set, and you download a file,
the board will ask you for a protocol with the prompt:
Protocol (?=list) :
When you set a default protocol, the prompt will change, allowing you
to hit [Enter] to choose. If, for example, you choose Zmodem as your
default protocol, the prompt will change to:
Protocol (?=list, <C/R>=ZMODEM) :
Notice that you're not committed to using just Zmodem (or whatever you
choose as a default protocol), as you can still type a question mark and
choose any available protocol, or, if you know the number assigned to
the protocol you wish to use, just enter that number here.
'Y' Personal User Stats
This command shows you how much you've uploaded and downloaded (in
kilobytes), your upload/download ratio, and your download section
security level (DSL).
'?' Display This Menu
Typing a question mark will redisplay the Transfer System menu. This
is useful if you have expert level set to on, or if you accidentally
aborted the menu (with the spacebar) and wish to see it again.
'+' Advance One Dir #
This command advances the current directory level by one, or if already
at the highest number, rolls over to the first directory. The same task
may be accomplished by using the right angle bracket: >.
'-' Retreat One Dir #
This command accomplishes the opposite of the previous command, by
retreating the current directory level by one. The same task may be
accomplished by using the left angle bracket: <.
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The WWIV User's Guide
Listing Files
'A' ARC Listing of a File
This command will produce a display of the files contained in an
archive. You can then Extract files of interest, and download them if
you like, or just use this command to check the inside of an archive (to
be sure documentation is included, for example). See the Extract ARCed
File and ARC Commands options, described above. The scrolling list of
files can, as always, be paused by pressing P.
'F' Find Text in Description
This command will allow you to find a file or group of files by
entering a portion of the text in its description. It will only search
primary descriptions (one-line), not extended descriptions. It is not
case-sensitive, and will search all available directories on the board.
The command will also show partial matches (ie, searching for "game"
will find game, games, gamer, etc.).
'L' List Files in Directory
This command will display to the screen a list of files in the current
directory. The Transfer Menu prompt identifies which directory you're in
currently. For example, the prompt below indicates you're in the
Miscellaneous directory with slightly more than fifty-nine minutes
remaining on this call.
T - 00:59:11
(1)-(Miscellaneous) :
The list of files will include a description of each file (if extended
descriptions were specified in Transfer Options, you might see anywhere
from one to ten lines of an extended description for each file) and an
indication of its size in Kb (1024 bytes = 1k). The screen may scroll
past rather quickly; remember that striking P will pause the screen.
'N' New Files Search
This command is used to list newly-uploaded files. It will search all
the board's directories and show you the files that have been added
since your last search. This can save you alot of searching, looking at
the same files over and over. The New Files Search will cover all
directories on the board unless you have configured it to do otherwise
in the Transfer Options section (Pg 18). As an added time-saver, you can
link this command to the New Message Scan, available on the Main Menu.
If you do this, choosing N from the Main Menu will first show you all
the new messages that have been posted since your last scan, and then
proceed to the file area to also show you all new files. See Transfer
Options above for more details.
'P' Set New Files Search Date
The New Files Search command (described above) automatically keeps
track of the last time you new-scanned for new files. A new file is one
that was posted to the board after the date of your last new file scan.
You can use the Set New Files Search Date command to reset this "latest
scan" date.
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The WWIV User's Guide
'S' Search All Directories
This is a global search command. You will first be presented with a
File Mask: prompt. Use this to limit your search to specific files. For
example, entering *.doc will cause the command to display only those
files with the extension of .doc. If you strike [enter] at this prompt,
it defaults to *.*, and shows you all files on the board. If you can
open a log file from within your comm program, you can use this command
to capture a listing of all files on the board.
'*' List Available Directories
This command works the same as the List Message Bases command on the
main menu, except that instead of listing the message bases available,
it shows you the file directories available on the board.
File Transfer Commands
'B' Batch YMODEM Download
WWIV software handles Ymodem batch downloads a little differently than
other BBS software you may be used to. WWIV makes use of a "batch
queue" which holds the filenames for you until you are ready to
download. When you see a file you'd like to download, start the download
procedure as usual (discussed below under Download a File) and pick
Ymodem batch as the protocol. You will then see the following message,
and be returned to the directory prompt.
File added to batch queue.
Batch: Files - 1 Time - 00:18:44
The prompt, as can be seen above, tells you the number of files in the
queue, and the time it will take to transfer them. You are then free to
scan other directories and identify files you'd like to add to the
queue. When you've chosen all the files you'd like, choose Batch YMODEM
Download, and you'll be presented with the following prompt:
Batch: L,D,R,Q,C,? :
Typing a question mark here will call up a menu that explains the
available commands. The batch sub-menu is shown below.
'L' List Files in Queue
'R' Remove File From Queue
'D' Download Files
'Q' Quit to File Transfer Menu
Batch: L,D,R,Q,C,? :
Here you can review what you've told the board you'd like to receive,
and modify the list if necessary. If you're all set, choose Download
Files to begin the transfer process. The board will ask you if you wish
to hang-up after the batch transfer is completed. If you answer yes, you
can walk away and the board will send the files you've requested and log
you off.
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The WWIV User's Guide
'D' Download a File
This command is used to tell the board you'd like to receive a file.
You'll be asked for the filename first. Remember, in most cases you
will not need to enter a filename extension. The BBS will search the
current directory for the file you requested. If the file is not found,
the BBS will begin to search all available directories for the file. If
the file is found, the information about the file will be displayed, as
in the example below, where VANS900.ZIP is given to identify the file I
want:
T - 02:39:27
(3)-(Graphics Programs) :D
Download -
Filename: VANS900.ZIP
Filename : vans900.zip
Description: VANS v9 ANSI Viewer
File size : 143k
Apprx. time: 0:12:52
Uploaded on: 02/29/91
Uploaded by: Ebony Eyes #1
Times D/L'd: 4
Extended Description:
This is the latest version of a terrific ANSI
screen viewing program, with MANY options!
Protocol (?=list, <C/R>=ZMODEM) :
As you can see, this screen gives you quite a bit of information about
the file. The transfer time is an estimate only, and will vary with the
protocol you choose. Also notice that the protocol prompt shows that
hitting [enter] (carriage return, <C/R>) will automatically select
Zmodem as the protocol. This is because in this example, Zmodem has been
chosen as the default protocol (see Transfer Options, Pg 17). Typing a
question mark will produce a list of available protocols; you choose the
one you want by its number.
'U' Upload a File
Choose this command to upload a file to the board. You will be asked to
provide a one line description of the file (58 characters max). Please
attempt to describe the file accurately, and not in all caps (unless
the sysop requests this). After the upload is complete, you will given
the opportunity to write what is called an extended description. This
description may be up to ten lines in length (54 chars per line), and
may be used to more fully describe the file you have just uploaded.
'Z' Upload to Sysop Dir
Files uploaded to WWIV boards are generally available for download by
other people immediately, unless the sysop has specified otherwise in
the initialization program. If you wish to send a file privately to the
Sysop, choose this command.
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