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BBS Informant Version 1.05
BBS List / Search Door
Copyright 1995
by
Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. (STSI)
108 Second Avenue West
Bertha MN 56437-0297
Phone: (218) 924-2050
FAX: (218) 924-2050 (Ext. 11)
The STSI BBS: (218) 924-2060
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Welcome! │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
Thank you for trying BBS Informant! If you appreciate BBS Informant, you
are encouraged to call The STSI BBS at (218) 924-2060, and let us know!
Comments, suggestions, and enhancement requests are always welcome!
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Requirements │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
To run BBS Informant reliably, you will need the following:
∙ DOS 3.3 or Higher
∙ IBM PC, PC-Compatible or MS-DOS Computer with a Hard Drive and 640K RAM
Page 1
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Table Of Contents: │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 1
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 1
Table Of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
Disclaimer / License Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
ASP Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5
What Is BBS Informant? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6
Why Use BBS Informant? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6
Installing BBS Informant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9
Initial Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10
A Wildcat Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13
Running BBS Informant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14
Operating Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15
Optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16
Cautions! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16
Future Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16
Other Products By STSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 17
Programs Mentioned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18
BBS Informant Registration Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20
Page 2
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Disclaimer / License Agreement │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
What is shareware?
Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying
it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are
expected to register. Individual programs differ on details - some
request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial
period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to
continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual.
Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the
copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as
stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like
commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both
cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in
the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to
copy and distribute the software, either to all or to a specific group.
For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial
disk vendor may copy their Shareware.
Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should
find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's
commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs
easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is
low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee
- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it.
Disclaimer - Agreement
By using BBS Informant, users indicate their acceptance of the following
terms:
"BBS Informant is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties,
expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of
merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. Neither STSI, The STSI
BBS, or any STSI employees will be held responsible for any damages,
direct or consequential, which may result from the use of BBS Informant."
"Information in this documentation is subject to change without notice and
does not represent a commitment on the part of STSI. STSI may make
improvements and/or changes in this documentation or in the products
and/or programs described in this documentation at any time."
BBS Informant is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the
user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please
do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The essence of
"user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with
quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for
programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program
useful and find that you are using BBS Informant and continue to use
it after a reasonable trial period, you must make a registration payment
of $49.95 (+S&H) to Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. (STSI). This
registration fee will license one copy for on one BBS node at any one
time. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that
this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved
from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility
Page 3
of it being used at one location while it's being used at another. Just
as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time, BBS
Informant should not be used on two different computers at the same time.
If you need to license BBS Informant for use on more than one BBS node,
please see the file REGISTER.DOC for site-license pricing.
Commercial users of BBS Informant must register and pay for their copies
within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn. Site-License
arrangements may be made by contacting STSI at (218) 924-2050.
Anyone distributing BBS Informant for any kind of remuneration must first
contact STSI for authorization. This authorization will be automatically
granted to distributors recognized by the (ASP) as adhering to its
guidelines for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin
offering BBS Informant immediately. (However STSI must still be advised
so that the distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version of
BBS Informant.) For complete terms, refer to the file VENDINFO.DIZ.
All registered users of BBS Informant will receive a copy of the latest
version, along with a printed manual and bonus disks.
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ ASP Notice: │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
STSI is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP
wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are
unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by
contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP
Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member,
but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please
write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427
USA, FAX 616-788-2765 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to
ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Registration: │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
BBS Informant is distributed under the shareware concept. You may try
BBS Informant for a period of two weeks. After this period, you must
either discontinue using it, or register it. A single-user license is
only $49.95 (+$5.00 S&H USA/Canada / $10.00 S&H on Foreign Orders). This
price includes a printed manual, along with a 3 1/2" diskette containing
the most current version, along with some bonus disks. Registered users
will receive a Registration Name and Number allowing the removal of the
10-record database limit. To register, call STSI at (218) 924-2050 and
charge it to your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover credit
card. Upon request, you will receive a temporary registration name and
number over the telephone.
Network & Site-License Users
When purchasing a site-license of BBS Informant, you should consider the
following: You only need to purchase a site-license based on the number
of CONCURRENT users that will be allowed to access the door at one time.
For example, if you run a 50-line BBS, but decide to only allow 5 users
Page 4
into the door at one time, you only need to purchase a 5-user license.
(In this instance, if 5 users were accessing the door, and a 6th user
attempted to access the door, he would receive an error message stating
that no more users were allowed into the door at this time.) When you
read the file REGISTER.DOC, you should see that network and site-license
pricing is very reasonable.
To register, do ONE of the following (whichever you prefer):
1. Call The STSI BBS at (218) 924-2060 and register online. We accept
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards. This
method of registration can be performed 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.
(Registering this way is fast and easy, allowing us to process your
registration quickly.)
2. To register using our voice line, call (218) 924-2050. Please have
your credit card handy.
3. You can FAX your registration to (218) 924-2050. Simply fill out the
registration form provided (REGISTER.DOC), include your credit card
information on the bottom of the form, and sign it. (Most FAX
transmissions will be automatically routed to the FAX machine. If you
have problems reaching our FAX machine, wait until after the first
ring, press 11, and then begin transmitting.)
4. Mail the registration form along with your payment to STSI at 108 2nd
Avenue West, PO Box 297, Bertha, MN 56437-0297 USA.
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Technical Support: │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
Technical support is available to BBS Informant users through the
following means:
The STSI BBS: New versions of BBS Informant will be posted here as
soon as they are available. The STSI BBS uses a U.S.
Robotics V.Everything Modem, which is capable of
V.34, V.32bis, V.32, and 2400 baud connect speeds. The
access number for The STSI BBS is (218)-924-2060.
Technical support questions should be addressed to the
SYSOP.
STSI FAX: STSI has a FAX machine on-line 24 hours-a-day to accept
FAX transmissions. Technical support questions /
problems may be faxed to (218) 924-2050. Most FAX
transmissions will be automatically routed to the FAX
machine. If you have problems reaching our FAX
machine, wait until after the first ring, press 11, and
then begin transmitting.
Internet Mail: STSI will respond to messages sent via the Internet.
Send any tech support related questions, comments, or
suggestions to cstevens@bertha.polaristel.net.
Page 5
Telephone: Technical support calls may be placed at (218) 924-
2050. Office hours are from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday
through Friday, and 8:00 am - 11:00 am on Saturdays
(CST).
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ What is BBS Informant? │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
BBS Informant is a BBS door used for adding, listing, and searching
through available BBS names and numbers. BBS Informant is a comprehensive
list/search door that stores over 40 fields of data on each BBS. Store up
to 3 phone numbers, baud rates, and modem types for each bulletin board
system. BBS Informant also contains fields for Software, Software
Version, Sysop, Operating System, BBS Emphasis, Rate, Location, Number of
Lines, Megabytes of Storage, Number of CD-ROMS, Date of Origin, Services
Offered, Summary, and more! BBS Informant works with Wildcat, PCBoard,
and any BBS that supports DOOR.SYS.
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Why use BBS Informant? │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
Recently, our company embarked on a marketing effort for our shareware
programs by calling various bulletin board systems around the country.
Once connected, we would fill out the initial registration form, and
attempt to upload our programs. Naturally, we called the largest BBS's
first, but as the days passed, we found it more and more difficult to
connect to high-quality BBS systems. We experienced numerous problems.
The BBS lists we looked at typically contained a name and number, but not
much else. Before calling a new system, we wanted to know the following:
1) Does the BBS have a V.34 modem. If so, what is the brand? (As many of
you already know, certain brands do not hook up as well as others...)
2) What type of software does the BBS use? The BBS software was
important, since some software packages were obviously easier to use
and navigate than others.
3) What was the emphasis of the BBS? BBS's that catered to the
professional user were more apt to receive our programs than others.
4) Did the BBS have Planet Connect access? Since our files were
distributed via satellite, there wasn't much use in calling a system
that already had our programs.
5) Did the BBS have alternate access numbers? Getting a busy signal for
days-on-end can be extremely frustrating for new callers. Alternate
numbers gave us a better chance of connecting, without having to put up
with busy signals.
We found that many of the BBS lists seemed inadequate to meet our needs.
We needed a comprehensive list that gave us as much information as we
could possibly want. That's when we started development on BBS Informant.
Page 6
BBS Informant provides all of the following fields in a BBS record:
BBS Name
Phone #1
Phone #1 Baud Rate
Phone #1 Modem
Phone #2
Phone #2 Baud Rate
Phone #2 Modem
Phone #3
Phone #3 Baud Rate
Phone #3 Modem
Software
Software Version
ASP (Association of Shareware Professionals) Member (Yes/No)
AOP (Association of Online Professionals) Member (Yes/No)
Satellite Access (Planet Connect, etc) (Yes/No)
Internet Access Offered (Yes/No)
RIME (Yes/No)
FIDO (Yes/No)
Adult Files/Topics (Yes/No)
Sysop Name
BBS Address 1
BBS Address 2
City
State/Province
Zip Code
Country
Voice Phone #
FAX Phone #
CompuServe Address
Sysop's Internet Address
BBS's Internet Address
Number Of Lines
Megabytes of Storage
Number of CD-ROMS
Rate (Fee) For Access
BBS Emphasis
Online Since (Date)
Callback Verifier (Yes/No)
Environment
Access Type
Summary (Up to 4 Lines)
Date Last Updated
How's that for a comprehensive list? Many of the fields are made up of
pick lists. This allows the BBS list to be somewhat consistent in
capitalization, formatting, etc. For example, listed below are the fields
that contain pick lists, and the available options:
Access Type:
Access on first call
Access after registration
Access after automatic callback verification
Access after manual verification
Access after payment
Page 7
Baud Rates:
300
1,200
2,400
4,800
9,600
14,400
16,800
19,200
28,800
Modem Brands:
ATI
AT&T Paradyne
Best Data
Boca Research
Cardinal
CPI (Viva)
Digicom
GVC
Hayes
IBM
Intel
Microcom
Motorola (UDS)
Other
Pract. Periph.
Prometheus
Supra
Telebit
U.S. Robotics
Zoom
Zyxel
Software:
Auntie
Custom
DBBS
FIDO
GAP
Genesis
GT Power
Magnum
Magpie
Major
Maximus
Opus
Other
PCBoard
PC-Host
Phoenix
PowerBBS
RBBS
Remote Access
ROS
RyBBS
Searchlight
Page 8
Spitfire
SuperBBS
TBBS
Telegard
TPBoard
UltraBBS
Wildcat
WWIV
Environment:
DESQview
DOS
LANtastic
Novell
OS/2
Other
Unix
Windows
The questionnaire for BBS sysops entering a new name in the BBS Informant
door is straight-forward and simple. When needed, a few lines of
description are added to instruct the user what to enter in a particular
field. Once the user completes the questionnaire, he/she is given the
opportunity to modify any and/or all of the fields. At any future date,
the user can simply call back to change or verify the existing
information. When he finishes making changes to the record, the Date Last
Updated field is modified and the new record is saved. BBS Informant also
allows the Sysop and/or CoSysop to modify ANY BBS record, no matter who
originally entered it.
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Installing BBS Informant │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
The installation procedure for BBS Informant is quite simple. The package
includes a program, "INSTALL.EXE", which automates the entire process.
You will need about 1 megabyte of available disk space on the hard drive
on which you plan to install BBS Informant.
The exact steps you need to take will depend on how you received BBS
Informant.
INSTALLING FROM DISKETTES
To install from diskette(s), you need to perform the following steps.
1. Place BBS Informant distribution diskette "Disk 1" in the appropriate
diskette drive.
2. Execute the "INSTALL.EXE" program on the distribution diskette. For
example, if the distribution diskette is on drive A:, type the MS-DOS
command, "a:install".
3. Follow the instructions presented by the installation program. You
Page 9
will have a chance to approve installation before any changes are
actually made to the contents of your hard drive. The program will ask
you for a destination directory, and will copy the BBS Informant files
to that directory. If you received BBS Informant on two diskettes,
you will need to insert Disk 2 in the diskette drive when asked to do
so. If you so direct it, the installation program will install
executable programs and documentation in other directories of your
choice.
INSTALLING FROM A HARD DRIVE
If you downloaded BBS Informant from a BBS (or received it in the form of
archive files from some other source), you will need to perform the
following steps.
1. Extract the contents of the archive file(s) in a temporary directory
on your hard drive. The procedure for doing this varies, depending on
the form in which you received the package. In all likelihood, the
fact that you are reading this text means that you already have the
necessary tools and knowledge to perform this step. If not, you
should be able to obtain directions for this from the same source from
which you received the package.
2. Execute the "INSTALL.EXE" program which you have extracted. For
example, if the temporary directory into which you have extracted the
files is C:\TEMPDIR, you would execute the MS-DOS command,
"c:\tempdir\install".
3. Follow the instructions presented by the installation program. You
will have a chance to approve installation before any changes are
actually made to the contents of your hard drive. The installation
program will ask you for a destination directory, and will copy the
program files to that directory. If you so direct it, the
installation program will install executable programs and
documentation in other directories of your choice.
When you're satisfied that the installation was successful, you should
delete the temporary directory FROM which you installed the program,
(C:\TEMPDIR, in the above discussion), including all its contents.
Once you have successfully installed BBS Informant, follow the
instructions under Initial Setup to get the door up and running.
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Initial Setup │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
These setup instructions will assume that you have installed BBS Informant
in the directory C:\INFORMNT. If you installed BBS Informant to a
different directory, simply substitute your own directory in place of the
C:\INFORMNT specification.
The first step is to run the program "ICONFIG.EXE", which is the sysop's
configuration utility for BBS Informant. (Note: This utility is designed
Page 10
to be run locally. If you need to run it over a modem, you must use a
program such as Doorway.)
BBS Name:
IConfig allows you to enter the name of your BBS, the sysop's name, and
the cosysop's name (if applicable). The BBS name is used for
customization purposes within BBS Informant.
Sysop Name:
You must enter the Sysop's name in the Sysop Name field so BBS Informant
will allow you to have access to additional information and settings
within the door.
CoSysop Name:
The CoSysop Name field is optional, and can contain the name of a cosysop,
who will also have access to the Sysop's information and settings within
the door.
Inactivity Timeout:
The inactivity timeout can be used to change the number of minutes of
inactivity BBS Informant will wait before automatically terminating a
user's access to the door. When BBS Informant reaches the specified
amount of inactive time, it closes the database and exits back to the BBS.
Display Format:
BBS Informant supports 3 display formats when listing entries within the
database. The expanded list (the default) displays as much information as
possible on one page, and allows the user to press ENTER to see the next
entry in the database, resulting in a one-at-a-time viewing process. The
concise list displays each BBS in a less-extensive format, which allows up
to four BBS entries to be displayed on each page. The one-line display
format lists one BBS Name per line. Although the user can change the
format before listing the records, the sysop can select the default format
used.
Use Alternate Prelog Screen:
When this check box is selected, BBS Informant allows you to specify an
alternate ANSI screen to display when entering into the door. The name of
the ANSI screen must be placed in the "Prelog Screen" field, or BBS
Informant will issue an error when it executes. The Alternate Prelog
Screen is only allowed for REGISTERED versions of BBS Informant.
Prelog Screen:
As mentioned above, this field contains the name of the alternate ANSI
screen to display when BBS Informant is executed. This screen can be used
to display a welcome file with your own BBS name on it. The Alternate
Prelog Screen is only allowed for REGISTERED versions of BBS Informant.
Register:
When this button is selected, you can enter your Registration Name,
Registration Number, and the number of Network Users that will be
accessing this copy of BBS Informant at any one time. Use this screen
when you have registered BBS Informant with STSI. (When you register, you
will receive a registration name and number, allowing you to have access
to the advanced features. For more information, see the Registration
section of the documentation.)
Network:
To set up BBS Informant for use on your network or multitasking computer
Page 11
system, select the Network button. From this screen, you can select
whether BBS Informant will optimize the database for speed or data
integrity. You can also select whether BBS Informant will be run on a
Novell Network, MS-Net Compatible Network, or no network at all.
IMPORTANT! If you run DESQview or Windows (for a multi-node system), but
have no network, make sure to set the network type to MS-Net.
The second step to perform to get BBS Informant running is to set up a
batch file to run it. Since BBS Informant was developed and tested using
WildCat v4.10 running on individual nodes over a Novell NetWare v3.12
network, all examples provided are based on this configuration. However,
BBS Informant should work with any BBS that supports DOOR.SYS. BBS
Informant should be executed from its own sub-directory. A batch file
should be created that logs to the proper drive, changes to the BBS
Informant sub-directory, and then executes BBS Informant passing a full
path to the DOOR.SYS file. After execution, the batch file should change
the current directory back to the BBS sub-directory. If sharing
violations or other network errors occur when executing BBS Informant, the
INFORMNT.EXE file should be marked as read-only using the DOS ATTRIB
command. (Novell NetWare users should use the Novell FLAG utility.)
<< Example Batch File #1 For WildCat: >>
@ECHO OFF
C:\WILDCAT\INFORMNT\INFORMNT.EXE C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE%WCNODEID%\DOOR.SYS
<< Example Batch File #2 For WildCat: >>
@ECHO OFF
C:
CD\WILDCAT\INFORMNT
INFORMNT.EXE C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE%WCNODEID%\DOOR.SYS
CD\WILDCAT
The drive letters and paths should be updated to reflect your system.
WildCat uses the %WCNODEID% variable (in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file), to create
the DOOR.SYS file in the node work sub-directory. For example, node 1
would have a SET WCNODEID=1 statement in its AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The
DOOR.SYS file would then be created in the C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE1 sub-
directory.
Other BBS programs may require different steps to properly run BBS
Informant. See the documentation for your specific BBS program for
additional information.
The third (and last) step to perform is to set up a hook in your menuing
system to allow users to access the door. The door/menu hook should call
the batch file that you created in the previous step. (See the
documentation for your specific BBS program to find out how to set up a
door / menu hook.)
Page 12
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ A Wildcat Example │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
BBS Informant was patterned loosely after a WildCat utility called WCList.
WCList, written with WCCode and provided with the WildCat/WCCode package,
is a simple BBS List Door. WCCode is a versatile programming language
that allows simple doors to be created and run in combination with
WildCat. However, WCList was too simple to meet my needs, so the attempt
was made to enhance it using WCCode. Unfortunately, WCCode was not up to
the task of creating a comprehensive BBS list door, such as BBS Informant.
WCCode could not deal with multiple users accessing the database or with
the increased size of the resulting program. Performance was also
lackluster, due to limitations within WCCode. Development was moved to
the Pascal platform, and BBS Informant is the result of that effort. BBS
Informant contains a full-blown, network aware database, capable of
storing in excess of 2 BILLION records! This gives BBS Informant a level
of scalability that is not possible with a WCCode application. Since it
is compiled, not interpreted, it is also extremely fast. And because of
it's Pascal roots, BBS Informant can be enhanced to meet future needs.
Setting up BBS Informant under Wildcat:
1. Execute ICONFIG.EXE to set the BBS Name, Sysop and CoSysop Names, and
the inactivity timeout. If you are a registered user of BBS
Informant, select the "Register" button to enter your registration
information. IMPORTANT! Select the "Network" button and set up BBS
Informant for your environment if your BBS is a multi-node system.
(Even if you run DESQview or Windows, but have no network, these
settings apply.) Save and exit ICONFIG.
2. If you plan to implement BBS Informant as a menu hook, execute
MAKEMENU.EXE to add the proper menu option. For example, to set up
BBS Informant to run from the Main Menu using the "!" key (just like
we do on The STSI BBS), use the following procedure.
1. Execute MAKEMENU.EXE from the WildCat sub-directory.
2. Highlight "Main menu" and press [ENTER].
3. Move the highlight bar to the position you would like BBS
Informant
to appear, and press [INS].
4. Enter "!" as the Selection key.
5. Enter "BBS Informant" as the Description.
6. Highlight "Command type", press [F2], select "Door/Menu hook" from
the pick-list, and press [ENTER].
7. Highlight "Parameters", press [F2], select an unused door, and
press [ENTER]. (In this example, we will select "Main 1".)
8. Press [F10], and BBS Informant should now appear in your list of
available Main Menu options.
9. Press [F10] twice to exit MAKEMENU.
3. If you use custom menus, modify your screens to include BBS Informant,
using the "!" key (or whatever key you selected) for access.
4. Take down all nodes and execute MAKEWILD from the WildCat sub-
directory. (All nodes must be down to execute MAKEWILD in read/write
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mode.) Proceed with the following steps.
1. Highlight "Menu hooks" and press [ENTER].
2. Highlight "Main 1" (or whatever menu hook you selected) and press
[ENTER]. Make any changes to the "Menu description", "Menu batch
file", and "Menu display file" that you desire. (This example
assumes that no modifications have been made.)
3. This step is only necessary if you are running a multi-node
system. If you are running a single node system, proceed directly
to the next step. Otherwise, highlight "Menu multiuser" and
change this value to "Y" to allow multi-user access to BBS
Informant.
4. Press [F3] to set up the Profile Access For BBS Informant. Select
each security profile that should have access to BBS Informant,
and press [F10] when done.
5. Press [F4] to set up Conference Access for BBS Informant. Select
each conference that should have access to BBS Informant, and
press [F10] when done.
6. Press [F10] to quit editing, and press [ESC] to return to the
MAKEWILD Main Menu. Press [ESC] or select "Exit" to exit to DOS.
5. Change to the C:\WILDCAT\BATCH sub-directory (or wherever your WildCat
Batch sub-directory is located). Edit the MAIN1.BAT file with the BBS
Informant command-line. (Use one of the examples given below.)
<< Example Batch File #1 For WildCat: >>
@ECHO OFF
C:\WILDCAT\INFORMNT\INFORMNT.EXE C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE%WCNODEID%\DOOR.SYS
<< Example Batch File #2 For WildCat: >>
@ECHO OFF
C:
CD\WILDCAT\INFORMNT
INFORMNT.EXE C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE%WCNODEID%\DOOR.SYS
CD\WILDCAT
Save the file and exit.
6. Bring up WildCat, and select the "!" option from the Main Menu to
execute BBS Informant.
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Running BBS Informant │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
Once you have properly set up BBS Informant and given it a menu hook,
you can execute it. After the initial screen is displayed, the opening
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menu will be displayed, allowing you to add/edit/remove a BBS, list all
BBS names, and search for a BBS based on specific criteria. BBS Informant
stores over 40 fields of information for each BBS listed.
<Add/Edit BBS Information Under Your Name>
When a user selects this option, he/she can add a new BBS to the list,
edit an existing entry (if the original entry was entered by him/her), and
remove their BBS from the list. Normal users will see a list of all BBS's
listed under their name. (BBS Informant allows up to 10 entries per
user.) The sysop (and cosysop) will see a list of all BBS's, allowed them
to edit ANY information, even if it was originally entered by another
user.
<Download BBS Informant List>
Users can download the entire BBS list using this option. When this
option is selected, BBS Informant performs the following steps:
1. A temporary directory (TEMP0001, TEMP0002, etc) is created where the
ASCII text file will be generated. (This prevents possible conflicts
on networks and multi-user systems.)
2. The ASCII text file (INFORMNT.LST) is generated in the temporary
directory. The format of this list depends on the "Format For Display
List" option described below. When BBS Informant is generating this
list, the user will see a status message indicating the number of
records that are being written to the text file.
3. After the text file has been successfully generated, the user is
prompted for the protocol to use. BBS Informant currently supports
XModem, YModem, and ZModem protocols. (The user also has a "[N]one"
option to cancel the download.) After the download has been
completed, the user is returned to the main menu.
<Format For Display List>
BBS Informant supports 3 display formats when listing entries within the
database. The expanded list displays as much information as possible on
one page, and allows the user to press ENTER to see the next entry in the
database, resulting in a one-at-a-time viewing process. The concise list
displays each BBS in a less-extensive format, which allows up to four BBS
entries to be displayed on each page. The one-line list displays one BBS
name per line, with 15 names being displayed on each page. Although the
user can change this format before listing the records, the sysop can
select the default format from within ICONFIG.EXE, or from the Sysop menu.
<List All BBS Informant Entries>
The list command displays as much of the BBS information as possible about
each BBS, allowing users to press ENTER to cycle through all entries in
the list.
<Search The BBS Informant List>
The search command allows users to perform a fast (indexed) search on any
one of seven different fields. The last option on the search screen
allows users to search for a text string located anywhere within the
database record.
<Sysop Menu (System Operator ONLY)>
The sysop (and cosysop) will see one last option on the main screen which
allows them to access all of the settings that were available from the
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IConfig program. (For specific information on these settings, see the
Initial Setup section.)
<Quit, Return To The BBS>
Lastly, users can select "Q" to Quit and return to the BBS. If you
entered your BBS name (using the IConfig program or from the Sysop Menu),
it will be displayed on this line.
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Operating Environments │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
Even if you don't use a network, you may need to change the default
Network Type from None to the MS-Net Compatible option. Make sure to read
the following section!
When "None" is selected as the network type, BBS Informant's file sharing
and record locking routines are not used. Do NOT run BBS Informant in a
multiuser setting with the network type set to "None". If you do, the
data and index files are likely to become corrupt if two or more nodes try
to access the program!
If you are running on a Novell NetWare 2.x, 3.x, or 4.x network, be sure
to set the network type setting to "Novell Network".
The "MS-Net Compatible" setting should be used for the following networks
and environments: LANtastic, LAN Manager, IBM PC-LAN, Personal NetWare,
NetWare Lite, DESQview, and Windows. When using this option, you must
load SHARE.EXE. (When running under Windows, either SHARE must be loaded
prior to running Windows, or the VSHARE driver must be loaded in Windows.)
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Optimization │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
When changing the optimization setting for BBS Information, you should be
aware of the difference between Optimize For Data Integrity and Optimize
For Speed. If Optimize For Data Integrity is chosen, access to certain
routines may be impacted by a reduction in speed. If Optimize For Speed
is chosen, BBS Informant will attempt to optimize access to routines
without a reduction in speed.
When Optimize For Data Integrity is turned on, BBS Informant will write
portions of the database to be modified to the dialog (.DIA) file before
any changes are made. Then, in the event that an error occurs, the
database can be restored to its known state prior to the operation. If
the computer system crashes before an operation is complete, BBS Informant
automatically repairs the database by using the information in the dialog
file the next time the database is opened.
Based on our internal testing, Optimize For Speed is MUCH faster,
especially when saving and updating records. If you decide to use
Optimize For Speed, however, we recommend that you maintain a regular
backup. If you are more concerned about data integrity, even to the point
of sacrificing some performance, select Optimize For Data Integrity.
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■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Cautions! │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
As with any program that maintains large amounts of data, there is the
possibility for data loss. BBS Informant contains special precautions,
such as having the ability to rebuild the database index if it should
become corrupt. However, regular data backups are strongly recommended.
Hard drives can fail, files can become corrupt, and data loss can occur.
Your best protection is a regular (verified) backup!
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Future Enhancements │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
STSI plans to add the following features and enhancements in future
versions of BBS Informant (with priority put on the feature(s) most
requested by our users):
* Compress ASCII text list in .ZIP format before user downloads it.
(If BBS operators request it.)
* Other features based on user requests. If there are features you would
like to see added to BBS Informant, call The STSI BBS at 218-924-2060
and let us know. We welcome comments and suggestions. If there are
more modem brands or software brands you would like to see added to our
pick lists, give us your feedback!
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Other Products by STSI │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
BOOT'R <ASP> - DOS Configuration Manager
BOOT'R is a utility that allows the management of multiple
configurations on a single machine. BOOT'R not only allows the
modification of the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, but any other
files that might be needed.
CompuSlave <ASP> - CompuServe Message Database!
CompuSlave imports CompuServe forum capture files into a database,
converting them to individual messages. Add, delete, edit, and search
the entire database for key words or phrases. Make those messages work
for you! Create your own technical support resource. Ideal for power
users, programmers, and network administrators. Network support is
included. Easy to use!
Infodex <ASP> - Multipurpose Database!
Infodex is a versatile database manager used to keep track of names and
addresses, equipment, computer software, books, and much more! Includes
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a FREE-FORM layout. Add, delete, or rearrange fields EASILY! Search
for text in any field. Import and export to a delimited text file.
Quickly browse through a list of records. Easy push button interface!
Programmer's Project Manager
PPM is a project manager that allows Builder or BASIC users to have
complete control over their program's development. Edit source files
using the PPM Editor, or specify your own favorite editor. Compile,
link using multiple libraries, compress the EXE, scan for viruses,
date/time stamp, and then compress the entire project, all under the
control of PPM.
QwkSlave <ASP> - QWK Message Database!
QwkSlave imports QWK mail packets, storing each message as a database
record. Add, edit, delete, print, browse, sort, & search through
messages. Cross referencing makes finding an original message and its
response as easy as a mouse-click. Ideal as a technical support
reference tool. Network support is included. Easy to use push-button
interface!
Replicator <ASP> - The Diskette Database!
Replicator is a disk image utility designed to create images of
diskettes and catalog them in a database. Use optional compression
routines to reduce the image size. Store up to 10 lines of descriptive
text for each disk image in the database. Database entries can be
modified at any time. Easy push button interface!
Subber <ASP> - The Character Subber!
Subber is designed to substitute characters in a WildCat! bulletin,
menu, or other .BBS display file. Create a generic background using
WCDraw or TheDraw, and create text using your favorite text editor. Use
Subber to combine the two together! Ideal for BBS system notices, news,
& info screens that need to be changed frequently.
ZIP'R Professional For DOS <ASP> - Hard Drive Tripler For DOS!
ZIP'R Pro stores programs in compressed form when they are not being
used. Automatically compress, decompress, and launch programs as
needed. Uses ARJ, LHA, PKZIP, or built-in compression. Easy to use
interface!
ZIP'R Professional For Windows <ASP> - Hard Drive Tripler For Windows!
ZIP'R Pro stores programs in compressed form when they are not being
used. Automatically compress, decompress, and launch programs as
needed. Uses ARJ, LHA, PKZIP, or built-in compression. Easy to use
interface!
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
│ Programs Mentioned: │
■─────────────────────────────────────────■
DESQview is copyrighted by Quarterdeck Office Systems.
Page 18
LAN Manager is copyrighted by Microsoft Corporation
LANtastic is copyrighted by Artisoft, Inc.
MS-DOS is copyrighted by Microsoft Corporation.
NetWare is copyrighted by Novell, Inc.
NetWare Lite is copyrighted by Novell, Inc.
PC-LAN is copyrighted by IBM Corporation.
Personal NetWare is copyrighted by Novell, Inc.
Windows is copyrighted by Microsoft Corporation.
Page 19
Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. (STSI)
108 Second Avenue West
Bertha, MN 56437-0297
Phone/FAX: (218) 924-2050
The STSI BBS: (218) 924-2060, N,8,1
BBS Informant 1.05 Registration Form
Qty Description Price Each Total
_____ BBS Informant Single-User Registration $49.95 ________
Includes Printed Manual & Newest Version on 3 1/2"
Diskette. (Note: For faster service, register ON-LINE
by calling our BBS at the number given above or call
our Voice number. Visa/MC/Amex/Discover accepted!)
_____ BBS Informant Site-License (# of Users? ___) _______ ________
See documentation file for licensing instructions.
# of Users Price # of Users Price
---------- --------- ---------- ---------
5 $100.00 50 $400.00
10 $200.00 100 $500.00
20 $300.00 More? CALL
Sub-Total: ________
Minnesota Residents Add 6.5% Sales Tax: ________
Shipping & Handling (US & Canada = $5.00, Foreign = $10.00): ________
Total: ________
Name: ________________________ BBS: ________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________________
City: _________________________ State: _____ Zip Code: _______________
Country: ___________________________________ Phone: ___________________
Internet Address: ______________________________________________________
Please Register BBS Informant To This Name: ____________________________
Method of Payment: ___ Visa ___ MasterCard ___ American Express
___ Discover ___ Check/Money Order Enclosed
(Checks/MO's must be in U.S. Funds drawn on a U.S. Bank!)
Credit Card #: _______________________________ Expiration Date: ___/___
Name on Card: _____________________ Signature: ________________________
Please take a minute to answer the following questions. Your answers
will assist us in improving and marketing BBS Informant.
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(Check all that apply.)
Where did you hear about BBS Informant?
[ ] BBS [ ] Catalog/Magazine [ ] Friend/Relative
[ ] Rack Vendor [ ] User's Group [ ] Other _______________
Please provide name of BBS/Catalog/Magazine/User's Group, (if possible)
______________________________________________________________________
What BBS software are you using? (Please include the version.)
______________________________________________________________________
What operating systems / environments do you use?
[ ] DOS [ ] Windows [ ] DESQview/DESQview/X [ ] OS/2
What version of DOS do you use? ______________________________________
What network (if any) do you use?
[ ] Novell NetWare [ ] LANtastic [ ] Other ____________________
What feature(s) do you like the most about BBS Informant? _____________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Are there any fields you would like to see added to the database?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Additional Comments: ___________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
May We Quote You? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Doesn't Matter
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