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1992-06-29
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╥─┐ ╖ ╖ ╖ ╓ ╓─╖ ╥─╖ ╖ ╖
╟─┤ ║ ║ ╙╥╜ and ╙─╖ ╟─ ║ ║
╨─┘ ╙─╜ ╙ ╙─╜ ╨─╜ ╙─╜ ╙─╜
DOOR
version 1.0
by Michael Wilson
The Village
408-229-0706
USR Courier HST D/S
300/1200/2400/9600/16.8K
24 hours / 7 days
CONTENTS
════════
I. Introduction
a. Overview
b. Background
c. Tools
d. Restrictions in the unregistered version
e. Benefits of registering
f. Support
II. Setup
a. Supported BBS Systems
b. Configuration File
c. BUYSELL.CAT
d. Sample door batch file
e. Local Mode
f. Optional files
g. Created Bulletins
III. Use
a. Main Menu
b. Sysop Menu
c. File Display Choice Menu
d. On-Line Sysop Keys
IV. BSEvent - Nightly Maintenance
V. Registration Information and Form
VI. Revision History
INTRODUCTION
════════════
Overview
────────
Buy and Sell is the Flea Market for computer Bulletin Boards. It allows
your callers to post items for sale, view items posted, leave messages for
owners of items, delete items, etc. It is quite possibly the most
complete and versatile For Sale door there is. Buy and Sell has the
following features:
* Support for all known and unknown comm ports
* Fossil driver support
* Complete monitoring of system time, time left, carrier and DTE
* User configurable categories
* up to 30 categories (registered version)
* Unlimited items per category (registered version)
* Support for color and mono screens
* Fully configurable main menu
* Deleted item are not permanently deleted until sysop packs file
* Nightly event to delete "aged" items
* Bulletin that supports ANSI and WC3 color codes listing all
items for sale in a single line format
Background
──────────
BuySell was originally the idea of David Clifford, sysop of the Haunted
Castle BBS (408) 226-1052. It was written to fill the need of several
BBS systems that could not find a good door where callers could buy and
sell their stuff.
Tools
─────
Language and Compiler: Borland C 3.1
Editor: Multi-Edit 6.0
Libraries: CKit Door Library 2.1
Version Control: Sage's PVCS
Beta Test: The Haunted Castle BBS 408-226-1052
The Village 408-229-0706
Tea: Earl Grey, Hot (Bigelow)
Restrictions in the unregistered version
────────────────────────────────────────
1. Upon exiting the door, it will say "Returning to UNREGISTERED". Your
BBS name will be displayed when registered.
2. You are limited to 4 different categories. The Registered version
allows up to 30.
3. The opening screen will display UNREGISTERED for the BBS Name and SYSOP
Name and will delay 5 seconds. The BBS Name and SYSOP Name will be
display and the delay will be removed with registration.
4. You may only have 4 items per category. In the registered version, the
number of items is only limited by your hard disk space.
5. There is a delay when exiting the door. This delay will be removed in
the registered version.
Benefits of registering
───────────────────────
1. Expanded limits and no delays as listed above.
2. A 1 year membership in The Village BBS.
3. All future updates FREE, downloaded from The Village BBS.
Support
───────
I will not accept voice phone calls, but can be reached at the following
locations:
Mail: Compufax Consulting Services
7145 Aptos Beach Court
San Jose, CA 95139
BBS: The Village
408-229-0706
Leave comment for the SYSOP
CompuServe: 76207,1673
Please include all available information including copies of your
ITEM.DAT, FOODFITE.CFG, etc.
The latest version will always be available on the following boards:
The Village:
408-229-0706
Michael Wilson, sysop
The Haunted Castle BBS:
408-226-1052
David Clifford, sysop
SETUP
═════
Supported BBS Systems
─────────────────────
BuySell will support any BBS that creates a DOOR.SYS file when chaining
to a door. Also, Wildcat 2.x (CALLINFO.BBS) and PC Board - 12.x
through 14.x (PCBOARD.SYS) are supported.
Configuration file
──────────────────
BuySell knows what type of system you are using, where to output
bulletins, Your system name, etc through a configuration file. The
configuration file can have any legal DOS filename. It consists of 8
lines as follows:
line 1: c:\door\door.sys
line 2: The Village
line 3: Michael Wilson
line 4: 0000000000
line 5: ANSI
line 6: c:\bin\village\buysell\bull99.scr
line 7: c:\bin\village\buysell\bull99.bbs
line 8: NONE
NOTE: The line numbers are only listed for clarity. Your configuration
file will have no line numbers listed
LINE 1: This is the complete drive letter, path and filename of your
BBS door system file. This can be either DOOR.SYS,
CALLINFO.BBS or PCBOARD.SYS.
LINE 2: This is the name of your BBS. It must EXACTLY match the name
of the BBS you put on the registration form. Upper and lower
case make a difference here. This name will be displayed
EXACTLY as entered here when the door is registered.
LINE 3: This is the name of the sysop. This name must EXACTLY match
the name entered on the registration form. Upper and lower
case make a difference. This name will be displayed as the
sysop when the door is registered.
LINE 4: The registration number obtained when you register.
LINE 5: This line can have 1 of two values. Put WILDCAT3 here if you
are using Wildcat! version 3.x and want your bulletins to use
the Wildcat! color codes. Put ANSI here if you want standard
ansi color codes used in your bulletin.
LINE 6: This is the complete drive letter, path and filename of your
COLOR bulletin. There is no error checking to make sure that
the path, filename is legal, so make sure you enter the
information correctly.
LINE 7: This is the complete drive letter, path and filename of your
MONO bulletin. This bulletin will not be created if line 5
contains the keyword WILDCAT3. However, this line, or a blank
line, must still be placed here. There is no error checking to
make sure that the path, filename is legal, so make sure you
enter the information correctly.
LINE 8: This line of for non-standard comm port parameters. If you do not
use a standard comm port setup, then the syntax is PORT:AAAA:X
where AAAA is the base address and X is the IRQ. BuySell will
also support the use of FOSSIL drivers. The syntax for a FOSSIL
driver is: PORT:F:P. The 'F' tells BuySell to use a Fossil driver
for it's communications. The 'P' following it tells it which port
to use for the Fossil. Example - PORT:F:1, tells BuySell to use a
fossil driver for port 1. If you use a standard port setup, place
the word NONE here.
BUYSELL.CAT
═══════════
BUYSELL.CAT is a text file that contains your category filenames and
descriptions. The format is:
<file>,description
There should be NO Space around the comma, and the file name cannot be
more than eight characters. A catalog line might look like this:
SOFTWARE,Computer Software for IBM's
With this example, a file named SOFTWARE.CAT would be created. This file
will contain all the items in the SOFTWARE Category. There is a sample
BUYSELL.CAT included in the ZIP for you to use, edit or throw away.
REMEMBER: Each entry is on a separate line.
There are no blank lines.
There can be spaces in the description,
but not in the file name.
There are no spaces on either side of the comma.
There must be a comma.
Sample Door Batch File
──────────────────────
The configuration filename is placed on the command line of
BUYSELL.EXE. Here is a sample batch file to give you an idea of how
the door is called:
C:
CD\BUYSELL
BUYSELL BUYSELL.CFG
CD\
If the configuration file is missing, or incorrectly made, an error
will be displayed.
Local Mode
──────────
The door can be tested in Local Mode by having the config file point to
a BBS door file that has a comm port of zero (COM0:). Included are the
following files:
LOCAL.BAT
LOCAL.CFG
DOOR.SYS
These will assist you in testing the door in local mode. If you want your
name displayed instead of "SYSOP", edit DOOR.SYS and replace the word
SYSOP with your name.
Simply typing LOCAL with the above files in the current directory,
therefore, will put the door in local mode.
Optional Files
──────────────
Display files
NOTE: All display files support both ANSI color and Monochrome files.
You should create both a .SCR and .BBS file for each file name
(i.e.: BMENU.SCR and BMENU.BBS). The correct file will
automatically be chosen by BuySell based on the user's
"graphics" setting.
All files must be in the same directory as BUYSELL.EXE.
BMENU: This file will be displayed instead of the default main menu.
You can customize a colorful front-end menu for your users with
instructions, helps, or whatever you want.
MESS: This file will be displayed to the caller before they are
allowed to enter a message. There is a default message built
into BuySell, but if you wish to leave more detailed
instructions for your users, you can create this file. If this
file is longer than 23 lines, a "more" prompt will be displayed
allowing the user read the file before it scrolls off the
screen. This file can be of any length.
SBULL: This file is the Sysop's bulletin. Callers may view it from the
main menu. This file may be of any length, and may give any
information you want. Every 23 lines, the display will pause
and a "more?" prompt will be displayed. If these files do not
exist, BuySell will tell the caller that the bulletin is not
currently available.
BADUSER: This file is displayed to any caller whose name appears in the
BADNAMES.LST file. The default is to tell the caller that the
door is temporarily closed. However, if you wish to give a
more complete explanation, you may create this file. This
file can be of any length, and every 23 lines the display
will pause and a "more?" prompt will be displayed.
Data Files:
BADNAMES.LST: This file is a text file that contains 1 name per line.
If the caller's name matches a name in this list, they
will not be allowed to enter the door. This is a good
tool for discouraging people who sell pirated software,
stolen items, or items that you do not think should be
sold on your board.
CREATED BULLETINS
═════════════════
Each time a person leaves the door, the bulletins specified in lines 6 and
7 of the configuration file are created. They have a header and a list of
everything for sale in the door. Each entry is 1 line long, and contains
the item name, category and price.
USE
═══
List Products for Sale
──────────────────────
This option is the main reason this door exists. It allows callers to
list the items placed up for sale by other callers. The caller is
presented with a choice of categories, and may choose 1 or all of them.
Categories that have no items for sale will say so when displayed.
This option has the File display Choice Menu discussed later.
Show Categories
───────────────
This will simply show the available categories and the number of items in
each. It does not allow any action to be taken beyond this.
Check for New Products
──────────────────────
This will prompt the caller for a date, then allow them to choose 1 or all
categories. It will then display all items on or since the entered date.
This option has the File display Choice Menu discussed later.
View Sold Items
───────────────
This option will allow the caller to select 1 or all the categories, then
will display all items that have the SOLD flag set on them.
This option has the File display Choice Menu discussed later.
Put an Item up for Sale
───────────────────────
The other main reason for having this door is this option. Users are
asked for the name of the product, its selling price and up to 3 lines of
description. They must then choose which category the item will go into.
The new items are put into the associated .CAT file chosen by the person
selling the item.
Read Your Messages
──────────────────
Users can read messages addressed to them from this option. The display
will pause after each message. The messages are deleted after they are
read.
Graphics Toggle
───────────────
This will simply turn the color on or off. It is a toggle switch.
! Sysop Commands
────────────────
This option is only displayed if the name of the caller is SYSOP or
matches the name entered on line 3 of the config file. The Sysop menu has
the following options:
Pack the Database
This will permanently remove any item marked for deletion.
Reset the door
This will start over. All data files are deleted and recreated, and
all counters are set to zero.
Delete all Sold Items
This will remove all Items marked as sold from the database and
update all counters.
Statistics and Totals
This will give a summary screen of all activity since the last reset.
It will display the number of items for sale, marked for deletion and
mark as sold. It will tell the last time the door was used (other
than your login), and who used it.
Recalibrate Statistics Counters: If you perform any manual maintenance
on the CAT files, your stat counters will be off. Use this option to
set them.
Quit to Main Menu
This will return you to the main menu.
Exit to BBS
This will exit the door and return you to the BBS.
Display Sysop's Bulletin
────────────────────────
This will allow callers to view SBULL.SCR or SBULL.BBS depending on their
graphics state. These files must be created by the sysop, and be in the
current directory.
Examine Items You've Posted
───────────────────────────
This will allow users to quickly view items that they have posted. The
caller can select 1 or all the categories.
This option has the File display Choice Menu discussed later.
Exit to BBS
───────────
This ends the program, exits the door, updates the bulletins and returns
the caller to the BBS.
File display Choice Menu
────────────────────────
While viewing the files posted for sale, the caller has several options.
They are:
Next Item
This will display the next item IN THE SAME CATEGORY. This will
only be available if you are not on the last item in the category
Previous Item
This will display the previous item IN THE SAME CATEGORY. This
will only be available if your are not on the first item in the
category.
Back 1 Category
This will display the first item in the previous category, and
begin all operations in this new category. This will only be
available if you are not in the first category.
Forward 1 Category
This will display the first item in the NEXT category, and will
begin all operations in this new category. This will only be
available if you are not in the last category.
Delete Item
Available only for the sysop or owner of the item. This will MARK
the item for deletion. This mark may be toggled on and off.
Items are permanently deleted only when the sysop packs the
database, or the nightly event ages them. All items marked for
deletion are not displayed to anyone except the sysop and owner.
Mark Item as Sold
The sysop or owner of this item may mark it as sold. This is a
good tool to notify potential buyers that this item is sold. It is
also good if a sale is pending and may be cancelled. The Sold flag
is a toggle, and may be turned off or on at will. Items marked as
sold are displayed to everyone.
Edit Item
This will allow the owner or sysop to edit the price and description
of an item.
Leave a Message
Any person viewing an item may leave a 3 line message for the
owner. This message is read by using the "Read Messages" option
from the main menu. Very limited editing options exist here.
Keep Forever
This option will prevent anyone from marking a product for
deletion, from causing the item to be deleted during a Packing
operation, and it will prevent BSEVENT from deleting it because it
is too old. This option was created to allow sysops to sell
subscriptions to their boards, and never fear their deletion.
Quit
This will stop viewing the items and return immediately to the Main
Menu.
On-Line Sysop Commands
──────────────────────
While a caller is on-line, the local sysop has several options. They are
as follows:
Function key
------------
F5 Shell to DOS
F8 Return user to system
F9 Toggle display on/off
F10 Chat mode (use the ESCAPE key to exit)
* F3 Toggle printer on/off
* F4 Toggle pagebell on/off
* F7 Toggle caller alarm on/off
Alternate key
-------------
ALT-H Toggle between different status lines
* ALT-N Toggle sysop on next
* ALT-X Toggle exit to dos after call
and help lines
Alternately pressing the ALT-H key will bring up
the next status line screen. The 1st screen is a help screen,
the second screen shows your COM port status.
* The function keys marked with an "*" will only be of use to systems
using pcboard.sys. The rest are functional with any system.
BSEVENT
═══════
BS Event is a separate program from BUYSELL.EXE. It should be run at
least once per week. Usage is simply this:
BSEVENT [#] | [PACK] | [SOLD]
# = Age in days of items to act on.
If you just specify #, then any item older than # days will be deleted.
If you just specify PACK, then all items marked for deletion will be
deleted no matter how new they are.
If you just specify SOLD, then all items marked as sold will be deleted
no matter how new they are.
If you specify # days with either PACK or SOLD, then only those items
older than # days will be checked for packing or if sold.
EXAMPLES:
BSEVENT 90
Delete all items older than 90 days
BSEVENT PACK
Delete all items marked for deletion
BSEVENT 90 PACK
Delete all items marked for deletion older than 90 days
BS Event displays the number of items kept and deleted. It is a clean
and small program that will never make any noise or hang. It will,
however, return an errorlevel of 1 if something went wrong.
BS Event must be run from the same directory where BUYSELL.DAT and
your *.CAT files reside.
If any items are deleted, the original *.CAT file will be copied to a
*.BAK file. This will allow you to recover items deleted by accident.
REGISTRATION
════════════
When you register BUYSELL, your registration number will be posted on
The Village BBS (408-229-0706), in a private message to you. You
should allow 1 week from the time you send your check before the
message is posted. Other options include sending you the number and
sending you the latest version of the program with the number.
NOTE: The latest version may not be later than the one you have.
Name: ___________________________________________________
(Your name here must match EXACTLY with the name entered
on line 3 of the config file. Upper and lower case make a
difference here. Print or type clearly.)
BBS Name: _______________________________________________
(Your BBS name here must match EXACTLY with the BBS name
entered on line 2 of the config file. Upper and lower case
make a difference here. Print or type clearly.)
The name you have used or wish to use to log into The Village BBS:
_________________________________________________________________
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ║
║ If you do not have a login to my board, and wish me to set ║
║ one up for you, supply the following information: ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ Phone number (with area code): __________________________ ║
║ ║
║ Birthday: _______________________________________________ ║
║ ║
║ Password: _______________________________________________ ║
║ ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
If you wish me to send you the registration number of the latest
version of software, fill out the following:
Address:____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Mail To: Compufax Consulting Services
7145 Aptos Beach Court
San Jose, CA 95139
Select which option you would like:
Basic Registration.
Includes lifetime registration number posted
to The Village BBS................................$20.00 _____
Mail Number.
Includes lifetime registration number mailed
to you at the above address.......................$22.50 _____
Mail Diskette.
Includes lifetime registration number mailed
to on a diskette, along with the latest version
of this software..................................$27.00 _____
Type of diskette: 5.25 High Density _____
5.25 Low Density _____
3.50 High Density _____
3.50 Low Density _____
Total Enclosed: __________
Payment method:
[ ] Check made payable to Compufax Consulting Services.
[ ] VISA [ ] Master Card [ ] Discover [ ] Carte Blanche
[ ] JCB [ ] Diner's Club
For Credit Card Purchases:
Number:________________________________Ex Date:_________________
Name on card:___________________________________________________
Mailing address:________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Home Phone:_____________________ Work Phone:____________________
Signature:______________________________________________________
R E G I S T E R O N L I N E
═════════════════════════════
You can register this software On-Line on the Village BBS. From the main
menu, Choose [Q]uestionnaires, and choose questionnaire number 6. Have
your charge card ready.
We accept VISA, Master Card, Discover, Diner's Club, Carte Blanche and
JCB cards.
Due to the nature of your purchase, your registration number will be
available within 12 hours of you completing the questionnaire.
BUG REPORT
══════════
Please report any and all bugs to my. Include as much information as you
can. If I think I have fixed it, I will send you the new version
for free, for testing.
You may use the form below to report any bugs, or use your own form.
Please send the form to me, or upload it to my BBS.
Explain the bug:____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
(use another sheet of paper if needed)
Version of FoodFite:________________________________________________
DOS Date and time of BUYSELL.EXE:___________________________________
BBS Software and version:___________________________________________
Describe your machine:______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Describe your multi-tasking, if any:________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Is this multi-node? (how many)______________________________________
Please include copies of your *.CAT files, BUYSELL.CFG, and BUYSELL.DAT.
REVISION HISTORY
════════════════
June 29, 1992 Version 1.0
Initial Release