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*** DPIRC 1.7 ***
Part of the DPNET series: Internet Software for PowerBBS
by Detlef Pleiss
Internet: det@goliath.de
Compuserve: 74101.755
Download and Online Order:
Internet: http://dpsoft.powerbbs.com
http://www.abacus2.com
Compuserve: GO PBBS
Online Support Mailing List:
to subscribe send a message to majordomo@mail.msen.com with
"subscribe dpsoft" in the body (no quotes)
====================================================================
Files included in package:
DPIDENT.EXE - IDENT Server, 16 bit version
DPID32.EXE - IDENT Server, 32 bit version
DPIRC.DLL - BBS side DLL for ANSI and GUI, 16 bit version
DPIRC32.DLL - BBS side DLL for ANSI and GUI, 32 bit version
DPIRC2.PA - Caller side GUI DLL
DPIRC.ICO - Icon for PowerGenerator Screens
DPIRC.INI - Configuration File
DPIRC2.INI - Default Configuration for the PA GUI DLL
DPIRCHLP.TXT - the ANSI Help File
IRCHELP.ZIP - extensive IRC help in POW and TXT format
contributed by Daniel Arkey, thanks Dan!
POWRCHAT.RTF - Introduction to the Global PowrCHAT Network
DPIRC.TXT - This File
DPSOFT.TXT - Information about DP Software Products
FILE_ID.DIZ - Description for BBS File Lists
UPGRADE.TXT - Upgrading from earlier Versions
====================================================================
The Basics of DPIRC
DPIRC lets your users take part in the global online chat network called
IRC. Realtime chat covering a vast area of topics with thousands of people
online.
Only requirement besides a running PowerBBS is a working
Windows Socket TCP/IP stack, a WINSOCK.DLL (WSOCK32.DLL for 32 bit). The type
of connection to your Internet provider doesn't matter, even a dialup
connection does the job. DPIRC can call a batch file of your choice in
order to establish a connection on demand. This document does not explain how
to get your TCP/IP stack up and running. For that you need to refer to the
documentation of the TCP/IP software you're using or to your internet
provider.
On startup the ANSI version of DPIRC will place the user on a default server
and channel (IRC name for chat rooms) of your choice. She can start chatting
right away. Most online commands are just like in the local chat rooms,
while experienced IRC users can still type in commands the way they're used
to. The GUI version presents the caller with a configurable choice of server
addresses and channel names, so going online is just a matter of a few mouse
clicks. The GUI version can handle up to 10 channels plus 10 private chats
simultaneously.
====================================================================
Installation
If you run 16 bit Windows, copy DPIDENT.EXE to your PowerBBS home directory.
If you run Windows95 or NT, you may want to copy DPID32.EXE to your PowerBBS
home directory instead. Except if your BBS nodes run on a LAN, connected to
the Internet through a Proxy server. In that case read the chapter
"DPIDENT.EXE / DPID32.EXE" below. Whenever this manual talks about
DPIDENT.EXE, the same is true for DPID32.EXE. Both programs are the same, just
16 bit versus 32 bit.
If you run the 16 bit version of PowerBBS, copy DPIRC.DLL to your PowerBBS
home directory. If you run the 32 bit version of PowerBBS, copy DPIRC32.DLL to
your PowerBBS home directory and there rename it to DPIRC.DLL.
Copy DPIRCHLP.TXT to your PowerBBS home directory.
Copy DPIRC2.INI to your PowerBBS home directory.
Copy DPIRC.INI to your \windows home directory. On networked BBS's have a copy
of \windows\dpirc.ini on each machine!
Copy DPIRC2.PA to your POWERBBS\SOURCE directory.
On one of your PGen screens add a command to run DPIRC as a PA DLL. The
command reads "O-DPIRC.DLL". You may want to use DPIRC.ICO for the icon.
Using CONFIG add the command to run DPIRC as ANSI DLL to one of your ANSI
menus. Start DPIDENT.EXE (DPID32.EXE) and keep it running in the background.
Now you're ready to go ahead and start playing with DPIRC.
Make sure your Windows Socket TCP/IP stack is running and online (or first
read the paragraph about dial-up support).
====================================================================
The Global PowrCHAT Network
The default configuration as it comes with the DPIRC distribution connects the
caller to the Global PowrCHAT Network, where he can meet callers of other
PowerBBS systems. For further information on the Global PowrCHAT Network
please read the file PowrCHAT.RTF as enclosed in this distribution.
====================================================================
Running the Program and Customization - ANSI
On startup DPIRC establishes a connection to the IRC server named in the
DefaultServer= line of DPIRC.INI. The server displays the "Message of the Day"
(MOTD). Then the user will be placed automatically on the channel named in the
DefaultChannel= line of DPIRC.INI. If that channel didn't exist beforehand, it
will be created at that moment. If set, the topic of that channel and a list of
persons online will be displayed. After that text typed by other people
on that channel will appear on screen. As soon as the user starts typing a ">"
prompt appears and the user may type her message or command. Pressing the
return key sends the message to the channel or issues the command. Channel
input is halted until a message or command is completed.
All commands start with a slash "/" character. Input starting with a different
character is sent to the channel. Messages to the channel cannot start with a
slash.
The following commands are implemented in DPIRC (command characters are not
case sensitive):
/? displays the online help as given in DPIRCHLP.TXT.
/Q closes the connection to the server and quits DPIRC.
/W (or just pressing enter) displays a list of people online
in the current channel.
/J <#channel> leaves the current channel and joins the named
channel. Names of public IRC channels start with a "#"
character. In case the user forgets to type the initial
"#" it will be inserted by DPIRC automatically.
/L displays a list of channels available on the current server
and how much people are online on each channel.
/N <name> changes nickname to <name>
/S <server:port> switches to a different server. Parameter is the name
(or IP number) of the server to connect to. Optionally a
colon ":" followed by the port number to connect to (all
without spaces in between) may be added. The default port
number for IRC servers is 6667. In case no port number is
given, a connection to port 6667 is established. The same
channel like on the old server will be joined on the new
server.
/A <text> sends <text> as an action to the current channel
/<name>; <text> sends <text> to <name> privately. <text> is sent to <name>
only and not to the public channel.
Users familiar with command driven IRC may use the usual commands (like /WHOIS
etc.). (Definition of these commands can be found in RFC 1459)
Everything starting with a slash "/" is sent as a command to the
server (or as a private message to another user), not as a message to the
channel.
The IRC server all users get connected to initially is set by means of the
DefaultServer= entry in DPIRC.INI. You should choose an IRC server
near to you, in Internet terms. In Windows95 you can use the "tracert" command
to find out about the number of "hops" between you and another machine like an
IRC server.
Another entry in DPIRC.INI required for the ANSI version is
DefaultChannel= , which names the channel your users are sent to on startup.
It is up to you what to enter here. You may want to enter something that's
related to the main topic of your BBS or just form "your own" channel, in that
everytime a user of your BBS goes IRC this channel will be created if it
didn't exist beforehand. Another approach to the DefaultChannel= entry is
watching out for a well known, existing, busy channel that will engage your
users in a lively discussion immediately (i.e. #flirt :)
The other customization related entries in DPIRC.INI are:
DefaultColor= PBBS code of the text color to be used by DPIRC.
Joined= Message text to announce new people joining the current channel.
Text is prefixed by the name of that person.
Setting this entry to "none" disables the message entirely.
Parted= Message text to announce people leaving the current channel.
Text is prefixed by the name of that person.
Setting this entry to "none" disables the message entirely.
LeftIRC= Message text to announce people leaving IRC at all.
Text is prefixed by the name of that person.
Setting this entry to "none" disables the message entirely.
Private= Text to announce a message as private. Text is inserted between
the name of the sender of that message and the ">" prompt.
You may change the help file DPIRCHLP.TXT to whatever you want. You may
use the PBBS color codes within that file.
====================================================================
Running the Program and Customization - PA GUI
On startup DPIRC shows it's main dialog, consisting of a text area, the server
combo box, two buttons, LIST and JOIN, and the nickname edit box plus change
button. The text area will display general commands and messages, the server's
message of the day and any messages DPIRC doesn't handle otherwise. Only on
first startup DPIRC retrieves the default configuration as given in the
DPIRC2.INI in your \powrbbs directory. You can configure up to 10
default server addresses and channel names for your GUI callers. If you didn't
supply a DPIRC2.INI file, DPIRC creates one based on the DefaultServer= and
DefaultChannel= entries in DPIRC.INI. After the first startup DPIRC at the
PowerAccess side keeps track of the last 10 server addresses and channel names
a caller visited.
In the server field the user may type in a server address, or just use the
given default, and by pressing the connect button connect to that server.
Both other buttons, LIST and JOIN will pop up another dialog, the channel
dialog. Pressing the JOIN button will only pop up that dialog, while LIST
also issues the command to list all available channels. Closing the main
dialog box will shut down DPIRC. After connecting to the IRC server, the
nickname edit box shows the user's nickname which is derived from her name on
the BBS. Once connected to a server the user can change her nickname by typing
in a new one in the nickname edit box and then pressing the "change" button.
On the channel dialog, the channel selection works the same way like the
server selection. A channel name can be typed in, pressing the JOIN button
will join that channel. Default is the last channel visited. DPIRC keeps
track of the last 10 channels visited. The LIST command is the same as for the
main dialog.
On completion of a LIST command, the text area of the channel dialog displays
the available channels. Channelname, number of people in that channel and (if
set) TOPIC of that channel are displayed. Double clicking a channel in the
text area will join that channel.
JOINing a channel will pop up another dialog for that channel. The window
title will name what channel the dialog refers to. The largest text area of
the channel dialog displays the ongoing chat on that channel. To the right is
the list of people (nicknames) on that channel. At the bottom of that dialog
you can type in what you want to submit to that channel. Pressing Return or
the Send button will send the text you typed in to the channel. Pressing the
"as Action" button sends your typing as an action you perform (just try it to
get how it works). Closing a channel dialog box will make you leave that
channel.
In order to initiate a private chat with someone double click her
nick name in the names list (at the right). A private chat dialog box very
similar to the channel dialog box will pop up. The title of the dialog shows
to whom it refers. Text sent / actions performed from that window will be sent
privately to that person only. If someone else initiates a private chat with
you, a private chat dialog box refering to that person will be opened
automatically.
The private chat dialog box also contains a "Who is it?" button that retrieves
the login information related to that nickname and displays it inside the
private chat area. Opening a private chat dialog and using the "Who is it?"
button does not yet send any information to the nickname in question, only the
send / action buttons do so. So you can safely double click a nickname in a
channel and retrieve her login information without actually disturbing the
user.
====================================================================
Logging into IRC Servers
The most critical part of getting DPIRC to work is the initial login to the
IRC server. This login takes two commands to the server that are issued by
DPIRC automatically.
The first command defines the user's nickname (her chatname). DPIRC uses
the first 9 characters of the user's internet address to determine the user's
nickname. This works, wether you have internet email installed or not. As
nicknames have to be unique throughout IRC it may happen that another IRC user
owns that nickname already. In that case DPIRC will add a number to the
nickname until one is found that is accepted by the server. Nicknames in DPIRC
are limited to 9 characters length.
The second command issued by DPIRC when logging into an IRC server consists of
user name, client name, server name and user's real name. The username DPIRC
sends to the server is the user's internet email address without the "@..."
domain part. This works wether you have internet email installed on your
system or not. The client name is the internet name of the BBS machine.
DPIRC tries to determine that name automatically on startup. In case this
attempt fails and you get error messages while logging into an IRC server you
may set this name by means of the LocalHost= entry in DPIRC.INI. If this entry
is set DPIRC will use it and not try to determine your machine's internet name
automatically. The server name is either the DPIRC.INI DefaultServer= entry
or the name given by a user's /S - command. By default the real name entry
generated by DPIRC when logging into an IRC server will be the same like the
user name entry. In case you have internet email installed you may want to set
the Domain= line of DPIRC.INI to your internet email domain (i.e.
osna.winnet.de). In this case the user's full internet email address on your
system will be given as real name parameter. This information can be
retrieved from other IRC users by means of the /WHOIS command. In case you
don't want it or don't have internet email installed just leave the Domain=
entry of DPIRC.INI empty.
====================================================================
DPIDENT.EXE / DPID32.EXE
Most IRC servers require verification of the login data using the
Identification Protocol (as defined in RFC 1413). DPIDENT.EXE (32bit version:
DPID32.EXE) is a a server for that protocol and has to be running in the
background in order to make this verification (and thus the login) succeed.
DPIDENT is the same for DPIRC, DPLINK and DPPP. Just one copy of DPIDENT per
machine works for multiple nodes running the named programs. You may want to
put it in your autostart/startup group/folder. Just make sure DPIDENT is
running before a user tries to connect to an IRC server that requires
Identification Protocol verification. Data exchange between applications and
DPIDENT takes place using the file DPIDENT.INI in your \windows home
directory. If you have a DPIDENT.INI in your PowerBBS home directory from an
older version, you may delete it. You don't need to touch this file but as
long as no application (DPIDENT, DPPP, DPIRC or DPLINK) is running, you may
delete this file (i.e. during daily maintenance).
If your BBS runs on a LAN, connected to the Internet through a Proxy server,
DPIDENT can not answer Identification Protocol requests if it is running on
the LAN machines, that do not have a direct Internet connection. In that case
there is no need to have it running on the LAN machines, but instead have a
copy of DPIDENT running in the background on the Gateway machine, the one that
runs the Proxy server, the one that has the actual Internet connection. As in
that configuration, DPIDENT does not know about the users who logged on to the
different BBS nodes, you need to tell it a user name that it should use to
answer *all* incoming Identification Protocol requests. In order to so, create
a file DPIDENT.INI in the \windows home directory on the Gateway machine,
where DPIDENT is running. Using any text editor, like Notepad, enter two lines
in that file that read:
[DPIDENT]
fixedid=<ident response>
For <ident response> insert whatever identification DPIDENT should send out,
i.e. an abbreviation for your BBS name.
====================================================================
Dial-Up Support
DPIRC supports dialup connections to your provider in that you can specify the
Dialup= path to batch file called on connection requests
parameter in DPIRC.INI. This batch file is called everytime a caller wants
to connect to a server. The purpose is to initiate a dialup connection in
case your Windows Socket stack doesn't dial-on-demand. If you don't need it
just leave this parameter empty.
During dial-up the "please wait" message taken from the
PleaseWait= message to be displayed during dial-up
entry in DPIRC.INI is displayed to the caller.
====================================================================
Proxy Support
DPIRC supports transparently running through a Proxy server. If your BBS runs
multiple nodes on multiple machines on a LAN, while only one of these machines
has an actual Internet connection, you may be running a Proxy server on that
machine. A Proxy server is the sort of software that most often is advertised
like "connect your entire LAN to the Internet with only one dialup account".
When going through a proxy, DPIRC connects to IRC servers using the Telnet
gateway of your Proxy server. So your Proxy must support forwarding Telnet
connections. It is not necessary to configure special TCP bridges or something
on the Proxy for DPIRC. When going through the Proxy, DPIRC does not
connect to IRC servers directly, but first to the Telnet port of the Proxy
server. It assumes to receive some sort of prompt which it answers by sending
the Internet address of the IRC server to connect to. Per default it
automatically adds a ":6667" to the server name, so it connects to the default
IRC port. In order to activate Proxy support, you need to fill in these entries
in DPIRC.INI:
ProxyAddress= IP address (on the LAN) of your Proxy server
ProxyPrompt= text DPIRC waits for before sending the IRC server address
ProxyConnected= text from the Proxy server to announce a successful connect
DPIRC then connects to the given "ProxyAddress", waits for the given
"ProxyPrompt" and then sends the given server address plus port to the Proxy.
After it receives the "ProxyConnected" message from the Proxy server it then
continues to work with the IRC server as usual.
====================================================================
Overview of DPIRC.INI Parameters
[DPIRC]
DefaultServer= server to connect to on startup
DefaultChannel= channel to be joined on startup
DefaultColor= textcolor to be used
LocalHost= internet name of BBS computer (default: retrieve automatically)
Domain= email domain of your system (optional)
Joined= message text to announce people joining the current channel
Parted= message text to announce people leaving the current channel
LeftIRC= message text to announce people leaving IRC at all
Private= text to annotate messages sent to the user privately
DialUp= path to batch file called on every connection
PleaseWait= message to be displayed during dial-up
ProxyAddress= IP address (on the LAN) of your Proxy server
ProxyPrompt= text DPIRC waits for before sending the IRC server address
ProxyConnected= text from the Proxy server to announce a successful connect
====================================================================
Further Reading
RFC 1413 Identification Protocol
RFC 1459 Internet Relay Chat Protocol
http://www.irchelp.org
IRC channel #irchelp
====================================================================
Registration and Disclaimer
DPIRC is shareware. It is neither free, nor freeware nor in the public domain.
The unregistered version may be distributed freely in its unaltered form.
This software is provided as is. Detlef Pleiss disclaims all warranties,
either expressed or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties
of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will
Detlef Pleiss be liable to you for damages, including any loss of data,
profits, lost savings, or other incidental or consequential damages arising
out of your use or inability to use the software. Use at your own risk.
The unregistered version of DPIRC will hang up on the user after some time.
An "unregistered" message will appear on screen before hanging up.
This restriction and the message will vanish after applying your registration
code to DPIRC.
Online registration is available at
http://addons.powerbbs.com/pleiss.htm
and
http://www.abacus2.com
and via Compuserve GO SWREG, ID 11805.
Registration fee is $20. After registering you'll receive a registration code
that is valid for your name and your BBS's name. If registering at
Compuserve, please additionally send Compuserve mail to 74101.755 stating
which program you registered, your name and your BBS's name, as this
information will be needed anyway. Registration can not be transferred. If
either name or BBS name change a new registration is required.
====================================================================
History of DPIRC:
v 1.0 - released: Jun 4 1996
first public release
v 1.1 - released: Jun 9 1996
now displays NICK and USER commands
added support for changing nicknames
enforced 9 character nickname limit
added support for actions in channel
v 1.2 - released: Aug 5 1996
added 32 bit version
added GUI client
v 1.3 - released: Aug 9 1996
added nickname change to GUI client
v 1.4 - no public release
v 1.5 - no public release
v 1.6 - released: Sep 13 1996
fixed 32bit version info for PA GUI DLL download
fixed login problems with some servers
DPIDENT: fixed problem with request format of some servers
added WHOIS request to GUI client
transmitting DefaultChannel entry to first time GUI users
v 1.7 - released: Mar 10 1998
fixed login problem with some servers
fixed problem with large channel listings
channel operator status changes now display in nick name listing
DPPP compatibility
moved INI location to \windows
made "Joined", "Parted" and "LeftIRC" messages optional
now displays channel topics in window titles
added the ability to send arbitrary server commands
added Proxy support to DPIRC and DPIDENT
added DPIRC2.INI default configuration for GUI
added information on the Global PowrCHAT Network