ftp.wwiv.com/ftp.wwiv.com.zip/ftp.wwiv.com/pub/WW4SHARE/W4USRTXT.ZIP/W4USRTXT.DOC

Text File | 1994-09-04 | 134KB | 2,604 lines

                      The User's Guide
    ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
    ║             THE USER'S GUIDE TO WWIV             ║
    ║                                                  ║
    ║                                                  ║
    ║                     By Filo                      ║
    ║               <aka> Wig De Moville               ║
    ║       Original User Guide by Michael Coyne       ║
    ║        User Guide for WWIV v4.10-4.12 by         ║
    ║                 William Daystrom                 ║
    ║                                                  ║
    ║                                                  ║
    ║              The WWIV User's Guide               ║
    ║      Copyright (c) 1989 White Star Software      ║
    ║             The USER'S GUIDE TO WWIV             ║
    ║          Copyright (c) 1991 Wayne Bell           ║
    ║                                                  ║
    ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════╝




                       Revised 9/5/95
                      by Will Crawford


                          Contents

  1 INTRODUCTION ......................................

  2 COMMANDS FROM THE MAIN MENU .......................

  3 TRANSFER SECTION COMMANDS .........................

  4 APPENDICES ........................................









































                            -i-


                        INTRODUCTION

   This segment of the WWIV documentation is a comprehen-
sive 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 v4.23.  Updates of
this manual will be available as new versions of WWIV are
distributed.

   WWIV BBS Software is copyrighted and written by Wayne
Bell.  The project began while Wayne was in high school and
the original WWIV was written in BASIC.  The basic
versions, which are of historical interest, were numbered
with versions starting at 1.00.  These versions were
followed by a Pascal version where the numbers started with
2.00, and a major re-write of the Pascal version where the
numbers started with 3.00.  The last Pascal version was
WWIV v3.21D.

   The current version of the software is written in C and
begins with version 4.00.  The most current version is WWIV
v4.23.  Wayne has plans to write additional versions of the
software in the 4.xx series such that each year there
should be a major release such as 4.23 followed shortly
thereafter by a minor release to fix any bugs that show up
and perhaps add a couple of new features.  There may also
be versions written under additional platforms such as
unix, OS2, etc. that would be numbered beginning with 5.01.

   Just as the BBS Software has evolved over time, the
documentation also has a short history.  The initial ver-
sions of WWIV had very short docs that were oriented
primarily toward the sysop who would run and operate the
software.  Michael Coyne developed an "illustrated" user
guide for WWIV in which he took the user step-by-step
through the commands that were available on WWIV.  That
guide was used by William Daystrom as the basis for his
documentation, THE WWIV USER'S GUIDE, which was copy-
righted by White Starlines Software.  William's excellent
documentation is clearly the "father" of the current USER'S
GUIDE TO WWIV; however, significant efforts have been made
to avoid copying Will's approach in order to avoid possible
copyright infringements.

   The current copyright is held by Wayne Bell in order to
facilitate future versions of the documentation.


                            -1-


1.1  Preparation and Connection

   In order to connect to WWIV Software, the user should
configure his terminal program for settings of 8-N-1 or
7-E-1.  These settings normally provide for the best
connections.  In addition, the user may wish to be sure
that he has ANSI.SYS installed, especially if his system is
capable of using color.  Most WWIV bulletin boards are very
colorful, have special menus and screens designed to appeal
to the user, and use color extensively.  The software is
capable of detecting whether or not the user has ANSI and
thus it will automatically adjust itself to the appropriate
color or non-color configuration for the user.  The user,
however, can override these settings in his initial logon
or by using the defaults configuration, both of which are
described subsequently.

1.2 Logon

   After a connection is established, one of two things
will happen. If the sysop has created an ANSI welcome
message (WELCOME.ANS) and if the software detects that the
user's system is capable of ANSI, the caller will be shown
the Welcome Screen in color, or on some systems, the user
will be asked if he wants ANSI.

After the Welcome Message, 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).

   After the caller has entered the password, the prompt
usually asks for the last four digits of the caller's
seven-digit phone number.  If the user is not prompted for
the last four digits of the phone number, it is because the
sysop has configured his system to permit "freeform" phone
numbers.  This configuration facilitates the logon on of
international callers whose phone numbers may not conform
to the format used in the USA.  If the sysop has chosen the
freeform option, then the user enters the phone number when
logging on as new, but the user will not be prompted for
such information on subsequent logons.  If any of the


                            -2-



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.  The
software permits the caller to have 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.


1.3  Registration

   If the caller entered "NEW" at the first logon prompt,
the registration procedure is initiated. The BBS will
display two messages to the user.  First, SYSTEM.MSG, from
the GFILES directory, is displayed which may describe 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. After the caller has entered all of that informat
tion, a summary of the data just entered is provided.
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.

1.3.A  FeedBack Message

   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.  The sysop is able to validate the user as the
validation letter is read; however, if there is not
validation letter, the sysop may not even be aware that an

                            -3-



"unvalidated" user has logged on the board.

1.3.B Logon Message

   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 than it will be for regular
callers. The information given will be the last few caller
names, numbers, baud rates, and times on (that day).

1.3.C Auto-Message

   After the LOGON.MSG, the auto-message is shown. 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.
If the current auto-message seems to be a message from the
sysop to the users, the user might excercise discretion in
changing it as the sysop may be using the auto-message to
convey a short message to all persons logging on.

   The auto-message in use at The Dragon's Den is shown
below as an example of what one of these messages might
look like:

Auto message by: Filo #1

WWIVcon '94 to be held in New Orleans
July 1 - July 4, 1994.  Plan to attend.
Ask Filo for details.

1.3.D  Last Callers List & Additional Information

   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


                            -4-



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 registra-
tion number appears after the version number. If the BBS is
a part of a a WWIV network, the node number will also be
listed.

   Here is a laston listing from The Dragon's Den:

Last few callers:

Number Handle              Language   Time  Date  Speed  ##
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
53724  òIggraph #139       English    04:13 09/17 14400   1
53725  Vester #719         English    06:09 09/17 14400   1
53726  Don Harris #921     English    06:24 09/17 14400   1
53727  Chief Archer #706   English    06:43 09/17 2400    1
53728  Zog #270            English    09:18 09/17 14400   1
53729  Zendor #5           English    10:27 09/17 14400   1
53730  Kay #391            English    12:21 09/17 2400    1
53731  Malcolm X #714      English    12:34 09/17 14400   2

The information above has been squeezed from the normal 80
column format into a 60-column format for these docs.  The
columns are self-explanatory except for possibly the last
column which indicates the number of times that that
particular caller has called on that day.

   The additional information shown for Filo, sysop of The
Dragon's Den, is shown below.  A user would see a similar
screen upon logging on to a board using WWIV v4.23:

Name/Handle....... Filo #1
Time allowed on... 147
Mail waiting...... 112
Times on today.... 5
Sysop currently... NOT Available
System is......... WWIV v4.23   (Reg #81006)
WWIVnet node...... @2050  (net34)
IceNET node....... @2050
WWIVlink node..... @2050
FIDONET node...... @2050
TestNet node...... @2050
Instance.......... 3

Kay #391 @2050 read your mail on 09/17/93
Malcolm X #714 @2050 read your mail on 09/17/93


                            -5-



   If you have sent mail to someone, you will see a message
similar to the last two lines above if the person has read
the mail that you sent them.  On some systems, depending
upon what option the sysop selected when setting up the BBS,
you might see notices of who downloaded files that you
uploaded to the BBS.

   The "Instance.........3" should be noted.  Under v4.23,
the BBS is capable of having more than one "instance."  By
this is meant that the BBS can have more than one user on
the BBS at the same time.  If you want to find out whether
or not other users are on at the same time, you may type
//WHO at the main menu to obtain that information.

   After the messages discussed above have been presented,
the user arrives at the Main Menu.  Some of the messages
discussed above may be skipped during the logon process by
pressing spacebar during the message.  This aborts the
message and permits the user to continue onward.  Users are
advised to NOT get in the habit of space barring the logon
messages unless those messages are clearly non-changing.

   Whether or not the user sees the Main Menu is a function
of that user's 'expert status'.  If the expert status is
toggled on, the user does not automatically see the menus.
In expert status, if a menu is desired, it may be seen if
the user types a question mark. This does not change the
expert status of the user, but does permit the menu to be
seen.  The expert status may be toggled on and off by
entering an X while at the main prompt.

1.4  The Main Prompt

   The main prompt is the place where most major commands
are entered, by both caller and sysop.  It will appear like
this although the information following "[1]" may be
different if the first message base accessible to the user
has a title other than General.  The exact nature of what
the prompt looks like will depend upon two things.

   1)  Whether or not the sysop has set the BBS up to use
       conferencing, and
   2)  Whether or not you have selected to use
       conferencing in the DEFAULTS area (option D from
       main menu).  To turn conferencing on, hit D at Main
       Menu and then C on the DEFAULTS menu.
   With conferencing turned on, the prompt will appear
something like this:

                            -6-



T - 02:13:01
[Conf B] [WWIVnet Sysop Subs]
[Sub 1] [Messages from The Management] :

Conference letters will be designated with A through Z.
You will see the amount of time that you have remaining on
this particular call, the second line is the Conference
Identifier followed by the conference name, and then the
number of the sub and its title within that particular
conference.

1.4A  Changing Conferences -- Enter J

   To change conferences, enter J at the main prompt.  You
will then see a screen something like the following
although your exact choices will be a function of how that
sysop has set up the BBS.

Select Conference:

A) General
B) WWIVnet Sysop Subs
C) WWIVLink and IceNET Sysop Subs
D) WWIV Mods & Technical

Select [ABCD, <space> to quit] :

   You would then enter the letter of the particular
conference that you wished to join.  You will see only
those conferences for which you have the security level,
age, sex, and Access Rights for.  The sysop can configure
the conferences to admit or exclude people from them based
on all of those factors.
   In WWIV, a conference is a group of Subs (message bases)
that usually relate to a particular broad topic or that
share some other common feature such as the conference on
modifications and technical help shown in the example
above.

   The Main Menu presents a list of all commands available
from the main prompt.

1.5  WWIV Software Organization

    WWIV Software may be thought of as being composed of
several distinct systems:  Main Menu (from which all
systems are accessible), Transfer Menu, G-Files, E-Mail,
and On-Line Programs (chains).  Each of these systems will


                            -7-



be discussed in this User Guide.  The message editor,
which is discussed immediately below, is functional in both
the E-mail system and the Message-Base system.  The Message-
Base system is part of the Main Menu system.


1.6  The Message Editor

   When e-mail, feedback messages, or posts on a message
base are made while you are on the BBS, a message editor is
used.  [Note:  Many users will prefer to use an off-line
reader that permits downloading of the new messages on
selected subs, reading and replying off-line and then up-
loading the responses, if any, back to the BBS.  Not all
sysops will have these external utilities setup, but many
will have them, and you are encouraged to use them where
they are available.  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. The editor
features word-wrapping which will permit entering a message
without having to be concerned about where lines and/or
words end.

   A few editing features are also available to help
correct mistakes. When the editor is activated, it prompts
for a title.  This is the heading of your message, and
should describe what your message will be about.   You can
facilitate communication by entering a descriptive title
rather than using something like "Well," or "Hey" as a
title.  After the title is entered,  the editor provides
information regarding the maximum number of lines which can
be entered in the message.  Persons with higher security
levels are able to enter longer messages, so this informa-
tion can sometimes be very useful.  The information also
includes a message regarding what you need to do to get
assistance.  Assistance is available by typing
   /HELP
when the cursor is at the left-hand margin. The /HELP
command brings up a menu of options available to you.

1.7  /HELP and Ctrl-O

   Ctrl-O also enables context sensitive help on the BBS
including help for the editor. The help menu for the editor
will appear similar to this:



                            -8-



           -= 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 when the cursor is at the left-hand
margin. 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 that you
entered, 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.
   The /SU command allows you to replace selected text in
the last line you entered. The Ctrl-P+Digit command is
different from the others in that it doesn't use the slash-
command system. It allows the colors of the text you are
typing to be changed (if you have ANSI active).  Each color
that may be used has a number assigned to it (ranging from
0 to 9).  The colors associated with each number may be set
in the default section; however, because the colors which
you see are determined by your default settings, it is
strongly recommended that you not change them in order that
you be able to see the same colors that others see.

1.7.A  Changing Colors

   To change colors, just press the control key, then P,
then release those keys and tap a number in the range from
0 to 9. The color of the text which is typed from that
point until the next color change or beginning of a new
line (whichever comes first) will be whatever you selected.
Below is a chart showing you what the default WWIV colors


                            -9-



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
     8 - Blue             9 - Brown





































                            -10-


                         Chapter 02
                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.


2.1  Miscellaneous Section

2.1.A '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
send announcements or messages 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 selec-
tion, a prompt appears:

  A-msg: R:ead, W:rite, A:uto-reply, Q:uit  :

2.1.A.1  R Read Auto-Message

   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.

2.1.A.2 A Auto-Reply to Auto-Message

   If you choose Auto-reply, the board will take you to the
E-mail section and automatically address your reply to the
person who wrote the current auto message.

2.1.A.3 W Write Auto-Message

   This option allows you to write your own auto-message.
NOTE: The Write option may or may not be present, depending
on your access restrictions.

2.1.B  '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.

2.1.B.1 Add to BBS List

   Adding to the list will prompt the caller for a series


                            -11-



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.

2.1.B.2 Net Listing

  Also, if the BBS is a member of a WWIV network, a listing
of all systems in that network can be read.  The systems
are listed along with their node numbers.  The node number
information can be useful (see E-Mail Section) for sending
a message to a user on a different BBS System provided that
the system is part of the same network.

  If the system is a member of more than one network, then
pressing N will get you first a list of the networks that
the BBS is on.  For example,

1] WWIVnet
2] IceNET
3] WWIVlink
4] FIDONET
5] TestNet
Q] Quit

Which Network?

After you select the network, then you will get the
information about each.

2.1.C  '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.

2.1.D  'D' User Default Section

   This is where you can configure your settings for the


                            -12-



board so that it will 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   : On
4. Mailbox           : Normal
5. Configured Q-scan
6. Change password
7. Update macros
8. Change colors
9. Full screen editor: WWIVedit
A. Extended colors   : Yes
B. Optional lines    : 0
C. Conferencing      : Yes
W. WWIV reg num      : 81006
L. Language          : English
Q. Quit to main menu

Defaults: (1-9,A-C,W,L,?,Q) :


2.1.D.1   Screen size

      Screen size refers to the number of columns and rows
(c x r) of text your screen can display. Most IBM compat-
ible 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 may occur at unusual places and some screens
prepared in ANSI may look incomprehensible.

2.1.D.2   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 [3;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


                            -13-



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.

2.1.D.3   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.  This may
be toggled while you are on-line with CTRL Y.

2.1.D.4   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 a WWIV network, you may forward
mail to any account on any other WWIV network system.
Note, however, that the network software is designed to
prevent endless forwarding of messages.  Thus, a message
originating on the board you are on, may be forwarded to
another system, but a message originating elsewhere that
arrives on this board through the network cannot be
forwarded across the network again.


  Under v4.21a the prompts seen when Mailbox is selected
are different than under previous versions of WWIV.  This
version asks the user if he wishes to "Close" his mailbox.
If the answer is YES, the user will not be able to receive
mail.  If the answer is NO, the user is asked if he wishes
to forward his mail.  Answering with a number causes the
software to forward the mail to that user number on the
system.  Answering with a user number AND an @ sign
followed by a node number causes mail to be forwarded to
that user number on that node.  For example, stating
2 @2050 would cause the mail received to be forwarded
to user 2 at system 2050.  If the BBS you are on is in more


                            -14-



than one network, it is possible that you will be asked to
select the system.  For example, if the BBS is on 3
networks, each of which have a node 2050, then you will be
given a choice of those three networks to select from.

2.1.D.5   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.

   Under v4.23, if you have selected to use conferencing,
you will have the option to configure your Q-scan by
conferencing.  This feature should be helpful on those
boards that have a large number of subs for it reduces each
set to a more manageable size.

2.1.D.6   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.  Good security
suggests that you should NOT use the same password on every
BBS system that you call.

2.1.D.7   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


                            -15-



a series of keystrokes, saving you the time of typing them
every time you need them.  Because these macros are used in
the E-mail and Message section via the Message Editor, you
may use the special commands available there, like /C: for
centering text.  Other special commands such as CTRL M
(shown on screen as ^M) will cause a new line as explained
if you enter Ctrl O while in the message editor.

   Thus, if you enter as Macro A, the following
information:

/C:^P2Filo^M/C:^P5Is Smiling at You!^M/S^M
it would have the following results:

                              Filo
                       Is Smiling at You!

The Ctrl-P codes would cause "Filo" to be in Yellow and the
"Is Smiling at You!" would be in green.  Both would be
centered because of the /C: command.  The ^M creates a new
line.  The /S^M means to save the message.  Thus, a single
combination keystroke (Alt A) would cause all of that
information to appear.

2.1.D.8   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.

2.1.D.9   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 avail-
able. 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.  Full-screen editors are
characterized by your being able to move the cursor any-


                            -16-



where in the message in order to make corrections or
changes.

2.1.D.A    Extended colors

  This option allows you to select extended color usage in
the BBS. Currently, this only affects the transfer section
(described later), where file listings will come out in
multiple colors.

2.1.D.B    Optional lines

  This option is supposed to allow you to enable or disable
optional lines in posts (especially networked posts).  Un-
fortunately, few people write their posts to use this, so
changing this value may have no visible effect.  However,
those people who do begin taglines and so forth with a CTRL
D will cause that information NOT to show when you read
their messages.

2.1.D.C    Conferencing

  This option is new with v4.23.  It enables the user to opt
to use conferencing (if the sysop has set it up) or to
disable it.

2.1.D.L    Language

   This option is also new with v4.23.  The sysop may chose
to set his BBS up to support multiple languages.  If the BBS
is setup that way, then the user will be given a choice of
language and that choice will be reflected, as discussed
earlier, in the LASTON text that users see when logging on.
The prompts for the BBS should show up in whatever language
is selected by the user.

   While it will not be possible for WWIV to distribute the
prompts in all possible languages to all sysops, the intent
is to make such special STR files available for downloading
on the SDS systems.  If you have particular language
capabilities and wish to design both the prompts and the
menus for use with a foreign language version, please upload
your results (if you wish to share it with others) to either
The Dragon's Den (210-631-5841) or Amber (310-798-9993).

2.1.D.W    WWIV Registration Number

  This field is for WWIV sysops to enter their registration


                            -17-



number.  This information is particularly useful for sysops
who run an SDS board (Source Distribution System) for other
WWIV Sysops. Entering a number here will have no effect on
your access to the system; it is simply a convenient place
to put the number for your (and the sysop's) reference.

   Further, since the Sysop may now configure conferences
to require a WWIV registration number, it is this field in
defaults that is checked in order to determine that access.

2.1.E  'I' System News and Info

  Choosing Information from the Main Menu will tell you the
version number of the BBS, redisplay the news and announce-
ments file shown at logon, and show any additional informa-
tion the sysop has provided about the system (These are the
LOGON.MSG and SYSTEM.MSG files).

2.1.F  '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.

2.1.G  '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.

2.1.H   '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.

2.1.I  '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


                            -18-



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.

2.1.J  '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.

2.1.K   '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-explan-
atory.

2.1.L  '$' Time Bank

  The time bank allows you to "save" time that you are not
using on the current call to use on future calls.  The exact
amount of time that you are allowed is determined by the
sysop when he configures the "time per day" allowed for the
different security levels that he choses.  You are not
allowed to save more than "one day's time".  This time
savings may be useful to you if you wish to download a file
that will take more than your normal time per logon allows.

2.2  Message Base Commands

2.2.A   '*' List Available Subs


                            -19-



   Typing an asterisk at the Main Menu will produce a list
of the message subs to which you have access on the board.
Again, exactly what you see here will be a function of
whether or not the sysop has setup for conferencing and
whether or not you have toggled that feature on in the
default section of the board.  If you do not have the
conferencing on the subs will be identified by name and
number and no conferences will be shown. If the BBS is a
member of a WWIV network, any network-linked sub-boards
will be identified with <NET>, [NET] or [GATED} preceeding
the title.  [Net] distinguishes a subboard where the sysop
has enabled "message validation" which means that posts
will not be sent out on the network until the sysop has
validated them.  The network validation feature provides
a sysop with the means of insuring that users conform to
any rules which the sub host may have regarding the net-
worked sub-board messages.  [GATED] indicates that the
sub is being gated by this board from its original network
host to another network.

   If you enter * for a sub listing and you obtain a prompt
similar to the one below, then you know that the sysop has
setup for conferencing:

A)ll conferences, Q)uit, <space> for current conference:

Responding with A will provide you a listing of all subs in
all conferences to which you have access.  Pressing the
spacebar will provide a list of subs in the current
conference only.  For those BBSes that have a large number
of subs, it is often convenient to check the sub listing by
conference rather than obtaining a complete listing of all
subs on the BBS.

2.2.B  'N' New-Scan All Subs

  This command will cause the board to display 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


                            -20-



display all new messages there. When you have scanned all
the message bases, you will be returned to the Main Menu.

2.2.C   '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're in message base 2, and the type of
messages that should be posted there are complaints (hope-
fully 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.

   To change conferences, see the discussion of Option J.

2.2.D  '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.

2.2.E   'R' Remove a Message

  This command allows you to remove (delete) old messages
written by you in the current sub only.

2.2.F.1

   = WWIV Sysop Message Base Commands =

      (ENTER) = Read Next Message
      #> Go to Message # Entered
      -> Back Up One Message #
      A> E-Mail Author of Last Message
      B>ypass (Skip) Current Sub (For N-Scan)
      C>ontinuous Message Read
      D>elete Current Message #
      E> Save Current Message to Disk
      F>ind specific text in messages
      L>oad a File to Message
      M>ove Message to Another Sub


                            -21-



      N>ot Auto-purgeable (toggle)
      P>ost a Public Message in Current Sub
      Q>uit to Main Menu
      R>e-Read Last Message #
      T> See Titles of Next 15 Messages
      U> Make Current Message NOT Anonymous
      W> Reply with "Regards" to Last Message

  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.

 New with 4.24 is the "F", or find text, command. This
will allow you to search through every message in a sub to
locate a specific word or phrase. This can be used to find
posts by a specific author or on a specific subject. When
you use it, you'll be asked what text to search for (the
default is the title of the current message). You will then
be asked whether to scan forwards or backwards (to check
the messages that came before this one, or after it). When
you do subsequent scans, it will remember your last choice
until you leave the sub.

 Remember that when you find and read a message ahead of
your current position, all the messages in between will be
marked as read. For example, if you've read up to message
30 out of 100, use the find command, and end up at message
70, messages 31-69 will be marked read and won't show up on
N-Scans or Q-Scans. Keep this in mind when using the Find
command.

 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.

2.2.F.2   'S' Scan Message Titles

  This command also works only on the active message base,
and is equivalent to the "read" command most bulletin board


                            -22-



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 15 messages will be displayed, as in:

<1> last note                  │ Lord Sigma2 #1 @5498
<2> Handles                    │ Tai Pan #1 @2915 <Lord>
<3> Sure.                      │ Rat Man #1 @6271
<4> Norton                     │ Rat Man #1 @6271
<5> Now YOU are crazy          │ Rat Man #1 @6271
<6> Misc. Stuff                │ Rat Man #1 @6271
<7> 4.23 Beta                  │ Rat Man #1 @6271
<8> T-Storm BBS shutdowns      │ Rat Man #1 @6271
<9> Boardwatch                 │ Blade Runner #1 @15267
<10> I'm not familiar          │ -=*Road Rider*=- #1 @7711
<11> Can anyone help me?       │ Einstein #1 @7716
<12> Re: os/2 and wwiv         │ Starship Trooper #1 @3251
<13> RE: alphanumeric nodes    │ Star Gazer #1 @3101
<14> Hmm.                      │ Star Gazer #1 @3101
[15] Diff File for v4.23       │ Filo #1 @2050

[5] [S.A.L.T. (National Sysop Sub)]
Read:(1-50,^15),? :

   Each message is given a number. If a number is enclosed
in brackets instead of parentheses, it means that you wrote
it yourself.  The information to the right of the titles
shows the author of each message.

   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:
2.2.F.1
   -= WWIV v4.10 Sysop Message Base Commands =-
     (RETURN) Next Message
      '-' Back One Message
      'B' Bypass Current Sub


                            -23-



      '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.

2.2.G   '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.

2.2.H   #: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


                            -24-



example, to change to message base 5, type a 5.

2.2.I '/Z' Zipped Continuous N-Scan

  This command will do a continuous scan as per the
description in 2.2G above, but in addition it will Zip the
messages into a file which you can the download.  This is
very handy for off-line reading; however, it does not have
as much utility as the actual use of an off-line reader for
it does not provide you with a way to respond off-line.

2.2.J  'J' Join a Conference

  This command obtains the menu from which you may select
from the conferences available.  See discussion and
examples in Chapter 1, Section 1.4A.

2.2.K  'H' Hop to Another Sub

  This command which is also new with version 4.23 permits
you to hit 'H' and then when prompted, enter the name or
partial name of a sub that you wish to go to.  This is handy
when you do not know the number of the sub but you do
remember its name or part of its name.  This enables you to
"hop" around the board.

2.2.L  'CTRL Y' Toggle Pause

  This allows the user to toggle on and off the [pause]
feature.  This may be handy if you want to capture a long
message or something else and want the pause turned off, but
want to be able to re-establish it easily without returning
to the DEFAULTS menu.

2.2.M '//QWK' QWK Offline Message Reading

 New with WWIV 4.24 is an offline message packer using the
QWK format.  This allows you to download posts and email,
read and reply to them offline using an external program
called a QWK reader. Your sysop should have a QWK reader
that you can download. Blue Wave and SLMR are two popular
DOS based readers, and a reader called KWQ is available for
OS/2 users. After you've replied to messages offline, the
reader generates a reply file (.REP), which you upload back
to the QWK portion of the BBS. The BBS takes the .REP file,
extracts the posts and emails, and puts them in the
appropriate place.


                            -25-



 QWK is accessed with //QWK at the main menu. Once you've
done this, you will be presented with a menu of options:

2.2.M.1 '%' Set percent of messages to download

 This option allows you to set the percentage of messages
in each sub that you'd like to download.

2.2.M.2 'B' Bi-Transfer of QWK Packet and Reply Packet

 If you have the HS-LINK transfer protocol installed on
your computer, you can use this option to download a new
QWK packet at the same time as you upload a .REP packet.
This can be a helpful timesaver, especially on long
distance connections.

2.2.M.3 'C' Configure Your QWK Settings

 This option allows you to set various options pertaining
to your QWK configuration. Most of these are
self-explanatory, and the default settings should work fine
for most people. To move between settings, you can use the
arrow keys or the numeric keypad if your terminal doesn't
support the arrow keys. Hit Control-N to toggle these two
modes, and make sure that Num-Lock is on before using the
Numbers mode and the numeric keypad on your computer.

 The "Set NScan of messages" option will mark a message as
read once you've downloaded it. This will prevent
downloading the same message multiple times. "Remove
Routing Info" will strip out the network routing codes used
by the WWIV software.

 In the bottom left corner of the configuration screen you
have the option to either leave the internal BBS color
codes alone, remove them, or convert them to standard ANSI
graphics. WWIV encodes color information with a heart
symbol followed by a number, and in posts with lots of
color, this can become difficult to read offline. If in
doubt, select the "Remove heart codes" option.

2.2.M.4 'D' Download QWK Packet

 This option will generate a new QWK packet and allow you
to download it using Zmodem or another transfer protocol.
The BBS will look through all the subs listed in your
Q-Scan, pack up the new messages according to the rules
specified in the configuration option, and create the


                            -26-



packet.

2.2.M.5 'Q' Quit to Main Menu

 This will allow you to leave the QWK area and return to
the BBS.

2.2.M.6 'S' Configure Subs to Include

 This will allow you to select which message areas you'd
like to download. It's actually your Q-Scan configuration
(see section 2.1.D.5). Use this option if there are subs on
the BBS that don't interest you, and you don't want to take
the time to download.

2.2.M.7 'U' Upload Reply Packet

 This will allow you to upload a .REP packet to the BBS,
using your choice of transfer protocol.

2.3  Electronic Mail Commands
2.3.A   '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.

   After the user number, if you put an @ sign and a node
number, you can e-mail users on other systems if the sysop
is participating in one or more networks.  If the node
number is not unique (ie exists on more than one network),
then the software will prompt you for which network and
also provide the BBS name as it exists in the respective
networks.


                            -27-



2.3.B   '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.

2.3.C  '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.  Messages sent to another system in the network
(even messages sent in the same logon session) cannot be
deleted or reviewed after being sent unless the Sysop has
made special provisions.

  The special provisions referred to above is that some
sysops may have set up a program in the On-Line Program
area that will permit you to review and delete any net posts
that you have made provided that you have not logged off the
bbs between the time of making them and the time or
reviewing them.  You will be able to determine whether or
not the Sysop has set up the LNET utility in this way by
checking the On-Line Programs area.

2.3.D   '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


                            -28-



waiting, you will see a list of numbers, next to which will
be the source of each e-mail you have in your mailbox.
Newer messages will be at the bottom of the list, and
unread messages will have an asterik ('*') next to the
message number. Below this list, 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:

2.3.D.1     -= 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.


2.4   System Features


                            -29-



2.4.A   'G' General Text Files

  This function is hiarchical. "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. Humorous 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 confirma-
tion, 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


                            -30-



question mark here will redisplay the available sections,
and Q will return you to the Main Menu.

2.4.B  '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 dis-
cussed in another portion of this user's guide. You must be
a validated user to access the file transfer section.

2.4.C  '.' 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.

2.5    The Slash Command Menu

  From the main menu, you can enter W to get a menu of the
extended commands (slash commands) that are available in
WWIV.  These commands must start with a single or double
slash mark (// or /).

2.5.A   '/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.  Additionally, you
should never intentionally drop carrier when in the on-line
program section of the board, as this may cause your scores


                            -31-



not to be updated properly or may cause the board not to
behave properly.

2.5.B  '/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. In some instances, you can choose
from a mail list which the sysop may have predefined.
Using a mail list prevents your having to type in the name
or number of each recipient.


2.5.C  '//CLS' Clear Screen

  This command will, quite simply, clear your screen.

2.5.D  '//VER' WWIV Version Number

  This tells you the version of the WWIV program the BBS is
using, along with the date that the BBS was last compiled.
This will also give the name and address of where the
author can be reached.

2.5.E   '//NET' Complete Network Connection List

   If the BBS is a member of a WWIV network, this command
will display a long list of data containing the names and
numbers of all systems on that network, 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 group
to which that board belongs.

   Before obtaining that information though, if the board
participates in more than one network, you will see a menu
such as the following:

1] WWIVnet
2] IceNET
3] WWIVlink
4] FIDONET
5] TestNet
Q] Quit

Which Network?


                            -32-




  After selecting the network that you are interested in,
you will obtain another menu as follows:

1) = List All
2) = Area Code
3) = Group
4) = Area Coordinators
5) = Group Coordinators
6) = Net Coordinator
7) = BBS Name SubString
8) = Phone SubString
9) = Unconnected Systems
Q) = Quit NetList

Select:

The selections there should be rather self-explanatory.
Selection 1 lists all boards in the network.  Selection 2
will ask you for an area code and then list all boards in
that area code.  Selection 3 lists all boards in a
particular group.  Selection 4 provides a list of Area
Coordinators and Selection 5 provides a list of Group
Coordinators.  Selection 6 identifies the Net Coordinator.
Selections 7 and 8 permit you to search for particular
information such as a BBS name or telephone number.
Selection 9 is more for the benefit of Area and Group
Coordinators, it provides a listing of the systems listed on
the network but which do not have any current connetions.

2.5.F   '//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.

2.5.G  '//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.


                            -33-



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 the //UPLOAD command only
works when someone is on-line remotely.

2.5.H  '//WHO'

  This command allows you to see who is on the other
instances of the BBS that the sysop may have setup.  Not
only does it report who is on line, but it also reports what
they may be doing: that is, it reports what section of the
BBS that person is in.  This is useful in dertimining
whether or not you wish to enter the "chat room" which is
discussed in the next section.



2.5.I  '/C'  -- Enter Chat Room

   When you enter the chat room, you will get a short set of
instructions which should be sufficient for you to use the
features that are there.  To communicate with a specific
other instance, you would type the instance number of that
user followed by a space and your message.

   Using internode chat is more difficult than regular chat
because the other person does not see what you have typed
until you hit return.  For that reason, it is best to keep
your messages rather short.  After you have entered the
instance number the first time, it is not necessary to enter
it thereafter.








                            -34-


                 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.

   You can also toggle the pause on and off with CTRL Y.

   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.

3.1   Miscellaneous

3.1.A   '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.


                            -35-



3.2.B   'E' Extract ARCed File

  WWIV allows you to create custom archives for down-
loading. 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:

        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 its 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...

3.1.C  'G' ARC Commands


                            -36-



  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:

3.1.C.1         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.

3.1.D    '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.

3.2.E   'R' Remove a File

  This command allows you to remove a file you uploaded to


                            -37-



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.

3.2.F  'Q' Quit to Main Menu

  This will end your session at the Transfer Menu and
return you to the Main Menu.

3.2.G  '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 (Yes).
[4] Number of lines of extended description to print (0
    lines).
[5] File tagging (Enabled)
[Q] Quit.

Which?

   From here, you can set the directories and conferences
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.

3.1.G.1  Set N-Scan Directories

  If you choose 1, the board will present you with a list
of directories available on the board. If the sysop has
selected to conference his file section, you will see the
file conferences similar to the message base conferences
discussed in chapter 1, section 4 and Chapter 2, section 2J.
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 '*'


                            -38-




        * 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:


   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.

3.1.G.2  Set Tranfer Options (Chose default Protocol)

  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.

3.1.G.3  N-Scan after Message Base

  This option allows the user to choose to have new files
in the transfer section listed right after the completion
of an N-Scan of the Message Bases.

3.1.G.4 Scan Extended


                            -39-




  This option allows the user to set the number of lines of
the extended descriptions that he wishes to see when using
the N scan feature in the transfer section.

3.1.H   '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).

3.1.I   '?' 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.

3.1.J  '+' 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:
>.

3.1.K  '-' 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: <.

3.2   Listing Files

3.2.A  '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.

3.2.B   'F' Find Text in Description
  This command will allow you to find a file or group of


                            -40-



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.).

3.2.C  '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.  Again, if the sysop has set
up the file area to be conferenced, you will see the
conference name as well.

    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.

3.2.D  '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.


                            -41-



3.2.E  '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.

3.2.F  '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 com program,
you can use this command to capture a listing of all files
on the board.

3.2.G  '*' 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.  If the sysop has
"conferenced" the transfer area, you will see the
conferences in a fashion similar to what was displayed in
the message base section of the BBS.

3.2.H  'H' Hop to Another Directory

   This command allows you to hop to another directory by
entering a name or partial name.

3.2.I  'J' Join Conference

   Allows you to select a file conference if the sysop has
conferenced the file directories.

3.2.J  'W'  WWIV Slash Commands

   This command allows you to access a menu of single slash
double slash commands that work in the Transfer Section of
the BBS.


                            -42-



3.3   File Transfer Commands

3.3.A  'B' Batch Upload/Download

   WWIV software handles batch uploads and 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 send or receive.
When you see a file you'd like to download, start the
download procedure as usual (discussed below under Download
a File) and pick 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
Download, and you'll be presented with the following
prompt:

       Batch: L,R,Q,C,D,U,B,? :

   Typing a question mark here will call up a menu that
explains the available commands. The batch sub-menu is
shown below.

3.3.A.1         'L' List Files in Queue
                'R' Remove File From Queue
                'Q' Quit to File Transfer Menu
                'C' Clear Queue
                'D' Download Files
                'U' Upload Files
                'B' Bimodem

                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
are all set, choose Download (or Upload) Files.  You will
then be presented with another menu whose length will vary
depending upon how many batch protocols the sysop has
installed for your use.  You can select the particular


                            -43-



protocol to be used from the list.  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.

   In version 4.23, you can chose to use file tagging for
batch downloads.  With file tagging, you do not need to type
the names of the files that you wish to download; instead,
you can just type the numbers separated by spaces, commas,
or semi-colons.

3.3.B   '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 file-
name 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: Electric Bill #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


                            -44-



[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, 3.1.G.2). Typing a question mark will
produce a list of available protocols; you choose the one
you want by its number.

3.3.C  '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). You will then be 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 are about to
upload.  You will then be asked for the protocol to use for
the transfer, and the file will be transferred (unless you
quit or select Batch).

3.3.D   '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.





















                            -45-



                         APPENDICES

4.1  Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

    Q:  How can I change my handle and/or Name?
    A:  You cannot do this directly at the present time.
        If you wish to change your name or handle, you must
        ask the Sysop to do this for you.

    Q:  I have moved and have a new phone number.  How can
        I change the phone number that I use at logon?
    A:  Tell the sysop your new phone number, and ask him
        to make the change for you.

    Q:  I have forgotten my password.  How can I find out
        the password to my account?
    A:  If the sysop of the BBS where you have forgotten
        your password is on a WWIV network, you can send
        him e-mail and tell enough about yourself that he
        can tell that it is you and not someone else.
        Under these circumstances, he might send you mail
        with your password in it.  If this occurs, you
        should change your password the next time that you
        log on just in case someone else happened to see
        the net mail.

        If the sysop of the BBS where you have forgotten
        your password is not on the network and if you do
        not know him personally, you can log on as NEW and
        tell him in the feedback message that you have
        forgotten your old password.  Ask him to delete
        your old user account and give him enough informa-
        tion (name or handle or account number) so that he
        can find it to delete it.

    Q:  When I try to get a file listing of a directory in
        the transfer section, the information scrolls off
        the screen very quickly and is replaced by the
        menu.  Is there a way to prevent this?  I have
        tried P for pause but I am not fast enough to pause
        the screen before the menu appears.
    A:  What you have mentioned is often a problem when a
        directory has a short file list.  If you will go to
        the Main Menu and toggle the expert status on (Use
        X at Main Menu), then the transfer menu will not
        automatically come up and you will be able to see
        the file listing.  If you need a menu while on the
        board, just hit ? and one will appear.


                            -46-




    Q:  I want to use Zmodem as a transfer protocol, but
        the board does not offer it as an option.  What
        should I do?
    A:  Obtain a copy of the DSZ protocol and upload it to
        the sysop.  Suggest that he might wish to use it
        because of its many good features.

    Q:  I would like to send mail to a friend of mine in
        Los Angeles.  How do I do that?
    A:  You need to know the node number of a Los Angeles
        board that you friend uses and either his handle or
        his name.  You can then address the mail as
        155 @3080 if he is user number 155 on node number
        3080.  If you do not have an address for him, you
        need to find out where he can be reached in the
        network.

































                            -47-