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BTJOBS.DOC
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1989-07-07
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BTJOBS V1.0
07/07/89
This short documentation file should be all that is necessary to enable anyone
to get BTJOBS up and running! So far this program is FREEWARE. No registration
is required and no assistance is offered. If I retire soon, I may require a
small registration fee to keep me in booze and Cadillacs. Until then you may
use/do whatever you wish with this program! I was going to CopyWrite a large
portion of the program but found that other major companies have used up most
of the CopyWrite laws. So use at your own risk. No guarantees, warranties,
claims are made other than "it works for me!"
What is BTJOBS?
BTJOBS is a program written in QB4.5 that allows you to enter a Date (in the
format nn) and a Program Name (in the format FILENAME) such as:
01
THISPRG
and on the 1st day of each month THISPRG will be run. No, this is not a TSR
program! It has to be called. Like in RBBS's Drop to DOS at a given time in
your RBBS1TIM.BAT file. I currently use a program that checks what day of the
week it is and if I list a program to be run on that day, that program does it.
This is all well and good and works fine BUT if I want a program to run just
once a month, it is of little use! Since I wanted a monthly listing of all the
available downloads the first of each month (MASTER45 from Thomas Rollins), I
needed something to work on just one day of each month. Ego, I wrote this
program. Now at a given date (01 to 28 - or LD meaning LAST DAY) this program
will run the file that is listed in the BTJOBS.LST file. If this sounds like
something that would be of use to you, then read on......
How To Set It Up
Included in the archive (ZIPIVE?) should be the following files:
BTJOBS.EXE - Main Program File
BTJOBS.CFG - Sample Configuration file for BTJOBS.EXE
BTJOBS.LST - Sample List of Files to be run on certain days of the Month
BTJOBS.DOC - This File you are reading
The configuration file contains four (4) lines:
InfoLine 1
Drive\Path\ line for location of BTJOBS.LST (can be anywhere that exists!)
Drive\Path\ line for location of File Names or BAT files to be run (same!)
InfoLine 2
The InfoLines can contain any information that you want to put into them to
help you remember what is going on in the world. They are *NOT* used by the
program but *MUST* be there! Be sure that both Drive\Path\ lines contain the
trailing "\" (backslash). Here is the sample BTJOBS.CFG file that is included:
BTJOBS Drive\Path File - Don't forget the "\" at the end of the lines!
C:\RBBS\JOBS\
C:\RBBS\BATCH\
2nd Line = Location of BTJOBS.LST - 3rd Line = Program Location
When the program is run, it will look for BTJOBS.LST in C:\RBBS\JOBS and then
*IF* the program is to be run on this date, it will look in C:\RBBS\BATCH for
the program that was specified to be run. *IF* it is *NOT* to be run on the
current date, NO error will be written to the BTJOBS.ERR file. If it WAS to be
run on the current date and it does not exist, a missing 'FILENAME' will be
added to the BTJOBS.ERR file. This file (BTJOBS.ERR) will also have info
written to it if BTJOBS.CFG is missing, incorrect format, etc. This will also
occur if BTJOBS.LST is missing, incorrect format, missing information, etc.
This file can in no way be all encompassing but does provide a guide to a
problem you may be having! If either file (BTJOBS.CFG/BTJOBS.LST) are missing,
the program ends and returns to the calling .BAT file after writing a message
in the BTJOBS.ERR file. The reasoning behind this is to allow other Batch files
to write files/information prior to the date that BTJOBS is to be run.
Example:
On the 14th of the month you run a program that creates a program or file to be
run on the 15th of the month when another program is called, it acts on the
program/information that was extracted on the 14th. If BTJOBS checked for the
program that was supposed to run on the 15th and it was not there it would
"error" out. But if it does not check out the program until it is time to be
run, then it could be there because it was written on the 14th... follow that?
If not, trust me on it!
This file (BTJOBS.CFG) *MUST* be created with your favorite Word Processor that
can do ASCII files! The easiest way is just to enter your information to the
second and third line of the sample configuration file that is included!
Creating BTJOBS.LST
(F1 Key Instructions)
This file may be created when BTJOBS.EXE is run by "QUICKLY" hitting the F1
key. Approximately 5 seconds are allowed for you to make this selection. If
the F1 (or F2) key are not pressed, the program continues on to do it's tasks.
By pressing F1, you are allowed to enter ONE (1) Date and FileName to be run.
You may run BTJOBS.EXE numerous times to continue adding dates and files to
the "list" or may just use your favorite word processor again to create the
file with as many entries as you wish. If you do create your own "list",
remember that the date must contain two digits, ie: 01, 09, 22, 15 etc.
Also the FileName may only contain [UP TO] eight (8) characters! IE: FILENAME,
DOTHIS, XXXXXXXX, XX, XXX, etc. - DO NOT ADD THE extension ONTO THE FILENAME!!!
And be sure it is all in CAPs!
Example/Sample included with the Program:
01
MASTER45
15
MIDMONTH
LD
LASTDAY
This sample file only shows three (3) dates and three (3) files to run but it
could be any length. The date/file does *NOT* have to be in sequence (order).
The first file could be LD and the last one could be 01! The program will still
run on the proper date!
F2 Key Instructions
By pressing F2 within the first 5 seconds of selecting BTJOBS.EXE, you may
view the programs and the dates they are to be run. If the program is to be
run on the current date, it will show it to be 'next' run on the next month
but *WILL* be run before the program terminates! This is NOT as confusing as
it sounds. If you have an entry that you want to run 'today' and have it listed
for running TODAY, it will 'NEXT' be run on this date next month BUT it will be
run today also (before the program terminates). Again, trust me on this!!!
So far that is about all the program does and all you need to know about it.
I have tried it on a couple of different machines from 4.77 to 20 Mhz and it
appears to work fine but then who knows? It does *NOT* have a monochrome or
Herc mode, so if you do not have a color monitor or the ATI Solutions card,
you may have problems with the displays (actually, you WILL have a lot of
problems with it!)
Suggestions/Bitches/Complaints/Praise(?) may ALL be left as Public messages on:
*** BIGTOP ***
12/24/96 BPS 24 hours
(218) 389-6009
Gary Peterson, Sysop