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GUIDE.DOC
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1994-02-28
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+----------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| Introduction and Guide to the |
| |
| VENDINFO(TM) |
| Product Information System |
| and VENDINFO.DIZ File Standard |
| Version 1.00 |
| |
| |
| Last updated: February 1994 |
| |
| |
| Copyright 1993-4 Rams' Island Software |
| All rights reserved |
| |
+----------------------------------------+
Rams' Island Software
7644 E. Lakecliff Way _______
Parker, CO 80134-5904 (USA) ____|__ | (R)
--| | |-------------------
Voice: (303) 841-2848 | ____|__ | Association of
BBS: (303) 841-6269 | | |_| Shareware
CompuServe: 76244,324 |__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
FidoNet: 1:104/333 |___|___| MEMBER
RIME: 1235
Internet: 76244.324@compuserve.com
Guide to VENDINFO Table of Contents
+-------------------+
| Table of Contents |
+-------------------+
The VENDINFO System ................................................ 1
Components of the System ........................................ 1
Structure of a VENDINFO File .................................... 2
A Little Background ............................................. 3
Industry Support and Endorsements ............................... 4
Other VENDINFO Documents and Packages ........................... 5
A Few Concrete Examples ............................................ 6
Content of a VENDINFO File ...................................... 6
Extraction of FILES.BBS Information ............................. 8
A Distribution Permission Decision .............................. 8
Automatic Routing of Packages ................................... 10
Automatic Permission Requests ................................... 11
Guide to the Standard .............................................. 12
VENDINFO System v1.00 -ii- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Introduction to VENDINFO
+---------------------+
| The VENDINFO System |
+---------------------+
VENDINFO is a system for conveying software product information and
distribution permissions from the author to distributors. A standard
(public) file format allows a VENDINFO.DIZ file to carry extensive
information in a compressed, efficient form. The associated toolset
aids the author in constructing the record, and allows the dis-
tributor to extract portions of the record, or to make distribution
decisions based on its content, in a highly automated way.
VENDINFO provides unprecedented capabilities for
o Communication of product information and distribution
policies from author to distributor.
o Automation of many aspects of package handling by shareware
distributors of all types.
Components of the System
------------------------
The VENDINFO "record" is the key. This is an efficiently compressed
file (VENDINFO.DIZ) containing a great deal of information about the
product, the author, and the product's distribution policies.
The VendEdit editor allows the author to construct a complete
VENDINFO record in just a few minutes, assuming that the necessary
descriptive texts have already been prepared.
The VendPrcs (pronounced "vend process") processor is a batch program
allowing automated decisions based on VENDINFO content, and automated
extraction of VENDINFO information.
VendView is a simple viewer allowing the end-user to see relevant
portions of the VENDINFO data. This program should be available by
February 1994. Even without VendView, an ordinary text viewer will
display a good deal of useful information.
The Product Registry is a collection of VENDINFO records available
for searches and queries by subscription, BBS login, or mail-order
query. This service will begin in January 1994.
The VendLib Library allows software developers to build VENDINFO
access directly into such products as BBS programs and upload proces-
VENDINFO System v1.00 -1- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Introduction to VENDINFO
sors. This library is already in the hands of some 30 vendors of
BBSes, BBS utility software, and other relevant software.
The file-format standard describing the VENDINFO file is public, and
draft versions have been published since July 1993. The final version
1.00 has been released, and is the basis for the current toolset.
VendPrcs Plus, a non-shareware version of VendPrcs, is planned for
release by Spring 1994. It will have a full-screen interface, using
scripts for easier, more efficient information extraction, and
templates for easier description of decision situations. It will also
allow management of a library of VENDINFO files, and will provide
automated access to the Product Registry BBS.
Additional services for authors, users, and distributors are under
consideration.
Structure of a VENDINFO File
----------------------------
The VENDINFO.DIZ file contains two sections. A human-readable front
section contains information about how to use the VENDINFO file, and
presents most of the basic information about the product in readable
form.
The second section is a binary data record, compressed with a PKZIP
1.10 algorithm, and appended to the file after the first section.
This record has some 750 fields of information about such things as
o Product name, date, and version
o Preferred package filename, other parts of product, replaced
versions
o Product descriptions of varying length, categories, keywords
o Required platform (CPU, operating system, memory, disk,
features)
o Contact information for author, for registering, for tech
support
o Registration prices and benefits, acceptable forms of payment
o Warranty and trial-use license
o Detailed distribution policy, in general and by distribution
channel
VENDINFO System v1.00 -2- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Introduction to VENDINFO
o Information about regional distributors and registration
services.
A Little Background
-------------------
The author of the VENDINFO standard and tools, Rudy Ramsey, has been
agitating since early 1992 for the development of an improved
mechanism for conveying product information and permissions from
authors to distributors. Initially, the intent was to make this a
purely volunteer-based effort, probably conducted within the auspices
of the Association of Shareware Professionals. However, others were
slow to respond to the idea (with the exception of Richard Holler and
Fred Hill), and it gradually became clear that it would have to be
done as an "extracurricular" effort, if at all.
In the Spring of 1993, Rudy began the VENDINFO effort in earnest, by
preparing the CONCEPT.DOC concept paper and distributing it to a few
key shareware industry figures for comment. (At this time, he still
imagined VENDINFO as an all-volunteer effort.) The reviewers were
uniformly excited about the idea, and greatly encouraging. Most felt
that it was an idea whose time had come, and that the technical
approach described in the concept paper was very appropriate.
Their second response, however, was that the effort contained the
seeds of its own failure. It might provide all the necessary incen-
tives for participation by authors, distributors, and users. But if
it didn't also provide an incentive for continued development and
support by its own development team, it would fail. It was simply too
big an activity for successful execution by volunteers.
As a result of that input, a decision was made to regard VENDINFO as
partly a business opportunity. Although this makes a few people
suspicious, most agree it's in the best interest of the VENDINFO
effort itself, and of the industry. In fact, VENDINFO has developed
rapidly, partly because it has been a full-time focus of its author
for many months. That wouldn't have been possible in an all-volunteer
effort.
The VENDINFO file-format standard is public. A substantial period was
provided for public comment on the concept paper, and then on the
standard, and public input is always welcome. Some of the tools that
make use of the standard are free (a viewer for end users, and the
processor when used by single-line, noncommercial BBSes). Most are
low-cost shareware. There will also be much-enhanced, non-shareware
programs later, for special purposes, but none of them are necessary
to achieve the benefits of the VENDINFO system.
VENDINFO System v1.00 -3- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Introduction to VENDINFO
Industry Support and Endorsements
---------------------------------
Support for the VENDINFO concept has been extraordinarily high
throughout the industry. Authors, disk vendors, CD-ROM publishers,
Sysops, and BBS software manufacturers have all expressed their
support, and many have pledged to build VENDINFO capability into
their own software products.
The following shareware trade groups have formally endorsed the
VENDINFO file-format standard as a means of conveying product and
product-distribution information from authors to users and dis-
tributors.
Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP)
Shareware Trade Association and Resources (STAR)
Association of Shareware Authors and Developers (ASAD)
Educational Software CoOperative (ESC)
The ASP has licensed the VENDINFO toolset for use by all 1700 of its
members. This will greatly accelerate the use -- and the usefulness
-- of VENDINFO.
The following software manufacturers have "committed in principle" to
support VENDINFO in their own software offerings by mid-1994. In the
context of these products, "support" for VENDINFO means extracting
relevant descriptive information automatically from VENDINFO files.
It does not necessarily mean making decisions based on the product's
distribution policy. VendPrcs will provide that capability.
BBSes
PCBoard, Clark Development Co.
Wildcat!, Mustang Software, Inc.
Major BBS, Galacticomm
RBBS, RBBS Development Team
Searchlight BBS, Searchlight Software
TBBS, eSoft
Auntie BBS, Wes Meier
Executive Host BBS, Steve Wood
MainLine BBS, Scott Green, City Limits Software
OmegaComm BBS, Larry Loiselle
PowerBBS for Windows, Russell Frey
ProBoard BBS, Philippe Leybaert
Sapphire BBS, Pinnacle Software
Tinyhost, Bruce Krobusek
UltraBBS, UltraBBS Software
Windowed Modem Environment, Jason Fesler
VENDINFO System v1.00 -4- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Introduction to VENDINFO
File Upload Processors
CatScan, Mike Ortiz
CheckZip, Bill Hull
DIZIT, Robert Neal/CorpSoft
HoboScan, Floyd Hobson
TransScan, Craig Dunstan
File Distribution Processors
WCFF, Online Computer Resources
Other Products
*BBSee Disk Cataloger, Martin Vallevand
**Catalog-on-a-Disk, EmmaSoft Software Company, Inc.
Colorado Utilities Disk Manager, Micro Systems Solutions
**SmartCat Disk Cataloger, Oakley Data Services
* Test versions are known to exist which support VENDINFO
** Released products support VENDINFO
Other VENDINFO Documents and Packages
-------------------------------------
The VENDINFO idea is documented in a concept paper and in the VEN-
DINFO file-format standard. These two documents are available in the
VENDINFO package, usually named VNDINFxx.ZIP. It can be obtained from
the Rams' Island BBS on first login or by FidoNet or RIME file re-
quest (magic name VENDINFO). It is also available in the CompuServe
SHAREWARE and UKSHARE forums; the ASP Hub Network BBSes, many local
BBSes, from some disk vendors, and on the ASP CD-ROM.
If necessary, the concept paper and evaluation versions of the basic
toolset can be obtained on diskette from Rams' Island Software for
US$ 8.00 plus $2.00 shipping and handling in North America, $4.00
elsewhere (starting January 1994). Payment is accepted by
Visa/MasterCard, check in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank, cash in
any hard currency (registered mail suggested), and various other
forms.
An article about the VENDINFO system is scheduled to appear in the
now-delayed November/December 1993 issue of Shareware Magazine.
VENDINFO System v1.00 -5- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Examples
+-------------------------+
| A Few Concrete Examples |
+-------------------------+
Concrete examples are often easier to assimilate than abstract ideas,
and can convey lots of detailed understanding in a small package.
This section will therefore present a few such examples. Keep in
mind, though, that these examples are being presented without com-
plete explanation, to help you understand the overall idea. You
should not expect to understand every detail.
The examples presented below are representative, but don't begin to
exhaust the capabilities of the VENDINFO system.
Content of a VENDINFO File
--------------------------
To give an idea of some of the information in a VENDINFO.DIZ file, a
sample is shown below. This sample was produced by a simple batch
file that uses the VendPrcs processor to extract individual informa-
tion fields from the VENDINFO.DIZ file. Here's one line of the batch
file, which extracts the product version:
vendprcs VENDINFO.DIZ -xpv -y " Version: @"
Here's a VERY SMALL FRACTION of the output of the batch file, and
therefore of the content of the VENDINFO.DIZ file:
Product Information
Product Type: Software
Product Name: InContext
Name Extension: Work Environment Manager
Version: 1.10
Date: 1/31/93
Version Reason: Major new release, with many feature enhancements
Filename Prefix: INCXT11
Number of Parts: 2
This Part: INCXT11A
List of Parts: INCXT11A INCXT11B
CompuServe Parts: INCXTA INCXTB
Screenshot Types: PCX CGM FLM
Replaced: INCX102A INCX102B
Description 1:
InContext Work Environment Manager V1.10 <ASP>
...
Description 4: InContext(TM) Work Environment Manager V1.10
Part 1 of 2 <ASP>. Complete Work Environment
VENDINFO System v1.00 -6- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Examples
Manager for expert PC users. Automates more
aspects of the PC user's work than any other
product. Designed by a PhD ergonomist, it is
based on fundamental principles of how people
actually work. Much more than a DOS shell.
NEW VERSION 1.10 has Gantt charts, multi-file
tagging, 4DOS long descriptions, PKZIP 2.04
support, *many* new features.
...
Description 6:
...
Keywords: Work Environment Manager Object Oriented DOS
Shell Calendar Project
Platform Information (highly abbreviated)
Minimal Platform
CPU: Intel 8086/8088
Op System: MS-DOS 3.0
Std Memory: 512K
Disk Min Instl: 1000K
Features
Config: Laptop: Supported
RAM: EMS: Supported
Disk: Hard Drive: Required
Disk: Flop Only: Won't Work
Disk: CD-ROM: Supported
Author Information
Author Name: H. Rudy Ramsey
Company Name: Rams' Island Software
Address: 7644 E. Lakecliff Way
Parker, CO 80134-5904
USA
Author Phone: 303-841-2848
Queries Phone: 303-841-2848
BBS Name: Rams' Island BBS
BBS Phone: 303-841-6269
BBS Username: Rudy Ramsey
CompuServe: 76244,324
FidoNet: 1:104/333
Internet: 76244.324@compuserve.com
RIME: RAMSISLE
Known Trade Assn: ASP STAR
VENDINFO System v1.00 -7- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Examples
Extraction of FILES.BBS Information
-----------------------------------
BBS Sysops often keep lists of their files in a particular descrip-
tive form known as FILES.BBS. Many BBS and BBS utility manufacturers
have committed to import VENDINFO information directly into their
files databases, but it will still be useful to show the construction
of a FILES.BBS description using a batch file.
Here's an example of a FILES.BBS description, truncated on the right
to fit here:
INCXT11D.ZIP 216251 1/31/93 InContext(TM) Work Environment Mana
Part 1 of 2 <ASP>. Complete Work En
Manager for expert PC users. Automa
aspects of the PC user's work than
product. Designed by a PhD ergonomi
based on fundamental principles of
actually work. Much more than a DOS
NEW VERSION 1.10 has Gantt charts,
tagging, 4DOS long descriptions, PK
support, *many* new features.
Here's the working part of a simple batch file, which constructed the
description above. This example uses the VendPrcs processor, with
various command-line flags, to extract each of the fields of informa-
tion that make up a FILES.BBS entry.
vendprcs -p .\INCXT11D.ZIP -xxpf -zw12 -zn
vendprcs -p .\INCXT11D.ZIP -xxps -zw8 -zn -zl
vendprcs -y " " -zn
vendprcs -p .\INCXT11D.ZIP -xxpd -zw9 -zn -zd "mm/dd/yy"
vendprcs VENDINFO.DIZ -xpd4 -zi31 -zc45 -y " @"
In plain English, the first command above says "write the package
filename of the compressed package .\INCXT11D.ZIP, padding to a width
of 12 characters, and not writing a newline."
A Distribution Permission Decision
----------------------------------
In this example, a CD-ROM publisher wishes to select, from a large
set of programs, all those that satisfy two criteria:
o Distribution by BBS is totally unlimited.
o Distribution on a $40 CD-ROM is allowed, possibly subject to
additional requirements.
VENDINFO System v1.00 -8- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Examples
The result will be a candidate set of programs for a CD-ROM that can
be sold strictly to BBS sysops, for on-line access via BBS.
Shown below is the working portion of a simple batch file that per-
forms this function. The batch file leaves a copy of the package in
one of several directories, as defined in the batch file itself and
in VPRESULT.CFG, along with a correspondingly named LOG file.
pkunzip %1 vendinfo.diz
if not exist vendinfo.diz goto manual
rem ----- reject BBS-limited products --------------------------
vendprcs vendinfo.diz -db
if errorlevel 40 goto bbsok
if errorlevel 20 goto reject
goto bad_vendinfo
:bbsok
rem ----- now test for CD-ROM distributability -----------------
vendprcs vendinfo.diz -dc -cc40 -mcb -rmnd -p .\%1
goto done
Here's a portion of a log file produced by a distribution test, to
give you an idea what information it might contain:
VendPrcs 1.00 Copyright 1993 Rams' Island Software, Parker, CO USA
UNREGISTERED COPY: If used past 30-day evaluation period, registration
is required. Registration is free for single-line,
strictly non-commercial BBSes.
Testing: C:\RUDY\SWDEV\VENDINFO\VENDEDIT\INCXT11A\VENDINFO.DIZ
InContext Work Environment Manager v1.10
Rams' Island Software
for: Distribution to End User by Mail-Order Disk Vendor
Contents checked against Packing List for ALLOWED CHANGES
but not: VENDINFO record(s) not checked for authenticity/validity
Mods: Author requires *all* original, unchanged files be present
Entire package is as released by author
Quals: Would "qualify" if ASP distributor member [-ta]
Would "qualify" if customer fully informed [-oipods]
Would "qualify" if user group [-tu]
Would "qualify" if non-profit user group [-tn]
Would "qualify" if package was received from author [-or]
Disqual: Charge per product not <= US$ 10.00 [-cp<amt>]
VENDINFO System v1.00 -9- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Examples
Charge per 360K not <= US$ 10.00 [-ck<amt>]
(Eliminating disquals removes requirement for permission)
Note: All rights not expressly granted are reserved to the
author. The author may revoke any permissions granted
here, by notifying you in writing.
AddlReq: Written permission is required, and not obtained [-op]
DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE ALLOWED if written permission obtained
Automatic Routing of Packages
-----------------------------
In this example, a BBS sysop wants to automatically route packages
depending on their subject matter. To do this, he prepares a
VPCATGRY.CFG file based on the category scheme used by VENDINFO.
Here's a section of the CATEGORY.INF file that comes with VENDINFO:
14000000 Business
14010000 Business finances
14010100 Business accounting
14010200 Point-of-sale systems
14010300 Billing systems
14010400 Purchase order systems
14010500 Payroll systems
14020000 Inventory systems
14140000 Equipment use & maintenance
14040000 Project management
14040100 Project bidding & costing
14040101 Decision analysis tools
14040200 Project scheduling
Here's a segment of a VPCATGRY.CFG file used to do automated file
routing:
00000000 Reject
14000000 C:\BBSFILES\BUSINESS
14010000 C:\BBSFILES\FINANCE
14040000 C:\BBSFILES\PROJMAN
Given this file, the command
vendprcs vendinfo.diz -p <package_name> -rcn
will move the package to the correct directory. There's a little more
detail involved, but this conveys the basic idea.
VENDINFO System v1.00 -10- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Examples
Automatic Permission Requests
-----------------------------
This example shows automated production of a letter to an author from
a disk vendor, describing the vendor's company and requesting permis-
sion to distribute the author's product. It is also possible to
automatically construct electronic mail messages in this way. Here's
a segment of a batch file, to illustrate the idea. This batch file
produces a text file (LETTER.TXT) suitable for use with Ventura
Publisher to print the letter on existing company letterhead.
vendprcs %1 -xac -y "@@AUTHOR = @" > letter.txt
vendprcs -y " " >> letter.txt
vendprcs %1 -xaa -y "@@ADDRESS = @" -zv >> letter.txt
vendprcs -y " " >> letter.txt
echo Dear Author: >> letter.txt
vendprcs -y " " >> letter.txt
echo We have recently received a copy of your >> letter.txt
vendprcs %1 -xpp -y "<B>@" -zn >> letter.txt
vendprcs %1 -xpe -zn >> letter.txt
vendprcs %1 -xpv -y "v@<D>." >> letter.txt
vendprcs -y " " >> letter.txt
echo We are quite interested in adding this >> letter.txt
echo program to our inventory, but we observe >> letter.txt
echo that you require written permission... >> letter.txt
vendprcs -y " " >> letter.txt
echo This letter will serve to introduce you >> letter.txt
echo to our business, and... >> letter.txt
vendprcs -y " " >> letter.txt
echo @CLOSING = Yours truly, >> letter.txt
vendprcs -y " " >> letter.txt
vendprcs -y "@SIGNATURE = Ima D. Vendor" >> letter.txt
A similar application of these techniques could produce a catalog
entry for a disk vendor's mail-order catalog.
VENDINFO System v1.00 -11- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Guide to the Standard
+-----------------------+
| Guide to the Standard |
+-----------------------+
The actual VENDINFO file-format standard is contained in a separate
document in this package. In this package, the standard is named
STANDARD.DOC, since its purpose here is to document the standard. In
another context (the software library underlying the VENDINFO tools),
the identical file is called VENDINFO.H (following the C-language
naming convention for "include" files).
STANDARD.DOC is fully self-contained, but makes for rather tedious
reading, since it mainly documents the rather complex structure of
the VENDINFO.DIZ file. It is also presented in a somewhat awkward
(for human readers) order, since the file doubles as a compiler-
readable definition of the structure. Some compilers require that the
"building blocks" (substructures) be defined first, and then used to
construct the main structure. Thus, the definitions are somewhat
bottom-up in STANDARD.DOC.
A much more natural order for human readers is a top-down approach,
and this brief chapter will try to provide a top-down overview, as an
aid to reading STANDARD.DOC.
The VENDINFO.DIZ file consists of two parts. The first part is a
human-readable text section terminated by a control-Z character. This
text section is readable by ordinary text viewers, including BBS on-
line in-ZIP vieweres, and the control-Z character causes most of them
to stop displaying at the end of this information.
The second part of the file is a compressed VENDINFO data record. In
order to access this information, it is necessary to use a PKZIP
v1.10-or-later decompression algorithm to expand it into its uncom-
pressed form. Most of STANDARD.DOC is devoted to defining the struc-
ture of this data record.
The data record has the following overall structure (see "VENDINFO
Main Record Structure", which is around page 44 of STANDARD.DOC):
Header
Product
Author
Order
Prices
Support
General
Distribution
Extensions
VENDINFO System v1.00 -12- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Guide to the Standard
The Header section contains information about the VENDINFO file
itself, including size and CRC of the text and data sections, and
several other elements of the security envelope.
The Product section contains about 100 fields of information about
the product. Included are various names, version and release date,
descriptions, categories, keywords, etc. A substantial subsection of
this information describes the minimum and required hardware/software
platforms and any additional platform features that are relevant to
the product.
The Author section contains some 25 fields of information about the
author or publisher of the product, including mail, phone, and
electronic contact information.
The Order section contains similar contact information for ordering
registered versions. This may or may not be the same as the author
contact information. In addition, the section provides detailed
information about acceptable forms of payment.
The Prices section contains some 96 fields of information about
product prices and registration benefits.
The Support section contains contact information for obtaining tech-
nical support. This may or may not be the same as the author or
ordering contact information.
The General section describes the channel-independent portion of the
product's distribution policy. This includes, for example, permitted
modifications to the product.
The Distribution section contains a detailed statement of distribu-
tion policy for each of 13 different distribution channels.
In addition to all of the above, which makes up the fixed-length
portion of the data record, there may be any number of record exten-
sions. Each of these contains information about an "Other Distributor
of Registered Version", including contact information, services
offered, and acceptable forms of payment.
STANDARD.DOC also contains the draft definition of a much shorter
VENDINFO "executable branding" record that will be developed and
finalized later in 1994. This record will allow executables, OBJ, LIB
and DLL files, and maybe many other things, to be branded with iden-
tifying information and the product's distribution policy. That will,
in turn, allow automatic detection of individual files that should
not be distributed by a particular vendor or BBS.
Throughout STANDARD.DOC are various requirements that must be met by
VENDINFO System v1.00 -13- Feb 1994
Guide to VENDINFO Guide to the Standard
any VENDINFO-related tools. Many of these requirements are important
to the smooth functioning of the VENDINFO system. If you are develop-
ing tools that will create or use VENDINFO records, it is important
that you read through the entire document and make sure that your
tool is fully compliant.
With this introduction, any software developer should be able to read
and understand STANDARD.DOC fairly easily. ular vendor or BBS.
VENDINFO System v1.00 -14- Feb 1994