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┌─────┐ ┌───────┐ ┌─────┐ │ ┌─┐ │ │ ┌┐ ┌┐ │ │ ┌───┘ │ │ └─┘ │ ││ ││ │ │ └───┐ │ │ ┌─┐ │ │└─┘│ │ └───┐ │ │ └─┘ │ │ │ │ │ ┌───┘ │ └─────┘ └─┘ └─┘ └─────┘ Credit Maintenance System v2.0 for RemoteAccess v2.0x and v2.50 Copyright (C) 1996-97 Remote Link Communications All Rights Reserved CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ============================================================ Table Of Contents ------------------------------------------------------------ 1 Introduction........................................1 1.1 Licence Agreement and disclaimer................2 1.2 Registration....................................4 1.3 The key system..................................4 1.4 Files...........................................5 2 Getting Start.......................................6 2.1 CMS Version.....................................6 2.2 System Requirement..............................6 2.3 DOS Environment.................................6 2.4 Networking and Multi-tasking Environment........6 2.5 Installation....................................7 2.5.1 Compressed Electronic Distribution........7 2.5.2 Floppy Disk Distribution..................7 2.6 Notes...........................................7 3 CMSCFG.EXE..........................................8 3.1 System Data.....................................9 3.1.1 Registration Details.....................9 3.1.1.1 Sysop Name......................9 3.1.1.2 System Name.....................9 3.1.1.3 Serial No.......................9 3.1.2 Miscellaneous............................9 3.1.2.1 Auto Update.....................9 3.1.2.2 Colour Patten...................9 3.1.2.3 Update Comment..................9 3.1.3 Directory...............................10 3.1.3.1 System.........................10 3.1.3.2 Log File.......................10 3.1.3.3 Message Base...................10 3.1.3.4 Temporary Working..............10 3.1.4 Log File - Setting......................10 3.2 Credit Manager.................................11 3.2.1 Examples................................12 3.2.2 Edit Mode...............................12 3.3 Credit Ledger..................................13 3.3.1 Active...................................13 3.3.2 Report Level.............................13 3.3.3 Path & File Name.........................13 3.3.4 Examples of Report.......................14 3.4 Information....................................15 3.5 Exit Program...................................15 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - I - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 4 Mail Template......................................16 4.1 Creating Mail Template.........................16 4.2 Example of Mail Template.......................16 4.3 List of Macros.................................17 5 CMS.EXE............................................18 5.1 Command Line...................................18 5.2 Error Level....................................19 5.2.1 Extension Code...........................19 5.2.2 Error Level - 5..........................19 6 Credits............................................20 6.1 Beta Team......................................20 6.2 Visual Interface...............................20 6.3 Manual Preparation.............................20 7 Program Support....................................21 7.1 Comments or Suggestions........................21 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - II - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1. Introduction Credit Maintenance System (CMS) is a software that allows you easily maintain users' credit. CMS will perform upgrade function when a user's cumulative credits reach the threshold of upgrade. Then it will simultaneously deduct the amount of credit for upgrading and show the residual credits. CMS also keeps a transaction record for later review. CMS has an ability to report a formatted text file in four different levels, from summary to detail. CMS can change the users' security level and their flags in RemoteAccess database and even update the users' comments. CMS can also post a tailor-made email to users informing their latest status in upgrading. Moreover, CMS also has an ability to prepare a summary of upgrading. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 1 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1.1 Licence Agreement and Disclaimer Revision: 0003 "CMS" refers to the executables and documentation in the original distribution archive. CMS is copyright (C) 1996-97 Remote Link Communications. It can only be used in accordance with the conditions set out in this licence agreement. 1. You acknowledge and agree that CMS is a proprietary product of the author, which is protected by copyright laws and relevant international treaty provisions. You further acknowledge that all rights, title, and interest in and to CMS are and shall remain with the author. 2. You can use CMS for a period of thirty (30) days on a trial basis in order to determine it is suitability for your particular application. After this period you MUST register CMS or discontinue using it. 3. Registration entitles you to a non-transferable licence to use CMS and any future versions of CMS for as long as you wish, subject to any special licensing conditions and applicable upgrade fees attached to future versions. 4. In the event that you are in violation of this agreement, you agree and accept that the author can cancel your registration and withdraw rights to use CMS. In case of dispute over the licence agreement, you further agree and accept to fully reimburse the author any legal and other expenses resulting from the dispute, should the dispute be decided in favor of the author. 5. CMS, whole or part, must not be included as part of any software library which is distributed on a commerical basis without prior written permission from Eric Tam. 6. CMS is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind or fitness for a particular purpose, either expressed or implied, all of which are hereby explicitly disclaimed. The author only guarantees that CMS will occupy disk space. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 2 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 7. The author, Eric Tam, will not be held liable to you or anyone for (but not limited to) any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damage, including any loss of profits, loss of saving which may result from the use or inability to use this program. 8. Eric Tam is in no obligation to provide future version of, or support for this software. 9. You may freely distribute unmodified CMS provided that no fee is charged. Pay Bulletin Board System may, however, charge their normal fee provided that no additional charge for CMS is levied. No part of CMS may be modified, altered, reverse engineered, sold, or distributed in any form whatsoever which would involve some sort of trade without prior written permission from the author. 10. Your use of the program constitutes your agreement to this licence agreement and disclaimer and your release of the author from any form of libility or litigation. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Copyright (C) 1996-97 Remote Link Communications All Rights Reserved. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 3 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1.2 Registration CMS is not a freeware. Registration is required after a trial use of thirty (30) days. By doing so, all "unregistered" messages and almost inaudible beeps within the program will be removed to speed up and to expand the performance of the program. Moreover you will be kept informed of any future development of the software. If you wish to register, please fill out the registration form: "Register.Doc" Any Registration forms that have invalid or missing information may be considered void and will not be processed. 1.3 The key system Upon approving your registration, you will receive your own key. Each key is a small file only 1k in size which contains information about your registration. To install the key, simply rename it (if necessary) to KEY.CMS and copy it to your CMS system directory. When CMS detects a valid key, it switches itself into registered mode and identifies this mode by placing a "+" at the end of the version number. Features marked in this manual with a {+} are only available when CMS is running in registered mode. These bonus features show our appreciation of your registration. WARNING! Your key is unique and under NO circumstances should it be made available to anyone else. Otherwise it is a direct violation of the agreement. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 4 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1.4 Files CMS.EXE and CMSCFG.EXE create and use a number of files. Except these two files, CMS will create and look for the following files in the directory where CMS is located. CONFIG.CMS General configuration file. CREDIT.CMS Contains all the settings about Credit Manager. USERS.CMS Contains information about transaction record of each user. KEY.CMS Your key to activate all registered function. *.TMP In some case, TMP files remain in the System Directory or TEMP Directory. In most case these files can be delete without affecting the performance of the programme. *.BAK These files are backup files. You can delete all these files manually to free space. In most cases, these files will be deleted by the program itself. CMS.EXE and CMSCFG.EXE will also look for more files to do the setup and update. These files are: CONFIG.RA This file is the configuration about RA and should stay in the RA directory. USERS.BBS This file is the user's database file and should stay in the Message Base directory under RA. (depends on your RA setting) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 5 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 2. Getting Start 2.1 CMS Version CMS is using 4d version system, for example v2.0.0.b1, the first digit is the major version, the second digit is the minor version, the third digit is the patch level and the fourth is reserved use for beta version. You could not see the 'b1' because this is reserved for the author beta team. The patch level is incremented as minor problems are fixed. The minor version is incremented as new features are added. The major version is incremented as significant features are added/changed. 2.2 System Requirement To use CMS you need an IBM PC, 386, 486, Pentium or Pentium Pro or fully compatible computer with a mono or colour video card and a hard disk. Also you need MS-DOS or PC-DOS 5.0 or later. You should set at least FILES=30 in their CONFIG.SYS. In order to run CMS, you need RemoteAccess v2.0x or v2.50. 2.3 DOS Environment This version of CMS will not look for it's own environment but you should have your RA environment setup. Example: SET RA=C:\RA For more details about how to set the environment variable, refer to your DOS User's Manual. 2.4 Networking and Multi-tasking Environment CMS version v2.0.0 and above is 'networking and multi- tasking aware'. If you are running from DOS prompt, please make sure 'SHARE.COM' is loaded. Failing to do so will cause mis-read or mis-write data to files. For more details about how to load SHARE.COM, refer to your DOS User's Manual. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 6 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 2.5 Installation There are two different ways to distribute CMS. They both use the same program. The only difference is the cost of distribution. * Compressed Electronic Distribution is distributed electronically. This mode of distribution saves time and costs less. * Floppy Disk Distribution is distributed through normal floppy disk. It is usually shipped with a detailed manual. Because of different types of distribution, there are different ways to install the package. *** All registered user will recieve a 'Floppy Disk Distribution'. 2.5.1 Compressed Electronic Distribution Use DOS command MD to create a directory call CMS. Then copy all the decompressed files to this directory. 2.5.2 Floppy Disk Distribution 1. Insert the disk into the disk drive. 2. Type A: then press ENTER (this assumes that the disk drive is A). 3. Type INSTALL and press ENTER. 4. Follow the instruction on the screen. 2.6 Notes You can only run one of these two CMS programs: CMS.EXE or CMSCFG.EXE, at one time. When you try to start a second program, CMS will display a message indicating that another program is in use. If the running program has not stopped after 30 seconds, the new entry will abort. CMS is using a FIFO (First In First Out) thoery. CMS puts all program in a queue waiting for serve. If the running program is finished or quits, the first computer in the queue will start and the rest of the computers will reset the waiting timer to zero (0) and rearrange the priority. In the other word. Any computer in the queue will wait for full 30 seconds. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 7 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 3. CMSCFG.EXE CMSCFG.EXE is a program that runs in DOS. It is designed for CMS to do the configuration. To run CMSCFG.EXE from the DOS prompt, type CMSCFG <ENTER> The screen will show the top-level CMSCFG menu which contains five main menu options. Each option may have an associated sub menu. The five options and their selections are listed below: System Data ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Your Name; BBS Details; Directory; Log File; etc. Credit Manager ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Add Record; Delete Record; Edit Record. Credit Ledger ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Enable/Disable; Report Level; Path. Information ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Information about CMS. Exit ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Exit CMSCFG and back to operating system. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 8 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 3.1 System Data 3.1.1 Registration Details 3.1.1.1 Sysop Name This is your name and MUST be the same in your registration form. 3.1.1.2 System Name Your Bulletin Board System (BBS) name. 3.1.1.3 Serial No. Once you register this program, you will receive a key file and a serial number. You just simply enter the serial number here, and it would enable all the registered version function next time you start. 3.1.2 Miscellaneous 3.1.2.1 Auto Update {+} If you enable Auto Update, it will automati- cally update your configuration base on RA's setting. 3.1.2.2 Colour Patten CMS / CMSCFG can display upto six different similative colour patten. They are: 1. Novell 2. FrontDoor 3. FMail 4. Turbo Vision 5. Norton 6. Monochrome 3.1.2.3 Update Comment {+} If you enable this function, CMS will update the user's comment that is located in RA user database. The user's comment line will tell you 'when' the user is upgraded by CMS. ** CMS will not overwrite your existing comment line. It will append to the end of the existing comment line if there is enough space. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 9 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 3.1.3 Directory 3.1.3.1 System The full path where you put CMS. e.g. C:\CMS 3.1.3.2 Log File Where you want the log file will be locate. e.g. C:\LOGS 3.1.3.3 Message File If you have a correct environment for RA, it would automatically come up. The major function for this directory is to update the USERS.BBS and post messages to Hudson Message Base. 3.1.3.4 Temporary Working This field specifies the directory where temporary files will store. 3.1.4 Log File - Setting CMS will put all the logging events into a log file called 'CMS.LOG'. You can find this file in your Log File Directory where you define it. Setting To enable or disable logging system event to a file. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 10 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 3.2 Credit Manager In this option, you can see a list of information that includes the following: Curr Sec. The Current Security level of user. New Sec. The new security level of user. New Group The new group of users. Credit Need The amount needed to upgrade. Deduct Amount The amount of credit deducted from your user. Mail to User 'Yes' or 'No', If Yes, you need to specify the file name for mail template. Template File For sending message to user. (More info. see Section 4 - Mail Template) Type Specifying the type of message base. You can select from 'Hudson' or 'JAM'. Path or Area If Hudson, it will ask for the area number. ** Area number must be between 1 to 200. ** If JAM, it will ask for the full path and file name. ** File name must NOT have an extension ** Notify Sysop If Yes, when a user is upgraded, you will receive a short note about who is upgraded. Flags When a user is upgraded, CMS can change the user's flags at the same time. There are three possible setting 'X' or '-' or 'U'. If 'U' flag is using, it means this flag is unchanged. Status The current status for this record. If the record is marked as 'Delete'. It will be automatically deleted when you back to Main Menu. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 11 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 3.2.1 Examples Here is an example: Curr Sec. 10 A Flag UUUUUUUU Status Active New Sec. 20 B Flag -------- New Group 20 C Flag XXXXXXXX Credit 1002 D Flag UUUUUUUU Deduct Amt 1000 Mail to User Yes Template TEMPLATE.TXT Type Hudson Path or Area 3 Notify Sysop Yes Type Hudson Path or Area 3 eg1) A user is on level 10 and has 1002 credits. After running CMS.EXE, this user will be upgraded to level 20, Group 20 and has 2 credit left. He also will recieve a message in area 3 using a mail template call 'TEMPLATE.TXT'. All 'A Flags' and 'D Flags' will still stay as before, but all 'B Flags' will change to '-', and all 'C Flags' will change to 'X'. You (Sysop) also will recieve a message regarding this user's upgrade. eg2) A user is level 10 and has 999 credits. After run CMS.EXE, this user will still remain on the same level with nothing change. 3.2.2 Edit Mode 'Edit Mode' allow you to change the current record setting. <ESC> Exit Credit Manager and back to Main Menu <Enter> Edit the current record. <INSert> Insert a new record by pressed 'INS'. <DELete> Mark the current record to delete. <Arrow> Up or left arrow change to previous record. Down or right arrow change to next record. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 12 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 3.3 Credit Ledger {+} This is one of the best features in CMS. CMS will record all the transactions in a data file. When you enable this feature, it will generate all the transactions in a formatted text like a Summary Sheet in an 'Accounting System'. Credit Ledger can generate four different levels of report from summary to detail. 3.3.1 Active You can enable (Yes) or disable (No) this function. 3.3.2 Report Level There are four different types of report you can choose. From summary (level 1) to detail (level 4). See next page for examples. 3.3.3 Path and file name Enter the full path and file name of Credit Ledger. eg. C:\CMS\REPORT.LOG ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 13 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 3.3.4 Examples of Report. Level 1 - Summary 1 user(s) upgraded from 10 to 20 1 user(s) upgraded from 20 to 21 Total Credit Collected : 3000 Level 2 Name: Eric Tam Last Security 20 Name: Ben Lyons Last Security 10 ------------------------------------------------------------- Total Credit Collected : 3000 Level 3 Name: Eric Tam Last Security Level : 20 Last Group : 20 Name: Ben Lyons Last Security Level : 10 Last Group : 10 ----------------------------------------- Total Credit Collected : 3000 Level 4 - Detail Name: Eric Tam Last Date upgraded: 15-06-96 Last Sec Last Group Last Credit CurrSec CurrGroup Credit Left 20 20 2000 21 21 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Ben Lyons Last Date upgraded: 15-06-96 Last Sec Last Group Last Credit CurrSec CurrGroup Credit Left 10 10 1000 20 20 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Credit Collected : 3000 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 14 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 3.4 Information This option will display the CMS version number, and program copyright notice. 3.5 Exit Program This option will end program execution and return to DOS. Pressing <ESCAPE> from the main option menu does the same thing. If any changes have been made to the configuration, you will prompt "Save changes (Y,n)" before program exits. Pressing <ENTER> or "Y" will save all changes. Pressing "N" will discard all changes. The program then exits to DOS. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 15 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 4. Mail Template Mail Template is a message with some macros. It allows you to type a default message and sub in some macros for posting to user. 4.1 Creating Mail Template * Mail Template MUST be the same directory where CMS is located. * Mail Template is a normal text file. You can create it by using any text file editor. * All macros MUST put between '%'. * All macros are not case sensitive. 4.2 Example of Mail Template e.g - Mail Template Hi %USER_FIRST%, Thanks for all your uploads. Now you are upgraded from level %last_sec% to level %new_sec%. %SySoP_Full% %System_Name% e.g - User Andrew will get a message like this. Hi Andrew, Thanks for all your uploads. Now you are upgraded from level 10 to level 20. Eric Tam Remote Link Communications ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 16 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 4.3 List of Macros Marcos Meaning and Example ────── ─────────────────── %PROGRAM_LONG% Program name 'Credit Maintenance System' %PROGRAM_SHORT% Program name 'CMS' %VERSION% Program Version 'v2.0.0' %SYSOP_FULL% Sysop full name 'Eric Tam' %SYSOP_FIRST% Sysop first name 'Eric' %SYSOP_LAST% Sysop last name 'Tam' %SYSTEM_NAME% System Name 'Remote Link Communications' %USER_FULL% User full name 'David James Prince' %USER_FIRST% User first name 'David' %USER_LAST% User last name 'Prince' %TIME% Current Time '13:20:05' %DATE% Today's Date '03-12-96' %DAY% Day '03' %MONTH% Month '12' %MONTH_LONG% Month 'December' %MONTH_SHORT% Month 'Dec' %YEAR% Year '1996' %SHORT_YEAR% Year '96' %DAY_OF_WEEK% 'Sunday'..'Saturday' %S_DAY_OF_WEEK% 'Sun'..'Sat' %GREETING_TIME% 'morning', 'afternoon' or 'evening' %HOUR% Hour in 12 format '01'..'12' %HOUR24% Hour in 24 format '00'..'23' %MINUTE% Minute '00'..'59' %SECOND% Second '00'..'59' %AM_PM% 'am' or 'pm' %LAST_SEC% Security level before upgrade %LAST_GROUP% Group before upgrade %LAST_CREDIT% Credit balance before upgrade %NEW_SEC% Security level after upgrade %NEW_GROUP% Group after upgrade %DEDUCT_AMT% Deduct amount %CREDIT_LEFT% Credit left after upgrade ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 17 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 5. CMS.EXE This is the heart of the program. When you run it, it will display a dialog box and a progress bar which indicates the percentage done. To run CMS.EXE from the DOS prompt, type CMS <ENTER> It should run without problem. After a few seconds (depending on the number of users) you can see details of upgrade. Tip: You can setup CMS run in a night system maintenance in your batch file. 5.1 Command Line {+} CMS allows additional parameters at the command line. Parameter MUST start with '/' or '-'. /Dx This will generate 'x' days Credit Ledger from today. eg. If you put /D10, it will count 10 days from today. So you will get all the transactions within these 10 days. /Px This will purge 'x' days of transactions record. eg. If you put /P60, it will purge all the transactions record over 60 days. '/Px' will not allow the 'x' days parameter to be less than 30. This is a built-in safty precaution against wiping out your entire transactions record. /Rx Reboot the computer when CMS finishes running. /RW Warm boot the computer. /RC Cold boot the computer. /? Online Help. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 18 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 5.2 Error Level CMS will generate error levels if error occurs. They are self explanatory. Error Level 0 Running without problem occur 1 Problem with CONFIG.CMS 2 Problem with USERS.CMS 3 Problem with CREDIT.CMS 4 Problem with USERS.BBS 5 Another program is running 6 Invalid command line 7 Error creating Credit Ledger file 8 Problem with log file 9 Problem with overlay file 10 Incorrect DOS version 5.2.1 Extension Code All error levels will have an extension. eg. Error Code: 4001. The extension is for the use of the author. 5.2.2 Error Level - 5 If you continuously get error level 5, and you are absolutely sure that only one program is running, you can delete 'CMSBUSY.TMP' and 'CMSQUEUE.TMP' if they exist. These files are located in your TEMP directory. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 19 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 6. Credits I would like to specially thank my beta team and the following persons for their help. 6.1 Beta Team Sysop Name System Name FidoNet ------------------------------------------------------------ Andrew Doherty Bulldoza Emporium 3:711/458 6.2 Visual Interface FrontDoor - Original visual interface concept designed by Joaquim Homrighausen. Used with permission. FMail - Used with permission from Folkert Wijnstra. 6.3 Manual Preparation Martin and Wendy who have assisted in the preparation of this manual. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 20 - CMS Manual ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 7. Program Support The latest version of CMS can be FREQ from my BBS under the magic name of 'CMS'. (without quote) Remote Link Communications (Dept. of BBS) Eric Tam +61-2-9541-0870 FidoNet 3:712/330 Yo!Net 8:1010/7 Max. Baud: 33600 7.1 Comments or Suggestions Please send comments or suggestions by netmail, or snail mail to me. Netmail To Eric Tam FidoNet 3:712/330 or SIGnet 28:2500/330 Snail Mail Remote Link Communications (Attn. Eric Tam) P.O. BOX 73 MENAI CENTRAL NSW 2234 AUSTRALIA ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - 21 - END -