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- OPUS
-
- (c)Copyright 1986, Wynn Wagner III, All Rights Reserved.
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- The Embedded Commands
-
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- 11 October 1986
-
-
-
-
- "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more."
-
- --- The Wizard of Oz
-
-
-
-
- UPFRONT The Embedded Commands 11 October 1986
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- You can lead a full and meaningful life without using any of these
- control codes. In fact, misusing them can probably lead to a lot of
- grief. There is nothing here for the novice. If you are not intimately
- familiar with Opus and running communication systems, please don't continue.
-
- Most of the control codes assume you know what you are doing. Because the
- GBS/BBS files are prepared with a word processor or text editor (ie...not
- using any Opus software), there is no way for Opus to check your work.
- You should review any files you create using Opus's KEYBOARD MODE before
- trusting the file to an on-line situation. The Control-O commands (below)
- can be particularly lethal if you aren't careful.
-
- An overabundance of control codes in a BBS/GBS file can make a totally
- unmaintainable file. You can build these files using any text editor
- that's capable of inserting control codes into files, but I would consider
- such a method the "Assembly Language of BBS/GBS Files". A handy Opus sysop
- utility would be some sort of program (eg. WYSIWYG BBS/GBS editor) to make
- these control codes more readable to the sysop during development. At this
- writing, no such utility exists.
-
-
-
-
- SUGGESTIONS The Embedded Commands 11 October 1986
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- [soapbox on]
-
- It's very possible to use these commands to turn a perfectly good system
- into one full of gimcracks (useless junk). An Opus sysop has an order of
- magnitude more power over his/her system than does a Fido<tm> v11 sysop.
-
- If you take that control, you must also share the responsibility. I think
- it's great to add a little spice to a system, but the average user doesn't
- call in order to see his/her screen wiggle. These commands are intended
- to give the experienced sysop lots of versatility.
-
- They are very easy to over-do!
-
- Also... remember that if you use the MsDOS graphics characters in a BBS/GBS
- file, you are going to make non-MsDOS screens look funny because they
- won't know how to display the characters. There is absolutely nothing
- "non-standard" in Opus itself. If you choose to add such features, you
- also need to be prepared to answer questions and/or complaints about them.
-
- [soapbox off]
-
-
-
- COMMAND LISTING The Embedded Commands 11 October 1986
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
- "Life is the process of figuring out things
- which you are never going to do again."
- -E.S.V.
-
-
- These control codes can be inserted into any .BBS or .GBS file.
- The only exception is DIR.BBS ... which must be a plain text file.
-
-
-
- THE BASICS -------------------------------------------------
-
- ^A ... "Press ENTER to continue: "
- ^B ... disable ^C/^K aborting
- ^C ... enable ^C/^K aborting
- ^D ... Mark that it's a good time for a "MORE?"
- ^E ... Turn auto-More ON (default)
- ^F ... COMBINATION COMMAND (see below)
- ^G ... Ring the caller's bell
- ^H ... Backspace
- ^I ... Tab
- ^J ... Line feed
- ^K ... Turn auto-More OFF
- ^L ... Clear screen
- ^M ... Carriage return
- ^N ... [ reserved ]
- ^O ... COMBINATION COMMAND (see below)
- ^P ... COMBINATION COMMAND (see below)
- ^Q ... Used for XON/XOFF. Never use this.
- ^R ... [ reserved ]
- ^S ... Used for XON/XOFF. Never use this.
- ^T ... [ reserved ]
- ^U ... [ reserved ]
- ^V ... [ reserved ]
- ^W ... [ reserved ]
- ^X ... [ reserved ]
- ^Y ... [ reserved ]
- ^Z ... MsDOS end of file marker. Never use this.
-
-
-
- DATA DISPLAY -----------------------------------------------
-
- NOTE: Both command characters in this section are
- CONTROL characters. The `^' symbol means `control.'
- For example, `^F' represents CONTROL-F.
-
- ^F^A ... quote of the moment
- ^F^B ... user's name
- ^F^C ... user's city/state
- ^F^D ... current date
- ^F^E ... total number of calls user has made to system
- expressed as an ORDINAL number (eg. `1st', `2d', etc)
- ^F^F ... user's first name
- ^F^G ... dramatic one-second pause
- ^F^K ... total minutes on-line in the last 24-hours,
- including the time for the current call
- ^F^L ... length of the current call so far (in minutes)
- ^F^N ... control-niel (disconnect)
- ^F^O ... number of minutes remaining for this call
- ^F^P ... written-out date/time when the user has to be
- off the system. NOTE: This uses a built-in Lattice-C
- routine which appends the line with a <CR/LF>. You
- should consider using ^F^P at the END of a line with
- no punctuation ... until Prof.Norton and I can get in
- and change a couple of things.
- ^F^Q ... number of calls to system to date (ORDINAL NUMBER)
- ^F^R ... NET downloads today (download minus upload)
- If uploads are greater than downloads, this number
- will be negative.
- ^F^T ... current time
- ^F^U ... on a questionnaire, all answers are required
- ^F^V ... on a questionnaire, all answers are optional
- ^F^W ... total user uploads
- ^F^X ... total user downloads
- ^F^Y ... upload:download ratio
-
-
-
-
- QUESTIONAIRES, SURVEYS, ORDER FORMS ------------------------
-
- NOTE: The second character of the commands in this section
- is a REGULAR ("printable") character ... NOT a
- control character.
-
- HINT: Calm down a little, there are samples at the end
- of this file.
-
- ^OMd ... store the last `^OR' response to the answer file.
- (See `^OR' below). `d' is is a description of the
- item which is NOT displayed. The description is
- stored in the answer file. Also, see the examples
- at the end of this file for more information.
- ^ONd ... let the user type a line and store it in the user
- file. This roughly corresponds to the Fido<tm> "/"
- command in questionaires. `d' is for a description
- of the entry in the answer file.
- ^OOf ... open an answer file. `F' is a fully-qualified file
- name including path, node, and extemsion.
- ^OP ... post user information to the answer file
-
-
-
-
- FLOW AND USER INTERACTION ----------------------------------
-
- NOTE: The second character of the commands in this section
- is a REGULAR ("printable") character ... NOT a
- control character.
-
- "Remember-- no matter where you go, there you are."
- --Buckaroo Banzai
-
- ^OCp ... call MsDOS with the command "p". This is an
- embedded "O)utside" command. "P" is some command,
- possibly the name of a program or batch file. It
- is sent to MsDOS (via Command.Com) without
- modification.
- ^OFb ... "On exit". Declare the name of a GBS/BBS file to
- be transmitted if, for any reason, the current file
- is terminated.
- ^OQ ... quit the file immediately
- ^ORv ... read menu. `V' is a sequence of characters ... a list
- of the valid responses. Opus considers all of the
- characters between the `R' and the first character
- less than or equal to the space character to be part of
- the list. In other words, you terminate the list with
- a space, tab, end of line, or any other control char-
- acter. Refer to an "ASCII CHART" for help in finding
- what characters are "below" the space. Opus takes care
- of upper/lowercase conversion for you. It is your
- responsibility to handle any user prompts: there is no
- display associated with this command. "Command
- stacking" is fully supported. If the user types an
- unrecognized character, Opus will ask him/her to try
- again.
- ^OS ... show another file. The REST of the current line is
- considered the name of a BBS/GBS file. Do *not*
- include the file's extension. You can include a
- drive and path. Most settings (eg Color, Auto-More)
- are maintained across file boundries. If the file
- you specify doesn't exist, the entire display sequence
- is ended and the user is returned to Opus.
- ^OT ... top of file (dangerous: can produce an "endless loop")
- Useful only for handling "fall-through" menu situations
- and (with ^B set) for handling niels. (ah-hem)
- ^OUc ... user response. "C" is a single character. It is the
- way to process information from the read menu (^OR)
- command. If the user's most recent respons was not
- the value you give for `c', the REST OF THE CURRENT
- LINE is ignored.
-
-
-
- PRIV CONTROL -----------------------------------------------
-
- NOTE: The second character of the commands in this section
- is a REGULAR ("printable") character ... NOT a
- control character.
-
-
- Dealing with the rest of the file...
-
- ^PD ... Below Disgraced don't see rest of file
- ^PN ... Below Normal don't see rest of file
- ^PP ... Below Privil (or Privel) don't see rest of file
- ^PE ... Below Extra don't see rest of file
- ^PA ... Below Assistant sysop don't see rest of file
- ^PS ... Below Sysop don't see rest of file
-
-
- Commands dealing with the rest of the current line...
-
- ^PLD ... Below Disgraced don't see rest of line
- ^PLN ... Below Normal don't see rest of line
- ^PLP ... Below Privil (or Privel) don't see rest of line
- ^PLE ... Below Extra don't see rest of line
- ^PLA ... Below Assistant sysop don't see rest of line
- ^PLS ... Below Sysop don't see rest of line
-
-
-
-
-
- FIDO<tm> COMPATIBLE QUESTIONAIRE COMMANDS ------------------
-
- Important: All of the functionality in the following
- --------- commands is available with ^O commands.
- None of the following are guaranteed
- beyond Opus Version Zero. Except for
- some unusual circumstance, you should use
- the ^O commands instead of these.
-
- +nt ... column one only. Signals a multiple choice answer.
- The `n' is actually a digit. EXAMPLE: `+3' would
- accept 1, 2, or 3 as an answer. 'T' is normal text.
- Opus will ask for the answer after the line of
- text is displayed. The digit is
-
- /t ... column one only. 'T' is normal text. After displaying
- and text, Opus will wait for the user to type some
- sort of character data. The answer is stored in
- the answer file.
-
- ! ... column one only. If in the most recent multiple
- choice question (see `+'), the user picked the highest
- option (eg. `3' above), the questionaire will
- terminate immediately.
-
- * ... column one only. Put some user info (eg.name) into
- the answer file.
-
- ?t ... column one only. 'T' is normal text which is not
- transmitted. Instead, it is stored in the answer
- file. This command is a Fido<tm> enhancement. It
- is not guaranteed beyond Opus Version Zero. You
- should try to use a ^O command instead.
-
- Example:
- Question file:
- ?NAME
- /What is your name?
- Answer file:
- NAME Mark Twain
-
-
-
-
- FOR FILES.BBS ONLY (Fido<tm> compatibility) ----------------
-
- @ ... in column one, stops display for those under
- AsstSysop. This is for Fido<tm> compatibility only.
- You should not count on this remaining after
- Version Zero. Use a ^P command instead.
-
- - ... column one only. turns on WHITE. The display will
- remain white until the next file name.
-
-
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-
- NOTE: There are several ^F commands that deal with the amount
- of time a user has remaining. Until the user is totally
- through the logon procedure, he/she will have about 10
- minutes. The use of these commands prior to the first
- MAIN MENU may produce unexpected results.
-
-
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- EXAMPLE 1
-
- CONTENTS OF THE EXAMPLE 1 FILE:
-
- Please select one of these:
- H)elp on using the system
- T)rojan horse program alert
- E)quipment used on-line
- Q)uit
-
- Select: ^ORhteq
- ^L
- ^OUh^OSc:\opus\morehelp
- ^OUt^OSc:\opus\trojans
- ^OUq^Oq
-
- We use an AT computer with a 30 meg Seagate disk drive.
- The modem is a USR Courier 2400. There is 640k system
- memory with 3 megabytes of extended memory which is used
- as a RAM disk.
-
- ^OT
-
-
-
- NOTES FOR EXAMPLE 1:
-
- A short menu system for multiple bulletins. First the menu is displayed.
- Then, after "Select: ", Opus will wait for the caller to type `H', `T',
- or `A'. For aesthetics, we clear the screen after the menu response (^L).
- Then.... if the caller typed `H', we will display the file MOREHELP. If
- it's `T', the caller will see TROJANS. If the caller typed `Q', we will
- exit the file display and return to Opus. The only unaccounted-for menu
- response is `E' ... which is taken care of by the material at the end.
- In other words, if the user gets to the part beginning with "We use an...",
- he/she must have typed an `E'. It's the "fall-through" case here. Because
- Opus doesn't have to change to another file, the fall-through will always
- be the quickest. Finally, at the end of the file, we tell Opus to recycle
- and display the menu again (^OT).
-
-
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- EXAMPLE 2
-
- CONTENTS OF THE EXAMPLE 2 FILE:
-
- Welcome to the board, ^F^B.
- ^OOc:\opus\newusers.txt
- ^OP
-
- What is your occupation? ^ONoccupation
-
- Please find your favorite color ...
-
- B)lue R)ed M)agenta
- L)ilac Y)ellow P)uce
-
- Type the first letter of your choice: ^ORbrmlyp
- ^OMchoice
- ^OUbBlue! really? Wow, that's my favorite color, too!
-
- Thanks for taking the time to fill out this questionaire.
-
-
- NOTES FOR EXAMPLE 2:
-
- A short survey. First we do a welcome that includes the user's name (^F^B).
- Then we setup an answer file called C:\OPUS\NEWUSERS.TXT. Any responses
- will be put into this file. Note that the answer file stays open across
- files ... should you swap files using ^OS. The first item we put into the
- answer file is the user's name (^OP). It is NOT ever necessary to ask a
- user "What is your name"... not even a new user. It is easier on the system
- and the caller to use the ^OP command rather than being redundant.
-
- The first question deals with the user's occupation. The display would
- look like this:
-
- What is your occupation? _
-
- Whether an answer is required depends on whether you have used the ^F^U
- or ^F^V commands.
-
- If the caller typed "accountant" then your answer file would contain
- this line:
-
- occupation: accountant
-
- The description "occupation" was part of the ^ON command itself.
-
- The next piece of business is a multiple choice question. It works exactly
- like the MENU in example #1 above. The addition is `^OMchoice' to store
- the user's response in the answer file. For example, if the user selected
- RED, the answer file would look like this:
-
- choice: R
-
- Note that if the caller likes BLUE, Opus will get all excited. See the
- `^OU' statement. We use this line for two reasons: (1)to show that you
- can get exceedingly (excrutiatingly) clever; and (2)you can combine almost
- any ^O command.
-
- You can have more than one answer file. Every time you use ^OO, the
- current answer file is closed and the new one opened or created. One
- side effect involves opening the same file... not advised for normal
- operation... but that is one way to force Opus to physically write to
- disk any responses it has buffered.
-
-
- ###
-
-
-
