Shoelace is a Tabby compatible program that performs two simple functions.
1) It can update your BBS software.
2) It can launch a specified program.
I wrote Shoelace because of the way I sysop. While WMUG BBS runs at home, I live on campus miles away from my house. Since we are running TeleFinder, I can make any changes to our setup that I desire... except for one; I can't update the BBS software because it's already running. Well, no more.
Our BBS software is called "Node Server." If I upload a file called "Node Server.update", the next time an event is run Shoelace will delete the current "Node Server" and replace it with the newer version that I uploaded. After that, the new software is launched with the end of the event.
Another problem I've had in the past is a case where for whatever reason, one of my event utilities failed to launch the next program successfully. This happens only rarely, but the result is one line of our BBS not answering the phone. There was not simple way to get the BBS software running again.
So I added a feature to Shoelace. If Shoelace finds a text file called "Launch Me", it will read the first line of the file and attempt to launch that program. This can be a partial or full pathname to any program.
Using this method, if my nightly event fails to complete, I upload a file with the pathname to the BBS software for the failed phone line. Then I initiate a crashmail session and presto, both lines running again.
Installation:
1. Put Shoelace in the same folder as your BBS program.
2. Run Shoelace. Once you see the menu bar, choose "Preferences" from the Edit menu. The first text entry will contain the filename of your BBS software. The second text entry will contain the name of the new software.
3. Add Shoelace to your event strings. You'll want to add it to your crashmail string if you want to perform an update on a crashmail.
Using it:
When you want to update your BBS software, place the new version of your software in the same folder as your BBS software. It should be named according to how you setup Shoelace. Next time an event is run, presto!
If Shoelace doesn't find the name of the new software, it won't do a thing.
Note that the settings for Shoelace are stored internally. That means that having multiple copies of Shoelace on your hard drive with different settings is fine.
Terms:
Shoelace is free. You are encouraged to distribute it to anyone that might find it useful.
