Die Ultimative Software-Pakete CD-ROM fur Atari Collection 1996 & 1997

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Text File | 1996-09-18 | 18.9 KB | 392 lines

Citadel BBS for the ST (version 3.0c) Hints for the prospective Sysop by Tom Mailloux If you have an ST and a modem you have probably called a Citadel BBS. Citadel software is free. It is also very powerful. If you wish to run a BBS, Citadel is an excellent choice. You can create the basic shape of the BBS in minutes. (Well, if someone who knows how is there to help you! The documentation is not very good and makes the process seem much more difficult that it is.) This article will show you how to install and run an ST Citadel. Before you can run Citadel you must edit the file CTDLCNFG.SYS. I will describe that editing process step by step in a moment, but first some general information. CTDLCNFG.SYS is an ascii text file that is read by another file CONFIGUR.TOS. This file takes the information from CTDLCNFG.SYS and creates the other files you need to run Citadel. You must be careful in editing the CTDLCNFG.SYS. If you tell CONFIGUR.TOS to expect a folder on a particular disk, it must be present before CONFIGUR.TOS is run. If it is not, the program will crash. Most of the information in CTDLCNFG.SYS is not necessary. The only important parts are lines which begin with a #. Everything else is there only to help you understand what you are doing. Once you are familiar with Citadel these "remarks" can be removed from the CTDLCNFG.SYS file. I will discuss the lines that begin with # in the order they appear in CTDLCNFG.SYS. #nodeTitle "Your BBS" Remove the words Your BBS and replace with the name you select for your own BBS. Be sure that the name sits between the quotation marks. #nodeName "Your BBS" This is for networking. If you choose to network with other Citadel BBSs (be they on IBMs, Amigas or STs) this will be how net messages from your BBS are identified. If you choose a nodeName of "Daily Planet" (for example) all net messages originating on your BBS will have a "@Daily Planet" identifier. (Without the quotes, of course! #nodeId "US 609 555 1212" This is how your BBS will be identified by other BBSs during networking. This is the phone number of your BBS. The US identifies you as being in the United States. #sysPassword "" This is a password for remote access to the sysop commands. As of this time the ST Citadels do not allow remote passowrds, so you may leave this alone. #baseRoom "Ybbol" This is the name for the first room a caller sees on your BBS. This is commonly called Lobby. You may call it anything you wish to give your BBS a flavor of originality. #define LOGSIZE 10 This is the number of entries for callers to your BBS. This is a decimal number, although the documentation says it is hex. 10 is a bit small. Although you may expand this later, you should choose a large enough number to begin with because expanding has been known to create problems. 80 or 100 should be enough for most purposes. #define CRYPTSEED 553 This is an encryption number for your BBS's messages. It is my practice to set this number to 0 (no encryption) in case the messages require editing. Whatever you choose as YOUR number, do NOT change it. If you do, the old messages will not be readable. #define MESSAGEK 256 This is the amount of space in Kbytes you reserve for messages on your BBS. 256K is a nice number, but if space is tight this can be lower. Too small a number here will mean that messages will be cycled quickly. (Citadel replaces the oldest messages as new one fill the CTDLMSG.SYS file, which is created by CTDLCNFG.SYS and CONFIGUR.TOS.) #helpDir "a:\help\" This is the location of the Citadel help files. You may specify any folder name you like on any drive you like. Remember, be sure that the folder exist on the drive you specify before you run CONFIGUR.TOS! #sysDir "a:\sys\ This is where CONFIGUR.TOS places (and where CITADEL.TOS expects to find) CTDLLOG.SYS (the file with the callers and their passwords) and CTDLROOM.SYS (the file with the names of the rooms on your BBS.) #msgDir "a:\msg\" This is where the message file will go. You don't need to specify a folder for any of these three "Dir" statements. You can use the root directory. Remember, though, that there are a LOT of help files, and a folder will help keep your disk uncluttered! #define MIRRORMSG 0 This is in case you are running the message file from a ram disk and wish to back up each message on a floppy disk. 0 means that you do not wish to back up the messages. 1 means that you do. This will slow down saving messages, as each message will be saved to both floppy and ramdisk. Still, this will keep you from losing message during a power failure. Reading messages will still be fast, as Citadel will read from ram, not the floppy. #mirrorDir "a:\backup\" This is the location for the back up messages if you set the above to 1 instead of 0. #netDir "a:\net\" This is the location of network messages. If you are running from a ramdisk, this had best be on floppy. Citadel could have serious problems trying to find a lost net message during networking! #define CALL-LOG 0 Citadel will keep a record of who calls your BBS, when they called, and what baud rate. 0 means this record is not kept. If you want a record, set CALL-LOG to 1. Remember that this fill will grow and can eat your entire disk unless you copy it and erase from your BBS disk. #auditDir "a:\audit\" This is where Citadel will place the CALLLOG.SYS file created by setting the above option to 1. #define RECEIPTK 50 This sets aside space for files you request (and receive) from another Citadel BBS during networking. #receiptDir "a:\receipt\" This is where Citadel will put your receipt file. #shell "drive:\path\shell.prg" If you wish to run a CLI (Command Line Interpreter) from within Citadel you must specify exactly where Citadel should look for it. #define LOGINOK 1 With this option set to 1, users can create their own accounts on the BBS. With this set to 0, you must validate the new caller from the keyboard. I suggest that a new BBS start by setting LOGINOK to 1. That way you will have users online and contributing immediately. You can change this later by simply editing the CTDLCNFG.SYS and running CONFIGUR.TOS again if you have problems with abusive callers. #define READOK 0 Set to 0 means that a caller must be logged in (with a valid account) before he can read any messages on the BBS. Set to 1, he can read every room he can get to, although Citadel will not keep track of new messages for him. #define ENTEROK 0 This refuses callers who are not logged in the right to enter messages on the BBS. If you set ENTEROK to 1, a caller can enter a message without identifying himself. This is best left at 0, as the other way can lead to trouble. #define ROOMOK 1 This determines who may create new rooms. Set to 1, any logged in caller may create a room. Set to 0 and only the sysop and aides may create rooms. Your choice. I find that general room-creation leads to a livelier BBS. #define ALLMAIL 1 Set to 1, anyone on the BBS can send email. Set to 0 and only aides are allowed that privilege. Unless you have a tiny message file and mail is reducing the number of messages on the BBS, general mail privilege is a good idea. #define SEARCHBAUD 1 This tells Citadel to cycle through the baud rates that your system allows until a carriage return from the callers tells it what baud rate the caller is using. Set this to 0 if you are operating at a single baud rate. #define SYSBAUD 1 The baud setting for your BBS. 0 is 300 only. 1 is 300/1200. 2 is 300/1200/2400. If SEARCHBAUD is 0, SYSBAUD of 0 means 300 only, 1 means 1200 only and 2 means 2400 only. #define CONNECTPROMPT 0 If you want your BBS to tell callers to hit return, set this to 1. Otherwise Citadel will wait for a c/r. #define CONNECTDELAY 0 This will cause Citadel to a set number of seconds (whatever number you set here) before it checks for baud rate. #define TIMEOUT 0 If you wish to use a batch file from a CLI to run make Citadel quit, back itself up, and run again, set this to 1. This can be handy if two conditions apply: 1) You are running from a ram disk. 2) You understand how to set up a batch file. If both conditions are not true, leave this one alone! #define HOUROUT 4 If you set the TIMEOUT to 1, this will tell Citadel how often to back itself up. In this case, every 4 hours. #define NETWORK 1 1 means you want to network. 0 means you do not. (More about networking later!) #define LONG-HAUL 0 0 means that you will net only with local BBSs. (Or BBSs that you tell Citadel are local.) 1 means that you are part of a long distance network. #define DAYDIV 1 This tells Citadel how often you will network, in days. 1 means you will net every day. A 7 would mean once a week. #define NETHOUR 3 This is the time of day you will network. This should be arranged with the other sysops in the net. If you don't net at the same time, networking will fail. #define NETLENGTH 30 This defines how long networking will last. In this case, 30 minutes. This can be adjusted according to the needs of your local net group. You may need less or more, depending on your own circumstances. 30 is a good number to start with. #callOutPrefix "ATDP" This is the command you modem expects before it dials a number. In this case it is a typical Hayes command for pulse dialing. If you have tone, use ATDT. #callOutSuffix "\r" This is the command following the number that your modem needs to make it dial. "\r" is a carriage return. #modemSetup "ATQ1S0=1E0S2=255S5=130\r" This is the string Citadel sends to your modem when you run CITADEL.TOS. Try this one first, and unless you are having problems, leave it alone. If you DO have problems try to get help from someone who understands modems before you try changing this. That's it. You have edited your CTDLCNFG.SYS file to give you the BBS you want. Now save it, making sure the word processor is set to save in ascii. Now you must put the following files on your BBS disk: CITADEL.TOS, CONFIGUR.TOS and CTDLCNFG.SYS. Create any folders that you name in CTDLCNFG.SYS. Now run CONFIGUR.TOS. This will create the working files for your BBS and place them where they belong. Now you are ready to run Citadel. Turn on your modem and run CITADEL.TOS. Now your BBS is online and ready for a caller! The first caller may as well be you, so hit <esc> to get from modem mode to console mode. Until you hit the <esc> key your keyboard will be inactive. (This keeps your cats from trying to log in!) Hit the "l" key. This will prompt you to enter a password. Since you don't have one yet, just hit <return>. Citadel will prompt you for your screen configuration and customize Citadel to your needs. Then you will enter your name and chosen password. Now you are ready to go. Your first task should be to make yourself an aide. This will give you some power on your own BBS and show you a room you would not otherwise be able to visit. (The Aide> room.) To access the sysop menu, hit <ctrl-l>. The "?" key will give you the list of commands available to you. The one we are interested in at the moment is "P", privilege switch. Hit P and type in your name, exactly as you entered it when you logged in. Hit return and answer Y (yes) to the question. Now you are an aide and can visit the Aide> room. Let's leave the sysop menu for the moment and get back to the BBS. Hit "A" to abort back to the BBS. (Note that "X" will exit you from the BBS back to the desktop.) Now we are back in your base room (Lobby?) and can do a few things. Try entering a message. Hit the "E" (for enter) key and just start typing. Citadel formats a message to the individual caller's screen size, so don't bother with a carriage return at the end of the line. If you want to start a new paragraph, be sure to indent at least one space after a carriage return. You might enter a message welcoming callers to your BBS. After you have finished, hit <return> twice to get to the message command prompt. Another "?" will give you a list of your options. If you want to edit the message, use "R" (replace string). This is a search-and-replace system. Type in the error, hit return, then type in the correction. Do this as often as you need until the message is perfect. (After all, this IS your BBS! Don't want any mistakes, do you?) Hit "S" to save. Your BBS has one message in it. It still looks rather bare, doesn't it? Let's make a new room. Hit ".er" (the period is important) (. [period] e [enter] r [room]) Then just type the name of the room and hit <return> again. Answer the prompts. Now you have a new room on your BBS. Leave a message there. Whoops! You weren't careful and made a mistake! How do you get rid of an unwanted message? Let's look at the help files. Type ".h aide". (Remember, the period is important. Without the period the command letter is executed immediately. The period [or comma or slash] delays the command until you hit return.) This will give you the help file for aides on a Citadel BBS. This will tell you how to delete a message, and turns out to be very simple. Hit "r" to read reverse. While the message is scrolling on the screen, hit "p" to pause it. Any key will start the message scrolling again. The key we want, though, is "d". Restarting the message with "d" will print the message again and ask you if you want to <M>ove <D>elete or <A>bort. To remove the message, hit "d". The message will be removed to the Aide> room. (This is so you, the sysop, can move it back where it belongs if an aide deletes a message you don't want removed.) Let's go to Aide> next and see what's there. Type ".g aide". (Again note the period for an extended command.) You are now in the Aide> room. Hit "f" for read forward. You will see a message saying that you created a room (with the room name), deleted the following message and the message you deleted. All the actions of aides will be recorded in this room. This is the business room of the system and only people you designate as aides can get there. Aide> will fill quickly (maximum of 58 messages) as your BBS takes shape. Email to "sysop" will also show up in Aide>. (That way your aides can help answer questions and save you some work.) Let's create another room. Call this one Downloads. (Or anything you like, but downloads is appropriate, as you will see.) To make the room live up to its name, after you create it, type ".ae" (aide edit). As usual, a "?" give you a list of commands. Hit "d" to make this a directory room. Choose the drive you want to use for the files and a folder name. If the folder is not on the disk, Citadel will create it for you. Exit editing with the "x" command and you will see that the room has been changed from Downloads> to Downloads]. The "]" tells your callers that this rooms is a directory room, and they should be able to find files there. (Put some in before you run Citadel the next time. And please, public domain files only!) Now for some networking. First use <ctrl-l> to get to the sysop menu. Hit "n" to get to the network sub-menu. (Yes, this does not show up on your main sysop menu. I hope this is corrected soon.) Use "a" to add a node to the network list. You must type the name and ID (phone number) exactly as it is set on the other BBS or networking will not work. (It is a very good idea to talk to the sysop of the other BBS before you attempt networking with his BBS. Not only is this polite, but you must share the same rooms and exchange BBS names and IDs. One phone call or a couple of messages on his BBS can take care of this.) Once you had added the BBS to your net list hit "n" again to give yourself net privileges. No-one on your BBS can enter a net message until you do that, including you, the sysop. Exit from the net menu with the "x" key, then "a" to abort back to the BBS. Now create another room. Call it Network. (Or any name you have agreed to share with the other BBS.) Type ".ae" to edit the room, and use the "s" command to make the rooms a shared room. (Shared is Citadels designation for networking rooms.) You will be asked for the names of BBS which will share the net messages in that room. Type the names exactly as they appear on your net list. "X" to exit from editing. You will see that the room is changed from "Network>" to "Network)". You can make a shared room a directory room as well. A shared directory room would show up as "Network:". You can enter a networked message in two ways. One is to type ".en" (enter net message). The other is to enter the message normally, then save it with the "n" instead of the "s" key. A net message will have the BBS name in the header. For example: 11Jul87 from Joe Caller @Your BBS Mail can be networked as well by the same method. The one difference is that you will be prompted for the BBS and user names when you enter the message. To return the BBS to its normal state of waiting for a call, type "t" for terminate. If you want to chat with a caller, hit <esc> and then the "c" key. Answer "y" to the questions. Then start typing. You can the caller will be able to talk back and forth. To leave chat, hit <esc> again, the <ctrl-l> to get to the sysop menu, and "m" for modem mode, where the caller has control of the BBS. These are just a few highlights of the Citadel BBS. Set it up and play with it. Try the other sysop commands to see what they do. It is difficult to hurt the BBS. (If you do, and get some strange events, just run CONFIGUR.TOS again. That will fix most of the problems.) Ask a few trusted friends to call the BBS and let them try it from the outside. In a few days you should feel confident enough to go public. Welcome online, Sysop!