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Text File | 1991-11-29 | 18.1 KB | 457 lines

O P E N D O O R Release: 4.1 January 1991 ===== IMPORTANT NOTES ================================================== Maze 5.0 comes with the same opendoor.exe program release with Maze 3.6 and maze 4.0 so if you have any of my doors running now you do not need to install this version of opendoor.exe or maze.bat to get Maze 5.0 working. To those upgrading from an earlier version of OpenDoor.EXE please note that while this release will run all the older doors you will need to modify your batch files for it to work properly. If you have problems please refer to the documentation file PROBLEM.DOC in addition to this one for some ideas on how to fix the problem. ===== MAZE.BAT ========================================================= Rem TAG Entry to the Maze 5.0 Door ECHO OFF C: CD \BBS OPENDOOR.EXE MAZE 5.0 IF EXIST OPENDOOR.ERR GOTO QUIT IF NOT EXIST OPENDOOR.SYS GOTO QUIT COPY C:\BBS\OPENDOOR.SYS C:\BBS\GAMES\MAZE\OPENDOOR.SYS C: CD \BBS\GAMES\MAZE MAZE.EXE :QUIT C: CD \BBS ===== SETUP ============================================================ 1. Put OPENDOOR.EXE, OPENDOOR.DOC and MAZE.BAT into the same directory as your BBS. Note: This is frequently the only place a BBS system can output DORINFO?.DEF, etc. It's also where a BBS usually expects to find the batch file(s), like MAZE.BAT, it calls. 2. Execute OPENDOOR.EXE from the DOS prompt to have it create the files it needs to run like opendoor.cfg 3. If you are running a locked baud operation edit OPENDOOR.CFG and ... A. Set the switch that locks the baud B. Set the locked baud speed if it's not the default 19200 4. Edit the MAZE.BAT as required for your directory and drive layout. 5. Do whatever it takes to make your BBS ... A: Able to call MAZE.BAT when a user wants to access the door. Note: There is absolutely nothing I can do to help you here as each BBS is quite different. However, another pass at reading your BBS doc files might shed light on this issue. B: Create either DORINFO?.DEF or PCBOARD.SYS just before MAZE.BAT is called. Note #1: If you have a choice DORINFO1.DEF is the preferred BBS output format by OPENDOOR.EXE Leave the OPENDOOR.CFG file default to use whatever legal type output it can find. Note #2: Some BBS systems can not output either DORINFO1.DEF or PCBOARD.SYS or they might output a format either older or newer than this release of OPENDOOR.EXE supports. In this case what you need to do is check around with other sysops that run the same type of BBS you do and pick up a utility that can convert whatever they do output into one of the formats OPENDOOR.EXE supports. This utility would usually be placed in the directory with your BBS and called from MAZE.BAT just before calling OPENDOOR.EXE ===== INTRODUCTION ===================================================== I am frequently accused of supplying a two pound answer for a 3 ounce question. The odds are the above material has given you all you really need to know. While the operation of this program is simple I have included enough information here for you to really understand what's going on. I do this because many sysop's call my system somewhat confused by setting up doors. The whole process is frustrating when a great game, "door", can not be brought up on a system after quite an effort/cost to get the program in the first place was expended. This version of OpenDoor is capable of processing BBS output in the DORINFO?.DEF format, either the old (1988) form or the newer (1990) type format. Note: It also correctly handles systems using this format that run multiple nodes. This version is also capable of processing a BBS output PCBOARD.SYS in either the old 10.2 (1988) or 12.2 format (1990) or 14.5 format (1991). Note: These files do not supply the BBS or SysOp name and a generic substitute is made. OpenDoor also defaults for this output to using COM1: for output. If you want the code to use COM2: then create a file in your bbs directory call "OPENDOOR.2" and it will switch to this communications port when a PcBoard.sys file is being processed. If you want to use a mixture of these outputs its no problem as OpenDoor determines by looking at the date and time stamp which file was just created before it was called and will pick that one up and use it. ===== SELF GENERATED =================================================== The program will create the following files or if they already exist it will update them with its latest information: OPENDOOR.BAT ....... An example ansi door batch file using OpenDoor. OPENDOOR.CFG ....... The OpenDoor configuration file. OPENDOOR.DAT ....... Statistics on all ansi door usage last month. OPENDOOR.LOG ....... Statistics on all ansi door usage this month. OPENDOOR.ERR ....... Readable OpenDoor error file if anything goes wrong. OPENDOOR.SAV ....... A copy of the last BBS output used by OpenDoor. OPENDOOR.SYS ....... The output of a successful run of OpenDoor. An example of what these files might look like are included in the appendix to this document. ===== GENERAL PURPOSE ================================================== Many sysop's have trouble installing door programs written for bbs systems different from what they are using. On the other side of the issue are the authors of door programs that really don't care about the variety of bbs systems and simply want sysops to be able to use their programs easily. As I upgraded my various Ansi graphics/windowing doors I removed all bbs dependant logic from them. However, they still do need to know some basic information unique to each caller/bbs system, such as: The Users first name ...................... Joe The Users last name ....................... Blow The Current Communication parameters ...... COM1:2400,N,8,1 The Time left for BBS session ............. 32 ===== HOW OPENDOOR.EXE WORKS =========================================== Run OpenDoor once and print out a copy of "OPENDOOR.BAT" and also the file "OPENDOOR.CFG" to help follow along with this discussion. 0. OpenDoor checks for files expected and creates default files for those missing that it needs. 1. OpenDoor examines the current directory, should be the BBS directory, for all the BBS output file types it supports. OpenDoor checks their name ... PCBOARD.SYS or DORINFO1.DEF .. DORINFO4.DEF .. etc. 2. Then it checks the date and elimates any not created today. 3. Next it checks the time stamp, creation time, for each file and selects the most recently created file. 4. Now it opens the single file it has by this time, if any, and by looking at key locations within the file and by examining it's size it determines the format type of this file. Note: You may tell OpenDoor what format you think it should get if you want. If you tell it what to expect and it finds something else it will terminate putting the reasons for the failure in the file OpenDoor.ERR The formats supports as of this release were: Type = 1 = DorInfo?.def from around 1988 2 = PcBoard.sys from around 1988 3 = DorInfo?.def from around 1990 4 = PcBoard.sys from around 1990 5 = PcBoard.sys from around 1991 It is recommended that you leave the OpenDoor.cfg file default this value to "0" and let it do the best it can. 5. OpenDoor now creates the appropriate OPENDOOR.SYS file for later use by the ansi doors based upon the information it reads from this file. Note: In some cases it can determine that a remote user can not support ansi graphics and it simply terminates. ALL, repeat ALL the files created by OpenDoor are put into the same directory as the bbs and have a name that starts with "OPENDOOR".??? 6. The time allowed in the ansi door is adjusted to the lower of either the time left on the BBS or the maximum time allowed in any door as set in the OpenDoor.CFG file. 7. OpenDoor checks the command line, optional input, value and updates the log for the information suppled. If no input then it assigned the input value to a default setting of "UNKNOWN DOOR". Note: The command line can be blank or contain any character field up to about 30 characters. Any more than this will be truncated. The OpenDoor.LOG file contains a list of all the doors that were called, the number of times they were called, the date and time of the last call, and a string of numeric values that capture the idle days when they were not called at all. For example: 0,2,0,0,5 ..... etc. would mean that the door was called today, two days ago, each of the two days before that, and then was not used the five days before that usage. On the first call of the month before any entrees are made in the OpenDoor.LOG file it is copied to OpenDoor.DAT and a fresh copy is created to log in this months statistics. 8. Now just before returning to the batch file's control OpenDoor makes a copy of the BBS output file it used to create OpenDoor.SYS and calls this file OpenDoor.SAV This makes it handy for you to figure out why it seemed to do something crazy. Note: When it starts running, OpenDoor.EXE deletes the file(s) OpenDoor.SYS and OpenDoor.ERR if they exist. If you examine the file OpenDoor.BAT you will see in this example that these files are used by your batch file to determine if you should call the ansi door. To call the ansi door: A. The file OpenDoor.SYS should EXIST B. The file OpenDoor.ERR should NOT EXIST ===== HOW MAZE.BAT WORKS =============================================== 1. First it must be called. This is done by telling your BBS that it exists, it's name (MAZE.BAT), and on some BBS systems what form of output to send it. If you have a choice use the format for DORINFO?.DEF as it supples more complete information. You also will likely need to do something so you users will be able to get at it, like modify a menu or something. Sorry I can't help you there. Note: While some BBS systems do not output either of the formats OpenDoor.exe supports, there are usually some utilities around that can create one of the files I support from whatever it does produce. These would be called as the first step in the batch files operation. If you are really stuck I will upgrade OpenDoor.EXE to support any generally available public domain BBS output if you send me a copy of the BBS's output and some docs on its format and meaning of the fields entries, like all possible settings, etc. 2. I always make sure the disk and directory is correct even though these should usually be ok when the batch file is called. C: CD C:\BBS 3. Its not a bad idea to use some utility to monitor the user modem connection. WatchDog is a favorite of mine. Note: All of my ansi doors do monitor the modem and have various timeout monitors in place to catch this but you can never be too careful. 4. Next I call OpenDoor.EXE and give it some command like input to make the OpenDoor.LOG file entry meaningful. OPENDOOR.EXE MAZE 5.0 5. Now I check to see if OpenDoor.SYS exists and that OpenDoor.ERR doesn't. If I see a problem here I simply return to the BBS by ending the batch file. IF EXIST OPENDOOR.ERR GOTO QUIT IF NOT EXIST OPENDOOR.SYS GOTO QUIT 6. Now I copy the OpenDoor.SYS file into the directory where the game I want to run exists. Note: This doesn't have to be on the same drive. Also you can set up your system so each door has its on directory or simply let them all co-exist in one place. I have used naming conventions for ansi door files that will allow them to be in the same directory without any problems if you want to do that. COPY C:\BBS\OPENDOOR.SYS C:\BBS\GAMES\MAZE\OPENDOOR.SYS 7. Now change the current directory, drive also .. if different, to be the current directory. C: CD C:\BBS\GAMES\MAZE 8. Execute the ansi door program. MAZE.EXE 9. If you want now is the time to copy any ansi game bulletin type output into one of your bulletin files. Note: Player scores, a list of maze escapees and a picture of the last game where a repaint was used all make good bulletins. 10. Change the directory, and drive too, back to the defaults for the BSS and exit the batch file. :QUIT C: CD \BBS Note: On some BBS's you need to call the BBS batch file as the last line in your batch file. See your BBS documentation on how it recommends you call doors. If you have a choice don't let your BBS shell out to the ansi door's batch file but call it clean. This gives the doors the maximum amount of memory. The BBS I run, TAG, has the best of both worlds as its hides a version of itself in extended memory and only leaves 7K of its reentry logic in memory. ===== OPENDOOR.SYS ===================================================== The file, "OPENDOOR.SYS" should look something like the following: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Ansi Tool Box ][ Fast Fingers COM1:2400,N,8,1 JOHN SMITH 45 Foot Notes: [on 12-20-1991 @ 16:54:43] 1. Door Wanted was: MAZE 5.0 2. File used was: PCBOARD.SYS and a copy was saved in OPENDOOR.SAV 3. BBS output type: 2 4. File format was: PcBoard.sys ....... Format 1988 5. Generated by: OpenDoor.EXE ...... Release 4.1 Jan. 1991 Legal Formats: 1 = DorInfo?.def ... Format 1988 2 = PcBoard.sys ....... Format 1988 3 = DorInfo?.def ... Format 1990 4 = PcBoard.sys ....... Format 1990 5 = PcBoard.sys ....... Format 1991 0 = Unknown/Variable => OpenDoor determine OPENDOOR.CFG configuration default ===== OPENDOOR.LOG ===================================================== The files "OPENDOOR.LOG" and "OPENDOOR.DAT" should look like: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OPENDOOR.LOG File Initialized 0 ................. 1 12-01-1991 Unknown Door ...................... 0 ................. 3 12-01-1991 MAZE 4.0 .......................... 0,0,0,0,1,0,0,2,0,0 17 12-25-1991 BLACK JACK 3.6 .................... 0,2,1,3 ........... 7 12-22-1991 MAZE 5.0 .......................... 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 32 12-25-1991 CHECKERS .......................... 4,3,5,1 ........... 4 12-12-1991 ANSI COMBAT 1.0 ................... 0 ................. 1 12-17-1991 BATTLE SHIP 1.0 ................... 0,0,0,0,0 ......... 14 12-25-1991 CRAZY 8'S VERSION 3.6 ............. 2,6 ............... 2 12-10-1991 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===== OPENDOOR.CFG ===================================================== The file "OPENDOOR.CFG" should look like: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "OpenDoor.Cfg"," .... Created by OpenDoor.EXE on ............ 12-18-1990" 1," ................. Music Switch .......................... 1=On 0=Off" 0," ................. BBS at Locked Baud Rate ............... 0=No 1=Yes" "19200"," ........... If baud Locked this is locked speed" "45"," .............. Maximum Minutes allowed in Door" 0," ................. BBS OutPut Type, 0=Unknown/Mixture, [# > 0] SEE DOCs!" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===== OPENDOOR.SAV ===================================================== The file "OPENDOOR.SAV" could look like: [ 1990 Dorinfo?.def Format] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Tool Box Fast Fingers COM1 2400 BAUD,N,8,1 0 FAST FINGERS Sterling Heights, Mich. 1 255 208 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ===== OPENDOOR.ERR ===================================================== The file "OPENDOOR.ERR" could look like: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OpenDoor Error File Created on 12-20-1991 @ 22:33:28 Didn't find what you wanted .. Terminating! You were looking for a Type = 4 What I found was a Type = 2 Either change your OPENDOOR.CFG file or modify your BBS to output what you insist I must process! ======================== END OF OPENDOOR.DOC ======== Finally <grin> ===