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- Remote Access Sysop's Information Service
- ──═══════ Configuration Program ════════──
-
- SETUPSIS 2.01
- - OPERATIONS MANUAL -
-
-
- (C)Copyright 1993-1994, Rand Nowell - RaLin Enterprises
- "Putting Bits Together" (tm)
-
- - All Rights Reserved -
- - Worldwide -
-
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- Table Of Contents
-
- Legal.................................1
- Important!............................1
- Multiple Config Files.................1
- Start Up............................1,2
- Main Screen/Menu....................2,3
- File Paths.....................3,4,5
- Print Codes......................5,6
- Options
- External Programs.............6,7
- Modem & Misc....................7
- Messages.........................7,8
- Sysop Info.......................8,9
- Password Protection................9
- Quit...............................9,10
-
-
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- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 1
-
- ┌───────────┐
- │LEGAL NOTE:│
- └───────────┘
- This program and documentation, are Copyrighted 1993,1994 by the author, and
- the sections: COPYRIGHT and DISTRIBUTION, contained in the file RASIS.DOC
- apply to this program, as stated therein.
-
- This program may not be distributed except as a part of the RASIS
- distribution file.
-
- ┌──────────┐
- │IMPORTANT!│
- └──────────┘
- Never attempt to edit RASIS.CFG with a text editor, corruption and failure
- of RASIS to run properly will result.
- Always modify the configuration file with SETUPSIS.EXE.
-
- ┌──────────────────────┐
- │MULTIPLE CONFIG FILES:│
- └──────────────────────┘
- While the concept of RASIS is based on ONE configuration file, for one
- BBS setup, some Sysops may maintain separate sets of menus, language files
- etc. It is possible to create and use multiple CFG files for this purpose.
-
- The way to do this is, create a default CFG, to place in a path directory,
- one that can be used from anywhere. Now copy this file to the directories
- where your other Menu, Language etc files exist.
-
- Then execute SETUPSIS with the desired directory name as a parameter, Setup
- will change to that directory and execute, if it finds a RASIS.CFG in that
- directory, it will load and use that one, else it will load and use the
- first one found on the Dos Path.
- Modify it as needed, then when you run RASIS, specify the same directory,
- and RASIS will use the config file found there.
-
- ┌─────────┐
- │START UP:│
- └─────────┘
- IMPORTANT!
- When Setup starts, it checks the registration code in RASIS.CFG,
- if this is a first time start, or you are NOT registered, and have
- upgraded, the code will be 0 (zero), and Setup will report "Invalid Code".....
- ignore this and do NOT change the 0 in the code field. When you exit the
- Sysop Info box it will again report an error, ignore it.
-
- The reason for this is, when RASIS fires up, if the Reg Code is 0 it will
- simply run in UnRegistered Mode, no beeps, warnings etc. If the code is
- anything other than zero, it does a code validation, and if not correct,
- will display error messages and warnings. Bunch of bother ya know? So if
- you are NOT registered, make sure to leave at 0 (zero)!
-
- Setup does accept several commands at startup.
-
- To run setup, type SETUPSIS at the Dos prompt, if you wish to force mono
- mode, include the switch /m, upper or lower case. Setup does NOT check for
-
-
-
-
- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 2
-
- mono mode, without the switch it will run in Color mode.
-
- You can also specify a directory for Setup to change to, before it
- executes. Upon termination, Setup will return to the directory from which
- it was called.
-
- Listing your RASIS.CFG -
-
- You can now dump RASIS.CFG to a text file, to easily check on your
- current settings. Type SETUPSIS "dump" (without the quotes) Dump may be
- upper or lower case. Your settings will be writen to a file name
- SISCFG.DMP, in a nicely formatted form.
-
- As with actual configuration, this report will be on the RASIS.CFG in the
- current directory, if it exists, else in the first one found on the Dos
- PATH. This will be available in all future setup versions also, which will
- make it simple to keep a copy of your old configuration, should have need
- of going back a version. (heaven forbid!!)
-
- NOTE: When dumping the RASIS.CFG, Setup will not print the actual High
- Ascii characters you entered for the printer commands. If it did, and you
- tried to print it, the printer would react to those commands, changing
- your typestyle, resetting the printer etc. Plus, they would NOT print out.
- So the DUMP writes them as Chr(##) Chr(###) Chr(##)..... where the ## is
- the number of the High ascii Character, ex: Chr(27) Chr(120) Chr(1).
-
- Startup in Editing Mode -
-
- Setup will load the main screen, and display a small box saying it is
- searching for RASIS.CFG.
-
- Setup will first search the current directory, then it will search the
- Dos PATH, for an existing copy of RASIS.CFG.
- If RASIS.CFG cannot be found, Setup will ask if it can create a new,
- default file. Press Y or N for Yes or No.
-
- If you have previously entered a password to be used, Setup will prompt
- for it, you have three tries to enter the correct password, before Setup
- will dump you.
-
- ┌─────────────────┐
- │MAIN SCREEN/MENU:│
- └─────────────────┘
- On the top line of your screen, to the right of the Program Name, Setup
- will display the full pathname of the config file, just for informations
- sake.
-
- On the bottom line of your screen, will be displayed a Help line, for each
- main menu item, and for each data field in the various data entry boxes
- displayed.
-
- When you exit a Data Entry box, Setup will automatically place you on the
- next main menu item, in a logical setup direction.
- Pressing Q or selecting Quit, at any time, when NOT in a Data Entry box,
- will prompt to Save Changes, and Exit Setup. See QUIT, below.
-
-
-
-
- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 3
-
-
- You may also press ESC from the Main Menu bar to exit Setup.
-
- Data Entry Boxes contain a list of keys available for saving or aborting
- the data entry, some explanation is needed though.
-
- The Ctl-U key (UNDELETE) will restore a fields previous contents, if you
- change your mind about a change. This will ONLY work up to your pressing
- of ENTER while in the field.
- The normal HOME, END L/R Arrow keys work as you would expect in the field.
- Enter or Down Arrow on the last field, Saves and Exits, as does the Up
- Arrow if in the first field.
-
- ┌───────────┐
- │FILE PATHS:│
- └───────────┘
- This Data Entry box allows you to specify locations for various RA system
- files needed, plus Report Storage, and an external viewer.
- For directory names, you may or may not supply the trailing backslash,
- RASIS will take care of that for you!
-
- Some validation is performed on the paths and filenames you enter.
-
- INVALID PATHS:
- If the directory name you specify contains a trailing backslash, Setup
- will strip it from the field.
- Then, once the is in an acceptable format, Setup will verify that it
- is a Valid "Existing Directory", if not, you will be given the option to
- create it. If Setup cannot create the directory, a message will display
- informing you of the fact. Usually an invalid drive, or invalid
- characters in the directory name will cause this to happen.
-
-
- System Dir: Complete path to your RA system directory, ie: C:\RA
-
- Menu Dir : Complete path to directory where your Menus are stored.
-
- File Base : This is the path to the directory of your file database HDR
- directories. An example would be:
- D:\FILEDATA {filebase dir specified in RACONFIG}
- │
- ├── D:\FILEDATA\HDR {files used by RASIS}
- ├── D:\FILEDATA\TXT
- └── D:\FILEDATA\IDX
-
- So, D:\FILEDATA would be your entry.
-
- Usr/Msg : Complete path to the directory containing your message base,
- and/or USERS.BBS. IF you are not using the Hudson, but all
- JAM, then this needs to be the directory containing
- USERS.BBS and MSGINFO.BBS etc.
-
- THIS IS CHANGED FROM PREVIOUS VERSIONS.....
- You do NOT want to include "USERS.BBS" at the end of the
- directory name. If you do, setup will ask if you want it to
-
-
-
-
- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 4
-
- "create" the directory, even if you say YES, it will report
- an error, as it cannot create a directory with the same name
- as an existing file.
-
-
- Reports : If you want any reports that are sent to file, stored in a
- specific directory, name it here. If this is left blank,
- reports to file will be written in the "current" directory.
-
- Templates : Directory to store RASIS message template files. (*.RMT)
- This can be a dedicated directory or your RA directory.
-
- File Attach : This must be the name of the directory you specifed in
- RACONFIG as the attach directory.
- When you attach a file or files to a message in RASIS, the
- program creates a uniquely named directory under this
- specified "ROOT" directory.
-
- File Areas : This should be the "ROOT" directory, off from which your
- file directories for downloads exist. Given the directory
- structure in the following example....
-
- D:\BBSFILES
- ├───── RAUTIL - RA utilities
- ├───── WORDP - Word Processor Stuff
- └───── DOSUTIL - General Dos Utils
-
- Your entry would be D:\BBSFILES
- When you press the F5 key when the Attach File Name window
- is displayed, it will present a picklist, starting in the
- specified directory, and allow you to move through the
- directories, to find and select the file you want.
-
- See RASIS.DOC for instructions on using the picklist.
-
- Viewer : Specify a text file viewer that can be called from RASIS.
- This MUST be a full pathname, and must include the program
- files extension. ie: C:\UTIL\TVIEW.EXE
- You can supply program parameters if desired, such as the
- directory where your reports are created.
-
- If you would like to always fire up the viewer in your
- "Report" directory, then give the directory as a parameter.
- EG: if reports are going to C:\Reports you can enter
- C:\UTIL\TVIEW.EXE C:\REPORTS... make sure there is a
- space before viewer parameters/filenames
-
- ***BATCH FILES ARE "NOT" SUPPORTED FOR THIS CALL!***
-
- Editor : This is for the Editor to be used to create/edit messages.
- It can be an external editor, or you can use the RASIS
- internal editor, which is a full featured editor, text
- import, block commands and more.
-
- * External - Enter full Drive/path/filename.extension and
-
-
-
-
- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 5
-
- any startup parameters needed.
- * Internal - Leave BLANK, to use internal message editor.
-
- The internal editor has advantages over external, when
- writting/posting a new message on the fly....
-
- Text Viewer, is checked to see that you supplied a full drive and
- pathname. You could still enter an invalid name, in this case RASIS will
- report an Error (Dos Error #2, file not found). If you leave it blank, the
- Viewer call is disabled.
-
- Editor is validated same as Viewer, if you enter data for an external
- editor. For the internal editor (blank field) no validation is required.
-
- ┌────────────┐
- │PRINT CODES:│
- └────────────┘
- Pretty easy, you enter the escape+char sequences required to set your
- printer to the mode requested. Up to 40 characters can be entered,
- allowing for Laser Printer code strings.
-
- These are used for the PRE and POST print codes for Mailing Labels,
- and some of the reports.
- NOTE: Some reports force compressed mode, see RASIS.DOC
-
- Entering the ESC char, Ctl-Key chars etc. is accomplished by first
- pressing CTL-P, then pressing the ESC, CTL+KEY combo, =or= the
- Alt+Numberpad key combo.
-
- cpi= characters per inch cpl= characters per line
-
- * Stnd.On : Set standard PICA 10cpi/80cpl print mode.
- * Comp.On : Set compressed, 17cpi/137/cpl print mode.
- * Comp.Off : Turn OFF compressed mode.
- * Elite.On : Set Elite Mode, 12cpi/96cpl print mode.
-
- You can use Stnd.On to turn off Elite.
- Of course you can enter in any code string for any print mode you
- desire, for these settings. Refer to your printer manual.
-
- LQ.On : Set Letter Quality Print On.
- LQ.Off : Set Letter Quality Print Off.
-
- The default settings for RASIS are:
- PRE: Elite.On
- POST: Stnd.On
- LQ : Off
-
- * Reset Printer: (NEW) Code to reset printer.
- This is handy if your printer has a problem changing
- codes on command.
-
- NOTE: All suppled print commands are for EPSON LQ850 compatible printer,
- which includes the Panasonic 1224i
-
-
-
-
-
- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 6
-
- * Printer Port: This is the LPT? port your printer is attached to.
- Used for testing printer availability, sending codes
- etc.
- May be from 1 to 3. Default is 1.
-
- ┌───────────┐
- │OPTIONS: │
- └───────────┘
- Options displays a Menu, with two choices: External Programs and
- Modem & Misc.
-
-
- External Programs:
- The External Programs box is where you get to create your own MENU list,
- for the call to your User and File Maintainence programs, along with four
- other programs that can be run form RASIS.
- In un-registered mode, you may setup the last three programs, but they
- will NOT be available in RASIS util you are registered.
-
- Display: is what will be displayed in the menu, limit of 15 characters
- input, less the highlighting flags, gives you a total of up to 13
- characters for the menu display line.
-
- The HOT key highlight chars are the [ and ]. Surronding a letter with
- these will cause it to be in the highlighted color, and will also be the
- HOT key for the menu item.
-
- Look at the default items created by 106TO200, and run RASIS, with the
- new config, without changing these, to see how this works.
- Then you can modify to use any third party utility you wish, or leave as
- is to use RA's RAMGR.EXE program.
-
- * User Program Display:
- This is what will be displayed in the menu for the USER maintainence
- program menu item.
- * User Program Command: The full drive/path/filename with any parameters,
- to run the User program.
- * User Program Help: Here you enter the help text you want displayed
- on the RASIS Help Line.
-
- * File Program Display: Same as the User setup above.
- * File Program Command: Same as User.
- * File Program Help: Here you enter the help text you want displayed
- on the RASIS Help Line.
-
- * Optional Programs Display: Can be another program to run, or if you use
- RAMGR, this can be the command to run RAMGR in menu mode, where you
- can choose either from withing RAMGR.
- * Optional Programs Command: Same as previous two.
- * Optional Programs Help: Here you enter the help text you want displayed
- on the RASIS Help Line.
-
- * Optional Programs #4 thru #6 the same....
-
- Now...... you "can" actually run RAMGR for both user and file maint, and
-
-
-
-
- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 7
-
- add two other external programs to this menu. Simply choose one for
- RAMGR, and put the other two in the other slots.
-
- When setup saves changes, it parses out the HOTKEY for the changed/new
- menu item. For this to work, and for the HOTKEY to be highlighted, you
- MUST surround it with the [ and ] characters.
- If you do not, the menu command WILL NOT WORK!
-
-
- Modem & Misc:
-
- * Local Area Code: Generaly the area code for your local dialing range.
- If this code is found in a phone number it will be stripped.
-
- * Long Distance String: Dialing string for calling numbers outside your
- area.
- NOTE: When you run the Dialer in RASIS, it does give you the chance to
- edit the number before actually dialing it.
-
- * Modem COM port: RASIS only supports COM1 and COM2, enter 1 ot 2 here.
-
- * Use Font: This allows you to permanetly disable the Special Font used by
- RASIS when a VGA monitor is detected. Set this to No if you experience
- problems. You can also disable the font, for the current RASIS session,
- by using the /NF switch when firing up RASIS.
-
- * Force User Name: Previous versions had this in the Sysop setup, it causes
- RASIS to "always" use the name in the user record for the first line
- of the Mail Label.
-
- * Label Format: Tells RASIS how to print the label text.
- 1. Proper Case (DEFAULT):
- Prints all words with the first letter in uppercase, the rest
- lowercase.
- 2. Upper Case:
- Prints all words in uppercase.
- 3. As Is:
- Prints all words as they exist in the user's record.
-
- ┌───────────┐
- │MESSAGES: │
- └───────────┘
- This section is where you set up the default values for Posting Messages
- in RASIS. These values are used for posting of "template" messages,
- already created by you.
- Some can be over-ridden at posting time, some cannot.
-
- In un-registered mode you may only post to the Hudson Message Base,
- upon registration posting to JAM areas is activated.
-
- * Message Base Type: Enter "H" for Hudson, or "J" for JAM {+}
- This value cannot be changed at post time.
-
- * Hudson Board #: Enter the board number to use, when posting to a
- Hudson Message Base. Numbers must be zero padded, and can range from
-
-
-
-
- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 8
-
- 001 to 200. A number MUST be entered, though it is ignored if you
- have specified JAM above. Only used when posting to HMB.
- This cannot be changed at post time.
-
- * Message Base Path:
- This field specifies the path to either the Hudson Message Base
- directory, which should be the same as that entered in File/Directory
- PATHS, or the path to your JAM message file. Explanation below...
-
- Validation of this entry is dependant on what was entered for Message
- Base Type.
-
- HUDSON: The entry is checked for a valid directory path name, and
- should be pointing to your Hudson Message Base directory.
- Example - D:\RA\MSGBASE - in which RASIS expects to find the MSGBASE
- file.
-
- JAM: The entry is not validated as a directory path, in fact, NO
- validation is done. Setup ASSUMES, that you have, or will, create
- this message file with RACONFIG.
- Lets assume you want a JAM message area.... General Messages, in
- RACONFIG you would set up the area as JAM, with a PATH to the file
- area, Example: D:\RA\JAM\GENERAL..... what this specifies is that
- In the directory D:\RA\JAM RACONFIG should create a message file,
- and index files, for a message area called GENERAL.
-
- It will create four files for the General Messages area:
- GENERAL.JDT
- GENERAL.JDX
- GENERAL.JHR
- GENERAL.JLR
- So, in effect, when the message base type is set to J, for JAM, this
- field points to a "FILE", or series of files, (GENERAL.*).
- When the message base type is H, for HUDSON, this field points to a
- "DIRECTORY".
- Is this all as clear as mud? <grin>
-
- When you go to post a message in RASIS, the data window displays
- where the message is being posted to,
- For HUDSON it displays - Posting To: Board # 001 D:\RA\MSGABSE
- For JAM it displays - Posting To: D:\RA\JAM\GENERAL
- ..... based on the examples given.......
-
- * Default From:
- This value will be placed in the From field at post time,
- usually this will be "Sysop" or your Name.
- This can be changed at post time.
-
- In the future, there may be a couple more options that may be set up
- here.
-
- ┌───────────┐
- │SYSOP INFO:│
- └───────────┘
- This is where you enter System and Sysop name, and Registration Code.
-
-
-
-
- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 9
-
-
-
- System Name : Your BBS/Company name, as you wish it displayed, and
- listed in Reports.
-
- Sysop Name : As you wish your name displayed, also, this MUST match
- the Sysop Name as supplied for your Registration Code.
-
- Registration Code: Enter your Registration Code as received from RaLin.
- If you are NOT registered, leave it at 0, (numerical
- zero), else an error will be generated in RASIS, code
- and name are also verified just after exiting the
- Sysop Information box, if it's invalid, two messages
- will be displayed, one by the Validation routine, as
- done in RASIS, and one by Setup. We want to make SURE
- you know if the information is not correct! <smile>
-
- Registered Mode is determined in Setup immediatly after the code is
- entered, so once a valid registration code is entered, any fields that
- you were previously unable to modify, should become available to you the
- moment the code is proved valid.
-
- ┌─────────┐
- │PASSWORD:│
- └─────────┘
- The password you specify, is saved as a CRC value, the same as RA
- saves your User Passwords.
- Should you forget your password, if it has been assigned, you will not be
- able to access Setup to fix it.
- Your only choice will be to erase RASIS.CFG, and start from scratch
- again.
-
- If you enter a password here, it will be required to access both the
- Setup program, and RASIS. In both cases, you are given three tries at
- entering your password, before being booted out.
-
- We CAN NOT tell you what your password is either, so don't call
- asking for me to figure it out!! If you forget it, you will have no other
- choice but to delete RASIS.CFG and start over.
-
- Pressing ENTER on a blank field, disables Password Protection.
-
- Entering a password here will Create or Change the password CRC value.
- If none exists, it will be created, if one exists, it will be changed.
-
- NOTE: If you enter a password, during the current Setup session, the
- password will be visible in this field, should you wish to double check
- the string before Exiting Setup.
- Once you have saved the configuration, this string will never be shown
- again, it is NOT saved, only the CRC value of the string.
-
- ┌─────┐
- │QUIT:│
- └─────┘
- ESC may also be pressed instead of "Q".
-
-
-
-
- SetupSis Sysop's Setup Manual for RASIS 2.0 Page 10
-
-
- If Setup detects that changes have been made, it will prompt you to
- save them, (Y/N), you can press ESC to remain in the program.
- Pressing N will discard any changes made and exit normally.
- Pressing Y will update the config file currently being used, with the new
- settings.
-
- Remember, even if you made changes in a data entry box, if you pressed
- ESC any time before normal exit, the changes were discarded. In this
- case, as far as Setup is concerned, No changes were made.
-
- Upon termination, Setup will display a message, telling you:
-
- 1. No Changes...Configuration Not Saved
- 2. Configuration Saved to: Path+Filename
-
- Depending on what has been done.
-
-
- <eof SETUP.DOC>
-