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BShow 1.21 by Ben Sandee 08-08-93 Table of Contents ================= License, disclaimer, etc.................................... 1 BShow Features.............................................. 2 BShow Operation............................................. 3 Command line parameters..................................... 4 Configuration File Options - Global......................... 5 Configuration File Options - Unique to each Utility......... 7 Menu options in BShow....................................... 9 Adding Compression Utility Interfaces.......................10 Credits and copyrights......................................12 1 LICENSE, DISCLAIMER & MISCELLANEOUS INFO ======================================== You are free to use BShow in any way you see fit, provided you follow the following rules: A) Distribute copies of BShow with it's original archive contents intact. This means NO ADDITIONAL FILES! You may repack the archive with any archiver you wish, provided the original contents are not disturbed. B) You may not SELL BShow. (w/o previous written consent of the author. You won't get my consent tho, so don't even bother... ;) C) You may DISTRIBUTE BShow on disk provided you obtain prior written consent AND charge no more than $3 per copy to cover media and production costs. If you plan on charging more than $3 per copy, don't even waste my time with a letter of permission. The author of BShow may not be held responsible for ANY damage BShow may do to your system or data loss caused by its use. BShow has been extensively tested on a number of systems and SHOULD work on yours. However, the author cannot guarantee that it will work on your particular setup. The Author may be contacted for questions or requests via the above mail address, or on the JW-PC DataFlex.HST BBS at (608)837-1923 at 1200/2400/9600/12200/14400/16800 HST/V.32bis, Fidonet 1:121/8 and RBBS-net 8:972/2 or at 1200/2400/9600/12200/14400/16800/19200 ZYX/V.32bis, Fidonet 1:121/88 and RBBS-Net 8:972/3. The author may also be reached via echomail in the RBBS-PC Conference on either RBBS-net or Fidonet. The latest version of BShow may also be FREQ'd via magic name BSHOW at either of the above net addresses. All products mentioned in this documents are property of their respective owners/companies. 2 BShow Features ============== BShow is a file viewer that is somewhat revolutionary incorparating these features: - BShow will support virtually any compression utility! A simple change in the configuration file is all that is necessary. - BShow is not limited to compressed files alone! It will view any file it is given, in one way or another. - BShow will display ASCII and binary files! ASCII viewing is a simple listing of the file, while binary mode offers a full two-column hexadecimal dump. With this feature, even proprietary word processing formats may be read to some degree! - String searches may be employed in either ASCII or hexadecimal modes! In hexadecimal mode, the ability to search for either a hexadecimal string or a text string is available. - BShow is shipped configured for ZIP, LZH, ARJ and PAK compressed files. But keep in mind, a new viewer is no longer necessary whenever a new compression utility revision becomes available! - BShow includes built-in support for viewing nested compressed files! It's as easy as viewing a normal file! - BShow features easy BBS integration, and was in fact designed to be used on a BBS system! - BShow supports the use of a Fossil Driver - User definable work drives offer increased speed, with the ability to use a RAM drive! 3 BShow Operation =============== BShow may be operated from either the DOS command line or a batch file. The examples in this document will assume BBS usage via a batch file, but keep in mind that it can be operated from the DOS command line with equal ease. There is purposely an overlap between the command line switches and the configuration file, so that the user may decide what is desired to be flexible and passed on the command line, and what is desired to be static and hardcoded in the configuration file. In order to use BShow, the sysop will need the following files: BSHOW.EXE The executable program. (Included) BSHOW.CFG A sample configuration file. RBBSBATS.ZIP Series of RBBS batch files to View compressed files FORCE.BAT FORCE batch file to View compressed files PKZIP.EXE -+ PKUNZIP.EXE | LHA.EXE +- Compression utilities as desired, user furnished. ARJ.EXE | XYZ.ETC -+ SPWN13.ZIP Optional PD Desqview window spawning utility. (Included) Note SHROOM, or current version SHROM18G.ZIP, may give you all the memory you need for ARJ, without DesqView, but it has not yet been tested with BSHOW. If you try it, let us know of the results. SHROOM is a shareware product by Davis Augustine, of Cambridge, MA. Authentic BShow files will come packed in an -AV stamped ZIP file, packaged by JW-PC Consulting. 4 Command Line Parameters for BShow ================================= Conventions: Required items labeled REQUIRED, defaults labeled DEFAULT; if parameter is skipped, default is taken. Square brackets surround user-supplied data, and should NOT be included in batch or cfg files! Filename.EXT « REQUIRED. BShow uses ext to determine compression format. /p[port] « REQUIRED for remote operation. If local BBS node passes 0 for port, baud is ignored and local operation is default. [0=LOCAL=DEFAULT] /wx:\workdir « Uses work directory on drive x: (optional) and uses directory "WORKDIR", for processing. You may specify a RAM drive for extra speed. You will need enough space to hold the largest file within a compressed file, plus a couple kilobytes. [DEFAULT=CURRENT] /m[#] « Maximum number of minutes in BShow. Note: The LESSER of either the command line OR the config file will be used by BShow. [0=NO LIMIT=DEFAULT] /t[#] « maximum number of seconds of idle time. [0=NO LIMIT=DEFAULT] /l[#] « maximum number of lines total to be displayed per session. (prevents user from doing massive ASCII downloads) [0=NO LIMIT=DEFAULT] /i[#] « number of lines per page. [23=DEFAULT] /o[file.ext] « points to configuration file. [BSHOW.CFG=DEFAULT] /f[ext] « forces bshow to use config option for extension ext. 5 Configuration File Options ========================== See sample BSHOW.CFG in distribution package for specific examples and suggested order of commands. Brackets appearing in BShow.CFG should be removed before running and sample data replaced with actual. Global options which apply to all of BShow: ------------------------------------------- / ; * « if in first column, each designates a comment... del_dir=# « where # is the del directory mode. If it's zero, it leaves the work directory in place, otherwise, it deletes it. Note that if a work directory is specified with full path, it may be left in place without worrying about having multiple directories created. 0=OFF=DEFAULT=LEAVE. NOT ZERO=ON=DELETE. directvideo=# « force BIOS (0) or direct (1) screen writes Note: If BShow detects DESQview, it will default to BIOS screen writes, otherwise direct screen writes are the default. fossil=# « selects fossil driver usage OFF (0) or ON (1) lines=# « the number of lines per page. This determines the number of lines between page breaks. max_blanks=# « the maximum number of consecutive blank lines to display. Documents often begin with several pages of blank lines, and this feature cuts down on display time. max_idle=# « the maximum idle time in seconds to allow user max_line=# « the maximum number of lines per file to display to a user. Good to prevent users from "viewing" a 300K text file to save a download credit. max_time=# « designates the maximum amount of time to allow a user to be in a BShow session. The LESSER of either the command line OR the config file will be used by BShow. example: max_time=10 nested=# « limits the number of levels deep a user can go into nested archives. Setting this to zero disables nested archive viewing. To have no limit, set it to 30000. Then tell me if anyone reaches that. :) 6 swap=# « where # is the swapping mode. 0=OFF=DEFAULT. NON-ZERO=ON. When BShow shells out to the unpacker/lister, it can either do one of two things: 1) It can shell to DOS by running a second copy of COMMAND.COM (leaving all of BShow in memory) and then run the unpacker/lister. 2) It can take the BShow code in memory, and copy it to EMS/XMS/HMA/Disk, freeing up that memory for use by the unpacker/lister. When the unpack/lister is finished, BShow is reloaded into conventional DOS memory, and execution resumes. The default is off because there have been certain compatibility problems between BShow and some ill-behaved programs. BShow will also function faster with swapping off, so if possible, DON'T SWAP! Additional note: SWAPPING may also be included as a local parameter for a specific archive type. work_dir= « same function as the command line parameter. 7 Format options unique to each compression utility ================================================= end « ENDS the series of options started by the previous "format_xxx" command. format_xxx « BEGINS compression-program-specific-section series of options used only if target file extension is ".xxx" . example: format_zip unpack=pkunzip %file% %filespec% > %listfile%" list=... end header1= « the string to display once per screenful of data, while viewing the files. header2= « the string to display once per screenful of data, right after header1. list= « string containing the path and parameters used to run the lister. This should give a list of the files in the archive. You can put several different variables that are replaced by Bshow with parameters originally passed from the command line. These include: %file% - the archive name %filespec% - in unpack mode, this is the file to unpack, in list mode, it's the filespec for lists. %listfile% - the listfile used by Bshow. Examples: list=spawn /m:160 /w "lha.exe l %file% %filespec% > %listfile%" unpack=spawn /m:160 /w "lha.exe e -y %file% %filespec% > nul" or list=lha.exe l %file% %filespec% > %listfile% unpack=lha.exe e %file% %filespec% > nul Note the positioning of the quoted strings used when SPAWN is used for DESQview operation. offset1= « number of characters to strip off the beginning of the string read from the list of the files in the archive. 8 offset2= « number of characters to strip off the END of the string read from the list of the files in the archive. Offset1 and 2 are used to strip certain characters off the string, to make it fit into 80 columns. offset3= « which column the filename starts in each line read from the file listing. waitfor1= « the string to watch for, to signal the beginning of the file list. waitfor2= « the string to watch for, to signal the END of the file list. unpack= « string containing the path and parameters used to run the unpacker. For examples see the included example files or BSHOW.CFG. 9 Menu Options in BShow ===================== From the Main prompt: [Main] <L,#,?=Help,[Enter]=Exit>: ? 'L' - relists the directory with the SAME filespec. # - the number corresponding to the file you wish to view. (NOTE! This includes nested archives!) [name] - the name of the file you wish to view. (NOTE! Same as above!) [wildcard] - relists the directory with a NEW filepsec. [enter] - exits BShow. From within the directory listing: [Dir] <A,C,L,M,N,Q,#,?=Help>: 'M' or [enter] - Continues file listing with next page. 'N' - Quits listing files, and goes directly to main prompt. 'L' - Relists the directory from the beginning. 'C' - Enters continuous text viewing mode, without these prompts Note that you may press any key to abort continuous mode. # - The number corresponding to the file you wish to view. (NOTE! This includes nested archives!) [name] - The name of the file you wish to view. (NOTE! Same as above!) [wildcard] - Relists the directory with new filespecs. 'Q' or 'A' - Exits BShow RIGHT NOW!! From within a Text or Binary listing: [List - 32% done] - <A,B,C,M,N,S,Q,?=Help>: ? 'M' or [Enter] - Lists next page of file. 'C' - Enters continuous viewing mode. This will eliminate all prompts. Note that you can enter normal mode again by pressing any key. 'B' - Backup one page, and list it (view previous page). 'S' - Starts a string search in either text or binary modes. 'T' - Toggles between normal view mode and hex dump mode. 'N' - Returns to directory list mode. 'Q' or 'A' - exits BShow RIGHT NOW!! 10 Adding Compression Utility Interfaces ===================================== BShow has been designed so that as compression programs are created or improved, they may be utilized by the sysop. This is a sample archive listing, generated by LHA 2.13 using the "lha l test.lzh" command. This is the straight listing, no comments. -=-=-=-=- LISTING STARTS BELOW THIS LINE -=-=-=-=- Listing of archive : TEST.LZH Name Original Packed Ratio Date Time Attr Type CRC -------------- -------- -------- ------ -------- -------- ---- ----- ---- SOURCE.C 2779 1203 43.3% 91-09-29 14:47:42 a--w -lh5- 1D2E SOURCE.OBJ 8066 2438 30.2% 91-09-29 03:07:40 a--w -lh5- 4B91 SOURCE.EXE 1368 447 32.7% 91-09-24 21:02:48 a--w -lh5- 659C OTHER.FIL 4478 1285 28.7% 91-09-29 14:46:16 a--w -lh5- 0A02 MORE.FIL 5275 1460 27.7% 91-09-29 14:44:32 a--w -lh5- 18B5 JUNK.EXE 3312 1039 31.4% 91-09-05 09:47:44 a--w -lh5- 0378 MISC.COM 2152 812 37.7% 91-09-29 14:42:06 a--w -lh5- EE1A HELPME.DOC 5780 3516 60.8% 91-09-29 14:47:48 a--w -lh5- C5DE READ.ALL 12348 7358 59.6% 91-09-29 03:27:32 a--w -lh5- 323E HANGON.TOM 2216 1417 63.9% 91-09-29 03:27:34 a--w -lh5- 5CB9 FORGET.ME 7139 4271 59.8% 91-09-29 14:47:26 a--w -lh5- D415 MORE.C 6414 3797 59.2% 91-09-29 14:44:40 a--w -lh5- 08C0 TEST.FIL 3219 2188 68.0% 91-09-29 14:42:36 a--w -lh5- 777F -------------- -------- -------- ------ -------- -------- 13 files 64546 31231 48.4% 91-09-29 15:25:20 -=-=-=-=- LISTING ENDS ABOVE THIS LINE -=-=-=-=- What follows is the same text file - with comments. They describe what each parameter in the configuration does to process this file listing, as well as all others generated by LHA. Follow this procedure with any similar compression program, and BShow should work with it. "//" designates a comment line, and starts in what represents the first column of the listing. 11 -=-=-=-=- LISTING BEGINS BELOW THIS LINE -=-=-=-=- Listing of archive : TEST.LZH //This next line is the format1= line. First line of every page. Name Original Packed Ratio Date Time Attr Type CRC // // This next one is the format2= line, AS WELL AS, the waitfor1= line. // BShow reads until it encounters this string, and then everything from // then on are file listings. // -------------- -------- -------- ------ -------- -------- ---- ----- ---- // notice that the offset1=2 means which column the file names start in. // In LHA, they start in column 2. SOURCE.C 2779 1203 43.3% 91-09-29 14:47:42 a--w -lh5- 1D2E SOURCE.OBJ 8066 2438 30.2% 91-09-29 03:07:40 a--w -lh5- 4B91 SOURCE.EXE 1368 447 32.7% 91-09-24 21:02:48 a--w -lh5- 659C OTHER.FIL 4478 1285 28.7% 91-09-29 14:46:16 a--w -lh5- 0A02 MORE.FIL 5275 1460 27.7% 91-09-29 14:44:32 a--w -lh5- 18B5 JUNK.EXE 3312 1039 31.4% 91-09-05 09:47:44 a--w -lh5- 0378 // // Two other parameters, the offset1, and offset2, delete spaces, or // characters from the end of strings. This is to clarify things. // Offset2=1 will delete 1 character off the beginning of the line, // just before displaying it. offset3=1 will chop one character off // the end of the string. If lines take up two lines, because they // are too long, you can use these options to trim them down. // MISC.COM 2152 812 37.7% 91-09-29 14:42:06 a--w -lh5- EE1A HELPME.DOC 5780 3516 60.8% 91-09-29 14:47:48 a--w -lh5- C5DE READ.ALL 12348 7358 59.6% 91-09-29 03:27:32 a--w -lh5- 323E HANGON.TOM 2216 1417 63.9% 91-09-29 03:27:34 a--w -lh5- 5CB9 FORGET.ME 7139 4271 59.8% 91-09-29 14:47:26 a--w -lh5- D415 MORE.C 6414 3797 59.2% 91-09-29 14:44:40 a--w -lh5- 08C0 TEST.FIL 3219 2188 68.0% 91-09-29 14:42:36 a--w -lh5- 777F // // This is the waitfor2= line. If it doesn't find this string anywhere, // it keeps reading, line by line, until it encounters EOF. // -------------- -------- -------- ------ -------- -------- 13 files 64546 31231 48.4% 91-09-29 15:25:20 -=-=-=-=- FILE LISTING ENDS ABOVE -=-=-=-=- 12 Credits, Copyrights, and Thanks =============================== This documentation has been prepared by Jim Wargula, Sysop of JW-PC DataFlex.HST RBBS, where Alpha and Beta testing of BShow, modem distribution, and modem support are based. Please feel free to comment on any documentation errors or omissions. The docs are slowly being improved and ways of expanding them for more clear explanations will be explored... This documentation has been edited by Tim Sandee and Ben Sandee. BShow is Copyright (c) Ben Sandee, 1991, 1993 and may not be distributed as part of any other package or by any commercial enterprise without the express knowledge and consent of the author. BBS systems are given permission to distribute BShow in the Shareware version. Utility programs called by BShow are copyrighted by their respective authors and should be registered as required. Thanks to: Jim Wargula - alpha tester, beta tester, support, documentation. John Fox \ Ken Geen \ Roy Jacobs ---- Beta testers, ideas, support. Ron Mainguth / Mark Simmons / Tim Sandee - documentation, ideas. All the SysOps out there who make BBS'ing more enjoyable. Document revision 1.21, 08-08-93