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Text File | 1992-03-01 | 30.7 KB | 621 lines

HISTORY EVDoor v4.1 01-MAR-91 (4.1 Major Public Release) Increased DEBUGGING and troubleshooting. Added DEBUG command to the command line options (SEE CMDLINE.DOC) 19-JAN-91 (4.0 Major Release of EVDOOR and EVDSETUP) You MUST run the latest EVDSETUP on your current .DAT files. If you experience any problems with this release of EVDoor (v4.0) with your old configuration/data file, erase/delete it and re-create it again from scratch! EVDoor will now except modem return status. You *MUST* now add Q0 to your dialing out string, whereas in past releases you had to have verbose modem commands turned off. A typical EVDOOR dialing out string will be "ATX4Q0DT". Modified the way EVDoor handles users when a match is found in your VERIFY.FON file, by either a NAME match or PHONE NUMBER match. Previous versions allowed you to either ALLOW the user to be verified when a match was found or not to allow them to be verified. In EVDSETUP you previously set this switch to either Y (Yes) or N (No). With the release of v4.0 you now have 3 options, it is nolonger Y or N, but 0, 1, or 2. Option 0 is the same as Y (Yes), 1 same as N (No) and 2 is the same as N (No) but will automatically disconnect the user if a match has been found. See EVDSETUP on-line help for this field via the F1 Key. The call awaiting screen is now properly updated when a user is automatically disconnected. You *MUST* have PCBSTATS.EXE in the same directory as your PCBOARD.SYS file and your PCBSTATS.DAT must be in the same place as your USERS file. To aid in troubleshooting and debugging, I have added in the ability for EVDoor to write to the EVDERROR.LOG file virtually everything EVDoor does, to turn DEBUG on you place DEBUG on the command line when calling up EVDoor, making it the LAST command on the command line. Example: EVDOOR C:\PCB\PCBOARD.SYS C:\PCB\MAIN\USERS DEBUG EVDOOR C:\PCB\PCBOARD.SYS C:\PCB\MAIN\USERS PORT:F:1 DEBUG Turning DEBUG on will "slow down" EVDoor's operation immensely and will "delay" modem connections as well. If you experience problems with EVDoor, upload your EVDoor batch file, .DAT files, EVDERROR.LOG and a copy of your CALLERS.LOG. 31-DEC-91 (3.9) EVDoor will now record in the callers log what it "thinks" is the reason why the second attempt to dial out failed. It will record either one of the 3 possibilities. BUSY (self-explanatory ) or NO CARRIER (but the user picked up the phone, or an answering machine picked up!) or NO ANSWER (the phone just rings and rings on the other end.) Take note to the information release for v3.8 below as well. It was placed up for download all day on the 30th and 31st but no one downloaded it. (2nd notice!) Registered owners, please take NOTE! I do NOT provide voice phone support. Do NOT call my place of residents! The BBS I run with two full time dedicated data lines is the place I provide user support. With the exception of 1 hour early each morning that board maintenance is preformed, both lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and both have HST's on them. Beginning with version 4.0 (soon to be released) and 1 January 1992, I will be coming out with new registration requirements relating to upgrades, user support, and other pertinent items. Voice support maybe considered, but "will be very costly"!! 30-DEC-91 (3.8 maintenance upgrade and general information) DO NOT forget to run CONVERT.EXE on your VERIFY.FON file prior to EVDoor versions released before v3.5! If your have difficulty with the latest code, your *.DAT file(s) maybe corrupted, if so you will have to delete them and re-create them from scratch. To coincide with PCBoard's password requirements, I have coded in to EVDoor the same possible password attemps of 5, instead of only the 2 password attemps in previous versions. I have also added in an extra string of text/information that will be displayed to the users upon EVDoor dropping carrier and disconnecting. It is YET another reminder to them to type in ATA and to press their ENTER key when the phone rings on their end. It is YOUR responsibility to edit the various display screens and to educate YOUR USERS. This is why EVDoor has has them, it provides YOU with greater flexibility with EVDoor's appearance and functionality. Make sure that your MODEMS do not return result codes, the standard Hayes AT command set to turn this OFF is Q1. So a pretty typical EVDoor dialing out string would look like ATX4Q1DT. For my HST and HST-DS I use ATX4Q1B1M1DT. (1st notice!) Registered owners, please take NOTE! I do NOT provide voice phone support. Do NOT call my place of residents! The BBS I run with two full time dedicated data lines is the place I provide user support. With the exception of 1 hour early each morning that board maintenance is preformed, both lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and both have HST's on them. Beginning with version 4.0 (soon to be released) and 1 January 1992, I will be coming out with new registration requirements relating to upgrades, user support, and other pertinent items. Voice support maybe considered, but "will be very costly"!! 26-DEC-91 (3.8) Versions 3.6 & 3.7 were never released publicly. Re-compiled with the latest 'CKit' door library, various reported bug fixes. 01-DEC-91 (3.5) Public/Shareware Release of EVDoor 3.5! Improved on-line help with in EVDSETUP.EXE Some cosmetic changes to the main code, did not require a new version release. 30-NOV-91 (3.5) "Still"...Working on improved documentation and on-line help for EVDSETUP! PLEASE do not release this version to the public. This is for REGISTERED owners of EVDoor ONLY! I want to improve the documentation before releasing this version as Shareware! Multi-Node simultaneous access to EVDoor for multi-node PCBoard systems. (Registered versions ONLY) (The routines developed where done completely by Rickie Belitz, author of CKit - Door Developers BBS 'C C++' kit.) Re-structured and trimmed dialing out functions. (Completed with the help of Rickie Belitz!) Added in the ability to abort a non-stop display of the VERIFY.FON file from EVDoor's Maintenance Menu. By pressing CTRL-K you can now abort the non-stop display of this file (Registered versions only) (Added by Rickie Belitz!) Correctly writes to callers log (if setup to do so with EVDSETUP) when a users is automatically disconnected. Log will have user logged off Thru EVDoor written to it. No more "lost carrier" entries from PCBoard, unless the callers actually drops carrier within EVDoor. Changed the command line arguments - PLEASE See CMDLINE.DOC! You *MUST* change your current command line arguments to work with the new EVDoor v3.5 code! Example Pre 3.5 EVDOOR C:\PCB\PCBOARD.SYS C:\PCB\MAIN\USERS 333 EVDOOR.DAT 3.5 EVDOOR C:\PCB\PCBOARD.SYS C:\PCB\MAIN\USERS EVDOOR.DAT For those users using odd ports or fossil drivers, see CMDLINE.DOC There really isn't that much of a change, you just need to place your PORT: command in a different place. !WARNING! !WARNING! !WARNING! !WARNING! !WARNING! !WARNING! !WARNING! Your current VERIFY.FON file (if your upgrading) MUST be converted to the new v3.5 format! Run CONVERT.EXE on your VERIFY.FON files *-BEFORE-* using EVDoor v3.5. Convert your current VERIFY.FON file to the new EVDoor 3.5 format! Place CONVERT.EXE in the same directory as your VERIFY.FON file. By default CONVERT.EXE will look for VERIFY.FON. The new file will be named VERIFY.NEW. Rename your old VERIFY.FON file to VERIFY.OLD and then rename VERIFY.NEW to VERIFY.FON! If you use EVDPURGE.EXE often, then you will need to run CONVERT.EXE on the output file done by EVDPURGE.EXE! When your VERIFY.FON has been converted, you will notice an increase in size, especially if you have been using a very old version (v2.0 or earlier 1987 circa) of EVDoor. If you have been using EVDoor since it was re-written in 'C' (Nov 1990) your VERIFY.FON file will probably not increase in size by much. It is very *IMPORTANT* that you do NOT manually edit the VERIFY.FON file, however if you do.... Make absolutely certain that all entries/lines are no more or no less than 77 characters Long! I can not overstate the importants of this! The conversion of VERIFY.FON was necessary to incorporate some new functions dealing with multi-node simultaneous access of EVDoor. You may also see somewhat of a slow-down of the code. This is not the case, but due to the "sharing of EVDoor" files for multu-node access. HISTORY EVDoor v3.4 Never publicly released HISTORY EVDoor v3.3 06-NOV-91 (3.3) Experienced problems with the latest CKit and reverted back to an older more reliable version. Re-Compiled code under Borlands new C/C++ v2.0 'C' compiler. Made some cosmetic changes to a few of the prompts. Working on improved documentation and on-line help for EVDSETUP HISTORY EVDoor v3.2 31-OCT-91 (3.2) Installed latest CKit routines in an effort to correct modem dialing out problems reported. 30-OCT-91 (3.1) Corrected problems with modem dial out. See HST-DS.TXT for info concerning setting up your HST Dual Standard with EVDoor. HISTORY EVDoor v3.1 22-SEP-91 (Released 01-OCT-91 * 3.1h) Some 2400 baud modems are experiencing problems with dialing out, this latest code fixes that. 11-SEP-91 16:00PM (3.1g) While trying to provide users with requested options and trying to build in idiot/user proof interface, EVDoor's operation and setup has become more and more complicated and complex to the point that setup is not for the "faint at heart" or the Novice Sysop. Better documentation is soon to come! Promise! Pressing F1 while using EVDSETUP does provide "limited" user help. Corrected a BUG that caused EVDoor not to work properly with PCBoard v14.5 (note this effected v14.5 and not 14.5a), where expired time and/or user level access errors where being displayed. Added yet another function/switch dealing with long distance calling. Named appropriately the "EG" (EGads, another switch) switch. In an effort to satisfy a registered EVDoor SysOp's special requirements dealing with long distance verification and to make it as user/idiot proof as is realistic and without actually making EVDoor telepathic, the EG switch was added. The function of this new switch coincides with the operation of the PREFIXLD.FON file. From the EVDSETUP menu, select option [C Sec/Times/Dates/Misc]. The last option on this screen is the new EG switch. There are 4 possible settings, as follows: 0 = Disabled (default setting - allows the entries found in PREFIXLD.FON to automatically operate EVDoor based upon the users prefix part of their phone number ) 1 = Enabled - Numbers NOT found dialed YYY-ZZZZ 2 = Enabled - Numbers NOT found dialed 1-YYY-ZZZZ 3 = Enabled - Numbers NOT found dialed 1-XXX-YYY-ZZZZ (See PREFIXLD.FON file for additional information and the 18-AUG-91 01:00AM history entry below) 09-SEP-91 04:00AM (3.1f) Corrected a bug with the special PORT command used in the 3rd position of EVDoor's command line by updating the door's ckit library. 01-SEP-91 22:00PM (3.1e) Changed some of the "Press (Enter) to continue:" prompts. In various places, instead of waiting for the user to actually press the (Enter) key to continue, I have modified these prompts so that the user can press (Enter) to continue or wait for a built-in 20 second delay. The major prompts I have changed deal primarily with the user once they have connected and are verified. This is important for those allowing Long Distance calling. All prompts after the users is successfully re-connected and verified have been modified to reflect this new built-in 20 second delay. Hope this eases the minds of some of the SysOps who worried about a Long Distance user tying up their board on a return connection and spending more of their money! 31-AUG-91 12:00PM (3.1d) Took out the check for the existence of the callers log when entered using EVDSETUP. This enables the use of EVDSETUP under mult-node environments. Also modified EVDOOR to CREATE the CALLERS log should it not be found. 25-AUG-91 12:00PM (3.1c) As of version 3.0 we have been using PKlite 1.12 on all of the executables used with EVDoor. Woops, because of a coding error and since alot of "Eagle eyed" users spotted it, the second check for password was "always failing" the check. Fixed! Hayes Ultra users NOTE: There is a BUG in the Hayes Ultra 9600 modems! It is in some but not all.. the BUG is when you use the modem to dial out (whether it be you favorite comm program or EVDoor) and the phone on the other end does NOT answer, but rings and rings, at about 20 - 25 seconds into the call, the Hayes Ultra 9600 modem will pick the ring up as a 300 baud connect!! This could pose as a problem with EVDoor, and is in fact a BUG in the Hayes modems! Hayes is aware of this! 20-AUG-91 00:00AM (v3.1b) When I modified the code to handle special functions coinciding with the PREFIXLD.FON file (See below 18-AUG-91) I failed to check the LD time table setup. If a match is found in this file, your LD time table will be checked to make sure it's within the times that you have set for LD calling. Fixed! Added special input functions for the prompt for password so that it limits the input to the maximum allowed by PCBoard (12 Characters). So that if "line noise" is encountered, it won't over run the buffer, or exceed the max line length when recorded to the callers log when the prompt for password fails and is recorded. 19-AUG-91 06:00AM Maintenance update. (v3.1a) Corrected command line error message. Improved password check - now allows edits. 18-AUG-91 20:00PM Updated EVDSETUP.EXE to allow command line switches to setup screen display for -m (mono) -c (cga w/snow control) -b (bios). A typical run using these switches would be: EVDSETUP -M NODE1.DAT (Mono screen display) EVDSETUP -B NODE2.DAT (Bios screen display) or EVDSETUP NODE1.BAT (Default color screen display) 18-AUG-91 01:00AM Added in new features relating to those using the long distance calling features of EVDoor. You can now Enable/Disable the prompt concerning LD callers and your AREA code. What this does is disable EVDoor's ability to "assume" that if a caller was in your AREA CODE and was a LD caller to prefix a '1' to their number. See the next paragraph concerning this area of long distance dialing. Also Enable/Disable the file LDINFO.VD/VDG from being displayed or not. LDINFO.VD/VDG is displayed when you allow LD calling, and it gives you the opportunity to explain to your users what special circumstances you might have concerning LD calling in and outside of your area. This file is displayed only if you have allowed LD calling and BEFORE the prompt for "Are you a long distance caller [Y/N]". Also added new features to the PREFIXLD.FON file. Please see the new layout of PREFIXLD.FON for more information. Basically PREFIXLD.FON file comes into play when you have allowed LD calling and have special circumstances in your area for dialing toll numbers. You MUST have LD calling allowed and the USER MUST answer NO to the prompt "Are you a long distance caller [Y/N]". When this happens, the USERS PREFIX is scanned against PREFIXLD.FON and if found, does 1 of 3 things depending upon what is in the 5th column right after the PREFIX number. For Example... 12345 <- Column # 123 1 -> Number is LD and must be dialed YYY-ZZZZ 234 2 -> Number is LD and must be dialed 1-YYY-ZZZZ 555 3 -> Number is LD and must be dialed 1-XXX-YYY-ZZZZ You MUST edit this file as necessary to cover ALL LD prefix's in YOUR AREA. If you wish to lock-out a certain perfix, use the PREFIX.FON file to do this. Put those PREFIX's in your area that you allow LD calling to in this file (PREFIXLD.FON). The 5th column is VERY IMPORTANT! You MUST follow the format in the example PREFIXLD.FON file!! In the above example, XXX denotes the AREA code as you have placed into your *.DAT file using EVDSETUP.EXE. HISTORY EVDoor v3.0 17-AUG-91 08:00AM Added in the logging of the second prompt for password check to be logged to the callers log if it fails. Same as before, but only the "first" failed password check was logged, now both attemps, when prompted for password, and if incorrect will be logged 16-AUG-91 21:00PM [Out of Beta Test] Offical 3.0 release is today. However, the documentation is not yet available. When that becomes available we will be uploading EVDoor 3.0 to Salt Air and other various boards. Should be within the next few weeks. EVDsetup will be completed with ALL on-line help installed/code at that time as well. Latest contact with the Ckit Door Development author has proved that the "Hayes Ultra 9600" bug is "FIXED". He beta tested the fixed code upon his Hayes Ultra's and HST's as well. Added in a 4th command line parameter requirement. The "OLD" way of calling up EVDoor: EVDOOR C:\PCB\PCBOARD.SYS C:\PCB\MAIN\USERS NODE1.DAT The "NEW" reguired way of calling up EVDoor is: EVDOOR C:\PCB\PCBOARD.SYS C:\PCB\MAIN\USERS 333 NODE1.DAT ^^^ Notice the 3rd argument in the above command line. This is for built-in use of special communications ports. This has always been there, (special comm port access) but I have not documented it. The 333 denotes nothing special, but you MUST supply 4 items on the command line for EVDoor to work properly. Just modify your existing batch files like the above. I will be putting out information in the public-release of the special support for "odd" comm ports later. Modified [EVDSETUP.EXE] the option to allow EVDoor to write to the USERS record COMMENT Field 2. You can now optional select to either not write anything to this USER field [N = No], or write our "tag line" and date verified to this field [Y = Yes], or you can now have EVDoor put the PHONE NUMBER dialed out to and verified upon in this field [P = Phone Number]. If you plan on using the P option here you probably should set the option to place the number dialed in the USERS record BUSINESS/DATA line field to No (N = No), otherwise the USERS phone number dialed will be placed into TWO areas in the USERS record. 10-AUG-91 22:00PM Well, I "think" we have "finally" gotten the 'current' bug fixed! Through extensive contact and alot of long distance calls to the author of the door kit I use, I believe that we have finally got the Hayes Ultra 9600 and "other than HST" MNP modem errors fixed!! You should see improved screen writes and improved error checking. This version is being placed out to help those with Hayes Modems. Hopefully this will fix any problems they were having. NOTE: If you start to experience ANY problems, such as the door appearing to be "hung" on a return connection, be sure to turn the "flush buffer" to ON (Y = Yes) in EVDsetup modem screen! 22-JUL-91 22:00PM Well, the switch to the new CKIT beta code, which using caused me to change the way the format of the date/time stamp being written to the VERIFY.FON file has caused another BUG! If you had the expiration days set to anything other than 0, it didn't calculate it correctly. Switched back to the previous version of the CKIT. Slower screen writes, but more reliable! 20-JUL-91 00:00AM Just completed some major changes to the door. Added in yet another switch that will allow you to force the phone off-hook while the door is recycling to call out, keeps those trying to get in from screwing up the dialing out! This requires a new EVDSETUP.EXE file as well as EVDOOR.EXE. The new field is in the modem set-up area of EVDSETUP. The field will be blank until you add Y (Yes) or N (no) into it. This routine that I have added will NOT work with some modems, so you will have to experiment with this switch to see what works best with your system. The displaying of the various files to remote users has been rather slow. The new CKIT beta has speeded this process up. BUT, there is a BUG in the CKIT beta that screws up the date time stamping within VERIFY.FON file. I have had to change the form of the date/time stamping to the VERIFY.FON file in order to use this new CKIT beta in favor of the faster remote screen display's of the various *.VD* files. 19-JUL-91 10:00AM I have added in ALL required files for this version (15-JUL-91) in perpetration for non-beta release. I still need to finish up the on-line help screens for EVDSETUP. File names are as follows: EVD_MAIN.ZIP -> Contains all main EXECUTABLES. All files in this ZIP should go into EVDOOR's HOME DIRECTORY. EVD_UTIL.ZIP -> Packaged EVDoor Miscellaneous Utilities. Files in this ZIP should also go into EVDOOR's HOME DIR. EVD_TEXT.ZIP -> Contains ALL display SCREENS. All files in this ZIP MUST go into a directory called \TEXT off of EVDOOR's HOME DIRECTORY. EVD_FONS.ZIP -> Contains ALL .FON database files. All files in this ZIP MUST go into a directory called \FON off of EVDOOR's HOME DIRECTORY. 15-JUL-91 21:00PM Added special input functions so that phone numbers entered by users will not exceed the input fields. Added in a new password check function that will now echo dots "." to the screen when a users is asked for their password. This function currently does not allow for editing, that is once they start typing in their password they can not use their backspace key to erase any suspected typing errors. This should not be a real problem, as they are given two changes to answer the prompt for their password anyway. 14-JUL-91 15:30PM In an effort to "clean things up" a bit... I have rearranged the way EVDoor home directory is setup. You MUST now create two directories off of EVDOOR home directory. TEXT and FON. In these directories copy/move all of your *.VD and *.VDG files in to the TEXT directory. Copy/Move all of your *.FON files into the FON directory. This helps keep things a bit cleaner for file maintenance operations. In the non-beta release I will make an install program to create these directories automatically and copy the correct files into these areas. 14-JUL-91 15:00PM Added limited errorlevel checking for those users wanting to do something else upon a good callback/verification. An ERRORLEVEL of 60 will be returned by the door upon a SUCCESSFUL callback/verification. This is the ONLY errorlevel currently being returned by the door. All other errorlevels returned for now is 0. So for those wanting to do something like TXT2MSG check for ERRORLEVEL of 60. 14-JUL-91 12:30PM Added a new display screen. LDINFO.VD/VDG this screen, which will required editing to your personal needs, can be used to provide your users (especially those using the long distance calling feature) information that is unique to your phone exchange area. For example a number of SysOps are living in areas that are in close proximity to a number of different AREA CODES. Some require long distance dialing commands (ie: a 1 and the number or a 1 and the AREA CODE) and some that are not charged long distance charges but are considered local calls, but still require the 1 or AREA CODE number inorder to be dialed. Use this display screen to explain to your users your special requirements in your area. You MUST have the option [ALLOW LD CALLING] turned ON, (Y = Yes) inorder for this screen to be displayed to the users. 16-JUN-91 Okay, I think I have finally beaten the "file sharing violation" errors that would occur under multi-node operations. Where, if a user was in EVDoor on node 1 and the SysOp was on say node 2 and did a 13 1 (view node 1's callers log) and EVDoor was trying to write to the callers log, it would create a "file sharing violation" error and lock-up EVDoor, until you could "Retry, Abort, or Fail" the prompt right in the middle of EVDoor. I had included the program FATAL.COM (located in the EVD_UTIL.ZIP file) to help alleviate the problem somewhat, and I suggest you still use this program. But for those encountering the old "File Sharing Violation" this should now be "fixed"! Next step...."possible concurrent program operations"!! 13-JUN-91 In some instances, if the caller connects right at the end of the "delay-loop" for connection, it would be interpreted as a lost carrier and would dump the user right back to the board, without verification and no upgrade of status. This is caused by the MODEM actually making the connection, but not in time for the delay loop to setup the check for password prompt. And since there is a carrier the code will not drop them automatically. This situation could possibility happen in 1 in 10000 users. After all, 30 seconds, set in a delay loop rings the normal phone about 5 to 6 times! That surly should be sufficient time for them to type in ATA, however as we all know USERS.... I have added in the code, that if this should happen, it will disconnect the user, rather than dump them back to the board. 10-JUN-91 (EVDPURGE.EXE) Created EVDPURGE.EXE, an add-on program that will PURGE the VERIFY.FON file. It comparers your current USERS against the USERS listed in the VERIFY.FON file, and deletes those entries in VERIFY.FON that are not current USERS. See EVD_UTIL.DOC for complete information and instructions concerning the use of EVDPURGE Added another switch to the modem configuration screen. Set this switch "FLUSH/CLEAR serial port upon a successful CONNECTION", to Yes [Y] if you experience a long delay upon a successful connection. Or you find that the remote or local console has to press the space-bar repeatedly to get the "PASSWORD" prompt to appear. This update requires you to get and use BOTH the latest EVDOOR.EXE and EVDSETUP.EXE, when you edit your existing .DAT files the new field will appear as a "blank", edit accordingly. Most users WILL not need this new option and should normally be set to No [N]. 09-JUN-91 Corrected spelling error with MNP reference vice NMP. Changed the names of the respectives files that it looks for as well. Renamed NON-NMP.VD NON-MNP.VD NON-NMP.VDG NON-MNP.VDG Did this to reflect correct syntax on the error correcting modem reference.