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Text File | 1993-03-29 | 22.9 KB | 577 lines

╔══════════════════════════════════╤══════════════════════════════╗ ║ The File Management System v2.0 │ Frontier Enterprises ║ ║ for TBBS v2.2/TDBS v1.2 │ Post Office Box 3233 ║ ║ (c) 1993 Frontier Enterprises │ Champaign, IL 61826-3233 ║ ║ by Andy Trick and Justin Kuntz │ (217) 356-0277 - Voice ║ ╟──────────────────────────────────┤ 356-9464 - Fax ║ ║ Cost - $49 Visa/MC Accepted │ 356-0278 - Data (BBS)║ ╚══════════════════════════════════╧══════════════════════════════╝ PURPOSE: A COMPLETE replacement for the TBBS file transfer system, and MUCH more: The File Management System (FMS) give users an easy and powerful interface and provides sysops with more flexibility than ever. With FMS, sysops can define an unlimited number of file areas for their users... CD-ROM file directories can be ONLINE side by side with file directories on the hard drive. Users can easily scan these file areas (comments and extended descriptions included), tagging up to 50 files at a time for download! Additionally, The File Management System boasts a unique Batch Upload module never before seen on TBBS systems. Users can upload an unlimited number of files, and may use up to 20 lines (sysop configurable) to describe each file. The entire File Managent System, including Batch Upload, is compatible with both Pseudo-Directory and Alternate Directory file formats. Furthermore, File Manager Setup lets the sysop easily configure file areas and sub-areas with various options, restricting users according to authorization and priviledge level. See for yourself what an improvement The File Management System is over your current file system. Since installation is a snap, spend the next few minutes testing it out. If you have any difficulty whatsoever, please contact us immediately. We are more than willing to help you! FMS FILES AND THEIR FUNCTIONS: The following files must reside in a common directory: FMAN.TPG FMAN.HLP FMSETUP.EXE & all .DBF files created by it. Optional files: FMS.DOC - This file. CHKPATH.LST - Paths to check for dups before uploads. UL.LOG - Keeps track of upload activity. EDITOR.HLP -- _FMSETUP.HLP | _FMSETUP.DBT |-- These files are used by FMSETUP's _FMSETUP.HND | help system. _FMSETUP.TND -- CHKPATH: CHKPATH.LST is a list of all directories to check for duplicate files. FMAN will not allow users to upload files found in the specified directories. If you don't want to use CHKPATH simply delete the file and the program won't use it anymore. Re-create the file in the same directory as FMAN.TPG to resume use. UL LOG: The file UL.LOG keeps track of what files were uploaded, where they were uploaded, and who uploaded them. As with CHKPATH, if you don't want to use UL.LOG simply delete the file and the program won't write to it anymore. Re-create the file in the same directory as FMAN.TPG to resume use. NOTE: For improved performace, you may want to install FMS onto a RAMDISK. Be aware, however, that there have been cases where installing a RAMDISK has resulted in conflicts with TBBS. These conflict are not related to a problem with The File Management System, but rather to a memory configuration problem on those computers. For more information on installing a RAMDISK, please consult your DOS manual. INSTALLATION: After configuring at least one File Area using FMSETUP (see below), you can call the File Manager program from a TBBS menu with: "TYPE=200 OPTDATA={path}\FMAN /Q && {FARFile} %BPS% [/D:x]" FARFile: This is the name of the File Area containing the sub-directories a user will have access to. Use FMSETUP to add, edit, and delete File Areas and the sub-directories defined within each. %BPS%: The insertion parameter which sends the value of the caller's bps rate. This is used by File Manager for calculating transfer times. "/D:x": (optional) This switch forces entry into the directory specified by the value x after "/D:". If this switch is used the user will not be prompted to select from file directories, and they will not be able to change directories without exiting the program. WARNING: The total OptData string cannot be more than 64 characters long. CONFIGURATION: Unlike many other TDBS applications which use a text based configuration file, The File Management System employs a sophisticated yet user friendly DOS based program: FMSETUP. Before you use the File Manager ONLINE, you must first execute this program. NOTE: FMSETUP is capable of importing your current .FAR files, so you can literally configure the entire File Management System within minutes! Since FMSETUP is very simple to use, I recommend you run it without first attempting to wholely understand it. For those of you who do not like this approach, however, in depth information is provided below. Again, all of the following information is contained in FMSETUP's extensive on-line help system. Because of this, it is perfectly safe to run FMSETUP without any prior knowledge! If you get stuck, simply hit <F1> for a detailed help screen. **************************************************************************** FMSETUP Main Menu Item #1: Manage Area Directories **************************************************************************** Equivalent to editing a .FAR (File Area) file, Manage Area Directories allows you to easily add, edit, or delete sub-directories (sub areas) from your file system. To help you visualize this, consider the following: FILE AREA: GAMES SUB AREAS: -Apogee -Software Creations -Gamer's Edge -Epic MegaGame -ImagiSOFT When you call the FMAN.TPG program from your TBBS menu entry, you pass it a FILE AREA. For example: KEY=G TYPE=200 OPT DATA=D:\FMAN /Q && GAMES %bps% | FILE AREA Upon executing such a menu entry (thereby entering the file system), the caller would be prompted for which sub-area to view. This process is similar to TBBS's system of selecting a sub-area from a .FAR file. Each sub-area is defined by 5 information fields: [AD] [CD] [DIRFILE] [DIRPATH] [DIRDESC] AD stands for Alternate Directory. Set this depending on whether the DIRFILE for this sub-area is in alternate directory format (yes) or pseudo directory format (no). CD stands for CD-ROM. If the DIRPATH for this sub-area points to a CD-ROM drive, set this option to yes. This will cause FMS to copy requested files from the CD-ROM into a TEMPDIR for direct hard disk download. This minimizes the impact on TBBS of CD-ROM drives (all of which are extremely slow). DIRFILE is the path and filename of the dir file for this sub-area. Example: C:\BBS\ADMIN\UP\UPLOAD.DIR DIRPATH is the path where the files in this sub-area are located. Example: C:\BBS\ADMIN\UP\ DIRDESC is the description to display for this area. Example: System Administration files **************************************************************************** FMSETUP Main Menu Item #2: Add/Edit/Delete Area **************************************************************************** You may: 1) Choose an area to edit. You can do this by: - Typing in the name of the area. - Picking from a list (hit F2). - Double-clicking on the File Area field and then double clicking on the area to edit. 2) Add a new area by entering a file area name that does not currently exist. 3) Delete an area by pressing F5 and choosing an area to delete. Edit Area Defaults: These are settings which are the same for every directory within a File Area. When TBBS calls FMAN.TPG, the File Area defaults are loaded for the specified area and remain constant. * Default Extension: (optional) When a user enters a filename with no '.', this extension will be added. * Upload Dir Check: (Yes or No) When a user uploads with File Manager's built in Batch Upload system, it can check filenames before the transfer, or let the user upload first asking for descriptions after the transfer. This switch is only effective if the user does not choose to LogOff after transfer. YES - LogOff After Transfer: The program prompts the caller to enter the filenames beforehand. The program will then check CHKPATH.LST to make sure that the filename does not already exist before transferring the file. If the user uploads a file which he did not specify beforehand, the file will exist but will have no listing in the directory. ADVANTAGE: The program will always check CHKPATH.LST for duplicate filenames. DISADVANTAGE: If the user uploads a file that he did not specify, he will not be asked for a description. NO - Don't LogOff After Transfer: The user may upload files without specifying any filenames first. After the transfer, the program will ask the user for descriptions of any files which are new to that directory (assuming they were uploaded by him). ADVANTAGE: Users are NOT prompted for filenames before the transfer. They can batch upload with wildcards and will only have to type in descriptions. DISADVANTAGE: When more than one user is uploading to the same directory at the same time, there is a slight chance that the program will create a duplicate file listing. NOTE: No ULDirCheck is convenient on BBS's with only one or two lines. On multi-line systems where more than one user is uploading to the same directory, the ULDirCheck avoids duplicate file listings. * Free Uploads: (Yes or No) YES: Time spent uploading a file will NOT count on billing class or against time remaining. NO: Time spent uploading will count. * Front Uploads: (Yes or No) YES: File listings for new uploads will be placed at the beginning of the directory. NO: File listings will be appended to the end of the directory. * Visible Uploads: (Yes or No) YES: New uploads will be visible to all callers. NO: New uploads have an invisible listing. * Uploads Description Lines: RANGE: (1-20) Callers may use up to twenty 45-character lines to describe new uploads. This value sets the maximum number lines which tells File Manager how many lines to allow for extended descriptions. * Upload/Download Privilege Level: (optional) These values represent the minimum privilege levels a caller must have to upload or download files. * Upload/Download Authorization Field/Flag: (optional) A caller must have this Authorization Flag set to Upload/Download files. If the Flag is set to zero, no authorization will be enforced. * Upload Directory File: (optional) This field stores the name of the text file in which new uploads will be listed. If no filename is specified, uploads will not be allowed from the current area. * Upload Path: This field stores the path to which new files will be uploaded. If no path is specified, uploads go to FMAN's homepath. * Upload/Download Text: (optional) These are text files which will be displayed to callers before uploading/downloading files. If no Upload/Download Privilege Level or Authorization Flag is defined, the text will be displayed to ALL callers. If either a Privilege Level or an Authorization Flag for Uploading/Downloading is defined, only callers without sufficient access will see the text. NOTE: The upload and download Privilege Levels, Authorization Flags, and Text Files are entirely independent of each other. **************************************************************************** FMSETUP Main Menu Item #3: Import FAR File(s) **************************************************************************** Importing .FAR file(s) is a quick and easy way to convert your existing TBBS file system to FMS. Simply specify the path and filename (wildcards are acceptable) of the .FAR file(s) to import. **************************************************************************** FMSETUP Main Menu Item #4: Define TempDirs **************************************************************************** Temporary directories are used to temporarily store files which have been copied from a CD-ROM drive for download. This process minimizes the impact on TBBS of CD-ROM drives (all of which are extremely slow). You should define TEMPDIRs for all lines in use (including console) on your system whether you currently have a CD-ROM or not. FMSETUP will check to see that you have valid directories defined for each line upon shutdown (and will alert you to any errors), but please check over your TEMPDIRs to avoid any problems. **************************************************************************** FMSETUP Main Menu Item #5: Global Settings **************************************************************************** This is where you define The File Management System's settings. These include the number of lines in use (excluding console) on your system, whether or not to show free disk space before uploads, and color options. NOTE: Although FMSETUP will check to see that you have valid directories defined for each line upon shutdown (and will alert you to any errors), remember to update the TEMPDIRs definitions when you add or remove lines. You can preview your color choices by using the F6 key. Additionally, when in a color field you can choose from a list of available colors by hitting the F2 key. To move forward in this list, simply hit SPACE. To use your mouse to select color options, simply double click on a color field and pick a new color from the list (by double-clicking again). **************************************************************************** TECHNICAL REFERENCE: FMSETUP's Authorable Help System **************************************************************************** FMSETUP employs an extrememly powerful Level 5 Authorable Context-sensitive Pop-up help system. The following keys invoke the system: <F1> - Context Help <SHIFT><F1> - Topic Help <ALT><F1> - Authorable Help While <F1> and <SHIFT><F1> provide different means of accessing the standard help system, <ALT><F1> allows you, the end user, to add or modify existing help screens to suit your needs. For example, in a business environment the system could provide information on who to contact for help: "..if you still don't know what to put in the PRIV field, see Joe in the Tech Support department. He can be reached at extension 1234..." For information on editing the Authorable Help system, hit F1 from inside an Authoring Window or read EDITOR.HLP. The following topics are covered in detail: Cursor Positioning Text Manipulation Block Commands Function Keys Searching and Replacing File Commands Resizing the Edit Window **************************************************************************** TECHNICAL REFERENCE: File formats **************************************************************************** You must have an ASCII directory file for each sub-area. File Manager supports both TBBS's own "Pseudo Directory" file directory format as well as the common "Alternate Directory" format. Pseudo Directory format is highly recommended; it lets you manually alter the file directory without knowing the file's exact size and date. Descriptions should be no longer than 45 chars per line. ALTERNATE DIRECTORY: Each line should follow one of the following formats: 1) [FILENAME] [SIZE] [DATE] [DESCRIPTION] 2) [at least 30 spaces] [EXTENDED DESCRIPTION] 3) [Comment] Example Format of an alternate directory file: ============================================================================ APCAT193.ZIP 19258 01-28-93 ││▌██ APOGEE SOFTWARE CATALOG - JAN 93 ██▐││ | This file lists all the currently available | exciting programs from Apogee Software! K6DEMO.ZIP 364125 12-01-91 Commander keen vi, playable demo, ega | and up "aliens ate my baby sitter" W1PATCH.ZIP 19483 06-28-92 Wolfenstein 3-D patch for players who have | version 1.1 of the first episode, which is | the shareware episode. This patch is just | two replacement files that can be copied to | your current directory. This fixes the bug | that prevents access to the secret 10th | level. With this patch you'll upgrade from | version 1.1 to version 1.2. ============================================================================ PSUEDO DIRECTORY: Each line should follow one of the following formats: 1) [DOS FILENAME] [PSEUDO FILENAME] [DESCRIPTION] 2) "!" [EXTENDED DESCRIPTION] (up to 79 chars) 3) "!>" [EXTENDED DESCRIPTION] (up to 45 chars, starting at 34) 4) ";" [COMMENT] NOTE: File Manager is fully compatible with TBBS pseudo directories with the following exceptions: 1) No filenames in the directory should be listed with a path. File Manager assumes that all files reside in the directory path specified in FMSETUP. 2) A file's size and date should never be listed in the Pseudo Directory text file; no time is lost in retrieving the size/date from disk. (Remember: if you use Alternate Directory format, File Manager assumes that the size and date are already listed, and uses those values regardless of whether they match the on disk values.) Example Format of pseudo directory File: ;============================================================================ APCAT193.ZIP APCAT193.ZIP ││▌██ APOGEE SOFTWARE CATALOG - JAN 93 ██▐││ !>| This file lists all the currently available !>| exciting programs from Apogee Software! K6DEMO.ZIP K6DEMO.ZIP Commander keen vi, playable demo, ega !>| and up "aliens ate my baby sitter" W1PATCH.ZIP W1PATCH.ZIP Wolfenstein 3-D patch for players who have !>| version 1.1 of the first episode, which is !>| the shareware episode. This patch is just !>| two replacement files that can be copied to !>| your current directory. This fixes the bug !>| that prevents access to the secret 10th !>| level. With this patch you'll upgrade from !>| version 1.1 to version 1.2. ;============================================================================ >>>>> File sizes and dates are never included! <<<<< NOTE: If your CD-ROM is not capable of creating a text file of either format, you will need to use a simple text conversion program (unless you want to type it all in yourself). If you need help we will gladly write a conversion program for you as long as you have registered the program. We only need an example of the file to be converted. **************************************************************************** Legal, Support, and Registration Information **************************************************************************** LEGAL: Frontier Enterprises hereby disclaims all warranties relating to this software, whether express or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Frontier Enterprises will not be liable for any special, incidental, consequential, indirect or similar damages due to loss of data or any other reason. In no event shall Frontier Enterprises' liability for any damages ever exceed the price paid for the license to use software, regardless of the form of the claim. The person using the software bears all risk as to the quality and performance of the software. SUPPORT: If you have problems installing or using this program please feel free to contact us anytime. Our BBS has a special support area for our releases, or you can contact us by voice/fax. (All phone numbers are listed at beginning of this text file). Please let us know if you have any suggestions/comments! REGISTRATION: Because we do not believe in releasing "crippled" software, all of our programs are fully functional. If, however, you use this program beyond an initial 10 day trial period you must register. Your contribution will help ensure future enhancements as well as promote the developement of other applications. The quickest way to register is to call our support BBS and use our online credit card ordering system. You can also fax us your order or send a check to the address at the beginning of this text file. PLEASE NOTE: We are available for custom programming work and can develop DOS, Windows, or TBBS/TDBS applications in C, Pascal, dBase, or TDBS to meet any need! Please contact us for more information!