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Text File | 1993-08-13 | 16.3 KB | 406 lines

║ ║ ╔══╗ ╔╗ ║ ╔════╗ ║ ║ ╔══╗ ╔════╗ ╔═════ ║ ║ ╔╝ ╚╗ ║║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╔╝ ╚╗ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║╚╗ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╠════╣ ║ ╚╗ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╔╗ ║ ╠════╣ ╠═╦══╝ ╠═══ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚╗║ ║ ║ ║╔╝╚╗║ ║ ║ ║ ╚╗ ║ ╚═════ ╚═════ ║ ║ ║ ╚╝ ╚════╝ ╚╝ ╚╝ ║ ║ ║ ╚═╗ ╚═════ Presents ║ ║ ║ ╔══╗ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╔╗ ║ ───╠══╩╗ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║╔╝╚╗║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ VERSION 1.2 ╚═══ ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚═══╝ ╚══╝ ╚═══ ╚═══ Copyright 1992,1993 by Bob DaCastello The News and Bulletin Door for Remote Access 2.x !! ╔══════════════╗ ║ INTRODUCTION ║ ╚══════════════╝ Ever wanted your users to be able to view your bulletins, news files, score files from your door or any other information files? Well, now you can!! LWBULL will allow you present your bulletins or other information to you and they will be able to see which ones are new since the last time they logged on! Once registered you will also be able to set individual selections as Mandatory reading! ╔══════════╗ ║ FEATURES ║ ╚══════════╝ * Allows you present News, Bulletins, Door Scores or any other Text Files to your users and informing them of which ones are new since the last time they logged on to your BBS. * Allows you to edit the descriptions of the individual entrys. * {+} You can mark items as MANDATORY, the user will then be required to view the file before leaving the door. If the item is marked as Mandatory and it is a new file then they must view it at least once! * Allows either ANSi or ASCII files to be displayed. If the caller is using ANSi and there is no *.ANS file to be displayed, LWBULL will show them the *.ASC file. * Supports an unlimited number of nodes via a small CTL file to be kept with the EXE file. * Supports locked communications ports * Completely Multi-Node aware, successfully tested under DOS 3.3, DOS 5.0, DOS 6.0, Lantastic, Novell, DesqView/QEMM on machines ranging from XT's to 486's. * Only requires about 140k so swapping usually isn't necessary. ╔═════════════╗ ║ LEGAL STUFF ║ ╚═════════════╝ WARRANTY: Yea right! There's ain't none. You download it at your own risk, you install it at your own risk, and you use it at your own risk ... simple enough? In the event the use of this program, at any time, causes damage, corruption, or loss of data, what you'll get from me is a big "Didn't you do a backup first?". In the event the use of this program, at any time, causes a hardware failure, hard drive crash, or otherwise causes your system to explode into 5,000 pieces, the scope of my guarantee to you is that you may keep whatever pieces you can find ... and if you ask me real nice, I'll tell you where you can go to buy superglue. In legal mumbo jumbo, the bottom line is: The author shall not be responsible for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from any bug, defect, error, or failure to perform. ╔══════════════╗ ║ REQUIREMENTS ║ ╚══════════════╝ * RemoteAccess 2.00 of course! LWBULL will NOT work on versions of RA prior to RA 2.00g1. * Any IBM Compatible with DOS 3.1 or better should work just fine. Color monitor preferred but not required. * Fossil driver such as BNU or X00 is also highly recommended (Since RA requires a fossil driver, this SHOULD be taken care of, RIGHT?!) The Distribution Archive: LWBULL.EXE - Main program LWBULL.DOC - Your readin' it! LWBULL.CTL - Control file, please edit as needed (see installation instructions for more info) LW_REG.FRM - Registration form for ALL LlanoWare Doors FILE_ID.DIZ - Well, you need to know what the file is, right? LWBULL.ANS - Sample ANSi Header file LWBULL.ASC - Sample ASCII Header file LWBULLH.ANS - Sample help file, edit to your taste LWBULLH.ASC - ASCII version of above (MUST exist!!!!!) LWBULL24.ASC - ASCII Bulletin #24 for demonstration of the RA codes LWBCODES.4RA - Listing of RA codes showing which ones are supported. LWBULL.DAT - Contains data about your listings LW_AD.COM - Brighten things up, take a look! {+} THE ONE AND ONLY REGISTERED FEATURE of this program is a MUST HAVE! Being able to mark certain items (files) as Mandatory is something we all (well, almost all) have always wanted! Ever had that news item that everyone seems to skip and it makes you grind your teeth!?!? Well, you can save yourself some dentists bills now! :{) With the SysOp editor you can mark as many items as you want as Mandatory! ╔══════════════╗ ║ INSTALLATION ║ ╚══════════════╝ Installation is fairly easy and straight-forward. The following steps and examples should have you up and running in a very short period of time. It is assumed that you are familiar with setting up DOORS on your system; 1) Unarchive the files into a directory. 2) Edit the LWBULL.CTL file to reflect your name, your BBS name, your registration numbers (if registered) ... for more information regarding the CTL file, see the instructions contained inside of the sample CTL file. 3) Place a copy of LWBULL.EXE wherever you wish. Place a copy of the LWBULL.CTL file in each nodes directory. You may optionally only have one copy of the LWBULL.CTL in the same directory as LWBULL.EXE, LWBull will use the one in the nodes directory first if found there. 4) Create a LWBULL.A?? file in the same dir. This is the header file that will apear on the top 1 to 7 lines of the door. 5) Create the LWBULL??.A?? files as needed, no leading 0's! ie: LWBULL1.ANS <-correct LWBULL01.ANS <-INCorrect 6) LWBULL can be used in any of the following ways: A) Install LWBULL as a type 7 exit and optional data line of: C:\PATH\LWBULL.EXE Insert the correct pathname to find LWBULL. *M (memory swapping) should not be unless you are running RA in an environment that has less than 460k available. No other optional data is required. B) Install as TextFile shell, be sure you have Allow TextFile shell set to YES in RACONFIG. Command line of: C:\PATH\LWBULL.EXE| Same info about swapping as in example A. C) Install in your Q-A files as: EXEC C:\PATH\LWBULL.EXE Same info about swapping as in example A. 7) Your all set! :{) Insert the correct pathname to find LWBULL. Memory swapping with the *M should not be needed unless you are running RA in an environment that has less than 460k available. No other optional data is required. ╔══════════════════════════╗ ║ RUNNING ADDITIONAL COPYS ║ ╚══════════════════════════╝ Ok, this is one of the neat parts! You may run AS MANY COPYS as you want! The secret? Oh yea, guess you would want to know that huh? :{) Just follow these simple steps: 1) Copy LWBULL.EXE to another filename, such as: copy LWBULL.EXE NEWS.EXE or: copy LWBULL.EXE SCORES.EXE Only two rules apply here, first, only valid DOS filenames are allowed, second (IMPORTANT!) the filename MUST NOT be any longer than 6 characters. This is to allow the ANSi and ASCII files the 1 or 2 chracters needed, such as: NEWS1.A?? or SCORES24.A?? 2) Create another header file called NEWS.A?? or SCORES.A??. These Files MUST have the same filename as the EXE file you copied. 3) Create new help files such as NEWSH.A??, SCORESH.A?? 4) Create your new news/bulletin/scores/other information files, such as: NEWS1.A??, NEWS3.A??, SCORES1.A?? SCORES23.A?? etc. 5) Install as type 7 menu commands, textfile shells or in your Q-A files as above substituting the new names. Note: You do *NOT* need to make additional CTL files, the LWBULL.CTL is the only one(s) needed and will ALWAYS be read. ╔═══════════╗ ║ OPERATION ║ ╚═══════════╝ LWBULL does NOT need an ANSI driver to operate. LWBULL may also be run locally with one of two command line parameters: /L - prompts you for a name to "login" to the door with /S - quick sysop login ... takes sysop name out of the CTL file USING THE DOOR: The user will be shown a screen with up to 24 items (files) that you can configure. Ones that are new since the last time they logged on are indicated as such by a "N" next to the item. Ones that you have marked as Mandatory{+} reading are marked with a "M". If you have sysop access, you can go to the sysop editor and install, delete (blank out the line), change colors and mark as Mandatory{+} reading any of the 24 items. ╔══════════════╗ ║ LOCKED PORTS ║ ╚══════════════╝ LWBULL should not require any special attention for locked ports, however if you run into a problem such as getting nothing but junk characters when you load the door, you can un-comment the LOCKED variable in the CTL file(s) and change the number to your locked rate, or you can add a /B to the optional data field of the menu entry like this: C:\PATH\LWBULL.EXE /B38400 or whatever your locked speed is. (DON'T PUT A *B ... The /B is to identify locked rate, not current baud) If you run multi-node and have different ports locked at different speeds, you will need to maintain separate .CTL files in the node directories reflecting the locked speed of each node's port. LWBULL checks the current directory first for the CTL file. ╔══════════════╗ ║ REGISTRATION ║ ╚══════════════╝ BENEFITS: First and foremost, knowing that you have supported the author so he can continue his work! Besides that, the nagging "Unregistered" message goes away and enables the invaluable registered feature of being able to mark items as Mandatory reading. HOW: For a $10.00 donation sent to the address below, you will be given a registration number personalized just for you! If you have a valid FIDONET address, the registration number will be sent to you directly. Otherwise, the registration number will be sent to you via snailmail (US Postal service). All registrations will be sent out within 3 days of receipt. See LW_REG.FRM for more info. Make checks payable to and send donations to: Bob DaCastello P.O. Box 53 Llano, CA 93544-0053 Your comments/suggestions are welcomed and encouraged!!!! If you have ANY problems, remarks, suggestions, PLEASE contact me via netmail ASAP at 1:102/1313, or log into my BBS at (805) 264-0443. (fidonet) ╔══════════════╗ ║ DISTRIBUTION ║ ╚══════════════╝ You may make this file available for downloading from your BBS or you may upload it to any BBS of your choice, provided that you do not make any changes to the contents of the archive. The archive and its individual contents may not be distributed used by any service that charges any money whatsoever, without the written permission of the author. ╔══════════════════╗ ║ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ║ ╚══════════════════╝ Big Thanks to: CheryL Bergstrom for her invaliable ANSI input! Mark Mistretta for his assistanceand for writing these docs! (I hate doc-writing) Pam Smith of Window in Time BBS for her assistance. Thanks to Mike Janke (author of RACE user editor) for his TP assistance! Scott Baker for writing DoorDriver 5.0! Andrew Milner and all the great RA support Teams for a great BBS program!! ╔════════════════════╗ ║ DISTRIBUTION SITES ║ ╚════════════════════╝ Author's BBS - Llano, CA Bob DaCastello (That's Me!) 805-264-0443 (14.4k HST) FIDONET: 1:102/1313 Off Roaders BBS - Palmdale, CA Mark Mistretta 805-272-9792 (16.8k Dual Standard) 805-272-9793 (14.4 HST) 805-272-9795 (14.4 v.32bis) 805-272-9796 (9600 v.32) FIDONET: 1:102/1314 1:102/1315 Window In Time - Phoeniz, AZ Pam Smith 602-253-1946 (9600 v.32) 602-253-7069 (2400) 602-253-7169 (2400) FIDONET: 1:114/203 TumbleWeed BBS - Lancaster, CA Bruce & Cheryl Bergstrom 805-946-3332 (16.8k Dual Standard) FIDONET: 1:102/1308 The latest versions of LWBULL, LWMENU and LWUSER should always be available for download from one of the above systems, or: Freq Magic Name LWBULL - for the Bulletin Door Freq Magic Name LWMENU - for the Remote Menu Editor Freq Magic Name LWUSER - for the Remote User Editor Freq Magic Name LWEDIT - for both of User and Menu Editors Freq Magic Name EZBING - Bingo Door Game Freq Magic Name EZSLOT - Slot Machine Door Game They are also being sent out through various distribution networks and should be available at The TruckStop BBS, Pacific Coast Micro, RA-USA and many other RA Support Sites. ╔══════════════════╗ ║ TROUBLE SHOOTING ║ ╚══════════════════╝ I have tried to encourporate as much error checking as possible into this version, most errors should show you what/where the problem may be. Error 102 or 100 usually indicates a file/directory is not found. Most of these should be caught by LWBULL. If you are using locked com ports and are expierencing garbage at the remote end, the first thing should be to insure that your fossil driver is locked at the same speed as RA. Sample X00.SYS command line: DEVICE=c:\X00.SYS E 1 b,0,38400 ^note that a "0" here indicates com 1 LWBULL looks in the current directory FIRST for the LWUSER.CTL file it needs, if not found it then looks where the LWBULL.EXE file is kept for the LWBULL.CTL file. LWBULL also reads the EXITINFO.BBS file in the current directory. If you experience any problems, PLEASE contact me ASAP, I am always glad to help and will respond ASAP!