Contents

What you need to use the Wildcat!  Navigator

Installation

How Wildcat!  Navigator is organized

What you can do with Wildcat!  Navigator

Getting started

How do I connect to Wildcat! servers using my access provider

Moving around in your favorite Wildcat 5 BBS


What you need to use Wildcat Navigator

To install and run the Wildcat! Navigator, you need:

*   A PC capable of running Windows 3.1 or higher, with at least 4 megabytes of RAM.

*   At least 6 megabytes of available hard disk space.

*   Windows 3.1 or newer. Windows 95 and Windows NT are also supported, and will run the Wildcat! Navigator as a 16-bit Windows application.

*   A modem connected to a voice-grade telephone line.


How do I connect to Wildcat! servers using my access provider
How do I connect to Wildcat! servers using my access provider?

If you are using an access provider or ISP (Internet Service Provider) to connect via the internet, and want to connect to a Wildcat! BBS using the Wildcat! Navigator, you may be able to do this several ways.

Check with your access provider. The access connection package provided by your provider may have additional options.

To connect using an ISP:

1.   Create an entry for the BBS you are connecting to, using Telnet as the type. Enter the telnet address for the BBS.

2.   Connect to your access provider in your usual way.

3.   Once the connection is made, launch the Wildcat! Navigator  and connect to the BBS entry.

To connect using a Trumpet Winsock:

If you have a service provider and are using a Trumpet Winsock when making your connections, you should be able to connect just by launching the Wildcat! Navigator.


Installation

Installing from a floppy disk

If you obtained Wildcat! Navigator on a floppy disk, the distribution files are stored in individual compressed files on the disk.

You cannot install the program simply by copying the files from the floppy disk to your hard drive. You must use the installation program to install the Wildcat! Navigator on your computer.

We assume that you are already familiar with Windows file navigation commands  if not, please review your Windows documentation and online help for instructions on using Program Manager and File Manager.

To install the Wildcat! Navigator:

1.   Launch the File Manager, and select the floppy drive that contains the distribution diskette.

2.   Double-click the Setup.exe icon. The installation program will load and prepare your system for the Wildcat! Navigator. Click OK to confirm default path and configuration information, or enter your preferences in each of the fields in the installation dialog box.

3.   The installation program will create the necessary program and support files on your hard drive. When the installation is complete, Wildcat! Navigator will be launched automatically. You will then be able to review and create phonebook entries to connect with Wildcat! BBSs.

Installing from a distribution file you downloaded

If you obtained Wildcat! Navigator by downloading it from a BBS, the distribution file will be located in the download directory for your communication program. The file is supplied as a self-extracting archive -- an executable program that unpacks into the installer and support files for the application.

We assume that you are already familiar with Windows file navigation commands --  if not, please review your Windows documentation and online help for instructions on using Program Manager and File Manager.

To install the Wildcat! Navigator:

1.   Launch the File Manager.

2.   Create a temporary directory for the installation files.

3.   Move the Wildcat! Navigator distribution file (WCNAV.EXE) from your download directory into the new temporary directory.

4.   In the temporary directory, launch the Wildcat! Navigator distribution program by double-clicking on the file name. A number of files will be created in the temporary directory -- you can delete this directory when the installation is complete and you have verified that the Wildcat! Navigator is working correctly.

5.   Double-click the Setup.exe icon. The installation program will load and prepare your system for Wildcat! Navigator. Click OK to confirm default path and configuration information, or enter your preferences in each of the fields in the installation dialog box.

6.   The installation program will create the necessary program and support files on your hard drive. When the installation is complete, Wildcat! Navigator will be launched automatically. You will then be able to review and create phonebook entries to connect with Wildcat! BBSs.


How Wildcat Navigator is organized

Wildcat Navigator is a graphic user interface (GUI) that provides remote access for Wildcat! 5 BBS systems in a graphic format. This set of programs has been designed to work on Windows 3.1 and above. Although the program itself is a 16 bit program, every effort has been made to follow the Windows 95 visual design guide. Wildcat Navigator is split into separate programs that messages. MESSAGE works in conjunction with Wildcat Navigator as part of an overall front end to the Wildcat! BBS product line.

The file client

The browser client

The message client

The who client

The transfer client

The chat client

The personal client

The terminal client


File client

FILE.EXE displays the file sections and lets you view file groups and areas, list the files, and view individual files. The File Client module displays the Wildcat! BBS File section. With this program, you are able to view File groups, traverse down into a group displaying its individual file areas or conferences.


Terminal client

TERMINAL.EXE lets you use doors and other wcCODE applications. You will not need to ever launch this program manually.


Navigator

BROWSER.EXE is a central viewer that displays graphical "pages" that allow links to other pages, or launches other programs (i.e., the File Client). BROWSER becomes your main menu. When you first launch Wildcat Navigator, you access your favorite Wildcat! BBS by using the Browser to connect through a home page on the World Wide Web or FTP site. The Wildcat Navigator browser is capable of viewing any WWW site or home page.


Message client

MESSAGE.EXE displays the message sections and lets you view message groups and conferences, list and view messages. The Message Client module displays the Wildcat! BBS Conference section.


Personal client

PERSONAL.EXE lets you change and update information about yourself and your setting preferences.


Who is online

WHO.EXE is an online user viewer that lets you see who else is currently logged in to the service and what area of the service they are currently using. Page and chat with other callers with WHO.


Transfer client

TRANSFER.EXE is responsible for uploading and downloading files or sending new messages. The file agent, TRANSFER, handles uploads and downloads defined in FILE. Once a file is ready to be downloaded or uploaded, the transfer agent will open automatically and handle all the file transfer commands, protocols, and actual transfer of the files.


Chat client

CHAT.EXE is a graphic interface chat client. You can chat with your callers or callers can chat  with other callers (on multiple node systems).


What you can do with Wildcat Navigator

Find and View files

Use the file client to see all the folders and files on the remote system (such as the BBS you are calling). of the drive or folder you have selected.  The file agent is launched automatically when you click on the appropriate file menu icon. This icon will be slightly different for each service you call, because each sysop can create his own home page.

Send and Receive Files

The file agent is launched automatically when you request a file to be downloaded or when you upload a file to the remote system. You will see the status of the file transfer once the actual transfer has begun.

Read, Send, and Receive Messages

Use the message client to send and receive mail. Depending on how the sysop has set up the home page, this icon will be most likely be slightly different for each service you call.

See Who's Online

You can see who else is logged in to the system by using the Who is online feature of Wildcat Navigator. This allows you to see what other callers are online, what they are doing, and where they are from. In systems that support Chat mode, you can request a chat with another user with the click of a button.

Chat with other callers

On BBSs with multiple nodes, you can chat with other callers, if the sysop allows it. The chat client lets you view each other caller in a different color, if you'd like.

Even on single-node lines, you can use the chat client to chat with the sysop.

Browse WWW Pages

When you connect to a Wildcat! BBS supporting HTML (WWW pages), you will see the home page of the system you are connected to. This page is most likely different for each service you call, since it is up to each individual sysop to create his home page.


Getting Started

Starting the Wildcat Navigator program is easy. The Wildcat Navigator programs and support files are placed into their own directory, and do not need direct access to the Wildcat Server. To get started, just launch the connection manager (WILDCAT.EXE).

You can connect via regular modem/phone connection or telnet. WILDCAT has been designed to be easy to use. The core dialer program maintains a dialing directory, and is responsible for establishing and maintaining communication with the Wildcat! service.

The first thing you must do is configure a dialing entry for your own or another system.


Starting the connection manager

From a command line in your Wildcat! Navigator home directory,  type

WILDCAT [Enter]

You can create a Windows 95 desktop shortcut to the connection manager:

1.   Open Explorer and find WILDCAT.EXE.

2.   Right click on it, and hold the mouse button down.

3.   Drag the pointer to the desktop and release the button.

4.   Select Create Shortcut Here. Your desktop shortcut is created automatically.


Configuring a dialing entry

1.   Start WILDCAT (the Wildcat! connection manager).

2.   Select Edit/New from the command menu or press [INS]

3.   Enter the System (BBS) name and phone number or telnet address in the Edit Connection property sheet that appears.

4.   Enter your user ID and password. This is used to log you in to the system.

5.   Select a device from the drop down box. This is the device that Wildcat! Navigator will use to connect to this system.

6.   When you are satisfied that all the information you have entered is correct, click OK.

You must enter a dialing entry, or connection, for each service you want to connect to using Wildcat Navigator.


Dialing your connection:

1.   Double click on the entry you want to connect to, or click once and then click Dial.

2.   WILDCAT will dial the entry.

3.   A status box pops up, displaying current status of the call.


Getting Around in Your Favorite Wildcat! 5 BBS

Since each sysop sets up a BBS differently, it is impossible to describe all of the variations that can be used to move around in a given BBS. But no matter how your sysop has set up the BBS home page, you should find it easy to get around. When you find the link to the section you want to view, click on the link and the appropriate Wildcat Navigator program is launched.

For instance, if you click on the "Files" section of the BBS, the file client is automatically started, so that the files and folders are displayed.

You should also note that each part of Wildcat!  Navigator can be launched individually.

You can create desktop shortcuts in Windows 95, or launch from a command prompt.

Type the name of the program and press [Enter]. For example, to start the message client, you would type

MESSAGE [Enter]