Gold Fish 2/goldfish_vol2_cd1.bin/files/comm/bbs/dcdd/dcdd.doc

Text File | 1993-08-26 | 20KB | 456 lines

  DCDD.doc                                                      930826.1935

                      Direct Connect Demon Dialer
                            Version 1.8

                            Jerry Smith


                      F.A.A.X. BBS: [phone]



                      Why there is a DCDD.rexx:

     I had been using PCPursuit for years but felt limited both in
     speed and the selected areas covered. I had automated a bit
     by using PCPDial by Dave Mullenix to keep activity logs of time
     and BBSes. I could also keep track of total time used each month.

     During all this I dreamed of higher speeds and unlimited
     phone numbers. So...

         I purchased a SupraFAXmodem V32.bis super modem. NOW!! I really
     needed to be able to keep track of the phone bill I am running
     up!!! I then did some major surgery on PCPDial and Voila.....



                      What DCDD.rexx will do:

Allows you to choose which BBSes to call from a phone book of up to 80 BBSes.
             (You may have as many phone books as you wish)

It will automatically dial your chosen batch of local or distant BBSes, and
   will go through your selections as many times as you like, repeatedly
   dialing the BBSes until it connects with one, at which time it will beep
   and bring BaudBandit's screen to the front.

Due to the needs for high speed when using V32.bis DCDD.rexx creates a
   directory called RAM:-dl and directs all captured sessions and downloaded
   files to here. When you disconnect from a given BBS all the files are
   transfered to DH1:-dl for safekeeping. This insures high speed without the
   worry of a major data loss in case of a power outage.

Before dialing, it will
   A: Automatically change your modem config to allow for non-standard needs
      for any given BBS. (at least on my SupraFAXmodem V32.bis)

After connecting, it will
   A: Automatically start an ARexx script if you specify one.
   B: Automatically start a line of BaudBandit script pairs you supply.
   C: Automatically open a capture log file if you wish.
   D: Automatically capture your initial connect speed for the BBS log.
   E: Automatically capture the current date and time to use in the BBS log.

It will automatically keep track of the total connect time for each BBS
   visited as well as a running total for the current month.

The running monthly total is not updated for a selected BBS if you use the
   LOCAL option in the bandit.DCDD phone book.

After you disconnect from a BBS, DCDD.rexx will compute the time you were
   connected and store a record accordingly, then it will dial the next
   BBS you have selected until all BBSes have been delt with. You can
   Press Shift F10 to leave the Dialing Loop and exit DCDD.rexx.

While you are CONNECTED to a BBS if you press Shift F10 DCDD.rexx will
   disconnect you and clean up the files just like a normal BBS logoff and
   then continue on to the next selected BBS. This is very useful should a
   BBS freeze up on you.

All files and capture logs are transfered from RAM:-dl to DH1:-dl when you
   logoff of a BBS. RAM:-dl is then cleared for use with the next BBS.


                      What DCDD.rexx requires:

You must have ARexx version 1.1 or higher and BaudBandit, version 1.5
   or higher.

You will also have to have rexxsupport.library in your Libs directory.
   Directions for doing this are given below.

There is a script which fires off when the DCDD icon is double clicked
   that expects arexx to be already up and running.

Also I am using WShell with this. Non WShell users may need adjustments.




                      How to Get Set up:

First, make sure ARexx has the rexxsupport.library up and working. This will
   add about a dozen new commands to ARexx and it has to be there because
   DCDD.rexx uses one of them. The new commands are described in the file
   "update.doc" on your original ARexx disk.


If you don't have rexxsupport.library installed, then follow these instructions.
   Copy rexxsupport.library from the libs directory of your ARexx disk to your
   libs directory. Then add these lines to your startup-sequence file
   immediately after the rexxmast command:

   wait >NIL: 3 secs
   rxlib rexxsupport.library 0 -30 0


Then make a directory on your hardisk called DemonDialer and give it an icon.
     Put all my files into your DemonDialer directory.
     Put your copy of BaudBandit and it's icon into the DemonDialer directory.
     If you have BaudBandit v2.1 use my BB.config else run BaudBandit, and
     turn POPUP OFF then save the configuration. If you don't do this the
     dialer screen keeps getting in the way. Make sure ARexx is up and running
     (WB2.04 & up does it for you). Now you're ready!


                      How to Use DCDD.rexx:

     Once ARexx is up and running just double click on the DCDD icon
     and the script will start up BaudBandit and bring up a menu of
     80 BBSes for you to choose from.


                    How to Select a Group of BBSes to Call:

A window will open and up to 80 BBS names will be displayed in it.
   The hours used so far this month (00:00:00 the first time you run it)
   will be shown along with an invitation to type in the numbers of the
   BBSes you want to dial.  Type in as many numbers as you want.
   Separate each number by a space or any of these characters:
   ,./;:\|+-*#

For instance, if you want to call the second, fourth and fifteenth
   BBSes in the phonebook, type 2 4 15 or 2,4,15 or 2/4/15 or 2 4-15 or any
   other combination you want.  You can also type a number more than once.
   If you want to get through to the third BBS in your phonebook very badly,
   you might type something like 3 5 3 9 3 2 3 1. When you logoff of a BBS
   DCDD.rexx will edit your selections and delete ALL occurances of that
   BBS selection number.

In addition if the first character entered is an "A" you can direct your
   Do_WHOEVER.rexx script to do Automatic processing. If you entered an "A"
   and then select a BBS that has no Arexx script DCDD.rexx will warn you
   and quit.

   Do_FAAX.rexx is an example that will logon to F.A.A.X. BBS, enter your name
   and password, continue on to the file area and download the new file list
   into your capture file, and then logoff. All Automatically! If you do not
   enter the "A" then it will only log you in and go to the main menu.


                             Dialing:

Type your line, hit Return and BaudBandit will start dialing the first
   selected BBS number.  When it connects, BaudBandit will beep and bring
   its screen to the front if you are somewhere else. You can either watch
   or multitask away and do something else while DCDD.rexx and BaudBandit
   grind away at your BBS selections.


                   After connecting With the Desired BBS:

When DCDD.rexx connects with a BBS, it will beep and bring BaudBandit's
   screen to the front.  At this time, DCDD.rexx will open a capture file,
   if you put a title for one in the phonebook.  It will also start any
   ARexx script or BaudBandit script pairs you specified in the phone book.
   Finally, DCDD.rexx will go to sleep and wait for you to disconnect from
   that BBS. To show you that DCDD.rexx is sleeping, it will display this
   message on BaudBandit's screen:

               +-------------------------------------+
               | WAITING FOR UrBBSname DISCONNECT    |
               +-------------------------------------+


Now logon to the BBS and do whatever you want to do.  YOU MAY HAVE TO CLICK
   ON THE SCREEN BEFORE TYPING.  When you're finished, log off and DCDD.rexx
   will return you to the Dailing Loop after doing some housekeeping chores.


                After You Logoff Your Current BBS:

As soon as the CARRIER is dropped, DCDD.rexx will wake up and say,
   "Updating Total Time" and give you the previous total time used for the
    month, the time used on the call that's just finished and the new total
    time used this month. It will save the total time in file DCDDtime.YYYYMM
    in the DemonDialer directory. DCDD.rexx also saves the connect and
    disconnect information in file DCDDdiscos.yyyymm in the DemonDialer
    directory. Details on both files are below. DCDD.rexx will edit your
    selections and delete ALL occurances of that BBS selection number. All
    files and capture logs are transfered from RAM:-dl to DH1:-dl and then
    all files in RAM:-dl are deleted.


If there are additional BBSes to be dialed, you'll see a list of them and then
   the next one will be called.  Again, you can go and do something else and
   DCDD.rexx will beep and bring BaudBandit's screen to the front when it
   connects with a BBS. When you hangup from the last BBS selected or press
   Shift F10, you will see:

           **************************************************
           *****                                       ******
           ***** EXITING * DIRECT CONNECT DEMON DIALER ******
           *****                                       ******
           **************************************************

   and then DCDD.rexx will finish up some housekeeping chores and exit.

DCDD.rexx creates two files in your DemonDialer directory. One holds the
   monthly time totals and the other stores your BBS session information.


                       How to STOP! DCDD.rexx:

Just press the SHIFT and F10 keys at the same time to delete a directory
   that was created in RAM by the DCDD script at the start of the session.

A section of DCDD.rexx tests for this directory and causes the program to
   shut down if it is not found. If DCDD.rexx starts dialing another BBS
   after you pressed Shift F10, just press enter to skip it and let
   DCDD.rexx exit normally.


                         Monthly Time Information:

DCDD.rexx stores the monthly total time used in a file called DCDDtime.YYYYMM,
   where YYYY is the current year and MM is the current month. For instance,
   if this were Feburary 1997, the file name would be DCDDtime.199702.

The total time is stored as standard ASCII numbers, with the hours on the
   first line, minutes on line two and seconds on line 3.  For instance,
   if you'd used 15 hours, 32 minutes and 8 seconds so far in August, 1997,
   the file DCDDtime.199708 would read:

   15
   32
   8

You can change this file with any text editor or word processor. ED works
   just fine. This is handy if you use some time calling a friend and want
   to add it to the total.  DCDD.rexx starts a new file each month and
   doesn't erase the old ones, so you'll have to manually delete them once
   in a while.

KNOWN BUG: If you connect with a BBS before midnight on the last day of the
   month and don't disconnect until after midnight, all the time gets
   credited to the old month.


                     Monthly Activity Information:

DCDD.rexx saves all the connect/disconnect information plus the date and
   time you connected, in a file called DCDDdiscos.YYYYMM. these records
   look like this:


970829 170628 00:14:36 Game Shop 9600


970829    = 29 August 1997 (YYMMDD).

170628    = Military time connection was made (HHMMSS).

00:14:36  = duration of the call in hours:minutes:seconds.

Game Shop = the BBS's (long) name.

9600      = the actual arbitrated connect speed.


These files may come in handy if you want to review your usage or check out
   your phone bill. These files are not erased automatically and will
   gradually accumulate.  You'll have to delete the old ones manually.


                            PhoneBooks:

You can have as many phone books as you want for DCDD.rexx and each phone
   book can have up to 80 BBSes in it.  The default phonebook is named
   Bandit.DCDD.  You can change the "DCDD" part to any legal Amiga name you
   want. For instance, you could make phonebooks titled Bandit.AMIGA or
   Bandit.MIDI or Bandit.WAFFLE. Just copy, rename and edit the script DCDD
   and copy/rename it's icon. You will also want to copy and rename the
   bandit.DCDD-blank-80 phonebook. Of course you will have to populate it
   with your favorite BBS names and numbers.

DCDD_1, DCDD_1.info and bandit.DCDD_1 are renamed and edited samples.


                           Phonebook format:

Each phone book consists of multiple line records for each BBS listed.

Each record has this format:

> Five minus signs to mark the start of the record
> BBS name (long name)
> Phone number (including 1 and the area code i.e 1-209-234-5678)
> LOCAL key word (used to bypass monthly time updates for local BBSes)
> AT codes to send to your modem for *THIS* BBS *BEFORE* dialing begins.
> Capture file filename (short name)
> ARexx script to execute after connecting to the BBS
> BaudBandit script pairs to execute after connecting to the BBS
> Zero or more lines of notes to be displayed while dialing the BBS.

The capture filename, ARexx script name and script pairs are all optional.
   If you don't want to use them, leave the line blank, but at least a
   blank line must be there.

After the line of script pairs, you can type several lines to be displayed
   on BaudBandit's screen while dialing a BBS. You can put any information
   here you like. Also You may have as many lines of notes as you wish or
   none at all.

     Here's a small sample file, with notes.

-----           Start of first BBS record
First Amiga UG  BBS Name
1-415-595-2479  Full Phone Number
                Blank code allows time to be added to monthly totals.
M               AT code to turn off speaker
Faug            Filename for capture file
                ARexx script to execute at logon (blank here)
                BaudBandit script pairs to execute at logon (blank)
First Amiga Users Group (was the FIRST according to them...). (notes)
-----           Start of second BBS record
Safe Harbor     BBS Name
1-414-548-8155  Full Phone Number
                Blank code allows time to be added to monthly totals.
                AT code (blank)
SafHarb         Capture file name
                ARexx script to execute at logon (blank here)
'{Escape twice=\w\x1B\w\x1B\w\r}{name:=Your Name\r}{Password:=Your Password\r}{RETURN=\r}'
Verified 6/87   notes
-----           Start of third BBS record
F.A.A.X.        BBS name
226-7162        Phone number
LOCAL           Local code to keep Local call time out of monthly totals.
                AT code (blank)
FAAX            Capture file name
DO_FAAX.rexx    ARexx script to be executed at logon
                BaudBandit script pairs (blank here)
sysop Darcy McConnell                Line 1 of notes
Home BBS for the A.G.E. users group  Line 2 of notes
has CD-ROM online                    Line 3 of notes
-----           Start of fourth BBS record
etc.

Nothing special has to be at the end of the file.

NOTE:  The capture file name will have .YYMMDD.HHMM.1 appended to it,
   where the current values of YY = year, MM = month, DD = day, HH = hour
   and MM = minutes. Thus, a capture file name like FAAX in the above sample
   would become FAAX.970215.2318.1 if the date was Feb 15, 1997 at 11:18 pm.
   If you turn capture off and then back on at the BaudBandit menu bar, the
   new ones will automatically increment by one to become FAAX.970215.2319.2,
   etc.

   I use this feature to capture the original logon as FAAX.970215.2318.1,
   the new file list as FAAX.970215.2318.2 and the remainder of the session
   as FAAX.970215.2318.3.



                           Script Pairs:

These are used to cause BaudBandit to send responses based on a code being
   detected. Be sure to begin and end the whole thing with single quotes.

   '{Escape=\w\x1B\w\r}{name=Your Name}{Password:=Your Password}'
     -----------------  --------------  -----------------------
   The above will respond with an escape code(1B) the first time it finds the
       key word "Escape". Next it will respond with Your Name the first time
       "name" is found. Password is handled the same way. Read the docs for
       BaudBandit for more ideas.....



                           Arexx Scripts:

These may be used to direct BaudBandit and DCDD.rexx for more expanded
   control of a BBS session than script pairs alone will allow. These are
   usually used for automated late night download sessions.

   If the first character entered on the select BBSes line is an "A" you can
   direct your Do_WHOEVER.rexx script to do Automatic processing. If you have
   entered an "A" and then select a BBS that has no Arexx script, DCDD.rexx
   will warn you and quit.

   Do_FAAX.rexx will for example logon to the F.A.A.X. BBS, enter your name
   and password, download messages (and attached files), continue on to the
   file area and download the new file list into your capture file, and then
   logoff. All Automatically. . . . . . !!! If you do not enter the "A" then
   it will only log you in and go to the main menu.

   Nested DO FOREVER/WAIT LOOPS can be used to control your Auto Processing
   and allow for an exit of the BBS in case the sysop has changed things and
   your Do_WHOEVER.rexx script gets "LOST" and locks up. The Timeouts are set
   for 30 seconds each. Telephone time costs too much to let this happen..!!!

   Note: the WAIT statements are looking for an EXACT!!! match including
   upper/lower case!!! If you are having problems check you session logs and
   check spelling, punctuation and case....

   For an example see Do_FAXX.rexx Arexx script........



                           Update History:


Version 1.8  - 26 Aug 1993  - Changed Arexx Scripts process to do NESTED DO
                              FOREVER/WAIT LOOPS and eliminated the need for
                              the 5 minute timer. (left timer in place for
                              those using it). see Do_FAAX.rexx for example
                              and read "AREXX SCRIPTS:" above.

Version 1.7  - 14 Aug 1993  - re-did RemoveBBS function to work as advertised!
                              re-did ability to control an Auto exit of a
                              BBS after 5 minutes. Added ability to control
                              Do_WHOEVER.rexx scripts by entering an "A" as
                              the first character when selecting BBSes. see
                              Do_FAAX.rexx for example and read "AREXX SCRIPTS:"
                              above.

Version 1.6  - 02 Aug 1993  - added ability to control an Auto exit of a
                              BBS after 5 minutes. This is controled by the
                              existence of a directory in RAM. see FAAX above
                              and file Do_FAAX.rexx for example.

Version 1.5  - 29 July 1993 - modified DCDD.rexx to use script pair codes
                              to handle request for "ESCAPE" key at logon.
                              see Safe Harbor above...

Version 1.4a - 28 July 1993 - text and docs updated.

Version 1.4  - 19 July 1993 - first public release.



                           Ramblings.....

My Wife and I have our own PDdisks for sales (read "About-Smith-Disks") and
   of course collect Amiga BBS information and Great PD files. If you do any
   Really Neat modifications to DCDD.rexx or make up some Do_WHOEVER.rexx
   scripts PLEASE leave mail/files for me at the Fresno Area Amiga eXchange
   BBS at [phone].


This whole package is in the public domain.  You may do anything you want
   with it, specifically including copying it, giving it away and selling
   it if you can find a sucker. All I ask is that you leave my name on it.