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Text File | 1993-03-06 | 27.5 KB | 668 lines

ST-Keep Bulletin Board System Update News ----------------------------------------- 06Mar93 Added "Auto-logoff after download" toggle for users. [X][N][N] turns this feature on or off. If on, after a download is completed, a 20 second countown starts, during which the user can press [S] to abort the logoff or if [S] isn't pressed their session will be terminated. 05Mar93 Users may only have up to the maximum minutes for all users per day times 3 minutes on deposit in their time bank account. Your maximum minutes per day is set with CNFG.PRG. 03Mar93 Added a new switch when running ST-Keep as a door. -R### passes the number of minutes allowed to the user UNDER ALL CONDITIONS (even SysOp access) when the BBS is run from a door. The value can be from 1-255. 01Mar93 Erasing a file in a directory room now only records the filename instead of the complete path. The room identification should be enough to know where the file was, and it was causing ugly reports in the system messages due to word-wrapping past one line. I have attempted to make all BBS prompts respond only to valid characters rather than [?] menu if an invalid character was typed. Let me know if I missed any commands (menu options inop) or missed a menu! 23Feb93 Fixed bugs where deleting a file number greater than available from the batch list was allowed along with making sure to delete the file size of a file deleted from this same list so it won't offset the rest of the data that may still be on the list. 19Feb93 Another fix for [.][c][a] and editing the access level. If used, can't raise access level higher than current value. 15Feb93 Added a Time Bank feature. Users can press $ at any room prompt and enter the bank. They can deposit up to their remaining time for the current day into the bank, to a maximum of 32000. They may withdraw once per day, an amount equal to your configured global maximum minutes per call. You must edit STK_INFA.SYS at line number 28, 2 lines below the SysOps last name. It must contain the single key character of the hot-key used to enter your automatic-door. [.][E][D] is still used to get the full door menu system. I would suggest shying away from the current [*] for activating this function, as it is one of the characters used to signal a Zmodem transfer start/finish and is causing some users to enter the door menu when their file transfer is complete. Make sure to edit your ROOMCMDS.* menus to reflect your new door menu hot-key. The author of Notary (call-back verifier) has agreed to allow me to update Notary for use with ST-Keep, that way I don't have to start from scratch. I'll keep you posted. 14Feb93 Updated BBS_TERM.PRG so that it erases its status line properly upon exit. 13Feb93 If you have active votes and are missing an *.ANS (answer) file, the system will not bomb and ignore that vote instead. 05Feb93 Changed "filename erased by ... in room ..." to a system message instead of a singly message. 01Feb93 Edit line #18 in STK_INFA.SYS and enter a number from 50-9999 which will correspond to the number of lines saved in STK_CALL.SYS to record user calls to the BBS. The old count was 100, and you start seeing a delay by 150. Fixed a bug that didn't allow you to INCREASE a user's access level (introduced when I made the external user editor internal). You also can not edit your own access level if you are logged on remotely nor can you raise any user's access level (including yourself) higher than your own. Fixed a bug that wasn't stopping un-registered copies from pausing before allowing users to logon remotely. If you weren't aware, I retracted the crippleware idea and simply make un-registered copies pause 45 seconds before allowing a user to logon remotely. I didn't do this for local logons as a new SysOp testing the system out would get upset very quickly about having to wait all the time! I still don't believe ST-Keep will prosper as cripple-ware. 23Jan93 You can delete the BBS_T10.PRG file, it's been placed internally into BBS.PRG as was the BBS_UE.PRG a week ago. Your T10*.SYS files are still required, however. Leave them as they are. 19Jan93 Users may type [S] or [CTRL-C] while text has been paused with their [P] or [CTRL-S] keypress and the display will be stopped. 18Jan93 Deleted the old "Access User" routine and re-wrote the current "Userlog Editor" routine so that it could edit both a user on disk and the user in RAM simply by saving the RAM user to disk first, then re-loading the record when finished. Save approximately 5K of code and made ST-Keep one step closer to better structure! 17Jan93 Status line tested OK on monochrome. You no longer need BBS_UE.PRG, please DELETE all copies you may have. It has been re-installed internally. I was able to test the status line in monochrome, looks great! 16Jan93 Cleaned up the status line a bit. Someone test it in monochrome for me, I no longer have one! 13Jan93 New co-sysop option, [.][C][R] to search for a user by their REAL name field. You can enter a string to search for. Update your COSYSOP.MNU files. This edits the user on disk only, similar to [.][C][U]. 11Jan93 You can now change the description of a file if it already has one, no editing, just changing the complete description. Use [A] and answer the confirmation if a description already exists. You can now add floors while logged on instead of only with a text editor, use [0] from the [.][C][F]loor editor. Also, cosmetic changes. The waitcall screen now has information for the SysOp regarding how many new user applications, new uploads, and new mail messages have occurred since his last logon. These pointers will create a file called STK_NEWD.SYS in your system folder, and will be 0'd out after the sysop logs off. v5.05-10Jan93 This is the first "registration required" version of ST-Keep. You should have an "STKEEP.KEY" file with this version which you should backup for safekeeping. Your BBS will not run properly without it (you'll be limited to 25 rooms and 25 user accounts. You will need to add your serial number to the INFA.SYS file by adding a new line at the end of the file. Your serial number will be supplied in a textfile along with your key file. Added a new field to each user account, "Permanent Account." You can edit a user with either [.][c][a] or [.][c][u] and use the permanent account option so that when you use the mass userlog option to delete inactive users, it will NOT delete any permanent accounts. You can still delete permanent accounts with the [.][a][k]ill command or simply by changing their access level to 0. I expect my account on your BBS to be a permanent account! v5.03-09Jan93 You will need to add a new line to INFA.SYS. It should be the complete drive, path, and filename of your terminal program that is executed when you attempt [C]hat mode without a caller on-line. This could be Flash, STalker, or the BBS_TERM.PRG or BBS_TERM.TOS supplied with ST-Keep. Once you add this line, you can configure this setting with the new configuration editor supplied in the update. It's in the 3rd options menu. Users can now enter a search string during extended file directories. A second prompt will appear after they type in the filemask to search for. This obviously takes longer, but can be very handy. If floors are enabled, the search only works for rooms on the current floor for a global directory, and in the current room for a normal extended directory just like the old commands. 04Jan93 There is a new door flag, -DRG or -DHG will send the group level instead of the access level in the DORINFO1.DEF file. Leave out the G if your DORINFO1.DEF file requires the access level. 02Jan93 *** HAPPY NEW YEAR *** Make sure you change any spawning of ST-Keep to use just "-B0" for local mode rather than "-L" as it ist no longer needed. Well, it's a new year, ST-Keep is almost 4 years old and is beginning to show his age. Thank all of you for your suggestions, help, and friendship over the years and months that I've known you. Here is the first new version for 1993! Fixed bug in chat mode that didn't notify SysOp if a user attempted chat and their access level was below 100. Also, multiple un-answered chat requests per session will now be recorded at logoff instead of just the first attempt. If you have doors configured and use the "-D" option to save the DORINFO1.DEF file, you MUST change it to -DR if you wish to pass the user's REAL NAME or -DH if you wish to pass the users HANDLE/Username as ST-Keep knows them. Fixed a problem with the download ratio if the user had 0 uploads. They are given one u/l credit if it is actually 0. Thanks to JEFF for all this New Years work! :) Seriously though, I do appreciate it. BETTER AND BETTER! 29Dec92 You will need to add 6 lines to INFA.SYS below the last entry made on the 24Dec92 update. Each line should be the number 0. After you save the file, you can run BBS_CNFG.PRG with this new file and use the [F] option to change default new user settings. They should be self explanatory, just use Y or N or enter the required information for each field. 26Dec92 Oops, I goofed on that file selector update. I forgot to include prompts for the filename if the selector wasn't used, so you may or may not have figured out that you could still type the pathname, heh. It's fixed now. 24Dec92 You can choose whether ST-Keep attempts to bring up the file selector diring appropriate functions or uses a text prompt instead. Add a line to INFA.SYS and type the number 1 if you want to use the file selector, or 0 if you want to use text prompts. This may be necessary if you have an older version of TOS which doesn't operate well with ST-Keep's file selector. Once you modify STK_INFA.SYS, you can use BBS_CNFG.PRG to change this toggle in the future. 12Dec92 You can now set the timeout minutes per your satisfaction with the BBS_CNFG.PRG program under Options 2 (selection C). Add a line to INFA.SYS at the bottom, it should be the number of minutes for your inactivity time-out. 3 = 3 minutes, etc. Once you do this, you can use the CNFG.PRG to edit in the future. *** RE 24 Oct 92 update *** You need to run the mass userlog editor ([.][c][m]) and edit all your users so that they have the desired max. min. per call/day, etc times for your system. When you added the new line to infa.sys, I forgot to tell you to edit all the users as this field in each record was 0 and unused previously. Sorry! 05Dec92 Added the ability to delete files from the batch download list before the transfer actually takes place in addition to enhancing the general cosmetics of downloads. 29Nov92 When files are transferred batch mode, the report in the system download room accurately reflects which room they were from rather than the room they were all downloaded from. 27Nov92 The -L switch when running BBS.PRG is no longer required for local mode, the baud rate sent as -B0 is sufficient for the system to recognize a non-modem call. 25Nov92 You must add a line to INFA.SYS which is the pathname for the location of your ST-Keep message base. EX: "e:\msgs\" HELP.HLP has been renamed to HELP.MNU so that you can add IGS/V52/ANS graphic menus. ST-Keep will look for this filename from now on so make sure you re-name your old one. It stays in your HELP directory, however. Added "Room Moderator" option. You can assign ONE user as moderator of each room. They will have all room related aide commands (from the .ae menu). I have moved INVITE and UNINVITE user commands into this menu to facilitate this new access level. You MUST RUN BBS_MODR.PRG from your INFA.SYS directory before running this new version. It will create a new file called STK_MODR.SYS which will hold all the moderator names for each of your rooms. Line one is for room 1, line 2 for room 2, etc. BBS_TERM now accepts a pathname along the command line (c:\bbs\) so that it can better find it's configuration file when run from ST-Keep. If there is no path sent or the configuration file isn't found, it'll use some pre-configured defaults. Added "Allocate additional rooms" in the configuration editor. Run BBS_CNFG if you run out of rooms on your BBS. This will add space in the ROOM.SYS and USER.SYS files and create a USER.BAK file in case a problem arises. Please make your own backups of ALL your system files and pay close attention to the BBS until you are sure the addition has taken hold. 24Nov92 Bug fix... if the last available room on your system was created and a user was in that room as the last one on the current floor, the auto-goto-next- floor feature didn't work. Now it does! 08Nov92 Fixed BBS_TERM so that it looks for it's configuration file in the same folder as the program. Changed Goto next floor and show rooms with new messages to be the default settings for new users. 5.0 will allow the sysop to choose his own defaults for most user options depending on his perception of popularity. 07Nov92 Added Ymodem-G hooks for the new XYZ.TTP v2.02 BETA. I tested it with a 200K file and got 1595cps while only getting 1430cps with Zmodem - compression disabled). It worked fine. Added [D] Increase Message Base size to BBS_CNFG.PRG from the main menu. Be sure to enter your value in K and not bytes, or you'll end up with one large message base! 24Oct92 Fixed [E]rase file from the extended directory so that it doesn't allow any user to delete the file. Only Aides or higher can use this menu option. Added a line to INFA.SYS for the maximum number of minutes allowed per day for each user (maximum on-line time per call, below). This will be used to establish this field for new users, but can be modified independantly per user or via the mass userlog editor if you wish. Add a line to INFA.SYS below the minimum baud rate for file transfers. The new version of BBS_CNFG.PRG can be used to change this field once you add the line. 18Oct92 Added "Maximum on-line time per call" field for each user. User Configuration data, co-sysop access and co-sysop userlog editor reflect this new field. This, combined with "maximum on-line minutes per day" should allow better control of user activity. I don't feel a "maximum calls per day" field is required since both of these together will satisfy a daily call limit. 14Oct92 Added MINIMUM BAUD RATE for incoming calls and file transfers. If a caller isn't at this speed or higher for each of these items, they will be sent NOCALL.BLB or NOXFER.BLB, depending on which situation is valid. These settings must be set within the BBS_CNFG.PRG utility. You will need to create the 2 BLB files in addition to adding two lines to INFA.SYS at the bottom of the file. The first line should be the minimum baud rate required for incoming calls, the second should be the minimum baud rate for file transfers. Ex: 1200 2400 Once you add these items, you may use the nwe BBS_CNFG to change them. If a user has a list of downloads in the held file buffer and they press [D] from the extended directory prompt to download the current listed file, their original held file list will not be erased anymore and the current file will be transferred normally. 11Oct92 I found a nice place to re-set the CR count for users with their screen length set for ...More prompting! I set the CR count to 0 inside both of ST-Keep's major I/O routines. This should add a bit more consistancy in the page mode. I also disabled ...More during [T]ermination of a session since you don't want your logoff screen to prompt if it happens to be larger than one user screen. I've added a color reset call after a user logs off, let me know if their vt-52 settins still mess up the waitcall() screen. When [C]ontinuing to enter a message, the CR inserted when the user typed CR/CR to enter edit mode will be removed. This will allow the user to continue their message immediately after the last character typed instead of inserting the CR automatically. There is a new Co-SysOp Option [A] to allow or disallow handles. Simply toggle this on or off. When new users apply, they will be asked for their real name and handle, otherwise only the real name will be prompted for. 03Oct92 Added [V][G]IF file contents. This will show the x and y resolution along with the number of colors used in the picture. The [V] command in the extended directory will activate this function on a *.GIF file automatically. [V] in the extended directory will now display, as ASCII text, any file that doesn't match the *.ARC, *.LZH, *.ZIP, or *.GIF extensions. This allows the text-reading of files that may not have a *.DOC or *.TXT extension. 13Sep92 I'm now turning the mouse on before executing any programs (doors, execs). FidoSysGen was unusable from ST-Keep as a door or .co-sysop exec due to the loss of the mouse! 06Sep92 If you are running ST-Keep from a program that doesn't allow ST-Keep to answer the phone (as a door, from Binkley, etc.) you will need to pass the switch "-L" for LOCAL along the command line with the baud rate and/or path to use. Update of your autoexec.bat files to spawn ST-Keep will be required. This ensures better carrier loss detection when run if the user hangs up during the boot process. Previously, the time between the door program starting ST-Keep and ST-Keep checking for carrier left about 2 seconds of possible error in detection, now the -L ensures a valid detection at all times. Some of you may have been having problems with the door menu showing up under [*] or [.][e][d]... be sure to use BBS_CNFG.PRG and under the [A][X] option (second menu) where the door execs are configured, select "0" for any door information that is unused (auto-exec, logon, logoff). If it is a blank line you will end up with problems getting to your menu, although [*] would still auto-run your selected door. 30Aug92 Screen length ...More? prompting is now disabled during an extended directory listing. Auto-goto next floor flag has been added. Under [X][N][K] (edit configuration, system options, auto-goto...) the user may turn the feature on or off that automagically takes them to the next floor if they have pressed [G]oto and are done with the rooms on the current floor. Added user toggle to turn "Rooms with new messages list" on/off when moving among floors. [L] under user config, system options. If a [S]kip is performed on the last room on a floor, it will act just as if it was a [G]oto and attempt to move to the next floor if the proper user flags are set (it still won't mark the messages as read). 27Aug92 Logon exec and logoff exec have been changed along with bbs_cnfg.prg. You will be required to enter a door number for each of these execs and the command line is now invalid. Instead, create a door with group status that will allow your users to run the desired door as if they chose it themselves. Run cnfg.prg to edit those door numbers as they were previously paths. You may want to use this to have ST-Keep run Fidodoor automatically when a user logs on and check their netmail, etc. If any of these doors are unused, you MUST use a "0" for the door number, if you leave it as a null string you won't be able to get your door menu. 26Aug92 Carrier loss is now detected when run as a door and the loss happened before the BBS was fully loaded. 16Aug92 If any files are on hold, they can now be downloaded in 'undownloadable' rooms. Previously, the no-dl status of a room would not allow a [D] request and thus nullify the held file download and require the user to move to a directory / dl room in order to proceed. If chat mode is disabled, the user is not notified twice that the sysop is unavailable. NOCHAT.BLB is ONLY used if the sysop doesn't answer the chat, but if it's disabled a simple message will be sent to the user. 08Aug92 A second menu has been added in the configuration editor (BBS_CNFG.PRG) to facilitate the addition of new paths to locate. Run it and familiarize yourself by pressing [A] to change paths, then [X] to go to the 2nd menu where you can enter some new options, most importantly the name and location of your chat program. ST-Keep's chat mode has been removed and written as an external module. You will need the BBS_CHAT.PRG along with the new version of BBS.PRG otherwise you won't be able to chat! You MUST locate your CHAT EXEC using the configuration editor by editing your paths and then going to the 2nd menu by pressing [X]. Simply enter the drive/path/filename spec you wish to invoke when chat mode is called. This would read "C:\BBS\BBS_CHAT.PRG" or something like that for ST-Keep's chat, otherwise you can have it call your own chat programs. 07Aug92 All the UNUSED lines in INFA.SYS are now used! These can be updated by using the new version of BBS_CNFG.PRG. Line 7 is now for the chat exec filename. This is the path and filename to run when you select chat mode with a user. ST-Keeps chat mode is now external (BBS_CHAT.PRG). You can choose your own chat program simply by using its name instead. Line 17 is the logon exec filename. This program will run after a user logs on. Line 18 is the logon exec's command line information. Line 19 is the door number to run (auto-door) when [*] is pressed from any room prompt. This will automatically run this door (from STK_DOOR.SYS) when pressed. The [.][E][D] command will still bring up the old menu. The best use for this feature is to allow your users to press [*] and it'll autorun DIP! 05Aug92 Fixed file directory listing so it would no longer ad directory ".", ".", and "FILES" to the total file count when displaying that information. Some users were complaining that they couldn't see 3 files! 01Aug92 Added auto-goto next floor. 17Jul92 In the message editor, if you go to the edit command and later continue your message, it would place a CR at the last position in the editor. This no longer happens so when continuing, you'll start exactly where you left off before pressing RETURN twice to get to the edit command. Increased rs232 i/o buffers to 4K each if the port is locked. 13Jul92 Bug fix, new messages read weren't always getting updated properly in the version during the past 4 days. Update to BBS_TERM to ensure that the menu bar gets re-displayed properly when returning from terminal mode. 12Jul92 BBS_CNFG.PRG has been updated to reflect the use of 192 to lock the port at 19.2K rather than 0 which will simply allow calls up to 19.2K but setting the port at the modem speed rather than locking it at 19.2K. 08Jul92 Added a post logon exec command. Line #19 in the STK_INFA.SYS file can contain a pathname and program name (i.e. "D:\FIDO\FIDODOOR.TTP") which will run right after the system prints "Welcome, Username!" after a logon. 04Jul92 Something happened to my updated BBS_NEWS.DOC file so this information might not have been in the last update as of 01Jul92... There is a new function to disallow new users access to the BBS totally. They can only apply for an account and then they will be logged off (as well as if they call back). The SysOp will need to upgrade their access level to allow them on. This will disallow new users from attributing to ANY system activity other than one new call and an application, which constitutes a new access level even tighter than level 1 was before. To toggle this "Limit New User" function, use the Co-SysOp Option menu "K" ([.][C][O][K]). This also required changes to the access level formats, so prepare for a bit of work. New Access Levels: 0 = killed or unused account (same) 1 = Limited New User (new, application only, no further logon) 2 = Unvalidated User (now write/file xfer/door privs, previously level 1) 3 = Validated user (write/file xfer/door privs, previously level 2) 4- 99 = Normal users for SysOp configuration 100-149 = Aide 150-199 = Co-SysOp 200-254 = SysOp 255 = Supervisor This means that you will *MUST* to change the access level of your current users by using the mass userlog editor (good practice!). On my system, level 5 is SST Members, 4 is special users, 3 is unused, 2 is validated users and 1 is unvalidated users. I basically need to insert a new level between 0 and 1, so I'll move level 2 to 3 (since 3 is unused), 1 to 2, and leave 1 open for the new level if it needs to be used. Since 4 and 5 aren't being bumped, they don't need to be changed. Of course, you will need to change level 2 to 3 first and then 1 to 2 so that I don't create a ton of level 2 users first and then move them all to level 3. Always start converting from the highest level first. It is critical that you change levels, otherwise certain users will not be able to use the system as validated users. 31Jun92 Terminal mode now calls BBS_TERM.PRG (my own creation) rather than using an internal dumb-terminal procedure. Hopefully BBS_TERM will grow as time goes on. Place this program in your system directory. Added [A] Access Desk Accessories from the wait call screen. Added [B] Baud Rate change from the wait call screen. This will save the new rate to INFA.SYS so it'll be your new maximum baud rate default (or port locking information). Cosmetics. 01Jun92 Added [H]old file function. User must use [D]ownload from within any room to download all held files. If these files are not downloaded by the user before the session ends, the list will be erased upon call termination. Changes made to the file description format. TOS version reporting fixed. 24May92 I re-wrote the output routines so that it prints one word at a time rather than a whole line at a time. You will notice a definate decrease in console output during local logons, but users will have more immediate response to their stop and pause requests when reading messages. 11May92 Fixed bug whereby the BBS would bomb if you tried to move a file from a directory room to another directory room which didn't have a folder created on disk. Added 2 characters to each room name when listed within [K]nown rooms command. 10May92 Moved Debug function to [.][C][D]ebug so that normal users can't access it via the old CTRL-P command. Oldmsg% should = oldest msg on disk. Fixed [1] directory command so that a room with 0 files will not show the last byte count of a previous directory room. Added a menu file for USERBOOT.# routines. When you use [F6] to send a userboot textfile before bumping a user, USERBOOT.MNU located in your MSG folder will be displayed so you can remember which boot files you have. 08May92 New BBS config to allow locking the serial port at 19200 bps for high speed modems. 08Apr92 Instant Graphics and Sound menu's were reportedly not working correctly, make sure your menu extensions are IGS. Use BIG for IBM IGS, MNU for ASCII, ANS for ANSI and V52 for VT-52. 30Mar92 A new pathname option has been added so that the SysOp can designate where ST-Keep stores it's temporary files. Line #16 in STK_INFA.SYS contains this pathname. It must terminate with a backslash. This can be a RAMdisk to enhance the speed of functions requiring temporary files. You will need the new version of BBS_CNFG.PRG as well. ST-Keep's internal backup routines have been removed. You will need to set up an EXEC event to run backups. Simply create a batchfile with your favorite CLI and have it use your preference of archivers and take care of your backup.