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Precision Software Appli…tions Silver Collection 1
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Precision Software Applications Silver Collection Volume One (PSM) (1993).iso
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demos
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pcbdemo1.exe
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PCBDISK1.EXE
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WHATSNEW
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1991-11-19
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PCBOARD VERSION 14.5A ADDENDUM
Welcome to PCBoard v14.5a! This new version incorporates
numerous changes and additions. Each section details new or
enhanced features and in most cases an example is included. This
addendum contains important information regarding v14.5a that
cannot be found in the v14.5 manual.
Installation Instructions
The INSTALL program can be used to either install a brand
new copy of PCBoard or to upgrade an existing PCBoard v14.x
installation to v14.5a.
You may install the software using either of two methods:
1. Using PCBoard distribution disks:
Run the INSTALL program on the first disk.
2. Copy ALL of the PCBoard files into a temporary
subdirectory on your hard disk or your network
server's hard disk.
Run the INSTALL program from the subdirectory on
the hard drive.
If you are running PCBoard in your root directory, the
install program will not recognize that directory and will
think you are installing a new copy of PCBoard. If you are
running PCBoard in a root directory, please call CDC and we
will explain how to upgrade manually.
If you downloaded the v14.5a software then copy your
PCB145.EXE file to disk #1 if using floppy disks to install
the software or copy it to the subdirectory where all of
your files are stored if installing it from a hard disk
subdirectory.
A special version of PCBoard called the "VROOM Overlay"
version which utilizes Borland International's VROOM
technology is available on the Salt Air BBS. The major
difference between it and what is found on the distribution
diskettes is that the "VROOM Overlay" version requires
approximately 100K less memory to operate. The decreased
memory usage does result in a slight speed penalty because
the overlay code must extract information from the hard
drive instead of having the entire program in memory.
Converting From Version 10 Systems
On disk #3 (5.25" disks) or disk #2 (3.5" disks) you will
find a file called 10DAT142.ZIP which is a ZIP (compressed
file) containing instructions and a couple of programs
graciously donated by Gary Meeker to convert PCBoard v10.0
setups to the version 14.2 format. After running the
program it should be a simple matter of running the INSTALL
program to convert from v14.2 formats to v14.5a.
Converting From Version 11.x and 12.x Systems
The last distribution disk contains a file called
PCBCONV.DOC which describes the conversion process from
v11.x and v12.x systems up to the v14.x formats. In same
cases it may actually be easier to set up a brand new v14.5a
system and move your v11.x or v12.x users and message files
across.
NEW COMMANDS ADDED IN PCBOARD V14.5A
Conference Search Command
A (S)earch sub-command was added to the (J)oin
conference command. This command may be used to do a
text search for conference names available on a system.
Once you enter the search criteria PCBoard will display
a list of conferences that contain the text that the
caller specified.
For systems that have hundreds or even thousands of
conferences available this subcommand makes finding the
right conference that much easier.
View User Command Enhanced
Additional commands were added to the End of Message
command. These new commands allow access to both the
"TO:" user account and the "FROM:" user account. By
typing "FF" at the command prompt you can access the
account of the user who left the message. You may also
view the account of the recipient with the "FT"
command.
Route Reply Command
In addition to the "FF" and "FT" commands that were
added to the End of Message command, a "RO" command was
also added. This command allows you to reply to a user
other than the sender of the original message.
View Direction Command
The Sysop Function 7 command has also been enhanced.
You may now use the "+" and "-" keys to set the
directions that the user records are displayed.
Force Expert Command
There were two new subcommands added to the e(X)pert command
as follows:
X ON Forces expert mode ON
X OFF Forces expert mode OFF
You might wish to use these new sub commands in conjunction
with the new PCBSTUFF.KBD file (usage explained in Changes
in DOOR operations in PCBoard v14.5a) to force a caller to
either be in expert mode or in novice mode. These two new
subcommands allow for more flexibility than the simple
toggle expert mode command.
Upload/Download Synonym Commands
Two new commands have been added to the main level of
commands. UPLOAD and DOWNLOAD may now be used as
synonyms for U and D respectively.
NEW COMMAND LINE SWITCHES
Command line switches are settings that you place directly
on the PCBoard command line in the BOARD.BAT (eg. PCB145)
file. This is not the same as the environment switches
which use the SET command to place them in the environment.
/C This command line parameter already existed
in PCBoard v14.5 but has modified so that it
not only accepts the normal numerical values
(0-9) but also the actual connect speed
(1200, 2400, 14400, etc.).
For those running a front end program (such
as a mailer) and the new V.32bis modems, you
may have noticed that there is not a
numerical (0-9) parameter for that modem.
You could use the following command in your
front end mailer batch files to tell PCBoard
to use 14400 as a connect speed:
PCB145 /C:14400
By allowing you to specify any valid connect
speed up to 115,200 cps. This enhancement
allows PCBoard and front end programs to
handle new speed standards as they are
introduced.
/FILE:filespec This parameter points to the location of the
PCBOARD.DAT file which should be used for the
execution of PCBoard. Example:
PCB145 /FILE:Z:\LOCAL\PCBOARD.DAT
This example would tell PCBoard to use
Z:\PCB\PCBOARD.DAT instead of looking in
the default directory for PCBOARD.DAT.
Additionally, this parameter adds a
large amount of flexibility that did not
previously exist in PCBoard 14.5. Those
that are using PCBoard in-house will
appreciate the usefulness of this
command.
For more information on how you could use the
/FILE command, see the /FLOAT command in the
New Environment Switch Settings section of
this addendum.
/NOENV Tells PCBoard to not create the new PCB
environment variables such as PCBNODE,
PCBDRIVE, and PCBDIR. For more information
on these environment variables see New
Environment Variables in the Changes in DOOR
Operations section of this addendum.
/READSYS The /READSYS command line parameter will
search the current directory for a USERS.SYS
file. If found, it will read the new
information in and make necessary changes to
the users file. Once it has performed the
update, PCBoard immediately exits to DOS.
This command is useful for third party
applications that want to update the users
file.
Example usage:
PCB145 /READSYS
NEW ENVIRONMENT SWITCH SETTINGS
Environment switches use a single SET PCB= command to place
them into the DOS environment space. If multiple settings
are desired combine them all together on a single line.
Example: SET PCB=/RESET /MAIN /UPCRED:2 /BYTECRED:1.5 /SWAP
The recommended location for the SET PCB= line is in the
BOARD.BAT file near the top and before any IF EXIST
statements. This would also be a good place to put any
other SET statements that may be required during the
operation of your bulletin board system.
/FLOAT Used for in-house local area networks it
allows PCBoard to pick a node that isn't busy
and automatically switch to that node number.
This avoids the need to assign everyone a
unique node number. You could have 1000 users
vying for access to a 99-node system. If all
99 nodes were in use, the user would receive
an "ALL NODES ARE BUSY" message.
You may also use this command to separate
dial-in nodes from local nodes. To do this
for a 6-node setup with 2 dial-in nodes,
follow these instructions:
1) Setup your dial in nodes as node 1
and node 2.
2) Create a third PCBOARD.DAT which
specifies no modem and is set for
node 3. If you have no dial-in
nodes set the node number for 1.
3) For the local nodes' BOARD.BAT
modify it to contain the following:
SET PCB=/FLOAT
PCB145 /FILE:Z:\LOCAL\PCBOARD.DAT
With this modification, PCBoard will look for
PCBOARD.DAT to be located in Z:\LOCAL. If
drive Z is a server drive you could use one
batch file and one PCBOARD.DAT file to manage
hundreds or thousands of local callers to
access an in-house system.
In a setup such as this you want to make sure
that a local caller starts PCBoard from a
unique drive and subdirectory (such as the
local drive of the user that is logged on
locally). This is because PCBoard stores
certain files unique to each caller in the
directory where PCB145.EXE was executed.
Therefore, a sample BOARD.BAT for a BBS
taking advantage of the /FLOAT feature might
look like this example:
@echo off
c:
cd\local
set pcb=/FLOAT
if exist remote.bat ren remote.bat remote.sys
if exist event.bat rename event.bat event.sys
if exist door.bat del door.bat
if exist endpcb del endpcb
pcb145 /LOCALON /FILE:Z:\LOCAL\PCBOARD.DAT
if exist remote.bat remote
if exist door.bat door
if exist event.bat event
if exist endpcb goto end
board
:end
Since the floating node numbers start at the
node number specified in PCBOARD.DAT you can
protect your dial in nodes while maximizing
the local functions of PCBoard.
In conjunction with the above there is now a
special "local-only" version of PCBoard
available for /U customers. This version of
the software lacks the dial-in capability as
well as the Call Waiting screen and any
other "sysop" amenities and instead treats
the user as if he were a caller into the
system. This can be very useful for large
organizations concerned about security issues
that are involved when using the regular
software.
/MAIN Used to force all "Comments to the Sysop"
into the Main Board conference. This is very
handy for those systems which carry net or
echo mail as it will not allow stray
"C"omments to the sysop to be sent across a
mail network.
/NOBATCHUP Used to instruct PCBoard to not allow files
to be uploaded in batch protocol mode. This
may be desirable when a large number of
foreign machines (such as Macintosh whose
file naming conventions do not match MS-DOS'
conventions) will be uploading files. Any
batch protocols defined may still be used but
only in single file upload operation.
/NOPROMOTE Used for those who do not wish the "D" and
"U" file transfer commands to be
automatically promoted to batch file
equivalents of "DB" and "UB" when the
protocol chosen is a batch protocol. In
PCBoard v14.5 the promote feature was added
to help minimize the confusion that a few
callers were experiencing between the "D",
"U", "UB", and "DB" commands. This feature
may not be desirable on all systems. Unless
you have a reason to add the /NOPROMOTE
switch it is recommended that you let PCBoard
promote the commands.
/NOREG For new users--it disables the automatic
pre-scan of the conference list for public
conferences. The caller may still join any
public conferences he simply won't be
registered in them until he joins. For
systems with a hundreds or even thousands of
conferences this switch is highly
recommended. This switch saves time for new
user logins by avoiding the pre-scan of
existing conferences in which the new user
would automatically be registered in without
this switch being used.
/RESET Instructs PCBoard to automatically reset the
modem every 5 minutes while it sits idling at
the Call Waiting screen. If your modem has a
tendency to go "brain-dead" on occasion, turn
this switch on. PCBoard will attempt to
"wake it up" by resetting the modem every 5
minutes with an ATZ command.
CHANGES IN DOOR OPERATIONS
"Shell" Doors
PCBoard now has the ability to set up a "shell" DOOR.
That is, a DOOR which PCBoard will shell out to DOS
leaving PCBoard in memory rather than dropping out of
memory entirely. This gives a much quicker return to
PCBoard when the door finishes. The consequence of
using a "shell" DOOR is that you do not have as much
memory available for the DOOR. A "shell" DOOR will not
display the DOOR is loading. This way you can make a
DOOR look like it is an integrated function of your
system.
You may specify that a DOOR is to be a "shell" DOOR by
specifying "Y" in the SHELL column of DOORS.LST in your Main
Board or Conference Configuration screens. If you specify a
"S" instead of "Y", PCBoard will swap itself out of memory
in the same way that the /SWAP switch works.
NEW ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
PCBoard v14.5a creates several new environment variables
when a DOOR is OPENed. These new environment variables are
as follows:
PCBDRIVE The drive letter from which PCB145.EXE was
executed. This is commonly referred to as
PCBoard's "home" drive.
Example in environment: PCBDRIVE=C:
PCBDIR The directory that PCB145.EXE was executed
from. This is commonly referred to as
PCBoard's "home" directory. In addition,
this is where DOOR.SYS, PCBOARD.SYS, and
USER.SYS files are created.
Example in environment: PCBDIR=\PCB
PCBDAT The full drive and pathname to the
PCBOARD.DAT that this particular copy of
PCB145.EXE is using. Normally, this is the
location that PCB145.EXE was executed from.
However, this may change if you are using the
/FILE parameter.
Example: PCBDAT=C:\PCB\PCBOARD.DAT
PCBNODE The node number assigned to this copy of
PCB145.EXE. This information is pulled from
PCBOARD.DAT or the free node number when
using /FLOAT environment switch.
Example in environment: PCBNODE=1
The above environment variables can be used to control DOOR
batch files allowing you to set up a single file that can be
used by multiple nodes. As an example, lets look at a
sample batch file for a DOOR:
Batch file on disk Batch file when running
---------------------- -----------------------
CD\DOOR CD\DOOR
RUNDOOR.EXE RD%PCBNODE%.CFG RUNDOOR.EXE RD1.CFG
%PCBDRIVE% C:
CD %PCBDIR% CD \PCB
The environment variables contained the following
values for this example:
PCBNODE=1
PCBDRIVE=C:
PCBDIR=\PCB
In this example three different environment variables were
used--PCBNODE, PCBDRIVE, and PCBDIR. Each was replaced by
the value contained in the environment variable that PCBoard
automatically creates for you. In order to specify an
environment variable for use in a batch file you must
surround the variable with percent (%) signs. For example,
if you wanted to put the PCBNODE environment variable in a
batch file it would appear as %PCBNODE%.
It cannot be stressed enough how important the new
environment variables are for those who are running
multinode setups. These new variables allow you to use one
batch file instead of numerous ones spread out over various
nodes. Creating batch files that use the new environment
variables also cuts down on maintenance on the system.
Increasing Environment Space
You may need to make room in your environment for these new
environment settings. If you get an "out of environment
space" error then you will need to make the following
modification to your CONFIG.SYS to increase your environment
space.
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM /E:512 /P
The above line allocates 512 bytes of environment space.
Depending on your system configuration you could get away
with more or less bytes allocated. Do not allocate in
excess of 1000 bytes. There are several programs that may
have problems dealing with environments of that size.
Stuff Keyboard Ability
Added the detection of a file called PCBSTUFF.KBD after
executing a DOOR or a (F)ile (V)iew operation. If found, it
stuffs the keyboard buffer with the keystrokes found in the
file. Example:
You may have a DOOR which, after executing, you want to
have a file flagged for the caller to download. To do
this, you would copy a text file that contained the
following contents to PCBSTUFF.KBD in the node's home
directory:
FLAG;FILENAME.EXT
The contents of this PCBSTUFF.KBD would FLAG a file
named FILENAME.EXT for download. As you can see, this
is a very powerful function of PCBoard and can be used
in many ways to enhance a bulletin board system.
The actual DOOR batch file might look like this:
COPY C:\PCB\FLAGGED.TXT PCBSTUFF.KBD
This batch file would be only one line. Since it is
such a simple door, you may wish to also set this up as
a "shell" DOOR (see "'Shell' Doors" earlier in this
section). By setting this up as a "shell" DOOR, you
eliminate "Loading DOORNAME...." file that PCBoard
normal displays and you also do not have to put BOARD
on the last line of the batch file because it is a
SHELL to DOS.
Post Door Execution Display File
Similar to PCBSTUFF.KBD, detection was also added for a file
called PCBDOOR.TXT after executing a door. If found, PCBoard
will display the contents of the file to the caller.
PCBoard will take care of all the COM port output, replacing
@ variables, and inserting appropriate "more" prompts making
it just that much easier for you to display information to
callers.
This command has many possibilities. One use of this new
feature would be a DOOR that would show the caller his
current byte and file ratio. You would create a text file
that would contain the file you are going to later copy to
the PCBDOOR text file. A file called RATIO.TXT could
contain @ variables (including color codes) and may look
like the following:
@CLS@
@X05File/Byte Ratios for @USER@
@X0E==================================================
@X0A
@X0ABytes Uploaded: @X0F@UPBYTES@
@X0ABytes Downloaded: @X0F@DLBYTES@
@X07------------------------
@X2FByte Ratio: @BYTERATIO@
@X0A
@X0CFiles Uploaded: @X0F@UPFILES@
@X0CFiles Downloaded: @X0F@DLFILES@
@X07------------------------
@X4FFile Ratio: @FILERATIO@
The hard part is done. Now all you have to do is to create
a DOOR. For the example above let's name the door RATIO.
Create an entry in your DOORS.LST file for this DOOR, making
it a "shell" door. Now create the DOOR batch file that
might look something like this:
COPY C:\PCB\RATIO.TXT PCBDOOR.TXT
Your RATIO door should work just fine now. As a final
touch, you may want to add this command to your BRDM file so
that it appears as a normal command to the caller.
NEW FEATURES
PCBoard now has the ability to index your download files for
lightning fast retrieval whether on a CD-ROM drive, a slow
hard disk, or a network server. To take advantage of this
feature you will need to use a program included on the
distribution diskettes called MAKEIDX.EXE. Below you will
find information that will help you create your index.
MAKEIDX Usage:
MAKEIDX pathlist[.PTH] indexname[.IDX]
Where the indexname is the name of the index file to be
created based on the files found in the paths specified
by the pathlist file.
Pathlist is an ASCII file (CR/LF delimited) listing
paths that are to be scanned for files (including any
subdirectories of the paths that are specified.
A sample pathlist called MAIN.PTH might look like this:
MAIN.PTH
--------
D:\DL1\
D:\DL2\
E:\DL3\
F:\DL4\
The above list of paths specify where MAKEIDX is to
search for files on your system. It should be noted
that MAKEIDX, unlike PCBoard, takes the path that is
specified and searches all subdirectories underneath
that path as well. Therefore a path such as "C:\"
would pick up every file in every subdirectory on drive
C.
You may place any valid DOS drive and subdirectory in
the list. This includes network drives, CD-ROM drives,
even standard hard disks. The path that is listed in
your pathname file must be terminated with a backslash
denoting the fact that it is a subdirectory.
MAKEIDX will then create a file with the indexname
specified that has a list of all files found in the
subdirectories you have specified. Once you have
created your index you need to notify PCBoard that you
are using an index file.
Modifying your DLPATH.LST file
PCBoard continues to support the standard DLPATH.LST
file. In other words, if you are upgrading to v14.5a
you need not change a thing. To take advantage of the
indexing capability you must edit the DLPATH.LST file
to specify the names of any index file(s) you wish to
have searched. To do this, PCBoard uses the included
file specification (%filename) feature. An example
DLPATH.LST might look like this:
DLPATH.LST
----------
%C:\PCB\MAIN.IDX
%C:\PCB\CHATTER.IDX
G:\UPLOAD\
G:\TEMP\
The above specifies that two index files are to be
used. The percent sign is used to indicate their
existence as index files instead of subdirectories on
the hard disk.
Note that you can specify as many index files as you
wish. The fewer you specify, of course, the faster
your files may be found. However, it may make sense,
depending on your configuration, to group files into
specific index files. For example, the above might
indicate that all of the Main Board files are grouped
into MAIN.IDX while all of the Chatter Conference's
files are grouped into CHATTER.IDX. The advantage to
this method would be that you could then modify the
contents of MAIN.IDX and automatically have all
conferences utilizing index files become updated
immediately and without further action.
The example above shows the public upload directory as
being within the DLPATH.LST file. The reason for this
is that the index files are static, not dynamic, and
therefore are not and cannot be updated by PCBoard.
Therefore, in order for new uploads to be available for
immediate downloading you must include your public
upload subdirectory as a standard location for PCBoard
to search for files.
It would not be wise to include a path in both the
index and as a regular entry in PCBPATH.LST. This
could cause PCBoard to find the file twice. Once in
DLPATH.LST and once in your index file.
Because the index files are static PCBFiler has been
modified to run a batch file called REFRESH.BAT if any
files were moved or deleted. You could use this batch
file to update your index files automatically. An
example REFRESH.BAT might look like this:
REFRESH.BAT
-----------
MAKEIDX C:\PCB\MAIN.PTH C:\PCB\MAIN.IDX
MAKEIDX C:\PCB\CHATTER.PTH C:\PCB\CHATTER.IDX
The above two lines would scan the files MAIN.PTH and
CHATTER.PTH for paths and create the files MAIN.IDX and
CHATTER.IDX respectively.
Local File Transfers
If you upload or download using any internal protocol while
logged on in local mode PCBoard will prompt you where it
should put or get the files. For example, you login locally
and find a file that you wish to download. By going through
the normal download procedure using any internal protocol
(Ymodem/G for example), PCBoard will display a box like the
one found on the top of the screen below:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Local Download Path? ( ) │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Scanning Support (1) Conference
Msgs For You: None
Msgs From You: 91675 91718 91719
# Msgs Found: 34
(507 min. left) Support (1) Conference Command? d
(1) Enter the filename to Download (Enter)=none? tcrnch20.zip
Checking file transfer request. Please wait, Steve ...
(1) TCRNCH20.ZIP 7 bytes, 0.1 minutes (approximate)
(2) Enter the filename to Download (Enter)=none?
Batch Download Time: 0.1 minutes (approximate)
Batch Download Size: 7 bytes (1 blocks)
Batch Protocol Type: Ymodem/G (Batch) <- fastest / needs
MNP
(Ready to Send in Batch Mode)
(G)oodbye after Batch, (A)bort or (E)dit Batch, (Enter)=continue?
Sending File(s) - Start your download ...
PCBoard (R) v14.5a/X199 17:53
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This box is asking you where you want PCBoard to write these
files to. Any valid DOS path or filename is acceptable. If
it is a batch protocol you need specify a filename. You
need to only specify the path you wish the file(s) to be
sent to.
An upload is just as easy. Just do an upload as you would
if you were online remotely - remembering to select an
internal protocol. When PCBoard begins the transfer you
will see a box similar to the one that popped up for
download a file:
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Local Upload Path or Filename? ( ) │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
This box is different from the download box in that you
specify the location of the files that you want to upload.
With the local file transfer wild cards are accepted and you
may use batch transfers as you normally do with PCBoard.
The only real difference is that instead of trying to send
files to the modem, PCBoard will know that you are local and
will prompt you where to send or receive the file(s) from.
Login and Logoff Batch Files
PCBoard looks in the default directory or in your path for
$$LOGON.BAT and $$LOGOFF.BAT during logon and logoff
respectively. If found, the $$LOGON.BAT file will be run
after a caller logs on before the login security file or
NEWS file is displayed. The $$LOGOFF.BAT file will be run
after the caller logs off and carrier is dropped but before
the board recycles.
These batch files could be used to run programs that you
wish to run after each caller has logged on or off as your
needs dictate.
Bi-directional Protocol Support
Support has been added for Bi-directional protocols such as
BiModem or HS/Link. Bi-directional protocols allow callers
to both upload and download at the same time.
HS/Link, written by Samuel H. Smith, is a new high-speed bi-
directional protocol. This protocol lacks some of the
features that BiModem has but is very easy to install.
Batch files and instructions for installation in PCBoard
v14.5a are available from the author.
BiModem, written by John Erickson of Eric Labs, is one of
the most popular bi-directional protocols available for IBM
PC/AT and compatible computers. In this section, we will
show you how to correctly install BiModem on your bulletin
board system.
The older 1200 and 2400 bps modems can reap just as much
advantage from BiModem as any other modem. In fact, at the
slower speeds callers may be even more aware of the time
constraints and in all likelihood will not want to waste
their costly time uploading to a BBS. With BiModem you can
upload a file and get credits for it at the same time you
are downloading a file that interests you.
PCBoard's interface to BiModem really only works in two
directions if the caller specifies a DOWNLOAD and then on
his end tells BIMODEM to upload a file at the same time. If
the caller instead uses the upload command then that is all
he can do - upload. The reason for this is to adequately
preserve the security of the files determined in the FSEC
file.
To begin, you need to include the new protocol in
PCBPROT.DAT which you can do through PCBSetup.
Your addition might look like this:
Port Lock
Use Type Size MNP Open Lines Protocol Description
═══ ════ ════ ═══ ════ ═════ ═══════════════════════════
B B 1024 N N N Bimodem <- bidirectional
Your PCBRB.BAT and PCBSB.BAT files necessary to install
BiModem are included on the PCBoard v14.5a distribution
disks.
BiConfig (the configuration program for BiModem) has
numerous setup screens. We will display each necessary
screen and make comments regarding setting up BiModem and
PCBoard if required.
First, it is necessary to setup your modem parameters:
╔════════════[BiConfig - (C) Copyright Erik Labs 1989,90]═══════╗
║ ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ Baud rate to base estimates on (Modem Rate) 2400 ║
║ ║
║ Communications Port (1-8) 1 ║
║ ║
║ Modem Type D - USR Dual Standard D ║
║ H - Half Duplex at high speeds ║
║ F - Full Duplex always ║
║ ║
║ CTS/RTS hardware flow control (Y/N) Y ║
║ ║
║ Signal Loss of carrier on Carrier Detect (Y/N) Y ║
║ ║
║ Signal Loss of carrier on Data Set Ready (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ ║
╚════════════════[Esc-Exit,Tab,BTab, ]═══════════╝
The Baud rate to base estimates on (Modem Rate) setting in
the first screen shown above will be overridden by the
command line parameter "/B %5" in your batch files so don't
worry about what you put in this field.
If you are using a high speed modem BiModem is really only
effective on a full duplex v.32 or v.32bis connection where
both channels are running at 9600 or 14400 bps. If you are
using a modem which uses unbalanced data channel rates it
would be best to set it up as a H - Half duplex at high
speeds. If you do not, the throughput of the protocol will
be reduced as the modems get confused trying to figure out
which direction most of the data is being sent.
╔════════════[BiConfig - (C) Copyright Erik Labs 1989,90]═══════╗
║ These options dictate what will be allowed when people ║
║ request files from or send files to YOUR system ║
║ ║
║ Allow current directory access (Y/N) N ║
║ Allow file names only (no paths) (Y/N) Y ║
║ Rename the file if it already exists (Y/N) N ║
║ Always verify when done (Y/N) N ║
║ Do NOT allow source deletion (Y/N) Y ║
║ Retain original file date (Y/N) Y ║
║ Do NOT allow full directory transfers (Y/N) Y ║
║ Do NOT allow sub directory transfers (Y/N) Y ║
║ Replace Timer Interrupt (Y/N) N ║
║ Replace Keyboard Interrupt (Y/N) N ║
║ Allow remote file requests (Y/N) Y ║
║ Allow local file requests (Y/N) Y ║
║ Skip transfer if same date/time/size (Y/N) N ║
╚════════════════[Esc-Exit,Tab,BTab ]═════════════════╝
The options contained on the screen have a significant
impact on what files the callers are able to download from.
It is strongly recommended that you set the switches to the
same values that are displayed in the screen display above.
╔════════════[BiConfig - (C) Copyright Erik Labs 1989,90]═══════╗
║ These fields establish the limits of time/size and ║
║ the editing characteristics. ║
║ ║
║ Number of seconds to wait for connect 40 ║
║ ║
║ Operator Page allowed from 12: 0 till 12: 1 military time ║
║ ║
║ Phone number edit mask. All 9's will be replaced with a ║
║ portion of the phone #. Other characters in the mask are ║
║ placed in their display position as is. Please be sure ║
║ to include 10 9's in the mask (999)999-9999 ║
║ ║
║ Maximum # of bytes that can be sent during 1 connection ║
║ 0 means no limit 1440000 ║
║ ║
║ Maximum time allowed during 1 connection 1 hours 0 minutes║
║ ║
║ Max # of errors before disconnect (0=No Max) 12 ║
║ ║
╚════════════════[Esc-Exit,Tab,BTab ]═════════════════╝
Screen #3 contains numerous optional settings. The above
settings are merely suggestions and may not suit your needs.
If not, modify them to your own liking.
╔════════════[BiConfig - (C) Copyright Erik Labs 1989,90]═══════╗
║ ║
║ ║
║ These are the default settings that will be used when ║
║ you request a file to be sent TO your computer ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ If file exists, use verify to upload it (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ If file exists, replace it (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ Verify files when done transferring (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ Delete source file when done (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ Include matching files in sub directories (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
╚════════════════[Esc-Exit,Tab,BTab ]═════════════════╝
╔════════════[BiConfig - (C) Copyright Erik Labs 1989,90]═══════╗
║ ║
║ ║
║ These are the default settings that will be used when ║
║ you request a file to be sent FROM your computer ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ If file exists, use verify to upload it (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ If file exists, replace it (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ Verify files when done transferring (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ Delete source file when done (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ Include matching files in sub directories (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
║ ║
╚════════════════[Esc-Exit,Tab,BTab ]═════════════════╝
Screens #4 and #5 are upload options. The caller may request if
he/she wishes to verify files after the transfer is done so it is
recommended that you leave the Verify files when done
transferring (Y/N) set to N.
╔════════════[BiConfig - (C) Copyright Erik Labs 1989,90]═══════╗
║ ║
║ Directory that files will be received into ║
║ C:\PCB\PRIVATE ║
║ Directory that aborted files will be renamed into ║
║ C:\PCB\PRIVATE ║
║ Delete aborted destination files (Y/N) Y ║
║ List of directories that determine rejections ║
║ C:\PCB\BIMODEM.DLD ║
║ Directory or list of directories files are sent from ║
║ C:\PCB\DUMMY ║
║ Path to Password file ║
║ ║
║ Path to UpLoad/Download list (Transfer List) file ║
║ BIMODEM.PTH ║
║ Path to default files list for BiList ║
║ ║
║ Path to log file ║
║ ║
║ Are connects/disconnects to be logged (Y/N) N ║
║ Are file transfer statistics to be logged (Y/N) N ║
║ ║
╚════════════════[Esc-Exit,Tab,BTab ]═════════════════╝
After setting up the above configuration you will need to
create the file C:\PCB\DUMMY (unless you changed the
Directory or list of directories files are sent from field
in the screen above.
The contents of C:\PCB\DUMMY could be simply:
C:\NULL
The intent of which is to give a path name that either does
not exist or is empty. That point being that of NOT
allowing the caller to make use of the "remote download
request" feature of BiModem, which is to PCBoard, a security
breach.
The upload paths specified must be your private upload
directory. PCBoard expects all uploads to initially go to
the private upload directory for testing.
The "List of directories that determine rejections" setting
holds a list of paths where BiModem is going to check for
duplicate uploads and reject the upload request before it
even starts (similar to what PCBoard does with the internal
Ymodem and Ymodem/G protocols).
You can use the DLPATH.LST file in that field. However, if
you are taking advantage of the new indexing capability in
v14.5a then BiModem will not understand the contents of your
DLPATH.LST file.
Please don't forget to register your BiModem if you use it.
Shareware works when you, the beneficiaries, make it work.
New Parameter Passed to External Protocols
Added a 6th command line parameter to PCBoard's external
protocol batch files. This parameter contains the location
of the current conference's private upload directory. It is
passed even on a download request to help facilitate bi-
directional protocols by providing the drive and directory
where unannounced uploads should be placed.
PCBoard now passes the following six parameters to external
protocol batch files:
%1 COM port Number
%2 PC to modem speed (DTE rate)
%3 Filename to transfer
%4 Connect speed displayed by PCBoard to the caller
%5 Carrier speed (if PCBoard was able to determine
that a different speed was used for the carrier,
otherwise same as %4)
%6 Path to current conference private upload
directory.
User File Encryption
PCBoard now has the ability to encrypt the USERS file for
the following fields: password, city, phone numbers, comment
1 and comment 2. This added security will is an added
safeguard just in case someone manages to download your user
file.
WARNING: DO NOT TAKE THIS ENCRYPTION LIGHTLY! NOT ALL DOOR
AND UTILITY PROGRAMS WILL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH AN ENCRYPTED
USERS FILE!
The USERS.SYS and DOOR.SYS files that are created by PCBoard
will have unencrypted values so that DOORs that read these
particular SYS files will continue to operate unmodified.
However, any doors that read the users file directly and
require access to the fields mentioned above will need to be
modified in order to work properly.
To enable this encryption you need to:
1. type "ENCRYPT C:\PCB\MAIN\USERS"
2. add "/ENCRYPT" to your "SET PCB=" statement in BOARD.BAT
WARNING: YOU MUST USE /ENCRYPT ON ALL NODES THAT WILL BE
ACCESSING AN ENCRYPTED USERS FILE. IN ADDITION, /ENCRYPT
MUST BE IN EFFECT WHEN UTILIZING PCBSM TO UPDATE YOUR USERS
FILE.
At this point in time it is NOT recommended that you use
/ENCRYPT unless you feel you seriously need this type of
protection. Accidental use of /ENCRYPT (or not using on an
encrypted file) can cause serious data damage within a
user's record. The routines have been tested extensively
and have shown to be reliable if used properly.
Should you decide that you would like to remove the
encryption of the USERS file you may do so by using the
following command:
ENCRYPT /D USERS
Please think twice before implementing ENCRYPT as there is
the possibility that it can cause irreversible damage to
your USERS file if not used correctly.
Call Waiting Screen
If you select PCBSysMgr, PCBFiler, or PCBSetup from the call
waiting screen, PCBoard will no longer shell out to these
utilities. Instead, PCBoard totally exits and turns control
over to BOARD.BAT. Now, more than ever, it is very
important that you start PCBoard through the BOARD.BAT
rather than by executing PCB145.EXE from the DOS prompt.
This change was made to increase memory available to these
utility programs.
If you load PCBoard by executing PCB145.EXE and then select
one of the above utility programs you will be left at a DOS
prompt when you exit the utility program. To restart
PCBoard, execute BOARD.BAT.
Specifying Directory Ranges
Locating files or text in descriptions in a particular range
of directories is very easy. Any place in the (F)ile,
(L)ocate, (N)ew, and (Z)ippy commands that you can specify a
specific directory you can also specify a range of
directories.
For example:
"N S 10-25"
This command would do a new scan search for all new files
since the last new scan and will only search directories 10
through 25.
Ability to Modify Upload Descriptions in PCBTEST.BAT
When PCBoard verifies files through PCBTEST.BAT it will also
write the description supplied by the caller to a file in
the current directory called PCBDESC.###. ### is replaced
with the current node number. If you are running a /S or /D
version of PCBoard there is no filename extension. This
file allows programs (such as PCBDescribe) to modify the
upload descriptions with ease during the upload verification
process. For more information on PCBDescribe, please see
the PCBDescribe section in this addendum.
Carrier Loss in PCBTEST.BAT
While verifying uploads with PCBTEST.BAT, PCBoard will
monitor for carrier detect. If carrier loss is detected,
PCBoard will continue verifying files regardless if a user
is online or not. If the caller looses carrier before
entering a description for the file, PCBoard will insert
it's own description. This description contains a message
notifying you that carrier was lost and the username of who
uploaded the file in the following format:
FILENAME.EXT 99999 12-31-99 /CD Lost, U/L by: USER NAME
Once all of the files have been tested, PCBoard will then
recycle normally due to the loss of carrier.
Include Headers
PCBFiler allows you to break the 80 character per line limit
in directory headers by using the include file specification
variable:
For example, by placing %C:\PCB\GEN\HDR1 on the first
character of any line in a directory file (such as DIR1) you
tell PCBoard to display the contents inside of
C:\PCB\GEN\HDR1.
This makes it easier for sysops to place colorful headers or
even repetitive disclaimers easily inside of the file
directories.
Ability to Skip New User Questions
If a field in PCBTEXT, that is used for registration
questions, is blank then the question will not be asked.
This feature is designed to allow you to skip questions such
as "Brand of CPU you are using" if you deem this is not a
question you wish to ask.
As an example, this is how you would eliminate the "Brand of
CPU you are using" question:
Load MKTXT145. When you are prompted for a filename to
edit specify the location of your PCBTEXT file
(typically C:\PCB\GEN\PCBTEXT).
To select the appropriate record use the search
function built into MKTXT145 by selecting F2. When
prompted for the text to search for, type "Brand of"
and then press enter. After a brief delay, a box will
show that it found a match in record number 2. As
instructed on the bottom of the box, select F2 to edit
this prompt.
╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕
│ PCBTEXT File Generator/Editor │
╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛
╒════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕
│Enter filename to edit/convert: C:\PCB\GEN\PCBTEXT │
╘════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛
╒═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╕
│ Record No.: 2 Record Length: 27 Justification: Right │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Brand of CPU you are using │
│ │
╘═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛
To clear out the field use the CTRL-END shortcut. This
clears from the cursor to the end of the field. Since
the cursor is at the beginning of the field this will
clear the entire field. Now press ESC to exit and save.
This question will no longer be asked when a new user
is logging in.
Friendlier Event Timer Logoffs
If an event is scheduled and a caller calls in within 2
minutes of the time that the event "suspense" time starts
PCBoard will now divide the suspense time in half and give
half of it to the caller in order to avoid rudely logging
him off before getting to a point of telling him why the
time was reduced.
If you have short suspense times (2 or 3 minutes) you may
wish to increase them to 4 or 5 minutes. You may change
this value by loading PCBSetup, selecting "Node / Event /
Subscription" and changing the value located in the "Minutes
Prior to Suspend All Activity" field.
Displaying the Entire Logoff Script
Added more control over the delay during display of the
Logoff Script Questionnaire file such that the "Modem Delay
During Recycle" setting in PCBSetup will have a greater
effect on the modem's ability to send the complete file to
the caller before hanging up.
Because each modem is different there is no way for PCBoard
to determine if the entire contents of the Logoff Script
Questionnaire was displayed to the user before PCBoard tells
the modem to hangup. In order to help alleviate this common
problem, experiment with the value in "Modem Delay During
Recycle". A good starting point for this field is between 2
and 4. There is no definite way to determine the optimum
value because modem configurations and constructions differ
vastly.
Friendlier (L)ocate
In an attempt to help novice users, PCBoard will append *.*
to the end of the text entered to help callers find what
they are looking for without having to fully qualify the
input. What commonly happens is that users will forget to
correctly enter the search criteria for the (L)ocate
command.
If a caller issues the command "L FILE A", PCBoard will see
this command as "L FILE*.* A".
@FREESPACE@ Variable
The @FREESPACE@ variable gives the number of bytes free on
the private upload drive. This value is equal to the value
that is displayed when someone begins an upload.
Even if you have set PCBoard to make all uploads public this
variable will still display the amount of free space on the
private upload drive. This is because every upload is sent
to the private upload directory before being released to the
defined upload directory.
@LMR@ Variable
This new variable contains the last message read value for
the current conference. For example, if there are 1200
messages in a particular conference and a user has read up
to message number 1161, @LMR@ would report 1161. You could
use this new variable in conjunction with a modification to
your "(1-1200), Message Read Command?" prompt. You can make
modifications to any prompt by using MKTXT145 which is a
utility that comes with PCBoard.
Password Failure Refunds
If a caller is unable to log on due to invalid password the
time spent attempting to log on is not subtracted from the
caller's account.
As an illustration, if a caller were to call earlier in the
day and use 4 minutes while trying to login and was unable
to because he could not remember the correct password.
PCBoard would refund the time that caller spent attempting
to login so that when he called later that day with the
correct password he would be able to use his entire daily
allotted time.
CHANGES MADE TO PCBFILER FOR V14.5A
Process Directories
PCBoard now has the ability to process directories via the
command line and then return to the DOS prompt.
The command syntax is: /PROCESS:xx:yy[:A] where "xx" is the
number of the conference, "yy" is the number of the
directory, and "A" signifies PCBFiler to search all paths in
DLPATH.LST to verify file existence.
This new command line parameter is particularly handy for
updating directories during an event. Why would you need to
update directories during an event? Some sysops have files
that get updated during the event such as PCBFILES.LST.
This new command will update the directory listings to
reflect the correct date and size of the file - sorting when
necessary.
This command requires Update FILE DATE with date found on
disk file in PCBFiler's "Edit PCBFiler Defaults Page 1"
screen to be toggled to Y.
Enhanced Master List Creation
In addition to creating a complete list of directories
available on a particular system, PCBFiler will now also
improve the output by doing the following:
Removes @X color codes from the entire text
Removes the vertical bar (|) which designates that the
text on that particular line is part of a secondary
description.
Includes the contents of any %FILESPEC variables found
within the list
Adds a line indicating the conference name, directory
number, and directory name before each DIR file.
Quickly Verify File Existence
In addition to selecting (Y)es, (N)o, and (A)ll to the
"verify file existence" prompt in PCBFiler you may now
select (Q)uick. This new option will search the DLPATH.LST
like using the (A)ll command. However, if you have
specified (Q)uick and there is one or more index files in
your DLPATH.LST, PCBFiler will verify file existence through
the index files rather than through the actual
subdirectories.
You may also set this as the default option in PCBFiler,
Defaults Page 1. In the Verify file existence (Y=attached
directory, N=No, A=All download paths) prompt specify Q (for
Quick).
Wildcard Searches Enhanced
PCBFiler's wildcard searches will now, like PCBoard's
(L)ocate command, automatically append *.* to the text
entered.
CHANGES MADE TO PCBSM, PCBSETUP, AND PCBPACK
Encryption
PCBSM has been updated to support the new USERS file
encryption method.
Defaults For Adding New Conferences
Added an Upload Paths and DIR Files "default" for setting up
new conferences in PCBSetup such that it can now copy the
Main Board settings, create brand new settings based on the
conference, or leave the entries blank.
New Characters for Modem Initialization
In order to help increase the flexibility of the
initialization string in PCBSetup, Modem Information you may
now specify the following special characters:
^M This is the equivalent of a carriage return. Your
modem may require that you enter several lines.
If so, you could do it with this new feature. For
example, if you modem requires that you use the
following initialization string:
ATS0=0 <press enter>
ATH0
you would enter it like this in the Modem
Initialization String:
ATS0=0^MATH0
~ Inserts a 1/2 second pause in your modem
initialization. For example:
ATS0=0~~~H0
Would send ATS0=0 to your modem, wait 1 and 1/2
seconds and then send the rest of the
initialization string to the modem.
New /QUICK Parameter
Added a /QUICK command line parameter which allows PCBSetup
to quickly initialize itself without having to rewrite the
CNAMES.@@@ file during the startup process. Use this only
if you know that the CNAMES and CNAMES.@@@ files are in
synch. This should always be the case unless you have
manually modified either one.
/MINMSGS:xxxx Parameter
Added a /MINMSGS:xxxx command line switch to PCBPACK.
This will allow you to specify the number of minimum
messages that a conference should hold. This will
override any DATE, DAYS, or PURGE flags if the number
of active messages is less than or equal to the number
specified in place of "xxxx" in the sample command.
This is very useful for echo mail type conferences
where message traffic is slow.
PCBDESCRIBE
Now shipping with PCBoard V14.5a is an automatic upload
description inserter called PCBDescribe. PCBDescribe checks
uploaded files for FILE_ID.DIZ (Description In Zipfile)
files provided by the program author. If the uploaded file
contains a description file, it will replace the user
supplied description with the one provided in the file. In
addition, PCBDescribe can optionally append a line to the
description showing the number of files and the dates of
both the oldest and the newest files in the zip archive.
PCBDescribe will search ZIP or self-extracting ZIP archives
(EXE) for FILE_ID.DIZ. PCBDescribe does not know how to
handle any other compression formats.
Installing PCBDescribe
PCBoard requires PCBoard V14.5a or higher BBS software to
operate. Earlier versions of PCBoard, or other BBS software
packages are NOT compatible with PCBDescribe.
PCBDescribe is designed to execute in PCBTEST.BAT after an
upload has completed. A sample PCBTEST.BAT file has been
included with PCBoard v14.5a. Specific details on how to
install PCBDescribe will follow:
1. Make sure PCBDESC.EXE is in your PCBoard directory.
2. Insert the following line in PCBTEST.BAT:
IF %2==UPLOAD PCBDESC %1 %3
PCBDescribe is now ready for duty. If you wish to add the
ability to be optional description line that contains the
date of the oldest and newest files in the ZIP archive you
can do so by inserting this line instead:
IF %2==UPLOAD PCBDESC /D %1 %3
The word "UPLOAD" in the above examples is case sensitive.
Make sure you type it in uppercase letters. Also make sure
that you have a copy of PKUNZIP.EXE available in your
current directory or in a subdirectory referenced by your
PATH.
Errorlevels Returned
PCBDescribe will return the following errorlevels upon
completion which you may be used for your own purposes:
0 No processing performed
1 File was not a ZIP/EXE file or ZIP contents were
damaged
2 Description was updated (found a FILE_ID.DIZ or
DESC.SDI)
3 Description was updated (no description file
found--dates added)
4 Found description but unable to process
The Description File
PCBDESC will accept descriptions contained in FILE_ID.DIZ files
found in the ZIP being tested. The FILE_ID.DIZ file is an ASCII
text file, and can contain up to 10 lines of 45 characters each.
The first line of this file is the program name and version, and
the following lines describe the function of the program.
ATTENTION! The FILE_ID.DIZ file is intended for the program
author's use in providing a coherent description of his program.
In this way, the author and the sysop can be assured that the
program will be properly described when uploaded to a BBS. DO
NOT use this file for BBS advertising - such use is in violation
of the copyright associated with the FILE_ID.DIZ file.
PCBDESC will also detect and use descriptions contained in
DESC.SDI files if they are present. No other description file
formats are supported.
FIXES MADE TO PCBOARD V14.5 IN THE V14.5A RELEASE
USERS.INF
If more than one TPA (Third Party Application) was
installed in your USERS.INF file it would allocate too
much space in the USERS.INF file. This symptom only
occurred when a new user would log in and if you had
more than one TPA installed.
Single File Batch Downloads
In certain situations PCBoard would allow callers to
flag several files and then allow them to choose a non-
batch protocol to transfer them. This has been
corrected.
Support For Upper IRQs
The way that PCBoard 14.5 handled IRQs 8 through 15 has
been fixed in 14.5a. You should be able to take full
advantage of these upper IRQs on your system..
Systems that run on a multitasking type platform containing
multiple modems will appreciate this new feature.
Unfortunately, finding a card that supports a wide range of
upper IRQs may prove to be difficult.
Generating A Correct User Index
PCBoard System Manager and PCBPACK were modified so
that when creating an entire set of index files, they
would not leave out names starting with letters before
'A' or after 'Z' (common in foreign languages or when
using numbers for login ids).
Miscellaneous Changes
Additionally, there were numerous cosmetic and minor
fixes made in addition to the ones stated above.
DOORWAY
A shareware version of Doorway written by Marshall Dudley is
now included with PCBoard V14.5a. Doorway is a program that
takes the screen on the host computer and sends an image of
it to the remote computer via ANSI commands.
Doorway is setup in the REMOTE.SYS included on the
distribution diskettes. If you are using a COM port other
than COM1 you will need to make a slight modification to the
REMOTE.SYS file.
The default REMOTE.SYS file looks like this:
set box=no
doorway com1 /v:d^O /m:600 /g:on /o: /k:v0 /c:dos
set box=
c:
cd \pcb
board
Just change the com1 to reflect the COM port your are using
on the system. For example, com2 would work for COM2.
The version of DoorWay included with PCBoard v14.5a is a
portion of the complete shareware program. In case you
would like to take advantage of the other features that
DoorWay has to offer you will find the documentation located
in DOORWAY.ZIP in your PCB directory. Like all shareware,
If you use it register it.
The registered version of DoorWay is available from Clark
Development. If you are interested, please give our office
a call.
