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1987-12-04
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PHOENIX REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM DECEMBER 4, 1987
4.0 PHOENIX CONFIG EXPLAINED
This is a brief overview of the Phoenix Config program (CONFIG.COM).
Config will allow you to set numerous variables to customize Phoenix
to your system. Items not covered here are explained fully in the
available help function inside Config.
4.1 SELECTION 5 EXPLAINED:
1. Modem CD Mask
-----------------
This variable tells Phoenix where the Carrier Detect Bit [CD] is
located on your modem. If you have one of the KNOWN supported
modems listed in the Hardware Needs section, do not use this.
First, try Phoenix without this option. Then, if it does not
answer the phone when called, find out your CD MASK, and put it
in. Phoenix defaults to 128, which is used on the more popular
modems.
2. Daily time limit
-------------------
This switch sets the Daily Time Limit for all callers. The
default Daily Time Limit is 60 minutes. If a user uses all of
his Daily Time Limit for a particular day, he will be logged off
and will not be able to log back on that day. If a user has a 60
minute Daily Time Limit, he could sign on the system as many
times as he wanted until the 60 minutes was used up, or until
midnight had passed.
3. First time caller time limit
-------------------------------
This sets the New Users First Day Time Limit. If you
wish a new caller to have a lower time limit, then you can set
that time with this switch. If you wish, you can set the New
Users Caller Limit the same as the Logon Limit [see below] so a
new user has the same amount of time as a veteran caller. The
default is set to 30 minutes.
4. Per login time limit
-----------------------
This variable sets the Time Limit per Logon. If the Daily Limit
is set to 100 minutes, and the Logon Limit is set to 50 minutes,
the user could use 2 full log-logons. This means a user can use
100 minutes that day, but only 50 minutes maximum for each
logon. The Logon Time Limit defaults to 45 minutes.
PHOENIX REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM DECEMBER 4, 1987
5. Daily Download K
-------------------
This variable sets the amount (in thousands of bytes [K]) a user
may download in one day. If he exceeds his limit, he will not
be able to download any more files that day. The default is
1000 K. There is a way to change the download K of a person
online (in case he had exceeded the limit, but for some reason
you wished to let him download more that day). See FUNCTION
KEYS for an explanation.
6. Allow Remote Drop to DOS
---------------------------
This selection allows remote sysops to drop to DOS. By invoking
this, a remote sysop can sign on his own system and, by
entering a specific command, can then drop to DOS. This will
not work locally (at the console).
7. Communications Port Number
-----------------------------
This selection tells Phoenix which COM port to use. Currently
available ports are COM1 and COM2. Simply tell Config a 1 or 2
designating which COM port your modem is running in.
8. Restricted System
--------------------
This variable will set Phoenix to function as a RESTRICTED
system. There are 3 options to set up a restricted system.
Here is a list of the available options for this selection:
1 : First-Time Caller is forced to leave a comment
and then is logged off.
(but he can <A>bort it w/o leaving one).
2 : First-Time Caller is forced to fill out a
Questionnaire and then he is logged off.
3 : Immediate log-off. The file RESTRICT.BBS is
sent to him and he is disconnected.
The caller is NOT entered into users.bbs with any of these
options. It is your responsibility to enter him. In order
to enter a user into the users.bbs while running in one of
these restrictive modes, it is necessary to call Phoenix up
with the 0 parameter
(ex. C>Phoenix 0 )
this will DISABLE the restricted system, until Phoenix is
reloaded. This is necessary for you to log on with the users
name to enter him into the users.bbs.
If you attempt to do this without the 0 parameter (and you are
running one of the 3 types of restricted systems) you will not
be allowed on just as if you were the user!
PHOENIX REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM DECEMBER 4, 1987
There is another way you may simulate a restricted system while
allowing Phoenix to place him as a new user into the users.bbs.
See the security level sensitive bulletins section in Chapter 12.
9. Mandatory Phone Number
-------------------------
When this is activated, all users will be required to enter their
phone number as a second password every time they log onto your
system.
A. Mandatory New Users Questionnaire
------------------------------------
Using this variable will force a first-time caller to fill-out a
questionnaire before entering the system. The questionnaire file
that will be called is also defined in Config. This is similar
to option 2 of the restricted system, but when this is used the
user is still entered into the users.bbs and he can continue
to use the board after he fills out the questionnaire.
B. Default New User Security Level
----------------------------------
This is the security level to be assigned to all new users the
first time they call the system. This variable defaults to 5.
Users will stay at this security level unless you change their
security level.
C. Deny 300 Baud Access
-----------------------
If you wish to restrict your BBS to those with 1200 or higher
baud modems, then set this variable to yes. When invoked, if
a 300 baud user calls, he will be displayed a message stating
that 300 baud is not allowed at this time, and if the file
NO300.* is present, it will be dumped (following the .bbs/.clr
naming system).
D. Require Phone Number if not in Record
----------------------------------------
This variable will require all users who do not have a phone
number listed in their user record to input their phone number
during login. Once a phone number is present, the user will
not be asked for his/her phone number again (unless you set it
to null).
PHOENIX REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM DECEMBER 4, 1987
4.2 SELECTION 6 EXPLAINED:
1. Activate Quotes
------------------
Activates QUOTES.BBS. This file displays a different quote-for-
the-day each time a user signs on.
2. Modem Type [0..3]
--------------------
One of the toughest obstacles we have had to overcome is dealing
with all the different modems. For this reason, we have had to
make Phoenix flexible enough to work with a broad range of
modems. This variable helps provide that flexibility.
0 - Answer by ring detect, determine baud by numeric
result codes.
1 - Answer by ring detect, determine baud by C/R's.
2 - Answer by Carrier Detect, determine baud by Numeric
result codes.
3 - Answer by Carrier Detect, determine baud by C/R's
If you can't get your modem to respond correctly, tells us about
your modem type, and we'll try to help!
Note that with modem types 2 and 3 it is necessary to set your
modem to Auto-Answer (whether through the S1 register or modem
dip switches if available). With modem types 0 and 1 it is NOT
necessary to do so as Phoenix answers the phone by itself.
3. Modem Initialize Baud
------------------------
Some modems require modem initialization at a higher baud rate
than 300 (the default). If your modem is one of these, then
place the baud rate necessary for successful operation here.
For example, ARK modems must be initialized at 2400 baud to
receive 2400 baud calls. ARK modem users should place a 2400
in this selection.
4. ANSI Available on System
---------------------------
This variable will enable ANSI graphics on the system. It will
ask the user if they want ANSI graphics after displaying
PRELOG.BBS, and if they do Phoenix will display the .CLR files
mentioned previously, and if not it will defalt to the .BBS files.
Note that not all files have ANSI .CLR equivelents, only
the ones marked with a .* extension. If you wish to have
ANSI displayed on your console, you MUST be in full screen
mode otherwise, you will see the escape codes and will not
see the color changes, etc (the user will not be affected
by this).
PHOENIX REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM DECEMBER 4, 1987
5. Upload Compensation
----------------------
This is the multiplier to be used for compensation for time
spent uploading. For example, if set to 1, then for every
minute a user spends uploading he is given 1 more minute to
use on the system (in essence, no time is lost for uploading).
If set to 2, then for every minute spent uploading, 2 more would
be given, and so on.
6. Direct Screen Writes
-----------------------
Normally, for speed, Phoenix uses direct hardware screen writes.
Some lesser compatibles will not work correctly with direct
screen addressing, and if a multitasking program like
DOUBLEDOS or DESQVIEW is used so Phoenix runs in the
background, direct screen writes will simply not do, because
they know nothing of "dual memory partitions" and will over-
write the information in your foreground screen. With this
option, Phoenix will abandon direct screen writes in
favor of the much slower but most compatible BIOS calls.
7. Upload to Download Ratio Warning
-----------------------------------
This feature will warn the caller that their Download Ratio is
Too High. If 5 is used, then callers will be warned when they
have downloaded more than 5 files to everyone they uploaded.
This must be on activated if you wish "RATIO.BBS" to be
displayed after the warning.
8. Modem Carrier Wait (in seconds)
----------------------------------
This option allows you to tell Phoenix how long to
wait after answering the phone for a carrier.
Due to some delays in long distance calling, if you seem to
be having trouble connecting to boards during Net mail then
we recommend a value of 45 seconds (ma bell seems to be getting
slower!). Be SURE to set your modem's register to the same
value or else Phoenix will still be waiting while your modem
resets.
PHOENIX REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM DECEMBER 4, 1987
9. Upload to Download Ratio Lock
--------------------------------
This feature will invoke Phoenix's Automatic Locking System.
This number should be set higher than the warning ratio, but
could be equal and used instead of it. This would simply mean
that the caller will be denied downloads without previous warning
until he uploads some files and satisfies the lock ratio
(meaning his ratio is now lower than the lock ratio). It should
be used as a companion switch to the warning ratio. When he is
denied downloads, a message is placed into the callers log
and the file LOCK.BBS is sent to him. This facility will
lock a user from downloads REGARDLESS of his user level.
You may wish to defeat this automatic facility for some users
but not others. In that case, you should enter the user
maintenance facility and change that user's record to
reflect 10000 uploads (thats 10,000 WITHOUT the comma and
there is NO reason to go higher than that! Phoenix will not
handle numbers larger than 32767 in that field but 10000
will allow ample room for logging their uploads). You may
remove a users lock status, but without changing his
upload count or download count, he will be re-locked on
entry to the files system. Removing the lock by changing
the upload or download amount AND unlocking his record
will re-instate him into the system's "good graces" and
will stop the "thank you for the uploads" message
from appearing (you will fool the system into thinking he
has made uploads).
A. Number of Minutes Before Forced Logoff
-----------------------------------------
This variable will change Phoenix's default time of 5 minutes
to whatever you enter. This is the time Phoenix will
wait at a prompt with no input from the user until Phoenix
logs him off with a no activity message. The time is entered
in minutes.
4.3 OTHER CONFIG SELECTIONS
There is an extensive help feature already in the Config
program. Simply hit F1 at any option menu, and you will be
in a windowed help mode for that set of options. The only
options not covered by this help feature are selections 5 and
6, descibed above.
A little more information is provided regarding the DSZ upload
and download parameter strings.
These are NOT necessary and are only available for your
convenience. Phoenix already sends DSZ all of the necessary
commands for complete file transfers (batch on download!) using
Zmodem, Ymodem-Batch, and optionally Ymodem-G (if designated in
Config). If you wish to enable hardware handshaking or increase
the DSZ buffer, then input the proper commands into these
strings. The only available commands are DSZ's handshake, pxN,
and z pxN options. See your DSZ documentation for more
information (provided in your Phoenix archive).
PHOENIX REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM DECEMBER 4, 1987
Users who are using COM2 and also wish to use DSZ MUST set
the DSZPORT variable to 2. Information on this and other
DSZ variables is provided in the DSZ documentation.
One final note regarding DSZ. We at GeneSys would like to take
this time to officially thank Chuck Forsberg for all of his
time and effort in developing DSZ and Zmodem. We ask that
all Phoenix Sysops utilizing the DSZ transfers register their
copies of DSZ with Omen Technology, Inc. Information on
registering DSZ is also in the DSZ documentation.
4.4 COMMAND LINE OPTIONS
The only command line option used by Phoenix is the 0 parameter.
When invoked, Phoenix will ignore any restriction level set
(see section 4.1) until Phoenix is reloaded without the
parameter. See section 4.1 for more information.
4.5 BATCH FILES
It is advisable to use a batch file when running Phoenix. Here
are some advantages:
- If an error occurs, it will reset with a batch file
- If there is an power outage, batch files could set up
Phoenix again.
Of course, batch files are not a MUST, but we recommend them.
See sample P.BAT enclosed with your Phoenix archive.
This is necessary if you wish to allow remote drop to DOS,
since that is done by errorlevels. Again, see the P.BAT
enclosed.