LoadMaster is an external application to FreeSoft's awesome BBS software Second Sight (formerly Red Ryder Host). It analyzes the UserLog and reports the Top Ten FreeLoaders, Uploaders or Message Posters on the BBS. (The number of ranks can be modified) A FreeLoader is defined as someone who has never uploaded a file, but has downloaded files, and has not donated money to the BBS.
LoadMaster's report can be in straight ASCII text or a nice ANSI display with optional color. It determines which to use by the state of two of the caller's restriction flags. You can set which flag to use when you configure LoadMaster If you don't want the ANSI or ANSI color display, set the flag to zero. I have found if the caller is using Z-Term the terminal emulation should be set to PC-ANSI BBS. If they are using White Knight I suppose they would need a suitable PC font such as PC. (I don't use White Knight, so I can't vouch for this)
To install LoadMaster put it in the same folder as your BBS program (Second Sight) and the Second Sight Config file. Then set up some command 50 or 51 menu commands in Second Sight to launch LoadMaster. LoadMaster is compatible with both LaunchSS and LaunchRRH file names.
To configure LoadMaster, launch it while holding down the mouse button. A dialog box will come up that you use to configure LoadMaster. The ANSI restriction flag, color flag and the number of ranks to include can be set by the arrow controls. To select your BBS Program click the Next Launch button. Use the radio buttons to choose whether to display the FreeLoaders, Top Uploaders, or Top Message Posters. To set the colors for the various parts of the ANSI display, use the PopUp menus. If you are using a color machine, the little demo display will update with the new colors.
If several users tie for the same amount of downloads, all of them will be listed. Also, the number of ranks is limited to a maximum of 99.
LoadMaster also uses a file called Donations. This file must be in the same folder as your UserLog. LoadMaster scans this file for people who have donated money to your BBS and therefore will not appear in the FreeLoader list. For this to work the format of the file is very important. Each line of the file must start with a User Name or a comment. Comment lines start with the # character. The User Name must be all CAPS with a single space between the first and last name. After the last name there must be a tab character. FreeLoader ignores anything beyond the tab character. Here is an example Donations file:
#TOTAL $105
FRED BROWN $50 4/12/90
JULIE SMITH $20 4/13/90 & Brenda
MATTHEW BRODERICK $25 4/13/90 & Nancy
GEORGE JETSON $10 4/13/90 & Jane, his wife.
LoadMaster is DonationWare. If you use it send $10 or more to a charitable organization. Then send an E-Mail message to me stating the following:
Your Name
Version of LoadMaster
Charitable Organization
Amount contributed
Any comments or suggestions for the program.
E-Mail Addresses:
BBS: Kirk's BBS (310) 376-2150
FidoNet: Kirk Crawford at 1:102/132
Internet: kirk.crawford@f132.n102.z1.fidonet.org
GEnie: K.CRAWFORD1
America Online: CRAWFORD
If you can't send it E-Mail, then mail it to:
Kirk Crawford
PO Box 781
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
USA
You will always be able to FREQ the latest version from my BBS as:
LOADMASTER.CPT
A special thanks goes to Pete Johnson for his help in debugging this program. Thanks!
•• New featurs in version 1.8.1
Should work at 56k baud when used with Second Sight version 2.2
•• New features in version 1.8
Compiled in Think C version 5 and removed a few more bugs. Added System 7 icons.
••New features in version 1.7 through 1.3
I fixed bugs (sigh)
••New features in version 1.2
Now handles Top Uploaders and Top Message Posters. Name has been changed to LoadMaster to indicate the new expanded role. If you want to access each of the features of LoadMaster from your BBS, then make three copies of LoadMaster each configured differently. With different names of course.
Local display. Everything the user sees is also displayed on the Local screen. Including the ANSI Color stuff on color Macs.
Pauses each 24 lines.
••New features in version 1.1
COLOR! The LoadMaster report uses ANSI color if the user has the Color restriction flag set (and he also has the ANSI flag set). You can configure which colors will be used for the text, background, lines, and FREELOADER/Top Uploader/Top Message Poster word.
HACKERS NOTES ( normal Sysops Need Not View This):
There are two STR# resources in LoadMaster. ID 128 is a list of all possible names of the LaunchSS/RRH file. Currently it only has two entrys, if for some chance far into the future, the name changes yet again, it can be installed in this list and LoadMaster will find it.
STR# 129 contains as you might suspect various strings. The first is what LoadMaster sends to the user when they are to press a key to continue. The second is the name of Second Sight's Config file. The third is the name of your Donations file. The next three are the types of users for each of the three modes of LoadMaster. The last three are the unit names for each of the three modes of LoadMaster.
There is also a custom resource called LmNF ID 0. This is where LoadMaster stores its configurable info. (Mode, ANSI Restriction Flag, Color Restriction Flag, Number of FreeLoaders, ANSI Color values, and BBS name). If you wish you can edit this yourself using the TMPL resource called "LmNF". Just double click on the LmNF resource.
