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1992-12-14
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┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~│
│ /----- ----- /---- -------- | | ----- ------- -----│
│ /---- /----/ /____ / | | | | | |--- │
│/ / / _____/ / \____/ |_____| | |_____│
│ │
│~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~│
│ │
│==== *FastVote(tm)* - The Multi-Compatible BBS Voting System ====│
│ Version 3.30 │
│ │
│***********************************************************************│
│ This documentation, FASTVOTE.EXE, FVSETUP.EXE, and all accompanying │
│ FastVote files and documentation are: │
│ Copyright (C) 1989,90,91,92 CollisionWare(tm) Premium SoftWare │
│ All Rights Reserved. │
│ Written by Kito D. Mann │
│***********************************************************************│
│ No part of this docmentation may be used with any other software, │
│ publication, or any such entity without express the permission of │
│ CollisionWare(tm) Premium SoftWare and Kito D. Mann │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Guidelines for FastVote distribution can be found within the manual
and within VENDOR.DOC.
UPDATES -- Previous FastVote users, PLEASE READ!! (excerpted from FASTVOTE.DOC)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 3.30 12/12/92 - Eleventh Release.
This release represents cosmetic changes, minor bug fixes, added desqview
support, and a European FastVote Support Site :-). Hopefully this release will
quell problems with multi-taskers. Look for FastVote v4.0 sometime next year,
with many of the features you've all been waiting for!
* Fixed: FastVote will no longer display the results of booths
without any votes.
* Changed: Slight modifications have been made to the ANSI graph.
* Changed: Alt-X now actually terminates the program in local mode.
* Changed: The ASCII log file is now slightly more attractive.
* Added: Full support for Desqview (FastVote now gives time-slices
back to Desqview while it is idle, and disables direct
screen writes when Desqview is detected)
* Fixed: You can no longer abort FastVote locally by using
Ctrl-Break.
* Fixed: An error that occured when the user access level was 0.
* Fixed: When there are 40 choices, the booth editor will no longer
bomb when deleting or adding a choice.
* Added: Full error-trapping of ALL errors (type of error and address
are reported both to the screen and log file).
* Changed: The "filename" text in Createbooth has been renamed
"shortened booth name" to relax SysOps worried about users
entering file names.
* Fixed: There should be no more errors with extrememly high baud rates.
* Fixed: FastVote will no longer spit out garbage when there are no
voting booths or choices for a given booth.
* Added: FastVote will now ask a user if they entered their choice
correctly when adding a choice to an already existing booth.
* Other: Minor bug fixes and cosmetic changes
Version 3.21 7/2/92 - Tenth Release.
This release represents a minor bug fix.
* Fixed: The SysOp Shell-to-DOS function now operates flawlessly.
---
Version 3.20 6/24/92 - Ninth Release.
Although this is a minor update, it represents many hours of work and
modifications, as well as 14 beta test versions (our thanks goes out to our
team of beta testers). The major purpose of this release is to quell
communications problems with high-speed modems. Utilization of the Async
Professional communications library has greatly simplified communications
support. FastVote v3.20 also introduces a new setup utility which should
ease setup of FastVote for new users and current users alike (basically, it
eases editing of .CFG files).
* Changed: Completely new interrupt-driven communications routines
have been added, for better functionality with high speed modems.
* Added: FVSETUP setup program, which simplifies editing of the
.CFG files and provides easy access to the booth manipulation
functions.
* Changed: Both FVSETUP.EXE and FASTVOTE.EXE have been compressed
with PKLITE to conserve disk space.
* Fixed: The error that caused an extra pause prompt if
FASTBULL.TXT did not exist.
* Added: Support for a FASTVOTE.TXT file (in addition to
FASTVOTE.ANS)
* Added: Support for a FASTBULL.ANS file (in addition to
FASTBULL.TXT)
* Fixed: Page pausing when voting and viewing the results.
* Fixed: File-sharing errors in the editor.
* Changed: The information at the top of the .CFG files is no
longer required (it is now placed at the end of the file, and
that isn't required either)
* Changed: When you change a filename inside the Booth Editor, it
will now rewrite that booth to that filename and optionally
delete the old file.
* Fixed: The spacing problem in the Booth Editor results function.
* Fixed: A problem in the Booth Creator that told registered users
they couldn't create any more booths because they were
unregistered.
* Added: A more BBS-like SysOp interface has been, providing for
rudimentary online chat, shell to DOS, user disconnection, and
other features.
FastVote Complete SysOp Reference Manual - Page 28 (Appendix B)
UPDATES to FastVote (Continued)
===============================
Version 3.11 3/02/92 - Eighth Release.
Version 3.11 of FastVote represents a very minor but important update.
Special thanks to Keith Cochran for reporting these errors.
* Fixed: A bug that caused the program to bomb when using BBS Types
above 1 (Fido/Opus) and a com port in the .CFG file that was
different than the one actually being used. Now, either the
com port line in the .CFG can be left blank for non-Fido/Opus
1.03 systems, or any number can be put there.
* Fixed: The change in v3.10 that allowed FastVote to read
config files either with or without the extra info at the
top was not working correctly.
---
Version 3.10 2/17/92 - Seventh Release.
This represents a minor update to the Fast Voting System. Most
significantly, this version should remedy memory problems reported with
version 3.00 (especially on systems using QEMM). In addition, several
smaller bugs have been fixed.
* Fixed: Memory management that caused errors with QEMM and on some
systems.
* Fixed: An error that caused systems to lock up when files could
not be found at startup.
* Fixed: In the unregistered version, users could not edit the
fourth voting booth (it should allow editing of booths 1-4).
* Changed: Most SysOps were confused by the fact that FastVote
required the extra info at the top of the configuration file.
The program now functions normally wether the sample information
at the top is there or not.
Version 3.00 12/15/91 - Sixth Release.
FastVote v3.00 is probably the most significant update to the system
throughout its history, and has spent the most amount of time in
development (almost a year, on and off). This version adds new features
such as full-fledged communications routines, multi-node support,
support for WWIV and PCBoard 14.5, more features for unregistered users,
and also consolidation of the booth manipulation utilities into
the main module. Also, a new bulletin generator, FASTBULL.EXE (written
by Joe Reeves of the Midnite Rider BBS) has replaced FASTDATA.EXE and
provides more colorful bulletin results.
NOTE: For this release, the .CFG structure has been changed. To update
from an earlier version of FastVote, please run FVUPDATE.EXE.
FastVote Complete SysOp Reference Manual - Page 29 (Appendix B)
UPDATES to FastVote (Continued)
===============================
* Added: Registration Key format for registered users (as well
as registration numbers).
* Added: Multi-Node support. This requires DOS' SHARE.EXE as well
as use of the new /Pbbspath parameter (see below).
* Added: Full-fledged interrupt-driven communications support for
communications ports 1-4.
* Changed: The Com Port is now read from the user information file
(like DORINFO1.DEF). However the field still remains in the .CFG
files to retain compatibility with Fido 11w and Opus 1.0x (which
do not pass the com port in their user information files).
* Added: Two new BBS Types - 5 = WWIV (CHAIN.TXT), 6 = DOOR.SYS/
PCBoard 14.5. These values must be placed within the .CFG file.
* Changed: Time limits are now read from user information file
(they are no longer read from the .CFG file).
* Added: /Pbbspath command parameter. This parameter directs
FastVote to a specific path to look for the BBS-created user
information files. This parameter replaces the line that was
previously in the .CFG file for the BBS Path. The use of this
parameter is REQUIRED IF YOUR BBS DATA FILES ARE NOT IN THE
FASTVOTE DIRECTORY. See below for examples.
* Added: Users can now vote/see results on A)ll booths with a
single keystroke.
* Changed: Multiple cosmetic changes to voting and result menus,
as well as the help screen.
* Added: New fields for the date a booth was created and the
person who created the booth.
* Added: SysOp-definable directories for .VTE, .DAT & .DOC files
(located in the .CFG files).
* Added: FastVote can now detect local users without the /T
parameter, although that parameter is still useful for testing
purposes.
* Added: Internal ANSI driver, ANSI.SYS no longer required.
* Added: User information status bar at bottom of screen.
FastVote Complete SysOp Reference Manual - Page 30 (Appendix B)
UPDATES to FastVote (Continued)
===============================
NEW REGISTERED FEATURES:
* Added: Consolidation of all FastVote utilities into the main
module.
* Added: /C, /D, and /E command line params for each of the
former external utilities: Create-a-Booth, Delete-a-Booth
& the Booth Editor, respectively.
* Changed: General Create-a-Booth, Delete-a-Booth, and Booth
Editor modifications to support new features.
* Added: Improvements on ANSI Graph.
* Added: Smart Editing (i.e., Users with less than sysop access
level can only edit or delete booths they've created.
Some examples of the 4 new command line parameters (/Pbbspath, /C, /D
/E) are as follows:
FASTVOTE info.cfg /pc:\bbs (Runs FastVote using INFO.CFG, and reading
BBS info from C:\BBS)
FASTVOTE /C /pF:\BLAH (Runs FastVote in Create-only mode, reading
BBS info from F:\BLAH)
FASTVOTE /PD:\NODE1 /e (Runs FastVote in Edit-only mode, reading
BBS info from D:\NODE1)
----
Version 2.20 10/6/90 - Fifth Release.
This version is basically an update for Opus v1.1x (finally...). We know
there are conversion programs for DORINFO1.DEF already, but it's always
easier and faster when the support is built in. This version also includes
other minor additions which improve the power and flexibility of FastVote.
In this document, the term "Opus 1.10" refers to all versions after 1.10
that are downward compatible with 1.10.
## Indicates features changed or added since v2.20 BETA-1 of FastVote.
* The /Axx command line parameter has been added to support the
same parameter in CreateBooth. Please see CREATE.DOC for more
information on this parameter, as it is simply passed to
CreateBooth when it is executed from FastVote. This parameter is
of no use to non-registered users.
* FastVote now capitalizes the first letter of every booth when
listing all voting booths.
FastVote Complete SysOp Reference Manual - Page 31 (Appendix B)
UPDATES to FastVote (Continued)
===============================
* The /Q Parameter has been added to speed up the beginning of
FastVote. When this option is used, the welcome screen,
bulletins, and system identification are all bypassed, thus
speeding up access to the main menu. This is good for SysOps when
testing the program, and also for SysOps who don't like the
lengthy logon of the program.
* The /LOFF Parameter has also been added. This command line para-
meter disables operation of the <L>ist available booths command.
While this may seem like a useless option, for those SysOps who
feel that the command itself is rather useless, this parameter
allows them to remove it. The default, of course, is to have the
<L>ist booths command always active.
* FastVote now tells users when they can't access a certain command
(like the Booth Editor) instead of just ignoring the key pressed.
* FastVote now allows the SysOp to create his or her own custom
menus for use with the program. In order to take advantage of
this function, it is necessary to create two copies of the same
menu, one in ANSI, the other in ASCII. The two file names are
FVMENU.ANS and FVMENU.TXT. Two examples are now included under
the file names FVMENU.AN1 and FVMENU.TX1. In order to use them,
you must rename the extensions .ANS and .TXT. Keep in mind, ALL
commands must be shown in the menu, and unlike the default
FastVote menu, the commands that a user can not access will be
shown. Also, when an external menu is used, keep in mind that the
actual display of the menu is slightly slower than that of the
internal menu.
* The default menu has been modified in hopes of making it more
attractive.
* Coding errors that could have affected FastVote's operation have
now been corrected.
* Opus 1.10 and higher compatibility has been added with the use of
the BBS type #4 and the /Ofilename command line parameter. To
configure FastVote to run directly under Opus 1.10, you must
change the first line in FASTVOTE.CFG (or whatever .CFG file you
are using) to the number four (4). If the task of Opus you are
running under does not create a LASTUS00.DAT, you must also use
the /Ofilename parameter like so: FASTVOTE /OLASTUS01.DAT.
Hopefully this will eliminate any need for other utilities to run
FastVote under Opus 1.10 (aside from DOORWAY or GATEWAY).
Note: The /Ofilename and /T (local test mode) parameters can NOT
be used together.
FastVote Complete SysOp Reference Manual - Page 32 (Appendix B)
UPDATES to FastVote (Continued)
===============================
* ## If you are using Opus 1.10, you may now use specific access
levels in FASTLEV.INF. In other words, you may either use the
string access level (such as SYSOP or TWIT) or the correlating
number. The Opus 1.10 priv levels and their CORRESPONDING numbers
are as follows:
TWIT = 16 DISGRACE = 48 LIMITED = 64
NORMAL = 80 WORTHY = 96 PRIVEL = 112
FAVORED = 128 EXTRA = 144 CLERK = 160
ASSTSYSOP = 176 SYSOP = 208 HIDDEN = 224
The HIDDEN access level can be used just like it is in Opus, to
hide commands that you don't want anyone (not even sysops) to
access.
NOTE: If you are still using Opus 1.03, you must use the integers
as they correspond to the old Opus priv levels (this information
is found in FASTVOTE.DOC).
* ## Fixed: An error in the change-vote function that displayed the
wrong vote when a user was changing his/her vote has been fixed.
The program now shows the correct choice number when a user
changes his/her vote.
* ## The main executable (FASTVOTE.EXE) is now smaller and slightly
faster due to exclusion of unneeded code added by the Turbo
Pascal (Borland International) compiler.
Some examples of the 4 new command line parameters (/Axx, /Q, /LOFF &
/Ofilename) are as follows:
FASTVOTE /Q /A20 /T (Runs FastVote using QuickStart, defaulting to
level 20 [for CreateBooth] and in test mode.)
FASTVOTE /OLASTUS05.DAT (Runs FastVote under Opus and checks for
LASTUS05.DAT instead of LASTUS00.DAT)
FASTVOTE /Q /LOFF (Runs FastVote using QuickStart and disabling the
<L>ist booths command)
This version is a drop in replacement for 2.00 and 2.10. If you are NOT
using Opus 1.10 or higher, you will not need to bother with FASTLEV.INF,
BBS Type #4 and the /Ofilename parameter. If you are running Opus 1.10 or
higher, you will need to change the BBS Type to 4 and most likely use the
/Ofilename Parameter. You will also need to edit FASTLEV.INF to corollate
with the new OPUS privilege values.
----
Version 2.20 (BETA-1) 7/23/90 - Closed beta testing.
FastVote Complete SysOp Reference Manual - Page 33 (Appendix B)
UPDATES to FastVote (Continued)
===============================
Version 2.10 4/3/90 (release date) - Fourth release.
As you can tell by the version number, this is only a minor update of
the program. After SIGNIFICANT testing of v2.00 with PCBoard, my faithful
tester Joe Reeves has come up with an easy interface for PCBoard v14.x
SysOps. During this testing we also noticed a problem with the WildCat
interface, and hopefully that too has been remedied. The next major
release of this program will most likely have fully-implemented
communication routines.
* Fixed: Previously, FastVote read the ANSI color variable from
line 6 of CALLINFO.BBS on WildCat systems. The program now reads
this variable from line 7, which (hopefully) is the correct line.
* Enhanced: The time-limit checking has been enhanced to check the
amount of time the user has left in the door continuously
(previously it only checked at certain intervals). BTW, the
program exits with errorlevel 2 when this happens.
* Changed: The "Press enter to continue..." prompt no longer
backscrolls. On PCBoard systems using DOORWAY, this feature was
VERY slow (it worked normally under GATEWAY).
* Fixed: When the an unknown BBS type was specified in the .CFG
file, FastVote previously wrote the the screen twice instead
of writing to the log file. This has been remedied. BTW, the
program exits with errorlevel 2 when this happens.
* The program archive PCBOARD.ZIP (from Joe Reeves) has been
included in order to give PCBoard SysOps a standard way of
running FastVote on their BBS. This archive includes a
conversion program as well as documentation (the need for
other PCBoard door conversion programs has been eliminated).
----
Version 2.00 3/10/90 (release date) - Third full release.
This version of the program has spent a VERY VERY long time under
development, and still does not show too many differences.
* Removed: PCBoard compatibility has been totally removed.
Apparently there were a lot of problems with it and it was much
easier to remove direct support totally. However, you can still
use FastVote with the aid of PCBoard to QuickBBS/RBBS conversion
utilities (one is called PCB2QB). Direct PCBoard support may be
added once the C structures for PCBoard 15 (not yet released) are
available.
* Removed: No longer asks for ANSI in systems that use either
DORINFO1.DEF (QuickBBS & RBBS) or CALLINFO.BBS (WildCat).
FastVote Complete SysOp Reference Manual - Page 34 (Appendix B)
UPDATES to FastVote (Continued)
===============================
* Enhanced: When a user is either voting or viewing the results,
FastVote only lists the available booths ONCE. Afterwards, the
users can once again view the available booths by pressing either
R or L for ReList.
* Enhanced: FastVote no longer requires the name FASTVOTE.DAT for
its config file. The program now defaults to the name
FASTVOTE.CFG, but will take any 2 - 8 character filename plus its
extension. This function is useful for having different groups of
voting topics, or running the program under a multi-node
environment. (However, FastVote does NOT have any file sharing
capabilities).
* Changed: The main menu previously displayed registered commands
with an asterisk denoting that they were commands available only
to registered users of the program. This annoyed many SysOps, and
has now been removed.
* Changed: Also at the main menu, users can only see the commands
they have access to.
* Enhanced: The help screen has been changed into a more readable
(non-paragraph) form.
* Added: The program now automatically logs off users after an
inactivity period of five minutes.
* Enhanced: FastVote now gives the user the option of relisting the
available choices when voting using the R or L command.
* Changed: The files FASTLEV.DAT and FAST.DAT (used only in regist-
ered versions) have been renamed FASTLEV.INF and FAST.INF to avoid
conflict with voting booth data files.
* Added: The /T parameter has been added in order to allow local
test mode access for sysops. This parameter allows the sysop to
enter any name to use while in the voting booth (the access level
will default to the sysop access level in the .CFG file used).
* Added: FastVote now uses errorlevels when the program exits for
any reason other than runtime errors. Refer to the documentation
for details.
* The program archive FASTDATA.ZIP (by John A. Mann II) has been
included in order to give FastVote users means of creating
external bulletins of FastVote results for their BBSes.
FastVote Complete SysOp Reference Manual - Page 35 (Appendix B)
UPDATES to FastVote (Continued)
===============================
* The program archive FV1TO2.ZIP (by John A. Mann II) has been
included in order to simplify the process of upgrading from v1.x
to v2.0 released. For details, read either the FV1TO2
documentation or the FastVote documentation (you must read either
one of these if upgrading from v2.0 (Beta-1) as well).
* The upgrade fee for registered users has been raised back up to
$7.
Version 2.00 (Beta-1) 8/28/89 - Not a full release.
This version of FastVote is not a full release, and was originally
intended for closed beta-testing. However, we decided to release it on a
limited basis. Anyone is free to use it, but we do not encourage uploading
until the final version 2.00 has been released.
* The most important modification to FastVote is the added compat-
ibility with WildCat, PCBoard, RBBS, and others which are compat-
ible with them, along with the already installed Fido, QuickBBS,
and Opus compatibility. Support for PCBoard 14.x includes use of
the USERS and PCBOARD.SYS files. WildCat support uses the
CALLINFO.BBS file, and RBBS support is the same as QuickBBS, using
the DORINFO1.DEF file.
* Added: error checking on booth selections when more than 40 voting
booths are available and the add a choice option is ENABLED.
* Added: The sysop controlable ability for users to change their
vote.
* Added: "More" (seen as "Continue [Y,n]?") prompts during booth and
choice listings.
* Added: The ability to display a .DOC file explaining the booth to
the user before he votes.
* There is now a different (and better) ANSI screen (FASTVOTE.ANS).
* Changed: Maximum length for booth descriptions has been limited
to 60 due to changes in the booth display format.
* The /S option has been removed. This switch disabled the option to
subtract used time and write it to the user file. This option is no
longer available.
* Registrations: We have lowered the main registration fee to $15,
and the update fee to $5. Hopefully this will provide more of an
incentive for non-registered users. Those who have already payed
the full registration fee will receive a discount of $5 on their
next transaction.
FastVote Complete SysOp Reference Manual - Page 36 (Appendix B)
UPDATES to FastVote (Continued)
===============================
Version 1.01 6/03/1989 - Second release.
Well, this version of FastVote indicates a minor but important update.
* It seemed that version 1.00 had a bug regarding Fido & Opus
systems. The program simply read the wrong variable from the
LASTUSER.BBS file, thus forbidding users who had not been on for
more than 2 minutes access. The problem has (as far as we can tell) been
remedied, and FastVote no longer reads any time limit variables
from LASTUSER.BBS.
* The time limit of users in the program now relies totally on the
variables for SysOp and other user time limits in FASTVOTE.DAT
instead of any variables obtained from LASTUSER.BBS or
DORINFO1.DEF.
Hopefully this fixes the problems Fido & Opus SysOps had with
FastVote v1.00.
----
Version 1.00 5/11/1989 - First released version.