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NanoBBS 1.01
Copyright 1994,1995 Whirlwind Software
All Rights Reserved
Programs and Documentation
by
Gerald T. Albion
- Additional Code by -
Mark Dignam and Mark May
- Beta Testers -
Don St. Germain John Richards
B.J. Verruyt Jerry Driscoll
- Numerous Suggestions Supplied by -
Allen Walker Patrick Wilson
Ryan Clifford Brent Boudreau
- This product uses -
JAM(mbp) - Copyright 1993 Joaquim Homrighausen, Andrew Milner,
Mats Birch, Mats Wallin.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
- Special thanks to -
The users of THC Freedom Online BBS, Victoria, BC
for their endless patience and priceless assistance in the
development of UFO and NanoBBS.
This document contains references to many trademarks.
Whirlwind Software acknowledges ownership of all such
trademarks by their respective owners.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 1
CONTENTS
Introduction ........................................ 3
Version Numbering ................................... 6
System Requirements ................................. 7
Setting Up NanoBBS .................................. 8
- 10 Step Installation ............................ 9
- Command Line Switches ........................... 11
The Configuration File .............................. 13
Message Areas ....................................... 29
- Examples ........................................ 29
- Keyword Reference ............................... 31
File Areas .......................................... 34
- Examples ........................................ 34
- Keyword Reference ............................... 36
Doors ............................................... 38
The Black Art of Batch File Writing ................. 41
NanoBBS Utility Programs ............................ 53
External Files ...................................... 54
- Various Configuration Files ..................... 54
- FILES.BBS ....................................... 57
- Semaphores ...................................... 60
- ASCII/ANSI/RIP files in /BBS/MISC ............... 61
- NanoCHAT external files ......................... 64
Keys While The User Is Online ....................... 65
A Tour of NanoBBS's canned main menu interface ....... 67
Language Files - Customizing almost Everything! ..... 72
Embedded Colour Commands ............................ 75
NanoCHAT - Setting up NanoBBS as a chat system ...... 77
Glossary ............................................ 90
Contact Information ................................. 96
NanoBBS Documentation Page 2
ةحثحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ Introduction: What -is- NanoBBS? ؛ ؛
بحتحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
NanoBBS is a highly configurable BBS package. Its features
include:
- User-visible output is configurable via language files
- UFO, a powerful scripting language with access to virtually
all system and user variables
- Built-in NanoCHAT, a teleconferencer based on Whirlwind's
TommCHAT teleconference door. You don't pay extra for
multiuser chat with NanoBBS!
- Your choice of *.MSG, Squish, or JAM message bases
- Up to 65535 message areas and 65535 file areas
- Full internal support for CD-ROMs including a fast
copy-to-temporary-file function and alternate FILES.BBS
directories
- Users can embed colours in messages
- An internal full screen message editor
- High speed file searching and new-file scans
- Works up to 115200 bps with or without a FOSSIL
- Convenient internal user editor
- Sysop-definable time limits by access level
- Account expiry can be set for any date
- Doors can be age-restricted, no worries about minors playing
adult doors!
- File areas and message bases can be restricted by age - give
users adult access on their 21st birthday automatically!
- Message bases can be restricted by gender, for "ladies only"
echoes etc.
- Users may logon with real name, pseudonym or user number,
whichever is easiest!
- New User Password and System Password features add virtually
impenetrable extra security to private systems!
- SysOp can select between a canned hardcoded BBS or build a
completely new one using UFO scripting
- Lists (file areas, message areas, users, etc) can be
automatically displayed in one, two or three columns
- Multi-node aware and Desqview friendly! Node numbers can even
be passed to doors!
APPEARANCE: IF UNIQUENESS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU!
Although NanoBBS excels in many areas, it is designed first to
give its sysop the maximum flexibility in configuring the
function and appearance of the BBS. The UFO scripting language
allows you to build entire menus and call upon virtually all
functions of the BBS from within a text file! And, the messages
that would normally be hardcoded in other BBSes are located in a
RAM-based language file which can be modified or totally
rewritten as the SysOp sees fit! What's more, NanoBBS does not
require an ANSI driver like so many other lesser BBSes, in fact
NanoBBS Documentation Page 3
it doesn't even need separate ANSI and ASCII files for system
text files, although it does allow the separate files. If a
user has ANSI turned off, the BBS can strip ANSI codes on the
fly, and even expand horizontal ANSI cursor movements into
spaces or backspaces as needed! Of course, automatic ANSI
detection is standard and can be turned off if desired! Random
welcome screens are also a supported standard feature! And a
comprehensive RIPScrip suite is built into the UFO script
language and in the system language files, so that you can make
RIPScrip screens in plain English without buying an expensive "Rip
Draw" type of program. And, there are forty sysop-definable
sysop keys for ultimate convenience!
SECURITY: TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR BBS!
NanoBBS is also designed with security in mind, with NUPs and
system passwords, and the ability to restrict message areas
based on age and sex, and file areas based on age. These
features alone make NanoBBS ideal for an adult BBS or an
exclusive private system, but once you've moulded NanoBBS's form
and performance to your ideal image you'll want to put it online
for everyone to use! The BBS also supports "expiring" accounts
which allow a time-limited access level, which takes all the
work out of keeping track of accounts on pay systems! You can
set accounts to expire anywhere from a day to 50 years in the
future, or you can have no expiry date at all! You can also
select which questions in the new-user questionnaire are
required and which ones are optional, and even which ones will
be asked at all! All file areas can have a different directory
set for uploads than for downloads, allowing the sysop to screen
uploads in private before making them available to users! This
prevents pirated programs from being distributed on your BBS
without your knowledge! There are also "barricades" which let
you unobtrusively and judiciously remove certain individuals
from certain message areas without otherwise lowering anyone's
access. A programmable "trashcan" and "message censor" round out
the list of features designed to protect you and your BBS from
abuse!
HIGH SPEED FILE SECTIONS!
NanoBBS is also designed with very large file sections in mind!
With the author's own BBS totalling almost 2 gigs online, the
problems of quickly finding and accessing files on a large
system are all too apparent. So, a number of special caching
routines and high-speed file indices have been implemented to
give the maximum search and retrieval speed possible! If you
run a small or average BBS, searches will be nearly
instantaneous. The author's BBS has some 20,000 files and any
one can be located in seconds!
In addition, you can set any file area to be a CD-ROM area! You
can set a directory for FILES.BBS that is separate from the CD
so that you will be able to remove files that you don't want
NanoBBS Documentation Page 4
users to access, or change the descriptions! Downloads from
CD-ROM areas are accomplished by first copying the file(s) from
the CD to a temporary directory, to minimise the problems of
speed and system resource usage that arise from directly
downloading from a CD. SysOps who want to preview a CD without
taking the BBS down can hit a "CD OUT" key at the wait-for-call
screen, and immediately all CD file areas are shut off, allowing
you to change the CD and examine another one without worrying
about a user trying to access a file on the one you just took
out...
Of course, file upload/download ratios by kilobyte are also
supported, giving you complete control over file leeches!
NanoBBS Documentation Page 5
ةحثحححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ Version Numbering ؛ ؛
بحتحححححححححححححححححححتح¼
NanoBBS version numbers can be used to distunguish one version
from another in the following ways:
1.00a
| |||
| |||
Major Revision ---------' |||
Minor Revision -----------'||
Maintenance Release -------'|
Bug Fix --------------------'
So, for example, 2.00a differs from 1.00a in that 2.00a is a
Major Revision, for example the structure of one or more data
files has changed, or some new feature or set of features has
been added that drastically improves or changes NanoBBS's
appearance and function.
Likewise, 1.10a is different from 1.00a in that 1.10a has new
features, for example a new file searching mode or a new message
base format.
1.01a is different from 1.00a in that 1.01a is a maintenance
release. This means some improvement to the existing function
of the BBS, for example the reduction of memory usage for a
particular function or the improvement in the speed of some part
of the BBS.
1.00b is different from 1.00a in that 1.00b contains fixes for
bugs that existed in 1.00a.
All these are just examples. As NanoBBS evolves, there will no
doubt be many different version numbers.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 6
ةحثحححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ System Requirements ؛ ؛
بحتحححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
- An 80286 or better IBM compatible computer with at least 512k RAM
- At least 20 megabytes of hard disk space (recommended)
- A modem, any speed (at least 14400 recommended)
- A standard serial port, or a multi-serial board with a special
FOSSIL driver
- A FOSSIL is required
- A flat-ASCII text editor such as QEdit or the DOS full screen
editor is a must for editing configuration files
- An external Message Editor such as MsgEd or GoldEd is
recommended
- An external File Area Manager such as FEBBS or Fido-Fam is
recommended
- A RAM Disk of at least 400k for each node is highly
recommended for swapping.
NanoBBS uses 16-bit 80286 code. It will not run on an 8088 or
other 8-bit machine.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 7
ةحثححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ Setting up NanoBBS ؛ ؛
بحتححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
NanoBBS can be run "out of the box" by taking a few very simple
steps. OK, if you're totally new at this, the steps won't seem
all that simple, so I will try and make this as painless as
possible. Because it is impossible for me to predict the
numerous configurations of computers, software, and paths that
NanoBBS will be installed on, I can only give general
installation instructions.
If you find you just can't get NanoBBS going no matter what you
do, first re-read these instructions and make sure you haven't
missed something, then if that doesn't succeed ask someone else
who is running NanoBBS if they have had a similar problem and
how they solved it. If that doesn't work (or if you can't find
someone else who runs the software) then feel free to drop me a
line by netmail or on my BBS. Be specific about what's
happening with your system. To contact me, see the netmail
address and BBS phone number at the end of this file.
If this is the first time you have installed NanoBBS, be warned
that NanoBBS will try to install itself in the C:\BBS directory.
You can move it to another directory after it is installed, but
you'll need to change the paths in all of your configuration
files if you do this.
Before you install NanoBBS, make sure your system meets the
following minimum requirements:
- You need a hard disk with at least several megs free.
- You need about 380 kilobytes of RAM free. This is
inconsequential for most installations, but it might
be an issue if you are using a multitasker such as
DesqView.
- You need a FOSSIL driver, revision 5 or later.
Several common FOSSILs are X00, BNU, and OpusComm.
The FOSSIL must be installed and available before
NanoBBS is able to run. Check your FOSSIL
documentation for installation instructions.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 8
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ 10 Step Installation ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
عؤؤؤ؟
³ 1 ³ To install NanoBBS, just run INSTALL.BAT. The batch file
ہؤؤؤظ will unpack the program files, and will then determine
whether it needs to also install the ASCII and ANSI and
RIP files, and whether it should install default
configuration files. It will also install and compile
the laguage files.
Once INSTALL is complete, you need to take the following
general steps, which will be explained in much greater
detail later in this manual...
عؤؤؤ؟
³ 2 ³ Edit NODE1.CTL (using an ASCII text editor or word
ہؤؤؤظ processor in ASCII mode) to your specifications. Set the
proper paths, com ports, baud rates, modem control and
response strings, default access levels, events, and
everything else that needs to be adjusted to your
requirements. NODE1.CTL is the main configuration file
containing most of the general setup of the BBS. See the
chapter titled "The Configuration File" for a complete
explanation of the use of this file.
عؤؤؤ؟
³ 3 ³ Edit MSGAREA.CTL to your specifications. MSGAREA.CTL is
ہؤؤؤظ the file which defines your message areas. Make sure to
specify correct paths, access levels, and to use the
message base type (Squish, JAM or *.MSG/Fido) which best
suits your needs. And of course feel free to add or
remove as many message areas as you like; there can be up
to 65,536 of them! See the chapter titled "Setting Up
Message Areas" for a complete explanation of this file.
عؤؤؤ؟
³ 4 ³ Edit FILEAREA.CTL to your specifications. FILEAREA.CTL
ہؤؤؤظ is the file which defines your file transfer areas. As
in the message area file, make sure you specify all the
right paths and access levels. Make sure all those paths
exist and that there is a FILES.BBS file in each one
containing a list of all the files in the area and their
descriptions. As with the message areas, there can be up
to 65,536 file areas! See the chapter titled "Setting Up
File Areas" for a complete explanation of this file.
عؤؤؤ؟
³ 5 ³ Edit DOORS.CTL to your specifications. DOORS.CTL is the
ہؤؤؤظ file which defines your "Doors" or external programs
which are accessible by the users. Doors are usually
games but they can also be interfaces to special
databases, "expert" advisory systems, call-back
verifiers, or have any number of other functions.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 9
عؤؤؤ؟
³ 6 ³ Type CONFIG NODE1 at the DOS prompt and hit Enter. This
ہؤؤؤظ will convert the four files I just described into a form
that is more readily usable by NanoBBS. This process is
called "compiling configuration".
عؤؤؤ؟
³ 7 ³ Once this is complete, if all the paths are correct (and
ہؤؤؤظ they all exist) you should be ready to go. Note that the
paths do not HAVE to all be defined; NanoBBS will warn
you wherever it cannot find a specified path. Now, just
type BBS at the prompt and go through the new-user login
procedure. Make an account for yourself. Most sysops
traditionally make the first account in the system
theirs; that makes you user 0 (zero).
عؤؤؤ؟
³ 8 ³ Try logging in; you should be able to navigate the system
ہؤؤؤظ as a new user right away. Hit Alt-E to enter the user
editor and give yourself SysOp access (the access and
keys you have defined in NODE1.CTL for SysOp access) or
better!
Don't be surprised if NanoBBS says it can't find your
message areas and that it's trying to create them. This
is normal the first time out, or whenever the message
areas don't actually exist.
عؤؤؤ؟
³ 9 ³ If you're only going to run one node, you can skip this
ہؤؤؤظ step. If you run more than one node, you can run multiple
copies in the same system directory (the directory
specified by the SYSPATH statement in NODE1.CTL) but each
copy has to have its own config file. So, for example,
if you are running two nodes, you should make a copy of
NODE1.CTL and call it NODE2.CTL. Edit NODE2.CTL so that
its node number, com port and modem settings match those
of your second node, and compile it by typing:
CONFIG NODE2 /Q
at the DOS prompt. The /Q tells CONFIG to ignore the
MSGAREA.CTL, FILEAREA.CTL and DOORS.CTL files as these
can be shared between the two nodes. If you've just
compiled all these area files, you don't need to do it
again until you edit them.
Repeat this procedure for as many nodes as you have. If
your nodes are spread out across a LAN, make sure each
one specifies a local com port and that all the system
and similar paths point to the system directory on one
machine. Otherwise NanoBBS will start creating user log
files all over the LAN and the nodes won't be able to
communicate with each other.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 10
عؤؤؤؤ؟
³ 10 ³ Now create the batch file(s) necessary to run the BBS.
ہؤؤؤؤظ If you are running under DesqView or another multitasking
environment like OS/2, you should predefine special task
configurations for each node. To run each node, you
should have a batch file for each one, and each node must
be called with a /C command line parameter specifying the
compiled configuration file that the node should use.
This is all covered exhaustively in "The Black Art of
Batch Files", elsewhere in this manual.
Once all of this is done, you should be able to run your BBS
reliably from your main BBS/Mailer batch file or by running your
multitasker (if its default macro calls the batchfiles for each
node). You will, of course, want to customize the ASCII, ANSI
and RIP files in the MISC directory so that they reflect the
character and style of your BBS!
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ COMMAND LINE SWITCHES ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
/F{filename.dat} builds the index files necessary for the speed
performance of NanoBBS's high-speed file finding functions.
Without running BBS /F, NanoBBS will still be able to find
files the old-fashioned way (by actually reading through
every line of the FILES.BBS files) but this process is much
slower. Once the index files are in place, NanoBBS will only
be able to find files which are listed in the indices. This
means that newly-uploaded files won't be available until
BBS/F is run again. If you don't have a huge file section you
may be able to get away with running BBS /F each time NanoBBS
exits after each call, but on many systems this will take too
long and is better left to a nightly event. The filename.dat
is the file name of the compiled file area file, usually
FILEAREA.DAT.
If the filename is left off, the program assumes FILEAREA.DAT.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ If your users report mysterious bogus files in a FILES.BBS ³
³ listing, especially at the beginning, this is an indication ³
³ that the File Indices have fallen out of sync with the ³
³ FILES.BBS. The solution is to run BBS /F. ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
/E Invokes the user editor.
/T{time} indicates to NanoBBS that the mailer needs to be back
online in {time} minutes - this is used to force mail events.
If necessary, NanoBBS will adjust the user's time online and
advise him/her accordingly.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 11
/C{config.ext} will cause NanoBBS to load the compiled config file
specified. If this is omitted, NODE1.DAT is assumed.
/W causes NanoBBS to wait for a caller.
/B specifies a baud rate. This is used when passing off from a
mailer or other front end. You should have a SPAWN.BAT or
similar batch file generated by your mailer which specifies,
among other things, this baud rate. When this switch is
used, the connection is assumed already made and the BBS goes
directly to the logon procedure.
If neither the /B nor /W switches are used, NanoBBS assumes this
means it is a local session.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 12
ةحثححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ The Configuration File ؛ ؛
بحتححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
COMPILING THE CONFIGURATION FILE
NanoBBS uses a flat ASCII text file for system configuration, as
this approach provides the greatest flexibility and the ability
to add comments, so that you can rationalise your choices later.
By default, NanoBBS uses the file NODE1.DAT - referring to the
fact that by default NanoBBS is node 1 of a multi-user system,
even if your BBS is only one line.
In order to create NODE1.DAT, you must first compile NODE1.CTL
with the CONFIG.EXE program. CONFIG reads the configuration
file, line by line, and compiles the text file into a fast
machine-readable file format and writes it out to a .DAT file.
To make multiple nodes you need a config file for EACH node.
So, for example, if you have two nodes, you would first edit
NODE1.CTL to your specifications for Node 1, including the com
ports and the external events you want that node to process.
Then, make a copy of NODE1.CTL, and name the copy NODE2.CTL.
Now edit NODE2.CTL to the parameters required for Node 2,
including the com port, baud rate and so forth.
Once this is complete, you must then run the CONFIG program once
for each config file. It is worth noting that you can save some
time by only doing a "full" config on one node. Allow me to
illustrate:
C:\>config node1
C:\>config node2 /q
If you type these two commands at the dos prompt, CONFIG.EXE
will first compile NODE1.CTL into NODE1.DAT, and will also
configure the message area files, file area files and door
configuration files by calling the MMB.EXE, MFB.EXE and
MAKEDOOR.EXE programs for you. The second command just compiles
NODE2.CTL into NODE2.DAT. The /q parameter tells CONFIG.EXE not
to bother compiling the file areas and other files a second
time, which is unnecessary when these files are to be shared
between nodes - the normal multi-node operating mode.
SYNTAX OF THE CONFIGURATION FILE
The configuration file itself is a plain ASCII text file with
one command per line. "Commented" lines are ignored, as are
blank lines and lines which start with unrecognised words. The
best way to comment out a line is to start the line with a
semicolon ";". Several options (like WIDEOPEN) come commented
out by default; to activate such options you have to "uncomment"
them by deleting the leading semicolon. The commands are not
NanoBBS Documentation Page 13
case sensitive, but take care to type the text parameters (such
as the BBS name in the SYSTEMNAME line) exactly as you want
users to see them.
Examples:
;This line is commented out.
This line is not.
The sample configuration file is commented with explanations of
those commands which I do not consider self-evident, but I will
explain each one in depth here. I'll include at least one
example for each one.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ General System Options ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
The NODE parameter specifies which node number the BBS will use
for multi-user functions such as NanoCHAT. If you are running a
one-line BBS this should be set to 1.
Node 1
The SYSTEMNAME parameter is the name of your BBS as you want it
passed to doors in the DORINFO1.DEF file, and in other places
yet to be supported...
SystemName Whirlwind BBS
The SYSTEMCITY parameter is the location of your BBS; this
should be the city and state or country it is located in, e.g.
"Victoria, B.C." or "Peoria, Illinois" or "Paris, France".
SystemCity Victoria, B.C.
The SYSTEMPHONE parameter is your BBS's phone number. If you're
running a multi-line BBS with more than one phone number, I see
no reason why you can't have a different number for each node.
SystemPhone 604-361-4549
The SYSOP parameter is your name (or pseudonym). This is the
name to which Feedback or and private message to "SYSOP" will be
addressed. It is also used by the DORINFO1.DEF door file.
Sysop Tommy
NanoBBS Documentation Page 14
This is the definition of the "Spinny Cursor" used in long
message searches. This example gives a classic "twirling stick"
spinning cursor which rotates counter-clockwise. This can be up
to 16 characters long.
Spin \-/|
This determines whether you want to enable multi-user chat
features. This should be commented out if you are running a
1-line system or if you do NOT want to use multi-node chat!
MultiNode
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Paths and Filenames ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
The SYSPATH is the path to the BBS executables, language files,
user log, and all miscellaneous system files. Note; if this is
missing the BBS will try to read everything from the directory
where the executable lives. I have not tested this eventuality
extensively but it does seem to work for me, however I wouldn't
recommend relying on it. Use this parameter!
SysPath C:\BBS\
This is the path to the .ASC, .ANS, .RIP and compiled UFO (.BBS)
files. It is also the path to the NanoCHAT help files and the
NanoCHAT /m and /i info files and messages.
TextPath C:\BBS\MISC\
The SWAPPATH is the path to a directory where you want Swapping
files to go. Each time NanoBBS runs a door or other external
program such as an archiver, it tries to swap itself out to EMS
(if the SwapEMS parameter is active) or to disk. This sets the
path for disk swaps. If you have enough memory but not EMS, use
a RAM disk - it is still much faster than swapping to disk!
SwapPath F:\
This is the path to the IPC files. If you don't use multi-user
chat you needn't concern yourself with this, however if you do,
then this should DEFINITELY be a RAM disk or a directory
thereof!
IPCPath F:\
NanoBBS Documentation Page 15
The TEMPPATH is a directory where files from a CD-ROM are copied
to before downloading. Most CD-ROMs are very slow compared to
hard drives, so the user will find downloads faster and you will
run less risk of file sharing problems if CD-ROM downloads are
copied to a temporary disk directory and downloaded from there
instead. If you're running a multi-node BBS, you should have a
separate TEMPPATH for each node on your system. This is because
the BBS deletes the entire contents of the temporary directory
after each logoff, to avoid filling your hard disk with files
from the CD.
TempPath C:\TEMP1\
The SCANPATH is the path to the individual user scan files.
NanoBBS lets users select which message areas to include in QWK
packets and global new-scans, and stores the list of included
areas in a file for each user. Since a great many users could
end up using this feature, a separate directory is necessary for
these Scan files.
ScanPath C:\BBS\MSGSCAN\
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Modem Configuration ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
You can embed special functions in all the modem commands. In
the modem strings below, "|" (pipe) means carriage return, "~"
(tilde) means delay 1 second, "'" (apostrophe) means delay 1/20
second, "^" (caret) means DTR up and "v" means DTR down...
The COMPORT parameter specifies the com port, e.g. 1 for COM1:.
It goes without saying that this should be different for each
node. If this is set to 0 only local logons will be possible.
ComPort 1
SLOWBAUD is the slowest baud rate allowed. I run a pretty
easygoing system so I allow all baud rates, but you may not want
slower modems tying up your shiny new V.34, so you can set a
minimum (say, 2400 or 9600) using this command. If this command
is commented out, all baud rates are allowed. This example
allows baud rates as low as 300.
SlowBaud 300
INITBAUD is the "default" baud rate; it is the baud rate to
initialise the modem and wait for a call.
InitBaud 38400
NanoBBS Documentation Page 16
INIT is simply the string to initialise the modem. If your
modem has an NV-RAM feature and is properly configured you
should only need to use "ATZ|". This example does just that
but also forces the speaker off. Consult your modem manual for
an explanation of its commands!
Init ATZ|~ATM0|
Here's a modem init string which you might find suitable if
your modem doesn't have an NV-RAM. In order of appearance,
its function is to: Turn the speaker off, turn on "echoing" of
modem commands, set verbose result code reporting, turn on
normal carrier detection (many modems default to "carrier
detect ON all the time no matter what the real carrier state
is"), and set the modem to hang up if DTR is dropped.
Init ATM0E1X4&C1&D2|
INITRETRY is the number of times to attempt initialisation
before returning a "Can't initialise the modem" error.
InitRetry 5
RING is the string returned by the modem when the line rings.
When NanoBBS detects this string from the modem while it's
waiting for a call, it gets ready to answer the phone...
Ring RING|
RINGS is the number of rings to wait before answering - 1 will
answer on the first ring etc. If you have Caller ID this MUST
be set to 2 or more, so that the CID data stream can come
through. Otherwise 1 is the best choice for most direct dial-in
lines.
Rings 2
ANSWER is the command to send to the modem to cause it to answer
the phone.
Answer ATA|
This is the string returned by modem when the modem has
initialised OK. When NanoBBS tries to initialise the modem it
expects to get this string back; if it doesn't then there may be
something wrong.
OK OK|
NOCARRIER is the string returned by modem when an incoming
call's connection fails before NanoBBS gets out of waiting-for
caller mode. If it receives this it will immediately go back to
waiting for a call.
NoCarrier NO CARRIER|
NanoBBS Documentation Page 17
INITTIME is the number of minutes between each re-initialisation
of the modem. This should be done periodically just to make
sure all is well with the modem. Every 10 or 20 minutes is
fine.
inittime 10
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Baud Rate Definitions ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
In the baud rate definitions, the SET parameter selects the baud
rate to reset the modem port to upon connection (this should be
set to your locked baud rate for all bauds if your port is
locked). The RATE parameter determines the rate used for
calculating transfer times etc., the DISPLAY parameter is the
rate as shown to the user, and the CONNECT parameter is the
modem response string by which NanoBBS can recognise the baud
rate.
There should be one baud rate defined for each one that your
modem supports. For example, a 2400 baud modem should be set up
to recognize 300, 1200 and 2400 baud callers, even if you won't
be allowing 300 baud. In fact, especially if you won't be
allowing 300 baud; after all you want the BBS to be able to tell
the prohibited baud rates when it sees them!
Each baud rate is defined with a BAUD parameter followed by
several subparameters and then terminated with an END. The
following examples illustrate:
Baud 0
Set 300
Rate 300
Display 300
Connect CONNECT|
end
Baud 1
Set 1200
Rate 1200
Display 1200
Connect CONNECT 1200|
end
Baud 2
Set 2400
Rate 2400
Display 2400
Connect CONNECT 2400|
end
NanoBBS Documentation Page 18
Baud 3
Set 9600
Rate 4800
Display 2400
Connect CONNECT 2400/MNP5
end
; and so on until...
Baud 11
Set 115200
Rate 28800
Display 28800
Connect CONNECT 28800
end
; The sample NODE1.CTL has all the baud rate definitions needed
; by a system served by a 28800 V.FC modem.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Time Limits ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
USRSTART is the starting time of the period when NanoBBS will
answer the phone. This and USREND are useful for part-time
BBSes. USREND is the ending time; after this NanoBBS will
indicate that the phone has rung but will not answer. If these
times are the same, then users are always allowed.
UsrStart 00:00
UsrEnd 00:00
PAGESTART and PAGEEND define the starting and ending times when
users will be allowed to make noise on your speaker by paging
you. Outside these hours, the user will still be allowed to
page, will still be asked for a reason, will still be logged,
and the blinking "Paged" will still appear on the SysOp bar, but
no sound will be made! Very useful for sysops who have to sleep
in the same room with the computer!
PageStart 08:00
PageEnd 23:00
LOGONTIME is the amount of time given to users to complete a
logon after connection. This is in minutes.
LogonTime 10
NanoBBS Documentation Page 19
TIMEOUT is the number of minutes NanoBBS should wait at a prompt
without any keyboard input from the user before it "times out"
and terminates the session.
Timeout 3
These are the maximum numbers of minutes which can be deposited
and withdrawn from the time bank.
max withdraw 60
max deposit 60
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Security ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
With all the competition out there on the BBS software market to
have the most iron-fisted security, I thought it would be a nice
complement to the security features to include an optional
"UnSecurity" feature. By default it is commented out.
The WIDEOPEN token will cause NanoBBS to skip the user logon
process in the canned startup. You must use a logon UFO token
to log users on or else all posts and log entries will be for
user #0 "???". In the default file this is commented out, as in
this example.
;WideOpen
The NUP is the New User Password. If it is uncommented this
password will be required for all new callers to be able to
register as a new user. This is useful for invitation-only
private systems. Since most BBSes are public, this option is
"commented out" by default.
;NUP PASS
This is the system password. It can be used as a security
adjunct to the regular user passwords but its usefulness is more
important in applications where there is no actual user logon,
such as in an AE or other anonymous environment or a
fast-turnover information providing system such as would be used
on a 1-800 line. Used in conjunction with the WIDEOPEN
parameter it can be used to create a very faithful emulation of
AE. If commented out it is not used.
;SysPass CHANGEME
NanoBBS Documentation Page 20
The ECHOCHAR is the character echoed to the user when asking for
a password. This applies to passwords at logon as well as to
passwords asked when changing passords.
EchoChar $
PASSWORDTRIES is how many tries a user gets at entering a
password before being logged off and hung up on. To be fair to
users, it should be at least 3 tries.
PasswordTries 3
This is the access level needed to use the ! prompt:
Access Bang 20
This is the access level given to new users:
Access New 10
This is the key set given to new users. If commented out or if
no keys are specified, then no keys are set for new users. In
this example, keys 1, 2, 5, A, and C are set.
NewKeys 125AC
This is the access level needed to use various sysop functions.
Access SysOp 5000
And the SYSOPKEYS parameter is the key set needed to use SysOp
functions.
SysOpKeys DEF
This is the access level needed to get into the canned file
section.
Access Files 10
This is the access level needed to get into the canned email
menu.
Access Email 10
NanoBBS Documentation Page 21
This is the access level needed to use the canned "read
messages" menu option
Access Read 10
This is the access level needed to use the canned doors menu.
Access Doors 10
This is the access level needed to list today's calls.
Access Todaylist 10
This is the access level needed to list users.
Access Userlist 10
This is the access needed to use the batch files menu.
Access Batch 10
This is the access needed to access NanoCHAT.
Access Chat 10
This is the string used instead of the user's name when s/he
posts anonymously. This can be up to 36 characters and may
include embedded colours.
anonymous ~E<~M<~O< ~PAnonymous ~O>~M>~E>
The NEW keywords define which new-user questions will be asked,
and which ones will be "optional". Note that there is no real
privacy justification for making the technical questions (lines,
columns, ANSI, editor, language) optional so the option setting
for those will be ignored by NanoBBS: either they're asked or
they're not.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 22
Valid options are DONTASK and OPTION. If a question is not
present or commented out, it is both asked and required. By
default, all of these are commented out, so that NanoBBS asks
all of the questions and requires answers to all of them. This
is the behavior of most other BBS programs.
; new realname option
; new location option
; new phone option
; new birthdate option
; new sex option
; new screen dontask
; new editor dontask
; new chknew dontask
; new language dontask
This is the message area number of the default private message
area. This is the message area to which Feedback is saved, where
the BBS checks for new mail (if the user is set to check for mew
mail at logon), and where the E-Mail area operates. By default
it is 0 (zero) but there is no reason why it couldn't be set to
some other area number. Make sure this area exists in your
MSGAREA.CTL.
Private 0
Uncomment this if you want credits to be deducted for time
online If this is uncommented NanoBBS will behave like online
services that charge by time online... The actual credit
consumption rate is defined in LIMITS.CTL. Most BBSes do not
need to uncomment this!
; Credit
This is the "ratio threshold", or how much a user can download
without uploading, before NanoBBS starts to enforce
download:upload ratio limits. It is in kilobytes, so in this
example a new user could download a total of up to 500 kilobytes
before his or her file ratios are even checked.
Threshold 500
This sets the amount of time, in percent, to give back to a user
who has just successfully completed an upload. It is a
percentage of the actual time spent uploading. A ULReward of
100 gives back 100% of the time spent uploading, or in other
words the user will have as much time left after an upload as
before the upload. In this default example we give a somewhat
generous 300% time reward for uploading.
ULReward 300
NanoBBS Documentation Page 23
This is the amount of time (in milliseconds_ to wait for ANSI
auto-detection. If your system is very slow you may want to
extend this. Otherwise, set it as low as you can get away with
without causing NanoBBS to fail to detect ANSi. A good default
is about 500 milliseconds.
AutoANSi 500
This is the number of seconds the user should have left when
NanoBBS issues its first warning that the user is running out of
time. It is entered in seconds, and in this example we have set
it to 300 seconds, for a 5 minute first warning.
Warn First 300
This is the number of seconds the user should have left when
NanoBBS issues its second and final warning that the user is
nearly out of time. It is also in seconds, and this example of
60 seconds provides a 1 minute final warning.
Warn Final 60
If this is uncommented (default) Nano will ask the user to hit
Enter upon connection. This is useful for when ANSi detection
chronically fails due to slow modem responses.
HitEnter
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Languages ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
You can have up to 32 languages. Each language is identified by
its base filename. For example, the language ENGLISH would
refer to a pair of files called ENGLISH.LNG and ENGLISH.LDX,
which are the message text and index files for the ENGLISH
language. If the user has RIPScrip enabled, ENGLISH will refer
to a different pair of files: ENGLISH.RNG and ENGLISH.RDX.
NanoBBS needs to have a default language, so that it can display
information before a user logs on. This is set to ENGLISH by
default. ENGLISH is the only language file included with this
version of NanoBBS, but third-party language files for other
languages are encouraged.
defaultlang english
language 1 english
;language 2 hoser
;language 3 abusive
;language 4 r0dent
;language 5 francais
;language 6 deutsch
NanoBBS Documentation Page 24
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Main Menu Command Overrides ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
You can add or redefine up to 100 keys in the canned main menu
to activate UFO script files. The UFO script files listed here
must be found in the text file directory as specified above, and
will have the .BBS extension appended automatically. Do not
include the extension or path here.
There are a couple of examples in the default NODE1.CTL file,
and they are included here:
;
; Example:
;
; OVRKEY ! MODBANG
;
; This example replaces the canned bang prompt with
; MODBANG.UFO.
;
; You can also deactivate a main menu option by setting its
; filename to NIL, like this:
;
; OVRKEY D NIL
;
; This deactivates the canned doors menu off the canned
; main menu.
;
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ QWK Parameters ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is the path where QWK packets are assembled, disassembled,
uploaded and downloaded. NOTE: This path should be unique to
each node if you are running a multi-node system, or else some
really weird crosslinks could occur if two users try to build
QWK packets simultaneously...
qwk path c:\bbs\qwk\node1
This is the base filename of QWK packets. This can be up to 8
characters.
qwk bbsid NANOBBS
Here are the compression program definitions. Although the
external compression is mainly used by QWK, these same
definitions are also used by the FILE_ID.DIZ extraction
sub-system.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 25
The NAME is the archiver name as you want the user to see it,
the Extension is the normal file extension by which files of
that type are known.
The ADD and EXTRACT commands must include the full path and .EXE
or .COM extension in order to work. Since the compression is
(in this version) only used for QWK processing, the ADD command
should (ideally) specify "move"ing files into the archive rather
than simply adding them, and the EXTRACT command should
(definitely!) specify overwriting existing files.
The ID bytes are as follows: the fist numeric parameter is the
number of bytes from the first one where we are to find a string
of bytes equal to the remaining specified bytes. 0 means the
first byte. -1 means the last byte in the file, -2 means the
second to last and so on. The remaining bytes are what the BBS
searches for to identify the file type. A number of known
archiver IDs are included in this sample file. You can specify
up to 8 bytes to search for the ID. Byte values are in vanilla
decimal, no hex here! There can be up to 16 compression
programs defined, from 1 to 16.
The syntax of the compression definitions is as in these
examples. Start the definition with the COMPRESS command and
the "slot" number for the compression definition. After
you've specified the name, extension, ID bytes and the add and
extract commands, end the definition with END.
compress 1
name PKWare's PKZip
extension ZIP
add c:\bin\pkzip.exe -m %a %f
extract c:\bin\pkunzip.exe -oe %a %f
id 0 80 75 03 04
end
compress 2
name PKWare's PKZip - Maximum Compression!
extension ZIP
add c:\bin\pkzip.exe -ex -m %a %f
extract c:\bin\pkunzip.exe -oe %a %f
id 0 80 75 03 04
end
{Several examples from the default NODE1.CTL are deleted here
for brevity}
compress 7
name Rahul Dhesi's ZOO
extension ZOO
add c:\bin\zoo.exe -m %a %f
extract c:\bin\zoo.exe -e:O %a %f
id 0 90 79 79
end
NanoBBS Documentation Page 26
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Internet Arcana ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
If your BBS is not in the Internet, you need not concern
yourself with any of this. Most of this is included for future
expansion only. While NanoBBS will write a valid RFC-1036
header to messages where required, there is no other direct
support for the Internet or for Usenet. If you can get Internet
running with these parameters using external programs, terrific!
Otherwise, true internet support -is- forthcoming in a future
version.
If you use the RFC-1036 message header in any of your message
areas, you should set all of these parameters to values which
are valid for your system.
This is the internet address of the system. There should be no
@ in this IF YOU HAVE NO DOMAIN ADDRESS COMMENT THIS OUT!
; internet address horse.hockey.bull.roar.com
This is used to build Usenet RFC1036 path header info.
; internet machine thc
This is the time zone definition. The first parameter is
timezone code as you want it displayed in RFC-1036 headers. The
second parameter is the offset in hours from UTC in standard
time, and the third is the offset from UTC in daylight time.
These latter two parameters are not yet used by NanoBBS.
timezone PST -8 -7
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Hooks to MFB, MMB and MAKEDOOR ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
These commands, if present, will call MMB.EXE, MFB.EXE or
MAKEDOOR.EXE and conveniently compile those as well. It also
lets you specify the use of non-standard filenames for these
files, allowing you to associate a different set of file and
message areas to different config files.
uses files filearea.ctl
uses message msgarea.ctl
uses doors doors.ctl
NanoBBS Documentation Page 27
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ EVENTS ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
Here are the "event" definitions. The first parameter is the
absolute event record; it can be from 1 to 32. The second
parameter is the day of the week the event is scheduled to take
place (or "all" if the event should take place every day) and
the third is the time, it 24-hour format. The fourth parameter
is the errorlevel NanoBBS should exit with, and the remainder of
the line (up to 60 characters) is the name of the event.
You can signal that an event is "forced" - a user's time online
may be adjusted to ensure the event occurs on time - by placing
a $ (dollar sign) as the first character of the name. The
CONFIG.EXE compiler will automatically strip this character for
you.
NanoBBS events have a unique feature: you can have up to 32
unique times at which each event can execute. Unlike most other
BBSes, you can specify more than one time of day for each event
to occur, and you can even have the same event occur several
times in the same day if you desire!
These are just examples; you should adjust the times, days,
names and errorlevels to suit your system best. See the chapter
titled "The Black Art of Batch File Writing" for examples of how
to use the errorlevels.
Here are two nice normal events which occur once per night at
the same time. The first event is forced; a user online will
have his or her time limit adjusted if the call is close enough
to midnight!
event 1 All 00:00 100 $Midnight Door Updates
event 2 All 04:00 110 Nightly Maintenance
Here is an event which occurs at 4:30am Thursday and 5:00am
Sunday. Note that on the second line the errorlevel and name are
not needed.
event 3 Thu 04:30 120 Semi-Weekly Maintenance
event 3 Sun 05:00
This event runs three times a day at 2:00am, 10:00am and 6:00pm.
event 4 All 02:00 130 Galactic Empire Update (Thrice Daily!)
event 4 All 10:00
event 4 All 18:00
NanoBBS Documentation Page 28
ةحثححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ Setting Up Message Areas ؛ ؛
بحتححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
Message areas are defined in the MSGAREA.CTL file. Like the
system configuration file in the previous chapter, this is a
flat ASCII file which can be edited with any ASCII text
processor.
Once you have edited MSGAREA.CTL to your needs, you must then
compile the message base configuration file into the MSGAREA.DAT
file which NanoBBS can more easily read. This can be done in
two ways. The simplest is to run the CONFIG program as you did
for the NODE1.CTL general config file. Tbis will also compile
the MSGAREA.CTL file. The other way is to run the MMB.EXE
program like so:
MMB MSGAREA
This compiles your MSGAREA.CTL into MSGAREA.DAT the same way
that CONFIG.EXE did, because CONFIG actually calls MMB.EXE in
the process of configuring everything. However this way will
only compile the message areas; file areas, doors and general
configuration remain unaffected when you use MMB.
Each message area is defined by a set of lines in the
MSGAREA.CTL file. The first line of each area's definition
starts with MSGAREA and the area's number, and ends with END.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ A basic example ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
msgarea 1
name Ye Public Roaste
type squish
public
access 10
path c:\bbs\msg\public
end
In the above example, we are defining Message Area 1 (hence the
first line).
Its name is "Ye Public Roaste", as defined by the NAME command.
It is a Squish type message base, as defined by the TYPE
command.
It is a public message area, as defined by the existence of the
PUBLIC command. This means that private messages are not
possible in the area.
The minimum access needed to use this area is 10, as defined by
the ACCESS command.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 29
The messages themselves are stored in the directory C:\BBS\MSG\,
and the base filename of the Squish files for this base is
PUBLIC. This is defined by the PATH command. It is worth noting
that in a Squish or JAM base, the base filename is included in
the path. That means that if the PATH is C:\BBS\MSG\PUBLIC and
this is a Squish area, NanoBBS will use the following files:
C:\BBS\MSG\PUBLIC.SQI
C:\BBS\MSG\PUBLIC.SQD
C:\BBS\MSG\PUBLIC.SQL
and C:\BBS\MSG\PUBLIC.SQB
A similar mechanism is used to define the base filename for JAM
message areas. However, for *.MSG areas this defines the full
directory name where all of the message files live. In *.MSG
there is one file for every message, plus several auxiliary
files (most notably the LASTREAD file) so each *.MSG area must
be in its own directory to avoid a serious and acute
crosslinking problem!
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ A real-world Echomail example ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
msgarea 5
name Chatter Echo
type JAM
path c:\bbs\msg\chatter
access 10
postaccess 15
realname
echomail
address 1:340/26
Origin NanoBBS in '95! 604-361-4549
public
qwkname Chatter
barricade
censor
end
This is message area 5, named "Chatter Echo". It is a JAM type
area which lives in C:\BBS\MSG\ and its files start with the
base filename CHATTER. Users need access level 10 to use the
message area but only users with access level 15 can post
messages there. This area will use the user's "Real Name"
instead of the "User Name". It is an echomail area - perhaps
this is why you would want to force the use of a real name. The
Fidonet address used in the Origin line and elsewhere in the
message is 1:340/26. The origin line itself will read:
* Origin: NanoBBS in '95! 604-361-4549 (1:340/26)
This is a "Public" area, and it is subject to the Barricade file
(see the section on miscellaneous external files). When the
NanoBBS Documentation Page 30
user downloads messages from this area into a QWK packet, the
BBS will associate the name "Chatter" with the area in the QWK
packet. And, the Message Censor will be applied to all messages
posted by your users in this area.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ An example of a ³
³ specialty message area ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
msgarea 49
name Adult Network Ladies Only Base
path c:\bbs\msg\ladies
access 20
postaccess 20
age 21
type Squish
public
femaleonly
qwkname LadiesOnly
end
This is Message Area 49, which as you can see is open only to
women over 21 - and the BBS will enforce this for you! Most
BBSes do not have this possibility.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ ³
³ There are several more examples in the MESSAGES.CTL file ³
³ that comes with NanoBBS. ³
³ ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ A complete listing of all of the ³
³ available keywords for MSGAREA.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
MSGAREA {number} - Starts a message area definition. Every
message area starts with this.
NAME {Area Name} - Defines the message area's name as the user
sees it. This can be up to 60 characters
long, and it may contain embedded colours!
QWKNAME {Name} - Defines the area name as it is seen in the
user's QWK reader. Due to a limitation of
the .QWK standard, the QWKNAME must be 12
characters or less. This in fact is the main
reason why NanoBBS lets you define this name
separately,
NanoBBS Documentation Page 31
NEWSGROUP {news.group} - Defines the Usenet Newsgroup (if any)
associated with this message area. This is
just a usenet newsgroup name in a format
like: comp.bbs.nanobbs This can be up to 80
characters in size.
TYPE {type} - Defines the message base type, either SQUISH,
JAM or *.MSG. Squish and JAM are the
recommended types, with *.MSG included for
completeness and backward compatibility.
PATH {path} - Defines what directory the area lives in. For
Squish and JAM areas this also includes the
base filename. If this is a *.MSG area, the
.MSG and other files are in this directory.
ATTACH PATH {path} - This defines the path where file attaches
in this area will be stored. If this path is
not defined, file attaches will not be
allowed. File attaches are an advanced
feature that lets users send each other files
via your system.
ATTACH ACCESS {ac} - This defines the access level needed to
post file attaches to this area. If the user
doesn't have this access level or higher,
s/he is never even asked if a file attach is
wanted. This option has no effect unless the
ATTACH PATH is also defined.
ACCESS {access} - Defines the access needed to read messages.
POSTACCESS {ac.} - Defines the access needed to post messages.
PRIVATE - Only private messages are allowed.
PUBLIC - Only public messages are allowed. If neither
this nor PRIVATE is used, the user is asked
if the message should be private.
RFC1036 - This causes an RFC-1036 Usenet message header
to be prepended to the message text. This is
used in conjunction with external Usenet
processors.
AGE {age} - Minimum age required for access to the area
FEMALEONLY - Only females may read or post to the area.
MALEONLY - Only males may read or post to the area.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 32
READONLY - This is a read-only area - only the sysop can
post! This may be somewhat redundant as it
has the same effect as setting POSTACCESS to
the sysop access level. This is useful for
setting up an announcements area or a
file-distribution area (using file attaches).
ECHOMAIL - This command simply indicates that this is a
Fidonet echomail area, so that NanoBBS will
attach the necessary Echomail information to
the message when it is saved.
NETMAIL - This command simply indicates that this is a
Fidonet netmail area, so that NanoBBS will
attach the necessary Netmail information to
the message when it is saved.
ADDRESS {z:n/n.p}- The originating Fidonet type address for this
area. This is needed for all Echomail and
Netmail areas. This is in the standard 4D
format, examples: 1:340/26 69:3601/1
89:688/13.2 64:819/17.12
ORIGIN {OrgLine} - The text of the Origin Line for this area
KLUDGE REALNAME - The user's real name will be hidden in a ^A
kludge line prepended to the message text.
INTERNET EMAIL - The area is intended for Internet email.
KEYS {keys} - The user key(s) required for access
POSTKEYS {keys} - The user key(s) required to post messages
REALNAME - Always post with the user's real name
ANONYMOUS - Allow anonymous posting
CENSOR - Use the built-in message censor in this area.
BARRICADE - This will enable a check of the barricade
file MESSAGES.BAR before changing to this
area. If the user is barricaded from this
area, this must be active in order for the
barricade to work!
END - End the area's definition.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 33
ةحثحححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ Setting Up File Areas ؛ ؛
بحتحححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
File areas are defined in the FILEAREA.CTL file. Like the
system configuration file and message area configuration file in
the previous chapters, this is a flat ASCII file which can be
edited with any ASCII text processor.
Once you have edited FILEAREA.CTL to your needs, you must then
compile the file area configuration file into the FILEAREA.DAT
file which NanoBBS can more easily read. This can be done in
two ways. The simplest is to run the CONFIG program as you did
for the NODE1.CTL general config file. Tbis will also compile
the FILEAREA.CTL file. The other way is to run the MFB.EXE
program like so:
MFB FILEAREA
This compiles your FILEAREA.CTL into FILEAREA.DAT the same way
that CONFIG.EXE did, because CONFIG actually calls MFB.EXE in
the process of configuring everything. However this way will
only compile the file areas; message areas, doors and general
configuration remain unaffected when you use MFB.
Each file area is defined by a set of lines in the FILEAREA.CTL
file. The first line of each area's definition starts with
FILEAREA and the area's number, and ends with END.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ A basic example ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
FileArea 1
access 10
name General Upload Files
Download c:\file\upload\
Upload c:\file\upload\
end
In this example, we are defining file area 1. Its name is
"General Upload Files" and the user must have access level 10 or
above to use the area. The FILES.BBS file and the actual files
are in the C:\FILE\UPLOAD\ directory, and that is also where
uploads are saved. There is otherwise nothing special about
this area.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 34
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ A slightly more involved example ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
FileArea 3
access 20
name Naughty Adult Pictures
download c:\bbs\files\adult\
upload c:\bbs\files\screen\
age 21
end
Note that in this example the DOWNLOAD and UPLOAD directories
are different. The files and the FILES.BBS file are in
C:\BBS\FILES\ADULT\, but uploaded files are saved in
C:\BBS\FILES\SCREEN\. When a user uploads a file to this area,
not only does the file end up in the UPLOAD directory, but any
description the user enters for the file goes in a FILES.BBS
located in the UPLOAD directory. Also in this example, a lower
age limit of 21 years is specified, and an access level of 20 is
required.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Defining CD-ROM areas ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
filearea 2001
name Alt Operating Sys.
upload c:\file\upload\
download g:\001a\
access 10
cdrom
filesbbspath c:\cdrom\001a\
end
In this example, area 2001 is on a CD. Note that there are
three different paths. The DOWNLOAD path is the actual
directory on the CD where the files reside. The UPLOAD path is
where uploads go. Of course, CD-ROMs are not writeable, so it
is very important that you specify an upload path that is on a
writeable disk! The third path, FILESBBSPATH, is the location
of the FILES.BBS file. This is where the file names and
descriptions are kept. This feature is useful for allowing you
to "remove" files from CD directories that you don't want users
to access, or to allow you to change the description of a file
on a CD.
An alternative for CD-ROM areas is to use the NOUPLOADS keyword.
Instead of shuttling uploads to some other directory, NOUPLOADS
will actually refuse to accept an upload if the user is in a
file area that has this keyword. I think that it is much more
user-friendly to allow users to upload regardless of the area
they're logged to, using the UPLOADPATH keyword.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 35
Note the use of the CDROM keyword. This instructs NanoBBS to
first copy the requested file or files from the CD to a
temporary directory (the one specified in your general config
file) before downloading. The files are then downloaded from
the hard disk - or RAMdisk if you're fortunate enough to have one
large enough to practically handle this job. This greatly
reduces the overhead caused by CD-ROM accesses.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Note to LAN users: If you are using a slow LAN (2 MBPS or ³
³ less) you may want to consider using the CDROM keyword for ³
³ any areas that live across the LAN from the machine the ³
³ user logs onto, even if they're on a hard disk. This can ³
³ cut down on LAN overhead quite a bit. ³ ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
The best way to deal with a CD that already has FILES.BBS files
is to simply make a mirror of the CD's directory tree on your
hard disk. Then copy all the FILES.BBS files to the hard disk
mirror and set the FILESBBSPATH for each area on the CD to the
relevant mirror directory.
Making a mirror directory is easy. ALl you need to do is
(something like) this:
C:\> xcopy g:\files.bbs c:\cdrom\ /s /e
... in this simple DOS example, we're asking XCOPY to make
copies on the hard disk of all the FILES.BBS files on the CD,
creating the directories as needed, and in fact building an
empty copy of the whole directory tree. For most CDs the hard
disk usage by this technique should be negligible.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ A complete listing of all of the ³
³ available keywords for FILEAREA.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
FILEAREA {number} - Starts a file area definition.
NAME {Area Name } - Defines the file area's name
DOWNLOAD {path} - Defines where the files themselves exist
UPLOAD {path} - Defines where files should be uploaded
FILESBBS {path} - Defines where the FILES.BBS file lives.
This is optional; if it is not used
FILES.BBS will be expected in the same
directory as DOWNLOAD.
AGE {age} - The minimum age needed to access the area
NanoBBS Documentation Page 36
CDROM - This means the area is on a CD. Files are
copied to a temporary directory prior to
downloading.
ACCESS {access} - Defines the access needed to use the area.
ULACCESS {access} - Defines the access needed to upload in the
area.
DLACCESS {access} - Defines the access needed to download in the
area.
KEYS {keys} - Defines the key(s) needed to use the area.
ULKEYS {keys} - Defines the key(s) needed to upload in the
area.
DLKEYS {keys} - Defines the key(s) needed to download in the
area.
NOUPLOADS - Uploading is not allowed in the area.
END - End the area's definition.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 37
ةحثححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ Setting Up Doors ؛ ؛
بحتححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
"Doors" are external programs, usually games, that can be called
up by the BBS for users to use while they are online. Whirlwind
Software's Rancho Nevada, Galactic Empire, The Streets,
S.T.U.P.I.D., and others, are examples of popular door programs
compatible with NanoBBS and many other BBSes.
Having only been sysoping for the last seven years or so, I
can't claim to be an authority on this, but I believe the term
"Door" originated on BBSes that were arranged to be like
buildings in a text adventure game. The "Door" was a doorway
out of the BBS and into another game altogether. Please don't
flame me if I'm out to lunch on this.
Doors are defined in the DOORS.CTL file. Like the system
configuration file and message area/file area configuration
files in the previous chapters, this is a flat ASCII file which
can be edited with any ASCII text processor.
Once you have edited DOORS.CTL to your needs, you must then
compile the doors configuration file into the DOORS.DAT file
which NanoBBS can more easily read. This can be done in two
ways. The simplest is to run the CONFIG program as you did for
the NODE1.CTL general config file. Tbis will also compile the
DOORS.CTL file. The other way is to run the MAKEDOOR.EXE
program like so:
MAKEDOOR
This compiles your DOORS.CTL into DOORS.DAT the same way that
CONFIG.EXE did, because CONFIG actually calls MAKEDOOR.EXE in
the process of configuring everything. However this way will
only compile the doors configuration; file areas, message areas
and general configuration remain unaffected when you use
MAKEDOOR.
Each door is defined by a set of lines in the DOORS.CTL file.
The first line of each door's definition starts with DOOR and
the door's number, and ends with END.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 38
Here is a basic example:
door 1
path c:\doors\rancho\
command rancho.exe -l -a
flavour dorinfo1.def
access 50
realname
end
This example calls Rancho Nevada. It logs to the directory
C:\DOORS\RANCHO\, and calls RANCHO.EXE with the -l -a command
line parameters. It requires an access level of 50 to access,
uses a DORINFO1.DEF door info drop file, and will substitute the
user's real name for the username.
door 2
path c:\doors\hiq\
command %C /C hiq.bat
flavour dorinfo1.def
access 10
lastname NLN
end
This example calls Hi-Q. It logs to the C:\DOORS\HIQ\ directory
and calls up COMMAND.COM, which in turn calls up HIQ.BAT. We
assume in this example that there is already a HIQ.BAT in place
which takes the appropriate steps to run Hi-Q. Access level 10
is needed, and if the user is using a one-word pseudo, the last
name NLN will be forced.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ A Complete Listing of ³
³ All the Keywords Available ³
³ for DOORS.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
PATH specifies the path where NanoBBS should change to before
running the door.
COMMAND specifies the executable filename and command line
parameters needed to run the door. Use %c /c to specify
a fully pathed COMMAND.COM for running batch files.
In the COMMAND parameter, you can substitute %n for the
node number, %c for the COMMAND.COM comspec (which you
need to execute batch files). These will be translated
into their full form when the door is run, e.g. if the
user is on node 10, %n is translated automatically into
10. If you're running 4DOS, %c might translate into
C:\4DOS\4DOS.COM. Under plain vanilla DOS, %c would
likely translate into C:\COMMAND.COM or perhaps
C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM. Note that to run a batch file, you
MUST include the /C command line switch after the
COMMAND.COM (or %c) and before the batch file name.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 39
FLAVOUR can be either DORINFO1.DEF, DORINFOX.DEF or DOOR.SYS.
DORINFOX.DEF is a special "flavour" where the node
number is built into the filename, e.g. DORINFO2.DEF,
DORINF25.DEF, DORIN132.DEF etc.
AGE is the minimum age a user has to be to use the door
ACCESS is the minimum access level a user must have to use the
door
REALNAME tells NanoBBS to use the real name instead of the user
name
LASTNAME tells NanoBBS what to put in for a last name if the
user has a one-word handle. If this statement is
missing, the last name is left blank.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 40
عؤآؤآؤآؤآؤآؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤآؤآؤآؤآؤآؤ؟
³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ THE BLACK ART of BATCH FILE WRITING ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³
ہؤءؤءؤءؤءؤءؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤءؤءؤءؤءؤءؤظ
The Basics - Why Batch files?
Batch files are an important part of any true DOS BBS, whether
it be NanoBBS, Maximus, RemoteAccess, Opus, or any one of dozens
of others on the market today. Once you're inside the BBS,
NanoBBS takes care of itself for you, but how you enter the BBS
is under the control of your DOS batch files.
There are several ways in which you can enter NanoBBS.
- You can just type BBS at the prompt. Assuming everything's OK
configuration-wise, NanoBBS will assume you're in local mode
and will present you with the logon prompt. You may have to
hit [Enter] first depending on your choice for that option.
You can then log on, do your thing and log off, all the time
never even looking at the modem. And once you're done, you're
back at the DOS prompt where you started.
- You can put NanoBBS into its Wait-For-a-Call (WFC) mode. This
is achieved simply by typing BBS /W at the DOS prompt.
NanoBBS will enter its WFC mode and will wait for one of the
following:
o An incoming modem call
o An event
o A local logon (using Alt-L)
o An ESC key from the keyboard, indicating that it's
time to exit.
After any of the above are completed, NanoBBS exits back to
DOS.
- You can start up NanoBBS "Hot" from a mailer or as a sort of
door. This is done by specifying a baud rate with the /B
command line switch. When this switch is used, NanoBBS
assumes that the modem is active and that a connection has
already been made, and it begins an online session at the
specified baud rate. Once the session is finished, NanoBBS
exits back to DOS.
All of these methods basically call up NanoBBS once, run through
a single online (or local) session, and then exit back to DOS.
Of course, you want to be able to handle many calls in a row, so
just using these methods by themselves isn't practical.
This is where the batch files come in. In an unattended BBS you
need the BBS to go back to a Fidonet mailer or go back to
waiting for a call after an online session is complete.
This is done with batch files.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 41
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ The Simplest Batch File ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
Here is the simplest possible example of an unattended BBS batch
file. It makes some assumptions.
BBS /W
RUNBBS.BAT
Firstly, it assumes that its own name is RUNBBS.BAT. The second
line re-cycles the batch file by non-recursively calling itself.
It also assumes that your BBS.EXE is on the DOS path (see your
PATH statement in AUTOEXEC.BAT).
The problem with this batch file is that there's no way to get
out of it unless you're REALLY quick with the Ctrl-Break key!
It doesn't check to see if you had hit [Esc] to exit WFC
(Waiting For Caller), nor does it try to process events. All it
can do is keep fielding calls.
This problem is overcome with...
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ NanoBBS Errorlevels ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
DOS provides a way for programs to communicate with DOS after
the program has finished. This is called an ERRORLEVEL. What
this is, is a number that the program passes back to DOS on
completion, which is supposed to be a "what went wrong" code.
NanoBBS doesn't use errorlevels the way the DOS programmers had
in mind. Instead, it uses the errorlevel to tell your batch
file how the program finished: Did it exit normally? Did the
SysOp hit the Escape key? Is an event being run?
NanoBBS has two hardcoded errorlevels, and lets you define
errorlevels for your events. They are:
SysOp hit ESCAPE at the WFC screen : Errorlevel 1
BBS Exited normally after an
online or local session : Errorlevel 0
An Event is being run : Errorlevel 2 thru 255
NanoBBS Documentation Page 42
Let's translate this into another example, this one of a much
more practical (but still very simple) batch file:
@ECHO OFF
:TOP
C:
CD\BBS
BBS /W
IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO TOP
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO FINISH
GOTO TOP
:FINISH
@ECHO BBS OFFLINE!
This example uses two of DOS's batch file commands. They are
the GOTO command and the IF ERRORLEVEL command.
Let's look at this example line by line.
@ECHO OFF
This just turns off DOS echoing, so that the appearance is
neater when the batch file runs.
:TOP
This is a "label" declaration. Later in the batch file there is a
GOTO TOP command. It will cause the batch file to go to this
line and continue running from here.
C:
CD\BBS
These lines just make sure that DOS is logged to the right
directory. It is possible for doors and external programs to
change the current directory while the online BBS session is
running, so we include these two lines to set right any such
discrepancy. Of course this is only an example; if you run your
BBS in a directory other than C:\BBS\, you must change these
lines to suit your paths.
BBS /W
This calls NanoBBS in WFC (Waiting For Call) mode. When NanoBBS
is finished it will present a DOS errorlevel which can be
checked by the following two lines:
IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO TOP
This checks the DOS errorlevel. The errorlevel might be
anywhere from 0 to 255. However, all the errorlevels above 1
are reserved for the events, so in this batch file we need only
be concerned with errorlevels 0 and 1. What this line does is
check to see if any errorlevel ABOVE 1 (meaning from 2 to 255
inclusively) is there. If so, it uses the GOTO TOP part to
"go" to the :TOP label above. In this batch file, that means it
will "loop" and call the BBS again. If the errorlevel is below
2, the batch file simply goes to the next line...
NanoBBS Documentation Page 43
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO FINISH
This is similar to the above line. Technically, this checks to
see if the errorlevel is 1 or higher, but since the above line
would've transferred control to the :TOP label, this line can
really only do the GOTO FINISH if the errorlevel is exactly 1.
Note that Errorlevel 1 is returned when you escape from WFC
modem by hitting escape. This line, then, breaks out of the
"loop" formed by the batch file. If you hit Escape at WFC,
you'll get the DOS prompt back. If NanoBBS exits for any other
reason, it re-cycles - and calls itself again.
GOTO TOP
This "goes" back to the :TOP label. Because the above IF
ERRORLEVEL lines have checked all other errorlevels, this line
can only be reached if the errorlevel is zero. Errorlevel 0 is
returned after an online session, so we want to "loop" back to
the :TOP label.
:FINISH
This label indicates where the batch file should "GOTO" when
you exit NanoBBS by hitting Escape at the WFC (Wait for Call)
screen. See the IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO FINISH line a couple of
lines up.
@ECHO BBS OFFLINE!
This is just a cosmetic line to indicate that the batch file has
terminated normally. If this example is run as shown, you
should only see this if you actually hit Escape at the WFC
screen.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT ERRORLEVELS: ³
³ ³
³ Many DOS commands will change or clear the value of DOS's ³
³ errorlevel variable. For this reason, you MUST place your IF ³
³ ERRORLEVEL checks immediately after the BBS call in the batch ³
³ file. If any DOS commands or other programs are used after ³
³ the BBS, they may change the errorlevel and the result is that ³
³ the series of IF ERRORLEVEL statements will be invalid, and ³
³ your batch file will not work properly. ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
NanoBBS Documentation Page 44
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Using The Errorlevels Passed By Events ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
Now that we have established the basic use of errorlevels, let
us examine a more advanced example, which processes events.
Here are the event examples in NODE1.CTL:
event 1 All 00:00 100 $Midnight Door Updates
event 2 All 04:00 110 Nightly Maintenance
event 3 Thu 04:30 120 Semi-Weekly Maintenance
event 3 Sun 05:00
event 4 All 02:00 130 Galactic Empire Update (Thrice Daily!)
event 4 All 10:00
event 4 All 18:00
So we have four events, and therefore four event errorlevels.
Let's have a look at a batch file that would process these
errorlevels. I have included line numbers in {curly brackets}.
You wouldn't actually use these line numbers in a real batch
file...
@ECHO OFF {1}
{2}
:TOP {3}
C: {4}
CD\BBS {5}
BBS /W {6}
IF ERRORLEVEL 131 GOTO TOP {7}
IF ERRORLEVEL 130 GOTO GALACTIC {8}
IF ERRORLEVEL 120 GOTO SEMIWEEKLY {9}
IF ERRORLEVEL 110 GOTO NIGHTLY {10}
IF ERRORLEVEL 100 GOTO MIDNIGHT {11}
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO FINISH {12}
GOTO TOP {13}
{14}
:GALACTIC {15}
C: {16}
CD\DOORS\GALACTIC {17}
G.EXE /M {18}
GOTO TOP {19}
{20}
:SEMIWEEKLY {21}
C: {22}
CD \ECHOMAIL {23}
SQPACK *.SQD {24}
CD \ {25}
VOPT {26}
GOTO TOP {27}
{28}
:NIGHTLY {29}
C: {30}
CD \ {31}
SCAN C: D: E: F: {32}
(cont. next page)
NanoBBS Documentation Page 45
GOTO TOP {33}
{34}
:MIDNIGHT {35}
C: {36}
CD \BBS {37}
BBS /F {38}
GOTO TOP {39}
{40}
:FINISH {41}
@ECHO BBS OFFLINE! {42}
If you're new at this, this example may seem a bit complex and
overwhelming! But in reality, many BBS batch files are even
more complicated than this. And really, if you break it down,
it's not so difficult.
This batch file is basically similar to the previous example.
The first six lines are the same, establishing the :TOP label
and calling the BBS in WFC mode.
Lines 7 through 13 handle the errorlevels.
In line 7, any errorlevel above 130 (the highest errorlevel
defined in the EVENT statements) causes the batch file to loop
back to :TOP.
In line 8, the batch file checks for errorlevel 130. If the
errorlevel is exactly 130, the batch file transfers to the
:GALACTIC label.
In line 9, if the errorlevel is 120, the batch file goes to the
:SEMIWEEKLY label.
In line 10, if the errorlevel is 110, the batch file goes to the
:NIGHTLY label.
In line 11, if the errorlevel is 100, the batch file goes to the
:MIDNIGHT label.
Line 12 should loo familiar. It checks for errorlevel 1, which
is returned when you hit Escape in the WFC screen. If the
errorlevel is 1, the batch file exits.
Line 13 simply loops back to the :TOP label.
Lines 15 through 19 make up what happens when the errorlevel
from BBS.EXE is 130. In line 8, if the errorlevel is 130 the
batch file branches to the :GALACTIC label, on line 15. Here,
several DOS commands change the directory to C:\DOORS\GALACTIC
and run G.EXE. After this is done, the GOTO TOP returns to the
:TOP label, to await another call.
Similar groups of lines, starting with a label and ending with
GOTO TOP, make up the commands that are called for each
errorlevel.
Finally, at line 41, we have the :FINISH label, and the way out.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 46
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Using batch files with Fido mailers ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
One important thing that the above examples have in common is
that they are all meant for stand-alone BBSes - BBSes which
answer the phone themselves and don't have to use a mailer
program like Binkleyterm or Frontdoor. However, when you use a
mailer, the batch mechanism is usually quite different.
Different mailers have different ways of passing off information
such as baud rate, time remaining, etc. to the BBS.
Generally, your batch file calls up the mailer instead of the
BBS, and looks for the mailer's errorlevels instead of your
BBS's errorlevels.
Here is an example batch file called RUN.BAT which works with
BinkleyTerm.
@echo off
:top
c:
cd\bink
bt
if errorlevel 144 bbsbatch.bat
if errorlevel 120 bbsbatch.bat
if errorlevel 100 goto mail
if errorlevel 96 bbsbatch.bat
if errorlevel 79 goto domaint
if errorlevel 72 bbsbatch.bat
if errorlevel 48 bbsbatch.bat
if errorlevel 24 bbsbatch.bat
if errorlevel 12 bbsbatch.bat
if errorlevel 3 bbsbatch.bat
if errorlevel 1 goto done
goto top
:domaint
@echo *** Now Doing Daily Maintenance
call c:\flit\filelist.bat
call c:\batch\msgmaint.bat
goto top
:mail
c:
cd\squish
squish in out squash
goto top
:done
NanoBBS Documentation Page 47
In the example on the previous page, we check for errorlevels
passed by BinkleyTerm. One of BinkleyTerm's features is that
when there is a BBS connect (that is, when the user hits Escape
upon connection to BinkleyTerm) Binkley exits with an errorlevel
which is based on the connect baud rate. This errorlevel is the
baud rate divided by 100, e.g. errorlevel 24 for 2400 baud,
errorlevel 96 for 9600 baud, etc.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Aside: ³
³ ³
³ Remember I mentioned that errorlevels can be from 0 to 255? ³
³ This is true, but it's not a problem to pass, or check for, ³
³ an errorlevel above 255. What happens is that the errorlevel ³
³ is "rolled over" so that it is less than 255. In technical ³
³ terms, the errorlevel is handled by DOS as if it were modulo ³
³ 256, or the remainder of the actual errorlevel divided by 256.³
³ ³
³ So, if you have a V.34 modem, Binkley may try to pass ³
³ errorlevel 288 - for 28800 baud. This is fine, and you can ³
³ legally use a statement like IF ERRORLEVEL 288 with no ³
³ problems but be cautioned that errorlevel 288 is the same as ³
³ errorlevel 32 as far as DOS is concerned! 288 modulo 256 is ³
³ 32. So if you wanted to use errorlevel 32 for something else,³
³ you would run into a conflict here. ³
³ ³
³ As long as you are aware of this potential conflict, you can ³
³ write your batch file so as to avoid it. ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
In the above example, we start off by changing to the
BinkleyTerm directory and running BT.EXE.
After that, the IF ERRORLEVEL statements check for numerous
errorlevels. Binkley generates a different errorlevel for each
baud rate and this batch file checks for errorlevels 144, 120,
96, 72, 48, 24, 12 and 3. Since all of these errorlevels
indicate a BBS session rather than a BinkleyTerm event, they all
cause the same thing to occur: a batch file called BBSBATCH.BAT
is called. We'll look at BBSBATCH.BAT momentarily; it is a very
important part of this method.
The other errorlevels have various functions. Errorlevel 100
causes a jump to the :MAIL label, where several DOS commands
pack and unpack echomail using Lanius' SquishMail system.
Errorlevel 79 jumps to the :DOMAINT label, which in turn calls a
couple of other batch files (using the dos CALL command) which
might in turn call numerous daily maintenance routines. In both
cases, the batch file returns to :TOP to call up Binkley again.
BinkleyTerm generates a one line batch file called BBSBATCH.BAT.
This is called by the batch file above, and it looks something
like this:
SPAWNBBS 14400 14400 1 46 /Arq
NanoBBS Documentation Page 48
But what is SPAWNBBS, you may ask? If you guessed it's another
batch file, you're right! You may be thinking that this is
getting unnecessarily complicated, but this actually gives the
mailer incredible flexibility in dealing with different BBSes.
Before we look at SPAWNBBS.BAT, let's examine the above
one-liner. The first 14400 is the baud rate. We can pass this
on to NanoBBS using the /B switch, and in fact we must in order
for it to work from a mailer. We can ignore the second 14400
for now. The third parameter, 1, is the com port. NanoBBS gets
its com port information from its config file so this is not
needed either. After that is the time left until the next
mailer event, in minutes. This can be passed to NanoBBS using
the /T command line switch, so that NanoBBS enforces your
mailer's events for you. The last parameter is the connect
information passed back by the modem, e.g. CONNECT 14400/ARQ
would produce the /Arq shown above.
Unfortunately, Binkley is fixed in the format of this batch
file, so we need a third batch file to translate it into
something NanoBBS can be called from. This is where
SPAWNBBS.BAT comes in. Here is an example SPAWNBBS.BAT:
c:
cd\bbs
bbs -cnode2 -b%1 -t%4
c:
cd\bink
run
See the parameters in line 3? -cnode2 tells NanoBBS to use
NODE2.DAT (which means you have to CONFIG NODE2), and -b%1 means
that NanoBBS is to use the %1 DOS variable with the -b
(baudrate) switch. And, -t%4 means that NanoBBS is to use the
%4 DOS variable with the -t (time left) switch.
What does that mean? Well, DOS lets you pass parameters to
batch files. Up to 9 of them. So, let's look at BBSBATCH.BAT
again and its parameters:
%1 %2 %3 %4 %5
----- ----- - -- ----
SPAWNBBS 14400 14400 1 46 /Arq
When we call SPAWNBBS.BAT like this, as this BBSBATCH.BAT does,
%1 contains the value 14400. %4 contains the value 46.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 49
This means that the line
bbs -cnode2 -b%1 -t%4
really means
bbs -cnode2 -b14400 -t46
and NanoBBS will run at 14400 bps, on whatever com port is
defined in NODE2.CTL, and will impose a 46 minute maximum limit
so that the mailer's event can run on time.
Note that after the BBS runs, no errorlevel checking is done.
This is because NanoBBS events are really only relevant to WFC
mode, which is nonexistent when you run NanoBBS this way.
Once the BBS has finished running, the SPAWNBBS.BAT logs back to
the mailer directory and calls up the original RUN.BAT again.
Let's break this whole complicated mess down into steps.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ RUN.BAT - Runs the mailer, and checks ³
³ errorlevels for mailer events or BBS أ<ؤؤؤ؟
³ callers. ³ ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤآؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ ³
\³/ /³\
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤءؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟ ³
³ Mailer generates one-line BBSBATCH.BAT ³ ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤآؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ ³
\³/ ³
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤءؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟ ³
³ BBSBATCH.BAT calls SPAWNBBS.BAT ³ /³\
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤآؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ ³
\³/ ³
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤءؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟ ³
³ SPAWNBBS.BAT takes the %1 and %4 batch ³ ³
³ variables and passes them to NanoBBS. ³ ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤآؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ ³
\³/ /³\
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤءؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟ ³
³ Once NanoBBS is finished, SPAWNBBS.BAT ³ ³
³ returns to the RUN.BAT batch file. أؤؤظ
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
NanoBBS Documentation Page 50
Here is another example of a batch file that works with
Binkleyterm, but it can do the whole thing in one batch file,
without needing the SPAWNBBS.BAT file or Binkley's BBSBATCH.BAT
file. It is slightly less sophisticated in that it is oblivious
to Binkley's events and will not try to force them. If you must
force BinkleyTerm events, don't write your batch file this
way...
@echo off
:top
c:
cd\bink
bt
if errorlevel 144 goto bbs14400
if errorlevel 120 goto bbs12000
if errorlevel 100 goto mail
if errorlevel 96 goto bbs9600
if errorlevel 79 goto domaint
if errorlevel 72 goto bbs7200
if errorlevel 48 goto bbs4800
if errorlevel 24 goto bbs2400
if errorlevel 12 goto bbs1200
if errorlevel 3 goto bbs300
if errorlevel 1 goto done
goto top
:bbs14400
c:
cd\bbs
bbs.exe -cnode1 -b14400
goto top
:bbs12000
c:
cd\bbs
bbs.exe -cnode1 -b12000
goto top
:bbs9600
c:
cd\bbs
bbs.exe -cnode1 -b9600
goto top
:bbs7200
c:
cd\bbs
bbs.exe -cnode1 -b7200
goto top
:bbs4800
c:
cd\bbs
bbs.exe -cnode1 -b4800
goto top
:bbs2400
c:
cd\bbs
bbs.exe -cnode1 -b2400
goto top
NanoBBS Documentation Page 51
:bbs1200
c:
cd\bbs
bbs.exe -cnode1 -b1200
goto top
:bbs300
c:
cd\bbs
bbs.exe -cnode1 -b300
goto top
:domaint
@echo *** Now Doing Daily Maintenance
call c:\flit\filelist.bat
call c:\batch\msgmaint.bat
goto top
:mail
c:
cd\squish
squish in out squash
goto top
:done
See what this batch file does? It actually goes to a different
part of the batch file for each baud rate. Thus the BBS is
called with the right baud rate based on the errorlevel Binkley
passes.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Similar batch files are possible with virtually any DOS ³
³ mailer you can imagine. In particular, Front Door will work ³
³ with the first set of example batch files with only minor ³
³ modifications to the batch files. Remember, READ YOUR ³
³ MAILER INSTRUCTIONS, particularly the part dealing with ³
³ errorlevels and BBS Batch Files, before you write a batch ³
³ file you will be relying on! ³
³ ³
³ And very importantly, TEST your batch files. If you have ³
³ more than one line, call your BBS on the other line, at ³
³ various baud rates, and just make sure everything's OK. Get ³
³ a friend with a mailer to send you netmail. Watch it come ³
³ in and make sure it unpacks. You should comment out the ³
³ @echo off statements while you're debugging your batch files ³
³ so that you can see what's going on. ³
³ ³
³ Don't be afraid to ask for help from your fellow SysOps! ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
NanoBBS Documentation Page 52
ةحثححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ NanoBBS Utility Programs ؛ ؛
بحتححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
CONFIG.EXE - The NanoBBS General Configuration Compiler.
See the chapter entitled "The Configuration
File" for complete details on the use of this
program.
MMB.EXE - The NanoBBS Message Base Configuration Compiler
MFB.EXE - The NanoBBS File Base Configuration Compiler
MAKEDOOR.EXE - The NanoBBS Doors Configuration Compiler
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ UFO.EXE ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
UFO.EXE compiles the text source files for UFO scripts into .BBS
files which are readable by NanoBBS. Please see the section on
UFO commands for more information on the structure and syntax of
the source files.
UFO.EXE has only one parameter, that is the filename to be
compiled. There are no command line switches or other options.
If the filename has no path, the current path is assumed. If it
has no extension, .UFO is assumed.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ VIEWUFO.EXE ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
VIEWUFO.EXE emulates the BBS's UFO syntax parser (in fact it
contains a copy of the UFO kernal). It is used for previewing
your UFO scripts without having to fire up the BBS and log in,
possibly having to wade through many menus to get to the one
piece of UFO code you want to test. With VIEWUFO that is not
necessary; you can supply the name of any .BBS file on the
command line. If no path is given, VIEWUFO first looks in the
current directory and then in the "textpath" directory defined
in the config control file NODE1.CTL (or whatever you've chosen
to name it). The file name is, of course, mandatory but you
have another optional parameter: You can emulate the session
with any user in your user file by supplying the /U parameter
after the filename. The /u should be immediately followed by
either the user's number or name if it's a one word pseudo.
Examples: VIEWUFO MENU will view a file called MENU.BBS.
VIEWUFO MENU /U0 will load the first user record
(should be the sysop!!!) and treat
all functions with that user's access
level, flags and other variables.
VIEWUFO MENU /UTommy will load "Tommy" (if present).
NanoBBS Documentation Page 53
VIEWUFO MENU /UJohn Smith is invalid and will attempt
to find a user whose whole
name is just "John". I
might do something about
this in the next version.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ NCOMP.EXE ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
NCOMP.EXE is the NanoBBS language compiler. It is NOT the same
as UFO.EXE and its function should not be confused with UFO.EXE.
Where UFO compiles scripts which are used to alter and augment
NanoBBS's function, NCOMP is used to configure the low-level
system messages, such as the prompts, headers, footers, list
formats, menus, and so forth. NCOMP compiles flat text files
which are named filename.TXL. It will generate filename.LNG and
filename.LDX files which are used by NanoBBS directly. Embedded
colours and a number of other embedded commands are allowed in
language files, but UFO syntax is not and will be simply written
in an ugly manner as though it were text.
ةحثححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ External Control Files ؛ ؛
بحتححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ CONFIGURATION FILES ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ LIMITS.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This file defines the time limits and download limits for each
access level. Make sure that all access levels which are in use
on your system are included in this file or else you will find
some users not getting the access they deserve. The exact
syntax of this file is laid out in the example file which comes
with NanoBBS.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ EXPIRY.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This file defines what happens when a user's account expires.
The syntax of this file is explained in the example file.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ CENSOR.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is a list of words which will be censored out of messages
posted to areas with the CENSOR option turned on. The example
file lists just a few words that I think most sysops will not
want to have posted in most areas. You can add or delete any
words you like.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 54
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ TRASHCAN.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is a list of unacceptable user names. If a new user's name
is the same as any line in this file the account will not be
created and the user will be hung up on. If a line starts with
@ (the at sign) then the rest of the list is taken as a
substring instead of doing an exact search.
Examples:
Say your TRASHCAN.CTL file contains:
@CRAP
@FRUG
ALL
It will disallow someone named "Joe Crapola" or "Motherfrugger"
or "All" but will allow "Allen Smith". For historical reasons,
it is a good idea to make "ALL" an unacceptable name.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ FIDOCOST.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This nifty little file is how NanoBBS can do Fidonet netmail
costing without a nodelist! Of course, it is left to your
mailer to determine whether any of the nodes provided by your
users really exist. The syntax is quite simple and is described
in full in the FIDOCOST.CTL example included with NanoBBS.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ COOKIE.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is an example input file for the [cookie] UFO keyword. It
has a few dozen memorable quotes and song lyrics, and is the one
I use personally on THC Freedom Online BBS.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ NODE1.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is the general configuration file for the BBS. See the
included NODE1.CTL file for a full explanation of all the
options in this file. It must be compiled with the CONFIG.EXE
program in order for NanoBBS to be able to use it. This file
can have any name, but to use any name other than NODE1, you
must use the /C command line option.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 55
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ MSGAREA.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is the message area configuration file for the BBS. See
the included MSGAREA.CTL file for examples and a syntax
explanation. It must be compiled with the MMB.EXE program
(which is called by the CONFIG.EXE program for your convenience)
in order for NanoBBS to be able to use it.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ FILEAREA.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is the file area configuration file for the BBS. See the
included FILEAREA.CTL file for examples and a syntax
explanation. It must be compiled with the MFB.EXE program (also
called by CONFIG.EXE) in order for NanoBBS to be able to use it.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ DOORS.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is the configuration file for doors (external games,
utilities, etc) for the BBS. See the included DOORS.CTL file
for examples and a syntax explanation. It mist be compiled with
the MAKEDOOR.EXE program (also called by CONFIG.EXE) in order
for NanoBBS to be able to use it.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ CHAT.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is the NanoCHAT configuration file. Unlike the other
configuration files, it does not need to be "compiled", and so
no compiler is included with it. Please see the NanoCHAT
chapter for full details on the syntax and usage of this file.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ MESSAGES.BAR ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is the "Barricade File."
Why barricades?
Picture this situation: You have a user who's been well-behaved
for the most part, perhaps he's uploaded a lot of stuff and sent
you a donation. But he happens to get on the wrong side of the
moderator of a local echo conference and before he knows it he's
barred from posting to that conference. The moderator "directs"
you to remove the user's access to the conference, but you don't
want to delete the user from your system or reduce his access
level; after all he's been a good and valued member of your
board.
What do you do?
NanoBBS Documentation Page 56
Well, in many other BBS programs you'd be between the rock and a
hard place; you'd either have to swallow a big lump and reduce
the user's access or you'd face the wrath of the moderator and
the echomail hub. But NanoBBS has a much less obnoxious
solution. It is the "barricade file."
The barricade file is a a flat text file containing a list of
message areas and the users who are NOT allowed to access them.
It takes the following syntax (this is an example):
Area 1
The Hacker
Joe Schmoe
Dave Rhodes
Area 15
Tom Vu
William J. Clinton
Area 16
Dave Rhodes
Charlie Manson
In this example, "The Hacker", "Joe Schmoe" and "Dave Rhodes"
are not allowed to post in message area #1. "Tom Vu" and
"William J. Clinton" are not allowed to post in area 15. Note
that "Dave Rhodes" is not allowed to post in either area 1 or 16.
There is one more step required to activate a barricade for an
area. In addition to including the area number and the names of
the barred users in MESSAGES.BAR, you also must include the
BARRICADE parameter in the area's definition in the MSGAREA.CTL
file. Don't forget to run MMB or CONFIG when you make this
change. The reason for requiring this keyword is that we don't
want to check the barricade file _every_ time we change area,
only when we are changing to a barricaded area. By imposing
this small extra requirement the system can eliminate some
unnecessary overhead and will run faster.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ FILES.BBS ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
This is the file used in the file sections to keep track of the
files availabel for downloading, and their descriptions. It
follows the basic format used in many BBS software packages,
with some extensions.
Each line in the FILES.BBS is either a file entry or a
"comment." To make a line a comment, just make the first
character of the line a space.
A file entry line starts with the filename and extension (e.g.
FILENAME.ASC) followed by a general description of the file. In
the classic FILES.BBS scheme, the description must fit on one
line, but NanoBBS offers two methods to get around this limit,
which we will get to briefly.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 57
Here is an example of the FILES.BBS format.
This is a comment line.
FILENAME.ZIP A generic file listing entry
NANOBBS.ZIP NanoBBS, The Ultimate BBS Software Achievement!
This is another comment line. Here are some more files.
CATCLOCK.ANS An ANSI animated cat clock.
MODEMSET.TXT How to set up your high speed modem.
NEWGAME.ZIP The latest VGA Shootemup from Violence Games, Inc.
Notice how the comment lines are indented? As long as the
first character is a space, NanoBBS will display the comment
line without trying to find a file. If you inadvertently put in
a comment line without the leading space, what will happen is
that NanoBBS will attempt to find a file with a filename equal
to the first word in your comment. In the above examples, if
the comment lines were not indented, NanoBBS would in each case
try to find a file called THIS. It would very likely report
this file missing.
EXTENDED FILE DESCRIPTIONS IN FILES.BBS
Tilde-style:
In FILES.BBS you can have descriptions on the same line up to
240 characters (and they will be automatically word-wrapped),
but that's not all! By appending a tilde '~' character to a
description, you can indicate that the following line, in its
entirety, is also part of the description of the same file! It
too will be auto-wrapped and will appear to the user to be one
long description.
Here is an example, suppose this is a segment from a FILES.BBS:
NANOBBS.ZIP NanoBBS: Simply the most flexible BBS on the market!~
Loaded with features! Internal X-Y-Zmodem and SEAlink transfers,~
high speed file searching, internal QWK, an internal full screen~
editor, and the legendary UFO scripting language only begin to~
list the multitude of features in this amazing package! Shareware,~
$69 for one or two nodes. From Whirlwind Software!
Notice that the last line does not end in a tilde. This is very
important, because if it did, the next line would be counted as
part of the description for NANOBBS.ZIP, even if it's really the
FILES.BBS entry for the next file in the list! Always remember
never to put a tilde on the last line of an extended
description!
NanoBBS Documentation Page 58
Now, this will come out looking something like this when the user
lists the area:
NANOBBS.ZIP 760348 94-12-01 NanoBBS: Simply the most flexible
BBS on the market! Loaded with
features! Internal X-Y-Zmodem and
SEAlink transfers, high speed file
searching, internal QWK, an
internal full screen editor, and
the legendary UFO scripting
language only begin to list the
multitude of features in this
amazing package! Shareware, $69 for
two nodes. From Whirlwind Software!
Pretty neat, eh? You can have descriptions of virtually
limitless length using this technique, which is fortunate since
so many FILE_ID.DIZ's seem to be just that: endless!
Pipe-style extended descriptions:
There is another format supported by NanoBBS for extended
descriptions. This is sometimes used on CD's, particularly on
the Night Owl series. After a FILES.BBS filename and
description, the description can be continued by prepending a
pipe symbol "|" to the following line. As a matter of practice
this should be further prepended with a space but NanoBBS does
not require this.
Here is an example of a valid pipe-style extended description:
NANOBBS.ZIP NanoBBS: Simply the most flexible BBS on the
| market! Loaded with features! Internal X-Y-Zmodem and SEAlink
| transfers, high speed file searching, internal QWK, an
| internal full screen editor, and the legendary UFO scripting
| language only begin to list the multitude of features in this
| amazing package! Shareware, $69 for one or two nodes. From
| Whirlwind Software!
This example produces a description that looks identical to that
of the tilde-style example shown previously.
Tilde and Pipe style continuations can be used interchangeably
within the same FILES.BBS file but not within the same extended
description of an individual file. Although the pipe style is
more standard, the tilde style is considerably faster, due to
the internal structure of the BBS.
When NanoBBS extracts a FILE_ID.DIZ to its FILES.BBS file, a
pipe-style extended description is generated with a pipe
starting each line from FILE_ID.DIZ except the first.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 59
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ SEMAPHORES ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
When the user does certain things which are likely to require
the services of an external program after s/he logs off (e.g.
uploading a file, posting echomail etc.) there has to be a way
for the BBS to pass this fact off to the batch file which called
it, so that the batch file can in turn call the appropriate
upload processor, echomail processor, news mangler, etc.
The traditional way that most BBSes accomplish this is through
errorlevels. Unfortunately there are only 256 errorlevels, and
with five special exit conditions and the possibility of more
errorlevels being used by UFO scripts, it quickly becomes
apparent that the errorlevel method is inadequate. Therefore,
NanoBBS uses semaphores to communicate with the batch file.
A semaphore is simply a zero-length file that the batch file
checks with an IF EXIST ... line. If the file exists, NanoBBS
is indicating a condition. There can be a virtually unlimited
number of semaphores versus 256 errorlevels.
All of the semaphores are written to the system directory. Here
are the possible semaphores implemented so far, where xxx is the
node number of the node which generated the file:
UFILExxx.SEM - when a user has uploaded any files during the
call. You can then run BBS /F to reindex the file section
between calls - this is important if reindexing takes a while
due to a large file count.
EECHOxxx.SEM - when a user has entered Fidonet echomail. You
can use this to signal to the batch file that it should call
Squish, Fastecho, Confmail, TosScan, or whatever you use to pack
up your echomail.
ENETMxxx.SEM - when a user has entered Fidonet netmail.
EMAILxxx.SEM - when a user has entered Internet email.
ENEWSxxx.SEM - when a user has entered Usenet news.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 60
ةحححححححححححححححححححح»
؛ Files in /BBS/MISC ؛
بحححححححححححححححححححح¼
Please note that in this early release of NanoBBS, most of the
.RIP files do not yet exist. NanoBBS will automatically
substitute a .ANS or a .ASC file where a .RIP is expected and
not found.
FSEDHELP.ANS
This is only available as a .ANS file, as it is the help screen
for the NEd (NanoBBS EDitor) full-screen message editor, which
requires ANSI.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Where the following files are concerned, NanoBBS is VERY ³
³ flexible and VERY forgiving. First, NanoBBS looks for a ³
³ compiled UFO file, with an extension of .BBS. Note that ³
³ NanoBBS doesn't come with .BBS files for these files; if you ³
³ want this option, you must create your own .UFO files and ³
³ compile them. Anyhow, if NanoBBS does not find the .BBS file, ³
³ it then looks for a .RIP, .ANS, or a .ASC file, as is ³
³ appropriate for the graphics standard the user is using, and ³
³ it will fall back within these three, e.g. if a .RIP file is ³
³ called for and not found, NanoBBS will look for a .ANS and ³
³ then a .ASC. Failing these, it tries .TXT, then no extension,³
³ and only after all these have been exhausted does it finally ³
³ give up and log an error. ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
BADNAME.BBS
BADNAME.RIP
BADNAME.ANS
BADNAME.ASC
This file is displayed when a user applying for a new account
enters a name that has been locked out in TRASHCAN.CTL. You can
transplant compiled UFO code into this file.
BYE.BBS
BYE.RIP
BYE.ANS
BYE.ASC
This is the file that is displayed when a normal logoff occurs;
it is a sort of "Goodbye, see you soon!" message. You can
transplant compiled UFO code into this file.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 61
DOORS.BBS
DOORS.RIP
DOORS.ANS
DOORS.ASC
This is the file that is displayed when the user goes into the
Doors menu.
FILEHELP.BBS
FILEHELP.RIP
FILEHELP.ANS
FILEHELP.ASC
This provides detailed help for the file section. It can
contain UFO syntax. Only FILEHELP.BBS is included.
MAINHELP.BBS
MAINHELP.RIP
MAINHELP.ANS
MAINHELP.ASC
This provides detailed help for the main menu. It can contain
UFO syntax. Only MAINHELP.BBS is included.
LOGO.BBS
LOGO.RIP
LOGO.ANS
LOGO.ASC
This is the file which is displayed when the user first
connects. It is commonly called the "logo screen."
WELCOME.BBS
WELCOME.RIP
WELCOME.ANS
WELCOME.ASC
This is the file which is displayed after the user has
successfully logged on. It is commonly called the "welcome
screen."
ULPOLICY.BBS DLPOLICY.BBS
ULPOLICY.RIP DLPOLICY.RIP
ULPOLICY.ANS DLPOLICY.ANS
ULPOLICY.ASC DLPOLICY.ASC
These are the files displayed immediately prior to uploading
and downloading, respectively. Normally they would contain
advice pertaining to acceptable uploads, ratio enforcement, etc.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 62
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Random Logo/Welcome Screens! ³
³ ³
³ Random welcome/logo screens are a popular feature of many ³
³ BBSes, but few seem to support it internally as NanoBBS does. ³
³ ³
³ You can randomize the "logo" files by using the LOGO-RIP.LST, ³
³ LOGO-ANS.LST and LOGO-ASC.LST files. You can also randomize ³
³ the "welcome" files by using the WELC-RIP.LST, WELC-ANS.LST ³
³ and WELC-ASC.LST files. These are plain text files which ³
³ contain a list of the files to be randomly chosen from. If you ³
³ want to use random welcome files, the LOGO-*.LST files should ³
³ be present in your system directory (your "syspath"). If ³
³ present, NanoBBS will, instead of displaying a LOGO.* file, ³
³ will instead randomly choose a filename from the list. ³
³ Otherwise it just uses the appropriate LOGO.* file. The ³
³ "welcome" files work in just the same way! Here is an ³
³ example of LOGO-ANS.LST, as used on THC Freedom Online BBS. ³
³ ³
³ THCLOGO1.ANS ³
³ THCLOGO2.ANS ³
³ THCLOGO5.ANS ³
³ THCLOGO6.ANS ³
³ THCLOGO7.ANS ³
³ THCLOGO8.ANS ³
³ THCLOGO9.ANS ³
³ THCLOGOA.ANS ³
³ ³
³ If the filenames in the list have no extension, NanoBBS ³
³ assumes that they are located in the same directory with the ³
³ other system text files documented in this section (your ³
³ "textpath"). ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
EXPIRED.BBS
EXPIRED.RIP
EXPIRED.ANS
EXPIRED.ASC
This file is displayed when a user logs on whose account has
just expired. This file is not required as SYSMSG 50 in the
language file is used for the same purpose (sysmsg 50 is
displayed first).
NEWUSER1.BBS
NEWUSER1.RIP
NEWUSER1.ANS
NEWUSER1.ASC
This is the file displayed prior to the user entering the "new
user registration" procedure.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 63
NEWUSER2.BBS
NEWUSER2.RIP
NEWUSER2.ANS
NEWUSER2.ASC
This is the file displayed after the user completes the "new
user registration" procedure.
NEWS.BBS
NEWS.RIP
NEWS.ANS
NEWS.ASC
This is a "what's new" file displayed right after the "welcome"
file has been displayed (see pg. 62)
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ NanoCHAT Files ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
$I0.BBS $I1.BBS $I2.BBS $I3.BBS $I4.BBS $I5.BBS $IZ.BBS
These are the files displayed when a user types /I in NanoCHAT.
For example, if the user types /I0, the file $I0.BBS is
displayed. Similarly, /I3 would invoke $I3.BBS. /I can be used
to invoke files up to six distinct characters long, e.g. /IRULES
would invoke a file called $IRULES.BBS, and /ISYSOPS would
invoke $ISYSOPS.BBS. Note that these files can be UFO scripts
(hence the .BBS extension). You can create as many /I files as
you want.
$MA.BBS $MB.BBS $MC.BBS $MY.BBS $MZ.BBS
These are the files displayed when a user types /M in NanoCHAT.
Their operation is identical to the /I files above, except of
course that /M files are periodically displayed to the user
automatically. Again, full UFO syntax is A-OK, names up to six
characters long are fine, and you can have as many as you want.
ACTION.HLP
This is the help file for actions in NanoCHAT. It isn't a UFO
script but it can contain embedded colour codes.
ACTION.LST
This is a short list of actions for NanoCHAT.
TOMMCHAT.HLP
This is the help file for NanoCHAT. It is a direct copy of the
one from TommCHAT, hence its name.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 64
ةحثحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ KEYS WHILE THE USER IS ONLINE ؛ ؛
بحتحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Alt-C ³ Chat with the user. ESC exits from Chat. In chat,
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ you can activate a capture buffer (for recording those
"memorable" chat sessions) with the Alt-L (Chat
Logging) key.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Alt-H ³ Hangs up on the user.
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Alt-S ³ Change the SysOp bar. The sysop bar has several
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ modes which display different information. This key
cycles through them.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Alt-E ³ Invoke the user editor. The user record of the user
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ currently online will be presented but you can change
to another user and you have access to all the
functions of the BBS/E user editor.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Alt-F ³ "Freeze" or "Unfreeze" time. This key toggles between
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ frozen and unfrozen time. When time is frozen, time
limits are not checked and the clock does not tick...
however dead-man keyboard timeouts are still in full
force.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Alt-J ³ "J"ump to DOS. This gets the path and filename for your
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ command.com file straight from the COMPSPEC environment
variable so it's automatic. It swaps the program and
all its variables out to a swap file (which can take a
second or so) giving you the biggest DOS memory window
possible.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ PgDn ³ Takes 5 minutes off the user's time remaining.
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
عؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ PgUp ³ Adds 5 minutes to the user's time remaining.
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Down-arrow ³ Takes 1 minute off the user's time remaining.
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Up-arrow ³ Adds 1 minute to the user's time remaining.
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
NanoBBS Documentation Page 65
عؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ ESC ³ Aborts any file transfer in progress when the current
ہؤؤؤؤؤظ block finishes. In streaming protocols the BBS will
wait for the block to be acknowledged by the other
end before aborting the transfer, so this may not
occur instantly - one end may be several blocks ahead
of the other, depending on your FOSSIL buffer size.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ F1 ... F10 ³
³ Shift-F1 ... Shift-F10 ³
³ Ctrl-F1 ... Ctrl-F10 ³
³ Alt-F1 ... Alt-F10 ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
These are 40 sysop-definable keys each of which causes a
compiled UFO file (ending in .BBS) to be run. If the file for a
particular key is not found an error message will be displayed
to the sysop console only. Here are the keys and the filenames
they invoke (all the files must be in the BBS System directory):
ةحححححححححححححححححححححثححححححححححححححححححححححح»
؛ Key Filename ؛ Key Filename ؛
جححححححححححرححححححححححخحححححححححححرححححححححححح¹
؛ F1 ³ F1.BBS ؛ Shift-F1 ³ SF1.BBS ؛
؛ F2 ³ F2.BBS ؛ Shift-F2 ³ SF2.BBS ؛
؛ F3 ³ F3.BBS ؛ Shift-F3 ³ SF3.BBS ؛
؛ F4 ³ F4.BBS ؛ Shift-F4 ³ SF4.BBS ؛
؛ F5 ³ F5.BBS ؛ Shift-F5 ³ SF5.BBS ؛
؛ F6 ³ F6.BBS ؛ Shift-F6 ³ SF6.BBS ؛
؛ F7 ³ F7.BBS ؛ Shift-F7 ³ SF7.BBS ؛
؛ F8 ³ F8.BBS ؛ Shift-F8 ³ SF8.BBS ؛
؛ F9 ³ F9.BBS ؛ Shift-F9 ³ SF9.BBS ؛
؛ F10 ³ F10.BBS ؛ Shift-F10 ³ SF10.BBS ؛
بححححححححححدححححححححححتحححححححححححدححححححححححح¼
ةحححححححححححححححححححححثححححححححححححححححححححححح»
؛ Key Filename ؛ Key Filename ؛
جححححححححححرححححححححححخحححححححححححرححححححححححح¹
؛ Alt-F1 ³ AF1.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F1 ³ CF1.BBS ؛
؛ Alt-F2 ³ AF2.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F2 ³ CF2.BBS ؛
؛ Alt-F3 ³ AF3.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F3 ³ CF3.BBS ؛
؛ Alt-F4 ³ AF4.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F4 ³ CF4.BBS ؛
؛ Alt-F5 ³ AF5.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F5 ³ CF5.BBS ؛
؛ Alt-F6 ³ AF6.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F6 ³ CF6.BBS ؛
؛ Alt-F7 ³ AF7.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F7 ³ CF7.BBS ؛
؛ Alt-F8 ³ AF8.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F8 ³ CF8.BBS ؛
؛ Alt-F9 ³ AF9.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F9 ³ CF9.BBS ؛
؛ Alt-F10 ³ AF10.BBS ؛ Ctrl-F10 ³ CF10.BBS ؛
بححححححححححدححححححححححتحححححححححححدححححححححححح¼
NanoBBS Documentation Page 66
ةحثححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ A Tour of NanoBBS's canned main menu interface ؛ ؛
بحتححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
Here is an explanation of each of the main menu commands. This
is taken directly from the MAINHELP.TXT file which is displayed
to users who select the "H" (detailed help) option. Because of
this, the help is written in a to-the-user perspective.
"A" - Jump to a message area.
This changes the message area, and is directly synonymous with
the "J" command. It is included for the benefit of callers who
are used to using "A" to change areas on other BBSes. See
the "J" command help (coming up) for more information.
"C" - Page SysOp to Chat
This option will, during reasonable hours, cause NanoBBS to
play a little tune to get the sysop's attention. It is only
necessary to page once as a flashing yellow "Paged" will appear
on the sysop's console until you log off. The sysop can set
the hours during which this option will make noise, so it's
probably not a good idea to page late at night.
If the Sysop notices that you have paged, and feels like
chatting, s/he'll activate "chat mode" which will allow you to
communicate directly with the sysop in real time by typing back
and forth at one another.
"D" - DOORS - Games and other external programs
This option will present you with a menu of "doors."
Doors are external programs which the BBS can call up for you to
use. Most doors are multi-player games. Some of the most
popular door games are Barren Realms Elite, Tradewars, Galactic
Empire and Rancho Nevada. Each game has its own set of rules
and features, and help is (hopefully) available in each one.
Detailed help with doors is beyond the scope of this document;
ask your sysop or, if there is a message base dedicated to the
doors, post a public message there and someone will likely have
an answer to your question.
"E" - EMAIL - Non-public "electronic mail"
This option allows you to send and check for "electronic mail"
to other users. NanoBBS's e-mail technology is such that true
privacy cannot be guaranteed - the sysop can and probably does
read any email on the BBS! However other users cannot read
email that is not addressed to them. If privacy is a concern,
you should use a program like PGP to encrypt your private mail
before sending it to the BBS. Make sure your sysop allows
encrypted messages before you try this!
NanoBBS Documentation Page 67
"F" - FILES - File Transfers
On most BBSes this is the most popular place! This is where you
can "download" programs, pictures and textfiles (and much more)
from the BBS to your computer! You can also "upload" files from
your computer to the BBS, which will improve your
"download:upload ratio" which the sysop can use to limit
excessive downloading. NanoBBS has seven widely-used transfer
protocols, and supports advanced features like batch transfers
(many files downloaded or uploaded at once) and new-file scans!
More help is available at the file transfer menu.
"G" - GOODBYE - Log off the BBS
Use this command when you are finished using the BBS and want to
log off. NanoBBS is robust software; you could just hang up and
nothing would be damaged, but it is considered impolite to log
off that way, so please use "G"oodbye to log off! This command
is available at most menu prompts in the system for your
convenience.
"H" - HELP - Advanced Help.
Advanced Help is what you are reading now.
"I" - INFORMATION - Information on various topics
This option presents you with a menu of information files for
your enlightenment and entertainment. Since this section of the
BBS is entirely defined by the Sysop it could contain nearly
anything, but normally this will have information about the BBS,
its rules, how to subscribe, perhaps a list of other BBSes, etc.
"A",
"J" - JUMP - "Jump" to another message area
This option lets you select which message area you are reading.
Most BBSes separate messages into "areas" by subject matter, so
if you wish to read messages on a particular subject, use this
command to select that subject. These groupings of message
topics are called "message areas".
"K" - KILL - "Kill" or erase a message
This option lets you erase messages written by you. It may
occur that you write a message which you later want to erase
(for example, you posted a message with hockey scores or other
information which you later find out to be incorrect). This
command can be a real life-saver in some situations!
"L" - LIST CALLS - Display a list of all today's calls to the BBS
This option lets you see a list of everyone who's called the BBS
since midnight. This is simply for your information.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 68
"N" - NEW SCAN - Globally scan for new messages
This is an extremely powerful messaging command! It displays
every new message entered since your last call, in every message
area. You can re-read or reply to any of the messages
displayed.
"O" - OPTIONS - User config options
This option gives you a menu of options you can set. It lets
you configure the way the BBS looks and behaves when you call.
For example, you can change screen size, turn colour on or off,
or even change your password!
"P" - POST - Post or enter a message in the current message area
This command lets you enter a new message in the current file
area. You will be prompted for a subject (for example, if you
are posting in the fishing echo, you might enter a subject
something like "question about bait". The subject is a very
brief summary of the message to make it easy for other users to
quickly find messages they are interested in.
You will also be prompted for an intended recipient. You can
put any person's name or handle here, or if the person is a
member of the BBS, you can enter their user number. You can
also just enter "All" if the message is public and you aren't
sending it to any particular person.
After that, you will be able to type in your message. The
message editors have advanced help screens of their own. Once
you are done entering your message, you can save it, edit it, or
drop it ("abort").
"Q" - QWK OPTIONS - Interface with the message base via a QWK
reader
If you have a QWK message reader, you can save a lot of time by
downloading messages and reading them off-line in your message
reader. You can also reply to these messages in the reader and
upload your replies. This has the advantage of letting you use
your favourite message editor to enter messages instead of the
BBS's line and full-screen editors. It also saves more online
time for downloading, playing games, and even for letting other
users into the BBS! If you don't have a QWK message reader, you
will need one for this menu to be of use to you. Your sysop may
have one or more reader software packages available for you to
download; if not, try another BBS, such software is widely
available!
"R" - READ MESSAGES - Read messages in the current area
This lets you read and reply to messages in the current message
area.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 69
"S" - SETUP SCANS - Set up the areas you want included in
message scans.
This lets you define which areas should be included when you do
a global [N]ew scan or download messages from the [Q]wk menu. By
default ALL messages that you have access to are turned on.
"U" - USER LIST - Display a list of users
This command lets you look up users on the BBS. It will tell
you the user number of a particular user, when s/he last called,
and where they are from. You can enter a partial username to do
a search for one or more users, or you can just hit Enter and
get a list of every user on the system!
"W" - WHO'S ONLINE
If the BBS has more than one line and the sysop has enabled
Multi-user operation, this will let you know who is also using
the BBS on the other nodes. It will also let you know roughly
what they are doing and how long they've been online.
"Y" - YOUR STATISTICS
This command displays practically everything the BBS knows about
you. It will tell you how much you have uploaded, downloaded,
and posted, how much time you have banked and how much netmail
credit you have left, how many days are left in your
subscription, your access level, and much more! If you have a
question about your account, check this command before you ask
your sysop.
"/" - NanoCHAT - Enter the multi-user chat system!
If the BBS has more than one line and if the SysOp has enabled
multi-line operation, this command will take you into the
NanoCHAT multi-user chat system! There is ample help available
on the particulars of multi-user chat once you get into that
section.
"?" - COMMAND SUMMARY - Get a quick list of commands
This command is the quick way to remind yourself of the
command key for a particular function.
"!" - BANG PROMPT - Change the "Bang" prompt
This lets you change the one-line message displayed at the main
menu command prompt. It is called the "bang" prompt because the
exclamation point key used to invoke it is sometimes called a
"bang" by seasoned users...
NanoBBS Documentation Page 70
"[", "]", "0"..."65535" - QUICK AREA CHANGE
In addition to the formal [J] command (change area) mentioned
previously, NanoBBS also has two ways to quickly change message
areas right from the main menu. The open and close square
brackets move you down and up one area respectively. Or, you
can type in the area number directly. NanoBBS will let you type
in up to 5 digits for the area number when it detects that a
number key has been pressed!
NanoBBS Documentation Page 71
ةحثحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ Language Files ؛ ؛
؛ ؛ Customize (almost) all of NanoBBS's Output! ؛ ؛
بحتحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
NanoBBS has the capacity to be a fully multi-lingual BBS. It
offers the additional flexibility of having separate ANSI/ASCII
and RIP versions of each language. There can be up to 32
languages. See the section titled "The Configuration File" for
information on configuring your language files.
NanoBBS comes with two language files, but they are not "ready"
when you unpack the BBS. These two language files are the
ANSI/ASCII and RIPscrip versions of the standard English text
for NanoBBS. All language files come in pairs, an ANSI/ASCII
version and a RIPscrip version. If the user has RIP but NanoBBS
can't find the RIP version of the language file, it'll try to
fall back on the ANSI/ASCII version instead.
The NanoBBS distribution archive stores the default language as
"Update" files, called ENGLISH.UPD for the ASCII/ANSI version
and ENGLISH.RPD for the RIPscrip version. When you run
INSTALL.BAT, these files are copied into the ENGLISH.TXL and
ENGLISH.RXL files, which are the raw language source files. The
UPDLNG.EXE program is used to update the language files, so that
new versions of the BBS with additional language strings can be
integrated with your existing custom language files.
All language files end in either .TXL for the "Text" version
(the ANSI/ASCII version) and .RXL for the "Rip" version. These
files are like the system configuration files in that NanoBBS
cannot use them by themselves. They must be "compiled." The
program which does this is the NCOMP.EXE program.
To compile the English language files, just type
NCOMP ENGLISH
at the DOS prompt. It will compile both the ANSI/ASCII and the
RIP versions of the ENGLISH languagefile. It creates a pair of
files for each version. ENGLISH.LNG and ENGLISH.RNG are the
actual compiled text for each version of the language files, and
ENGLISH.LDX and ENGLISH.RDX contain the index pointers NanoBBS
needs to find the language strings within the .LNG and .RNG
files.
The .LNG and .RNG files are loaded whole into memory for maximum
speed. Because of this, there is a maximum size of 65520 bytes.
If NCOMP compiles a .LNG or .RNG and the resulting file is
bigger than 65520 bytes, it'll be unceremoniously truncated, and
calls to chopped-off strings will have unpredictable results.
Caveat SysOp!
NanoBBS Documentation Page 72
Like the configuration files, the .TXL and .RXL files are just
plain ASCII text files. Colour and RIP graphics are achieved by
means of embedded colour codes and RIP UFO keywords. See the
next chapter, "Embedded Colour and Effect Codes", for much more
information about these codes and how to use them.
Of the UFO keywords, only those dealing with RIPscrip are
supported in the language files. You cannot use UFO system
variables in the language file with RIPscrip tokens but you can
use numeric constants. RIPscrip tokens should not be used in
the ANSI/ASCII .TXL file.
If you need to be able to access the resources of a UFO script
from within a language file string, an embedded command exists
that will let you "link" to a UFO script. See the Embedded
Colour and Effect Codes chapter, and UFO.DOC, for more
information.
Here are the first few strings from ENGLISH.TXL, with brief
explanations:
[languagefile english]
[comment the language file must begin with a "languagefile"
statement as above, which indicates the language this file
represents. Other languages might have a "languagefile
francais" or "languagefile deutsch" line instead.]
[comment comments appear in a comment statement like this. All
comments must begin and end with square brackets as this one
does.]
[comment this is the first system message in the file. Although
other strings can be physically located in random order, this
must be physically the first string. It indicates an error
condition, that a system string was not found. The ~. (tilde
period) embedded command indicates the system string number in
question. ]
[sysmsg 1]
~PSysMsg Error! Message ~. does not appear in the language file!
Please report to sysop!
[end]
[comment this is used at logon to ask the user for a password.
Note the use of embedded commands. The ~@ (tilde at-sign)
forces non-stop mode on for the duration of the string, the ~M
(tilde M) sets the colour to a nice light blue colour, and the
~ (tilde, followed by ASCII 254) is a special effect which
makes a nice prompt.]
[sysmsg 2]~@
~MPassword ~[end]
NanoBBS Documentation Page 73
[comment This is displayed when the user gets the wrong password
at logon. Note the use of a ~V1 embedded command. This is a
variable parameter which is context sensitive. In this string,
it contains the number of tries the user has made at guessing
the password. It might have some totally different value or
might not even be a number in other strings. But in this case
it's a retry counter provided for your convenience.]
[sysmsg 3]
~JPassword incorrect. ~G(Try #~L~V1~G)[end]
[comment This asks the user for a username, pseudonym, real
name, user number, NEW or BYE. In the case of NEW NanoBBS will
take the caller through the new-user signup procedure. In the
case of BYE, NanoBBS will immediately hang up. If the user is
not found, NanoBBS will ask if the spelling is correct - if it
is, NanoBBS goes through the new-user signup. Otherwise it
goes back to this string and asks the user again.]
[sysmsg 4]~@
~MNew Users: Just type your name or pseudonym to log on!
~OPlease enter your Name, User Number or Handle ~[end]
[comment Here's the string that asks the user if she or he is a
new user. This is displayed when the user's name or number is
not found.
Note the use of ~V1. In this case it contains the username
that was entered at the sysmsg 4 prompt. Totally different
from its value in the "Password Incorrect" string! That's what
I mean by "context sensitive."]
[sysmsg 9]~@
~L~V1 ~Gnot found. Do you want to register as a new member? [end]
NanoBBS Documentation Page 74
ةحثححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ Embedded Colour and Effect Codes ؛ ؛
بحتححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
These are available in both the UFO script language and as
embedded commands in the language files! Just type in the
command as shown below - they all start with the ~ tilde
character. On most enhanced AT keyboards, the tilde is the key
to the left of the 1 key, a shifted back-quote. The following
diagram illustrates where the Tilde key is located...
LOCATION OF THE TILDE KEY ON (MOST) AT KEYBOARDS: ؤ؟
(Remember this is a SHIFTed key!) ³
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
³
³ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
ہؤ> | ~ | ! | @ | # | $ | % | ^ |
|_`_|_1_|_2_|_3_|_4_|_5_|_6_|_
| |Q |W |E |R |T |
|_Tab_|___|___|___|___|___|_
| Caps |A |S |D |
|_Lock_|___|___|___|__
| |
|_Shift__| <ؤؤؤؤؤ Remember to use the Shift key!
COLOURS:
background foreground
~a Black ~A Black ~I DkGray
~b Red ~B Red ~J LtRed
~c Green ~C Green ~K LtGreen
~d Brown ~D Brown ~L Yellow
~e Blue ~E Blue ~M LtBlue
~f Magenta ~F Magenta ~N LtMagenta
~g Cyan ~G Cyan ~O LtCyan
~h Lt.Gray ~H LtGray ~P White
Special ANSi functions and effects:
~1 Clear to End of Line
~6 Blink On
~7 Clear Attributes
Fade-in: ~< Start ~> End
3D : ~( Start ~) End
Prompt : ~ (on PCs, hold Alt and hit 254 on your numeric
keypad to get the character, which is ASCII
254)
Embedded CR/LF: ~/
Nondestructive clear to beginning: ~\
Destructive clear to beginning: ~|
Do a CR/LF only if the cursor is
not already at the leftmost column: ~,
NanoBBS Documentation Page 75
The following embedded commands are ONLY available in the
language file, and may be interpreted literally or give strange
results if used in a .UFO script:
"Hit Any Key" prompt ~R
Send a random cookie: ~&
Send the bang Prompt: ~!
Make output non-abortable: ~@
Send a beep (^G) to REMOTE user: ~#
Embedded CR only (no LF) ~<
Automatic two-column alignment: ~>
Automatic three-column alignment: ~; {semicolon}
Automatic five-column alignment: ~` (backward apostrophe)
Tab: ~tnn where nn is column, e.g. ~t45
This example moves the cursor to
column 45.
Name of current message area: ~i
Number of current message area: ~j
Name of current file area: ~n
Number of current file area: ~o
Go to to another SysMsg: ~k###
Example: ~k123 goes to SysMsg #123. The SysMsg number
must be terminated with a non-numeric character.
Call a UFO script (a .BBS file): ~lfilename.bbs
Example: ~lextrahlp.bbs runs a compiled UFO script
called EXTRAHLP.BBS. The filename must be terminated
with a space. This extremely powerful command
effectively gives you the full power of UFO from within
language files!
Languagefile Parameter (can be 1 to 9): ~Vx
Example: ~V9 shows parameter 9.
~V1 shows parameter 1.
These parameters are sensitive to context and have specific
values for each SysMsg, or may be undefined if the SysMsg
does not use parameters. See the language files to get an
idea of the context for each SysMsg's parameters.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 76
ةحثحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ NanoCHAT - Setting up NanoBBS as a multi-user chat system ؛ ؛
بحتحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ The IPC Disk ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
IPCs are "Inter Process Communications", which are files shared
between nodes in a multi-user system. IPCs are the key to
NanoCHAT's operation.
NanoCHAT uses IPC files instead of shared memory schemes (which
require special device drivers and are NOT always reliable) in
order to make NanoCHAT runnable on nearly any system. However,
since communications are handled by passing files, DOS can
impose quite a burden unless you take steps to speed the files
up as much as possible. The best way to do this is to use a
RAM Disk. This has the added advantage of not imposing a lot of
wear on your hard disk. A NanoCHAT system with several users
online can easily created, write, read and then delete dozens of
files per second. The wear this would cause an uncached hard
disk is extreme. Therefore a RAM disk is essential. The
largest possible RAM Disk you can manage should bs used, and
your RAMDRIVE.SYS line in CONFIG.SYS should stipulate a large
number of files, perhaps 512 or 1024.
If you're using a LAN and some of your BBS nodes are on a
different machine from the RAM disk, make sure your RAM disk is
set up as a network drive so that it is accessible.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ To enable NanoCHAT and define the path to your RAM disk (or ³
³ whatever other kind of disk you may choose to place your IPCs ³
³ on) you need to include the following lines in your NanoBBS ³
³ config file (NODE1.CTL): ³
³ ³
³ multiuser ³
³ ipcpath f:\ ³
³ ³
³ The MULTIUSER command instructs NanoBBS to allow the use of ³
³ multi-user chat and IPC related functions. ³
³ ³
³ The IPCPATH command specifies the drive and directory where ³
³ the IPC files can be found. It goes without saying that your ³
³ config files for each node must specify the same IPC path or ³
³ else the nodes will not be able to communicate with one ³
³ another. ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
NanoBBS Documentation Page 77
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ NanoCHAT configuration - CHAT.CTL ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
There are three options to the PROMPT option. ON will display
a colourful prompt to remind the user that s/he can type here.
OFF will more faithfully emulate Diversi-Dial and leave the
user's cursor at the leftmost position with no prompt at all.
TIME gives the user a unique prompt which displays the current
time.
prompt off
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
The timeout is the amount of time, in minutes, that the user
can leave his/her keyboard idle before TommCHAT will cut
him/her off.
timeout 10
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
This is the interval, in minutes, between automatic postings of
the /M messages.
msginterval 5
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
The SPEED command sets the interval between checks of the stack
files. Generally speaking, this is the "heartbeat" of the
program. The interval is in 100'ths of a second, so a speed of
100 would mean that the stacks are checked once every second.
A speed of 50 is twice a second and so forth. If NanoBBS Chat
places a big drag on your system's overall speed with a low
"speed" setting, try slowing it. I have found 15 works fine on
my BBS.
speed 15
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
This is the number of "votes" required to eject a user in a
TeleTrial.
teletrial 3
NanoBBS Documentation Page 78
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
These are the access levels passed by the BBS and how they
relate to TommCHAT's six access classes. Any level below that
defined for NORMAL is deemed to be m0e access (undesirable or
unvalidated users).
access normal 40
access vip 98
access moderator 200
access c0 400
access sysop 1000
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
As in other chat systems, NanoBBS Chat allows you to quickly
indicate a user's "rank" by the brackets around the node number
in the /s and other displays
brackets m0e ~E: ~E:
brackets normal ~G( ~G)
brackets vip ~O{ ~O}
brackets moderator ~L< ~L>
brackets c0 ~P[ ~P]
brackets sysop ~Jغ~b ~7~Jغ
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
The following are the maximum time limits for each access
class. All time limits are in minutes.
time m0e 5
time normal 60
time vip 120
time moderator 180
time c0 1440
time sysop 1440
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
Access restrictions - any channels not defined here will be
assumed open to everyone!
Syntax: Channel {channelnumber} {accessrequired}
Example:
channel 69 50
This sets a minimum access level of 50 to access channel 69...
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
NanoBBS Documentation Page 79
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Actions and COMPACT ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
Actions are one of the most popular features of advanced chat
systems. Basically, actions let you (virtually) -do- things
with other users. NanoCHAT's SmartActions contain a library of
actions which can be publicly or secretly, adjusting
grammatically for the person you're sending to (this is why
NanoCHAT needs to know each user's sex). Generic Actions are
nowhere near as advanced as SmartActions but they can be made to
"do" just about anything. In this section we will concentrate
on configuring SmartActions.
SmartActions are defined in the file ACTIONS.CTL.
In order for actions to be used, they must first be compiled
with the COMPACT (COMPile ACTions) program. Just type COMPACT
when you've finished making your changes to ACTIONS.CTL.
There can be up to 256 actions from 0 to 255.
Let's have a look at an example from the default ACTIONS.CTL:
action 1
command wink
access 10
see me You wink.
see me2 You wink at ~r.
see all ~s winks seductively!
see all2 ~s winks seductively at ~r!
see all3 ~s winks knowingly at everyone!
see you ~s winks seductively at you~t!
see noaccess Your eyelids seem to be stuck!
end
As you can see, each action is started with the keyword ACTION
followed by the action number (0 to 255).
The COMMAND keyword specifies the /a command necessary to invoke
the action. In this case the command is "wink" so the user
would type:
/a wink
...to activate the command and wink at everyone.
The "See" fields can be up to 80 characters including embedded ~
codes.
SEE ME pertains to what you see when you perform your action for
no recipient or for ALL.
SEE ME2 pertains to what you see when you perform your action
for a specific user.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 80
SEE ALL pertains to what everyone sees when the user types the
command with no recipient. This may mean the action is done to
all users, to nobody, or to the user himself.
SEE ALL2 pertains to what everyone sees when the user types the
command with a specific person as the recipient. For example:
/a wink tommy
...would cause everyone to see:
Joanie winks seductively at Tommy!
...except Tommy who would see:
Joanie winks seductively at you!
(see SEE YOU below).
SEE ALL3 pertains to what everyone sees when ALL is the
recipient. This means that the action is performed for everyone
present.
SEE YOU pertains to what the recipient of an action sees. See
the SEE ALL2 example above.
SEE NOACCESS is what the user sees if s/he tries to use an
action they don't have access for.
There are several ~ codes peculiar to intelligent actions (these
only work within actions):
~r - Recipient's handle
~s - Sender's handle
~t - " secretly" if secret, nothing otherwise
~u - selected sender pronoun/noun
~U - selected recipient pronoun/noun
Pronouns by number:
If user is male/female:
1: he/she
2: his/her
3: his/hers
4: him/her
5: boy/girl
6: girl/boy
7: man/woman
8: woman/man
9: dude/babe
NanoBBS Documentation Page 81
These pronouns can also be specified by name if typed exactly as
shown above. See ACTIONS.CTL for several live examples of the
use of selected pronouns. Grammaticists: Yes, I know most of
these are nouns - we hackers like to suppose things to save
time...
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ User and VIP Functions In Detail ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
The most important key for users, VIPs and co-sysops is the
forward slash key "/". All commands are preceded by the slash,
and all are illustrated in this manual with the slash and
command as they should be typed.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Public Chat ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
Public "Chat" is the most basic function offered by
NanoCHAT. Anything you type that is not preceded by the
slash ("/") character is presumed by NanoCHAT to be a
public statement.
For example, if you were to simply type:
Hello There.
Everyone on your channel would see "Hello There." along
with your handle and node number.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Private Messages ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
Often it is desirable for users to carry on private
conversations without leaving public channels. This can
be accomplished by using the /p command. For example,
if there is a user on line 12, and you wanted to
privately say "Hi, Chuck!" to that user, you would type:
/p12 Hi, Chuck!
That user would see your message, along with your
handle and node number, and would be informed that it is
a private message.
If there is no-one on the node you specify, NanoCHAT
will inform you of this fact.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 82
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Changing Channels ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
/t - Change "Channel" - NanoCHAT supports 256 "channels"
so that separate discussions can be carried out
without interference or confusion with other
conversations. Include the channel number you want
to change to, example:
/t42
... this will take you to channel 42. Only other
users on channel 42 will be able to see what you
publicly type. By default, you start out on
Channel 1.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Generic Actions ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
/ga- "Generic Action" - crudely mimics a popular feature
of other chat systems. This command causes the
system to make a third-party statement about you.
Here is an example:
/a is laughing his fool head off!
This might cause the following to be
displayed to everyone on your channel:
Waffle is laughing his fool head off!
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Smart Actions ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
Here is a list of default available actions:
agree back bearhug beer beg belch bite blush
bonk bow brb cheer chill chuckle claw comfort
cough crotchkick cry curtsy dance demand duck
duh embrace evilgrin faint fallinlove fart
finger flash flirt french frown gasp glare
grin groan gross handshake hi5 impure innocent
kick kickass kill kiss laugh lick lie loogy
look love lust moan moo moon naked niceass
nod puke punch purr re rip rose scream
secret shrug sing smack smirk smoke smooch
snicker spank streak strip thank think toke
tongue trudeau ttyl wave wink yawn
NanoBBS Documentation Page 83
/a Invoke an action. You can invoke actions with no
parameters, or you can specify a user (by name or
node) you wish to perform the action on, or you
can specify ALL to do it to everyone on your
channel! You can also do an action to a user
secretly!
Exemplia:
/a hug Tommy
This might produce the following output for all users:
Cuddlez hugs Tommy close!
...except for the recipient who sees...
Cuddlez hugs you close!
/a tickle Cuddlez secretly
This would not produce a message for anyone except the
recipient and the sender. The recipient would see
something like this:
Tommy is secretly tickling you silly!
/a bonk all
...this might produce something like...
Tommy is bonking everyone over the head!
SmartActions might use personal pronouns like He or She
- these are automatically inserted correctly for the
sending and receiving party's gender!
If you would like to experiment with SmartActions, try
performing them on yourself or in public on an empty
channel, so as not to clutter busy channels...
Type /al for a list of actions.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 84
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Squelching ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
/x - "Squelch" - Disallows /p messages from a user. To
sqelch someone type /x followed by their node
number, e.g.
/x2
This will stop whomever is on node 2 from sending
you /p messages. To allow a user to /p again, or
"unsquelch", simply repeat the command, e.g. /x2
a second time will unsquelch node 2.
/xa- "Squelch All" - Disallows /p messages from all
users! This will actually squelch everyone who is
on at the time, however if someone logs off and
comes back, they will be able to /p you again. You
can unsquelch everyone by typing /xa again, and you
can selectively unsquelch certain users using the
above /x command.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ System Messages ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
/mxxx
This displays one of the system messages which are
automatically displayed from time to time. xxx can be
any combination of 1 to 7 alphanumeric characters. This
is called the "slot name" of the message. It
corresponds to a textfile on disk. If a message is
displayed as /ma, its filename is MA.TCH.
Example:
/ma
will display the /ma message (if present).
Users can be assigned message slots online using the
co-sys0p command /ka (see the "Sysop and Co-Sys0p
Functions" section of this manual). A user who has been
assigned a slot may edit its contents by typing
/m+ xxx
... where xxx is the slot name. If the user specifies the
wrong slot name an error is reported.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 85
Once this command is accepted, the user then sends up to
16k of ASCII or ANSI text terminated by ^Z (ASCII 26).
When the system receives the ^Z the message is saved.
It can then be seen by typing /mxxx (xxx being the
name) and will appear automatically during the random
/m messages.
There is a special kind of system message called an
information file. This is exactly the same as a /m
message except that it cannot be assigned to a user. It
is accessed by typing
/ixxx
...where xxx is the name, similar to /m messages. /i
messages are used for static information about the chat
system, e.g. its rules, its technical information, etc.
/m messages are normally displayed at random during
regular intervals, defined by the SysOp. Users can turn
these automatic messages off by typing:
/m-
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Tele-Trial ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
/tt nnn
A TeleTrial is a quick-and-dirty vote taken by ordinary
users to have an annoying user ejected from the system,
where nnn is the node number of the user to be booted.
Once enough votes are cast, the user is history. Only
one vote per user.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Miscellaneous Functions ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
/? - This command displays the user help file,
with a concise explanation of each command.
/q - "Quit": This command exits NanoCHAT and returns
the caller to the BBS.
/s - "Status": This command displays a brief summary
of all users who are using NanoCHAT. It displays
the channel number, node number, and handle of each
user as well as indicating which nodes are squelched
or muted, and which ones have the caller squelched.
/sm - "Show Members": This command displays a list of all
users in NanoCHAT's user database.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 86
/h - "Handle": This allows the caller to change his/her
handle. It can be changed for the current call only,
or saved permanently in the user database, if the
caller chooses. Users may include embedded colour
codes in handles.
/u1 - "Hello Message": This allows the caller to change
the message displayed by the system when s/he logs
on. It may contain embedded characters and can be
up to 96 characters in length. If no string
follows, the message is replaced with the default
message defined by the sysop.
/u2 - "Goodbye Message": This allows the caller to
change the message displayed by the system when
s/he logs off. Like the "Hello" message it can
contain up to 96 characters.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ SysOp and "c0" (Co-SysOp) Functions ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
There are 6 access classes in NanoCHAT:
Sys0p (highest)
Co-Sys0p
Moderator
VIP
Normal
m0e (lowest)
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Moderator commands ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
/k? Display a command list for moderators,
c0-sys0ps, and sys0ps.
/kx nnn Eject user on node nnn - This will
inform the user in question that
s/he's being tossed, and will then
exit the chat door.
/kj nnn Jail user on node nnn - This will
prevent the user from changing to
another channel
/km nnn Mute user on node nnn - This will
cause the user's task to ignore any
public messages, private messages, or
actions s/he may attempt.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 87
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Co-Sys0p commands ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ
(Note: Co-Sys0ps also have access to moderator commands)
/k+ nnn Promote user on node nnn -
This temporarily increases the user's
access level to the next class. M0es
are made normal, normals VIP, and VIPs
moderators. The maximum level allowed
by this command is Moderator.
/k- nnn Demote user on node nnn -
This has the opposite effect of /k+.
Other c0-sys0ps (and sys0ps) are
unaffected by this command.
/ky nnn Rudely eject user on node nnn -
This is very similar to /kx, but it
will simply hang up on the user
without an explanatory message of any
sort.
/ka nnn yyy Set /m slot for user on node nnn -
This will assign a message slot to the
user on nnn, where yyy is the message
name. yyy can be from 1 to 7
alphanumeric characters in length.
This assignment is saved in the user's
userbase record and is the only field
editable by non-Sys0p c0's.
/ka nnn Revoke /m slot for user on node nnn
/ka with no slot name will render the
user unable to modify any /m slot!
/kd nnn De-stat user on node nnn
This is a somewhat technical command
which should be used when, for
whatever reason, a user leaves chat
but still shows up in the /s list.
That non-user could continue receiving
messages from other nodes until the
IPC drive fills, which would cause
problems for the whole system,
therefore c0's may forestall such
problems with this command. It will
also delete any dead IPCs which have
accumulated for the user.
/kh nnn <handle> Temporarily change handle of
user on node nnn to <handle>. This is
useful when a user chooses an
unacceptable handle.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 88
/kt nnn ttt Temporarily change user's channel
to channel ttt (where ttt is a valid
channel from 1 to 255). You can keep
the user there by "Jailing" him/her.
عؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ؟
³ Sys0p commands ³
ہؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤظ (Note: Sys0ps have access to ALL system
functions including moderator and co-sys0p functions)
/k* nnn Temporarily grant/revoke Co-sys0p
access for node nnn. When access is
revoked the user's access returns to
the access level the user logged in
with.
/kb nnn "Bar" a user on node nnn and eject.
This is identical to /ky except that
prior to hanging up on the user, the
system will add the user's BBS name to
a "barred" file or blacklist will then
prevent the user from using the door
again until the name is removed from
the blacklist. The blacklist is a
simple textfile which can be edited in
any text editor (you may add, remove,
or modify names this way) with the
filename NanoCHAT.BAR.
/ke uuu Edit user record for user number uuu
uuu is a user record number, not a
node number! You can edit any user
this way, regardless of whether s/he
is online at the time. If the user is
online, the changes you make will
apply to them immediately! To find a
user's user number, the user command
/sm will display the user number of
each user.
/ks System Status. This will display the
number of callers online, the number
of bytes free on the IPC and system
drives, the size of available memory,
the number of /m messages available,
and the total number of users in the
userbase.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 89
ةحثحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححثح»
؛ ؛ GLOSSARY ؛ ؛
بحتحححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححححتح¼
Here is a list of some of the technical terms used in the
NanoBBS documentation, along with some terms you're likely to
encounter as a sysop.
ARC - An older archiving program by SEA (System Enhancement
Associates). This program is no longer widely used to
archive software on BBSes but is still the only recognized
archiver for FidoNet echomail transfers.
ARJ - An archiving program by Robert K. Jung. Not as widely
used as ZIP, its compression and speed are competetive and
its registration price is a little cheaper.
ANSI - This term is a sort of misnomer. In sysop usage, it
refers to IBM's colour version of the DEC VT-100 terminal
command language. This protocol is what gives most BBSes
their colour menus and screens. Virtually all terminal
programs written for the IBM PC support this standard and
default to it.
Baud - A term which refers to a change in the signal state in a
modem's modulation. Baud and BPS (modem speed) used to
be the same quantity when 300 baud was standard, but
today's advanced modulation schemes are able to attach
many bits to each baud to increase real speed (BPS).
Baud and BPS are still used interchangeably in common
conversation, but they are no longer the same and you'll
likely be indignantly corrected by certain smug gurus if
you should accidentally post something which suggests
that they are...
BBS - Bulletin Board System. An online service, usually run on
a single PC or a local area network of PCs. NanoBBS is a
software program which can turn your system into a BBS.
Bimodem - This is a really neat file transfer protocol which
lets users upload and download files at the same time!
It takes advantage of the fact that most modems can
transmit and receive simultaneously. It also allows
the user to "chat" with the SysOp while the files are
being transfered. Users who upload will really
appreciate being able to download at the same time!
I know of no BBS software that directly includes
Bimodem, but it is available as an "external" protocol
on many CDs or BBSes.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 90
BPS - Bits per Second. The speed of your modem. This is not to
be confused with Baud, which is an inaccurate name for
modem speed. Nevertheless, Baud is more commonly used so
it's generally acceptable to talk about a "14400 baud"
modem even though there's no such thing. It's 14400 BPS,
but only 2400 baud (it moves 6 bits per baud)
Chat - There are two types of Chat. The kind most sysops are
familiar with is "sysop chat" where the sysop hits Alt-C
and "breaks in" to type in real time to the user, who can
type back. NanoBBS also supports "teleconference chat"
via NanoCHAT. The best BBS software packages support
teleconference chat, and most BBSes with two or more
lines have it implemented in one form or another. NOTE:
There are so many technical and not-so-technical terms
dealing with teleconference chat that I could devote a
whole glossary to just them. However, they are well
covered in the chaper on NanoCHAT.
Doors - Doors are external programs, usually games, that the
user can run from the BBS. The attraction to doors is
that they allow many people to play the same game and
compete with each other, while most video games are
limited to one or two players. Although most doors are
games, many have other functions such as taking surveys,
match-making, and providing a .QWK mail interface, to
name but a few.
Download - Downloading is what happens when the BBS sends the
user one or more files at his request.
Echomail - A type of shared message area. Through the use of a
Fidonet Technology Mailer and an Echomail Packer, you
can "share" message areas with other BBS, so that
your users and users of other BBSes can converse on
the same subject without all the parties having to
call all the BBSes. A message posted on one BBS in
the echo network is automatically posted to the same
area on all the other participating systems. Some
echoes are very popular and are shared by hundreds of
systems, and have hundreds of messages posted to them
every day!
Fidonet - The first FTN. This network comprises over 20,000
BBSes and has hundreds of different message echoes.
Flame - A generic term used to describe a nasty or generally
unpleasant message. Most flames are ad hominem attacks.
Sysops should be prepared to deal with flames in order
to keep the tone of the BBS civil and upbeat.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 91
FSE - Full Screen Editor. This is a part of NanoBBS that lets
you enter messages in a convenient full-screen environment
similar to a word processor. The alternative is an
old-fashioned line-by-line editor, similar to DOS's Edlin
program. Some other BBSes need an external program to
support an FSE, but NanoBBS has one called NEd
(NanoEditor) built in!
FTN - Fidonet Technology Network. This is a network of BBSes
which uses the protocols and software developed originally
for Fidonet. There are many FTNs including, of course,
Fidonet. These networks cover the spectrum from general
interest chat type networks to very specialized subject
matter. Joining an FTN requires, at minimum, a mailer
such as BinkleyTerm or Intermail, an echomail processor
such as Squish or FMail, and a Fidonet compatible BBS such
as Maximus-CBCS.
.GZ - GZip is a portable compression method used mainly on Unix
systems. An MS-DOS version is available on many FTP sites.
Hacker - A hacker is NOT someone who tries to "break in" to your
BBS. Sysops use the word "twit" or "cyberpuke" to
describe would-be BBS crackers. The true definition of
a Hacker is someone who is intimately familiar with
computers and derives pleasure from exploring their
limitless capabilities... If you are constantly
tweaking and refining your BBS, even programming
utilities for it, then you're likely a hacker yourself!
Internet - A worldwide network of computers connected with
leased lines, satellites, microwave links, etc. It
has been described as a global LAN. It was
originally set up for the U.S. military as a
decentralized network that would survive a nuclear
attack, but now reaches to virtually every corner of
the globe and includes commercial, institutional, and
private sites in great numbers. Over 14 million
people are connected to the Internet.
Leech - A derogatory term used by sysops to describe users who
only download and never post messages or upload. This
term is used mainly by sysops who run free BBSes. If
you're running a BBS for profit, you need to take a
whole different attitude.
LZH - An archiving method by Haruyasu Yoshizaki (the program is
called LHA, even though the file extensions are LZH).
Competitive compression and speed, and freely
distributable and usable by noncommercial users!
Modem - The device which converts digital data into audible
sounds which can be transmitted over the phone lines,
and then back into data again. One of the most basic
hardware requirements for a BBS.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 92
Offline Reader - This is a program which lets a user read his
messages after he has logged off of the BBS
where the messages came from. The user logs on
to the BBS, downloads all the new messages at
once, then logs off and uses the offline reader
to read them at his leisure. This cuts down on
connect time, and is more convenient for the
user.
PD - Public Domain. Such files can be freely distributed,
modified, even sold with no copyright worries. Most
software found on BBSes and networks is NOT public domain,
and never should be assumed to be such!
Pirate Software - Programs which are copyrighted and NOT
intended to be distributed freely on BBSes.
Free distribution is what separates commercial
software from shareware. Generally speaking,
shareware comes with instructions and ordering
information, while pirated software doesn't
have instructions and usually includes a slick
pirate-group ANSI file or VGA demo.
QWK - A message format developed for PC-Board systems. This
format is mainly used for offline readers (see above).
NanoBBS supports this, of course.
RIP - Remote Imaging Protocol. This is a graphics display
protocol used in some of the more recent BBS and terminal
programs - including NanoBBS. RIP allows you to build
highly complex graphical menus and screens, and lets your
user point-and-click their way around your BBS. If you
want your BBS to appeal to the "all thumbs" type user, you
definitely should seriously consider setting up NanoBBS
for RIP support!
Shareware - A try-before-you-buy software marketing concept.
Software is distributed publicly with little or no
documentation and usually with several important
features disabled. If users like the program they
are expected to pay for the full version, which is
normally shipped by mail with the full packaging,
documentation, technical support and other goodies.
NanoBBS is distributed as shareware.
SysOp - The guy (or gal) who runs the BBS. In short, YOU. This
word is a contraction of SYStem OPerator. You may elect
to appoint co-sysops, who have equal control over the
BBS, assistant sysops who are able to carry out basic
housekeeping functions, and moderators, which are really
just regular users who can delete messages from other
users and are politically empowered by you to maintain
decorum.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 93
Terminal - That's the program a user uses to call your BBS.
Some of the best are QmodemPro from Mustang Software,
and Telix from DeltaComm. Both are promoted heavily
on BBSes by their publishers. Special-purpose
terminals like RipTerm should always be made easily
accessible to users if your BBS supports their
special protocols. Make sure you have the shareware
test-drive versions of major terminal programs easily
available to new users, so that they can upgrade
right away from the second-rate terminal programs
that usually come with modems at the time of
purchase.
Trashcan - A control file used by your BBS to detect problem
users and reject them. When you have to remove a
problem user, you put his name and known aliases in
this file and the BBS will reject any logon with
those names. It is considered a measure of a sysop's
success as a diplomat if his trashcan is empty...
Twit - A term used by sysops to describe a problem user.
Upload - Uploading is when a user sends the BBS one or more
files.
Usenet - A set of "newsgroups" which are actually not unlike FTN
echoes, but are usually moderated. These are
propagated through the internet rather than through
phone lines as FTN echoes are. Usenet newsgroups exist
for virtually every conceivable field of interest. If
you have a full Usenet feed, your users will never have
a shortage of messages to read, but you may develop a
shortage of disk space!
V.32bis - This is a type of modem modulation. V.32bis modems
communicate at 14,400 BPS before compression, and can
theoretically reach throughputs of 57,600 bps when
V.42bis compression is enabled. V.32 is a subset of
V.32bis, and preceded it by several years.
V.42bis - This is a type of modem compression. V.42bis modems
can theoretically increase modem throughput up to four
times! That means 2400 modems can have throughput to
9600 bps, 9600 modems to 38400, etc. V.42 is an
error-control protocol which is included in modems
which have V.42bis.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 94
V.Fast
V.FC
V.34 - These are a new type of modem modulation. At this
writing, V.Fast is the commonly used name of V.34
which is not yet finalized by ITU-T (formerly the
CCITT). V.FC is a protocol supported by Hayes, Zoom
and several other manufacturers, which was released
prior to V.34 with the expectation that it would be
upward compatible with the final form of V.34. All
three transfer at up to 28,800 bps before compression
and have several "fallback" speeds in case line
conditions are not perfect.
WFC - Waiting For Call. This is what the screen displayed by
the BBS while waiting for a call is called. If your BBS
is successful, you'll see very little of the WFC screen.
Xmodem - A very old file-transfer protocol, Xmodem is nearly
extinct. It is a block transfer protocol which sends
files in blocks of 128 bytes, waiting for
acknowledgement (and a checksum) before sending the
next block. In the real world, the best efficiency you
can hope for is about 75%, but it's usually worse than
that. Users should be discouraged from using Xmodem -
point them to a terminal program that supports Zmodem,
and ask that they download (and use) it. Once the user
has tried Zmodem, he'll never want to go back - mention
something to that effect while you're trying to talk
the user into changing terminals!
.Z - Files compressed by Unix systems often have a .Z extension.
There are Unix uncompressors for most platforms including
MS-DOS.
ZIP - A file compression method developed by Phil Katz. This is
probably the most common method used by PC users.
Compression ratios in the latest versions are excellent;
this format is well worth standardizing your BBS to. Some
BBSes will not accept uploads with any other archiver!
Zmodem - A very popular file-transfer protocol. Zmodem
automatically transfers files from one computer to the
other with full filename and date preservation, and
includes a "resume" feature in case the transfer is cut
off. It is also very efficient, because it is a
"streaming" protocol - it doesn't wait for
acknowledgement of each block before sending another.
This allows efficiencies very close to 100%.
Zoo - A very portable compression method. You might see files
created on Macintosh, Amiga or Unix-based computers but
intended for multiple platforms, compressed in this
format. It's slow and not as efficient as other archivers
but it's available for nearly every platform I've seen.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 95
ـغغغغغـ ـغغغغغـ ـغغغغغـ ـغغغغـ ـغغغغغـ ـغغغغغـ ـغغغغـ
ـــ كغغغ ـــ كغغغ ـــ كغغغ ـــ كغغغ ـــ غغك ـــ غغك ـــ ككك
غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغغغغـ غغغغغغـ كغغغغـ
غغغ غغغ غغغغغغغغ غغغ غغغ غغغـ غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ ـــ غغغ
غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ غغغ كغغغغك غغغغغغك غغغغغغك كغغغغك
NanoBBS 1.01
Copyright 1994,1995 Whirlwind Software
All Rights Reserved
ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ
Contact Information:
Mail:
Whirlwind Software
480 South Joffre St.
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada V9A 6C8
email: ue075@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
Fidonet: 1:340/26
BBS: +1 604 361 4549 (300-28800 bps, 24 hours)
Voice support is not available for unregistered copies of
NanoBBS. Sorry. Try netmail instead.
NanoBBS Documentation Page 96