What's New for Virtual BBS (TM) for DOS & Virtual BBS (TM) for OS2 v7.00 INSTALL DISK 2 README.TXT Copyright (C) Virtual ComTech International, Inc. (TM) 1994 ****************************************************************** * * * STRING FILES (.S/.STR FILES) CREATED FOR USE WITH VBBS 6.1X * * ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH VBBS 7.00. YOU MUST EITHER DISABLE * * ANY OLD STRING FILES, OR MANUALLY UPDATE THEM BEFORE RUNNING * * VBBS 7.00. * * * * EXISTING INSTALLATIONS MUST EXECUTE VCONFIG CHANNELS * * CONFIGURATION BEFORE RESTARTING THE BBS FOR THE FIRST * * TIME AFTER INSTALLATION. * * * ****************************************************************** 1. Function Blocks now capable of multiple character commands. The only stipulation is that the command must start with a "/" character. For example: /WHO, /QWK, /CHAT. It should be noted that the backspace key be used during input, and that ENTER is not required at the end of the input -- the command will be rcognized automatically when complete. 2. Automatic FILE_ID.DIZ detection/extraction at upload time a. ZIP file is checked for presence of FILE_ID.DIZ b. If exists, FILE_ID.DIZ *only* is extracted from the ZIP to the channel's private temp directory (for example, C:\VBBS\TEMP\N1 for channel 1). c. The contents of the FILE_ID.DIZ are read into memory and the first few lines are displayed on the screen for the user to see. (In case he/she forgot or doesn't know whats in the file.) d. The short description defaults to the first line read in from the FILE_ID.DIZ file. The user can simply press ENTER to accept that default, or he/she can type in a new short description. e. The long description defaults to the entire contents of the FILE_ID.DIZ file, max 20 lines of text. When the user hits the "Edit Long Decription? Yes/No/Enter=No" prompt, he/she can edit the long description before saving the record. If they don't want to edit the long description, they can simply hit ENTER to proceed, since "No" is the default response to that prompt. f. This makes entering the description to a properly FILE_ID.DIZ'ed ZIP file a simple "[Enter][Enter]" operation, while allowing the capability to edit before saving if needed. g. This new functionality works for both remote uploads and local (sysop) uploads. h. FILE_ID.DIZ importation for ZIP files is handled by Virtual BBS at upload time. FILE_ID.DIZ importation for non-ZIP files is still handled by the Upload Scanner, which is part of VBBS-AUX.EXE. 3. File Listings a. In previous versions, users had the choice of either single-line or double-line file listings. Now, they will have a third choice: Double-line with extended descriptions. This is user-selectable from the Account Defaults menu. b. Ability added for RIP users to tag files for download by using the mouse to point and click 4. Added capability to edit the long description for a file. (Necessary because of improvement #3.) 5. Updated built-in Upload Scanner (VBBS-AUX.EXE) for the newer series of SCAN now being produced. 6. Changed VQWK.EXE so that it requires significantly less database-locking during QWK packet building. (Makes use of the channel's private directory.) 7. Enhanced VQWK visual display and increased performance of QWK tosser 8. Fixed wildcard filename input prompt logic so that entering an empty input (ie...just pressing ENTER without typing anything) doesn't always default to *.* as it had done in the past. Defaulting to *.* is great for the List and Search All Dirs functions, and VBBS still does that. However, defaulting to *.* for the Download (by filemask) function and for the Local SysOp Uploads function was kind of annoying. Entering an empty input for either of these two functions now aborts the function and returns one to the menu. (BTW, You can still enter "*.*" as just plain "*" if you like.) 10. Fixed the waiting-for-call function so that network polling would work properly even if your VirtualNET node number is configured as 0. 11. Fixed netlotime/nethitime so that no remote logins of any kind are allowed during the defined time interval. Local console logins by the SysOp are still permitted. 12. Added recognition of +FCO for incoming fax calls. I was told this would fix a problem for certain adaptive-answer-capable faxmodems. 13. New Waiting For Call screen a. In previous versions, VBBS-DOS and VBBS-OS2 had different WFC screens. VBBS-DOS and VBBS-OS2 now have the same WFCscreen and functionality. b. System Stats are displayed in a box on the upper-right portion of the screen. c. Drive size and free space are displayed in a box on the lower-right portion of the screen. Greater than 10% free displays in green, between 5% and 10% displays in yellow, and less than 5% displays in red. d. A "Help" box is displayed in the lower-left portion of the screen. e. A real-time all-channel system status display is located in the upper left portion of the screen. This system status monitor operates in one of threes modes, selected automatically based on your Number of Active Channels setting (VCONFIG, Main). Mode Number/Active Description Channels 1 1-8 Displays who's online and what they're doing; covers channel 0 to channel 8 on a 9(h) x 2(w) grid. 2 9-17 Displays who's online; covers channel 9 to channel 17 on a 9(h) x 2(w) grid. 3 18+ Displays who's online; covers channel 0 to channel 62 on a 9(h) x 7(w) grid. f. This is a real-time WFC which updates itself one per 7 seconds, unless it has been blanked by the built-in screen blanker. Screen information updated in real-time: System Stats, Drive free space, and the all-channel system status display. g. This new real-time WFC can be accessed for system monitoring purposes, when logged into channel 0, as VBBS internal command LOCALWFC. Update interval: 5 seconds. h. "Initializing", "RING x" (x=RING count), "Answering" added to activity display. What this means is that you'll be able to see modems going thru their paces on all the channels from the real-time WFC display. 14. Extended Channel Configuration CHANNELX.CFG a. Extended Channels configuration allows for definable init strings, off-hook string, answer string, and dial string for each channel. The Old CHANNELS.CFG supported the following: Serial Port Base Address IRQ Baud Rate Baud Lock Minimum Baud Rate Allowed Handshake Init String The New CHANNELX.CFG supports the following: Serial Port Base Address IRQ Baud Rate Baud Lock Minimum Baud Rate Allowed Handshake Init String1 Init String2 Init String3 Off-Hook String Answer String Dial String b. VBBS, VNET, VDM, etc have all been modified to use the new CHANNELX.CFG configuration. c. Because older utilities RELY on CHANNELS.CFG for configuration information, VCONFIG 7.00 supports both. That is to say, as you modify and update CHANNELX.CFG from VCONFIG, CHANNELS.CFG is also automatically updated as applicable. Third-party developers are encouraged to use the newer CHANNELX.CFG file. Contact Virtual Comtech for details. 15. Message base Read (S)earch function now also scans message text for desired string. Makes it very easy to find what you are looking for. For example, searching biz.comp.hardware (Hardware Sales) for every occurence of the word "CD-ROM" or "486." ** This feature has also been expanded to include EMAIL and FILE LISTINGS. 16. Added Account Expiration Date to User Record a. Allows you to set a date when the account will expire. (YYMMDD format) b. Allows setting up accounts which will never expire -- just leave the field blank. c. If a user tries to login after their account has expired, they will be set to new user security level, with a time limit of two minutes -- presumably enough time for them to leave a quick note or use the "subscription door" to buy more access. 17. File Area Databases marked as CD-ROM are now skipped in the New scan. Once you've "uploaded" a CD-ROM to the board by creating the VBBS databases, what is going to change? You can't add any files to a CD-ROM, so why New scan it every single time? I can see where this will dramatically increase the New scan speed of boards that use a lot of CD-ROMs. 18. VCONFIG changes a. CHANNELS.CFG/CHANNELX.CFG changes mentioned earlier. b. "Idlemodem" and "Dial string" settings removed, as those are now handled by the new CHANNELX.CFG. c. Built-In Modem String Help System. You select the modem from a list, and your 6 modem strings (init1, init2, init3, offhook, answer,dial) are automatically configured. (Modem data comes from a text file MODEMS.CFG which can be modified and updated as neceesary without the need to change the software.) d. Selecting the configuration of any FIDO type network runs VFIDO /E NETWORKID=. e. Adding databases is now faster and easier. The ability to place a new database at the end of a group has also been added. 19. Download Files/Batch Functions now merged into one easier to use command. Now similar in operation to other softwares. (See String File changes #26a) 20. VQWK changed to support a VQWK.MNU/VQWK.RIP file for its menu. (See String File changes #26b) 21. VQWK now includes rudimentary QWK networking support. You can take a QWK packet downloaded from another bulletin board and import the messages into your VBBS board with the following command line: VQWK 0 /NET: Example: VQWK 0 /NET:c:\qwk\file1.qwk 22. When doing a text search (message bases and email) the highlighted text will show in red when you display the message. 23. Added Definable Rooms and Moderators to the Teleconference. a. A room can be either named or unnamed. b. A room can have a specific moderator, or anyone can be moderator. 24. Added an option that allows the BBS to ignore the extension during new upload duplicate checking. IE.. ROLAND.ZIP would considered a duplicate of ROLAND.ARJ. This is useful if you have callers that like to "repackage" ZIP files and re-upload in order to get credit for uploading. 25. Added Sysop-Definable ACTION commands to the Teleconference. 26. String File (DEFAULT.S) changes a. Reworked strings 82,83,84 to conform to new batch download function. b. String 377 that used to be the VQWK menu and prompt is now merely a prompt. Menu comes from VQWK.MNU/VQWK.RIP. c. Added strings to the end of the file for support of the new teleconference commands. 27. Fixed DORINFOx.DEF so that channel 0 creates DORINFO0.DEF, channel 1 creates DORINFO1.DEF, channel 2 creates DORINFO2.DEF, and so on. 28. /SYSOP is automatically recognized from any menu prompt as a desire to go to the SYSOP.FB SysOp Commands Function Block.