** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ******** ** ** ******** ********** ****** ** ** ******** ********** (c)1994 WALU Software presents HOLOQWK What A Lovely Utility Software Copyright & Distribution ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright of this document and the program and files to which it relates remains with WALU Software. This is a registered version and may not be distributed by any means what so ever. The source code, executable program and all associated files remain the property of the author. Reverse engineering or modifying executable program files is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the copyright holders. Licence for Use ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is a registered version of HoloQwk and as such you are prohibited from distributing the program or files and may only make copies for the purposes of backups for use only by the registered user. This is a single site only license and users wishing to use the program on multiple installations should contact WALU software for multiple site license information. The use of this product for commercial purposes at any time is prohibited without the prior written consent of the copyright holders. For further details write to WALU Software at the address given at the end of this document. Disclaimer ~~~~~~~~~~ The author specifically disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for any particular purpose with respect to defects in the software and documentation. In no event shall the author be liable for any loss of profit, or other damage, commercial or otherwise, whether caused directly or indirectly by use of this product. What is It? ~~~~~~~~~~~ HoloQwk is a QWK compatible mail packer for use with QBBS ST to allow users to either pack and download online or to have conferences batch packed overnight for download next day. The format of the HoloQwk mail packets is compatible with QWK mailers including IMHO and Mountain Quick on a range of different computer platforms. No longer is it necessary for users to spend hours online reading the message bases, they can now download packets read them offline, generate thier replies and call back to upload thier reply packets,spending a lot less time and money actually online. Its many features include : o Easy NETMAIL access. o Automatic reindexing. o Kludge line stripping. o Select conferences to read. o Pack online or batch mode. o Limit download packet size. o Limit number of messages to pack. o Rescan conferences. o Set last read pointers. o Automatic Taglines o QWK .Dor program o Supports the use of control messages within reply packets. Installation ~~~~~~~~~~~~ When unarchived, certain folders are created, these folders are an example of one way of setting up HoloQwk, the only major point to note is that the TEMP folder must be exclusive to Holoqwk as during normal operation this folder has it's contents erased including any write protected files. In this archive you will find the following programs ; CONFIG.PRG EDITOR.PRG and GRPED.PRG, you should read the separate sections on these programs before running HoloQwk. A program called 'NEWFILES.PRG' is used to generate a text file of new files for a user to peruse offline - this program was written by Robert Darling - his BBS system is 'Folkestone QBBS' +44-303-249306. He has kindly given permission for us to include it within this archive. Both example TOMSHELL.BAT files and also .DOR files can be found within this archive in order to help you install the program with as little effort as possible - Should you have installation problems then please either contact Dave on The Holodeck (+44-454- 880267), or Martin on The Chameleon (+44-454-881095), please make sure that you have executed the CONFIG.PRG and filled in all the necessary details before thinking you have a problem - and always examine the LOG file produced ! Once installed you should run the program twice to initiate all the control files used by HoloQWK, once this is done HoloQWK is mainly self maintaining. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disc Space Requirements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The TEMP folder is where .QWK packets are initially created, the .QWK packets contain numerous ASCII and binary files which can take up a lot of storage space, especially if you have a lot of mail areas and your users pack plenty of mail. Likewise, the HOLD folder can also take huge amounts of space depending on the number of users who have packets being held for them, and also how long you are willing to allow the system to pack messages for users without them having to pick it up. So how much ? - Well, if you have a quiet system, not many users using the HoloQWK then lets start with a guesstimate of approx. 1M, and then build up from there - If there are any memory or disc limitations found during the use of HoloQWK it will be reported in the log file so if you are worried about disc space then consult your log file often ! Operation ~~~~~~~~~ HoloQWK can be called via the 'Exit with Errorlevel' command of QBBS or from a .DOR file as per the example files. A DORINFO1.DEF must be written to the QBBS folder before executing HoloQwk or the QWK door program. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mail Areas ~~~~~~~~~~ Mail areas 1 - 999 can be accessed from HoloQWK, area names are read from BOARDS.BBS within QBBS\CONF\, as are the file paths. All three security levels are utilised, allowing users access only to those areas for which they have security access - the flags are NOT used when accessing mail areas. Messages destined for private only areas are marked as private and any messages destined for non-private areas are marked as public. Uploaded reply packets are checked to ensure that they are correctly destined for the system they have been sent to - if they were generated for another system then they are not processed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating Systems ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HoloQWK has been tested on both STE's and STFM's, with TOS 1.02 - TOS 2.06 with no adverse effects, it also has been tested in conjunction with POWERDOS and on accelerated machines. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Memory Requirements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HoloQWK has been tested on 1M machines upwards, although it is expected operate on 0.5M machines as well, memory is used as and when needed and it is not hogged, no limiting is required for 'Multitasking' systems. System Protection ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Full carrier detection is employed, carrier is expected at all times unless run in local mode which is detected by use of the DORINFO1.DEF file that is expected to be in the QBBS folder. Unlike some other systems, local mode is defined by finding a connect speed of '0' in the DORINFO1.DEF file - this means it does not hang your system up when a user drops carrier just before the program is run. A sleep timer ensures that a user does not tie up your system due to inactivity - it prompts the user for some input before exiting so that they get a last chance to do something before being returned to the BBS HoloQwk Configuration Manager ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The configuration manager is a GEM utility to enable a sysop to easily setup HoloQwks functions and operation. It includes online Help for most features but we have included a few brief notes anyway. Set General Paths ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here you set the paths to various system files, archivers and transfer protocols. Set general Values ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here you set the name of your QWK packets ie: your board name. Max eight characters all of which must be valid filename characters. The address and telephone number of your BBS. The path and name to the Monitor mail area (no extender). Minimum security level a user must have before they are allowed to enable batch packing. The number of days before batch packing is disabled if a user does not call to collect his packets. Message areas that are to be forced or denied. Areas 1-199 only. Monitor Area if defined all messages posted through HoloQWK will be duplicated into this private non echo mail area. Set logging arrangements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here you set the level of logging that is to take place. Other Bits ~~~~~~~~~~ Timings :- Here you can reset the timings for Zip, LZH and ARC compression estimates. HoloQwk will recalculate the approximate time that will be taken to archive packets. These times are displayed to the users prior to archiving online. Force Message Dates :- If selected all imported messages will be date stamped with the system date. Some lazy users don't set the clocks on thier machines :-) User Alerts ~~~~~~~~~~~ Here you select what actions are to be taken when a user drops carrier or falls asleep within the HoloQwk system. Also actions can be taken when or if a user fails to call to collect his packets within the defined time period or if batch packing has caused his packet size to exceed his defined Max packet size limit. The message area must be defined if you want messages written to the user. These messages may be sent as private or public. Highlight boxes to enable an option. The messages and bulletins to be written are created from files YOU supply, they must reside within the same folder as HoloQwk and are named : HOLOQWK.001 for when a user drops carrier HOLOQWK.002 for when a user falls asleep HOLOQWK.003 for when batch pack is disabled due to reaching the users predefined length limits HOLOQWK.004 for when batch pack is disabled when a user fails to collect a packet within your described time limit. If the required file cannot be accessed then the message/bulletin that required it is not written. NetMail ~~~~~~~ Set netmail arrangements. Ensure when entering the address you include leading zeros where required. Save Current Setup ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saves the current setup :-) Exit Setup Utility ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quits HoloQwk Editor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The HoloQwk editor program allows the sysop to edit users settings without the need to log onto the BBS as that user. When you edit a users settings you MUST click on overwrite for the change to take effect. Settings that can be changed using this version of the editor are :- Archiver, Transfer protocol, Batch packing,Message lock, Maximum packet size, Newfiles, Newsfile and Autotags. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- HoloQwk Group Editor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Process ~~~~~~~ Addgroup :- Allows you add upto 23 groups for display from within HoloQwk. The group number should correspond with the area group as set in MConfig. Click on addgroup displays a dialogue box in which you can enter the group number and a description of the area. HoloQwk displays the conference areas by group along with the description you enter here. Click on a previously defined group to edit or erase. File ~~~~ Load :- load previously saved .GRP configuration file. Save :- Save .GRP configuration file, overwriting any existing file. Note ~~~~ Although keyboard short cut keys are shown they are not implemented in this version of the group editor. If you do not have a HOLOQWK.GRP file in the same folder as HoloQwk when it starts then the system will default to displaying conferences in numerical order. HQWKDOOR.PRG ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The idea of QWK is that a user can log on get his mail, upload replies and log off again with the minimum of fuss. To this end we include the program HQWKDOOR.PRG which should be run from your WELCOME.DOR file, an example of which is included in this archive. When run this program checks to see if the user has an existing packet ready for download and if so gives him the option to download the packet followed by an option to upload any reply packet he may have. If there is no QWK packet on hold for him then nothing gets sent to the user and so the process is invisible and your login sequence continues as normal. IMPORT MODE ~~~~~~~~~~~ .REP reply packets that are uploaded via the HQWKDOOR.PRG are saved to the Hold folder and only processed when HOLOQWK.PRG is run with the command line parameter IMPORT. See example .BAT batch files included in the archive. Online Menu Options ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [ H ] Help ~~~~~~~~~~ This displays a text file 'HOLOQWK.HLP' if present within the same folder as HoloQWK - if the text file is not present then this option is not shown to the user. [ P ] Preferences ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This sub-menu allows a user to select the archiver. protocol as well as which files to be included in the QWK packets. Each selection 'rotates' when the corresponding key is pressed, this is also where 'batch' packing is enabled/disabled Enabling the automatic Taglines option will cause HoloQwk to append a tag line to all messages that are imported from uploaded .REP reply packets. These taglines are selected from an ascii file called HoloQwk.TAG located within the HoloQwk folder. [ C ] Conferences ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This displays pages of areas that are available to the user, of which there is three methods of (de)selecting active areas. 1 - Simply enter the number of the area to (de)select 2 - Enter more than one area, separated by commas i.e. 2,3,6,10,23 etc 3 - Enter a range of areas, separated by a minus i.e. 123-134 etc ~ indicates an area is selected ! indicates an area is set to force Note that if a user selects 1-999 then all areas will be toggled regardless of whether or not they are displayed on the current page. [ O ] Online Pack ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This starts the packing process and then archives and sends the QWK packet according to the preferences for the user. Packing can be aborted ONLY between areas, this is by pressing ESC [ D ] Download Packet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Should an attempt to download a packet fail then further attempts can be made by use of this menu option. [ U ] Upload reply packet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Packed replies are uploaded with this option, the protocol and archiver used is as set up by the user in the preferences menu Uploaded reply packets are checked to ensure that they are correctly destined for the system they have been sent to - if they were generated for another system then they are not processed. Messages are dearchived and processed online Messages are formatted before being saved into thier destination area to a line length of 72 characters, this includes any messages sent to the monitor area. The 'from' field of the message is capitalised using the normal QBBS standard, no more names in CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY ! Should some fool upload a reply packet with a write protected file within it it still gets deleted from the temporary area. [ S ] Set Lastread ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This sub-menu allows a user to (re)set the mail pointers for any areas available to HoloQWK. There are six methods available : 1 - Reset all pointers - all messages are considered unread 2 - Reset selected conferences - all messages in selected conferences are considered unread 3 - Maximise all pointers - all messages are considered read 4 - Maximise selected conferences - all messages in selected conferences are considered read 5 - Set the number of unread messages (minimum of 6 per area) 6 - Set the last date of read messages - effectively rescan an area [ L ] Lock Messages ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This allows a user to set the maximum number of messages that will be packed from each area, by knowing how many areas the user has selected along with this value, a maximum message count per packet can be calculated. [ M ] Maximum packet size ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This function only operates on batch packed packets. Local Operation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All functions of HOLOQWK can be run in local mode but HQWKDOOR only functions correctly in online mode to keep it compact and fast in operation. Local operation is performed when the connect rate of the user as told in the DORINFO1.DEF file is '0' - The only differences between this mode of operation and the normal 'online' mode is that uploads and also downloads are performed using a file selector - this enables you to test both packing and depacking. The uploading or downloading packets in local mode cannot be performed whilst using the HQWKDOOR.PRG - this is an online module only. Control Messages ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ALL control messages should be addressed to HOLOQWK and are sent as normally uploaded messages within the users .REP packet. CONTROLTYPE = ADD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on it's subject line then the area in which this message was written is added to the users profile and is included in any future packing. Issuing this command in an already connected area will have no effect. CONTROLTYPE = DROP ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on it's subject line then the area in which this message was written is removed from the users profile and no further packing of this area will occur. Issuing this command in a disconnected area will have no effect. CONTROLTYPE = SETMAX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on it's subject line the lastread pointer for this area will be adjusted so that any mail currently available in this area will be regarded as already read. Issuing this command in a disconnected area will cause the area to be added to the users profile as well as adjusting the lastread pointer for the area. CONTROLTYPE = RESCAN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on it's subject line the lastread pointer for this area will be adjusted so that any mail currently available for this area will be regarded as unread - that is, during the next packing operation all messages will be included Issuing this command in a disconnected area will cause the area to be added to the users profile as well as adjusting the lastread pointer for the area. CONTROLTYPE = MAXPACK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on it's subject line followed by a decimal number from 10 to 32767 then the MAXPACK value will be set for the user accordingly. Setting a value of less than 10 or greater than 32767 will disable the feature. The area in which this message is issued is not important and is ignored. CONTROLTYPE = MAXMSGS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on it's subject line followed by a decimal number from 1 to 32767 then the LOCKMESSAGES value will be set for the user accordingly. Setting a value of less than 1 or greater than 32767 will disable the feature. The area in which this message is issued is not important and is ignored. CONTROLTYPE = CITY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on it's subject line the following word will replace the existing address for the user in his QBBS profile. CONTROLTYPE = PASSWORD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on the subject line the following word will replace the existing password for the user in his QBBS profile. THIS MESSAGE IS IGNORED IF THE PASSWORD IS LESS THAN FOUR CHARACTERS. CONTROLTYPE = BPHONE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on the subject line the following word will replace the users data phone number as stored in his QBBS profile. CONTROLTYPE = HPHONE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When a control message has this on the subject line the following word will replace the users voice phone number as stored in his QBBS profile. Defaults ~~~~~~~~ Should a control message be detected that does not follow the rules for the particular function, or is not a recognised function, then the message is simply ignored - should this occur then the user is informed and also it is logged. Continual logging of this nature should prompt you to have a word with the user as to the error of his/her ways ! NetMail Support ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HoloQWK allows users to send Netmail by enetering the message into the area defined as Netmail. A user enters the message in thier offline reader in the normal manner then ON THE FIRST LINE of the message body they must enter the destination address as shown : To 2:255/43.0 This MUST be the first line and MUST be the only thing on that line. The Netmail address you the sysop entered in the Config editor is used as the default FROM address when the message is written. This address gets changed where necessary by your mailer. Any messages that can not be sent by HoloQWK are marked as deleted so that you may edit them for the user and if you have an active monitor area you will also be able to see the netmail there. Batch Pack Mode ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To operate HoloQWK in Batch Pack Mode it is simply a matter of passing a command line of BATCH to the program, any users with batch mode enabled will have mail packed for them. When a user has batch mode enabled and the system starts to pack mail it first checks the existing size of any packets already on hold for the user - if the size of the existing packet on hold for the user is greater than the size defined in max packet size then batch mode will be disabled. If you enabled the write message option within the configuration program then the user will be sent a message to say his packet size has been reached and batch pack has been disabled. Any packets already created for that user will remain on hold until either the user collects them or the sysop deletes them. Reindexing ~~~~~~~~~~ With HoloQWK version 5.2 and upwards user profiles are stored by indexing thier names along with thier QBBS number and also an internal counter. Should you decide to compress,compact,delete or otherwise change your USERS.BBS file then you should run HoloQWK with the command line of REINDEX after doing such. This is only necessary if you intend to use the HQWKDOR program. Registration and Support for Walu Software ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Walu Software F.a.o. Martin Stacey 37, Sandy Lodge Yate, Avon. BS17 4HE England, U.K. Fax +44 (0)454 881095 Please include your full address, name of your BBS, hours etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Online Support is available from ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Holodeck Sbbs Chameleon BBS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NeST 90:106/151.0 90:106/153.0 Atarinet 50:501/151.0 50:501/153.0 Fishnet 777:777/0.0 777:200/0.0 Mercury 240:400/7.0 240:400/6.0 +44 (0)454 880267 +44 (0)454 881095 V32 bis 24 Hours