Setting up HS/Link with Searchlight BBS

Run CONFIG.EXE or press ALT-F from within SLBBS.  Select the External
Protocols option.  Select an empty protocol definition.
The following is an example of what should be entered in the editor.


Searchlight BBS External Protocols Setup Menu


 1. Protocol Name ................. HS/Link
 2. Protocol Send Command ......... HS-U.BAT %P @C:\FILE.TMP
 3. Protocol Receive Command ...... HS-D.BAT %P

Line 1 contains the description you choose to have displayed
in the XProtocol Menu.

Line 2 defines the batch file to run when a user downloads a file(s).
The %P passes the com port that is being used.  The @C:\FILE.TMP
command makes a temporary file called FILE.TMP in the root directory
containing a list of filenames to transfer.  You can name this anything
you choose.  If a path is not specified it defaults to the current
directory (Usually C:\BBS).  This file is referred to in the batch
files so it must be the same in each.

Line 3 defines the batch file to run when a user uploads a file(s).
The %P passes the serial port that is being used.

Now copy the HS-U.BAT and HS-D.BAT files into your BBS's root directory.
These files can be edited and are well documented.  We recommend using
the alternative command outlined at the end of each of those files.  The
minimum setup is active in each batch file and should work with any SLBBS
setup.  We recommend using a batch file to run protocals, because SLBBS
sometimes confuses commandline switches for meta-characters.  This seems
to be an intermittant problem depending on your setup.

The bi-directional transfers only work when the Download command is used
because you cannot request files to be received.  You may want to explain
to your users that they will need to describe any files they upload
while downloading AFTER the transfer is completed.  (We wrote a bulletin
about this and how to setup the protocol.)  You should also tell them that
if they use the auto-logoff function while doing a bi-directional transfer
SLBBS will still request a filename for the uploaded file.  Basically this
means their account will be debited for the time it takes for the dead user
kill switch.  We'd also like to recommend that you keep the block size 
at 1024 bytes.  With the larger block size error correction becomes more 
of an issue and in the event of some type of an abort, the smaller size 
eliminates a lot of garbage being dumped on the screen and into the bbs.

Note for systems running locked COM ports:
We have found that if you use a locked DTE of 9600 or above, you will
need to have a 16550 UART installed.  Also, for rock solid performance
you should ad the -HS (Handshake Slow) switch to your batch file.

This should get you set up in under 10 minutes.  If you've got any 
problems, drop a line (Data) to Nachos, (703)385-2187 [9600 v.32]
or (703)352-0370 [2400 MNP/Lap-M] and yell for Cosmic or St. Stephen.