ICONS.PPE by Scot Thompson FREEWARE! What is ICONS.PPE? ------------------ ICONS.PPE is a ppe that is used in a logon situation to test if a caller using the RIPscrip protocols has the icons for your BBS. Obviously, if the user does not have your icons, it will not be as easy to read your menus, maybe impossible. This PPE, if put in your logon display file, will test all users for a RIP compatable terminal. If the user is RIP compatible, then the PPE will test the users system to determine if your icons exist on thier system. If they do, then this PPE will do nothing. However, if they do not, then this PPE will display a short RIP screen asking the user if they would like to download your icons. If they click yes, then your system will transfer the icons to the remote system. If for some reason the user decides to click no, then the ppe will end and the user will not get your icons. How do I setup this PPE? ------------------------ This ppe was designed to be installed in your logon display file so that all callers can be checked. You can, however, install it wherever you see fit. To install in your logon file (for PCBoard 15.21), go into PCBSetup, then File Locations (B) then Logon/Newask files (D). From there, go down to Name/Loc of Logon Questions, about half way down. If you already have a filename there, press F2. If not, you'll have to put a filename/location of your choosing first. In the file, simply put the line: !C:\PCB\PPL\ICONS\ICONS.PPE This will cause the PPE to be run. You can do it anywhere in the file, but I suggest near the top, so other things won't be able to exit out before it is run. Of course, I would recommend that you put each of your ppe's in separate directories, but it is not required. ICONS.PPE will only look in the directory you call it from for the following files (if they exist): ICONS.CFG (required) XFER (or XFER.RIP or XFERR) The configuration file is required for usage of the PPE. The PPE will abort without it. The XFER file can be named anyway you need it. On my BBS, RIP users are automatically put into language 2 (RIP graphics, extension .RIP) and RIP graphics mode. So, for my BBS, you could use either XFER.RIP or XFERR and the user would see it. I like XFER.RIP so that the RIPs are easy to find. This file is graphics, language, and security specific, so you can make as many or as few as you need. The PPE will expect the user to enter a "Y" (no Carriage Return) if they want to download the icons. Any other keystroke will be assumed to mean the negative. A sample XFER.RIP is included, as is the XFER.J file which I used to create it (using JMEDIA -- thank's Nick, for that great program). What about the configuration file? ---------------------------------- The configuration file has some commenting inside of it, and should be rather straight-forward. The first line of the config file is the location of the icon files that you wish to transfer/test for. This would be something like "C:\PCB\RIP\". Make sure to include the trailing backslash and, of course, the quotes are not included. On the second and following lines, put the NAME ONLY of the icon file you wish to transfer/test for. For example, "EXFILES.ICN", without the quotes. You can have as many lines as you need, but use only one filename per line. After the last icon file, LEAVE A BLANK LINE! This blank line acts as a marker so the PPE knows when to stop reading the config file. If you do not have this line, then the PPE will mess you up pretty good! There's your warning . Anything else I need to know? ----------------------------- That should just about do it. I am releasing this PPE as freeware, with source included. Thanks to other PPE authors who also include their code. Do not release modified source code without prior written permission. I can be reached at my BBS -- Exeter's Place -- at (602) 545-1700 or via Intelec in the CDC, PPL, or SysOps conferences. You can also send FIDO netmail to 1:114/449 if you wish. If you call the BBS, leave me a comment and I will upgrade you so that you don't have to use the Call-back verifier. You can still download on your first visit, though. I very rarely call Salt Air, so unless you are really not in a hurry, don't bother posting there. The latest version of this PPE will be available for FREQ as ICONS. ICONS.PPE uses PCBoards pcbsz.bat file to send the icons, so nobody should have problems with this. The .bat file will have to be in your path or current directory, of course, but you can have PCBoard's own ZMSEND or Omen's DSZ or whatever you wanted in it. ICONS.PPE creates a file called "ICONSxxx" where xxx is the node number you are on, so the PPE should operate easily under a multi-tasker or network without any problem. However, I run a single node system and this feature is largely untested at this time. An error in your configuration could cause problems here if two users logged on at the same time! The PPE is multi-tasker friendly, using DELAYs during INKEYs so that it can give up time slices as necessary. However, this PPE runs very quickly and will not need to give up much time. Warranties, Guarantees, etc. ---------------------------- There is no warranty or guarantee of any kind, implied or otherwise, with this product. Use only at your own risk. It works fine here, and if you call using RIP, you can test it. However, your mileage may vary. However, this product is not public domain. If you do have problems getting it to work or installing it, you can reach me at the above mentioned areas, and I will get back to you ASAP. If you have any enhancements in mind, I would be happy to entertain the ideas. Really, I can't think of anything else you would want from this, but, hey, who knows?