Lora Bulletin Board System and
Electronic Mail Interface
Version 2.33-6
Copyright (c) 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 by Marco Maccaferri
All rights reserved
How to upgrade
=====================================================================
Here is the right procedure to upgrade Lora in your system:
1. Change to your system directory (normally called C:\LORA) and
uncompress inside it the original archive, LOS233-6.ZIP.
2. Run LOS233-6.EXE
The program will upgrade the files that are changed with this
release.
Note: the upgrade procedure will patch the original 2.33-5
executable files only.
Changes made from version 2.33-5
=====================================================================
- Added support for new USRobotics V32terbo 21600 connect speed.
- Added support for the V.FAST connect response at 28800 baud.
- Fixed a bug in the passthrough areas: the AREA: line is now added
correctly.
- In the previous whatsnew.txt file it's incorrectly stated that
the subscription days left are displayed with the ^F9 embedded
command. The correct command is ^F1.
- Fixed a problem with the verify of packet passwords when the
passwords are less than 8 characters.
- Added support for the CARRIER <baud> connect responses. That's the
factory setting for some modems.
- Fixed a bug updating the download counters with CD-ROM file areas.
- Fixed a bug with the internal upload protocol handler that cannot
updates the user's upload kbytes and number fields.
- Now the answers from the message and file area managers (named
Areafix and Raid) are originated by Lora-BBS vX.YY rather than
Areafix and Raid.
- Added the command NODELIST to build the nodelist indexes from a
batch file.
- Fixed a bug with modems that cannot report the connect flags in
the form "CONNECT 9600/V32/V42B".
Changes made from version 2.33-4
=====================================================================
- The language file has changed (4 lines added).
- The subscription field of the users editor is now active and fully
functional. There are two system files that can be displayed
according with the subscription date:
SUBDATE.* - Is displayed when a users calls your board after
the subscription date has expired.
SUBWARN.* - Is displayed when the number of days before the
expiration date is less that 31 days.
- Added the embedded command ^F9 that shows the number of days before
the subscription expires.
- The user editor is now built into LSETUP under the Manager menu.
- Added the B???????.* system file. It is shown to the user with the
BPS rate as specified behind the B. B2400.* would be shown to
a 2400 BPS caller and B14400.* would be shown to a 14400 BPS
caller. You can make a file for the following BPS rates:
300
1200
2400
4800
7200
9600
12000
14400
16800
19200
38400
- Added the FGOODBYE.* system file. It is displayed when the user
decides to hangup after a file transfer. Do not use embedded
commands that pauses the file otherwise the user can't use the
automatic logoff.
- Made a lot of fixups to both the serial port handling and video
functions routines to prevents uncontrolled loops and speed
bottlenecks even with windowed sessions.
- Added the 'Quote header' parameter to the BBS / General options
menu. The reply header is displayed at the top of a message that is
quoted in a reply.
The following macro characters may be used within this
field:
@ Expands into the person's name to which the original message
was addressed.
# Expands into the person's name who posted the original message
(the one being replied to).
` Expands into the date that the original message (the one being
replied to) was posted.
~ Expands to the time that the original message (the one being
replied to) was posted.
For example, if the following reply header was specified:
In a message originally to @, # said:
Would expand in a message to:
In a message originally to All, Joe User said:
- Added the 'Quote string' parameter to the BBS / General options
menu. This allows you to select the string of characters which
Lora will place before any message text that is quoted in a reply.
This is useful for separating quoted message text from reply
message text within a message. For example, a message quote string
specified as the ">" character might look like this:
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ > I have been using Lora BBS for two │
│ > months now and love it! │
│ │
│ I have to agree with you there, John. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
In this example, you can see that the message text that is being
quoted begins with the defined Quote String. This makes the
message easier to understand.
Two macro characters are also supported within the quote
string. They are:
@ This macro character is expanded within message text into the
upper-case initials of the person who is being quoted or
replied to.
# This macro is expanded into the lower-case initials of the
person who is being quoted or replied to.
~ This macro is expanded into the initials of the person who is
being quoted or replied to without changing the case.
For example, if the quote string was specified as "@>", quoted
message text might look something like this:
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ JP> I have been using Lora BBS for two │
│ JP> months now and love it! │
│ │
│ I have to agree with you there, John. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
This gives an even better idea of which message text is being
quoted.
- Added the flags definitions for both Areafix and Raid processors.
Now you can define up to 32 flags for your downlinks like the flags
you have with the users.
- Increased the size of the netmail akas. Now you have 20 slots at
your disposal.
- The 'Translate to' field of the cost manager has been increased in
width to allow telephone credit card numbers.
- Added the 'packers engine'. Now the Manager/Packers menu allows
you to define the packers/unpacker for both the QWK mail
door and the Fidonet mail processor. You can define the pack/unpack
commands and the identification bytes for each packer, this allows
you to add packer without changing the executable files.
The packers identification string is made by pairs of hexadecimal
numbers representing the bytes that can be found at the byte position
specifyed by the 'Offset' parameter.
- Added the 'Netmail messages tracker', that checks every netmail
message that your system imports for valid origin and destination
nodes. You can enable or disable the message tracker with the
Mailer / Miscellaneous / Track msgs. option.
- Added the TIC file processor. Now each file area has a TIC tag field
(like the echomail tag) and three forward lines.
- Added the item 'Import TIC.CFG" to the File menu, that allows you to
import your existing TIC configuration. This item imports only the
file area names, paths and forward, due to the internal handling of
the TIC processor, the passwords are defined in the Manager / Nodes
menu and are unique for each node, you cannot define a different
password for the same node in different areas.
- Added the file area processor (named Raid) to allow your downlinks
to add, remove and query their echo file areas status. The provided
RAID_HLP.TXT shows you the commands available.
- There is a new LMSG.EXE that should fix some problems. It has a
new command line switch: -L that allows you to reply-link the
messages by subject. It works for Squish and QuickBBS message bases
only, it will completed in the next release.
- For everyone has complained about the midnight trap that occurs
with Lora/2: check your scheduler setup (Manager / Events menu)
and be sure that your events covers the entire 24 hours range.
That means that the last event must end at 24:00 and not at 23:59.
Changes made from version 2.33-3
=====================================================================
- Improved the screen output routines.
- This beta was recompiled using the Borland C/C++ 1.0 for OS/2.
The previous release was compiled with an early beta of the
Borland compiler.
- The language files are changed (one line was added). Make sure to
update your custom files.
- LMSG -I over a Fido *.MSG area, causes the creation of the
MSGTOIDX.DAT file. This file will be used by the personal mail
scan to find out the messages in the Fido areas.
- Improved the Squish message scan.
Changes made from version 2.33-2
=====================================================================
- Several improvements are made to the outbound scanning routines.
Note that a new file appears in the Lora's system directory:
QUEUE.DAT. This file contain an index to the outbound packets
and should be deleted only if you must completely rescan the outbound
directories.
- Fixed a bug with the download counters that weren't updated when
using the file list parameter.
- Added the check on the fidouser.lst file in the nodelist
directory as an alternative to the names.cfg file.
- Added the 'Carrier mask' parameter to the Modem/Hardware menu,
that allows you to specify the bit mask with which the carrier
must be detected (normally it's 128).
- Added the 'DCD drop timeout' parameter to the Modem/Hardware menu,
that allows you to specify a timeout in seconds for which the
carrier must be down before hangup the line. This avoids some
problems with extremely noise lines.
- Now the input routines accepts the entire ASCII character set,
except for the unprintable codes (below 0x20). With this "fix" it's
now possible to use country-specific characters in messages and
in every input request. I think that the Chinese character set may
be used too.
- Improved the speed of LMSG when packing Squish and QuickBBS
message bases.
- LMSG now correctly updates the QuickBBS LASTREAD pointers.
- When a user uploads a file into a filebox, his/her name will always
be put following the file's description, regardless of the setting
made with LSETUP. This allows the filebox owner to know who has sent
the files without guessing it.
- If your menus are made by external ANSI/Avatar files, if the user
presses an hotkey, the file's output is stopped immediately, and
the key processed.
- Fixed the file request loops, without using the index files.
- Now the .ILO files works correctly when Lora rereads the outbound
queue.
- Fixed the strange reactions when creating new echomail areas (like
strange areas.bbs and newareas.bbs popping-up everywhere).
- Fixed a bug using the Areafix processor from a point.
- Added the embedded command ^WkN<flags> that shows the rest of the
line if the specified user's <flags> are zeroed.
- Added the password protection feature to the file indexes for the
file request. Just add the password after the file name, like the
following:
$C:\Lora\PROTECT.IDX !PWD
- Added the parameter /P to instruct Lora not to interpret any
embedded command when reading files with the menu types 5 and 97.
- Fixed a bug when packing Squish messages using LMSG: the loss of
the high water mark and lastread pointer.
- Added the 'Internet mail' type-flag to the message areas setup.
It's act like a normal netmail area, but the fidonet's to and
address fields are automatically filled with the data found in the
configuration file (see the 'Internet gateway' menu) and the system
will ask you the destination internet address to send the message
to.
- Added the 'Internet gateway' menu to the lsetup's 'Global' menu.
You can define the user's name and fidonet address of your zone's
internet mail gateway.
- Added the ASCII control file NAMES.CFG. In that file you can list
the names and addresses of people you write most, in the following
format:
Marco Maccaferri, 2:332/402.1
Mario Battacchi, 2:332/403
Changes made from version 2.33-1
=====================================================================
- If you experience missed duplicate messages situations, try to
delete the files DUPES.IDX and DUPES.DAT. I have changed the
duplicate check method, something has gone wrong and the files
aren't perfectly up-ward compatible.
- Fixed the 'Limited hours' answer bug.
- Bug del QWK che causava uno sharing violation se si faceva un
download subito dopo aver mandato le repliche.
- Fixed a bug with the duplicate uploads check.
- Made some changes with the share file management, this may be
improves the system security with the share loaded.
- Added some embedded commands that where missing from the 'User
display' menu parameter. Now the commands available are exactly
the same as with the external file commands.
- Added the file request file index. You can put a line in the
OKFILE.LST file (or whatever you call it) like the following:
$C:\Lora\FILES.IDX
And Lora will look inside this file to search the files requested
instead of looking inside every directory every time. This may speed
up the scan process and considerably improve the overall performance
with CD ROMs and other slow devices (like file areas on remote file
servers under network).
You can mix the old search method with the new as you wish, you can
also adds multiple file indexes (if you limits the file requests on
certain areas to certain nodes).
- Added the external program FILEIDX that allows you to create the
index files. The command syntax is very simple, if you start the
program without parameters it shows the command summary. Following
is an example on how the create a file index:
FILEIDX C:\Lora\FILES.IDX AREA 1 5 7 RANGE 50-200 300-400
This line creates the file index C:\Lora\FILES.IDX and includes the
files inside the areas 1, 5, 7, the areas from 50 to 200 and the
areas from 300 to 400 (bounds included).
- The external protocols support has been fixed and now is usable:
with the download command you can specify the %1 paraneter that will
be replaced by the file name to be downloaded (only if the control
file isn't specifyed too).
With the upload command you can specify the %1 (destination path
without the trailing backslash) and %2 (file name to be received)
parameters.
With the control files and download / upload commands, you can
specify every external program parameters (take a look at the
description of the menu type 10 - External programs in the sysop's
manual).
- LMSG has finally been updated. This is a completely new version
of the message maintenance utility, it still needs some changes
and enhancements, but now it's usable.
- Added the switch /L=<filename> to every GOTO or GOSUB menu types
(including the line-editor and mail reader one) to check for the
menu name inside the file <filename>.MNU instead of inside the
language's default menu file.
*IMPORTANT* Do not include the file extension, Lora automatically
adds the .MNU extension.
Changes made from version 2.32a
=====================================================================
- Startig with the current beta, there is a new registration key
code that overrides the previous numeric code. Every registered
user as of 07-03-93 will be automatically upgraded to the new
registration code, at no extra charge, by simply upgrade the
software. Make sure that the code is installed properly by looking
at the General / Registration menu of LSETUP: the new key code is
an alphanumeric string up to 24 characters. If the field doesn't
show anything, please contact the author immedialy to obtain an
usable key. If the key is installed properly you can see the new
serial number at the rightmost top corner of Lora's mailer screen.
It shows something like this: "Lora-DOS v2.33.1/00023". Don't
worry if it's different from the old serial number: it's because
the new key code has also a new serial number generator.
- An OS/2 version of LoraBBS is now available, write to the author
for more information on how to request the files.
- Fixed a bug with the 'Aftercaller exit' and 'Aftermail exit'
parameters, that won't works at all.
- Now the commands issued after a %FROM command in a message to
areafix assumes that the simulated node has an access level equal
to the originating node.
- Added the 'Import empty msgs.' parameter to the Mailer / Mail
processing menu. This option allows you to choose if import empty
(without a line of human readable text) messages or not.
- Added the 'Tear line' field to the Mailer / Mail processing menu.
This allows you to define a custom tear line to put instead of the
built in one. This option is available only to registered users.
- Added the 'Show missing files' option to the BBS / General options
menu. This option allows you to show the missing files using the
file list and locate files commands.
- The language file has been expanded to allow a complete
customization of the file listings row.
- Added the menu commands '57 - Read parent message' and '58 - Read
child message' to read messages following the reply links. For the
Squish messages only the first reply is handled.
- Added two embedded commands that works only inside a menu display
string: ^KC - Displays the number of the reply to this message.
^KP - Displays the number of the message that this message is a
reply to.
- Added the 'Random redial time' option to the Mailer /
Miscellaneous menu. If this option is set to yes, means that the
redial time specified in the current event will be treated as an
average time between each call. So if you set the redial time to
20 seconds, the true redial time will be between 10 and 30 seconds
randomly.
- The 'lastpwdchange' field of the user record now will be updated
correctly.
- Added the external protocol engine. The BBS menu has now a new
item: 'Ext. protocols'. From this item you can set up every
external protocol you need. Following is a list of the parameters
required for each protocol:
Active - Select if the protocol can be used by the
users.
Name - Name that appears in the protocol selection
list.
Hotkey - Key to select this protocol from the selection
list.
Download command - DOS command that invokes the protocol to send
one or more files to the user. You must include
the name of ther control file (below). The
normal file names translation characters can be
used (see the full documentation for more
details).
Upload command - Same as the above but the protocol is invoked
to receive one or more file from the user.
Log file name - Name of the log file that the protocol
generates. You must be sure that the downloads
and the uploads are logged into this file.
Control file - Name of the file that contains the names of the
files to be downloaded by the user.
Download string - String that must be put on the control file to
inform the protocol that it's a download
request. The %1 symbol will be replaced by the
complete file name to be sent.
Upload string - Not used at this time.
Download keyword - Keyword that identifies a successful download
in the log file.
Upload keyword - Keyword that identifies a successful upload in
the log file.
Filename word - Word position of the file name in the
upload/download log row.
Size word - Size of the file word position in the log row.
CPS word - CPS made word position in the log row.
I know that isn't much, but an example on how to enable external
protocols will follow as soon as possible.
- Added the flags to disable the internal protocols (if for any
reason you use only external protocols) to the BBS / General
options menu. WARNING: BY DEFAULT THIS FLAGS ARE SET TO NO, SO THE
INTERNAL PROTOCOLS ARE DISABLED, REMEMBER TO SET IT TO YES AFTER
THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE.
