:INTRO
@CLS@ Introduction
PCBoard is the most widely used bulletin board software in the
world. It is implemented by big business and the occasional
weekend PC aficionado, in-house local area networks and basement
hobby machines, executives and children alike. It has earned its
popularity by its very flexibility, which allows it to suit the
people it serves. These people, like you, are interested in
integrating today's available high tech communications facilities
with their own computers, and PCBoard accomplishes this task both
easily and powerfully.
In the business environment, information may be easily exchanged
within an organization by means of a multi-node LAN system
running PCBoard. PCBoard, when added to your office LAN system,
allows you to send and receive messages and memorandums in a
manner superior to most E-Mail systems. PCBoard provides for
both paper use reduction and additional message security. No
longer will you need to worry about someone rifling through the
stack of messages of you desk. PCBoard can replace rows of filing
cabinets, heaps of manila folders, and rolls of address labels.
For the hobbyist, communications outside the walls of your home
are just as simple. You need only a computer with a modem and
any standard communications software to connect with a PCBoard
system over regular telephone lines. You can use PCBoard to
communicate with people around the world, to exchange programs
and data files, to get technical information and advice, or even
to play online games or access database information.
Besides using your own communications software interactively, you
can use PCBComm - an intelligent terminal program designed
specifically for contacting PCBoard systems. PCBComm is
available directly from us or from many PCBoard sysops throughout
the world. Instead of having to work interactively with a
PCBoard system, PCBComm uses pull-down menus which are even
easier to use than the normal command prompts are. By using
PCBComm, you only have to pick and choose from local pull-down
menus to fully realize the potential of the board you are
contacting - rather than having to work interactively with a new
and unknown board. If you are interested in learning more about
PCBComm, please feel free to contact us at (801) 261-1686.
This manual is for you. It provides a list of all PCBoard
commands with a description for each; shows basic routines for
downloading or getting a file from another computer that may be
hundreds, even thousands of miles away; explains how to enter a
message to a system operator or another user; and contributes an
array of helpful activities for bulletin board users like
yourself.
For a list of bulletin board systems in your area, call the Salt
Air BBS at 1-801-261-8976. When connected with Salt Air, you can
download the following file: BLT1.ZIP. The file contains a
worldwide listing of PCBoard bulletin board systems, a
description of each board, and a phone number at which it can be
reached. If you are unfamiliar on how to download a file, please
read the section which details the (D)ownload command in this
manual.
If you're new to electronic communications, you need not worry;
PCBoard is user friendly and versatile enough to accommodate the
novice user while satisfying the expert. To connect with a
PCBoard host system, you need only a modem and your communication
software.
As you are going through this guide it is important to remember
that PCBoard gives the sysop the ability to change the prompts
that are displayed to you. While the function of each prompt
does not change, its appearance may. All of the commands that
PCBoard uses are the same on all v14.5a and later systems that
you will call. Once you learn how PCBoard operates you will know
how to contact thousands of bulletin boards.
While reviewing this document, you will note that some of the
text is surrounded by square brackets such as [N]. When you see
a letter or combination of letters surrounded by [] brackets,
this indicates a key or combination of key strokes you would
enter at your keyboard. You would not enter the brackets
themselves - just the letter(s) inside the brackets.
@EXIT@
:LOGGING
@CLS@ Logging In
When you connect with a PCBoard system, you are asked a series of
questions that must be answered before access to commands and
downloads is permitted. These questions may be slightly
different for some bulletin board systems, since SysOps can
customize prompts and login procedures within PCBoard. Generally
though, most PCBoard systems will initially ask you the following
questions:
Enter language # to use:
This is an optional question defined by the SysOp. If
displayed, it means that the system you are contacting can
display its text in several different languages. To respond,
simply choose the language easiest for you to understand by
entering the number next to the various language choices
available.
Do you want graphics (Y/N)?
Most callers choose [Y] for this option. By doing so, PCBoard
displays all text in ANSI color, making your screen displays
more colorful and usually easier to read. In order to take
advantage of the ANSI color mode, your terminal program must
support ANSI graphics. By choosing [N], however, you can
slightly increase speed since color codes are no longer
transmitted to your machine.
What is your First Name (Last Name & Password)?
Enter your first name at the prompt. PCBoard will then prompt
you for your last name and password. Optionally, you may
'stack' your last name and password on the same line (for more
information on command stacking please refer to the Command
Structure section of this manual) to bypass being asked 3
separate questions. If you are calling into a system as a new
user you should not stack your password with you login name.
If you do, PCBoard will interpret your password as part of
your name.
It's a good idea to record your password and keep it in a safe
place, as PCBoard will not allow you to login without your
proper password should you forget it. Additionally, it is
advised that you keep your passwords secret and use a
different password for each bulletin board that you call to
prevent unauthorized use, or 'hacking' of your various
bulletin board accounts.
If you've never before logged into a given BBS, PCBoard will
respond in one of two ways depending on the BBS configuration.
If the board you are calling runs as a "CLOSED" board, you cannot
log into the system unless the system operator creates a record
for you. You will be logged off the system immediately.
However, if the BBS functions as an "OPEN" board, PCBoard will
recognize that you're a new user and ask if you'd like to
continue. By indicating [Y]es, PCBoard poses several questions
that are relatively straight forward - like your voice phone
number, data phone number, etc. Once you have answered all the
questions asked, PCBoard will continue with the logon process.
Once PCBoard has established your identity, you will enter the
Main Board. This is the root of the PCBoard structure, where
every caller allowed to enter the system begins his or her
session.
Don't be afraid to explore PCBoard! Often people feel
intimidated by the many commands available to them and thus are
reluctant to try commands they may not understand for fear of
'crashing' the system or destroying valuable data. PCBoard has
been designed to be friendly as well as safe; if you enter an
invalid command, PCBoard will simply ignore the command and
return you to the command prompt. Help is always available by
typing either [?] or [H] at nearly any prompt.
Whenever PCBoard prompts you for an answer, it will usually try
and 'guess' your response and default to that answer when you
simply press the [Enter] key. Yes or No answers may simply be
answered by entering [Y] or [N] respectively. PCBoard commands
are not case-sensitive (i.e. "Y" and "y" have the same effect).
Below is an example of a Main Menu that you are likely to see on
a PCBoard BBS. All of these commands may or may not be available
to you, depending on your security level. To receive access to
commands not listed, consult with either an in-house supervisor
responsible for your internal system maintenance, or leave a
message for the SysOp at the remote location indicating your
needs and desires. Following the main menu below, we will give
you a detailed description of each command shown.
A)bandon Conference O)perator page
B)ulletin Listing OPEN a DOOR
CHAT between Nodes P)age Length Set
C)omment to Sysop Q)uick Message Scan
D)ownload a file R)ead Messages
DB Download Batch REPLY to Messages
E)nter a message RM Re-read Memorized #
F)ile Directories S)cript Questionaire
FLAG for Download T)ransfer Protocol
G)oodbye (Hang up) TS Text Search
H)elp Functions U)pload a file
I)nitial Welcome UB Upload batch
J)oin a conference USERS List Users
K)ill a message V)iew Settings
L)ocate file (names) W)rite User Info
M)ode (graphics) X)pert On/Off
N)ew files (date) Y)our personal Mail
NEWS file display Z)ippy DIR scan
SELECT a Conference
@EXIT@
:GENERAL
@CLS@General Information
Like most attributes of PCBoard, the SysOp provides security
levels for each command available to you. You will know that
you do not have sufficient security for a command if you see a
"Menu selection is not available" message displayed to you after
trying to use a particular command. If you do have sufficient
security for the command requested, PCBoard will normally display
a secondary menu or prompt from which you can choose further
commands associated with your primary command selection.
Command Structure
Following are descriptions of all the user commands available in
PCBoard. A command performs a function on the bulletin board
system like reading messages, uploading and downloading of files,
etc. This section of the guide details each command, what it
does, what you can do with it, and how to help you make the most
of each command and the bulletin board system as a whole. Each
section that discusses a particular command has four sections:
Command: The letter or sequence of letters that you use to
execute the command from the main menu - including a brief
overview of the command itself.
SubCommand: SubCommands further qualify the command and are
only available after you execute the command. Additionally,
most subcommands may be stacked on the same line as the main
command (see Stacking Commands, which follows). For example,
on a [R]ead command you might want to qualify what messages
you would like to read by using [Y] for 'your mail' only, etc.
Postcommands: Postcommands are only available with some main
menu commands. If they are, these commands normally can only
be entered after the initial command and subcommands have been
executed. For example, you may select the [R]ead command and
then qualify it with a subcommand by saying you want to read
[A]ll new messages in the conference you have selected. While
reading messages, you will be issued a postcommand after each
message which will allow you to perform other functions - such
as [RE] or reply to the message you have just read.
See also: This will direct you to other commands whose
functions are related to the command in question. The
commands may either be variations which accomplish the same
task, or commands which accomplish tasks similar to the one in
question, or may act in the opposite manner of the command in
question.
If PCBoard needs more information from you after you have
executed a main menu command, you will be prompted for that
additional information. For example, if you were to execute the
[L]ocate file command by typing [L] and then press [Enter],
PCBoard would then display the prompt:
Search Filename (wildcards are OK) (Enter)=none?
followed by a secondary prompt that asked you which directories
you would like to search for these filenames in.
Stacking Commands
By default, PCBoard caters to the novice user. Menus and help
files are almost always available. However, PCBoard's interface
is designed to accommodate expert users as well. Once you become
familiar with the command structure, you will find that by
stacking commands you will be able to easily and quickly get
around the bulletin board system. To stack a command you simply
separate the commands and the subcommand by either a space or a
semicolon. For example you could read all mail addressed in the
current conference by issuing the following stacked commands:
R Y S (with spaces) or
R;Y;S (with semicolons)
In PCBoard's eyes, the space or the semicolon are both separators
for commands. You may use either when entering commands.
Another advantage of stacking commands is that you may specify a
particular subcommand that PCBoard would not normally allow you
to use if you just entered the command and press [Enter]. For
example, if you wished to [L]ocate files you could further
qualify your search by making use of the [N] subcommand. This
subcommand allows you to restrict your search to files later than
a particular date. This is something that PCBoard would not ask
you if you were to just enter the command and then press enter.
It is features like this that makes PCBoard so flexible and
powerful.
@EXIT@
:BASIC
@CLS@ Basic Command Usage
In this section, you will find listed all the available user
commands for PCBoard. A working knowledge of these commands will
put the power of PCBoard at your disposal. While the use of each
command varies from user to user, each command does provide a
uniquely significant feature. You will probably only require the
use of a handful of the commands to begin with, but as you
progress in your knowledge of PCBoard you will find yourself
using each of the commands with increasing regularity.
@EXIT@
:ABANDON
Abandon a Conference
Command: [A]
Many bulletin board systems use 'conferences' to separate various
topics or groups of people. After you [J]oin a conference (see
the Join a Conference section later in this guide) you may want
to return to the Main Board area. Once you execute the abandon
command PCBoard exits the current conference and returns you to
the Main Board. If the current conference is the Main Board,
nothing occurs.
SubCommands : None
PostCommands: None
See Also: Join a Conference
@EXIT@
:BULLETIN
@CLS@Bulletin Listings
Command: [B]
Bulletins are quite common on bulletin board systems. Bulletins
are merely text files placed on the bulletin board system because
they likely contain useful information about a variety of
subjects for all users. SysOps will commonly have bulletins
which explain the purpose or theme of the board, who the top
users are, and other interesting information. Commercial BBS's
will often have bulletins which contain information on how to
become a subscriber. When the bulletin command is executed,
PCBoard displays a menu of bulletins available to you. The menu
normally consists of a bulletin number, a description of the
bulletin, and possibly a file name for the bulletin text file
that you can download.
SubCommands:
[#] This indicates the number of the bulletin(s) you
wish to view i.e. 1, 2, 3 etc. You may tell PCBoard
to view multiple bulletins by stacking your bulletin
numbers. (e.g. [1;3;5;6]).
[A] All bulletins are displayed or searched.
[D] PCBoard enters download mode and prepares to
download the chosen bulletin(s). This subcommand
must be placed on the line where you enter the
bulletin number to view (e.g. [3;D]) would download
bulletin #3.
[N] Only bulletins 'new' to you are displayed. Each
time you login you will be notified if there are any
new bulletins with a 'Bulletins have been updated
since last time on' message. If this message is
displayed to you, the line below it will indicate
the bulletin numbers that are new. A bulletin is
'new' if it was updated after the date you last
called that system. By using this subcommand you
can let PCBoard figure out which bulletins are new
to you rather than having to manually type in the
bulletin numbers.
[R] When this sub-command is executed, PCBoard will re-
display the complete list of bulletins available.
[S] This command searches for text that you specify in
the bulletins you wish to search. If the text is
found, the entire bulletin is displayed and the text
you searched for is highlighted so that it stands
out. With this command, PCBoard automatically
defaults to search for all bulletins. You would
instead rather search through just a specific
bulletin you can specify that number by
stacking the [S] subcommand with the
bulletin number. For example,
[B;3;S;HELP] would search bulletin #3
for the word HELP. You may also use
boolean text searches as well. To learn
more about boolean text searches please
refer to the Boolean Text Searches
section of the User Information section
of this guide.
[NS] The bulletin(s) chosen for viewing are displayed in
non-stop mode. At the end of each screen page,
PCBoard will not display a MORE? prompt.
PostCommands: None
See also: News
@EXIT@
:CHAT
@CLS@CHAT Between NODEs
Command: [CHAT] or [NODE]
If the PCBoard system you are connected to supports multiple
nodes (i.e. more than one person may be on the system at the same
time), you may CHAT with a person on any other node or group of
nodes. PCBoard displays the status of each node. In this way,
you can determine who is available for CHAT and who is not.
When in CHAT mode, text is sent only in complete lines, either as
it "wraps" past the end of a line or when you hit [Enter].
Therefore, you will only see text from the other person or
persons you are CHATting with as they complete each line. It is
often a good idea to send an extra blank line when you are
through typing, so that the other person will know that you are
finished and that it is his or her turn to 'speak'. While you
are in CHAT mode and if you are in graphics mode, your text will
be colored differently from the other person you are chatting
with. Each person is identified in a CHAT session by his or her
node number (in parenthesis) and first name. This information is
included on each line along with the colorized lines to help
separate text from the people engaged in the CHAT session.
CHAT Etiquette. Whenever you join an individual or group CHAT
session, remember that what you say not only affects how you are
perceived by others, but also shapes the perceptions that others
have of the current system and those who run the system. Never
use profanity or unprofessional language. It harms the
credibility of system operators and the telecommunication
software as a whole. Please note that all CHAT sessions are
captured to disk on the host machine. This means that the sysop
can review all CHAT sessions at a later date if desired. Common
sense would dictate that you do not engage in CHAT sessions which
might contain language which you feel should be kept private
between you and the other CHAT individual.
SubCommands:
[#] You begin CHAT with another person on a one-on-one
basis. You select the person you would like to chat
with by typing in their node number.
[G] This form of chat is similar to the one-on-one CHAT
command with the exception that numerous users can
be involved in a group chat session. Some SysOps
may assign a topic which many users may wish to talk
about. In all other ways, group chat is like the
normal one-on-one CHAT command except the number of
names appearing on your screen will be much larger.
[A] This 'flags' your node as being available for CHAT.
Other users may initiate CHAT with you.
[U] This 'flags' your node as being unavailable for
CHAT. Other users may not initiate CHAT with you.
PostCommands:
[Q or E] Quits and returns you back to the main menu or
command prompt.
[U] PCBoard will display the status of other nodes in
the system. This is useful when you have initiated
a node chat to see what other people on the system
are doing or if your chat requested has been
answered yet.
[H or ?] A list and description of postcommands will be
displayed.
All postcommands for the CHAT/NODE command must be issued on
the very first character of your chat line.
See also: None
@EXIT@
:COMMENTS
@CLS@Comment To SysOp
Command: [C]
This command allows you to leave a private message for the SYStem
OPerator (SysOp for short). The system operator is responsible
for the maintenance of the bulletin board system you are calling.
When this command is executed, PCBoard will ask you to confirm
that you would like to leave a message to the SysOp. If you
answer yes, you will be placed in message edit mode where you may
compose a message as you would enter any other message. See the
Enter a Message command for more information about entering
messages on a bulletin board system.
Please keep in mind that the SysOp is not "all-knowing". In most
cases it is appropriate to leave a message addressed to ALL so
you can draw on the experience and knowledge of other callers to
that system. If you are leaving a comment because you
encountered what you think is a problem on the system, then it is
very important that you leave the SysOp as much information as
possible. In these days of large multiple-node systems, it is
advised that you notice which node you are logged into and advise
the SysOp accordingly. By doing so, you can help the SysOp track
down whatever it is that you are reporting.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: Enter a Message
@EXIT@
:DOWNLOAD
Download a File
Command: [D]
When calling a Bulletin Board, you may download a file from that
system to yours. Downloading is simply a process in which a copy
of the file on the host machine is transmitted via phone line or
other external connection to your machine at your request.
If your default protocol is a batch protocol such as Ymodem,
Ymodem/G, or Zmodem, PCBoard will allow you to request multiple
files by simply typing [D] and pressing [Enter], followed by a
list of files to be downloaded. Each file in this list should be
separated by either a space or a semi colon and should be entered
at the filename prompt. This is similar to typing [DB] to
initiate a 'download batch' file transfer. Alternatively, you
can download a single file and avoid further prompts from the
system by stacking the [D] command and filename on the same
command line (e.g. [D;FILENAME.EXT]).
Beginning with PCBoard v14.5a, if you are logged on locally to
the bulletin board system (e.g. you are logged in to an in-house
bulletin board connected via LAN) you may download like a remote
user would - except the download is actually a file transfer from
the main file server to your local machine on the network. You
can only do this if you are a local user to the bulletin board
and you also select an internal protocol (such as Xmodem, Xmodem
CRC, 1K-Xmodem, Ymodem, or 1k-Xmodem/G). When you attempt a
local download a box will appear at the top of your screen asking
what drive and subdirectory PCBoard should send this file to.
You may enter any valid DOS path (e.g. [C:\TEMP]).
SubCommands:
[file] Multiple filenames may be used on the command line
or at the filename prompt. If you enter multiple
filenames they must be separated by semi-colons or
spaces and must be all be entered at the filename
prompt. DOS wildcards are permitted. (i.e. [*.*])
When you enter a filename, do not enter a file
path. PCBoard will know where to find the file
given only a filename.
[protocol] This command allows you to choose which protocol
you would like to use for the transfer. PCBoard
will automatically use the default protocol you
have selected with the [T]rans. Protocol command
or when you first created your account the first
time you logged into the system. If you have
selected [N]one for your default protocol, you
will be asked to select a protocol each time you
transfer a file.
PostCommands:
[GB]/[BYE] After the download is complete, you are logged off
the system after a 10 second countdown which you
may abort.
See also: Download Batch, Upload, Upload Batch
@EXIT@
:DLBATCH
@CLS@Download Batch
Command: [DB]
Like the Download a File command, you may download multiple files
at one time from a system that you call. The difference,
however, lies in the prompts that are displayed to you. The [DB]
command always prompts for a second filename and asks if you want
to edit the list of files to be downloaded.
Subcommands:
[file(s)] This represents the files to download. A prompt
is given for each file, and files may be stacked
at one prompt. Like in a single download request,
DOS wildcards are permitted.
[protocol] This command allows you to choose which protocol
you would like to use for the transfer. PCBoard
will automatically use the default protocol you
have selected with the [T]rans. Protocol command
or when you first created your account the first
time you logged into the system. If you have
selected [N]one for your default protocol, you
will be asked to select a protocol each time you
transfer a file.
PostCommands:
[G] Entering [G] at the (G)oodbye After Batch prompt
will automatically log you off the system once the
batch download has completed and after a 10 second
countdown. Once the 10 second countdown has
begun, you can abort the automatic logoff by
pressing [Ctrl+K]. If you abort the automatic
logoff you will be returned back to the bulletin
board system where you may continue with your
session. Entering [GB] or [BYE] on the same line
where you enter your filename will also
automatically log you off once the transfer is
finished (e.g. [D;TESTFILE.EXE;BYE]).
[A] The current batch download will be aborted. There
is no verification that you wish to abort. All
files listed in your previously established batch
list will be retained as flagged files.
[E] The batch list may be edited. From the batch
list, you may remove a file, add a file, or list
the current files to be downloaded. Once this
command is executed you will see that a few
new commands are available to you:
[A]dd a file. Executing this command allows you
to add more files to the batch without having to
retype all of the filenames that are already in
the batch. You will be asked for the filename to
add to the batch.
[R]emove a file. You are asked for the number of
the file you wish to remove from the batch. The
number of the file in the batch can be found by
using the [L]ist batch command below.
[L]ist Batch. This command when executed will
display a listing of all files in the batch. To
the left of each filename is the batch number that
corresponds to the filename. You use this number
when removing files from the batch.
See also: Download, Upload, Upload batch
@EXIT@
:DOOR
@CLS@DOOR (OPEN a DOOR)
Command: [DOOR] or [OPEN]
This command takes you out of PCBoard and into an extended
application called a DOOR. These applications can vary in
purpose from an on-line game to an on-line database. You may
find some bulletin boards that concentrate on one particular DOOR
type (such as on-line games). When this command is executed, a
menu of available DOORs are displayed to you. Though each SysOp
may have PCBoard set up differently, the menu typically consists
of a DOOR number, the name, and a description of the program.
You may execute the DOOR or application by entering either its
name or number.
SubCommands: (See OPEN a DOOR Command)
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:ENTER
@CLS@Enter a Message
Command: [E]
This command permits you to leave a message for the SysOp,
another user, or to ALL users. Entering a message is quite
similar to writing a letter. First you must address the message
by filling in the To field. Next, you must enter a subject for
the message. The subject should be a very brief description of
the contents of your message.
If you have not changed your full-screen editor preferences via
the [W]rite user information command, PCBoard will ask if you
would like to use the Full-Screen Editor as well. If you answer
[N]o, then PCBoard will use the line-by-line editor instead.
Some bulletin board systems carry "echo conferences". These are
conferences in which mail travels between several different
various bulletin board systems. These bulletin board systems
could span across a city, state, country or even the world. If
you are prompted with an:
'Echo' Message, (Enter)=Y? (Y)
prompt, PCBoard is asking you if you would like this message to
stay local to this BBS or if you want it to travel across the
entire message network. Unless it is important that your message
be 'echoed' throughout many systems, it is recommended that you
do not echo your mail - since a great deal of long distance phone
charges can be incurred by the operating sysop in order to
transfer your mail to other systems.
To This prompt indicates the user to whom the message
will be sent. If [Enter] is pressed, the message is
addressed to ALL.
Subject This is a brief description of the message content.
Full-Screen
[Y] Use the full-screen editor. (available with ANSI
graphics only) Entering text in this mode is
similar to using a full-screen word processor.
[N] Use the line-by-line editor. In this format, you
must enter and edit your text a line at a time
rather than using the full-screen capabilities.
[U] You enter upload mode. In this mode of operation
you can 'upload' a pre-written message to the host
system which has been created on your system using a
normal text editor. This method of writing a
message off-line and simply uploading it to the host
system can save considerably in the amount of time
you must spend on-line - since uploading your text
is much quicker than typing it in manually while on-
line. During the upload of a message, characters
are not echoed to your local screen, but are
immediately transmitted via MODEM to the upload
destination by using the ASCII transfer protocol.
Echo
[Y] The message is flagged for echo and will appear on
all other systems which also carry this conference
on their system.
[N] The message is not flagged for echo and will remain
only on the local system.
You can use PCBoard's message security system to control who may
read a message and who has the ability to delete a message. The
available message security options follow:
Security Flag
[G] Group. A user may assign a password to a message.
Only users with the appropriate password may read
the message.
[R] Receiver. The message may only be read by the
sender or the recipient.
[S] Sender. Everyone may read this message, but only
the author (holder of the assigned password) may
kill the message.
[N] None. The message may be read by all users within
that conference.
Once the message header information is completed you're taken to
either the full-screen editor (Available with ANSI graphics only)
or the line-by-line editor, depending on your earlier response to
the 'Use Full-Screen Editor' prompt. If you have previously
selected the full-screen editor as your default editor, you will
not be asked if you want to use the full-screen editor.
Line editors were the most popular message editors on the early
versions of bulletin board software. Line editors require that
you enter one line of you message at a time. To save, edit, or
abort the message you needed to hit return twice to bring up a
command line to which you can choose one of those commands to
execute. In the more recent versions of BBS software (such as
PCBoard), full-screen editors have been added to make message
entry easier than ever before. Using the full-screen editor is
similar to using a word processor in that you can move around the
screen using your cursor keys. This freedom of movement allows
you to easily make changes to text without remembering cryptic
line numbers. In order to use the full-screen editor, your
communications program must be capable of ANSI terminal
emulation. In addition, your communications program should have
a Doorway mode or some other way to allow you to send cursor
movement keys. Because the full-screen editor is similar to a
word-processor, many people find it more intuitive and much
easier to use than the line editor.
At this point, you would enter the contents of your message.
Once you have finished entering your message, you need to exit
the message editor in order to save it. To exit the full-screen
editor, press [Esc]. To exit the line editor, simply press
[Enter] on a blank line. If modem carrier is accidentally lost
any time during your message entry, PCBoard automatically saves
what you have entered before the loss of carrier.
Note that when entering text in a message or comment, it is not
necessary to 'format' your text entry. PCBoard will
automatically wrap words which exceed the normal line length over
to the next line when typing in your text. In other words, you
can continuously enter your text without ending each line with
your [Enter] key.
On startup, PCBoard's Full Screen Editor defaults to Insert Mode.
Insert mode will always move the character underneath the cursor
to the left as you type. The allows you to easily insert new
information without having to retype entire lines. Typeover mode
replaces the character currently under the cursor with whatever
you type. If you are editing your text in progress, use [Ctrl+V]
or the [Ins] key to switch between Insert and Typeover Modes.
In order to get the full range of commands available in the full-
screen editor, you will need to make sure that your
communications program is not intercepting some commands. It is
quite common for communications programs to use the cursor keys
as well as [Home], [End], [PgDn], and [PgUp] keys for some of
their commands or functions. If you press the up arrow and the
cursor does not move up on the screen then your communications
program is using those keys. In order to overcome this problem,
most communications programs have what is called a DOORWAY mode.
When you operate in this mode, you can full use of both your
cursor keys as well as function keys when working within PCBoard.
When you are in this mode you will see just how easy the full-
screen editor is to use when entering a message. If you are
unsure if your communications program has a DOORWAY mode, consult
the documentation that accompanied your communications software.
To effectively use the Full Screen Editor, familiarize yourself
with the following control keys and ANSI codes:
PostCommands:
[A] Abort. The message entry will be aborted and control
will return to the main menu. All contents of your
message will be lost.
[C] Continue. When executed, PCBoard returns to the line-
editor at the end of the message. If you are using the
full-screen editor and wish to return to it, you should
use the [F]ull-screen command instead.
[D] Delete Line. PCBoard prompts you for the line number in
the message to delete. PCBoard will then delete the
contents of the line you specify.
Full-screen editor equivalent: [Ctrl+y] deletes the
current line.
[E] Edit. PCBoard first requests the line number in the
message to edit. Once entered, you must type the old
text to replace, a semicolon, and the replacement text
(e.g. [come to;here comes]).
[F] Full-Screen. When executed, control is returned to the
full-screen editor. See next page for full-screen editor
PC Keyboard, Control, and ANSI commands. An on-line list
of full-screen editor commands is available by pressing
[Ctrl+V] while in the editor.
[H] Help. When executed, PCBoard displays help for entering
or saving a message.
[I] Insert. After entering the line number before which the
new text will be entered, you may type the additional
text and PCBoard will insert it in the appropriate place.
Full-screen editor equivalent: [Ctrl+n] will insert a
line before the current line.
[L] List. The current message being entered will be
redisplayed in line editor mode.
[Q] Quote. (See REPLY command).
Full screen editor equivalent: [Ctrl+V]
[S] Save. When you have finished entering your message, the
message needs to be saved so that the intended recipients
may view it as well. This command will add your message
to the other messages that already exist on the bulletin
board system.
[U] Upload. The body of a message can be uploaded from your
system as an ASCII upload. When PCBoard is in upload
mode it will not echo characters back to the remote
screen so if you see nothing during the upload you should
not worry. You should use this command if you have
prepared a text file off-line that you would like to
upload as a message. This saves time typing and can
eliminate some errors that may occur if you were typing
information on-line. By using upload mode you will be
able to send just about any text file. Once you select
upload mode in PCBoard then all that needs to be done is
for you to initiate an ASCII upload on your end. By
using the upload mode command, you can prepare messages
off-line and then upload them to PCBoard thereby
expediting the message entry process.
[SC] Save with Carbon Copy. You may send the entered message
to more than one person. When executed, PCBoard will
request the names of the other users to whom the message
should be sent. Although this prompt is displayed only
in expert mode, the command is available in non-expert
mode as well.
[SN] Save and Next. During message reply, this command saves
the current reply, skips the re-display of the original
message, and proceeds to the next available message.
Although this prompt is displayed only in expert mode,
the command is available in non-expert mode as well.
[SK] Save and Kill. This process saves the reply,
kills/deletes the original message, and proceeds to the
next available message. Although this prompt is
displayed only in expert mode, the command is available
in non-expert mode as well.
Remember, when entering text on a Bulletin Board System, it is
proper etiquette to use both upper and lowercase characters
rather than using all CAPS. Messages left entirely in capitals
are difficult to read and are often regarded as "shouting" by
other callers. A good rule of thumb is to type your text as you
would in a word processor, using capitals only as needed.
See also: Comment to Sysop
@EXIT@
:FILEDIRS
@CLS@File Directories
Command: [F]
One of the primary functions of bulletin board systems is to
disseminate files and programs among many different users. To
see a list of what files and programs are available on a
particular bulletin board system, you must use the [F]ile
directory command. Upon executing the command, you will see a
list of categories or directories that separates the available
files on the system.
SubCommands:
[#] Directory number. Entering the number of the desired
directory at the prompt displays all files available in
the directory you enter. You may enter a list or range
of directories. For example, [1 2 3 7 U] would view
directories 1, 2, 3, 7, and the recent upload
directory. If you wanted to view a directories 1
through 10, you could specify an entry like [1-10].
[BYE] Once you have finished transferring your files this
command will log you off of the system and will skip
the Proceed With Logoff? question if the SysOp has
enabled it.
[D] Download. PCBoard prompts you for a file to download.
This commands works just as if you selected [D] from
the main menu.
[G] Goodbye. This command logs you off of the system and
hangs up the phone.
[N] New File Scan. You may search available directories
for all files created after the date indicated in the
prompt that appears once you execute this command. The
default date for this prompt is the latest valid file
date that you have seen. If you choose to stack
commands and want to specify the last date you scanned
for files you may do so by replacing the default date
with an [S] for "since". For example, if you wanted to
scan all directories for new uploads since you were on
last, you would enter the following stacked command:
[N;S;A]. You may find this easy to remember by
remembering phrases such as [N]ew files [S]ince my last
call in [A]ll file directories.
[R] Re-List. This command re-displays the menu of
directories available in the conference you are
currently in. Keep in mind that some bulletin board
systems store files in conferences in addition to those
that are found in the Main Board area. Therefore, you
may want to join another conference to see what
additional information (if any) is available.
[L] Locate by Name. Upon executing this command you will
be prompted to enter a filename to search for. At the
prompt, enter a filename or a DOS wildcard
specification ("?" or "*"). After entering the file
specification to search for, PCBoard will prompt you
for the directory numbers it should search for this
specification. You may choose to search one directory,
a range of directories, or all directories. See the
Locate Files command for more information.
[U] Upload directories. Displays files that are available
for download which have been recently uploaded to the
system. If you receive a "Sorry, uploads are private"
message, then the SysOp has decided to review all files
before releasing them to the public. If you do receive
this message it is advised that you search [A]ll
directories because sometimes the SysOp will move newly
uploaded files to their appropriate directories quite
frequently. If you do not scan [A]ll directories there
is a good chance you are missing many of the files that
get uploaded to that system.
[V] View. When executed, PCBoard displays the contents or
other information about a particular file. How much
information that is available about the file you are
viewing depends strictly on how the SysOp has this
command configured.
[Z] Zippy Search. You may search all file descriptions for
the text that you specify. This command is very useful
for locating files that you are interested in without
having to browse through all of the files online. For
more details and examples of how to use the Zippy
Search, please see the Zippy Directory Scan in the User
Commands section of this guide.
[NS] Non-Stop. A file will be displayed in non-stop mode.
PCBoard will not stop each time your screen is full.
Using this command is handy for capturing file
information to a local file on your machine to your
printer.
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:FLAG4DL
@CLS@FLAG For Download
Command: [FLAG]
File flagging allows you to mark a file or a group of files to be
downloaded later in your session. When you're ready to download
all the files you have flagged, the Download a File command may
be executed. PCBoard will notify you that there are files
flagged for download and ask you if you wish to download them.
If you answer [Y]es, the files will be prepared for download. If
you answer [N]o, all flagged files will be lost.
If you try to OPEN a DOOR or logoff of the system while you have
files flagged for download, PCBoard will warn you that you have
files flagged for download and asks you if you would like to
still proceed. If you choose to proceed, PCBoard will forget the
files that you have flagged.
If in the process of downloading flagged files the download
fails, PCBoard will retain the flag on the files. This means
that you will be able to reattempt the download without re-
flagging the files.
SubCommands:
[file(s)] This represents the file that you want to mark for
download. PCBoard will remember all files flagged
for download later on during your call. Wildcards
and more than one filename may be specified when
prompted for a filename.
PostCommands: None
See also: Download, Download Batch
@EXIT@
:GOODBYE
@CLS@GoodBye (Hang Up)
Command: [G]
When executed, you exit PCBoard entirely. The SysOp may have
enabled the "Proceed with Logoff" question which you must answer
with a [Y] or a [N]. If you enter a [Y], carrier will be dropped
and you will have disconnected yourself from the system. If you
enter [N], you will be returned back to the main menu or command
prompt. This question can be avoided by typing [BYE] instead of
[G] to logoff.
If files are flagged for download when you execute [G]oodbye,
PCBoard will warn you and ask if you want to proceed. If you use
[BYE] instead of [G], PCBoard will not warn you if you have
files flagged for download, so be careful when choosing to use
[BYE] to logoff of a system.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: BYE
@EXIT@
:HELP
@CLS@Help Functions
Command: [H] or [?]
A very powerful feature available to you is the Help command. By
entering [H] or [?] at virtually any prompt, you may access
detailed help information about available commands, subcommands,
or current function information. Although the Help command is
displayed at the main menu and most sub-menus, Help is available
from almost any PCBoard prompt.
SubCommands:
[name] This represents the name of the command or the
abbreviation of the command for which you need
additional information.
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:INITIAL
@CLS@Initial Welcome
Command: [I]
When executed, PCBoard displays the original logon screen. This
screen contains the version of PCBoard which is being run by the
system and may contain extensive graphics, regular text, and
color.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:JOIN
@CLS@Join a Conference
Command: [J]
A conference is a way of grouping topics or users together. Some
BBS systems refer to PCBoard conferences as forums, special
interest groups, etc. Each conference may contain different
messages, bulletins, files, etc., and may be accessed by entering
the conference number or the conference name. It is the SysOp's
discretion as to what conferences you may or may not have access
to. Ask your SysOp for more details. When the [J] command is
entered alone you will receive a list of conferences that are
available on the system. You may select a conference to join
either by number or by conference name.
SubCommands:
[#] Conference Number. This is the number of the
conference that you want to join. You may obtain the
number by entering the [J] command with no subcommands.
If you enter an invalid number you will be notified
that the number you entered was invalid and a list of
available conferences will be displayed. The
conference numbered 0 (zero) represents the Main Board.
[Name] Conference Name. This is the name of the conference
you want to join, and may be used in lieu of the
conference number. For example to join a conference
named Chatter you would enter [J;CHATTER]. To re-join
the Main Board from another conference, you can type
[J;MAIN] or [J;0].
[S] Search. Allows you to perform a text-search of the
list of available conferences to form a list of
conference names that meet your criteria. Because
PCBoard supports up to 65,535 conferences, you may find
the search command very helpful when you are trying to
locate conferences that interest you. For example,
entering the line [J;S;SALE] would list all the
conferences with the word SALE anywhere in their names.
This might be useful in locating all of the "FOR-SALE"
type conferences.
PostCommands:
[Q] Quick Join. After you indicate a [J] to join a
conference and the conference name or number, you may
enter a [Q]. PCBoard will immediately join the
conference bypassing the conference news and the View
other conference members prompt if the SysOp has turned
that option on. If you use this command and the news
file is still displayed then the SysOp has PCBoard
configured to always display the news file.
When joining a conference, the SysOp may allow you to view the
names and city locations of the other conference members. If
this feature has been enabled, you must not use the [Q]uick join
feature.
See also: Abandon Conference
@EXIT@
:KILL
@CLS@Kill a Message
Command: [K]
This command allows you to remove a message from the message
base. As you are not the SysOp you are limited in which messages
you may kill/delete. PUBLIC messages may only be killed by the
SysOp unless you want to delete a message that you entered. If a
message has a security option of RECEIVER ONLY then only the
recipient and the sender of the message may kill it. If a
message is marked as SENDER PASSWORD, only the author of the
message may kill the message. Finally, on messages that are
addressed as GROUP PASSWORD, only the users with the proper
password may kill the message.
You may enter the [K]ill a Message command at the 'End of Message
Command?' prompt or from any conference 'Command?' prompt. If
you enter it from the 'End of Message Command?' prompt, then no
message number needs to be entered because you are currently
viewing the message. However, if you enter this command from
the main menu, you must supply PCBoard with the message number
that you wish to delete. A message number is located at the top
of the message and is PCBoard's primary way of identifying
messages.
Subcommands:
[#] When this command is executed you are asked to supply the
number of the message you would like to kill. At the
prompt enter the message number you would like to remove
from the message base.
PostCommands: None
See also: Enter a Message
@EXIT@
:LANGUAGE
@CLS@Language
Command: [LANG]
The LANGuage command allows you to alternate between languages
which the SysOp has made available. These languages may vary
from foreign languages to "humorous" type languages and even some
that are dedicated to new callers. Choices available to you are
displayed in menu format with a number corresponding to each
operational language choice.
SubCommands:
[#] The pound sign represents the language number to change
to.
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:LOCATE
@CLS@Locate Files
Command: [L]
If you are unaware of a file's directory location or exact name,
you may use this command to help you find the file. This command
accepts all valid DOS filenames and wildcards.
SubCommands:
[file] PCBoard searches for the file. If a match is found,
PCBoard will display the file.
[#] When using the [L]ocate Files command, you must specify
a directory or range of directories that PCBoard should
search for the desired file. You may list a single
directory, a range of directories in the format [#-#]
or a list of directories in a [#;#;#] format. There
are two letters that you may use as a directory number.
If you use [A] for the directory number, it tells
PCBoard to search all file directories in the current
conference. Likewise, if you use [U] for the directory
number, the upload directory of the current conference
will be searched.
[D] If a file that matches the parameters is located, it is
flagged and prepared for download later during the
call. If more than one file is found all are flagged.
[N] This command searches for files that are equal to or
later than the specified date. If you use the [N]
command you need to also include the minimum file date
from which the scan should search for. If you would
like to use the date you last scanned for files you may
simply add an [S] to the [N] subcommand. Remember
this as [N]ew files [S]ince my last scan. For example,
[L;ABC*.TXT;N;102191;A] would search all directories
for a filename that started with ABC and had an
extension of TXT. All files older than 10-21-91 would
not be displayed.
[NS] Files are displayed in non-stop mode (void of all
'More?' prompts).
PostCommands: None
See also: Zippy Search
@EXIT@
:MENU
@CLS@MENU
Command: [MENU]
You can redisplay the main menu at the command prompt. When
executed, the menu screen is displayed even while in expert mode.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:MODE
@CLS@Mode (Graphics)
Command: [M]
Issued without subcommands, this command acts as a toggle between
graphics and non-graphics display modes. If you execute this
command with a subcommand then you may choose which mode you want
without using the command to toggle back and forth. If you do
not have ANSI capabilities or are unsure if you do, you should
choose CTTY mode. If you accidently choose the wrong mode and
you get what seems to be garbage on your screen you can enter the
command again with either the CTTY or ANSI subcommands.
SubCommands:
These commands must be stacked with the [M] command to take
effect. For example [M;CTTY] or [M;GRAPHICS].
CTTY The system is placed into non-graphics, non-ANSI
mode.
ANSI The system is placed into non-graphics, ANSI mode.
GRAPHICS The system is placed into graphics, ANSI mode.
Postcommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:NEWFILES
@CLS@New Files
Command: [N]
This command will locate any files that have been uploaded to the
system since the specified date in the directories that you
specify. You have control over the date to begin the search and
the directory or directories that you would like to search for.
SubCommands:
[date] This represents the date from which PCBoard begins a
search for all "New" uploaded files. All files posted
found are displayed.
[#] When using the [L]ocate Files command, you must specify
a directory or range of directories that PCBoard should
search for the desired file. You may list a single
directory, a range of directories in the format [#-#]
or a list of directories in a [#;#;#] format. There
are two letters that you may use as a directory number.
If you use [A] for the directory number, it tells
PCBoard to search all file directories in the current
conference. Likewise, if you use [U] for the directory
number, the upload directory of the current conference
will be searched.
[D] All files found are queued for download. They may be
downloaded by executing the Download a File command.
[S] PCBoard scans for files added since the date of the
most recent files the caller has been shown. PCBoard
keeps track of the most recent valid file date that you
have seen in the file directories. For example, if you
were to do a new scan searching all file directories on
12-24-91 but the latest file date that was displayed
was 12-21-91 then PCBoard will store that date in your
user record.
[NS] Files are displayed in Non-Stop Mode (no 'More?'
prompts are displayed).
PostCommands: None
See also: Locate Files
@EXIT@
:NEWS
@CLS@NEWS File Display
Command: [NEWS]
You may use this command to read any news that the SysOp has
placed in the current conference. The news file usually contains
important notes or events regarding the bulletin board system.
Normally, this file is displayed when you log on to the system or
join a conference.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: Bulletins
@EXIT@
:PAGE
Operator Page
Command: [O]
The Operator Page command allows you to request an immediate CHAT
with the SysOp. If the system operator is available, both your
machine and the SysOp's will beep for 30 seconds or until the
page is answered, in which case you enter SysOp CHAT. If,
however, the SysOp doesn't answer the page or is unavailable at
the time of your request, PCBoard will inform you that the system
operator is unavailable and asks if you would like to leave a
comment instead. The SysOp may configure a particular time
period that he or she is available for an operator page.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: Comment to SySop
@EXIT@
:PAGELEN
@CLS@Page Length Set
Command: [P]
You may specify the number of lines PCBoard displays before it
prompts you with a "(H)elp, More?" command. The most common
setting is 23 but you may choose any value between 0 and 99. If
you select a page length setting of 0 it is like being in
permanent non-stop mode (i.e. when the screen fills a more?
prompt will not be displayed).
SubCommands:
[#] This number indicates the number of lines displayed per
screen. This value may range between 0 and 99.
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:QUICK
@CLS@Quick Message Scan
Command: Q
You may analyze a brief list of messages that may be read by you
if you use the Quick Message Scan command. When executed,
PCBoard will display the message number, reference number,
sender, receiver, subject, and read-status of each message. The
reference number indicates the previous message to which the
reply message came from.
SubCommands:
F The message base is scanned for all messages from you.
Y The message base is scanned for all messages sent to you.
S All messages that have not already been read will be
scanned and displayed.
NS Messages are displayed in non-stop Mode, thus eliminating
More? prompts from the display.
+/- When appended to a message number, PCBoard displays all
messages in forward-numerical or reverse-numerical order
respectively from that point.
TS Each message is scanned for the indicated text.
USER The message base is scanned for messages both from a
particular user and those left by a particular user.
PostCommands: None
See also: Read messages
Quick Message Scan
Status Flags
When you do a quick message scan, each message number has a
special symbol to its left. The symbol may represent the type of
message sent, its security, or the read-status of the message.
The status flags are defined below:
[blank] A message that can be read by anyone.
* A private message unread by the recipient of the message.
+ A private message that has been read by the official
recipient.
- A public message sent to a user who has already read the
message.
~ A COMMENT to the SysOp that has not yet been read by the
SysOp.
` A COMMENT to the SysOp that has been read by the SysOp.
% An unread message protected by a SENDER PASSWORD.
^ A message protected by a SENDER PASSWORD that has already
been read.
! An unread message protected by a GROUP PASSWORD.
# A message protected by a GROUP PASSWORD that has already
been read.
$ A message addressed to ALL protected by a GROUP PASSWORD.
Note that PCBoard will only show you a quick scan of those
message headers which you can actually read. If your security
level is not sufficient to allow reading all system mail, many
message headers will not be displayed to you.
@EXIT@
:READ
@CLS@Read Messages
Command: R
The Read messages command permits you to read messages on a
bulletin board system. Messages may be addressed to you, or to
other people. From this command you may also reply to messages
that you are reading, search for text in messages, and get a
synopsis of messages that are currently on the system. Examples
of the read messages command are displayed.
PCBoard allows you to view only the messages that interest you.
You may wish to read messages addressed to you. In some
conferences or on some large bulletin board systems, you may also
wish to read just a few selected messages. The SCAN SubCommands
below allow you choose which messages to read and what
conferences to scan for messages.
SCAN SubCommands:
[#] This number indicates the number of the message that
you wish to read. This subcommand will only read one
message at a time and is very useful when you know the
message number you want to read.
F The message base is scanned for all messages from you.
Y The message base is scanned for all messages addressed
to you.
YA The message base is scanned for all messages addressed
to you or to ALL.
S All messages in the current conference that have not
already been read will be displayed. You may specify
the A or ALL subcommand to scan for new mail in other
conferences besides the current conference.
L The current message base is read backward from the last
message to the first.
A Messages are read from all conferences that have been
selected for scanning. You may choose which
conferences you wish to scan for messages by using the
SELECT command from the conference command prompt or by
using the DESELECT or SELECT subcommand of the Read
command.
ALL Messages are read from all conferences that you have
access to whether you have selected them for scanning
or not.
TS Each message is scanned for the text that you indicate.
You may perform complex text searches by using boolean
text searches. For more information on boolean text
searches, see Boolean Text Searches in the Additional
User Information section of this guide.
SET PCBoard stores last message read pointers for each
conference. These pointers contain the last message
number that you read in any particular conference.
By looking at this value, PCBoard is able to
determine which messages you have not read yet.
PCBoard will update the automatically as you read
messages. However, if you need to manually update
this value you may do so with this command. When
executed, this command will ask you what you would
like to set your Last message read number to. You
may enter any valid message number. If the number
you enter is higher than the highest message in the
conference then your last message read will be set
to the highest number in the conference.
USER When executed you are prompted to enter the name of
the user you would like to search for. After you
enter a valid user name, the message base is scanned
for messages both for a specified user and those
left by a specified user.
SKIP While executing an R;S or an R;A command, you may
use SKIP to bypass the remaining messages in the
current conference and to set the last message read
pointer to the last message. In the R;A case,
however, invoking SKIP will act just as it does with
the R;A command only it moves you to the next
available conference and permits you to continue
reading messages in the next conference.
JUMP If you read all conferences (R;A), you may jump to
the next available conference for message base
scanning. The last message read pointer is not
changed, however.
SELECT While reading a message you may select the current
conference to scan for messages. This has the same
effect as if you executed the Select command from
the main menu and placed an "X" in the flags column.
Using this command you may select the conferences
you wish to scan for mail on-the-fly.
DESELECT If a particular conference is chosen for scanning
then the conference is deselected. This has the
same effect as using the Select command from the
main menu and deselecting the conference by pressing
the corresponding number for the conference. This
would cause the "X" flag in the flags column from
the SELECT command (executed from the main menu) to
be removed.
After PCBoard has displayed a message you will be prompted
with an "End of Message Command?" There is a wide range of
commands that are available. This next section of commands
will deal with the DISPLAY Subcommands that allow you to set
the direction to view messages as well as memorizing message
numbers, etc.
DISPLAY Subcommands:
NS Messages are displayed in non-stop mode, thus eliminating
More? prompts from the display.
NEXT The next message in the message base is displayed.
PREV The previous message in the message base will be
displayed.
M When executed, PCBoard memorizes the current message
number. PCBoard will only remember one message number.
If you try to memorize another message number, the
previous one will be lost. When you want to return to
the memorized message number, you may type RM, RM+, or
RM-.
RM The message previously memorized is re-displayed.
RM+ The message previously memorized is re-displayed and the
message base is placed in forward mode for further
reading.
RM- The message previously memorized is re-displayed and the
message base is placed in reverse mode for further
reading.
T PCBoard allows you to read messages in order that have
the same subject in the message header. This is called
reading messages by thread. You may choose to read
forward in the thread or reverse in the thread by
appending a + or a - next to the T (e.g. T+, T-).
Normally, you memorize your current position (by using
the M command) and use the RM command to return after
the thread read is complete.
+/- When appended to a message number or used by itself,
PCBoard displays all messages in forward-numerical or
reverse-numerical order respectively from that point.
You can always tell what mode you are in by looking at
the Read Type at the top of the message you are reading.
In that field you will see either a (+) or a (-).to
denote which direction you are reading.
/ Redisplays the current message. This command is great
for redisplaying messages for capture.
One time-saving feature that PCBoard offers is the ability to
capture messages into one single file which you may download
and browse off-line. The resulting file is an ASCII file that
looks just like what you see on the screen when viewing
messages. These CAPTURE SubCommands are covered below:
Capture SubCommands:
Sometimes you may want to download a group of messages or just
a single messages. These subcommands allow you to capture
messages and then download them to either a file or printer on
your system.
C The messages displayed by the current command are captured,
placed in a file, and prepared for download. You are given
the choice to continue with the download, abort the
transfer, or hangup after the transfer.
D The messages displayed by the current command are captured,
placed in a file, and immediately prepared for download.
Z As with the D command, the messages displayed by the current
command are captured and placed in a file. The file,
however, is compressed before it is downloaded and therefore
may not be sent to your local printer.
Reply SubCommands:
When you wish to respond to an individual's message you enter
a message called a reply. When the reply command is executed,
you may use all commands found under Enter A Message. The
message number of the original message becomes the reference
number of the reply.
RE When you wish to respond to an individual's message you
enter a message called a reply. To enter a reply to the
current message you use the RE command which will create
a new message addressed to the sender of the original
message. This is the command you will be using most
often when replying to a message because the message that
you want to respond to is the message you are currently
reading. Therefore, you will not have to enter a message
number to respond to because you are currently reading
the message. See the REPLY to Message command for
additional information.
RR If the message you are reading displays a message number
in the REFER# field of the message header, you may read
the reference message by typing RR and pressing the R
key. This is also where the memorize a message command
comes in handy. Using that command you can memorize the
current message, read the reference message and then
quickly return to the original message by returning to
the memorized message number.
General SubCommands
R When pressed at the End of Message Command? prompt, the
next message is displayed in the direction that you are
reading.
E Some times you may want to change who you addressed a
message to or the subject of a message. If this is the
case you may use the E command to edit those two fields
of any message that you have entered.
EDIT The current message is placed in the editor for
modification. You may want to re-edit a message if you
accidentally lost carrier while entering a message or
changed your mind, etc.
G GoodBye. (See the user command (G)oodBye for more
details.)
J You may join another conference. (See the user command
(J)oin a Conference for more details.)
K If the message is to/from you, you may kill it which will
delete the current message from the message base.
N Reading ends and you are returned to the main menu /
conference command prompt.
See also: Quick Message Scan, Enter a Message, Reply to Message
@EXIT@
:REPLY
@CLS@REPLY to Message
Command: RE
When you wish to respond to an individual's message you enter a
message called a reply. When the reply command is executed, you
may use all commands found under Enter A Message. The message
number of the original message becomes the reference number of
the reply.
SubCommands:
[#] The message number (between 1 and 16,777,216) that you
wish to respond to.
Q Quoting from a message allows you to reference relevant
information from the previous message. You may use the Q
subcommand (Line-By-Line Editor) or C+O(Full-Screen
Editor) to quote from the message you are replying to.
When you are quoting from a message, the original message
is displayed and you are asked to enter a line number at
the "Start quoting from which line?" prompt. After
entering the starting line number you are then asked to
enter the line number at which you wish to end the quote.
After you have entered both the starting and ending line
numbers for the quote, PCBoard will return you to the message
entry screen and you will see the quote from the previous
message denoted by arrows -> on the left hand side of the
text.
PostCommands: None
See also: Read a Message, Enter a Message
@EXIT@
:REREAD
@CLS@Re-Read Memorized Message
Command: RM
After a message has been memorized (See the M subcommand under
the Read a Message command for more information), you may return
to the memorized message by using this command. An RM by itself
jumps to the memorized message number and stops displaying
messages. An RM+ jumps to the memorized message number and
continues to display successive messages. An RM- jumps to the
memorized message number and continues to display preceding
messages.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: Read a Message
@EXIT@
:SCRIPT
@CLS@Script Questionnaires
Command: S
Script questionnaires allow you to answer questions that the
SysOp has created. These questions may cover a wide variety of
topics and could vary in length. When you execute this command
you will be presented with a list of script questionnaires
available in the current conference. You simply select the
number of the questionnaire you would like to answer and then
type in your answer in the space provided after each question is
presented to you.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:SELECT
@CLS@SELECT Conferences For Scanning Or Reading
Command: SELECT
Quite often, there will be conferences on a bulletin board that
you do not want to participate in. This command enables you to
choose which conferences to automatically scan for messages both
at login and when you use the A subcommand with a message read or
scan command (e.g. the R, TS, and Q commands). A two-column
listing of conferences that you are able to join is displayed.
In the list, PCBoard includes the conference number, description,
last message read, highest message in the conference, and an "X"
if you have marked this conference for scanning. Only the
conferences that you have access to will be listed so if you find
that a conference is not listed it is because the SysOp has not
given you access to that conference. An example of a Select
screen is provided below:
Last High
Num Conference Read Num. Flags
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 Main Board 8548 7978 X
2 SysOps Talk 1018 1001 X
3 For Sale 6289 4301 X
4 Daniel's 1278 1003
5 Programming 2106 1839
6 Operating Systems 5119 4768 X
7 Chit Chat 7831 7659 X
8 BBS Ads 6711 6584
9 Modem Info 2478 2178 X
Enter Conference Numbers, (S)elect All, (D)eselect All, or
(Q)uit?
At this point , the user can enter the appropriate subcommand.
You can Select, Deselect, or Quit. A d or a u will allow you to
move between different screens conferences if there is more then
one screen of conferences.
SubCommands:
[#] Entering the conference number allows you to toggle the
status of that conference. You may enter a range of
conferences or you may also type in a list by separating
each conference number by a semicolon. (i.e. 1-6;12) will
toggle conferences one through 6 and conference number
12. If the conference was not selected it will now be
selected. Likewise, if the conference was not selected
previously, it will be selected and you will be asked to
enter the message you last read in this conference. You
may set the last message read to any value that is within
the range of messages in the conference. To find the
range of messages in the conference look to the left of
the conference name on the prompt where it is asking your
to enter your last message read. You will see a range of
numbers that will look something like 3005-8292.
S This subcommand selects all conferences for scanning and
all conferences will have an "X" placed in its flags
field.
D This subcommand deselects all conferences for scanning
and removes the "X" if there was one in this
conference's flags field.
Q This subcommand quits the Select command. Control is
returned to the main menu.
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:PROTOCOL
@CLS@Transfer Protocol
Command: T
When executed, a list is displayed that allows you to choose from
among several different file transfer protocols for uploading or
downloading files. The protocols are placed in the system by the
SysOp and each is denoted by a single character, a letter or a
number from 0 to 9.
When determining which protocol to select on the bulletin board
it is important to remember that you must use the same protocol
on your end. Therefore make sure that you select a protocol that
is also available via your communications program. If you are
unsure of which protocol to select or will be changing your
selected protocol you may wish to select None. If you select
None then you will be asked each time you transfer a file which
protocol you would like to use.
SubCommands: A-Z, 0-9 (optional)
PostCommands: None
See also: Download a File
@EXIT@
:TEST
@CLS@TEST a File
Command: TEST
How many times have you downloaded a file only to find that it
will not uncompress due to errors? The TEST command permits you
to check files for viruses and other corruptions that might exist
in a particular file. When you enter the filename to test, you
will be informed after a short delay whether the file passed or
failed the predetermined criteria. If the filename you enter to
test does not exist on the system, you will be notified that the
filename you entered does not exist and you will allowed to enter
a new filename to test.
SubCommands:
[file] This is the file that will be tested according to the
testing procedures designated by the SysOp.
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:TEXT
@CLS@Text Search Messages
Command: TS
Every once in a while you may have a need to search through all
or a portion of messages on a particular system. You might be
experiencing a problem that you need help with or you may have a
particular question in mind. The TS command is very similar to
the R command. The major difference is that only the messages
that contain the search text that you specify are displayed.
Giving you the ability to scan messages and message headers to
locate a specified text in a message makes it easier for you to
display only those messages that interest you. By using
conditional text searches you can further limit the messages that
are displayed to you.
PCBoard allows conditional text searches by using Boolean text
searches. These text searches use three special characters to
put conditions on your search. For more information and some
examples of Boolean text searches, see Boolean Text Searches in
the Additional User Information section of this guide.
SubCommands:
[Text] This subcommand is required for use with the TS
command. This is the text you wish to scan for in the
message base. This may be a single word or it may be a
complex Boolean search string.
A Messages are read from all conferences that have been
selected for scanning. You may choose which
conferences you wish to scan for messages by using the
SELECT command from the conference command prompt.
ALL Messages are read from all conferences that you have
access to whether you have selected them for scanning
or not.
C The messages displayed by the current command are
captured, placed in a file, and prepared for download.
You are given the choice to continue with the download,
abort the transfer, or hangup after the transfer.
D The messages displayed by the current command are
captured, placed in a file, and immediately prepared for
download.
F The message base is scanned for all messages from you.
L The current message base is read backward from the last
message to the first.
NS Messages are displayed in non-stop mode, thus
eliminating More? prompts from the display.
RM The message previously memorized is re-displayed.
RM+ The message previously memorized is re-displayed and the
message base is placed in forward mode for further
reading.
RM- The message previously memorized is re-displayed and the
message base is placed in reverse mode for further
reading.
S All messages in the current conference that have not
already been read will be displayed. You may specify the
A or ALL subcommand to scan for new mail in other
conferences besides the current conference.
USER When executed you are prompted to enter the name of the
user you would like to search for. After you input a
valid user name and press R, the message base is scanned
for messages which conntain the specified user name in
either the FROM or TO fileds of the message header.
Y The message base is scanned for all messages addressed to
you.
Z As with the D command, the messages displayed by the
current command are captured and placed in a file. The
file, however, is compressed before it is downloaded.
PostCommands: None
See also: Read a Message
@EXIT@
:UPLOAD
@CLS@Upload a File
Command: U
Like the command Download A File, this command allows you to
transfer files between systems. In this case, however, you are
sending a file to the bulletin board system instead of receiving
one.
SubCommands:
[file(s)] The parameter is given to identify the uploaded
file in the PCBoard system. PCBoard will ask for
the filename or it may be included on the command
line. If more than one file is to be uploaded,
each must be listed on the command line.
[protocol] The transfer protocols are listed under the Trans.
Protocol command.
PostCommands:
GB / BYE After the file transfer is complete, you may
indicate that you wish to disconnect. This option
may be included on the command line with the other
options of this command. Before you are
disconnected from the bulletin board system you
have 10 seconds to abort and continue on with
your current call.
See also: Upload Batch, Download a File, Download Batch
@EXIT@
:UPBATCH
@CLS@Upload Batch
Command: UB
This command functions similarly to Upload A File with one minor
exception. The UB command immediately assumes that more than one
file will be uploaded. You may only use protocols which have
been designated as batch transfer protocols by the SysOp. You
will be prompted for each filename you wish to upload. When you
have finished entering all the files that you wish to upload
press R at the Filename to Upload prompt.
SubCommands:
[file(s)] These parameters are given to identify the
uploaded files to the PCBoard system. Several
files may be uploaded at once if you use a
protocol designed for batch file transfers.
[protocol] The transfer protocols are listed under the Trans.
Protocol command.
PostCommands:
GB / BYE After the file transfer is complete, you may
indicate that you wish to disconnect. This option
may be included on the command line with the other
options of this command. Before you are
disconnected from the bulletin board system you
are given 10 seconds to continue on with your
current call.
See also: Upload a File, Download a File, Download Batch
@EXIT@
:USERS
@CLS@USERS, List
Command: USERS
This command allows you to search the user file for a text
string. You are responsible for inputting the text string.
PCBoard provides a list of users with the text string found
somewhere in their records. In the list are the user's name,
location, and the last date the user logged into the system.
Note: PCBoard does not display any sensitive or confidential
information with this command. Only the name and
location (City and State) of each user found will be
displayed.
SubCommands:
[text] This is any piece of text. PCBoard analyzes this
input, scans the users' file, and displays all user
records that match the text you enter. For this search
string you could enter part of a first or last name, or
even part of a city name. This search string may also
be a Boolean text search For more information and some
examples of boolean text searches, see Boolean Text
Searches in the Additional User Information section of
this guide.
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:VIEW
@CLS@View Settings
Command: V
This command displays the current settings your user record. If
you have questions about the values in this display please
consult the SysOp for more information. Below is an explanation
of each line:
Caller Num This is the number of calls that the bulletin
board system you are calling has answered since
operation of the system began.
Lst Date On The last date you called the system is stored in
this field.
Expire Date This field contains the date at which your account
will expire. If you have no expiration date then
this field will contain the value None. Some
bulletin board systems set their users to expire
at a certain date. When you are "expired" your
security level is usually dropped until you follow
the instructions that are displayed to you. If
you do not think the expiration date is set
correctly contact the SysOp of the bulletin board
system.
# Times On This is how many times you have called this
system.
Page Length The page length setting allows you to configure
how many lines will be displayed before you want
PCBoard to issue a more? prompt and ask you if you
are ready for the next screenfull. This value may
be changed by using the Page length set command.
Expert Mode If expert mode is turned on then an On is
displayed. Otherwise you are in novice mode and
an Off is displayed here. You may toggle expert
mode by using the Xpert Mode On/Off command.
Security Lv This value is the security level that you have
been assigned on this system. The actual value
itself holds little value to you. However, the
bulletin board system uses this value to control
what you can and cannot do on the system.
# Downloads This is the total number of files you have
downloaded from the system.
# Uploads This is the total number of files you have
uploaded to the system.
Bytes Avail Some SysOps limit the number of bytes you may
download on a daily basis. In this field is the
number of bytes you are allowed to download. This
value is set to Unlimited then you may download as
much as your time allows.
L/Msg. Read This field contains the last message number you
have read in the current conference. As you
change conferences this value should change.1
High Msg. # This value is the highest message number in the
conference you are currently in.
Active Msgs This value is the number of messages that are
active in the conference you are currently in.
While you will see that each conference has a
range of messages (e.g. 332-982) some of the
messages in that range may have been deleted.
Tr/Protocol This is the name of the protocol you have selected
as your default transfer protocol. If None is
displayed, you will be prompted for a transfer
protocol to use each time you start a file
transfer.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: Write User Information
@EXIT@
:WHO
@CLS@WHO
Command: WHO
Most users on multi-node systems like to know who else is
currently on the system. To satisfy this curiosity you can use
the WHO command. This command acts like the NODE or CHAT
commands, but does not permit communication with other callers.
When executed, PCBoard displays the status of each node on a
multi-node system. You can use this command to see if anyone is
online that you would like to chat with, who is doing what on the
system, etc. This command is only available on multi-node
systems. If you try to execute it on a single node system you
will get a Sorry, no Network is Active message.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: None
@EXIT@
:WRITE
@CLS@Write User Information
Command: W
This command allows you to change your own user information.
Based on how the SysOp has set the system up, any or all of the
following fields may be changed: password, caller's location,
business/data phone, home/voice phone, comment field, and desired
message bases to scan. Even in this command's minimal
configuration you may change your own password.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: View settings
@EXIT@
:EXPERT
Xpert Mode On/Off
Command: X
This command acts as a toggle between expert and novice modes.
If expert mode is implemented, the main menu screen is not
displayed. During many user commands, options are often reduced
to one letter (instead of the whole word). To save time and long
distance costs, you might consider printing the menus and then
switch to expert mode to avoid continuous redisplay of menus.
SubCommands: None
PostCommands: None
See also: Menu
@EXIT@
:YOURS
@CLS@Your Personal Mail
Command: Y
This command permits you to scan for mail addressed to you to
determine if you have sent or received messages.
SubCommands:
A PCBoard scans all selected conferences including the main
board for messages from or to you.
ALL PCBoard scans all conferences for messages from or to
you.
S The message base is scanned from the last message read.
Only messages after this point are displayed.
NS Screen displays are placed in non-stop mode (without
more? prompts).
L This option shows messages in long list mode. The
message bases are scanned and the corresponding number of
each message found is displayed. This is the default
listing mode for this command.
Q Messages are shown in quick list mode. The message bases
are scanned, but only the number of messages and the
number of messages to you are displayed and not what
those message numbers are.
C Only the current message base is scanned for messages.
+ When added to a message number (e.g. 300+), PCBoard scans
from that message forward.
- When added to a message number(e.g. 300-), PCBoard scans
from that message backward.
PostCommands: None
See also: Read a Message
@EXIT@
:ZIPPY
@CLS@Zippy Directory Scan
Command: Z
This command scans the directories to find a specified text
string. PCBoard prompts for the text string to scan. Possibly
one of PCBoard's most powerful time-saving features, the Zippy
directory scan command will locate text in both the file name
field and the descriptions. Like other PCBoard searching
features, the zippy directory scan command utilizes Boolean
operands (AND, OR, and NOT).
SubCommands:
[text] This is the text you wish to search for in the
directory listings. If you wish to search for an
imbedded space (i.e. "TEST ") then you will need to
imbed that part of the string in quotes as shown above.
Since you cannot enter quote characters on the command
line you would not be able to enter the above example
on the command line. This search string may also make
use of Boolean operands if you wish to further qualify
your search.
[#] PCBoard scans for the indicated text in this directory.
When using the Zippy Directory Scan command, you must
specify a directory or range of directories that
PCBoard should search for the file specification. You
may list a single directory, a range of directories in
the format #-# or a list of directories in a #;#;#
format. There are two letters that you may use as a
directory number. If you use A for the directory
number, it tells PCBoard to search all file
directories in the current conference. Likewise, if
you use U for the directory number, the upload
directory of the current conference will be searched.
D Each file found with the specified text is flagged for
download. The system does not immediately download the
files, but waits until the command Download A File (D)
or Download A Batch (DB) command is executed.
N Using the N command allows you need to include the
minimum file date from which the scan should search
for. If you would like to use the date you last
scanned for files you may simply add a S to the N
subcommand. This is easy to remember if you think of
it as New files Since my last scan. For example,
L;ABC*.TXT;N;102191;A would search all directories for
a filename that started with ABC and had a filename
extension of TXT. All files older than 10-21-91 would
not be displayed. Likewise, L;ABC*.TXT;N;S;A would
search all directories for a filename that started with
ABC and had a filename extension of TXT. All files
older than the last valid file date you saw in the file
directories would not be displayed.
NS Screen output is displayed in Non-Stop mode.
PostCommands: None
See also: Locate a File
@EXIT@
:BOOLEAN
@CLS@Boolean Text Searches:
For most commands that allow you to enter a search string you
likely start out looking for a single word or phrase. Sometimes
though, that single word or phrase could yield far too many
matches. If you think there are too many matches you can use
Boolean search operators to further qualify what you are trying
to find in your search. Boolean operators allow you to search
for more than a single word or phrase. There are three boolean
operators available to you - AND, OR, NOT which are represented
by PCBoard with the &, |, and ! symbols respectively.
Boolean operands AND, OR, and NOT allow you to establish search
patterns based on the criteria you enter. The operands are
denoted by the symbols &, | (vertical bar), and ! respectively,
and may be used in nearly any command that allows a search string
(e.g. TS, Z, USERS, etc.). Using Boolean Logic, you can perform
a conditional text search to include any combination of words or
phrases, even excluding phrases or words that you wish to omit.
Keywords may be enclosed by parentheses to help group phrases or
keywords together. Each parameter may be enclosed by quotes if
characters such as (, ), |, or & will be in part of the text to
scan for.
Example 1: R A TS (teach | tutor) & (kid | child). This
example, probably for a school teacher, will read all
available conference messages that contain the words teach or
tutor and either the word kid or child. PCBoard not only
searches for the exact words but also any portion of the word
in whic the search text appears (i.e. teacher, teaching,
tutorial, children, etc). If you omitted the parentheses in
the search above the search would display any message that
contained either the words teach, teach and tutor, or the word
child. You can see that parentheses are important to your
search.
Example 2: Z 26 (util | driver) & update &! (virus |
trojan). In this example, the caller is likely interested in
recent screen or printer driver releases, or updated utilities
other than those related to trojan or virus detection/removal.
This command would search directory 26 for all file
descriptions which contain the words update and either driver
or util, excluding those file descriptions which contain the
words virus or trojan. PCBoard would then list any files
found with each occurrence of the keywords highlighted.
@EXIT@
