PCBLister - A PCBoard file list creation utility.
Version 1.2
Operation and Configuration Manual
Copyright 1995, Pete Cervasio.
All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for trying PCBLister version 1.2. This software is designed
to make your life as a SysOp more enjoyable by taking care of creating
your downloadable file listings for you. You can use it to create a
single file containing all your conference download directories, a
bunch of files, one per conference, or any combination in between.
PCBLister is shareware, however it is not crippled in any way. I am
relying on your basic honesty to register this software if you use it.
You will receive the latest version of the program, as well as several
other useful(?) utilities that may help keep YOUR BBS the best one in
your area. The cost is only $10.00, and that's a good deal!
DISCLAIMER
#include <standard.disclaimer> /* You've read them before! */
No warranty is expressed or implied. The only thing this program is
guaranteed to do when properly installed is to take up space on your
storage device. If it doesn't do that, then it isn't properly
installed. I cannot be held responsible for anything this program does
or does not do. You use this program at your own risk. If it breaks,
you get to keep all the pieces.
Even though I said all that, persons who find bugs or wish to suggest
improvements may send Fidonet netmail to me at 1:130/209, or Compuserve
mail to 73443,1426. I'll see what I can do about it.
INSTALLATION
Unzip the file to a directory on your hard disk. Put the .EXE file in
a subdirectory on your path. Your PCBoard directory is probably as good
a place as any. Look at the batch file supplied with the software.
Read the rest of the docs and figure out what you need to tell it to
create a file list like you want. Modify the batch file and make sure
you run it whenever you want to create a new file list. You could even
put it in your nightly event.
C'mon, you're a sysop... An omnipotent and omniscient God of Modems and
Batch files. You can figure that much out!
FEATURES
A completely customizable header that appears that the beginning of the
file list, if desired.
Removes the "|" character from secondary description lines.
Each directory has a fancy-schmancy header that uses those big numbers
like some other file list generators use. Now PCBoard sysops can have
them, too. This header also tells how many files and bytes are in that
directory.
Gives a total byte and file count at the end of the listing.
Cheap, small and fairly fast.
OPERATION
PCBLister takes all it's input from the command line. The command line
syntax is as follows:
PCBLIST dir.lst [/O:|/A:]outfile /H:hdrfile /F /N:x
^ ^ ^
| | |
+---+---+-------- this means "either/or", as in
either use /O: or /A:, but not both.
dir.lst - Full path and filename of the DIR.LST file to read
for DIRxx names and directory descriptions.
/O:outfile - Tells PCBLister that output should go to the file
specified as "outfile". If you don't give either
this or the /A: parameter, output goes to standard
output (and may be redirected to a file). The /O:
option says to overwrite the file.
/A:outfile - Operates the same as /O:, but tells the program
that you want to append to file, instead of making
a new one. This is used to add more conference
directories to a master list that has been started.
See the /N: parameter for more information.
/H:hdrfile - Specifies a "header" file that will be placed at the
beginning of the file list. You may place just about
any text you want in this header. I use it to tell
people what a great BBS I run.
/F - Tells PCBLister not to stick it's summary of how many
files and bytes were processed at the end of the file
listing. This is used mainly for keeping my copyright
information from appearing in your file listing. I
guess that it could also be used when you're creating a
master list from several conferences. The command
lines for all but the last run would have a /F on them
so that only one copy of the file summary would be
placed into the listing. PCBLister is smart enough to
keep a work file around which reminds it of how many
files and bytes it's looked at so far. If you've told
it /A: (append) it will read that work file and add
to the counts stored in there. Otherwise, it starts
counting at zero.
/N:x - Tells PCBLister where to start numbering the download
directories for this run. Again, mainly used when
creating a master list from several conferences. X is
an integer from 0 to 65535. It's probably not a good
idea to start at 65535, because the second directory
processed will be numbered 0 after the variable wraps
around in memory. What are you doing with that many
directories, anyway? Sheesh! The nerve of some
people's kids! <grin>
NOTE
PCBLister ignores lines in your DIRxx files that start with a percent
symbol. These are usually used to include some sort of header on a
directory - by - directoy basis. Since PCBLister makes its own, and I
am too lazy to open another file, these lines are ignored.
This is what the output will look like. I've scrunched the file's
description line a little to fit into this text, but you get the idea of
how it looks.
════╤════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
█ │ EchoMania Filelists & Signup
▄█ ├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
██ │ Number of files: 1
██ │ Number of bytes: 662,568
────┴────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Filename Size Date Description of File Contents
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
ECHOMANI.LST 662568 05-09-95 EchoMania's downloadable file listing.
This file is updated nightly at
midnight. All these files area
available for Fidonet file request.
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Listing created by PCBLister v1.2 Total files: 1 ║
║ Copyright 1995, Peter W. Cervasio Total bytes: 662,568 ║
║ File request PCBLIST from 1:130/209 for the latest version. ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
EXAMPLES
This first example creates a master list called PCBFILES.LST from a
directory list named C:\PCB\GEN\DIR.LST. There is a header file
containing some kind of text named C:\PCB\GEN\DIRHDR.TXT that will be
put at the beginning of the file.
(ONELIST.BAT)
c:
cd \pcb
pcblist gen\dir.lst /o:pcbfiles.lst /h:gen\dirhdr.txt
The second example creates a single file listing from two separate
conference download directories. The same setup is used as above,
and the second conference DIR.LST file is in C:\PCB\PROGSHAK\. We start
numbering the second set of directories at 12, since the main conference
has 11 directories.
(TWOLIST.BAT)
c:
cd \pcb
pcblist gen\dir.lst /o:pcbfiles.lst /h:gen\dirhdr.txt /f
pcblist progshak\dir.lst /a:pcbfiles.lst /n:12
Finally, to create several different file lists, you just combine the
two techniques:
(BIGLIST.BAT)
c:
cd \pcb
pcblist gen\dir.lst /o:pcbfiles.lst /h:gen\dirhdr.txt
pcblist progshak\dir.lst /o:progshak.lst /h:progshak\dirhdr.txt /f
pcblist moreprog\dir.lst /a:progshak.lst /f
pcblist cdrom\dir.lst /o:cdrom.lst /f
pcblist morecd\dir.lst /a:cdrom.lst /f /n:61
pcblist stillmor\dir.lst /a:cdrom.lst /n:121
I'd hate to be the person to download that CDROM.LST file, but won't
it look impressive in your listing? <grin>
REGISTRATION
Yeah, this is the part you don't want to read. Well, I'm going to make
it pretty easy. If you like this program, please register it. If you
use this program regularly (for more than 30 days), you HAVE to register
it. How do you do that? I'll tell you.
For you 'Merkins out there, send a check or money order (drawn on a U.S.
bank) in the amount of ten dollars ($10.00) to:
Peter Cervasio
8301 Boat Club Road, Apt. 837
Fort Worth, TX 76179
If you live outside the United States, please figure out some way to
convert your currency into a piece of paper that my bank isn't going to
laugh at when I tell them I want to deposit it. If you just absolutely
have to send a bank draft (or Eurocheck or whatever it is) in your
native currency, please add the equivalent of five U.S. dollars ($5.00)
(making a total of $15.00US) because I'm sure it's going to be a real
pain in the behind to get it converted. Send it to the same address as
the one listed for the 'Merkins, but don't forget to add a line that
says "USA" at the bottom, so your postal people know what's going on.
When your registration is received, I'll send you a diskette containing
the latest version of the program, several other utilities (like a
program that creates a bulletin saying how many files and bytes are in
your download directories), and complete source code to PCBLister if you
ask for it.
PROGRAM NOTES
PCBlister was written and tested in Borland Pascal 7.0, and the release
version was compiled with StonyBrook Pascal+.
Versions 1.0 and 1.1 were never released to the public. They were in
use here at EchoMania for several years, though.
FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS
I don't know. Include some suggestions with your registrations and I'll
work on them. One idea I have is to allow the per-directory header to
be optional, and to read in files that are specified by "%" in the DIRxx
files. Another idea is to keep the individual directory subtotals in
the work file, and include an option to either write them into the
listing footer, or create a bulletin file from them directly (instead of
the separate program I use now to do that). A third idea would be to
make *all* the text customizable, for international sysops. Let me know
what needs to be done first. :-)
Peter Cervasio
Fidonet 1:130/209
Compuserve 73443,1426
