PCBFX (C) Copyright 1992-1994 Yandell Custom Software
This file describes the new features in recent PCBFX releases.
Please refer to PCBFX.DOC for a basic description of PCBFX.
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[ PCBFX 2.2 New Features 11/11/94 ] -------------------------------------
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* PCBFX version 2.2 is a very minor update to insure compatibility with the
new (as of this writing) PCBoard 15.2 software as follows:
- PCBoard 15.2 uses more memory than it previously required. You should now
install PCBFX as a "swap & shell" door instead of as a "shell" only door.
Make the following change to your DOORS.LST file where PCBFX is defined:
USER DOOR
Filename Password Sec Login SYS SYS Shell (other parameters)
-------- -------- --- ----- --- --- ----- ------ -----------
#) FX 10 N Y N S (set as needed)
^
> > Previously this was recommended as "Y", now it should be "S" so that
PCBoard will swap when it shells to the PCBFX door.
- PCBoard 15.2 adds new FSEC settings (passwords) to designate the "FREE"
status of a file. If the new settings are used, PCBFX would recognize them
as passwords instead of "settings", and would prompt the caller to enter
the password to profile the file. PCBFX now supports the new PCBoard 15.2
FSEC parameters as "settings" instead of "passwords":
FREEFILE (New in PCBoard 15.2, same as the FREE setting)
FREETIMEFILE (New in PCBoard 15.2, same as the NOTIME setting)
FREETIME (New in PCBoard 15.2)
- FXDBM has been modified to handle the non-DOS (Unix) name conventions that
the new PCBoard 15.2 Internet utilities sometimes write to DOWNLOAD.TXT.
The enclosed FXDBM.EXE corrects problems encountered while creating or
updating the PCBFX.DAT database if the Internet utilities are in use.
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[ PCBFX 2.1 New Features 3/18/94 ] --------------------------------------
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* PCBFX now gives THREE sets of profile information using the configurable
INFO display file.
(1) File History - Same as previous versions: Who Uploaded, Upload Date,
Number Times Downloaded, Last Download Date, Dates In Scan, etc.
(2) File Download Information - Previous versions provided the File Size
and Minutes To Download information. PCBFX 2.1 adds the following
display fields (yes/no parameters): Time Charged, Enough Time, Bytes
Charged, Enough Bytes, File Flagged, Need Password. The conference
area (number) the caller is currently in is also displayed.
(3) Compressed File Information - New parameters provide a quick profile
summary about the contents of a compressed file: Number of Files in
archive, Oldest File Date and Newest File Date.
* A new parameter was added to FXSETUP that allows the Sysop to decide if
PCBFX should obtain the Compressed File Info for a profile (see #3 above).
This is a new parameter on the FXSETUP screen and will contain a blinking
asterisk (*) when FXSETUP is run with PCBFX.CNF from 2.0 or earlier. The
Sysop may elect to disable this feature on CD-ROM drives, or disable it
completely. Obtaining the Compressed File Info takes a little more time
since the compressed file has to be read by PCBFX. Sysops should use this
setting as needed. If completely disabled, the appropriate macros should
be removed from the INFO file(s).
* The security level previously called "Security for Sysop Zippy Text Scans"
is now "Security for Sysop Special Functions. This is the same parameter
from previous versions. In other words the level previously set in FXSETUP
for Sysop Zippy Scans is now the level for Sysop Special Functions. This
level is now also used to only allow Sysop-level callers to enter a caller
name in the new (U)ploader Profile command.
* A new command was added to PCBFX called (U)ploader Profile. This uses the
PCBFX.DAT database created with FXDBM to display to the caller the history
profile of the files they (ONLY) have uploaded. This will display the file
name, date uploaded, last download date and times downloaded. The security
level previously attached (in FXSETUP) to the INFO file macros for each of
the above fields is also used to determine whether a particular field will
be displayed to the caller in the (U)ploader Profile. The Sysop may also
determine who can use this command by setting the FXSETUP "Security for
(U)ploader Profile" parameter to meet their needs.
- After pressing (U), the caller will be asked how they want to sort the
report. Valid options are (F)ile Name and (D)ate Uploaded. If (F)ile
Name is chosen, the sort will be in alphabetically ascending order. If
(D)ate Uploaded is chosen, the sort will be in descending order, which
allows the caller to review the activity on their recent uploads. The
sort is limited to 1000 (less depending on available memory) uploads
from the caller. If more than 1000 uploads by the caller are found in
PCBFX.DAT, the files will be listed as they appear in the PCBFX.DAT
database. If there is less than 20K available (the amount needed to
sort a minimum 200 caller uploads) the caller will not be asked how to
sort the report, their uploads will simply be listed as they appear in
the PCBFX.DAT database. See PCBFX.DOC for detailed explanations for
sorting and memory considerations.
- If the caller's security is at or above the Security for Sysop Special
Functions, they will be asked to enter an "Uploader Name". This allows
Sysops to use the (U)ploader Profile command to view the popularity or
activity of any caller's uploads.
- Note: The (U)ploader Profile will display to the caller their uploads
if found in the PCBFX.DAT database, even if the file is no longer on
the system. Whenever the database is purged with FXDBM, files that do
not exist on the system are removed from the database.
* The enclosed INFO files reflect all of the new information fields listed
above. Old INFO files should not be used with PCBFX 2.1.
* The enclosed FXMNU (menu) and FXHLP (help) files reflect the addition of
(U)pload Profile command. The enclosed FXHLP (help) file has been changed
to reflect the new look of similar files in PCBoard 15.x.
* If the caller is using RIP graphics mode in PCBoard, PCBFX will clear the
caller's RIP screen and set it to 25-line mode when first run. This is
useful where RIP menus are used in PCBoard that set the caller's screen as
a full graphics window and leave no areas for a text process such as PCBFX
to display information. To override this feature, add /NORIP to the end
of the PCBFX command line in its door batch file. Use of this setting is
not normally recommended and will be removed in the future as additional
RIP capabilities are added to PCBFX.
* Support was added for PCBoard's "PCB" environment variable modem setting
overrides of the modem settings found in PCBOARD.DAT. The PCB switches are
/PORTx /PORTxF /OS /COMx: /BASE:xxx /IRQ:x. Use of these switches is not
generally recommended.
* Pressing ESC at any input prompt will clear any input and move the cursor
to the beginning of the field. This makes PCBFX behave like PCBoard 15.x
in this area.
* The PCBFX distribution ZIP will no longer contain a PCBFX.CNF file so that
those who extract the whole new package over their existing configuration
will not lose this file. FXSETUP.EXE will (and always did) create the file
with default parameters if it does not exist.
* When updating PCBFX.DAT with FXDBM.EXE, FXDBM will test and insure that
available disk space is four times greater than the size of PCBFX.DAT for
extra safety.
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[ PCBFX 2.0 New Features 7/10/93 ] --------------------------------------
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* PCBFX version 2.0 is a major upgrade from previous versions. There are
many new features and enhancements. Please read this file carefully, as
well as the associated instructions in PCBFX.DOC regarding new features.
* -INSTANT- file profiles are now possible! A database may be created from
the DOWNLOAD.TXT file for PCBFX to instantly retrieve a file's transfer
profile. The enclosed FXDBM.EXE (FX DataBase Manager) file creates this
database. PCBFX can be operated in different modes to accommodate the
different Sysop needs as to keeping DOWNLOAD.TXT on-line for other scans
by PCBFX, or removing large DOWNLOAD.TXT files on a daily basis. FXDBM
has an EVENT mode, which can be used to update the database automatically
in the system's event (registration is required for EVENT mode use).
NOTE: Instructions for creating a PCBFX database and using FXDBM are
contained in PCBFX.DOC. DO NOT attempt to create a database or
use FXDBM without reading those instructions.
* Due to the number of new options, PCBFX now uses menu and help files.
The file names are FXMNU and FXHLP. These files may be security specific
(FXMNU60) and/or may contain language extensions (FXMNU.FRE). PCBFX uses
security and language versions of these files in the same fashion as
PCBoard. These files utilize PCBoard color macros (only) for color.
* SUMMARY OF MAIN MENU COMMANDS:
(S) Select a file to profile.
(L) List the transfer profile INFO file.
(F) Flag the selected file for download.
(T) Top download profile list.
(U) Uploader Profile (added in 2.1 - See above)
(Y) Your transfer profile. Caller may list their own transfers.
(H) Help screen displayed.
(X) eXpert - toggle the menu on or off.
(P) Program information.
NOTE: The (Z)ippy command is not included in the new FXMNU and FXHLP
files, since it should only be available to the Sysop.
* New command: (S) Select a file to profile. Allows the caller to select a
file (or another file) to profile. This must be done if a filename was
not entered with the door command at the PCBoard main menu (FX FILE.ZIP).
Previous versions of PCBFX simply dropped to the "Select a filename"
prompt after the INFO file was displayed, since there were no other
commands available to the caller with those versions. As with previous
versions, PCBFX is completely integrated with PCBoard's file security
If the caller cannot download a file with PCBoard, they cannot (S)elect
it to profile with PCBFX (see the enclosed file WARNING.DOC).
* New command: (L) List the transfer profile. This displays the INFO file
from the PCBFX main prompt. The INFO file is still displayed after a
file is selected, so this command is actually a re-display of the file.
If a file was not specified when opening the door (FX FILE.ZIP), then one
will have to be (S)elected before using (L)ist.
* New command: (F) Flag file for download. This will cause the currently
selected file to be flagged for downloaded upon return to PCBoard.
* New command: (T) Top Download Profile. Display a list of the most popular
files downloaded from your system. Requires the database created with the
new FXDBM utility. You may select how many (up to 50) files to include in
the profile. You may also set how many downloads a file must have in
order to qualify for the profile list. The Top Download Profile may be
updated in the system EVENT (when registered). The file created for the
download report is a text file with PCBoard color macros and can also be
used as a PCBoard bulletin.
The (T) command can be disabled if the Sysop wishes.
* New command: (Y) Your download profile. NOTE: This is only available when
PCBFX is being used in a (database) mode where DOWNLOAD.TXT is retained
(as opposed to removing it after updating the database). After selecting
(Y) the caller may choose one of three sub-commands:
- (D)ownloads. Files they have downloaded will be listed.
- (U)ploads. Files they have uploaded will be listed.
- (A)ll. All of their transfers will be listed.
The (Y) command can be disabled if the Sysop wishes (regardless of the
database "mode" PCBFX is being used with).
* New command: (P)rogram information. This displays the PCBFX version number
and registration information.
* Download time information may be used in INFO files. This includes the
number of minutes to download the file and the file size. Information
macros are used for this (as with all other PCBFX data in INFO files),
allowing complete Sysop configurability of the display to the caller.
See the enclosed INFO and INFO2 files and PCBFX.DOC for examples and more
information.
* The enclosed INFO file contains two new macros, @firstdat@ and @lastdate@
which can be used to display the first and last transfer dates in the
database in a field such as "Scanning all transfers FROM: ". These two
macros replace @dwntxtdate@ in previous versions of PCBFX, which provided
the "first" date, padded with two spaces. Previous INFO files used this
macro with "Scanning all transfers SINCE:". Adding the first and last
macros, along with saying FROM instead of SINCE apparently clears up mis-
interpretations callers had of this information. NOTE: Carefully note the
spelling of these two macros if modifying the enclosed INFO file.
* The input prompts for the new Main menu prompt, the new (Y)our profile
prompt, and the (Z)ippy input prompt are all configurable. The File
input prompt, configurable with previous versions of PCBFX, is now used
at the (S)elect file input prompt.
* PCBoard /M multi-port software is now supported by PCBFX. PCBFX will read
PCBOARD.DAT on the node where it is running and automatically detect if
PCBoard /M multi-port software is in use on that node. If it is, PCBFX
will automatically use the FOSSIL interface in the PCBoard /M multi-port
communications driver. No special PCBFX configuration is necessary when
using PCBFX version 2.0 with PCBoard /M multi-port software.
* The (PAB) (Printer, Alarm, Bell) indicators on the status line will also
include M for multi-port if PCBFX is being used with PCBoard /M software.
* Added support for extended IRQ use (above IRQ 7). Previous versions of
PCBFX provided non-standard COM support with IRQ 1 through 7. The IRQ
value may now be 1 through 15. PCBFX reads this information from the
appropriate PCBoard system files. Use of PCBFX with non-standard COM
ports requires no additional installation by the Sysop.
* The (Z)ippy-text results, along with (Y)our-profile results, are fully
colorized by PCBFX. When the caller is in color mode or calling with an
ANSI capable terminal program, the screen clears up from the bottom when
a full screen of results is reached, always leaving the header at the top
screen for a nice effect.
* BONUS! INSTANT file profiles are now possible with our FVMM (File View
Maintenance Manager) utility for PCBFiler! FVMM is available with our
PCBFV (PCBoard FileView) utility, distributed separately. FVMM has always
contained a profile generator similar to previous PCBFX versions, which
scans the DOWNLOAD.TXT file each time. All that is needed for FVMM to use
the PCBFX database is to replace the location and name of DOWNLOAD.TXT in
FVMM.CNF with the location AND name of the new PCBFX database (the
database name is always PCBFX.DAT). NOTE: This requires FVMM.EXE from
PCBFV versions 3.4 and later. Do not attempt to substitute DOWNLOAD.TXT
with the database if using FVMM.EXE from PCBFV versions 2.5 through 3.3.
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Very early PCBFX versions are listed below with their version numbers and
release dates only. The detail has been omitted to keep the size of this
file lower. Contact the author if this detail is needed.
(Versions 2.0 through 2.2 are listed above in detail)
Version 1.2 - 05-01-92
Version 1.1 - 04-03-92
Version 1.0 - 03-29-92
