Network Mail Status - PCBoard-Fido Version
=================================================================
First off I would like to thank Don Sharp who suggested this
version. Also to all those who offered suggestions and comments
on my original Status program. Some functions and displays are
the direct result of this input. Don Sharp was a beta tester on
Status (now StatusP), StatusC and StatusQ.
(1) Generates a network Import mail status bulletin showing
each conference (full 23 characters for conference names), 1600
maximum, and the total number of messages imported for current
date and total to date for each conferences, total conferences
and the total messages to date for the specified network.
(2) Generates a network Export mail status bulletin showing
each conference (full 23 characters for conference names), 1600
maximum, and the total number of messages exported for current
date and total to date for each conferences, total conferences
and the total messages to date for the specified network.
(3) Generates Last Import bulletin showing last import
information: date, time, total messages imported in last import
and total messages imported to date.
(4) Generates, or appends to the end of, a monthly totals
bulletin called network.TOT with each rollover. This bulletin
contains the total lines from previous Import bulletins along
with header.
(5) Supports multiple network Import and Export bulletins in
addition to the regular bulletins above (Fido Networks Option).
This program uses PCBoard's CALLERn log. It does a monthly
rollover of CALLERn using PKWare's PKZIP.EXE (copyright PKWare).
This archive should contain the following files:
CLENUPPF.EXE.......... PCBoard Caller log reduction program
CLENUPPF.DOC.......... Instructions for running ClenUpPF
DOORS.TXT............. Current list of James Huckabey doors
FILE_ID.DIZ........... BBS description file
SOFTWARE.TXT.......... Information on shareware
HUCKABEY.TXT.......... Current list of all James Huckabey
software
ARCHIVE.TXT........... This list of files
READ.ME............... Update/changes information
STATUSPF.EXE.......... Actual Status program
STATUSPF.DOC.......... Instructions for running StatusPF
STATUSPF.CFG.......... Sample configuration file
STATSPF2.CFG.......... Sample configuration file
STATSPF3.CFG.......... Sample configuration file
STATUSPF.LUP.......... Sample networks line up file
E-MAIL.TXT............ Current e-mail address for author
Syntax is pretty straight forward:
STATUSPF STATUSPF.CFG
Full path to STATUSPF.EXE may be used if not in path or in
current directory. If you do use a path statement in your
execution of StatusPF (not in current dir or in path) you need to
set the environment variable "SET STATUSPF=path to STATUSPF.EXE"
(SET STATUSPF=C:\UTILITY\OTHER, etc. no ending slash is needed).
It is not necessary to add a path statement to the
configuration file since the program finds itself. Of course the
file must be in location of STATUSPF.EXE. If the configuration
file is not in the same location then use the path statement to
it's location.
"STATUSPF.CFG" and can have any file name with the following
format. You can use up to 8 characters of your network name for
the name of your .CFG file if that helps keep multi-network
configurations clearer. This would be the easiest way to do it.
Each line must be populated with a valid entry. Paths to
bulletins or logs are not needed if they are in or written to the
current directory:
( 1) Unregistered BBS
( 2) 0000
( 3) Network
( 4) CALLER
( 5) C:\BBS\BLT1
( 6) C:\BBS\BLT2
( 7) C:\BBS\BLT3
( 8) PCB
( 9) Bright
(10) STATUSPF.LUP
CFG line #1
"Unregistered BBS", BBS name if registered.
CFG line #2
"0000", valid serial number if registered.
CFG line #3
"Network" should be the name of the actual network you are
using, one word and case sensitive (Fido, etc.). 18 characters
max, longer names are truncated. Say you are making two different
network mail runs with the same software, you would use those
names here, each in it's own configuration file.
CFG line #4
"CALLER" is the path and name of your PCBoard's Caller log.
CFG line #5
"C:\BBS\BLT1" is the path and name for your Import bulletin.
CFG line #6
"C:\BBS\BLT2" is the path and name for your Export bulletin.
CFG line #7
"C:\BBS\BLT3" is the path and name for your Last Import
bulletin. If you are not using this option the file can just be
written out to the current directory, but it must be generated.
CFG line #8
Color and characters used are setup to give you as much
control over the output as possible. Not all users can read and
handle IBM extended graphic characters (like sight impaired users
and voice hardware). Program can use either "=/-" or IBM's
extended graphic characters "I/A". Line #8 must contain one of
the following options:
"PCB" use IBM extended graphic characters and PCBoard's @X0
colorizing codes.
"PCB2" use no IBM extended graphic characters and PCBoard's
@X0 colorizing codes.
"ANSI" use colorizing and no IBM extended graphic
characters.
"ANSI2" use colorizing and IBM extended graphic characters.
"ASCII" use no colorizing and no IBM extended graphic
characters.
"ASCII2" use no colorizing, but use IBM extended graphic
characters.
CFG line #9
Text Tone: This option can be either Bright or Normal. The
default is BRIGHT. Even if you are using an ASCII option you must
still populate this option.
CFG line #10
**Fido Networks Option enabled with registration of StatusPF**
** The Fido Networks Option is an optional line in the CFG
file. Without it StatusPF runs just like earlier versions and
does not check for a lineup file. This is in the event you are
having problems that this option can be disabled by removing it
from the CFG file.
This entry in the CFG is the file name for the Fido
individual Fido Network bulletins (network line ups). File name
can be any legal DOS file name. Format as follows:
<position number one on each line (do not indent)
IMPORT:C:\PCB\BLTQIMP1 <import bulletin
EXPORT:C:\PCB\BLTQEXP1 <export bulletin
Fido 5666 <network name
Adult_Issues <conference name
Teen_Issues <etc.
Star_Trek
First line must contain import bulletin, second line export
bulletin and third line network name. These are followed by the
conferences belonging to that individual network. You repeat the
process for each additional network:
<position number one on each line (do not indent)
IMPORT:C:\PCB\BLTQIMP1 <import bulletin
EXPORT:C:\PCB\BLTQEXP1 <export bulletin
Fido 5666 <network name
Adult_Issues <conference name
Teen_Issues <etc.
IMPORT:C:\PCB\BLTQIMP2
EXPORT:C:\PCB\BLTQEXP2
Fido 7684
Men_Only
Women_Only
Teens_Only
For_Sale
IMPORT and EXPORT must be uppercase and use a colon. NO
SPACE AFTER THE COLON. Borland's Turbo Pascal is unable to open a
file with a leading space (unlike DOS' command line). The
individual conferences are written out in sorted order regardless
of how they are entered in the list. BUT they must match existing
conferences. There is a maximum of 500 conferences for each
individual network. The network name has the same 18 character
limit as the standard bulletins. No Last Import bulletins are
generated. See sample STATUSPF.LUP for additional information on
format.
It is now possible to generate all manner of bulletins. You
can have like minded conferences in different networks and
combine them into one bulletin. Say you have adult conferences in
several Fido networks, now you can combine them together to make
"Fido Adult" bulletins. Say you have genealogy conferences in
several networks, now you can combine them together to make "Fido
Genealogy" bulletins. There are endless possibilities.
All networks can be run from separate configuration files,
but this means that StatusPF has to process all data each time.
It is faster, less wear and tare on hard drives, it all network
data is in one configuration file. If you want different formats,
then generate additional configuration files to generate the
formats desired. Two different formats require only two different
configuration files (example: STATUSPF.CFG/STATUSPF2.CFG). The
networks file (example: STATUSPF.LUP/STATSPF2.LUP) also has to
have different bulletin names in it or it will overwrite the
previously generated bulletins.
STATUSPF TOTAL FILE(s)
This file, StatusPF Totals, is written to the current
directory only. Current directory is the directory where you call
STATUSPF.EXE from. The file name is the first eight alphabetical
characters of your network name. This way if you are making
multiple network mail runs each network will have it's own totals
file. The extension is always "TOT".
Please make note that if your copy of StatusPF is not
registered that the total file will have "Unregistered BBS" in
the BBS line of the bulletin. If you keep the file and register
StatusPF you will have to edit the top line of the bulletin or
erase the file(s) and start over.
This file/bulletin has unlimited possibilities. If you are
making more than one StatusPF execution, say for different
formats, only the first one will be executed with the rollover.
So this file will only contain that color format. It is complete
with whatever color codes existed in the original bulletin. The
colors can be removed or replaced with whatever colors you want
manually using a text editor.
The file has a three line header when first created, (1)
line with BBS name in it, (2) an explanation of what it is, (3) a
header termination line. It then has one line for Import and
Export totals followed by a blank separation line. Each
successive appendage is two lines total. A year's worth of
information would have a total of thirty-nine lines.
What you do with this information is up to you. Just another
friendly option added to the program. If you are going to use it
as an active bulletin it can be copied anywhere you want. Just
make sure that if you want the next rollover appended to the end
that you keep the file in the current directory for the execution
of StatusPF. If you change this directory make sure you move the
total bulletin(s) to your new directory.
Special Bulletins Showing Totals Each Conference
It is possible to make a "Previous Month's" activity
bulletin out of the rolled over log(s). At least the data would
be all there and compacted if you have used ClenUpPF. All you
have to do is make a special STATUSPF.CFG file with the name of
the bulletins for these special bulletins. You could do one each
month for the previous month. The bulletin for the Last Import
could just be written to the current directory and not used. For
a full month the Bulletins would have something like 01-01-95 to
01-31-95 for the time period as this would be the dates in a log
for January 1995.
Of course the above would work even if you did not run
ClenUpPF.
It should be noted that when you start using StatusPF for
the first time that if your Caller log(s) are not just the
current month's log(s) that the log does not roll over until the
month in the log equals your system's current month. The first
archive will contain everything to last day of previous month.
The new log will start at the first current month's date StatusPF
finds in the current month's log. Bulletins generated will show
information only for the current month and from this point on
each roll over archive will contain only the previous month's
log.
Errors
Errors are written to the same directory as STATUSPF.EXE in
a file called STATUSPF.ERR. If the file already exists additional
errors are appended to the end of the file. It may be deleted
after you have made note of any errors. It's existence it not
required by the program.
During the start up procedures that program displays
"Searching!"/"Configuring!" while it is reading in and verifying
all information in the configuration file. These are to show you
what the program is doing should lockups occur. Normally these
two displays should be very quick and unreadable depending on
system speed and StatusPF's configuration.
The program confirms each item in the configuration file
before it does anything else. Program aborts if each option
cannot be confirmed.
If the program has any problems with your log(s) such as no
conferences found or log not found, bulletins (Import and Export)
are generated showing "No data found" and the error information
is written to STATUSPF.ERR.
Making Different Bulletins
Perhaps you want to make a bulletin with the PCBoard's color
codes and one using straight ASCII codes and yet another using
ANSI codes, Bright or Normal Text Tones. The .CFG files would
contain the bulletin names and the form setting (#9):
STATUSPF STATUSPF.CFG
(.CFG with PCB, uses PCBoard's color codes and IBM extended
graphic characters and normal text tone)
STATUSPF STATSPF2.CFG
(.CFG with ASCII, ASCII and no IBM extended graphic
characters and normal text tone [must be populated])
STATUSPF STATSPF3.CFG
(.CFG with ANSI, ANSI colors and no IBM extended graphic
characters and bright text tone)
You just call STATUSPF as many times as needed, with as many
configuration files as needed to generate whatever formats you
want. On my 486-40 it takes less than twenty seconds to run the
program on a 16,500 line test log.
PKZIP.EXE used by the StatusPF Program
If you have some other procedure that does a rollover on
your Caller log(s) it should be performed before you run both
ClenUpPF and StatusPF. My program DoCaller is a stand alone
program that is run daily and rolls over your Caller log only on
the 1st day of month. See HUCKABEY.TXT for details on, or getting
a copy of my software.
Because of the eight character limit there must be a
departure from the other Status programs for the name of the
rollover archive. Normally the name is 'S' for Status and letter
of the version. Here 'PF' is used for PCBoard-Fido.
"PKZIP.EXE" must be somewhere in your path or in the current
directory. When the month changes in the export/import.log the
program archives the current log into a file using 'PF'+ the
current date (PF010195.ZIP, etc.). It also includes the current
logs and all bulletins. It creates this in the directory that
contains the log file(s). The program then rewrites the log using
only the current new month's data. This way there is only one
month's log data in your Caller log(s).
The bulletins are added to the archive so the last
information posted on the BBS before rollover is available should
this information be required by you.
If you do not want the previous month's log(s) simply delete
the archive from your hard drive. In your calling batch file you
can add "IF EXIST PF*.ZIP DEL PF*.ZIP" and this will auto-delete
the archive.
There must be at least one meg of free disk space for the
archive to be executed. I have no idea the possible sizes and if
anyone has problems with the archive with one meg as the minimum
please let me know and I will increase the size of the free space
required.
The StatusPF Program
If you don't like the program please write to me and explain
why. Send me any suggestions you might have. If they enhance the
overall program I will try to incorporate part, some, all, in the
next release.
This program package represents many hours of programming,
testing, updating and LD telephone calls to get it tested and to
distribute the beta and release copies. Please support my efforts
and register your copy. Registration enables ClenUpPF and Fido
Networks Option.
StatusPF Registration
Please supply name of BBS to be added to program, up to
sixty characters. Anything longer than this is truncated, no
exceptions. This is to be on one line of code and must be legible
since the serial number is based on exact syntax. I cannot be
responsible for unreadable data. Please print. Case sensitive!
For those who do not understand "case sensitive" I will
explain since some people do not seem to know the term. If you
send me your BBS name in all capital letters that is what your
serial number matches. If you send me your BBS name in all lower
case letters your this is what your serial number matches. If you
send me your BBS name in capital and lower case letters that is
what your serial number matches. Writing small capital letters is
not the same as lower case. I have gotten registrations where the
first letter of words were in large capital letters and the rest
of the letters in that word in small capital letters. My
interpretation is that this is all uppercase (capital) letters.
By match means that your configuration file must contain the same
format your serial number is based on: (1) all uppercase, (2) all
lower case, (3) mixed case.
Example: "Jim's Graphic BBS". In StatusPF it comes out as the
following in all bulletins generated:
==================(Jim's Graphic BBS)==================
StatusPF Registration Form
[-------------------------------------------------------------]
(put BBS name on line above)
Send BBS information and one of the following in $ U.S.
Registration enables ClenUpPF and Fido Networks Option.
(1) Registration via mail.............................$15
(outside U.S./Canada please add $2)
(2) Update from version 1+ or 2+ via mail only........$ 3
(3) Registration and latest version via mail......... $17
(outside U.S./Canada please add $4) Include
diskette size.
(4) Registration and latest version via mail and copy
of all James Huckabey Doors and PC software...... $20
(outside U.S./Canada please add $5) Include
diskette size.
Option: 1: [ ] 2: [ ] 3: [ ] 4: [ ]
Diskette Size: 360: [ ] 1.2: [ ] 720: [ ] 1.44: [ ]
Your current version number: [ ]
FROM:
Name:
---------------------------------------------------
Address:
---------------------------------------------------
City:
---------------------------------------------------
State & Zip:
---------------------------------------------------
BBS Name:
---------------------------------------------------
Phone(voice): (data)
---------------------- ---------------------
E-Mail:
---------------------------------------------------
Your registration number and any diskettes, if requesting
current version or other software, are sent by return mail and e-
mail if requested: jameshuckabey@juno.com.
James Huckabey
3621-A Fraser Street
Bellingham, Washington 98226-2473 USA
(360)
671-2868 (voice, Pacific)
I do have a v34+ modem (33.6k)!
