ÜÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛß ßÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ßßß ÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ßßß ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛß ßÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÜÜÜÜÜ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÜÜÜÜÜ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ßÛÛÛÛÛÜÜ ÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛßßßßß ÛÛÛÛßÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛßßßßß ÛÛÛÛÜÛÜÛÛÛÛ ßßÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÜÜÜ ÛÛÛÛ ßÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÜÜÜ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛ ßÛß ßÛÛÛÛÛÛÛß ßÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛß ßÛÛß ßÛÛß ßÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛß ßÛÛß ßÛÛß ßÛÛÛÛÛÛÛß ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ IceNEWS is an independent newsletter published monthly as a service to ³ ³ IceNET, its Sysops and users. The opinions & reviews expressed herein ³ ³ are the expressed views of the respective writers. All Rights Reserved.³ ÀÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÙ ³ May In This Month's Issue of IceNEWS Volume 2 ³ ³ 1993 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Issue 4 ³ ³ ³ ³ Feature Article ³ ³ An Interview with Jim - The Fez........................ 2@7653 ³ ³ ³ ³ Software Department ³ ³ Upgrading to DOS 6.0 - Spelunker....................... 1@7653 ³ ³ ³ ³ User's Forum ³ ³ How To Handle Problem Users - The Duke................ 59@5902 ³ ³ Joined At The Node - Young Sysops in Love ³ ³ - Seafox............................................ 1@2459 ³ ³ ³ ³ Mod Of The Month ³ ³ Enhanced Main Menu & Transfer Prompts - JAFO........... 1@8857 ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ Editors: Spelunker #1 @7653 and The Fez #2 @7653 ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ F E A T U R E A R T I C L E ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ An Interview with Jim ³ By: The Fez (2@7653) ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ The following is an interview I conducted with Jim, 1@1, via e-mail. The subject matter is regarding IceNET: past, present, and future. I would like to thank Jim for consenting to this interview. The responses given by Jim were spread out over two mailings: the first containing initial questions and the second containing a list of "follow-up" questions. The two have been edited together into one article for this interview. Fez: In a past issue of IceNEWS, Louie #6@1 gave us the 'fictional' history of IceNET. Now let's get the REAL story. When, where, and why was IceNET formed? Jim: IceNET was born in February, 1991, when the first network connection between IceNET @1 and @2 was completed. I decided to start the network to satisfy my curiosity about how the network software worked. I had NO network experience, as my board had been non-networked since it went up two months before. The initial suggestion for me to put up a board came from Icefreezr, my remote sysop, who also persuaded Northstar, IceNET @2 into starting a board. Icefreezr was very instrumental in getting us started, and for the first year or so was very motivational to me by his constant input of ideas and non-stop energy to create new things for the board. The network was, in a way, just another one of the 'games' we loved to install here on TGWN. By August of the first year, we'd attracted 10 other sysops to participate in our local network. Fez: Why was the WWIV software used as opposed to the other numerous BBS softwares available? Jim: Icefreezr suggested it, and I was more than willing to see how it worked. I had no idea, initially, what an excellent choice I'd made in selecting WWIV, not only as a basic BBS, but also for the unique networking features. Several months later, again for curiosity, we set up a second board, and installed all the shareware versions of BBS software we could find. After having such a great experience we wondered how the other software would work and compare. Fez: What were the other candidates you experimented with for BBS software? Jim: SearchLight, WildCat, Major BBS, VBBS, PCBoard, TBBS, and others I don't remember. Nothing came close to the ease of WWIV for both the user, and the sysop. Since the 716 area is and was dominated by WWIV, many users already knew how to navigate. And it's my belief that what's easiest for the users is the best. In addition, WWIV has so many powerful features that other BBS software just doesn't have: in particular, the networking capabilities. Fez: So after your comparisons, WWIV came out on top. Jim: After several months of playing around, we found that nothing even came close to WWIV in providing the 5 basic features a bbs can have: Email, Messages, Games, Files, and live Chat. WWIV provided the easiest interface for the user to accomplish his participation in these 5 areas, and we found that many of the users were very comfortable with WWIV already, so they felt comfortable right away on TGWN. Fez: What was the release number of the first version of WWIV used with IceNET? Jim: Sure I remember. WWIV v4.11, followed closely by an upgrade to 4.12. We've been here all the way since then, upgrading as soon as the new versions were released. Fez: As IceNET continued to gain nodes, what goals did you set for the young network? Jim: Goals? Just to have fun. Later, as I realized the potential for growth, I started asking the local sysops for input on a network manual. After Northstar provided an initial draft, I published the first IceNET Policy Statement and Application, which still contains the basic policy set at that time. Namely, to operate a wholesome network between modem friends, and also teach other sysops how to network and have as much fun as I was having. I was always anxious for new nodes to join, though it was very slow in the beginning (relatively). I never had a goal for a total number of systems, and I still don't. Each new system still means I've got a new friend in a sysop and some new users to share. Most of the early boards I set up and trained the sysop. I did a LOT of this up through about 70 boards or so. I know I crashed every board in IceNET at least once in those days, trying to do some rather exotic stuff remotely. I never actually destroyed anyone's system though as far as I know. Actually, I'm still not sure if sysops learn from me, or in spite of me. :) Fez: You mean that you didn't create IceNET with any specific goals or agenda in mind? Jim: The only goal I've ever really had is what you see manifested in IceNET today: network growth, solid operating policy, good implementation of WWIV networking capabilities, and making new friends all the way. I can speak of the goals today, but in the beginning they were mostly just thoughts that continued to gel. Fez: What was the first 'out of town' node as IceNET grew? Jim: IceNET @13, in Rochester NY, some 85 miles away. It was a heady experience, and I thought the LD costs would kill me. They didn't. Very shortly thereafter, about 10 systems from 504 (Louisiana) joined. But The Doc, sysop of @13, will always be the first LD connect. Fez: What was the first 'international' node for IceNET and how did this come to be? Jim: Alpha Station, currently IceNET @5851, began exchanging email with me about IceNET while he was stationed in Okinawa, and in about a month the 10 or so Pacific IceNET Systems joined. So, Station Manager, currently the GC for the International Group 5, was the first. Even though Station Manager has come back to the States, the Okinawa systems in IceNET, now numbering 21 nodes, remain a very fine group of boards with some great sysops. Fez: What other countries do you see IceNET expanding into in the foreseeable future? Jim: Canada has joined, with some excellent systems. Even though they are only 'sorta' international, they are in Group 5 too. I'd suppose that someone will eventually help IceNET get to Europe. As a matter of fact, The Doc, IceNET @13, is over there now recruiting. It will be fun to gain contact with the rest of the world! Fez: Before the release of WWIV v4.21a, what was the average growth rate of IceNET? Jim: From February of 1991 to August we grew to node 13, and lost a few along the way, so I think there were about 10 nodes in IceNET when a sysop from Lousiana contacted me, and wanted to merge his small local network with mine. Overnight, we grew to 20 nodes or so. I guess that doubling of the network in one day was the fastest growth. In terms of total numbers of new systems, by August, of 1992, IceNET had grown to around 200 nodes, with the help of Jim Wire's switch mod, and other multinetworking mods, many of the most talented sysops were able to join IceNET, without being forced to drop their existing network. I think this influx of so many really great boards helped set a very good foundation for IceNET. We grew 107 nodes in the first month after the release of 4.21a. Typically, the growth rate has continued to be about 50 nodes per month, but it's geometric. Fez: After the release of WWIV v4.21a, IceNET grew at a staggering rate. As IceNET's "major-domo", how did you feel about this? Jim: I was ecstatic. Still am. And don't call me names :) Fez: Sorry, Jim. Do you prefer I use the term 'Grand Poo-Bah' instead? :) Seriously though, do you feel that the success of IceNET's rapid growth is due to the various multi-netting software and wouldn't have been possible without it? Jim: There you go again...just call me anything but late for dinner :) Technically, the more recent growth, since August of '92, has been helped a great deal by WWIV421a. But before that, IceNET had about 200 systems, many in only IceNET, and many running Jim Wire's Switch mod (including me on Paragon). The growth is in part due to the software that is available to us, and all it takes is hundreds of folks to implement it working together. We did it and continue to do it very well I believe, thanks to the finest sysops in the WWIV world who are all members of IceNET. Fez: What problems did this rapid growth cause with IceNET? Jim: After about 70 nodes, I new we needed a better way to update the network. We were using a message base method along with a program called ICENETUD, which Icefreezr wrote, and I had to get to work. I realized that any update method that relied upon sysop intervention was going to make for lots of systems not using the current update. It was at this time that I approached Wayne for some help, and the rest is history. NETUP has been used now since then, though Wayne has provided two upgrades in the program. Fez: As IceNET continued to grow, did you set new goals for the network? Jim: I don't think so much in terms of goal setting as in terms of keeping new ideas coming along, though one of my goals was to fully implement all of WWIV's networking features (subs.lst, IceNEWS, group updates, pings, etc). Some of the 'programs' developed along the way, usually from a seed I planted in another innocent sysop, include the ISB/IPSS, IceNET's excellent Space Dynasty Game (both these projects sponsored/ managed by Daryl, 1@5900), the formation of the groups and selection of Group Coordinators, the IceNET Top Ten List (Dr. Diversity, 1@8400), continued development and evolution of the IceNET Policy. As for a daily goal, emptying the mail box is always a challenge. Fez: Now that IceNET has matured, what do you forsee for the future of the network? Jim: Somehow, matured doesn't seem like the right word, but I suppose it is. I still think of IceNET as a small growing network, full of energetic sysops who want to achieve some excellence in networking, and make friends over the modem. I know though that the perception is different for new sysops seeing WWIV for the first time, and discovering that IceNET exists as a major premium network. Fez: Well, I started out as a user of IceNET back in September of '91, so I got in on it while it was still small and remember the general joy of connecting with the Louisiana systems. I thought the term 'matured' seemed right to me. Like you, I've seen many other networks go the way of the do-do while IceNET thrived. Why did IceNET become a premium network and so many others failed to make any lasting impact? Jim: Luck and hard work. A sound network Policy. A strong emphasis on WWIV registration. And a continuing dedication to quality and service to the users and sysops that make IceNET what it is. Great dedicated GC's who spend a LOT of time working quietly without fanfare and getting the job done. Following some of the very sound practices that were invented in other networks (mainly WWIVnet and WWIVlink). Learning from others. Listening to others. Avoiding the trappings of hard ball politics. Just having fun and letting things happen, with thought and consideration to what we are doing. I don't think that IceNET is the last premium WWIV network. There are several out there, more than I know of, so it just depends on the dedication of the network coordinator. He/she is the one that must make it happen. I'm starting to meet more 1@1's on a new sub I started, just for 1@1's only, subtype ONE@ONE. Fez: Alright, Jim. Let's get back to the future of IceNET. Jim: I see IceNET's future to include continued growth, staying current with the latest WWIV technology, and some new innovative ideas manifesting themselves in things that will keep IceNET Sysops having fun. I believe I can now imagine 1000 nodes in IceNET. I hope to encourage the continuation of new and exciting things always happening in IceNET, and foremost, continued commitment to fast and accurate network updates. Fez: Since the birth of multi-networking and WWIV, it seems that the goal of everyone who's ever BBSed is to start their own network. What advice would you give to anyone who is considering starting a network from the ground up, as you did? Jim: I am frequently asked questions about how to start and run a network. With the multinetworking capabilities of WWIV422, many of you have thought about how much fun it would be to have that '1@1' designation by your name. Let me assure you, it is INDEED fun. However, when I started IceNET, along with a few of my friends, there really were no other major networks besides NET and LINK, and IceNET found it's niche because it is something new and different, with a personality of it's own. So, how DO you start a network today? It's simple. Get one other board to join with you, and you have a two system network. But if your serious about it, then I think you should consider several things: 1 - What is the PURPOSE of the network I'm going to start? Your network should have a THEME and a PURPOSE. 2 - Your network should have a POLICY and GUIDELINES for operation. A policy is a way of acting, or proceeding; a course. 3 - How do I send out network updates? To keep your network running smoothly, each system must be using the same node lists. As the network grows, you will need to distribute the new files to each system in a timely and efficient manner. YOUR NETWORK THEME ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Think of this just like you would think of hosting a message base, but in this case, you are 'hosting' and entire network of systems. Everything that goes on in your network doesn't necessarily have to involve the theme; but your theme and purpose is the foundation. The theme provides a special focus for your network, and new systems interested in your theme will be attracted. YOUR NETWORK POLICY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The policy you establish will be the reference source for dealing with problems and issues as they arise in your network. When something is wrong, you should be able to look in the policy to get some answers about how to proceed to resolve the problem. You don't have to re-invent the wheel to write a good policy. Look for the basics in the WWIVNET guidelines, which contain sound practices which have been demonstrated to work quite well. I believe that a short, elegant, well thought out policy can put your network on a firm footing right from the beginning. Involve others in the preparation of your policy, then establish, maintain, and enforce your policy. A TECHNICAL MATTER - UPDATING THE NETWORK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As your network grows, you will need to edit the connect.net and bbslist.net files for new systems, systems that drop out, connection changes, and numerous other things that systems within your network will want changed. One big question then, is how to get these edited files distributed to all systems in the network. There are at least three methods to do this: 1 - The email method. 2 - The message base method. 3 - Using Wayne Bell's NETUP program. THE EMAIL METHOD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the beginning, with only a few systems, you can do it easily via email, or just making the files available for download from your system. This method is probably adequate up to about 25 systems. If your network grows beyond this size, you will begin to find problems: o Some sysops just don't get around to installing the files o Unknown systems will begin to show up in email and message bases on BBS's where the sysop has not updated his board with the new files. THE MESSAGE BASE METHOD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One semi-automatic method of updating the network, that will work well for up to about 50-75 systems, is to use a special update message base. This message base would be hosted by you, and you would network validate the message base. On all subscribing systems (everyone in the network must subscribe), the message base would be set to ONE message, storage type 0. To update your network, zip up the bbslist.net and connect.net files into one file (called, for example NODELIST.ZIP), then uuencode that file. Post the uuencoded message on the message base. All subscribing systems would then have a batch file to run during maintenance, something like this: COPY C:\WWIV\MSGS\*. UPDATE.UUE UUDECODE C:\WWIV\MSGS\UPDATE.UUE PKUNZIP -o C:\WWIV\MSGS\NODELIST C:\WWIV\DATA ERASE C:\WWIV\MSGS\*. ERASE C:\WWIV\MSGS\*.UUE ERASE C:\WWIV\MSGS\*.ZIP As soon as WWIV recognizes the changes, network analysis will automatically run, sending the sysop feedback as normal. It is critical that the message base be ONLY one message, and that there are NO other files without extensions in \MSGS, which is normally the case. Make sure you delete any *. files from \MSGS just to make sure when initially setting up this method. I'm certain that some of you will see ways to make this method more efficient, but the above should give you the concept. Of course, if your capable, you could write special software to accomplish the updates, but the above method is something that anyone can easily do, it's relatively secure, since you host the message base and validate it, and it requires no further sysop intervention once the message base and batch file is installed. USING NETUP ~~~~~~~~~~ When IceNET grew to about 75 systems, I realized that something must be done to improve the updating technique. We had gone though the stages of using email, a message base, and even had ICENETUD, a special program written by Icefreezr, IceNET 3@1 (Alan Carauna) that worked with a message base somewhat similar to the way Space Dynasty works. From a suggestion by DEATH KNIGHT, IceNET 1@7, I emailed Wayne Bell, telling him 'IceNET needs your help', to which he graciously responded to by offering me NETUP for $300. When you buy NETUP, you get three files, the NETUP.EXE, and two special files DE1.EXE and EN1.EXE. As the Network Coordinator for your network, only YOU have EN1.EXE on your system, and all other systems have the special DE1.EXE (this file goes into the special DATA directory you set up in WWIV421A just for your network). When you execute NETUP.EXE, you will see the following menu on your system. Just hit the letter, and the rest is automatic. Found: 22 AC's 278 systems Using standard BBSLIST.NET and CONNECT.NET files. B> Send BBSLIST.NET to network C> Send CONNECT.NET to network H> Send FBACKHDR N> Send WWIVnews F> Send feedback R> Check registration info Q> Quit Which? For normal updates, I just type in NETUP B C, and don't even have to use the menu. Recently, in order to have the updating more uniform, I've begun running NETUP in a batch file during maintenance, which runs every other day. With the rapid growth of IceNET in recent times, this frequency of network updates is required. Though not on the menu, you can also send out the subs.* files, and I soon expect to get the latest version of NETUP, which will work with the SUBS.PUB method of keeping the subs listing updated. If you are going to run a WWIV network, you will not find a better resource than Wayne Bell to help you with your software needs for updating your network. As usual with Wayne's policy, once you've registered NETUP, he will be there for you to answer questions and provide updates to NETUP as they are released. In conclusion, if you want to start a network, then do it right. Work with others to establish your THEME, POLICY, and GUIDELINES. Use the methods above to begin updating your network. If you a lucky, and have a lot of friends to help you like I did, one day you probably will buy NETUP, as your network will have grown to the point it's a necessity. I'd like to thank all of the sysops who are in IceNET, and in effect, allow me to be a 1@1 for a premium network. I'd also like to thank Wayne Bell, and Filo for all their support in so many ways. Running a network is a lot of work and responsibility. It's also a tremendous amount of fun. I'm having the time of my life! Fez: Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Jim. ---End of interview--- ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ S O F T W A R E D E P A R T M E N T ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ Upgrading to DOS 6.0 ³ By: Spelunker (1@7653) ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Now that the latest upgrade to DOS is out, the most asked question is: Should I upgrade to DOS 6.0? If you are still running a 286 or lower based system, then upgrading may not really make a difference. DOS 6.0 comes with many new features that may help you make this decision. Also, the old axiom: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." may apply in this case. Some of the new features include: DoubleSpace - An integrated disk compression that increases you hard disk space by compressing files. MemMaker - A memory-optimizing program frees conventional memory by moving device drivers and memory-resident programs from conventional memory into the upper memory area. Microsoft Backup - A program for backing up your data. Microsoft Anti-Virus - A program that can identify and remove viruses from your system. Microsoft Undelete - A program that enables you to choose up to 3 levels of protection in case you accidentally delete a file. Microsoft Defragmenter - A program that reorganizes the files on your hard drive to minimize the time it takes to access these files. MS-DOS Help - A complete online reference to MS-DOS commands. Microsoft Diagnostics (MSD) - A program that displays technical information about your system. The ability to define more than one configuration in your CONFIG.SYS file. This can be especially useful if you need to have different setups for your system. It can eliminate the need to constantly edit CONFIG.SYS and restart your system. The ability to bypass startup commands when you turn on your computer. You can choose which CONFIG.SYS will be carried out and whether your AUTOEXEC.BAT file will run. This is especially useful for debugging start up problems. A deltree command that deletes a directory and all of its files and subdirectories. (Be very careful using this command because you could easily find yourself with an empty hard drive.) The following is an excerpt from a text file that contains some general installation questions and answers. 1. Q. When I run the Setup program for the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade, my video display is unreadable; either the instruction lines are truncated or the screen text is unreadable. How can I correct this problem? A. If you are currently running a version of MS-DOS earlier than 6.0 and your monitor is not displaying the setup screens properly, use the following steps: 1. If you have not already done so, quit Setup by pressing the F3 function key twice. 2. Insert Setup Disk 1 in drive A or drive B. At the MS-DOS command prompt, type the following command and then press ENTER drive:\setup /i where "drive" is the letter of the drive containing Setup Disk 1. The /i switch disables automatic hardware detection. Since display problems can be caused by incorrect hardware settings, make sure you enter the correct display type when Setup prompts you for it. If the setup screens still display incorrectly, you may need to manually install MS-DOS 6. For instructions on how to do this, refer to pages 196-197 in the "Microsoft MS-DOS 6 User's Guide." 2. Q. Setup repeatedly prompts me to insert the same disk or indicates that my Uninstall disk is not the correct disk. How should I troubleshoot this problem? A. Your computer may contain memory-resident or disk-caching programs that prevent Setup from correctly reading the floppy disk. Remove or remark out any memory-resident programs that are started from the AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file, restart the computer, and then run Setup again. If the problem persists, you may be able to successfully install MS-DOS by using the following steps: 1. Create a temporary directory on your hard disk. To do this, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER md drive:\directory where "drive" is the disk drive on which you are creating the temporary directory, and "directory" is the name of that directory. For example, to create a temporary directory named TEMP on drive C, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER: md c:\temp 2. Use the COPY command to copy all files from the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade disks to the temporary directory. To do this, insert Setup Disk 1 in drive A or drive B. At the MS-DOS command prompt, type the following command and then press ENTER copy drive:\*.* destination where "drive" is the floppy disk drive containing Setup Disk 1 and "destination" is the drive location and directory name of the temporary directory. For example, if Setup Disk 1 is in drive A and you are copying to the TEMP directory on drive C, type the following command: copy a:\*.* c:\temp Repeat this step for each MS-DOS 6 Upgrade disk. 3. Run the Setup program for the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade from the temporary directory. 3. Q. Can I install the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade on my IBM(R) PS/1(R) computer? A. You can upgrade to MS-DOS 6 if you have an IBM PS/1; however, if your IBM PS/1 is configured to boot from read-only memory (ROM), you must first change your system configuration so that it can boot from your hard disk (usually drive C). To do this, use the procedure in the section titled "Your computer is an IBM PS/1, and you cannot start MS-DOS" on pages 203-204 in the "Microsoft MS-DOS 6 User's Guide." 4. Q. Can I install the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade on my Tandy(R) computer? A. You can upgrade to MS-DOS 6 if you have a Tandy computer; however, if you have one of the Tandy computers listed below, it is possible that your computer uses ROMDOS, which must be disabled before you can install the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade. Methods for disabling ROMDOS vary depending on the model of Tandy computer you have. For instructions on disabling ROMDOS, contact Tandy Technical Support. 1000HX 1000SL 1000SL2 1000TL 1000TL2 1000TL3 2500XL 2500XL2 5. Q. I am using the Stacker(R) disk-compression program. When I run MS-DOS 6 Setup, I receive the message "Your computer uses a disk-compression program and does not have enough free disk space to set up MS-DOS." How should I troubleshoot this problem? A. This error occurs if Stacker has allocated so much disk space on your primary MS-DOS partition for storing the Stacker volume file (SVF) that there is inadequate disk space to install MS- DOS 6. To work around this problem, you must increase the free space on your uncompressed drive. For instructions on increasing the size of the uncompressed drive, refer to page 186 in the "Microsoft MS-DOS 6 User's Guide," consult your Stacker documentation, or contact STAC Electronics Technical Support. 6. Q. I think that one of my MS-DOS 6 Upgrade disks is defective. What should I do? A. To determine if an original MS-DOS 6 Upgrade disk is defective, use the following steps: 1. Insert the disk that you suspect is defective in drive A or drive B. At the MS-DOS command prompt, type the following command and then press ENTER copy drive:\*.* nul where "drive" is the letter of the floppy disk drive containing the disk. This command forces MS-DOS to read all the files on the disk and copy them to the NUL device. When NUL is used as a device for testing purposes, files copied to it are discarded without being written to the disk. 2. If you receive an error message, such as "Data error reading" or "General failure reading," during the copy process, the disk is probably defective. To order a replacement disk, call Microsoft Consumer Sales at (800) 426- 9400. If you do not receive an error during the copy process, the disk is probably not defective. If you continue to encounter problems while installing the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade, refer to the "Diagnosing and Solving Problems" chapter in the "Microsoft MS-DOS 6 User's Guide." This chapter addresses a number of issues that can cause problems during Setup. 7. Q. I want to upgrade my Digital Research(R) DOS (DR DOS) installation to MS-DOS 6. How should I do this? A. You can upgrade from DR DOS to MS-DOS 6; however, before you run Setup, you should first review the following precautions and carry out those applicable to your system: - If you have any security features, including password protection, disable them. For more information, refer to page 187 in the "Microsoft MS-DOS 6 User's Guide." Warning: The MS-DOS 6 Upgrade Setup program cannot create an Uninstall disk if your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file is password protected. If any of your DR DOS system files or your DR DOS directory is password protected, use the DR DOS PASSWORD command to disable password protection before you install MS-DOS 6. - If you have the DELWATCH delete-protection program installed on your computer, you must disable DELWATCH and purge your deleted files before you install MS-DOS 6. For the procedure to do this, refer to pages 187-188 in the "Microsoft MS-DOS 6 User's Guide." - If your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file uses any conditional DR DOS commands (such as ? or GOTO), remove those commands and adjust the order of the remaining commands accordingly. - If your CONFIG.SYS file contains the DR DOS CHAIN command, remove it and adjust the other CONFIG.SYS commands accordingly. - If your computer uses disk compression, but drive C is not compressed, run Setup as described in the "Getting Started" chapter of the "Microsoft MS-DOS 6 User's Guide." When Setup displays the message "Your CONFIG.SYS file contains commands that are not valid MS-DOS commands," select the Modify Original Files option. - If your hard disk is compressed, carry out the procedure in the section of the README.TXT file titled "Setup detects that your computer uses DR DOS." - If Setup displays the message "Your computer uses a disk- compression program and does not have enough free disk space to set up MS-DOS," you must convert your DR DOS 6 SuperStor (TM) (SSTOR) compressed drive to an MS-DOS 6 DoubleSpace drive using the procedure below. This is necessary because the DR DOS 6 SuperStor utility does not provide the functionality for increasing the size of your uncompressed host drive. 1. Using the DR DOS BACKUP command, back up your program and data files. For more information on using the BACKUP command, refer to your DR DOS documentation. 2. Insert the MS-DOS 6 Setup Disk 1 in drive A or B and use the SETUP command with the /f switch. For example, if you insert Setup Disk 1 in drive A, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER: a:setup /f Important: After you type the above command and Setup prompts you to insert a disk to create the startup floppy disk, you MUST create that disk in drive A. Also, be sure that you choose to install on drive A. 3. Make sure that the startup disk you created in step 2 is in drive A and then restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL. 4. Use the MS-DOS FORMAT command to reformat all your drives. When you format drive C, be sure to use the /s parameter to make the disk bootable. To do this, type the following command at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER: format c: /s 5. Use the MS-DOS 6 RESTORE command, which is located on the startup disk you created in step 2, to restore your program and data files. For example, to restore your files from drive A to drive C, type the following command at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER: restore a: c:\*.* /s Important: Do NOT restart your computer before proceeding to step 6. Note: If some of your files cannot be restored to your hard disk because you don't have enough disk space, you need to install the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade, run DoubleSpace to compress your hard disk, and then restore your files. After you finish restoring your files, continue with step 6. 6. To remove your DR DOS files, install the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade again. To do this, insert the MS-DOS 6 Setup Disk 1 in drive A, type "setup" (without the quotation marks), and follow the instructions on your screen. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ U S E R ' S F O R U M ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ How To Handle Problem Users ³ By: The Duke (59@5902) ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ How do you handle problem users? You know, the ones every BBS has, the ones that just leech or play games, without posting or emailing... Or worse yet, the ones that DO post, but keep slashing, bashing, trashing, or just being the ultimate in "userus horriblus." You've had it up to HERE with them, and you're about ready to just delete them from the BBS entirely. Well, don't! There are many reasons why a user could be doing this. For example, he/she may not know what the conventions are, or they just got a modem, or they just want to be anarchists. The key here is communication. It's been said before, and doubtless it will be said again, but communication helps solve all problems. First, you could send him email, asking him to participate, or participate in a less slamming manner. This may get results, and if it does, then you don't need to worry about it, and you can even send him an email thanking him for participating. If this doesn't work, send him another email with a little bit more "steel" in it. Politely request that they become involved more, or ask them to do what they haven't been doing, and tell them that they are about to lose some time each day. Or, tailor it to suit your system (such as no downloading privileges, no games, etc.). But, continue being polite! You may have the temptation to start cussing his/her head off, but don't! How would you like to be cussed out for doing what comes naturally? Third, if #2 didn't work, carry out on your threat. Don't go easy on them, you've already given them the chance to change. It is also a good idea to send him/her email telling them what has been done. If they STILL don't shape up, break into chat with them. Tell them that you are not amused at their antics. If they want to get back the privileges that they lost, they can start reforming. Then, when you notice that they are shaping up, give them back their privileges. But, be fair. One post, or one upload, or whatever, should not do it. They should have to work it out, and if they care, they will. Next, you can call them voice and request to speak with them. If they did not give a valid voice phone number, you can delete them at this step. On the phone, explain to him/her what has transpired. They may be stubborn, or uncooperative, or they may have a good reason for it. However, they should bring up a reason at about step 1 or two, not now on the phone. Then, allow him/her to log on again, and watch to see that they are working right. If you want, you can make it so that posts by them cannot be seen by others until you validate them, and in some cases, it is a good idea. But, do it sparingly, if at all. Finally, if you've tried everything, lower their SL to 0 for about a week, then raise it back to what it was before. That will show them that you WILL do what you say, so they won't test you any more. If they do, just delete them, and install the TRASHCAN mod, so they can't log back on. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ Joined At The Node - Young Sysops in Love ³ By: Seafox (1@2459) ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ After several calls from different IceNET Sysops in my area, I decided to join. However, after only one week, there were problems. It seems that our AC went out of town, and that gave his father opportunity to pull his phone line. When I checked my board about a week and a half after receiving my first mail packet, I noticed feedback from a new user named Lorelei. It didn't follow my rather strict feedback policy, but it did have import. "Jamaica Joe's has gone Down. Force a callout to 2460. I'll be acting AC until it comes back up. Lorelei....." About two months later, I went to one of the parties that this area is known for. (We have a dedicated party planning sub, and average 2-3 BBS parties a month.) When these two ladies entered, I asked them their names. One of them was Lorelei. I responded, "Oh, you're my AC." We got to conversing. At the end of that party, I was certain that she was out of her mind, and that we had nothing in common. Conversation had been going on about having a local sysops meeting. One fine Saturday, I decided to call her Voice and see how progress was. I was at a friend's place, and so, in the exchange, she was invited over to discuss network software development and such. From there, we got to be better friends. The Monday after, my head was in a mess. I was trying to balance a hard won cynicism and Relationship-o-phobia with the rather intense feelings moving in my head. My friend suggested that we all go see a movie. However, due to considerations of time, he picked me up on the way. After the movie, I was carless. Lorelei graciously took me home. On the way, I told her, flat out, how I felt. That's where it started. After going through the standard trials and such that most new relationships go through, we decided that this was right. We were married on October 31st, 1992. As far as I know, this is a first for IceNET. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ M O D O F T H E M O N T H ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ Enhanced Main Menu & Transfer Prompts ³ By: JAFO (1@8857) ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ Mod Name : JAFO04E.MOD Mod Author: JAFO 1@1 TerraNET ³ ³ Difficulty : ÛÛÛÛÛ±±±±± 1@8857 IceNET ³ ³ WWIV Version : 4.22 1@8861 WWIVnet ³ ³ Mod Date : 04/09/93 1@18857 WWIVLink ³ ³ Files Affected: BBS.C, BBSUTL.C, COM.C, SHRINK.C, UTILITY.C, VARS.H ³ ³ Description : Enhanced Main Menu & Transfer Prompts ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ÍÍ[ Description ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ This mod will change the way your main menu and transfer prompts work. Normally, if you type '>', a few line spaces occur and the new prompt appears below. Here is an example: T - 50:33:21 [1] [SysOp Announcements] :> T - 50:33:19 [2] [General] : As you can see, if you wanted to go to sub #30, it could take up 5 screens to get there! This mod will keep the prompt on the SAME line while you advance or retreat subs, as well as directories, IF the user has ANSI enabled. If you have modified your prompts to include random quotes or something, and have more than 2 lines, I'd suggest not using this mod, because additional code will be required, and it will be very slow at 2400 baud. Revision B Note: If you are using the original version of this mod, JAFO04, then I suggest you completely rip it out of your source and install this mod. This one is far easier to install too! Revision C Note: There was a very minor bug in 2.0. I forgot to add a single line in BBS.C so that while at WFC everything acts normally. If you installed V2.0, you probably noticed everything was kinda screwy at WFC. Revision D Note: This version of the mod now keeps the prompt on the same line when you press a valid sub/dir number. This was a feature of the original mod, but was taken out of subsequent versions (not by design). It has since been requested by many people, so it is in now. Revision E Note: Made a change suggested by Swamp Gas. If a user is in non- expert mode, prior versions would still reprint a menu when they changed subs. This version will keep the prompt on the same line. I've also fixed a few other problems with how prompts were handled for non-expert users. ÍÍ[ Legend ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ = Existing line - Do not change $ Existing line - Line has wrapped from previous line + Add this line - Remove this line % Change this line ÍÍ[ Step 1 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Please back up your source code. Even the best programmers make mistakes. ÍÍ[ Step 2 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ In VARS.H, change the line shown. You are adding the "newline" variable. = userfile, usernum, useron, use_workspace, using_modem, % wfc, x_only, newline; = = __EXTRN__ unsigned short com_speed, *csn_index, crc, *gat, modem_flag, = modem_mode, modem_speed, net_sysnum; ÍÍ[ Step 3 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ In BBS.C, add the the following line near the top. = #define _DEFINE_GLOBALS_ = #include "vars.h" = #include "subxtr.h" = = = #include + #include = = = unsigned _stklen=15360; ÍÍ[ Step 4 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Put the following function right before "int checkpw". void prompt(char *s) { if ((okansi()) && (!newline)) outstr("\r\x1b[1A"); else nl(); tleft(1); npr("T - %s\r\n",ctim(nsl())); prt(2,s); if ((okansi()) && (!newline)) outstr("\x1b[K"); newline=0; } ÍÍ[ Step 5 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ In "void mainmenu", make the changes shown. = void mainmenu(void) = { = char *s, s1[81],s2[81],ch; % int i,i1; = long l; = double d; = = tleft(1); % if ((newline) && ((sysstatus_expert & thisuser.sysstatus)==0)) = printmenu(0); = - nl(); - nl(); - tleft(1); - npr("T - %s\r\n",ctim(nsl())); = s1[0]=0; = if (usub[cursub].subnum==-1) { = cursub=0; = if (usub[cursub].subnum==-1) { = strcpy(s1,get_string(16)); = } = } = if (s1[0]==0) = sprintf(s1,"[%s] [%s] :",usub[cursub].keys, $ subboards[usub[cursub].subnum].name); + prompt(s1); - prt(2,s1); = helpl=1; = s=mmkey(0); = helpl=0; % if (s[0]) { + i1=0; % for (i=0; (i2) { = sprintf(s1,"//%s",s); = sysopchar(s1); ÍÍ[ Step 6 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ In "void dlmainmenu", make the changes shown. = void dlmainmenu(void) = { = char *s, s1[81],s2[81],ch; = int i,i1,i2,abort,next; = messagerec m; = = tleft(1); % if ((newline) && ((sysstatus_expert & thisuser.sysstatus)==0)) = printmenu(3); = - nl(); - nl(); - tleft(1); - npr("T - %s\r\n",ctim(nsl())); = s1[0]=0; = if (udir[curdir].subnum==-1) { = curdir=0; = if (udir[curdir].subnum==-1) { = strcpy(s1,get_string(32)); = curdloads=0; = return; = } = } = if (s1[0]==0) = sprintf(s1,"(%s)-(%s) :",udir[curdir].keys, $ directories[udir[curdir].subnum].name); + prompt(s1); - prt(2,s1); = helpl=2; = s=mmkey(1); = helpl=0; % if (s[0]) { + i1=0; % for (i=0; i2) { = sprintf(s1,"//%s",s); = sysopchar(s1); ÍÍ[ Step 7 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ In BBSUTL.C, add the following line near the top. = #include "vars.h" + #include = = #pragma hdrstop ÍÍ[ Step 8 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Replace the entire "char *mmkey" function with the one below. char *mmkey(int dl) { static unsigned char cmd1[10],cmd2[81],ch; int i,i1,i2,p,cp,expert; if ((sysstatus_expert & thisuser.sysstatus)==0) expert=0; else expert=1; do { do { ch=getkey(); } while ((((ch<' ') && (ch!=13)) || (ch>126)) && (hangup==0)); ch=upcase(ch); outchr(ch); if (ch==13) cmd1[0]=0; else cmd1[0]=ch; cmd1[1]=0; p=0; switch(dl) { case 1: if (strchr(dtc,ch)!=NULL) p=2; else if (strchr(dcd,ch)!=NULL) p=1; break; case 2: if (strchr(odc,ch)!=NULL) p=1; break; case 0: if (strchr(tc,ch)!=NULL) p=2; else if (strchr(dc,ch)!=NULL) p=1; break; } if (p) { cp=1; do { do { ch=getkey(); } while ((((ch<' ') && (ch!=13) && (ch!=8)) || (ch>126))&&(hangup==0)); ch=upcase(ch); if (ch==13) { if ((dl==2) || (!okansi())) nl(); if ((!expert) && (!okansi())) newline=1; return(cmd1); } else { if (ch==8) { backspace(); cmd1[--cp]=0; } else { cmd1[cp++]=ch; cmd1[cp]=0; outchr(ch); if ((ch=='/') && (cmd1[0]=='/')) { input(cmd2,50); if (((curdloads!=0) && (curdloads!=1) && (dl!=2)) || (!newline)) { if (isdigit(cmd2[0])) { if ((curdloads==0) && (dl==0)) { i1=0; for (i=0; (i': case '+': case '<': case '-': if ((dl==2) || (!okansi())) nl(); if ((!expert) && (!okansi())) newline=1; break; default: if (isdigit(cmd1[0])) { if ((dl==2) || (!okansi())) nl(); if ((!expert) && (!okansi())) newline=1; } else { nl(); newline=1; } break; } } else { nl(); newline=1; } return(cmd1); } } while (hangup==0); cmd1[0]=0; return(cmd1); } ÍÍ[ Step 9 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ In COM.C, change the following line in "void input1". = case 13: = s[curpos] = 0; = done = echo = 1; % if ((newline) && (crend)) = nl(); = break; ÍÍ[ Step 10 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ In SHRINK.C, add the following line to "int restore_data". = READ(numbatch); = READ(numbatchdl); + READ(newline); = = read(f,batch, numbatch*sizeof(batchrec)); ÍÍ[ Step 11 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Add the following line in "void save_state". = WRITE(numbatch); = WRITE(numbatchdl); + WRITE(newline); = = write(f,batch, numbatch*sizeof(batchrec)); ÍÍ[ Step 12 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ In UTILITY.C, add the following line to "void frequent_init". = void frequent_init(void) = /* This should be called after a user is logged off, and will initialize = * screen-access variables. = */ = { = in_fsed=0; = curlsub=-1; = ansiptr=0; + newline=1; = curatr=0x07; = outcom=0; = incom=0; ÍÍ[ Step 13 ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Compile your source. Since we added a variable to VARS.H, a full re-compile is necessary. ÍÍ[ Disclaimer ]ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Don't complain to me if your board gets fried, your hard disk goes nuts, or something terrible happens. The code in this mod should be harmless, but I can't guarantee it will work for you. It works on my board. JAFO 1@1 TerraNET 1@8857 IceNET 1@8861 WWIVnet 1@18857 WWIVLink