NOTE: You will ALWAYS be asked to "CONFIRM CHANGES" at the end of an
amend command whether you did any amending or not. Just enter Y to
confirm or N to abort the command.
After confirming or rejecting changes the computer will update if
neccessary and return you to the READY prompt.
Now refer back to command list earlier in this manual to choose your
next command if desired.
******************************
3.3 The Delete Command
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Description: Will remove a specific BB from the datafile by entering
it's name. All BB's can be deleted in one go by entering ALL in the
NAME field when prompted to.
3.3.1 Deleting a Single BB
--------------------
Enter the command DEL from the "READY" prompt. You will be asked for
a NAME. Enter the name of the BB to be deleted (case sensative!) and
press <return>. The computer will search for the BB and if found will
display it's details on the screen and ask you to confirm the deletion
at the bottom of the screen. If you enter Y to confirm, the BB will
be deleted. If you enter N to deny the command will be aborted.
3.3.2 Deleting All BB's
-----------------
Enter the command DEL from the "READY" prompt. Enter ALL when
prompted for a name. You will be asked to confirm the command. Enter
Y to confirm and the datafile itself will be wiped from the disc thus
deleting all BB info held. Entering anything else in the CONFIRM field
will result in the command being aborted.
Refer back to command list for more commands.
******************************
3.4 Amending Equipment Identification Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Description: When using the program for the first time you will recall
having to input details of your modem make & computer make etc. This
command provides the facility to amend this information.
Enter the command AMD ID from the "READY" prompt. After a short pause
a screen will appear displaying the existing information held on the
disc, and the cursor will position itself over the 1st letter of the
1st field. If you do not wish to amend a particular field, just press
return to leave it unchanged. To amend, just start overtyping what is
already there. Do not worry if your new info does not completely
overtype the old info as the computer will insert spaces as neccessary
in order to keep up presentation.
To save your amendments - press <return> until the cursor is
positioned over the LOAD METHD field, then press return once more and
the word CONFIRM will appear. Enter Y and the new info will be saved.
Enter N and the cursor will reposition itself on the first field again
so further amendments can be made.
Now refer back to the command list for further commands.
**************************
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3.5 Obtaining Full BB Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Description: Displays (on 2 screens) full information on any of the
BBs held on the datafile.
Enter the command INF from the "READY" prompt. You will be prompted
to enter the name of the BB. Do this and press <return>. The
computer will look for the BB and if found will display all available
details on 2 screens of data. You are returned to the READY prompt by
pressing <return> after viewing the second screen.
Refer back to command list if desired for next command.
**************************
3.6 Essential Log On Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Description: A scaled down version of the INF command providing only
the essential information needed to log on to the Bulletin Board.
Enter the command LOG from the "READY" prompt. You will be prompted
to enter the Bulletin Board's name. Do this and press <return>.
After a short pause the details will be displayed. You are then
immeadiatley returned to the READY prompt by the computer.
Refer to Command List if desired for next command.
*****************************
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SECTION 4
~~~~~~~~~
4.1 A NOTE ON SECURITY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The SYSTEMS program provides the option of storing your LOGON ID and
PASSWORD on the disc for each bulletin board that you logon to. This
is provided because many users (who follow good advice) use different
& completely unrelated passwords for each different BB they use.
Do not assume that just because this program requires a password to
gain access that nobody else except you can use it. I have always
felt that physical security (ie. a lockable cabinet) is much better
than software security for programs. The passwording method I have
used is by no means watertight and anybody with some knowledge of
programming could eventually work out the system I have used. My
advice is either to leave the PASSWORD fields blank (if you can
remember them all!) or keep your disc locked away in a safe secure
place when not using. I see no point in wasting time & memory
protecting the program listing as serious programmers might wish to
analyse the coding and make their preferred amendments.
4.2 User & System Errors
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lot of time has been put into trying to work out every possible
error a user of this program could make. User errors are reported by
a screen clear and an error message. All errors are (hopefully) self
explanatory. A list of the most common ones appear below ...
USER FILE ALREADY EXIST - You have attempted to create a new user ID
using an ID that already exists on disc.
USER FILE DOES NOT EXIST - You have entered an invalid user ID. Check
for spelling / correct disc & directory.
UNRECOGNISED COMMAND - Program doesn't understand your input.
Check command list for correct input.
DATAFILE EMPTY - No BB Information is resident on disc.
DATAFILE FULL - Only 20 BB's allowed per ID in order to
aviod disc full or Can't extend errors.
DATAFILE CONTAINS NO REC - See Datafile Empty
BB NAME NOT FOUND - BB name input not on disc - check spelling
Note: program is case sensative!
NO REC PRESENT IN DATAFI - See Datafile Empty
BB INFO NOT ON DATAFILE - See BB Name Not Found
I have done my very best to try and exterminate all bugs in the
program and I think I have managed to do it. This program has been
tested on a BBC Model B 32k (OS 1.2) issue 3 & 4 with Acorn 8271 &
1770 DFS with page running at &1900. It is known that the following
ROMS do NOT affect the running of the program ...
DISC DOCTOR INTER WORD TOOLKIT ATS 2.58 BEEBMON
FORTH AMPLE SPELLCHECK WORDWISE+ GREMLIN
Non-user errors (program errors) are reported by a "SYSTEM ERROR -
CONTACT DUNCAN WEBSTER" message on the screen. You can either press
<space> at this point to return to the READY prompt or alternatively
press the "R" key once and the details of the error will be displayed
along with info on where to contact me. Please tell me of all program
errors you encounter so that I can correct them in future versions of
the program.
Page 10
4.3 Programmers Notes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If demand is sufficient I will produce a technical manual detailing
EXACTLY how the program was written and the principles it uses. Many
people have commented on my programming methods to be a little wierd
to say the least. Once completed & bugs exterminated - the program
was compressed which unfortunately changed all the variable &
procedure names. I hold an uncompressed version which I will use as
the basis for future versions - Anybody is welcome to have an
uncompressed version of the program on request. I have used Mode 6
because I like the look of it! - If you are not happy the MODE command
is resident at the very beginning of the program.
4.4 Comments/Ideas/Suggestions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although I am no stranger to programming, I am a newcomer to
commumications and this will be the first program I have submitted for
use on a national (?!) basis. I would therefore welcome any
(constructive) ideas & comments for program improvements. I have not
included graphics etc yet. I never do on the 1st version of a program
until I have had it running for a few months. Please note that the
program itself is tight on the 32k of memory - However I do use a 6502
2nd processor so I MIGHT improve it for larger memory computers.
I can be contacted on Resolve Communiactions (0582 832653) OR Phase II
(081-330-7738) under the mailbox name DUNCAN WEBSTER. I take all new
mail once/week usually on a Saturday night. I will reply to ALL
messages & comments.
Thankyou for taking the time to read this manual - I hope it has been
of some use to you as will (I hope) the program itself.
Duncan M. Webster.
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