------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Documentation for the All American BBS By Nick Smith (919)-497-0989 1200 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Relative userids file *** The userids file is now in relative file format. If you have a prior version of the BBS with a file disk that you want to continue to use, just run the userids change program from the setup menu to convert your old sequential file userids to the new format. *** New ram expansion support *** *** Supports Commodore 1700 or 1750 ram expansion *** The BBS will work with the 1700 or 1750 ram expansion cartridges. You must answer in the setup program if you are using one so the BBS will load the online games and the main program to the ram expanders. The ram expanders are supposed to have a transfer rate of about 1,000,000 bytes per second. That means the games will almost instantaneously be in the computers memory when the caller presses 'g' for online games. The games will load in from disk when the caller presses 'g' if you don't have a ram expander. To have the BBS autoboot with the ram expander, you need to file copy a lot of files to the files disk. Here is the files you need to copy: aa bbs 128 v*, aaml128/*, main prg, games, auto-load 1700, and the aaparam128 file from the setup program should be on there. That is a lot of files. You must also put an autoboot on the disk that will load auto-load 1700. If you have the 1581 disk drive then you should have plenty of room for them. If you have a 1571 or 1541, you may be better off not using the auto-boot feature. *** Online Games *** You can put the online game files on any drive that you want to. This drive is asked for in the setup program and you can also change that in the BBS from the main SysOp's menu. If you have a 1581, it will work nicely for the files disk. You can have all the BBS files and the games files on it and still use it for downloading. To use drive #8 for downloading and uploading, you have to answer in the setup program that you are using one more drive than you have. It will ask you for the device numbers that you want for the download area. You put in drive number 8 and you put in the level for it. *** 40 or 80 column info *** If you load in the BBS from the 40 column mode then it will default to 40 columns. You can change to 80 columns from the SysOp's menu. The files that you make can be made up to 80 columns and be seen by your callers that log on with an 80 column terminal program. If you make your files like news and so forth in a 40 column format then they will be seen at 40 columns even though a caller logs on at 80. All of the files that are created with the create 128 program are 40 column format. You can use the editor or any wordprocessor that uses 80 columns to create your 80 column messages if you want them. *** Disk drive support *** You can use either 1541's, 1571's or 1581's or a combination of all. The only limitation is a maximum of 8 drives. The BBS now supports the 1571 drive in the u0>h1 mode. That is the mode that accesses the backside of the disk as one directory itself that has 664 blocks free on a formatted disk. You can, however, use the 1571 in its u0>m1 format. This is the format that it defaults to when you are in 128 mode. With that format you have 1328 blocks free on a 1571 formatted disk. If you have one 1541 and one 1571 then it is OK to use the 1541 as the file disk and the 1571 as the download disk. The BBS will autoboot from the disk no matter which drive you have connected up. The BBS should work with the other 1541 compatible drives as well but I don't know for sure. I don't know if the BBS will work right with a MACH 128 cartridge. It is up to you to try it. *** Chat sound improvement *** The CHAT sound has been improved. It may sound a little funny when there is disk access but it is still better than the old BUZZ. If you happen to press the RESET button while the BBS is in the computer, the computer will jump into the 64 mode. This is a protective measure. *** Communications parameters *** The BBS uses 8 word length, no parity, and 1 stop bit. This is a standard setting for almost all telecommunications programs. Except for some IBM terminals, the callers should have no problem with logging on. *** Miscellaneous information *** The one line message can be level set in the setup program. This is a feature that was added in v3.9c. You have the option of disabling it in the setup program. At the waiting for a caller screen, the screen will go blank after about 30 seconds. If you press a key after the screen goes blank, it will come back on for another 30 seconds. I have improved the cg term portion of the BBS so that it will work correctly at 2400 baud in 80 columns. There is a command from the main menu called: Jerks of the system. It reads the file called: users This file is used for a list of the persons that you don't like on your BBS. Anytime that you see the 'Sorry, no filename posted.' That means the filename the BBS is looking for is spelled exactly as it is written there plus with the back arrow in front of it. The chat sound along with the 40 column border flash can be variable by using the 'n' command from the sysop's menu. You enter in 6643 for the location to poke and then enter in a number from 1 to 255 for the value to poke there. 1 being the fastest! The file called: file trans is used for the introduction to the file transfer area. There is no longer a need for the file called: directory on any of the drives for downloading if you are using an SFD 1001. The question from the setup program on the Quicksilver interface used for drive #8 is mainly for use of an SFD-1001. The reason for this is because the BBS needs to slow things down for drive #8 because the speed of the SFD sometimes screws things up. *** Miscellaneous *** If you are using the 6470 or 6480 modem, the BBS may cycle once before it will be waiting for a caller. Then end of file marker on the editor 128 program is only used for the bulletins section. You don't need to put it into any of the other files. *** 2400 baud capable *** The BBS now supports 2400 baud! If you select 1200 only, then of course that means 1200/2400 if you have a 2400 baud modem. If you have purchased the SmarTeam2400 modem by SmarTeam Inc., then you need to take the front of the modem off and change the #2 switch from DOWN to UP. That way the BBS will correctly detect the carrier of a caller. Use the Omnitronix interface selection for the SmarTeam2400 or Avatex modems. Here's the number of a BBS that you can purchase the SmarTeam2400 modem from: 817-478-1606 It is 300/1200/2400 baud. Ask for Microbit and tell him that Nick Smith of the All American BBS sent you! If you have the Avatex 2400 baud modem, you must do the following ONCE in any terminal mode. TYPE: at&c1&w This is to set the modem so that it can detect the carrier of a caller. You only need to do this ONCE. Even if you turn the Avatex 2400 off, it will still be correct because that command puts it into NONVOLATILE MEMORY and is still there when the modem is OFF. If you don't do this, the modem will NOT work with the BBS correctly. This command is opposite from the SmarTeam2400. Why? I don't know but for some strange reason, it is! Other Hayes compatible modems will work but they may have to use this command: at&c0&w Either c0 or c1 will work. Try the other if one doesn't work. If you have the Avatex modem then all the switches go UP on the modem and all switches go away from the computer on the Omnitronix interface. *** Disk drive device numbers *** The BBS can now be used with up to 8 DUAL drives! And you can have any of them as a 1571 in the DUAL mode (u0>h1). You'll be asked that when you choose the drives for the file transfers section. If you do have a 1571 and want to read the BACKSIDE of the disk as one directory with the u0>h1 command then you MUST use the 'drive aid 128' program to format a disk in that mode. You should use the 1571's in the 'u0>h1' mode for all of them. ESPECIALLY the BBS disk! If you use the 1571 in the 'u0>m1' mode like it is when powered up then you'll have problems when the program starts to write to the other side of the disk when it reaches about 664 blocks free. Just say that you are using a DUAL drive when asked for it in the ' setup 128 v*' program and you'll have no worry about which mode the BBS will put it in when run. You can set the level for each of the drives but not the level for 0 & 1 sides. I may add that later. *** Peek & Poke *** There is a new function in the SysOp's menu. It allows you to POKE a certain value into a memory location in the computer while the BBS is running. This is a unique feature because you can change any part of the BBS while in a remote location. Like if you wanted to stop a certain drive from being accessible from callers. You can type in the correct poke to do this by doing this: POKE2853,9. The 2853 is the location to be poked and the 9 is the value to poke there. Location 2853 is the highest number of the drive that is connected to the system. You can read the file called '128 bbs memory' to see what the particular pokes are. They are all kept in the cassette buffer of the 128's operating system. That is where the 'aaparam128' goes to when it is loaded into the memory of the 128. *** Validating the disk *** You should NEVER and I REPEAT, NEVER erase a file that has the * by it in the directory. You should always validate the disk because in validating the disk, you correct the problem that the file had and get rid of it. Don't worry about the file not being there after you have validated the disk. It is best to validate the file disk in this manner: 1) Load in the BBS. 2) Set time to 235900. 3) Press 'a' from the SysOp's menu. 4) Let the BBS validate the disk when it hits 000000. In this manner the BOOT sector on the disk is preserved and won't be erased when there are subsequent writing of information to the disk. *** Absolutely needed files *** There are only six files that the BBS has to have on the file disk in order for operation. userids, last caller, caller #, sysop phone & bulletins. Those are the only files that are ABSOLUTELY necessary for the BBS's operation. The other files are only read from the disk and the BBS will just say 'Sorry, no filename posted' if they are not there. If you don't want the bulletins section active, that file is not needed. *** Miscellaneous *** The window that is always displayed when a caller is online is a very good feature of the 128 mode AA BBS. The last number in the window is the Baud rate at which the caller is at. In 40 columns that is not too obvious but in 80 columns, it says Baud Rate: 300. The file that you post the results of the 'Question & Answers' prompt on the BBS is called 'answers'. You just put whatever you want to tell your callers of the results of your survey/questionaire. *** Remote SysOp functions *** You set the level and password for the REMOTE SysOp's functions. Do that in the 'create 128 v*' program. The REMOTE functions are access from the main menu on the BBS by pressing the letter 'k'. If the caller does not have the access then he will not get any response at that time. If he does have the access for the REMOTE feature then it will ask him for the password for it. The caller only has 3 tries to get the password to the remote SysOp's functions of the All American BBS. *** Editor 128 information *** The 'editor 128 v*' is a very good program when used in 80 columns. It senses the 80 columns and you can use the FAST mode at that point. It can be used to edit all of the files that the BBS uses. It can load in a file that is up to 2000 lines long. That is more than you'll ever have. It can be use in 40 columns but it is much slower that way. *** Function keys *** You can define the function keys that will be used in the CHAT mode and TERMINAL mode (COLOR) by using the 'create 128 v*' program. In CHAT mode only the SHIFTED functions are active. The f1 is used to take you back to the SysOp's menu and the f7 is used to EXIT chat mode. Also the f3 and f5 are used to switch from lowercase graphics to uppercase graphics. That is only in CHAT mode though. In TERMINAL mode you have all of the function keys that you assign in the create pgm. The function key definitions are kept in the file called: fun keys. *** Auto-booting the BBS *** The 128 version of the AA BBS needs to have the BBS program on the file disk! That's if you want the BBS to load in when there is a power drop. For instance if power were to fail for only a short period of time, the computer would boot from disk and if you have the BBS program there along with putting the parameters on the file disk, then the BBS will autoboot from the file disk and all that has to be done is set the time! So be SURE to put the parameters on your file disk and also put the 128 BBS program on the file disk and you are protected from power loss! Don't forget to put the 'aaml128/*' on your file disk also. *** New file disk creation *** Step by Step on setup: The 1st thing that you must do is load and run the program called 'create 128 v*'. Once you have that program in memory, you just answer the prompt of formatting your disk to be used for the files. Then you insert a blank disk to contain the files that will be needed for the BBS's operation. The disk that you create with that portion of the program will be called the 'file disk'. In every portion of these docs or on the BBS, where it mentions the file disk, is that disk that you have created with the system creator. You must enter something at each of the prompts after the disk has been formatted. You then just copy the following files to your file disk: 'aaml128/*' & 'aa bbs 128 v*' You then load and run the program called 'setup 128 v*'. You select y or n if you want to see the short updates message and then you select 'a' from the menu there. You answer all the questions on your setup and after it is done you will be prompted to put in your file disk so it can put the parameters on the file disk. On the 64 version of the AA BBS, the parameters go on the system disk and not on the file disk. But on the 128 version, the parameters do go on your file disk. After the parameters are on your file disk, you can then load in the BBS from that disk. If you do NOT have a DUAL drive then it is possible to have up to 8 drives connected. And any of the drives can be an SFD-1001 or all of them. *** Device numbers information *** Drive numbers start from #8 and work their way up to #15 which is the MAX. You can set the drives numbers that you want to use for the file transfer section now so that way if you have the Quicksilver interface, you can skip over any one of the drives if a particular setup works best. For instance you can choose the first download drive as device #10 and then the next one as #11 skipping over drive #9. You still enter in your total number of drives that you have just as you normally would. If you want to have a seperate drive used for the E-mail, then you would say you are using ONE less drive and then choose the other drives for download and choose the drive for E-mail when asked for it. This option makes the BBS very flexible in the drive setup and almost everything configuration is possible. The first drive to be used for file transfers is asked right after you are asked what level for the Punter file transfers. The Punter file transfer drives are the same for Xmodem. You can set the level for each of the drives also. This way you can have drive #10 as the first download drive and then drive #9 as the second one if you prefer. But keep in mind that the levels have to be in ASCENDING order from the first download drive to the next ones. If there are any problems with the Quicksilver interface with this setup, let me know and I'll get it corrected. *** Screen blanking *** Do NOT be alarmed when the screen goes blank while waiting for a caller. After about 30 seconds, the screen will blank so that way it doesn't burn into your monitor or TV. *** Gambling credits *** You have to make a file called: inst for your instructions on the gambling of the credits. Callers can win up to 9999 credit blocks if they are lucky. You pick the odds for the callers to loose at a RATIO of x:255. So they have the advantage of winning more credits if you give a number lower than 128. Any number higher than 128, they have less chance of winning. If you put in 0 then the callers will WIN every time they use the gambling. If you enter in 255 then callers will always loose at the gambling. But then again they take the chance that they will win. A caller canNOT gamble if he has 0 credits or if he is UNLIMITED. You can lower a person's credit while he is online at the same place that you change is sec. level. By pressing 'e' from the sysop menu you can do that. A person can be given UNLIMITED credit by assiging him -1. DO NOT assign a lower number than -1 unless you want your board to crash. Numbers 0-9999 are valid numbers that can be entered for credit. If you enter a number higher than 9999, you will receive the appropriate message telling you to enter a number within the range specified. *** Survey questionaire *** A question & answers system has been added to the BBS now. You simply put a YES or NO question in the file called: 'question' After the caller views it, he is then given the OK (y/n) prompt and has to answer with Y or N. The answers are stored in the file called: q&a log You can then post the results of the questions in the file called: 'answers' If you don't like the Q&A thing, then you don't have to use it at all. It'll just say Sorry, no question posted. *** Security levels *** Sec. levels 0-9 are allowed now! That's right! I have allowed up to level 9 for the board now! When you are using the Validation from the BBS (ser validate command) and you delete alot of callers, it will take awhile to ERASE all the deleted callers E-mail from the disk! So don't be concerned with how long it will take there! You can hear the drive spinning and it is deleting the users E-mail messages. Validate users that are online with the 'e' command from SysOp's menu. *** Download database names *** The names for the D/L databases are only used if you have 2 drives or more for d/l. (3 drives or more total) But still you MUST enter a name for the D/L databases. You can have D/L's if you have 1 drive! Just have the filenames (that you want for D/L) on the file disk without '' in front of them. Now you don't have to keep your bulletins in an even number and you can have up to 144 bulletins sections. *** Terminal mode *** There is a terminal mode in the BBS! But file transfers in the terminal mode are TRICKY! When you are downloading from another system, you have to say UPLOAD. The reason is because it uses the BBS's file transfer area. the same goes for uploading. (you have to say DOWNLOAD) Sorry about the inconvenience but it saves on memory that way. The file transfer section now has multifile capability for level you set It can be used with 1, 2 3 or 4 drives. *** Modems *** The BBS works with these modems: 1660, Mitey Mo, Hesmodem II, 1650, Westridge, Telelearning (64Modem), MPP 1670 and Hayes command protocol modems. Now 6470 and 6480 modems! Also the SmarTeam2400 and CTS Datacom 2400 baud modems can be used! *** Graphics screens *** The BEST terminal program to use is TOUCHTERM v3.7! This terminal program runs in 64 mode only but it is a real good program. It has a Message maker that you can use to create some fantastic screens! Just remember that whatever you type while using the ML message maker, will be seen by your callers! Keep in mind that sometimes it will appear different if you use the INST/DEL key! I use the CRSR keys. They work the BEST! Use CRSR NON-destruct. You can use the built-in editor for files that have no longer than 1000 lines! Other than that use a word processor! *** Miscellaneous information *** Now there is no need for a file called 'directory' on any disk. If you see a file called '143000' (a six digit number with a in front), that is a file that was uploaded in ASCII. It uses the TI$ at that time. The BBS uses the TOD clock so accurate time is kept at all times even though there is alot of disk access being done. If for some reason you get a blinking light on the disk drive when you are purging the bulletins on the 'Create BBS' program, you should turn the drive off then on then restart and you should have no problem. You pick the name and ACCESS level for viewing the Special bulletin. If you Do Not put in the file disk before you run the BBS, Then it will simply not run until you do. At that moment, the BBS is looking for the file called 'sysop phone' on the disk that is in drive #8. If there is something wrong with that file then the BBS will stop right there at Put in file disk Please! And will not go any further. That will only happen if you have edited that file and made an error some where in the file. *** Filenames *** The filenames are as follows: 'userids' contains all the names, passwords, phone numbers, and last logon date of each caller. When you are validating the users with the 'v' command on the SysOp's menu, the 'times:' means the amount of times that a caller has logged on at the last logon date. This cannot be changed from the validate. 'new' contains all the information taken from a new users application. This can be printed out using a wordprocessor or seq. file reader. 'caller#' contains the last callers # 'last caller' contains the last callers name and time he logged off. 'e.919-497-0989' contains the E-mail message to that callers phone number. 'news 0' is the file that a level 0 caller with see after logon and will see this once a day unless he chooses 'N' at the main menu while on the BBS. 'welcome' is the file that a caller will see at logon. It can also be seen by choosing 'W' at the main menu. 'system info' in what a caller sees by choosing 'S' at the main menu. 'bulletins' is the list of current bulletins the BBS is using. This is the list that a caller sees when choosing 'S' at the bulletins menu. 'b.Public' is the actual bulletins that are posted and coincides with the names on the 'bulletins' file. 'help' is the file that a caller will see when he chooses 'H' at the 'main menu'. 'ASCII files' is a list of names that can be downloaded by way of a capture buffer on the callers computer. The names don't have to match the names of the 'ASCII file1' but MUST match the NUMBER of files! 'sysop phone' contains the sysop's phone number and Cosysop's phone number. It also contains the names of the d/l databases and the remote SysOp's password along with the SysOp's name and BBS name. 'main menu' contains what a caller will see when he chooses '?' at the main menu prompt while online. The 'new message' is the file that a NEW caller will see when he 1st logs on to your BBS. 'Warez files' can ONLY be seen by level you choose with the 'r' from the main menu on the BBS! And ONLY if they know about it! 'Warez files' and 'ASCII files' are the same in operation. You must have them on the disk as 'Warez file1', 'Warez file2' and so on. The file called 'Warez files' with the 's' on the end of it is the one that is read from when a caller chooses 'r' from the main menu if he has access to it. Depending on how many items are listed in that file will depend on how many files you should have on the disk that have the number at the end of it. The 'ASCII files' works in the same way. There is also a file called 'welcome c/g' which a caller will see in place of 'welcome' if the caller said yes to the question about using a C-64/128 Color Graphics terminal program. If you have any questions about the All American BBS then feel free to call the original All American BBS. Phone #: (919)-497-0989 On-Line: 24 Hours a Day SysOp : Nick Smith Baud : 300/1200/2400 (no 300 transfers) This BBS is NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN! To get information on updates and programming your BBS, send $50.00 for the 128 version of the All American BBS to the address below: Nick Smith 1324 Romie St. Spring Lake, NC 28390 Copyright 1987 by Nickolai Smith Thank you for your time and patience in reading this documentation file.