@DATABASE "M-Support emergency bug fix"
@wordwrap
@NODE MAIN " M-Support documentation"

                              @{"M - S u p p o r t" Link What_is_ite}

                                    @{"v2.0" Link Historym}

                          (c) P. Eastham 1993, 1994

                             @{"What is it?       " Link What_is_ite}
                             @{"Setting up        " Link Setting_upe}
                             @{"History           " Link Historym}
                             @{"Special thanks    " Link John}

@ENDNODE

@NODE What_is_ite

M-Support is a support program to the M-Tag package. It plays a crucial role
in the execution of the package.

       o Updates the #?.fd files.
       o Creates the area list used by M-TagFS and M-Scan.
       o Tags a single file (Replaces DLG's '.' command).
       o Correctly checks area security where required.
       o Correctly searches global filepaths where required.

@ENDNODE

@NODE Setting_upe " Installing M-Support"

You need to set up M-Support in 3 ways:

       @{"Area list       " Link M-Area}
       @{"Update #?.fd    " Link M-Update}
       @{"Single file tag " Link M-Dot}

Each of these three different set-ups are important.

@ENDNODE

@NODE M-Area " Setting up for Area list"

Simply add to your login.(dlg)batch file.

There are 2 ways to run M-Support here:

   RUN DLGConfig:Master/M-Support AREA

Use this method if the program takes a while to run.  It takes around 1
second on my A3000 to process my areas.

   DLGConfig:Master/M-Support AREA

If it runs quickly.  M-Scan doesn't use the created area list for its login
function, so you may run it safely unless it takes a VERY long time to
complete.

The 'AREA' parameter is a word, and not a DLG switch of any description! If
you change file area security, simply delete all the 'T:{port}.MTArea' files.

When the resulting file is accessed by another program in the M-Tag package,
it is first checked that the file exists, and if it doesn't, M-Support will be
run.

You will also need to edit/create the '@{"Special.Flags" Link Special}' file.

@ENDNODE

@NODE Special " How to handle special access flags"

In order to speed processing up, special access flags are only checked when
required.  To do this, a file called 'DLGConfig:Master/Special.Flags' is
used.  This file contains users names, and the areas they have special access
in.  The format is:

Phillip_Eastham 1 2 5 20 200

Ie the underscored username followed by a list of areas with special access
for that user.

Note that M-Support is only interested in special access flags for download
ability. Do not place a line here for users who have upgraded upload
ability etc.

  *** IMPORTANT ***

       Each line MUST be LF terminated. This means that when editing this
file, the cursor should be on a row of its own in column 1.

@ENDNODE

@NODE M-Dot " Single file tag set-up"

Edit your single file tag command (usually '.') to:

       DLGConfig:Master/M-Support -A%File_AreaNumber -F%File_FileNumber

If either are missing, or the corresponding #?.fd file doesn't exist, the
program will exit gracefully.

@ENDNODE

@NODE M-Update " #?.fd file update set-up"

There are no special set-up requirements needed other than to use the
'File_DnLd.BAT' file when downloading.

Call M-Support thus:

       DLGConfig:Master/M-Support UPDATE [INFORM]

The optional INFORM switch will send a message to the user similar to what
they get as DLG updates after a batch transfer.

M-Support will output the number of #?.fd files it has updated each time its
run.  The output file is 'DLGConfig:Master/M-Support_Upd.log'.

@ENDNODE

@NODE Historym " Program history"

Version 1.0  - First release.

Version 1.0a - Fixed a bug which caused enforcer hits, and perhaps crashed
               some machines.

Version 1.0b - Fixed a small display error.
             - Added option to tag a non-existant file anyway.

Version 1.0c - Fixed a severe bug when more than 255 files tagged.
             - Fixed even more severe bug when more than 127 files tagged.
               This bug appears to be in DLG itself.
             - Changed the way the files are processed. Should be faster now.

Version 1.0d - Now allows Sysop into ALL areas regardless of level.
             - Added 'INFORM' switch.

Version 1.0e - Fixed forced 'INFORM' switch. Now works as it should.
             - Fixed a severe bug which caused massive fragmentation of fast
               RAM introduced in v1.0c.

Version 1.0f - Added an error message to the errors logfile when a problem
               with the special areas access file occurs.
             - Fixed a bug in update mode which wasn't printing to the BBS
               log files. Now correctly updates the logs.
             - Removed the 127 tagged file limit due to a bug fix in FILE.

Version 1.1  - Changed the way update mode runs. Now runs much quicker.

Version 1.2  - Hopefully fixed the locked file problem.

Version 2.0  - Some optimisations made. Very slight speed increase.


@ENDNODE

@NODE john " Special thanks"

Special thanks to John Veldthuis of Virus Checker fame.

There are lots of sysops out there who's system memory will be eternally
gratefull. See @{"GFA's problem" link M-TagP.guide/GFA} for an overview of the problem.

@ENDNODE