============================================================================ CNet Amiga Pager, v5.00 HISTORY! File by Dotoran ============================================================================ -- v5.00 -- - Released: September 27, 1996! - WOW, it's been TWO YEARS! hehe Sorry all! This version has been fixed and updated to work under CNet, v4.22 SPECIFICALLY. This means that if you're still using a CNet version OLDER than v4.00, then you should continue using the 4.1 version. (Also note that this version will most probably NOT function under any of the early 4.xx versions as well). - I spent some time updating and rewriting the code involved with the creation of the "SysOp-OUT" reasons. You're now presented with an editor that displays all 24 hours of all seven days on the screen at one time. Using an AnsiARexx interface, you can now selectively choose any grouping of hours and specify a reason for these selected hours. You no longer have to worry about the "crossing midnight" barrier or the need to copy a days events to another day. Simply select ALL the hours during the week where you would be SLEEPING, for example, and then set them all at the same time. You can also choose a DEFAULT SysOp-Out reason that will be used for any hour where you have NOT defined a custom reason. - Also built into the above new editor is the ability to map out WHEN you'll be available for chatting throughout the week. Once defined, a newly included AMAINT script can be used to toggle the GLOBAL SYSOP AVAILABLE checkmark each hour of each day automatically, so you'll now never have to worry about making sure the checkmark is there(or forgetting to REMOVE the checkmark for those times you WON'T be able to chat with a user). - I've added in a DIRECTORY requestor and a FONT requestor to the CONFIG to make the intuitionized feeling of that file more complete. This also allows for a bit of better validity checking. - The Cost Per Download and Kill Settings used with the FSEND button now have the ability of selecting specific settings used on ALL files, as previous versions have used, but now additionally allow you to specify a setting to be used as the DEFAULT setting used on a set of new requestors you can be presented with when sending users files. You now have the ability of having the Pager ASK you how you wish to CHARGE and KILL each file specifically, so some files could be FREE, while others had a cost to them, some files could be KILLED after they are downloaded, while other files will remain intact, etc. - The "SysOp-Out" reasons will ONLY be displayed to the user if they chose to chat with SysOp # 1. Previously, these reasons were displayed ALL the time(if they existed), no matter WHICH SysOp was paged, which wasn't very good. :-) - Carrier checking was added to all files. This was MISSING in all the earlier versions I noticed, however the format of coding used would have eventually led out of the file. Now it's just a bit QUICKER to get out of a file. - There was a toggle in the config that you needed to set if you were going to be using multiple SysOps, and if this toggle was DISABLED, then only SysOp 1 would be used during execution. This was removed from the coding. Now, IF you specify MORE than one SysOp, it will be automatically assumed you have multiple SysOps available for chatting. - This HISTORY file, as well as the README file were converted to the AmigaGuide format for easier reading. - A compiled Scripit script was included, along with the "Xit" program, which is used SOLELY for running COMPILED Scripit scripts. This file is 20K shorter than the original Scripit file, which should prove helpful to those SysOps with memory problems. (The original Scripit file and script are also included in the event you have problems with using the compiled script). - I've included the "Say", "translator.library", and "narrator.device" for those who may not have them. They only appeared on the 2.04 Dos disks. I couldn't find them on my 2.1 or 3.1 disks, so hopefully this will allow everyone to hear the speech. I tested BOTH programs under my 3.1 setup without any problems. (They should also run fine under 2.04 and 2.1, as they WERE included in the 2.04 release). I also included both a mount-list entry and DOS_Driver entry for the SPEAK handler. Depending on the AmigaOS being used, select the appropriate version entry for your systems. -- v4.11 -- - Written May of 1996. - Not sure if this one was ever publically released. -- v4.10 -- Happy Thanksgiving ALL! - Official Release Date: November 25, 1994! - This version fixed a BAD bug: - If you weren't available for chatting, yet the user chose to leave you some mail, you NEVER GOT THE MAIL! - This one took me awhile to find, but it's fixed now! - I also added three things to that area of the file: - It will now only send the mail if it actually exists! By this, I mean that in previous versions, if the user ABORTED the editor, then saved it, you were sent NOTHING(an empty mail message)! - If MULTIPLE MAIL-ID's will be used for that SysOp, then some new lines will be added to the message telling you which SysOp was the one actually paged, as well as which SysOps received the message. - The "pseudo-bug" mentioned below under the v3.99 BETA version was "pseudo-fixed". By this, I mean I took out some of the duplicate data checking from the config file, so that if you enter ID # 1 for a SysOp whose already specified as being ID # 1, then CNet's udata file will be scanned again for the correct handle, instead of displaying whichever handle happened to be saved in Pager's config file. Should make using PagerConfig a bit easier! - Did I miss any other "multi-sysop" areas in the file? I don't use multiple SysOps on my board, so it's hard to know WHICH features are good and which are bad in this respect! -- v4.00 -- - Official Release Date: October 31, 1994! - This version now supports MULTIPLE SysOps: - The SysOp specifies the SOUND and SPEECH player to be used for the bbs, then on a new screen of the Config, they can specify the SysOps Handle(Name or ID), Mail ID's, Ports, Sound file to play and Speech text to orate. - If multiple SysOps are specified, the user will be presented with either an Ascii or ANSI menu to select the SysOp they wish to chat with. - The SysOp may also create up to four GROUPS of SysOps, so that it is now possible that some of your users might only be able to chat with one SysOp, while others might have the option of chatting with three, while still others could chat with six, etc. - A unique chat log is created for EACH SysOp, so they can see which users requested chats with just them. The ID # 1 SysOp has the ability to view ANY of these logs, while other SysOps may view just their own logs. The NAME of the chat logs will START with the same name you defined in the config, but will additionally END with that SysOps ID Number. - The layout of the Pager Chat Requestor Window has been slightly changed to accomodate WHICH SysOp was being Paged, while still keeping to the 3-line layout of older versions. The DATE/TIME was also cleaned up a bit w/ both 12 and 24 hour formats. - With the help of a new program called "ScripIt", we can now close down the Pager Requestors externally WITHOUT the SysOps intervention. This will be done in two instances: - If the user who requested the chat logs off, or... - If a specified amount of time passes by, whichever comes first. - This allows other users to have the ability to request a chat with you, without them being given the "A Pager Window is already present on the SysOps Screen" message. - It is now possible to use ANY MEANS for playing the SOUND the Pager can use, INCLUDING the SPEAK: handler and Translator.library, provided you know the CLI method of launching the command. Examples of using the SAY program and SPEAK: Handler are given in the docs. - As of this version, ALL Pager files now exist in ONE directory. It does NOT MATTER where you decide to place this directory, or even if you wish to call it "Pager/" or not, as each file is written to use the same path as that which it was launched from. The only thing you MUST do is to MAKE SURE ALL FILES stay in the SAME directory. - The "SYS" command received one additional argument of "D", which will ask you if you wish to DELETE the Chat Log. If multiple SysOps are also being used, then ID # 1 will be shown all SysOps' logs and asked which they wish to delete. This command was added in case you set the Query Kill setting to "Answer w/ No", which gave no convenient way TO delete the chat log. Now we have one! :-) - As you can imagine, the LOOK of the Config has once again changed, as has the PRIMARY color used. PURPLE NOW! hehe. The config was also made a bit more intelligent in that it will no longer allow you to do things that WERE possible in previous versions when settings of OTHER variables should have STOPPED it. (For instance, stating that NO SPEECH would be used, yet still allowing you to enter speech TEXT, etc.) -- v3.99 BETA -- - Released on Frontiers BBS Only ONE WEEK before Future World! - Bugs found: - Forgot to include the "ScripIt" command file. - A "pseudo" error was found when entering the handle for SysOp # 1, in that if you tried to enter ID # 1, the config would redisplay the handle of "Dotoran". This is not actually a bug, because you really weren't typing a new ID Number. The config compared the ID number you entered with the ID Number last saved in the CONFIG and as they were the same, it didn't update the handle. To place YOUR handle in the config, edit the ID Number of SysOp number 1 to 2, then back to 1. You should then note it states YOUR Handle and not mine. - Also added a file of SOUNDS you may wish to use, instead of CNet's default "chat.snd". They're all less than 8K long, so you may find them just to your liking. - Thanks to those few of you that actually got back to me on this BETA version. Glad to see there really weren't any notable errors! hehe :-) -- v3.50 -- - Official Release Date: May 15, 1994! - This version corrects some minor flaws, plus adds a few things: - The "PagerToggle" file was renamed to "PagerMaint". - More options were added to this file, including the ability to read and delete the custom CHAT log that's created. - The "PagerConfig" file is no longer a "Quick" config, but now allows you to specify MANY new variables, including: - Name of chat log(housed in SysData:Log/) - Default Kill Query Answer for the log. - Allow for up to 3 "Chat-Backs", or multiple uses of the Pager. - The ACCESS GROUPS that can SKIP the Chat-Back restrictions. - Use 12 or 24 Hour mode when using the "SYS" command. - The FONT and FONT SIZE to be used in ALL Requestors! - Pager now allows for SPEECH, including: - The Player to be used to SAY the text. - The text to say BEFORE the reason is said. - the orator of the speech(Male/Female/Robot/Natural/etc.) - The Speed and the Pitch of the speech. - You can now individually set the SOUND player and sound FILE that will be used. - You can also optionally set the Pager to NOT say any speech, or play any sounds. Only the Requestor will pop up! - The config file will now allow you to TEST the sound, speech, font, or ALL THREE, before actually SAVING the values! - A new "look" has been added to the config, as well as a more smoother keyboard interface. Hope you like it! - The "PagerChat" and "Pager" files also had some tweaking done to them, not only to add the above features, but also to: - I've figured out how to bring the requestors up on the FRONT- MOST screen, so no more of this "popping to the Workbench" screen, unless you're actually ON the Workbench screen. In addition, the requestors will take on the same color scheme used on the FRONT-MOST screen, which is kinda neat, as they will now BLEND-IN to your system environment! Super Cool! - Not allow the SysOp to Page themselves. - The "CC" command will only be used if the USER has ACCESS to use this command. If they don't, a regular page will be attempted in it's place. - Some of the scan loops were modified to exit as soon as a match is found, which should slightly speed up the operation if being run on systems with many phone lines and/or users. - That's It! I hope! Again, hope you enjoy it! -- v3.00 -- - Official Release Date: April 2, 1994! - This version should BLOW AWAY all previous versions! hehe - Let's see: - New "FSEND" button to add file(s) to a user's Select Buffer... - New Ansi-ARexx "Quick" Config file, with 10 variables: - Storage Path for MOST program files. - SysOp's Gender(in order to display the proper pronouns) - Can now send MAIL to Multiple ID #'s. - Can now revert to using the "CC" command if the SysOp happens to be signed onto the system somewhere. - Can specify which port(s) the SysOp COULD be signed on to. - Specify the initial scan path for the FSEND button/requestor. - Specify the COST of the download(s) the user will make. - Specify if the file should be KILLED after downloading. - Specify PATH/FILE of the SOUND to be played when Paged. - The OLM's received COLOR now. - The "PagerToggle" file has gone through EXTENSIVE changes: - I figured out those pesky PORT MENUS! hehe - You can now specify which ports you are available to chat on, and which one's you are NOT available for chatting on. - You can now create a custom one-line text telling the user why you aren't available for chatting. These "SysOp OUT" reasons can be created for every hour of every day, allowing you to virtually tell the user where you are at any given moment, etc. - EXTENSIVE arguments are allowed from the new SYS command to change any of the reasons, view the reasons, copy one day to another, load the config module, etc. You can also supply a ? to list all possible formats for this command. - There is now a "parent" directory to store most of the Pager files. Only the "PagerChat" and "PagerConfigF" files need reside in your PFILES: directory. The other files can be placed wherever you want them(just specify the path in the config!) - Pager will now ABORT if the user does NOT type SOMETHING for the reason to chat. Also, the reason will be used as the subject of all MAIL that will be sent. Remember, you can now choose to send the mail to MORE THAN ONE Account ID Number! - The "Reason" for chat is now placed in CNet Memory, so that it may "blink" in the Control Panel, just like CNet's internal command! - I think that's it! Yay! -- v2.00 -- - Fourth Release: February 5, 1994! [First Future World Release!] - No more "APIG.library"! Now uses the "RexxReqTools.library"! - You need "ReqTools.library", in addition to "RexxReqTools.library", which is included. ("ReqTools.library" is used by 90-98% of all Amiga Users for some reason or another, and is available on Fred Fish Disks for those 2% that DON'T have it!) - The "Coming..." button was renamed to "Chat". - There's a NEW button called "OLM" that allows the SysOp to send a customized OLM Message, instead of chatting. - Each button now has a HOT-Key letter that will activate it! - The format of the Chat Page Window has changed slightly, to make it a bit smaller on the screen. There are now only three lines of text, with two blank lines separating them. The window is now also CENTERED on the WorkBench screen. - The "Terminate" button should now terminate ANYONE! Previous versions had a problem with terminating user's with Infinite Time. This problem seems to have been corrected! - There's another variable in the "Pager_Chat" file that allows the SysOp to specify whether or not they wish the file to use the extended words and/or graphics, or to simply state "Paging SysOp...", etc. - The screen graphic shown to the user now includes ALL info that is also shown in the SysOp's requestor, EXCEPT the SysOp Comment. - I still haven't figured out how to read the Port Menu's from the Control Panel, so the "Pager_Toggle" file is still needed, but be assured, I WILL figure it out! Hehe! -- v1.40 -- - Third Release: February 2, 1994! - Added an IGNORE button to simply deactivate the requestor, without telling the user anything. - Added a slight pause in the TERMINATE routine that should give enough time for the OLM to be sent and received, BEFORE they are terminated. This must be a 3000/4000 problem, as it worked fine on my stock 500, but as we all know, I'm in the SLOW lane! The pause is 5 seconds, but if even MORE time is needed, let me know! - Added Current Date & Time, as well as SysOp Comment to the Pager Window. This will give you more info as to when and why you might want or need to chat with that user. - A third variable in "Pager_Chat" allows you to easily specify another path, besides PFILES: for the "Pager_Chat" file to find the "Pager" file. It is now 100% safe to store the Pager files ANYWHERE on your system, PROVIDED that both the new variable, and your BBSMENU have been updated to reflect this change in path! - The screen displayed to the user was modified to include the Date & time, but does NOT include the new IGNORE button, nor the SysOp Comment, as I feel this is info only the SysOp needs to know about! hehe -- v1.30 -- - Second Release: February 1, 1994! - I forgot to include the "apig.library" file in the archive! Sorry! - I added a new 80-Column display for the user that looks similar to the window displayed to the SysOp. Makes it one of "MY" files! hehe - No bug fixes, as there have been no bug reports yet! Yay! -- v1.20 -- - First Public Release on: January 31, 1994! - New requestor routines that allowed the user to continue doing their business, while waiting for the SysOp to press a button. - This version sends the user a System OLM alerting them when the SysOp has made a selection. - The "?" button was REMOVED, as it was found the "apig.library" was only capable of displaying one requestor at a time, which made the display a bit screwy looking. -- v1.10 -- - Only released to Spaceman Spiff for testing purposes, as there was a bug in the code that would lock the port if the sysOp wasn't around to press one of the buttons on the requestor! -- v1.00 -- - Original code by David Prothero for CNet Amiga v2.3? (Before the new MCI System). - Sent to me for possible conversion by Spaceman Spiff(Donald Knott). ============================================================================ Frontiers BBS (716)/823-9892! ============================================================================