=========================================================================== VL_READ_ME! file for View_Log_4.0 How to install it, how to use it, and how to configure it! =========================================================================== What is it? ~~~~~~~~~~~ View Log is a utility that helps you maintain the "Logs..." section of the C-Net BBS, v2.40 and beyond. This utility is capable of handling 64 different logs with as many as 20 Activity Flags for each Log. v4.0 will also allow your USERS to view some(or all) of the Logs you have configured for use on your system. How do I install it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To install "View_Log_4.0" into your system, follow these steps: 1: Move the "ViewLog" directory into your PFILES: area. All files located within this directory should stay INSIDE the directory. Now, load your "bbsmenu" file into any TEXT EDITOR and continue: 2: As the LAST entry of your MAINTENANCE menu(Menu # 1), add this line: VL, LF, ViewLog | \#0pfiles:ViewLog/View_Log_4.0\ Enter the above line EXACTLY, notating the CAPITAL letters at the start of the line. Missing the L in ViewLog will render your UD's (V)alidate command inoperative. 3: As the LAST entry of your EVERYWHERE menu(Menu # 2), add this line: LO, LOgs | \#0pfiles:ViewLog/User_Logs_4.0\ `1-23 Also notate the CAPITAL letters in this line as well. The L and O of the word LOgs should be capitalized. The `1-23 at the END of this line shows which Access Levels may use this command. SAVE your "bbsmenu" file, RELOAD C-Net, and your DONE! How do I configure Logs? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Before you can use this mod, you will need to create some Custom Logs using C-Net's new CONFIG program. By default, two Logs have already been configured. One for Uploads, called "uloads", and one for Downloads called "dloads". You do not HAVE to create any more Logs if you do not wish to. If this is your intent, you can skip down to where it says "How to use the Creator". You will probably wish to create a couple more Logs for your use. I am currently using 12 different custom Logs on my system. These are the Logs I'm using: ArexxNews, Chats, DownLoads, Feedbacks, MCI_News, P-Files, Posts, Responses, Testing(Logs both TESTS and TRANSFORMS), TextFiles, Uploads, and Votes. You can create similar Logs, more or less, whatever you want. Here's how you do it: 1: Load C-Net's CONFIG program and click on "Logs..." 2: Select the Log Handle you wish to use on the left by clicking on it's name. That Logs information should be shown in the gadgets on the right. 3: Type a NAME for your Log where it says "Optional log filename". 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 for ALL the Logs you wish to create. 5: When your done, click on the OK button, then the SAVE button. 6: You are now DONE with the configuration process, and are now ready to use the VL_Creator. NOTE: ~~~~~ If you wish to still be able to use C-Net's LU command, it will be necessary for you NOT to change the "Optional log filename" of either the Upload or Download logs from "uloads" and "dloads". The mod is written to use C-Net's filenames for those two Logs, but will use alternate names in the menus for a nicer look. How do I use the Creator? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once you have completed work in the CONFIG program, you will want to set certain parameters within the VL_Creator program. You should already have added the needed lines to "bbsmenu" before you continue with this text... From any prompt, type either LF or VL and press your RETURN / ENTER key to load the View_Log menu. If this is your first time loading the menu, you will only see two entries; "UpLoads" and "DownLoads", regardless of how you have your "Logs..." section in CONFIG set up. As shown in the "Other Options" line, press your "C" key to load the VL_Creator file. Below is a brief description of each part and command you will see on the screen when using the VL_Creator. What is shown on the VL_Creator screen? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At the top of the screen, under the blue title bar, the current setting of the AutoScan is shown, followed by the total number of Logs you have configured. Next is a 10 line area displaying information about the Logs that are currently configured. Near the bottom, you should see a purple block listing the different commands available through the creator. These commands will be discussed in greater detail below: Scroll Logs: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The VL_Creator may only display 10 Logs at a time. If you have more than 10 Logs created, pressing the "S" key will scroll the next 10 Logs. While viewing the LAST Log configured, pressing "S" will display the first 10 Logs again. ReStart: ~~~~~~~~ Shown in the third column of the display area is a column with ReStart above it. The data shown here will either be a "Yes" or a "No". By stating that you wish the Log to ReStart, the VL command will auto- matically RESTART the Log after everytime you view it. By stating "No" here, the VL command will give you the option of ReStarting the Log, or to leave the Log intact. Pressing "G" will allow you to set a GLOBAL setting that will be used for ALL the Logs. This GLOBAL setting will be the OPPOSITE of the current setting of Log # 1, so if Log # 1 is set to "No", then GLOBAL will set ALL Logs to "Yes" Pressing "S" will Scroll the Logs to make it easier to manually ReStart the Logs. UserLog: ~~~~~~~~ Shown in the fourth column of the display area is a column with UserLog above it. The data shown here will either be a "Yes" or a "No". If you wish your USERS to be able to VIEW this Log using the new LO command, you should state "Yes", let the USERS VIEW this Log. Stating "No" here will instruct VL that this Log is for the SysOp's eyes only. Pressing "G" will allow you to set a GLOBAL setting that will be used for ALL the Logs. This GLOBAL setting will be the OPPOSITE of the current setting of Log # 1, so if Log # 1 is set to "No", then GLOBAL will set ALL Logs to "Yes" Pressing "S" will Scroll the Logs to make it easier to manually set the UserLog setting of your Logs. AutoScan: ~~~~~~~~~ Above the display area is the current AutoScan setting. There are three possible settings for AutoScan: Off : When using VL (or LF), you will ALWAYS be presented with the Menu when using the command. You will then be able to selectivly view any Log, or use the "S" command to view them all. OnMenu : When using VL (or LF), ALL existing Logs will be displayed to you, and THEN the Menu will be displayed. OnQuit : When using VL (or LF), ALL existing Logs will be displayed to you, and then the command will be EXITED. The Menu will NEVER display. When AutoScan is enabled(either OnMenu or OnQuit), the Logs will be ReStarted according to the current settings during the Scan phase. View Flags: ~~~~~~~~~~~ It is possible to Log as many as 20 different actions into the SAME Log. Because of this, there may be many Activity Flags that need to be displayed by the Creator, but the display area is only large enough to show three at any time. If more than three Activity Flags are associated with the same Log, you will see a [*MORE*] message following the third Activity Flag in the display area. Pressing your "V" key will allow you to view ALL Activity Flags that are associated with this Log. Quit VL: ~~~~~~~~ Pressing "Q" will automatically EXIT the Creator file. A "Smart Save" routine has been installed in the Creator that will SAVE any data that may have changed since the last SAVE. Delete Logs: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pressing "D" will allow you to delete a Log's information from the VL_Config file. A white flag will appear to the left of the Log Name in the display area alerting you that you are about to delete that Log. Selecting the same Log again will erase the white flag, and NOT delete the Log's info. Pressing RETURN / ENTER without typing a Log Number will effectively delete ALL MARKED LOGS from the VL_Config file. It should be noted, however, that this does not delete the Log itself, but only it's entry in the VL_Config file. To truly delete a Log, you will have to erase it's "Optional log filename" in the "Logs..." section of the C-Net CONFIG program, and then delete the Log file itself from C-Net's SYSDATA:LOG/ directory. This option was added as a QUICKER way to update the VL_Config file than having to ReRead the "bbsconfig3" file. Flags: ~~~~~~ This is similar to "Delete Logs", except it deals with the Activity Flags for a given Log. You may NOT delete an Activity Flag if it is the ONLY one associated with that Log. If this is your intent, use the "Delete Logs" command. Again, this command only deals with the VL_Config data, and NOT the actual "Logs..." data. To truly delete an Activity Flag from being Logged, you will have to erase the "Optional file name" stored in CONFIG. This option was ALSO added to make updating the VL_Config FASTER than having to ReRead the "bbsconfig3" file. Print: ~~~~~~ This command will give you a HardCopy of what you see in the display area, minus the ANSI codes that may wreak havoc with some printers. There are NO printer codes sent to your printer for MAXIMUM compatibility. This command uses C-Net's Printer option in the "Online" menu to do it's job. Defaults: ~~~~~~~~~ This command will allow you to save three default values that will be used everytime the "bbsconfig3" file is ReRead. You can specify the AutoScan setting, GLOBAL ReStart setting, and GLOBAL UserLog setting to be used everytime you ReRead "bbsconfig3". Config3: ~~~~~~~~ You will need to use this command AT LEAST ONCE to initially create the correct VL_Config file. It is suggested that you set the DEFAULTS to use, before using this command the first time to make configuring a bit quicker. Your "bbsconfig3" file is the command file C-Net uses to store the Log data you entered using the CONFIG file. Now what do I do? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Use the VL_Creator to set the different values for each Log, then Quit to SAVE the current settings and you're COMPLETELY DONE installing this mod! How do I use the VL/LF command? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Typing VL (or LF) from ANY command prompt within C-Net's environment will automatically invoke the ViewLog. Depending on the setting of AutoScan, different things will happen: If AutoScan=Off: You will be presented with the ViewLog menu, and proceed from there. If AutoScan=OnMenu: You will be shown ALL existing Logs. The Log will either be ReStarted if set to ReStart, or you will be requested if you wish the Log ReStarted. When ALL existing Logs have been displayed, the ViewLog menu will be shown. If AutoScan=OnQuit: You will be shown ALL existing Logs. The Log will either be ReStarted if set to ReStart, or you will be requested if you wish the Log ReStarted. When ALL existing Logs have been displayed, you will be deposited back to the prompt you invoked ViewLog from. Press ENTER now... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After each Log is displayed, or below the (All Logs Empty) message, you will be asked to press your ENTER key. Doing so will continue with the VL command process, but there are two hidden commands you may also use here: Pressing "M" here will cancel the current command process and take you directly to the ViewLog menu. Pressing "Q" here will cancel the current command process and will then immediately EXIT the VL process, depositing you at the last command prompt. Using the LO command: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By typing LO from any command prompt, you will be shown the User_Logs menu. This menu differs from the ViewLog menu in that none of the SysOp only information is displayed. The ONLY Logs that will be shown on this menu are those that have "Yes" next to them under the UserLog column in the Creator program. The users will be given a flag telling them if the Log exists, and are given the SCAN ALL EXISTING option. NONE of the Logs will be restarted when using LO, and there are no hidden commands built into the UserLog "Press ENTER" messages. This is simply a display routine your User's can use to read some of your more Generic Logs. For instance, you won't want your users to be able to view a PASSWORDS Log, but you may want them to be able to view the UpLoads Log. You make the choices here! That's All There Is! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, that's the end of this READ_ME! file. It is my hope that you find this mod as helpful as I do. I like the new UserLog feature, because it also gives your USERS something else THEY can do. If you find a mistake in my code, or something doesn't work the way I said it's supposed to in this document, please feel free to leave me some feedback on Future World, or better yet, why not give MY bbs a call... F R O N T I E R S B B S ! ( 7 1 6 ) / 8 2 3 - 9 8 9 2 ! Dotoran's Domain ANY SPEED from 300 thru 14.4K ANYTIME! =========================================================================== The End ===========================================================================