@database 08dbab68-0 @master docs/QWKGate&Prefs_ENG.guide @$VER: QWKGate_ENG_guide 1.0 (12.03.95) @author "Richard de Vos" @(c) "Copyright 1995 by R. de Vos" @index HeddleyAutoIndex @remark Created with Heddley v1.1 (c) Edd Dumbill 1994 @node "Main" "QWKGate English AmigaGuide" @{b}QWKGate v0.7@{ub} © @{"Richard de Vos" link "Programmer" 0} 1995 --------------------------------------------- @{b}QWKGate_Prefs@{ub} 0.7 © @{"Robert Guezen" alink "Author_Info" 0} 1995 --------------------------------------------- @{" Introduction  " alink "Introduction" 0} @{" Important     " alink "Important" 0} @{" System        " alink "System" 0} @{" Installation  " alink "Installation" 0} @{" Use           " alink "Use" 0} @{" Configuration " link "Configuration" 0} @{" QWK to FIDO   " link "QWK2FIDO" 0} @{" FIDO to QWK   " link "FIDO2QWK" 0} @{" History       " alink "History" 0} @{" Credits       " link "Credits" 0} --------------------------------------------- @endnode @node "Introduction" "About QWKGate" @{b}-- Introduction --@{ub} @{b}@{u}QWKGate :@{ub}@{uu} QWKGate is a program to convert QWK-mail packets into Fido-mail packets so you can use these in Fido-mail programs such as Spot, April, PM, ect. If you haven't installed one of these programs (Spot, April, etc.) yet, you must first install these before you continue. After you have read your messages and answeres and made new messages you can convert them back to a QWK reply packet. This packet can be transported (uploaded) to the BBS. The idea for writing QWKGate became when I began to mail at the Amiga Magazine BBS with a QWK reader/writer. About the same time I became a point of Grafix Attack BBS, which works with Fido-mail. I noticed that the Fido-mail programs had much more options for saving and manufactoring of messages. QWK-mail programs didn't have these options. You can only save or delete the entire QWK packet. When I found a Arexx script on a BBS which made it possible to convert a QWK-mail packet into a Fido-mail packet, the idea for writing QWKGate was born. After intensive programming and beta-testing, this is QWKGate; have lots of fun! @{b}@{u}QWKGate_Prefs :@{ub}@{uu} QWKGate_Prefs is a utilitie for making/editing of '.BBS'-config-files for QWKGate. With the help of het default-settings even the beginner can simply make a working config-file and edit it to its own preferences. The more experienced user can simply make controle and edit it. QWKGate_Prefs proceeded when Beta-testing QWKGate. While expanding/updating QWKGate there proceeded (too) many options. At that moment I got the idea for making a Prefs-Editor for QWKGate, for automaticly processing the converting from QWK to Fido and back. This editor is made in coorporation with the programmer of QWKGate, Richard de Vos. Therefore my credits. @endnode @node "Important" "QWKGate important messages" @{b}-- Important --@{ub} @{u}QWKGate@{uu} is @{u}mailware@{uu}, so if you are using it send @{"me" link "Programmer" 0} a message! @{fg highlight}QWKGate is copyright 1995 by R. de Vos@{fg text} Using this program @{i}QWKGate@{ui} is at your @{i}own risc@{ui}. Until now there are now significant problems discovered. But the programmer can never be held responsible for any loss of information or data or other problems which could proceed by using this program. Now for the good news; I use the program myself for some time, and I have never lost any data. @{u}QWKGate_Prefs@{uu} is @{u}FreeWare@{uu}. This means that everone can use and distribute QWKGate_Prefs, but: - It is not allowed to use it for commercial purposes. - It is not allowed to earn money from the copying or distribution of QWKGate_Prefs @{fg highlight}QWKGate_Prefs is copyright 1995 by R. Guezen@{fg text} Using this program @{i}QWKGate_Prefs@{ui} is at your @{i}own risc@{ui}. The programmer can never be held responsible for any loss of information and/or data which could proceed by using this program. @endnode @node "System" "QWKGate System requirement" @{b}-- System Requirement --@{ub} If you want to use QWKGate and QWKGate_Prefs you must at least have Kickstart 2.0 or higher. From part of this it should work at any Amiga. If not send a message to @{"Richard" link "Programmer" 0} or @{"Robert" link "Author_Info" 0}. @endnode @node "Installation" "Installation of QWKGate" @{b}-- Installation --@{ub} @{b}@{u}QWKGate :@{ub}@{uu} The installation of QWKGate is easy, simply copy the program QWKGate in your cli path (your C-directory or Tools-directory, etc.) After you've installed QWKGate you will have to make a config-file, see @{"configuration" link "Configuration" 0} or the example @{"DIVO.BBS" link "DIVO.BBS" 0} config file. @{b}@{u}QWKGate_Prefs :@{ub}@{uu} QWKGate_Prefs can be placed in any directory. Preferably in the (usual) Pref: directory or in the MAIL: directory of the POINT program. @endnode @node "Configuration" "The configuration of QWKGate" @{b}-- Configuration --@{ub} QWKGate is configuered by a .BBS file. This is a normal ascii file which can be made with programs such as Edit, CED, etc. (each program which can save in ascii- format). These configuration files can be recognized by the .BBS extension. The standard configuration of QWKGate is MAIL:QWKGATE.BBS. If this doesn't exist QWKgate will look for the file MAIL:DIVO.BBS. It is for the begining user not easy to use an ascii editor to make a .BBS prefs file. I made plans to work on a prefs editor. With this program you should easily make a prefs file, by clicking at the options with the mouse-button. This idea was picked up by Robert Guezen, who started to work at the prefs editor. The program QWKGate_Prefs is copyright 1995 by R. Geuzen and is part of this release. The configuration file exist out of textlines. At each textline you can only get one option. At this moment the working of the configuration file isn't very intelligent, but it works as long as you follow the next rules: A textline can be found in the .BBS files as: > an empty line will be skipped > a line starting with ; is a comment line and will skipped by QWKGate, see the next example: ; this is a comment line > a line starting with a command, followed by one or more spaces and the vallue of the instruction which is mentioned. Commands aren't case sensitive, see the next example: DOWNLOAD DH0:COMMS/DOWNLOAD or DOWNLOAD DH0:COMMS DIRECTORY/DOWNLOAD or download dh0:comms/download To make sure that you also can give text vallues begining with a space, the first \\ off a vallue will be recognized as the sign for the begining of the vallue, this sounds a bit confusing, but is works as folowed: ORIGIN_TEXT \ * Origin: gives as vallue ' * Origin: ' > a textline starting with a command only. These are the socalled tags, which starts an option. See the example AREA_NAMES_TO_UPPER As you can see you can put spaces in the lines, without putting them between commas. The configuration options can be divided into the next groups: - @{"Standard options" link "config_standard_options" 0} download-, upload directory, inbound, etc. - @{"QWK to FIDO options" link "config_qwk2fido" 0} userarea, userarea_naam, userkill, etc. - @{"FIDO to QWK options" link "config_fido2qwk" 0} origin_change, origin_kill, etc. See for example @{"DIVO.BBS" link "DIVO.BBS" 0} @endnode @node "config_standard_options" "Configuration Standard options" @{b}-- Configuration standard commands --@{ub} @{u}BBSID @{uu} With this command you can indicate the BBSID of the QWK packet wich you want to convert. This is always the file name of the part which you have become, without the QWK extension. At the AMBBS you can get the part DIVO.QWK, so you have the set the BBSID as DIVO. See the example: @{i}BBSID DIVO@{ui} @{u}DOWNLOAD @{uu} With this command you can indicate the download directory which is used for downloading the QWK packets from the BBS. See the example: @{i}DOWNLOAD DH0:COMMS/DOWNLOAD@{ui} @{u}UPLOAD @{uu} With this command you can indicate the upload directory which is used to put the reply packet into. You then can upload these to the BBS. See the example: @{i}UPLOAD DH0:COMMS/UPLOAD@{ui} @{u}INBOUND @{uu} This is the directory where the fidopacket can be generated which is converted from the QWK packet. It then can be used to read it in your mail packet. This directory is usualy called MAIL:INBOUND. See the example: @{i}INBOUND MAIL:INBOUND@{ui} @{u}OUTBOUND @{uu} This is the directory where the fidopacket with the replies and the own messages wil be put by the mail packet. QWKGate will look into this directory to convert to a QWK reply packet. See the example: @{i}OUTBOUND MAIL:OUTBOUND@{ui} @{u}TEMP @{uu} This directory is used by QWKGate to unpack and generated several temporary data. BE WARE! This directory won't automaticly be installed by QWKGate, but it will be used by it. See the example: @{i}TEMP MAIL:TEMP@{ui} @{u}BBS_NODE @{uu} This will be used for the handling of the mail by the mail packet. You will have to choose for the NODE which won't be used in other areas. This node number is the virtual node number of the BBS were you get your mail from. The keyword-node stand for 3- as well as 4-dimensial adresses: @{i}BBS_NODE 99:999/999.0 of BBS_NODE 99:999/999@{ui} @{u}POINT_NODE @{uu} This equals the BBS_NODE command, but it is the node number which is used for the exporting and importing of the messages. See the example: @{i}POINT_NODE 99:999/999.9@{ui} @{u}NETMAIL_AREA @{uu} The QWK system hasn't got a standard area which is used for private messages. Usualy the area is called E-MAIL of EMAIL, but that isn't a standard. To use an areas (or forum) for netmail you can use this option. the forum with the AREA_NAME will be seen as the area for private messages. See the example: @{i}NETMAIL_AREA EMAIL@{ui} @{u}CONVERT_NETMAIL@{uu} This command does exactly the same as the NETMAIL_AREA, but will be seen as the same area as E-MAIL. See the example. @{i}CONVERT_NETMAIL@{ui} @{u}LHA_UNPACK @{uu} This command line will be used for unpacking the LHA data. The default value is C:lha -r e, see the example: @{i}LHA_UNPACK C:lha -r e@{ui} @{u}ZIP_UNPACK @{uu} This command line will be used for unpacking the ZIP data. The default value is C:unzip -o, see the example: @{i}ZIP_UNPACK C:unzip -o@{ui} @endnode @node "config_qwk2fido" "Configuratie QWK naar FIDO opties" @{b}-- Configuration QWK to FIDO commands --@{ub} @{u}USERAREA_NAME @{uu} One disadvantage of QWK mail is that you will get your own messages back. To make sure that you won't read the same messages twice in the same area, you can use this option to make an area in were you own messages will be transferred to. You can give it any AREA_NAME you like, see the example: @{i}USERAREA_NAME RICHARD RETURN@{ui} @{u}USERAREA@{uu} This option does the same as USERAREA_NAME, but it will use the standard area name 'BACK_ANSWER', see the example: @{i}USERAREA@{ui} @{u}USERKILL@{uu} This option also involves the returning of your own messages. If you use this option the returning messages will be killed, so you won't see them. @{i}USERKILL@{ui} @{u}AREA_NAMES_TO_UPPER@{uu} This option converts the names of the areas to uppercase, see the example. @{i}AREA_NAMES_TO_UPPER@{ui} @{u}DONT_UNPACK_QWK@{uu} If you use this option the QWK packet won't be unpacked. If you use this option you will have to make sure that the next files will be in your TEMP directory: control.dat and messages.dat. These will be used for the converting of the QWK packets. See the example: @{i}DONT_UNPACK_QWK@{ui} @{u}DELETE_QWK_PACKET@{uu} This option will delete the downloaded QWK packets after they are transferred to a fido packet. See the example: @{i}DELETE_QWK_PACKET@{ui} @endnode @node "config_fido2qwk" "Configuration FIDO to QWK options" @{b}-- Configuration FIDO to QWK command's --@{ub} @{u}ORIGIN_TEXT @{uu} With this command you can select The text which is used for the origin text. It is used for converting or deleting of the origin text, default ' * Origin:'. See the example. @{i}ORIGIN_TEXT \ * Origin:@{ui} @{u}ORIGIN_CHANGE@{uu} With this command you can select the origin text which will be converted to a tagline. It has to start with 3 dots. See example. @{i}ORIGIN_CHANGE@{ui} @{u}ORIGIN_KILL@{uu} With this command you can delete the Origin line of a message, see example. @{i}ORIGIN_KILL@{ui} @{u}QWK_PACK @{uu} This command is used to pack your QWK packet. The default value is C:zip -jrk, see example. @{i}QWK_PACK C:zip -jkr@{ui} @{u}SIGNOFF_MAILER_NAME @{uu} Almost all mail programs, like Spot or April, wil put their name at the and of the messages. Spot puts at the end of a message '--- Spot 1.x #user' and April puts "--- April Vxxx' at the end. By using SIGNOFF_MAILER_NAME you can let QWKGate add his name to this. You wil get '--- Spot 1.x #user & QWKGate x.xxx'. See example: @{i}SIGNOFF_MAILER_NAME --- April@{ui} @{u}SIGNOFF_AFTER_MAILER@{uu} This function corresponds to SIGNOFF_MAILER_NAME but the default value is the Spot mailer. @{i}SIGNOFF_AFTER_MAILER@{ui} @{u}SIGNOFF_ORIGIN@{uu} This is a mix of ORIGIN_CHANGE and SIGNOFF_MAILER_NAME. If you choose this option the origin line will be converted to a line which starts with ' * QWKGate version | Origin line', see example: @{i}SIGNOFF_ORIGIN@{ui} @{u}ADD_TO_OLD_REPLY@{uu} This option makes sure that new messages will be add to an old QWK reply, so you can use the FIDO2QWK option several times. This option is useful if you can't connect with your BBS and you want to add a message to your replies. @{b}BE WARE: You have to make sure that the QWK REPLY PACKET will be deleted after uploading@{ub}. See example: @{i}ADD_TO_OLD_REPLY@{ui} @{u}WRITER_CHECK@{uu} This option controles, during conversion of a FIDO packet to a QWK REPLY packet, of the name of the name of the sender corresponds with the name of the user, as used in the original QWK packet. If the names don't correspond a requester wil appear with the question iff you want to converd this message. @{i}WRITER_CHECK@{ui} @{u}DONT_UNPACK_QWK@{uu} This option makes sure that the QWK REPLY packet won't be unpacked, see example: @{i}DONT_UNPACK_QWK@{ui} @endnode @node "QWK2FIDO" "QWK to FIDO" @{b}-- Converting QWK to FIDO --@{ub} The following option will be used to convert a QWK packet to FIDO packet: QWKGate QWK2FIDO [@{"QUIET" link "QUIET" 0}] [BBS_PREFS_FILE] If you don't fill in the BBS_PREFS_FILE the default value which will be used is MAIL:QWKGATE.BBS and if this doesn't exist MAIL:DIVO.BBS And thats it. Of course you must make the BBS_PREFS_FILE. See for this @{"configuration" link "Configuration" 0} or QWKGate_Prefs. @endnode @node "FIDO2QWK" "FIDO to QWK" @{b}-- Converting FIDO to QWK --@{ub} The following option will be used to convert a FIDO packet to a QWK packet: QWKGate FIDO2QWK [@{"QUIET" link "QUIET" 0}] [BBS_PREFS_FILE] If you don't fill in the BBS_PREFS_FILE the default value which will be used is MAIL:QWKGATE.BBS and if this doesn't exist MAIL:DIVO.BBS And thats it. Of course you must make the BBS_PREFS_FILE. See for this @{"configuration" link "Configuration" 0} or QWKGate_Prefs. @endnode @node "QUIET" "QWKGate in QUIET mode" @{b}-- QWKGate in QUIETMODE --@{ub} QWKGate can also be used in a mode which only give error-requesters (errors). For this you can use the QUIET option at the startup line, so: @{i}QWKGate FIDO2QWK QUIET MAIL:DIVO.BBS@{ui} or @{i}QWKGate QWK2FIDO QUIET MAIL:DIVO.BBS@{ui} This option makes sure that QWKGate "shuts op his mouth". BE WARE: The programs which are used by QWKGate can put text to the screen, therefore you can configure these programs so they won't text to the screen, For this I have the following option in my .BBS config file: LHA_UNPACK C:lha -q -r e ZIP_UNPACK C:unzip -qq -o QWK_PACK C:zip -jkrq @endnode @node "History" "The history of QWKGate" @{b}-- History --@{ub} @{b}@{u}QWKGate :@{ub}@{uu} Okay, This is the history of QWKGate. It isn't big yet, but still groing. - versions earlier then <0.3 internal versions - version 0.3 first beta release - version 0.31 - version 0.38 following beta releases some new options and some enforcer hits solved - version 0.7 first public beta release specialy made for Amiga Magazine BBS (the Netherlands) - version 0.701 - 0.724 internal versions for the construction of the local support and autoreply function - version 0.725 closed beta version for the official beta testers - version 1.0 first official release @{b}@{u}QWKGate_Prefs :@{ub}@{uu} 0.7 - first beta release specialy made for Amiga Magazine BBS (the Netherlands) 0.71 - major bugs in use with OS 2.04/V37 recovered, distribution only via the Amiga Magazine BBS 1.0 - first official release Uses the ReqTools v38 requesters For further update I'm depending on the users for suggestions and bug-reports. You can send then to @{" Richard " link "Programmer" 0} or @{" Robert " alink "Author_Info" 0} @endnode @node "Credits" "The programmer would like to thank the following people" @{b}-- Thanks to --@{ub} @{b}@{u}As programmer of QWKGate I (Richard) would like to thank the following people:@{ub}@{uu} @{b}Robert Geuzen@{ub} For beta testing QWKGate and of course for making the Prefs Editor for QWKGate, QWKGate_Prefs. @{b}Rene Buitelaar@{ub} For the translation of the Dutch guide file to English and for beta testing QWKGate @{b}Rick Eyre@{ub} For making QWKPkt which gave me the idea for making QWKGate. @{b}Patrick Y. Lee@{ub} For making his QWK Mail Packets File Layout, in which I could find al the information about the construction of QWK packets. @{b}Tom Jennings and Fido Software@{ub} For dessigning fido which can be used in many ways. @{b}Robert Nienkemper@{ub} For beta testing QWKGate. @{b}Leon Makkink@{ub} For some suggestion. Of course for making AmyBW, a QWK/Bluewave reader which I used for testing the FIDO2QWK routines. @{b}Willie Hautvast@{ub} Also for beta testing of QWKGate and his suggestions for the making of QWKGate. Also for the correction of the Dutch guide file. @{b}John Hendrix@{ub} For his help with some asm routines. And of course the @{b}Amiga@{ub} the @{b}best computer@{ub} ever made. @{b}@{u}As programmer of QWKGate_Prefs I (Robert) would like to thank the following people:@{ub}@{uu} First and for all: @{b}Richard de Vos@{ub} Programmer of QWKGate, for his many ideas, his help and of course for making QWKGate. Without him I would have nothing to do for the last weeks, thanks Richard. Thanks to: @{b}All beta-testers of QWKGate@{ub} Without their help it wouldn't be so good. @{b}Olaf van Es@{ub} For finding and reporting of some major bugs in QWKGate_Prefs 0.7. These bugs caused crashes at users of KS 2.04/V37. Also thanks for other usefull remarks. @{b}Rene Buitelaar@{ub} For translating the QWKGate&Prefs_NED.guide to English. This saved me hours of work. @{b}Willie Hautvast@{ub} For language-debugging of the QWKGate&Prefs_NED.guide. @{b}The people of the SAS Institute@{ub} For making a fantastic C-Compiler for the Amiga. @{b}Dietmar Eilert@{ub} Programmer of GoldEd. For making a wonderful editor. @{b}Nico Francois@{ub} For making Spot. The most important reason for the converting of the QWK packets to FIDO format. And for writing the ReqTools.library. Perfect! @{b}Boris Jakubaschk@{ub} For making MTools. Probably the most flexible file-manager in the world. @{b}Kees Huizer@{ub} Sysop of Grafix Attack. Which sometimes must have thought "What the hell are Richard and Robert doing. All these messages all around!". Grafix Attack ! There Can Be Only One! @{b}The Amiga@{ub} Simply the best computer. It Will Survive! @endnode @node "Programmer" "QWKGate was written by?" @{b}-- The Programmer --@{ub} You can contact the programmer at the next adresses: Name : Richard de Vos System : @{"The System" alink "System_RDEVOS" 0} BBS : Amiga Magazine BBS, ++31-79-618821 : Grafix Attack, ++31-10-4745816/4741062/4744682 EMail adresses : USENET qwkgate@foxhunt.xs4all.nl