ForceTag Readme File -------------------- Thank you for downloading and looking at Forcetag. This program was inspired by V-Tag written by: Mike Patterson aka Vermithrax of Hell's Furnace. While V-Tag is an excellent tagline program, it is really unsuitable for use on FIDONET echos as most of them have rules against long signatures and taglines. Seeing no good way to eliminate the ability to use these long taglines on a FIDO base, I decided to write my own tagline program. I decided that I would like to allow my users to select a different tagline if they didn't like the tagline that the system selected for them. Also I decided that it would be cool if they could add there own taglines to these messages also since that would allow the tagline file to be built up by someone other than us, the sysops. Included also in this archive is a PFILE that will allow users to view the entire tagline database including who added the tagline, delete a tagline from the database (assuming they have the correct access group), and add a tagline to the file. Disclaimer ---------- This program was written with one purpose and one purpose only. That purpose is to make an alternative tagline program for use on my system Cool World BBS (405-447-6210 14.4k), I make o guarentees that this PFILE will work on any system, however it has been extensively tested and is actively running on my BBS, with CNET 3.05c, A2000, 7Mhz 68k processor, 8MB ram. I make no guarentee that this program will not harm your equipment in anyway. Also this may not be the best code ever, but your ideas and modifications are greatly appreciated, all I ask for in return for use of this program is that you send me a message on future world or through FIDO netmail that you are using my program and tell me what you think of the program. If you make any modifications to this program all I ask is that you give me credit for my code and that you send a copy of your modifications to me. Installation ------------ Installation is not very difficult. In order to install this pfile you will need to unarchive the archive into a subdirectory on your pfiles: directory. I use the directory pfiles:forcetag/ and my path variables in the program reflect that path so if you move it somewhere else than you will need to edit that variable. Get you favorite BBSTEXT editor handy, and locate the lines saying Mail Filing, Post Filing, Feedback Filing, Response Filing. (I am too lazy to go get the line numbers for you sorry, but if you use the search function than it shouldnt be too tough to locate them.) On those lines insert at the beginning of the line ^Q#0pfiles:forcetag/forcetag.rexx} on each of those lines. Remember ^Q stands for Control Q. After you do that, there are many ways to make the tagline editor available to the user.. The easiest way is to adopt it as a AREXX pfile, make sure more is enabled for it.. The way I do it is by adding to the end of COMMANDS AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE in the BBSMENU file. I add TAGline | ^Q#0pfiles:forcetag/ftagprefs.rexx} Once again remember that ^Q is control Q. There ya go, it is fully installed, reboot cnet or use the reload text menu pulldown to make it work, then sign on and send a message to yourself to check out the output and stuff.. VERSION INFO ------------ Some of you are probably wondering what kind of a non-standard naming convention Version 94.271.02 is... Well the 94 is the year of the Major Code release. The 271 is the Julian date of the major code release. so 94.271 is the major code release of September 28th 1994. Finnally the 02 stands for the revision number. Any bugfix or minor change that doesn't affect the format of the datafile or any major portion of code will be considered a revision. NEW FEATURES ------------ Many many bugfixes are contained in this release of Forcetag. This is a MAJOR release and older programs will not work with the newer programs. Files that must be changed are forcetag.rexx and forcetagedit.rexx must be removed and replaced with ftagprefs.rexx.. The tags.data and tags.ctrl file will still function normally and need not be changed, however the ftagprefs.rexx program contains a sysop option to merge tagline databases into your current database.. With this option you can archive forcetag into a different directory and use the Merge command by specifying the full path including the name of the tags.data file to be included and the prefs program will add those taglines into your database... Good Luck let me know about any bugs found... New Options 1) Added much needed carrier drop checks into the code 2) Revamped the add a tagline screen 3) Re did some default commands 4) check for a blank line at the ADD tagline and abort to menu instead of adding a blank tagline.. 5) added PREFERENCE menu to allow auto tagline generation or non generation.. 6) fixed up old edit program or new Tagline Prefs program to look nicer.. Not through with it yet, but promised to get this out ASAP.. 7) Gave myself a few headaches and learned much about AREXX. Good Luck and HAPPY HUNTING!! BUG REPORTS ----------- Bug Reports can be sent to David Anderson at FIDO 1:147/103.0 or they can be sent to The Force on Future World, or they can be left in feedback to The Force on my BBS Cool World. 405-447-6210 if you fail the logon three times or so it will allow you to send feedback if you do not want to fill out a new user applications. This file Ends NOW!