CONNplex.tech for version BETA-880214 This short little file will give you some insight as to the operation of CONNplex. CONNplex consists of 3 parts that work in round-robin fashion: 1. An input spooler 2. A command parser/processor 3. An output spooler The input spooler takes a logical line from the tnc. It checks to see what stream (user) it was from and spools (stores) the line in a buffer for that user. The command parser/processor take the line and makes a decision: - If the user was not involved in entering data to a file or a message then this must be a new command. Parse the command for correct syntax and execute the command, sending the output of the command to an output queue. - If the user WAS entering data for a file or a message then this is for that operation. Store the data to the file being entered. The output spooler takes one line from each users queue and sends it to the TNC. This operation continues until the TNC is full of packets or all spool queues are empty. If a line comes in from a user, the process starts again. The files: Most of the files used/created by the system may be edited or typed. The following files should only be edited to fix some problem. Tube control files: These files, found in CONNplex:tubes, contain the ASCII codes to control intelegent terminals. CONNplex supports an unlimited number of tube types. Just create a file for a new type of tube. The two tube types given to you on the disk are ANSI (VT100 controls, very popular) and ZENITH (VT-52). The format is as follows Record 1 - The sequence for sending the cursor HOME (upper-left) 2 - The sequence to CLEAR THE ENTIRE SCREEN 3 - The sequence to move the cursor UP 4 - " " " " " " DOWN 5 - " " " " " " LEFT 6 - " " " " " " RIGHT With this release, the SYSOP must set the tube type for each user. If they want the feature, have them MEMO you and edit the USERS file (below) accordingly. This feature makes for nice presentation of data on-screen, clearing the screen each time a new command is entered. USERS files: Two types of files exist in the directory CONNplex:users : - User profiles, identified by a callsign only - User personal mail, identified by callsign.MAIL The mail files may be deleted without problem. If you MUST edit a mail file, edit only the text body, not the header. User profiles may be deleted without a problem. The format for these files is: Record #1 - The handle (if known, blank if not) 2 - The date of last disconnect 3 - The time of last disconnect 4 - The Tube type, if known (above) 5 - Not requied for this release 6 - Not required for this release 7-12 Information from the user's use of the PREFERENCES command Initialization file: The file CONNPlex:CONNplex.init may contain up to 3 lines with one of the following qualifiers on each line: ENABLE_CONFERENCE - enables the transcription of all conversations that occur in the CONFERENCE area. Nice for saving special conferences with special guests and posting to the FILES section. Appends text to CONNplex:CONNplex.transcript ENABLE_LOG - Opens a file CONNplex:CONNplex.log and logs all connects, disconnects and system errors. ENABLE_TRACE - Used for diagnostice purposes, opens a file CONNplex:CONNplex.trace and appends ALL input and output along with diagnostic information. DO NOT USE THIS FEATURE unless you have a lot of disk space. It fills up FAST. The default condition is to disable the features. They are enabled only if the above lines are found in the .init file at boot-up. The HELP key: Depressing the HELP key with the CONNplex window active will present a small display showing the last 10 users to connect as well as all users currently connected. Error Reporting: User errors such as misuse of commands, syntax, etc are politely reported with a line such as: Sorry, Mike... I don't understand the command TESTING. Try HELP. System errors, those things that occur when everything goes wrong are reported three ways. First, each user is given the following warning: Sorry, Mike... a system level error just occured. Be prepared for the worse. Secondly, a diagnostic error is displayed on the CONNplex window. The ERROR # field corresponds, for the most part, with AMIGA BASIC errors. Lastly, if the LOG and/or TRACE files were enabled (above), the messages are written to those files. If 3 (three) system errors occur since the last connect/disconnect operation the system will REBOOT itself. This will disconnect everyone. The HELP files: The HELP files may be added/edited/deleted as you require. If you don't want users to use a particular feature, remove the help file for it. When a user types HELP alone as a command the user is presented with the file CONNplex/help/general_help. This file should be edited if you add/delete help files. A weak point: A hook I had to remove ('cause I can't explain how to work it) was the ability to use STREAM J as a terminal stream so you can packet out to other stations/PBBSs while users use your system. That also means I stripped the abiltiy for the SYSOP to upload files that the SYSOP may have downloaded from other sources. This, fortunately, is not difficult. 1. Shut down CONNplex by turning off the transceiver when there are no users connected. 2. Copy/move the file into CONNplex:files 3. Edit CONNplex:files.directory to create a new entry that looks like the others. Entries from remote users have a standard format, try to copy it, for appearence. Final note: All I/O on the system is sent to the CONNplex window. Lines input to the system are preceeded on the display by "<". Those spooled out are preceeded by ">". I/O streams may or may not show as upper case letters embedded in the text. Do not worry about these, they are handled by the system. It may get confusing, having all I/O come to the screen, but I prefer to be able to see what is happening. Known Bugs: I have noticed some trouble with CONNplex when I use POPCLI (which I love). The Amiga Basic version should work with out problem. The compiled version MAY give you more trouble, but please try it out and let me know what your experience is. I'm sorry that the I/O is disk bound but I have had BEAUCOUPS (read LOTS OF) trouble spooling the system off of RAM:. If you are afraid that the head will come off the drive, get in touch with me and I'll TRY to accomodate you with a RAM: version. If anyone knows of a GOOD, DYNAMIC, ROBUST RAM: driver, PLEASE call me. For some reason, on some TNCs, two problems occur - one minor, the other not. You may be doing a USERS command and find a stream (usually C) active with nobody connected to it. I don't know why this happens. It doesn't hurt the system, just looks strange. Sometimes the TNC "burps" and starts sending it's error message ( EH? for TAPR TNCs) over and over. If it is on a stream that is CONNECTED, you will probably have to restart CONNplex. If the stream is disconnected then the condition will clear with the next CONNECT. Hope you enjoy this as much as I have... 73, Mike Staines - WA1PTC @ N1API-4