Chapter 11: Controlling the BBS 11.1 Overview Controlling 4D-BBS locally is simple and you have many options of how to control it. You can use ARexx to send the user a quick line of text without having to go into chat mode. If you don't have ARexx, the Announce pull-down menu function can accomplish the same thing. The 10 function keys allow quick control of many functions. Each key has a toggle, dependent upon whether there is a user on-line or not. The pull-down menus contain a large variety of options, which are also enabled or disabled depending on whether a user is on-line or not. 11.2 Keyboard Input The 10 function keys and their behaviors are listed below: User On-line No User On-line F1 Start or End a Chat Logon Local to BBS F2 Start User Defaults Editor Run Terminal Mode F3 Start On-line User Editor Run Normal User Editor F4 Runs Configuration Editor Runs Configuration Editor F5 Runs Bulletin Editor Runs Bulletin Editor F6 Quick Hangup on User No function F7 Give User Extra Time No function F8 Take Time From User Run Boards Editor F9 Toggles SysOp Availability No function F10 Starts File Editor SysOp Quick Logon When the editors come up they will NOT disturb the on-line user. 4D-BBS will bring the Workbench screen to front where the editor screen will open. 11.2.1 Amiga control Keys These keys are accessed by holding down the Right-AMIGA key and pressing the specifier key once and letting go. The following keys are supported and DO NOT work in Iconify mode. The keys are not case-sensitive. AMIGA-I This will Iconify the BBS AMIGA-Q This will shut the board down if user is on or not. AMIGA-V This will toggle the status screen to allow you to view the on-line users profile, If hit again it will toggle back to the small status screen Only if on-line user. AMIGA-S Will show the last 5 callers in your status window. AMIGA-C Will enter or exit chat. ONLY if on-line user. 11.2.2 Pull Down Menu Options This is the only thing that will pause the on-line user. When you hold your mouse button down to view the options the user will be paused until you release. It would be best to familiarize yourself with all the options so that you can quickly jump to the option with minimal pause time for the user. Most on-line options have function key or hotkey equivalents to avoid this delay. Certain menu options are disabled due to BBS reports. If no user is on-line you will not be able to access the user menu options, or the chat mode, etc. Below is a short summary of menus and options available: First Menu "Other" About Tells a little info about this software Reset Reloads all data files Init Modem Resets your modem Local login Same as F1 Sysop login Same as F10 Iconify Iconifies BBS Save&Quit Save user info and quit Quit Brings board down Second Menu "Go Edit" U-Defs Starts user defaults editor User Starts normal user editor (on-line or not) System Starts system editor Boards Starts message board editor Files Starts file library editor Bulls Starts bulletin editor Menus Starts menu editor ** Not in Demo version Third Menu "Defs" Sysop avail Toggles the SysOp avail (same as F9) Busy local Toggles the busy signal while logon local Keyboard On/Off Turns keyboard input on/off. If off, the only way to turn it back on is via this pull down menu. Fourth Menu "Sysop" Reload System These 3 Reload options were created in case you Reload Boards changed a file or structure and wanted 4D-BBS to know Reload Files about it now. View last 5 Same as AMIGA S View User Same as AMIGA V Announce This function is primarily for those who don't have ARexx. It's main purpose is to send a quick message to the user without entering into chat mode. You can edit any file or echo a string to "RAM:Tellem". This function will echo whatever is in that file to the screen. If no file can be found, 4D-BBS will look for your CLP of "-S". If you have "-SGet lost! Bbs going down" in your setup, that will be echoed instead. It defaults to "System note -> BBS will go going down in a few moments". Fifth Menu "User" Validate User This will do a quick validation of the user and give the user members access as defined by you in the user defaults, message and file editors. It's the same as the "V" key from within the user editor. Hang-up on 'em This will do just what it says. Give time This will give the time as requested by the CLP of "-T" Take time Same as above but TAKES the time (Defaults to 10) On-line edit This invokes the on-line user editor. User NOT paused. Chat Toggles your chat, enter or exit chat. Sixth Menu "Personal Menu" A few words about this menu. This is completely set up by you! You have all the control over this menu you could ever want. You set up the text you want to have shown and the 4D-BBS menu commands or AmigaDOS commands you wish to run. Here is a quick example. 4 <- # of options Lets run DPAINT (Start of text section) Lets run TrapDoor Lets play Space Emp <- Text strings(4) Lets view the bbs list <- Skip this line!(Start of commands) *dh0:dpaint <- External *rex:rx td.rexx <- External C spcemp/spcemp <- Menu command to run door D S <- Menu Command and parameters You can find the personal menu editor in the system editor, however the data file is only a text file so you can use your normal text editor if you wish ("BBS:Personal.Menu"). Your text shouldn't be too long, 20 characters in length should be sufficient. You have a maximum of 20 text strings and 20 commands. ANY 4D-BBS EIC or menu command will work here, 4D-BBS assumes everything will be a menu command so if you want to use an EIC you will need to do this. E "Time is ^]P0%" E, is the normal 4D-BBS echo command and we will be echoing an EIC, Isn't that nice! DOS commands need to have an "*" at the very beginning. This tells 4D-BBS that it is a DOS comman. 4D-BBS will take the "*" off and execute it. (NOTE: 4D-BBS will run ">NIL:" every DOS command. This won't hang the BBS nor pause the user, so remember not to redirect to the "NIL:" when you're editing this menu because it already is. Seventh Menu "Windows" More information will be given about this topic in the Windows section. When you use the menu and change, resize or move a window/screen its exact coordinates are saved. If you iconify and then un-iconify the windows and screens will be in the last saved position. 4D-BBS To Back Puts 4D-BBS screen at the end of screen list. WorkBench Front Brings workbench screen to front. WorkBench Back Puts workbench screen at the end of screen list. The "Go's" will be disabled if you are already in that category. For example, if you are using the WorkBench Screen already, you cannot "Go WorkBench".