Zipster 2.5 by Bill Hay
A Door to View/Read/Test/Extract Zipfiles
February 18, 1990
Table of Contents:
I - Files Needed
II - Basic Features of Zipster
III - Disclaimer
IV - The Zipster Configuration File
V - Using Zipster with QuickBBS
VI - Using Zipster with other BBSes
VII - Trouble Shooting
VIII - Acknowledgements
IX - Reaching the Author
I. Files Needed
Zipster should include the following four files:
ZIPSTER.EXE - The Zipster door
ZIPSTER.DOC - This documentation file
ZIPSTER.CFG - The sample configuration file
ZIPSTER.NEW - The list of changes to Zipster
Zipster is basically a BBS shell for Phil Katz's PKZIP.EXE and
PKUNZIP.EXE utilities. It was tested with version 1.02 of those
utilities, available as PKZ102.EXE on many bulletin board systems.
Zipster was tested with version 2.63 of QuickBBS, but should work
with most types of BBS software that create a DORINFO1.DEF file.
Zipster requires a fossil driver, such as BNU 2.70 by David Nugent.
A fossil driver allows for greater compatibility with various
computer systems. QuickBBS also requires a fossil driver, so this
does not mean any added work for QuickBBS sysops.
II. Basic Features of Zipster
Zipster allows the viewing of Zipfiles on QuickBBS systems, and also
allows the reading, testing, and extraction of files within Zipfiles.
Zipfiles almost always end in .ZIP, but Zipster can also handle
self-extracting Zipfiles that end in .EXE.
Zipster will monitor a user's remaining time, whether carrier is
dropped, and whether the user waits too long to press a key. Do not
use a separate utility to monitor the carrier.
When Zipster is run, it locates the file DORINFO1.DEF which is created
by QuickBBS. This file gives Zipster information such as the user's
remaining time, graphics capability, and security level.
If the sysop wants more than one directory to be checked for
Zipfiles, Zipster will use a file called FLSEARCH.CTL (QuickBBS
sysops should already be familiar with this file) to determine the
directories in which to search. If the user does not have a high
enough security level for a given directory, then that directory
is not searched.
III. Disclaimer
Zipster has been tested by the author and it appears to be safe.
However, only use this program if you agree not to hold the author
responsible for any damage that it may cause your system.
IV. The Zipster Configuration File
The sysop must edit a configuration file called ZIPSTER.CFG in order
for Zipster to function.
Here is a sample:
C:\BBS\DORINFO1.DEF
The Teletech BBS
C:\UTILITY\PKZIP.EXE
C:\UTILITY\PKUNZIP.EXE
C:\BBS\WORK
C:\BBS\FILES\UPLOADS
250
The file is 7 lines total, and breaks down into this:
Line 1 - The path and name for DORINFO1.DEF.
QuickBBS, OLEcom, XBBS, and some other BBSes create a file
called DORINFO1.DEF when a door is executed. The file is
placed in the main BBS directory.
Line 2 - The name of your BBS.
Line 3 - The path and name of your PKZIP utility.
(PKZIP can be named whatever you choose).
Line 4 - The path and name of your PKUNZIP utility.
(PKUNZIP can also be named whatever you choose).
Line 5 - An empty directory that Zipster can use as a work directory.
Line 6 - The directory where EXTRACT.ZIP will be placed.
EXTRACT.ZIP is the name of the Zipfile that extracted files
are placed in, so this line should specify a directory from
which files can be downloaded.
Line 7 - The Maximum size for EXTRACT.ZIP.
This prevents a user from creating huge extract files in an
attempt to decrease the number of their downloads. Also, it
prevents an evil hacker from trying to clog your system
with a 20 Meg Zipfile. I suggest you place 250 here, which
means the file cannot be added to once it reaches 250
kilobytes.
V. Using Zipster with QuickBBS
A. The Preferred Method for QuickBBS
If you want to have Zipster search more than one directory,
you will need to have QuickBBS's FLSEARCH.CTL set up, and
have it placed in the main BBS directory. The directions for
setting this up are in the QuickBBS documentation, and also
in the section below (Part VI).
First, put ZIPSTER.EXE and ZIPSTER.CFG in the QuickBBS
directory.
Next, create a QuickBBS Type 7 menu item, with this on the
Optional Data line:
To search all directories : ZIPSTER.EXE
To search a single directory : ZIPSTER.EXE [Name of directory]
For example : ZIPSTER.EXE C:\BBS\UPLOADS
If no directory was specified, Zipster will use FLSEARCH.CTL to
search all the directories in which a user has high enough
security to view.
If a directory was specified, then Zipster will only search that
directory. FLSEARCH.CTL will not be used in this case. The sysop
is able to set up his menus so that only a person with a high
enough security level for the directory is allowed to use the
door.
B. The Not-Preferred Method for QuickBBS
Zipster can also be called from a batch file, but will not load
as quickly. The advantage is that ZIPSTER.EXE and ZIPSTER.CFG do
not have to reside in the BBS directory. Here are two examples,
both of which assume ZIPSTER.EXE and ZIPSTER.CFG are in the
directory C:\ZIPVIEW:
To use FLSEARCH.CTL to To search a single
search directories: directory:
CD \ZIPVIEW CD \ZIPVIEW
ZIPSTER.EXE ZIPSTER.EXE C:\BBS\UPLOADS
CD \BBS CD \BBS
EXIT EXIT
If the chosen batch file was called ZIPVIEW.BAT, this would be
the Optional Data line for a QuickBBS Type 7 menu item:
*C /C C:\ZIPVIEW\ZIPVIEW.BAT
VI. Using Zipster with other BBSes
If you are using a type of Bulletin Board System that creates a file
called DORINFO1.DEF when it shells to DOS, then chances are it will
work with Zipster. OLEcom, XBBS, RBBS, and other BBSes create such a
file, and will probably work fine with Zipster (as long as it is a
single-node BBS). If your BBS does not use a fossil driver, then make
sure you load a fossil driver before running Zipster.
If you want to have Zipster handle more than one directory, you will
need to create a file called FLSEARCH.CTL. This file tells Zipster
which directories to search for files in, and also whether or not a
user has a high enough security level for a given directory.
FLSEARCH.CTL should go in the directory where DORINFO1.DEF will be,
which is not necessarily the Zipster directory!
Here is the structure of FLSEARCH.CTL:
[Directory] [Security Level Needed] [Name of Directory]
To give a real-world example:
C:\BBS\FILES\GAMES 20 Games
C:\BBS\FILES\COMM 10 Communications
C:\BBS\FILES\UTIL 20 Utility_Files
C:\BBS\FILES\UPLOADS 10 Uploads
Note: All that is needed by Zipster are the directories and security
levels. The directory descriptions were only shown because that
is the format as QuickBBS originated it.
ZIPSTER.EXE and ZIPSTER.CFG must reside together in the same
directory.
The first line of ZIPSTER.CFG specifies the name and location of
DORINFO1.DEF. If more than one directory is to be searched, then
create the FLSEARCH.CTL file and place it in the directory where
DORINFO1.DEF will be written by the BBS.
The command lines for calling Zipster are as follows:
To search all directories : ZIPSTER.EXE
To search a single directory : ZIPSTER.EXE [Name of directory]
For example : ZIPSTER.EXE C:\BBS\UPLOADS
If Zipster is called from a batch file, the batch file should switch
to the directory that has ZIPSTER.EXE, and then run Zipster.
For example:
CD \ZIPVIEW
ZIPSTER.EXE
CD \BBS
EXIT
VII. Trouble Shooting
If you run into problems, chances are the ZIPSTER.CFG or FLSEARCH.CTL
file was not created properly. So it's a good idea to double check
them.
Another possible problem is insufficient memory. Zipster itself
requires about 40K, but PKZIP and PKUNZIP will add about 90K to this.
QuickBBS sysops who have insufficient memory to properly run Zipster
should use the overlay version of QuickBBS, or should experiment with
QuickBBS's Type 15 menu item. Type 15 removes the BBS from memory, so
it is a much slower method than Type 7.
For the hang-up feature, Zipster toggles the DTR. If you try this
feature and it doesn't drop carrier on the caller, then you might
want to try adding &D2&C1 to your modem's initialization string.
The jump to DOS feature and the main test Zipfile feature look at
COMSPEC for the location of COMMAND.COM. If you boot off of a floppy
drive, you might want to add this to the floppy's AUTOEXEC.BAT:
SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM
That will speed things up a bit, and will also guard against the fact
that the boot floppy may no longer be in the floppy drive, or that
the floppy drive may be open.
Zipster uses Bios screen writes, so its graphics should be compatible
with multi-taskers.
VIII. Acknowledgements
Phil Katz, Loren Strand, Leif Manley, and Joshua Ellis gave me
financial contributions for Zipster, which went to support my BBS.
Thanks!
I'd also like to thank everyone who has offered suggestions and
helped test various versions of Zipster.
Much credit also goes to Adam Hudson and the QuickBBS Group for
writing QuickBBS, and Phil Katz for writing PKZIP and PKUNZIP.
IX. Reaching the Author
If you run into any bugs or problems you cannot solve, I can be
reached either through my BBS or my home address:
The Teletech BBS
(804)671-8755
1:271/306
Bill Hay
5284 Fairfield Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
Although payment is not required for using Zipster, a contribution of
ten dollars would be appreciated. All proceeds go toward the upkeep of
my BBS.
Thanks for trying Zipster!