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< T.A.G. Version 2.6c Start Up Documentation >
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( T.A.G. 2.6c - Copyright (C) 1986-1992 Robert Numerick, )
\________________ and Victor Capton. _________________/
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T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 1
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< T.A.G. Version 2.6c Start Up Instructions >
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\ By Victor Capton /
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T.A.G. is distributed with a standard configuration which we have found
to work well for most beginning systems. It is very easy to get a
T.A.G. bulletin board system up and running, but a lot of work must be
put into ANY bulletin board system to make it your own.
**** <<<< IMPORTANT >>>> ****
Add the following lines in your "config.sys" configuration boot file
(usually found in the root directory of your C drive). If "config.sys"
does not exist, create one:
buffers=20
files=15
If a "files" and/or "buffers" line already exist in your "config.sys"
file, make sure "files" are defined to at least 15, and "buffers" to at
least 20.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 2
** T.A.G. Version 2.6c Release Description **
(*) = Required
TAGM26C.ZIP (*)- Main program package for the T.A.G. Bulletin Board
System Version 2.6c.
TAGS26C.ZIP (*)- Start-up package for a new T.A.G. Bulletin Board
System (this file was included in this archive).
TAGU26B.ZIP (*)- Update documentation package for T.A.G. Version
2.6b.
TAGC26B.ZIP - Conversion package to upgrade from T.A.G. Version
2.6 to T.A.G. Version 2.6b.
TAGR26B.ZIP - Complete Turbo Pascal 6.0 record structure package
for T.A.G. (for writing utilities).
TAGW26.ZIP - Dictionary package for the message system spell
checker (/SPELL in message editor).
TAGN26.ZIP - Nodelist index compiler package (FidoNet systems).
TAGU26.ZIP (*)- Update documentation package for T.A.G.
Version 2.6.
TAGD25G.ZIP (*)- Documentation package for T.A.G. 2.5g. See the
update documentation in the TAGU26.ZIP and
TAGU26B.ZIP archives.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 3
** Installing the T.A.G. Files **
1. Make sure you have followed the instructions marked "IMPORTANT" at
the beginning of this document (concerning "buffers" and "files").
2. All the T.A.G. archives (listed above) which you have downloaded
must be placed in a common directory on your hard drive.
3. UnZip the TAGS26C.ZIP into the directory.
4. Execute the T.A.G. installation program by entering "TAGINST".
5. Follow the on screen instructions. Note that a help box is often
presented at the bottom of the screen with extra information.
6. Change to the Alternate Text File Directory which you have chosen
(C:\BBS\AFILES on the default setup). Execute the programmable
string compiler by entering "TAGSTR". The program will proceed to
compile both sets of string files. Now when you change your
string files, you know how to compile them!
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 4
** Booting the System **
Now you are almost ready to boot your T.A.G. system.
Please make sure your system time and date are set correctly.
Go into the Main BBS Directory which you have chose (C:\BBS in the
standard configuration).
If your modem is located on another communications port besides COM1
you will need to add an extra command line parameter the first time you
run T.A.G. Simply enter (where # is your communication port number):
TAG COM=#
NOTE: The parameter is not needed for subsequent boots as T.A.G.'s
system configuration will be modified permanently.
To boot the system using COM1 simply go into the Main BBS Directory
which you choose and enter:
TAG
After preforming several boot steps, the system will attempt to
initialize the modem. If after a few moments the system is unable to
initialize the modem, press the <SPACE BAR> to abort the process. In
this case you will have to modify the modem initialization strings as
defined in the system configuration to suit your particular modem.
This of course assumes that the modem is turned on and connected
correctly. The documentation describes the operation of the various
options in the modem configuration command.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 5
** Entering The System Configuration **
To configure the system to your particular needs, use the system
configuration command from the SysOp menu. Follow these steps to enter
system configuration:
- Press "Control-Q" or "S" from the wait screen to enter the
SysOp menu.
- Press "S" to edit system configuration.
- A ":" will appear, this indicates the system is waiting for a
SysOp Password. In this case the default SysOp password #3
is "SYSOP". Type "SYSOP" and press enter.
Once inside the system configuration, carefully look over each section
and change whatever you feel necessary. The main documentation
contains detailed information about each function if necessary, though
many of the options will be fairly self explanatory.
After you are finished, press "Q" to exit back to the SysOp menu. And
then "Q" again to exit to the wait screen.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 6
** Creating the SysOp User **
1. From the waiting for callers screen press the <SPACE BAR> to logon
locally.
2. Press "Y" at the verification prompt.
3. After the title screen is displayed you will be asked to enter
your user name or ID number. You are a new user so type the name
you wish to represent the SysOp of the system (most systems use
"SYSOP").
4. T.A.G. will inform you that the user does not exist, Press "Y" to
continue with the new user logon.
5. Proceed to enter to required new user information.
6. After your logon is complete, work your way to the main menu.
7. Now to give yourself Full SysOp access:
- Press Alt-F1, and enter "N" to validate your account to
normal access.
- Press F1, and enter 255 for SL (security level).
- Press Shift-F1, and enter 255 for DSL (download security
level).
- Press Shift-F2, and type "*" to toggle all AR flags active.
You are now a full SysOp!
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 7
** Additional Installation Concerns **
1. If you plan to use the standard protocols, you will need to do two
things:
- Obtain a copy of the
DSZ Protocol Engine
(C)Copyright by Omen Technology INC
and place it in your main BBS directory (C:\BBS for the
default setup). See the main documentation for more
information.
- Define the DSZLOG environment variable by adding the
following line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
SET DSZLOG=C:\BBS\DFILES\DSZTEMP.LOG
Replace "C:\BBS\DFILES" with the path to your Main Data
Files Directory if it is different.
2. Choose a location for both your message and file sections. The
installation system has left these defined to "C:\". This should
be changed as soon as possible.
- Depending on the format of your message sections, one or more
directories may be needed. Use the message section manager
(//BOARDEDIT) and modify the directory defined for each
section.
- Each file section should have a directory of its own. Use
the file section manager (//DLBOARDEDIT) and modify the
upload and download directories defined for each section.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 8
** Optional Setup Items **
Included with the start up package are the following files provided by
Jason Hunt:
ANSIMENU.ZIP - Sample ANSI graphic menus for several areas of the
system. NOTE: These menus do NOT follow the
existing command structure. They are presented for
example only and should be edited to match your
specific BBS.
To set up these ANSI menus for use on your system, simply
unzip the ANSIMENU.ZIP file into your alternate data files
directory (C:\BBS\AFILES). Note the installation program may
have done this already if you instructed it to do so.
Next enter the menu editor from either the wait screen or
from the main menu. Modify each of the following menus, and
place the listed name in the "Help File ID" field (option 6
after choosing which menu to modify). These menus replace
T.A.G.'s normal help level (help level 3) menus.
Main Menu - Set the help file ID to "MAIN".
Message Menu - Set the help file ID to "MSG".
File System Menu - Set the help file ID to "FILE".
Batch Download Menu - Set the help file ID to "BATDL".
Batch Upload Menu - Set the help file ID to "BATUL".
Now when a user has ANSI graphics active, they will see these
menus, as apposed to the standard ones T.A.G. generates from
the information in the menu editor.
ANSI graphic file generators such as The Draw (tm) can be
used to create and/or modify these types of menus.
NEWUSERQ.ZIP - Sample new user questionnaire.
To set the new user questionnaire up on your system, simply
unzip the NEWUSERQ.ZIP file into your alternate text files
directory (C:\BBS\AFILES - The installation program may have
done this if specified). T.A.G. will automatically search
for the file after a new user logs onto the system and
execute the questionnaire. Consult the main documentation
for more information, it is very likely that you will wish to
tailor this questionnaire for your own system needs.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 9
Closing Notes
Using the main/menu/update documentation and the provided sample files,
the customization of your system should be fairly straight forward.
Experiment!!!
It's a big system, don't expect to learn it all in one sitting.
Things to do to a new system:
- Modify the system configuration for your system. Go into each
configuration screen and look at all the options. If you are not
sure about on of them, check the main documentation for detailed
information.
- Check over the menus and command access levels in the menu editor
(//MENUEDIT). Determine what access levels you are going to
assign new users, normal users, privileged users, remote sysops,
etc.
- Add/change message sections with the message section editor
(//BOARDEDIT).
- Add/change file sections with the file section editor
(//DLBOARDEDIT).
- Add/change the validation levels with the access editor
(//ACCESS).
- Add/change the protocols defined for the system using the single
and batch protocol editors (//SINGLE and //BATCH). See the main
documentation for more information.
- Change or edit the default text files for your system. There are
many files that do not appear in the Main Data File and Alternate
Text File Directories (C:\BBS\AFILES). These optional files are
listed in the main documentation.
- Add *.CLR versions of various text files for ANSI users. You'll
need and ANSI editor to do this. "The Draw" is by far the popular
ShareWare editor going around. See the main documentation for
information on wish files have the "*.CLR" option.
- Create a voting board using the voting editor (//IVOTES).
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.6c - Start Up Documentation - Page 10
- Post a message in each section describing the purpose of the
section.
- Set up or modify the various "trash can" systems to prevent use of
various user names, phone numbers, or upload file names.
- Use the file utilities (FUTIL???.ZIP) or the directory manager
(DIRMAN??.ZIP) to add any files you already have to their
appropriate file section.
- Set up any games you wish to be on-line (T.A.G., PC-Board(tm),
RBBS(tm), DOORS.SYS, GAP(tm), QuickBBS(tm), and many others are
supported). See the main documentation.
- Set up a shell DOS system if you wish one to be available. See
the main documentation.
- Consider setting up matrix/echo mail to inter-connect with the
International FidoNet NetWork. It's a whole new world out there!
- Consider setting up a multi-user system if you have the necessary
equipment.
- Set up logon events to restrict users from logging on or prevent
them from using specific commands at certain times.
- Set up external events to execute maintenance files at night. For
example: Nightly maintenance for any games you may have on-line.
Good Luck !!
Hopefully you will enjoy being
a SysOp as much as we have.
Bumper sticker for computers:
"My other node is a Cray XMP-2"
M. Presnell
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/he /ag /eam