NICELOG.DOC

7.3 KB 829258f8f8f1e1cb…

  [ NICELOG v1.1 - Callers.Log to Nice.Log converter - for T.A.G. v2.7+ ]
       Written by Paul Deeds  -  (c) May 1994  - All Rights Reserved


 WHAT'S NEW IN v1.1
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Updated  it for the  new CALLERS.LOG  format (no longer has  date and two
 blank lines at the top).

 Included a new ANSI that goes well with the new standard menus in v2.7.


 WHAT DOES IT DO?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 It converts your drab CALLERS.LOG file into an exciting full screen ansi.
 It reads  the last ## callers  from your CALLERS.LOG file,  inverts their
 order, and places them in an ansi screen.

     For a quick example of what it will produce execute [DEMO.BAT].

 The number of  callers to display,  and the place to display  them can be
 configured  to allow NICELOG to work with any of your own ansi creations.


 HOW DO I USE IT?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Simply place the Nicelog.exe file into the directory that you want to run
 it from.   Then to  create a "nice log" you execute NICELOG pointing to a
 configuration file (see below for configuration file format).

   Examples: Nicelog nicelog.cfg
             Nicelog d:\tag\nicelog.cfg

 This  command should  be called after a user  logs on but before he would
 have a chance to view the log.

 This can be easily done by adding a command to your "logon menu."  It has
 to be the first command.  It should look like this:

 Menu Name        : Main System Menu #1
 Command number   : 1
 1. Long desc.    : Auto Execute - Nicelog process
 2. Short desc.   : AE - Nicelog
 3. Key           : AUTOEXEC
 4. General SL    : 1
 5. AR Flags      : @
 6. Program Key   : :
 7. Program Data  : "NICELOG NICELOG.CFG"
 F. Flags         : SL access Check, GSL and AR, Hidden Command, Linked Command

 You will also need to  replace the "Log of Callers" command with one that
 will  display the NICE.LOG file.   The  pkey should be "!" and  the pdata
 should  be  the  name  of your  nice.log file.   You may  want to call it
 NICE.CLR for  your users  with ANSI and  then simply  copy CALLERS.LOG to
 NICE.MSG for your non-ANSI users.

 If you want a pause after the ANSI file is displayed you will want to use
 NICELOG.BAT edited for your own directories.  It will simply add a T.A.G.
 ctrl-p  pause code  onto the end  of the ANSI.   I recommend  that you do
 this.


 THE CONFIGURATION FILE
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 The  configuration  file is straight  text in a 7 line  format.   A quick
 explanation  of each  line can  be  found  in the provided  configuration
 file NICELOG.CFG.  Here is more detail:

 Line 1: Path and file name to your CALLERS.LOG file
     Ex: C:\TAG\GFILES\CALLERS.LOG

 Line 2: Path and file name of the ansi file to incorporate
     Ex: C:\ANSI\NICEANSI.ANS

 Line 3: Path and file name of the final output file
     Ex: C:\TAG\GFILES\NICE.LOG

   Note: You need not include a path if the file is in the current
         directory.

 Line 4: An ansi sequence (with out the preceding escape) to set the
         color of the text.  A complete explanation of the ansi
         sequences can be found in NICELOG.CFG.
     Ex: [1;34m

 Line 5: Number of CALLERS.LOG lines to display

 Line 6: The column number to display CALLERS.LOG information on.

 Line 7: The row number to begin displaying CALLERS.LOG information on.


 HOW TO USE YOUR OWN SCREENS
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 NICELOG places CALLERS.LOG lines into a box whose size is related to Line
 5,  Line 6, and Line 7 in the configuration file.   The maximum width for
 CALLERS.LOG  information in  the final  screen is 42 characters.   So the
 four corners of the box in which the information will be displayed can be
 determined like this:

                 Top left      --  (Line 7, Line 6)
                 Top Right     --  (Line 7, Line 6 + 42)
                 Bottom Right  --  (Line 7 + Line 5, Line 6)
                 Bottom Left   --  (Line 7 + Line 5, Line 6 + 42)

 After you draw an ansi keeping these  coordinates in mind you should save
 it in 23 line  mode (which is  under setup  options in  TheDraw).    Then
 create a configuration file with the approiate values.  Thats all.


 FREEWARE / DISCLAIMER
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 This program is  freeware.   No guarantees  are made to its operation and
 you may use it in any way that you like.  Please distribute this archive,
 but only in its unmodified form.   All  that I  ask  is,  if you use this
 program drop me a message and let me know so that I will know that people
 actually get some use out of what I write.   It will give me incentive to
 continue releasing little utilities like this.


 SUPPORT
 ~~~~~~~
 If you have any  questions I can be reached  in the  T.A.G. echos  on the
 fidonet.  I no longer operate a bulletin board system because I am living
 in a dorm.  This program is freeware, but being a college student I could
 certainly  use any money  that you feel you can  afford to donate to help
 defer  the  costs  of  long  distance  distribution,  computer  upgrades,
 programming software, etc.  I am up to doing  custom  changes if there is
 any feature you would like changed for you own use.  This is my address:

                            Paul Deeds
                            382 Pilgrim
                            Birmingham, MI
                            48009


 OTHER T.A.G. UTILITIES BY ME
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   CWHO10.ZIP   -  Allows you to view your USERON.BBS file and to view and
   ~~~~~~~~~~      modify  the  important  fields of  you r $WHO.DAT file,
                   including  username,  city/state, extended description,
                   baud rate,  and  the "available for chat" and "in group
                   chat" flags; all from the command line.

   USAGE10.ZIP  -  Combines two or more USAGE.LOG files into a single file
   ~~~~~~~~~~~     for easier viewing on multi-node systems.

   TRIMLOG.ZIP  -  Removes all "KB" logons from you CALLERS.LOG file.   It
   ~~~~~~~~~~~     will  not add  any colors,  or  change  the file in any
                   other  way.   This  is good  to  run before  NICELOG to
                   remove  all those  local logons that let users know you
                   are nearby despite what your chat flag might say.

   RUMOR20.ZIP  -  Converts   T.A.G.  v2.6  questionarre  answer  files to
   ~~~~~~~~~~~     T.A.G.  v2.6  format  quotation  file and an attractive
                   user viewable file of all the quotes. This allows users
                   to quickly add to your  rumor or quote file using built
                   in T.A.G. system commands.

   DRUMOR10.ZIP -  Allows users to remove quotes from the files created by
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~    RUMOR20.ZIP above.

   HOURS10.ZIP  -  Creates a graph of your  system's  average usage by the
   ~~~~~~~~~~~     hour.  This will show your users when the best times to
                   try and connect are--when the system is least busy.

   COLORSET.ZIP -  Allows  you to  create a number of different color sets
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~    for your users to choose from.

   TAGLIST7.ZIP -  ** Coming Soon **  The first update to the Downloader's
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~    Guide to T.A.G. Utilities  in 2 years.  Look  for it in
                   May, 1994.

       Look for them on a T.A.G. Site near you.  They should always be
       available on A*R*T*H*U*R (1-810-740-8764).