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< T.A.G. Version 2.5f Start Up Documentation >
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( T.A.G. 2.5f - Copyright (C) 1986-1990 Robert Numerick, )
\________________ and Victor Capton. _________________/
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T.A.G. BBS Version 2.5f - Start Up Documentation - Page 1
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< T.A.G. Version 2.5f Start Up Instructions >
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\ By Victor Capton /
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T.A.G. is distributed with a standard configuration that we have found
to work well for beginning boards. It is extremely easy to get T.A.G.
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" boot file (usually found
in the root directory of your C drive). If "config.sys" does not
exist, create one:
device=ansi.sys
buffers=30
files=20
If the file "ansi.sys" does not exist in your root directory, you must
copy it from your master MS-DOS boot disk.
If the "files" and/or "buffers" lines already exist in your
"config.sys", make sure "files" are defined to at least 20, and
"buffers" to at least 30.
Required Files
GFILE25F.ZIP - Start up files and documentation for T.A.G.
(the archive this file was contained in).
MAIN25F.ZIP - T.A.G. Main Programs.
DOCS25F.ZIP - T.A.G. Main Documentation.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.5f - Start Up Documentation - Page 2
Directory Setup
The following directory setup is what the start up system is configured
to. If you choose to put T.A.G. on another drive besides "C" or wish
to use another directory structure, you must follow the instructions
for differing directories later in this document.
From the root directory of your "C" drive (C:\), make a directory
called "BBS":
md bbs
Then from inside the BBS directory:
cd bbs
Make two other directories called "GFILES" and "MSGS":
md gfiles
md msgs
Main BBS Directory BBS --+-- GFILES Main Data Files Directory
|
+-- MSGS Message Text File Directory
Start Up File Placement
UnZip the following archives into the indicated directory:
MAIN25F.ZIP - Into the Main BBS Directory (C:\BBS)
BBS25F.ZIP - Into the Main BBS directory (C:\BBS). This
file is located in the start up archive
itself.
SUPP25F.ZIP - Into the Main Data Files Directory
(C:\BBS\GFILES). This file is located in the
start up archive itself.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.5f - Start Up Documentation - Page 3
Booting the System
Now you are almost ready to boot T.A.G. Make sure your system time and
date are set correctly.
If you are using the standard directory setup as stated above you may
skip this next paragraph.
Starting up a system on a different directory setup requires you to do
two things immediately after booting the system. First T.A.G. will
state the default Main Data Files Directory is invalid; you must enter
the COMPLETE path of the Main Data Files Directory you are using
(including the drive letter). Secondly you must immediately enter the
system configuration (the default SysOp Password #3 is "SYSOP"), go
into the "General Variables" screen and set options A through C to the
correct directories. After preforming these two steps you may proceed
with the setup normally.
If you are using Communications Port #1 (COM1) for your system you may
skip the next paragraph.
Starting a system on Communications Port #2 through #4 (COM2 - COM4)
for the first time requires an extra parameter. Simply enter "TAG
/COM#" (where "#" is the number of communications port you are using)
to boot the system instead of the given string. After booting the
system once, the "/COM#" parameter is no longer needed since T.A.G.'s
system configuration has been modified directly.
To boot the system, go into the Main BBS Directory (C:\BBS) and type:
TAG
After preforming several boot steps, the system will attempt to
initialize the modem. If after a few seconds the system is still
trying to initialize the modem, press the <SPACE BAR> to abort the
initialization process. In this case you will have to modify the modem
initialization string as defined in the system configuration to suit
your particular modem (assuming the modem is turned on, and hooked up
correctly). See the main documentation for more information.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.5f - Start Up Documentation - Page 4
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 obvious.
After you are finished, press "Q" to exit back to the SysOp menu. And
then "Q" again to exit to the wait screen.
Creating the SysOp User
1. From the wait screen press the <SPACE BAR> to logon locally.
2. Answer "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, answer "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.
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.5f - Start Up Documentation - Page 5
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 SysOp!
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.5f - Start Up Documentation - Page 6
** Optional Setup Items **
Included with the start up package are the following files provided by
Jason Hunt at the Pirate's Chest BBS:
ANSIMENU.ZIP - Sample ANSI graphic menus for several areas of the
system.
To set up these ANSI menus for use on your system, simply
unzip the ANSIMENU.ZIP file into your main data files
directory (C:\BBS\GFILES).
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 main data files
directory (C:\BBS\GFILES). T.A.G. will automatically search
for the file after a new user logs onto the system and
execute the questionnaire. See 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 2.5f - Start Up Documentation - Page 7
Closing Notes
Using the main/menu 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). Also obtain
the required files (such as DSZ) and place them in your main BBS
directory (C:\BBS). See the main documentation.
- 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\GFILES). 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 best in
my opinion. See the main documentation for information on wish
files have the "*.CLR" option.
- Create a voting board using the voting editor (//IVOTES).
- Post mail in each message section describing what it is (remember
to (S)can all new message bases before attempting to post any
message).
T.A.G. BBS Version 2.5f - Start Up Documentation - Page 8
- 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 to add any files you already have to their
appropriate download section (see FUTIL*.ZIP, where "*" is the
latest version number available).
- 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 TAGMail to inter-connect with the
International Net/Matrix/Echo system. It's a whole new world out
there!
Good Luck !!
Hopefully you will enjoy being
a SysOp as much as we have.
__ __ __
/he /ag /eam