Features for use in Tag 2.6
I have developed a couple of things recently for use with
Tag, version 2.6 specifically. These should work with older
versions, but why bother?
The first is a shuttle log-on. I know that many people want
T.A.G. to come with a Shuttle Log-On like Telegard does, but it
is very simple to make one.
The second is a query for file base newscans, and message
base newscans, as you enter the respective bases. This is also
very easy.
Third is something mentioned in the update documentation for
Tag 2.6, but seems more difficult than it is. It is File/Message
base masks.
First things first, a shuttle log-on needs two menus, as far
as I can tell. So first of all create two new menus, and call
one "Shuttle Log-On," and one "Blank for Shuttle Log-On." Now
set your BBS password to whatever you want in the the "Blank for
Shuttle Log-On." Then create a command, and set it to go to your
main menu. This is just in case something goes wrong. The
Program key should be "^" and the Program Data is the menu
number, usually "1".
Now, switch to your shuttle menu, and insert five commands.
Now set the first to be a chat command. (Pkey "@" Pdata "1")
Set the second to be a display file command, and set it to link.
(Pkey "!" Pdata "P-WORD" is what I used.) To link choose (F)lags,
and then (L)inking. Go to the next command, and set it to go the
"Blank for Shuttle Log-On" menu, and set it to Link Also. (Pkey
"^", Pdata the menu number) The next command should have no
descriptions, no key, and should switch to your main menu. This
should not Link. Add one more command that sends mail to whoever
is in charge of validation. (Pkey "F" Pdata the user number)
Now you are almost done. Go to the system Configuration,
and choose (E) General Variables. Then choose (10) Starting Menu
Number, and set it to your Shuttle Log-On menu number.
Now shell to dos, and using any editor you want create a
"P-WORD.MSG" file that tells your users what the password for the
system is. You can also have a P-WORD.CLR for users with ANSI.
Now go back to all these commands, and couble check the
access. On your shuttle Log-On menu, the (C)hat and Send mail to
sysop commands should be low enough for new users to uses, and
everything else above their value. Then check to see that all
the menus have a fallback different than zero. Option 7. When
an error occurs, this is the menu the user is sent to.
Watch and enjoy the added security to your system.
New-Scans
Add two more menus, and label one "New Scan Message Bases?
([Y]/n)" and the other "New Scan File Bases? ([Y]/n)". Change
the menu location on the second to File System.
Now insert four commands in each menu. Set the first to
have no descriptions, and a key of "<CR>". Give it a Pkey of
"^", and a Pdata of the correct menu. i.e. File base or Message
base. Set it to Link. The next command should be the command
for "(Y)es I want to New-Scan". Give it whatever descriptions
you want to. Set it to switch to the appropriate menu, i.e.
either your file base, or your message base. Set it to link.
Give the next command no description, and no Key. Give it a Pkey
of "N", and a Pdata of "G". Do not set this command to link.
The final command should be the "(N)o, I don't want to newscan"
option. Set this to change to the correct menu, and not to link.
Then change the default help level to 1, so the "Cmd: (Y N)" is
eliminated.
Check the fallback menus on both of these, and then go to
all of your menus and change all calls to the file or message
bases, to the corresponding menu that you just created. Now go
around and test it all.
File/Message Base Masks
Say you want to separate your T.A.G. files from your
Miscellaneous files, or BBS files from Compression Utilities.
Well this can be done easily.
Create a file in the Gfiles directory called "MGRP.MSG" for
message bases, and "FGRP.MSG" for file bases. This should
contain a list of the different sections you want, and should
have numbers for all of them. The last option should be "<CR>
All File bases." Or message bases, whatever is approriate. The
file name can also be "MGRP-<SL>.MSG" or "FGRP-<DSL>.MSG". SL,
and DSL being replaced by an appropriate number of course.
This should look like this:
(0) General Messages
(1) Echo Mail and Net Mail
<CR> ALL
Now go into the appropriate editor, and choose each section
in turn, setting a section mask. This file will appear each time
you choose section mask. Then go set it up for the other one
also. Message or file.
Now the commands. Go to your main menu next. Find the file
command and insert one command right AFTER it, and do the same
with the message command. Set the file and message commands to
be linking. Switch to the next command and make it hidden, and
clear the descriptions, and the key. Now set the Pkey to "9",
and the Pdata to "M$" for message bases, and "F$" for file bases.
This will let your users pick the section masks before the
newscan. You can also add this command to the Message and File
bases. I suggest adding it everywhere you switch to a different
base.
This is by no means a complete description of any of these
commands, and I suggest that you read the documentation fully to
get the most out of the software. But this is here so those of
you who do not want to read the documentation have something to
fall back on in order to get these things done.
Thanks for your time,
Pug Majere a.k.a. Ryan Anderson
Sterling Hts, MI