Getting Technical

For technical information about FidoNet please see www.ftsc.org

By: Carol Shenkenberger, Shenk's Express (275/100)
To: Warren Bonner

Hello all! In reference to queries on how to setup a BBS, I have put together a simple help file. It contains examples of some ways to do things for a simple, single node system mostly. In order to make it easier to follow, I have used 'generic conventional' names and paths through out the FAQ. You do NOT need to use the same ones, and for added security you SHOULD change them. You will find a general reference to the names used, at the end.

The softwares used are primarily FrontDoor version 2.25 and DOS version 5.0. If you have a 28.8 or better modem, you will need to upgrade to FD2.12 or higher to support it properly. While FD is the primary one dealt with here it probably isn't that radically different in concept for other front end softwares.

FD2.25 has only one method of passing the errorlevel. This FAQ shows the DOBBS/EXEBBS method required for FD2.25/SW users and usable by earlier FD versions. The second FAQ (shown later) shows the 'one bat file, errorlevel method' which may be used with FD2.12/SW or below. The essential difference for those using FD2.12/SW and below is in having one long bat file, or several short ones.

There is also some added capability in the DOBBS/EXEBBS method as it allows you to pass the time of the next FD event, and /ARQ connection information. Suit yourself to what you like best if using FD2.12/SW and below.

1. Go into FD config, and make sure you have assigned a number to each baud rate connecting to your system. In this example, we used errorlevel 200 for all connection speeds and turned on the 'create bat file option' in FD.
2. Add the following to your 'frodo.bat' file or just replace your old one with this example then add in what you need for your setup.

---- begin FRODO.BAT-----

@Echo off
c:
cd \fd
:Start


   Cd\fd
fd
   If ERRORLEVEL 253 Goto Mail_Out
   If ERRORLEVEL 252 Goto Make_Node
   If ERRORLEVEL 209 Goto Mail_Test  ;Function Key activated
   If ERRORLEVEL 201 Goto FB100
   If ERRORLEVEL 200 Goto Connect

Goto end

:Mail_Out     ;Gecho 1.11+ specific, adapt as needed!
c:
cd c:\fd
AT H1 1
DEL c:\tg\tgmscan.now
GEcho toss -NOMGR
GEcho scan
GEcho MGR
MBUTIL pack -renumber -link -purge
Goto Start

:Make_Node
If Exist c:\fd\file\nodediff.* Goto Node_Here
Goto Start

:Node_Here
Copy c:\fd\file\nodediff.* c:\fd\nodelist
cd c:\fd\nodelist
editnl
cd c:\fd
fdnc /f
Goto Start

:FB100        ;external event in FD to do 'stuff' as needed
CD \tg\FFS    ;for online games and other items needed nightly
FISHMANT
CD \FD
mbutil pack -renumber -link -purge
cd \tg
INDEX BUILD ALL
INDEX SORT ALL
cd \tg\goc
maint
cd \fd
call tickout.bat      ; processes inbound filebone
Goto Start

:Connect       ;here begins the connection sequence
call dobbs0.bat        ;note FD2.25 makes dobbs0.bat
                       ;FD2.12 and below makes DOBBS.BAT

:Mail_Test
IF EXIST C:\TG\ECHOMAIL.TG? GOTO Mail_Out
Goto Start

:End
-----end FRODO.BAT-------

DOBBS0.BAT is created by FD each BBS call, and it then activates
EXEBBS.BAT which you design.  (Reminder, in FD2.12 it is DOBBS.bat).
EXEBBS.BAT (This file is activated by DOBBS0.BAT or DOBBS.BAT):

----begin EXEBBS.BAT--------------

C:
CD \TG
TELEGARD -B%1 -X%3 -N%4 -C%5 -Q
If Not Exist c:\tg\ECHOMAIL.TG? GoTo End
Del c:\tg\ECHOMAIL.TG?
cd \fd
Gecho Toss
Gecho Scan
:END
Frodo                         ; your FD batch file

This is a very basic batch file to startup TG with the DOBBS process. Make note that if you use another filename for your 'FD.BAT' other than 'FRODO.BAT' you will need to change it here too! If you dont, your BBS will land in 'zululand' because it wont know what to do after a caller exits!

(Note: %1=baud, %2=port, %3=time till next event, %4=node if multinode, %5=other modem connect info such as if it is an ARQ connection)

Informational assistance provided by Kevin Watkins.

Note, this version shows also how to scan for mail left by a caller and packing if they left any outbound mail by checking for the existance of a ECHOMAIL.TG? file. This is optional and the mail_test routine shows for local sysop mail. The echomail.tg? means in place of the ? to use J for Jam or S for Squish. Replace as needed for other BBS softwares.

For informational purposes, here is a rundown of some of the lines you may not be familiar with: AT H1 1 - This is a common software which is called AT.COM and manipulates your modem. In this case, it is taking a modem on Com1, offline. Depending on your modem brand, you may not need an extra utility to do this. Both FD and TG have the capability of taking the modem offline for you. It is there only for assistance of those sysops who's modems wont stay offline with FD's codes.

EDITNL - This is one of the many nodediff merging softwares on the market. Depending on your version, the addition of the /KILL switch, will also delete the old nodediffs. It was included only as an example, and you should use whatever you find at a local dial. Mergenl is widely available and does the same thing.

MBUTIL - Gecho specific packer for message bases. See the 3rd FAQ for other examples of tossing/packing sequences you may use for your needs.

End FAQ 1. xxcarol TG Beta Norfolk

By: David Hallford
To: Jerry Schwartz

HI Jerry!

>DH> One of the ideas I've been playing with is a routing flag. A non-traditional node who can only pick up their mail from one source would use this flag to tell folks where to route their mail to.

JS> That raises two problems:

JS> 1. Just because you fly a RVIA flag doesn't mean I know how to reach your feed, nor that I can connect with it.

DH> True. I'm working under the asumption that the person flying the RVIA flag is smmartenough to figure this out or they won't get any mail.

JS> 2. There would have to be some mechanism to prevent circularity, and since I don't see how that could be economically implemented in the nodelist itself then any software which reads the RVIA flag would have to have logic programmed in to keep it from looping endlessly.

DH> I tend to view these things from my own perspective as a utility writer. I don't imagine a mailer author would ever update his/her mailer to reflect an changes so I tend to figure out how I would make it work with the current version of the software (always starting with the software I use - of cours <g>).

DH> I would write it so that it actually looked for a viable path to the region or zone first. That part is not written since I haven't sat down and typed any code yet. This idea languished for over a year and has only recently been resurected.

with warm regards,
Dave