_The Doctor__ Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 (edited) You might be able to find this module on the Boot Factory which has a number of user created modules for Pro! So, you might be able to find docs there. Saying that, I think I can guess what this file/module does. Looking at the text you provided, I am guessing that the logon module you are using reads this file and executes each event in order except when it's preceded by a semicolon ( . I am guessing the semicolon is used for a comment. Therefore, I am guessing this is the format: [file or command to display/execute] [c[invoker]|h] [security level] The first field is the help file to display or the command execute. The second field indicates if it's a command module to execute or a help file to display. If its a command module you have an optional invoker letter. You see "cq" next to qscan. I'm guessing qscan is some kind of message base quick scan (or it displays the number of unread messages by the user). I recall reading that you can set the invoker variable to 'q' before calling the msgbase command module and it will invoke a quick scan on the message bases. Maybe this has a similar effect. Like the module will automatically invoke a quick scan on the message bases if 'q' is set on the invoker variable. The third field, security level, lets you indicate which commands get executed based on a user's security. 0 indicates the file/command is displayed/executed for everyone (including new users and visitors). 1 indicates the file/command is displayed/executed for those with 1 or high security level, etc. -JP Edit: I missed the part "--;put a R in first dash for random screens" before posting this message. I am guessing "--" on a line by itself will display some random screen. Perhaps there's a file directory where you're supposed to put these random screens in and the module will choose one from that directory. random screen need a 2 digit number after the file name... I forget the exact method... something like title01.hlp title09.hlp or menu00.at menu05.at or whatever extender your version of express/pro might be using.. not sure if it were titler1.hlp (not thinking clearly but it will come to me..) Edited October 20, 2018 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnPolka Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 how is this coming along? I did not get back to it. If there's still interest in it, I can revisit it. -JP 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 There is great interest in everything published by OSS via BBS... :-) Please go ahead. :-) Thank you so much, we really appreciate any help of any kind in this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnPolka Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 There is great interest in everything published by OSS via BBS... :-) Please go ahead. :-) Thank you so much, we really appreciate any help of any kind in this. I published a short-lived newsletter dedicated to BBS Express Pro! in 1989. It included a section that had some examples of BBS Module source code in Action! You're welcome to add links to these on the Action! Wiki if you like. You can access these newsletters at the following link: https://archive.org/details/PROBBSnews -JP 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Thank you so much JP, just dl them, Kevin did upload them... :-) Have a great weekend, you already made mine. :-) All the best. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnPolka Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Thank you so much JP, just dl them, Kevin did upload them... :-) Have a great weekend, you already made mine. :-) All the best. I hope you like them. The third issue includes an interview with Keith Ledbetter. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Just visit them, there are 2 ACTION! programs inside. Sadly, not the missing 2 programs. But it was worth a try. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) John Polka, only the face has been changed to protect the identity ... dragnet theme begins playing. Edited October 21, 2018 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnPolka Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) John Polka, only the face has been changed to protect the identity ... dragnet theme begins playing. My avatar? It really is a pic of me. Edited October 21, 2018 by JohnPolka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnPolka Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) Since luckybuck brought up the Action! Wiki, I have a question about it. There is a link to an Action! BBS Express! Pro Tutorial on it (see https://atariwiki.org/wiki/Wiki.jsp?page=Action%20and%20BBS%20Express%20PRO%20Tutorial). It seems the tutorial that's posted is incomplete. It introduces Action! the language but very little (if any) BBS Express! Pro programming. Was this tutorial ever completed? If so, where can one find the complete tutorial? -JP Edited October 21, 2018 by JohnPolka 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 It was and no one knows where it all is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) Well, I am not the author of the mentioned site in the wiki, that was Gromit. Every author about each site is at the very bottom, near the right side of the page. I am not AtariWiki, I am just an author as there are many. That project is too big for a single person. Indeed, we have authors around the world. The Wiki is on an a jump to be international. I am trying to make a template site for many languages. Back to problem: On the site, we find: " Action! and BBS Express! PRO Tutorial by Thomas M. Johnson Available from Villa Video's Bargain Cellar (414) 265-5149 ExpressNet Node X11 Action! is copyright of ACS, OSS, ICD. BBS Express! PRO is copyright Orion Micro Systems. This tutorial is copyright Thomas M. Johnson. This tutorial can be distributed under the following conditions: 1. It is free. 1. All of the above information is intact. " Therefore, the goal should be to find Thomas M. Johnson in the US? Edited October 21, 2018 by luckybuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) Dear Thomas Johnson, We are sorry we did not heed your words and keep all files intact.... we probably used single sided single density disk.... it's likely you had more than one side and/or used 1050 or better density for the tutorial to be on.... Please forgive us. Have mercy and pretty please dig around to find all the parts of Action! and BBS Express PRO! tutorials you made oh so long ago. Thank you, The Express Pro Community! Edited October 21, 2018 by _The Doctor__ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnPolka Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) Dear Thomas Johnson, We are sorry we did not heed your words and keep all files intact.... we probably used single sided single density disk.... it's likely you had more than one side and/or used 1050 or better density for the tutorial to be on.... Please forgive us. Have mercy and pretty please dig around to find all the parts of Action! and BBS Express PRO! tutorials you made oh so long ago. Thank you, The Express Pro Community! Did anyone check Boot Factory BBS for the tutorial? Boot Factory used to be Keith Ledbetter's support BBS (Node x1). It might be there. Unfortunately, I have not been able to log on for a few days, or I would have checked before replying to this message. The Basement BBS has an Action! tutorial called ACT.ARC in file SIG #1, but I'm pretty sure it's a general Action! programming tutorial; not the one specific to BBS Express Pro! -JP Edited October 21, 2018 by JohnPolka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 where is dis boot factory you speak of? no seriously what's the ip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnPolka Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) where is dis boot factory you speak of? no seriously what's the ip? telnet to: bfbbs.no-ip.com port 8888 (I don't believe it has a static IP -- just a dynamic DNS forwarded address). I just tried it and it might be temporarily offline. Edited October 21, 2018 by JohnPolka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 there are two reasons why it's hard to get to that bbs... dynamic IP adress and a dash in the dns name... just two hurdles in getting to them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) bbsfree.PNG I have plenty of free sectors... upload here! still can't reach the BBS, I am sure you are aware these serial to lan boxes are pretty much a type in th actual IP address affair or you can't have dashes or certain other characters on this one or that. It makes for a problem to reach you, I will resolve you dns using a ping and plop the address into the dialer and see if it helps... it didn't last time I tried... it resolved to 73.152.67.90 and you have said it's port 8888 still a no go... Edited October 21, 2018 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 me too.... :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnPolka Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 there are two reasons why it's hard to get to that bbs... dynamic IP adress and a dash in the dns name... just two hurdles in getting to them.... As I stated in my previous message... Boot Factory BBS appears to be temporarily down. I suggest checking again tomorrow. It's normally up. I believe there is an alternate telnet address without dashes. Perhaps the SysOp (bf2k+) can chime in here and provide it. -JP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 O. K., thanks, until tomorrow. ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 My internet cable was destroyed in Hurricane Michael last week. It should be back up and running now. 73.152.67.90 : 8888 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 You a bunker but no hardened coms lines? boot factory is supposed to withstand even nuclear events ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnPolka Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 My internet cable was destroyed in Hurricane Michael last week. It should be back up and running now. 73.152.67.90 : 8888 Hopefully that's all you lost in Hurrican Michael. I'm glad you're back! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Hopefully that's all you lost in Hurrican Michael. I'm glad you're back! Lost a tree.. the tree roots took out the cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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