After Hours BBS Program

[wolhess]

Hi Beery,

 

I am using the last version of the TBOX BBS from yesterday.

 

EDITED: All is working fine, I did not provide the menu text files T6XTMM, T8XTMM, T6XTMB and T8XTMB in the folder "AFTER".

 

In 40 column mode all works as it should.?

 

In 64 column mode and in 80 column mode I can make a login with my user # or I can choose a new user.

But after the login and after the welcome screen, before the main menu should be displayed, the error message appears and the connection is disconnected.

========================

A fatal *DSR* error has occured.

Aborting to top of the program, sorry.

========================

If I login in 40 column mode and change the width, after pressing the "C" item and chose 80 or 64 columns the same error message is displayed and the connection is lost.

 

I have all the textfile in the AFTER folder, but only copied the original files to the new names (T6..., T8...).

 

During the day I will change the files to the new line length, but I think this is not the reason of the fatal DSR error.

 

[wolhess]

Today my TI console for the BBS broke. It showed no power and no picture.

 

I changed the power supply and got a picture for a few seconds, then the second power supply went wrong.
It smelled strongly of electricity.

 

It was a beige QI 1981 model without much heating at the cartridge slot.

 

Now I'm using my first black and silver model. I hope I can run it for 25/7 hours.
In the next few days I will try to repair the beige model and the two broken power supplies.

 

@BeeryMiller

My TBOX BBS system is up and running with the new software version. So you can see the error if you will see it. EDITED: It's working now!?

[+9640News]

Two things, either sector edit the AFTERHOURU file, or I wait and I will fix the linking process.  It must be picking up the wrong source file assembling for KEEP after I made changes to the compiling process.

 

I'll either have something in a few minutes, or about 2 hours from now.

 

Beery

[+9640News]

3 hours ago, wolhess said:

Hi Beery,

 

I am using the last version of the TBOX BBS from yesterday.

 

EDITED: All is working fine, I did not provide the menu text files T6XTMM, T8XTMM, T6XTMB and T8XTMB in the folder "AFTER".

 

 

 

Did you find the T6XTMM, T8XTMM, T6XTMB, and T8XTMB files or not?

 

I think with you edited changes, it means you did.  Just want to confirm.

 

Beery

[wolhess]

5 minutes ago, BeeryMiller said:

Did you find the T6XTMM, T8XTMM, T6XTMB, and T8XTMB files or not?

Yes I found it and it works now. Thank you.

[+9640News]

Greg, here you go.  This should be all straight now.

 

 

THEKEEP.zip

Edited May 31, 2020 by BeeryMiller

[+9640News]

The next update, and it could be several days away, will have the features to Leave a message to sysop, and Private messages between individuals.  That I have got implemented and working.

 

I'm also working from scratch to add a multi area file download setup instead of the one single file area.  I've got much of the code already written borrowing from the framework design that was used with multiple message bases.

 

Next update will require the 8K ram in the >6000->8000 memory space.  I broke the memory boundary adding the Private and Leave message to sysop functionality.

 

Beery

 

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Looking good.  Just logged in to poke around.   I am not sure if I read the final prompt correctly -did it say 'save or delete'?   If so, small suggestion to use letters that are farther apart from one another than (S) and (D). 

[+arcadeshopper]

Greg, here you go.  This should be all straight now.
 
 
THEKEEP.zip

Thanks! Works great

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

[wolhess]

@BeeryMiller Hi Beery,

 

I have consolidated all text files for my TBOX99 BBS so that I can read them in 40, 64 and 80 characters per line.
I have also added the German text with the conditional assembly to the BBS-TBOX file.
More files I will work on in the next few days.

If you work at the BBS; it should be possible to cancel a large text file while reading and go to the main menu.
The manual says that this is possible with ^ C, but it doesn't work. I think this should be built into the query "Press any key to continue".
The query should then be supplemented accordingly:
for example: "Press any key to continue (or ^ C for abort / menu)"

 

AHTEXT.zip  My text files and the BBS-TBOX source file.

[+9640News]

34 minutes ago, wolhess said:

@BeeryMiller Hi Beery,

 

I have consolidated all text files for my TBOX99 BBS so that I can read them in 40, 64 and 80 characters per line.
I have also added the German text with the conditional assembly to the BBS-TBOX file.
More files I will work on in the next few days.

If you work at the BBS; it should be possible to cancel a large text file while reading and go to the main menu.
The manual says that this is possible with ^ C, but it doesn't work. I think this should be built into the query "Press any key to continue".
The query should then be supplemented accordingly:
for example: "Press any key to continue (or ^ C for abort / menu)"

 

AHTEXT.zip  My text files and the BBS-TBOX source file.

I am adding your files to the master zip file for the future for the German TEXT files.

 

I think you are right, I should be able to add a Ctrl-C to the Press any key.  Should be fairly simple.

 

Beery

 

[wolhess]

On 5/30/2020 at 4:52 PM, BeeryMiller said:

If you find a way to disable IAC from a non-TI Telnet client, please let me know.  I already have within the BBS program where I send out one particular string to disable some telnet stuff for non-TI telnet clients.  I have just never found a way to turn off IAC completely.

Beery

Hi Beery,

 

today I tried some configurations with the Windows Terminal/Telnet program TeraTerm. 

I made the following changes in the TERATERM.ini file:

 

; Binary flag for Send File (on/off)
TransBin=on

 

:

:

 

; XMODEM option (checksum/crc/1k)
XmodemOpt=checksum
; Binary flag for XMODEM Receive and ZMODEM Send (on/off)
XmodemBin=on

 

 

The file download now works with TeraTerm. So we have a Telnet program for Windows that
can do the file transfer with the TI-99/4A and the After Hours BBS.

 

       

 

 

 

For the Download I choosed "Checksum" and "Binary"!

 

 

[+9640News]

On 5/31/2020 at 11:29 PM, InsaneMultitasker said:

Looking good.  Just logged in to poke around.   I am not sure if I read the final prompt correctly -did it say 'save or delete'?   If so, small suggestion to use letters that are farther apart from one another than (S) and (D). 

Yes, it did say ave and [D]elete.  Gives new callers the ability to delete their account if they think they will not be calling back.

 

Beery

[+9640News]

1 hour ago, wolhess said:

Hi Beery,

 

today I tried some configurations with the Windows Terminal/Telnet program TeraTerm. 

I made the following changes in the TERATERM.ini file:

 

; Binary flag for Send File (on/off)
TransBin=on

 

:

:

 

; XMODEM option (checksum/crc/1k)
XmodemOpt=checksum
; Binary flag for XMODEM Receive and ZMODEM Send (on/off)
XmodemBin=on

 

 

The file download now works with TeraTerm. So we have a Telnet program for Windows that
can do the file transfer with the TI-99/4A and the After Hours BBS.

 

       

 

 

 

For the Download I choosed "Checksum" and "Binary"!

 

 

Great to hear.  I haven’t used Teraterm, just the resident Telnet client in Windows.

 

Beery

[wolhess]

TeraTerm you can also use for serial connection to a RS232 modem or to the UDS10 modem.

[+9640News]

Wolfgang,

 

I got your private message over on my BBS.  I went to reply to it, but saw where I could not reply to it at all which is something I need to fix before the Private Message and Sysop Message code is released.  I will also release the new File structure as well. 

 

I did notice the extra code I added is squeezing the upper 24K which is where the main AFTERHOURS program code is while the TIPI library code is in the >6000 space.  I will likely move the pieces of the TIPI library code and the AFTERHOURS code around as there is at least 7K of free space available between >6000 - >7FFF, and >A000->FFFA.  Good thing is that the existing compilation of TBOX still fits without having to move the fragments around. 

 

Last night, I spent a significant amount of time revising the Data Library functionality to add multiple File areas.  Right now, I have 14 file libraries and they will be named TEXT0(A-N).  If you want fewer file libraries, that will be easier to just "comment out" the extra libraries. 

 

I am going to try and code and format the DIS/VAR 80 files for that area so they display without issue whether in 40, 64, or 80 column. 

 

What I am thinking is the first line will be a file description of FILENAME   xxxxx bytes (or xxx K) c/r.  It may be just easier to report in K since you can look at the TIPI directory for file size.  Then, the second line will be the file description up to 79 characters with the trailing c/r in column 80. Third line will be either a c/r or *************************c/r.

 

Fourth line will be new filename repeating structure.

 

I think this format will give a fairly smooth transition whether one is in 40, 64, or 80 column mode.  Not 100% sure if the code will split a word up, or wrap it if it crosses the 40 or 64 column barrier and one is a lower display width.  What I am trying to avoid is multiple TEXT0(zero)(A-N) filenames for 40, 64, and 80 columns.

 

I would like to have multiple subdirectories under the DL directory for each filename, however my testing last night resulted in the file not being found.  Not sure if it was a coding issue or not as there was a lot of PAB changes necessary to accommodate a longer path.  All my texting with MXT and AFTERHOURS has been at the DSKx.FILENAME path.  Not sure I ever tested downloading to TIPI.FILENAME and I am pretty sure as I think about it, I never tested downloading to something like TIPI.NET.FILENAME as that would have created more issues in the XMODEM code.

 

As the TIPI can accommodate >127 files in a directory, I am not sure it is a significant issue with all Download files in one folder.  That way, one can have a file in several file listings if so desired without duplicating the file in multiple directories.  It would work out well for a "New file category" as well as a category that fit for the file.  I may actually be able to test out hundreds or thousands of files in a directory on the PI for TIPI to access.

 

The reason I bring this up is that I have the 9640NEWS CD that has perhaps 100 MBs of files on it.  Not sure of the exact number.  I am contemplating writing some scripts that would copy the files from it, and process it against the FILES.BBS description that was in each folder to create a TEXT0(A-N) folder area.  Right now, just an idea.   What I have to do is figure out some file naming issues as the CD had 8.3 filenaming structure and I think I would have to strip off the ".3".  Not 100% sure that is required yet since the receiving client sets the filename.  Gotta figure out how the TIPI and XMODEM would handle that whole process to know if the BBS server files would need to be renamed, etc.  I hope that makes sense.

 

Anyways, coding is proceeding, though until the weekend, I will only have a couple hours each night to work on it at most.

 

Beery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[wolhess]

Hi Beery,

 

Your example about the data library shows good for me for 40 and for 80 character mode. In 64 character mode there is a word wrap but readable.

 

Today I was testing some templates of data libraries, but the result is not optimal.

 

The zip file contains my example for the TEXTXL download list. The file is a text file with 80 characters and therefore optimal for the 80 character mode.
I think it is also readable with 40 and 64 characters.
You can see it on my BBS. I have all three files identical there.

 

 

TEXTXL.zip

 

 

80 character mode

 

64 character mode

 

40 character mode

 

[wolhess]

I did some German translations and these are the files:

Changes I marked with the conditional assembly comment or with a comment I added "* WH:..."

 

The Files with the conditional assembly are:

BBS-TBOX

BBSVOTE, I wasted a few bytes and, in addition to "Y", also allowed "J" for yes. 

NEWUSER

XMODEM1

XMODEM2

AHG0605.zip

 

 

The following files you have already included in your last version:

BBSSUBS

BBSTEXTSRC

BBSCLOCK

 

I want to work on the other files when the next version you are working on is available.

[+9640News]

5 hours ago, wolhess said:

I did some German translations and these are the files:

Changes I marked with the conditional assembly comment or with a comment I added "* WH:..."

 

The Files with the conditional assembly are:

BBS-TBOX

BBSVOTE, I wasted a few bytes and, in addition to "Y", also allowed "J" for yes. 

NEWUSER

XMODEM1

XMODEM2

AHG0605.zip 14.56 kB · 1 download

 

 

The following files you have already included in your last version:

BBSSUBS

BBSTEXTSRC

BBSCLOCK

 

I want to work on the other files when the next version you are working on is available.

Wolfgang,

 

I am working on moving pieces of code around as the GenPROG Linker program will not pull in the BBSSRCO file assembled for as it is > 24K by about 128 bytes.  I've got a solution which is to move the BBSTEXTSRC file as a separate assembled file which means I need to add a bunch of REF/DEF statements so the text statements can be found.  I will move that module so it is added to the >6000 to >7FFF memory block and removed from the >A000 to >FFF0 block I have.

 

Beery

[+9640News]

Three hours later, and past my bedtime, I have your changes now part of the source.  Took a lot more effort, not so much with the AFTERHOURS source, rather the LINK file for putting the pieces together.  I have just shy of 4K left in each of the third and fourth files, so plenty of room for new features.

 

It's late now, and will take me a fair amount of time to get everything ready for distributing, so I am going to do that tomorrow morning.

 

Beery

[wolhess]

That sounds very good. "New features for AFTER HOURS". But please take your time, the project is a hobby and should not cause any stress.

Perhaps we can extend a function "Read Topics" for the messaging menu to show the user an overview of the messages with date and name of the author. A kind of table of contents for the message category to quickly find an older message.

[+9640News]

20 hours ago, wolhess said:

Hi Beery,

 

Your example about the data library shows good for me for 40 and for 80 character mode. In 64 character mode there is a word wrap but readable.

 

Today I was testing some templates of data libraries, but the result is not optimal.

 

The zip file contains my example for the TEXTXL download list. The file is a text file with 80 characters and therefore optimal for the 80 character mode.
I think it is also readable with 40 and 64 characters.
You can see it on my BBS. I have all three files identical there.

 

 

TEXTXL.zip 2.84 kB · 2 downloads

 

 

80 character mode

 

64 character mode

 

40 character mode

 

Just now saw this as I was waiting for files to copy to get ready for the next distribution.  I'm still playing around with some of formats as well as I am hoping to get something that works with some other things I want to import.

 

Beery

 

[+9640News]

6 hours ago, wolhess said:

That sounds very good. "New features for AFTER HOURS". But please take your time, the project is a hobby and should not cause any stress.

Perhaps we can extend a function "Read Topics" for the messaging menu to show the user an overview of the messages with date and name of the author. A kind of table of contents for the message category to quickly find an older message.

 

Sounds like a decent idea.  I don't know what your assembly programming skills level is, but if that is something you think you can do yourself, go for it.  Just let me know if you think you can.  If not, no worry.  There is no reason why others can't join in on the fun themselves <grin>.

 

I do know that as the weather improves, and restrictions are eased from the virus, I will have a bit less time.  

 

Beery

 

 

[wolhess]

11 minutes ago, BeeryMiller said:

Sounds like a decent idea.  I don't know what your assembly programming skills level is, but if that is something you think you can do yourself, go for it.  Just let me know if you think you can.  If not, no worry.

I'm just a newbie to assembly.

But I think I'll try!

The information is in the message files and the routines are available in the current program, so I can usually copy and paste and test the result.

 

[+9640News]

Wolfgang/Greg,

 

Let me ask a question.  Do either or both of you have Microsoft Excel?

 

I was already going to write an importer using VB.Excel to process a lot of files to bring them into use for AfterHours for an initial phase.  With a slightly different approach, I can use Excel for managing the file lists and write code that would generate nice formatting files for 40, 64, and 80 columns for all the areas at the press of a button.

 

If you both do, then I may be able to create a quite versatile tool.  I would have considered Multiplan, however it doesn't have the capability to do what I need it to do.

 

As I sit here thinking about it, it could probably also be done with an External command for MyWord, however I know for Wolfgang that would require the use of MAME/Geneve.  Even with a Geneve, that would still involve a number of extra steps.  If you all have Excel, that would make things much easier. 

 

Another approach is that I generate an initial "large" download library available to everyone formatted for 40/64/80 columns, and it would be a slow trickle of new files that may be easier to manage with only "hands on" when new files are uploaded.

 

Feedback is more than welcome.

 

Beery