
                             
              ۰    ۰    ۰   ۰    ۰  ۰    ۰ 
                                        
                                      
              ۰    ۰      ۰    ۰    ۰   ߰۰   ۰
                                        
                                        
              ۰    ۰     ۰    ۰    ۰    ۰   ۰
                                 

                            DCTList v0.10 Gamma
                             By Dan Traczynski
                           Released May 17, 1998

       Copyright (C) 1996..1998 Dan Traczynski.  All rights reserved.

                                   -=-=-

            The latest version of this and other DCT Productions
                  may be downloaded from the Internet at:

                         http://www.sfu.ca/~dant/
                  http://www.worldnet.net/island/dct.htm



   Table of Contents   


              Contact Information ........................... 1
              Features ...................................... 2
              Files in this Archive ......................... 3
              Installation .................................. 4
              Command-Line Parameters ....................... 5
              The Configuration Program ..................... 6
              SysOp Function Keys ........................... 7
              SCRUTIL.EXE Explained ......................... 8
              Registration .................................. 9
              Distribution & Disclaimer .................... 10
              Things to look for in upcoming releases ...... 11
              History - Notes from the Past ................ 12




   {1} Contact Information   


    E-mail              dant@sfu.ca (best method of contacting the author)
    Netmail             Dan Traczynski, 1:153/757
    FidoNet EchoMail    DCTPROD, RA_UTIL
    WWW                 http://www.sfu.ca/~dant/
                        http://www.worldnet.net/~island/dct.htm
    FTP                 ftp://ftp.canbbs.net/pub/DCT_Productions/
    Mailing List        dctprod@canbbs.net
                        To subscribe:
                          Send a message to <listserv@canbbs.net> with only
                          the text "subscribe dctprod" (sans quotes) in the
                          message text.

   Additional information on DCTList as well as DCTList add-ons and
supplementary files can be found on the DCT Productions web site.



   {2} Features of DCTList   


 -- Supports both DORINFOx.DEF and DOOR.SYS allowing it to be run on
     virtually any bulletin board system.
 -- Lightbar selector.
 -- Users may upload and view ANSI ads for each BBS.
 -- Users may download the BBS list in five different formats.
 -- Language support.
 -- SysOp-definable user interface.
 -- Problem users can be locked out.
 -- Optional user censor (allowing you to filter out swearing).
 -- Colour configuration.
 -- Users may edit/delete BBSs they have created.
 -- The BBS list format may be configured.
 -- Users may download a list of the BBSs in the database in five different
     formats.
 -- Fully integrated search mode.  The user interface is exactly the same in
     search mode as it is in normal listing mode.
 -- Full user logging (even the SysOp-User chats are logged!).
 -- Internal SysOp-User full-screen chat mode.
 -- Although only the last two digits of years are displayed to the user,
     DCTList is fully year 2000 compliant.
 -- Even creates alternating logoff screens to show to your users!
 -- It's FREEWARE!  No unregistered beeps, delays, or disabled features!



   {3} File List   


   The following files were distributed in the original archive (except
DCTLIST.CFG and DEFAULT.BLL).

 Required Files


 DCTLIST.EXE   The main DCTList executable.
 CONFIG.EXE    The configuration program for DCTList.
 DCTLIST.CFG   The configuration file that is created when CONFIG.EXE is run.
 *.BLS         You'll need one of the .BLS files for DCTList to run.  The two
               included in this archive are DCTLIST.BLS and NEWLOOK.BLS.  Run
               CONFIG's local test mode to see how they both look and select
               the one you like best.
 *.BLL         These are the DCTList language files, of which you'll need one
               of them for DCTList to run.  DEFAULT.BLL is created when
               CONFIG is first run.
 *.PCK         Generic picklist files that DCTList uses with its BBS database.
               Do not delete these files!


 Supplementary Files


   These files may be deleted to save HD space without adversely affecting
DCTList.

 AGEN010.ZIP   Alternating GOODBYE.ANS generator utility.  This program will
               take a few random entries from the BBS database and stick them
               into an ANSI and ASCII file to show to the users when they
               logoff.  This is worth taking a look at.

 DCTLIST.TXT   DCTList documentaion.  It may be a good idea to keep this
               around.
 UPGRADE.DOC   Quick upgrade information to this version.
 UPGRADE.EXE   Upgrades the BBS database to v0.10 format.  Please read
               UPGRADE.DOC first for usage instructions.
 BBSAD.Q-A     Example RemoteAccess questionnaire for running DCTList in
               AutoAdd mode.
 BBSAD.SCR     Example Concord script file for running DCTList in AutoAdd
               mode.
 DCTLIST.LOK   Used if you want to lock out certain users from DCTList.  May
               be deleted if no users are locked out.
 FILTER.DCT    Used if you want to filter out inappropriate language.  May be
               deleted if the censor is disabled.
 DCTLIST.BAD   Used if you want to prevent certain BBSs from being added to
               the list.
 SCRUTIL.EXE   Screen Definition File Utility.  Allows the interface of
               DCTList to be modified.
 SCRUTIL.CTL   Sample control file that may be used with SCRUTIL.EXE.
 FILE_ID.DIZ   A short description of DCTList for use on BBSs.
 OTHER.DCT     Other products released by DCT Productions.



   {4} Installation Guide   


   To install DCTList on your system, simply follow the steps listed below.
If you are upgrading from a previous version of DCTList, refer to UPGRADE.DOC
first.

1.  Unzip DCTList into its own directory.  The directory C:\BBS\DOORS\DCTLIST
    will be used in this guide.

2.  Run CONFIG.EXE and configure DCTList to your system.  See Section 6: The
    Configuration Program for detailed information on each option available
    in CONFIG.

3.  Add DCTList to your BBS configuration.  Each system is different, so a
    command-line that will work under every setup cannot be given.  The best
    and recommended method of invoking DCTList would be

       C:\BBS\DOORS\DCTLIST\DCTLIST.EXE /P<path to drop file>

    A batch file is not needed and DCTList does not have to be run in the
    current directory.  If your BBS supports memory-swapping, it would be a
    good idea to do so.  See Section 5: Command-Line Parameters for a
    detailed list of parameters.

4.  * Optional *
    Add any inappropriate words you want filtered out to
    CONFIG > Editor > Filters.  No words have been pre-defined to filter out,
    so I leave it up to your imagination to pick the words.

5.  * Optional *
    If you choose to allow file transfers within the door, you may configure
    up to nine protocols in CONFIG.EXE (nine should be more than enough).
    The only limitation to the protocols that you may use is that they MUST
    be able to log the transfer in DSZ.LOG and support batch transfers (so
    Xmodem is out of the picture).  You must also remember to set the DSZLOG
    environment variable prior to the user entering DCTList so the door can
    find the DSZ.LOG file.  Refer to the protocols' documentation for more
    information on the DSZLOG environment variable.

6.  * Optional *
    If you have allowed users to download the BBS list via an external
    protocol, you may also wish to insert your BBS ad into the archive that
    the user downloads.  This can easily be done by copying your BBS ad to
    the DCTList directory and renaming it to BBS.AD.  If DCTList locates the
    BBS.AD file in its home directory, it will include that every time a user
    downloads the list.

7.  * Optional *
    If you would like to have users who run boards themselves automatically
    add their BBSs to the list, you may execute DCTList with the "/A"
    parameter.  This switch is designed so that when a new user logs on, you
    can ask him if he runs a BBS, then execute DCTList if he does.  Using the
    "/A" parameter will take him directly into the "Add BBS" menu and then
    terminate after he adds or aborts the BBS entry.  The two sample script
    files BBSAD.Q-A and BBSAD.SCR have been included in this archive for
    respective use with RemoteAccess and Concord.  If you decide to use one
    of them, you may have to change the directory names within it.  The
    minimum security to add a BBS to the list is ignored when DCTList is run
    in AutoAdd mode.

8.  * Optional *
    DCTList includes the ability to create logoff screens for your BBS so
    each time a user logs off, he will be presented with a different list of
    BBSs to call from the last time he logged off.  Not only does this
    promote other BBSs (and perhaps yours from another BBS), but it provides
    the lazy SysOp an easy way to respond to visiting SysOps' requests to
    have their BBS displayed in the logoff ANSI.  Installing this feature is
    a little more involved as a program must be run between each user login,
    so separate documentation has been supplied to explain this feature.
    Check out AGEN010.ZIP for more information.

9.  * Optional *
    Parts of the program support more customisation by allowing you to design
    your own ANSI screens.  The following files, if they exist, will replace
    the internal displays.  Note that these files are not required in order
    for the door to function properly.

      GOODBYE.ANS  If this file exists, it will be displayed instead of the
                   "Returning to BBS" string on exit.  Be creative. :)
      INUSE.ANS    Message telling the user that someone else is using the
                   door on a separate node and that he cannot enter the
                   door at this time.



   {5} Command-Line Parameters   


   The switch for each command-line parameter can be either a hyphen or a
slash.  For example, "-L" will yield the same result as "/L".  A colon may
also be used between the parameter and the data following it, so "/N:1" is
the equivalent of "-N1".

 /A     Invoke AutoAdd mode.  DCTList begins in the "Add BBS" menu then
        terminates after adding the BBS entry or aborting the operation.
        See Section 3: Installation Guide, Step 7 for more information.
 /Bxxx  Specify locked baud rate (i.e. /B38400).  This overrides whatever is
        set in CONFIG.
 /Dxxx  Instruct DCTList to load an alternate screen definition file than the
        one specified in CONFIG (i.e. /DNEWLOOK).
 /L     Local mode (logs in with the SysOp's name).
 /Nx    Specify node number.
 /Pxxx  Specify path to drop file (i.e. /PC:\BBS).
 /Q     Starts DCTList with the lightbar on the quit option and also bypasses
        the introduction logo if it is enabled.
 /S     Specify user's security level.
 /U     Tells DCTList not to create a user file.
 /W     A DOS only network is present.



   {6} The Configuration Program   


   CONFIG.EXE contains all of the utilities you will require to operate the
door, and offers a pull-down menu interface for easy configuration.  The
following is a summary of CONFIG's menued interface.


    File
   

    Save & Exit
   
       Saves the current configuration and exits back to the operating
    system.

    Exit (No Save)
   
       Exits back to the operating system without saving any changes
    made.

    Local Test Mode
   
       Allows you to test DCTList locally to see if the current
    configuration satisfies your needs.  If there is more than one screen
    definition file in the DCTList directory, you will be given the
    option to select the one for DCTList to load.

    Program Info
   
       Displays the copyright and program information.

    Shell to DOS
   
       Invokes a temporary DOS shell.

    View Log File
   
       Allows you to view the log file created by DCTList.


    Toggles
   

    Intro Screen
   
       Normally when DCTList loads, it will display an introduction
    screen.  If you would like DCTList to go directly to the main list
    menu, you can use this option to disable it.

    User Logging
   
       DCTList contains support to log all of the users' activities
    while in the door.  If this option is enabled, a log file will be
    created.  Also, those who enter with SysOp access may view the log
    file by pressing the key defined in System > Options > Log View Key.

    Confirm Exit
   
       Normally DCTList will confirm if the user wishes to exit the door
    when he selects the QUIT option or presses [ESC] in the main menu.
    Disabling this option will bypass that and let the user out right
    away.

    Auto Capitalise
   
       By default, DCTList will automatically capitalise the BBS name,
    SysOp name, location, and BBS hours.  Sometimes users may want to add
    entries that do not conform to the way DCTList capitalises them.
    Simply disable this and the users will be allowed to enter strings in
    any case they wish.

    Check URL
   
       To prevent users from entering invalid URLs, DCTList provides the
    option to check the URLs that are entered and reject them if they
    aren't valid.  If you don't wish for DCTList to do this, it can be
    turned off with this option.

    Init FOSSIL
   
       This setting should normally remain at YES, but if you lock the
    port at a high speed and are getting garbage, set it to NO.

    Dupe Check
   
       When a user enters or edits a BBS, DCTList will scan the BBS name
    and phone number for duplicates and reject the entry if a duplicate
    is found.  If you do not wish for DCTList to perform duplicate
    checking, this switch will disable it.

    User Censor
   
       Sometimes users enter language that is inappropriate to the BBS.
    If you do not want these users doing so, you may enable this option
    and enter the unwanted words into CONFIG > Editor > Filters.

    Mask Character
   
       If the user censor is enabled, this character will be used to
    strike out the undesired words.


    Colours
   
       This menu allows you to modify DCTList's colour scheme.


    System
   

    General
   
       This sub-menu will allow you to configure the general information
    that DCTList requires to run.

     SysOp Name
    
        The name of the SysOp that you would like users to see.

     BBS Name
    
        Your board's name.

     SysOp Security
    
        There are some options in DCTList which are best left accessible
     only to the SysOp.  By setting the SysOp security, you will ensure
     that users cannot use and abuse these options.

     Add Security
    
        If you would like to prevent lower level users from adding BBSs
     to the database, you can configure the minimum add security here.
     The only time the add security is overridden is when DCTList is run
     with the "/A" command-line parameter (see Section 5: Command-Line
     Parameters).

     Locked Baud
    
        For ease of use, you can configure the locked baud rate here,
     thus eliminating the need for it on the command-line.  If it is
     also specified on the command-line, it overrides whatever is entered
     here.  Valid baud rates are 2400, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400,
     and 57600.

     Deletion Days
    
        Because BBSs are always going up and coming down, DCTList offers
     this feature to keep the database up to date without any SysOp
     intervention.  If a BBS is not verified for the number of days
     specified here, it is deleted during maintenance.  Set deletion days
     to a value of zero to disable the feature.

     User Time-Out
    
        To prevent users from entering the door and sitting at some
     prompt until their time runs out, you can specify a user time-out.
     This will kick the users out of the door if they do not type
     anything within the number of seconds specified here.

     Language File
    
        You may use this option to tell DCTList to load an alternate
     language file.

     Images File
    
        The way DCTList presents itself to the user can be configured,
     and this option will allow you to select which screen definition
     file DCTList will load.

    Options
   
       These are the extra options in DCTList that SysOps may wish to
    play around with.

     Log View Key
    
        If a user with SysOp security enters the door and user logging
     has been enabled, he may press the key defined here to view the log
     file.

     Default Location
    
        If you live in a rural area and the chance of out-of-town callers
     is slim, you can specify your town's name in this field so that users
     don't have to repeatedly enter the same location each time they add
     a new BBS entry.

     Number Format
    

        This is the phone number format that is to be used.  Use a '#'
     to force a digit to be entered, an 'x' to allow anything to be
     entered, or any other character.  If you would like to let users
     enter whatever they wish, leave this string blank.  Changing this
     string after the lister has been installed could have unpredictable
     results.  Here are some examples:

      Entering:       Could result in:   Description:

      ###-###-####    604-123-4567       Default.
      604-###-####    604-123-4567       This way the user doesn't have
                                         to enter the area code.
      (###) ###-####  (604) 123-4567     Some people prefer it this way.
      (+##)####-####  (+11)1234-5678     European format.

     List Format
    
        This is the format that is used when displaying the BBS list.
     The following codes may be used to display different fields.

       Colour changing codes:

       @1  Blue        @9  Light Blue
       @2  Green       @A  Bright Green
       @3  Cyan        @B  Bright Cyan
       @4  Red         @C  Light Red
       @5  Violet      @D  Pink
       @6  Brown       @E  Yellow
       @7  White       @F  Bright White
       @8  Grey

       Imbedded Codes:

       %1  N: New entry since user last entered door
       %2  Y: This user added the door to the list
       %3  A: An ANSI ad exists for this BBS
       %4  W: A web page is associated with this BBS
       %A  Addition Date
       %B  Shortened Baud Rate (ie. 28.8)
       %C  Lengthened Baud Rate (ie. 28800)
       %H  Hours
       %L  Location
       %N  Name
       %O  Software
       %P  Phone
       %S  Sysop
       %T  Theme
       %V  Verified


    Transfers
   
       This sub-menu does not have to be configured, but a large part of
    DCTList will not be available if you do not configure the file
    transfer options.

     Archiver
    
        When the user chooses to download the BBS list, it will be
     compressed before it is sent.  DCTList has been programmed to work
     with a variety of popular archiving utilities.  It will support
     PKZip, LHA, ARJ, and RAR.

     Arc Path
    
        This field is automatically configured for you when you select an
     archiver, provided that it is in the path.  Otherwise, enter the
     path that the archiver can be found in.

     File Prefix
    
        This is the prefix of the BBS list file name when a user downloads
     the list.  For example, entering "FUDD" would result in something
     like FUDD.ZIP being downloaded.

     Max Ad Size
    
        If you do not want users uploading huge ANSI ads (or huge files
     that may not even be ANSI ads), you can define a limit to the size
     of the uploaded file.  Set this to a value of zero if the size does
     not matter.

     D/L Defaults
    
        When a user downloads the BBS list, he will be shown a menu
     asking him which formats he would like to download the list in.  You
     can configure the default formats in this sub-menu.


    Editor
   

    Languages
   
       The language editor will allow you to customise almost all of the
    strings displayed by DCTList. Imbedded codes may be used in some of
    the strings to represent different things.  The following imbedded
    codes may be used in the language prompts.

         %U  Converts to the name of the user.
         %S  Converts to the name of the BBS.
         %1  A generic code that varies with different strings.

    Protocols
   
       Two of the most useful features DCTList has are the abilities to
    let the users download the database in various formats and to allow
    users to upload ANSI BBS ads.  This is accomplished through the use
    of external transfer protocols.  Installing an external protocol is
    extremely easy, and CONFIG already comes with six pre-configured
    protocol configurations.

     Auto Config
    
        If the protocol you wish to install is either IceZmodem, DSZ,
     GSZ, CEXYZ, SuperZmodem, or HS/Link, CONFIG has the ability to
     automatically configure the protocol for you.  Simply select this
     option, then type in the path that the executable for the protocol
     can be found in.

     Name/Desc
    
        Name of the protocol that is shown to the user.

     DL Log Key
    
        Keyword to look for in the log file which indicates a file
     download.

     UL Log Key
    
        Keyword to look for in the log file which indicates a file
     upload.

     DL Cmd-Line
    
        Command-line to send a file of all the BBSs in the list to the
     user.  The following codes may be used in the command-line.

           *P = COM Port
           *B = Baud Rate
           *F = File Name

     UL Cmd-Line
    
        Command-line to receive an ANSI BBS ad from the user.  The
     following codes may be used in the command-line.

           *P = COM Port
           *B = Baud Rate
           *D = Download Directory

    Fn Macros
   
        DCTList allows you to define up to nine function keys to run
     external programs.  See Section 7: SysOp Function Keys for more
     information on this feature.

    Filters
   
        If you would like to censor certain words from being used in
     DCTList, this is where they should be specified.

    ANSIGEN
   
        This is the place to configure how ANSIGEN will run.  See Section
     3: Installation Guide, Step 8 for more information on this feature.

     Output Path
    
        The full path and file name (minus any extension) of the file to
     be created.
        
     File Extensions
    
        Extensions of the template files to process.  Each file extension
     should be separated by a space.  For example, to generate files with
     .ANS and .ASC extensions, the field would be 'ANS ASC'.  The
     template file with the specified extension must exist when ANSIGEN
     is run.

     Selection Mode
    
        When deciding which template file to use, should ANSIGen go
     sequentially through the list or select a random file from the list
     each time it is run?
        
     Template Files
    
        These are the various template files that you may create for
     ANSIGEN to process.  Do not include a file extension, as one will be
     appended from CONFIG > Editor > ANSIGen > File Extensions.

    BBS Database
   
       Allows you to make changes to the BBS database without having to
    load up DCTList.



    {7} SysOp Function Keys    


   DCTList allows you to define up to nine function keys to run external
programs.  Some possible uses are editing files locally in DOS' Edit, running
an external SysOp-User chat door, running an external user editor, running
a "who's online" program, etc.  The F2 through F10 keys may be configured, F1
being the key that displays what the rest do in DCTList.  The function keys
may be configured through CONFIG > Editor > Fn Macros.  The following
imbedded codes may be used in the command-line:

 *Axxx; Tells DCTList to change to the directory 'xxx' before shelling out.
        The trailing backslash is not required.  Many programs require that
        you change to their directory first and creating a batch file to
        simply change directories before executing the program is a waste of
        space, thus the need for this parameter.
        ie. *AC:\RA;
            - Shells to DOS in the C:\RA directory.

 *B     User's baud rate, 0 if logged in locally.

 *C     Full path and name to COMMAND.COM or other operating system obtained
        via COMSPEC environment variable.

 *D     Instructs DCTList to create a DORINFO1.DEF drop file in the DCTList
        directory.  If used in conjunction with the *R option, you could
        execute an external door from within DCTList.

 *N     The current node number, as specified by DCTList's /Nx command-line
        parameter.

 *P     Communications port being used.

 *R     Normally, DCTList does not redraw the screen remotely after the
        program has completed execution.  If this shell will run a program
        which displays text remotely (ie. a door), specifying '*R' in the
        command-line will force DCTList to redraw the screen remotely upon
        returning.

 *S     User's security level.

 *T     Time remaining (in minutes).

 *Uxxx; If you wish to obtain user input before running the external program,
        you can use this code.  The text 'xxx' will be displayed to the user,
        and whatever the user enters will be inserted into the command-line
        where the '*U' is placed.  You can specify multiple *U user inputs in
        one command-line.

 *W     Instructs DCTList to wait for a local keypress after the external
        program has terminated and DCTList has not yet redrawn the screen.
        Useful if doing a directory listing.

 **     Replaced by a single asterisk.


    Ŀ
     USEFUL TIPS                                                       
                                                                       
     * If running an external door, be sure to add the *D and *R codes 
       to the command-line.  You can also add the *A code if the door  
       requires you to change to its directory before running it (thus 
       avoiding another batch file).                                   
       ie. '*AC:\RA\DCTCALL;DCTCALL.EXE *D *R' would execute DCTCall   
           after changing to the C:\RA\DCTCALL directory.              
           (Technically, DCTCall doesn't need to be run from its own   
           directory.)                                                 
                                                                       
     * A "*C /C" prefix is not required to run a batch file (it's      
       handled internally), but it is required if you want to run an      
       internal DOS command (ie. DIR).                                 
                                                                       
    



   {8} SCRUTIL.EXE Explained   


   SCRUTIL.EXE is the program which will allow you to customise the way
DCTList looks to the users.  It is completely command-line driven, and will
import or export ANSI images to/from the screen definition file.


 Command-Line Parameters


  SCRUTIL [Def File] [/?] [/CREATE] [/ADD <Screen> <File Name>]
          [/EXTRACT <Screen> <File Name>] [/IMPORT [Ctl File]]
          [/EXPORT [Ctl File]]

 [Def File]

    The definition file is the image file that SCRUtil will work with and
 what DCTList will load and use.  If it is not specified, the default
 DCTLIST.BLS will be used.

 [/?]

    Displays a brief help screen summarising the commands.

 [/CREATE]

    Creates a default definition file with no images in it.  It is then up to
 you to add the images in.

 [/ADD <Screen> <File Name>]

    This option will add an ANSI file into the definition file.  The <screen>
 variable is the image number that the ANSI file will be added as.
 <File name> specifies the ANSI file to add.

 [/EXTRACT <Screen> <File Name>]

    This option is the reverse of ADD.  Instead of adding the ANSI, SCRUtil
 will extract it and save it as <file name>.

 [/IMPORT [Ctl File]]

    This option will allow you to import a group of images at once.  In order
 to do this, you must first create a control file listing all of the file
 names and image numbers.  The format is the same as with the ADD parameter.
 If [Ctl File] is not specified, the default SCRUTIL.CTL is used.  The
 following is a sample control file:

     0 MFTR1.ANS
     1 MFTR2.ANS
     53 GENBOTL.ANS
     54 INTRLOGO.ANS
     55 LOCKOUT1.ANS
     56 NOANSI.ANS
     57 HELP.ANS

    If this were the file, MFTR1.ANS would be added as image 0, MFTR2.ANS as
 image 1, and so on.

 [/EXPORT [Ctl File]]

    This parameter is the reverse of the IMPORT parameter, and takes the same
 arguments as the IMPORT parameter.  If the above sample control file were
 used, image 0 would be exported to MFTR1.ANS, image 1 would be exported to
 MFTR2.ANS, and so on.  A sample SCRUTIL.CTL file has been included with this
 archive.


 Imbedded Codes


   There are two different types of imbedded codes that may be used in the
image files.  The first type is a simple "@" followed by a character, and the
second is an "@" followed by a character, a string, then the terminating pipe
(|) character.  Explanations follow.

 @1..@E

    These codes will change the colour to one configured in CONFIG.  They
 represent the following colours:

     @1  Normal text
     @2  Bold text
     @3  Info line
     @4  Data fields
     @5  Colon separator
     @6  Prompt square brackets
     @7  Input fields
     @8  List number
     @9  Lightbar
     @A  Disabled options
     @B  Border lines

 @V

    This code is converted to a four-character representation of the current
 DCTList version.

 @O<char>|

    This code is used to display options that the lightbar will be on.  The
 reason for this is that when the main menu is displayed and the options are
 drawn on the bottom of the screen, some may be greyed out, but only on
 certain occasions.  Using something like "@OA|", for example, would display
 the "Add BBS" prompt greyed out if the user could not add an entry, but
 would display it normally if he could.  These are the legal <char>s that may
 be used.

     @OA|  Add BBS
     @ON|  Next Page
     @OP|  Previous Page
     @OQ|  Quit/Stop
     @OU|  Upload/View ANSI
     @OE|  Edit BBS
     @OD|  Delete BBS
     @OV|  Verify BBS



   {9} Registration   


   Registration?  Nah, DCTList is free.  But if you really feel guilty about
using this door without paying for it, feel free to send a cheque or money
order or even cash if it suits you in either Canadian or American funds to
the address listed below.  It would make me very happy. ;)

        Daniel Traczynski
        4035 West 12th Avenue
        Vancouver, BC
        V6R 2P4  Canada

   Please double check your spelling, and if it's been more than a year or so
since this release, you'd probably be best off contacting me first just in
case my address has changed.



   {10} Distribution & Disclaimer   


   DCTList is copyrighted (C) 1996..1998 by Dan Traczynski.  All Rights
Reserved.  I encourage you to distribute it, but DO NOT change any of the
files within the original archive.  DCTList may not be included on CD-ROM
collections.  The archive should be named DCTBL010.ZIP, preferably kept in
its ZIP format.

   The author, Daniel Traczynski, will take no responsibility to anything
that this program may or may not do to your system.  Although the program has
been tested thoroughly, no guarantee can be given that it will do what it was
made to do.  Nevertheless, if anything should happen, the user is totally
responsible and the author will be under no obligations whatsoever.  By using
this program you agree to this disclaimer.



   {11} Things To Look Forward To   


   A number of the features that I add to this door are requests made by
SysOps, so if you would like to see a new feature added to this door, by all
means send me e-mail and I will consider your request.  I can be reached by
one of the methods listed in Section 1: Contact Information.

   You may notice that many parts of the program now have an option to
display a help screen.  None of them work.  I was initially going to add a
help system into this version of DCTList, but due to time constraints, I've
decided to put this off until the next release.



   {12} History   


  + Added a new feature/Something was improved.
  - Removed something.
  * General comment.
  > Bug fix.


 Version 0.10 Gamma -=- May 17, 1998.
   - User logging is now all done in English.  Before, some strings were
     logged in the SysOp's chosen language and some in English.  It's just
     easier this way.
   + Improved external shells; DCTList now swaps out of memory, leaving all
     but 5K of the memory it started with for the child process.
   + Sorting is now done automatically when a BBS is added to the list rather
     than when the program terminates to decrease user wait time.
   > Fixed all bugs when trying to delete BBSs from the database.  In fact,
     the BBS database structures have been rewritten and are now much more
     efficient.
   - Removed "Pay BBS", "Minimum Baud", and "Extra Field" entries from the
     BBS database.  Comments are now limited to four lines instead of five.
   + Added "BBS theme" and "Web URL" fields to the BBS database.
   + The BBS display/edit/add interface has been rewritten and now looks much
     cleaner.
   * The multicoloured text and random coloured border line schemes have been
     removed to give DCTList a cleaner look.
   + New limit of 999 BBSs from the previous 500.
   > Fixed the error that was causing DCTList to create a huge user file
     under some circumstances.
   + Modified the way DCTList shows the user that the BBS is a new addition
     since he last entered and that an ANSI ad exists for the BBS.
   - Removed Lync 3.0 support from the list downloading as it seems that I'm
     the only person who's heard of the program, and the phonebook format
     only supports 30 entries anyway.
   + Added Netscape Bookmark format to the list downloading.  This has been
     tested and found to work with Navigator 3 and 4.
   + Added CONFIG > System > Options > Default Location.
   + Improved the censoring system.  DCTList no longer uses text files but
     rather it reads in FILTER.DCT which may be edited through CONFIG.  This
     file is compatible with DCTEdit's FILTER.DCT so you can simply copy your
     FILTER.DCT over from the DCTEdit directory.
   + The search mode has been modified to support more search parameters and
     now works differently.
   + Added support for Web URL filtering to DCTLIST.BAD.
   + Added a (Sys) flag to the status line so you know when someone with
     SysOp access enters the door.
   + Added the SysOp Fn key macros.
   + The time and date format in the log file have been changed to avoid any
     ambiguities.
   * If adding a BBS when in search mode, DCTList now shows the BBS as a
     search result regardless of whether it matches the search parameters
     instead of excluding it from the search results list as in previous
     versions.
   > Fixed a display bug concerning the amount of time a user has remaining.
   + The documentation has been improved and things are easier to find.  In
     parts where instructions are given, the text has been simplified by
     being broken down into easy steps rather than long groups of paragraphs.


 Version 0.05 -=- December 27, 1996.
   > If the SysOp broke into chat while the user was viewing the log file,
     the chat screen borders wouldn't be drawn.  Fixed.
   > When answering NO to the delete BBS prompt, the selection bar would not
     be redrawn.  Fixed.
   > Pressing HOME or END wasn't updating the "Next" and "Prev" stats
     accordingly.  Fixed.
   + Added /D, /Q, /S, and /U command-line parameters.
   > Corrected the cause of the RTE #100 that was happening occasionally.
   - Removed /V parm.
   + Screen now redraws better when exiting SysOp-User chat mode.
   + If [Ctrl-R] is pressed, the screen will now be redrawn no matter what
     prompt the user is at.
   + The user interface is now configurable by the SysOp via SCRUTIL.
   * Removed a LOT of useless code and optimised some of the routines.
   + Added language support.
   + The display of ANSI files is now FAST!
   + The configuration program looked really hideous, so it's been changed
     and now looks much better.
   + The exit door confirmation, auto capitalisation, and duplicate BBS
     checking can now be disabled.
   + The border lines can now be configured to be one solid colour in
     addition to the two mixed colours or two colours+grey.
   + The '' character that is displayed next to an entry to denote that an
     ANSI ad exists can now be disabled.
   > If the DCTLIST.LOK or .FLT files are deleted, DCTList no longer
     recreates them as 0 byte files the next time it runs.
   + Added the DCTLIST.BAD file.
   > Fixed a problem with the percentage bar not always being displayed
     correctly when downloading the lists.
   + Many improvements made to the documentation.
   > DCTList no longer displays those annoying SAUCE entries at the end of
     ANSI files, nor does it display characters below ASCII #27.


 Version 0.04 -=- July 13, 1996 -=- Bug fix release.
   > Under some circumstances, deleting a BBS would cause the database
     indices to get screwed up.
   + Added the GOODBYE.ANS generator.


 Version 0.03 -=- July 5, 1996.
   > If the phone number format was changed so that it was a length greater
     than the default one of 12 characters, the listing would be screwed up.
     Fixed.
   + Any BBSs that have been added since the user last entered the door are
     now pointed out to him/her.
   + Added a local download of the BBS list, so the SysOp can copy the BBS
     list to another directory regardless of whether downloading has been
     enabled.
   - Removed support for the internal communication routines as it was very
     unstable and the file transfers would sometimes crash.  This means that
     a FOSSIL driver must be installed, but you will most likely have one
     loaded already since all BBSs that I know of require one to operate.
   + Users may now download the BBS list in Terminate 4.00, Telix 3.22,
     Telemate 4.20, or Lync 3.0 format in addition to the text format.
   > Oops!  It was possible for a user to delete a BBS s/he hadn't created.
     Now users may only delete BBSs that they've created unless they have
     SysOp access.
   + Fixed up the protocol configuration; added many more options.
   + Added support for multiple external protocols.
   + When downloading the BBS list, the SysOp can now have DCTList include an
     ad for his BBS in the archive.
   + The pause prompt is now animated.
   > It was possible to set the lightbar background to a value higher than 7
     in CONFIG.EXE.  Fixed.
   + The user time-out can now be configured.
   + Finished off the user logging.
   + Users may now upload and view ANSI ads for each BBS.
   * If there is an ANSI ad for a BBS, a '' is shown after the BBS number
     when listing the BBSs.
   * DCTList no longer needs to be told what drop file to use.  It now simply
     searches for both DORINFOx.DEF and DOOR.SYS and loads the first one it
     finds or terminates if neither exist.
   + Added the extra field option.
   + Added the changing information line 24.
   + The SysOp-User chat sessions are now logged to CHAT.LOG if user logging
     is enabled.
   + Added the /A parameter and sample script files for use with Concord and
     RemoteAccess.
   > Fixed a bug in the chat mode if the user hit backspace and was on the
     first column and row of his window.
   + The BBS list format may now be configured.
   + Added the search mode.  Users can find a BBS by entering a search string
     or specifying how many days old the listed BBSs should be.
   + Added an INUSE.FLG file so there shouldn't be any runtime errors on
     multi-node systems.
   + Added the external ANSI file support.
   > DCTList would crash if more than 255 BBSs existed in the database.
     Fixed.
   + Added two more colours to configure: Input Fields and Search Highlight.
   + Users may now press their up/down keys to switch fields when entering or
     editing a BBS entry.


 Version 0.02 -=- May 22, 1996.
   + Added the full-screen chat mode.
   + The opening screen can now be disabled in CONFIG.EXE.
   + The colours may now be configured.
   + DCTList now sorts the BBSs into alphabetical order.
   + DCTList now converts BBS names and other fields into their proper case
     (but words like 'BBS' are not converted to 'Bbs').
   + Added Alt-J: Jump to DOS.
   + Users may now edit and delete BBSs that they created.
   + Finished off the automatic BBS deletion feature.
   + Added CONFIG.EXE (no more messy text configuration files).
   + Users may now download the BBS list as a text file via an external
     transfer protocol.
   + Added support to configure how the phone number format will look.


 Version 0.01 -=- March 22, 1996.
   * First release to beta testers only.



   {EOF}   

