
                       Lora Bulletin Board System and
                          Electronic Mail Interface

                            Version 2.33-2 (OS/2)

       Copyright (c) 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 by Marco Maccaferri
                             All rights reserved


    How to upgrade
    =====================================================================

    Here is the right procedure to upgrade Lora in your system:

    1. Change to your system directory (normally called C:\LORA) and
       uncompress inside it the original archive, LOS233-2.ZIP.

    2. Run LOS233-2.EXE

    The program will upgrade the files that are changed with this
    release.

    Note: the upgrade procedure will patch the original 2.33-1
          executable files only.


    Changes made from version 2.33-1
    =====================================================================

    - I think that I've found the bugs that prevents the previous beta
      release from working on certain systems. If you experience system's
      traps or malfunctions, PLEASE, tell me how I can reproduce the
      error detailed as much as possible, and include the informations
      that OS/2 tells you about the trap (location, register values, and
      so on). It's the only way to find and correct the bugs.

    - If you experience missed duplicate messages situations, try to
      delete the files DUPES.IDX and DUPES.DAT. I have changed the
      duplicate check method, something has gone wrong and the files
      aren't perfectly up-ward compatible.

    - Fixed the 'Limited hours' answer bug.

    - Bug del QWK che causava uno sharing violation se si faceva un
      download subito dopo aver mandato le repliche.

    - Fixed a bug with the duplicate uploads check.

    - Made some changes with the share file management, this may be
      improves the system security with the share loaded.

    - Added some embedded commands that where missing from the 'User
      display' menu parameter. Now the commands available are exactly
      the same as with the external file commands.

    - Added the file request file index. You can put a line in the
      OKFILE.LST file (or whatever you call it) like the following:

          $C:\Lora\FILES.IDX

      And Lora will look inside this file to search the files requested
      instead of looking inside every directory every time. This may speed
      up the scan process and considerably improve the overall performance
      with CD ROMs and other slow devices (like file areas on remote file
      servers under network).
      You can mix the old search method with the new as you wish, you can
      also adds multiple file indexes (if you limits the file requests on
      certain areas to certain nodes).

    - Added the external program FILEIDX that allows you to create the
      index files. The command syntax is very simple, if you start the
      program without parameters it shows the command summary. Following
      is an example on how the create a file index:

          FILEIDX C:\Lora\FILES.IDX AREA 1 5 7 RANGE 50-200 300-400

      This line creates the file index C:\Lora\FILES.IDX and includes the
      files inside the areas 1, 5, 7, the areas from 50 to 200 and the
      areas from 300 to 400 (bounds included).

    - The external protocols support has been fixed and now is usable:
      with the download command you can specify the %1 paraneter that will
      be replaced by the file name to be downloaded (only if the control
      file isn't specifyed too).
      With the upload command you can specify the %1 (destination path
      without the trailing backslash) and %2 (file name to be received)
      parameters.
      With the control files and download / upload commands, you can
      specify every external program parameters (take a look at the
      description of the menu type 10 - External programs in the sysop's
      manual).

    - LMSG has finally been updated. This is a completely new version
      of the message maintenance utility, it still needs some changes
      and enhancements, but now it's usable.

    - Added the switch /L=<filename> to every GOTO or GOSUB menu types
      (including the line-editor and mail reader one) to check for the
      menu name inside the file <filename>.MNU instead of inside the
      language's default menu file.
      *IMPORTANT* Do not include the file extension, Lora automatically
      adds the .MNU extension.


    Changes made from version 2.32a (DOS)
    =====================================================================

    - Startig with the current beta, there is a new registration key
      code that overrides the previous numeric code. Every registered
      user as of 07-03-93 will be automatically upgraded to the new
      registration code, at no extra charge, by simply upgrade the
      software. Make sure that the code is installed properly by looking
      at the General / Registration menu of LSETUP: the new key code is
      an alphanumeric string up to 24 characters. If the field doesn't
      show anything, please contact the author immedialy to obtain an
      usable key. If the key is installed properly you can see the new
      serial number at the rightmost top corner of Lora's mailer screen.
      It shows something like this: "Lora-OS/2 v2.33-1/00023". Don't
      worry if it's different from the old serial number: it's because
      the new key code has also a new serial number generator.

    - An OS/2 version of LoraBBS is now available, write to the author
      for more information on how to request the files.

    - Fixed a bug with the 'Aftercaller exit' and 'Aftermail exit'
      parameters, that won't works at all.

    - Now the commands issued after a %FROM command in a message to
      areafix assumes that the simulated node has an access level equal
      to the originating node.

    - Added the 'Import empty msgs.' parameter to the Mailer / Mail
      processing menu. This option allows you to choose if import empty
      (without a line of human readable text) messages or not.

    - Added the 'Tear line' field to the Mailer / Mail processing menu.
      This allows you to define a custom tear line to put instead of the
      built in one. This option is available only to registered users.

    - Added the 'Show missing files' option to the BBS / General options
      menu. This option allows you to show the missing files using the
      file list and locate files commands.

    - The language file has been expanded to allow a complete
      customization of the file listings row.

    - Added the menu commands '57 - Read parent message' and '58 - Read
      child message' to read messages following the reply links. For the
      Squish messages only the first reply is handled.

    - Added two embedded commands that works only inside a menu display
      string: ^KC - Displays the number of the reply to this message.
      ^KP - Displays the number of the message that this message is a
      reply to.

    - Added the 'Random redial time' option to the Mailer /
      Miscellaneous menu. If this option is set to yes, means that the
      redial time specified in the current event will be treated as an
      average time between each call. So if you set the redial time to
      20 seconds, the true redial time will be between 10 and 30 seconds
      randomly.

    - The 'lastpwdchange' field of the user record now will be updated
      correctly.

    - Added the external protocol engine. The BBS menu has now a new
      item: 'Ext. protocols'. From this item you can set up every
      external protocol you need. Following is a list of the parameters
      required for each protocol:

      Active           - Select if the protocol can be used by the
                         users.

      Name             - Name that appears in the protocol selection
                         list.

      Hotkey           - Key to select this protocol from the selection
                         list.

      Download command - DOS command that invokes the protocol to send
                         one or more files to the user. You must include
                         the name of ther control file (below). The
                         normal file names translation characters can be
                         used (see the full documentation for more
                         details).

      Upload command   - Same as the above but the protocol is invoked
                         to receive one or more file from the user.

      Log file name    - Name of the log file that the protocol
                         generates. You must be sure that the downloads
                         and the uploads are logged into this file.

      Control file     - Name of the file that contains the names of the
                         files to be downloaded by the user.

      Download string  - String that must be put on the control file to
                         inform the protocol that it's a download
                         request. The %1 symbol will be replaced by the
                         complete file name to be sent.

      Upload string    - Not used at this time.

      Download keyword - Keyword that identifies a successful download
                         in the log file.

      Upload keyword   - Keyword that identifies a successful upload in
                         the log file.

      Filename word    - Word position of the file name in the
                         upload/download log row.

      Size word        - Size of the file word position in the log row.

      CPS word         - CPS made word position in the log row.

      I know that isn't much, but an example on how to enable external
      protocols will follow as soon as possible.

    - Added the flags to disable the internal protocols (if for any
      reason you use only external protocols) to the BBS / General
      options menu. WARNING: BY DEFAULT THIS FLAGS ARE SET TO NO, SO THE
      INTERNAL PROTOCOLS ARE DISABLED, REMEMBER TO SET IT TO YES AFTER
      THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE.

    - Added the control file NOCHECK.CFG that can contains a list of
      files that aren't checked for duplicates when uploaded to the BBS.
      Useful for remote maintenance when uploading system configuration
      files.

