Possibilities - Realities 3/91

Contact:   eSoft, Inc. (Makers of TBBS)
           15200 E. Girard Ave., Suite 3000
           Aurora, CO  80014
           (303) 699-6565      Voice
           (303) 699-6872      Fax
           (303) 699-8222      BBS
           support@esoft.com   E-Mail

REALITIES 3/91
--------------

*** From March 1991 Possibilities Newsletter ***
*** Copyright 1991 by eSoft, Inc.  All Rights Reserved ***

REALITIES...how to make it work
by eSoft Technical Support Staff

From the moment you first install TBBS, it's easy to see the possibilities are 
almost endless.  Turning those possibilities into realities can bring up 
questions.  For this reason, quality customer support is at least half the 
overall value of any software package. 

We recommend you call the eSoft Support BBS (303-699-8222) and read through 
the messages in each of the various support areas.  You could find answers to 
your questions, even before you've asked them!  You'll definitely get some 
useful tips and ideas for bringing possibilities to life with tbbs.  In this 
section of the newsletter, we will answer some of the more commonly asked 
questions we receive. 

Missing Users...

Q. For no apparent reason, some of my users can't seem to log on to my system 
anymore, even though I see their name in the userlog.  I converted from single 
line to multi-line recently -- are the files not compatible?  

A. TBBS keeps its user information in two files -- USERLOG.BBS (the user data 
itself) and USERLOG.INX (an index for the user data).  The index file allows 
TBBS to quickly find users in the userlog, even if several thousand users are 
there.  In certain unusual circumstances, the index can become "out of sync" 
with the data file, preventing TBBS from accessing user data properly.  This 
can be caused by things such as inattentive disk restoring from a backup, 
adding users via SYSOM ULEDIT, or carelessly managing your TBBS systems files 
in multiple directories. 

If you notice odd behavior with user record handling, bring TBBS offline, and 
delete the file USERLOG.INX.  If you use multiple directories for TBBS system 
files, use a "find file" program (such as the FF program in Norton Utilities) 
and make certain there are no other copies of USERLOG.INX on any of your 
drives (if there are, delete them too).  Run TBBS again.  The USERLOG.INX file 
will be rebuilt automatically.  Use ULEDIT to make certain there are no 
duplicate user accounts -- records with the same name field.  TBBS can't 
handle duplicate user names!  The program ULDUPE which will locate duplicate 
records is available on the TBBS support board for downloading at no charge.  
If you locate duplicate records, you must delete the second (and subsequent) 
occurrence of any duplicates.  Then select <B>ackup in ULEDIT to weed out 
deleted records.  Proper system functionality should then be restored. 

Crowded House...

Q. In addition to the TBBS program files, I have an assortment of utilities 
and other files in my TBBS directory.  That directory alone has 200 files in 
it!  Can't I move some of TBBS' files (such as the message base and the menus) 
elsewhere? 

A. You can place TBBS system files virtually anywhere on your disk.  This 
includes menus, message base and userlog files.  In order for TBBS to find 
them, however, you need to make certain a proper "SET TBBSPATH=" line exists 
in your RUNBBS.BAT file.  This command references all paths where these TBBS 
system files reside.  The "SET TBBSPATH=" command follows the same format as 
DOS' own PATH command.  Simply designate all drive/paths in order, separated 
by semi-colons on the line, like this: 

SET TBBSPATH=D:\TBBS\MENUS;E:\MSGS ...

TBBS will search all of the paths -- in the order shown -- for its system 
files.  You should put the path where the menus are first to save search time. 

Getting Hooked Up on a Hook Up...

Q. I just bought a new USRobotics Courier Dual Standard.  This modem isn't in 
your manual.  I tried following the setup for the Courier HST, but the modem 
won't work.  Why doesn't TBBS support more modems? 

A. New modem models are being introduced all the time, and manufacturers new 
to the modem industry are coming into the fold as well.  It's virtually 
impossible to stay ahead of the constant flow of new modems. 

When possible, however, we obtain new modem models on evaluation from the 
manufacturer and work with them to develop proper configurations for TBBS.  
The Dual Standard you have is one that we have developed a configuration for.  
These new configurations are distributed in the form of Tech Notes, and are 
available for download on our Support Board.  Select <T>ech Notes from the 
Main Menu, select area 1 (TBBS Tech Notes), and all tech notes for TBBS will 
be displayed to you.  Look for the note that corresponds to your particular 
modem's make and model.  It contains all the information you need to get the 
modem working with TBBS.  

Understanding the V's...

Q. I have a V.42 modem -- a USRobotics Courier Dual Standard.  One of my users 
has a Hayes V-Series 9600, and it's V.42 also, but he only connects at 2400 
bps.  What's the deal? 

A. The V.42 you're talking about is CCITT V.42, a standard for error 
correction.  V.42 has nothing to do with the speed at which a modem operates, 
its purpose is to eliminate errors that occur during transmission.  It's 
technically possible to incorporate V.42 technology into a modem of any speed. 

Your Dual Standard contains two methods of high speed data transmission.  
First, CCITT V.32 (which is separate from V.42), and second, USR's proprietary 
High Speed Technology (HST).  Your user's V-Series 9600 contains only one 
method of high speed data transmission, a protocol commonly referred to as the 
"Hayes Ping-Pong Method."  This is NOT compatible with EITHER of the two high 
speed standards that your modem supports.  The highest speed your modem and 
your user's modem mutually supports is 2400 bps, hence the reason that user 
connects only at that speed. 

Both modems incorporate V.42 error correction, and V.42bis data compression 
and they will both use these modes.  But as far as transmission speed is 
concerned, 2400 is the most you can expect. 

A discussion of these and other modem related standards and information was 
published previously in a three-part series here in Possibilities -- called 
the "Buzzwords" series.  We've extracted that series, and made it available in 
text form.  It's on our Support Board for download as "BUZZWRDS.TXT" and is 
located in the <T>ech Notes section, TBBS area. 

How Many is Too Many?

Q. My highest message number has just gone over 64,000 and I was wondering -- 
what happens when message number 65,536 is about to get posted?  If my users 
will start to get error messages, or, worse yet, the system locks up or 
crashes, how can I avoid this problem? 

A. The highest allowable message number in TBBS is 65,535, but this is an easy 
number to avoid.  Simply squeeze your message base by running MFSQZ, and 
select the option to RENUMBER the messages during the squeeze. 

Like most database programs, TBBS' message base keeps deleted messages, 
storing them until the system operator runs MFSQZ, which "squeezes" the 
deleted messages out -- removing them from the message base.  This allows you 
to use MFSQZ to recover a message if it is accidentally deleted. 

However, even though you might squeeze your message base often, the message 
numbers on all of the remaining messages will remain the same and continue to 
climb as users enter more -- unless you also select the re-number option when 
you perform the squeeze operation. 

The renumber option makes MFSQZ not only squeeze out all messages that have 
been marked for deletion, but also fill the "holes" left by those deleted 
messages -- by re-numbering all message that remain.  This  recovers message 
numbers and also puts all messages in sequential number order. 

- END -
PS0391-2
Rev. 3/91

Copyright (C) 1994 eSoft, Inc., All Rights Reserved.  Permission granted
to distribute this file in its entirety, without modification, to any
interested party.  Any other use requires the written permission of
eSoft, Inc.

IMPORTANT:  The information herein is subject to change without notice.
Please call or write to confirm factual information of importance to you
or your organization.

