Possibilities - Realities 5/90

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 5/90
--------------

*** From May 1990 Possibilities Newsletter ***
*** Copyright 1990 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. 

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.COM, and 
select the option to RENUMBER the messages during the squeeze. 

Just like most database programs, TBBS' message base keeps deleted messages, 
storing them until the system operator runs MFSQZ.COM, which "squeezes" the 
deleted messages out -- removing them from the message base.  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.  This 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, in sequential 
order. 

When More is Better... 

Q. Is it possible to change the maximum message capacity and message size in 
CEDIT, even though I already have all my message bases set up and in use? 

A. It's nice to get a simple "yes or no" question on the support lines now and 
then!  When it comes to varying the message parameters (message size and 
number on the system) in CEDIT, you can do this any time you wish, even though 
you've got message bases already set up and active.  However, if you reduce 
the maximum number of messages allowed to less than the number you already 
have in your message base, you must delete enough messages to fit and run 
MFSQZ to squeeze them out of the message base before reducing the allowed 
message count in CEDIT. 

Blazing Trails...

Q. The setup in the manual for a Telebit Trailblazer only allows a maximum 
speed of 9600bps.  Is there a way to run this modem at its maximum 19,200bps? 

A.  At this time, eSoft has not devised a setup for tbbs 2.1 which allows the 
normal modem usage at its maximum speed.  However, there is an "escape valve" 
which may always be used for any modem which tbbs doesn't fully support 
directly.  That is the TYPE=E Autobaud setting. 

A TBBS system designer who had to solve this problem for the Telebit reports 
to us (on the tbbs support BBS) that he was successful using a Type E setting 
with a special INIT string. Here's the set-up he recommends: 

In CEDIT, set the modem TYPE=E, the initialization string to AT&E1V0, I/F to 
Automatic, Hardwired to N, Half Duplex to N, Only 7 Bit Data to N, Honor 
RTS/CTS Flow Control to Y, and Issue ATZ Before Init to Y. 

Then, using a terminal program or MODEMSET, make the following changes to the 
modem's settings and save them by adding the AT&W1 command string: 

S0=1

Answer on the first ring

S7=60

Wait up to 60 seconds for a carrier

S45=0

Disable remote access; set to 255 if you want to change the Telebit's settings 
remotely, from another Telebit 

S50=0

Auto speed determination; will connect at 300, 1200, 2400, PEP 

S51=254

Automatic interface speed, up to 19200 bps 

S52=2

Modem disconnects and reloads parameters if DTR is dropped, and will not 
answer if DTR is not present; TBBS won't take the modem off hook on exit, this 
keeps the line from being answered 

S53=4

DSR on when modem ready, DCD on when carrier detected; if carrier is lost, DSR 
is dropped for the time specified by S47 

S58=2

Use RTS flow control for DTE 

S66=0

Don't lock interface speed

S68=255

DCE flow control; Use flow control specified by S58

S92=1

PEP tones answer last; allows 2400 and lower speed modems to connect faster 

S95=2

MNP autoreliable mode 

S110=255

Enable data compression only if remote modem has it enabled 

S111=20

XModem/YModem protocol support 

X0

Basic result codes 

Don't worry so much about all the terminology if you don't understand it.  We 
do recommend that you read your modem's instruction manual carefully and try 
to learn the meaning of all the terms and commands, but if you just follow the 
above steps, your TrailBlazer Plus should work. 

The user also notes that, depending on your hardware setup, there is a small 
chance that the above configuration still won't solve the problem.  If the 
above commands don't work, don't panic.  Go back to CEDIT and set the 
interface to operate locked at 19200 baud.  This done, go back to your 
terminal program (or run MODEMSET again) and enter the following commands: 

S51=5

Interface speed set to 19200bps 

S66=1

Lock modem to computer interface

Unfortunately, this combination will cause tbbs to report that every incoming 
call is operating at 19200 baud, so it's not the best way to go.  But, it WILL 
make the TrailBlazer Plus work if the first setup doesn't help. 

Sorting Things Out...

Q. Is there a way to automatically sort the TBBS download directories?  I use 
pseudo directories (.DIR files) to list uploads from users and make them 
immediately available for download.  My system receives a lot of files every 
night and I have been manually re-arranging all of the directories into 
alphabetical order. 

A. PC- and MS-DOS both include SORT.EXE, a utility program that will quickly 
sort text files into alphabetical order.  Assuming your download directory was 
named DOWNLOAD.DIR, here's how you could use that program to automatically 
sort available download files into alphabetical order: 

Make sure SORT.EXE is in the same subdirectory as the file or files you wish 
to sort, or keep it in the root directory and make sure you add it to your DOS 
PATH statement.  Then, type the following: 

TYPE DOWNLOAD.DIR|SORT DOWNLOAD.TMP

This will cause SORT.EXE to copy the file DOWNLOAD.DIR to a file named 
DOWNLOAD.TMP, with all the files listed sorted in alphabetical order.  After 
making sure the new file is OK, a simple DOS COPY command to copy DOWNLOAD.TMP 
to DOWNLOAD.DIR, will replace the old file with the new, sorted one. 

You can also add this operation to a batch file and run it as a tbbs External 
Event, so it will automatically run it whenever you specify.  And you can 
easily have it work on as many directory files as you want sorted. 

Just remember that this will only work correctly with files that ONLY contain 
a simple list.  If you have any additional lines of text, such as a headline 
or other information or comments included in the file, they'll be sorted right 
into the list of files. 

- END -
PS0590-2
Rev. 5/90

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.

