Possibilities - TDBS Third Party Programs

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

TDBS THIRD PARTY PROGRAMS
-------------------------

*** From October 1990 Possibilities Newsletter ***
*** Copyright 1990 by eSoft, Inc.  All Rights Reserved ***

TDBS Third Party Programs
by Phil Becker

TBBS and its TDBS dBase III Plus language expansion module is a powerful 
combination.  dBase programmers can, for the first time, bring full online 
access to multiuser dBase-compatible databases and programs within the TBBS 
online information manager environment.

Still, TDBS is a programming language and if you don't already know dBASE 
III Plus it takes time to learn.  Fortunately, there is a vast array of 
ready-to-run third party TDBS software already available.  Whether you're 
adept at TDBS programming or just getting started, you might want to take 
advantage of these programs.

Several TDBS programs are free and even include source code so you can learn 
by observing how others have done things.  There is also a rapidly growing 
commercial third party TDBS program market.  There are far too many programs 
available already for me to list them all.  But I will give you a few
examples of what is available along with a "thumbnail sketch" description.

First let's look at a few of the free programs which you can obtain from the 
eSoft support BBS in the TDBS file section (see STATUS on page 12 for 
details on how to access the support BBS).

QUOTES.ZIP

This database program displays random quotes to online users.  It works in 
both ANSI and non-ANSI mode.  Also included in the archive is a program 
called SYSQUOTE.  SYSQUOTE gives you access to the Quote database.  You can 
browse the database and add, edit and mark Quotes for deletion.  Online 
callers do not see quotations that are marked as deleted.

This program can easily be set up as a menu option that callers select to 
display quotes.  It can also be set up as an automatically-activated menu 
option, so users could get a "quote of the day" each time they log on the 
system or move to a specific section of your board.

Source code for the Quotes program (but not SysQuote) is also included.  
This is a good chance to see how to make a program work for both ANSI and 
non-ANSI users.

TBBSCARD.ARC

TBBSCARD is a TBBS/TDBS user registration program, written by Girard M. 
Westerberg, that gathers details required for online credit card user 
registration transactions.  The program handles two types of transactions 
(new user registration and existing user renewal) at three different price 
levels ($25.00 for six months' access, $35.00 for one year access and $75.00 
for lifetime access).  Already set up assuming this pricing structure, the 
program also assumes a non-registered user PRIV level of 50 and a registered 
user PRIV level of 100 (or more).  You can, of course, enter the TDBS 
program files yourself and alter these values to suit your own system's 
pricing and user PRIV levels.

The program also includes a verification routine that makes certain credit 
card numbers entered by users are valid (checking that they follow patterns 
actually used by the various cards).  Even better, TBBSCARD can also be used 
to collect long-distance netmail fees from users with charge cards.

The TBBSCARD program includes a nice TBBS system designer maintenance 
program, called, logically enough, MAINT.PRG.  It can be run with TDBS or, 
if you compile it with Clipper, as a stand-alone utility.  MAINT will locate
and display the first Non-Processed record in the program's credit card 
database and allows the system designer to move forward and backwards in the 
database, mark records as deleted, purge all deleted records and so on.

Westerberg says he isn't a dBase programmer.  "At least I wasn't until I got 
my copy of TDBS and started trying to figure out how to use it."  He says 
this is the first thing he wrote in dBase and gives a lot of credit to the 
author of CARDPAY, a similar program (also available on the eSoft Support 
BBS) that provided the basis for this program.

Commercial TDBS Programs

There is a growing base of commercial third party TDBS programs as well.  
Generally source is not available for these programs.  There are many more 
than I will list here, and you can obtain a catalog which lists most of them 
from Pete White at GW associates (see RESOURCES on page 11).

COSMIC Data Base

This is a database of more than 1100 NASA-funded software programs currently 
available for sale, covering everything from orbital mechanics to CAD format 
translators, many for the PC and MAC.  Callers can search the database by
subject, host computer type, language, subject or title.  5 Megabytes of 
disk space and ANSI are required.  Created by Ben Cunningham, COSMIC Data 
Base retails for $78.  (Available from GW Associates and Jack Rickard)

USER DEFINED BBS LISTING

This program lets your callers create their own ongoing list of bulletin 
board services.  The system designer has full editing capabilities and can 
delete BBSes from the list.  Once created, the list is searchable by BBS 
name, area code, city and state.  Output can be displayed in either dBase 
record form or as a straight ASCII list.  ANSI and IBM Graphics are 
supported but are not required.  By Jeff Johnson, the program sells for 
$35.00.  (Available from GW Associates and Jeff Johnson)

ZIP CODE SEARCH

This program will let your online callers search a zip code index by city 
and state or by zip code.  Partial names are accepted for the search and 
searches are performed very quickly.  The program comes with a current zip 
code database and all the necessary indexes.  ANSI is not required.  The 
suggested retail price is $29.95.  (Available from GW Associates)

ON-LINE SALES MANAGER

Whether you need a small online order entry system or a full-featured point- 
of-sale package capable of printing invoices, tracking inventory, billing 
and more, this program can handle it.  Text files can also be attached to 
catalog items so you can easily set up a complete online catalog.  By Jeff 
Johnson, the suggested retail price is $395.  (Available from GW Associates 
and Jeff Johnson)

BULLETIN GENERATOR

This program announces any bulletins you've added to your system since the 
caller's last logon.  Bulletins continue to be listed until the caller has 
read them, and the list doesn't appear if a user has read all the current 
bulletins.  The program includes a full-screen editor so the TBBS system 
designer can create, delete and edit bulletins.  Written by Ben Cunningham, 
the suggested retail price is $59.95.  (Available from GW Associates and 
Jack Rickard)

MESSAGE MANAGER

This program is a total replacement for the normal TBBS message system.  It
allows you to edit messages after they've been saved, import and export text 
to and from messages, search for messages by text string and much more. It 
also provides a full screen editor for ANSI callers. Written by Ben 
Cunningham, the retail price is $179.  (Available from GW Associates and 
Jack Rickard)

BATTLESHIP

Battleship is a true multi-line game for TDBS that plays the same as it was 
on paper years before it became a popular board game.  Five ships are placed 
on the grid manually or by the computer.  Each player then tries to sink his 
or her opponents' ships first.  ANSI is not required and the game is very 
responsive.  From Intellisoft, the suggested retail price is $69.95.  
(Available from GW Associates)

TWO-UP AND CHAT

Hailed as a favorite among Australians, this is an online gambling 
simulation where players bet on the results of two spinning coins.  It's a 
multi-line multi-user game where users bet on two heads or two tails for 2-
to-1 odds or on mis-matched coins for 1-to-1 odds.  As an interesting twist, 
players can chat among themselves while playing the game.  Written by Phil
Robertson, the retail price is $49.95.  (Available from GW Associates)

STARQUEST

Similar to Trade Wars and other text-based games of galactic proportions, 
this multi-player game allows callers to battle one another in a quest to 
take over the stars.  It is the most ambitious TDBS multi-player game 
written to date.  Full control over Star Base, Port and Settlement creation 
is allowed and ANSI and IBM Graphics, while supported, are not required.  
Written by Jeff Johnson, the suggested price is $149.95.  (Available from GW 
Associates and Jeff Johnson)

TDBS is required!

Note that all of these programs require the TDBS expansion module to run.

RESOURCES

Pete White
GW Associates
P.O. Box 6606,
Holliston, MA  01746
508-429-6227 Voice
508-429-1784 Data

Jack Rickard
BOARDWATCH MAGAZINE
5970 South Vivian St.
Littleton, CO 80127
303-973-6038 Voice
303-973-4222 Data

- END -
PS1090-5
Rev. 1/90

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.

