Possibilities - Realities 11/90

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 11/90
---------------

*** From November 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. 

Process Automation...

Q. I'd like to be able to schedule a tape backup and a hard disk 
defragmentation program so that they happen automatically each week.  I could 
use PC Tools' Appointment Scheduler to make this happen, but will it conflict 
with TBBS? 

A. We never recommend the installation or use of memory resident software 
(TSRs) on a TBBS installation.  TBBS itself has the scheduling capability 
you're looking for. 

In TBBS, these are called "external events" and they're configured in CEDIT on 
the EXTERNAL EVENTS screen.  The TBBS installation program creates a system 
with one external event already defined. If you have not deleted it, you can 
list the current configuration in CEDIT, and locate the one configured event. 

To add another, from the main CEDIT menu, select <E>vent Define/Edit, then 
<E>xternal Event.  You may <A>dd, <C>hange or <D>elete an event.  Let's 
schedule the tape backup, so you'll select <A>dd. 

You will be placed in the EXTERNAL EVENTS screen, with the cursor at the first 
available line.  CEDIT is waiting for you to enter an errorlevel value.  This 
is a value between 2 and 255, and may be any number in that range you wish.  
IMPORTANT:  Make the number unique!  You cannot use the same number in more 
than one event, unless you want multiple events to start the same process.  
Each individual process must have a unique errorlevel.  Most TBBS System 
Designers choose to use numbers in even increments -- 10, 15, 20, etc. 

CEDIT also requires you to enter the time (in 24-hour, military format) and 
day(s) of week, with standard English abbreviation. If you want the event to 
occur on multiple days, simply separate the desired days by commas.  You'll 
notice that the default is to have every day listed so that the event occurs 
daily. 

Once configured, save the results, and exit CEDIT. 

Your next step is to edit your RUNBBS.BAT batch file to capture the errorlevel 
value and respond by running the desired program.  This requires at least some 
working knowledge of batch file construction, including branching techniques. 

The following is a commented batch file which explains how to add external 
processes: 

:recycle        ;LABEL TOP OF FILE
rem tbbsdvr     ;TBBSDVR - S/L ONLY
rem tbbs        ;TBBS SINGLE LINE
mltbbs          ;TBBS MULTI-LINE
if errorlevel 25 goto backup   ;Event 25
if errorlevel 20 goto compress ;Event 20
if errorlevel 1 goto remhost   ;Type 21
if errorlevel 0 goto end       ;F3 Exit

:backup         ;LABEL FOR Event 30
tapeback /q /a  ;A TAPE BACKUP PGM
goto recycle    ;RESTART TBBS

:compress       ;LABEL FOR Event 20
compress /a     ;DISK COMPRESS PGM
goto recycle    ;RESTART TBBS

:remhost        ;LABEL FOR Type 21 EXIT
mlhost          ;HOST DVR FOR M/L
goto end        ;EXIT BATCH FILE

:end            ;LABEL FOR FILE END

Note that for each external event you must add a "subroutine"  to the batch 
file which handles that event.  Each such subroutine consists of a label which 
is referenced by the corresponding "If errorlevel goto" command which follows 
the TBBS or MLTBBS command line.  Each routine normally ends either by 
restarting TBBS or exiting the batch file. 

Through the use of External Events, you may program almost all routine 
maintenance of your TBBS system so that you don't have to do it manually. 

Remote Host Lock-Up...

Q. I have configured my TBBS Multi-Line system with a Sysop only menu.  On 
this menu, I have placed a Type 21 (exit to DOS) menu entry.  When I dial in 
and select the entry, however, the system freezes!  When I am able to return 
to the system itself, the clock has stopped on the local screen, and I have to 
cycle power to get the system running.  Have I done something wrong? 

A. You have encountered a software bug in TBBS Multi-Line that was only 
recently discovered by us.  Larger TBBS systems and any TBBS/TDBS combination 
with more than three or four lines most likely uses expanded (EMS) memory.  
Each configured line has an associated area of memory called UDATA.  UDATA for 
some of the lines may reside in base memory, but many lines may be in EMS 
memory, especially if TDBS is installed (The SYSOM Memory command will show 
which lines are in EMS and which are not). 

If you dial into your system on a line that resides in EMS and subsequently 
execute a Type 21 command, TBBS may lock-up.  As part of the shutdown 
procedure, TBBS releases all EMS memory.  Some EMS drivers release memory in 
such a way that TBBS can continue its shutdown, while others completely reset, 
clearing memory regions that are critical to continued operation.  TBBS was 
designed around add-in EMS boards, which normally retain the necessary memory 
region.  QEMM and 386MAX (80386 EMS drivers) completely reset. 

This TBBS bug is unfortunate.  We have researched the problem, and have 
determined that a software MOD to repair it appears to take more patch space 
memory than is available.  However we are still looking for a method to fix 
the problem.  TBBS 2.2, when released, will not suffer this problem.  You can 
work around it by ensuring that you are connected to a line where the UDATA is 
in base memory  when you issue a Type 21 command. 

Time and Time Again...

Q. We have a problem with the estimation of download times on our system.  
Often, a user will elect to download a file and TBBS will estimate, say, 15 
minutes for the download.  But when the download actually takes place it often 
takes much longer, sometimes overrunning external events.  Why does TBBS so 
inaccurately calculate download times? 

A. TBBS' calculations are based on best estimates derived from extensive 
testing.  However, real world performance is based on several criteria.  Line 
noise, delays due to packet switching networks (such as PC Pursuit and 
Starlink) or long distance satellite links, terminal program efficiency, 
background processing or multi-tasking on the receiving end -- all of these 
and more can affect download duration.  In some circumstances, the download 
can take significantly longer than TBBS estimates. Unfortunately, there is 
nothing TBBS or you can do to correct this situation, since such delays cannot 
be predicted for a specific user and protocol. 

Network Savvy...

Q. We'd like to install TBBS on a local area network node so that network 
users can log on to the system directly.  We'd also like to chain multiple 
TBBS installations together so that we can have full system redundancy.  Can 
we do all of this? 

A. No.  TBBS is not designed to operate in a LAN environment. It is 
technically possible to install TBBS on the node of a network, presuming that 
there is sufficient memory available to TBBS after the network software has 
been installed.  However, there is little that a network can provide in a TBBS 
environment. 

Users cannot sign-on to the system directly through a network.  All 
connections into the TBBS must occur asynchronously -- through serial or 
DigiBoard ports. 

Since TBBS does not support DOS level record or file locking techniques, it is 
not possible to network multiple TBBS systems together.  

A network is really only good for one thing -- providing additional storage 
space for TBBS on a file server.  As long as any network drives can be 
accessed using standard DOS designations, you can access them via TBBS.  This 
can allow you to configure your TBBS to upload and download files directly to 
a file server. 

Special Note...

eSoft has recently issued two software MODS that are of importance to many 
TBBS System Designers. 

Users of TBBS Single Line who also use TDBS should be aware that under some 
circumstances it is possible for there to be an insufficient quantity of file 
handles available.  This is reported when a TDBS program is executed, and the 
error "Too many open files" is displayed even if the DOS FILES= is large.  
Users should download and apply MOD30 to repair this problem.  NOTE:  The MOD 
is for TBBS, not TDBS. 

All users who have previously downloaded and applied the optional MOD to 
enable ZIP file examine capabilities should be aware that the MOD has been 
revised.  The old version of this MOD suffered a problem -- if users examined 
a non-existent file in a raw download (menu Type 34) the system would lock up.  
The new version of the MOD does not suffer this problem. 

NOTE:  The new MOD may be applied directly on top of the old MOD without 
difficulty.  The new MOD is named the same as the old one:  TBBS Single Line -
- MOD29, TBBS 16-Line -- MLMOD31, and TBBS 32-Line -- 32MOD21. 

- END -
PS1190-2
Rev. 11/90

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.

