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          Setting up a "NEAT-O" Multi Menuing system on PCBoard!  
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I have had quite a few callers state that they don't care much for seeing
a lot of the PCBoard commands included in their menus, when they don't 
really want to use all that is listed in the normal PCBoard fashion.
They say that it confuses them! (Sheesh!)  Anyway, to make everyone happy,
I have created 4 separate menus that a caller can choose from their command
line, which will include the commands they need at the time that they wish
to choose them. There is a 5th one which has just the SysOps commands 
included in it.  I find that I like this method myself, as I always see
the callers menu, and can call up the SysOps menu, just by entering SO from
the command line.  Kinda NEAT-O!

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Here is how I set up my multi-menuing system.  Try this out on a separate
test node first (if you are able) though, to see if you like it.

1...  Firstly, run PCBSetup in the usual fashion.
      Select J for Main Board Configuration.
      Scroll down to Name/Loc of Users Menu: MENU
          At this area, enter just the file name of MENU
      Scroll down to Name/Loc of SysOp Menu: MENU
          At this area, enter just the file name of MENU


     Firstly, in your Main Conference area setup in PCBSetup, set your
     User and Sysop Menu path & filename to indicate just MENU. That's 
     right Jack, just MENU - NO path included - Just MENU. This way,
     each node will check its own home directory for the file name of MENU,
     and display to the caller that particular menu.  By doing this, each
     caller can have displayed to them a separate menu, depending upon
     what that caller is using at the time. Yep - if you have 3 nodes, and
     have 3 callers on at one time, it is possible that all 3 callers might
     have a different menu displayed to them!  Neat eh?

     Example:  Now, in your Nodes Home directory, you will have a file by
        the name of MENU, which will be the name of the file that PCBoard
        will display to your callers as their menu.  (C:\PCB\N1\MENU)

2... I created a separate directory called C:\PCB\MENU which holds all of
     the menu files.  You can use a different one if you wish.  Copy all 
     of the *.MNU files to that directory.  They are found in the included
     ZIP file called MENUS.ZIP.

3... Edit your $$LOGON.BAT file so that it looks similar to the sample one
     that I included with this bunch of files.  That way, when each caller
     logs onto the system, that batch file will copy M0.MNU over to the new
     file called MENU in that nodes home directory, and the caller will 
     always have the MAIN menu after they have logged onto your system.

4... Now, run PCBSetup again.  Go into your Main Board setup, and choose the
     DOORS.LST.  Edit this so that the menu batch files are available to the
     caller.  Eg: M0, M1, M2 and M3 (you can add more if you wish - GO WILD!)
     Make sure that you have them set up as SHELLED batch files so that the
     menu changing will be transparent to your callers.  I don't run very
     many doors from my Main Board area, so I start mine from Door #11. Set
     your security to these 4 batch files so that lesser access callers can
     still use them.  Mine are set to a security of 0.  Do this as you see
     fit - I realize that just about every sysop runs their particular
     system the way that is easiest for each.  If a caller wishes the File
     Menu, they would enter M1, and the door batch file also called M1 will
     then copy the M1.MNU file over top of the file called MENU in that
     nodes home directory.  Same is true for M0, M2, M3 and SO (SysOps Menu).
     Make sure that the SO batch file to copy your SO.MNU (SysOps Menu) has
     a high enough security level so that wandering fingers don't try 
     something sort of rude to your system.  Just set SO to your own SysOps
     security level.

5... Now, make sure that you have the files M0, M1, M2 and M3 in your door
     batch file area, and that should about do it.  
     
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Files that I included with this setup:

1...  MULTMENU.TXT  --  You're reading it now  <G>

2...  MENUS.ZIP     --  These are the sample menus, using the @-variables
                        for color, etc.  Alter them as you would like.  I
                        don't think that you would like to see the name of
                        my system being displayed at the top of YOUR systems
                        menus though!

3...  DORBATCH.ZIP  --  These are the sample door batch files used to copy
                        the menu files to the nodes MENU display file.
                        This also includes a copy of my $$LOGON.BAT file.

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My file directory topography for this setup:

Menus are found as follows:

C:\PCB\MENUS > M0.MNU 
                 > M1.MNU
                 > M2.MNU
                 > M3.MNU
                 > SO.MNU

Door menu batch files are as follows:
                                  Ŀ
C:\PCB\DOR   > DOORS        This is just an example.  I have other
                 > DOORS.LST    door batch files included in this
                 > M0           directory, but for simplicity sake, I
                 > M1           just indicate the files that are
                 > M2           included in the file DORBATCH.ZIP.
                 > M3           Don't forget that the $$LOGON.BAT file
                 > SO           goes into your C:\PCB, or where ever  
                                   normally keep it.


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I run my system as a fun thing for mainly myself now, and I find it very
interesting to play with it, and come up with new and interesting ways to
present it to the callers that I do have.  It keeps me out of trouble. <G>
However, if you do have any problems with setting this up on your own 
system, please feel free to give my little system a call, and try it out
there.  You might get a better picture if you see it in action.  I will be
happy to help you out if you don't understand the concept.  Just post me 
a "C"omment to the SysOp, and I'll answer you as soon as I am able.  I hope
that the above setup is not too confusing.

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       Harv Welch:  SysOp of City Bytes NightLine, Victoria BC, Canada
                         (604)595-1523  Supra 14400 v32
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