Source: SPITFIRE.DOCEdition: searchable Web reading editionPresentation: historical wording retained
12.0 - SYSOP SECTION EXPLAINED
------------------------------
Almost all the Sysop utilities are contained in SPITFIRE. No
external programs are needed to do normal, day-to-day maintenance.
However, it is our hope that people will implement utilities for
SPITFIRE. In the event you are interested in writing such a utility
and need detailed information regarding how SPITFIRE interacts with
different support files, please feel free to contact Buffalo
Creek's BBS (515-225-8496). SPITFIRE's default Sysop Menu looks
like this:
>>>>>>>> SYSOP MENU <<<<<<<<<D>.............. Drop To DOS <E>................. Event Menu
<F>............... File Areas <G>.......... Goodbye & Log Off
<K>..... Sysop Menu Extension <I>....... Pack Caller Database
<J>........ Pack Message Base <R>.... Remove Backup/Log Files
<M>...... Message Conferences <P>...... Print Caller Database
<Q>........ Quit To Main Menu <U>............. Update Callers
<V>........... View Log Files <X>......... Expert Mode Toggle
SYSOP MENU [D E F G K I J R M P Q U V X]?
12.1 - SYSOP MENU EXPLANATION
-----------------------------
<D>.... Drop to DOS
This feature allows the caller to drop to DOS from a remote
location. You need to use the ALT+J feature or ALT+D
feature to drop to DOS locally. When this feature is used
from a remote location, SPITFIRE does not allow the caller
to drop to DOS unless the drop-to-DOS password is properly
entered. This password is configured using the ALT+Z
command at the "Ready..." prompt. It is recommended that
this feature be made available to only trusted callers (if
made available at all). When this feature is utilized,
SPITFIRE shells to SFREMOTE.BAT and sends a parameter
which indicates the COM port being used.
<E>.... Event Menu
This option is used for maintaining events used on the
BBS. It is used to List Events, Enable An Event and
to Disable An Event. For more detailed information, refer
to the EVENTS MENU EXPLANATION section of this manual.
<F>.... File Areas
This displays the File Area System Record's Menu. From
this menu, you are able to configure or modify the File
Area System Records. For more detailed information,
refer to the section - CONFIGURING FILE AREA RECORDS of
this manual.
<G>.... Goodbye & Log Off
This feature simply allows the caller to log off the BBS.
<K>.... Sysop Menu Extension
This option allows the Sysop to configure another program
or utility (independent of SPITFIRE) to be run from this
Sysop configurable command. The Menu Extension option is
set up with the necessary commands for executing the program
or utility using the SFSYSOP.BAT. The SFSYSOP.BAT needs to
reside in the SPITFIRE home directory. When this option is
selected, SPITFIRE creates the files, SFSYSOP.DAT (the
equivalent of SFDOORS.DAT) and DOOR.SYS in the SPITFIRE home
directory. During the execution of the menu extension,
SPITFIRE shells from memory. When the caller exits the
configured program and control is returned to SPITFIRE, the
SFSYSOP.DAT file is automatically erased.
<I>.... Pack Caller Database
This feature allows you to pack SFUSERS.DAT. When selected,
SPITFIRE shells to SFPCKUSR.COM. SFPCKUSR.COM must reside
in the SPITFIRE home directory.
When you select this feature, SPITFIRE asks if you wish to
purge inactive callers. If you answer "Y", you will then
be asked whether to purge callers that haven't called for
<x> amount of days. The value of <x> is determined by you.
After responding to these prompts, SPITFIRE shells to
SFPCKUSR and passes to it the purge criteria you have
defined.
SFPCKUSR will purge from the caller's data base any callers
which have been marked for deletion. If you have opted to
purge inactive callers, any caller who has not called for
the amount of days you specified will also be purged.
Once SFPCKUSR has completed packing the caller's data base,
information regarding the purged callers is written to
SFPURGED.USR (or appended to the existing file) in the WORK
directory and control is returned to SPITFIRE.
SPITFIRE allows you to toggle whether a purge will be
allowed or not allowed for each caller. If a caller has
been toggled as "purge not allowed," SFPCKUSR will not
purge the caller (even if the caller has not called for the
<x> amount of days specified.)
If you are operating a multi-node system, SPITFIRE does not
allow you to pack the callers file while a caller is on any
of the available nodes. Also, if you are packing the
callers file and a caller attempts to log on, after entering
their name and password, SPITFIRE notifies the caller that
system maintenance is being performed, asks the caller to
call back later and then logs the caller off the BBS. The
Sysop may create their own ASCII/ANSI/RIP display screen,
SFMAINT.[BCR], which will be displayed here, if found.
It should be noted that if you select this option and are
calling remotely, once you have answered the prompts
supplied by SPITFIRE you will not be able to view the
progress of SFPCKUSR. No remote display is provided
by SFPCKUSR. Display will return when control is returned
to SPITFIRE.
<J>.... Pack Message Base
When this feature is selected, Sysops are asked if they are
sure they want to pack the message base. A "Y" response
causes SPITFIRE to shell to SFPCKMSG.COM which goes through
the message files, purging all messages that have been
marked for deletion. When configuring Message Conference
records the Sysop specifies how old a message must be (in
number of days) for purging with the Purge Messages Older
Than option. From the Message Conference record, the Sysop
also configures whether threaded and unreceived messages are
to be purged when packing the message base. This criteria,
defined individually for each Message Conference, determines
the messages selected for purging when the message base is
packed. It is recommended that the message base be packed
on a regular basis for a the following reasons:
<1> Disk space.
<2> Speed (SPITFIRE works faster with fewer messages).
On multi-node systems, SPITFIRE will not permit packing of
the message base while a caller is on any of the available
nodes. Also, if while packing the message base a caller
attempts to log on, after entering their name and password,
SPITFIRE notifies the caller that system maintenance is
being performed, and asks them to call back later. It then
logs the caller off the BBS. The Sysop may create their
own ASCII/ANSI/RIP display screens, SFMAINT.[BCR], which are
displayed here, if found.
<R>.... Remove Backup/Log Files
When selected, this option displays the following menu:
>>> FILE REMOVAL MENU <<<<C>.... Erase CALLERS.LOG
<H>... Erase HEYSYSOP.LOG
<R>... Erase SFILEREQ.LOG
<S>... Erase SFPURGED.USR
<U>.... Erase SFUSERS.$??
<Q>................. Quit
FILE REMOVAL MENU - [C H S U Q]?
<C>... Erase CALLERS.LOG
Selecting this option causes the existing CALLERS.LOG
file to be erased. SPITFIRE will automatically create
a new CALLERS.LOG file.
<H>... Erase HEYSYSOP.LOG
Selecting this option causes the existing HEYSYSOP.LOG
file to be erased. SPITFIRE will automatically create
a new HEYSYSOP.LOG file.
<R>... Erase SFILEREQ.LOG
When this option is selected, the existing SFILEREQ.LOG
is erased. SPITFIRE will automatically create a new
SFILEREQ.LOG file the next time a caller makes a file
request.
<S>... Erase SFPURGED.USR
When this option is selected, SFPURGED.USR is erased.
SPITFIRE will automatically create a new SFPURGED.USR
file the next time the SFUSERS.DAT file is packed.
<U>... Erase SFUSERS.$??
When this option is selected, the SPITFIRE erases the
backup files of the caller data base records.
<M>.... Message Conferences
This displays the Message Conference System Record's Menu.
From this menu, Sysops can configure or modify the
Message Conference System Records. For more detailed
information, refer to the section - CONFIGURING MESSAGE
CONFERENCE RECORDS.
<P>.... Print Caller Database
If the printer is turned on and ready for use and this
feature is selected, the Sysop is prompted to select
one of the following options: Print to <D>isk, <P>rinter,
<Q>uit?. If the printer is not turned on and ready,
only the options: Print to <D>isk, Quit will be displayed
Print to <D>isk creates a text file named SFUSERS.LST in
the WORK file directory. SFUSERS.LST contains such
information as caller name, city/province, and phone
number for each caller in the database. <P>rint will
send the information to the printer for each caller
in the database. <Q>uit returns you to the Sysop Menu.
<Q>.... Quit to Main Menu
This feature takes you from the Sysop Utility Section of
SPITFIRE to the MAIN MENU.
<U>.... Update Callers
This feature is the same as selecting ALT+A at the
"Ready..." prompt and is used to modify statistics on any
BBS caller or to manually add new callers. For further
information, refer to the section - SPECIAL FUNCTION KEY
DEFINITIONS of this manual.
<V>.... View Log Files
Selecting this option causes the following sub-menu to
be displayed:
>> View Log File Menu <<<C>..........CALLERS.LOG
<H>.........HEYSYSOP.LOG
<N>...........SFNEWU.REP
<O>.......SFORDER<x>.REP
<R>.........SFILEREQ.LOG
<S>.........SFPURGED.USR
<Q>.................QUIT
This feature is the same as pressing F1 from the SPITFIRE
"Ready..." prompt and is used to view the various BBS log
files that are listed in the menu. For further information,
refer to the section - SPECIAL FUNCTION KEY DEFINITIONS of
this manual.
<X>.... Expert Mode Toggle
This feature changes caller status from novice to expert or
vice versa. If set as novice, the menu descriptions scroll
by after each command. If set as expert, only the command
letters scroll by after each command.