"TECHIE" V4.0 SS/SD This is Version 4.0 of the board for a 2 drive SS/SD user. The only thing this version does not have is the online adventures found in the DS/SD version. Instructions to setup and run "TECHIE" V3.0 1) Use TI-WRITER to edit the files TITLE,USERGROUP,SYSTEMINFO, and BULLETIN. Make sure when saving them back to disk you use PF Print File instead of SF Save File. This eliminates unwanted garbage from showing up in your files. 2) Load the program "SETUPFILES" from the UTILITIES disk. Place BOARD disk in drive 1. Place DATA disk in drive 2. RUN the program. The program will ask you the size of your variable files. Maximum number of lines of 40 column text is the variable LINESSIZE. Maximum number of users is the variable USERSIZE. Maximum number of messages is the variable TOTMSGSIZE. For two drives I recommend the following. SS/SD LINESSIZE=1500 USERSIZE=200 TOTMSGSIZE=150 DS/SD LINESSIZE=2500 USERSIZE=400 TOTMSGSIZE=200 The program initializes user 1 to SYSOP and gives you an access level of 99. You can then use update to set your password and place from. 3) Change lines 50 of the programs BOARD on the DATA disk, UPDATE on the UTILITIES disk, and REMOTE on the DATA disk. IF you are setting up put for 2 drives DS/SD here is the correct line. 50 LINESSIZE=2500 :: USERSIZE=400 :: TOTMSGSIZE=200 :: MESSGSIZE=30 MESSGSIZE is the variable which controls the maximum # of lines per message. 4) Attach the CD line of your modem(Pin 8 of the Signalman Mark X) +5V to pin 19 of your RS232 card. 5) To run the board turn your smart modem on. Run "DSK1.LOAD" "TECHIE" will ask you for the current date, example 2/8/85 It will then ask if you want a printout. Answer y for a PIO printer output of new users and new messages. It will also print "Board Funtioning" when the program is run. 6) "TECHIE" will display the prompt "Idle..." 7) Hang up your phone and you're all set to go. The board will display the prompt "Idle..." this means it is waiting for a caller. When someone calls you will see on you screen exactly what appears on his screen. If you have any problems at all remember you can call and I will be glad to help you get your board up and running! An explanation of "Techie" assembly language routines. CALL LINK("SEND",CH) This link sends a single ascii character out the RS232/1 port. Where CH is an ascii value from 0-255. CALL LINK("RCEIVE",F,CH) This link receives a single character from the RS232/1 port. Where F is a return Flag. F=1 The user has pressed a key. F=2 The user has not pressed a key. F=3 The board has lost carrier. CH is a returned ascii value between 0-255 CALL LINK("WRTSTR",X$) Sends a string with carriage return and line feed. Where X$ is up to an 80 character string. CALL LINK("WRTMOD",X$) Sends a string with carriage return and line feed but does not display the string on your screen. Used to write commands to the modem. Where X$ is up to an 80 character string. CALL LINK("WRSTNC",X$) Same as WRTSTR only no carriage return or line feed are sent. CALL LINK("GETSTR",F,N,X$) Receives a string from the user. Where F is a return Flag. F=1 The user has entered a string. F=2 The board has lost carrier. N is a number between 0-80 and sets the maximum string length a user may enter. X$ is the string returned from the user. If someone tries to go beyond the length of a GETSTR or backspace past the beginning they will get a beep at their terminal. CALL LINK("GETPAS",F,N,X$) Same as GETSTR only it echoes dots to the users screen. CALL LINK("INITLZ") Clears out input/output buffers. CALL LINK("CHAT") Clears the screen of the host terminal and does a link to a 40 column emulator. The emulator sends keys pressed by both host and user to both screens. You may use ^H or Fnctn. S for backspace. The host or user may exit chat by pressing ^C. CALL LINK("REMSPA",X$) Removes spaces from the end of a string. Used to keep the cursor from printing all the way across the screen when using LINPUT. X$ is a string variable up to 80 characters long. CALL LINK("BD300") Sets RS232 up for 300 baud,No parity,8 data bits,1 stop bit. CALL LINK("BD1200") Sets RS232 up for 1200 baud,No parity,8 data bits,1 stop bit CALL LINK("PAGE") Puts *Page* in the upper right hand corner of your screen and keeps it there until a person has logged off or you chat with them. So you know if someone has wanted to chat with you. CALL LINK("UNPAGE") Clears out the *Page*. CALL LINK("SCINIT") Clears the only your screen and not the users screen. CALL LINK("SETCHR") Loaded to set up screen color and character set and then wiped out. Used only in the LOAD program. All these utilities can also be accessed by single letters to save room as I have done in the BOARD program. List of substitutions: "GETSTR"="A","WRTSTR"="B","WRSTNC"="C","RCEIVE"="D","SEND"="E","INITLZ"="F", "REMSPA"="G","GETPAS"="H","CHAT"="I","SCINIT"="J","WRTMOD"="K","PAGE"="L", "UNPAGE"="M","BD300"="N","BD1200"="O" X-modem downloads (C) Paul Charlton 1985 Thanks to Paul the Xmodem downloads are also built in. You can see how they are done in the program. I have not added uploads because I do not have the disk space to take them. However here is all the information you need. CALL LINK("XMODEM",A,B$,C,D) A : EITHER A NUMERIC VARIABLE OR NUMERIC CONSTANT THIS MUST BE A FLOPPY DRIVE # B$: EITHER A STRING VARIABLE OR A STRING CONSTANT THIS IS THE FILENAME TO SEND OR RECEIVE. C : MUST BE NUMERIC VARIABLE D : MUST BE NUMERIC CONSTANT OR VARIABLE C=0 SEND THE SPECIFIED FILE C<>0 RECEIVE THE FILE D=0 USE CRC (SHOULD BE DEFAULT) D<>0 USE CHECKSUM RETURNED FROM XMODEM C=0 SUCCESSFUL FILE TRANSFER C=1 COULD NOT OPEN FILE TO SEND C=2 COULD NOT OPEN FILE TO SAVE C=3 TOO MANY RETRIES C=4 OTHER SYSTEM CANCELLED C=5 SYSOP PRESSED FUNCTION 4 (BREAK) C=6 LOST CARRIER Utilities To run the utilities insert your utilities disk in drive 1 and type in, OLD "DSK1.UPDATE". Reinsert the BOARD disk in drive 1 and type in RUN. Most utilities are self explanatory however the "SMASH" utility is used to remove deleted messages and move them up to the next available position. It also updates the last message read of each user. When using update user you are asked whether you want to add to the file. If not type in N. When updating a user you may press enter to leave a variable as it is. To delete a user place the number 0 in the name and change the password so that user can no longer access that number. The board will automatically place the next new user in this spot. If you have more than one user deleted at once the board will fill from the highest number to the lowest. Example: You delete numbers 65 and 87. The next new user receives user number 87 and the following user receives 65. Remote Sysoping The remote sysoping function is the same as utilities, except you or another user can call in and do the updating of the board from another computer. To access the Remote Sysop function you must press * at the menu, only people with an access level of 99 can run it. Hints and Problems with "TECHIE" 1) The only things I request of "TECHIE" users is that they send me all significant updates they make to the board and a donation if they feel the program is worth it. Alot of long nights went into perfecting this thing. Also I ask that you keep in the board somewhere (preferably the title screen or bulletin section. A reference to my authorship of this program and the # of the original "TECHIE". I also would like the number of your board when it is up and running so I can add it to my list of "TECHIE"'s. 2) Make sure you turn your modem off and then back on before running DSK1.LOAD. Also make sure your phone is off the hook until you see "Idle..." 3) When someone hangs up before doing a Goodbye the board will immediately start waiting for another caller. 4) Run "SMASH" when the message file becomes about 100 lines from the full amount. Read utility will tell you the total number of message lines. 5) You have full control over the board from your keyboard. Anywhere a user is allowed to input something so are you. Just do it as if you were him. To access "chat" with someone you must press a key and hold it while the prompt "If the sysop is around he will answer." I.E. to go into chat with a user: Wait until he is in main menu command line press C and the hold down a key. You will go into chat. To exit either you or the user may press control C. 6) To operate TECHIE without a user. A) Set up the board as normal. B) Wait for "Idle..." to appear. C) Turn off your modem D) You are now in the board operating as a user. 7) When the board is sitting idle you can press a key on your keyboard and it will send an "ATA" to your modem. If your modem is Hayes compatable this will cause it to send out a carrier. THis is for talking to someone and then being able to let them connect without having to call back. 8) I initialize the board to 300 baud in the LOADB program. I have never tried the 1200baud other than in testmode. It does run SIGNIFICANTLY faster! If you can use it great! Let me know though if it works! 9) If you want to use something other than 1200 or 300 baud or 8 bits no parity you can do so by using an OPEN #10:"RS232",(your parameters) this will set the RS232 up the way you want it. Just do not use the BD300 or BD1200. However when using XMODEM it should be in 8 bit no parity for best operation. 10) To see who is on the board press the / on your keyboard while they are at the menu. This will display at the top of your screen "User is "& NAME$. 11) The latest version of TECHIE is always available for Xmodem download on my BBS. 12) User levels are included they are not implemented by me other than for the remote sysoping function. You could use them to control what commands people are allowed to use. All new users are currently assigned an access level of 5. 13) Most of all have fun with "TECHIE" and you may contact "THE TECHIE" or me by calling the "TECHIE" at 608-256-3192. My address is I will be happy to help anyone with their version of "TECHIE". Just call or write! The author of this program can not be held responsible for any errors encountered in the program. However, if you should find one let me know so I can fix it! If you are using the CD circuit with TECHIE V3.0 please connect a diode instead of a short circuit for the test switch. A special request... I'm sorry if it took awhile to get this program as I am constantly updating it and if I think I will have a significant update done in a short time after I receive your order I will hold the order until the update is done. Now I would appreciate it very much if and when you get your version up that you would send me your # of that board so I may add it to my list of numbers and keep up on how you're doing with the board. Thanks again for requesting this program. Also any donations would be more than welcome! You are getting 2 Freeware programs of mine with this program. They are in the download section. Help keep us starving authors alive! Monty Schmidt(Author of "TECHIE") Addendum for Techie DS/SD You should move all the files from this disk to 3 disks with directories as follows. I am doing this since so many people are sending 1 disk instead of 3 disks. DISKNAME= BOARD FILENAME SIZE TYPE P ---------- ---- ---------- - BEGINVAR 2 INT/VAR 80 BULLETIN 3 DIS/VAR 80 COMPACT 18 DIS/FIX 80 LOAD 2 PROGRAM LOADA 35 PROGRAM LOADB 2 PROGRAM OTHERTECHS 4 DIS/VAR 80 NEWUSER 5 DIS/VAR 80 UNCOMPACT 18 DIS/FIX 80 DISKNAME= DATA FILENAME SIZE TYPE P ---------- ---- ---------- - BOARD 83 INT/VAR254 DOWNLOAD 7 DIS/VAR 80 MAINSCREEN 3 DIS/VAR 80 REMOTE 33 DIS/VAR 80 SCRNCOLOR 3 DIS/VAR 80 SETCHR 7 DIS/FIX 80 SYSTEMINFO 5 DIS/VAR 80 TITLE 2 DIS/VAR 80 USERGROUP 12 DIS/VAR 80 DISKNAME= UTILI/INST FILENAME SIZE TYPE P ---------- ---- ---------- - READ/ME 54 DIS/VAR 80 SETUPFILES 3 PROGRAM UPDATE 23 PROGRAM