.TOPIC:                                            
VBBS From the Command Line

                                            VBBS 6.12 Documentation --  3-1

         ͻ
          CHAPTER THREE      VBBS FROM THE COMMAND LINE -- WHAT HAPPENS? 
         ͼ

              When running VBBS, a RAM-resident VBBS.EXE controls the
         program.  It should be used as the ONLY means of starting VBBS,
         as it transfers needed information into the program.

              The basic syntax for bringing VBBS online is

              BBS <channel number>

         where <channel number> is a number from 0 to 4 (for the share-
         ware version).  For larger multi-line installations (after the
         software is registered), it could be a number from 0 to as high
         as 64.

         Note that ALL single-node installations use the command line

         BBS 1

         and that the command line

         BBS 0

         specifies LOCAL MODE operation only, using the console keyboard
         and bypassing WFC initialization.

         Command line options include:

         /AC           Use this option when running VBBS as a door, or
                        from a matrix logon.  It has VBBS maintain sepa-
                        rate user data (etc.) and maintains the doored
                        VBBS as an independent system.
         /H            Used with the /AC option, forces VBBS to hang up
                        when the user logs off.
         /Bxxxxx       Used with the /AC option, passes the baud rate
                        of the modem connection to VBBS.
         /CHAIN        Command for logging user to VBBS being run as a
                        door from inside another VBBS system, or any
                        BBS software using the CHAIN.TXT format (such
                        as WWIV).  This option will use VBBS' user re-
                        cord and will NOT prompt the already-online user
                        to log on to the doored VBBS separately.  BBS
                        softwares that do not produce CHAIN.TXT can
                        still use this option by using a door converter
                        to obtain the CHAIN.TXT format.
                                      VBBS 6.12 Documentation --  3-2


         ͻ
          FIRST-TIME STARTUP                                             
         ͼ

         Before You Log In the First Time
         

              Before you do your first login to VBBS, there are a few
         final checks you need to make:

         1)  Make sure the following files are available to VBBS via a
             PATH= statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

             DSZ.COM  (or DSZ.EXE)
             LIST.COM  (not needed immediately if you're using the
                       DOS command TYPE as described on p. 33, but
                       you ought to consider getting it)
             PKZIP.EXE
             PKUNZIP.EXE

         For example, you might have these files in a directory on
         your hard drive called BBSUTIL; the PATH= statement might
         read

             PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\BBSUTIL

             For more information on the PATH= statement, please refer to
             your DOS documentation.

            OS/2 Version          : Please refer to the VBBS OS/2
                                      instructions in Appendix D.

          2)  Make sure the device driver ANSI.SYS is loaded with the ap-
              propriate statement in your CONFIG.SYS file:

              DEVICE=ANSI.SYS

              This enables your computer to handle the ANSI displays VBBS
              uses and generates.  For more information on the DEVICE=
              statement, please refer to your DOS documentation.

              There are many alternative drivers available - particularly
              ZANSI.SYS and NNANSI.SYS -- that handle ANSI graphics
              MUCH faster than  DOS' default ANSI.SYS. These programs
              are available on BBSes all over the country.
                                      VBBS 6.12 Documentation --  3-3


       Logging In the First Time
       

            By executing the statement

            BBS 1

       on a single-node installation, you will bring up VBBS in the WFC
       [Waiting For Call] mode.  This is the online control panel for
       VBBS, and when you see this screen, the BBS is said to be in a
       "waiting for call" state.  Congratulations; you're now the proud
       "parent" of a bouncing baby BBS!  :-)

       --> IMPORTANT NOTE:  From the WFC screen, you will see that the
                            [F] key does something called "Fast Local
                            Login"; DO NOT use this until you have
                            created the sysop account (see below)!

       The reason you don't do a fast login is that your VBBS is new,
       and your user information file (USERFILE.DAT) is empty; there
       is no account there that a [F]ast local login can find as belon-
       ging to the sysop.


      Creating the Sysop Account
      

           From the WFC screen, type [L] to do a local login.  You
      will see the LOGIN.MNU screen from the Virtual Technologies BBS
      (the author's BBS); you will, of course, need to change this be-
      fore bringing your own BBS online.
           Immediately following the LOGIN.MNU screen will be the
      login prompt.  Type NEW (capitalization for clarity only; it's
      not case-sensitive) to create the first entry in your user data
      file.  You will then see the file NEWUSER.TXT, followed by
      prompts to fill in your user information.
           Once you have finished entering this information, press
      the F2 key; this will bring up the user editor.  Once there,
      type the following:

          G
          255 [Enter]
          M
          1440 [Enter]

      This gives you a SL of 255 (sysop access) and a maximum time
      per day of 1440 minutes (24 hours); while you likely won't ever
      need to stay on the BBS the entire 24 hours, it's nice to have
      the luxury.
                                      VBBS 6.12 Documentation --  3-4

            While you're in the user editor, you may also edit any
      information there by pressing the letter of the appropriate
      field and entering the correct information.  Some sysops use
      this opportunity to set all their access flags and such (so they
      cannot be accidentally "locked out" of any section of the BBS);
      see "The User Editor" for more information.

      --> IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you encounter any program errors at this
                           point, it is likely that you have mistyped
                           a path in the Paths Configuration, moved a
                           file to the wrong directory, for forgotten
                           to compile any scripts you may be using.
                           Use the DIAGNOSTICS option in VCONFIG to
                           try to isolate any problems.


