I CompuServe Inc. Forum Information File A Forum on CompuServe's Information Services is used to enhance communications between specific individuals with similar interests. Each Forum offers messaging, bulletins, real time conferencing, and information storage and retrieval. The messaging feature of a Forum allows you to electronically store or leave messages for other Forum members. You can also read messages left by other members. Bulletins may be posted by the Forum administrator concerning Forum information and events. The Conference mode is for interactive discussions with other members currently on-line in the Forum. Information storage and retrieval is available in the Data-Library area. Sub-Topics, which are dedicated to areas of specific interest within the general topic area of the Forum, partition the messaging, conference and Data-Library functions. You can choose any of the following functions from the Forum's top menu. L - LEAVE A MESSAGE ___________________ Enter text one line at a time and press the enter/return key to submit the line. Errors can be corrected by backspacing and re-entering the text before the enter/return key has been pressed. A message can have a maximum of 96 lines or 2500 characters, whichever comes first. You are prompted for To: and Subject:, each can be 24 characters long. LEAVE OPTIONS: S - Store message. Sn - Store message in Sub-topic "n". SP - Store privately . You are prompted for the PPN of the user to whom you are sending the message. SU - Store message unformatted. A - Abort message. R - READ MESSAGES _________________ RF - Read messages in forward serial order (from oldest to newest). RFn - Read messages in forward order from message "n". RR - Read messages in reverse serial order (from (newest to oldest). RRn - Read messages in reverse order from message "n". RN - Read all new messages. New messages are those stored since the last time you read messages. RM - Read messages marked specifically for your PPN. RA - Abort read command. RI - Read individual message. You are prompted for the message number. RS - Read message by searching. You are prompted for the search key of To:, Subject:, or From:. RT - Read thread of messages. A thread consists of a string of messages in response to an original message. After reading a message, you may then: UA - Use address only to send a reply. This should be used when responding to part of a message. You are prompted for a new subject . RE - Reply to this message. This should be used when you want to use the same header information. T - Return to the top Forum menu. C - Continue with next message. N - Continue with next message. In Command Mode will also display the next message. D - Deletes the message. This option is available only if the message was sent by you or for you. NS - No stop between messages. Scrolling continues until a message that was sent by you or for you is accessed. RA - Read message again. RP - Read previous message of the thread. RR - Read reply. If anyone has replied to the current message, the RR option displays the reply messages. Successive RR's display subsequent reply messages. CO - CONFERENCE MODE ____________________ Conferencing is a "real time" mode of communication. Each Sub-Topic has two "channels" or "rooms" for conference discussions. When CO is requested, the system identifies the channel/room and the number of active users there. All options in CO are prefaced with a /. /EXI - Exit CO and return to top menu . /HAN or /NAME - Allows you to change your CO name or "handle". Your Forum membership name is used if you do not specify a change with this command. /HELP - To receive all CO options . /JOB - To receive your job # status. /MON n - Listen to other channels/rooms. "n" indicates the channel/room number. /OFF - Exit CO and log off of system. /PPN - Display PPN with messages. /NOPPN - Turn off /PPN. This is the current default setting. /SBU m,n - Squelch by user PPN. "m,n" indicates the PPN of the user. /SQU xxx - Squelch by name "xxx". /SCR xyz - Scramble on key "xyz". /SMC xyz - Clear /SCR on key "xyz". /XCL xyz - Unscramble receiver on key "xyz". /UNS - Unscramble all. /ROOM - Type status of users on in this Conference room. /STA - Type status of users on this channel. /TALK n - Talk privately with one other user. "n" designates the user's job number. /TIM - Type time, day, and date. /UST - Type a status report of all users. /UST n - Type user status of channel/room "n". /WHO - Type PPN of last talker. DL - DATA LIBRARY __________________ Each Sub-Topic has a data library that contains files of information pertinent to the Sub-Topic area. The following options are available: DES - Description of the particular Data Library. BRO - Browse through file headers. A file header contains a description of the file, keywords, PPN of submittor, number of accesses and date of submission. You are prompted for a search string; /KEY: - keywords and/or /AGE: - days since submission. Pressing the enter/return key defaults these options allowing you to browse all files beginning with the most recent submission in a reverse chronological order. Browse options: R - Read file. D - Download (see additional information on upload/download). T - Return to top DL menu. Press the enter/return key to continue browsing file headers. DIR - Directory of Data Library files. DOW - Download a Data Library file to your personal computer. You will be prompted for the file name and the protocal type. UPL - Upload a new file. An uploaded file goes into a preview area until the SYSOP/Forum Administrator reviews it and merges it into the Data Library. See additional information on up/download. HEL - Help. DL - Change to another Sub-Topic Data Library. EXI - Exit DL and return to the Forum top menu. Upload/Download When uploading or downloading files, a communications protocol type is requested. The options are: Xmodem - Christensen's protocol (Eg. PC-Talk, Crosstalk) A - Compuserve's A protocol (Eg. CP/M packages) B - CompuServe's B protocol (Eg. Vidtex) DC2/DC4 - Buffer capture protocol (Eg. LDOS, SmartCom 3) Following a successful upload, you are prompted for a description of the file and the keywords associated with it. These are attached to your file and remain in the preview area until the SYSOP/Forum Administrator acts upon them. B - BULLETINS _____________ Bulletins are posted by the SYSOP/Forum Administrator containing information about the Forum. The bulletin menu is as follows: 1) Short bulletin 2) Long bulletin 3) Conference bulletin 4) Data Library bulletin 5) Membership bulletin 6) Return to Top Menu V - MEMBER INTEREST FILE ________________________ The Member Interest File contains information about the users of the Forum. Options are: A - Add your interests. You are prompted for your name, state, and interests pertaining to the Forum. C - Change your interests. You are prompted for information. D - Delete your entry. S - Scan all members. You are prompted for a search string. If you want to scan all members, press the enter/return key. T - Return to top command menu. U - USER ENTRY LOG __________________ This file is a log of usage on the Forum. Names and PPNs are displayed by accesses beginning with the most recent and scrolling in a reverse chronological order. This is an efficient way to find out who has accessed the Forum recently. OP - OPTIONAL COMMAND MODE __________________________ The Optional Command Mode allows settings specific to your own PPN within the Forum to be changed. Changes are effective only for the current session unless the P (permanent) option has been requested from the menu. Options may be changed by either entering a command or entering a number as a menu choice. Numbers toggle the current setting. BR - Set brief mode. This suppresses display of command, sub-command and option menus. NB - No brief mode. This returns the display of menus. LL - Change line length. FIL - Use Filge editor to compose messages. SED - Use Forum editor to compose messages. DS - Set a default Sub-topic. Upon entry to the Forum, you will default to a specific Sub-topic. CN - Change your name within the Forum. PC - Change your prompt character. RNS - RN (read new) command skips messages you left. RNT - RN (read new) command types messages you left. TWM - Type waiting messages. Upon entry to the Forum, messages waiting for you are typed. MWM - Mark waiting messages. Upon entry to the Forum, messages waiting for you are marked for retrieval with the RM command. ST - Stop scrolling between messages. NS - No stop between messages. P - Make options permanent. Options remain for future sessions until you change them. To change any optional setting, enter the appropriate option. SN - SUB-TOPIC NAMES ____________________ There are eleven Sub-topics within each Forum which distinguish specific areas of interest. The SN command provides a listing of all of the Forum's Sub-topic names. If you wish to read one Sub-topic excusively, you may use the SS command described below to select a Sub-topic. ADDITIONAL COMMANDS ___________________ HELP, H or ? - Display the "help" file(s). I - Display a summary of the Forum commands. NEW - New file. This file provides a listing of new features contained in a new version of the Forum software upon its release. MI - Display Forum membership information. UST - User status. This is a listing of all those currently using the Forum. Included in the information is a user's job number, PPN (User ID), node name and program name. (Eg. JOB USER ID NODE PRGM 28 70006,313 T10ACH SIG) SEN - Send one line note. This is a command which may be used to send a one line note to anyone currently in the Forum. The command must be followed by the Job number that the receiver is running. (For example: SEN 28 Hi there! Go to CO!) Use USTAT to get the receiver's job number. SS - Set Sub-topic. This command enables you to set the Sub-topic which you want to access exclusively. SS may be used to set specific Sub-topics when reading messages. LOG-OFF COMMANDS ________________ LOG - Logs you off of system and displays the User ID: prompt. OFF - Disconnects from system and drops carrier. BYE - Disconnects from system and drops carrier. GO XXX - Go to page XXX. M - Return to previous menu of system. EXIT - Return to previous menu of system. CONTROL KEYS ____________ Control characters (control key and another key pushed simultaneously) can be used to "control" output. The following are the most widely used within the Forum. Ctrl-P - Aborts output and returns you to function command level. Ctrl-S - Suspends output immediately, stops scrolling. Ctrl-Q - Restarts output (scrolling) after a CTRL-S. Ctrl-A - Suspends output at the end of current line. Ctrl-W - Restarts output after a Ctrl-A. Ctrl-O - Allows user to skip message text while retrieving. Ctrl-U - Aborts input file and deletes line you are entering. Ctrl-V - Displays input line. This control character is particularly helpful in CO. GLOSSARY SYSOP/FORUM ADMINISTRATOR is a person responsible for operating the Forum. PPN - Project,Programmer Number. Also known as your User ID. Data Library - A collection of data files which includes a description file. Each data file includes a description and keywords. Unformatted - A term used to describe the manner in which a message can be stored. This type of storage leaves the message as text without reformatting. Upload - A procedure used to transfer data from a micro-computer to a Forum's Data-Library. Download - A procedure used to transfer data from the Forum's Data-Library to a micro-computer. Conferencing - A mode of communication which allows simultaneous users to "talk" to each other by typing in their discussion via the computer keyboard. Forum conferencing is very similar to CB radio or telephone conference calls except that you are typing instead of speaking. Function: