ForceFeed Version 3.1 A DoorFrame Door Written by Shawn McGill The IMPROV BBS (502) 893-8102 USR/DS Wildcat 3.01 April 26, 1992 I hate writing Docs, so I'll keep this as short and sweet as possible. Forcefeed was conceived as a way to make my new callers download my application file that is required for access to the IMPROV BBS. Despite several screens telling them that I required them to download the file, many still did not. Some because they weren't about to, but some were simply new modemers, and didn't have the vaguest idea what a download even was! I decided to write a door that would force them to download the application file, and Forcefeed was born. I use it as a menu hook off the main menu. My new callers have only three choices: they can Press [G]oodbye, [C]omment, or [A]uto-Application Download. If they select "A", they enter this door, which leads them through the download procedure, and sends them the file. If they successfully download it, their security profile is upgraded, and the size of the file is added to their user record KBytes total, as well as one file. When they come back out of the door after a successful download, they re-enter the system as a temporary user. If they did not successfully download the file, they are given another chance. If the file is not sent, no changes are made, and they're still looking at that 3-option new user main menu. WARRANTY: None. I don't guarantee anything about this software. It may not even run. It is running on several systems beautifully, including my own, but I don't guarantee that it will on yours. I won't even guarantee that it won't trash all your datafiles, and render your hard drive unusable for the next three generations. All I can tell you is that it hasn't hurt mine. In other words, you are using this software entirely at your own risk. There are no warranties expressed or implied. SETUP: The setup of this door is a little unusual, but nothing too bad. The following steps should have you up and running in no time (I hope!)... Step 1. Create a directory and unzip all the files in this archive into it. Step 2. Edit the following files: FFEED31.CFG The FFEED31.CFG file's name is not critical, since you will pass it to the program on the command line, but it must contain the following lines: Full path to DOOR.SYS The BBS's Name Sysop's First Name Sysop's Last Name Full path to USERINFO.DAT The name of your application file The security profile name you want to upgrade to The Full path/name of the display file created Optionally, you can run FFINSTAL.EXE from your door directory, and this CFG file will be created for you. As you can see, it's much like every other door you ever set up, except that it looks for DOOR.SYS and USERINFO.DAT instead of CALLINFO.BBS. Let me offer a couple of hints at this point. First, you could simply path the door to your application file if you didn't want to for some reason. The line that holds the name of your registration file could just as easily be a complete pathname. Secondly, if you don't want a bulletin created of who's been successfully through the process, just put any filename on that line, and delete that file in your calling batch file when you return from the door. Foe example, you could enter BOGUS.TXT on that line, and make the last line of your calling batch file delete it every time it runs. You can also delete FFEED.DAT, which is created by ForceFeed to keep track of the door's transactions, if you don't want to maintain a display screen. I reset my ForceFeed door every month by simply deleting the FFEED.DAT file on the first of each month. A sample FFEED31.CFG file might look like this: C:\WC30\WCWORK\NODE1\DOOR.SYS The IMPROV BBS Shawn McGill C:\WC30\WCWORK\NODE1\USERINFO.DAT IMPROV.APP TEMPORARY C:\WC30\DISP\HELLO1N.BBS MAIN1.RUN This is the batch file that calls ForceFeed from your main menu "hook". Of course, it could also be run from the doors menu (DOORx.RUN), or from the File menu (FILEx.RUN) or Message Menu (MSG1.RUN), but that kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? Anyway you choose to run it, it's pretty straightforward. CD\FFEED (or whatever directory you created) FFEED31 FFEED31.CFG That's it! This file (if it's a "RUN") should be in your node directory. If you elected to make it a "BAT", then put it in your main WC directory (eg. c:\WC30). STEP 3. Since FFEED uses Zmodem protocols, you must have DSZ.EXE or DSZ.COM in your FFEED directory. I suppose you could simply have it somewhere on your path, but I have only run this door with a copy of DSZ in the same directory, and since it worked, I didn't try it anywhere else. The final step is to edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT to include the following line: SET DSZLOG=C:\FFEED\DSZLOG.LOG This is very important, as it activates DSZ's log function, and FFEED uses this log to determine whether the caller successfully downloaded the file you have specified. Remember that you must reboot after making this edit for it to take effect. The path in the SET statement above is intended to path to the directory you created for ForceFeed. We want DSZ to create the log in the ForceFeed directory, so make the above line point to the directory you created for the ForceFeed files! The log file must be called DSZLOG.LOG, though!!! DSZ is the property of Omen Technology, INC, and in my opinion is the finest transfer protocol driver available. It is available for download on most every BBS in the country, if you don't already have a copy of it. I encourage you to register your copy of DSZ, although this door will run with the features available in the shareware versions. To recap, the following files should be found in your Door directory: FFEED31.EXE FFEED31.CFG Your Application File DSZ.EXE or DSZ.COM The Batch file that you call the door with should be in your main WC30 Directory if it's a ???.BAT file, and in your node directory if it's a ???.RUN file. HISTORY The original Catpatch version was released on April 5, 1992. It had some problems on non-standard platforms, probably because of the Catpatch routines, themselves. Version (3.1) was released on April 26, 1992. I rewrote the door, this time using DoorFrame routines. This was done in an effort to give it some improved I/O routines, and wider compatibility. Non-standard IRQ's are now supported, along with much higher baud rates. SUPPORT I will support this door through my BBS, The IMPROV at (502) 893-8102 (USR/DS). I am also a member of ThrobNet (known as "Al Bundy"). I also call the MSI Support Board on a regular basis. REGISTRATION This door will expire on 08/01/92. That should be sufficient time to see if it will run on your system, and whether it meets your needs. After a reasonable evaluation time, you must either register it, or delete it from use on your system. Registration is $20.00. Those who register will receive a copy without the expiration routines, and their name and registration number will be included on the initial intro screen. Registered users will also be entitled to any future versions of this program, which will be available for download on my BBS at HST speeds. ------------------------------ Tear off Here ---------------------------------- ForceFeed Registration Name:________________________________________ BBS NAME:____________________________________ BBS PHONE:___________________________________ Mailing Address:______________________________________________ City:_____________________________________ State:_____________________ Date:_______/_______/________ Please enter a name so I can pre-register you on my BBS: NAME:_____________________________________ PASSWORD:_________________________________ D.O.B:_______/_______/_______ Registration: $20.00 Please check one: Check_____ Money Order_______ Make Payable to: Shawn McGill P.O.Box 6148 Louisville, KY 40207 Thanks for supporting Shareware!