Tag Ideas By : Jim Golec, sysop of: TRAN-Net BBS (313)-795-5284 -= 120mgs on-line =- 24hrs a day 7 days a week 300/1200/2400 baud Tagmail Beta Site 1:120/170.0 I have experienced many unique features in TAG boards, and wanted to let sysop's who have justed started their own BBS, or Already established sysop know what is out there. Many of these Ideas are not mine, and I will give the credit to the BBS I saw it on first (sorry to those who I might leave out.) This file is not for the "Glory" of the idea, but more for the new Sysop's who don't yet know some of the Tricks you can utilize on your BBS. Shuttle Menu : Perhaps one of the best known features around is found on the Tag Beta Site Atlantis ][. This Menu is comprised of commands similar to a main menu, but it only contains commands for the use of moving easily between menus, commands like (V)oting and (O)ther BBS list, are contained on a different Menu. Some sysops wonder how it is possible to have ansi screens for menus, well it is rather simple. Here is a easy set of instructions : (1) Go into the Menu Editor (2) Modify the Menu you wish to have your custom ansi screen on. (3) There will be a option that says "help file name", select it and input the file name in this form Example : say your complete ansi screen name is Help1.clr ( note : the 1 is the Help level for the file to be viewed.) Type Help, and that is all, TAG will scan for the names and then print the *.clr or *.msg files for your menus, but you will need help1.clr and help2.clr help3.clr, and help4.clr.. so all the Help Levels are coverd, just copy each file into a new one, and then rename them accordingly. (4) Make you ansi if you haven't already , remeber using a txt editing program you can take out large blank spots at the bottom of your ansi's just backspace the carriage return marker. Advanced Bulletin System : I have seen this feature on the Disk Box, it is simply just a menu, but with the before mentioned trick, it is turned into a bulletin section. By making a *.clr or *.msg file and adding that for the "look" of you bulletin menu, you can run on-line door/games, or have other door running utilitys at the users finger tips. Use the "Guest User to your advantage" : I of several people that have been locked out or forgot their passwords at one time or another, well I was trying to figure out a way to fix that, so I came up with the Idea to use TAG's Guest user account as a communications portal from the user to the sysop. Now besides it being a way of people looking around my bbs, it is also a function for users to log on, send E-Mail to me about their loss of their password, and then I am notified, and can handle the sitation. I personnally call the person voice and "Re-validate" them and make sure they are who they say they are. Of course their is still ways for a user never to get back on becuase of these Password Thiefs, but it is better than the user never calling back. This Idea is On TRAN-Net BBS (the BBS in the Title.) Remember you can limit the use of the Guest User account simply by editing the set user account. Log Off Menu : I first saw this Feature on the Black Hole (TAG Alpha Site), when the (G)oodbye command was activated, you were tooken to a menu. this menu, contained the options of Sending mail to the sysop, or sending mail to one of the co-sysops, aborting back to the main menu, or logging off. Of course the (/G) function still logs you off instantly. and with the Before mentioned ansi menu trick you can make your log off menus colorfull. Private Side : I have heard that this utility was utilitized at Liberty BBS, and I recently have put it up on my BBS, it is seperate Menus that usually include a new main menu, 2nd file section and/or 3rd message base. (That is the way I set it up, however you can do whatever you want). I have a "private Side" set up on my bbs for users who wish to "Pay" so much a month. I have a message base, file section, and Private side main menu. This provides the user with "Hide a way" or second BBS area and has proven to be succesfull at my BBS. Refer to the TAG Menu Documenation on how to do this feature. New Scan Features : Shortly after releasing the first version of this file, I called Muffies and discovered a unusual feature that I found to be quite mentionable. Some BBSs force you to new scan the messages in the message base, or the new files in the file section, when you press the (M)essage Base, or (F)ile Section commands, but on Muffies you were given the option of the regular methods(without newscan) or the method of newscanning.. (/M)essage base, this command new scanned the messages, and (/F)ile Section scanned the new Files, this is great for the best of both worlds. Tagmail or Message Base? : For those who don't know what Tagmail does, it is simply the door that allows netmail/echomail support for TAG. It is published by Mike Vanderveer. Some BBSs who do support Tagmail can stick a menu in between the Main Menu, and the message base, and make 2 commands, one (M)essage base.. for continuing to the Message base or (T)agmail.. going directly to Tagmail, and then with the before mentioned trick make a ansi or ascii file that requests if the user wants local messages or netmail messages. Bulletin Sub-Menu : This is a very minor Idea, but Some people like to do this for organization. In the bulletin section you can make what is called a sub-bulletin. from the main bulletin screen for example : 01 - horst man list 02 - User bulletins sub-bulletin 03 - TW top scores when 02 is depressed another *.msg screeen comes up. for example: U1 - How to gain validated access U2 - Rules on being a good user U3 - Listing of users on this BBS now by depressing u1 - u3 you can view the bulletins, this feature provides the sysop with a little more room on your main bulletin screen file. The same feature can be done with the Questionaire system. Sysop Menu : Before the "Floating Sysop menu" of Tag 2.5c came out I made a sysop menu, and placed all the commands there, this menu still has a small advantage over the floating sysop's menu, becuase it is still configurable, I have placed many of my own commands for other utilitys in it, and still use it, not for the editors but it is a good place to store those odd sysopial commands. File Wish List : Some sysop's like some of the latest pd software out there but can't always get what software they want across to their users, so you can make a command that has a /W for wish list, and make a txt file that is read that lists the files you want uploaded. Any questions or ideas that I can add to the update file, just call TRAN-Net BBS (1:120/170.0)