                      CONFQWK - A PCBoard v15.21 utility
               by Peter Deegan - My Computer Company, Australia

PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To provide support for incoming QWK configuration messages to automatically
adjust conferences for callers:

        ADD conferences to download in the QWK packet
             and optionally set the Last Message Read pointer
        DROP conferences from the QWK packet
        RESET the Last Message Read (LMR) for a conference

These configuration messages are generated by many QWK mail readers including
Robomail.

CONFQWK is fully configurable will recognise messages generated for the mail
doors you wish.  QMAIL, CAM-MAIL, Complete Mail Door, MarkMail, Rosemail mail
doors plus any messages addressed to 'CONFQWK'.


BACKGROUND
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The internal QWK support in PCBoard is sufficent for most callers and sysops.
Once,you have made a menu for the QWK options (or used one of the premade
ones that are around).

But one thing that is missing is the ability of fully fledged QWK doors
to read a configuration message in the incoming REP packet.

These configuration messages are in a defined format like this:

        Conference:  0  (usually it's the main conference 0)
        TO:             <name of the QWK Mail Door>
        FROM:           <user name>
        Subject: CONFIG (or some similar name)
        Message text:
                (contains code words like ADD, followed by a conference
                number and maybe a LMR to set)

Why not use one of the mail doors?  I was a happy QMAIL user, but have had
continuing problems that not even the sainted Sparky Herring could solve.
I've had similar problems with CAM-MAIL too.

The PCBoard QWK support via a menu interface is enough for my callers (and is
faster than the mail doors), except for the ability to configure offline.
CONFQWK adds this essential feature.


HOW IT DUZZIT WORK?
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CONFQWK operates after any messages are posted via an incoming REP packet
(ie using the QWK;U command).  The PPE will scan for a message that is
from the current caller that looks like a configuration message and then
act upon the command lines in the body of that message.

The status is displayed to the caller, if there are no configuration messages
then there is very little delay before the caller regains control.

If a configuration message is found, then the actions taken are displayed to
the caller.

A log file (cunningly called CONFQWK.LOG) tracks each time the PPE is run and
what it did.


CONFIGURATION
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All the configuration options are contained in the file CONFQWK.INI which must
be in the same directory as the CONFQWK.PPE itself.

This INI file operates on the same basis as the Windows style INI files that
we are all familiar with these days.  An unformatted text editor can make any
changes required.

CONFQWK is fully documented internally, so have a look there for configuration
details.

Any line that starts with a semi-colon  ;  is a comment line that is ignored
by CONFQWK.


INSTALLATION
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It is suggested that you create a separate directory for each PPE you run, it
makes it a lot easier to find and sort them out later on.  I suggest a
directory like:
        C:\PCB\PPL\CONFQWK\

Extract the files CONFQWK.PPE, CONFQWK.INI and CONFQWK.TXT into that directory.

Then replace the text in Prompt #685 of your PCBTEXT. file with a call to
the CONFQWK.PPE

Step by Step:

        - Change to the directory where PCBTEXT is kept
          (usually C:\PCB\GEN\ )

        - Run the command   MKPCBTXT PCBTEXT.

        - Press  <F3> to switch to Prompt No: 685
          (the default prompt is:  'Message(s) Successfully Inserted')

        - Change the text to run CONFQWK.PPE by inserting an exclamation mark
          then the full drive\path\filename.  The result will look like this:
             !C:\PCB\PPL\CONFQWK\CONFQWK.PPE

CUSTOMER.INF  is a suggested text file that you can use to explain CONFQWK to
your callers.  It can amended to suit your needs and posted as a message or
bulletin.


TESTING
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If you want to try out CONFQWK before putting it online, then insert this
line in your CMDS.LST file   (from PCBSetup | File Locations | Configuration
Files )

                        Charges Per     PPE/MNU File Specification -or-
       Command    Sec  Minute    Use    Keystroke Substitution
      

   CONFQWK        110        0        0 C:\PCB\PPL\CONFQWK\CONFQWK.PPE

You can then logon as Sysop and type  CONFQWK   at the BBS main menu.

Upload a control message (using QWK;U) to see CONFQWK in operation.  Check
the LOG file for details of what happened.


MESSAGE SYNTAX
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The QWK mail readers will create and send configuration messages.

For example: Robomail users can select the 'QMAIL' or 'CAM-MAIL' driver
to setup the correct command words and format.  When the callers add or
drop conferences in Robomail, those requests are passed back to the BBS
via a configuration message.

For the curious here are the syntax details of the Command Lines:

  COMMAND       SETTING            [OPTIONAL PARAMETER]
  ------------------------------------------
  ADD           ConferenceNumber   [Last Message Read]
  DROP          ConferenceNumber
  RESET         ConferenceNumber    Last Message Read

Note that with the RESET parameter the 'Last Message Read' number has two
different meanings depending on whether it is positive or negative:

  Positive  - set LMR to that absolute message number
  Negative  - set LMR to the High Message Number minus the number given

Examples:
  RESET  234  5667
will set the users LMR in Conference 234 to Message Number 5667

  RESET  234  -1000
will set the users LMR in Conference 234 to the last 1000 messages


CONFQWK.INI will let you add additional keywords to the basic commands, this
is mainly for non-English language sysops.


UPDATES
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The latest version of CONFQWK will always be posted on

      -  Clark Developments, SaltAir BBS
      -  My Computer Company / Telix Australia BBS + 61 2 565 1044

Fidonet BBS can also File Request the latest release from 3:712/411 using the
Magic Name   CONFQWK   (original eh?)


HELP
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I hope that this humble little PPE will need little assistance, but if you do
get stuck send email to:
        peter.deegan@mcc.com.au

Please include:
        - a copy of your CONFQWK.INI
        - a copy of relevant parts of the CONFQWK.LOG
        - a full copy of any config message
        - full description of your problem
        - Version of PCBoard (CONFQWK needs PCBoard v15.21 or later)

I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can, usually within a day or two.


SUGGESTIONS
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If you have any ideas for improvements to CONFQWK you can send email to
        CONFQWK-suggest@mcc.com.au

I especially be interested in any additional command keywords that sysops
would like.  Some mail doors will let callers change a wide variety of
settings, but these seem to be rarely used.  But I'm open to suggestions.

Your message will be acknowledged and idea will be go into the pool for
future releases.


ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
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In these litigious times, almost everything is a registered trademark:

        PCBoard.............Clark Development
        Robomail............Parsons Consulting
        QMAIL...............Sparkware
        CAM-MAIL
        Complete Mail Door
        MarkMail
        Rosemail


FILE LIST
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Here is a list of the files in the CONFQWK archive:

        CONFQWK.TXT      This file!
        CONFQWK.PPE      the program itself
        CONFQWK.INI      default configuration file
        CUSTOMER.INF    suggested text file for your callers
        REGISTER.FRM    registration order form
        HISTORY.TXT     chronological list of revisions
        FILE_ID.DIZ     BBS file listing entry


REGISTRATION
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Registration is a mere US$10 for lifetime registration.

Use the attached registration form  REGISTER.FRM  and either

        - email to  ORDER@mcc.com.au

        - or fax it to My Computer Company, Australia
                + 61 2 550 4459

        - Fidonet to 3:712/411

Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Diners Club is accepted.

A registration key will be emailed or faxed to you promptly.

Registration will remove the 10 second delay and PPE credits.

It also lets callers change as many conferences as they wish in a single
configuration message (UNregistered copies will only process the first 10
lines).

In other words, registration will make CONFQWK look like a seamless part of
your BBS, not an add-on.


CREDITS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You really have to hand it to David Terry and the rest of the gang at Clark
Development ...  not only have they given us a powerful PPL language to play
with, they gave us lots of ways to plug PPE's into the BBS.

PPE's continue to amaze me, they can create full blown BBS doors all the way
 down to minor adjustments to prompts.

Sure, there are things that could be better in the PPL language, but just
look at the cool stuff we can do with what we have.