"TOTAL RECALL" v4.0 Copyright Robert Arguello 1992/1996 OVERVIEW ------------------ "Total Recall" is a project that I started in February of 1992. Originally conceived by the name of "Reminder Door", I changed the name to "Total Recall" in 1995. "TOTAL RECALL" is a "reminder" service. Your callers configure "events" that they do not want to forget. Events can be anything from birthdays to homework assignment deadlines. They specify the type of event, the date of the event, how many days before each event that they want to be sent a recall, (reminder), and up to 10 lines of text that forms the body of the "recall". "Recalls" can be e-mail or logon messages depending on the bbs software and the configuration chosen by the sysop. I created this program due to a personal need. I hate to admit it, but I have great difficulty remembering certain things: i.e. my mom's birthday. I also have trouble with other certain events.... anniversarys, partys, appointments etc. It occured to me that I might not be the only person in this world with the same shortcoming and here you have the solution. "TOTAL RECALL" never forgets. The bbs door program "TOTAL RECALL" is copyright of Robert Arguello Spitfire BBS is copyright of Mike Woltz and Buffalo Creek Software. While this door program was designed with SPITFIRE in mind, it will run under just about any bbs system. FEATURES -------------- * Unlimited "events" can be configured by callers or sysop. * Three types of Events can be configured by the caller..... ONE TIME ..... For events like doctors appointments etc. MONTHLY ..... For regular monthly events ANNUAL ..... For yearly regular events, birthdays etc. * Sysop can also send messages to ....... INDIVIDUAL callers GROUPS of callers by security level MAILING LISTS of callers * Caller can specify between 1 and 21 days "warning". * "Recalls" are sent via E-MAIL or Log-on messages. * Attractive, user-friendly interface * Sysop Page feature with 1. configurable paging hours and days 2. caller is prompted for "Reason for Page" before sysop is disturbed. * Built in (automatic) support for most bbs drop files * Internal com routines (no fossil driver required) * Built in "carrier detection" helps prevent "hung bbs" * Desqview aware * Multi-node capable SYSOP FUNCTIONS ALT KEY FUNCTIONS --------------------- ------------------------ F1 - Basic caller information ALT+C - Toggle Chat Mode F2 - Phone number and caller dates ALT+D - Force Caller to BBS F3 - Security flags ALT+H - Hang Up on caller F4 - System info and current time ALT+K - Turn off CALLERS keyboard F5 - Message info and caller settings ALT+L - Lock Caller out of BBS F6 - Reason for CHAT REQUEST ALT+J - Sysop Shell to DOS F10 - Turns status line OFF or ON PACKING LIST ------------------ recall.exe <------ "TOTAL RECALL" executable file recall.cfg <------ "TOTAL RECALL" configuration file spitfire.cfg <------ For Spitfire BBS e-mail system sysop.txt <------ Sysop manual register.frm <------ Registration/Order form file_id.diz <------ Description of "TOTAL RECALL" help.txt <------ User's online help file If any of the above files are missing please call the support bbs to obtain a complete and current copy. LICENSE & REGISTRATION ------------------------------ "TOTAL RECALL" IS COPYRIGHTED... It is not and never has been freeware. Mike Woltz, the author of SPITFIRE, has provided to us sysops one of the finest bbs software programs in existence. Furthermore, he has done so at a remarkably reasonable cost. Mr. Woltz has called for third-party developers to keep their products reasonably priced. I am in complete agreement with him and am offering this program at a price that anyone can afford and that no one will feel excessive. Like SPITFIRE itself, TOTAL RECALL is an exceptional value. In return, I ask that if you find this software to be an asset to your bbs system, that you REGISTER. There is no way that I can continue to produce programs such as TOTAL RECALL if there is no financial reward. I distribute this product UNCRIPPLED and fully functional. The Shareware concept depends on the Honor System. You are granted a license to display this program on ONE BBS system (or NODE) for a period not to exceed 4 weeks. If you wish to continue using Total Recall beyond the 4 week "evaluation" period you must REGISTER this software. Sysops may make the UN-registered version of this software available for download as long as no files are added to the archive and no alterations have been made to any of the enclosed files. Please do not re-name the archive. RECALLxx.zip is the preferred file name and format. BENEFITS OF REGISTRATION....... 1...Elimination of the 15 second delay screen. 2...Free tech support. (including VOICE support) 3...Registered version displays your BBS NAME. 4...A "warm-fuzzy" feeling for doing "the right thing". To register this software please refer to the enclosed registration form (Register.frm). Persons registering this software will be provided a special "key file" to be placed in the TOTAL RECALL directory. HOW TO REACH US --------------------- SNAIL MAIL.......... Robert Arguello 2124 E 8th St. Davis, Ca. 95616 INTERNET EMAIL.......Robert.Arguello@24stex.com (Robert DOT Arguello AT 24stex DOT com) NOTE... The above internet address won't be valid untill March 1, 1996 wl-robert-ctt@society.com (wl DASH robert DASH ctt AT Society DOT com) NOTE... The above internet address is valid but not as reliable. (That's why I am adding a new internet provider :) ). SUPPORT BBS......... Bogetty's BBS (14.4) (916) 739-8044 Sacramento, Ca. (Email to Robert Arguello) The above bbs runs a single node of Spitfire and can be difficult to get online. It is a very popular bbs! You may obtain the latest version of TOTAL RECALL and receive tech support and/or answers to questions regarding TOTAL RECALL by leaving E-mail for Robert Arguello. You may also see TOTAL RECALL in action in Bogetty's Door Area. SUPPORT BBS......... 24th Street Exchange 35 lines (28.8) (916) 448-2483 Telnet 24stex.com Sacramento, Ca. (Email to Robert Arguello NOTE... The above bbs will not be active as a distribution/support site untill March 1, 1996 24th Street Exchange is a 35 line TBBS system and cannot run TOTAL RECALL. You can, however obtain the latest version of TOTAL RECALL there and reach the author via E-mail. To download TOTAL RECALL from 24th Street exchange log onto the bbs at the above number and sign on as a new caller if you do not already have an account there. Then go to the "FILE ROOM" and select the "New Caller Free Area". You will find the latest version of TOTAL RECALL there. SFnet .............. ROUTED PRIVATE MESSAGES ONLY to Robert Arguello at BBS NODE ID A0916000 VOICE............... Provided to registered clients INSTALLATION ------------------ Spitfire BBS system utilizing E-mail Feature At this point, (v4.0), TOTAL RECALL will generate e-mail messages for SPITFIRE bbs systems only. Other bbs systems can use the LOGON message capabilities of TOTAL RECALL. STEP 1..... CREATE DOOR DIRECTORY: The first step is to create a directory for TOTAL RECALL to live in and place the TOTAL RECALL files into that directory. Be sure to include the file named spitfire.cfg. STEP 2..... EDIT/CREATE BBS BATCH FILE Some BBS systems provide a "master" batch file for doors, (Spitfire for example uses a file named SF.BAT), other systems require "stand-alone" batch files for each door entry. Here is a SAMPLE entry for SF.BAT ...... :DOOR A cd\RECALL <------ Change to door dir RECALL <------ Command line..See Note #1 cd\sf <------ Return to BBS dir GOTO LOOP <------ Reboot the BBS The above example assumes your DOOR DIRECTORY is named C:\RECALL and that your BBS system files are in a directory named C:\SF. Obviously, you may need to alter these lines to reflect your directory names. NOTE #1 ..... Multi-node configurations may need to specify individual configuration files for each node on the command line using the -c switch. i.e... Recall -c recall2.cfg STEP 3..... EDIT BBS DOOR MENU TO SHOW "TOTAL RECALL" STEP 4..... EDIT NIGHTLY MAINTAINANCE EVENT. TOTAL RECALL generates and sends e-mail messages during the nightly maintanance event. Simply edit a SPITFIRE event as follows. :EVENT A CD\RECALL RECALL -M CD\SF SF GOTO LOOP As you can see, the "event" entry in the SF.BAT file is virtually the same as the "door" entry. Please note the -m switch added to the command line. STEP 5..... You will need to edit the recall.cfg file to reflect your systems filepaths. You may also need to edit the spitfire.cfg file which contains the paths to your systems message and work directorys. TO INSTALL "TOTAL RECALL" ON A SPITFIRE BOARD WITH "LOGON MESSAGES". ------------------------------------------------------------------------ You can optionally install TOTAL RECALL to send LOGON messages to your callers instead of e-mail messages. You will need to install TOTAL RECALL as a door in the same manner described above, however you will omit the nightly maintanance event and instead write a small batch file called sflogon.bat. Sflogon.bat should contain the following lines.... cd\recall recall -s Please note the -s switch on the command line. Sflogon.bat must reside in your main bbs directory. INSTALLING "TOTAL RECALL" ON NON-SPITFIRE BBS SYSTEMS --------------------------------------------------------- As noted before, TOTAL RECALL will work on virtually any bbs system. On non-spitfire systems, (Pcboard, Wildcat, etc.) TOTAL RECALL cannot (at this time), send e-mail reminders to your callers. It can however send recalls to your callers via a LOGON message. I will assume that you are familiar with door installation procedures for your particular BBS system. Since Total Recall may be installed on a wide range of BBS systems, it is beyond the scope of this document to provide BBS specific instructions. For SPECIFIC information regarding door installation on your BBS system, please review your BBS sysop documentation. I also assume that you are familiar with DOS commands. You simply install TOTAL RECALL on your system as you would any door program. Refer to the SPITFIRE Installation instructions for the commands to include in your door batch file(s). Most bbs systems provide a logon batch file, (spitfire uses a file named sflogon.bat). Create a logon batch file for YOUR particular bbs system. The file should contain these two lines. cd\recall <--------- or whatever dir TOTAL RECALL is installed recall -s <--------- Command line with the -s switch COMMAND LINE SWITCHES ------------------------- -M ....... Used for nightly "maintanance" event. -S ....... Used for LOGON or tartup messages. -C ....... Used to designate alternate configuration filename. -? ....... Brings up command line option list. SPECIAL SYSOP FEATURES -------------------------- The menu displayed to the "sysop" is an enhanced version of the one displayed to the ordinary caller. Sysop's may use TOTAL RECALL to send messages to other individual callers, groups of callers by security level, or to callers included in pre-defined "mailing lists". I believe that the special functions available to the sysop are self- explanatory, but some explanation of the "mailing list" feature is warranted. To create a "mailing list", first create a simple text file containing the names of the callers you wish to include and give it a legal DOS filename. The names must be listed vertically within the file. Your "mailing list(s)" need to be stored in the TOTAL RECALL directory(s). To send a message to each caller whose name is included in a particular "mailing list", use option #5 from the door menu... "SYSOP ADD EVENTS". When prompted for the "name" of the person to send the recall too, type in the mailing list filename, preceded by an "@" symbol. If your mailing list filename is BOWLERS.TXT you would type in @BOWLERS.TXT. The "@" symbol tells TOTAL RECALL to look for a file in the door directory with the name following the "@" symbol and send an e-mail or logon message to everyone named within the list. You can have as many different mailing list files as you wish. CUSTOMIZING TOTAL RECALL ---------------------------- Please take a look at the RECALL.CFG file..... you will see that there are many features that can be configured to your taste or to your specific needs. I welcome comments/suggestions on additional configuration parameters! If you would like to change any of the configuration options offered within the RECALL.CFG file just enable the option(s), and make sure RECALL.CFG is in the same directory as RECALL.EXE. RECALL.CFG is a simple text file and enabling the options is simply removing the ";" before the appropriate line. Among the options available at this time are...... * Specifying alternate BBS system directory * Specifying alternate DOOR directory * Specifying alternate database directory (useful for Multi-node) * Specifying alternate or MULTIPLE nodes * Setting special SYSOP PAGE HOURS and TIMES * Specifying colors used for CHAT mode * Specifying user interface "personality" * Specifying use of TOTAL RECALL's internal com routines or external fossil driver. And many more.