PCBoard 15.1 File Description Grabber by Tim Trahan Welcome! Thank you for taking a look at this program. I wrote this after a user requested the ability to download the descriptions to the files he was downloading so that he would be able to tell what it is he downloaded a week from now! After logging on to a BBS using Renegade software, which supports this function internally, I decided it should be possible to do using PCBoard's PPL language in conjunction with Visual Basic. What Does It Do? ---------------- This program will allow the users to download the descriptions to the files in their batch. For instance, say the caller has flagged 5 files and has now hit D to download. The BBS will ask if he/she wants to download the flagged files. After hitting Y for yes, the BBS will prompt for additional files to download. This is where my program comes in. This prompt is replaced by the DNL.PPE program. The DNL.PPE program will display the same prompt, but when the user enters a blank line to continue downloading, he/she will be asked if they would like to download the descriptions. If the user selects yes, then the DNL.PPE program will run FLIST.EXE which scans the list of files the user has selected then scans the board description files and extracts them. It then flags that file for download to the user. The whole process is quick and easy! Why? ---- Why would anyone use this? Well, perhaps this has happened to you. You call out and download several files. Next day, you call and get some more. The files build up in your download directory until one day you go to use one of them. All you got there is a bunch of filenames now! What is what? With this, the user will have description files that he can easily append to a main database and search for description and such. And, in conjunction with my up coming release of a file manager to manage these files, the user will be able to maintain a database on all his files! Cool, How do I Install It? -------------------------- Installation is simple! There are no config files, no setup no nothing, except for modifing one line in the PCBTEXT file! 1. Create a directory to contain the program files. Most sysops create a PPE directory off of the PCB directory, wich would look like: C:\ PCB\ PPE\ 2. I keep the files in a directory called DNL (for download) 3. Next, unzip the archive into your directory. 4. Now, goto your main Pcboard directory, \PCB on most systems. Type in MKPCBTXT GEN\PCBTEXT 5. The PCBoard MKPCBTXT program will load. Hit F3 and type in 496 then enter. Replace the text there with !C:\PCB\PPE\DNL\DNL.PPE and erase any additional text. Naturally, if you choose to locate the program elsewhere, you will have to type in the correct path to it. 6. Hit enter to save it, then hit escape. That's it, it's installed and will work completly unattended! 7. BTW, if you choose not to use the suggested installation direcotry, do NOT install this into your PCB directory, as PCBoard will not let you download files from that directory. Great, How Much to Register? ---------------------------- Registration is only $15.00! Cheap! To register, send a check or money order to: Tim Trahan 1073 Hwy 1 South Greenville, MS 38701 You will receive a disk with your registered copy soon there after! Why Should I Register? ---------------------- Other then just being a nice guy, the main reason for registering is because the program will write you a message nagging you to register every 200 uses of the program. I feel that this is the most un-obtrusive way to get people to register. The program is fully functional and should prove to be usefull to your users. Needless to say, the registered version will not write you messages! For one of the best selections of PPE-S, Unprotects, Docs, and Cheats, call my BBS at The Motherlode BBS 601-332-4827 - Nodes 1-4 USR HST DS 16.8 with Call Ring Down 601-332-5055 - Nodes 5-7 USR Sportster 14.4 with Call Ring Down If you don't wish to register, still call up and let me know your using it! Thanks!