NETWATCH v 3.6b April 3, 1993 A Wildcat Utility From Shawn McGill The IMPROV BBS Louisville, KY (502) 893-8102 USR/DS 16800 (Requires BRUN45.EXE In The Path) INTRODUCTION: Somehow, with the advent of WC version 3.x, I found myself deluged with networks. At the present time, I hub two nets, and participate in six or seven more. All this got a bit confusing, and I decided I wanted to at least be able to keep track of mail activity that came in and out through TNET. NetWatch was born. Basically, all it does is parses the TNET log that is created each time TNET runs. I use the verbose log setting, and if you want to run NetWatch, you should, too. This setting is in each HUB.CFG file for each board you call out to. It then creates a summary screen (with all the appropriate @-Codes), showing all your messages to and from your hubs. NetWatch looks for the "TNET HIGH" line in the log file, so it knows it has come to the end of the activity for that particular hub. If you run your mail as I do, you first EXPORT, then IMPORT, and lastly, you HIGH. As far as I know, this is the only way to run your mail. When NetWatch sees the entry for HIGH, it knows it's read all the lines for that HUB for that run, and writes the results and the date out to a .DAT file for that HUB. Then it keeps on reading until it gets to the end of the file. All you need do is tell NetWatch where the TNET log file is, and where you want to put the resulting summary screen. INSTALLATION: Create a directory for NetWATCH, and unzip all the files in this archive into it. You must then edit the following files: NetWatch.CFG NetWatch.CFG contains two lines: The full path to your TNET log file The full path to the display file you want created A typical NetWatch.CFG might look like this: C:\WC30\TNET.LOG C:\WC30\DISP\HELLO1.BBS Please note that the TNET log file is designated in the hub configuration file for each hub. Wherever you have designated as the logfile setting is where you find the log file. NetWatch.DEF The NetWatch.DEF file contains the following: Each line consists of the HUB name, followed by your description of the network you get there. The HUB name will be the name of the QWK packet you get from the HUB. For example, callers to my system get a network we call CatLink, and they get their mail in a packet calles IMPROV.QWK. For them, the line would read: IMPROV,CatLink Network The HUB name, separated from the net description with a comma. No Space is needed between the two. You will need a similar line in the DEF file for each HUB you call for mail. If you call three hubs, then you will have three such lines in your NetWatch.DEF file, one for each HUB. HUBNAME.DAT You must create a DAT file for each HUB you call (there will be a .DAT file to match each line in NETWATCH.DEF). If your NETWATCH.DEF file contains two lines: IMPROV,The CatLink Network TGC,KYANA WildCat Network for example, you would then have to create two DAT files, one called TGC.DAT and one called IMPROV.DAT. As in the DEF file above, the name of the DAT file for each HUB is the same as the name of the QWK packet you get from that HUB when you call to download mail. Each DAT file contains eleven lines. For example, IMPROV.DAT would resemble this: IMPROV (The HUB name. This matches the name of the QWK packet) 01-01-80 (a date from which to start. NetWatch will update on 1st run) 12:00am (a date from which to start. NetWatch will update on 1st run) 01-04-1993 (Last time a monthly reset was done. NetWatch will update) 01-01-1993 (Last time a yearly reset was done. NetWatch will update) 0 (Msgs imported last mail run. NetWatch will update on 1st run) 0 (Month-to-date imported messages. NetWatch will update each run) 0 (Year-to-Date imported messages. NetWatch will update each run) 0 (Msgs exported last mail run. NetWatch will update on 1st run) 0 (Month-to-date exported messages. NetWatch will update each run) 0 (Year-To-Date exported messages. NetWatch will update each run) All you need to do is create this file for each HUB you call, and NetWatch will keep them updated as it runs. Please use the date formats as shown in the example above! ONE OF THESE DAT FILES MUST EXIST FOR EACH HUB YOU CALL!!!!! HOW TO RUN NETWATCH: I have had good success running NetWatch in each mailrun.bat file. For my mail run to MSI for the MSI SupportNet conferences, I use a batch file called MUSTMAIL.BAT, and I found that running NetWatch immediately after the line where I call "TNET HIGH MUSTANG" works very well. Since I put Netwatch in it's own directory called C:\NetWatch, on the next line after the line that runs TNET HIGH, I CD\NETWATCH, then NETWATCH NETWATCH.CFG That's about all there is to it! ADVANTAGES OF REGISTRATION: The unregistered version you have here will only run until 6/1/93. The registered version includes month-to-date and year-to-date message totals on the display screen, and there are also routines that automatically zero-out the month-to-date counters on the first of each month, and ones that zero out the year-to-date counters on New Years Day. In the evaluation version, these features are disabled. After a reasonable evaluation time, you must either register it, or delete it from use on your system. Registration is $25.00. When you complete the registration form, I will pre-register you on my BBS, and make your registered version available for you to download when it's ready. Future updates will also be made available for you to download as they are released. It'll be up to you to call in from time to time to check for updates. 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. HISTORY: Version 3.6 was released on March 27, 1993, and is the first public release. Version 3.6b was released on April 4, 1993. I added a little more checking to update the MTD and YTD message counters. This required adding the two extra fields to the HUBNAME.DAT files. If you're running version 3.6, please consult the section above that deals with the format of the DAT files, because it has changed. SUPPORT I will support this program through my BBS, The IMPROV at (502) 893-8102 (USR/DS/16800). I am a member of ThrobNet (known as "Al Bundy"). I also call the MSI Support Board on a regular basis and echo the MSI conferences. ------------------------------ Tear off Here ---------------------------------- NetWatch Registration v 3.5 Your Name:________________________________________ BBS NAME:____________________________________ BBS PHONE:___________________________________ Mailing Address:______________________________________________ City:_____________________________________ State:_____________________ Date:_______/_______/________ Please enter a name so I can pre-register you on my BBS. I check my P.O.Box about once a week, so be patient... .. I will have your copy ready for download the next day after I receive this form and your payment. NAME:_____________________________________ PASSWORD:_________________________________ D.O.B:_______/_______/_______ Registration: $20.00 Please check one: Check_____ Money Order_______ Make Payable to: Shawn McGill NetWatch Registrations P.O.Box 6148 Louisville, KY 40207 Thanks for supporting Shareware!