Hello Again,

Well, I got a few more features added to DATADOOR.EXE and DDCONFIG.EXE
this past week. The door now supports multiple File Groups and multiple
File Areas. A little tricky, but not too bad. Plus, DATADOOR.CFG is no
longer a text file. As a matter of fact, there are no more text files in
this program to edit. Well, I guess the DATA.CTL is still a text file,
but you can edit it with DDCONFIG.EXE if you want to. It's easier to
understand if you do it that way. I am also getting a few minor bugs
worked out along the way, I just figured I'll live with the little bugs
until I get the program components cooperating with each other. I also
eliminated 3 of the menus because of the changes I have made to the
data file structures. The original plan was to allow 256 CD's, 256 Data
Tapes, and 256 Hard/Floppy Disks. I have totally changed the format of
this program's limits all together. The DataDoor will now allow 65,535
File Groups with a maximum of 65,535 File Areas in each File Group.
You will now create a File Group and define its media type or Device
Type at the time of creation. See the Basic Set Up section for more
information on this.

Now the best news of all. BBS Utiliteez Software now has a support
conference on ExileNet. If you are interested in becoming an official
Beta Tester for BBS Utiliteez Software, see the end of this document
for requirements and details. All Beta Testers can now get technical
support by echo mail which will work out better for all of us. Doing
the netmail thing all the time is getting way too expensive. ExileNet
is headed by Rachelle Warren (SysOp) of Code Of Silence in Anderson
Indiana, my Number One Beta Tester. She was my first tester, my best
friend and my inspiration to carry on programming, so she will always
be referred to as my Number One Beta Tester. I can't even begin to count
all the favors she's done for me, so I owe her BIG TIME. That's part of
the reason I HAVE to finish this door.  ;)

--------------------------------[ Basic Set Up ]--------------------------------

Installation is pretty straight forward. You don't have to create any
directories yourself, DDCONFIG.EXE will do it for you. Well, I guess
I lied again, you'll have to create a C:\DATADOOR or D:\DATADOOR. You
can put the door in any directory you want, so long as you edit the
directories in the BBS Interface menu to reflect the correct home
directory. You are gonna want to delete the previous version because
none of the data files in previous versions will work. Until I reach
Beta 2.0, all updates are going to require a complete re-installation
because of the changing data file structures. When I am comfortable
with the structure of all of these files, I will send out an upgrade
package so you won't have to constantly reconfigure everything.

Creating File Groups and File Areas is pretty simple. You simply go to
the File Groups/Areas menu, and select Add/Edit Groups first. You will
have to answer Yes when asked to add a File Group. Just enter the name
of the Group and Device Type then hit <ENTER>. The Device Type is a two
character identifier for the type of storage media for that group. The
identifiers are CD for CD-ROM, DT for DataTape, and HD for Hard Disk or
offline Floppy Disks. DDCONFIG.EXE will automatically create the new
directory and index for that File Group (CD). The last field, ID File,
is a file on the CD or HD to locate for identification purposes. When
The DataDoor is fired up, it will search for all ID Files, if the file
isn't found, the next ID File in GROUPS.CFG will be sought until The
DataDoor has reached the end of the list. This is how The DataDoor
determines what disks or online and offline. Not all Shareware CD's
have volume labels, so I chose to use files as disk identifiers. Make
sure this file doesn't exist on any other disks!

After you do that, select Add/Edit Areas. Select Add A New Area and you
will see a new window. It will show you the current File Group at the top,
below that you will be prompted to enter a New File Area Name. Below that,
you will enter the path to the files and FILES.BBS you wish to import. After
you enter that, you will be asked if you want to create a new database where
you will answer Yes. A new window will pop up and you will see the files
import. Simply repeat this process for every new disk File Area you wish to
import. You can use alternate paths and file names for description files if
your disk does not use FILES.BBS. The description file will need to follow
the PCBoard standard format for FILES.BBS, or have the description start at
column 34, or have a pipe symbol (|) two spaces before the file description
starts. Sorry, only multiline description files are supported. The single
line, 255 character wide FILES.BBS is not supported since there are very,
very, very few companies who still use this format.

Since this door is still in the Beta testing stages, I won't go any
further into the operations and setup of things. I don't think there
is much more to cover at this point. Just go ahead and wander around
in the door and the configuration program and see what else may have
been added.


                                             Talk to you again soon!



--------------------[ How To Become An Official Beta Tester ]-------------------

Becoming an official Beta Tester for BBS Utiliteez Software is pretty simple
and doesn't require any investment. Requirements are minimal and so are the
number of openings for Beta Testers. So if you want in on this....ACT NOW !!

Here's what you will need:   1. A Fido compatible front end mailer.
                             2. Join ExileNet, No Exceptions Made.....
                             3. A fully operational/reliable BBS.
                             4. Some way to support a JAM, Hudson, Ezy,
                                or Squish message base. `OR' the ability
                                to convert Fido *.MSG messages to your
                                existing message base format so that
                                any messages created by the program
                                under test can be sent to your users.
                             5. Complete BETATEST.APP and EXILE.APP then
                                netmail both of them to Rachelle Warren
                                at 21:2121/0@ExileNet.Org.

All information related to ExileNet is included in the file EX¯LENET.ZIP
contained in this archive. After you have been assigned your ExileNet node
number and I have been notified, you will receive your key files by netmail.
Programs by BBS Utiliteez Software require a key to enable all features and
will not work properly without a key. Features such as Bulletin Creation,
Message Tossing, File Transfers, and Score Keeping will be disabled as well
as limiting the maximum number of users to the door without a key.

-----------------------------[ For Non-Beta Testers ]---------------------------

If you are not interested in becoming a Beta Tester and want to see all of
the features in action, you can download a 10 Day Test Drive Key from my BBS
by calling (308)762-2239. Go to the FILE MENU and select the Key Generator
Door to create and download your Test Drive Key. If you want to purchase a
Permanent Key, complete the REGISTER.APP and send it to me via snail mail
along with your check or money order. After the check or money order clears,
you can call my BBS and download your key from your Personal File Box at the
FILE MENU. Checks can take up to 10 days to clear.....

--------------------------[ How To Contact The Author ]-------------------------

Larry Athey
Owner: BBS Utiliteez Software
SysOp: The Other Side BBS
    BBS #: (308)762-2239
Message #: (308)762-5822
1239 Cheyenne
Alliance, NE, 69301
FidoNet  : 1:293/648
GR-Net   : 699:1009/0
ExileNet : 21:2121/6
A.F.N.   : 3856:5900/70
Internet : larry.athey@f648.n293.z1.fidonet.org

