FIDO-FAM Version 5.0 Highlights
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- Except as noted below, FIDO-FAM Version 5 works exactly the
same as Version 3.
- FIDO-FAM now uses either FIDO.SYS (Fido Ver 12) or SYSTEMnn.BBS
(Fido Ver 11 and Opus) for file area path information. FIDO-FAM
uses whichever it finds (it looks for FIDO.SYS first).
- A new command line parameter: 'L' may be used when running
FIDO-FAM locally. LOCAL mode writes directly to video memory
for very fast display. Local mode also restores original
colors, and requires PC-DOS or an equivalent. The default is
non-local mode - uses DOS for I/O which allows redirection
through the COM ports. DON'T USE LOCAL MODE WHEN RUNNING
FIDO-FAM REMOTELY.
- The 'R' parameter has been replaced with the 'L' parameter
(was: estore original colors - now: ocal mode).
- A new 'Z' parameter supresses EOF chars in FILES.BBS (and
DIR.BBS if applicable). The default is to end those files with
the EOF char - ^Z.
- A new 'H' parameter supports OPUS 1.1 which uses HEX values for
the 'nn' in 'SYSTEMnn.BBS'. If an invalid 'nn' value is found,
that SYSTEMnn.BBS file is ignored (in either decimal or hex
mode). This means if you have HEX SYSTEMnn.BBS files and forget
the 'H', the files which contain Alpha values will not appear,
and the valid decimal files will be shown in decimal. Files
which are neither valid decimal or hex will never appear.
FIDO-FAM will always display and use the DECIMAL value for all
file areas (ie: SYSTEM19.BBS will be Area 25 on the FIDO Area
Selection menu when in HEX mode, Area 19 in Decimal mode).
- The 'K' parameter is no longer supported. It was a kludge work
around for non-buffered Com Drivers. All the popular drivers
are now buffered.
- Just for completeness, here is a summary of command line
parameters:
A = Adopt all orphans
B = no .BAK files generated
(new) C = Check last caller - AreaMgr mode
(Fido Ver 12 only - described below)
D = show file Dates
(new) H = use HEX for the 'nn' in 'SYSTEMnn.BBS'
(for OPUS Ver 1.1)
I = make Insert mode the default for editing lines
(was R) L = Local mode (fast video, restores colors)
N = No color
(new) Z = no ^Z at end of FILES.BBS (or DIR.BBS)
anything else is a Path to the system files except:
SEND ... TO ... (which works the same as in version 3)
- Hitting ESC will abort any input or operation in the Area
Editor.
- The input to the Mark/Unmark and Sort (B, X, S) commands of the
Area Editor has been modified a bit. The initial response may
be either a single line number, or a range. For instance,
entering the 'B' command will get you:
Mark line [..line] xx (xx is the current line number)
You may respond with a single number, two numbers, or simply
hit RETURN. If the input is a single number, or RETURN, you
will be prompted for the last number in the desired range. If
the input was two numbers (separated by any non-numeric chars)
that range is used. You may enter an overly large number
(ie: 9999) for the high end if you want the range to go to the
end (but don't know/remember what that number is!). Invalid
input (ie: first > last) is ignored and the operation is
aborted.
- Comment lines may begin with the ESC char (for ANSI strings) or
the '%' char (for some new FIDO 12 display commands). You no
longer need to put a space as the very first char in these
types of comments.
- Comment lines containing ANSI ESC sequences may now be edited.
The ESC char is temporarily replaced by a Tilde (~) for
editing. Tildes may be entered in editing, and will be
translated back to ESC when editing is complete. The char which
replaces the ESC may be changed by using a FIDO-FAM.CFG file -
discussed below. NOTE: the replacement char must be a
displayable ANSI character (!..~) and one that you don't use in
your comments (since it will be replaced).
- The limitation that Comments containing ANSI ESC sequences be
less than 79 chars long has been eliminated. The line editor
will allow you to create a comment up to 127 characters long.
If a comment does NOT contain the ESC char, FIDO-FAM truncates
the comment to 79 chars to avoid wrap around on the BBS
display.
If the comment contains the ESC char it will not be truncated
by FIDO-FAM and the user is responsible to avoid wrap arounds
in the BBS display. FIDO-FAM always truncates the display of
comments, so you cannot use the FIDO-FAM display to determine
if wrap around will occur.
NOTE: when in REMOTE mode a 'full width' comment which contains
ESC sequences will not display the full width across the
screen. This is because FIDO-FAM does not attempt to eliminate
ESC sequences from its count of chars to be displayed. If, for
example, a comment contains a 5 char ESC sequence (ESC[33m) and
the comment is actually the full width of the screen, FIDO-FAM
will display it 5 chars narrower than the width of the screen.
The full comment may be seen by using the line editor.
- An improperly terminated DOS Environment no longer causes
FIDO-FAM a problem. OPUS users no longer have to 'game the
system' with unneeded environment strings.
- The FAMOVL environment string is not used in version 5. This
version of FIDO-FAM is not overlayed. The program still uses
about 160K of memory (program, data, and heap). The code size
is bigger, but a new data structure has been implemented which
doesn't need as much memory/heap to do the same job.
- Dynamically add Temporary File Areas. There are two situations
where an Area number may be input:
1) Area display menu (where you select the area to be
Edited)
2) Under the Move commands ('M' or '#').
FIDO-FAM allows a you to dynamically add a new Area by simply
entering an Area number which does not already exist.
If you are using SYSTEMnn.BBS files to define Area Paths, a
non-existent Area number is any number in the range 0 to 99
which does not appear on the Area Selection Menu.
If you are using FIDO.SYS to define Area Paths, FIDO-FAM allows
for five (5) additional Areas. This number can be changed by
using a FIDO-FAM.CFG file (discussed below).
When you enter a non-existent Area number, you will be prompted
to keyin the path to use for that area. If you specify a
non-existent directory, you will be given the opportunity to
have it created. You can, of course, ESC from this process at
any point.
Added Areas are displayed differently in an Areas Display, to
remind you that they were dynamically added. Other than that,
they operate the same as any other Area.
NOTE: If you add Areas under the Move or # command within the
Area Editor, those Areas only exist while editing that Area.
When you Quit the editor they will NOT appear in the Area list.
- If a file named FIDO-FAM.CFG is found in the same directory
where the system files are found, it will be processed to allow
a number of user-defineable configurations:
- Colors. If you want to paint mustaches on my Mona Lisa,
here's your chance. The defaults are the colors FIDO-FAM
has been using.
- The char used to replace the ESC char while editing
comments. The default is the Tilde (~).
- The number of additional Areas which can be dynamically
added when using FIDO.SYS. The default is 5.
- Any of the command line options. NOTE: the .CFG file is
processed FIRST, the FAM-OPT environment variable is
processed SECOND, and the arguments on the command line
are processed LAST.
The file DEFAULT.CFG is provided to show you how the
FIDO-FAM.CFG file must look. The comments make the file self
explanatory (hopefully). Use any text editor to modify as
desired. The name of an item (on the left side of the '=') must
remain exactly as shown to be recognized (caps and spacing).
Invalid data is ignored. The order of items is immaterial. If
you want the default for any item you may remove it from the
.CFG file if you like (saves processing time).
- The 'C' command line parameter for FIDO Version 12 users:
Control the File Areas 'visible' to File Area Managers
(Assistant Sysops) who are authorized to use the Outside or
Exit commands of FIDO. This is the Check Caller feature.
When FIDO-12 exits to DOS it has recorded in FIDO.SYS the
CALLER.SYS record number of the last (current) caller.
With the Check Caller feature active, FIDO-FAM will look-up the
last logged-in caller in the CALLER.SYS file. That user's
Priviledge level and Keys are checked against each File Area's
priviledge required, and Locks. Only qualified File Areas are
made available for editing with FIDO-FAM. If the user has SYSOP
priviledges, no restrictions apply.
Furthermore, in Check Caller mode the ability to define
temporary areas and the 'dosCmd' command are disabled. This
feature allows the Sysop to give certain users the ability to
do file maintenance without giving them total access to the
system.
This feature should only be used when an ON-LINE user exits
Fido. The Batch file which gets control should invoke FIDO-FAM
with the 'C' parameter (and others as desired). Following the
call to FIDO-FAM the batch file can invoke the RELOGIN feature
of Fido 12 to allow the user back on to the BBS quicker and
easier.
If the 'C' parameter is used locally while no user is logged
on, FIDO-FAM will be using the info from the last logged on
caller.
- FIDO-FAM is now being distributed as SHAREWARE. The
Registration fee is $25.00. Send to:
Dennis Glaeser
3016 Country Knoll Dr.
St. Charles, MO 63303
User support will continue to be provided through Fido 100/10,
or by calling or writing me directly.
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