BBS: special features for BBS sysops
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This document contains the following paragraphs:
- A. Archive conversion (with virus checking)
- B. Multimedia banners
- C. UltraStealth (run UC with only 32k free memory)
- Z. Summary
To jump to a certain paragraph, press the corresponding letter. To
jump to a specific document/chapter, press the corresponding digit.
See chapter 1 paragraph E for an overview of all documentation.
5.A ARCHIVE CONVERSION (WITH VIRUS CHECKING).
=============================================
Conversion of archives to UC archives can be done fully automatic.
Perfect for the event list of your BBS. Conversion includes the
optional calling of one or more virus checking programs. Any virus 424n1323e
checking software can be used. You can define any extraction, checking
or processing software you would like, to be called by UC.
IF EXTRACTION IS NOT PERFECT UC WILL NOT CONVERT!
The convert command
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Command: UC C archives
C is the convert command. ARJ/ZIP/LZH etc. archives are converted
to UC2 archives.
Example: UC C *.ARJ *.ZIP *.ARC
All ARJ, ZIP and ARC archives in the current directory are
converted to UC2 archives.
Command: UC C -S archives
Include archives in subdirectories as well.
Example: UC C -S C:\*.ARJ C:\*.ZIP C:\*.ARC
All ARJ, ZIP and ARC archives on the C: drive (including all its
subdirectories) are converted to UC2 archives.
VOLUME LABELS, BANNERS, MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF A FILE AND COMMENTS
ARE NOT CONVERTED.
The original archive will be deleted by UC (unless the !BAK option
which is described in chapter 8 paragraph E is used).
Customizing archive conversion
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To convert archives to UC archives the original archiver's software
will be used. In the UC package some .BAT files are supplied which
are able to extract all files from different archive types (see
chapter 6 paragraph D).
UC uses advanced swapping techniques to swap UC out of memory while
execution of the BAT files takes place. This assures the archivers
have enough memory available.
Currently supported formats are: AMG, ARC, ARJ, HA, HPK, HYP, LZH,
PAK, RAR, SQZ, ZIP and ZOO.
UC conversion also supports the 'UCN' format. This format is
exactly the same as UC2, but it denotes 'N'ew files. It can be
used to mark files new to your BBS, allowing 'conversion' to UC2
archives. This is useful since conversion can also include virus
scanning etc..
Virus checking during conversion
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When you activate virus checking (see chapter 6 paragraph A item E)
during conversion, the file U2_CHECK.BAT is used. In this batch
file virus scanners are called. If you want another virus scanner
to be used, or use more scanners in the check, you are free to
change the file U2_CHECK.BAT. Just be sure the virus scanner called
is available on your system. Default U2_CHECK calls McAfee and
F-Prot.
(See chapter 6 paragraph D.)
Automatic changes during conversion
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The supplied U2_XTRA.BAT file can be used to make automatic changes
to archives contents during their conversion. Such a change could
include the addition of multimedia banners. The U2_XTRA.BAT file as
being distributed with UC does nothing at all, but can be adapted
to do anything you like. The U2_XTRA.BAT file contains (disabled)
sample code for adding banners to archives during their conversion.
(See chapter 6 paragraph D.)
5.B MULTIMEDIA BANNERS.
=======================
UC gives you the opportunity to add (multimedia) banners to archives.
Five file types are supported:
U$~BAN.GIF GIF image
U$~BAN.JPG JPEG image
U$~BAN.MOD MOD music files (playable with e.g. Modplay)
U$~BAN.TXT Standard text (will be integrated in UC output)
U$~BAN.ASK Special file (determines if UC2 asks 'Continue?'
after showing/playing the banners. The content of
this file is of no importance.)
If you want to add a banner to an archive, you will have to specify
the banner file explicitly. No wild cards can be used, e.g. 'UC A arch
U$~BAN.*' will not work.
Example: UC A arch U$~BAN.TXT
A text banner is added to the archive arch.
You can add multiple banner files (e.g. U$~BAN.GIF, U$~BAN.MOD and
U$~BAN.ASK) to a single archive.
The file U2_SHOW.BAT contains the default software to show or play
banners. See chapter 6 paragraph D for more information on this batch
file.
The banners are shown/played when files are extracted from the
archive.
Under 4DOS ~ is sometimes used as 'compound character'. To resolve
conflicts, you can change this with the 4DOS 'SETDOS /C^' command.
5.C ULTRASTEALTH (RUN UC WITH ONLY 32K FREE MEMORY).
====================================================
With help of UltraStealth, you can run UC with only 32 kilobytes of
free memory available.
Suppose you have a huge program (e.g. a word processor or a mailer).
When this huge program has the ability of starting another DOS program
only a small amount of memory will be free. UltraStealth allows you to
have this huge program call UC. To achieve this you need to do two
things:
(1) the (huge) program has to be started with US (UltraStealth)
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Just put US in front of the normal command you use to start the
(huge) program. So if the normal command is:
bigprog /a /q
You now have to use:
US bigprog /a /q
(2) use UUC instead of UC
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Instead of calling UC from your (huge) program, you should call
UUC. UUC behaves exactly like UC. The only difference is that US
and UUC together solve the memory problem the (huge) program
causes.
It is also possible to start US with no command behind it. In this
case the DOS command processor (command.com) is started and UUC can be
used anytime. The command processor (and US) can be stopped with the
EXIT command.
When UUC is called, while US is not active, UUC starts UC anyway. In
this case there is no difference in the amount of memory needed for
UUC and for UC.
US and UUC together use about 32k of free memory, most of this will be
claimed by US.
Due to the complex nature of UltraStealth, it is recommended you
test-drive UltraStealth thoroughly in your specific environment before
you start using it.
5.Z (BBS) SUMMARY.
==================
UC C *.ARJ *.ZIP *.LZH
Convert archives to UC archives.
US <command>
Executes <command> and installs UltraStealth (needed to use UUC)
UUC ...
Exactly the same as UC, but much less memory is needed. Will only
work with a small amount of memory if UltraStealth is active.
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