                                                  
                                                              
                                                  
                                                               
                                               



                                       by

                              BulletProof Software

                            Copyright 1995 Eric Huss




Introduction

The BulletProof News Generator is a powerful and easy-to-use tool for sysops
running ProBoard 2.01.  It will show the news file to a user if the user has
not been online since it was last updated.  If the user has been online since
it was last updated, then it does nothing.  BP News also has a powerful 
editing facility built in.  This is wonderful for co-sysops who would like
an easy way to edit the news file.  It even includes the ability to change
the color of the news text.  If you do not wish old news to be shown to the
user each time the news file is updated, a filter option has been included
to not show the old news.


Installation

There are a variety of ways that you can install BP News.  The following
is the recommended way to install it.  Copy BPNEWS.PEX into your pex 
directory.  In your TOP.PBM file, insert the following as one of the first
items.  For the hotkey, type a CTRL-A.  This will make sure that BP News 
runs every time a user logs on.  Next, select Function #60 - Run ProBoard 
SDK File.  For the data, enter BPNEWS.
Example PROCFG setup screen:

[ TOP ]ͻ
 0        1         2         3         4         5         6         7     
 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234 
 ; 
                                                                            
 Color    : White on Black             Example Text                         
                                                                            
 Hotkey   :                                                                
 Function : 60 - Run ProBoard SDK File                                      
 Data     : bpnews                                                          
                                                                            
 Min.Level: 0                                                               
 Max.Level: 0                                                               
 Flags    : --------------------------------                                
 Min. Age : 0                          RIPĿ             
 Max. Age : 0                           Show remote    : No               
 Sex      : Don't Care                  Show local     : Yes              
 Time Left: 0                           Reset screen   : Yes              
 Time Onl.: 0                                       
 Timeframe: Fully enabled                                                   
 Min.Speed: 0                                                               
 Max.Speed: 0                                                               
                                                                            
ͼ
AltC-Copy   CtrlP-Paste   AltP-Prompt/RIP   Ins-Insert   Del-Delete   AltS-Show

Next, make a function in your SYSOP menu (or wherever you have your sysop
functions).  Select a hotkey of your choice, select Function # 60 - Run
ProBoard SDK File, and for the data enter BPNEWS S.  The 'S' is a command-
line parameter that tells BP News to enter the SysOp mode.  That's it!
BP News will keep three files in your text files directory.  They are
BPNEWS.ASC, BPNEWS.ANS, BPNEWS.AVT.  These are the files that contain
the news.  An optional thing to do is to put a function on the main menu
that will show the news file to the user in case the user would like to
re-read the information.  Simply make a new function with a hotkey of your
choice, select Function # 15 - Show .A??-file & wait, and for the data
enter BPNEWS.
If you would like BPNEWS to filter out the old news when the user logs on,
for the data part in the TOP.PBM entry, enter BPNEWS F.  The 'F' command
will filter out any old news entries that the user has already seen.

SysOp Functions

Here is a sample screen of the sysop functions:

                        BulletProof News Generator 1.30
                            By BulletProof Software
                           Copyright 1995 Eric Huss

  
                                <A> Add New Item
                                <E> Edit News Item
                                <D> Delete News Item
                                <V> View News File
  
                                <Q> Quit
 
                                Please Select>

Add New Item - This function will add a new news item to the three news
files (BPNEWS.ASC, BPNEWS.ANS, BPNEWS.AVT).  It will prompt you for a title.
Enter in the subject of the news.  Next, you have the choice of using
ProBoard's message editor or to insert a text file to create the text for the
news.  Once completed, the news item will be added to the top of the three 
news files.  This function will automatically insert the current date for the
news item.  Color codes may be included in the message text.  The following
codes are allowed (note: they are CASE SENSITIVE):
\r - Red                          \R - Bright Red
\g - Green                        \G - Bright Green
\y - Yellow                       \Y - Bright Yellow
\b - Blue                         \B - Bright Blue
\m - Magenta (Purple)             \M - Bright Magenta
\c - Cyan (Turquoise)             \C - Bright Cyan
\w - White                        \W - Bright White
\f - Flash On (blink)           
\o - Flash Off

Edit News Item - This function will allow you to edit a pre-existing news
item.  It will list the titles of all the available news items.  Select the
one you would like to edit.  You are then asked if you would like to edit 
the title and the news text.  If you choose to edit the news text, 
ProBoard's message editor will be loaded.  The old news text will be copied 
like a quoted message.  Simply edit to your liking, and save it again.  The
date will NOT be updated in the text, but the file-date WILL be updated, so
the user will again see the newly updated text.  Note:  All color codes are
removed when editing...you must reinsert the old codes manually.

Delete News Item - This function will delete a news item from all three
news files.  It will list the titles of all the available news items.  Select
the one you would like to delete.  It will then automatically delete that
news item from all three news files.

View News File - Simple.  It shows the news file.

Quit - Hmm.  Return to the BBS?


Shareware

This program is NOT free.  You may try it to see if you like it, but I 
ask that you send in the registration if you continue to use it.  
Simply fill out the REGISTER.TXT file included in this archive, and mail
it with $25 to:
Eric Huss
16613 E. 31st Street
Independence, MO  64055

This $25 registration fee will register ALL BulletProof Software PEX files.
You will receive a universal KEY file for ALL BulletProof Software PEX
programs, plus all the latest versions of those programs.

Support

I can be contacted in the following ways:
Internet:  ehuss@FileShop.COM
FidoNet:  Eric Huss   1:280/33
          I can also be found on the FidoNet ProBoard message base.
Snail Mail:
Eric Huss
16613 E. 31st Street
Independence, MO  64055

I will try to answer any messages as soon as possible.

History

Version 1.30 - Fourth release.  1/28/95.
               Filter option added.
               Now converts "soft" return keys to "hard" return keys.  Some
               full screen editors will use an ASCII character 141 as a
               return rather than ASCII 13, 10.
               Totally re-wrote the display routine.
               Totally re-wrote the SysOp editing functions.  They now run
               MUCH faster and are more reliable.  (However, this now
               imposes a 20k limit on the size of the news file.  If your
               news file is larger than 20k, unexpected results will occur.)
               Fixed a minor bug with the color routine in Avatar (once
               it was turned to a bright color, it would not go back to
               normal).
               Tied a few loose ends.
Version 1.20 - Third release.  1/12/95.  
               Aborted messages will now abort the entry of a news item.
               Added the feature to insert text from a file instead of using
               the message editor.
               (Thanks to Tiago Pascoal for informing me of the need for
               the above features!)
               Added color support in the message text.
               NOTE: Known bug:  Occasionally it will add a stray character
               at the end of an entry when editing or adding.  I can't seem
               to isolate when or why.  Maybe next release :)
Version 1.10 - Second release.  11/4/94.  Fixed a minor bug that caused it
               not to show the news file to certain users.
Version 1.00 - First release.  10/30/94  Compiled for ProBoard 2.01.
