
       Synchronet Multinode BBS Software  Vesion 2.00a  Release Notes
       ==============================================================


       This document was created on 06/06/94 as a general response to
       the most frequently asked questions and comments regarding the
       Synchronet v2.00a release on 06/02/94.


       Registration Key File
       ---------------------
       Version 2 requires a different key file from version 1c (to run
       unregistered). If your original purchase of Synchronet was on 
       or after August 27th 1993, you can call our BBS and download a 
       version 2 key file for your current node license from the 
       Synchronet Upgrade Door. You cannot use the "Guest" account 
       to download a key file. If your original Synchronet purchase
       was before August 27th 1993, you will need to send in an 
       order form. Download V20ORDER.TXT from our BBS for the pricing
       and details.


       PCMS and Baja
       -------------
       PCMS stands for Programmable Command and Menu Structure. It is
       the technology implemented in version 2 that allows the sysop 
       a high level of customization of the user interface. It also 
       allows third parties to develop add-ons or replacement command
       shells for the BBS. A command shell is the over-all look and 
       feel of the BBS. Six command shells were included with the 
       release of Version 2 - Classic Synchronet, Synchronet Novice, 
       and emulations of Wildcat, PCBoard, MajorBBS, and Renegade. 
       Expect to see more command shells and add-on modules for PCMS
       in the future from Digital Dynamics and other developers.

       Baja is the language and compiler included with Synchronet 
       used to create Command Shells and Modules for Synchronet. 
       Baja will convert a text source file (.SRC) into a binary 
       executable (.BIN) to use with Synchronet as either a command 
       shell or plug-in module.

       Command shells are added via SCFG->Command Shells. Mmodules 
       are added by editing a command shell source file (.SRC) and 
       adding an EXEC_BIN line to load and execute a module. Brief 
       information about the instructions and functions available 
       via Baja are availble in the file DOCS\BAJA.DOC. This file 
       is just a preliminary reference. A complete user guide is 
       in the works and will be available for download soon.


       Message Base
       ------------
       The version 2 message base is more than just a disk-space saver.
       It is a technical achievement that will remain reliable and 
       extensible as an e-mail storage format for many years to come.
       Development of the version 2 message base started almost one 
       year ago after close examination and experimentation with 
       other message formats (including Hudson, JAM, and Squish). 
       It was not our desire to introduce yet another format if one 
       existed already that was extensible and reliable enough. 
       Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately) such a format didn't 
       exist until the formalization of the Synchronet Message Base

       (SMB) specification in January of this year.

       SMB is a public specification that exceeds the capabilities 
       of any other standard message base format (we could find) and
       then some. It is fast, reliable, and extensible. We spent 
       considerable energy writing an 80 page technical specification
       and 34 function royalty free C library for other developers 
       to utilize. It is only a matter of time before the developers
       of editors, EchoMail programs, off-line mail doors, network 
       gateways, etc. get wind of SMB and add support into their 
       product line. The first and foremost of such developers is 
       Merlin Systems - developing a UUCP/Internet Gateway for SMB
       (913-441-1336 voice). Please help out the developers of the 
       products you use (GEcho, FrontDoor, D'bridge, GoldEd, 
       BlueWave, etc) and encourage them to add support for SMB. 
       To help them out even further, download SMB_111.ZIP (the spec
       and programmers' library) and send it to them. We encourage
       developers to call us voice if they have questions about SMB
       or need assistance. Complete source code to conversion 
       programs for QWK, Fido, UUCP, and Synchronet v1c formats are
       included free - as well as the source to CHKSMB and SMBUTIL. 
       Which brings me to an important note regarding SMBUTIL.


       SMBUTIL
       -------
       If you are upgrading from version 1 of Synchronet, you will 
       need to add the following to SCFG->External Programs->Timed
       Events:

       Start-up Dir : ..\DATA
       Command line : %!smbutil mp100 mail subs\*.shd

       The event needs to be set to run EXCLUSIVELY. This will 
       maintain (delete over-the-max and out-dated messages) and pack
       the message base (to conserve disk space). Your message bases 
       will exceed the maximum you have specified in SCFG, but will 
       be trimmed back down when this event is run. The internal code
       used for the event is not significant. If you have a lot of large
       capacity message areas (1000 msgs+), you may want to reduce the 
       amount of time the event spends packing by changing the "mp100"
       portion of the above command line to "mp500" or "mp1000". This
       will not conserve as much disk space in general, but will 
       cause the event to run quicker by not packing message bases 
       that will not benefit much (save much space) if compressed.
       The "p100" or "p500" specifies to only pack a message base 
       if 100k or 500k respectively, can be saved. If you want the
       message base to be packed even if only 50 bytes can be saved,
       change the parameter to "mp". If nothing can be saved by 
       packing, SMBUTIL will not pack the message base.

       Original installers of v2.00a, should change SCFG->External 
       Programs->Timed Events->MSGMAINT to be configured as 
       mentioned above.

       The utility MSGPURGE included with version 1c is obsolete and
       should not be used with Version 2 (just delete MSGPURGE.EXE).
       If you were using MSGPURGE to speed up your message imports 
       via your QNET or other batch file, you no longer need this 
       and can delete any reference to MSGPURGE.

       Also, when you create new message sub-boards, you'll probably
       want to change the storage format to "Fast Allocation" from 
       self-packing. There is no advantage to using Self-Packing 
       method for only some sub-boards and the 1CTO20 conversion 
       utility set all your existing sub-boards to "Fast Allocation".
       "Fast Allocation" will be the default storage format in future
       releases of SCFG. The "Self-Packing" storage format is slower
       at importing, but convserves disk space immediately (rather 
       than waiting until the event). It should only be used on systems
       where up-time (non-event time) is more critical than the speed
       of importing messages.


       Mail
       ----
       In version 2, mail is not immediately deleted when you hit 
       the 'D' key. Instead it is marked as deleted (denoted after 
       the "ATTR:" portion of the message header) and can be un
       -deleted by hitting 'D' again until you exit mail-read mode, 
       when the message is physically deleted (and cannot be 
       undeleted).


       Doors from the Main and Transfer Menus
       --------------------------------------
       The main and transfer command options were removed from the 
       online external program (door) configuration in SCFG in 
       version 2. To add external programs and main menu commands 
       in version 2, you must edit the appropriate menu file (e.g. 
       TEXT\MENU\MAIN.ASC) and then add the command to the shell (.SRC).

       Example:

       cmdkey $
	     exec_xtrn DTELLER
       end_cmd

       The exec_xtrn command executes an external program specified
       by its internal code (as listed in SCFG) - "DTELLER" is used
       in the above example for the '$' command.

       After making any changes to a command shell source file (.SRC),
       you must recompile with Baja to create the executable binary 
       file (.BIN).


       Sysop Commands
       --------------
       When "Hot Keys" are disabled from the User Defaults, the ";" 
       commands work in a strange way. You must hit ';', then enter,
       then type the command (e.g.  MEM, UPLOAD, DOS, etc.) or you 
       can fix the problem by editing the file EXEC\DEFAULT.SRC 
       with a text editor and change the following:

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       :str_cmds
       getstrupr 40
       logstr
       ------------------------------------------------------------

       To this:

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       :str_cmds
       compare_user_misc COLDKEYS
       if_true
	     shift_str 1
       else
	     getstrupr 40
	     end_if
       logstr
       ------------------------------------------------------------

       Then recompile the shell by typing "BAJA DEFAULT".

       This command shell fix (and others) will be made available 
       for download on our BBS in the near future.

       If you find something that works different than version 1, 
       you may be able to fix/change the way it works by editing 
       the command shell and recompiling. See the included command 
       shell source files (.SRC) for examples.

       A few of the sysop command were removed/changed on purpose, 
       but some can be added or changed back to the version 1c way 
       fairly easily. An example is the ";CHAT" command being 
       removed due to the redundancy on the Chat: prompt. You can 
       put this command back in the command shell by adding the 
       following lines in the section titled "cmd_str" in 
       DEFAULT.SRC (if you have done no programming of any kind, you 
       may not want to mess with this):

       # Sysop Chat
       compare_ars exempt C
       if_true
	       compare_str "CHAT"
               if_true
		       page_sysop
                       end_if
               end_if

       A Baja command shell/module programming document (as mentioned
       before) will be released soon to explain how and why all this 
       works.


       Memory and Message/File Areas
       -----------------------------
       Now that file areas and message areas require less disk storage
       space, it seems that sysops are adding more message and file 
       areas than ever. And many of them are hitting the DOS 640K 
       limit like a brick wall. We have been working on a solution 
       to this problem (namely the OS/2 version), although we are
       also researching solutions for the DOS version and things are 
       looking good. In the mean-time, fuss with QEMM and hang in 
       there.


       SBBSFIDO
       --------
       The 's' switch mentioned in 1CTO20.DOC is not valid or 
       necessary for SBBSFIDO. Please ignore the reference using it
       for "Fast Allocation".


       Synchronet BBS List in Online Access Magazine
       ---------------------------------------------
       If your BBS is in the BBS Database on our BBS, your system was
       included in a list of Synchronet systems published in a 
       national publication known as "Online Access - BBS Edition". 
       So when you start getting calls from users saying they heard
       about your system from Online Access, you'll know what they're
       talking about.

       We hope you'll be pleased with the response of this 
       "free advertising". We encourage the publication of 
       our list and will continue to do so. So, if you
       don't want your BBS number spread around the globe, 
       don't put it in our list :)

       Rob Swindell
       Digital Dynamics

       Voice: 714-529-6328
       BBS: 714-529-9525
       FAX: 714-529-9721
       
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