Source: SPITFIRE.DOCEdition: searchable Web reading editionPresentation: historical wording retained
15.0 - SPITFIRE DOORS SECTION
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This feature is designed to allow the use of third party
programs (normally referred to as door programs) which are not a part
of SPITFIRE. SFGUESS is a sample door program written to demonstrate
how to configure a door program for use with SPITFIRE. SFGUESS is
included in the SPITFIRE Bulletin Board System distribution package
and can be played on a SPITFIRE BBS after it has been installed.
What follows is a step-by-step set up procedure for SFGUESS. This
is provided to demonstrate the process and assist Sysops in future door
installations.
A brief explanation of the SPITFIRE Door Menu structure is
beneficial to understanding the installation of a SPITFIRE door.
SPITFIRE supports up to 24 doors. Alphabetical characters are
used to initiate the door commands, A through Z, with two exceptions.
The G (Goodbye) is used to log the caller off the BBS and Q (Quit)
returns the caller to the Main Menu. Therefore, the SFDOOR.MNU file
can have a maximum of 24 lines, one for each door program available
on the system.
For this example, it is assumed that there are not any doors
presently set up. It is also assumed that SPITFIRE is being run on
drive C in a directory named SF. In the event Sysops are running
SPITFIRE on a different drive and/or in a different directory than
C:\SF, then the SF.BAT file example (listed below) will have to be
altered to reflect the correct drive and directories appropriate
to your system configuration.
What follows is a step-by-step description of the procedure
utilized to configure a SPITFIRE Door. The first thing to do is
create the file named SFDOOR.MNU, using a text editor that saves in
ASCII text. When created, SFDOOR.MNU is placed in the system files
directory. When configuring only door A, SFDOOR.MNU will have only 1
line. For demonstration purposes, this line can look like any of
these:
Guess A Number,SEC>=10
Guess A Number,SEC=10
Guess A Number,SEC<10
The name of the door (as it appears in the Door Menu) comes
first in the line and is limited to 25 characters. This is followed
by a comma, which is used to tell SPITFIRE where to end the name of
the door and where to start reading the security level required to
access the door. The Sysop controls access to the door through the
security function. Using SEC>=[x], where [x] is the numeric value of
the security level, any caller with a security equal to or greater than
[x] can access the door. If SEC=[x] is used, a caller with a security
level of [x] can access the door and if SEC<[x] is used only a caller
with a security level less than [x] can access the door. For our
example,
Guess A Number,SEC>=10
will be used. Therefore, this door does not display to any caller with
a security level less than 10.
Buffalo Creek Software provides a menu driven utility that easily
creates and/or modifies the SFDOOR.MNU file. SFDOOR.ZIP is included
in the SPITFIRE package and can be downloaded from Buffalo Creek's BBS.
The next step in setting up the door is to create a sub-directory
of the SF directory named DOOR_A and move the SFGUESS.EXE file into
the DOOR_A directory. The DOS manual can be referred to for information
on how to create directories.
Edit the SF.BAT file with your favorite text editor. At the point
where the SF.BAT file reads :DOOR_A place the commands needed to run
the door (these must be valid DOS commands) between the :DOOR_A and
the GOTO LOOP statements. For SFGUESS, that portion of the SF.BAT
file should be changed to read as listed below:
:DOOR_A
COPY SFDOORS.DAT C:\SF\DOOR_A
CD\SF\DOOR_A
SFGUESS
ERASE SFDOORS.DAT
CD\SF
GOTO LOOP
:DOOR_B
After saving the changes in the SF.BAT file to disk, boot
SPITFIRE using the SF.BAT file. At the "SPITFIRE ready for..."
prompt, log on locally either using the ALT+S or ALT+Q
keystrokes. At the Main Menu, select "<S>... SPITFIRE Doors".
The Door Menu should appear something like this:
>>>>>>>>> DOOR MENU <<<<<<<<<<A>... Guess A Number <?>... Door Bulletins
<Q>... Quit <G>... Goodbye
DOOR MENU - <A ? Q G>?
If <A> is selected from the menu, SPITFIRE displays a message
that states "Executing Door A... Please stand by!". At this point,
SPITFIRE writes a text file named SFDOORS.DAT and a file named DOOR.SYS
to the drive. (SFDOORS.DAT contains necessary caller information for
executing doors on a SPITFIRE BBS and DOOR.SYS is the universally
accepted format containing caller information by those attempting to
standardize the door caller information file. These files are created
when a caller enters a door and SFDOORS.DAT is automatically erased
when the caller returns to SPITFIRE.) SPITFIRE, after creating the
SFDOORS.DAT and DOOR.SYS files, terminates, sending the appropriate
DOS ERRORLEVEL to the SF.BAT file. In the case of door A, SPITFIRE
sends an ERRORLEVEL of 34 to SF.BAT which causes the commands placed
between :DOOR_A and GOTO LOOP to be executed. In the event the
correct commands were entered between :DOOR_A and GOTO LOOP, SFGUESS
will run. When the door is finished running, control is returned
to SPITFIRE. If the Sysop has the BBS configured to require a password
when returning from a door, the caller is prompted to enter their
password and the caller is returned to the Door Menu of the BBS.
If a caller enters a door while logged on SPITFIRE, there are
up to three tests SPITFIRE performs when a caller returns to SPITFIRE,
after exiting the door program. First, SPITFIRE must find SFDOORS.DAT
in the system files directory. Second, SPITFIRE must find a carrier
detect. And third, if the Sysop has configured the BBS to require a
password when returning from a door, the caller must enter the correct
password when prompted for it. In the event a door is entered during a
local log on, SPITFIRE will perform the following test(s): SPITFIRE
must find the SFDOORS.DAT file and, if the Sysop has configured the BBS
to require a password when returning from a door, the correct password
must be entered.
There are numerous door programs, usually Shareware products,
available for download from Buffalo Creek's BBS as well as most
other bulletin boards. Sysops who do not wish to run third party
programs through SPITFIRE Door feature, should set the security level
of the SPITFIRE Door command in the SFMAIN.MNU file high enough so
that callers cannot access it.
SPITFIRE Doors can be accessed by a caller from the Main Menu,
provided the caller's security level is high enough. As previously
mentioned, SPITFIRE supports the use of 24 different doors. However,
there are third party programs available that will expand this to
hundreds of doors. An example of such a program is WILDFIRE, which
is a Shareware program by Steve Cox. The newest release of WILDFIRE
can be downloaded from Buffalo Creek's BBS and Flite-Line BBS at
(402) 421-2434.
15.1 - SPITFIRE DOORS DISPLAY FILES
-----------------------------------
SPITFIRE uses certain display files during the execution of the
Doors feature, if such files are found. However, it is important to
note that SPITFIRE works perfectly without these display files. Listed
below are the display files that can be used in conjunction with the
SPITFIRE door feature:
SFDORBUL .[BCR] - Non-ANSI/ANSI/RIP list of door bulletins which
are available to the caller. This is displayed
to the caller just prior to the door menu (if
available) or when selecting the <?> command
from the door menu. (DISPLAY)
DORBUL<x>.[BCR] - Non-ANSI/ANSI/RIP bulletin file that is displayed
when the corresponding <x> is selected from the
SPITFIRE door bulletin list. These files are
often used to display top score bulletins created
by many of the available door game programs.
(DISPLAY)
SFDR<x> .[BCR] - Non-ANSI/ANSI/RIP door display menu file
displayed to the caller with a corresponding <x>
security level. (DISPLAY)
SFDOOR<x>.[BCR] - Non-ANSI/ANSI/RIP screen that is displayed to the
caller after selecting the corresponding <x> door
option and prior to the <x> door being executed.
This file might be used to send callers a special
message about the door. (DISPLAY)
SFDORBAK .[BCR] - Non-ANSI/ANSI/RIP screen displayed to the caller
after quitting the door program and prior to
returning to SPITFIRE. This is normally used
simply to welcome the caller back to SPITFIRE.
(DISPLAY)
15.2 - SPITFIRE DOORS SUPPORT
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Configuring the use of doors with SPITFIRE is supported by
Buffalo Creek Software for registered users of SPITFIRE. Please keep
in mind once a caller executes a door, SPITFIRE is totally terminated
from memory and control is passed to the SF.BAT where the commands
configured by the Sysop are executed. Sysops who have problems
with the door program itself should read the documentation and then
contact the author of the program. Once a caller has entered a door,
SPITFIRE is completely out of memory and has NO responsibility for the
operation of the door program!