Source: SPITFIRE.DOCEdition: searchable Web reading editionPresentation: historical wording retained
24.0 - SPITFIRE COMPANION PROGRAMS
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Several SPITFIRE companion programs are included within the
SPITFIRE distribution package. These programs are designed to work
with SPITFIRE. Those which are optional and work independently of
SPITFIRE are noted as such with (OPTIONAL) after the utility name. It
is the intention of Buffalo Creek Software to provide these programs
with SPITFIRE in hopes they are found to be an asset in the operation
of a SPITFIRE BBS.
Some of these programs are shelled to during the execution of
special features within SPITFIRE and are noted as such with (SHELL)
after the program name. Among these, some may also be executed
independently of SPITFIRE as well. This will be noted in the
individual program description.
It should be emphasized that the following programs all contain
individual documentation that should be referred to for complete
details. Any of these programs may be updated prior to the next
SPITFIRE release without written notification. Therefore, it is
recommended that you call Buffalo Creek's BBS periodically to check
for updated versions of these programs.
24.1 - DAILYLMT (OPTIONAL)
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DAILYLMT provides an easy to use menu program for creating or
editing SPITFIRE's DAILYLMT.DAT file. It easily allows SPITFIRE
Sysops to add, change or delete security levels within DAILYLMT.DAT.
In addition, an option is provided for the Sysop to review the contents
of the existing DAILYLMT.DAT file. The responses to DAILYLMT's prompts
set the minutes per call, minutes per day, downloads per day, quick
log-on status, kilobytes per day, number of chats allowed, time per
node chat, violation warning ratio and violation enforcement ratio
for each security level. DAILYLMT uses the information that
has been input to format individual lines in the DAILYLMT.DAT file.
24.2 - SFDOOR (OPTIONAL)
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SFDOOR is a SPITFIRE utility that is used to create and or modify
SPITFIRE's SFDOOR.MNU file. SFDOOR is menu driven for ease of use and
aids the Sysop in installing or deleting door programs on a SPITFIRE
BBS. SFDOOR also provides an option for reviewing the current
SFDOOR.MNU file. When adding or changing the SFDOOR.MNU file, Sysops
provide information regarding the title for the door's name; whether
the security will be greater than or equal to, equal to, or less than;
and the security level required to access the door. SFDOOR will
then update the SFDOOR.MNU file accordingly.
24.3 - SFSENDIT (OPTIONAL)
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SFSENDIT is a SPITFIRE utility that is used to flag files for
sending to a specific caller or group of callers with a common security
level. The file flagged for sending must exist in a SPITFIRE File Area
although it need not be listed in the SFFILES.BBS. SFSENDIT stores
the file area and the file name in the SFUSERS.DAT file. When the
caller next logs on the BBS, he/she is notified that the file is
there for download.
SFSENDIT is a limited to flagging one file per caller or group of
callers with a common security level. Similar utilities exist that
offer more complex file flagging schemes. If SFSENDIT does not meet a
Sysop's needs, they may wish to use one of these other utilities.
However, it should be mentioned that it is possible for SFSENDIT to
send more than one file at a time by compressing the desired files
together into one file. Also, SFSENDIT does not work when a caller is
logged on locally. If the file to be downloaded is in a free file
area, the caller's statistics are not updated. If the file downloaded
is in a non-free file area, the caller's download statistics will be
adjusted.
SFSENDIT is menu-driven and easy to use. SFSENDIT provides
options for flagging a file for download by caller or security level,
removing flags by caller or security level, and viewing flags set
by caller or security level.
24.4 - LAKOTA (SHELL)
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LAKOTA is a SPITFIRE utility which allows the caller to download
messages in QWK format. Using a QWK offline reader, the caller can
read messages, reply to messages and/or enter messages offline. The
compressed reply packet (in QWK format) can then be uploaded with
LAKOTA the next time the caller logs on the BBS. LAKOTA will insert
messages contained in the reply packet into SPITFIRE's message base.
When downloading the caller is given the option of downloading
messages to the caller or all new messages. The caller is also
asked to specify which conferences the messages to be downloaded
will be extracted from. Conference options include All Conferences,
Select A Conference or Your Queued Conferences. Once the selection
is defined, LAKOTA creates the QWK mail packet and compresses it in
ZIP format. Next, if the caller is logged on locally the message
packet is placed in the SPITFIRE home directory. If the caller is
logged on remotely they are prompted to select a file transfer
protocol to be used in the message download. If the download is
successful the caller is then prompted as to whether they wish to
have their message pointers updated.
When uploading the reply packet, if the caller is logged on
locally, LAKOTA will prompt the caller to enter the drive, path
and file name of the mail packet to be uploaded. When logged on
remotely, the caller is presented with a menu that allows them to
select a file transfer protocol to be used in the message upload.
The messages from the uploaded packet are then inserted into
SPITFIRE's message base.
LAKOTA is a simple, get-the-job-done QWK mail upload/download
program. There are a number of similar mail doors which offer
more complex options for exchanging mail on a BBS. If LAKOTA
does not meet a Sysop's needs, they can choose other mail exchange
utilities. If you do not wish to have this option available to
callers, the security of the SFMSG.MNU for this feature should
be set high enough so the caller cannot access it.
LAKOTA must be used with SPITFIRE and cannot be executed
independently of SPITFIRE.
24.5 - SFPCKUSR (SHELL)
-----------------------
SFPCKUSR is a SPITFIRE companion utility which is used to
purge the caller's record from the caller data base, SFUSERS.DAT.
SPITFIRE will shell to SFPCKUSR when Pack Users File is selected
from the Sysop Menu. SFPCKUSR can also be used independently of
SPITFIRE.
When the Sysop selects the Pack User File from the Sysop
Menu, the Sysop is prompted whether inactive callers should
be purged. If the Sysop responds with a Y, the Sysop is
then asked to enter the number of days to be used for purging
inactive callers. If the number of days between today's date
and the caller's last log on is greater than the number of days
the Sysop enters here, the caller is considered inactive and will
be purged. Once these questions have been answered, SPITFIRE
shells to SFPCKUSR, passing the purging criteria to it. SFPCKUSR
will purge any callers who have been marked for deletion and if
the inactive purge has been selected, any callers who have not
called for the amount of days specified by the Sysop will also
be purged. Once SFPCKUSR has completed the purge process, a list
of the callers who were purged is written (or appended to)
SFPURGED.USR in the WORK directory and control is returned to
SPITFIRE.
SFPCKUSR can also be used independently from SPITFIRE. When
initiated from the DOS prompt or from within a batch file without
any command line parameters, only callers who have been marked for
deletion will be purged. Command line parameters can be used to
specify the number of days for purging inactive callers. When
SFPCKUSR has completed the purge process, a list of the callers
who were purged is written (or appended to) SFPURGED.USR in the
SPITFIRE WORK directory.
24.6 - SFPCKMSG (SHELL)
-----------------------
SFPCKMSG is a SPITFIRE companion utility which is used to
pack the message base. The Sysop can control which messages
are packed according to the following criteria: number of days
old, threaded messages, and unreceived messages. This criteria
can be set independently for each Message Conference available
on the BBS.
When Event M is activated, SPITFIRE will shell to SFPCKMSG
to pack the message base. When the Sysop elects to use the
Pack Message Base option from the Sysop Menu, SPITFIRE will
shell to SFPCKMSG to pack the message base. When SPITFIRE
shells to SFPCKMSG the settings on the Message Conference
record for each conference are used to determine the criteria
for purging messages from the system.
SFPCKMSG can also be used independently of SPITFIRE. If
you choose to use SFPCKMSG from the DOS prompt or from within
a batch file, command line parameters are available to define
the criteria for which messages will be purged from the system.