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     The front-end interface for QuickBBS ST and related utilities


                           TABLE OF CONTENTS
                           =================

               1. General..............................3
               2. Installation.........................4
               3. Operation............................6
               4. Terminal.............................8
               A. Error Levels........................10

                              1 - GENERAL
                              ===========

QuickStart  is  the  part  of QuickBBS   ST   which  handles  all  modem 
initialisation,  answering the phone and looking for a caller.  It  also 
provides  a  shell for the QuickBBS utilities and a terminal  with  dial 
directory, VT-52 and Ansi graphics, uploading and downloading. It is, in 
fact, a sort of mailer without the FidoNet capabilities.  You'll be able 
to see the status of your BBS at a glance with QuickStart installed.

For The-Box and Binkley sysops:  because QuickStart knows nothing  about 
FidoNet,  it  can  only be used when Quick is running as  a  stand-alone 
package,  but  if  you like you can run  QuickStart  during  non-mailing 
hours, and use it as a terminal/shell of course. If QuickStart detects a 
FidoNet mailer at the other end, it will drop the carrier.

The  QuickStart  program  consists of two  main  files:  QSTART.PRG  and 
QSTART.OVL.  QSTART.PRG  is  only  a tiny  little  program  which  loads 
QUICKBBS.PRG  and  QSTART.OVL in turn,  depending on  error  levels.  An 
example:       

     1) QSTART.PRG is loaded.
     2) QSTART.PRG loads QSTART.OVL
     3) QSTART.OVL waits for a caller etc.
     4) A 1200 bps call is received
     5) QSTART.OVL exits with errorlevel 12 (for 1200 bps)
     6) QSTART.PRG  detects the errorlevel and starts up QUICKBBS.PRG  at 
        1200 bps.
     7) QuickBBS logs on the user etc.
     8) User logs off, QuickBBS exits with errorlevel 0
     9) QSTART.PRG detects the errorlevel and goes back to step 2.

This  way the maximum of memory is available for QUICKBBS.PRG,  and  you 
won't need a batch file.  If you want DO want to run QuickStart using  a 
command  line  interpreter and batch file you can rename  QSTART.OVL  to 
QSTART.PRG  and  do  the  errorlevel  checking  yourself.   A  list   of 
errorlevels can be found in Appendix A.

At present the extended events in QuickStart and QuickBBS are not  fully 
supported, so the event window will be empty.

                            2 - INSTALLATION
                            ================

Installing QuickStart is easy.  Just place QSTART.PRG and QSTART.OVL  in 
the  same directory as QUICKBBS.PRG.  QuickStart assumes that  you  have 
QConfig, UserEdit and such in the same directory too.

Now, start up QConfig (v1.20 or newer), and select option 6:

     Term Init Str..... ATZ|~ATS0=0M1X3|     (1)
     Dial String....... ATDT                 (2)
     Default TimeOut...  30 seconds          (3)
     Default Pause.....  10 seconds          (4)
     No Connect 1...... NO CARRIER           (5)
     No Connect 2...... BUSY
     No Connect 3...... NO DIALTONE
     Zmodem AutoDl..... Yes                  (6)
     Log Level......... 1                    (7)

(1)  This  is the command which is sent to the modem when  the  terminal 
     mode is entered. See the main QuickBBS ST documentation for special 
     characters.

(2)  This  is the command which makes your modem dial out.  It  will  be 
     followed by the number to dial and a carriage return.

(3)  This  is  the 'default' maximum time between dialing a  number  and 
     establishing  a connection.  If this time is  exceeded,  QuickStart 
     will toggle DTR to make the modem hang up.

(4)  When dialing a number QuickStart will wait before trying to redial. 
     The default pause can be specified here. Enter 0 for no pause.

(5)  When  one of these strings is received from the  modem,  QuickStart 
     will assume the dialing failed. 

(6)  QuickStart has a feature called Zmodem Auto Download. When switched 
     on  the first few bytes of a Zmodem packet header will trigger  the 
     Zmodem  download  driver.  The toggle in QConfig is  the  'default' 
     status when the terminal is started.

(7)  The  Log Level controls the amount of information  QuickStart  (NOT 
     QuickBBS!) puts in the log file.  Each logged line starts with  one 
     of the following characters:

        ~      (not important)
        +      (good)
        -      (not so good)
        ?      (strange situation encountered)
        !      (hard error!)

     Depending on the log level,  these lines will be written to the log 
     file SYSTEM.LOG. The log levels are:

          0  will log ALL lines
          1  will log lines starting with !, ?, -, +
          2  will log lines starting with !, ?, -
          3  will log lines starting with !

     Log level 0 will require a lot of disk space,  level 3 hardly  any. 
     This will NOT affect the logging which QuickBBS does.

Of  course the other options in QConfig should be filled in  before  you 
attempt   to  run  QuickStart  or  QuickBBS.   Refer  to  the   QuickBBS 
documentation.

A  file  called  WAITKEYS.BBS (located in the CONF\  directory)  can  be 
created  to assign values to the function keys.  This file has the  same 
format as any other 'function key file':

     1:C:\COMMS\FLASH\FLASH.PRG
     2:D:\EDIT\TEMPUS.PRG D:\QBBS\SYSTEM.LOG

In the above example,  pressing f1 while in unattended mode (not in  the 
terminal)  will load FLASH.PRG in the given  directory.  Parameters  can 
also be passed, like in line 2.

A second function key file called TERMKEYS.BBS is also used, and defines 
the function keys used in the terminal mode.

When a caller is connected he/she will see the lines...

     + QuickStart v1.00, Copyright 1989 by J. Webb, DeltaVision Systems.
     + Press <Escape> to start the BBS...

After  the  user has pressed the Escape key QuickBBS  is  loaded.  If  a 
FidoNet compatible mailer is detected on the other side,  the carrier is 
dropped.

Next QuickStart looks for and sends the file BANNER.ASC in the  textfile 
directory.  There are NO control codes recognised by QuickStart. If this 
file doesn't exist:

     + Starting the BBS now! Just a sec...

will be sent instead.

                             3 - OPERATION
                             =============

When  you run QSTART.PRG you will see that the main  screen  (unattended 
mode) is divided into four main areas:

     The  top-left  box is called the activity window and  contains  the 
     last  few log lines.  Depending on your log level,  some  of  these 
     lines will also be placed in the log file.

     The  top-right box is called the status window.  This contains  the 
     current  status of QuickStart,  the number of  calls  (rings),  the 
     number of actually connected users,  the number of messages left to 
     YOU  and the number of times you were paged.  The current  time  is 
     also displayed.
 
     The bottom-left box is the last user window. Once you've had a call 
     it  will display the last few users on your system,  together  with 
     the time of connection and log-off, and whether that user left mail 
     for you or tried to page you.

     The  bottom-right  box  will  contain  information  concerning  the 
     current and next events,  but is at present left blank because  the 
     extended events are not yet implemented.

The  top line of the screen contains a little menu.  The highlighted  or 
coloured  characters represent the key which you should press to  access 
that option. They are:

     Local     Starts QUICKBBS.PRG in local mode.
     Terminal  Enters the terminal.
     Users     Starts up USEREDIT.PRG for editting users.
     Config    Starts  up  QCONFIG.PRG for editting  the  configuration. 
               After  completion QuickStart will ask whether  it  should 
               re-read the configuration file.
     Boards    Starts  up MCONFIG.PRG for editting the configuration  of 
               your message boards.
     Events    Starts up ECONFIG.PRG for changing the event setup. After 
               completion QuickStart will ask whether it should  re-read 
               the event file.
     Menus     Starts up MENUEDIT.PRG for editting your menu files.
     Dos       Starts  up  the  command line  interpreter  specified  in 
               QConfig.  Function  keys in CONF\DOSKEYS.BBS  are  loaded 
               first.
     Quit      Quit to GEM (or to whatever started QuickStart).

The keys displayed are not the only keys which can be used to access the 
options. Alt-J, for instance, also shells to DOS.

Before starting any of the utilities, executing function key programs or 
quitting  to  Gem,  the reset string will be sent to  the  modem.  After 
return to unattended mode the modem is initialised again.  When entering 
terminal  mode  the terminal init string is sent instead  of  the  reset 
string.

Some other keys are available in unattended mode too:

     -  The HELP key displays a list of all available keys,
     -  The  four items (calls,  connects,  messages and yells)  can  be 
        reset  to  zero  by pressing Clr/Home,
     -  The P key will toggle printer logging on and off.  This key will 
        also  toggle  the printing in QuickBBS,  as it is saved  in  the 
        SYSINFO.BBS  file.  Likewise,  pressing Alt-P in  QuickBBS  will 
        toggle the printer logging in both QuickStart and QuickBBS.
     -  The I key can be used to manually initialise the modem.

While in unattended mode the screen saver is active.  It will blank  the 
screen after the time stated in QConfig.  Move the mouse or press a  key 
(e.g. space or shift) to get the screen back. As soon as any activity is 
detected (a caller or an event) the screen is restored too.

While  QuickStart is waiting for something to happen it will  initialise 
the modem every 5 minutes 'just for fun'.

                           4 - TERMINAL MODE
                           =================

By  pressing the T key in unattended mode the terminal is  started.  The 
terminal init string is sent to the modem first.

The terminal is a fairly simple, but nevertheless handy one. It features 
VT-52  and Ansi graphics modes,  built-in PC font,  dial directory  with 
redial,  upload and download with Xmodem,  Xmodem 1K,  Windowed  Xmodem, 
Ymodem and Zmodem, filename recognition and more...

At  the  bottom of the screen you'll see the status bar.  From  left  to 
right it contains:

     -  The current baudrate,
     -  CD (Carrier Detect) or NC (No Carrier),
     -  STf (ST Font) or PCf (PC Font),
     -  VT-52 or Ansi graphics,
     -  The Zmodem AutoDL status,
     -  A message section.

The available keys in the terminal mode are...

     UNDO      Returns to unattended mode,
     HELP      Shows a list of available keys,
     Alt-R     Receive file(s),                   (1)
     Alt-S     Send file(s),                      (1)
     Alt-B     Change Baudrate,
     Alt-D     Dial directory,                    (2)
     Alt-C     Clear screen,
     Alt-J     Jump to DOS,                       (3)
     Alt-H     Hangup (drop DTR),
     Alt-F     Toggle ST or PC fonts,             (4)
     Alt-G     Toggle VT-52 or Ansi graphics,     (5)
     Alt-U     Log the 'other end' into the BBS,  (6)
     Alt-V     View file,                         (7)
     Alt-Z     Toggle Zmodem AutoDL.

(1)  A menu with available download/upload protocols will be  displayed. 
     When receiving using a non-batch protocol,  QuickStart will attempt 
     to guess the filename. After completion of the transfer a beep will 
     sound.   There  are  different  beeps  for  completed  and  aborted 
     transfers.

(2)  Alt-D calls up the dial directory. Each entry in this directory can 
     be selected using the cursor keys.  The entries contain,  from left 
     to right:

     -  BBS name,
     -  Phone number,
     -  Baudrate,
     -  Timeout,
     -  Default protocol,
     -  Graphics mode,
     -  Font,
     -  Zmodem AutoDL or Normal.

     The number of redials can be set by pressing R. The pause, the time 
     between redial attempts, can be set with the P key. Pressing S will 
     save  any changes you've made to the dial directory,  which can  be 
     accomplished with E. This will bring up an edit screen.

     Press  Escape  to abort dialing or Enter to  dial  the  highlighted 
     number.  If  you  dial a number the settings of that BBS  are  made 
     active (font, graphics mode etc).

(3)  Alt-J works like the Dos option in unattended mode,  and calls  the 
     command  line interpreter specified in QConfig.  Note:  it  doesn't 
     HAVE to be a CLI, you could put NeoDesk or something in here if you 
     want.

(4)  The PC font will not show when Turbo-ST v1.4 or older is installed.

(5)  Ansi  in  QuickStart  is about the same as  what  is  supported  by 
     QuickBBS ST itself.  It is far from perfect, but provides the basic 
     components for controlling the screen.  It should NOT be used  with 
     full screen editors like QuickEd,  otherwise you probably won't  be 
     able  to get out...  Refer to QANSI.DOC for supported  Ansi  escape 
     sequences. 

(6)  Say you are in the terminal mode when a user calls in.  You  answer 
     the  phone  manually and find out that you'd like the user  to  log 
     into  the  BBS.  Instead of making  him/her  call  back,  establish 
     connection  (if  it was a voice call) with ATA  or  whatever  makes 
     your modem answer the phone,  press Alt-B to set the baudrate,  and 
     then Alt-U. This will log the user into the BBS. When the user logs 
     off QuickStart will enter unattended mode, not terminal mode.

(7)  The  view-file  option  will display the selected  file  using  the 
     current graphics mode and font.

                        APPENDIX A - ERRORLEVELS
                        ========================

When QuickStart (QSTART.OVL) exits the following errorlevels are  passed 
back to the calling program:

      0 - Go Offline,
      1 - Start BBS in Local Mode,
      2 - System Error,
      3 - Start BBS for 300 bps user,
     12 - Start BBS for 1200 bps user,
     24 - Start BBS for 2400 bps user.

Any other errorlevels should be treated as program errors.

