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RBBS 17.5 Beta
Introduction
Short File Description Word Wrap - MAJOR BUG!
Message Bases Greater than 999 - MAJOR BUG!
FILESEC Feature Not Working - MAJOR BUG!
Time Remaining in Multi-Node Setup
XMSG.HLP Not Available for Sysop
Batch Upload File Checking
UPMSG.HLP Does Not Display for SYSOP
Expired Security
Extended Descriptions for File List
Macro Security in City/State Data Entry
SmartText {VY Spacing
Time Display Wrong Format
Last Time Read News
New Files Message in Subboards
Modem Connection Rates
Drive/Path on Network Drive
Batch File Compile Error
Support Overlays
Removal of Obsolete Code
Internode Chat
Many Other Mod Features
File Upload Prompt
PRIV File with Extended Descriptions
"{*F" Macro Command
Security Violation Color Files
Users Joining New Conferences
Logoff from Sub Menus
Stacking Commands with PUI Menus
MACRO Accessible from Logon Screen
Config Program Start Up
Disable Auto Logoff by Security Level
The following is a list of reported bugs and wish lists enhancements
related to the RBBS 17.5 Beta. Wether these bugs exist in the other
releases of RBBS, 17.4, Busimods, CDOOR varies for each version. Hopefully,
with the acceptance of a "single official and best release" we can concentrate
efforts on one set of source code in the future.
Please contact Albert Franz at
albert@netmation.com with comments,
additional bugs, wish list items, and most definitly code fixes.
17.5 Beta Bug List
With the addition of the number in front of the file name in the .DIR
files the short file description is improperly word wrapping when infact
the "File Name, Size, Date, Description Line" has plenty of room to
complete a 42 character description. It is taking the excess and
displaying it as an extended description.
Submitted by Albert Franz
Message bases greater than 999 abort RBBS. Much of the code for large
message bases already exists in 17.5 however it was not activated.
Busimod's and CDOOR mods have this feature fully implemented. Reason
this code was taken out was due to string problems within RBBS with
this added functionality. A possible alternative would be to at least
allow for RBBS to read these larger messages bases though only allow
access to the last 999 messages, thus avoiding RBBS aborting and locking
up when someone trys to access these larger message bases. Since
many add on products support larger message bases such as MsgToss,
RBBSMail, Mail Manager, etc., only RBBS inself can not read these
larger files. In addition the size of a message was also increased
in these mod packages and should be implemented if possible.
Submitted by Albert Franz
FILESEC feature is not working properly. If someone requests to download
a secured file and enters the password they are getting a security
violation. This same FILESEC feature is working with RBBS 17.4 but does not
work with the 17.5 Beta. Also if the user has a security level less
that required by FILESEC it is still allowing the download.
Submitted by Francois Massonneau
Each time someone tries to log onto node 2, he is disconnected with a message,
"mail maintenance event scheduled to start in -1 minute"
There is no problem when someone calls node 1 or when I log onto the board
using node 3 (local node). Not sure if problem is in my setup or the
17.5 code itself, like to hear from others.
Submitted by Francois Massonneau
The XMSGxxx.HLP, where xxx is the security level to display does not
appear for the sysop. No reason to have this logic in the code since if
you don't want the sysop to have a XMSG viewed when logoff you can simply
just not provide the file. Feature should not be deactivated for sysop
security.
Submitted by Albert Franz
RBBS aborts the batch upload process if one of the files is found on
the system. For example if someone wants to upload 3 files (A, B and C)
RBBS checks if those files are not already on the BBS. It checks first
File A, then File B and then File C. If it finds an existing File C,
it takes the user back to the FILE Menu instead of starting the uploads
of Files A and B. This is not a good way to encourage the uploads.
Submitted by Francois Massonneau
UPMSG.HLP Help Files do not display for the sysop. The DNMSG.HLP Help
Files are displayed for the sysop thus the UPMSG.HLP should probably work the same.
See no reason why they both should not display for sysops. The ambitious may
want to make a configuration parameter stating the highest security level
which displays these and possibly other HELP files.
Submitted by Albert Franz
If a user logs on with an expired registration date and uses the "!" character
to logon stating they want to skip all the messages, they bypass the
"registration has expired" screens. However, they do not bypass the message
"telling sysop you are on". This really makes no sense to the user. Should
probably not allow the "!" command to bypass the registration warning.
Submitted by Albert Franz
The submenu capabilities for bulletins does not work properly. As
described in the documentation you are supposed to be able to set up
submenus which support identical choices. The documentation describes
a situation where you can have a main menu "BM" and a submenu "BMA.MNU"
which contains several documents numbered 1, 2, and 3.
Unfortuantly, when you try and access these as 1, 2, and 3 RBBS goes out
and looks for your bulletin "prefix + number" as opposed to "prefix
+ submenu + number". In other words, RBBS is looking for BM1, BM2 and
BM3 instead of BMA1, BMA2, and BMA3. Since you can obviously not have
multiple files called BM1, BM2, BM3 (assuming your prefix is BM) supporting
several submenus, this senario is unachievable.
A work around is to name the documents A1, A2, A3, etc. in your menu
though this is not as nice as the "identical named documents" in multiple
submenus as described in Section 7.8 of the RBBS 17.4 documentation.
Submitted by Albert Franz
If a user enters the name of a macro you have on your system in the
CITY/STATE field it executes that macro. RBBS provides some good security
for macros if you only want them to execute from a certain menu but for
those who want to keep global functionality should still be protected
from macros executing at obvious prompts such as CITY/STATE data entry.
Submitted by Albert Franz
The "{VY" smart text "Overlay" feature has a problem in that it considers
the actual 3 characters of "{VY" as overlay characters. The overlay should
actually turn on in the first character position following the "{VY" instead
it turns on at the "{" thus 3 blank spaces are alway in those positions.
Submitted by Albert Franz
If you use the smarttext variable "{TM" to display the time the proper
hour is not displayed from Midnight to 1:00am. Will show "00" instead
of "12" for the hour. (e.g. 00:30 AM, instead of 12:30 AM)
Submitted by Albert Franz
If a user logs on for a 2nd time in the day it will still display the
news file when he or she has already seen it. Need to check last "TIME"
on as well as last "DATE".
Submitted by Albert Franz
When a user logons to the BBS it sends a message stating how
many NEW files since last on. However, this feature is not working
when you enter subboards (boards with a new xxxxC.DEF, xxxxM.DEF, and
xxxxxU.DEF files).
Submitted by Francois Massonneau
Appear to be missing several possible connection rates within RBBS.
Need to add the 31200, 33600, 36000 and 38400 speeds.
Submitted by Francois Massonneau
CONFIG Beta Bug List
If you access your RBBS installation on a network drive the config program
errors whenever the user enters a "drive and path" for a configuration
parameter. You can enter "IGNORE" after the error but this can be
annoying. The config program needs to be fixed to be able to verify
networked drives and directories.
Submitted by Albert Franz
The Batch File included to compile CONFIG.EXE in RBBS 17.5 Beta
links a file in the process called FOSCOM71.OBJ. However, this OBJ
file is not distributed with RBBS. There is a file called FOSSCOMM.OBJ
which I assume to be the required file, though not sure. Need to make
a change in the BAT file which you use to compile CONFIG.EXE and replace
FOSCOM71 with FOSSCOMM.
Submitted by Albert Franz
Merge Modifications to Implement
Busimods provided capability to compile RBBS with Overlays. This was
not included in the 17.5 Beta.
CDOOR mods removed old code which really isn't necessary any more such as:
Library System, Auto Download, Multi Link Support and Voice Support. Apparently
enhancements such as larger message base and future enhancements is severely limited
unless older less used functions are removed. This effort would most likly be
widly supported since the benefits would far out weight the disadvantages.
This would be nice but the BASIC Code resources it would require may not
make it practicle. CDOOR did manage to include this capability but if this
would severly limit other features it may need to be made as a DOOR thus
allowing for some future expansion of RBBS while allowing some ambitious
individual to make a really neat CHAT DOOR.
Busimod and CDOOR mods both may of had several other features may not be included
in the 17.5 Beta. Some of these are as follows: multiple WELCOME files
displayed via a file list, multiple EPILOG (text, ascii, ansi), SYSOP pop-up
help menu, ASCII readable callers log, download protocol menus, and display
download time when listing files.
Non-Verified Bugs in 17.5 Beta
Prompt prior to uploading a file appears to be very confusing to users.
Need to make (A)ll as the default would solve some of the problems.
If you have a file listing in the PRIV.DEF file for
an INDIVIDUAL USER name and put an extended description on the file the
extended description will show up for ANY USER who lists the Private
File Directory. Try it and if it works for you please send me your
PRIV.def file but I have tried several combo's. The First Line with
file name, date and short desc. properly only shows for the USER name
on the first line but the extended shows for everybody.
If you use the "{*F" Macro Command in a macro to display a ASCII
file greater than a page in length when the "[Y]es,N)o,A)bort"
(ZMorePrompt$) line comes up the default shows YES but it actually
executes ABORT as a default. Weird that this works all other places.
Color for SECVIO files (SECVIOC and SECVIOG) not recognized.
When a user joins a new conference and a new user record is written
in the new conference USER file many of the initial values should
be written as 0 (i.e. download bytes...). Instead what happens is
that the initial main conference settings are used which is not
correct since the various user files keep no coordination after this
initial setup. Thus since the info has no correlation it should not
be initialized to existing values but rather 0's.
If you logoff from RBBS from a Sub Menu you still get the LogOff menu
without a prompt. Obviously you need to show the prompt or don't show
the logoff menu (the one with Bank Time, Leave Message, Abort).
If using PUI menus they still flash up on the screen if you are stacking
multiple commands. May be unreasonable to fix but it is a problem...
RBBS Wish List
The ability to allow a user to enter a MACRO in the first name logon
screen would provide the ability to allow a file download without a
user having to go through the registration process. Would be a great
place for software authors to put there own programs for easy download, when
they don't want to require people to register.
Be able to start the CONFIG program in a variety of methods from a
single input line. Allow user to enter a number for network node,
a "S" for single user mode, or "blank return" to Exit. Gets rid of
unnecessary questions. Also after one saves the config file return to
this same initial screen instead of asking if "you want to edit another one".
Allow for a value of zero for Parameter 19 in the PASSWRDS file which will
disable the Auto Logoff Feature for that Security Level.
