Category : BBS Programs+Doors
Archive   : VPIX19F.ZIP
Filename : VIEWPIX.DOC

 
Output of file : VIEWPIX.DOC contained in archive : VPIX19F.ZIP

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±ÛÛÛÛÛ ±ÛÛ ±ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ±ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ±ÛÛ ±ÛÛ ±ÛÛ ±ÛÛ

NEW ONLINE GIF FILE VIEWING DOOR
(C) 1991-1992 Frank Capo - No Anchovies
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


OVERVIEW

Viewpix is a BBS Door which allows your users to preview .GIF
graphics files while online. VIEWPIX works in conjunction with
GIFDesk - a freeware utility written by Jay Wherley, and SHOWGIF,
a shareware program written by Bill Parquet. You are urged to
promote and spread the word about GIF Desk and SHOWGIF which are
excellent programs.


INSTALLATION

DO THIS FIRST!

In order for this Door to run properly, you MUST include a line
in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file that looks like this:

SET GIFDESK=FILE

MAKE SURE YOUR USERS KNOW TO LOAD UP SHOWGIF FIRST ON THEIR SYSTEM
PRIOR TO USING THE DOOR! SOME USERS ASSUME THE DOOR WILL JUST SHOW
THE GIFS FOR THEM WITHOUT LOADING THIS INCREDIBLE TSR!

PACKAGE LIST

VIEWPIX.EXE -> Main Program
GIFDSK40.ZIP -> View Several Gifs
SHGIF55C.ZIP -> TSR Gif Viewing Utility
SAMPLE.LST -> Sample File
SAMPLE.DIR -> Sample File
SAMPLE.CNF -> Sample Configuration File
VIEWPIXG -> Ansi Screen
VIEWDOC.EXE -> Self-Displaying colored Documents
VIEWPIX.DOC -> This ASCII Documentation
FILE_ID.DIZ -> Description automatically placed on Most PCB Systems
FILE.DIS -> BBS Description
(See Also Appended Last Minute Files, If Any)

Place SHGIF55C.ZIP into a separate directory for now and unzip all the
others into a subdirectory on your BBS drive. Multi-node systems must
do the same for each node.

SAMPLE.CNF DESCRIPTION

C:\GAP #1 -> Drive\Path to DOOR.SYS (or other door file)
No Anchovies PC #2 -> The name of your BBS
GAP #3 -> Type of Software BBS (See types below)
0000 #4 -> Serial Number for The Registered Version
C:\VIEWPIX\SAMPLE.LST #5 -> Fully qualified Drive\Path\Filename
C:\VIEWPIX\SAMPLE.DIR #6 -> Fully qualified Drive\Path\Filename
D: #7 -> Drive specified as a Work Directory or NONE
7 #8 -> Default VIEWPIX Configuration
456789 #9 -> Configuration Options Allowed

LINE NUMBER EXPLANATION

Line # 3 above can be specified for the following BBS software programs:

GAP - GAP BBS which uses DOOR.SYS
SF - SPITFIRE 3.x which uses SFDOORS.DAT & DOOR.SYS
WC3 - WILDCAT! 3.x which uses DOOR.SYS
WWIV - WWIV which uses CHAIN.TXT
PCB - PCBOARD -> DOOR.SYS only!
RBBS - RBBS which uses DOORINFOn.DEF

Line # 5 and 6 are critical to VIEWPIX operation! These lines must be
qualified DRIVE\PATH\FILENAMES. They are vital to VIEWPIX OPERATION!

SAMPLE.LST

This file contains the Drive\Path specifications for all directories on
your system that contain GIF files. You can have as many specifications as
needed. Only ONE SPECIFICATION PER LINE is allowed. Make sure that all
subdirectories indicated actually exist on your system. Use your favorite
text editor to modify this file.

Here is a basic example: C:\SF\FILE\GIFS

SAMPLE.DIR

This file contains the "Header Names" for each directory in SAMPLE.LST.
If you system has several directories with a variety of GIF files, you
can place a descriptive name here, ONE PER LINE, with a preceding number
followed by a space.` NOTE: Sample.LST and Sample.DIR MUST have the same
number of lines.

Here is a basic example: 1 GIFS

SAMPLE.LST and SAMPLE.DIR contain directory information which VIEWPIX
uses to find and display the GIF files on your system.

CREATE A BATCH FILE TO RUN THE PROGRAM

Each BBS program has its own set of rules for creating Door Batch Files.
Refer to your own BBS manual for information on setting up your Doors and
batch files to run them. The following is an example of a batch file for
SPITFIRE 3.x which is placed into the SF.BAT file:

:DOOR_V -> Door to be executed (A-Z)
@ECHO OFF -> Preferred Command
COPY SFDOORS.DAT C:\SF\DOOR_V -> Copy SFDoors.Dat into the Directory
CD\SF\DOOR_V -> Change to the directory
VIEWPIX VIEWPIX.CNF -> Run VIEWPIX with the VIEWPIX.CNF File.
ERASE SFDOORS.DAT -> Erase SFDoors.Dat
CD\SF -> Change to the main SF Files directory
GOTO LOOP -> Return to the BBS


If you encounter a problem with the above configuration, try adding the
parameter WC3 in place of SF in the VIEWPIX.CNF file. When you access
the doors locally with ALT-Q you will view the door in monochrome mode. If
you access the door using ALT-S it will be in color. You will not be able
to view the GIF file on your screen locally but will know it is working
properly.

GAP BBS

We will call this batch file VIEWPIX.BAT as an example:

@ECHO OFF
C:\
CD\VIEWPIX
VIEWPIX VIEWPIX.CNF
C:\
CD\GAP

The line above that runs VIEWPIX can have any filename as a parameter.
Make sure you place you have the filename. (As in SAMPLE.CNF above) in the
door directory. The extensions .LST and .DIR can be any name you choose as
long as you place the same names in the VIEWPIX.CNF file!
You have done a good job! The VIEWPIX DOOR should run now, if you have set
it up properly.

Lines #8 and #9 refer to the type of graphic that GIFDESK will compose.
Examine the following descriptions:

# GRID RESOLUTION
--------------------------------------------
1 -> 1 x 1 Grid 640x480
2 -> 1 x 1 Grid 800x600
3 -> 1 x 1 Grid 1024x768
4 -> 2 x 2 Grid 640x480
5 -> 2 x 2 Grid 800x600
6 -> 2 x 2 Grid 1024x768
7 -> 3 x 3 Grid 640x480
8 -> 4 x 4 Grid 800x600
9 -> 5 x 5 Grid 1024x768

Line number 8 is the DEFAULT setup you wish the door to start with. Users
can modify this to any of the permitted options (1 Thru 9) which you place
on line number 9.

DOOR OPERATION

Your users are going to LOVE this Door! How many times have you downloaded
large GIF files only to find that they weren't really what you expected?
VIEWPIX solves that problem! This is what actually happens:

1. Users can display files listings of all your GIFs and, depending on how
they choose to configure VIEWPIX, download and/or "Preview" a single
GIF file containing the pictures they have selected.

2. GIFDesk, an amazing software program, is responsible for making up this
"Preview" possible! VIEWPIX passes filenames to GIFDesk and GIFDesk
works its magic. VIEWPIX then takes the "Preview" file, assigns it a
unique DOS filename and sends it to the user.

3. If the users has SHOWGIF loaded as a TSR, they will see the graphic as
it is downloaded into their system! If not, they can look at the
"Preview" file afterwards with their favorite GIF viewer.

DSZ.COM/DSZ.EXE

Before I forget - VIEWPIX also needs DSZ to perform file transfers. DSZ
from Omen Technologies is a fine protocol tool package that all Sysops
should use. Get it and REGISTER IT! Make sure it is placed in your PATH
for VIEWPIX to find it.

RUNNING VIEWPIX LOCALLY

Log on locally, go into VIEWPIX and have it make a preview for you. You
will not be able to view the file online. You will be able to store the
file into any directory you choose for later viewing with your favorite
GIF viewer. OR... Load up SHOWGIF and give No Anchovies BBS a call!

SYSOP INFORMATION

VIEWPIX is written in QuickBASIC 4.5 using Kenny Gardner's GAPQBDR Door
Library. VIEWPIX has been compiled to "stand alone" and needs NO FOSSIL
driver or Runtime library to execute. As a Sysop, you have certain function
keys available to you while your user(s) are in VIEWPIX.


[F5] -> Shell To DOS ("Exit" brings you back)
[F8] -> Twit The User Back To The BBS
[F10] -> Chat With User
ESC -> Ends Chat
[HOME] -> Main User Stats In Sysop Window
[END] -> Displays Sysop Function Keys
[PgDn] -> Additional User Stats
[Up Arrow] -> Increases User's Remaining Time
[Dn Arrow] -> Decreases User's Remaining Time


***** IMPORTANT *****

DO NOT ALTER FILES "VIEWPIX" AND "VIEWPIXG"!
THEY HAVE NO FILENAME EXTENSION. ALTERING THESE
TWO FILES WILL RENDER VIEWPIX INOPERABLE!~

REGISTRATION

VIEWPIX registration is only $35.00 payable by Check or Money Order to:

No Anchovies PC
1205 Lake Avenue
Ashtabula, OH 44004

The Unregistered demo version will only allow (10) GIF files to display
in only one directory.

After registering, you will be given access to the VIEWPIX support forum on

No Anchovies BBS
(216) 466-1152
(216) 466-1153
(Both HST DUal Standard)

It is here that you will receive a Serial Number to register VIEWPIX.
Please address any questions, comments, etc., in a comment to the SYSOP
on No Anchovies BBS.



  3 Responses to “Category : BBS Programs+Doors
Archive   : VPIX19F.ZIP
Filename : VIEWPIX.DOC

  1. Very nice! Thank you for this wonderful archive. I wonder why I found it only now. Long live the BBS file archives!

  2. This is so awesome! 😀 I’d be cool if you could download an entire archive of this at once, though.

  3. But one thing that puzzles me is the “mtswslnkmcjklsdlsbdmMICROSOFT” string. There is an article about it here. It is definitely worth a read: http://www.os2museum.com/wp/mtswslnk/