ZipLab PLUS - 2..9 Upload Tester
PCBoard/ProDoor Specific
Compiled 01/17/93 at 02:56am
* Wide-area BETA of version 2.0 *
Upload testing for PCBoard/ProDoor
Processes include SCAN, CRC checking,
date limits, comment strip/replace,
BBS advertising removal and more.
$15 Shareware by Jeffrey S. Morley

ZipLab Plus version 2..x (beta version of ZipLab Plus 2.0)
PCBoard / ProDoor specific version

Beta testers additional documentation -


Welcome to the beta of ZipLab Plus 2.0! I am pleased that you are
interested in helping out with the testing, and appreciate the help in
making ZipLab Plus a better product. This is a wide-area beta test, and I
hope we can get a diverse collection of sysops running in lots of hardware
and software configurations.

This version of ZipLab Plus 2.0 is for PCBoard or ProDoor system only!
Please do not attempt to use this version with other BBS software. I
will be putting both WildCat! and "generic" versions out for beta test
in the near future.

Note! This a a BETA version of ZipLab Plus 2.0. It is not in final release
format, and I may change, add or delete functions before the version 2.0
release. You are welcome to use this software prior to the release, but I
MAKE NO WARRENTY as to the usability or stability of this version. Updates
are likely to come fairly often during the beta cycle, and if you have
problems with a beta version, be sure you have the latest beta from The
Interconnect BBS (703) 425-2505 before you leave messages about the problem.

I WILL NOT provide phone support for ZipLab Plus during the beta. If you
wish to contact me, please leave a message on The Interconnect. All messages
concerning the beta should be left as public messages, not "comments" or
private messages to me. Let everyone share in the problems and the
solutions.

Registered owners of ZipLab Plus 1.x have access to a private second node of
The Interconnect BBS. The number for this node is displayed on the
"SECURITY" screen when you log on.


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IF YOU ARE NEW TO ZIPLAB PLUS:
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Please, PLEASE read the documentation in ZIPLAB.DOC carefully. Print
out the file, and have it handy when you are setting up ZipLab for the
first time.

Follow the directions exactly, taking the default values for things where
possible. This will make debugging any problems a lot easier.


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IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY USING ZIPLAB PLUS 1.9c
*****************************************************************************

You will need to take all of your current ZipLab executables, batch files,
and configuration files off to a safe location (on floppy perhaps) so you
can "roll back" if required. Then delete ALL TRACES of ZipLab Plus 1.9c
and it's configuration files from your system. ZipLab Plus 2.0 has so
many changes that you really MUST start over and install from stratch.

DO NOT ASSUME THAT ANY FILES LEFT FROM VERSION 1.9c ARE GOING TO WORK! They
may or may not, in most cases not...

Be sure to delete:

PTEST.EXE (Now called ZLAB.EXE anyway)
PTEST.CFG (Now called ZLABxxx.CFG)
SETUP.EXE (Now called ZSET.EXE)

Leave your PCBTEST.BAT alone for now, you will be changing it later.

Please, PLEASE read the documentation in ZIPLAB.DOC carefully. Print
out the file, and have it handy when you are setting up ZipLab for the
first time.

Follow the directions exactly, taking the default values for things where
possible. This will make debugging any problems a lot easier.


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FOR ALL - GETTING STARTED
*****************************************************************************

Make sure that VBDRT10.EXE is in your DOS PATH. This is required for
ZSET.EXE to run.

Be sure that ZLSCR.COM is also in your DOS PATH.

Follow the directions for setting up your first (and default) configuration
file: ZLAB000.CFG. After you have created this file, be sure to create
any .CMT, .TCN, CRC.ADS or LST.ADS which you specified in ZLAB000.CFG.

Make sure your "HOLD/FAIL" directory specified in ZLAB000.CFG exists, and
that the "TEMP" directory specified on line 179 in PCBOARD.DAT is both in
the .DAT file and that it in fact exists.

Follow the directions to make the REQUIRED changes to PCBTEST.BAT. The
command line syntax for ZLAB.EXE is different that it was for PTEST.EXE.

Make sure you have set PCBoard to "SWAP" mode, by setting the DOS
environment variable PCB to /SWAP (SET PCB=/SWAP). All but the most
memory-rich setups are going to need this for ZipLab Plus to operate
properly when shelled out of PCBoard.


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NOW THAT WE ARE SET UP
****************************************************************************

Test ZipLab in LOCAL mode, by testing a .ZIP file from the DOS prompt. Use
the syntax described in ZIPLAB.DOC, ending the command line with LOCAL.

If all goes well, the next step is to get into PCBoard, and using one of
the internal protocols (like XModem-CRC), "upload" a file from some
directory on your hard drive to your BBS. ZipLab will test this file after
the "upload" is completed.

Then have someone really upload a file from another system while you watch.

Assuming that these three tests go well, you should be able to go live with
ZipLab Plus.


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TESTING ZIPLAB PLUS
****************************************************************************

As much as you can, test ZipLab Plus with lots of different files. Send bad
files, old files, and files with "hits" in the .TCN file in the description.
Send files with and without FILE_ID.DIZ descriptions included, archives
with recursive directories in them, self-extracting archives and files
with BBS ads in them. If you want a real virus to test with, I do have
a couple here. You will have to ask me for one in a message, and I will
tell you what to download.

Please make careful note of any errors that occur. Try to send me as
complete a picture of what happend as you can. Certainly the error
message, what point the program was at when the error occured, a copy
of your ZLABxxx.CFG file, your PCBTEST.BAT file, and anything about your
system/setup that is out of the ordinary.

Please make special note if ZipLab should cause an error that hangs your
system with a "hit any key to return to system" message. We want to
stomp these out quickly of course.

Send all this information in a message to me (SYSOP) on the Interconnect
BBS at 703-425-2505 (or the second node if you are a registered 1.x owner).


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COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGE
****************************************************************************

Are welcome of course. I don't promise to add everything everyone wants,
but will certainly take all suggestions under serious advisement. ZipLab
2.0 is NOT locked in, and your comments do make a difference.


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POSTING THE BETA VERSION
****************************************************************************

I don't have a problem with you passing the beta around, or even posting
it on your BBS. This is a "wide-area" beta, and the more people beating
it up the better. Please use the FILE_ID.DIZ included for the description.


****************************************************************************
OTHER DOCUMENTATION
****************************************************************************

Please don't even attempt to set up ZipLab 2.0 without reading the
ZIPLAB.DOC file in the archive.

Error messages are explained in ERRORS.DOC

New features and changes from 1.9c are explained in NEW!.20

Things that change as the beta progresses will be captured in a history
file called BETA.HST. Check this each time you download a new beta
version, for changes from the previous beta.



Thanks again,
Jeffrey S. Morley