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                                Multi-BRDM PPE
                                Copyright 1996
                                Herbert Bushong
 
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 Copyright notice                                                           
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This product is released as Freeware, but the author retains all rights.
It IS Copyrighted material. Altering, decompiling, or hacking this product
is expressly forbidden without written permission from the author.
It is guaranteed free of any backdoors or trojan code. If you feel you have a
hacked copy, feel free to obtain an original from the support BBS.
 
 
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 Description                                                                
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PCBoard has a LOT of commands available to users. Even more for sysops.
Plus they can be stacked for even more power. The drawback to all this
flexibility is that there is never enough room to place all the commands
in 22 lines of the main menu (BRDM/BRDS). And menus that scroll off the screen
are useless.
 
This PPE replaces your BRDM/BRDS screens and allows you to define multiple
screens that can be rotated by the user. You can have as many screens as
you want. If you use multiple "sysop" menus as well, the PPE automatically
detects the "sysop" security level and displays the appropriate screens
defined in the SDISPLAY.LST file. And it handles security changes (such
as conference sysops) with ease.
 
You could have a screen of General commands, File Commands, and Message
commands, or any combination imaginable.
 
THIS IS NOT A .MNU-TYPE ARRANGEMENT. All commands are available no matter
what screen is shown. The ppe just displays the correct screen then
exits.
 
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 Files                                                                      
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in archive-
 
FILE_ID .DIZ     Archive description
BRDMPPE .TXT     This file
HISTORY .TXT     History of changes
BRDM    .PPE     Main PPE
BRDUP   .PPE     Used to rotate Screens forward (will "wrap" around)
BRDDOWN .PPE     Used to rotate Screens backward (will "wrap" around)
DISPLAY .LST     List of normal user screens
SDISPLAY.LST     List of Sysop screens
FRDM    .        \
GRDM    .         \
MRDM    .          \ Sample screens
FRDS    .          /
GRDS    .         /
MRDS    .        /
 
created by PPE-
 
NODE????.XXX    one for each node, used to record current user and screen
                PPE will automatically create and maintain these files
                as necessary.
 
 
All files must reside in the PPE directory.
 
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 Installation                                                               
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There are 3 ways to install the main PPE. If your main menu is defined as
BRDM in PCBSETUP, and you don't want to edit the path information, you can
use the Simple method. If your menu isn't named BRDM and/or you want
the Sysop screens supported as well, you are going to have to use the
Complete method or the Include method.
 
My personal recommendation is to use the Include method <g>
 
                   ķ
                               Simple              
                   Ľ
 
Extract the contents of the archive to the directory where your BRDM file is
located. Create your different screens (see Menu Display Files) and then
edit the DISPLAY.LST (see Display List).
 
In PCBSETUP, add the BRDUP.PPE to your CMD.LST. If you don't know how,
see your PCBoard Manual. Make the command intuitive for your users and
name it UP or BUP. Whatever suits your style.
If your want to be able to rotate the screens in either direction, also
and another command for the BRDDOWN.PPE. Again, make it intuitive and name
it DOWN or BDOWN.
 
**Note, this type of installation will not work for the sysop menus if they
aren't named BRDM or your main menu isn't named BRDM. In either case,
you must use the Complete or Include method instead.
 
 
                   ķ
                               Include             
                   Ľ
 
Extract the archive into it's own directory. Create the displays and
edit the *.LST files. Follow the instructions for adding the
BRDUP/BRDDOWN.PPE's to your CMD.LST.
 
Edit your current users Menu (BRDM) file so that it contains 1 Line:
!d:\path\BRDM.PPE
 
the ! must be in the first column, then the path and name of the PPE.
You can edit the sysops menu (BRDS) file as well to include just the
above line, if you want multiple sysop displays.
 
Delete any Graphic, Security, and Language variants of the original
BRDM/BRDS files.
 
 
                   ķ
                              Complete             
                   Ľ
 
**There is a utility on Salt Air that should be able to make a "mass
change" to your conference information if it is necessary.
 
Extract the contents or the archive to a directory. If you want to save
some editing, place it in the same directory as your current BRDM file.
 
Create the various display screens (see Menu Display Files), and
Edit the DISPLAY.LST file and the SDIPLAY.LST file (see Display List)
 
Add the BRDUP/BRDDOWN.PPE's to your CMD.LST as described in the Simple method.
 
While in PCBSETUP, your must check the settings on each of your conferences-
page 1:
 
 Name/Loc of User's Menu     : D:\PCB\GEN\BRDM
 Name/Loc of Sysop's Menu    : D:\PCB\GEN\BRDM
 
and change them to reflect the name/location of the PPE files.
 
 
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 Special Considerations                                                     
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                     Conf. Specific CMD.LST's      
                   Ľ
 
If your conferences use the same BRDM file, but have a conf. specific CMD.LST,
you will need to add the BRDUP/BRDDOWN.PPE entries to each.
 
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                     Conf. Specific BRDM/S  Files  
                   Ľ
 
If you have conferences that use different BRDM/BRDS files than the rest,
you will need another installation of the PPE for each different BRDM,
In separate Directories. You may do this without violating any licenses
(it *IS* freeware <g>)

I'd recommend using the Include method, that's how it is used on my board.
 
  
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 Display List  Files                                                        
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There are 2 files which list the displays that are "rotated". The PPE uses
one or the other depending on whether the current user has sysop priveledges
at the time.
 
DISPLAY.LST contains the user menu filenames
SDISPLAY.LST contains the sysop menu filenames
 
 
The format for both files is:
 
3
d:\path\FRDM
d:\path\GRDM
d:\path\MRDM
 
Line 1    :the # of entries listed, in this case 3 display files are listed.
           The two files can have a different number of entries.
 
Lines 2-# :the BASENAMEs of the display files. You can have Sec, Graph, &
           Language specific files as well, but you only enter the BASENAME
           of the file on these lines. Path's must be included (so you can
           keep the actual display files in separate directories if you with)
           The number of entries and the number defined on line 1 must match.
 
 
 
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 Menu Display files                                                         
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These are the files that you create. Think of them as "pages".
The BRDUP/DOWN.PPEs "flip the pages". The BRDM.PPE "displays the pages".
The filenames can have any name you choose. You can also have Sec, Graph,
and Language specific files so you should keep the names short.
 
One "page" is displayed until the user "flips" the "page". Then that "page"
is used until they "flip" the page again.

The page displayed is reset to 1 when a new user is detected, or the
security level changes to/from sysop level.
 
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 Support/Latest versions                                                    
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Support and the latest versions can be found on the support BBS.

Herbert Bushong
Blackbeard's BBS - (318) 468-3385  USR Courier D/S V.34+

Support can also be obtained by contacting the author at any of the following
addresses:

harchon@centuryinter.net 
sysop@1:19/19
Intelec IS_Support, PPL_Language, PCBoard, or admin conferences
Fido  PCBOARD echo
http://www.intelec.com/software/

