Standard Documentation

The following documentation is designed to let the System Operator know exactly what is taking place in each step of the BBS operations. Apart from being a descriptive account of how Ami-Express works, this documentation also tries to help sysop's optimize their systems for maximum efficiency.

Well, the real update of the V3.36 DOCS have been needed for a long time. Here they are, 4.0 this time done by me Andy (The Outlaw). The most difficult process in any software commercial release is the development of the Documentation. After seeing Jens Langer's docs first release of 3.60, which was different from the normal Documentation I decided that an update of the AmiExpress Docs in AmigaGuide format will be included in every future version of AmiExpress. Anyway if you like this Documentation or you have a problem with AmiExpress you can call LightSpeed Technologies BBS Support board and I will help you with AmiExpress as much as I can. It`s very hard to write docs, and I hope you like this new styling of the AmiExpress Docs. But now lets go on with the normal Documentation of AmiExpress.

Now go with the mouse cursor to the ACP ICON and click on it two times. You should notice a ICONIFIED window appear on the workbench screen. If ACP.CTRL did not appear on the Workbench Screen, ACP should have left you an error message. If there appears an Error message, please write down the information of the error that is displayed or If the ACP doesn`t return a Error Message contact your local AmiExpress support BBS for more help. Now you should click on the ICONIFIED ICON of ACP, this will expand the ACP window to reflect a series of buttons. To the left of the window you should see a NODE (x) button for each NODE you want to run. You should also notice at the upper portion of the window, 4 categories:

'User', 'Location', 'Action' & 'Baud'. Under 'Action' you should see a message pertaining to each node saying 'Awaiting Connect'. If you do not see the 'Awaiting Connect' message please open a shell and type Express x (where x is the node number), this should display an error message, most common problems, is that you did not setup the configuration ICONS correctly, this could mean that you misspelled the device driver for the serial port, or it could be that you are missing some files. Whatever it is, it should tell you.. Refer to later sections in this documentation for corrective actions.

Below the node buttons you should see a series of 18 buttons. There are 15 buttons in 3 columns on the left bottom of the window., These buttons control AmiExpress, the way to implement one of these buttons is to click on 1 of the 15 and then select a NODE button for action.

Now if all nodes are showing 'Awaiting Connect' do the following:

• Press the Accounts button
• Press the NODE 0 button

This will take you into account editing, you should see the following:

I>nactive accounts:Exclude  S>earch by name  N>ew account editing
C>redit Accounts  B>ulk editing
Edit Which Account?

1. Type 1 then press RETURN This will take you into account number one, which is yours. You should see the following information:

 ACTIVE [1]   BAUD: 14400                                                             
 A> Name: User Name                 B> Real Name: Joseph Hodge                   
 C> Loc.: location                  D> Pass ..........: ENCRYPTED
 E> Phone Number ..: 800-555-1212   F> Area Name......: Standard
 G> Ratio .........: 0              H> Sec_Level .....: 255
 I> Ratio Type ....: 0     <-Byte)  J> AutoReJoin ....: 1  #Calls: 0
 K> Uploads .......: 0              L> Messages_Posted: 0  %Today: 0
 M> Downloads .....: 0              N> New_User ......: No
 O> Bytes Uled ....: 1                 Last Called ...: Tue May 26 22:00:17 1994
 P> Bytes Dled ....: 0                 Computer Type .: Amiga 1000
 Q> Byte Limit ....: 0                 Screen Type ...: Amiga Ansi
 R> Time_Total: [0       ] mins     S> Cps Up: 0         T> Cps DN: 0
 U> Time_Limit: [0       ] mins     V> Time_Used: [0       ] mins  W> UUCP: 0
 Y> Chat_Limit: [0       ] mins     Z> Chat_Used: [0       ] mins

 X=EXIT-NOSAVE ~=SAVE  1-8=Presets  9=RE-ACTIVATE  DEL=DELETE  *=USER NOTES
 TAB=CONT @=CONFERENCE ACCOUNTING !=CREDIT ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE

2. Press the letter A, this will let you put your user name on your account.

3. Press the letter B, this will let you setup your real name, if you want to have access to internet ect.

4. Press the letter C, this will let you setup an address, group name or whatever you like.

5. Press the letter D, this will let you assign yourself a password.

6. Press the letter E, this will let you out your phone number in.

7. Now you can press a number between 1 and 8 for account defaults.

8. Make sure that your Time_Limit is not 0.

9. Press the tilde '~' to save the account.

Here is a sample of a completed sysop account:

ACTIVE [1]   BAUD: 14400
A> Name: User Name                 B> Real Name: Joseph Hodge
C> Loc.: location                  D> Pass ..........: ENCRYPTED
E> Phone Number ..: 800-555-1212   F> Area Name......: Standard
G> Ratio .........: 0              H> Sec_Level .....: 255
I> Ratio Type ....: 0     <-Byte)  J> AutoReJoin ....: 1  #Calls: 0
K> Uploads .......: 0              L> Messages_Posted: 0  %Today: 0
M> Downloads .....: 0              N> New_User ......: No  
O> Bytes Uled ....: 1                 Last Called ...: Tue May 26 22:00:17 1994
P> Bytes Dled ....: 0                 Computer Type .: Amiga 1000
Q> Byte Limit ....: 0                 Screen Type ...: Amiga Ansi
R> Time_Total: [0       ] mins     S> Cps Up: 0         T> Cps DN: 0
U> Time_Limit: [0       ] mins     V> Time_Used: [0       ] mins  W> UUCP: 0
Y> Chat_Limit: [0       ] mins     Z> Chat_Used: [0       ] mins

X=EXIT-NOSAVE ~=SAVE  1-8=Presets  9=RE-ACTIVATE  DEL=DELETE  *=USER NOTES
TAB=CONT @=CONFERENCE ACCOUNTING !=CREDIT ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE

9. Press the TAB key to complete the editing.

Now you should see the following:

I>nactive accounts:Exclude  S>earch by name  N>ew account editing
C>redit Accounts  B>ulk editing
Edit Which Account?

10. Press return to exit account editing.

11. Select the close gadget to return to the workbench screen. This will also of course close the BBS Window.