 
 
 
 
 
















  Using the SLC ADAM-LINK BBS
           (Part 3)
        By Alan Neeley 
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In this article, we will discuss some of 
the A-NET BBS's options and commands 
that are found throughout the BBS sys 
tem.  First we will discuss the A-NET 
TEXT Editor and its unique set of com 
mands.  Then I will go through and dis 
cuss another set of commands that can be 
used from most of the BBS's main 
prompts. 
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      THE A-NET TEXT EDITOR 
@ 
This is one area of the BBS that seems 
to confuse most new users of an A-NET 
BBS system.  If you have called the BBS, 
your first experience with the Text 
Editor was during the Newuser log-in 
process (when the BBS asks you to enter 
some information about yourself such as 
hobbies etc.)...  Also, if you've used 
the BBS at all, you will have found that 
the Text Editor is used in other areas 
of the BBS as well.
 
A simple Word Processor is all the A-NET 
Text editor really is.  It has some sim 
ple commands that can be used to correct 
mistakes and make changes to your text; 
but its main function is to just enter 
your text for sending messages, mail, 
and so forth. It is VERY similar to most 
text editors used by other BBS systems 
including Compuserve.
 
Upon first entering the A-NET text 
editor, an entrance message will be 
displayed that will look like this:


 















 
A-Net Editor: 
30 Lines available 
Help: .H, Save: .S -- Enter text now
 
After you have entered the TEXT 
Editor, you can start typing in your 
message (it will look just like this 
sentence I have just typed).

 
You also have a special set of editing 
commands that are available only while 
in the Text Editor.  I call these com 
mands the DOT (or period) commands be 
cause each of them begin with a period 
(.) and then are followed by a character 
and a RETURN which completes the 
command.
 
There are a few rules that must be fol 
lowed when using the DOT commands in the 
Text Editor.  First you must enter the . 
at the beginning of a new line BEFORE 
you have typed anything else or else the 
command sequence will not start.  If you 
have entered the DOT (.) correctly, you 
won't actually see the DOT but will see 
>> on the screen instead.  If you only 
see a '.' on the screen, then press 
RETURN and try again.  If only one arrow 
(like this:  > ) shows on the screen 
(instead of:  >> ), then you have the 
LOCK or UPPERCASE key on.  So press the 
lock key and try again (you will have to 
press RETURN to start fresh on a new 
line to successfully issue the DOT com 
mand again). Here are some examples:

 
         ter entered on line)
 > (The LOCK key is in UPPERCASE
         mode)
 >> (A DOT command has successfully
         been entered) 
 
Once you have successfully entered the 
first keystroke involved in a DOT com 
mand, you are ready to enter the charac 
ter which will perform the particular 
command that you wish to do.  One of the 
most common DOT commands used is the 
Save command which saves the text you 
have entered in the Text Editor.  To 
start this command, you simply enter a 
'S' after the DOT command has been star 
ted. The word 'Save' will follow the two 
arrows (it will look like:  >>Save ) if 
you have entered it correctly.  Then to 
complete the command, you press the 
RETURN key and the command will be sent 
to the computer.
 
All the DOT commands available in the 
TEXT Editor are sent in this same man 
ner.  It involves three steps:  1) enter 
'.' You press the period key on your 
keyboard -- on your screen you see: 
>>
 
2) you enter the character for the com 
mand you wish to send such as H for 
Help. You see this: 
>>Help
 
3) Then you press the RETURN key to 
complete the command... 
You may get a message like this: 
Saving your message...
 
There are many other DOT commands avail 
able in the A-NET Text Editor than just 
the '.S' and '.H' commands.  The '.H' 
command brings up a list or menu of the 
ones that are available.  You will prob 
ably never use any other than just the 
'.S' command but try the others too (you 
may find them useful). Here is a list of 
the DOT commands that are available:
 
A-Net Editor commands:

 Save: .S	 Help: .H
 Read: .R	 Center: .C
 Edit: .E	 Delete: .D 
Abort: .A	 Insert: .I 
Clear: .N	 Abort: .A
 List: .L	 Get File: .G
 
Some of these commands are only used 
in the maintenance program. The space- 
bar will abort a read or list of text. 
The Delete and Edit have a default of 
the last line entered.
 
 
These commands are pretty self-explana 
tory so I will not go into any great 
detail of what they do. Some of them are 
functional only while in the System 
Maintenance area (accessible only by the 
SYSOPs).
 
We have already talked about the .H and 
 
the menu that I just listed above and .S 
saves the text that you have entered 
into the text editor.
 
The .R command is used to read what you 
have entered in the text editor.  This 
can be used to see what the actual mes 
sage will look like when read and to 
check for any errors.
 
The .L command is similar to .R command 
except that it displays the actual num 
ber of each line as it is displayed. 
This can be useful if you wish to edit a 
certain line and want to know where it 
is located in your text.
 
The .E line is used to retype in a line 
that you wish to change.  After you have 
entered the .E (you see >>Edit), you can 
enter the number of the line that you 
wish to change.  Then you press RETURN. 
The line that you choose will then be 
displayed.  You can then type in the 
corrected line and press RETURN.  If you 
decide that you don't want to change 
this line, just press RETURN and the 
command will be aborted.  If you don't 
enter a line number after you have iss 
ued this command, the last line entered 
in the text editor will be displayed for 
editing.
 
The .I command is used for inserting 
lines into your text.  Say you have 10 
lines entered into the text editor and 
you decide that you want to insert some 
lines in-between lines 5 and 6. To do so 
you would enter '.I5' on your keyboard 
(you will see >>Insert 5 on the screen) 
and then press RETURN. The line that you 
type will then be added in-between lines 
5 and 6.
 
The .D command is used in the same man 
ner as the .I and .E commands.  It is 
used to delete lines from the text that 
you have entered.  For example:  if you 
have 9 lines of text and you wish to 
delete line 7, enter '.D7' (you will see 
 
>>Delete 7 on the screen) and then press 
RETURN and that line will be deleted.
 
The .N command will delete or CLEAR all 
lines currently entered in the Text 
Editor so that you can start over again.
 
The .A command aborts the Text Editor 
entirely and returns you back to the 
current area you are in.
 
All the other DOT commands shown in the 
HELP menu are only accessible from the 
System Maintenance area so I will not 
discuss them here.
 
@
  OTHER COMMANDS AND OPTIONS 
@ 
There are several commands and options 
that are available from most of the MAIN 
BBS prompts.  These commands are also 
listed at the end of the menus that can 
be accessed by entering a '?' at any of 
these prompts.  Here is a list as they 
appear in the menus:
 
Commands available from any level:
 
F	 Feedback to system operator 
O	 Logoff system 
+	 Fast logoff 
C	 Chat with system operator 
U	 Re-Read system rules 
I	 System Configurations 
Q	 Quit from subsystem 
TD	 Local time/date information 
ST	 Your current call status
 
SPACEBAR aborts text displaying 
CONTROL S pauses screen display

 
As most of the other commands throughout 
the BBS, these commands are entered 
simply by typing in the character (upper 
or lower case) and pressing RETURN. Here 
are some explanations of what each of 
the commands do:
 
The F command leaves FEEDBACK to the 
SYSOP.  This area is used to leave a 
message particularly to the SYSOP(s) of 
the BBS system.  Some good examples of 
when to use this command would be 1) if 
you've had a problem in using certain 
areas of the BBS 2) if you have any 
questions about the BBS 3) if you are 
sending a PRIVATE message (to the SYSOP) 
 
that you don't want the general PUBLIC 
to read.  After you have entered the F 
command, a prompt will be sent asking 
you the subject of the FEEDBACK file. 
Enter a brief definition (please no 
longer than 15 characters) of what your 
message is going to be about and press 
RETURN. Next you will be taken to the A- 
NET Text Editor (which we discussed at 
the first of this article) so that you 
can enter your message.  When you save 
your message, it will be added to the 
FEEDBACK file.  If a reply to your feed 
back is needed, you will find it left in 
your mailbox as soon as a SYSOP can get 
to it.
 
The O (or OFF) command is used to 
politely log-off of the BBS.  After 
entering the command, you will be asked 
if you wish to leave the system. Enter a 
Y (no RETURN needed) if you really wish 
to logoff or enter N if you change your 
mind and you will be taken back to the 
current prompt.  If you entered Y, you 
will be given a prompt that will give 
you a chance to leave FEEDBACK before 
you are disconnected.  If you wish to 
leave FEEDBACK, enter Y again, otherwise 
enter N and the log-off process will 
continue (a brief log-off message thank 
ing you for calling is displayed and 
then you are disconnected).
 
The + command is used to log-off the BBS 
in a much faster manner.  After entering 
this command from the correct prompt, 
you are disconnected from the system 
immediately (usually even faster than 
the disconnect commands that are usually 
built into the terminal software -- 
especially the ADAMLink software).  This 
command is used for those calling long 
distance and want to save themselves a 
little money by not having to go through 
the 'polite' method of logging off.
 
The C command is used to summon the 
System Operator (or SYSOP) so that you 
can talk to them in a 'live' mode.  This 
is commonly known as the CHAT mode. 
During normal hours on my BBS, you can 
usually find me there if you try the 
command several times (it rings a bell 
and if I am close enough to hear it, I 
usually respond). If I am not available, 
I turn the CHAT mode OFF. When it is off 
and you use the C command, you are noti 
fied that the SYSOP is not in and you 
 
are asked if you would like to leave 
FEEDBACK.  Enter Y if you wish to do so 
or enter N to return to the current 
prompt.
 
The U command is little used and I'm 
currently considering removing it from 
the BBS.  Its main use is to display a 
text file containing the rules of the 
BBS and what is expected of you as a 
user.  If I do remove this command, I 
will probably add the actual file to the 
Gfile area so that it can be viewed from 
there.
 
The I command displays a file that will 
tell the user a little more about the 
hardware and software being used to 
operate the BBS system. Here is what the 
current file on my BBS system looks 
like:
 
The Equipment:

  Coleco ADAM
  1200/300 BAUD Avatex modem
  320K Disk Drive
  720K Disk Drive
  256K Memory Expander (RAM drive)
  2 Tape Drives
 
The Software: 
  Operates under SmartBASIC 1.0

  A-NET ADAM BBS Version 4.1 (TEST)
  Available as "FREEWARE" through:
  ADAM-LINK of Utah
  2337 South 600 East
  Salt Lake City, Utah 84106
 
RAM drive created with RAMDSK 
available through Walters SOFTWARE
 
Extended storage and RS232 port for 
modem courtesy of: 
ORPHANWARE
 
The Q command is used to quit from the 
current area you are in and return to 
the TC/MAIN prompt.  This command must 
always be used to return to the central 
area of the BBS (TC/MAIN) before you can 
go to another area (such as going from 
the Public message area to the the Pri 
vate message area).  If the Q command is 
entered from the TC/MAIN prompt, it is 
exactly the same as if you enter the O 
(or OFF) command.
 
 
The TD command displays the current 
local time (The SLC ADAM-LINK BBS is in 
the Mountain time zone).  The current 
date is also displayed.  Another helpful 
bit of information that is displayed is 
the amount of time you have left on the 
BBS for the current call.
 
The ST command is used to view your 
current account status (or call status). 
This command lets you view some of the 
records that are kept on your account. 
The A-NET BBS keeps track of things such 
as:  how many calls you have made to the 
system, how many public posts and respo 
nses as well as mail you have left, and 
it keeps track of the amount of upload 
and downloads you have done.  This com 
mand also displays the current access 
level that you have to the BBS. 
 
There are two other commands that are 
used when text is being displayed (a 
good example would be the I command or 
when using the ?  to read the menus). 
Pressing the SPACEBAR will abort the 
text file that is currently being 
displayed.
 
The next command is one that has recent 
ly been added to the BBS.  It is a PAUSE 
feature that allows the user to freeze 
the text that is being displayed so that 
you can momentarily read it before con 
tinuing on.  This command will be VERY 
helpful to those of you who will be 
calling with the 1200 baud modems (the 
300 baud users will like it just as 
well). To perform this command, you must 
press the CONTROL key and the S key at 
the same time (known as CONTROL S or 
^S).  This will effectively stop the 
screen so that you can read it.  To con 
tinue on, simply press any key on the 
keyboard and the text will continue on.
 
In conclusion of these first three arti 
cles on how to use the SLC ADAM-LINK 
BBS, all of the general information on 
how to get logged on as a new user and 
the BASIC commands have been discussed. 
In the upcoming articles, we will dis 
cuss the specific areas of the A-NET BBS 
in greater detail.  These areas include 
the Public Message area, The Private 
Mail area, and the Data Library. 
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