NEW FEATURES FOR THE A-NET BBS SYSTEM. 
 
Downloaded from Adam Link of Utah BBS (80l-484-5ll4, 7 E l, 24 hrs.), this explains some of the new features for the ANET BBS system. 
 
So what's all this fuss about the new Text Editing and Display features?  Wha t 
do they allow the user to do and how will A-NET be different from previous 

 
 
BBS HELP FILES Area 
 
## Title Source 
------------------------------------ 
 
1) Introductory help by Derrick Threatt 
2) Editor Help by ALAN 
3) New A-NET features by ALAN 
 
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BBS HELP FILES:3 
So what's all this fuss about the new Text Editing and Display features?  What 
do they allow the user to do and how will A-NET be different from previous 
versions? Well... This file is intended to answer these questions plus 
introduce you to the new features. 
 
SCREEN WIDTH SELECTION 
 
Previously, the A-NET system limited its users to only a 40-column display. 
Seeing how most ADAM owners don't have a telecommunication's program that 
offers this type of display (the ADAMLink software only has a 36-column 
display), the display put out by A-NET was not a very pretty sight (and those 
with 80-column display, tended to get 'tunnel vision' from looking at only 
half of the screen being filled). 
 
The new features no longer make this a limitation. The A-NET system will now 
allow its users to select any desired SCREEN WIDTH from 30 to 80 characters 
per line! Here are some typical Screen Width settings for some of the 
telecommunication programs used with the ADAM computer: 
 
SCREEN WIDTH SOFTWARE 
 36 ADAMLink 
 39 SwiftLINK (40-col mode) 
 30 SwiftLINK (30-col mode) 
 80 SwiftLINK (80-col mode) 
 31 A-CHAT (SmartBASIC) 
 39 A-TERM (A-NET software) 
 80 CP/M software (with 80-column display) 
 40 CP/M software (normal video display) 
 
If you are using a telecommunications program other than those mentioned 
above, experiment until you get a uniform display. 
 
TEXT DISPLAY 
 
The new Text Display features are what actually put the Screen Width feature 
to work. Their purpose is to conform all the text files displayed to the Width 
selected by the user. There are two different modes that can be selected: 
NON-FORMATTED and FORMATTED. 
 
The NON-FORMATTED display is the fastest working of the two features. It 
displays the text a character at a time. When it reaches the end of a line 
(which is determined by the Screen Width selection), one of two things can 
happen: 1) if the current word being printed is not completely printed, it 
will be split with a "-" and the remainder of the word printed on the next 
line. 2) if the current word is completely printed the cursor will just move 
to the next line. 
 
The FORMATTED display offers a very uniform and readable display of text. 
However, the sacrifice is that the display is somewhat slower. This feature 
reads in the text and compares it with the selected screen width. If a word 
will not fit at the end of a line, the entire word will be brought down to the 
next line without chopping it. If the word in question contains the "-" 
character, it will be split at that character (provided the first half of the 
word will fit on the first line). 
 
TEXT EDITING 
 
There are three new and unique features in A-NET's Text Editor. First, the 
user can now choose from two different modes for typing in text. They are: 
MANUAL Word Wrap and AUTO Word Wrap. Second, there is a simple feature that 
allows the user to cancel the text conforming features now found in the Text 
Display. 
 
The AUTO Word Wrap feature comes from an original idea that Peter Ames shared 
with me (for which I would like to thank him very much). This feature aides 
the user in creating messages in the Text Editor. If the user comes to the end 
of their selected screen width and the word they are typing has not been 
completed, the word will be removed from the present line and reprinted on the 
next line. To inform the user of what is going on, a warning bell is sounded 
(provided the user's system has audio capabilities). This feature should not 
be used in conjunction with a software program that has a built-in Auto Word 
Wrap feature (such as the ADAMLink software) unless that feature has been 
otherwise disabled. 
 
The MANUAL Word Wrap feature is the alternative to the above feature. It 
allows the user to type 20 characters past their selected Screen Width. The 
idea here is that if they haven't completed the present word they are typing 
at the time they come to the end of the screen, they can continue to type the 
word and then press RETURN without having the word needlessly chopped in half. 
The user can also backspace to the last of the previous word, press RETURN, 
and then can continue typing on the next line. If the user types 20 characters 
past their selected Screen Width, the Text Editor inserts a carriage return 
(chopping any present word being typed into two pieces). This feature is also 
useful for uploading text to the Text Editor (uploading to A-NET's Text Editor 
is 95% accurate at 300 BAUD). 
 
There is a special built-in text-editing feature that will cancel the 
conforming of any lines that the user desires. This way, when needed, certain 
lines can be left in their original form when being displayed under the new 
Text Display features discussed at the first of this file. To use this 
feature, simply type in a blank space at the end of the line then press 
RETURN. An example of where this feature is useful would be for ending a 
paragraph or for entering an address like this: 
 
ADAM-LINK of Utah 
2337 South 600 East 
Salt Lake City, Utah 84106 
 
Notice how the above three lines do not conform with the text above and below 
them (it's because they had the space character added at the end of the line 
before the carriage return was entered). 
 
SELECTING THE NEW FEATURES 
 
So... How does one go about selecting the new features? The answer is SIMPLE! 
With the recent introduction of a new area that allows the user to edit the 
information in their BBS account. To get to this area, use the EA command 
available from the AN/MAIN: prompt. Once in this new area, choose option 2 to 
view and edit the information in your BBS account. Next enter E to Edit your 
account, and then choose option 8 (Terminal Options) to select the new 
features that have been discussed in this file. 
 
After selecting the settings you wish to use, go ahead and change any other 
information in your account if needed. Be sure to enter the S command to 
permanently save the information before you leave the area (this is an INSTANT 
process and your account will be updated when you log-off the system). 
 
 
BBS HELP FILES Area 
 
## Title Source 
------------------------------------ 
 
1) Introductory help by Derrick Threatt 
2) Editor Help by ALAN 
3) New A-NET features by ALAN 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
BBS HELP FILES: 
 answer is SIMPLE! 
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