faq
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faq [2016/04/20 04:20] – Kludge lines and the V key avon | faq [2023/01/03 22:10] – reformating avon | ||
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====== Frequently Asked Questions ====== | ====== Frequently Asked Questions ====== | ||
- | === Q: How can I view the kludge lines for messages posted | + | This page contains a mix of FAQ that will be added to over time. If you have information that you think would suit being listed here please drop Avon a note avon [at] bbs.nz |
- | < | + | ==== Fix time zone settings ==== |
- | A: When you are reading a message posted to a echomail message base press the V key. This toggles on/off the ability to view kludge lines such as PATH and SEEN-BY. If you reply to the message when the kludge lines are visible you can also quote them in your reply. | + | |
- | </ | + | |
- | === Q: I use Mystic | + | //Q: Help! My time zone information is wrong and TZUTC shows a 0 value in Linux// |
- | < | + | |
- | A: YES! You can easily switch platforms | + | Most Linux distributions |
- | some basic steps required, particularly | + | |
- | system with case sensitive file names: | + | Its also possible your distribution is minimal and does not include support for timezone at all, and in that case you must set it using its configuration tool or package manager. |
+ | |||
+ | It is also possible that you have changed some values and they are set improperly or that you are using a distribution that uses some format never seen before. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Since there are so many different distributions and possibilities, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The logic Mystic uses is based off of checking the TZ environment variable value and acting accordingly: | ||
+ | |||
+ | If TZ environment variable has a value then: | ||
+ | If TZ begins with / then use this value as timezone file location | ||
+ | If TZ is set such as ' | ||
+ | If no TZDIR value is set use / | ||
+ | If TZDIR is set use TZDIR + TZ | ||
+ | |||
+ | If TZ environment variable has NO value then: | ||
+ | |||
+ | Check / | ||
+ | If no file then check / | ||
+ | If no file then check / | ||
+ | If no file then check value of TZDIR + " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Troubleshooting an issue will largely depend on what the values are for your TZ and TZDIR environment variables which you can check by doing a "echo $TZ" and "echo $TZDIR" | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Change Mystic -cfg ANSI ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | //Q: How can I change the background ANSI that is displayed when I run Mystic -CFG ?// | ||
+ | |||
+ | The ANSI file you want is called " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Note you can also totally change the overall Mystic -CFG theme by heading to Configuration > General Settings > Config Theme | ||
+ | |||
+ | Here you will find several themes you can apply that include: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * 3D ANSI | ||
+ | * Shareware | ||
+ | * Mono Pink | ||
+ | * Mono Blue | ||
+ | * Turbo Vision | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==== ANSI displays incorrectly ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | //Q: ANSI output and other screens that Mystic displays looks a bit strange / distorted | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is most likely caused by the Default CodePage setting you are using. Mystic can send client terminals either CP437 or UTF8 data output, converting relevant outbound data to UTF8 when selected. | ||
+ | |||
+ | There are two settings that control this. They can be found in the Mystic Configuration System by running Mystic -cfg from the command line. Head to the Configuration > Login/ | ||
| | ||
- | | + | == Default Codepage == |
- | cased. | + | |
- | | + | This sets the default codepage sent to the users console when connecting to Mystic. |
- | | + | |
- | new operating system, and change the paths to match your new Mystic location. | + | == Local CodePage == |
- | | + | |
- | 3. Now run " | + | Mystic has a Local CodePage option which is used as the default when the -L command is used (local login). |
- | menu, and scripts directory | + | |
- | | + | Note that Local Codepage defaults to UTF8 for OSX and Raspberry Pi. MUTIL and MIS honor the local codepage settings and runs in UTF8 in Linux/OSX. |
- | own message base path which needs to be updated. | + | |
- | once by using the Global Message Base Editor. | + | The documentation has this to say about the Mystic codepage settings... |
+ | |||
+ | If you do not understand what these are, set Default to CP437 and | ||
+ | Ask CodePage to " | ||
+ | things like Putty to connect to your BBS, and everything should look and | ||
+ | work as expected. | ||
+ | |||
+ | When Mystic starts up, by default a user will have the configured " | ||
+ | code page. Then depending on the setting of "Ask CodePage", | ||
+ | one of the following: | ||
+ | |||
+ | Detect : Mystic only changes codepage from default if it is able | ||
+ | to detect a terminal that is likely NOT the default, but the | ||
+ | user is never prompted. | ||
+ | Ask : Mystic will ask the user which Codepage they would like | ||
+ | to use after detecting ANSI. | ||
+ | CP437 : Codepage will always be set to MS-DOS (CP437) | ||
+ | UTF8 : Codepage will always be set to UTF8 | ||
+ | |||
+ | In Linux, the Default code page will actually be what Mystic runs in | ||
+ | when you run mystic from the command line, too. In Windows, the Sysop | ||
+ | side will always execute in CP437, even when a user is logged in that | ||
+ | has UTF8 enabled (the user of course will still get sent UTF8). | ||
+ | |||
+ | One other consideration, | ||
+ | VT102 instead of ANSI-BBS, which means a few things are different - most | ||
+ | noticably are ANSI clear screen codes. | ||
+ | moves the cursor to 1,1, while in VT102 it does not. This means its best | ||
+ | to edit your ANSIs and add a |CL at the very top so Mystic clears the | ||
+ | screen in a compatible way. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Some other final tips. | ||
+ | |||
+ | For a session you can override the the default code page settings from the command line by using the following syntax: Mystic -CP< | ||
+ | |||
+ | When a user selects UTF8 encoding, Mystic will now assume their terminal sends VT102 DELETE/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Change ANSI login logo ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | //Q: How do I change the ANSI login logo that displays above the login prompt?// | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Run Mystic -CFG | ||
+ | * Head to editors > theme/ | ||
+ | * Look for the filename ' | ||
+ | * You can update the filename after the DF MCI code to any ANSI file you want to display. | ||
+ | * Save your ANSI file of choice to your text directory :) | ||
+ | * Another option is to edit the existing preuser file and you will find it in / | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== How to view kludge lines ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Q: How can I view the kludge lines for messages posted in a echomail message base? | ||
+ | |||
+ | When reading a message posted to a echomail message base press the V key. This toggles on/off the ability to view kludge lines such as PATH and SEEN-BY.If you then reply to the message while the kludge lines are visible you can also quote them in your reply. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Migrate Mystic to different OS ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | //Q: I use Mystic in Windows, but I want to move to Raspberry Pi. Can I move to a different operating system without losing my BBS data?// | ||
+ | |||
+ | YES! You can easily switch platforms and retain your BBS! However, there are some basic steps required, particularly when switching to or from an operating system with case sensitive file names: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * When copying files, make sure all data, menu, and display files are lower cased. | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Note that one pain point is converting over file base directories, | ||
+ | |||
+ | If you encounter problems after performing these steps, the error messages and logs should guide you towards fixing the problem. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The same holds true in other areas as well, such as in MUTIL' | ||
+ | |||
- | 4. You *MUST* run MUTIL' | ||
- | | ||
- | file bases. | ||
- | |||
- | | ||
- | can perform fast duplicate file scans. | ||
- | | ||
- | that is not. Running the file base packer in MUTIL one time will | ||
- | | ||
- | | ||
- | If you encounter problems after performing these steps, the error messages | ||
- | and logs should guide you towards fixing the problem. | ||
- | any configured item that uses a file name may now be case sensitive. | ||
- | example, if you have a menu with a " | ||
- | data of " | ||
- | | ||
- | The same holds true in other areas as well, such as in MUTIL' | ||
- | you are one of those people who always set things to UPPERCASE in your | ||
- | configuration, | ||
- | best practice to use all lower cased file names just to keep things simple when | ||
- | moving between platforms. | ||
- | | ||
- | |||
- | </ | ||
=== Q: Can Mystic limit a door game to being executed only on one node at a time without scripting or batch files? === | === Q: Can Mystic limit a door game to being executed only on one node at a time without scripting or batch files? === | ||
Line 57: | Line 150: | ||
</ | </ | ||
{{ : | {{ : | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Q: How do I configure the number of nodes Mystic will accept? === | ||
+ | A: The first step is to set the "Max BBS Nodes" in your System Configuration > | ||
+ | Servers > General Options section in the configuration. | ||
+ | max number of nodes you will allow at one time. However, there is slightly | ||
+ | more to consider. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | BBS Nodes can be spawned by any number of built in Mystic servers, or also | ||
+ | from external sources for things such as dial-up modems, local logins from | ||
+ | the console, etc. The max BBS nodes is a limit to the sum of all possible | ||
+ | ways Mystic can accept BBS node connections. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | In the Servers > Configure servers configuration you will see options to | ||
+ | modify or create TELNET, RLogin, and SSH servers. | ||
+ | of these servers on any ports, and each one can have a limit of the number of | ||
+ | connections they will accept. | ||
+ | available by SSH and 17 by Telnet, you would configure a Telnet server for | ||
+ | 17 max connections and a SSH server for 3 max connections and set your Max | ||
+ | BBS nodes to 20 or more. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | The settings do not have to add up to Max BBS nodes. | ||
+ | busy when a user connects, the user will simply be displayed a message | ||
+ | informing them that all nodes are busy. This means you can setup a 20 node | ||
+ | BBS and then set up 3 different Telnet server and a SSH server all of which | ||
+ | each allow 20 connections, | ||
+ | the BBS nodes. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Q: How do I get files into a File Base that I've created? === | ||
+ | |||
+ | When you create a file base using the File Base Editor, you will specify a | ||
+ | directory that will contain the files you want listed in the file base | ||
+ | you are creating. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | Once that is done you will need to copy the files you want listed into that | ||
+ | directory, and perform what is called a "Mass Upload" | ||
+ | scans all of the File Base directories and identifies new files that have | ||
+ | not been imported into Mystic yet. For each new file it finds, it will | ||
+ | scan it for a FILE_ID file to get the description and create an entry in | ||
+ | the file listing for the file. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | There are two ways to perform a Mass Upload in the Mystic ecosystem: | ||
+ | | ||
+ | The first way is to perform a mass upload by setting " | ||
+ | your MUTIL .INI file so that any time you execute " | ||
+ | for new files and add them to your BBS automatically. | ||
+ | it directly by doing "mutil -run massupload" | ||
+ | | ||
+ | The second way is to run the "Mass Upload" | ||
+ | the BBS. If you have SysOp access this is a more interactive way to perform | ||
+ | the mass upload. | ||
+ | to import it into the file listing. | ||
+ | file Mystic will give you the opportunity to provide the description. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | Files that have already been imported into the BBS can be edited directly in | ||
+ | the file listing but pressing " | ||
+ | up the editor for that file where you can perform many functions including | ||
+ | editing the file description using Mystic' | ||
+ | the online file listing editor SysOp command (/E by default with SysOp access) | ||
+ | to open the editor from anywhere in the BBS. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | NOTE: When performing a mass upload, Mystic will be unable to extract the | ||
+ | descriptions if the configured archive utilities are not available for Mystic | ||
+ | to use (unzip, zip, rar, etc). |
faq.txt · Last modified: 2023/01/04 14:59 by avon