====== How to use Display Codes ======
Mystic Display Codes are found throughout the BBS in various prompts and display files. The purpose of these codes is to replace the code with a corresponding value for that code. For example, if you wanted to display the user's name, there is a code which when parsed in a prompt or file would be replaced with the current logged in user name.
The format for all codes consists of a starting pipe character (|) followed by two characters which are used to represent what data Mystic will replace the code with. These codes are **CASE SENSITIVE** although currently almost all codes use upper-cased letters.
An example of an MCI code and how it would be processed by Mystic would be:
Welcome the BBS, |UH.
In the above example, |UH is the MCI code for the user's handle. If the current user online had a account handle of "Joe User", then the result of the above example after being processed by Mystic would be:
Welcome to the BBS, Joe User.
**NOTE:** Certain display codes require additional data to be provided after the code. These types of codes are used to do many advanced things such as text formatting, changing the way input fields look and work, saving/restoring the remote user's screen, terminal cursor manipulation, all the way through to popping up confirmation windows and performing various other BBS functions.
The additional data required for these types of codes will vary and will be documented specifically within the sections that follow.
====== Display Code Formatting ======
Text formatting codes are most often used within the prompts file to create aligned lists of data, for things such as the user list or who's online, etc. These codes, like many other display codes, set up the circumstances in which the display code after it are displayed.
Note: ## should be replaced by the number noted in the description, and must always be two characters.
$C## - Centers the value of the next display code with a width of ##
$D##C - Duplicates character C ## times
$L## - Left pad the next display code with spaces to ## characters
$R## - Right pad the next display code with spaces to ## characters
$T## - Trim a value to ## length. Do nothing if its less than ## length
$X##C - Duplicate character C until column ##
$c##C - Centers the value of the next display with a width of ## using
character C
$l##C - Left pad the next display code with character to ## characters
$r##C - Right pad the next display code with character to ## chars
PD - Pad the next MCI code value with a single space ie |PD|MB
Examples:
|UN translates to........: "User Name"
|$R30|UN translates to...: "User Name "
|$C30|UN translates to...: " User Name "
|$L30|UN translates to...: " User Name"
|$D30- translates to.....: "------------------------------"
|$X30- translates to.....: "------------------------------"
|UN|$X30. translates to..: "User Name....................."
|$c30.|UN translates to...: ".........User Name..........."
|$r30.|UN translates to..: "User Name....................."
|$l30.|UN translates to..: ".....................User Name"
The difference between $D and $X is that D duplicates a set number of characters, while $X duplicates that character until a certain column is reached. If you use $X30- on column 10, it will create 20 characters so it is dependent on the current location of the cursor, while $D will always create the same length of data regardless.
====== BBS and User Information Codes ======
AG - User's age in years
AS - User's auto signature (On or Off)
AV - User's chat availability for user to user chat (Yes or No)
BD - User's baud rate (returns TELNET or LOCAL) (may be removed)
BI - User's birth date in their selected date format
BL - BBS location as set in System Configuration
BN - BBS name from System configuration
CM - User's full screen node chat setting (On or Off)
CS - User's total number of calls to the BBS
CT - User's total number of calls to the BBS today
DA - Current date in the user's selected date format
DK - User's total downloads in kilobytes
DL - User's total number of downloaded files
DN - Returns the configured BBS domain name
DP - User's default protocol or blank if one is not set
DT - User's total number of downloads today
FB - User's current file base name
FDxx Returns the flag description where xx defines the set and the flag.
For example FD1A would return the description for flag set 1, flag A.
FG - User's current file group name
FK - User's total uploads in kilobytes
FLxx Returns the ON/OFF prompt depending on the user flag state. The xx
defines the set and the flag, for example: FL1A would return on/off
state of the user's A flag in flag set 1.
FO - User's first call date in their selected date format
FS - User's file group (short name)
FT - Total number of files in current file base (dynamic)
FU - User's total number of files uploaded
HK - User's hotkey setting (On or Off)
IL - User's node status invisibility (On or Off)
KT - User's downloads in kilobytes today
LO - User's last call date in their selected date format
MB - User's current message base name
MD - Menu description of the current menu (from menu flags)
ME - User's total number of e-mails sent
MF - Shows number of draft messages saved for the current user
MG - User's current message group name
ML - User's lightbar message index setting (On or Off)
MN - Network description of the current message base
MP - User's total number of message posts
MS - User's message group (short name)
MT - Total number of messages in current message base (dynamic)
MU - Total unread personal messages *
MW - Total personal messages *
NA - number of active users currently logged in
ND - Current node number
NE - Minutes until next BBS-type event
NT - maximum number of allowed nodes/terminal connections
OS - Operating system (Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi, etc)
PC - User's current post to calls ratio
PW - Configured number of days before required password change
QA - User's selected archive format (QWK, etc)
QE - User's Generate QWKE setting (Yes or No)
QL - User's Include QWK file listing setting (Yes or No)
RD - User's download ratio for their current security level (files)
RK - User's download ratio for their current security level (kilobytes)
SB - User's max allowed minutes in time bank for current security level
SC - User's max calls per day allowed for current security level
SD - User's current security level description
SK - User's max allowed download kilobytes per day for current sec level
SL - User's current security level number
SN - Configured Sysop name
SP - Configured post call ratio for the current security level
ST - Configured allowed minutes per day for current security level
SX - User's max allowed downloaded files per day for current security level
TB - User's timebank minutes
TC - Total number of calls to the BBS system (as of your call)
TE - User's terminal emulation (Ansi or Ascii)
TI - Current time of day in 12 hour format
TL - User's time left in minutes
TO - User's time spent online this session (in minutes)
TM - Displays current time in HH:MM 24-hour format
TS - Displays current time in HH:MM:SS 24-hour format
U# - User's number (aka permanent user index)
U1 - User's optional data answer for question #1
U2 - User's optional data answer for question #2
U3 - User's optional data answer for question #3
UA - User's address
UB - User's file listing type (Normal or Lightbar)
UC - User's city, state
UD - User's data phone number
UE - User's message editor type (Line, Full, or Ask)
UF - User's Date input format (MM/DD/YY, DD/MM/YY, YY/DD/MM)
UG - User's gender (Male or Female)
UH - User's handle (alias)
UI - User's User information field
UJ - User's message reader type (Normal or Lightbar)
UK - User's email address
UL - User's selected theme description
UM - User's lightbar message index setting (On of Off)
UN - User's real name
UO - User's country of origin (as detected by IP/Country blocking)
UP - User's Home phone number
UQ - User's full screen editor quote mode (Standard or Lightbar)
US - User's screen size lines (ie 25)
UX - User's computer/router/internet host name
UY - User's IP address
UZ - User's zip (postal) code
VR - Mystic BBS version number
XD - Days left before the user's account expires (or 0 if none)
XS - Security level in which the user's account will expire to
* The MW/MU code values are only populated after the MC menu command is executed.
====== Color Codes (Pipe Colors) ======
The typical pipe format of ## where ## is one of the following:
**Setting Foreground color:**
00 : Sets the current foreground to Black
01 : Sets the current foreground to Dark Blue
02 : Sets the current foreground to Dark Green
03 : Sets the current foreground to Dark Cyan
04 : Sets the current foreground to Dark Red
05 : Sets the current foreground to Dark Magenta
06 : Sets the current foreground to Brown
07 : Sets the current foreground to Grey
08 : Sets the current foreground to Dark Grey
09 : Sets the current foreground to Light Blue
10 : Sets the current foreground to Light Green
11 : Sets the current foreground to Light Cyan
12 : Sets the current foreground to Light Red
13 : Sets the current foreground to Light Magenta
14 : Sets the current foreground to Yellow
15 : Sets the current foreground to White
**Setting Background color:**
16 : Sets the current background to Black
17 : Sets the current background to Blue
18 : Sets the current background to Green
19 : Sets the current background to Cyan
20 : Sets the current background to Red
21 : Sets the current background to Magenta
22 : Sets the current background to Brown
23 : Sets the current background to Grey
Depending on the terminal the 24-31 codes can have different results. Some terminals will use what is often referred to as "ICE colors" which are the non-blinking brighter backgrounds. Others may use blinking foreground text instead.
**TERMINALS THAT USE BRIGHT BACKGROUNDS (ICE COLORS):**
24 : Sets the current background to Dark Grey
25 : Sets the current background to Light Blue
26 : Sets the current background to Light Green
27 : Sets the current background to Light Cyan
28 : Sets the current background to Light Red
29 : Sets the current background to Light Magenta
30 : Sets the current background to light Yellow
31 : Sets the current background to light White
**TERMINALS THAT USE BLINKING:**
24 : Sets the current background to black with blinking foreground
25 : Sets the current background to blue with blinking foreground
26 : Sets the current background to green with blinking foreground
27 : Sets the current background to cyan with blinking foreground
28 : Sets the current background to red with blinking foreground
29 : Sets the current background to magenta with blinking foreground
30 : Sets the current background to brown with blinking foreground
31 : Sets the current background to grey with blinking foreground
Each Theme in Mystic BBS can also have a set of custom colors configured specifically for that theme. These can be accessed by using the following codes:
T1 : Sets current color to theme's color #1
T2 : Sets current color to theme's color #2
T3 : Sets current color to theme's color #3
T4 : Sets current color to theme's color #4
T5 : Sets current color to theme's color #5
T6 : Sets current color to theme's color #6
T7 : Sets current color to theme's color #7
T8 : Sets current color to theme's color #8
T9 : Sets current color to theme's color #9
T0 : Sets current color to theme's color #0
====== Screen/Cursor Related Codes ======
The following codes found in this section are used to manipulate the cursor location and/or various other terminal specific codes. The majority of these codes will require that the user has an ANSI-BBS capable terminal or better. Mystic will simply filter out codes that require ANSI and do nothing when they are encountered if the user does not have a capable terminal.
Note: ## should be replaced by the number noted in the description, and must always be two characters. For example, to move to column 1 on the current line you would use "|[X01" (without the quotation marks, of course).
[0 - Sends terminal hide cursor (support will depend on terminal)
[1 - Sends terminal show cursor (support will depend on terminal)
[A## - Move the cursor up ## lines
[B## - Move the cursor down ## lines
[C## - Move the cursor forward (to the right) ## columns
[D## - Move the cursor backwards (to the left) ## columns
[K - Clear from the current cursor position to the end of the line
[L - Move cursor and erase data backwards from current column to column ##
[X## - Move cursor to X coordinate ##
[Y## - Move cursor to Y coordinate ##
BS - Sends 1 destructive backspace sequence (ASCII 8-32-8)
CD - Resets the remote terminal color mode to the theme default
CL - Clears the screen (ANSI 1,1 locate and [2J or ASCII 12)
CN - Turns iCE colors OFF (if terminal supports it)
CR - Send a carrage return and line feed (move to next line)
CY - Turns iCE colors ON (if terminal supports it)
LC - Loads the last color mode (ICE/Blinking)
LF - Loads the last font
RA - Restore the saved text attribute color
RS - Restore the saved user's terminal screen
SA - Save the current text attribute color
SS - Save the entire user's terminal screen'
Each theme can optionally have a font type defined for it. When a theme
font type is defined, Mystic will swap to that font when the theme is
loaded (support depends on the terminal used). There are also a few codes
that can be used for font manipulation:
SF## - Set the current terminal font where ## is:
01 - Default > Sends the "set default font" sequence
02 - IBM CP437 > Switch to IBM CP437 font
03 - Topaz > Switch to Amiga Topaz
04 - Topaz+ > Switch to Amiga Topaz Plus
05 - MicroKnight > Switch to Amiga MicroKnight
06 - MicroKnight+ > Switch to Amiga MicroKnight+
07 - mo'sOul > Switch to Amiga mo'sOul
08 - p0t NOoDLE > Switch to Amiga p0t NOoDLE
TF - Resets terminal font to theme's default (if one has been configured)
====== Input Field Manipulation Codes ======
Input field codes affect the next input field of its type, and are generally used in prompts that are displayed to the user prior to asking the user for input.
-N - Forces the next Yes/No prompt to default to a No answer
-Y - Forces the next Yes/No prompt to default to a Yes answer
IB - Turns off input barrier for the next string input
IF - Turns off the input field background color for the next input
prompt.
IN## - Sets the scrolling input field size for the next input prompt to
## characters. If the maximum size of the input field is larger
than this, Mystic will scroll the text inside so that it can
accept more characters without taking up more than ## columns on
the screen.
IS## - Limits the actual maximum number of characters allow for an
input prompt to ## characters.
====== Text Box / Pick List Codes ======
Text Box codes are used to pop up a quick notification box, using the configured ANSI box style which is configured in each theme. Pick lists create a horizontal or vertical list of options that are presented to the user to select via hotkey or lightbars.
In addition to just displaying a box, Mystic is able to use its remote screen imaging to save what the user's screen looks like before displaying the box, and then restore the user's screen after the box is closed. This screen restoration prevents the user's screen from being "corrupted" regardless of what they are doing when the box is displayed.
User and BBS data MCI codes, along with pipe color codes can be used within these boxes!
**#B