1 BULLETIN .lm+2 .s1 The command $ BULLETIN invokes the bulletin utility. This utility is used to provide information to users of the system. .s1 .lit Format: $ BULLETIN [/qualifiers] [bulletin_library_spec[,...]] .end lit .lm-2 2 Acknowledgements .lm+2 .s1 This bulletin board system is designed by Dr. Peter H. Roosen-Runge. It was first implemented by Edward Fung. Later releases were enhanced by James P. Lewis. .lm-2 2 Choosing__bulletin .lm+2 .s1 .c;Video Terminal .skip If you use a video terminal, BULLETIN displays a list of bulletin titles for you to choose from. Arrow keys may be used to position cursor to the desired bulletin title. The bulletin is then selected for display by pressing 'X', or marked as "never-show" by pressing 'N'. (You would typically use 'N' to mark bulletins which you know from their titles are of no interest to you and which you do not wish to have called to your attention later even though they remain unread.) The key may be used to cancel the marking. A Carriage-Return or terminates the selection process. The bulletins that are marked with 'X' will then be displayed. A bulletin that is marked with 'N' will never be displayed unless it is requested explicitly with the /READ or /SEARCH qualifier. .skip You can also press 'F' or 'P' to file or print a bulletin. Note that this bulletin will not be displayed when you terminates the selection process unless you mark it with 'X'. Furthermore, it records this bulletin as "read". To know more about a bulletin message such as who posts it, how long it is, etc., you just press 'M'. .skip Note that before any bulletin message is displayed (at marking phase) and if CTRL__Z is pressed at this point, no matter how many bulletin messages you mark with 'X' or 'N', nothing is displayed and recorded. .skip .c;Hardcopy Terminal .skip If you use a hard copy terminal or the one whose type is unknown to BULLETIN, it displays a list of bulletin titles for you to choose from. The bulletin is then selected for display by pressing 'X', or marked as "never-show" by pressing 'N'. (You would typically use 'N' to mark bulletins which you know from their titles are of no interest to you and which you do not wish to have called to your attention later even though they remain unread.) A Carriage-Return is used to skip to the next bulletin title. When you get down to the end of the list, or type 'Q', The bulletins that are marked with 'X' will then be displayed. A bulletin that is marked with 'N' will never be displayed unless it is requested explicitly with the /READ or /SEARCH qualifier. .skip You can also press 'F' or 'P' to file or print a bulletin. Note that a bulletin will not be displayed when you terminates the selection process unless you mark it with 'X'. Furthermore, it records this bulletin as "read". .skip Note that before any bulletin message is displayed (at marking phase) and if CTRL__Z is pressed at this point, no matter how many bulletin messages you mark with 'X' or 'N', nothing is displayed and recorded. .lm-2 2 Commands .lm+2 .s1 There are several commands available to the user during the display of bulletin text. They are: .s1 .lit - Display next screen - Display next screen (only used on video terminal) B/b - Display previous bulletin message F/f - File a current bulletin message N/n - Display next bulletin message P/p - Print a current bulletin message S/s - Skip to the next bulletin library U/u - Mark a bulletin message as UNREAD 1-9 - Display next n line(s) Ctrl-W - Refresh screen (only used on video terminal) Ctrl-Z - Exit PF2 - Display this text ? - Display this text .end lit .lm-2 2 Display__bulletin .lm+2 .s1 A screen of bulletin text is displayed initially. A or will display the next screen. Pressing 1 to 9 will display the next n line(s). There will be no bulletin selection if there is only one bulletin to display. .lm-2 2 Filing__bulletin .lm+2 .s1 When a bulletin message is filed, it gives you the default file name "bulletin.txt" and allows you to edit it if you are using a video terminal; otherwise, you have to enter a file name. .s1 If you run out of disk space, or the file name is invalid, nothing is filed. .lm-2 2 Parameters .lm+2 .s1 bulletin__library__spec .s1 Specifies the names of the bulletin libraries you want to access. No wild card characters are allowed in the bulletin__library__spec. The default library file type is BLB. .s1 This parameter may be omitted if there is a list of default bulletin libraries (i.#e., if the logical name DEF__BULLETIN is defined). In this case, the translation of DEF__BULLETIN will be used as the bulletin libraries. The parameter may also be used to override a default bulletin library. If this parameter is missing on the command line, and there is no logical name DEF__BULLETIN defined, you will be prompted for the bulletin libraries. .lm-2 2 Qualifiers .lm+2 .s1 If there is no qualifier specified, the BULLETIN command will display in inverse order of date all new (unread) bulletins. This is the default action. .lm-2 /ALL .lm+2 .s1 Inhibits the option of choosing bulletins. This qualifier may be used by itself or in conjunction with the /READ and /SEARCH qualifier. All bulletins in the bulletin library or which contain the /READ or /SEARCH arguments are displayed. .lm-2 /BRIEF .lm+2 .s1 Displays the total number of new bulletins in each bulletin library. .lm-2 /NEW .lm+2 .s1 Displays all new bulletin titles in each bulletin library. .lm-2 /READ .lit /READ[=key] .end lit .lm+2 .s1 Displays in inverse order of date all bulletins with titles containing the key string. If the key string is omitted, all bulletins will be displayed. The key is 10 characters long. .lm-2 /SEARCH .lit /SEARCH=key .end lit .lm+2 .s1 Displays in inverse order of date all bulletins with the key string. The entire texts as well as the titles are searched for the key. The key is 79 characters long. .lm-2 /REVERSE .lit /REVERSE .end lit .lm+2 .s1 Reverse the default sequence of displaying bulletin messages. This qualifier applies only to BULLETIN, or BULLETIN/READ, or BULLETIN/SEARCH. .lm-2 /DEFAULT .lit /DEFAULT=value .end lit .lm+2 .s1 Value can be DATE, which is the default, displays the date on which the bulletin message was posted. POSTER displays the person who posts the bulletin message. SIZE displays the size (number of lines) of the bulletin message. .lm-2 2 Status__file .lm+2 .s1 A file named BULLETIN.DAT is created and updated in the user's login directory when the bulletin program is invoked. This file keeps track of the status of all bulletins with respect to the user (i.#e., read, unread, etc). If this file is deleted, the information will be lost and all bulletins are treated as new. .s1 The default status file may be overridden if the logical name DEF__BULLDATA is defined. .s1 If you run out of disk quota, this file can't be updated. Do not tamper with this file. If the format is distorted, a new one will be created when the bulletin program is invoked. As a result, the information is lost and all bulletins are treated as new.