This part of the manual is intended for the sysop who has never used FBB
software before. I hope this part of the manual will help you to get "on the
air" with FBB without too many problems.
FBB is designed in 3 versions. One for Dos (referred to as DosFBB), one
for Windows (referred to as WinFBB) and one for Linux (referred to as LinFBB).
This manual covers all versions. Most of the contents is identical for all
versions, but when there is a difference, it will be clearly stated. In
either case, I presume that you have installed your operating-system (DOS,
Windows or Linux) correct before you attempt to install FBB.
Normally you will install FBB from diskettes. Normally your diskette-drive
will be called A, and normally you will install the FBB-program on hard-disk
called C. But this is no absolute need, you may use other drives as well.
More about this a little later.
Your hard-disk is organised in several directories. If you are not familiar
with this, you should read in your operating-system's manual about how the
hard-disk is organized.
FBB will normally be installed on your hard-disk in a directory named FBB.
This directory should be placed directly under root (C:\FBB). This directory
will be automatically created for you. The BBS will also need a lot of other
directories, and they can be created directly from root, or they can be
created under the FBB-directory. In the procedure I will describe here, only
the FBB-directory will be at the root (C:\FBB) of the hard-disk, while all the
other directories will be placed under FBB (like C:\FBB\USERS etc). But you
can choose this yourself. More about this a little later.
However, this is the recommended organization for your directories. The
directories will be created like this if you make no changes (a list of the
files and directories is given in appendix 14).
You should now be ready to start the installation procedure. Put the first
of the diskettes in your disk-drive.
For WinFBB:
Have Windows up-and-running. Install WinFBB from your diskette-drive the
same way as you normally install programmes from diskette. In Windows 3.x
I think it should be normal to go to the file-manager, select RUN, and type
A:INSTALL. In Win95 you may press START, then RUN, then type A:INSTALL.
You will first be asked for the directory (and drive) that you want to
have WinFBB installed to. If you accept the defaults, just press ENTER.
If you want WinFBB installed in another directory or on another drive,
just do the changes you want now, by typing your own drive/path.
The screen will now display a text with some more information on the
installation. Read it carefully before you proceed (by closing that
window).
The installation continues. You will be advised that SYSTEM.INI will be
modified to replace the COMM-driver. This is the driver for the TNCs and
telephone-modem. You will also be told to increase the environment to 2kb.
AUTOEXEC.BAT will also be updated with the correct path to your
FBB-directory.
Next, the installation-procedure continues by starting the program
INSTWFBB. (If this is not started during installation, you should start
it after the installation has completed, by clicking on the icon for
WinFBB Configuration). This program lets you set most of the parametres you
need (all parametres for PORT.SYS and INIT.SRV) for your installation.
Please take great care here, and go through ALL the pages of this installation
very carefully before you exit the program. Use the NEXT - PREV buttons to go
through the entire installation. Be sure to insert your correct callsign,
your correct H-route etc. INSTWFBB will update both INIT.SRV and PORT.SYS for
you, you will not need to change them manually later, if you take great care
to do a good job now.
When you are sure that your setup now is correct, you may exit the
INSTWFBB. The PC will then reboot, to finish the setup. After this,
you will have a new program-group with icons for WinFBB and for
WinFBB Configuration. You may run WinFBB Configuration at any time later,
to change your setup again. The configuration may also be changed while
the BBS is running, by clicking on the word Config on the top of the
screen.
Next, the same procedure for DosFBB and LinFBB follows. Skip them, and go
directly to the section called "FIRST-TIME SETUP OF DIFFERENT FILES."
For DosFBB:
You should now be ready to start the installation procedure. Put the first
of the diskettes in your disk-drive, and type A: if that drive is named A,
or B: if that drive is named B. Press ENTER to execute the command (you must
always press ENTER after a command to the PC). Your PC will now answer with
something like A:\> or B:\>
If you now are ready to install FBB for the first time on your PC, you
type INSTA700.
You will now see at your screen something like this:
---- QUOTE: ----
**** FIRST TIME INSTALLATION OF FBB 7.00 FROM DISK %disk% ****
- Main BBS-directory - C:\FBB
- System-files - C:\FBB\SYSTEM
- Messages - C:\FBB\MAIL
- Binary-messages - C:\FBB\BINMAIL
- User's dir. - C:\FBB\USERS
- Yapp files - C:\FBB\USERS\YAPP
- Oldmail - C:\FBB\OLDMAIL
- Statistics - C:\FBB\STATS
- Documentation - C:\FBB\DOCS
- FBB-manuals - C:\FBB\DOC
- Fwd-include-files - C:\FBB\SYSTEM\FWD
- Executable files - C:\FBB\BIN
- Example-files - C:\FBB\EXAMPLES.700
- Utillities - C:\FBB\UTIL
(Fwd-include-files MUST stay under %system%.)
If this configuration does not suit your needs, you must stop now
with CTRL-C and edit the SET-lines in the file A:SUITE1.BAT.
If a version of FBB 5.15c already exists, press Ctrl-C
and use 515c700.BAT for upgrading.
----- UNQUOTE. -----
This screen may vary a bit from version to version, but the work you have to
do, will still be the same. First of all, you will see that the PC says that
you will install from disk A. Is this correct ? If you are installing from
disk-drive B, you must stop the installation now. The same applies if you
want to use other directory-names or paths for some of the other directories
that are listed on your screen now.
If you DO want to change any of these things, you MUST do it now. The
changes are described in this paragraph; if you do NOT want any changes, you
can go on to the next paragraph. You stop the installation-batch by pressing
CTRL-C. Now you will see the standard A:\> prompt again. Now you must use a
normal text-editor and edit the file SUITE1.BAT on your diskette. I presume
you have such an editor... Make sure that it is able to save the file again
in ASCII (DOS) format ! So if you use for example Word Perfect, you MUST
remember to save the file again in DOS-format !
At the beginning of that file, you will see a line saying SET disk=A: If you
want to install from B-drive, you edit this line like this:
SET disk=B:
You change only the letter after '=', nothing else ! You can also change all
directory-names or directory-paths in this same way. If you do not want to
use C:\FBB\SYSTEM, but want it to be C:\FICHIERS, you just change the line
saying
SET system=C:\FBB\SYSTEM
to
SET system=C:\FICHIERS
and so on. You must ONLY change the name behind the '=' sign, you must NOT
change anything before that in that line. You can do this with any (or all)
the directory-names and paths. But remember that you will need to do some
extra work with other config-files later if you do not use the default
installation.
When you have finished doing the changes you want in the lines starting with
SET, you must save the file again to disk. When that is done, you start over
again from the beginning, by typing INSTA700 etc.
OK. That is about all. Now the BBS-program and all its files will be
installed on your hard-disk. You only have to change diskettes each time you
are asked to (if you install from more than one diskette).
Next, the installation-procedure continues by starting the program
FBBSETUP. This program lets you set all the parametres in INIT.SRV and
PORT.SYS that you need for your installation.
(FBBSETUP supports multiple language files, but for the first time
installation you will probably have only the English language files.)
Please take great care here, and go through ALL the pages of this
installation very carefully before you exit the program. Be sure to put in
your correct callsign, your correct H-route etc. FBBSETUP will update
INIT.SRV and PORT.SYS for you, you will not need to change it manually later,
if you take great care to do a good job now.
The path FBB\BIN must be included in your PATH in AUTOEXEC.BAT. Do this by
adding to the PATH line in AUTOEXEC.BAT ";C:\FBB\BIN" like :
PATH C:\;C:\FBB\BIN
Next, the same procedure for LinFBB follows. Skip it, and go directly to
the section called "FIRST-TIME SETUP OF DIFFERENT FILES."
For LinFBB:
There are two versions:
a windowing version (using X11 windowing system and MOTIF toolkit).
a daemon version. The daemon version has no interface and works alone in
background (like works an anti-virus, hi...). So the compter may be used
for any application while the BBS is running.
Tnx to SM6TKY:
If you need some help in setting up AF_AX25 and AF_NETROM for use with
LinFBB, you may want to read the Appendix 23.
You should now be ready to start the installation procedure.
To install and run LinFBB you MUST have root access,
you may log in as root or you can go to superuser mode with: su root
(1)
Put the floppy disk into the diskdrive.
(2)
If you have MTOOLS installed.
To copy from floppy disk A:, type: mcopy a:/x700.tgz /tmp
To copy from floppy disk B:, type: mcopy b:/x700.tgz /tmp
If you have NOT MTOOLS installed.
To mount floppy drive A: type: mount -t msdos /dev/fd0 /mnt
To mount floppy drive B: type: mount -t msdos /dev/fd1 /mnt
Then type: cp /mnt/x700.tgz /tmp , to copy the contents of disk to /tmp,
then type: umount /mnt , to unmount the floppy disk.
(3)
Now you should create the base directory where you want LinFBB.
Example, if you want LinFBB in: /usr/local/fbb
Then type: mkdir /usr/local/fbb
(4)
If you now are ready to install LinFBB for the first time on your PC,
Type: cd /usr/local/fbb , to go to the LinFBB root directory.
Type: tar xvzf /tmp/x700.tgz , to unpack the LinFBB archive.
OK. That is about all.
Now the BBS-program and all its files will be installed on your hard-disk.
Next, the installation-procedure continues by starting the installation
script named INSTALL.SH
This script lets you set most of the parametres in INIT.SRV (BUT NOT ALL !)
that you need for your installation. Please take great care here, and go
through ALL the questions of this installation very carefully before you
exit the script. Be sure to put in your correct callsign, your correct
H-route etc. The script INSTALL.SH will update INIT.SRV for you, but you
will also need to check the rest of it manually, too, afterwards !
FIRST-TIME SETUP OF DIFFERENT FILES.
So far so good... Now we must modify some files, to make the system work. I
will describe all the changes you MUST do, and some changes that you CAN do,
if you like. Read this section very carefully. For most of the files it is
VERY important that the number of non-comment lines must NOT be changed.
Later in the sysop-manual you will find more details on some of these files,
and also details on other files that are not described here in this startup-
section.
Files you MUST check/change:
RUNFBB.BAT (ONLY for WinFBB)
XFBB.SH (ONLY for LinFBB)
APPEL.BAT (ONLY for DosFBB)
PORT.SYS (MUST be changed for LinFBB, no changes needed for WinFBB or DosFBB)
INITTNCx.SYS
MAINTx.SYS
Files you must change if you plan to do any forward:
BBS.SYS
FORWARD.SYS
Files you should check, too, but not SO important:
BEACONx.SYS
EPURMESS.INI
SWAPP.SYS
Files that are automatically configured by INSTWFBB and FBBSETUP, and should
normally not be needed to change manually after (DosFBB and WinFBB).
INIT.SRV
PORT.SYS
Files you may have a look at later (not so important).
CRON.SYS
REJECT.SYS
PROTECT.SYS
LANGUE.SYS
THEMES.SYS
REDIST.SYS
MEMO.SYS
Start the BBS for the first time.
Now you should be ready to start the BBS for the first time. Before you do,
make sure that the internal clock of the BBS is correct. If not, you must
correct it now with the DOS-command DATE and TIME. In most newer PCs today,
the clock is automatically set at each power-up. But in some older PCs you
may need to use a special clock/calendar card in your PC, and use a special
program to set the date/time at each startup. For this you must look in the
manual for that clock/calendar card and include the appropriate command in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
For WinFBB:
Go to the FBB program-group an double-click the WinFBB icon.
For DosFBB:
Go to the FBB directory and type APPEL and press ENTER.
For LinFBB:
To start LinFBB in X-Windows:
Go to base directory and run "./xfbb.sh" in a xterm.
To start LinFBB deamon:
Go to base directory and run "./xfbb.sh -d &".
The first time you start the BBS like this, it may ask you if you want to
create some files. Just answer Y (for Yes) every time. Then those files are
automatically created for you.
The BBS should now be ready for use. Try a connect to the BBS. Do this by
pressing F2. The BBS will ask you for your name, city, home-BBS and
ZIP-code.
Only for LinFBB:
Deamon version of LinFBB:
Go to 'bin' directory, then use the utility 'xfbbC' to connect (eg: xfbbC -c).
If you have set up PORT.SYS to allow incoming Telnet connections
to LinFBB, then you can also use this..
For example, if you defined LinFBB to listen on port 6300 (hex = 189C)
for incoming Telnet connections, then you type: telnet sm6tky.ampr.org 6300
X-Windows version of LinFBB:
Select the "Window" in menu, and then select "Console"
to enter Console connection.
Next you must define all the BBSs you want to forward to. You do this with
the command EU. If you want to have forward to for example LA2D, you
type EU LA2D.
The BBS will say that this callsign is not known, and ask if you want to
create it. You answer Y. Next you will see a line of different options for
that user. You only have to type B. Now that callsign (LA2D) will be defined
as a BBS. You must press ENTER once more to stop editing the user. Repeat
this procedure with the callsign of all the BBSs that you will forward to.
You terminate the keyboard-session with the command B (Bye).
Well, if all is ok, and you have not encountered any big problems so far,
you can stop the BBS.
In DosFBB you do this with Alt-F10 or Alt-x.
In WinFBB you do this by pressing Alt-F4).
In LinFBB you do this:
Deamon version:
Do 'ps ax' , check for 'xfbbd' look after
the process number and do 'kill <process number>'
X-Windows version:
Select "File" in menu, and then select "Exit"
to shutdown the BBS.
You can connect the TNCs, and in INIT.SRV you must change from No to Ok in
the line that asks 'Mode test ?', or
in WinFBB : Click on the WinFBB Configuration icon
in LinFBB : Use INSTALL.SH
in DosFBB : Use FBBSETUP
to change the field "TEST MODE" to "NO".
The TNC.
This software will work with different kinds of TNCs or TNC-interfaces:
- TNC-2 or close clones. The EPROM of type 27256 must be replaced by a
special EPROM with the WA8DED host-mode software, or by the german TF4,
TF8, TF18 or similar.
- PK-232 in host-mode.
- Kantronics KAM in host-mode. You need a special driver called ESSKAM.
- DRSI-card.
- G8BPQ-node (uses TNCs in KISS-mode).
The software for the TNC-2 host-mode EPROMs TF4 and TF8, may be included on
the distribution-disks. If you cannot burn new EPROMs yourself, there are a
lot of hams around who can. You can also send a new EPROM to F6FBB or FC1GHV
(with return-postage and packing material, of course) and they will do the
work for you.
The TNC should work on 4.9 MHz. The standard is 2.5 MHz, but a modification
for this is normally quite simple. In some cases it might be necessary to
replace the Z80 and the Z80 SIO by A-versions.
If you use standard TNC-2 with one of the mentioned host-EPROMs, you can
start again now, and all should work fine. Make sure that the TNCs have the
same baud-rate as you wrote in PORT.SYS, and that they really are connected
to the COM-ports that you said in PORT.SYS.
If you do NOT use a standard TNC-2 with DED-type host, but PK-232, BPQ,
Kantronics KAM or DRSI-card, you must read about your special TNC-
setup in one (or more) of the chapters PK-232, BPQ, KAM, DRSI or TFPCX/TFPCR
before you can start the BBS again.
If the TNCs don't work ok with the software, you will see this when you
start the BBS. You will have a lot of error-messages on the screen, and the
TNCs may start to resync. Stop the program and go through all the setup once
more.
For WinFBB:
You may need to check the port-speed in Windows, make sure it is the same
for the port, as you have set the TNC and PORT.SYS to.
This page was last updated 17-Apr-99