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               ~(C) 1994 - Kristinn Tomasson & ISoft~


            Online instruction in writing StockManager
                          message templates

~MSG HELP / HINTS~
~~

   This text is a small help for you to write message templates.
Its name is MSGHLP.TXT and can be modified and translated. If you
translate it, please consider sending a copy of it to me or a
distribution site so we can make StockManager an even better
product. You might even get your name in the documentation ;-)






~THE SUBJECT LINE~
~~

   StockManager inserts a default subject line into all the
messages that are sent. These are however in English, so if
you decide to utilize the message templates and translate them
into your own language, the it is nice to be able to change the
subject line! Well that's no problem, in one of the lines, eg.
the first you write what you want to appear in the subject line
except you insert a % sign infront. For example:

~%Beginners help~  or
~%Password confirmation~

~THE COMMAND SET AVAILABLE~
~~


SETUP COMMANDS

      The commands which can be used in any message, where the
   values they represent are taken straight from the StockManager
   setup are as follows:


   ~@NADDR~    - The system address.
   ~@NAME~     - The system SysOp.
   ~@BBS~      - The system BBS name.

   ~@START~    - The game start date.
   ~@END~      - The game end date.
   ~@TDAYS~    - Days on which StockManager will send the weekly
               status messages.
   ~@TNEXT~    - Next day on which StockManager will send a
               status message.
   ~@TTIME~    - Time at which StockManager generates the weekly
               status messages.

   ~@CNAME~    - Currency name.
   ~@BROKR~    - Brokerage fee (as a percentage)
   ~@BROKRMIN~ - Minimum brokerage fee
   ~@BROKRMAX~ - Maximum brokerage fee

   ~@RNAME~    - Remote SysOp name
   ~@RFNAME~   - Remote SysOp first name
   ~@RLNAME~   - Remote SysOp last name
   ~@RADDR~    - Remote SysOp Address


DISPLAYING A USERS INFORMATION

      In any letter adressed to a user who is registered in the
   node manager, you are able to display personal information,
   making the message more personal.


   ~@UNO~      - User no. Note this can value change during the
               game if users are deleted or %QUIT the game.
   ~@UNAME~    - Users full name.
   ~@UFNAME~   - Users first name.
   ~@ULNAME~   - Users last name. (and middle name)
   ~@UADDR~    - Users 4D address.
   ~@UPASS~    - Users password.
   ~@UCASH~    - Users current bank balance.
   ~@SVALUE~   - The value of his stocks using the current rates.
   ~@TVALUE~   - The total value, ie. the value of the stocks +
               the bank balance.

   ~@UTOTAL~   - Shows the total no of users currently registered.
   ~@UPOS~     - Works out the users position based on how much
               his stocks and balance are worth compared to
               all the other players. ie. 1, 2, 3,.. nth place.
   ~@UMAX~     - Displays the current 1.st place holders net worth
               ie. Cash+Stocks.
   ~@UMIN~     - Displays the current last place holders net
               worth. again Cash+Stocks.


DISPLAYING USER STOCKS

      To display a users portfolio requires an additional command
   Namely the ~&~ command. It must be located at the start of the
   line. It tells StockManager that it is supposed to start a
   recursive (repetitive) process, that of listing all the users
   stocks. The commands listed below can only be used with the
   command ~&~. When writing to a registered user (ie. someone
   who is registered in the Node Manager), all of these commands
   can be used.


   ~&~         - Start recursive task.
   ~@USNO~     - Users stock number. (the same number as in %LIST)
   ~@VALUE~    - The stocks nominal value.
   ~@RATE~     - The stocks current rate.
   ~@USQTY~    - Qty that the user has on hand.


DISPLAYING TRANSACTION INFORMATION

      When a user has made a transaction either a sale or a
   purchase, you StockManager must inform him/her of how it went.
   If the transaction went through, the following commands can be
   used. In all other cases they will only represent garbage.


   ~@TRANO~    - Stock no. which was involved in the transaction.
   ~@TRANAME~  - Name of stock in the transaction.
   ~@TRAQTY~   - Qty purchased / sold.
   ~@TRARATE~  - Rate paid for the stocks.
   ~@TRAPRICE~ - Price paid for the stocks (Qty x Rate)
   ~@TRABROKR~ - Brokerage paid for the stocks. This is a
               percentage of the price paid, but lies between
               the minimum and maximum brokerage.
   ~@TRATOTAL~ - Total paid. ie. (Qty x Rate) + Brokerage


WEEKLY STATUS MESSAGE COMMANDS

      When StockManager generates the weekly status messages it
   sums up certain interesting values, which you can display in
   a message using the following commands. When you use it in
   other messages, it will only result in unmeaningful rubbish
   being displayed :)


   ~@PURCHASE~     - Total stock purchases since last status
                   message.
   ~@SALE~         - Total stock sales since last status message.
   ~@TURNOVER~     - Total stock turnover since last status
                   message it is the product of sales +
                   purchases.
   ~@BROKERAGE~    - Total brokerage paid since last status
                   message.
   ~@TRANSACTIONS~ - Total number of transactions since last
                   status message.
   ~@UINT~         - When making the status messages StockManager
                   calculates interest based on the no. of
                   times StockManager makes these status
                   messages per week. This command shows how
                   much interest was added.
   ~@UCASHINT~     - Adds the player bank balance to the interest
                   giving the new balance.


LISTING ALL AVAILABLE STOCKS

      As with displaying user stocks, it is necessary to tell
   StockManager that we now need to list all the current, active,
   available stocks. Thus we introduce a new command, namely, ~^~
   it is different from the one used in displaying user stocks,
   as it is an entirely different operation that we are doing.
   Again the below commands can also only be used in conjunction
   with the ~^~ command.


   ~^~      - Starts recursive task.
   ~@SNO~   - Stock no. this is the number used by players to
            reference the stock.
   ~@SNAME~ - Name of the stock.
   ~@VALUE~ - Nominal stock value.
   ~@RATE~  - Current stock rate.
   ~@INFO~  - Returns either a yes or a no depending on wether
            there currently is any information available on
            the stock.


LISTING ALL TRANSACTIONS MADE BY A USER

      We now come to the final recursion command, the ~#~ which
   tells StockManager that we are now going to request a list
   of all transactions made by a single user previously. As with
   the other two recursive commands, the commands listed below
   can also only be used in cunjunction with the command ~#~.


   ~#~       - Starts the recursive task.
   ~@TNO~    - Transaction number.
   ~@SNAME~  - Stock name involved.
   ~@TTYPE~  - Transaction type: Purchase or sale, represented
             by a + or - respectively.
   ~@ORATE~  - Rate paid for the stock (oldrate).
   ~@NRATE~  - Current stock rate (newrate)
   ~@PROFIT~ - profit (or loss) this displays how much the
             the rate has changed.


LISTING ALL LANGUAGES AVAILABLE

      Now as the final release of StockManager comes closer I
   decided to implement multi language support (it was too easy)
   so now comes yet another recursion command, namely ~!~ that to
   list all current languages. Again the following commands only
   work in the language messages.

   ~!~       - Starts the language recursive task.
   ~@LNO~    - Language no.
   ~@LNAME~  - Language name (and description text)
   ~@LID~    - The language ID name, used by users to change to
             this language
   ~@LSIZE~  - The width of the language, ie. if it is a normal
             80 chars wide text, or a special 132 wide, this
             allows for more, detailed information.
   ~@LACTIVE~- If the language is active, and can be selected
             as a language / message format by users.

   As an additional command, which displays the users new language
   when switching. It is possible to use the following command
   anywhere in the text.

   ~@LANG~   - The new language name.


DISPLAYING THE GAME TOP 10

      Hehe, I couldn't help it :) Just added yet another command,
   don't worry though! This will be the final for this version!
   The new recursion command, this time is the ~$~ this enables
   StockManager to display the names of the top 10 people in the
   game. ie. the people who are in the lead.

   ~$~       - Starts the TOP 10 recursive command
   ~@TNO~    - Position in the game (ie 1-10)
   ~@TNAME~  - Name of this person.
   ~@TCASH~  - Total funds in the bank.
   ~@TSTOCK~ - Total value of the stocks.
   ~@TTOTAL~ - Total value of bank balance and stocks.


