

         RA2R (c) 1992 by Thomas Nachtigall - All rights reserved.



                Remote Access to Robo Board data conversion

       Remote Access is (c) by Andrew Milner/Continental Software
                 and Robo Board is (c) by Seth Hamilton

      This is copyright protected software. Re-packing or any change of the
           arcive or the programs in it are strictly prohibited and
                      will violate the copyright!

********************************************************************************


The program is a "quick-shot". Is is not perfekt and it requires
some additional work to complete the conversion. The converted data has to be
checked by the sysop manually. Due to the fact, that the programers of the
software have different goals there is a little loss of data during the
conversion. This means no harm to the data itself, it is simply, that
robo and ra have some different fields in the configuration, that have
no equivalent in the other board.


Features:
---------

( "+" is for registered users only )

* Mouse and keyboard driven SAA-standard shell
* Conversion for the RA user database
* Conversion for the RA message area database
* Conversion for the RA file area database
+ Comparing and transferring of new users from one board to the other.
+ Comparing of the user data of both boards to prevent users from "double
  downloads" with "double limits".
+ Shell to the configuration programs of robo board and the remote access.
+ New user editor. This new editor has a mouse support and provides easy
  access to the user database. Combined with the shell to the other programs
  this completes a mouse-driven shell to robo board and remote access.


Remote Access Mode and command-line use:
----------------------------------------

Set the envoirement variable 'RA' to your remote access directory, because
the program looks there for the CONFIG.RA file. If you need it use the
command-line parameters or get help with RA2R -?. It is also possible
to access the functions from within the programs menus.

The structures of robo-board sometimes not allow user levels higher than 255.
In the condiguration is then the maximum value 244, that could be entered. The
converters cut user levels to 244, if they are higher. Sorry, this is a
restriction from robo-board.

If you have any hints or suggestions, drop me a note. You can reach me on
fidonet node 2:2400/736 for a solution to your problem. There are no guaranties
for anything. You use the software at your own risk! No liabilities for the
data or anything else. The software is protected by the copyright and every
change of the program or the arcive or any of it's contents violates the
copyright.


Menu overview:
--------------

The function, provided by the program, are organized in the following
menu structure:

System       Convert          Equalizer     External              Config
  About        File Areas       Users         RA configuration      Menus
  Help         Message Areas    Users data    RA User editor        Icons
  DOS-Shell    Users                          ROBO Configuration    Draw
  Quit         AREAS.BBS                                            User
                                                                    Local

If the program runs unregistered, there is no access to "External", the
"Config" and the "Equalizer" function. The functions itself should be self-
explaining and the converter and equalizer uses from the command-line will
use the same functions and display the same, but if there is an error there
is no requester with an error message. This prevents a "lock-up" of the
entire system due to an error in the converter itself or your settings.


Registration and Key:
---------------------

Registered users will get a keyfile, that provieds access to an additional
menu. This menu enables robo board users to access the configuration of
robo board from this program. If your are not a fidonet member, send a disk
with your registration, to receive the keyfile. You ONLY can receive it if
you send a disk or if your are in fidonet. On special demand a transfer via
compuserve may be possible. If you whant to get your keyfile via compuserve,
drop me note at first, to arrange this.

If you have your key, rename the file to RA2R.KEY and place it in the
same directory as RA2R.EXE. This should be the directory of robo board.

The program is SHAREWARE, so please register it, if you use it. The
only thing you have to do is to send DM 10.- or $10, if you're not in germany,
together with your name and address to Thomas Nachtigall. If you need the
program and you are not in fidonet, send me an empty, formatted disk and
an envelope with prepaid postage and your address on it. And sorry for my
english, i know i need some more practice... ;-)


      >> Please report problems of all kind to Thomas Nachtigall! <<


One word from the author: If you receive a copy of this program that is NOT
the original, self expaning executable file or the expansion of the "ZIP" file
shows not the authenticy verification from Thomas Nachtigall, please drop me
a note. This is violation of my copyright and i intend to take legal actions
against it. Some people still think that software is a common gift and
stealing software is the normal procedure in spreading software. Thank You
for your support. Only the users make shareware live! Credits are in the
program's about screen.


Known problems:
---------------

* There is currently no update for the lastread pointers. This is the next
  implementation, that follows.

* Because there seems to be a bug in robo board the phone number contains
  at the last dights sometimes a few chars of the username. This is not
  a bug in this program. The whole field will be copied to the other
  database and also this chars.

* The userlevel could not be translated in every function fully, because
  the data fields in robo board do not allow sometimes higher values than
  244. In this case, a higher security level from remote access will be
  translated into 244. This is not a problem of this converter!


The furture:
------------

I am currently working on a SuperBBS Version of the converter. I also hope
to write some editing tools, that will replace robo-boards ROBOUSER.EXE and
may be other configuration tools, but let's see what changes will come up
with the new version of robo-board.


********************************************************************************


          For comments and suggestions about this program write to:

         Thomas Nachtigall, Heinrich-Bauer-Strasse 3, W-8570 Pegnitz
                  BBS: +49-9241-5017, Fax: +49-9241-7455
       Compuserve: 100023,3047 and Internet: 100023.3047@COMPUSERVE.COM

                    do not forget to register your copy!

