
            Setting up FrontDoor for use with Powerboard/PBNet


    It is *very* important that you also read the PBNET.DOC file.

    Step 1: Do a standard FrontDoor setup, putting FrontDoor in \FD.

    Step 2: Unzip the enclosed STRUCT.ZIP in the \FD directory,
            using the -d option to preserve the directory structure
            contained in the archive.

    Step 3: Unzip PBNET???.ZIP into \FD\INOUT\

    After unziping, you should have a directory structure like:

    Directory PATH listing for Volume QUANTUM SYS
    Volume Serial Number is 4518-07CD
    C:\FD
       FDO.BAT                Main batch file. Manages BBS/import/export/
                             event/maint
       FILES              *.MSG are put here; mail is found here
                             (*.MO1,TU2,etc)
       PKTTEMP            Temporary directory
       BADPKT             Bad packets are put here for manual
                             consideration
       FIDO
              PBNET.CFG      PBNet config file for Fido (areas, dirs, etc)
              HI.EXE
              POINTERS.IDX   High message pointer file.
       
       NANET
              PBNET.CFG      PBNet config file for Nanet (areas, dirs, etc)
              HI.EXE
              POINTERS.IDX   High message pointer file.
       
       FILESOUT           PKTs to be exported are put here
       INOUT
               IMPORT.BAT      One-at-a-time importer call:
                               "IMPORT Fido D1239C55.MO1"
               MAILIN.BAT      Import all new mail
               PBNET.DOC       PBNet Documentation
               FMC.EXE         FidoMessageCreator (Courier 2.52)
               HI.EXE          High message checker/changer
               PBNETIN.EXE     PBNet Fido style message importing software
               PBNETOUT.EXE    PBNet Fido style message exporting software
               PKTSPY.EXE      PKTSpy looks at the header of PKTs and reports
                               findings
               EXPORT.BAT      One-at-a-time exporter call:
                               "EXPORT Fido c:\fd\filesout\12345678.pkt"
               MAILOUT.BAT     Export all new mail
               NANET.CFG       FMC config to send Fido mail to the hub,
                               via *.MSG
               FIDO.CFG        FMC config to send Nanet mail to the hub,
                               via *.MSG


     This sample setup is a typical two network setup, running Fido and
     Nanet. To adjust to your setup, edit MAILIN.BAT and MAILOUT.BAT.

     Also, edit FIDO\PBNET.CFG to set up the conferences on the FIDO
     network. NANET\PBNET.CFG for the Nanet network (if you are on
     Nanet, of course)

     To add a network, or to delete one, you need to edit
     INOUT\MAILIN.BAT and INOUT\MAILOUT.BAT. add one BLOCK for each
     network, remembering to assign to it the name of the net, which
     should be a valid DOS directory name, as well (case insensitive).
     Also, remember to specify the root of the mail file that you
     receive for that one net. (Eg. If you get mail in D1203932.TH4, the
     root filename is "D1203932"). Follow the sample pattern, and you'll
     be fine.

     FMC.EXE has to be in the PATH, or in the INOUT directory. You will
     find it in FMC252.ZIP.

     Next, set up FD using FDSETUP.EXE:

     In Mailer/Filenames:

         Desc.      Set to:

         SYSTEM     C:\FD
         NETMAIL    FILES
         FILES      FILES
         PACKETS    PACKETS
         LOG FILE   FD.LOG
         BANNER     WELCOME
         NODELIST   NODELIST\
         EVENT      EVENT

    Under Mailer/Miscellaneous, set "Trigger exit upon receipt of netmail" to
    Yes.  set the next option, "Upon receipt of ANY file" to Yes.  Then
    set "BBS software name" to "Powerboard".

    Under Mailer/Errorlevels, set the following information:

        Action          Set to

        300             194
        1200            195
        2400            196
        9600            197
        12000           198
        14400           199
        19200           200
        Received mail   100
        Create BAT.file No

  You may also want to define a function key under Mailer/Function keys:

  Description: Local logon.
  Action: ?193
  Pause: No
  Check: Yes
  Swap: Yes

  Under Modem/Hardware, set the communications port to the proper port
  number. If you are running under non-standard ports, please read the
  documentation that comes with BNU. BNU will let you access the
  non-standard port as if it was a standard port. The number specified
  here for "Modem port" should be a number between 1 and 18. Also, set
  the maximum baud rate that your modem can handle here.

  Under Modem/Messages, you may need to change the message for "19200"
  to "CONNECT 14400". Some modems (especially USRobotics modems) report
  "CONNECT 14400". You may need to experiment with this. If 19200 calls
  come in and Frontdoor says "Terminating Call", it means that it
  doesn't see a connect message defined for that baudrate.

  Next, set up events by going to Manager/Events. Press SPACE to create
  the event database.

  At minimum, you'll need two extra events (aside from the default 0-@
  event). One is to prepare your mail packet to be sent to your mail
  hub. The second is to actually call the mail hub to send your mail and
  receive new mail.

       (1) Insert an external event (maintenance):

       Tag         X
       Days        -------A
       Modifier    Add eventbase (+)
       Start time  21:50
       Length      00:01
       Errorlevel  180
       Min.cost    0
       Max.cost    -1
       Behavior
       Retry delay 0

       Under Behavior, use the following options:

       Allow users during event Yes
       Forced                   Yes
       Inactive                 No

       (2) Insert an external event for exporting mail:

       Tag         X
       Days        -------A
       Modifier    Add eventbase (+)
       Start time  22:00
       Length      00:01
       Errorlevel  190
       Min.cost    0
       Max.cost    -1
       Behavior
       Retry delay 0

       Under Behavior, set the following options:

       Allow users during event              Yes
       Exit when mail is received            Yes
       High priority (crash) mail only       No
       Allow file requests                   Yes
       Pickup file requests                  Yes
       Hold (don't send) file requests       No
       Attempt to pickup waiting mail        Yes
       Allow nodes to pickup waiting mail    Yes
       Prioritize outbound calls             No
       Receive-only                          No
       End event when no more mail to send   No
       Send to CM systems only               No
       Send to non-CM systems only           No
       Send to systems once only             No
       Inactive                              No

  After making these modifications, your essential Frontdoor
  configuration has been completed. Exit the FDSETUP program, saving
  changes.

  Next, edit the ROUTE.FD file that comes with Frontdoor. This file
  should be in the main Frontdoor directory, i.e. C:\FD. You may choose
  to create a new file. To do this, use a standard DOS text editor such
  as MS-DOS's EDIT or the TED editor that comes with Powerboard. The
  ROUTE.FD file should look like the following:

  Schedule A *
  Poll 250/601

  The first line specifies the event in which to route the mail. The
  second line specifies the node to poll (where you call for mail).

  Unzip the NODELIST.??? file into the NODELIST\ subdirectory (which
  branches off the FD main directory). Create the file FDNODE.CTL, in
  the NODELIST\ directory, using a text editor. It should look like the
  following:


  dial
        1-416-
        1-905-
  end

  This will strip out the 1-areacode digits from the local BBSs in the
  nodelist.

  If your BBS is not in the 416 area code, change this to reflect your
  area code. Then save the FDNODE.CTL file, change back to the FD
  directory and then run the FDNC (Nodelist Compiler) program.

  Next, unarchive the BNU170.ZIP file. You may wish to take a moment to
  browse the BNU documentation for some background on the software and
  its uses. Basically, BNU serves as the connection between the
  Frontdoor and your com port.

  The file FDO.BAT inside STRUCT.ZIP should be copied to \FD. It is the
  batch file that will load FD and call the BBS and PBNet when needed.


  For your door setup, you'll need to modify your door batch files.
  Instead of having the door batch file return to Powerboard, you'll
  need to add the following two lines to the end of the batch file:

  CD\FD FDO ABLOAD

  Your Frontdoor system is now set up. You now need to get an official
  Fidonet node address from your local Fidonet coordinator. Once you get
  this node number, you'll need to apply it in quite a few places. The
  first is in FDSETUP, under Global/Address/Address.


  CONFERENCE SETUP
  ----------------

  After setting up Frontdoor, you'll need to set up the conferences on
  your BBS.

  The first step in conference setup is getting a list of exact
  conference names to be used in Fidonet. Fidonet goes by conference
  names without regard to conference numbers. Therefore, if the
  conference name is not exact, you will encounter many problems. You'll
  be able to get a list from your Fido mail hub. This is the BBS that
  your system will be calling automatically for Fido echomail.

  Add these conferences to your BBS using the AREACFG program that comes
  with Powerboard. Make sure you are specifying the conferences as
  Netmail.

  Run PBOARD.EXE with the /C command line switch. This will create the
  new message areas.

  Now, the message areas should be installed and you should be able to
  enter mail in these areas.



  PBNet CONFERENCE SETUP
  ----------------------

  Using a standard ASCII text editor, edit FIDO/PBNET.CFG, and add the
  FIDO areatag names beside the Powerboard conference numbers as shown
  in the sample configuration files.

  You will also need to set up a TRASH conference. This is the
  conference where mail will go if it is invalid. This conference should
  not be accessable by users of normal user security level. The
  conference name should be TRASH.

  You will also need to set up a NETMAIL conference. In this conference,
  users will be able to send and receive private netmail over the Fido
  network. For the addressing format, read the PBNET.DOC file.


  RUNNING MULTIPLE NETWORKS
  -------------------------

  If you are running multiple networks, you will need a different node
  address for each network. The primary (usually Fidonet) address should
  be listed as the first address in the Address/Address section under
  Global in FDSETUP. The additional addresses should be entered into the
  AKA (Also Known As) fields.

  You will need to find out who the hub is for each network and find out
  what their address is.

  For each network, you'll need a Nodelist file which should be compiled
  by FDNC (Frontdoor Nodelist Compiler) and put into the Nodelist
  directory.

  The PBNet configuration files will need to be set up in a different
  directory for each network. Your primary network (usually Fidonet)
  should be set up in your FIDO\ directory. Secondary directories should
  also branch off the FD directory, but have different directory names.
  For example, the NorthAmericanNET (NANET) might reside in subdirectory
  NANET\. This directory will contain a PBNET.CFG file modified for the
  particular network.

  Modify the ROUTE.FD file. Your current Route.fd file might look like
  this:

       Schedule A *
       Poll 250/601

  Change the route.fd file so you will have a second polling event:

       Schedule A *
       Poll 250/601
       Poll 81:416/100

  GOOD LUCK ... and happy messaging.

  BTW, by reading the batch files and the config files, you may actually
  understand how the whole thing is done, but don't ask questions until
  you've read the DOCS, ok?

  Questions, comments: send to Scott Brown at 1:2625/110 or Radu Hociung
  at 1:250/608 (only till September 1994) or radu@io.org

  Thanks to Scott Brown for doing most of the FrontDoor setup
  instructions. If I messed up the original text to the point where it
  does not make sense any more, it is my fault: GRIN and BEAR!  <gb>

