Console Commands
BBS Operation Local Console Commands During Operations
The Sysop's keyboard is always active, even when a user is logged in and using the system. This allows you to enter a command for a new user, log a caller off, invoke chat, etc.
Here are some primary features:
Chat Mode (F1)
Pressing F1 when the user is at a command prompt will enable CHAT mode. During the time you are in CHAT mode, the BBS call timer stops. The caller's time online and time used today will not reflect this time in CHAT mode. Other than the user terminating the call by disconnecting, they cannot terminate a chat session. Only the Sysop can, by pressing F1 again.
Quick Caller Editor (F5)
It is possible to change a caller's access level, time remaining, blocks uploaded, blocks downloaded and online status while the caller is online. To do this, make sure the caller is at the main command prompt and press F5. On your screen only (the caller will not see this), you will see a six-part input prompt asking for level, time1, time2, dnld, upld,1=local.
- Level is the caller’s access level for this call. Changing this variable is just a temporary change, the next time this caller calls back, they will be back to their original level. Use Password Maintenance to permanently change a caller’s access level.
- Time 1 is the amount of time remaining on this call and time 2 is the amount of time carried forward for future calls today.
- Time 2 will be added to time 1 when the caller logs off, giving the amount of time that caller has remaining today. The current values for each input are already typed on the screen, so just cursor right and left to change the desired values and press RETURN.
- Dnld is the number of blocks this caller has downloaded and Upld is the number of blocks the caller has uploaded. If you want to give a caller some more download credits while they are online, you can either raise the blocks uploaded or lower the blocks downloaded. Local is either a 1 or 0. If you enter a 1 here, the system will go into local mode.
Even when you exit this routine, the caller will not see what is going on. This allows you to put a caller on hold, while you quickly look at a password in the password file or check the caller log. To put the caller back online, press F5 at the command prompt, then change local to 0. The caller on the other end will then see another command prompt.
Carbon Copy
There is a special carbon copy feature built into our private mailbox editor. After reading any incoming mail, at the (D)elete, (R)eread, (A)utoreply prompt, if you press the Commodore key you will see a "carbon copy" prompt. If you answer Y, this piece of mail will be transferred to the default message section of the BBS. I find this handy when a caller leaves a question in feedback that would benefit more people if it were in the public messages area. All you would need to do is select (P)ost a Message, answer N to private, select the appropriate category and then use /* to carbon copy the default message into the message editor (more on using Color 64's default message can be read in your help files on the back side of your master disk).
Next Section: The Caller Log System