Setup parameters

Installation – SETUP Parameters

SETUP Parameters

SETUP is where you define how Color 64 will operate on your system: message limits, credit rules, modem behavior, disk assignments, directories, time limits, categories, and command permissions. If you are unsure about a specific prompt, it is usually safe to accept the default value shown in brackets and fine-tune later. The notes below explain how each option affects day-to-day operation.

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Main Parameters

The Main Parameters section controls core BBS behavior such as message limits, upload/download rules, credit handling, access levels, and modem settings.

Question	Description & Settings
Maximum lines per message	Limits the number of lines permitted in a single message. Default: 100 Range: 20–200
Maximum columns per line	Sets the default word-wrap width used by local-mode tools (such as the editor). Default: 38 Suggested: 38 for 40-column systems; 78 for 80-column output.
Maximum # of messages	Maximum number of public messages retained online. When the limit is reached, older messages are deleted as new ones are posted. Default: 50 Range: 25–232 Considerations: 1541 disks allow only 144 directory entries per disk. SFD-1001 allows 224. Hard drive style systems may allow far more, but the BBS itself tops out at 232.
Maximum password number	Sets the maximum number of member records in the √password file. Default: 100 Range: 25–9999 Considerations: 1541 limit is roughly 720 records. If exceeded, new callers will receive the “√membership full” message when attempting to apply. Roughly 1 disk block is used per user record. This value can be increased later, but expanding repeatedly over time may fragment the file and slow access. See “Password File Fragmentation” hints below for a clean rebuild method.
Minimum blocks-cycle msgs	Minimum free blocks required on the Public Messages drive before messages begin cycling. Default: 50 Recommended: 25–75 If free blocks drop below this value, each new public post will delete the oldest public message even if the maximum message count has not been reached.
Minimum blocks-allow uploads	Minimum free blocks required to permit uploads. Default: 75 Recommended: 10–75 If private messages share this same disk, do not set below 25. The BBS will not allow private mail to be sent if free blocks fall below 25. Never set below 10. Space is required for directory processing and temporary files after uploads. The “free upload space” shown to callers is automatically reduced by this value.
Maximum downloads per call	Maximum number of downloads allowed per caller session. Enter 99 for a practical “no limit.” Callers who reach the limit must log off and back on to continue downloading. Exemptions can be granted via “No DL file limit level.”
Download credits per call	Sets how many download-credit blocks a caller earns per block uploaded.
New mbr download credits	Free download credits granted to each new caller. Once used, callers must upload to earn additional credits (unless exempt).
Credit system exempt level	Access level at which callers become exempt from the credit system. If you are not using credits, set to 1 so all callers are exempt.
Max files on public msgs drive	Maximum directory entry count permitted on the Public Messages drive. The system checks after each user logoff. Recommendations: 1541: ~135 messages SFD-1001: ~210 SD2IEC / LTK: ~200–250, or enter 0 to avoid file counting Higher limits increase message indexing time at boot and may reduce available memory.
Number of days to hold mail	Maximum days private mail is retained before automatic deletion. When mail is purged, an entry is written to the caller log at midnight indicating the member number affected. A safety buffer prevents mass deletion if the system clock is accidentally wrong: if calculated mail age exceeds the purge value by more than 7 days, that mail will not be deleted.
New User Access Level	Sets the access level assigned to new callers. Some sysops prefer Level 1 until validation; others start users higher. Default level meanings are summarized below. Typical use of levels (defaults): 1 Recommended for unverified new users Read System Messages Create Profile/Signature Very limited system time 2 “Browse” level Includes Level 1 Adds read access to public messages and text files 3 Standard contributor level Includes Level 2 Adds posting, uploads, and downloads 4–5 Full normal access Same abilities; use categories, time limits, and directory levels to differentiate Common network approach: Level 4 non-network; Level 5 network-approved 6 Privileged callers Exempt from per-call time limit No download limit per call No time-between-calls restriction 7 Helper sysops/moderators Scratch public messages or downloads Edit download descriptions Release uploads 8 High-level sysop (co-sysop) Set clock/date Change user access levels (cannot elevate to sysop) Read caller log Warning: Level 8 can view other users’ passwords 9 Full sysop Password maintenance Full DOS functions Should be limited to you (and possibly one trusted backup)
Mbrs expired access level	Level assigned automatically when a caller’s membership expiration date is reached. The expiration date is stored per user record and is checked at midnight. Useful for trial memberships or time-limited access.
Upload auto-release level	Determines what access level is required for an upload to be automatically released as a public download. Lower-level uploads can be held for sysop review.
System Baud Rate	Sets the maximum communications rate between the computer and modem/interface. The system can step down based on the caller’s capabilities (and modem requirements). If you are not using SwiftLink, the practical maximum is 2400. With SwiftLink, 38,400 BPS is supported in many configurations, including TCPSER, where the computer-to-modem rate can remain high even if the modem-to-modem connection is lower, depending on the “Adjust BPS to connect rate” setting.
DD$ MCI on	Controls whether MCI commands may print the DD$ field from a caller’s password record. DD$ is an 8-character sysop-defined note field (for example SYSOP, GUEST, REMOTE). Answer N to keep DD$ private from MCI output.
Using Upload Descriptions	Enables download description files (stored as @filename). Most sysops should answer Y. If directory-entry limits are a concern (notably on SFD-1001), descriptions reduce the maximum number of downloads because each file consumes an additional directory entry. Manual description creation remains possible via the Edit Download Description command.
Mutiple dirs. per drive	Enables multiple logical directories on the same physical drive. When enabled, the BBS prefixes uploaded filenames internally with a letter (A–Z) for grouping. Callers do not see the prefix. If you manually add files, you must rename them with the correct leading letter. If you answer N, no renaming is required and everything resides in a single directory.
Daily Log Backup	Enables nightly caller log backup and rotation at midnight. If N, the caller log remains a running recent-history file. If Y, the log is dated and archived daily, then cleared. Log size trimming is governed by “Caller log max size blocks” and “Caller log trim blocks,” as well as the “Minimum blocks-allow uploads” threshold.
Rerun on Errors	Restarts the BBS automatically after BASIC errors. Normally this should be enabled. Disable only while actively modifying/testing overlays. When enabled, STOP is disabled; breaking requires SHIFT+COMMODORE+CTRL.
Screen Blanking	If enabled, blanks the local sysop screen when callers read or write private mail (excluding feedback to sysop and console-local use). Use this based on your privacy philosophy and moderation needs.
Does your modem support DTR	Indicates whether your modem/interface supports DTR drop for disconnect. Most Hayes-compatible modems and TCPSER support DTR. Some hardware behaves better with DTR disabled (notably certain 1670 setups). If unsure, answer N.
Adjust BPS to connect rate	Controls whether the computer should step down its BPS rate to match the modem connect rate. Many 1200/2400 modems expect this; some high-speed setups (including many TCPSER configurations) can run 38,400 computer-to-modem regardless of connect rate. This may require experimentation depending on your modem.
Run Network v1.26a	Enables Color 64 Network features (sharing messages/files between participating systems). New sysops should normally answer N until the system is stable and coordination with another network sysop is complete. If enabled, you must run +net setup afterward.
Modem Init Command	Initialization command sent to the modem before accepting a caller. Must start with lowercase “at”. Recommended strings vary by modem type. Verbose mode (v1) is essential. If the BBS shows OK at init, the string is accepted; if it shows ERROR, remove unsupported parts and test again in a terminal. Examples commonly used: WiModem: ate0x1s0=0s10=30v1 TCPSER: ate0v1h0x1m0b1
Network Modem Init Command	Sent before each outgoing network call. Some sysops disable error correction for network calls if their modem’s MNP interferes. Default (ate0) has worked well for many v8.1a network setups.
Scratch any msg level	Level required to delete any public message (not just the caller’s own). Default: 7
Category/Link level	Level required to change message category or thread link. Default: 7
Merge seq file level	Level required to merge a SEQ file into a message via the editor “*” command. Default: 7
Caller log delete level	Level required to delete the caller log. Default: 8
Message MCI level	Level required to use Message MCI commands. Default: 2
Variable MCI level	Level required to use Variable MCI commands. This should be restricted to trusted sysops due to crash potential from misuse. Default: 9
No DL file limit level	Level exempt from “Maximum downloads per call.” Default: 6
Min msg memory bytes	Minimum free memory permitted while editing before the system stops accepting new lines. Higher values reduce garbage-collection pauses; lower values allow larger messages. Typical values: 300–700.
Caller log max size blocks	Maximum size of the caller log file (blocks). If exceeded, the log is trimmed using “Caller log trim blocks.” Default: 50 Range: 8–200
Caller log trim blocks	Blocks removed when trimming is triggered (by size or low disk space). Should not exceed half of “Caller log max size blocks.” Default: 8 Range: 4–100
Validate via email level	Level required to validate a caller through e-mail workflows. Default: 8
Edit any message level	Level required to edit any public message (not only the caller’s own). Default: 9
Max chars/40 column header	Maximum header width when output is set to 40 columns. Default: 30
Max chars/80 column header	Maximum header width when output is set to 80 columns. Default: 70
No time restriction level	Level exempt from per-day time restrictions set in Time Limits. Default: 6
Edit DL Description	Level required to edit download descriptions after viewing them. Default: 7
Use fast garbage collect	Optional performance behavior. Leave at default unless you are tuning for stability/speed on your system. Default: N

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Additional Hints

Password File Fragmentation

If you expand the password database repeatedly and suspect fragmentation (slow reads), you can rebuild cleanly:

1. Use pswd tools to back up the √password file.
2. Create a new blank disk/partition.
3. Rerun SETUP to create a new password file at the new desired maximum size.
4. Use pswd tools to restore password records.
5. Copy remaining files from the old disk to the new disk.

This restores contiguity and can significantly improve performance.

Credit Exemptions

If a caller uploads files you do not want to count toward credits, adjust their “blocks uploaded” total in Password Maintenance to remove the undesired credit.

A utility program (pswd tools) can reset upload/download counters for all callers or a single caller if you want to restart the credit system.

Credits are calculated as:
(free credits) + ((uploads) × (credits per upload)) – downloads

If credits become ≤ 0, the caller must upload more before downloading again.

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SETUP – Disk Drive Assignments

This section assigns each file group to a drive. It is where you balance storage across devices for performance and capacity. If you later change your mind, you can rerun SETUP, adjust assignments, and move the affected files.

Each assignment prompt requests four values (device, drive, and init):

The device number range is 8–30. The drive number is typically 0 or 1. The init string defines how the system selects the correct partition/LU/subdirectory for that file group. The example above shows an Lt. Kernal selection of LU 0/User 0 (“!l800”) plus initialization (“!i0”). These commands are sent to the command channel whenever the associated group is accessed. See “Drive Initialization Commands” for system-specific guidance.

Question	Description & Settings
Password File	Location of the √password file. The assigned drive must support REL files. SFD-1001 supports REL well; ICT chained partitions do not. 1581 and SD2IEC may require REL creation on a 1541/1571 first, then copying with a REL-aware copier.
System Files	Welcome/logoff messages, menus, membership list, membership-full file, and other system text/data. Drive should support REL files.
Help Files	All caller-readable help content.
Public Messages	Public message base and supporting files.
Private Messages	Private mail plus √questxx new-user application files.
Text Files	Caller-readable text files outside the help system.
Caller Log	Current caller log, “most recent call,” and optionally daily backups.
Program Files	All BBS overlays plus required ML files. If using REU, this must match the REU device number defined by RAMDOS.
Network Files	Network data and files (if Network enabled). Must support REL files.
AUX 1 Files / AUX 2 Files / AUX 3 Files	AUX 1: User Profile area (signatures and banners). AUX 3: Games area (if used). AUX 2: Reserved (unused) for future expansion.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are using the Epyx Fastload cartridge, you must use “ui” as the drive command for Program Files or you may experience intermittent lockups.

After completing the assignments, SETUP will ask “Is this correct?” Answer N to revise, or Y to continue to Upload/Download Directories.

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SETUP – Upload/Download Directories

This section defines your upload/download directories (A–Z). Each directory has a name, upload/download status, access level, and its own device/drive/init settings.

You must create at least one upload and one download directory, even if you intend to restrict access. To effectively disable transfers for callers, set their access level to 9 (sysop) or 10.

Question	Details
Description	Display name for the directory (up to 30 characters). Quotes are not permitted.
Allow Downloads	Enables downloads from this directory. The first directory marked Y becomes the default download directory.
Allow Uploads	Enables uploads to this directory. The first directory marked Y becomes the default upload directory.
Access Level	Minimum level required to use the directory (unless it is the default upload/download directory). Use 10 to effectively disable.
Device, Drive, Init	Same structure as Disk Drive Assignments.

When finished entering directories, you will return to the edit prompt. Press RETURN to continue. If SETUP loops back instead of continuing, you likely did not mark at least one upload and one download directory as enabled.

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SETUP – User’s Time Limits

Time limits apply by access level:

• Per-call limits for Levels 1–5 (AM and PM), with higher levels exempt by default (controlled by “No time restriction level”).
• Time-between-calls delay for Levels 1–5.
• Daily time limits for Levels 1–9.

If a caller exceeds their time while downloading or composing a message, the system will not disconnect them mid-action. Instead, it “borrows” the extra time from the next day by storing a negative balance and restoring time nightly at midnight.

At the end, SETUP will ask “Is this correct?” Answer N to revise, or Y to continue.

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SETUP – Caller Purge

Caller purge automatically removes inactive accounts based on access-level thresholds you define. Deleted accounts are permanently removed unless you restore from a √backup password file.

The purge runs nightly at midnight. A safety check prevents mass deletion if the system clock is incorrect: if the calculated inactivity exceeds your purge value by more than 7 days, the record is not deleted.

At the end, SETUP will ask “Is this correct?” Answer N to revise, or Y to continue.

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SETUP – Message Categories

Defines message categories (2–18). Each category has a required access level. Callers below that level will not see or access the category.

Avoid quotation marks in category names; quotes can cause issues when reading √bbs.parms.

At the end, SETUP will ask “Is this correct?” Answer N to revise, or Y to continue.

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SETUP – BBS Commands

This section lets you define each command key and the minimum access level required. You can change command letters to match your style, reserve features for higher levels, and disable unused “spare” commands by setting them to level 10.

Key	Name	Level	Description
R	Read Messages	2	Read public messages
@	Post Office	1	Post Office sub-menu*
P	Post a Message	3	Post a public message
S	Scratch a Message	3	Delete a public message
$	Show Directory	1	Display directory of current selection
D	Download a File	3	Single or multi-download
#	Change Directory	3	Select a different directory
U	Upload File	3	Upload a file
!	Edit User Settings	1	Caller preferences (pause, delay, 40/80, etc.)**
F	Send Feedback	1	Send sysop feedback
C	Page SYSOP for Chat	1	Chat request
A	Alter Password	1	Change caller password
O	Logoff	1	Log off and hang up
G	Graphics On/Off	1	Toggle graphics
H	Help	1	Read help files
W	Welcome Message	1	Re-read welcome message
M	Membership List	1	List/search members
I	Information	1	View BBS info file
E	Edit a Message	3	Edit a public message
↑	Set Time & Date	9	Change system date/time
>	DOS Wedge	9	SYSOP DOS wedge
<	Password Maintenance	9	User/password maintenance
N	New Downloads	3	Scan for new downloads
X	Scratch a Download	7	Remove a download
T	Text Files	2	View text file list
L	Caller Log	8	View caller log
+	Multi-Upload	3	Multi-upload (Punter)
Z	View DL Description	3	View a download description
Y	Release a Download	7	Approve upload for public access
*	Games/Modules	3	Module menu (8.0/8.1 default)
1	Games (8.10a default)	4	Games menu shortcut
2	User Profile	1	Signature/banner editing
%	Protocol Select	3	Select transfer protocol
=	Post Network Mail	3	Network mail (if enabled)***
&	Billing Maintenance	9	Billing/node maintenance***
-	Release Public	8	Release public nets holding***

* Post Office includes: Post a Message, Read/Send E-mail, Feedback, and Membership List. Options not permitted by the caller’s access level will not be shown.
** User Settings include: page-pauser lines, character delay, and 40/80 column selection.
*** Network commands are disabled if Network is not enabled. See the Network documentation for details.

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SETUP – Color Code Setup

Defines the eight color values used by the system. To change a bar, type its number and then the color control code (example: 1 then COMMODORE/7 for medium blue). Adjust until satisfied, then press RETURN to continue.

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SETUP – Carrier Status

Determines how the system detects modem carrier. This is critical for stable operation. Ensure the modem is connected, powered on, and not actively connected to a caller. If necessary, disconnect the phone line to avoid false detection.

If you change modem types or relevant modem switches later, rerun SETUP and repeat this section.

Press RETURN when ready.

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SETUP – Saving the Parameters

After completing all sections, return to the SETUP main menu and select option 10 to save parameters.

Two key files are created:

• √bbs.parms (stored on the Program Files drive). This includes drive assignments and system parameters required for normal operation and recovery.
• √password file (created on the drive assigned in Drive Assignments). This stores caller records including names, passwords, access, time remaining, last message read, etc.

After the initial SETUP, the password file includes a SYSOP account (member number 2) with name SYSOP and password SYSOP. Member #2 must remain reserved for SYSOP because feedback messages are delivered to this mailbox.

Before opening the board, change your sysop name/password using Password Maintenance (F6 at the waiting-for-call screen or “<” while online).

The “√” (shifted @) prefix on system files hides them from callers and prevents download access.

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SETUP – Editing/Changing Parameters

To change any parameters later, rerun +setup. The existing √bbs.parms file is loaded, and previously saved values appear as defaults. Press RETURN to keep values you do not want to change, and edit only the items you do.

When finished, select option 10 again to write an updated √bbs.parms file.

If you increase “Maximum password number,” SETUP will ask whether to expand the password file. Expanding can be done immediately (Y) or record-by-record later (N). Record-by-record expansion can be slower during live operation.

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SETUP – Printing the Parameters

Option 12 prints the parameters. A printer must be available as device 4 and be online. You may print a single section or all parameters.

Next Section: Prior to Running

Installation