User Application
BBS Operation - The User Application
The application routine gathers information about new callers and collects membership details such as real name, phone number, and related information. This portion of the BBS is fully customizable.
To enable the feature, the file named "√application" must be present on your System Files drive. The file must follow a specific format, so it is recommended that you begin with the included sample and modify it to suit your needs.
User Input Prompts
When the application routine begins, it prints text from the √application file until it encounters a line where the first character is a "#". When such a line is found, the routine pauses and waits for user input. After the caller enters a response, the routine continues printing text until another "#" line or the end of the file is reached.
Each response entered by the caller is stored as part of their application.
You may include short remarks for each prompt. These remarks are displayed when the caller reviews their completed application and are also included in your mailbox copy. This ensures that both you and the caller can clearly identify which answer corresponds to which question.
To include a remark, place it immediately after the "#" character on the prompt line. The remark should be brief but descriptive.
Anything following the "#" will precede the caller's response in both their review screen and your mailbox copy. For example, if the remark is:
- My Full Name Is:
and the caller enters "John Smith", it will appear in your mailbox as:
My Full Name Is: John Smith
Keep remarks concise to maintain readability.
Getting Membership Information
The application routine can automatically capture certain fields that are stored directly in the caller’s password record. Five special codes are recognized when placed in a prompt line:
- rn$ – Real Name
- ph$ – Phone Number
- bd – Birth Date
- a1$ – Address Line 1
- a2$ – Address Line 2
These are BASIC variable names used internally by the system. When displayed to the caller and stored in your mailbox, the variable codes themselves are not shown. Only the readable text portion of the prompt appears.
The information entered by the caller is saved into their permanent password record. By default, callers cannot leave these special prompts blank. If you want to allow blank responses, delete line 18851 of √bbs.init.
You may include as many or as few of these special prompts as desired. This is the only automated method for collecting this specific membership data.
Once the Caller is Finished
When a new user completes the application, the results are sent to your mailbox and also written to a monthly archive file stored on your PRIVATE MESSAGES drive.
The archive file is automatically created each month using the format:
"√questXX"
Where "XX" represents the month number. For example, July applications are stored in √quest07.
This archive is maintained automatically and may be copied, backed up, or scratched at your discretion.
If you would like application results delivered to a different mailbox, examine the code beginning around line 18700 in √bbs.init and locate the references to "√private 2". This appears in two locations. Change both occurrences to redirect application mail to a different user ID, such as a co-sysop responsible for validations.
Next Section: Local Console Commands