Hey Fellow Sysops,

I am and old time 90's sysop but new to Synchronet (used to run VBBS).

I am struggling to modify the menu .asc files for my new Synchronet BBS(linux). Primarily I want to change the head.asc file and just add my own logo. I have tried asc2ans and them open the ANS file in syncdraw, or THEDRAW but is still just appears as control codes.

Also the ;EDIT command from the sysop menu. Host does that work? I have tried various filename and paths but I cannot get it to open any files.

I've ready the WIKI but got nowhere.

Edit: OK I gave figured out how to use the SYSOP command EDIT but that was not much help as the
file seems pretty mashed together.

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Clifra Jones to All on Mon Jul 23 2018 05:42 pm

I am struggling to modify the menu .asc files for my new Synchronet BBS(linux). Primarily I want to change the head.asc file and just add my own logo. I have tried asc2ans and them open the ANS file in syncdraw, or THEDRAW but is still just appears as control codes.

Normally, using asc2ans and opening the ANS file in TheDraw works for me. Are you sure you're opening the right file?

Nightfox

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Clifra Jones to All on Mon Jul 23 2018 05:42 pm

Hey Fellow Sysops,

I am and old time 90's sysop but new to Synchronet (used to run VBBS).

I am struggling to modify the menu .asc files for my new Synchronet BBS(linux). Primarily I want to change the head.asc file and just add my own logo. I have tried asc2ans and them open the ANS file in syncdraw, or THEDRAW but is still just appears as control codes.

If you PaboDraw or any editor that supports Synchronet control-A codes directly, then you don't need to convert to/from ANSI at all.

That said, a lot of sysops use asc2ans and then edit with TheDraw, PabloDraw, AcidDraw, or whatever their ANSI editor of choice is. ANSI escape sequences are "control codes". So I'm not sure what you're looking at or what tool you're using exactly, but I would expect to see "control codes" in any case.

Also the ;EDIT command from the sysop menu. Host does that work? I have tried various filename and paths but I cannot get it to open any files.

I've ready the WIKI but got nowhere.

Edit: OK I gave figured out how to use the SYSOP command EDIT but that was not much help as the
file seems pretty mashed together.

The ;EDIT command is not an ANSI editor. You'll need to use a dedicated tool like I've referenced above. SyncEdit is not a well supported tool, so I don't recomend trying to use that unless you have a particular reason to.

digital man

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Nightfox to Clifra Jones on Mon Jul 23 2018 12:52 pm

Yeah, it is the right file. I've been trying to do this on then server. It is hosted in Azure ao it is remote. I'll try DLing down to my workstation and try in a local copy of THEDRAW. I'm using dosemu as DOSBOX will not work on a linux server without X11 installed. No reason for that on this instance.

Thanks.

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Digital Man to Clifra Jones on Mon Jul 23 2018 01:56 pm

OK, I was avoiding PabloDraw as I work mostly on Linux computers. My main workstation is Linux and I only run Windows (for work) as a VM. It annoys me to have to startup Windows to do my personnal stuff. PabloDraw for Lunix required mono .Net and I;m not loading up that monster for 1 program. I bite the bullet and install it in Windows,

Thanks and also for the ;EDIT info. Good to know.

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Digital Man to Clifra Jones on Mon Jul 23 2018 01:56 pm

Downloaded PabloDraw for Windows. I did have to convert it to ANSI to see the file correctly in PabloDraw so now I am getting somewhere. Now I just have to learn how to deal with the line wraps on the @ commands in that file.
Clifra Jones
Sysop
Days Of Old BBS:
Address: daysofoldbbs.wilhartsolutions.com
Telnet, SSH (Port 2222), Web

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Clifra Jones to Digital Man on Tue Jul 24 2018 03:54 pm

Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Digital Man to Clifra Jones on Mon Jul 23 2018 01:56 pm

Downloaded PabloDraw for Windows. I did have to convert it to ANSI to see the file correctly in PabloDraw

You don't have to. Just select "Ctrl-A" in the format drop-down box and open the .asc file directly. If you save it, choose Ctrl-A format as well.

digital man

This Is Spinal Tap quote #23:
David St. Hubbins: I envy us.
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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Clifra Jones to Nightfox on Tue Jul 24 2018 01:52 pm

Yeah, it is the right file. I've been trying to do this on then server. It

Please quote the part of the message you're replying to. People reading the message don't always remember or know what you are replying to. It took me a moment myself to remember. :) It helps with the flow of conversation when you quote the part of the message you're replying to.

Nightfox

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Clifra Jones to Digital Man on Tue Jul 24 2018 03:54 pm

Downloaded PabloDraw for Windows. I did have to convert it to ANSI to see the file correctly in PabloDraw so now I am getting somewhere. Now I just have to learn how to deal with the line wraps on the @ commands in that file. Clifra Jones

If you can load an ANSI in PabloDraw, you should be able to load it in TheDraw too, even in Linux, I would think.

Nightfox

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Digital wrote:

If you PaboDraw or any editor that supports Synchronet control-A codes directly, then you don't need to convert to/from ANSI at all.

That said, a lot of sysops use asc2ans and then edit with TheDraw,

PabloDraw,

AcidDraw, or whatever their ANSI editor of choice is. ANSI escape sequences

are

"control codes". So I'm not sure what you're looking at or what tool you're using exactly, but I would expect to see "control codes" in any case.

I've done all my menu creation in PabloDraw. It's easy enough to save it with the
ctrl codes so no conversions necessary either way. I really can't draw so I just
need something simple and easy. PablowDraw is my editor of choice.

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Digital Man to Clifra Jones on Tue Jul 24 2018 12:17 pm

You don't have to. Just select "Ctrl-A" in the format drop-down box and open the .asc file directly. If you save it, choose Ctrl-A format as well.

digital man

Ahh, silly me! I was just opening from the left side bar not selectingthe File->Open menu.

TY.
Clifra Jones
Sysop
Days Of Old BBS:
Address: daysofoldbbs.wilhartsolutions.com
Telnet, SSH (Port 2222), Web

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Nightfox to Clifra Jones on Tue Jul 24 2018 12:59 pm

Please quote the part of the message you're replying to. People reading the message don't always remember or know what you are replying to. It took me a moment myself to remember. :) It helps with the flow of conversation when you quote the part of the message you're replying to.

Nightfox

Yeah, just figured out exactly how to do that. This is a different message reader than I am used to.


Clifra Jones
Sysop
Days Of Old BBS:
Address: daysofoldbbs.wilhartsolutions.com
Telnet, SSH (Port 2222), Web

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Digital Man to Clifra Jones on Mon Jul 23 2018 01:56 pm

If you PaboDraw or any editor that supports Synchronet control-A codes directly, then you don't need to convert to/from ANSI at all.

(This isn't just for Digital Man... it's for whomever has any recommendations)

I have tried PabloDraw (3.2.1) on Linux on a couple of different machines and if I try loading head.asc it is
mostly gibberish (ie, doesn't seem to be handling the CTRL-A codes at all).

So, I have done asc2ans on it and tried editing the resulting head.ans file, but I'm having some fun issues
because the canvas size is 80 wide and the @-codes are extending the lines beyond that.

It seems like, without a better editor, the workflow is along the lines of:

- Convert file from .asc to .ans
- Get the file in to PabloDraw, edit the sauce info, set the width to 95 columns or so
- Do the work
- Convert back from .ans to .asc

I haven't done the last couple of steps yet, as PabloDraw has crashed after starting editing... but, I'm
curious, is this the sort of process everyone's going through if they are looking to customize their look?

I will have to give the console version of PabloDraw a look-see.

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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Va7aqd to Digital Man on Fri Mar 22 2019 02:54 pm

Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Digital Man to Clifra Jones on Mon Jul 23 2018 01:56 pm

If you PaboDraw or any editor that supports Synchronet control-A codes directly, then you don't need to convert to/from ANSI at all.

(This isn't just for Digital Man... it's for whomever has any recommendations)

I have tried PabloDraw (3.2.1) on Linux on a couple of different machines and if I try loading head.asc it is
mostly gibberish (ie, doesn't seem to be handling the CTRL-A codes at all).

When you open the file with PabloDraw, you need to select "Ctrl-A" from the format drop-down box in "Select the file to open" dialog. Without doing that, PabloDraw will assume the .asc files is straight-ASCII. This is one reason to use .msg files instead of .asc files if you don't need both.

So, I have done asc2ans on it and tried editing the resulting head.ans file, but I'm having some fun issues
because the canvas size is 80 wide and the @-codes are extending the lines beyond that.

Did you try using the "Set Width" option to extend the canvas?

It seems like, without a better editor, the workflow is along the lines of:

- Convert file from .asc to .ans
- Get the file in to PabloDraw, edit the sauce info, set the width to 95 columns or so
- Do the work
- Convert back from .ans to .asc

I haven't done the last couple of steps yet, as PabloDraw has crashed after starting editing... but, I'm
curious, is this the sort of process everyone's going through if they are looking to customize their look?

Nope, I either directly edit with a text editor (e.g. vi, notepad), or I use PabloDraw. Very rarely, I'll use TheDraw to edit the .ans or .bin version of a file.

digital man

Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #72:
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On 2019 Mar 22 14:54:44, you wrote to Digital Man:

I have tried PabloDraw (3.2.1) on Linux on a couple of different machines and if I try loading head.asc it is mostly gibberish (ie, doesn't seem to be handling the CTRL-A codes at all).

rename the file to .msg and pablodraw will handle it better...

as for the @-code handling, yeah, you'll get that with thedraw as well... you just have to account for it when doing the drawing... this is why some systems handle it with a type of animation but it is handcoded stuff... draw the screen
first, then go back and place the cursor where needed and put the @code... i can see how to do it but i don't know if i can explain it better right now...

)\/(ark

Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it wrong...
... Church: Still Pathetically Wrong About Almost Everything.
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Re: Editing Menu .ASC files
By: Digital Man to Va7aqd on Fri Mar 22 2019 03:15 pm

When you open the file with PabloDraw, you need to select "Ctrl-A" from the format drop-down box in "Select the file to open" dialog. Without doing that, PabloDraw will assume the .asc files is straight-ASCII. This is one reason to use .msg files instead of .asc files if you don't need both.

Ah, ok, I get that, didn't see how that worked. I actually hadn't opened the file using that
dialog yet.

Did you try using the "Set Width" option to extend the canvas?

Yes, and the problem is that the canvas doesn't stay open or wider than 80 when
loading a
file, so lines get wrapped every time when loading a file (I don't see a way around this). If
the file's only a handful of lines long, it's not a big deal, I suppose, but then it seems one
should have a working copy sitting around with "sauce" added in to tell PabloDraw to open a
particular sized canvas next time we open the file?

Nope, I either directly edit with a text editor (e.g. vi, notepad), or I use

That sounds like it could be a little sadistic! ;-)

Thanks for the thoughts on the subject, though... I'm sure I'll get things worked out for some
simple customizations. I may also see if PabloDraw's developer is still working on it, maybe
an improvement or two could be worked on.

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