ProBoard BBS Documentation

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====== Installation Overview ======

If you currently operate a RemoteAccess bulletin board system, Refer to the chapter “[[RemoteAccess to ProBoard Conversion|RemoteAccess to ProBoard Conversion]]” for specific instructions on how to convert your existing system.

*******************************************************************
Prudence and courtesy dictate that we ask you to back up your
system before installing and/or upgrading ProBoard.
*******************************************************************

*******************************************************************
Although every effort has been made to provide you with software
that will install/upgrade easily, due to the many different number
of possible hardware and software combinations, it's virtually
impossible to guarantee that a problem won't occur.  It's your
system, do what you like, but remember we did ask you to backup
first.  
*******************************************************************

Now, on to the good stuff!!

Unpack the distribution archive in a temporary directory or to a
diskette and run INSTALL.EXE.  You will be asked in which
directory you want to install ProBoard.  After confirmation, you
will get an input screen where you can enter the different
directories for ProBoard.  After you have entered them, ProBoard
will create all non-existing directories and start the
installation.  When completed, you will be asked to add a line to
set the ProBoard environment variable in AUTOEXEC.BAT.

Now run PROCFG (the ProBoard configuration utility) to review and
change all ProBoard settings (e.g. your BBS name, sysop name,
etc.).  Don't forget to set your modem parameters (explained in
the documentation, chapter "[[configuration_overview|Configuration]]")

The ProCFG menu editor and user editor will not display correctly until you set the Paths and save.

Run ProCFG then:
  - Go to Options --> Paths then exit to main
  - Exit ProCFG and save changes.

Go back into ProCFG and finish setting up your BBS.

At this stage, you can run ProBoard locally by running
PROBOARD.EXE without any command line parameters.

To be able to accept modem callers, you have to install a FOSSIL
driver if you don't have one installed already.  X00 is a very
good one to try.  It can be found on any ProBoard support BBS.
To install it, follow the documentation of X00.  A command line
that will almost always work is (assuming your modem is on COM1):

	X00 B,0,38400 E

After you have done this, you will have to install an external
protocol driver called CEXYZ which can be downloaded from any
support BBS.  Place CEXYZ.EXE in your ProBoard system directory.
DO NOT SET THE CEXYZLOG variable (or any other environment
variable).  In other words, don't follow the installation
instructions of CEXYZ.  Just copy the file CEXYZ.EXE to the
ProBoard system directory.  Nothing more, nothing less.

If you want to be able to use the fullscreen editor for entering
messages on your BBS, you will have to download an external full-
screen editor from a BBS and install it according to the
installation instructions that come with it.  A great full-screen
editor PEX (ProBoard EXecutable) is TheEdit by Alain Schellinck.

Refer to the chapter "[[single_node|Starting ProBoard]]" in the manual for
instructions on how to run ProBoard.

*******************************************************************
The following section is intented for people who don't want to
use the automatic installation program for installing
ProBoard.
*******************************************************************

We will assume that you created the directory C:\PB as ProBoard's
main system directory.

1)  Create the following directories:

   C:\PB\MENUS
   C:\PB\TXTFILES
   C:\PB\PEX
   C:\PB\MSGBASE
   C:\PB\RIP
   C:\PB\RIP\ICONS
   C:\PB\SDK

2)  Unpack ProBoard in the directory C:\PB.

3)  Move all *.ANS, *.ASC and *.AVT files to the directory
 C:\PB\TXTFILES.

4)  Move all *.PBM files to the directory C:\PB\MENUS.

5)  Move all *.CPP, *.C, *.H, *.HPP, *.OBJ and  *.LIB files from
 PB_230.ZIP in the directory C:\PB\SDK.

6)  Move the files _GRAPH.PEX and _LC.PEX to C:\PB\PEX.

7)  Move all *.RIP files to the directory C:\PB\RIP.

8)  Move all *.ICN files to the directory C:\PB\RIP\ICONS.

9)  Run ProCFG and enter the correct modem parameters for your
 modem (explained in the documentation, chapter
 "Configuration")

10) Mark the file PROBOARD.EXE "read only" using the DOS ATTRIB
 command.  This is important because PROBOARD.EXE is an
 overlayed executable and to run properly it needs this
 file attribute set to "read only"

 To do this, change to the C:\PB directory and type the
 following command.

	  ATTRIB +R PROBOARD.EXE

11) Next, you have to install a FOSSIL driver if you don't have
 one installed already.  X00 is a very good one to try.  It
 can be found on any ProBoard support BBS.  To install it,
 follow the documentation of X00.  A command line that will
 almost always work is (assuming your modem is on COM1):

	X00 B,0,38400 E

After these 11 steps you can run ProBoard, but you will not be
able to use the fullscreen editor or perform file transfers.

To log in locally, execute PROBOARD.EXE without any parameters.

To make ProBoard answer incoming calls, run PROBOARD -S.

12) Run ProCFG and create some file and message areas. (explained
 in the documentation, chapter "Configuration")

13) Download an external full-screen editor from a BBS and
 install it according to the installation instructions that
 come with it.  A great full-screen editor PEX (ProBoard
 EXecutable) is TheEdit by Alain Schellinck.

14) Download CEXYZ from a BBS and copy the file CEXYZ.EXE in the
 directory C:\PB. (CEXYZ can be found on any ProBoard
 Support BBS).  DO NOT SET THE CEXYZLOG variable (or any other
 environment variable).  In other words, don't follow the
 installation instructions of CEXYZ.  Just copy the file
 CEXYZ.EXE to the ProBoard system directory.  Nothing more,
 nothing less.

Now, you will be able to run ProBoard, use the fullscreen
editor, and allow users to perform file transfers using X,Y &
Zmodem.
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