• Infocom doors..

    From Shane O'Neill@VERT to All on Friday, July 16, 2021 15:04:52
    I have spent a little bit of time over the past week trying to get my Infocom games that are running on my Mystic board to work on Synchronet. I have go through all the instructions but no luck.

    When the caller enters a game it shows the console window of the game on the Syncronet BBS machine but the caller is just stuck at the froze games menu. I have to exit the console on the Synchronet BBS machine to give the caller control back.

    I am sure I am overlooking a simple setting but I am still wet behind the
    ears to Synchronet, so I am hoping someone can guide me here. ;)

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/03/02 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: 8-Bit Boyz BBS! -=[ bbs.8bitboyz.com port:6502 ]=- (1:305/3)
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Shane O'Neill on Friday, July 16, 2021 14:22:25
    Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Shane O'Neill to All on Fri Jul 16 2021 03:04 pm

    I have spent a little bit of time over the past week trying to get my Infocom games that are running on my Mystic board to work on Synchronet. I have go through all the instructions but no luck.

    When the caller enters a game it shows the console window of the game on the Syncronet BBS machine but the caller is just stuck at the froze games menu. I have to exit the console on the Synchronet BBS machine to give the caller control back.

    I am sure I am overlooking a simple setting but I am still wet behind the ears to Synchronet, so I am hoping someone can guide me here. ;)

    Do you mean that the caller sees the output of the game, but cannot send keyboard input into it?

    What are the settings you're using SCFG for the game?
    --
    digital man

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #49:
    Synchronet program was named 'sbbs' instead of 'sync' to avoid conflict w/Unix. Norco, CA WX: 88.0øF, 36.0% humidity, 9 mph E wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Shane O'Neill@VERT to Digital Man on Friday, July 16, 2021 16:28:13
    On 16 Jul 2021, Digital Man said the following...

    Do you mean that the caller sees the output of the game, but cannot send keyboard input into it?

    The caller sees nothing, they are still seeing the games menu prompt where
    they selected the game. Only on the BBS machine can you see the game open up.

    What are the settings you're using SCFG for the game?

    I have tried all kinds of settings with the same result, currently:

    ³Name Zork I
    ³Internal Code ZORKI
    ³Start-up Directory ../xtrn/infocom/zork
    ³Command Line _zork1.com
    ³Clean-up Command Line
    ³Execution Cost None
    ³Access Requirements
    ³Execution Requirements
    ³Multiple Concurrent Users Yes
    ³Intercept I/O Standard
    ³Native Executable No
    ³Use Shell / New Context No
    ³Modify User Data No
    ³Execute on Event No
    ³Pause After Execution No
    ³BBS Drop File Type Synchronet XTRN.DAT
    ³Place Drop File In Node Directory

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/03/02 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: 8-Bit Boyz BBS! -=[ bbs.8bitboyz.com port:6502 ]=- (1:305/3)
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Shane O'Neill on Friday, July 16, 2021 21:00:45
    Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Shane O'Neill to All on Fri Jul 16 2021 03:04 pm

    I have spent a little bit of time over the past week trying to get my Infocom games that are running on my Mystic board to work on Synchronet. I have go through all the instructions but no luck.

    When the caller enters a game it shows the console window of the game on the Syncronet BBS machine but the caller is just stuck at the froze games menu.

    you can use doorway
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Shane O'Neill@VERT to MRO on Friday, July 16, 2021 21:17:25
    On 16 Jul 2021, MRO said the following...

    you can use doorway

    Already do for a select few. ;) The infocom ones and many others I am
    wanting to have them local on my BBS.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/03/02 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: 8-Bit Boyz BBS! -=[ bbs.8bitboyz.com port:6502 ]=- (1:305/3)
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Shane O'Neill on Saturday, July 17, 2021 12:22:16
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Shane O'Neill to Digital Man on Fri Jul 16 2021 04:28 pm

    On 16 Jul 2021, Digital Man said the following...

    Do you mean that the caller sees the output of the game, but cannot send keyboard input into it?

    The caller sees nothing, they are still seeing the games menu prompt where they selected the game. Only on the BBS machine can you see the game open up.

    What are the settings you're using SCFG for the game?

    I have tried all kinds of settings with the same result, currently:

    ³Name Zork I
    ³Internal Code ZORKI
    ³Start-up Directory ../xtrn/infocom/zork
    ³Command Line _zork1.com
    ³Clean-up Command Line
    ³Execution Cost None
    ³Access Requirements
    ³Execution Requirements
    ³Multiple Concurrent Users Yes
    ³Intercept I/O Standard
    ³Native Executable No
    ³Use Shell / New Context No
    ³Modify User Data No
    ³Execute on Event No
    ³Pause After Execution No
    ³BBS Drop File Type Synchronet XTRN.DAT
    ³Place Drop File In Node Directory

    It's possible that _zork1.com isn't writing to stdio (so therefore, it can't be redirected). A good test would be to run another door that relies on standard I/O redirection and see if it works. That'd at least eliminate SBBS or DOSXTRN.EXE as part of the problem.

    Another option would be to run Zork using cioxtrn, it's like doorway.exe but modern:
    http://wiki.synchro.net/howto:cioxtrn
    --
    digital man

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #19:
    The first Synchronet BBS (Vertrauen) went live in July of 1991 (replacing WWIV).
    Norco, CA WX: 86.8øF, 38.0% humidity, 4 mph ENE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Shane O'Neill on Saturday, July 17, 2021 16:38:28
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Shane O'Neill to MRO on Fri Jul 16 2021 09:17 pm

    On 16 Jul 2021, MRO said the following...

    you can use doorway

    Already do for a select few. ;) The infocom ones and many others I am wanting to have them local on my BBS.

    what do you mean local.

    i mean use doorway to allow the output to show to the bbs user.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Digital Man on Saturday, July 17, 2021 16:39:21
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Digital Man to Shane O'Neill on Sat Jul 17 2021 12:22 pm

    It's possible that _zork1.com isn't writing to stdio (so therefore, it can't be redirected). A good test would be to run another door that relies on standard I/O redirection and see if it works. That'd at least eliminate SBBS or DOSXTRN.EXE as part of the problem.

    Another option would be to run Zork using cioxtrn, it's like doorway.exe but

    i have all those setup with doorway. they dont write to stdio
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Shane O'Neill@VERT to MRO on Sunday, July 18, 2021 08:37:55
    On 17 Jul 2021, MRO said the following...

    what do you mean local.

    Okay I had a total blonde moment when I read and replied to you. Between internet issues and a few other personal things when you said Doorway I had
    it in my head as a Door Server. Duh!!! ;)

    Yeah I did wonder if Doorway was a solution but did not go that far, I will take your advice and give it a try. God knows I have tested many versions
    of NetFoss with Mike to help him resolve issues with many of the Infocom games output, I should of just tried Doorway already. LOL

    Thanks for input MRO, will report back!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/03/02 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: 8-Bit Boyz BBS! -=[ bbs.8bitboyz.com port:6502 ]=- (1:305/3)
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Marisag@VERT/MYMAC to Digital Man on Monday, July 19, 2021 04:41:49
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Digital Man to Shane O'Neill on Sat Jul 17 2021 12:22 pm

    My frotz doors work fine if the bbs is on linux...

    Marisa

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Sent from the Classic Mac BBS
  • From Havok@VERT/NHBBS to Marisag on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 09:45:00
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Marisag to Digital Man on Mon Jul 19 2021 04:41 am


    Hello Marisag

    I wish all your doors for linux had better doc's for us that are not a pro
    as your self.

    Also hat's off on BBS management & utils would like to see one day adding umonitor & gtkmonitor add to the menu.


    :|04Hav|12o|04k|07:

    Telnet:|04a|12na|12rchyb|04bs.com:2332
    ---










    ... Advertising is legalized lying.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Anarchy BBS|anarchybbs.com:2332
  • From Marisag@VERT/MYMAC to Havok on Thursday, July 22, 2021 23:51:48
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Havok to Marisag on Wed Jul 21 2021 09:45 am

    I wish all your doors for linux had better doc's for us that are not a pro
    as your self.
    Can you give me a example of oa few that need better docs?

    also hat's off on BBS management & utils would like to see one day adding umonitor & gtkmonitor add to the menu.

    Thanks! I will have to look into those utils. We'll see what I can do...

    Marisa

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Sent from the Classic Mac BBS
  • From Havok@VERT/NHBBS to Marisag on Saturday, July 24, 2021 07:30:00
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Marisag to Havok on Thu Jul 22 2021 11:51 pm

    Thanks! I will have to look into those utils. We'll see what I can do...

    Well thanks young lady!


    :|04Hav|12o|04k|07:

    Telnet:|04a|12na|12rchyb|04bs.com:2332
    ---










    ... RAM = Rarely Adequate Memory
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Anarchy BBS|anarchybbs.com:2332
  • From Tracker1@VERT/TRN to Shane O'Neill on Sunday, September 05, 2021 10:45:16
    On 7/16/2021 3:28 PM, Shane O'Neill wrote:
    I have tried all kinds of settings with the same result, currently:

    ¨Name Zork I
    ¨Internal Code ZORKI

    I know this is kind of old... IIRC, you can load/save games in Zork...
    you may want to copy the executable into a per user directory, so that
    each user can load/save their own game state.

    Assuming you otherwise have this working... it'll add a bit of disk
    usage, but likely not too big of a problem... and/or change to a running directory per-user, but this may not work as intended. Should test it.
    --
    Michael J. Ryan - tracker1@roughneckbbs.com

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Roughneck BBS - roughneckbbs.com
  • From Jason Van Horne@VERT to alt.bbs.synchronet on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 12:22:36
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    On Sunday, September 5, 2021 at 7:08:08¨PM UTC-4, Tracker1 wrote:
    To: Shane O'Neill
    On 7/16/2021 3:28 PM, Shane O'Neill wrote:
    I have tried all kinds of settings with the same result, currently:

    ¨Name Zork I
    ¨Internal Code ZORKI

    I know this is kind of old... IIRC, you can load/save games in Zork...
    you may want to copy the executable into a per user directory, so that
    each user can load/save their own game state.

    Assuming you otherwise have this working... it'll add a bit of disk
    usage, but likely not too big of a problem... and/or change to a running directory per-user, but this may not work as intended. Should test it.
    --
    Michael J. Ryan - trac...@roughneckbbs.com
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Roughneck BBS - roughneckbbs.com
    --- Synchronet 3.19a-Win32 NewsLink 1.113
    * Vertrauen - Riverside County, California - telnet://vert.synchro.net
    I've been looking for a way to make Infocom games available to my MajorBBS users and also allow them the ability to save and load their games - so their progress isn't lost when they log out. Has anyone found a way of doing this? I've found Frotzdoor, but have not been able to dive deeply into it yet.
    Would really love to see this become a reality... we run MBBSV10 on a WIndows 2019 server... I think Frotz needs Linux??
    If there's anyone familiar with BBSs and Infocom games/doors/porting... I'd be willing to discuss compensating someones time, as best I could, to get an solution up and running.
    Thanks for a good thread! Nice to see people still into the old school text games.
    J
    --- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Jason Van Horne on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 17:14:08
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Jason Van Horne to alt.bbs.synchronet on Wed Aug 09 2023 12:22 pm

    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    On Sunday, September 5, 2021 at 7:08:08­PM UTC-4, Tracker1 wrote:
    To: Shane O'Neill
    I know this is kind of old... IIRC, you can load/save games in Zork...
    you may want to copy the executable into a per user directory, so that each user can load/save their own game state.



    you are posting in the wrong area.
    i would move it and reply but you are posting on newsgroups

    i use doorway with synchronet, using netfoss as the fossil.
    i had to do a screenshot because my editor was quitting when i pasted.

    https://i.imgur.com/Z2qLsLi.png
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Nelgin@VERT/EOTLBBS to All on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 18:04:07
    On Wed, 9 Aug 2023 12:22:36 -0700
    "Jason Van Horne" (VERT) <VERT!Jason.Van.Horne@endofthelinebbs.com>
    wrote:

    I've been looking for a way to make Infocom games available to my
    MajorBBS users and also allow them the ability to save and load their
    games - so their progress isn't lost when they log out. Has anyone
    found a way of doing this? I've found Frotzdoor, but have not been
    able to dive deeply into it yet. Would really love to see this become
    a reality... we run MBBSV10 on a WIndows 2019 server... I think Frotz
    needs Linux?? If there's anyone familiar with BBSs and Infocom games/doors/porting... I'd be willing to discuss compensating
    someones time, as best I could, to get an solution up and running.
    Thanks for a good thread! Nice to see people still into the old
    school text games. J --- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114 _
    Synchronet _ Vertrauen _ Home of Synchronet _
    [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

    This may not be of use to you but it might be to someone.

    With Synchronet on Linux I use frotz and long with a bash script. Each
    user has a number, so I create a directory in /sbbs/data/user for the
    user to store their saved games.

    #!/bin/bash

    stty kill undef
    stty erase

    if [ -z $1 ] ; then
    echo "Must provide a user number"
    exit 1
    fi

    if [ -z $2 ] ; then
    echo "Must provide a filename"
    exit 1
    fi

    BASENAME=$(echo $2|cut -f1 -d.)
    GAMEPATH=/sbbs/xtrn/infocom
    SAVEPATH=/sbbs/data/user/${1}/${BASENAME}
    if [ ! -d ${SAVEPATH} ] ; then
    mkdir -p ${SAVEPATH}
    fi

    /usr/local/bin/frotz -R ${SAVEPATH} ${GAMEPATH}/${2}

    Then I setup each game accordingly. They're all stored in
    /sbbs/xtrn/infocom


    [Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]
    1: Name Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
    2: Internal Code ICHHGG
    3: Start-up Directory ../xtrn/infocom
    4: Command Line rungame %4 hitchhiker.z3
    5: Clean-up Command Line
    6: Execution Cost None
    7: Access Requirements
    8: Execution Requirements
    9: Multiple Concurrent Users Yes
    10: I/O Method Standard
    11: Native Executable/Script No
    12: Use Shell or New Context No
    13: Modify User Data No
    14: Execute on Event No
    15: Pause After Execution No
    16: Disable Local Display No
    17: BBS Drop File Type None
    18: Place Drop File In Node Directory
    19: Time Options...


    %4 is the user's 4 digit, zero filled user name.

    These setting seem to work fine for dosemu2 and using SyncTerm to
    access the BBS. I can't say I've really tried other terminals.
    --
    End Of The Line BBS - Plano, TX
    telnet endofthelinebbs.com 23
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nelgin on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 16:55:30
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Nelgin to All on Wed Aug 09 2023 06:04 pm

    %4 is the user's 4 digit, zero filled user name.

    user number. :-)
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Breaking Bad quote #35:
    You ever smoke anything else, Wendy? Sausages don't count - ha ha - Hank Norco, CA WX: 80.2øF, 64.0% humidity, 11 mph S wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nelgin on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 16:57:59
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Nelgin to All on Wed Aug 09 2023 06:04 pm

    With Synchronet on Linux I use frotz and long with a bash script.

    There's also this:
    https://github.com/fstltna/FrotzDoor

    But it's a parentless fork of Frotz, so hard to exactly what was changed and why.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #64:
    Synchronet PCMS (introduced w/v2.0) is Programmable Command and Menu Structure Norco, CA WX: 78.8øF, 66.0% humidity, 12 mph S wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Nelgin@VERT/EOTLBBS to Digital Man on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 23:34:18
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Digital Man to Nelgin on Wed Aug 09 2023 16:55:30

    %4 is the user's 4 digit, zero filled user name.

    user number. :-)

    We have a winner of Nigel's Deliberate Mistake of the Day Contest.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
  • From Nelgin@VERT/EOTLBBS to Digital Man on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 23:34:56
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Digital Man to Nelgin on Wed Aug 09 2023 16:57:59

    But it's a parentless fork of Frotz, so hard to exactly what was changed and why.

    hard to what now?

    ;)
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Jason Van Horne on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 23:37:30
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: MRO to Jason Van Horne on Wed Aug 09 2023 05:14 pm

    i use doorway with synchronet, using netfoss as the fossil.

    here ya go. i have more time to post the doorway settings

    [hitchhiker's g2g]
    1: Name hitchhiker's g2g
    2: Internal Code HHGG
    3: Start-up Directory c:\sbbs\xtrn\scifi
    4: Command Line nf.bat /N%# /H%H hhgg.bat %#
    5: Clean-up Command Line
    6: Execution Cost None
    7: Access Requirements
    8: Execution Requirements
    9: Multiple Concurrent Users No
    10: I/O Method Socket
    11: Native Executable/Script Yes
    12: Use Shell or New Context No
    13: Modify User Data No
    14: Execute on Event No
    15: Pause After Execution No
    16: BBS Drop File Type GAP DOOR.SYS
    17: Place Drop File In Node Directory
    18: Time Options...

    Which (Help or Quit):

    -+-

    hhgg.bat

    copy c:\sbbs\node%1\door.sys
    echo DO YOU WANT COLOR?
    DOORWAY SYSF /S:c:\sbbs\node%1 /G:ON /O /H /V:D /D /M:60 /I:WELCOME.ANS /B:MSZ /P:hitch.exe /FC


    https://pastebin.com/LXTjqnqG
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Nelgin on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 23:38:14
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Nelgin to Digital Man on Wed Aug 09 2023 11:34 pm

    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Digital Man to Nelgin on Wed Aug 09 2023 16:57:59

    But it's a parentless fork of Frotz, so hard to exactly what was changed and why.

    hard to what now?

    ;)

    hard to exactly.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nelgin on Wednesday, August 09, 2023 22:36:56
    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Nelgin to Digital Man on Wed Aug 09 2023 11:34 pm

    Re: Re: Infocom doors..
    By: Digital Man to Nelgin on Wed Aug 09 2023 16:57:59

    But it's a parentless fork of Frotz, so hard to exactly what was changed and why.

    hard to what now?

    See. Hard to see. :-P
    --
    digital man (rob)

    This Is Spinal Tap quote #42:
    What day the Lord created Spinal Tap and couldn't he have rested on that day? Norco, CA WX: 67.5øF, 91.0% humidity, 0 mph ESE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net