MBSE BBS FAQ and Howto.

Written by: Redy Rodriguez, sysop of Parolas BBS 2:348/609
Fidonet:    Redy rodriguez 2:348/609
Email:      redy@users.sourceforge.net
            Redy_Rodriguez@f609.n348.z2.fidospain.org

NO WARANTEE

The information gathered here, works for the indicated intention. It is proven and working in PAROLAS BBS, however, I do not guarantee that it works correctly in all the cases. The author is not responsible for the damage this can cause. If you follow the instructions, and you get not the expected result, or as a result of it you get undesired results, you loose data or destroy your system, you you will be the only person in charge.

INTRODUCTION

This document describes how I have been able to execute MS/DOS doors in MBSEBBS. Probably it is not the best way to do it, but this is the one that works for me. If somebody finds one more more effective, or simpler or safer a solution, the I like to hear this solution.

WHAT IS NEEDED?

MBSEBBS is correctly compiled and working, in my case I have the version 0.33.19, that is at the moment the most recent and stable, I suppose that this method can be valid for newer versions. DOSEMU 1.0.2 I have tried previous versions, but these do not work correctly with virtual ports. You can download dosemu.1.02.tgz from www.dosemu.org, you may also need to download the freedos archive dosemu-freedos-bin-1.02.tgz. A partition with MS/DOS, I have on my disc a partition with installed MS/DOS, and that is the one that I use, but I'm sure that many doors could work correctly with the freedos. You also need sudo. Sudo is a utility that let's ordinary users execute certain programs as superuser, this is available with almost all Linux distributions.

COMPILING DOSEMU

Unpack dosemu in some directory, for example /usr/src, then changed into that directory and execute 'make'. When this is ready we have dosemu compiled. If we already had a previous version of dosemu it is advisable to uninstall it before continuing. Copy dosemu-freedos-bin-1.02.tgz to the toplevel directory of the dosemu source and execute:

./install_systemwide -fd dosemu-freedos-bin-1.02.tgz

CONFIGURE THE DOS PARTITION

Now we must configure the dos partition, in my case this exists as a mounted dos partition in /dos/c. If this is not the case then you could work with an image of freedos. I have created in my dos partition a directory c:\doors where I install all doors that I want to use, and a file called c:\doors.bat with the following contents:

@echo off
c:
cd \doors
if exist %1.bat call %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
c:\dosemu\exitemu

mkdir c. 

cd c
ln -s /dos/c/* .
rm autoexec.bat
rm config.sys
cp /dos/c/autoexec.bat config.sys .

mkdir dosemu 
cp /usr/src/dosemu-1.02/1.0.2.0/commands/* dosemu

path %PATH%:c:\dosemu
c:\dosemu\fossil

Then edit the file /etc/dosemu.conf and look for the line that begins with "$_hdimage =" and change that to:

$_hdimage = "c" 

(to leave dosemu type in exitemu)

CONFIGURING SUDO

Normally the dos partition is not accessible to the users of the BBS, except from within dosemu, and to be able to have access without activating the setuid bit of dosemu, we use sudo so that any user of the BBS can execute dosemu.bin as root. As root execute visudo to edit the configuration file of sudo add the lines:

%bbs    ALL=NOPASSWD:/opt/mbse/bin/bbsdoor.sh
%bbs    ALL=NOPASSWD:/opt/dosemu/bin/dosemu.bin

In order to test that this works login as user mbse and execute:

 sudo dosemu.bin 

INSTALLING A DOOR

First we need a pair of scripts. These scripts are installed when you did install MBSE. These scripts are needed to execute the doors and are installed in /opt/mbse/bin:

--- rundoor.sh ---

#!/bin/bash
#
# rundoor.sh - Never call this script directly, create a symlink
#              to this file with the name of the door. For example
#              tu run the door ilord do:
#              cd /opt/mbse/bin
#              ln -s rundoor.sh ilord
#
# by Redy Rodriguez and Michiel Broek.
#
DOOR=`basename $0`
COMMANDO="\"door $DOOR $*\r\""

/usr/bin/sudo /opt/mbse/bin/bbsdoor.sh $DOOR $1
/usr/bin/sudo /opt/dosemu/bin/dosemu.bin \
        -F /var/lib/dosemu/global.conf \
        -I "`echo -e serial { com 1 virtual }"\n" keystroke $COMMANDO`"
reset
tput reset
stty sane



--- bbsdoor.sh ---
#
#  Initialize DOS environment before starting a bbs door.
#  Parameters: $1 = name of the door
#              $2 = the nodenumber for this session
#
#  by Redy Rodriguez, 22-Oct-2001

if [ "$1" != "" ]; then
    if [ "$2" != "" ]; then
        mkdir -p /dos/c/doors/node$2 >/dev/null 2>&1
        # Copy door.sys to dos partition
        cat ~/door.sys >/dos/c/doors/node$2/door.sys
        # Create .dosemu/disclaimer in user home to avoid warning
        if [ ! -d $HOME/.dosemu ]; then
            mkdir $HOME/.dosemu
        fi
        if [ ! -f $HOME/.dosemu/disclaimer ]; then
            touch $HOME/.dosemu/disclaimer
        fi
    fi
fi

I have chosen the door Virtual Sysop, but it could be any other door. My experience says to me that not all doors work correctly with a serial port in virtual mode. This one is working at Parolas BBS.

Unpack Virtual Sysop in the dos partition, in the directory c:\doors\vsysop. Execute as user mbse 'sudo dosemu.bin' and make sure that the door works in local mode (these commands are for this door):

cd doors
cd vsysop
vsysop -local

--- vsysop.bat ---
@echo off
C:\COMUNIC\X00\X00 E B,0,57600
cd vsysop
vsysop -D c:\doors\node%1\door.sys -BBSNAME PAROLAS
deltree /y c:\doors\node%1
C:\COMUNIC\X00\X00
cd ..

The Virtual Sysop door supports door.sys and that is the only dropfile that is generated by mbsebbs and that is supported by most of the doors. If you need another format you must use a converter to change the format of the dropfile.

I use the fossil X00, I have it installed in C:\COMUNIC\X00 and this door works for me correctly with these parameters, it is alos possible that it works without X00 or that you can load another fossil.

Now create a link to rundoor.sh in /opt/mbse/bin called vsysop. The name must be the same one that the name of the .bat file created in the dos partition, but without the extension bat.

ln -s /opt/mbse/bin/rundoor.sh /opt/mbse/bin/vsysop

 8.3. EDIT MENU ITEM

 1.  Sel. key  V
 2.  Type nr.  7         Run external program in shell
 3.  Opt. data /opt/mbse/bin/vsysop /N
               1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234
 4.  Display
 5.  Security  0     --------------------------------
 6.  Min. age  0
 7.  Max. lvl  0
 8.  Password  <null>                    13. No door.sys No
 9.  Credit    0                         13. Y2K style   No
 10. Lo-colors Normal display color      14. Use Comport Yes
 11. Hi-colors Bright display color      15. Run nosuid  Yes
 12. Autoexec  No                        16. No Prompt   Yes