From 7a7b54f76f0913d515186bdb8034d1bd5cef0857 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: gferg <> Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 13:25:39 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] new entry --- LDP/howto/linuxdoc/FBB.sgml | 402 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 402 insertions(+) create mode 100644 LDP/howto/linuxdoc/FBB.sgml diff --git a/LDP/howto/linuxdoc/FBB.sgml b/LDP/howto/linuxdoc/FBB.sgml new file mode 100644 index 00000000..04e5e330 --- /dev/null +++ b/LDP/howto/linuxdoc/FBB.sgml @@ -0,0 +1,402 @@ + + +
+ + +FBB Packet-radio BBS mini-HOWTO +<author>Miroslav "Misko" Skoric, YT7MPB, +<tt/m.skoric@eunet.yu/ +<date>v1.0, 19 September 2000 +<abstract> +<nidx>linux windows nt amateur packet radio</nidx> +This mini-HOWTO covers the installation and use of +the most popular amateur packet-radio BBS +software FBB. That software works under Linux, DOS +and Windows operating systems. It serves as a +bulletin board system (BBS), a mailbox for +personal messages, a database for various texts, +documents and binary files, a server for small +useful calculations etc. Packet radio is a way of +connecting computers via amateur radio stations. +</abstract> + +<sect>INTRODUCTION + +<p> +I have been using FBB amateur radio software since +early nineties. It was the time of DOS operating +system, so most of us, system administrators (so +called system operators - sysop's) used various +packet radio software for DOS. Versions of FBB +packet radio BBS software for DOS, today are +known as DosFBB. + +<p> +I still administer one DosFBB +database in the SRV (Amateur Radio Union of +Vojvodina, a part of SRJ). It is DosFBB v7.00g23 +that runs on a 486DX computer with 16 MB of RAM +and Hercules b/w graphics. Since last December, +it runs without any re-boot (excepting some power +failures). Before that, it was a bit tricky to +set up all memory management properly, in order +to avoid "frozen" system. Although this server +runs under DOS, its "radio clients" don't depend +on that. In fact, users of that DosFBB might run +their client software under DOS, Windows, Linux +or any other operating system that offer amateur +packet radio abilities. + +<p>Two years ago, after I got my new Pentium 166 +box with 32 MB of RAM and VGA color graphics, I +switched to a Windows version of FBB (so called +WinFBB). Author of the software, an radio amateur +from France, Jean-Paul F6FBB, made several +versions of WinFBB, including 16 bit and 32 bit +versions for Windows 3.x and Windows 9x and NT. + +<p>I have run both versions until now (WinFBB +v7.00g25 under Windows NT 4.0). The main +difference between DosFBB and WinFBB is that the +second one offers you to do other jobs with your +computer while FBB runs as just one of several +applications. Beside that, it is always nice to +copy a text from another application (for example +from an Internet email) and to paste it into a +packet radio message. + +<p>In the mean time, I upgraded my system to the +Celeron 400 MHz with 96 MB of RAM and a big hard +disk that has enough room to try Linux... + +<sect>INSTALLATION + +<p> +<sect1>How to install X11 version of LinFBB + +<p> +<itemize> + +<item>First of all, you should have running Linux + with a GUI installed. I am fully satisfied + with Gnome GUI but I suppose that KDE will + be ok too (or any other GUI available). + +<p> +<item>Download or copy LinFBB (the main ftp site + is ftp.f6fbb.org but there are many mirror + sites too). For example, if you get a file + like x700e_full.tgz it means that it is X11 + version 7.00e and it contains all you need + in tgz archive to install the BBS. On the + other hand, name like xd700g_full.tgz means + that it is not X11 but daemon version 7.00g + and it is also complete to unpack. Further, + x700f01.tgz and x700g.tgz are "upgrades" to + any previous "full" package. + +<p> +<item>Copy the archive file in /tmp directory. + +<p> +<item>You have to make a "base" directory where + your FBB will be installed. For example you + may type: mkdir /usr/local/fbb if you want + FBB to be there. You have to be logged as + 'root' or 'superuser' to install FBB. + +<p> +<item>Then, you should locate yourself in that + directory: cd /usr/local/fbb. + +<p> +<item>Now, you should unpack the archive: + tar xvzf /tmp/x700b25.tgz (<-- use the right + name of the archive here). + +<p> +<item>When you finished unpacking the archive, + you may continue installing the software: + ./install.sh is the command for that. The + setup will ask you for the 'base' directory + where FBB will be installed. If you chose + /usr/local/fbb again, you will be told that + such directory already exists and all files + will be overwritten. It is ok, so you should + answer yes. If everything is ok, you should + see on the screen that fbb system + directories are created. At the beginning + of that procedure, program will ask you for + bbs's callsign, name of the city, QTH + locator, your name etc. That details will + become a part of /usr/local/fbb/init.srv + file. + +<p> +<item>Beside that, you MUST check this file + again manualy and fix other details if + needed (because installation script does + not fix all parts of init.srv). + +<p> +<item>Well, so far - so good. After you checked + all configuration files, you may start the + software: ./xfbb.sh (<-- type this within + an xterm or something similar). When you + start FBB for the first time, it will ask + you to create some files it needs, so you + should answer yes to the questions. + +</itemize> + +<p> +<sect1>How to install LinFBB beside WinFBB + +<p> +<em>Notice: Folks, you see, at my place, I have a +dual-boot system, consisting of Windows NT and +Linux (each of them having their own partition(s) +and file system). I wanted to have 'independent' +operating systems that won't see each other. So I +made two NT's partitions as NTFS partitions and +rest of the space used Linux as ext2 partitions. +Well, first I have installed WinFBB under NT and +LinFBB under Linux. Both of them worked, but there +was a big "problem": I could not share their +system files. You might say: So, what a big deal. +But, my FBB's should serve as packet forwarding +stations, so it would be very useful for LinFBB +to know the point where WinFBB stopped the mail +exchange last time (and vice versa). </em> + +<p> +<itemize> + +<item>Well, in order to allow both WinFBB under + Windows NT and LinFBB under Linux to use + some common files, it is needed to put these + files in a place both operating systems can + "see" them. So I do that by re-installing + WinFBB onto a FAT (FAT16) partition that is + seen by NT and Linux. The best way to do + that is to install a fresh copy of WinFBB on + a FAT partition and to copy complete old + WinFBB from NTFS partition over the fresh + installation (whenever you are asked to + rewrite existing files, you should answer + yes). + +<p> +<item>When it is finished, you should have a clone + of the existing old WinFBB, but this time on + the FAT partition that is visible from under + Linux. Anyway, you should check if + everything is running ok like before. + +<p> +<item>It is also recommended to check the file + tree of WinFBB in order to become more + familiar with that. The file tree of LinFBB + is a bit different so it is advisable to + note those details. + +<p> +<item>Some files can't be used as such under both + operating systems (without some neccesary + changes). That's why some file names should + be renamed: + +<p> + init.srv -> init_w.srv + forward.sys -> forw_w.sys + port.sys -> port_w.sys + protect.sys -> prot_w.sys + +<p> + FBB is able to recognize those changes. + +<p> +<item>Make a backup of the new WinFBB (I make this + by copying the whole file structure into + another Windows partition that won't be + shared with Linux, like NTFS one). + +<p> +<item>Now you should restart your machine and boot + Linux. Log on as 'root' or make 'su' from a + user's account. + +<p> +<item>Mount a shared FAT directory: + mount vfat /dev/hda2 /mnt/win + +<p> +<item>Copy LinFBB archive to /tmp directory. + +<p> +<item>Locate yourself to a 'base' directory: + cd /usr/local/fbb (for example). + +<p> +<item>Unpack the archive: tar xvzf /tmp/filename. + +<p> +<item>Start the installation script ./install.sh + and, after asked for the 'base' installation + directory, chose /usr/local/fbb. Doesn't + matter if the program warns you that such + directory already exists so existing files + will be overwritten (by the way, if you + choose a mounted directory shared with NT, + many original WinFBB files would be over- + written by LinFBB files, so after returning + to Windows, WinFBB might not be functional + like before). + +<p> +<item>Copy /usr/local/fbb to /mnt/win/fbb but do + not over-write existing files with files + with same names. + +<p> +<item>Copy /mnt/win/fbb/init_w.srv to a file + /mnt/win/fbb/init_l.srv + +<p> +<item>Edit /mnt/win/fbb/init_l.srv to what is + needed for Linux. You may use the existing + file /mnt/win/fbb/init.srv as an example. + +<p> +<item>Copy newly edited /mnt/win/fbb/init_l.srv + over the /mnt/win/fbb/init.srv (if you do + not do that, maybe you can't start LinFBB + using ./xfbb.sh , like me). + +<p> +<item>Copy /mnt/win/fbb/system/port_w.sys to + /mnt/win/fbb/system/port_l.sys file. + +<p> +<item>Edit /mnt/win/fbb/system/port_l.sys to + what is needed for Linux. You may use the + existing file /mnt/win/fbb/system/port.sys + as an example. + +<p> +<item>Edit /mnt/win/fbb/xfbb.sh in order to fix + the right path. + +<p> +<item>Start the script ./xfbb.sh to run LinFBB. + If everything is ok, LinFBB under Linux + should run with the same parameters as + WinFBB do under Windows. + +</itemize> + +<sect>FURTHER INFORMATION + +<p> +<sect1>Copyright +<p> +<em>Copyright is a source of much and continuous +debate on the LDP mailing list. For more in depth +information please consult the Manifesto at the +</em> <url url="http://www.LinuxDoc.org/" +name="LinuxDoc"> site. +<em>The purpose of having a license is to allow +appropriate distribution. You can use any license +that meets the Manifesto. What follows is a +boilerplatte license. +</em> +<p> +Copyright (c) 2000 by Miroslav Skoric, YT7MPB. +<P> +Please freely copy and distribute (sell or give +away) this document in any format. It is +requested that corrections and/or comments be +forwarded to the document maintainer. You may +create a derivative work and distribute it +provided that you: + +<itemize> +<item> +Send your derivative work (in the most suitable +format such as sgml) to the LDP (Linux +Documentation Project) or the like for posting +on the Internet. If not the LDP, then let the LDP +know where it is available. +<item> +License the derivative work with this same +license or use GPL. Include a copyright notice +and at least a pointer to the license used. +<item> +Give due credit to previous authors and major +contributors. +</itemize> + +<p> +If you're considering making a derived work other +than a translation, it's requested that you +discuss your plans with the current maintainer. + +<sect1>Disclaimer +<p> + +Use the information in this document at your own +risk. I disavow any potential liability of this +document. Use of the concepts, examples, and/or +other content of this document is entirely at +your own risk. + +All copyrights are owned by their owners, unless +specifically noted otherwise. Use of a term in +this document should not be regarded as +affecting the validity of any trademark or service +mark. + +Naming of particular products or brands should not +be seen as endorsements. + +You are strongly recommended to take a backup of +your system before major installation and backups +at regular intervals. + +<sect1>News + +<p> + +This is the first release of this mini-HOWTO. I +hope to improve it whenever possible. Beside that, +there are other documents that may help you to +use amateur radio stuff on your computer. You may +look for AX.25 (mini-)HOWTO at the same location +where you get FBB mini-HOWTO + +<em>This mini-HOWTO would be improved from time +to time. If you think that the HOWTO on your +Linux installation CD is some out-of-date, you +may check for newest release on the Internet. It +could be found within the main <url +url="http://www.linuxdoc.org/" +name="Linux Documentation Project"> +homepage. +</em> + +<sect1>Credits +<p> +<em>This version of mini-HOWTO can thanks to:</em> + +<tscreen><verb> +Jean-Paul Roubelat, F6FBB, the author of FBB. +Per Olsen, LA6CU, the author of FBB documentation. +</verb></tscreen> + + +Any comments or suggestions can be mailed to my +email address: +<htmlurl url="mailto:m.skoric@eunet.yu" +name="m.skoric@eunet.yu">. +</article> +