.TH mwcbbs "" "" "Command"
.PC "Download files from the Mark Williams bulletin board"
\fBmwcbbs [\fB\-cp] [\-d\fIpath\^\fB] \fIdirectory\fR
.PP
.HS
.SH Options:
.IC \fB\-c\fR
Force
.B uucp
to telephone the Mark Williams bulletin board immediately
.IC \fB\-d\fIpath\fR
Use
.I path
in place of the default receive path
.IC \fB\-p\fR
Print the
.B Contents
file
.HE
The command
.B mwcbbs
lets you select one or more files from
.BR mwcbbs ,
the bulletin board maintained by Mark Williams Company.
It displays the contents of
.B Contents
files that you download from the bulletin board,
lets you select one or more files interactively, then constructs a
.B uucp
command and requests the files from Mark Williams.
If all goes well, the files will be delivered to directory
.B /usr/spool/uucppublic
on your system.
.BR mwcbbs .
In this way, you can obtain the latest versions of \*(CO software,
sources for public-domain software that has been ported to \*(CO,
and exchange mail with MWC developers and support personnel.
.SH Options
.B mwcbbs
recognizes the following options:
.IP \fB\-c\fR
Force
.B uucp
to telephone the Mark Williams bulletin board when you exit from
.BR mwcbbs .
.IP \fB\-d\fIpath\fR
Use
.I path
in place of the default receive path.
.IP \fB\-p\fR
Print the
.B Contents
file.
You can print all entries in a
.B Contents
file, or entries newer than a specified date.
.PP
.B mwcbbs
looks for the file
.B .mwcbbs
in the current directory.
This file contains the interface variables
.B DOWNPATH
and
.BR DATAPATH .
The former names names the directory into which
.B uucp
is to write the requested files; and
the latter names the directory where you keep data files.
For example:
.DM
	DOWNPATH=/usr/spool/uucppublic/
	DATAPATH=/usr/lib/mwcbbs
.DE
.PP
Please note that path names are limited to 45 characters.
.PP
When you invoke
.BR mwcbbs ,
it displays a menu with the following items:
.IP "\fB0. Contents.down\fR
List public-domain software and shareware available for \*(CO
release 3.\fIN\fR (\*(CO 286).
.IP "\fB1. Contents.32bit\fR"
List public-domain software and shareware available for \*(CO
release 4.\fIN\fR (\*(CO 386).
.IP "\fB2. Contents.news\fR"
List news items and other informative postings from MWC.
.IP "\fB3. Contents.UPD\fR"
List updates to \*(CO.
.IP "\fB4. Maillist\fR"
List the mail sites available through
.BR mwcbbs .
.IP "\fB5. Net_Maps\fR"
Show available network maps of world-wide \*(UN sites.
.IP "\fB6. Quit\fR"
Exit from
.BR mwcbbs .
.SH "Downloading Files"
If you select items 0 through 3 from the main menu,
.B mwcbbs
displays the names of files, 100 at a time.
These names are read from a
.B Contents
file that is stored in a directory you name either with the option
.B \-d
or the variable
.BR DATAPATH .
.PP
You can select one or more of these files for downloading to your system.
Note that when you invoke
.B mwcbbs
for the first time, the only files displayed are those of the
.B Contents
files themselves; you must download them first, before you can begin
to download other files.
This is because the
.B Contents
are continually being updated, and also to test your \*(UU
with the Mark Williams bulletin board before you attempt to download
a large number of source files.
.PP
To select a file for downloading, use the arrow keys to move the cursor
to that file (or use the
.B vi
cursor-movement keys
.BR h ,
.BR j ,
.BR k ,
and
.BR l ).
.B mwcbbs
lets you enter any of the following commands:
.IP \fB\-s\fR
Select highlighted file name for more information or
downloading.
Pressing \*(RT also selects the file.
.IP \fB\-n\fR
Go to next screen (if there are more than 100 files).
.IP \fB\-p\fR
Go to the previous screen.
.IP \fB-q\fR
Quit
.BR mwcbbs .
.PP
When you select a highlighted file,
.B mwcbbs
displays the following information about it:
.IP \(bu 0.3i
A summary of the file.
.IP \(bu
The date it was added or last updated
.IP \(bu
Other files that are required for compilation or use of
selected file name.
.IP \(bu
Other miscellaneous notes that may be of interest.
.IP \(bu
The system commands to be generated to download the
selected file from the Mark Williams bulletin board.
.PP
If a file is more than 50,000 bytes long,
.B mwcbbs
downloads it in parts.
When a file is to be received in parts
you must concatenate the parts into one file, which
should be given the name of the file you selected.
.SH "Lists and Networks"
Item 4 on the main menu (\fBMaillist\fR)
gives you information about electronic mail sites throughout the United
States.
When you select this option,
.B mwcbbs
displays the names of the 50 states.
When you select a state, as with the file lists,
.B mwcbbs
displays information about the mail sites in that state.
.PP
Item 5 (\fBNet_Maps\fR) gives you information about networks.
When you select this option,
.B mwcbbs
displays a menu with the following items:
.IP "\fB0. Net_Maps.WORLD\fR"
Network maps of \*(UN sites across the world.
.IP "\fB1. Net_Maps.USA\fR"
Network maps of \*(UN sites in the United States, by area code.
.IP "\fB2. Net_Maps.CAN\fR"
Network maps of \*(UN sites in Canada, by area code.
.IP "\fB3. Quit\fR"
Return to main menu.
.PP
Options 0 through 2 display maps of available networks.
You can select a map interactively, as with the file options.
.SH "Printing a Contents File"
When you invoke
.B mwcbbs
with its
.B \-p
option, it lists the four
.B Contents
files.
When you select one,
.B mwcbbs
asks you to enter a search date.
If you enter a search date,
.B mwcbbs
prints only those entries that are dated later than that date.
If you do not enter a date, it prints
every entry in the
.B Contents
file entries.
.PP
Entries are printed to the file
.BR mwcbbs .
When the entries have been printed,
.B mwcbbs
automatically exits to the shell.
.SH "See Also"
.Xr "commands," commands
.Xr "UUCP" uucp
.br
\*(CO Tutorial: \fBUUCP, Remote Communications Utility\fR
.SH Notes
.B mwcbbs
does not work correctly until you have correctly configured \*(UU
to contact the Mark Williams bulletin board.
For details on how to do so, see the tutorial \fIUUCP, Remote Communications
Utility\fR in the front of the \*(CO manual.
.PP
The charges for downloading a large set of files via a
long-distance telephone call can be quite heavy.
Much depends upon the speed of your modem and the time you place your call.
.I "Caveat utilitor!"
