# Area Template Editor

The Area Template Editor (DLG:AreaTemplate) is a sysop module introduced in release 1.27. Its purpose is to allow the sysop to define "templates" that can be used to quickly create file and message areas with minimum input. This program is only used to create and manage those templates -- the program AreaEd actually uses these templates.

## Adding the Area Template Editor to a Menu

The area editor, AreaEd, has a built-in function to invoke this program, but you can configure it for use from any menu should you desire it. If you wish to return to the module from which you launched (except those run from MENU), you must launch it in OVERLAY mode and use the -o flag in the command line.

The following settings are recommended:

To run from... | Configure menu... | Menu setting | Command Line
Sysop Menu | SYSOP | Chain | AreaTemplate AreaTemplate -f
Message Area Editor | AreaEd_Main | Builtin function | AreaEd_Temp
File Area Editor | AreaEd_Main | Builtin function | AreaEd_Temp

Other menu settings are largely up to your own preferences. Use the defaults if in doubt.

## Available Functions

Function | Purpose
List Templates | Shows a list of all applicable templates (file or message)
Create Templates | Takes you through the process of creating a new template from scratch (see Template Parameters for details)
Edit Template | Make changes to an already-existing template. (see Template Parameters for details)
Copy Template | Copy an existing template over to a new one, which you may then edit.
Rename Template | Rename an existing template.
Delete Template | Delete one of your existing templates.
Exit Template Menu | Leave the Template Editor and return to the previous menu.
Help | Display online help for a command key that you will be asked to choose.
Re-Display | Clears screen and re-draws the menu. This is usually only useful if you are (1) online and have suffered line noise, or (2) if you are in Expert or Intermediate help mode and wish to see the full text of the menu.

## Message Template Parameters

Key | Parameter | Notes
1 | Auto-Access | If this flag is set, then when an area is added using this template, you will have the option to automatically add the new area to the users' new-scan list
2 | Auto-Access Level | If the auto-access flag is set, you have the ability to set or change what level of user is automatically included in the area. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit.
3 | Write Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to write to areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit.
4 | Kill Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to kill messages in the areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit. NOTE: Users can only kill messages that they themselves wrote on your BBS, unless they have sysop (usually 255) access. You need not worry about deranged users deleting messages all over the place.
5 | Forward Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to forward messages from the areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit. NOTE: Users can only forward messages to areas on the BBS that they have access to unless they have sysop (usually 255) access.
6 | Copy/Move Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to copy or move messages from the areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit. NOTE: Users can only copy/move messages to areas on the BBS that they have access to unless they have sysop (usually 255) access.
7 | Edit Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to edit messages in the areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit. NOTE: Users can only edit messages that they themselves wrote on your BBS, unless they have sysop (usually 255) access. You need not worry about deranged users changing messages all over the place.
8 | Sysop Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to perform Sysop functions in the areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit. You should be very careful changing this to anything other than 255! Users with Sysop access can do any of the above actions!
9 | Echo Area | This flag indicates that the message area will be hosting Echomail from a fidonet-tech network. This flag cancels the Netmail and Newsgroup flags.
10 | Hide Seen-Bys | This flag indicates that messages displayed in this area will not show the "Seen-By Kludge" lines in the message. While this information is useful for a sysop, it is of little use to most other people. This flag is only available for Echomail areas. Defaults to YES.
11 | Origin Line | Each message you write in an Echomail area must contain an Origin Line. Normally, DLG uses the default origin line defined in the FidoNet Settings Editor. However, you may wish to create a different origin line for different echo types. Additionally, if the echo belongs to a network other than your default network (domain), you must define the origin line AND include your address at the end of the line within parenthesis, e.g. `The Techno-Mages' Guild * 613.619.1429 (40:405/101)` This setting is only available for Echomail areas. Defaults to the system default.
12 | Netmail Area | This flag indicates that the message area will be hosting Netmail from a fidonet-tech network. This flag cancels the Echomail and Newsgroup flags. Note that while you may define as many netmail areas as you wish, DLGMail only recognizes one netmail area per system.
13 | Newsgroup | This flag indicates that the message area will be hosting a newsgroup from a UUCP network. This flag cancels the Echomail and Netmail flags.
15 | Use Handles | This flag indicates that messages posted in the message area will be tagged with the users' aliases (handles) rather than thier real names. You should be careful with this flag, as many networked message areas (especially fido-tech) do not allow aliases in echos. Defaults to NO.
16 | Use Signatures | This flag indicates that messages posted in the message area will be tagged with the users' signature. DLG offers three types of signatures for message areas: normal (the default), FidoNet (used in Echo areas), and UUCP (used in newsgroups). If one of the latter does not exist, the default signature will be used. If that does not exist, no signature will be appended.
17 | Translator | A Translator is an external program that changes the text in some way. In the past, DLG has shipped with programs such as Jive or kraut that gave mock accents (the latter provided a mock German twist) to the message. Digerati Dreams has discontinued these programs for personal reasons. However, the ability to use such programs is still in place. If you wish, you may consult the three batch files Spare1.batch, Spare2.batch, and Spare3.batch for hints on how to use translator files.
21 | Message Capacity | This defines how many messages are to be kept in the message area. When more than that number of messages is added to the area (user writing message, imported message), the lowest number message will be deleted until the number of messages is equal to this number. Any number between 10 and 9000 may be entered. Defaults to 100.
22 | Renumber Trigger | When the message number of the highest message in an area exceeds this number, the message area will be renumbered. To cut down on system drag, this only occurs when you, the sysop, run the Renumber utility. This number cannot be lower than the capacity of the area. Defaults to 500. Cannot be more than 9999.
23 | Character Set | This defines a character set to use to translate messages to another format, such as Norwegien character sets or Macintosh 7-bit. You may only select from a list of installed character sets. Defaults to 0 (SYSTEM DEFAULT).

## File Template Parameters

Key | Parameter | Notes
1 | Auto-Access | If this flag is set, then when an area is added using this template, you will have the option to automatically add the new area to the users' new-scan list
2 | Auto-Access Level | If the auto-access flag is set, you have the ability to set or change what level of user is automatically included in the area. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit.
3 | Upload Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to upload files to areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit.
4 | Kill Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to kill files in the areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit. NOTE: Users can only kill files that they themselves uploaded to your BBS, unless they have sysop (usually 255) access.
5 | Download Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to download files from the areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit.
6 | Transfer Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to move files from the areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit. NOTE: Users can only transfer files to areas on the BBS that they have upload access to unless they have sysop (usually 255) access.
8 | Sysop Access | This controls the level of user that is allowed to perform Sysop functions in the areas created with this template. Must be between 1 and 255, and the upper limit cannot be lower than the lower limit. You should be very careful changing this to anything other than 255! Users with Sysop access can do any of the above actions! Defaults to 255 upper AND lower.
15 | Use Handles | This flag indicates that files uploaded to the file area will be tagged with the users' aliases (handles) rather than thier real names. Defaults to NO.
16 | Use Signatures | This flag indicates that messages posted in the message area will be tagged with the users' signature. DLG offers a special signature for file areas. If one does not exist, the default signature will be used.
18 | File Requestable | This flag indicates that files in the file area will be available for fidonet File REQuests, or FREQs.
19 | Copy before Download | This flag indicates that files in the file area will be copied to a temporary directory prior to a user downloading it. This is mostly useful for file areas that are linked to CD-ROM changers.
20 | Validate Uploads | This flag indicates that files uploaded to the file area will not be available for download until they have been validated.
22 | Validation Area | If the Validation flag is set, you can set up a file area for new uploads to be moved to to await validation. Once they are validated, they will be automatically moved back to where they were uploaded. The file area must exist to be selected. Defaults to 0 -- files will remain in place.