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DNC - DOOM Network Copier.
==========================
Version 1.00
Copyright (c) 1994 Mark Thomas.
NPS Software.
Description
===========
DNC is a utility developed to ease the process of installing DOOM
onto multiple computers for network play. The program will copy
all the necessary DOOM files from a single server to remote
computers using the NetBIOS protocol. Up to four clients can be
simultaneously connected to a single server.
Disclaimer
==========
This program is supplied for personal, private use. Feel free to
distribute the program as long as it is supplied in its original,
unmodified form, which includes this documentation.
You may NOT re-distribute modified versions of the source code nor
distribute the source code for a profit. If you make any
worthwhile changes to the source code, you can send them to me for
inclusion in a future release.
Since this software is free, it is supplied "AS IS", WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. It is supplied as is, in the hope
the people will find it useful. The author will not liable for any
damage to data or property which may be caused directly or indirectly
by use of the program.
Also note that for playing the registered DOOM over the networks, EACH
user MUST BUY his/her own individual copy of the game.
Usage
=====
þ NetBIOS must be installed on both the server and local computers.
³ Novell supplies a version of NetBIOS which uses IPX, it should
³ not be too hard to find if you do not already have it. NetBIOS
³ is not required for DOOM and can be removed (it uses about 20k)
³ once the transfer is complete with NetBIOS U.
þ Install DOOM on one computer, this will be the server. Change to
the directory with the DOOM files and run DS.EXE. DS will check
for the following files in the directory:
DOOM.EXE
DOOM1.WAD
DOOM.WAD
DOOM2.EXE
DOOM2.WAD
SETUP.EXE
IPXSETUP.EXE
DEFAULT.CFG
³ Older versions of DOOM used DOOM.WAD, newer versions have
³ DOOM1.WAD. IPXSetup.EXE was not present in the first versions of
³ DOOM, but is required for network play in later versions.
DS will also accept the name of ONE file on the command line to add
to the transfer list. This allows custom WAD, configuration or
savegame files to be transfered. DS expects only a file name and
extension, so a drive name or path cannot be included in the
argument (eg. DS MYWAD.WAD).
The list of files that DS has found to be transfered will be
displayed and then DS will enter server mode waiting for DC
connections.
þ Now run DC.EXE on the local computers and wait until the files
have been copied. Up to four separate computers can be receiving
files from a server at once, if more are required then setup and
run DS on a second machine.
You can abort DS or DC at any time by pressing Escape, although
there may be a long delay before the program returns to DOS as the
connections are closed.
DS can remain running indefinately and will continue serving any
requests from client programs. Alternatively you can quit from DS
and use the copy of DOOM on that computer.
Problems
========
þ If DS reports error 11h Local Table Full then you must increase
the number of names in the NetBIOS table. This can done by adding
the following line to the NET.CFG file (or create a NET.CFG in the
same directory as NETBIOS.EXE).
NETBIOS NAMES = 32
þ If one of the DNC program crashes it can leave the NetBIOS name
in the name table, which may interfere with any new sessions, try
rebooting any machines that have failed.
The NetBIOS error descriptions can be found in the NETBIOS.INC
source file.
Future Enhancements
===================
I will not be doing any further work on DNC (I'd rather be playing
DOOM) but here is a list of possible enhancements:
þ Using IPX. This would make the transfers slightly faster but
make the DNC programs much more complicated (as IPX is based on
datagrams each packet received has to be verified). I used NetBIOS
rather than IPX because I had a good reference for NetBIOS and
NetBIOS is alot easier than IPX.
þ It would be better if the DS and DC were combined into a single
program as much of the code is directly duplicated in both files.
þ Some form of caching on the transfer buffer.
þ Extending it right out to a generic network file copier program
(Wildcard, response files, directory support etc).
Contacting the Author
=====================
I would appreciate any comments/suggestions/bug reports you may
wish to make about DNC. As this program is free if you do use it
please send me an Email or postcard to one of the addresses below.
You are welcome to use any of my routines in your own programs as
long as there is some credit/mention made of their original author.
Internet:
mthomas@acslink.net.au
No Net Address:
Mark Thomas
8 Herronbee Street
Toowoomba, Queensland
Australia 4350.
Other software:
2OBJ110: 2Obj v1.10. Converts binary files directly to OBJ files.
Can decode GIF, PCX, LBM, CEL files and their palettes. Includes C
source. Freeware.
DIV0: Divide by Zero. The first demo by Sivris.
MCD100: MegaChangeDirectory. Smaller and faster replacement for
Norton CD. Can create NCD compatible TreeInfo files. Supports DOS
and OS/2 file names and extended target directories ('MCD m\t').
To Be Released Soon.
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³ Mark's MegaDebugger. Full screen debugger for the 80x86. ³
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³ ³
³ Features: ³
³ þ Register level screen swapping: saves and restores "mode-x", ³
³ screens, split screens, palettes and screen memory perfectly.³
³ þ C, Pascal, Assembler and A86 expression support. ³
³ þ Windowed display with EGA/VGA 25, 28, 43 and 50 line support. ³
³ þ Conditional breakpoints and watchpoints (global breakpoints). ³
³ þ Displays memory allocation, open files and interrupt usage. ³
³ þ Keyboard keeper, can always detect break-key presses. ³
³ þ Completely configurable (keys, colours, options). ³
³ þ Online context sensitive help. ³
³ þ Uses only 20k-50k memory. ³
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