This describes freeware that I wrote which allows any virtual board manager (or WebBoard administrator) set up a board with a "header" for post threads and/or a "trailer".

If you're familair with WebBoard, you're aware that the code in readfull.html is repeated over and over again, except for the last post (which uses the code in read.html).

And if the user clicks on the entire topic link, only the code from readfull.html is used.

This makes it extremely difficult for you to customize the thread-reading process, for the simple reason that any code you put in readfull.html will be repeated over and over again.

Indeed, patrons of Akiva's support board will notice that the code for the help menu is repeated over and over again, once for each post.

This system not only lets you put a header and a trailer on each "thread," but it shows you how to execute code "just once" per thread-reading operation.

You do need to be able to use JavaScript on your boards.

IE4 users will get an extra paragraph's worth of spacing between posts.  This is because IE4 won't recognize a form that consists entirely of hidden fields, so an image field is the only way to build a form that it will recognize (images always take up at least a paragraph's worth of space).  And I have yet to come up with a more effective means of determining where the last post goes under the "entire topic" option (other than by capturing WB-POSITION and WB-COUNT in a form), since readfull.html is used for each post in that case.

I haven't supported the "modern" layout for WebBoard 6.  If you wish, you can contact me for the appropriate version of read2.html  and readfull2.html.

This code is freeware.  You use it at your own risk.  No warrany of fitness for use or any other form of guarantee inheres.

You may use it and/or the source code in whole or in part for any otherwise legal purpose that you deem fit; however you may not claim legal ownership of same for legal purposes against anyone who's obtained it from an "independent source" (such as this web page).

1:  Install

2:  Bug reports, comments, and change requests, etc.

3:  Other freeware products

4:  Version history information

5:  Acknowledgements

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1:  Install

For WebBoard 4 users, the install file is: ht_rel4.zip.

For WebBoard 6, use: ht_rel6.zip.

WebBoard 5 users should contact me for a new version of read.html  (basically, I'll just add the code for watching a topic to the end of the WebBoard 4 version).

Simply copy the files in these zips to the subfolders for boards that you wish to modify.

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If you've customized any of the WebBoard pages that are in my install, you'll have to either propagate your customizations to my pages, or propagate my alterations to your customized pages.

Here's a list of each file, along with the role it plays in the various operations:

File name:	Purpose:
read.html	This is read.html.  It's executed at the end (bottom) of a thread, except when the user clicks on the "entire topic" option.
readfull.html	This is readfull.html.  It's normally executed for all posts except the end (bottom) of a thread.  However, it's used for all posts in the "entire topic" option under WebBoard 4.
ht_const.txt	This is the file where you declare your thread header HTML (i.e. what goes before the first post), and your thread trailer HTML (i.e. what goes after the last post). If you want code to be executed once per thread, simply modify the functions DoHeader and DoTrailer.

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2:  Bug reports, comments, and change requests, etc.

You can e-mail me at rog@NOSPAM_rs-freeware.org if you encounter problems, or think that you've found a bug.

I can also be reached by telephone in the U.S. from about 9 AM U.S. central time to 5 PM U.S. central time at: 765-742-6705.  If you don't get an answer, you can use my numeric pager at: 765-417-0664 ... I'll try to call you back, if you're in the U.S, Canada, or Mexico.

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Please supply me with as much information as you can about your server, your version of WebBoard, any browser or Operating System that was involved, including the WebBoard Server's Operating System  (9x, NT, 2K, XP?).  Also, please provide any configuration files, or customized WebBoard files that you were using.  Keep in mind that I might actually have to have the opportunity to try what you were doing, in order to diagnose the problem.

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BTW, I don't gaurantee to answer all e-mail or fix all bugs, etc.  Please remember that this is freeware, and that my time and resources are limited.

That said, I've put a lot of work into designing, coding, testing, and documenting this product, and I'm probably going to be fairly interested in any comments anyone has, fixing any bugs, and/or extending the scope to applications that strike me as being potentially valuable to a large number of users.

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Naturally, if you're willing to hire me to make changes for your special-purpose application, I'm certainly willing to consider your offer.  My standard rate is $75/hr., but I may charge less if the work is to be done for a small business (less than 25 employees), or a nonprofit organization (in the latter case, I might even do it on a gratis basis  :-)  I may also consider charging you nothing if you're suggesting an improvement that I feel is of value to a large number of other users.

You can find out more about me, including references, and a list of clients/projects at: http://www.rs-freeware.org/rog.

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3:  Other freeware products

WebBoard users will find lots of WebBoard freeware at: http://www.rs-freeware.org/freeware.htm.

Anyone who writes JavaScript  (regardless of whether this is written on the client or server side),  deals with SQL, or who happens to be interested in obtaining the full power available from DOS may wish to check out http://www.rs-freeware.org/free2.htm

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4:  Version history information

This is version 1.1, released on Nov. 1, 2001.

Nov 1, 2002: added support for WebBoard 6.

This documentation was generated by Rog's FAQHack: a DOS/Windows-based freeware program that handles simple macro preprocessing with special support for FAQs and other structured HTML documents.

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5:  Acknowledgements

I'd like to thank Peter Guzis, the user on the support board who first requested this system.

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