====== The Matrix logon ====== **PBMatrix** is an optional plug-in (''PEX\PBMATRIX.P3X'') that gives callers an old-school "elite BBS" front door before they log in: the board's name in big block letters (or your own ANSI art), a lightbar menu, a logon box and a small system-status box. ^ Menu choice ^ Does ^ | **L** Logon | Username (name or handle) and password, inside the screen. | | **A** Apply for access | The new-user process. | | **C** Check status | Shows whether an application was granted, is pending or was denied. | | **F** Feedback to SysOp | Leave a message. | | **P** Page SysOp | Ask the sysop to chat. | | **D** Disconnect | Hang up. | Use the arrow keys and Enter, or press the highlighted letter. Callers log in **inside** the screen; afterwards ProBoard goes on as always. Pop-over boxes ask for the system password, a new name, feedback or a page reason. The system box shows members, callers online, the last caller and the time. ===== Turn it on ===== - In PBConfig open **Options**, then **System Options**. The group **Login / PBMatrix** has: * **Login style:** //ProBoard Default// (the classic prompts, the default) or //Matrix//. * **P3X file name:** the plug-in in the PEX folder, without ''.P3X'' (default ''PBMATRIX''). * **Use system password / System password:** with the Matrix the password is asked in a pop-over box after the caller's name and password are right (or before the screen). * **Matrix settings...:** the rest. - **Save.** The next caller gets the Matrix. Set the style back to ProBoard Default at any time. //ProBoard Default// ignores every Matrix setting except the system password. ===== Callers who cannot use it ===== Callers without ANSI or IBM graphics, local (console) logins and screens shorter than 24 lines get the classic prompts. RLogin auto-logins from trusted hosts skip it. If ''PBMATRIX.P3X'' is missing the classic prompts are used too. ===== Matrix settings (''Configs\PBMATRIX.CFG'') ===== **New accounts** ^ Mode ^ Effect ^ | Open - anyone may apply | "Apply for access" runs the normal new-user questions and the caller is signed in. | | Open - SysOp validates every account | The account is created at level 0 (not active) and a message goes to the sysop. Give it a level in the User Editor to grant access. To deny it, mark it deleted and put the reason in its Comment field; the applicant sees the reason under //Check status//. | | Closed - system password needed | Apply asks for the system password first. | | Closed - invitation-only notice | Apply shows a notice and points to Feedback to SysOp. | | Closed - Apply hidden | No Apply choice at all. | If ProBoard's **New user level** is 0 (a private system), Apply is closed whatever you choose here. **Check status** lets anyone type a name and see GRANTED (level 1 or more), PENDING (level 0) or DENIED (deleted). That also reveals whether a given name exists on the board, so turn Apply off if that matters to you. **Header screens.** ''PBMATRIX1.ANS'' to ''PBMATRIX10.ANS'' in your text files folder replace the big-letter banner. Choose Single, Random, Sequential, By node number or By day of the week, and the first and last screen (1 to 99). A number with no file is skipped. If none exist, PBMatrix draws the board's name from **Site Info** in block letters. Screens 11 to 19 are full-screen pictures (below). **Colour theme, tagline, countdown.** Themes: blue, red, green, magenta, amber or gray. The tagline is a line under the name. The countdown is the Login Guard pause after a wrong password, shown inside the box. ===== Making your own header screens ===== A header screen is ordinary ANSI art, **6 lines tall** (screen rows 2 to 7; the menu starts on row 9). Save it as ''PBMATRIX.ANS'' in CP437. Anything after a Ctrl-Z (SAUCE) and any line beyond the sixth is ignored. Use only ASCII and CP437 characters 0x80 and above (no 0x01 to 0x1F "smiley" glyphs). ^ Token ^ Replaced by ^ | ''@BANNER@'' | One row of the board's name in big block letters, centred, in the colour in force. Use three on three lines for the whole 3-row banner. If a name is too long for block letters, a one-line banner is drawn at the second token. | | ''@BBSNAME@'' | The board name as plain text. | | ''@TAGLINE@'' | The tagline from the settings. | A first line ''%%;theme=red%%'' (blue, red, green, magenta, amber, gray) sets the box colours for that screen. ===== Full-screen pictures (11 to 19) ===== A full-screen picture is a whole 80 by 25 ANSI picture with the Matrix drawn **on** it: a lightbar laid out as the artist drew it, either a left and right bar along the bottom or an up and down list inside a box in the art. The logon is a pop-over box. Nine pictures come with ProBoard. To use them set **Matrix settings > Header screens > First screen 11 and Last screen 19**. Keep the artists' own credits when you edit a picture. A picture is full-screen when a layout file with the same name and a ''.CFG'' extension sits next to it (''PBMATRIX11.ANS'' and ''PBMATRIX11.CFG''). Edit the layout in **Matrix settings > Screens** tab: pick a screen, click a cell to put the selected choice there (drag to size the highlight), or press **Auto-detect** to let PBConfig find the six words in the art. The file is plain text and you can edit it by hand: ^ Line ^ Meaning ^ | ''layout full'' | Required. | | ''style bar|list'' | Left/right lightbar, or up/down list. | | ''theme'', ''tagline'' | Optional overrides for this picture. | | ''item