Maximus BBS

Documentation for Maximus BBS — Next Generation

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Dropfile Formats

The four dropfile formats Maximus generates automatically for door programs

When Maximus launches a door program, it automatically writes dropfiles — small text files that tell the door who the caller is, how much time they have, what node they’re on, and how to talk to the terminal. This happens every time a door runs; you don’t need to configure anything.

Maximus generates all four formats simultaneously into the node’s temp directory. The door reads whichever format it expects.

Dropfile Location

All dropfiles are written to the per-node temp directory:

<sys_path>/<temp_path>/node<XX>/

Where <XX> is the two-digit hex node number (e.g., node01, node02). The directory is created automatically if it doesn’t exist, and cleaned up after the door exits.

For example, on a default installation running node 1:

/opt/maximus/run/tmp/node01/Dorinfo1.Def
/opt/maximus/run/tmp/node01/Door.Sys
/opt/maximus/run/tmp/node01/Chain.Txt
/opt/maximus/run/tmp/node01/door32.sys

Supported Formats

DORINFO1.DEF

The oldest and simplest format. Many classic doors from the late 1980s and early 1990s expect this file.

| Line | Content | Example | |——|———|———| | 1 | BBS system name | MaximusNG BBS | | 2 | Sysop first name | Kevin | | 3 | Sysop last name | Morgan | | 4 | COM port (COM0 = local) | COM0 | | 5 | Baud rate and params | 38400 BAUD,N,8,1 | | 6 | Network flag (always 0) | ` 0 | | 7 | Caller first name (uppercase) | JOHN | | 8 | Caller last name (uppercase) | DOE | | 9 | Caller city | Portland, OR | | 10 | Graphics mode (0=TTY, 1=ANSI) | 1 | | 11 | Privilege level | 30 | | 12 | Minutes remaining | 45 | | 13 | FOSSIL flag (always -1) | -1` |

Caveats:

DOOR.SYS

The most widely supported format. If a door says “supports DOOR.SYS,” this is what it expects.

Line Content Example
1 COM port (with colon) COM0:
2 Baud rate 38400
3 Data bits 8
4 Node number 1
5 DTE locked (N) N
6 Screen display Y
7 Printer toggle Y
8 Page bell Y
9 Caller alarm Y
10 User name John Doe
11 City Portland, OR
12 Home phone 503-555-1234
13 Work phone 503-555-1234
14 Password (user’s password)
15 Privilege level 30
16 Times called 42
17 Last date called 01/01/90
18 Seconds remaining 2700
19 Minutes remaining 45
20 Graphics (GR=ANSI, NG=none) GR
21 Screen length 24
22 Expert mode N
23 Conferences registered 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
24 Conference last in 1
25 Expiration date 01/01/99
26 User record number 1
27 Default protocol X
28–31 (padding fields) 0 / 9999

Caveats:

CHAIN.TXT

The WWIV-style dropfile. Used by doors written for WWIV BBS and some multi-platform doors that support CHAIN.TXT as an alternative.

Line Content Example
1 User record number 1
2 First name John
3 Last name (or NLN) Doe
4 Callsign/handle (empty)
5 Privilege level 30
6 Minutes remaining 45
7 Graphics (0=TTY, 1=ANSI) 1
8 Node number 1
9 COM port (0=local) 0
10 Baud rate 38400
11 System name MaximusNG BBS
12 Sysop first name Kevin
13 Sysop last name Morgan
14 Sysop callsign (empty)
15 Event time 00:00
16 Error correcting N
17 ANSI in NG mode N
18 Record locking Y
19 Default color 7
20 Times called 42
21 Last date 01/01/90
22 Seconds remaining 2700
23 Daily file limit 9999
24 Files downloaded today 0
25 KB uploaded 1024
26 KB downloaded 512
27 User comment 8
28 Doors opened 0
29 Messages left 0

DOOR32.SYS

The modern telnet-aware format. This is what you should use for any door that supports it — see Door32 Support for the full story.

Line Content Example
1 Comm type (0=local, 2=telnet) 2
2 Socket/comm handle (fd number) 5
3 Baud rate 38400
4 System name MaximusNG BBS
5 User record number 1
6 User real name John Doe
7 User alias/handle John Doe
8 Privilege level 30
9 Minutes remaining 45
10 Emulation (ANSI or ASCII) ANSI
11 Node number 1

Key detail: Line 2 contains the actual file descriptor number of the caller’s TCP socket. Door32 doors use this fd directly for I/O instead of reading/writing through a PTY. This is what makes Door32 the cleanest approach for telnet-era doors. See Door32 Support for how this works under the hood.

Which Format Should I Use?

You don’t need to choose — Maximus writes all four every time. The door reads whichever one it’s configured to look for.

See Also