Program Options

 

This section describes the program options screen and explains what the hell all those little checkboxes mean.  Unless otherwise noted as a “global” option, all options are individually saved with each profile configuration you have.

 

Program Options Screen Elements

 

 

Reset Defaults Button

Resets ALL program options to the default values.

 

Save and Close Button

Saves all changes made to the Program Options screen and then closes the window.

 

Cancel Button

Cancels any changes made to the Program Options screen and then closes the window.

 

General Tab

 

 

 

Scrollback Buffer

This is the number of lines that the game will hold in the scrollback buffer.  If memory is a concern, it is recommended that you do not set the value above 1000.

 

Linewrap

This is the number of characters that are displayed on each line on the main screen..

 

Page on Scrollback

If this box is checked, when scrollback mode is invoked, an extra pageup is also invoked.

 

Feed to Scrollback

If this box is checked, any text that is received by the main display is appended to the end of the scrollback buffer.

 

Exit Scrollback at Bottom

If this box is checked, when the scrollback reaches the bottom, the next “scrolldown” command (Page Down, click, etc.) will close the scrollback.

 

Display Menu Items

If this box is checked, the Menu Items on the Main Screen are visible.

 

Disable LED Flash

If this box is checked, the alias/filter LED (to the left of the command line) will be disabled.

 

Esc Buffer Clear

If this box is checked, hitting the Esc key will clear any commands remaining in the current delay buffer.

 

Escape All

If this box is checked, hitting the Esc key will, in one fell swoop, effect all actions usually done one at a time by pressing the Esc key.  This includes exiting Scrollback Mode, hiding the Keyhistory, clearing the delay buffer (if the above option is also checked) and clearing the text in the Command Line.  If this box is not checked, hitting the Esc key will do each item one by one, in order.

 

Note: Take caution when turning this one off.  If you do, your Activator Character should be something that you don’t use in normal typing.  If this option is turned off, then your Activator Character will be used to parse the line into multiple commands.  For example, if your character is the semicolon and typed the line “say I went to the store; however it was closed”  That would come across as two different commands “say I went to the store” and “however it was closed” which would make little sense to both the game and whoever you were talking to.

 

Enable Chat Monitor

If this box is checked, the Chat Monitor will be locally disabled.  System stability could be in jeopardy from use of this.  If problems arise, discontinue use.

 

Enable Tell Monitor

If this box is checked, the Tell Monitor will be locally disabled.  System stability could be in jeopardy from use of this.  If problems arise, discontinue use.

 

Scrollback Labels

If this box is checked, the index labels on the right hand side of the scrollback display will be visible.  These labels indicate which lines within the scrollback you are currently viewing.

 

Use Alt+F4 to Close

If this box is checked, Alt+F4 can be used the exit the program.

 

Connection Break Warn

If this box is checked, when you try to manually break the connection (via reconnecting or exiting the program), if there currently is an active connection, you will be warned before severing it.  If this box is not checked, the connection is instantly severed in these cases without any notification.

 

Lock after Panic

If this box is checked, the program will be locked when returning from panic mode.

 

Allow Beep in Panic

If this box is checked, the program will allow a message beep to be heard even in panic mode (when normally all program sounds are turned off).

 

Idle Panic/Minutes Spinner

If this box is checked, the program will automatically panic after the selected number of minutes.

 

Secondary Connection - Auto-Disconnect

If this box is checked, the secondary connection will automatically disconnect upon disconnection of the primary connection.

 

Secondary Connection - Secondary Prompt

Whatever you put in this box will appear before each new batch of data from the secondary connection.

 

Secondary Connection - Enable Secondary Text Coloring Checkbox and Color Grid

If you want the secondary text colored, check the checkbox, then left-click on the color you want the text to appear in.

 

Secondary Connection - I (italics) Checkbox

If this box is checked, text for the secondary connection will appear in italics.

 

Note: Due to some MUDs using ANSI colors in different ways, coloring and italicizing the secondary text is an inexact science.  As such, some unexpected (and quite colorful) effects could result.

 

Secondary Connection - LED Connection Control Colors

Use these buttons to color the LED (the little light to the left of the command line in the main screen) depending on which connection (primary or secondary) has current input control.

 

Media Tab

 

 

 

Enable System Sounds

If this box is checked, sounds generated by the game will be heard.  If your computer does not support sounds, this option will be automatically turned off whenever a sound attempts to play.

 

Message Beep

You can set the sound to play when you receive a message beep.  Pressing the button will select a sound.  Use the small button to the right (the notes) to play the sound you have selected as a sample.  Use the small loudspeaker/eraser button to clear the sound.

 

Auto-Show Imagery

If this box is checked, the Imagery will be automatically opened whenever an image comes across.

 

Auto-Expand Imagery

If this box is checked, the Imagery will be automatically expanded to preset limits when an image comes across.

 

Imagery Max Height

This is the maximum height the Imagery will be auto-expanded to.

 

Imagery Max Width

This is the maximum width the Imagery will be auto-expanded to.

 

Enable Remote Media Support

If this box is checked, the program will support media file loading/playing/repeating commands from Portal© enhanced MUDs.

 

Auto Download Media

If this box is checked, this allows Portal© enhanced MUDs the ability to automatically download media to the media\sounds and media\images directories of your local machine.

 

Notify Auto Download of Media

If this box is checked, when a media file is automatically downloaded, you will be notified of the filename, as well as the URL from which it was downloaded.

 

Auto-Play Downloaded Media

If this box is checked, when a media file is downloaded, it will automatically begin playing.

 

Status Bars Tab

 

 

 

Each status bar on the Status Monitor has 5 distinct phases: Low, Median, High, 100% and >100%.  You are able to customize, for each bar, the percentage points that separate the Low, Median and High phases.  For example, if you set the hit point Low-Median Spinner to 25.  That means that the separation between the low and median phases for the hit point status bar will occur at 25%.

 

The status bars are separated horizontally by type: hit points (red cross), spell points (sparking orb), guild points 1 (green rune), guild points 2 (violet rune) and the enemy (warrior).

 

Use Status Bar Colors on HP1 Bar Checkbox

If this box is checked, the actual text (e.g. 50/100) on the HP1 bar will appear in the same color as the respective gauges for that status element.

 

HP Bars/Status Monitor Checkboxes

These checkboxes determine if the individual status elements will appear on the HP bars and/or the Status monitor. If a box is checked, the corresponding element will appear. If a box is unchecked, the corresponding element will be hidden.  This is handy to use if your MUD doesn't use a particular status element.

 

Low Buttons

These buttons select the color for the individual low status phases.

 

Low-Median Spinners

These spinners control the individual breakpoints between the low and median phases for the status bars.

 

Median Buttons

These buttons select the color for the individual median status phases.

 

Median-High Spinners

These spinners control the individual breakpoints between the median and high phases for the status bars.

 

High Buttons

These buttons select the color for the individual high status phases.

 

100% Buttons

These buttons select the color for the individual 100% status phases.

 

>100% Buttons

These buttons select the color for the individual >100% status phases.

 

Gauges Background Color

This button selects the background color of the gauges on the HP1 & HP2 bars.

 

Show Status Gauge % as Text

If this box is checked, the status gauges on the HP2 bar will show a text % value as well as their normal, graphical representation.

 

HP4 Bar Left Message Window Border Color

This is the color the border of the left message window on the HP4 Bar will flash.

 

HP4 Bar Right Message Window Border Color

This is the color the border of the right message window on the HP4 Bar will flash.

 

HP4 Bar Message Duration

This is the number of seconds that a message will remain visible on the HP4 Bar.

 

HP Status Caption Masks – Hit Points

You can change the appearance of Hit Points to appear as this mask instead in hints, captions etc.

 

HP Status Caption Masks – Spell Points

You can change the appearance of Spell Points to appear as this mask instead in hints, captions etc.

 

HP Status Caption Masks – Guild Points 1

You can change the appearance of Guild Points 1 to appear as this mask instead in hints, captions etc.

 

HP Status Caption Masks – Guild Points 2

You can change the appearance of Guild Points 2 to appear as this mask instead in hints, captions etc.

 

Text Options Tab

 

 

Command Options

 

This group determines how certain text and commands appear and are executed.  There are many different kinds of text, these are listed below.

 

Typed Commands          Text entered into the Command Line

Autotyped Text               Text Autotyped from the Autotyper

Sent Text                       Text pasted from the clipboard or sent via a text file

Alias Commands            Commands invoked via aliases

Macro Commands          Commands invoked via macros

Event Commands           Actions invoked from events firing off

Quickchar Commands    Commands translated from a string of quickchars

Ticker  Commands         Actions invoked by the ticker

Parsed Commands         Commands parsed by using the activator character

Sprinting Commands     Commands sent by the cartographer when sprinting

 

Commands use a hierarchy system for coloring, nicknames, variables/functions and adding ! (each of which are described in detail below).  The major command combination possibilities are listed below.

 

Alias/Macro Command     >   Parsed Commands

Alias/Macro Command     >   Quickchar Commands

Event Action                   >   Parsed Commands

Event Action                   >   Quickchar Commands

Quickchar Command       >   Parsed Commands

Ticker Action                   >   Parsed Commands

Ticker Action                   >   Quickchar Commands

Ticker Action                   >   Alias/Macro Command

Ticker Action                   >   Alias/Macro Command     >   Parsed Commands

Ticker Action                   >   Alias/Macro Command     >   Quickchar Commands

Parsed Command            >   Quickchar Commands

Sprint Command             >   Quickchar Commands

 

All actions that are executed beneath another command follow the rules according to the highest command in the hierarchy.  For example, If the ticker fires off an alias which then fired off a string of quickchars, the final commands (from the quickchar string) would be colored as ticker items and follow the rules for nicknames and adding ! for the ticker.  If you manually fired off the same alias, the quickchar commands would follow the color, nickname, variable/function and add ! rules for aliases.  Only when you manually fire off the string of quickchars will they follow the rule for quickchar commands.

 

Note: As defined in the Activator Character help file, if you put a “ in the first line of any command, it tell the program to send the text literally.  No nicknames will be replaced, nor any variables.  No functions will be evaluated, no activator character parsing performed and no ! will be prefixed to the command.  The “ in the first position overrides ALL text options for that particular command.

 

Below are the detailed descriptions of the text options columns.

 

Echo Column

This column of checkboxes determine if the command text appears on the display.  For example, if you wanted to see all the text you enter via the command line to show up on the display, you would check the Typed Text checkbox.

 

Color Column

This column consists of a series of small buttons and the letter "A" in different colors.  Press the button to change the color you wish the text to be displayed.  The letter "A" represents an example of how the text will appear on the display.  If you do not choose to display the text (via the previous column) the color you choose for the text makes no difference.

 

Nick Column

Checking a checkbox in this column determines whether or not nicknames will be applied to these commands.  If a box is checked, all text will be checked for any nicknames and will be adjusted accordingly.

 

Var Column

This column is used to determine if you wish to use variables with this text option.  If the box is checked, whenever you insert a variable with the @ symbol, the current value for that variable will be replaced.  For example, if you typed give @aaa to joe, with the var-checkbox for typed currently checked, and  @aaa currently equaling sword, it would be the same as if you typed give sword to joe.  If you did not have the box checked, the @aaa would come across literally.

 

f(x) Column

This column is used to determine if you wish to use functions with this text option.  If the box is checked, whenever you insert a function into the command, the function will be evaluated before the text is sent.  For example, if the box was checked and you typed hey there cap(bob), it would come across as hey there Bob.  If the box wasn’t checked, the cap(bob) function would come across literally.

 

! Column

Sometimes, when writing a note or composing a mail on the game, you might have an event be fired off by some other text on the game.  If this happens, any actions you then perform will be put into the note or mail, and not sent as commands.  To prevent this, adding a ! (called the bang) to the beginning of the line will cause whatever you enter to happen outside of the mail, note, etc. you are working in (in UNIX, these are called shells).  So, if you’re writing a letter and typed “smile” the word “smile” will appear in the mail itself.  If you typed “!smile” then you would actually smile (as per the command) and nothing would be entered into the mail.

 

When this box is checked, the associated actions will have a “!” added to the front of the command when it is sent to the game.  You won’t actually see the bang character in the echoed text, but it will be sent nonetheless.

 

Delay Column

Normally, Portal© sends commands to the server as fast as the connection will allow.  There are times, however, where you might wish to slow down the sending of certain commands to a reasonable pace.  By checking the corresponding delay checkbox, those commands will be sent to the MUD server delayed as defined by the Delayed Text Speed (below).

 

Special Text Appearance - Selected Text Color

Use the color button to choose the desired colors you wish selected text to appear in.

 

Special Text Appearance - System Text Color

Use the color button to choose the desired colors you wish system text to appear in.

 

Special Text Appearance - Hyperlink Text Color

Hyperlinks (if enabled) will appear in the main display underlined, in the colors chosen here.

 

Enable Hyperlinks

This option determines whether or not hyperlinks will be highlighted in the main display.

 

Delayed Text Speed

Speed at which to send delayed text (1 tick = 1 millisecond).  Setting the speed to 0 is effectively zero delay, which will send the commands as fast as possible.

 

Special Characters - Activator Character

This is where you change your Activator Character to whatever you desire (if you don’t like the default ; that is).  For more information on the usage of the Activator Character, see the corresponding help file of the same name.

 

Special Characters - Quickchar Insertion Character

This is where you change your Quickchar Insertion Character to whatever you desire (if you don’t like the default “ that is).  This character is used to fit real commands into a string of quickchars.  Please see the help file on Quickchars for more information on the use of the Quickchar Insertion Character.

 

Autocopy Selected Text

If this box is checked, any selected text in the main display or scrollback is immediately copied to the clipboard.

 

Auto-Mask Password

If this box is checked, your typed password will be auto-masked to the screen.  It will still appear on the Command Line, but will not be shown, nor added to the Keyhistory.

 

Full Flashing Text

If this box is checked, flashing text will alternate the foreground and background colors with each flash.  Otherwise, only the foreground will flash on and off.

 

Grammar Auto-Correct

If this box is checked, actions and commands will have some basic grammar and punctuation checked.  For example, when this option is enabled, if you typed “don’t” it would come across as “don’t” instead.  “im” would become “I’m” etc.  Now you can be as lazy as you like and still appear literate.

 

Enable Pure Line “ Character

If this box is checked, when using " in the first character of a command, Portal© will send that command free of all variables, nicknames, functions, etc.


Enable Forced , Character

If this box is checked, when using , (the comma) in the first character of a command, Portal© will send that command immediately, through any current wait delays

 

Command Line Tab

 

 

Command Line Retention Defined

 

Command Line Retention is the Command Line’s ability to keep a command you just sent from the command line (by pressing Enter) in the Command Line without erasing it.  While this may seem simple at first, there are other, more advanced aspects you can do with Command Line Retention.  Some commands were created for you when your character was created, they will be listed in the Retention Grid.  You can delete these default values if you don’t like them being retained.  First we’ll list the tab components and then show some examples on how to use the Command Line Retention ability.

 

Retain All Commands

When this box is checked, all commands entered to the game are retained.  If this option is checked, all other controls on the Command Line tab are disabled.

 

Enable Command Line Retention

If this box is checked, the command Line will retain only those commands defined in the Retention Grid.  If the box is unchecked, no commands will be retained at all, and the Command Line will be cleared every time you send anything from it.

 

Note: With this checkbox unchecked, no commands will be retained in the Command Line.  The commands will not be erased from the Retention grid though, and simply remain idle until you activate them again via this checkbox.

 

Retention Grid

This grid displays all commands that are currently retained.  If the checkbox in a command’s row is checked, it means any time that command is retained, it is appended with a trailing space.

 

Delete Command Button

Deletes the currently selected command in the Retention Grid.

 

New Command to Retain Field

Enter the new command you wish to retain here.

 

Add Trailing Space Checkbox

The new command will have a space appended to it whenever it is retained in the Command Line.

 

Add Command Button

Adds the new command to the Retention Grid with the appropriate “Add Trailing Space” option.

 

Note: Any commands entered or deleted from the Retention Grid remain added or deleted, regardless of how you exit the Program Options screen (either the Save and Close Button or the Cancel Button).

 

Examples Using Command Line Retention

 

Use Command Line Retention to repeat a simple command that gets repeated frequently

An example of this might be a direction, “n” (north) for example (n has already been added for you).  To move north many times, you might type n, press Enter, type n, press Enter and repeat this many times.  With retention enabled, you can type n once, then press Enter.  You’ll notice that the “n” is not erased from the Command Line, which mean if you hit Enter again, it will again send “n” to the server.  You can continue sending n to the server by pressing Enter as long as you desire and the “n” won’t disappear from the Command Line (until you erase it).  You’ll also note that the retained command remains highlighted.  This allows you to overwrite it with another command without having to erase the retained one first.  This only occurs if you do not use the “Add Trailing Space” option for retention of that command.

 

Use Command Line Retention to repeat part of a command that gets repeated frequently

A perfect example of this is the “tell” command.  Let’s say you are talking to Bob, sending a whole slew of tells, and are tired of typing “tell bob” each time you tell him something.  Well, you could use the Tell Monitor to alleviate this problem (see the help file on the Tell Monitor) or, you could use Command Line retention.  Simply retain the command “tell bob” and this time, use the “Add Trailing space” option.  What this will do is retain only “tell bob” while deleting the rest of the line typed.  For example, let’s say you type “tell bob hi there”  With retention enabled, press enter and two things happen.  First, the command “tell bob hi there” is sent to the server (as expected) but you’ll notice that the words “tell bob” have been retained (with a space afterwards).  The cursor is perfectly positioned for you to now type something else after them and do another tell to Bob.

 

Note: Any command retained using command Line Retention can be edited or erased just like any text normally in the Command Line can be.  You can also use the Esc key to erase the line as normal.

 

Auto-Expand Command Line

If this box is checked, the Command Line will automatically expand and word-wrap when there are multiple lines present.  This is so you can see the entire message that you will be sending.  If the box is unchecked, the Command Line will remain one single line.  When the Command Line is expanded, use Ctrl+Home to move to the beginning of the message and Ctrl+End to move to the end.  Home and End without Ctrl will move to the beginning and ends of individual lines respectively.

 

Truncate Command Line

If this box is checked, when you press Enter, all characters after the cursor in the Command Line are cut off.  Also, if you highlight a block of text, only that text will be sent when you press Enter.

 

Keyhistory Tab

 

 

Message Options - Keyhistory Buffer

This is the number of commands that will be held in the Keyhistory buffer for your later retrieval.  If memory is a concern, keep this value relatively low.

 

Message Options - Characters Required for Keyhistory

This is the required length (in number of characters) of a command for it to be inserted into the Keyhistory.  For example, if this is set to 5, then all commands that contain at least 5 characters will be inserted into the Keyhistory.  All others will not.

 

Keyhistory Well Items

These items are a kind of “resident” Keyhistory item that remains in the system as long as there’s something defined in them via this screen.  When you use the Up Keyhistory feature, it will search all items in the Keyhistory, then search through the well items.  It’s basically used for commands you do a lot and wish to always have in the Keyhistory.  Normally you would use an alias or macro for such things, but this is just another way.

 

Active Keyhistory

When turned on, this option automatically displays the most recently matching Keyhistory item in the command line as you type.  So as you type each letter, the system will attempt to make a match-up.  This is handy for quickly seeing if you even have something in your Keyhistory without having to tap the up or down arrow.  Once you've zeroed in on the new item, simply tap the up arrow or hit the End key and it's locked in, ready to enter.

 

Auto-Highlight Keyhistory

When this box is checked, commands retrieved by the Keyhistories will be highlighted.

 

Enable Tab-Completion

When this box is checked, text that comes across the screen is captured into a buffer.  When you then type in part of a word into the Command Line, then hit the Tab key, it will attempt to match it to one of the words in the buffer.  Hitting Tab again will cycle to the next possible match.  Shift+Tab reverses the cycling.  This is very cool if you see a long or difficult to type word come across such as superfragilisticexpialidocious.  In this case, you'd only have to type in "sup" and then hit Tab to bring down the whole word.  Play with it and check it out, it's fun.

Note: Some machines will be slowed by this function, so if you notice such, you might consider turning this off.

 

Completion Buffer

This value controls the number of unique words held in the tab-completion buffer.  If you notice a slowdown, you may want to reduce this number.


Characters Required for Buffer

Only words that are this number of characters in length or longer will be entered into the buffer.

 

Lowercase All Words

If this box is checked, all words that are inserted into the buffer will be set to all lower-case letters.

 

Command Reversing Tab

 

 

Command reversal is used in different places in the program.  Aliases are the most common usage.  This grid allows you to define what commands get reversed with what.  For example, the command “n” (north) has the natural reverse “s” (south).  This means that when you want the command “n” reversed, you’d want it replaced with “s”  This area is where you define the replaced values for certain commands.

 

Reversed Commands Grid

This grid lists the currently defined commands and their reversed values.

 

Delete Command Button

Deletes the currently selected command/reversed pairing from the Reversed Commands Grid.

 

New Command Field

Enter the new command to reverse here.

 

New Reversed Command Field

Enter the reversed value for the new command here.  For example, if you entered “in” for the command, you would enter “out” into this field.

 

Duplicate Reversed Commands Checkbox

Checking this box will add the command/reverse pairing, as well as the reversed pairing.  For example, if you had “in” and “out” as the command/reversed pair, the pair “out” and “in” would also be added to the grid.

 

Add Command

Adds the new command/reversed pair to the grid.

 

FTP Emulation Tab (Portal© supported MUDs only)

 

 

Downloading Data

Portal© allows you the feature of downloading data from Portal© supported MUDs.  This gives you the ability to grab entire files and lists, which you can then send to the autotyper or save to a text file for later use.  Any file download is performed by the MUD server, which is usually initiated by a command you would send to the server.  This is a great convenience to game wizards, for instead of editing a file online, they can download it, copy it to the Autotyper, edit it locally, then upload it back to the server via a quick Autotype.

 

Auto-save downloaded files to the local directory Checkbox

If this box is checked, all downloads will be written automatically to the local directory.

 

Overwrite local files of same name with download Checkbox

If this box is checked, all auto-downloads to the local directory will first check to see if the file of the same name and extension exists.  If it does, it will not overwrite the file.

 

Local Directory List Box

Double click on a directory to select it as your local download directory.  This directory is where download files will be written to, if you have chosen to do so.

 

Local Disk Drive Box

Select the disk drive you wish to peruse with the directory List Box.

 

Use Delay on Upload Checkbox

When checked, uploaded files will be delayed according to the Delayed Text speed as defined on the Text Options tab.  Otherwise, the files are uploaded as fast as possible (which could be too fast for some MUD servers).

 

Global Options Tab (these options are saved for all characters)

 

 

Show Warnings

If this box is checked, warnings will pop up when you try to replace things that already exist with new ones.  For example, if you are about to overwrite an existing event with a different set of actions, a small window will open asking for you to confirm if you want to proceed.

 

Disable Backup Reminder

If this box is checked, you will not see periodic (though still rare) messages reminding you to backup important files.  Basically it's always a good idea to have a backup of profiles, maps, etc.  This helps you remember to make them.

 

Maximum Events

This option helps prevent recursion within events.  Setting this number tells the program to only execute this many events in a span of 5 seconds.  A violation of the 5-second rule will turn the left bar of the Main Screen red and prevent any new events from activating actions (or sounds etc) until the event counter is reset (when the next 5 second interval occurs).

 

Persistent Keyhistory

If this box is checked, the Command Line keyhistory is saved upon closing Portal© and re-loaded upon re-executing Portal©.

 those who like to have the links presented always available for a quick clickthrough.