Caller guide#

Nodehouse shows one screen at a time. Each screen lists the keys it accepts; type a key or a number and press Return. Press ? at the main prompt to redisplay the menu, and X to cycle between the NOVICE, EXPERT and SUPER menu modes.

Main menu commands#

Start with the Daily Call#

Z counts your waiting mail, unread messages in the conferences you subscribe to, bulletins and files added since your last call, callers since your last call, and open polls. From there N starts the newscan, E opens mail, B bulletins, F files, H the Front Porch and Q returns to the main menu.

Message conferences#

M lists the conferences your access level allows.

• A number opens that conference and remembers it as your current one.
• C returns to the conference you last read.
• N scans unread messages across your subscribed conferences.
• R opens the personal newscan setup.

In the setup screen, T and a line number subscribe or unsubscribe from a conference, and U or D with a line number move it up or down your scan order. Only subscribed conferences take part in the newscan and the Daily Call count.

Inside a conference, # reads a message, W writes one, N reads new messages, S searches and C marks the conference caught up. Search matches your text literally against subjects, bodies and authors in conferences you can read, and shows up to 30 results.

When reading a message, F posts a public follow-up, R replies by private mail, T shows the thread, U marks the message unread again, N and P move through the list, and Q leaves.

Write a message#

1. Choose W in a conference, or F on a message you want to follow up.
2. Enter the recipient (All for a public message) and a subject of at most 160 characters.
3. Type the body one line at a time. A follow-up starts with the earlier message quoted.
4. Enter /S to post, or /A to abandon the message.

Your signature, set from Your Settings option 5, is appended when you post. It may be up to four lines and 240 bytes.

Note: /D saves the body as a draft and closes the editor. This release has no screen for reopening a saved draft, so use /S for anything you intend to post on this call.

Front Porch#

H shows recent porch notices, then:

• D lists callers who have opted into the directory.
• E edits your caller card as display name | interests | short bio.
• V switches your card between hidden and visible.
• P posts a notice; you are asked for a title and then the text.

Caller cards are hidden until you choose V, including cards created before this release. A notice posted by a caller goes to the moderation desk and appears once a moderator approves it; notices posted by the operator appear immediately.

Node pages, private chat and telegrams#

I lists the occupied nodes with each caller's presence and current activity, and shows pages waiting for you.

• S followed by available, away, busy or dnd sets your presence. Callers set to dnd do not receive pages.
• P pages a caller by name or node number, then prompts for a short note.
• A or D with the page identifier shown on screen accepts or declines a page. Accepting opens a private chat between the two nodes.
• C returns to an open private chat; /Q leaves it.
• T sends a telegram.

A page reaches only a caller who is online now, and expires if it is not answered. A telegram is stored as electronic mail with the subject Telegram, so it waits for the recipient's next call.

ANSI art gallery#

A lists the curated artwork with its title and artist. Choose a number to display a piece, then press Enter to go back. Gallery art is at most 80 columns wide, so use an 80-column terminal.

Packet Briefcase#

K prepares an offline packet or accepts your replies. Each choice prints a web path on the board's HTTP address that works once and expires after 15 minutes.

• 1 builds a Nodehouse Briefcase ZIP of your unread messages, mail and bulletins; 2 builds a QWK packet.
• 3 accepts Briefcase replies; 4 accepts a QWK .REP file.

Open a download path in a browser. Messages in a packet are marked read once the download finishes. Upload replies by posting the file to the path you were given:

curl -fsS -X POST --data-binary @NODEHOUSE-REPLIES.zip \
  "https://board.example.net/transfers/packet/briefcase/PASTE_TOKEN_HERE"

The board answers with the number of imported replies. Uploads are limited to 4 MB, every reply must target a conference your access level allows, and the same packet cannot be imported twice.

Door games#

D lists the doors. Choose a number to play, or L for the league tables. Each door allows a fixed number of launches per day and reopens the next day. Progress in the persistent doors is saved as you play and restored on your next launch, and a completed run records its score. The narrated dungeon needs the operator to have configured its model service; it is unavailable otherwise.

Live rooms and the wall#

T joins a TeleChat room. Room conversation is live only — the board keeps no transcript, so copy anything you need before you leave. O opens the one-liner wall of short public posts. P pages the SysOp, who answers only while online.

File libraries#

F lists the file areas and their contents. This release lists files only — there is no upload or download from the file libraries. Use the Packet Briefcase for messages you want to take away.

Verify#

After posting, return to the conference and read the newest messages. Confirm the subject, body and author are correct, and tell the SysOp promptly if private information was posted publicly.

If it does not work#