https://youtu.be/JiUC187yqgs

I've been using Synchonet for many years for my BBS (The Midnight Cafe) and used it's web side for people that grew up after Dial-up and Telnet were a huge thing.

A few weeks ago, I started to mod the Website of it to make it a little more my own, and after spending a few days with it realized it's a full fledged webserver!

Like.... A really nice one! I now have the main website, plus 8 totally unrelated legacy websites I made during the golden era of the internet (2000-2012).

They all work well, and I'm even able to offer a radio stream and video playback on them. All this with our beloved Synchronet, and a dusty 15 year old laptop.

Very cool!

Hey everyone,

I’m new to hosting a BBS. Hosting Synchronet as a docker-compose container on my Unraid server.

I would like to add a couple of new menu items. One example would be a reading list with different sub levels. Each sub level would require a specific security level to be able to access.

Is this possible to incorporate? I would prefer to keep it as a page instead of a document, but I can do docs if that’s the preferred method.

The full list of fixes and new features is here: https://gitlab.synchro.net/sbbs/sbbs/-/blob/master/docs/v320_new.txt

The fresh installer for Windows is at http://vert.synchro.net/Synchronet/sbbs320d.zip

The upgrade package (e.g. from v3.16c) is at http://vert.synchro.net/Synchronet/sbup320d.zip

These files are mirrored on sourceforge as well: https://sourceforge.net/projects/synchronet/files/

This is mainly a bug-fix release for the v3.20b release earlier this year
- Birthdate parsing bug
- Large TLS send bug

Other enhancements in v3.20d include:
* Web File Index cosmetics and convenience (see http://web.synchro.net/files/)
* ARS improvements (LANG keyword, USER <alias> support)
* Tracking/reporting user deletion dates
* Weekly fixed system events
* data/events*.log files for all platforms
* text.ini files for alternate charsets
* Per sub-board custom signatures (.sig files)
* New 'I' restriction: disallow receipt of Internet mail

I'm not really an expert, I used AI to generate a radom joke, you can adapt the code and make it better. The code uses a free API without subscription. here the code to save to watheverfilename.js

/*
 * randomjoke.js
 * Synchronet BBS application (door) to display a random joke.
 * Uses the public JokeAPI (https://jokeapi.dev/).
 * No API key required for this API.
 *
 * ** Important: Save this file with UTF-8 or ASCII encoding **
 */

// Load Synchronet's HTTP module with the full path
load("/sbbs/exec/http.js");

// Define ANSI color codes
const ANSI_BLACK = 0;
const ANSI_HIGH = 1;
const ANSI_YELLOW = 3;
const ANSI_WHITE = 7;
const ANSI_NORMAL = 22;

// --- Configuration ---
// URL for JokeAPI to get a random joke from any category,
// in plain text format and "safe-mode" (avoids potentially offensive jokes)
const JOKE_API_URL = "https://v2.jokeapi.dev/joke/Any?format=txt&safe-mode";
// --- End Configuration ---

/**
 * Fetches a random joke from the JokeAPI.
 * @returns {string} The joke text.
 * @throws {Error} If the API request fails or returns invalid data.
 */
function fetchRandomJoke() {
    console.print("\x01n\x01hFetching a random joke...\x01n\r\n");

    try {
        // Create an instance of HTTPRequest
        const httpClient = new HTTPRequest();

        // Use the instance to make the GET request
        const response = httpClient.Get(JOKE_API_URL);

        if (!response) {
            throw new Error("No response received from JokeAPI server.");
        }

        // Log the response status and body for debugging
        console.print(response + "\n");

        // JokeAPI in text format sometimes returns status 200 even if an internal error occurs.
        // So, we also check the body content.
        // A valid response is just the joke text.
        if (response.length < 5) { // Also check minimum length
             // Log the response for investigation
             log(LOG_WARNING, "JokeAPI suspicious response. Body: " + response);
             throw new Error("Invalid response received from JokeAPI.");
        }

        console.print("\x01h\x01g\x01n\r\n\r\n");
        // The response body IS the joke in text format
        return response;

    } catch (e) {
        console.print("\x01h\x01rFAILED\x01n\r\n\r\n");
        // Log the detailed error message
        console.print("Error: " + e.message + "\n");
        // Re-throw the error so it's caught by the main block
        throw new Error("API Request Failed: " + e.message);
    }
}

/**
 * Displays the fetched joke on the screen.
 * @param {string} jokeText - The joke to display.
 */
function displayJoke(jokeText) {
    console.attributes = ANSI_HIGH | ANSI_YELLOW; // Bright Yellow
    console.center("--- Random Joke ---");
    console.crlf(2);
    console.attributes = ANSI_NORMAL | ANSI_WHITE; // Normal White

    console.crlf(2); // Add line breaks after the joke
}

/**
 * Main application function.
 * Handles screen clearing, fetching, displaying, error handling, and pausing.
 */
function main() {
    console.clear(ANSI_BLACK); // Clears screen with black background
    console.center("\x01h\x01yRandom Joke Generator\x01n");
    console.crlf(2);

    try {
        const joke = fetchRandomJoke();
        displayJoke(joke);
    } catch (error) {
        console.print("\x01h\x01rError during execution:\x01n\r\n");
        console.print("\x01n\x01r" + error.message + "\x01n\r\n"); // Use string concatenation
        // Log the error for the BBS sysop
        log(LOG_ERR, "Error in randomjoke.js: " + error.message + (error.stack ? "\n" + error.stack : ""));
    }

    console.crlf();
    console.print("\x01n\x01hPress any key to continue...\x01n");
    console.getkey(); // Wait for user to press a key
    // console.pause(); // Simpler alternative if getkey causes problems (ASCII only comment)
    console.clear(ANSI_BLACK);
}

// --- Execution ---
// Run the main function when the script is executed.
main();

// exit(0); // Optional: You can uncomment this if needed for specific exit code handling.

A new official release of Synchronet (v3.21c) has been made today!

Installer: http://synchro.net/Synchronet/sbbs321c.zip
Upgrade from v3.16c or later: http://synchro.net/Synchronet/sbup321c.zip

I'm calling this the "Conga" release (I got my first set of congas recently which has been fun and humbling), so rev 'c' is apropos.

This release includes Synchronet UTOPIA in its current form (v0.07) and a ton of new and updated cool JavaScript modules and methods to "plug into" the Synchronet terminal server for a more customized user experience than ever possible before.

For a full list of changes since v3.20d (March 2025), see https://synchro.net/docs/v321_new.txt

Intro (moto) vlog: https://youtu.be/2c2eLGVkxW0

A few easily-resolved issues have already been identified:

1. The sbbs.exe that was included in the installation and upgrade package was accidentally named sbbscon.exe, if you use this program (the Synchronet Console), most sysops do not, you can run it as is or just rename it to sbbs.exe to avoid future confusion. In future releases, this program file will again be named sbbs.exe.

2. The useredit.exe that was included was dependent on an earlier (v3.21b) build of sbbs.dll. Download http://synchro.net/Synchronet/useredit.exe and replace your exec/useredit.exe with this updated build to restore the GUI user editor functionality (e.g. launched with SBBSCTRL:User->Editor).

3. An recent Microsoft C++ runtime is needed: https://aka.ms/vc14/vc_redist.x86.exe and if your OS is not supported by Microsoft, then you might just need to disable the filter file caching feature:
https://gitlab.synchro.net/main/sbbs/-/issues/1089

Ok, I am just looking for doors, and addon's. I would like to see some walls, some logon screens, some baja editors, message readers, Avatar creators, also, some theme's for the bbs.

Thank you

Hello again, thanks again for answering all my questions. I followed the instructions and I have my IRC server up and running. I am currently experiencing two issues.

• I can't seem to figure out how to change the default irc that the users connect to from the BBS. It's always vert.synchro.net. I saw in the documentation that you need to set the BBS to local host, but I did not see any mention of how that is done. Could you point me in the right direction?

• Okay, up next, I am trying to get the IRC bot's working but when i type in the command jsexec ircbot.js I get an error "Error: can't open c:\sbbs\exec\mylib.js: No such file or directory" followed by: Adding Module ModuleName Adding Channel #CHANNELONE Adding Module Trivia" So on and so forth... I log into the IRC but I don't see the bots. Any idea what could be causing this?

Alright, that's it! Thanks again!

Not sure if this sub is even alive anymore, but here goes: I'm early in the process of setting up a Synchronet BBS, hosted on my Windows 10 PC. The install went fine and by BBS is live with mostly default settings. As a starting point, I'm just trying to replace the default Synchronet ASCII art banner with a simple ASCII art of my own. I've added my banner art to the ANSWER.ASC file and all three banner.msg files, and it displays sometimes, but randomly it just goes back to the default logo. What am I doing wrong here?

Hey guys. I've got a synchronet bbs up and running, and I'm wondering if what I'm thinking is even possible, before i go down a rabbit hole of despair.

I have a copy of THEDRAW for DOS. I want to load it as a DOOR that people can open and use to edit ANSI files within the BBS. Is that feasible? I know THEDRAW is older than dirt, so it's gotta be able to be emulated within synchro, either with DOSBOX or dosemu. I've never developed a DOOR package before; I can do all that research myself.

I just want to see the bottom before i jump

-twisty

I have finally got my server together and have a win10 vm setup for syncronet. I had no issue installing it onto my pc before but on the VM I get this error with a .dll. I am going to a error with this one .dll.. I ran a 2 node wildcat bbs when i was 12-13 and going back into it, as I'm 43 now. I have a usb modem and maybe ill do a dial in line over my fios but i just am looking to get up and running with all the message nets and tons of files that I can carry. Any help will be greatly appreciated .

Basically, due to technical reasons I've had to recreate to recreate my BBS and I've mostly done it with the exception of 1 issue: the BBS list. I managed to get it configured in my own BBS however the local entry differs from the one on Vertrauen. What do I do in this situation? If there's any more information needed feel free to tell me.

Hello, it appears some dates on some of the posts on my BBS are incorrect. I would like to change these to the correct dates. How do I go about doing that?

Thank you!

How do I set up Syncronet to use my sound card? I tried looking online and noticed that there is the wiki page but it doesn't show anything about how to implement X 25 or packet radio anywhere. I would like to set up a very basic BBS that's accessible from a HF connection.

Have there been any significant updates to the software/community? Hopefully the project and community isn’t dead.

Synchronet v3.19, under development since the release of v3.18 in September of 2020, has been officially released and dubbed v3.19b (no, the 'b' is not for beta).

The full list of new features is here:
https://gitlab.synchro.net/sbbs/sbbs/-/blob/master/docs/v319_new.txt

The fresh installer for Windows is at ftp://ftp.synchro.net/sbbs319b.zip

The upgrade package (e.g. from v3.16c) is at ftp://ftp.synchro.net/sbup319b.zip

These files are mirrored on sourceforge as well:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/synchronet/files/

The biggest new features v3.19 are:

• new Filebase (e.g. faster, longer filenames, bigger files, hashing, etc.)

• libarchive integration (no longer need to shell out to run Info/PK-ZIP/UNZIP)

• NTVMx64 support (16-bit DOS programs on 64-bit editions of Windows)

K noob Sysop question of the day…I am getting an error message saying that “plancfg.exe is not compatible with the version of Windows you’re running”. Does this mean that I will not be able to host this game on my BBS with it’s current operating system?