The User Settings menu (also called Account Defaults Configuration or just Configuration in older documentation) lets you, the user, change account-level preferences: terminal type, command shell, default editor, screen options, password, and personal information. It does not change the BBS's configuration, only your own account.
The User Settings menu is a loadable module — by default user_settings — and is separate from the command shell. The shell binds a key to invoke it (in Classic, that's D from the Main prompt; other shells use other keys).
A live capture from vertrauen (running Synchronet v3.22, UTF-8 / ANSI terminal):
User Settings for Claudeai-Docs #1191:
[T] Terminal Mode : Auto UTF-8 / ANSI (color) DEL=BS [K] Command Shell : Synchronet (Classic) [L] Language : English [E] External Editor : None [A] Temporary/QWK Archive Type : zip [X] Expert Menu Mode : Off [P] Screen Pause : On [S] Spinning Cursor : Pause Prompt Only [C] Clear Screen Between Messages: Off [N] Ask For New Message/File Scan: On [Y] Ask For Your Un-read Msg Scan: Off [F] Automatic New File Scan : On [R] Remember Current Sub-board : On [B] Batch Download File Flagging : On [M] Forward Mail : Off (noreply@anthropic.com) [Z] Default Download Protocol : None [W] Change Personal Information
Which or [Q] to Quit:
The single bracketed letters are command keys — type the letter to change that setting. Q (or Enter on the bracketed default) returns to the previous prompt.
T Terminal Mode — Auto-detects ANSI / RIP / mouse / UTF-8 / CP437 / PETSCII capabilities at logon, or you can pin a specific mode. Affects how the BBS draws menus and text. ANSI is the standard for color menus and text art on most BBSes; if your terminal supports it (most modern terminals and BBS clients do), you'll see color, boxes, and animated displays. If something looks wrong after logon — wrong character set, garbled art — you can override the detected mode here. The logon sequence shows what was auto-detected (e.g. 80×24 UTF-8 / ANSI (color)).K Command Shell — Choose your preferred command shell (only shells the sysop has made available are listed). The BBS remembers your choice across sessions.L Language — Choose your preferred display language (only languages the sysop has installed are available).E External Editor — Choose an external message editor (e.g. SlyEdit, FSEditor) to use instead of the built-in line editor when composing messages.A Temporary/QWK Archive Type — Archiver used for QWK packets and the temp-file feature (e.g. zip).X Expert Menu Mode — When off (default for new users), full menus are redisplayed at every prompt; when on (“expert” mode), menus are hidden until you press ?. Saves screen real estate once you know the keys.S Spinning Cursor — Show a spinning cursor at pause prompts (or always, or never).C Clear Screen Between Messages — Clear the screen before displaying each new message when reading.N Ask For New Message/File Scan — At logon, ask whether to scan for new messages and files.Y Ask For Your Un-read Msg Scan — At logon, ask whether to scan for messages addressed to you.F Automatic New File Scan — Automatically run a new-file scan at logon.R Remember Current Sub-board — Resume each session at the sub-board you were on at last logoff.B Batch Download File Flagging — Flag files during browsing for later batch download (vs. download immediately).M Forward Mail — Forward your local BBS e-mail to your network e-mail address (the address shown in parentheses).Z Default Download Protocol — Download protocol used by default if you don't specify one.W Change Personal Information — Opens the Personal Information sub-menu (see below).
W opens the Personal Information sub-menu (module: user_personal). A live capture from vertrauen:
Personal Information for Claudeai-Docs #1191:
[A] Alias: Claudeai-Docs [R] Real Name: Claude Ai Documentation [H] Handle: Claudeai [E] NetMail Address: noreply@anthropic.com [L] Location: Internet [G] Gender: X [P] Password (last changed: May07'26) [S] SSH Keys (last changed: never) [M] Signature (last changed: never)
Which or [Q] to Quit:
Type the bracketed letter to change that field; Q to return to the User Settings menu.
A Alias — Your handle; what other users see. Must be unique on this system.R Real Name — Your full real name (visible to the sysop; may appear on some listings).H Handle — A short call-sign or alternate identifier.E NetMail Address — Your network e-mail address, used for mail forwarding and sysop contact.L Location — Your city/state or other location description.G Gender — Single letter: M, F, or X (other/unspecified).P Password — Change your login password. The date of last change is shown.S SSH Keys — Manage your SSH public keys (if the BBS supports SSH login). Date of last change shown.M Signature — Edit your message signature appended to posts. Date of last change shown.
Which fields appear depends on what the sysop has enabled (configured in modopts.ini under [user_personal]). The NetMail Address and Signature are shown by default; all others are optional.
/A from the Main prompt (Classic) to change your avatar.& from the Main prompt.The User Settings module is independent of the shell, but the key that invokes it is shell-specific:
D from the Main prompt
A sysop can replace the stock user_settings module with a different one (configured in SCFG -> System -> Loadable Modules -> User Config); BBSes running a custom module may show a different menu.