Copyright: ® 1993-1999 CIX Ltd. All rights reserved.
Citation: Ameol Moderate Addon Online Help


Moderate Help Contents

Creating a New CIX Conference

If you're thinking about or planning to create a new conference on CIX, read this section first.

Moderating a Conference

This section explains what is involved in moderating a conference and describes the moderating facilities provided by Ameol and the Moderate addon.

Reference

This section contains reference to the menu commands relevant to moderating a conference.

Using Moderate with Ameol and Ameol2

Where to find Moderate's menu commands in Ameol and Ameol2.


Using Moderate with Ameol and Ameol2

Moderate works in exactly the same way in both Ameol and Ameol2. However, because the menu structures differ between Ameol and Ameol2, you'll find the Moderate menu commands in different locations.

Ameol

Topic menu

(Mod:) Edit File List

(Mod:) Edit Host Topics

Global menu

(Mod:) Create Host Conference

Settings menu

Moderate...

Utilities menu

Moderate (menu dialogue for lauching the moderate commands)

Help menu

Moderate Help

About Moderate

Ameol2

Conf menu

(Mod:) Edit File List

(Mod:) Edit Host Topics

(Mod:) Create Host Conference

Settings menu

Install Addons, Moderate tabs

Help menu

Moderate Help

About Moderate


Today's Date


Creating a New CIX Conference

Any user of CIX can create a new conference on any subject whenever they like, and conferences created and run by its members are the lifeblood of CIX.

However, there is little point in creating a conference that no one else is interested in, one that duplicates an existing conference or one covering such a narrow subject area that discussion would soon fizzle out.

Moderating a conference can be fun but isn't a responsibility to be taken lightly either; unless you take the time and effort required to keep it running smoothly, even a conference on a popular subject can wither and die. But if you get it right, your conference will bloom.

Before You Start

Choosing Your Initial Topics

Creating Your Conference

Adding Initial Participants

Announcing Your New Conference


Reference Contents

Menu Commands

Create Host Conference

Moderate

Edit Host Topics

Edit File List

Using Moderate with Ameol and Ameol2


Moderating a Conference

Conferences are one of the main functions of CIX and each conference must have at least one Moderator. The Moderator's rôle is very important and, when carried out correctly, will make the conference work very well.

This part of the Moderate help file serves as a guide to Moderators - tips on how to run an efficient and successful conference, as well as how to perform the various Moderator functions.

What does moderating a conference involve?

The Conference Note

Looking after topics in your conference

Maintaining file lists

Adding and removing participants

Withdrawing messages

Coordinating moderating duties between co-moderators


Ameol Moderate Addon Help

Revision 2.0 of help for Moderate version 2.1

Help file originally written by Pete Jordan, Steve Palmer, Bruce Ure and Alan Fleming. Revisions by Jon Tuppeny and Paul Wakeford.

© 1994-1999 Compulink Information eXchange Ltd. All rights reserved.


Edit File List - File List Tab

Moderate provides powerful tools for maintaining CIX file lists. These are centred on the main file list editing dialogue that allows maintenance of both the file list and the CIX file directory underlying it.

Read Maintaining File Lists for information on how file lists are organised.

The file list editor dialogue has two tabs, one for editing the moderator's file list itself and one for maintaining the file directory. The file list tab is always displayed on first entering the file list editor. Click on the File Directory tab for help on file directory maintenance.

Click anywhere on the button area on the right of the dialogue for help on the controls, click on the list box display for information on how the file list is displayed:


File Directory Tab Action Menu

SELECTING THE ACTION BUTTON DISPLAYS A POP-UP MENU OF ACTIONS THAT MAY BE PERFORMED ON THE SELECTED ENTRIES IN THE FILE DIRECTORY.CLICK ON THE MENU ENTRIES DISPLAYED HERE FOR INFORMATION ON EACH OPTION.

THE FUNCTIONS IN THIS MENU ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE POP-UP MENU DISPLAYED IF YOU RIGHT-CLICK YOUR MOUSE ON THE FILE DIRECTORY. NOTE THAT THE RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON IS TREATED IN THE SAME WAY AS THE LEFT FOR SELECTING FILES; IF YOU WANT TO APPLY A COMMAND TO MORE THAN ONE FILE AT A TIME, YOU'LL NEED TO USE SHIFT- OR CONTROL-RIGHT CLICK IN ORDER NOT TO LOSE SELECTIONS YOU HAVE MADE WITH THE LEFT MOUSE BUTTON OR KEYBOARD FIRST.


Before You Start

Think about what (and for whom) your conference will be for. There are no limits (other than CIX's terms and conditions and the law) upon you.

Will your conference be technical, personal, social, spiritual, political..? Do you want it to be openly accessible to anyone on CIX (an open conference) or do you want entry to be restricted? If so, do you want details about it to be freely available so people can ask you for entry (a closed conference) or should it's existence be revealed only to those people you choose to invite (a closed confidential conference)?

If you are planning an open or, in most cases, a closed conference, you need to check whether there is already a conference on CIX that you would end up duplicating. Check the CIX conference list and look at the conference description for any conferences that look to cover similar subjects.

You may find that an existing general conference has a topic that deals with the specific subject of your idea. Even if this is not the case, it may be more appropriate to arrange for the creation of a new topic in an existing conference (you could volunteer to co-moderate the conference) than to create an entire new conference.

Having got this far, you should post a message on CIX in the conference/suggestions topic and possibly in the noticeboard conference to see what interest and ideas you can get from other people on CIX.


Checking the CIX Conference List

The full CIX conference list is available from Ameol via the Show All Conferences menu command. If you haven't already downloaded a copy, Ameol will mark it for download the first time you use this command. It's a good idea to get a fresh copy before creating a new conference as people add at least one new conference to CIX most days.

Look in the sections of the list relevant to the subject of your new conference and don't forget the list of new and unclassified conferences at the bottom. It's probably worth searching for relevant keywords using the Find function as well.


Checking Conference Descriptions

If you have a conference name you wish to investigate further, use the the ShowConf addon (available from ameol.support/files) to download and look at the topics in the conference. If you are not a member of the conference you want to check, use the New button to enter the name of the conference into the addon.


Choosing Your Initial Topics

What topics you choose for your conference when you first create it depends of course on what your conference is for, but there are some general points that are worth considering:

Until your conference is established, there is no real way of knowing how much interest and activity is likely in a topic. Whilst it's tempting to create topics for every possible subject you can think of, it's usually better to start off with as few as you can; you can always create more topics later if the need arises.

Often just a general topic and one for files (if appropriate) is enough to start with. You may also want a chatter topic to provide a space for wibble and keep your other topics focussed on the subject in hand. In some cases, a read-only announcements or digest topic is also appropriate if your conference is likely to be very busy or if you are, for example, providing a support conference for a company.

If people are going to download files from your conference, you need to decide where they are going to live. It's often better to have a single files topic as this prevents potential confusion about which of your file lists your participants should use. Consider making topics with files read-only so that notification messages you post about files don't get swamped in discussion.


Creating a CIX Conference Using Ameol

When you select this menu option, the following dialogue will appear. Click on any of the controls on the dialogue for information on its use.


New Conference Name

Type in the name you have chosen for your new conference here. Conference names on CIX can be up to 14 characters long and can contain lower case letters, digits, plus and minus signs, underscores and full stops.

Certain names are not permitted by CIX, news and mail for example. The name you type in will be checked against these and for conflicts against the full CIX conference list (if you have a copy offline) as soon as you move to another field in the dialogue. Note that Moderate cannot check against the names of existing closed confidential conferences so conflicts may still occur when Ameol attempts to create the conference on CIX.


Open Conference Radio Button

Select this radio button if you want to create an open CIX conference, that is one that can be freely joined by anyone on CIX at any time.


Closed Conference Radio Button

Select this radio button if you want to create a closed CIX conference, that is one that is visible in the full CIX conference list but to which participants can only be joined by moderators.


Closed Confidential Conference Radio Button

Select this radio button if you want to create a closed confidential CIX conference, that is a closed conference that is also invisible on CIX; people will only know about it if you tell them.


New Conference Description

Type the description for your conference that will appear in the full CIX conference list here. This description field is not used for closed confidential conferences.


Topic Name

Type the name of each of your initial topics in here; when you have typed in the topic description and set the file list and read only flags, click on the Add button to register the topic for creation.

Topic names on CIX can be up to 14 characters long and can contain lower case letters, digits, plus and minus signs, underscores and full stops. Certain names are not permitted by CIX, news and mail for example. The name you type in will be checked against these as soon as you move to another field in the dialogue.


Delete Topic

Click on this button to remove the current topic from the list of those to be created for your new conference.


Topic List

The names of all topics you have added so far are displayed in this list. They may be selected for editing or deletion by clicking on their names or by using the cursor up and down keys in the topic name field above.


Creating a CIX Conference Note

Type the text of the conference note for your new conference into the editor. The text will be displayed by CIX after the list of topics when someone uses the CIX show <conf name> command or the Ameol ShowConf addon.

The text can usefully provide more information about your conference than a user can get from the one-line description or from the names and descriptions of the topics. If you have any special rules of conduct in your conference, put them here. Likewise, if your conference is closed, information on entry requirements here could save you dealing with pointless applications for membership.

Undo
This button undoes all changes you have made to the text.

OK
This will save any changes you have made and exit the editor. If you have made any changes, Moderate will mark the conference note for uploading to CIX if it has not already done so.

Cancel
Cancel any changes you have made in this editing session and exit the editor. Note that this does not undo any changes you may have made earlier (or stop those changes being uploaded to CIX).

Help
Displays this help screen.


Creating a CIX Conference Note_1
Creating a CIX Conference Note

Click on this button to create a conference note for your new conference. You will be taken into the conference note editor and, if you save the results, the note you define will be uploaded to CIX when your conference is created.


Topic has File List

Select this check box if your new topic is to have a file list. Note that Moderate will set this box automatically for a topic called files.


Topic is Read Only

Select this check box if your new topic is to be read only. Note that Moderate will set this box automatically for topics called files, announce, announcements or digest.


New Topic Description
Topic Description

Type a description for each new topic here. This description will appear in the CIX show conference topic list for your conference. It cannot be edited once the topic has been created on CIX.


OK Button

Click on this button to tell Ameol to go ahead and create your new conference the next time you blink.


Cancel Button

Click on this button if you change your mind about creating a conference.


Help Button

Clicking on this button will display this conference creation help screen.


Adding Initial Participants

If there are people on CIX who have expressed an interest in joining your new conference, you can add them to the participants list using the Participants menu command (or by pressing F4) with your conference highlighted in Ameol's conference list or a message window open in one of its topics.

Don't start adding people wholesale; not everyone wants to be involuntarily thrust into a new conference. It's also  polite to mail anyone you do add telling them they've been joined.


Announcing Your New Conference

If your conference isn't closed confidential, you'll want to announce it's existence on CIX once you've created it.

Send a mail message to the moderators of the conference conference, so they can post a message for you in conference/announcements. Your mail should include:

The name of your conference.

Whether it's open or closed.

A full description of the conference; what and whom it is for.

A list of all your topics, again with a description of the purpose of each.

And finally, the CIX nicknames of all the moderators of your conference.

You may also decide to post an announcement message in the noticeboard conference.


Edit Seed Message

This message editor allows you to edit the seed message that Moderate creates when you add a topic to a conference. By default the title of the message is the description that you write for the topic, and the body contains:

Welcome to <conference>/<topic>
This topic has a file list
This topic is read-only

The latter two lines being added you have set the relevant check boxes in the topic creation dialogue.

Note that the Undo button undoes all changes you have made in the editor.


Add Topic
New Topic

Clicking on this button starts the creation of a new topic. Whilst you are creating a new topic, the button is labeled Add and clicking it confirms the creation of the new topic and generates the seed message for the topic. If the Edit topic seed messages flag is set in Moderate, a message editor dialogue will then appear allowing modification of the default seed message.


File List Editor - File List Tab Buttons

Click on the buttons to the left for information on what they do.

Note that nearly every command in the file list editor can operate on more than one file (or other line) at a time; just use shift- or control-click to select the lines you want to deal with.

Most of the functions in this group are also available from a pop-up menu if you right-click your mouse on the file list. Note that the right mouse button is treated in the same way as the left for selecting files; if you want to apply a command to more than one file at a time, you'll need to use shift- or control-right click in order not to lose selections you have made with the left mouse button or keyboard first.


File List Dialog OK Button

This button accepts any changes you have made to the file list you have been editing and returns you to Ameol proper.

If you have made any changes to the file list and haven't asked for it to be uploaded to and updated on CIX, Moderate will either upload and update automatically or ask you if you want the file list to be updated on CIX.

Moderate will update the file list on CIX automatically if you have made any changes to the file directory that would invalidate the old file list (either renaming or deleting files).


File List Dialog Cancel Button

This button cancels all changes you have made to the current file list you have been editing and returns control to Ameol.

Note that if you have changed topics within the file list editor using the Topic... button, any changes you have made to previous topics are not undone.


File List Dialog Help Button

Clicking on this button displays the main file list help screen.


The File List Editor Display

The file list editor display is intended to appear as close as is practical to the file list display as shown by Ameol to conference users. There are, however three details that differ:

1. Entry Type Indication

An extra column is displayed at the left of the list showing what the type or origin of the entry on that line is. The following characters may be displayed:

#	A hidden memo line. The line will not be included in the users' file list and is purely for information to moderators. Memo lines are also displayed in grey.

c	Normal file list files.

f	Files imported from the filepool.

u	Files added by upload in this edit session - they will become 'c' lines after the file and moderator's file list have been uploaded.

m	Files added from your binmail directory in this edit session - they will become 'c' lines after the file has been exported and the moderator's file list uploaded.

n	Files added by entering their names from notification messages received by you. They will become 'c' lines after you have refreshed your copy of the file directory and uploaded the moderator's file list.

h	Comment lines that have been held (that is, temporarily hidden).

Visible comment lines and indented comments are displayed with a blank space in the first column position.

2. Lines Invisible on the Users' File List

Memo lines and file list lines that have been held to hide them from users are displayed. They are displayed in grey to distinguish them from visible lines.

3. Missing File Sizes

In some situations, Moderate cannot determine the size of a file in the file list. It then displays a '?' character in place of the size in its display. This happens for:

All filepool file entries.

Files that have been added in an earlier editor session if you haven't blinked in between times - Moderate does not know in this case where the files have been added from, thus it cannot check that location for their sizes.

Files that are actually missing from the topic file directory. Note that such files will not be included in the users' file list when CIX creates it from the moderator's list and file directory.


Inserting New Entries in a File List

Insert tells Moderate that you want to insert one or more new file list entries above the current cursor position in the file list. (You can also add new entries to the end of the file list - see Appending New Entries to a File List.)

When you click on the Insert button, this menu pops up. Click on the various menu options for more information on each insertion option.


Multiple Notification Messages

If this check box is set, Moderate will default to creating separate notification messages for each file when you are adding multiple files to a file list. Otherwise the default will be to create a single notification message for all the files.


Inserting Orphans from the File Directory

This dialogue shows you all the orphan files in the file directory of your current topic. You can select as many of these as you like; click on the Insert button to add them to your file list. When you have done so, the description editor will be started allowing you to add descriptions to each of the new entries.

File directory entries are flagged by a 'c' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind about inserting files. The Sort button allows you to resort the list by name, file size or file date to make choosing files easier.


Inserting File Entries from the Filepool

This dialogue allows you to insert file entries that refer to files in the CIX filepool. Type in the name of the file and click on Insert to add the entry and invoke the description editor to allow you to add a description to the file.

Filepool entries are flagged by a 'f' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

Note that no validation is performed on the name that you type in; it's up to you to ensure that the file actually exists in the filepool.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind.


Inserting Entries from your Binmail Directory

This dialogue shows you all the files in your binmail directory. You can select as many of these as you like; click on the Insert button to add them to your file list. When you have done so, the description editor will be started allowing you to add descriptions to each of the new entries.

Until you leave the file list editor (or change topics) your new entries will be flagged by a 'm' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

If you don't currently have a copy of your binmail directory available offline, Moderate will offer to download it on your next blink. You can also update your current copy using the Update button in this dialogue or in Ameol's Mail Directory dialogue.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind about inserting files. The Sort button allows you to resort the list by name, file size or file date to make choosing files easier.


Inserting Entries by Uploading from Your Computer

This dialogue is a standard file selector. The initial directory is set to whatever you have your upload directory set to in Moderate's settings (this in turn defaults to your Ameol upload directory). The file selector allows multiple selections; when you have selected the files you want, click on OK and the description editor will be started allowing you to add descriptions to each of the new entries.

The files you select will be uploaded to the topic on your next blink.

Until you leave the file list editor (or change topics) your new entries will be flagged by a 'u' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind about inserting files.


Inserting Entries Notified to You by Mail

This dialogue allows you to insert file entries for files whose existence you have been informed of by mail without having to update your offline copy of the file directory. Type in the name of the file and click on Insert to add the entry and invoke the description editor to allow you to add a description to the file.

Until you leave the file list editor (or change topics) your new entry will be flagged by a 'n' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

Note that no validation is performed on the name that you type in.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind.


Inserting Blank Lines into a File List

Selecting Blank line from the Insert menu inserts a single blank line into your file list at the current cursor position. This is a normal comment line; the only difference between this and inserting a Comment is that the description editor is not started after the line is inserted.


Inserting Comments into a File List

Selecting Comment from the Insert menu inserts a single blank line into your file list at the current cursor position.

The description editor is then started allowing you to type in whatever text you like; this text can extend over more than one line, the comment in your file list being expanded as required when you leave the description editor.


Inserting Indented Comments into a File List

Selecting Indented from the Insert menu inserts an indented comment line into your file list at the current cursor position. This line will be indented to start at the same point as that of file descriptions.

The description editor is then started allowing you to type in whatever text you like; this text can extend over more than one line, the indented comment in your file list being expanded as required when you leave the description editor.

Note that this command is not needed to enter file descriptions that extend over more than a single line; Moderate will add indented lines automatically if you type in a file description that is longer than one line.


Inserting Private Memos into a File List

Selecting Memo from the Insert menu inserts a private note into your file list at the current cursor position. This note is only visible when you are editing the file list, it will not appear in the users' file list.

The description editor is then started allowing you to type in whatever text you like; this text can extend over more than one line, the private memo in your file list being expanded as required when you leave the description editor.


Appending New Entries to a File List

Append tells Moderate that you want to add one or more new file list entries to the end of your file list. (You can also insert new entries at the current cursor position in the file list - see Inserting New Entries into a File List.)

When you click on the Append button, this menu pops up. Click on the various menu options for more information on each insertion option.


Appending Orphans from the File Directory

This dialogue shows you all the orphan files in the file directory of your current topic. You can select as many of these as you like; click on the Append button to add them to the end of your file list. When you have done so, the description editor will be started allowing you to add descriptions to each of the new entries.

File directory entries are flagged by a 'c' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind about appending files. The Sort button allows you to resort the list by name, file size or file date to make choosing files easier.


Appending File Entries from the Filepool

This dialogue allows you to append file entries that refer to files in the CIX filepool. Type in the name of the file and click on Append to add the entry and invoke the description editor to allow you to add a description to the file.

Filepool entries are flagged by a 'f' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

Note that no validation is performed on the name that you type in; it's up to you to ensure that the file actually exists in the filepool.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind.


Appending Entries from your Binmail Directory

This dialogue shows you all the files in your binmail directory. You can select as many of these as you like; click on the Append button to add them to the end of your file list. When you have done so, the description editor will be started allowing you to add descriptions to each of the new entries.

Until you leave the file list editor (or change topics) your new entries will be flagged by a 'm' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

If you don't currently have a copy of your binmail directory available offline, Moderate will offer to download it on your next blink. You can also update your current copy using the Update button in this dialogue or in Ameol's Mail Directory dialogue.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind about appending files. The Sort button allows you to resort the list by name, file size or file date to make choosing files easier.


Appending Entries by Uploading from Your Computer

This dialogue is a standard file selector. The initial directory is set to whatever you have your upload directory set to in Moderate's settings (this in turn defaults to your Ameol upload directory). The file selector allows multiple selections; when you have selected the files you want, click on OK and the description editor will be started allowing you to add descriptions to each of the new entries.

The files you select will be uploaded to the topic on your next blink.

Until you leave the file list editor (or change topics) your new entries will be flagged by a 'u' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind about appending files.


Appending Entries Notified to You by Mail

This dialogue allows you to append file entries for files whose existence you have been informed of by mail without having to update your offline copy of the file directory. Type in the name of the file and click on Append to add the entry and invoke the description editor to allow you to add a description to the file.

Until you leave the file list editor (or change topics) your new entry will be flagged by a 'n' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

Note that no validation is performed on the name that you type in.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind.


Appending Blank Lines to a File List

Selecting Blank line from the Append menu adds a single blank line to the end of your file list. This is a normal comment line; the only difference between this and appending a Comment is that the description editor is not started after the line is added.


Appending Comments to a File List

Selecting Comment from the Append menu adds a single blank line to the end of your file list.

The description editor is then started allowing you to type in whatever text you like; this text can extend over more than one line, the comment in your file list being expanded as required when you leave the description editor.


Appending Indented Comments to a File List

Selecting Indented from the Append menu adds an indented comment line to the end of your file list. This line will be indented to start at the same point as that of file descriptions.

The description editor is then started allowing you to type in whatever text you like; this text can extend over more than one line, the indented comment in your file list being expanded as required when you leave the description editor.

Note that this command is not needed to enter file descriptions that extend over more than a single line; Moderate will add indented lines automatically if you type in a file description that is longer than one line.


Appending Private Memos to a File List

Selecting Memo from the Append menu adds a private note to the end of your file list. This note is only visible when you are editing the file list, it will not appear in the users' file list.

The description editor is then started allowing you to type in whatever text you like; this text can extend over more than one line, the private memo in your file list being expanded as required when you leave the description editor.


Updating Entries in a File List

Update tells Moderate that you want to replace one or more files in the file list. You use a file you have already uploaded to your mail directory or a file on your local hard disk to replace the existing file on CIX.

When you click on the Update button, this menu pops up. Click on the menu options for more information on each update option.


Updating Entries from Your Binmail Directory

Selecting Mail dir from the Update menu with one or more files selected in the file list will tell Moderate to search for files with the same names in your binmail directory. If a file is found with the same name as one you have selected, the old file in the CIX topic will be deleted and the new one exported from your mail directory to the topic.

If you don't currently have a copy of your binmail directory available offline, Moderate will offer to download it on your next blink.

Until you leave the file list editor (or change topics) your updated entries will be flagged by a 'm' in the leftmost column of the file list display.


Updating Entries by Uploading from Your Computer

This dialogue is a standard file selector. The initial directory is set to whatever you have your upload directory set to in Moderate's settings (this in turn defaults to your Ameol upload directory). The file selector is invoked for each filename you have selected in the file list.

When you have selected the file you want to use to update the file on CIX (it needn't have the same name as the CIX file), click on OK. The old file on CIX will be deleted and the file you have selected will be uploaded and, if necessary, renamed to match the old file on CIX.

Until you leave the file list editor (or change topics) your updated entries will be flagged by a 'u' in the leftmost column of the file list display.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind about updating any particular file.


Editing Entries in a File List

Selecting Edit  starts the Moderate description editor. If you have more than one entry in the file list selected, the Next  and Previous  buttons are enabled in the editor allowing you to step through the files you have selected. Click on the Done all  button when you have finished editing all the descriptions.

Note that indented description lines following a file description and sequences of comment lines are treated as single entries for editing purposes; Moderate takes care of formatting these and adjusting the number of lines used automatically for you.

The appearance of description editor dialogue varies according to whether you are editing a file entry, a filepool file entry, a comment, a indented comment or a private memo.

The following button group is always present:

The Undo button cancels changes you have made to the current entry you are editing; you cannot undo changes after switching away from an entry using Next or Previous.

In all cases the Today's date button inserts today's date into the description in the format defined in Moderate. When editing file entries, the File date button is enabled and inserts the modification date of the file whose description is being edited.


Editing Private Memo Entries

This dialogue is for editing private comments within the file list; these will be invisible in the users' file list, but can be used as memos for yourself or between you and other moderators of your conference.


Editing Comment Lines

This dialogue is for editing comment lines. As many lines as are desired can be edited or entered; the edit box will scroll vertically as required.


Editing Tabbed Comments
Editing Tabbed Comment Line Entries

This dialogue is for editing tabbed comment lines, that is lines that appear aligned with file descriptions in the file list.


Editing Filepool File Entries

This dialogue is for editing the description of a file stored in the file directory of your topic (as opposed to one imported from the filepool).


Editing File Entries

This dialogue is for editing the description of a file stored in the file directory of your topic (as opposed to one imported from the filepool).


Importing File Descriptions

Moderate allows file descriptions to be imported wholesale from a text file. This can be used, for example, to rebuild a moderator's file list from the users' file list if it has accidentally been corrupted on CIX.

Certain assumptions are made by Moderate when processing an import file.

This is a standard file selector, but note the extra Description field number selector. This must be set to the column position (counting from one) where the file description starts.


Assumptions Made When Importing File Descriptions

1. The file is an ASCII text file. Line termination may be LF or CR/LF.

2. File names are always the first token in a line. They may be preceded by spaces or tabs.

3. Filenames in the import file are only recognised if they are already in the file list. In other words, they must be inserted from the file directory first.

4. Lines not starting with a filename held in the file list are ignored (unless they are recognised as a continuation of a file description - see below).

5. Fields in each line are separated by spaces or tabs.

6. The file description part of each line always starts the same number of tokens in.

7. Lines following a successfully parsed file line that are indented more than that line are treated as continuations of that line's file description.


Moving File List Entries Up

Click on the Move up button to move the selected lines in the file list up one line at a time.

Note that the selected lines to not need to be contiguous in the list.


Moving File List Entries Down

Click on the Move down button to move the selected lines in the file list down one line at a time.

Note that the selected lines to not need to be contiguous in the list.


Exporting File Entries to the Filepool

This dialogue is displayed for each file selected that either refers to a local file, or refers to a filepool file with a local fdir file available with the same name.

Notes

When exporting or transforming from local to filepool, no check is made whether the file is already in the filepool.

If a local file entry in the file list is converted to a filepool entry the file in the file directory is not erased.


Deleting Entries from a File List

Selected file list entries that do not refer to files are deleted without confirmation. If only one file is selected, you will be asked for confirmation for that file; if more than one file is selected, the following dialogue will be displayed:

This allows you to control confirmation of deletion of each file and whether the associated entries in the file directory are erased as well.

The default settings for this dialogue can be changed using Moderate.


Hiding and Restoring File List Entries

The Hold command allows selected entries in a file list to be made temporarily invisible to users. The command acts as a toggle, allowing entries to be switched between visible and invisible at will.

Hidden entries are greyed out in the file list display; hidden comment lines are further identified by an 'h' in the leftmost column in order to distinguish them from private memo lines.

Hidden entries are tagged with a special header in the moderator's file list.


Hidden File List Entry Header

Hidden entries in a file list are prefixed by "#||~" for identification by Moderate.

This is not a standard file list format, but is documented here in the hope that it will be used by other OLRs in due course and by moderators editing file lists by hand.


Downloading Files from a File List Using Moderate

The Download command allows you to download files directly from the file list editor. The files will be downloaded to Moderate's download directory (set in Moderate) - this defaults to Ameol's download directory when Moderate is first installed.

A separate default directory is provided so that files download as part of your moderating duties can be kept separate from those you download in your general CIX usage.


Creating Notification Messages for File List Entries

Moderate will automatically generate messages announcing new files in a file list for you when you select the Notify button.

If you have more than one file selected, Moderate will ask you if you want to create a single message for all of them or separate messages for each.

Each file description is preceded by lines of the form:

   Filename: filename.exe
    Hotlink: cix:conference/topic:filename.exe
  File size: 238 968 bytes
Contributor: a_user
       Date: Friday 5th April 1996

And optionally:

     Status:
        O/S:

Note that Moderate cannot always fill in all of these fields. It doesn't know the size or date of filepool files or of files that have been added by upload or from your mail directory if you have left the file list editor and not blinked (to refresh your copy of the file directory) since adding them.

The Contributor field is set to your name for files you upload or that come from your mail directory, otherwise it is left blank for you to fill in.

The file description itself is set to whatever you have put into file list description for each file. It's generally worth expanding on this, particularly if you have a mailed notification describing the file.

The Status field allows you to state whether the file is freeware, shareware or whatever. The O/S field allows you to inform the conference users of the operating system that this file requires (DOS/Windows3.x/Windows95/Linux etc).

Note that this release of Moderate has no means of adding text from a mail message unless you have copied it to the clipboard before starting the file list editor. You can, of course, edit the notification messages from the Ameol outbasket, which would allow you to search your mail messages and copy and paste without closing down the Ameol message editor.


Generating More Than One File Notification at a Time

If you select Notify with more than one file selected in a file list, Moderate asks you if you want to create a single notification message for all the files or separate messages for each:

The radio button that is selected by default can be changed in Moderate's settings dialogue.


File List Editor - File Directory Tab Buttons

Click on the buttons to the left for information on what they do.

Note that nearly every command in the file list editor can operate on more than one file at a time; just use shift- or control-click to select the lines you want to deal with.

Most of the functions in this group are also available from a pop-up menu if you right-click your mouse on the file directory. Note that the right mouse button is treated in the same way as the left for selecting files; if you want to apply a command to more than one file at a time, you'll need to use shift- or control-right click in order not to lose selections you have made with the left mouse button or keyboard first.


Edit File List Tab Action Menu

Selecting the Action button displays a pop-up menu of actions that may be performed on the selected entries in the file list.

Click on the menu entries displayed here for information on each option.

The functions in this menu are also available from the pop-up menu displayed if you right-click your mouse on the file list. Note that the right mouse button is treated in the same way as the left for selecting files; if you want to apply a command to more than one file at a time, you'll need to use shift- or control-right click in order not to lose selections you have made with the left mouse button or keyboard first.


Refreshing Your Offline Copies of the File Lists

Select the check boxes for the files you wish to update from CIX.

If either the moderator's file list or the file directory are missing, this dialogue will be displayed when you first select Edit File List with the appropriate entries checked but disabled. You will be able to use the file list editor after your next blink downloads the missing files to your computer.


Uploading and Updating the File List on CIX

Use this button to upload and update the moderator's file list on CIX.

The file list will be updated automatically if you have made any changes to the file directory (renaming or erasing files) that would cause the existing CIX copy to become invalid. If you have made any other changes to the file list and haven't used this command, Moderate will ask you if you want to upload and update the list when you switch topics or exit the file list editor.


Updating Files by Uploading from Your Computer

This dialogue is a standard file selector. The initial directory is set to whatever you have your upload directory set to in Moderate's settings (this in turn defaults to your Ameol upload directory). The file selector is invoked for each filename you have selected in the file list.

When you have selected the file you want to use to update the file on CIX (it needn't have the same name as the CIX file), click on OK. The old file on CIX will be deleted and the file you have selected will be uploaded and, if necessary, renamed to match the old file on CIX.

Click on Cancel if you change your mind about updating any particular file.


Updating Files from Your Binmail Directory

Selecting Mail dir from the Update menu with one or more files selected in the file list will tell Moderate to search for files with the same names in your binmail directory. If a file is found with the same name as one you have selected, the old file in the CIX topic will be deleted and the new one exported from your mail directory to the topic.

If you don't currently have a copy of your binmail directory available offline, Moderate will offer to download it on your next blink.


File Directory Dialog OK Button

This button accepts any changes you have made to the file list you have been editing and returns you to Ameol proper.

If you have made any changes to the file list and haven't asked for it to be uploaded to and updated on CIX, Moderate will either upload and update automatically or ask you if you want the file list to be updated on CIX.

Moderate will update the file list on CIX automatically if you have made any changes to the file directory that would invalidate the old file list (either renaming or deleting files).


File Directory Dialog Help Button

Clicking on this button displays the main file list help screen.


File Directory Dialog Insert Button

This button inserts all the currently selected files into the file list at the current caret position in the file list display.

Orphan files are inserted directly at the cursor position in the edit file list tab display. For files that already have entries in the file list, you will be asked whether you want to add a duplicate entry to the file list:


File Directory Dialog Append Button

This button appends all the currently selected files to the end of the file list.

Orphan files are appended directly to the end of the edit file list tab display. For files that already have entries in the file list, you will be asked whether you want to append a duplicate entry to the file list:


Updating Files in the File Directory

Update tells Moderate that you want to replace one or more files in the file directory. You use a file you have already uploaded to your mail directory or a file on your local hard disk to replace the existing file on CIX.

When you click on the Update button, this menu pops up. Click on the menu options for more information on each update option.


Erase button

This button allows you to delete the selected files from the file directory. Note that if any have entries in the file list, those entries will be removed.

Depending on how you have the file directory deletion confirmation options set in Moderate..., you may be asked to confirm deletion of all the files you have selected, or for those files that have entries in the file list.


Download button

This button allows you to download the selected files. This is useful before adding files to the file list as it allows you to check them for legality and, in the case of programs, for virus infection.


Sort button

Selecting the Sort  button displays a pop-up menu of sorting options for the file directory. The current sort criteria are ticked; click on the appropriate menu entries to resort the file directory.

The default sort settings used when you first display the file directory are set in Moderate....


Update fdir button

This button requests Moderate to refresh your offline copy of the file directory from CIX on your next blink.


Displaying orphans

This radio button causes Moderate to display only orphans in the file directory display. The default display selection used when you first view the file directory can be set in Moderate....


Displaying files with entries in the file list

This radio button causes Moderate to display only those file with entries in the file list in the file directory display. The default display selection used when you first view the file directory can be set in Moderate....


Displaying all files

This radio button causes Moderate to display all files, whether orphans or in the file list, in the file directory display. The default display selection used when you first view the file directory can be set in Moderate....


Renaming a CIX File Directory File

This dialogue is displayed for each file you have selected for renaming from the file directory dialogue.

Type in the new name the file should have on CIX. If the file has an entry in the file list, that entry will be renamed automatically.

Note that the Cancel all button cancels all remaining rename operations if you have selected more than one file from the file directory.


Exporting File Entries to the Filepool

This dialogue appears for every file you attempt to export to the filepool to confirm that you want to do so. Note that no check is made whether the file is already in the filepool.

Any associated file entries in the file list are converted to filepool entries, but the file in the file directory is not erased.


Sorting File Lists

This command allows you to sort the selected lines of your file list. If you have selected more than one region of the list (using control+left mouse button), each selected area will be sorted independently.

Only file entries are sorted. Thus, indented comment lines are kept with their preceding file entry and non-indented comments are kept with their following file entry. Any comment lines at the top of each selected area and any unindented comment lines at the end are not included in the sort.


Changing the Topic You are Working On

This command allows you to change the topic whose file list you are editing without leaving the file list editor. All topics in conferences you moderate are shown; if you choose a topic not marked in Ameol as having a file list, Moderate will display another dialogue asking you what you want to do.

If you have made any changes in your previous topic's file list that affect the integrity of the existing file list on CIX (that is, if you have deleted or renamed any files), your old file list will be marked to be uploaded to CIX on your next blink. If you have made any other changes, you will be asked if you want to update the old topic's file list before Moderate switches to the new topic.


Selecting a Topic for the File List Editor

If you do not have a message window open on a topic in a conference you moderate when you select Edit File List, Moderate will display the the following topic selection dialogue:

Choose the conference and topic you want to work on and click on OK, or click on Cancel if you have changed your mind.

If you choose a topic not marked in Ameol as having a file list, Moderate will display another dialogue asking you what you want to do.


Starting the File List Editor on a Topic Not Marked as having a File List

If you attempt to start the file list editor, or switch topics within the editor, to a topic not marked in Ameol as having a file list, the following dialogue is displayed:

Select the radio button that is appropriate and click on OK, or click on Cancel if you have made a mistake.

Switch to another topic if you have chosen the wrong topic. Moderate will display a conference/topic selector.

Create file list if the topic has no file list and you wish to create one.

Assume and download if the topic has been erroneously marked as having no file list in Ameol. Moderate will attempt to download the moderator's file list and file directory on your next blink.


Dealing With Errors in File Lists

If Moderate detects syntactic errors in a copy of the moderator's file list that it is reading in, it will display this dialogue. You are offered a selection of options on what to do with the offending line - just select the radio button you want, any that can't be applied are greyed out.

Errors usually arise when a file list has been edited by hand. You can find out the name of the .flm file for your topic using the Topicinf addon available from both the ameol_reg/files and ameol/files file lists.

If the file list you are reading is obviously totally incorrect, use the Abort button to cancel the reading process.


Downloading a File With an Invalid DOS Name

This dialogue will appear if you try to download a file from CIX using Moderate that doesn't have a valid DOS filename. Type in a valid 8.3 filename for Moderate to use instead.


Duplicate File List Entries

This file has the same name as an existing entry in the file list. Choose whether to replace the existing file, add a new, duplicate, file list entry or abandon the insertion.


Settings Apply Button

This button will be enabled whenever you have made any changes to Moderate's settings. Clicking it will make those settings permanent immediately without closing the property sheet dialogue.


Moderate Settings

This property sheet allows you to set various configuration options in Moderate to suit the way you want to work. For Ameol, these options are saved into your current Ameol initialisation file in a section called [Moderate], for Ameol32 they are saved into the registry. (They can be edited by hand, but it is strongly recommended that you use this dialogue to make any changes.)

Click on the controls in the property sheet for information on what they do.

Click on the tabs for help on file list and file directory settings.


Edit Seed Message_1
Edit Seed Message

Clicking on the Edit Seed button opens a message editor to edit the automatically created seed message for the current topic. If the Edit topic seed messages flag is set in Moderate, the message editor will be started automatically when you click on Add to create a new topic.


Open Conferences

Open conferences appear in the CIX conference list and can be joined by anybody on CIX without restriction.

See also closed conferences and closed confidential conferences.


Closed Conferences

Closed conferences appear in the CIX conference list but can only be joined by application to the moderators of the conference.

See also open conferences and closed confidential conferences.


Closed Confidential Conferences

Closed confidential conferences are hidden; their names are not available in the CIX conference list. Membership is normally by invitation from the moderators only.

See also open conferences and closed conferences.


Edit Host Topics

Read Looking After Topics in Your Conference for general information about topic maintenance.

When you select this menu option, the following dialogue will appear. Click on any of the controls on the dialogue for information on its use.


Settings Cancel Button

Click on this button to discard any changes you have made to Moderate's settings and close the property sheet dialogue. Note that if you have clicked on Apply, only changes you have since then will be cancelled.


Settings OK Button

Click on this button when you are happy with the changes you have made to Moderate's settings. Any changes you have made to the Settings property sheet will be saved and the dialogue will be closed.


Default File List Sort Settings

The settings for sort key (name, size or date) and sort direction control the default sort settings used when you sort a section of a file list.


Edit Seed Messages on Topic Creation

If this box is checked, Moderate will automatically open the seed message editor for you whenever you confirm the creation of a new topic in a conference. Otherwise, you have to either use the Edit seed button to create such a message or create a first message manually in the topic in Ameol after leaving the conference creation or topic maintenance dialogue of Moderate.


Remember Last Upload Directory

If this check box is enabled Moderate will remember the last directory from which you uploaded a file and offer that as the default when you next upload.


Moderate Download Directory

You can set the directory to which Moderate will download files from CIX. When you first install Moderate, this defaults to the same directory as you have set for downloads in Ameol itself, but you may wish to use a different directory for files you download as part of your moderating duties.

Either type the directory path in or click on the Browse button to select the directory you wish to use.


Moderate Upload Directory

You can set the directory from which Moderate will upload files to CIX. When you first install Moderate, this defaults to the same directory as you have set for uploads in Ameol itself, but you may wish to use a different directory for files you upload as part of your moderating duties.

Either type the directory path in or click on the Browse button to select the directory you wish to use


Allow Local Deletion of Topics

Unless this check box is set, Moderate will not allow you to delete any topics in conferences you moderate from your local messagebase; they will be recreated for you whenever you blink.

If you only take responsibility for some of the topics in a conference, the remainder being looked after by a co-moderator, you may want to set this check box to avoid your messagebase being cluttered with topics you have no interest in.


Date Format for File List Descriptions

You can set the format Moderate uses for dates you insert into file descriptions. This format is the same as is used by the standard C library routine strftime().

You can put in any plain text plus any of the following formatting sequences:

%%	character %
%a	abbreviated weekday name
%A	full weekday name
%b	abbreviated month name
%B	full month name
%c	date and time, default format
%d	2-digit day of month (00-31)
%H	2-digit hour (00-23)
%I	2-digit hour (01-12)
%j	3-digit day of year (001-366)
%m	2-digit month as a decimal number (1-12)
%M	2-digit minute (00-59)
%p	AM or PM
%S	2-digit second (00-59)
%U	2-digit week number (Sunday first day of the week) (00-53)
%w	weekday where 0 is Sunday (0-6)
%W	2-digit week number (Monday first day of the week) (00-53)
%x	date, default format
%X	time, default format
%y	2-digit year without century (00-99)
%Y	year with century
%Z	time zone name, or no characters if no time zone


Topic Size Warnings Enabled

This check box has to be set for Moderate to do any checking of topic sizes in your conferences. You can use it to switch this facility on and off without affecting the topic size update and check settings for any of your conferences and topics.

Note that this check box is duplicated on the Update Topic Information dialogue where you set the topic size update and check options for your individual topics.


Menu Entry Prefixes

This check box in the settings dialogue controls whether certain of the menu entries that Moderate adds to Ameol are prefixed by Mod: to emphasise that they are moderator functions.

The following menu entries are affected:

Mod: Create CIX Conference...

Mod: Edit CIX Topics...

Mod: Edit File List...


Include Size in Notification Title

If this check box is set, Moderate will include the size of the file being added to your file list in square brackets after the file name in the notification message title.


File Directory - Files in Flist

Select this radio button for file directory displays to initially display files with entries in the file list only.


File Directory - All Files

Select this radio button for file directory displays to initially display all files, both orphans and those entered into the file list.


File Directory - Confirm Flist Deletions

If you set this radio button, Moderate will ask you to confirm the deletion of files from a file directory, but only for those files that have entries in the file list. Deleting a such a file also deletes the associated file list entry automatically.


File Directory - No Confirmation

If you set this radio button, Moderate will delete files from a file directory without confirmation; it will also delete associated entries from the file list for those files that have such entries.


File Directory - Orphans

Select this radio button for file directory displays to initially display orphan files only.


File Directory - Sorting

These settings for sort key (name, size or date) and sort direction control the initial sort settings used when you display a file directory.


File Directory - Confirm All Deletions

If you set this radio button, Moderate will ask you to confirm every time you delete a file from a file directory, regardless of whether that file is an orphan or has an entry in the file list.


What Does Moderating a Conference Involve?

It is quite likely that a new conference will need to be stirred up quite regularly in its early days if it is to germinate properly. To do this you should reply to as many messages as possible, and also start up as many conversations as you can manage yourself.

One lesson you quickly learn is that "beginners" are worth their weight in gold. Quite often they are nervous about speaking up for fear of sounding stupid before such "learned" company. Far from it! It is often these basic questions that gets a discussion going, and can often end up in greater enlightenment for those who thought their understanding was enough already.

It helps to be quite opinionated, as this encourages participants with opposing views to join in a discussion against you, however you should at all times try to be constructive in your comments. Attacking the favourite pastime or product of another participant does not always encourage discussion. It may only encourage that person to go elsewhere.

In the same vein, you should watch out for offensive or abusive message left by other participants. Remove these messages immediately, and without comment. Making a comment (except perhaps, privately, by mail) simply draws attention to the offensive nature of the message. Abusive messages can often result from raging discussion, in which case the participant responsible is not particularly useful. On occasion however a forum such as CIX attracts what can only be described as a "nut", who will leave offensive messages at random in whatever conference comes to view.

If people can upload files to your conference, it is important that you check and add them to the file list as promptly as possible; there are few things on CIX more frustrating that to know that a file you want has been uploaded but to be unable to get at it.


Conference Name

Select the conference you want to deal with from this drop-down list of those you moderate.


Topic Name_1
Topic Name

You can use this field to select an existing topic to deal with. Either use the cursor up and down keys to step through the list or type in the first letters of the topic name. If you type in a prefix common to more than one topic, you can step through those topics using the space bar.

If you are creating a new topic (after clicking the New Topic button), type in the name of your new topic here. When you have typed in the topic description and set the file list and read only flags, click on the Add button to register the topic for creation.

Topic names on CIX can be up to 14 characters long and can contain lower case letters, digits, plus and minus signs, underscores and full stops. Certain names are not permitted by CIX, news and mail for example. The name you type in will be checked against these as soon as you move to another field in the dialogue.


Topic List_1
Topic List

The names of all the topics in your conference, including any you are adding and any you have marked for deletion are displayed in this list. They may be selected for editing by clicking on their names or by using the cursor up and down keys in the topic name field above.


Prune Topic

Click on this button if your topic is becoming full and you want to prune withdrawn messages from the topic file on CIX.

The following confirmation dialogue will be displayed:


Delete Topic_1
Delete Topic

Click on this button to remove the current topic from your conference.

The following confirmation dialogue will be displayed:


Editing the CIX Conference Note

Edit the text of the conference note for your conference here. The text will be displayed by CIX after the list of topics when someone uses the CIX show <conf name> command or the Ameol ShowConf addon.

The text can usefully provide more information about your conference than a user can get from the one-line description or from the names and descriptions of the topics. If you have any special rules of conduct in your conference, put them here. Likewise, if your conference is closed, information on entry requirements here could save you dealing with pointless applications for membership.

Undo
This button undoes all changes you have made to the text.

Refresh
This tells Moderate to update your offline copy of the conference note from CIX on your next blink. Useful if a co-moderator has changed the note since you last downloaded or changed it yourself.

OK
This will save any changes you have made and exit the editor. If you have made any changes, Moderate will mark the conference note for uploading to CIX if it has not already done so.

Cancel
Cancel any changes you have made in this editing session and exit the editor. Note that this does not undo any changes you may have made earlier (or stop those changes being uploaded to CIX).

Help
Displays this help screen.


Editing the CIX Conference Note_1
Editing the CIX Conference Note

Click on this button to edit the (or create a) conference note for your conference. You will be taken into the conference note editor and, if you save the results, the note you define will be uploaded to CIX on your next blink.


Update Topic Information

Click on this button to update the offline topic list used by Moderate for a conference and to configure the updating of topic size information for each topic.

This dialogue will be displayed:

Click on the controls on this dialogue for more information.


Auto-notify on File Insertion

If this checkbox is set, Moderate will automatically start the notification message editor for every file you add to a file list.


Add Signature

If this checkbox is set, Moderate will append the signature you have set in Ameol for your file list topic to each notification message it creates.


Update Topic Information_1
Update Topic Information

Click on this button to configure updating of the offline topic list used by Moderate for a conference and of the topic size information for each topic.

You will be taken into the topic update configuration dialogue.


Selecting a Topic for Update

Use this combo box to select the topic whose update options to change. The list of topics includes an <all topics> option at the top of the list to allow all topics in the conference to be set together.


Updating Your Offline Copy of the Topic List

Checking this box will tell Moderate to update its list of topics in this conference from CIX on the next blink.


Manually Updating the Topic Size

Checking this box will tell Moderate to update the topic size for the select topic (or all topics if <all topics> is selected) on the next blink, overriding any periodic update option set.

If this option has been set for some but not all of the topics and <all topics> has been selected, the checkbox will be marked as indeterminate.


Enabling Topic Size Warnings

If the Topic size warnings enabled check box is set, warning message boxes will be displayed by Moderate after any blink that updates the topic size for topics for which you have defined and enabled a free space threshold. This global flag can also be set in the Moderate settings dialogue.


Defining and Enabling Topic Free Space Warnings for Topics

Checking this box will tell Moderate to display a warning message box whenever it updates the topic size for this topic if the topic is fuller than the threshold percentage figure you have typed into the edit box.

Appropriate values for the warning threshold depend on how busy a topic is and on how frequently you update your offline copy of its size.

Note that the global Topic size warnings check box must be set as well for warnings to appear.


Disabling Automatic Topic Size Updates

Select this radio button if you want Moderate to only update the topic size for the selected topic when you explicitly check the Update topicsize next blink box.


Updating the Topic Size Periodically

Select this radio button and fill in the number of days if you want Moderate to update the topic size for the selected topic periodically. The topic size will be updated on the first blink after the specified number of days have elapsed after the last update.


Updating the Topic Size Every Blink

Select this radio button if you want Moderate to update the topic size for the selected topic every blink,


OK Button_1
OK Button

Click on OK if you are happy with the changes you have made to the topic information update options.


Cancel Button_1
Cancel Button

Click on Cancel if you change your mind about any changes you have made.


Help Button_1
Help Button

Click on Help to display this help screen.


Reset Button

This button is enabled if any update actions have been placed in the Ameol outbasket but haven't yet been actioned.

If any update items are deleted from the outbasket, they will be locked out by Moderate. Clicking on this reset button removes the lock and allows updates to occur again.


Topic has File List_1
Topic has File List

For existing topics, this check box is disabled as CIX does not provide moderators with the facility to remove a file list from a conference. You can add a file list to a topic created without one using the file list editor (Edit File List).

For new topics, select this check box if your new topic is to have a file list. Note that Moderate will set this box automatically for a topic called files.


Topic is Read Only_1
Topic is Read Only

You can use this check box to toggle the read only state of your topics.

For new topics, select this check box if your new topic is to be read only. Note that Moderate will set this box automatically for topics called files, announce, announcements or digest.


New Topic Description_1
Topic Description

This field is disabled for existing topics as CIX does not provide any facilities for moderators to change a topic's description after it has been created.

For new topics, type a description here. This description will appear in the CIX show conference topic list for your conference.


Topic Size Information

These figures show you how much free space is available in your topic on CIX. The information may be updated manually or automatically via the Update... button.

If a topic is becoming full, you can prune any withdrawn messages from it to free some space or create a new replacement topic and set the existing topic read only.


OK Button_2
OK Button

Click on this button if you are happy with the changes you have made to your topics.


Cancel Button_2
Cancel Button

Click on this button if you change your mind about any changes you have made.


Help Button_2
Help Button

Clicking on this button will display this topic maintenance help screen.


Edit File List - File Directory Tab

Moderate provides powerful tools for maintaining CIX file lists. These are centred on the main file list editing dialogue that allows maintenance of both the file list and the CIX file directory underlying it.

Read Maintaining File Lists for information on how file lists are organised.

The file list editor dialogue has two tabs, one for editing the moderator's file list itself and one for maintaining the file directory. The file list tab is always displayed on first entering the file list editor. Click on the Edit File List  tab for help on editing the file list.

Click anywhere on the button area on the right of the dialogue for help on the controls, click on the list box display for information on how the file list is displayed:


The Conference Note

When you look at the details of a conference (either using the Ameol ShowConf addon or by using the CIX "show <conf name>" command whilst online), you sometimes get extra text after the one-line conference description and the list of topics, telling you about the conference in more detail.

This is called the Conference note. As Moderator you can create and edit this text by using the "Conf Note" button in either the Create Host Conference or the Edit Host Topics dialogues.

This is a good place to put any special information about your conference that people should know before they join.


Looking After Topics in Your Conference

Topic size

There is a limit to the size of each topic on CIX; at present this is 2 megabytes, we are intending to increase or abolish this limit at some time in the future. In the mean time, the Moderate Edit Host Topics dialogue displays the size of each topic in conferences that you moderate.

Clearly, this information needs to be periodically updated from CIX. You can configure Moderate to update the topic size for each topic (or for all topics in a conference) either manually only, every 'n' days or every time you blink.

You can also configure Moderate to warn you when a topic gets over a configurable percentage full.

Pruning conferences

Withdrawn messages are not physically deleted by CIX so if you are running short of space in a topic, you may wish to physically remove the withdrawn messages in that topic. To do this select the Prune button from the Edit Host Topics dialogue. Pruning a topic on CIX can take a long time and the topic is temporarily made read-only while the topic is reorganised, so you should consider doing this at a non busy time, if possible.

Adding Topics

If there is a need for a new topic in your conference or if an existing topic is full, you can add new topics from the Edit Host Topics dialogue.

By convention, replacements for full topics have the same name prefixed with a digit. For example, queries would be supplanted by 2queries, which in turn would be replaced by 3queries, and so on.

All your participants should be automatically joined to any new topic you create, but occasionally this can fail to happen. Thus it is best to announce the existence of a new topic elsewhere in your conference to make sure that everyone knows about it.

Adding a File List to an Existing Topic

Removing Topics

It is possible to delete topics from a conference, from the Edit Host Topics dialogue. This is usually only done if the topic is either full or obsolete and contains ephemeral data that it is unlikely that anyone will want to refer back to; unless you have asked cixtech to archive your topic first, it is impossible to recover a deleted topic.

Removing a File List from a Topic


Maintaining File Lists

If your conference has any topics with file lists, you will need to maintain those lists so that your participants can download files; files uploaded to a CIX conference topic are not made immediately available so that you, as moderator, can check them and ensure that they are relevant, don't breach copyright and (in the case of programs) aren't infected with a computer virus.

There are four lists you need to be aware of: the users' file list, the moderator's file list, the file directory and the filepool. If you are unsure about what any of these are, they are explained here.

Getting Started

Adding and Removing a File List for a Topic

Adding Files to a File List

Formatting a File List

Removing, Hiding and Updating Files

Working with the File Directory

Coordinating File List Updates Between Co-moderators


Getting Started

Before you can do anything with a file list using Moderate, you need to have a copy of the moderator's file list and the file directory on your machine. If you are sharing file list maintenance duties with co-moderators, you also need to make sure that the copies you have are up to date, otherwise you may end up trampling all over changes that someone else has made! See Coordinating File List Updates Between Co-moderators for more on this.

If you have created a topic with a file list using Moderate, you will already have copies of the lists you require as Moderate downloads them automatically for you when the topic is created.

If you are starting work on an existing topic with a file list, you will see the following dialogue when you select Edit File List:

This is the same dialogue as appears for updating the lists from CIX, but the moderator's file list and file directory check boxes are preselected and disabled; you can't do anything unless these are downloaded, so there's not much point in allowing them to be unchecked. You can, though, choose not to download the users' file list if you wish.


Adding Files to a File List

Files can be added to a file list from the file directory, from the filepool, from your mail directory and by upload from your computer. You can also either insert new files wherever the caret is in the file list display or append them to the end.

If one of your participants uploads a file, it will end up in the file directory. Hopefully they will also send you a mail message telling you what they've uploaded and where. You can add these files using Insert (or Append)Fdir providing you've updated your offline copy of the fdir to reflect the new addition(s). If you have received a notification, you can use Insert (or Append)Notification and just type in the filename(s) instead.

You can add files in your binmail directory (either files you have uploaded or files binmailed to you) using Insert (or Append)Mail dir; you may need to update your offline copy of your binmail directory first.

You can add files directly from your hard disk using Insert (or Append)Upload; the file(s) will be uploaded and added to the file list on your next blink.

In all cases, you will get the file list entry description editor dialogue displayed so that you can add a description to each file you add to the file list. The description can be as long as you like; Moderate will add indented continuation lines for you as required.

You can create notification messages for your new entries by selecting them in the file list editor list box and selecting Notify.


Reorganising a File List

You can insert descriptive comment lines and blank lines anywhere in your file list to clarify its layout. If the file list is more than a screen or so long, it may be worth subdividing it into sections to make it easier for your participants to find files.

You can move lines, or marked blocks of lines, up and down your file list using the Move up and Move down buttons.

You can sort file entries in the file list by highlighting the block (or blocks) of files you want to sort and selecting Sort flist. Moderate will sort each contiguous block of marked lines independently. Indented continuations of file descriptions are kept with the relevant entry, embedded comment lines are kept with the following file entry (any comment lines at the top or bottom of the marked block are just left where they are).


Removing, Hiding and Updating Files

You can delete files from a file list by highlighting their entries and selecting Delete from the Action button pop-up menu. This will remove their entries from the file list and, depending on how you have Moderate configured, will also delete them from the file directory.

Entries can be temporarily hidden (if there is some doubt about whether a file is legal to post on CIX, for example) using Hold from the Action button pop-up menu. Held entries are greyed out in the file list editor display, and are invisible in the users' file list. To release a held file entry, just select Hold again.

You can update a file with a new version with the same name from your binmail directory using Update/Mail dir or from your local hard disc using Update/Upload. In the latter case, the file on your hard disc needn't have the same name as that of the flist file being updated; Moderate will rename it for you after uploading it to CIX. If you update files, don't forget to edit the file list description if required, and post a notification message so your participants know that the file has changed.


Working with the File Directory

Selecting the File Directory tab in the file list editor allows you to view and manipulate the file directory for your topic. You can insert or append files into the file list from here, and rename, delete or download them regardless of whether they have entries in the file list or not.

If you are in any doubt whether a file someone has uploaded is legal (or virus-free if it is a program), you can download it from here and check it prior to adding it to the file list.

You can sort the file directory display by file name, size or date to make it easier to find the files you are interested in and you can use the radio buttons to control whether only orphan files, file with entries in the flist or all files in the directory are displayed.


Coordinating File List Updates Between Co-moderators

If your conference has more than one moderator, it is essential to coordinate updates to file lists to prevent changes by one moderator being overwritten by those of another who hasn't updated his copies of the the moderator's file list and file directory in the mean time.

The simplest way to avoid problems is to have a rota, though mistakes can still happen. An alternative worth considering if you have a lot of file list maintenance work in your conference is to create a closed confidential conference with a topic in it for protecting file list updates.

How it works.


How to Coordinate File List Updates Between Co-moderators

Whenever you want to make a change to the file list in, say, my.conf/files, you post a new message in the CC topic (let's call it cc.conf/flists) with title "Updating my.conf/files" and with the body of the message describing what you want to do - add fnord.zip, remove wibble.txt or whatever. You also update your copies of the mod's flist and fdir in the same blink.

If, after blinking, there are no un-commented messages (other than your own) in cc.conf/flists for my.conf/files, all is well and you go ahead with your changes and post a comment to your message saying "done" or whatever after you have updated the file list.

However, if someone else has posted an update message, you can either abandon your changes (if the other mod has announced that se is making the same changes as you plan) by commenting "abandoned" to your message, or you can wait until the other mod has posted their "done" comment, redownload the mod's flist and fdir and then make your changes and post your "done" comment. It's important always to post a comment, whether it be "done" or "abandoned", as otherwise the file list will remain "locked" for all other moderators.

It sounds complicated, but in practice it works very well; this is the method used for coordinating updates to all the Ameol conference file lists.


File Lists on CIX

The four file lists on CIX relevant to file list maintenance are:

The File Directory

Commonly known as the fdir. This is the actual directory on CIX where files uploaded to a topic are stored; CIX creates the list dynamically every time Moderate requests it to be downloaded. When you are editing the file list in Moderate, you can choose files from here to add to the file list visible to users.

The fdir is stored on your computer as <topic root>.fld in the flist subdirectory of you Ameol data directory.

The Filepool

This is a pool of files held on CIX that is accessible from any topic file list. Files of general interest can be exported here from a topic file list whereupon they can be included in the file list of any other topic.

The CIX conference filepool maps directly onto the filepool; if a user uploads a file to the 2newfiles topic of this conference, it can be accessed by moderators of any conference on CIX.

Moderate doesn't keep a copy of the filepool fdir on your computer; if you want to add filepool files to your topic file list, you have to type the file's name in yourself.

The Moderator's File List

This is the file list you actually edit in Moderate. CIX uses it to create the users' file list whenever a copy is requested; the file references in the moderator's file list are matched against the files in the fdir or filepool and the list as displayed by File List in Ameol is created.

The moderator's file list is stored on your computer as <topic root>.flm in the flist subdirectory of you Ameol data directory; a single backup copy is also kept by Moderate as <topic root>.flb.

The Users' File List

This is the file list that is displayed by Ameol's File List command, and the only list from which your conference participants can download files. CIX generates it dynamically from the moderator's file list, the fdir and the filepool whenever Ameol requests a copy.

The users' file list is stored on your computer as <topic root>.fls in the flist subdirectory of your Ameol data directory.


Topic Root

This is the name that Ameol uses to store all files relating to a CIX conference topic. The name consists of the first two characters of the topic name followed by a four digit number (it will be different for every user of Ameol); you can find out the topic root name for any topic using the Ameol TopicInf addon or (in Ameol2) by examining the properties of the topic (from the in basket, select the topic then select Properties from the Folder menu).


Adding and Removing Participants

You can add new participants to your conference using the Ameol Participants command.

Be very careful who you add to a conference, some people don't like to be added by the Moderator, they prefer to join themselves or (in the case of a closed conference) to ask before being added.

Very rarely, it may be necessary for you to remove a participant; if someone is persistently offensive or fails to observe whatever conference etiquette you have decided upon even after being you've sent him warnings by email, then you can remove them from your conference, again by using the Ameol Participants command.

Note that if your conference is open, there's nothing stopping the offender from immediately rejoining... If you have serious problems with someone on CIX, contact cixadmin by email.


Withdrawing Messages

As Moderator of your conference, you are free to withdraw messages which you feel are not relevant to a topic, and allow you to maintain a level of control over the conference proceedings. Occasionally people post messages twice (or more :-) in error; it is helpful if you withdraw all but one message in this case to save the confusion that can occur if people start commenting to more than one copy of the same message.

You withdraw messages while you are reading the conference normally, with the Ameol Withdraw command (or just by pressing the "W" key.


Coordinating Moderating Duties Between Co-moderators

If your conference is busy or has many topics covering different subjects, you may want to share the workload of moderating it.

You can add (or remove) co-moderators with Ameol's Participants command; it's worth noting here that all co-moderators of a conference have exactly the same privileges, if you add someone as co-moderator, they can remove you... :-)

How you organise moderating responsibilities is up to you, but in general, it's better to either have a rota or to allocate responsibility for particular topics. If you're all trying to moderate the same topics at the same time, things either get left because you all assume someone else is dealing with it, or a question from a participant can end up with half a dozen identical replies.

The most important consideration is the updating of file lists; conflicts here can result in serious problems. See Coordinating File List Updates Between Co-moderators for how to get round this.


Orphan Files

Files in the file directory that do not have corresponding entries in the file list.


File date


Undo Edits


Help on Editing


Done all


Settings Help Button

Clicking on this button will display this help screen.


Moderate File List Settings

This property sheet allows you to set various configuration options in Moderate to suit the way you want to work. For Ameol, these options are saved into your current Ameol initialisation file in a section called [Moderate], for Ameol32 they are saved into the registry. (They can be edited by hand, but it is strongly recommended that you use this dialogue to make any changes.)

Click on the controls in the property sheet for information on what they do.

Click on the tabs for help on general and file directory settings.


Moderate File Directory Settings

This property sheet allows you to set various configuration options in Moderate to suit the way you want to work. For Ameol, these options are saved into your current Ameol initialisation file in a section called [Moderate], for Ameol32 they are saved into the registry. (They can be edited by hand, but it is strongly recommended that you use this dialogue to make any changes.)

Click on the controls in the property sheet for information on what they do.

Click on the tabs for help on general and file list settings.


Upper Case File Names

This is a three-state checkbox. If it is unset, Moderate will display filenames in lower case in notification messages it creates. If it is set, they will be displayed in upper case. If it is greyed, they will be displayed in mixed case.


Add OS and Status to Notification header

Check this box if you would like Moderate to add OS and Status lines to the header of your notification messages. This will allow you to give your conference members more information about the operating system required to use this file and the status of the file (shareware, freeware, commercial demo etc).


Confirm Deletion of each Flist File

If this checkbox is set, Moderate will ask you to confirm that you want to delete file lines in a file list. Otherwise they will be deleted without warning. Non file lines will always be deleted without confirmation.

This setting is independent of that controlling confirmation of the deletion of the associated file in the topic file directory.


Confirm Deletion of Files from the Fdir

Select this radio button if you want Moderate to ask you whether to delete the associated file from the file directory whenever you delete a file from a file list.


Leave Associated Files in the Fdir

Select this radio button if you always want Moderate to leave files in the file directory as orphans when you delete their entries in the file list.


Delete All Associated Files in the Fdir

Select this radio button if you want Moderate to always delete the associated file from the file directory when you delete a file from a file list.


Changing the Topic You Are Working On

This command allows you to change the topic whose file list you are editing without leaving the file list editor. All topics in conferences you moderate are shown; if you choose a topic not marked in Ameol as having a file list, Moderate will display another dialogue asking you what you want to do.

If you have made any changes in your previous topic's file list that affect the integrity of the existing file list on CIX (that is, if you have deleted or renamed any files), your old file list will be marked to be uploaded to CIX on your next blink. If you have made any other changes, you will be asked if you want to update the old topic's file list before Moderate switches to the new topic.


File Directory Dialog Cancel Button

This button cancels all changes you have made to the current file list you have been editing and returns control to Ameol.

Note that if you have changed topics within the file list editor using the Topic... button, any changes you have made to previous topics are not undone.


Refreshing Your Offline Copies of the File Lists

Select the check boxes for the files you wish to update from CIX.


Adding a File List to an Existing Topic

If you want to add a file list to an existing topic that was created without one, first of all make sure that Ameol hasn't the topic incorrectly marked as having a file list. If it has, remove the check mark from the Topic can have files flag in the Settings dialogue for the topic, accessible from the Ameol conference list with your topic highlighted.

You then need to start the file list editor on the topic using the Edit File List command. You will be presented with the following dialogue:

Make sure that the "Create file list" radio button is checked as shown and click on the OK button. This will take you into the file list editor with a blank file list. Do not insert any files at this stage, just put in any descriptive comment lines you wish and click on the Upload flist button.

When you next blink, the file list will be created on CIX. Thereafter you can edit it in the normal way.


The File Directory Display

The File Directory tab display shows the name, size and last modified date for every file in the file directory that is selected for display. You may choose to display orphan files, files that have an entry in the file list or all files using the radio buttons at the bottom right of the file directory display dialogue.

Orphan files are marked as such by an 'o' at the far left of the file directory display.

You can set the default selection of files to be displayed when you first view the file directory in Moderate....


Removing a File List from a Topic

THERE IS NO DIRECT WAY FOR A MODERATOR TO REMOVE A FILE LIST FROM A TOPIC; IF YOU WISH TO DO SO, SEND MAIL TO SUPPORT@CIX.CO.UK AND THE FILE LIST WILL BE REMOVED FOR YOU BY CIX STAFF.