HAM Radio 1/HamRadio.cdr/w0rli/mb1301/fwd.doc

Text File | 1991-04-06 | 7KB | 248 lines

     Automatic forwarding of messages to other MailBox systems.

The file FWD.MB contains information that drives the automatic forwarding
of messages. If the file does not exist, no forwarding is done. Forwarding
is attempted each hour at the minute specified for the port in PORTS.MB.
Forwarding will occur on those hours given in FWD.MB.

FWD.MB consist of a number of lists, and a "forwarding script" associated
with each list.  Each list has the information for one MailBox to which you
will forward.  The script associated with the list tells your MailBox how
to connect to the MailBox you will forward to.    The list contains information
that describes which messages will forward to that MailBox. Each list is
terminated by "*** EOF".

I have included an example FWD.MB file.


The overall structure of FWD.MB is thus:

Script1
List1
*** EOF

Script2
List2
*** EOF

... etc.


     Routing lists.


Each list has a header line, and any number of callsigns, designators, or
sublists. The header line tells the MailBox when to do the forwarding to
that station, what MailBox port to use for the connection, and how to
identify the list when you use the X commands. Thus, a list will look like:

fa0023w0qrm
ntsmn
ntssd
w0qrm
k0cj

fh0205w7xyz
ntswa
98*
w7xyz
aa7abc


       Format of the list header.

Columns     Data

  1        List type.
  2        Port identifier or filler. "A" = COM1, "B" = COM2, etc.
  3-4        Hour to activate this function.
  5-6        Hour to de-activate this function.
  7-12        Key used to select list with X or XI command.
        For forwarding lists, the callsign of the MailBox to
        forward to, WITHOUT SSID.
        For Export/Import lists, the file name.


      List types:


Type        Function

E      "Answer Reverse Forward Requests"
F      "Forward and Reverse Forward"
H      "Forward, Reverse Forward, and Poll"

E, F, and H lists are lists of stations for whom you should forward messages.
They are grouped in the list by the call of the MailBox to which the messages

An "F" list is used when you wish to initiate forwarding.

An "H" list acts the same as an "F" list, except that the
connect and probe for reverse forwaring will occur even
if you do not have any messages to forward.

An "E" list acts like an "F" list, except the forwarding is not done,
the list is used only when someone requests reverse forwarding from you.


     Connect Scripts.


Connect scripts are supported through C, L, N, P, Q, R, and S items.
The Connect Script precedes the list that uses it.  The following are
some examples of common Connect Scripts:

For a direct connect to the MailBox you wish to forward to:

cc n7hae   <- Means "just connect to n7hae"

For a simple NET/ROM connect to the MailBox you wish to forward to:

cc k7zvv-7 <- Means "connect (uplink) to your local node"
nc w7fbm-8 <- Means "using NET/ROM, connect to the distant node"
nc n7hae   <- Means "Using NET/ROM, downlink to the MailBox"

For a connect to a distant MailBox using your g8bpq switch:

nc n7kmj


      Summary of script items in FWD.MB


C     Connect to this call.
N     Connect to this call using NET/ROM.
J     Connect to this call, it is a KA-node.
K     Connect from this KA-node.
P     Do this tnc command before connecting.
Q     Do this tnc command after disconnecting.
P!    Do this DOS command before connecting.
Q!    Do this DOS command after connecting.
L     Limit forwarding when you use this list.
S     Send this text.
R     Receive this text.
R!    Receive any text.
T     Set port timeout (in seconds) for this forward.

A C item gives the call and path to do the initial connection:

     CC W6NR-11
     CC N7EQN-10 via A6DIG

N items gives the call and path to continue the connection using NET/ROM:

     NC W6NR
     NC W6QRM v N6DIG


P items give TNC commands to be executed BEFORE the connection:

     Pretry 10
     Pmaxframe 3
     Pfrack 8

Q items give TNC commands to be executed AFTER the disconnect:

     Qretry 3
     Qmaxframe 7
     Qfrack 3


Be very careful using P and Q items. The MailBox assumes that the
TNC is setup in a "standard" manner. If you change CR, CP, or SE
in a script, it could cause problems.


An L item is used to place limits on what will forward when the list is used.

L nnnn    -  Will limit the size of messages forwarded.
l B    -  Will NOT forward bulletins.

  Examples:

L 5000

Would cause any message larger than 5000 bytes to NOT forward.


S and R items come in pairs:
An S item is a line to send:

     SBBS

An R item is the expected response:

     R#SBAY1:N7EQN-10} Connected to #WWORM:WB6FFC-1

In the case that ANY response is valid use:

     R!

There can only be one C item in a script, but may be as many N, P, Q, R
and S items as required. As an example, the script for W0RLI
in Santa Cruz using NET/ROM to connect with KA6IQA in San Diego might
be (using all the possible script features).


l 2000              <-  Don't forward messages larger than 2K
t 240              <-  Use 4 minute timeout for this forward
pretry 10          <-  Tough path, retry a lot.
pmaxframe 3          <-  And don't send very many packets.
pfrack 8          <-  And wait a long time for ACK.
qretry 3          <-  Put things back to normal after this forward.
qmaxframe 7          <-  Ditto
qfrack 3          <-  Ditto
cc w6amt          <-  Connect to the local NET/ROM
nc w6amt-3          <-  Connect to the NET/ROM closest to KA6IQA
nc ka6iqa v w6amt-4      <-  Connect to KA6IQA
fb0023ka6iqa          <-  Use port B. All hours. List name KA6IQA.
ka6iqa              <-  Forward messages TO or AT KA6IQA
91*              <-  Forward zip codes starting with 91
*** EOF           <-  End of list marker. Must be upper case.


     Wildcards and special "callsigns" in lists.


When the designator in FWD.MB is compared to the TO or @ BBS call,
the characters '?', '*', '@', '!', '+', '"' in the designator act as
wildcards. See WILD.DOC for an explanation of how to use them.



     Sublists.


At any place in the FWD.MB file you can refer to another file. The contents
of the file is treated exactly as if it was in the FWD.MB file. This feature
is very useful when you have several alternate paths to a given location.
FWD.MB need only contain the onnect Script for each different path, and a
list containing a reference to the file which contains the list contents.
A sublist file is given by a line starting with "@". The rest of the line is
the device, path, and file name of the sublist.

Example:

CC N4CHV V N6MPW-1
FC0023N4CHV
N4CHV
@C:\BBS\HF111.FWD
@C:\BBS\SILICON.FWD
*** EOF
CC W6CUS-1 V W6AMT-10
FD0023W6AMT
NI6A
@C:\BBS\SILICON.FWD
*** EOF


     Entry qualifiers.

A qualifier is appended to the line it affects. There is one qualifier at
this time: " /TSSEE" where SS is the start hour and EE is the end hour.
This qualifier causes the line to be ignored if the current time is not
within the time window.