Media Share 9/MEDIASHARE_09.ISO/bbs/afr100.zip/AFR.DOC

Text File | 1993-03-11 | 8KB | 185 lines

─ AreaFixer v1.00 ─────────── Copyright 1993 Peter Beeftink & Steve Mulligan ─

NOTE : If you use AreaFixer and you NetMail me, Steve Mulligan, at
       1:163/307.30 then I will send you a NetMail every time I
       release a version of AreaFixer and I will tell you when and
       where I have sent it.

─ Introduction ─

  AreaFixer (from now on refered to as AFR) is a program that will scan your
NetMail directory for AreaFix messages, extract needed AreaFix information
and update the needed files that you specify.

─ How To Install AFR ─

  AFR should be run right after your mail is unpacked.  If you have a batch
file, put it right after your mail tosser runs.  It takes on command line
that is optional.  It is the config file name.  If there is no command line,
AFR.CFG is the assumed CFG file name.

─ The Config File ─

  AFR is quite the powerfull little tool.  It is in the config file that you
setup that AFR draws all it's power.  In the config file, lines that start
with a ; will be ignored.

The following options tells AFR what names, addresses and subjects to look
for in your NetMail message base to determine if a message is from AreaFix.

You can have up to 8 blocks of each.  The defaults for all of them except
for Subject is blank.  The default for Subject is 'Re: AreaFix Change
Requests'.  All fields are not case sensitive.

A 'block of information' as shown below, starting with the keyword 'To' and
ending with the keyword 'Subject' must be entered in the SEQUENCE as shown
below.  There MUST be a minimum of one block.  Parameters are not necessary
but once a block is started, every keyword must be listed, with or without
parameters.

eg:
[beginning of a block (a)]
To Joe User
AddressTo 1:22222/33
From Joe Sysop
AddressFrom 1:444/55
Subject Re: AreaFix Change Requests
[end of a block (a)]

[beginning of block (b)]
To Joe User
AddressTo 1:66666/77
From Someother Sysop
AddressFrom 1:888/99
Subject Re: AreaFix Change Requests
[end of block (b)]

This would assume that all messages

a) Are to Joe User, have a destination address of 1:22222/33, are from Joe
   Sysop, have an originating address of 1:444/55 and a subject of
   Re: AreaFix Change Request

b) Are to Joe User, have a destination address of 1:66666/77, are from
   Someother Sysop, have an originating address of 1:888/99 and a subject of
   Re: AreaFix Change Request

and consider them AreaFix messages and process them as such.

The FileUpdate verb defines how and what files AFR should modify when there
is a new message are found.  The format used is the file name you want
updated, then the line you want added to the end of the file specified.  You
can have up to eight of these.  You will want to put the AREATAG or path name
to a message base in somewhere, you can do this using a # sign code.  Here is
a list of the # sign codes:

##     Place a # where the ## is.
#1     Place the AreaTag where the #1 is.
#2     Place the first eight letters of the AreaTag where the #2 is.  This
       is usefull for filenames.
#3     Place the origin address where the #3 is.
#4     Place the destination address where the #4 is.
#5xxx  Move to tabstop xxx.  xxx must be three digits. (leading zero's
       are required).
#6     Wild Card code.  When AFR searches to see if a certain line is in
       a file already, it will search for an exact match except where these
       are placed.

eg:

FileUpdate AREAS.BBS #5002$e:\msgs\#2 #5025#1 #5041#3
FileUpdate GOLDAREA.CFG AREA #1 #5017"#6" #5048ME e:\msgs\#2

This will add a line to the end of AREAS.BBS and GOLDAREA.CFG containing the
neccasarry information.  NOTE:  Because of the #6, you can also add a
description between the quotes and AFR will not mind.

The AreaPath verb tells the AFR where to scan for AreaFix messages.  It should
point to a Squish, MSG or QBBS style base.  NOTE: This message base must
already exist or it will not work.  THIS MUST BE INCLUDED.  THERE IS NO
DEFAULT!

AreaPath e:\msgs\netmail

The AreaType verbs tell AFR what message area to support.  Right now, AFR
supports Squish, MSG and QBBS bases.  Put the word Squish after AreaType to
use Squish style bases.  Put the word *.MSG after the AreaType to use MSG
type bases.  Put the word QBBS to use QBBS style message bases.  Squish is the
default.

AreaType Squish

The DelOld keyword tells AFR what to do with an AreaFix message when it reads
it.  DelOld accepts one parameter which can one of the following.

Yes - This deletes AreaFix messages when it receives one.
No  - Doesn't do anything to the AreaFix message
Ask - Prompts you if it should delete the message.

I recommend a Yes setting.  That way, there is no chance AFR will add the same
area twice.  AFR DOES scan your config files to make sure it doesn't add a
duplicate areas but as a saftey precaution, deleting old AreaFix messages is
wise.  The default is Yes.

DelOld Yes

The TimeOut verb tells AreaFixer how many seconds to wait for a reply to the
DelOld command.  5 is the default.  It can range from 0 (to wait forever)
to 255.

TimeOut 5

The TimeOutDel verb tells AreaFixer what to automatically answer when asked
to delete a message and a TimeOut has occured.  This can be Yes or No.  The
default is No.

TimeOutDel No

The StartFrom tells where AreaFixer should start scanning message bases
from.  It can be First or LastRead.  If it is First, AreaFixer will scan
all messages starting at the first one.  If LastRead, AreaFixer will scan
all messages starting at the lastread message.  LastRead is the default.

StartFrom LastRead

─ How AFR Works ─

  AFR starts out by scanning your NetMail area.  If it finds a message that
matches the criteria you have set to be an AreaFix message, it extracts the
information from the message about the areas you want to add/unlink from.

  If you are adding a message area, AFR scans each line of the files it needs
to update for a match of what it will add.  This will make sure duplicates
are not added.  NOTE: Spaces, and case sensitivity ignored.  Also, when you
have a #6 in the FileUpdate string, it will treat it like a dos wild card.
If no match is found, the area is added to the current file.

  If you are adding a message area, AFR scans each line of the files it needs
to update to make sure it actually already exists.  This will make sure only
the right areas are deleted NOTE: Spaces, and case sensitivity ignored.  Also,
when you have a #6 in the FileUpdate string, it will treat it like a dos wild
card.  If no match is found, the area is added to the current file.

  When all this is finished, AFR quits and there is no need for you to lift a
finger editing all your files you normally edit when adding/unlinking an area.

─ Beta Testers Wanted ─

  If you are in the 163 or 243 net or you don't mind polling long distance
you are eligible to be a beta testers.  Simply NetMail Steve Mulligan at
1:163/307.30.  I will reply to you and tell you how to get the latest beta
versions of software I make.

─ On the Drawing Board ─

   This is a list of all the features my Beta Testers and I want to have added
to AreaFixer.  I'll get around to it in a while.  PLEASE ADD TO LIST AND
FORWARD TO STEVE MULLIGAN 1:163/307.30.  If you want to become a Beta Tester,
NetMail me and I'll send you beta releases.

1.10    · Bug fix release, anything else you suggest.  Aug 93

If you have any additions to this list or any bugs, please let me know!

Steve Mulligan 1:163/[e-mail]