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:userdoc sec='Maximus Download File Sort and List Utility (OS/2 and DOS)'
.*
.* For printing: use Bookmaster profile.
.*
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:prolog.
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.* ==========================================================
.*
.nameit symbol=VERSION text='5'.
.nameit symbol=SUBVERS text='7'.
.nameit symbol=SUFFIX text=' '.
.*
:revision id=57 run=yes.
.*
:title.DOWNSORT
&rbl.
Maximus CBCS DOWNload file SORT and List Utility
&rbl.
Version &VERSION..&SUBVERS.&SUFFIX. (OS/2 and DOS)
:etitle.
:author.Rob Hamerling
:date.
:address.
Vianen, The Netherlands
Phone: ++31-3473-72136 (voice)
FIDO-net: 2&colon.512/4.1098
:eaddress.
:docprof rhrfrule=none
language=english
figlist=nopage
tlist=nopage
ftsep=no
layout=2
fbc=no
toc=12
ldrdots=yes.
:eprolog.
:frontm.
:tipage.
:toc.
:body.
.* ==============================================================
:h1.About Downsort
:p.Downsort was originated in 1987 as a program for my own use when
I was SYSOP of the Bulletin Board PC-Square (2:512/4), to automatically
generate daily overviews of my download material for the users.
The program name is related to the SORTing of the collection of
DOWNloadable files, in DOWNward time-stamp sequence and an online
Bulletin was the only list that was produced at that time.
PC-Square was running BinkleyTerm and OPUS under DOS, and
file-requesting was not so popular then.
:p.Now PC-Square runs with OS/2, BinkleyTerm and MAXIMUS CBCS.
I'm not SYSOP anymore but still strongly involved.
As a contribution to PC-Square and the large international Bulletin
Board community of MAXIMUS CBCS boards, and in the highly appreciated
spirit of BinkleyTerm, I decided to upgrade my Downsort program to the
current software.
During the past years a lot of improvements and extensions have been
made&colon. many user-configurable options for many more output formats
then the original Downsort.
:p.The only dependency of Downsort on MAXIMUS CBCS is a parameter-file
AREA.DAT, which is usually created with a MAXIMUS utility (SILT(P)),
which itself can be used without actually running MAXIMUS!
This is the way I work for testing of Downsort.
:p.:hdref refid=ahis. gives an impression of recent history.
:p.Downsort is now developed in an OS/2 environment, but it is
distributed as 'family'-application: it runs under OS/2 and DOS.
:rev refid=57.
:p.Downsort is in its 6-th year of development and has entered a period
where life becomes more and more complicated.
While adding new features, I have tried to maintain compatibility.
This is the main cause of complications.
Maybe in one of the newer versions I have to leave this compatibility in
favour of maintainability and user-friendliness.
In anticipation of this, please do not use undocumented features, or
styles of usage that are not described in this document.
:erev refid=57.
.* --------------
:h2.Registration and Shareware Fee
:p.Downsort is a $ 0.00 Shareware Program.
This means (to me) that you respect the commonly known rules for
shareware, but you don't have to pay me anything.
:p.Registration is voluntary&colon. please send me a netmail message
with your name and (net-)address if you are a regular user of Downsort
as SYSOP.
That gives me an impression of the usage and the impact of changes to
Downsort.
:p.If you tell me that you are running Downsort on your Bulletin Board
as service to your users, and you appreciate to be mentioned, I'll add
your name to the reference list in :hdref refid=ause..
.* --------------
:h2.Warranty
:p.For this price?
You must be kidding!
But I'll listen to your complaints and suggestions, and if time permits,
I'll work on the improvements you suggested.
.* --------------
:h2.Acknowledgements
:p.I would like to thank all users that contributed with constructive
remarks and encouraging appraisals.
Without doubt Emmanuel Sandorfi of 2&colon.320/5 holds the record in
number of suggestions and amount of additionally required programming
effort.
He also provided some additional title-fonts (2 and 3).
:p.I also would like to thank the regular users (SYSOP's of Bulletin
Boards) who made Downsort much more popular than I ever dreamed of!
A collection of geographically dispersed Boards can be found in
:hdref refid=ause..
.* =============================================
:h1.Overview
:p.Downsort is a program to make lists of available download files
for Bulletin Board Systems, especially MAXIMUS CBCS.
The different types of lists are each for a specific audience
(online bulletin board user, file-requestor, SYSOP) and purpose
(all files, recent acquisitions).
Within each type there are many ways to customise the contents
(selection on user-privilege or user-interest), and format
(sort-sequence of files, titles, logo, etc).
:p.Downsort can produce the following report-types :fnref refid=usys.
for you:
:fn id=usys.For the target audience the distiction between 'user' and
'sysop' is strictly the author's view!
:efn.
(:hp2.all these can be produced in one run:ehp2.).
:ul.
.*
:li.user-lists
:ul compact.
:li.BBS-list, a colorful overview for :hp2.online:ehp2. users of
MAXIMUS CBCS
:li.NEW-list of the most recent files
(as a response to a file-request of 'NEWFILES')
:li.ALL-list for a complete overview in a file-group per area
(as a response to a filerequest of 'FILES' of 'ALLFILES')
:li.IPF-list similar contents as ALL-list, but in a different
presentation format (VIEW-able under OS/2)
:li.GBL-list for a complete overview over the area-boundaries,
as an alternative for ALL-list if you don't want to bother
file-requestors with your area-structure
:eul.
.*
:li.SYSOP lists:
:ul compact.
:li.ORPHAN-report as a help with management of the contents of your
area's and directories, and to correct possible upload problems or
inconsistencies
:li.DUP-list for a list of duplicate filenames as a help to control your
disk-space and with version management.
:li.OKFile for (Binkley) File Requests.
:li.EMI-list for a list of new file arrivals to be included in an
announcement message.
:li.Updated FILES.BBS files
:eul.
.*
:eul.
:p.The lists can be generated for different privilege levels,
and be customised to a very high extend to present your system as you
like it to be seen by your users (headers, log, etc).
At the same time Maximus (and OPUS) conventions are reflected in the
way the file information is presented.
:p.A sample of most of these lists can be found in :hdref refid=lsmp..
:p.In short: Downsort is a very versatile tool to manage your database
of files, both in an OS/2 and DOS environment.
.* ------------------------
:h2.Purpose and Objectives
:p.Downsort is designed for the following purposes:
:ol.
:li.Produce different overviews of files which are available for
download by online users of the Bulletin Board and by File Requestors.
QUICK and EASY file retrieval is the main goal for the lists.
Therefore many lists-types and within a type several variations
should be available for SYSOP and users.
:li.Should not disclose files to users (file-requesters) without
positive agreement by SYSOP.
:li.Detect discrepancies between the contents of FILES.BBS and the
corresponding download directory, such as:
:ul compact.
:li.The directory contains so called :hp2.orphan:ehp2.-files, which have
no descriptive entry in FILES.BBS.
:li.FILES.BBS contains entries of which the file in not in the directory
(is 'offline').
This may be on purpose!
:eul.
:li.Must be able to be run unattended (typically overnight).
The file-access privilege system of a Bulletin Board System like Maximus
CBCS should be respected by the reports.
:eol.
.* ==============================================
:h1 id=guide.User's Guide
:p.This chapter explains the possibilities of Downsort.
Parameter specifications will be covered in :hdref refid=specs..
.* --------------------------------
:h2.Initial setup
:p.When you are going to use Downsort for the first time, you have to
make a number of decisions.
Below you'll find a kind of check-list, which is setup to help you with
a logical sequence of tasks to make the use of Downsort succesful.
It does NOT give detailed specifications, these can be found in
:hdref refid=specs..
:p.The specifications will be put into a configuration file
Downsort.CFG, which may contain information about:
:ol.
.*
:li.Data Collection
:p.File information will be collected from:
:ul compact.
:li.Privilege and download path-information from AREA.DAT
:li.Actual file-information from download directories
:li.FILES.BBS files for file descriptions
:eul.
.*
:li.List Type Selection
:p.Downsort can produce the following report types for you (all in one run).
:ul compact.
:li.ORPHAN-report for SYSOP use only
:li.BBS-list for :hp2.online:ehp2. users of MAXIMUS CBCS
:li.NEW-list(s) for a list of the most recent files
:li.ALL-list(s) for a complete overview in a file-group per area
:li.IPF-list(s) same as ALL-list, but in a different presentation format
(VIEW-able under OS/2,
there is a special IP2-list for OS/2 2.0).
:li.GBL-list(s) for a complete overview over area-boundaries
:li.DUP-list(s) for a list of possibly duplicate filenames
:li.OKFile(s) for (Binkley) File Requests
:li.EMIFile(s) to for a list of file arrivals over the last period
:li.Updated FILES.BBS files
:eul.
.*
:li.File selection
:p.Reporting of file-information can be limited by:
:ul compact.
:li.Reporting privilege: only those files up to a certain privilege
level will be listed
:li.Area INclude or EXclude: for sub-selection for special interest
groups
:li.Number of files or period (days, weeks or months) to be reported
:eul.
.*
:li.List Customisation
:p.The layout of the lists can be jazzed-up with:
:ul compact.
:li.BLOCK-title and its font
:li.TopTitle, SubTitle, BottomTitle, Include (logo-) file
:li.Sorting sequence of area's in ALL-list (unsorted, name, include)
:li.Sorting sequence of files (unsorted, date, filename)
:li.Truncation or wrapping of file descriptions
:li.Area- or file-privilege information
:li.Message and Warning texts
:rev refid=57.
:li.Handling of Avatar codes in comment lines (strip or mimic).
:erev refid=57.
:eul.
:p.All in the language which suites your audience best.
:eol.
:p.The sample Downsort.CFG file (see :hdref refid=acfg.) contains
defaults and a brief information to help you with the
parameter specifications.
:p.Below you can find some more explanation.
.* ----------------------------
:h2.Data Collection
.*
:h3.AREA.DAT
:p.A MAXIMUS file 'AREA.DAT' is absolutely required by Downsort.
It is however not necessary to run MAXIMUS itself,
the AREA.DAT file is created with SILT(P) from the MAXIMUS package.
You can use this utility without the other MAXIMUS stuff.
In fact I do that myself (NOT running a MAXIMUS board)!
If you run Downsort in a directory without AREA.DAT, then you should use
specify the filespec for AREA.DAT.
It allows also to specify a different AREA.DAT file than the one that is
used by your MAXIMUS.
:p.With SILT(P) you may build a special AREA.DAT for exclusive use by
Downsort, with different, less, or even more directories!
Probably much more convenient is the use of AreaINclude or
AreaEXclude in Downsort.CFG to limit the contents of the lists to
a group of area's, that you want to report together, while you use the
regular AREA.DAT.
A combination of a 'special' AREA.DAT and AreaIN/EXcludes is another
option to obtain areagroups.
:p.Remember: The combination of area privilege in AREA.DAT and the
report-privilege specification in Downsort.CFG may restrict the contents
of reports.
AreaINclude is subordinate to this and will work only for the collection
of area's within these privilege limits.
:p.If Downsort reports a memory constraint (see also :hdref refid=perf.),
you may use these techniques as circumvention: exclude one or more of
the file area's and rerun Downsort.
.*
:h3.FILES.BBS
:p.Downsort uses the information in AREA.DAT to locate the description
files, usually called FILES.BBS.
So either the ListFile specification in AREA.DAT, or the download
directory to locate them (Maximus default).
.* -----------------------------------
:h2.List Type Selection
:p.Downsort can produce several types of output reports,
indicated by type of list.
The following list types are available:
.* ---
:h3 id=orphan.ORPHAN report
:p.This is a list of all files in download directories for which
there is no entry in any FILES.BBS file of all areas which have this
directory specified as download path.
The report contains date, area-name and area-path of the orphan.
The entries are sorted on area and filename.
Not reported are MAXIMUS system files like:
FILES.*, *.BAK, DIR.?BS and SYSTEM*.?BS.
:p.If you have more than 1 area pointing to the same download directory,
but with different FILES.BBS files, the orphans are reported for the
first of these areas only.
:note.If there is an entry for a file in FILES.BBS without a
description, the file is NOT considered to be an Orphan!
.* ---
:h3.BBS-list
:p.This is a list of downloadfiles that became recently available
on your system.
File selection is on date, but for presentation the list may be sorted
on date, newest first or on filename.
:p.The list contains compiled MECCA control sequences, for direct use in
MAXIMUS bulletins: a user-privilege sensitive list!
It might be a good idea to put a translated &lbrk.onexit&rbrk. string,
which translates into: &caret.OFpath.
When a user exits from the BBS-list bulletin, it will fall back to the
exit-bulletin.
:p.The length of the file (number of file-entries) may be limited by
parameters:
:ul compact.
:li.file-count
:li.file age in days, weeks or months (30 days)
:li.maximum privilege
:eul.
:p.(never more than available within the privilege limit).
If neither specified it will contain all available files in all download
directories.
:p.To make it easy for you to build a complete MAXIMUS bulletin-file a
user-provided header is included preceding the list and a trailer at the
end of the list.
Header and trailer can be built by SYSOP, and may contain any
information and bulletin-control sequences (a sample is provided).
.* ---
:h3.NEW-list
:p.Basically the same list as above, but in simple ASCII format.
This list is suitable for regular file-requestors as brief overview
of the latest additions, updates or replacements.
.* ---
:h3 id=emi.EMI-list
:p.Basically the same as NEW-list, but more compact:
:ul compact.
:li.contains file also file-time and exact filesize in bytes.
:li.Description wrapping (if used) is overlapping the file-details
except filename.
:eul.
:p.The EMI-list is especially suitable to generate file-arrival messages
(the output should be included by another program).
.* ---
:h3.ALL-list
:p.A list of all downloadfiles by area.
Files of the same area are listed in groups, separated by imbedded
headers with area-name, -description, and -privilege.
Actual status information is provided in the area-header as well:
area-filecount and -bytecount, and latest acquisition (date and
file-name).
:p.At the end a SUMMARY report shows per area: area-title,
file-count, byte-count, and totals.
:p.The size of this list is limited only by the privilege parameter.
The numbers in area-header and summary report show only what is
available for the particular privilege.
:p.You may generate several ALL-lists in one run!
.* ---
:h3.IPF- and IP2-list
:p.Same contents as ALL-list but in a different format.
Only useful for users that run OS/2 (OS/2 version 1.2+ under
Presentation Manager).
This file has the format of an input-file for the Information
Presentation Facility Compiler (IPFC).
:p.There is a separate form of this list (called IP2-list) for OS/2 2.0.
It produces information that can be compiled only with the accompanying
IPF Compiler of the OS/2 2.0 Toolkit.
The result however can be VIEWed under OS/2 1.3!
.* ---
:h3.GBL-list
:p.Similar to ALL-list,
but where ALL-list gives the files in groups per area, the GBL-list
ignores area-boundaries and gives a single group.
It contains an extra column with the area-code for each file, there is
no area-summary.
:p.SYSOP may choose which of both is suitable to make available to
users, and which to use for himself (or even both).
:p.The GBL-list can be used in stead of the ALL-list if your users
prefer searching in the list without having to bother about
area-organisation.
Although one of the original purposes of the GBL-list was checking for
duplicate files, there is now also a special report for this particular
purpose (see :hdref refid=dup.).
.* ---
:h3 id=dup.DUP-list
:p.Simple report of :hp2.possibly:ehp2. duplicate files over the area's.
The format is basically the same as the GBL-list, but only files with
the :hp2.same filename:ehp2. are reported.
'Offline' files are included in the check, orphans are not!
:p.Please note that the DUP-list may not always contain what you expect.
:rev refid=57.
It can be more or less, for example:
:ul compact.
:li.Downsort looks primarily at filenames only (extension is of second
importance, path is completely ignored).
:li.You may have explicitly excluded area's from the search.
:li.You may have excluded area's by privilege: Downsort completely
ignores area's with a higher privilege than any report asked for.
:li.You have duplicates in 'orphan'-state.
:eul.
:p.These circumstances may give 'false' signals or hide duplicates!
:p.All duplicate files within the privilige-range will be reported,
even when a counterpart has a higher privilege or are orphan (and thus will
not be reported in the DUP-list)!
You may need a file-finder-utility to search for the 'partner'-file
in one of the directories with a higher privilege.
:p.There are very few other parameters applicable to this list.
File descriptions may be specified as truncated or wrapped.
All user-titles are left out and only a sort on filename is
supported.
:p.Suppression of reporting files with equal filenames and different
extensions is possible with the "NonDupEXT" keyword in Downsort.Cfg.
You specify pairs of extensions.
Two files with equal filename and one of each having an extension specified
as 'pair' will not be reported as duplicate.
For example, if you specify:
:xmp.
NonDupEXT SDN SDA
:exmp.
then file pairs xyz.SDN and xyz.SDA will not be reported in the DUP-list.
:p.This pair-exclusion can also be used for more than 2 extensions, but
the exclusion works only for pairs of files.
So then you must specify as many pairs as can be formed.
For example if you want to exclude file combinations like xyz.IDX
xyz.DAT and xyz.EXT, then you should specify:
:xmp.
NonDupEXT IDX DAT IDX EXT DAT EXT
:exmp.
:warning.The check on duplicates by Downsort works only when you specify all
possible pairs of extensions!
If you fail to specify any possible pair, the Dup-list may contain false
signals.
:ewarning.
:p.Multiple pairs may be specified on a line, and multiple lines are
allowed.
Up to 100 pairs of extensions will be accepted by Downsort in total.
:erev refid=57.
.* ---
:h3 id=okf.OKFile
:p.List filespecifications for file-requests in BinkleyTerm style.
The generated paths in the list obey the following rules:
:ul.
:li.the area-privilege is within the privilege limit of the report
:li.the area is not excluded (by areaEXclude)
:li.the area has at least 1 file within the privilege limit of the
report
:eul.
:p.The paths are sorted on area-name (although the area-name is not part
of the list).
There is no check on duplicate paths.
:p.The list is not jazzed-up with titles, etc, but a file may be included in
front of the list if specified on the OKFileList in Downsort.CFG (see :hdref
refid=acfg.).
This option allows you to insert a list of 'magic' names in the OKFile.
:rev refid=57.
:p.Two formats are available:
:ul compact.
:li.SHORT format with lines in the format "filepath\*.*".
This is the regular format for BinkleyTerm and other mailers.
:li.LONG format with lines in the format: "@filespec filepath\filespec".
All files have a 'magic'-name assigned and there are no generic file
specifications in the OKFileList.
This prevents directory searches for BinkleyTerm for each file request.
:eul.
:note.Some newer versions of BinkleyTerm can use the file base of Maximus
to find a file even faster.
:erev refid=57.
.* ---
:h3 id=filbbs.FIL-list
:p.New "FILES.BBS" type of file may be (re-)created, one for every area.
The contents of the file-information will be about the same as
the original FILES.BBS, but with the following notes:
:ul compact.
:li.A header is generated with area-name, -title, and -privilege.
Also the total amount of files and bytes and the most recently acquired
new file in this area is part of the header information.
:li.Files with a privilege up to and including the area-privilege
are listed first.
:li.Files can have a privilege other than the area-privilege when the
original FILES.BBS file contains &caret.Pp-sequences ('p' being a
privilege letter).
This construction will be rebuilt by Downsort.
Files with a higher privilege than the area-privilege will follow
after a compiled MECCA-sequence (&caret.Pp) in the new FILES.BBS.
Downsort respects these indicators when reading FILES.BBS,
so all file-privilege information is retained.
This ensures no accidental loss of file-information, and the regular
user won't see more than he should.
:li.Wild-card specifications in the original FILES.BBS are not
propagated to the new FILES.BBS.
:rev refid=57.
:li.The file description is kept internally as a single string
of about 2 KBytes (Maximus 2.0 supports up to 240 bytes!)
When creating FILES.BBS files, this will be the file format (single
record per file-entry).
The original FILES.BBS may contain a (long) single string
description, or multiple (short) multiline descriptions.
When encountering multiline descriptions in input-FILES.BBS, Downsort
concatenates the separate description lines with a single intermediate
space up to a maximum of 2 KBytes.
This will be the output format if the FIL-list is requested.
:li.Comments in FILES.BBS will be preserved :hp3.only:ehp3.
when the Keep-Sequence option is used (specify /K on the FilFileList
line of Downsort.Cfg).
:eul.
:p.Special attention is requested for the following:
:ul compact.
:li.The first 8 lines, :hp2.if comments:ehp2. (starting with a
'-'-character), are discarded,
These are assumed to be the standard header for FILES.BBS of Downsort.
:li.Downsort from version 5.7 on uses the 3 characters:
<-><&delta.><backspace> for each of its header-lines, and will skip all
lines starting with this sequence during the data collection phase, even
when encountered after line 8.
:li.You can include your own file with the /I-option on the FILFilePath
line in Downsort.Cfg in the header of FILES.BBS.
All lines in the include-file for FILES.BBS output will be prefixed by
Downsort with the 3 character sequence mentioned above to make sure that
these will also be 'refreshed' by Downsort.
:eul.
:erev refid=57.
:p.The destination of FILES.BBS-files is not by definition the same as
the origin!
When specified with the "FIL&colon."-parameter (or in the configuration
file), the output may be located in a different directory than the
original input FILES.BBS.
:rev refid=57.
:p.When the output is directed to a separate directory, the files will
be named as follows:
:dl tsize=14 termhi=2.
:dt.FILES.ac
:dd.when :hp2.all:ehp2. areanames (areacodes) of the selected areas in a
single run of Downsort are 3 bytes or less.
:dt.areaname.BBS
:dd.when :hp2.any:ehp2. areaname is longer than 3 bytes.
:edl.
:p.The format of the header will be slightly different.
Font specification (/Fx in FILFileList) works for the second case only.
:erev refid=57.
:p.Manual checking or post-processing by some other program may follow
Downsort, after which the files might be put back on the MAXIMUS
specified position.
.* ------------------------------
:h2.Data Selection
.* ---
:h3.Privilege control
:p.The default file privilege to be shown in the lists is SYSOP.
All files with a higher privilege than the specified (or defaulted)
report-privilege will not appear in the report.
:p.Files without a matching filename-entry in FILES.BBS are treated as
Hidden.
That means that by default these files will not be listed,
unless the 'H' privilege is used on the report-request specification.
:p.If you run a mailer like BinkleyTerm and support file-requests, you
lack the extensive privilege system like Maximus.
The only distiction BinkleyTerm makes with file-request is
'unknown', 'known' and 'password-protected'.
You may generate multiple download lists with different privilege
indictor, depending if you allow these categories to request different
file collections a sample of this kind of environment is given in
:hdref refid=sampl..
:p.This is not needed for Downsort.BBS, since this file has imbedded
privilege control sequences for MAXIMUS users.
But you should specify a sufficiently high privilege for the BBS-list to
satisfy your most valuable users!
.* ---
:h3.AREA selection
:p.When you need file selections on subject, you can use AreaINclude or
AreaEXclude to limit the lists to files that are part of certain
area-groups.
You should realise that this is the latest selection phase:
privilege selection has taken place already before AreaINclude or
AreaEXclude are processed.
So make sure you specified a sufficiently high report-privilege to get
the proper areas into the group.
.* ---
:h3.Report length
:p.For lists that are meant to show the latest file-information only
(BBS-list and NEW-list), the length of the list can be limited to
a maximum number of file-entries or to file-age in days, weeks or
months.
.*
.* ------------------------------
:h2.List Customisation
.*
:h3.Headers, Titles and Include files
:p.There are several ways to custimise the appearance of the lists for
Downsort.
All items in the following list are optional, but the sequence in the
reports is fixed and as listed:
:dl tsize=12 termhi=2.
:dt.Pre-Title
:dd.Up to 20 lines as very first lines of your lists.
Any text may be specified.
Leading '&tilde.'-characters (tilde) will be treated as full-size required
blanks, mainly to manually align (center) the text in these lines.
There is no automatic centering.
You may have to experiment a little.
:dt.TITLE
:dd.A short title (8-12 characters), that will be magnified to big
BLOCK-letters.
There are 4 block-fonts to choose from.
Not all characters are supported and lower-case will be translated to
upper-case.
The '&tilde.'-character (tilde) will be treated as full-size required
blank, the '&grave.'-character (accent-grave) as half-size required
blank.
:p.If not specified, a default title is generated as Downsortxy, where
xy stands for the current version of Downsort.
:dt.TitleFont
:dd.Number of the font to be used for the BLOCK title.
If specified as 0, the BLOCK-title will NOT be generated at all.
:dt.Include-file
:dd.A text-file to be included.
There will be no manipulation of the contents of this file.
This include-file may be all you need to obtain a fully custimised list.
For the IPF-list this include file will most likely have to contain IPF
tags for proper formatting,
for the OK-file it will be a list of 'magic' name entries.
:dt.Sub-Title
:dd.Up to 20 lines.
These are treated like the Pre-Title lines.
:dt.BottomTitle
:dd.Up to 20 lines as very last lines of the lists.
These follow my 'signature'.
The lines follow the same treatment as Pre-Title lines.
:edl.
:p.The BLOCK-title and Pre-, Sub-, and Bottom-titles are used for all
reports identically, there is no such thing as an 'individual' title
specification for each report.
However the Include-file may be different for each report.
If you want to build more than 1 list but with different 'headings'
or no headings at all, you better forget the Title-options.
In stead make heading-files and use the Include option of the individual
list specifications.
:note.Exceptions:
:ol.
:li.None of the above does apply to the BBS-list.
As it will generally be desirable to imbed (compiled) MECCA control
sequences in this type of lists, this report will include dedicated top
and bottom files (if available in the current default directory).
These files must be called Downsort.HDR (header) and Downsort.TRL
(trailer).
:li.The ORPHAN report will not contain any user-titles.
:li.The FILES.bbs files will not use any of the title-specifications,
but may use an Include-file.
:eol.
:p.:hp2.Recommendation:ehp2.&colon. File-requestors appreciate a header
with a clear indication of the source of the reports.
Many Bulletin Boards use FILES or ALLFILES as 'magic' name,
but that is not very distinctive if you collect lists of different
boards!
So use Downsort's facilities to generate a block-title with your
system-name, or an include file with some kind of logo.
:note.Specification details and samples can be found in Downsort.CFG.
:p.Some SYSOPs do not like to confront their users with privileges.
In most headers there will be a line with the reporting privilege.
This may be suppressed.
.* ---
:h3.File Sorting
:p.The file-entries in the lists can be sorted on different keys:
:ul.
:li.Filedate
:li.Filename
:li.Sequence of FILES.BBS
:eul.
:p.The default sorting sequence depends on the type of list.
Some lists do not support some of these sorting keys.
:note.File sorting has a local scope.
It can be specified for to each listtype individually.
.* ---
:h3.Area Sorting
:p.The order in which the areas are presented in the lists can be
specified:
:ul compact.
:li.Order of AREA.DAT
:li.Sorted alphabetically on areaname
:li.Order of areaINclude statement in Downsort.Cfg
:li.Groupname-order
:eul.
:p.The Groupname-order is a special order based on a popular naming
convention for areas.
Many SYSOPs use areanames with a group-name or -letter followed by a
sequence number.
With groupname sorting the areaname is split - if possible - into a
groupname (if the first character is not be numeric) and a sequence number
(if the last part of areaname is numeric).
Primary sort key is groupname, secundary sortkey is sequence number.
If the first character of the area-name is numeric, the groupname
is empty, and if the last part of the areaname is not numeric, the
second key is empty.
:p.If the ordering does not match your more complicated area naming
convention, you can always fallback on a properly sequenced AREA.DAT,
or on areaINclude sequence.
:p.If Include-order is specified, but AreaINclude is not, then the
order falls back to Group-order.
:p.The area-order specification has a global scope.
It applies to every lists where the areaname is significant, including
summaries in ALL- and IPF-lists.
:p.Default sorting order is 'Group'.
.* ---
:h3.Warnings, Indications, Descriptions and Comments
:ul.
:li.There are two options for long file descriptions
(those that do not fit on a 80-character line):
:ul compact.
:li.Truncation at end-of-line
:li.Wrapping to multiple lines
:eul.
:p.Both options are available for all lists,
but the defaults vary with the type of the report.
.*
:li.Orphan description:
Text that will be reported in the description column of a file, when
for this file no entry in FILES.BBS could be located.
:p.Default: "--- Orphan ---".
.*
:li.Not-Found description:
Text for the description column when the file-entry was found in
FILES.BBS, but there was no description present.
:p.Default: "--- no description available ---".
.*
:li.Offline description:
Text that will replace file-size and file-date, when an entry for this
file was found in FILES.BBS, but the file could not be located in the
download directory.
:p.Default: "** offline **".
.*
:li.Comments in FILES.BBS (mostly used for additional description for
groups of files) will be listed when no sorting is specified (the /K
option for ALL-, IPF- and FIL-lists).
:rev refid=57.
:p.When Downsort encounters Avatar screen handling codes in FILES.BBS
these are stripped of or partially imitated in the output lists (unless
AVAstrip&rbl.No is specified in Downsort.Cfg).
Typical screen handling commands (cursor movement, color settings) are just
stripped, ohers (repeating characters of patterns) are imitated.
:erev refid=57.
.*
:li.Size of a VIEW-page in IPF-list:
The IPF-list of area's with more than 250 file entries will be splitted
into 'parts' to prevent the IPF-compiler message 'page size exceeded'.
But if you have many long descriptions, or wish smaller parts, the
page-size can be altered with a parameter on the IpfFileList line in
Downsort.CFG.
:p.Default: 250.
.*
:eul.
.* ---------------------------
:h2.Miscellaneous report information
.* ---
:h3.File Information in Lists
:ol.
:li.Dates are marked with a 'new'-indicator: a '*' if the file
is only since a week on this system, and a '+' if it is since a month.
Filedates later than the current system date are marked '-' (negative
age).
:li.In every outputfile the filename, MAXIMUS-area name, file-size and
-date, and file-description from FILES.BBS is listed.
A report-line will never display more than 79 characters.
:p.The file-description will be multi-line in ALL-, IPF- and GBL-list
if it is longer than would fit on the standard 79-position line, a
word-wrapping technique is used for readability (line-split on word
boundary).
The description is truncated at end of line in BBS-list and NEW-list.
:p.The -T option will force truncation of the description in all reports,
the -W option will allow multi-line descriptions in all reports.
:p.If a filename is found in FILES.BBS, but no accompanying description,
a "--- no description available ---" will be put in place.
An alternative text may be specified with Downsort.CFG.
:p.Files for which there is no entry in the FILES.BBS (Orphans) are
treated as Hidden files, which are only listed in the reports if the
Hidden privilege is specified.
:note.If you want the orphans to appear in FILES.BBS (or in any other
report), you MUST also request an ORP-list!
:li.'OFFLINE" in stead of file-size and file-date is reported if
FILES.BBS contains an file-entry while the file is not in the
corresponding directory.
:li.The BBS-list contains MAXIMUS authorisation controls
(&caret.PLp-sequences), corresponding to the privilege of the area or the
individual file.
So it is not necessary to make different files for different categories
of MAXIMUS users, even with the default privilege-limit SYSOP a
user will not see the files he/she is not supposed to know about.
:p.Other lists do not contain any privilege information,
the files (or complete area's) above the specified privilege are simply
not listed, however multiple lists can be produced for different
categories of users (based on privilege).
:eol.
.* ---
:h3.File Dates
:p.One of the function of Downsort is sorting on file date.
Since the introduction of HPFS in OS/2 version 1.2, there is not one
single file-date anymore!
A file on an HPFS volume has different values for:
:ul compact.
:li.Creation date
:li.LastAccess date
:li.LastWrite date
:eul.
:p.The date you see normally in DIR-listings is the LastWrite date.
Most SYSOPs will have noticed that ZMODEM uploads and file-attaches
give file-dates corresponding to the (LastWrite-) date of the sending
system.
And most utilities handle only this 'single' date.
That means that old ZMODEM-uploaded files are generally not on top
of the acquisition lists.
:p.But HPFS stores the date of arrival on your system (Creation) as
well.
Downsort handles the Creation date for sorting, but the lists (see
below) contain the 'old fashioned' LastWrite date.
This has the following consequences:
:ul compact.
:li.A new acquisition is on top of lists, if that list is sorted on
date, and are marked in the lists as new by a flag for an 'age' of a
week or a month.
:li.The listed file-date is the 'ordinary' date.
So users can judge for themselves if the file is 'new' for them as well.
:eul.
:note.The LastAccess date is not very relevant for the purposes of
Downsort, although SYSOP may see when it was last downloaded.
:p.Downsort is delivered with a simple DIR-like utility 'HPFSDATE' to
show the three dates of a file on a HPFS volume.
.* ---
:h3.Duplicates
:p.Duplicate filenames are checked if the DUP-list is requested,
and they will be reported only in the DUP-list.
So duplicates may appear in the regular user-lists, which means:
:ul compact.
:li.If a filename.ext is encountered more than once in different
subdirectories of FILES.BBS files, it will appear that many times in the
outputlist.
The file-privilege reflects that of the area where the file belongs to,
unless overridden by a &caret.Px modifier in FILES.BBS.
:li.It may happen that a file is reported as orphan in one area,
and as duplicate in another.
It is likely that the file is found in a common download directory of
more than one area but it is described in the FILES.BBS of a 'secundary'
area, but with the wrong extension.
:eul.
.* ==============================================
:h1 id=specs.Parameter Specifications
:p.This chapter tells you how to customise the configuration file and
what you might specify on the commandline.
:p.A sample configuration file (in :hdref refid=acfg.) is part of the
package.
It contains a brief comments (in Binkley and MAXIMUS style) to help you.
.* --------------------------
:h2 id=hcmd.Commandline parameters
:p.This paragraph deals only with the commandline parameters!
:p.NOTE: Parameters from Downsort.CFG are processed first, commandline
parameters may complete and (partly) override those in the configuration
file.
:p.An explanation of how to read the command syntax diagram can be found
in the (online) OS/2 Command Reference manual.
:xmp.
:cgraphic scale='1.1'.
:on3270.
┌────────────────────────┐
v │
──┬─────────┬─┬────────┬─ Downsort ────┬────────────────────┬─┴─────┤
└─ drive ─┘ └─ path ─┘ ├─ @filespec ────────┤
├─ BBS ─┬──────┬─────┤
│ └─ &colon.p ─┘ │
├─ NEW ─┬───────┬────┤
│ └─ &colon.pp ─┘ │
├─ EMI ─┬───────┬────┤
│ └─ &colon.pp ─┘ │
├─ ALL ─┬───────┬────┤
│ └─ &colon.pp ─┘ │
├─ IPF ─┬───────┬────┤
│ └─ &colon.pp ─┘ │
├─ IP2 ─┬───────┬────┤
│ └─ &colon.pp ─┘ │
├─ GBL ─┬───────┬────┤
│ └─ &colon.pp ─┘ │
├─ DUP ─┬──────┬─────┤
│ └─ &colon.p ─┘ │
├─ OK ──┬──────┬─────┤
│ └─ &colon.p ─┘ │
├─ ORP ──────────────┤
├─ FIL ─┬──────────┬─┤
│ └─ &colon.fpath ─┘ │
├─ nnn ─┬────────────┤
│ └── D|W|M ───┤
├──┬─ /T ─┬──────────┤
│ └─ /W ─┘ │
├──┬─ /A ─┬──────────┤
│ ├─ /D ─┤ │
│ └─ /K ─┘ │
├──── /L ────────────┤
├──┬─ /H ─┬──────────┤
│ ├─ /Q ─┤ │
│ └─ /V ─┘ │
└──── /X ────────────┘
:off3270.
:ecgraphic.
:exmp.
.*
:dl tsize=12 termhi=2.
:dt.@filespec
:dd.The character '@' followed by a complete
:hp2.file specification:ehp2. of the
:hp2.Downsort configuration file:ehp2.
(see :hdref refid=hcfg. for details).
This file will be used to specify processing parameters.
If the file cannot be read, only the commandline parameters are used.
:p.NOTE: The use of a configuration file is mandatory when the file
AREA.DAT is not in the default directory when running Downsort.
:p.Default: Downsort.CFG in current default directory.
.*
:dt.BBS
:dd.Create the BBS-list: Downsort.BBS.
:p.Default: Downsort.BBS will not be created.
.*
:dt.NEW
:dd.Create NEW-list(s): Downsort.N&tilde.p,
where 'p' is the appropriate privilege class (see below).
:p.Default: Downsort.N&tilde.p will not be created.
.*
:dt.EMI
:dd.Create EMI-list(s): Downsort.E&tilde.p,
where 'p' is the appropriate privilege class (see below).
:p.Default: Downsort.E&tilde.p will not be created.
.*
:dt.ALL
:dd.Create ALL-list(s): Downsort.A&tilde.p,
where 'p' is the appropriate privilege class (see below).
:p.nnn-limit does not apply to ALL-list.
:p.Default: Downsort.A&tilde.p will not be created.
.*
:dt.IPF
:dd.Create IPF-list(s): Downsort.I&tilde.p,
where 'p' is the appropriate privilege class (see below).
:p.nnn-limit does not apply to IPF-list.
:p.Default: Downsort.I&tilde.p will not be created.
.*
:dt.IP2
:dd.Create IP2-list(s): Downsort.I&tilde.p,
where 'p' is the appropriate privilege class (see below).
:p.nnn-limit does not apply to IP2-list.
:p.Default: Downsort.I&tilde.p will not be created.
.*
:dt.GBL
:dd.Create GBL-list(s): Downsort.G&tilde.p,
where 'p' is the appropriate privilege class (see below).
:p.nnn-limit does not apply to GBL-list.
:p.Default: Downsort.G&tilde.p will not be created.
.*
:dt.DUP
:dd.Create DUP-list(s): Downsort.DUP.
:p.Only the privilege-specification and WRAP/TRUNC flag apply to
DUP-list.
:p.Default: Downsort.DUP will not be created.
.*
:dt.OK
:dd.Create OKFile(s): Downsort.O&tilde.p.
:p.Only the privilege(s) and include-file specifications apply to the
OKFile.
:p.Default: Downsort.O&tilde.p will not be created.
.*
:dt.ORP
:dd.Create ORP-list: Downsort.ORP (orphan report, if any orphans).
:p.If an orphan report is not requested, no other report will contain
any orphan information, even when 'Hidden' is specified as reporting
level.
:p.Default: Downsort.ORP will not be created.
.*
:dt.FIL
:dd.Create FILES.BBS type of files for each area.
:p.The specification does not apply to FILES.BBS, a privilege-limit
cannot be specified and defaults to SYSOP.
Another privilege limit can be specified however by means of the
configuration file.
:p.For each individual area the following convention will be used
for the name and place of the FILES.BBS list (in this sequence):
:ol compact.
:li.If the "FIL&colon." parameter specifies a directory-path, then the
:rev refid=57.
:hp2.output:ehp2.-'FILES.BBS'-files of all areas are put in this directory
with the following naming convention:
:ol compact.
:li.When the length of any :hp2.reported:ehp2. areaname is longer than 3
characters, :hp2.all:ehp2. outputfiles will be called 'areaname.BBS',
where "areaname" is the name of the area according to Maximus' AREA.DAT.
:li.Otherwise the outputfile will be called "FILES.ac", where 'ac' is the
areaname.
This is the 'old' naming convention (before version 5.7) of Downsort.
:eol.
:p.In other words: only one of both naming conventions will be used during a
single run of Downsort, and if none of the reported area's has a name longer
than 3 characters it will be the 'old' convention for :hp2.all:ehp2..
:erev refid=57.
:p.Previous files in this directory with the same name will be discarded.
:li.If "ListFile" is specified in Maximus' AREA.CTL file, then that name and
path will be used.
:li.Otherwise the file FILES.BBS: will be put in the directory with the
download files.
:eol.
:p.For situations 2 and 3 existing files will be renamed to .BAK
(older .BAK files will be discarded).
:p.Default: FILES.BBS-type of files will not be generated.
.*
:dt.fpath
:dd.Optional directory path specification for FILES.BBS-output.
See the "FIL&colon." parameter for usage.
:p.Default: none
.*
:dt.nnn&lbrk.P&rbrk.
:dd.If 'nnn' is specified sec (without a trailing letter), then it is
the maximum :hp3.number:ehp3. of files to be reported in the BBS- and
NEW-list(s).
When followed by a character (only D, W and M are allowed), then
'nnn' specifies the maximum age of the files in number of
:hp3.D:ehp3.ays, :hp3.W:ehp3.eeks or :hp3.M:ehp3.onths, to be included
in NEW- and BBS-lists.
A maximum value of 32767 can be specified.
:p.Default: all files up to and including the (specified or default)
privilege class will be listed..
.*
:dt.p
:dd.Single privilege character.
:p.Lists only download files with a privilege of up to and including
privilege 'p'.
The indicator must be the first character of an existing MAXIMUS
privilege level (T, D, L, N, W, P, F, E, C, A, S, H).
No error-message is given for an invalid privilege character,
there will simply be no file-list for an invalid character!
:p.For the BBS-list and DUP-list only a single privilege character is
allowed, the files lists will get the extension of BBS and DUP
respectively.
:p.Default: S (SYSOP): files of all privilege levels will be listed,
except HIDDEN files (with real Hidden privilege or files for which no
entry could be found in FILES.BBS).
.*
:dt.pp
:dd.Multiple privilege characters (minumum 0, maximum 10).
:p.Make for every valid specified privilege level a download-list
with files of a privilege of up to and including privilege 'p'.
The indicator must be the first character of an existing MAXIMUS
privilege level.
No error-message is given for an invalid privilege character,
there will simply be no file-list for an invalid character!
:p.Applies to ALL-, GBL-, IPF-, NEW- and OK-lists, these are called
Downsort.A&tilde.p, Downsort.G&tilde.p, Downsort.I&tilde.p,
Downsort.N&tilde.p and Downsort.O&tilde.p
respectively, were 'p' represents the applicable privilege character.
:p.Default: S (SYSOP): files of all privilege levels will be listed,
except HIDDEN files (with real Hidden privilege or files for which no
entry could be found in FILES.BBS).
.*
:dt./T /W
:dd.Action to be taken if the file description would cause the
reportline to exceed 79 characters:
:ul compact.
:li.T&rbl.-&rbl.:hp4.t:ehp4.runcate the description
:li.W&rbl.-&rbl.:hp4.w:ehp4.rap the description and provide as many
reportlines as needed to show the complete description.
:eul.
:p.Default: -T for NEW-list and BBS-list, -W for ALL-, IPF- and GBL-list.
.*
:dt./A /D /K
:dd.Sorting method.
:ul compact.
:li.A&rbl.-&rbl.Sort the files :hp4.a:ehp4.lphabetically on filename.
:li.D&rbl.-&rbl.Sort the files on reversed :hp4.d:ehp4.ate sequence
(newest file on top of list).
:li.K&rbl.-&rbl.:hp4.k:ehp4.eep lines in sequence of FILES.BBS
and keep the interfile comment lines.
:eul.
:p.When the -A option is selected, an additional header-line will appear
in the BBS-list and NEW-list, indicating the latest acquisition.
This line is not needed and will not be done when these lists are sorted
on date, since the the latest acquisition will be on top of the list!
:p.The -K option is useful in situations where the files are
primarily grouped on AREA, i.c. ALL-, IPF- and FIL-list.
:p.If :hp2.and only if:ehp2. this option specified, any imbedded
comments in FILES.BBS are copied to the ALL-, IPF- and/or
FILES.bbs-files.
:p.Default: -K for FILES.BBS, -D for BBS- and NEW-files, -A for other.
.*
:dt./L
:dd.Generate a LONG OKfile with explicit filenames,
rather than a list with generic file specifications (path\*.*).
:rev refid=57.
For FILES.BBS output it means that file size and file date will be included
for every file.
:erev refid=57.
.*
:dt./H /Q /V
:dd.Operating mode
:ul compact.
:li.H&rbl.-&rbl.:hp4.h:ehp4.elp: display screen with essential information
about running Downsort, such as the command syntax.
In that case the program will not undertake any other action.
:li.Q&rbl.-&rbl.:hp4.q:ehp4.uiet: display only start and finish-message,
and error messages which prevent the program from proceeding normally.
:li.V&rbl.-&rbl.:hp4.v:ehp4.erbose: display a lot of progress messages.
:eul.
If neither -Q nor -V is specified, than the number of console messages
will be 'intermediate': more than -Q, but less than -V.
:p.Default: none
.*
:dt./X
:dd.Exclude Privilege Indications
:ul compact.
:li.X&rbl.-&rbl.e:hp4.x:ehp4.clude privilege indications in all list-types.
Some SYSOPs want to hide any kind of privilege-system for users and
file-requesters of their Bulletin Board System.
With the -X option specified all privilege indications will be
suppressed.
:note.This does not apply to the compiled MECCA privilege controls in
the BBS-list!
:eul.
:p.Default: none (privilege indications will be reported).
.*
:edl.
.* ---------------------------------
:h2.Hints for specifications
:ol.
:li.All commandline parameters are optional, may be specified in any
sequence and are case independent.
:li.Parameters from the configuration file are processed before those
from the commandline.
This has some side-effects, like:
:ul compact.
:li.If you specify a specific list in Downsort.Cfg, it will be created
anyhow, whatever you specify on the commandline.
:li.However, if you specify privilege values on the commandline, only
the commandline values will be used, and none from the configuration
file.
:li.Commandline parameters have a global meaning, and are applied to all
lists (if applicable).
For example: if you specify '-A' on the commandline, all lists will be
sorted alphabetically on filename.
:eul.
:li.Parameters that can be specified with the configuration file only,
and cannot be overridden with a commandline parameter are:
:ul compact.
:li.BLOCK title-text and -font
:li.Other titles
:li.Filename and individual list-options
:li.Privilege for FILES.BBS output
:li.Replacements of some warnings and messages that may appear in the
lists.
:eul.
:li.Even when specified on the commandline, or in Downsort.CFG,
the Orphan-report will be generated only if there are any orphans,
and then the specified parameters apply.
:li.The IPF-list has to be processed by the Information Presentation
Facility Compiler (IPFC).
This compiler is part of the IBM Programmers Development Toolkit version
1.2 and 1.3. For the IP2-list the OS/2 2.0 or 2.1 toolkit is needed.
The following command has to be issued:
:xmp.
IPFC Downsort.IPF /INF
:exmp.
:p.The option "/INF" is essential (but not documented!) to obtain
a viewable file.
Be also sure to have the file Downsort.BMP in your current default
directory, or in DPATH, as this will be imbedded by the IPF-compiler.
The result of the compilation is a file Downsort.INF, which can be
VIEWed with the following command:
:xmp.
VIEW Downsort
:exmp.
:note.
:ul compact.
:li.The names "Downsort", "IPF" and "INF" are used here as sample,
actually the filename depends on the specification in the Downsort
configuration file, the extensions are the IPFC defaults.
:li.If VIEW gives garbled columns and hardly readable block-titles,
then it is most likely that you did not install (or removed) the
standard fonts that are delivered with OS/2.
Start the 'control panel utility', select 'installation', 'add fonts'.
Specify in the 'from'-field C&colon.\OS2\DLL (see HELP of control panel).
Now choose at least 1 non-proportional font.
:eul.
:eol.
.* --------------------------
:h2 id=hcfg.Configuration file Parameters
:p.Almost all processing options may be specified in a configuration
file.
This is a somewhat more convenient way to specify processing parameters,
and provides even more customisation posibilities for the lists.
It is a good place for the more static parameters of your environment.
Commandline parameters are nice to create quickly 'another' list
or a different format (for example wrapped or truncated descriptions).
The parameters are only mentioned here for completeness,
see :hdref refid=acfg. for a documented specification sample
of a configuration file.
.* -----------
:h3.Parameters with global scope
:p.The parameters below influence the execution of Downsort,
or have impact on :hp2.every:ehp2. list (if it is applicable for that
list).
:ul compact.
:li.File Specification of the MAXIMUS CBCS file 'AREA.DAT'.
:li.Area Selection
:li.Sorting order of areas
:li.List title with BLOCK-characters.
:li.Font for the BLOCK title.
:li.Pre-titles, Sub-titles and Bottom-lines in 'text' format
:li.Descriptive text of orphans, files without a description
and files for which an entry is found in FILES.BBS, but could not
be found in the corresponding download directory.
:li.Maximum number of entries in NEW-list and BBS-list.
:eul.
.* -----------
:h3.Parameters with local scope
:p.The parameters below are sub-parameters of the xxxFileList keyword.
:ul compact.
:li.Up to 10 privileges for NEW-, GBL-, ALL- and IPF-list (each
resulting in a separate list).
:li.Alternate output filename (in stead of the default Downsort).
:li.Directory for the :hp2.output:ehp2. FILES.BBS-lists
:li.Maximum number of file entries in NEW-list and BBS-list
:li.File-entry sort sequence (filename or date).
:li.Wrap or Truncate long file descriptions.
:li.Title Font selection.
:li.Suppression of privilege indications in NEW-, ALL-, IPF- and
GBL-lists.
:li.Include textfile in NEW-, ALL-, IPF- and GBL-lists, and in FILES.bbs.
:eul.
:p.Downsort can generate several lists in a single run, but processes
only the specifications of a single xxxFileList of the same type.
If you need different layouts, for example an ALL-list with files sorted
on date, and another ALL-list with files sorted on filename, then
you would need 2 invocations of Downsort with different configuration
files.
:p.If you specify more than one xxxFileList line of the same type,
then the paramaters of each of the lines are 'mixed': some will be
overwritten, some others will remain there from previous specifications.
It will probably give unwanted effects!
:p.A sample configuration file is provided.
A listing of this file is imbedded as :hdref refid=acfg..
It contains a complete specification with comments on:
:ul compact.
:li.which options are available
:li.how to specify the options
:eul.
:p.Read and modify the file as you like.
Copy the sample file to a save place before you start modifying the
original Downsort.CFG!
:p.NOTE: The parameters from Downsort.CFG are processed first, then
commandline parameters, which may complete and will (partly) override
those in the configuration file.
.* =====================================================
:h1 id=sampl.Sample of Getting organised
:p.Assume you are runnung MAXIMUS with BinkleyTerm as front end mailer.
Suppose you make a distinction for file-requestors between Unknown, Known
and Password-Protected (e.g. corresponding to Disgrace, Normal and
Privileged MAXIMUS users).
.* ----------------------------------------------
:h2.Downsort
:p.You might have a specification like this:
:xmp scale='1.1'.
Downsort bbs&colon.p new&colon.dnp all&colon.dnp 100
:exmp.
:p.In addition to or in place of the specifications in Downsort.CFG,
this specification produces the following lists:
:ul.
:li.Orphan report (only if there are any orphans).
:li.Downsort.BBS with 100 entries for MAXIMUS users of category Privil.
Users with a lower privilege will actually see a shorter list
if the file contains Privil entries.
:li.For file requestors of the magic filename FILES a list,
a list with all files
(with optional titles via Downsort.CFG specifications):
:ul compact.
:li.Downsort.A&tilde.D for UNKNOWN file-requestors
:li.Downsort.A&tilde.N for KNOWN file-requestors
:li.Downsort.A&tilde.P for Password Protected file-requestors
:eul.
:p.Note that each list is a complete list of what is available to
the user of the specific privilege class,
but your system will generally contain more files than listed for
UNKNOWN and KNOWN users!
:li.For file requests of the magic filename NEWFILES a list
of the 100 most recent additions to your system
(with optional titles via Downsort.CFG specifications):
:ul compact.
:li.Downsort.N&tilde.D for UNKNOWN file-requestors
:li.Downsort.N&tilde.N for KNOWN file-requestors
:li.Downsort.N&tilde.P for Password Protected file-requestors
:eul.
:p.Note that each list is 100 entries long, but the contents will
generally not be quite the same
(depending on your privilege strategy).
:eul.
:p.In general: files, which the requestor is not supposed to know about
due to his privilege status, will not be on his/her list!
:note.The counters on top of the lists indicate what your system has
available in total (including higher privileges), so a clever
user/file-requester may come up with the question how that is possible:
explain that he/she has to earn a higher privilege level!
.* ------
:h2.BinkleyTerm
:p.In Binkley.Cfg you should specify for requests of FILES:
:xmp scale='1.1'.
Avail Downsort.A&tilde.d
KnownAvail Downsort.A&tilde.n
ProtAvail Downsort.A&tilde.p
:exmp.
:p.Furthermore you may need to specify different OKFILEs:
.cp 5
:xmp scale='1.1'.
OKFile Download.N
KnownReqList Download.K
ProtReqList Download.P
:exmp.
.cp 16
:p.And in each of the appropriate filerequest authorisation files
you should specify the appropriate file-spec:
:xmp.
:cgraphic scale='1.1'.
:on3270.
╔═══════════╦══════════════╦═══════════════╦═══════════════╗
║ in: ║ OKFile ║ KnownReqList ║ ProtReqList ║
║ ║ (Download.N) ║ (Download.K) ║ (Download.P) ║
║ for: ║ ║ ║ ║
╠═══════════╬══════════════╬═══════════════╬═══════════════╣
║ ..... ║ ......... ║ ........... ║ ........ ║
║ @NEWFILES ║ Downsort.N&tilde.d ║ Downsort.N&tilde.n ║ Downsort.N&tilde.p ║
║ @FILES ║ Downsort.A&tilde.d ║ Downsort.A&tilde.n ║ Downsort.A&tilde.p ║
║ ..... ║ ......... ║ ........... ║ ........ ║
╚═══════════╩══════════════╩═══════════════╩═══════════════╝
:off3270.
:ecgraphic.
:exmp.
:p.This will result in sending of the appropriate NEW-list to every
requester of the magic filename: NEWFILES.
If you use the second magic filename, then the Avail-lines in
Binkley.Cfg are not needed, and you might prefer this way.
:p.Of course if the privilege level of all download area's is the same,
this construction is not needed,
but in that case it is unlikely that you have specified KnownAvail and
ProtAvail!
:p.Downsort may create a set of OK-files for you.
The privilege system of MAXIMUS CBCS is used to select the download
paths in this list.
.* ===============================================
:h1.Packaging
.* ---------------------
:h2.Availability
:p.The most recent version of Downsort is always downloadable and
file-requestable from Bulletin Board "PC-Square" of the Dutch IBM
employee PC club.
Search or request DWNSRT??.* to be independent of the version and
compression method!
:p.FIDO-net address: 2&colon.512/4; phone: 31-79-424107 (USR HST-DS).
:p.Downsort is distributed in area SDSMAX of the international Shareware
Distribution System.
:p.There is a fair chance you may find a recent version on one of
the other bulletin boards, listed in :hdref refid=ause..
:p.Downsort is distributed in 2 archives:
:ul.
:li.A file "DWNSRTxy.ZIP", containing all material you need to run
Downsort, including documentation, formatted for browsing or printing
(formfeed is the only printer-control).
:li.A file "DWNSRSxy.ZIP", containing all SOURCE material.
:eul.
:note.'xy' is the version indication,
for example DWNSRT&VERSION.&SUBVERS..ZIP is the version
&VERSION..&SUBVERS. runtime package.
.* -----------------
:h2.RUN-time material
:dl tsize=20 termhi=3 compact.
:dt.WHATSNEW.&VERSION.&SUBVERS.&SUFFIX.
:dd.Summary of amendments to version &VERSION..&SUBVERS. of Downsort.
:dt.DOWNSORT.EXE
:dd.Execution module for OS/2 and DOS (Family Application)
:rev refid=57.
:dt.DOWN386.EXE
:dd.32-bits execution module for OS/2 2.0 or 2.1.
:dt.DOWN386.ICO
:dd.ICON file for DOWN386.EXE.
:erev refid=57.
:dt.DOWNSORT.DOC
:dd.Documentation (this file!).
:dt.DOWNSORT.CFG
:dd.Sample configuration file.
This file contains comment lines with extensive instructions how to
specify the parameters in the file.
:dt.DOWNSORT.HDR
:dd.Sample BBS-list header.
You may use this header, which is only imbedded in the BBS-list,
to imbed text and/or MECCA-sequences.
A good candidate for the latter would be &lbrk.onexit&rbrk.,
which translates to &caret.OFpath.
See the sample Downsort.HDR file!
:dt.DOWNSORT.TRL
:dd.Sample BBS-list trailer.
:dt.DOWNSORT.BMP
:dd.Bitmap for the IPF-list, to be included by the IPF compiler.
:dt.DOWNSORT.INC
:dd.Sample Include-file for the reports, referenced in Downsort.CFG.
:dt.DOWNSORT.MAG
:dd.Sample list of magic names to be included in OKFile(s).
See BinkleyTerm documentation for details of its format and contents.
:dt.HPFSDATE.EXE
:dd.Program to display all three timestamps of a file on an HPFS volume,
and optionally reset the CREATION date to LASTWRITE date
(helpful after moving or copying of files).
Start the program without options to display command syntax and help.
:dt.PACKING.LST
:dd.The actual contents of the package (produced with PKUNZIP -V),
added to the ZIP-file after this was created with the foregoing files
of this archive.
This gives at least some authentication!
:edl.
.* ---
:h2.Source material
:dl tsize=20 termhi=3 compact.
:dt.DOWNSORT.C
:dd.Mainline.
:dt.DOWNCOL.C
:dd.Data collection functions.
:dt.DOWNFNT.C
:dd.Font definition and formatting functions.
:dt.DOWNPAR.C
:dd.Processing functions for commandline and Downsort.CFG parameters.
:dt.DOWNRPT1.C
:dd.Functions for NEW-, BBS- and EMI-list.
:dt.DOWNRPT2.C
:dd.Functions for the IPF-lists.
:dt.DOWNRPT3.C
:dd.Functions for the SYSOP-oriented lists, like ORPhan-, OK-, and
DUPlicate-lists, as well as FILES.BBS files.
:dt.DOWNRPT4.C
:dd.Functions for the ALL- and GBL-lists.
:dt.DOWNSRV.C
:dd.Miscellaneous services functions.
:dt.DOWNVARS.C
:dd.Constants and global variables.
:dt.DOWNSORT.H
:dd.Header file, with external definitions of global variables.
:dt.DOWNFPRO.H
:dd.Common (global) function prototypes.
:dt.DOWNSORT.SCR
:dd.Unformatted documentation file.
This file includes formatting tags in BOOKMASTER style for printing on
whatever devices are supported (like IBM page printers).
This format is compatible and can be formatted on an IBM host system
with DCF (SCRIPT) as well.
The file can also processed by the IPF-compiler (just ignore the
warnings and error-messages!).
:dt.DOWNSORT.DEF
:dd.LINK definition file for OS/2 (1.3 and 2.0)
:rev refid=57.
:dt.DOWN386.MAK
:dd.MAKE file for DOWN386.EXE for OS/2 2.0 or 2.1, C Set/2 compiler and
appropriate program development toolkit (OS/2 2.0 or 2.1)
:dt.DOWNSORT.MAK
:dd.MAKE file for Downsort.EXE OS/2 1.3, MS C-compiler 6.00a.
The program development toolkit (OS/2 1.2/1.3) is needed when using IBM C/2
1.1 compiler.
:erev refid=57.
:dt.PACKING.LST
:dd.The actual contents of the package (produced with PKUNZIP -V),
added to the ZIP-file after this was created with the foregoing files
of this archive.
This gives at least some authentication!
:edl.
.* --------------------------
:h2 id=inst.Installation
:p.With the following directions you should be able to setup and run
Downsort in a very short time.
:ol.
:li.Make a separate directory for Downsort, and make it the current
default directory every time you run Downsort.
The separate directory is a recommendation, not a requirement!
:li.Copy the files Downsort.EXE and Downsort.CFG
from the Downsort package into this directory.
:li.Modify (edit) the file Downsort.CFG to specify your environment and
list requirements.
The sample file contains comments to help you with this process.
Most specifications are obvious.
AreaDat is the most important parameter:
Downsort won't do anything useful if it cannot find this MAXIMUS
file.
See :hdref refid=acfg. for a printed sample.
:li.You may give Downsort a first shot by just using its name
on the commandline, with the parameter -H.
This will show a brief HELP-screen with the possible commandline
parameter specifications.
:li.All reports will be created in the Downsort directory
(unless you specified 'fpath' for the FILES.BBS output).
Browse the lists to see if you like the contents and titles, and modify
the CFG-file to your convenience.
:eol.
.* -----------------------------
:h2.Dependencies and restrictions
:ul.
:li.Applies to MAXIMUS CBCS 2.01
:li.Requires OS/2 or DOS 3.0+.
:li.To convert the IPF-list into VIEW-able format, the IPF-Compiler of the
OS/2 Program Development Toolkit is required (for the IP2-list the
corresponding OS/2 2.0 version of this compiler)
:li.The input FILES.BBS files are assumed to contain only filename.ext
(the regular 8.3 format, no support for OS/2 1.2+ HPFS format),
the remainder of the line is considered as file description.
The filename should be left-aligned (start in position 1).
:p.If a privilege modifier (&caret.Px) is encountered in FILES.BBS
then 'x' will become the privilege of all subsequent files (it assumes
&caret.Px on a SEPARATE line, the REST OF THE LINE IS IGNORED!).
Heading, comments and blank lines in FILES.BBS are ignored,
unless /K is specified on the FilFileList line of Downsort.Cfg.
In that case comments following line 8 (the standard header created by
Downsort) are preserved.
The modified privilege might be higher (generally the case) or lower
than the area-privilege.
:eul.
.* -----------
:h2 id=perf.Storage and Performance
:p.As a rough estimate of the memory requirements of Downsort,
use sum of the following elements:
:ul.
:li.Program: about 80KB
:li.Each area: 300 Bytes
:li.Each file: 48 Bytes for each download file (excluding file
descriptions and excluding orphans if no orphan-list requested)
:li.The sum of the file description texts (average 80 bytes/file?)
:li.The sum of the comments in FILES.BBS if -K option specified
:eul.
:p.The maximum number of area's for reporting is 217.
Your system may have more, but Downsort can currently not work properly
when more than 217 area's will have to be scanned for files.
:p.There is a limit on the number of files that can be processed by
Downsort: about 16350.
I suppose you'll reach other limits first, for example available memory
(under DOS).
But might you reach this limit, then you could do one or more of the
following:
:ul compact.
:li.Use AreaEXclude or AreaINclude to make a selection of groups
(for example make separate OS/2 and a DOS file-lists).
Downsort will not collect information of 'excluded' areas.
:li.If you have many orphans: get rid of them or do not generate an
orphan report.
Downsort releases orphan-memory during the data collection phase as soon
as it knows that a file is an orphan.
:li.If you have many comment-lines in your FILES.BBS: do not specify /K
for ALL- and IPF-lists AND do not activate the FILFilePath parameter in
Downsort.Cfg.
Downsort will skip comments in FILES.BBS when it does not need them
for reporting.
:eul.
Downsort has been built with a 'guess' about needed stack space.
The author would appreciate to receive a report for a better estimate.
:p.Processor performance was an issue for large file-area's before
version 4.5 of Downsort in the data-collection process.
That has been partly rewritten in version 4.5 and significantly improved.
Fastest execution will always be obtained when the input FILES.BBS is
already sorted on filename.
.* -------------------------------
:h2.Problems
:p.Although I try to prevent the cause of them, there are some
unresolved problems in the current version of Downsort:
:ul.
:li.One user reported unidentified characters in titles.
:eul.
.* ---------------------------------------
:h2.Wishlist
:p.Downsort is not finished!
There are a number of wishes and requirements of users and myself to
include in future releases.
I list them below not in any particular order, but some seem to be more
important than others, that differs from SYSOP to SYSOP.
And some are more easy to implement than others, which depends mainly
on the author!
Some wishes don't even make it to be listed below and are implemented
immediately!
:ul compact.
:li.Follow the MAXIMUS development (changing AREA.DAT and other
structures), and support several versions simultaneously.
:li.User-configurable options for:
:ul compact.
:li.week and month indicators
:li.indicator for continuation lines in wrapped descriptions
:li.Avatar codes in FILES.BBS headers
:li.&lbrk.selectable&rbrk. MECCA control in FILES.BBS
:li.Private headers in FILES.BBS in stead of the standard headers
:li.Right margin (line length) and left margin for continuation lines of
long descriptions, and an optional 'indent' for a download counter.
:eul.
:li.Logging to file in stead of stdout to obtain a history file
of Downsort usage.
:li.File-selection with MAXIMUS CBCS key/lock parameters in addition to
or in stead of area privilege levels.
:li.Support for use of 'barricaded' areas and key/lock.
:li.List with the format of IPF-list but the contents of NEW-list.
:li.Automatic removal of 'bad' files (like .BAK-files, obsolete files,
files that are not in FILES.BBS), maybe move them to a special
BAD&us.FILE directory.
Entries in FILES.BBS should be removed accordingly.
:eul.
:p.Remember: Was there ever a time that all your wishes were fulfilled?
That was the most boring time of your life, wasn't it?
.* ===================================================================
:h1.Internals
.* ------
:h2.Development Environment
:rev refid=57.
:p.The family-version of Downsort (for OS/2 1.3 and DOS) is compiled with
MicroSoft C compiler version 6.00a, with the IBM OS/2 Programming Tools and
Information (generally called the OS/2 toolkit) under IBM OS/2 Extended
Edition 1.3 as COMPACT memory model.
The generated code is at 80286 level (Compiler option /G2), since I
believe that only very few Bulletin Boards do use an XT these days.
:p.The 32-bit OS/2 2.0+ only version of Downsort is compiled with IBM
C&rbl.Set/2 and the 2.0 Toolkit.
:p.There is only a single set of source files.
A compiler variable takes care of the selection between 1.3 and 2.0
calls where necessary.
:p.Downsort has been tested for MAXIMUS CBCS 2.0, with the following
Operating Systems:
:ul compact.
:li.IBM OS/2 versions 1.3, 2.0 and 2.1
:li.IBM PC/DOS version 5.0.
:eul.
:erev refid=57.
.* ---------------------------
:h2.Program Organisation
:p.The program is organised as follows:
:ul.
:li.Initialisation:
:ul compact.
:li.Read configuration file.
:li.Process commandline parameters.
:eul.
:p.Commandline parameters may override configuration file parameters.
:li.Read AREA.DAT file to collect download pathnames
(only of those area's that will participate this time).
:li.For each file-area with a privilege not exceeding any list-request:
:ul.
:li.Read subdirectory (with find-file-first/next function).
Take only Normal files: ignore directory entries, Hidden and System
files and volume labels.
Also ignore files with the following specifications: FILES.*,
*.BAK, DIR.?BS and SYSTEM*.?BS.
:li.For all regular file-entries found in subdirectory:
:ul compact.
:li.Get filename.ext, attribute, date, time, size.
:li.Get file-description from FILES.BBS file.
The path to the FILES.BBS file is (1) obtained from the "ListFile"
specification in MAXIMUS AREA.DAT file, or (2) if not specified from the
"DownLoad" specification (among the download files).
:rev refid=57.
:li.Add files with explicit path specifications.
:erev refid=57.
:li.Get file privilege 1) from area, 2) from FILES.BBS file if higher.
:li.When no orphan reporting is required, then drop orphan entries
area-by-area.
:eul.
:eul.
:li.For the ORP-list:
:p.If any orphan found, and the orphan-report is requested, create the
orphan report, with the file-entries sorted on (1) area and (2)
filename.
:li.For the BBS-list:
:ul compact.
:li.Sort the files primarily on descending file-timestamp (and secundary
on file-name and area-code).
:li.Resort the first files on filename if requested.
:li.Create output file for sorted list of filenames, -descriptions, etc.
The file is placed in the current subdirectory (which generally will be
the MAXIMUS directory) with the name Downsort.BBS.
:li.Copy a headerfile (for a customised MAXIMUS bulletin).
:li.Put files in formatted outputfile (filename, area#, date, size,
description), but only if description is found in FILES.BBS.
Skip files with privilege higher than commandline (or default)
parameter.
Precede each line with a privilege-control sequence (&caret.PLx string)
so that MAXIMUS users below the specified max-priv-level do effectively
see only the files they can download.
:li.Include a trailerfile in the outputfile (for a custimised Bulletin).
:li.Report non-listed files on standard output device (which might be
re-directed to printer or disk-file).
:eul.
:li.If requested, put the above file collection in Downsort.N&tilde.p
with similar contents and layout as Downsort.BBS, but without
BBS-control sequences, and without including a header and trailer file.
Produce a list for the default privilege (HIDDEN), or one for each
specified privilege.
:li.If requested, re-sort files on area and then filename or date, and
create Downsort.A&tilde.p, containing all files (respecting the
privilege restrictions!).
Area's with zero files within the applicable privilege limit will not
be listed at all (will seem non-existing!).
Produce a list for the default privilege (SYSOP), or one for each
specified privilege.
:p.At the end of the list, an area summary report is generated.
:li.If requested, re-sort files on filename or date only, and create
Downsort.GBL.
:li.If requested, re-sort files on area, privilege and filename, and
create for each area a FILES.BBS-type of file.
:li.If requested generate a list of probably DUPlicate files.
:li.If requested generate a list of download-paths: the OK-file
(not: it will contain only the paths that participated in this run.
:eul.
:p.NOTE: the program firstly reads a directory for existing files
(not Hidden- or System-files, and not Subdirectory or Volumelabel),
and then reads FILES.BBS to assign a description to each file.
This means:
:ul compact.
:li.If more than 1 matching file-specification in FILES.BBS of the
involved area is found (note that wild-card specifications in FILES.BBS
are supported!), than the :hp2.first matching description:ehp2. from
FILES.BBS will appear in the lists
(new in version 4.5, was 'last' in previous versions of Downsort).
:li.Files for which no description is found in FILES.BBS will get
"---no description available---"
(or the replacement string you specified in Downsort.CFG)
in the user reports.
:li.Files for which no matching filename in FILES.BBS is found will
be listed in the Orphan report (Downsort.ORP).
:p.Files for which there is an entry in FILES.BBS, but a corresponding
file is not found in the directory will be reported as 'offline'.
:p.In special cases this might become a very large list.
For example if you collect files in a single directory for different
area's, all the files of 'the other' areas are reported as orphan.
This will happen for every area, so each file might even be reported
many times as orphan!
Since the Orphan-list is now optional (from version 5.0 on), this list
can be suppressed.
:p.Filenames of Orphans appear only in the other reports when the
FileList request explicitly specifies the Hidden privilege.
:eul.
.* -----------
:h2.Main Data Organisation
:p.Data structure for access to file information via:
:ol compact.
:li.array of file-pointers (for file-sort!)
:li.pointerchain in file-info structures
:li.file structure contains pointer to file-description
:li.file-structure contains pointer to area-information
:li.Array of area-information
:eol.
:p.The structures are shown in the following figure.
:xmp.
:cgraphic scale='1.1'.
:on3270.
╔══════╗
║ dm ║
╚══════╝
│ Array of pointers to structures with file info
│ ╔═══════════╦════════════╦═════════════ . . . ══════╗
(1) └─────>║ *file&lbrk.0&rbrk. ║ *file&lbrk.1&rbrk. ║ *file&lbrk.2&rbrk. ║
╚═══════════╩════════════╩═════════════ . . . ══════╝
│ │ │
(2) v v v
╔══════╗ ╔══════╗ ╔══════╗ ╔══════╗
║ ca ║ ──> ║ next ║ ──> ║ next ║ ──> ║ next ║ ──> . . .
╚══════╝ ╠══════╣ ╠══════╣ ╠══════╣
(first- ║ file-║ ║ file-║ ║ file-║
element) ║ info ║ ║ info ║ ║ info ║ . . .
║ &lbrk.0&rbrk. ║ ║ &lbrk.1&rbrk. ║ ║ &lbrk.2&rbrk. ║
╚══════╝ ╚══════╝ ╚══════╝
│ │ │ │wildcards│ │
│ └──┐ │ └──┐ │ │
│ │ │ ┌──────────┘ │
(3) v │ v v │ ┌──────┘
╔══════╗ │ ╔══════╗ │ │
║file- ║ │ ║file- ║ │ │(files of
║descr ║ │ ║descr ║ │ │ same area) . . .
╚══════╝ │ ╚══════╝ │ │
│ │ │
(4) v v v
╔════════════╦═════════════╦════════ . . . ══════╗
(5) ┌────────>║ area&lbrk.0&rbrk. ║ area&lbrk.1&rbrk. ║ ║
│ ╚════════════╩═════════════╩════════ . . . ══════╝
│ array of structures of download info
╔══════╗
║ area ║
╚══════╝
:off3270.
:ecgraphic.
:exmp.
:p.Schematic overview of Downsort's in-storage database.
:note.The area-array cannot be sorted itself: this would invalidate the
pointers in the file-information records!
:p.The block character image is basically a 10x7 matrix
(10 vertical and 7 horizontal 'pixels').
The pixel-array takes two rows at a time, so that each character
can be represented with 5 rows of 7 horizontal 'double-pixels'.
Each pixel is displayed as a solid block.
:xmp.
:cgraphic scale='1.1'.
:on3270.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
╔═╦═╦═╦═╦═╦═╦═╗
║-║-║-║-║-║-║-║ line 1 (lower + upper)
╠═╬═╬═╬═╬═╬═╬═╣
║-║-║-║-║-║-║-║ 2 (lower + upper)
╠═╬═╬═╬═╬═╬═╬═╣
║-║-║-║-║-║-║-║ 3 (lower + upper)
╠═╬═╬═╬═╬═╬═╬═╣
║-║-║-║-║-║-║-║ 4 (lower + upper)
╠═╬═╬═╬═╬═╬═╬═╣
║-║-║-║-║-║-║-║ 5 (lower + upper)
╚═╩═╩═╩═╩═╩═╩═╝
:off3270.
:ecgraphic.
:exmp.
:p.Each line is represented by a structure of seven 3-bit fields
Each 3-bit field represents a basic element:
:xmp scale='1.1'.
value char description
0 (blank)
1 &BOXBOT. lower half
2 &BOXTOP. upper half
3 &BOX. lower+upper halves
4 &box34. gray pattern
5 &BOXLEFT. left part of upper and lower half
6 &BOXRIGHT. right part of upper and lower half
7 &box14. gray pattern
8 &box12. gray pattern for not-supported characters
:exmp.
:p.The pitch is variable ('proportional font': a variable number of
horizontal pixels).
Three fonts are provided with different character-image and size:
:ol compact.
:li.6x5 (three lines of max 5 characters)
:li.10x7 (five lines of max 7 characters)
:li.8x7 (four lines of max 7 characters)
:li.10x7 (reverse video image of the 8x7 font)
:eol.
:p.Not all ASCII characters are represented in the font tables!
.* --------------------------------
:appendix.
:h1 id=ahis.History of changes
:p.The paragraphs below show a brief history of changes in Downsort
(most recent revisions on top of list!).
:p.Downsort for MAXIMUS CBCS was developed from an OPUS equivalent
(by the same author).
Its pre-MAXIMUS history is not really important here and therefore has
been omitted.
However the name Downsort has been maintained, so to prevent confusion,
the version number is inherited (the last version for OPUS was 3.1).
.*
:h2.Version 5.7
:ul compact.
:li.A 32-bit version (OS/2 2.0+ only) added to runtime package, no
functional differences with the family version.
:li.ICON file DOWN386.ICO added for the 32-bit version of Downsort.
:li.Long areanames (8 characters) are now supported in all reports.
:li.Changed naming convention of 'FILES.BBS' output files when area's
with 'long' (more than 3 character) names are used.
:li.The "FILES.BBS"-type of output (selected with FILFileList in
Downsort.Cfg) now produces a slightly different header.
Downsort recognises its own header and an included-file without
'multiplication'-effects.
:li.Explicit path specifications of files in FILES.BBS are now supported.
As a consequence:
:ul compact.
:li.The long format of OK-FileList will contain this explicit path
in stead of the filearea path.
:li.It seems more appropriate to list the pathspec in the DUP-FileList
rather than the file description.
:eul.
:hp2.Generic filenames (wildcard specifications) are NOT supported
(yet)!:ehp2.
:li.File size and date can be included in FILES.BBS output with the '-L'
option on the FILFileList line in Downsort.Cfg.
:li.A new keyword 'NonDupEXT' allows suppression of reporting a file as
'duplicate' when it is a member of a pair of files with specified
extensions.
Example xyz.SDN and xyz.SDA can be excluded from DupFileList.
:li.Doc-file now also included as provisional .INF file for OS/2 VIEW.
:li.Improved Avatar stripping.
:li.Bug fix for long 'new'-filelist periods (>32000 days).
:li.Separation between progress signals (stdout) and error messages (stderr)
and other 'internal' changes:
:li.Preparations made to remove most commandline parameters.
It has been redundant for a long time.
Every Downsort specification on the commandline can also be made via
Downsort.Cfg.
Exception: Specification of a configuration file will remain possible!
Good arguments may change this intention, so please object if I am
overlooking something.
:eul.
.*
:h2.Version 5.6
:ul compact.
:li.In stead of the regular OKFile format (path\*.*), there is now also
an option (/L) to produce a LONG format of the OKFile, containing
explicitly all files within privilege with complete file-specification
(path\filename.ext).
Useful for file-requests at systems with large directories, and
especially with CDROM's.
With this option in effect, the *.* entries will not be generated, so
file requests are only honored with EXACT filenames: wildcard
specifications do not work anymore!
:li.Improved display of long areanames (>3 char) in ALL- and
IPF-lists.
:li.Avatar codes may be stripped from comment lines in reports.
:li.Missing include-files are now only reported when running Downsort in
-V(erbose) mode.
:li.Some bug fixes (some of them causing Trap 000D under OS/2):
:ul compact.
:li.If 'downsort.cfg' not found, return code 2 is reported, and
downsort.cfg now closed at end of file.
:li.Output of FILES.BBS could be erraneous when also IP2-list selected.
:li.Limit of 217 active area's now relieved (this limit was not
documented!).
:li.Improved handling of parameters of FILFilePath-line in the sample
Downsort.Cfg file.
Also the explanatory comments are revised.
:eul.
:li.'-'-character now precedes the formfeed character in newly created
FILES.BBS files (version 5.6h+).
:li.Downsort source is now compilable with IBM C-Set/2 compiler and IBM
OS/2 2.0 toolkit to obtain a real 32-bit version for OS/2 2.0+.
:eul.
.*
:h2.Version 5.5
:ul compact.
:li.Finally(!) a sort capability for area-sequence.
Areas can now be presented in order of AREA.DAT ('K'eep original
sequence), sorted on areaname ('A'lphabetically), sorted in
alphanumeric ('G'roup) sequence or in order of areaINclude ('I').
The group-sequence is useful with a popular naming convention whereby the
areaname starts with one or more letters followed by one or more digits.
Names starting with a digit will be sorted as if it were all numeric,
and will be sorted accordingly.
:li.NEW-, BBS-list and EMI-list (see below) can now also be limited in
length by file-age (period specification in number of Days, Weeks or
Months).
:li.A new list-type introduced: EMI-list (new file EMIsions).
I is a simple list, comparable to NEW-list.
It has a more compact format, and gives also file-time and the file-size
(in exact bytes).
It is especially useful to generate messages with file arrivals
over the last period (in combination with a period specification).
:li.Readability improvements in IP2-list.
:li.Documentation extended with sample output for new users of Downsort.
:li.Some bug-fixes:
:ul compact.
:li.Compares of path- and area-names now case INdependent
:li.Memory allocation error during collection of comments in FILES.BBS
:li.Index out-of-range in report preparation phase
:li.Processing of /K-option for areas with FILES.BBS but otherwise empty.
:eul.
:eul.
.*
:h2.Version 5.4
:ul compact.
:li.Inline comments in FILES.BBS will be reproduced now!
When AND ONLY WHEN the /K option is specified for All- or IPF-list, or
for FILFilePath, the original existing comments in FILES.BBS are
copied into All- or IPF-list or newly created FILES.BBS files.
So note: /K means now: Keep sequence of FILES.BBS
:hp2.and Keep comments in FILES.BBS:ehp2. and other lists that support
the /K option (ALL-, IPF and IP2-list).
:note./K is now the default sort parameter for FILFilePath, so that you do
not loose your comments accidently.
:li.Downsort's interpretation of the meaning of 'orphan' changed a
little: an 'orphan' is from now on defined as a file for which there is
no description in any FILES.BBS of all areas pointing to the same
directory.
This may reduce improper(?) orphan-reporting by previous versions of
Downsort considerably when you have physically a single large directory
of which the files are grouped logically in different areas with separate
FILES.BBS files.
:li.Duplicate download directories in OK-files will be suppressed.
:li.Area-summaries in ALL- and IPF-lists are again sorted alphabetically
on area-name.
:li.A check during the data collection phase on maximum supported file
entries (16350) has been added to prevent problems when exceeding this
limit.
:li.Orphan entries in FILES.BBS are now preceeded with '&caret.PS' in
stead of the unsupported '&caret.PH' (bug fix).
:li.Some specific adaptations for version 2.0:
:ul compact.
:li.All files conforming to filespec 'FILES.*' will not be reported
anymore.
:li.Area code will be handled as 9 character string: area-name!
But in some reports it will be truncated to the first 3 or 4 characters.
:li.AreaINclude and AreaEXclude are used as 'prefix'.
Area-name specifications will be treated as group-names:
you can include or exclude groups of areas starting with the same
characters.
:li.The /b, /t, /bt or /tb flag in FILES.BBS will not appear in the
lists, but only when it appears immediately after the filename.
It is not stripped from FILES.BBS.
:eul.
:li.As experiment a new list has been added: IP2FileList.
It is a copy if IPF-list, but uses some new formatting features offered
by the IPF-compiler of the OS/2 2.0-beta toolkit (i.c. &colon.table.).
The result is a faster generation, but above al a faster compilation
and a better VIEW.
VIEWing under OS/2 1.2 or 1.3 is still possible!
:eul.
.*
:h2.Version 5.3
:ul compact.
:li.New report added: DUP-list, a simple list, for SYSOP-use only, that
shows (possibly) duplicate fileNAMES over the area's (the file-extension
is not considered in the comparison).
:li.Another new report: OKFile in BinkleyTerm style.
A list of download paths within privilege, with option to include magic
names.
:li.IpfFileList line in Downsort.Cfg now also allows specification of
the IPF pagesize (maximum number of file-entries per VIEW 'page' or
'part').
:li.Progress signals streamlined, /Q is really silent now!
:li.Fixed bug which caused Trap 000D under OS/2 (protection violation)
under some rare conditions.
The restriction that first area may not be empty or not contain only
orphans has been removed with this change.
:li.Support for MAXIMUS CBCS 1.00 removed: only version 1.02 is
supported (and most likely 2.00 as well).
:li.Downsort's change-history before version 5.0 removed from
documentation.
:li.Use of MicroSoft C Compiler 6.00a: more free memory for DOS users
(also because of slightly improved program structuring).
:eul.
.*
:h2.Version 5.2
:ul compact.
:li.Area selection is now possible within Downsort.
Two new keywords are provided in Downsort.CFG:
:hp2.AreaINclude:ehp2. to make reports for selected download area's,
:hp2.AreaEXclude:ehp2. to omit area's from the reports.
These keywords have only effect within the collection that would
otherwise have been reported completely (restricted by AREA.DAT and
report privilege).
:li.FILES.BBS has now a peer relation with the directory in stead of
being subordinate, in Downsort terms of course.
Filenames and their description in FILES.BBS for which there is no
corresponding file in the download directory, are now NOT ignored
anymore.
In stead the file is reported as 'offline' (on the columns for file-date
and -size).
You may replace the word 'offline' with an alternative text.
:li.Bug repaired that caused some files to be treated as orphan under
certain rare circumstances.
And a correction of an error in 'end-of-line' test/search on several
places.
:li.As already 'promised' in 5.1, the Area-summary in ALL-list is now in
order of AREA.DAT.
:li.Reorganised the documentation to obtain a more logical sequence of
subjects.
Due to the growing number of options of Downsort, it became more and
more difficult to see the trees through the wood.
I added a number of paragraphs, especially for new users.
It can be useful for YOU too!
:eul.
.*
:h2.Version 5.1
:ul compact.
:li.Since the ORPhan report is optional (changed with version 5.0),
orphan entries could and now will be removed from internal storage
during the information collection phase of Downsort, but
:hp2.only when no orphan-list is requested:ehp2.!
This is especially useful for the situation where a single large
directory contains the files of several area's, and whereby the file
descriptions are contained in different FILES.BBS files.
Normally this will result in reporting lots of duplicate orphans
(according to the definition of 'orphan' in Downsort!).
With this change memory utilisation is lower and sorting faster.
:li.Another change of this kind: area's with a privilege exceeding
any reporting privilege are not scanned anymore.
Apart from lower memory utilisation, this might be useful for CDROM and
slow disk(ette) systems.
:li.The maximum number of Top-, Sub- and Bottom-Title lines has been
extended to 20.
:li.In addition all lists may now include a 'logo'-file with a new -I
parameter on the individual report request specification (see sample
Downsort.CFG).
The file will be copied into the list without any editing or
translation.
It will be positioned directly behind the block-title and before the
subtitle (if any).
For example: you may include your BBS-logo or a picture of your system
configuration, or anything else you want to tell the file-requestors of
FILES, ALLFILES and/or NEWFILES.
The IPF-list may also include IPF tags, with artwork, etc.
It may even include other files itself!
For FILES.BBS the contents of this Include-file will immediately follow
the 'standard' header.
:li.All block-fonts have now a new special character <`> (reversed
quote), which will be 'printed' as blank (space) with :hp2.half:ehp2.
the width of a normal character.
This is useful for fine-alignment (e.g. manually centering) the
BLOCK-title.
:li.The chapter on 'titles and headers' has been rewritten to clarify
the use of all title-options, :hp2.please read it!:ehp2..
:li.In the SUMMARY of ALL- and IPF-lists the areas themselves
are not sorted anymore, but presented in sequence of AREAS.CTL
specification.
This is based on the assumption that the file area's are in some kind of
'natural' order in AREAS.CTL (or maybe it is time to do that now!).
:li.Descriptions in FILES.BBS are now (again) aligned on column 14 of
the FILES.bbs file records.
:li.IPF-list again a little more user-friendly (linking of area's).
:li.A number of improvements have been applied to the executiontime
messages (when running in VERBOSE mode).
:eul.
.*
:h2.Version 5.0
:ul compact.
:li.Improved IPF-formatting: more colorful, builtin word-wrapping of
VIEW used for file descriptions (better VIEWable under OS/2 1.3!).
It should now also compile without errors/warnings.
Compiling (with IPFC) takes significantly longer however!
:li.The IPF-list of large filearea's (>200 files) split into parts of
200 files to prevent files being left unlisted.
:li.Top-level title in FileLists shows file-count and byte-count as
available within the privilege of the list.
Thus it indicates what is really AVAILable to the user!
Area-count omitted in lists which are not area-oriented.
:li.ORPHAN report made OPTIONAL (must be specified to get it!).
:eul.
.*
.* =============================
:h1 id=ause.World-wide use of Downsort
:p.PC-Square may be considered as the home-base of Downsort.
The most recent version is always available there
(file-requests honoured between 07:00 and 24:00 local time).
:xmp keep=off.
:hp2.
PC-Square Marcel Stikkelman Zoetermeer, Netherlands
2&colon.512/4 31-79-424107
:p.The following SYSOPs have reported using Downsort on their respective board.
OS/2-MANiA Emmanuel Sandorfi Paris, France
2&colon.320/5 33-1-64090640
OS/2 TASK BBS Rene Carlsen Skagen, Denmark
2&colon.231/910 45-98451070
Grizzilus Maximus Collin Adams Preston, UK
2&colon.250/121 44-772-828975
Paradigmus Maximus John Taylor London, UK
2&colon.253/68 44-81-566-5393
Runnin' with the Devil Roberto Sonzogni Treviglio BG, Italy
2&colon.331/205 39-363-302798
Fernwood Emitt Dove Branford CT, USA
1&colon.141/209 1-203-483-0348
The Planet Earth Joel Lambert Bridgeport CT, USA
1&colon.141/455 1-203-335-7742
Bell's Theorem Jeremy Buhler Houston TX, USA
1&colon.106/7674 1-713-777-0633
OS/2 Shareware Pete Norloff Fairfax VA, USA
1&colon.109/347 1-703-385-4325
Singing Bear John Tarbox Wilmington DE, USA
1&colon.150/130 1-302-984-2238
La Jungle BBS Stephane Seguin Quebec, Canada
1&colon.163/116 1-819-595-4917
3M Australia Graham Stair Sydney, NSW Australia
3&colon.711/409 61-2-498-9184
.*
.* HCC FIDO Groningen-1 Johan Schaaphok Groningen
.* 1:153/738 John Cathie New Westminster, B.C. Canada
.* 2:245/8 Peter Kaszanics , Germany
.* 2:234/99 Iver Thuessen s , Denmark
:ehp2.
:exmp.
:p.I have received reports from others.
Too many for this list, which is just meant to point to a system
in your neighbourhood(?).
You may either logon to one of these boards, or perform a file-request
of 'FILES' or 'ALLFILES' to get an impression of Downsort's
capabilities.
.* =============================
:h1 id=lsmp.Sample Lists
:p.Below follow a number of samples of list layouts and contents.
Not shown are the BBS-, and IPF-lists, since these are screen- rather
than paper-oriented, with their specific formatting and color settings.
:p.The dates and sizes in these lists have been manipulated!
.* ---------
:h2.ALL-list
:xmp keep=on.
:on3270.
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
█▀▀▀▀▀▀ █ ║ OS/2 - Fernwood - New Acquisitions
█▄▄▄▄▄ ▄█ ║ Available: 143 files (0.0 MB)
██ ██ ║ Privilege: Disgrace
██ ██ ║ Newest: XLIST233.ZIP 3-22-91 (avail: 7-26-91)
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Filename Size Date Description
──────────── ───── ───────── ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
AAFONTS.ZIP 1K 3-22-91 Text from IBM regarding Anti-aliased Fonts.
AFP_120.LZH 1K 3-22-91 Areafix 1.2 for OS/2. Permits systems that do
echomail with yours to change their complement of
areas independently.
:off3270
:exmp.
.* ---------
:h2.GBL-list
:xmp keep=on.
:on3270.
(Sun Jan 05 15:05) Available: 508 files (0 MB)
Maximum privilege shown: Sysop
Newest: BIGBRO.ZIP 3-22-91 (avail: 7-26-91)
Date flag: new on this system since: * = 1 week, + = 1 month
Filename Area Size Date Description
──────────── ──────── ───── ───────── ─────────────────────────────────────────
2COLDIR.ZIP F3 1K 3-22-91 DoubleDir for OS/2
2MONITOR.ZIP F4 1K 3-22-91 Source and .EXE for running 2 monitors.
:off3270.
:exmp.
.* ---------
:h2.NEW-list
:xmp keep=on.
:on3270.
(Sun Jan 05 16:14) Last 10 months newest of a total of 508 files (0 MB)
Maximum privilege shown: Sysop
Newest: BIGBRO.ZIP dd 3-22-91 (avail: 7-26-91)
Date flag: new on this system since: * = 1 week, + = 1 month
Filename Area Size Date Description
──────────── ──────── ───── ───────── ─────────────────────────────────────────
2COLDIR.ZIP F3 1K 3-22-91 DoubleDir for OS/2
2MONITOR.ZIP F4 1K 3-22-91 Source and .EXE for running 2 monitors.
8514.PAT F4 1K 3-22-91 Patch to get 32x32 icons on 8514/a
:off3270.
:exmp.
.* ---------
:h2.EMI-list
:xmp keep=on.
:on3270.
(Tue Jan 14 21:55) Last 44 weeks newest emissions
--Filename-- --Date-- -Time- -Bytes- ---Description---
DUMMY.DAT 10-11-91 9:45p 31 Dummy file for Downsort tests +
continuation line
PSOS2.ZIP 3-22-91 11:46p 2 View OS/2 Information on PM like
Threads & Process, Memory used, and more.
:off3270.
:exmp.
.* ---------
:h2.FILES.BBS
:xmp keep=on.
:on3270.
- █▀▀▀▀▀▀ █ ║ OS/2 - Fernwood - New Acquisitions
- █▄▄▄▄▄ ▄█ ║ Available: 143 files (0.0 MB)
- ██ ██ ║ Privilege: Disgrace
- ██ ██ ║ Newest: XLIST233.ZIP 3-22-91 (avail: 7-26-91)
-──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-Filename Size Date Description
-─────────── ─────── ───────── ────────────────────────────────────────────────
AAFONTS.ZIP Text from IBM regarding Anti-aliased Fonts.
AFP_120.LZH Areafix 1.2 for OS/2. Permits systems that do echomail . . . .
:off3270.
:exmp.
:note.File date and size are provided dynamically by Maximus CBCS!
.* ---------
:h2.OKfile
:h3.Short format (default)
:xmp keep=on.
@files G:\File\File01\allfiles.zip
@avail G:\File\File01\allfiles.zip
@newfiles G:\File\File01\newfiles.zip
G:\File\Fernwood\*.*
G:\File\Max\*.*
:exmp.
.*
:h3.LONG format (-L)
:xmp keep=on.
@files G:\File\File01\allfiles.zip
@avail G:\File\File01\allfiles.zip
@newfiles G:\File\File01\newfiles.zip
:rev refid=57.
@DWNSRT55.ZIP G:\File\Fernwood\DWNSRT55.ZIP
@DWNSRT56.ZIP G:\File\Fernwood\DWNSRT56.ZIP
@MAXSRT10.ZIP G:\File\Max\MAXSRT10.ZIP
@MAXSRT11.ZIP G:\File\Max\MAXSRT11.ZIP
:erev refid=57.
:exmp.
.* ---------
:h2.ORPhan list
:xmp keep=on.
:on3270.
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Area Filename Date FilePath
──────── ──────────── ───────── ───────────────────────────────────────────────
F1 123R3UPD.ZIP 3-22-91 G:\File\Fernwood\
F1 4019DRVR.ZIP 3-22-91 G:\File\Fernwood\
:off3270.
:exmp.
.* =============================
:h1 id=acfg.Sample Configuration File
:xmp keep=off
:cgraphic scale='0.9'.
:on3270.
.im downsort.cfg
:off3270.
:ecgraphic.
:exmp.
:euserdoc.