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1997-02-05
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VQWK
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VQWK.EXE is dual-purpose program; it is an advanced QWK
mail door for you and your users to use to read mail offline
in the popular QWK format, and it is also capable of functioning
as a network interface (ie passing QWK packets between BBS's).
Virtual Advanced features an extremely sophisticated
version of VQWK.EXE which can easily gate messages between itself
and any other network type also supported by Virtual Advanced.
With VQWK, when used in QWK networking, it is easy to gate
messages:
VQWK <--> VirtualNET-type (messages only)
VQWK <--> FIDOnet (messages only)
VQWK <--> Internet (messages only)
VQWK.EXE COMMAND LINE USAGE
════════════════════════════
Note that <ch> refers to Virtual Advanced Channel Number,
and that <x> refers to the NETWORKID #, as defined by file
DATA\NETWORKS.LST.
As a DOOR:
VQWK.EXE <ch>
(Example: VQWK %1)
The default Virtual Advanced set-up already includes references
to VQWK.EXE in the default function blocks provided. Knowing
the commandline usage is important, though, if you wish to
customize how the QWK door is accessed on your system, such
as running it from a script (example: DOOR "VQWK %1").
As a NETWORK INTERFACE:
Step 1. Generate Packet To Exchange (Send To) Other QWK net BBS
VQWK 0 /EXPORT=<path and filename>,<user #> NETWORKID=<x>
<path and filename> QWK Format File To Be Created
<user #> Dummy User # Assigned To This QWK Net Connect
Step 2. Get Packet From Remote BBS
Send Packet Created In Step 1 to Remote BBS
How this part is accomplished is up to you and the remote sysop.
Typically, this is done by using a script-driven comm program
such as Telix or Telemate to call, login, and download a QWK
packet. After that, the packet created in step 1 is uploaded.
Step 3. Get The Messages Onto Your BBS
VQWK 0 /IMPORT=<path and filename>,<user #> NETWORKID=<x>
<path and filename> QWK Format File To Be Imported
<user #> Dummy User # Assigned To This QWK Net Connect
Note: The <user #> dummy account is used for its "new-scan"
pointers, allowing your BBS and another BBS to exchange QWK
mail without duplicates, so long as each QWK net BBS you
exchange mail with has its own, consistent dummy account to use.
SETTING UP QWK CONFERENCE NUMBERS
═════════════════════════════════
Defined by the QWK standard, each message base (or
conference as they are sometimes called) has associated with it
a number between 1 and 32767. This number helps QWK offline
readers, and QWK mail programs, track messages and make sure
everything gets put into the right place.
Up to 4000 of the message bases you set-up under Virtual
Advanced can be made available to your callers to download through
the QWK door. They will be able to download new messages when they
call in, and optionally upload their offline-written replies as well.
It does not matter what network or netowkrs a message base "belongs"
to, the QWK door can provide access to it for your callers.
Of the up to 4000 message bases, you can use QWK numbers 2 to
32767 to identify them. VCONFIG can automatically assign QWK
numbers to message bases for you, if you like, or you can do
it manually.
IMPORTANT: So far the discussion has dealt with QWK numbers
as used with VQWK operating as a DOOR. It is important to note that
VQWK, when operating as a NETWORK INTERFACE, maintains a SEPARATE
set of QWK conference numbers for each separate QWK type network.
That way, if you have sub "100 IBM Discussion" on one QWK net,
and sub "100 Intelligent Conversation" on another QWK type net,
there is no conflict. For setting up of QWK net conferences,
see the section titled "SETTING UP QWK NET MESSAGE BASES" below.
VCONFIG SET-UP FOR QWK NETS
═══════════════════════════
QWK nets are extremely easy to set-up. Just select
from within VCONFIG to turn a network on. No configuration
information (ie node address, directories, etc) is required.
SETTING UP QWK NET MESSAGE BASES
════════════════════════════════
QWK net Message Bases can be quickly and easily set-up
using the included VMB utility program. Make sure you have
QWKLIST.??? set-up in your DATA directory. (Example:
For NETWORKID=54, the file would be QWKLIST.54)
An alternative method to message base set-up is to use
VCONFIG to manually set-up/edit each database entry. In this
case, you would use the DATABASE CONFIGURATION portion of
VCONFIG to display/edit a MESSAGE AREA DATABASE CONFIGURATION ENTRY.
At this point, selecting the field "(G) Networks Configuration"
would let you manually do what VMB does automatically.
A typical message base number is in the range 1 to 32767.
To GATE a Message Base, you merely set-up its
DATABASE COFIGURATION ENTRY to show that the field
"(G) Networks Configuration" shows multiple networks --
the QWK net, and the other network(s) you want to GATE to/from.
For example, you might see:
CRS=100
VirtualNET=100000
ADVANCED OPTIONS
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The features described hereafter are optional, and unneeded
in most cases.