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FileFix 1.20
------------
Released March 31, 1991
Copyright (C) Stig Jacobsen, 1990
Introduction
This documentation assumes familiarity with AreaFix. It also
assumes that you are familiar with the FidoNet software
"standard", which - among other things - means weird control-
files, lots of bugs and thin documentation.
If you do not hold these prerequisites, stop here. I'm not going
to give FileFix lessons via netmail or echomail, so if you insist
on using it (even though you don't understand it), you should seek
help elsewhere.
I would however, very much like to know about any bugs that you
encounter. Note: Anything that you don't understand, isn't
necessarily a bug!
About this document
Since I absolutely do not like writing documentation, this file is
not likely to be updated very often. If you cannot find the
information that you need in here, please read FILEFIX.CFG and
FILEFIX.NWS carefully.
If you feel that you could write some better documentation than
this, you're very welcome to drop me a netmail message.
What is it?
Well.. YAFR - Yet Another File Robot. No, wait, don't go away! It
has some rather nice features besides the usual boring ones.
o It has an AreaFix-like interface, which allows your
nodes/points to connect/disconnect from files themselves by
the way of netmail messages.
o It will automatically insert new files into Files.Bbs at a
suitable place (which is not at the end!) and with a suitable
description (which is not "(description missing)"!).
o It will automatically move new files from your netfile
directory to wherever on your disk(s) that you really would
like them to end up.
o It has a history feature, which allows you to answer such
complaints as "It is *ages* since I got a FidoNews issue"
with an answer like "FileFix attached you FNEWS712 this
wednesday at 5:40!" - within a matter of seconds.
o It has a report feature, which quickly permits you to see
exactly which nodes are receiving which files.
o Have you noticed how boring the usual messages from file-
robots are? Well, not so anymore. If you tell FileFix where
to find its fortune cookie file (Opus terminology: "Quote
file"), it will send cookies to your nodes as it is sending
file-attaches.
o You can define batch command sequences within its
configuration file, which is automatically evoked whenever a
matching file is found in your netfile directory. No more
endless 'if exist' sequences within your batch-files (no more
batch-files for that matter...).
o It will, upon request, check the file-date of incoming files,
and refuse to forward them if they are older than a specified
age (nobody wants to have a FNEWS322 which slipped out by
mistake, etc.).
o It will keep track of file-attaches which are never picked up
by your nodes, and delete them after a specified time. NOTE:
This feature is nonfunctional on systems employing static
packers.
o If needed, it can be told to only forward certain files on
certain weekdays.
o Option to use X_List compatible forwarding by date (only
files with a date later than last FileFix run, are
forwarded).
General
FileFix has a number of functions. The FORWARD function works as a
file-robot, creating file-attaches for nodes (and points)
subscribing to a file, and moving the file from your netfile
directory to its destination directory (usually somewhere where
your users can download it). The SCAN function checks your netmail
area for messages to FileFix, and adds or deletes nodes from the
subscription lists (FileFix.Are) as indicated by the nodes
themselves (zero maintenance for you). The REPORT function will
generate a simple report over which files your nodes/point are
currently receiving. The LIST function is for inquiring as to when
which nodes got which files.
Targets
FileFix was tested on my own system, which runs FrontDoor 1.99c.
Systems using static packers (QMail, oMMM) will notice that some
options will have no effect - currently the 'KeepDays' option
requires a dynamic packer to work.
Usage
FileFix [options] <SCAN|FORWARD|BOTH|REPORT|LIST|PACK> [argument]
Options
-a<areas-file> Use alternate areas file (default is FILEFIX.ARE).
-c<cfg-file> Use alternate configuration file (default
FILEFIX.CFG).
-r Also process those netmail messages that are marked
received.
-v Verbose mode - more information on the screen.
-x Don't make use of new fields (FTS-0001.A12) in
message header. ME2 users will probably want to use
this switch.
-? Display help on commandline (you also get help if
you run FileFix without any arguments).
Commands
SCAN Check netmail directory for new messages to FileFix and
process them, updating FileFix.Are and sending back
receipts as required. Also, if 'KeepDays' is in effect,
pending outgoing messages will have their age tested.
FORWARD Check netfile directory for new files known to FileFix,
moving them to their destination directories, and
creating file attach messages as required.
BOTH Same as SCAN + FORWARD.
REPORT Generate report of which nodes are receiving which
files. By default the report will go to CON (the
screen), but you can give a filename as the next
argument, and it will go to that file instead.
LIST Display the history file in backwards order, that is,
the most recent transactions are displayed first. By
default FileFix will display all nodes, but you can
supply a node-number as the next argument, and it will
only list this nodes transactions.
PACK Purge old entries from history file. By default, the
PACK command will retain 90 days of history - you can
give a different number of days as the next argument.
Examples
FileFix -cmy.cfg -x both
FileFix -atmp.are scan
FileFix report prn
FileFix list .23
FileFix forward
FileFix pack
FileFix pack 14
Files
FileFix.Cfg - Default configuration for FileFix.
FileFix.Are - Default areas-file - like Areas.Bbs, but for files.
Initially created by you, and afterwards maintained
by FileFix (as per directions by your
nodes/points).
Both files must both be in the current directory. FileFix.Are will
automatically be updated by FileFix, if any valid change requests
were received from your nodes.
Meta strings for 'AttachMsg'
Most of these are the same as for X_List.
%magic Magic name for the file
%descript Description of the file
%cookie Cookie of the day
%dzone Destination zone
%dnet Destination net
%dnode Destination node
%dpoint Destination point
%daddress Destination address
%from Name of the message sender
%ffrom First name of the message sender
%lfrom Last name of the message sender
%zone Origin zone
%net Origin net
%node Origin node
%point Origin point
%address Origin address
%date Current date
%file The name of the attached file
%size Size of the attached file in kb
%bsize Size of the attached file in bytes
Node interaction
Almost exactly as for AreaFix. Messages must be addressed to
"FileFix", the subject field contains the node's password, and -
optionally - the switches '-l' (list available files for node)
and/or '-q' (list connected files for node) and/or '-r' (send the
latest version of the file(s) listed in the body of the message).
The message body contains zero or more magic filenames (one per
line). If a magic filename is prefixed by a dash ('-'), the node
is disconnected from the file, otherwise it is connected. For more
information, check the FILEFIX.USE in the distribution archive.
Errorlevels
0 Normal run
1 Commandline error
2 Fatal error
Groups
Each file in FileFix.Cfg has a group-tag. Each node in FileFix.Cfg
is a member of one or more groups. The nodes can only access files
with group-tags that are in their member list.
Batch
There is a few things to keep in mind when utilizing the 'Batch'
statement.
o You will have less memory available than usually, unless you
use swapping - typically FileFix will occupy 100 kb of memory
while executing your batch sequence, although it will depend
on your configuration.
o Your 'COMSPEC' environment variable should be set correctly,
that is, it should tell FileFix where COMMAND.COM (or 4Dos or
whatever you use) is located.
o If you have a TMP or TEMP environment variable, it must point
to a location where it is possible for FileFix to create a
file. If none of these variables are set, FileFix will create
the batch-file in the current directory of the current drive.
o Never delete or rename the file that FileFix is working on
(%1). FileFix will get utterly confused if you do. It is,
however, ok to manipulate the files in other ways, such as
changing its date or size.
FileFix will automatically restore current drive and directory
when it has executed a batch sequence, so you need not to restore
them.
Keeping things simple
I do not intend to add mailer-/BBS-specific code to FileFix - it
has no such specific code now, except that it assumes that .MSG
files are used for netmail, and that Files.Bbs/Files.Gbs files are
used for the file-area listings - this keeps it nice & simple, and
I'd very much like it to stay that way.
In particular, I'm not going to add code for scanning logfiles.
There are some 10 different mailers in use - which means 10
different logformats - verrry messy.
Also, I won't add any particular support for static packers. This
would make FileFix more mailer specific and furthermore I don't
feel that static packing is the way to go. (I wouldn't add code
for automatic launching of nuclear weapons either).
Notes
You should not change the order of the statements in FileFix.Cfg -
keep them in the same order as in the supplied FileFix.Cfg. This
is because the configuration file parser in FileFix is single-
pass, in other words it must be able to resolve everything at
once. So, for instance, if you have a 'Batch Z2-DIFF' statement
before the 'Z2-DIFF' file is defined, FileFix will get all exited
and claim that it can't find a definition of Z2-DIFF.
The %cookie string in filefix.msg requires that you have created a
cookie file for FileFix. Get hold of Cookie Construction Kit
(usually CCK.ZIP), if you want to use %cookie.
This piece of software is a joint work between Martin Joench
(2:231/36) and myself. Martin and I got the idea for this program
at the same time. It would never have come into existence without
the other part - Martin kept telling me that I should write it,
and I wrote the program.
Warranty
Absolutely none. If you are the type of person that gets pissed
because of destructive bugs, then you shouldn't be using a
computer anyway.
BeerWare
If you use this software on a regular basis, you are suggested to
offer me a beer should we ever meet in person.
Author: Stig Jacobsen
BBS: +45-31319734
FidoNet: 2:231/16
InterNet: shj@login.dkuug.dk
SnailMail: Stig Jacobsen
Mysundegade 18, st.
1668 Copenhagen V
Denmark
EOF