Monster Media 1996 #14

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MNET v2.10 - Mail Packet Conversion Utility for Node Operation on a QWK-based Mail Network Copyright (C) 1992-94 Newark Connections/MAKAI Software All rights reserved. ========================================================================== Before we can get started, we need to run through the now-familiar notices and disclaimers: MNET is copyrighted software from MAKAI Software. It is not public domain or freeware, but rather is released as uncrippled shareware. You are free to try MNET to see if it meets your needs, but if you decide to continue to use MNET, you are required to register the software with MAKAI Software. See Appendix A of this file, or the separate file REGISTER.DOC, included with this package. While we have attempted to produce a useful piece of bugfee software (which runs quite well on our system here, by the way), MNET is released as-is with no guarantees of performance. YOU USE MNET AT YOUR OWN RISK, and the authors will not be held accountable for any damages resulting from its use. The MNET package (MNET210.ZIP) may be distributed freely (in unmodified form) to friends, associates, and bulletin boards. Re-archiving into your favorite format (ARJ, LZH, etc) is permitted, provided that the entire package (and all documentation) is included in the re-archiving process, and no files are modified. If you received this package in some other format than MNET210.ZIP, or the .ZIP file does not have Chip Morrow's or Doug Wilson's -AV verification, then you did not receive an original copy. Please see the appendices on how to obtain a copy of MNET directly from a MAKAI Software distribution site. If you are a registered user of MNET, do *NOT* distribute the registration code that you received from us. This is your own personal registration, and is not for distribution. If you are a shareware distributor/dealer, a nominal disk copying and handling fee is permitted. And one more necessary announcement: **************************************************************** * IMPORTANT NOTE: Many established networks, such as FIDONet, * * RBBSNet, and RIME do not permit unauthorized distribution of * * their message bases. ** DO NOT ** use MNET to transfer such * * conferences without first obtaining permission from proper * * authorities. * **************************************************************** MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 2 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FOREWARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Some years ago Mark "Sparky" Herring devised a system for creating packets of mail from electronic bulletin boards for the purpose of downloading and reading/replying offline. The "QWK" format he established has become a standard used by many offline messaging systems. Although originally designed for use by individual callers to a bbs, this format has been extended and adapted for inter-bbs message networking as well. Normally, each bbs participating in a QWK-based network must have its own software which will take a message "QWK" packet from the host board and toss it the node board's native message base. The same software would normally be used to scan the node's message base for outgoing messages and place them into a "REP" packet for uploading back to the host board. Since the software operated by the node must interface with the node's own message base, each type of bbs generally needs its own specialized QWK-net handling software. There are many boards out there which have QWK-based mail facilities for use by its callers, but which do not have specialized software to process QWK-net packets. That's where MNET comes in. MNET is simply a net-aware mail conversion utility that takes QWK packets from the host and converts them to REP packets which may be uploaded to the node's standard QWK mail facilities. Similarly, MNET can convert a QWK packet of outgoing mail from the node into a REP which can be uploaded to the host. Since the node's standard QWK mail facility does all the interfacing with node's message base, no additional specialized software is required. MNET allows any bulletin board with QWK-compatible offline mail capability the ability to be a node in a QWK-based message network. MNET was originally developed for use in conjunction with MAKAI Software's Mail Manager +Plus+ QWK mail door for RBBS systems, but it is now in use on many different bbs systems around the world. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL OVERVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Let's assign some sample packet names to use for purposes of illustration: - You log onto the host's board and download a "net status" packet called "HOST.QWK". - You are networking the "SPECIAL" conference, which is area #3 on host's system. - The REP packets that you send to your host will be named "HOST.REP". - Your board uses the filenames "NODE.QWK" and "NODE.REP" for QWK and REP packets transferred. - The networked "SPECIAL" conference is area #15 on your system. MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 3 - The MNET.EXE utility will allow you to transfer the messages contained in HOST.QWK into your system, and to convert any outbound messages from your system into a HOST.REP file that you can upload to the host. All the fun part of pulling this off is on your end: 1) You fire up the your bbs QWK mail facilities and extract a QWK packet of the messages to be exported. Using the naming conventions from above, you would create a packet named NODE.QWK. 2) The host system can't do anything with NODE.QWK, so you use our MNET utility to convert it to HOST.REP. 3) Call up the host board, extract and download a new HOST.QWK and upload your HOST.REP reply packet. Depending on how your host is set up, you may need to call in under a special user name which the host sets up for you in order to grant you net access. Also note that, depending on how your host's system handles net packets, it may be necessary for you to reset message pointers after you upload your REP so as not to receive those same messages back in your next QWK packet. Check with your host sysop on how this must be handled on that particular system. 4) Back at your end, you use MNET to convert HOST.QWK that you just downloaded to NODE.REP. 5) Go back into the QWK mail facilities for your board and upload the newly imported messages as NODE.REP. Depending on your system, you may need to update your message pointers after uploading the rep so as not to export those same messages in your next packet. 6) Repeat unto infinity. Now, you would probably imbellish this to make a call that does all of this at once (i.e. - Send up HOST.REP and download HOST.QWK in the same session). Graphically, this might look like: MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 4 - Your BBS Host's BBS =========== download ============ HOST.QWK <---------------------- HOST.QWK | ^ (use MNET util to | convert to:) | | | NODE.REP | | | (Upload into your bbs' QWK (Any new mail for your mail facilities.) system extracted into | a new packet) (New outgoing messages ^ are extracted into:) | | | NODE.QWK. (Your exported messages | placed in host's message (use MNET util to base.) convert to:) ^ | upload | HOST.REP ---------------------> HOST.REP ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SETTING IT ALL UP ---------------------------------------------------------------------- We suggest that the first thing you should do in setting this up is to create a special user name you will use on YOUR OWN system for handling net mail to/from the host. Use this special name, rather than your own, to enable your QWK facilities to keep track of an independent message pointer for network operation. We'd suggest a user name which refers to the name of the host from which you will be receiving mail, such as HOST MAIL in the example used above. Just think of this as another user of your board who happens to write a LOT of messages <grin>. If you participate in more than one net, you'll need to set up a separate name for each net. Now for setting yourself up to use the MNET utility... MNET CONFIGURATION FILES ------------------------ You will need a configuration file for each host from which you will be receiving mail via MNET. We have included a utility called MNETCFG.EXE which will semi-automate the creation of this file for you. In order to use MNETCFG, you should first: 1) Obtain a sample QWK packet from BOTH the host board and your own board. Both of these packets must contain a CONTROL.DAT file which lists each conference you wish to network. It will not matter if additional, non- networked conferences are listed. MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 5 - 2) Place each of the two QWK packets in the directory in which it will normally be located when you run MNET. Now just run the MNETCFG utility and follow the directions on the screen. HINT: If you use the same conference names as your host does for the conferences you wish to share (as indicated by the CONTROL.DAT files in both the host and node packets), MNET will be able to match these conferences up for you automatically. If not, you will have to select each matching host conference manually. The output of MNETCFG will be a basic configuration file you can use with MNET to process QWK packets to and from your host. The file will have the base name of the QWK and REP packets for the host, and end with the extension ".CFG". In our example, your host's QWK packets will be named HOST.QWK, so it will create a configuration file named HOST.CFG. This file can be edited with any standard ascii text editor if you wish to make any later additions or changes. NOTE: MNETCFG will not set your configuration file up for individual conference taglines, nor for different treatment of private messages on a conference-by-conference basis. If you wish to enable either or both of these capabilities, you MUST manually edit the configuration file. Here are what the various lines in the configuration file represent (note that blank lines, and anything following a semicolon (;) are ignored): ---------------------- ;Sample HOST.CFG MNET configuration file NODE ; NODE PACKET NAME YOUR NAME ; NODE SYSOP HOST SYSOPNAME ; HOST SYSOP c:\whatever\ ; NODE PACKET DIRECTORY c:\whatever\ ; HOST PACKET DIRECTORY Origin: NodeBBS (123) 456-7890 ; NODE DEFAULT TAGLINE Origin: HostBBS (098) 765-4321 ; HOST DEFAULT TAGLINE PKZIP [FILE] ; PACK COMMAND LINE PKUNZIP [FILE] ; UNPACK COMMAND LINE ; ALL REMAINING LINES CONSIST OF THREE TO FIVE PARAMETERS, SEPARATED ; BY COMMAS, ALL ON ONE LINE: ; ; NODE CONFERENCE NUMBER, ; HOST CONFERENCE NUMBER, ; PRIVATE ALLOWED (Y = Yes, N = No, C = Convert private to public), ; NODE CONFERENCE TAGLINE (optional), ; HOST CONFERENCE TAGLINE (optional) 15, 3, Y, Node Conf 15 Tagline, Host Conf 3 Tagline ------------------------ Here's what all of these options mean to MNET: MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 6 - Line 1 = NODE PACKET NAME. (up to 8 characters, NO EXTENSION!) This is whatever your QWK and REP packets are named on your end of the line. The example shown above would use NODE.REP and NODE.QWK. Line 2 = NODE SYSOP NAME. (Your name as you are known to your users). MNET will convert all messages to and from "SYSOP" to your true name before they go out the door. Line 3 = HOST SYSOP NAME. (The sysop's name of the HOST board). MNET will convert all incoming messages to and from "SYSOP" to the host's name before importing to your system. Line 4 = NODE PACKET DIRECTORY. (Where YOUR QWK's and REP's are stored). Line 5 = HOST PACKET DIRECTORY. (Where "HOST"'s incoming QWK's and outgoing REP's are stored on your system). Line 6 = NODE DEFAULT TAGLINE. (Default tagline to append to outgoing messages, if no conference tagline is defined. If you have no default tagline, indicate this with one or more spaces followed by a semicolon.) Line 7 = HOST DEFAULT TAGLINE. (Default tagline to append to incoming messages, if no conference tagline is defined. If you have no default tagline, indicate this with one or more spaces followed by a semicolon.) Line 8 = PACK COMMAND LINE. (Archiver of your choice to create *.QWK/REP) Line 9 = UNPACK COMMAND LINE. (Archiver of your choice to extract from *.QWK) Note the use of "[FILE]" in the pack and unpack strings. Type it just as shown, including the brackets. MNET will replace "[FILE]" with the appropriate file name. All remaining lines = NodeConf#, HostConf#, PrivateHandling, NodeConfTag, HostConfTag NodeConf# = The conference number as it appears on YOUR end. HostConf# = The conference number as it appears on HOST's end. PrivateHandling = "Y", "N", or "C". Y = Yes, allow private messages - pass them thru unchanged N = No, ignore private messages - don't even pass them thru C = Convert private messages to public. NodeConfTag = Any specialized tagline you wish to append to outgoing messages from this conference. If you don't need separate taglines for each conference, you can leave this blank, and MNET MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 7 - will append the default node tagline defined earlier. You must edit the CFG file manually to specify a Node Conference tagline - MNETCFG will NOT create this entry for you. HostConfTag = Any specialized tagline you wish to append to incoming messages to this conference. If you don't need separate taglines for each conference, you can leave this blank, and MNET will append the default host tagline defined earlier. You must edit the CFG file manually to specify a Host Conference tagline - MNETCFG will NOT create this entry for you. So, as we stated earlier, "SPECIAL" conference is #3 on the host, and #15 on your end of the line. You want to allow private msgs. If you don't want to define separate conference taglines, your line would look like: 15, 3, Y This is the simplest possible line configuration. All three of these parameters are REQUIRED, and they are the only parameters which will be set by MNETCFG. If you want an outgoing node conference tagline, but don't want to define an incoming conference tagline, your line would look like: 15, 3, Y, Node conference 15 Tagline If you don't want to define a node conference tagline, but do want to define a host conference tagline: 15, 3, Y, , Host conference 3 Tagline (Note the two commas before the host tag, to indicate no node tagline being defined.) And, finally, if you want to define conference taglines both for node and host: 15, 3, Y, Node conf 15 Tagline, Host conf 3 Tagline Add additional lines for additional conferences. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- RUNNING MNET -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Place the configuration file(s) in what will be the current directory when you run MNET. The command line for running MNET is as follows: MNET <hostname> <I|O> [/NT] hostname = up to 8 characters for what you will be receiving from and sending to your host. In MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 8 - our example, this would be "HOST" to represent HOST.QWK and HOST.REP. I = Input. Convert incoming HOST.QWK to NODE.REP. O = Output. Convert outgoing NODE.QWK to HOST.REP. Either I or O *MUST* be specified. So for our example, the command lines would look like: MNET HOST I (convert Inbound messages from HOST.QWK) MNET HOST O (convert Outbound messages to HOST.REP) For registered users of MNET, there is one more command line option: /NT = optional "No Tagline" switch which suppresses the addition of any taglines (including MNET's own) when processing mail. That should be about it. Whew! That's a lot of work. Wouldn't you rather be a host? -------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPECIAL NOTE FOR GALACTICOMM SYSOPS RUNNING MAJORQWK: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- According to some of our users, messages addressed to names which are not active members of a MajorBBS board cannot be imported by MajorQWK, unless the name is preceeded by an "@" character. We have provided a special command line switch which will take care of doing this for you. Just add "/G" to the end of any command line used to call MNET, and it will: For INCOMING messages, add "@" to the beginning of all names in the message header "to" and "from" fields. Strictly speaking, it is not required in the "from" field, but this way, when your users write replies, they should automatically have the required "@" in the "to" field. For OUTGOING messages, all "@" characters will be stripped from the beginning of names in the "to" and "from" fields. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- DIRECTORIES, FILES, AND OTHER SUCH STUFF -------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can run MNET from any directory you choose, but it expects to find its host configuration file(s) (HOST.CFG in our example) in the current directory. We suggest it is probably easiest to just place MNET.EXE in a directory on a drive with enough working room to uncompress two copies of the mail packets and run it from there. You can still configure the directories in which to find the various mail packets wherever you wish. MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 9 - During its operation, MNET will create two subdirectories below the current directory as a place to put its temporary work files. When finished, MNET cleans up after itself by deleting the work files and removing its work directories. MNET writes a log file called MNET.LOG in whatever is the current directory at the time the program is started. This can be helpful in troubleshooting, or if you want a record of how much mail has been transferred. You may wish to keep an eye on this file and delete it or edit it periodically to keep it from taking up too much disk space. When MNET is finished it will exit with a DOS errorlevel to indicate any errors that occur. If the errorlevel is zero, that means all went as expected. If you automate your MNET operations via batch file, you can test for an errorlevel to see if the conversion was successful. You may not wish to delete the source QWK packet, for instance, if MNET returns a non-zero errorlevel. ************************************************************************** * IMPORTANT - If MNET finds a copy of the .REP it is about to create * * already exists, will add the new messages to the end of the old .REP. * * In this way, if you are unable to get thru to your host, or for some * * reason are unable to upload the .REP to your board, the old messages * * are not lost. But this means it is *VERY IMPORTANT* for you to delete * * your .REP files after they have been uploaded to prevent the same * * messages from being uploaded over and over. * ************************************************************************** -------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT IS THIS "NET STATUS" STUFF, ANYWAY? -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most QWK-based mail networks utilize "net status" information which is added to the contents of the QWK packets produced by the host bbs. This information tells the receiving system which conferences have been authorized for net distribution, and takes the form of additional data appended to the end of the MESSAGES.DAT file in the QWK, and/or an additional file in the QWK called NETFLAGS.DAT. MNET will not import messages from a host packet unless it contains data which says the message's conference has been authorized for net distribution. So what do you do if you just want to informally exchange a conference or two with another board, and neither of you has software which produces packets with "net status" data included? Fear not, there IS a work-around. Since "net status" data is only required for IMPORTING data FROM a host, but none is required for EXPORTING data TO a host, you merely need to set up two separate configuration files, and run each conversion as though it were processing messages going from the node to the host. MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 10 - Using our same naming conventions as above, you would use the configur- ation file we have already described for messages going from your board (NODE.QWK) to the other board (HOST.REP). You would continue to use the same commandline syntax: MNET HOST O since what you want to do is send outgoing mail to the host bbs, just as before. But to *import* mail from the host via HOST.QWK, we can't just use the same configuration file, since MNET would require "net status" information that the host is incapable of providing. So you would have to set up a second configuration file, formatted as though HOST.QWK were from the NODE and it needed to be converted to a .REP packet for export to your board. With the naming convention we have used so far, this file would be called NODE.CFG with all of the node and host references reversed. This can all be confusing to set up, but MNETCFG will offer to create the file for you, if it finds that the QWK packet from your host does not contain the required net status information. The file for our example now would look like this: ---------------------- ;Sample NODE.CFG MNET configuration file - used to process ; QWK packets from host, when host QWK does not contain ; net status information. HOST ; HOST PACKET NAME HOST SYSOPNAME ; HOST SYSOP YOUR NAME ; NODE SYSOP d:\whatever\ ; HOST PACKET DIRECTORY d:\whatever\ ; NODE PACKET DIRECTORY Origin: HostBBS (098) 765-4321 ; HOST DEFAULT TAGLINE Origin: NodeBBS (123) 456-7890 ; NODE DEFAULT TAGLINE PKZIP [FILE] ; PACK COMMAND LINE PKUNZIP [FILE] ; UNPACK COMMAND LINE 3, 15, Y, HostBBS Conf 3 Tag ------------------------ NOTES: - If you create this file manually, don't forget to reverse the order of the conference numbers! - MNETCFG will not define conference taglines for you, if you want them, you must put them in manually. - Since you will only be using this to transfer from your host to you, there is no need to define conference taglines for your end. Then, for inbound messages from the host (which, from the point of view of the other board, would be OUTBOUND messages TO your board) you would use the command line: MNET NODE O to create a NODE.REP that you can upload to your board. MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 11 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- FINAL THOUGHTS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We know these docs are a bit on the rough side, but we THINK you'll find everything you need here. Any suggestions for improving MNET or this document will be gratefully received. Best, Doug Wilson MAKAI Software 26 June 1994 P.S. --- A Major Acknowledgment --- The addition of "net status" capability to our Mail Manager +Plus+ QWK door for RBBS-PC bulletin board software led directly to the development of MNET. Handling of "net status" packets was one of the MOST requested features when Mail Manager was first released. Unfortunately, for a long time, nobody was able to provide any information on what this entailed. Many thanks go out to Marion Royal, sysop of The Royal Flush RBBS, (703)221-1710, who took it upon himself to bird dog this information and provide it to us here at MAKAI Software. Neither the addition of "net status" QWK mail to Mail Manager +Plus+, nor the existence of MNET would have been possible without this information. Thanks, Marion, "this Bud's for you". MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 12 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPENDIX A - REGISTRATION -------------------------------------------------------------------------- MNET is a fully-functional SHAREWARE package. If you like our program, and continue using it beyond a reasonable evaluation period, you are obligated to register it with us. Your registration will be good for future releases of the program as well. Registration removes the "* UNREGISTERED * Evaluation copy" notice that you see when you run MNET, removes the "[NR]" from the MNET tagline that is appended to processed messages, eliminates the 10 second delay at the end of program execution, and enables the /NT command line switch. MNET is not otherwise crippled in *ANY* way. The registration fee structure for MNET is: MNET by itself = $10.00 MNET - special price if you have already registered = 7.50 our MAIL MANAGER +PLUS+ door for RBBS MNET and Mail Manager +Plus+ QWK door for RBBS at = 30.00 the same time (MAILMGR+ is normally $25.00) If you do choose to register, WE THANK YOU! The registration form is on the next page. MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 13 - REGISTRATION FORM FOR MNET Please print carefully, making sure spaces and capitalization are crystal clear (we've never seen your writing before <grin>). Name: __________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ City/State/Zip: __________________________________________________ MNET version that I am currently using: ___v2.10___ BBS Name (as you'd like it to appear in the registration information). This can be your organization name, your name, or any other one-liner that you would like to see when the program runs. Should not exceed 60 characters: ______________________________________________________________________ Specify disk size: [ ] 3 1/2" [ ] 5 1/4" What bbs package do you plan to use MNET with? _______________________ Comments (optional): _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ OPTIONAL: BBS phone number and/or Zone:Net/Node ID (for our own use, in case we feel it necessary to contact you directly). ______________________________ HST [ ] v32 [ ] 2400 [ ] [ ] MNET QWK network node conversion utility alone.............: $10.00 [ ] MNET - add to existing Mail Manager +Plus+ registration, with current Mail Manager +Plus+ release on disk...........: $7.50 My MMGR+ registration # is _________ <-- IMPORTANT! [ ] MNET QWK network node conversion utility plus Mail Manager +Plus+ QWK door for RBBS-PC and Fido *.MSG....: $30.00 Total enclosed: ________ We will mail you a copy of the current version of MNET (and of Mail Manager +Plus+ if applicable), and instructions for registering them in the name entered above. One registration covers all nodes of your BBS. Send check or money order (payable to F. D. Wilson) for the full amount in U.S. Funds to: MAKAI Software 870 Golden Drive Newark, OH 43055 MNET v2.10 QWK-Network File Conversion Utility - Page 14 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPENDIX B - CONTACTING THE AUTHORS / GETTING LATEST VERSIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The home bulletin board for MNET is: INFORMATION OVERLOAD Pickerington, OH, USA (614) 837-0739 Fidonet 1:226/730 v.32bis to 14400 bps All the latest MAKAI Software releases are available here for download by first time callers. See the logon screens for further information. Due to the transitory nature of many bulletin boards, and the fact that you may be reading these instructions a long time after they are written, it is probably best not to list other bulletin boards where we may be reached. Inevitably, whichever board we cite will immediately go out of business, and the phone number will be reassigned to somebody who does not care to be awakened by phone calls from modems in the middle of the night. COMPSERVE: The latest release of MNET will typically be available in the IBMBBS forum, in Library 2, under the file name MNxxx.ZIP, with xxx being the version number. INTERNET: MAKAI Software releases are sent to the Simtel Software Repository and are usually available for FTP from oak.oakland.edu within a few days of release. We have no control over Simtel's file placement, but up to now MNET has been found in the pub/msdos/bbs directory. The authors may be reached via the following network conferences: Fido: RBBS-PC and OFFLINE Rime: RBBS-PC and RBBSQWK New MAKAI releases will be announced here, and we will occasionally post lists of the currently active distribution sites. Address messages to Doug Wilson or Chip Morrow. One of the authors, Chip Morrow, is also available via Compuserve, Internet, and Prodigy, if any of these are more convenient: CIS: 72677,502 Prodigy: GVHM95A Internet: chip@infinet.com And if all else fails, we may even be reached by the U.S. mail: MAKAI Software 870 Golden Drive Newark, OH 43055 We're sorry, but we simply do not have the time or resources to make individual voice calls to help with debugging your MNET setup. On the other hand, we'd like to see you in any of the above echo conferences, where you can get help from others as well as ourselves, and where questions/answers/reports/release notices get a much wider audience, and can benefit more people.