   Fnordadel Read Tutorial
 
   To send information from the system to you -- usually messages or files,
but also some other miscellaneous things -- you use one of the many .R(ead)
commands.
 
   Typically, .R(ead) is used for viewing messages.  To read new messages in
the current room, for instance, you could use either the single-key command
[N]ew, or the extended command .R(read) N(ew).  In practise, the long form of
the command is never used in this basic fashion.  Instead, it is used with an
array of options that do all sorts of things.
 
   The general form of message- and file-related .R(ead) commands is this:
 
   .R(ead) [<protocol>] [<options>] <command>
 
where <protocol> is optional, and may be one of the following:
 
   X(modem)  -- the standard, 128-byte packet protocol
   Y(modem)  -- Xmodem with 1024-byte packets
   W(xmodem) -- Windowed Xmodem (may not be available)
   V(anilla) -- a pseudo-ASCII transfer terminated by 2 CAN (CTRL-X) chars
   T(ext)    -- display a text file, formatting it as messages are done
   C(apture) -- read anything and capture it in your held message buffer
 
and <options> is optional, and may be a combination of the following:
 
   M(ore)     -- pause between msgs or files
   U(ser)     -- read only msgs from a user
   L(ocal)    -- in a shared room, read only locally-entered msgs
   +(After)   -- msgs/files after a certain date
   -(Before)  -- msgs/files before a certain date
   ~(not)     -- negate a command (use with More, Local, User, Invited)
   =(Headers) -- read only headers of messages
 
and <command> is one of:
 
   A(ll)          -- displays all messages in the room (like [F]orward)
   G(lobal)       -- displays all new messages on the entire system
   N(ew)          -- displays new messages in the room (like [N]ew)
   O(ld)          -- displays old messages in the room (like [O]ld)
   R(everse)      -- displays all messages reversed (like [R]everse)
   D(irectory)    -- lists files in the current directory room
   E(xtended-dir) -- lists files with descriptions
   F(ile)         -- displays or downloads one file
   B(atch file)   -- downloads multiple files in batch mode
 
   Not all of the <protocol> and <options> values make sense together, but a
fair number of combinations are possible.  The bottom line is, try it!  If it
makes any kind of sense, it will probably work!
 
   The M(ore) option is particularly useful, and applies to either message-
reading or directory-viewing.  When used to read messages, M(ore) causes the
system to stop after each message is displayed.  You are given a command
prompt at which a variety of commands are available.  Hit [?] to see them all.
Likewise, when viewing files in a directory, M(ore) causes the system to stop
after each file and give you a command prompt.  Various things can be done at
the prompt, and [?] will show you a list of them all.
 
   The U(ser) option will cause the system to prompt you for a user name.
You need not enter a complete name.  If you enter only a part, the system
will search for that part in each message's author.  So entering "foo" will
match with messages from users "Foo" and "FOObar".
 
   With the +(After) and -(Before) options, the system will prompt you for a
date.  The date should be in normal Citadel format, "YYMMMDD", for example
"91Jun30".  If you leave off the year, the system will assume the current one.
 
   Using a <protocol> with one of the message-reading commands lets you grab
a pile of messages onto your own system, where you can peruse them at great
length without tying up the BBS.  If you compose your replies on your own
system as well, you can upload them to the BBS in a similar fashion using
.E(nter).  See .H(elp) ENTER.
 
   The D(irectory), (Extended-directory), F(ile) and B(atch file) commands
will all need you to indicate a file name template of some kind.  (Also, if
you've set expert mode in .EC, the system will NOT prompt you for the file
mask!)  They're not all the same, however.  For example, .RD, .RE and .RB will
all accept a file name containing wild-cards ("*" to match any number of
characters, and "?" to match any single character).  .RD and .RE will both
take a carriage return to mean "*.*" (i.e., all files), whereas .RB will take
a carriage return to mean all files in your batch list (you set this up in
the file browser, .RME).  .RF is much less flexible; it will take neither
wild-cards nor a carriage return -- you must give a single unique file name.
  
   Other available .R(ead) commands include the following:
 
   .R(ead archive-)H(eader) FOO.ARC -- view the contents of an ARC file; may
                                       also be usable with LZH, ZOO, etc.
                                       files if your Sysop has set them up
   .R(ead) I(nvited)                -- get a list of people invited to the
                                       current room, if private
   .R(ead) S(tatus)                 -- see some user and system status info
   .R(ead) # (message number)       -- read a specifically numbered message.
                                       This is useful in anonymous rooms.
 
   Use ".R(ead) [?]" to get a list of available .R(ead) options.
 
%%SEE ALSO:
%ENTER The Enter command %FILES All about uploading and downloading
%TOPICS Main help topics list
