The World of Computer Software/The World of Computer Software.iso/tosspd.zip/TOSS.DOC

Text File | 1992-12-14 | 12KB | 300 lines

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  │ ║   │ ║  │ ║ │ ╙───╖ │ ╙───╖                         Jim Storch
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  │ ║   │ ╙──┘ ║ ┌───┘ ║ ┌───┘ ║   (PD Version)
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   What does TOSS do?

        Imports .QWK message packets into RBBS message bases.

        Exports .REP message packets from RBBS message bases.

   Why would I want to do that?

        This will allow you to "netmail" your BBS's conferences with
        those of another BBS.

   How?

        Simple, the "hub" can be any BBS (even non-rbbs) that has
        a QWK compatible mail door!

        Use TOSS to export your messages into a .REP packet. Call your
        host, download a .QWK packet, then upload your .REP packet.
        Then, use TOSS again to import the host's .QWK packet into
        your message bases.

        Any number of "nodes" can be served by the same hub. You can
        easily create a small network of local BBS's.

   How can I automate the transfer?

        TOSS will run from a batch file. You will need a communications
        program capable of running script files. Create a script to call
        your host and access his mail door. Then, use TOSS and the script
        in your daily maintenance batch file. Your script or batch file
        should be set up to detect when there is no file to upload.
        TOSS will not create a .REP file when there are no new messages.
        TOSS does not mind an empty .QWK, so don't worry about that,
        since many Mail Doors will happily send you one.

        The process is:
                1) TOSS exports .REP
                2) Script downloads .QWK
                3) Script uploads .REP
                4) TOSS imports .QWK

        For my setup, I enable the APPENDREP option and then set my
        script to delete the .REP file, but only if the upload worked.
        That way, if the mail run fails the first time, the next run
        TOSS will append new messages to the old .REP and my script can
        try again.

        I also use the KILLQWK option. This allows me to delete the .QWK
        packet when I'm sure TOSS has gone through it.

   How do I get messages into the conferences I want them?

        Your host has assigned each of his conferences a number in
        the configuration file for his mail door. Download a .QWK packet
        from him, uncompress it, and print out CONTROL.DAT. Starting
        with line 12, you will see the conference number, then the
        description on the next line. Use these numbers to assign your
        conferences with the CONF parameter in you configuration file
        for TOSS.

        The format is:
        CONF=decimal number,full path and name of your rbbs message file

        example:
        CONF=15,C:\RBBS\GAMESM.DEF
        CONF=16,C:\RBBS\JOKEM.DEF
        ...

        Assuming 15 was the number of your host's games conference,
        and GAMEM.DEF is your conference message file.

   Wait a minute, what about messages to SYSOP?

        In the configuration file there's the parameter EXPORT.
        This will allow you to change the names on messages
        sent out. IMPORT does the same for incomming messages.

        This will fix you up:
        EXPORT=SYSOP,your name
        IMPORT=your name,SYSOP

        And this will handle your host sysop:
        EXPORT=host name,SYSOP
        IMPORT=SYSOP,host name

        This will correctly convert names going BOTH ways.
        You can also do this for any user that may be on both boards,
        but under different names.

   Should I pass private mail?

        That's really up to you and your host. If you set ALLOWPRIVATE=YES
        in your host file, TOSS will process them. You can always use the
        EXEMPT parameter to specify users who are allowed to pass private
        mail even when ALLOWPRIVATE=NO.

   What if I have a twit?

        It is a fact of life that some idiots own modems. With this in
        mind, you get the DENY parameter. This allows you to specify users
        that TOSS will not process mail incoming/outgoing to/from.

   How do I run TOSS?

        TOSS require two command line arguments. The first must be
        either EXPORT or IMPORT. The second is the full name of the
        host configuration file. I suggest you copy HOST.CFG and
        edit it. You can name the file whatever you like.

        so:
        TOSS EXPORT host.cfg
        will create the .REP packet

        and:
        TOSS IMPORT host.cfg
        will read in the .QWK packet

        The configuration file MUST contain the following:
            QWKNAME= the full path and name of the host's .QWK file.
            REPNAME= the full path and name of the .REP file to create.
            WORKDIR= a directory that TOSS can work unzip to/from.
               If the bottom subdir does not exist, TOSS will create it.
            HOSTNAME= the QWK name of your host (CONTROL.DAT line 5).
            CONF= Must have at least one conference specified.

   What if I want to link with more than one BBS?

        Simple, just create another host configuration file!

   Where did all these lemurs come from?

        TOSS will create a {hostname}.LMR file. This is LAST MESSAGE
        READ. This is how TOSS keeps track of where in the message bases
        it is, and is updated with every IMPORT or EXPORT. You don't
        have to worry about EXPORTing an IMPORTed message. If you add,
        delete, or re-order a conference, TOSS will not mind. Just remember
        that any new conference will start from the beginning. If you
        renumber or reset anything, do a dummy EXPORT just to max things
        out again. You can delete this file of you want to start from
        scratch on all conferences.

   What about RBBS 17.4 Carbon Copy Messages?

        TOSS will work with either 17.3 or 17.4 message bases,
        including Carbon Copy Messages. However, there is no way to
        import CC messages unless the mail door creates a QWK message
        for each. TOSS will only export one copy of the CC message,
        to the first recipient.

  What about other archivers than PKZIP?

        You may specify another archive program using the COMPRESS=
        and UNCOMPRESS= parameters in the host config file. However,
        the new archiver must use the same order for paths and names
        as PKUNZIP.EXE and PKZIP.EXE

        unarchiver {archive name} {path to extract to}
        archiver {archive name} {file to archive}

  Will my host's mail door work with this?

        Here are some potential problems.  Many mail doors do not
        accept message from anyone other than the user. The
        MAILMANAGER door will allow it, provided you have access
        to read ALL mail. That could cause problem. Networking
        through mail doors is becomming more popular, so expect to
        see more support in the newer doors.

        NOTE: I'm using TOSS with Doug Wilson's Mail Manager *PLUS*.
        And he is currently working on expanding netmail support.

        Another important issue it to make sure you don't download
        the messages you've previously uploaded. If the mail door
        will allow you to reset the last-message-read pointer to the
        maximum value, then do that after each .REP is uploaded.
        That's what my script does.

  What does all this cost?

        TOSS is still Free! I would appreciate any snappy scripts
        that someone is willing to donate for inclusion. Bob Browne
        has already given us a QMODEM set up. Plus, any input you
        have to make our sysop lives easier.

  Anything else I should worry about?

        This is a BETA release! Please back up your message bases
        just to be safe.

        If you run a multi-node BBS, there is a pontential danger
        that someone will access the message base while TOSS is
        using it. For safety, you may want to bring down both nodes
        while doing a mailrun. Future versions will support file
        sharing as soon as the author gets more programming info.

        Make sure you are not using fixed length message bases!
        They must be able to grow! If anyone can explain why you
        would use a fixed length message base for a conference I might
        add support for this.

        TOSS does not keep track of active messages, so it is possible
        to overrun the limit. By the way, I suggest maxing this to 999.
        Running TOSS in conjuction with a message packer works well.
        That way, the packer will remove the old messages, rather than
        lose the new ones TOSS is bringing in. Walter Ames' RTMBP is
        a superb one.

        Please make arrangements with your host PRIOR to doing any
        netmail. This an obvious courtesy. Also, be aware that most
        of the larger echomail networks do not allow their conferences
        to be distributed to unregistered nodes. This goes for RIME
        and FIDONET.

  What about a warranty?

        Sorry, there is NO warranty, expressed or implied. This
        is a BETA version, back-up your message bases to be safe.
        If this is not adequate for you, do not use this program.

  What might we look forward to in future versions?

        The current wish list is:
        Faster imports.
        Keeping track of the active messages.
        LOGFILE support, should be next up.
        Handling multiple .QWK files.
        Maybe a RBBS support DOOR, wow!
        Editing the last-message-read pointers.
        Updating the users Mail Waiting flag.

        And whatever suggestions we get.

  Who was that masked man?

        Me, Jim Storch, I wrote this using TC++ 3.0
        (In C, not ++, still haven't decided if I like ++)
        This is a learning experience for me.

        Thanks to Marion Royal, who I told this would take a week,
        and, four months later...HERE WE ARE, halfway done!

        Thanks also to Doug Wilson (who brought you MAILMANAGER+!!),
        for some great suggestions and moral support.

        If you'd like to get in touch;
        mail:
                Jim Storch
                3317 Esquarre CT
                Woodbridge, VA
                22193-1049

        or modem:
                Electric Harbor BBS
                [phone] (14400bps)

  History?

        Ver 1.0
        6 OCT 92
        Added the APPENDREP and KILLQWK options to make automation
        a little safer and easier.

        7 OCT 92
        Found that I was two characters short on reading subject
        lines and TOSS was inserting what it pleased to the end.
        Quick fix.

        Ver 1.1
        9 OCT 92
        Thanks to Roy White! Who pointed out that TOSS was exporting
        messages to NON-RBBS boards with passwords set to ^READ^
        and ^KILL^, which are in RBBS messages, but used for keeping
        track of msg status. TOSS will now correctly blank passwords.

        12 OCT 92
        Added much sharper looking screen, with color windows with
        shadowing. Now it will look much better at 3:00 am when no
        ones around.

        Ver 1.2
        21 OCT 92
        Thanks to Bob Browne! Who contacted me about his version of
        TOSS that would crash after the last message of an import.
        The problem came from some systems that add a net status table
        to the end of MESSAGES.DAT. TOSS now uses a validation check on
        all message headers, and will exit correctly.

        Thanks again to Bob Browne for Q4RLY43.ZIP! This is a Qmodem
        script for message tranfers that he has very graciously donated
        for inclusion in the TOSS package.