OS/2 Shareware BBS: 2 BBS/02-BBS.zip/sob_110.zip/SOB.HLP

OS/2 Help File | 1993-12-20 | 21KB | 618 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Outbound Manager ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You are currently in the SOB outbound directory manager. The outbound directory
is where a mail tosser, such as Squish, places mail that is to be delivered to
other systems by a FidoNet<tm> such as BinkleyTerm.

The list that is displayed, are the contents of your outbound directory and
contain the following columns:

Address             This is the address the mail is to be sent to.  If a node
                    has more than one item, only the first item has the
                    address.  An address of N/A indicates that SOB could not
                    determine a correct address for the file.

Type                This column indicates the type of file. See the file
                    descriptions below.

Date                The date the file was last written to.

Time                The time the file was last written to.

File Name/Path      The filename and or complete path for the file.  The
                    complete path is used in FLO files and in Update Request
                    type request files.

The file types are defined as follows:

ArcMail   This is an archived mail file, and is sent as a file attach. This
          file contains compressed mail packets, typically echo mail. An
          ArcMail file is supposed to be included in a file attach file.  If an
          ArcMail file is orphaned SOB allows you to un-orphan the file by
          creating a new file attach file or add it to an existing file. After
          an ArcMail file is sent to the targeted system, it is truncated to a
          length of zero.  This indicates to mail processor that the file has
          been sent and not to add any new mail packets.

          The file filtering in SOB allows you to eliminate truncated ArcMail
          files from the display.

Fiat      This file contains a list of files to be sent to another system.
          Each file attach file, has it's list of files displayed immediatly
          after it.  If you do not wish to see these files, the file filtering
          in SOB will prevent these entries from being displayed.

          A file attach file has a flavor (priority) that is described below.

FileReq   This is a list of files, that your system is requesting from another.
          The files to be requested are listed immediatly following the file
          request entry.

          If you do not wish to see these files, the file filtering in SOB will
          prevent these entries from being displayed.

NoConnect This file contains the number of times your system attempted to
          connect to the target system.  This count is displayed after the file
          name in the file name column.

          If you do not wish to see these files, the file filtering in SOB will
          prevent these entries from being displayed.

NodeBusy  This indicate that either BinkleyTerm is connected to, or attempting
          a connection to the node, or that a mail processor such as Squish is
          packing mail for that node.

          If you do not wish to see these files, the file filtering in SOB will
          prevent these entries from being displayed.

Poll      This file is used to force a call to a remote node.  This file may
          also contain netmail messages that have not been added to an ArcMail
          bundle.  A Poll is also used to send a file request file.

Tick      This file is produced by a file distribution processor, such as Tick.

Other     These are files that do not fit any of the above descriptions.

          If you do not wish to see these files, the file filtering in SOB will
          prevent these entries from being displayed.

The Flavor or Priority for FLO and packet files are as follows:

If anyone has a better definition of these, I would appreciate very much if you
would send them to me.

Crash     Typically high priority mail that is sent immedialty.

Direct    Send directly to the destined system without routing thru other
          systems.

Hold      Mail is to be held until the target system calls your system or until
          you call the other system.

Leave     Mail will never be sent.

Normal    Sent "Normally" based on the mailer event setup.

Mail processors create most of the entries in your outbound area. SOB's
outbound manager gives you the ability to easily maintain and manipulate your
outbound area.  You can generate Polls, request and send files, and delete old
or undeliverable mail.

To manipulate any of these entries, select an entry by pressing enter on the
highlighted entry, or double click with the right mouse button and you will be
presented with an Actions Menu


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Options Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This menu presents the options that are available to you in using SOB:

Configuration SOB Configuration

File Filtering Filtering on certain files types in the outbound display.

Exit      Terminating SOB

About     A Brag dialog that seems to be present in all OS/2 PM applications.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. Configuration ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This option allow you to configure SOB with the information it needs to
operate.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2. File Filtering ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This option provides file filtering, to allow some flexability in controlling
what files are displayed in SOB's outbound window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3. Exit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This option will terminate SOB. Prior to exiting, the position and size of
SOB's window will be saved.  The next time SOB is started it will be at the
same location and will be the same size as the last time you used it.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4. About ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This is nothing more than a Brag item. The About selection typically tells who
the author is and displays copyright information.

Every OS/2 PM application seems to have one, so I have included it.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Misc. Outbound Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This menu provides several misc. functions for your enjoyment and comfort:

Cleanup Outbound.

Rescan your outbound.

Generate a Poll.

Request a File from another system.

Send a File to another system.

Update Request a file from another system.

Change Outbound Zone.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1. Cleanup Outbound ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This sub-menu provides several house keeping options to keep your outbound area
nice and tidy.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.1. Clean Up Noconnects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This clean up option will delete files with an extension of *.$$*


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.2. Clean up Truncated ArcMail ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This cleanup option deletes all ArcMail bundles that have been sent.

After an ArcMail bundle is sent, it is truncated to a length of zero.  The zero
length indicates to a mail tosser, such as Squish, the bundle has been sent and
not to add any additional mail packets to the bundle.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.3. Clean up Other ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This clean up option, deletes files that are listed with a type of Other

Other files, are files that are in the outbound and are not recognized by a
mailer such as BinkleyTerm.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.4. Clean up Missing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This clean up option will delete from *.?LO files, any entries that can't be
found.

*.?LO are labeled as FiAtt


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.5. Clean up Empty FiAT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The cleanup option deletes any

*.?LO that do not have any entries.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.6. Clean up ALL ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This cleanup option will delete all of the files eligible for cleanup, which
are:

o No Connects

o Sent (truncated to zero length) ArcMail bundles.

o Files labeled as Other.

o Files listed as missing in *.?LO files.

o *.?LO files that have no entries.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.2. Outbound Rescan ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This Misc menu causes a rescan of the current outbound area, and a refresh of
the outbound display.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3. Generate a POLL ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This Misc menu option will generate a POLL packet, which causes Binkley to call
another system.

You should not generate a POLL unless you do not have mail destined for the
targeted system, or unless you wish to create a POLL with a higher priority
than current waiting mail targeted for the system to be polled.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.4. File Request ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Generates a File Reqest.  Your system will request a file  or files from
another system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.5. Send a File ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Send one more files to another system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.6. Update File Request ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This item allows to request a file that is new or older than a file with the
same name currently on your system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.7. Change Outbound Directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Change to the outbound for a different zone.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Selected Item Actions Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You have selected an item in the you outbound area.  This menu offers several
actions that can be performed on the selected item:

Re-Address     This option allows you to re-address a Flow or Packet file.

Change Flavor  Change the Flavor of a Flow or Packet file.

Erase          Erase any file on the outbound display.

Un-Orphan      Un-Orphan an ArcMail bundle.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.1. Selected Item Actions Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Change the destination address of the selected Flo or Packet file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.2. Change Flavor to Crash ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Change the Flavor (priority) of the selected item to Crash


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.3. Change Flavor to Direct ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Change the Flavor (priority) of the selected item to Direct


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.4. Change Flavor to Hold ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Change the Flavor (priority) of the selected item to Hold


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.5. Change Flavor to Leave ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Change the Flavor (priority) of the selected item to Leave


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.6. Change Flavor to Normal ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Change the Flavor (priority) of the selected item to Normal


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.7. Erase Item ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Erase/delete the selected entry


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.8. UnOrphan ArcMail ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ArcMail requires that a Flow file has the bundle name in it, in order for the
bundle to be sent.  This option will create the Flow file for the selected
ArcMail bundle if it does not exist.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. SOB Configuration ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialogs allows you to provide SOB with information it needs in order to
function.  The information you enter here, is saved in a file named SOB.INI.,
located in the subdirectory that was current when SOB was executed.  Upon
subsequent executions, SOB If the SOB.INI file is deleted, the configuration
dialog will be presented the next time SOB is executed.

Network Address     This is your FidoNet node number.

BBS Name            Your BBS or System name.  Though not required for this
                    release, it will be required for future enhacements.

SysOp Name          Your name. Though not required for this release, it will be
                    required for future enhacements.

Node List Dir       The location of your nodelist files.

                    Note:  Do not enter a trailing back slash.

Outbound Dir        The location of your outbound area.  SOB expects that
                    outbound areas for zones other than your zone, will be this
                    name with the foreign zone appended as an extension.  This
                    extension will a hexadecimal representation of the zone.
                    For instance, if your zone is zone 1 with an outbound
                    called MYOUTBOUND, and you have an outbound are for zone
                    14, SOB will expect an outbound name of MYOUTBOUND.00E for
                    zone 14.

                    Note:  Do not enter a trailing back slash.

Suppress Message    If this box is checked, SOB will not present any
                    confirmation message boxes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Net Address ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Enter a standard FidoNet address.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Zone Change ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog presents a list of zones that SOB knows about based on the name of
your outbound.  To display the contents of a zone's outbound just select the
outbound directory from the list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Send, Request, Update Request files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog provides the following functions:

Send File           This function allows you to send files to another system.

Request File        This function allows you to request a file from another
                    system.

Update Request      This function allows you to request a file that is newer or
                    older than a file with the same name on your system.

Depending on the function requested, some of the following controls will not be
visible.

Node                Enter the Node or Nodes where the request is to be sent to.
                    Click on Accept and the node number will be placed in the
                    list box. You may delete nodes in the list box by selecting
                    one or more entries.

File                Enter the name of the file you wish to send or request.
                    Click on Accept and the file name will be placed in the
                    list box. You may delete one or more file names in the list
                    box by selecting one or more entries.

Password            The password the remote node may require when requesting
                    files. This control is not visible when sending files.

Files Dialog        Selecting this will display another dialog.  With this
                    other dialog you may browse your various subdirectories and
                    select multiple files, even entire directories to send to
                    another system.  This control is available only when
                    sending files.

Priority            The flavor/priority with which the request is to be made.

                    If anyone has a better definition of these, I would
                    appreciate very much if you would send them to me.

   Crash     Typically high priority mail that is sent immedialty.

   Direct    Send directly to the destined system without routing thru other
             systems.

   Hold      Mail is to be held until the target system calls your system or
             until you call the other system.

   Leave     Mail will never be sent.

   Normal    Sent "Normally" based on the mailer event setup.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Generate a poll ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Generate a poll to force you system to call or POLL another system.  The node
field is the standard FidoNet node number of the node you wish to poll.

If anyone has a better definition of these, I would appreciate very much if you
would send them to me.

Crash     Typically high priority mail that is sent immedialty.

Direct    Send directly to the destined system without routing thru other
          systems.

Hold      Mail is to be held until the target system calls your system or until
          you call the other system.

Leave     Mail will never be sent.

Normal    Sent "Normally" based on the mailer event setup.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. File Filtering ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

File filtering allows to to customize the files that are displayed in the
outbound display.  By default all files in the outbound are displayed. To not
show a certain file type, un-check the corresponding file type.

The file types you can remove from the display are:

Busy                These files are created when you mailer is in session with
                    another node, or you mail packer is packing mail destined
                    for another node.

No Connect          This file type contains the number of failed connection
                    attempts when trying to call a node.

Other               These are files that are ignored by your mailer front-end.

Files in .REQ       These are a list of files you are requesting from another
                    node.

Files in .?LO       These are a list of File Attach files. In other words, a
                    list of files you are sending to another system. Typically,
                    they are ArcMail bundles.

Truncated ArcMail   When your mailer successfully sends an ArcMail bundle to
                    another system, the ArcMail bundle is truncated to a length
                    of 0.  Un-Checking this box will keep truncated bundles
                    from being displayed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11. Packet / Bundle Flavor ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

If anyone has a better definition of these, I would appreciate very much if you
would send them to me.

Crash     Typically high priority mail that is sent immedialty.

Direct    Send directly to the destined system without routing thru other
          systems.

Hold      Mail is to be held until the target system calls your system or until
          you call the other system.

Leave     Mail will never be sent.

Normal    Sent "Normally" based on the mailer event setup.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12. Keys Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Accelerator keys provide a fast way of performing common functions. When two
keys are joined by a plus sign (+), use these two keys together. Press and hold
the first key and then press the second key.

GLOBAL KEYS

ESC       Terminates an active dialog.

F1        Context sensitive help.

Alt       Activates the menu bar.

Alt+F4    Terminates SOB

OUTBOUND DISPLAY KEYS

Enter     Activates the Actions Menu for the highlighted item.

Esc       If displayed, terminates the Actions Menu

Alt+C     Activates the Configuration dialog.

Alt+F     Activates the File Filtering dialog.

Alt+H     Displays the Help menu.

Alt+L     Performs a Rescan of the current outbound.

Alt+M     Displays the Misc Menu menu.

Alt+O     Displays the Options Menu menu.

Alt+P     Invokes the Poll dialog.

Alt+R     Invokes the Request File dialog.

Alt+S     Invokes the Send File dialog.

Alt+U     Invokes the Update Request File dialog.

Alt+X     Exit SOB

Alt+Z     Invokes the Change Zone dialog.

Alt+0     Displays the Cleanup sub menu.

Alt+1     Clean up Clean Up Noconnects.

Alt+2     Clean up Truncated ArcMail.

Alt+3     Clean up Other.

Alt+4     Clean up Missing.

Alt+5     Clean up Empty FiAT.

Alt+6     Clean up All.

NODELIST EDITOR DISPLAY

Esc       Terminates the Nodelist Editor.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Squish is a mail tosser and packer written and Copyrighted by Scott Dudley.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Binkley is a FidoNet(tm) mailer front end written and copyrighted by Bit Bucket
Software.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

FidoNet is a Trademark of Tom Jennings.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Tick if anyone know the author of this software please send me a netmail so I
could include it here.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

If anyone has a better definition of these, I would appreciate very much if you
would send them to me.

Crash     Typically high priority mail that is sent immedialty.

Direct    Send directly to the destined system without routing thru other
          systems.

Hold      Mail is to be held until the target system calls your system or until
          you call the other system.

Leave     Mail will never be sent.

Normal    Sent "Normally" based on the mailer event setup.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Format of a Version 7 Nodelist

A Version 7 nodelist has 3 seperate components:

Node Index     The node index contains an entry for each node found in a raw
               nodelist. Each index entry contains a pointer into the data file
               for that nodes information.

Sysop Index    The SysOp index contains at least one entry for each SysOp in
               the nodelist.  Most Version 7 nodelist compilers will remove
               duplicate names within the same Net.  Most of these same
               compilers also provide options for allowing duplicate names in
               the SysOp index. When updating or adding a new node, and an
               entry for the SysOp exists in the SysOp index, SOB will ask if
               you want a duplicate SysOp index entry.

Data File      The data file contains all of the information for a node.  Each
               of the indexes contain a pointer to it's information within the
               data file.

Each of the above indexes is based on a variation on the B+-tree algorithm and
is derived from the balanced tree algorithm in Aho, Hopcroft, and Ulman. For a
more indepth understanding of B-trees and other data structures see "The Design
and Analysis of Computer Algorithms", by Aho, Hopcroft, and Ulman
(Addison-Wesley, 1974).