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1997-02-05
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VMB
═══
VMB is a utility which greatly simplifies set up of
networked message bases and file areas. The principle VMB
was founded on was that you could use a pre-made list (usually
an ASCII text file) as the means for selecting and de-selecting
network message bases and file areas.
When you first start-up VMB, you'll get a list of networks
to choose from. Choose a network. If the network is a FIDO type
net, VMB will ask if you want message bases or file areas.
If the network is Internet, VMB will ask which hierarchy you
want to manipulate.
Once you've made made your choices, VMB will display a list
of available entries. You can use the Up/Down/PgUp/PgDown/Home/End
keys to move the highlight bar, and space-bar to toggle. Use the
function keys (F-keys) to set your desired defaults.. ie..
Read and Write Security Levels, Acc Flags, etc for newly added
entries. (NOTE: You must do this *before* you actually select/add
new entries.)
Setting Up The Lists
════════════════════
VMB can use several different types of lists:
(a) Message bases for VirtualNET and VirtualNET-type networks
(b) Message bases for the Internet (commonly referred to as Newsgroups)
(c) Message bases and File areas for FIDOnet and FIDO-type networks
(d) Message bases for QWK-type networks
(a) VirtualNET and VirtualNET-type networks use the AREALIST.*
format as the pre-made lists. VMB can read and process these.
Typically, each VirtualNET-type network has its own subdirectory
on your hard drive, and the AREALIST.* files for that network
is stored there.
Typically, you will get updates from the arealist or network
coordinator of the respective VirtualNET-type network.
(b) The Internet Newsgroup List is contained in the file NEWSGRP.9,
avaialble separately as archive VMBLISTS.ZIP. Put this file in
your DATA directory to be able to access it.
(c) The FIDOnet Echo List is contained in file FIDO-NA.4, available
separately as archive VMBLISTS.ZIP. Put this file in your DATA
directory to be able to access it.
The FIDOnet Filebone List is contained in file FILE-NA.4, available
separately as archive VMBLISTS.ZIP. Put this file in your DATA
directory to be able to access it.
(d) Lists for the various QWK networks is contained in files QWKLIST.*
and these files should also reside in your DATA directory.
VMB Command Lines
═════════════════
VMB command line syntax is as follows:
VMB (no parmaters)
Runs VMB in interactive mode, so that you can select/deselect subs.
The remaining VMB command line options are commands that you
might run once in a while, once per week, or once per day, depending
on the command and your needs. These commands apply only to
VirtualNET-type networks, and you must supply the NETWORKID=
parameter on the command line when manipulating networks other then
VirtualNET. An example of this would be InterGATE, where NETWORKID=8
would be required.
Additionally, you may use the optional parameters /SUN, /MON,
/TUE, /WED, /THU, /FRI, /SAT to specify that an operation should
only be completed if running on a specific day of the week.
This allows you to set the command up as a daily event, and
the executable will be run every day, but the operation will
only be allowed to proceed on the day specific on the VMB
command line. If the current day is different than specified, the executable
exits without doing the requested action.
As is the standard in displaying command line syntax, []
shows optional modifers (stuff that can be omitted), | means
"OR," and "x" should be replaced with the appropriate network
slot number as listed in the DATA\NETWORKS.LST file.
VMB [/SUN | /MON | /TUE | /WED | /THU | /FRI | /SAT] /REPORT NETWORKID=x
Used by sub-hosts to send up flow reports to the Arealist Coordinator.
VMB [/SUN | /MON | /TUE | /WED | /THU | /FRI | /SAT] /VCHECK NETWORKID=x
Used by sub-hosts to remove nodes from the "V" files (distribution
lists) that no longer exist in the BBSLIST. (ie removes nodes
which are down from your subs' distribution lists.)
VMB [/SUN | /MON | /TUE | /WED | /THU | /FRI | /SAT] /RE-ADD NETWORKID=x
Used by sub-subscribers to re-send ADD requests of the subs they are
currently set-up for, to the respective hosts of each sub. In other
words, if you find you are not receiving any messages in one
or more message areas for a really long time, you may want to try
this. One or more sub-hosts may have had some accident and lost
their distribution list.
This bring up an important point for BBS SysOps to consider:
Its pretty easy to go to a DOS command line and accidentally delete
needed files when trying to free up space on a crowded hard drive.
Please make backups from time to time, or at least, be extra careful
when deleting files. Its no fun re-installing things like Win95
or OS/2 because of accidental deletion.
VMB Sub Selection Screen
════════════════════════
When running VMB in interactive mode, once you've selected
a network and/or list to choose from, VMB will read the list
you've selected, and examine your current configuration. The
list will be displayed on the screen. The character inside
the "( )" is your indicator:
( ) Not Selected
(*) Selected
(h) Hosted by your system
(G) Gated to another network by your system
(H) Hosted & Gated
(h) and (H) will show up on VirtualNET-type networks only.
VMB For VNET Type Network Subslist Coordinators
═══════════════════════════════════════════════
The "SC" flag in the BBSLIST indicates the Subslist
Coordinator for the VNET Type Network, and where VMB will
send the Flow Reports (described previously). In the event
there is no SC, then the NC can also act as SC. VMB detects
these situations automatically from examination of the BBSLISTs
for the VNET network in use.
To process the incoming Flow Reports and New Sub Requests,
"SC"'s should run as a daily event:
VMB /VMB