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1990-07-04
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MSGFORM Version 1.10
MSGFORM 1.10 - An RBBS Message Base Utility (07/04/90)
Written: Mike Zakharoff
Origin : INTERSTATE BBS NETWORK, Seattle WA
FidoNet: (1:343/36) (206) 631-3231 PCPable (WASEA 1200/2400)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PURPOSE
MSGFORM is designed to import ASCII text files into RBBS message bases.
This allows SYSOPS to create "standard letters" for a variety of
situations, a few as follows:
1) WELCOME message after a special registration door.
2) THANKYOU note for a subscription (my favorite).
3) A special "broadcast message", addressed to special users
4) Whatever else!
MSGFORM is pretty flexible, as it can get the TO: (recipient)
information from:
1) command line, such as /TO:MIKE ZAKHAROFF
2) From DORINFOx.DEF (/DOR:xx)
3) From an ASCII LIST of users (/LST:xx)
NOTE: The /LST:xxx switch will create MULTIPLE messages, one for each
user listed.
Also, you can tell MSGFORM to:
1) Set the security level to a certain level (/SEC:xx)
2) Make the message private using (/PRI)
3) Open message base as SHARED (/NET)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SYNTAX
MSGFORM 1.10 (07/04/90) Mike Zakharoff INTERSTATE BBS NETWORK, Seattle WA
FidoNet (1:343/36) (206)631-3231
MSGFORM /LTR:xx /MSG:xx [OPTIONS] /TO:Fname Lname
/LTR:xxx Ascii form letter to import
/MSG:xxx Message base to send /LTR:xxx
/TO:Fn Ln Where Fn = First Name and Ln = Last Name of recipient
[OPTIONS]
/DOR:xxx Where xxx = DORINFOx.DEF File where /TO: is retrieved
/LST:xxx Where xxx = FILE containing a LIST of Names for /TO:
/SEC:xxx Where xxx = Security Level of imported message
/PRI Make message PRIVATE
/NET Open Message base as SHARED
NOTE: If "/TO:xxx xxx" is used, it ** MUST ** be the LAST command
line switch!
Page: 1
MSGFORM Version 1.10
----------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMAND EXECUTION
Very simple. Supply the following information on the command line:
1) The name of the letter or form to import (/LTR:xxx)
2) The name of the message base to receive (/MSG:xxx)
3) Who is to receive the letter (/TO:Ln Fn)
So the minimum command would be....
MSGFORM /LTR:letter1 /MSG:messages /TO:Jim Smite <rtn>
IMPORTANT!
^^^^^^^^^^
The "/TO:xxxx xxxx" MUST be the LAST item entered on the command line
switch. MSGFORM will assume the name will be everything to the RIGHT
of the "/TO:" entry.
Ascii letter file MUST have the following format:
Line 1 - Who the message is FROM
Line 2 - Subject of the message
Line 3 + Text of message
In the text of the letter, the keywords [FIRST] & [LAST] will be
replaced with the users first and last for dynamic replacement.
NOTE: See supplied "letter1" for an example of the form letter
COMMAND LINE [OPTIONS]
----------------------
/DOR:xxx
--------
The /DOR:xxx switch allows you to retrieve the users name
from the respective DORINFOx.DEF file, and THAT will replace
the /TO:xxx xxx entry that is used with the minimum command
line switch.
Example:
MSGFORM /LTR:letter1 /MSG:messages /DOR:dorinfo1.def <rtn>
Of course, you could replace the "dorinfo1.def" with
"dorinfo%1.def" and RBBS can replace the node number when it
exits to a registration door or whatever.
NOTE: With this option, "/TO:" is NOT used.
Page: 2
MSGFORM Version 1.10
/LST:xxx
--------
The /LST:xxx switch allows you to create MULTIPLE messages,
one for each user listed in the FILE "xxx". This may be
useful if you have a select group of users, and you want to
send a personal message to all of them.
Simply create a file (called anything) such as:
JOHN USER
MIKE TOSSER
TIM SMITH
ROBERT IDIOT
etc...
Execute MSGFORM as follows....
MSGFORM /LTR:letter1 /MSG:messages /LST:userlist <rtn>
MSGFORM will create one single message, one for each user
listed.
NOTE: With this option, "/TO:" is NOT used.
/SEC:xxx
--------
The /SEC:xxx allows you to set the security level of the
message, such as:
MSGFORM /LTR:letter1 /MSG:messages /SEC:40 /TO:mike zakharoff
Will set this message to PUBLIC, SECURITY level of 40.
/PRI
----
The /PRI switch will set the message to PRIVATE, vice PUBLIC.
Such as:
MSGFORM /LTR:letter1 /MSG:messages /SEC:40 /PRI /TO:mike z
/NET
----
The /NET will open the message bases as SHARED, for
NETBIOS-type environments. Such as:
MSGFORM /LTR:letter1 /MSG:messages /NET /TO:mike zakharoff
IMPORTANT!
^^^^^^^^^^
ALWAYS place the /TO: related switches (/TO:, /LST: & /DOR:) last on
the command line.
Also, you can NOT mix /TO: related switches.
Page: 3
MSGFORM Version 1.10
----------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTING INFORMATION
---------------------
When importing a letter, any line greater than 72 characters (RBBS
standard) will be formatted as a paragraph. If you want to get fancy,
you can simply create the file where it will always be LESS than 72
characters, and it will be imported exactly the same as the letter.
If [FIRST] and [LAST] are present in the letter, MSGFORM will replace
their occurrence with the users first and last, but only if the name
has a first and last name. "SYSOP" will make both [FIRST] & [LAST] be
equal to "SYSOP".
Also, users that have TWO spaces between, like "JOHN M SMITH", will be
imported properly, and [FIRST] will be equal to "JOHN" and [LAST] will
be equal to "M SMITH".
NOTE: MSGFORM does NOT bother setting the mailwaiting bits.
Applications are only limited by your own creativity!
REVISIONS
---------
06-30-90 - Version 1.0 - Original release
07-04-90 - Version 1.1 - Bug Fix of 1.0
1) Fixed command line bug where sending to "ALL" didn't always
work.
2) [FIRST] & [LAST] will now work with users with single names
like "SYSOP" or "ALL". Both [FIRST] & [LAST] will be equal to
the single name.
3) Fixed importing where users with TWO spaces ("JOHN M SMITH")
would be imported as "JOHN M". For these cases, [FIRST] will
now be equal to "JOHN" and [LAST] will be equal to "M SMITH".
Other RBBS programs I have written:
MSGTOSS - Fast Fidonet message importer for RBBS (fast!)
MSGRENUM - Renumber RBBS message bases w/o CONFIG
FIXMSG - Repair RBBS message bases w/o CONFIG
MAILWAIT - Maintain RBBS "mailwaiting bits"
MSGECHO - Obsolete due to MSGTOSS
Thanks, Mike Zakharoff
INTERSTATE BBS NETWORK
(206)631-3231
FidoNet 1:343/36
RBBS-NET 8:918/1
Page: 4