Collection of Tools & Utilities/Collection of Tools and Utilities.iso/olrdrs/qwkp9407.zip/QWK.TXT

Text File | 1994-07-05 | 52KB | 1,148 lines

                     QWK Mail Packet File Layout
                          by Patrick Y. Lee

Version 1.6 - December 19, 1992
     Added off-line commands for QSO (door for TBBS), thanks to
     message from Bob Hartman in the FidoNet Off-line echo.  All
     8-bit characters have been replaced with either blanks or
     equivalent 7-bit characters so I can send this file easily via
     Internet email.  Line 9 of the CONTROL.DAT file seems to be
     used by a few doors to indicate the NetMail conference.
Version 1.5 - July 30, 1992
     Added off-line commands for Cam-Mail door.  Fixed error in the
     status flag section.  The descriptions for `*' and `+' are
     incorrect.  Thanks to Bob Blaylock for bringing this up.
Version 1.4 - July 18, 1992
     Fixed a few minor mistakes in the documentation (thanks to
     Cody Gibson).  Nothing really major.  Also completed the
     Netmail section of the documentation.
Version 1.3 - July 6, 1992
     Added changes to the QWK format adopted by Qmail door.  Spe-
     cifically line 10 of CONTROL.DAT file and bytes 126-127 of
     MESSAGES.DAT file.  Please refer to the appropriate section
     for the changes.
Version 1.2 - May 31, 1992
     Added a few items to the DOOR.ID file that is being supported
     by Qmail DeLuxe2 version 1.25.
Version 1.1 - March 15, 1992
     Minor fixes here and there to make everything just right.
Version 1.0 - February 23, 1992
     First release.

This document is Copyright 1992 by Patrick Y. Lee.

The QWK-format is Copyright 1987 by Sparkware.

All program names mentioned in this document are either Copyright
or Trademark of respective owners.

The author provides this file as-is without warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied.  You are using the information in this
file at your own discretion.  The author assumes no responsibili-
ties for damages, either physically or financially, from the use of
this information.

This document may be freely distributed by any means (electronical-
ly, paper, etc.), provided that it is distributed in its entirety.
Portions of this document may be reproduced without credit.

The latest version of this file can always be found on Aardvark BBS
(New York, NY) at [phone].  It can also be found in the Lu-
natic Fringe BBS (Plano, TX) at [phone] USR HST DS.  First
time caller can download on both boards.  The file can also be sent
via Internet email to anyone who asks.  Mail request to
[e-mail].

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-<>-=-=-=-=-=-=-

                          Table of Contents

1.  Introduction
    1.1.  Intent
    1.2.  History
    1.3.  Questions, corrections, etc.
2.  Conventions & overview
    2.1.  The BBS ID
    2.2.  Packet compression
    2.3.  Packet transfer & protocols
    2.4.  Limitations
3.  QWK files
    3.1.  Naming convention
    3.2.  Control file (CONTROL.DAT)
    3.3.  Welcome file
    3.4.  Goodbye file
    3.5.  News file
    3.6.  Qmail DeLuxe2 menu file
    3.7.  New uploads listing (NEWFILES.DAT)
    3.8.  Bulletin file(s) (BLT-x.y)
    3.9.  Message file (MESSAGES.DAT)
    3.10.  Index files (*.NDX)
        3.10.1.  Conference indices
        3.10.2.  Personal index (PERSONAL.NDX)
    3.11.  Pointer file
    3.12.  SESSION.TXT
4.  REP files
    4.1.  Naming convention
    4.2.  Message file (BBSID.MSG)
    4.3.  Door control messages
    4.3.1.  DOOR.ID file
    4.3.2.  Qmail
    4.3.3.  MarkMail
    4.3.4.  KMail
    4.3.5.  RoseMail
    4.3.6.  Complete Mail Door
    4.3.7.  The MainMail System
    4.3.8.  BGQWK
    4.3.9.  UltraBBS
    4.3.10.  TriMail
    4.3.11.  Cam-Mail
    4.3.12.  QSO
    4.4.  Turning off the echo flag
    4.5.  Tag-lines
5.  Net mail
A.  Credits & contributions
B.  Sample Turbo Pascal and C code
C.  Sample message
D.  Sample index file

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-<>-=-=-=-=-=-=-

To search for a specific section, look for "[x.x]" using your edi-
tor or viewer.  For example, to jump to the tag-lines portion of
this file, search for "[4.5]" with your editor or text viewer.

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-<>-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[1]  Introduction

[1.1]  Intent

This document is written to facilitate programmers who want to write
QWK-format mail doors or readers.  It is intended to be a comprehen-
sive reference covering all areas of QWK-format mail processing.
Detailed break down of each file is included, as are implementation
information.  In addition, door and reader specific information may be
included, when such information are available to me.

[1.2]  History

The QWK-format was invented by Mark "Sparky" Herring in 1987.  It was
based on Clark Development Corporation's PCBoard version 12.0 message
base format.  Off-line mail reading has become popular only in recent
years.  Prior to summer of 1990, there were only two QWK-format off-
line mail reader programs.  They were Qmail DeLuxe by Mark Herring and
EZ-Reader by Eric Cockrell.  Similarly for the doors, there were only
two -- Qmail by Mark Herring and MarkMail by Mark Turner.  They were
both for PCBoard systems.

A lot has changed in both off-line reader and mail door markets since
summer 1990.  Now, there are more than a dozen off-line mail readers
for the PC.  Readers for the Macintosh, Amiga, and Atari exist as
well.  There are over a half dozen doors for PCBoard, and QWK-format
doors exist for virtually all of the popular BBS softwares.  All of
these happened in less than two years!  More readers and doors are in
development as I write this, keep up the excellent work.  In addition
to doors, some BBS softwares has QWK-format mail facility built in.

Off-line mail reading is an integral part of BBS calling.  Conference
traffic and selection on all networks have grown dramatically in re-
cent years that on-line reading is a thing of the past.  Off-line mail
reading offers an alternative to reading mail on-line -- It offers
speed that cannot be achieved with on-line mail reading.

The reason why QWK-format readers and doors seem to have gained popu-
larity is probably dued to its openness.  The format is readily avail-
able to any programmer who wishes to write a program that utilize it.
Proprietary is a thing of the past, it does not work!  Openness is
here to stay and QWK-format is a part of it.

[1.3]  Questions, corrections, etc.

Most of the message networks today have a conference/echo devoted to
discussion of off-line readers and mail doors.  The ones I know are on
FidoNet, ILink, Intelec, and RIME.  If you have questions after read-
ing anything in here, feel free to drop by any of the above conference
/echo and I am sure other QWK authors will try to help.

I can be reached at:

CompuServe: >INTERNET:[e-mail]
FidoNet: Off-line echo
ILink: Off-line conference
Intelec: Off-line conference
Internet: [e-mail]
PlanoNet: Reviews conference
RIME: ->RUNNINGB, Off-line, Common, Net Admin., Shareware, New Users,
and Session Manager conferences

Any corrections, extensions, comments, and criticisms are welcomed.
Messages from Internet and RIME will probably be answered first.  But
I do check mail on all other places at least once a week.

[2]  Conventions & overview

All offsets referenced in this document will be relative to 1.  I am
not a computer, I start counting at one, not zero!

Words which are enclosed in quotes should be entered as-is.  The quo-
tations are not part of the string unless noted.

You may have noticed I use the phrase "mail program" or "mail facili-
ty" instead of mail doors.  This is because some BBS softwares offer
the option of creating QWK-format mail packets right from the BBS.
With those, there is no need for an external mail door.

[2.1]  The BBS ID

The BBS ID (denoted as BBSID) is a 1-8 characters word that identifies
a particular BBS.  This identifier should be obtained from line 5 of
the CONTROL.DAT file (see section 3.2.1).

[2.2]  Packet compression

Most mail packets are compressed when created by the mail door in
order t