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1999-01-25
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Searchlight UTI Driver -- Version 3.0 (For Searchlight BBS 3.0 & Later)
Introduction
Searchlight UTI is a Universal Text Interface driver for Searchlight BBS.
This version works with Searchlight 3.0 and later.
A UTI driver is a series of programs that can convert messages between the
format used by a particular BBS program and a "Universal" format that is
recognized by various application programs. The specification for UTI was
developed by Kip Compton for use with his MegaMail offline reader software
and PCRelay network software. The Searchlight UTI driver allows you to run
MegaMail, PCRelay and other UTI applications on your Searchlight BBS system.
The Searchlight UTI physically consists of seven separate EXE files which
perform various functions, as described below. These programs are command
line driven, produce no screen output, and are designed to be called by a
UTI application (such as MegaMail) rather than directly from DOS or from a
batch file.
Installation
The Searchlight UTI driver should be installed simply by copying all the
executable files into any directory in your system that's part of the
command search path (so that the programs can be executed from any
directory).
The UTI driver is compatible with single or multinode Searchlight BBS
systems.
UTI driver programs expect to find the CONFIG.SL2 file in the current
directory when run. The UTI programs will also recognize an environment
variable, SLBBS, which should be set equal to the directory where the
Searchlight CONFIG.SL2 file is located. For example:
SET SLBBS=C:\BBS\NODE1
If this environment variable is set, the UTI programs will look for the
CONFIG file in C:\BBS\NODE1, unless a CONFIG.SL2 file exists in the current
directory, in which case it will be used instead.
On multiuser systems, please be sure that when DOORS execute from a particular
node, and use the UTI driver, that the UTI driver is accessing the CONFIG
file for that node. If you use the SET SLBBS environment parameter, each DOS
environment in which a Searchlight node runs should have the parameter set
to point to its own CONFIG.SL2 file. For example, if you run Desqview, you
would want to SET SLBBS as part of a batch file that launches each SL task,
rather than in your AUTOEXEC file when booting the system.
Programs
Here is a summary of the UTI programs and parameters. Note: in all examples
except UTILSTRD.EXE, the filename may be omitted. Omitting the filename
causes the output to go to the console (screen) instead of a text file.
High Message Number
-------------------
UTIHIGH.EXE <subboard> <filename>
example: UTIHIGH GENERAL HIGHMSG.TXT
This program returns the number of the highest message in a given subboard,
as a plain text (decimal ASCII) number, to the speicifed output file (or to
the console if no output file is given).
Message Export
--------------
UTIEXPRT.EXE <subboard> <startmsg> <filename>
example: UTIEXPRT SLBBS 245 MESSAGE.TXT
The export utility exports all messages from a subboard from the given
message number to the end of the subboard. The messages are exported to the
given text file.
The <startmsg> need not specify the number of an existing message (if it
does not, output starts at the next highest message).
The format of the output file is the standard UTI format given in the UTI
specifications (see below for more information).
Message Import
--------------
UTIIMPRT.EXE <subboard> <filename>
example: UTIIMPRT MAIL INPUT.TXT
The import utility reads the messages in the given file and imports them
into the specified Searchlight subboard. As shown in this example, you can
import (and export) private mail by specifying the MAIL subboard.
The import file is in the same format as the output file produced by
UTIEXPRT.EXE.
Subboard List
-------------
UTILIST.EXE <filename>
example: UTILIST SUBLIST.TXT
Generates a list of subboards. The list is always output in alphabetical
order and contains all subboards as defined in the SETUP program.
Each entry is 3 plain text lines. Lines 1 and 2 contain the subboard's name
(one to eight characters). Line 3 contains the subboard's long description.
Last Read Pointers
------------------
UTILSTRD.EXE [READ|WRITE] <filename> <username>
example: UTILSTRD READ LAST.TXT FRANK LAROSA
example: UTILSTRD WRITE LAST.TXT FRANK LAROSA
The READ parameter generates a list of the user's highest message read
pointers for each subboard in which the user is a member. Subboards in which
the user is not a member are listed as -1. The output goes into the named
output file. Subboards are listed in the same order as UTILIST.
The WRITE parameter updates the user's last read pointers using the values
in the named input file, which must be in the same order as the output file.
Although Searchlight allows read and write priviledges to be specified
independently, this is not supported by UTI applications. Therefore,
UTILSTRD will report a last read value of -1 for any subboard to which a
user does not have full read/write access.
Version
-------
UTIVER.EXE <filename>
example: UTIVER VERSION.TXT
Generates the version number (currently 2) and tag line, to the named output
file. Version 2 is the version of the UTI specification with which this
driver is compatible; not the version number of the driver.
UTI Door File
-------------
UTIDOOR.EXE <filename>
example: UTIDOOR UTIDOOR.TXT
Generates UTI door information into the named output file. The UTIDOOR
output file contains five lines in plain text:
Line 1: User name
Line 2: Actual BPS rate
Line 3: Com port (0-4)
Line 4: Locked DTE rate
Line 5: Time remaining in seconds
Note: UTIDOOR is not a UTI driver in the sense that it is not directly
called by UTI applications. UTIDOOR is normally run as the first command of
a batch file which executes a UTI application (such as Megamail) in order to
generate the above file, for use by the application. The standard name for
this file is UTIDOOR.TXT.
Notes:
Errors
------
The Searchlight UTI drivers will exit with an error level between 0 and 5
indicating the result of the program execution. All drivers share a common
error level list, as follows:
Level Problem & Suggested Action
----- --------------------------
0 No error
1 Could not open system files. Either your CONFIG.SL2 file is not
in the current directory, or the paths it contains are invalid,
your SLBBS data files are missing or corrupt, or the UTI driver
could not open the files due to operating system restrictions
(such as out of file handles).
2 Could not open specified subboard. The subboard name specified
on the command line is not a valid name, or a DOS error occured
when attempting to open the files.
3 Could not open input or output file. For input files, this usually
means the file did not exist. On output, it means that DOS was
unable to create the file.
4 Error in input file. The format of an input file was not the
expected UTI file format.
5 Subboard full. Reported by UTIIMPRT if a subboard is full. To
correct it, delete messages from the subboard, increase the
subboard's maximum message count, or enable auto delete on the
subboard.
6 Invalid username. Reported by UTILSTRD if the username specified
on the command line is not valid.
Handling Private Mail
---------------------
Because of the way personal mail is stored in Searchlight BBS, the UTI
driver at this time does not support the transfer of private messages via a
network such as PCRelay. However, private mail transfers to an offline
reader program are supported.
When UTIIMPRT imports messages into a public subboard (ie. any subboard
other than the MAIL subboard), messages marked as PRIVATE in the message
header of the UTI import file will be discarded. Since there are no public/
private flags on messages in Searchlight public subboards, all messages
exported from public subboards will have a PUBLIC designation in the UTI
output file.
The MAIL subboard is treated as an exception. UTIIMPRT and UTIEXPRT will
work in conjunction with the MAIL subboard so as to provide a means of
importing and exporting private mail for use with offline reader doors.
UTIIMPRT, when called with the MAIL subboard as a parameter, will import any
message in the input file (regardless of the PUBLIC/PRIVATE flag) as a
private Searchlight mail message to the addressee in the message header. If
the addressee does not have a mailbox in Searchlight, one will be created
when the message is imported.
UTIEXPRT, when called on the MAIL subboard, always exports only new messages
addressed to the currently logged on user. UTIEXPRT reads the "times read"
counter in the message headers to determine which messages are new, and
ignores the starting message number specified on the command line. The
"times read" indicator is AUTOMATICALLY incremented whenever a message is
exported from the MAIL subboard, so that message may not be exported again.
Note that the UTILSTRD program will read and write a user's correct high
message read pointer from the MAIL subboard, although that number will have
no effect on UTIEXPRT.
UTILIST will show the "MAIL" subboard as a regular subboard. When setting up
a PCRelay network, care must be taken to prevent the application program
from exporting from or importing to the MAIL subboard. When setting up an
offline mail system, users should be allowed to select the MAIL subboard as
they would any other subboard.
Textual Considerations
----------------------
The UTIEXPRT program reformats messages to a maximum column width of 72
characters, as is required by UTI applications. Quoted text is handled by
stripping off the initial ">" character and any additional non-textual
characters, reformatting the paragraph, and adding back the ">" characters.
UTIEXPRT exports up to 40 characters for the message subject, although many
UTI applications limit the subject field to 25. Expect that subject fields
longer than 25 characters may be truncated by UTI applications.
UTIIMPRT does not reformat messages. Expect messages imported by UTIIMPRT to
have a maximum width of 72 characters.
UTIEXPRT removes Searchlight color codes (two-letter codes beginning with a
backslash) from outgoing messages. No modifications are made to incoming
messages.
INCLUDE files are not expanded when exporting messages.
UTIRFLAG.EXE
------------
The Searchlight UTI driver does not include this program, which is defined
as an optional utility in the UTI specification. Searchlight does not
require this program since the UTIEXPRT program automatically updates the
appropriate counter when private messages are exported.
UTI Import Speed
----------------
Because importation of new messages is usually the UTI's biggest job in a
network environment, the speed at which messages are imported is an
important concern.
Message import speed will vary widely according to the speed of the
computer, content of the messages, and configuration of the message bases.
Import time will increase if compression is used (but the size of the
Searchlight message file will decrease). Import time will also increase if
auto purge of old messages is required during the import.
Suggestions to decrease message import times:
- Place the import file on a different drive than the SLBBS message
files (use a ram disk if possible). This is highly recommended for
large import jobs.
- Use disk cache software, allocating all unused RAM to the cache.
- Turn data compression off on the target subboards.
Developing UTI Applications
---------------------------
Programmers who wish to develop message base applications can call UTI
programs from their main program in order to simplify the task of reading
and writing messages from the message bases. Applications that conform
strictly to UTI specifications will be compatible with any BBS system that
provides a UTI driver.
For more information on UTI file formats and specifications, developers
should contact:
Kip Compton
PO Box 206
MIT Branch
Cambridge, MA 02139
BBS: 703-690-7361
-----------------
Frank LaRosa 5/91