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\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////////////////////
TrapTrxID
v1.8
Time Synchronizer
User Manual
by
Giuseppe Vicari
2:331/106.1@Fidonet.Org
////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
**** Index Line
. What is it? 38
. What's this tool for? 46
. Why to use TrapTrxID? 55
. How to use? 84
. Special notes about TrapDoor? 155
. How does it work? 168
. Bugs and troubles? 194
. How to reach me in case of troubles? 200
. History of TrapTrxID? 208
. How much is it? 278
. Who I'd like to thank? 297
. How to check out this is the original program? 311
. End of the document 321
**** End of the index
>>>> What is it?
TrapTrxID is a tiny tool be used in conjunction with TrapDoor. It
allows to syncronize the system clock by using the information
included in TrapDoor log file. Such information is recorded during an
EMSI connection to the node you want to synchronize with.
>>>> What's this tool for?
Some nodes may have their system time synchronized with the
"famous" atomic clocks (either by using special devices or connecting
to other nodes). In this way, you may have your clock set at the
right time. How? Connect to the node you want to synchronize with
using TrapDoor, then run TrapTrxID and, automagically, you'll get it!
>>>> Why to use TrapTrxID?
There are a lot of interesting features that other existing
programs do not offer, such as:
1. It has been built to be the shortest and fastest program on the
earth ;-)
2. Full scanning of the log file: it avoids loosing data if the
last session had been very long.
3. Optionally, it can scan only a part of the log file.
4. It tells the system when a synchronization takes place by
writing a line in the TrapDoor log file.
5. It does not repeat the synchronization if you run the program
several times and such a line exists in the log file.
6. It can synchronize with more nodes in a single scanning.
7. It can check the maximum value of time correction.
8. It can synchronize with systems standing in different time
zones
9. It can synchronize the internal clock.
>>>> How to use?
TrapTrxID requires KickStart v2.0+ (yet another good reason for an
upgrading).
TrapTrxID can be run either from CLI (from a script file such as
User-StartUp or StartUp-Sequence) or just after an EMSI session. In
this second way, a synchronization takes place at each session: this
can be done using the TrapDoor AFTERSESSION option (look at documents
that come along with the TrapDoor package).
TrapTrxID takes seven arguments:
1) LOGNAME, the file name of TrapDoor log file (add the path, if
necessary); you MUST supply this parameter.
2) NODE, a list of node numbers you want to synchronize with. Each
element of such a list has the format <node>,<maxerr>,<ztime>:
<node> - an AmigaDOS regular expression that identifies the node
you want to synchronize with;
<maxerr> - the max difference of time between the two clocks. If
such a value is exceeded, the synchronization will not
be considered valid. If this parameter is omitted or a
0 value is supplied the synchronization will always
take place.
<ztime> - the difference of time zone between the remote and the
local node. This parameter is in the format
<hours>:<minutes> (e.g. 1:30 means there' is a
difference of 1 hour and 30 minutes between the remote
and the local node). By default, the synchronization
is with the last node an EMSI connection took place
with.
3) The NOUPDATE flag, if you don't want TrapTrxID to update the
clock. This is useful during tests or just to verify one's clock.
4) The ASK flag, if you want TrapTrxID to request confirmation before
setting the clock.
5) The SET flag, if you want to synchronize also the internal clock.
6) BUFFER, the size of the internal buffer in bytes. The default
size is 8192, the minimum size is 256. The bigger the buffer, the
faster the program (expecially if the log file is on a slow
peripheral).
7) TAIL, it tells TrapTrxID to scan the last part of the log file.
By default, it scans the whole file; this option allow to speed up
a lot the scan of the log file, but you should use it carefully,
otherwise the synchronization may fail. Suggested value is 10240
( = 10Kbyte).
Here is the command template:
LOGNAME/A,NODE/M,NOUPDATE/S,ASK/S,SET/S,BUFFER/N,TAIL/N
Example (from CLI):
TrapTrxID Mail:Logs/TrapDoor.log 2:333/100.0
Add a line like this one in a script file or use it to run
TrapTrxID from the CLI.
Example (from TrapDoor):
AFTERSESSION "TrapTrxID %l 2:333/100.0"
Add a line like this one in TrapDoor configuration file. TrapDoor
will replace the string %l with the (full) name of the log file.
>>>> Special notes about TrapDoor?
This version of TrapDoor was developed using and referring to
TrapDoor version 1.83. Neverthless, previous releases of TrapDoor can
do as well, as long as they allow the reception of TrxID, Name or AKA
messages (examine TrapDoor documentation to find out wheter this is
case fit to you or not).
TrapDoor configuration file is something I really must talk about.
In order to let TrapTrxID to work properly, it is required a string
LOGLEVEL 8:n (n>2) to appear in the file.
>>>> How does it work?
TrapTrxID search in the log file for lines like the following
ones:
: 26-Dec-92 12:11:01 Name: Nome BBS (2:334/155.0)
: 26-Dec-92 12:11:01 AKA: 2:23331/1.0 3:1/1.0
then it compares the address given as argument with the ones in these
lines. If they match, it means that the next line of type
: 26-Dec-92 12:11:01 TrxID: 2b3c4bd0/2b3c4ad7
will be good to get the time difference between our system clock and
the remote one: it evaluate the difference between the two
hexadecimal parameters on the line just after the keyword TrxID:.
Hence it gets the difference (in seconds) between the local node and
the remote one. Of course this operation concern the last session.
After updating the clock, TrapTrxID add a line of kind
" 26-Dec-92 12:34:24 Adjusted by -4:09 [725371856] (3:1/1.0)
in order to prevent TrapTrxID from re-updating the time until a new
EMSI session takes place.
>>>> Bugs and troubles?
No known bugs exists or, at least, they never showed up till
today.
>>>> How to reach me in case of troubles?
In case of troubles or bugs, you can reach me at the following
e-mail address:
Giuseppe Vicari 2:331/106.1@Fidonet.Org
>>>> History of TrapTrxID?
. v1.8 1 Sep 94:
Fixed a very insignificant bug and recompiled with GCC v2.6.0.
. v1.7 20 Mar 94:
Fixed a very insignificant bug.
. v1.6 15 Mar 94:
Revolution!
- multiple nodes accepted (the procedures that handles the
synchronization has been changed);
- max synchronization error handling;
- time zone handling (see manual);
- TAIL option (see manual);
- it shows the new date after a synchronization;
- the synchronization time is added (in square brackets) in the
"Adjusted by" line;
- handles nodes in 5D standard (es. 1:2/3.4@fidonet.org);
- optimized some procedures;
- I/O uses non-buffered functions;
- reduced the needed stack size;
- reduced the executable size of the 50.2% (-3548 bytes);
- increased speed (on a 68000 Amiga, with a 1Mbyte log file and a
8Kbyte internal buffer it is 6 times faster!)
- TrapTrxID.guide now available.
By the way, TrapTrxID is 100% compatible with the previous
release.
. v1.5 1 Aug 93:
Added the NOUPDATE flag (see manual)
. v1.4 7 Apr 93:
New coding using the typical AmigaDOS functions: the
executable code got considerably shorter and more efficient; the
line parser is AmigaDOS compatible; changed the text line
TrapTrxID writes in the log file (it's still compatible with the
older releases); added the BUFFER option; added the ASK and SET
flags; an english manual is now available.
Try "version TrapTrxID" ;-).
. v1.3 31 Jan 93:
Fixed a bug that caused the computer to crash. It was not my
fault, but compiler-optimizer's.
. v1.2 30 Jan 93:
Now you can avoid specifying the name of the node you want to
perform the synchronization: it will take the last one. If
TrapTrxID runs from WorkBench, it opens a small window, shows the
syntax and closes it after 5 seconds. Replaced the function
main() with the _main(): got a shorter code.
. v1.1 22 Jan 93:
Fixed a very insignificant bug, added an error message and
optimized some parts of the program.
. v1.0 3 Jan 93
First version.
>>>> How much is it?
This program is Freely Distributable and Usable. Permission is
given to freely distibute this program provided no fee is charged and
no changes or modification of the code and of the documentation are
made. In other words, this is a FD (Freely Distributable). Of
course, I won't be disappointed if you send me any money donation $-).
Furthermore, I'd like get a nice postcard from your country (oh
well... a *very* nice postcard!). Send whatever kind of donation to
the following address:
Giuseppe Vicari
via Torni, 7
I-21051 Arcisate VA
ITALIA
Thanks in advance for your generosity.
>>>> Who I'd like to thank?
I'd like to thank the following people:
Matteo Taveggia
for the revision and English translation of this manual.
Flavio Stanchina and Maurizio Frizzo
for their suggestions.
Maximilian Hantsch e Martin J. Laubach
for their superb program TrapDoor.
>>>> How to check out this is the original program?
In the archive there is program called CheckFiles. This is an
useful tool to verify that the files in the archive are the original
ones. After you extracted the files from the archive, from inside the
directory where such files are run CheckFiles (it is case-sensitive,
so type it paying attention!): it will automatically tell you which
(if any) files had been altered.
>>>> End of the document