Online Assistant has been crashing during indexing of my newly resurrected system. I suspect that the problem is related to large numbers of broken aliases which exist on the migrated file systems. I have attampted to correct this using Alias Director, but it can find nothing wrong.
Feature Request Time: (ie, why Rusty and Jim are included)
I would like automatcially import the message area descriptions from one or more standard format files (in addition to the method currently existing in OAT for placing individual files in the various paths throught the system). There are a few formats which would probably be immediately useful to those of us running networked areas.
1. The format used (or should be used) with TFNet message description.
2. The format(s) used for UseNet Newsgroup descriptions for those using the Lollipop Gateway. One format appears in messages that are posted to news.admin, another is the output of the command "list newsgroups", when you telnet into a news server using the nntp port). This format may be similar to the "groups" file used with the obsolete "NNTP Sucker" program. I do not currently run Lollipop and cannot remember the format of the "Lollipop Groups" file.
3. The "ELIST" Format used for Fidonet message descriptions for those using the MacKennel gateway. I think regional and local FTN networks have a similar format.
While on the subject of automating gateways, I came up with this needed multi-part "needed enhancment":
1. Automated control of additions/deletions/changes to networked areas based upon existing standard "control" messages which propagate through the network along with the regular traffic.
2. The ability to place local overrides on the behavior of the processing these control messages. For example, a system may elect to retain an area that is active locally, that the network desires to disconnect, delete it, or just be informed that the link no longer functions for that topic. Similarly a system may elect to automatically add new areas in a pre-defined manner, or just be informed about their existence. the control should be specified at the gateway level for new areas and at the topic level for existing areas.
3. The abilty to automatically generate and control notifications of this activity to topic administrators defined either in the topic thread or in a config file
I. New Group Processing
1. Automatically ADD new groups A. ADD applicable files within the specific gateway: i. If the gateway type is Fidonet/MacKennel, do this: a. ADD entry in AREAS.BBS for for the area b. CREATE file "areaname.dist" file in Fido Gateway's "Packets" folder within the "Echo Distribution" folder c. CREATE file "areaname.info" file in Fido Gateway's "Packets" folder within the "Echo Distribution" folder ii. If the gateway type is TFNet, do this: a. Proced to next step (B). iii. If the gateway type is NNTP, do this: a. ADD entry in Gateway's "Groups" file for the area B. CREATE Mail server gateway entry for THRD and PATT in the Mail Server Config file based upon simple rules (sysop specifies default path for new topics created for each gateway, system builds a meaningful name, based upon parsing of areaname). C. CREATE topic folder and thread index file found in the path specified in the Mail Server Config file. D. Assign topic Administrator to thread as specified in the Config file. E. Notify administrator or desgnate if, required per step 2 or 3.
2. Notify Sysop or designate that new groups exist (with repeat for subsequent attempts). A. Create a list of new group names (and possibly descriptions) and gateway B. Sort the list, and delete duplicate entries C. Email list to sysop or designated topic administrator.
3. Notify Sysop or designate that new groups exist (no repeat notification). A. If the "Admin Notifications-Additions" file does not exist, create one in the config folder. (It will be retained for future processing) B. Create a "Temporary list" consisting of new group names, descriptions and gateway C. Sort the "Temporary list", and delete duplicate entries D. Read in the "Admin Notifications-Additions" file from disk. E. Delete entries in "Temporaray List" that exist in "Admin Notifications-Additions" list. F. Email extracted list contents to sysop or designated topic administrator. G. Append extracted list to the "Admin Notifications-Additions" file.
II. Expired/Inactive Group Processing
1. Automatically Delete expired group (Best for Usenet Newsgroups) A. Delete/change applicable files within the specific gateway: i. If the gateway type is Fidonet/MacKennel, do this: a. Delete entry in AREAS.BBS for for the area b. Delete file "areaname.dist" file in Fido Gateway's "Packets" folder within the "Echo Distribution" folder c. Delete file "areaname.info" file in Fido Gateway's "Packets" folder within the "Echo Distribution" folder ii. If the gateway type is TFNet, do this: a. Proceed to next step (B). iii. If the gateway type is NNTP, do this: a. Delete entry in Gateway's "Groups" file for the area B. Delete topic folder and thread index file found in the path specified in the Mail Server Config file. C. Delete Mail server gateway entry for THRD and PATT found in the Mail Server Config file. D. Notify administrator or desgnate if, required per step 4 or 5.
2. Retain Expired groups and do not export traffic. (Convert topic to local) A. Delete/change applicable files within the specific gateway: i. If the gateway type is Fidonet/MacKennel, do this: a. Delete entry in AREAS.BBS for for the area b. Delete file "areaname.dist" file in Fido Gateway's "Packets" folder within the "Echo Distribution" folder c. Delete file "areaname.info" file in Fido Gateway's "Packets" folder within the "Echo Distribution" folder ii. If the gateway type is TFNet, do this: a. Proced to next step (B). iii. If the gateway type is NNTP, do this: a. Delete entry in Gateway's "Groups" file for the area B. Delete Mail server gateway entry for PATT found in the Mail Server Config file. (This allows topic trimming to still function) C. Notify administrator or desgnate if, required per step 4 or 5.
3. Retain Expired groups and hold traffic for potential reactivation. (Best for Fidonet) A. Delete Mail server gateway entry for THRD and PATT found in the Mail Server Config file. (Topic will not be scanned by MS until turned back on by control msg OR appearance of inbound traffic addressed to system from the gateway) B. Notify administrator or desgnate if, required per step 4 or 5.
4. Notify Sysop or deignate that deletion has been signaled for groups (repeat for subsequent attempts). A. Create a list of inactive/deleted group names, descriptions and gateway B. Sort the list, and delete duplicate entries C. Email list to sysop or designated Topic administrator.
5. Notify Sysop or designate that deletion has been signaled for groups (no repeat notification). A. If the "Admin Notifications-deletions" file does not exist, create one in the config folder. (It will be retained for future processing) B. Create a "Temporary list" consisting of inactive group names, descriptions and gateway C. Sort the "Temporary list", and delete duplicate entries D. Read in the "Admin Notifications-deletions" file from disk. E. Delete entries in "Temporaray List" that exist in "Adminstrator Notified list". F. Email extracted list contents to sysop or designated Topic administrator. G. Append extracted list to the "Admin Notifications-deletions" file.
Daniel O'Leary, Sysop KloneZone Mac - A TeleFinder 5.7 Mac/Windows BBS 532 Verna Trail North, Fort Forth TX USA 76108 (817)367-2558 (Voice) (817)367-2712 (Dial-in) 1:130/1015 (Fido) klonezone.tfnet.org (TFNet) kz.eaze.net (Internet) http://kz.eaze.net (WWW)
