Quick Help for Moderators
EList v5.1c - The Elist program
Copyright (c) 2020 by Vincent B. Coen, FBCS
Note: The information in this guide was taken from A Moderator's
Guide to ECHOBASE (c) Dana Bell, with changes by Ben Ritchey and
then customized by Vincent Coen.
This file may be designated as the file to be sent in response to
requests for HELP.
EList v5 is a database program that maintains a database of
echomail conference information. This particular program was
written to meet the need to maintain and distribute echomail
conference lists within Fidonet and with other networks.
The Fidonet Echolist published by this program include ELIST.NA
a short, areafix uplink file format distributed monthly,
ELIST.RPT, a longer descriptive file distributed on a monthly
basis and ELIST.NO a short list of newly deleted echo's on a
monthly basis.
These updates are also currently provided weekly with a differing
archive name so users can always be assured of an up to date list.
The last file ELIST.NO is now produced, as Ben did not produce it,
may be it has out lived it's usefulness however.
It is a rolling list in that it will only contain deleted
Echos along with the date, with any renewed one's at any later date
being removed for that echo.
Any entries will be removed after one year from being added as
deemed to no longer being relevant hence the reason for the included
date.
Moderators may add or update entries to the list by supplying submission
files sent directly to 2:25/21 or via Netmail when this option is
available as announced in ELIST. The use of Email to do the same as
Netmail is also being examined to try and get that available again
it will be announced in ELIST when it is ready.
Currently such Additions, Updates or Deletions to the Echomail
database must be sent as files as ECHOtag.RUL for any rules
file and as ECHOtag.ECO as MOD-ADD, MOD-UPD or MOD-DEL
requests and these subjects MUST be placed after the keyword
SUBJect.
Once Elist can process Netmail msgs they will be converted to a
individual ECHOtag.ECO file and processed the same way without
any more changes to the program. It is hoped that the same will
apply to Emails.
The program will read these files and update the EList database,
then post a reply to the ELIST conference and via Netmail.
The FROM address is always used for replies.
It is hoped that Updates via Email will be also available some
time in the future via elistmaint@gmail.com and this
facility will be announced in the ELIST echo area once available
along with any update to the email address used as well as usage
of netmail to directly deliver such messages instead of using
files. This email address is not being monitored at this time.
NOTE that only dropping off the files tag.ECO and tag.RUL to
2:25/21 or 2:250/1 is supported for the moment.
For the moment delivery of MOD-ADD, MOD-UPD and MOD-DEL messages
MUST come as files only, along with any rules file with the
following file names :
For MOD-ADD, UPD and DEL as echotag.ECO
For rules files as echotag.RUL
Where echotag is the Echo area tag that is up to 36 characters
in length. Note that for MOD requests you can also add the subject
to the end of the extension i.e.,
MBSE.ECOMOD-ADD or MBSE.ECOMOD-UPD
[ Note that there is NO space between MOO and UPD or ADD only a
hyphen. ]
When sending in multiple submissions for the same echo you should add
a number after the echotag name as all submissions are processed in
sorted alphabetic order, i.e., MBSE1.ECO MBSE2.ECO.
Use the following keywords to set the fields of your echo list
submission and note that only the upper case characters are significant
e.g., only SUBJ is needed for SUBJect.
All keywords shown starting with * are mandatory - they MUST be provided.
For keywords FROM, MOD, COMODn and REPLY the following is the format for
your contact address where text with {} are optional extras and as
needed:
Contact Address:
A1 A2 A3 Sub field class name as used below.
, [, ] Note the (required) separating commas.
A1 name = first last names i.e., Fred Bloggs - Compulsory
[ note the space between name elements ]
A2 node = zone:net/node {@domain} i.e.,
2:345/678 - Compulsory.
A3 email = name@emailaddress i.e., fbloggs@gmail.com You can use '{at}'
or '=at=' in place of the at sign [@] and this will
be the one used in ELIST reporting once email support is
operational.
You may omit the elements between [] but name is needed to respond to
an update in the ELIST echo so that a problem or not, can be addressed
to the specific poster along with the netmail address for sending a
direct message as well. If omitted, a posting could be addressed to
SYSOP, UNKnown, 'No Idea' and other variations depending on where in the
elist program the posting report is issued (helps in debugging).
None of which, aids the moderator doing a search on their name to check
the latest postings.
KEYWORDS in use Where characters in UPPER CASE are relevant
and the * signifies a mandatory keyword -
(You Must provide it but without the '*').
Keyword Sub keywords or other text
------- --------------------------
*SUBJect MOD-UPD or MOD-ADD or MOD-DEL
When netmail and emails submissions are accepted
MOD-ADD, MOD-UPD or MOD-DEL must be in the message subject
line - hence one of the reasons for the need of this keyword.
*FROM Details of the sender of message where any replies regarding
errors or confirmation of status of submission is made to.
x72.
These predefined settings can be supplied in any order.
You can have one, two or all three of these predefined
values and you can add additional text at the end
an example is :
/SYS Region 1234 write access only.
ORIGin x36.
More used in the days where almost all posts originated
from one netmail address.
DISTribution Any text describing x72.
GATEway Any text describing x72.
*GROUP * Origin: The Elist Maintainer (2:250/1)
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