Hello Darryl.

19 Jan 05 09:49, you wrote to me:

 RT>  DP>> That sounds to me like the kind of thing that can be
 RT>  DP>> scripted.
 RT>>
 RT>> Probably, but if such an animal exists, why re-invent the wheel
 RT>> ...

 DP> agreed.

:-)

 RT>  DP>> Get a list of files
 RT>  DP>> extract out the file_id.diz
 RT>  DP>> echo the info to files.bbs
 RT>>
 RT>> Good so far, about a third of these are *.exe files, and a few
 RT>> *.com files and then there is the possibilty of dupes ....

 DP> If you cannot extract the file_id.diz's, how will you get descriptions
 DP> of the files?  I'm assuming this is for a linux box?  It's entirely
 DP> possible that if the files are old, there is no file_id.diz's in them.

Those that I have looked at, all have file_id.diz's, the *.exe and *.com 
files, that are not zipprd, I am going to have to execute to find out exactly 
what the do, and make my own description.

 DP> Remind me again on what the files.bbs format looks like?  Maybe I can
 DP> gin something up.

Well from what I can find,

filename.ext size date description

There are various styles of formatting for the file I have seen on different 
packages.

Those created by MBSE look like this below


=== Cut ===
MN321LNX.GZ  [0] MakeNL v3.2.1 -- Linux Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +-------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL 3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton, Andrew Clarke, Robert Couture
 +Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 +3.2.1 is meant to be a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +-------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW file included
 +in this archive before using MakeNL 3.2.1,
 +as there are some important changes
 +implemented in the MAKENL.CTL file.
MN321LNX.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.1 -- Linux Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +-------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL 3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton, Andrew Clarke, Robert Couture
 +Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 +3.2.1 is meant to be a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +-------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW file included
 +in this archive before using MakeNL 3.2.1,
 +as there are some important changes
 +implemented in the MAKENL.CTL file.
MN322D16.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.2 -- DOS 16 Bit Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton,Andrew Clarke,Robert Couture
 +Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 +3.2.1 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT file in this
 +archive before using MakeNL 3.2.2,as there
 +are some important changes implemented in
 +the MAKENL.CTL file.
MN322D32.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.2 -- DOS 32 Bit Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton,Andrew Clarke,Robert Couture
 +Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 +3.2.1 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT file in this
 +archive before using MakeNL 3.2.2,as there
 +are some important changes implemented in
 +the MAKENL.CTL file.
MN322LNX.GZ  [0] MakeNL v3.2.2 -- Linux Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton,Andrew Clarke,Robert Couture
 +Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 +3.2.1 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT file in this
 +archive before using MakeNL 3.2.2,as there
 +are some important changes implemented in
 +the MAKENL.CTL file.
MN322LNX.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.2 -- Linux Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton,Andrew Clarke,Robert Couture
 +Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 +3.2.1 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT file in this
 +archive before using MakeNL 3.2.2,as there
 +are some important changes implemented in
 +the MAKENL.CTL file.
MN322O16.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.2 -- OS/2 16 Bit Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton,Andrew Clarke,Robert Couture
 +Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 +3.2.1 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT file in this
 +archive before using MakeNL 3.2.2,as there
 +are some important changes implemented in
 +the MAKENL.CTL file.
MN322O32.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.2 -- OS/2 32 Bit Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton,Andrew Clarke,Robert Couture
 +Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 +3.2.1 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT file in this
 +archive before using MakeNL 3.2.2,as there
 +are some important changes implemented in
 +the MAKENL.CTL file.
MN322SRC.ZIP [0] -- description missing --
MN322W32.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.2 -- Windows 32 Bit Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton,Andrew Clarke,Robert Couture
 +Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 +3.2.1 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT file in this
 +archive before using MakeNL 3.2.2,as there
 +are some important changes implemented in
 +the MAKENL.CTL file.
MN323D16.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.3 -- DOS 16 Bit Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton, Andrew Clarke, Michiel Broek
 +Johan Billing and Robert Couture. MakeNL
 +3.2.3 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT and the
 +HISTORY.TXT files in this archive before
 +using MakeNL 3.2.3,as there are some
 +important changes implemented in the
 +MAKENL.CTL file.
MN323D32.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.3 -- DOS 32 Bit Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton, Andrew Clarke, Michiel Broek
 +Johan Billing and Robert Couture. MakeNL
 +3.2.3 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT and the
 +HISTORY.TXT files in this archive before
 +using MakeNL 3.2.3,as there are some
 +important changes implemented in the
 +MAKENL.CTL file.
MN323LNX.GZ  [0] MakeNL v3.2.3 -- Linux Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton, Andrew Clarke, Michiel Broek
 +Johan Billing and Robert Couture. MakeNL
 +3.2.3 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW and the
 +HISTORY.TXT files in this archive before
 +using MakeNL 3.2.3,as there are some
 +important changes implemented in the
 +MAKENL.CTL file.
MN323LNX.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.3 -- Linux Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton, Andrew Clarke, Michiel Broek
 +Johan Billing and Robert Couture. MakeNL
 +3.2.3 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW and the
 +HISTORY.TXT files in this archive before
 +using MakeNL 3.2.3,as there are some
 +important changes implemented in the
 +MAKENL.CTL file.
MN323O16.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.3 -- OS/2 16 Bit Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton, Andrew Clarke, Michiel Broek
 +Johan Billing and Robert Couture. MakeNL
 +3.2.3 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT and the
 +HISTORY.TXT files in this archive before
 +using MakeNL 3.2.3,as there are some
 +important changes implemented in the
 +MAKENL.CTL file.
MN323O32.ZIP [0] MakeNL v3.2.3 -- OS/2 32 Bit Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 +------------------------------------------
 +A new open-sourced version of MakeNL, the
 +nodelist processing program. MakeNL3.x was
 +reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 +Karcher, with further modifications by
 +Bjrn Felton, Andrew Clarke, Michiel Broek
 +Johan Billing and Robert Couture. MakeNL
 +3.2.3 is meant as a drop-in replacement
 +for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 +------------------------------------------
 +Please check the WHATSNEW.TXT and the
 +HISTORY.TXT files in this archive before
 +using MakeNL 3.2.3,as there are some
 +important changes implemented in the
 +MAKENL.CTL file.
MN323SRC.ZIP [0] -- description missing --
MNLBSD.GZ    [0] MakeNL v3.1.8 -- FreeBSD Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 + --------------------------------------------
 + A new open-source version of MakeNL, the
 + nodelist processing program. MakeNL 3.x was
 + reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 + Karcher, with further modifications by Bjrn
 + Felton, Andrew Clarke, Robert Couture, Johan
 + Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL 3.1.8 is
 + meant to be a drop-in replacement for an
 + existing installation of MakeNL.
 + --------------------------------------------
 + Please check the README! file included in
 + this archive before using MakeNL 3.1.8, as
 + there are some important changes implemented
 + in the MAKENL.CTL file.
MNLDOS.ZIP   [0] MakeNL v3.1.8 -- DOS16 and DOS32 Versions
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 + ------------------------------------------
 + A new open-source version of MakeNL, the
 + nodelist processing program.MakeNL 3.x was
 + reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 + Karcher, with further modifications by
 + Bjrn Felton, Andrew Clarke, Robert Couture
 + Johan Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL
 + 3.1.8 is meant to be a drop-in replacement
 + for an existing installation of MakeNL.
 + ------------------------------------------
 + Please check the README!.TXT file included
 + in this archive before using MakeNL 3.1.8,
 + as there are some important changes
 + implemented in the MAKENL.CTL file.
MNLLNX.GZ    [0] MakeNL v3.1.8 -- Linux Version
 +** Dedicated to Ben Baker, the original
 +MakeNL author.
 + -------------------------------------------
 + A new open-source version of MakeNL, the
 + nodelist processing program. MakeNL 3.x was
 + reverse engineered from MakeNL by Michael
 + Karcher, with further modifications by Bjrn
 + Felton, Andrew Clarke, Robert Couture, Johan
 + Billing and Michiel Broek. MakeNL 3.1.8 is
 + meant to be a drop-in replacement for an
 + existing installation of MakeNL.
 + --------------------------------------------
 + Please check the README! file included in
 + this archive before using MakeNL 3.1.8, as
 + there are some important changes implemented
 + in the MAKENL.CTL file.
=== Cut ===

 RT>  DP>> --- Mystic BBS v1.07.3 (Linux)
 RT>>          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 RT>> How are you finding this?

 DP> I like it just fine.  Been using it for about 4 years now.

Looked reasonable, but cannot remember what faults it had years ago, when I 
was looking for a Linux BBS, ended up choosing MBSE BBS instead, tho I 
prefered Mystic to elebbs at the time.

Russell

--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.4.7