Feb 13, 1994
Hints and Tips for setting up TrapDoor with CNet 3.05c+
by Jim Selleck

I.  FIDONET OVERVIEW  (a simplifed sketch)

  Okay... setting up FidoNet can be confusing and difficult at first.  Those
of us who have done it can attest to that.  However, once you have it GOING,
Fido can be very simple, straighforward, and even largely self-maintaining,
if you want to write AREXX script files to do the ongoing work for you.

  Here are a few fundamentals I wish that I had known at the start.  Those of
you who already HAVE Fido running and just wish to know about the CHANGES
made in version 3.05c, should skip this section.

1.  Fido messages come in two types:  "NetMail" is private email between users
    of different BBS's on the network.  "EchoMail" is public posts and
    responses which appear on the various bulletin board areas of Fido.  Each
    bulletin board area is called an "Echo".  Any node (individual BBS) on the
    network may take any number of the echoes.

2.  Each Fido echo has a "tagname" which is used to route echomail correctly.
    Once you are assigned a node number, you will be sending an "AREAFIX"
    message to your "boss" node (you get your Fido feed from your boss).
    Inside the AREAFIX message you will list the tagnames of all of the echoes
    that you wish to take on your BBS.  Typically, AREAFIX can also be used
    to request a LIST of the tagnames available through your boss.

3.  To administer Fido activity, you need two pieces of software: a "mailer"
    and a "tosser".  TrapDoor is a mailer.  Its function is to send messages
    out (export) to other systems, and to bring messages in (import) to your
    computer.  The tosser software takes the incoming message packets and
    handles them in a variety of ways.  You could think of the "tossing"
    process as being like a clerk in a post office sorting out envelopes
    and literally tossing them into the correct boxes and bins before him.
    CNet's TOSS program is a full-functioned Tosser/Packer which unpacks the
    incoming mail packets, which are typically received in "archived" form
    such as LhA or ZIP, and then imports messages into private mail boxes
    (NETMAIL) or into the bulletin board "echo" areas (ECHOMAIL).  Messages
    may also be tossed and repacked into your OUTBOUND storage area so they
    can be exported (by the mailer software) to other Fido systems.

4.  Basically, TOSS needs to be run BEFORE TrapDoor sessions occur, in order
    to pack any outgoing mail.  And again AFTER any TrapDoor session, in order
    to unpack and import incoming mail, and/or toss and pack mail which is
    being routed or tossed THROUGH your node to others.  EchoMail messages may
    be imported into your message bases, or may be simply tossed and repacked
    into your outbound directory to be routed to another node, or BOTH.

5.  You are required to keep on your system an up-to-date listing of all of
    nodes in FidoNet.  This is called the nodelist, and it is updated every
    week in a special file called a "nodediff" which you will receive from
    your boss.  TrapDoor comes with a special program called "TrapList" which
    updates your nodelist and creates quick search files.  Whenever a user on
    your BBS attempts to send NetMail to a user on another Fido system, the
    nodelist is automatically searched to make sure that the address is to a
    valid and currently active node system.

6.  TrapDoor's instructions are long and intimidating.  What they DON'T tell
    you right at the beginning is this:  All you need to get TrapDoor running
    is to create a text file called "trapdoor.cfg" which you usually place
    in your "mail:" area.  The trapdoor.cfg file will contain information like
    your Fido node number and the names of the system and system operator.
    Those are all sent out for identification at the start of Fido mail
    sessions.  You also include complete instructions for how TrapDoor should
    talk to your modem, including the serial device name, unit number, and
    all the correct modem initialization and command strings, just as you
    would have to set up inside any terminal program.  You must specify the
    actions TrapDoor will take when connecting with an incoming caller, and
    the command TrapDoor will use to transfer control to CNet when necessary.
    There are example TrapDoor.cfg files both on your TrapDoor disk and in
    your CNet disk's SUPPORT area.

II. CHANGES TO CNET/TRAPDOOR OPERATIONS FOR CNET VERSION 3.05C

   There are now THREE different ways to set up CNet/3 and TrapDoor together.
You must choose which of those 3 suits your system needs best.

1.  TrapDoor runs all the time and SPAWNS a CNet port for BBS calls.
2.  TrapDoor AND the CNet port BOTH run concurrently, TrapDoor answers calls,
    and transfers control of the serial port to CNet for BBS calls.
3.  CNet runs all the time and SPAWNS TrapDoor for Fido calls.

   Confused yet?  Method 1 is the "traditional" way to run a BBS system with
TrapDoor.  TrapDoor answers ALL calls in to its port, and SPAWNS a CNet port
if the caller is seeking access to the BBS.  At the conclusion of the BBS call,
the CNet port is closed and control of the modem is transferred BACK to
TrapDoor.  A special argument "TRAP" is placed in the command that spawns
the CNet port to make it close itself at the conclusion of the BBS session.

   Method 2 is similar to 1, except that BOTH the CNet port and TrapDoor run
simultaneously.  The CNet port must be set to default to "OFFLINE" mode, which
means the CNet port remains running, but releases control of the serial port.
This allows TrapDoor to answer all calls.  BBS calls are then TRANSFERRED over
to the CNet port using a CNet program called "BBSWAKE".  At the conclusion of
BBS calls, the CNet port goes offline and control is transferred back to
TrapDoor.

NOTE:  Method 2 was the standard recommended for use with CNet 3.04.  The
       program then called "trapwake" has been RENAMED "bbswake" for version
       3.05c.  If you are updating and wish to continue using method 2, you
       will need to CHANGE the reference to "trapwake" to "bbswake" in your
       trapdoor.cfg file!

   Method 3 is the new kid on the block.  It was noted that on the average
BBS, about 98% of your calls will be for the BBS and only the remaining few
would be Fido mail exchanges.  Therefore a method was developed to allow
CNet to answer ALL calls, and automatically detect Fido calls, SPAWNING
TrapDoor when needed.  This is the inverse of the traditional method 1.  At
the time of this writing, we are using method 3 on the CNet service BBS,
Future World, with complete success.  However, there are situations where
this method is NOT recommended at this time:  If you are expecting Fido calls
from ONLY TrapDoor equipped Amigas, you should be fine, however if you will
have mail sessions with older IBM systems running early version Fido software,
you may find that the TIME it takes to transfer control from CNet to TrapDoor
will cause the handshaking to FAIL.  In that case you will need to revert to
methods 1 or 2 which allow TrapDoor to answer the line at all times.

  In addition, method 3 requires that you modify any AREXX scripts you might
be using to make TrapDoor call out to "poll" your boss for mail.  Commands
must be sent to the CNet port to make it give up control of the serial port
before the session and then take control back at the end of the session.  And
of course TrapDoor itself must be started up in order to make the call, and
then killed at the end of the session.  Some example method 3 scripts are
included in the CNet disks SUPPORT directory.