############################## PlutScan v 3.0 (c) 21-Nov-94 By Peter Deane Written in GFA-BASIC ############################## ------------ Description: ------------ PlutScan is a multi-purpose application program for anyone using a *.MSG message base. And yes! It can also be used on the Paragon/StarNet message base, but not to delete messages - only to Scan and do the Stats on them. For Plutonic and TransAmiga BBS systems it can be used to update the message pointers (a replacement for TrUMP). It will generate a summary file of the current state of the message areas each time it's run (as a textfile in ram:) It will also generate a weekly statistics file. (The nice bit!) This can be automatically posted as a message, if you are using a standard *.MSG base, or you can use a program like robo-writer to add the text into your message base. It can be used on any BBS system that numbers its messages as XXX.YYY (where XXX is an integer from 1-32,767). It does not actually matter that the message format is a 190-byte *.MSG base. I was amazed that PlutScan would actually keep stats for Para/Star systems too! Any problems, let me know. Plutscan can also be used for maintaining the message areas by deleting old messages for you. Rather than just deleting the messages outright it can also create a textfile, in the message directory with an ascii interepretation of the messages it would have normally deleted, useful for keeping archives of the messages in important areas. This means you can keep your messages in textfile form (for later reference) in a much more efficent form than *.MSG. You can choose to do this for ANY or all areas. (Deletion/Textfile generation only applies to a *.MSG base) You will be impressed with PlutScan's speed. Even TransAmiga users will want to replace Trump with it, not only for the increased speed, but also because of the extra power in the stats department. ---------- Libraries: ---------- Plutscan works a lot better when it has access to both the arp.library and the traplist.library. Any version of either is fine. PlutScan will still generate message pointers without the libraries, but not the stats. --------------- Plutonic.areas: --------------- This program accesses the MAIL:Plutonic.areas file to determine which message bases are setup. If any TransAmiga sysop wants to use this program, I have written a program to convert the TransAmiga BBS:Configs/message.cfg into a Plutonic.areas file. Contact me if you'd like a copy of this program, it will save you a lot of work. More extensive information on the format of the Plutonic.areas file can be found in the Plutonic documentation (which you should see if you have any more questions) however to recap, it follows this format: (note, the numbers do not form part of the config) 1) Directory Name 2) Name of area on the BBS/Local Screen 3) Read security 4) Write security 5) Origin line. 53 Characters maximum. 6) Node number for this area 7) FLAGS 7n+1) Directory Name 7n+2) Name of area on the BBS/Local Screen 7n+3) Read security 7n+4) Write security 7n+5) Origin line. 53 Characters maximum. 7n+6) Node number for this area 7n+7) FLAGS None of the following fields are used by Plutscan... Read security Write security Origin line Node number for this area In addition to the directory name and local name of the area (1st and 2nd lines) PlutScan looks for two flags found on each seventh line of the Plutonic.areas file. The flags it uses are: KEEP LEAVE LEAVE will leave only that number of messages behind after Plutscanning a message base. KEEP will cause a textfile called All_Msgs.txt in the message directory to be created or appended to. The file will contain the messages that WOULD have been deleted, in ASCII format. Very efficient for keeping the texts of some messages in your favourite areas. You should add KEEP or LEAVE instructions on the flags line of your Plutonic.areas file, like in this example: --cut-- MAIL:Matrix/ FidoNet NETmail 1 2 Doesn't matter, won't be used. 3:622/401.0 INTL KEEP 100 MAIL:InqLoc Private Local Mail 1 1 Inquestor. GFA-BASIC is better than C. 9:200/104.5 LOCALASKYES ALIASASKNO LEAVE 30 MAIL:Inquestor/ Inquestor (Local) 1 1 Inquestor. Whaddya mean can you change it so... 3:622/491 LEAVE 200 PRIVASKNO --cut-- ------------- PlutScan.cfg: ------------- PlutScan also has its own small config file, used mainly for determining how the statistics are posted. If you are just using PlutScan to create mesage pointers for Plutonic or Transamiga, you may not even need the config. However, if you DO wish to use the stats generator, then you must have this file. Note, to comment out a line, please include the ; as the FIRST character of the line. In any case, if a line of the config is not understood, it will be ignored. PlutScan.cfg is just a general ASCII keyword type config. The order of the keywords does not matter, and as of V3.0 they are not case sensitive. If you use a keyword twice, the last one specified will be the one PlutScan uses. Firstly, you may specify the four command line switches that PlutScan understands in the config. These all default to off, so if you DO wish to activate this option, it must be in EITHER the config or the command line! (Both is fine if they correspond, if they don't the command line will take precedence over the config file). (NO)SUMMARY ----------- Will activate the Summary mode of PlutScan, and thus it will leave two files behind in Ram: Same as specifying this switch on the command line (see that section, following). The command line will override this, however if they clash. This makes it easier to run Plutscan if you always use the same options. No more command line to enter - just type Plutscan. (NO)TRANSAMIGA -------------- Will generate Message.BBS files for TransAmiga. Same as specifying this switch on the command line (see that section, following). The command line will override this, however if they clash. (NO)KILLOFF ------------ Determines whether PlutScan will kill messages or not. The command line would override what the config says - but you can enter your preferred default in the config (to kill or not to kill?) Then there are the general keywords: (NO)4DMSGHEADER --------------- When creating ASCII files of messages that have rolled over and would otherise have been deleted (except for the KEEP x flag), this defines whether to print the destination and origin node numbers in the textfile in 4d or 2d format. If your tosser is 4d header capable, please use it. If your tosser isn't 4d header capable, the Zone and Point fields for these addresses is a Unix timestamp instead, so you'd get REALLY LARGE zone and point numbers shown in the texts using this method. If this bothers you, turn the 4DMSGHEADER option off, and only the Net and Node numbers will be put into the textfile. This option is only for cosmetic reasons. If in doubt, start with it turned on, and if the large zone and point numbers bother you, turn it off. TrapToss DOES support 4D message headers (if you have enabled the option, of course). Eg: NO4DMSGHEADER Default: 4DMSGHEADER MAXAREAS -------- Amount of areas to allow room for. Always slightly OVER estimate. Plutscan will only specify the number of areas you specify. If you actually HAVE more, they will be ignored. Eg: MAXAREAS 300 Default: 500 MAXMSGS ------- The DEFAULT number of messages to keep in an area - IF NO NUMBER OF MESSAGES IS SPECIFIED IN PLUTONIC.AREAS. Note that if you use a KEEP or LEAVE value in Plutonic.areas, then THAT NUMBER WILL BE USED. This number is for new areas or areas that you forget about. Plutscan will NEVER allow more than this number of messages to remain in a message directory unless told otherwise. Eg: MAXMSGS 100 Default: 250 MINMSGS ------- The ABSOLUTE MINIMUM number of messages to ever leave in an area. This overrides EVERYTHING. (Just a safety fuse to prevent an area getting completely wiped out). Eg: MINMSGS 10 Default: 50 Then are all the keywords to do with the statistics: RUNDAY ------ The day of the week you want the Stats generated on. (Not case sensitive, BTW). If you want to run the stats breakdown DAILY, then simply use the text 'DAY' here (it will match any day). To never generate statistics, use text that doesn't have the name of a day in it (eg FOOBAR). Eg: RUNDAY Tuesday RUNDAY DAY Default: FRIDAY AREA ---- Name of the directory where you want the stats message posted. The trailing slash is optional. If omitted, one will be added. If you don't want the message posted anywhere (eg you are not using a standard *.MSG message base, set this to NIL: or RAM: Note that if you do set this to NIL:, then it will be advisable to run PlutScan with the SUMMARY command line or config keyword, so that the text of the stats message will also be created as another file (ie RAM:PlutScan.stats). You can then use this file as you see fit (perhaps for input into another message writer program that will generate a message for your particular BBS system from an ASCII file). Eg: AREA MAIL:Inquestor/ AREA NIL: Default: RAM: TONAME ------ Name of the 'person' to send the message to. Eg: TONAME Sysop TONAME You lot out there Default: All SUBJECT ------- The subject line to put on the message. Eg: SUBJECT Hey, here's the stats SUBJECT Mail Statistics Default: Periodical Breakdown of Message Areas ORIGIN ------ The origin line to use on the message. Eg: ORIGIN This origin can be up to 55 characters long. Default: Weekly stats by Plutscan Vx.xx by Peter Deane (& the correct version number will be inserted by the program) HERE ---- The address the message was written from. Will be added to your origin line. Only available if traplist.library is kicking around so I can use nlparseaddr(...) from it.... This address is fully 4 dimensional. No need to include a trailing .0 or leading 3: if that applies. For instance 622/401 is equivalent to 3:622/401.0. If you have a different zone or are a point, please specify IN FULL. Eg: HERE 3:622/401 HERE 1:111/123.4 Default: 3:0/0.0 (Default will be used if traplist.library isn't around, or there is an error in typing the node number, or some other problem occurs.) ------------- Command Line: ------------- Plutscan understands several command line switches, which will be useful depending on your application. Firstly, including a '?' ANYWHERE in the command line will give the usage details. There are currently four other switches: (NO)SUMMARY Generate a summary file in RAM:Areas.Summary (NO)TRANSAMIGA Generate message.BBS files as well (for TransAmiga) (NO)KILL Perform message pruning STATS Forces the program to make the stats files regardless of the day it actually is. Include the word anywhere in the command line to activate the option. (NOT case-sensitive). You can type the whole word if you like, or just the first 4-5 letters By default, PlutScan will generate whats.here files for Plutonic, will not do a summary in ram, not produce TransAmiga's Message.BBS files, and may or may not do Stats depending on what date and the RUNDAY is. However by simply adding the keyword to the command line, you can change the behaviour of PlutScan. EG if you don't wish to delete any messages - just scan, then PLUTSCAN NOKILL will do fine. As you may have guessed, the SUMMARY command is quite harmless, it simply generates ascii files in ram. Also, generating the other BBS's message pointers is quite harmless, it just uses a little more diskspace (2 blocks per message area). -------------- General notes: -------------- To abort a running Plutscan, send a Ctrl-C to the process. (Generally this means press Ctrl-C in the window you're running it from). If PlutScan is generating its stats files, it will advise you of this, and warn you against quitting. Please DO NOT quit unless absolutely necessary in this case. If, however, it's not generating the stats (most of the time), it will simply complete the message area it's working on and exit (freeing all resources of course). PlutScan will only generate the stats if it is run ON THE ACTUAL DAY specified in MAIL:PlutScan.cfg. Generally, this will be arranged by a script or cron. If for some reason it misses its day, it may be necessary to edit the config file and change the RUNDAY parameter. Alternatively you can use the STATS command from the command line to force the stats to be generated for that run. When you first set the program up, I suggest you run it firstly with the SUMMARY command line. Then get some mail into the system (or wait until this happens naturally), and toss away. If the day is the same, edit the MAIL:Plutonic.Stats file so that the date on the first line is that of yesterday. Then, run PlutScan again, and you'll get a breakdown of the mail you just imported. (Maybe you'll have the patience to just wait a day or so and then run it). You may change the RUNDAY parameter at any time. It doesn't matter. You may add, subtract and rearrange your message areas at will. That doesn't matter. If you ever change the NAME of the _directory_ the messages are stored in (I personally always use the official tagname anyway), then you'll find that the stats for that area will be restarted. To avoid this, manually edit the Plutonic.stats file so the DIRECTORY name matches what you're now going to use. If you ever renumber an area (I don't do this very often at all) you will have to edit your Plutonic.stats file to reflect the new message numbers. You only ever have to renumber areas if the message numbers hit the 32,767 mark. It takes many many months (if at all) for an echo area to get 32,767 messages in it, you'll see :-) So don't worry about renumbering areas, I've only ever had to do it four times so far and I've been in FidoNet since the nodelist was only 1 meg in size. -------- Contact: -------- The author can be reached at Inquestor BBS, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Peter Deane FidoNet: 3:622/401 Postal: PO Box 228 GlobalNet: 54:6101/401 Swansea NSW 2281 AmigaNet: 41:200/401 AUSTRALIA Or call the BBS: from O/S +61-49-72-1647 (24 hrs) from Aust (049) 72-1647 ------------------------- Appendix: Files Generated ------------------------- Whats.here ---------- Used by Plutonic itself (what PlutScan was originally written for). the format is: # messages lowater hiwater Eg: 10 3 12 Message.BBS ----------- Used by TransAmiga. the format is very simple: lowater hiwater Since TransAmiga is in Hi-Soft, I even add the leading spaces! Eg: 3 12 MAIL:Plutonic.Stats ------------------- Safeguard this file! It is the record of the messages passing through your system (well, the area and the hiwater mark anyway). PlutScan 'snapshots' the state of the message areas once a week, and needs to know how things were last time the stats section was run. the file looks like: 19-May-92 MAIL:Matrix/ 1148 MAIL:Coast_Matrix/ 23456 MAIL:IntlMatrix/ 456 MAIL:InqLoc/ 3221 ... The first line is the date the stats were last run on - Plutscan will never run the stats more than once a day - and the rest of the file is relatively easy to work out. Directory, hiwater, directory, hiwater, etc, etc. If you've already run PlutScan once in the day and really do want to run it again, change the first line of this file to (say) yesterday's date. Sample Stats Message -------------------- This is a *.MSG posted in the directory you specify. If the 'SUMMARY' command line switch has been invoked, the text of this message will ALSO be found in a file in ram: called PlutScan.stats. Anyway, the message would look a little like: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: PlutScan V2.92 Message # : 5183 of 5248 To : All Area : Inquestor General Date: 07 Nov 94 06:21:44 Replies : * Attr: SENT LOCAL Times Read: 2 Subj: This week's mail stats --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^aMSGID: 3:622/401.0 2EBDC778 ^aPID: PlutScan 2.92 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mail statistics from 31-Oct-94 to Monday, 07-Nov-94 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Generated by PlutScan, written in GFABASIC by Peter Deane] --------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- % Msgs Msg Base Date of Area Name Traffic Report Hiwater Size %ge Last Msg --------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- NET Mail 90 1.25 15,052 2.79 06 Nov 94 Inquestor Private & Sysop 5 0.07 1,159 0.21 05 Nov 94 Inquestor General 41 0.57 5,182 0.96 06 Nov 94 Inquestor Alias Fun 1 0.01 191 0.04 30 Oct 94 Budgie Gossip 12 0.17 682 0.13 06 Nov 94 Newcastle 4 Sale 24 0.33 129 0.02 05 Nov 94 Newcastle Chat 19 0.26 203 0.04 05 Nov 94 ... Sysop Coast Sysop 122 1.70 455 0.08 06 Nov 94 Sysop N200_Amy 0 0.00 218 0.04 Wed 5 Oct Sysop Z41Sysop_Amy 103 1.44 3,503 0.65 06 Nov 94 Sysop Sysop_amy 30 0.42 2,168 0.40 31 Oct 94 Sysop N622 60 0.84 2,205 0.41 05 Nov 94 Sysop RG54 3 0.04 2,569 0.48 05 Nov 94 Sysop Zone3 67 0.93 17,105 3.17 05 Nov 94 Sysop Globalnet BRE CoOrd 7 0.10 130 0.02 03 Nov 94 Bad_msgs 112 1.56 162 0.03 Wed 2 Nov ------- ------- ------- ------- Total Messages 7176 1.33 539,651 100.0 % ------- ------- ------- ------- --- TrapToss 1.75 beta * Origin: Mail Stats from Plutscan V2.92 by Peter Deane (3:622/401) Ram:Areas.summary ----------------- If you specify the SUMMARY option, then this file will be found in RAM: after PlutScan has completed. It's self-explanatory. This file will be generated without the libraries being available, incidentally. -------------------------------------- Area: Fido NET Mail Directory: MAIL:Matrix/ Messages: 51 Lo-water: 1098 Hi-water: 1148 -------------------------------------- Area: Local Private & Sysop Directory: MAIL:InqLoc/ Messages: 152 Lo-water: 2 Hi-water: 221 -------------------------------------- Area: Local General Directory: MAIL:Inquestor/ Messages: 64 Lo-water: 125 Hi-water: 189 (etc, etc, etc) You now get totals at the end, too...