Starting with version 1.13 there is simple hop control available on a per -node basis. Also it is possible to isolate a network completely so that you -get all the benefits of being on that network, but can't pass on information -from it to any other networks you may be connected to (or vice versa). +
DXSpider deals seamlessly with standard AK1A type mail. It supports both +personal and bulletin mail and the sysop has additional commands to ensure +that mail gets to where it is meant. DXSpider will send mail almost +immediately, assuming that the target is on line. However, only one +mail message is dealt with at any one time. If a mail message is already +being sent or recieved, then the new message will be queued until it has +finished. +
The cluster mail is automatically deleted after 30 days unless the sysop +sets the "keep" flag using the msg command.
-
In /spider/data you will find a file called hop_table.pl. This is the file -that controls your hop count settings. It has a set of default hops on the -various PC frames and also a set for each node you want to alter the hops for. -You may be happy with the default settings of course, but this powerful tool -can help to protect and improve the network. The file will look something -like this ... +
Personal mail is sent using the sp command. This is actually the +default method of sending mail and so a simple s for send will do. +A full list of the send commands and options is in the command set +section, so I will not duplicate them here. +
+
Bulletin mail is sent by using the sb command. This is one of the +most common mistakes users make when sending mail. They send a bulletin +mail with s or sp instead of sb and of course +the message never leaves the cluster. This can be rectified by the sysop +by using the msg command. +
+
Bulletin addresses can be set using the Forward.pl file. +
+
DXSpider receives all and any mail sent to it without any alterations needed +in files. Because personal and bulletin mail are treated differently, there +is no need for a list of accepted bulletin addresses. It is necessary, however, +to tell the program which links accept which bulletins. For example, it is +pointless sending bulletins addresses to "UK" to any links other than UK +ones. The file that does this is called forward.pl and lives in /spider/msg. +At default, like other spider files it is named forward.pl.issue. Rename it +to forward.pl and edit the file to match your requirements. +The format is below ...
+#
+# this is an example message forwarding file for the system
+#
+# The format of each line is as follows
+#
+# type to/from/at pattern action destinations
+# P/B/F T/F/A regex I/F [ call [, call ...] ]
+#
+# type: P - private, B - bulletin (msg), F - file (ak1a bull)
+# to/from/at: T - to field, F - from field, A - home bbs, O - origin
+# pattern: a perl regex on the field requested
+# action: I - ignore, F - forward
+# destinations: a reference to an array containing node callsigns
+#
+# if it is non-private and isn't in here then it won't get forwarded
+#
+# Currently only type B msgs are affected by this code.
#
-# hop table construction
-#
-
-package DXProt;
+# The list is read from the top down, the first pattern that matches
+# causes the action to be taken.
+#
+# The pattern can be undef or 0 in which case it will always be selected
+# for the action specified
+#
+# If the BBS list is undef or 0 and the action is 'F' (and it matches the
+# pattern) then it will always be forwarded to every node that doesn't have
+# it (I strongly recommend you don't use this unless you REALLY mean it, if
+# you allow a new link with this on EVERY bull will be forwarded immediately
+# on first connection)
+#
-# default hopcount to use
-$def_hopcount = 5;
+package DXMsg;
-# some variable hop counts based on message type
-%hopcount =
-(
- 11 => 10,
- 16 => 10,
- 17 => 10,
- 19 => 10,
- 21 => 10,
+@forward = (
+'B', 'T', 'LOCAL', 'F', [ qw(GB7MBC) ],
+'B', 'T', 'ALL', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX PA4AB-14) ],
+'B', 'T', 'UK', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX) ],
+'B', 'T', 'QSL', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX PA4AB-14) ],
+'B', 'T', 'QSLINF', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX PA4AB-14) ],
+'B', 'T', 'DX', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX PA4AB-14) ],
+'B', 'T', 'DXINFO', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX PA4AB-14) ],
+'B', 'T', 'DXNEWS', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX PA4AB-14) ],
+'B', 'T', 'DXQSL', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX PA4AB-14) ],
+'B', 'T', 'SYSOP', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX) ],
+'B', 'T', '50MHZ', 'F', [ qw(GB7BAA GB7ADX PA4AB-14) ],
);
+
+Simply insert a bulletin address and state in the brackets where you wish +that mail to go. For example, you can see here that mail sent to "UK" will +only be sent to the UK links and not to PA4AB-14. +
+
To force the cluster to reread the file use load/forward +
+
+
The msg command is a very powerful and flexible tool for the +sysop. It allows the sysop to alter to and from fields and make other +changes to manage the cluster mail. +
Here is a full list of the various options ... +
+
+
+ MSG TO <msgno> <call> - change TO callsign to <call>
+ MSG FRom <msgno> <call> - change FROM callsign to <call>
+ MSG PRrivate <msgno> - set private flag
+ MSG NOPRrivate <msgno> - unset private flag
+ MSG RR <msgno> - set RR flag
+ MSG NORR <msgno> - unset RR flag
+ MSG KEep <msgno> - set the keep flag (message won't be deleted ever)
+ MSG NOKEep <msgno> - unset the keep flag
+ MSG SUbject <msgno> <new> - change the subject to <new>
+ MSG WAittime <msgno> - remove any waiting time for this message
+ MSG NOREad <msgno> - mark message as unread
+ MSG REad <msgno> - mark message as read
+ MSG QUeue - queue any outstanding bulletins
+ MSG QUeue 1 - queue any outstanding private messages
These commands are simply typed from within the cluster as the sysop user.
-
Each set of hops is contained within a pair of curly braces and contains a -series of PC frame types. PC11 for example is a DX spot. The figures here -are not exhaustive but should give you a good idea of how the file works. +
You can check on a message from within the cluster by using the command +stat/msg. This will give you additional information on the +message number including which nodes have received it, which node it +was received from and when etc. Here is an example of the output of +the command ...
-
You can alter this file at any time, including whilst the cluster is running. -If you alter the file during runtime, the command load/hops will -bring your changes into effect. +
+
+G0VGS de GB7MBC 28-Jan-2001 1308Z >
+stat/msg 6869
+ From: GB7DJK
+ Msg Time: 26-Jan-2001 1302Z
+ Msgno: 6869
+ Origin: GB7DJK
+ Size: 8012
+ Subject: AMSAT 2line KEPS 01025.AMSAT
+ To: UK
+Got it Nodes: GB7BAA, GB7ADX
+ Private: 0
+Read Confirm: 0
+ Times read: 0
+G0VGS de GB7MBC 28-Jan-2001 1308Z >
+
++
This is described in the section on Other filters so I will not +duplicate it here.
-
It is possible to isolate networks from each other on a "gateway" node using the -set/isolate <node_call> command. -
-
The effect of this is to partition an isolated network completely from another -nodes connected to your node. Your node will appear on and otherwise behave -normally on every network to which you are connected, but data from an isolated -network will not cross onto any other network or vice versa. However all the -spot, announce and WWV traffic and personal messages will still be handled -locally (because you are a real node on all connected networks), that is locally -connected users will appear on all networks and will be able to access and -receive information from all networks transparently. All routed messages will -be sent as normal, so if a user on one network knows that you are a gateway for -another network, he can still still send a talk/announce etc message via your -node and it will be routed across. -
-
The only limitation currently is that non-private messages cannot be passed down -isolated links regardless of whether they are generated locally. This will change -when the bulletin routing facility is added. -
-
If you use isolate on a node connection you will continue to receive all -information from the isolated partner, however you will not pass any information -back to the isolated node. There are times when you would like to forward only -spots across a link (maybe during a contest for example). To do this, isolate -the node in the normal way and put in a filter in the /spider/filter/spots -directory to override the isolate. This filter can be very simple and consists -of just one line .... +
Distribution lists are simply a list of users to send certain types of +mail to. An example of this is mail you only wish to send to other +sysops. In /spider/msg there is a directory called distro. You +put any distibution lists in here. For example, here is a file called +SYSOP.pl that caters for the UK sysops.
-$in = [
- [ 1, 0, 'd', 0, 3] # The last figure (3) is the hop count
-];
+qw(GB7TLH GB7DJK GB7DXM GB7CDX GB7BPQ GB7DXN GB7MBC GB7MBC-6 GB7MDX
+ GB7NDX GB7SDX GB7TDX GB7UDX GB7YDX GB7ADX GB7BAA GB7DXA GB7DXH
+ GB7DXK GB7DXI GB7DXS)
Any mail sent to "sysop" would only be sent to the callsigns in this list. +
+
Spider provides a simple BBS interface. No input is required from the sysop +of the cluster at all. The BBS simply sets the cluster as a BBS and pushes +any required mail to the cluster. No mail can flow from Spider to the BBS, +the interface is one-way.
-
There is a lot more on filtering in the next section. +
Please be careful not to flood the cluster network with unnecessary mail. +Make sure you only send mail to the clusters that want it by using the +Forward.pl file very carefully.