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Ärende: FidoNews 28:31 [03/05]: Getting Technical
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                             GETTING TECHNICAL
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     Helpful Downlink Information
     ============================
     By Janis Kracht, 1:261/38, janis@filegate.net

     We've got a several new and returning SysOps in Fidonet in the last
     few weeks, which is great..  even now Zone 2 is expecting at least
     one new node in Milano, Italy who sent me information regarding
     getting connected again.

     Here is some information that may be helpful to you:

     1. Latest Nodelist:
        If you are in Zone 1, you will probably want a Zone 1 nodelist
        located at http://www.filegate.net/nodelist/nodelist.z??, where ??
        is the last two digits of the julian day number.  Don't let the
        .z?? extension confuse you.. these are zip archives which contain
        NODELIST.???.  Just unzip it to extract the file, put in your
        nodelist directory and run your bbs nodelist database generator if
        your mailer uses one (like BBBS's ./bbbs bndiff).

        Other Zones maintain their own nodelist with their nodelists
        organized with their own zone first.  Contact your RC or NC to find
        out where you can pick up this file.

     2. Backbone Echo List:
        The list of all echos available on the Zone 1 North American
        Backbone is available at
        http://www.filegate.net/backbone/backbone.na

        Of course other Zones also maintain a list of echos that are
        normally in the language of the Zone.  Again, contact your RC or NC
        to find out where you can pick this file up.

        Some countries do not maintain a formal list of echo tags, but if
        you query your uplink with an areafix command, you can find the
        list of echo areas.  The command you would give to your uplink's
        areafix is:

       ======================================================
       To: Areafix          @(your uplink's fido address)
       Subj: <your areafix password> -L
       ======================================================

        -L sends you a list of echo areas. The uplink Sysop may
        make a list of available areas in a file; if this has
        been done the -L command will cause AreaFix to send it to
        you as a file attach.

        -Q also sends you a list of echo areas. However, unlike the -L
         command, it will scan through the Area Control files to see what
         areas are available to you and send a list back in a message.
         AreaFix will put an asterisk (*) next to each area that you are
         receiving.

        -R is a rescan command. This causes AreaFix to force a
        rescan of the echo area by removing the high-water mark.
        The next time the area is scanned, any messages in that
        area that you did not receive will be packaged up and sent
        to you.  Note that if your uplink has an area as a
        passthrough, there will not be any messages to rescan.
        Also, not all versions of areafix type programs will
        support a -rescan command.  For instance, BBBS does not.

        Sometimes if you leave the body of your areafix message blank.
        Areafix will get confused.  Q option  will not  send back  a list
        if you send a blank message.  However, just having the tear line
        (---) will be  enough.

     There are many more options to areafix. I'll cover those in another
     article.

     3. File Area Distribution:
        You'll want to connect to your uplink's file areas for at least
        some file echos, so that they come into your system
        automatically.. Examples would be the NODELIST file echo in your
        Zone, and in Zone 1, the BACKBONE file echo so that you get the
        latest backbone.na available.

        To process or toss the files you receive in your inbound
        directory, you will need a tick compatible program.  There are a
        number of these programs available for different operating
        systems.

        Allfix   http://www.allfix.com/
        NEF/pk   http://nefpk.8m.com/
        TinyTIC  http://ftnapps.sourceforge.net/
        VIReq    http://ftnapps.sourceforge.net/

        Of course, you can use the grandaddy of all tick programs (the
        very first), tick 2.10.  It's available at
        http://www.filegate.net/mail/tick210.zip.
        If you need help with the .cfg file, check the example I've posted
        at filegate.net:
        http://www.filegate.net/zone1/filehelp.htm#tick


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