U'NI-NET AND INTERNET FTP
-------------------------
U'NI-net is a general interest .QWK mail based echomail network
offering over 100 topics of conversation. For complete information
about the network, download UNIxxx.ZIP.
U'NI-net is available via Anonymous FTP. To find the mail packets, you
must have a shell account on a system connected to the Internet that
offers FTP protocol.
These packets are direct from Cam's WildCat! House, which is the
International Host system for U'NI-net. They are called CAMCAT.QWK and
are packed inside .ZIP files named after the day and if they were
scanned in the AM or PM (MON-AM.ZIP, TUE-PM.ZIP, WED-AM.ZIP, etc).
The packets contain all U'NI-net conferences except private
administrative ones (UNI-NET, UNI-HOST, UNI-HUB and your hubs local admin
conference). At the very least, UNI-NET must be picked up from an Official
Hub when you upload your .REP files. If your system gives access to any
conference Hosts then UNI-HOST must be picked up as well.
HOW TO FIND THE PACKETS
-----------------------
We will assume that you are familiar with the Internet and Anonymous
FTP. If you need more complete information, please send your questions
via Internet email addressed to sysop@camcat.com.
U'NI-net packets are available on the following sites accessible via
FTP. They are:
ftp.camcat.com (155.229.199.193)
ftp.delta.net
ftp.netcom.com
ftp.at.com
From the system prompt (%) enter:
[camcat]
% ftp ftp.camcat.com -OR- % ftp 155.229.199.193
[deltanet]
% ftp ftp.delta.net
[netcom]
% ftp ftp.netcom.com
[at]
% ftp ftp.at.com
login: anonymous
password: (enter your complete email address here)
[camcat]
ftp> cd /uninet
[deltanet]
ftp> cd /users/sheppard/uninet
[netcom]
ftp> cd /pub/un/uninet
Or, for a full week's worth of .QWKs:
ftp> cd /pub/cs/cshapiro/uninet
[at]
ftp> cd /uninet
Once you have found the uninet directory, you can do a dir (ls -al)
command and you should see the latest UNIxxx.ZIP file containing
information about the network, plus the latest mail packets.
NOTE: You may use the dir command at camcat.com
The mail packets are named after the day of the week, plus if they are
scanned in the AM or PM. So, you'll see packets with names like this:
MON-AM.ZIP : This packet would have been scanned the most recent
Monday in the morning. Inside the .ZIP is a CAMCAT.QWK
file with net status turned on. It contains all
conferences except the private administrative ones
(UNI-NET, UNI-HOST & UNI-HUB).
MON-PM.ZIP : This packet would have been scanned the most recent
Monday in the evening.
TUE-AM.ZIP : Tuesday Morning
etc...
To copy MON-AM.ZIP to your account directory issue this command:
ftp> get mon-am.zip
Once the process is complete close the connection:
ftp> close
Quit the FTP program, and then issue this command from your local
unix prompt:
% sz mon-am.zip
The file will be sent to your local hard disk via Zmodem.
WHAT IF I MISS A PACKET?
------------------------
Each packet will be online a minimum of 24 hours. Under normal
circumstances there will be three days worth of packets online at all
times. If you miss getting a packet, you must FTP to camcat.com which
keeps a full weeks worth of packets in the /uninet folder. Issue a dir
or ls -al command and you'll be presented with a file directory that
will contain a full weeks worth of zipped packets. You can download
whatever you missed from that list.
It is also possible that there could a problem with the automated
system that posts the mail files on the Internet. Or the service
provider we use could have technical problems. If packets are
missing, the best bet is to call Cam's Wildcat! House to get them
until things return to normal.
AUTOMATION:
----------
We have fourteen different packet names. This can make automation
tricky. Joseph Sheppard has written a program included in
UNIDL10.ZIP, which can be downloaded from the uninet directories at
Camcat, Deltanet, Netcom, & AT. This program will write the name
of the current packet to a text file and to a batch file that can place
the name in your DOS environment. Most telecom script programs can read
a variable from a text file or the DOS environment. UNIDL10.ZIP
includes pascal source code.
FTPMAIL
-------
QWK packets and other U'NI related files can also be received via
FTPMAIL. This process involves sending a message to request a file by
name, then the file is uuencoded and sent to you in a message. Many
UUCP programs automatically decode the file for you, if yours doesn't,
you have to decode it using a program called UUDECODE.EXE. Shareware
and Freeware versions of this program are available for download from
most BBS systems.
To receive a file (example MON-AM.ZIP) from the ftpmail server at
netcom.com, you would send an internet email message addressed:
To: ftp-request@netcom.com
In the body of the message, put this:
send /pub/un/uninet/mon-am.zip
GUIDELINES
----------
Please be advised that all normal guidelines and procedures regarding
mail transmission with U'NI-net as described in UNINET.TXT apply, PLUS
these:
1. Systems receiving packets via FTP MUST connect to an Official
U'NI-net Hub at least once every 24 hours to upload reply (.REP)
packets and download private administrative conferences including
UNI-NET, and the local administrative conference. In addition, if
someone from your system will be hosting a conference, you must pick
up UNI-HOST via your hub. See UNIHUBS.LST to determine the Official
Hub for your area.
2. You must notify your Official Hub that you plan to transfer mail
via FTP. This should be noted on your application. Present
systems who are switching over to satellite must get permission from
their hub to transfer U'NI-net packets via satellite.
3. It is MANDATORY that the first FIVE mail runs to your hub be made
MANUALLY, or in a manner that allows you to abort the process if an
abnormally large .REP packet is created. This is to make sure that
your mail tosser software is configured properly. It is very possible
for new FTP Sysops miss a crucial step in configuration and cause
hundreds of duplicate messages to flood the system! This typically
happens because most systems have dual configurations (one for the FTP
packets, and one for the Hub system). When pointers for the Host
system are not topped out following an import of an FTP packet, the
next time a .REP packet is scanned, it will include ALL of the
messages previously imported from the FTP packet! Systems that allow
this to happen due to not making the first FIVE mail runs manually may
find their access to the Hub revoked without warning.
MAIL TOSSER TIPS
----------------
ROSEMAIL
--------
Rosemail from Rose Media, Inc. has a feature available that is
designed specifically for handling Dual packets for a single system.
This system was designed for satellite packets via Planet Connect, but
does work for FTP packets as well. Rosemail is compatible with PCBoard
only.
RNET
----
Rnet by Robert Vostreys has a feature called "KEYCODE=" that will
automatically adjust the pointers between the FTP config file
and the Hub config file. Rnet is compatible with PCBoard only.
TNET
----
Tnet from Mustang Software for Wildcat systems can handle FTP packets,
HOWEVER, the pointers for the Hub system must be topped out after an
FTP packet is imported! Failure to do this will cause the entire
series of messages imported from the Hub to be re-exported on the next
mail run! Here is a sample batch file for Tnet:
TNET EXPORT UNIHUB
CALL UNIHUB
TNET IMPORT UNIHUB
TNET IMPORT CAMCAT
TNET HIGH UNIHUB
Explanation:
TNET EXPORT UNIHUB: Run Tnet to export U'NI-net message to be sent to
your Official Hub.
CALL UNIHUB: Run a batch file that invokes your telecom program to
call your U'NI-net Hub.
TNET IMPORT UNIHUB: Import the .REP packet that was just downloaded
from your Hub.
TNET IMPORT CAMCAT: Import the CAMCAT.QWK packet that you received from
the Internet.
TNET HIGH UNIHUB: Top out the message pointers in configuration for
your Hub. Failure to do this will result in all the messages you just
imported from the Internet being resent to your Hub. This might also
cause your net status at your hub to be revoked!
OTHER TOSSERS
-------------
Other .QWK/.REP compatible mail programs will work as long as they
give you the ability to top out pointers for a specific configuration.
Most have a command called "HIGH" that accomplishes this. See the
instructions for TNET if you are running a tosser with this feature.
If your tosser does not have this ability, and there isn't some other
feature that addresses dual configuration files for a single network
(such as RNET's KEYCODE=) then the tosser should not be used. Contact
the author to see if the feature can be added before attempting to
echo with U'NI-net via FTP.
IMPORTANT
---------
If you are a present U'NI-net node who is switching over to FTP
transmission, please remember to remove your old mail event from your
system. As obvious as this sounds, we have already had one Sysop
forget to do this, and the result was MEGADUPES!
QUESTIONS???
------------
Cam DeBuck is the Network Host for U'NI-net, and the Sysop of the
International Host system (Cam's WildCat! House). Cam can be contacted
via any system that currently carries U'NI-net in the Sysop
conference. He can also be contacted at the following:
Cam's WildCat! House: 770-461-5947 (V.32bis/HST Terbo)
Internet: cam@camcat.com