Re: OWK packet network

> I was interested in linking sysops here in Maryland together with a network
> of sorts. Since there is a smattering of BBS's around here, mostly WWIV, I
> was wondering if I could put together some type of QWK network and become a
> hub perhaps. I don't know much about QWK but the VA documentation describes
> the message base setup pretty much the same as any VirtualNet setup. Any
> advice would be appreciated.

Setup of a QWK network is probably the easiest to setup.. mainly cause there
is nothing to setup. There is no network configuration to do, just add the
network to the NETWORKS.LST file and then install it in VConfig.

You'll have to come up with a list of message areas. Once that is done, to
configure the message area in VConfig just involves creating the sub, and in
the network config, putting QWKNETWORK=SUBNAME (you come up with the
qwknetwork name and the message subname).

The only problem I see is coming up with the transport method. You have to
find some way to send packets out and get them coming in.. IF you wanted to
use FTP, then here is what is involved:

Each BBS that is part of the network would have to create a user account on
your system in order to keep up with message pointers.

Maybe once an hour, you'll run a batch file that would create the QWK packets
for all the BBS's, and stick them in the appropriate FTP directories. VQWK
allows this by running:

VQWK 0 /EXPORT=<path and filename>,<user #> NETWORKID=x

you'd run that with the appropriate info for each BBS in the network.

Then about every 15 mins or so, you'll have to run a batch file that would
check for any incoming REP packets. Now, VADV's VQWK only supports QWK
packets and NOT REP packets... so you'd have to convert the REP packet into a
QWK packet. There is a utility called REP2QWK.EXE that I can send you.. or
you may already have.

After converting to a QWK packet, then you'd import it to the BBS like:

VQWK 0 /IMPORT=<path and filename>,<user #> NETWORKID=x

That would all there would be to it.. so it would just take some batch file
writing this way (and it's basically what I do for AspectNet but without the
conversion process).

If you want some assistance, let me know.

Steve

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