=========================================================================



E C H O & F E U t i l V1.00

Written by Tobias Burchhardt

(c)1991 by Software Technik Burchhardt

The most powerful Echomail-processor for points currently available !
=========================================================================


Features at a glance
====================

* Extremely fast TOSSER !!!

* Complete netmail routing and packing.

* Networking and multitasking support. Can be simultaneously be used in
RemoteAccess(tm)- or FrontDoor(tm)-multiline-environments. Messagebase
will be locked while execution. Read messages while tossing in another
task.

* Complete zone and point support. This applies to inbound as well as
outbound mail.

* No limitation in messagesize

* Full ARCmail-security using passwords with 3 levels.

* Complete QBBS-messagebase-maintenance-utility included. No need to use
additional utilities.

* Full-screen integrated SETUP utility, no need to use an external
editor.

* Automatic area-adding function. (*registered version only*)

* Carbon-Copy-function - filter out special messages and copy them to
special boards while tossing.

* Compatible with the FTSC standards FTS-0001 as well as FSC-0039 &
FSC-0048.

* Direct screen-writes, DESQview(tm)-aware


Shareware Notice, Legal Stuff and Disclaimer
============================================

This is copyrighted software owned by Software Technik Burchhardt. This
is NOT public domain or freeware. Software Technik Burchhardt grants you
a TEMPORARY license to try this software for EVALUATION purposes ONLY !
You may use this package for an evaluation time of 30 days. After this
time you have to register FastEcho or stop using it ! Any other or
further use of this software is strictly forbidden and may result in
legal action !

To register FastEcho, please refer to LICENSE.DOC and the order forms
included in REGISTER.LZH in this package.

FastEcho is provided 'as is', without warranty of any kind, neither
expressed nor implied. I only guarantee FastEcho and the included tools
occupy diskspace.

In no event will the author be liable to you for any damages, including
lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages
arising out of the use of this program.

All mentioned products and packages are copyrighted by and trademarks
of their respective holders.

FESetup makes intensive use of the TesSeRact CLX User Interface TCXL
Version 5.52 copyrighted by Innovative Data Concepts.


Description
===========

FastEcho is one of the FASTEST tosser/scanner for the QBBS-Messagebase
currently available. Further, the package contains all features needed to
run a point or a node without downlinks - netmail-packing/routing
included.

It can be run with FrontDoor(tm), D'Bridge(tm) and BinkleyTerm(tm) and
has currently been tested with FrontDoor(tm) 1.99c, 2.01 and 2.02,
D'Bridge(tm) 1.30 and 1.31alpha and BinkleyTerm(tm) 2.40 and 2.50.

If SHARE is loaded, FastEcho supports Messagebase-Sharing and
RemoteAccess(tm)-Record-Locking. You can read messages while tossing or
scanning within another task. This may also be called 'Network Mode'.

FEUtil automatically detects a i386 or higher CPU and uses optimized
routines. FEUTIL LINK for example will be much faster on a 80386-based
computer than on a 80286 or lower. If you recognize any problems, you may
use "SET FEOPT=NO386" to disable the 386-support.

This documentation is only a simple guide for you to get to know the
most important facts about FastEcho. It doesn't contain a complete
description of FastEcho and the included tools. If you have any questions
about the possibilities of FastEcho, first of all run all programs with
'?' - you'll get a usage-screen that will help you in most cases.
Further, rely on the context-sensitive-online-HELP provided with FESETUP
- simply press F1.


System Requirements
===================

Soft- & Hardware
----------------

* An IBM PC, XT, AT or compatible, i386 CPU supported by FEUtil

* DOS 3.31+

* FrontDoor 2.02+, D'Bridge 1.30+ or BinkleyTerm 2.50+

* A fido '*.msg' style netmail-directory

* A QBBS-style messagebase

* Optionally an RA/QBBS-compatible BBS-software

* Memory requirements:

FastEcho 130-210kB (1kB when swapping)
FEUtil upto 512kB
FESetup 160kB


At least one of these compression utilities:

* PKZIP 1.10+
* ARJ 2.22+
* LHARC 1.13c/LHa 2.13+
* PKARC 3.61+
* ARC 6.02+
* ZOO 2.10+
* PAK 2.51+


An extractor program that copes with different de-/compression programs
like:

* General Unpack Shell GUS 1.40 or later
* PolyXarc 2.1a or later

* or if you only expect always to get mail compressed with the same
compression utility the respective unpack program/command like
ARCE or PKUNZIP


Short Installation Guide
========================

If you have worked with tossers like Tosscan(tm), IMail(tm), GEcho(tm)
etc. I don't think that the installation of FastEcho will be hard to do.
You only need a AREAS.BBS [well, it's not really needed, but it will save
you a lot of time and work] and the knowledge about your system [paths,
addresses etc.]. Simply run FESetup and I guess you'll find it familiar
to other software-packages.

Pressing F1 will give you a context-sensitive help on almost each
topic. I suggest to use this feature any time you have problems with the
setup. Therefore I didn't include the information given in this help in
this document.


FESetup

About... Gives a short notice about the program

Export Exports FASTECHO.SYS - a human-readable
copy of your current configuration

PLEASE INCLUDE IT IN BUGREPORTS and/or
QUESTIONS !!!!!

Shell to DOS self-explanatory

Quit dito


Edit
Matrix-Addresses

Here you place YOUR address(es), the
domain(s) and - if you are a point - your
Pointnet [aka Fakenet]


System-Data

Your paths etc.


Advanced Options

Different options for FastEcho and FEUtil


Compression Programs

Upto 8 different programs for compressing
OUTGOING mail-bundles


Node-Configuration

Here you set up all the nodes you are
exporting (net-)mails to. For help on the
different flags rely on F1 and the
documentation of your mailer


(Re)Tear-Lines

FastEcho can retear the tearlines generated
by your editor
Remember: DON'T INCLUDE NONSENSE IN THE
TEARLINE !

* The retear-option is only available in
the registered version !


Origin-Lines

These lines will be used, if your editor
doesn't include "* Origin:"'s in your echo-
mails


Carbon-Copies

This is one of the unusual features of
FastEcho. While tossing it may copy
certain mails not only in the normal
echo-area, but also in another board. Here
you may setup the necessary information


Area-Manager

Here you specify all your QBBS-areas [local
as well as echomail]
Importing AREAS.BBS saves a lot of install-
tion time !
The 'Export To:' doesn't have to be speci-
fied for local areas - simply press ESC and
leave this field blank


Running FASTECHO.EXE
====================

FastEcho does have several commands and commandline-switches. These are
listed here:

TOSS - Toss Incoming Mail
-------------------------

This executes FastEcho's TOSS function. This will search your
inbound files directory for mail and toss it into your QBBS-messagebase
- netmail-messages will end up in the netmail-directory, while echomail
will be put into the correct messagearea.

Should TOSS encounter an ARCmail file from which it cannot extract
the mail-packets successfully, it will rename the file to have an
extension of .BAD so that you can look at it, and so the file will not
be processed again.

TOSS will leave with different errorlevels depending on what action
was actually performed:

0 - no mails imported
10 - netmail imported
11 - echomail imported
12 - net- & echomail imported

This enables you to set up your batch-files according to the
errorlevel.

Switches
--------

-B Check Badmail first

This will force TOSS to search the badmail-board
just before tossing incoming mails for newly added
echomail-areas and will move these messages to the
recently created board.

-K Keep Seen-By's

Echomails normally contain special control-lines
beginning with "SEEN-BY". By default these lines
are removed from the messages. If you specify this
switch they will be kept. This should only be
enabled for debugging purposes as this takes a lot
of space in your messagebase.

-C Make Carbon-Copies

This enables the 'Carbon-Copy'-feature. Special
mails are not only stored in the normal echomail-
area but also in a area you specified in the your
setup. Please refer to the online-help of FESetup
for further details.


SCAN - Scan for Outgoing Mail
-----------------------------

This enables the echomail SCAN function. The QBBS-messagebase will
be searched for outgoing echomail exporting it to packets.

If not found in the exported message, an origin-line will be added to
it in the packet. FastEcho will by default add/replace its own
^APID-kludge in the exported mail to show the reader that this mail was
scanned by FastEcho. In the registered version its possible to turn
this off and use the tearline instead.

Switches
--------
-N Don't use ECHOMAIL.BBS

To speed up the SCAN FastEcho uses by default the
ECHOMAIL.BBS file normally created by your editor
when you write a new message. This file contains
the numbers of all new written messages. If you -
for some purposes - don't want FastEcho to use it,
this feature may be disabled.

-A Always use ECHOMAIL.BBS

This will force FastEcho to SCAN your messagebase
only if you've written new messages and your
editor created this file. Otherwise it will just
exit without any action.

-F Don't create File-attach

This disables FastEcho to create a new file-attach
when it created a new packet. This may be used for
example when you want to pack the messages for your
sysop-point if you are a node.


PACK - Pack outgoing netmails
-----------------------------

This calls the netmail-packer. This means that the not-yet-sent
netmails are packed accordingly to your routing setup with FESetup or to
the runtime-parameters you may specify. Only netmails without any
'priority-flags' such as 'Crash', 'Direct' or 'Immediate' will be
packed.

If you only call FastEcho PACK without any special routing-statements
it will use the default routing you set up in the Node-Manager.
Otherwise it will perform the routing you specify in the command-line.

Routing Statements
------------------

PACK Address [Address] [Address]... [via Address]

If you don't specify a 'via' address, the netmails will be
packed for each address and one packet will be created for each
address. Otherwise all netmails destined to the specified
addresses will be packed and routed to the 'via' address. The
destination-addresses may be shortened if packing for (your) points
- for example 'PACK .3 .4 .5 .6' will pack the netmails for your
points.

You may specify wildcards '*' & '?' in the destination
address-fields. If you do so, a 'via' address is mandatory !!!

This wildcarding is more flexible than the wildcarding that may
be used in the Node-Manager as it may be used within an address.

Valid wildcarded addresses are for example:

2:24* - will pack all mails for region 24

9:492/6?? - will pack all mails for all 6?? nodes
(for example 610, 623 etc.). This
enables you to perform a kind of HUB-
routing with FastEcho.

Switches
--------

-F - Don't create File-attach

[see above]


STAT - generate echomail statistics
-----------------------------------

This enables the statistical function of FastEcho. Every TOSS or SCAN
a database will be updated containing the number of tossed or scanned
messages on each board. This function creates a human readable
statistics from this database. The statistics will be added to the file
specified in FESetup.

By default FastEcho STAT will leave the database untouched after
generation, so any new TOSS or SCAN after STAT will add the new data.

If run with the -D - switch, FastEcho will delete the database after
execution, so the next STAT will only show the statistics after the last
STAT -D. This enables you for example to generate weekly or monthly
statistics rather than a overall statistics that will be generated
without deletion of the database.

The database is stored in FASTECHO.DAT.


Running FEUTIL.EXE
==================

FEUtil is QBBS-Messagebase-utility that helps you to maintain your
messagebase. It has built-in help-screens for all commands available with
'?'.

Following commands are available. The switches may be shortened !

Index
-----

FEUtil Index

The Index command can be used to create the following indexfiles out
of MSGHDR.BBS:

MSGIDX.BBS This file contains the messagenumber and -board of
each record in the messagebase

MSGTOIDX.BBS This file contains the names of the addressees of
each record in the messagebase

MSGINFO.BBS This file contains global information about your
messagebase regarding the number of messages (on
each board, totally, highest/lowest message etc.)

Note that these indexfiles are also created by the Pack, Sort and
Purge commands, so normally this command is not needed.


Purge
-----

FEUtil Purge [-Delete]

The Purge command is used to delete messages based on criterions
specified in the Area-Manager of FESetup. These criterions may be set on
per-area-basis or per default.

Switches:

-D or -Delete Delete all messages in unknown boards


Pack
----

FEUtil Pack [-Force] [-Overwrite] [-Renumber] [-Delete]

The Pack command allows to compress the messagebase-files by removing
deleted messages and/or removing crosslinked messages.

FEUtil Pack without -Overwrite or -Force will create new messagebase-
files and delete the old upon error-free execution. The -Force switch
causes the files to be overwritten, which has some advantages and dis-
advantages:
- no free disk-space needed
- less fragmentation
! possible total loss of data if interupted while execution

The -Overwrite switch will cause FEUtil to only overwrite the message-
basefiles if short of disk-space. Without these switches FEUtil will
quit without packing if not enough disk-space is available.

FEUtil will automatically renumber if the highest messagenumber is
higher than what you defined for 'AutoRenumber' in FESetup rather than
always renumbering with -Renumber.


Switches:

-F or -Force Force overwriting of the existing messagebase-
files
-O or -Overwrite Overwrite existing files only if short of disk-
space
-R or -Renumber Renumber messages and update LASTREAD pointers
(may be done by AutoRenumber)
-D or -Delete Delete messages crosslinked in MSGTXT.BBS


Link
----

FEUtil Link

The Link command can link messages with the same subject to a
reply-chain that can be followed with your message-editor.

FEUtil will always create new chains rather than linking new messages
to existing chains like other programs do. It will remove 'Re:', '(R)'
and familiar junks from the subjects.


Sort
----

FEUTIL Sort [-Backup]

The Sort command allows to sort all unread messages by boardnumber and
date and time of posting.

FEUtil will remove all reply chains while sorting, so you should run
'FEUtil Link' each time you used Sort.

Switch:

-B or -Backup Keep the original MSGHDR.BBS as backup (.BAK)


Environment Variables
=====================

Following environment variables are used by FastEcho if specified:

FD If you specify FrontDoor(tm) as Mailer and Auto-Area-
Create adds a new area.

FEOPT This variable may be used for special runtime-parameters

Usage:

SET FEOPT=flag,flag,...

Following flags are available:

USEBIOS use BIOS-calls when printing to
screen rather than direct screen-
writes.

USEANSI not yet supported

NO386 This disables the 386-support in
FEUtil.

NOPID In the registered version this
skips the adding/replacing of the
^APID-Kludge when exporting
messages.


Errorlevels
===========

Errorlevel Meaning
------------------------------------------------------
0 nothing to do/no errors
1 packed/scanned net-/echomail
3 key-failure
10 imported netmail
11 imported echomail
12 imported echo- & netmail
246 Can't lock messagebase
247 Can't create .PKT-file
250 wrong switch
251 size mismatch
254 not enough memory
255 general error


Batchfiles
==========

Here is an example how to run FastEcho and FEUtil in batch-mode:

:START
[...]

rem --- Packmail ---

:SCANNER
fastecho scan
goto start

rem --- Unpackmail ---

:UNPACKBAD
fastecho toss -b -c
goto AFTERTOSS

:UNPACKMAIL
fastecho toss -C

:AFTERTOSS
if errorlevel 12 goto ECHOMAIL
if errorlevel 11 goto ECHOMAIL
if errorlevel 10 goto ONLYNET
if errorlevel 0 goto ONLYNET

:ECHOMAIL
feutil sort -b
feutil link

:ONLYNET
fecho
newscan N -PL -F -R -X -SN
trackm
goto start

rem --- PackNetmail ----

:PACKNETMAIL
trackm

rem Pack mails for other points
fastecho pack .1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .11 via 2:245/31

rem Default routing
fastecho pack

goto START

rem --- Messagebase-maintenance ---

:MAINTAIN
feutil Purge
feutil Pack -Force -Delete

goto START


Help Systems, Registration Sites, Support
=========================================

If you want to register FastEcho or want to obtain nearer information
about FastEcho please refer to following Help Systems:

Headquarters:
Software Technik Burchhardt
Mittelkamp 18
D-4355 Waltrop
Germany

Tel. ++49-2309-72746

Email: 2:245/[email protected] (Tobias Burchhardt)
9:492/[email protected]


Help & Registration BeNeLux:

RCE Macar
Gaesbeekstraat 77b
3081 NE Rotterdam
Holland

Email: 2:285/[email protected] (Rob Macare)
27:1331/[email protected]


Help & Registration Skandinavia:

GigaPlex AB
Tingshusvgen 4
388 91 Vassmolsa
Sverige

Email: 2:200/[email protected] (Jan Sevelin)
9:463/[email protected]

For further information regarding registration, please refer to the
enclosed LICENSE.DOC and the registration forms in REGISTER.LZH.


Thanks
======

I would like to thank all people that contributed to the development of
FastEcho:

Peter Bankmann 2:245/31 My Boss/Support
Rob Macare 2:285/501 BeNeLux-Support
Jan Sevelin 2:200/306 Skand.-Support

joaquim h. homrighausen 2:270/17 FESetup
dirk astrath 2:241/5603 first beta-tester


The beta-crew:

dirk astrath, Klaus Ditze, Michael Schmitz, Thomas Schtzer, Markus
Schmidt, Markus Ebel, Bernd Hinkmann, Herbert Werner, Erik
Wachtmeester, Sikko Stienstra, Steven van Dijk, Tjibbe Hofkamp,
Erick van Emmerik, Manfred Pegam, Rainer Cremer, Thorsten Frische,
Kaj Sevelin, Johnny Engstrm, Dan kerlund, ke Gustafsson, Hugo
Landsman, Jan Willem den Besten, Wim Touw ...

Sorry if I forgot one ! 🙂