Category : BBS Programs+Doors
Archive   : STATUS3L.ZIP
Filename : CLEANUP.DOC

CLEANUP.EXE (for Postlink Log(s))
=================================================================

CleanUp was written to reduce the size of the Postlink
log(s) to speed up the running of Status as well as reducing the
size of the Postlink log(s) for editing, etc. See below for list
of lines that are currently deleted by CleanUp. This program is
written to be run in conjunction with my Status program and is
not to be run as a separate program. To do so is in violation of
my copyright.

This archive should contain the following files:

CLEANUP.DOC........... Instructions for running CleanUp
CLEANUP.EXE........... Postlink log reduction utility
DOORS.TXT............. Current list James Huckabey doors
FILE_ID.DIZ........... BBS description file
HUCKABEY.TXT.......... Current list of all James Huckabey
software.
READ.ME............... Update/changes information
STATUS.EXE............ Actual program
STATUS.DOC............ Instructions for running Status
STATUS.CFG............ Sample configuration file
STATUS2.CFG........... Sample configuration file
STATUS3.CFG........... Sample configuration file
STATUS.BAT............ Sample batch file
ARCHIVE.TXT........... This list of files


******* WARNING *******

A word of caution: Because garbage can get into the Postlink
log(s) it is possible to have CleanUp chop off your log with an
invalid end of file marker. That is the garbage can contain a " "
and CleanUp believes that this is the end of the file and cuts
off the log at this point. There is no way to program around this
problem. Once the marker is found the file is set as the end and
no way I can work out and over come a premature end of file
marker. I am still trying to work this out.

******* o *******


Syntax: CLEANUP [path]logfile.ext

For best results CleanUp should be run before Status. That
way on the day of the rollover the LOG(s) are at their smallest
possible size.

CleanUp must be in current directory or somewhere in your
path statement. You may include a full name and path to your log
file. Check list of lines that are deleted to make sure it is not
going to remove any lines that you want to remain in your copy of
the Postlink log(s). This is not adjustable by the user. Your







input is wanted on what is or what is not removed.

Type in "CleanUp filename.ext" or "CleanUp path \
filename.ext" and press enter. At the end of activity the program
displays the starting and ending log file sizes, starting and
ending line count. The process may be lengthy depending on the
size of your log. It can be run daily, bi-daily, or even weekly,
which all depends on the growth of your log file. A program such
as Do-Once can be used among many other programs for running
programs on specific days. All that is needed to run CleanUp is
as much free space on the log file drive as the size of the log
or the program does not create the archive and roll over the log.

If your BBS system is critical on free space you can run
CleanUp everyday to reduce the size of your Postlink log(s). The
program removes unneeded conference exports with zero messages.
It does not remove them all since the first of each name
encountered is used by Status. First it keeps in memory each new
conference name, when a match is found that has zero message
then, and only then, is that line removed from the log. See list
below of other lines currently being deleted. It does nothing to
the current day's portion of the log. It stops deleting lines
when it finds the log date equals the current system date. It can
reduce the size of your log up to about 60%, perhaps even more on
some systems. Depends on how many mail runs you make each day, if
you are a Hub, errors, etc.

If your hard drive space it not at a premium or speed is not
critical then you really do not have to run CleanUp. The main
savings on time, both CleanUp and Status, would be gained the
most near month's end. It takes Status time to read in and
process logs when they are larger. Lines can reach 30,000 or more
on a system with a lot of conferences. The savings would be most
needed or noticed on systems that operate as Hubs for other nodes
and/or carry many conferences.

The log file reduction on The Running Board (RUNNINGA (#2)),
Bonnie Anthony sysop, went from about 7 megs (70,000 lines or so)
to about 2.5 megs (33,000 lines). Status was running real slow by
month's end and the log was too large to load into her editor to
view activity. After running CleanUp the log could be easily
loaded into the editor. Your log might not be this large, but it
can reduce it's size.

Currently lines starting with the following information are
deleted plus any blank lines along with the unneeded zero message
exports:


******* Special Note *******

Status uses the exports to get Conference names. When
CleanUp runs if saves the first conference names that it finds
and only starts deleting the zero messages exported entries if







the conference name already exists in memory. This way CleanUp
does not remove anything that Status needs to generate it's
bulletins. Just because you find exports with zero messages
exported please do not think CleanUp is not working properly.

********** o **********

<-starting position in log

Attempt
CONFLST.NET
Corrupted
Due
error
Error
Failure
filesend
highest
mailstore
MailStore
Negative
sendpkt
Unable
Undeliverable
Warning
ALLFILE
allfile
(Bi-
Channel
dict.net
Dictionary
error
Error
External
File
pcbnet
post
ppost
Preamble
Receive
RIME
rime
Run
Site
Skipping
Transfer
Unable

Also removing lines ending with the following syntax:

failed.
Failed.
imported.
request.







total.

Also removing lines containing the following words in
positions 7 to 24:

routed
packet


Garbage Removal?

The program also deletes any line starting with seven
spaces. Normal is no spaces or six spaces. It also searches the
first six positions for characters > 126 or < 35 and not equal to
32. This is to try and remove any garbage that might be put into
the log file for God only knows what reasons. If you find errors
that cause premature termination please send me a copy of that
file so I can see if I can work around the problem. I have found
garbage that caused the log file to tell Status/CleanUp that it
was the end of the file. I need to see if I can work around this,
but I no longer have a copy of the log file to test a new theory.

Regardless of what is deleted the current day's activities
are not altered in any way (unless premature end of file marker).
Items deleted may change as I receive any feedback. I have found
that the Postlink software generates an ERROR.LOG (whatever its
name) so the errors deleted from the regular log remain in the
error log.


This Program

If you don't like the program please write to me and explain
why. Send me any suggestions you might have. If they enhance the
overall program I will try to incorporate part, some, all, in the
next release.


Errors

Errors are written to the current directory in a file called
CLEANUP.ERR. If the file already exists additional errors are
appended to the end of the file. It may be deleted after you have
made note of any errors. It's existence it not required by the
program. Current directory is wherever you call CLEANUP.EXE from.

CleanUp now must find a valid copy of STATUS.EXE either in
the current directory, path or set in the environment according
to the Status documentation. I did this because some people might
want to run this program on their log file without having Status
on their system. This is in violation of my copyrights. This
program can only be run in conjunction with STATUS.EXE.
CLEANUP.EXE or any of the other files in the archive may not be
distributed in any form other than the original archive and







unaltered.

Please support my efforts and register Status, which
includes CleanUp (free). See STATUS.DOC for details.

James Huckabey
3621-A Fraser Street
Bellingham, Washington 98226-2473 U.S.A.
(206) 671-2868 (voice, Pacific)
I do have a US Robotics 14.4 DS (v32, v42, V42Bis) modem!