This is RSX Network Mail, a midnite hack done to provide communications between RSX Systems and to communicate with VMS Mail. RSX Mail and VMS Mail are collectively called Mail-11. Unlike the VMS version, RSX Mail-11 requires DECNET, even for local mail delivery. This file is called README.TXT on the DECUS tape to correspond with normal DECUS practices. The remainder of the files are all contained in MAIL.ULB, a universal library. Inside that library this file is known as "MAIRLS" or "MAIL.RLS." These programs are written primarily in FORTRAN and BASIC-Plus II. Task images are provided so that they can be used at sites without licenses for these language products. For those users who have the compilers, you are welcome to make your own modifications. The programs could use much additional human engineering; they are provided on an as is basis to DECUS. No SPRs, inquiries, or complaints, please. Mail Sender Mail Reader Help files Mail Server (Network Object) NETSND.FTN MAIL.CMD UNSSEND.HLP MAILSRV.B2S NETSND.OBJ MAIL.FTN UNSMAIL.HLP MAILRSX.B2S NETSND.CMD MAIL.OBJ MAILARC.B2S GINUAB.MAC MPT.MAC Mail Notify MAILSRV.OBJ GINUAB.OBJ MPT.OBJ MAINOT.FTN MAILSRV.ODL MAINOT.OBJ MAILSRV.CMD MAINOT.CMD *****NOTE: Due to ongoing development on our system, some UICs for Language OTSs in some command files may have to be altered. Configuration Options: 1) RSX Group format - all incoming mail is placed in LB:[1,7]uic.TXT The Mail Reader is used to check for and read mail. *** THIS IS THE RECOMMENDED FORMAT. *** 2) ARC Mail Format - all incoming mail is placed in LB:[1,7]uic.TXT Use Alberta Research Council Mail to check for and read mail. *** OBSOLETE, YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO USE. *** 3) First RSX format - incoming mail is placed in individual MAIL.TXT files in each user's own directory. Mail is read by processing the individual files with standard RSX utilities or with an indirect command file reader, NOT SUPPLIED HERE. *** OBSOLETE, YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO USE. *** Choosing your configuration: The MAILSRV.OBJ in the ULB will be in RSX Group Format. To compile mail you get option 3 by simply compiling MAILSRV.B2S; you get the other options by APPENDING (with the BP2 compiler) either MAILARC.B2S or MAILRSX.B2S before compiling. For example, to compile RSX Group Format (the normal configuration): RUN $BASIC2 OLD MAILSRV APPEND MAILRSX COMPILE ^Z Building Mail: Unless you want to modify Mail, you should not have to build it. The four task images in the Universal Library will run on any machine which has EIS. (Due to the use of F4P, EIS is a minimum requirement for Mail.) You should be able to skip reading the rest of this section, and go on to "Installing Mail" The four .CMD files provided contain enough information to enable building the four programs. Be sure and use MAILSRV.ODL and .CMD, and not a file produced by the BP2 compiler. The Fortran-IV-Plus code does not generate FPP instructions; thus it may be used on any machine which has EIS (most PDP-11s have EIS). If you do not have floating point, check local procedures for using F4P. Installing Mail: Simply install the four Tasks. Also issue the command: NCP SET OBJ 27 NAM MAL$$$ USE DEF VER OFF COP 20 Creating the Routing File and the Forwarding/Filter File: 1. LB:[1,2]MAILNODE.DAT is the routing file and contains lines of the form: nodename poor::mans::routing::to::nodename:: e.g. ARK BABEL::GALAXY::STAR::VAX4::ARK:: If you wish, you may initially create a null file: PIP LB:[1,2]MAILNODE.DAT=NL: 2. LB:[1,2]MAILUSER.DAT is the Forwarding/Filter File and has lines like: localname->nodename::nodefurther::distantname localalias->localnameoraccount localname->(Error message) e.g. LUSER->CORRECT::NODE::LUSER SYSTEMMANAGER->WATSON SMITH->(Smith - Send to J_SMITH or G_SMITH or B_SMITH) B_SMITH->B_SMITH J WILSON->[231,277] M PORTER->M_PORTER COMMENT LINE (Any line which does not contain "->" is a comment.) A SPACE AFTER THE INITIAL MEANS THAT IT IS OPTIONAL. AN UNDERSCORE MAKES IT REQUIRED. An optional feature (called ABSOLUTE filter) requires that all users who will receive mail on this node be entered in the Filter File. An entry of the form NAME->NAME is sufficient if no translation is required. To activate this feature, a line BEGINNING with "->" (in column one) is placed at the END of the Filter file. This line contains the message to be returned to the person trying to send mail. e.g. -> does not read mail on THSNOD The user's name, followed by the message will be returned as an error. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND USING THE ABSOLUTE FILTER, SO THAT OTHER USERS DON'T SEND MAIL TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCOUNTS ON YOUR SYSTEM, BUT DON'T USE YOUR SYSTEM OFTEN ENOUGH TO CHECK FOR MAIL. Mail Notification has now been documented in the help files. Users turn it on for a particular terminal by typing MAIL ? NOTIFY and turn it off by typing MAIL ? NONOTIFY. The system must take care of shutting it off when a user signs off; this is currently done for RSX-11M-PLUS systems with a file in LB:[1,10]LOGOUT.CMD which contains a MAIL ? NONOTIFY command. For RSX-11M systems, the BYE program must be rebuilt using the "USER Subroutine" provided. See BYEMAI.MAC and your own system's BYEBLD.CMD. Note that the RSX group intends to implement a "MAIL Subroutine" similar to the "USER Subroutine" which will eventually replace both methods. The ? command may be qualified with a /BRIEF. This speeds up checking for mail. Your startup procedure should issue a PIP LB:[1,7]LOGDATA.DAT;*/DE in order to delete old notification information. It may also be desirable to issue a MAIL ? NONOTIFY after the delete; this will assure that the owner of the file is SYSTEM rather than the first user who types MAI ? NOTIFY. NOTES ON THE MAIL READER: I wrote this very quickly (2 1/2 days) and intend to do some additional work on it. In particular: The READ command will eventually be modified to accept a file name. (Currently you must switch to a file you have filed mail into with the DIRECTORY command). Mail will be modified so that it doesn't exit when you try to read an empty Mailbox, allowing you to issue another command. The format of the "POSTOFFICE" will be changed so that Mail is aware of what you have read, so that it can begin with new mail. For now, users may file mail in other mailboxes to get it out of the postoffice. Some of these features may be provided on future RSX-Sig Tapes, but no promise of future versions of this submission are implied.