| |
EleBBS stores its list of file areas in
the file FILES.RA, along with the index for this file in FILES.RDX. The list of message areas are stored in
the file MESSAGES.RA and its index is stored in MESSAGES.RDX. There is also a list of File Groups and Message
Groups, which are stored in FGROUPS.RA and MGROUPS.RA respectivley, and these also have associated .RDX index
files. These files are structurally backwards compatible with RemoteAccess 2.50 and later, and any utilities
written for these versions of RA. When using older RA Utilities designed for RA 2.0x (Which did not support
indexes), some conversion must be done after using these older utilities, in order to update the *.RA files
into their RA 2.50 structure, and in order to recreate the needed index (.RDX) files.
RemoteAccess 2.50 comes with a handy tool called 20XTO250.EXE, which will convert the older RA 2.0x
structured *.RA files into RA 2.50 structured files, and it will also generate the neeed 2.50 index (.RDX)
files. This tool can be used after running older RA 2.0x utilities such as ADDROM and ERFA,
to restore the modified FILES.RA files back into the RA 2.50 format which EleBBS requires. Beware that you
will need to delete your FILES.RDX index files, allowing 20XTO250.EXE to recreate them.
The same is true for usingn RA 2.0x compatible Message base utilities which update MESSAGES.RA, in which case
so you will need to delete MESSAGES.RDX. The missing index files will always be recreated using 1/1 default
indexing (so the first area will be area 1, the second area will be area 2, etc.).
This has often been discussed in the EleBBS support mail list over the years, and some of the more recent
postings from Mike are now archived below here since he is no longer active in the mail list.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Ehlert
Subject: EleBBS: Files and message bases
Date: 5/2/2008
* EleBBS Support List
Hi Bill,
> Remind me again-is there any way to automatically enter all 541 message
> bases and 352 files bases into elebbs?
> Please say there has been a way found to do it. I'd hate to do it manually.
There are several message utilities to export areas from one configuration
file into the RA format (MESSAGES.RA) which EleBBS uses.
If you previously had these areas defined and then lost them, then the
simplest solution would be to restore the MESSAGES.* and FILES.* files and
their associated index files MESSAGES.RDX FILES.RDX from a previous backup.
If you had Groups defined, then also restore MGROUPS.RA, FGROUPS.RA and
their associated .RDX files MGROUPS.RDX and FGROUPS.RDX.
Otherwise, if you have the message areas defined in FastEcho you can use
that to export them, or FastEcho can auto-export newly created message
areas to RA. I suspect FMail might also be able to do this.
You can also export a Fidonet BACKBONE.NA listfile to RA using PADI100 or
a dozen or so other programs, and there are several third party utilities
which allow exporting their defined message areas to RA or EleBBS
including AllFix, AreaFix, FileMgr. There are also a few utilities that
allow exporting file areas from a textfile containing lists of
directories, or even a CD image to the FILES.RA such as ADDROM, RACD,
ROM2RA, etc. Some of these utils are for RA 2.0x and require the
downgrade/upgrade workaround that I previously explained.
Regards, Mike
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Ehlert
Subject: Changing over
Date: 7/3/2008
* EleBBS Support List
Hi Bill,
> Has anyone figured out how to import FidoNet areas into EleBBS (I have
> 593 message areas)?
There are several utilities for RemoteAccess designed to import a FidoNet
BACKBONE.NA file into your MESSAGES.RA. You can find them in the
Message Base Utilities section at the BBS Archives.
https://archives.thebbs.org
Some of the older ones were written for RA 2.0x, before there was index
(*.RDX) files, but you can still use those by doing the following after
allowing them to run:
1. backup the MESSAGES.RA and MESSAGES.RDX files before running the utility!
2. delete the messages.rdx
3. run 20XTO250.EXE (which came with RA 2.50).
4. Answer no to step 1 (upgrade language files)
5. Answer yes to step 1 (upgrade messages.ra and files.ra)
> How about importing files areas (I'd certainly hate to type in 335 files
> areas by hand)?
I believe AreaFix has an option to export areas to RA.
Or you could use ADDROM (Also written for RA 2.0x) to search for every
directory within a folder that contains a FILES.BBS, and it adds all those
areas into your existing FILES.RA. Since its also written for RA 2.0x you
will have to use the same trick as above, but delete FILES.RDX instead of
MESSAGES.RDX after backing up. Then you could use another util to grab all
the FILES.BBS descriptions and import those into the FileBase (such as
ELEMGR or ELEFILE which come with EleBBS).
Regards, Mike
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Ehlert
Subject: EleBBS: Odd Question
Date: 12/7/2009
* EleBBS Support List
Hi Bill,
> I believe so also, I guess I'll see. As for the files, I'm gonna
> have to type in each one manually, then adopt the files into the
> database.
There are several RA utilities for file areas as well. I used to use
Mark Williamsons ADDROM which can search a path on your
hard drive or CD and auto-add every folder that it finds.
ftp://archives.thebbs.org/ra_filebase_utils_and_doors/addrom.zip
And more RA FileBase utilities here:
https://archives.thebbs.org/ra51a.htm
As I recall, ADDROM was one of the older utils designed for RA 2.0x
so it takes some extra steps to convert the older type FILES.RA it
creates into the RA 2.50 format which EleBBS uses... If memory
serves me, after using ADDROM you need to delete FILES.RDX, then
run 20XTO250.EXE that came with RA 2.50, and answer yes to upgrade
FILES.RA and MESSAGES.RA. Be sure to first backup all your
*.RA *.RDX files before running ADDROM.
Regards, Mike
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Ehlert
Subject: EleBBS: elebbs v0.09.g1
Date: 5/17/2010
* EleBBS Support List
Hello Kaida,
> I am an old vet sysop from years back, i was useing RA v2.xx
> (various ones). I recently came across ELEbbs 0.09 and i LOVE IT!
> I was upset that Bruce sold the software, but at least the legacy
> is still here with ELE. I love it. I only have a couple of small
> questions. I am looking for utilities that will work with ELE bbs.
> I was at one time useing an ld program called ADDROM, it would
> add cd-rom directory and files to the RA files.ra and database.
> Currently that program will not work with ELE the proper way, it
> will not index the file areas correctly. I am looking for others,
> but i can not locate any that work with the ele configurations.
> can you assist me there, and point me to a place that has current
> utilities that will work with elebbs?
>
> thank you
> Kaida AKA Lady Saxet Nitsua
> The Labyrinth/Maze EQ-WBBS
> Serving the Everquest COmmunitity
Welcome to the EleBBS mail list. Please turn off HTML when sending a
message to the list, otherwise your message will not be posted.
What you describe is not an incompatibility with EleBBS, it is an
incompatibility with the RA 2.50 FILES.RA and FILES.RDX. The RA
Utilities you are using were designed for RA 2.02 or earlier, so they
only write data to FILES.RA and not to FILES.RDX.
In RA 2.50 and later, there is only small differences to FILES.RA, but
the FILES.RDX was added as an index for FILES.RA, which allows file
areas to be moved around in RACONFIG (so the File Area number is
different). If you have not changed the number sequence of your file
areas, then you can get around it using the following steps:
1. Backup your FILES.RA and FILES.RDX files.
2. Delete FILES.RDX
3. Run AddRom, ERFA, or any other file utility designed for RA 2.0x,
and perform the desired functions. It will update FILES.RA.
4. Run 20XTO250.EXE, which is included with RA 2.50, and tell it the
EleBBS system directory (i.e.: c:\ele".
Answer NO to Step 1 (Upgrade .RAL files), Answer YES to Step 2
(Upgrade Area configuration files).
Now your modified FILES.RA has a new FILES.RDX which uses the default
1:1 indexing, so all your file areas will have sequential file numbers.
By the way, EleBBS 0.09.g1 is very old. I suggest upgrading the *.exe
files to the July 2008 CVS binaries which can be found at pcmicro dot
com slash elebbs slash faq
Also, at the bottom of the FAQ page is a link to many RA utilities at
the BBS Archives.
Regards, Mike
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Ehlert
Subject: EleBBS: File areas
Date: 10/4/2011
* EleBBS Support List
Hi Bill,
> I know I'm brain-dead, and I've already asked this (I'm sure), but how can
> I "import" over 450 files areas? (I'm just hoping that I don't have to
> type them all in one at a time) I can't get Allfix to auto-create the
> areas.
Other then using GENFBASE.EXE which will wipe out existing areas, you
could use a RA 2.0x util such as Mark Williamsons ADDROM, or Ron
Huskies ERFA, and afterwards you would then upgrade the RA 2.0x style
FILES.BBS to the 2.50 style by deleting FILES.RDX and FGROUPS.RDX
and running 20XTO250.EXE, enter your EleBBS system path, and answer
no to step 1 (convert .RAL files), and answer yes to step 2 (convert config
files).
20XTO250.EXE and GENFBASE.EXE are included with RemoteAccess 2.50.
https://pcmicro.com/ra/archives.html
Regards, Mike
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Ehlert
Subject: EleBBS: File areas
Date: 10/4/11
* EleBBS Support List
Hi Bill,
> But aren't those for CDs?
AddRom was designed to add lots of new file areas to your FILES.RA.
It makes no difference if the file areas are located on a CD, or a hard disk.
Regards, Mike
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be sure to read our Disclaimer
Return
to the EleBBS FAQ
|
|
