SHELTER275

Short:        Shelter FrontEnd Mailers v2.75
Author:       robert_williamson@p0.f104.n167.z1.fidonet.org (Robert Williamson)
Uploader:     robert_williamson p0 f104 n167 z1 fidonet org (Robert Williamson)
Type:         comm/fido
Architecture: m68k-amigaos

    The  Shelter  Family  is  a  set  of  powerful  and easily configurable
WPL-based  Mailers  which  adhere  to the WSC standards.  Three independant
mailers  are  available in the Shelter Family of Mailers:  Umbrella, Gazebo
and  Porticus.   Each  can  be  configured  and  compiled with the included
GenMailer program.

    This  release  archive  replaces  all  previous  PORTICUS,  GAZEBO  and
UMBRELLA  releases  and  diff  update archives.  The separate archives have
been  dispensed for a number of reasons; it reduces nightly archive load on
my system, total size of the SHELTER archive is not much larger than any of
the  separate  ones,  and  AmiNet  Administration has indicated a desire to
reduce  the number of files appearing in the RECENT listing.  The change in
the distribution format of SHELTER should help them achieve their goal.

    The Xpack utilities and RFS and RFH freq handlers are now also included
in the SHELTER archive, as well as being available separately in comm/fido.

  Each  Shelter  Mailer  has  a subset of the features of the powerful Roof
Mailer,  which  has  served as the development testbed for all wpl mailers,
for certain XPR's and utilities and for the RexxMsg and WPLRX interfaces as
well  as  the WPL language itself.  Although the Roof Mailer is included in
the  distribution,  it  is  an  intregal  part  of the HUGE Roof System and
requires  the  ROOFLOG and FLOWMGR function hosts for proper operation.  It
is provided as a configuration example only.

  If  you  are  looking  for a Point Mailer, and find that Umbrella is more
than  you  need,  I recommend one of the Melody Mailers:  POP, JAZ, ROC, or
RAP.   These  Point-Only  mailers  are  the smallest and fastest available.
They are available on AmiNet or by FREQ using the magic names:
    POP, JAZ, ROC and RAP from either:
    fidonet#1:167/104.0   or
    fidonet#1:167/151.0.


    The Uncommon Features of Shelter Mailers
    ----------------------------------------
  All  Shelter  Mailers  feature a Mailer Status Display, scrolling log and
progress  windows  as  well  as  an  XPR  progress  window.   In  addition,
individual  windows  can  display  the  progress  of  each poll.  All these
windows,  except  for the Display, may be enabled or disabled during mailer
generation.

  All  Shelter  Mailers feature SeaLink (inbound), DietIFNA, ZedZap, ZedZip
and DirectZap protocols with crash-resistant RESUME and support for both 4D
and  5D  outgoing  file requests.  XPR protocols are used thoughout and are
maintained  by  the  author  of the Shelter package.  FTS1, Wazoo, EMSI and
UUCP handshakes are supported.

  Shelter  mailers provide a high level of security, both when dealing with
other mailers and with human callers.  Unlike other mailers, when a Shelter
Mailer  is  properly  configured,  if  is  very  unlikely that files can be
stolen, or your HD formatted.

  Multiple AFTERSESSION and WHENRECD commands allow automatic req, mail and
tic processing.  Unlike any other mailers, Shelter Mailers provide separate
commands  per file type to be executed either when a file of a certain type
is  received/sent  or  after  the  session  or BOTH.  The Cache also allows
Site-specific  AFTERSESSION  commands to override the GLOBAL ones.  Example
aftersession  command  scripts  include  utilities to set the filenote of a
received  file  from  the description comment in the sent REQ file, or from
the short description in an AmiNet .README file.
  Shelter  Mailers  also  permit both PREDIAL and PRESESS commands if one's
application requires even more control.
  The  usefulness  of the above features is indicated by the fact that they
have now found their way into other mailers under various guises.


  All  Shelter  Mailers  are  multi-FTN  and  feature both EMSI and AUTOAKA
WAZOO.   AutoAKA  causes  the  mailer's primary address to be set depending
upon the address of the site being called or who is calling.  The domain is
automatically  set if the remote site does not provide it.  When USEAKAS is
set  for  FTN  site, all files for all AKAs configured for the site will be
sent  in  the  same session both under WAZOO and EMSI.  Shelter mailers can
both send and process MULTIPLE REQs for each AKA during both EMSI and WAZOO
sessions.   The  Shelter EMSI implemenation is the most extensive available
on  the  Amiga and has been proposed in NET_DEV as the basis for extensions
to the EMSI specification.


  All  Shelter  Mailers feature a Site Cache, which allows setting a remote
site's session password, sitename, sysopname, phone number, alternate phone
number.   The  remote site may be an FTN node, a UUCP site, an Atomic Clock
site  or  a  BBS, FTP or Online Service ( in which case the configured term
program  will  be  spawned upon connect).  Other parameters specific to the
type  of  site may also be set.  If your tosser is not domain-aware and the
site  sends  archives containing bundles for multiple FTNs, the site may be
configured so that these bundles will be sorted by domain for tossing.  One
may also configure a particular site so that all mail is sent to configured
AKAs  of  a  site  either  on  inbound,  outbound or both.  On can also set
handshake  (FTS1,WAZOO,EMSI,FAST) to use when calling and what addresses to
present  under  EMSI  when  dialing a site.  The Cache allows Site-specific
AFTERSESSION commands of the various types to override the GLOBAL ones.

  In  addition  to  the  Site  Cache,  the Gazebo and Porticus Mailers also
support  either  nodelist.library  or traplist.library for FTN sessions and
the uucp Passwd and L.sys configs for uucp sessions.

  The  Shelter  Mailer  Manager  program allows Cache and Manual dialing as
well as an AUTO feature which allows auto-startup and poll of one's BOSS or
echo  hub.   With  Manual dialing, one just specifies site and phone number
and/or   line  to  use.   Also  included  is  a  POLL  feature  which  will
asyncronously  poll all sites with pending mail.  POLLs will continue until
a  connection is made, with the number of seconds between dial attempts and
the duration of a poll window both being configurable.

  Remote  addresses  can  be simply specified, with address expansion being
done  based  upon your AKA in the domain being called.  For example, if one
wanted  to  call  fidonet#1:167/104.0,  and  one's  own  primary address is
fidonet#1:167/151.0, one would simply do:
            Shelter CALL 104

  One  can  enable  individual  windows  for  each poll in progress to keep
abreast  of  the  current  status.   A  poll  can  be aborted via a Shelter
command,  or  a Ctl-C in the poll's window.  Parameters such as duration of
poll attempt, redial and busy delays are settable on the fly.

  Shelter  mailers  do not use the obsolete and non-secure FLO file format,
but rather the very secure Xferq.library outbound management.  However, all
Shelter  Mailers  do provide functions to convert 4D .FLO files to 5D XferQ
queues  and  to  add any type of file to a site queue.  In addition, a VERY
comprehensive  set  of Queue management tools is available as xpack191.lha.
The author of the Shelter Mailers is also maintaining xferq.library and has
released an update, including source, XQUPD1_9.LHA.

  Shelter Mailers also provide for multiple inbound directories for Tossers
which are not domain aware, as well as a NONSECURE inbound for sites not in
Site  Cache  or nodelist.  A separate inbound is provided for HUMAN callers
with Porticus.

  GenMailer,  the  Mailer  generator,  uses  standard AmigaDos command line
templates.   Both  command line switches and internal options provide extra
control  in special situations.  A multiple output module format is used so
that  one  can reconfigure and reload parts of the mailer, such as the site
cache,  menus or config, instead of recompiling the whole thing.  Utilities
are  also  provided for changing certain parameters (SCTL) and various menu
options (SEDIT) at any time.

  Porticus and Gazebo have been successfully used with the following BBS's:
DLG, Excelsior, Cnet, TransAmiga, Falcon, Contact!

    Umbrella Point Mailer
    ---------------------
  The  Umbrella Point Mailer is a single line, multi-FTN mailer.  It can be
setup  to  answer the phone, BBS spawning is not supported however.  If set
to  noanswer,  the  answer  code  is  not  generated.  This mailer does not
require  a nodelist, as it features both the Site Cache and manual dialing.
It  does  not support UUCP, CLOCK, FAX or BBS dialing, nor spawning of file
request handlers or BBSs.  It can be set to not do flo convert but to queue
flo files only when connected, thereby reducing memory usage.


    Gazebo - The Standard Node Mailer
    ---------------------------------
  In  addition  to  the standard Shelter FTN features, Gazebo allows single
BBS  spawning, UUCP inbound and outbound calls and setting the system clock
via calls to any Atomic Clock Site with XPRclock.library.  It also features
XfreqSH,  which  allows  the use of ANY File Request Handler except RFS and
RFH.


    Porticus - Full Service FrontEnd
    --------------------------------
  Porticus has all the features of the Umbrella and Gazebo Mailers, as well
as all the non-ROOF System dependant features of the ROOF Mailer.  Porticus
uses  either or  both the mailer-only RFH file request functionhost and the
RFS File Request Handler (both included) which provides file requests, both
standard and HRF format update requests, response handling and accounts for
both mailers and human callers.

  Porticus  is  the only wpl mailer featuring a WPLRX interface that allows
the user to add additional capabilities.  Many examples are provided.

  In  addition  to  the  extensive  mailer  capabilities  described  above,
Porticus has a full-featured remote user interface for Human callers.  This
interface provides functions approaching those of a BBS:

            System Bulletins
            Multiple level Menus
            Multiple BBSs and/or Remote Shell selections
            Remote on-line help
            Text Information displays
            Doors including games and utilities
            Auto-Download of Magic Names
            Auto-Uploads with file description prompt
            Chat with sysop
            Messages to/from sysop
            Message Base scroller
            File Base Browser with command stacking
            File Requests with CallBack Verification (with reward)
            Automatic FileRequests
            Forwarded File requests (to/from OTHER systems)
            Passworded Remote CLI
            Amiga Empire Game support
            User Accounts
            Boot a human caller

    All these utilities are included in the distribution.

    Distribution  of  merged  or  modified  archives  via  the SAN fileecho
network is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

    Permission  is hereby granted to redistribute releases and diff updates
via ADS fileecho network.