1 NEWS NEWS is a VMS bulletin board program. It allows users to read all items posted on the board, post reply to existing items, and create new items on the board. NEWS conforms to the draft Standard for Interchange of USENET Messages, and the functionality follows that of the Unix(tm) news programs. Unlike person-to-person mail, all items posted into NEWS are readable by ALL users on the system, so the items in news are intended for general view. On this system NEWS is linked into the ACSNET news network, so that this node receives news from the acsnet, usenet and arpanet networks. This node also sends all locally generated news to neighbouring ACSNET sites. News is invoked by the command "$ NEWS". Commands to News are listed below: some of these commands are news management commands, and may only be executed by a nominated "News Manager" account. 2 NEWS_Structure NEWS items are classified into NEWSGROUPS. All items with a similar subject matter are normally contained in a single newsgroup. Newsgroups are normally addressed by their full name. Each news item within a newsgroup has a TITLE and a SEQUENCE number. A directory of a newsgroup displays these titles and sequence numbers - the sequence number is used to read a particular item. News allows you to SELECT newsgroups for viewing, READ items, REPLY to items, POST new news items, EXTRACT items into a local file, REGISTER yourself into newsgroups, and FORWARD items to other users (via VMS MAIL). 2 Logical_Names There are five logical names which users may define to alter the behaviour of news: NEWS_INI This can be defined as a file name which contains a set of DEFINE/KEY commands to change the default key binding of news. e.g. $ DEFINE NEWS_INI news_keypad.defs NEWS_TPUEDIT TPU is used as the default editor by NEWS. The system manager has set the default version of TPU, but you can override this by defining NEWS_TPUEDIT as a valid TPU command string: e.g. $ DEFINE NEWS_TPUEDIT "TPU/NOJOU/SEC=MYSECTION" NEWS_TPUVIEW The "READ/TPU" command invokes the TPU editor in READONLY mode. The default version of TPU used in this command can be overidden by defining NEWS_TPUVIEW as a valid TPU command: e.g. $ DEFINE NEWS_TPUEDIT "TPU/NOJOU/READ/SEC=MYSECTION" NEWS_EDIT The default editor used to generate new postings, and to edit forwarded mail is TPU. You can invoke any other editor by defining NEWS_EDIT as the name of a valid DCL command procedure which is SPAWNed by NEWS: e.g. $ DEFINE NEWS_EDIT "@dev:[dir]my_editor_procedure.com" and NEWS will then SPAWN the command: $ @dev:[dir]my_editor_procedure.com filename The subtopis "Examples" shows an example NEWS_EDIT command procedure. NEWS_VIEW The default read-only editor used is TPU (the READ/TPU command). You can invoke any other editor by defining NEWS_VIEW as a valid DCL command procedure which is SPAWNed by NEWS: e.g. $ DEFINE NEWS_VIEW "@dev:[dir]my_proc_read_only.com" and NEWS will then spawn the command: $ @dev:[dir]my_proc_read_only.com filename The subtopis "Examples" shows an example NEWS_EDIT command procedure. The NEWS_VIEW command procedure is similar, with an appropriate "/READ_ONLY" added to the editor command line. 3 Example An example command procedure to invoke an editor from NEWS is as follows: $ ! $ ! Example command procedure to invoke an editor for NEWS $ ! $ ! Inputs: $ ! $ ! P1 = file name. $ ! $ ! Note that this procedure is run in the context of a subprocess. $ ! LOGIN.COM is not executed. However, all process logical names $ ! and DCL global symbols are copied. $ ! $ ! The default directory is the same as the parent process $ ! $ ! Note that this will only be invoked if the user has placed in $ ! LOGIN.COM (or similar) $ ! $ DEFINE NEWS_EDIT "@dev:[dir]NEWSEDIT_EXAMPLE.COM" $ ! $ DEFINE /USER SYS$INPUT 'F$TRNLNM("SYS$OUTPUT")' $ IF P1 .EQS. "" THEN EXIT $ EDIT/EDT 'P1' $ EXIT 2 Invoking_News News has an DCL interface similar to that of VMS MAIL, in that the command NEWS will invoke an interactive session of NEWS, or you can specify a command to NEWS as a parameter to the command to execute a single command, then return to DCL. NEWS also has a single optional qualifier, /NOSCREEN, which, if specified, invokes news in line mode. If not specified screen mode is assumed. Examples: $ NEWS/NOSCREEN call news in line mode in an interactive session $ NEWS call news in screen mode in an interactive session $ NEWS POST/NEWSG=net.animal/SUBJECT="Frogs" frog.txt Post the file "frog.txt" into news, into newsgroup "net.animal", with the title "Frogs", then return to DCL. 2 Keypad By default, the keypad is configured: +--------+-----------------+ |help |do | | | | | HELP | | +--------+-----------------+ +--------+--------+--------+ |find |insert |remove | | | | | | |REGISTER|DEREGIST| +--------+--------+--------+ |select |prev |next | | | | | | SELECT | UP 18 |DOWN 18 | +--------+--------+--------+ +--------+--------+--------+--------+ |pf1 |pf2 |pf3 |pf4 | | | | | | | |HELP | | | +--------+--------+--------+--------+ |7 |8 |9 |- | | | | | | | PRINT |EXTRACT |EXTR/ALL|EXTR/APP| +--------+--------+--------+--------+ |4 |5 |6 |, | | | | | | | DIR |DEL/REG |DIR/NEW |DIR/NEWS| +--------+--------+--------+--------+ |1 |2 |3 |enter | | | | | | |READ |READ/HEA| |SELECT | +--------+--------+--------+ | |0 |. | | | | | | | READ/NEW | READ | | +-----------------+--------+--------+ These defaults may be altered in two ways: o Using the DEFINE/KEY command to bind a news command to a key. o Defining the logical name "NEWS_INI" to a file containing a sequence of DEFINE/KEY lines (which will be executed on startup of NEWS). 2 ADD ADD is a NEWS MANAGEMENT Command. Format: ADD Filename ADD is used to automatically load items into the news database. This command is normally used to load network news batches onto the local node (locally generated news is POSTed into NEWS). If the node is defined as a news routing node, this command also generates the batch files to send to the adjacent NEWS nodes. The file format for the add command is a batch format. Each file contains a number of news items, separated by the either one of the two valid seperator sequences: "!# rnews " " From: ... " 3 Parameters Filename This parameter is the file name containing the news batch to add to NEWS. The filename specified may be either a single filename, or may contain wildcards (which are expanded, and all files so specified are added). Lists of filenames are not supported in this version of NEWS. 3 Qualifiers /DELETE This qualifier directs NEWS to delete the input file after the contents have been added to NEWS. Default is /NODELETE. /CREGRP The default action of the ADD command is to only accept items into newsgroups which already exist on the system, rejecting all other newsgroups. This qualifier directs NEWS to automatically create any new newsgroups which are specified in the item headers which do not already exist on the local system. Default is /NOCREGRP. /RETRY When a network feed news item is rejected by the local node an attempt is made to place the item into the "junk" newsgroup. This rejection may take place for a number of reasons, but the primary one is that the NEWS.SYS file has rejected this item. You may wish to make changes to the SYS file and retry adding the item. Normally such an attempt would be rejected, as the Path: name now contains the local node name, and this is regarded as a loop in the news. /RETRY directs the ADD command to ignore the Path: line when checking the news item for addition into the local node. 2 CREATE CREATE is a NEWS MANAGEMENT Command. Format: CREATE Newsgroup Create is used to create new newsgroups on the local node. 3 Parameters Newsgroup This parameter is the name of the newsgroup to create. If the newsgroup does not exist on the local node, then the user is prompted to confirm that the newsgroup should be created. This parameter can also specify a comma seperated list of newsgroup names to create. 3 Qualifiers /HOLD Format: CREATE Newsgroup/HOLD=n This qualifier specifies the retention period (in days) of the Newsgroup. This retention period is defined as the period over which no new items were posted to the newsgroup, after which the newsgroup is automatically deleted. If not specified, the system default value is used. If the value "/HOLD=*" is used, the newsgroup will NOT be automatically deleted. /ITEMHOLD Format: CREATE Newsgroup/ITEMHOLD=n This qualifier specifies the default retention period (in days) of the items within this newsgroup. All news items will remain on the system for the specified period, after which they will be automatically deleted. If the value "/ITEMHOLD=*" is used, NO items within the newsgroup will be automatically deleted. /MODERATOR Format Create Newsgroup/MODERATOR=address This qualifier creates a moderated newsgroup. No user may post news items directly into a moderated newsgroup (unless the user is the actual moderator of the newsgroup). Any items posted into such newsgroups are redirected into the mail systems, and are mailed directly to the moderator. The moderator address should be specified in the internet format (user@node.site.domain) - NOT Decnet format (the translation from internet addresses to the equivalent Decent addresses is handled internally by NEWS). /LOCAL Newsgroups are defined by default to be Network newsgroups - A network newsgroup is created in response to a network-wide "newgroup" control message, and is deleted in response to a network-wide "rmgroup" or "checkgroups" message. Newsgroups which are local to a this site, or local to a domain within the wider network are created with the "/LOCAL" qualifier. This ensures that the newsgroup will not be deleted by the network control messages. 2 DEFINE This command must be used with the qualifier /KEY to define a key equivalence string. 3 Qualifiers /KEY Associates an equivalence string and a set of attributes with a key on the terminal keyboard. The /KEY qualifier is required. Format: DEFINE/KEY key-name equivalence-string 4 Parameters key-name Specifies the name of the key that you are defining. The following table gives the key names in column one. The remaining three columns indicate the key designations on the keyboards for the three different types of terminals that allow key definitions. All definable keys on VT52 terminals are located on the numeric keypad. On VT100-type terminals you can define the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys as well as all the keys on the numeric keypad. There are three types of keys that can be defined on terminals with LK201 keyboards: (1) keys on the numeric keypad, (2) keys on the editing keypad, and (3) keys on the function key row across the top of the terminal. (Note that you cannot define function keys F1 through F5.) Key-name LK201 VT100-type VT52 PF1 PF1 PF1 [blue] PF2 PF2 PF2 [red] PF3 PF3 PF3 [gray] PF4 PF4 PF4 - - KP0, KP1, ..., KP9 0, 1, ..., 9 0, 1, ..., 9 0, 1, ..., 9 PERIOD . . . COMMA , , n/a MINUS - - n/a ENTER Enter ENTER ENTER LEFT |<--| |<--| |<--| RIGHT |<--| |<--| |<--| E1 Find - - - - E2 Insert Here - - - - E3 Remove - - - - E4 Select - - - - E5 Prev Screen - - - - E6 Next Screen - - - - HELP Help - - - - DO Do - - - - F6, F7, ..., F20 F6, F7, ..., F20 - - - - Some defineable keys are enabled for definition all the time. Others, including KP0 through KP9, PERIOD, COMMA, and MINUS, need to be enabled for definition purposes. You must issue either the SET TERMINAL/APPLICATION or SET TERMINAL/NONUMERIC command before using these keys. The LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys and the F6 through F14 function keys are reserved for command line editing. You must issue the SET TERMINAL/NOLINE_EDITING command before defining these keys. equivalence-string Specifies the string which is to be processed when you press the key. If the string contains any spaces, enclose the equivalence string in quotation marks. 4 Qualifiers /ECHO /ECHO /NOECHO Determines whether or not the equivalence string is displayed on your screen after the key has been pressed. The default is /ECHO. You cannot use /NOECHO with the /NOTERMINATE qualifier. /ERASE /ERASE /NOERASE Determines whether or not the current line is erased before the key translation is inserted. The default is /NOERASE. /IF_STATE /IF_STATE=(state-name,...) /NOIF_STATE Specifies a list of one or more states, one of which must be in effect for the key definition to be in effect. If you omit the /IF_STATE qualifier or use /NOIF_STATE, the current state is used. The state name is an alphanumeric string. States are established with the /SET_STATE qualifier or the SET KEY command. If you specify only one state name, you can omit the parentheses. By including several state names, you can define a key to have the same function in all the specified states. /LOCK_STATE /LOCK_STATE /NOLOCK_STATE Specifies that the state set by the /SET_STATE qualifier remain in effect until explicitly changed. If you use the /NOLOCK_STATE qualifier, the state set by /SET_STATE is in effect only for the next defineable key that you press or for the next read terminating character that you type. The default is /NOLOCK_STATE. The /LOCK_STATE qualifier can only be specified with the /SET_STATE qualifier. /LOG /LOG /NOLOG Controls whether the system displays a message indicating that the key definition has been successfully created. The default is /LOG. /SET_STATE /SET_STATE=state-name /NOSET_STATE Causes the specified state-name to be set when the key is pressed. The state name can be any alphanumeric string. If you omit the SET_STATE qualifier or use /NOSET_STATE, the current state that was locked remains in effect. If you have not included this qualifier with a key definition, you can use the SET KEY command to change the current state. /TERMINATE /TERMINATE /NOTERMINATE Specifies whether or not the current equivalence string is to be terminated (that is, processed) when the key is pressed. The default is /NOTERMINATE, which allows you to press other keys before the equivalence string is processed. Pressing RETURN has the same effect as using /TERMINATE. The /NOTERMINATE qualifier allows you to create key defintions that insert text into command lines, after prompts, or into other text that you are typing. 2 DELETE DELETE is a NEWS MANAGER Command. Format Delete Items DELETE Newsgroups Delete is used to delete newsgroups or news items. The command accepts a list of newsgroups to delete, or a list of newsitems. The actions of delete are determined by the current screen context. If the screen is currently displaying the newsgroup directory, then the delete command is used to delete newsgroups. If the item directory is displayed, then the command refers to news items. 3 Parameters Items The items are specified as a list of item numbers, seperated by commas. A range of items can be specified by seperating the start and end numbers by a minus. All items can be specified by a '*'. For example, to delete items 3 through to 10, 20 and 22 to 25 the command is: DELETE 3-10,20,22-25 Newsgroups The newsgroups are specified as a list of names, seperated by commas. The '*' wildcard may also be used to specify a set of newsgroups. The newsgroup name is interpreted as the prefix of a family of related newsgroups, so that, for example, the command: DELETE alt.obscure will delete the newsgroup "alt.obscure", and also all newsgroups matching the pattern "alt.obscure.*" The user is asked for confirmation for each newsgroup to delete. 3 Qualifiers /IDENTIFIER /IDENTIFIER=message-id This qualifier deletes the newsitem with the specified message identifier. If no identifier is given, NEWS will prompt for the identifier string. Note that the identifier value includes the '<' and '>' characters. 2 DEREGISTER Removes your registration from a newsgroup. The newsgroup may either be specified as a parameter to the command, or, if not specified, the current newsgroup is deregistered. 3 Parameters Newsgroup-name This parameter is used unless /ALL is specified. The parameter value is newsgroup to remove from the registered list. If not specified, the current newsgroup is deregistered. 3 Qualifiers /ALL This qualifier removes all newsgroups from the registered list. 2 DIRECTORY In line mode, this command, by default lists all the news items in the currently selected newsgroup, on a page by page basis, displaying the item number, creation date and item title. The listing normally commences 2 items before the current news item (the last newsitem read). This may be modified by one of the command qualifiers as listed. 3 Qualifiers /ALL In screen mode this command resets the newsgroup directory to display all newsgroups. This resets the actions of DIR/NEW or DIR/REG. /NEW In screen mode this command sets the newsgroup directory screen to only display those newsgroups in which you are registered, and there are unread newsitems within those newsgroups. This is reset by the command DIR/ALL In line mode these newsgroups are listed page by page. /REG In screen mode this command sets the newsgroup directory screen to only display those newsgroups in which you are registered. This is reset by the command DIR/ALL In line mode these newsgroups are listed page by page. /RESET This clears the internal memory copy of the NEWS database, and reads a new copy of the database from the master index files into memory. 2 DOWN Format DOWN DOWN Number In screen mode this moves the cursor down one line. The command has an optional numeric parameter, the number of lines to move down. 3 Parameters Number This parameter specifies the number of lines to move down. If omitted, the default is 1 line 2 EDIT EDIT is a NEWS MANAGER Command. Allows the user to edit the contents of a news item. By default the item currently being read is edited, but if a number or a title is specified with the command, then NEWS locates and edits this item. All searches are performed by default within the context of the currently SELECTed newsgroup (Location procedures are identical to that of the READ command). TPU is invoked to edit the item contents. On completion of TPU, the edited item is inserted into the newsgroup and the old version is deleted. 3 Newsitem This parameter specifies the number of the news item to edit (Necessary if the user wishes to edit an item other than the current news item). 3 /NEWSGROUP This optional qualifier specifies the newsgroup in which to search for the newsitem to edit. 2 EXIT EXIT from NEWS. Ctrl-Z is also interpreted as EXIT. 2 EXTRACT EXTRACT copies the current news item into an output file. 3 Parameters Filename This specifies the name of the file to contain the extracted news item text. 3 Qualifiers /ALL This qualifier modifies the EXTRACT command to copy ALL of the items in the current selected newsgroup onto the file. /APPEND This qualifier modifies the EXTRACT command to APPEND the output to the nominated file, rather than the default action of creating a new version of the output file. 2 FOLLOWUP FOLLOWUP is used to post a reply to a news item back into NEWS. If your system is configured into a news network, this reply item will also be distributed through the network. NEWS will fill in all defaulting news headers, and will prompt for all header items which are non-defaulting (the subject line and the newsgroups to post the item into). If the newsgroups for the posting are moderated, the posting is automatically re-directed as mail to the moderator address. The editor is invoked to form the reply, with the edit buffer pre- loaded with the text of the original item. The default editor is the TPU EDT emulator, but this is user definable - see the subtopic Logical_names). 3 Qualifiers /HEADERS /NOHEADERS - Default Followup will normally prompt for the subject of the posting, and a list of newsgroups to post the item into. The /HEADERS qualifier will force prompting for optional components of the item header. These fields are: Summary - A one line summary of the posting Reply-To - Mail address for REPLYing to the item (used if replies are to be sent to an address different from the poster of the news Distribution - a list of keywords designed to limit the distribution of a news item to a subject of the network. These keywords are site specific, but commonly include the keywords "local" (do not forward to the net) and "world" (forward as far as possible through the net). Followup-To - The list of newsgroups where followup postings are to be sent. This is used to move a discussion to another newsgroup. Keywords - A few relevant, pithy keywords which should indicate to other readers if the item is of interest. 2 FORWARD Invokes VMS MAIL, to send a copy of the current news item to another user (or yourself if so inclined). FORWARD and MAIL are synonmyns. 3 Qualifiers /TO /TO=user /TO=(user,user) Specifies the VMS Mail address of the users to receive the mail. This may be a user name, or a list of names, and may also include a distribution list file specification. If not specified, the user is prompted for the /TO value. /SUBJECT /SUBJECT=text string Specifies the subject of the message for the heading. If not specified, the user is prompted for the /SUBJECT value. /EDIT /EDIT - Default /NOEDIT Invokes the editor the item text before mailing the item. The default editor is the TPU EDT emulator, but this is user definable - see the subtopic Logical_names). /SELF Sends a copy of the message back to yourself. /HEADERS By default the news item headers are stripped off the item text before it is mailed. This qualifier loads the item header lines into the mail buffer as well as the body of the text. 2 HELP This command types out this help file. The command can be used with parameters to specify the command on which you want the help displayed. 2 MAIL Invokes VMS MAIL, to send a copy of the current news item to another user (or yourself if so inclined). FORWARD and MAIL are synonmyns. 3 Qualifiers /TO /TO=user /TO=(user,user) Specifies the VMS Mail address of the users to receive the mail. This may be a user name, or a list of names, and may also include a distribution list file specification. If not specified, the user is prompted for the /TO value. /SUBJECT /SUBJECT=text string Specifies the subject of the message for the heading. If not specified, the user is prompted for the /SUBJECT value. /EDIT /EDIT - Default /NOEDIT Invokes the editor the item text before mailing the item. The default editor is the TPU EDT emulator, but this is user definable - see the subtopic Logical_names). /SELF Sends a copy of the message back to yourself. /HEADERS By default the news item headers are stripped off the item text before it is mailed. This qualifier loads the item header lines into the mail buffer as well as the body of the text. 2 NEWSGROUPS In screen mode this pops the display stack back to the newsgroup directory screen. 2 NOSCREEN Turns off screen mode and enters line command mode. 2 POST POST is used to post news items into the local NEWS database. If your system is configured into a news network, this item will also be distributed through the network. NEWS will fill in all defaulting news headers, and will prompt for all header items which are non-defaulting (the subject line and the newsgroups to post the item into). If the newsgroups for the posting are moderated, the posting is automatically re-directed as mail to the moderator address. Format: POST POST Filename 3 Parameters Filename The name of the file containing the text of the item to post. If no filename is given, the editor is invoked with an empty file. 3 Qualifiers /EDIT /EDIT - Default /NOEDIT Invokes the editor to edit the post file. If no post filename is specified, the editor call is forced, otherwise the edit call can be disabled by the /NOEDIT qualifier. The default editor is the TPU EDT emulator, but this is user definable - see the subtopic Logical_names). /HEADERS /NOHEADERS - Default Post will normally prompt for the subject of the posting, and a list of newsgroups to post the item into. The /HEADERS qualifier will force prompting for optional components of the item header. These fields are: Summary - A one line summary of the posting Reply-To - Mail address for REPLYing to the item (used if replies are to be sent to an address different from the poster of the news Distribution - a list of keywords designed to limit the distribution of a news item to a subject of the network. These keywords are site specific, but commonly include the keywords "local" (do not forward to the net) and "world" (forward as far as possible through the net). Followup-To - The list of newsgroups where followup postings are to be sent. This is used to move a discussion to another newsgroup. Keywords - A few relevant, pithy keywords which should indicate to other readers if the item is of interest. /NEWSGROUPS /NEWSGROUPS=newsgroup-list This qualifier specifies the list of newsgroups to receive the posting. If this qualifier value is not specified, the user is prompted for the newsgroups. /SUBJECT /SUBJECT=text string The subject line, or title of the posting. If this qualifier is omitted, the user is prompted for a subject. 2 PRINT Print appends the current news item to a print file, for spooling at the end of the NEWS job. As more items are Printed, they are appended to this print file. At the end of the news run the user is prompted for the name of the queue to spool the output, and the output is directed to that queue. 3 Qualifiers /ALL This qualifier modifies the PRINT command to copy ALL of the items in the current selected newsgroup onto the file. If the newsgroup contains a large number of items this could seriously affect your disk quota (as well as the possibility of printer meltdown). 2 READ This command reads the next item from the current selected news group, and displays the item on the screen page-by-page (similar to the output from the TYPE/PAGE DCL command). The actions of READ can be modified by giving a Newsitem number, which will display that item. 3 Parameters Newsitem This parameter to read may be either the number of a news item, a "." (to re-read the last read item from the start), or "*" to read the last item in the group. 3 Qualifiers /HEADER Normally NEWS will suppress the display of all network routing headers. This qualifier produces a full display of the item contents including mail header lines. /NEW This command will display the next Unread news item from the set of registered newsgroups. This may cause an implicit Select of a defferent newsgroup to obtain the next unread item. /TPU This qualifier will use an editor in read-only mode to view the newsitem. This is useful when it is required to scroll up and down through the item text, or extract a part of the text into a file. The default editor is the TPU EDT emulator, but this is user definable - see the subtopic Logical_names). /NEXT When reading a news item this command causes the remainder of the text display to be skipped, and the next item to be displayed. /BACK When reading a news item this command causes the remainder of the text display to be skipped, and the previous item to be displayed. /PARENT NEWS items may reference a previous item that has been posted. In such a case the text of the item commonly begins with the line: "In article {}, {user address} writes:" When a news item references previous items, the header includes the identifier of the parent item. READ/PARENT will display the parent item referenced by the current item. /IDENTIFIER All NEWS items are identified by a unique message identification string. (This identifier can be displayed using the READ/HEADER command, and noting the "Message-Id: ..." line). An item to be displayed can be selected by providing the identifier of the item. e.g.: READ/IDENTIFIER=<243@csc.anu.oz> /ROT13 Some news items are posted using a basic encryption method (rot13). This qualifier uses the decryption algorithm to display the message contents. 2 REFRESH In screen mode this command repaints the screen. This command is (by default) bound to the Ctrl-W key. 2 REGISTER Adds newsgroups into the user's register file. Registering into a newsgroup implies that NEWS will automatically keep track of which items int he newsgroup have been read, and the user can view only unread news items (with the READ/NEW command). Format: REGISTER Newsgroup-name REGISTER 3 Parameters Newsgroup-name This specifies the name of the newsgroup to register. If the parameter is not specified, the current newsgroup is added to the register file. 3 Qualifiers /ALL This qualifier will register the user for ALL newsgroups on the system. On a system with a high quantity of network news this must be considered a brave act! /NEW This qualifier will register the user for all newsgroups created on the system since the last time a REGISTER/ALL or REGISTER/NEW command was given. Thus the user is automatically registered into all recent newsgroups, and can then elect to deregister from some of those newsgroups. /PRIORITY /PRIORITY=number This qulaifier assigns a read priority to the newsgroup. This is particularly useful if you are registered in a number of newsgroups, and would like to view new items (using READ/NEW) in a particular order of newsgroups. The value is a number (between 1 and 255), increasing with priority. For example, if you have new items in net.animals and soc.chinese and the priority of soc.chinese is greater then net.animals, new items in soc.chinese will be displayed first when using READ/NEW). 2 REPLY REPLY posts a MAIL reply directly to the sender of a news item. This is used to respond directly to the poster of an item without the item appearing on the net. News will pre-load the edit buffer with the test of the item to which to reply is being sent, then invoke the editor. (The default editor is the TPU EDT emulator, but this is user definable - see the subtopic Logical_names). On a normal exit from the editor the item is posted via VMS Mail to the sender (The sender's address is mapped into the equivalent VMS Mail address by site specific address transformation rules). 3 Qualifiers /HEADERS By default the news item headers are stripped off the item text before it is loaded into the edit buffer. This qualifier loads the item header lines into the buffer as well /SUBJECT /SUBJECT=text string This specifies the subject header of the mail reply. If not specified, NEWS will prompt for a Subject: field. /SELF /NOSELF [default] This is a mail qualifier which will forward a copy of the outgoing mail item back to the sender. 2 SCREEN This enters NEWS' screen display mode. In this mode there are three screen levels: the Newsgroup screen, where every newsgroup header is displayed, a Newsitem screen, displaying newsitem headers, and an Item text screen, displaying item contents. The current object is shown by a cursor on the left of the display. The cursor can be moved up and down by the arrow keys or the UP and DOWN commands (or tPrev-Screen and Next-Screen commands on VT220 keyboards). This is the default mode for NEWS. The line mode can be selected by the command: NOSCREEN. 2 SELECT SELECT changes newsgroup context to the nominated newsgroup.The command normally takes one parameter, the name of the newsgroup to select. Example: SELECT test ... to select newsgroup test 3 Qualifiers /NEW This qualifier is used in place of a newsgroup to select the next registered newsgroup which contains unread news items. If the current newsgroup contains unread items, then no action is performed. 2 SET SET is a NEWS MANAGER Command. SET modifies the retention period of newsgroups or of newsitems within newsgroups. Retention periods are set up by a hierarchy of defaults in NEWS. SET is also used to set (or reset) moderated newsgroups. For NEWSITEMS there is a default retention period of 30 days. This may be overridden by specifying a system wide item retention period. for items. e.g: SET NEWSGROUP */ITEMHOLD=14 This system default may be overridden by specifying a default retention period for all items within a particular newsgroup. e.g: SET NEWSGROUP mod.computers.mac/ITEMHOLD=30 This newsgroup default may be overridden by specifying a retention period for a particular item. e.g: SET ITEM 34/HOLD=90 For NEWSGROUPS there is a default retention period of 60 days (i.e. the most recnet posting to this newsgroup occurred 60 days previously, AND the newsgroup is currently empty). This may be overridden by specifying a system wide item retention period. e.g: SET NEWSGROUP */HOLD=30 This may be overridden by specifying a retention period for a newsgroup. e.g: SET NEWSGROUP mod.computers.mac/HOLD=60 There are two SET commands: SET NEWSGROUP newsgroup-name/qualifiers SET ITEM item-num/qualifiers 3 Parameters NEWSGROUP newsgroup-name SET NEWSGROUP modifies the newsgroup retention attributes of newsgroups or of the default news item retention period. The command format is: SET NEWSGROUP newsgroup-name/quals or SET NEWSGROUP */quals The first form requires the name of a newsgroup (or defaults to the current newsgroup in screen mode). The second form applies to the global defaults used in the system. The qualifiers accepted here are /ITEMHOLD, /HOLD, and in the case where a particular newsgroup is named, /MODERATOR ITEM item-num SET ITEM modifies the newsgroup retention attributes of news items. The command format is: SET ITEM name/HOLD=val This requires the number of a newitem (or defaults to the current newsitem in screen mode). 3 Qualifiers /HOLD Format: /HOLD=days This command qualifier defines the retention period for newsgroups or news items. The value of the qualifier is specified in days. If a 0 value is given, this indicates that a higher level default value should be used. If a value of '*' is given, this indicates that the retention is PERMANENT (i.e. may only be deleted manually). /ITEMHOLD Format: /ITEMHOLD=days This command qualifier defines the default retention period for news items within a newsgroup. The value of the qualifier is specified in days. If a 0 value is given, this indicates that a higher level default value should be used. If a value of '*' is given as the value for days, this indicates that the retention is PERMANENT. /MODERATOR Format: /MODERATOR=address /NOMODERATOR This command is used with SET NEWSGROUP, and sets the newsgroup as a moderated newsgroup, or clears the moderator condition. The value of the /MODERATOR is an internet-style address of the moderator. This address is translated into VMS Mail format automatically. The /NOMODERATOR is used to clear the moderator condition. Moderated newsgroups can only accept posting from the moderator. All other users who attempt to post to this newsgroup are automatically routed into the mail system to send the item to the moderator. /LOCAL Newsgroups are defined by default to be Network newsgroups - A network newsgroup is created in response to a network-wide "newgroup" control message, and is deleted in response to a network-wide "rmgroup" or "checkgroups" message. Newsgroups which are local to a this site, or local to a domain within the wider network are created with the "/LOCAL" qualifier. This ensures that the newsgroup will not be deleted by the network control messages. 2 SHOW SHOW displays the control information for newsgroups or for news items in the News database. This information includes the retention period, relevant deletion time, and the moderator address (if moderated). Format: SHOW NEWSGROUP newsgroup-name SHOW ITEM item-num Retention periods may be set on a system default basis, on a per newsgroup basis, or for specific items. 3 Parameters NEWSGROUP newsgroup-name SHOW NEWSGROUP displays the newsgroup retention attributes of the newsgroup, and also the moderator address (if moderated). The newsgroup-name may be either a newsgroup name (to display the specific information for that newsgroup), or '*' (to display the system defaults for retention periods). ITEM item-num SHOW ITEM displays the retention period for a specific news item. 2 SKIM SKIM is a NEWS MANAGER Command. SKIM checks aspects of the news database for internal consistency, and also enforces news item and newsgroup expiry time limits. By default the command will check all news items, all newsgroups, all message identifiers and all item files in the news database, removing any inconsistencies found in the News database. By default all deleted items are NOT archived. Any of these functions can be stopped by use of the /NOxxx qualifier in the command line. 3 Qualifiers /ITEMS /NOITEMS SKIM/ITEMS performs a pass over all current news items: 1. Deletes items which are older than the pre-determined item life. 2. Deletes any items which have no associated message identifier entry. 3. Updates any inconsistencies in the newsgroup file concerning the number of items in each newsgroup. The /ARCH qualifier can be used in conjunction with this pass to archive any files that are to be deleted from the news database. /NEWSGROUPS /NONEWSGROUPS SKIM/NEWSGROUPS performs the following operations: 1. Checks the existence of all items in the newsgroup, and update newsgroup counts if inconsistent. 2. Deletes any newsgroup which has had no new entries for a site determined period (Thus cancellation of dormant newsgroups is automatic with this command. /FILES /NOFILES SKIM/FILES examines every .ITM file in the news database, purging all back versions of any file, and deleting any .ITM files which have no corresponding entry in the item database. /ARCHIVE Format: /ARCHIVE=Filename This can be used in conjunction with /ITEMS to archive a copy of every item that is to be deleted from the News database. The items are stored in seperate versions of the specified file, so it will cause problems if a low version limit is imposed on this file. 2 SKIP Format : SKIP ... skip all unread items in current newsgroup SKIP Newsgroup ... skip all unread items in Newsgroup If the user is registered in the currently selected newsgroup, then all items in the newsgroup will be marked as having been read by the user. The command takes one optional parameter, a newsgroup name, which can be used to mark as read all items in the nominated newsgroup. 3 Parameters Newsgroup This qualifier changes context to the named newsgroup when recording items as skipped. 3 Qualifiers /ALL This qualifier will mark ALL news items in ALL registered newsgroups as having been read by the user. 2 SPAWN Spawn a DCL level subprocess from NEWS (using LIB$SPAWN). LOGOUT from the subprocess returns to NEWS. 2 UP Format UP UP Number In screen mode this moves the cursor up one line. The command has an optional numeric parameter, the number of lines to move up. 3 Parameters Number This parameter specifies the number of lines to move up. If omitted, the default is 1 line