mwcbbs -- Command

Download files from the Mark Williams bulletin board
mwcbbs [-cp] [-dpath] directory

The  command mwcbbs  lets you  select one  or more  files from  mwcbbs, the
bulletin  board  maintained  by Mark  Williams  Company.   It displays  the
contents of Contents files that  you download from the bulletin board, lets
you select one or more  files interactively, then constructs a uucp command
and requests  the files from  Mark Williams.  If  all goes well,  the files
will  be  delivered  to  directory  /usr/spool/uucppublic on  your  system.
mwcbbs.  In  this way,  you  can  obtain the  latest  versions of  COHERENT
software,  sources  for  public-domain software  that  has  been ported  to
COHERENT, and exchange mail with MWC developers and support personnel.

Options

mwcbbs recognizes the following options:

-c   Force uucp to telephone the Mark Williams bulletin board when you exit
     from mwcbbs.

-dpath
     Use path in place of the default receive path.

-p   Print  the Contents  file.  You  can print all  entries in  a Contents
     file, or entries newer than a specified date.

mwcbbs  looks for  the file  .mwcbbs in the  current directory.   This file
contains the  interface variables DOWNPATH  and DATAPATH. The  former names
names the  directory into which uucp  is to write the  requested files; and
the latter names the directory where you keep data files.  For example:

    DOWNPATH=/usr/spool/uucppublic/
    DATAPATH=/usr/lib/mwcbbs

Please note that path names are limited to 45 characters.

When you invoke mwcbbs, it displays a menu with the following items:

0. Contents.down
     List  public-domain  software  and  shareware available  for  COHERENT
     release 3.N (COHERENT 286).

1. Contents.32bit
     List  public-domain  software  and  shareware available  for  COHERENT
     release 4.N (COHERENT 386).

2. Contents.news
     List news items and other informative postings from MWC.

3. Contents.UPD
     List updates to COHERENT.

4. Maillist
     List the mail sites available through mwcbbs.

5. Net_Maps
     Show available network maps of world-wide UNIX sites.

6. Quit
     Exit from mwcbbs.

Downloading Files

If you  select items 0  through 3 from  the main menu,  mwcbbs displays the
names of files,  100 at a time.  These names  are read from a Contents file
that is  stored in a  directory you name  either with the option  -d or the
variable DATAPATH.

You can select  one or more of these files  for downloading to your system.
Note  that when  you  invoke mwcbbs  for  the first  time,  the only  files
displayed are  those of  the Contents  files themselves; you  must download
them first, before you can begin  to download other files.  This is because
the Contents are continually being updated, and also to test your UUCP with
the Mark  Williams bulletin  board before you  attempt to download  a large
number of source files.

To select a file for downloading,  use the arrow keys to move the cursor to
that file (or use the vi  cursor-movement keys h, j, k, and l). mwcbbs lets
you enter any of the following commands:

-s   Select  highlighted file  name  for more  information or  downloading.
     Pressing <return> also selects the file.

-n   Go to next screen (if there are more than 100 files).

-p   Go to the previous screen.

-q   Quit mwcbbs.

When  you  select   a  highlighted  file,  mwcbbs  displays  the  following
information about it:

-> A summary of the file.

-> The date it was added or last updated

-> Other files  that are required  for compilation or use  of selected file
   name.

-> Other miscellaneous notes that may be of interest.

-> The system  commands to be generated to download  the selected file from
   the Mark Williams bulletin board.

If a  file is more  than 50,000 bytes  long, mwcbbs downloads  it in parts.
When a file is to be  received in parts you must concatenate the parts into
one file, which should be given the name of the file you selected.

Lists and Networks

Item 4  on the main menu (Maillist) gives  you information about electronic
mail  sites throughout  the United  States.  When  you select  this option,
mwcbbs displays  the names of the  50 states.  When you  select a state, as
with the  file lists, mwcbbs  displays information about the  mail sites in
that state.

Item 5  (Net_Maps) gives you  information about networks.   When you select
this option, mwcbbs displays a menu with the following items:

0. Net_Maps.WORLD
     Network maps of UNIX sites across the world.

1. Net_Maps.USA
     Network maps of UNIX sites in the United States, by area code.

2. Net_Maps.CAN
     Network maps of UNIX sites in Canada, by area code.

3. Quit
     Return to main menu.

Options 0 through  2 display maps of available networks.   You can select a
map interactively, as with the file options.

Printing a Contents File

When  you invoke  mwcbbs with  its -p  option, it  lists the  four Contents
files.  When  you select one, mwcbbs  asks you to enter  a search date.  If
you enter  a search date, mwcbbs  prints only those entries  that are dated
later than that date.  If you do not enter a date, it prints every entry in
the Contents file entries.

Entries are printed to the file mwcbbs. When the entries have been printed,
mwcbbs automatically exits to the shell.

See Also

commands,
UUCP
COHERENT Tutorial: UUCP, Remote Communications Utility

Notes

mwcbbs does not work correctly  until you have correctly configured UUCP to
contact the Mark Williams bulletin board.  For details on how to do so, see
the  tutorial  UUCP, Remote  Communications  Utility in  the  front of  the
COHERENT manual.

The  charges for  downloading  a large  set  of files  via a  long-distance
telephone call  can be quite  heavy.  Much depends  upon the speed  of your
modem and the time you place your call.  Caveat utilitor!

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness