              Squish Message Base Reply Linker, Version 2.2
                    Copyright (c) 2000-01 Serge Nozhenko


This readme file contains the following information:

  I.   General Information
  II.  Installation Instructions
  III. Copyright and Disclaimer
  IV.  Limited Support


I. General Information
======================

What is Reply Linker?
  
  This program is a by-product of the www.fido-online.com server development.
  It can be used to link messages in Squish message bases. Squish is a message
  base format widespread in FidoNet and other networks using FidoNet technology.
  Reply Linker links messages in trees and linear chains by ^MSGID and ^REPLY
  kludges or by identical subjects or a parts of subject, ignoring any number
  of Re:, Re^N: and Re[N]: prefixes.

What are the software requirements for Reply Linker?

  This is Linux version of Reply Linker. If you wish to compile it for your
  system, object file is included (sqlinkl.o).


II. Installation Instructions
=============================

  Run Reply Linker after incoming mail is imported or after any
  other operation that alters message bases.
  Here is some examples of using Reply Linker with different echoprocessors:

  1) ParToss

  partossl In Out Send -fechotoss.log
  if [ -f echotoss.log ]; then sqlinkl partoss.cfg -kechotoss.log; fi

  To a certain extent Reply Linker emulates Link[F] command of ParToss.
  Reply Linker uses the following keys from the configuration file of
  echoprocessor:

  Include <path>    File specified by path is considered as a part
                    of the main configuration file.

  LogFile <path>    Path to the log file.

  LogLevel <n>      Required level of the log file. Default is 8.

  LogLevelShow      With this key activated, minimal LogLevel is
                    printed for each string in the log file.

  LinkType <type>   Type of linking. If type is not one of 'Flat', 'Reply',
                    'Subj' or 'TimEd', only echoareas that have one of
                    the following flags specified are linked:
                    -$l1 (Reply), -$l2 (Subj), -$l3 (Flat), -$l4 (TimEd).

  LinkLength <n>    Specifies the maximum number of subject symbols
                    to compare (without leading spaces and Re:
                    prefixes). See also description of the -s switch.
                    (Link type Subj only).

  EchoArea <tag> <path> [flags] [nodes]   Description of echoarea.

  LocalArea <tag> <path> [flags]   Description of local area.

  MapPath <old path> <new path>  Used for auto-replacement of DOS/Windows
                                 paths in configuration files to the Unix
                    paths. If full directory of some path is equal to
                    <old path>, it is replaced with <new path>.

  SoftMapPath <old path> <new path>   The same as MapPath, but <old path> is
                                      compared with the prefix of a path.


  2) HPT

  hpt toss
  if [ -f echotoss.log ]; then sqlinkl config -hpt -k; fi

  All configuration keys mentioned in previous examples are used in -hpt mode
  as well, though not all of them are valid HPT's keywords. In addition, the
  following keys are used:

  EchoAreaDefaults [䫠]   Default settings for echoareas.

  ImportLog <path>   File containing the list of modified areas.
                     If this key is present, you can omit file name in
                     -f/-k command line switches.

  LogFileDir <path>  A directory where log file is created. If log file name
                     is not specified in -l command line switch, then hpt.log
                     is used.

  NetmailArea <tag> <path> [flags]   Description of netmail area.


  If you are using some other echoprocessor, see its manual to find out
  what command sequence is suitable for your echoprocessor.


  Run Reply Linker as follows:

  SQLINKL <config file> or -#<area path> [-hpt] [-a<area tag>]
          [-f<echotoss.log file or echo tag>] [-k<file>] [-l<log path>] [-p]
          [-q] [-t<type>] [-s<number in range 1-72>] [-$] [-![+] <command>]

  -# specifies path to the message base (sqd-file) of an echoarea.
  It allows to link any echoarea without using of configuration file.

  -hpt turns on support for the HPT configuration files, including
  some specific keywords (see example 3 above), 'passthrough' instead
  of path, area type in form -b <type> and -nolink in echo area
  description. Areas described as -nolink still can be linked using -a
  command line switch (see next).

  -a specifies individual echo tag. Only this area will be linked.

  -f specifies either area list file, or individual echo tag if
  specified file is not found. Area list file is assumed to be
  a file created by ParToss after running it with mail import
  command and -f switch.

  -k is the same as -f, but forces linker to delete the specified
  area list file at exit.

  -l specifies path to the log file. This switch overrides
  configuration file settings.

  -p is specific for Russian conferences. Use it to link original
  messages with Russian 'a', 'e', 'o', 'p', 'c', 'y' letters in subject
  to the replies in which Russian letter was converted to the similiar
  Latin letters by the software of reply author. (Link type Subj only).

  -s specifies the maximum number of subject symbols to compare
  (without leading spaces and Re: prefixes). This switch overrides
  configuration file settings. Default number is 15. (Link type Subj only).

  -t specifies the link type. <type> is one of the following symbols:
  f - type Flat  (links linear chain of replies to the original message,
                  where reply messages have the same ^REPLY kludge as
                  ^MSGID of the original message);
  r - type Reply (the same as Flat, but messages with identical ^REPLY are
                  linked together even if original message is already gone.
                  This link type is used by default);
  s - type Subj  (links messages with identical Subjects in linear chains);
  t - type TimEd (links many replies to one original message).
  This switch overrides configuration file settings.

  -$ turns on strict check of echoarea descriptions for the -$ flag.
  Only areas with this flag specified will be linked. Note that ParToss
  relies solely on the EchoArea keyword and ignores this flag, so
  there may be Squish echoareas without -$ flag in the ParToss
  configuration file.

  -! specifies a <command> to execute for each processed echoarea.
  -!+ specifies that echoareas should be linked after the <command> finishes.
  Use the following parameters in the <command>:
  %a - area tag
  %p - area path


III. Copyright and Disclaimer
=============================

  Squish Message Base Reply Linker is
  Copyright (c) 2000-01 by Serge Nozhenko

  Squish Message Base Reply Linker is a freeware program.
  Permission to use, copy and distribute this software and its
  documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee,
  provided that the above copyright notice and this permission
  notice appear in all copies of the software and related
  documentation.


  NO WARRANTY

  THIS SOFTWARE AND ITS ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION ARE PROVIDED
  "AS-IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR
  IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY WARRANTY OF
  MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER BE LIABLE FOR ANY
  DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL
  OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF
  THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.


IV. Limited Support
===================

  The latest version of Squish Message Base Reply Linker can be found at

  http://www.aha.ru/~snn/fido/sqlinkw/

  If you find a problem in this software package, you are encouraged
  to report it to the author. Please send me a mail to one of the
  following addresses:

  E-mail:   admin@fido-online.com
  FidoNet:  2:5020/175
