Newsgroups: bit.listserv.win3-l
Date:         Wed, 2 Sep 1992 09:03:12 EDT
From:         Turgut Kalfaoglu <TURGUT@FRORS12.BITNET>
Subject:      FYI: Subscribing to files
X-To:         WIN3-L@UICVM.BITNET, PCTECH-L@TREARN.BITNET, ibmpc-l@cearn.BITNET

It is now possible to subscribe to any file provided by trickle servers.
These include the MSDOS,MISC,CPM,UNIX and MACINTOS directories from SIMTEL-20,
OS2 directory of hobbes.nmsu.edu, and now AMIGA directory of nic.funet.fi site.

You basically subscribe to patterns,  and whenever a new file is placed on the
ftp site, the server will deliver you a copy - before you even ask for it, and
usually before you read the announcement about it.

The commands must be sent to the closest TRICKLE server to you. Here is
a list from the documentation:

The Server Sites (listed in connection order:)

Location        EARN/BITNET          Internet
--------------  ----------------     ----------------------------------
In Turkey:      TRICKLE@TREARN       TRICKLE@EGE.EDU.TR
In Denmark:     TRICKLE@DKTC11
In Italy:       TRICKLE@IMIPOLI
In Belgium:     TRICKLE@BANUFS11     TRICKLE@UFSIA.AC.BE
In Austria:     TRICKLE@AWIWUW11
In Germany:     TRICKLE@DS0RUS1I     TRICKLE@RUSVM1.RUS.UNI-STUTTGART.DE
In Israel:      TRICKLE@TAUNIVM      TRICKLE@VM.TAU.AC.IL
In Netherlands: TRICKLE@HEARN        TRICKLE@HEARN.NIC.SURFNET.NL
In France:      TRICKLE@FRMOP11      TRICKLE@FRMOP11.CNUSC.FR
In Chile:       TRICKLE@USACHVM1
In Colombia:    TRICKLE@UNALCOL      TRICKLE@UNALCOL.UNAL.EDU.CO
In Taiwan:      TRICKLE@TWNMOE10     TRICKLE@TWNMOE10.EDU.TW

/SUB <dirnam.subdir>pattern  Allows you to subscribe to a particular
     set of files on the server. See chapter on "Subscribing to Files"
     for more info.
/UNSUB <dirnam.subdir>pattern  Terminates a file subscription.
(...)
Subscribing to Files:
    This new feature  allows you to subscribe to a  'pattern' on the
    server, and whenever new files that match that pattern arrive to
    the server, a  /PDGET command will be  automatically entered for
    you, for those files.

    Basically, you  tell the server the  directory, the subdirectory
    and a 'keyword' - the first  few characters of a filename.  If a
    few files match  your request, your entry is  recorded, and from
    there on,  if that pattern shows  up in the 'New  Files Listing'
    mail of  the server, the  command /PDGET  for that file  will be
    entered for you.

    LIMITATIONS:  ..You are  still bound  by your  daily quotas  and
    server  quotas.   The server  simply  'simulates'  that you  are
    sending  /PDGET  commands to  it.   So,  if  you have  too  many
    subscriptions, you MAY get 'you  issued too many commands today'
    error, or  'the server's  outstanding bytes  count is  too high,
    cannot order another file from  SIMTEL right now.' errors.

    The simulated  /PDGET command is assumed  to have come in  as an
    interactive message to  the server, so if you are  not logged in
    at that  time, you may miss  the server's reply message  - don't
    think that it  did not work.  Try a /TRLIST  before ordering the
    file (again).

    HOW TO USE:

    Actually, there are three new commands:
        /SUB   <directory.subdir>keyword
        /UNSUB <directory.subdir>keyword
        /SUB QUERY

    /SUB now  has double purpose -  you can still subscribe  to 'new
    directory listings' announcement file  by using /SUB <directory>
    , but  you can also use  it with a subdirectory  option as well.
    Let me give an example, I like getting the SCAN utility whenever
    a new one is available, so I can send this (and I already did :)

    /SUB <MSDOS.TROJAN-PRO>SCAN (UUE

    Now  I am  subscribed  to all  files  in the  <MSDOS.TROJAN-PRO>
    directory that start with the word  SCAN.  Note that it would be
    useless to subscribe to "SCAN91" since the trailing numbers keep
    changing  -  in the  near  future,  no  files would  match  your
    pattern.

    The UUE option  just tells the server to encode  the file for me
    before sending.  It's an optional parameter.  (See the help file
    for encoding options).  If you don't specify it, the server will
    send it NETDATA (..if you are not domain-addressed).

    Likewise, /UNSUB removes an entry from your subscription list.

    Finally, /SUB QUERY allows you to review your subscriptions.  It
    will display a list of the keywords stored for you.

    There  is  currently  no  artificial  limit  on  the  number  of
    subscriptions,  and hopefully  we will  not have  to build  such
    limits.  Remember: You  CAN exceed daily limits if  you have too
    many subscriptions.

    Note:  This new  option also  allows for  'mirroring' of  server
    archives.  If thre  are those who are working on  a server which
    can  receive feed  from a  TRICKLE server,  please contact  your
    closest  server's  administrator.   TRICKLE can  subscribe  your
    server to  ALL the files  in a  subdirectory, and order  ALL new
    files  -   but  for  this,   you  need  the  approval   of  your
    administrator.

    Finally, a disclaimer: A file  subscription can be terminated by
    the server maintainer, if it deemes to be too resource-consuming
    (such as, if you subscribe to too many things).

For the entire help file, please send a:
/HELP

command (either via interactive message, or E-Mail) to a trickle
server, such as trickle@frmop11.bitnet.

There are two discussion lists on the subject: RED-SYS@TREARN.BITNET
provides information about the server itself, whereas RED-UG@TREARN.BITNET
talks about the software provided by the server.

Regards, -turgut
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU