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Miscellaneous

Deleted Msgs

:?: Question:
Why is it that deleted messages still appear in message bases?

:!: Answer:
In Synchronet, when a message is deleted, it is only flagged for deletion. The actual removal of “deleted messages” from message bases takes place during regularly scheduled message base maintenance (using the smbutil utility). Normally, messages flagged for deletion will have a DELETED attribute displayed in the message header, if/when the message is displayed to a user. Messages flagged for deletion may be “undeleted”, but only when they are visible to a user or sysop.

There is a Synchronet configuration option, SCFG->Message Options->Users Can View Deleted Messages, with three possible settings:

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Sysops Only

If the sysop wants deleted messages to appear to be immediately and permanently removed from the message base, they should set this option to “No”. When this option is set to “Yes”, all users with read-access to the message base will be able to view/read messages flagged for deletion. When set to “Sysops Only”, this option will only allow messages flagged for deletion to be visible to system operators (sysops) and sub-booard operations (sub-ops).

Note: Deleted messages may still be viewed and undeleted using the smbutil program and possibly other methods, until the deleted messages are actually removed from the message base during maintenance.

New User Feedback

:?: Question:
How do I eliminate the requirement that new users send feedback/mail to the sysop during sign-up?

:!: Answer:
In Synchronet for Windows, run the Configuration Wizard and un-check the “Require new user feedback” check-box.

Or, set SCFG->Nodes->Node 1->Advanced Options->Validation User to “0”. If you want your new user validation feedback (e-mail) to go to another user, enter that user's number here.

SBBSList

:?: Question:
How do I get my BBS listed on the Synchronet BBS List?

:!: Answer:
The best way is to first join DOVE-Net, then run the Synchronet BBS List (SBL) door on *your* BBS and add an entry for your BBS. This entry should be automatically exported to the DOVE-Net SYNCDATA echo which will then be propagated to Vertrauen and every other BBS on DOVE-Net. The sbbslist.html page is automatically generated on Vertrauen every night at midnight (Pacific time), so wait a day or so for your entry to appear on the list. If it doesn't appear, verify that that your BBS entry was properly exported (as a message) to the SYNCDATA message area. The events that run SMB2SBL and SBL2SMB to import and export BBS entries should be configured by default. If they are not, see xtrn/sbl/sbl.doc for more details.

Time Stamp Error

:?: Question:
Why am I getting the following error when running SBBS?

source: logon.cpp
action: checking
object: Daily stats time stamp

:!: Answer:
Because your system's date/time has been adjusted backwards more than 24 hours.

  1. Shutdown the BBS
  2. Fix your system date/time
  3. Run exec/dstsedit in your Synchronet ctrl directory, change the “Date Stamp” to yesterday's date
  4. Restart the BBS

Migration

:?: Question:
How can I migrate my Synchronet configuration and data to a new computer?

:!: Answer:
You can simply copy the Synchronet directory tree (e.g. C:\SBBS), complete with all sub-directories, to the new computer.

Synchronet doesn't require installation on a computer, but if you wish to, you can install Synchronet on the new computer and then simply over-write the installed files with your migrated files.

If the target (new) computer is running Windows and you choose not to install, then you may want to create a shortcut to sbbsctrl.exe in your Windows Startup folder (so it will automatically run when you login) and/or install the Synchronet NT Services (which can run without logging-in as a user). If the target computer is running Windows Vista or later, then you'll also want to follow the solution to this FAQ as well.

If the source (old) computer was running Windows and you wish to preserve any changes you made to the Synchronet Control Panel settings (stored in the Windows registry), you can export those settings to a sbbsctrl.ini file (using the File->Export Settings menu option) and then import them into the Synchronet Control Panel running on the new computer (using the File->Import Settings menu option). These settings include some changes made via the File->Properties menu. Settings made in most other menus in the Synchronet Control Panel are stored in your sbbs.ini file.

Configuration changes made via the SCFG utility are stored in the .cnf files in your ctrl directory.

If you wish to only migrate configuration and data files (e.g. over an new installation of Synchronet), copy (recursively) the following Synchronet sub-directories to the new computer:

If you customized any of your filter (.can) or menu (e.g. .asc) files, you'll also want copy (recursively) the following directory:

If you customized any of your executable modules (e.g. .js), you'll also want copy the following directory:

Note: Sysop-installed (e.g. not from CVS) or modified modules should not normally be stored in your exec directory, but if they were, then you'll want to copy those over as well.

Max Msgs

:?: Question:
Why are there more messages in my message base than the configured maximum number of messages for that sub-board in SCFG?

:!: Answer:
The maximum number of messages configured via SCFG->Message Areas ... Sub-boards (and visible when using the smbutil s command as the max_msgs value) is enforced when the message maintenance (e.g. smbutil m command) is executed.

By default, Synchronet comes with a pre-configured Timed Event called MSGMAINT, set to run weekly, which will perform normal message base maintenance on all of the message bases in your data directory, including the deleting of old messages, if necessary, to meet the configured “Maximum Messages” value. Timed events may also be forced by the sysop to run immediately at any time, if desired.

Spell

:?: Question:
How do I spell “Synchronet”?

:!: Answer:
With an 'h'. You can CamelCase the “Net” in “Synchronet” if you strongly prefer, but since there are a few companies/services which have trademarked that name (with a capitalized “Net”), it may be confusing. It's been just “Synchronet” (like “Internet”) for over 20 years now, so it should probably just stay that way.

Note: This isn't actually a frequently asked question, but it should be.

Abbreviate

:?: Question:
How do I abbreviate “Synchronet”?

:!: Answer:
Without an 'h'. :-) Seriously, the full name is “Synchronet BBS Software”, so we prefer to usually abbreviate that to either 'SBBS' or just 'Sync'. Since 'Sync' is pronounced with one syllable and 'SBBS' is four, sometimes that's a reason to prefer 'Sync' to 'SBBS'. 'Synch' looks like 'sinch' or 'cinch', so that abbreviation should be avoided.

Note: This isn't actually a frequently asked question, but it should be.

See Also

faq/misc.1444789752.txt · Last modified: 2015/10/13 19:29 by digital man
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