• Some A48 issues (summed up)

    From Björn Wiberg@2:201/137 to g00r00 on Sun Jul 3 09:44:30 2022
    Hello g00r00!

    I hope all is well with you!

    As there have been no new public prereleases for a while (but I noticed that you're using a newer version than the one available for download), I'm not sure if/what of the following that might already have been fixed, but I thought I'd sum things up in one message instead of 20 netmails. :-D

    The following are the things that I'm currently experiencing
    with the 2022/04/03 A48 prerelease, and some minor things I'd wish for for future releases. It would be great if you could have a look at those whenever you find some time. =)

    * FTP uploads appear to corrupt the file base. If I scroll down the listing
    (from the BBS) I see garbage like:

    routerasusco

    ...with strange characters in between router.asus.com, which would be
    the hostname that I FTPed from when uploading the files, and further down:

    HeÄÕ€eÀ¿?se ?sež?se
    tpbanner.txt

    The same thing happens even though I run maintenance (PackFileBases) on the
    file bases. (Uploads through the BBS work just fine.)

    * When creating a new user from within the User Editor, the Taglines setting
    appears to always be set to Ask instead of following the Configuration -->
    New User Settings 2 --> Taglines setting.

    * When a new user is created (from the User Editor or by the BBS), the Start
    Menu setting appears to be copied from the value given by Configuration -->
    General Settings Start Menu (prelogin in my case) instead of being empty
    (letting the current security level's Start Menu setting or the
    Configuration --> General Settings --> Start Menu value apply automatically
    on each login).

    * When a user sends an e-mail to another user, a system notification is
    generated (prompts #179 + #465 + #180), i.e., Mystic will announce the fact
    that an e-mail has been received to the receiving user. However, if the
    receiving user has node message availability (user setting 18) turned off,
    prompt #395 is displayed to the sending user, which he/she probably doesn't
    expect (as the sending user doesn't know anything about system
    notifications). My suggestion would be that the system notification should
    not be sent if the receiving user has node message availability turned off.

    * When a user launches a private chat (the NP command) and is prompted to
    select the node to chat with (prompt #479), hitting Enter to leave/cancel
    displays prompt #480. My suggestion would be that if the user enters an
    empty value (or a value containing whitespace only), Mystic should simply
    quit the command without displaying prompt #480.

    * There appears to be a "leftover" in the SysOp menu; the "(V) Voting Booth
    Editor" option which attempts to call command "(*V) Unknown Command", which
    doesn't exist any longer. Probably the (V) option should be removed from the
    SysOp menu?

    * When logging in with a QWK account and choosing (S) to select the bases to
    scan/include, i.e., (OS) with Data: /ALLGROUPS /QWKNET, the message base
    numbering in the list does not appear to match what it expects me to enter.
    I have Configuration --> Message Base Settings --> List Compression: Yes. It
    appears that the (OS) command does not obey this.

    * Related to the List Compression/(OS)/QWK account issue above, if I
    choose to [A]dd/[R]emove all bases, I get 5 "Private Messages (PMs) is
    marked as mandatory reading!" error messages about the e-mail base (ID 1)
    *and* my 4 netmail areas, which all have New Scan: Forced and QWK Scan:
    Forced. I would have expected it to list the 5 different names here
    ("Private Messages (PMs)", "fsxNet Netmail", "FidoNet Netmail", "Micronet
    Netmail" and "SciNet Netmail"), or, even better, to not try to change the
    setting for those bases that have QWK Scan: Forced.

    * For a normal account (not a QWK account), when selecting the message bases
    to scan from the message menu, i.e. (MZ) Toggle new scan bases with an empty
    Data field, Mystic appears to be selecting the wrong message base when I
    enter a number:

    1 Yes Private Messages (PMs)
    2 No Private Messages (PMs) (SysOp Access)
    Toggle: [#,#-#], [A]dd/[R]emove All, [?/List, Enter/Quit]:
    (entering 1)
    1 Yes Private Messages (PMs)
    2 Yes Private Messages (PMs) (SysOp Access)
    Toggle: [#,#-#], [A]dd/[R]emove All, [?/List, Enter/Quit]:
    (it has enabled number 2 instead of number 1)
    (entering 1 again)
    1 Yes Private Messages (PMs)
    2 Yes Private Messages (PMs) (SysOp Access)
    Toggle: [#,#-#], [A]dd/[R]emove All, [?/List, Enter/Quit]:
    (nothing happens; both number 1 and 2 remain selected)
    (entering 2)
    1 Yes Private Messages (PMs)
    2 No Private Messages (PMs) (SysOp Access)
    Toggle: [#,#-#], [A]dd/[R]emove All, [?/List, Enter/Quit]:
    (it correctly removed number 2)

    I'm not sure if this is because the first message base here is the e-mail
    base (ID 1), but still, it acts strange.

    * Related to the (MZ) isue above, when I entered number 1 and it enabled
    number 2 instead, it also did so for the *QWK* scanned areas.
    That is, if I enter the QWK menu (qwk.mnu) afterwards and choose its (Z)
    menu option -- which is "(OS) Set QWK scanned bases" with "Data: /allgroups"
    -- I can see that the list there shows number 2 as Scan: Yes.

    Furthermore, it doesn't appear to revert this when I (from the message
    menu) enter "1" or "2" to deselect number 2 again.
    Maybe some of this attributes to that the e-mail base (ID 1) is somewhat
    special? But still unexpected.

    * If leaving the Packet ID field for my "local" QWK network empty, the
    resulting FTP file name is ".qwk" ("<empty>.qwk"). The whatsnew.txt file
    mentions:
    "Changed QWK Networking HUBs to use the "Packet ID" configured in the QWK
    Network configuration instead of the BBS QWK packet ID."
    Perhaps Mystic should refuse to accept an empty Packet ID value for a QWK
    network when Member Type is set to HUB to prevent this from happening?
    Or revert to the BBS QWK packet ID if the Packet ID for a QWK network
    is left empty?

    * Accounts which have "Locked Out: Yes" can still access Mystic via FTP,
    SMTP, POP3 and NNTP. I would have expected them not to be able to do that.

    * OV in "FTP ACS" for a file base always returns false even though an account
    *is* correctly validated.

    * baduser.txt mentions that "The list should contain a single name per line
    and can include a * wildcard", but I can't get wildcard to work.
    If I e.g. enter "adm*", it only refuses the username if one enters it
    verbatim (including the asterisk) at the login prompt.
    Maybe wildcards aren't supported in baduser.txt?

    * In the multinode teleconference, if one uses ASCII, the cursor is
    positioned at the end of the line so that the text one writes always gets
    wrapped.
    An example with two users chatting with each other:

    - Zip-TEST-REGULAR has entered chat
    - Now chatting in channel 1

    - Zip has entered chat

    <Zip-TEST-REGULAR>
    Fir(LINE WRAP)
    st line

    <Zip-TEST-REGULAR> First line

    <Zip> Second line

    <Zip-TEST-REGULAR>
    Thi(LINE WRAP)
    rd line

    <Zip-TEST-REGULAR> Third line

    - Zip has left chat

    <Zip-TEST-REGULAR>
    /q

    I believe this is because the cursor gets positioned at the end of the
    input field (whose background is not actually written when using ASCII).
    Would it be possible for Mystic to position the cursor at the beginning of
    the "invisible" input field if using ASCII? (Using backspaces?)

    * In a private (user2user) chat, if one user hangs up, the chat continues and
    the remaining party does not get notified of this.
    Would it be possible for Mystic to end the chat when a remote hangup is
    detected (if it can be detected)?

    * When using the snoop (*3) function, if the user on the selected node isn't
    available for node messages, one gets prompt #395. Shouldn't snooping be
    available regardless of the node messaging availability status? As one
    cannot interact with the user (as with NodeSpy). Despite prompt #395 being
    shown, one then gets "Snoop session active: ESCAPE to Quit", but no screen
    data.

    * When using the snoop (*3) function, if the user disconnects, the snoop
    session continues but will never receive any more screen data. (If another
    user connects to that node later, the activity won't be shown either.)

    * When using the snoop (*3) function, it is possible to snoop on a node to
    which no one is logged in, but if a user logs in to that node later, the
    screen activity won't be shown. I would have expected either the snoop
    command to refuse snooping on a node to which no user is logged on, or show
    the screen data once a user logs on to that node.

    * On a fresh install, event ID 6 ([FTN] Toss incoming mail) references
    netmail.in in the Semaphore and Kill After fields, however mis does not
    create netmail.in on incoming netmail; instead it appears to create
    echomail.in for all incoming message types, i.e., echomail, netmail and
    news. Perhaps the netmail.in references should be dropped from the event, or
    netmail.in be "added" to mis (and perhaps some other binary such as
    qwkpoll)?

    * On a fresh install, there appears to be a small typo in event ID 7 (Weekly
    maintanence); the Description should probably read "Weekly maintenance". =)

    * The str8 variable in archive_view.ini would need an extra space to clear
    out the "Enter/View" text when searching.
    Before entering any search text:
    ³ Type to Search: Esc/Previous Directory Ctrl+D/Download Enter/View ³
    When searching (notice the trailing "w" after "Reset"):
    ³ Searching: SEARCH CTRL/A Search Again CTRL/Y or Move to Resetw ³

    A small wishlist would also be:

    * Read ACS checking for the POP3 server -- i.e. that it would return Access
    denied if a user does not fulfil the Read ACS -- would be much appreciated.
    It would make things consistent between the BBS interface and the POP3
    access method.
    In my case, it would be used for preventing a guest account from accessing
    the e-mail parts in Mystic altogether.

    * If users.dat does not exist (e.g. on a completely fresh install where no
    users exist yet), mystic -newuser will simply output FALSE and refuse to add
    the user. Perhaps mystic -newuser could create users.dat in the Mystic data
    directory if it is missing?

    * More detailed logging of scanning results for FTP upploads.
    Currently:

    + 2022.04.09 12:10:09 FTP 1-Testing upload: /usr/bin/clamscan --quiet --
    "/mnt/bbs/mystic/files/local/L_UPLOADS/a.txt" > /dev/null 2>&1

    It would be great if it showed the results like:

    + 2022.04.09 12:10:10 FTP 1-Upload passed testing (RC=0):
    /mnt/bbs/mystic/files/local/L_UPLOADS/a.txt

    ...or:

    + 2022.04.09 12:10:10 FTP 1-Upload failed testing (RC=67):
    /mnt/bbs/mystic/files/local/L_UPLOADS/a.txt

    * A newsmail.out semaphore is created by mis/mutil/mystic/qwkpoll when there
    is news to be exported. However, there is no corresponding newsmail.in.
    Perhaps something to add in the future? If so, it would have to be added to
    the stock event(s) as well, and probably needs a special mention in the
    whatsnew.txt file.

    Or maybe this is by design -- that all incoming mail always (and only)
    creates echomail.in, to simplify things?

    As always, many thanks in advance!

    Best regards
    Bj”rn

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/04/26 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Star Collision BBS, Uppsala, Sweden (2:201/137)
  • From g00r00@1:129/215 to Björn Wiberg on Tue Jul 5 10:07:55 2022
    Hello g00r00!

    I hope all is well with you!

    As there have been no new public prereleases for a while (but I noticed that you're using a newer version than the one available for download), I'm not sure if/what of the following that might already have been
    fixed, but I thought I'd sum things up in one message instead of 20 netmails. :-D

    This is a great stuff, thank you. I have exported this file and I will try to work through the list on this coming Saturday or Sunday.

    ... Tech support is just a busy signal away

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/06/10 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: Sector 7 * Mystic WHQ (1:129/215)
  • From g00r00@1:129/215 to Björn Wiberg on Thu Jul 7 13:19:40 2022
    * FTP uploads appear to corrupt the file base. If I scroll down the listing (from the BBS) I see garbage like:

    I am not able to reproduce this one at least not in Windows.

    * When creating a new user from within the User Editor, the Taglines setting appears to always be set to Ask instead of following the Configuration --> New User Settings 2 --> Taglines setting.

    This should be fixed in today's build.

    * When a new user is created (from the User Editor or by the BBS), the Start Menu setting appears to be copied from the value given by Configuration --> General Settings Start Menu (prelogin in my case) instead of being empty (letting the current security level's Start
    Menu setting or the Configuration --> General Settings --> Start Menu value apply automatically on each login).

    This should be fixed. It will now keep them blank for new users, which will cause it to pull from the security profile first, then the default if the user does not have a specific menu setup.

    * When a user sends an e-mail to another user, a system notification is
    generated (prompts #179 + #465 + #180), i.e., Mystic will announce the fact that an e-mail has been received to the receiving user. However,
    if the receiving user has node message availability (user setting 18) turned off, prompt #395 is displayed to the sending user, which he/she

    This should be fixed in latest!

    * When a user launches a private chat (the NP command) and is prompted to
    select the node to chat with (prompt #479), hitting Enter to leave/cancel displays prompt #480. My suggestion would be that if the user enters an empty value (or a value containing whitespace only), Mystic should simply quit the command without displaying prompt #480.

    Your suggestion should be in the latest build!

    * When logging in with a QWK account and choosing (S) to select the
    bases to scan/include, i.e., (OS) with Data: /ALLGROUPS /QWKNET, the message base numbering in the list does not appear to match what it expects me to enter. I have Configuration --> Message Base Settings

    All of the new scan settings bugs for QWK and regular users should be fixed up in the latest build. Please let me know if you still have issues with any of
    them with compression on or off.

    * If leaving the Packet ID field for my "local" QWK network empty, the
    resulting FTP file name is ".qwk" ("<empty>.qwk"). The whatsnew.txt

    The CFG will now require a packet ID to be non-blank when configuring a QWK Network.

    * Accounts which have "Locked Out: Yes" can still access Mystic via FTP,
    SMTP, POP3 and NNTP. I would have expected them not to be able to do that.

    This should be fixed in the latest build.

    * OV in "FTP ACS" for a file base always returns false even though an account *is* correctly validated.

    Fixed in latest!

    * baduser.txt mentions that "The list should contain a single name per line and can include a * wildcard", but I can't get wildcard to work.

    I believe the issue was that it was case sensitive. I have not tested this one yet, but it should possibly be fixed in the latest.

    * In a private (user2user) chat, if one user hangs up, the chat
    continues and the remaining party does not get notified of this.

    Should be fixed!

    * When using the snoop (*3) function, if the user on the selected node isn't available for node messages, one gets prompt #395. Shouldn't snooping be available regardless of the node messaging availability status? As one cannot interact with the user (as with NodeSpy).

    I think the reason I did it this way is because in some operating systems or door setups (for example in Windows when using DOOR32 doors) snooping doesn't work. I'll change this.

    * More detailed logging of scanning results for FTP upploads.
    Currently:

    This should be in the latest build.

    As far as the rest of them I still need to look into them but almost everything you mentioned or suggested should be addressed in the latest build!

    ... Redundant book title: DOS For Dummies

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/07/07 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: Sector 7 * Mystic WHQ (1:129/215)