• Importing Message Areas

    From Tom Moore@tom.moore@1:135/205.remove-2tw-this to All on Tue Apr 14 12:52:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    Hi,
    I want to import some message areas into a group I have created.
    I may be mistaken, but in older versions I could import them from the subs format. I do not see this as an import / export option any longer.
    How would I convert a file I have in this format to another format that can be imported?
    I would also like to mention that these groups will be part of a qwk network if this matters in any way.

    Thanks,
    Tom
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  • From Digital Man@digital.man@vert.synchro.net.remove-qi5-this to Tom Moore on Tue Apr 14 20:14:53 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    To: Tom Moore
    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: Tom Moore to All on Tue Apr 14 2026 12:52 pm

    Hi,
    I want to import some message areas into a group I have created.
    I may be mistaken, but in older versions I could import them from the subs format. I do not see this as an import / export option any longer.

    I removed the subs.txt file format import/export from SCFG recently. Since message areas are now (as of SBBS v3.20) stored natively in text format (ctrl/msgs.ini), the subs.txt file format was an unnecessary and ugly legacy.

    How would I convert a file I have in this format to another format that can be imported?

    You have a subs.txt file? Exported from where? I guess it could be converted or imported with some JavaScript (exec/importcfg.js might serve as an example), but if the source of the subs.txt was a Synchronet BBS v3.20 or later, then you could just copy the areas from the source BBS's msgs.ini file instead.

    I would also like to mention that these groups will be part of a qwk network if this matters in any way.

    Shouldn't make a difference.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Breaking Bad quote #1:
    Just because you shot Jesse James, don't make you Jesse James. - M. Ehrmantraut Norco, CA WX: 61.0øF, 66.0% humidity, 7 mph WNW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
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  • From MRO@mro@BBSESINF.remove-10sl-this to Digital Man on Wed Apr 15 03:41:33 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    To: Digital Man
    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: Digital Man to Tom Moore on Tue Apr 14 2026 08:14 pm


    How would I convert a file I have in this format to another format
    that can be imported?

    You have a subs.txt file? Exported from where? I guess it could be
    converted or imported with some JavaScript (exec/importcfg.js
    might serve as an example), but if the source of the subs.txt
    was a Synchronet BBS v3.20 or later, then you could just copy the
    areas from the source BBS's msgs.ini file instead.


    That's too bad you took that out because it was a useful feature for running your own msgnetwork or joining one.


    --
    "Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
    looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"


    President of BBS Sysop's Union +++ https://bbses.info/union
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  • From Digital Man@digital.man@vert.synchro.net.remove-ebh-this to MRO on Wed Apr 15 10:39:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    To: MRO
    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: MRO to Digital Man on Wed Apr 15 2026 03:41 am

    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: Digital Man to Tom Moore on Tue Apr 14 2026 08:14 pm


    How would I convert a file I have in this format to another format that can be imported?

    You have a subs.txt file? Exported from where? I guess it could be converted or imported with some JavaScript (exec/importcfg.js
    might serve as an example), but if the source of the subs.txt
    was a Synchronet BBS v3.20 or later, then you could just copy the
    areas from the source BBS's msgs.ini file instead.


    That's too bad you took that out because it was a useful feature for running your own msgnetwork or joining one.

    I plan to add a .ini and/or .json import option, but there's already 7 other import formats, certainly one of them would work almost as well (?).
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #83:
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  • From MRO@mro@BBSESINF.remove-ejc-this to Digital Man on Thu Apr 16 02:20:40 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    To: Digital Man
    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: Digital Man to MRO on Wed Apr 15 2026 10:39 am

    for running your own msgnetwork or joining one.

    I plan to add a .ini and/or .json import option, but there's already
    7 other import formats, certainly one of them would work almost
    as well (?).


    well with subs.txt format you could import the sub name, short name, internal code prefix, access requirements and other options.

    you can't do that with the current formats that are left over, right?


    --
    "Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
    looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"


    President of BBS Sysop's Union +++ https://bbses.info/union
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
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  • From Digital Man@digital.man@vert.synchro.net.remove-aoy-this to MRO on Thu Apr 16 10:18:09 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    To: MRO
    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: MRO to Digital Man on Thu Apr 16 2026 02:20 am

    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: Digital Man to MRO on Wed Apr 15 2026 10:39 am

    for running your own msgnetwork or joining one.

    I plan to add a .ini and/or .json import option, but there's already
    7 other import formats, certainly one of them would work almost
    as well (?).


    well with subs.txt format you could import the sub name, short name, internal code prefix, access requirements and other options.

    you can't do that with the current formats that are left over, right?

    Nope, but you can by simply copy/pasting the msgs.ini entries (which don't have the same ordering and extensibility issues that the subs.txt entries did).
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #69:
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  • From MRO@mro@BBSESINF.remove-roy-this to Digital Man on Fri Apr 17 20:09:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    To: Digital Man
    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: Digital Man to MRO on Thu Apr 16 2026 10:18 am

    internal code prefix, access requirements and other options.

    you can't do that with the current formats that are left over, right?

    Nope, but you can by simply copy/pasting the msgs.ini entries (which
    don't have the same ordering and extensibility issues that the
    subs.txt entries did).


    i could do that or something else, but being able to export/export subs.txt
    was useful for people that ran msg networks or sysops who want to carry them.

    I never had any problem with the subs.txt format and i used it a lot over the years. i like the newer .ini formats for things in most cases, but i'm surprised you ripped that out.


    --
    "Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
    looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"


    President of BBS Sysop's Union +++ https://bbses.info/union
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    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
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  • From Digital Man@digital.man@vert.synchro.net.remove-yqv-this to MRO on Fri Apr 17 22:01:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    To: MRO
    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: MRO to Digital Man on Fri Apr 17 2026 08:09 pm

    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: Digital Man to MRO on Thu Apr 16 2026 10:18 am

    internal code prefix, access requirements and other options.

    you can't do that with the current formats that are left over, right?

    Nope, but you can by simply copy/pasting the msgs.ini entries (which don't have the same ordering and extensibility issues that the
    subs.txt entries did).


    i could do that or something else, but being able to export/export subs.txt was useful for people that ran msg networks or sysops who want to carry them.

    I never had any problem with the subs.txt format and i used it a lot over the years. i like the newer .ini formats for things in most cases, but i'm surprised you ripped that out.

    subs.txt and dirs.txt were missing newer sub-board/directory fields and the format was kind of dumb (like all door drop file formats). I'll add some better import/export formats that'll serve the same purpose, but better.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Sling Blade quote #10:
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  • From MRO@mro@BBSESINF.remove-xew-this to Digital Man on Sat Apr 18 02:09:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

    To: Digital Man
    Re: Importing Message Areas
    By: Digital Man to MRO on Fri Apr 17 2026 10:01 pm


    subs.txt and dirs.txt were missing newer sub-board/directory fields
    and the format was kind of dumb (like all door drop file formats).
    I'll add some better import/export formats that'll serve the same
    purpose, but better.


    yeah you're right. that's good news, it would be good to have a better replacement.


    --
    "Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
    looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"


    President of BBS Sysop's Union +++ https://bbses.info/union
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
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