Importing/Exporting messages to/from the BBS

The BBS can import messages from a file, and export messages to a file.
The file may contain more than one message. Each message must start with the SP/SB line followed by the message subject, and end with /EX on a line by itself. For Example:

SB WP < G8BPQ $8277_G8BPQ
WP Update
R:120218/1023Z 8277@G8BPQ.#23.GBR.EU BPQ1.4.48

..
..
..
/EX
SB SYSOP @ WW < G8BPQ $8278_G8BPQ
Test Message
R:120218/1023Z 8278@G8BPQ.#23.GBR.EU BPQ1.4.48

..
..
..
/EX

The Import and Export processes can be be manually invoked, or run automatically using the Forwarding system.
Message Manual Import is invoked via the "Actions/Import Messages" menu, or the BBS IMPORT command.
Manual Export is invoked by selecting one or more messages in the "Manage Messages" Configuration Dialog and clicking "Export", or by using the BBS EXPORT command.

Automatic Import or Export is controlled by a special form of the BBS Connect Script If the connect script for a BBS has FILE Filename as the first entry, messages will be written to the file "filename". If the script starts with IMPORT Filename, messages will be imported from the file. If the command is IMPORT Filename DELETE, the file will be deletead after importing. Note that if messages are exported manually, the output file is overwritten if it already exists. With Automatic Export, the messages are appended to the file.

You can also send the exported file via Email. If an email address is used instead of a filename, the exported messages will be emailed to the specified address. For this to work you must have some way of sending Internet mail, either via Winlink or the ISP Gateway. To send via the ISP gateway prefix the address with smtp:

FILE john.wiseman@cantab.net
FILE smtp:john.wiseman@cantab.net

If the BBS receives a message with the Subject "Batched messages for AutoImport from BBS xxxxxx", and the message looks like an Export file, the contents will be imported and the original message killed. The BBS will send the mail with this title if the word "Autoimport" follows the email address:

FILE john.wiseman@cantab.net Autoimport


Note that if messages are exported manually, the output file is overwritten if it already exists. With Automatic Export, the messages are appended to the file.

Normally Export would be controlled by a dummy BBS set up for the purpose, eg FILE. Import could use the forwarding record for your BBS Call, as normally you wouldn't forward to yourself, but could be a dummy if necessary. The SYSOP flag need to be set in the user record. For example to export all DX bulls to a file you could have:





To import messages from Infile you could have