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Date   : Fri, 25 Nov 1988 11:29:20 CET
From   : A0045%DK0RRZK0.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Accessing SIMTEL20 files from Europe

The BITNET server at RPICICGE is no longer accessible from European
sites, but instead there are serveral 'sub-servers' spread throughout
Europe, which offer the same service on BITNET.

Below is the original Help file from these European TRICKLE servers.

======================== Begin of RED Help file ==========================

               RED - Listserv Redirector
               (C)1988 Turgut Kalfaoglu


What is RED?
  RED provides the SIMTEL20  files, and directory listings, with its
  own cache, where it keeps  its most recently requested files. It
  reduces the network load by providing the cache, and by providing
  directory listings  locally, instead of through  a distant list
  server.. It is a machine  (process) that runs disconnected from a
  terminal.

  Currently, the four sites that run this  software are called:

  In Denmark:   TRICKLE@DKTC11
  In Turkey:    TRICKLE@TREARN
  In Italy:     TRICKLE@IMIPOLI
  In Belgium:   TRICKLE@BANUFS11

  You are urged  to use the one that is  closer to your location.

  In this  tutorial, we will  be using 'TELL TRICKLE  AT TREARN',
  but  this  can  be  replaced  with  'TELL  TRICKLE  AT  DKTC11'
  or 'TELL TRICKLE AT IMIPOLI'.

  We also will use the 'TELL' command to send a single line message.
  It should be replaced with whatever is appropriate for your system.
  (Like XMIT , SEND, etc.)

How does it work?
  It provides faster file delivery than LISTSERV@RPICICGE because it
  holds the most recently requested files, and it also asks its peers,
  to find out if any of them has the file.

  It has two major commands.  /PDDIR and /PDGET..  As the names
  indicate, /PDDIR provides the names of the files, and /PDGET
  delivers files.

How to use /PDDIR:
  On IBM/VM systems, you can get a list of the 'major directory' names
  by simply typing this command:

           TELL TRICKLE AT TREARN /PDDIR
  RED should now send you a list of the major directory names.  Now,
  you can obtain a list of the sub-directories of any of the displayed
  names by putting the name between less-than and greater-than
  symbols..  For example,

           TELL TRICKLE AT TREARN /PDDIR <MSDOS>

  RED will mail you a file containing the names of the
  sub-directories.  Once you choose a subdirectory to examine, type in
  the main directory name, a period, then the name of the subdirectory
  name.  For example, if you chose SYSUTL sub-directory of MSDOS, then
  you may type this:

           TELL TRICKLE AT TREARN /PDDIR <MSDOS.SYSUTL>

  RED will first notify you of the number of files found, then will go
  ahead and mail you this list..  Once you choose your file(s) to
  order, then read on..

How to use the /PDGET command:
  Once you have a filename in hand, then tell RED to send you this
  file by providing it with the full directory name, and the
  filename..  If you wish to order a game called MADMAX.ARC that
  resides in the <MSDOS.GAMES> directory, then you may type in this
  command:

      TELL TRICKLE AT TREARN /PDGET <MSDOS.GAMES>MADMAX.ARC

  naturally, the above is only an example, and the file may or may not
  be present if you send the above command.

Receiving your file in a different format:

  Normally, SIMTEL files are sent AS-IS, meaning, ASCII.  If you would
  like to receive your file in a different format, you may want to
  append any of the below to the end of your command:

  (EBC80 Converts the file to 80-Column EBCDIC format
  (EBC32 Converts the file to 132-Column EBCDIC format
  (UUE uuencodes the file
  (OLD Sends the file using DISK DUMP or PUNCH format
  (SF Supresses BITSEND, and forces SENDFILE to be used for the
  transfer.
  (MAIL Forces results to be sent via MAILER.  (This is the default
  for MAIL command files)

  You may also wish to combine several options together.  For example,
  to receive a directory listing in PUNCH format, and UUEncoded,
   TELL TRICKLE AT TREARN /PDDIR <MSDOS.C> (OLD UUE

  To receive a file in in EBCDIC format, you may enter a command that
  looks like this:

   TELL TRICKLE AT TREARN /PDGET <MSDOS.GAMES>MADMAX.ARC (EBC80


Other commands:
   /NEWS  sends you our 2-page newsletter.
   /STAT  provides you the statistics of usage.
   /HELP  sends you this file.
   /IMDAT  sends   the  Turkish  version  of   this  help  file.
   /CAC Sends  you a list  of the files  that are stored  on its
         disk right  now. These files  can be sent  faster than
         the other files.
   /OPS   displays the RED operators
   /QUO Shows  you the RED's quota,  and how much of  that quotait
         has  used.  Once  RED  exceeds its  quota,  it  cannot
         order files,  until it receives some  of the requested
         files.
   /SUB <dirnam>
        Allows  you  to  subscribe to  a  directory.  Whenever
        a  new listing  comes in,  RED  will send  you a  file
        containing the names of the new files.
   /UNSUB <dirnam> is to stop RED from sending you the new files
        listings. Please issue this command  if you will not use
        the server anymore.
   /NEW <dirnam> nnn
        This command, displays the files that have arrived within
        'nnn' days, in the 'dirnam' directory.  If 'nnn' is
        omitted, it defaults to the last time you issued this
        command, for that directory.  If you are issuing this
        command for the first time, then it simply looks for
        files that are at most a month old.
   /POLL forces RED to check its peer servers

Priviledged commands:
  (This is a subset of the actual RED administrator's command list)
  /STOP will stop RED's activity
  /OFFLINE Stops REDs interpretation of files and commands.
  /ONLINE   puts the server back online.
  /SEND fn ft TO  userid AT nodeid Sends a local  file to a user
  /RDR forces RED to examine its reader, and process those files.
  /QRDR displays RED's reader

Delay Periods:
  If the file that you requested already exists in the cache
  directory, then you may expect to receive your file within a few
  minutes..  However, the system that RED is running is often slowed
  down by the other processes that are running.  This negatively
  affects the response time of RED.  If the file requested does not
  existin the cache directory, then RED will have to order this file
  from its list server..  If this is the case, the response time of
  RED is dependent upon the list server.  RED will give up waiting for
  a file after five to twelve days after its request.

Sending files to RED:

  RED now accepts command files in either MAIL or NOTE format.  Use
  NOTE or MAIL utilities to prepare your command file.  The files may
  contain any number of instructions, one per line.  Note that RED
  will abort processing a file if it detects an invalid command within
  the file.  RED does not necessarily mail back command requests - it
  may use single-line messages, when it is more appropriate to do so.

How to DONATE files to Simtel Archives:

  Files that you receive from here are sent from another network
  called ArpaNet.  The person-in-charge for the programs can be
  contacted at: W8SDZ@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL.  Since it's another network,
  you will need to use MAIL to send the message.  He urges that you talk
  to him before you send in the file, so that he can check where it
  should be put, if it already exists, etc.  After getting his
  approval, you need to UUENCODE your file (perhaps using PDUTIL),
  then MAIL it to him.

Format of the files that comes with /PDGET command:

  RED will  send the files in  a NETDATA format, -unless  you use
  the  (OLD option-.  These files  can be  LOOKed, and  RECEIVEd.
  Note  that  PEEK  command   will  not  display  NETDATA  format
  properly.  However, since  most files  are in  ASCII, it  is of
  little use to LOOK at them.

  The files will mostly be either in Binary format, in ASCII format,
  or in EBCDIC format.  The binary files are recognized by the
  '.BIN','.EXE', '.COM ', '.ARC', '.LBR' suffix in their names.  These
  files are machine-specific.The files that are in ASCII format can be
  converted to EBCDIC (so that they can be used on an IBM system) by
  running a conversion program called PDUTIL.  If your installation
  does not have either of these files, Either I, or the
  LISTSERV@RPICICGE can provide it.  Simply say:
       TELL LISTSERV AT RPICICGE GET PDUTIL PACKAGE

The .ARC format:
  ARC is a special compression method that provides substential
  reduction on file size.  There are one or more files contained
  within an .ARC archive.  In order to extract the files from an
  archive, you will need a utility called ARC or PKXARC.These are
  available from <MSDOS.ARC-LBR> directory.  The actual file names of
  these files vary, but you may
  try:  TELL TRICKLE  AT  TREARN /PDGET  <MSDOS.ARC-LBR>PK361.EXE
  or:  TELL TRICKLE  AT  TREARN /PDGET  <MSDOS.ARC-LBR>ARC512.EXE
  If these attempts fail, it will probably mean that the file version
  has changed, and so has the file name.  You may wish to try
       TELL TRICKLE AT TREARN /PDDIR <MSDOS.ARC-LBR>
  and guess the new name of these files.

  Once you receive either ARC or PKXARC and an .ARC file, transmit
  them to your personal computer and issue the following command:

  ARC X <filename.arc>
    or
  PKUNPACK <filename>

  There is also a second utility called ARCUTIL, which runs on the VM
  systems, and extracts files.  It also provides ASCII to EBCDIC
  conversion of the extracted files.  To request ARCUTIL, enter:
     TELL  TRICKLE  AT   TREARN  /PDGET  <MISC.IBM-VM>ARCUTIL.LBR

  The directories of SIMTEL change often.  So, the above files may or
  may not be in the same directories as I have indicated.  So you may
  have to do some searching to find them..  A good place to check
  would be the <MSDOS.STARTER> directory, where additional help, and
  the mentioned archive managers can be found.

How to use the BITSEND/BITRCV:

  From now on, RED is sending its files in a special format called
  BITSEND - Unless you include the (SF option while issuing your
  command.

  In this format, the files that are sent are broken into smaller
  pieces, if the entire file is too big to be sent.  (Too big: over
  300K Bytes)

  If the file you request is over 300K, then the server will first
  send you a file called <fn> BITCTRL - this is the control file,
  where BITSEND has written the protocol used, the number of pieces
  that make up that file, etc.

  ( Important:)
  ( You  should NOT  'RECEIVE' any  files that  have BITCTRL  or)
  ( just numbers as filetype| )


  If you wait a little longer, the rest of the file will arrive, the
  filename will be the same as the <fn> BITCTRL file, but the filetype
  will consist of just numbers.  Once you have all the pieces that
  make up that file, you can then issue the BITRCV command.  You must
  also specify the 'spool ID' of the file that has BITCTRL as
  filetype.  From RDRList, you can simply type BITRCV in front of the
  file that has BITCTRL as filetype.

  If you get back an error message, saying "UNKNOWN CP/CMS COMMAND" it
  simply states that your installation does not have the BITRCV
  program.  Contact your network manager/system operator.

  Note: BITRCV EXEC can be obtained from your country NETSERV as well.
  Simply send "GET BITRCV EXEC" to your NETSERV.

  (VAX users:)
  (There is also an identical file for your installation, however,)
  (it is called 'BITRCV COM', and can be obtained from a NETSERV. )

  If you get back an error saying that not all of the file is in the
  reader, it simply means that you have to wait a little longer for
  the rest of the file to arrive.

Looking for a few good computer centers...

  That would be interested in running a copy of RED.  When you run a
  copy of RED, you increase the power of the whole file serving
  network.  Since each RED is aware of each other's existence, they
  will inquire each other about the requested files, and the users
  will enjoy a fast service, if any of the participating REDs has that
  file.  Since they inquire each other about the files in their
  caches, there are no multiple copies of a file on different REDs.
  Your RED will automatically get its directories, (and sometimes its
  source code) by its designated parent every couple of days.


  You will need:
  * VM/CMS 3 or higher
  * 15, 3375 cylinders (minimum)
  * Rexx Interpreter

  Please get in touch with TURGUT@TREARN if you would like to learn
  more about running a RED.

========================== End of RED Help file ==========================

Some additional remarks:

There are meanwhile at least two more servers:
TRICKLE @ AWIWUW11 (Vienna, Austria)
TRICKLE @ DB0FUB11 (Berlin, Germany)

Each of these servers is responsible for a certain region of Europe, and
if you try another one, it normally tells you to use the correct one.
One added exception is meanwhile: If a server has a requested file
already in its local cache, is sends the file directly. It answers also
to the command /CACHE, so you can find out what files are currently
present there.

This works very fine, but if you want to order a file, which is not yet
in any cache directory, it can take very long, resp. doesn't work at
all. All the servers seem to have a long list of outstanding files that
they don't get over from the States.

So you are not very lucky, if you are just interested in one particular
file and it is not yet there, but you can always browse the local
directories for interesting files, which are then sent very fast.

One last remark: The server programs are not always online, so it is
normally better to send them files or mail instead of interactive
messages.

To put it all together: I think the idea of the whole thing is very
good, but the actual results could still be improved. Perhaps it would
help, if more European sites participated in the service, as the primary
bottleneck seems to be the heavily used intercontinental line between
America and Europe.

Jochen Roderburg
Regional Computing Center
University of Cologne
Robert-Koch-Str. 10                    Tel. :  49-221/470-4564
D-5000 Koeln 41                        Email:  A0045 @ DK0RRZK0.BITNET
West Germany

PS: I sent this note NOTE also to Gregory Hicks, Editor of the
INFO-IBMPC digest.

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