SIDSNET List Help File

The following is excerpted from the Listserv "Refcard".

Many listserv commands require confirmation. When you submit the command, listserv will send you an email requesting that you confirm the command by replying (by email) with the word 'OK' in the email body. If you follow the command with a password, e.g.

SET SIDSNET MAIL PW= your_password

then you can avoid the confirmation step (assuming the password you supply is correct, of course.)

Subscribing

Syntax: subscribe sidsnet <your name>

Subscribe to the list, or change your name if already subscribed

The listserv program will send email to you asking you to confirm your subscription. The purpose of this is to make sure that you really wish to subscribe, and that you are reachable at the email address you sent your subscription request from.

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Confirming your Subscription

Syntax: confirm sidsnet

Confirm your subscription (when LISTSERV requests it)

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Setting/Changing Passwords

Syntax: pw [add <new_pw>|change <new_pw>|reset]

To create, change or delete a password. Passwords created this way are good for all of the lists on a given listserv installation. Passwords are useful for utilizing the web interface for the sidsnet list.

If you give someone your password, and they know your email address, then they can act in your name on the SIDSNET list!!! They can read posts using the web interface!!! They can unsubscribe you!!! Neither the list owner nor any employee of LSOFT will ever ask you for your password; we don't need your password to accomplish any necessary list maintenance. So don't tell anyone your password!!!

pw add <new_password>: To create a password
pw change <new_password> pw= <old_password>: To change a password
pw reset: To delete a password

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Signing Off

Syntax: signoff sidsnet

Remove yourself from the list.

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Querying Your List Options

Syntax: query sidsnet

Find out what your current settings for the list are.

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Setting Your List Options

Syntax: set sidsnet <option> [<arg(s)>]

Change your subscription options, as follows:

ACK/NOACK/MSGack: Acknowledgements for postings
CONCEAL/NOCONCEAL: Hide yourself from REVIEW
Files/NOFiles: Toggle receipt of non-mail files from the list
Mail/NOMail: Toggle receipt of mail
DIGests/INDex/NODIGests/NOINDex: Ask for digests or message indexes rather than getting messages as they are posted
REPro/NOREPro: Toggle whether you get copies of your own postings
TOPICS: ALL|[+/-]topicname|Other: Select topics you are subscribed to (add/remove one or replace entire list)

Options for mail headers of incoming postings (choose one):

FULLhdr|FULL822: "Full" mail headers
IETFhdr: Internet-style headers
SHORThdr|SHORT822: Short headers (default)
DUALhdr: Dual headers, useful with PC or Mac mail programs
SUBJecthdr: Subject Headers: the mail subject is repeated in the body of the message

Examples

'set sidsnet ack': Your posts are acknowledged with a brief message from the listserver
'set sidsnet noack': Your posts are not acknowledged
'set sidsnet conceal': Remove yourself from 'review' listings.
'set sidsnet noconceal': Make yourself visible in 'review' listings.
'set sidsnet nomail': No messages will be sent to you until you 'set sidsnet mail'
'set sidsnet digest': New messages are not sent to you as they arrive, but are accumulated into digests that are periodically sent to you.
'set sidsnet nodigest': New messages are sent to you as soon they arrive.
'set sidsnet index': Messages are not sent to you. Instead, you receive a periodic 'index' of new messages from which you can order the ones you want.
'set sidsnet repro': You receive your own posts as well as others' posts
'set sidsnet norepro': You do not receive your own posts, only others' posts
'set sidsnet topics: All': Subscribe to all of the list topics
'set sidsnet topics: Other': Subscribe to posts which don't fall into any of the defined topics
'set sidsnet topics: topicname': Subscribe to the 'topicname' topic
'set sidsnet topics: +topicname': Add 'topicname' to the topics you subscribe to
'set sidsnet topics: -topicname': Stop subscribing to the 'topicname' topic
'set sidsnet fullhdr': Receive messages from the list with full email headers
'set sidsnet ietfhdr': Receive messages from the list with Internet style email headers
'set sidsnet shorthdr': Receive messages from the list with short email headers
'set sidsnet dualhdr': Receive messages from the list with dual email headers
'set sidsnet subjecthdr': Receive messages from the list with the subject line repeated in the email body

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Register your Name on Listserv

Syntax: Register <full name>|OFF

Tell your name to LISTSERV, so that you don't have to specify it on subsequent SUBSCRIBE's (OFF: Make LISTSERV forget your name)

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Listing the SIDSNET List Subscribers and Other Information About the List

Syntax: review sidsnet <options>

Get a listing of the current subscribers and/or get information about the list header; Each person's email address is followed by his/her name. Your name does not appear on this listing if you have SET CONCEAL.

Since the SIDSNET list is private, only subscribers may issue this request.

Options:

BY <sort_field>

Sort list in a certain order. You can specify more than one sort field if enclosed in parentheses (e.g. BY (NODE NAME)). The sort fields are as follows:

Country: by country of origin
Name: by name (last, then first)
NODEid: by hostname/nodeid
Userid: by userid

NOHeader

Don't send list header

Short

Don't list subscribers

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Scanning the Subscriber's List

Syntax: scan sidsnet <text>

Scan a list's membership for the <text> (e.g. a name or address)

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Re-enabling a User's Rights

Syntax: serve <users_address>

Reestablish a user's service. If a user sends more than a certain number of invalid commands to listserv, listserv may 'serve that user off', or disable his/her access to any of the lists served on that machine. The reason for this is that listserv is responding to a possible mail loop.

After this has happened any other user who is registered (subscribed to any list) on that listserv can restore service to the 'served-off' user, by issuing this command.

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Getting the SIDSNET List Archive Index

Syntax: index sidsnet

Sends a directory of available archive files for the list

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Searching the SIDSNET Archive

Syntax: search <search_string(s)> in sidsnet

Search for the specified string in the SIDSNET archives.

It is also possible to search the SIDSNET archives from the World-Wide Web

For more information about searching, see the tutorial

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Retrieving Posts from the SIDSNET Archives

Syntax: getpost sidsnet <archive item number(s)>

When you perform a search, you will receive instructions on how to retrieve the relevant articles from the archives. You need to know the item numbers of the archives you wish to retrieve. The getpost command retrieves them for you.

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Getting Listserv Information Files

Syntax: info [sidsnet|<topic>]

If you specify the list name, you get the list's 'info' file.
If you specify a topic, you get a LISTSERV manual on that topic.
If you don't specify anything, you get a list of available manuals.

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Getting Help on Listserv Commands

Syntax: Help

Obtain a list of commands

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Getting Statistics on the List

Syntax: stats sidsnet

Get statistics about a list. Note: this command is not yet enabled on the home.ease.lsoft.com listserver.

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Check to see if Listserv is Running

Syntax: thanks

Use this command to check whether listserv is running.

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