Hippo v2 specifications, version 1.1, 3.6.1995
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Hippodump
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The BBS sends file grabfile.hd, which can be packed with some common
packer. In that case the name extension is the normal extension of the
packer. Command-line tells what is coming next. At the moment there are
five different commands:
1. Message
2. Info (information for the reader)
3. NewFiles (list of the new files in the BBS)
4. Bulletin
5. File (a file is attached to the message packet)
The lines after the Command-line depend on the command. Lines-line
is used with every command. It must be the last line in the header,
so that the reader knows when block ends. Commands are explained here.
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1. Message -command
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Area: Message area name
Status: Message status: Private, Read
Number: Message number
Reply: Message, for which this message is a reply
Next: Message, which is a reply for this message
NReply: Next reply to the message, for which this message is a
reply
Subject: Message subject
Date: Message date in format YYYYMMDDHHMMSS
From: Message sender
To: Message receiver
Content-Type: Standard that the message text follows (can be
"plain/text" or "text/enriched")
MIME-Version: If Content-Type is "text/enriched" then this field
tells the MIME version number
Lines: Lines in the message (this must exist, and has to be
the last line in the header; can be zero)
Example of the Message -command
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Command: Message
Area: Main Board
Number: 334
From: John Wayne
To: All
Subject: Hello?
Date: 19940327151554
Lines: 2
This message has two lines. Status-line doesn't exist.
(This is the second line.)
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2. Info -command
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System: Name of the system
Software: Software name and version
SysOp: SysOp's name
Address: System's net address and net's name (space between them)
Area: Message area name
Status: Message area status:
Must (user can't resign)
Net (area is a net area)
Mail (all messages are private)
Private (private messages can be written with the
Private-status in the Post-command (see Hipporeply);
is not necessarily needed if Mail-status already
exists)
NoReply (replies can't be made in this area),
AllFix (messages can be written to the AllFix file
finder)
NameFix (messages can be written to the NameFix user
finder)
Resume (area is for user résumés)
FileInfo (area is for file infos)
Access: User's access and status in the area:
Member (user is a member)
Read (user can read messages)
Write (user can write messages)
Lines: Extra information length (this must be, ans has to be
the last line in the header; can be zero)
There can be many Address-lines. Example: Address: 2:222/151 Fidonet
Area-, Status- and Access-lines must be consecutive, and Status and
Access can be missing.
If Lines is greater than zero there is extra information. It can be an
advert of the BBS (no ANSI codes allowed), or something else important.
Example of the Info -command
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Command: Info
Name: BCG-Box 4
Software: BBBS v0.89
SysOp: Kim Heino
Address: 2:222/151 Fidonet
Address: 12:345/678 FooNet
Area: Post Office
Status: Must,Mail
Access: Member,Read,Write
Area: Netmail
Status: Must,Mail,Net
Access: Member,Read,Write
Area: Main Board
Access: Read,Write
Lines: 1
Call BCG-Box again! Open 24 hours a day!
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3. NewFiles -command
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Lines: How many lines there are in the list
After this is the list of new files. It is not of any special format,
because the reader doesn't need to understand it. The reader can for
example convert it to an ordinary message (and add the necessary
information, like sender, receiver, ...).
Example of the NewFiles -command
--------------------------------
Command: NewFiles
Lines: 7
Here are the new files in BCG-Box 4:
Directory: /txt/*
File name Date kB Dlds File description
--------- ---- -- ---- ----------------
hippo2.txt 940327 12k 1 Hippo v2 document
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4. Bulletin -command
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Number: What is the number of the following bulletin
Lines: How long the bulletin is
Example of the Bulletin -command
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Command: Bulletin
Number: 1
Lines: 2
This is bulletin number one.
...
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5. File -command
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Name: Filename
Lines: Number of information lines, can be zero
This command notifies that there is a file attached to the message
packet. It is packed with the grabfile.hd file.
Example of the File -command
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Command: File
Name: hippo2.doc
Lines: 1
This file was attached to a message #123 in Netmail.
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Hipporeply
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User sends file named grabfile.hra, which is packed with some common
packer. There can be many *.hr files in ASCII format.
Command-line tells what is coming next. At the moment there are
three different commands:
1. Post (write a message, new or reply)
2. Join (join an area)
3. Resign (resignation from an area)
The lines after the Command-line depend on the command. Lines-line
is used with every command. It must be the last line in the header,
so that the reader knows when block ends. Commands are explained here.
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1. Post -command
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Area: Message area name
Status: Message status: Private
Reply: If reply, number of the original message
Subject: Message subject; defaults to "<none>" if message is not
a reply
To: Message receiver; defaults to "ALL" if message is not a
reply
Destination: The receiver's netmail-address, if the message is
written to a netmail-area (area has both Net and Mail
statuses)
Lines: How many lines (this must exist, and has to be the last
line in the header)
Examples of the Post -command
-----------------------------
Command: Post
Area: Hardware
Lines: 2
No receiver or subject, so message is to ALL with subject "<none>"
(not very useful...).
Command: Post
Area: Hardware
Reply: 49
Subject: Testing...
Lines: 2
This is a reply to Hardware message #49. Receiver is taken from the
original message and subject is changed.
Command: Post
Area: General chatting
Status: Private
Subject: Testing again
To: John Wayne
Lines: 1
This is a private message to John Wayne.
Command: Post
Area: Netmail
Subject: And some testing...
To: Joe Hacker
Destination: 2:222/151
Lines: 1
Maybe Joe Hacker is living at the address 2:222/151?
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2. Join -command
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Area: Area to be joined
Lines: Must exist, and has to be the last line in the header;
can be zero
Lines after Lines-line, if any, are discarded.
Example of the Join -command
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Command: Join
Area: Flame
Lines: 1
This line is discarded, so it can be whatever or missing.
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3. Resign -command
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Area: Area to be resigned from
Lines: Must exist, and has to be the last line in the header;
can be zero
Lines after Lines-line, if any, are discarded.
Example of the Resign -command
------------------------------
Command: Resign
Area: Flame
Lines: 0
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In case of any problems concerning the Hippo-format the author can be
contacted:
BBS: BCG-Box 4, +358 21 240 4036, +358 21 240 7755, 24h
Email: Kim.Heino@utu.fi
Mailer and Hippo v1 are copyrights of Mika Hasu.
Hippo v2 is copyright of Kim 'B' Heino and Mika Hasu.
