• First-time scan pointer value

    From Nightfox to Digital Man on Sat Aug 6 09:27:19 2016
    Hi DM,

    I've noticed a possible issue with the scan pointer for a new user with Synchronet 3.17. The first time a new user starts reading one of the sub-boards, msg_area.sub[subBoardCode].scan_ptr has a very high value, 4294967295. I'm not sure if that's valid or not. I have a message reader mod I wrote in JavaScript, and it has had trouble accessing messages for new users, seemingly due to that value of scan_ptr. I found that I can check for that value and work around it, but I still wanted to let you know in case that value is not by design.

    I'm running Synchronet for Windows. I noticed the issue a couple weeks ago. I was running the Synchronet build from January 3, 2016, then I updated to the latest build at the time (July 23) and noticed the issue was still there.

    Nightfox
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Sat Aug 6 12:19:17 2016
    Subject: First-time scan pointer value
    @MSGID: <57A63835.2225.sync-js@vert.synchro.net>
    @REPLY: <57A60FE7.2199.dove_sync_js@digitaldistortionbbs.com>
    @TZ: c1e0
    Re: First-time scan pointer value
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Sat Aug 06 2016 09:27 am

    Hi DM,

    I've noticed a possible issue with the scan pointer for a new user with Synchronet 3.17. The first time a new user starts reading one of the sub-boards, msg_area.sub[subBoardCode].scan_ptr has a very high value, 4294967295. I'm not sure if that's valid or not.

    It's not a valid message number, but it is a valid pointer value (0xffffffff) which indicates that user's message scan pointer should point to the *latest* message number when the msg pointers are save for the first time (e.g. when a new user logs off). This should only occur:

    1. If you have SCFG->System->New User Values->Days of New Messages set to 0.
    2. And a new user logs on for the first time

    I think the default for "Days of New Messages" is not 0. Did you change it? 0 is valid, but it means that a new user would see *no* new messages when they first scan for new messages upon logging as as "new". I just want to make sure you knew how that worked.

    I have a message reader
    mod I wrote in JavaScript, and it has had trouble accessing messages for new users, seemingly due to that value of scan_ptr. I found that I can check for that value and work around it, but I still wanted to let you know in case that value is not by design.

    Yes, it's by design. It was added in Nov-2015 with this commit: http://cvs.synchro.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/src/sbbs3/userdat.c?r1=1.160&r2=1.16 1

    ~0 (of a 32-bit integer) is short-hand for 0xffffffff.

    I'm running Synchronet for Windows. I noticed the issue a couple weeks ago. I was running the Synchronet build from January 3, 2016, then I updated to the latest build at the time (July 23) and noticed the issue was still there.

    I think it's going stay that way too. :-)

    digital man

    Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #30:
    NNTP = Network News Transfer Protocol
    Norco, CA WX: 79.8°F, 62.0% humidity, 3 mph E wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ telnet://vert.synchro.net
  • From Nightfox to Digital Man on Sat Aug 6 14:33:03 2016
    Re: First-time scan pointer value
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Sat Aug 06 2016 12:19:17

    the sub-boards, msg_area.sub[subBoardCode].scan_ptr has a very high
    value, 4294967295. I'm not sure if that's valid or not.

    It's not a valid message number, but it is a valid pointer value (0xffffffff) which indicates that user's message scan pointer should point to the *latest* message number when the msg pointers are save for the first time (e.g. when a new user logs off). This should only occur:

    1. If you have SCFG->System->New User Values->Days of New Messages set to 0.
    2. And a new user logs on for the first time

    I think the default for "Days of New Messages" is not 0. Did you change it? 0 is valid, but it means that a new user would see *no* new messages when they first scan for new messages upon logging as as "new". I just want to make sure you knew how that worked.

    My "Days of New Messages" setting is 0. I may have changed that a long time ago; I don't remember now.

    I have a message reader
    mod I wrote in JavaScript, and it has had trouble accessing messages
    for new users, seemingly due to that value of scan_ptr. I found that
    I can check for that value and work around it, but I still wanted to
    let you know in case that value is not by design.

    Yes, it's by design. It was added in Nov-2015 with this commit: http://cvs.synchro.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/src/sbbs3/userdat.c?r1=1.160&r2 =1.16 1

    I see, thanks.

    Nightfox
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Sun Aug 7 11:08:23 2016
    Subject: First-time scan pointer value
    @MSGID: <57A77917.2227.sync-js@vert.synchro.net>
    @REPLY: <57A6578F.2201.dove_sync_js@digitaldistortionbbs.com>
    @TZ: c1e0
    Re: First-time scan pointer value
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Sat Aug 06 2016 02:33 pm

    Re: First-time scan pointer value
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Sat Aug 06 2016 12:19:17

    the sub-boards, msg_area.sub[subBoardCode].scan_ptr has a very high
    value, 4294967295. I'm not sure if that's valid or not.

    It's not a valid message number, but it is a valid pointer value (0xffffffff) which indicates that user's message scan pointer should point to the *latest* message number when the msg pointers are save for the first time (e.g. when a new user logs off). This should only occur:

    1. If you have SCFG->System->New User Values->Days of New Messages set to 0.
    2. And a new user logs on for the first time

    I think the default for "Days of New Messages" is not 0. Did you change it? 0 is valid, but it means that a new user would see *no* new messages when they first scan for new messages upon logging as as "new". I just want to make sure you knew how that worked.

    My "Days of New Messages" setting is 0. I may have changed that a long time ago; I don't remember now.

    That (0) is actually the default now. So you probably didn't change it. But before Nov-2015, new users had *all* messages marked as "new" (and scan ptrs would be initialized to 0).

    digital man

    Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #8:
    BSO = Binkley Style Outbound
    Norco, CA WX: 75.9°F, 68.0% humidity, 5 mph ESE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ telnet://vert.synchro.net
  • From Mauro Veiga@VERT/ABUTRE2 to DIGITAL MAN on Sat Aug 13 18:28:00 2016
    Quoting Digital Man to Nightfox at 08-06-16 12:19 <=-

    Hello, Rob!

    1. If you have SCFG->System->New User Values->Days of New Messages set
    to 0. 2. And a new user logs on for the first time

    I think the default for "Days of New Messages" is not 0. Did you
    change it? 0 is valid, but it means that a new user would see *no* new messages when they first scan for new messages upon logging as as
    "new". I just want to make sure you knew how that worked.

    I have a message reader
    mod I wrote in JavaScript, and it has had trouble accessing messages for new users, seemingly due to that value of scan_ptr. I found that I can check for that value and work around it, but I still wanted to let you know in case that value is not by design.

    Yes, it's by design. It was added in Nov-2015 with this commit: http://cvs.synchro.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/src/sbbs3/userdat.c?r1=1.160 &r2=1.16 1

    ~0 (of a 32-bit integer) is short-hand for 0xffffffff.

    I'm using Sync 3.16c and not have Days of News Messages field
    on New User Values. How can i upgrade this?

    TIA

    []'s

    ─────────── Mauro R. Veiga ─ abutre.no-ip.org:2323 ──────── * ──────


    MeSSaGe SiTTeR 1.00 - Full Version
    Live Long and Prosper

    ... While drunk, O'Brien builds a leprechaun transporter.
    ___ Blue Wave/386 v2.30

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Ninho do Abutre 2 BBS - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Mauro Veiga on Sat Aug 13 16:00:05 2016
    Re: Re: First-time scan point
    By: Mauro Veiga to DIGITAL MAN on Sat Aug 13 2016 06:28 pm

    Quoting Digital Man to Nightfox at 08-06-16 12:19 <=-

    Hello, Rob!

    1. If you have SCFG->System->New User Values->Days of New Messages set to 0. 2. And a new user logs on for the first time

    I think the default for "Days of New Messages" is not 0. Did you
    change it? 0 is valid, but it means that a new user would see *no* new messages when they first scan for new messages upon logging as as "new". I just want to make sure you knew how that worked.

    I have a message reader
    mod I wrote in JavaScript, and it has had trouble accessing messages for new users, seemingly due to that value of scan_ptr. I found that I can check for that value and work around it, but I still wanted to let you know in case that value is not by design.

    Yes, it's by design. It was added in Nov-2015 with this commit: http://cvs.synchro.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/src/sbbs3/userdat.c?r1=1.160 &r2=1.16 1

    ~0 (of a 32-bit integer) is short-hand for 0xffffffff.

    I'm using Sync 3.16c and not have Days of News Messages field
    on New User Values. How can i upgrade this?

    You can upgrade to the daily development builds (sbbs_dev.zip for Windows).

    digital man

    Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #15:
    DOVE = Domain/Vertrauen
    Norco, CA WX: 92.1°F, 37.0% humidity, 8 mph SSE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ telnet://vert.synchro.net
  • From Mauro Veiga@VERT/ABUTRE2 to DIGITAL MAN on Sun Aug 14 11:06:00 2016
    Quoting Digital Man to Mauro Veiga at 08-13-16 16:00 <=-

    Re: Re: First-time scan point
    By: Mauro Veiga to DIGITAL MAN on Sat Aug 13 2016 06:28 pm

    Quoting Digital Man to Nightfox at 08-06-16 12:19 <=-

    Hello, Rob!

    1. If you have SCFG->System->New User Values->Days of New Messages set to 0. 2. And a new user logs on for the first time

    I think the default for "Days of New Messages" is not 0. Did you
    change it? 0 is valid, but it means that a new user would see *no* new messages when they first scan for new messages upon logging as as "new". I just want to make sure you knew how that worked.

    I have a message reader
    mod I wrote in JavaScript, and it has had trouble accessing messages for new users, seemingly due to that value of scan_ptr. I found that I can check for that value and work around it, but I still wanted to let you know in case that value is not by design.

    Yes, it's by design. It was added in Nov-2015 with this commit: http://cvs.synchro.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/src/sbbs3/userdat.c?r1=1.160 &r2=1.16 1

    ~0 (of a 32-bit integer) is short-hand for 0xffffffff.

    I'm using Sync 3.16c and not have Days of News Messages field
    on New User Values. How can i upgrade this?

    You can upgrade to the daily development builds (sbbs_dev.zip for Windows).
    digital man

    Thanks, Rob! Works fine here. :-)


    []'s

    ─────────── Mauro R. Veiga ─ abutre.no-ip.org:2323 ──────── ☼ ──────


    MeSSaGe SiTTeR 1.00 - Full Version
    Live Long and Prosper

    ... This is an airlock, Allow me to demonstrate - Worf
    ___ Blue Wave/386 v2.30

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ Ninho do Abutre 2 BBS - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil