Hi g00r00

I'd love to start using this function in anger :) But I would really like to
be able to post to the BOT echo an automated post that contains the contents
of the files hatched during an AutoHatch session.

Would you be open to creating something that a sysop could customise with
their own header and footer and perhaps a few keywords to add/remove some elements of the hatched file info from the output of the template when it is posted?

Ideally the template would show

filename, file diz text, file size, file base hatched to, total number of
files hatched, total file size of all files hatched in that session,
date/time hatched... perhaps an option also of showing nodes hatched to
and/or BBS name? ... with all of the above in a template with keywords that could be adjusted by the sysop to customise the look and feel of the output?

If you have a look at what I am currently doing using a mix of txt files and htick then you will see what I mean :)

For now I hatch via Mystic but not easily announce that hatched content to
the world.

Thanks for considering :)

Best, Paul

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 02-06-20 15:03, Avon wrote to g00r00 <=-

For now I hatch via Mystic but not easily announce that hatched content
to the world.

I still use my own hatching system. Announcing would be easy, just some text massaging and running mutil. :)


... A Freudian slip - when you say one thing but mean your mother.
=== MultiMail/Win v0.51
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
* Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (21:1/109)

On 06 Feb 2020 at 03:01p, Vk3jed pondered and said...

I still use my own hatching system. Announcing would be easy, just some text massaging and running mutil. :)

Mine is a mix of batch file and other tools also but to have it all in Mystic would be grand...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 02-06-20 19:15, Avon wrote to Vk3jed <=-

On 06 Feb 2020 at 03:01p, Vk3jed pondered and said...

I still use my own hatching system. Announcing would be easy, just some text massaging and running mutil. :)

Mine is a mix of batch file and other tools also but to have it all in Mystic would be grand...

I like having all my stuff outside, where I have control. ;)


... Hey Dad, are we gonna stop for ice cream? Can we, huh?
=== MultiMail/Win v0.51
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
* Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (21:1/109)

Hi g00r00

Would you be open to creating something that a sysop could customise with their own header and footer and perhaps a few keywords to add/remove some elements of the hatched file info from the output of the template when
it is posted?

Yes, I agree we need reporting on this! I want to keep building on the statistic stuff that was added into A44 and I am very open to hearing ideas at a high level (for now) about what those things are that you'd like to see.

So far we have:

- TIC hatch announcements (MUTIL)
- Auto deactivated echomail nodes based on days (MUTIL)

If you think those are good ideas let me know, and also let me know what else you think we can add.

As far as hatch reporting, how does that typically work? Do you generate reports based on the "last X days" or do you generate reports that include any file that was hatched but not yet announced? Or do you generate a report for each individual file that is hatched? What are options that people would expect?

Reporting is one area that I am not familiar with so I will be looking for direction for all of these things!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Sector 7 (21:1/108)

On 06 Feb 2020 at 08:59p, Vk3jed pondered and said...

Mine is a mix of batch file and other tools also but to have it all i Mystic would be grand...

I like having all my stuff outside, where I have control. ;)

I think what we will end up with inside the Mystic ecosystem will be just
fine :)

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 06 Feb 2020 at 01:09p, g00r00 pondered and said...

So far we have:
- TIC hatch announcements (MUTIL)
- Auto deactivated echomail nodes based on days (MUTIL)
If you think those are good ideas let me know, and also let me know what else you think we can add.

Yes to both... I need to spend some time to think though other ideas, I will come back to you with some more thoughts by separate post when I have taken
the time to compose them.

As far as hatch reporting, how does that typically work? Do you generate reports based on the "last X days" or do you generate reports that
include any file that was hatched but not yet announced?

It's the latter at the moment and it's the only option available to me. I am using HTick to do the announcing, it looks to a spool directory where copies
of the TICs are placed when you use it to hatch files. It takes those TICs
and then generates a txt file that contains a templated view of all files captured in those TICs. Once processed the TICs are discarded so it's a one shot process. I usually run it each time after a hatching run and run a batch file to top/tail the output with my own header and footer text.

Htick creates this kind of output when you run the announce feature.

Area : FSX_MUTL : Mystic BBS Utils, Mods etc.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACD-DAI1.ZIP 4302 Acidic Presents [DAI v1.0 by maskreet]
┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐

[snip]

;;:;;;;;;;bBS^mODIFICATION^dIVISION;;;;;;;;;;
ACiDic is a Division of ACiD Productions
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4302 bytes in 1 file(s)

============================================================================= >Total 4302 bytes in 1 file(s)

[snip]

and that approach is repeated in the announce text file it creates file by file...and area by area subject to what TICs are in the spool directory.

It's not overly glamorous and could ideally be made to look better/include other data etc. but you get the idea. So that's the current status quo.

As to your last X days question...

If there were a database that held onto the last X files hatched per file
area that could be called that would be good also. Again that report would ideally offer the sysop some granularity over which bases to include in such
a report, how many days back to report on, and the control to vary how the output looks based on a template and keywords etc. to turn on/off elements of the report. For now this idea does not exist.

Reporting is one area that I am not familiar with so I will be looking
for direction for all of these things!

Thank you :) I'll spend some time tonight and think on it some more to try an come back with a fuller response and some more ideas/feedback.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

If there were a database that held onto the last X files hatched per file area that could be called that would be good also. Again that report
would ideally offer the sysop some granularity over which bases to
include in such a report, how many days back to report on, and the

That was along the lines of what I was thinking.

Whenever the "File Toss" function is executed in MUTIL, the first thing it will do is go through a database and purge it keeping only the last X days (configurable) of hatch information.

The hatch information would contain:

File name,
File size,
File description,
Echo Tag
Announced flag (yes/no)
Date/time hatched

This will allow us to report as many times as we want, and various reports could be generated. You could do the traditional one and done report (the database will use the announced flag for that) or you could generate a report of all files hatched in the last X days.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Sector 7 (21:1/108)

On 02-08-20 08:26, Avon wrote to Vk3jed <=-

I think what we will end up with inside the Mystic ecosystem will be
just fine :)

I like to do things my way. ;)


... Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defence.
=== MultiMail/Win v0.51
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
* Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (21:1/109)

On 07 Feb 2020 at 03:35p, g00r00 pondered and said...

The hatch information would contain:
File name,
File size,
File description,
Echo Tag
Announced flag (yes/no)
Date/time hatched

Have you given some thought as to how the reports may group hatched files (or not)? So if we had a bunch of Mystic builds sent out in FSX_MYS would it
group them all as one chunk in the report and say use the Base Name of the
Echo Tag as a more descriptive header for that cluster?

What else? Mmmm..

It would be interesting to record either the specific nodes that a file was hatched to or at the very least the total number of nodes a file was hatched
to Both would be nice to see as options that could be included in reports.

If you did capture node specific file hatching data then you could offer it
as another Filefix option for nodes to get a custom generated report of the last X files hatched to them and when etc. Or for the HUB admin to be able to generate themselves if they wanted to check on what was sent and when for a given node. Just a thought.

Another idea... if the file being hatched is sent out with the REPLACE verb should that detail be recorded along with the name of the file being replaced? That information could be included in a report (perhaps as optional data)
using keywords in a template.

This will allow us to report as many times as we want, and various
reports could be generated. You could do the traditional one and done report (the database will use the announced flag for that) or you could generate a report of all files hatched in the last X days.

There's certainly plenty of scope for things to report on :)

Best, Paul

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 06 Feb 2020 at 01:09p, g00r00 pondered and said...

Yes, I agree we need reporting on this! I want to keep building on the statistic stuff that was added into A44 and I am very open to hearing ideas at a high level (for now) about what those things are that you'd like to see.

So far we have:

- TIC hatch announcements (MUTIL)
- Auto deactivated echomail nodes based on days (MUTIL)

Just to clarify? Are you after ideas of features/functions that can be run on the basis of the stats now being tracked? Or are you after the types of stats and reports I would like to be able to track / pull / display in some fashion/form?

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

Have you given some thought as to how the reports may group hatched
files (or not)? So if we had a bunch of Mystic builds sent out in
FSX_MYS would it group them all as one chunk in the report and say use
the Base Name of the Echo Tag as a more descriptive header for that cluster?

Yes, thats how it would work. Files would be grouped and sorted by echotag.

It would be interesting to record either the specific nodes that a file was hatched to or at the very least the total number of nodes a file was hatched to Both would be nice to see as options that could be included
in reports.

I've noted all of your comments and I agree with all of them! Thank you!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Sector 7 (21:1/108)

Just to clarify? Are you after ideas of features/functions that can be
run on the basis of the stats now being tracked? Or are you after the types of stats and reports I would like to be able to track / pull / display in some fashion/form?

I think both are beneficial to hear.

For the echomail side, I think it'd be nice to hear what reports would be nice to have regardless of if the data is there or not. At the very least it may help me sort out how to design the template engine for report generation.

For the hatch stuff your feedback has been perfect and I have a pretty clear vision on the enhancements I want to make for both reporting and to hatching.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Sector 7 (21:1/108)

On 08 Feb 2020, g00r00 said the following...

For the echomail side, I think it'd be nice to hear what reports would
be nice to have regardless of if the data is there or not. At the very least it may help me sort out how to design the template engine for
report generation.

Sorry for jumping in here.

On CRBBS, I'm running Husky. The stats that the perl script compiles is a pretty good indication of what I was looking for in stats. If you'd like, I,
or Avon, can send the perl script to you.

Also, Frank (Netsurge) wrote a perl script that generates a stats report for the binkd side, which is pretty nice.

I do have the reports posted nightly into FSX_BOT, so you could see the
actual reports. :)


---

Black Panther(RCS)
Castle Rock BBS

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/02 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Castle Rock BBS - bbs.castlerockbbs.com (21:1/186)

On CRBBS, I'm running Husky. The stats that the perl script compiles is a pretty good indication of what I was looking for in stats. If you'd
like, I, or Avon, can send the perl script to you.

Sure, or just an example of the output you find helpful.

A perl script like that could also probably be used on Mystic logs too but in this case I want to build in all of the statistic tracking that will be able to do more than what log processing can do.

You can see those ideas with TIC stuff that Avon and I are discussing now.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Sector 7 (21:1/108)

On 08 Feb 2020 at 12:30p, g00r00 pondered and said...

Yes, thats how it would work. Files would be grouped and sorted by echotag.
I've noted all of your comments and I agree with all of them! Thank you!

Many thanks...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 08 Feb 2020 at 12:43p, g00r00 pondered and said...

Just to clarify? Are you after ideas of features/functions that can b run on the basis of the stats now being tracked? Or are you after the types of stats and reports I would like to be able to track / pull / display in some fashion/form?

I think both are beneficial to hear.

10-4

For the echomail side, I think it'd be nice to hear what reports would
be nice to have regardless of if the data is there or not. At the very least it may help me sort out how to design the template engine for
report generation.

I will try and think on this aspect later tonight before I hit the sack.
Sunday morning here and my wifes to-do is getting loooonnnggg... :)

For the hatch stuff your feedback has been perfect and I have a pretty clear vision on the enhancements I want to make for both reporting and
to hatching.

Coolio. Thanks :) It's all iterative anyway so whatever you build out the guys can provide feedback on and tweaks etc. can be made.

Best, Paul

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 08 Feb 2020 at 12:43p, g00r00 pondered and said...

For the echomail side, I think it'd be nice to hear what reports would
be nice to have regardless of if the data is there or not. At the very least it may help me sort out how to design the template engine for
report generation.

Sorry I've been snowed at work and home the last few days. Just posting this
at the start of my Wed at work before the demands of the day arrive.
I've forwarded some past stats reports to this echo. All but the last one
were generated from one package. I'll try to email you tonight with details
and any code I can share that may help you.

Best, Paul

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 12 Feb 2020 at 08:26a, Avon pondered and said...

Sorry I've been snowed at work and home the last few days. Just posting this at the start of my Wed at work before the demands of the day arrive. I've forwarded some past stats reports to this echo. All but the last one were generated from one package. I'll try to email you tonight with details and any code I can share that may help you.

I should add that (from memory) both tools integrate with a nodelist so they can pull the BBS name data etc. that is not evident at first blush from a typical echomail post.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 12 Feb 2020 at 08:26a, Avon pondered and said...

were generated from one package. I'll try to email you tonight with details and any code I can share that may help you.

Check your netmail. Cheers.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

Sorry I've been snowed at work and home the last few days. Just posting this at the start of my Wed at work before the demands of the day arrive. I've forwarded some past stats reports to this echo. All but the last one were generated from one package. I'll try to email you tonight with details and any code I can share that may help you.

Thank you I appreciate it too. I actually have a pretty ridiculous schedule this week and next myself, so there is no rush to this stuff.

For now I am sitting on the start of digging into new features while I wait to see if I can address any bugs that pop up. Once I am through these next 10 days I will probably release the "bugfixes" as A45 and then start A46 with a whole bunch of new things that could be broken ;)

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A45 2020/02/09 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Sector 7 (21:1/108)

On 11 Feb 2020 at 04:05p, g00r00 pondered and said...

were generated from one package. I'll try to email you tonight with details and any code I can share that may help you.

Thank you I appreciate it too. I actually have a pretty ridiculous schedule this week and next myself, so there is no rush to this stuff.

I ended up just zipping up both from my HUB directory and dropping it into
your file box, look for stats-tools.zip in your inbound.

For now I am sitting on the start of digging into new features while I wait to see if I can address any bugs that pop up. Once I am through these next 10 days I will probably release the "bugfixes" as A45 and
then start A46 with a whole bunch of new things that could be broken ;)

OK all good. So far A45 is working fine at 1/100 I am not seeing any issues with incoming or outgoing traffic. I do have a few nodes that I fail to
connect to with outgoing polls but that's likely an issue of being IP blocked after I whacked them with fast polling when running BinkD :( .. but nothing related to this current build that I can see :)

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)