Most maintenance tasks are automatic but there are some commands that are useful for a sysop. These are listed below in alphabetical order. The number in brackets following the command name is the permissions level needed to use the command. -
-
announce sysop <text>
-
-
Send an announcement to Sysops only +
One of the more important things a cluster sysop needs to do is to get +information to his users. The simplest way to do this is to have a banner +that is sent to the user on login. This is know as a "message of the day" +or "motd". To set this up, simply create a file in /spider/data called motd +and edit it to say whatever you want. It is purely a text file and will be +sent automatically to anyone logging in to the cluster.
-
connect <callsign> Start a connection to another DX Cluster
-
-
Start a connection process that will culminate in a new connection to the -DX cluster <callsign>. This process creates a new 'client' process which will -use the script in /spider/connect/<callsign> to effect the 'chat' exchange -necessary to traverse the network(s) to logon to the cluster <callsign>. +
If for any reason the cluster is down, maybe for upgrade or maintenance but +the machine is still running, a message can be sent to the user advising them +of the fact. This message lives in the /spider/data directory and is called +"offline". Simply create the file and edit it to say whatever you wish. +This file will be sent to a user attempting to log into the cluster when +DXSpider is not actually running.
-
-
<node_call> All [<msgno> ...] Mark a message as sent
-
-
When you send messages the fact that you have forwarded it to another node -is remembered so that it isn't sent again. When you have a new partner -node and you add their callsign to your /spider/msg/forward.pl file, all -outstanding non-private messages will be forwarded to them. This may well -be ALL the non-private messages. You can prevent this by using these -commmands:- -
catch GB7DJK all -catch GB7DJK 300 301 302 303 -
and to undo what you have just done:- -
uncatch GB7DJK all -uncatch GB7DJK 300 301 302 303 -
which will arrange for them to be forward candidates again. -
-
dbcreate <name> Create a database entry
-
-dbcreate <name> chain <name> [<name>..] Create a chained database entry
-dbcreate <name> remote <node> Create a remote database entry
-
DBCREATE allows you to define a database in the system. It doesn't actually -create anything, just defines it. -
The databases that are created are simple DB_File hash databases, they are -therefore already 'indexed'. -
You can define a local database with the first form of the command eg: -
DBCREATE oblast -
You can also chain databases with the addition of the 'chain' keyword. -This will search each database one after the other. A typical example -is: -
DBCREATE sdx_qsl chain sql_ad -
No checking is done to see if the any of the chained databases exist, in -fact it is usually better to do the above statement first then do each of -the chained databases. -
Databases can exist offsite. To define a database that lives on another -node do: -
DBCREATE buckmaster remote gb7dxc -
Remote databases cannot be chained; however, the last database in a -a chain can be a remote database eg: -
DBCREATE qsl chain gb7dxc -
To see what databases have been defined do: -
DBAVAIL (or it will have been aliased to SHOW/COMMAND) -
It would be normal for you to add an entry into your local Aliases file -to allow people to use the 'SHOW/<dbname>' style syntax. So you would -need to add a line like:- +
You can set other text messages to be read by the user if they input the file +name. This could be for news items or maybe information for new users. +To set this up, make a directory under /spider called packclus. +Under this directory you can create files called news or newuser +for example. In fact you can create files with any names you like. These can +be listed by the user with the command ....
- 's' => [
- ..
- ..
- '^sh\w*/buc', 'dbshow buckmaster', 'dbshow',
- ..
- ..
- ],
+show/files
to allow -
SH/BUCK g1tlh -
to work as they may be used to. -
See DBIMPORT for the importing of existing AK1A format data to databases. -See DBSHOW for generic database enquiry -
-
dbimport <dbname> Import AK1A data into a database
-
-
If you want to import or update data in bulk to a database you can use -this command. It will either create or update entries into an existing -database. For example:- -
DBIMPORT oblast /tmp/OBLAST.FUL -
will import the standard OBLAST database that comes with AK1A into the -oblast database held locally. -
-
dbremove <dbname> Delete a database
-
-
DBREMOVE will completely remove a database entry and also delete any data -file that is associated with it. -
There is no warning, no comeback, no safety net. -
For example: -
DBREMOVE oblast -
will remove the oblast database from the system and it will also remove -the associated datafile. -
I repeat: -
There is no warning, no comeback, no safety net. -
You have been warned. -
-
debug Set the cluster program into debug mode
-
-
Executing this command will only have an effect if you are running the cluster -in debug mode i.e. +
They can be read by the user by typing the command ....
- perl -d cluster.pl
+type news
It will interrupt the cluster just after the debug command has finished. -
-
Works just like the user command except that sysops can see ALL messages. -
-
disconnect <call> [<call> ...] Disconnect a user or node
-
-
Disconnect any <call> connected locally -
-
export <msgno> <filename> Export a message to a file
-
-
Export a message to a file. This command can only be executed on a local -console with a fully privileged user. The file produced will be in a form -ready to be imported back into the cluster by placing it in the import -directory (/spider/msg/import). -
This command cannot overwrite an existing file. This is to provide some -measure of security. Any files written will owned by the same user as the -main cluster, otherwise you can put the new files anywhere the cluster can -access. For example:- -
EXPORT 2345 /tmp/a -
-
forward/opername <call> Send out information on this <call> to all clusters
-
-
This command sends out any information held in the user file which can -be broadcast in PC41 protocol packets. This information is Name, QTH, Location -and Homenode. PC41s are only sent for the information that is available. -
-
init <node call> Re-initialise a link to an AK1A compatible node
-
-
This command attempts to re-initialise a link to a (usually) AK1A node -that has got confused, usually by a protocol loop of some kind. It may -work - but you usually will be better off simply disconnecting it (or -better, if it is a real AK1A node, doing an RCMD <node> DISC/F <your -node>). -
Best of luck - you will need it. -
-
kill <msgno> [<msgno> ...] Remove or erase a message from the system
-
-kill from <call> Remove all messages from a callsign
-kill to <call> Remove all messages to a callsign
-
You can get rid of any message to or originating from your callsign using -this command. You can remove more than one message at a time. -
As a sysop you can kill any message on the system. -
-
kill full <msgno> [<msgno>] Delete a message from the whole clusterDelete a message (usually a 'bulletin') from the whole cluster system. -
This uses the subject field, so any messages that have exactly the same subject -will be deleted. Beware! -
-
load/aliases Reload the command alias table
-
-
Reload the /spider/cmd/Aliases file after you have editted it. You will need to -do this if you change this file whilst the cluster is running in order for the -changes to take effect. -
-
load/bands Reload the band limits table
-
-
Reload the /spider/data/bands.pl file if you have changed it manually whilst -the cluster is running. -
-
load/cmd_cache Reload the automatic command cache
-
-
Normally, if you change a command file in the cmd or local_cmd tree it will -automatially be picked up by the cluster program. Sometimes it can get confused -if you are doing a lot of moving commands about or delete a command in the -local_cmd tree and want to use the normal one again. Execute this command to -reset everything back to the state it was just after a cluster restart. -
-
load/messages Reload the system messages file
-
-
If you change the /spider/perl/Messages file (usually whilst fiddling/writing ne -commands) you can have them take effect during a cluster session by executing this -command. You need to do this if get something like :- -
unknown message 'xxxx' in lang 'en' -
-
load/prefixes Reload the prefix table
-
-
Reload the /spider/data/prefix_data.pl file if you have changed it manually whilst -the cluster is running. -
-
merge <node> [<no spots>/<no wwv>] Ask for the latest spots and WWV
-
-
MERGE allows you to bring your spot and wwv database up to date. By default -it will request the last 10 spots and 5 WWVs from the node you select. The -node must be connected locally. -
You can request any number of spots or wwv and although they will be appended -to your databases they will not duplicate any that have recently been added -(the last 2 days for spots and last month for WWV data). -
-
msg <cmd> <msgno> [data ...] Alter various message parameters
-
-
Alter message parameters like To, From, Subject, whether private or bulletin -or return receipt (RR) is required or whether to keep this message from timing -out. +
If the file they want to read is called news. You could also set +an alias for this in the Alias file to allow them just to type news +
+
You can also store other information in this directory, either directly or +nested under directories. One use for this would be to store DX bulletins +such as the OPDX bulletins. These can be listed and read by the user. +To keep things tidy, make a directory under /spider/packclus called +bulletin. Now copy any OPDX or similar bulletins into it. These +can be listed by the user in the same way as above using the show/files +command with an extension for the bulletin directory you have just created, +like this ....
- MSG TO <msgno> <call> - change TO callsign to <call>
- MSG FRom <msgno> <call> - change FROM callsign to <call>
- MSG PRrivate <msgno> - set private flag
- MSG NOPRrivate <msgno> - unset private flag
- MSG RR <msgno> - set RR flag
- MSG NORR <msgno> - unset RR flag
- MSG KEep <msgno> - set the keep flag (message won't be deleted ever)
- MSG NOKEep <msgno> - unset the keep flag
- MSG SUbject <msgno> <new> - change the subject to <new>
- MSG WAittime <msgno> - remove any waitting time for this message
- MSG NOREad <msgno> - mark message as unread
- MSG REad <msgno> - mark message as read
- MSG QUeue - queue any outstanding bulletins
- MSG QUeue 1 - queue any outstanding private messages
+show/files bulletin
You can look at the status of a message by using:- -
STAT/MSG <msgno> -
This will display more information on the message than DIR does. -
-
pc <call> <text> Send text (eg PC Protocol) to <call>
-
-
Send some arbitrary text to a locally connected callsign. No processing is done on -the text. This command allows you to send PC Protocol to unstick things if problems -arise (messages get stuck etc). eg:- -
pc gb7djk PC33^GB7TLH^GB7DJK^400^ -
You can also use in the same way as a talk command to a connected user but -without any processing, added of "from <blah> to <blah>" or whatever. -
pc G1TLH Try doing that properly!!! -
-
ping <node> Send a ping command to another cluster node
-
-
This command is used to estimate the quality of the link to another cluster. -The time returned is the length of time taken for a PC51 to go to another -cluster and be returned. -
Any visible cluster node can be PINGed.
-
rcmd <node call> <cmd> Send a command to another DX cluster
-
-
This command allows you to send nearly any command to another DX Cluster -node that is connected to the system. -
Whether you get any output is dependant on a) whether the other system knows -that the node callsign of this cluster is in fact a node b) whether the -other system is allowing RCMDs from this node and c) whether you have -permission to send this command at all. -
-
read <msgno> Read a message on the system
-
-
As a sysop you may read any message on the system -
-
set/debug <name> Add a debug level to the debug set
-
-
You can remove this level with unset/debug <name> -
-
set/isolate <node call> Isolate a node from the rest of the network
-
-
Connect a node to your system in such a way that you are a full protocol -member of its network and can see all spots on it, but nothing either leaks -out from it nor goes back into from the rest of the nodes connected to you. -
You can potentially connect several nodes in this way. -
You can see which nodes are isolated with the show/isolate (1) command. -
You can remove the isolation with the command unset/isolate. -
-
set/sys_location <lat & long> Set your cluster latitude and longitude
-
-
In order to get accurate headings and such like you must tell the system -what your latitude and longitude is. If you have not yet done a SET/QRA -then this command will set your QRA locator for you. For example:- -
SET/LOCATION 52 22 N 0 57 E -
-
set/lockout <call> Stop a callsign connecting to the cluster
-
-
You can show who is locked out with the show/lockout (9) command. -
To allow the user to connect again, use the command unset/lockout -
-
set/node <call> [<call> ...] Make the callsign an AK1A cluster
-
-
Tell the system that the call(s) are to be treated as AK1A cluster and -fed PC Protocol rather normal user commands. -
From version 1.41 you can also set the following types of cluster +
An example would look like this ....
+
-set/spider
-set/dxnet
-set/clx
-set/arcluster
+sh/files
+bulletin DIR 20-Dec-1999 1715Z news 1602 14-Dec-1999 1330Z
-To see what your nodes are set to, use the show/nodes command.
-
-
7.31 set/obscount (9)
-
-
-set/obscount <count> <node call> Set the 'pump-up' obscelence counter
-
-
From version 1.35 onwards neighbouring nodes are pinged at regular intervals (see
-SET/PINGINTERVAL), usually 300 seconds or 5 minutes. There is a 'pump-up'
-counter which is decremented on every outgoing ping and then reset to
-the 'obscount' value on every incoming ping. The default value of this
-parameter is 2.
-
What this means is that a neighbouring node will be pinged twice at
-(default) 300 second intervals and if no reply has been heard just before
-what would be the third attempt, that node is disconnected.
-
If a ping is heard then the obscount is reset to the full value. Using
-default values, if a node has not responded to a ping within 15 minutes,
-it is disconnected.
-
-
7.32 set/pinginterval (9)
-
-
-set/pinginterval <time> <node call> Set the ping time to neighbouring nodes
-
-
As from version 1.35 all neighbouring nodes are pinged at regular intervals
-in order to determine the rolling quality of the link and, in future, to
-affect routing decisions. The default interval is 300 secs or 5 minutes.
-
You can use this command to set a different interval. Please don't.
-
But if you do the value you enter is treated as minutes up 60 and seconds
-for numbers greater than that.
-
This is used also to help determine when a link is down at the far end
-(as certain cluster software doesn't always notice), see SET/OBSCOUNT
-for more information.
-
-
7.33 set/privilege (9)
-
-
-set/privilege <n> <call> [<call> ...] Set the privilege level on a call
-
-
Set the privilege level on a callsign. The privilege levels that pertain
-to commands are as default:-
+
You can see that in the files area (basically the packclus directory) there is a +file called news and a directory called bulletin. You can +also see that dates they were created. In the case of the file news, +you can also see the time it was last modified, a good clue as to whether the +file has been updated since you last read it. To read the file called +news you would simply issue the command ....
- 0 - normal user
- 1 - allow remote nodes normal user RCMDs
- 5 - various privileged commands (including shutdown, but not disc-
- connect), the normal level for another node.
- 8 - more privileged commands (including disconnect)
- 9 - local sysop privilege. DO NOT SET ANY REMOTE USER OR NODE TO THIS
- LEVEL.
+type news
If you are a sysop and you come in as a normal user on a remote connection -your privilege will automatically be set to 0. +
To look what is in the bulletin directory you issue the command ....
-
set/password <callsign> <string> Set a users password
-
-
The password for a user can only be set by a full sysop. The string -can contain any characters but any spaces are removed (you can type in -spaces - but they won't appear in the password). You can see the -result with STAT/USER. The password is the usual 30 character baycom -type password. -
-
set/sys_qra <locator> Set your cluster QRA locator
-
-
show/program Show the locations of all the included program modules
+
+
+show/files bulletin
+opdx390 21381 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx390.1 1670 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx390.2 2193 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx391 25045 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx392 35969 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx393 15023 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx394 33429 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx394.1 3116 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx395 24319 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx396 32647 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx396.1 5537 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx396.2 6242 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx397 18433 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx398 19961 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx399 17719 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx400 19600 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx401 27738 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx402 18698 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx403 24994 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx404 15685 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx405 13984 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx405.1 4166 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx406 28934 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx407 24153 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+opdx408 15081 29-Nov-1999 1621Z opdx409 23234 29-Nov-1999 1621Z
+Press Enter to continue, A to abort (16 lines) >
+
+You can now read any file in this directory using the type command, like this ....
-
Show the name and location where every program module was load from. This -is useful for checking where you think you have loaded a .pm file from. +
+
+type bulletin/opdx391
+Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 391
+The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
+DX Bulletin No. 391
+BID: $OPDX.391
+January 11, 1999
+Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
+Provided by BARF-80 BBS Cleveland, Ohio
+Online at 440-237-8208 28.8k-1200 Baud 8/N/1 (New Area Code!)
+Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX
+Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, K1XN & Golist, WB2RAJ/WB2YQH
+& The 59(9) DXReport, W3UR & The Daily DX, K3TEJ, KN4UG, W4DC, NC6J, N6HR,
+Press Enter to continue, A to abort (508 lines) >
+
+The page length will of course depend on what you have it set to!
-
shutdown Shutdown the cluster
-
-
Shutdown the cluster and disconnect all the users. If you have Spider -set to respawn in /etc/inittab it will of course restart. +
You will find a file in /spider/cmd/ called Aliases. First, copy this file to +/spider/local_cmd/Aliases and edit this file. You will see something like this ...
-
+
-spoof <callsign> <command> Run commands as another user
-
-
This is a very simple yet powerful command for the sysop. It allows you to
-issue commands as if you were a different user. This is very useful for the
-kind of things that users seem to always get wrong.. like home_node for
-example.
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+
+# provide some standard aliases for commands for terminally
+# helpless ak1a user (helpless in the sense that they never
+# read nor understand help files)
+
+# This file is automagically reloaded if its modification time is
+# later than the one stored in CmdAlias.pm
+
+# PLEASE make this file consistant with reality! (the patterns MUST
+# match the filenames!)
+
+# Don't alter this file, copy it into the local_cmd tree and modify it.
+# This file will be replaced everytime I issue a new release.
+
+# You only need to put aliases in here for commands that don't work as
+# you desire naturally, e.g sh/dx on its own just works as you expect
+# so you need not add it as an alias.
+
+
+
+package CmdAlias;
+
+%alias = (
+ '?' => [
+ '^\?', 'apropos', 'apropos',
+ ],
+ 'a' => [
+ '^ann.*/full', 'announce full', 'announce',
+ '^ann.*/sysop', 'announce sysop', 'announce',
+ '^ann.*/(.*)$', 'announce $1', 'announce',
+ ],
+ 'b' => [
+ ],
+ 'c' => [
+ ],
+ 'd' => [
+ '^del', 'kill', 'kill',
+ '^del\w*/fu', 'kill full', 'kill',
+ '^di\w*/a\w*', 'directory all', 'directory',
+ '^di\w*/b\w*', 'directory bulletins', 'directory',
+ '^di\w*/n\w*', 'directory new', 'directory',
+ '^di\w*/o\w*', 'directory own', 'directory',
+ '^di\w*/s\w*', 'directory subject', 'directory',
+ '^di\w*/t\w*', 'directory to', 'directory',
+ '^di\w*/f\w*', 'directory from', 'directory',
+ '^di\w*/(\d+)', 'directory $1', 'directory',
+ ],
+ 'e' => [
+ ],
+ 'f' => [
+ ],
+ 'g' => [
+ ],
+ 'h' => [
+ ],
+ 'i' => [
+ ],
+ 'j' => [
+ ],
+ 'k' => [
+ ],
+ 'l' => [
+ '^l$', 'directory', 'directory',
+ '^ll$', 'directory', 'directory',
+ '^ll/(\d+)', 'directory $1', 'directory',
+ ],
+ 'm' => [
+ ],
+ 'n' => [
+ '^news', 'type news', 'type',
+ ],
+ 'o' => [
+ ],
+ 'p' => [
+ ],
+ 'q' => [
+ '^q', 'bye', 'bye',
+ ],
+ 'r' => [
+ '^r$', 'read', 'read',
+ '^rcmd/(\S+)', 'rcmd $1', 'rcmd',
+ ],
+ 's' => [
+ '^s/p$', 'send', 'send',
+ '^sb$', 'send noprivate', 'send',
+ '^set/home$', 'set/homenode', 'set/homenode',
+ '^set/nobe', 'unset/beep', 'unset/beep',
+ '^set/nohe', 'unset/here', 'unset/here',
+ '^set/noan', 'unset/announce', 'unset/announce',
+ '^set/nodx', 'unset/dx', 'unset/dx',
+ '^set/nota', 'unset/talk', 'unset/talk',
+ '^set/noww', 'unset/wwv', 'unset/wwv',
+ '^set/nowx', 'unset/wx', 'unset/wx',
+ '^sh$', 'show', 'show',
+ '^sh\w*/buck', 'dbshow buck', 'dbshow',
+ '^sh\w*/bu', 'show/files bulletins', 'show/files',
+ '^sh\w*/c/n', 'show/configuration nodes', 'show/configuration',
+ '^sh\w*/c$', 'show/configuration', 'show/configuration',
+ '^sh\w*/com', 'dbavail', 'dbavail',
+ '^sh\w*/dx/(\d+)-(\d+)', 'show/dx $1-$2', 'show/dx',
+ '^sh\w*/dx/(\d+)', 'show/dx $1', 'show/dx',
+ '^sh\w*/dx/d(\d+)', 'show/dx from $1', 'show/dx',
+ '^sh\w*/email', 'dbshow email', 'dbshow',
+ '^sh\w*/hftest', 'dbshow hftest', 'dbshow',
+ '^sh\w*/vhftest', 'dbshow vhftest', 'dbshow',
+ '^sh\w*/qsl', 'dbshow qsl', 'dbshow',
+ '^sh\w*/tnc', 'who', 'who',
+ '^sh\w*/up', 'show/cluster', 'show/cluster',
+ '^sh\w*/w\w*/(\d+)-(\d+)', 'show/wwv $1-$2', 'show/wwv',
+ '^sh\w*/w\w*/(\d+)', 'show/wwv $1', 'show/wwv',
+ '^sp$', 'send', 'send',
+
+ ],
+ 't' => [
+ '^ta$', 'talk', 'talk',
+ '^t$', 'talk', 'talk',
+ ],
+ 'u' => [
+ ],
+ 'v' => [
+ ],
+ 'w' => [
+ '^wx/full', 'wx full', 'wx',
+ '^wx/sysop', 'wx sysop', 'wx',
+ ],
+ 'x' => [
+ ],
+ 'y' => [
+ ],
+ 'z' => [
+ ],
+)
+
+You can create aliases for commands at will. Beware though, these may not +always turn out as you think. Care is needed and you need to test the +results once you have set an alias.
-
stat/db <dbname> Show the status of a database
+
In later versions of Spider a simple console program is provided for the sysop. +This has a type ahead buffer with line editing facilities and colour for spots, +announces etc. To use this program, simply use console.pl instead of client.
-
Show the internal status of a database descriptor. -
Depending on your privilege level you will see more or less information. -This command is unlikely to be of much use to anyone other than a sysop. +
To edit the colours, copy /spider/perl/Console.pl to /spider/local and edit the +file with your favourite editor.
-
stat/channel <callsign> Show the status of a channel on the cluster
+
Spider has a powerful and flexible show/satellite command. In order for +this to be accurate, the kepler data has to be updated regularly. In +general, this data is available as an email or via cluster mail. +Updating it is simple. First you need to export the mail message as a +file. You do this with the export command from the cluster prompt +as the sysop. For example ...
-
Show the internal status of the channel object either for the channel that -you are on or else for the callsign that you asked for. -
Only the fields that are defined (in perl term) will be displayed. +
+
+export 5467 /spider/perl/keps.in
+
+would export message number 5467 as a file called keps.in in the +/spider/perl directory. +
Now login to a VT as sysop and cd /spider/perl. There is a command in +the perl directory called convkeps.pl. All we need to do now is +convert the file like so ...
-
stat/msg <msgno> Show the status of a message
+
+
+./convkeps.pl keps.in
+
+Now go back to the cluster and issue the command ...
-
This command shows the internal status of a message and includes information -such as to whom it has been forwarded, its size, origin etc etc. +
+
+load/keps
+
+That is it! the kepler data has been updated.
-
stat/user <callsign> Show the full status of a user
-
-
Shows the full contents of a user record including all the secret flags -and stuff. -
Only the fields that are defined (in perl term) will be displayed. -
-
+
The command sh/qrz will only work once you have followed a few +simple steps. First you need to get a user ID and password from qrz.com. +Simply go to the site and create one. Secondly you need to copy the file +/spider/perl/Internet.pm to /spider/local and alter it to match your user +ID and password. You also at this point need to set $allow=1 to complete +the setup. Many thanks to Fred Lloyd, the proprieter of +qrz.com for allowing this access.