(Corrections, notes, and links for Usenet RKT.)
by Mib Software, INN customization and consulting
Since news messages are usually short, and since a large number of messages are often sent between two hosts in a day, it may make sense to batch news messages. Several messages can be combined into one large message, using conventions agreed upon in advance by the two hosts. One such batching scheme is described here; its use is highly recommended.
News messages are combined into a script, separated by a header of the form:
#! rnews 1234
where 1234 is the length of the message in bytes. Each such line is followed by a message containing the given number of bytes. (The newline at the end of each line of the message is counted as one byte, for purposes of this count, even if it is stored as <CARRIAGE RETURN><LINE FEED>.) For example, a batch of message might look like this:
#! rnews 239
From: jerry@eagle.ATT.COM (Jerry Schwarz)
Path: cbosgd!mhuxj!mhuxt!eagle!jerry
Newsgroups: news.announce
Subject: Usenet Etiquette -- Please Read
Message-ID: <642@eagle.ATT.COM>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 82 16:14:55 EST
Approved: mark@cbosgd.ATT.COM
Here is an important message about USENET Etiquette.
#! rnews 234
From: jerry@eagle.ATT.COM (Jerry Schwarz)
Path: cbosgd!mhuxj!mhuxt!eagle!jerry
Newsgroups: news.announce
Subject: Notes on Etiquette message
Message-ID: <643@eagle.ATT.COM>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 82 17:24:12 EST
Approved: mark@cbosgd.ATT.COM
There was something I forgot to mention in the last
message.
Batched news is recognized because the first character in the message is #. The message is then passed to the unbatcher for interpretation.
The second argument (in this example rnews) determines which batching scheme is being used. Cooperating hosts may use whatever scheme is appropriate for them.
RFC1036: [Source:"RFC-1036"] [Last Changed:December 1987] [Copyright: 1987 M. Horton, R. Adams]
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