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No 12
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INDEPENDANT NEWSLETTER PRODUCED AT HELSINKI UNIVERSITY, FINLAND
<< EDITED BY ROBERT HARPER >>
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LISTSERV at IRLEARN is much more than a programme that distributes mail.
It can also function as a file server and a database. This edition of
BioBit will look at how you can have an interactive session with
LISTSERV to retrieve old messages.
The problem that I was faced with was this... I often get requests for
back issues of BioBit, and the folks at EMBL decided to make BioBit
available on their server. The only trouble was that issues No. 1 and
No. 3 were missing... yes things do occasionally disappear over the blue
event horizon... so I had to find the old issues from somewhere.
I had read about LDBASE on the network but never had the inclination or
the opportunity to try it out. So the first thing to do is to get the
software that allows me to have an interactive session with LISTSERV.
Here is how to get the programmes for CMS and VAX.
The database can be accessed either interactively or in "batch" mode.
In the former case, you must obtain the LDBASE user interface by
sending the following commands to your nearest LISTSERV:
o For VM/SP CMS systems:
- TELL LISTSERV AT nodeid GET LDBASE EXEC
- TELL LISTSERV AT nodeid GET LSVIUCV MODULE
The command to start the user interface is simply LDBASE to access
your "home" server, or LDBASE nodeid to access the LISTSERV server
at nodeid.
o For VAX/VMS systems:
- SEND LISTSERV at nodeid GET LDBASE COM
The command to start the user interface is @LDBASE. This will
install the required files in your directory and display more
detailed instructions about the program.
o Other systems may not presently access the database in interactive
mode.
I obtained the LDBASE.COM from FINHUTC and executed it to get a small
LDB.COM. To create the .EXE files execute the BUILD.COM file
(@BUILD). To remove the source files you no longer need use @CLEANUP.
Also included are some INFO files. Once you receive the LDBASE on the
VAX and run it, it unpacks to give you all the files needed to run the
system. For example:
$ receive *.*
%RECEIVE-S-COPIED, Copied NETDATA file
from: LDBASE.COM;1
to: USERDISK1:[HARPER.LDBASE]LDBASE.COM;1
$ dir
Directory USERDISK1:[HARPER.LDBASE]
LDBASE.COM;1
Total of 1 file.
$ @ldbase
%TPU-S-FILEIN, 34 lines read from file SYS$INPUT:.;
Unpacking BUILD.COM
Unpacking CLEANUP.COM
Unpacking DBS.FOR
Unpacking LDB.COM
Unpacking LDB.INFO
Unpacking SEND.FOR
Unpacking SMG.DEF
Unpacking STARTUP.COM
Unpacking TRAP.CSTR
Unpacking TRAP.FOR
Unpacking TRAP.INC
Unpacking TRAP.MESS
On VMS/VAX you can call up the LDBASE with the command @LDB
which then spawns a sub-process. Here is a LDBASE session from
the VAX.
$ @ldb
%DCL-S-SPAWNED, process HARPER_1 spawned
? short help
$ to issue dcl commands
* for list of databases (LISTSERV 1.5n or later)
^Z to leave and/or switch listservers
I was presented with a Server> prompt and asked to fill in the name
of the LISTSERV that I wanted to talk to. Since all of the BIOSCI
messages are stored at IRLEARN then that is where to look. If you
give the "*" command you will be given a list of ALL the databases
that can be accessed at IRLEARN. Some of them may be confidential and
only open to query by members, and not by the public at large.
Server>LISTSERV at irlearn
start? [Y]y
Once you have answered Y to start the session you can begin to query
the database. I knew that some of the BioBit newsletters went into
Bionews so lets look there first of all.
It is nice that the syntax for search is plain and simple english
SEARCH BIOBIT IN $BIONEWS tells LISTSERV to look in the LIST
$BIONEWS for the word BIOBIT. (By the way you should note that all
the BIOSCI lists have stoped using $ signs and now use + signs...)
db>search biobit in $bionews
(IRLEARN)LISTSERV
Welcome to LISTSERV at IRLEARN - Release 1.5o (FIX15O1), backbone server.
CPU model 0580, DASD model 1280.
--> Database $BIONEWS, 11 hits.
LISTSERV replies by saying telling you its version number (in Europe
it is v1.5 while in USA it is v1.6... but that is an entirely
different story) and the type of machine it is running on. Within a
few seconds it will also report back if there have been any HITS.
If you obtain some hits you should then run an INDEX on them to see
what they are. It should be noted that even though the hit is
recorded in the main body of the text, you are only given the SUBJECT
line by LISTSERV. So it is quite important that you give good subject
lines that will help others when they want to do searches on the
database. Item # 000083 does not have a subject so it is difficult to
tell what the content of that message might be.
As you can see I did not give a very good title, but since I know
that BioBit No 3 dealt with the TRICKLE servers it was quite easy to
see that Item # 000061 dealt with that subject. LISTSERV also gives
you the date and time when the message was entered, and how big the
item is.
db>index
Item # Date Time Recs Subject
------ ---- ---- ---- -------
000015 88/10/21 11:22 497 BIOBIT No2
000061 89/01/02 15:37 473 TRICKLE (The RED server)
000079 89/01/19 16:40 59 RED-UG (New list for discussing TRICKLE)
000083 89/01/19 17:09 116
000148 89/03/21 15:12 398 BIOBIT No 4
000149 89/03/21 23:19 35 Re: BIOBIT No 4
000150 89/03/22 13:37 35 Re: BIOBIT No 4
000151 89/03/22 16:46 13 Biobit
000329 89/08/23 18:07 179 BIOBIT No 9
000344 89/09/18 12:15 235 BIOBIT No 10 (staying alive in the network jungle)
000379 89/11/06 14:37 352 BioBit No 11 (Your friendly neighbourhood server)
But just as a check you can print out the first twenty lines or so to
find out if you have got the right article. The PRINT command should
only be used to recover short messages. From experiance if the RECS
column in the INDEX is 26 then it is possible to retreive the whole
of the message interactively. Anyway you can look at the beginning
of it by giving the command PRINT ITEM #
db>print 000061
>>> Item number 61, dated 89/01/02 15:37:00 -- ALL
=========================================================================
Mon, 2 Jan 89 15:37:00 O
TRICKLE (The RED server)
3333333333 333 3333333333 3333333333 333 3333333333333
3333333333 3333333333 3333333333 3333333333333
333 333 333 333 333 333 333 333 333
333333333 333 333 333 333333333 333 333
333333333 333 333 333 333333333 333 333
333 333 333 333 333 333 333 333 333
3333333333 333 3333333333 3333333333 333 333
3333333333 333 3333333333 3333333333 333 333
No 3
db> Output too long for interactive mode, use the SENDback command.
So now I have the proof that item 000061 is the message that I want
to retrieve. LISTSERV is not all that happy that I tried to print the
item interactively and politely informs me that I should use the
SENDBACK command to retrieve item 000061. The RECS in the INDEX for
ITME 000061 was 473... so I should have known better not to try and
PRINT it. The proper way to retrieve a large item is to simply adding
SENDBACK in front of the PRINT command.
db>sendback print 000061
* File "DATABASE OUTPUT" has been sent to you in Netdata format.
And within a couple of seconds LISTSERV tells you that a file has
been sent to you, and depending on the network traffic you can get
the file within half an hour or so.
I repeated the process and found that BioBit No 1 was entered into
the $BIOTECH list... in duplicate... seems we had mailing loops back
in 1988, and recovered it by the same procedures. Once the files
arrived in Helsinki I then posted them to EMBL so if anybody wants
back issues of BioBit they can get them from there by mailing the
server at NETSERV at EMBL.
While I was writing this edition of BioBit it struck me that you
could do literature searches on the BIO+JRNL list, and I had the idea
that this database function of LISTSERV could be used to set up a
database for "BIONAUTS" (biologists who know their way about the
network and who want to share their skills and expertise with
others... or for anyone who reads the BIOSCI Bboards). No-one ever
uses NAMESERV... so something aimed specifically at bio/computing
users might be appropriate and timely. A "BIONAUTS" database would
provide a convenient "Who's Who" :-) And it would be a confidential
list so only those subscribed to it could get information out of it.
People do get paranoid about the information in databases:-)
Way back in the days of SEQNET someone from Cambridge began to
collect information on scientists who were using the networks. I do
not know if this database still exists or if the information in it
was ever made public, however the idea was very simple. Namely any
scientist could volunteer information about himself, concerning his
ID at NODE, NAME and ADDRESS, PHONE, FAX, and TELEX NUMBERS,
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, ADVISE ON, CAREER etc... if I remember correctly
there was quite a good response from the SEQNET community.
Well lets say a BIONAUTS list existed to which anyone on BITNET/EARN
could SUBSCRIBE. The database could then be used as a knowledge pool
of information... a SEARCH CALIFORNIA in BIONAUTS would find network
contacts in California. This way you could perhaps find someone in
your backyard who could help you on some particular matter, rather
that E-mailing someone on the other side of the world.
Anyway I would like to know if there is any real interest in setting
up a BIONAUTS list, and what people would want for the different
database fields. If there is sufficient interest I will see what I
can do about setting up a list.
If you have any opinions on the matter then please feel free to
express your ideas here in BIONEWS, and if you want to indicate that
you would like to see a BIONAUTS list established then drop me a note
to HARPER at FINFUN simply saying YES for BIONAUTS in the subject line.
If I get enough votes then I will definately do something about it.
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-=ROB=- %% Robert Harper %% HARPER at FINFUN %% HARPER at CC.HELSINKI.FI %%
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