
  The  Shelter  Family  is  a  set  of  powerful and easily configurable
WPL-based  Mailers.   WPL  is a language designed for the development of
network communications applications.

  Each  Shelter Mailer has a subset of the features of the powerful Roof
Mailer, which has served as the development testbed for ALL wpl mailers,
for  certain  XPR's  and  utilities and for the WPLRXx interface and WPL
language   itself.    Although  the  Roof  Mailer  is  included  in  the
distribution,  it  is  an  intregal  part  of  the  HUGE Roof System and
requires the ROOFLOG and FLOWMGR function hosts for proper operation.

  Three  independant  mailers  are  available  in  the Shelter Family of
Mailers:   Umbrella,  Gazebo  and  Porticus.  Each can be configured and
compiled with the included GenMailer program.

  If  you are looking for a Point Mailer, and find that Umbrella is more
than  you  need, I recommend either one of the Melody Mailers:  POP, JAZ
or   RAP.   These  Point-Only  mailers  are  the  smallest  and  fastest
available.   They  are  available  on  AmiNet or by FREQ using the magic
names, POP, JAZ and JAZ from either:
    fidonet#1:167/104.0   or
    fidonet#1:167/151.0.


    The Uncommon Features of Shelter Mailers
    ----------------------------------------
  All Shelter Mailers feature a Mailer Status Display, scrolling log and
progress  windows  as  well  as  an  XPR  progress window.  In addition,
individual  windows  can  display  the progress of each poll.  All these
windows,  except  for  the  Display,  may  be enabled or disabled during
mailer generation.

  All  Shelter  Mailers  feature  SeaLink  (inbound),  DietIFNA, ZedZap,
ZedZip   and   DirectZap  (library  version  dependant)  protocols  with
crash-resistant  RESUME  and  support  for  both 2d and 4d outgoing file
requests.  XPR protocols are used thoughout.

  Shelter  mailers  provide  a high level of security, both when dealing
with other mailers and with human callers.  Unlike other mailers, when a
Shelter  Mailer  is  properly configured, if is very unlikely that files
can be stolen, or your HD formatted.

  Multiple  AFTERSESSION and WHENRECD commands allow automatic req, mail
and  tic  processing.  Unlike any other mailers, Shelter Mailers provide
separate  commands  per file type to be executed either when a file of a
certain  type  is received/sent or after the session or BOTH.  The Cache
also  allows  Site-specific AFTERSESSION commands to override the GLOBAL
ones.   Example aftersession command scripts include utilties to set the
filenote of a received file from the description comment in the sent REQ
file, or from the short description in an AmiNet .README file.
  Shelter  Mailers  also  permit  both PREDIAL and PRESESS commands if
one's application requires even more control.
  The  usefulness  of  the  above features is indicated by the fact that
they have now found their way into other mailers under various names.


  All  Shelter  Mailers  are multi-FTN and feature both EMSI and AUTOAKA
WAZOO.   AutoAKA causes the mailer's primary address to be set depending
upon the address of the site being called or who is calling.  The domain
is  automatically  set  if  the  remote  site does not provide it.  When
USEAKAS  is  set for FTN site, all files for all AKAs configured for the
site  will  be  sent in the same session both under WAZOO and EMSI.  The
Shelter  EMSI implemenation is the most extensive available on the Amiga
and  has  been  proposed  as  the  basis  for  extensions  to  the  EMSI
specification.

  All  Shelter  Mailers  feature  a  Site  Cache, which allows setting a
remote  site's  session  password,  sitename,  sysopname,  phone number,
alternate  phone  number.   The  remote  site may be an FTN node, a UUCP
site,  an  Atomic  Clock site or a BBS, FTP or Online Service ( in which
case  the  configured term program will be spawned upon connect).  Other
parameters specific to the type of site may also be set.  If your tosser
is  not  domain-aware and the site sends archives containing bundles for
multiple  FTNs, the site may be configured so that these bundles will be
sorted  by domain for tossing.  One may also configure a particular site
so that all mail is sent to configured AKAs of a site either on inbound,
outbound  or  both.  On can also set handshake (FTS1,WAZOO,EMSI,FAST) to
use when calling and what addresses to present under EMSI when dialing a
site.   The  Cache  allows  Site-specific  AFTERSESSION  commands of the
various types to override the GLOBAL ones.

  In  addition  to  the Site Cache, the Gazebo and Porticus Mailers also
support either nodelist.library or traplist.library for FTN sessions and
the uucp Passwd and L.sys configs for uucp sessions.

  The  Shelter Mailer Manager program allows Cache and Manual dialing as
well as an AUTO feature which allows auto-startup and poll of one's BOSS
or  echo  hub.   With  Manual dialing, one just specifies site and phone
number  and/or  line to use.  Also included is a POLL feature which will
asyncronously  poll  all  sites  with pending mail.  POLLs will continue
until  a  connection  is  made,  with the number of seconds between dial
attempts and the duration of a poll window both being configurable.

  Remote addresses can be simply specified, with address expansion being
done  based  upon  your AKA in the domain being called.  For example, if
one  wanted  to  call  fidonet#1:167/104.0,  and  one's  own  address is
fidonet#1:167/151.0, one would simply do:
            Shelter CALL 104

  One  can  enable  individual windows for each poll in progress to keep
abreast  of  the  current  status.   A poll can be aborted via a Shelter
command,  or  a Ctl-C in the poll's window.  Parameters such as duration
of poll attempt, redial and busy delays are settable on the fly.

  Shelter  mailers  do  not  use  the  obsolete  and non-secure FLO file
format,  but  rather  the very secure Xferq.library outbound management.
However,  all  Shelter  Mailers  do provide functions to convert 4D .FLO
files  to  5D  XferQ queues and to add any type of file to a site queue.
In  addition,  a  very  comprehensive  set  of Queue management tools is
available  as  XPack180.LHA.   The author of the Shelter Mailers is also
maintaining xferq.library and has released an update, XQUPD1_9.LHA.
    
  Shelter  Mailers  also  provide  for  multiple inbound directories for
Tossers  which  are not domain aware, as well as a NONSECURE inbound for
sites not in Site Cache or nodelist.  A separate inbound is provided for
HUMAN callers with Porticus.

  The  Mailer  generator  uses standard AmigaDos command line templates.
Both command line switches and internal options provide extra control in
special  situations.   Due  to  the  multiple  module  format,  one  can
reconfigure  and  reload  parts  of  the mailer, such as the site cache,
menus  or config, instead of recompiling the whole thing.  Utilities are
also  provided  for  changing certain parameters (SCTL) and various menu
options (SEDIT) at any time.

  Porticus  and  Gazebo  have  been successfully used with the following
BBS's:  DLG, Excelsior, Cnet, TransAmiga, Falcon, Contact!

    Umbrella Point Mailer (MAGIC NAME: UMBRELLA)
    --------------------------------------------
  The  Umbrella Point Mailer is a single line, multi-FTN mailer.  It can
be setup to answer the phone, BBS spawning is not supported however.  If
set to noanswer, the answer code is not generated.  This mailer does not
require  a  nodelist,  as  it  features  both  the Site Cache and manual
dialing.   It  does  not  support  UUCP,  CLOCK, FAX or BBS dialing, nor
spawning  of  file request handlers or BBSs.  It can be set to no do flo
convert  but  to  queue  flo files only when connected, thereby reducing
memory usgae.


    Gazebo - The Standard Node Mailer (MAGIC NAME: GAZEBO)
    ------------------------------------------------------
  In addition to the standard Shelter FTN features, Gazebo allows single
BBS  spawning,  UUCP  inbound  and outbound calls and setting the system
clock via calls to any Atomic Clock Site with XPRclock.library.  It also
features XfreqSH, which allows the use of ANY File Request Handler.


    Porticus - Full Service FrontEnd (MAGIC NAME: PORTICUS)
    ---------------------------------------------------
  Porticus  has  all the features of the Umbrella and Gazebo Mailers, as
well  as  all the non-ROOF System dependant features of the ROOF Mailer.
Porticus  uses  the  RFS  File Request Handler (included) which provides
file  requests,  both  standard and HRF format update requests, response
handling and accounts for both mailers and human callers.

  In  addition  to  the  extensive  mailer capabilities described above,
Porticus  has  a  full-featured remote user interface for Human callers.
This interface provides:

            System Bulletins
            Multiple level Menus
            Multiple BBSs and/or Remote Shell selections
            Remote on-line help
            Text Information displays
            Doors including games and utilities
            Auto-Download of Magic Names
            Auto-Uploads with file description prompt
            Chat with sysop
            Messages to/from sysop
            Message Base scroller
            File Base Browser with command stacking
            File Requests with CallBack Verification (with reward)
            Automatic FileRequests
            Forwarded File requests (to/from OTHER systems)
            Passworded Remote CLI
            Amiga Empire Game support
            User Accounts
            Boot a human caller

    All these utilities are included in the distribution.


    XPACK  Outbound Management (MAGIC NAME: XPACK)
    ----------------------------------------------

        A  collection  of  useful tools for XfreQ management by Robert
    Williamson.

    Xpack       -   5D echomail archiver/router/queuer/scheduler    *
    XList       -   lists queue for a site, a pattern or all sites  *
    Xkill       -   remove a filepattern from a sitepattern         *
    Xrmv        -   remove a file from a site queue
    AddWork     -   add a file to a site queue, aware of filetypes
    SendFile    -   a simple version of AddWork
    Xq          -   FLO convert, scan outs, Xpack front-end
    Xflo        -   online flo conversion ad OUT scanning
    Xcut        -   online CUT scanning

    xferq.library - version 1.9 is included as well and the 1.9 Addendum
to xferq docs.

    Distribution:
        Both  full release archives and diff updates archives are posted
on  AmiNet  at regular intervals.  Full release archives have file names
in   the   format   <mailer><version>.lha,   while   diff  archives  are
<mailer><YYMMDD>.lha.   Due to filename contrictions on AmiNet these are
the filenames to expect in Shelter Mailers and releated utilities:

    AmiNet              FTN/HUMAN   AmiNet              FTN/HUMAN
    release             magic       diff updates        magic
    ---------------     --------    -----------------   -------
    shelter180.lha      SHELTER     shelterYYMMDD.lha   SHE_UPD
    xpack180.lha        XPACK       xpackYYMMDD.lha     XPA_UPD
    rfs180.lha          RFS         rfsYYMMDD.lha       RFS_UPD

    Any of the above can be FREQed using the Magic names from:

        14400bps:
            fidonet#1:167/104.0
            amiganet#40:600/104.0
            mtlnet#17:514/300.0

    Full releases are also available from:
        Zyxel:
            fidonet#1:167/151.0
            amiganet#40:600/151.0
        14400bps:
            fidonet#1:167/207.0

    Distribution  of  merged or modified archives via the SAN fileecho
network is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

