-- Documentation for MFMSG.COM v2.0 - 11/02/85 --
A MBBS File-to-Message Utility by Lavern Ogden & Kim Levitt

	MFMSG.COM is a utility program that can be used in two ways.
When run locally (i.e. BYE not running) or by the sysop, it can be used
to load any text file into the MBBS message and summary files. Options
are allowed to get directories of the currently logged disk/user area
or one specified at the command line. In this mode, just start MFMSG
without a command line like so:

	A>MFMSG

	MFMSG will clear the screen and prompt you for a filename to
include or "du:" for directory. If you enter in a filename (which may
or may not include a "du:" (drive/user specification) at the front),
MFMSG will read in the file, and following it's inclusion (or after an
abort) will return to the MFMSG command line. If you enter a carriage
return or "du:" spec only, MFMSG will give you a directory listing for
the area you specify. In addition, the area you specify will become the
default used for any filename specified without any "du:" info.

	When used remotely by any user except the sysop, MFMSG will
not allow this "interactive method" to be used. MFMSG WILL allow the
second command form to be used, however:

	A>MFMSG [du:]filename.ext

	Where "[du:]" is an optional disk/user spec. (If not
	specified, the currently logged in disk/user area is
	used.) "filename.ext" is the name of the text file you
	wish to include in the MBBS message and summary files.)

	When used in this mode, MFMSG will not return to the MFMSG
command line, but will do a warm boot after execution. If a user is
not permitted access to the message system or not permitted to enter
messages, the run will be aborted. It is recommended for system
security that MFMSG be placed in a disk/user area not accessible by
users so that the only way it can be run by a remote user is through
the use of XMODEM (v11.8 and up). The "MBFMSG" equate in XMDM118.ASM
must be enabled and MBYE (v4.1 and up) must be used with the MBFMSG
equate there also. Since you can specify a normally non-accessible
disk/user area for MFMSG.COM to reside in (in MBYE), "XMODEM RM"
will cause MBYE to load MFMSG.COM and pass it the name of the message
text file uploaded by XMODEM.

	Note that message text files can come in two formats. The
"text-only" mode which will take the text and load into a single
message or the "batch" mode which will read in one or multiple
messages with header information extracted from the file. "Batch"
files should roughly follow the format used in MSCAN for printouts
and files output using the "FILE" command. The minimum format
needed for MFMSG is as follows:

	"Msg#: " must be the first characters at the beginning of
the file (or a message). The message number and date are ignored
by MFMSG, but the "Msg#: " triggers the "batch" mode in MFMSG.

	The second line must start with "From: " and should
include the name of the caller. Unless the user is the sysop or
a privileged user, this field will be overridden if not the user's
name. Even if the user is privileged, the field will contain the
user's name if "SYSOP" is specified. (Unless, of course, the user
is the sysop.) If the message is private, follow the sender's name
with "(Private)".

	The third line specifies the "To: " field.

	The fourth line specifies the subject field and should
start with "Re: ". If the user is the sysop, "(BULLETIN)" following
the subject will cause the message to be loaded in as a bulletin.

	The fifth line is skipped, and the message must start on
the sixth line. Following the end of the message, another message can
start provided it begins with a "Msg#: " at the begining of the line.

	Messages should not exceed 16 lines, and no message line
should exceed 72 characters in length. No "high bits" should be set
on characters (i.e. use FILT or PIP OUTFILE=INFILE[Z] to make sure
only 7-bit characters are in the file), and no control characters
should be imbedded. (Other than tabs which will be expanded into
spaces before the length of the line is determined.)

	A sample batch file is included in the MFMSG20.LBR file,
get MFMSG20.MSG and read it for more information.

					-- Kim Levitt
					   11/2/85