| Document: FSC-0088
| Version: 001
| Date: 31 October, 1995
|
| Robert Williamson FidoNet#1:167/104.0
Compatibility and Link Qualifier Extensions for EMSI Sessions
Robert Williamson FidoNet#1:167/104.0 robert@ecs.mtlnet.org
Purpose:
The basic purpose of this document is to start discussions which will
hopefully result in an improved handshake negotiation protocol.
Scope:
Relation of flags to Types of files transferred:
The FSC-0056 EMSI specification (hereafter referred to as EMSI-I)
makes little distinction between ARCmail/packets and other types of
files, such as files attached and TIC'ed files. In EMSI-I, the term
'Mail' when not used in conjunction with the term 'compressed', is
interpreted to mean ANY file.
This extension (hereafter referred to as EMSI-II) makes reference to
and allows control of types of files in addition to 'compressed mail'.
References to 'Mail' are changed to 'File' where common practice so
indicates. The additional qualifier flags described provide for more
control as to the types of files a system is prepared to receive.
Relation of flags to presented addresses:
The EMSI-I specification does not allow qualification for any address
other than the PRIMARY address. This means that Link flags are limited
in application to either all presented addresses or to the primary
presented address only.
This extension also allows application of Link flags to specific
addresses other than the primary.
Distinctions between Calling and Answering System:
In the EMSI-I spec, the type of flags that may be presented is limited
by the status of the site. Certain flags may only be presented when
the site is the caller and other flags may only be presented when the
site is the answerer. This proposed extension removes this
distinction.
In the EMSI-I spec, certain Link and Capability (a.k.a: Compatibility)
flags are caller-driven, while others are controlled by the answering
system. This specification attempts to harmonize these discrepancies.
A attempt is made to remain somewhat backwards compatible and to have
new flags follow the original flag naming convention. However, IMHO,
it would be preferable to harmonize the flags; reducing the number of
them while retaining the fine type control, so that the same codes are
used in all sessions.
Under both EMSI-I and EMSI-II, any flags that are not understood, are
to be ignored. Therfore, if a site presents it's flags in EMSI-II
format and the other site does not do EMSI-II, it is permissable for
that site to interpret all flags according to EMSI-I specifications.
Specifics:
Compatibility flags:
Compatibility flags consist of a string of codes that specify the
PROTOCOL CAPABILITIES and ENABLED FEATURES of the mailer.
ARC, XMA
These EMSI-I compatibility flags have no meaning relavant to the
transfer of files and are not to be presented under EMSI-II. If
received, they are to be ignored.
FNC
The FNC EMSI-I compatibility flag has been identified as a 'mistake' by
the author of EMSI-I. This is agreeable as that specification called
for the creation of a filename that was ALWAYS 8.3, not
up-to-8.up-to-3.
It is not to be presented under EMSI-II. If received as a
compatibility flag, it is to be ignored.
Protocol Selection:
In the EMSI-I spec, a requirement is placed upon the calling system to
present it's available protocols in order of preference. A quote
follows:
The calling system must list supported protocols first and
descending order of preference (the most desirable protocol
should be listed first).
The answering system should only present one protocol and it
should be the first item in the compatibility_codes field.
Some mailer authors have interpreted 'the compatibility_codes field' in
the second sentence to mean that of the answering system, thereby
making protocol selection RECEIVER-PREFS driven. This interpretation
makes unnecessary the 'decending order' requirement placed upon the
calling system, so shall be considered in conflict with that
requirement.
Most mailer authors have interpreted that phrase to mean the
'compatibility_codes field' OF THE CALLER, thereby making protocol
selection CALLER-PREFS driven. Since EMSI-I was intended to be "a
clear protocol definition for state-of-the-art E-Mail systems to
follow", they cannot be faulted for interpretation. Caller-prefs
driven selection is state-of-the-art, receiver-prefs driven selection
is older technolgy, such as Wazoo.
This specification requires that the second interpretation,
CALLER-PREFS driven, be mandatory.
New Compatibilty Flags:
----------------------
EII
Indicates that the system will interpret flags under this
specification, if other end also presents this flag. IF either or both
systems do not present this flag, all interpretations are done
according to EMSI-I.
DFB
Indicates that the system presenting is capabable of fall-back to
FTS1/WAZOO negotiation in the case of failure of EMSI handshake or no
common protocol. Since ZMO is the minimum required protocol, NCP
should only occur if the answering system presents more than one
protocol.. (ie. it's broken)
FRQ
Indicates that the system will accept and process file requests
received during outbound calls. In other words, the calling system
will do a second turnaround for uni-directional protocols, to send the
files requested, at his cost.
NRQ
NRQ should be presented ONLY IF the mailer does not have a file request
server, task or function and cannot accept requests.. It should NOT be
used to indicate that the function is temporarly disabled.
When examined, No requests will be sent. It would be advisable that
the mailer alert the system operator of this occurance to prevent
continued polling of the remote site.
Protocol Capabilities:
Protocol capability flags are presented in decending order of
preference by the caller. The answering system selects and presents
the FIRST protocol from the callers list that it supports. The
answering system must present only ONE protocol.
HYD Hydra bi-directional (link flags define parameters)
JAN Janus bi-directional
TZA DirectZap (TrapDoor DirectZap varient)
DZA DirectZap (Zmodem variant, reduced escape set)
ZAP ZedZap (Zmodem variant, upe 8K blocks)
ZMO Zmodem w/1,024 packets (Wazoo ZedZip)
SLK SeaLink (no TYSNC, No MDM7, No TeLink)
(8-32k window/ReSync/OverDrive/LongNames)
NCP
This is presented if no compatible protocol can be negotiated under
EMSI. Since in most FTN networks, a common protocol DOES exist,
fallback to WaZoo and FTS1 negotiation is expected. If these
negotiation methods are not available, the session is terminated.
This condition should never occur under normal circumstances. It
should be considered as a problem with the design or configuration of
one of the mailers involved.
Link flags:
----------
Link flags consist of a string of codes that specify DESIRED CONNECT
CONDITIONS. They apply to the CURRENT SESSION ONLY. Under EMSI-I,
there are four TYPES of link flags: communications parameters, session
parameters, pickup options and hold options. Under EMSI-II, only three
types are used, the communications parameters type is REMOVED, as it
serves no purpose whatsoever in FTN operations.
Link Session options:
FNC
If either system presents this flag, it is an indication that the
presenting system requires filename conversion to cp/m-msdos
conventions. The other system will convert filenames to cp/m cpm/msdos
8.3 conventions before sending.
The convention is defined as a filename consisting of two
parts, the filepart and extension. The filepart and extension are
separated by a period ".". The filepart may be from 1 to 8 characters
in length and the extension may be from 0 to 3 characters. The
character set shall be any uppercase character in the range A-Z and any
numeric character in the range 0-9. If the extension is of zero
length, the period may or may not be present.
RMA
Indicates that the presenting site is able to send and process multiple
file requests. If both sites present this flag, the caller will send
any REQ files found for each AKA presented by the answering system.
The answering system will process each received REQ.
RH1
Indicates that under the Hydra protocol, batch one contains file
requests only, while batch 2 is reserved for all other files.
(others to be defined)
Pickup and Hold Flags:
Under the EMSI-I specification, Link Pickup flags are only presented
when calling (an Outbound Session) and are examined and processed only
when answering (an Inbound Session) and Link Hold flags are only
presented when answering (an Inbound Session) and are examined and
processed only when calling (an Outbound Session).
With EMSI-II, BOTH Pickup and Hold flags are presented by both sites
during a session. This allows more control for those systems, for
example, which cannot modify addresses presented or rotate akas to
change the primary address presented on a per-session or per-site
basis.
Link Pickup and Hold:
Each system can present one of three (or more) Link options related to
application of addresses. If neither of these flags are presented, PUA
is to be assumed.
Neither PUA nor PUP is to be presented if only one address was
presented.
PUP Pickup FILES for primary address only
/ PUA Pickup FILES for all presented addresses
/ PUn Pickup FILES for address number n in AKA list
one of |
\
\ NPU No FILE pickup desired. (calling system)
HAT Hold all FILES (answering system)
HAn Hold all FILES for address number n in AKA list
Qualifiers:
Qualifiers are processed in the order presented, with any conflict
being resolved by subsequent qualifiers overridding any conflicting
previous qualifier in the list.
Qualifiers may be not be presented with either NPU or HAT and should be
ignored if received with NPU or HAT.
PickUp:
PMO PickUp Mail (ARCmail and Packets) ONLY
PMn PickUp Mail ONLY for address number n in AKA list
NFE No TIC'S, associated files or files
attachs desired
NFn No TIC'S, associated files or file attaches,
for address number n in AKA list
NXP No compressed mail pickup desired
NXn No compressed mail pickup desired,
for address number n in AKA list
NRQ File requests not accepted by caller
This flag is presented if file request processing
is disabled TEMPORARILY for any reason
NRn File requests not accepted by caller
for address number n in AKA list
Note that NFE,NPX,NRQ != NPU
Hold:
HNM Hold all traffic EXCEPT Mail (ARCmail and Packets)
HNn Hold all traffic EXCEPT Mail (ARCmail and Packets)
for address number n in AKA list
HXT Hold compressed mail traffic.
HXn Hold compressed mail traffic.
for address number n in AKA list
HFE Hold tic's and associated files
and file attaches other than mail
HFn Hold tic's and associated files
and file attaches other than mail
for address number n in AKA list
HRQ Hold file requests (not processed at this time)
This flag is presented if file request processing
is disabled TEMPORARILY for any reason
HRn Hold file requests (not processed at this time)
for address number n in AKA list
Note that HXT,HRQ,HFE == HAT
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