FIP News Agency Broadcast Module

Index

1. The Broadcast Sub-system

1.1 Adding a new Broadcast service.

1.1.1 Port

1.1.2 Cabling

1.1.3 SYSTEM file

1.1.4 Queues

1.1.5. FORMAT file

1.1.6. Check Message file

1.2 Adding a new source for an existing Broadcast service.

1.2.1 Sending from a PC

1.2.2 Routing incoming wire service.

1.2.3 Sending from other modules

1.2.4 USERS file

1.3 Points and Considerations

1.3.1 Sending check messages using different format

1.3.2. Testing output formats for an outgoing service

1.3.3. Translation and character stripping

1.3.4. BAUDOT and other non-ascii char. sets outbound

1.4 Program documentation on

IPBDCAST?

IPBDX25?

IPDELAY?

2. The Selection System using Ipselect.

2.1 Coding Incoming

2.2 Coding Outgoing

3. The Broker-Feed input System using BKWIRE?

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1. The Broadcast Sub-system

1.1 Adding a new Broadcast service

This section explains how to add a new port for an outgoing broadcast service and also how to send copy to that port. The process is equally valid for either normal broadcast services using the program ippbdcast? or the special x25 service using Ipbdx25.

Before sending copy, set up the broadcast module.

1.1. (cont.) Adding a new Output

You will need the Spider Documentation and the info.FipManagersGuide before proceeding.

1.1.1 Allocate an unused Spider or TTY port.

Go into the Spider Admin port and set it to the correct Speed etc

1.1.2 Check cabling and test the hardware connection with ipfox? .

1.1.3 SYSTEM file

In the SYSTEM file add the new service, for example :

new1 grp2 ipbdcast -s spider7 -p 1701 -n new1

See the Manager's Guide for the correct switch settings

Note that if you wish to add the service to an existing, functioning system then SYSTEM in /fip/x will also need to be amended. Do so with care - make sure NO copies of 'ip' are running while you make the changes.

1.1.4 Add the Queues in /fip/spool

As you are running a Writer system, there are 2 queues to enter using the Unix 'mkdir' command :

spool/new1	where the data file exits
spool/pc/new1	where the pc name pointer exits

where new1 is the -n switch for ippbdcast? in the SYSTEM file unless a -q switch has been specified.

All queues are lowercase in FIP.

1.1.5 FORMAT file

Add a default format in tables/bdcast that describes the outgoing format. This must be tables/bdcast/NEW1 where NEW1 is uppercase and is the same name as the -n switch for ippbdcast? in the SYSTEM file unless the -f switch is used to override it.

1.1.6 CHECK MESSAGE file

If Check messages are to be sent, a check message file needs to specified in tables/bdcast. This contains merely the text to be sent as the message format will be the default format specified above. You can elect NOT to send check messages by using the -m switch for ippbdcast? in the SYSTEM file. The check message file is called CHK_NEW1 where NEW1 (uppercase) is the -n switch of ippbdcast? in the SYSTEM file.

The port can now be used.

1.2 Adding a new source for an existing Broadcast service

Copy can be sent from any of several sources :

- from an Editorial System, J11, CSI, PC.

- rerouted copy from an incoming news service.

- from special systems such as Broker Feed and RNS.

1.2.1 Sending copy from a PC

Files sent from a PC are processed by Ipsptx who determines the correct destination(s) and passes the file to Iwhheel (queue spool/2go) who does the distribution.

If the output is on that Sun, ipwheel? will move the file to the output queue(s). If translation is required, the file is processed first by Ipxchg before being moved to the output queue(s).

If the output is on another Sun, ipwheel? passes the file to ip2net? to send to the relevant machine where ipxnet? receives it and passes it to the ipwheel? on that machine to process.

The tables which need to be changed for a new outgoing service from a PC :

1.2.1.1 The ROUTE file for IPSPTX

The file is transmitted from the Writer world by copying the file to the scroll queue scanned by IPSPTX. The destination is either the contents of the Writer header field 'TO' or, if that is blank and the -f switch is specified, on IPSPTX then the name of the queue is used to decide where to sent it: ie in this case, if a file is sent to the /service/xxx queue it will be sent to 'xxx'.

This destination is then expanded in the Routing file which is by default tables/writer/ROUTE. Normally this is set by the IPSPTX switch -r to another file in tables/writer. This file is read each time a file is sent. The syntax is :

	pcTOfield	fipUSERname1
	or
	pcTOfield	fipUSERS1+fipUSER2+

where pcTOfield is the content of the 'TO' field or the queue name; fipUSERname is a valid destination in the tables/sys/USERS file. Multiple destinations can be specified separating them with a (plus). To signify it is a destination from a PC, fipUSERname is forced UPPERCASE for all files.

Any destination NOT already specified in the USERS file should be done so before traffic is started.

1.2.2 Routing copy incoming from a wire service

Files are received by the various WIRE programs and are sent to tables/2brouted to be checked by iproute? . The latter decides which destination(s) the file should be sent to and passes the file to ipwheel? (queue spool/2go) who does the distribution.

If the output is on that Sun, ipwheel? will move the file to the output queue(s). If translation is required, the file is processed first by IPXCHG before being moved to the output queue(s).

If the output is on another Sun, ipwheel? passes the file to IP2NET to send to the relevant machine where IPXNET receives it and passes it to the ipwheel? on that machine to process.

The tables which need to be changed for a new outgoing service are :

1.2.2.1 The ROUTE file of the incoming service.

The files for iproute? are held in tables/route and are described in the Manager's Guide. To add a new destination, select the type of traffic you want to send and add the name of the destination. Usually this will mean adding a second or subsequent destination using the syntax :

1     c=XXX   >olddest+newdest

Every destination added to the ROUTE file MUST also be specified in the USERS file in tables/sys.

1.2.3 Sending copy from Other modules/sources such as RNS

Please refer to the documentation of that module.

1.2.4 The USERS file

Every destination MUST be specified in the USERS file in tables/sys/USERS.

Please see the Manager's Guide for fuller explanation of the syntax.

You should be aware that :

- All destinations from either Atex J11 or Writer PC are UPPERcase; others may upper or lower.

- Always specify the ZPC: flag as you need the PC pointer file.

- If the text requires a different output format from the default for IPBDCAST? then specify its name in the DB: field. Ie If you add DB:newform to the line, there should be a format called NEWFORM (uppercase) in tables/bdcast.

- The USERS file should be IDENTICAL on each system, so having modified it on one, make sure it is copied to the others. This is imperative if text files are sent from PC's on one system and output on another. In fact, if the destination is on another Sun then only the DP: field (showing which Sun to sent it to) is read on that system. However on the destination, all fields pertaining to the destination are read and used.

1.3 Other Points

1.3.1 Sending Check Messages using a different format to the default.

This can be done by putting a fake fip internal header in the chk msg file as in section 1.6. This is done by putting the following lines as the very first lines/characters of the chk msg file :

             (tilde) (newline)
             DB:newformat (newline)
             (tilde) (newline)

where tilde is the tilde chr, newline is a line feed and 'newformat' is the name of a format file in tables/bdcast as described in section 1.5.

1.3.2 Testing the various output formats for an outgoing service.

IPBDCAST? has a -d switch which enables the dump feature. If set, an exact copy of all text sent through the port is copied to a file called dump/NEW1 where NEW1 is the -n switch in IPBDDCAST in the SYSTEM file. This file can be reviewed with a combination of 'more', 'cat' and 'tail' to reveal all. In particular :

         tail -500f NEW1 (pipe) cat -v (pipe) more

will page through the last 500 lines sent and then continuously update until (the tail -f switch) Control-c is pressed; 'cat -v' will display non-ascii characters as M-x type format (see Unix doc for more details).

If you are tuning an Format, please remember to stop and start IPBDCAST? (or IPBDX25? ) to force it to read the newly changed parameter file.

1.3.3 Translation and Character Stripping

As with all incoming services, any outgoing feed or selection for a particular feed, can be XCHG'ed. On the Sun which is used to broadcast that message, ipwheel? checks both the Source Character Set (SC: field) and the Destination Character Set (DC:). If they are the same then no stripping is done, otherwise the file is sent to ipxchg? to use the table (SC)2(DC) in tables/xchg. ipxchg? will then pass the resultant file to the correct queue.

If you are tuning an XCHG table, please remember to stop and start ipxchg? to force it to read the newly changed parameter file.

1.3.4 BAUDOT and other non-ascii chrsets outbound

IPBDCAST? can automatically translate to BAUDOT outbound by specifying the following line in the tables/bdcast format file :

		chrset:b

The format and all text are translated.

If Letter Shift or Number Shift are needed to be forced in the format file, use :

{	for LS
}	for FS
^	for NULL

Other non-ascii sets are available, please contact FingerPost.

2. The Selection System

The Selection system uses program ipselect? to make a selection of messages from various feeds and send them to clients via other FIP modules such as Fax, Syndication, Mailbox and Telex.

Whereas the programs in the Base module are geared to sending ALL traffic to ALL destinations, the Selection system has been designed to filter copy down to the minimum for those clients who want a condensed feed that contains only these messages which meet strict selection criteria.

It can be used to send small numbers of articles either by drip-feeding or they can be batched for sending at a time more suitable for the client or to make use of cheaper telecom tariffs.

2.1 Coding the Incoming feeds

For each new source of information, there needs to be an entry in the Destinations file, tables/sys/USERS. The syntax is :

     selectsource=    DP:hostname     DQ:select   DC:chrset

where

hostname is the host where ipselect? is running.

chrset is used if stripping is required (otherwise make it the same as the incoming feed.

This should be in the USERS file on all systems.

2.2 Coding the outgoing Destination

The destination of any output for a new Client needs also to be placed in the USERS file with the syntax (for a fax client) :

     bigclient=    DP:host     DQ:fax/extel/out DC:chrset    DZ:2507711

where

host is the host where (in this case) fax runs.

chrset is used if stripping is required (otherwise make it the same as the incoming feed.

The fax number of the client is in the DZ field.

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