ProBoard is one of the only BBS packages that allows you to use more than one message base format to hold your messages. You can use Hudson, Squish, JAM, or Fido (.MSG) or a combination of these at the same time!

ProBoard's message base limits are as follows:

Message Type    Number of Message Areas    Maximum File Size
Hudson          200                        16 Mb/15000 messages (all areas combined)
Squish          10,000                     5400 msgs. per area.
Fido *.MSG      10,000                     Unlimited (disk space available).
JAM             10,000                     Unlimited (disk space available).

Each message area in ProBoard has its own name and properties.

For example, you could have a message area for public messages only, several message areas for Echomail, or an area where you create “Announcement” messages for your users.

Selecting “Message Areas” from the Main Menu, gives you a list of the available areas (which may initially be empty if you are setting up your BBS for the first time.)

To edit a Message Area, press <Enter>. To add a Message Area, press <Insert>, or enter a number for the area you want to create.

For example, entering the number 10000 will create message area 10000. Keep in mind that if you are using the HUDSON format for any of your message areas, that any areas specified to use the HUDSON format will have to be specified as areas 1 - 200. This is a limit of the existing HUDSON message base format and is not a limit of ProBoard.

A message area has the following fields:

Name

Name of this message area.

Path

The path where this Message Area is located. This is used for SQUISH, JAM, and *.MSG, but NOT for Hudson.

Message Kind

The kind of message. You can have:

• Local (Local messages)
• EchoMail (Echomail)
• NetMail (Netmail)
• Pvt EchoMail (Private Echomail)

One word about the difference between the “Echo” type and the “Pvt Echo” type: In “Echo” areas, it is not allowed to delete messages that have been exported by an echomail processor (as specified by the FTSC, the FidoNet Technical Standards Committee). In a “Pvt Echo” area, this restriction is not imposed.

Message Type

One of the following:

• Private only: Only private messages allowed.
• Pvt/Public: Private or public messages allowed.
• Public only: Only public messages allowed.
• To All: This message type should be used in a LOCAL message area only.

The “To All” message type is intended for a SysOp to leave messages to all users. Any messages entered in this area will considered “To All” regardless of the whom the “To” is addressed to. Messages entered in this area will be shown when ProBoard checks for waiting mail. You may not want to allow users to reply to these messages since their replies will be sent to all users. A better idea is to set the “Reply Area” to a different message area number if you decide to let users reply to your announcement messages.

Name Options

Determines which names can be used to write messages in this area. This can be:

• Real Names Only: Obvious I guess
• Free Alias: The user can choose any alias he likes, as long as it's not used by another user.
• Fixed Alias (or real name): The user can choose between his real name and his alias
• Fixed Alias (enforced): The user can only use his alias towrite a message

It is recommended that areas where aliases are allowed, are made “Public Only”.

Message Base

The type of message base to use for this message area. Valid choices are Hudson, Squish, JAM, and Fido (*.MSG).

Use the <SpaceBar> to toggle between available choices. Remember, if you select Hudson that this message area's number (see top bar of the window) should be message area 200 or lower since Hudson only supports up to 200 message areas.

Read Level

Security Level needed to read messages in this area.

Read Flags

Flags needed to read messages in this area. You can now specify flags that a user MUST NOT have in order to READ from this message area. These flags are shown in reverse. To set a reverse flag, press the flag letter twice (it will appear reversed). To clear a reversed flag type the flag letter one more time.

Write Level

Security Level needed to write messages in this area.

Write Flags

Flags needed to write messages in this area. You can now specify flags that a user MUST NOT have in order to WRITE to this message area. These flags are shown in reverse. To set a reverse flag, press the flag letter twice (it will appear reversed). To clear a reversed flag type the flag letter one more time.

SysOp Level

Security Level needed to be allowed access to all functions in this message area.

SysOp Flags

Flags needed to be allowed access to all functions in this message area. You can now specify flags that the SysOp MUST NOT have in order to be allowed access to all functions in this this message area. These flags are shown in reverse. To set a reverse flag, press the flag letter twice (it will appear reversed). To clear a reversed flag type the flag letter one more time.

Origin Line

Only for Echomail: if you do not specify this, the default origin line will be used (refer to F1, Site Options, to specify your default origin line).

Use AKA

The network address for this area (for Echomail & Netmail only).

EchoMail Tag

This field is used by ProBoard to create a file called ECHOTOSS.LOG You should enter the Echomail Tag name for this message area (if this message area has the “Message Kind” field set to “EchoMail”). When a user enters a message into this area the tag name you specify here will be written to the file ECHOTOSS.LOG in the ProBoard system directory, causing your mail tosser to scan for outbound mail in this message area upon the callers logoff.

QWK Area Name

(Optional) You can enter the name of this area for QWK mail packers. QWK only supports up to 12 characters for area names.

Reply Area

The area where replies to messages in this area should be posted. Useful for allowing users to reply to “To-All” messages. Set this to “0” (zero) if you want replies to go to the current message area.

SysOp

The user name for an “Area SysOp”. A user with this name will have full SysOp access to this message area. When users write messages to “SysOp” in this area, the messages will be sent to the user name specified here.

Group #1

The first group number this message area belongs to (1-255) if any.

Group #2

The second group number this message area belongs to (1-255) if any.

Group #3

The third group number this message area belongs to (1-255) if any.

Group #4

The fourth group number this message area belongs to (1-255) if any.

All Groups

Does this message area belong to all message groups? Press the <SpaceBar> to toggle between Yes/No.

Kill after <xx> days

When running the PBUTIL message packer with the -D parameter, all messages that have been in the message base for <xx> days will be deleted. This is for both HUDSON and JAM message base formats.

Kill rcvd after <xx> days

When running the PBUTIL message packer with the -D parameter, all messages that have been received for <xx> days will be deleted. This is only for HUDSON or JAM message base formats.

Max # messages

The maximum number of messages allowed in this area. When this number is exceeded, PBUTIL MP -D (message pack & delete) will delete the oldest messages from the message base (Hudson and Squish).