Listserv FAQ

         Revised LISTSERV System Reference Library, release 1.7f
         -------------------------------------------------------
         (c) Eric Thomas 1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993

      ************************************************************
      *                                                          *
      * LISTSERV command reference cards:                        *
      *                                                          *
      *-> LISTSERV REFCARD: General user commands                *
      *   LISTOWNR REFCARD: List and file management commands    *
      *   LISTMAST REFCARD: Commands for the LISTSERV maintainer *
      *                                                          *
      ************************************************************

Commands are listed in alphabetical order, with the minimum acceptable
abbreviation in capital letters. Angle brackets are used to indicate
optional parameters. All commands which return a file accept an optional
'F=fformat' keyword (without the quotes) that lets you select the format
in which you want the file sent; the default format is normally
appropriate in all cases. Some esoteric, historical or seldom-used
commands and options have been omitted.

List subscription commands (from most to least important)
---------------------------------------------------------
SUBscribe    listname         Subscribe to a list, or change
                                         your name if already subscribed
SIGNOFF                                  Remove yourself:
             listname                    - From the specified list
             *                           - From all lists on that server
             * (NETWIDE                  - From all lists in the network
SET          listname options            Alter your subscription options:
             ACK/NOACK/MSGack            -> Acknowledgements for postings
             CONCEAL/NOCONCEAL           -> Hide yourself from REVIEW
             Files/NOFiles               -> Toggle receipt of non-mail
                                            files from the list
             Mail/NOMail                 -> Toggle receipt of mail
             DIGests/INDex               -> Ask for digests or message
                                            indexes rather than getting
                                            messages as they are posted
             REPro/NOREPro               -> Copy of your own postings?
             TOPICS: ALL                 -> Select topics you are
                     <+/->topicname         subscribed to (add/remove
                                            one or replace entire list)
Options for mail headers of incoming postings (choose one):
             FULLhdr or FULLBsmtp        -> "Full" mail headers
             IETFhdr                     -> Internet-style headers
             SHORThdr or SHORTBsmtp      -> Short (default) headers
             DUALhdr                     -> Dual headers, useful with PC
                                            or Mac mail programs
CONFIRM      listname1 > Confirm your subscription
                                         (when LISTSERV requests it)

Other list-related commands
---------------------------
INDex        listname                    Sends a directory of available
                                         archive files for the list, if
                                         postings are archived
Lists                            Send a list of lists as follow:
             (no option)                 -> Local lists only, one line
                                            per list
             Detailed                    -> Local lists, full information
                                            returned in a file
             Global                      -> All known lists, one line per
                                            list, sent as a (large!) file
             Global /xyz                 -> Only those whose name or
                                            title contains 'xyz'
             SUMmary               -> Membership summary for all
                                            lists on specified node
             SUMmary ALL                 -> For all nodes (long output,
                                            send request via mail!)
             SUMmary TOTAL               -> Just the total for all nodes
Query        listname                    Query your subscription options
                                         for a particular list (use the
                                         SET command to change them)
             *                           -> Query all lists you are
                                            subscribed to on that server
REGister     full_name                   Tell your name to LISTSERV, so
                                         that you don't have to specify
                                         it on subsequent SUBSCRIBE's
             OFF                         Make LISTSERV forget your name
REView       listname <(options>         Get information about a list
             BY sort_field               -> Sort list in a certain order:
                Country                     by country of origin
                Name                        by name (last, then first)
                NODEid                      by nodeid
                Userid                      by userid
             BY (field1 field2)          -> You can specify more than one
                                            sort field if enclosed in
                                            parentheses: BY (NODE NAME)
             Countries                   -> Synonym of BY COUNTRY
             LOCal                       -> Don't forward request to
                                            peers
             Msg                         -> Send reply via interactive
                                            messages (BITNET users only)
             NOHeader                    -> Don't send list header
             Short                       -> Don't list subscribers
STats        listname <(options>         Get statistics about a list
             LOCal                       -> Don't forward to peers

Informational commands
----------------------
Help                                     Obtain a list of commands
Info                              Order a LISTSERV manual, or get
                                         a list of available ones (if no
                                         topic was specified)
Query     File fn ft  <(options>  Get date/time of last update of
                                            a file, and GET/PUT file access
                                            code
          FLags                             -> Get additional technical
                                               data (useful when reporting
                                               problems to experts)
RELEASE                                     Find out who maintains the
                                            server and the version of the
                                            software and network data files
SHOW                              Display information as follows:
          ALIAS node1 >         -> BITNET nodeid to Internet
                                               hostname mapping
          BITEARN                           -> Statistics about the BITEARN
                                               NODES file
          DISTribute                        -> Statistics about DISTRIBUTE
          DPATHs node1 >        -> DISTRIBUTE path from that
                                               server to specified node(s)
          DPATHs *                          -> Full DISTRIBUTE path tree
          FIXes                             -> List of fixes installed on
                                               that server
          LINKs node1 >         -> Network links at the BITNET
                                               node(s) in question
          NADs node1 >          -> Addresses LISTSERV
                                          recognizes as node administrators
          NETwork                           -> Statistics about the network
          NODEntry node1 >      -> BITEARN NODES entry for the
                                               specified node(s)
          NODEntry node1 /abc*/xyz          -> Just the ':xyz.' tag and all
                                               tags whose name starts with
                                               'abc'
          PATHs snode node1 >   -> BITNET path between 'snode'
                                               and the specified node(s)
          STATs                             -> Usage statistics
                                               (default option)
          (no function)                     -> Same as SHOW STATS

Commands related to file server functions
-----------------------------------------
AFD                                            Automatic File Distribution
             ADD    fn ft >  Add file or generic entry to
                                               your AFD list
             DELete fn ft         Delete file(s) from your AFD
                                            list (wildcards are supported)
             List                           Displays your AFD list
             For node administrators:
             FOR user ADD/DEL/LIST etc      Perform requested function on
                                            behalf of a user you have
                                            control over (wildcards are
                                            supported for DEL and LIST)
FUI                                         File Update Information: same
                                            syntax as AFD, except that FUI
                                            ADD accepts no 'prolog text'
GET          fn ft  <(options>    Order the specified file or
                                            package
             PROLOGtext xxxx               -> Specify a 'prolog text' to be
                                              inserted on top of the file
GIVE         fn ft   user     Sends a file to someone else
INDex                             Same as GET xxxx FILELIST
                                            (default is LISTSERV FILELIST)
PW           function                       Define/change a "personal
                                            password" for protecting
AFD/FUI
                                            subcriptions, authenticating
PUT
                                            commands, and so on
             ADD firstpw                    -> Define a password for the
                                               first time
             CHange newpw PW=oldpw          -> Change password
             DELete oldpw                   -> Delete password
SENDme                                      Same as GET

Other (advanced) commands
-------------------------
DATAbase     function                       Access LISTSERV database:
             Search DD=ddname      -> Perform database search
                                               (see INFO DATABASE for more
                                                information on this)
             List                           -> Get a list of databases
                                               available from that server
             REFRESH dbname                 -> Refresh database index, if
                                               suitably privileged
DBase                                       Same as DATABASE
DISTribute        Distribute a file or a mail
                                            message to a list of users (see
                                            INFO DIST for more details on
                                            the syntax)
             Type:
             MAIL                           -> Data is a mail message, and
                                               recipients are defined
                                               by ''
             FILE                           -> Data is not mail, recipients
                                               are defined by ''
             RFC822                         -> Data is mail and recipients
                                               are defined by the RFC822
                                               'To:'/'cc:' fields
             Source:
             DD=ddname                      -> Name of DDname holding the
                                               data to distribute (default:
                                               'DD=DATA')
             Dest:
              user1 >       -> List of recipients
              DD=ddname                 -> One recipient per line
             Options for the general user:
             ACK=NOne/MAIL/MSG             -> Acknowledgement level
                                              (default: ACK=NONE)
             CANON=YES                     -> 'TO' list in 'canonical' form
                                              (uid1 node1 uid2 node2...)
             DEBUG=YES                      -> Do not actually perform the
                                               distribution; returns debug
                                               path information
             INFORM=MAIL                   -> Send file delivery message to
                                               recipients via mail
             TRACE=YES                      -> Same as DEBUG=YES, but file
                                               is actually distributed
             Options requiring privileges:
             FROM=user                      -> File originator
             FROM=DD=ddname                 -> One line: 'address name'
FOR          user command                   Execute a command on behalf of
                                            another user (for node
                                            administrators)
SERVE        user                           Restore service to a disabled
                                            user
THANKs                                      Check the server is alive
UDD                                         Access the User Directory
                                            Database (there are 18
functions
                                            and many sub-functions, so the
                                            syntax is not given here)

Syntax of parameters
--------------------
filelist  = 1 to 8 characters from the following set: A-Z 0-9 $#@+-_:
fformat   = Netdata, Card, Disk, Punch, LPunch, UUencode, XXencode,
VMSdump,
            MIME/text, MIME/Appl, Mail
fn        = same syntax as 'filelist'
ft        = same syntax as 'filelist'
full_name = firstname  surname (*not* your e-mail address)
listname  = name of an existing list
node      = BITNET nodeid or Internet hostname of a BITNET machine which
            has taken care of supplying a ':internet.' tag in its BITEARN
            NODES entry
pw        = 1 to 8 characters from the set: A-Z 0-9 $#@_-?!|%
user      = Any valid RFC822 network address not longer than 80 characters;
if
            omitted, the 'hostname' part defaults to that of the command
            originator