Re: Re: ANSI Art Packs
By: AKAcastor to Apam on Mon Apr 01 2024 11:36 am

Howdy,

Since we're discussing ideas - does anyone have suggestions for how to automate creation of short filenames from long names? I'm sure there's no perfect solution, but maybe someone has something better than 'just take the first 8 letters of the filename'.

I've suggested this a couple of weeks ago now. I can implement a toggle in clrghouz, so that when long filenames come in, I can send them to downstream systems with an 8.3 name.

What I can do is, generate a unique 8.3 name, where the 8 will be a filearea_id+file_id value in hex (to clrghouz), and the .3 will the extension chopped to 3 chars. eg: 0A0001F3.ZIP, and while the file area and description are left intact, outside of your BBS you'll have no idea what the file is.

As apam suggested, the original name in the TIC file could be left intact as well.

Determining the 8 from the original filename by chopping it would be (IMHO) dangerous since the probability that it clashes with another name would be high (the mystic updates comes to mind, where there 8 chars is the same for windows, linux, pi from memory).

I also have a function that converts a date into 4 chars with 4 year precision, so I could take the first 4 chars, and make up the last 4 with that function - it might have some resemblence of a name, and be unique for at least 4 years. eg blndr2023d.zip might become blnd3F12.zip.

I might play around with the later and see how it goes...


...ëîåï
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: I'm playing with ANSI+videotex - wanna play too? (21:2/116)

What I can do is, generate a unique 8.3 name, where the
8 will be a filearea_id+file_id value in hex (to
clrghouz), and the .3 will the extension chopped to 3
chars. eg: 0A0001F3.ZIP, and while the file area and
description are left intact, outside of your BBS you'll
have no idea what the file is.

...

Determining the 8 from the original filename by chopping
it would be (IMHO) dangerous since the probability that
it clashes with another name would be high (the mystic
updates comes to mind, where there 8 chars is the same
for windows, linux, pi from memory).

I also have a function that converts a date into 4 chars
with 4 year precision, so I could take the first 4
chars, and make up the last 4 with that function - it
might have some resemblence of a name, and be unique for
at least 4 years. eg blndr2023d.zip might become
blnd3F12.zip.

IMO the latter method you mention - keeping the first 4 chars of filename and a datestamp for the rest - is the most desirable so far. I don't prefer the entire filename being random (or rather based on an encoded area/fileid), ideally the filenames could remain somewhat recognizable IMO.


Tempted to do 6 characters and ~1 and call it a day a la Microsoft. haha ;)


Chris/akacastor

--- Maximus 3.01
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

On Mon Apr 1 11:36:00 2024, AKAcastor wrote to Apam <=-

While I don't see this as a pressing issue, I am interested in finding possible ways to automate this - spending inordinate amounts of time on silly tech challenges is basically why I'm here. ;)

:) same. You could write a new tic processor? or is part of the challenge to work within the confines of period software??

:)

Andrew

=== TitanMail/netbsd v1.2.4

--- Talisman v0.53-dev (FreeBSD/amd64)
* Origin: Smuggler's Cove - scove.talismanbbs.com:2323 (21:1/182)

On 01 Apr 2024 at 09:46a, Roon pondered and said...

the optimal would be that Avon scripts the filenames to the 8.3 sizes

so

we don't need to write 3 or more different scripts on different parts

of

the world, but i can understand that he don't have the time for this.

I concede this the better option, but as mentioned dont really want to mess with the original files.. if there was a suitable script available ideally it would allow me to tag nodes that wanted the 8.3 version and also include the original filename in whatever was created for completeness.

The thought occurred to me of having a different file echo for just 8.3 files but that also seems a bit nutty. Tis a quandary but I think
sending them out as per the way they wee created seems to be the
best move for now.

I'm always up for experimenting ;-)

As long as you post here that they're going out I can look for them and put them in the fsxnet ansi area.

---
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3, ftp,nntp)
(ports 22, 23, 110, 21, 119) (ssh: login bbs password shsbbs)


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere telnet://shsbbs.net (21:2/148)

On 02 Apr 2024 at 09:09a, apam pondered and said...

On Mon Apr 1 11:36:00 2024, AKAcastor wrote to Apam <=-

While I don't see this as a pressing issue, I am interested in finding possible ways to automate this - spending inordinate amounts of time on silly tech challenges is basically why I'm here. ;)

:) same. You could write a new tic processor? or is part of the
challenge to work within the confines of period software??

:)

don't forget the trip to Disneyland to do research on this subject as well, or was it Paris? :)

Kerr Avon [Blake's 7] 'I'm not expendable, I'm not stupid and I'm not going' avon[at]bbs.nz | bbs.nz | fsxnet.nz

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 02 Apr 2024 at 09:09a, apam pondered and said...

On Mon Apr 1 11:36:00 2024, AKAcastor wrote to Apam <=-

While I don't see this as a pressing issue, I am interested in finding
possible ways to automate this - spending inordinate amounts of time on
silly tech challenges is basically why I'm here. ;)

:) same. You could write a new tic processor? or is part of the challenge to work within the confines of period software??

:)

don't forget the trip to Disneyland to do research on this subject as well, or was it Paris? :)

Isn't there a disneyland in paris??

Andrew



--- Noddy git-4716e54
* Origin: Smuggler's Cove - scove.talismanbbs.com:2323 (21:1/182)

While I don't see this as a pressing issue, I am
interested in finding possible ways to automate this -
spending inordinate amounts of time on silly tech
challenges is basically why I'm here. ;)

:) same. You could write a new tic processor? or is part
of the challenge to work within the confines of period
software??

Don't tempt me, I've considered writing a new one! haha I think a bit of tic pre-processing will do the trick and save re-implementing everything.

I do find it interesting to work within the confines of period software, but I haven't been limiting myself to that - just making it up as I go, whatever seems fun.


Chris/akacastor

--- Maximus 3.01
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

While I don't see this as a pressing issue, I am
interested in finding possible ways to automate this - spending inordinate amounts of time on silly tech challenges is basically
why I'm here. ;)

:) same. You could write a new tic processor? or is part of the challenge to work within the confines of period software??

Don't tempt me, I've considered writing a new one! haha I think a bit of tic pre-processing will do the trick and save re-implementing everything.

I do find it interesting to work within the confines of period software, but I haven't been limiting myself to that - just making it up as I go, whatever seems fun.

If you could write something that I could use before allfix, that would be great!

---
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3, ftp,nntp)
(ports 22, 23, 110, 21, 119) (ssh: login bbs password shsbbs)


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere telnet://shsbbs.net (21:2/148)

I'm playing catch up and hatching out around 13 art packs to FSX_ARTS file area

Be warned some files are more that 8.3 format in their naming convention... I'm just sending them out as they have been created by the respective artpack author.

x-posted to FSX_GEN and FSX_NET

Kerr Avon [Blake's 7] 'I'm not expendable, I'm not stupid and I'm not going' avon[at]bbs.nz | bbs.nz | fsxnet.nz

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

Re: ANSI Art Packs
By: Avon to All on Fri Dec 27 2024 02:26 pm

I'm playing catch up and hatching out around 13 art packs to FSX_ARTS file area

Be warned some files are more that 8.3 format in their naming convention... I'm just sending them out as they have been created by the respective artpack author.

Imported nicely here, thank you!
--
digital man (rob)

Steven Wright quote #5:
82.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
Norco, CA WX: 55.5øF, 76.0% humidity, 0 mph NNW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- SBBSecho 3.23-Linux
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