enigma-bbs/messageareas/configuring-a-message-area....

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    <h1 class="page-title">Message Base</h1>
    <h2 id="general-information">General Information</h2>
<p>In ENiGMA½, a message base is divided into two logical grouping components: <strong>Message Conferences</strong> and <strong>Areas</strong>. Message conferences are top level containers while areas are for a specific topic. Messages are always stored internally with a area tag.</p>

<h2 id="conferences">Conferences</h2>
<p>Message Conferences are the top level container for <em>1:n</em> Message <em>Areas</em> via the <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">messageConferences</code> block in <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">config.hjson</code>. A common setup may include a local conference and one or more conferences each dedicated to a particular message network such as fsxNet, ArakNet, etc.</p>

<p>Each conference is represented by a entry under <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">messageConferences</code>. Each entries top level key is it’s <em>conference tag</em>.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><img class="emoji" title=":bulb:" alt=":bulb:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f4a1.png" height="20" width="20"> It is <strong>highly</strong> recommended to use snake_case style message <em>conference tags</em> and <em>area tags</em>!</p>
</blockquote>

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Config Item</th>
      <th>Required</th>
      <th>Description</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">name</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":+1:" alt=":+1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44d.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Friendly conference name</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">desc</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":+1:" alt=":+1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44d.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Friendly conference description.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">sort</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":-1:" alt=":-1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44e.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Set to a number to override the default alpha-numeric sort order based on the <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">name</code> field.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">default</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":-1:" alt=":-1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44e.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Specify <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">true</code> to make this the default conference (e.g. assigned to new users)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">areas</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":+1:" alt=":+1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44d.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Container of 1:n areas described below</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">acs</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":-1:" alt=":-1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44e.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>A standard <a href="/enigma-bbs/configuration/acs.html">ACS</a> block. See <strong>ACS</strong> below.</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<h3 id="acs">ACS</h3>
<p>An optional standard <a href="/enigma-bbs/configuration/acs.html">ACS</a> block can be supplied with the following rules:</p>
<ul>
  <li>
<code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">read</code>: ACS required to read (see) this conference. Defaults to <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">GM[users]</code>.</li>
  <li>
<code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">write</code>: ACS required to write (post) to this conference. Defaults to <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">GM[users]</code>.</li>
</ul>

<h3 id="example">Example</h3>

<pre><code class="language-hjson">{
  messageConferences: {
    local: { // conference tag
      name: Local
      desc: Local discussion
      sort: 1
      default: true
      acs: {
        read: GM[users] // default
      }
    }
  }
}
</code></pre>

<h2 id="message-areas">Message Areas</h2>
<p>Message Areas are topic specific containers for messages that live within a particular conference. The top level key for an area sets it’s <em>area tag</em>. For example, “General Discussion” may live under a Local conference while an fsxNet conference may contain “BBS Discussion”.</p>

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Config Item</th>
      <th>Required</th>
      <th>Description</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">name</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":+1:" alt=":+1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44d.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Friendly area name.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">desc</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":+1:" alt=":+1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44d.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Friendly area description.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">sort</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":-1:" alt=":-1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44e.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Set to a number to override the default alpha-numeric sort order based on the <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">name</code> field.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">default</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":-1:" alt=":-1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44e.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Specify <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">true</code> to make this the default area (e.g. assigned to new users)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">acs</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":-1:" alt=":-1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44e.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>A standard <a href="/enigma-bbs/configuration/acs.html">ACS</a> block. See <strong>ACS</strong> below.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">autoSignatures</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":-1:" alt=":-1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44e.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Set to <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">false</code> to disable auto-signatures in this area.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">realNames</code></td>
      <td><img class="emoji" title=":-1:" alt=":-1:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f44e.png" height="20" width="20"></td>
      <td>Set to <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">true</code> to use real names in this area.</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<h3 id="acs-1">ACS</h3>
<p>An optional standard <a href="/enigma-bbs/configuration/acs.html">ACS</a> block can be supplied with the following rules:</p>
<ul>
  <li>
<code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">read</code>: ACS required to read (see) this area. Defaults to <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">GM[users]</code>.</li>
  <li>
<code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">write</code>: ACS required to write (post) to this area. Defaults to <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">GM[users]</code>.</li>
</ul>

<h3 id="example-1">Example</h3>

<pre><code class="language-hjson">messageConferences: {
  local: {
    // ... see above ...
    areas: {
      enigma_dev: { // Area tag - required elsewhere!
        name: ENiGMA 1/2 Development
        desc: ENiGMA 1/2 development and discussion!
        sort: 1
        default: true
        acs: {
          read: GM[users] // default
          write: GM[l33t] // super elite ENiGMA 1/2 users!
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
</code></pre>

<h2 id="importing">Importing</h2>
<p>FidoNet style <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">.na</code> files as well as legacy <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">AREAS.BBS</code> files in common formats can be imported using <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">oputil.js mb import-areas</code>. See <a href="/enigma-bbs/admin/oputil.html">The oputil CLI</a> for more information and usage.</p>

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