enigma-bbs/docs/file_base.md

File Bases

Starting with version 0.0.4-alpha, ENiGMA½ has support for File Bases! Documentation below covers setup of file area(s), but first some information on what to expect:

A Different Appoach

ENiGMA½ has strayed away from the old familure setup here and instead takes a more modern approach:

• Gazelle inspired system for searching & browsing files
• No File Conferences
• File Areas are still around but should generally be used less. Instead, files can have one or more tags. Think things like dos.retro, pc.warez, game, etc.
• Temporary web (http:// or https://) download links in additional to standard X/Y/Z protocol support
• Users can star rate files & search/filter by ratings

Other bells and whistles

• A given area can span one to many physical storage locations
• Upload processor can extract and use FILE_ID.DIZ/DESC.SDI, for standard descriptions as well as README.TXT, *.NFO, and so on for longer descriptions
• Upload processor also attempts release year estimation by scanning prementioned description file(s)
• Fast indexed Full Text Search (FTS)
• Duplicates validated by SHA-256

Configuration

Like many things in ENiGMA½, configuration of file base(s) is handled via config.hjson entries in the fileBase section.

fileBase: {
	areaStoragePrefix: /path/to/somewhere/

	storageTags: {
		/* ... */
	}

	areas: {
		/* ... */
	}
}

Storage tags

Storage Tags define paths to a physical (file) storage location that can later be referenced in a file Area entry. Each entry may be either a fully qualified path or a relative path. Relative paths are relative to the value set by the areaStoragePrefix key. Below is an example defining a both a relative and fully qualified path each attached to a storage tag:

storageTags: {
	retro_pc: "retro_pc" // relative
	retro_pc_bbs: "retro_pc/bbs" // still relative!
	bbs_stuff: "/path/to/bbs_stuff_storage" // fully qualified
}

Areas

File base Areas are configured using the fileBase::areas configuration block in config.hjson. Each entry within areas must contain a name, desc, and storageTags. Remember that in ENiGMA½ while areas are important, they should generally be used less than in tradditional BBS software. It is recommended to favor the use of more tags over more areas.

Example areas section:

areas: {
	retro_pc: {
		name: Retro PC
		desc: Oldschool PC/DOS
		storageTags: [ "retro_pc", "retro_pc_bbs" ]
		acs: {
			write: GM[users] /* optional, see ACS below */
		}
	}
}

ACS

If no acs block is supplied, the following defaults apply to an area:

• read (list, download, etc.): GM[users]
• write (upload): GM[sysops]

To override read and/or write ACS, supply a valid acs member.

Uploads

Note that storageTags may contain 1:n storage tag references. Uploads in a particular area are stored in the first storage tag path.

oputil

The oputil.js +op utilty file-base command has tools for managing file bases. See oputil.js file-base --help.