Re: Local vs Network message boards
By: Accession to Blue White on Sun May 05 2024 08:36 am

Hello Blue,

On Sun, 5 May 2024 13:07:18 -0500, you wrote:

This post got me thinking, though, so I fired up MM on a QWK packet.
It truncates the subjects to ~24 on replies also. I wonder if that is a *QWK* standard and all QWK readers do it when processing QWK packages?

That's definitely possible. I haven't kept up with (or even looked at) QWK standards. But even taking a look at Synchronet's wiki about QWK it does seem to show the length of 25 bytes (with the last byte reserved for an ascii 32 character = 24 bytes). So good call on that, as that would explain it.

Original/standard QWK message subjects can be a full 25 characters. The last byte is not reserved for a space (ASCII 32).

QWKE (QWK extended) extends the subject length to > 25 characters (no max length specified).
--
digital man (rob)

Breaking Bad quote #43:
Congratulations! You're now officially the cute one of the group.
Norco, CA WX: 64.1øF, 69.0% humidity, 11 mph WNW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (21:1/183)

Re: Local vs Network message boards
By: AKAcastor to Blue White on Sun May 05 2024 11:05 am

This post got me thinking, though, so I fired up MM on a QWK packet.
It truncates the subjects to ~24 on replies also. I wonder if that is a *QWK* standard and all QWK readers do it when processing QWK packages?

You are correct - 24 characters is the limit for subject lines in QWK packets.

The specs are a 25-byte ASCII string for the subject line - the last character must be NULL, so 24 printable characters. http://wiki.synchro.net/ref:qwk

I assume the above site is considered a reputable source. ;)

It is. :-) But you're misreading it: there's no subject string termination needed (space or NULL), so the full 25 characters can be used in a standard/original QWK message. QWKE extends the subject lengths beyond 25 chars.

I don't know the history behind it, whether the limit was arbitrarily chosen for QWK packets or if it was a pre-existing limit enforced by some BBS software.

PCBoard limit, maybe. QWK was originally for PCBoard, iirc.
--
digital man (rob)

This Is Spinal Tap quote #26:
David St. Hubbins: They were still booing him when we came on stage.
Norco, CA WX: 63.0øF, 70.0% humidity, 9 mph WSW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (21:1/183)

The specs are a 25-byte ASCII string for the subject line - the last character must be NULL, so 24 printable characters. http://wiki.synchro.net/ref:qwk

I assume the above site is considered a reputable source. ;)

It is. :-) But you're misreading it: there's no subject
string termination needed (space or NULL), so the full
25 characters can be used in a standard/original QWK
message. QWKE extends the subject lengths beyond 25
chars.

Thanks for the clarification!


Chris/akacastor


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