Conference vmszoo::rc

        I've seen notes like this where in one day over two dozen folks
        respond back to the author that they would like copies of whatever
        is being offered. I sit a long way electronically from the "core"
        of the Enet. Thus to read all of these responses can take a LOT of
        time. It also gobbles up disk space, for no real benefit. 
        
        My understanding of Notes Etiquette is that if your message is to
        "the world" that it belongs in the notes file. If your message is
        to a specific person, as these requests are, they should be sent
        to that person via MAIL, not brodcast to the world via NOTES. 
        
        I don't want to argue about this here. We can discuss this in
        HUMAN::ETIQUETTE. I will leave it to the moderator of this file to
        delete whatever in this note is not appropriate for this
        conference. 

    The replies to topic 11 are directories of the notes associated
    with the file's keywords; see 11.* for details.  The text below
    provides some information on the use of RC keywords and the use
    of these directories.  A fast and easy way to find information 
    is described in 2.2 --- the basics are below.
    
    Keyword creation:
    
        Anyone can create a keyword, but if you do, please do it very, very
        carefully.  First check that an appropriate keyword doesn't already
        exist.  (Check the list in 11.1 and/or SHOW KEYWORD.)  Then make
        sure that you spell it correctly.  Use the <RETURN> to terminate
        the word, not the <LINE FEED>.  And we would appreciate it if you
        would please choose a keyword that fits the current keyword
        hierarchy. (Do a SHOW KEY PLANE* to see some examples.) 
    
    Keyword assignments:
    
        Anyone can assign an existing keyword to any note or reply.  We
        have two requests. 
    
        First, please do not assign a keyword to a reply if the topic
        header note (the nnn.0 note) already has that keyword.  The reason
        for this is to keep the list of associated notes short enough for
        most people to easily use.  (Otherwise some keywords would have
        more than one hundred notes when you SHOW KEY/FULL)  But please
        _do_ assign a keyword to a reply that has useful information about
        another topic; that also tells the moderators that perhaps this
        reply should be moved.  (The fast way to see what keyword(s) are
        already assigned to an entry is to SHOW NOTE/KEY) 
    
        Second, please do not use the ADD KEY command to do the assignment.
        That's because we humans are error prone when we type the keyword;
        we misspell, we forget if the word was plural, etc.  Instead, read
        the note you want to tag, and then do a SHOW KEY using wildcards.
        (See example below.)  Move the pointer with KP5 and KP6 and then
        select the keyword with KP7.  NOTES will assign the selected
        keyword to the current note, the one you just read. 
    
    Keyword deletion:
    
        If you find a badly misplaced keyword, then DELETE KEY xxxxx is the
        command to remove the assignment to a particular note.  I think
        only a moderator can zap the keyword itself from the master list;
        that's why mistyped keywords are a pain. 
    
    Using keywords to find notes:
    
        The NOTES documentation tells you one way; a faster way is in 11.*,
    	and an even faster and easier way is in 2.2
    
        Here is an example of the traditional, by-the-book way:
    
    	    Let us find comments on battery chargers for fast charging.
    
    		NOTES> SHOW KEYWORD/FULL *batt*
    
            The wildcards were used here because you will not usually
            be certain how the keyword is spelled and structured.  The
            command could have been abbreviated.
            
    		NOTES> SHO K/F *batt*
            
            Either way, this command will currently list four keywords
            about batteries, one of which is BATTERY_CHARGERS.  The
            /FULL switch showed two topics associated with this keyword,
            
            	BATTERY_CHARGERS	46.0, 790.0
            
            A directory of these two with all of their replies, e.g.
        
    		NOTES> DIR  46.ALL
        
            would find
            
		 46	on "fast charging"     with 
		 46.3	on "charge rates and charge times and limits"
        
            and several related entries under 790.  
            
    Printing and/or saving all of the notes associated with a keyword:
        
        The NOTES documentation tells you to 
        
        	NOTES> SAVE/KEY=whatever filename *.*
            
        or, equivalently,
            
        	NOTES> SAVE/KEY=whatever filename 1.TOP-LAST.LAST
        
        This command will take a while.  Again, please see 2.2

    Keywords are pointers to a set of notes with something in common,
    for example almost all the notes that discuss airplane kits have
    "AIRPLANE_KITS" as an associated keyword.  Read 2.* for details.
    
    You often will not be sure what the exact keyword is that you are
    interested in, e.g. airplane kits might be flagged as KITS or and
    PLANE_KIT, etc.  You don't need to know; use wildcards and a fragment 
    that you are pretty sure of.  A VMS wildcard is the asterisk, "*",
    and it represents an unknown string of characters.  A keyword fragment
    is a few consecutive  characters in the keyword that you are sure
    of, in this example, "KIT".  The combination, "*KIT*", represents
    any string followed by "KIT" followed by any string, so
    
	Notes> SHOW KEY/FULL *kit*  ! upper/lower case doesn't matter
    
    will display:

    	 Keyword              Note

	 AIRPLANE_KITS        11.4, 29.0, 59.0,    these
	 CONTRACT_KIT_BUILDER 11.23, 188.0, 517.0  are fake
	 PLANE_KITTIWAKE      11.147, 142.0        examples
    
    In this conference, the notes 11.3 through 11.last are directories
    of the notes associated with keywords, so you can see a list of notes 
    discussing airplane kits by
    
	Notes> 11.4

    This technique is very, very fast and complements the techniques
    described in the earlier 2.2
    
    Continuing this example, reading 11.4 would show that topic 118
    and its 39 replies discuss miscellaneous airplane kits.  To see
    the next level of detail, show a directory of topic 118.
    
	Notes> DIRECTORY 118.all
    
    Then move the arrow up or down with KP5 and KP2 until it points
    to the particular note you want to read and press KP7.

    If you need help in this sort of thing, send me MAIL.

    About twice a month a newcomer will ask a basic question without first
    looking to see if it has already been asked and answered.  Everyone
    would be better off if they were first to read the existing
    information.  However, it isn't intrinsically obvious to someone new
    just *how* they can find this existing information.  It was to address
    this need that the guidance to find things has been put in topic 2.*
    where they should be certain to find at least this guidance.
    
    It is a discourtesy to the other participants if they do not do the
    homework before asking.  The moderators will usually step in and
    write-lock the question unless it seeks new material.  Once the
    newcomers have read the applicable material, they are encouraged to
    ask new questions --- the recent and valuable discussion about landing
    a plane was the result of such a question.
    
    So, new user, please:    
    
    1.	read 2.* and 11.0   and learn how to use keywords
            
            This file is a gold mine, but you really need to use keywords
            as well as titles to find the gold --- mostly keywords.
    
    2.	look at a directory of topics 1-120
            
            What formal organization that exists starts there.
    
    Alton, the housekeeper
    ----------------------------------------------------

    Standard form letter # 193:
    
    To encourage continuing discussions to appear in better places,
    this topic will be write-locked --- not to throw cold water on your
    questions but to make it easier for future retrievals.
    
    Some of the replies to your question will be moved to xxx.last;
    the rest of this will eventually go away.
    
    The notes referred to above were found by the following fast method:
    
        Notes> SHO K/F *trainer*  ! showed several related keywords
        			  ! and pointed to note 11.something
        Notes> 11.something	  ! provides a directory of TRAINER info

    p.s.  The "something" (in 11.something) changes at least once per
    week as the keyword directories are updated.  They are usually
    alphabetical, but don't count on it; minor updates aren't.  If you
    get the "11.something" from the SHO K/F, it will be correct.
    
    The information in the keyword directories is more static.  There
    are changes every day, but not to a significant percentage.
            

    Please put in the right place the replies to questions that are
    themselves in the wrong place.  Start the reply with a quote or
    reference to provide context.  In general, a mis-located entry 
    will be moved; it is a question of when and how gracefully.
    
    For example, Mike Raspuzzi in his recent Who's WHO entry expressed his
    confidence in [needlessly] teaching himself how to fly a plane --- a 
    path most of us consider unwise and deserving of negative commentary.
    I suggest that a reply (someone else beat me to it) should have been
    entered under topic 101, the need-for-an-instructor topic, and have
    started with:
    
        	re  Note 4.277 31-JUL-1990 08:46 by LTDRVR::RASPUZZI 
        
  		Mike,

		Just a quick word on using an instructor....
    
    
    This is not a big deal.  We can continue to write things in-line and
    then move them later for future use and reference.  But this note when
    moved will not then be referring to its new predecessor, and this leads
    to what Anker correctly describes as confusion.

This is a revision of the original Note 2.2 entered last January.
    
    Here is the fastest, easiest technique I know to find something in 
    RC NOTES.  It typically takes me less than five seconds to know which
    entries discuss the desired topic, and it is self contained on the
    screen without the need of any pieces of paper on a wall.
    
    It depends upon a NOTES command that few people seem to know about,
    the "$ " command that invokes DCL.  If the first two characters in a
    command to NOTES are the dollar sign and a space respectively, the
    rest of the line is interpreted as a DCL command. That seems to work
    for everything --- like TYPE or MAIL or SHOW QUEUE or whatever.  And
    it works for the VMS SEARCH utility, the basis for this technique. 
    
    The technique described here works in conjunction with the keyword
    directories plus three files that are created and mailed out weekly
    to a distribution list.
    
    The technique is FAST!  The usual find-stuff procedures (DIR, SEARCH,
    SHOW KEYWORD/FULL, etc.) all go to WEWAND for execution.  If the
    network doesn't take forever, WEWAND might.  But this technique is
    fast mostly because it works on _your_ machine without going across
    the network to WEWAND and partially because we do some work for you
    on a weekly basis.  As a result, you can locate information in a
    large notes file very, very quickly. 
    
    The technique is easy to use.  With only one or two commands you let
    your computer do almost all of the work.  You don't have to remember
    (or to look up) exactly how a keyword is spelled or structured.  And
    although we recommend keywords and maintain a list of over three
    hundred to help you, you don't need to use keywords; the technique
    also works on title strings, etc. 
    
Preparation:
    
    Almost every Monday morning the people on the distribution list get
    three files in the mail:
    
        rc11.k	a directory of keyword directories = 11.1
        rc11.t	a directory of topics = 11.2
        rc11.a	a directory of _all_ entries   (= DIR *.*)
    
    The space required is about 2000 blocks; earlier versions are deleted.
    
Procedure for using these files:
    
    Simple example:  Where are the FOAM notes?
    
    	NOTES> $ SEA RC11.K foam   ! notice it is "$<SPACE>SEA ..."
    
    	look at the line(s) typed and then press <RETURN> as instructed
    
    	type the 11.whatever note that had been displayed
    
    	start reading the notes associated with the keyword, FOAM
    
    More complex example:  Is there anything here about Black Baron paint?
    
    	NOTES> $ SEA RC11.K "black baron"

    		%SEARCH-I-NOMATCHES, no strings matched
	       <RETURN>     Well, the direct attack didn't win this time.

    	NOTES> $ SEA RC11.K paint
        	..... 11.128  PAINTSTUFF .... 
    	       <RETURN>
    
    	NOTES> 11.128
    		.
    		.
  		CLOSUS::TAVARES       5-JUN-1989  951.29  Black Baron Boo
    
    	but, assuming that you want still more than John's condemnation,
    
    	NOTES> $ SEA RC11.A "black baron"
    		.
    		.
	        ... 239.880  The Black Baron Saga continues...
	        ... 288.103  Black Baron "epoxy" is an option
	        ... 288.338  Black Baron Disaster
	        ... 951.29  Black Baron Boo
    
        The first of these (under the RAMBLIN topic) is about film; the
        last three are germane.  All three could be found through the
        keywords alone, but it would have taken a while longer than the
        title search because there is so very much information under "LET
        US SPRAY".  And this local title search was two orders of magnitude
        faster than a title search directly on WEWAND. 
        
        This example also shows why meaningful titles are so much more
        helpful than conversational titles like "oops". 
   

    After you are familiar with this technique, read the VMS documentation
    on wildcard and multiple string searches.  This technique can fly.
    
    One final caveat:  Be aware that the space after the dollar sign is
    critical to the NOTES command interpreter and must not be omitted. 
    
    How else can we help you?

I distribute three directory files each weekend to a list of people who 
find them useful for finding stuff quickly.  (See note 2.2)  Ajai 
asked if it would make more sense to enter these files as notes that 
people could get via the SAVE command.  Two of the three already are 
notes, but the third is so large that some operations such as text 
searches would be slowed by the presence of a note with 14,000 lines.

RC11.K  =  11.1  =    a reformatted directory of the keyword directories
RC11.T  =  11.2  =    a directory of all the topics and

RC11.A  =  DIR *.*    a directory of all the entries in the file

If you just want to try the fast searches or if you want versions more 
up to date than weekly, you can create your own versions directly.  
The central creation and distribution is mostly a matter of efficiency.

Of course there had to be a way to do this, just not so easy to find since 
it seems to be different in every VMS product  8^)

This is a great find because it is also the answer to the network eating 
replies, just type in $ EDT <filename> and compose the text in your own back 
yard, exit, and send the reply with reply/noext <filename>.  If remote node 
is excited (sp), you haven't lost anything and can resend when it calms 
down because <filename> will still be where you left it!

BTW: don't like EDT or EVE, use $ LSE, $ WPS, $ SOS, $ TECO, $ What-you-like.

Saludos, Ron

    This is two topics;  Editors and Saving Notes
    
    Editors) You could start with typing HELP Choosing_an_Editor
    which will lead you through the basics.  Primarily you want to modify
    your NOTES Profile which contains your editor call spec.
    
    Personally, I like to run EVE in EDT Keypad mode.
    
    
    Saving Notes)  There are several ways to do this, within Notes.
    ------------
    1) if you don't exit Notes or don't enter another note, Notes has
    your text saved in a buffer.   Just reconnect to the Notes conference
    (eg: OPEN RC), position to the same place, and REPLY/LAST.
    You will get a chance to continue editing.
    
    You can also use this for correcting a note after you just entered it.
    Just DELETE the reply, then REP/LAS to re-edit it some more.
    
    2) If want a file copy for later, (because something long term
    happened)
    
    - type EVE
    - type <DO> BUFFER NOTES$EDIT <ret>
    - type <DO> WRITE FILE filename 
    - type <DO> Exit
    
    Then at a later time you can REPLY filename
    
    
    	Dave.

     I hope this is the right place to ask. Can someone show me how to do
    that NEXT USEEN set up.
    Thanks
    Walt

       Just type set seen/bef=04-nov-1992 and you will only see notes
    entered after that date.

    CSTEAM, a.k.a. DECRCM notes took a hit over the weekend. If anyone
    cannot stil get in please let me know.
    
    E.

The nodes database seems to need to be updated. I keep getting "network 
object is unknown at remote node" which means it doesn't recognize my 
node address.

   Actually it means that the NOTES software didn't startup properly on
CSTEAM.  You can see this by doing the following:

   $MCR NCP
   NCP> TELL CSTEAM SHOW KNOWN OBJECTS

  You will see that object #33 is missing.  Then do the same thing, but 
use WILLEE in place of CSTEAM.  You will see:


  NOTES         33  NOTES$SERVER.EXE           NOTES$SERVER


Execute the notes startup procedure to fix this...



                 Jim 

    System is up but network might still be a mess.
    We're working on it.
    
    E.
    

    If you really want to get through to DECRCM just change the system name
    to CSTSY1 instead of CSTEAM.
    
    We are having a problem with system aliases. Sorry for the
    inconvenience.
    
    E.

    We took a power loss again today when a squirrel bought the farm in a
    tranny.
    
    Please let me know if you have/get any problems in reaching CSTEAM.
    a.k.a. DECRCM' home.
    
    Regards,
    
    E.