::: CEE UCL HelpDesk: Listserv :::

LISTSERV

This is a bit lengthy however reasonably thorough introduction to LISTSERV.

Introduction to LISTSERV
Subscribing to a LISTSERV mailing list
Subscribing Commands for LISTSERV
Sending commnads to LISTSERV
Finding LISTSERV discussion lists
Retrieving information from LISTSERV File server/Archives
Commands to manipulate files on a LISTSERV server
Getting to know a LISTSERV server

Introduction to LISTSERV

"I have made this letter longer than usual, only because
I have not had the time to make it shorter"
- Blaise Pascal, Provincial Letters

A LISTSERV is a mail distribution list management package program designed to copy and distribute electronic mail to everyone subscribed to a particular mailing list.

LISTSERVs work on a concept called "mail explosion." A single piece of e-mail is sent to a central address (the LISTSERV file server's address), and the LISTSERV then "explodes" the letter by duplicating that single letter and sending one copy of that letter to every single person subscribed to a particular mailing list. This service provides a convenient means for the exchange of ideas and information between list members. There are many different lists, each containing users who share particular interests. Users had only to send mail to the e-mail address of a list in order to communicate with any number of list members.

Anyone who can send electronic mail and who has a valid return mail address, can use LISTSERV. Every day, people use LISTSERV from Internet, AOL, MCIMail and many other networks throughout the world. LISTSERV runs on IBM VM/CMS systems on the international network (BITNET), and retrospectively, LISTSERV was originally devised by the BITNET Information Centre (BITNIC).

In addition to its mailing list functions, LISTSERV servers can also log mail traffic, store all the messages associated with their lists, and carry out database searches of archives and files. That means LISTSERVs can also serve as a "library" of files -- files that you can retrieve using nothing but a simple e-mail letter sent to the LISTSERV's address with a few simple database functions of LISTSERVin the body of that letter.

The LISTSERV concept was later adopted and modified by Eric Thomas in a new version of the server called Revised LISTSERV. This LISTSERV server retained its primary function as a mail distribution agent and also added many new and powerful features.

A major enhancement was the addition of a command processor to the Revised LISTSERV. With the original LISTSERV, all requests for subscription to or removal from mailing lists had to be processed on a user's behalf by the LISTSERV administrator. As the popularity of the server increased, this inevitably led to delays. The new Revised LISTSERV server, however, allowed these and other commands to be sent directly to LISTSERV by the users themselves. This not only reduced the administrative overhead of the server but also ensured that the members of a list would be an up-to-date and interested audience.

A more fundamental enhancement to Revised LISTSERV over its predecessor came in its operational design. This was made to accommodate the decentralization of the service. Decentralization meant that instead of there being one centralized LISTSERV server controlling all of the mailing lists, many of these servers were located across the network and managed their own, independent set of lists. This improved both the efficiency and robustness of the service by allowing users of LISTSERV to be subscribed to mailing lists managed by a number of different servers, all located at different computer sites. Even so, a high degree of inter-server cooperation was maintained which preserved the benefits of a centralized service.

For example, a global sign-me-off-all-lists command sent to one LISTSERV would be automatically propagated to all the other LISTSERV servers on the network (literally, all over the world). Likewise, mailing lists at different LISTSERV servers could be peered together. Lists such as these would have the same name but each one would have a different membership. Mail sent to any one of these lists would automatically be distributed to the membership at each of its peers. This meant that a large mailing list could be split over one or more LISTSERV servers. Using a decentralized topology for LISTSERV also gave rise to the development of powerful mail distribution algorithms that significantly reduced the overall electronic mail traffic load on the BITNET network and which provided a fast and efficient service to all LISTSERV users.

Subscribing to a LISTSERV mailing list

"But in our enthusiasm, we could not resist a radical overhaul of the system, in which all of its major weaknesses have been exposed, analyzed, and replaced with new weaknesses"
- Bruce Leverett, "Register Allocation in Optimizing Compilers"

Subscribe to a LISTSERV mailing list is very straight forward. This may be done by sending a list subscription request to the LISTSERV server managing the list. Normally you need to mail an e-mail letter to an appropriate LISTSERV server.

	SUBSCRIBE list-name <Your First name> <Your Last name>

For example, if I want to subscribe to IBM AIX Unix operating system discussion list (AIX-L), I send an email to LISTSERV@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU with an empty SUBJECT section and with following one-line command in the body of my e-mail:

	SUBSCRIBE AIX-L Jae Yoon

If you ever need to unsubscribe from a list, the UNSUBSCRIBE command will take care of everything. There are three different UNSUBSCRIBE commands that you can use:

Command	It does
UNSUBSCRIBE list-name	to unsubscribe from a particular list (you need to replace the word "list-name" with the name of a the list you are dropping)
UNSUBSCRIBE *	to unsubscribe from every list at a particular Listserv address
UNSUBSCRIBE GLOBAL	to unsubscribe from every LISTSERV list on the planet no matter what they are

Remember: you send LETTERS to the street address; you send COMMANDS to the LISTSERV address. Etch this into your brain.

Subscribing Commands for LISTSERV

The following commands are designed for use with LISTSERV mailing lists. With them, you may do things such as finding the names and addresses of lists, signing on to or off lists, reviewing lists or changing your personal options for any mailing list to which you are subscribed. General command syntax is

	Command list-name [Options]

Where Command can be abbreviated with first few capitalized letters. (See below in the command list section)

A word about 'F= format keyword'. . .

Note that the 'F= format keyword' may be used optionally with any of the commands where they appear. This keyword controls the file format in which files will be sent to you.

LISTSERV will always use the default file format of MAIL. Any user may ask for a file format other than their default(=MAIL) by specifying it in the 'F= format keyword' in the commands where it appears as an option. This is particularly useful when you would like receive a binary program(s) instead of plain 'Text-only' MAIL format. However, this 'F= format keyword' approach becomes rapidly archaic way of receiving binary files due to recent prolifilation of world wide web.

Note that this will not permanently change your default file format, its effect is only for those commands where it is specified. Following is a list of valid file formats you can specify with 'F= format keyword' option.

XXE

UUe

MIME/text

MIME/Appl

MAIL

SUBscribe	Sign on to a mailing list
SIGNUP	A synonym for the SUBscribe command
UNSubscribe	Sign off a mailing list
SIGNOFF	A synonym for the UNSubscribe command
List	Receive a listing of all the mailing lists at a server
REView	Receive details of a mailing list
Query	Review your optional settings for a mailing list
SET	Change your optional setting for a mailing list
CONFIRM	Confirm your subscription to a mailing list
STats	Display statistical information about a mailing list
REGister	Register your name at a LISTSERV server

SUBscribe

Use the SUBscribe (or SIGNUP) command to join a mailing list. You can also use this command to alter the name (but not e-mail address) by which you are known on a mailing list you have already joined. The format of the command is:

SUBscribe list-name < full-name >

Where list-name is the name of the list to which you want to subscribe. For example, the IBM AIX Unix operating system discussion list located at the Princeton University (PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU) has a list name of AIX-L. Do not confuse this with the list's address (AIX-L@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU) which should not be used.

The optional full-name parameter allows you to give a name by which you want to be known on a mailing list. If specified, it should be your full, real name (at least your first name and last name) and not your e-mail address.

If you send this command to LISTSERV without your name, the name for the full-name option will be taken from the name given in your "From:" mail header. For example, the following command would subscribe you to the AIX-L mailing list under the name of Bill Clinton:

	SUBSCRIBE AIX-L Bill Clinton
	(or SUB AIX-L Bill Clinton)

It should be sent to LISTSERV at PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU (LISTSERV@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU) which manages the AIX-L list. When you join a list, LISTSERV at that site adds your name and e-mail address to its 'signup' file.

A request to join a mailing list can be processed in three ways: subscription to a list may be OPEN, CLOSED, or BY-OWNER.

If it is OPEN, you will be automatically added to the list and sent notification.
If it is CLOSED, you will not be added to the list, and LISTSERV will send you a message telling you that your request has been rejected.
If it is BY-OWNER, your subscription request will be forwarded to the list owner(s), who will decide whether or not to add you to the list (LISTSERV will inform you to whom your request has been forwarded).

To see what kind of subscription a list has, you can use the REView command.

UNSubscribe

Use the UNSubscribe (or SIGNOFF) command to leave a mailing list. The format of the command is:

UNSubscribe list-name | * < GLOBAL >

where list-name is the name of a mailing list from which you want to remove your subscription. You can signoff all the lists to which you are a member at any particular LISTSERV site by using the '*' (asterisk) character in the place of a list name.

If you want to leave all the LISTSERV lists you belong to throughout the network (on the planet), send the following command to your nearest (or any) LISTSERV:

	UNSubscribe  GLOBAL

Use this option if you are changing your e-mail address or are leaving your computer for an extended period. (of course, you need to be absolutely sure about this OR save current LISTSERV list(s) and address(es) first for re-subscribing)

List

Use this command to get a listing of available mailing lists at a LISTSERV server. The format of the command is:

List <options> <F=format> <CLASS=class>

Where options may be any of the following:

Short	This option displays a summary of all the lists managed by a LISTSERV in a brief, one line description. This is the default.
Long	The Long (or Detailed) option will send a file (called node-name LISTS) to you that contains a comprehensive description of the lists managed by a LISTSERV server.
Detailed	This is a synonym for the Long option.
Global <pattern>	This option gives a complete list of all known LISTSERV mailing lists at all servers at the time the command is issued. A file (called LISTSERV LISTS) will be sent to you containing the names, titles and e-mail addresses of these lists. This is a VERY LARGE file, so make sure you have the necessary disk space to accommodate its size before you use the Global option. The optional pattern parameter can be used to match any string in the list name, list title or list address. So if, for example, you wanted details of all mailing lists related to 'environmental engineering,' you could use the following command: LIST Global environmental engineering
SUMmary <node \| ALL \| TOTAL>	This option displays the number of lists managed by a LISTSERV server and the total number of users that are subscribed to them. This will be given for the server to which the command is sent or for the LISTSERV at any node (=site) given in the optional node parameter. Using the ALL parameter will provide the same information but for all LISTSERV servers across the network. The output with this option will be broken down on a server by server basis. The TOTAL optional parameter provides similar information except that you are only given an overall summary of the number of mailing lists and list members at all LISTSERVs and are not shown the figures from individual servers.

REView

Use this command to receive a listing of a mailing list.

It will be sent to you as a file called list-name.LIST (or list-name node-name.LIST for peered lists). A mailing list is comprised of two parts: a control section and a subscription section.

The control section holds the definition parameters for a list which includes information such as who is authorized to review or join a list and whether or not it is archived.
The subscription section holds the e-mail addresses and names of all list members.

The REView command allows you to receive a listing of either or both of these sections (the default is both) for any list, provided you are authorized to do so. Note that at the discretion of the list owner(s), the REView command can be restricted in use to list members only.

In such case, you will not be authorized to review a mailing list if you are not a member of that list yourself. Also, individual list members can restrict the appearance of their e-mail address and name in response to a REView command if they have set the CONCEAL mailing list option (see the SET command for more details). The format of the command is:

REView list-name < ( > <options>

Where list-name is the name of the LISTSERV list you wish to review. The options follow the list name and can be:

Short	This option restricts the information you receive to the control section of a list (giving its definition parameters) and does not return the subscription section of a list (giving the list members).
NOHeader	This option is the converse of the Short option. You will receive the listing of list members, but not the list's definition parameters.
Countries	If you use this option, the list of members will be organized by the nationality given in their e-mail addresses. This is similar to using the BY Country sort option shown below.
LOCal	If the list is peered (that is, it is linked to other mailing lists of the same name but on different LISTSERV servers), you will receive listings of all of these mailing lists in response to a REView command. The LOCal option can be used to suppress the propagation of the REView command to the LISTSERV servers hosting these peered mailing lists. In this case, you will receive a listing only from the server to which you send the REView command and not the others.
BY sort-fields	This option is used to specify a presentation for the members of a list you are reviewing. The sort-fields parameter indicates the way in which you want the list members to be sorted. If the BY option is not given in a REView command, the list members will be sorted by the computer node name given in their e-mail addresses. This is equivalent to using the the NODEid parameter with the BY option (see below). The sort-fields can be: Country Sort list members by the country of origin given in their e-mail addresses. Name Sort list members by their names (last, then first). Note that this is not the e-mail address but the full name that they provided when they subscribed to a list. NODEid Sort list members by their computer node. That is, the name that comes after the '@' (at sign) in their e-mail addresses. Userid Sort list members by their userids. That is, the name that comes before the '@' (at sign) in their e-mail addresses. For example, if you wished to have the membership of an IBM AIX Unix operating system discussion list (AIX-L) presented to you sorted by their userids: REView AIX-L LOCal BY Userid Note that more than one sort field may be specified when using the BY option. If this is the case, then the sort fields given must be enclosed in parentheses and the optional parenthesis that separates the list-name from the options of the REView command must also be present. The list members will then be sorted on all the given sort fields (in order from left to right). For example, if you wanted the list members of an IBM AIX Unix operating system discussion list (AIX-L) to be sorted by their countries and then by their names, your REView command would have the following format: REView AIX-L (LOCal BY (Country Name)

Query

When you join any mailing list, you will be assigned a default set of list options that control such things as way you received mail when it is distributed and the type of notification LISTSERV will give you when it distributes mail you have sent to a list.

These are the personal list options that may be altered on any mailing list to which you are subscribed to suite your circumstances. See the SET command for a complete descriptions of these options. The Query command can be used to review the personal list options you have in effect at any mailing list. It has the format:

Query list-name | *

where list-name is the name of a list to which you are subscribed. If you use an '*' (asterisk) character instead of a list name, you will receive information about your personal options for all lists to which you belong at the LISTSERV to which you send the command.

SET

Use the SET command to change your personal options for a mailing list. These options will remain in effect until they are explicitly changed. The Query command can be used to display your current optional settings for any list to which you are subscribed. The format of the SET command is:

SET < list-name | * > options

where list-name is the name of the mailing list for which you are changing your options. You may change your options for a specific list or for all the lists you belong to at a particular LISTSERV by using the '*' (asterisk) character in place of a list name.

After processing your SET command, LISTSERV will send you conformation of the successful alteration of your mailing list options via e-mail. Note that only the options you specify with this command are altered while the rest remain unchanged. The options are:

Mail	The Mail option means that you wish to have list mail distributed to you as mail. This is the default.
DIGests \| INDex	The DIGests and INDex options are available only if a list has had these features enabled by its owner(s). Digests hold all the mail messages sent to a list over a certain period of time. Instead of receiving each mail individually as it is distributed to list members, you will receive all the mail in one batch for a given day, week or month. You may then browse through these mail messages at your leisure. Note that mail is not edited with the DIGests option, you will receive copies of all the mail messages in their entirety. The INDex option will provide you with only the date, time, subject, number of lines and the sender's name and address for all mail messages sent to a list. The text of the mail message will not be included. You may then select and retrieve any mail that interests you from the list archive. Both the DIGests and INDex options provide a means of listening in to discussions on mailing lists without having to deal with large quantities of incoming mail messages.
NOMail	The NOMail option means that mail sent to the list will not be distributed to you. This is useful when you are leaving your computer for an extended period of time and you do not want mail from the list to fill your mailbox. When you return, you can send the SET command with the Mail option to restore mail service. For example, if you want to stop receiving mail from all the lists at PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU to which you belong, send the following command to LISTSERV at PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU: SET * NOMAIL
ACK \| MSGAck \| NOACK	This indicates the kind of acknowledgement you want to receive from a LISTSERV server when it distributes any mail you have sent to a list. ACK means that you want to receive a mail message from LISTSERV indicating that your message was successfully distributed. MSGAck means that you want this confirmation via interactive messages rather than by e-mail. NOACK specifies that you want just a short, one line interactive message from LISTSERV. Note that MSGAck and NOACK acknowledgments are not sent to non-EARN/BITNET users. The default for this option is determined by the owner(s) of a list.
REPro \| NOREPro	Indicates whether or not you yourself want to receive a copy of any mail which you send to a list. The default is NOREPro, meaning that mail which you send to a list will be distributed to all members of the list except you. For example, if you want to get a copy of your own mail messages sent to list AIX-L at PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU, send the following command to LISTSERV at PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU: SET AIX-L REPRO
SHORThdr \| FULLhdr \| IETFhdr \| DUALhdr	All mail messages are comprised of header and body sections. The header section provides details such as the recipients, the original sender and the date ant time a mail message was sent. The mail body section contains the text of a mail message. These options of the SET command indicate the type of mail headers you want to receive in the mail distributed from a mailing list. SHORThdr means that the mail header will include only the essential informational headers (for instance the Date:, To:, From:, Subject:, Sender: and Reply-to: headers). This is the default. You may change this to FULLhdr, which means that all (including non-essential) mail headers will be present in e-mail. The IETFhdr option means that LISTSERV will not change the headers of a mail message it distributes to you other than to add a Received: mail header (and also a Message-id: and Sender: headers if either of these were not already present). This option is designed specifically for compatibility with SMTP exploders (as used, for instance, on the Internet network). Lastly, DUALhdr is very similar to the SHORThdr option except that LISTSERV will also insert mail headers at the beginning of the mail body. Therefore, when the mail is received and read by a recipient using this option, it will start with this information (for instance, the first three lines of a mail message may contain the To:, From: and Subject: mail headers). This option is useful for users of some PC based mail packages that will not display this information from the real mail headers.
CONCEAL \| NOCONCEAL	It indicates whether or not you want your name and mail address to appear in the display of list members which is given in response to a REView command. The default is NOCONCEAL. Note that a complete list of members is always given to list owners and LISTSERV administrators regardless of this option.
TOPICS: < + \| - > topic-names	A mailing list to which you are subscribed may support the separation of its mail into a set of topics. If a list owner has defined a variety of different discussion topics for a list, you may use the TOPICS: option to select those that are of interest to you and exclude all others. You will then receive only those mail messages posted to the list that relate to the one or more topics you have chosen. If you do not select any topics for such a list, you will receive all the e-mail sent to it. Note that you must have the Mail option enabled for a mailing list before you can then use the TOPICS: option since the DIGests and INDex options to not support topic selection and the NOMail option will stop all mail from a list being sent to you (see these options of the SET command for more information). Additionally, a list owner must have enabled topic support for a mailing list before you can use the SET TOPICS: command on that list. This is done at a list owner's discretion. You may use the REView command to determine if topics have been enabled on any particular mailing list. A mailing list may have up to eleven topics defined for it. You may select one or more of these topics by including their names in the topic-names parameter. For example, if a mailing list called NUCHEM-L had the topics neutron, proton and electron defined, you could send the command: SET NUCHEM-L TOPICS: NEUTRON PROTON to receive list mail related to only the neutron and proton topics. Once you have subscribed to various topics, they may be changed by using the '+' (add) or '-' (minus) symbols to increase or decrease the topics you wish to receive from a mailing list. This is useful when you do not want to retype a long list of topic names with the TOPICS: option. For example, to add the topic electron and remove the topic neutron from the NUCHEM-L list: SET NUCHEM-L TOPICS: +ELECTRON -NEUTRON You would now be subscribed to the topics of proton and electron for the NUCHEM-L mailing list. Note that you can review the topics which you have selected for any mailing list through the Query command. You may also use the special topic name of ALL to select all the topics available on a mailing list. This is useful when used in conjunction with the '-' (minus) symbol to select all but a few of the topics available on a mailing list. For example, to subscribe to every topic except neutron on the NUCHEM-L list, you could use the command: SET NUCHEM-L TOPICS: ALL -NEUTRON To send mail to one or more topics defined on mailing list, the topic names must be present in the Subject: mail header when the mail is posted. If more than one topic name is given, they must be separated by commas. The topic names section should then be finished with a ':' (semi-colon), after which the normal contents of the Subject mail header can be entered. For example, to send mail to the users subscribed to the proton and electron topics on the NUCHEM-L list, the Subject: mail header would look like this: Subject: proton,electron: Hydrogen Nucleus Results. You may also use the topic name of ALL to send mail to all of the available topics on a mailing list. If topic names were incorrect or were not included in the Subject: mail header, then this mail is distributed to the special topic name of OTHER. You may also subscribe to this topic to receive mail that is distributed under this topic name (note that a subscription to the topic ALL will receive mail distributed to the topic OTHER).

CONFIRM

Use the CONFIRM command to renew your subscription to a list. Some mailing lists require subscription renewal at regular intervals (usually once a year). A mail message is automatically sent to list members indicating that they must send a CONFIRM command within a given number of days or they will be removed from the list. This command must be sent from the same e-mail address that received the confirmation notice. The syntax of the CONFIRM command is:

CONFIRM list-name

where list-name is the name of the mailing list to which you are confirming your subscription. LISTSERV will send a message that your subscription has been confirmed. For example, if you receive a message from LISTSERV at PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU to confirm your subscription to the AIX-L list, then send the following command to that server:

	CONFIRM AIX-L

STats

This command will cause a statistical report for a specific mailing list to be sent to you. Note, however, that statistics may not be collected for some lists or they may not be available to everybody. The format of the command is:

STats list-name < (LOCal > < F= format > < CLASS= class

where list-name is the name of the list for which you are requesting statistics. The (LOCal option can be used to indicate that only local statistics are wanted and not the statistics from other LISTSERVs if the list happens to be peered. You will be sent a file (called list-name STATREP) containing the relevant statistics. It will give details such as the name or address and number of mail messages each sender has posted to the list and the network load (in hundreds of bytes) that the list contributes to the network traffic.

REGister

The REGister command can be used to register your full name at any LISTSERV server (note that this is your name and not your e-mail address). Once you have registered your name at a LISTSERV, that server will then always refer to you with that name (unless you provide a name in a mailing list subscription request). The command has the format:

Where full-name is your name. For example, the command:

	REGISTER James Brown

sent to any LISTSERV will cause that server to always refer to you with the given name. This can be removed by using the OFF option.

Sending commnads to LISTSERV

LISTSERV does not need to be on your own computer in order for you to be able to use it. All the servers reside on the BITNET network and are available to any users that can reach them (via e-mail). Once you are able to do this, you may then send them commands such as signing on or off various lists or any of the other commands described in this webpage.

There are three ways to communicate with LISTSERV servers:

via e-mail
by interactive message
by file transfer.

These three methods of communicating with LISTSERV are described below.

By E-mail

This is the primary, most common method of communicating with LISTSERV and can be employed by any user from any network via e-mail.

Sending commands to LISTSERV via e-mail is not the same as sending mail to a mailing list. Command mail must be sent to the server itself (for example, LISTSERV@ODUVM.CC.ODU.EDU) and should contain a series of LISTSERV commands in its text.

On the other hand, a mail message intended for distribution to the members of a mailing list should be sent to the name of that list (for example, the AIX-L@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU). When a LISTSERV server receives e-mail, it will assume that it is command mail and will sequentially execute the commands found on each line in the mail. The results of these commands will then be e-mailed back to the sender.

The address the server uses to return the command results will normally be the From: addressee in the command mail (that is, the original sender of the mail). Note that LISTSERV will ignore the contents of the Subject: mail header so make sure that your commands are in the body of the mail message and that you have only one command per line. Any blank lines that may be present in the body of the mail will be ignored.

For example, if you wanted LISTSERV at ODUVM.CC.ODU.EDU to execute the commands LIST and GET DOC FILELIST the body of your mail would look like this:

	LIST
	GET DOC FILELIST

and would be addressed to the userid LISTSERV at the node ODUVM.CC.ODU.EDU.

Besides returning command results, LISTSERV will also inform you of any unknown commands or syntax errors that were found in the command mail. A number of these errors will be tolerated and processing will be passed to the next command in sequence. However, should the error count pass a certain threshold, processing of the command mail will be stopped and any remaining commands will not be executed.

By Interactive Messages

In addition to sending commands to a LISTSERV server via e-mail, they can also be sent through interactive messages. This method is only available to BITNET users and not to users from other networks.

Commands can be sent (one at a time) to LISTSERV which will then execute them and send a response to your screen. Note that for some LISTSERV commands (usually those that generate large quantities of output), results will be sent to you in a file. If this occurs, you will be informed by a message on your screen. Note that commands sent to LISTSERV via interactive messages must be addressed to the server itself and not to any mailing lists.

By File Transfer

For BITNET users, it is also possible to send commands to LISTSERV via BITNET file transfer. It is not possible to use FTP or the file transfer systems of other networks to achieve this. Commands should be entered into a file or dataset using the same rules as described above for e-mail. The file may then be transferred to the LISTSERV server where you want the commands executed. The results will normally be returned to you by e-mail. Note that when you transfer command files to LISTSERV, they must be sent to the server itself and not to any mailing lists.

Finding LISTSERV discussion lists

Now, life would be a whole bunch easier if the only LISTSERV in the world was at the Old Dominion University. But, it isn't. There are thousands of different LISTSERVs around the world, and there are literally tens of thousands of different LISTSERV lists.

How are you ever going to find out what different discussion lists are out there, and what these lists' addresses are? Well, there are a couple of ways to do this:

Word of mouth -- someone tells you about a hot new list you need to check out.
The LIST GLOBAL or LIST GLOBAL / STRING. If you click here, it will gives a complete list of all known LISTSERV mailing lists at all servers at current moment. A file (called LISTSERV LISTS) will be sent to you containing the names, titles and e-mail addresses of these lists. This is a VERY LARGE file, so make sure you have the necessary disk space (!) to accommodate its size.
The optional STRING parameter can be used to match any string in the list name, list title or list address. So if, for example, you wanted details of all mailing lists related to chemistry, you could use the following command:
```
	LIST GLOBAL environmental engineering
	
```
Announcements made on other lists (that you are subscribing).

Retrieving information from LISTSERV file server/archives

Have you ever accidentally thrown away an e-mail and later, frantically searching for it? Well, if that letter was from a LISTSERV list and if that list keeps an archive, you can retrieve that e-mail from the LISTSERV anytime!

Here is how to do it:

Send an INDEX listname F=MAIL command to the LISTSERV address. For example, to get the index for the "walleye" list, send following to the LISTSERV address.
```
	INDEX WALLEYE F=MAIL
	
```
AFter receiving an index, look through it to find the file that you want to retrieve (the index will even tell you the filename and filetypes for each of the files).
Use the GET filename filetype F=MAIL command to get the file or notebook that you want.

LISTSERV also functions as a file server. That is, files can be stored at a LISTSERV server and made available for retrieval by users upon their request. These files are stored in LISTSERV under a hierarchical system of "filelists". As the name suggests, a filelist is a special file that holds a "list of files".

Each entry in a filelist describes a file that is available for retrieval and gives details such as the file's name and size and also a file's access code (also known as a "FAC") which describes who is authorized to retrieve it. These files may themselves be filelists, in which case they too will hold information about available files or further filelists. In this way, filelists are organized in a hierarchical or tree structure.

Locating LISTSERV Filelists

The "list" filelists that are associated with a LISTSERV mailing list will be located at the server managing that list. If you are searching for this type of filelist, it will be at the LISTSERV located at the same node that appears in the list's e-mail address.

The information held in each filelist (listing its available files and sub-filelists) may be obtained through the use of the INDex command. For example, to retrieve the LISTSERV FILELIST from LISTSERV at ODUVM.CC.ODU.EDU and look at the entries it holds, the following command should be sent to that server:

	INDEX LISTSERV

Commands to manipulate files on a LISTSERV server

The following LISTSERV commands enable general users to manipulate files that are stored at a server. This includes commands to search for, retrieve and subscribe to files. When sending file server commands to LISTSERV, you must address them to the server and not to any mailing lists.

A word about 'F= format keyword'. . .

Note that the 'F= format keyword' may be used optionally with any of the commands where they appear. This keyword controls the file format in which files will be sent to you.

XXE

UUe

MIME/text

MIME/Appl

MAIL

INDex	Receive a listing of a filelist
GET	Retrieve a file from LISTSERV
SENDME	A synonym for the GET command
AFD	Receive a new copy of a file every time it is updated
FUI	Receive notification of file updates
Query File	Receive information on a file
GIVE	Have LISTSERV send a file to another user
PW	Manipulate your personal password

INDex

Use the INDex command to get a listing of the files in a particular filelist. The format of the command is:

INDex < filelist > < F= format >

Where filelist specifies the name of the filelist you wish to get. If no name is specified, an index of the root filelist (called LISTSERV FILELIST) will be sent to you. For example, to get a listing of the files in the DOC FILELIST, the command:

	INDEX DOC

could be sent to a LISTSERV server where this filelist is located. Note that the above command is the same as issuing a GET DOC FILELIST command.

GET

The GET (or SENDME) command is used to retrieve a specific file from a filelist. It has the format:

GET filename < filelist > < F= format >

Where the filename identify the file you wish to retrieve. The optional filelist parameter identifies the filelist within which the file or package resides. If it is not supplied in the command, LISTSERV will determine the filelist through a search of its own internal filelist index.

AFD

AFD is an acronym for "Automatic File Distribution". This command enables you to Subscribe to a file in a filelist. Every time this file is updated in its filelist, you will then automatically be sent of copy of it by the LISTSERV server.

You may subscribe to any number of files from any filelist with the AFD command. You may also review or delete your subscriptions at any LISTSERV server. The command has the following format:

AFD options

Where options must be one of the following:

ADD	The ADD (or REP) option allows you to subscribe to a file. This means that a copy will henceforth be sent to you automatically by LISTSERV when it is updated on its filelist. The ADD option has the following format: ADD filename < filelist > < text > < F= format > Where filename identify a file to which you want to subscribe. The filelist option allows you to specify the name of the filelist in which it is located. If this is not specified in the command, LISTSERV will locate the filelist through a search of its own internal filelist index. Also, if you wish to have an informational text message inserted automatically at the top of the file or package when it is sent to you, you may use the text parameter. Note that if you omit the filelist option, the text you provide in the text parameter must be enclosed in double quotes. This parameter is most commonly used by network server applications that subscribe to files at a LISTSERV on behalf of users. If you are subscribing to files directly from LISTSERV yourself, you should not need to use this option. For example, if you wanted to subscribe to the file LISTFILE MEMO in the SAMPLE FILELIST, you would send the following command to LISTSERV: If you wanted the text "New_memo.update," inserted at the top of the file before it is sent to you, the command would take either of the following formats: AFD ADD LISTFILE MEMO SAMPLE New_memo.update AFD ADD LISTFILE MEMO "New_memo.update"
REP	This is a synonym for the ADD option.
DELete	Remove your subscription to a file or package for which you have an AFD. The DELete option has the following format: DELete filename < filelist > Where filename identify a file to which you wish to remove an AFD. These names may also include the '*' (asterisk) wildcard character so that multiple files may be removed with one DELete command. The filelist option allows you to specify the name of the filelist in which it is located. If this is not specified in the command, LISTSERV will locate the filelist through a search of its own internal filelist index.
List	The List (or Query) option shows the files or packages to which you are currently subscribed at a LISTSERV. The List option has the following format: List < (FORMAT > A list of your current AFDs at the LISTSERV processing this command will be sent to you. If you include the (FORMAT option, then the file format to be used when a file or package is sent to you will also be displayed.
Query	This is a synonym for the List option.

FUI

This command is an acronym for File Update Information. It enables you to subscribe to a file in a filelist. Every time this file for package is updated in its filelist, you will then automatically be informed of this by the LISTSERV server.

This command is similar to the AFD command, except you will only be sent notification of an update rather than the updated file itself. You may subscribe to any number of files from any filelist with the FUI command. You may also review or delete your subscriptions at any LISTSERV server. It has the following format:

FUI options

Where options must be one of the following:

ADD	The ADD (or REP) option allows you to subscribe to a file by adding an FUI to it. It has the following format: ADD filename < filelist > Where filename identify a file to which you want to add an FUI subscription. The filelist option allows you to specify the name of the filelist in which it is located. If this is not given in the command, LISTSERV will locate the filelist through a search of its own internal filelist index. For example, if you wanted to subscribe to the file LISTFILE MEMO in the SAMPLE FILELIST, you would send the following command to LISTSERV: FUI ADD LISTSERV MEMO SAMPLE
REP	This is a synonym for the ADD option.
DELete	Remove your subscription from a file for which you have an FUI. The DELete option has the following format: DELete filename < filelist > Where filename identify a file to which you want to delete an FUI. The filelist option allows you to specify the name of the filelist in which it is located. If this is not specified in the command, LISTSERV will locate the filelist through a search of its own internal filelist index.
List	The List (or Query) option shows the files for which you currently have an FUI subscription at a LISTSERV server.
Query	This is a synonym for the List option.

Query File

This command can be used to get update information on various files. It has the format:

Query File filename < filelist > < (FLags >

Update information about the file specified in the filename parameters will be given.

Optionally, you may include a filelist name in the filelist parameter. If it is omitted, LISTSERV will locate the filelist through a search of its own internal filelist index. You may also specify the (FLags option to display additional technical data about the file (which can be useful when reporting problems to LISTSERV administrators).

GIVE

This command can be used to have a LISTSERV server send a file (that you are authorized to retrieve via a GET command) to an e-mail address other than your own. It has the format:

GIVE filename < filelist > < TO > userid@node < F= format >

Where the filename identify the file which you wish LISTSERV to send to the specified address. The optional filelist parameter identifies the filelist within which the file or package is held. If it is not supplied in the command, LISTSERV will determine the filelist through a search of its own internal filelist index.

The userid@node parameter is required and gives the e-mail address of the intended recipient. For example, the following command would direct LISTSERV send the LISTFILE MEMO document from the SAMPLE FILELIST to the user JACKIE at the node ODUVM:

	GIVE LISTFILE MEMO SAMPLE TO JACKIE@ODUVM

PW

The PW command enables you to add, change or delete a personal password on any LISTSERV server.

A personal password is designed to give you added command security on a LISTSERV since it helps prevent impostors using your e-mail address. The use of personal passwords is strongly encouraged for this reason. Every server will accept a password registration request from you at any time.

Passwords are comprised of one to eight alphanumeric characters. You may change or delete your password at any time. If you forget a password you have registered at any LISTSERV server, contact that server's postmaster (whose e-mail address is given in the RELEASE command. The format of the PW command is:

PW options

Where options must be one of the following:

ADD

Add a new personal password on the LISTSERV processing your command. The ADD option has the format:

ADD new-password

Once you have registered a password on a LISTSERV server, you will be obliged to use the PW= command keyword in the commands where it appears as an option.

CHange

Change your personal password on a LISTSERV server where you already have one. It has the format:

CHange old-password new-password

new-password PW= old-password

DELete

Remove your personal password from a LISTSERV where you already have one. The DELete option has the format:

DELete old-password

Once you have removed a password from a LISTSERV server, you will no longer be obliged to use the PW= command keyword in the commands where it appears as an option.

Getting to know Your LISTSERV server

"We now present the conclusion of...The Never-ending Story"
- From a TV broadcast of the movie "The Never-ending Story

The LISTSERV server can provide a diverse range of information to the general user. This includes help files, release levels of the server and important configuration files, statistics and information pertaining to the BITNET network. When sending these commands to LISTSERV, they must be addressed to the server and not to any mailing lists it may manage.

The following LISTSERV commands enable general users to request information from servers. For those commands that result in files being sent to the requestor (for example the Info command), the format of the file can be specified by the optional command keyword F= in the command text.

A word about 'F= format keyword'. . .

Note that the 'F= format keyword' may be used optionally with any of the commands where they appear. This keyword controls the file format in which files will be sent to you.

XXE

UUe

MIME/text

MIME/Appl

MAIL

Help	Receive a brief summary of commands
Info	Retrieve a help or informational file from LISTSERV
RELEASE	Displays information about a LISTSERV server
SHOW	Displays diverse information

Help

Use this simple command to get a brief description of the most commonly used LISTSERV commands and also the name and e-mail address of the server's postmaster. The format of the command is:

Help

Info

Use this command to get an informational (or help) file from a LISTSERV server. The format of the command is:

Info < topic > < F= format >

Where the topic option should specify the topic for which an informational file will be sent to you. You may get a list of valid topics by sending the Info command with no parameters to your nearest (or any) LISTSERV.

RELEASE

RELEASE command may be used to display information about a LISTSERV server. This includes its version, release and fix levels; the date and time stamps for important configuration files; and the name and e-mail address of the server's postmaster. It has the format:

RELEASE

SHOW

Use the SHOW command to display a variety of information about a LISTSERV server and the BITNET network. The command format is:

SHOW show-option

Where show-option must be one of the following:

NADs node-list	Display the e-mail addresses of the registered node administrators for one or more computer nodes given in the node-list parameter. This information is taken from the BITEARN NODES file.
ALIAS node-list	Show the different names by which one or more nodes (given in the node-list parameter) are known. This is useful for obtaining the domain style address of a node (or vice versa).
VERSion	This option is a synonym for the RELEASE command.
FIXes	Display information about the LISTSERV program fixes installed on a server.
BITEARN	Display technical information about the BITEARN NODES (network definition) file.
NETwork	Display general information about the BITEARN NODES (network definition) file.
NODEntry node-list	Displays the information held in the BITEARN NODES file about the one or more BITNET computer nodes given in the node-list parameter.
LINKs node-list	Display information about all the BITNET network links defined for one or more computer nodes given in the node-list parameter. This information is taken from the BITEARN NODES file.
PATHs s-node node-list	Show the network path taken between one computer node (given in the s-node parameter) and one or more different nodes (given in the node-list parameter). You will be given a diagram showing each of the computer nodes on the path and a speed (or link resistance) value associated with each of these links.
DPATHs node-list \| *	Show the path chosen by one LISTSERV server when delivering mail via the DISTRIBUTE algorithm to one or more nodes given in the node-list parameter. You will be shown a list of (backbone) LISTSERV servers that will be used for this distribution. If you use the '*' (asterisk) character in place of a node-list parameter, the distribution paths to all other known LISTSERV servers will be given. This output is extremely long, so if you issue this command via interactive messages, you should also use the MAIL prefix if you are sending commands interactively.
DISTribute	Show statistics of outgoing and incoming DISTRIBUTE jobs processed by a LISTSERV server.