| Document: FSC-0088
  | Version:  001
  | Date:     31 October, 1995
  |
  | Robert Williamson FidoNet#1:167/104.0

    Compatibility and Link Qualifier Extensions for EMSI Sessions
    Robert Williamson FidoNet#1:167/104.0  robert@ecs.mtlnet.org

    Purpose:

    The  basic  purpose of this document is to start discussions which will
    hopefully result in an improved handshake negotiation protocol.

    Scope:

    Relation of flags to Types of files transferred:

    The  FSC-0056  EMSI  specification  (hereafter  referred  to as EMSI-I)
    makes  little  distinction  between  ARCmail/packets and other types of
    files,  such  as  files attached and TIC'ed files.  In EMSI-I, the term
    'Mail'  when  not  used  in  conjunction with the term 'compressed', is
    interpreted to mean ANY file.

    This  extension  (hereafter  referred to as EMSI-II) makes reference to
    and  allows control of types of files in addition to 'compressed mail'.
    References  to  'Mail'  are  changed to 'File' where common practice so
    indicates.   The  additional qualifier flags described provide for more
    control as to the types of files a system is prepared to receive.


    Relation of flags to presented addresses:

    The  EMSI-I  specification does not allow qualification for any address
    other than the PRIMARY address.  This means that Link flags are limited
    in  application  to  either  all  presented addresses or to the primary
    presented address only.

    This  extension  also  allows  application  of  Link  flags to specific
    addresses other than the primary.


    Distinctions between Calling and Answering System:

    In  the EMSI-I spec, the type of flags that may be presented is limited
    by  the  status  of the site.  Certain flags may only be presented when
    the  site  is the caller and other flags may only be presented when the
    site   is   the   answerer.    This  proposed  extension  removes  this
    distinction.

    In the EMSI-I spec, certain Link and Capability (a.k.a:  Compatibility)
    flags  are  caller-driven, while others are controlled by the answering
    system.  This specification attempts to harmonize these discrepancies.

    A  attempt  is made to remain somewhat backwards compatible and to have
    new  flags  follow the original flag naming convention.  However, IMHO,
    it  would  be preferable to harmonize the flags; reducing the number of
    them  while retaining the fine type control, so that the same codes are
    used in all sessions.

    Under  both  EMSI-I and EMSI-II, any flags that are not understood, are
    to  be  ignored.   Therfore,  if  a site presents it's flags in EMSI-II
    format  and  the  other site does not do EMSI-II, it is permissable for
    that site to interpret all flags according to EMSI-I specifications.


    Specifics:

    Compatibility flags:

    Compatibility  flags  consist of a string of codes that specify the
    PROTOCOL CAPABILITIES and ENABLED FEATURES of the mailer.

    ARC, XMA
    These  EMSI-I  compatibility  flags  have  no  meaning  relavant to the
    transfer  of  files  and  are  not  to  be presented under EMSI-II.  If
    received, they are to be ignored.


    FNC    
    The FNC EMSI-I compatibility flag has been identified as a 'mistake' by
    the  author  of EMSI-I.  This is agreeable as that specification called
    for   the   creation   of   a   filename   that  was  ALWAYS  8.3,  not
    up-to-8.up-to-3.
    It   is   not  to  be  presented  under  EMSI-II.   If  received  as  a
    compatibility flag, it is to be ignored.


    Protocol Selection:

    In  the EMSI-I spec, a requirement is placed upon the calling system to
    present  it's  available  protocols  in  order  of preference.  A quote
    follows:

        The calling system must list supported protocols first and
        descending order of preference (the most desirable protocol
        should be listed first).
        The answering system should only present one protocol and it
        should be the first item in the compatibility_codes field.

    Some mailer authors have interpreted 'the compatibility_codes field' in
    the  second  sentence  to  mean  that  of the answering system, thereby
    making  protocol  selection RECEIVER-PREFS driven.  This interpretation
    makes  unnecessary  the  'decending  order' requirement placed upon the
    calling   system,   so  shall  be  considered  in  conflict  with  that
    requirement.

     Most   mailer  authors  have  interpreted  that  phrase  to  mean  the
    'compatibility_codes  field'  OF  THE  CALLER,  thereby making protocol
    selection  CALLER-PREFS  driven.   Since  EMSI-I  was intended to be "a
    clear  protocol  definition  for  state-of-the-art  E-Mail  systems  to
    follow",  they  cannot  be  faulted  for  interpretation.  Caller-prefs
    driven  selection  is state-of-the-art, receiver-prefs driven selection
    is older technolgy, such as Wazoo.

    This   specification   requires   that   the   second  interpretation,
    CALLER-PREFS driven, be mandatory.


    New Compatibilty Flags:
    ----------------------

    EII
    Indicates   that   the   system   will   interpret   flags  under  this
    specification, if other end also presents this flag.  IF either or both
    systems  do  not  present  this  flag,  all  interpretations  are  done
    according to EMSI-I.

    DFB
    Indicates  that  the  system  presenting  is  capabable of fall-back to
    FTS1/WAZOO  negotiation  in the case of failure of EMSI handshake or no
    common  protocol.   Since  ZMO  is  the  minimum required protocol, NCP
    should  only  occur  if  the  answering  system  presents more than one
    protocol..  (ie. it's broken)

    FRQ
    Indicates  that  the  system  will  accept  and  process  file requests
    received  during  outbound  calls.   In other words, the calling system
    will  do a second turnaround for uni-directional protocols, to send the
    files requested, at his cost.

    NRQ
    NRQ should be presented ONLY IF the mailer does not have a file request
    server, task or function and cannot accept requests..  It should NOT be
    used to indicate that the  function  is  temporarly disabled. 

    When  examined,  No  requests will be sent.  It would be advisable that
    the  mailer  alert  the  system  operator  of this occurance to prevent
    continued polling of the remote site.


    Protocol Capabilities:

    Protocol   capability   flags  are  presented  in  decending  order  of
    preference  by  the  caller.  The answering system selects and presents
    the  FIRST  protocol  from  the  callers  list  that  it supports.  The
    answering system must present only ONE protocol.

    HYD  Hydra bi-directional    (link flags define parameters)
    JAN  Janus bi-directional
    TZA  DirectZap               (TrapDoor DirectZap varient)
    DZA  DirectZap               (Zmodem variant, reduced escape set)
    ZAP  ZedZap                  (Zmodem variant, upe 8K blocks)
    ZMO  Zmodem w/1,024 packets  (Wazoo ZedZip)
    SLK  SeaLink                 (no TYSNC, No MDM7, No TeLink)
                                 (8-32k window/ReSync/OverDrive/LongNames)

    NCP
    This  is  presented  if  no compatible protocol can be negotiated under
    EMSI.   Since  in  most  FTN  networks,  a  common protocol DOES exist,
    fallback   to  WaZoo  and  FTS1  negotiation  is  expected.   If  these
    negotiation methods are not available, the session is terminated.

    This  condition  should  never  occur  under  normal circumstances.  It
    should  be  considered as a problem with the design or configuration of
    one of the mailers involved.

    Link flags:
    ----------

    Link  flags  consist  of a string of codes that specify DESIRED CONNECT
    CONDITIONS.   They  apply  to  the CURRENT SESSION ONLY.  Under EMSI-I,
    there are four TYPES of link flags:  communications parameters, session
    parameters, pickup options and hold options.  Under EMSI-II, only three
    types  are  used,  the communications parameters type is REMOVED, as it
    serves no purpose whatsoever in FTN operations.


    Link Session options:

    FNC
    If  either  system  presents  this  flag,  it is an indication that the
    presenting   system   requires   filename   conversion   to  cp/m-msdos
    conventions.  The other system will convert filenames to cp/m cpm/msdos
    8.3 conventions before sending. 
    The   convention   is   defined   as   a  filename  consisting  of  two
    parts,  the  filepart  and  extension.   The filepart and extension are
    separated  by a period ".".  The filepart may be from 1 to 8 characters
    in  length  and  the  extension  may  be  from  0 to 3 characters.  The
    character set shall be any uppercase character in the range A-Z and any
    numeric  character  in  the  range  0-9.   If  the extension is of zero
    length, the period may or may not be present.


    RMA
    Indicates that the presenting site is able to send and process multiple
    file  requests.   If both sites present this flag, the caller will send
    any REQ files found for each AKA presented by the answering system.
    The answering system will process each received REQ.

    RH1
    Indicates  that  under  the  Hydra  protocol,  batch  one contains file
    requests only, while batch 2 is reserved for all other files.
    

    (others to be defined)

    Pickup and Hold Flags:

    Under  the  EMSI-I  specification, Link Pickup flags are only presented
    when  calling (an Outbound Session) and are examined and processed only
    when  answering  (an  Inbound  Session)  and  Link  Hold flags are only
    presented  when  answering  (an  Inbound  Session) and are examined and
    processed only when calling (an Outbound Session).

    With  EMSI-II,  BOTH  Pickup and Hold flags are presented by both sites
    during  a  session.   This  allows  more control for those systems, for
    example,  which  cannot  modify  addresses  presented or rotate akas to
    change  the  primary  address  presented  on  a per-session or per-site
    basis.


    Link Pickup and Hold:

    Each  system can present one of three (or more) Link options related to
    application of addresses.  If neither of these flags are presented, PUA
    is to be assumed.

    Neither  PUA  nor  PUP  is  to  be  presented  if  only one address was
    presented.

             PUP     Pickup FILES for primary address only
          /  PUA     Pickup FILES for all presented addresses
         /   PUn     Pickup FILES for address number n in AKA list
 one of |
         \
          \  NPU     No FILE pickup desired. (calling system)
             HAT     Hold all FILES          (answering system)    
             HAn     Hold all FILES for address number n in AKA list


    Qualifiers:

    Qualifiers  are  processed  in  the  order presented, with any conflict
    being  resolved  by  subsequent  qualifiers overridding any conflicting
    previous qualifier in the list.

    Qualifiers may be not be presented with either NPU or HAT and should be
    ignored if received with NPU or HAT.

    PickUp:

        PMO     PickUp Mail (ARCmail and Packets) ONLY 
        PMn     PickUp Mail ONLY for address number n in AKA list

        NFE     No TIC'S, associated files or files 
                attachs desired
        NFn     No TIC'S, associated files or file attaches, 
                for address number n in AKA list

        NXP     No compressed mail pickup desired 
        NXn     No compressed mail pickup desired, 
                for address number n in AKA list

        NRQ     File requests not accepted by caller
                This  flag is presented if file request processing
                is disabled TEMPORARILY for any reason
        NRn     File requests not accepted by caller
                for address number n in AKA list

     Note that NFE,NPX,NRQ != NPU

    Hold:

        HNM     Hold all traffic EXCEPT Mail (ARCmail and Packets)
        HNn     Hold all traffic EXCEPT Mail (ARCmail and Packets)
                for address number n in AKA list

        HXT     Hold compressed mail traffic.
        HXn     Hold compressed mail traffic.
                for address number n in AKA list

        HFE     Hold tic's and associated files
                and file attaches other than mail 
        HFn     Hold tic's and associated files
                and file attaches other than mail 
                for address number n in AKA list

        HRQ     Hold file requests (not processed at this time)
                This  flag is presented if file request processing
                is disabled TEMPORARILY for any reason
        HRn     Hold file requests (not processed at this time)
                for address number n in AKA list

     Note that HXT,HRQ,HFE == HAT
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