Personal Hobbes Virtual Mirror

• Disclaimer

  Permission to use this program for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the author's name not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software without specific written prior permision.

  THIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY.
  THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS.
  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR OR ANY PERSON OR INSTITUTION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PRODUCT BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE.

• Introduction

  PHVM - Personal Hobbes Virtual Mirror, is my attempt to improve access to the Internet.

  If you are in a hurry, just jump to Quick start.

  This is a Rexx program that uses the file 00GLOBAL.TXT form Hobbes to build a group of HTML pages that mirrors the contents of the Hobbes ftp site.
  It will produce only the the pages that emulates the Hobbes structure, and will not atempt to download any file.
  In the other hand, if you keep any file you've downloaded form Hobbes in the appropiate directory starting form the directory where you put the MKPHVM.CMD program, it will detect the files and will put an icon on the HTML page so that you can "download" it localy. If you keep PHVM in your local disk or on a LAN you probably find it quicker than accessing the Hobbes site (and hopefully it would prevent you from downloading the same file two or three times like I sometimes do).
  This is a Rexx program so that you can change it easily.
  

• Reference

  MKPHVM.CMD is a Rexx program.
  I made it like this so that you have no dificulties in changing it.
  Of course I'm too lazy to write a decent manual (and my english's too poor) so the best reference is the program itself.
  As you can see in the code, the program starts by initialising a group of variables that represent values you probably want to change if you use it.
  

  WebMaster='rhlindengrun@mail.telepac.pt'

  You should change this variable.
  This is the e-mail address hidding behind the letter faced button in the bottom of each page.
  You should put here your e-mail, so that your fans in the LAN can express their gratitude directly to you ;-).
  If you keep it as it is I'll be receiving mail that I shouldn't.
  

  Hide00Files=1

  In each and every directory of the Hobbes structure there are six files that begin with 00. They serve their purpose in the structure, but I can bet they are not in the top 50 downloaded files.
  So I decided to hide them. Any way the root's 00global.txt is more than enought for my purposes (and I gess for most of us).
  If you happen to miss those 00 files you just have to change this assignment to Hide00Files=0.
  

  TableEnable=1

  Long time ago, when I started this doing, I was afraid to find a browser that wouldn't support the TABLE tag. So I decided to make the program capable of producing pages for both table aware and unaware browsers.
  Nowadays it seems to be an obsolete feature.
  Anyway, just in case, I'v kept this feature until now.
  You may find that the the pages generated when you turn this variable to 0 may deserve to be a litle tuned up ;-).
  

  MainFile='index.html'

  This is the name of the file that is going to contain the root of the Hobbes directory structure.
  I choose this name because it is the default when you use an HTTPD like IBM - Internet Connection Server and, it will prevent users from getting a directory list when they try to access PHVM.
  Be aware that this variable afects only the name of the first (root) file that MKPHVM.CMD will create. All the other files will begin with "HVM", will have a number, and end with ".HTML".
  

  CommentsFile='comment.hvm'

  This is the name of the file I use to store my comments about the files I download from Hobbes.
  Some files just don't have comments, others deserve an aditional line stating "Yahgg" or "buggy" or else "Don't deserves the space it takes" or, by the contrary, "Superb" or "Don't miss it", you know... comments.
  In this file, you should use a line per file.
  Each line should begin with "./" (dot plus forward slash). Following there is the complete (including path) file name as archived in the Hobbes and then a space and anything you want as a comment.
  Any line that don't starts with "./" will be skipped.
  Don't forget that everything should be kept in just on line.
  

  EX: ./pub/os2/apps/internet/misc/goserv.zip This is a good HTTPD.

  LocalFile='local.hvm'

  This is the name of the file I use to store information for special files.
  Each line should begin with "./" (dot plus forward slash). Following there is the complete (including path) file name as archived in the Hobbes.
  After that you can put a "?" (question mark) or a URL.
  If you put a "?" the link to the original file will be kept. If you put an URL, pointing to a place where you keep a copy of the file, you local cached file will be FTP'ed instead of the original from Hobbes.
  As a third field you can put the name of a file thal will be used as the icon to this file.
  You can use funny icons like "vmusrsml.gif" (a smilling face) to get the atention from your readers.
  

  EX: ./pub/os2/apps/internet/misc/goserv.zip ? vmusrsml.gif

  IconFile='icon.hvm'

  This is the name of the file I use to define the icons that should be used for each file type (extension).
  This should be a file name ( probably a gif you like) a space and list of file extensions separated by spaces.
  Each line begining with "#" (cardinal) will be skipped.
  

  EX: vmfilimg.gif gif jpg bmp

  WordsInDate=1

  This variable holds the number of word that are use to represent the files date in 00global.txt.
  In my first test the dates were represented like "Feb 28 1996" so it will be a three word date, i.e., you would be using a WordsInDate=3.
  Now dates are represented like "1998/01/24" witch, as far as Rexx is concerned, is only one word.
  As I was forced to change the program I chose to put the date format in this variable, just in case...
  

  HobbesRoot='ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu'

  This variable should contain the protocol and host name of the URL assigned to each file in a HTML page.
  Probably you will need to change its contents only in the unlikely event that Hobbes moves to other host.

  InputFile='00global.txt'

  This is the name of the file you will use to build your PVHM.
  Althought this haven't change in the last times, you can find it handy expetialy if you try to mirror other sites than Hobbes.
  Be aware to the fact that, althought the name hasn't change, it's contents have (more about it in "WordInDate").
  

• Quick start
  
  1. Unzip the PHVM.ZIP file into a directory.
  2. Get a new, fresh version of 00global.txt from Hobbes.
  3. Run the program by issuing the command:
     MKPHVM
     
  4. Strart changing the Rexx program or the GIF's to suite your needs.
• Usage
  

  In the top of each page you can find the place where you are now.
  In this page it shows "On Line Help". In other pages it will reflect the position in the Hobbes directory structure.
  Right after that, you will find a line with links to other mirrors and to the Hobbes itself.
  

  In the bottom of each page you will find four navigation buttons with the following meaning.
  

  
  This button brings you back to the main Home Page-Root of Hobbes Archive
  

  
  This button take you back in the directory structure.
  

  
  This button allows you to send the WebMaster a note.
  

  
  This button poinst directly to this document.
  

  In the main body of each page you will find a list of files and directories preceded by icons with the following meaning:
  

  
  This icon point to the link to the previous directory.
  

  This is a sound file.
  This is a directory.
  This is a text or unknowned file type.
  This is a compressed file.
  This is an image file.
  

  This icon, when showing in the left side of a file, indicates that this file is beeing cached localy.
  You can press this button to download the local copy of the file, without going througt the Internet to the Hobbes itself.
  

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Last update: 02-29-96 01:12:58

This index was created using the Personal Hobbes Virtual Mirror (PHVM) software.
For more information on PHVM, email to Ricardo H. Lindengrun .