.----------------------------.
                    : The QWK Mail Packet Format :
                    `----------------------------'

BBS ID
------

   The BBS ID is a 1-8 characters string that identifies a BBS' mail
   packet.  The filename of the mail packet is often the BBS ID.
   However, this is not always the case, so do not rely on that to
   determine the BBS ID.  Instead, it is included on the fifth line of
   the CONTROL.DAT file (see below.)

Compression
-----------

   Most mail packets are compressed when create by the mail door.  The
   most common archiver is PKZIP, but others such as LHA is being used.
   However, many current off-line reader programs do allow the user to
   unarchive a mail packet before entering the reader program, so the
   reader will not unarchive it again.  Upon exit, the reader will not
   call the archiver to save it.  It is up to the user to archive the
   replies.

MESSAGES.DAT
------------

   The QWK file format is based on the PCBoard 12.0 message base
   formats from Clark Development Corporation.

   All of the messages in a mail packet are contained in a single file
   named MESSAGES.DAT.  The file's logical record length is 128 bytes.
   The first record of MESSAGES.DAT always contains a copyright notice
   saying "Produced by Qmail...Copyright (c) 1987 by Sparkware.  All
   Rights Reserved".  Messages start in record 2 and use this format:

   Offset  Length  Description
   ------  ------  ----------------------------------------------------
     1       1     Message status flag
                   ' ' = public, unread
                   '-' = public, read
                   '+' = private, unread
                   '*' = private, read
                   '~' = comment to Sysop, unread
                   '`' = comment to Sysop, read
                   '%' = password protected, unread (protect by sender)
                   '^' = password protected, read (protect by sender)
                   '!' = password protected, unread (protect by group
                         password)
                   '#' = password protected, read (protect by group
                         password)
                   '$' = password protected, addressed to all (protect
                         by group password)
     2       7     Message number (in ASCII)
     9       8     Date (mm-dd-yy)
    17       5     Time (24 hour hh:mm)
    22      25     To (uppercase)
    47      25     From (uppercase)
    72      25     Subject of message
    97      12     Password (usually space filled)
   109       8     Reference message number (in ASCII)
   117       6     Number of 128 byte blocks in message (counting the
                   header, in ASCII)
   123       1     Is message killed?  ASCII 225 is active, 226 is
                   killed
   124       2     Conference number (as long integer), 124 is the
                   least significant, 125 is most
   125       3     Not used (usually filled with space)

   The text of message continues in the next record.  You can find out
   how many blocks make up one message by looking at the value of
   "Number of 128 byte blocks".  Message text is delimited by a ASCII
   227 (pi character) symbol between lines.

xxx.NDX
-------

   The xxx.NDX files contain record numbers that point into the
   MESSAGES.DAT file for actual messages.  Each conference that
   contains messages has its own "xxx.NDX" file.  The "xxx" is the
   conference number for the index file.

   Each NDX file uses a five bytes logical record length and is
   formatted to:

   Offset  Length  Description
   ------  ------  ----------------------------------------------------
     1       4     Record number pointing to corresponding message in
                   MESSAGES.DAT.  This number is in the Microsoft MKS$
                   BASIC format.
     5       1     Conference number of the message.  This byte should
                   not be used because it duplicates both the filename
                   of the index file and the conference # in the
                   header.  It is also one byte long, which cannot
                   handle conferences over 255.

   The formula for converting X, a long integer in MKS$ format, to
   MKSToNum, a binary integer, is:

   MKSToNum := ((X AND NOT $ff000000) OR $00800000)
               SHR (24 - ((x SHR 24) AND $7f));

   Or in Turbo Pascal:

   type
       bsingle = array [0..3] of byte;

   { converts TP real to Microsoft 4 bytes single }

   procedure real_to_msb (preal : real; var b : bsingle);
   var
       r : array [0 .. 5] of byte absolute preal;
   begin
       b [3] := r [0];
       move (r [3], b [0], 3);
   end; { procedure real_to_msb }

   { converts Microsoft 4 bytes single to TP real }

   function msb_to_real(b : bsingle) : real;
   var
       preal : real;
       r : array [0..5] of byte absolute preal;
   begin
       r [0] := b [3];
       r [1] := 0;
       r [2] := 0;
       move (b [0], r [3], 3);
       msb_to_real := preal;
   end; { procedure msb_to_real }

   There is a special index file named PERSONAL.NDX.  This file
   contains pointers to messages which are addressed to the user, i.e.
   personal messages.  Some mail door and utility programs also allow
   the selection of other messages to be flagged as personal messages
   as well.

CONTROL.DAT
-----------

   The CONTROL.DAT file is a simple ASCII file.

   Aardvark BBS                    BBS long name
   New York, NY                    BBS city and state
   212-496-8324                    BBS number
   David Greenberger, Sysop        BBS Sysop name
   20052,AARDVARK                  Mail door registeration #, BBS ID
   10-19-1990,00:36:13             Packet creation time
   PATRICK LEE                     User name
                                   Name of menu for Qmail, if exists
   0                               ?
   0                               ?
   121                             Total number of conf. minus 1
   0                               1st conference number
   Main Board                      1st conference name
   1                               2nd conference number
   General                         2nd conference name
   3                               etc. onward until it hits max. conf.
   123                             Last conference number
   Amiga_I                         Last conference name
   HELLO                           Welcome screen file
   NEWS                            BBS news file
   SCRIPT0                         Log off screen

   [ Some mail doors do not send the information below here. ]

   0                               ?
   25                              ?
   PATRICK LEE                     User name in uppercase
   Patrick                         User first name
   ELMHURST, NEW YORK              User city, state
    718 639-6696                   User data phone
    718 639-6696                   User home phone
   108                             Security level
   00-00-00                        Expiration date
   10-17-90                        Last log on date
   23:22                           Last log on time
   209                             Log on count
   0                               ?
   0                               Total KB downloaded
   34                              Download count
   0                               Total KB uploaded
   110                             Upload count
   120                             Minutes per day
   52                              Minutes remaining today
   3                               Minutes used this call
   32767                           Max. download KB per day
   32767                           Remaining KB today
   0                               KB downloaded today
   00:36                           Current time on BBS
   10-19-90                        Current date on BBS
   Aardvark BBS                    BBS name
   5059                            ?

Replies
-------

   Replies use a similar format, except the message number becomes the
   conference number.  Also, the first record (up to 8 characters
   starting on the first byte) in the reply file contains the BBS's ID.
   This ID must much the one on the BBS in order for the mail door to
   accept the replies.

Pointer files
-------------

   *.PTR or *.PNT

   Don't bother with the pointer files, as the off-line reader has no
   real use for it.  The mail doors send it so that the user will have
   a copy of it, in case something on the BBS screws up.

Other files
-----------

   Bulletins are sometimes send in the mail packet as well, this is
   usually configurable by the user.  The files for the bulletins are
   named:

       BLT-x.y

   where 'x' is the conference number, and 'y' is the bulletin number.

   New files are also configurable and can be sent by the mail door.
   The file name for that is NEWFILES.DAT

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