Replies in echomail areas through Synchronet's NNTP server include "All" in the To: field. I had assumed this was standard behavior for SBBS, similar to the old NNTP-FTN gateways. (However, the REPLY kludge appears to be functioning correctly, allowing messages to be properly threaded.)

After reviewing the source code of nntpservice.js, I discovered a function named getReferenceTo. If I'm not mistaken, this function should return the recipient's name, but it defaults to "All" when a recipient isn't found.

Could it be that this function isn't working as intended?

Carlos

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20180707
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Re: NNTP and To: field
By: Carlos Navarro to digital man on Tue Nov 04 2025 05:07 pm

Replies in echomail areas through Synchronet's NNTP server include "All" in the To: field. I had assumed this was standard behavior for SBBS, similar to the old NNTP-FTN gateways. (However, the REPLY kludge appears to be functioning correctly, allowing messages to be properly threaded.)

After reviewing the source code of nntpservice.js, I discovered a function named getReferenceTo. If I'm not mistaken, this function should return the recipient's name, but it defaults to "All" when a recipient isn't found.

Could it be that this function isn't working as intended?

If a recipient isn't found, "All" seems like a sensible default. Are you saying the failure to find a recipient is a bug? Feel free to play with it and offer up a patch if you have one.
--
digital man (rob)

Rush quote #63:
He's got a problem with his poisons, but you know he'll find a cure
Norco, CA WX: 77.6øF, 47.0% humidity, 5 mph NW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

---
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On Tue, 4 Nov 2025 14:01:03 -0800
"Digital Man" (VERT) <VERT!Digital.Man@endofthelinebbs.com> wrote:

Re: NNTP and To: field
By: Carlos Navarro to digital man on Tue Nov 04 2025 05:07 pm

Replies in echomail areas through Synchronet's NNTP server include
"All" in the To: field. I had assumed this was standard behavior
for SBBS, similar to the old NNTP-FTN gateways. (However, the
REPLY kludge appears to be functioning correctly, allowing
messages to be properly threaded.)

After reviewing the source code of nntpservice.js, I discovered a
function named getReferenceTo. If I'm not mistaken, this function
should return the recipient's name, but it defaults to "All" when
a recipient isn't found.

Could it be that this function isn't working as intended?

If a recipient isn't found, "All" seems like a sensible default. Are
you saying the failure to find a recipient is a bug? Feel free to
play with it and offer up a patch if you have one.

I like the Synchronet "You touch it, you own it" model :)
--
End Of The Line BBS - Plano, TX
telnet endofthelinebbs.com 23

---
* Synchronet * End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com

Hey Digital!

On Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:01:02 -0800, you wrote:

Replies in echomail areas through Synchronet's NNTP server include
"All" in the To: field. I had assumed this was standard behavior for
SBBS, similar to the old NNTP-FTN gateways. (However, the REPLY
kludge appears to be functioning correctly, allowing messages to be
properly threaded.)

After reviewing the source code of nntpservice.js, I discovered a
function named getReferenceTo. If I'm not mistaken, this function
should return the recipient's name, but it defaults to "All" when a
recipient isn't found.

Could it be that this function isn't working as intended?

If a recipient isn't found, "All" seems like a sensible default. Are you saying the failure to find a recipient is a bug? Feel free to play with
it and offer up a patch if you have one.

I think what he was saying, is that even when there /is/ a recipient (doesn't just about every 'reply' message have a recipient?), it still uses "All" (and I don't disagree that is indeed how NNTP has always worked). I believe I came across that as well awhile back, and may have even tried to change "All" to 'hdr.to' or something (which of course didn't work because I don't know what I'm doing), but with Thunderbird and slrn I am able to stuff an "X-Comment-To" field into the headers so that they both reply to the specific person all of the time.

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20250409
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þ Synchronet þ _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)

Re: NNTP and To: field
By: Accession to Digital Man on Wed Nov 05 2025 05:08 pm

Hey Digital!

On Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:01:02 -0800, you wrote:

Replies in echomail areas through Synchronet's NNTP server include
"All" in the To: field. I had assumed this was standard behavior for
SBBS, similar to the old NNTP-FTN gateways. (However, the REPLY
kludge appears to be functioning correctly, allowing messages to be
properly threaded.)

After reviewing the source code of nntpservice.js, I discovered a
function named getReferenceTo. If I'm not mistaken, this function
should return the recipient's name, but it defaults to "All" when a
recipient isn't found.

Could it be that this function isn't working as intended?

If a recipient isn't found, "All" seems like a sensible default. Are you saying the failure to find a recipient is a bug? Feel free to play with it and offer up a patch if you have one.

I think what he was saying, is that even when there /is/ a recipient (doesn't just about every 'reply' message have a recipient?), it still uses "All" (and I don't disagree that is indeed how NNTP has always worked).

No, not all USENET replies have a recipient. X-Comment-to is not a requirement or universally used.
--
digital man (rob)

Synchronet "Real Fact" #31:
The Synchronet IRC server (ircd) was written in JS by Randy Sommerfeld (Cyan) Norco, CA WX: 61.1øF, 72.0% humidity, 5 mph WNW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

---
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nelgin wrote to All <=-

If a recipient isn't found, "All" seems like a sensible default. Are
you saying the failure to find a recipient is a bug? Feel free to
play with it and offer up a patch if you have one.

I like the Synchronet "You touch it, you own it" model :)

I thought NNTP didn't have a to: field?



--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.

Hey Digital!

On Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:03:00 -0800, you wrote:

I think what he was saying, is that even when there /is/ a recipient
(doesn't just about every 'reply' message have a recipient?), it
still uses "All" (and I don't disagree that is indeed how NNTP has
always worked).

No, not all USENET replies have a recipient.

Correct, however /this/ (as in what I'm fairly certain we're discussing) isn't USENET. We're using NNTP to access our message bases (which may or may not actually carry USENET). I think this conversation was much more pointing towards BBS/FTN messages. Most local and FTN messages (particularly replies) on a BBS usually have a recipient (do they not?), unless it's specifically sent to "All".

X-Comment-to is not a requirement or universally used.

You're right. However, in the hobby we are involved in, it makes the normal "To" and "From" fields look like everyone elses that aren't using NNTP. I also wasn't stating that Synchronet needed to do that, I was just mentioning that's how I got around all of my messages posted with a newsreader being addressed to "All".

What (I think?) the question from the OP was, was asking why /all/ messages are addressed to "All" when it seems like there's something already in the code that is looking for a recipient it could be filling the "To" field with on a reply?

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20250409
* Origin: _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin) (723:1/1)
þ Synchronet þ _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)

If a recipient isn't found, "All" seems like a sensible default. Are
you saying the failure to find a recipient is a bug? Feel free to
play with it and offer up a patch if you have one.

I like the Synchronet "You touch it, you own it" model :)

I thought NNTP didn't have a to: field?

In the early 1990s when I first started using Usenet, IIRC just about every
(if not all) messages ported over to my BBS were "To: All" and responses
from the BBS side, while showing a To: receipient locally, were posted to usenet as if "To: All."

Now, most of the messages that come across the Usenet gates have a
receipient listed. Very few replies still come across as "To: All."

Not sure if that answers you question or not. ;)


* SLMR 2.1a * Thesaurus: prehistoric reptile with a great vocabulary.
---
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06/11/2025 23:40, Accession (1:103/705):

I think what he was saying, is that even when there /is/ a recipient
(doesn't just about every 'reply' message have a recipient?), it
still uses "All" (and I don't disagree that is indeed how NNTP has
always worked).

No, not all USENET replies have a recipient.

Correct, however /this/ (as in what I'm fairly certain we're discussing) isn't USENET. We're using NNTP to access our message bases (which may or
may not actually carry USENET). I think this conversation was much more pointing towards BBS/FTN messages. Most local and FTN messages
(particularly replies) on a BBS usually have a recipient (do they not?), unless it's specifically sent to "All".

X-Comment-to is not a requirement or universally used.

You're right. However, in the hobby we are involved in, it makes the
normal "To" and "From" fields look like everyone elses that aren't using NNTP. I also wasn't stating that Synchronet needed to do that, I was
just mentioning that's how I got around all of my messages posted with a newsreader being addressed to "All".

What (I think?) the question from the OP was, was asking why /all/
messages are addressed to "All" when it seems like there's something
already in the code that is looking for a recipient it could be filling
the "To" field with on a reply?

Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks, Nick.

This is a reply to a message from Accession in the SYNCHRONET echomail
area, sent via Thunderbird on the NNTP server of a Synchronet-based BBS.
The message will likely be posted to the echo with recipient "To: All"
instead of "To: Accession"

Carlos
--- SBBSecho 3.30-Linux
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05 Nov 2025 17:08, you wrote to Digital Man:

but with Thunderbird and slrn I am able to stuff an "X-Comment-To" field into the headers so that they both reply to the specific person all
of the time.

Interesting! Could you share how to do that in TB?

Carlos

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20180707
* Origin: cyberiada (2:341/234.1)
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Hey Carlos!

On Sun, Nov 09 2025 07:07:07 -0600, you wrote:

05 Nov 2025 17:08, you wrote to Digital Man:

> but with Thunderbird and slrn I am able to stuff an "X-Comment-To" field
> into the headers so that they both reply to the specific person all
> of the time.

Interesting! Could you share how to do that in TB?

Here is a message posted with Thunderbird with the "X-Comment-To" field filled in.

This is the only way I could do it with TB, and while it's not super friendly (you'll forget to do it sometimes, probably), it works:

Settings > Config Editor

- Search for 'mail.compose.other.header', edit it and put "X-Comment-To" without quotes.

When you write/reply to a message, in the header there it says "Followup-To >>", hit the ">>" drop down menu, and "X-Comment-To" will be an option to select now. Then, fill it in with who you're writing the message to (yes, manually).

Unfortunately, I haven't found a way to make this automatic with TB, whereas with slrn I can just use the "set custom_headers "X-Comment-To: All"" to new posts (which may not even be needed), and "set followup_custom_headers "X-Comment-To: %r"" (%r is recipient) right in the config file, and it's always automatic.

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm, because beating people up is illegal.
---
þ Synchronet þ _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)

Hey Carlos!

On Sun, 09 Nov 2025 13:51:52 +0100, you wrote:

Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks, Nick.

This is a reply to a message from Accession in the SYNCHRONET echomail
area, sent via Thunderbird on the NNTP server of a Synchronet-based BBS.
The message will likely be posted to the echo with recipient "To: All" instead of "To: Accession"

You were correct. It came through addressed to "All".

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20250409
* Origin: _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin) (723:1/1)
þ Synchronet þ _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)

04 Nov 2025 14:01, you wrote to me:

Replies in echomail areas through Synchronet's NNTP server include
"All" in the To: field. I had assumed this was standard behavior
for SBBS, similar to the old NNTP-FTN gateways. (However, the REPLY
kludge appears to be functioning correctly, allowing messages to be
properly threaded.)

After reviewing the source code of nntpservice.js, I discovered a
function named getReferenceTo. If I'm not mistaken, this function
should return the recipient's name, but it defaults to "All" when a
recipient isn't found.

Could it be that this function isn't working as intended?

If a recipient isn't found, "All" seems like a sensible default. Are
you saying the failure to find a recipient is a bug? Feel free to play
with it and offer up a patch if you have one.

I've been playing a bit and here's a patch. Edit nntpservice.js (line 107 in revision 1.2, or line 111 in current 1.3) and change:

var hdr2 = mb.get_msg_header(hdr.reply_id);

to:

var hdr2 = mb.get_msg_header(hdr.reply_id + '');

There may be another way, but this seems to work.

Carlos

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20180707
* Origin: cyberiada (2:341/234.1)
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Re: NNTP and To: field
By: Carlos Navarro to Digital Man on Tue Nov 11 2025 09:29 pm

I've been playing a bit and here's a patch. Edit nntpservice.js (line 107 in revision 1.2, or line 111 in current 1.3) and change:

var hdr2 = mb.get_msg_header(hdr.reply_id);

to:

var hdr2 = mb.get_msg_header(hdr.reply_id + '');

There may be another way, but this seems to work.

That change would just change (force) hdr.reply_id to be a string. It should already be a string, so that change should do nothing.
--
digital man (rob)

Sling Blade quote #11:
Doyle Hargraves (to Karl): What in the hell you doin' with that hammer?
Norco, CA WX: 79.1øF, 38.0% humidity, 4 mph W wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

---
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11 Nov 2025 14:08, you wrote to me:

I've been playing a bit and here's a patch. Edit nntpservice.js
(line 107 in revision 1.2, or line 111 in current 1.3) and change:

var hdr2 = mb.get_msg_header(hdr.reply_id);

to:

var hdr2 = mb.get_msg_header(hdr.reply_id + '');

There may be another way, but this seems to work.

That change would just change (force) hdr.reply_id to be a string. It
should already be a string, so that change should do nothing.

However, hdr.reply_id is not a string, but an object (a string object). And then, mb.get_msg_header() doesn't find anything and returns null.

I guess that something has to be fixed elsewhere (I am not familiar with Synchronet's code), but my quick patch doesn't break anything and it works for now: replies in echomail via NNTP have "To: recipient" instead of "To: All".

Carlos

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20180707
* Origin: cyberiada (2:341/234.1)
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Re: NNTP and To: field
By: Carlos Navarro to Digital Man on Wed Nov 12 2025 07:47 pm

That change would just change (force) hdr.reply_id to be a string. It should already be a string, so that change should do nothing.

However, hdr.reply_id is not a string, but an object (a string object).

A string object is a string - they're the same thing.

And
then, mb.get_msg_header() doesn't find anything and returns null.

Very weird. What version of SBBS is this?

I guess that something has to be fixed elsewhere (I am not familiar with Synchronet's code), but my quick patch doesn't break anything and it works for now: replies in echomail via NNTP have "To: recipient" instead of "To: All".

I'll look into it more.
--
digital man (rob)

Steven Wright quote #29:
To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research. Norco, CA WX: 63.2øF, 72.0% humidity, 0 mph NE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

---
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09/11/2025 15:26, Accession (1:103/705):

This is a reply to a message from Accession in the SYNCHRONET echomail area, sent via Thunderbird on the NNTP server of a Synchronet-based BBS. The message will likely be posted to the echo with recipient "To: All" instead of "To: Accession"

You were correct. It came through addressed to "All".

Another reply, but now with the patch I posted (thanks for testing, Angel).

Carlos
--- SBBSecho 3.32-Linux
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Re: NNTP and To: field
By: Digital Man to Carlos Navarro on Wed Nov 12 2025 11:01 pm

I guess that something has to be fixed elsewhere (I am not familiar with Synchronet's code), but my quick patch doesn't break anything and it works for now: replies in echomail via NNTP have "To: recipient" instead of "To: All".

I'll look into it more.

I just wrote and executed a quick test and the msg header reply_id property does appear to be a string, as expected:

var msgbase = new MsgBase("test");
if(!msgbase.open())
exit();
var hdr = msgbase.get_msg_header(27);
print(typeof hdr.reply_id);

when run, prints 'string'.
--
digital man (rob)

Steven Wright quote #1:
I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Norco, CA WX: 64.0øF, 71.0% humidity, 0 mph NNW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

---
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12 Nov 2025 23:21, you wrote to me:

I just wrote and executed a quick test and the msg header reply_id
property does appear to be a string, as expected:

var msgbase = new MsgBase("test");
if(!msgbase.open())
exit();
var hdr = msgbase.get_msg_header(27);
print(typeof hdr.reply_id);

when run, prints 'string'.

Ok, in that script nothing happens to hdr after loading from the MSGbase. But in nntpservice.js, before being passed to function getReferenceTo, it is processed by function parse_news_header (in newsutil.js). It seems hdr.reply_id is then an array of string (typeof "object"). I think it happens here:

hdr.reply_id = data.match(/<[^\<]*>$/);

Carlos

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20180707
* Origin: cyberiada (2:341/234.1)
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Hey Carlos!

On Wed, Nov 13 2025 01:04:06 -0600, you wrote:

This is a reply to a message from Accession in the SYNCHRONET
echomail area, sent via Thunderbird on the NNTP server of a
Synchronet-based BBS. The message will likely be posted to the
echo with recipient "To: All" instead of "To: Accession"

You were correct. It came through addressed to "All".

Another reply, but now with the patch I posted (thanks for testing,
Angel).

Looks good from here. I'm still using my convoluted way, but I'm
watching this closely to see what comes of it.

Thanks for bringing it up!

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm, because beating people up is illegal.
---
þ Synchronet þ _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)

Re: NNTP and To: field
By: Carlos Navarro to Digital Man on Thu Nov 13 2025 06:08 pm

12 Nov 2025 23:21, you wrote to me:

I just wrote and executed a quick test and the msg header reply_id property does appear to be a string, as expected:

var msgbase = new MsgBase("test");
if(!msgbase.open())
exit();
var hdr = msgbase.get_msg_header(27);
print(typeof hdr.reply_id);

when run, prints 'string'.

Ok, in that script nothing happens to hdr after loading from the MSGbase. But in nntpservice.js, before being passed to function getReferenceTo, it is processed by function parse_news_header (in newsutil.js). It seems hdr.reply_id is then an array of string (typeof "object"). I think it happens here:

hdr.reply_id = data.match(/<[^\<]*>$/);

Thank you!

Looks like a bug introduced in https://gitlab.synchro.net/main/sbbs/-/commit/9bf86ab10c206945417c45d98f09

I'll fix that right up and appreciate your testing and detailed feedback!
--
digital man (rob)

Steven Wright quote #10:
The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
Norco, CA WX: 59.8øF, 90.0% humidity, 0 mph WNW wind, 0.09 inches rain/24hrs

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