Subj : Message Pointers / Multi-user Access
To   : Amessyroom
From : Digital Man
Date : Sun Feb 23 2025 20:09:39

  Re: Message Pointers / Multi-user Access
  By: Amessyroom to All on Sun Feb 23 2025 03:37 pm

 > How does message pointers work with synchronet bbs? My understanding is
 > there is a read pointer and new pointer.  But how do the move when a user
 > logins in an reads messages, and then returns?

Message pointers are saved when a user logs-off, disconnects, or uses the '&W' command to save them while logged-on.

 > Can a user of synchronet bbs login more than one time, and the pointers keep
 > in sync; or if messages are read during a ftelnet session and a synchronet
 > telnet sessions; could the pointers get skewed/confused due to multiple
 > access under the same account ?

The pointers are read during logon and kept in memory until log-off/disconnect. A second login can use the '&R' command to reload the message pointers from disk if they know the other session has read some messages. The last one to log-off/disconnect will have *their* message pointers saved, but only for the sub-boards they actually read messages in.

 > I've noticed times, when I read messages and I come back a day or two later,
 > and the pointer has fallen back to messages I have read.

If you're logging into the terminal server concurrently with the same account, that could explain that.

 > Do DDMSGReader and Native Msg reader work similarly ? I assume they are
 > using the same pointers, to manage where a user has read to, correct ?

I think so.
-- 
                                            digital man (rob)

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