Newsgroups: comp.protocols.appletalk
Path: utzoo!utgpu!cunews!bnrgate!bwdls61!bnr.ca!bschmidt
From: bschmidt@bnr.ca (Ben Schmidt (BNR))
Subject: The use of "*" in NBP LkUp and BrRq responses?
Message-ID: <1991May2.225423.15784@bwdls61.bnr.ca>
Sender: usenet@bwdls61.bnr.ca (Use Net)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research
References: <1991May1.135504.921@shell.shell.com>
Date: Thu, 2 May 1991 22:54:23 GMT

We have AppleTalk Phase 1 server software which responds to NBP LkUp and 
BrRq with the NBP type, but the zonename string set to null (i.e. "").

This software works perfectly with System 6 client macs.

However our System 7 client macs fail to see this AppleTalk network 
resource in their Chooser.  They expect that the NBP response zonename 
should be set to "*".

Our System 6 clients don't care whether the zonename is "" or "*".  Our 
System 7 clients drop any NBP replies with zonename "" on the floor.

A look at Inside AppleTalk, Ed. 2, p7-17 is (surprise) amibiguous:

"In a LkUp, FwdReq, or BrRq request, a null zone name (length byte equals 
0) should be treated as equivalent to an asterisk (*)."

Sounds like Apple System 7 (7.0b4) is at fault, right?  But then again 
this is an NBP *reply*, not a  LkUp, FwdReq, or BrRq request.  

So maybe NBP replies must have an "*"??
Then how come System 6 Mac clients don't care?

Ben Schmidt       Information Technology,   Bell-Northern Research
bschmidt@bnr.ca   FAX:(613) 763-3283  /* My opinions, not BNR's */
