[aprssig] DIGI_NED 0.3.4 and DIGIFLOP V1.2

[Henk de Groot]

Hello,

It has been a while, but here is an update to DIGI_NED, version 0.3.4.

I posted the source, binary and floppy version to my website:

http://www.homepages.hetnet.nl/~pe1dnn

It may be moved later to the official DIGI_NED site, but currently
maintenance on that site is low.

I also updated the floppy version. I also updated the configurator, it
now can configure LANn-N and LINKn-N settings out of the box. You can
also limit the ammount of hops you allow for inteligent digipeater calls.

Here are the changes from the Changes.txt file:

Changes.txt

30-08-2004 version 0.3.4
- Language error, ".. already send recently" in dx.c should use "sent", not
   "send". Correction provided by David, ZL3AI. Thanks David!
- Fixed error in the digi_ned.txt manual, rule "Ssid_Ignore_Data:" should be
   "Ssid_Ignore_Prefix:" as it is in de code and in in the digi_ned.ini file.
   Thanks to PA5JB for reporting this.
- The "send:" and "beacon:" rules will not transmit empty lines that are
   present in the beacon file anymore.
   Thanks to PA5JB for reporting this.
- Use of "all" in "dx_times:" is not case-sensitive anymore.
   Thanks to PA5JB for reporting this.
- The rule "digi_ssid:" did call replacement automatically, this gave a
   problem when you want to make a rule to convert from digipeating on SSID to
   the WIDEn-N equivalent. Call replacement is now removed for this rule, to
   convert from digipeating on SSID to WIDEn-N digipeating you can use the
   following rules, for example if the destination SSID is 2:
   On the first hop add the own call and WIDEn_N, where "N" is one lower than
   "n" to indicate that one hop is used:
     digito: all *-2 all 0 add DIGI_CALL,WIDE2-1
   On subsequent hops only change the SSID in a WIDEn-N equivaltent. The start
   value of "n" is unknown, but we know that at least 2 hops are used (one by
   somebody else and one by us):
     digissid: all *-2 all 0 add2 WIDE2
   I have added these as comment in the default digi_ned.ini for the case
   when your surrounding digis do not have digipeating on destination SSID.
   Thanks to PA5JB for reporting this.
- Removed a "digiend:" rule that was specific for my own location and
   was already obsolete. Also changed the text in digi_ned.txt that referred
   to this specific rule in the FAQ section.
- New rule "opentrac_enable:", DIGI_NED now digipeats Opentrac packets,
   with "opentrac_enable:" you can disable this feature (default enabled).
   Only rule based digipeating is supported for Opentrac, there is no
   specific Opentrac support (yet) such as for example the Trace element.
- The example "dx_portname:" is now a frequency in kHz.
- The default DIGI_NED.INI now uses the "digifirst:"/"diginext:" rules
   for WIDEn_N type calls to show where the packet entered the APRS system.
- Changed "preempt_keep:" to retain all calls in the list when preempting,
   except the ones in "preempt_never_keep:". The dutch example is now commented
   out. Since the dutch authority now hands out new prefixes the example has
   been extended to keep every call from "PA" up to and including "PI".
- The "preempt:" structure that was used to avoid use of RELAY at other
   positions in the via list is now obsolete; RELAY uses the "digifirst:"
   rule so it only accepts RELAY at the beginning of the via list.
- Additional change to "via_block:" rule, the optional port number is now
   valid for both FROM this port and TO this port. The optional port number
   supplied with "block:" and "msg_block:" only blocks packets FROM that port
   (these are not changed).
- LOCAL/REMOTE detection failed then the via path contains a call like
   WIDE-6. The subsequent WIDE-5, WIDE-4... etc all looked direct but
   are not giving a lot of bogus DX messages. Now calls like this are treated
   as always indirect. This problem now became obvious since TinyTrak-3 seem
   to encourage use of these paths...
   Reported by PA5JB, thanks Jaap!
- Rules "block:", "via_block:" and "msg_block:" now allow an optional port
   number parameter (port numbers separated by commas or "all"). Only packets
   from those ports with the specified calls are blocked. (for example:
   via_block: 1,3 CALL). When no port is specified then "all" is assumed to be
   backwards compatible.
- Changed the values in AX25_MAC.INI, the defaults for PERSIST and SLOTTIME
   are now 255 and 0, causing immediate transmission as soon as the channel
   is clear. Transmissions of digi's will overlap but this is the intended
   behaviour. For more information look at the APRSSIG at www.tapr.org where
   this was discussed in depth. If you use DIGI_NED on a shared channel with
   non APRS traffic (lap QRG), or also use other applications on the same port
   (e.g. in combination with Xastir on Linux) then don't forget to change
   these values back to less agressive values (e.g. 64 and 10).
   Note: values for up to 4 channels are now entered, they are all set to use
   a TXDelay of 250ms, do not forget to adjust this to suit your TRX.
- When compiling without _SATTRACKER_ the variable "zone" was not defined.
- Changed way to output under DOS from direct screen-writes to console-I/O.
   This allows redirection of the DIGI_NED output to a serial line for single
   board computers.
- When using a wildcard in a "preempt:" rule without specifying a replacement,
   the call with the wildcard was copied to the "via" list, instead of the
   call from the incomming packet. Found by Pascal Rapharin, F5JSD, thanks for
   the report!
- Refreshed whois.db in the Sample.dos and Sample.lnx directories
- Implementation of "wx_var:" of type "SUM" changed. If the counter for
   which SUM is adding the differences is increased more than 32 since the
   previous measurement then the value is ignored. This solves a problems
   when a counter takes a step backward for some odd reason, previously this
   was seen as a 255 increase. Since every 10 seconds the telemetry port is
   sampled the highest counting rate for SUM is about 3 pulses per second
   (was 25). Since rainmeters, for which this was designed, have to fill up
   with water before giving a counting pulse it doesn't look like a problem
   to have this restriction.
- New version of AX25_MAC, this one can be used with Kenwood tranceivers,
   that is, if they can send and receive KISS. This one has been distributed
   before on with the quick out of the box DIGI_NED boot floppy.
- Usage changed when wrong parameters are supplied. The usage was out-dated
   (didn't show all the flags). Now the help-text is shown instead.
- In digi_ned.mes you can now start a response-line with a ^ character. The
   line will be transmitted as is (without the ^ character) and not as a
   message. This enables transmission of any text format packet (and not
   just Objects, Items and Bulletins).
- When sending a packet with no payload DIGI_NED thought there was a match
   with the "data_prefix:" array and kept the packet a shorter time for
   dupe-checking. Fixed, now there packets are kept just as long as any other
   normal packer. Found by David, ZL3AI, thanks!

APRS[tm] is a Trademark of Bob Bruninga,
his home page is at "http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/aprs.html"

DIGI_NED also digipeats Opentrac packets. Opentrac is more structured
protocol inspired by APRS, more information about the protocol and the
project can be found at "http://www.opentrac.org/".

Kind regards,

Henk.