Subz docs
For each active Mailman listserv managed by Justcomm, the subscriber's
email addresses, "real names", and mail modes are archived the
first of each month in a compact text file named subzYMD.txt. (YMD is a
date code) Occasionally, on request, this file is supplied to list
sponsors. Below is explanation of the abbreviations etc used in subz
files.
Note that subz files are text files with some lines up to about 90
characters in length;, it can be difficult to view (and print) with them
with a wordprocessor like MS Word. They can be viewed with a web browser.
If for example, a subz file is received by email and saved as a file at
c:\mydocs\subzfa1.txt ,try entering:
file:///c:/mydocs/subzfa1.txt
into the box at the top of your browser and hit return.
Also note that subz files can also be supplied as a ".csv" (comma
separated value) file which can be imported into most spreadsheet
programs. It can also be supplied as a simple html file.
Example excerpt of a subz file:
[listname] listserv, complete subscription info (Subz) 11-01-05
DO NOT release or send unsolicited email to these addresses
Explanation of the format of this "subz" file, see: http://justcomm.org/subz-doc.htm
Fred H Olson, 612-588-9532 fholson@cohousing.org www.justcomm.org
[listname] 11-01-05 Reg=239 Dig=0 NoM=4 Ttl=239 Actv=235 Hid=0 Col:60 msg00000
_mod usernaname1@domain1.com Real Name 1
_mod _noMB _dig usernaname2@domain2.com Real Name 2
_mod _noMA _dig usernaname3@domain3.com Real Name 3
usernaname4@domain4.com Real Name 4 612-588-9532
H _noMU _dig ztest@cohousing.org John Smith /US/CA/93446/OCC
---- end excerpt ----
Totals abbreviations on line 5 of header
Reg= Number of non-digest subscriptions
Dig= Number of digest subscriptions
NoM= Number of subscriptions in no mail mode
Ttl= Number of subscriptions total
Actv= Number of active subscriptions (not in "no mail" mode)
Hid= Number of "hidden" subscriptions, see "Longer / less used items" below.
Other line 5 abbreviations:
Col: see "Longer / less used items" below.
msg00000 see "Longer / less used items" below.
Individual subscriber "flags" see also "Longer / less used items" below.
Note that presence of these abbreviations indicate the flag is set as described.
Absence indicates not in the corresponding mode. A completely normal
subscription on a discussion list has no flags.
_mod (column 1-4 ) Subscription is in "moderation" mode.
H (column 6 ) Subscription is "hidden"
_noMB (column 8-12) Subscription in no mail mode due to bouncing
_noMA (column 8-12) Subscription in no mail mode - set by list manager
_noMU (column 8-12) Subscription in no mail mode - set by subscriber
_dig (column 14-17) Subscription in digest mode - note that non-digest
"regular" subscribers are ones that do not have _dig in column 14-17
Main individual subscriber data:
subscribed address Starts in column 34 (not labeled)
real name field: Right most column (not labeled) see "Longer / less used items" below.
Longer / less used items:
Hid= (line 4) Number of "Hidden" subscribers. (discouraged, hidden
subscribers do not show up when a list of subscribers is fetched via the
link near the bottom of Info Page but since this link is usually
configured so only the list manager can use it (who can get hidden subs
here) the Hidden flag is largely pointless.
Col: (line 4) The column number in subz file where "Real name" starts.
(depends on length of longest subscribed address)
msg00000 (line 4) Unimplemented as of 11/4/05 but will be the message
number of the most recently posted message. This message number is
assigned consecutively by the archive process and is part of the
archived message's file name. When compared to other month's subz
files, it will allow calculating number of messages posted between
subz files' compilation dates.
_mod The moderation flag determines who can post messages.
Messages from subscribers in moderation mode are not automatically
distributed (usually they are held for the list manager's review.
In general discussion lists allow all subscribers to post,
announcement lists do not.
_noM (NoM) No Mail mode simply prevents list messages being sent to a
subscribed address that is in no mail mode. It can be set 3
ways as indicated by the letter after noM. It is set to _noMB when
bounces have occurred (after 3 weeks of attempts to failed
attempts to notify the subscriber, the subscription is automatically
dropped). No mail mode can also be set by the subscriber ( _noMU ) or
the list manager ( _noMA ), typically because it is a second
subscription at an alternate address which allows posting from that
address, or because the subscriber is "on vacation", or the subscriber
prefers to read list messages via the archives but wants to be able to
be able to post messages.
Real name field: (right most column - see Col: above)
The information in this column is usually entered by the subscriber when
they subscribe via the forms on the list's Info Page tho it is optional.
Nothing guarantees the validity of this info and info other than / in
addition to the subscriber's real "real name" can be entered. The
information can be edited by the list manager or supplied when the
initial subscribers are "subscribed" (for example when a list is moved
from another listserv.
By default the Info Page web form labels the Real Name field "optional"
tho that can be edited. In a few cases the form has been edited to request
additional information. For example, cohousing-L's subscribe form requests
geographic information (see it's Info Page: http://cohousing.org/cohousing-L )
Note that the subscriber entries are in alphabetical order by email address.
I have experimented alphabetizing the file by last name but there are limits
on doing this. The real name field is one text field and there is in general
no way to identify the string which is the last real name. (Therefore last
names can not be in a separate column for example.) Also the real name data
may be very incomplete for some lists. If this file is viewed on a computer,
searching obviates much of the need for alphabetization. My experiment assumed
the last name followed the first space in the real name field and I edited
underscore characters into exceptions to this and wrote special sort routines
- it was partially successful.
Justcomm.org Fred's Link page