>> My submission did not get through the first two times I sent it.
>> Third time lucky, but then Andy says it arrived "as a text file" which
>> he was able to translate back to a jpg
>Perhaps the attached file (in Base64 encoding, or whateveritis) got
>shown in his mail reader, as random "garbage" characters; but he was
>able to save it somehow so it got decoded as a jpg?
Brian is quite right. I used a little program (ya-base64-129) found somewhere
on the web that examines a file to see if it contains what might be image files
and then displays them or fixes the situation.
As for the non-received files I am not sure why Bob and Rich's and maybe more
photographs were not accepted or ever reached the address the PF gallery
uses to receive image contributions. That address is configured as an
autoresponder and if mail comes in with some expected text string on the
subject line (ie: gallery) it responds with a predetermined file. In this case
an acknowledgement of receipt file.
However, in any case the autoresponder sends back SOMEthing even if it
does not know what to send back. In that case it sends back a default file
that simply states "I have no idea what you sent" ... but receives and stores
the message and attachment anyway.
Later on some human (guess who!) examines the incoming mailbox and selects
those messages that contain PF gallery images. The incorrectly submitted ones
must be ferreted out by a great deal of cunning and intuition and are seldom
lost.
The "listserv" that operates the PhotoForum mail list is something totally
separate. The mail redistribution program that RIT (still) uses is called
Listproc and is one of the earliest "listserv" programs. I wish we had a newer
and more capable list management system but it does not seem to be in the
cards.
Listproc is part of the mail system at RIT and runs off a dedicated server
(along with a slew of other lists mostly internal to RIT) but still part is
of the system. It needs TLC and periodic maintenance. This in times of stress
(like now) often is overlooked especially as staff changes, etc. In any case
PhotoForum has been around since late 1993 and while probably not supported by
the most modern list management program hopefully it has provided a useful
service to its subscribers. Suggestions for improvement are always welcome
although implementation even of good ideas can not always be accomplished.
I hope you all had or are still having a good weekend!
Andy
Andrew Davidhazy, andpph@rit.edu - PhotoForum on the Internet
