R3 DevBase User Guide
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What is it?
DevBase is the REBOL 3.0 online discussion forum.
It will be combined with DevBase to provide full access the development community and file sources.
You can access DevBase from any R3 distribution, but you must have direct TCP access to HTTP (proxy not yet supported).
This document describes the DevBase console client (CLI). Other [DevBase#Multi-cliented DevBase clients]] will be available, such as a GUI version.
To understand why we built DevBase, [DevBase read this]].
Basic ideas
You need to understand these few basic concepts:
- Messages are posted under headings.
- Headings can have sub-headings.
- Every message and heading has a unique id number.
- The prompt indicates current user and heading.
Getting help
You can get help with the ? command or type docs to browse to this wiki site.
>> ? Main ideas: * Messages are posted under headings. * Headings can have sub-headings. * Every message and heading has a unique id number. * The prompt indicates current user and heading. Basic usage: * Type new-user to add an account. * Type n to see new messages from the server. * Enter the number of message or heading to view. * Press enter to view the next message. * Type l to see messages under current heading. Main commands: # - A number shows message or message list l - LIST messages in current heading h - List sub-HEADINGS in current heading n - NEWEST messages in all headings nn - Show only new messages since last time .. - Go to parent heading ...(more)...
Notice you can also type ?? to get more info on commands. When used alone, it will show all commands. When followed by a word or string it will display all commands that include it.
For example, to see all commands with the word "list":
>> ?? list
l opt-count -- list of messages for current topic
lm -- list all message contents
lb -- list current messages to browser
lr -- list related (re:) messages
---- USER LISTINGS:
who -- list recent users
users arg-user -- list all users
list-files | lf 'submit | 'accept | 'deny | none -- list files (detailed)
ls -- list files (short)
ll -- list local files (short)
?? opt-name -- list of commands (or find matching command)
More info on [DevBase]] is also published.
Navigating
Top-level headings
Messages are organized under headings, like a book or HTML document. To see the top level, type TOP:
tester:>> top
:
2 H Server admin 0 admin 8:58 hours ago
4 H User messages 0 admin 10 days ago
5 H General 0 admin 8 days ago
14 H R3 0 Carl 7:36 hours ago
15 H R2 0 Carl 13 days ago
16 H Tools 0 Carl 13 days ago
17 H Websites 0 Carl 13 days ago
18 H Community 0 Carl 13 days ago
The numbers are "message ids". Everything has an id, and you will use them to navigate.
The "H" indicates that the message is a heading, and it may have more headings or messages within it.
Jump to a heading
The fast way to navigate is to just type the id number of the heading or message you want to open. For example:
tester:>> 14 R3: 19 H Lobby 14 Carl 4 days ago 20 H Plans 14 Carl 4 days ago 21 H Language 14 Carl 4 days ago 22 H Docs 14 Carl 4 days ago 23 H Testing 14 Carl 4 days ago ...
These are all the sub-headings in the R3 heading.
Note that you don't need to go back to change to a different section. Just type any heading number.
tester:R3>> 16 Tools: 52 H Lobby 16 Carl 4 days ago 53 H DevBase 16 Carl 3 days ago 54 H Reb-Services 16 Carl 4 days ago
Change headings quickly
You can directly jump to any section you already know exists. For example, I know that 75 is the DevBase section:
tester:Tools>> 75 Tools/DevBase/DevBase: 76 H Bugs 75 Carl 12 days ago 87 H Notes 75 Carl 4:29 hours ago 115 H Releases 75 Carl 24:22 hours ago 117 H Ideas 75 Carl 24:22 hours ago 120 H Testing 75 Carl 8:52 hours ago
Back to parent heading
At any time, to go back to the parent heading:
tester:Tools/DevBase/DevBase>> .. Tools/DevBase: 75 H DevBase 53 Carl 9:04 hours ago tester:Tools/DevBase>> .. Tools: 52 H Lobby 16 Carl 13 days ago 53 H DevBase 16 Carl 13 days ago 54 H Reb-Services 16 Carl 13 days ago
Newest messages
To see the newest message regardless of its heading, type n. This is very useful if you just want to see what's been going on.
tester:Tools>> n --- Note: checking for new messages 130 V 2.100.30 released. This is a larg r 113 Carl 4:38 hours ago 129 News script is now active. 128 Carl 7:52 hours ago 128 H Notes 14 Carl 3:54 hours ago 127 Problem fixed: when a message is po te125 Carl 8:33 hours ago 126 New message to subtest heading. 125 Carl 8:57 hours ago 125 H Sub-test2 120 Carl 8:33 hours ago 124 Posting in subtest. 123 Carl 9:01 hours ago 123 H Sub-test 120 Carl 9:01 hours ago ...
You can also type n followed by a number to show more or fewer messages.
The nn command will show you the newest of the new messages: the ones that arrived since you last typed n or nn.
You can also type nu for seeing new messages from a specific user.
Goto message (linking)
Messages can be linked to other messages with a link of the form #123. You can goto the other message quickly with the g command.
For example:
carl:Tools/DevBase/DevBase/Discussion>> 214 #214 post from Carl 2 days: 0.1.7: Fixes #213 - u command when not logged on. carl:Tools/DevBase/DevBase/Releases>> g #213 post from Henrik 2 days:
Using the command "u" when you are guest causes a script error.
Viewing message content
Within any heading, you might also see message summaries. These are the lines that have no H (or other letter) on the left:
tester:Tools/DevBase/DevBase/Notes>> 76 Tools/DevBase/DevBase/Bugs: 77 U (USERS) command does not update l 76 Carl 4 days ago 78 Sometimes a message list does not u 76 Carl 4 days ago 83 Letter is blank in the 4th letter f 76 Henrik 4 days ago 84 Add some spacing between the messag 76 Henrik 4 days ago 85 #84 - is actually a bug in FORMAT f 76 Carl 4 days ago 86 #83 - also bug in FORMAT. 76 Carl 4 days ago
To view a full message, just type its number:
carl:Tools/DevBase/DevBase/Bugs>> 84 #84 post from Henrik 4 days ago: Add some spacing between the message column and the sender column the message li st. Type N to see the problem.
To see the next message, just press enter (no command needed).
Browsing a URL or other link
You can use the g command to quickly goto a message or webpage if the message you are viewing contains any of these link forms:
#nnn bug#nnn www.example.com http://www.example.com
For example:
carl:Tools/DevBase/DevBase/Bugs>> 177 #177 post from Robert 5:34 hours ago: Reply to #176 carl:User messages/Robert>> g #176 post from Henrik 5:37 hours ago: Welcome Robert. I'd like you to reply to this message, thanks.
If the message contains more than one link, you will be given a menu to pick from.
Posting messages
You can post public or private messages to most headings.
Public messages
Messages are by default public.
The p command posts public messages:
carl:Tools/DevBase/DevBase/Notes>> p Enter public message. End with . alone to send or / to cancel. Added notes about posting messages. Goto this URL: http://www.rebol.net/wiki/DevBase_Quick_Start#Posting_messages .
Message entry is terminated with a period (.) to post or a slash (/) to cancel it.
Note: the system is also designed to allow posting messages to anything, even other messages (true threads). However, that feature is not yet enabled because it adds interface complexities.
Private messages
Private messages can be posted to any heading, and they can only be seen by the sender or the receiver of the message. No one else can view them. (This allows private messages to be kept in context with a topic, when necessary.)
The pp command posts private messages:
carl:Tools/DevBase/DevBase/Notes>> pp tester Enter private message. End with . alone to send or / to cancel. This is a private message that only tester and me can view. .
The pp command can take a user id as a word, string, or user number.
Private messages appear in the message listing with a dash (-) in front of them to indicate that they are not seen by everyone.
215 Private message test for mobile vie 76 Carl 15 mins 216 -This is a private message to Henrik 76 Carl 15 mins 217 The private message is #216. It sho 76 Carl 14 mins
Message 216 is private. Only Henrik and Carl can see it.
Note: there are no private groups yet, but we anticipate adding such a feature in the future. For now, private messages can only be sent to a single user.
Move or Remove Messages
You can move a message from one heading to another. This is useful if you (or someone else) posted a message to the wrong section.
tester:Tools>> move 112 5
You can also remove a message.
tester:Tools>> remove 112
Note that to move or remove a message that is not your own, you must have a high level user rank.
User list
To see who else has been around, use the who command:
tester:Tools>> who
2 Carl Carl Sassenrath recent [rank 80]
5 btiffi Brian Tiffin 16 mins ago [rank 10]
7 feeds Remote feeds recent [rank 10]
10 richar Richard Westlake 35 mins ago [rank 10]
11 Graham Graham Chiu 42 mins ago [rank 10]
13 Jerry Jerry Tsai recent [rank 10]
There is also a users command that will show all users.
Searching
It is handy to be able to search for a message or header containing specific text using the 'f command:
tester:>> f "bug" 68 -fixed that bug. 11 Carl 4 days ago 76 H Bugs 75 Carl 3 days ago 85 #84 - is actually a bug in FORMAT f nc.76 Carl 4 days ago 86 #83 - also bug in FORMAT. 76 Carl 4 days ago
Now just type the number of the message you want to see. Notice that you will enter that heading automatically.
tester:>> 85 #85 post from Carl 13 days ago: #84 - is actually a bug in FORMAT func.
About ranking
The commands that you are allowed to use depend on your rank. Advanced commands, such as posting an alert message, require a higher rank.
All new users start with a low rank at first. You can navigate around and post messages, but not much else.
Your ranking can only be raised by a higher ranked user.
Tagging messages
Messages can be tagged to help other users find them later. For example, we may want to tag a message that contains information for expert users or to request an expert look at a specific message.
To tag a message, your user rank must be 50 or greater.
To keep tagging sane, we only allow predefined tags to be used. That's because the meaning of each tag needs to be clear. They will be shown when you create a tag.
Here's an example:
carl:R2/Mezzanines/Functor>> tag 543 Tag this message: 543 FUNCTOR, final cleaned up version: 530 BrianH 50 mins Valid tags are: 1 expert flag this for experts 2 expert? ask expert to answer this 3 official flag this as an official item 4 official? ask for official resolution to this 5 carl flag this as important for Carl 6 carl? ask Carl to answer this Tag#?
To view all tagged messages, use the t command. (This will be improved with more filtering later, once we have enough tags to worry about.)
Quitting
Use 'q to quit, because it will end your session properly.
Or, if you use 'qq it will quit regardless of the session.
You can also use 'quit to exit R3 and 'halt to exit to the R3 command line.
Advanced commands
Many other commands are available. To see them, use the ?? command.
Documentation on advanced commands will be published in a separate document (TBD).
References
- See also [DevBase]] for more details.
- Mobile web view of messages.