[aprssig] APRS Virtual Bulletin Board

[Lynn W. Deffenbaugh (Mr)]

Robert Bruninga wrote:
>
>> You mention "clearing" a bulleting.  How is that done?  
>> Transmitting the bulletin group/line with no text?
>>     
>
> When I wrote that, I wasn't sure either.  But yes, that should
> do it because  the new blank line should overwrite what was
> there before.  But then that blank line now is "recent" and will
> not be eventually removed from the page because it now looks
> new.  So I guess there was no formal process.  Maybe, in your
> over-write old-lines algorithm, you can consider a blank line as
> "old"... Or at least older than its most recent transmission
> would imply...
>   

Ok, since I know there isn't a standard in place yet, I think I'll just 
interpret a white-space-filled bulletin as a kill and instantly remove 
it from the display.  Now I need to add that to my Bulletin editor 
(probably a Kill checkbox like I use on objects) to transmit a single 
blank at the configured interval until the user remembers to disable the 
bulletin.  If they simply delete the bulletin, maybe I'll send out one 
blank message and just trust that the world will forget the bulletin 
after a while.  Hessu's aprs.fi page displays bulletins received in the 
previous 24 hours.

>> This is like crying wolf with the new bulletin 
>> notification,...
>>     
>
> Its your call.  I like the way APRSdos (after a restart) begins
> to beep as the bulletin page is re-filled.  It gives me a warm
> fuzzy that there are currently active bulletins out there, and
> that the bulletins I am looking at on that page are not
> something hanging on forever due to reboots...
>
> But I can see your side too.
>   

I'm still planning to show the time something was received with a 
probable color highlight, but the message itself will only highlight and 
notify (beeps and/or popups) when it actually changes.

Now, if I could just get word to OK1COM-10 to use the line designator 
instead of putting 1/2 and 2/2 in the same bulletin line every update.  
As it stands, it looks "new" every time he transmits.

 From http://aprs.fi/?c=raw&call=OK1COM-10:

2010-09-03 20:35:06 UTC: OK1COM-10>APZM4A,TCPIP*,qAC,THIRD::BLN4WX   
:1/2 V nejblizsich dnech neocekavame nebezpecne meteorologicke {571
2010-09-03 20:35:23 UTC: OK1COM-10>APZM4A,TCPIP*,qAC,THIRD::BLN4WX   
:2/2 nebo hydrologicke jevy. {572

Lynn (D) - KJ4ERJ - Author of APRSISCE for Windows Mobile and Win32