Monthly sqr-users Hints Posting

[Nathan Stratton Treadway <nathant@ONTKO.COM>]

  sqr-users Mailing List Hints and Guidelines
  Nathan Stratton Treadway, Ray Ontko & Co.
  (nathant@ontko.com)
  $Revision: 1.7 $ $Date: 2000-11-05 17:07:59-05 $

  This document gathers in one location information about the sqr-users
  mail list.  Directions for common list-server commands (including
  unsubscribing) are given, as are guidelines for list usage.
  ______________________________________________________________________

  Table of Contents


  1. Changes Since Previous Version
  2. Introduction
     2.1 sqr-users Mailing List
     2.2 sqr-users Hints and Guidelines Document
     2.3 Related Mailing Lists

  3. Basic List Server Commands
     3.1 Subscribing to the List
     3.2 Unsubscribing from the List
     3.3 Digests
     3.4 Problems

  4. Posting to the sqr-users List
     4.1 General Guidelines
     4.2 Posting a Message
     4.3 Replying to a Message

  5. Job Announcements


  ______________________________________________________________________

  1.  Changes Since Previous Version

  Changes since the version dated 1999/11/05:


  o  Removed dead link to merger information on Brio website in
     "Introduction: sqr-users Mailing List" section.

  o  Mentioned that the psusers and  PeopleSoft Fans mailing lists have
     merged (in "Related Mailing Lists" section).


  2.  Introduction



  2.1.  sqr-users Mailing List

  The sqr-users mailing list was created to enable discussion related to
  the SQR database language from Brio Technology <http://www.brio.com/>
  (and to other products in the Brio.Report line).

  Note: SQR used to be published by SQRIBE Technologies, which was
  merged into Brio Technology on August 3, 1999.


  The mailing list is provided as a service of Ray Ontko & Co.
  <http://www.ontko.com/> A searchable archive of past postings to the
  mailing list is available from the SQR Users Group web site
  <http://www.sqrug.com/sqr-users/>.

  2.2.  sqr-users Hints and Guidelines Document

  This document gives various hints and guidelines about the sqr-users
  mailing list.  It will be posted approximately monthly to the mailing
  list so that new users can see it (and existing users can find it
  easily).

  An HTML version of the document is always available at
  http://www.sqrug.com/sqr-users/sqr-users-hints.html.

  If you have comments or suggestions about this document, please
  contact me directly at the address listed in the title section.

  This document is Copyright (C) 1999,2000 by Ray Ontko & Co.  It may be
  freely copied and distributed provided it is not modified in any way
  and it retains the original copyright notice.


  2.3.  Related Mailing Lists


     peoplesoft-fans
        <http://www.egroups.com/list/peoplesoft-fans/info.html>:
        PeopleSoft Fans
        Moderated list covering technical and functional aspects of
        PeopleSoft.  To join, follow the link above, or send any message
        to "peoplesoft-fans-subscribe@egroups.com".


     psusers <http://www.egroups.com/list/psusers/info.html>: PeopleSoft
        Users
        For questions related to any aspect of PeopleSoft (including
        PeopleSoft-specific SQR issues).  This list has merged with the
        Peoplesoft Fans mailing list and is no longer active, but the
        message achive can still be found at the link above.


     rm-users <http://www.sqrug.com/mailman/listinfo/rm-users>:
        ReportMart Users
        List for discussion of Brio.Portal (previously called
        ReportMart).  To join, follow the link above, or send a message
        containing the word "subscribe" in the body to "rm-users-
        request@sqrug.com".


  3.  Basic List Server Commands

  Note: The list used to be hosted on  usa.net , but the list-hosting
  service was moved to list.iex.net .  The old addresses for the list,
  list server, and list owner no longer work.

  A few basic list server commands are listed below.  Send these
  commands as the only line in the body (not the subject line) of an e-
  mail message sent to "listserv@list.iex.net".



  3.1.  Subscribing to the List

  To subscribe to the mailing list, the command is

     subscribe sqr-users Your Name


  Note that you do not need to provide your e-mail address as it is
  taken from your message's header.
  You will be e-mailed a confirmation number, which you must then send
  back to the list server software before the command goes into effect.



  3.2.  Unsubscribing from the List

  To unsubscribe, the command is simply

     unsubscribe sqr-users



  Once again, you will need to confirm your command before it goes into
  effect.



  3.3.  Digests

  Once you are subscribed, you can request to get your messages in
  digest form (one large message containing all of the posts made each
  day) by sending the command

     set sqr-users digests



  If you use digests you should not just "reply" to the digest mailing.
  Instead, be sure your message's subject header matches the subject in
  the original posting to which you are replying, and that you don't
  include a quoted copy of the entire digest in your post.

  Use "nodigests" instead of "digests" to restore normal distribution.



  3.4.  Problems

  If the above commands do not work, please contact the list manager at
  "sqr-users-request@list.iex.net".  (Do not send a message to the list
  itself -- no one there can help you with your problem!)  Please
  include a copy of the error message you received from the list server.



  4.  Posting to the sqr-users List

  In order to post to the mailing list, you must be subscribed to it
  (see directions above).


  4.1.  General Guidelines

  For any message you send to the list, please:

  o  make sure your mail software is not requesting a "Return Receipt".
     (If a "Return Receipt Requested" message is sent to the list,
     several dozen receipt messages will be sent out to the mailing list
     in reply from other subscribers.)

  o  do not send messages in HTML or other special formats.  (These are
     not usable by many subscribers, especially those who receive their
     messages in digest format.)


  o  keep in mind that over 500 people will receive your message, and
     that it will appear in the list archives.  Try to keep your
     messages on-topic and relatively short.  Consider sending your
     message directly to particular people if it won't interest many of
     the list's subscribers.

  4.2.  Posting a Message

  Once you are subscribed, you can post to the list by sending a message
  to  "sqr-users@list.iex.net".  Be sure your subject heading describes
  your specific problem or question (i.e. don't just use "SQR
  Question").

  In the body of your message, please include the following information:

  o  Brio product and version number

  o  Operating system and version number

  o  Database name and version number

  o  Application name (i.e. PeopleSoft) and a version number, if any

  Also, include a short code sample whenever possible.  It's much easier
  for other people to understand what you are trying to do when they can
  see the actual code.  (At the same time, be careful not to post
  confidential or proprietary code, since the posting will be placed in
  a public web archive.)


  Note that your question should relate to SQR or other Brio Report
  product in some way.  Don't ask questions about PeopleSoft, for
  example, unless you are having SQR-related issues.


  To find out your version of SQR, you can run the following program:

  begin-program
  show $sqr-ver
  end-program


  This will produce a line that looks something like this:

  SQR/3.0.15/Intel/SCO Unix R3.2 V5.0/Oracle 7.2.2.3/Sep 25 1996


  Include the full line of output in your message.   Note that the oper-
  ating system version number listed here is the one under which this
  copy of SQR was compiled, so you'll still need to include your own
  information.


  4.3.  Replying to a Message

  Messages sent out on the list have a Reply-To header pointing to the
  list.  This means that you should be able to simply use your mail
  reader's "reply" function to send a reply to the list.

  Generally, all answers to questions sent out on the list should be
  public replies, so that other subscribers can benefit.  In those cases
  where a private reply is appropriate, be sure to over-ride the default
  Reply-To address.

  If your message is not actually a reply to the earlier message, please
  do not use the "reply" function.  Instead, address a new e-mail
  message to the list as described in the previous section.  (This is
  because the list archives will incorrectly show the new message in the
  original thread if you use "reply".)

  You should quote enough lines from the original message that later
  readers can understand your answer even if they missed the original
  question.  At the same time, you should remove any unnecessary lines
  from the quote in order to make your message shorter and easier to
  understand.  (Remember that some people read the mailing list in
  digest form, and the digests become much larger if unnecessary lines
  are quoted.)

  In particular, in order to prevent mail loops, the list server will
  not accept messages that contain From:, Sender:, etc. lines pointing
  back to the sqr-users list, even if these lines are quoted (i.e. with
  ">" characters).  Be sure to delete these from your reply message
  before sending it.



  5.  Job Announcements

  SQR-related job announcements are currently allowed on the list,
  subject to the following restrictions:


  o  The subject line must begin with the words "JOB ANNOUNCEMENT:".

  o  The message should be very short (fewer than 20 lines), giving
     brief details of the job and a way for those interested to get more
     information directly (i.e. web page or phone number).

  o  The message should specifically remind people interested in the job
     to respond directly to the message author (and not to use their
     mailer's "reply" function, since that would send the reply out on
     the list).

  o  Post job announcements as infrequently as possible.