From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

Despite the fact that my AVAT-IN event seems to fire without warning, I have yet to
have received any avatars via the sharing feature. It's possible that based on the
data I have in my SYNCDATA sub that might be expected behavior, but that is to also
say I have around 2900 messages in that sub but nearly 2000 messages in a row spit
out parse errors on JSON data. That's TLDR ahead of time.

I am running this command to rescan the message base for avatars:

`./jsexec avatars.js import=DOVE-SYNCDATA -ptr=0 -all`

The initial parsing of the older messages goes fine, the initial logs (edited for
brevity) go smoothly until msg #109:

```
Opening msgbase /sbbs/data/subs/dove-syncdata
Importing msg #1 from Weatherman: parsed 4 avatarssuccess
Importing msg #3 from RickV: parsed 0 avatarssuccess
...
Importing msg #108 from Vela025: parsed 5 avatarssuccess
Importing msg #109 from Dark Angel: !invalid or missing JSON block, length: 1, begin: undefined, end: undefined
FAILED
Importing msg #110 from digital man: !invalid or missing JSON block, length: 1, begin: undefined, end: undefined
```

That parsing error repeats in my logs all the way until message #1801:

```
mporting msg #1800 from digital man: !invalid or missing JSON block, length: 1, begin: undefined, end: undefined
FAILED
Importing msg #1801 from Fercho: !invalid or missing JSON block, length: 1, begin:
undefined, end: undefined
FAILED
Importing msg #1803 from Nelgin: parsed 14 avatarssuccess
```

We see a lot of "parsed # avatarsuccess" until we get to message #1955, which according to logs is a message from me, and an error is thrown (maybe preventing
.bin files being written to text/avatars at end of process?):

```
Importing msg #1954 from StingRay: parsed 1 avatarssuccess
!JavaScript /sbbs/exec/load/avatar_lib.js line 70: TypeError: netaddr is undefined
Importing msg #1955 from HM Derdoc: /sbbs/repo/exec/avatars.js executed in 0.77 seconds
!Module (avatars.js) set exit_code: 1
```

I'm not sure if the TypeError is from msg #1954 or #1955, but that's where it bails. I guess I could see if I can get that to fail more gracefully, probably could, but
I guess if it's a synchronet or dovenet data issue it's probably better to reach outbefore i implement a hack for it.

Anyone else not seeing any shared avatars lately? (I actually have none, but I've
only been up and running ~2 months)

thanks,
derdoc

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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Hm Derdoc
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Hm Derdoc to All on Wed Oct 22 2025 11:11 am

Despite the fact that my AVAT-IN event seems to fire without warning,

AVAT-IN is a timed event, so it'll "fire" (executed) based on its configured interval.

I have
yet to have received any avatars via the sharing feature. It's possible that based on the data I have in my SYNCDATA sub that might be expected behavior, but that is to also say I have around 2900 messages in that sub but nearly 2000 messages in a row spit out parse errors on JSON data.
That's TLDR ahead of time.

I am running this command to rescan the message base for avatars:

`./jsexec avatars.js import=DOVE-SYNCDATA -ptr=0 -all`

I don't recall avatars.js being designed to run via jsexec. Although it might, that's not really the intention - you run it as a timed event. If you want to force the timed event to run on demand or modify the command-line that runs as an event, you can do that too.

That may or may not have anything to do with the errors you're seeing, I'm not sure.
--
digital man (rob)

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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Hm Derdoc
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Digital Man to Hm Derdoc on Wed Oct 22 2025 09:22 pm

I don't recall avatars.js being designed to run via jsexec. Although it might, that's not really the intention - you run it as a timed event. If you want to force the timed event to run on demand or modify the command-line that runs as an event, you can do that too.

I see from the wiki that indeed avatars.js was designed to run some commands via jsexec. I'll see if I can reproduce the errors you're reporting.
--
digital man (rob)

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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Hm Derdoc
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Digital Man to Hm Derdoc on Wed Oct 22 2025 09:30 pm

Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Digital Man to Hm Derdoc on Wed Oct 22 2025 09:22 pm

I don't recall avatars.js being designed to run via jsexec. Although it might, that's not really the intention - you run it as a timed event. If you want to force the timed event to run on demand or modify the command-line that runs as an event, you can do that too.

I see from the wiki that indeed avatars.js was designed to run some commands via jsexec. I'll see if I can reproduce the errors you're reporting.

So I downloaded all the syncdat messages on VERT in QWK packet and imported into a new install of SBBS and then run 'jsexec avatars import':

...
Importing msg #5112 from Karloch: parsed 8 avatarssuccess
Importing msg #5113 from Jason: parsed 4 avatarssuccess
Importing msg #5114 from StingRay: parsed 16 avatarssuccess
Importing msg #5115 from Luis Silva: parsed 3 avatarssuccess
new import_ptr = 5115
Imported 3384 messages
/sbbs/exec/avatars.js executed in 13.70 seconds

This imported custom user avatars:

ll ~/sbbs/data/qnet/
total 800
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 957 Oct 22 21:38 AEFINITY.avatars.ini -rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 498 Oct 22 21:39 ALCABBS.avatars.ini -rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 584 Oct 22 21:38 ALCATRAZ.avatars.ini -rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 584 Oct 22 21:38 ALT119.avatars.ini -rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 516 Oct 22 21:38 ALTERANT.avatars.ini

... and shared avatar collections:

sbbs3$ ll ../../text/avatars/

total 60
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 6758 Feb 2 2023 corporate.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 3729 Feb 2 2023 danger.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 2526 Feb 2 2023 DIGDIST.startrek.bin -rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 1422 Feb 2 2023 ECBBS.animals.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 2526 Feb 2 2023 ECBBS.emoji.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 2158 Feb 2 2023 ECBBS.gaming.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 2289 Feb 2 2023 GUARDIAN.profile.bin -rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 3446 Feb 2 2023 musical.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 2755 Feb 2 2023 README.TXT
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 1569 Feb 2 2023 silhouettes.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 4550 Feb 2 2023 starwars.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 2769 Oct 22 21:38 VERT.misc.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 rswindell rswindell 1974 Oct 22 21:38 VERT.zeus_ii.bin

With no errors. Seemed to work as expected (other than the rather unfortunate console/log output).

Maybe take a look at the messages in your SYNCDATA echo and see what's up with them? In sure you downloaded them (in QWK packets) using a QWKnet account (not a normal user account) as well.
--
digital man (rob)

Sling Blade quote #18:
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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Digital Man
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Digital Man to Hm Derdoc on Wed Oct 22 2025 09:22 pm

I don't recall avatars.js being designed to run via jsexec. Although it might, that's not really the intention - you run it as a timed event.

Does jsexec run js scripts differently than how they're run as a timed event? Sometimes I've written js scripts that I intend to run as a timed event, and to test them, I'd run them with jsexec.

Nightfox

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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Nightfox
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Thu Oct 23 2025 07:22 am

Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Digital Man to Hm Derdoc on Wed Oct 22 2025 09:22 pm

I don't recall avatars.js being designed to run via jsexec. Although it might, that's not really the intention - you run it as a timed event.

Does jsexec run js scripts differently than how they're run as a timed event?

Yes - there's no console or bbs object and many of the global I/O functions behave somewhat differently when run in jsexec.

Sometimes I've written js scripts that I intend to run as a timed
event, and to test them, I'd run them with jsexec.

I do too and usually that works, but its easy to make a script that doesn't work (or look) the same when run in JSexec.
--
digital man (rob)

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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Nightfox
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Thu Oct 23 2025 10:40 am

Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Thu Oct 23 2025 10:10 am

Does jsexec run js scripts differently than how they're run as a timed
event?

Yes - there's no console or bbs object and many of the global I/O functions behave somewhat differently when run in jsexec.

Ah, I was pretty sure there's no console object when run with jsexec.. Is there a console object when run as a timed event?

There is a console and bbs object instatiated when a .js file is invoked within sbbs (timed event or otherwise), yes.
--
digital man (rob)

Rush quote #85:
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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Digital Man
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Thu Oct 23 2025 10:10 am

Does jsexec run js scripts differently than how they're run as a timed
event?

Yes - there's no console or bbs object and many of the global I/O functions behave somewhat differently when run in jsexec.

Ah, I was pretty sure there's no console object when run with jsexec.. Is there a console object when run as a timed event?

Nightfox

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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Digital Man
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Digital Man to Hm Derdoc on Wed Oct 22 2025 09:47 pm

Yeah, I think I misunderstood it a bit when I posted this, probably still do, but on another level. In a nutshell it lookslike your text/avatars/ isn't really much more "saturated" than mine, I may be missing the zeus_ii one. Maybe the sharing
level isn't too high and those .ini files are mostly 'private' avatars if you will not designed to be imported. At least
t my current understanding. On the plus side, I did make a buttload of avatars and I think I shared them, I have more
...

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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Hm Derdoc
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Hm Derdoc to Digital Man on Sun Oct 26 2025 06:21 pm

Can I see my tagline on my own BBS? I never do..

Yes, with the "I" command from the reading messages prompt.

Your tagline is leaving a background color set, which is not ideal.
--
digital man (rob)

Sling Blade quote #25:
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From Newsgroup: alt.bbs.synchronet

To: Hm Derdoc
Re: Shared avatar issues - corrupted JSON data in SYNCDATA sub?
By: Hm Derdoc to Digital Man on Sun Oct 26 2025 06:21 pm

Ok, I think I did now. Somehow somewhere I set a qwknet_tagline=
property in my msgs.ini file that was set to that string, so no
matter what I did in SCFG, those overrides were there for each sub.
Kinda cool that you can do that actually. But hopefully I just have
a non-wonky tagline with color now :)

oh i didnt even know about that file.

too much stuff going on with synchronet now.
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