LISTSERV:
> Carl Reimann
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > search BLA in BLA
> This is  not the proper way  to access the LISTSERV  database. You should
> either use the LDBASE user-interface  for interactive access, or submit a
> DATABASE job. Please refer to LISTDB MEMO (available via an INFO DATABASE
> command) for more information.
 
 
Pete Weiss:
> LISTSERV does more than SEARCH.  Search enters a mode of operation
> different than just a single one-line command.  This makes life (and
> LISTSERV) more complicated.  That's why a bit-brain like me
> maintains a template that I just copy/cut/paste.  It saves
> relearning the idosyncracies/tricks and is extremely effective.
 
 
Nathan Brindle:
> You've got to find the individual messages that match the search
> specifications and create a subset of the list archives that
> includes only the messages that contain those specifics.  Then you
> have to create an index by subject so you can PRINT and INDEX.
 
 
Thank you for your answers. I am sure that the result of my query is
likely to be a rather flat answer, e.g., it works the way it does
because that's the way it works. But, commands sent to the listserv in
the form of "search <string> in <listname>" could simply trigger the
kinds of actions that Pete and Nathan are talking about above. What
the user tells the computer doesn't have to be as complicated as what
the computer actually does. I don't tell Word Perfect `okay, now
format that just so using codes LAKSJDFLKNALDH', no. I just say
"Print". The smart program knows what to do after that point. It
should be technically possible to tell listserv
 
search <string w/ characteristics and conditions> in <listname>
index (or print or both)
 
and get a satisfactory result. Remember, listserv knew what I was
doing. It knew I wanted to search. From there it is a simple step to
auto-generate the necessary codes and symbols, as Word Perfect does
when I hit F7 for print.
 
Carl Reimann