This procedure is partly done from the Command Line and requires command line
skills in Windows.  It will also work on *.LIST files from another OS (such as
Linux) if you can copy the files to a Windows workstation to do the editing.

This assumes you have the Windows version of the L-Soft provided LISTVIEW.EXE
utility.  If not, it is included with the LIST-TEXT.zip below.


download TexRep from here: 
http://no-nonsense-software.com/cgi-bin/redirect/cgirdir.exe?texrep

download LIST-TEXT.zip from here:
http://training.lsoft.com/dl/LIST-TEXT.zip

Unzip the file TexRep20.zip file (to setup.exe) and run setup.exe to install
TexRep.  This is a bulk text file replacement utility, intended for making
changes to many text files at once.

Unzip the LIST-TEXT.zip file to LIST-TEXT.CMD.

Copy the LIST-TEXT.CMD file to drive root (e.g. D:\) or to ~\LISTSERV.
(If necessary, copy LISTVIEW.EXE to ~\LISTSERV\MAIN and any *.LIST files
imported from another OS also go into ~~\LISTSERV\MAIN.)


Make sure LISTSERV is Stopped.  Use Windows Services applet or command line:

 NET STOP LISTSERV
 NET STOP LISTSERV-SMTP

Assume standard Windows directory tree structure for LISTSERV:

~\LISTSERV
  -\LISTS
     \listname1
     \listname2
     \...
  -\LOG
  -\TMP
  -\SPOOL
  -\OUT
  -\MAIN
  -\WWW
     \ARCHIVES
       \listname1
       \listname2
       \...
     \SCRIPTS


Run 'LIST-TEXT.CMD' from the command line.  This will create 

x:\LISTSERV
      \Oldlist
      \Newlist

(added to the above directory tree)

and leave you at the command line in the ~\Newlist dir.


In the ~\listserv\oldlist dir will be copies of all *.LIST files in binary
form.  This is your safety copy, so you can restore in case anything goes
wrong.  In the ~\listserv\newlist dir will be copies of all *.LIST files
converted to editable plain text form.


!!! NEVER, EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ATTEMPT TO EDIT LISTSERV *.LIST FILES
IN BINARY FORM.  YOU WILL DESTROY THEM IRREVOCABLY.  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!


Start TexRep.

On the left side window, browse to find your ~\newlist dir and select all
*.LIST files.

Uncheck the 'case sensitive' box.
Uncheck the 'whole words only' box.
Leave 'make backup (*.BAK)' box checked.

Note: TexRep does NOT support wildcards or reg-exp.  You must have exact
values in 'text to find' and 'Replace with'.

----------------------
To change file path of directories:

In the 'text to find' box enter: 'C:\LISTSERV\LISTS\'  (or whatever is in the
files you want to edit)

In the 'Replace with' box enter: 'E:\LISTSERV\LISTS\'  (or whatever is
appropriate for your new machine/location)

Click on 'Start'.  replacements will show in large open box on right, with
total # of changes.

----------------
If you are changing an existing setting:

In the 'text to find' box enter the current setting:  'Change-Log= Yes'

In the 'Replace with' box enter the change:  'Change-Log= Yes, Yearly'
Note you must enter the old text as well, not just the change.

Click on 'Start'.  replacements will show in large open box on right, with
total # of changes.

----------------
To add a new setting (i.e. nothing existing to change)

In the 'text to find' box enter a short existing setting possibly related to
the setting you want to add:    'Confidential= No'

In the 'Replace with' box enter the same setting along with the new one you
want to add with 2-3 spaces: 'Confidential= No  Validate= No' 

TexRep will not add new lines, so you must modify an existing line.  LISTSERV
will correctly read the setting and obey it, so it is not a functional
problem, only a cosmetic one.

Click on 'Start'.  replacements will show in large open box on right, with
total # of changes.

----------------
When you are done with all changes, use Windows Explorer to copy all *.LIST
files from ~\NEWLIST to ~\MAIN.  Click 'yes' to overwrite existing *.LIST
files, if asked.

Restart LISTSERV

Check LISTSERV-yyyymmdd.LOG file. When LISTSERV is
started, there will be a mild protest in the log file:

>15 Nov 2007 21:35:54 Invalid record format for list TEST.
>15 Nov 2007 21:35:54 -> List reformatted successfully.

and LISTSERV will reformat all the plain-text *.LIST files back into the
proper binary format.

If all starts up successfully, at this point you are done.