flmsg - quick guide

flmsg is a simple forms management editor for the amateur radio supported standard message formats.  These current include:
It's data files are pure ASCII text that can be sent from point to point using the internet, amateur radio, or other electronic link.  The data files are designed to minimize the transfer size.  This is particularly important on amateur HF.  The data file and the transfer file are one in the same, but can be further encapsulated using either flarq or wrap for the purpose of confirming the received file integrity.
The File and Template menus are:

Menu's




File:
New - clear all fields and name the default file "new.f2s" (new.m2s for radiogram)
Open - open an existing file flmsg data files have the extension
".f2s", read as "form 2 send" for ics213 forms
".m2s", read as "message 2 send" for radiogram forms
Save - save the current file to the name in the "file:" display box
Save As - save using a new filename that the user provides
View- write the data to specified type of file
Html delivery - viewed in default browser, contains only those elements sent to final recipient
Html file copy - viewed in default browser, contains ALL fields including record keeping
Text - viewed in default text editor - suitable for CW / Voice transmission
Q-forms
Import - Import the data fields from a Qforms eXtended Markup Language (xml) file
Export - Export the data fields to a Qforms compatible xml file

Wrap (Import / Export / AutoSend)
Import the data fields from a Wrapped data file
Export the data fields to a Wrapped data file
Create a wrapped datafile and save in the NBEMS.files/WRAP/auto directory.  If running, fldigi will find and automatically transmit the file.

Template: (for ICS213 only)
Load - load an existing template file - flmsg template files have the extension ".f2t", read as "form 2 template"
Save - save the current form as a template file, using the default (or current) filename
Save As - save the current form as a template file, user provides the filenam

Config:
Open the configuration dialog

Note: data files and template files for ICS213 are identical.  The only difference is their location in the computer directory structure and their extension.  Message files and template files maintain their uniqueness by virture of their file name.  If you reuse a filename the old data will be lost.

File locations:

On XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\NBEMS.files
On Vista: C:\Users\<username>NBEMS.files
On Linux: /home/<username>/.nbems
On Puppy: /root/.nbems
On OS X: /home/<username>/.nbems

Data files are located in the sub directory "ICS/messages"
Template files are located in the sub directory "ICS/templates"
View files (.rtf, .html, .txt) are located in the "ICS/" subdirectory.

ICS-213 messages

The user prepares, answers and views all data files from the single user interface dialog:




ICS213 message files are distinguished by the extension "f2s".  Template files are assigned the extenstion "f2t".
The data file for this example "MedEm_001.f2s" contains:
============================= file contents ============================
<flmsg>1.0.0b1
<to:5 k2lbm
<p1:0
<fm:5 w1hkj
<p2:0
<d1:10 2009-09-29
<t1:9 00:03 UTC
<sb:29 Situation Report - F3 tornado
<s1:11 Dave Freese
<p3:16 On scene manager
<s2:12 Helen Freese
<p4:11 Coordinator
<d2:10 2009-09-29
<t2:9 00:22 UTC
<mg:211 1. # injured 4
2. # casualties 2
3. # displaced 30
4. Available doctors 1
5. Available nurses 2
6. Request:
  a. shelter 30
  b. morgue transport 2
  c. ambulance transport 4, from Hazel Green UMC to City Hosp.

<rp:100 Expect ambulance by 03:00 UTC
Coronor pickup by 08:00 UTC
Shelter ready at Hazel Green High School.
============================= file contents ============================

The two principal output files are html view document, and ascii text document.

Radiogram message

The user prepares, and edits from the Radiogram tab:



The CK value will be computed for you when the data is saved or a text document created for printing or transmission.  You can also force a CK by pressing the "ck" button.

ARL message creation is aided by a dialog which is exposed when the ARL MSG button is pressed



The number of "fill" edit entries will vary with the requirement of the selected ARL message.  Multiple ARL messages may be inserted into the Message text.

Pressing the Check button on the maint Radiogram tab will force all of the fields to be tested for correctness.  The Message text will be converted to upper case, the leading and trailing spaces and end-of-line characters removed.  Periods and commas will be converted to the stop character character, 'X', unless they are an integral part of a word, such as NBEMS.files.  The precedence and handling fields are fixed to the selector values.

The records tab contains data relevant to the transmission and receipt of the message:



The two principal output files are html view document, and ascii text document.  The ascii text document is correctly formatted for CW or voice transmission.

Configuring flmsg

The configuration items for flmsg are just a few and can be changed on the configuration dialog:
  • Date format - select the date format that will be used for both ICS213 and Radiogram
  • Time format - select the time format that will be used for both ICS213 and Radiogram
  • Radiogram format -
    • Fill in the data relating to the originating amateur station
    • # words per line to be used when formating the radiogram message text
  • Wrap - compress data when wrapping - not recommended unless message is very large



Qform data file

flmsg can read and write Qform ICS213 data files.  The Qform data file is larger by virtue of the xml structure.  The file size ratio is less when the content is larger.

Viewing the data in a printable format

The program can produce a viewable document in ASCII text and Hypertext Markup Language (html) file formats.  After creating the document flmsg will request the file to be opened by the default viewer / editor for that type of document.

Html Text Format

The html Text Format file that the File/Write menu item produces can be opened with any web browser program.  Use that software for printing the report.