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rfc:rfc1153

Network Working Group F. Wancho Request for Comments: 1153 WSMR

                                                            April 1990
                       Digest Message Format

Status of this Memo

 This memo describes the de facto standard Digest Message Format.
 This is an elective experimental protocol.  Distribution of this memo
 is unlimited.

Background

 High traffic volume large mailing lists began to appear on the net in
 the mid-70s.  The moderators of those lists developed a digest
 message format to enclose several messages into one composite message
 for redistribution to the mailing list addressees.  This format
 reduces the mailer load in proportion to the number of messages
 contained within a digest message, and conserves network bandwidth by
 reducing the size of the headers of the enclosed messages.
 This RFC documents the digest message format so that others may
 follow this format in creating (digestifying) and separating
 (undigestifying) digest messages to maintain compatibility with the
 programs expecting this de facto standard.  Any editorial functions
 performed at the discretion of a digest moderator, such as discarding
 submissions, editing content to correct spelling and punctuation
 errors, inserting comments, and reformatting paragraphs to conform to
 width conventions are beyond the scope of this memo.
 This memo describes the de facto standard Digest Message Format.  It
 is not meant to supersede nor replace the generic message
 encapsulation format described in RFC 934.  It merely documents a
 particular message encapsulation format that existed well before RFC
 934 was published and continues to be the format of choice for digest
 messages.

Description

 A digest message is a conventional message consisting of a header and
 body conforming to RFC 822 as clarified in RFC 1123.  There is no
 fixed size.  Limitations may exist in intermediate mail gateways
 which restrict the size.  The typical digest size is 15,000
 characters.
 The header of a digest message should identify the digest in the

Wancho [Page 1] RFC 1153 Digest Message Format April 1990

 Subject line by listname, the key word, Digest, the volume number
 (usually a sequential number either starting at 1 or the last two
 digits of the year and incremented by one starting with the first
 issue of the next calendar year), and an issue number starting at one
 for the first issue of a new calendar year.
 The body of a digest message must consist of a Preamble, one or more
 enclosed messages, and a Trailer.
 The Preamble usually contains a table of contents consisting of the
 subject line contents of the enclosed messages, usually indented or
 centered, and also may contain brief administrative or other
 announcements.
 The Preamble must be separated from the remainder of the message by a
 line of 70 hyphens followed by a blank line.
 Each enclosed message is a conventional message consisting of a
 header and body, separated by a blank line.  If they exist in the
 original message header, the following lines must be retained as-is
 in the reconstructed header: Date:, From:, To:, Cc:, Subject:,
 Message-ID:, and Keywords:, rearranged to appear in that order.
 Retaining the Summary: line is optional.  Lines include continuation
 lines as defined in the RFCs.  All other header lines should be
 discarded, especially Received lines.  All leading and trailing blank
 lines should be removed from the message body.  The message body may
 be scanned to replace with a blank the first character of any lines
 of exactly and only 30 hyphens.
 Each enclosed message must be separated from the the remainder of the
 digest message by a blank line before and after a line of 30 hyphens.
 The Trailer immediately follows the blank line of message separator
 following the last enclosed message.  The Trailer consists of two
 lines.  The first line must begin with the words, End of, followed by
 the listname a blank and the word Digest which is usually followed by
 volume and issue number on the same line.  The second and last line
 of the Trailer and the entire message is a line of asterisks serving
 to underline the line immediately above it.

Example

 The following example serves as a template for a digest message
 conforming to this memo.  It contains a header, and a body consisting
 of a Preamble, two enclosed messages, and a Trailer.  fqhn means
 Fully Qualified Host Name.  The Date: lines are examples only.

Wancho [Page 2] RFC 1153 Digest Message Format April 1990

Date: ddd, dd mmm yy hh:mm:ss zzz From: listname-REQUEST@fqhn Reply-To: listname@fqhn Subject: listname Digest Vyy #nn To: listname@fqhn

listname Digest ddd, dd mmm yy Volume yy : Issue nn

Today's Topics:

                        Message One Subject
                        Message Two Subject

Administrivia:

Messages from the list moderator or maintainer go here.


Date: ddd, dd mmm yy hh:mm:ss zzz From: Joe User <username@fqhn> Subject: Message One Subject

This is the message body of the first message.

Joe


Date: ddd, dd mmm yy hh:mm:ss zzz From: Jane User <username@fqhn> Subject: Message Two Subject

This is the body of message two.

Jane


End of listname Digest Vyy Issue #nn

Wancho [Page 3] RFC 1153 Digest Message Format April 1990

Security Considerations

 Security issues are not discussed in this memo.

Author's Address

 Frank J. Wancho
 USAISC-White Sands
 ASQNC-TWS-SS-C (F. Wancho, Building 1512)
 White Sands Missile Range, NM 88002-5506
 Phone: (505) 678-3009
 Email: WANCHO@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL

Wancho [Page 4]

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