A file request (usually called a FREQ) is a mechanism that allows external users to download designated files without logging into the BBS. This mechanism is a standard of the FidoNet network but can also be enabled for non FidoNet users. A typical purpose is to make a file available without burdening users with a registration form.
You must associate a magic name with the file. A magic name is a short filename that can be specified by the user. The magic name does not have to match the file name. In fact, it is best to use a magic name that never changes but internally refers to the latest version of a file. This allows you to create a magic name like GAME that always refers to the latest version of the game ZIP file.
The magic name must point to the path to a file. The path can reference a file area or an absolute path on the local file system. If you specify a file area, the permissions to that area must allow anonymous access. If you specify an absolute file system path, the OS-level file permissions must allow the BBS software to read the file.
The current version of the BBS engine does not support FidoNet-style networking. This is planned for the future but in the meantime you should understand that setting a FREQ name in the BBS will not automatically update your FidoNet front-end mailer. You will have to maintain FREQ names in your mailer as well. A command-line utility has been provided to generate FREQ lists in several common formats.
A future version of the BBS engine will contain several add-ons to support non-FidoNet file requests. The first is an ASP.NET page that accepts a magic name as a parameter. The second is an Exchange Server add-on that will respond to a FREQ email with a file-attached response.