dircproxy: Frequently Asked Questions
-------------------------------------

Questions
=========

1.  Introduction
     1.1  What is dircproxy?
     1.2  Where can I get dircproxy?
     1.3  Are there any mailing lists?
     1.4  Is there a dircproxy IRC channel?
     1.5  How do I report bugs?
     1.6  Is there an anonymous CVS server?
     1.7  How do I add a question to the FAQ?

2.  Installation
     2.1  How do I compile and install dircproxy?
     2.2  I get "couldn't find your xxx() function" from configure
     2.3  Compilation fails with "xxx.h: No such file or directory"
     2.4  Compilation fails with "undefined reference to `xxx'"
     2.5  What does --enable-debug do?
     2.6  Is dircproxy supported on Windows 2000?

3.  Usage
     3.1  What are configuration classes?
     3.2  Can dircproxy be used as an "open proxy"?
     3.3  Where in the config file do I put my nickname?
     3.4  Can dircproxy be run from inetd?
     3.5  dircproxy won't start and says I need to define connection
          classes, how do I do this?
     3.6  I started dircproxy, but it hasn't connected to any servers
          yet, what have I done wrong?
     3.7  dircproxy will not accept my password, I know its right as
          its exactly what I typed into the configuration file.
     3.8  How do I get a running dircproxy to reread its configuration
          file?
     3.9  How do I detach from dircproxy?
     3.10 How can I get dircproxy to disconnect from the server?
     3.11 Can I connect multiple clients to the same running session?
     3.12 Can one dircproxy connection class be used to connect to
          multiple servers?
     3.13 Why doesn't dircproxy ever keep my nickname?
     3.14 Can I get dircproxy to automatically connect to the server
          without connecting at least once?
     3.15 Does dircproxy support user scripts to extend it?
     3.16 Does dircproxy provide auto-op or auto-voice support?

4.  Logging
     4.1  Why does dircproxy by default log channels while I'm
          attached?
     4.2  How do I log everything and keep it for my own reference
          in years to come?
     4.3  Why does the permanent copy contain text from all the
          clients dircproxy is proxying?
     4.4  How do I log private messages to individual files?
     4.5  How do I log outgoing private messages?

5.  DCC Proxying
     5.1  Why would I want dircproxy to proxy DCC requests as well?
     5.2  What's "DCC over ssh" and how do I use it?
     5.3  Does text I type before dircproxy tells me the remote peer
          has connected ever reach them?
     5.4  Why doesn't dircproxy support DCC RESUME?

6.  Advanced Use
     6.1  How do I change what username is presented on IRC?


Answers
=======

 1.1  What is dircproxy?

     dircproxy is an IRC proxy server designed for people who use
     IRC from lots of different workstations or clients, but wish to
     remain connected and see what they missed while they were away.
     You connect to IRC through dircproxy, and it keeps you connected
     to the server, even after you detach your client from it.
     While you're detached, it logs channel and private messages
     as well as important events, and when you re-attach it'll let
     you know what you missed.

     This can be used to give you roughly the same functionality as
     using ircII and screen together, except you can use whatever
     IRC client you like, including X ones!

 1.2  Where can I get dircproxy?

     The dircproxy home page was at http://www.dircproxy.net/. As of
     July 10, 2004, the best way to get the current version of
     dircproxy is through the Debian archives.

 1.3  Are there any mailing lists?

     Information on mailing lists was at http://www.dircproxy.net/lists.html

 1.4  Is there a dircproxy IRC channel?

     Yes, on the OpenProjects IRC network (irc.openprojects.net)
     called #dircproxy.

     I can usually be found with the nickname Keybuk.

 1.5  How do I report bugs?

     Use the Debian BTS.

 1.6  Is there an anonymous CVS server?

     Information on the former CVS server was at
     http://www.dircproxy.net/cvs.html 

 1.7  How do I add a question to the FAQ?

     E-mail me at alex@pennace.org and I'll see if its suitable
     for inclusion.


 2.1  How do I compile and install dircproxy?

     Read the INSTALL file in the dircproxy distribution.

 2.2  I get "couldn't find your xxx() function" from configure

     dircproxy makes very few requirements on your system, and
     your libc.  The only things it does require are TCP/IP support
     through the socket() function, DNS resolver support through
     the gethostbyname() function and encryption support through
     the crypt() function.

     The 'configure' program checks a few likely locations for
     these functions and if it can't find them will generate the
     appropriate warning.  For example:

         checking for crypt... no
	 checking for crypt in -lcrypt... no
	 configure: warning: couldn't find your crypt() function

     If you know which library these functions are located in, you
     can pass the LDFLAGS shell variable to tell it.  For example,
     if you know your crypt() function is in the libdes.so (example
     only!)  library, you can do this:

         $ LDFLAGS=-ldes ./configure ...

     Then let me know what type of system you have and what you
     did, so I can make future versions of dircproxy detect this
     case automatically.

     If you can't find these functions, you'll need to chat to your
     local sysadmin or UNIX guru and get them to upgrade your libc
     to something a little more up to date.

 2.3  Compilation fails with "xxx.h: No such file or directory"

     This most likely means that a system header file that dircproxy
     needs wasn't found on your system.  It can also mean that the
     dircproxy source isn't complete.

     Find out which directory that header file is on your system,
     and pass that to the 'configure' program using the CFLAGS
     shell variable like this:

         $ CFLAGS=-I/path/to/directory ./configure ...

     If you can't find it, you'll need to find out what your system's
     equivalent is, then let me know all about it so I can enable
     future versions of dircproxy to support your system fully.

     If there is no equivalent you'll need to get your sysadmin or
     UNIX guru to upgrade your libc to something more up to date.

 2.4  Compilation fails with "undefined reference to `xxx'"

     This means that a system function dircproxy uses wasn't found
     on your system.  You'll need to find out in which library
     on your system that function is.  Then if for example its
     in libmisc.so pass that using the LDFLAGS shall variable to
     'configure' like this:

         $ LDFLAGS=-lmisc ./configure ...

     If you're system doesn't have that function, you'll need to
     get your sysadmin or local UNIX guru to upgrade your libc to
     something a little more up to date.

 2.5  What does --enable-debug do?

     Its used primarily by myself to debug dircproxy, it can also
     be used by anyone else who wants to help out debugging it.

     One main difference is that dircproxy will not switch to the
     background, but will stay in the foreground and write a lot of
     strange information (including a record of all text received
     from the client and server) to the console.  This reverses
     the meaning of the -D parameter.

     It also causes dircproxy to use its built-in versions of
     strdup() sprintf() and vsprintf() instead of any that might
     exist in your libc.

     Finally it switches on a lot of expensive memory debugging
     code that records every malloc(), realloc() and free(), notes
     what C file and line it occurred in and pads the memory with
     random junk to detect most buffer overruns.  On termination you
     will see a memory report (hopefully saying "0 bytes in use"),
     you can also send a USR1 signal to dircproxy to see how much
     memory it thinks its using, and a USR2 signal to see exactly
     what is in its memory and where it was allocated.

     This slows down dircproxy a lot and makes it inconvenient
     to use.  However, for people wanting to do dircproxy code work
     its invaluable.

 2.6  Is dircproxy supported on Windows 2000?

     No, it is not supported and never will be supported.  Get a real
     operating system(tm) :o)

     However, I've heard it works just fine.


 3.1  What are configuration classes?

     A configuration class defines a possible client/server proxied
     connection.

     Basically you define a connection class, setting a password and
     server to connect to, then when you connect to dircproxy and
     give your password for the first time, it automatically connects
     you to a server.  This connection class is then assigned to
     your proxy session and cannot be used by anyone else until
     you cause dircproxy to disconnect from the server (see 3.10).

     When you reconnect, all you need to do is supply the password
     again.  dircproxy then sees that your connection class is
     already in use and simply attaches you to that.

     This means you don't need to specify any "one time passwords",
     or magic connection or reconnection commands etc.  dircproxy can
     be used by simply telling your IRC client to supply a "server
     password" when it connects.  Everything else is automatic.

 3.2  Can dircproxy be used as an "open proxy"?

     Yes, only if each user knows the password.  dircproxy does NOT
     support password-less proxy sessions, if you do that you'll
     just annoy the IRC operators and get yourself banned from the
     IRC network.

     Open IRC proxies are a BAD THING and lead to abuse of the
     IRC network.

     You may however use dircproxy as a proxy for many users who
     know the password.  This can be accomplished by running it
     from inetd (one of the few reasons to do this).

     Set it up as described in README.inetd, and set up a single
     connection class with the appropriate password etc.  By default,
     dircproxy will not remain attached to the server when each
     client quits, they'll need to explicitly do a /DIRCPROXY
     PERSIST to do that.

 3.3  Where in the config file do I put my nickname?

     You don't.  dircproxy doesn't connect to the IRC server until
     you connect to it.  This means it can pick up the nickname
     from the one your IRC client sends.

     All you need to tell dircproxy is what server you want to
     connect to.  The rest of the information such as your nickname,
     user name and full name etc are taken from your IRC client
     when it first connects to it.

 3.4  Can dircproxy be run from inetd?

     Yes.  See the README.inetd file in the dircproxy distribution.

 3.5  dircproxy won't start and says I need to define connection
      classes, how do I do this?

     You need to create a configuration file.  Best way is to get
     the example one in the conf subdirectory of the dircproxy
     (or if its just installed on a machine you are using, the
     /usr/local/share/dircproxy directory), copy it to your home
     directory, call it .dircproxyrc and make sure it has no more
     than 0600 permissions (-rw-------).

     Then edit this file, its very well documented.  The
     configuration classes are defined right at the bottom.

 3.6  I started dircproxy, but it hasn't connected to any servers yet,
      what have I done wrong?

     Nothing, dircproxy won't connect to the server until you
     connect an IRC client to it.

 3.7  dircproxy will not accept my password, I know its right as it's
      exactly what I typed into the configuration file.

     dircproxy requires that IRC client passwords in the
     configuration file are encrypted so that anyone managing to
     read the file off the disk can't get the password and use your
     dircproxy session.

     Encrypt them using your systems crypt(3) function or by using
     the dircproxy-crypt(1) utility included with the dircproxy
     source.

 3.8  How do I get a running dircproxy to reread its configuration
      file?

     Send it a hang-up (HUP) signal.  The process ID can be obtained
     using the 'ps' command, and then signal sent using the 'kill'
     command.  On BSD-like machines, this can be done like this:

         $ ps aux | grep dircproxy
	 user      7410  0.0...
	 $ kill -HUP 7410

     Or on a SysV-like machine, like this:

         % ps -ef | grep dircproxy
	 user      7410  388...
	 $ kill -HUP 7410

     Note that certain configuration options do not take effect
     until you reconnect to a server, or detach from dircproxy.

 3.9  How do I detach from dircproxy?

     Close your IRC client, probably by typing /QUIT.  You don't
     need tell dircproxy you're detaching, it can guess that by
     your connection to it closing.

     The exception to this is if you're running dircproxy from inetd,
     if this is the case you'll need to do a /DIRCPROXY PERSIST
     before you close to tell it that you want to reconnect later.
     dircproxy will tell you what port number to reconnect at.

 3.10 How can I get dircproxy to disconnect from the server?

     Using the /DIRCPROXY QUIT command.  You can specify an optional
     quit message if you like, for example.

         > /DIRCPROXY QUIT Right, four weeks in the sun, here I come!
     
 3.11 Can I connect multiple clients to the same running session?

     No.  After all, which one do you listen to?  It could all
     get very schizophrenic with two people typing under the same
     nickname from different computers.

 3.12 Can one dircproxy connection class be used to connect to
      multiple servers?

     No.  It might sound fairly simple to implement at first, tracking
     channels is fairly easy, its tracking nicknames thats the problem.

 3.13 Why doesn't dircproxy ever keep my nickname?

     First of all, check you've *not* got the following in your
     configuration file.

         nick_keep no

     "yes" is the default, so if this option isn't set, then it will
     be used.

     dircproxy will attempt to keep whatever nickname your client
     last set using the NICK command.  This means that if you connect
     a client while dircproxy's attempting to restore your nickname,
     and your client reacts to the server messages (as most "clever"
     clients do) than dircproxy will accept the new nickname and stop
     guarding the old one.

     If it never restores your nickname when left without a client
     connected, it may be that the server believes dircproxy is changing
     it's nickname "too fast" or "too many times".  The default is to
     attempt to restore the nickname once per minute.  You can adjust
     this by changing the 'NICK_GUARD_TIME' #define in src/dircproxy.h.

 3.14 Can I get dircproxy to automatically connect to the server
      without connecting at least once?

     No.  dircproxy was never written to connect to an IRC server without
     seeing an IRC client first.

  3.15 Does dircproxy support user scripts to extend it?

     No.  dircproxy is intended purely as an IRC proxy.  Scripting
     support would make it too much like a bot, if you want that
     kind of thing then a bot would serve you much better.

     Go download eggdrop, and get yourself K-Lined from your IRC
     server. :o)
     
  3.16 Does dircproxy provide auto-op or auto-voice support?

     No, again this functionality would be better supplied by a bot.

     Chris Crowther has writtne a patch to provide this kind
     of support using dircproxy.  This isn't an official patch,
     however it is available from:

         http://www.shad0w.org.uk/code/


 4.1  Why does dircproxy by default log channels while I'm attached?

     dircproxy was originally designed to give roughly the same
     functionality as using ircII and screen, but allowing you to
     use X clients (which can't be screen'd).

     This means it tries to give you a "full screen" of text when
     you reattach, so if you've only just disconnected, a full
     screen includes that which happened before you disconnected.

     Its actually quite useful when you think about it:

         <You> Argh, I think my computer's about to crash?
         <DreamDate> Hi there :)  My name is X.
	 -dircproxy- You disconnected
	 <DreamDate> Do you want to go out for a drink sometime?
	 -dircproxy- You connected
	 <You> Hi X, sure :)

     You might not have seen your dream date's name :)  Its also
     handy for reference.

     You can always switch it off though by setting this in the
     config file:

         chan_log_always no

 4.2  How do I log everything and keep it for my own reference in
      years to come?

     Create a directory for dircproxy to store the logs in, and then
     tell dircproxy to store a "permanent copy" in that directory
     like this:

	 chan_log_copydir /path/to/directory
	 other_log_copydir /path/to/directory

 4.3  Why does the permanent copy contain text from all the clients
      dircproxy is proxying?

     Because you've set the directory name globally for all
     connection classes in the configuration file.  Because dircproxy
     doesn't use the logs itself, its not a security risk or anything
     to be able to do this, and if each person is on a different
     channel, its quite a handy thing to do.

     If you don't want it to do this, define the 'chan_log_copydir'
     and 'other_log_copydir' inside each connection class instead
     of the global level, like this:

         connection {
	     :
	     chan_log_copydir /path/to/directory
	     other_log_copydir /path/to/directory
	     :
	 }

	 connection {
	     :
	     chan_log_copydir /path/to/directory2
	     other_log_copydir /path/to/directory2
	     :
	 }

 4.4  How do I log private messages to individual files?

     Use the 'privmsg-log.pl' script in the contrib directory of the
     dircproxy source as a filter as an 'other_log_program'.  You'll need
     to edit the script to set the directory to store these private
     message log files, and need to add the following to your dircproxy
     configuration file:

         other_log_program "/usr/local/share/dircproxy/privmsg-log.pl"

 4.5  How do I log outgoing private messages?

     You can't, there's no way for dircproxy to replay them for you
     (every client I tested ignored them).


 5.1  Why would I want dircproxy to proxy DCC requests as well?

     DCC proxying means that all DCC requests get proxied through
     dircproxy just like your normal IRC requests.  This means
     your real IP address is just as hidden as it is on IRC.
     Also if you're running dircproxy on your NAT firewall so you
     can actually get on IRC, you'll be able to do DCCs to as it
     will be proxying them between the two networks for you.

 5.2  What's "DCC over ssh" and how do I use it?

     For a complete description, including how to do it, see
     the README.dcc-via-ssh file in the dircproxy distribution.
     Simply its a way of doing DCCs over ssh tunnels to get around
     any firewalls that might be in the way that would normally
     prevent even the most determined proxy from allowing DCCs.

 5.3  Does text I type before dircproxy tells me the remote peer
      has connected ever reach them?

     Yes, its simply queued until the remote side connects, then
     is sent to them.

 5.4  Why doesn't dircproxy support DCC RESUME?

     The DCC RESUME protocol is an mIRC extension to the standard,
     and is documented at:

         http://www.mirc.co.uk/help/dccresum.txt

     dircproxy does not support this protocol, therefore you cannot
     resume DCC transfers if you are using dircproxy.  DCC RESUME
     support will *never* be implemented in dircproxy, the reason
     for this is as follows.

     Ordinary DCC SENDs are offered by the sender sending a DCC SEND
     message to the receiver containing a ip address and port number.
     The receiver accepts the offer by connecting to it.

     [ sender ] --(1) DCC SEND--> [ receiver ]
                <---(2) accept---
    
     When proxied through dircproxy, dircproxy accepts the offer
     itself, then makes a new offer to the receiver.  This means
     that dircproxy has already usually received a fair portion of
     the file before the receiver accepts dircproxy's own offer.
     This greatly increases the speed of transfers.

     [ sender ] --(1) DCC SEND--> [ proxy ] --(3) DCC SEND--> [ receiver ]
                <---(2) accept---           <---(4) accept---
     
     If the DCC RESUME protocol is used, the receiver indicates it wishes
     to do so by sending a DCC RESUME message to the sender instead of
     connecting to it, the connect is only done after a DCC ACCEPT is
     received from the sender.

     [ sender ] --(1) DCC SEND--> [ receiver ]
                <-(2) DCC RESUME-
                -(3) DCC ACCEPT->
                <---(4) accept---

     Of course, with dircproxy proxying, this is too late, it's
     already accepted the sender's offer and is receiving the file
     from the beginning.

     Ryan Tolboom has written a patch to enable DCC RESUME for
     files that dircproxy has captured, this is available from:

         http://www-ec.njit.edu/~rxt1077/dircproxy-resume/


 6.1  How do I change what username is presented on IRC?

     The obvious answer is to run dircproxy under that username,
     but that doesn't help if you're proxying for multiple people.
     Another option is to use one of the many fake ident daemons
     to return a false answer for you.

     There's also a third option, which is available to those
     running dircproxy as root (either as a daemon or from inetd).
     You can use the 'switch_user' configuration file directive.
     This ensures that the connection to the server appears as from
     whatever local username you give it (by seteuid()ing to that
     briefly) while the dircproxy process remains as root.


Copyright (C) 2002 Scott James Remnant <scott@netsplit.com>.
All Rights Reserved.