RFC 0841
Specification for message format for Computer Based Message Systems
Field Length FID ASCII
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 A | 0 1 |00000010|
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
Length
+--------+--- ---+
| 0 7 |Johnson|
+--------+--- ---+
Field Length FID Date Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 1 7 | 0 2 |00101000| 1 4 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 1 2 |19800814-1030-0400|
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID ASCII Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 1 0 | 2 5 |00000010| 0 D |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
+---- ----+
|Redistributed|
+---- ----+
Message Length Type
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001101| 8 1 | B 6 | 0 1 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
Field Length FID ASCII
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 A | 0 5 |00000010|
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
Length
+--------+--- ---+
| 0 7 |Johnson|
+--------+--- ---+
Field Length FID ASCII
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 A | 0 1 |00000010|
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
Length
+--------+--- ---+
| 0 7 |Stevens|
+--------+--- ---+
Field Length FID ASCII Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 1 3 | 0 7 |00000010| 1 0 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
+---- ----+
|Project Deadline|
+---- ----+
Field Length FID Date Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 1 7 | 0 2 |00101000| 1 4 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 1 2 |19800814-1000-0400|
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID ASCII Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 6 D | 0 4 |00000010| 6 A |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
+----
|Don't forget the project report is
+----
due tomorrow. Please have<CrLf>
your section to me by three this
----+
afternoon.|
----+
H.6 Unknown Lengths
This section contains two examples of data elements with an
unknown length. The two examples have been presented in sections
H.2 and H.5, but with a known rather than an unknown length.
Set data element with an unknown length containing two
Integer data elements. The first integer has a value of 519
(decimal) while the value of the second is 71 (decimal). (These
two values have no ordering because they belong to a set.)
Set Length Integer Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|00001011| 8 0 |00100000| 0 2 | 0 2 0 7 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
Integer Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|00100000| 0 2 | 0 0 4 7 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
End-of-Con Length
+--------+--------+
|00000000|00000000|
+--------+--------+
The following sample message with an unknown length had
Stevens as its originator and Johnson as its recipient. The
message was sent on August 14, 1980 at 10 a.m. EDT. The subject
of the message is "Project Deadline" and the message is a
reminder that the deadline is the next day and that the section
of the report for the project being done by Johnson should be
turned in to Stevens by 3 p.m. that day.
Message Length Type
+--------+--------+--------+
|01001101| 8 0 | 0 1 |
+--------+--------+--------+
Field Length FID ASCII
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 A | 0 5 |00000010|
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
Length
+--------+--- ---+
| 0 7 |Johnson|
+--------+--- ---+
Field Length FID ASCII
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 A | 0 1 |00000010|
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
Length
+--------+--- ---+
| 0 7 |Stevens|
+--------+--- ---+
Field Length FID ASCII Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 1 3 | 0 7 |00000010| 1 0 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
+---- ----+
|Project Deadline|
+---- ----+
Field Length FID Date Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 1 7 | 0 2 |00101000| 1 4 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 1 2 |19800814-1000-0400|
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID ASCII Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 6 D | 0 4 |00000010| 6 A |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
+----
|Don't forget the project report is
+----
due tomorrow. Please have<CrLf>
your section to me by three this
----+
afternoon.|
----+
End-of-Con Length
+--------+--------+
|00000000|00000000|
+--------+--------+
H.7 Message Encoding Using Vendor-Defined Fields
This example is provided to illustrate the encoding of non-
FIPS format messages in the FIPS format. It is the intent of the
standard to deal with computer based message systems which are
primarily intended for person-to-person use. This example deals
with the definition and use of vendor-defined fields to extend
the use of the standard to station-to-station messaging. The
context is a military message using the military standard JANAP-
128 format.
H.7.1 Example of a JANAP-128 Message
JANAP-128
RTTUZYUW RUABCDE0010 0330930-UUUU--RUXABYE.
ZNR UUUUU
R 020830Z FEB 82
FM Commander,Atlantic Fleet
TO USS SHIPA
BT
UNCLAS
MESSAGE BODY
BT
#0010
NNNN
H.7.2 Encoding of Example using the FIPS Message Format
Message Length Type
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001101| 8 1 | D 0 | 0 1 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 4 | 1 8 |
+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+--------+
|00000010| 0 1 | R |
+--------+--------+--------+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 7 | 8 2 | 0 0 | 0 1 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|00000010| 0 2 | T | T |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 6 | 8 2 | 0 0 | 0 2 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+--------+
|00000010| 0 1 | U |
+--------+--------+--------+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 9 | 8 2 | 0 0 | 0 3 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 4 | ZYUW |
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 A | 2 2 |
+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 7 | RUABCDE |
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 7 | 1 7 |
+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 4 | 0010 |
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID Date Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 1 8 | 0 2 |00101000| 1 5 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 1 3 |19820202093000-0000|
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 9 | 8 2 | 0 0 | 0 2 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 4 | UUUU |
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 C | 8 2 | 0 0 | 0 4 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 7 | RUXABYE |
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 A | 8 2 | 0 0 | 0 2 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 5 | UUUUU |
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 4 | 1 8 |
+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+--------+
|00000010| 0 1 | R |
+--------+--------+--------+
Field Length FID Date Length
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 1 4 | 1 1 |00101000| 1 1 |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 F |8202020830-0000|
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 1 B | 0 1 |
+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+
|00000010| 1 8 |
+--------+--------+
+---- ----+
|Commander,Atlantic Fleet|
+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 C | 0 5 |
+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 9 | USS SHIPA |
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 7 | 0 4 |
+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 4 | BODY |
+--------+--------+---- ----+
Field Length FID
+--------+--------+--------+
|01001100| 0 7 | 1 7 |
+--------+--------+--------+
ASCII Length
+--------+--------+---- ----+
|00000010| 0 4 | 0010 |
+--------+--------+---- ----+
H.7.3 Field Mappings of JANAP-128 to FIPS Format
JANAP-128 Field FIPS Format Field
Precedence Precedence (Appendix A)
Language Media Format Vendor-Defined
Security Vendor-Defined
Content Indicator Code Vendor-Defined
Origination Station Sender (Appendix A)
Routing Indication
Station Serial Number Originator-Serial-Number
(Appendix A)
Time of File Posted-Date (Appendix A)
Security Vendor-Defined
Destination Station Vendor-Defined
Routing Indicator
Security Vendor-Defined
Precedence Precedence (Appendix A)
Date/Time Group Date (Appendix A)
FM From (Appendix A)
TO To (Appendix A)
Body of Message Text (Appendix A)
Station Serial Number Originator-Serial-Number
(Appendix A)
H.7.4 Vendor-Defined Fields
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Field Name Identifier Value
8
Description
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Language Media Format 01
8
This field contains two ASCII characters; the first
indicates the input media and the second the output media.
Security 02
8
This field contains a variable length ASCII character
indicator of the security classification of the messages.
Content Indicator Code 03
8
This field contains four ASCII characters and provides
information describing the message content and message handling
actions to be performed.
Destination Station Routing Indicator 04
8
This field contains four ASCII characters indicating the CPU
and terminal device to which the message should be sent.
REFERENCES
[BlaR-80]
R. P. Blanc and J. F. Heafner. The NBS Program in Computer
Network Protocol Standards. In Proceedings, ICCC 80. 1980.
[CCIT-82]
CCITT Study Group VII/5. Draft recommendation X.MHS1:
Message Handling Systems: System Model - Service Elements
(Version 2). Technical Report, International Telegraph and
Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT), December, 1982.
[CroD-77]
David H. Crocker, John J. Vittal, Kenneth T. Pogran,
D. Austin Henderson, Jr. Standard for the Format of ARPA
Network Text Messages. RFC 733, The Rand Corporation, Bolt
Beranek and Newman Inc, Massachussets Institute of
Technology, Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., November, 1977.
[FeiE-79]
E. Feinler, J. Pickens, and A. Sjoberg. Computer Message
Services Bibliography. Technical Report NIC-BIBLIO-791201,
SRI International, December, 1979.
[ISOD-79]
ISO/TC97/SC6 Data Communications. Second Draft Proposed
Communication Heading Format Standard. ISO/TC97/SC6 N 1948,
ISO International Organization for Standardization
Organization Internationale de Normalisation, September,
1979. Secretariat: USA (ANSI).
[ISOD-82]
ISO/TC97/SC16. Information Processing Systems - Open Systems
Interconnection - Basic Reference Model. ISO/DIS 7498, ISO
International Organization for Standardization Organization
Internationale de Normalisation, December, 1982.
[NatB-68]
National Bureau of Standards. Calendar Date. Federal
Information Processing Standards Publication 4, U.S.
Department of Commerce / National Bureau of Standards,
November, 1968.
[NatB-75]
National Bureau of Standards. Code Extension Techniques in 7
or 8 Bits. Federal Information Processing Standards
Publication 35, U.S. Department of Commerce / National
Bureau of Standards, June, 1975.
[NatB-77]
National Bureau of Standards. Data Encryption Standard.
Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 46,
U.S. Department of Commerce / National Bureau of Standards,
January, 1977.
[NatB-79a]
National Bureau of Standards. Representations of Local Time
of the Day for Information Interchange. Federal Information
Processing Standards Publication 58, U.S. Department of
Commerce / National Bureau of Standards, February, 1979.
[NatB-79b]
National Bureau of Standards. Representations of Universal
Time, Local Time Differentials, and United States Time Zone
References for Information Interchange. Federal Information
Processing Standards Publication 59, U.S. Department of
Commerce / National Bureau of Standards, February, 1979.
[NatB-80]
National Bureau of Standards. Code for Information
Interchange. Federal Information Processing Standards
Publication 1-1, U.S. Department of Commerce / National
Bureau of Standards, December, 1980.
[PosJ-79]
Jonathan B. Postel. INTERNET MESSAGE PROTOCOL. RFC 753,
Information Sciences Institute, March, 1979.
[TasG-80]
Task Group X3S33 on Data Communications Formats, ANSI
Subcommittee X3S3 on Data Communications. Third Draft
Proposed American National Standard for Heading Format
Structure for Code Independent Communication Headings. ANSI
document X3S37/80-01, Computer and Business Equipment
Manufacturers Association, 1980.
INDEX
ASCII-String 35, 36, 47, 50, 52, 54, 58, 59, 60, 61,
63, 65, 69
Assignment 22, 28, 61
Attachments 23, 57
Author 19, 57
BASIC 18
BASIC Data Elements
ASCII-String 47, 63
Date 50, 65
End-of-Constructor 48, 66
Field 50, 66
Message 51, 67
BASIC fields
Cc 20
Reply-To 19
Subject 23
Text 23
BASIC syntactic elements 35
Bcc 19, 25, 57
Bit numbering in octets 37
Bit-String 36, 42, 47, 49, 50, 52, 64, 65, 69
Boolean 36, 48, 64
Cc 20, 58
Chains of correspondence 29
Circulate-Next 20, 31, 58
Circulate-To 20, 31, 58
Circulation 31
Comment 36, 37, 44, 54
Comments 23, 58
Compliance requirements 41
Compressed 37, 43, 49, 54, 65
Compression identifier 49, 65
Compression Identifiers
Unspecified 54
Constructor data element 35, 36
Contents 38, 76
Cross Referencing 29
Data Element Contents 43, 44, 87, 42, 44, 52, 69, 42,
44, 46, 47, 51, 64, 69, 87
Data Elements
ASCII-String (BASIC) 47, 63
Bit-String (OPTIONAL) 47, 64
Boolean (OPTIONAL) 48, 64
Compressed (OPTIONAL) 49, 65
Date (BASIC) 50, 65
Encrypted (OPTIONAL) 50, 65
End-of-Constructor (BASIC) 48, 66
Extension (OPTIONAL) 52, 66
Field (BASIC) 50, 66
Integer (OPTIONAL) 48, 67
Message (BASIC) 51, 67
No-Op (OPTIONAL) 49, 67
Padding (OPTIONAL) 49, 68
Property (OPTIONAL) 51, 68
Property-List (OPTIONAL) 51, 68
Sequence (OPTIONAL) 51, 69
Set (OPTIONAL) 52, 69
Unique-ID (OPTIONAL) 52, 69
Vendor-Defined (OPTIONAL) 53, 70
Date 20, 50, 58, 60, 61, 62, 65
Dating 30
Delivery 13, 20, 60
Delivery Protocol 13
Delivery Slot 13
Encapsulating 26
Encrypted 37, 43, 50, 54, 65
Encryption identifier 50, 65
Encryption Identifiers
FIPS-Standard 54
Unspecified 54
End-Date 20, 21, 30, 58, 62
End-Of-Constructor 36, 42, 44, 48, 66
Extension 35, 46, 52, 66
Field 14, 31, 35, 36, 37, 43, 50, 51, 66, 67, 72
Field Identifier 50, 66
Field label presentation 35
Fields
Attachments (OPTIONAL) 57, 23
Author (OPTIONAL) 57, 19
Bcc (OPTIONAL) 57, 19
Cc (BASIC) 58, 20
Circulate-Next (OPTIONAL) 58, 20
Circulate-To (OPTIONAL) 58, 20
Comments (OPTIONAL) 58, 23
Date (OPTIONAL) 58, 20
End-Date (OPTIONAL) 58, 20
From (REQUIRED) 59, 19
In-Reply-To (OPTIONAL) 59, 21
Keywords (OPTIONAL) 59, 23
Message-Class (OPTIONAL) 59, 22
Message-ID (OPTIONAL) 59, 21
Obsoletes (OPTIONAL) 59, 21
Originator-Serial-Number (OPTIONAL) 59, 21
Posted-Date (REQUIRED) 60, 20
Precedence (OPTIONAL) 60, 22
Received-Date (OPTIONAL) 60, 20
Received-From (OPTIONAL) 60, 22
References (OPTIONAL) 60, 22
Reissue-Type (OPTIONAL) 61, 22
Reply-To (BASIC) 61, 19
Sender (OPTIONAL) 61, 19
Start-Date (OPTIONAL) 61, 21
Subject (BASIC) 61, 23
Text (BASIC) 61, 23
To (REQUIRED) 61, 19
Warning-Date (OPTIONAL) 62, 21
FIPS-Standard 54, 55
From 17, 19, 29, 57, 59, 61
Globally unique identifiers 29
Identifier octet 38, 41, 37, 38, 42, 44, 76
Identifiers
globally unique 29
In-Reply-To 21, 29, 59
Indefinite length code 41
Integer 36, 48, 52, 67, 69
Keywords 23, 59, 88
Length Code 40, 41, 42, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 46,
76, 77, 87
Long length code 41
Message Transfer System 13, 22, 60
Message 14, 17, 35, 36, 37, 43, 51, 67
Message content 13
Message envelope 13
Message stores 30
Message Transfer System 13, 22, 60, 12, 13, 14, 17,
20, 22, 60
Message Types
FIPS-Standard 55
Message-Class 22, 59
Message-ID 21, 22, 29, 31, 59, 60
No-Op 49, 67
Numbering bits in octets 37
Obsoletes 21, 29, 59
Octets
bit numbering in 37
OPTIONAL 18
OPTIONAL Data Elements
Bit-String 47, 64
Boolean 48, 64
Compressed 49, 65
Encrypted 50, 65
Extension 52, 66
Integer 48, 67
No-Op 49, 67
Padding 49, 68
Property 51, 68
Property-List 51, 68
Sequence 51, 69
Set 52, 69
Unique-ID 52, 69
Vendor-Defined 53, 70
OPTIONAL fields
Attachments 23
Author 19
Bcc 19
Circulate-Next 20
Circulate-To 20
Comments 23
Date 20
End-Date 20
In-Reply-To 21
Keywords 23
Message-Class 22
Message-ID 21
Obsoletes 21
Originator-Serial-Number 21
Precedence 22
Received-Date 20
Received-From 22
References 22
Reissue-Type 22
Sender 19
Start-Date 21
Warning-Date 21
OPTIONAL syntactic elements 35
Originator 15, 18, 20, 30, 57, 58, 59, 61
Originator-Serial-Number 21, 30, 59
Padding 49, 68
Person 18
Posted-Date 17, 20, 31, 58, 60
Posting 13
Posting Protocol 13
Posting Slot 13
Precedence 22, 60
Precedence categories 22
Precedence scheme 60
Presentation
field label 35
Primitive data element 36, 35, 36
Printing-Name 36, 37, 44, 54, 82
Process 18
Properties
Comment 54
Printing-Name 54
Property 38, 43, 51, 68
Property-Identifier 51, 68
Property-List 36, 38, 44, 46, 51, 68, 76
Qualifier 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 50,
51, 52, 53, 64, 65, 66, 68, 70, 76
Qualifiers 43
Received-Date 20, 60
Received-From 22, 60
Recipient 15, 19, 20, 22, 57, 58, 60, 61
Redistribution 22, 26, 61
References 22, 29, 60
Reissue-Type 22, 61
Reply 18, 28
Reply-to 19, 28, 59, 61
REQUIRED 18
REQUIRED fields
From 19
Posted-Date 20
To 19
Requirements
compliance 41
Role 18
Sender 19, 31, 61
Sequence 35, 36, 51, 69
Sequences 36
Serial Numbers 21, 30, 59
Set 36, 51, 52, 69
Short length code 41
Slot 13
Start-Date 21, 30, 61
Subject 23, 61
Syntactic reissuing 26
Text 23, 32, 61
To 17, 19, 31, 37, 61
Unique identifiers 29
Unique-ID 52, 59, 60, 69
Unspecified 54
User Agent 12, 13, 14
User interface 35
Vendor-Defined 35, 46, 53, 70
Warning-Date 21, 30, 62