Connect and Notify version 1.3 by Costas Kotsokalis - C.Kotsokalis@ece.ntua.gr What is CaN? CaN (Connect and Notify) is an IP Poster. This is the kind of programs you would use if you get dynamic PPP (or SLIP) from your Internet Services Provider, and want to let the others know your current IP address so that they connect to a FTP, WWW or other Internet server you have set up on your PC. CaN will upload a HTML file you edit to the WWW server of your choice, using FTP. What is new from 1.2? - Added the long-awaited feature of re-posting the 'online' file whenever connection to the internet was lost and established again under a new IP address. In this case, CaN will re-generate and upload the HTML (or simple text) "online" file, with the new IP address, in the first minute after connection is established again. This feature is enabled only in the registered version of CaN. - Added Name Service lookup, which will find for you the hostname for a given IP address or the opposite. Any aliases returned by the name server are also displayed. - Added a mail-checker: this is a feature you can configure to check for new mail every now and then, while connected. This checks for mails with unknown IDs, and if such are found a message box is displayed. CaN does not check for UNREAD mails, as this would need time to download all the headers. - Added a timer which shows the current time (online or not). - Added system resources information on the 'About' box. - Fixed a bug, because of which you could not use your current IP address or time in the HTML META information. - A major change, which is invisible to the user though, is the use of the Microsoft wininet library. Now all the FTP transfers are achieved through functions this library provides. This gives some more certainty and fixes one bug to which i had not found the solution: Two users told me that the file was created all right locally, but when it was transferred to their ISP its size was truncated to zero. I believe this will not happen anymore. Another reason for this change is that this library's functions will be part of all the next versions of windows API. This way we are compatible with future versions of the windows OS, and are able to use better tested routines created by Microsoft. The problem that CaN had with PPP/SLIP emulation (tia, slirp etc) is solved as well. - Added a help file (that was the haunted 'TODO' :-)) ** NOTE: ** If you upgrade from 1.0, you will have to delete all of your old configuration files since CaN reads files in a different format now. System Reqirements: You will definitely need a PC with the Windows95 or NT operating system, and 8 Mbs of RAM. Although CaN is not that complicated, using nice graphics makes it a whole lot heavier that it would be with standard buttons etc. CaN 1.1 had a problem with windows NT which was corrected. Version 1.2 and 1.3 will work fine under NT now. At this point i would like to thank Peter Laur and Ed Gibson for their precious co-operation, so that CaN runs under NT as well. ToDo list: - Maybe add a 'chat' service, integrated into CaN. Of course, this could be accomplished with any talk server, but what can i say, developers :-) BUGS: The help system will not create the "Find" tab for some reson. I'm working on this. PLEASE note that if you are upgrading from 1.0, you HAVE to delete the old configuration files. If you don't you can be sure you will get an error right on startup. LISENCE AGREEMENT: The unregistered version of CaN 1.3 has 2 features disabled: It will not update the HTML file in case your IP address changes (as in you were disconnected and then connected again), and it will not get the network time (nor will it synchronize the clock, as obvious). As soon as you use your registration password these will all be functioning as desired. You can use this piece of software without registering within an evaluation period of 30 days. If you want to continue using it after this period, you have to register with CaN. To do this, send $15 US (cash please!), to the address: Constantinos Kotsokalis Solomou 43 Galatsi 11147 Athens GREECE PLEASE send cash, NOT checks! I cannot use checks, since i have to pay a bit more than 15 $US to cash them :-). DO NOT FORGET TO WRITE CLEARLY YOUR FULL NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS!!! One day after i receive your subscription i will email you a password which you can use to register CaN. Make sure you make a note of the name to register, because the password will be generated according to this name. Please allow some 2 weeks (or even more) for the email reply, as snail-mail takes quite some time to come to Greece. Registering with CaN entitles you to full support though email. This includes serious effort to add features you would like CaN to have, in the next versions. IF YOU REGISTER WITH CaN YOU WILL ALSO GET THE NEXT VERSIONS OF IT FOR FREE! Unregistered users have no right to technical support, still i'm eager to hear their comments, suggestions, bug reports. If you have any of the above, please let me know - no matter if you have registered or not. My email address again is: C.Kotsokalis@ece.ntua.gr Keep in mind that, i have put some very serious effort in writing CaN. I really think that hard work must be rewarded, and apart from that, the more registrations i have coming in, the more productive i get :-) So if you want to see CaN getting better and more features being added in every new version, do register! DISCLAIMER: "Connect and Notify" is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of "Connect and Notify". By using "Connect and Notify" you automatically agree to the above conditions of use. Microsoft(R) and Windows(R) are registered trademarks of their respective holders.