Some notes for PMNews --- This program is a PM replacement for SNEWS.EXE, which means that you need the rest of Rommel's port or McCombs code plus UUPC to comtemplate using it. However, I'm packaging OS/2 SNEWS programs with this. They're all C Set++ statically linked so they'll take up some space. The usual disclaimer is in effect: no warranty, expressed or implied accompanies this code; if all your data, programs, and power-supply are destroyed by this program, I'm not liable. Install the .exe and .ico files in a convenient subdirectory and create a WPS object which invokes it, specifying the residence directory as the working directory. In your PERSONAL.RC file, be sure that Editor and Aliases are specified with their full path and extension. The environment variables UUPCSYSRC, UUPCUSRRC, and UUPCNEWS must be available (usually means set in config.sys). UNBATCH, EXPIRE, ADDGROUP, RMGROUP suite of programs should be available in a directory named in the config.sys PATH. You MUST specify 'options=snews' in your UUPC.RC file. I'm including McCombs excellent original documentation for SNEWS. 'unbatch' should be run after 'uuxqt' is run in your 'uuio' procedure. It unpacks the batches into index and data files. 'sthread.exe' is optional and should be run after each 'unbatch' or 'expire' to re-synchronize the .thr/.idx files. It provides 'References:' as well as subject-line threading. Removing all the .thr files in the newsbase directory will disable it. Run 'expire' at any convenient interval. The 'ng' file in your news directory can be used to specify the retention in days of articles for each group. The value -1 is used to indicate a group such as 'junk', which is always expired. This file is not supported for the current (DOS) version of SNEWS. It's used to indicate which groups may be posted to (really a multi-user thing). It has lines like: comp.os.os2.setup 3 comp.os.os2.networking.tcp-ip 3 junk -1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Source code is available upon request. Arrange this via email. The program still suffers from being a first PM attempt. It's evident that just because a program is a GUI object does not mean that it is easier to use than a character-based application. Knowing what I now know of PM, a rewrite would improve this. The program builds an .INI file after the first run, containing the locations of the group list dialog box and article window position and size. If you ever find that you're unable to open an article window, or the program stalls on takeoff, delete the PMNEWS.INI file and restart (make sure any hidden invocations of PMNEWS have been terminated). If a tracked error occurs PMNews creates a file, pmnews.err. When an error occurs this file will contain some cryptic 'fprintf' information relevant to the error (if we're lucky). There is no font support, so system proportional is what there is. This is particularly ugly in the mail-article listbox. Send me e-mail for suggestions, complaints, etc. E-mail: serls@dashs.denver.co.us Change log: 11/23/92 Release 0.1 -- re-link with multi-thread libs add SNEWS style TAB/ESC/PGDN/PGUP/arrow keys for article window. Try to put real name of author on title bar. 12/06/92 Release 0.2 -- primitive text search make header dialog select (double-click) acquire the first unread article. right-button on selected header gets 1st entry (but not in foreground!). On 101 keyboard, keypad plus and enter for next-unread and next article. 12/12/92 Release 0.3 -- fix search to allow post/mail implement 'prev' for previous article and map it to keypad '-'. 12/20/92 Release 0.4 -- was not erasing post.tmp file various bugs with multiple postings 02/08/93 Release 0.5 -- more elegant threading (might be slower). 08/27/93 Release 0.6 -- releasing the source. Note that there are duplicate SNEWS-named files: active.c, history.c active.h, history.h defs.h these files are similar, but NOT quite the same as the originals. Use another directory! Also, 2 threaders are provided (pmnthrd.c == original, pmmthrd.c is an adjustable threader, or provide a reference threader, please). 12/12/93 Release 0.7 -- provide some decent diagnostics for the error "Unable to load RC data". Change from "***" to "---" for zero article value. 06/07/94 Release 0.8 -- help from group window (poor) change mouse button 2 to 'next unread thread' in header list provide case/in/sensitivity to group text search fix some small annoying things (group window seal) Release 0.9 -- fixes article title-bar trash Release 1.0 -- I'm sure the program has reached the minimum defect level by now -- no one is using it. If you do use it (there were a few UUCP users in Europe), please drop me a line if you have any nice modifications to include. Anyhow -- fixed the case sensitive search code; Just bad code. Added "real" header-reference threading; don't panic, it's optional and will cost you some disk space. It produces a .THR file for each newsgroup which looks almost the same as the .IDX file (someday, they could be combined). The program 'sthread.exe' needs to be run after unbatching news, AND after expiring it. I normally run expire after the overnight unbatching is done, so running 'sthread' after 'expire' works for me. The files are slightly smaller than the .IDX files. Since I'm wasting some bandwidth here, on the whole, subject line threading is more satisfying. Some groups, unnamed, seem to revel in NOT providing 'References:'; for them, only subject line will do. Some super-heuristic combination of the two would be best. 03/03/95 Release 1.1 -- Many bug fixes. 'sthread' has had several glaring errors fixed and seems operative except for the occasional 'loss' of an article. I haven't isolated the reason for this. 'sthread' now combines both subject line and referential threading. The file 'post.log' is now maintained giving you a record of all the posts that you've sent. The annoying 'pmnews.err' file will ONLY be written when a error (or stray trace record) is written. Button 'NewPost' is offered on the thread header window. 'References:' header line is omitted when a 'new' post. Bugfix: when there were no unread articles, group window buttons terminated program. Added 'Groups' button on thread header window to return you to the Group window. Now accepting '.cmd' files in the 'personal.rc' 'Editor' parameter. Fixed problems with new and followup posts not showing up when using 'sthread'. Followups are shown out-of-sequence until next 'sthread' run. '.thr' file not used if not newer than corresponding '.idx' file. Remove extra signature file inclusion when mailing article straightaway. Properly obtain author's email address from article header when replying. Release 1.2 Emit X-NewsReader header line Accept 'NewsServ=' keyword in UUPC.RC, if different from your MailServer; place it AFTER 'MailServ'.