WHY.... This is a relatively minor update to PCBMail 5.1. After releasing version 5.1, I discovered that a single line in SETMAIL had not been moved to the proper spot in the script, and as a result, it did not properly rename any old mail packets found, if you choose the alternate renaming method, and were using the same directory for both downloading and storage of mail. I also noticed that the "new" dialog boxes in both SETMAIL and PCBMAIL did not display the text properly in either 640x480 or 800x600 screen resolutions (I designed them in 1024x768 mode). I made a few changes in these boxes, and now they run properly in any resolution. The last change has to do with another Channel One prompt which is different than the "normal" PCBoard prompt. (Thanks again to Bob Blow for finding that! ) FILES..... Included in PCBM51A.ZIP (PCB51A.ZIP if you downloaded the file from CompuServe) are the following files : README.TXT - (this file!) QUICK.TXT - instructions for a "quick start" SETMAIL.WAX - the compiled script used to set up information for PCBMail to use. PCBMAIL.WAX - the compiled version of PCBMail 5.1a PCBLOG.WAX - a compiled script for simple PCBoard log ins. SETMAIL.WAS - PCBMAIL.WAS - the uncompiled source code for the above. PCBLOG.WAS - INSTALLATION..... PCBMail 5.1a does not have an installation routine. Installation is fairly simple..... 1) Unzip the three (3) WAX files from the PCBM51A.ZIP file (PCB51A.ZIP if downloaded from CompuServe) to your ASPECT subdirectory. 2) Start ProComm for Windows. Open the dialing directory, and decide which entries will be using PCBMail 5.1a (they must be a PCBoard system, with a Qmail door). In each of these dialing directory entries, set the script to run as "PCBMAIL". 3) Save the changed dialing directory, and close it. 4) Use the drop down box showing the available scripts, and select (i.e. run) SETMAIL. 5) SETMAIL will scan the dialing directory for entries set to use PCBMAIL. It will then ask you to select one of these for setup, via a drop down combobox list. SETTING UP A SYSTEM..... 1) When SETMAIL begins, the first item in the combination box ("(None)") is automatically selected. Whenever "(None)" is the selected item, SETMAIL will show you examples of how each edit box should be filled. However, the contents will all be "greyed" since none of the edit boxes are active. Actually, only the combination box listing of systems and the Exit button are active, since you can't do anything with the sample entries shown. 2) Once you select a system from the list, SETMAIL will scan the INI file for previous settings for that system. If none are found, all the edit boxes will be empty. If a previous set up for that system is found, the settings from that set up will appear in the boxes (which allows you to edit any previously saved settings). 3) Fill in the information requested in the various boxes of the dialog box. The "Conference to join?" box is the only one which may be left blank. If you do leave it blank, PCBMAIL will not ask you which conference to join, but will simply remain in the Main conference of the system, if you elect to stay online after a mail run. 4) The box for "QWK filename?" requires the root name of a mail file from the board being setup. As example, on Channel One, the mail is file CHANNEL1.QWK, and a reply packet takes the name CHANNEL1.REP, so you would type "channel1" in the "QWK filename?" box. 5) PCBMail also needs the name or number of the mail door on the system being set up. As example, on Canada Remote, the mail door is either "67" or "Qmail", so I would put either 67, or the word qmail in that box. (I prefer using the number, as it is more commonly accepted on PCBoard systems). 6) In the "Conference to join?" box, type in the name or number of an alternative to the Main conference, if you wish the option at log in, of joining another conference besides Main if you stay online. E.G. type in "2" or "IBM" on a system where the IBM conference is #2. 7) PCBMail will rename your QWK packets in one of two fashions. The default is to rename by changing the last letter of the extension, storing the files alphabetically. Thus your first "stored" packet would be renamed as board.QWA, the second, board.QWB and so on. PCBMail will scan the mail directory for previous packets, sorting them if needed to maintain the alphabetical listing sequence, then move the new packet to the mail directory, renaming it in sequence as it does so. The optional method of renaming will change the packet name to include the current system date. Using this option, the first packet of today, say on Canada Remote, would be named CRS0911.QWA (this option uses the first four letters, of the QWK filename), the second today would be named CRS0911.QWB, and so on. If you tend to keep a large number of mail packets, this option is the better choice. It will allow an unlimited number of "days" of packets, with up to 26 packets per day. The default method only allows a total of 26 packets to be saved. 8) The entry for "Mail directory?" is the directory where you want to store your mail after renaming. If you use the default renaming option, this directory and the download directory must be different. If you use the alternate renaming method (using the date), the mail directory and download directory can be the same. SETMAIL will check this, depending onwhich renaming option you have selected, and will also check to ensure that the selected mail directory exists. If not, you will be asked if you want to create it. 9) New in version 5.1 are the two icons at the bottom of the dialog box. These icons will allow you to edit the UserID and Password stored in the dialing directory. RUNNING PCBMAIL..... PCBMAIL will begin when you have connected to the board dialed via the dialing directory. Once connected, it will present a dialog box which will be based on the options you set in SETMAIL. If no options have been set, PCBMail will inform you that it can only perform a simple log in to this system. The dialog box is now timed. This was done to allow for unattended mail runs. In version 5.1, if there is no dialog box activity for a period of approx. 10 sec., the default settings will be accepted, and the script will continue as if you had clicked on GO or pressed enter. If you do make any changes to the dialog box settings, the clock will stop altogether, and you must manually click on GO or press enter to accept any changes made. Once you have accepted the settings in the dialog box (manually, or automaticaly), the script will take care of things for the rest of the session. If you elect to remain on line after the mail run (in the dialog box), then PCBMail will take you back to PCBoard, and join the conference selected (Main or the one set in SETMAIL), and then remain active in the background until you finish with the board. When PCBMail detects the drop of carrier (i.e. you hang up), it will finish it's tasks (such as renaming any mail packets received), and then exit. FINI..... I think that should about cover it. PCBMail is not perfect (yet ), but it should take care of a lot of the tedious business of getting mail, uploading replies, and managing the various packets. As always, comments, criticisms, ideas, or discussion of any feature (existing or yet to be implemented) of PCBMail are welcome. I monitor Windows and ProComm conferences on NANet, EchoNet, Intelec, RIME, and ILink, or can be reached on CompuServe, ID 72537,552, or by voice. Gregg Hommel Computer etceteras / WiGuys Software 19 Rushbrook Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2E 3C1 (519) 745-9717