High Voltage Shareware/high1.zip/high1/DIR4/XMAIL100.ZIP/XMAIL.DOC

Text File | 1993-12-07 | 37KB | 1,162 lines

        xMail 1.00

        Echomail Processor for Hudson, *.MSG,
        Squish and JAM message base.

        (c) 1990-1993  Roger Kirchhoff & Stefan Graf
        xMail H.Q. BBS [phone]
        All rights reserved



        FEATURES
        ========

        Supports Hudson, Squish, *.MSG and JAM.

        Multiline tossing.

        NETWORK and multiline support with advanced file and
        record locking abilities lets you run a multiple node
        BBS and process mail while users are online.

        xMail can toss on multiple lines at the same time.

        Supports Cost Sharing System for Echomail.

        Forward echo area requests

        Automatic creation of new echos with alert messages to
        Sysop and in an echo, fully configurable for every
        node

        Message Forwarding and Readdressing

        Post textfiles

        Free definable textfiles for all messages created by xMail
        with powerful macro support

        Works with almost any BBS system

        Works with FrontDoor, DBridge and Binkley!

        Advanced Security options for both mail packet
        checking and echoarea/node control

        Mixed Message base styles (Hudson, *.MSG, Squish + JAM)
        configurable for every echo !

        Conference Support for easy usage in multiple
        network environments (Fido, SigNet etc.)
        Up to 50 conferences.

        Comfortable FULLSCREEN SETUP program lets you
        change your configuration in seconds

        Context sensitive Help System in xMail's
        setup program XMSETUP

        Supports all compression formats and allows you to
        add support for ANY new packer in the future!!

        Built in Areafix can RESCAN Areas

        Configurable Areafix messages

        Allows unlimited number of netmail areas in your BBS
        for special addresses and user groups

        Advanced dupe checking, stores up to 100.000 dupes

        All mail processing in one run: Import, Export,
        Reply-Linking and Areafix

        Multiple Logfiles for Areafix and Statistics

        Supports 1000 Message Areas

        and many, many more !!!



                        FILES WITH xMail
                        ================

XM.EXE                  Main executable program
XM.OVR                  Overlay file for xMail
XMAIL.CFG               Sample configuration file.
                        This is a plain ASCII file which contains all
                        information about your system. You may use any
                        ASCII editor or the built in editor in XMSETUP
                        to edit it to your needs.
COMPLETE.CFG            Sample XMAIL.CFG configuration file which
                        contains all possible config statements and
                        their descriptions. Please read this file
                        carefully to get to knoww all xMail features.
WHATSNEW.DOC            What's new with xMail 1.00 and XMSETUP
XMSETUP.EXE             xMail's fullscreen setup program
XMSETUP.OVR             Overlay file for XMSETUP
XMSETUP.HLP             XMSETUP's help file (english).
XMSETUP.GER             XMSETUP's help file (German)
                        Rename XMSETUP.GER to XMSETUP.HLP
                        to use german language online help.
XMAIL.DOC               This document file
110TO111.EXE            Conversion Program to Update Data Files
                        from RA-Echo 1.10 to xMail 1.00 specs.

Files created by either xMail or XMSETUP:

NODE.XM                 Node database
AREAS.XM                Echo configuration
CONFNAME.XM             Conference descriptions
LINKS.XM                Reply-Links information
                        If you renumber your message base you
                        have to delete the file LINKS.XM which
                        contains the info about reply linking. xMail
                        will then rebuild it the next time you start it.
DUPES.XM                Info for dupe checker
LASTEXP.XM              Last exported message in *.MSG directory


                        LOGFILES
                        ========

xMail's logfiles may have any name (see XMAIL.CFG),
defaults are the following:

XMAIL.LOG            General information and errors

AREAFIX.LOG            All Areafix events

STATIST.LOG            Import & Export statistics



                        GETTING STARTED
                        ===============

1 - Copy all files to your xMail directory

2 - If you have a valid xMail key rename the keyfile to XMAIL.KEY

3 - Start XMSETUP

    NOTE: If you are upgrading from RA-Echo version 1.10, be sure
    to use the 110TO111.EXE conversion program before
    running XMSETUP.

4 - Edit XMAIL.CFG to your needs (see comments in COMPLETE.CFG)

    NOTE: There are many feature of XMAIL that are not
    specifically addressed in this document, but in the
    XMAIL.CFG file. Please read XMAIL.CFG. I also
    highly recommend to use the XMAIL.CFG from the
    distribution package and edit it to your needs as
    there are a lot of new keywords and features!

5 - Enter all echos (You may enter these manually or use
    XMAIL's import feature.)

6 - Enter all nodes and configure them accordingly

7 - Make sure that you have your FILES=45 or more.

8 - Reboot your system so that the new CONFIG.SYS is used.



                        SYNTAX and PARAMETERS
                        =====================

Commands
--------

XM IMPORT <switches>

This command will tell xMail to import received
mail to the messagebase and export them to your
downlinks.

(see Command Line Switches below)



XM EXPORT <switches>

This command tells xMail to scan the messagebase
and export new locally entered mail.

(see Command Line Switches below)

On Export you can declare what Areas have to
be scanned by giving the name of a file which contains
a list of the areas as 2nd parameter with
'@<FileName>'. Some systems automatically create
this file, and exporting can be much faster if you use this.

Example:

XM EXPORT /Q+ /V- /L- @EXPORT.BBS

If no name is specified all areas will be scanned.
This does of course not affect the message base.



XM DELETEAREA <AREANAME,...>

This command will remove the echos. Each area
must be separated by a comma ','.  xMail will
generate an Areafix Message to your UPLINK to
terminate the feed.  All DOWNLINKS will be sent
a message informing them of the change. The text
to be sent is configurable in XMAIL.CFG under
the keyword ECHOCANCELTEXT.  Areafix macros are
available including '&Z' for the AreaName.

e.g. EchoCancelText  Area &Z was deleted by Sysop.

NOTE: Areas deleted with DELETEAREA will not be
accepted as new areas for 10 days.  The reason for
this is quite simple: If you have deleted an Echo,
your next poll will usually still contain some
messages for that area, and xMail would try to
add that as a new area.



XM CLEANUP  <Number of Days>

This command will remove all Pass-Thru areas that
do not have mail flow for <Number of Days> days.
CLEANUP will also remove Pass-Thru areas without
downlinks.  xMail will generate an Areafix
Message to your uplink to terminate the feed.

All DOWNLINKS will be sent a message informing them
of the change. The text to be sent is configurable
in XMAIL.CFG under the keyword ECHOCANCELTEXT.
Areafix macros are available including '&Z' for the
areaname.



XM POST [Filename] [Areaname] [Subject] <NodeAdr|NodeName>

This command allows you to post a textfile into
ECHO or NETMAIL areas.

Filename:     Name of the text file to be imported.
Areaname:     Area that text shall be posted in.
                If  'NETMAIL', then Netmail will be created.
Subject  :     Subject of the message.
NodeAdr  :     Unlimited number of node addresses for
        NETMAIL posts.  Wildcards ('ALL' or '*').
        Receivers of NETMAIL must be in XMAIL's
        Nodefile (NODES.XM).
NodeName:    If you don't specify a nodenumber but a
                name xMail creates an mail to this
        name. Include the name in "".

Examples:

XM POST C:\NEWS.ASC "NETMAIL" "News from your boss" 2:245/4.*
posts a textfile to all points as netmail.

XM POST C:\RA\NEWUSER.ASW "PRIVATE POST" "Ein neuer User..." "Klaus Roessler"
posts the RA questionaire answer file as a private message to my Co-Sysop.


XM NOTIFY

This command tells xMail to create a notify message
for selected nodes with an actual list of all ordered
echos. More link information can be added with the
notify-message configuration parameters. (See Areafix)
You must have set the Node's 'Send Notify Message'
switch to 'Yes' to let him receive the message. Same
with QUERY and FILEQUERY commands. You may declare nodes
to receive such a message in the command line
(for example 'xMail NOTIFY 2:All') and use the
wildcards 'All' or '*' to include nodes.



XM QUERY

This command tells xMail to send a message to selected
nodes to inform them what areas are available on your
system.



XM AREAFIX

This command tells xMail to process Areafix messages
only. NO Import is done! xMail only scans for netmail
addressed to Areafix and processes them.
See AREAFIX section for details.



XM PACK

This command tells xMail to pack netmail. Please
read the PACK NETMAIL section of this manual for more
information.

You may optionally specify a route file in the command-
line with @<FILENAME>. This route file like a 'batch'
of command lines for use with PACK.

Use the command xMail @<FILENAME> where the <FILENAME>
is the route file.

Example:  ROUTE.XM

245/4.all
2:245/all VIA 245/31 /NC
2:all VIA 245/0 /NC
1:all VIA 2:2/0 /NC

For this, we would use: xMail PACK @ROUTE.XM



XM REATTACH

This command tells xMail to scan your arcmail outbound
directory and check if there are file attach messages for
every packet. If missing, new ones will be created. This
should prevent a packet from not being sent if the
 file attach message gets lost. Note: Use REATTACH /Y0
to reattach arcmail packets on ALL lines.



XM CHECKSYSTEM

Check if echos requested from an uplink did arrive within
the last 14 days. If not the requester will be notified
that the requested echo is not available.



XM REIMPORT

xMail is now able to reimport dupes and illegal messages!
You can select if the messages shall also get exported and
pass several area names or *.MSG directories.

Example: xMail REIMPORT DUPE BAD E:\FD\MESSAGE\ILLEGAL

The areas DUPE and BAD and the MSG directory
E:\FD\MESSAGE\ILLEGAL will be reimported.

XM REIMPORT NEWMAIL

All msgs from the newmail area will be reimported. This might be
useful if you don't want new echos to be automatically created but
also don't want to loose the messages. Reimported msgs get deleted.

If the messages have to be exported to downlinks also add a '+' in
front of the name. Example: xMail REIMPORT +ILLEGAL



XMSETUP FD        Create FOLDER.FD file from xMail echo setup.

XMSETUP RA        Create RemoteAccess 1.1x compatible MESSAGES.RA.

XMSETUP RA200     Create RemoteAccess 2.0x compatible MESSAGES.RA.

                  The environment variables RA and FD have to point
                  to the directory where the files shall be created.



                        Command Line Switches
                        =====================

Use can use several command line switches to toggle some
of xMail's features. '+' switches on and '-' off.


General Switches


/Y..    Line number

    Example:
    XM IMPORT /Y1
    Import on line 1

    If you don't define the line number xMail will automatically
    use the first free line number.
    Using line 0 will lock all other lines.
        Use this for maintenance tasks like CLEANUP etc.

/L+-    Reply-Linking

    You can tell xMail to automatically Reply-Link messages
    as they are being imported with the /L+ switch.

    Default: /L-     (OFF)


/N+-    Network and Multiline Support

    With this switch you can tell xMail to work in
    NETWORK mode and to turn on all the record locking schemes
        If Novell or Share is loaded xMail will automatically
        switch to network mode.

    Default: /N-    (OFF)


/V+-    Screen Output

    You may suppress screen output when IMPORTING/EXPORTING
    with the /V- switch.


/D+-    Dupe-Checking

    You can suppress dupe checking with the /D- switch.

    Default: /D+    (ON)

/E+-    EMS Usage

    You can suppress the use of EMS with /E-

    Default: /E+    (ON)

/Q+-    Quick-Scan on EXPORT

    In Quick-Mode, only messages after the last exported
    message will be exported. Otherwise xMail will
    scan the whole message base. In /Q- mode you can be
    sure that never a message will remain unexported,
    but Quick-Scan mode is *much* faster. If you use
    Quick-Scan mode, xMail creates a file named
    EXPMARK.XM with the data of the last exported
    message. xMail will recognise if you have purged
    your base in the meantime and then scan the whole
    base no matter if Quick-Scan is enabled.

    Default: /Q+    (ON)

/S+-    Save Mode for all file handling.

    If On, all files and the message base will be
        flushed to disk after every write operation. If
        your system crashes all files are saved, but this
        will SLOW DOWN xMail VERY MUCH, so usually this
        will not be necessary.

    Default: /S-    (OFF)

/R+-    Force Mailer Rescan.

        If xMail writes a netmail to your netmail directory
    it can also create a file to force your mailer to rescan
    your netmail directory.

        FDRESCAN.NOW for FrontDoor
    DBRIDGE.RSN  for D'Bridge

        Default: /R+    (ON)

/A+-    Process Areafix Messages.

        If /A-, xMail will not process any inbound messages
        to Areafix.

    Default: /A+    (ON)

/B+-    Process/Import NETMAIL

    If /B- suppresses processing and importing of Netmail

        Default: /B+    (ON)

/G+-    Ignore MSGINFO.XM

        If /G+, xMail will not consult MSGINFO.XM.

        Default: /G-      (OFF)

/C    Use Different Configfile.

    /C<filename> is the name of the config file that you
        want xMail to use. This makes it possible to operate
    with different configurations.

        Default: /CxMail.CFG

/I+-    Import *.PKT from inbound directory.

        Default: /I+      (ON)


/UH     The Hudson base will not be scanned

/UM     *.MSG areas will not be scanned

/US     Squish areas will not be scanned

/UJ     Jam areas will not be scanned


                        Security Switches
                        =================

/O+-    Security check for inbound Arcmail packets.

    If /O-, nodes can send arcmail in Areas they are not
        qualified for.

        Default: /O+    (ON)


/P+-    This is the most important security switch. If a
        sender of an arcmail packet is not in your nodefile
        xMail will NOT process the packet. You can switch
        this check off with /P-. CAUTION: If you do this
        anyone will be able to send you arcmail (including
        potential arcmail bombs.)

        Default: /P+    (ON)


                        COMMAND LINE EXAMPLES
                        =====================

xMail IMPORT /L+ /D-
Import mail with reply linking ON and dupe checking OFF.

xMail EXPORT /Q-
Export mail from your system and disable Quick-Export.

xMail NOTIFY
Create a notify netmail for every system in your nodefile
that has set the 'Send Notify Message' in XMSETUP to
'Yes'.

xMail NOTIFY 245/4
Create a notify netmail only for 245/4

xMail NOTIFY 245/4.ALL (or xMail NOTIFY 245/4.*)
Create notify netmail for all points of 245/4

xMail QUERY 2:*
Create Query netmail for all nodes in zone 2.

xMail PACK @ROUTE.XM
Pack netmail with routing as defined in ROUTE.XM


All switches are optional.



                        IMPORT
                        ======

If you start xMail with the IMPORT parameter, all arcmail
packets get unpacked in order of their date of creation.

The echomail then gets imported into the base and/or directories
and exported to the nodes.

During the import xMail shows you the area of the message
currently being processed and some addition info:

l    Reply link message
s    Save message to Hudson base
q    Save message to squish base
j    Save message to JAM base
w    Write Message (*.MSG)
e    Export to node
c       Create new area
d    Duplicate message found
i    Illegal message


After this has been completed, the netmail directory is scanned
for new messages to your system. If present, they will be imported
to the netmail area with the nodenumber of the message.



                        EXPORT
                        ======

On EXPORT, all new messages entered on your system (which
carry the 'local' bit) will get exported (simple, huh?).

To increase export speed you can tell xMail which areas have
to be exported by defining an ASCII file which contains the
area names that have to be processed:

XM EXPORT @<FileName>

<FileName> has to be a plain ASCII file which contains
one area name per line. Each line must be terminated
by a CR/LF.



                        PACK
                        ====

xMail can pack netmail. You can use several keywords
and command line switches to tell xMail where netmail
has to go.

Call xMail with the PACK parameter and a list of the
nodes whose netmail shall get packed, followed by 'VIA'
the node that you want these netmails to be sent to.
You may use the 'All' or '*' wildcard for more general
processing.

You may also use the following switches to exclude some groups
of netmail from routing:

/NC       Crash-Mail will NOT be routed
/NI       In-Transit-Mail will NOT be routed
/NL       Locally created Mail will NOT be routed
/NH       Mail with Hold-Status will NOT be routed
/ND       Omit packing of mail with Direct flag
    on Binkley systems
/RD     Direct netmail will be routed
/R[x]   Toggle default netmail routing

Examples:

XM PACK 2:ALL VIA 2:245/31 /NC
Send all netmail for zone 2 except crashmail to 2:245/31

XM PACK 2:245/4.All
Pack netmail to the points

XM PACK * VIA 245/4 /RD
Direct mail will be packed

All PACK commands can be put into one route file.
You can specify the route file in the command line with
@filename. The route file is built up in the same way as
command lines.

Example:  ROUTE.XM
245/4.all
2:245/all VIA 245/31 /NC
2:all VIA 245/0 /NC
1:all VIA 2:2/0 /NC

... and the command line you call xMail with:

xMail PACK @ROUTE.XM



                        ECHOS
                        =====

The file AREAS.XM contains the information about all echomail
areas on your system. Each area has a number from 1 to 1000 and
can be imported to *.MSG, Hudson Base, Squish base or JAM base.
Every echo can also get switched to PassThru which means the
echo is not imported to any local message base but only forwarded
to downlinks. Hudson areas may be hold in areas 1-200.

Please refer to XMSETUP's Online Help for more information.



                        NODES
                        =====

The file NODE.XM contains the information about the connected
nodes. You have to enter at least one node, your uplink, to make
xMail work. Please refer to XMSETUP's Online Help for more
information.



                        AREAFIX
                        =======

xMail's Areafix can handle both the original Areafix
(by Greg Dawson) style commands with the switches in the
subject line and Tosscan (by J. Homrighausen) style commands
with % in the messagetext.

Additionally Areafix can rescan areas if you add -R
after the area name.

AREAFIX.HLP must be in your xMail directory!


AREAFIX COMMANDS

%HELP:            Request a HELP message.
[+]<AREANAME>           Turn On/Request an area.
 -<AREANAME>            Turn Off/Disconnect an area
%LIST            Request a list of areas available.
%QUERY            Request a list of connected areas.
<AREANAME> -R           Request a rescan for <AREANAME>
%PACKER <TYPE>          Change the compression type
            (ARJ/ZIP/ZOO/PAK/ARC/etc..)
%NETPACKER <TYPE>       Change Netmail compression type.
%PASSWORD <password>    Change AreaFix password to <password>
%PASSIVE                Temporarily Disable all exports.
%ACTIVE            ReEnable all exports.
%+*** or %+ALL          Request all available areas
%-*** or %-ALL          Disconnect all areas

Example:

By: Klaus Schaefer
To: AREAFIX, MISTER MUSIKER (2:245/4)
Re: password            <---- Areafix Password
St: Pvt  Crash  Kill
------------------------------------------------------------
IBM.GER            <----     Add area
FLEA.GER
-SYSOPS.024             <----   Remove area
POINTS.MMM -R           <----   Rescan area
%QUERY            <----     Ask for available areas
%LIST            <----     List active areas



Areafix Uplink Requests
-----------------------

If one of your downlinks orders an echo which is not available
on your system xMail's built in Areafix is able to order this
echo from one of your uplinks.

The downlink must have the 'Forward Area Requests' switch enabled,
the uplinks have to be defined in XMAIL.CFG. More than one uplink
can be defined.

UPLINK <adr> <arealist> <requestname> <password> <level>

adr:              Node address of the Uplink

arealist          Filename of an ASCII list with the names of the
                uplink's echos

requestname      The name of the uplink's Areafix (for example
                Areafix or Areamgr)

password          Your password for the uplink's Areafix
level             Minimum level a downlink must have to forward
                his area request to this uplink

Example:

UPLINK 2:245/31 E:\XM\LISTS\22450031.LST Areafix GIBSON 100


If a node request a new area and the request has to be forwarded
to an uplink first xMail takes a look at the uplink's arealist
to see if the echo is actually available. If yes the requesting
node gets a short notify message and xMail creates a message
to the uplink's areafix and requests  the desired areas.

If xMail cannot find the echo in one of the echolists the echo
will be requested from the first uplink in your zone if the
requesting downlink has the ForceReq level defined in XMAIL.CFG.

When the requested areas are received from the uplink they will be
created as passthru areas and attached to all nodes that have
requested them and also to all nodes that have set 'Add new Echos'
to YES and are in the zone of the uplink who sent the new echo to you.

Usually most other echomail processors are only able to forward
an area request no matter if an echo really exists on one uplink
system. This means request for echos which don't even exist might
be routed throughout your network from system to system without
ever getting the echo. What a mess.

That's the reason why xMail looks into the uplinks arealist
first and checks if the echo exists.

The problem is that those lists are mostly not up to date. The
solution: xMail creates the lists from the uplink's query
message.

As it is impossible to recognise all different query formats of
all echomail processors xMail will only create the area list
file if the query message comes from xMail, Tosscan or the
original Areafix. For all other Uplinks you can define a static
list which for example could be the echolist of your network.

If you want xMail to create the echolist you must add a '+'
before the filename of the list.

Examples:

UpLink  2:245/100 +C:\XM\LISTS\24500100.LST Areafix PASSWORD 100
The list will be created.

UpLink  2:245/4    C:\XM\LISTS\24500004.LST Areafix PASSWORD 100
The list will not be created.

The arealist will only be created if the query message is newer
than the existing list. The old list will be renamed to *.OLD.
With keyword QUERYSUBJECT you can define up to 10 subjects to
 let xMail recognise a message as a query message from an uplink
and the echo list for this uplink has to be created from this
message. Default is 'Query'.

xMail also looks for parts of what you define here in the query
message. Notice: The query mail MUST have one of the names you
defined in the AREAFIXNAME statement as the name of the sender.
Otherwise xMail will not recognise that the message comes from
another Areafix.



Additional Areafix Features
---------------------------

Areafix can create unique notify and query messages using macros
for nodename, nodenumber and several other system parameters.
So you can make messages from your Areafix very personal and add
statistical information for your downlinks (received mails, sent
mails, password etc.).

One special Areafix function I want to mention is the
'holiday' switch. Normally if a node is not in town for
a longer period he has to cancel all echos and order
them again when he's back. Not with xMail's Areafix !
Your downlink can simply write a message to Areafix
with

%PASSIVE

in the message text. Areafix then will switch the
complete node to passive, which means he will get no more
echomail from you. When he is back and wants to continue
receiving echomail he does not have to switch every
single echo on but he may write to Areafix again:

%ACTIVE

and he will receive all echos again like he did before.

Please read sample XMAIL.CFG for more information about
Areafix parameters.


Areafix Messages
----------------

You can completely configure the text within the messages sent
to nodes via QUERY, NOTIFY and AREAFIX. You do this
by using special control characters, that will be replaced by
actual data, in your textfiles. We have included some sample
textfiles with this release of xMail, edit them as you feel
needed.



                        MACROS available in all TEXTFILES
                        =================================

&N         Full Name of node
&F         First name of node
&L         Last name of node
&Y         Your global system address
                (NodeAdr = zone:net/node.point in XMAIL.CFG)
&D         Date in your country style
&T         Time in your country style
&A         Address of receiving node
&E         Number of messages the node has sent
&I         Number of messages the node has received (you can
                reset these two nodefile entries with XMSETUP from
                the fullscreen setup or from the command line.
&J        Status: 'Pay User' or 'Normal User'
&K              Actual Echomail Account (1/100)
&M        Date of Last Notify
&S         Sender address for the mail packets
&P         Areafix password
&B         Password for the mail packets
&C         If node is active "Active" is shown, otherwise
                "Passive"
&G         The name of the packer (ARJ,ZIP,etc)
&Y              Limit the Pay-Users are checked for (only on
                CHECKCREDIT!)
&Z              The echo that was disconnected with DELETEAREA



                        NETWORKS and MULTINODE ENVIRONMENT
                        ==================================

Network Environment
-------------------

xMail can run in multitasking environments such as DESQview
and OS/2 or in Networks such as Novell.

xMail will detect DesqView and use DesqView's screen buffers.
xMail also detects OS/2.

If you have SHARE loaded xMail will automatically switch to
NETWORK mode and use special file and record locking schemes.

xMail will detect NOVELL and default to NETWORK Mode.

If you use any other network software or WINDOWS you have
to use the /N+ switch to force xMail to network mode.
Network mode of course is somewhat slower than  non-network
(normal) mode, but xMail is really safe in a multiline
environment. With xMail you can even define how many
messages are being tossed before the base will be temporarily
unlocked.

You can import or export mail while users are online in your
BBS, and we have even tested simultaneous imports with xMail
on more than one line. You don't even have to think about
complicated batchfiles, semaphores, or events, simply use
xMail !

We have tested several other so called multiline echomail
processors and came to a very surprising result: Some of them
are absolutely unable to run safely in multiline or network
environments. Some lock the messagebase on startup and unlock
it when finished. That's funny... no user will be able to enter
 a message while these tossers are running. But that's of course
the reason why they call themselves FAST :-).

Locking and unlocking the base takes time, but xMail 1.00
with it's new disk caching system is *STILL FASTER* than all
other tossers we have tested!

Try and compare!



                        Multiline Tossing
                        =================

xMail is introducing a new multiline concept!

xMail is now able to work in networks or multitasker environments
with the same directories and data. This means you only need one
inbound directory, one inpacket directory, one outpacket directory
and one outbound directory for all lines!

Up to 16 lines (xMail/Pro) are supported which can import and export
*simultaneously*! xMail will use different packet names for all
lines so each line will never touch the packets created by other
lines. This is the most secure and efficient system in multiline
environment currently available.

The line number has to be given in the command line:

xMail IMPORT /Y<line_number>

Example:     xMail IMPORT /Y1
                Import on line 1.

If no line number is supplied xMail will automatically select
the first free line number.

xMail uses a special file to keep track of used lines. On startup
 xMail will login for the specified line and logoff after program
execution. If the line is already in use xMail will abort execution.

This file (LINELOCK.XM) will automatically be created in the
xMail directory.

xMail locks a line by writing a one byte code to the appropriate
position in LINELOCK.XM. The unlock code is 00hex, xMail's
lock code is 01hex. Other programs which support this locking scheme
should use another code which can be given by the xMail team.

If a mail line remains locked because of a system crash or a program
error the file LINELOCK.XM can simply be deleted. It will automatically
be recreated on next xMail startup.

As all mailer lines on one system work with a shared netmail folder
and file outbound directory xMail has to make sure that it only
uses files under xMail's administration. This affects logfiles,
mail packets and arcmail packets.

All these files are separated with the filename. On multiline systems
unique filenames are used for all mail lines. The last character
of the logfile's file extension contains the hexadecimal value of the
line number (1hex..Fhex), and mail packets contain the line number
in the first character of the packet filename. This does not affect
Binkley and D'Bridge systems where the packet names are pre-defined.

Apart from lines 1..16 xMail supports special mail line 0 for
service and maintenance tasks. When you use line 0 all other
xMail lines have to be unlocked which will be checked on startup.
xMail then locks all 16 lines to execute service tasks like
CHECKCREDIT, CLEANUP, DELETEAREA etc. and unlocks all lines after
program execution.

Other utilities like XMPURGE may access LINELOCK.XM to prevent
parallel execution of xMail.



                        PAY ACCOUNTS
                        ============

xMail is the first echomail processor that offers you a
new echomail cost sharing and accounting system, great for
HUBs and other systems with many downlinks!

Maybe you have already thought about sharing the costs for
your echomail polls with your downlinks. xMail brings to
you an easy to use solution for this problem.

You can define the costs for each echo and give an account
to every downlink. The costs for every echomail message the
downlink received will be subtracted from his account.

There are two types of costs you can define for every echo.

1. Absolute Costs: Every echomail 'costs' the downlink the
amount that you have defined for this echo (that could be
for example Cents), no matter how many downlinks receive
this echo. This amount is subtracted from his Echomail
Credit. If you have set Absolute Costs to zero no absolute
costs will be calculated for this echo.

2. Relative Costs: The node only has to 'pay' the costs
per message devided through the number of downlinks. If
you have set Relative Costs in an echo to 20 and the echo
has 10 downlinks on your system, every receiver of this
echo has to pay 2 units per message. If you set Relative
Costs to zero no Relative Costs will be calculated for
this echo. Relative costs make echos cheaper that you poll
for many downlinks

  Both methods can be mixed. If you have set both fields to
 zero receiving this echo is free.




                        ERRORLEVELS
                        ===========

xMail will exit with the following errorlevels after execution.

1               Echomail was imported
2           Netmail was imported
3           Both Echomail and Netmail were imported
4           Echomail was exported
8           Netmail was exported
12          Both Echomail and Netmail were exported

All error codes above 90 show a program error:

90          General program error
91          Unable to open the messagebase
92          Unable to create the messagebase
93          The messagebase is corrupted
94          Unable to close the messagebase
97          Not enough memory
98          Unable to flush files, don't use /S+ parameter!
99          File locking error (network mode)
240         Key not found
241         Overlay Error
250             Line locked
254         Processor > 80286 required
255         Runtime Error (program aborted with ^C)



                        CREDITS
                        =======

All brand and product names mentioned above are Copyrighted
Material, Trademarks or Registered Trademarks of their
respective holders. JAM(mbp) is Copyright 1993 Joaquim
Homrighausen, Andrew Milner, Mats Birch, Mats Wallin.



                        SPECIAL THANKS
                        ==============

As you may have noticed it took quite a long time to bring out
this new version. Stefan was very busy building a house for his
family and I'm very much involved in my shop these days. We both
know that this slowed down xMail development a bit but I'm sure
you understand. We just want to say a BIG thank you for your great
support, your patience and your suggestions!


                      xMail Beta Team
                      ===============

This is in fact the best beta team a programmer can have.
Please keep up your good work! Thank you all, folks!!!


Mike Mast               Lancaster PA, USA               1:270/415
Rob Buckman             Ft. Walton Beach FL, USA        1:366/844
Mike Paschen            Hamburg, Germany                2:240/100
Wim Abels               Duesseldorf, Germany            2:242/20
Thorsten Seidel         Bad Lippspringe, Germany        2:242/55
Michael Hoess           Stuttgart, Germany              2:242/82
Mirko Mucko             Duesseldorf, Germany            2:242/94
Martin Brumm            Marburg, Germany                2:244/4343
Hans Koehncke        Wiesbaden, Germany        2:248/1
Marc de Bruin            Coevorden, Netherlands        2:282/209
Ad Damstra                Amsterdam, Netherlands        2:2801/1015
Tobias Gasser           Basel, CH                       2:301/234
Philippe Feuerstein     Saint-Clair, France             2:323/3
Michel Barthelemy       Saint-Firmin, France        2:323/10
Fil Grushevsky          Kiev, Ukraine                   2:463/34
Brian Jennings          Elizabeth West SA, Australia    3:800/839
Jim Melksham            Bellbird Park, Australia        3:640/190
Daryl Collins         Seaton SA, Australia        7:777/300
Kelvin Goh              Singapore                       6:600/400
Mac Chou                Taipei, Taiwan, China           6:720/107
Shizuka J               Taipei, Taiwan, China           6:720/241


If *you* are interested in becoming an xMail Beta Team
member and think your system setup might be something special
and interesting for us please contact us!

We are also still looking for competent support sites in
some states.



                        DISCLAIMER
                        ==========

xMail is (c) Copyright 1991-1993 by Roger Kirchhoff
and Stefan Graf. You can reach us at 2:243/[e-mail]
and 2:245/[e-mail] (xMail H.Q.) [phone].

We only guarantee that xMail will occupy disk space.
In no event shall we be liable to you or anyone else
for any damages or costs, including, but not limited
to, any lost profits, lost savings, lost income, lost
information or other incidental or consequential
damages arising out of the use or inability to use
xMail.

If you have any suggestion or bug reports please let us
know.