The 640 MEG Shareware Studio 2

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Text File | 1992-09-28 | 101KB | 1,953 lines

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ▄██ │ │ │ │ ██ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ │ │ │ │ ██ ██▀▀▀▀ ▀▀██▀▀ │ │ │ │ ██ ▀▀▀▀██ ██ │ │ │ │ ██ ██████ ██ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1stReader │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Entire work │ │ │ │ Copyright 1992 by Mark Herring │ │ │ │ All Rights Reserved │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Special thanks to │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Dan Moore │ │ │ │ Rob Kittredge │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Sparkware │ │ │ │ Post Office Box 386 │ │ │ │ Hendersonville, Tennessee 37077 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Dedication ---------- Many systems are dedicated to someone or something, and 1stReader will be no exception. There are three groups of people I wish to thank for their help in getting 1stReader "out the door" and into your hands. My wife and children have tolerated my working late into the nights, sometimes as late as 5:00 am, and then not getting up until 10:00 am the next morning. They put up with me "having to work tonight" instead of being with them. Even my youngest, who is only four years old, kept asking me "Have you released it yet, Dattie?". So for my wife Fran, daugthers Corey, Casey and Katie, "IT'S RELEASED!" The second group I wish to thank are the beta testers. They have performed a Yeoman's task to make sure everything actually works inside 1stReader. They called and called and called, downloaded millions (if not almost hundreds of millions) of bytes worth of test copies and checking everything out. Some of the testers are "old hands" who date back to the very beginning of Qmail in 1987. Others are fresh testers, but ALL have done an excellent job. 1st is what it is because of them. The 1stReader Beta Testers Hall of Fame Maurice Crouse John Okerson Tony Elliott Charli Phillips Brian Hillis John Phillips Robert Hoffmann Jud Phillips Tom Hughes David Pottier Lou Kairys Ed Shoulta Rob Kittredge George Siegel Su Laverty Dan Snapper Michael Leavitt Bobbie Sumrada Ray Majewski Peter Svensson Alastair McIntyre David Terry Mark McCarthy Roy Timberman Charlie MacDonald Greg Watson Daniel Notowitz Rick Welshans Finally, there is one other person I need to thank. If there has been one individual who has not hesitated to kick my rear end when it was out of line, or to offer some help in matters of programming and other endevours when it was needed, that person is Dan Moore. Many of you may know Dan from the echomail conferences. Dan is author of "John Hancock", a tagline management system that works with all of our offline mail readers. With Dan you see what you get...he holds nothing back. He wrote routines for me when I couldn't produce them, provided insight when I needed it, and help when I required it. He is one of the few people I know who's respect I'd like to have. * WARRANTY NOTICE * Copy Protection 1stReader diskettes are not copy-protected. This does not mean that you can make unlimited copies of your diskette. 1stReader is protected by the copyright laws of The United States of America that pertain to computer software. You are allowed to make copies of this diskette for "backup" purposes. It is illegal for you to distribute the file named "1ST.KEY" (or "QMAIL4.KEY") to any other person. This file is your "electronic identification" that you have purchased your 1stReader system. * Limited Warranty Sparkware warrants that your 1stReader diskette is free from physical defects for a period of thirty (30) days from date of purchase. If a defect occurs during this period, you may return your faulty diskette to Sparkware along with a dated proof of purchase, it will be replaced free of charge. NOTICE EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS WARRANTY SET FORTH ABOVE, SPARKWARE GRANTS NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, BY STATUE OR OTHERWISE, REGARDING THE DISK, PROGRAMS AND RELATED MATERIALS, THEIR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE, THEIR QUALITY, THEIR MERCHANTABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THE LIABILITY OF SPARKWARE UNDER THE WARRANTY SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT PAID BY THE CUSTOMER FOR THE PRODUCT. IN NO EVENT SHALL SPARKWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGES FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY. SPARKWARE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THESE PROGRAMS, DOCUMENTATION AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT PLANS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. THIS SOFTWARE PROGRAM IS A PROPRIETY PRODUCT OF SPARKWARE AND IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES. YOU MUST TREAT THIS SOFTWARE LIKE ANY OTHER COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL, EXCEPT THAT YOU MAY MAKE AN ARCHIVAL COPY OF THE SOFTWARE FOR EACH COPY THAT IS LICENSED TO YOU. YOU MAY DISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE TO OTHERS SO LONG AS (A) THE 1ST.KEY OR QMAIL4.KEY FILE IS NOT DISTRIBUTED, (B) THE SOFTWARE IS DISTRIBUTED UNMODIFIED. YOU MAY NOT DECOMPILE, DISASSEMBLE, REVERSE ENGINEER, COPY, TRANSFER, OR OTHERWISE USE OR MODIFY THIS SOFTWARE EXCEPT AS STATED HEREIN. SPARKWARE GRANTS YOU THE RIGHT TO USE THIS SOFTWARE FOR TRIAL PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED THIRTY (30) DAYS. USE AFTER THIRTY DAYS REQUIRES REGISTRATION AS DOCUMENTED IN THIS MANUAL. Qmail 1stReader Entire work copyright 1992 by Mark Herring All Rights Reserved Sparkware Post Office Box 386 Hendersonville, Tennessee 37077-0386 USA (615) 230-8822 (BBS) (615) 230-MAIL (Office) 10am-5pm CT weekdays PCBoard is a trademark of Clark Development Company Table of Contents Page TC-1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Getting started with 1stReader Using this manual...............................1-1 Operating with a mouse or a keyboard............1-2 Getting help when you need it...................1-3 2. Installing 1stReader Installing from a floppy diskette...............2-1 Installing from downloaded files................2-1 Registering 1stReader...........................2-2 3. Changing reader setup options Changing switch settings (defaults).............3-1 Editing taglines................................3-4 Changing communication settings.................3-4 Using editors and paths.........................3-6 Using external file packers.....................3-7 4. Setting up a BBS Entering a new BBS..............................4-1 Changing BBS information........................4-2 Deleting a BBS..................................4-3 5. Managing your mail Calling the BBS.................................5-1 Reading your messages...........................5-2 Replying to messages............................5-6 Changing or deleting a reply....................5-8 Entering a new message..........................5-9 Creating a personal message.....................5-9 Importing a text file into a message............5-10 Viewing services................................5-10 Deleting message packets........................5-11 6. Getting the most out of terminal mode Calling the BBS.................................6-1 Viewing file lists..............................6-2 Managing downloaded files and programs..........6-2 Table of Contents Page TC-2 7. Using message options Saving or printing multiple messages...........7-1 Printing a message.............................7-2 Saving a message...............................7-3 In a folder As an ASCII text file Sorting messages...............................7-3 Searching for key words........................7-4 Ignoring a sender..............................7-5 Displaying a message that contains ANSI code...7-5 Deleting a reply or a message in a folder......7-6 8. Using miscellaneous features Shelling to DOS................................8-1 Using a three-button mouse.....................8-1 Configuring the Qmail Door.....................8-2 Using aliases..................................8-3 Appendices A Other Sparkware productsSection 1 Page 1-1 GETTING STARTED WITH 1stReader 1stReader is an off-line mail reader. It lets you download messages from the BBS to your computer, then read and respond to them at your convenience. This way, you can enjoy "BBSing" without tying up your telephone line, running up excessive long-distance charges, or worrying about running out of time on your favorite BBS. 1stReader includes everything you need to manage your BBS messages and replies, from built-in telecommunication software to a filing system for messages you want to save. 1stReader works with any Qmail-compatible mail system. However, when you use 1stReader to call a BBS that uses Sparkware's Qmail Door for PCBoard, you can take advantage of extra features not found on other systems. 1stReader is designed to be easy to use, even for people who have limited experience with off-line mail readers. All the major functions and features are available from a button or a menu list. If you want more flexibility, please review Section 8, Using Miscellaneous Features. If these features still don't give you the power and flexibility you want, see the Advanced User's Guide to 1stReader. Or consider using Qmail DeLuxe² from Sparkware. See Appendix A, Other Sparkware Products, for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------ USING THIS MANUAL We recommend that you print this manual and skim through it before you start using 1stReader. Of course, we recognize that many people prefer to start using the program first, and to use the manual only if they run into difficulties. This manual is set up so that you can use it either as a tutorial or as a reference guide, whichever suits your style. If you like to read the manual first, you can use this manual to walk you through 1stReader the first time you use it. The manual covers the major features of the program in the order you are likely to be using them. Section 1 Page 1-2 If you don't read manuals until you have a problem, check the table of contents for the topic you want. Then simply turn to the page indicated. Throughout this manual, the process of receiving messages or files from another system, or copying information from another system to your computer, is called "downloading". The process of sending messages or files to another system, or copying information from your computer to another system, is called "uploading". ------------------------------------------------------------ OPERATING WITH A MOUSE OR A KEYBOARD You can use either a mouse or a keyboard with 1stReader. To keep explanations simple, this manual often says simply to select an option or enter information. If you use a mouse: The left mouse button functions as [ENTER], and the right button as [ESC]. (If you use a three- button mouse, see Section 8 for more information.) "Select" means "move the mouse so that the cursor is on top of the option you want, then press the left mouse button". (For items on a list, you may need to double-click on the item you want.) "Enter" means "type the required information, then press the left mouse button". If you use a keyboard: When choosing an item from a list, "select" means "use the arrow keys to highlight the option you want, then press [ENTER]". When choosing a mouse button, "select" means "hold down the [ALT] key and press the letter that is highlighted inside the button". When choosing an option from the bottom of the message screen (for example, Join conferences), "select" means "type the first letter of the option". Section 1 Page 1-3 "Enter" means "type the required information, then press [ENTER]". Whether you use a mouse or a keyboard, you can normally select the default option by pressing the space bar or [ENTER]. ------------------------------------------------------------ GETTING HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT If you need help using 1stReader, you've got several options. 1. Select "Help" where it is available on the screen. 2. Press [F1] to get context-sensitive help anywhere in the program. 3. Check the table of contents of this manual, find the topic you are interested in, then turn to the page indicated for more information. 4. Leave a message in the 1stReader support conference on your local BBS. You can usually expect a reply within about three working days. 5. Leave a message on Sparky's Machine, the home of 1stReader. Telecommunication information for Sparky's Machine is built into 1stReader; if you need to call it from another system, the number is 615-230-8822. Again, you can expect a reply in about three working days. To become a registered user on Sparky's Machine, call using 1stReader's terminal mode (see Section 6); at the PCBoard "Command?" prompt, enter UPGRADE. Then upload your 1ST.KEY file. Once the keyfile is verified, you will have one hour of connect time and the ability to download files from the system. 6. Call Sparkware at 615-230-MAIL during normal business hours. If no one is in to take your call, you may leave your name, number, and a brief message, and your call will be returned (collect) as soon as possible. Section 2 Page 2-1 INSTALLING 1stReader The installation procedure will vary slightly, depending on whether you received your copy of 1stReader by downloading it from a BBS or by purchasing it through the mail, as described below. In either case, you must have an IBM-compatible system with a hard disk drive, at least 640K of memory, and a Hayes- compatible modem in order to use 1stReader. A mouse is also nice, but not necessary. If you have a demo copy, you may use it without charge or obligation while you evaluate it. If you decide to continue using it, please register it with the on-line registration service described below. A demo copy of 1stReader is limited to 20 messages per conference; a registered copy can handle up to 400 messages per conference. ------------------------------------------------------------ INSTALLING FROM A FLOPPY DISKETTE To install 1stReader from a floppy diskette, do the following: 1. Insert the floppy diskette into your floppy drive. 2. Change to the floppy drive by entering A: (or whatever is the appropriate command on your system). 3. Enter INSTALL and follow the prompts. ------------------------------------------------------------ INSTALLING FROM DOWNLOADED FILES To install 1stReader from downloaded files, do the following: 1. Create a subdirectory named \1ST. 2. Uncompress the 1ST.ZIP file into \1ST. 3. Change directories to \1ST. 4. Enter INSTALL and follow the prompts. Section 2 Page 2-2 ------------------------------------------------------------ REGISTERING 1stReader To register your copy of 1stReader, do the following: 1. Enter the information requested on the registration screen. Double-check your credit card number and expiration date to be sure they are correct. 2. If you own a registered copy of Qmail DeLuxe², select the "I own . . . " button at the bottom of the screen, and fill in the full path for your Qmail keyfile. 2. Select "Transmit this order". Then wait while 1stReader calls the Sparkware registration line. Your credit card information is verified, and the 1stReader keyfile is downloaded and installed on your computer. The system then hangs up the phone line and returns you to the 1stReader main menu. Section 3 Page 3-1 CHANGING READER SETUP OPTIONS 1stReader supports a variety of equipment options and personal preferences. Review the setup options, then configure 1stReader to work with you and your system. ------------------------------------------------------------ CHANGING SWITCH SETTINGS (DEFAULTS) To change a default switch setting, do the following: 1. On the opening menu, select "Setup". 2. Select "Switches". 3. Use the arrow keys or your mouse to select the switch to change (and use the "Next Screen" and "Last Screen" buttons to move between screens of switches). Use the space bar to change the switch setting. All switches are either ON or OFF. The switches you can change are: Advanced Features. Set ON to minimize prompting and to make a variety of advanced features available. Use Bookmark. Set ON to open a conference at the message you were on when you quit the conference, OFF to open at the first message of the conference. External Editor. Set ON to use an external editor. (You must also specify the editor in Advanced Features, as explained on page 3-6.) Color Monitor. Set ON if you use a color monitor, OFF for monochrome. Sound. Set ON to enable audible prompts (beeps). ANSI Emulator. Set ON to use the ANSI emulator that is built into 1stReader. Set OFF to use the ANSI.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS. (The internal ANSI emulator is faster than ANSI.SYS, and is less likely to cause system problems.) Section 3 Page 3-2 ANSI Message Display. Set ON to display messages that contains ANSI code as a full-screen graphics. The "To" and "From" fields at the top of the screen and the list of commands at the bottom of the screen will not be displayed, although you can still access all the commands. Set OFF to display messages that contain ANSI code as regular text messages. When this is set OFF, you can display the graphic by using the ANSI display option. (See Section 7 for more information.) Random Taglines. Set ON to select taglines randomly from your tagline list, OFF to use taglines in sequential order. Music. Set ON to enable messages with ANSI code for music to be "played" through your PC's internal speaker. Use Mouse. Set ON to use a mouse. Auto Position Mouse. Set ON to automatically position the mouse cursor on the default option when reading messages. Sort Confs. Set ON to sort conferences in alphabetical instead of numerical order. FIDO Taglines. Set ON to cause taglines to conform to FIDONET standards. Use DTR to Hangup. Set ON unless your modem seems to have problems hanging up (most common with modems manufactured before 1987). PCRelay Routing. Set ON to automatically insert PCRelay routing information at the top of your reply when you respond to a private message on a PCRelay BBS. Load 1STTEXT. Set ON to allow 1stReader to load the 1STTEXT file into memory. (1STTEXT contains the text for the 1stReader screens.) Setting this switch ON makes 1stReader run faster; setting it OFF frees up 18K of memory while the program is running. Top of Form on Printer. Set ON to send a top-of- form command to the printer after each file or message that you print. Section 3 Page 3-3 Debug Scripts. Set ON to send the Debug command to the Qmail Door; used to debug script files (see the Advanced User's Guide to 1stReader). When ON, the Kill command will not delete files, message pointers will not be updated, and messages that are uploaded will not be inserted. When you exit a script when Debug is ON, you will be placed in the script file in edit mode so that you can immediately edit the script. Log Calls. Set ON to log all calls made with 1stReader. The log file, 1ST.LOG is created in the system subdirectory, and separate log files are created for each BBS in the BBS subdirectory. Save New File Lists. Set ON to save new file lists that are downloaded with your packets; set OFF to delete file lists when you delete the associated packet. Super Shell to DISK. Set ON to allow 1stReader to "collapse" and write itself to a disk file when you use the DOS shell (see Section 8). If you execute programs from the DOS shell, setting this ON will help prevent low-memory problems. Super Shell to EMS. Set ON to allow 1stReader to "collapse" and put itself in EMS when you use the DOS shell (see Section 8). If you set this ON and you don't have EMS, 1stReader will execute the Super Shell to DISK option. Skip Messages You Read. Set ON if you do not wish to read messages in the "Personal" conference again when they come up in the conference they were sent in. Internal Packing. Set ON to use internal file compression routines. Set OFF to use PKZIP and PKUNZIP or some other archiver that you have installed. (See "External File Packer", below, for more information.) Section 3 Page 3-4 ------------------------------------------------------------ EDITING TAGLINES To edit your list of taglines, do the following: 1. On the opening menu, select "Setup". 2. Select "Taglines". 3. To add a new tagline, select "Insert", type the new tagline, and press [ENTER]. You can also add a new tagline when you save a message by entering the tagline on the save message screen and selecting "Save". To delete a tagline, highlight the tagline you wish to delete, then select "Delete". To change a tagline, highlight the tagline you wish to change, press [ENTER], change the tagline, and press [ENTER] again. To sort the taglines in alphabetical order, select "Sort". ------------------------------------------------------------ CHANGING COMMUNICATION SETTINGS To change your communication settings, do the following: 1. On the opening menu, select "Setup". 2. Select "Comm". Section 3 Page 3-5 3. The default settings are shown below. Change them by positioning your cursor over the item to change and typing the correct information. Serial port 1 Maximum baud rate 1200 Modem init string ATZ Dialing prefix ATDT Dialing suffix These settings are based on the assumption that you are using a Hayes-compatible modem. Check the user guide that came with your modem for more information. For serial port 1 or 2, enter just the number. For serial port 3, enter "3"; for serial port 4, enter "4". You may follow the letters in the dialing prefix with any digits used by your telephone system (for example, a "9," to get an outside line, or 1170 to block call waiting). Include a comma for any required pauses (for example, to wait for a new dial tone). Dialing time 45 Redial delay 5 The dialing time is the number of seconds allowed for the modem to dial and make a connection before a time-out error occurs. The redial delay is the number of seconds the modem will wait after a time-out error or a busy signal before redialing. Maximum attempts 50 This determines how many times the modem will redial if a connection is not made. Zmodem upload command. This should be "QSZ port %1 sz %3" unless you choose to install an alternative communication protocol. Zmodem download command. This should be "QSZ port %1 rz %3" unless you choose to install an alternative communication protocol. Section 3 Page 3-6 ------------------------------------------------------------ USING EDITORS AND PATHS The advanced features give advanced users additional flexibility in using 1stReader. To change any of these features, do the following: 1. On the opening menu, select "Setup". 2. Select "Misc". 3. To change the colors that 1stReader uses to display messages and the like, select "Colors" (or press [F10]). Then follow the directions on-screen to change the colors for the list screen, editor, dialog boxes, message quoting, and messages. To change any of the other information on the editors and paths screen, simply position your cursor over the item to change and type the correct information. Calling card number. Insert the number here. You can then add it to the dialing sequence for a BBS by putting a pound sign (#) at the end of the telephone number on the BBS Information screen. See Section 4 for more information. Your signature. The text you type here is automatically appended to the end of each reply you create. Quote character. This character is placed at the beginning of each line of text that you quote from a message into a reply. External editor. If you are using 1stReader's internal editor, this is usually blank. To use an external editor, enter the editor's executable name, followed by the parameters for feeding two files into it. For example, for QEDIT, enter "Q %O %R". (To use an external editor, you must change the setup switch as explained on page 3-1.) 'Original' Filespec. ORIGINAL unless you are using an external editor that can edit only one file at a time. Then use REPLY as the 'original' filespec. 'Reply' Filespec. This should always be REPLY. Section 3 Page 3-7 Mail packet location. 1stReader puts your mail packets into the directory specified here. You can change this if you wish. Files location. 1stReader puts files that you download into the directory specified here. You can change this if you wish. Zips location. 1stReader unpacks .ZIP files into the directory specified here. You can change this if you wish. Work area location. 1stReader uses the directory specified here as a temporary work area when unpacking your mail packets. Files in this directory are erased by 1stReader, so don't put files you want to keep in this directory. You can change this if you wish. ------------------------------------------------------------ DEFINING EXTERNAL PACKERS If you choose to use an external packer that you install, instead of 1stReader's built-in file packers, be sure the setup switch is set for the external packer (see "Changing Switch Settings", above). Then do the following: 1. On the opening menu, select "Setup". 2. Select "Pack". 3. Enter the information for the external archiver that you have installed: ZIP Pack PKZIP -A %1 %2 Unpack PKUNZIP -O %1 %2 %3 ARC Pack PKARC A %1 %2 Unpack PKXARC /R %1 %2 %3 ARJ Pack ARJ A %1 %2 Unpack ARJ E %1 %2 %3 LZH Pack LHA A %1 %2 Unpack LHA E %1 %2 %3 ZOO Pack ZOO -add %1 %2 Unpack ZOO -extract %1 *.* Section 4 Page 4-1 SETTING UP A BBS Before you can use 1stReader to call a BBS, or to read or reply to messages you have downloaded from a BBS, you must enter some basic information about the BBS. ------------------------------------------------------------ ENTERING A NEW BBS To enter information for a new system (one that you've never used 1stReader to call before), do the following: 1. From the first 1stReader screen, select "Enter new system". 2. Enter the Qmail packet name if you know it. Enter the remaining information as necessary. You MUST enter the system name, your login name and password, and one telephone number. If you want to use a calling card when calling the BBS, put a pound sign (#) immediately after the telephone number. (Be sure that the number is also entered on the Advanced Features screen; see Section 3 for more information.) For the remaining items, you may enter specific information or simply use the default values: Graphics: default is no Baud rate: default is 1200 Door command: default is Qmail4 Language: default is 0 Conference: default is 0 BBS type: default is 0 Fido Tags: default is blank The graphics option determines whether the downloads will be in color. If you have a monochrome monitor, or if the setup switch for color is set OFF (see Section 3), this setting will automatically be "No." The conference option exists for BBSs that have doors available only from certain conferences. It joins that conference before using the Qmail door. 3. Exit and save. Section 4 Page 4-2 ------------------------------------------------------------ CHANGING THE BBS INFORMATION SCREEN 1. From the list of systems on file, select the BBS you wish to make changes for. 2. At the list of mail packets on file, select "System". 3. Make your changes on the BBS Information Screen. 4. Press [F10] to exit and save. ------------------------------------------------------------ DELETING A BBS 1. From the list of systems on file, select the BBS you wish to delete. 2. At the list of mail packets on file, select "System". 3. On the BBS Information Screen, select "Delete". 4. Select "Yes" to delete all associated mail packets, or "No" to save the associated mail packets. Section 5 Page 5-1 MANAGING YOUR MAIL You can use 1stReader's built-in communication software whenever you call a BBS. When you initiate a mail call, 1stReader automatically logs you on, uploads your replies, deletes your reply packet, downloads your new messages, and hangs up. Once you've downloaded your messages, you can read and reply to them when it's convenient for you. You don't have to worry about running out of time on the system, running up your phone bill, or tying up your phone line. ------------------------------------------------------------ CALLING THE BBS To download messages and upload replies, do the following: 1. From the list of "Systems on file", select the system you wish to call. This displays a list of "Mail packets on file" for the system you selected. 2. If you want to call now, select "Mail". If you want 1stReader to complete the call for you later, select "Time", then enter the time that the call should begin. Be sure to enter the time in military format (so that 1:00 p.m. is 13:00). If you have called the BBS before, 1stReader logs onto the BBS, automatically uploads your replies, deletes your reply packet, downloads any new messages in the conferences you have selected, hangs up, and returns to the "Mail packets on file" screen. 1stReader will download up to 400 messages per conference. If the conference contains more than 400 messages that you haven't read, call back to get the rest of the messages. Section 5 Page 5-2 If you have not called the BBS before, 1stReader calls the BBS and puts you in terminal mode. This lets you log onto the BBS and complete security checks. (If the BBS provides the Qmail packet name during the initial logon, note it and enter it on the BBS information screen after you log off; see Section 4 for more information.) While in terminal mode, you can manually download messages, select conferences, and so on. When you are done, log off the BBS and press [ALT]+X to return to the "Mail packets on file" screen. ------------------------------------------------------------ READING YOUR MESSAGES To read your messages, do the following. 1. From the list of "Systems on File", select the system you downloaded the messages from. This displays a list of "Mail packets on file" for the system you selected. 2. From the "Mail packets on file", select the mail packet you want to read, then wait while 1stReader loads it. With a keyboard, use the arrow keys to highlight the packet you want, then press [ENTER]. With a mouse, select the highlighted packet by clicking the "Read" button, or double-click on the packet you want. 3. After you mail packet is loaded, one or more screens from the BBS are displayed (typically, a welcome screen, followed by news and a Qmail session screen). Follow the prompts on screen to get past them to the "Read messages" screen. 4. At the "Read messages" screen, select "Read". This displays the "Select a Conference" screen. If the BBS uses PCBoard software, the "Select a Conference" screen lists all the conferences available on that BBS. If the BBS uses some other software, this screen may list only conferences that contain messages. You can print the conference list by selecting "Print". Section 5 Page 5-3 Conferences that contain messages for you to read are marked with a box between the conference number and the conference name. If the "Sort Conferences" switch is ON, the conferences will be in alphabetical order, with conferences that have messages in them listed first. Otherwise, they will be in numerical order. See Section 3 for more information. Use [PgUp] or [PgDn] to move your cursor from one conference to the next conference that contains messages. (If you are using a laptop computer, you can use [SHIFT]+[ENTER] instead of [PgDn].) These keys don't scroll around the list. That is, [PgDn] won't take you past the last conference that contains messages, and [PgUp] won't take you past the first conference that contains messages. 5. Select the conference you want to join, then wait while the messages in that conference are loaded. (This can take a while for very large conferences; the graph in the dialog box shows you the progress.) When the messages are loaded, the first message in the conference is displayed. If the message fills up more than one screen on your computer, use the arrow keys to scroll around the message, or [PgDn] or the spacebar to display the next full screen. If you are using a mouse, click on the small up and down arrows at the bottom of the screen. At the end of a message, the spacebar or [ENTER] takes you to the next message. Section 5 Page 5-4 At the top of each message, you will see the following information: Msg No: Ref No: Read To: Date Left: From: Msg Read: Subj #x of y Subject: Status: Msg #m of n Msg No: is the identification number assigned to the message by the BBS you downloaded it from. To: is the person the message is addressed to. From: is the person who left the message. Subject: is what the message is about. Because users may change the subject without changing this line, it may not accurately reflect the content of the message. Ref No: is the Msg No of the message that this message is a reply to. If the message originated at a different BBS, the Ref No will say -Net-. Date Left: is the date the message was left on the BBS used by the person who left the message. Msg Read: is Yes if the person the message is addressed to had received the message at the time you downloaded it; No if the person the message is addressed to had not yet received the message. Msg Status: Public if it is displayed to everyone reading that conference; Personal if it is displayed only to the recipient. Please note that the Personal designation does not make the message truly private; for example, sysops and co-sysops can read everything left on their BBS. Section 5 Page 5-5 Read. When this appears, you have already read the message. If you don't want to re- read your personal messages in the conference they were sent in, set the switch for skipping messages you've read to ON. See Section 3 for more information. Subj #x of y. Displayed only when messages are sorted by subject. Indicates how many messages with that subject line are in the conference, and which one you are on. For example, 5 of 9 would indicate that you are reading the fifth of 9 messages on the subject. Msg #m of n. Indicates how many messages are in this conference, and which one you are on. 6. To go from one message to the next within a conference, you have several options: Select "Next" or press [ENTER] or the spacebar to move to the next message. Select "Previous" to go to the previous message. Select "List messages" or press [INS] to see a list of messages and select a message by writer, recipient, or subject. Messages you've already read are marked with a square. Messages addressed to you are bright white, and they beep when you scroll past them. With 1stReader, you can change the order in which the messages are listed and displayed, you can select messages that contain a particular word, phrase, or name, and you can choose to ignore particular senders so that messages from them are not displayed. To use any of these features, see Section 7. Section 5 Page 5-6 7. When you have read all the mail in a conference, 1stReader returns you to the "Select a Conference" screen so you can join a new conference. The box next to the conference number changes to a diamond after you've joined the conference. If you want to select a new conference before you have finished reading all the messages in the conference you are in, select "Join conferences" to return to the "Select a Conference" screen. 8. When you are finished with a mail packet, select "Quit" or press [ESC] to return to the "Read Messages" menu. At the "Read Messages" menu, select "Quit" again. At the message, "Do you wish to quit reading this packet?" select "Yes". At this point, you may see a goodbye screen from the BBS. Follow the screen prompts to move past this screen, then continue. At the message, "Delete this mail packet?" select "Yes" or "No", as you prefer. If you select "Yes", confirm the deletion. If you have more packets from this BBS on file, you return to the list of mail packets. Otherwise, 1stReader displays the "Systems on File" screen. ------------------------------------------------------------ REPLYING TO MESSAGES To reply to a message, do the following: 1. With the message on your screen, select "Reply to this message" to display a blank screen. The recipient and subject line are displayed at the top of the screen; if you like, you can change these later, when you save the file. Section 5 Page 5-7 2. Type your response. Besides the keyboard characters, you can also use the following key combinations: [CTL]+Arrow Move cursor one word at a time [CTL]+T Delete word [CTL]+Y Delete line [INS] Toggle between insert and typeover mode Replies can be up to 200 lines long. It is often helpful to quote a portion of the message you are responding to, to help the readers understand the context of what you have to say. To quote a portion of the message, press [F2]. Use [PgUp] and [PgDn] or the arrow keys to scroll through the message to select the lines you wish to quote. Then enter the line number of the first line to quote, followed by the line number of the last line to quote. 3. When you are satisfied with your response, press [F10] On the save message screen, make sure the recipient, subject, and conference are the way you want them. Change them if necessary. If you are not sure of the conference number you want to save the reply to, enter a question mark as the conference number to display a list of conferences. If you want to change the tagline, type the new tagline or press [F2] to select a tagline from your list. (See Section 3 for more information.) If you want to save a copy of the message in a folder, select "Folder", then select the folder you want to save the message in. (See Section 7 for more information.) If you want to send a copy of the message to more than one person, select "Copy" so that "No" (immediately above "Copy") changes to "Yes". If you have aliases set up for that BBS and want to use an alias for this message, select "Name." (See Section 8 for more information.) Section 5 Page 5-8 When you are satisfied with the save message screen, press [F10] again to save the message. If you don't want to save the message, press [ESC] to discard it. If you are sending a copy to more than one person, the save message screen reappears with a blank "To:" line. Enter your second recipient, and press [F10] again. When you are done saving the message, 1stReader displays the next message in the conference. ------------------------------------------------------------ CHANGING OR DELETING A REPLY You can change or delete a reply that you have saved but have not yet uploaded to the BBS. To change a reply, join the Replies conference and select "Re-edit this message". Then edit the reply as necessary. You can't quote additional lines from the original message when you re-edit a reply. If you want to quote from the original message, delete the reply, join the conference with the message you want to reply to, and create a new reply. To delete a reply, join the Replies conference, display the message you want to delete, and press [DEL]. At the prompt, choose "Yes" to delete just the reply that is currently on the screen, or "All" to delete all replies. (You can also delete replies using the Delete message option; see Section 7 for more information.) Section 5 Page 5-9 ------------------------------------------------------------ ENTERING A NEW MESSAGE To enter a new message, one that is not a reply to a previous message, follow these steps: 1. At any existing message or reply, select "Enter a new message". If there are no message packets on file, select the BBS, select "Read" from the list of "Mail packets on file", select "Read" from the "Read Messages" menu, then select "Enter a msg". 2. Type, edit, and save your message as you would a reply. When you save a new message, the message is addressed to ALL and the Subject is blank. Change the "Message to:" line if necessary, and enter a subject on the subject line. The new message can be edited or deleted in the same way as a reply. ------------------------------------------------------------ CREATING A PERSONAL MESSAGE 1stReader allows you to designate messages as "Personal". In general, this means that only the recipient will download or read the message. But this designation does not mean that the message is truly private (sysops and co-sysops, for example, can read anything on their BBSs). Messages entered in 1stReader (or any other off-line mail reader) are not protected by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986. To make a message personal, do the following: 1. Create the message as usual (either a new message or a reply to an existing message). 2. When you save the message, on the Save Message screen change Private from "No" to "Yes" by pressing the spacebar. Continue saving as usual. Section 5 Page 5-10 ------------------------------------------------------------ IMPORTING TEXT FILES INTO A MESSAGE OR REPLY To import ASCII (plain or DOS) text files into a message or reply, do the following: 1. With the message on your screen and the cursor at the position you want the text to appear, press [F3]. 2. Type the name of the file, including the full directory path, and press [ENTER]. (If you are not sure of the name of the file, type the directory path to display a list of files to choose from.) The text then appears in your message, where you can edit it as if it were new text you had just typed in. ------------------------------------------------------------ VIEWING SERVICES When you download a message packet, 1stReader automatically downloads any services that you subscribe to. To view the services, do the following. 1. Select a message packet the same way that you do when you read messages. 2. At the "Read Messages" menu, select "Services" to read the services that you received. 3. When you are done viewing services, press [ESC] to return to the "Read Messages" menu. Section 5 Page 5-11 ------------------------------------------------------------ DELETING A MESSAGE PACKET To delete a message packet, do the following: 1. From the list of "Systems on File", select the system for the packet you want to delete. This displays a list of "Mail packets on file." 2. From the list of "Mail packets on file", highlight the mail packet you want to delete, then select "Delete". You can also delete a message packet when you quit reading the packet. When prompted, "Delete this packet?" simply select "Yes". Section 6 Page 6-1 GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TERMINAL MODE In terminal mode, 1stReader lets you control the activities on the BBS, whether you are downloading programs or playing on-line games. And 1stReader's built-in file management tools make it easy to unpack compressed files and put them where you need them to be. ------------------------------------------------------------ CALLING THE BBS When you call a BBS with 1stReader's terminal mode, you can easily download or upload files, play on-line games, or perform other operations online. To use this feature, do the following: 1. From the list of "Systems on file", select the system for you wish to upload or download files. This displays a list of "Mail packets on file" for the system you selected. 2. Select "Call". 1stReader completes the call and logs you onto the BBS. From this point, you can download or upload files, play on-line games, or perform other operations. If the BBS uses PCBoard, some commands you will want to use include: L list files available for download D download (enter the name of the file when prompted; press [PgDn] to start the download) U upload (enter the name of the file when prompted; press [PgUp] to start the upload) G exit session and hang up the phone A list of recently uploaded files is downloaded with each message packet you download with 1stReader, as explained below. Look over that list before calling a BBS to reduce the amount of time you spend online. 3. When you are done with your logon session, press [ALT]+X to return to the "Mail packets on file" screen. You can also call a BBS in terminal mode from the "Read Messages" menu. Select "Call" and proceed as above. Section 6 Page 6-2 ------------------------------------------------------------ VIEWING FILE LISTS When you download a message packet, 1stReader also downloads a list of the files on the BBS that are available for you to download. The list of files includes only those files that have been uploaded to the BBS since the last time you downloaded a message packet with 1stReader. To view the list of files, do the following. 1. Select a message packet the same way that you do when you read messages (see Section 5). 2. At the "Read Messages" menu, select "Files" to display the list of files. Note that the files themselves are not downloaded, but only the names and descriptions. 3. When you are done viewing files, press [ESC] to return to the "Read Messages" menu. At this point, you can call the BBS in terminal mode by selecting "Call". Please note that when you delete a message packet, the list of files is deleted UNLESS you select the setup option "Save file lists". See Section 3 for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------ MANAGING DOWNLOADED FILES AND PROGRAMS 1stReader's file management function makes it easy for you to manage downloaded files and programs. It allows you to display, unpack, copy or delete files on your hard drive. To use 1stReader's file management function, do the following: 1. At the initial 1stReader screen, select "Manage Files", OR at the "System Setup" menu screen, select "Manage Subdirectories", OR at the "Read Messages" screen that is displayed when you open a packet, select "Manage Subdirectories". Section 6 Page 6-3 2. To display a list of the files and subdirectories in the directory shown, press [ENTER]. To display a list of the files and subdirectories in some other directory, type the full path of the directory and press [ENTER]. You can go directly to the subdirectories that contain downloaded files and programs by selecting the "Files" or "Programs" buttons. 3. On the directory listing, directories are listed first, and are marked off by blocks. Files are listed after the directories. Change directories by highlighting a directory name and pressing [ENTER]. List, copy, edit, unpack, execute, or delete files by highlighting the file and selecting the appropriate button. List: Display the contents of an ASCII (plain or DOS) text file. To print the file you are viewing, press [ALT]+P; to cancel printing, press [ESC]. (1stReader does not support PostScript printers.) Copy: Copy the file to another directory. After you select "Copy," type in the full path of the directory to copy the file into. Edit: Edit an ASCII (plain or DOS) text file. Unpack: Uncompress a ZIP file. Automatically creates a subdirectory for the ZIP file in 1stReader's Programs subdirectory and unpacks the file there. Go: If there is a file named GO.BAT, GO.BTM, GO.COM, GO.EXE, or GO.CMD in the subdirectory, execute this file. (It doesn't matter which file is highlighted when you select "Go".) Delete: Erase the highlighted file or subdirectory. Section 7 Page 7-1 USING MESSAGE OPTIONS Because some messages, some subjects, and (let's be honest) some people are more interesting than others, 1stReader gives you several options for managing the messages that you download. You can save messages, or print them on your printer. You can interpret and display messages that include ANSI codes for graphics, music, and the like. If a particular sender is a nuisance, you can set 1stReader to ignore all messages from that person, and those messages will not be displayed or listed. You can sort messages by sender, recipient, subject, or date and time. You can search for messages that contain a particular word, phrase, or name. You can delete replies and messages that you have saved. All of the message options can be selected from the Options list. With any message on screen, simply select "Options" and the option you want. Or use the [ALT] key as described below. ------------------------------------------------------------ SAVING OR PRINTING MULTIPLE MESSAGES To save, print, or file more than one message at a time, do the following: 1. With any message on screen, press [INS] to display a list of messages in the conference. 2. Use the space bar or select "Flag Msg" to flag the appropriate messages. ("Flag All" works as a toggle to flag or unflag all messages in the conference.) 3. Press [ENTER] to return to the message. 4. Select "Options" and the option you want. Section 7 Page 7-2 ------------------------------------------------------------ SAVING A MESSAGE 1stReader gives you two ways to save messages without having to save an entire packet. First, you can place the message in a folder. Later, you can access the folder as though it were another conference, and reply to the message or quote it in another message. Up to 400 messages may be placed in a single folder, and you may have as many folders as you wish. Second, you can save a message as an ASCII (plain or DOS) text file. To place a message in a folder, do the following: 1. Make sure that the message is on your screen, or that the message is flagged on the message list. 2. Press [ALT]+F for "File message(s)". 3. Select the folder you want to place the message in. If you need to create a new folder, select "Create". Then enter a folder name (up to eight characters) and description. A message is displayed telling you how many message slots are left in the folder, and you return to the message. To save a message as an ASCII text file, do the following: 1. Make sure that the message is on your screen, or that the message is flagged on the message list. 2. Press [ALT]+T for "Save message(s) to Text". 3. At "Save this message to:" type the file name that you want the message to be saved to. (If you want the file saved somewhere besides your 1stReader directory, be sure to specify a path.) The message is saved, and you return to the message. Section 7 Page 7-3 ------------------------------------------------------------ PRINTING A MESSAGE To print a message, do the following: 1. Make sure that the message is on your screen, or that the message is flagged on the message list. 2. Make sure your printer is on-line. If you have a PostScript printer, switch it to IBM or HP emulation mode. 2. Press [ALT]+P for "Print message(s)". At this point, the message prints, and you move to the next message. ------------------------------------------------------------ DISPLAYING A MESSAGE THAT CONTAINS ANSI CODE Some messages may contain ANSI code, which creates graphics or music on some computers. Uninterpreted ANSI code looks like pure garbage. It usually includes seemingly random numbers and letters, mixed up with spaces, square braces, and commas. If you have set the ANSI Message Display switch ON, ANSI messages will automatically be interpreted and displayed as graphics. (See Section 3 for more information.) If you have set the ANSI Message Display switch OFF, you can interpret and display these messages by doing the following: 1. Make sure that the message is on your screen. 2. Press [ALT]+A for "ANSI message display". The message will be interpreted and displayed without the normal message header at the top of the screen. When you are done viewing the message, simply move to the next message as usual. Section 7 Page 7-4 ------------------------------------------------------------ IGNORING A SENDER You're not obligated to read everything that everyone posts, of course. [ENTER] will take you past the posts that you don't care to read. But you may occasionally run across someone who is such a nuisance that you don't even want to see their posts. When this happens, 1stReader lets you ignore them completely. When you ignore someone with 1stReader, you will not see any messages from them on that BBS, although you will continue to see messages to them. To ignore a sender, do the following: 1. With a message from that person on screen, press [ALT]+I for "Ignore NAME", where NAME is the name of the person you wish to ignore. 2. Select "Yes" to confirm. Because messages from people you are ignoring are omitted when the conference is loaded, you will still see messages from the person until you load another conference. If you want to begin ignoring the person immediately, simply select "Join conferences", join another conference, then rejoin the conference you were in. Note that 1stReader keeps a separate list of people to ignore for each BBS. If the person posts to more than one BBS that you receive messages on, you must repeat this for each BBS. A Zippy text search will find and list messages from people you are ignoring. If you change your mind about ignoring someone, do the following: 1. With any message on your screen, press [ALT]+E for "Edit ignore list". 2. Delete the name of the person you wish to quit ignoring. Then rejoin the conference as above. Section 7 Page 7-5 ------------------------------------------------------------ SORTING MESSAGES With 1stReader, you can sort messages by number, sender, receiver, subject, or date and time. To change the sort order while reading messages, do the following: 1. With any message on your screen, select "Options". 2. Press [ALT]+S for "Sort order". 3. Select the field to sort by. (Note that if you sort by "To" or "From", the sort is by the person's first name, not last name.) Since this is changed in your setup, all packets and conferences are sorted in the new order. ------------------------------------------------------------ SEARCHING FOR KEY WORDS The subject lines don't always tell you exactly what's in a message. If you want to find all messages that refer to a particular subject, you can search your messages for a key word, phrase, or name by doing the following: 1. With any message on your screen, press [ALT]+Z for "Zippy text search". 2. The switches on the right side of the screen will be set OFF. If you want to limit the search to the conference you are in, include messages you have read, or include taglines in the search, change the switches as you like. 3. Enter the key words to search for. The search finds all matches of the exact sequence of letters you type (ignoring differences in case), but it does not find related words. If you enter "Nation", the search will find nation, NATIONAL, condemnation, and so on, but if you enter "confidence", it will not find "confident". If you want to save the search parameters as your default search, select "Save". Section 7 Page 7-6 4. Select "Begin", then wait while 1stReader scans the messages. As soon as all the messages have been scanned, messages with a matching sequence are placed in a special "Zippy" conference, which you automatically join. ------------------------------------------------------------ DELETING A REPLY OR A MESSAGE IN A FOLDER To delete a reply or a message that you have saved in a folder, do the following: 1. Make sure the message is on your screen or flagged on the message list. 2. Press [ALT]+D for "Delete message(s)". The word "Deleted" at the upper left-hand corner of the message. The message is erased when you exit the mail packet. Until then, you may undelete the message by selecting "Options" and selecting "Undelete". Section 8 Page 8-1 USING MISCELLANEOUS FEATURES If you're an "average" 1stReader user, you may never have any reason to use the following features. However, they are included as a convenience for those who have particular hardware or those with some degree of expertise with their system software and hardware. If you are looking for features to give you still more power and flexibility, please see the Advanced User's Guide to 1stReader. ------------------------------------------------------------ SHELLING TO DOS You can drop to a DOS shell from anywhere within 1stReader by pressing [F5]. To get back to 1stReader, type "exit" and press [ENTER]. (If you re-execute 1stReader from the C> prompt within the shell, you are likely to run out of memory.) If you execute other programs from the shell, you can avoid running out of memory by setting the Super Shell switches ON (see Section 3 for more information.) ------------------------------------------------------------ USING A THREE-BUTTON MOUSE If you have a three-button mouse, the center button offers two special functions. 1. When you are reading messages, press the center button to display the list of messages in that conference. 2. When you are on a screen that has a list of items to select at the top and command buttons at the bottom, press the center button to "ping-pong" between the list and the buttons. Section 8 Page 8-2 ------------------------------------------------------------ CONFIGURING THE QMAIL DOOR 1stReader allows you to configure the Qmail Door off-line, reducing the amount of time you have to spend on-line and simplifying the process. Please note that if the Advanced Features switch in the configuration setup is set ON, you will see additional configuration options. See the Advanced User's Guide to 1stReader for more information on these options. To configure your Door, do the following: 1. From the list of "Systems on file", select the BBS. 2. At the list of "Mail packets on file", select "Read". 3. At the "Command Menu", select "Door". 4. Select the configuration option you wish to change, then follow the directions below. Add a new conference into the Qmail Door scanning list Use the arrow keys to highlight the conference you wish to select, then press [ENTER]. Drop a conference from the Qmail Door scanning list Use the arrow keys to highlight the conference you wish to drop, then press [ENTER]. If the Advanced Features switch is ON, you can add or delete conferences from the conference selection screen when you are reading your mail. Just highlight the conference and select "Add Conf" or "Drop". If Advanced Features is OFF, you will not see the "Add Conf" or "Drop" buttons. Reset a conference to a previous message number Use the arrow keys to highlight the conference you wish to reset, press [ENTER], and enter the new number. The changes you make are compiled into a command file that is executed the next time you use 1stReader to call the BBS. Section 8 Page 8-3 ------------------------------------------------------------ USING ALIASES Some BBSs allow users to log on with an alias. This gives the user a greater degree of privacy by preventing other users from seeing his or her real name in messages, download reports, and other BBS records. 1stReader provides the necessary support for the use of aliases. To find out whether a particular BBS will allow you to use an alias, and what you need to do to set one up, contact the sysop. Once your aliases have been set up, you may choose to use them each time you save a message. See Section 5 for more information.