Autograph allows you to easily change your signature in Eudora (an internet mail program). It supports random signatures, multiple signatures and multiple random signatures.
Requirements
Eudora (1.4 or better is preferred now), Macintosh, System 7 or better
Making signatures (easy)
You must first make a file or group of files, each containing a signature. I will call these "your signature files", from now on, to avoid confusion with "Eudora's signature file. These files can have appropriately descriptive names, provided NONE of them are named "Signature" (reason will become apparent shortly). These should be text-only files, with line breaks inserted WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO BE. I usually put these files together in the same folder, although this is not necessary. THESE FILES SHOULD NOT BE STORED IN THE EUDORA FOLDER, ANYWHERE!!!!
Here is an example of a signature, in case you're not sure: (the ****... lines are NOT part of the file!!!)
***** beginning of file
----
David Kabal
davidk@photonics
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
***** end of file
Making random signatures (not as easy)
Some or all of the signatures can be randomized signatures. A randomized signature will have part of it changed to something different each time Autograph is invoked with that file. A randomized signature will have a portion that will come (at random) from a presumeably large file containing many quotes/saying/signatures. This file must be in Bongo Bob format.
Bongo Bob format means that each saying/quote/signature is separated by: "%%" on its own line. Example of a Bongo Bob format file:
***** beginning of file
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
%%
The pipe began to rust while new
%%
Cats and dogs each hate the other
%%
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
***** end of file
This file can be named anything, and be anywhere on your disk. If it were
the real Bongo Bob Data file it would be named "Bongo Bob Data" and be
in your system folder (this is what I do).
To make a randomized signature, make sure the signature contains the
following line:
#include [full path of file to include]
for example, if I wanted to use Bongo Bob Data in my system folder, on
my disk called electron, my randomized signature would look something like
this:
***** beginning of file
---------
David Kabal
davidk@photonics.ee.mcgill.ca
#include electron:System ƒ:Bongo Bob Data
***** end of file
Every time I use the signature file, the signature would change to make the "#include" line the same as one of the quotes from the Bongo Bob Data file.
What Autograph actually changes
(read this if you're storing your Eudora Folder OUTSIDE the system folder or somewhere special)
First, Autograph looks in the same folder as the signature file you want Eudora to use, for a file named "Signature". If it finds this file, or an alias that is named "Signature", then Autograph changes that file. This lets you tell Autograph where to look if you want it to ignore the Eudora Folder in the System folder. If you are using an older version of Eudora, it may store the Signature inside the "Eudora Settings" file in the "Eudora Folder" in the System folder. To fix this, just make an alias of Eudora Settings, and put it in the same folder as your signature file. If Autograph can't find this file named "Signature", it goes to plan B.
Plan B:
Autograph looks for a folder or alias of a folder named "Eudora Folder" inside the System folder. Inside this folder, Autograph looks for a folder or an alias of a folder named "Signature Folder". Inside this folder, Autograph looks for a file or an alias of a file named "Signature". (ie, Autograph looks for a path ":Eudora Folder:Signature Folder:Signature"). This is the file that is changed.
So how do I actually change the signature (last step)
Method 1 (preferred)
Open Autograph, select "Make signature…" and then select your signature file. This changes the file type so that every time you double-click on your signature file, Autograph will launch automagically and change your Eudora signature to be your signature (or randomized version of it).
Method 2 (still cool)
Open Autograph, select "Set signature…" and then select your signature file.
Method 3 (utterly cool)
Drag any signature file over the Autograph icon until it turns black. (this is called Drag-and-Drop)
Method 4 (pretty darn cool)
Drag a whole folder of signature files over the Autograph icon. Autograph will randomly select one, and use that for Eudora's signature.
Changes since 1.2
• Changed to support new Eudora file names and locations. Please excuse the delay.
