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1991-04-13
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Message Center v1.1
Message Center & Screen Saver
from EDP Technology
copyright 1991 Jay Enterkin
portions copyright 1987 Thomas Hanlin III
Message Center is a useful utility that allows your PC to act as a
message center while you are away from your desk during the day.
Message Center is shareware. If you find Message Center useful and
continue to use it, your $5 registration fee will bring you the latest
version of Message Center on diskette and provide you with an upgrade
path for future releases.
---------------------
Message Center Files:
---------------------
The Message Center package consists of three files:
MSG.EXE - the executable program
RE-NAME.CFG - sample configuration file
MSGCNTR.DOC - this documentation file
Installing Message Center
-------------------------
Simply copy all three files to the drive and directory you select.
If you want Message Center available at any DOS prompt, copy the files
into a directory that is included in the PATH= statement in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Using Message Center
--------------------
Type in: MSG {Enter}
The title screen and copyright notice will appear. You will have five
options to choose from:
Yes - leave a message stating where you are and when you will return
No - do not leave a personal message (defaults to humorous message)
Special - leave any one- or two-line message
File - use the one- or two-line message found at MSG-NAME.CFG
X - exit the program and return to DOS
If you choose the Y option, you will be prompted for information as to
where you will be and when you will return as follows:
Example:
I will be: at lunch <Enter>
I will return: at around 3pm <Enter>
If you wish to exit the program at this point (or at any data entry
field) keying in X at either one of the above prompts and pressing
<Enter> will exit the program and return you to DOS.
Anyone who sees the message on your PC and wants to leave you a one-
line message can do so by pressing the ESC key as prompted and keying
in any one-line message. Any number of messages may be left and they
will all be displayed when you exit the program using (Shift-Tilde).
To exit the program on your return, press SHIFT-TILDE to return to DOS.
Any messages that were left will be displayed on the screen above the
DOS prompt. (the tilde is the little squiggly line ~ below the Esc key
on most PC keyboards).
When you receive messages they are stored in the file MSGCNTR.MSG.
You may view them with the DOS TYPE command (TYPE MSGCNTR.MSG) or with
a view utility such as LIST or DIRMAGIC. The MSGCNTR.MSG file is always
found in the root directory.
If you have messages in the MSGCNTR.MSG file when you type MSG to begin
the program, you will be asked if you wish to delete the old messages,
save them or view them before deciding.
Personalizing Message Center
----------------------------
You can personalize Message Center with any ASCII text editor or word
processor by editing the RE-NAME.CFG file and keying your name on the
top line and optional gender information on the second line. You may
also replace the sample file message on lines three and four with any
message you wish. This allows you to store a custom message and not
have to rekey it each time. When you have made the desired changes to
the RE-NAME.CFG file, save the file, rename it as MSG-NAME.CFG and
place it in your root directory.
To use the file message you stored in the MSG-NAME.CFG file, select the
"F" or "File Message" option when using Message Center.
Note: If you select the File option without adding the necessary lines
to MSG-NAME.CFG, no message other the standard prompt for an incoming
message will appear. The second line of the MSG-NAME.CFG file must
contain a gender code (M or F) or be left blank! The first line of the
File message must appear as line three of the MSG-NAME.CFG file and the
second line of the file message (if any) must appear as the fourth line
of MSG-NAME.CFG. The MSG-NAME.CFG file MUST be in the root directory!
Command Line options
--------------------
Any of the five options for using Message Center (Y/N/S/F/X) may be
entered at the DOS command line.
Example:
MSG /N {Enter}
will cause Message Center to load and select the No message option
which will then display the (humorous) message.
Some of the possible command line options may serve little or no
purpose (/x for example) but they function as indicated nonetheless.
We hope you find Message Center enjoyable and useful. We welcome your
comments and suggestions.
To receive the latest version on diskette by mail, send $5 to:
Jay Enterkin
625 16th Avenue N.W.
Birmingham, Alabama 35215
Disclaimer: We cannot be responsible for any damages
caused by use, misuse, or inability to use this program.
Always make backup copies of important files. Message
Center IS NOT COVERED by any warranty either express or
implied. Jay Enterkin and/or EDP Technology will not be
held responsible for any damages whatsoever, direct
or indirect, resulting from the use of this program.
Your use of this program constitutes your acceptance
of these conditions and your release of Jay Enterkin and
EDP Technology from any form of liability.
Distribution License
--------------------
A limited license to copy and distribute Message Center is hereby
granted subject to the following restrictions:
-- All 3 files in this archive must be distributed as a unit.
-- The files must remain in their original and unmodified form
-- This software is not bundled with any product sold for
profit.
-- No copying, distribution or media charges exceeding $5
is made for this software. ($5 total maximum)
Credits
-------
The function that checks for the existence of the output file is from
Thomas Hanlin III's -excellent- ADVBAS 4.0 Compiled Basic ASM Library.
Message Center v1.1 was written in MS-BASCOM 6.00b using the Microsoft
Editor and QBX.
Comments, questions, bugs, problems
----------------------------------
The author can be reached at the address shown above, or by leaving
E-Mail to: J.ENTERKIN on GEnie Information Services.
To print this file
------------------
Make sure printer is online and ready with continuous forms:
COPY MSGCNTR.DOC PRN {Enter}
EDP provides a wide range of personalized services too lengthy to list
here. Please feel free to contact us regarding any data processing
needs you may have.
Notes:
If you select the "Y" option but press <Enter> without entering a
message, the program defaults to the File message option. If there is
no file message, only the prompt to press ESC to leave an incoming
message will be displayed. This is also the case if you select the "F"
option without a file message in the MSG-NAME.CFG file, or if you press
<Enter> without leaving a message on both lines of the "S" option
message input.
The second line of the MSG-NAME.CFG file (gender code) has no effect
except on the prompt "Press ESC to leave (me,him,her) a message!". You
may leave the second line blank and the program will default to "me".
If you have a File message in the MSG-NAME.CFG file, you must place it
on the third and (if a two-line file message is desired) fourth lines
of MSG-NAME.CFG. The second line (gender code) may be left blank but
the file message cannot begin on the second line.
Message Center is specially designed to work with ANY monitor or video
card, including monochrome monitors that can't run graphics-based
'screen saver' type programs.
Tandy owners (and other not-quite-compatible owners): Your keyboard
may be a little different! To exit, you may have to press the tilde
key without the shift key rather than shift-tilde.
A previous test release of Message Center was entitled ScrnSavr.
Message Center v1.1 released April 12, 1991
Enhancements since v.1.0:
------------------------
The main menu in Message Center is now a menubar rather than simply a
keypress. You may still select an item by pressing the first letter
(Y/N/S/F/X) if desired.
All user input fields are now accepted through an enhanced user-input
routine of our own design rather than the more primitive LINE INPUT
command.
The incoming messages that you may receive at the keyboard from
'passersby ' now prompt for "From:" and include a date and time stamp
based on your system clock.