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This document describes the design and operation of the DynaComm "Address
Book" script for managing VAX Mail addresses.
Introduction
-------------
Electronic mail can be a very powerful communications tool for corporate PC,
minicomputer and mainframe computer users. Unfortunately, a lot of the
popular mini- and mainframe-based E-Mail systems are user-hostile when it
comes to assisting with mundane chores like addressing messages to other users
with arcane "nodename::username" codes. DEC's VAX Mail is a classic
example: to locate another person's VAX Mail address, users are required to
exit VAX Mail, access DEC's "ECD Find" address database program, input the
name of their addressee, write down the address when (and if) it appears on
the screen, exit ECD Find, re-enter MAIL and then transcribe the address at
the VAXMail "To:" prompt.
DEC has made some attempt to provide better addressing functionality in their
office automation software (All-in-One), but this solution is very costly
(additional licensing fees for the All-in-One software and additional VAX CPU
power to drive the resource-hungry All-in-One menu interface) and it still
lacks basic functionality (eg, the user can't save frequently-used addresses
for quick entry; he must still enter the user's last name, invoke an E-Mail
address database search with an arcane keystroke combination, and type a
number corresponding to the match that appears in a list on the screen.)
I have written a DynaComm script which solves this problem and gives VAXMail a
much friendlier face. This document describes the DynaComm "Address Book" and
explains how to use it.
What The Address Book Does
--------------------------
The DynaComm "Address Book" provides the following capabilities:
o automatic ECD lookup of VAX MAIL addresses (Local or Corporate) based on
the entry of the addressee's last name and, optionally, any part of their
first name
o point-and-shoot selection of ECD matches and one-button copying to an
on-screen "Send to:" list
o an on-screen address list, arranged alphabetically by last name, for
recall of frequently-used addresses; each name in the list has an
associated address which can be copied to the "Send to" list with a
single mouse click
o the ability to copy ECD matches to the address book list with a single
mouse click
o the ability to enter names and addresses in the Address Book manually (if
you already know them and don't want to look them up)
o the ability to enter VAX distribution list names and descriptions in the
Address Book manually (if they already exist on the VAX and you don't
want to recreate them)
o the ability to save a "Send to" list to a file and automatically upload
it to the VAX for future use as a .DIS file; a description of the list
and the name of VAX .DIS file are automatically copied to the Address
Book for future reference
o automatic copying of the "Send to" list to the VAX Mail "To:" prompt upon
exit from the Address Book
HOW TO INSTALL THE DYNACOMM ADDRESS BOOK SCRIPT
===============================================
Where to put the files
----------------------
The zip package you downloaded contains two DynaComm files: ADD_BOOK.DCP (the
script source file) and ADD_BOOK.DCM (the address book "database" file). For
proper script operation, these files need to be placed, respectively, into the
"script" and "memo" subdirectories defined in the [DYNACOMM] section of your
WIN.INI file.
Editing the Script Source file (ADD_BOOK.DCP)
---------------------------------------------
The Address Book script source file is named ADD_BOOK.DCP. Before compiling
it for use, you will probably need to change several hard disk path
references. These references tell the script where to find (and save) the
Address Book database file ADD_BOOK.DCM. The path *must* match the location
of the ADD_BOOK.DCP file in order for the script to fill the address book
table.
It is recommended that you use the DynaComm script editor to open ADD_BOOK.DCP
and perform a global "search and replace" to replace
"C:\WIN386\DYNACOMM\MEMOS" with your "Memo" pathname.
Compiling the Script Source file (ADD_BOOK.DCP)
-----------------------------------------------
Once the path references have been corrected, save and compile the script
using the "Script" "Compile..." menuitem. The script compiler will create
ADD_BOOK.DCT and place it in your "Script" path. At this point, the script is
ready for use.
HOW TO RUN THE ADDRESS BOOK SCRIPT WITHOUT A VAX!
=================================================
This script is written for use with "VAX Mail" on a DEC VAX minicomputer.
With a few minor modifications, the script can probably be adapted to other
mini- and mainframe-based Electronic Mail systems that lack an "address book"
type feature.
If you would like to *see* the main Address Book dialog box to help you decide
if this script would be useful to you, (eg, before you attempt to use it in a
live VAX Mail session), follow these directions.
1) Copy the files, change the path and compile the script as described above.
2) Access the DynaComm "Settings" menu and define a new "Function Key" called
"Test".
3) In the "Command" editbox adjacent to the "Test" function key label, enter
this string:
^$e"add_book*start"
4) Click the "Ok" button in the Function Key dialog box to close it.
5) Click the newly-defined "Test" button below DynaComm's terminal window.
(This assumes you have used the "Window Show Function Keys" menuitem and
that the function keys are visible!) This will launch the script at the
"Start" label in the *middle* of the script file. This effectively
bypasses the first part of the script which is designed to converse with
your VAX, access VAX Mail and leave your session at the "MAIL>" prompt.
The main Address Book dialog box will then be displayed and you can
interact with the Address Book entries to get a feel for how the interface
works.
6) To leave the dialog, simply click the "Cancel" button.
USING THE ADDRESS BOOK SCRIPT WITH VAX MAIL
===========================================
Executing the Script
--------------------
To use the Address Book script, you need only to "Execute" it from inside a
"live" VAX session (ie, at the DCL prompt, usually "$"). Script execution can
be performed in one of two ways: 1) by using the "Script Execute" menuitem or
2) by assigning the script to one of DynaComm's "function buttons" and then
activating the button.
The Address Book script is probably best accessed via a function button at the
bottom of DynaComm's terminal window. To program the button, access the
"Settings..." "Function Keys" menuitem, enter the words "Address Book" in any
unused F-key "Key Name" area and enter ^$E"ADD_BOOK.DCT" in the corresponding
"Command" box. (If you want to make this key assignment permanent, save the
DynaComm settings (.DCS) file you use for VAX access after making the entry.)
When to use the Address Book script
-----------------------------------
When you need to send a MAIL message and want some help with addressing, you
simply execute the script. It doesn't matter where you are in a VAX session
(the DCL ("$") prompt, the MAIL> prompt, the To: prompt, the Subj: prompt,
etc.), because the script includes a routine to "move" your session to the
MAIL> prompt without taking you out of an open MAIL session.
When accessed, the script "hides" your VAX terminal window and displays a
dialog box in the middle of your screen.
The "Address Book" Dialog Box
-----------------------------
There are four major components of the DynaComm Address Book dialog: an
"Address Book Entries" listbox in the upper left corner of the dialog; a "Send
Message to:" listbox in the upper right corner of the dialog; a group of five
"action" buttons between the listboxes; and an ECD Find toolbox in the bottom
half of the dialog. The use of each component is explained below.
Using the "Address Book Entries" Listbox
----------------------------------------
This listbox contains all the names and MAIL addresses the user has chosen to
"store" since the installation of the Address Book script. To use the list,
one simply points to the name of the person to whom he wishes to address a
message and either double-clicks the mouse on it or clicks once on it and
activates the "Add" button (either with a mouse click or by depressing Alt-A).
This will cause the VAX Mail address associated with the person's name to be
"copied" to the "Send Message to:" list. Additional addresses can be copied
to the "Send to:" list by repeating this process.
If the name of the person is not currently visible in the list box, the user
can use the vertical scroll bar to review all the names in the Address Book.
Alternatively, the user can highlight any name in the list and then press the
letter key corresponding to the desired addressee's last name (eg, "S" for
Singleton) or use PageUp and PageDn or the up and down arrow keys.
Distribution list names may also be accessed from the Address Book. These
will always appear in alphabetical order at the end of the personal entries.
Distribution list entries can be distinguished by the square brackets on
either side of the Distribution list name. When copied, the Address Book
script appends the "@" character in front of the name to advise the VAX that
the entry is a stored distribution list file, not an individual's address.
Names and addresses are added to the "Address Book" using one of several
methods described below. When an entry is added, the script automatically
re-sorts the list alphabetically by last name and saves the sorted file to
disk.
***To delete an entry from the Address Book, simply highlight the unwanted
entry in the listbox then invoke the "Alt-Minus Sign" key combination.***
(Note: I have purposely not defined a "Delete" button to prevent accidental
erasure of Address Book entries. If you wish to display such a button, open
the script source file, insert width and height coordinates for the "Delete"
button in the DIALOG DEFINITION section, save and recompile.)
Using the "Send Message to:" Listbox
-------------------------------------
The "Send Message to:" listbox contains the VAX Mail addresses of all the
people (and distribution lists) to whom the user has chosen to send his
message. This listbox is really a passive element of the Address Book dialog
since the user doesn't have to "do" anything with the entries there. The only
control which the user may activate is the vertical scroll bar (to review more
than nine addresses in the listbox). As with all other Windows listboxes,
either the mouse or the direction keys may be used to invoke scrolling.
Entries in this listbox are made by copying from either the Address Book
listbox (discussed above) or the ECD Match listbox (discussed below).
To clear all entries from the listbox, simply click on the "Clear" button to
the left of the box or use the Alt-L key combination.
When the "Send to" list is complete, the user simply clicks the "Ok" button
(or presses Alt-O). The dialog will then disappear and be replaced by the VAX
terminal screen. The script will automatically enter the "Send" command and
copy the addresses to MAIL when the "To:" prompt appears. At this point, the
script stops and the user is free to complete the message-sending process.
Using the Action Buttons
------------------------
Add: Copies the address corresponding to the currently selected Address Book
name to the "Send Message to:" listbox
Ok: Returns the VAX terminal window to the screen and copies the contents of
the "Send to" listbox to the VAX Mail "To:" prompt.
Clear: Clears all user-fillable dialog elements ("Send to" listbox, ECD
Match listbox, Name and Address edittext boxes) and any error message that
appears above the "Copy to Address Book" button in the ECD Find toolbox.
Save List: Enables the user to save the entries in the "Send to" listbox
as a VAX Mail distribution list (*.DIS) file. See the "Saving Distribution
Lists" section below.
Cancel: Cancels script execution, redisplays the VAX terminal window and
leaves the user at the "MAIL>" prompt.
Using the "ECD Find" Toolbox
----------------------------
***"ECDFIND" is a VAX utility program supplied by DEC with VAXMail. This
stand-alone program enables users to search a database file for electronic
mail addresses by entering an addressee's name. ECDFIND *must* be resident on
your VAX in order for this script to work.***
The ECD Find toolbox enables the user to access his LOCAL and Corporate ECD
(Electronic Corporate Directory) databases and copy selected ECD matches to
either the "Send to" listbox or the "Address Book" listbox. The toolbox also
permits the user to manually enter Names and Addresses (or Distribution List
names) and copy them to the "Address Book" or "Send to:" listboxes.
To access ECD, the user simply clicks the mouse cursor inside the "Last Name:"
edit box, types the last name for which to search and clicks the "Search
Database" button at the bottom of the dialog. This will invoke an invisible
LOCAL search (the default database) for the last name entered and cause the
message "Searching ECD Database..." to appear below the "Address:" label in
the toolbox. After a short period of time, a list of all names matching the
entered criteria (with corresponding addresses) will be displayed in the "ECD
Matches" listbox. The user may then highlight a listbox item with the mouse
cursor and copy it to either the "Send to" listbox or the "Address Book"
listbox using the corresponding buttons at the bottom of the dialog. If the
desired address is not displayed in the listbox, the user may scroll it as he
does the other listboxes to find it.
Searches may be narrowed by entering any part of the search target's first
name in the "First Name:" edit box prior to the initiation of a database
search.
Searches of the corporate ECD database may be invoked by clicking on the
"Corporate Search" radio button below the ECD Match listbox, then clicking the
"Search Database" button.
If no matches are found in the ECD database, the script will beep and display
the message "No matches found!" in the message area of the dialog.
Note that the user must highlight the match he wishes to copy before using
either of the "Copy" buttons. Failure to do so will cause an appropriate
message to appear in the message area of the dialog.
Activation of the "Copy to Send List" button will cause the address of the
selected listbox match to be copied to the "Send to" listbox. Activation of
the "Copy to Address Book" button will cause both the name and address to be
copied to the Address Book list. The script will then automatically re-sort
the list alphabetically and save it to disk for future use. (The user can
easily check the new Address Book entry by highlighting it with the mouse and
clicking on the "Add" button.)
Manual Entries
--------------
If the user already knows an address that he wants to place in the "Send to:"
listbox, he may simply type it in the "Address" edit box and click on the
"Copy to Send List" button. No ECD Matches need be displayed to permit this
action.
Similarly, if the user already knows a name and address that he wants to place
in the Address Book, he may type first and last names and the address in the
corresponding edit boxes and click on the "Copy to Address Book" button. The
entry will automatically be converted to all upper case letters and placed in
alphabetical order in the list box.
This entry method applies to stored distribution lists as well. For example,
if the user already has a file called MYGROUP.DIS stored on the VAX, he may
enter @MYGROUP.DIS in the "Address:" edit box and copy it to the "Send to:"
listbox by clicking on the "Copy to Send List" button. Likewise, the user can
store a distribution list entry in the Address Book by entering a description
of the file in the "Last Name:" edit box, and then entering the name of the
.DIS file in the "Address" edit box. For the MYGROUP.DIS example, the user
would enter an appropriate descriptor like "My Work Group" in the Last Name
box and then enter MYGROUP.DIS in the address box. [Note: The .DIS filename
extension must be included in the Address edit box in order for the script to
recognize the entry as a distribution list.]
Caution: Since the DynaComm script currently has no way to know if a manually
-entered.DIS file exists on the VAX, the user must ensure that manual entries
are made correctly. Mistakes will generate a VAX Mail error message when the
user clicks the "Ok" button to return to the terminal window.
Saving "Send to:" Lists as VAX Distribution List files
------------------------------------------------------
If a user wants to save a list of addresses as a VAX distribution list file,
he simply copies all the addresses to the "Send to:" listbox then clicks the
"Save List..." button. The Address Book dialog box will then be replaced by a
new dialog box requesting a (VAX) filename and a filename descriptor.
To save the list, the user must provide an 8 character (or less) filename in
the first edit box and then provide an 18 character (or less) description of
the filename in the second edit box. Failure to make either entry will result
in the display of error messages below the two buttons in the dialog.
When both entries have been made, the user clicks the "Ok" button. The script
will then save the list to the PC's hard disk and automatically upload it to
the VAX. A message to this effect will appear immediately below the two
buttons in the listbox. When the upload is complete, the Address Book dialog
will return with the new information. Note that the original list of
addressees in the "Send to:" list will be replaced by the name of the .DIS
file just uploaded and that the Address Book will contain the name of the new
distribution list. To use the list in future messages, the user need only
select it from the Address Book and "Add" it to the "Send to:" list.
If the user does not wish to save the distribution list after entering the
"Save List..." dialog, he simply clicks the "Cancel" button to return to the
Address Book dialog.
Assumptions Made by the Script
------------------------------
The Address Book script *assumes*:
- the user's VAX system permits the use of the SPAWN command from
within the VAXMail program (some VAX sysops disable this capability).
If the SPAWN command is *not* available, the script must be modified to
EXIT VAXMail before performing the ECDFIND searches. [Note: the
SPAWN command enables the user to perform ECD searches *while* in his
*current* VAXMail session. In this way, messages filed to the
WASTEBASKET folder (by deleting them) are still accessible. Otherwise,
the WASTEBASKET will be emptied upon exit from a VAXMail session.]
- the user has the ECDFIND electronic mail directory database program
installed on his VAX.
Comments about the Address Book Database File
---------------------------------------------
ADD_BOOK.DCM is simply an ASCII text file which contains a column of users
(alphabetized by last name) and a corresponding column of addresses (eg,
nodename::username). There is nothing remarkable about this file *except*
that it contains a tab stop set at column position 20. This tab stop is vital
to the proper functioning of the "Address Book Entries" Listbox table.
If you choose to edit this file using the DynaComm Memo editor, you must "Edit
Select All" all of the text, then "Edit Set Tab Width" to 20 and uncheck
"Expand Tabs" to reset the tab position before editting. If you fail to do
this, DynaComm will replace the tab characters with spaces (hence the term
"expand tabs") and royally muck up the ability of the file to be used as a
"table" by DynaComm.
Nifty DynaComm Features employed by this script
-----------------------------------------------
1) Without DynaComm's powerful "TABLE" functions, this script would NOT be
possible. All three listboxes in the Address Book dialog box are DynaComm
tables. Equally important to the script is DynaComm's ability to
automatically re-sort an updated address list by using the TABLE SORT
ASCENDING command and its ability to store a changed address listing to disk
using the TABLE SAVE command. The TABLE COPY command also makes it possible
to delete entries from the listbox!
2) The entries in the "ECD Matches" listbox are "grabbed" by using the RECORD
FORMAT and TABLE SCAN commands to "mask and copy" certain portions of data as
it appears in the terminal window. The TABLE SCAN command is a great tool
for automating the capture of "organized" data from any terminal session.
Also, because you can CLEAR the terminal window after each TABLE SCAN command,
you can *guarantee* the position of scrolled entries on the screen.
3) The ability to "hide" the Terminal window enables the ECD Search process to
be conducted in a totally invisible fashion so the user is not distracted by
the proceedings.
4) DynaComm's script language enables the script writer to "update" previously
defined dialog boxes with new information *without* destroying the original
dialog box. [This is in contrast with Excel's dialog boxes which *cannot* be
updated without first destroying them and then recreating them.] All of the
error messages are placed in the dialog using DIALOG UPDATE MESSAGE...
commands. Also, the display of information in the "ECD Matches" listbox is
performed with a DIALOG UPDATE LISTBOX TABLE command.
5) DynaComm's powerful string manipulation functions (POS, PARSE, UPPER, TRIM,
etc.) enable the "clean up" of manual Address Book entries to maintain a
consistent look in the listbox (eg, convert each entry to all uppercase, place
square brackets around .DIS filenames, parse ECD Matches into the "LastName,
Firstname" format, etc.)
Roll the Credits...
-------------------
I would like to thank Kim Pavey and Bill Buckley of Future Soft Engineering,
Inc. for their invaluable assistance in the development of this script. They
were always there when I had a question and they always had the right answer.
Thanks again, folks!
Bill Bailey
Wilmington, DE
CIS: 76666,2023