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--- 1 PROGRAM INFORMATION PPoint - Copyright (c) 1992 Harvey Parisien Box 323 Station A, Kingston, Ontario, CANADA K7M 6R2 - Other software by Parisien... Magic FREQ names for 1:249/1 Canada, 1:128/77 US, 2:254/71 UK. DB = CONTACT MANAGER, PIM, & Generic dBASE III+ Database Mgr RAD = dBASE III file compatible, BBS or REMOTE online database OMENU = oMENU the Ultimate disk Menu System POINT = PPoint - Professional Point System OFFLINE = The easy to use, QWK offline reader. HARVEY = Harvey the Robot automated message mailer *.PKT format HLIST = HLIST File List Compiler for files.bbs systems. - To create an up-to-date User Reference Guide, press F1 for a help screen. Select Help Index and select the last choice which is Print User Reference Guide. This will print a complete function by function guide to running PPoint. This guide contains the complete contents of your online Help System. --- 101 Host: Host Transfers This connects you to your HOST system (or boss node) to collect new mail/files, and send any outstanding mail from your system. It is not necessary to have mail to send in order to connect to your host. You can Poll for mail when ever you wish to see if there is anything waiting for you on the host system, or to request or send files. - You will have the option to set a timer to Poll at a future time. If you choose to do so, the screen will display the Poll time, and current time. Pressing Esc aborts the Poll, any other key starts immediately. After 60 seconds (or pressing the space bar) of waiting, the screen will blank, all except for the timer display. If you use the Timer, then after the Poll is completed the screen will go blank again after 60 seconds, to preserve your hardware. - Request Files Send Files --- 102 Host: Activity Report This displays your systems log, which shows details on processing mail into and out of PPoint, and information on transfers to your host. --- 103 Host: View Outbound This shows any files waiting in your outbound area. These are files waiting to be delivered to your host on your next transfer. --- 104 Host: View Inbound This shows any files received from your host on previous transfers. --- 106 Host: Request Files This allows you to request files FROM YOUR HOST. For a list of your hosts files, you just simply request FILES. It is not necessary to have mail to send in order to connect to your host. - You also will have the option to request any new entry automatically every time you connect with the host. This is handy if your host has an updated file continually waiting for you. - This feature can also be used to cause your mailer to exit even if there was no mail received from the host. Usually the host will have a file called ABOUT which is a very small text file containing information on your host. - TO REQUEST FILES DIRECTLY from other nodes in your network, you need a nodelist. This is a more traditional way of requesting a file. You send a netmail message to the source node (just use SysOp if you don't know his or her name) of the file and put the file to be requested on the subject line like this: /freq bexe_256.zip ... and the file will be requested. This is often refered to as FILE REQUESTING or FREQING. - Send Files Operational Keys in the Reading Area Setup: Edit Nodelist --- 107 Host: Send Files This allows you to send files TO YOUR HOST. This can be a complete drive and path description. This will be sent to your host on your next transfer. It is not necessary to have mail to send in order to connect to your host. - You also will have the option to send any new entry automatically every time you connect with the host. This is handy if you have an updated file to continually send to your host. - TO SEND FILES DIRECTLY to other nodes in your network, you need a nodelist. This is a more traditional way of sending a file. You send a netmail message to the receiver of the file and put the file to be sent on the subject line like this: /send c:\trash\oldstuff.lzh ... and the file will be sent. This is often refered to as FILE ATTACHING. - Request Files Operational Keys in the Reading Area Setup: Edit Nodelist --- 109 Host: Exit This exits PPoint to DOS - PROGRAM INFORMATION --- 201 Mail: Select message area This displays a list of all the current message areas (or sometimes called conferences) on the system. As PPoint receives new areas, they are automatically setup (no need to fuss with configuration files). This function allows you to select an area to read mail in. --- 203 Mail: Read/Reply messages This is the area where you read and/or reply to mail. You can list areas, and messages from the READING AREA, as well as export or print messages. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 204 Mail: Enter a message This allows you to enter a new message in any message area. - Address Book and Carbon Copy Messages Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 206 Mail: Read your new mail This checks all message areas for mail addressed to you. You can check your whole message database, or just UNREAD mail. --- 207 Mail: Find & Read messages This allows you to search one or all message areas for a match to your search text in the message header (the To, From, and Subject fields), or complete message. Once a FIND/SEARCH has been requested, just use the normal keys to review all finds ie: Right Arrow Key or ENTER causes a FIND AGAIN. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 209 Mail: Export a message This allows you to send a message to a disk file of your choice. A default file will be suggested, this is the one you indicated during setup. You can change it anytime in setup, or just modify it on the fly. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 210 Mail: Print a message This allows you to send a message to a dot or laser printer. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 212 Mail: Delete old mail This deletes old messages based on how many days old they are. Each area can be set for a different number of days. After messages are deleted, the system will automatically Pack the Databases. Messages that are NEW (ahead of your book mark) will not be deleted. Messages that are FROZEN, using Alt-F in the read area, will not be deleted. - Mail: Pack databases Setup: Automatic Maintenance Setup: Edit Message Areas/Delete days --- 213 Mail: Pack databases This removes all deleted messages from your databases. It provides more disk space, and makes things process a little faster. - Mail: Delete old mail Setup: Automatic Maintenance Setup: Edit Message Areas/Delete days --- 301 Options: Shell to DOS This allows you shell out to dos, leaving PPoint resident. To return from a DOS shell, type EXIT at the dos prompt, and press ENTER. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 302 Options: Blank Screen This function just clears the screen if you want to leave it blank for a while. They say if you leave your screen blank and stare at it for about 10 minutes straight without blinking you'll see rabbits. --- 303 Options: Edit taglines This allows you to edit your tagline file. This is a simple text file containing up to 300 taglines which will be appended to your message. If you have > 10 taglines in this file, taglines will be presented RANDOMLY for your selection. - When reading messages, you can copy tag lines (or any text for that matter) from a message by pressing Alt S, then moving the cursor to the start of the line of text you wish to capture, press enter. The line can then be edited. Press enter again and it will be appended to your tagline list. Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 304 Options: Manual processing This allows you to manually copy mail packets into your inbound, or outbound areas and process them. You should know what you're doing before attempting this. --- 401 Setup: Message Display Mode The message display can be toggled to show internal network addressing information. This can be annoying to most users, and is by default turned off. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 402 Setup: Color/Monochrome Allows you to choose Color or Monochrome monitors. --- 403 Setup: Directories This is where you setup your various directories. As you go through this area, you are explained what each directory is for. Generally you are recommended to use the defaults. --- 404 Setup: Printer This is where you choose your printer type (dot or laser) and printer port number. --- 405 Setup: Archiver/Editor/Spell Checker This is where you choose a preferred archiver for your system. PPoint will automatically detect the type of archiver required for unarchiving incoming packets. This setting is used to choose an archiving method for outgoing packets, although this feature is not yet implemented. - This is also where you choose the editor you will use. If you use DOS version 5 or better, and don't have a particular editor in mind, try using the one that comes with DOS by entering \DOS\EDIT at the prompt. - You also have the option to use an independent spell checker. If you are looking for one, we recommend a shareware system called ShareSpell. --- 406 Setup: Sound & Screen Sound has been used at a minimum, and when it is used it's very quiet. If you still find it annoying, by all means turn it off. PPoint can be used with various screen lengths. Some monitors only use the standard 25 line mode. Feel free to try any one of the settings. PPoint will tell you if any mode is not supported. --- 407 Setup: Automatic Maintenance PPoint can automatically perform it's maintenance after each HOST poll. This deletes messages after they are over age, and packs the database. - Mail: Delete old mail Mail: Pack databases Setup: Edit Message Areas/Delete days --- 408 Setup: Edit AREA Address/Delete days This is where you can edit details on each individual message area. AREA DESCRIPTION: General Point Support HOST AREA TAG: POINT DATABASE FILE NAME: 00000004 DELETE DAYS: 10 AREA ORIGIN LINE: OFFLINE Systems AREA ADDRESS: 1:249/114.1 AREA HOST ADDRESS: 1:249/114 AREA ROUTE ADDRESS: 1:249/114 USE ON ORIGIN LINE: 1:249/114.1 The AREA DESCRIPTION is by default the same as the HOST AREA TAG. These names are sometimes not as descriptive as you may like, so this allows you to rename them. The HOST AREA TAG and DATABASE FILE NAME are created by PPoint and can not be changed. The DELETE DAYS entry is the number of days of mail to be kept when PPoint deletes old mail. The age of your mail is determined by the message date, not when it was received. Messages that are NEW (ahead of your book mark) will not be deleted. Messages that are FROZEN, using Alt-F in the read area, will not be deleted. If set to 0, PPoint will remove everything in the area except for messages marked as FROZEN, and messages that are below your book mark. If set to -1, PPoint will delete everything in the area no matter what the age or status of the messages are, but it will preserve the area setup information. The ORIGIN LINE is the usually the name of your system, or your name. This can be edited to whatever you like for each area. The AREA ADDRESS defaults to the address you entered in setup under User/Host/Mailer Info. If you are using multiple HOST systems, you can change each area to individually use this address and link to an individual AREA HOST ADDRESS and AREA ROUTE ADDRESS as well. In this case, you will have to implement a nodelist with your various alternative Host/Boss nodes details in it. Finally, the USE ON ORIGIN LINE address has to do with fakenet addressing, see help in that area for details. CAUTION!! Most systems are used for ONE HOST, so be very cautious if you change the AREA ADDRESS, AREA HOST ADDRESS, AREA ROUTE ADDRESS, or USE ON ORIGIN LINE settings. - Mail: Delete old mail Setup: Automatic Maintenance Setup: User/Host/Mailer/Nodelist Info NodeList Setup Information Setup: Edit Nodelist FakeNet Addressing Information --- 409 Setup: Add New Message Area This is where you can add new areas manually. In case you want to enter a message in an area you don't yet have. Otherwise, these names area automatically added as mail is received. --- 410 Setup: Delete a Message Area This is where you can remove an area, and the associated message databases. --- 411 Setup: User/Host/Mailer/Nodelist Info This is where you setup your user name, and point addressing. You host will provide you with the addressing details. This is where your configuration file for BinkleyTerm is created or updated. See Binkley Setup Information. - Binkley Setup Information NodeList Setup Information Setup: Edit Nodelist --- 412 Setup: Turn Title Screen On/Off PPoint has been designed to be as efficient as possible. As a commercial product, we tend to put a fancy title screen in front of you when you run PPoint. In the interest of your time, you have a choice to turn the opening title screen on or off. --- 413 Setup: Setup Report PPoint will create a text file report called REPORT.TXT which will contain information on your point SETUP, and AREAS setup. It will be presented to you in your editor for review. It can be imported into a message with your editor for support purposes. --- 414 Setup: Edit Nodelist PPoint will compile a nodelist (version 6) from a text file that contains manually entered listings. The format is... zone:net/node , system , phone , password , baud , cost Selecting Edit Nodelist causes PPoint to place your raw nodelist text file in your editor for editing or reviewing. When you exit, PPoint will compile the data into a VERSION 6 type nodelist. This is the default nodelist binkley requires if you use a nodelist. Here's a sample raw nodelist text file... - ;------------------------------------------ ; Private Nodelist Text for use with PPOINT ;------------------------------------------ ;Entries must be in ZONE order, ie zone 1's first, zone 2's next. ;zone:net/node,system,phone,password,baud,cost ; All lines in this text file that start with a ; are just comment ; lines and are ignored by all processors. Feel free to make any ; notes in this file as long as you start the line with a ;. ; zone:net/node - this is a standard fidonet address ; system - this is the system name you are listing ; phone - this is the exact phone number for the system you ; are listing including a 1 or area code if it's long ; distance. ; password - this is the session password which must be ; prearranged with this system you are listing. This ; can be left blank, but the commas are still required ; ie... ; 1:249/114, Harvey Parisien, 1-613-634-6125,,9600,30 ; baud - this is the baud of the system you are listing ; cost - this is an estimated cost per minute in cents to call ; the system you are listing. If the listing is local, ; use a 0 for cost. ; ;zone:net/node,system,phone,password,baud,cost ; 1:128/77, Preston Smith, 1-719-599-4568,piano,9600,0 1:249/114, Harvey Parisien, 1-613-634-6125,,9600,30 - Binkley Setup Information NodeList Setup Information --- 9909 FakeNet Addressing Information Older FidoNet compatible systems may require you to use 3d addressing as opposed to the standard 4d addressing. To accommodate this, PPoint supports FakeNet addressing. 4d means an address has 4 parameters ie ZONE:NET/NODE.POINT. 3d means an address has 3 parameters ie ZONE:NET/NODE. For example, you may have a HOST with an address of 1:249/114, and you are to use 1:24914/2 as a fake address. Your HOST's system will then translate your incoming and outgoing mail from a fake address of 1:24914/2 to a real world address of 1:249/114.2 since it's system can not handle the fourth dimension in the address, being the point number. If your HOST requires that you use a fakenet address, this means it will not have the proper .x at the end of your address. To make your message origin lines display exactly what you want, go to the setup menu and Edit Area Address information. Edit the USE ON ORIGIN line. AREA DESCRIPTION: General Point Support HOST AREA TAG: POINT DATABASE FILE NAME: 00000004 DELETE DAYS: 10 AREA ORIGIN LINE: OFFLINE Systems AREA ADDRESS: 1:24914/1 AREA HOST ADDRESS: 1:249/114 AREA ROUTE ADDRESS: 1:249/114 USE ON ORIGIN LINE: 1:249/114.1 The last line is the origin address that will show in your messages. - Edit AREA Address/Delete days --- 999 Operational Keys in the Reading Area The following keys display the AREAS LIST: A, or Del. The following keys display a MESSAGE LIST: M, or Ins. On the message list, Space Bar Marks messages. In the reading area, Space Bar moves to Marked messages. The Arrow keys move to next or previous messages. PgDn will page down one screen at a time to the bottom of a message. ENTER is like PgDn but will go to the next message when at the bottom. The Esc key or Mouse Button 2 exits this area. R=Reply to the current message. E=Enter a message. C=Change/Edit a message (only if it was from you). K=Kill the current message. P toggles Private on/off. F=Find messages based on search text match. +=Initiate a Find based on Subject. Home=Go to the First message. End=Go to the Last message. ^E=Export current message to a text file. ^P=Print current message. ^R=Resends a message (only if it was from you). ^S=Toggle internal network addressing information. ^F=Forward or Move the current message to any area. F4=Detailed message attribute display. Alt and L invokes LIST by Vernon Buerg. Alt and F=Freeze Message (can't be deleted or packed) F10 SHELLS TO DOS (and clears the screen). - Request/Send Files using a message To send (attach) or request (freq) a file, enter a netmail message to the SysOp (just use SysOp if you don't know his or her name) and on the subject line, put... /send c:\trash\oldstuff.lzh ... and the file will be sent. -or- /freq bexe_256.zip ... and the file will be requested. Request Files Send Files - Alt and S=Copy Tag Lines When reading messages, you can copy tag lines (or any text for that matter) from a message by pressing Alt S, then moving the cursor to the start of the line of text you wish to capture, press enter. The line can then be edited. Press enter again and it will be appended to a file called OFFLINE.TAG in the current directory. This is a tagline list used by OFFLINE or PPOINT. Both are mail management systems by Harvey Parisien. Edit taglines - Alt and I=Copy UUCP/Internet Addresses When reading messages, you can copy internet addresses from the current message by pressing Alt and I, then moving the cursor to the start of the line of text you wish to capture, press enter. The line can then be edited. Press enter again and it will be appended to a file called UUCP.TXT in the current directory. UUCP Addressing - Internal network details. When reading mail, the text at the bottom left of your screen, is the origin line for the current area. This information changes to the area tag name if you have your message display mode set to show internal network details. Message Display Mode --- 4444 Binkley Setup Information All setup information related to BinkleyTerm is found in the file on your PPoint directory called BINKLEY.CFG which is automatically created by PPoint. Some of the settings in Binkley.cfg CAN NOT be changed except by PPoint in order to insure the settings are exactly the same as contained in PPoint's setup files. These are identified in the Binkley.cfg file, and referred to here as part 1 of your Binkley.cfg file. However, there are times when you might need to change some of the settings for example a common one is your modem INIT string. For more details on modifying your Binkley.cfg file, refer to the documentation provided with that system. In order to allow you to change some of the settings, PPoint allows a file called BINKLEY.ADD to be changed by the user. Binkley.add will contain the contents to be included as part 2 of your Binkley.cfg file when PPoint updates it. If you have special configuration requirements, use your text editor to edit Binkley.add and change or add as necessary, then update your Binkley.cfg file. To update your Binkley.cfg file, choose "User/Host/Mailer Info" on the Setup Menu and change or verify any of the information. When you finish this, PPoint will recreate your Binkley.cfg file. - Setup: User/Host/Mailer/Nodelist Info NodeList Setup Information Setup: Edit Nodelist --- 4343 Address Book and Carbon Copy Messages OPTIONAL ADDRESS BOOK: If you have an address book in place (the system creates this for you) it can be accessed for NETMAIL or ECHOMAIL by pressing F4 when you are ENTERING a message, placing text in the TO: field. Your address book is built by the system. Every time you enter a NETMAIL message, it prompts you as to whether or not you would like to add the current entry to the address book. It will only prompt you for entries that do not currently exist. This way you build an address book while you use the system, as opposed to sitting down and typing in 50 names. - OPTIONAL CARBON COPIES: To send a message to several people you can have a continuous list of names in a text file in the format: first last,zone:net/node{.point}. For example... Bill Cassidy, 1:249/1 Harvey Parisien,1:249/114.7 Scott Dudley, 1:249/106 Don Laverdure, 1:249/124.2 Entering CC:filename.ext in the TO: field causes carbon copies to be sent to all people/addresses in your list. --- 4999 NodeList Setup Information To send netmail directly to other nodes or directly to other networks, you will need a nodelist. By default, PPoint is designed to route all mail via your host. However, if you need a more advanced setup, you need a nodelist. To compile a nodelist, look for a nodelist manager like XLAXNODE or QNODE. For a SMALL simple nodelist, PPoint has an option under the Setup menu called Edit Nodelist. This works just fine for smaller nodelist requirements. Setup: Edit Nodelist Setup: User/Host/Mailer/Nodelist Info Binkley Setup Information --- 5000 UUCP Addressing The easiest way to handle UUCP/Internet addressing is to create a text file called UUCP.TXT containing a bunch of valid addresses. If your message is To: UUCP, then you will be prompted for these addresses. After you complete entering your message, the correct message format and addressing will be handled by PPoint. For more information on UUCP, ask your local sysop. For your closest UUCP/FidoNet Gateway, ask your local sysop. For information on the Alt and I=Copy UUCP/Internet Address command see... Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 5001 Message Footers To make each message you enter, end in a standard user defined footer (block of text), just create a file called FOOTER.TXT and have it in your PPoint directory. Every message you enter, will contain this footer. In respect for your particular network, please do not get into long blocks of text. This is meant for a simple; Yours truly, or Cheers... ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Copyright (c) 1993 Harvey Parisien, Kingston, Canada 1:249/114 ---