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1992-12-18
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#: 0 S0/Read me first!
22-Jul-92 10:57:21
Sb: Golden CommPass(tm) Version 2.0E
Fm: Creative Systems 71511,151
To: Golden CommPass Users
General Information:
--------------------
This program has been designed as a front end for accessing the
CompuServe(r) Information Service. It inclues an OS/2 communcations
engine for accessing CompuServe.
Golden CommPass - Support on IBMOS2 Forum
-----------------------------------------
Golden CommPass is fully supported on the OS2USER forum on CompuServe.
Please post your support questions on the OS2USER forum in section 4 (OS/2
Applications).
Reporting Problems:
-------------------
All Golden CommPass problems should be reported on the OS2USER forum in the
appropriate section. Problem reports can be addressed to All or to Sysop.
If you are unable to get online to report the problem, please call our
technical support department at (609) 234-1500, of fax us a problem report
on (609) 234-1920.
For a TRAP D problem report, we will need the CS and IP register values.
In addition, we will also need the CSLIM value.
Installing Golden CommPass:
---------------------------
There are 4 files that you need to copy from the distribution diskette to
your hard drive to get the Golden CommPass operational. They are:
COMMPASS.EXE
COMMPASS.DLL
COMMPASS.INI
COMMPASS.HLP
| If you already have installed a previous version of Golden CommPass, it
| is not necessary to replace the COMMPASS.INI file. Golden CommPass will
| automatically make any required changes to that file the first time you
| start this version of the program.
For information on installing the Golden CommPass for OS/2 communcations
engine, please refer to READCOMM.MSG.
The COMMPASS.DLL file must be placed in a directory pointed to by the
LIBPATH statement in your CONFIG.SYS. You may want to consider adding
.; to the beginning of your LIBPATH statement. This will force OS/2 to
search the current directory for the DLL first. For example:
LIBPATH=.;\OS2\DLL ...
The COMMPASS.INI file should be placed in the same directory as
COMMPASS.EXE, however, the DPATH environment varialble will also be
searched to locate this file.
The COMMPASS.HLP file should also be placed in the same directory as
COMMPASS.EXE, however, the HELP environment varialble will also be searched
to locate this file.
Before you can successfully use the Golden CommPass, you must first enter
your registration number. This number is included in your Golden CommPass
package. If you have any problems, or questions about this registration
number, please contact technical support at (609) 234-1500.
Golden CommPass and OS/2 2.0
----------------------------
* OS/2 2.0 Workplace Shell (WPS)
The workplace shell has changed the definition of the minimize system
menu / button from prior releases of OS/2. Under OS/2 1.x, when you
request an application to be minimized, an icon is displayed at the
bottom of the presentation manager desktop.
Under the workplace shell, this pushbutton defaults to a "hide" action
instead of a minimize action. This means that the window WILL NOT be
displayed as an icon at the bottom of the desktop, but instead will be
made invisible. In order to redisplay this window, you will need to
select it from the Presentation Manager task list (Ctrl+Esc).
This default behavior can be restored to the was that is was originally
implmented under OS/2 1.3 by changing the Golden CommPass settings. The
settings that need to be changed are Window tab. You should change the
behavior to "Minimize to desktop".
* OS/2 2.0 General Availability Release
This version of Golden CommPass has been tested with the GA release of
| OS/2 2.0. The following problems are known with that release, and will
| be corrected in a later release of OS/2 or Golden CommPass.
|
| 1. After minimizing and restoring the Golden CommPass application, any
| message windows that were left open will be positioned incorrectly.
|
| 2. During the installation of Golden CommPass, if you attempt to create
| the WPS icon by copying an existing program, you may run into
| problems locating the COMMPASS.HLP file, as well as several other
| unpredictable problems. Follow the instructions in the Golden
| CommPass manual to properly install the program from the OS/2
| program template.
Monospaced font option
----------------------
You now have the option to toggle the Golden CommPass message window
display to use a monospaced font. This is especially useful for displaying
CompuServe "unformatted" messages, such as tables. You may also want to
turn off word wrap when using this option. For more information, see the
online help for the message window options menu.
Sending unformatted messages
----------------------------
You MUST turn ON the monospaced font option and turn OFF the word wrap
| option before you send the message. This gives you complete control
| over where each line will end, and will prevent Golden CommPass from
| reformatting the line when it is stored to be transmitted to CompuServe.
Automatic open of message window
--------------------------------
You can select this option from the Options / Defaults dialog on the main
window. Once selected, a message window will automatically be created and
opened for each message file being indexed as soon as the indexing has
completed. You can also open the message window at any time during the
indexing process.
Automatic Bookmark
------------------
If you turn this option on, Golden CommPass will automatically save your
current location in the message file whenever you close the message window.
The only exception is if you are at the last message in the file, in which
case Golden CommPass assumes that you have completely processed that
message file.
When you next open the message file, Golden CommPass will automatically
open and position the message window to the appropriate location in the
message file as soon as it completes the indexing process.
CompuServe Across Library Support
---------------------------------
Full support of the CompuServe Across Library software is included in this
version of Golden CommPass. You can now search for files to be downloaded
| in multiple library sections on a single forum. To make it easier to
| search all of the forum libraries, a new pushbutton has been added to the
| Library search dialog box which will select all of the forum libraries.
Sorting Catalogs
----------------
There is now an option to sort (the default) or not sort the data library
catalog listing. Also, support is included for LONG and SHORT data
library names.
Golden CommPass Usage counter
-----------------------------
Whenever you install a new version of OS/2, replacing the OS2.INI file,
the Golden CommPass usage counter will be reset to one.
Golden CommPass Command line switches
-------------------------------------
The following command line switches are now available to request the
communications engine to perform certain actions during startup. They are:
/CMD=N|O|R|+|J|P
where N=New, O=Online, R=Read waiting, +=Frontend script, J=Join and
P=Parameters.
/OS2=Y|N
to return to OS/2 immediately after completing one of the Connect menu
options. This switch is intended to be used with the /CMD= switch.
/PARAMS=xxx
to start Golden CommPass with a specific parameter file.
PostScript Printer Support
--------------------------
Thanks to Bill Hinkle, support has now been added for printing a message
to a postscript printer.
Quick path to edit outgoing messages:
-------------------------------------
You can now double-click on the envelope or diskette icons to invoke the
default Golden CommPass editor directly.
Message window button bar
-------------------------
By popular demand, a user configurable button bar is available on the
| message window. Before you can use this button bar, you must configure
| it using the Options / Configure button bar on the message window menu.
Expand / collapse message index
------------------------------
A new View option has been added to the main window menu. This menu
enables the expand / collapse capabilities of the message index window.
In addition to using these menu options, you can also use the plus (+)
or minus (-) keys to expand or collapse the message threads. Of course,
the mouse can also be used to expand and collapse the message threads.
Message indexing perfomance
---------------------------
This release includes several options that will have a definite impact of
the performance of the background message indexing. Also on the View menu
are several options to determine the level of message index you initially
want displayed in the index window. The default is to display all levels
up to and including the message subjects. This is the option that prior
releases used. However, performance is not exactly speedy.
Significantly better message indexing performance can be realized by
selecting either Sections or Sessions instead of the default of Subjects.
| Using a networked modem
| -----------------------
| To use a networked modem with Golden CommPass, you must first redirect
| the modem to one of the communcations ports on your system. Golden CommPass
| is capable of recognizing COM1: through COM8:.
| Using a modem pool
| ------------------
| It is possible to use Golden CommPass with a modem pool. In all such
| cases, additional configuration will be required. You will need to write
| a custom logon script to connect Golden CommPass to the pool. The exact
| sequence of events is described below.
|
| When you request Golden CommPass to connect to CompuServe (using any of the
| options on the Connect menu) Golden CommPass will send the modem
| "initialization string" (on the Options / Parameters dialog) followed by
| the currently selected telephone number (on the Options / Telephones dialog)
| and a carraige return to the selected communications port. Golden CommPass
| will then wait until the "online string" (on the Options / Parameters
| dialog) is received. At that point, Golden CommPass will begin to execute
| the "user script" specified for the current telephone number (on the
| Options / Telephones dialog).
|
| The custom logon script must send any commands to the modem pool to select
| a modem, dial CompuServe, etc. When the script ends, Golden CommPass
| expects to be waiting at a User ID: prompt from CompuServe. You must be
| certain that your logon script takes you to that point.
|
| In the event that your modem pool does not return a usable "online string",
| you can set this string to NONE, in which case Golden CommPass will begin
| executing your custom logon script as soon as the modem initialization
| string and telephone number have been transmitted.
| Forum selection options
| -----------------------
| This release includes three new pushbuttons on the Edit forums dialog box
| to make it easier to manage the forum selection process. The new
| pushbuttons can be used to select all of the forums, none of the forums, or
| to toggle the currently selected forums.
| User control of background thread priorities
| --------------------------------------------
| Support is also available to set the background thread priorities. This
| will effect the priority of the background print threads, as well as the
| priority of the message indexing threads. Incorrectly setting this priority
| could have a negative impact on the performance of your system and Golden
| CommPass.
|
| We recommend that you use the default priority setting of low. This should
| be sufficient in most installations. However, if you typically use a DOS
| application that is constantly polling the system (typically the keyboard)
| and are unable to get OS/2 to reduce the polling time using the IDLE_SECONDS
| and IDLE_SENSITIVITY settings, you may get better results using a medium
| thread priority. The use of the high thread priority setting is not
| recommended.
| Print manager dialog box
| ------------------------
| Golden CommPass now supports the option to select a default printer. This
| is indicated by a "make default" check box. Once you have selected this
| check box, the printer you have selected will always be used, and the
| print manager dialog box will not normally be displayed.
|
| To change your default settings, you can force Golden CommPass to dispaly
| the print manager dialog box by pressing the Ctrl key while selecting the
| File menu, or directly by pressing the Ctrl+PrtSc keys together.
|
| The print manager now includes a "properties" pushbutton which can be used
| to further configure Golden CommPass for use with your printer. If you
| are using an Epson printer, or a printer that requires the use of the
| Epson printer driver, then you must select the "properties" pushbutton
| to properly configure the printer before you will be able to print from
| Golden CommPass.
| Editor configuration
| --------------------
| Several new options are now available for configuring the editor that
| Golden CommPass will invoke when required. Support is now included for
| invoking a DOS editor in a full screen session. Additionally, you can
| indicate if your editor is capable of recognizing the HPFS long file names.