OS/2 Shareware BBS: 35 Internet/35-Internet.zip/dsptchb1.zip/Dispatch.DOC

Windows Setup INFormation | 1997-06-09 | 12KB | 306 lines

Dispatch is a compiled OREXX program.  It will only run under Warp 4.0 or
on a system with Object REXX installed and active.

It uses REXXLIB utilities and two shareware packages for mime and
uuencoding.  It also uses the excellent SofTouch TCPIP functions.  Both
DLL's are licensed, so I will have to charge for the registered version of
Dispatch.  This version will stop working eventually -- as it will inform
you.  The DLL's included here are also time limited.  The registered
version removes these limitations.

There are three distinct parts to the command line:

DISPATCH FUNCTION PARAMETERS

DISPATCH is, of course, the name of the command file:  dispatch.cmd.

FUNCTION is one of the following:

M for SMTP mail out CM to create a mail config file IM to do interactive
mail Q to send queued mail [This will be MQ in version 2]

N for newsgroup posting CN to create a news config file IM for interactive
posting [Version 2 will have a NQ]

T for file transfer using FTP CT to create an FTP config file IT for
interactive FTP V for version info

Anything else for function help

MAIL

PARAMS for M, mail, take the form of a dash and a single letter followed,
in most cases by some information.  There must be a space before the dash.
There is no space between the parameter identifier and the information that
follows.  For example:  -Ac:\test.tst adds an attachment named test.txt
located on the c drive to outgoing mail.  Avoid using any other space dash
combinations within the command line!  The -?  param will list out a list
of parameters for the function specified:  dispatch M -?

MAIL PARAMETERS

-T the To Address -- Dispatch M [e-mail]
-S Subject -- Dispatch M-SWhat is this about?
-C Config File Dispatch M -Cdispatch.mle
-A TextFile -- Dispatch M -Ac:\textfile.txt
-A* Binary File -- Dispatch M -A*c:\binary.tif
-F From Addr -- Dispatch M [e-mail]
-Z TimeZone -- Dispatch M -Z-0500
-H Host Machine -- Dispatch M -HMyHost.domain.com
-M Mail Server -- Dispatch M -Mmailhost.domain.com
-Y Reply-To -- Dispatch [e-mail]
-W Write This Config -- M -Wmyconfig.cfg

I do not think you can use a '<' or '>' on the command line.  So, if you
want any address to be in the format:  Chris Barr<[e-mail]> you must
enter it as [e-mail](Chris Barr) and the program will redo it.

The Reply-To address defaults to the same address as the From address
unless overridden.

-A designates files to be attached.  The first file attached is the
'note'itself.  Subsequent files are all attachments.

-A by itself designates a plain text file to be appended without encoding.
The first file must be of this type and is treated as the 'note.
'Subsequent text files are attached without base64 encoding and with their
filenames indicated.

-A* designates a binary file that requires encoding in base64.  You may
attach as many files as you can fit on the command line.

The time zone defaults to GMT if not entered.

The mail server must be entered by name and not by IP address.

MAIL PARAMETERS AND CONFIG FILES

Dispatch remembers its last settings.  When you fire up mail for the second
time, it will load in the same defaults it had loaded the previous session.
Defaults are only those parameters, like From and Server, that do not
usually change from session to session.  If you type -?  for mail, you will
see a list of commands available and the settings of any parameters from
the last session.

You can also specify a config file in the command line with the -C
parameter.  The entries in the config file will overwrite and supersede the
recalled settings.  The config file is not an ASCII file -- it has the same
format as the stored "remembered" settings.  (There is a command to allow
you to create these config files.)

Parameters are loaded in the order received.  The last value for any
setting is the active one.  You should, therefore, always specify any
config file fist on the command line, since otherwise it will overwrite any
values for duplicate parameters you set on the command line.

The order goes like this:

The remembered settings are loaded.

If a config file is specified on the command line, those values replace the
remembered values.

If any specific values are set by parameter on the command line, those are
set.  They replace any already set.

NEWS

PARAMS for N, news, take the form of a dash and a single letter followed,
in most cases by some information.  There must be a space before the dash.
There is no space between the parameter identifier and the information that
follows.  For example:  -Ac:\test.tst adds an attachment named test.txt
located on the c drive to the news post.  Avoid using any other space dash
combinations within the command line!  The -?  param will list out a list
of parameters for the function specified:  dispatch N -?

NEWS PARAMETERS

-C Config File -- Dispatch M -Cdispatch.nws
-N NewsServer -- Dispatch M -Snetnews.isp.net
-F FromAddr -- Dispatch M -Fsomeone.domain.com
-G News Groups -- Dispatch M -Gcomp.os.os2.announce,*comp.os.os2.mail-news
-A Text File -- Dispatch M -Ac:\newspost.txt
-A* BinaryFile -- Dispatch M -A*c:\picture.jpg
-H HostName -- Dispatch M -Hmachinename
-D Domain -- Dispatch M-Ddomain.com
-S Subject -- Dispatch M -SThis is a posting
-O Organization -- Dispatch M -OTeamOS/2
-L External News Group List -- Dispatch M -Los2nws.txt
-W Write config -- Dispatch M -Wnwsconfig.cfg

The notes to MAIL also generally apply to NEWS.

The newsserver is the name and not the IP address of the newsserver.

The Newsgroups are entered in one continuous stream separated by commas.
The Follow/Up group(s) default to the same as the post to groups, but can
be overridden by specifying more specific groups.  This is done by placing
an '*' before the name of the group.

One text file and one uuencoded file are allowed.

The hostname is the machine name with no domain.

The external list of newsgroups is an ASCII file with one group per line.
No commas.  An '*' should be prepended to a group that will be a followup
group.  No blank lines.

NEWS PARAMETERS AND CONFIG FILES

Dispatch remembers its last settings.  When you fire up news for the second
time, it will load in the same defaults it had loaded the previous session.
Defaults are only those parameters, like From and Server, that do not
usually change from session to session.  If you type -?  for news, you will
see a list of commands available and the settings of any parameters from
the last session.

You can also specify a config file in the command line with the -C
parameter.  The entries in the config file will overwrite and supersede the
recalled settings.  The config file is not an ASCII file -- it has the same
format as the stored "remembered" settings.  (There is a command to allow
you to create these config files.)

Parameters are loaded in the order received.  The last value for any
setting is the active one.  You should, therefore, always specify any
config file fist on the command line, since otherwise it will overwrite any
values for duplicate parameters you set on the command line.

The order goes like this:

The remembered settings are loaded.

If a config file is specified on the command line, those values replace the
remembered values.

If any specific values are set by parameter on the command line, those are
set.  They replace any already set.


FTP

PARAMS for T, FTP, take the form of a dash and a single letter followed, in
most cases by some information.  There must be a space before the dash.
There is no space between the parameter identifier and the information that
follows.  For example:  -Fc:\upload.tst names the file to transfer.  The -?
param will list out a list of parameters for the function specified:
dispatch T -?

FTP PARAMETERS

-U Logon User -- Dispatch T -Uyourname
-P Password -- Dispatch T -Ppassword
-Q PutUnique?  -- Dispatch T -Q
-A Account -- Dispatch T -Aaccountname (usually not required)
-D RemoteDir -- Dispatch T -Dpub/incoming
-R RemoteName -- Dispatch T-Rdispatch.zip
-F LocalFile -- Dispatch T -Fc:\upload\dispatch.zip
-H FTPHost-- Dispatch T -Hhobbes.mnsu.com

The same rules apply as for mail and news.

If you do not specify a remote file name, the local name (without path)
will be used instead.

FTP PARAMETERS AND CONFIG FILES

Dispatch remembers its last settings.  When you fire up ftp for the second
time, it will load in the same defaults it had loaded the previous session.
Defaults are only those parameters that do not usually change from session
to session.  If you type -?  for FTP, you will see a list of commands
available and the settings of any parameters from the last session.

You can also specify a config file in the command line with the -C
parameter.  The entries in the config file will overwrite and supersede the
recalled settings.  The config file is not an ASCII file -- it has the same
format as the stored "remembered" settings.  (There is a command to allow
you to create these config files.)

Parameters are loaded in the order received.  The last value for any
setting is the active one.  You should, therefore, always specify any
config file fist on the command line, since otherwise it will overwrite any
values for duplicate parameters you set on the command line.

The order goes like this:

The remembered settings are loaded.

If a config file is specified on the command line, those values replace the
remembered values.

If any specific values are set by parameter on the command line, those are
set.  They replace any already set.

MAKE CONFIG FILES

You make config files in one of three ways.

You find the backup for the last session and copy it to another name.  The
files are named D*lst.var.

You use the -W switch on the command line with a file name.  Dispatch will
also create a config file of that name when it "remembers" its settings.

You can start the config maker utility by using

Dispatch CM, CN or CT.  Enter data as prompted.

INTERACTIVE SESSIONS

These are started using the Dispatch IM, Dispatch IN or Dispatch IT
commands.

Each is slightly different.  You will first be prompted for certain
settings.  Then, after being given a chance to approve or correct the data,
you will be prompted for more.

For example, in mail, all settings except attachments are done first.  You
then add attachments until you signify you are done by entering a blank
line.

With news, it is the newsgroups that are entered free form at the end.

With FTP, when the transfer is complete, you can enter another file name
without going through all the steps again.

With main, '*' is used for binary files, as on the command line.

For news, '*' designates a follow up group, as on the command line.

For news, 'NONE' must be typed for a file type if there is none.

The entry fields are filled in with templates to guide you or with default
settings.  You delete and overwrite these.  The value in the field does get
sent to the program unless overwritten.  If it is already correct, leave
it.

You can load in your own defaults by putting a config file name after the
command -- no switch:

Dispatch IN hobbes.cfg would load in these defaults for editing.

MAILQ

If the mail file is created but not sent -- you are not online or there is
a network error -- it is queued in a folder called MAILQ.  The file will be
a complete mail file, including attachments.  There is also a parameter
file containing the Dispatch settings in effect when the attempt was made.
If you enter Dispatch Q it will process all files in the queue, using the
defaults in the parameter files for each note.

SENTMAIL

Sent mail is stored in this folder.

NEWSQ

If a posting fails, it is stored here, as with mail.  The command to
process the queue is not yet available.

POSTED

This folder contains the posted news files.