Collection of Tools & Utilities/Collection of Tools and Utilities.iso/comm/lib232.zip/MAIL.DOC

Text File | 1990-10-14 | 23KB | 418 lines

                MAIL.DOC Copyright (C) 1990 Liberation Enterprises.
                       Liberator Quick Set Up for Mail Doors


     This document was designed to allow you to automate your mail runs as
     quickly as possible, and it covers Qmail v2-4, MarkMail, and MegaMail-
     type door set up.  Items covered are (very briefly) how to get started
     in The Liberator with Command and Configuration Files, what items need
     setting up for automating mail runs, most of the common problems and
     their remedies, and some specific information on MegaMail-type doors,
     setting up for Multiple Mail doors on the same board, and Qmail v4 doors
     using the SET command.  If all goes well, you'll have it done in less
     than 15 minutes.

     To simplify things, it is assumed that you have Telix set up properly,
     and have already downloaded a mail packet manually from whichever door
     you're using.  If not, dig into your reader documentation first, or the
     larger Liberator manual for door/reader set up information.  None of
     these items are explained here (other than unusual items, specific to
     automated runs), and it is assumed you are familiar with your reader and
     the Mail Door itself.  If not, you probably will not be able to automate
     your runs very successfully... and 15 minutes could easily turn into
     frustrating hours.

     In order for The Liberator to get your mail from ANY door, you must
     first set up what is called a 'BBS Configuration File'.  To do so,
     please start The Liberator now using the LIBERATE command from DOS, or
     <Alt-G>LIBERATE from Telix.  From the main menu, select 'C'reate (if
     it's your first startup, Create is selected automatically... after a
     File Check and some other things... follow along and ad lib).  If
     prompted for a 'Configuration' to use, hit <Enter>.

     You should now be looking at a screen which allows entry of your name,
     and some other info about the BBS.  If not, hit <Esc> until you exit the
     program (to Telix terminal mode), and start over...

     Type 1 and hit <Enter> to select 'Name used on PCBoard', type in your
     name and hit <Enter> again.  Select item 2, and enter the Telix
     directory entry number(s) of the BBS you want to call.  If you don't
     know the entry numbers, hit <Alt-D> and your directory will be displayed
     (hit <Esc> to exit the directory once you note the entry #'s).  If more
     than one entry is to be specified, separate each with a space.

     *IMPORTANT*:  You must enter something in the 'Linked script' item of
     any Telix directory entries you use The Liberator with.  If the Linked
     script item is left blank, Telix will pause after connecting, and the
     opening question on the board will slip by the tracking routines.  I
     usually enter PCBOARD.SLC in this directory item, but you can enter any
     character at all, and Telix will then bypass the pause after connecting.
     As well, your PCBoard password must be placed in each directory entry,
     near the bottom.  Telix passes this password to The Liberator once a
     connection is established.  If The Liberator aborts due to no password,
     check all entries defined.

     If the board you call has more than one language available, enter the




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     number used on the BBS to select 'English' in item 7 (if there is a
     'Standard PCBoard prompts' language #, use it instead).  If you must
     join a conference to access the Mail Door, enter the proper conference #
     (or NAME if available) in item 9.  Next, enter the Mail Door's number
     (or NAME) in item 10.
     The rest of the items on this screen can be looked up in the larger
     manual if desired.  Most are usually fine at their defaults, but if you
     run into problems, look into the manual (or experiment... most items are
     fairly self-explanatory).

     Note the reminder at the bottom of the screen, then hit <Up Arrow> to
     'Change screens' and move to screen 4 - the Mail Door set up screen.

     Item 1, 'Packet ID' is different on each board, and you can find the
     packet or node ID by looking at the packet I mentioned at the opening of
     this document... you must have manually downloaded a packet first in
     order to get the proper ID.  The ID is found in the base part of the
     filename.  If the packet is named THEBBS.QWK, the ID you must enter is
     THEBBS.

     Item 2 must be set to whatever type of door you are setting up for.
     Select item 2, and you'll get a menu of the types available.  After you
     select the proper type, the prompts are automatically adjusted to the
     DEFAULT prompts used in that type of door (MegaMail type doors don't
     require prompts at all).  This doesn't mean that the prompts will
     actually match... because your Sysop may have re-defined the prompts.
     However, if the prompts are still at their defaults, they will work, and
     you won't have to worry about configuring prompts.
     If The Liberator 'hangs' at a certain prompt, the most likely cause is
     that it has been redefined in the door and is not matching what is
     defined here in the Configuration.  In Qmail v4 doors, The Liberator
     uses the 'Extended prompts for scripting' which cannot be redefined.
     See the section on configuring prompts in LIBERATE.DOC for more info on
     setting up prompts, if necessary.

     Assuming you have the door's default protocol set up as Zmodem, you
     won't have to worry about configuring protocols.  If did set up a
     different protocol in the door, select items 6 and 7, and enter the
     proper protocol from the menu.  Leave the 'Door protocol letter' set to
     'N' to use your door default.  Different up/download protocols are
     currently only available in the Qmail v3/4 doors, and information on why
     and how you would want to define separate protocols can be found in
     LIBERATE.DOC.

     The SET / NET items are specific to the Qmail v4 door, and are explained
     below under 'Qmail v4 setup'.

     Items 10-12 must be set to the same directories your Offine Reader has
     been set up for.  If you have your reader set up to create your replies
     file in the C:\REP directory, then you must also define this directory
     in item 10, or The Liberator will not be able to locate your reply
     packets.  Likewise with the message packet directory, according to where
     your reader looks for these files.  The *filenames* are not needed, as




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     The Liberator constructs the proper filename using the 'Packet ID' and
     'Mail System' type.  For example, if you set the Packet ID to "RMPCB",
     and the door type to Qmail v4, and your reply packet directory to
     C:\MSG\, then The Liberator will look for a file called C:\MSG\RMPCB.REP
     (REP being the proper file extension for Qmail).  If you set up for a
     MegaMail door, the extension .UL will be substituted for .REP, and so
     forth (the filenames are constructed internally at run-time, and are not
     displayed on this screen).  The Liberator maintains your packets, both
     message and reply, and will rename and/or delete older packets before
     new ones come in, or after they go out.  Items 4 and 5 control the
     number of backup packets you wish to keep on hand.  It is recommended
     you keep these items set to 1 or more.

     That's it for the BBS Configuration, so hit <Enter> at the 'Enter =
     Save' prompt, then enter a name to save it under.  A good choice for a
     name is the Packet ID, since it will help remind you which board/ID the
     Configuration is set up for.

     You are then taken to the 'Command File Editor' which is where you
     define:  a) the board to call (the Configuration File to use) and b) th