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WHATS.NEW
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1992-01-15
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New features/bugfixes Jan. 1992
in PMD17a/b
PMDBM Personal Message Data Base Manager
========================================
SUPPORT FOR SYSTEMS WITHOUT EMS MEMORY:
This version of PMDBM no longer requires the existance of EMS memory.
Nonetheless, those with EMS will realize significant performance
benefits by giving PMDBM up to 1.2MB of EMS. More than that isn't
necessary and would not improve performance.
Those without EMS will need at least 500k of free base memory and
should generally use swapping, with the possible exception of select
external utilities.
An added benefit which resulted from changes needed for the above is
an improvement in performance for those with EMS memory.
ANSI SUPPORT:
This version of PMDBM adds ANSI graphics and music support, including
support for certain display-related PCBoard characters.
At this time, there is no way to disable these features in the
configuration but provision has been made to disable them via command
line options.
/NA - disables all ansi support
/NM - disable ansi music support
While both switches may be used together, there is no point to doing
so since /NA implicitly disables music.
PMDBM uses internal ANSI routines rather than an external ansi driver.
This provides better performance and also increases security by
disallowing ANSI key redefinitions.
OTHER NEW SWITCHES:
This version of PMDBM now provides special switches in order to
support batch mode operations (Thank you Jim for the suggestion). The
new switches are:
/E - Export. Causes PMDBM to automatically export replies
on exit. This is true even when /X is specified.
/I: - Import. Causes the specified QWK file to be imported prior
to the menu being displayed. The format for this switch is:
/I:filename[.ext] where [.ext] can be omitted, in which
case it defaults to .QWK. If you want to specify a file which
does not have an extension, place a period after the filename.
This switch will also accept an '*' as the filename. This
will cause all [bbsname].QW* packets in the QWK directory to
be imported (note, not [bbsname + number].QW*!!). Those
using automated downloading packages may find this
especially useful! When used in conjunction with the 'Rename
Packets' option, a one-line batch file could be written for
unattended imports of all new QWK packets from the most
recent download session.
The import operation occurs BEFORE other automated processing
is done by PMDBM. This means that even if the RENAME PACKETS
option is enabled, the QWK packet names will change only AFTER
the specified file is Imported, not before.
When combined with the /X switch, this switch allows PMDBM
to import a QWK packet in batch mode.
- Elapsed time/record count statistics to the PMDBAT.LOG log
file.
/Q: - Tells PMDBM to build an HDR file for the specified QWK
packet. This switch would normally be used in batch mode.
The format for this switch is:
/Q:filename[.ext] where [.ext] can be omitted, in which
case it defaults to .QWK. If you want to specify a file which
does not have an extension, place a period after the filename.
The build operation occurs BEFORE other automated
processing is done by PMDBM (after /I:, if it is also
specified). This means that even if the RENAME PACKETS
option is enabled, the QWK packet names will change only
AFTER the specified file is processed, not before.
When combined with the /X switch, this switch allows PMDBM
to build an HDR file for a QWK packet in batch mode.
/X - Causes PMDBM to exit to DOS prior to displaying the Main
Menu. This switch can be of use in several ways. For
example, it can be used in conjunction with the /I: switch
to allow importing of a QWK packet in Batch mode. Or it
could be used with the /CONFIG switch which will allow
modification of the configuration and then exiting back
to DOS.
PMDBM will update/create a PMDBAT.LOG file in which to
record select events.
Please note that if PrePMD.BAT and/or PostPMD.BAT exist,
because they are the very first and very last things which
PMDBM checks for (respectively), they will processed.
Any automated processing which is normally done by PMDBM
prior to the menu being displayed will also occur (such as
the AutoImporting, packet renaming and cleanup etc). Of
course, the processing which is done is dependant on the
specific configuration options.
On the other hand, with the exception of PostPMD.BAT
processing, post-menu processing is bypassed, such as the
cleanup of the scratch directory. Note that exporting of
replies is also bypassed unless the /E switch is used.
By default PMDBM sorts messages by subject order. While the sort key
could be changed from within PMDBM, there was no mechanism to allow it
to be changed on startup. In order to provide this capability the
following switch has been added (hope this is close enough to appease
you for now Andrew):
/DS: - Default Sort. By default, PMDBM uses the Subject field
as the primary sortkey, with the message number being
the secondary key. This switch tells PMDBM to use an
alternate field as the primary key. Valid parameters
to the switch are:
/ds:NUMBER - tells PMDBM to sort on message number
/ds:TO - tells PMDBM to sort on message recipient
/ds:FROM - tells PMDBM to sort on message sender
Except in the case of NUMBER, the message number is used
as the secondary sort key.
The actions affected by the following switches are ones for which a
prompt is usually issued. Use of of them will cause PMDBM not to
issue the usual prompt:
/CLR tells PMDBM to automatically clear the scratch directory on
exit.
/NOCLR tells PMDBM not to clear the scratch directory.
/EXPORT tells PMDBM to automatically export replies, if they exist.
NOTE that as a safety feature PMDBM will NOT export replies
if the /X switch was also used AND a [bbsname].REP file
exists. If using this in batch mode from within a bat file,
ensure that any existing [bbsname].REP packets are deleted
or renamed prior to the running of PMDBM.
/NOEXPORT tells PMDBM not to export replies, even if they exists.
If used, you will not be prompted on exit.
- Using the [no]CLR and [no]EXPORT switches will provide a quicker exit
from PMDBM, bypassing the normal prompting for these options.
- As sort of a complement to the /NOEXPORT flag, there is a new main
menu option - EXPORT REPLIES. This option (R) will allow you to
export replies on demand. This will also be of value to those who use
multiple message bases since you no longer have to exit the reader in
order to create a reply packet.
To support this new twist, there had to be a new saftey check prompt
put in place during the export process. If a [bbsname].REP file
already exists in the replies directory, you will be asked whether to
append to it or not. If you reply in the negative (the default is
'Y'), you will also be asked for confirmation. While this provides
the ability to overwrite the existing .REP if it's already been
uploaded, it also