A QuicKeys and AppleScript lash-up to automate blinks by modem onto an Internet provider.
Requires System 7, QuicKeys 3.0 or better, MacPPP QuicKeys 3.0 or better and AppleScript 1.0 or better. Could be modified to run (unreliably) without AppleScript.
ScreeenSaver QuicKeys 3.0.1 or better is optional.
Assumes you are using MacPPP, AddMail 2.0.x, Eudora, MacSlurp and ToadNews 1.1, but could be adapted for other software.
MacPPP QuicKeys and ScreenSaverQuicKeys are on your nearest Info-Mac mirror. Archie will find them for you. If you have difficulty, mail me and I╒ll send them to you.
How to use:
Expand "MacPPP.QuicKeys.3.0.sit" and install as documented in that file.
If you have After Dark 2.0x or better and want to make damn sure your Mac is awake for the duration of the blink, expand "Screen.Saver.QuicKeys.3.0.1.sit" and install the Screen Saver QuicKeys as documented in that file.
Restart your Mac if you haven't already.
Remember to tell it how much you appreciate it (-:
Open the file "MacSlurp set" from within the QuicKeys editor and paste all the QuicKeys in it into your universal keyset.
If you decided not to use the Screen Saver QuicKeys remove the steps "Wake", "After Dark off" and "After Dark on" from the "Internet blink" sequence.
If your mail account is POP3 rather than STMP, remove the steps "AddMail" and "Wait for app" from the "Internet blink" sequence and "AddMail", "Wait for app", "Quit", "Pause 10.0 seconds" and "AddMail done" from the "Internet online" sequence.
Choose "Compress Sets" from the Options menu in the QuicKeys editor. QuicKeys will ask you to find all the applications that the script uses.
Assign your favourite hotkey to "Internet blink" (for manual blinks), and set your preferred timer options for "Internet daemon" (for automatic blinks).
Review the sequences for "Wait for app" and "Wait for quit" items and ensure that the application name in those items is correct for your setup.
Read all the sequences and make sure you are happy with what they do. I'm not responsible if they crash your Mac and run up a 12-hour 'phone bill for you!
Comments:
As you will see, the QuicKeys sequence is a bit of a bodge-up. In particular it relies on AddMail's finishing before MacSlurp does, because it disconnects once it sees that MacSlurp's "Close" button has become enabled. I have robustified this a bit, and if AddMail is busy and refuses to quit it should allow AddMail to finish. You have no guarantees, though. Alan Staniforth has promised a version of AddMail that will signal whether it's done in a way that QuicKeys can detect.
It also assumes ToadNews is set to auto unbatch, expire and quit each time it's run.
There is a beneficial side-effect, because while QuicKeys is waiting for MacSlurp to finish, you can do other net.things like use NetScape Mosaic, Anarchie or Fetch, and then bring MacSlurp back to the front to have the sequence continue. Just make sure no application presents QuicKeys with an enabled "Close" button while you are doing this!
Usage without AppleScript
If you don't have AppleScript, you can get most of the functionality of these sequences by replacing the "Eudora send" and "Eudora check" QuicKeys in the "Internet online" sequence with those included in the "Eudora w/o AppleScript" file. However, you will not be protected against Eudora taking over 2 minutes to process the messages and therefore timing the
AppleEvent out.
Fine Print
The MacSlurp QuicKeys are totally free, do-what-you-like-with-ware. Comments and suggestions are welcome. If you want to send money, please give it to a medical research charity instead.
Richard Buckle hereby disclaims all warranties relating to this software, whether express or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Richard Buckle will not be liable for any special, incidental, consequential, indirect or similar damages due to loss of data or any other reason, even if Richard Buckle or an agent of his has been advised of the possibility of such damages. In no event shall Richard Buckle be liable for any damages, regardless of the form of the claim. The person using the software bears all risk as to the quality and performance of the software.
US Government:
Government End Users: If you are acquiring the Software on behalf of any unit or agency of the United States Government, the following provisions apply. The Government agrees: (i) if the Software is supplied to the Department of Defense (DoD), the Software is classified as "Commercial Computer Software" and the Government is acquiring only "restricted rights" in the Software, its documentation and fonts as that term is defined in Clause 252.227-7013(c)(1) of the DFARS; and (ii) if the Software is supplied to any unit or agency of the United States Government other than DoD, the Government's rights in the Software, its documentation and fonts will be as defined in Clause 52.227-19(c)(2) of the FAR or, in the case of NASA, in Clause 18-52.227-86(d) of the NASA Supplement to the FAR.
