Copyright: Copyright ® 1993 Prodigy Computing


Contents

Quick Start

Detailed Discussion

The Problem

What wfListen Does

Differences between Using wfListen and Using the Receive | Setup Dialogue

Installation

Using wfListen

Command-line Usage

Dialogue Mode

Status Display
Control Buttons
Preference Settings
The System Menu

Error Messages

Feedback

Report defects, get support and make suggestions here.

Registration costs US$6.

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP).  If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member, ASP may be able to help. Click on the ASP logo for details.

Licence and Acknowledgements

Licence

Acknowledgements

Trademarks


Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP)

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP).  ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products.  Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI USA 49442-9427, Fax 616-788-2765, or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.


The Problem

In WinFax, when you switch automatic fax reception on, it initializes the modem in a particular way and then "listens" for a ring. The way it does this is different from most other communications programs. Most other programs set the modem to Auto-Answer and then monitor the DSR (data set ready) line. But WinFax switches Auto-Answer off at the modem and monitors the RI (ring indicator) line.

The Problem with Windows Communications Programs

The Problem with DOS-based Communications Programs


The Problem with Windows Communications Programs

If you try to use a Windows-based communications program, such as Windows Terminal, WinCimor WigWam, Windows will realize that WinFax is listening to the modem and notify you of a conflict. You can tell Windows to take the modem away from WinFax, which it will. Or you can avoid the problem by going into WinFax beforehand and switching off automatic reception. Go to Receive | Setup and uncheck Automatic Reception. Press OK and all will be well.

Either of these actions will turn automatic reception off. However, it's easy to forget to turn it back on again, and you might go a whole day with your fax reception inadvertently turned off.

You can avoid the problem entirely by abandoning your existing communications program and switching to Delrina's WinComm Pro, a WinFax-aware communications program. But that solution is a little drastic for some people.

The Ideal Solution to the Problem

What one would like is to have some automatic way of turning automatic reception off before starting a communications program, and turning it back on once the program has finished.


The Problem with DOS-based Communications Programs

Many WinFaxers use DOS-based communications programs, such as Tapcis, CompuServe Information Manager, Telix, and others. When you run these programs from Windows, they usually reset your modem for their own purposes. Once they have done this, WinFax will no longer answer the phone.

While you are using the communications program, you are unlikely to receive calls, so this is not a problem. But when you exit from your communications program, you would like automatic reception to be switched back on.

WinFax is unaware that anything has changed at the modem, so as far as it is concerned, automatic reception is still enabled. But it will not know when the phone rings, and will not answer.

You can cure this by hand quite easily.  Go to Receive | Setup and make sure Automatic Reception is checked. Press OK and all will be well.

However, this is easy to forget, and you might go a whole day with your fax reception inadvertently turned off.

The Ideal Solution to the Problem

What one would like is to have some automatic way of turning automatic reception off before starting a communications program, and turning it back on once the program has finished.


WigWam

A Windows forum navigator for CompuServe. Ashmount Software, CIS 75300,250. GO UKCOMP on CompuServe for more details.


WinComm Pro

A Windows communications and terminal emulation program. Delrina Technology Inc, 895 Don Mills Rd, 500–2 Part Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3C 1W3. GO DELRINA on CompuServe for more details.


Windows Terminal

A terminal application supplied by Microsoft with Windows 3.1. Microsoft Corporation, 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond WA 98052-6399. Consult Chapter 11 of your Windows 3.1 manual, or GO MSWIN on CompuServe for more details.


Microsoft Excel

A spreadsheet program for Windows. Microsoft Corporation, 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond WA 98052-6399. GO EXCEL on CompuServe for more details.


Microsoft Visual Basic

A programming language and rapid development environment for Windows. Microsoft Corporation, 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond WA 98052-6399. GO MSBASIC on CompuServe for more details.


Microsoft Word for Windows

A word-processing program for Windows. Microsoft Corporation, 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond WA 98052-6399. GO MSWORD on CompuServe for more details.


Tapcis

A DOS-based forum navigator for CompuServe. Support Group Inc, Lake Technology Park, McHenry MD 21541. CIS 74020,10. GO TAPCIS on CompuServe for more details.


Telix

A widely-used DOS-based terminal program. Exis Inc., P.O. Box 130, West Hill, Ontario, Canada M1E 4R4.


CompuServe Information Manager

A desktop-metaphor point-and-click front end for CompuServe, available in both a DOS version (DosCim) and a Windows version (WinCim). CompuServe, PO Box 20212, Columbus OH43220. GO CIMSUP (DosCim) or WCIMSUP (WinCim) on CompuServe for more details.


PIF

Program interface file, a file that specifies the kind of DOS environment that Windows needs to provide to a DOS application for proper operation. Consult Chapter 8 of your Windows 3.1 manual for more details.


WinBatch

A Windows batch interpreter. Wilson WindowWare, 2701 California Ave SW #212, Seattle, WA 98116. GO WILSON on CompuServe for more details.


What wfListen Does

WfListen solves the problem by sending WinFax a DDE message to disable automatic reception and re-enable it afterwards.

You don't have to use wfListen: there are a number of Windows tools that allow you to do this. WinBatch is one; you can also use Visual Basic, or the macro facilities in Word or Excel. (This list is not at all exhaustive.)

WfListen is intended for WinFax users who do not care to do their own DDE programming. WfListen does the following:

        It sends a DDE message to WinFax, switching automatic reception off.

        It then runs a communications program and waits for it to finish.

        Finally, it sends another DDE message to WinFax to switch automatic reception back on.


Differences between Using wfListen and Using the Receive | Setup Dialogue

What wfListen does is not entirely equivalent to switching automatic reception on and off using the Receive | Setup dialogue.

The difference is that when wfListen switches automatic reception off, it also inhibits scheduled sending.

Imagine, for example, if you have a fax that is scheduled to be sent at some time in the future. Then you use wfListen to switch off automatic reception, because you wish to use a communications program. Suppose that the scheduled time for the fax to be sent comes around before wfListen has switched automatic reception back on. WinFax will not send the scheduled fax until wfListen does switch automatic reception back on.

Similarly, suppose you go offline but you leave your communications program running and iconized. WfListen will of course still be waiting for that program to terminate. If you switch to WinFax and compose a fax for immediate transmission, it will not be sent until you do one of the following:

        Exit from the communications program so that wfListen switches automatic reception back on.

        Double-click on the wfListen icon to activate it, and manually select Automatic Reception | Enable.

A moment's reflection will convince you that this is in fact desirable behaviour.


Installation

WfListen has an installation program,  setup.exe, and using it is probably the easiest way to install the program. However, the installation program cooperates with Windows Program Manager to perform the installation, and if you are using another shell, the installation may fail. If it does, you will need to do the installation by hand. But it's not hard or complex.

For beginners, there is a fixed installation procedure, which will work but will not necessarily suit your preferred directory structure.

For more advanced Windows users, there are installation guidelines, which will tell you what is required to install the program but leaves the choice of directories up to you.


Automatic Installation
Installation Program

When you run the setup program, you will see the display shown opposite. It asks for the following items of information:

Install wfListen in

Comms programs are in group

Clone this group as

Install support for


Install Support for
Install Support for...

This permits you to select the language or languages you want to install. WfListen supports several languages in addition to English, and you can choose to install one language, or more than one. You must install at least one.

If any language checkbox appears greyed out, then necessary files for that language are missing from your installation disk(s).

Installing multiple languages allows you to change your mind afterwards about the language you want, in the language preference settings. Preferences will not let you specify a language that you have not installed.

On the other hand, installing unwanted languages wastes disk space. Support for one language takes approximately 250K.


Install wfListen in
Install wfListen in...

Enter the name of the directory that you would like to have wfListen installed in. The directory need not already exist: if it does not exist it will be created. The default directory is  c:\wflisten, but you are free to choose a different drive or directory name if this suits your needs better.


Comms programs are in group...

A list of all your Program Manager groups will be shown here. Select the one where you keep your communications programs. WfListen will make a copy of this group, and in the copy it will modify the command lines of the individual programs so as to save you the trouble of doing this yourself.


Clone this group as...

Enter the name you would like to give to the group that Setup will create. The default name is derived from the original group. For example, if you keep your communications programs in a group called Communications, Setup will suggest the name Communications/wfListen. But you can change to anything you choose.


Fixed Manual Installation Procedure for beginners
Fixed Installation Procedure

1. Copy  BWCC.DLL to your \windows\system directory.

2. Copy the following files into the same directory as your favourite communications program, for example c:\cserve\wincim:

wflisten.exe

wflistn0.hlp

wflistn1.hlp

wflistn2.hlp

wflistn0.dll

wflistn1.dll

wflistn2.dll

3. Specify this same directory (in the example, c:\cserve\wincim) as the Working Directory to Program Manager, when setting up the Item Properties of your communications program. This is more fully described in Using wfListen.


Manual Installation Guidelines for non-beginners
Installation Guidelines

Use the following guidelines to determine where to put wfListen's files.

1. Your communications program can be...

on your path  or in the working directory  (recommended) or specified in full.

2. Any DLLs that the communications program needs can be...

on your path or in the working directory (recommended) or in your \windows\system directory.

3. The program file wflisten.exe can be...

on your path or in the working directory (recommended) or specified in full.

4. The wfListen DLL files wflistn0.dll, wflistn1.dll and wflistn2.dll can be...

on your path or in the working directory(recommended) or in your  \windows  \system directory. The best place is in the same directory as  wflisten.exe.

5. The helpfiles wflistn0.hlp, wflistn1.hlp  and wflistn2.hlp can be...

on your path or in the working directory (recommended).

6. The DLL bwcc.dll can be...

on your path or in the working directoryor in your  \windows  \system directory (recommended).  Before installing   bwcc.dll , though, make sure you do not already have a later version of the DLL. You can use File Manager's File | Search to look for it. If you have an earlier version than the one that comes with wfListen, overcopy it in place, wherever it is. If you have the same or a later version, do nothing.


C:\windows directory

In these instructions we have consistently referred to the directory where Windows is installed as  \windows. That is the Microsoft default. But you may have chosen another name for the directory when you installed Windows, such as \ win31. If you have done this, then you must substitute that name for  \windows, wherever that directory appears in these instructions.


On Your Path

Check what directories are on your path by typing a  PATH command at an MS-DOS prompt. You will see a list of directories, separated by semicolons, something like the following:

 PATH=C:\HARDWARE\QEMM;C:\WINDOWS;D:\BPASCAL\BIN;C:\STARTBAT;C:\DOS;  C:\UTI;C:\NORTON;C:\WINDOWS\NDW;C:\LLPRO\;D:\LANMAN\NETPROG;C:\EXCEL;

Any one of the listed directories will do. A good candidate for a program like wfListen is  c:\uti  (for utilities). Bear in mind that the list of directories on your system will be different.

Alternatively, you can add a directory to the path by editing the  path statement in your  autoexec.bat file. Use Windows Notepad or Windows SysEdit to do this. Remember that you must restart your system for changes in  autoexec.bat to take effect.


In the Working Directory

In Program Manager, when you specify the name of the program to execute when you click on the icon, you also have the option (in the Item Properties dialogue) of entering a working directory. Windows changes to this directory before running the program, and programs and DLLs in that directory will be available to the system when the program is run.


Specified in Full

When you give Program Manager the name of a program, you can enter it as a drive letter, a chain of directories, and the program filename, for example  c:\cserve\wincim\wincim.exe or  c:\pgm\wflisten.exe. In this helpfile, this is called specifying the filename in full.

The alternative is simply to give the name of the program, for example  wincim.exe. This relies on the program either being on the path or in the working directory.

It is never wrong to specify a program name in full, and it is often necessary.

For example, if you install wfListen in a directory separate from your communications programs, the communications program may need to have its directory as the working directory (especially if it is DOS-based) and there is really no need to put wfListen's directory on your path. The path string is a limited resource.


Using wfListen

Before using wfListen, be sure to check the installation instructions to make sure that you have installed it properly.

Then follow the instructions for using wfListen with DOS communications programs or Windows communications programs.


Using wfListen with DOS communications programs

Suppose currently you are running Tapcis from Windows via a PIF. You will have an icon in Program Manager that is set up to look much like the dialogue box below:

Change this so that wfListen runs first (to switch off automatic reception). Pass it the name tapcis.pif as a parameter, like this:

This will have the effect of changing the icon for the communications program to the wfListen icon. This is probably not what you want. Press the Change Icon button and you will see 15 other icons representing a variety of communications programs, some generic and some specific. You can select any of them to represent your communications program.

It is quite likely that none will be to your taste. If so, use the Browse button in the Change Icon dialogue to find and select the icon library containing the icon that you were using for your communications program, and select the correct icon there.

If you are not using a PIF, the process is identical, except that you name the actual .exe file instead of the PIF file shown in the examples above.

In the example, both wflisten.exe and tapcis.pif are specified alone, not specified in full.This will work because both wflisten.exe and tapcis.pif are in the working directory c:\tapcis. If you have installed wflisten.exe in some other directory, it will be necessary to specify it in full, unless it is in a directory that is on your path.

If your communications program requires command-line parameters, simply put the parameters after the name of the program just as you would if you were running the program from a DOS prompt.

You can't pass command-line parameters to a PIF. That is the way PIFs work. If you are using a PIF, put the command-line parameters in the PIF.


Using wfListen with Windows communications programs

Suppose currently you are running WinCim from Windows Program Manager icon. You will have an icon in Program Manager that is set up to look much like the dialogue box below:

Change this so that wfListen runs first (to switch off automatic reception). Pass it the name wincim.exe as a parameter, by adding a call to wfListen before it. The added text is shown as shaded in the dialogue box below:

This will change the Program Manager icon for the communications program to the wfListen icon. This is probably not what you want. Press the Change Icon button and you will see 15 other icons representing a variety of communications programs, some generic and some specific. You can select any of them to represent your communications program.

It is quite likely that none will be to your taste. If so, use the Browse button in the Change Icon dialogue to find and select the .exe file of the communications program you are using and select the correct icon there.

This process affects only the icon as it appears in Program Manager. When your communications program runs, it will display its own icon in any event.

In the example, both wflisten.exe and wincim.exe are given as just plain filenames, not specified in full.This works because both programs are in c:\cserve\wincim, which has been specified as the working directory. But if you have installed wflisten.exe in some other directory, it will be necessary to specify it in full, unless it is in a directory that is on your path.

If your communications program requires command-line parameters, simply put the parameters after the name of the program in the Command Line box.


DDE

Dynamic data exchange, a mechanism for Windows programs to exchange data and issue commands to each other.


*Command-Line Usage
Command-Line Usage

When you run wfListen, it takes one optional parameter, which can either be a program name, or else have the value 1 or 0.

wfListen.exe mypgm.exe [parm1 parm2 ...]

Sends WinFax a message to disable automatic fax reception

runs mypgm.exe, optionally passing it the parameters parm1, parm2 etc

waits for it to finish

switches automatic reception back on

silently terminates.

wfListen.exe 1

Sends WinFax a message to enable automatic fax reception

silently terminates.

wfListen.exe 0

Sends WinFax a message to disable automatic fax reception

silently terminates.

wfListen.exe

Establishes a DDE link with WinFax but sends a message only when asked.

This you do from the menu.

If the parameter you supply is neither 0 nor 1 nor the name of a program in your path, you will get the error message "Invalid command line parameter" or "Program mypgm.exe not found to launch" and wfListen will wait for a dialogue-mode command.

The parameterless option is designed primarily for testing and for setting options, not for normal use.

The parameters 0 and 1 may be useful in Windows batch applications.

Testing wfListen

To test the program, run it with no parameters from Program Manager's File | Run dialogue. Bring up WinFax beside it, positioned so that you can see the Auto Receive : Enabled status line at the bottom of the WinFax control panel. Next, use wfListen's Disable and Enable buttons. You should see the status line change in WinFax, and (if you have an external modem with status lights) you should be able to verify that WinFax is "talking" to your modem when you select Enable. See dialogue mode for a full discussion of this.


Path

There is a DOS environment variable called PATH which tells the system where to look for programs to be run. It takes the form of a list of directories. The system starts in the current directory and then searches each of the listed directories in turn, looking for the program you have specified. This is so that you can run a program without having to remember exactly where it is.

You can add directories to the path by editing the  path statement in your  autoexec.bat file. You must restart your system after doing this for the changes to take effect.

"Path" is also used in another sense, meaning the full name of a program including disk and subdirectory, for example  C:\TAPCIS\TAPCIS.EXE, which is called the path, full path, or pathname, in contrast to simply  TAPCIS.EXE, which is then called the filename. This second sense of "path" is not intended here.


Dialogue Mode

It will be clear from the discussion that wfListen is intended always to be used in one of its silent forms, with its operation controlled by a command-line parameter rather than by the buttons on the dialogue that appears if you run it with no parameters.

The dialogue-mode interface is provided so that you can experiment with the program, set preferences, and as a place to hang this help file.

 When you start wfListen without parameters, you will see the dialogue shown opposite. The dialogue consists of the Status Display and the Control Buttons.


Status Display

Although they look like radio buttons, you should think of the five options as "status lights" like the ones on a modem. If you click on them with the mouse they will  not respond.

Initially and very briefly, the status will be shown as "unknown". If WinFax is running, this will be replaced almost immediately with one of the other statuses, all of which are probably self-explanatory.

WfListen shows the status of WinFax even when it is iconized.

 is the equivalent of Automatic Reception Disabled.

 is the equivalent of Automatic Reception Enabled.

 is the equivalent of Busy.

 is the equivalent of Unknown.

This status is accurate when wfListen starts, and when you change the status in wfListen. In the interests of performance, no continuous monitoring is done. If you go to WinFax itself and change the reception status, you will not see the status change in wfListen's window, until you set the focus back to wfListen.

Refreshing the Status

If you suspect that the status that WinFax is displaying is incorrect, you can force it to refresh the status by selecting the Refresh option from the system menu: press Alt-space and select Refesh. The keyboard shortcut for this is F5.


Control Buttons

The following five buttons appear at the bottom of the dialogue:

Enable

Disable

Preferences

Help, which you already understand, or you would not be reading this.

Exit, which shuts wfListen down as one might expect.


*Enable/Disable
  Enable/Disable

At any given moment, the leftmost button will permit you either to enable or disable WinFax automatic reception. Pressing this button sends the appropriate DDE message, and rechecks the status.

When you press the Enable button, wfListen sends a message to WinFax, which in turn tells MOD.EXE to reinitialize the modem. This takes a while: up to 20 seconds on slow modems. While this is happening, wfListen will show WinFax's status as BUSY, and the Enable/Disable button will be greyed out.

When wfListen is iconized, you can enable or disable WinFax with a single mouse click by clicking on the wfListen icon with the right mouse button.


Preference Settings
 Preferences

If you press the Preferences button, you will see the dialogue shown opposite. If you press the OK button, any changes that you make in the Preferences dialogue will be saved immediately as settings in the [wfListen] section of your win.ini file. No special action on your part is required.

The following items are available in the Preferences dialogue:

Expect WinFax

Launch Maximized

Hide wfListen Icon

Shutdown Delay

Language


Language Preference Setting

WfListen supports several languages other than English. You can choose the language you prefer here. If you change the language you must shut down wfListen and restart it for the change to take effect.

This option setting is stored in the [wfListen] section of your win.ini file.

Language=0 means English.
Language=1 means French.
Language=2 means German.


Shutdown Delay

Some applications reset the modem after they have finished. To do this, they send a modem reset string. Depending on your modem and the amount of work the reset string demands, the modem may be busy for an appreciable period after your communications program has ended.

If wfListen attempts to re-enable automatic reception during this period, WinFax will attempt to reconfigure the modem for its own purposes. This will result in a conflict, with either WinFax complaining that it cannot communicate with the modem, or Windows complaining that you have two applications attempting to use the same port.

To avoid this conflict, you can specify a shutdown delay. WfListen will wait for this length of time after your communications program terminates, before re-enabling WinFax automatic reception. The delay is specified in milliseconds, that is, 1000 means one second.

If you encounter the behaviour described here, try setting a delay. The value to set needs to be determined by trial and error. 2000 (that is, two seconds) is a good value to start at.


Expect WinFax
Expect WinFax Preference Setting

This option is a toggle: it can either be checked or unchecked.

If it is checked then wfListen expects WinFax to be running when it starts, and complains if it cannot establish a DDE link with it.

You will see this dialogue box if wfListen cannot establish a DDE link with WinFax. You can then choose the following options:

Abort	wfListen terminates.

Retry	wfListen tries a second time to establish a DDE link with WinFax.

Ignore	wfListen continues running as normal.

If it is unchecked, then wfListen tries to establish a DDE link with WinFax. If WinFax does not respond on the first attempt, wfListen silently terminates.

This option may be set at any time, but it is effective only when wfListen is launching another program. If you run wfListen without parameters, and WinFax is not running, the message shown above will always be displayed.

This option setting is stored in the [wfListen] section of your win.ini file. ExpectWinFax=1 means that the option is checked. ExpectWinFax=0 means that the option is unchecked.


Hide Icon Preference Setting

This option is a toggle: it can either be checked or unchecked.

If it is unchecked then wfListen launches the communications program and then runs as an icon on the desktop.

If it is checked then wfListen launches the communications program, but is not visible as an icon on the desktop. It is still there and running, but it is not visible. This keeps the desktop tidy, but has the disadvantage that you can not gain control of wfListen except by running it without parameters–which you cannot do if you have another instance running already.

This option may be set at any time, but the setting is effective only when wfListen is launching another program.

This option setting is stored in the [wfListen] section of your win.ini file. ShowIcon=1 means that the option is unchecked. ShowIcon=0 means that the option is checked.


Launch Maximized Preference Setting

This option is a toggle: it can either be checked or unchecked.

If it is checked then wfListen launches the communications program maximized, that is, covering the entire desktop.

If it is unchecked then wfListen launches the communications program at its usual size. If the program has been written to remember its usual size, then that size will be used; otherwise Windows will determine what size to display it.

This option may be set at any time, but the setting is effective only when wfListen is launching another program.

This option setting is stored in the [wfListen] section of your win.ini file. LaunchMaximized=1 means that the option is checked. LaunchMaximized=0 means that the option is unchecked.


MOD.EXE

WinFax's modem control program.


System Menu

If you click on the control box in the top left hand corner of the main window, you will see the menu shown opposite. It is the usual Windows system menu, with the following items added:

Refresh

About...

Register... (this option does not appear on registered copies of the program)


*Registration Dialogue
Registration Dialogue

When you register the program, you will receive a registration number. Selecting the registration option on the system menu shows the dialogue shown opposite. This dialogue permits you to enter your name and registration number. After they have been entered, your name and registration number will appear in the About box, and you will not receive messages reminding you to register the program.

You must enter your name exactly as it appears on the registration notice, because a checksum of the name is encoded in the registration number. If your name is not spelt correctly then let us know and we will issue you a new  number.

The  number is 10 hexadecimal digits, for example AB-120F-ABCD. Enter the number exactly as it appears on the  notice, with the hyphens.


About Box

The About box gives brief information about the authorship of the program and the version that you are running. It also has a button that gives direct access to the conditions of the licence. If you are using a registered copy the About box will also show the name of the licensee and the licence number.


Licence

Copyright

This program was written by Paul Keating. The program and its supporting materials are copyright © 1993 by Prodigy Computing (Pty) Limited, PO Box 2194, Cramerview 2060, South Africa. Supplied with the program is a dynamic link library, BWCC.DLL, which is copyright © 1991–1992 by Borland International, PO Box 660001, Scotts Valley CA95067-0001, USA, and which is redistributed by permission of the copyright owner.

WfListen is distributed as shareware. It is not in the "public domain". It is not free software. However, you do have the opportunity to try it for 60 days before you pay for it. (Any money that you may have already paid to obtain a copy of this program is purely a copying fee: the author receives no part of it.)

Usage Licence

You may use the program WFLISTEN.EXE without payment for a trial period of 60 days. At the end of the trial period you must either delete the program from your computer system or register the program. The fee for registration is US$6. In return for the registration fee, you will be granted a non-exclusive licence to use the program WFLISTEN.EXE (including any revised version of the program that the author may publish in the future) indefinitely without further payment. The program is made available voetstoots (a Roman-Dutch legal condition that excludes, among other things, all supplier's warranties of any kind, express or implied, against defects latent or patent). You assume all responsibility for the adverse consequences of any defects in the program. If the program does not work, or if it works differently from the way you expected or intended or were led to believe, your sole remedy is to stop using it. You may in certain cases claim a refund of any registration fee you have paid. See the section on registration for details.

Distribution Licence

You may distribute the program freely to others, provided that you distribute the program and its supporting materials including this licence statement and BWCC.DLL together as a unit, and provided also that you may not charge any money for the program, or bundle it with another item that you charge money for.

Shareware distributors and BBS operators who make a business of distributing shareware may charge a reasonable fee for copying the program or permitting others to download it.


Problem Reports

If you report problems with wfListen, we will be glad to try and resolve them. If you have suggestions about how the program could be improved to be more useful to you, they will be welcomed.

You can get support by mail, by fax, or by e-mail on CompuServe.

Registered users get guaranteed support for 90 days after registration. The guarantee means that if wfLIsten does not work with your combination of hardware and communications programs we will do our best to fix it so that it does work. Because wfListen interacts with other programs, we can't promise to make it work in all cases. If we can't fix the defect we will refund your registration fee.

We will support you even if your copy is not registered, but if your problem requires program changes, they may be accorded a low priority.


Support by Mail

Mail a description of the defect to

Paul Keating
Prodigy Computing
PO Box 2194
Cramerview
South Africa 2060

Please be patient if you use the mail. Airmail delivery takes 3–5 weeks. Surface mail takes up to 4 months.

 When you report problems, it is really important for us to know what release of wfListen you are running (the problem you report may already have been identified and fixed in a later release). So, to help us respond quickly, please pull down the About box from the system menu and note the Program Revision and Resource Revision number, and include these numbers in your problem report.

It may seem obvious, but we also need to know what communications program you are using (and remember to say whether it is the DOS or Windows version), and an exact description of the defect: what happens? do you get an error message? which one? And please understand that we may never have even heard of the communications program you are using.


Support by Fax

Fax a description of the defect to

Paul Keating
Prodigy Computing
+27-11-888-2370

 When you report problems, it is really important for us to know what release of wfListen you are running (the problem you report may already have been identified and fixed in a later release). So, to help us respond quickly, please pull down the About box from the system menu and note the Program Revision and Resource Revision number, and include these numbers in your problem report.

It may seem obvious, but we also need to know what communications program you are using (and remember to say whether it is the DOS or Windows version), and an exact description of the defect: what happens? do you get an error message? which one? And please understand that we may never have even heard of the communications program you are using.


Support by E-mail on CompuServe

Please report problems or suggestions to Paul Keating, CompuServe 73770,660. When you report problems, it is really important for us to know what release of wfListen you are running (the problem you report may already have been identified and fixed in a later release). So, to help us respond quickly, please pull down the About box from the system menu and note the Program Revision and Resource Revision number, and include these numbers in your problem report.

It may seem obvious, but we also need to know what communications program you are using (and remember to say whether it is the DOS or Windows version), and an exact description of the defect: what happens? do you get an error message? which one? And please understand that we may never have even heard of the communications program you are using.


Registration

If you like and use wfListen, we ask you to register it. WfListen is shareware: it is not free.  Registration costs US$6. We promise not to pester you with junk e-mail about products you don't want. We will notify you about major new releases of wfListen, if any.

The benefits of registration are:

1. Nag-free usage. When we receive your registration form we will send you a registration number. Once you have entered the registration number on the registration dialogue, the program will cease to nag you about registration.

2. Support. Registered users get guaranteed support for 90 days after registration. If wfLIsten does not work with your combination of hardware and communications programs we will do our best to fix it so that it does work. Because wfListen interacts with other programs, we can't promise to make it work in all cases. If we can't fix the defect we will refund your  fee.

3. Peace of mind. The entire shareware concept is based on trust. The continued availability of shareware depends on your willingness to pay for software that you use.

You can register by e-mail on CompuServe or by fax or by mail. Or you can use CompuServe's online shareware registration service.


Registration by Mail

On the registration form you will see a button like this:  Press this button to send the form to your printer. Fill it in and mail it to the address shown on the form.

You can pay by credit card (we accept MasterCard and Visa) or by cheque. Please add US$1-50 if paying by cheque to partially cover the cost of foreign bank clearance. Please do not send cash through the mail. We regret that we cannot accept cheques in currencies other than US dollars and South African rands.

If you pay by credit card, we ask for your address, because our bank requires us to mail your copy of the completed credit card voucher to you. This address will be used for no other purpose.

Surface mail (one way) from the US to Southern Africa takes anything up to four months. Airmail takes 3-5 weeks.

Surface mail (one way) from Europe takes 4-6 weeks. Airmail takes 10 days.

Your registration number will be sent to you by fax (if you provide a fax number) or e-mail (if you provide an e-mail address). Otherwise it will be mailed back to you.


Registration by Fax

On the registration form you will see a button like this:  Select File | Print Setup to direct printed output to WinFax. Then press the button to send the form to WinFax. When WinFax displays the Send Fax dialogue, check the Save to File box. Use WinFax's annotation feature to fill in the form. Then fax it to us. The fax number is on the form.

When you register by fax you must pay by credit card (we accept MasterCard and Visa). Your registration number will be faxed back to you. Please allow two business days for this.

We ask for your address because our bank requires us to mail your copy of the completed credit card voucher to you. This address will be used for no other purpose.


*Registration by eMail
Registration by e-Mail

On the registration form you will see a button like this:  Press this button to copy the form to the clipboard. Use a text editor or the message editor of your communications program to fill it in. Then send it to us via CompuServe mail–not as a public message in a CompuServe forum. The CompuServe ID to use is shown on the form.

When you register by e-mail you must pay by credit card (we accept MasterCard and Visa). Your registration number will be e-mailed back to you. Please allow two business days for this.

We ask for your address because our bank requires us to mail your copy of the completed credit card voucher to you. This address will be used for no other purpose.


CompuServe Online Registration
Online Registration

CompuServe offers an online shareware registration service. When you register a program online, the registration fee is added to your CompuServe charges and CompuServe will bill you in the normal way.

To register a program, you must first find its description in the Shareware Registration database.

To begin, GO SWREG and select "Register Shareware" from the menu.  A list of search criteria will be displayed to you. CompuServe has assigned wfListen the Registration ID 2113. Enter this ID under option #1 on the search criteria menu. You will then navigate directly to wfListen's description. This is the easiest and fastest method of registering a program.

If you have any questions or concerns about shareware registration, send a message to the Shareware Administrator by selecting the "Provide Feedback" option at the main SWREG menu.

Your registration will be acknowledged by CompuServe e-mail. Please allow two business days for this.


*Registration Form
Prodigy Computing                                                      Print this form
wfListen Registration Form              Copy to Clipboard

I want to register my copy of wfListen. Please register the program in the name of

       _______________________________________

and send me a registration number.

[   ] Charge the US$6-00 registration fee to my [   ] MasterCard [   ] Visa Card

      Number __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __

      Expiry date __ __ / __ __ (must be supplied)

      Name on card (if different from name above):

       _______________________________________

[   ] I enclose a cheque for R23-00 (South African rands) favour of Prodigy Computing (Pty) Ltd.

[   ] I enclose a cheque for $7-50 (US dollars) in favour of Prodigy Computing (Pty) Ltd.

Note - Credit cards: Your credit card will be billed the equivalent of US$6 in South African Rands at the ruling exchange rate on the day your order is processed. Because exchange rates fluctuate, your credit card company may use a slightly different rate when it converts the charge back into your own currency. So the amount actually charged to your card may be slightly lower or slightly higher. South African users will be billed R23-00 including 14% VAT.

Note - Dollar Cheques: Cheques in US dollars must be drawn on a US bank. The additional $1-50 is to partially offset the very high cost of clearing foreign cheques. Please do not send cheques in other currencies.

      Postal Address (for return of credit card voucher–not required for cheque payments):

      _______________________________________

      _______________________________________

      _______________________________________

      _______________________________________

      Email address or fax number (for notification of registration number–if omitted you will be notified by mail):

      _______________________________________

      Signature (required for fax and mail orders):

      _______________________________________

Mail to: Prodigy Computing, PO Box 2194 Cramerview, South Africa 2060.

Fax to:  Prodigy Computing, +27-11-888-2370 or +27-11-886-7252.
The + means "whatever your phone company tells you to dial for an international call", such as 011 in the US or 019 in Britain.

Send by CompuServe mail to: Paul Keating: 73770,660.


Shareware

Shareware is copyrighted software which is distributed by authors through bulletin boards, on-line services, disk vendors, and copies passed among friends. It is commercial software that you are allowed to try before you pay for it. This makes shareware the ultimate in money back guarantees.

Most money back guarantees work like this: you pay for the product and then have some period of time to try it out and see whether or not you like it. If you don't like it or find that it doesn't do that you need, you return it and you get your money back.

With shareware you do not have to pay for the software until you have had an opportunity to try it out for a reasonable period. You use the software on your own system, in your own work environment, for a fixed period, like 60 days. If you decide not to continue using it, you throw it away and forget all about it. There is no paperwork and no refunds. You only pay for it if you continue to use it.

Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. There is good and bad shareware, just as there is good and bad retail software. The primary advantage shareware offers you is that you know if it's good or bad before you pay for it.

The continued availability of shareware products depends on your willingness to register and pay for the shareware you use.


Change Log

This is a summary of the changes to the program.

Release 3.0 incorporates the following changes:

The user interface (visible only when the program is run without parameters) is a bit less pedestrian.

The About box is displayed when the program is run without parameters.

The menu has been eliminated and its functions replaced by control buttons.

The program no longer offers you the option of disabling automatic reception when it is already disabled, or enabling it when it is already enabled, or of doing anything with it when WinFax is busy configuring the modem. The modem status is continuously reported while it is being reinitialized after WinFax has been enabled.

The Preferences dialogue item has been added, with the toggles Expect WinFax, Show Icon and Launch Maximized, a shutdown delay for communications programs that reset the modem elaborately at shutdown, and three language options.

DDE failures and other error conditions are now better trapped and reported.

The shutdown sequence has been modified to ensure reliability in all cases. The program now works with WinFax Lite.

A minor memory leak has been identified and fixed.

The Installation section of the helpfile has been completely rewritten to provide more assistance to novice users.

Release 2.1 incorporates the following changes:

Application error -1 when the About box is selected no longer occurs.

Program now distinguishes between an invalid command-line parameter (that is, a single character other than 0 and 1) and the name of a program that could not be found.

Program now passes command-line parameters to the launched communications program if required.

Program now refreshes the status of the modem whenever it receives or loses the focus, and a menu option is provided to force a refresh.

Helpfile Revision

This is $Revision::   3.0      $ of the helpfile.


Error Messages

A previous installation of this program failed an internal consistency check. Contact the author for assistance. [7026] This means...

Application execution error. Cannot find file wflisten.exe (or one of its components). Check to ensure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available. This means...

Could not obtain status from WinFax: server lost or not responding. [7030] This means...

Could not pass requested action to WinFax: server lost or not responding. [7033] This means...

Could not terminate DDE link conversation with WinFax: server lost or not responding. [7029]. This means...

Data received across DDE link from WinFax is not text. [7027] This means...

DDE command to WinFax was rejected, probably because WinFax was busy initializing the modem. [7032]  This means...

DDE link conversation terminated by WinFax. [7028] This means...

Invalid command line parameter 'x'. [7036] This means...

Not a valid registration number. Number and name must correspond exactly to the registration notice you received. [7048] This means...

Program 'pppppppp.exe' not found to launch. [7037] This means...

Restart wfListen for the language change to take effect.  [7049] This means...

This program has failed an internal consistency check. Contact the author for assistance. [7025] This means...

wfListen is already running. [7035] This means...

WinFax is not responding to DDE link requests. Either the system is very busy or WinFax is not running. [7034/7044] This means...

Your two-month evaluation period has expired. Please register! This means...


Error: Your two-month evaluation period...
Your two-month evaluation period has expired. Please register!

WfListen has determined that the program was first used at least 60 days previously. This means that the two months you had to evaluate the program have now expired. When you register the program you will receive a registration number. Once the registration number has been entered, this message will not appear again.


Error: A previous installation...
A previous installation of this program failed an internal consistency check.
Contact the author for assistance.

The program file wflisten.exe previously failed an internal checksum test. This indicates a corrupted .exe file, which may have been caused by a virus or other external agency. Contact the author for assistance. Please include a full description of the events leading up to the error, and the outcome of any virus scans you have done.


Error: Cannot find file...
Application execution error.
Cannot find file wflisten.exe (or one of its components).
Check to ensure the path and filename are correct
and that all required libraries are available.

This means one of the following:

(1) You have misspelt the name of wflisten.exe, or, if you have specified the filename in full, there is an error in the directory name.

(2) You have not installed bwcc.dll, or you have installed it somewhere that Windows can't find it. Review the installation guidelines.


Error: Could not obtain status...
Could not obtain status from WinFax: server lost or not responding.

WinFax was apparently shut down while wfListen was waiting for it to report its status.


Error: Could not pass requested action ....
Could not pass requested action to WinFax: server lost or not responding.

WinFax was apparently shut down while wfListen was waiting for it to acknowledge a requested action.


Error: Could not terminate DDE link...
Could not terminate DDE link conversation with WinFax:
server lost or not responding.

WinFax was apparently shut down while wfListen was waiting for it to acknowledge the end of the DDE conversation.


Error: Data received...
Data received across DDE link from WinFax is not text.

WfListen was expecting a text string from WinFax in response to a request for WinFax to report its status. The data received was not text. This error may indicate the presence of an ill-behaved third application that is performing illicit operations on clipboard data. In any case, you should shut down Windows and restart it.


Error: DDE command...
DDE command to WinFax was rejected,
probably because WinFax was busy initializing the modem.

WfListen sent a command to WinFax but WinFax rejected it. WinFax is too busy to respond to the request. The usual reason for this is that it is in the middle of a modem initialization sequence, which can take up to 20sec to complete.


Error: DDE link conversation...
DDE link conversation terminated by WinFax.

WinFax closed down and notified wfListen of this fact.


Error: This program has failed...
This program has failed an internal consistency check.
Contact the author for assistance.

The program file wflisten.exe has failed an internal checksum test. This indicates a corrupted .exe file, which may have been caused by a virus. Contact the author for assistance. Please include a full description of the events leading up to the error and the outcome of any virus scans you have done.


Error: WinFax is not responding ...
WinFax is not responding to DDE link requests.
Either the system is very busy or WinFax is not running.

WfListen attempted to initiate a DDE conversation with WinFax but WinFax did not respond. This may mean that WinFax is not running. You can suppress this message in normal operation by unchecking the Expect WinFax preference setting.

Expect Winfax setting is ignored in dialogue mode.

This is added to the end of the message when

WinFax is not running and

wfListen's "Expect WinFax" preference setting is Off and

You have started wfListen in dialogue mode (that is, without parameters).

It is assumed that you are running the program in dialogue mode to experiment, to set preferences or to consult help. You would not want the program to disappear 3 seconds after you start it, before you have a chance to do anything, which is what it would do if it heeded the Expect WinFax setting.


Error: wfListen is already running
wfListen is already running

At startup, wfListen determined that there was another instance of wfListen already running. As running multiple instances of wfListen can serve no useful purpose, the second instance will shut down.

This message only appears if the second instance of wfListen was started without parameters. If you launch program A using wfListen, and subsequently launch program B using wfListen, program A's instance of wfListen will "hand over" control of WinFax to program B's instance, and closing B will cause wfListen to re-enable WinFax automatic reception.


*Error: Not a valid registration number ...
Not a valid registration number.
Number and name must correspond exactly
to the registration notice you received.

When you register the program you will receive a registration number. The number is personal to you and no-one else may use it: your name is actually encoded into the number. This means that if you spell your name even slightly differently from the way it appears on the registration notice, wfListen will reject the number.

For example, you will get this message if the registration notice is in the name Francis Bloggs and you enter Frances Bloggs instead.

Case is significant. So you will get this message if the registration notice is in the name Francis Bloggs and you enter FRANCIS BLOGGS instead.

Punctuation is significant. So you will get this message if the registration notice is in the name Francis X. Bloggs and you enter Francis X Bloggs (without the period) instead.

If your name is incorrectly spelt on the registration notice, or if you change your name and want this reflected in the program, let us know and we will send you a new registration number.


Error: Program not found ...
Program 'pppppppp.exe' not found to launch

You passed the program name pppppppp.exe to wfListen on the command line, but wfListen could not find it in the working directory or on your path. This means one of the following:

(1) You have misspelt the name of the program.

(2) The program name is correct, but the program is not in the working directory or in the path.

(3) You have specified the filename in full, but there is an error in the directory name.


Warning: Restart wfListen ...
Restart wfListen for the language change to take effect

WfListen stores its dialogues and error messages in a dynamic-link library that is loaded when you start the program. Changing the language changes the language setting in your win.ini file but wfListen only looks at this setting when the program starts. So changing the language will appear to have no effect until you restart the program.


Error: The supplied program name...
The French/German language is not installed (wflistnx.dll not found).
The language was not changed.

WfListen stores its dialogues and messages in files called wflistnx.dll where x varies according to the language: 0=English, 1=French, 2=German. You attempted to change the language but the corresponding language support file could not be found. Specifying a non-existent language support file would cause wfListen to fail the next time it is run. wfListen has changed the language setting back to what it was before.


Error: Invalid command line ...
Invalid command line parameter 'x'

You passed the single character x to wfListen on the command line, but that character was not 0 or 1. Other characters are not permitted: you must pass wfListen either 0 or 1 or the name of a program.


Acknowledgements

There is an excellent saying among doctors: Honour your teachers. The author would like to thank

Tom Swan, for his book Turbo Pascal for 3.0 Programming (Borland Bantam, 1991; now available in a well-deserved revised edition).

Pat Ritchey (of Team Borland on CompuServe) for his WinExecAndWait function, which lies at the heart of wfListen.

Kurt Barthelemess, also of Team Borland, for patient advice on so many occasions I've lost count.

Thanks also to:

Beta testers

Wayne Balardo, Tony Birnseth, Tim Clark, John Deweerd, Chris Gardner, Roger Goun, Craig Horrell, Gerry Irving, David Little, Howard Mansfield, Sandy McKean, Tim Musselman, Christopher Peterson, John Pinter, Elyakum Shapirra.

Enhancements suggested or defects reported by

Yves Berbie, Tony Birnseth, Tim Clark, John Deweerd, Robert Engelbardt, Paco Finch, Roger Goun, Mark Hanna, Rudolf Haupt, David Little, Peter Lubczynski, Sandy McKean, Heinz Mezera, Christopher Peterson, John Pinter.

Improvements to the helpfile suggested by

Jon Allen, Wayne Balardo, Robert Engelbardt, Mike Gibbons, Rudolf Haupt, David Marcus.

Translation by

Yves Berbie (French), Rudolf Haupt (German).


Trademarks

WinFax is a trademark of Delrina Technology Inc. Other products have been mentioned in this documentation by way of example and the owner or distributor of each has been identified insofar as this has been possible. The status of these product names should be ascertained from the owners or distributors.