Contestants were asked to: "Post your message with your latest tip on undocumented uses of AOL 4Mac 2.0 which either 1) improve your online communications OR 2) help you when you are "on the road again!"
At the end of the contest, 2 winners earned 2 free hours (each), for providing the best tips! The names of the winners and all entered tips are given in this file!
1) BAckerman (2 free hours), for his tips re: "Downloads" and
"Using calling cards with AOL"
2) Ivan One (2 free hours),for his "Three Great Tips"
3) Honorable mention to AFC Andrew (2 warm MCM thank-you's), for
his useful notes on "WindowWizard 1.1"
4) Honorable mention to Boodlums (2 warm MCM thank-you's) for his
tips, too!
Subj: Downloads 92-08-16 19:01:14 EDT
From: BAckerman
Posted on: America Online
Here's a way to answer that nagging question during multi-file: How much of THIS file is done?
1) Download an FKEY that moves the topmost window to the back.
2) Start your multi-file download.
3) Use the FKEY.
4) Select "Download Manager" from the File menu.
5) Choose "Multi-File Download" from the Windows menu.
6) Move the transfer time window out of the way of the Download
Manager behind it.
7) You now have a much more descriptive picture of the transfer
than "About infinity minutes remaning, File 3 of 5".
-BAckerman
Subj: WindowWizard 1.1 and AOL 2.0!! 92-08-16 22:31:22 EDT
From: AFC Andrew
Posted on: America Online
AFA SteveY gives WindowWizard his nomination for "INIT of the Year." It IS a great utility, and if you are on System 7 you will want to grab this one, use it, and pay the shareware fee!
What does it do? Well, briefly, it places a popup list of all open windows in almost any frontmost window's title bar - when you click on the title bar. Even lists all open applications and lets you switch!
What does that mean for all you wizzened Mac AOL'ers? Think about that File Transfer progress window. Think about the Multi-File Transfer window...YES you can click on it...and YES you can switch to another window OR application - while your download continues! No need for the Window-to-back Fkey; this INIT does it and more with a click & drag of your mouse.
Now here's the caveat: after 2 weeks of use, WindowWizard will limit its display to only four windows, unless you register your copy. The author Eric de la Musse lives in France, so send in that $20 and give Eric your Internet address so he can quickly email you your personal key to register WindowWizard.
Yep, WindowWizard is a very cool way to navigate to all your open windows - even while that two-hour AOL multi-file transfer zips right along!
:) Andy Rogers (AFC Andrew)
Forum Consultant, Mac Utilities Forum
Subj: Two of Three Great Tips! 92-08-19 02:34:57 EDT
From: Ivan One
Posted on: America Online
Tip #1
When you are doing an extensive search for files to download:
1) Open a system log.
2) Go thru the files and select files you think you might want based on loose criteria (like the file's name or the result of a keyword search).
(Since you already have to hit "Get File Description" in order to get to the "Download this file" button, each of the file's descriptions will be saved into the log.)
3) Select "Download Later" for each of the files.
4) When you have finished searching, log off without downloading the files.
5) Now that you're off-line, close the log, and then open it using the open command from the file menu (which allows you to read the log).
6) Peruse the file descriptions at your leisure.
7) Open the Download Manager and delete those files you decide you don't want from the list by selecting those files and hitting "Delete List Item".
8) Re-log on and select Start Download (from the still open Download Manager).
Tip #2
For files you're already sure you want, hit command-period while the file description is transferring. This stops the transfer of the file's description, but still allows you to select one of the two Download buttons.
Subj: Third Great Tip! 92-08-19 02:36:08 EDT
From: Ivan One
Posted on: America Online
Tip #3
One of the most thoroughly under-mentioned features of America Online that makes it far superior to even your local user-group's BBS is its keyword search ability. This should not be confused with the keywords that take you to various locations on America Online. Use keyword: Quickfinder to bring up the master file search dialog. You can select either files from all dates, files posted within the last month or the last week, from some or all of the computer forums. There will also be a one-line text box at the bottom which you can use for keywords.
Let's say, for example, you run a Dataclub network at work. You could enter "Dataclub" into this box and up would come a list of files that concern Dataclub. You might discover that Novell recently released a Dataclub patch which is now available in the Communications & Network Forum that fixes a nasty bug some users have been experiencing. Let's also say that every computer on your network is running Word 5.0 and Now Utilities. You might enter "Word 5.0" ('and' is assumed--"Word [and] 5.0") and discover that Microsoft has also released a bug-fix patch. And then you might enter "Now [and] Utilities" and discover that Now Utilities also has a bug-patch out. By doing a keyword search every month, you could eliminate virtually all bugs from your network which would lead to greater productivity, which would lead to an increased GNP, which would lead to a better economy, which would lead to greater prosperity for ourselves and indeed all of mankind, which would lead to a better world for our children.
Keyword searches!!! Try one today!!!
At the risk of being anti-climatic, I should also mention that each individual computer forum has its own quickfinder which has a more specific set of areas to search. For instance, in the graphics forum, you can choose to search thru GIF files or TIFF files.
You can also do more complicated logical searches. For instance, you could do the search I mentioned above in one pass; "(Word 5.0) or (Now Utilities) or (Dataclub)" Rather than muck about with the rules of order of operations, just use parenthesis to set-off items you know you want together like 'Word' and '5.0'. You can also use 'not'. For instance, to search thru utilities without a hundred Wallpaper patterns coming up, type "Not Wallpaper". You can also use 'Not' for a group of items. For instance if you want to see all screensaver applications without seeing screensaver modules, type "(screensaver) [and] not(wallpaper afterdark pyro module)". Please note that capitalization is irrelevant.
It will take you a little bit of time and practice to get good at it, but it will enable to very quickly find files that you are interested in (or better yet, find files you didn't know to be interested in).
Subj: Chat Sounds on demand 92-08-21 03:46:49 EDT
From: Boodlums
Posted on: America Online
If you download chat sounds for use with AOL, store them in files named "Online One", "Online Two", etc.; do not store them in the "Online Sounds" file, as you would then have to check which is which upon upgrading or reinstalling your software. I keep my "Online xxx" files < 750k so that they can fit onto floppies.
Now here's the tip: If there are sounds you only wish to load on specific occasions, store them in a file of type 'AOrs' - that is the type shown as "Resource Documents" on the popup "Show:" menu in AOL's File Open dialog box. Keep that file anywhere on disk, and when you need to load a sound from that file, just open it via File Open like any other file. You can even be in a chat room online, and the sound will load for immediate use.
-Walter
PS. Quickest and easiest way to change a file's type is with a program called "Get More Info". It's an INIT which allows you to edit a file's Finder info from within the Finder. Brilliant, eh? :D
It is available online in the Mac Utilities forum, keyword MUT.
PPS. The latest Sound Mover, version 1.76, is pre-set to recognize AOL's 'AOrs' file type. Rik Ettore did that per my own request. ;)
Subj: Requests for Specific Tips 92-08-23 07:36:54 EDT
From: AFC Sarah
Posted on: America Online
If you do not have a tip, but would like one...post your tip request here to give our contestants the opportunity to meet your needs...
For example:
1) How can I use my phone credit card with AOL when out of town in an area where my closest access number is Long Distance? (AFC Sarah KNOWS the answer...but will not cheat you out of a chance to enter this in the contest!)
2) What are some great uses of the different types of "logs" ?
3) Is there a documented feature in AOL 2.0's Help Section that does not actually appear to exist when I look for it in the regular menus? (go ahead, look, there IS a weird feature...see if you can find it!)
You get the idea....
Sarah Edwards, Forum
Subj: Using calling cards with AOL 92-08-23 10:11:22 EDT
From: BAckerman
Posted on: America Online
To use a telephone calling card with AOL:
1) Click the Set Up button on the startup screen.
2) Put the phone # you want to use for access into the phone number box on the left and set all the pop-up menus below it correctly for the number.
3) Add a "0" (no quotes) before the # and several (5 to 6) commas (",") followed by your calling card number, optionally followed by a "#".
4) If you need to override the computer-selected long distance company for the phone you are dialing from, put the 10-code of the company that does your calling card before the "0" before the phone number. (i.e. 10288 for AT&T, 10333 for Sprint Telecom, etc.)
