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--- 1 PROGRAM INFORMATION PPoint - Copyright (c) 1996 Harvey Parisien Box 323 Station A, Kingston, Ontario, CANADA K7M 6R2 FidoNet, 1:249/114 or InterNet, parisien@alcuf.ca - To create an up-to-date User Reference Guide, press F1 for a help screen. Select Help Index and select the last choice which is Print User Reference Guide. This will print a complete function by function guide to running PPoint. This guide contains the complete contents of your online Help System. - Other software by Parisien... Magic FREQ names for 1:249/114 DB = Generic dBASE III+ Database Manager / CONTACT MANAGER, PIM RAD = dBASE III file compatible, BBS or REMOTE online database DBQ = Message based Query system for dBASE III files OMENU = oMENU the Ultimate disk Menu System POINT = PPoint - Professional Point System OFFLINE = The easy to use, QWK offline reader. HARVEY = Harvey the Robot automated message mailer *.PKT format HLIST = HLIST File List Compiler for files.bbs systems. RAT = Moderator Warning System VGP = VGP Encryption System for DOS VGPWIN = VGP Encryption System for Windows PPoint and most of these systems are available from... Site SysOp Address - AUSTRALIA Sue Blake, Sydney, Australia 3:712/404 CANADA Harvey Parisien, Kingston, Ontario (HOME) 1:249/114 CANADA Matthew Lewis, Calgary, Alberta 1:134/32 CANADA Preston Smith, St. Margarets Bay, NS 1:251/11 GERMANY Peter Kaszanics, Essen, Germany 2:245/100 GERMANY Peter Kaszanics, Essen, Germany 2:245/8 ITALY Giancarlo Cairella, Milano, Italy 2:331/301 ITALY Giancarlo Cairella, Milano, Italy 2:331/338 ITALY Giancarlo Cairella, Milano, Italy 2:331/350 ITALY Giancarlo Cairella, Milano, Italy 2:331/355 NETHERLANDS Robert Borst, Veldhoven, Netherlands 2:500/136 NETHERLANDS Joop Blokker, Brainstorm, Amsterdam 2:280/711 THAILAND Gerald Williams, Bangkok, Thailand 6:608/10 UK Cliff Harrold, Pencader, Dyfed, Wales 2:442/403 US Jack Shoup, Colorado Springs, Colorado 1:128/88 US Marc Lewis, New Orleans, Louisiana 1:396/45 On the Internet: ftp://ftp.aracnet.com/users/carter/point/ http://www.aracnet.com/~carter/ --- 2 Help on Help Throughout the Help screens, you will find Topics identified by a in front of a keyword. This allows you to get details on that topic by using your arrow keys to move the highlighter bar on the topic and pressing enter. The top of each Help screen also provides a selection for a Help Index which lists all the topics contained in online help. --- 101 Host: Host Transfers This connects you to your HOST system (or boss node) to collect new mail/files, and send any outstanding mail from your system. It is not necessary to have mail to send in order to connect to your host. You can Poll for mail when ever you wish to see if there is anything waiting for you on the host system, or to request or send files. - You will have the option to set a timer to Poll at a future time. If you choose to do so, the screen will display the Poll time, and current time. Pressing Esc aborts the Poll, any other key starts immediately. After 60 seconds (or pressing the space bar) of waiting, the screen will blank, all except for the timer display. If you use the Timer, then after the Poll is completed the screen will go blank again after 60 seconds, to preserve your hardware. - Request Files Send Files --- 102 Host: Activity Report This displays your systems log, which shows details on processing mail into and out of PPoint, and information on transfers to your host. --- 103 Host: View Outbound This shows any files waiting in your outbound area. These are files waiting to be delivered to your host on your next transfer. --- 104 Host: View Inbound This shows any files received from your host on previous transfers. If you are using DOS 5.x or newer, you will have a prompt to MOVE the files to another location. If you have LIST by Vernon Buerg in your PPoint directory, you will have a prompt to LIST files in your inbound. --- 106 Host: Request Files This allows you to request files FROM YOUR HOST. For a list of your hosts files, you just simply request FILES. It is not necessary to have mail to send in order to connect to your host. - You also will have the option to request any new entry automatically every time you connect with the host. This is handy if your host has an updated file continually waiting for you. - This feature can also be used to cause your mailer to exit even if there was no mail received from the host. Usually the host will have a file called ABOUT which is a very small text file containing information on your host. - TO REQUEST FILES DIRECTLY from other nodes in your network, you need a nodelist. This is a more traditional way of requesting a file. You send a netmail message to the source node (just use SysOp if you don't know his or her name) of the file and put the file to be requested on the subject line like this: /freq bexe_256.zip ... and the file will be requested. This is often referred to as FILE REQUESTING or FREQING. Some systems require additional passwording security for file requests. When freqing using a password, the format is: /freq filename.ext!password - Send Files Operational Keys in the Reading Area Setup: Edit Nodelist --- 107 Host: Send Files This allows you to send files TO YOUR HOST. This can be a complete drive and path description. This will be sent to your host on your next transfer. It is not necessary to have mail to send in order to connect to your host. - You also will have the option to send any new entry automatically every time you connect with the host. This is handy if you have an updated file to continually send to your host. - TO SEND FILES DIRECTLY to other nodes in your network, you may need a nodelist if your HOST systems can not route file attaches like mail. You send a netmail message to the receiver of the file and put the file to be sent on the subject line like this: /send c:\trash\oldstuff.lzh ... and the file will be sent. This is often referred to as FILE ATTACHING. PPoint now has a directory/file browser feature that lets you point to files to attach. This is accessed by pressing F5 when entering a subject. - Request Files Operational Keys in the Reading Area Setup: Edit Nodelist How to Send Files or File Attach Netmail --- 109 Host: Exit This exits PPoint to DOS - PROGRAM INFORMATION --- 201 Mail: Select message area This displays a list of all the current message areas (or sometimes called conferences) on the system. As PPoint receives new areas, they are automatically setup (no need to fuss with configuration files). This function allows you to select an area to read mail in. --- 203 Mail: Read/Reply messages This is the area where you read and/or reply to mail. You can list areas, and messages from the READING AREA, as well as export or print messages. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 204 Mail: Enter a message This allows you to enter a new message in any message area. - Address Book and Carbon Copy Messages Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 206 Mail: Read your new mail This checks all message areas for mail addressed to you. You can check your whole message database, or just UNREAD mail. --- 207 Mail: Find & Read messages This allows you to search one or all message areas for a match to your search text in the message header (the To, From, and Subject fields), or complete message. Once a FIND/SEARCH has been requested, just use the normal keys to review all finds ie: Right Arrow Key or ENTER causes a FIND AGAIN. PPoint lets you store a find request and assign a name to it. Future find requests can simply be picked off a list. These find requests are stored in a file called PP-FIND.INI in typical INI format, ie: FINDNAME=SEARCHTEXT|SEARCHTEXT|SEARCHTEXT|SEARCHTEXT| FINDNAME is any name you want, which identifies the Find Request for future selection. Notice the | delimiter is used for multiple searches. You can search on up to 10 bits of text separated by the | character. The find routine is not case sensitive. You can add individual searches as they are made (or you can directly edit PP-FIND.INI by selecting Find, then select STORED, then pressing Tab to Edit). Here's an example... PPOINT-INFO=PPoint Official Release|PPoint BETA Release|PPoint Users ... this would give you the latest info on PPoint. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 209 Mail: Export a message This allows you to send a message to a disk file of your choice. A default file will be suggested, this is the one you indicated during setup. You can change it anytime in setup, or just modify it on the fly. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 210 Mail: Print a message This allows you to send a message to a dot or laser printer. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 212 Mail: Delete old mail This deletes old messages based on how many days old they are. Each area can be set for a different number of days. After messages are deleted, the system will automatically Pack the Databases. Messages that are NEW (ahead of your book mark) will not be deleted. Messages that are FROZEN, using Alt-F in the read area, will not be deleted. - Setup: Automatic Maintenance Setup: Edit Message Areas/Delete days --- 301 Options: Shell to DOS This allows you shell out to dos, leaving PPoint resident. To return from a DOS shell, type EXIT at the dos prompt, and press ENTER. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 302 Options: Backup/Restore This function will Backup or Restore your PPoint message database to a disk in drive A: or B:. BACKUP creates a compressed file of your entire message database on a disk. RESTORE uncompresses a backup disk into your current PPoint database. [Caution: This replaces the existing database on the system you are restoring to.] This allows you to travel from one PPoint setup to another and carry your entire message database with you. IE: Allows users to manage their mail from more than one PPoint site - If you travel from home to office or office to office, you backup your ppoint, and restore it at the next site. When you finish managing mail at the new site, backup again. Your mail can travel with you anywhere. --- 303 Options: Edit taglines This allows you to edit your tagline file. This is a simple text file containing up to 300 taglines which will be appended to your message. If you have > 10 taglines in this file, taglines will be presented RANDOMLY for your selection. - When reading messages, you can copy tag lines (or any text for that matter) from a message by pressing Alt T, then moving the cursor to the start of the line of text you wish to capture, press enter. The line can then be edited. Press enter again and it will be appended to your tagline list. Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 304 Options: Print Users Manual This prints a USERS MANUAL, USERS GUIDE, and REFERENCE GUIDE all at one time. The USERS MANUAL is a bit techy, and should be read prior to setup. The USERS GUIDE is not so techy, and should be read prior to using PPoint. The REFERENCE GUIDE is a complete function by function guide to running PPoint. This guide contains the complete contents of your online Help System. --- 305 Options: Run Editor This simply runs the editor your PPoint system is configured for. It is assumed that your editor will prompt you for whatever file(s) you wish to edit. --- 306 Options: Reset Bookmarks This resets all bookmarks to the last message in each message area. This is handy when you manually copy mail packets into your inbound, area for processing. - Options: Manual processing --- 307 Options: Manual processing This allows you to manually copy mail packets into your inbound, or outbound areas and process them. You should know what you're doing before attempting this. - Options: Reset Bookmarks --- 308 Options: Usage Report This creates a usage report for all areas. It creates a text file report.txt and places it in your editor, allowing you to use it in any way you want. The report is produced based on all existing data in your mail databases. It shows your purge/deletion days as the period of activity. This report will be the most accurate after deleting old mail. See Advanced Settings for information on Minimum messages/postings required in an area to be included in the Usage Report. - Mail: Delete old mail Setup: Advanced Settings --- 401 Setup: Message Display Mode The message display can be toggled to show internal network addressing information. This can be annoying to most users, and is by default turned off. - Operational Keys in the Reading Area --- 402 Setup: Color/Monochrome Allows you to choose Color or Monochrome monitors. --- 403 Setup: Directories This is where you setup your various directories. As you go through this area, you are explained what each directory is for. Generally you are recommended to use the defaults. --- 404 Setup: Printer This is where you choose your printer type (dot or laser) and printer port number. --- 405 Setup: Archiver/Editor/Spell Checker This is where you choose a preferred archiver for your system. This selection is used to choose an archiving method for outgoing packets. Most HOST systems can handle most archivers. You might want to check with your HOST. PPoint will automatically detect the type of archiver required for unarchiving incoming packets. - This is also where you choose the editor you will use. PPoints includes a simple little editor called ED. There are other editors available, including one of the best around called QEDIT. If you use DOS version 5 or better, and don't have a particular editor in mind, try using the one that comes with DOS by entering \DOS\EDIT at the prompt. - You also have the option to use an independent spell checker. We recommend the following shareware systems: ShareSpell by Acropolis Software, TYPICAL BBS FILENAME : SS???.ZIP Acropolis Software, PO Box 5037, Fair Oaks, CA 95628-9101 GDSPELL by GDSOFT, BBS: (219) 875-8133, CompuServe: 72067,2726 TYPICAL BBS FILENAME : GDSPELL.ZIP GDSOFT, 57280 Osage Drive, Goshen, IN 46526 --- 406 Setup: Sound, Screen Length, and Swapping SOUND: has been used at a minimum, and when it is used it's very quiet. If you still find it annoying, by all means turn it off. - SCREEN LENGTH: PPoint can be used with various screen lengths. Some monitors only use the standard 25 line mode. Feel free to try any one of the settings. PPoint will tell you if any mode is not supported. - SWAPPING: provides a solution for systems suffering from low memory problems. The SWAP routine will swap the original program to extended memory, expanded memory, or disk, then free up that memory. It will then execute other programs being called from within the main system. When that program terminates, the original program is loaded back into memory, and it continues execution. By default, the SWAP routine will attempt to swap the current program to extended memory; if that fails, it will try expanded memory; if that fails, it will try a DOS disk file. --- 407 Setup: Automatic Maintenance PPoint can automatically perform it's maintenance after your first HOST poll of the day. This deletes messages after they are over age, and packs the database. This function will only operate once a day. - Mail: Delete old mail Setup: Edit Message Areas/Delete days --- 408 Setup: Edit AREA Address/Delete days This is where you can edit details on each individual message area. AREA DESCRIPTION: General Point Support HOST AREA TAG: POINT DATABASE FILE NAME: 00000004 DELETE DAYS: 10 AREA ORIGIN LINE: OFFLINE Systems AREA ADDRESS: 1:249/114.1 AREA HOST ADDRESS: 1:249/114 AREA ROUTE ADDRESS: 1:249/114 USE ON ORIGIN LINE: 1:249/114.1 The AREA DESCRIPTION is by default the same as the HOST AREA TAG. These names are sometimes not as descriptive as you may like, so this allows you to rename them. The HOST AREA TAG and DATABASE FILE NAME are created by PPoint and can not be changed. The DELETE DAYS entry is the number of days of mail to be kept when PPoint deletes old mail. The age of your mail is determined by the message date, not when it was received. Messages that are NEW (ahead of your book mark) will not be deleted. Messages that are FROZEN, using Alt-F in the read area, will not be deleted. If set to 0, PPoint will remove everything in the area except for messages marked as FROZEN, and messages that are below your book mark. If set to -1, PPoint will delete everything in the area no matter what the age or status of the messages are, but it will preserve the area setup information. The ORIGIN LINE is the usually the name of your system, or your name. This can be edited to whatever you like for each area. The AREA ADDRESS defaults to the address you entered in setup under User/Host/Mailer Info. If you are using multiple HOST systems, you can change each area to individually use this address and link to an individual AREA HOST ADDRESS and AREA ROUTE ADDRESS as well. In this case, you will have to implement a nodelist with your various alternative Host/Boss nodes details in it. Multiple Netmail Areas Finally, the USE ON ORIGIN LINE address has to do with fakenet addressing, see help in that area for details. CAUTION!! Most systems are used for ONE HOST, so be very cautious if you change the AREA ADDRESS, AREA HOST ADDRESS, AREA ROUTE ADDRESS, or USE ON ORIGIN LINE settings. - Mail: Delete old mail Setup: Automatic Maintenance Setup: User/Host/Mailer Info NodeList Setup Information Setup: Edit Nodelist FakeNet Addressing Information --- 409 Setup: Add New Message Area This is where you can add new areas manually. In case you want to enter a message in an area you don't yet have. Otherwise, these names area automatically added as mail is received. --- 410 Setup: Delete a Message Area This is where you can remove an area, and the associated message databases. --- 411 Setup: User/Host/Mailer Info This is where you setup your user name, and point addressing. Your host will provide you with the addressing details. This is where your configuration file for BinkleyTerm is created or updated. See Binkley Setup Information. This is also where you setup your Modem type. PPoint will present a list of common modems. The Initialization strings for any modem can be touchy, so if you experience difficulties with the Initialization string suggested for your modem, try the very first selection called GENERIC SETUP (any speed/type), it works with almost all modems regardless of make or speed. - Binkley Setup Information NodeList Setup Information Setup: Edit Nodelist Reply Quote Header --- 412 Setup: Advanced Settings PPoint has been designed to be as simple as possible to use and configure. However, for more advanced users, and more advanced features, we have adopted the Windows style INI file format to make future development easier, and to support third party setup parameters. PPoint.INI is a text file that contains Advanced Settings for PPoint. Note the format is KEYWORD=SETTING. Here are some optional settings. Note, lines starting with a ; are comment lines and ignored by the program. _ _ _ PPOINT.INI _ _ _ ; User definable quote header, variables are [DATE] [FROM] [FNAME] ; [CL] and [TO]. QUOTE=On ([DATE]) [FROM] wrote to [TO]... For more detail... Reply Quote Header ; User definable Fidonet/Internet gateway. This will be the default ; for any NETMAIL with a @ in the To: field. FIDO.INTERNET.GATEWAY=1:1/31 ; User definable screen saver. The Sleep value represents seconds ; idle before the screen goes blank. To disable screen blanking ; SLEEP=OFF SLEEP=120 ; Default outbound packet password is same as ppoint session password ; Change default outbound packet password to... PKTPWD=MOMMY ; Specific outbound packet password, no matter what pktpwd is if ; implemented (the 00000010 in the example is the message area ; filename - see edit areas) PKTPWD-00000010=xxx ; Turns random selection function off, normally if there is > 10 ; taglines the selection becomes random. TAGRANDOM=OFF ; Defines any standard tagline filename (default for ppoint is ; offline.tag). This was to remain compatible with OFFLINE the QWK ; reader by Parisien You can make it whatever you please now... TAGLINES=OFFLINE.TAG ; This allows users to redefine the UUCP type Internet mail access ; to use a different keyword CHANGE_UUCP=INTERNET ; This is appended by pressing ALT S for snipping message bits SNIP=SNIP.TXT ; User definable BACKUP/RESTORE commands for backing up your PPoint ; databases. CMD_BACKUP=zoo a CMD_RESTORE=zoo e ; User definable Binkley.cfg settings. These keywords will cause new ; lines to be added before the PORT setting when binkley.cfg is reset. BINKCFG1= BINKCFG2= ; Minimum messages/postings required in an area to be included in the ; Usage Report. USAGE_MSGS=2 ; User definable settings to run a process on message body just before ; or just after it is presented to you in your editor. This can be ; used to implement tagline managers, or other third party processors. BEFOREEDIT= AFTEREDIT= --- 413 Setup: Setup Report PPoint will create a text file report called REPORT.TXT which will contain complete information on your PPoint setup. It will be presented to you in your editor for review. It can be imported into a message with your editor for support purposes. --- 414 Setup: Edit Nodelist PPoint will compile a nodelist (version 6) from a text file that contains manually entered listings. The format is... zone:net/node , system , phone , password , baud , cost Selecting Edit Nodelist causes PPoint to place your raw nodelist text file in your editor for editing or reviewing. When you exit, PPoint will compile the data into a VERSION 6 type nodelist. This is the default nodelist binkley requires if you use a nodelist. Here's a sample raw nodelist text file... - ;------------------------------------------ ; Private Nodelist Text for use with PPOINT ;------------------------------------------ ;Entries must be in ZONE order, ie zone 1's first, zone 2's next. ;zone:net/node,system,phone,password,baud,cost ; All lines in this text file that start with a ; are just comment ; lines and are ignored by all processors. Feel free to make any ; notes in this file as long as you start the line with a ;. ; zone:net/node - this is a standard fidonet address ; system - this is the system name you are listing ; phone - this is the exact phone number for the system you ; are listing including a 1 or area code if it's long ; distance. ; password - this is the session password which must be ; prearranged with this system you are listing. This ; can be left blank, but the commas are still required ; ie... ; 1:249/114, Harvey Parisien, 1-613-555-1212,,9600,30 ; baud - this is the baud of the system you are listing ; cost - this is an estimated cost per minute in cents to call ; the system you are listing. If the listing is local, ; use a 0 for cost. ; ;zone:net/node,system,phone,password,baud,cost ; 1:128/77, Preston Smith, 1-719-555-1212,piano,9600,0 1:249/114, Harvey Parisien, 1-613-555-1212,,9600,30 - Binkley Setup Information NodeList Setup Information --- 5000 INTERNET ADDRESSING To send a message to someone on the INTERNET, just simply use their address in the To: field, and send the message netmail to a valid INTERNET/FIDONET Gateway address. For more information on FIDONET/Gateways, ask your local sysop. A common gateway in Zone 1 is 1:1/31. << SEE THIS NEXT SECTION ON FIDONET ADDRESSING FROM INTERNET >> FIDONET ADDRESSING FROM INTERNET --- 5001 FIDONET ADDRESSING FROM INTERNET The address of a FIDONET Node looks like this: 1:107/309.0. Usually the .0 is left off, but they are there by default. That address can be translated as "Zone 1, Net 107, FidoNode 309, Point 0." or f309.n107.z1.fidonet.org - the "Fully Qualified Domain Name" of a FidoNode. Another example is 1:107/309.2 which would be written as p2.f309.n107.z1.fidonet.org (since there is a point number other than 0, we have to specify it). Note also that we are only using zone 1. This will also work for zones 2 and 3, just use z2 or z3 as appropriate. Note that FIDONET systems usually use a "Firstname Lastname" logon. You will need to express that as First.Last, using a DOT in place of the SPACE. Addresses can be interpreted as: First.Last@[p###.]f###.n###.z#.fidonet.org. where: ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ | | | | | | `------`--- domain | | | | | `---- Zone number (IMPORTANT) | | | | `-------- Net number | | | `------------- Node number | | `------------------- Point number (optional) | `------------------ User's LAST Name `------------------------ User's FIRST Name The Point number need only be used if non-zero. Example: William Bradley at 1:249/114.8 if addressed from FIDONET, and is... william.bradley@p8.f114.n249.z1.fidonet.org ... if addressed from INTERNET. INTERNET Addressing --- 999 Operational Keys in the Reading Area The following keys display the AREAS LIST: A, or Del. The following keys display a MESSAGE LIST: M, or Ins. On the message list, Space Bar Marks messages. In the reading area, Space Bar moves to Marked messages. The Arrow keys move to next or previous messages. PgDn will page down one screen at a time to the bottom of a message. ENTER is like PgDn but will go to the next message when at the bottom. The Esc key or Mouse Button 2 exits this area. R=Reply to the current message. E=Enter a message. C=Change/Edit a message (only if it was from you). K=Kill the current message. P toggles Private on/off. V=View a message for VGP users. F=Find messages based on search text match. Right arrow finds next. +=Initiate a Find based on Subject. Home=Go to the First message. End=Go to the Last message. ^E=Export current message to a text file. ^P=Print current message. ^R=Resends a message (only if it was from you). ^S=Toggle internal network addressing information. ^F=Forward or Move the current message to any area. ^A=View Message using ANSI. F4=Detailed message attribute display. Alt and L invokes LIST by Vernon Buerg. ALT and S snips/captures a message line to a user defined file. ALT and T is for capturing taglines (more info below). ALT and U is for capturing Internet type addresses to your UUCP.TXT file for UUCP use. ALT and I is for capturing Internet type addresses to your normal address book file for normal addressing. Alt and F=Freeze Message (can't be deleted or packed) F10 SHELLS TO DOS (and clears the screen). - Request/Send Files using a message To send (attach) or request (freq) a file, enter a netmail message to the SysOp (just use SysOp if you don't know his or her name) and on the subject line, put... /send c:\trash\oldstuff.lzh ... and the file will be sent. -or- /freq bexe_256.zip ... and the file will be requested. PPoint now has a directory/file browser feature that lets you point to files to attach. This is accessed by pressing F5 when entering a subject. How to Send Files or File Attach Netmail - Alt and T=Copy Tag Lines When reading messages, you can copy tag lines (or any text for that matter) from a message by pressing Alt T, then moving the cursor to the start of the line of text you wish to capture, press enter. The line can then be edited. Press enter again and it will be appended to a file called OFFLINE.TAG in the current directory. This is a tagline list used by OFFLINE or PPOINT. Both are mail management systems by Harvey Parisien. Edit taglines - Internal network details. When reading mail, the text at the bottom left of your screen, is the origin line for the current area. This information changes to the area tag name if you have your message display mode set to show internal network details. Message Display Mode --- 9909 FakeNet Addressing Information Older FidoNet compatible systems may require you to use 3d addressing as opposed to the standard 4d addressing. To accommodate this, PPoint supports FakeNet addressing. 4d means an address has 4 parameters ie ZONE:NET/NODE.POINT. 3d means an address has 3 parameters ie ZONE:NET/NODE. For example, you may have a HOST with an address of 1:249/114, and you are to use 1:24914/2 as a fake address. Your HOST's system will then translate your incoming and outgoing mail from a fake address of 1:24914/2 to a real world address of 1:249/114.2 since it's system can not handle the fourth dimension in the address, being the point number. If your HOST requires that you use a fakenet address, this means it will not have the proper .x at the end of your address. To make your message origin lines display exactly what you want, go to the setup menu and Edit Area Address information. Edit the USE ON ORIGIN line. AREA DESCRIPTION: General Point Support HOST AREA TAG: POINT DATABASE FILE NAME: 00000004 DELETE DAYS: 10 AREA ORIGIN LINE: OFFLINE Systems AREA ADDRESS: 1:24914/1 AREA HOST ADDRESS: 1:249/114 AREA ROUTE ADDRESS: 1:249/114 USE ON ORIGIN LINE: 1:249/114.1 The last line is the origin address that will show in your messages. - Edit AREA Address/Delete days --- 5002 Multiple Netmail Areas Basically, you could just ask your other network hosts to send you a netmail message at the address you want, and then poll that boss. The area will be automatically setup correctly. To do this, just send a netmail message (from the default or any other existing netmail area) to each other address you wish to have a netmail area for. Ask that site to send you a netmail message at your new netmail address relating to that site (in other words not just a reply to your current netmail message). PPoint will automatically handle the setup for each new netmail area(s) when the return mail comes in. OR, manually ADD an area using this naming format (NETMAIL_net_node): NETMAIL_249_114 This would represent a netmail address for a host being 249/114. This could be any zone (I didn't think there would be a conflict between 2 address exactly the same with different zones). Your default or main NETMAIL area is related to your default or main address as setup in your user/info details. That area doesn't need the extended info in the name, and should already be setup in any case. Don't forget to add your alternate boss/host address info to your node list. - NodeList Setup Information Setup: Edit Nodelist --- 4444 Binkley Setup Information All setup information related to BinkleyTerm is found in the file on your PPoint directory called BINKLEY.CFG which is automatically created by PPoint. Some of the settings in Binkley.cfg CAN NOT be changed except by PPoint in order to insure the settings are exactly the same as contained in PPoint's setup files. These are identified in the Binkley.cfg file, and referred to here as part 1 of your Binkley.cfg file. However, there are times when you might need to change some of the settings for example a common one is your modem INIT string. For more details on modifying your Binkley.cfg file, refer to the documentation provided with that system. In order to allow you to change some of the settings, PPoint allows a file called BINKLEY.ADD to be changed by the user. Binkley.add will contain the contents to be included as part 2 of your Binkley.cfg file when PPoint updates it. If you have special configuration requirements, use your text editor to edit Binkley.add and change or add as necessary, then update your Binkley.cfg file. To update your Binkley.cfg file, choose "User/Host/Mailer Info" on the Setup Menu and change or verify any of the information. When you finish this, PPoint will recreate your Binkley.cfg file. - Setup: User/Host/Mailer Info NodeList Setup Information Setup: Edit Nodelist --- 4343 Address Book and Carbon Copy Messages OPTIONAL ADDRESS BOOK: If you have an address book in place (the system creates this for you) it can be accessed for NETMAIL or ECHOMAIL by pressing F4 when you are ENTERING a message, placing text in the TO: field. Your address book is built by the system. Every time you enter a NETMAIL message, it prompts you as to whether or not you would like to add the current entry to the address book. It will only prompt you for entries that do not currently exist. This way you build an address book while you use the system, as opposed to sitting down and typing in 50 names. The address book is stored in a text file called PPoint.NOD. You can edit this file using a plain text editor. The format at one time was a 55 character line for each entry. Those entries will still be recognized by PPoint. Newer entries will be in a simple name, address format. You can also optionally add a subject line with this format. name,address{,subj} - OPTIONAL CARBON COPIES: To send a message to several people you can have a continuous list of names in a text file in the format: first last,zone:net/node{.point}. For example... Bill Cassidy, 1:249/1 Harvey Parisien,1:249/114.7 Scott Dudley, 1:249/106 Don Laverdure, 1:249/124.2 Entering CC:filename.ext in the TO: field causes carbon copies to be sent to all people/addresses in your list. - Advanced use... The CC:FILENAME.EXT feature described above, can also be listed in your address book (PPOINT.NOD) by adding the CC:+FILENAME.EXT and the , which does not require an address after it. Example: CC:FILENAME.EXT, Another example shows a list file with a subject line: CC:ZENITH.cc1,,Zenith Marketing Group CC:ZENITH.cc2,,Zenith Administration Group - How to Send Files or File Attach Netmail --- 4999 NodeList Setup Information To send netmail directly to other nodes or directly to other networks, you will need a nodelist. By default, PPoint is designed to route all mail via your host. However, if you need a more advanced setup, you need a nodelist. To compile a nodelist, look for a nodelist manager like XLAXNODE or QNODE. For a SMALL simple nodelist, PPoint has an option under the Setup menu called Edit Nodelist. This works just fine for smaller nodelist requirements. Setup: Edit Nodelist Setup: User/Host/Mailer Info Binkley Setup Information --- 5500 How to Send Files or File Attach Netmail To send files directly to other nodes, send a netmail message to the receiver of the file and put the file to be sent on the subject line like this: /send c:\trash\oldstuff.lzh IE: From your main menu in PPoint... 1. Go to the pulldown menu called MAIL. 2. Press E to enter a message. 3. Then select NETMAIL as the message area. Files can only be attached to messages written in the NETMAIL area, since they are direct from person to person. 4. Once you've selected NETMAIL, you'll then be prompted for a person to send this message (with a file attached) to. Press F4 for your address book, this is easier than typing in the name and remembering the address etc. -or- enter the name of the person to receive the file. 5. Once you've selected a destination (person/address), then enter the subject line, using the /SEND command as follows... /send drive:\path\filename.ext ... then press F10 to continue. PPoint now has a directory/file browser feature that lets you point to files to attach. This is accessed by pressing F5 when entering a subject. 6. You'll then be prompted to confirm (or enter) the address. If you used the F4 address book you just have to press enter and confirm the address, otherwise enter it now. 7. Then you'll be prompted whether to send a blank message, or not. If the user is expecting the file, then you can just send a blank message, otherwise it is nice to send a message and tell them you are sending a file. They will see the filename on the subject line, so it is not necessary to restate the file name. (For your information, they will only see the actual filename and not your /send command and c:\... path info. This get's stripped when the message is sent out. You'll notice this when you receive files...). 8. From here forward, it is just like sending any other message... --- 5004 Message Encryption Features It is important to understand that FIDONET and many other networks do not allow encrypted messages. This feature was implemented for use in private networks where encrypted message are permitted. Also for situations where "local" (same net/node) points can send encrypted messages to each other, working within their local boss' system only. In order for this feature to work, your boss node must have the ability to route file attaches. Many modern processors like SQUISH handle this with ease. (PPoint uses the fido packet format for the actual message and an empty body, putting the encrypted message in a file attached to the message. This is virtually seamless to the user, but I thought many of you would like to know the mechanics behind the feature.) The encryption routine was written by Cresent Software of Connecticut, USA, and is one of the most secure algorithms you can use for this purpose today. It is seeded by your password, so even I (or Cresent) as the author can not decode your mail. The way it works is simple. When sending a message to someone that you have ascertained to be a network legal recipient of an encrypted message, you do the following: 1. Both users must use PPoint. 2. You must agree on a mutual password to be used between the two of you for this purpose. 3. When you enter a message, put /ENC on the subject line. It is ok to put more than the /ENC control on the subject ie you might want to have a subject line line: /ENC Meeting Agenda. As long as the first 4 characters are /ENC it will work. This is not case sensitive, ie /enc or /ENC are both ok. 4. When PPoint does a host transfer, and the message is processed from your message database to an outbound packet, you will be prompted for the recipients password. This will only happen the first time you send encrypted mail to a specific person. It won't prompt you in the future for other encrypted messages, so the process becomes totally transparent to the users. 5. When your recipient receives mail on his/her PPoint system, they will be prompted for the senders password. This will only happen the first time they receive mail from you. It won't prompt you in the future for other encrypted messages, so the process becomes totally transparent to the users. This was developed for users on private networks who needed maximum mail security. This way mail sitting on a dedicated server remains totally secure. Once the mail is received into your personal PPoint system, it is decrypted. Likewise, when you reply to a message that was originally encrypted, the /ENC control marker remains on the subject line, so the rest of the conversation, via ongoing replies, remains encrypted. The concept is to keep mail encrypted while in transit. VGP Encryption Support --- 5003 Twit List (inbound message filter) Messages can be filtered both Globally or by Area. This is accomplished by having 1 or 2 twit files as follows: Global filtering: this is where all inbound mail is checked for keywords in your twit list no matter what area is it destined for. Just have a plain text file called TWITGLOB.TXT (in your PPoint directory) which has text on each line representing keywords to search the FROM and SUBJECT lines for. If the search finds text in either of these two fields, the message is not imported. A TWITGLOB.TXT file might look like this: Stupid A. S. Shole Area filtering: this is where all inbound mail is checked for keywords in your twit list for specific areas. Just have a plain text file called TWITAREA.TXT (in your PPoint directory) which has text on each line representing keywords to search the FROM and SUBJECT lines for. The text must contain a keyword, and an area tag name to check. ie: SEARCH TEXT,VALID_AREA_TAG If the search finds text in either of these two fields for the selected area, the message is not imported. A TWITAREA.TXT file might look like this: Stupid,SHAREWARE A. S. Shole, FORSALE Please do not twit out things like "Echo Rules", these are important to read. --- 5101 Reply Quote Header You can change your Reply Quote Header to reflect your personal tastes. This can be done in the User/Host/Mailer Info selection from the pulldown menus under Setup. The default setting is: On ([DATE]) [FROM] wrote to [TO]... An example of what this translates to: On (13 Mar 95) Matthew Lewis wrote to Harvey Parisien... You have 5 variables to work with: 1. [DATE] which is the date of the message being replied to 2. [FROM] the writer of the message 3. [TO] the person the message was sent to 4. [FNAME] the first name only, of the person the message was sent to 5. [CL] adds a Carriage Return and Line Feed if required. Here is an example: QUOTE=Hi [FNAME]...[CL][CL]On ([DATE]) [FROM] wrote to [TO]... You can mix these variables with any text as desired. Note: Each variable can only be used once in the QUOTE with the exception of the [CL] variable which can be used as often as you wish. - Setup: User/Host/Mailer Info --- 5103 Remapping of the TO field Inbound mail can be remapped. For example, let's say it is desired that all mail addressed to SysOp or Addressed to Moderator is to be remapped to Harvey Parisien, the name in my PPoint setup. To accomplish this I would create a plain text file called PPOINT.MAP and include the following text... sysop=Harvey Parisien Moderator=Harvey Parisien ... I could have as many entries as required here, ie... Harvey=Harvey Parisien Parisien=Harvey Parisien HParisien=Harvey Parisien hp=Harvey Parisien sysop=Harvey Parisien Moderator=Harvey Parisien POINTS Moderator=Harvey Parisien WHITEHOUSE Moderator=Harvey Parisien --- 5010 Misc Stuff FTP SITES FOR PPOINT and related utilities... ** Site #1: ftp.teleport.com Site Manager: Chris Carter Instructions: Once you are on the Internet, use an FTP program to go to ftp.teleport.com. Change directory to /users/carter, and you'll find the latest version of PPoint, BinkleyTerm 2.56, the BinkleyTerm 2.50 documents, EZQuote 4, and ShareSpell 3.0, all available for anonymous FTP. Chris Carter can be reached at: carter@teleport.com On the World Wide Web, go to Chris's homepage at this URL: http://www.teleport.com/~carter/ or ftp://ftp.teleport.com/users/carter/point ** Site #2: ftp.zip.com.au Site Manager: Sue Blake Instructions: Once you are on the Internet, use an FTP program to go to ftp.zip.com.au. Change directory to /pub/fidonet/point, and you'll find the latest version of PPoint, BinkleyTerm 2.56, the BinkleyTerm 2.50 documents, all PPoint optional modules, and other useful related utilities, all available for anonymous FTP. - Message Footers To make each message you enter, end in a standard user defined footer (block of text), just create a file called FOOTER.TXT and have it in your PPoint directory. Every message you enter, will contain this footer. In respect for your particular network, please do not get into long blocks of text. This is meant for a simple; Yours truly, or Cheers... - Password Access to PPoint To invoke the Password Function, simply create a text file called PPoint.PWD and place one word in it. That will be your password to run PPoint. PPoint.PWD should be on your PPoint directory. - Network support using PP-LAN PPoint now let's you connect to a network host using PP-LAN. Your network host can be connected to the outside world, and you connected to it using PP-LAN. To achieve this, look for the PPoint LAN Module usually archived as: PPLAN???.ZIP Edit pp-lan.cfg, it's a documented configuration file. Edit your mailer.bat file to just have this one line in it... @pp-lan - User Definable External Game If you have a file called GAME.EXE or GAME.BAT on your PPoint directory, it will be executable from the pull down menus at the selection to the left of HOST, where it says PPoint. - QWK Setup Information PPoint now let's you connect to a host using QWK technology as opposed to FidoNet Mailer/Binkley technology. The advantage of this is there is virtually no setup needed on the Host's part, you can connect to any system that has a QWK door. You set yourself up on that system to receive the message areas you want, and that's it. You use PPoint the same way as a mailer setup, with the exception of the actual mail transfer. Where a mailer is automated to the extent that it handles the mail transferring to and from your host quite automatically, and without user intervention, the QWK host transfer requires you to press a few keys. Once a host transfer is requested, PPoint will dial up the host and the host bbs will prompt you for a Name and Password. PPoint provides two simple macros to insert these for you. Alt+N is your name and ALT+P is your Password. Pressing these keys logs you on in seconds, then you select downloading and/or uploading on the host. Once you log off, mail is automatically processed into PPoint. This type of QWK management is a few steps up from OFFLINE, a QWK Reader also developed by Harvey Parisien, since PPoint keeps a message database as opposed to managing individual QWK packets. Some of the features in PPoint are deactivated for QWK use, ie: nodelist management which is mailer specific. To achieve this, look for the PPoint QWK Module usually archived as: PPQWK???.ZIP - FRONT DOOR SUPPORT Using Front Door, or a compatible mailer, instead of Binkley is now possible by adding the following keywords to your PPOINT.INI file. _ _ _ PPOINT.INI _ _ _ ; This is your Front Door Netmail Path. This must be different than ; any of your PPoint paths. FD-NET=C:\FD\NETMAIL\ ; This is your Front Door Executable Command - Used in place of ; Mailer.bat by PPoint. Note, add the ".exe" or ".bat" if you use ; PPoints swapping features... FD-CMD=C:\FD\RUNFD.BAT _ _ _ A special note of thanks goes to Lawrence Gordon of Fidonet 1:100/560 for his assistance and persistence in working with me in developing and testing the FD/PPoint interfacing. Lawrence has authored a document which is included in the PPoint distribution archive (or on the installation disk) that describes using PPoint with Front Door or compatible systems. Setup: Advanced Settings - Binkley Alternate or Multiple Dialing AltNumber <primary number> <alternate number> This keyword defines an alternate number to try if a call to the <primary number> was unsuccessful. The alternate number must have the same node number as the <primary number>. The <primary number> is the same number found under the keyword BossPhone. For Example: AltNumber 555-1111 555-2222 If 555-1111 was busy, Binkley would automatically call 555-2222. If there was more than one alternate number they would be specified as follows: AltNumber 555-1111 555-2222 AltNumber 555-1111 555-3333 As in the first example, if 555-1111 was busy, a call would be made to 555-2222. If that number was busy, Binkley would attempt to call 555-3333. The only limitation of the number of AltNumber keywords you can specify is the amount of memory you have. NOTE: Edit Binkley.add and change as necessary, then update your Binkley.cfg file by choosing "User/Host/Mailer Info" on the Setup Menu and simply verify the information by accepting all the defaults. When you finish this, PPoint will recreate your Binkley.cfg file with the updated info. --- 9000 VGP Encryption Support VGP v1.00 - Copyright (C) 1996 Harvey Parisien Internet: parisien@alcuf.ca FidoNet: 1:249/114 - VGP uses your editor to edit text files, and offers an optional encryption feature. VGP allows simple implementation in most email processors, and simple password management by the users. When you VGP Encrypt a file with any password, it simply needs that password to Decrypt it using VGP. Simply decide on a mutual password with a friend, and that's it, no creating keys, and reading a book to make VGP work. VGP will detect a previously VGP encrypted file, decrypt it and present it to you in your user defined text editor for viewing or modification. If it was not encrypted, or a new file, it will still present it to you in your text editor for viewing or modification, and then you will be prompted on exit to optionally encrypt it. This way you can define VGP in your software that allows user definable editors, and it will handle normal editing operations, and encrypted editing as well. USE: VGP filename Note: There is also a Windows version of VGP (VGPWIN) - SETUP for VGP for DOS When you first run VGP, it will prompt you for your editor command. If you have DOS 5.0 or greater, you might want to use EDIT the one MS-DOS includes. If you want a better editor like QEDIT (by Semware Corporation, InterNet: sales@semware.atl.ga.us) change the default EDIT command to QEDIT. The other option you have is a footer file. This will be appended to every encrypted file for whatever purpose you might need. If you define the footer file as VGP.FTR, it will create a default message... If you receive this email from me and do not have a password or VGP software, please contact me voice to arrange delivery. ... which might be useful. This can be edited to suit your needs or replaced. To change your setup at any time, USE: VGP /S or using your plain text editor edit VGP.INI. - FREQ name is VGP from 1:249/114 - VGP is Copyright (C) Harvey Parisien, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Copyright (c) 1996 Harvey Parisien, Kingston, Canada 1:249/114 ---