Novell NetWare SEND for 4DOS by Roger Foss ------------------------------------------- WHAT'S IN HERE? --------------- Included in this .ZIP file are two versions of a 4DOS batch file that let you use the NetWare SEND command interactively. Normally, NetWare's SEND command requires the message and name of the recipient as command line parameters. However, this can be somewhat cumbersome if: - You're not sure whether the person you want to reach is logged in - The person you want to reach is logged in at several stations - You don't know the LOGIN NAME of the person you want to reach The NWSEND batch file commands I have created use the output another external program to list logged-in users in a menu. You can then select the recipient of the message with arrow-keys or the mouse. When you have selected a recipient from the list, you are prompted for the message text (one line). The message will then be send using NetWare's standard SEND utility. OTHER FEATURES -------------- I've written two versions of the same batch file. One uses the output of the USERS.EXE utility from John Baird, while the other uses the output of the NetWare USERLIST utility. The USERS.EXE has the advantage that it is able to display the Full names of logged-in users as registered in the Novell bindery (by your Network SUPERVISOR). The NetWare SEND utility doesn't accept login-names that have a dot ('.') in them. On the server I administer, I've standardised on a login name like RFOSS.SDA where .SDA indicates the department I work in. LIMITATIONS ----------- Whereas the standard SEND utility lets you send to several persons, NWSEND can only send to one person at a time. This is because 4DOS doesn't let you mark multiple entries in the list that pops up. I guess I could have 4DOS displaying the list multiple times, letting the user mark one recipient at a time, but... Ah, well, I might look into it. Windoze compability: It *does* work under Windows as far as 4DOS, the USERS.EXE / USERLIST.EXE and SEND.EXE utilities work. However, with the latest NetWare DOS Requester v4.0 there's a great Windows utility included that can do everything much better. If you do use this utility under Windows, perhaps you should create a separate .PIF file with 4DOS' minimum memory requirements. FILES ----- The NWSEND.ZIP file should include the following files: NWSEND.TXT - The file you're reading now NWSEND.BTM - 4DOS batch file that uses the USERS.EXE utility NWSEND2.BTM - 4DOS batch file that uses standard USERLIST command INSTALLATION ------------ The .BTM files are best put in the SYS:PUBLIC directory, where the NetWare SEND.EXE utility already resides. The only requirement is that it's somewhere along the PATH. The same goes for the USERS.EXE utility from John Baird. You can ftp his utilities at netlab2.usu.edu, among others. Also, each station (PC) must have a C:\TEMP directory for temporary files. You can edit the NWSEND batch files to change this to another directory. If you're a SUPERVISOR, you could put a #COMMAND /C MD C:\TEMP command in the System Login Script to make sure users have a TEMP directory. Oh, 4DOS *is* required. I used version 4.02 when writing the batch files, but I think they work with version 3.x. COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ------------------------ (This is all the boring stuff) I take *absolutely* NO responsability for any damage caused by using my 4DOS batch files, the USERS.EXE utility or Novell's USERLIST.EXE for that matter. I'd *love* to get the credit though ("the *ego*!"), so if you like NWSEND send me an e-mail note to that effect. You're free to change / improve the NWSEND batch files! If you have a nice improvement, e-mail me a copy. You're *NOT* free to charge *ANYTHING* for giving NWSEND away, except if *your* modified version is a BIG improvement (shouldn't be too difficult?) IMPORTANT! Please *DO* observe the copyright notice of the USERS.EXE utility by John Baird of Lincoln University. Any comments can go to Roger Foss SiO Data a.s Pb. 94 Blindern 0314 OSLO, NORWAY Email: edbrfo@sio25.uio.no