ProQWK.txt PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SCRIPT INCLUDED IN THIS ARCHIVE, PQB.ZIP, IS A *beta* RELEASE, AND AS SUCH, HAS NOT BEEN THOROUGHLY TESTED. IT IS THE HOPE OF THE AUTHORS THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ANY SERIOUS "BUGS" FOUND BY YOU, THE USER. IF YOU DO FIND ANY "BUGS" OR "UNDOCUMENTED FEATURES", PLEASE LET US KNOW. TO CONTACT US, SEE THE END OF THIS TEXT FILE. LEGAL STUFF: This is the text file that accompanies the ProQWK Utilities, (c) 1993 by Socratic Software. "ProComm Plus for Windows", "Windows ASPECT" and "Action Bar" are trademarks (c) 1992 Datastorm Technologies, Inc. "Windows" is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. The script "ProQWK.wax" was compiled using the Windows ASPECT compiler, but was NOT written by Datastorm Technologies or any of its employees. Socratic Software is not affiliated with Datastorm Technologies in any way. DISCLAIMER: Socratic Software does not make any guarantees, implicit or explicit, regarding the script "ProQWK.wax", and is not responsible for anything that may occur as a result of using it. Users of this script are expected to exercise discretion and accept responsibility for such use, and any effects arising thereof. ABOUT ProQWK: What does this script do? ProQWK is a little utility meant for ProComm Plus for Windows users. We think it satisfies a need that many PC+/Win users have -- that is, to rename QWK packets in such a manner that the user can keep many QWK packets from the same source in their download directory at one time. The utility renames QWK packets so that when a download of a new QWK packet takes place, the file transfer doesn't crash. As well, ProQWK checks for the existence of a file with the extension "QWK", and if it doesn't find it, it won't rename. Thus, users don't have to try and remember whether they renamed their QWK files before. When a user chooses to rename a series of QWK files, ProQWK will delete the highest-numbered file that it is configured to keep for the BBS in question. For example, a user may have ProQWK configured to keep seven extra QWK packets for a BBS called, oh, let's say "redeye" for example. If the QWK file name for the BBS is "redeye", ProQWK will look for a file named "redeye.qw6" (because the user chose seven extra packets for that series, and ProQWK starts numbering QWK files at zero, eg., "redeye.qwO"), and upon finding it, will delete it. Next, it will change the name of the file "redeye.qw5" (if found) to "redeye.qw6"; "redeye.qw4" to "redeye.qw5"; "redeye.qw3" to "redeye.qw4", and so on, until it does the last renaming, "redeye.qwk" to "redeye.qw0". If there was no "redeye.qwk" in the down- load subdirectory, ProQWK will not go through this renaming procedure, because it would be unnecessary. Please note that each time ProQWK renames & cycles "QWK" files (actually "QW?" files) in this manner, one file will be deleted and each remaining "QW?" file will be bumped up one rung on the "ladder". ProQWK also is designed to help out with another problem sometimes encountered when using QWK offline readers -- when uploading a reply packet, a user will sometimes forget whether they have already uploaded it -- ProQWK alleviates this problem by allowing users to upload, and then delete the "REP" packet in one "motion". They can also choose to upload only, or to delete only, REP packets that they wish to upload or delete. Why bother? The main reason to use these utilities is to protect your QWK packets from premature deletion. Some users may only keep one copy of a QWK packet for a particular BBS, read it, delete it, and then download a new one. ProQWK is not going to be of much use to them. But if you want to keep a packet from yesterday, and from a couple of days before that (etc.), for example, you may find ProQWK useful. You can always go a packet or two (or up to ten) back & find those messages that you read a few days ago. If you don't keep multiple copies of QWK packets, once you delete that QWK packet, it's gone, unless you have some kind of deleted file recovery utility. We like to think that ProQWK is a more elegant alternative. But doesn't Zmodem automatically rename files? In many communications software programs, zmodem downloads are automatically renamed when a file with the same name is already present in the download subdirectory. The standard zmodem protocol, used by ProComm Plus for Windows, does not perform that function. ProQWK is meant to at least enable users to work around this, if they desire to keep multiple copies of QWK files on their disk. It doesn't *run* automatically, since users have to start it, and tell it which files to rename, but it is easier (and more convenient, if it is assigned to a "Meta Key") than using a file management utility to madly rename/delete/move files before the new file begins downloading. How do I use it? Before downloading a fresh "qwk" packet for a BBS, simply choose the "QWK" option from the main menu and select the name of the BBS whose "qwk" packet you are about to download (ProQWK must be first set up to rename the files for that BBS. See section below regarding setup.). ProQWK will then rename the "QW?" files associated with that BBS, provided the setup was run properly. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RENAME "QWK" PACKETS DURING A DOWNLOAD, OR WHEN A DOWNLOAD IS IMMINENT! THIS MAY/WILL RUIN YOUR DOWNLOAD! (You may rename "QWK" files for BBS "A" while downloading a "QWK" file for BBS "B", but not for "A" while downloading "A") We suggest assigning a Meta Key to the "ProQWK.wax" script, in order to have ProQWK available at the touch of a button. See your ProComm Plus for Windows user manual, or online help for more information on setting up Meta Keys to run scripts. FILES NEEDED: In order to use ProQWK Utilities, you need to have the archive, "ProQWK.zip", which includes: ProQWK.txt this file ProQWK.wax the Windows ASPECT executible file socsof1.nil the icon library for ProQWK Utilities & Socratic software Installation & Setup: Uncompress the file "ProQWK.zip" using PKZIP or other program that can uncompress "ZIP" files. The only files that need to be in any specific subdirectory are "ProQWK.wax", which should be copied to the subdirectory in which ProComm Plus for Windows expects to find your Windows ASPECT scripts; and "socsof1.nil", which should be copied to the subdirectory in which the executable "PW.EXE" (for ProComm Plus for Windows) is located (for example "c:\prowin"). Once these two files have been placed in the proper subdirectories, the script can be run by selecting "Script...Run..." from the ProComm Plus for Windows pull-down menus, and choosing "ProQWK.wax" from the list that appears, or by selecting the "Script File" combobox button (the button with the underlined arrow pointing down) on the ProComm Plus for Windows "Action Bar", and selecting "ProQWK.wax" from the list that appears. If you have not used ProQWK before (or if your "ProQWK.ini" file has been moved, erased, or renamed), it will ask you if you wish to go through the setup routine. If you wish to do so, select "Setup", and you will be taken directly to the setup routine. If you choose "Cancel," the script will stop running and you will either have to find your "ProQWK.ini" file and place it in your Windows subdirectory, or run ProQWK again and choose to go through the setup routine. ProQWK Utilities will create a new file on your hard drive called "ProQWK.ini" (I know what you're thinking: "Ugh! Not ANOTHER 'ini' file!" But, it's not that bad! :) See "De-installing ProQWK" below.), which will be placed in your Windows subdirectory. This file is necessary for ProQWK to read various setup information in order to be able to execute. Whenever you make a change in your configuration, ProQWK will update the "ProQWK.ini" file. Setup Options: When you are faced with the ProQWK setup dialog box, you will need to enter the path to your "download" subdirectory, which is where you keep your downloaded QWK files, for example "c:\prowin\dnload". If you don't enter the proper path, ProQWK will not be able to rename/delete any of your QWK type files, and will be at least 50% useless. The same follows for your "upload" subdirectory (eg. "c:\prowin\upload") - if it is incorrectly entered, ProQWK will be at least 50% useless, and if both are mispelled, ProQWK will be at least 100% useless (grin)! Please ensure that both directory paths have the proper drive name, eg. C:, D:, etc., followed by a backslash ("\"), followed by the remainder of the path name, but without the final backslash (examples in description above). If you should happen to include a terminating backslash in your upload or download path, ProQWK will inform you that you shouldn't have done that and will remove the final backslash from your path name(s). You will notice a check box underneath the path names, marked "Express Option". This will be explained further under "Using ProQWK" below. Under "Transfer protocol", select the file transfer protocol you wish to use. The protocol selected will be used for all file uploads to host bulletin boards. If you wish to use different protocols for different BBS's, you will have to go through "setup" and change the protocol each time you want to use a protocol other than the one that was last selected (sorry for the inconvenience - the ability to use a different protocol for each BBS may be included in a future version of ProQWK, if there _is_ a future version - depending on, of course, future versions of ProComm Plus for Windows, and the features included in them). On the right will be a message saying "You have the following BBS's set up for ProQWK use:". There may or may not be a list of BBS's underneath this message, depending on whether or not you have previously set up ProQWK to work with any particular BBS's. If you have not, the area below the message will be blank. To add a bulletin board name for use by ProQWK, select the "BBS List..." button. This will lead you to a new dialog box called "BBS Names". You can then enter the names of up to twelve computer bulletin boards (giving them whatever name you wish to give them, since these names are meant for your information) in the spaces provided. Once you have selected "Ok", you will then be taken to another dialog box called "BBS Info". Under "BBS Info", you will be prompted to enter the name of the QWK file for the BBS in question. Please be sure to enter the EXACT name of the QWK files for that BBS -- that is, whatever that BBS calls its own QWK files. This name should not include any paths, nor should it include the extension ".qwk", since this will be taken care of by ProQWK when it runs. If the file name is not correctly entered, ProQWK will not be able to rename the "QWK" packets in question, and you will have problems downloading new "QWK" files for that BBS. This dialog will also ask you for the number of EXTRA "QWK" packets you wish to keep on hand for the BBS in question. Note that this means that if you enter "1", you will have as many as 2, and as few as 1 (or zero, if you manually delete them) QWK files for that BBS in your download subdirectory at any one time. Similarly, if you enter 2, you will have up to 3 files, and if you enter 3, you will have up to 4 files, and so on. You may choose to keep as many as 11 "QWK" files for a BBS BY CHOOSING "10" for this entry. When you are finished, select "Done", and ProQWK will cycle to the next BBS for which you need to enter information, or it will return you to the "ProQWK Setup" dialog when you have configured the last BBS that you wish to modify. Once you are satisfied with the setup information you have entered, choose "Done" in the "ProQWK Setup" dialog, and you will be returned to the ProQWK main menu (or taken there for the first time, if you have not used ProQWK before). De-installing ProQWK (with apologies to grammarians) To remove ProQWK, you need only erase the files: "ProQWK.wax" in your Windows ASPECT subdirectory; "ProQWK.ini" in your Windows subdirectory; "ProQWK.txt" (this file) wherever you put it; and "socsof1.nil" in your ProComm Plus for Windows subdirectory. That's it! No changes to your Autoexec.bat, config.sys, Win.ini or System.ini files whatsoever! Now, doesn't that sound simple? (rhetorical question!) RUNNING ProQWK: From the main menu (entitled "ProQWK Utilities"), you may choose from 5 different options: QWK files... REP files... Setup... Quit About ProQWK Utilities QWK files: Choosing this option and checking the name of a BBS (or the "All of the above option") enables the user of ProQWK to rename their QWK packets in such a way that the oldest file(s) will be deleted, and all newer ones will be renamed in such a manner that the extension of each "QWK" file will be changed to ".qw0", ".qw1", ".qw2", ".qw3", and so on, the highest number depending on the number of QWK packets to be kept as determined during the BBS setup procedure (see "installation" above). The lower the number in a file extension for files renamed by this utility, the newer the file. The newest file will have an extension of ".qw0", unless the file(s) for the BBS in question have not been renamed since the last QWK packet was downloaded, in which case the newest file will bear the extention ".QWK". When the "Ok" button is selected in the "Rename QWK packets..." dialog, the script will execute the renaming for the BBS(s) in question if and only if there is a mail packet for the BBS with the extension ".qwk" present in the download subdirectory. Otherwise, it will not perform the rename for that BBS. When multiple BBS's are chosen, or when "All of the above" is chosen, the script will check for the ".qwk" extension for each BBS separately. In this way, you do not have to worry about whether or not you are deleting a file each time whether it is necessary or not, since if it is not necessary (i.e. there is no ".qwk" file), nothing will be renamed (or deleted) for that BBS. Once the QWK files are renamed, you will be either returned to the main menu (if "Express" is not checked), or the script will turn itself off (if "Express" is checked). See the information regarding the "Express" option further on. If you select "Cancel", ProQWK will return to the main menu without performing any renaming or deleting. If you select "Reselect", the "Rename QWK packets" dialog will be restarted, with any selections you may have made being cleared. This is useful if you want to change your selection to or from "All of the above", if the option you want to select has been disabled (or "grayed out"). REP files: Choosing "REP files..." from the main menu will lead you to the dialog box, "REP Management", which will allow you to do one of three things with your "REP" files: 1) Upload 2) Upload & delete 3) Delete In order to do any of these three things, you must first select a REP file from the list box on the left, and select the "Ok" button. If no REP files appear there, you have either not entered the proper "upload" subdirectory in ProQWK setup, or have changed the subdirectory in the list box, or you currently have no "REP" files in that subdirectory. The options that perform a file upload (the first two) are meant to be used while you are online on a bulletin board. The plain "upload" option simply sends the file to the remote host BBS, and warns you if the upload fails. The "upload & delete" option will do the same as the "upload" option, and then, after a short pause, ask you whether you wish to delete the file. It will NOT ask to delete the file if the upload is not sucessful. It's a good idea to wait for the bulletin board you are online to to inform you of whether your REP packet messsages have been sent to the proper message areas successfully BEFORE you confirm that you want to delete the REP packet. Once you have been satisfied that your messages are on their way, you can then erase them with relative peace of mind. We recommend using the "upload & delete" option to make it easier to keep track of which REP packets you have already uploaded - you can upload & delete all at once so you don't have to ask yourself a day or two later, "Now, did I send that mail packet yet or not?" Of course, if you select the "upload" only option, you will still have to somehow remember when you uploaded your packets (darn!). The third option, "Delete", when selected, will ask you to confirm the deletion of a REP packet. Then it deletes the REP packet. Simple, no? If you delete a REP packet by mistake, you can probably still recover it, if you have some kind of deleted file recovery utility on your computer. If you choose "Ok" without highlighting a REP packet, ProQWK will tell you so. The "REP Management" dialog will always default to "Upload" only, so take note of that. If you chose "Upload and delete" before, it will still default to "upload" only. We figured this was the safest option. After the actions described above have taken place, the script will return to the main menu, if the "Express" option is not selected, or shut itself off, if the "Express" option has been selected (see the section about the "Express" option further along). Setup: Described above. Quit: Exits script (who would've guessed?) About ProQWK Utilities: Choosing this button will invoke a dialog containing some information about these utilities and where to send your postcards to (we appreciate all the mail we get & we'd like to know how far away this script has gotten to)! "Express" Option: We figured that this script should run as unobtrusively as possible, so we included a feature called "Express". When the "Express" checkbox is selected, the script will quickly (QWKly?) exit after performing QWK or REP file functions. In this way, you have a nice little utility that does its thing with QWK's or REP's and then gets the heck out of the way when finished, enabling you to get on with your online business. The status of "Express" will remain the same the next time the program is run, i.e. once selected, it is always selected, until the status is changed to "off", when it will remain unselected. If you want to return to the main menu after performing a QWK or REP function, remember to uncheck the "Express" feature if it is checked (if there is an "X" inside the checkbox). For further information on "QWK" mail packets, and "REP" files, please consult your offline mail reader documentation. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns about the ProQWK Utilities, please contact Carl Mellesmoen or James Wood via the Fidonet Windows echo, or send "snail" mail to: Socratic Software 238 - 4th St. East Saskatoon, SK S7H 1J1 Canada OR, if you so choose, you may report any bugs/problems/questions/comments to Carl Mellesmoen or James Wood on the International BBS, Saskatoon, SK. (306-384-7680), in the "private" or "Windows" message areas.