SkyReader v0.60 public beta Copyright (c) 1996 Timo Sirainen All Rights Reserved .. History of this file * 0.56b -> 0.57b: Almost nothing new * 0.57b -> 0.58b: - Some texts about 8088 version. - 'Command line parameters' section. - @TAG@ macro, also new macro 'commands' * 0.58b -> 0.59b: - /C command line parameter - added non-official dist. sites * 0.59b -> 0.60b: - SkyReader's ftp & www sites, new e-mail address also - /T command line parameter .. Disclaimer: This program is provided 'as is', without any warranties. You run this program on your own responsibility. The author is not responsible of any data loss or any other damage this program might cause to you. .. And the licence agreenment : SkyReader is "betaware" at the moment. You may use SkyReader with the following restrictions: * You may NOT change SkyReader executables in any way. * You may NOT sell, sublicense or rent SkyReader. * If SkyReader is to be distributed, it should be distributed unaltered and in full. * Author can terminate this license at any time. .. These files should come with SkyReader: readme.txt - This file readme.fin - Finnish readme.txt colors.cfg - Color configuration file language.* - Language files tables.dat - Translation tables whatsnew.txt - What's new in SkyReader skysig.txt - Default signature file default.tag - Default tagline file readmsg.kbd - Keyboard data file file_id.diz - Diz... And depending of the version you are using you should have some of these: skyread.exe - 8088 version of SkyReader. sky386.exe - 386 version of SkyReader. REQUIRES DOS4GW.EXE! sky2.exe - OS/2 version of SkyReader. skyw32.exe - Win32 character mode version of SkyReader. .. Command line parameters skyread [/v] [/c] [/t] [packet.000] packet.000 : You can immediately open mail packet by entering it's name to command line. /v : Keep startup video mode. Usable when you have messed up SkyReader's video modes. /c : Read configuration from file instead of the default SKY???.CFG. /t : Don't change title name in OS/2 version. Without this switch SkyReader/2 crashes under TShell. .. Then something about SkyReader's features: * Blue Wave v3, QWK, Hippo v2 and OMEN compatible offline mail reader. * SkyReader has 8088, 386, OS/2 and Win32 character mode executables. You also need a DOS4GW extender to run SkyReader/386. Almost everybody has it, so I won't put it into SkyReader's archive yet. * SkyReader's 8088 version uses the SPAWNO routines by Ralf Brown to minimize memory use while shelling to DOS and running other programs. * 8088 version requires about 300kb-400kb of free convertional memory. * SkyReader can use almost any screen resolution your video card / video drivers can make. 255x255 is the limit. * You can change almost all texts displayed by SkyReader from language.dat file. * You can change screen colors from colors.cfg file. This will be build into SkyReader's setup some day. * SkyReader can keep Hippo packets unpacked in PACKETS directory. Other formats will come also.. * In signature, tagline file and almost everywhere except in message text you can use some macros : @CR@ : This macro will be replaced with CRLF characters. @AT@ : Area tag in "filename" mode, can be used for example when saving messages to file. Eg. "Area.Tag.Name" -> "Area_Tag". @VER@ : Current version number of SkyReader. Eg. 0.55b @OS@ : Operating system ID (D, 386, 2, Win32) @LONGOS@ : Longer version of @OS@ (DOS, 386, OS/2, Win32) @FORMAT@ : Offline format used in currently opened message packet (BW, Hippo, OMEN, QWK) @TAG@ : Randomized tagline, could be put eg. in sig file. @GETTAG@ : Randomize new tagline, also tagline file may be specified like @GETTAG.filename.tag@ @BBS@ : Currently opened message packet: BBS name @SYSOP@ : Currently opened message packet: Sysop name @PID@ : SkyReader's Process ID *** Just for OS/2 version @TASKS@ : Number of tasks running currently @THREADS@ : "" threads "" @PROCS@ : "" processes "" *** End of just for OS/2 version *** For OS/2 and Win32 versions @UPTIME_DAYS@ : Number of days computer has currently been on @UPTIME_HOURS@ : "" hours "" @UPTIME_MINS@ : "" minutes "" @UPTIME_SECS@ : "" seconds "" *** End of for OS/2 and Win32 versions @AREA@ : Current area @D@ : Current date @DD@ : Current day @DM@ : Current month @DY@ : Current year @T@ : Time currently @FROM@ : Message from @FFROM@ : First name @LFROM@ : Last name @TO@ : Message to @FTO@ : First name @LTO@ : Last name @SUBJ@ : Message subject @DATE@ : Message date @RFROM@, @RFFROM@, @RLFROM@, @RTO@, @RFTO@, @RLTO@, @RSUBJ@ and @RDATE@ are same as above, except for replies. These should be used in taglines and signature files. The upper ones should be used in setup strings. All the @Rxxxx@ macros will some day work also without the 'R' character.. Also for Blue Wave tagline files compatibility: @N@ = @RTO@ = User name (reply to) @FN@ = @RFTO@ = first name @LN@ = @RLTO@ = last name You can also add simple 'commands' inside macros, eg. : @MACRO@ = "This is a macro" normal @MACRO.10@ = "This is a " max. 10 chars long @MACRO:10@ = "This is a " max. 10 chars long @MACRO.20@ = "This is a macro" max. 20 chars long (no effect) @MACRO:20@ = "This is a macro " set length to 20 chars @MACRO:20R@ = " This is a macro" Right justify to 20 chars @MACRO:20C@ = " This is a macro " Center justify to 20 chars @MACRO.20:5@ = " is a macro" Start displaying from 5th char * Different quote styles : >>>>>> = Just add a '>' character to each line TS>JS> = Add initials and '>' character to each line TS>>>> = Add initials if line is not already quoted. If it is, add a new '>' character after initials. * SkyReader can use CHARSET or CHRS kludge if found. Eg. if SkyReader founds line : ^aCHARSET: LATIN-1 It will look if "LATIN-1" translation table is defined in translation table setup and convert the current message through that translation table. .. Something that will be coming: SOUP support Linux version(?) Twit filter Online help Fully user definable keyboard config Build in color config to SkyReader's setup ... and many other cool thing ... :) Also GUI versions for OS/2 and Windows _might_ be coming, but not in the near future. .. Something about the non-user-definable keys: * "Select area to read" screen: Enter : Select area E : Enter new message to area in cursor Alt-P : Personal mail scan Alt-R : Read only msgs which have reply mark on. Tab : Go to next area which has unread messages Sh-Tab: Go to prev "" * "Select message to read" screen: Enter : Read message E : Enter new message * : Toggle message read status ~ : Toggle message replied status Ctrl-S: Toggle save mark Ctrl-R: Toggle reply mark Delete: Toggle delete mark Tab : Jump to next different subject/from/to field Sh-Tab: Jump to prev "" * "Select reply to read" screen: Enter : Read reply Delete: Toggle delete mark * "Reading reply" screen: Delete: Toggle delete mark S : Save reply E : Edit reply M : Move reply to another area Alt-T : Select new inbound translation table Alt-O : Select new outbound translation table Ctrl-F3: Toggle Rot13 crypting on/off * Setup -> Area override -> Selection screen: Space : Flag area - : Unflag all areas + : Flag all areas * : Invert all area flags .. New versions: You can always frequest or download the newest version of SkyReader from my BBS (see below). Use these magic names for frequesting: SKYDOS - SkyReader/DOS SKY386 - SkyReader/386 SKYOS2 - SkyReader/OS2 SKYW32 - SkyReader/Win32 There are no "official" distribution sites but you should find newest SkyReader from at least these BBSes: Rampton Birds' Box, 2:221/360, 2:221/361 (+358-3-3492356, 3492357) Digital Communications, 2:221/375 (+358-3-3178550) Deaf Leopard, 2:224/0 (+358-6-3207580) .. Contacting info: Fidonet : 2:227/33.0 E-Mail : skyreader@jmh.pp.sci.fi If you don't get reply, try this: timo.sirainen@f33.n227.z2.fidonet.org (a _LOT_ slower) BBS : +358-15-176242, 24h, v34 WWW : http://www.pp.pitek.fi/~ylukio/skyfin.htm (finnish) FTP : ftp://ftp.pitek.fi/pub/ylukio/skyreader And snailmail: Timo Sirainen Huusharjuntie 10 FIN-50180 Mikkeli Suomi / Finland