Without a PGP-shell it's hard to reply to coded mail. Save the received mail in a file, go to DOS, PGP-decode it, return to Windows if you prefer a Windows editor, type an answer, go back to DOS, PGP-code the file, return to Windows and send the file. With PgpEudra you can run PGP from Eudora's menu or by pushing a button on Eudora's toolbar.
PgpEudra finds out what to do. First it copies the data in the current window to a textfile on disk. Then it starts PGP.EXE in a DOS-box and specifies the right command-line to decode or encrypt the text. The decoded text is returned in the current window if possible. Otherwise you can paste it into an editor of your choice. The encrypted text is always put in the current window.
You don't have to read the entire manual. I'm sorry for writing so much.
Read at least sections 2, 3, 4 and the start of section 5. Then run the
program, see if and how it works. If you want something you can't figure
out, read the appropriate section and try again.
2. System requirements
The unzipped package uses around 200 kB disk space (both programs and manual).
The program is less than 100 kB and uses almost no extra memory. You don't
need any VBX-control libraries or additional DLL.
Do not expect, that it always works with beta versions of Eudora. Sometimes QUALCOMM changes something and there are so many betaversions, that I don't like to spend time on them. Besides, I need some time too, to get them and check what they do.
If you want to use the program on a network you can try PgpEudra on your local PC. Eudora will probably be in the DOS PATH, so PgpEudra can find it. If (in Properties) you specify the directory where Eudora is, as the working directory for PgpEudra, it can find Eudora too.
"Eudora not found: tried these files:"followed by the files it searched.
If Eudora is already running, you can start PgpEudra later. It will add its menu's to Eudora. PgpEudra always scans all toplevelwindows before starting Eudora. If you got an error message "Eudora not found", you probably have a different Eudora version. If PgpEudra is already running (with Eudora), clicking the icon again will move you to Eudora's window.
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5. Using the program
This program is not a complete PGP-shell. If you need special features use
another PGP-shell or go to the DOS-commandline. This program is intended for
the common tasks. It can encrypt and decode mail, sign and check a signed
message and add a
public key to the public keyring. The program finds out what
to do. It has only one menu-item "Run PGP...".
Every time you use PGP you'll have to follow these instructions:
Some definitions:
An "output window" is a window that has a "To:" field
and is created with a "New", "Reply", or "Forward" menu-selection. In this window
you can edit text.
An "input window" is a window with only text. It is created for incoming
messages and can not be edited.
The next sections assume that you are at section 2 of the description
above.
5a. Decoding
If PgpEudra found a PGP MESSAGE BEGIN/END block, it will
show a "Decode" dialogbox.
This will decode the text from the BEGIN/END block.
PgpEudra copies the text to the window where it came from. If this is an an input window you can only read the text. Everything else you try to do (forward, reply, save), will be done on the original encrypted text. Besides reading and scrolling you can copy a selection to the clipboard (Edit|Select All & Edit|Copy).
If you've sent an encrypted message from an outputwindow you can later decode it, provided that you've also encrypted for yourself. But Eudora marks this output window as read-only, so you can only read the (decoded) text, as in the input window.
If you've set the INI-setting CopyToReadOnly=0, then PgpEudra shows a dialogbox that lets you choose where you want your decoded text to go. It can copy the text to the clipboard (the default, [Yes]) or ([No]) to the textwindow, where it came from. If you chose to copy the text to the clipboard, you can paste your decoded text from the clipboard into an editor of your choice.
After decoding PgpEudra scans the decoded text for a key. If it found one you'll be prompted if you like to add it to your public keyring. See 5c. Adding a new key.
There's an easier way to decode if you want to reply to an encrypted message. See 5d. Reply to coded mail.
If PgpEudra finds no coded or signed text in an output window , it shows an Encrypt-dialogbox with the previously typed text and the recipient name from the "To:"-field. You can change this name, if the keyname is different. It's very convenient to have the e-mail address in the public key. PGP uses this name to find the key of the recipient. PgpEudra extracts the e-mail address from the text in the "To:" field, if it finds an '@' sign.
Here you can add options, if you need. Put them in the editbox before the recipients name (e.g.: -s hans will sign the message encrypted for "hans".). If you set "AlwaysSign" in PEICS.INI every message that must be encrypted will be signed too. The default PGP-options are "-aetw".
The program reads the "Cc:" (Carbon copy) field from the message window and adds those names to the "Encrypt for" field in the "Run PGP..." dialogbox. The name in the "Encrypt for" line in PEICS.INI will be added too. This makes it easy to encrypt every message for your self (so that you can at least read all mail encrypted by you ;-).
If you delete the recipients' name or if there was none in the "To:"-field,
you'll see the "ClearSign" header.
(See 5e. Clearsign a message).
If you keep the [Shift] key down while starting the dialogbox, then the
nicknames in the "To:"- and "CC:"-fields will be expanded.
5c. Adding a new key
If there's a "PGP PUBLIC KEY BEGIN/END" block in the text, you can add it to the
public keyring. PgpEudra will pass the complete message to PGP.
After running PGP there's nothing to do for PgpEudra.
PGP has showed already what it did.
5d. Reply to coded mail
This is very common use, so I made it as easy as can be.
Part of this is like 5a. Decoding.
1. Select "Message | Reply" (or push the Reply button) for an incoming encrypted mail.
2. Select "Message | Run PGP..." (or push the key button).
This will decode the mail after removing the '>'-signs.
(See 5a. Decoding).
3. Back in Eudora you have the decoded text with the '>'-signs inserted.
4. Now you can type your reply. When you're finished you can encrypt again.
(See 5b. Encrypting).
5e. Clearsign a message
If PgpEudra cannot find an encrypted or signed message in an
output window and you don't have a name in the "To:"-field, then
it will clearsign your message. (PGP-parameters: -sta +clearsig=on)
Clearing the "Encrypt for" field in PgpEudra's dialogbox will also turn on clearsigning. If you had already a name in the "To:"-field, this is easier.
You can only sign for the first secret key in the keyring. This is because PGP needs a name whose key to use for signing if it is not the default. If you type anything in the "Encrypt for" field it will encrypt with that key (See 5b. Encrypting).instead of clearsigning.
Note 1: Before running PGP, PgpEudra sends two menucommands to the message window:
"Edit | Select All" and "Edit | Wrap Selection".
This will insert carriage returns in the text. If this is not done now,
Eudora will insert them just before sending the message and the signature
will fail because the text has changed. Eudora 1.4.4 does not have the
Wrap Selection feature, so you'd better get the new version or you have
to type carriage returns at the end of every line.
Note 2: This is done on every message in an output window
.
5f. Checking signatures
If PgpEudra found a SIGNATURE BEGIN/END block it will pass this
block to PGP and insert the text that PGP returns. This makes it
possible to check more signatures in one message.
After the first text has been checked it is returned in the message
but without the SIGNATURE BEGIN/END BLOCK. The next time you run PGP
the next message will be checked and so on.
You must check the signature on PGP's output. PgpEudra does not show
anything.
5g. The "Edit | Undo"-function
If you've PGP'd and notice you've made an error, don't worry.
The "Edit | Undo" menu selection restores the windowtext
that appeared before PGP was started.
As soon as you change anything in the text, you cannot undo the PGP action
anymore, because the Undo function will undo that change, as usual in Eudora.
Note that "Edit | Undo" is disabled when you're not in the
part of the window, where the text is. So if the cursor is in the subject-field,
first move to the text and then choose Undo.
You cannot undo an Add-key action.
5h. The Skip button
You'll see a "skip" button in the dialogbox, when PgpEudra found an encrypted
or signed text (5a, 5f). If you push it, PgpEudra will move to
the next PGP BEGIN/END block or to the next attached file. If it cannot
find more of these, it will show a "Nothing to do" message.
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6. PEICS.INI configuration file
You don't have to read this chapter unless you have special wishes. The
default settings work fine for 80 % of the users, but for the others
it's fine if they can change PgpEudra's configuration to their preferences.
PgpEudra first reads the file from the Windows directory, then from the program directory and then optionally from the directory specified by the command-line parameter for Eudora. The latter is usually used to give each user his own configuration.
Every time it reads an INI-file, it overrides the previous settings. This makes it easy to create a system-wide configuration and a user-specific configuration. So far there's no options dialogbox to change the settings. I'll add it when I've added some more options. I've included an INI-file with the default settings. If you agree with them you don't need the file because the program sets them internally before reading the first INI-file. You can check the settings (besides ProgEudora) by keeping the [CAPSLOCK] key down, while starting PgpEudra.
Here are the options that are currently supported (with their defaults):
You may need this if you use special characters as in French, German, etc. Windows uses the Ansi character set, while DOS uses the Oem definition, so if you exchange mail with someone who does not use Windows (they exist!) and if you use those special characters, then you can try to turn on this option. Then PGP will maybe not complain about failing signatures and you can better read PGP's output. If you don't understand, what this is all about, leave it as it is.
Only incoming attachments can be passed to PGP. I added this because some other mailerextensions put the encrypted text in an attachment. Besides some keymailers send keys as attachment. The converted text will be put in the text in place of the "Attachment Converted: FILENAME" text. This enables you to decode more attachments in one message. Simply "run PGP" on them again.
The program reads the attached file and scans for a "-----PGP BEGIN" to see what it should do with the file. Then it does exactly what it normally does with a text in the window. It copies the text to a file (PGPEUDRA.ASC), passes that to PGP and inserts the result in the original text. If there's no PGP MESSAGE, KEY or SIGNATURE block in the file, then PgpEudra just ignores the attachment.
Now please don't start mailing me, that you cannot encrypt attachments that you make. I'll add this once, but don't ask when.
Maybe it works with a 32-bit PGP. The program that starts PGP in the DOS-box, copies the environment for PGP straight from the system settings, not from PgpEudra. But a 32-bit PGP will be started directly by PgpEudra, so I think it should work.
I got a report, that it worked with pgp 2.6.3i compiled for win32. You can find pgp263i (beta) on the International PGP homepage (http://www.ifi.uio.no/pgp/download.shtml). On WinNT it works too.
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7. Miscellaneous
7a. Programversions and name change
The versionnumber of PgpEudra increases by 0.01 on minor changes.
Versions with new features get the next 0.x0 number. In this case the manual
will be updated too. The timestamp always has the versionnumber.
1:00 means version 1.00.
Now you expect, this is a really new program, but it isn't. OK, the 32-bit program is, but functionally the change is not so big. I numbered this one 1.00, because then I have some numbers to upgrade the freeware 0.22, when necessary. Besides I wanted a disctinction between the freeware (0.xx) version and the free/share-ware (1.xx) versions. Maybe version 2.00 will be shareware only. Who knows...
PgpEudra(32) is compiled for i486 and runs on both 80386 and 80486 (and better) processors. PgpEudra(16) runs on a 80286 based computer too. Choose "Help | About PGP extension..." to get the "About PgpEudra" dialogbox. Here you can see which version you have (and who made this program ;-).
I renamed the programfiles, because "16" and "32" didn't fit in the 8
positions for the filename in good old DOS. Besides Philip Zimmermann
has a trademark on the letters "PGP", so I maybe have to rename the
program in the future. PEICS is short for Pgp-Eudora
Interface by Comerwell Software. If that's acceptable
I'll maybe rename PgpEudra. EPICS would be another option, but this
has also been used for a conference and more.
BTW: You have already seen this name, if you've used the program before.
It's at the bottom of the "Run PGP..." dialogbox.
7b. Files in this distribution
In the file PGPEUDRA???.ZIP (??? = version number) you should find
another ZIP-file and a signature:
Length Size Ratio Date Time Name
------ ----- ----- ---- ---- --------
99121 99121 0% 03-09-96 01:00 PEICS.ZIP
152 152 0% 03-09-96 01:00 PEICS.SIG
------ ------ --- -------
99273 99273 0% 2
In the file PEICS.ZIP you should find these files:
Length Size Ratio Date Time Name
------ ----- ----- ---- ---- --------
76816 32290 58% 03-09-96 01:00 PEICS16.EXE PgpEudra(16)
27680 12736 54% 26-08-96 01:00 PEICS32.EXE PgpEudra(32)
68640 34504 50% 03-09-96 01:00 PEICS.DLL PgpEudra(32) DLL
4723 2088 56% 03-09-96 01:00 PEICS.INI Configuration
42287 15435 64% 03-09-96 01:00 MANUAL.HTM The manual
2697 1225 55% 02-09-96 01:00 TODO.TXT What to to next?
545 159 71% 25-08-96 01:00 PGP.PIF PIF file for win3.1
------ ------ --- -------
223388 98437 56% 7
PgpEudra(32) consists of 2 parts: an EXE-file (PEICS32.EXE) and a DLL
(PEICS.DLL). This is the only
way to do window subclassing between different processes in Win95.
PEICS32.EXE hangs its DLL in Eudora's address space and the DLL does the
actual interfacing. Direct interfacing between programs is not allowed.
The filesizes and dates in the actual ZIP-file may be a bit different,
because I don't update this manual on every program update.
You can use the file PEICS.SIG to check if you have the original files.
You need my public key (for pgpeudra@comerwell.xs4all.nl)
for this. It's available from the keyservers, from
Comerwell's homepage and by mail from
comerwel@xs4all.nl. There's just a
"vacation" mailer, that sends a short information file with my key. Please type
subject "key", because I hope to make a real keymailer once again. Your message
will be ignored :-(, so you'd better not type any.
Receiving the key by mail is the easiest, if you've already installed PgpEudra,
because PgpEudra can add the key to your public keyring.
To check the signature type at the DOS-commandline:
pgp peics.sig peics.zip
and PGP will show if the file has been changed. Of course this is no guarantee for the correctness of the program. It only shows that it's not corrupted. This is a good virusprotection too.
The
download page on
Comerwell's homepage has links
to the latest version. You can regularly check the
announce
page to see if there are new versions announced.
Of course I'll post in the new
comp.security.pgp.announce
newsgroup, when I have a new version.
7c. Useful links on the internet
This part will may be outdated soon, but you can use it as a starting point.
The program is not on my homepage anymore because of an access limit of
100 MB per month. Instead my homepage has
links
to these ftp/http-sites:
ftp.pgp.net,
U.S.A.,
USA-California,
USA-Missouri,
UK,
Deutschland,
Norge,
Nederland,
Australia,
freebsd.
Note that these are URL's to the version you're reading about now. The filename
in the URL has the version number in it, so you'd better search for
PGPEUDRA???.ZIP.
If you need information about PGP or about other shells, you may find these links useful:
LEGAL ISSUES
============
In plain English:
The author makes NO WARRANTY or representation, either express or implied, with respect to this software, its quality, accuracy, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. This software is provided "AS IS", and you, its user, assume the entire risk as to its quality and accuracy.
PgpEudra is copyright © 1995, 1996 Hans Bausewein, Hengelo, Nederland
All Rights Reserved except as specified below.
Permission is hereby granted to use, copy and distribute this program for non-commercial use, without fee, subject to these conditions:
THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE PROGRAM, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE PROGRAM "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
I use Linux (Unix for 386 PC's) and the mailprogram Elm, which are freeware, and I had been thinking about adding PGP-support to Elm, but they have already done this, so that saves me a lot of time. Besides I think more people will use PGP if it can be done very easy.
The availability of a freeware version ensures that bugs are found soon, which makes the software more attractive for commercial use. If this program would be only sold it would be running only on a few systems in even less different configurations and it would take much more time to find bugs.
If you like to support my programming efforts, you're very welcome to buy
a license for non-commercial use. It's half of the price
for commercial use, so f25,- (about $15) for a single copy license.
Add 17.5% VAT and payment costs. You get the same rights
as the commercial license holders, except that you should not use the program
commercially. People outside the EU do not have to pay VAT.
Instead they have to import the license, which could imply they have to pay
local taxes.
7g. Commercial use
If you want to use this software commercially, that is, in your company,
at a governmental or educational institution, then you should consider this
software as shareware. PgpEudra supports Viacrypt's PGP,
although I cannot buy that program because of USA export restrictions.
I do not sell the program. You can get it from the internet, yourself. This means, you can easily get the latest version. For me it saves a lot of time and administrative work. I like programming much more.
Instead I sell a license to use the program. This no-nonsense license offers you:
Postbank number 7525347
Comerwell Software
Hengelo
The Netherlands
Comerwell Software is registered at the Chamber of Trade (Kamer van
Koophandel, KvK) Enschede at number 06072135. If PgpEudra is bought for
a registered company in the EC, you must send me a copy of the registration
before I can send you an invoice.
7h. Remarks, comments, questions, etc
Remarks, comments, good ideas and mental support are very welcome. Maybe I cannot reply soon, sometimes, because I have some work to do and I don't know how much mail this will generate, but I'll try to answer. If you have a question, please read the FAQ before sending mail to me. I don't like to answer the same questions all the time.
I don't like to get large attached files by mail, because I have a slow and expensive line to the internet. If you want to send me large files ( > 50 kB ) please do to ftp://xs2.xs4all.nl/~comerwel/incoming and mail me to tell that you put something there. You cannot read from this directory, so you cannot use it for your own disk storage ;-(.
This program is not complete, yet. I think, I'll add some features in a future version. This distribution comes with a file "TODO.TXT", that describes some features, that I like to add. I don't pretend to make a complete shell, though.
The bugs page has information on bug reports and fixes.
Please send mail about this program to pgpeudra@comerwell.xs4all.nl. I still like to find my personal mail if this program gets very popular ;-).