Mail Flag

Mail Flag is a Windows™ mail alert program. A 16 bit version is available for use with Microsoft® Mail version 3.x. A 32 bit version is available for use with Microsoft® Exchange version 4.

Mail Flag provides

•	An optional pop up window when new mail arrives. Pop up indicates whether the mail message has attachments and/or the sender wants a receipt.  Pop up has optional stay on top option under Microsoft Windows™ 3.1 and later.

•	A do not alert me for this message again option in the pop up window.

•	A remind me later option on each unread message in the pop up window.

•	A wait quietly option which leaves the pop up window visible as a reminder.

•	A delete option in the pop up window.

•	A periodic audio alert of unread mail.

•	Play any .WAV file for mail notification.

The Conceptual Overview gives a basic understanding of how MailFlag works.

Jump to menu for a description of each menu choice.

Jump to modes for an overview of the basic operating modes.

Read about Windows 95 issues, if youre running MailFlag on Windows 95.

Other Information

MAILFLAG.INI file

Library files

Microsoft's Secrets

Adding MailFlag to the MS Mail Menu

Command Line

Program Registration


Operating Modes

There are several basic operating modes available (Stay On Top requires Microsoft Windows 3.1 or later).  Some of the more useful configurations:

Audio Alerts Only

Un-check Options Popup Box and Options Always on Top  Check the Options Beep or Options Sound File..

Audio Alerts with Stay On Top Icon (Windows 3.x)

Un-check Options Popup Box and Hide Icon, and check Options Always on Top  This will sound the Options Beep or Options Sound File  and bring the MailFlag Icon above all other windows when new mail arrives.  The icon position can be fixed at a location on the screen by clicking Save Icon Posn.

Audio Alerts with Popup Window

Check Options Popup Box and optionally Options Always on Top  This will sound the Options Beep or Options Sound File  and bring up the window allowing further action.

Quiet Popup Window

Check Options Popup Box and optionally Options Always on Top  Uncheck the Options Beep and Options Sound File.  This will provide a quiet pop up window.


Menu Commands

File Exit

Options Configuration

Options Setup

Options Alert Time

Options Login

Options Sound File

Options Beep

Options Popup Box

Options Popup Details

Options Always on Top

System Menu (Windows 3.x)

Save Icon Posn

Auto Icon Posn

Hide Icon

Run Mail

Send Mail

Close All Popups

Tray Icon Menu (Windows 95)

Run Mail

Close All Popups

Send Mail

Options Popup Details

Options Popup Box

Options Beep

Options Sound File

Options Login

Options Alert Time

Options Configuration

Close MailFlag


General Concepts

Shareware

MailFlag is shareware.  You may evaluate it for 30 days, after which, you must register.  The shareware version "splashes" a reminder dialog box when you run MailFlag.  This dialog will remain on screen for 5 seconds.  Once the 30 day evaluation period has expired, one day a week the splash dialog will remain on screen and MailFlag will pause until the [OK] button is pressed.

Login Issues

MailFlag will work either with or without running Mail.

 If you run Mail/Exchange first, MailFlag will attach itself to the same login that Mail/Exchange used.

If you run MailFlag first, it will either log in with the default user/password (in the MSMAIL.INI file) or prompt for the user/password if there are no defaults or the logon mailbox and/or password may be provided on the command line.

On some networks, when MailFlag is logged in to the postoffice, and your mail data file (typically *.MMF) is stored on the server, the file is locked and can not be backed up. MailFlag provides a log in only during the workday feature under Options/Login. When this option is enabled, MailFlag will only log in during the specified time. This will allow the network backup to backup the MMF file.

Pop up limits

Up to 8 pop up windows may be displayed at once.  The limit is imposed because Windows has limited resources. The maximum number of popups is configurable via the Options/Popup Details dialog.

Alert Time Issues

MailFlag allows setting the alert time as low as once per second.  This is how often MailFlag polls the Mail post office to check for new mail.  A low setting (i.e. frequent polling) can have performance impacts on the rest of the system.  The performance factors include

- the capabilities of your computer

- the capabilities of your LAN

- the traffic load on your LAN

- the capabilities of the computer that manages the Post office

You may want to experiment with the alert time setting to find your optimal setting. If you use MS Mail, not Exchange, you may greatly lessen the impact of MailFlag on your computer and on the network by allowing MSMail to alert MailFlag of new mail. See Options/Setup.

Alert Issues

When Mail/Exchange is running, MailFlag will only see new mail after Mail/Exchange has seen it. Thus, if you set Mail/Exchange to poll every 10 minutes and MailFlag to poll every 10 seconds, you will have an effective altert time of between 10 minutes and 10 seconds.

If Mail/Exchange is not running, the polling time in MailFlag is the MailFlag alert time.

MAPI

MailFlag is a "Simple MAPI" program.  There are many limitations to SMAPI.  See Microsoft's Secrets.  "Enhanced MAPI" is currently in beta release.  Many of the current problems should be solvable when it is released.

Windows 3.0 Issues

Windows 3.0 does not support the "stay on top" capability.  Also, MailFlag dialogs do not have the "3D" look under Windows 3.0.


File Exit

Exits Mail Flag and signs Mail Flag out of the Mail/Exchange login.


Options Configuration

Ignore New Messages at Startup

A check in this box tells MailFlag not to pop up unread mail alert windows when it is first run.  Unread messages will effectively be set to do not remind me.  The audio alert will still occur.

Hide MailFlag Icon at Startup

When this box is checked, the MailFlag icon will not be available on the screen.  To bring up the MailFlag main window, you must run it again (e.g. double click its icon in Program Manager), or in Windows 95, click the Toggle Window menu on the tray icon.

Wait Quiet Stays On Top

When this box is checked, popup windows will stay on top of all other windows when the wait quietly button is pressed.  If the box is not checked, the popup can get hidden behind other windows.

Audio Alert Only Once Per Message

When this box is checked, MailFlag will only sound the audio alert once when it first detects any particular new message.  When this box is not checked, the audio alert is repeated every Alert Time until the message is processed from the pop up dialog or Mail/Exchange is activated.

Allow delete of any message

When this box is checked, MailFlag will delete any new message from the pop up box.  If this box is not checked, only return receipts may be deleted from MailFlag.

Confirm Exits

When this box is checked, MailFlag will prompt the user with an "are you sure" dialog when MailFlag is exited.

Popup does not get focus (Windows 3.x only)

When this box is checked, the MailFlag popup dialog box will not take the keyboard focus.  Thus, in order to respond to the MailFlag popup, you must click its button with the mouse or <Alt><Tab> until the popup has the focus to use the keyboard.  Meanwhile, key presses will continue to be accepted by the program that had the focus before the popup occurred.

Tray Icon (Windows 95 only)

When this option is checked, MailFlag will appear as a small icon in the taskbar tray. The normal icon will be hidden by default, though it may be shown by un-checking the hide icon at startup option.

Default Response Button

This sets which button in the popup window is activated when the <ENTER> key is pressed.


Options Setup

This feature is not available with Exchange or when running the 16 bit version of MailFlag on Windows NT.

This command either adds or removes configuration data to MSMail to cause MSMail to alert MailFlag of new mail.

When MSMail is configured to alert MailFlag of new mail and the Options/Login is set to use MSMail for alerts, MailFlag does not directly poll the postoffice unless MSMail is not running. Instead, MSMail will poll the postoffice and activate MailFlag when new mail arrives. (MSMail will activate MailFlag when new mail arrives whether MailFlag is already running or not.) For this option to work, the MFLAG.DLL file must be in the same directory as the MAILFLAG.EXE file. When operating in this mode, MailFlag is less of a burden on your computer and network, since it is simply waiting for MSMail to activate it.

When MSMail is not configured to activate MailFlag, MailFlag will poll the postoffice at the alert time interval. While MailFlag is polling the postoffice, it will flash its icon/window off.


Options Alert Time

Opens a dialog box that allows setting the polling interval for Mail Flag.  This is frequency that Mail Flag

•	checks the Mail system for new messages

•	sounds the alert if there are un-disposed of messages

This setting also affects the remind me later feature.  The "remind me later" time will be rounded to a multiple of the "alert" time.  For example, if the "alert" time is 5 minutes, and a "remind me later" time of 12 minutes is entered in a pop up box, the "remind" pop up will occur at 15 minutes - the next multiple of 5 minutes.


Options Login

This dialog provides configuration of two general login issues.

The Login Method tells MailFlag whether to always poll the postoffice itself (select Always check for new mail), or to wait for MSMail to alert MailFlag for new mail (select Use MSMail to check for mail). For MSMail to alert MailFlag, it must have been setup to do so. If the Use MSMail to check for mail option is selected and MSMail is not running, MailFlag will poll the postoffice itself.

The Work Day section provides MailFlag with a way to log off of the postoffice during off hours. This may be desirable if your mail data file is stored on a server and overnight backups occur on the server. If MailFlag is logged in and has the MMF file open, your data file might not be backed up. To set up a login workday, first check the Log In Only checkbox. Then fill in the days and hours that you want MailFlag to be checking for new mail. (MailFlag stores the times in 24hr format, so that is what will be displayed. You may still enter a time in 12hr format and check the PM box or add a p to the end of the time (e.g. 5:00p) to indicate after noon hours.)


Options Sound File

When this menu is checked, Mail Flag plays a .WAV file for mail notification.  Selecting the menu item allows the user to specify the .WAV file to play.  The menu choice is disabled if no sound driver is available.

This menu selection relies on the COMMDLG.DLL library.  This library must be in your PATH.  Typically it should be placed in the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.  Installation of MS Mail should have installed this library.


Options Beep

When this menu is checked, Mail Flag sounds the default 'beep' for mail notification.  A sound driver is not required.


Options Popup Box

When this menu item is checked, Mail Flag pops up a notification window when new mail arrives.  The position and size of the window on the screen may be set via the Options/Popup Details menu. The window indicates the subject and sender of the message, whether the mail message has file attachments(s) and whether the sender has requested a receipt.  In the small popup dialog, file attachments are indicated when the from: line says File From: as oppsed to Msg From: and a receipt request will be noted above the action buttons by Action (receipt pending):.

The audio alert (if enabled) continues to sound every alert time interval as long as the pop up window is visible unless the wait quietly option is selected.

The window provides several ways to handle the message via the buttons labeled as below (full dialog label / small dialog label):

Do not remind me of this message again / No

Selecting this option leaves the message un-read in Mail, but Mail Flag will not sound any more alarms or pop up a window for this message.

Remind me again in [   ] minutes / Remind

Selecting this option a causes Mail Flag to sound the alert and pop up the message window the specified number of minutes later, if the message remains un-read.  The accuracy of the remind time depends upon the alert time setting.

Activate Mail / Mail

Selecting this option causes Mail Flag to activate Mail/Exchange.  If Mail/Exchange is running, the window is brought to the foreground.  If Mail/Exchange is not running, Mail Flag runs it. Any Mail Flag pop up windows are hidden.

Wait Quietly / Wait

Selecting this option leaves the popup window visible but turns off the audio alerts for the message.

Delete this message from Mail / Delete

This option is only available if the message is a return receipt or if the 'Allow delete of any message' option is enabled..  Selecting this option causes Mail Flag to delete the message from Mail.  The message is not put in the "wastebasket" or "deleted mail" folder in Mail/Exchange.  It is permanently deleted.


Popup Details
Options Popup Details

This option allows the user to select the location, quantity and stacking of the alert popup windows.

The popup may be located in the upper left hand corner of the screen, the upper right, the lower left, or the lower right.

The user may also specify that maximum quantity of alert windows (up to 8) and whether they "pile on top" of each (by selecting the "stacked" button), or they are offset from each other slightly (by selecting the "stagger" button).

Two popup dialogs are available.  By checking the Small Popup option, a smaller, less wordy, popup dialog will be used.


Options Always on Top

Under Windows 3.1 or newer, selecting this option will cause the icon or popup alert box to float above all other windows on the screen.


Save Icon Posn

This feature is only available in Windows 3.x.

This command is available from the system menu, which is activated by clicking on the MailFlag icon once, or by clicking on the "spacebar" in the very upper left corner of the MailFlag main window.

Clicking this command will "freeze" the position of the MailFlag icon.  After executing this command, whenever MailFlag is run or minimized, it will return to the screen "frozen" position.  The position can be "thawed" by clicking Auto Icon Posn.


Auto Icon Posn

This feature is only available in Windows 3.x.

This command is available from the system menu, which is activated by clicking on the MailFlag icon once, or by clicking on the "spacebar" in the very upper left corner of the MailFlag main window.

Clicking this command will "thaw" the position of the MailFlag icon saved with a Save Icon Posn command.  After executing this command, the MailFlag icon will take whatever screen position Windows assigns to it.


Hide Icon

This command is available from the system menu (which is activated by clicking on the MailFlag icon once, or by clicking on the "spacebar" in the very upper left corner of the MailFlag main window) or the Tray icon menu.

Clicking this command will hide the MailFlag icon.  To regain access to the MailFlag main window and menu, re-run MailFlag from the Program Manager or click the toggle window menu on the tray icon menu.


Run Mail

This command is available from the system menu (which is activated by clicking on the MailFlag icon once, or by clicking on the "spacebar" in the very upper left corner of the MailFlag main window) or the Tray icon menu.

Clicking this command runs the MSMail program or brings it to the foreground if it is already running.. All open MailFlag dialog boxes are closed.


Send Mail

This command is available from the system menu (which is activated by clicking on the MailFlag icon once, or by clicking on the "spacebar" in the very upper left corner of the MailFlag main window) or the Tray icon menu.

Clicking this command opens a dialog that allows sending a mail message.


Close All Popups

This command is available from the system menu (which is activated by clicking on the MailFlag icon once, or by clicking on the "spacebar" in the very upper left corner of the MailFlag main window) or the Tray icon menu.

Clicking this command closes all open popup windows as if the do not remind me option was selected for each one.


Toggle Window

This command is only available from the tray icon menu.

This command will switch the visibility of the main MailFlag window. If the window is hidden, this command will display it. If the window is displayed, this command will hide it.


MAILFLAG.INI file

SoundFileName=	0 for no sound, 1 for beep, or the name of the .WAV file to be played for mail alerts

AlertMinutes=	The time interval that MailFlag checks for new mail

Popup=[Yes|No]	Whether MailFlag pops up a notification window

RemindTime=	The default number of minutes shown in the "remind me later" box in the pop up dialog

AlwaysOnTop=[1|0]	1 if the pop up box should stay on top of other windows

MailPgmName=	If the name of the mail program is not "MSMAIL.EXE", its name may be placed on this line.

DefaultButton=	The code for the default button in the popup window

IconPosition=	The screen location for the MailFlag icon, if it has been saved

IgnoreStartupMsgs=0	1 to ignore new mail at MailFlag startup

QuietOnTop=1	1 if popups are to stay on top when waiting quietly

Hide=0	1 to hide the MailFlag icon at startup

ChimeOnce=0	1 for audio alert once only

AllowDeletes=0	1 if message types other than return receipts may be deleted

ConfirmExits=1	1 will prompt the user for verification before exiting MailFlag

AlwaysLogged=0	1 to have MailFlag not use MSMail but always poll the postoffice

WorkdayOnly=0	1 to have MailFlag only log in during the day and use the following time settings

Weekdays=1	1 if MailFlag is to log in Mon-Fri

Weekends=0	1 if MailFlag is to log in Sat-Sun

DayStarts=8:00	beginning time for MailFlag to log in

DayEnds=17:00	ending time for MailFlag to log out

Setup=1	1 if the user has specified whether to configure MSMail to alert MailFlag or not

PopLocn=3	popup window location

PopStagger=1	whether popup windows are staggered or staked

PopCount=8	maximum number of popups visible at once

SmallPopup=	0 for large popup window, 1 for small popup

NoFocus=	1 if MailFlag popup is not to get the keyboard focus

MailWndClass=	the class name of the mail window

SpoolWndClass=	the class name of the spooler window

UseTray=	1 to use the tray icon


Library Files

MailFlag depends upon COMMDLG.DLL and MAPI.DLL.  They should be in your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Installation of MS Mail should have provided these libraries.


Microsoft's Secrets

Problem: MailFlag cannot delete messages into the "deleted" or "wastebasket" folder.  Microsoft does not publish the interface to their folder storage.

Problem: If you 'Exit and Signout' of MS Mail, a message box pops up saying "Another application has denied your request".  MailFlag is the "other application".  Microsoft won't tell how they are requesting anything, or how to respond.  This does not seem to cause problems. To avoid this message exit MailFlag prior to exiting Mail or use the 'Exit' menu choice in MSMail instead of the 'Exit and Signout' choice.

Problem: You cannot compress the MMF file while MailFlag is running.

Problem: MailFlag cannot determine the priority of messages.

Problem: MailFlag cannot get the original message subject for a return receipt.


Adding MailFlag to the MS Mail Menu

You can add MailFlag to a menu in MS MAIL. To do so, add a line to the [Custom Commands] section in the MSMAIL.INI file.  The following line would add MailFlag to the 'Mail' menu as the 9th item (the first item is number 0), if the MailFlag program, DLL, and help file are in the C:\WINDOWS directory (this is one line, do not insert any carriage returns) :

MailFlagMenu=3.0;Mail;&Mail Flag;9;c:\windows\MFlag.DLL;c:\windows\MailFlag.exe;;Activate Mail Flag;c:\windows\MailFlag.hlp;-1

Re-start MS Mail to implement the change.


Windows 95 Hints

Focus

Windows 95 does not allow one program to interfere with another. One effect of this is that MailFlag can not determine what window had the focus before the focus switches to MailFlag. Thus, MailFlag can not return the focus to the previous window.

Therefore, best results will be obtained if MailFlags main window is hidden and MailFlag is accessed through the tray icon (the default setting). Otherwise, the focus will keep returning to the MailFlag window.

Also, the option for the popup window to not take the focus is not functional.

Exchange Sign On

To avoid the profile dialog at MailFlag startup, provide the profile name on the Command Line.  The command line is accessed via the Properties/Shortcut/Target line after right-clicking the MailFlag icon.


Command Line

The mailbox name and/or password may be specified on the MailFlag command line as follows:

MailFlag.EXE -uBoxName -pPassword

On MSMail, "BoxName" must be the mailbox name, not MSMail's "friendly name".

On Exchange, BoxName is the user profile name. If the profile name has spaces in it, the entire name must be enclosed in quote marks, for example

-u"MS Exchange Settings"

The command line parameters are only valid if MailFlag is run before or without MSMail. If MSMail is already logged on, MailFlag will generate an error.


Registration

MailFlag is shareware.  If you continue to use it after 30 days, you must register the program. Please use the registration form accessed by clicking on the words registration form.

MAILFLAG IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. THIRD MILLENNIUM TECHNOLOGIES FURTHER DISCLAIMS ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  THE ENTIRE RISK ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE AND DOCUMENTATION REMAINS WITH YOU.

Registration is $10 per copy.  Please use the registration form. $10 copies may also be ordered through Compuserve's registration service. GO SWREG, ID 1214. Site licenses and quantity discounts are also available on the registration form

Upon registering, you will receive a user ID number.  This ID number will enable you to disable the start-up shareware splash dialog box. If you provide an e-mail address, your ID will be e-mailed to you.

Send to

Third Millennium Technologies

P.O. Box 852382

Mesquite  TX  75185

or

Charge to your Compuserve account

GO SWREG

ID 1214 for single copies. Multi-quantity SWREG ID's are listed on the registration form.

Questions or comments may be e-mailed to:

Compuserve ID

73537,1203  Jeff Lundblad

or 73537.1203@compuserve.com


Registration form
MailFlag 1.51 Registration Form

Select File Print Topic to print this form.

Please Remit per the following table to:

Third Millennium Technologies

P O Box 852382

Mesquite, TX 75185

e-mail:73537.1203@compuserve.com

fax: 214-203-1742 (area code may change in late 96)

Compuserve

Number of Copies	Price Per Copy	GO SWREG ID

 1-10	$10	1214

11-19	$9	2065

20-50	$8	2067

51-100	$7

100 license pack	$700	2068

500 license pack	$1000	5430

1000/site license pack	$1500

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Your Configuration?    ___Windows   ___WFWG   ___Win95   ___NT

   ___ 3.0   ___ 3.1   ___3.11   ___3.5   ___3.51   ___4.0

 	   ___ MS-Mail     ___Exchange

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