Copyright: 1996 Vox Populi Software


Signature Master
SignatureMaster 2

32-bit E-mail Signature Manager

IMPORTANT: SignatureMaster is a 32-bit program for Windows 95 or Windows NT.  It will not run with Windows 3.x.

SignatureMaster 2 allows you to create E-mail Signatures with or without Taglines.  You may also Import external Tagline files into the database, or Export the Tagline database into a text-based file.  SignatureMaster also uses a Filter system, that support wildcards, to control the text that is in the database.   Duplicate Taglines are automatically rejected.   The database Navigator is built around the same database engine used in Borland Paradox and allows a searchable Tagline database of up to 2 billion characters in length and can be used over a network.

Applications

Using SignatureMaster 2

Registering SignatureMaster

Technical Support

Revision History

Vox Populi Software


Vox Populi Software
Copyright 1996 Vox Populi Software

Vox Populi Software

P.O. Box 177

Olalla, WA

98359-0177

Tech Support: bryand@bryand.seanet.com


ToolBar Icons
SignatureMaster 2 has the following tools:

Signature Save Location

Signature Design

Generate Signature

Play WAV Sound on Generate

Add New Tagline

Delete A Tagline

Search Taglines

Replace Text in Taglines

All Taglines

Edit Filter List

Filter Taglines

Import Taglines

Export Taglines

Compacting the Tagline database

Hiding SignatureMaster

Pick Random Tagline

Help


Signature Save Location
  You can choose where a Signature is created/updated.  Simply pick the location from the directories indicated and choose a name for the Signature.  The default Signature is named SIG.TXT and will be saved in the SignatureMaster directory.

Important:  Be sure to set the location of the Signature in any program that will allow a text-based Signature file.


Signature Design
  This will bring up the Signature designing screen.  This is where you choose how your Signature will look.

To create a Signature, simply click on a line in the top box and then 'drag' the line to bottom box.   When you release the mouse button, in the lower box, the chosen line will be added to the bottom (Signature) box.

To Add a new line to the top box, click on 'Add New Line'.

To Delete a line in the top box, click on 'Delete Line'.  Date, Date & Time, and Tagline may not be deleted from the top box.

If you choose a Tagline, then you may choose Random or Sequential from this screen.

You can also set the Time Delay for up to 120 minutes.  This sets the time between Signature updates.  The chosen Delay time will remain the same until otherwise changed.

Note:  The '0' setting is for demonstration purposes only.  It is should not be used for a Delay time setting, since it will 'hog' system resources.  A setting of 5 minutes is more realistic, depending on your personal E-mail usage.


Generate Signature
  Generate a new Signature, with current Tagline if used.  The new Signature will overwrite any previous Signature.


Play WAV Sound on Generate
SignatureMaster 2 can play a .WAV file when it Generates a Signature.  Just check the Sound option (under Preferences).

Note:  The default .WAV file may be replaced by any .WAV file, as long as (1) it in the same directory as SignatureMaster, and (2) it is named SIG.WAV.


Add New Tagline
 To Add a new Tagline to the SignatureMaster database, enter a new Tagline in the input box provided.  When you have finished adding the Tagline, SignatureMaster will automatically Update the database.  You may then also Refresh the database if you are using the program on a network.

SignatureMaster will automatically avoid duplicate Taglines, but will allow as many similar Taglines as you want to add to the database.


Delete A Tagline
 Taglines may be Deleted from the Tagline database by clicking on the Delete button when the Tagline you wish to delete is in the display.  After you have deleted the Tagline, SignatureMaster will automatically Update the database.

If you are on a network with other users of the program, you can then click on the Refresh button (on the Navigator) after any change to the database.


Search Taglines
 SignatureMaster allows you to search the Tagline database.  Enter the text that you want to search for in the space provided.  A listing of all Taglines containing your search pattern will be displayed.  The Search is not case-sensitive and you may use wildcards (* and ?) for your searches.

After Searching Taglines, click the All Taglines icon to retrieve all the Taglines in the database.


Replace Text in Taglines
  SignatureMaster allows you to replace specified text in all Taglines.  Simply enter the text that you wish to replace, then enter the new text.  All Taglines in the database will be updated with the new text.

Important:    Replace is case-sensitve.  Be as specific as possible when entering the text to be replaced.


All Taglines
 After a Search, the All Taglines icon becomes visible.  Simply click on it to call up all of the Taglines in the database.  The icon will then disappear.


Edit Filter List
 All Filters are displayed in the Filter Editor.  You may then Add/Delete/Edit any of the Filters.

All Filters are case-sensitive.


Filter Taglines
  This option will Filter the entire Tagline database.  This can be lengthy, depending on your system, the size of the database, and number of Filters.

The database should then be Compacted after Filtering.


Import Taglines
 A text-based Tagline file may be Imported into SignatureMaster.  The imported file must contain only one Tagline per line. During Import, SignatureMaster will reject any Taglines containing any Filters.

There is also an Export Tagline database function.  This will create a text-based file in the directory of your chice.

Compacting the Tagline database is recommended after Importing Taglines.


Export Taglines
 To Export the Tagline database into a text-based file, just click on Export, under Tools on the menu.  Enter a name and location for the text file.  A text will be created from the Tagline database.

There is also an Import Tagline database function.  This will add Taglines from a text-based file.


Compacting the Tagline database
  The Tagline database should be occasionally packed (Compacted) in order to reduce it's size and increase it's speed.

Compacting is only needed after editing the Tagline database (or Importing).  When a Tagline is deleted, it is only hidden until Compacting, which deletes the Tagline and reclaims the space used by it.


Hiding SignatureMaster
 SignatureMaster is designed to be run in the background.  After starting the program, you may send it to the icon tray (lower right hand corner of Windows 95).   SignatureMaster will continue to work in the background and will expand to normal size if the icon is clicked on.


Pick Random Tagline
 Clicking this button will pick a random Tagline from the database.  It will not Generate a Signature, only pick a new Tagline.  If you wish a Signature with the new Tagline, you must click Generate.


Help
 This will call up the Help screen.

Note: The F1 key will also call up Help.


Applications
SignatureMaster can be used with any E-mail application that reads a Signature from a text file.

If you have an application not listed that you know uses an E-mail Signature file, please contactVox Populi Software, via E-mail, so that the application may be added to this Help file.

Below are some sample file names used by popular applications:

Agent 99 / Free Agent

Eudora

MicroSoft Internet Mail & News

Netscape Navigator

News Xpress

Pegasus


Agent 99 / Free Agent
Agent 99 and Free Agent, by Forte, has a Signatures option (under Options).  Simply click on Browse and set it the SignatureMaster Signature location.


Eudora
Eudora currently uses a text-based Signature file, located in the Eudora directory, named SIGNATUR.PCE.  It also has an alternate Signature file named SIGNATUR.ALT in the same directory.

To use Eudora with SignatureMaster, simply click the Save As icon and guide SignatureMaster to  the location of the SIGNATUR.PCE file and set the name in SignatureMaster.  There is a SIGNATUR.PCE file listed under FIle Name.

Note: If you use Eudora with other applications, you may be able to direct the other application's Signature file location to the Eudora SIGNATUR.PCE file.


MicroSoft Internet Mail & News
MS Internet Mail & News will let you pick the name and location of a Signature file.   Run the Explorer and click on Mail, Options, Signature.  After choosing File, simply Browse to locate a SignatureMaster Signature file.


Netscape Navigator
Netscape Navigator will let you pick the name and location of a Signature file.  Simply click on Options, Mail and News Preferences, then on Identity.  Then just click Browse to locate a SignatureMaster Signature file.


News Xpress
News Xpress News Reader uses a text-based Signature file and therefore can be used with SignatureMaster.  Just click File, Options, Personal Information.  Under Default Signature File, click Browse to direct News Xpress to the SignatureMaster Signature file.


Pegasus
IMPORTANT:  Be sure to read the Pegasus documentation for complete information on Pegasus Signature files.

The following information is taken directly from discussions with the authors of Pegasus:

Pegasus Mail has three Signatures: one for local mail (i.e. on the same Netware server or standalone multiuser system), one for Internet mail, and one for mail sent by Novell's MHS message transport, which is found on some Netware systems.  The filenames are LOCALSIG.PMS, INETSIG.PMS, and MHSSIG.PMS, respectively.

The Signature files are just text files containing the signature text, exactly as it is entered in the dialog box by the user.  The files are kept in each user's Home Mailbox directory, and Pegasus Mail will not look anywhere else for a Signature.  It will not look for any filenames other than the ones it assigns, either, so you can not get it to look for another file to use.

Now, to get complicated - since version 2.31 for Windows, Pegasus Mail has had a total of nine complete sets (local, Internet, and MHS) signatures.  The files are the same format, and in the same location.   The nine sets have the filenames as follows:

Set#  Local                    Internet               MHS

1       LOCALSIG.PMS    INETSIG.PMS      MHSSIG.PMS

2       LOCALSI2.PMS     INETSIG2.PMS    MHSSIG2.PMS

3       LOCALSI3.PMS     INETSIG3.PMS    MHSSIG3.PMS

You, the Pegasus/SignatureMaster user, will need to choose one of these Signature files in order to use SignatureMaster with Pegasus.   You could use SignatureMaster to generate a Signature for each of these Signatures used, and then have SignatureMaster generate random Taglines for only the one that you use most frequently.


Tagline
Taglines are one-line statements added to the end of a Signature file.  SignatureMaster allows you to completely control Taglines.  You can enable or disable the creation of Taglines with a Signature file.  You can choose how often they will be changed on your Signature file.

Sample Signature file with Tagline:

       John Doe

       johndoe@someplace.com

       Lawyers or Toxic Waste Dumps ... hmm, tough choice

There are two settings for Taglines: Random and Sequential.


Signature
A Signature is a text file that is used by many E-mail programs.  It usually contains at least three lines: Name, E-mail Address, and Tagline (optional).  SignatureMaster 2.0 allows up to 255 lines, each line up to 255 characters long.

Built-in to SignatureMaster are Date  and Date & Time options for date/time stamping.

The E-mail program must be set to the name and location of the Signature file.

Example Signature:

John Doe

johnd@generic.com

This Tagline generated by SignatureMaster


Filter
A Filter is any text that you do not want in your Tagline database.  Filters may be single words, or entire phrases.  Filters are case-sensitive and support wildcards (* and ?).   Any Taglines containing a Filter on the Filter list is automatically rejected during a Tagline Import.  You may also Filter your existing Tagline database.

Filter examples:

 If 'Data' is in the Filter list then 'Data' will be rejected, but 'data' will be accepted.

 If 'Wo?f' is in the Filter list, both 'Worf' and 'Woof' will be rejected, but 'woof' will be accepted.

 'W*' will Filter out all Taglines with a 'W' in them, but not  a 'w'.


Registering
To Register SignatureMaster, simply click on the Register option, under the File menu and follow the instructions.  After Registering, the Register option will be grayed out.

Important:  Be sure to  save your Registration code, since it can be used on all future versions of this software.

Registering removes the 25 Tagline limit and all 'nag screens' from this program.  For further information on Registering, see the README.TXT file included with this program.  You may also print out an order form.

Vox Populi Software


Navigator
The Navigator bar allows for quick movement through the Tagline database.  There are four arrows indicating seven possible choices; First Record, Previous Record, Next Record, Last Record, Edit, Post Edit (Update), and Cancel Edit.

To use SignatureMaster over a network, simply click Refresh data button, far right, occasionally.   The Refresh button is used when you are using SignatureMaster on a network at the same time others use the program.  The Refresh button keeps the Taglines database from being corrupted by other users and also makes your Tagline changes immediately available to other users of the program.  Simply click the Refresh button once in awhile, or after an Add, Delete, Edit, or Update of a Tagline.


Technical Support
If you have a problem with this software and want to file a trouble report, or if you simply want to send a note, please contact us at:

Vox Populi Software

P.O. Box 177

Olalla, WA

98359-0177

or

bryand@bryand.seanet.com

Please include the version of the software that you are running (see About in the Help menu), and as much information about the problem as possible.   Be sure to include your E-mail address so that a prompt answer can be received.   Also, if there are features that you would like added, changed, or removed, please feel free to mention them.


Revision History
SignatureMaster is a completely new program, not a rewrite of a 16-bit version for Windows 3.1.  It contains only 32-bit code and will work only with Windows 95 or Windows NT.   If you have any requests for added features, please contact technical support.

Version 2.0     (8/22/96)      Began Alpha testing of 2.0, which is now 15-25 times faster than version 1.0.  The database is now Paradox, instead of MS Access.  Changed the Tagline limit to 25 in the unRegistered version.  Increased the number of lines to 255.  Increased each line to 255 characters.  Changed Export feature to allow choice of name/location.  Added icon tray use and removed Minimizing from task bar.

Version 1.13   (8/13/96)    Added Export Taglines function to menu.  Added unload event to save SIG.DAT and Signature file whenever program is closed.  Streamlined code dealing with random Tagline generation.

Version 1.12   (7/10/96)    Fixed minor problem with Minimizing on opening toggle.  Referenced Pegasus, News Xpress, and MicroSoft Internet Mail & News in Help file.  Modified start up so that a Random Tagline is generated immediately.  Added Pegasus (*.PMS) type Saves.

Version 1.11   (7/2/96)     Reduced 100 Tagline limit to 50 Taglines in unRegistered version.  Minor interface changes.

Version 1.10   (6/18/96)   Replaced graphic controls with standard controls.  This was done in order to reduce size and increase speed of program.   Also, minor code changes were made to optimize performance.  Overall speed increase of 11%.  Speed increased by 14% on importing of Taglines.  Significant speed increases also in Filtering and Searching of Taglines.  Added Tagline database size statistics to Compacting screen, per request of users.  Added the Eudora Signature file (SIGNATUR.PCE ) to Save display.

Version 1.09   (6/11/96)   Re-wrote the Filter Editor to make it more like the Names and E-Mail Addresses Manager.  This allows for quicker sorting of Filters.   The FILTERS.TXT file is now named FILTERS.DAT.  Added Total Filter count box to Filter Editor.

Version 1.08   (6/10/96)   Corrected minor bug in Date and Time Stamping that was affecting the SIG.DAT file (startup configuration).

Version 1.07   (6/9/96)   Added Date and Time Stamping.  This was requested by users.

Version 1.0.6  (6/4/96)     Changed Registration order form to a more international format, in response to users from New Zealand and Portugal.

Version 1.0.5  (6/2/96)     Corrected a bug in the path.  Between versions, a temporary directory was used and was not changed until now.

Version 1.0.3  (5/30/96)   Added Replace Text capability.

Version 1.0.0  (5/24/96)   Initial release of SignatureMaster Version 1.0.0.  compiled.

Version 0.0.9  (5/18/96)   Minor rewrite of Filtering system.  Speed is now over three times faster.

Version 0.0.8  (5/12/96)   Reworked the Help file and logon screen and deleted one nag screen.  There were some cosmetic changes made, based on input from Beta testers.  Some of the graphics were scaled-down, in order to increase overall speed on large Tagline databases (75,000+).   Special thanks to Mark for benchmark testing.

Version 0.0.7  (5/10/96)   Completed Beta testing.  Thanks guys.

Version 0.0.6  (4/1/96)    Completed Alpha testing and turned it over to Beta testers.