Using Modules

When the system works correctly as a LAN E-mail exchanging messages between the registered CommuniGate users, your can install the communication modules you want to use.

Installing CommuniGate Modules

To install a communication module, use the CommuniGate Installer to place the module file into the Modules folder inside the CommuniGate Folder on the Server computer. When the CommuniGate Server is restarted, all modules are loaded and they can be used. Follow the instructions for each module to configure it properly.

Note: If you use more than 2 modules, it is recommended to increase the memory partition reserved for the CommuniGate Server. Choose General from the Server menu and increase the Memory Size by 50-80 Kbytes. Close the dialog box and restart the Server computer.

Checking the Installed Modules

After a new module is installed, new options should appear in the CommuniGator application:

• The name of the new service appears in the Server menu: one item appears in the Monitors section, and one item may appear in the Queues section of that menu (if the module can send messages and thus it maintains a message queue). You can choose these items to monitor, control, and configure the module and to watch the queue of messages scheduled to be processed with that module.
• The icon of the new service appears in the Service Type menu in the Address Books panel. You can select that icon to create an address in the address space supported with the new module. For example, after you add the CommuniGate Fax module, you can create and use addresses in the fax space (i.e. fax phone numbers). Modules like CommuniGate UUCP or CommuniGate SMTP do not create new address spaces, and their icons do not appear in the Address Book panel. Instead, these modules expand the generic E-mail space: when a module is added, messages can be mailed not only to local users, but to any Internet address. Service modules, such as CommuniGate PWD do not create address spaces either, so their icons do not appear in the Address Book panel.

Monitoring Module Activity

To monitor module activity, choose the module name from the Monitor section of the Server menu. A Monitor window appears. It may contain the module status information in the upper part of the window. If the module supports multiple communication channels (lines), a vertical scroll bar and the status information for those channels appears in the bottom part of the window. You may have to scroll or to zoom out the window to see all communication lines.

If a module (such as the CommuniGate Print module) does not use multiple communication channels, but performs one transfer at a time, the bottom part of the module Monitor window is not displayed, and the only window content is the status information of the service module. If a module has lines, but it provides no "general" service status information besides the line status information, the module Monitor window does not have the service status part (nothing is displayed above the scroll bar), only the line status information is displayed.

When a module Monitor window is open, the menu with the module name appears in the menu bar.

Controlling Module Services

When a module Monitor window is open, you can configure the module Service Settings, and you can interrupt and force (push) module activity.

Configuring Module Service Settings

To configure a communication module, bring up its Monitor window. The menu with the module name appears in the menu bar. Choose Service Settings from the module menu to bring up the Service Settings dialog box. If the Monitor window has the general service status information, you can double-click that window part to bring up this dialog box. The content of the Service Settings dialog box depends on the module you configure. See the communication module manual for the details.

If a modules lines are created manually, that module may require that you configure those lines, in addition to configuring the Module Service Settings.

Interrupting Module Activity

Some modules allow you to interrupt their activity. In this case the Interrupt Service menu command is enabled in the module menu and you can use it to interrupt the communication module activity. See the communication module manual for the details.

Initiating Module Activity

Some modules allow you to force them to start their activity. In this case the Activate Service Now menu command is enabled in the module menu and you can use it to force the module to start its activity. For example, using this command with the CommuniGate SMTP module forces that module to initiate its TCP activity immediately and to send messages from its queue even if the TCP Schedule settings do not allow that module to initiate any TCP Activity at this time. See the communication module manual for the details.

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Module Lines

Some modules create and remove communication channels automatically (all Internet Mail modules, for example), some modules require each communication channel (line) to be created and configured explicitly.

Creating and Removing Module Lines

If the module requires explicit creating of communication lines, choose Add Line from the service menu. The New Line dialog box appears. Again, the content of that dialog box depends on the module.

When you create a communication line for a module that deals with modems and phone lines, the New Line dialog box usually contains a pop-up menu with the names of the serial ports available on the Server. The serial ports already occupied with this or other communication modules, or the ports occupied with other applications on the Server computer are displayed dimmed. The serial ports created with the LineShare software appear in the bold font.

When a service has one or several active lines, the line status information is displayed in the service Monitor window. If more than one line exist, you can select a line by clicking on its status information. The selected line is highlighted with a gray border.

To remove a communication line that was explicitly created, select the line in the module Monitor window and choose Remove Line from the module menu. After the confirmation, all communications taking place through that line are interrupted, all resources used for that line are released and the line is removed from the communication module line set.

Configuring Module Line Settings

To configure a communication line, select the line in the module Monitor window and choose Line Settings from the service menu. You may also double-click the line status element in the Monitor window. The line settings dialog box appears. The content of that dialog box depends on the module you are configuring. See the communication module manual for the details.

Interrupting Module Line Activity

To interrupt a message exchange or other process taking place through a module communication line, select that line in the module Monitor window and choose Interrupt Line from the module menu. If the communication module does not support line interruption, this menu command is not available. If the module can interrupt processing, it asks for a confirmation. After the confirmation, all communications taking place through that line are interrupted, and the communication module resets the line.

Initiating Module Line Activity

Some modules allow the administrator to initiate module line activity manually. To initiate line activity, select the line in the module Monitor window and choose Activate Line Now from the module menu. If the communication module does not support manual line activation, this menu command is not available.

Monitoring Module Queue

When a message is submitted to the CommuniGate Server, all active message address records are processed, the communication modules needed to deliver the message are selected, and the message is placed in those module queues. As a result, each message submitted to the Server is placed in one or several communication module queues.

You can open and view a communication module queue. Choose the module name from the Queue section of the Server menu. The module queue window opens. You can manage module queues using the same operations you use to work with your server In and Out Boxes. See the CommuniGator application manual for the details.

The special item All Messages in the Server menu allows you to view all messages stored on the Server. The system administrator may want to view the All Messages queue to detect "orphan" messages, for example. Also, this feature can be useful if your Server has "infobots" - accounts that process incoming mail automatically.