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THE OPUS(tm) MESSAGE AND MAIL SYSTEM The Message Section ------------------- You can reach the OPUS(tm) Message Section by pressing "M" from the Main Menu. When you do, a whole world of communications is at your disposal. Whether you are looking for local message exchange or National conferencing, OPUS(tm) will fill the bill. Let's take a brief look at the Message Section Menu and the various commands available. More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide MSG MENU OPUS(tm) Screen Display: Message Section (Main Menu) +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | There are 67 messages in this area. The highest is 72. | | The last message you read was 55 | | | | Msg. area 1 ... General Message Area | | A)rea change N)ext (read msg) P)rior msg E)nter message | | R)eply =)read non-stop L)ist (brief) S)can | | I)nquire M)AIN MENU G)oodbye | | | | Select: | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ The Message Area description and number you see may be different than the one in our example. If this is your first call to OPUS(tm) then you will be automatically "logged into" Message Area #1. Thereafter, OPUS(tm) will remember which Message Area you last used and will return there on your next call (or your next use of the Message Section from the Main Menu). More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide MSG The "A" command will display all of the various Message Areas "A" available to you. Each BBS will likely have different Message Areas. Generally, however, this command will produce a display similar to the one that follows: OPUS(tm) Screen Display: Typical display when using "A" command +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | Select: A (and press RETURN) | | | | Area 1 ... General Message Area | | Area 2 ... Technical Conversations | | Area 3 ... Skyriders Conference | | Area 4 ... Programmer's Conference (EchoMail) | | Area 5 ... The Want Ads and Lonely Hearts | | . | | . | | (etc.) | | | | Message area: | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide MSG OPUS(tm) is now waiting for you to select a Message Area. AREAS Notice that each Message Area is numbered. To select a Message Area just enter the number of the area and press RETURN. Once a Message Area is selected and entered you will see the menu in our example with the appropriate title indicating that you are now "in" the Message Area chosen. If you do not select a valid Message Area the display will be repeated. READ To begin reading messages in a FORWARD direction press "N" (or MSGS simply press RETURN). Similarly, if you would like to read "N" messages in a reverse (BACKWARD) direction press "P". Pressing "P" either of these keys sets the direction for OPUS(tm) to display messages. Once you have selected a direction OPUS(tm) will remember it until you have changed it. Here is what a typical OPUS(tm) message will look like: More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide OPUS(tm) Screen Display: A sample message +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | From: John Jones | | To: Sam Smith Msg #6 08 Nov 11:07 am | | Subject: The company picnic... | | | | Hi Sam: | | | | Just to let you know that the company picnic is scheduled for | | October 9. We should start around 10am and we'll all gather at | | the Polo Fields beforehand. | | | | How's that new clone working out? | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ MSG The "E" (Enter Message) command allows you to enter a message "E" onto the OPUS(tm) system. No matter which type of Message Area you are in (i.e., local, Matrix, Echo, etc.), the "E" command operates the same way. Here is an example of entering a message: More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide OPUS(tm) Screen Display: Using the "E" (Enter Message) command +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Select: E (and press RETURN) | | | | General Message Area | | This will be a message in area #1. | | | | Private [N,y,?=help] ? (make your selection or press RETURN) | | Type ? to list users. | | | | To: John Jones (enter a name or "?" for user list) | | From: (press RETURN to insert your name) | | Subject: Fun and games (enter the subject line) | | | | 1: Hello John.. | | 2: I'm sure enjoying this new BBS system. | | 3: | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ EDIT To complete your message just press RETURN after the last line MSGS you have typed. That will bring up the Message Editor Menu which looks like this: More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide OPUS(tm) Screen Display: Message Editor Menu +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Editor Options: | | S)ave A)bort/cancel L)ist E)dit | | I)nsert line D)elete line C)ontinue T)o | | J)subJect F)rom ?)help | | Editor command: | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ The Message Editor Menu allows for several options before completing your message. Here are those options: S)ave - Save your message. A)bort - Throw the message away. Do not save it. L)ist - Show the message as a reader would see it, but with line numbers. More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide E)dit - Edit a line in the body of the message. You will be prompted for a line number and the word or phrase you would like to edit. You will then be prompted for the new text. After the text is displayed the amended line will be inserted into the message body and also listed on your screen for reference. I)nsert - Insert a line into the body of the message. You will be prompted for where to insert this line. D)elete - Delete a line from the body of the message. You will be prompted for which line to delete. C)ontinue - Continue adding to the message. T)o - Change who the message is TO. sub(J)ect - Change the SUBJECT of the message. More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide F)rom - Change who the message is FROM. Simply select the option you desire. When you are satisfied with your message use the "S" command to save it. MSG Using the "R" (Reply) command is the same as entering a message "R" except that you are replying to the message you have just read. Here is an example using the "R" command: More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide OPUS(tm) Screen Display: Using the "R" (Reply) command +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Select: R (and press RETURN) | | | | General Message Area | | This will be a reply to John Jones in area #1. | | | | Private [N,y,?=help] ? (just press RETURN for public) | | To: John Jones (supplied by OPUS(tm)) | | Subject: The company picnic... (supplied by OPUS(tm)) | | New Subject: (press RETURN for same subject) | | | | (at this point you may enter the text of your message) | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide MSG The "=" command has been designed to allow you to read "=" messages continuously to facilitate any capture (or print) options you may like to use. With this command you may specify where to begin reading and all subsequent messages will be displayed without pause. The usual Control- K/Control-C/Control-S options are operative. This is an extremely useful command if you would like to capture your mail while online for later reading. MSG The "L" command will allow you to list messages WITHIN the "L" Message Area you are currently working. It is important to remember that "L" and "LV" work on only ONE Message Area at a time. This is different from the "S" and "SV" commands discussed below, which work across ALL Message Areas. New messages may be listed by using the "L*" command. The LIST option is really a double command. You may use L for a listing of message number, date, time, who the message is from and who the message is to. If you use the "LV" (list verbose) command then the subject of the message will also be displayed. Here is an example using the "LV" command from Message Area 1 in our example: More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide OPUS(tm) Screen Display: Using the LV (List Verbose) command +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | List from what message #: 52 (and press RETURN) | | | | Area 1 ... General Message Area | | There are 55 messages in this area. The highest is #57 | | #53 10 Sep 8:54pm is FROM you to Joe Blow | | How do I handle INT 10? | | #56 11 Sep 8:00am is FROM Joe Blow to John Jones | | The company picnic | | #57 11 Sep 9:10am is FROM Sysop to Mary Smith | | Thanks for the upload... | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Notice that OPUS(tm) asked where you would like to start your listing from. You may enter any message number you like. If you enter a message number which does not exist, but a higher numbered message does, then the listing will begin at that next highest message number. If you simply press RETURN at this prompt the listing command will be aborted and the Message Area menu will reappear. More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide Should you choose the "L" command instead of the "LV" command you will see all of the information in the Figure above with the exception of the subject line. For listing a large number of messages the "L" command is preferred since you can display twice as many message "headers" to the screen. As with the other OPUS(tm) commands, Control-K or Control-C will abort the display while Control-S will pause it. MSG The "S" (Scan) and "SV" (Scan Verbose) commands are a "S" powerful and quick way to check for your mail. Both of these "SV" commands operate on the entire message base available to you. Therefore, to check for your mail, just enter "S" or "SV". The display will be similar to that in the Figure for the "L" and "LV" commands. Using the "SV" command will not only include subject lines but will also display any messages FROM you to someone else. Mail to you which has not yet been read will be highlighted. As usual, the various global control keys operate in this area. More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide MSG The "I" (Inquire) command, if available, will allow you to "I" search for a text string among messages in the Message Area you are working in. To use this option you may either enter "I" and answer the prompt or enter "I [searchstring]" from the menu. OPUS(tm) will search partial strings but will NOT accept DOS wildcards (such as "?", "*", etc.). Any message which contains a matched string will have its message number and header displayed. MSG The "M" (Main Menu) command will return to the Main Menu. "M" MSG The "G" (Goodbye) command will log you off the OPUS(tm) "G" system after confirmation that you really want to disconnect. MSG The "?" (Help) command will display a short explanatory "?" screen of commands available from this menu. More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide ADDITIONAL COMMANDS ---------- -------- In addition to the commands mentioned above, some OPUS(tm) systems may provide additional options: MSG The "-" (Read Original) and "+" (Read Reply) options work "-" together to allow you to follow the context of a conversation MSG which crosses over two or more messages. If you should read a "+" message which is followed by this OPUS(tm) information line: *** This is a reply to # you are being advised that the current message is part of a conversation (in this case, a reply). You can use the "-" command to then read the original message to which the current message is a reply. Likewise, when reading the original message, you can use the "+" command to read the reply. Using these two commands will allow you to follow through an entire conversation without the disruption of reading intervening messages. More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide Hints and Comments ------------------ MSG As you work with the Message Section of OPUS(tm) you will find HINTS the array of commands to be powerful and flexible. Here are a few suggestions to help you get up to speed: ... Remember to use the "?" often. The OPUS(tm) help screens will ease your use of this area. ... Use the "S" or "SV" command when you first log on to check for your mail. This command will help you pin- point messages quickly. ... Use the "R" (Reply) command when answering mail addressed to you. You'll find it quicker than using the "E" (Enter New Message) command. ... If you wish to read all of the mail in a given Message Area use the "=" (Read non-stop) command. Set your capture (or printer) on before doing so and then just give the command. This will reduce your online time and costs. More [Y/n] Ryn| UnSc:\opus\misc\guide ... Learn how to use the Message Editor. The help screens will prove valuable here. The editor is powerful and quite easy to use once it is learned. ... If you just want to catch up on the mail you haven't read use the "*" with the "S" command ("S*"). ... Always be aware of the Message Area you are logged into. You may find one or more of the following Message Area designations: Local - for local message exchange Matrix - for Electronic Mail Echo - for conferencing ... Be sure and leave a message to the SysOp if you have any questions on using the Message Section. Sc:\opus\misc\guide