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-
-
- OMKREAD.EXE Version 2.01 User Notes
-
-
-
- NOTICE TO SYSOPS: If you currently run OMK and wish to make this reader
- available to your users, RENAME OMKRD201.ZIP to OMK_READ.ZIP and place
- it in your OMK upload/download directory. In other words, replace the
- current OMK_READ.ZIP with the OMKRD201.ZIP -- you need to rename it in
- order for it to show on the FILES.BBS.
-
-
-
- Quick start:
-
- Just unzip this file into your current reader directory, if you are
- already using OMKREAD. Make a backup copy of everything in that
- directory just in case!!! Then call OMKREAD without -r on the command
- line if you have messages waiting to be unbundled. This will cause the
- reader to delete all those little .MSG files when it unbundles. From
- then on you can use -r to retain messages if you wish. If you do not
- have any waiting messages to unbundle you can call OMKREAD and do
- D)elete from the main menu to get rid of the .MSG files.
-
- If this is your first time using OMKREAD please read the manual!!! The
- quick start is to create a directory for OMKREAD and unzip the file, or
- copy it into that directory. Do a CD to that directory and call the
- program...it will step you through the install process. I STRONGLY URGE
- YOU TO READ THE DOC FILE FIRST!! You'll need to make sure of such
- things as the directory(s) where your inbound messages and outbound
- replies are to be placed, which archive program you'll use for OLD
- versions of OMK (if any), and that PKZIP/PKUNZIP is either in your path
- or in the same directory as OMKREAD.
-
-
- Revisions for version 2.01 -- 12/19/1991
-
- o Added QWK capability to reader. This is tranparent to
- the end user. You use OMK as you would any other QWK
- reader - downloading messages from the QWK bundler for
- the BBS you are using, and uploading replies (*.REP) to
- the same QWK facility on the BBS. Do NOT upload QWK
- *.REP files to OMK on a BBS. YOU CAN STILL USE THIS
- READER WITH ANY OMK BBS for OMK type bundles and replies
- the program automatically senses QWK and OMK. We have
- tested with many different implementations of QWK and
- OMK seems to work with all that we've tested. If you
- find a version of QWK OMK does NOT work correctly with
- we would appreciate hearing about it in DETAIL. As of
- this version you cannot auto add/drop areas using
- OMKREAD. We have discovered that BBS implement the more
- advanced features differently and need more time to
- decide HOW we will do this. For the most part QWK in
- OMKREAD works exactly like OMK. You need not be
- concerned with which type of BBS you are using. OMKREAD
- will handle those details.
-
- MATRIX mail is not available in QWK.
-
-
- o SCROLLING added - you can now use the up and down arrows
- as well as the PGUP and PGDN keys to scroll through your
- messages. The return key functions like page down until
- the last screen is displayed and then bring back the
- menu.
-
- o NO MORE LITTLE FILES -- this version of OMKREAD abandons
- Opus way of storing messages as one file per message.
- Instead messages are now stored in a file called
- MESSAGES.DAT for each area, with each area being in a
- separate directory. There is also an MESSAGES.NDX for
- each message area. This makes for more efficient use of
- disk space and faster searching and bundling/unbundling
- of messages. While the inbound messages and outbound
- replies for OMK and QWK type messages are totally
- different the messages stored in your reader are exaxtly
- the same format for each type.
-
- o We now use Ralf Brown's SPAWNO library to conserve
- memory use when shelling to DOS or when running other
- programs. This assures you that if you have enough
- memory to run OMK you will not run out of memory when
- shelling to PKZIP to zip or unzip your messages. You
- should also be able to use almost any editor with the
- extra memory made available by SPAWNO. SPAWNO copies
- OMK to EMS, XMS, or disk depending upon what is
- available. If is is swaping to disk you may notice a
- delay.
-
-
- OMK 1.18 ** Old version....
-
- New features:
-
- COMMAND LINE OPTION -r = placing this option on your command line will
- cause OMKREAD to retain your messages. It will
- no longer delete old messages when unbundling
- a new packet.
-
- Because of this new feature OMK handles your
- messages and message directories a little
- differently - a change you may notice. When
- OMK begins to unbundle messages for an
- exisiting BBS on your reader -- it marks ALL
- the existing message areas with a special flag.
- If the reader either unpacks messages for that
- existing area, or senses that you still have
- that area selected on the BBS even though there
- may have been no message, the area and messages
- are retained. If AFTER all the messages for
- that BBS have been tossed, and an area with
- that special flag exists the reader knows that
- you no longer have that area selected on the
- BBS.
-
- To avoid having messages from some new area (at
- some future time) tossed into that area OMK
- deletes the messages in this unused area and
- then deletes the directory.
-
- You may notice that you see the "Creating Area"
- message more often than you did with the old
- version. That is due to the above feature and
- is normal.
-
- PKZIP OMK now uses PKZIP as its default archiver.
- You will still need either ARC/PKARC/PKPAK for
- BBSes using the old version of OMK. Version
- 1.18 will automatically detect which version of
- OMK messages it is packing/unpacking.
-
- NOTICE -- the file exetensions have changed.
- Instead of .OKO and REP the extension for
- messages and replies for version 1.18 are, OKZ
- and REZ. If you are using scripts in uploading
- and downloading messages you should REMEMBER TO
- CHANGE THE EXTENSIONS in your scripts.
-
- MATRIX MAIL If your sysop has allowed access to Net Mail
- you should be aware that you may REPLY to a
- message. If you attempt to W)rite a message
- you will be permitted to do so, but you will
- NOT be allowed to specify a NET/NODE number.
- That message will only be sent to the host BBS.
- It will be up to the Sysop to determine if
- she/he will forward it to your desired
- destination.
-
- NET MAIL IS A PRIVILEGE RARELY GRANTED TO
- NON-SYSOPS!! If you are fortunate enough to be
- given such access DO NOT ABUSE IT!!! Long
- distance calls cost your sysop Money. You
- should probably consider offering to send
- financial assistance to your sysop if you are
- granted NET MAIL access.
-
- APPENDING EXPORTS If you specify and existing file name on an
- Xport OMK will append the message you are
- exporting to that file. If the file does not
- exist OMK will create it. This will allow you
- to have a file of messages in text for grouped
- in some order you determine. For instance, I
- keep a text file call CECHO.TXT that has
- messages I've saved from the C_ECHO. I can
- then do a text search on that file for subjects
- I want/need to refer to.
-
- READER MENUS You should notice a difference in the way the
- reader's menus operate. Now all the menu
- options, except Next and Prior on the main
- message reading screen, will return the menu to
- Next when finished. Next and Prior are
- 'sticky' and will remain selected until you
- change them.
-
-
-
-
- Thanks for using OMK. Please let us know you are using it. Ask your
- sysop if she/he would carry the OMKIT echo. It will allow you to
- communicate with us regularly.
-
- roland
-
-