ReadCIX Version 3.50 An Offline message reader for CIX for the Psion Series 3a Pocket computer. Sales. ###### This product is Shareware. If you find this product useful please register it. Registration will remove the Nag screen and provide the latest version, plus automatic upgrades. There is a 20 day evaluation period, after which the program will only display the Nag screen. To Register send a cheque for UKP12.00 to D.Keppler 1 Field Close Beyton Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP30 9AB Introduction. ############# It is important to remember the concept behind ReadCIX, it was never meant to be a full OLR such as Matrix or Telepathy,the size limits imposed by the small memory would make this impossible. Not from any limitations of OPL or the Series 3 itself, more the problems of fitting a large message base into 2Mb of RAM. ReadCIX was created to cater for the times when you have not had time to read all the messages downloaded onto a desktop PC or while you are away and would like to keep up to date with messages and Mail. There is no clever or complicated thread handling in ReadCIX, all it tries to do is either take a previously downloaded scratchpad or, a scratchpad downloaded to the Series3 automatically, and present the messages in a orderly fashion. Installation. ############# You can install ReadCIX into any \app directory. You must create a \cix directory on your m: drive and copy the reply.txt file from the zip file to it. You will need a \cix directory for the scratchpad and message files. This can be on any drive. There are ten files included in the Zip file: ReadCIX.opa : The program itself, Copy to any the \app directory on any drive ReadCIX.txt : This text file. Readall.scr : The script for downloading all mail and messages Copy to a \scr directory on any drive Upload.scr : The script for uploading replies and logging off Copy to a \scr directory on any drive Readall and Upload.sco : The Translated versions of the above. Copy to a \sco directory on any drive Reply.txt : Reply file Copy to the \cix directory on the internal drive Finish,Mail,Welcome.wve: Sound files. Copy to any \wve directory Psion-I will then install the program as described in the manual. Operation. ########## General. ReadCIX allows you to browse a set of messages downloaded from CIX, either by ReadCIX itself or transferred from another computer. It will arrange your messages into conferences, and you can pick which conferences to read. While viewing a message you may print the text or jot down notes or save a message. You can also reply to a message or create new mail and messages. First set up the options in the configure and printer options under the special menu. If you intend using the built in Comms functions then the correct connections to a modem must be made and the names file and scripts set up as described below. Once a scratchpad has been downloaded use the post option to create the individual message files for reading. If space is limited on the Series 3 the scratchpad can be posted from a remote drive using the serial link. Here is a description of the menu options. Message Files. ============== Choose -----------. Select a conference to read. Whilst reading the following keys are in effect. Esc- Return to Menu Help- Basic help text Enter- Show next page of message Space- Show next page of message Up Arrow- Previous message Down Arrow- Next message Menu-Call up SubMenu Psion+Home- First Message in conference Psion+End- Last message in conference Delete. --------- Deletes all the message files. Connect ====== Full connect ------------------ This will run the supplied script Readall. This will upload any replies and download any new messages. Connect and Upload ------------------------------ This will just upload any replies. Run Script ---------------- This will run a user supplied script. ***** Notes. The configure menu option controls which scripts are run by the first two options. Read CIX uses the Standard Series3 Comms application to connect to CIX, therefore there are a few things to setup outside ReadCIX before it can be used. The Comms and Script application must be installed and the serial link connected to a modem with the correct cables. You must have followed the instructions in the serial link manual for connecting to CIX including creating a Names file with the names cixuser,cixpassword and cixnumber names if you intend to use the supplied scripts. Finally, a script needs to be created and translated. Two are supplied with ReadCIX one to Connect and upload and download messages and one to just upload messages. The source is supplies to allow customising to suit your own modem and needs. When a script is selected from the menu, ReadCIX passes control to the Comms application while the script is running. This allows you to monitor the progress of the script and reply to any prompts. When the script has finished, control returns to ReadCIX. Posting. ======== Post Scratchpad. ------------------------- After prompting for a file name this option will read through the downloaded scratchpad and post the messages to the relevant file. ReadCIX uses the first eight characters of the conference name as a file name. It will create a file for each new conference. If ReadCIX finds a conference exist already, IT WILL DELETE THE FILE before writing the new messages. This has been done to minimise the amount of storage used. Therefore it is essential to make sure all messages have been read before posting a new scratchpad. For the same reason a conference cannot exist twice in the same scratchpad, this will not cause an error, but the first set of messages will be overwritten by the second. Import scratchpad --------------------------- After prompting for a file name this option will read through a scratchpad in the same manner as above. the only difference is that this option looks for a scratchpad which has been created with the COMPACT HEADER YES option set on CIX. This option is used in OLR's such as AMEOL . Delete Scratchpad. ----------------------------- Delete the downloaded scratchpad of the name and location specified in the Configure menu. Create ====== Create mail ----------------- You are prompted for a To: Name and Title: Use the up and down arrow keys to move between the fields. Press enter to move to the Writing area. You are presented with a box of 8 lines of 70 characters to enter your message into . Start typing your message and when the end of the line is reached you will hear a beep. To move to the next line use the down arrow. Each line is treated as completley separate by the editor and there is no word wrap to the next line so you will have to manually adjust the wrapping. Inset and delete function work BUT ONLY ON THE Current line, again the wrapping will have to be manually adjusted. When the message is complete press enter to return to the menu.. The Esc key will exit from this screen without saving the message. Create message ------------------------- You are prompted for a conference and topic to post the message to and also a title for the message. Please make sure you are joined to both the conference and topic you select as the created script does no checking on this. Once again press enter to move to the writing area. See above for full description. Create FAX ----------------- You are prompted for a FAX Number. The remaining fields are used to make up the cover page of the FAX. Once again press enter to move to the writing area. See above for full description. Edit Reply file. ---------------------- Any new mail or messages or replies or FAX's you create are stored in a file called Reply.txt in the \cix\ directory on the internal drive. This option starts the built in Word processor in text mode to allow you to edit or add to a previously created message. If you have anything in your reply.txt file the screen will look something like this. JOIN psion/series3 SAY TITLE: ReadCIX Hi this is a demo reply file . QUIT MAIL TO: salex TITLE: ReadCIX What a good program ReadCIX is, I have sent the required 12.00 registration fee. Fred . SEND QUIT You should be able to see the text of your message in between the Capitalised commands. You can edit the message and add as much extra text as you wish as long as the commands or their relative positions are not altered. If you are an expert on CIX there is no reason why you could not add extra commands to the file to perform other functions. You exit the Word processor in the normal way with Psion X Clear Reply file ----------------------- This option will clear the created reply file Reply.txt in the \cix\ directory of the internal drive. Recover Reply file -------------------------- This option will copy the saved reply file back to reply.txt file if necessary. **** Notes After running the Full connect or Connect and upload options from the Connect menu the reply file (Reply.txt in the \cix\ directory of the internal drive) is copied to reply.bak and the reply.txt file cleared. This does not happen for the Run Script option. This Backup file can be recoverd using the Recover Reply file option from the connect menu or renamed reply.txt if the replies are needed again for some reason. Misc ==== Clear Inbasket Clear Outbasket ------------------------ These options will clear the relevant basket on CIX Restore Pointers ------------------------- This option will restore the message pointers to enable the recovery of a lost scratchpad. Binmail File ------------------ If you have Uploade a file to your personal directory on CIX this option will allow you to send the file to another CIX user. You are prompted for the file name and a recipient. Erase Binmail -------------------- This allows you to delete a file in your personal directory on CIX Switch Files On/Off ------------------------------- This toggle simply sets a switch which the script Readall can see. If it is set ON then the script will prompt for File names to upload or download. The switch is reset on completion of a logon session. **Note. If the Switch Files toggle is ON ie. the option is showing Switch Files OFF, then the Readall script will display a menu after asking for the scratchpad name and before logging on to CIX. The menu has 5 options. Download file Upload File Download Binmail Upload Binmail No File action. For the File options you a prompted for a conference/topic name and the location of the file and a name.For Uploads you are also prompted for a description/size. For the Binmail options you are prompted for names and locations only. The No file action will not attempt any file actions. This part of the script will be run after all normal processing so do not attemp to send Binmail from ReadCIX that is being uploaded in the same session. Special. ======== Configure. ---------------- This allows you to define the following. Path for Message files Path and name for scratchpad Path and name for scripts used in the connect menu Printer. -------------- The printer setup menu allows you to specify a parallel or serial printer, and if serial the settings for the serial port. Register. ------------- ReadCIX is shareware, you have a 20 day evaluation period. After this time the program will not go beyond the initial screen. Obtain your registration number and enter it here along with your name. Once registered this option will not show. About. ---------- Displays brief details of ReadCIX. Exit. --------- Return to the system screen. Reading Messages. ################## Whilst reading messages, the help key will show a reminder of the available keys, these are Esc- Return to Menu Help- Basic help text Enter- Show next page of message Space- Show next page of message Up Arrow- Previous message Down Arrow- Next message Menu-Call up SubMenu Psion+END- Goto last Message of Conference Psion+HOME-Goto first message of Conference As Noted above pressing menu will bring up a sub menu with options that can be performed. Replies ======= The options here are the same as found in the Create menu with the exception of Reply to message. This will not prompt for a Conference/Topic or title but will create a Comment on the current message. Messages ========= Save Messages --------------------------- This will prompt for a file name to save the current message to. If the file exists it will be overwritten. Print Message --------------------- This will allow the current message to be printed to the printer specified in the Configure menu. Special ====== Write note --------------- This will switch to the word processor application of the Series 3 to allow the writing of notes. You will be asked if you require a new file or wish to use a existing one. Zoom View ----------------- This option cycles through the three available Zoom levels. Register EOL / Ignore EOL --------------------------------------- This option will try to preserve the layout of a message rather than fit as much as possible on the screen. This option acts as a togle. In the smallest font view this option is not available as the default is to preserve the layout at this level. Sound ====== Sound is used in four places. 1. On the startup screen. (Welcome.wve) 2. On completion of a Connection. (Finish.wve) 3. On completion of posting. (Finish.wve) 4. On detecting a Mail Message. (Mail.wve) Each file can be deleted if the sound is not required, or the can be recorded over to customise your setup. Any problems or request can be referred to my CIX ID salex or my CIS ID 100034,2641.