QCMsg - The QuickCIS Message Reader
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 \_\_\_\_\_       \_\_\_\_\_      \_\_  \_\_           RELEASE II
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                 \_  Documentation For Version 2.11a (Beta 1/July 1993)


*** IMPORTANT ***
This version of QCMsg is only compatible with QuickCIS 1.72 & above.
DO NOT USE QCMsg Release II WITH A VERSION OF QUICKCIS BELOW 1.72, YOU WILL 
LOSE YOUR MSG FILES!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

QCMsg & QuickCIS, when used in conjunction, require large amounts of 
memory. The 2 programs (when used together) are very unlikely to work on 
machines with less than 1 megabyte of memory, & I personally would consider 
2 megabytes to be the viable minimum. 

This Text File Last Updated: 04 July 1993

============================================================================

QCMsg is an alternate message reader module for use with Jim Ness' excellent 
QuickCIS navigator. You must have & use QuickCIS in order to make use
of QCMsg.

QCMsg provides enhanced message viewing facilities for the files produced 
by QuickCIS (those with .MSG .LBS .NWS .LIB file extensions). Please 
familiarise yourself with the QuickCIS documentation before reading this.

QCMsg may be run either directly from the desktop (or any other shell) or 
from within QuickCIS itself.

If you have a SUPPORT folder, you should place the PRG & RSC files 
in it, otherwise they should be placed in the same folder as QUICKCIS.PRG.

Before you can use QCMsg correctly you must configure it. PLEASE FOLLOW 
THIS PROCEDURE EVEN IF YOU ARE UPGRADING FROM A PREVIOUS VERSION OF QCMSG.

	1.	Run QCMsg from the desktop (or whichever shell you normally use).
		DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RUN IT FROM QuickCIS.
		
	2.	A dialog is displayed giving the program version details & offering
		a choice of 2 buttons - 'ABORT' and 'SHARE & ENJOY'. Click on the 
		'SHARE & ENJOY' button (or press the RETURN key) to continue 
		with the program.
		
	3.	As the program continues, it will look for a file called
		QUICKCIS.CNF, which is the default QuickCIS configuration file. If 
		this file cannot be found the program will abort. The most likely 
		reason for this file not being found is that you have placed the 
		QCMSG_II.PRG file in the wrong folder. Relocate it in your SUPPORT 
		folder if you have one & try again.
		
	4.	After loading the QUICKCIS.CNF file the program will look for its 
		own configuration file, called QCMSG_II.CFG, & attempt to load it. 
		If this file cannot be found the program will display a dialog 
		informing you of this. click the dialog button (or press RETURN) to 
		continue. The program will continue to work without this file being 
		present. (You are just about to create a new one anyway!)
		
	5.	If the QCMSG_II.CFG file was found, the program may complain about
		unrecognised options. Ignore any such messages, they are not 
		harmful.
		
	6.	When the program has finished initialising, it will display a
		standard GEM menu bar & the main dialog in the centre of the 
		screen.
		
	7.	From the 'Options' menu, select the 'Configuration' item. This will
		display a new dialog from which you can configure QCMsg to your 
		personal needs (See below for details of the actual options).
		
	8.	When you have selected all the options you require, select the SAVE 
		button. This will write a new QCMSG_II.CFG file to your disk.
	
	9.	The main dialog will once again be displayed. From the 'Options' 
		menu, select the 'Alt Reader' item. This is to configure QuickCIS 
		to invoke QCMsg automatically instead of its built in reader.
		
	10.	You will be presented with your standard GEM file selector. Use 
		this to locate your QUICKCIS.CNF file (or whichever .CNF file you 
		use). 
		
	11.	QCMsg will inform you of the current setting & ask you if you wish 
		to SET the .CNF file to use QCMsg, CLEAR the entry to use the built 
		in reader, or to ABORT. Make which ever choice you require. 

    12.	Repeat steps 9 to 11 for every .CNF file you have.
    
   	13.	Select the EXIT option from the main dialog to return to the 
   		desktop. QCMsg is now configured for use!
   		
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Configuration Options:

CLIPBOARD PATH 		click on this to set the clipboard path using the GEM
					file selector. The clipboard path is the default path 
					used when writing out messages to disk.
					
EDITOR				click on this to set the external editor, using the GEM
					file selector. If you do not use the EdHak desk 
					accessory editor then you will need to use an external 
					one. The editor must be able to accept a filename as 
					the 1st parameter of a command line. First Word is an 
					example of an editor which does, but you must use it in 
					ASCII mode.
					
USE EDHAK			if this button is set, the EdHak desk accessory will be
					used to compose replies to messages. If it is not 
					selected, the editor defined by EDITOR above will be 
					used.
					
Copy Mode
COPY				copies the current message being replied to into the
					EdHak buffer before passing control to EdHak.

NO COPY				doesn't copy the current message.

PROMPT				issues an alert box asking if you wish to copy the
					current message or not.
					

	NOTE:	If you are using an external editor, the current message is 
	always copied to the editor.

font
DEFAULT				uses the default system font
8*16				uses the 8 by 16 system font
8*8					uses the 8 by 8  system font
6*6					uses the 6 by 6  system font

OUTPUT MASK			the default file extension used when outputting
					messages out to disk.
					
MOUSE TIMER			if set to anything other than 0, this is the number of
					seconds of mouse inactivity on the viewing screen that 
					must occur before the mouse cursor disappears. This is 
					for those that prefer to use the keyboard & don't wish 
					to see the mouse pointer. 
					
MOUSE BUTTON		this specifies which mouse button is used to move on
					to the next message when on the viewing screen. 
					
CORNER CLOCK		if this is selected, a clock will be displayed in the
					top right hand corner of the screen. The clock is only 
					active during QCMsg, is only updated every 2 seconds & 
					breaks all the rules about screen ownership!

SIGNATURE			a single line of text that will be appended to all your
					message replies. The signature may contain the 
					following 2 character sequences in addition to normal 
					text:
						\n	to start a new line
						\t	to include 4 spaces
						\\	to create a single \ character
						
WINDOW GADGETS		defines the componants that are used to build the
					viewing window on the viewing screen.

			NAME	The area where the window's title is displayed
			INFO	The area below the title where info is displayed
			CLOSE	The gadget in the top left corner that allows you 
					to close the window with the mouse
			MOVE	Allows the window to be moved in the standard GEM 
					fashion (click on the title bar, hold the mouse 
					button down & drag the window to its new location).
			FULL	The gadget in the top right corner that allows a
					window to be toggled between its full size & its
					previous size.
			SIZE	The gadget in the bottom right corner that allows
					the winds size to be adjusted in the standard GEM
					fashion (click on the gadget, hold the mouse button
					down & drag to its new size).
			RTARROW	The right arrow on the bottom of the window that
					allows the window's contents to be scrolled right.
			LFARROW	as for RTARROW, but left!
			UPARROW	The up arrow on the right side of the window that
					allows the window's contents to be scrolled up.
			DNARROW	as for UPARROW, dut down!
			HSLIDE	The horizontal slide bar on the bottom of the window.
			VSLIDE	The vertical slide bar on the left of the window.
					
			Currently, the following have no effect:
				FULL, HSLIDE
			Currently, the following are always active:
				NAME, INFO

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The main dialog displays a list of available forums down the left side, 
with the number of messages & library descriptions available for viewing 
in little boxes alongside the names. To view the messages or library 
descriptions simply click on the box containing the number. If a forum 
doesn't have any messages or library descriptions to view then the box 
will contain a couple of dashes & you will not be able to select that box.

If you have any mail to view, the box above the forum names contains the 
line 'Read Mail'. Simply click on this box to view your mail. If no mail 
is available the box will no be selectable.

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On the viewing screen you can press the HELP key to get a brief reminder of 
the keys used for navigation.

Next Message:
    Press the right arrow key
    Use the menu command 'Next' under 'Messages'
    Click the mouse button defined in the Options/Configuration dialog

    Using the mouse, the next message will not be displayed until you 
    release the mouse button. This behaviour can be modified by placing the 
    pointer within the 1st 3 columns of the viewing window. Placing the 
    mouse here will cause QCMsg not to wait until the button is released, 
    enabling you to quickly progress through the messages.

Previous Message:
    Press the left arrow key
    Use the menu command 'Previous' under 'Messages'
    Click the mouse button defined in the Options/Configuration dialog

    Using the mouse, the previous message will not be displayed until you 
    release the mouse button. This behaviour can be modified by placing the 
    pointer within the 1st 3 columns of the viewing window. Placing the 
    mouse here will cause QCMsg not to wait until the button is released, 
    enabling you to quickly progress through the messages.

Next Subject:
	Press the ) key on the numeric keypad
	Click the mouse button for NEXT message, but before releasing the 
	 button click the other button.
	 
Previous Subject:
	Press the ( key on the numeric keypad
	Click the mouse button for PREVIOUS message, but before releasing the 
	 button click the other button.
	
Next Section:
	Press SHIFT + ) on the numeric keypad

Previous Section:
	Press SHIFT + ( on the numeric keypad

Scrolling the current message:
    If the current message is longer than the viewing window, it can be 
    scrolled vertically by:
        Clicking on the UP/DOWN arrows on the right hand side of the window
        Clicking on the SHADED area of the vertical slide bar
        Dragging the UNSHADED scroll box within the vertical slide bar
        Pressing the UP/DOWN arrow keys to scroll by line
        Pressing the SHIFT + UP/DOWN arrow keys to scroll by page
        Clicking the RIGHT mouse button in the area above & including the 
        	INFO line of the window. If the mouse is in the INFO line, text 
        	scrolls down, if it is above the INFO line text scrolls up.

    If the current message is wider than the viewing window, it can be 
    scrolled horizontally by:
        Clicking on the LEFT/RIGHT arrows on the bottom of the window
        Pressing the SHIFT + LEFT/RIGHT arrow keys

Going to particular messages:
    There are 2 'Goto' options under the 'Messages' menu title. 

    'Goto Offset' allows you to goto the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc message.

    'Goto Message' allows you to goto a specific CIS message number.

    Selecting each menu item displays a dialog into which you enter the 
    required number. If you enter an invalid number you will be informed 
    that the selected number is out of range.

    You may also jump directly to the first & last messages.
    Pressing the HOME key jumps to the first message.
    Pressing SHIFT + HOME jumps to the last message.

		
----------------------------------------------------------------------------		

Paul
CIS ID: 100015,1212

27, Pembroke Gardens
Swindon 
Wilts
SN2 3EW

ENGLAND (UK)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Really Boring Bit:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QCMsg Release II is copyright () Paul Gee/Hirsute Technology, & consists 
of 3 files:

    QCMSG_II.PRG    The executable program
    QCMSG_II.RSC    The resource file for the executable
    QCMSG_II.TXT    This text file

This version of QCMsg is FREEWARE. You may copy & distribute it freely
provided that the following conditions are met:

1.  NO FEE may be charged for QCMsg.
    Distribution & Copying costs may be recovered.
2.  You MUST include all the above mentioned files if it is being 
    distributed via any means other than the ATARIPRO forum of Compuserve.
3.  NONE of the files may be altered in any way. This includes, but is not
    limited to, renaming the files & amending any of the text contained in 
    the files.
4.  QCMsg may NOT be included as part of any other package, software or
    hardware without the express permission of the author. This includes, 
    but is not limited to, the inclusion of QCMsg on 'cover disks' supplied
    with magazines.

While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that this software is 
not harmful to data or hardware, the author cannot accept any liability for 
any damage or data loss that occurs from the use, either directly or 
indirectly, of this software. It is supplied 'as is' & you use it entirely
at your own risk.

