izumi@mindseye.berkeley.edu (Izumi Ohzawa) (04/10/91)
Archive-name: mail/nextmail/mailhelper/1991-04-09 Archive: cs.orst.edu:/pub/next/sources/MailHelper.tar.Z [128.193.32.1] Original-posting-by: izumi@mindseye.berkeley.edu (Izumi Ohzawa) Original-subject: [For NeXT] MailHelper -- A service provider for NeXT Mail Reposted-by: emv@msen.com (Edward Vielmetti, MSEN) MailHelper -- A Service Provider for NeXT Mail application. [Requires OS Release 2.0] [ This is a SOURCE distribution, but I have to use tar'ed-compressed-uuencodeded format because many "source" files for NextStep programs are binary. ] This application has been written to correct deficiencies with the current NeXT Mail application, especially in the non-NeXT mail mode. MailHelper corrects these problems via a new feature of NextStep 2.0, i.e., via "Services" menu of the Mail application. It adds the following three features. [1] It reformats pasted text in a send window so that the text fits into about 60 column width. Without reformatting, pasted-in text often appears ugly with alternating long and short lines due to inflexible line wrapping in the non-NeXT mail mode. Paragraph boundaries defined by two consecutive newline characters will be preserved. To use this service, first paste in text into a send window, select the text you want to reformat, and press "Services"---"Mail"---"Reformat Selection". [2] It adds "> " to the left of each text line of pasted text to indicate that it is quoted text. To use this service, select the text you want to indicate with the quotation marks, then press "Services"---"Mail"---"Quote Selection". You probably should reformat the text with "Reformat Selection" first before adding the quotation marks. [3] It inserts the content of file "~/.signature" at the current cursor position. When you prepare the signature file, make sure that all lines are shorter than 60 chars. Otherwise, the inserted signature text may be wrapped at undesirable locations. Press "Services"---"Mail"---"Insert Signature". Installation Copy MailHelper executable to ~/Apps, or /LocalApps. You will have to be 'root' to copy it to /LocalApps. Logout, and log back in to see the new services appear in the Services menu of NeXT's Mail application. There is a report of services applications not recognized if installed in /LocalApps. In this case, try installing it in ~/Apps, or /NextApps. Try also deleting the following two files ~/.NeXT/services/.cache, and ~/.NeXT/services/.applist before logout and re-login. Notes and Copying Policy This is a no-frills version with a lot of things hard coded. Things like pathname to the signature file should be configurable via Preference panel. In addition, there should be support for inserting EPS, TIFF or RTF signature into NeXT mail. I might add these if/when I can. You are free to copy/modify/distribute this program as long as you do not remove my copyright notice in the info panel. Comments, bug reports or fixes, added features are welcome to the address below. This program is also available via anonymous FTP at the following sites. sonata.cc.purdue.edu or nova.cc.purdue.edu in /pub/next/2.0-release/source/MailHelper.tar.Z cs.orst.edu in /pub/next/sources/MailHelper.tar.Z I also submitted it to an FTP archive in Japan at etlport.etl.go.jp Izumi Ohzawa izumi@pinoko.berkeley.edu (NeXTmail) [690 lines deleted. --Ed]