macman@wpi.WPI.EDU (Chris Silverberg) (12/28/90)
This is a hypothetical situation.... say I have two Macs connected via
Appletalk. Mac "A" has a folder that may contain files in it, mostly text
files, but perhaps regular binary files as well.
On Mac "B", I want to treat that folder on Mac "A" as a mailbox. Thus, if
a new text file is placed into the folder in Mac "A", Mac "B" will beep, or
flash the menubar, some way of notifying me that there is a new item in my
"mailbox." Using a program or DA, I can easily read the text file, and
copy the binary files to my hard drive.
Is there an easy way to do this? I guess the easiest would be to simply
mount the folde using TOPS or other similar utility, and use a plain text
editor to read the files. But In addition, I want the DA convenience, and
the automatic notification when something new "appears" in that folder...
Ideas, i'm looking for ideas....
Thanks!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Chris Silverberg INTERNET: macman@wpi.wpi.edu
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Main Street USA 508-832-7725 (sysop)
America Online: Silverberg WMUG BBS 508-832-5844 (sysop)
"Ask me about TeleFinder... A Macintosh BBS with a Macintosh interface"Chris.Silverberg@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Chris Silverberg) (12/28/90)
Reply-To: macman@wpi.WPI.EDU
This is a hypothetical situation.... say I have two Macs connected via
Appletalk. Mac "A" has a folder that may contain files in it, mostly text
files, but perhaps regular binary files as well.
On Mac "B", I want to treat that folder on Mac "A" as a mailbox. Thus, if
a new text file is placed into the folder in Mac "A", Mac "B" will beep, or
flash the menubar, some way of notifying me that there is a new item in my
"mailbox." Using a program or DA, I can easily read the text file, and
copy the binary files to my hard drive.
Is there an easy way to do this? I guess the easiest would be to simply
mount the folde using TOPS or other similar utility, and use a plain text
editor to read the files. But In addition, I want the DA convenience, and
the automatic notification when something new "appears" in that folder...
Ideas, i'm looking for ideas....
Thanks!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Chris Silverberg INTERNET: macman@wpi.wpi.edu
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Main Street USA 508-832-7725 (sysop)
America Online: Silverberg WMUG BBS 508-832-5844 (sysop)
"Ask me about TeleFinder... A Macintosh BBS with a Macintosh interface"
+ Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
--
Chris Silverberg - via FidoNet node 1:105/14
UUCP: ...!{uunet!glacier, ..reed.bitnet}!busker!226!20!Chris.Silverberg
INTERNET: Chris.Silverberg@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORGmha@memory.UUCP (Mark H. Anbinder) (12/29/90)
Subject: RE> Mailbox on my Mac... QuickMail Reply In article <1990Dec28.051921.13129@wpi.WPI.EDU> macman@wpi.WPI.EDU (Chris Silverberg) writes: > > This is a hypothetical situation.... say I have two Macs connected > via Appletalk. Mac "A" has a folder that may contain files in it, > mostly text files, but perhaps regular binary files as well. > > On Mac "B", I want to treat that folder on Mac "A" as a mailbox. > Thus, if a new text file is placed into the folder in Mac "A", Mac > "B" will beep, or flash the menubar, some way of notifying me that > there is a new item in my "mailbox." Using a program or DA, I can > easily read the text file, and copy the binary files to my hard > drive. Chris, you need a combination of two things in order to do this. You need a "tickler" whose sole job is to keep an eye on the contents of that folder on Mac A, and you need a method of mounting Mac A's hard drive (or even just the folder) as a volume on your Mac. The latter is not that hard to accomplish. If you like, you can wait until Apple's System 7 is released, along with its Macintosh FileShare technology, that will let Mac users publish whole disks, folders, individual files, or even graphical or text objects. OR, you can do something similar now, with something like SingleShare, an affordable shareware file sharing package that mounts volumes or folders as AppleShare-like servers. Of course, you can also use one of the commercial packages, like PSN or allShare, that do roughly the same thing, or TOPS, that has similar ends but different means. (TOPS requires special software on both ends; the others use the AppleShare user software that comes with each Macintosh on the user, or "client," end.) Note that SingleShare is available on Memory Alpha BBS as "SingleSh.sit" in the Macintosh Gadgets file section; you're welcome to come grab it. The "tickler" is a less common need. The solution that comes to mind is to use another shareware package, "Poste Restante," also known as "ChainMail" and probably one or more other names over the course of its existence. This software was designed to provide just the sort of poor-man's e-mail system you're describing. It can be configured to watch a specific folder, and chime and flash a mailbox icon over the Apple (using the notification manager, I believe) whenever a file is added to the folder. Its attentiveness can be configured; you don't want it checking every two seconds, slowing down your computer and network traffic, but you also don't want it to wait TOO long before informing you of a new file. You can also tell it the default number of files that will be in that folder, so it will only notify you if there's some other number of files. (If you normally keep ten files in the folder, it won't beep at you until an eleventh arrives.) Getting at the files is taken care of by the file server software you're using, whatever it is. You can drag binary files from the volume as easily as copying from a floppy. Text files can be read and manipulated by any of a dozen free, shareware, or commercial text viewers and editors, such as Quill, McSink, MockWrite, Vantage, TeachText, or even Microsoft Word. When you add up the shareware fees involved in all of the software I've been describing, unless you're planning on having ONLY Macs A and B, this will probably be MORE expensive than a good commercial e-mail package, rather than less. QuickMail, from CE Software, is available for not much more than $30 per user for ten users, closer to $45 per user for five users. It provides you with basic text e-mail (along with lots of snazzy extra e-mail features), but also quick and easy binary file transfer. In addition, it's a LOT more functional than the system described above, FAR more intuitive (reading mail via a DA and copying files separately doesn't sound that fun), does NOT need a dedicated mail server machine (any workstation can act as a server), and offers seamless connectivity to other QuickMail locations, AppleLink, CompuServe, GEnie, Connect, the Internet (guess what I'm using right now...), etc., etc., etc. Not all of those are free, of course; for example, I'm using UMCP\QM from Information Electronics to gateway my QuickMail system to the Internet via uucp. But lots of them ARE free, and the ones that aren't are quite affordable. Yes, you can do what you described... or you can go a little farther and have a THOROUGH mail system. :-) -- Mark H. Anbinder mha@memory.uucp 1063 Warren Road #6 607-257-3480 Ithaca, NY 14850 Memory Alpha BBS * 607-255-5822 My statements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my computer.
kellogg@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu (Lars Kellogg-Stedman) (12/29/90)
There is, of course, a much easier solution.
Using Oscar, a utility available from Apple (you can ftp it from apple.com),
you can get the file xfer capability (drop a file into a folder on Mac A,
have it appear in Mac B). I think Oscar will also provide the "tickler"
function, as well, but if it doesn't there is a utility (called
FolderWatcher, or something like that) whose sole purpose is to beep when
a file appears in a specified folder. I think. Of course, I'm fairly sure
that Oscar will do this for you (best download it and check).
Lars
--
~ ~ | Lars Kellogg-Stedman | "Software rots if not used"
O-O | kellogg@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu | - The Tao of Programming
| +--------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
-=- | I'm rarely responsible for what I say, do you think anybody else is? Mark.H..Anbinder@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Mark H. Anbinder) (12/29/90)
Reply-To: mha@memory.UUCP Subject: RE> Mailbox on my Mac... QuickMail Reply In article <1990Dec28.051921.13129@wpi.WPI.EDU> macman@wpi.WPI.EDU (Chris Silverberg) writes: > > This is a hypothetical situation.... say I have two Macs connected > via Appletalk. Mac "A" has a folder that may contain files in it, > mostly text files, but perhaps regular binary files as well. > > On Mac "B", I want to treat that folder on Mac "A" as a mailbox. > Thus, if a new text file is placed into the folder in Mac "A", Mac > "B" will beep, or flash the menubar, some way of notifying me that > there is a new item in my "mailbox." Using a program or DA, I can > easily read the text file, and copy the binary files to my hard > drive. Chris, you need a combination of two things in order to do this. You need a "tickler" whose sole job is to keep an eye on the contents of that folder on Mac A, and you need a method of mounting Mac A's hard drive (or even just the folder) as a volume on your Mac. The latter is not that hard to accomplish. If you like, you can wait until Apple's System 7 is released, along with its Macintosh FileShare technology, that will let Mac users publish whole disks, folders, individual files, or even graphical or text objects. OR, you can do something similar now, with something like SingleShare, an affordable shareware file sharing package that mounts volumes or folders as AppleShare-like servers. Of course, you can also use one of the commercial packages, like PSN or allShare, that do roughly the same thing, or TOPS, that has similar ends but different means. (TOPS requires special software on both ends; the others use the AppleShare user software that comes with each Macintosh on the user, or "client," end.) Note that SingleShare is available on Memory Alpha BBS as "SingleSh.sit" in the Macintosh Gadgets file section; you're welcome to come grab it. The "tickler" is a less common need. The solution that comes to mind is to use another shareware package, "Poste Restante," also known as "ChainMail" and probably one or more other names over the course of its existence. This software was designed to provide just the sort of poor-man's e-mail system you're describing. It can be configured to watch a specific folder, and chime and flash a mailbox icon over the Apple (using the notification manager, I believe) whenever a file is added to the folder. Its attentiveness can be configured; you don't want it checking every two seconds, slowing down your computer and network traffic, but you also don't want it to wait TOO long before informing you of a new file. You can also tell it the default number of files that will be in that folder, so it will only notify you if there's some other number of files. (If you normally keep ten files in the folder, it won't beep at you until an eleventh arrives.) Getting at the files is taken care of by the file server software you're using, whatever it is. You can drag binary files from the volume as easily as copying from a floppy. Text files can be read and manipulated by any of a dozen free, shareware, or commercial text viewers and editors, such as Quill, McSink, MockWrite, Vantage, TeachText, or even Microsoft Word. When you add up the shareware fees involved in all of the software I've been describing, unless you're planning on having ONLY Macs A and B, this will probably be MORE expensive than a good commercial e-mail package, rather than less. QuickMail, from CE Software, is available for not much more than $30 per user for ten users, closer to $45 per user for five users. It provides you with basic text e-mail (along with lots of snazzy extra e-mail features), but also quick and easy binary file transfer. In addition, it's a LOT more functional than the system described above, FAR more intuitive (reading mail via a DA and copying files separately doesn't sound that fun), does NOT need a dedicated mail server machine (any workstation can act as a server), and offers seamless connectivity to other QuickMail locations, AppleLink, CompuServe, GEnie, Connect, the Internet (guess what I'm using right now...), etc., etc., etc. Not all of those are free, of course; for example, I'm using UMCP\QM from Information Electronics to gateway my QuickMail system to the Internet via uucp. But lots of them ARE free, and the ones that aren't are quite affordable. Yes, you can do what you described... or you can go a little farther and have a THOROUGH mail system. :-) -- Mark H. Anbinder mha@memory.uucp 1063 Warren Road #6 607-257-3480 Ithaca, NY 14850 Memory Alpha BBS * 607-255-5822 My statements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my computer. -- Mark H. Anbinder - via FidoNet node 1:105/14 UUCP: ...!{uunet!glacier, ..reed.bitnet}!busker!226!20!Mark.H..Anbinder INTERNET: Mark.H..Anbinder@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG
mouse@vaxb.acs.unt.edu (Dhanapong Saengrussamee-University of North Texas) (01/04/91)
In article <537.2783DE45@busker.fidonet.org>, Chris.Silverberg@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Chris Silverberg) writes: > Reply-To: macman@wpi.WPI.EDU > > This is a hypothetical situation.... say I have two Macs connected via > Appletalk. Mac "A" has a folder that may contain files in it, mostly text > files, but perhaps regular binary files as well. > > On Mac "B", I want to treat that folder on Mac "A" as a mailbox. Thus, if > a new text file is placed into the folder in Mac "A", Mac "B" will beep, or > flash the menubar, some way of notifying me that there is a new item in my > "mailbox." Using a program or DA, I can easily read the text file, and > copy the binary files to my hard drive. > > [...] > > Ideas, i'm looking for ideas.... > -- > Chris Silverberg INTERNET: macman@wpi.wpi.edu What about Public Folder and HyperCard 2.0? Both Macs use Public Folder and Mac "B" is running a HyperCard 2.0 stack that keep checking `published' folder using FileList? (GetDir?) XCMD/XFCN. Of course, Mac "B" gotta run under MultiFinder if you want to use Mac "B" (that's why have to use the 2.0). The cheapest and easy to implement, IMHO. Me-think. Live Long and Perspire! __Mouse.o()~ | AppleLink: U1364 ------ BITNET: mouse@untvax Dhanapong Saengrussamee | BIX: d.mouse.s ------ Compu$erve: 71301,1516 Tech'Support, CECS & TCET | GEnie: d.saengrussa ------- IP:129.120.20.10 University of North Texas | Internet: mouse@vaxb.acs.unt.edu ----- GMT+6 PO Box 5155 - UNT Station | UUCP: ...!uunet!ntvax!vaxb.acs.unt.edu!mouse Denton, TX 76203-5155 | Phone: (817) 565-4435 -- FAX: (817) 565-4425
mha@memory.UUCP (Mark H. Anbinder) (01/07/91)
Subject: RE> Mailbox on my Mac... QuickMail Reply In article <1991Jan4.142345.44214@vaxb.acs.unt.edu> mouse@vaxb.acs.unt.edu (Dhanapong Saengrussamee-University of North Texas) suggests, in response to Chris Silverberg's request for a Poor Man's Mail System: > > Both Macs use Public Folder and Mac "B" is running a HyperCard > 2.0 stack that keep checking `published' folder using FileList? > (GetDir?) XCMD/XFCN. Of course, Mac "B" gotta run under > MultiFinder if you want to use Mac "B" (that's why have to use > the 2.0). Unfortunately, Public Folder does not allow you to mount the other computer's public folder as a volume (in other words, it's not a file server). You must access the remote folder through the Public Folder's rdev, or Chooser interface. Using HyperCard isn't that bad an idea, though, as long as you don't mind taking up that much memory under MultiFinder. Using SingleShare to mount the remote folder as a volume, you could then pick up in the above quoted paragraph after the words "Public Folder." -- Mark H. Anbinder mha@memory.uucp 1063 Warren Road #6 607-257-3480 Ithaca, NY 14850 Memory Alpha BBS * 607-255-5822 My statements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my computer.