Outpost Packet Message Manager, v2.5.0c033, 14 August 2011 Copyright (c) 2003 - 2011 Jim Oberhofer KN6PE 1. Overview 2. Who should install v2.5.0 3. Installation Notes 4. Changes with this release ---------------------------------- 1. OVERVIEW ---------------------------------- This is an update release to resolve specific issues since Outpost v240c014 was released. See Section 4a below for details. Ics213mm was rewritten to address critical feedback from users on message- handling problems and general program flow. Field Testing of this release indicates that most of the problems have been addressed, but I still need the community to double-check for other operating issues. Tighter integration between PacFORMS and Outpost is also implemented with Outpost launching PacFORMS directly from an Outpost menu. Additionally, some known fields in Outpost are now passed to PacFORMS at launch time to improve user efficiency. Some known values are also passed to Pac-Read after receiving an incoming message, another efficiency gain. This release is made in cooperation with the PacFORMS development team and aligns with PacFORMS release v3.5. The v2.5 release updates some Outpost programs and some data files and can be applied either as a new installation for new users or as an update for existing users. ---------------------------------- 2. WHO SHOULD INSTALL Outpost v2.5 ---------------------------------- This release adds minor enhancements that you may be of interest as well as resolves some problems found since the initial v2.5 release. **All Ics213mm users should download this version. **If you are a PacFORMS user, it is recommended you install this version and the latest Public version of PacFORMS. ---------------------------------- 3. INSTALLATION NOTES ---------------------------------- This release includes instructions for installing Outpost off of the web or downloading and running the install program locally, as well as support for building install floppies. Look for and download the opfloppy250ixx.zip file for details. NEW USER / FIRST-TIME INSTALLATION ---------------------------------- If you never installed Outpost before, proceed as follows: 1. Download the opsetup250ixx.exe program from the Outpost website. "xx" is the latest release of this installation file. 2. Run the install program and, when prompted, select "First time installation for new users". All Options should be checked. This is a full install that includes all program files, documentation, sample scripts, sample reports, and sample configuration files (TncInfo.dat, BbsInfo.dat). 3. When done, run Outpost. Check out the HOW-TO pages on the Outpost website or the users guide that will be loaded into your Docs data directory (From Outpost, Actions > View Outpost data directories). 4. YOU ARE DONE! Enjoy Outpost! EXISTING USER / UPDATE INSTALLATION ------------------------------------ !!! READ ALL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO STARTING THIS PROCESS. 1. Make sure Outpost is not running. **If you have Outpost v2.4 or greater installed, SKIP to step 5. **If you have Outpost v2.2.2 or earlier installed, proceed as follows: 2. Navigate to the Outpost program directory (c:\Program Files\Outpost). The Hxdata.dat (NTS Handling Instructions) file was previously sent as a READ-ONLY file. Delete the file; it will be reinstalled correctly. 3. Uninstall Outpost (last time you should need to do this before a new install!). From Windows, select START > Settings > Control Panel. 4. Select "Add or Remove Programs" options. Find the entry for Outpost, highlight it, and then press the Remove Button. Old Outpost executables will then be removed. 5. Download the opsetup250ixx.exe program from the Outpost website. "xx" is the latest release of this installation file. 6. Run the install program and select "Update for existing users." This install option is for existing users with configurations that they want to preserve. Only the program files and documentation are installed. You may optionally choose to install the sample files (scripts, reports) if not previously downloaded. WARNING!!! DO NOT SELECT the Sample Configuration Files option if you are a current Outpost user... this will overwrite your existing TNC and BBS configuration files (TncInfo.dat and BbsInfo.dat). You will get a pop-up warning if this is attempted. NOTE #1 If you previously installed Outpost in the standard install directory, either C:\Program Files\Outpost or C:\Program Files(x86)\Outpost, proceed to STEP 10. NOTE #2 If this PC is a Windows Vista or Windows 7 AND you previously installed Outpost in a non-standard Program directory for Outpost, proceed as follows: 7. Navigate to the Outpost program directory, C:\Program Files(x86)\Outpost. 8. Find the following 2 files: (i) Opupdate25.exe and (ii) Outpost.conf. Copy both of these files to the previously installed non-standard Program directory for Outpost. 9. Double-click on the Opupdate25.exe program. This program will move all data and log files to the correct v2.5 data directory. After verifying Outpost is operational (Step 10), you can manually delete this old Outpost program directory. 10. Because of the move to the standard Windows data directory, you need to reload some configurations that made file references: 1. “Play this sound on arrival”. Go to Tools > Send/Receive Settings, Tab 3; reload your sound files used to announce new messages. 2. Report auto-load files. Go to Tools > Report Settings, Tab 2; reload your report file names. 3. Script run files. Go to Tools > Script Settings; reload your Start, Stop, or Send/Receive script references. 11. When done, run Outpost as usual. ----------------------------- 4a. UPDATES IN v2.5.0c033 ----------------------------- >>>OUTPOST ER#924, Does not retrieve Area messages from a BBS if previously downloaded from another BBS (JNOS issue) ER#927, Adds the word DRAFT in the message listing to indicate that a message is not ready to be sent. ER#939, Fixes a problem for TNOS and SNOS since their behavior is different from JNOS for message listing. ER#944, Locks the Message FROM field. To change, go to Setup > Identification and change the operator call sign. ER#945, For JNOS, if there are no messages listed for the user after connecting to the BBS, skip the "LM" command. Improves channel efficiency. ER#953, Add option to turn off Notifications alarm (Tools > Send/Receive Settings, Other Tab) ER#954, Resolves problem where SNOS apparently occasionally leaves the route field blank. ER#955, Internal adjustment to resolve differences in data type handling for Message Numbering >>>ICS213MM ER#917, Added Check of the Date and Time Format fields so that it is valid prior to existing the form. ER#931 ER#932 ER#933, Rewrite of Ics213mm to correct message handling, date/time, and processing problems. >>>PACFORMS ER#898, Outpost sends specific Outpost data to PacFORMS as a means to pre-populate specific fields on the PacFORMS form. ER#899, Allows the user to Launch PacFORMS files directly from Outpost. This occurs whenever PacFORMS is also installed on the same PC. ER#943, Passes name and date data to Pac-Read when displaying incoming PacFORMs messages in its native form. >>>OPSCRIPTS ER#929: Fixes problem to not remember the drive name when accessing a file. ----------------------------- 4b. UPDATES IN v2.5.0c021 ----------------------------- >>>OUTPOST ER#839, adds more error reporting for file handling. ER#907, adds support for BPQMail handling of a single SP command for multiple destinations on the TO: line. ER#908, fix detection of no LM listing for KAM. ER#911, re-instated a test to trap LM listings where the P/BBS lists messages FROM me, but not TO me. This check was previously removed to handle a JNOS case where all LM listings, regardless if they are to me or not, need to be retrieved (the Alias case). ER#913, corrected problem with MFJ127x and DXNET retrieves due to variable initialization problem >>>OPSCRIPTS ER#914, Corrects FindWord call to parse the text list in a comma, not a space. ----------------------------- 4c. UPDATES IN v2.5.0c014 ----------------------------- ER#416, ER#857: ICS 309 Communications Log report builder to produce a standard ICS309 Comm Log Report. ER#870: Local Message ID, assign all incoming messages with a Local Message ID (LMI). ER#874: Uses the Standard Windows Data directory locations. >>>OUTPOST ER#533: NTS Tab Management, causes fields into which the user tabs to be fully selected. ER#770: resolves Non-Model Form Errors, partifularly when using PacFORMS. ER#826: Add control to create a new Message from the Address Book. ER#843: Invoke Address Book. Double-click on the new message form TO: icon brings up and select the address book choices. ER#845: Find Outpost Data Files files. This change adds a menu option to open Windows Explorer to the exact location for Outpost data directories. ER#860: Force retrieves Bulletins, allows the user to force a one-time retrieval of any bulletin that Outpost thinks is already downloaded. ER#863: JNOS, skip issung the List command on a “ 0 New” message listing. ER#865: Save Tac Call, Tac Text, saves the entered Tactical Call and Tactical Test regardless whether Use Tactical Call is selected or not. ER#868: Add an Archive button to the Message form. ER#875: Add a button control to jump from Report Settings to Message Settings to set up Subject Line Identifier. ER#879: MINOR: TNC init file name change, leaves off the entire path so that only the file name shows in the form caption. ER#880: MINOR: PacFORMS: popup prompt change. ER#881: MINOR: Spelling change. Fix Auto-Read/deliver receipt wording. ER#883: Error Handling. Enhance ReportError routine to pass 1 or 2 additional parameters for clarification. ER#890: Adds NTS support for Winlink Classic. ER#891: Resolved Message Window sizing problem. ER#894: Cursor Placement in a Message. When opening any message (new, reply, forward), the cursor is now placed in the first blank field. ER#895: Improves JNOS Message detection for uniqueness. ER#900: resolves form validation when TNC Comm Port settings are blank. ER#901: Fix to Report Settings form to display only the file name, not the entire path ER#902: Minor corrections to Address Book functionality. ER#903: Message Form General Release Cleanup, misc changes. ER#904: Outpost General Release Cleanup, misc changes ER#906: Fixes issue when forwarding a message, it picked up the origination station BBS, not the currently defined BBS. >>>OPSCRIPTS ER#793: Add bulletin Expire command to delete bulletins that you own and posted. ER#814: Add Message Receipt System Variable (RECEIPTS) to set the Message Receipts. ER#816: Add a System variable (SRNOTE) that holds the result of the SR session. ER#820: Add a System variable (DATETIME) that holds the DATETIME value of a message. ER#821: Add ability for a script to call another script. Documents how to call a script either from another script, or from some other program or .bat file. ER#877: Trap the cursor position on the Edit Form. This change ensures that the cursor is were the user left it prior to moving to a different view. ER#898: Fix String Compare. This change corrects a problem where you could not compare a string as used in cases such as “if FROM = “KN6PE” then…”. >>>INTERACTIVE PACKET PROGRAMS ER#886: Handle windows standard windows edit Pop-up for users who use the Mouse and right-click to bring up an edit menu. ER#905: Iptelnet, fixes case for creating a TNC Telnet entry in Outpost, not all fields were correctly initialized. Other minor changes. >>>Opdirect, Ics213mm, and PacFORMS ER#806: Support Concurrent Connects, supports more than one program connecting at a time. Additionally, this change should address some instability issues reported by Ics213mm and PacFORMS users. ER#810: Resolve program hangs if Opdirect stops. ER#873: Handle situation with “:” in the message text. ER#878: PacFORMS: Add local message controls for opening in native form. ER#887: PacFORMS, Pick up Message Priority from Pacform messages status embedded in the subject line. Best Regards, Jim O KN6PE Cupertino, CA --------------- Readme.txt; v2.5c031, 10-May-11 Readme.txt; v2.5c020, 24-Jan-11 Readme.txt; v2.5c010, 21-Dec-10 Readme.txt; v2.5c007, 6-Sep-10 Readme.txt; v2.3u030, 1-Sep-09 Readme.txt; v2.3u028, 29-Jun-09 Readme.txt; v2.3u027, 31-Dec-08 Readme.txt; v2.3.0, 12-Oct-08 Readme.txt; v2.2.2, 1-Jun-08 Readme.txt; v2.2.1, 19-Feb-08 Readme.txt; v2.2u232, 29-Jan-08 Readme.txt; v2.2u229, 22-Nov-07 Readme.txt; v2.2u228, 10-Nov-07 Readme.txt; v2.2u211, 04-Jul-07 Readme.txt; v2.2u209, 06-Jun-07 Readme.txt; v2.2u208, 03-Jun-07 Readme.txt; v2.2u205, 14-May-07 Readme.txt; v2.2c194, 06-Apr-07 Readme.txt; v2.1.2, 05-Nov-06 Readme.txt; v2.1.1, 17-Oct-06 Readme.txt; v2.1.0, 26-Sep-06 Readme.txt; v2.0.4, 03-Feb-06 Readme.txt; v2.0.2, 20-Aug-05 Readme.txt; v2.0.0, 18-Jun-05 Readme.txt; v1.3.4, 03-Jan-05 Readme.txt; v1.3.3, 29-Dec-04 Readme.txt; v1.3.1, 20-Dec-04 Readme.txt; v1.3.0, 17-Dec-04 Readme.txt; v1.2.7, 10-Oct-04 Readme.txt; v1.2.1, 04-Sep-04 Readme.txt; v1.2.0, 22-May-04 Readme.txt; v1.1.4, 20-Apr-04 Readme.txt; v1.1.2, 3-Apr-04 Readme.txt; v1.1.1, 14-Mar-04 Readme.txt; v1.1.0, 27-Feb-04 Readme.txt; v1.0.3, 09-Nov-03 Readme.txt; v1.0.2, 23-Oct-03 Readme.txt; v1.0.1, 19-Oct-03 Readme.txt; v096.2, 23-Jul-03 Readme.txt; v096.1, 01-Jul-03 Readme.txt; v095.2, 28-May-03