[quote user="Duijst"]

[quote user="tmstein"]

The Mnemonic ids are a great way to access certain important functions in PM. However, what I feel is missing is an option to access all the functions as well as settings and a combination of settings and functions, and then attach this process to an icon in order to streamline the work process. This could be done with a small macro recorder which records a series of clicks and keystrokes and then allows to save the macro and attached it to an icon (or key stroke). I use this in other applications to streamline often cumbersome repetitive processes and find it extremely helpful and flexible as it suit exactly my needs. Any thoughts on this?

[/quote]

Hi Thomas MS,

Sounds like you ar in desperate need of AutoIt. It's a bit out of the scope of this forum, but I'll spend a few words on it if I may. AutoIt has become one of my most important tools. It is a script language to automate Windows. It's a very versatile tool in my experience. For instance it can handle system calls, windows, key presses, and even mouse movements and clicks. In short: it simulates YOU (if you program it right, haha) and thus works cross programs like you do. It creates an .exe file which runs independant of AutoIt. It comes with several tools among which is a recorder. Of course AutoIt is not the only one, there are a few other tools like this, but AutoIt is the one I am familiar with.

Now read back ".... which records a series of clicks and keystrokes and then allows to save the macro ...." and do your maths: one plus one equals two, isn't it?

Oh yeah,  ".... and attached it to an icon (or key stroke)". Well, that problem can be solved by the runexe extension (now we're talking Pegasus again) which puts a button on the toolbar to (as the name suggests) run an exe. I can't reproduce where I found it and the makers site is down, but I can post a copy here if you wish (Thomas R. Stephenson: any sugestions on how to?). From runexe's license.txt: "This program is freeware. It may be used by any number of users on any number of systems, for private or commercial use, without fee or obligation."

Regards,
Henk-Sjoerd[/quote]

Thanks Henk-Sjoerd,

I did not have much time lately in order to dig into AutoIt (http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/) or other solutions so I only had a quick glance at it. With some efforts it will probably do the trick and it looks very powerful to me. Thank for the hint!

However, I feel that it might be a bit of an 'overkill' [;)] for what I need it to do. I feel that many problems or requests for certain solutions, raised here on the forum, could be solved by introducing a macro recorder and macro capability into PM! As many tasks would be done only within PM no cross application macro language would be needed and the entire thing could be made much simpler also for the normal user. I feel that a macro recorder which may record clicks, and keystrokes (with an option of course for those who prefer to write scrips by hand) in combination with a more user friendly way of adding icons and functionality to toolbars (e.g. right mouse click and adding a saved macro to an icon selected from a list, etc.) and creating own toolbars which could be easily view and hidden again depending on the work you are doing, would be a major improvement!

Just imagine, anything you normally have to do with 20 and more clicks etc. could be in the reach of one click and reverted again to default with another and the nice thing would be that you basically could access ALL functions and combinations as well as menu items there are and not only a selection as in the Mnemonic list!

Has anyone ever seriously looked into or considered this option(s)? I could imagine that there are packages around wich could be intergrated.

Cheers

Thomas
 

Hi there,

I just re-discovered Pmail (after 6-7 years) and I love it! The past few days I was able to discover the answers to a lot of my questions, but one still stands. Somewhere on this forum I read:

[quote user="Thomas R. Stephenson"]

Normally this is done via a

template. I'm using the helpdesk template for this right now and it's

setting on my toolbar.  There are probably a number of others that do

this as well. 

[/quote]

The problem is that I don't seem to be able to get a template button on the toolbar, nor can I get a button to show the "Select a template"-window (Ctrl-F7). I must overlook something, searched internet and this forum, studied BPANEL.TXT and HELPDESK.PM5 a 1000 times. Please enlighten me. I made a TOOLBAR.PM and use the Menubtn-extension.

I use Pegasus Mail 4.50 PB1 on XP Pro.

Thanks in advance,
Henk-Sjoerd.

You may want to try SHIFT-F7? Or File-New Message - template?

Sorry, Shift-F7 is what I ment.

Thank you for the answer, I'm aware of those options. But my problem is needing a button on the toolbar, either for a or each template or for the template-window.

Cheers,
Henk-Sjoerd

sorry I misunderstood. I thought you had a problem displaying the template window in addition to not seeing a button

The problem is that I don't seem to be able to get a template button on

the toolbar, nor can I get a button to show the "Select a

template"-window (Ctrl-F7). I must overlook something, searched

internet and this forum, studied BPANEL.TXT and HELPDESK.PM5 a 1000

times. Please enlighten me. I made a TOOLBAR.PM and use the

Menubtn-extension.

 

You need a helpdesk.fff file and a helpdesk.bmp file.  The BMP is just the icon you want to use.  I can provide a copy of my BMP file if you wish.  Here's the body of my FFF file.

Mr. Stephenson, you are wonderfull! That's just the missing link: using the template as the Form DLL end "make up" (isn't it?) a unique Form tagname. These FFF-files open a lot of possibilities. Please be honest: is this undocumented for templates or FFF's or did I overlook it somewhere? Can't try it now (assume it works, considering your state of service here at the forum) because I have to go, but I'll report back to you later. Thank you very much! BMP is not necessary, I have and can make lots, thank you. On the other hand: you made me curious now of what it looks like :-)

Cheers,
Henk-Sjoerd.

Works like charm, thank you.

I've seen the documentation inside most FFFs. Is there anywhere I can find out more about the wonders of FFF-files? Any resource I've mised so far? Things like:

- What more (besides templates and DLLs with form code) is usable as Form DLL?
- What are allowed Form types? I know of COMPOSER, READER, and now TEMPLATE of course.
- What does a Form type mean/do to Pmail?
- I understand Form tagnames must be unique, are they only defined in FFF's or are there also intern defined tagnames?

Next chapter: how to create extensions. But I'll look around first :-)

Thanks again,
Henk-Sjoerd.

I've seen the documentation inside most FFFs. Is there anywhere I can

find out more about the wonders of FFF-files? Any resource I've mised

so far?

Thanks. I did see the wiki before, but didn't realy took notice of it. Tough it still has to grow I underestimated it. Your hint is helpfull, especially the development kit has a lot of usefull information on board related to the questions above.

Henk-Sjoerd.

[quote user="Duijst"]
Sorry, Shift-F7 is what I ment.
Thank you for the answer, I'm aware of those options. But my problem is needing a button on the toolbar, either for a or each template or for the template-window.
Cheers,
Henk-Sjoerd
[/quote]

Henk-Sjoerd,

Your posting was a while ago and you might have found a solution for it in the meantime? Let me know. However, it looks like I wanted a similar thing namely to add an icon to the toolbar which creates a new message from a predefined template rather than based on the default message. I found that going through File -> New message -> Template and then select one from a list was a too long way. Schift+F7 is much faster of course but I preferred an icon for it. I did not quit get what I originally wanted, however, I got an icon to do what you would get with Shift +F7.

I created a personalised toolbar based on the example given by David in the "bpanel.txt" file (PM V4.51) found in the RESOURCE PMail sub-directory and some recent updates found on Hans' (v.d. Bogaerde) page (not included in the bpanel.txt file).
http://www.vandenbogaerde.net/pegasusmail/p300_idmcodes.html

The example below basically rebuilds a slightly modified POP3 Toolbar with an additional icon with the same function as Shift+F7 (second icon from left).

Create a text file and name it toolbar.pm in your mail directory and just copy the section into it. Then restart your PM. To deactivate that toolbar just rename it and PM would start with what you had before.

The Mnemonic function used is IDM_TEMPLATES with the number 10412 (10000+412) and was not listed in the bpanel.txt.

I used the "new circulation message" icon (1836) but you can try a few others which you may access through changing the "bitmap_id".

Hope this helps

Cheers

Thomas

----- cut hereafter ------

; -----------------------------------------------------------
; Tom's Toolbar
; -----------------------------------------------------------
0,801,0,1801,"Start a new mail message"
0,10412,0,1836,"Select new message from Template"
0,10106,0,1837,"Open a saved DRAFT message"
0,802,0,1802,"Open or re-scan your new mail folder"
0,803,0,1803,"Work with your mail folders"
0,804,0,1804,"Open or manage address books"
0,805,0,1805,"Edit or manage distribution (mailing) lists"
0,807,0,1807,"Create or manage rules for filtering your new mail"
0,808,0,1808,"Open or browse noticeboards"
1
2,840,0
1
0,823,0,1823,"Print the current window"
0,824,0,1824,"Select a font for the current window"
1
0,828,0,1828,"Send all queued mail"
0,827,0,1827,"Check your POP3 host for new mail"
0,829,0,1829,"Both check and send mail in one operation"
0,835,0,1835,"Selective POP3 mail download"
3
; -----------------------------------------------------------

Hi Thomas,

No, I didn't find a solution so far, other then instructing my users tu use Shift+F7 [:)] This is briliant! Somehow I must have missed Hans' extended list.Thank you very much.

Regards,
HenkSjoerd.

[quote user="Duijst"]

Hi Thomas,
No, I didn't find a solution so far, other then instructing my users tu use Shift+F7 [:)] This is briliant! Somehow I must have missed Hans' extended list.Thank you very much.
Regards,
HenkSjoerd.

 [/quote]

Hi Henk-Sjoerd,

I hope that someone one day will come up with a tool which would allow to more easily customise toolbars and allow to incorporate those customised toolbars in the toolbar selection box ;-)

I think that the Mnemonic functions are a great way to customise PM to own needs. However, one issue which would be nice to have is to be able to add own (customised) icons to it or have a range of icons to (easily) choose from. David has already listed (described) a few (embedded) icons in the bpanel.txt file.

In order to more easily choose from the icons available I have compiled the following sections which you may just add to the end of your "toolbar.pm" file. To view the icons just uncomment the section (remove the semicolon in front). Depending on your screen width they may not all fit the total width in one go. The <control_id> is set to "000".

Please note that if you have empty lines, those line should be empty and not have a "space" in the beginning.

There might be more icons and maybe someone else may supplement ;-)

Cheer and hope it helps.

Thomas

--- cut here ---

; -----------------------------------------------------------
; Icons (Bitmap IDs): un-comment for viewing (x) undocumented
; -----------------------------------------------------------
;0,000,0,1801,"1801 Start a new mail message (paper and pen)"
;0,000,0,1802,"1802 Open or re-scan the new mail folder (envelope and paper)"
;0,000,0,1803,"1803 Work with mail folders (folder)"
;0,000,0,1804,"1804 Work with address books (book)"
;0,000,0,1805,"1805 Work with distribution lists (page with two text segments)"
;0,000,0,1806,"1806 Get a list of local users on the system (two figures)"
;0,000,0,1807,"1807 Edit filters applied when the new mail folder is opened (funnel)"
;0,000,0,1808,"1808 Open noticeboards (page and needle)"

; 1809 - 1819 no icons

;0,000,0,1820,"1820 Cut (scissors)"
;0,000,0,1821,"1821 Copy (clipboard and blue arrow)"
;0,000,0,1822,"1822 Paste (clipboard and red arrow)"

;0,000,0,1823,"1823 Print the current window (printer)"
;0,000,0,1824,"1824 Set a font for the current window (red f for format)"
;0,000,0,1825,"1825 Save to disk (disk and blue arrow)"
;0,000,0,1826,"1826 Read from disk (disk and red arrow)"

;0,000,0,1827,"1827 Get mail via the built-in POP3 transport (globe and red arrow)"
;0,000,0,1828,"1828 Send mail via the built-in SMTP transport (globe and green arrow)"
;0,000,0,1829,"1829 Get mail then send mail (globe and two arrows)"

;0,000,0,1830,"1830 Connect/go online (telegraph connected)"
;0,000,0,1831,"1831 Disconnect/go offline (telegraph x)"

;0,000,0,1832,"1832 (x) send (globe crossed out)"
;0,000,0,1833,"1833 (x) send to? (globe crossed out)"
;0,000,0,1834,"1834 (x) send receive (globe crossed out)"

;0,000,0,1835,"1835 Perform a selective download via the built-in POP3 transport (globe and question mark)"

;0,000,0,1836,"1836 Start a new circulation message (envelope and circular arrow)"
;0,000,0,1837,"1837 Open a saved message (envelope and disk)"
;0,000,0,1838,"1838 Mount a secondary mailbox (us mailbox symbol)"
;0,000,0,1839,"1839 Tools | Options (radio buttons, x and tick)"
;0,000,0,1840,"1840 Identities (two figures blue and yellow)"
;0,000,0,1841,"1841 Review queued mail (3 stagged messages and arrow to one message)"
;0,000,0,1842,"1842 Find... (magnifying glass)"
;0,000,0,1843,"1843 Asterisk"
;0,000,0,1844,"1844 Yellow document icon"
;0,000,0,1845,"1845 Blue star"
;0,000,0,1846,"1846 Apply general rule set to folder (folder, funnel and arrow)"

; 1847 - 1855 no icons

;0,000,0,1856,"1856 (x) Spell check"
;0,000,0,1857,"1857 (x) Fwd email or queued mail (envelope and blue arrow)"
;0,000,0,1858,"1858 (x) Trash bin (green)"

; 1859 no icon

;0,000,0,1860,"1860 (x) Red dot with white cross"

; 1861 - 1869 no icons

;0,000,0,1870,"1870 (x) Attached file (doc with paper clip)"

; 1871 - 1879 no icons

;0,000,0,1880,"1880 (x) Format (black f)"

; -----------------------------------------------------------

[quote user="tmstein"]

I hope that someone one day will come up with a tool which would allow to more easily customise toolbars and allow to incorporate those customised toolbars in the toolbar selection box ;-)

I think that the Mnemonic functions are a great way to customise PM to

own needs. However, one issue which would be nice to have is to be able

to add own (customised) icons to it or have a range of icons to

(easily) choose from. David has already listed (described) a few

(embedded) icons in the bpanel.txt file

[/quote]

Hi Thomas,

In fact there is such an extension that does that (more or less): MENUBTN. I use it to extend my toolbar. In short: use an .FFF file to define your own button images:

; ----- Cut here ------------------

; Button name - just a label for your and the programs convenience
Form Name = "Mark unread"
32-bit model = 1
; Call the extension dll, "~a" stands for the path to the Pmail "Programs" dir.
Form DLL = ~a\extensions\MENUBTN.DLL
Form type = COMPOSER
Form flags = 2
; Tell the button what to do (see bpanel.txt or Hans' list of mnemonics)
Form data = "156"
; Define bitmap,Define tooltip text
Bitmap file = ~a\icons\markunread.bmp,Mark selection as unread    Ctrl+U
End

; ------------------------------------

This adds a button to the end of the toolbar. You can off course define as much buttons as will fit on your screen (and even more). So I defined a short toolbar the standard way and a lot of buttons using MENUBTN. To define something like a separator (in fact a blank button having a tooltip of "." and that does nothing):

; ----- Cut here ------------------

Form Name = "Separator1"
32-bit model = 1
Form DLL = ~a\extensions\MENUBTN.DLL
Form type = COMPOSER
Form flags = 2
Form data = "000"
; Notice the dot for a tooltip, a space doesn't work.
Bitmap file = ~a\icons\blank.bmp,.
End

Hope this helps.

BTW: did you know that you can put the information of all extensions into ONE file? To keep things well-orgnized if 've put all information of all extensions .FFF files in a file called ALL-EXT.FFF wich also allows me to define more easily the order of loading of each extention - thus the order in which buttons produced by extensions are showing.

Regards,
Henk-Sjoerd

BTW: did you know that you can put the information of all extensions

into ONE file? To keep things well-orgnized if 've put all information

of all extensions .FFF files in a file called ALL-EXT.FFF wich also

allows me to define more easily the order of loading of each extention

- thus the order in which buttons produced by extensions are showing.

[quote user="Duijst"]

Hi Thomas,

In fact there is such an extension that does that (more or less): MENUBTN. I use it to extend my toolbar. In short: use an .FFF file to define your own button images:

; ----- Cut here ------------------

; Button name - just a label for your and the programs convenience
Form Name = "Mark unread"
32-bit model = 1
; Call the extension dll, "~a" stands for the path to the Pmail "Programs" dir.
Form DLL = ~a\extensions\MENUBTN.DLL
Form type = COMPOSER
Form flags = 2
; Tell the button what to do (see bpanel.txt or Hans' list of mnemonics)
Form data = "156"
; Define bitmap,Define tooltip text
Bitmap file = ~a\icons\markunread.bmp,Mark selection as unread    Ctrl+U
End

; ------------------------------------

[/quote]

Hi Henk-Sjoerd,

I had stumbled upon MENUBTN (by Bill Froelich) fairly late in the process when looking for menu related sources and it did not quite 'open up' to me. The 3.x version also confused me as I thought it might not work with the 4.x versions of PM. However, thanks to your nice snippet and explanation I got the extension to work right away, and it works like a charm. Thanks!

The Mnemonic ids are a great way to access certain important functions in PM. However, what I feel is missing is an option to access all the functions as well as settings and a combination of settings and functions, and then attach this process to an icon in order to streamline the work process. This could be done with a small macro recorder which records a series of clicks and keystrokes and then allows to save the macro and attached it to an icon (or key stroke). I use this in other applications to streamline often cumbersome repetitive processes and find it extremely helpful and flexible as it suit exactly my needs. Any thoughts on this?

Cheers

Thomas

[quote user="Thomas R. Stephenson"]
Well how about that, you learn something new everyday.  I've been using MENUBTN since it came out to add things to the toolbar but I did not know that I could have multiple functions in one FFF file.  Could you provide a snippet from your ALL-EXT.FFF  to show how this is done?
[/quote]

Hi Thomas RS,

Well, it's no big deal actually. Just collect the data from all your .FFF files an put it in one file. Obviously Pegasus can handle that. For example: if you use the extensions Order32, the Heldesk Request Form (as you teached me a few posts up, Feb. 19 [;)] ), and MenuBtn, then you would need the files order32.fff, helpdesk.fff, and menubtn.fff, like this (I left out the comments):

; ===== Begin order32.fff =====

Form name = "Donate in Support"
32-bit model = 1
Form DLL = ~a\ORDER32.DLL
Form type = COMPOSER
Form flags = 0
Extended flags = 2
Form tagname = "PM-ORDER"
Bitmap file = ~a\order.bmp,Make a donation in support of Pegasus Mail

; The Order extension has no defaultable settings.
Form data = ""
End

; ===== End order32.fff =====

; ===== Begin heldesk.fff =====

Form name = "Helpdesk Request Form"
Form DLL = ~a\helpdesk.pm5
Bitmap file = ~a\helpdesk.bmp,Send a Helpdesk Request
Form type = TEMPLATE
Form flags = 2
Form tagname = "PM-HDESK"
32-bit model = 1
Form data = ""
End 

; ===== End helpdesk.fff =====

; ===== Begin menubtn.fff ===== (original version)

Form Name = "Selective Mail Download"
32-bit model = 1
Form DLL = ~a\MENUBTN.DLL
Form type = COMPOSER
Form flags = 66
Form data = "213"
Bitmap file = ~a\seldnld.bmp,Selective Mail Download
End

Form Name = "Notepads"
32-bit model = 1
Form DLL = ~a\MENUBTN.DLL
Form type = COMPOSER
Form flags = 2
Form data = "119"
Bitmap file = ~a\notepad.bmp,Notepads
End

; ===== End menubtn.fff =====

You can combine these all into one file, for example all-ext.fff:

; ===== Begin all-ext.fff =====

; Begin order32 extension

Form name = "Donate in Support"

32-bit model = 1

Form DLL = ~a\ORDER32.DLL

Form type = COMPOSER

Form flags = 0

Extended flags = 2

Form tagname = "PM-ORDER"

Bitmap file = ~a\order.bmp,Make a donation in support of Pegasus Mail

; The Order extension has no defaultable settings.
Form data = ""
End

; End order32 extension

; Begin heldesk form

Form name = "Helpdesk Request Form"

Form DLL = ~a\helpdesk.pm5

Bitmap file = ~a\helpdesk.bmp,Send a Helpdesk Request

Form type = TEMPLATE

Form flags = 2

Form tagname = "PM-HDESK"

32-bit model = 1

Form data = ""

End 

; End helpdesk form

; Begin menubtn extension (original version)

Form Name = "Selective Mail Download"

32-bit model = 1

Form DLL = ~a\MENUBTN.DLL

Form type = COMPOSER

Form flags = 66

Form data = "213"

Bitmap file = ~a\seldnld.bmp,Selective Mail Download

End

Form Name = "Notepads"

32-bit model = 1

Form DLL = ~a\MENUBTN.DLL

Form type = COMPOSER

Form flags = 2

Form data = "119"

Bitmap file = ~a\notepad.bmp,Notepads

End

; End menubtn extension

; ===== End all-ext.fff =====

 Et voilà. Hope this helps. Gives you more control and overview. Don't forget to remove the other .fff files from the program dir, as Pegasus would read them as well.

Regards,
Henk-Sjoerd

[quote user="tmstein"]

The Mnemonic ids are a great way to access certain important functions in PM. However, what I feel is missing is an option to access all the functions as well as settings and a combination of settings and functions, and then attach this process to an icon in order to streamline the work process. This could be done with a small macro recorder which records a series of clicks and keystrokes and then allows to save the macro and attached it to an icon (or key stroke). I use this in other applications to streamline often cumbersome repetitive processes and find it extremely helpful and flexible as it suit exactly my needs. Any thoughts on this?

[/quote]

Hi Thomas MS,

Sounds like you ar in desperate need of AutoIt. It's a bit out of the scope of this forum, but I'll spend a few words on it if I may. AutoIt has become one of my most important tools. It is a script language to automate Windows. It's a very versatile tool in my experience. For instance it can handle system calls, windows, key presses, and even mouse movements and clicks. In short: it simulates YOU (if you program it right, haha) and thus works cross programs like you do. It creates an .exe file which runs independant of AutoIt. It comes with several tools among which is a recorder. Of course AutoIt is not the only one, there are a few other tools like this, but AutoIt is the one I am familiar with.

Now read back ".... which records a series of clicks and keystrokes and then allows to save the macro ...." and do your maths: one plus one equals two, isn't it?

Oh yeah,  ".... and attached it to an icon (or key stroke)". Well, that problem can be solved by the runexe extension (now we're talking Pegasus again) which puts a button on the toolbar to (as the name suggests) run an exe. I can't reproduce where I found it and the makers site is down, but I can post a copy here if you wish (Thomas R. Stephenson: any sugestions on how to?). From runexe's license.txt: "This program is freeware. It may be used by any number of users on any number of systems, for private or commercial use, without fee or obligation."

Moderator, please delete this message, it's of no matter, sorry.

Thank you,
Henk-Sjoerd.

>     Well how about that, you learn something new everyday.  I've been
>     using MENUBTN since it came out to add things to the toolbar but I
>     did not know that I could have multiple functions in one FFF file.
>     Could you provide a snippet from your ALL-EXT.FFF  to show how this
>     is done?
>
>
> Hi THomas RS, about an hour go I posted an answer to your question. My
> answer to Thomas RM from 10 minutes ago is here, but do you have an
> idea where my post to your question could have gone?

No idea why the delay but I did get you reply via e-mail.  It happens though.