Convert_service.nib
Info.nib
Here is a service to:
1) Save a selection from NextMail to a file
2) Import a .mailrc as a .mailalias file (it is in NeXT/.mailalias) (if
the file already exists, then the result of the conversion is
appended to it)
3) Export a .mailrc from the .mailalias file (if the file already exists,
then the result of the conversion is appended to it)
Here is how to:
After uncompressing untarring (that you already did, hopefully, to read this
file) do
make install
then logout and login again, or type make_services.
In the Services Menu, when you are in NeXTMail, you will find the new item:
Save Selection: Press it after selecting an area (maibe all by C-a)!
To convert .mailrc files, you can either use the NeXTish interface provided
by the Convert_service application.
Import .mailrc : select it to convert your unix .mailrc into ./NeXT/.mailalias,
Export .mailrc : select it to convert your ./NeXT/.mailalias into a unix .mailrc,
I also provide a command line version (the two executables import and export)
that you can build with the command
make commandline
=========
Here is the original posting to the network
I have been heavily annoyed too from a few missing features in
NeXTMail.
I have some solution, but first, the negative side
Here is a list of 'missing items':
- The command line version of NeXTMail ought to perform the same way as the
full fledged NeXTStep program (i.e. recognize alias, save outgoing
messages in Outgoing.mbox etc.)
- NeXTMail ought to automatically import .mailrc files, and export them on
demand
- NeXTMail ought to provide not only an Outgoing.mbox, but also the
possibility of specifying specific mailboxes for outgoing messages to
specific users. Say, when you send a message to your boss, you want it
to be saved in To_My_Boss.mbox, and not lost in Outgoing.mbox. so you can
follow the thread. And of cours you want to be able to specify the name
of To_My_Boss.mbox. also incoming messages ought to have a default save
mailbox based on the sender, so you can save threads. People used to the
IBM/CMS mailer (the Cornell version) and to its Names program know what
I'm talking about, and how much it is useful!!!
- NeXTMail ought to allow you to directly save a selection to a file
- NeXTMail ought to be able to recognize the common formats like atob,
uuencode etc., and present you with the nice draggable icon as it does
for the NeXT proprietary mail attaches. Also, it ought to allow the user
to configure with macros this behaviour. An easy-minded solution could be
to allow an arbitrary filter to be applied on a selection.
=====Solutions=====
I was SO annoyed that I took off some days to study the services mechanism
(considered that I'm finishing my PhD thesis on stuff like logic, functional
programming etc.,and even if I am NeXT enthusiast, I really dont have time to
waste now), and I came out with a little, workable thing: an entry in the Mail
Services menu to Save a Selection!
I also added a little goodie: a converter from .mailrc to .mailaliases
It is NOT polished up, and I have no time to work on it now, but you can use
it at you risk, and if you want to take the code and add the extended
functionalities, please acknowledge my work in the documentation and send me a
copy:-)
Missing things:
--don't have time to find out how to convince SavePanel to accept a file name
that already exist without raising the stupid alert panel telling you the file
will be erased! This is NOT true: the selection will be APPENDED to the end of
the file. Ought to be nice to add a "Append, Erase, Cancel" button, huh?
--most of the work is done! ought to be easy to add a method to pass the
selection to a shell script
Enjoy!!!!
--
Roberto Di Cosmo <dicosmo@dmi.ens.fr>
Dipartimento di Informatica LIENS
Universita' di Pisa Ecole Normale Superieure
Corso Italia, 40 45, Rue d'Ulm
56100 Pisa ITALY 75005 Paris FRANCE
These are the contents of the former NiCE NeXT User Group NeXTSTEP/OpenStep software archive, currently hosted by Netfuture.ch.