
   Presently there is no documentation for EZ-Reader 2.0. If you have 
   worked with mail readers and/or EZ-Reader 1.xx in the past you 
   shouldn't have any trouble with version 2.0. If you are new to mail 
   readers drop in on the EZ-Reader or Offline conference(s) and ask 
   any questions you wish. You'll find plenty of support.

   This is a BETA release. It isn't perfect. This is a list of some of 
   the known problems:

   1) You can't read mail in a conference that has only one message.

   2) If you use the [F]ind and [N]ext commands for text searches, the 
   read counter can become confused and report that you have read more 
   messages than you actually have. Simply exit the conference (press 
   Esc) and re-enter the conference.

   3) Occassionally some lines in the the Message Index Window will be 
   blank.

   4) ANSI messages may not be displayed correctly. News, Bulletins, and 
   New Files with ANSI codes are displayed correctly.

   5) The Address Book does not work correctly.

   6) The Files database does not work correctly. Turn off the flag to 
   keep a database of new files in EZCONFIG.


                            GETTING STARTED
                            ---------------

   First run the program EZCONFIG. This will create a file named 
   CONFIG.EZ2. EZCONFIG has extensive on-line help. The files are not 
   complete, but there should be enough information in the help to get 
   you well aquainted with setting up EZ-Reader.


                        PROGRAMS & WHAT THEY DO
                        -----------------------

   EZ-RDR       Program that views messages, new files, bulletins, and 
                news. Reply and Enter new messages.

   EZCONFIG     EZ-Reader's configuration program. This program must be 
                run prior to running EZ-RDR.
   
   IMPORT       A shell program that determines new mail packets and 
                runs the correct import format program based upon the 
                mail packet's file extension.

   IQWK         Import program for the QWK format mail packets. This 
                program moves mail, news, bulletins, and new files from 
                the mail packet into EZ-Reader's internal databases.

   EQWK         Export program for QWK format reply packets. This 
                program moves new messages and replys from EZ-Reader's 
                internal database to a QWK format reply packet.

   ICIS         Same as IQWK, except it's for Compuserve.
                (Not available yet)

   ECIS         Same as EQWK, except it's for Compuserve.
                (Not available yet)

   IPCB         Same as IQWK, except it's for PC Board capture files.
                (Not available yet)

   EPCB         Same as EQWK, except it's for PC Board capture files.
                (Not available yet)

   IXRS         Same as IQWK, except it's for the XRS format.
                (Not available yet)

   EXRS         Same as EQWK, except it's for the XRS format.
                (Not available yet)

   SQUEEZE      This program reduces the size of EZ-Reader's database 
                files by squeezing out empty space. This helps control 
                the size of the database files.


                        EZ-READER 2.0 OPERATION
                        -----------------------

   EZ-Reader 2 operates a little differently that version 1.xx. EZ2 
   uses it's own internal format to provide flexibility across many 
   mail formats. From the QWK format to CIS to MCI Mail. The first step 
   is to obtain a mail packet from a BBS (presently only the QWK format 
   is supported and others are in the works). 
   
   Step two is to "import" the mail into EZ2's internal databases. This 
   can be done by running the import program for each specific mail 
   format and mail packet. For example, IQWK will Import QWK formatted 
   mail packets, while ICIS will Import mail from Compuserve (CIS). Run 
   IQWK without any command line parameters to find the options 
   available. Two alternative methods are to using the IMPORT program 
   shell or turn on the Auto-Import flag in EZCONFIG. Both methods will 
   sense new mail packets and their format (based on the file's 
   extension) and run the appropriate format import program. 
   
   The preferred method is to obtain your mail packets in batch mode (a 
   nightly unattened script run from you communications program). Then 
   have the batch file run IMPORT. Now the mail, news, bulletins, and 
   new files are updated. Using the Auto-Import feature will delay 
   entry into the reader portion while you wait for all new mail 
   packets to be imported.

   Step three is to run the reader portion, EZ-RDR. Here you can read, 
   reply to, and compose new messages. Messages can be quoted across 
   BBSes and mail networks.

   Step four is to "export" you newly composed messages. For each mail 
   format's import program there is a corresponding export program. For 
   example EQWK is the export program for QWK format mail and ECIS is 
   for Compuserve (CIS). You can run each corresponding export program 
   for each BBS or turn on the Auto-Export flag in EZCONFIG. We 
   recommend using the Auto-Export flag. This is the simplest and 
   fastest way to operate.

   EZ-Reader 2 handles existing reply packets differently than version 
   1.xx. In version 2 if EZ-Reader detects a reply packet it will ask 
   if you want to DELETE the old reply packet. If you answer YES the 
   reply packet will be deleted and a new one will be created. If you 
   answer NO, then the new messages will be appended to the reply 
   packet. This should eliminate a lot of the confusion about the mail 
   packet flags in version 1.xx.

   The last step is to upload any reply packets to the appropriate BBS 
   or mail service.


                                IMPORT
                                ------
   
   The program IMPORT is shell for ALL the import programs. It will 
   detect all new mail packets and run the appropriate import program 
   based on the mail packet's extension. These are setup in the program 
   EZCONFIG. IMPORT pauses for 2 seconds between running import 
   programs so that you might interrupt the import process and get 
   directly on with reading the mail. The importing of mail may resume 
   at any time.


                                EZ-RDR
                                ------

   The basic operation of EZ2 is the same as EZ1. The difference being 
   that EZ2 manages mail by keeping a database of messages and EZ2 has 
   new commands and new features.

   In the BBS Select Window you will notice four flag fields, MBFN, 
   which stand for new Mail, Bulletins, Files, and News. The first flag 
   could be P (meaning you have unread personal mail), M (meaning there 
   is new mail) and * (meaing there is unread mail).

   This is a list of the message viewer commands:
        
        /       Popup menu of commands.
        F10     Popup menu of commands.
        A       Address book.
        B       Bulk command prefix enables you to perform one command 
                on multiple messages. This command can preceed 
                [D]elete, [M]ark, [P]rint, [S]ave, and [U]n.
        C       Copy this message to another conference and/or BBS.
        D       Delete this message.
        E       Enter a new message.
        F       Find text.
        G       Go back to the previous unread message.
        H       Cycle through the Hint line if the flag is turned on.
        I       Brings up the Message Index Window. Same as Ins.
        M       Mark this message.
        N       Find the next occurance of the find text.
        O       Brings up the Options menu for this specific 
                conference.
        P       Print this message to a file, printer, or 
                fax. (The fax portion is not implemented yet).  
        R       Reply to the current message.
        S       Save this message. Cannot be deleted until it is 
                [U]n-[S]aved.  
        T       Change the order of the thread
        U       Un command prefix. This command can preceed 
                [B]ulk, [D]elete, [M]ark, [P]rint, and [S]ave.
        W       Window toggle. Switched between viewing one and two 
                messages on the screen at one time.
        X       Exit the message viewer.
        Y       Yank the tagline. Steal the tagline from the current 
                message and insert it into the present tagline file.
        Tab     Switch between message windows when there are two on 
                the screen.
        Ins     Brings up the Message Index window.
        PgDn    Go forward one screen in the message.
        PgUp    Go back one screen in the message.
        Space   Go forward one screen in the message. If you are at the 
                end of the message then you will be taken to the next 
                unread message.
        +       Go to the next message ignoring any Read flags and 
                changes the read direction.
        -       Go back one message ignoring any Read flags and changed 
                the read direction.
        Enter   Go to the next unread message.
        Esc     Exits the message viewer.



   Not only does EZ2 have hot keys to run external programs, but you 
   can have EZ2 dump the keystrokes into EZ2's internal keyboard 
   buffer. To do this simply enter the character '%' as the very first 
   character in the command string. You can add function keys to the 
   macros with @F1, @F2, ..., @F12. You cannot nest macros, but you can 
   chain them.

        F1: %This is macro one
        F2: %This is macro two
        F3: %@F1@F2

   If you need more memory to run a program make add a '!' to the 
   beginning of the command string. This will tell EZ-Reader to use the 
   Switch! feature (originally by Curtis ?? and now sold by South 
   Mountain Software as Hold Everything!) 


   EZ-Reader 2 supports a wide number of variables. The variables may 
   be UPPER CASE, lower case or Mixed Case. By default all replacement 
   text is lower case. If the 2nd character of the variable is upper 
   case then the replacement text is all upper case. If the 1st 
   character is upper case and the 2nd is lower case then the 
   replacement text is all lower case except the 1st character. The 
   EZ-Reader variables are:

   @DAY@            Day of the week (Monday, Tuesday, etc)
   @DATE@           Today's date in the current format (12/24/91)
   @TIME@           The present time (10:31 AM)
   @EZDIR@          The EZ-Reader Directory (C:\EZ\)
   @TOFIRST@        The first name of the message addressee
   @TOLAST@         The last name of the message addressee
   @FROMFIRST@      The first name of the message sender
   @FROMLAST@       The last name of the message sender
   @CONFNAME@       The name of the conference
   @CONFNUM@        The number of conference as assigned by the BBS
   @BBSID@          The ID of the BBS


   Just like version 1 of EZ-Reader the function key F1 is ALWAYS the 
   Help key. Version 2 adds a system menu that is ALWAYS F2. The system 
   menu gives you access to a list of your defined Hot Keys, File 
   Viewer, Calendar, DOS Shell, Help, EZ Information, an Alarm, and a 
   Tiles game. 
   
   F3 is the default pick list function key. Whenever a field could 
   have multiple inputs press F3 to select from a list of possible 
   inputs. Such fields at the TO and tagline fields when addressing a 
   message. Anyplace EZ-Reader asks for a filename you can press F3 for 
   a pick list of the most common files and/or wildcards. These are 
   hard coded so new files cannot be added, but you can enter DOS 
   wildcards for the filename and EZ-Reader will provide a file pick 
   list. Once in this pick list you can change the file mask and the 
   drive.

   EZ2 supports two font for those who have EGA or higher video. The 
   first font is tied to the lower 8 colors and the second font is tied 
   to the upper 8 colors. You can modify the palette so that two 
   distinct fonts will appear as the same color. I would leave colors 
   0, 7, and 15 as they are.

   EZ2 has extened support for taglines, provideing for three levels of 
   tagline files. The first level is the EZ-Reader tagline file named 
   EZ-RDR.TAG and is placed in the EZ-Reader directory. The next level 
   is a BBS tagline file and is placed in the BBS subdirectory under 
   the EZ-Reader directory. The BBS tagline file is formed with the BBS 
   ID and an extension TAG (i.e. A tagline file specifically for 
   Thumper's Den would be D:\EZ2\THUMPER\THUMPER.TAG) The third level 
   of tagline files is the conference tagline file and is formed by 
   using up to the first eight characters of a conference name (spaces 
   are replaced by an underscore '_',  e.g. Main Board becomes 
   MAIN_BOA.TAG). The conference tagline files are placed in the BBS 
   subdirectory underthe EZ-Reader subdirectory.


                                 TIPS
                                 ----
   
   The more mail you import and keep the larger the mail database 
   becomes. EZ2 employees an excellent garbage collection routine to 
   manage the size of the database file. This does slow down the import 
   operation at times as it searches the list of available space for 
   one large enough to hold the current message. To keep the size of 
   the mail database manageable and the import speed up, use the 
   [O]ptions command (a default can be set in EZCONFIG) in each 
   conference to limit the number of days to keep read mail and whether 
   or not you want to keep around unread mail.

   Using the digital sound drivers while on a network or under DESQview 
   may lockup your machine.


                                SUPPORT
                                -------

   Support is provided in the EZ-Reader conference on ILINK, RIME, 
   Intellec, and other echo mail networks. If there is no EZ-Reader 
   conference, we can be found in the Offline Mail/Reader conferences. 
   
   We are moving the support BBS to The Hub at (918) 627-0923, running 
   Intel 14.4K V.32. Thumper's Den, our local support BBS, will close 
   on July 31st.
