Category : Communication (modem) tools and utilities
Archive   : MAILKEY.ZIP
Filename : MAILKEY.DOC

Did you ever want to go back and re-read old GE-mail messages in the
Aladdin environment?

If yes, then you need MAILKEY!!!

Aladdin uses two files to read GE-mail. The first file is called MAIL.MSG.
This is the file which is simply the "captured" text of all of your messages.
In and of itself, this file is not enough for Aladdin to read the mail.

The other critical file needed is MAIL.KEY. Aladdin uses this file as the
index of where the messages start in the MAIL.MSG file. Without MAIL.KEY,
Aladdin cannot read your message file.

THE PROCESS
===========

Everytime you go in and Aladdin gets your mail, the new messages are put in
the MAIL.MSG file. Aladdin also creates a MAIL.KEY file that corresonds to this
current MAIL.MSG file. Both are needed for the Aladdin mail editor to work.

If you are automatically saving these messages, then these mail messages are
already in another file. Lets assume that the name of your archive file
is MAIL.OLD. Everytime you go into Aladdin and get mail, your current
MAIL.MSG file gets appended to your MAIL.OLD file. The MAIL.OLD continues
to grow while the MAIL.MSG file is only your last batch of mail.

So lets suppose you want to go back, and reread all those old mail messages
that you have accumulated. Well, you could use a standard text editor
to scan through them. But suppose you want to reply to some of them, or just
suppose you want the features of the Aladdin editor.

YOU NEED TO CREATE A .KEY FILE BEFORE YOU CAN USE THE ALADDIN EDITOR.

Just run MAILKEY.EXE in the following way...

1. Erase your old MAIL.KEY file.
1. Rename your MAIL.OLD file to MAIL.MSG
2. Run the following... MAILKEY.EXE MAIL.MSG

Thats it. Now you have a current MAIL.KEY file and Aladdin will think
that this is your last batch of mail it received and you can read it or
reply accordingly.

I have purposefully required you to erase your own old MAIL.KEY file.
The easiest way to do all the steps would be a batch file like this...


del mail.key
del mail.msg
ren mail.old mail.msg
mailkey.exe mail.msg

Put this in a batch file and run the batch file and you are all set. You can
easily create a MACRO withing the Aladdin environment to do this if you
so desired.

One last thing, sometime you may have accidently erased your mail messages.
GEnie allows you to go in manually and get old mail either from a certain
date or from a certain person. If you do this, just capture the session
and name the captured file MAIL.MSG. Then run MAILKEY on that file and you
can now use Aladdin again to read and reply to this mail.

Thats it, no guarantees. It works for me and I hope it works for you.
I also have uploaded a file called KEYMAKER.ZIP which works the same
way on GEnie BBS files. It allows you to go back and read and reply to
old BBS messages.

Leave me a message and let me know what you think!!!


Larry Dernay
L.Dernay
December 31, 1991
Happy New Year!!!!!!