DOS Email:  

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The Bare Bones Solution.

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  PLEASE NOTE: The New Barebones DOS email system is available here. This page describes the old Barebones DOS email system (v1.0) and is out of date and unsupported!

  I have been after a quick and simple way of collecting email for quite a while now. Since email is text based, DOS is the ideal means of dealing with it. Also, the DOS BATCH language can make email automation very simple indeed.

  This page outlines the programs that I have settled for, after loads of help from others on the 'net. It is the simplest way that I have found so far. However, when I can get around to writing it, this page will contain a solution based on just one file. Watch this space. (etc). Anyhow, on with the method...

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This simple method requires just 6 files...

Volume in drive E has no label
Directory of E:\EMAIL
SMTPOP.EXE	57,392 bytes	Make a new directory.
PPP.EXE	98,720 bytes	Download the programs.
TERMIN.COM	1,419 bytes	Unzip them.
DIAL.PPP	156 bytes	Edit configuration files.
WATTCP.CFG	119 bytes	Run the software.
EMAIL.BAT	300 bytes	Delete unwanted files.
6 file(s) 158,106 bytes

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Editing the Configuration files.

  This is the most taxing part of the process. You will need to gather a fair amount of technical information. Some will come from your ISP, and the rest will be specific to your own implementation.

  This information must be entered into the configuration files as follows. You can click on any of the variables for more information.

WATTCP.CFG

my_ip=bootp

netmask = 255.255.255.0

nameserver=(xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx)

gateway = (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx)

domainslist="(your-domain.com)"

EMAIL.BAT

@echo off

ppp /c (your-com-port) /s (your-modem-speed) /d script >nul

smtpop (your-id@smtpmail.your.domain.com)  (your-password) >nul

smtpop (your-id@popmail.your.domain.com)  (your-password) >nul

termin 0x60 >nul

DIAL.PPP

send "ATZ\r"

recv 5000 "OK"

send "AT(your_modem-init-string)DT(your-isp-telephone-number)\r"

recv 60000 "Login:"

send "(your-id)\r"

recv 60000 "Password:"

send "(your-password)\r"

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To use:

Type EMAIL to logon, collect and send your email.

Your mail will be collected and stored as *.cnm files. These can be loaded into Pegasus Mail as normal, or read with a basic file viewer/editor.

Outgoing mail, must be stored as *.msg files, again, either by Pegasus Mail or with a basic editor.

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Notes and problems:

If you have any problems the first thing to do is to remove the '>nul' text suppressing statements from the lines in EMAIL.BAT This will allow the programs to tell you why they are not working. You can always add the '>nul's again once you have everything up and running. (As long as you are not using WATIP.EXE that is).

If SMTPOP reports, "PACKET DRIVER NOT FOUND", then PPP will have failed to load in. Check again the PPP line in EMAIL.BAT Have you entered the required details correctly?

The most likely reason for PPP to fail, is that it has not found your modem. Check the detail for setting (your-com-port), to get this right.

If your login script differs from the above, remove the ">NUL" statements from EMAIL.BAT to see where the script in DIAL.PPP is failing. If you cannot see what is wrong, perform a manual login, using NETDIAL (below) and change DIAL.PPP to reflect the correct login script for your access provider.

The file WATTCP.CFG above requires that your service provider supports a protocol called BOOTP. If your isp does not support BOOTP, then you'll need to change the above configuration to suit your needs as follows. If you have a static IP address, then simply add that address into WATTCP.CFG after the text "my_ip=". If your IP address is allocated dynamically you will need to do the following:

  Firstly remove the >NUL text suppressing statements from the lines in EMAIL.BAT where they occur. This will allow you to view the login procedure. After the connection has been accepted, the service provider should display your allocated IP address. Note the text immediately before it on the screen. Eg. If "IP=123.123.123.123" is on screen, then note down the text "IP=". This will be the prompt text the needed by the next program.

  Download the program WATIP.EXE and unzip and store it in the working directory. Edit EMAIL.BAT and, before the first SMTPOP statement, insert the line "WATIP [prompt text]", where [prompt text] is the text noted previously from the login screen. WATIP will now update the my_ip= line in WATTCP.CFG every time EMAIL.BAT is run.

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Conclusion


  I hope you can see just how simple this setup really is, and that you have a go at installing it. Let me know how you get on. If you can think of an easier method, then mail me without delay!

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Download the files right now...

ETHERPPP.ZIP  The dialer and packet driver.
SMTPOP.ZIP  (V1.01) A very simple email client for DOS.
WATIP.ZIP  My IP address reader, for non "bootp" servers.
DOSECON.ZIP  The configuration templates.

BAREBONE.ZIP  All the above zip files in one.

Or, get them from: http://xenia.sote.hu/ftp/pmail/pmail-misc/

and,ftp.wolfe.net/pub/packages/dos/ppp/etherppp-new.zip.

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    NEW! BAREBONE.ZIP now contains three extra files to simplify the whole process further...

        INSTALL.BAT  Run this after unzipping BAREBONE.ZIP in a new directory, to expand all the other files.

        TIDY.BAT  Run this once you have got the system working, and you wish to remove all the unwanted files... leaving just the 6 you actually need.

        BAREBONE.TXT  A Copy of this page for your reference.

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Other useful DOS email programs:

FMODEM.COM  A little program I wrote to tell you about the COM ports in your computer. It is good for finding out non-standard settings of BASE ADDRESS and IRQ. Run from the DOS command line, without any trace of windoze in memory. (zipped).

NETDIAL.ZIP  A simple dialer program.

DOSPPP  Another PPP packet driver, [stored at Walnut Creek CDROM].

SMTPOP  (V1.1) A far more advanced, but *much* larger version.

WAITFOR.COM  Simply pauses a batch file for a set number of seconds. Can be useful for automation. (zipped).


  PMPOP is a mail client for Pegasus mail which claims to work over a SLIP connection, however, both versions listed here appear to be bugged.

  I include the programs, since a few people have asked for them. If any one has any success with the programs please let me know. Good luck.

PMPOP V1.10  Mail client for Pegasus mail. Collects mail ok, fails to send to certain, (read: *most*) SMTP servers.

PMPOP v1.11  Mail client for Pegasus mail. I have had no luck in getting this to do anything whatsoever.

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Links to sites which inspired this one...


    Discussion list  The place on the web to go for DOS email help.
    DOS Email  Dan K's DOS email setup instructions.
    Pegasus Mail  The DOS/Windows email client.
    Internet e-mail in 30 minutes  Detailed guide.
    PPP & Internet Applications for DOS  Lots of DOS internet software.

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A page from James David Chapman's website.   Located at: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jchap/   Site mirrored here at: http://www.j.chap.btinternet.co.uk
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