Mailslot Communicator
Version 0.033
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Administrators / Clients
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Everyone who installs MC is automatically Administrator. They can:
- close Communicator
- reboot / shutdown / logoff / suspend / hibernate PC's (normally or with force)
- broadcast new versions of MC (disk sharing required)
- check the "Autorun with Windows" box remotely


Clients have many restrictions, they can't:
- close MC standard way (instead there is a minimize button)
- hide their PC name
- send other commands than the first two
- ignore all commands
- change the Autorun with Windows status
- check the "Enable close using the X button" box
- check the "Process is visible (even in Windows 9x)" box
- change Recieving frequency
- clear used PC names


You can recognize the difference between Admin and Client mode at first sight. Just because it is written in the window caption only when you are Administrator.


Installation:
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Extract the EXE file from archive. Run it. It will show an icon at tray icons (right bottom corner of Windows screen). Click it. Open Settings dialog. Check Autorun with Windows checkbox. Close settings. Minimize MC (remains resident).

To make from any PC a client, send it administrator password:
- choose "Send command",
- find "Send administrator password"
- select target PC (or a whole domain/workgroup - "*"),
- click "Send",
- type in a new administrator password,
- confirm "OK".

Anytime MC is installed on new PC in network, search for it:
- choose "Send command",
- find "Add all PC's to target list"
- click "Send"
- wait before the list is filled (time - in seconds - depends on PC count)


Using:
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>Recieving<
When you recieve a message, following actions can happen:
- show window {window is automatically restored}
- blink tray icon {red exclamation is blinking over the tray icon, app remains minimized}
- beep {plays a default Windows beep sound} / PC speaker
- use name of last sender {automatically sets target PC to last recieved message's sender, in case you already haven't started writing another message - so you won't send messages to incorrect people by mistake}

>Sending<
- restore MC by clicking the tray icon
- check the Nick name
- choose target PC (* = all PCs in workgroup)
- type in a message
  { to break a line, use Ctrl+Enter or Shift+Enter }
- press Enter or click Send



Notice:
-------
Settings are saved to MC.ini in exe's dir. And administrator / client info is stored in registry.

Contact me in case you won't understand anything.


Comment:
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There still may be many bugs, so please report them to me.

http://ashus.ashus.net
ICQ 151883422


History:
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0.033
Fixed: own recieved ignored commands do not show in window.

0.032
Fixed list of enabled PC names characters. Removed Renaming IP functionality since mailslot doesn't work beyond routers.

0.031
HotKey feature added.

0.030
When ignoring to set recieved admin. password, it is not displayed to the reciever. Also security in registry increased - password can't be now copied from one variable to another to become admin.

0.029
The window should be now activated and ready for input when a message is recieved and MC is restored. Wrong PC name was detected under Win95/98.

0.028
Commands are being localizated run-time. Advanced recieved commands behaviour can be set: Obey all, Obey selected or Ignore all. Single used PC names can be removed by selecting them and then right-clicking the arrow next to PC name drop down listbox. Font is now only applied to outgoing and incoming text. Minor bugs fixed.

0.027
A little bug, when dialog size was completely wrong, fixed. Scroll-lock blinking added (with changable interval). One letter was also missing in the Upgrade script.

0.026
When Windows was restarted, the settings file wasn't saved. Few little bugs fixed.

0.025
The feature of sending EXE commands was removed - too dangerous. Groups feature added. IP address redirection feature added.

0.024
The feature "Process is visible (even in Win9x)" fixed. It worked inversely. Browse dialog is now displayed when broadcasting new version.

0.023
The feature "Process is visible (even in Win9x)" added. It has not been tested yet, but it should hide the MC from Win9x Ctrl+Alt+Del process list.
Finally, the activating of the MC window (when recieving a message) was fixed. Now it displays the window, blinking cursor, AND the window becomes active. You can directly start typing new message.

0.022
A mistake (displayed when shutting down the PC with MC resident) fixed. Some other little bugs fixed.

0.021
Little bugs found and fixed.

0.020
Lots of testing went OK. I think this is really stable and well working version.
New command replaced four former: "WinReboot PC" replaced these four: "Shutdown PC (unconditional)", "Restart PC (unconditional)", "Shutdown PC (wait for apps)" and "Restart PC (wait for apps)". WinReboot can do: Shutdown, Reboot, Logoff, Suspend and Hibernate. All of them can use Force. Last WinReboot settings are saved to INI file.
All lethal commands, that require agreement (Custom commands, WinReboot PC and Close MC), now wait for 10 seconds, before the action is done.

0.012
Administrators / clients modes created --> more security. Restrictions took lot of time. Finally commands can't be sent by typing them as a message. More intelligent "Use name of last sender" feature (when new message is being typed, the target PC doesn't change). A lot of bugfixes. New icons for older versions of Windows have been added. The whole Readme rewritten.

0.011
Many things changed: Settings are now moved to separate form. When recieving command like Close MC, Restart or Shutdown PC, there is displayed a warning message, whether you like to run it. Countdown included (5 seconds for commands). When sending custom command, the countdown is 10 seconds.
Also the "Broadcast new version" command was added (for your pleasure when upgrading future MC versions; it uses simple BAT file). I hope everyone likes to have upgraded the tray icon (you only need to click it once to restore MC now).
When a command is ignored, [ignored] sign is displayed in recieved command text and the MC is not restored anymore.
And some fixes in Custom commands dialog (Moving up or down with the items has also been added.).

0.010
When editing the message box, you can use Ctrl+Enter or Shift+Enter to break the line (Shift+Enter was not working OK). The MC now remembers last used command, and whether you have selected "Send command" radio button.
Keys like Ctrl+C and Del are now enabled in recieved messages window.
Procedure used to filter incoming messages is now partially rewritten.
Little bugs fixed.

0.009
When error while sending a message occurs, the message to send is not deleted.

0.008
Just some bugfixes.

0.007
Fatal bug when shutting down Windows with MC running fixed. Edit custom commands dialog is now created dynamically, only when needed. The messenger window can be resized further. + some other bugs fixed.

0.006
A little bug fixed. There is no window displayed in background when MC is restored.

0.005
New function added: Sending custom commands. See Edit custom commands button hidden at settings panel. When you hit ESC key, the application now minimizes. I hope the window restoring is finally fixed.

0.004
Two bugs fixed: When recieving message MSC shows AND activates the window. Ignoring own commands ignored all commands. Fixed.

0.003
Reciepment feature added. Multi-line messages feature added. Maximum length of message limited (the app generated some ugly messages). The app can now be vertically resized. It can't be executed more times than once. MC now remembers last used target PC name. Some little bugs were fixed.

0.002
Bugs fixed. You can't enter impossible PC name (only few chars allowed). Bug when loading MC.ini from root was fixed. + more

0.001
First working version. This is a remake of former UIN Communicator 403. Working different way - it doesn't use writing files on another PCs - no C: sharing requied - more safety, and it can use IP adresses.
