3 - Opening an outgoing message - Background Information
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Double-clicking an outgoing mail message file object starts RexxMail with the '/edit' switch. RexxMail looks at the file's extended attributes to determine whether the file has already been sent. If not, RexxMail checks and rewrites any header address contents, using the results to create a copy of the message file. This copy is opened on the desktop using the editor specified in the 'settings.txt' file, which is located in the 'Configuration' folder . If no editor is specified, 'e.exe' is used.

If the message header does not contain a sender (a 'From:' entry), RexxMail attempts to add a default sender line, using the contents of the 'Name' and 'Address' entries in the 'settings.txt' file, and appends the contents of the 'closing.txt' file to the end of the message. The 'closing.txt' file, which is also located in the 'Configuration' subfolder, can contain any text you like. Note that the contents of the file will be appended to any message file that does not already contain a 'From:' entry in its header when it is opened.

Since e-mail messages created by RexxMail are standard OS/2 file objects, the operating system knows how to handle them. This is made possible by the message file's extended attributes (EAs), which RexxMail sets to reflect the status of the message. In this case, the message is a fresh one that has just been dragged off its template. When the template object was created, its EAs were set so that message files dragged off it would display the icon shown here.

Each RexxMail outgoing message file object is associated with a number of RexxMail program objects. These include 'Edit', 'Address' , and 'Dispatch' (as you will see when you open the message object's pop-up menu). You will find these program objects, together with others, in the 'Objects' subfolder of the RexxMail program folder. The objects visible in the 'Main' and 'Accessories' folders are all shadows of objects in the 'Objects' folder.


© 2001 M.C. de Geus
Last updated 20010920