PC WRmt: How the System Selector Works (119415)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Mail Remote for Windows 3.2
This article was previously published under Q119415

SUMMARY

The Mail System Selector (MAILDRV.EXE) is a program provided with version 3.2 of Microsoft Mail Remote for Windows. In Windows, the user selects the Mail System Selector icon to switch to a different mail service, such as AT&T. These mail services are called drivers in the program. You can also use this program to remove a driver you no longer use.

MORE INFORMATION

What Happens When the User Changes the Current Mail Driver?

  1. The System Selector determines whether any of the mail driver DLLs are currently loaded, by examining the entries in the [Providers] section of the user's MSMAIL.INI.

    The System Selector interprets the entries in the [Providers] section as module names for driver DLLs. If one or more DLLs are loaded, the System Selector assumes a mail-enabled application is running.
  2. If a mail-enabled application is running, the System Selector asks you if you want to sign out immediately.

    After your confirmation, the System Selector attempts to sign you out. This may fail in some cases if, for example, Mail or Schedule+ are displaying modal dialogs. If sign-out fails, the System Selector tells the you that they must be signed off before changing the mail driver, and then it displays the main dialog.
  3. The System Selector deactivates the current mail driver.

    NOTE: In this section of the README file, PROVIDER is a placeholder for the specific mail driver subdirectory name. For example, the driver subdirectory for Microsoft Mail is \WINDOWS\MSMAIL\MSMAIL.)

    1. If DEACTIVATE= is defined in \WINDOWS\MSMAIL\PROVIDER\FILES.INI, the named DLL is loaded and functions in it are called so that specific environment changes can be properly cleaned up after the provider has run.
    2. Entries are removed from the user's .INI files as follows:

      The INI= entry in the [Transport] section of the WINDOWS\MSMAIL\PROVIDER\FILES.INI file determines which .INI files will be modified. If this entry is missing, only MSMAIL.INI will be modified. The [XXX - Deactivate] sections of the .INI files in the WINDOWS\MSMAIL\PROVIDER list which entries will be removed from the user's .INI files.
    3. The mail driver's DLLs and other files are returned to WINDOWS\MSMAIL\PROVIDER. The Files= entry of the [Transport] section in FILES.INI lists which files will be moved.
  4. The System Selector activates the selected new driver.

    1. The mail driver's DLLs and other files are moved from WINDOWS\MSMAIL\PROVIDER to WINDOWS\SYSTEM. The new driver's FILES.INI file list which files will be moved.
    2. Entries are merged into the user's .INI files. The INI= entry in the [Transport] section of WINDOWS\MSMAIL\PROVIDER\FILES.INI determines which .INI files will be modified. If this entry is missing, only MSMAIL.INI will be modified.

      Sections that do NOT have the " - Deactivate" string as part of the section name list which entries will be added.
    3. If ACTIVATE= is defined in WINDOWS\MSMAIL\PROVIDER\FILES.INI, the named DLL is loaded and functions in it are called so that specific environment changes can be properly set up by the provider.
  5. The System Selector updates its display and the contents of MSMAILPV.INI to reflect the switch.

    If there is a failure anywhere along the way, the System Selector backs out changes by first undoing whatever steps were taken in the activation step, and then re-activating the original driver.
Please see SWITCHER.TXT for additional information.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/18/1999
Keywords:KB119415
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.