SUMMARY
This article lists and explains all the entries in the Microsoft Mail
for Windows private profile, MSMAIL.INI, that are contained in the
[Microsoft Mail] section.
[Microsoft Mail]
Entries in this section affect the behavior of the Mail program as
well as the Microsoft Mail for PC Networks transport and name service.
CheckLatencyInterval=<number of seconds>
Affects the mail spooler's latency checking, which is intended to
prevent the spooler's background processing from interfering unduly
with foreground work. If this length of time passes without the
spooler having any work to do, it will reinitialize its latency
algorithm.
The default value is 30 seconds.
DemosEnabled=<0,1>
Adds the Demos option under the Help Menu.
ExportMmfFile=<filename>
Identifies the path and filename of an .MMF file, pointing to the last
place a mail folder was exported to. This entry is written by the Mail
program and is used as a default value that is displayed in the Export
Folders dialog box when you choose Export Folder from the File menu of
the Mail program.
FixedFont=<facename, size, 0/1, 0/1>
This entry identifies a fixed-pitch font you can substitute for the
one supplied with Mail. It has four parts, separated by commas: the
typeface name (not the font file name), point size, a flag for bold,
and a flag for italic.
This font serves as an alternative to the Helvetica 10-point font Mail
uses by default; it is particularly handy for viewing messages that
were created in a fixed-pitch font. (However, there is nothing to keep
you from substituting a proportional font.) The View.Change Font
command toggles the font between the normal font and the fixed font.
Both entries affect only message body text, not message envelope text
or folder lists.
The default value is MsMail3, 9, 0, 0.
ForceScanInterval=<number of seconds>
Affects the mail spooler's latency checking, which is intended to
prevent the spooler background processing from interfering unduly with
foreground work. If this length of time passes without the spooler
getting an opportunity to do outstanding work, it will begin
requesting idle time more frequently (every ScanAgainInterval
seconds), and eventually the spooler will begin stealing time whenever
it can. Setting this entry to 1 is common practice for transport
developers who want the spooler to process more often.
The default value is 300 (5 minutes).
GALOnly=<0/1>
If this entry is set to 1, the Mail address book will display only the
Global Address List (GAL) and the Personal Address Book (PAB), thereby
providing you with a flat address list of all the users visible from
your postoffice. Note that you must be running against a Mail for PC
Networks 3.0, 3.0b, or 3.2 postoffice with GAL support in order for
this to work.
If this entry is set to 0, the Mail address book will display all
possible address lists and the PAB.
GALOnly is currently supported only by the Mail for PC Networks name
service provider. The default value is 0.
IdleRequiredInterval=<number of seconds>
Affects the mail spooler's latency checking, which is intended to
prevent the spooler's background processing from interfering unduly
with foreground work. The spooler defers its work temporarily if the
system has serviced an interactive request within this interval, to
avoid starting a transfer when you are busy.
The default value is 2 seconds.
LocalMMF=<0/1>
If this entry is 1, your .MMF file will be created in the Windows
directory rather than on the postoffice the first time you run Mail.
Together with the NoServerOptions entry, it prevents
.MMF files from being stored on the postoffice; this is the
normal state for the Windows for Workgroups Mail program.
The default value is 0.
Login=<mailbox name>
Put your Mail for PC Networks mailbox name (short name, up to 10
characters) in this entry if you do not want to keep typing it in the
Login dialog box. If you set both the Login and Password entries, the
Login dialog will not appear when you start Mail; it will log you in
automatically. If you only set the Login entry, Mail will still prompt
for your password, but you won't have to type your name every time.
MailBeep=<path>
Set this entry to the path of a Windows .WAV file, and you will get a
more interesting sound than the normal two beeps when new mail
arrives.
This entry will not work unless you have Multimedia Extensions for
Windows installed, and the "Sound chime" option in the Mail Options
dialog box is checked. The default value is blank.
MailTmp=<path>
Set this entry to a directory where you would like Mail to place
temporary copies of attached files. When you launch an application by
double-clicking a file attached to a mail message, Mail copies the
file to this directory and invokes the application associated with it.
The default value is the value of the TEMP environment variable. If
there is no TEMP variable, the default is the Windows directory.
MAPIHelp=<filename>
This entry points to the MAPI Help file and is used when you request
help in any of the dialog boxes displayed by the MAPI support
functions. This entry is defined when the Mail program is run the
first time. The default value points to the MSMAIL.HLP file in your
WINDOWS directory.
Multi-Message=<0/1 >
This entry provides a default setting for the "Print multiple notes on
a page" option in the Print dialog box, which appears whenever you
print messages from Mail. Set it to 0 to have that option appear
unchecked by default.
The default value is 1, which causes the option to be checked by
default.
Netbios=<0/1>
Set this entry to 1 to enable NetBIOS notification of new mail
delivery. NetBIOS notification provides quicker response to the
arrival of new mail from users on your local postoffice.
Only the Mail for PC Networks transport provider supports this entry.
The default value is 0.
NewMsgsAtStartup=<0/1>
Set this entry to 1 to have Mail download new messages as quickly as
possible when it is started. If it is 0, the new mail will still come
in, but relatively slowly (in the background while you work on other
things).
The default value is 0.
NOTE: NewMessagesAtStartup= will also work for this entry.
NextOnMoveDelete=<0/1/-1>
If this entry is 1, Mail automatically opens the next message in a
folder after you delete or move an open message. If this entry is -1,
Mail automatically opens the previous message, thus facilitating quick
scanning through your Inbox. If this entry is 0, Mail will close the
Read Note window as soon as you move or delete the message, and you
will have to press the ENTER key or double-click to open the next
message.
Set this value to 1 if your messages are sorted in ascending order
(that is, in the order received) and -1 if they are sorted descending
(that is, most recent message first).
The default value is 1.
NoCheckInterval=<0/1>
Set this entry to 1 to have Mail disable the "Check for new mail every
x minutes" field in the Mail Options dialog box.
The default value is 0.
NormalFont=<facename, size, 0/1, 0/1>
This entry identifies the default font (normally proportionally
spaced) used to display Mail messages. It has four parts, separated by
commas: the typeface name (not the font file name), point size, a flag
for bold, and a flag for italic.
The View Change Font command toggles the font between the Normal font
and the Fixed font; the latter is handy for viewing messages that were
created using a fixed-pitch font. Both entries affect only message
body text, not message envelope text or folder lists; Mail always uses
Helv 8 point for that purpose. (Under Windows 3.1, you can add
Helv=<facename> in the [FontSubstitutes] section of your WIN.INI file
to effect a wholesale substitution. However, keep in mind that all
programs will be affected, not just Mail.)
The default value is Helv, 10, 0, 0.
NoServerOptions=<0/1>
If this entry is 1, the Server button in the Mail Options dialog box
is unconditionally disabled. On the Mail server, this button calls up
a sub-dialog box that enables you to relocate the .MMF file, among
other things. Together with the LocalMMF entry, it prevents .MMF files
from being stored on the postoffice at all; this is the normal state
for the Windows for Workgroups Mail program.
The default value is 0 (the Server button and dialog box are enabled).
OfflineMessages=<path>
This entry is written by the Mail for PC Networks transport provider
whenever you choose to store your message file off the postoffice. It
uses the entry to find the file quickly (without a file system browse
dialog box) when you start up without connecting to the postoffice.
Only the Mail for PC Networks transport supports this entry. The
default value is the path specified in the Mail Options Server dialog
box for a local message file. The entry is removed when you store your
message file on the postoffice.
OldStorePath=<path>
This entry is written temporarily by the Mail for PC Networks
transport while you are moving your message file (using the Mail
Options Server dialog box), and contains the original path to the file
if it was originally stored off the postoffice. This entry is removed
once the move successfully completes, so you will only see it if your
system stops (crashes) during a move.
The default value is empty.
Password=<password>
Use this entry together with the Login entry, to tell Mail your
account information without typing it into the Login dialog box.
If you have no password, keep this entry in as "Password=". This is
different from omitting the entry. Omitting the entry means you want
to type your password (the default); "Password=" means you have a
password and it is blank.
PollingInterval=<minutes>
This entry gives the default value for the "Check for new mail every x
minutes" option in the Mail Options dialog box. Administrators can set
this value in the MSMAIL.INI file at the share point from which users
install the Windows client, to provide a uniform default value for the
polling interval.
When you run the Windows client for the first time, the value for
PollingInterval is copied into the .MMF file. If the variable doesn't
exist, the default value of 10 minutes is placed in the .MMF file.
From then on, the value that is in the .MMF file controls the polling
and the variable in the MSMAIL.INI file is ignored. Therefore,
existing Windows client users must use the client interface to change
the polling interval. To do this, choose Options from the Mail menu
and change the value (x) for "Check for new mail every x minutes."
Printer=<printer name>, <driver name>, <port>
This is the default value for the printer to use for printing mail,
which appears in the Mail print dialog box. Mail initially copies it
from your WIN.INI file, then saves whatever you change it to in the
MSMAIL.INI file.
The default value is the default printer you specify using the Windows
Control Panel.
PrintFont=<pointsize>
This entry identifies the default point size for the defined font used
by the Mail program to print mail messages. The actual font used to
print the mail message is dependent on whether the mail message is set
to be displayed using the fixed font (specified by the FixedFont
value) or the normal font (specified by the NormalFont value).
The default point size is 10.
PumpCycleInterval=<number of seconds>
Use this entry if you are a transport implementer who wants the
spooler to check for new mail, recover from errors, and generally do
things more often than once per minute. You will find the spooler
stealing more time from your system, which is fine if you are
debugging it.
The default value is 60 seconds, or the value specified in the
Mail Options dialog box (whose granularity is minutes).
ReplyPrefix="<string>"
Mail uses this string (enclosed in quotation marks), if present, to
distinguish your comments from the original message when you reply to
mail. When you reply, the original message text is copied to the body
of the reply message, and each line of the original is prefixed with
this entry. "| " (a vertical bar followed by a blank space) is a
popular value.
The default value is empty.
ScanAgainInterval=<number of seconds>
Affects the mail spooler's latency checking, which is intended to
prevent the spooler's background processing from interfering unduly
with foreground work. When the spooler defers its work because of
higher-priority interactive tasks, it will recheck the availability of
the system at this interval.
The default value is 2 seconds.
Security=<0/1>
If this entry is 1, Mail prompts for your password whenever its window
is restored from its icon state. That is, if Mail is minimized and you
double-click the icon, you must re-enter your password before you (or
anyone else) can see your messages.
The default value is 0.
ServerDrive=<drive letter>
If this entry is present, Mail looks for the postoffice in the default
directory on this drive. Both the MAIL.DAT file and the ServerPath
entry take precedence, however.
Only the Mail for PC Networks transport supports this entry. The
default value is drive M.
ServerPassword=<password>
This entry identifies the password used to connect to the server
specified by the ServerPath entry. This entry should be used to
specify the password for the file share if the ServerPath entry is
specified using the universal naming convention (UNC) and the server
name, share name, or path contains spaces.
ServerPath=<path>
ServerPath=<\\server\share\path> <password>
If this entry is present, Mail looks for the postoffice in the
directory specified. The first form of this entry, with a normal path,
works on all networks. The second form works only on Microsoft
networks and compatible networks; if you use it, Mail connects
dynamically (without using a drive) to the file server where the
postoffice resides.
Only the Mail for PC Networks transport supports this entry. There is
no default value.
SharedExtensionsDir=<path>
SharedExtensionsDir=<\\server\share\path> <password>
If this entry is present, Mail looks for custom commands and messages
in the directory specified. A file named SHARED.INI in that directory
will tell Mail what shared extensions to load. You can specify
additional extensions in your own MSMAIL.INI. To simplify updating the
extensions, Administrators will often provide a common share point for
extensions to Mail; this entry makes it work. The first form of this
entry, with a normal path, works on all networks. The second form
works only on Microsoft networks and compatible networks; if you use
it, Mail connects dynamically (without using a drive) to the file
server where the shared extensions reside.
There is no default value.
SharedFolders=<0/1>
This entry enables the use of Mail shared folders. This feature is
always available when Mail is being used with the Mail for PC Networks
postoffice. By default, it is unavailable when you use Mail with other
mail systems; you must use this entry, along with the SharedFolders
entry in the [Providers] section and perhaps other entries, to enable
it then.
The default value is 1 if the Logon entry in the [Providers] section
is MSSFS, and 0 otherwise.
SpoolerBackoffInterval=<milliseconds>
The mail spooler waits this long before retrying an operation that has
failed due to a mail server error condition classified as transient,
such as a locked file.
The default value is 2000 (2 seconds).
SpoolerReconnectInterval=<seconds>
The mail spooler waits this long before retrying an operation that has
failed due to a mail server error condition classified as fatal, such
as a lost network connection.
The default value is 60 (one minute).
StripGatewayHeaders=<0/1>
If this entry is 1, message header text (coming above the dashed line)
will be stripped from Mail messages that arrive via a gateway. Set
this entry to 0 if you want to see the extended information supplied
by the gateways, which typically includes information such as message
identifiers specific to the foreign mail system. Message header text
supplied by native Mail for PC Networks clients is always stripped.
Only the Mail for PC Networks transport supports this entry.
The default value is 1 (you don't see gateway information).
WG=<0/1>
When Microsoft Mail is started, it determines whether or not it is
running with Microsoft Windows for Workgroups by checking the
copyright information that has been stamped into the MSMAIL.EXE file.
The result of this check is written to the MSMAIL.INI file as the
"WG=" entry.
This setting controls which caption shows in Microsoft Mail. If the
entry is "WG=1", which indicates Windows for Workgroups, the caption
is "Mail"; if "WG=0", which indicates Microsoft Mail for PC Networks
3.0, 3.0b, or 3.2, the caption is "Microsoft Mail."
Window=<left right top bottom zoom toolbar statusbar scrollbars>
This entry consists of eight numbers that govern the display of the
main Mail window. It is written automatically when you exit Mail, so
changes you make while Mail is running will be lost.
The first four numbers are pixel coordinates for the four sides of the
main window: left, right, top, and bottom. The fifth number is 1 if
the main window is in a normal (restored) state, 2 if it is maximized
(zoomed), and 3 if it is minimized (icon). The remaining three numbers
determine whether the Toolbar, status bar, and scroll bars are
displayed on the main window: 0 means do not display the corresponding
bar, and 1 means display it.
The defaults for this entry are:
- Window size and location determined by Windows
- Zoom state normal (restored)
- Toolbar on
- Status bar on
- Scroll bars on