NTPopup is simple message popup program exclusively for Windows NT. It is fully compatible with "net send" console program on NT and WinPopup in Windows 3.1x and Windows 95 so that messages could be easily exchanged between machines using any of the mentioned software. NTPopup can both send and receive popup messages without interfering of disabling NT Messenger service (which some other available popup programs do, and usually affect negatively other functionality of NT system). In comparison with WinPopup, NTPopup is more robust and reliable and has more functionalities.
Most features of NTPopup are simple and self-explanatory. Just type the name of addressee in the type-in combobox in the main window (addressee can be either user name [i.e. how is user logged in the network], computer name, or whole domain name), type the text to the big editbox below, click Send button and message is being delivered ! While NTPopup processes the delivery, you can notice small red icon in the right lower corner of the main window . It is just the notification for you that NTPopup is working. Meanwhile, you can actually send another popup to another user or group of users. Note that size of the message you can send is limited by NT Messenger system. Later I plan to do some work-around for this problem.
Now notice the group of radio-buttons just below the combobox: Content of List "Aliases/Last Used". If you select Aliases, combobox' listbox contains all your active aliases which you can set via Options dialog. If you select Last Used, it will contain the history list of whom did you send the popups before.
Below obvious Send button there are another 5 buttons:
Close button - terminates NTPopup application
Options button - brings up Options dialog
Previous button - brings to the combobox and editbox previously sent popup messages; number of remembered previously sent messages you can specify in the Options dialog
Help button - should bring you this help page in your default web browser
About button - shows you basic information about the version of NTPopup, author and registration (whether you are registered or not)
Below the buttons you should see 5 checkboxes:
Keep Msg - if it is checked while you send the popup, the message is not removed from editbox; otherwise send action will clean it
Keep Addr - if it is checked while you send the popup, the address is not removed from combobox; otherwise send action will clean it
Results - when checked, Results window is shown modeless
Received - when checked, Received window is shown modeless
Signature - when checked, your signature is appended at the end of the message; if you did not specify the signature in the Options dialog, this checkbox is not visible
consists of two pages: General and Aliases.
Signature: type in the signature you want to append optionally (when signature checkbox is marked in main window) to your message
Initial State of Combobox: Aliases/Last Used/As Left Last Time - this defines the state of combobox (and the group of radio-buttons underneath it) in main window when NTPopup starts
Accept Return in Message: with this option is off, and you are typing the message in the editbox of the main window, your Enter key on the keyboard automatically activates Send button and the message is delivered to the recipient(s). With this option on, Enter key creates just the new line in your message.
Max of Last Used: maximum number of remembered addressees/aliases in your combobox' list in the main window.
Stored Messages: maximum number of remembered previously sent messages (accessible by Previous button in main window).
Report only Errors: with this option on, only errors will be reported in Results windows (otherwise both errors and successful deliveries will be reported)
Receive: with this option on, NTPopup will receive and store popup sent to you in Received window (instead of the NT Messenger's MessageBox). You should keep this option on, because if you receive the popup while typing, it is very easy to close the NT Messenger dialog without reading it or even realizing where it did come from. This option is disabled for non-registered version.
Hide on Minimize: for NT 4.0 you can show minimized icon in the tray of taskbar instead of direct taskbar icon.
Sound on Received Message: turn this on if you want to be notified about the arrival of new popup by special sound. You can specify the sound in Control Panel/Sounds.
Beep on Error: NTPopup beeps on any error with the delivery of your message.
Popup on Received Message: with this option on, NTPopup jumps to the foreground with each received message.
Animated Icon: for NT 4.0 you can get animated icon in the taskbar's tray.
Alias is the redirection/substitution of one addressee or group of addressees by one name. For instance you can give your addressee JSMITH the name JOHN. Or if you regularly want to send popup to the group of several users for a coffee break, you can create the alias COFFEE and include all addressees in it. Then, by the simple send to COFFEE your popup will be delivered to each of the addressees inside this group. You may want to keep the alias(es) (i.e. the information of the content of alias) in the file on the shared drive on the network so that more users could use the same alias. Such alias I call "Shared Alias". Shared alias can be loaded by NTPopup only once, at the moment when NTPopup starts, or every time when you use it (when you try to send it message to). I call this feature "Load on Demand". Number of Aliases and number of addressees per Alias is restricted in non-registered version of NTPopup.
By using buttons Add, Remove and Rename you can easily maintain the list of your aliases. Besides the list of addressees associated with each alias, there are two more properties of alias: "Slow Send" and "Prefix". If you specify "Slow Send" (i.e. if you turn on "Slow Send" checkbox), delivery of the message to the addressees goes one by one. If, for instance, you alias contains 20 addressees, with "Slow Send" turned on, NTPopup sends the message to the first addressee in the list, waits for the result (success or failure), then sends message to the second addressee in the list and so on. If the "Slow Send" is turned off (which is the default) delivery of the messages is done at the same time to all of addressees using threads.
Note: this is not completely true, because I encountered NT Messenger limitation and I had no way to overcome that. So the delivery is actually limited to four threads being processed at the same time. Once one of four addressees had been served, another thread jumps in.
"Prefix" is the optional string which could precede any message sent to particular alias. For instance, when sending the popup to Jim, you might want to start each popup with the line "Hi Jim,". It doesn't mean that each popup will have that prefix. After you specified prefix in Options dialog, clicked OK button and in main window select JIM alias in combobox (or you can type it in) prefix "Hi Jim," appears above your editbox with message preceded by checkbox. You can turn checkbox off (the prefix then will not be added to the message) or on (prefix will be at the top of your message), as you wish.
Obviously, it has no sense to have an alias with no addresses in it. To add, remove or rename addressee use small buttons in Addressees groupbox under the listbox. Notice that once you add new addressee, mark "+" appears in front of it in the listbox. It means that addressee is enabled. For instance, in your COFFEE alias you might want to disable JIM for a time he is out of the office. To do so, simply double click JIM entry in the addressees listbox. "+" sign in front of it changes to "-" which indicates disabled addressee. Don't forget to turn it back on once he's back !!
Important note: Aliases can be used recursively. For instance, you can specify alias JIM for the user in the network JSMITH. Then you can add to your COFFEE alias JIM as an addressee. Message popup will be delivered to JSMITH.
Any alias can be exported by clicking Export button. Resulting .ALS file can be Imported on other computer as new alias. In the Import Alias dialog (to get there, click Import button in Options dialog), notice "As Shared Alias" checkbox at the bottom. If you check it, alias will be imported as shared alias mentioned above; otherwise the addressees will be added to alias as if you added them by small + button. If you select shared alias in aliases listbox, new group of controls called "Shared Alias" appears on the right side of the dialog. ReLoad button click causes immediate reload and refresh of the alias. Show File will give you the information which .ALS file is shared alias associated with. By using Browse button you can change that association. Finally, by turning "Load On Demand" checkbox you can specify whether shared alias will be loaded on demand or when NTPopup starts. Non-registered versions allows user to create shared aliases and test them out, however, they can be loaded on startup only by registered version.
gives you the information about the delivery of messages you sent. You can delete single info by selecting it and clicking Delete button, or clear whole listbox by using Delete All button. You can select the line with error and click Info button for more information why delivery failed. If the message you sent is still kept in the memory by NTPopup (it depends on your Stored Messages settings in Options dialog) you can use Write button which allows you to resend the message easily again.
allows you to view all received messages. It states whom did the message come from, exact date & time and the text of the message. You can delete one message or all messages at once. You can use Reply button to simply reply to the sender, or Reply Plus which includes the original text you received. You can also forward the message to another user.
NTPopup is shareware program developed by Lester Kovac (lkovac@ottawa.com http://www.cyberus.ca/~lkovac/lester.htm ). If you find the program useful, send $9.00 US to the author together with your name and e-mail address (if you prefer to receive registration files on floppy, add $5.00 US for shipping & handling). You will receive all you need to enable full functionality. You may give me also the information under what name (user name, or company name) NTPopup should be registered (that information will appear in registered application's AboutBox). I have several users which had bought NTPopup for their clients. If you are using non-English version of NT, please notify me with your registration.
Address of the author is (as of March 1998):
| Lester Kovac |
| 57 Tarquin Crescent |
| Nepean, Ontario |
| Canada K2H 8J7 |
You can also check the most recent address (in the case I move, which I have no intentions of doing) here http://www.cyberus.ca/~lkovac/snail.htm .
NTPopup is also priced for site license:
first 10 copies full price ($9.00 US each)
anything over that $7.00 US each copy
unlimited site license $550.00 US
The most recent version of NTPopup is available for download at http://www.cyberus.ca/~lkovac/ntpopup.htm .
Address also all your suggestions and comments to lkovac@ottawa.com .
If you are using non-English version of Windows NT, there is a difference in how NTPopup processes results of message delivery. The information displayed in Results window is language dependent. NTPopup is "adjusted" for this scenario. However, you will need to adjust your registry manually. Please, notify me with your registration if you are using non-English version of Windows NT and I'll provide you with all information you will need.