This is the README.TXT file for SpreadMsg Software 5.x

If you are a first-time user, please refer to this file, 
and the online help files, if you have problems.


IMPORTANT ITEMS

1) This software needs the Microsoft VB5 runtime
   files to be installed on your computer. 
   Without these files, you will get a "DLL missing 
   or not found" error when you run SpreadMsg.

   If you are not sure you have them, or want to
   install them, please do the following:

  If you have received this software on CDROM:
  On the CDCROM, locate the file called
  VB500A.EXE  Double-click on it, and will
  install the needed Microsoft runtime files.

  Or, if you got SpreadMsg Lite from our website:
  Download and install the Microsoft runtime
  support files found here at our site:
  http://www.compuquestinc.com/vb5rt.html

2) FOR QUICK_START SETUP INSTRUCTIONS,
   See "Getting Started" under the Help
   Pulldown Menu on the EMail Agent Screen


Open Discussion Forum for SpreadMsg
-----------------------------------

Ask questions, share ideas, get support! Visit our
new product discussion forums at:
http://www.compuquestinc.com/phpBB2/


   

CONTENTS

1. Description and Purpose
2. Installation
3. Status, Registration, and Distribution
4. Contact Information
5. Further Help and Features Description
6. Important Website Links For Support, FAQ and Info
7. Software Removal
8. Release Notes


-----------------------------
Obtaining the Latest Versions
-----------------------------

The latest versions of all Compuquest software product
Free and other Trial Versions may be found at:
http://www.compuquestinc.com/softup.html




--------------------------
Description and Purpose
--------------------------


    SpreadMsg 32-bit Software for Win 9x/NT4, and 2000 
                      Platforms

SpreadMsg Lite is the FREE version of Compuquest, Inc's award-
winning SpreadMsg software. It provides automated rule-based 
messaging to alpha pagers, digital cellular and GSM phones, 
PDA's, or email.  The Lite version features an Email scanning 
agent that searches the user's email waiting at their ISP or 
Exchange Server. For new messages waiting, it applies user-specific 
rules, like looking for specific text content, or for email 
from a specific person, or email containing specific words in 
the "subject", etc. If the user rules are satisfied, wireless 
or instant messages are delivered, or other action is taken, 
such as: parse and forward all or part of the original email; 
send a specific file somewhere; launch an external application, 
batchfile, or script; and more. And, "2-way query and response" 
features enable the remote user to ask SpreadMsg for specific 
information, which is then returned to the user using Instant 
Messaging, delivered to a wireless device, and email 
destination, or via dialout.


Also provided in the Lite version is a sampling of other 
SpreadMsg software features available in the other registered 
versions of the software. In those features, additional 
"DataSources" for scanning, rule-application, parsing, and 
messaging added. In addition to scanning email, data may be 
captured in realtime from computer files, internet pages, 
spreadsheet data, other applications running on the user's 
PC, or live internet datafeeds. User rules act on this data 
to filter, extract, parse, send out messages, start other 
applications, etc. Message delivery can also be based on 
rules such as any change in data value, data above or below 
a specific numeric level or range, textual content match, 
repeated periodic timed interval delivery, and more. The 
top-of-line PRO/fs further adds powerful "fileserver" 
features, for larger and more diverse messaging using 
special-format files.

Here are just a few of the many possible uses for SpreadMsg Software:

Have your important email filtered and portions forwarded to you when you are out
Building security or alarm panel monitoring and selective forwarding of alerts
Stay connected to your important information via instant messaging
See if a file on your computer changes or contains specific data
Provide alerts and tie-in to any factory automation process or control
Monitor stock, mutual funds, futures, or currencies for alert conditions
Realtime monitoring and alerting for quality or yield level process control
Check every 15 min for an email from Mr. Smith, and if it contain the word ORDER
Alert for generator switchover, current relay or transfer switching
Monitor network, LAN, ISP, or other enterprise performance
Check weather alerts or tornado warning for your area
OSHA, chemical, and other environmental standards alerting
Hospital, chemistry, biotech -- lab experiment tracking and alerting

...SpreadMsg Software CAN DO ALL THIS AND MORE!


--------------
Installation
--------------

You have received SpreadMsg Lite in one of two formats, 
either a self-installing executable file (SPDML.EXE), or 
as a zipfile archive. If you have the .EXE file, please
skip the next paragraph as it applies only to the zip 
archive.

The zip archive file from which you obtained this README 
file also contains the file SPDMLxxx.EXE (the "xxx" are
version numbers). This is a self-installing executable
file. 

Place the executable in a temporary directory, then run  
it, either by typing the filename from a DOS prompt, 
or using the File/Run dialog from Windows. You may 
select a directory folder  where you would like the 
SpreadMsg Lite program to be installed, or simply 
accept the default. The installer will decompress and 
install all the needed files onto your system.


-----------------------------------------
Versions, Registration and Distribution
-----------------------------------------

The SpreadMsg software contained in this module 
is the Free, "Lite" version of Compuquest, Inc.'s
SpreadMsg software. Please see the "Versions" section
below for details on features contained in this "Lite" 
version, and other versions. 

You may upgrade from the Lite version to any of the 
registered versions of SpreadMsg software at any time.

Upgrading to a registered version is easy, and may
be done at our website or simply call Compuquest at 
1-630-830-2700. In either case, please have your 
userinfo number (found through the SpreadMsg Main
Screen, under the Options/Registration menu item), 
and credit card (MasterCard or Visa) info ready. 
Once your registration is processed, we will email 
you the registration codes you need to personalize 
and upgrade your SpreadMsg software.

Distribution of the entire zipfile "SPDMLxxx.ZIP", or the
single-file executable "SPDML.EXE" is fully permitted
without restriction. Incomplete or other partial distribution
of the internal component parts of the zipfile is not 
permitted in any form or media.


---------------------
Contact Information
---------------------

If you have questions, comments, or other communications
regarding this product, please contact:

Compuquest, Inc.
Attn: Customer Service
366 S. Main St.
Bartlett, IL 60103

voice 630-830-2700
  fax 630-830-0877

email: support@compuquestinc.com
  URL: http://www.compuquestinc.com

The main internet product page may be found at:
http://www.compuquestinc.com/spmsgl.html


---------------------------------------
Further Help and Features Description
---------------------------------------

A "Quick-Start" helpfile will detect the first time 
you run SpreadMsg Lite, and guide you through the
setup.

An online WINHELP-compatible set of help files are included.
Also, the "tooltip" help included throughout should
make the program very easy to use (if you don't know about 
these, they are pop-up text help messages that appear if you
click on a text-window, or position your mouse above a button 
and just wait about 2 seconds - the help or explanation 
message will appear...).  


-------------------------
Important Website Links
-------------------------

Tech Support and FAQ:    http://www.compuquestinc.com/support.html
SpreadMsg Product Page:  http://www.compuquestinc.com/spsmgl.html
Online Ordering:         http://www.compuquestinc.com/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi


-------------------------------
Removal of SpreadMsg Software
-------------------------------

Should you desire to remove this software from your
computer, do the following:

From Start Menu, go into Control Panel.
Select Add/Remove Programs, open it.
Select SpreadMsg from the program list.
Click Remove


---------------
Release Notes
---------------
Ver 5.10
  Add expanded remote email or IM control commands for PRO/fs version
Ver 5.09
  5.08 has build error - 5.09 is production release
Ver 5.08
  Fix bug causing type mismatch in Automation section
Ver 5.07
  Add support for remote command acceptance from IM Client 
  Add OutputFile feature - IM Client sends message that becomes
    a file - which SpreadMsg can then act further upon.
  Add ability to change and define Nicks for Chat
Ver 5.0.4
  Add timestamp to Test Message 
  Add Status text to indicate Automation Startup 
Ver 5.0.3
  Add timestamp to Chat and Instant Messaging Functions
Ver 5.0.0
  Add Instant Messaging as additional message delivery choice.
  Instant Messaging support also includes realtime chat.
  Add Generic DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) as new DataSource
  Re-work email address entry and database user interface.
  Add Disk File as new output choice for DataSource processing.

Ver 4.5.2
  Add PRO/fs version to process special-format files.
   This is a formatted file structure for File as a 
   datasource. Recipient as well as message info 
   is specified within the file. Powerful, unlimited
   automated messaging from multiple data sources.
  Fix bug involving file detection between versions
Ver 4.5.1
  Update SMTP function library
Ver 4.5.0
  Add Exchange Server (IMAP) support to EMail Agent for
   Lite and Pro Versions. User-defined search criteria.
Ver 4.4.0
  Re-engineer entire EMail Agent User Interface
  Add remote email command and control of on/off 
  for individual Selection and Template Messaging
Ver 4.3.6
  Add Ability to preserve original sender's email "From"
   address when sending messages from EMail Agent
Ver 4.3.5
  Add "reply to sender" autoresponder features to the
   EMail Filtering & Forwarding Agent.
  Add "Content from File" as source for EMail Agent 
   outbound messages.
  Add "Remote Control Commands" (Pro Version only) to allow remote 
   email control of messaging on/off for both EMail Agent
   and DataSource messaging.
 Add Authenticate routine for remote SMTP (outbound) servers 
 Fix bug where slow ISP email servers cause SpreadMsg
   session to pause indefinately.
Ver 4.3.4
  Correct bug affecting retry of dialout message delivery
  caused by ver 4.3.0 file format conversions
  Correct overflow issue in EMAgent when using Custom Data
Ver 4.3.0
  Add ability for both EMail Agent and DataSource Processor
   to Start External Applications or other processes as 
   a result of user rules being met.
  Add two-way interactive wireless query and info retrival
  Give EMail Agent same Parsing subsystem as DataSource Processor
  Allow message delivery choice of "no delivery"
Ver 4.2.2
  Add option to Delete emails when downloaded from POP3
  server by the EMail Agent.  
  Correct bug affecting NT RAS services and phonebooks.
Ver 4.2.1
  Change Interval for Email Agent Mail-checking to
  1-240 minutes from 5-240.
Ver 4.2.0
  Add Internet Dial and Disconnect Support.
Ver 4.1.2
  Add user-defined email "subject" text.
  Blank text box when File DataSource deletion is 
  active. This will provide better ergonomic 
  feedback to user for file operations.
Ver 4.1.1
  Fix bug in EMail Agent Delivery Choice Algorithm
Ver 4.1.0
  Added user-defined filenames for eMail Agent
  file output delivery method. Each template
  can have its own output filename. This provides
  MUCH more powerful parsing, as the email agent
  parsing system can be used, then the resulting 
  message "delivered" to a disk file. The main
  SpreadMsg DataSource scanner can then be used 
  to pick up the file and further parse for 
  final delivery.
Ver 4.0.9
  Added user-selectable file deletion for Files 
  scanned as DataSources. Previously, DataSource 
  Files were automatically deleted after each scan.
  3/7/2000 Above deletion feature defaulted to "no delete"
Ver 4.0.8
  Added selectable Email delivery addresses. User 
   can specify from a 20-entry email address database.
  Improve Comm & LAN Setup and Delivery Method entries.
  Update HelpFile to reflect new changes
Ver 4.0.7
  Added Data Parsing for Selections - individually definable
   parsing rules for large data, such as files, so that the 
   resulting messages may be extracted from overall data.
Ver 4.0.6
  Shorten EMail "subject" field to just 4 characters, so space
   is not wasted when using email gateways to pagers, digital
   cellphones, and GSM phones
  Add support for automatic update module
Ver 4.0.5
  Improve multi-block transmission for dialout delivery. Fix
  bug involving multiblock parsing with boundry counts
Ver 4.0.4 
  Trap error message for QFINST support files. Provide user 
   instructions for auto-download and install of support files
Ver 4.0.3
  Improve Dialout message delivery for multiple msg and sessions
Ver 4.0.2
  Correct API declarations causing errors under NT
Ver 4.0.0
  Add EMail Filtering and Forewarding Agent with
    automatic email scanning from user's ISP
  Split into 3 versions: Lite (Free), /EM, and PRO
  Improve Dialout delivery of long messages
  Allow Dialout Blocklength adjustment
  Parse long messages to split on word boundaries
    when delivered by dialout method
Ver 3.3.2
  Add feature to provide auto-activation for all DataSources (was
    only for DataSource = Quote.Com)
  Fix bug causing Selection 1 DataRule to default "empty"
  Correct DataSource File Read error which dropped last char
Ver3.3.0
  Major feature addition: support for Files as a DataSource. Files
    on your PC, or elsewhere on your network are sampled every
    5 seconds. Your rules are applied, and messages are created
    and delivered as specified.
  Fix bug with error trapping when defining spreadsheet file
  Add delivery method choice to Immediate Message Feature
Ver 3.2.1
  Fixed bug causing message delivery interval to
  default to incorrect value
Ver 3.2.0
  Add "automation" features to allow and improve unattended
  operation. These separately user-selectable options are:
  * Provide auto-login to Quote.Com upon startup
  * Auto-activate datasource link selections on startup
  * Auto-start messaging for active selections on startup
  * Provide overall time window in which to allow messaging
  * Remove "save data" prompt on exit to allow auto-shutdown
Ver 3.0.5
  Misc. internal technical refinements and speed enhancements
Ver 3.0.4
  Tolerate case where user enters a letter instead of numbers
  for numeric compare values <g>
Ver 3.0.3
  Fix error message window bug 
  Clear Status Window on Exit From Comm Definition Screen - this
   could be confusing to users, with past message remaining after
   altered Comm settings are made, but not yet tested
  Change Summary Window background color to Blue when a Selection
   having a Delivery Limit has reached its limit (was cyan)
Ver 3.0.0
  Add support for Quote.Com as DataSource.
  Expand Selection Choices from 1 to 10
  Add E-Mail as Message Delivery Method Choice
  Add Max-Limits to message delivery for each Selection  

Ver 2.5.0
  Add message queue for improved handling of new messages generated
   while "old" message is being delivered.
  Add selective enabling for link activation. Activation not allowed
   until proper cell and filename data is present.
  Add tech support diagnostic aid for port/modem setup in Setup Menu


Ver 2.2.0
  Fix bug that allowed control characters in spreadsheet data display.
  Add help and error-traps for Cell row-column definition and entry.


Ver 2.1.5
  Add auto-timeout for intro screen

Ver 2.1.4
  Enhance international locale compatibility

Ver 2.1.3
  Re-issue due to potential error in 2.1.2 zipfile

Ver 2.1.2
  Initial online distribution release




Other Notes:

      if you have any problems with this file, either 
      with download or installation, the very latest version
      is always available at the Compuquest, Inc. website
      http://www.compuquestinc.com
 
 
Version Notes:

SpreadMsg software is supplied in four versions, the 
free "Lite" version, and three registered versions: 
"/EM", "Pro", and PRO/fs versions. 

A detailed breakdown of the features present in each 
version may be found in the Introduction section of 
the HelpFile found under Help - About. The HelpFile 
itself covers all features and capabilities of 
SpreadMsg software, so it is important to observe 
the version differences as you are using your 
particular software. You may upgrade from any version 
to any higher version at any time. Here is a 
description of the Lite version:


SpreadMsg Lite

SpreadMsg Lite is provided with a no-cost license - its FREE!

It contains a full-featured E-Mail Agent, but it is 
limited to a single "rule template" (the user-specified 
content and filter logic used to scan waiting e-mails).

The rest of the data-capture and rule-based logic of 
SpreadMsg software is present in the Lite version with 
the following restrictions: you may send unlimited Test 
Messages to either your pager or other wireless device, 
and also to the email address you specify. Realtime, 
rule-based messages from DataSources are displayed 
on-screen, identical in content to what is actually 
delivered in the Professional Version, except that 
multi-line messages are shown only up to the first 
line break..


Trademarked items mentioned herein are the properties of
their respective owners.

(end)