PC WRmt: How the System Selector Works

 Last reviewed: October 31, 1994
Article ID: Q119415
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Mail Remote for Windows, version 3.2

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.) 

   a. 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.

   b. 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.

   c. 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.

  • The System Selector activates the selected new driver.

    a. 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.

    b. 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.

    c. 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.

  • 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.

    • Additional reference words: 3.20
    KBCategory: kbtool
    KBSubCategory: MailPCWRmt

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    Last reviewed: October 31, 1994
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