FAQ (Frequently asked questions)

This part answers the frequently asked questions about MesNews :

How do I change the formatting of a signature in a message ?
How do I know if I use the lastest version of MesNews?
How do I upgrade MesNews to newer version?
How do I change the settings for "to send" messages ?
Can I always use the same formulation? 
Can I use a specific signature for a group/server?
Can I use a specific formulation for a group/server ?
What is the picture in the top left corner of a messages? ?
How can I make an XFace and use it in MesNews ? 
How do I use a certain XFace for one group/server ?
How do I change the way the formulations of the headers are shown in the messages?
Can I adjust the sounds of MesNews?
What is the button ROT13 used for?
Is it possible to appoint a Name/mail/Organisation?
What is the meaning of the error messages 10053 en 10061 ?
Is it possible to move the folders of the messages?
Under windows 95/windows 98,I get the message "The canvas doesn't allow the drawing " ?
How can I highlight text without using html?
Why are the groups not synchronized? 
How to synchronize the groups more/less?
How can I answer a HTML message and keep the background or background sound?
What are the default shortcuts of MesNews ?
Is it possible to move Mesnews on a removable disk or an USB stick and let it work on another pc ? 
Where can I find a good usenet newsgroup service ?

Where can I find a good usenet newsgroup service ?

Why not www.newsguy.com ? It is a premium newsgroup provider, offering complete posts, long retention and high speed downloads! NewsGuy offers a free 2-day trial, and their large capacity accounts cost as little as $3/month!

How do I change the formatting of a signature in a message?

The formatting of a signature can be changed by using the screen view of messages : this screen lets you change the color, style and font type of all the different parts of a message. If you can work with style sheets (css), You can work straight on the style file used by MesNews.
ATTENTION : since the version 1.2.0.0 it is not possible anymore to change the file style.css : this file is automatically changed by MesNews when you use an other style sheet via menu View of messages. To make a change yourself you have change the file .cssmn in the folder Config, then change the style via menu view of messages.

How do I know if I use the lastest version of MesNews?

Each time at startup MesNews checks if there is a more recent version available. When that is the case you will receive a message that lets you know and will take you to the site of MesNews.
When you ticked off the option Option\Message in event of new MesNews version, MesNews will only warn you once that there is a new version.

Remarks :
- If you have a firewall you have to give MesNews the permission to contact the site www.zoo-logique.org. If you don't do that you can not be warned when there is a newer version available.
- At startup MesNews has to show the IP in the title bar. When you don't see an IP it means MesNews is not connected to the server zoo-logique that holds MesNews.

How do I upgrade MesNews to newer version?

When MesNews starts up you go to the site via menu Help\Welcomepage MesNews (or use url www.mesnews.net ). Go to the Download page on this site and click on the link to download the newest version. Once the program setup file is downloaded, let it run and choose option "Update MesNews". The setup will only replace the files that have to be changed.

Remark : You have to close down MesNews before the upgrade starts.

How do I change the format setting for messages "to send" ?

You have to go to the HTML format (Attention, messages in HTML format are not always accepted by servers/groups (and not by all newsreaders).
In mode "New message in group" or "Reply to selected message" click on tab "message format HTML" loads of tools to adjust the properties of your page. Example the one with view gives the option of "backgroundcolor". make your choice and verify

Remark :
- when answering to message click button "text => html" to make the original text appear before you adjust the page properties.
- see also help writing of messages.

Can I always use the same formulation?

In default MesNews uses random formulations (settings in screen Formulations). To use a fixed formulation in each group go to properties of the group, tab Formulations. Tick off the box "use default settings" when you ticked off that box you will see "random formulations" appear, write the formulations you wish in the text zone under "random formulations" .

To use the same formulation in all groups of a specific server you can do the same but in the properties server under tab formulations. You have to leave the option "use parameters of the server" ticked in the properties of the groups.

To use one formulation for all groups on all servers it is quicker to go to the screen Formulation and to put in one formulation.

How to use a specific signature for a group/server ?

You can change the settings for signatures in three different ways:
- In the screen file\Parameters, under tab signature : the chosen signature in this screen will be the default signature for all groups on all servers where there is no specific signature is set .
- In the screen Properties of server, tab signature : the signature in this screen will be used on all groups on this server instead of the signature that was set in the parameters. When you tick the box "use default settings" the signature of the screen Parameters will be used.
- In the screen properties of selected group, tab signatures: the signature chosen in this screen will only be used for this group, instead of the signature set in the screen ' the properties of server' or 'parameters',When you tick the box "use default settings" the signature of the server or the default signature of 'parameters' will be used.

Remark : When you tick the box Random signature a random signature from the screen change signature will be used.

How to set a specific formulation for a server/group

See point above : "How to use a specific signature for a group/server".

What is the picture in the top left corner of a message?

The picture in the top left corner of a message is an XFace ( black/white) or a Face (colors).

The XFaces can be set in MesNews (see next point) or by plugins ; the Faces can only be managed by plugins.

How do I create and use a XFace in MesNews ?

See the explanation on  http://perso.wanadoo.fr/alged/mesnews/A3-GB.html
You can also see examples on following site http://www.xs4all.nl/~ace/X-Faces/.

How to set a specific XFace for one server/group ?

You can change the settings for XFaces three different way :
- In the screen File\parameters, under tab Miscellaneous : A XFace chosen in this screen is the default Xface for all groups and servers unless you have set a specific XFace for the server/group.
- In the screen Properties server, under tab signatures: A XFace set in this screen will be used on all groups on this server instead of the default Xface set in "parameters". When you leave the box "use default settings" ticked, the Xface of the screen Parameters will be used. (or no Xface if no Xface was set in the parameter settings)
- In the screen properties of selected group, tab signatures : an XFace chosen in this screen will be used in the selected group, instead of the XFace set in the screen properties of server. When you leave the box "use default settings" ticked, the Xface of the screen Parameters will be used. (or no Xface if no Xface was set in the parameter settings)

Apart from these settings it is possible to use plugins to generate a XFace.

How can I change the way the formulation of the headers are shown ?

You have to push the first button in the central bar, then choose Headers : choose now Hide the headers to see no headers, Minimal headers to see a few headers, and All headers to see all the headers. To have even more choice of headers use the sub-menu choice of headers to display and tick the headers of your choice.

Can I adjust the sounds for MesNews ?

The sounds can not be changed form the interface of the software.
But... the sounds used by MesNews are saved in the subfolder "Son" in the main folder off "MesNews".
Originally there are 4 sound files. If you want to change a sound you can choose a sound from the Windows system" same format ".wav" and copy this file in the subfolder "Son" under the same name as the sound you want to replace.

What is the button ROT13 used for ?

See the help of the screen ROT13.

Is it possible to appoint a Name/Mail/Organization to a specific group ?

The name, mail, organisation and other information settings can be changed in 3 places :
- In the screen File\Parameters :The settings here will be used as default settings for all the groups/servers unless there was a specific setting set for the group/server .
- In the screen Properties server : if the box "use default settings" was used all settings of the screen above will be used, otherwise you can set specific settings for all the groups on this server in this screen.
- In the screen Properties of selected group : When box "use default settings" is ticked all settings of "properties server" or "parameters" will be used. Otherwise you can set here specific settings for this group.

What does the error messages 10053 and 10061 mean?

10053 : The connection is broken.
10061 : Connection refused (server doesn't answer)
To know all the meanings of all error messages 1xxxx : look here!
or, if your Windows lets you: command : net helpmsg xxxxx --> error message.

Is it possible to move message files?

You have to change the file mesnews2.ini , this file is in the installation folder of MesNews.

ATTENTION : close MesNews before you make changes.

Follow these steps :
- make a folder with the name you choose in a directory you prefer (example on d: MN-Data).
- move (cut/paste) the following subfolders from the installation folder of MesNews to your new folder : Aff, Config, Smileys, Donnees en Dossiers
- Open the file mesnews2.ini : the key you find on EmplacementData in the section [Racine]. Change the value ça valeur to appoint new folder (in this example: place"d:\MN-Data").
- restart MesNews.

Under windows 95/windows 98 I get the message" canvas doesn't allow the drawing" ?

So this wouldn't happen again (or less anyway) :
In menu Options, appearance : untick "Windows XP components format " , tick "flat menu style" : "disabled" and tick "default".
Also disable the viewing of Smileys when writing a message (blue arrow).

How can I highlight text without using HTML?

Is it possible to highlight parts of a text in bold, italic, underlined without using"Format HTML" (not allowed on some servers or groups)

See the help page of the screen Preferences, in the part Information formatting text.

Why are the groups not synchronised?

Check two things:
- that the 4 th button on the toolbar was pushed (work on-line ), or the menu Option\Work on line/off line was ticked
- check the menu Options\synchronise the other groups is ticked

How to synchronise groups more/less?

To set the frequency of synchronisation for all groups go to menu Options\preferences, part message\Synchronisation. In box for Frequency of synchronisation (in minutes), set the time (in minutes) between 2 synchronisations.

To set the frequency of synchronisation for the selected group go to the same menu and set the time (in minutes between 2 synchronisations in the box refresh of the selected group (in minutes).

How can I answer a HTML message and keep the background or backgroundsound?

Use menu Messages\move message. Now you have access to the message with the background, the attachments and backgroundsound. Now you can change it and send it where you want.

What are the default shortcuts of MesNews ?

See help Default shortcuts

Is it possible to move Mesnews on a removable disk or an USB stick and let it work on another pc?

Yes, it is possible with your own version of MesNews, you can take your settings and all newsgroups with you because Mesnews stores the data in its own folder. Because of this is it possible to take it away (on a ZIP drive or an USB key for example) and let it work on an other machine without writing data into your register or on your hard drive.

If MesNews is already installed you need only to copy the default folder to your removable device. The default folder is known as MesNews and is placed in the folder Program Files of your used partition. When copied you can launch Mesnews2.exe from your removable disk.

If MesNews isn't installed already it should be done to get the installation folder. After you've copied the folder you can remove the installation. Your version will run seperately (the files unins*.dat and unins*.exe can be removed on the removable disk).

Attention, after copying and starting MesNews you shouldn't remove the removable storage device when Mesnews is in use, otherwise there will be a lot of writing and reading actions. MesNews should be closed before removing the disk. In Windows XP you can use the button 'Safely remove hardware'.

You should notice that working with MesNews is slower on a removable device. The transfer rate is much lower than a hard drive. The best way is to use a USB key of the latest generation (2.0) of course this is also possible with an external hard drive.  

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