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E-mail feature request (paperless filing)

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    E-mail feature request (paperless filing)

    My clients are just now getting with the idea of e-mailing reports. Maybe I an incorrect, but I don�t see any way to give them the option of deleting the files attachment after they e-mail a report. Without the option, they either have to manually do it or be willing to let a folder needlessly fill up with files they have no use for. Of course, a different client might want to store them (Alpha Five�s paperless filing system for reports and letters?) but if so (especially if using their default e-mail program) they probably would want to specify a folder just for that purpose instead of storing them among all the other attachments they get and send.

    So, I guess what I am saying boils down to this: Whether using the A5 e-mail utility or the default e-mail program it would be great if there were a way of specifying the folder for A5 produced out-going e-mail attachments (if possible at the database level so each workstation does not have to be individually set), a setting for auto deleting all of them after sending (or at next startup if that�s all that is possible) or an option for asking the user at send time if they want to keep or delete. If the code behind Report.send() has to determine where to save the file for use by the default e-mail program (no?), then at least some of this would seem possible.

    Yes, I know some of this can be done by an individual user just managing their mailboxes. But in my experience typical users often have no idea how or an inclination to manage their mailboxes. Anyway, I thought I would ask, and maybe see if anyone else thinks this would be a useful feature addition.

    Ray Lyons


    #2
    RE: E-mail feature request (paperless filing)

    How about just providing them with an XDialog box, asking if they want to remove the file? Use the file.remove() function.

    - Steve
    -Steve
    sigpic

    Comment


      #3
      RE: E-mail feature request (paperless filing)

      Hi Steve,

      That would work just fine if I were the only user (because I know where my default e-mail program�s attachment folder is). Maybe I am missing something, but in a network environment with users using different default e-mail programs and or using different paths for their attachment folders, how is the Xdialog code to determine where the file is so it can be deleted? That�s at least part of what I am asking for. Sure, each workstation could have a setup file specifying the path for that workstation, but that�s a hassle if it is unnecessary (as it would be if the report.send() function has already determined the path). I won�t repeat the rest of what I suggested might be a good idea for added features in this area.

      Ray

      Comment


        #4
        RE: E-mail feature request (paperless filing)

        i have not checked the code, but i was pretty sure that a5 created the file in the windows temp folder.

        you can get the name of this folder with the following xbasic command:

        ?file.temp_path_get()
        = "C:\DOCUME~1\Selwyn\LOCALS~1\Temp\"

        or if neatness counts:

        ?file.shortname_to_longname(file.temp_path_get())
        = "C:\Documents and Settings\Selwyn\Local Settings\Temp\"


        so, the following 3 trivial lines of xbasic will clear out all pdf files in the temp folder:

        path = file.shortname_to_longname(file.temp_path_get())
        files = filefind.get(path + "*.pdf",0,"pn")
        *for_each(x,file.remove(x),files)

        you could put this code in the autoexec script of a database.

        Comment


          #5
          RE: E-mail feature request (paperless filing)

          Thanks Selwyn, but at least on my w2k test machine A5 puts the file in the attachment folder of the default e-mail program (in my case Eudora which by default does not use the windows temp folder). I assume A5 somehow determines where this is, probably through the registry, and uses it. If so, I would think it would be easy to at least add an option to ask the user if they want to delete the file after sending it.

          Of course, going futher, if for A5 outgoing attachments only, one could set, at the DB level, that folder to be on a server, one could also have the option of storing the files permanently (a kind of paperless filing system for these reports). This could be particualry relevant for some of my clients who now have to keep a paper copy of some reports on file becasue there is no easy way to segregate the A5 attachments from all the others in the generic attachments folder. It just seems like this would be a nice A5 feature.

          Ray

          Comment


            #6
            RE: E-mail feature request (paperless filing)

            "but at least on my w2k test machine A5 puts the file in the attachment folder of the default e-mail program"


            yes, that's true. but that has NOTHING to do with a5. a5 creates the file in the windows temp folder. then EUDORA copies the file from the temp folder and puts it in its attachments folders. this is true of ANY attachment that you send with EUDORA. (any i would imagine with any other MAPI email client, such as Outlook)

            Comment


              #7
              RE: E-mail feature request (paperless filing)

              Well, learn something every day. I did not know that at least in w2k Pro there is the Windows temp folder under Winnt and then there is a temp folder for each user under Documents and Setting/Username/Local Settings/Temp. The latter is where A5 is putting the attachments that are then copied by the default e-mail program and put into its attachment folder for sending. But whereas one�s e-mail program can be set to delete attachments from its default attachment folder (e.g., when emptying trash), that does not delete them from the user�s temp folder. So when I look in my user temp folder I see that the A5 generated attachments pile up there and apparently never get deleted (numbered rptname, rptname0, rptname1 and so on). Interestingly other A5 files are there also, including a few recent $$1212122.Mpx files that I have set to be deleted when exiting A5 or the DB.

              Clearly, for my clients who do not want to keep A5 attachments I have to set up a way to delete them, which I think I can handle (though I still think there should an option setting in A5 to do this automatically).

              For a client who is interested in some sort of paperless filing system, I realized in the shower this morning that one would somehow need some other way of naming the attachments other than just rptname0.pdf, rptname1.pdf and so on. This is especially true for my client for whom each report is just a summary of data in one single record for one single customer. Ideally the file would be named in such a way as to identify the customer and perhaps the date, e.g., rptname.cust_ID.6-04-03.pdf. Obviously this much more than just being able to specify the folder for A5 attachments. I guess this is asking a bit much.

              Ray Lyons

              Comment


                #8
                RE: E-mail feature request (paperless filing)

                "I have to set up a way to delete them, which I think I can handle"

                Especially since Selwyn already did it for me!!!

                Thanks.

                Ray

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