PromaSoft AutoResponder
  Email Automation Software for Windows

Version 2.X change Log

This page lists all changes, added features and bug fixes for PromaSoft AutoResponder 2.X as compared to version 1.5085. New changes are listed on top.

2.0034

[ENHANCEMENT] New script tag <scriptlast> added
Adding this tag anywhere in the body of your reply or mailing will make sure that scripts are processed after (not before) web-cache and file insertion processing. This enables you to have PSAR scripts in web pages ($w:) or include files ($f:).

[ENHANCEMENT] New script function ps_return.PlainFormat added
This script function will allow you to send a mailing or autoreply in Plain/text format only based on the criteria you specify. E.g. your subscribers might have the option to choose for HTML or Plain/text format mailings. Based on a flag in their customer record, PSAR will then send the plain/text version or the HTML version. Note that you still need to use some scripting to query the flag and act accordingly.

[ENHANCEMENT] Added new script command: ps.QueryAccessDatabase
With this new script command you can easily query any access database on your system without the need to use ADO. Note that for more complex tasks it is still advised to use ADO.

[ENHANCEMENT] Added Startup option
On the settings panel a startup option has been added. This will allow you to easily set PSAR to startup when windows boots. Note that this does not mean that PSAR will then also run in automatic mode. You still need to select the 'Activate on startup' option too.

[ENHANCEMENT] Further improved mailing list import function
The mailing list import function has been further enhanced to detect even more exotic email addresses surrounded with HTML code.

[ENHANCEMENT] Added find function on filter browser panel
If you have a lot of filters it's sometimes hard to find the filter you want to edit. A find button has been added to the filter browser panel that allows you to search for a filter. Entering part of the filter name is enough.

2.0029

[ENHANCEMENT] View message source
For power users there now is an option available that allows you to quickly look at the message source of the last message PSAR has sent. To view the message source select [File][View...]

[ENHANCEMENT] Plain text messages sent with charset=iso-8859-1
Plain/text messages are now sent with the standard iso-8859-1 character set instead of us-ascii.

2.0028

[ENHANCEMENT] Run PSAR as a Service reworked
The 'Run PSAR as a service' function has been reworked completely. Also a new option to log important Service events has been added. A help button also has been added for direct assistance.

2.0025

[ENHANCEMENT] List import function enhanced
The List Import function has been enhanced in a way that you can now import email addresses from text where the email addresses are embedded in HTML code.

[FIX] Account test button
You can now click several times on the account test button on the account setup panel. This was no functional problem but could lead to misinterpretation.

2.0023

[FIX] Fixed small issue for users not using filters and performing mailings
Users that did not create a single filter were receiving alerts while performing mailings. This issues has been fixed.

2.0022

[FIX] Fixed issue with error reporting
Version 2.0021 was not reporting connection errors correctly to the user. This has been fixed in this new version.

2.0021

[FIX] Fixed issue with data extraction returning blank records
For some older existing form handlers PSAR sometimes returned blank records. This has been fixed.

2.0020

[FEATURE] Added 'ps.Batch'script command
This script command allows you to execute batch file and/or external application from within a PSAR script. PSAR can then use the output created by the external application in the reply or mailing. This command complements the batch action which is already available as a filter action but provide more flexibility for the user.

[FEATURE] Added 'ps.File'script command
This script command allows you to read the contents of an entire file and use it in your replies and/or mailings.

[FIX] Fixed issue with Filter and Formhandler Import functions [File][Import]
When importing an exported filter definition or formhandler definition, PSAR tended to remove comas from the fields. This has been fixed.

[FEATURE] Added 'BCC' options for mailings
You are now able to set a BCC address for each follow-up letter in a mailing. This option can be useful to for instance send the last letter in a follow-up thread to a fixed BCC address. This way you can see which persons have received the last letter in a followup thread.

2.0018

[FEATURE] Added 'BCC' options
Next to the CC option on the Filter Panel, you are now also able to perform a BCC (blind copy) to a specified address. You can CC and/or BCC to several email addresses. Check the manual to find out how to use this option.

2.0017

[FEATURE] Added 'Reset Date/Time' option for databases
This option now allows you to reset all dates and times in a form handler database to the current date and time.

[CHANGE] MSN Messenger timeout set to 5 seconds
When sending automated MSN Messenger messages, PSAR will now time out after 5 seconds. This can happen when the MSN server can't be reached in due time.

2.0016

[FEATURE] Added new form handling action (e.g. to create double optin systems)
A new form handling action has been added. Next to adding and removing data from form handler databases you can now also copy records between form handler databases based on a parsed lookup value.

This option makes it easy to create double optin systems but you can also use your own imagination to create other systems. You could even create triple opt-in systems.

The manual has been updated to include a whole new chapter on double opt-in systems.

2.0014

[FEATURE] Added Import/Export feature for Filter 'definitions'
You can now also import and export Form Handler 'Definitions'. This allows you to share filters with other PSAR users.

The definition of a filter basically is the way you've setup the filter including its reply text, actions, matching criteria etc ...

Another important advantage of this is that it will now be possible for us the create predefined filters like for instance spam filters which PSAR users can simply import into their system and start using.

[FEATURE] Added Import/Export feature for form handler 'definitions'
Next to importing and exporting data from and to form handler databases you can now also import and export Form Handler 'Definitions'. This allows you to share form handler definitions with other PSAR users.

The definition of a form handler basically is the structure (fields) and parsing rules of a Form Handler (the data is not part of the form handler definition)

The most important advantage of this is that it will now be possible for us the create predefined form handlers that will for instance be able to deal with data coming from PayPal, eBay, Credit Card processor companies, MoneyBookers, etc ...

[ENHANCEMENT] Forwarding and actions GUI changed
The forwarding and actions GUI has been redone completely. The actions are now translated into plain English. e.g. instead of FORMEX Orders you will now see 'Extract data into form handler database Orders'. Also the way to add actions (or forwarding destinations) has been changed. It's now more intuitive to prevent user mistakes.

[ENHANCEMENT] Added 'RemoveLineFeeds' post processing option
A new post processing option has been added for your form handlers. This new function will remove any linefeeds out of your parsed data. This is useful if your data is spread over different lines.

[ENHANCEMENT] Added 'RemoveCharacters' post processing option
A new post processing option has been added for your form handlers. This new function will remove the provided string out of your parsed data. The string to be removed can be entered in the newly added parameters field next to the post processing drop down.

[ENHANCEMENT] Added 'FixedString' post processing option
A new post processing option has been added for your form handlers. This new function will always return a fixed value string. This will allow you to enter default values into your database while parsing.

[ENHANCEMENT] Changed 'SystemDate' post processing option
The SystemDate post processing function now takes a parameter which allows you to format the resulting date/time the way you want. E.g. dd/mm/yyy or mm/DD/yyyy

[ENHANCEMENT] Added 'ReplaceCharacters' post processing option
Using this post processing function you can now replace a certain string with another string. The syntax used in the parameters field is: "this" WITH "that"

[ENHANCEMENT] Manual updated
The manual again has been updated.

[FIX] Parsing of 'HTML Only' emails   
The parsing into contact databases (form handlers) of HTML Only (no plain text included) messages has been improved through the 'Convert HTML to text' option on the formhandler definition panel.

2.0011

[FEATURE] MSN Bot    see the movie
PSAR now allows you to respond to incoming MSN Messenger messages. You can enter matching criteria just like with a normal filter and perform actions when an MSN Message is matched (send an email, send and MSN Message, extract data into a contact database, etc...).

Next to that you can also define MSN filters. These filters act in real time and always respond with an MSN Messenger message when an incoming MSN Messenger Message is matched.

• Automatically logon to MSN at startup
• Send an MSN Messenger message upon reception of a matched email
• Respond to an Incoming MSN Messenger message with an email and perform any other standard action like data extraction, printing, subscribing, …
• MSN Bot: Respond to incoming MSN Messenger messages in real time with another MSN Messenger message.
• Send MSN Messenger messages from your scripts.
  

[IMPROVEMENT] Support for multiple MSN Messenger recipients
When defining an MSN Messenger action you can now specify multiple MSN Messenger recipients by separating them with a comma.

[FIX] Filters with a number as name were not showing up on the messages panel.
When you created a filter and gave it a number as name (e.g. 747), the filter did not show up on the messages panel.

[FIX] Printer action issue fixed.
The printer action sometimes was printing the email several times. This has been fixed.

2.0010

[FIX] Fixed issue with advanced filter formula editor
An issue in the new advanced filter editor in version 2.0009 sometimes caused formulas of other earlier edited formulas to be overwritten. This has been fixed.

2.0009

[IMPROVEMENT] Logon to MSN Messenger at startup
New options have been added on the settings panel which allow you to specify a default MSN Messenger account that will be used in your replies, mailings and scripts if you don't specify an MSN account when adding the action.

[FEATURE] Added ps.SendMSNM script command
A new script command has been added which allows you to send MSN Messenger messages straight from your scripts.

[FEATURE] Prevent duplicates during subscription
Next to the normal subscribe action for form handler databases, a new action has been added that will add a new entry to your form handler database in case that there is no entry made yet for the specified account. This prevents duplicate entries in your databases (users clicking several times on the submit button). You can choose to keep the oldest or the newest entry.

[IMPROVEMENT] Added Formula helper to the advanced filter editor
This will help you to compose your advanced filter formulas better. You can immediately see which fields can be used etc ...

[FEATURE] Auto Database Clean
A new option has been added to the settings/other panel called 'Database Cleaning'. This option (actually a tuning option), is there to keep your database to a reasonable size when you are receiving a lot of email on a daily basis. The setting can be set from 0 to 999 days. For instance, settings it to 10, will make sure that PSAR will delete all messages in the PSAR database older than 10 days an NOT any more on your POP server. It does not matter if they are matched or not. The so called 'catch all' filter positioned at the bottom of the filter stack is no longer needed with this option.

2.0006

[IMPROVEMENT] Added Filter Manager
The filter panel GUI has been redesigned completely. When you now click on the filter button you will first get the Filter Manager from where you can edit, move, delete, rename, create and duplicate filters. The filter manager window can be resized so that you get a clear overview of all your filters and their positions.

[IMPROVEMENT] PSAR will reply when sending an MSN Message to it
When PSAR logs on to the MSN Messenger service others might think that you personally are online. When others send an MSN message to PSAR, PSAR will now reply with an MSN Message telling that it is an automated reply.

2.0005

[IMPROVEMENT] Advanced filter editor resizeable with color coding
The advanced filter editor panel (edit button) can now be resized/maximized so that you can get a clear overview of the filter formula. The editor has color coding and you can use vertical and horizontal splitters.

[IMPROVEMENT] Added Sample scripts to the manual
Several sample scripts have been added to the manual.

2.0004

[FEATURE] Manual Reply function
On the messages panel you now have the ability to manually reply to messages in the PSAR inbox.

[IMPROVEMENT] Filter position panel
To quickly move filters around, a new panel has been added. This allows you to quickly change the order of your filters. You can call this panel by clicking on the 'Filter Position Panel' on the filter definition panel.

[IMPROVEMENT] Rename Filters
On the filter position panel you can now also rename your filters.

[IMPROVEMENT] Tab sequences
On some panels, the tab sequences for the entry fields were not correct these have been updated.

[BUGFIX] Run as service
Some operating system seemed to have problems starting PSAR as a service at boot time. This has been fixed.

[IMPROVEMENT] Database sorting
When opening the database panel and looking at certain form handler databases the newest entries are now displayed on top by default. Remember that clicking on the header allows you to alter sorting.

[IMPROVEMENT] Copy selected text
On the messages panel you can now select text out of an email message and copy it to the clipboard (select text and use the Copy button).

2.0000

[FEATURE] MSN Messenger Support
This function will allow you to send automated MSN Messenger messages to a fixed MSN Messenger account. In fact this is an extra action which you can add to your filter(s).

A possible scenario for instance is that you want to be informed of the fact that your bid at eBay has been matched by another bidder. While at work you'll get an MSNM Message telling you that your bid has been exceeded.

Plans are to build further on the MSN Messenger features based on user input. Features that come to mind are for instance the ability to control PSAR remotely using MSN Messenger or even to auto reply to MSNM Messages sent to PSAR.

Feel free to send suggestions to support@autoreplying.com

Note: Since October 15th, Microsoft is no longer supporting MSN Protocol version 7 and is now only using MSN Protocol 8. Since PSAR is using MSNP7 it means that the MSN features are currently unsuported. As soon as Microsoft releases details about the new MSN Protocol, the function will be enabled again (free upgrade).

[FEATURE] Integrated Printer Support
This function will allow you to automatically print matched email. This is an additional action which you can add to your filter(s). Note that you can combine several actions!

A possible scenario for instance is that you would want to get printed copies of all orders for one of your products. PSAR will automatically print the order as soon as one arrives.

[FEATURE] Multiple Instance Features
Run multiple instances of PSAR on one server each with their own database and configuration files. This allows you to serve multiple clients.

Important Notes (Multiple Instance):

• This function is only available for the professional and enterprise version.
• Professional: For each copy of PSAR running on your server you need a separate license.
• Enterprise: you can run as many instances on one server as needed.