Composing Messages
The Compose page is the page in which you write and address your outgoing E-mail messages.

To access the Compose page:

Click Compose in the menu bar, or
Click the E-mail icon for the corresponding nickname in the Contacts page.
The Compose page appears.

You can send E-mail by following three simple steps:

  1. Enter the recipient's E-mail address in the To field.
    Note: If you open the Compose page from the Contacts page, the recipient's E-mail address already appears.
  2. Type your message in the large text box.
  3. Click on the Send button.

You can also use several available options, such as: Attaching files to the message, adding your Signature to the message, and so on. These options can be accessed from the toolbar which appears at the top and bottom of the page. (See details below).

Note: For security purposes, when no activity is registered for more than 20 minutes, your session will automatically expire. Since typing text is not considered an activity for timeout purposes, your session may expire when composing a long message. In order to avoid this, use the Save button.

Addressing Your Message

Entering the Addresses

If you have created nicknames in the Contacts page, you can just type the nickname in the appropriate field. Otherwise type in the full E-mail address.
In order to send your message to multiple recipients, separate each recipient by a comma. For example: nickname1, nickname2, recipient3@host.domain.
Note: When you open the Compose page from the Contacts page, the selected nickname will automatically appear in the To: field.
Which Addressee Field to Use

To:
Put the main recipients in this field. Every E-mail message should have at least one entry in this field.
Cc:
Put additional or secondary recipients in this "carbon copy" field.
Bcc:
If you have additional recipients but would prefer to hide their names from all other recipients, use this "blind carbon copy" field.

Composing Your Message

The Subject Line

Although the Subject is an optional field, it is a good idea to enter one. Your recipients may receive many E-mail messages, perhaps even several from you alone. The subject helps distinguish between the different messages.


Entering Your Message Text

You simply type your message in the large text box. If your message grows beyond the size of the box, a scroll bar will automatically appear.
Tip: You can include a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) so that it is a live link. For example, http://www.host.domain embedded in a message, will be clickable in most E-mail packages in use today. Be sure to include the http:// designator.
Note: You can also enter text by cutting and pasting from a word processor or text editor. Use right mouse button popup menus to cut or copy and paste selected text.
Saving a Message

Click the Save button on the toolbar to save the message to the Draft folder. To retrieve the saved message, click Folders in the menu bar. The Folders page appears with a list of folders. Select Draft from the list to display a list of all the saved messages. Click the message you want. It will be displayed in the Compose page.

Attaching a File

You can attach a file to your message. We recommend that you use compression software, such as Winzip, to compress files before attaching. This saves time and money when sending messages with attachments.
To attach a file to your message, click Attach. The Attachment area will be opened in a new window. Click Browse... and search for the file or type the full path name of the file you wish to attach. Once found, press the Attach File button and the file name will appear in the Attachment List. In order to remove an already attached file, select the file from the Attachment List and press the Remove button.
Finally, press the OK button to return to the Compose window.
Tip: The file you attach can be of any type, for example: a sound file, an image or even a spreadsheet. Adding attachments to your message can be done at any time while composing the message.
Note: In order to attach files to your messages, you must have a browser that supports file upload (e.g. Netscape Navigator 2.0 or Internet Explorer 3.02 and later). Internet Explorer 3.02 users must have the File Upload Patch installed on their system, before attempting to attach files.
Adding your Signature

A signature is a fixed block of text that may be included at the end of your outgoing messages. For example:
 
   -------------------------
   My First & Last Name
   mylogin@host.domain
   http://www.host.domain
In order to create your signature, please refer to the Preferences page.
Once you have a signature defined, you may append it to the end of your message by marking the Add My Signature checkbox.
Add to SentLog

When this box is checked, the currently composed message will be added to your SentLog folder, after being sent to its destination.
 
Notify via ICQ™

If an ICQ™ number is specified for the recipient in the Contacts page, the recipient will receive notification of the E-mail message via ICQ™.
Check Spelling

In order to check the spelling of your message, choose the suitable language from the selection list and press the Spell Checker button. The Spelling area will be opened in a new window.
The first word, which was not found in the Spelling Dictionary, will appear on the top of the page marked in red text. You will see a list of possible suggestions. Select the appropriate replacement from the list or write the replacement yourself in the Change to edit box. Then press the Change button to accept the change or the Ignore button to disregard it. This process will continue until the end of the message is reached. Pressing the Cancel button, before completion, will discontinue the spelling process.

Sending Your Message

Finished Composing, What Now?

It's time to send the message. Click the Send button and your message is on its way. After the message was successfully sent, a copy of it will be stored in your SentLog folder, if you have marked the Add to SentLog checkbox before sending the message.
Note: If for some reason, the recipient did not receive your message, you will receive an E-mail message describing the cause of the problem.