PMDF System Manager's Guide
PMDF-REF-6.0


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38.7 Microsoft Mail channels

Microsoft Mail channels are used to convert messages between the RFC 822 and MIME message formats used by PMDF and the formats used by Microsoft Mail. Versions 3.0 to 3.2 of Microsoft Mail are presently supported. The Microsoft Mail channel programs combined with the special DOS utility programs SMTPGET and SMTPPUT and the Microsoft Mail SMTP Access component produce an effective gateway between PMDF and Microsoft Mail.

The Microsoft Mail channels attempt to convert as much of MIME as possible to compatible Microsoft Mail message formats. However, limitations in Microsoft Mail make a complete conversion impossible, so in some cases the conversion will be limited in scope. In particular, Microsoft Mail is incapable of handling nested multipart and message structures, so any sense of nested structure is lost in the conversion process.

38.7.1 How to prepare your Microsoft Mail Post Office

38.7.1.1 Required Microsoft products

If you have a Microsoft Mail Windows for Workgroups post office (WGPO), first you have to upgrade it to a full function post office by purchasing and installing the Microsoft product "Postoffice Upgrade for Microsoft Windows for Workgroups" on the WGPO.

Microsoft Mail Gateway Access for SMTP (or the "SMTP Access component") is required for each Microsoft Mail post office which uses SMTP; (PMDF's Microsoft Mail channel looks to Microsoft Mail users like Microsoft's own SMTP gateway). This piece of software currently has Microsoft part number 068-099-127. One copy of the SMTP Access component comes with the full Microsoft Mail SMTP Gateway product.

If you are replacing Microsoft's own SMTP Gateway with PMDF's Microsoft Mail channel, then you already have the SMTP Access component on the PC. All post offices which currently have access to SMTP also already have the SMTP Access component installed, so no new installation or preparation is neccessary.

38.7.1.2 Setting up the Microsoft Mail post office for SMTP