Without a PGP-shell it's hard to reply to coded mail. Save the received mail in a file, go to DOS, PGP-decode it, return to Windows if you prefer a Windows editor, type an answer, go back to DOS, PGP-code the file, return to Windows and send the file. With PgpEudra you can run PGP from Eudora's menu.
PgpEudra finds out what to do. First it copies the data in the current window
to a textfile on disk. Then it starts PGP.EXE in a DOS-box and specifies the right
command-line to decode or encrypt the text.
The decoded text is returned in the current window if possible.
Otherwise you can paste it into an editor of your choice. The encrypted text is
always put in the current window.
2. System requirements
For the default version you need a 80386 computer (or better) and MS-Windows 3.1
or Windows95.
It will probably run under MS-Windows 3.0. I used one 3.1 function, but this is
an undocumented 3.0 function. A 286 version is available from
my homepage. The version available by
e-mail is a 286 version, too.
This version does not run on OS/2 Windows. It seems that PgpEudra does not
get a notification message that PGP has terminated. I try to find out what exactly
fails but I don't have OS/2 so it's a bit complicated.
Of course you'll need an Eudora version. PC Eudora 1.4b22 and Eudora Light 1.52 will do, but it is reported to run with Eudora Pro as well. It does NOT run with 32-bit versions of Eudora. At best it will add a grayed menu-item to the Eudora window, but it cannot interface to it. Interfacing a 16-bit program to a 32-bit program is much harder than adding a menu-item. Windows95 is no problem.
The unzipped package uses less than 100 kB disk space. The program is only
60 kB and uses almost no extra memory. You don't need any VBX-control
libraries or DLL.
3. Installation
Unzip the ZIP-file with PKZIP version 2.04g (or later).
Copy the program (PGPEUDRA.EXE) to Eudora's directory.
If you want to use the program on a network you can try PgpEudra
on your local PC. Eudora will probably be in the DOS PATH, so PgpEudra
can find it.
On a 80386 PC (or better) you can edit/create PGP.PIF to run in a DOS-Window instead of fullscreen textmode. Besides you can choose to keep the DOS-box open after PGP has terminated. Then you can see the results of PGP.
If Eudora is already running, you can start PgpEudra later. It will add its menu's to Eudora. PgpEudra always scans all toplevelwindows before starting Eudora. If you got an error message "Eudora not found", you probably have a different Eudora version. You can specify the "-r" command-line option in "File | Properties" in Windows Program Manager. This will set more relaxed name-checking, but there's more risk for unreliable results.
Return to top
5. Using the program
This program is not a complete PGP-shell. If you need special features use
another PGP-shell or go to the DOS-commandline. This program is intended for
the common tasks. It can encrypt and decode mail, sign and check a signed
message and add a
public key to the public keyring. The program finds out what
to do. It has only one menu-item "Run PGP...".
Every time you use PGP you'll have to follow these instructions:
1. Open the window where your text is.
2. Select "Message | Run PGP...".
The program shows a dialogbox with what it expects it should do.
It shows part of the text to check if this is correct. If it is
the text from another window, you'll see it here.
Choose [OK] if you agree to run PGP.
3. When PGP has finished, close the DOS-window or type EXIT in DOS.
You should read PGP's results from the DOS-window, so you'd better keep it open.
4. After closing the DOS-box you see the changed text or a dialogbox
that tells what happened. If PGP returned an errorcode it will be shown
here, but not in plain text. Usually this does not happen. If it does
PGP has already written an error message on screen.
Some definitions:
An "output window" is a window that has a "To:" field
and is created with a "New", "Reply", or "Forward" menu-selection. In this window
you can edit text.
An "input window" is a window with only text. It is created for incoming
messages and can not be edited.
The next sections assume that you are at section 2 of the description
above.
5a. Decoding
If PgpEudra found a PGP MESSAGE BEGIN/END block, it will
show a "Decode" dialogbox.
This will decode the text from the BEGIN/END block.
When PGP has finished PgpEudra shows a dialogbox that lets you choose where you want your decoded text to go. It can copy the text to the clipboard (the default, [Yes]) or ([No]) to the textwindow, where it came from. In this input window you can only read the text. Everything else you try to do (forward, reply, save), will be done on the original encrypted text. If you chose to copy the text to the clipboard, you can paste your decoded text from the clipboard into an editor of your choice.
After decoding PgpEudra scans the decoded text for a key. If it found one you'll be prompted if you like to add it to your public keyring. See 5c. Adding a new key.
There's an easier way to decode if you want to reply to an encrypted message. See 5d. Reply to coded mail.
If PgpEudra finds no coded or signed text in an "OUT"-window, it shows
an Encrypt-dialogbox with the previously typed text
and the recipient name from the "To:"-field. You can change this name,
if the keyname is different. It's very convenient to have the e-mail address
in the public key. PGP uses this name to find the key of the recipient.
Here you can add options, if you need. Put them in the editbox before the
recipients name (e.g.: -s hans will sign the message encrypted for "hans".).
The default PGP-options are "-aetw".
If you delete the recipients' name or if there was none in the "To:"-field,
you'll see the "ClearSign" header.
(See 5e. Clearsign a message).
5c. Adding a new key
If there's a "PGP PUBLIC KEY BEGIN/END" block in the text, you can add it to the
public keyring. PgpEudra will pass the complete message to PGP.
After running PGP there's nothing to do for PgpEudra.
PGP has showed already what it did.
5d. Reply to coded mail
This is very common use, so I made it as easy as can be.
Part of this is like 5a. Decoding.
1. Select "Message | Reply" for an incoming encrypted mail.
2. Select "Message | Run PGP...".
This will decode the mail after removing the '>'-signs.
(See 5a. Decoding).
3. Back in Eudora you have the decoded text with the '>'-signs inserted.
4. Now you can type your reply. When you're finished you can encrypt again.
(See 5b. Encrypting).
5e. Clearsign a message
If PgpEudra cannot find an encrypted or signed message in an output
window and you don't have a name in the "To:"-field, then
it will clearsign your message. (PGP-parameters: -sta +clearsig=on)
You can only sign for the first secret key in the keyring. This is because PGP needs a name whose key to use for signing if it is not the default. If you type anything in the "Encrypt for" field it will encrypt with that key (See 5b. Encrypting).instead of clearsigning.
Note 1: Before running PGP, PgpEudra sends two menucommands to the message window:
"Edit | Select All" and "Edit | Wrap Selection".
This will insert carriage returns in the text. If this is not done now,
Eudora will insert them just before sending the message and the signature
will fail because the text has changed. Eudora 1.4.4 does not have the
Wrap Selection feature, so you'd better get the new version or you have
to type carriage returns at the end of every line.
Note 2: This is done on every message in an output window.
5f. Checking signatures
If PgpEudra found a SIGNATURE BEGIN/END block it will pass this
block to PGP and insert the text that PGP returns. This makes it
possible to check more signatures in one message, if you do this
in the Reply window (much like 5d. Reply to coded mail).
After the first text has been checked it is returned in the message
but without the SIGNATURE BEGIN/END BLOCK. The next time you run PGP
the next message will be checked and so on.
You must check the signature on PGP's output. PgpEudra does not show
anything.
5g. The "Edit | Undo"-function
If you've PGP'd and notice you've made an error, don't worry.
The "Edit | Undo" menu selection restores the windowtext
that appeared before PGP was started.
As soon as you change anything in the text, you cannot undo the PGP action
anymore, because the Undo function will undo that change, as usual in Eudora.
Note that "Edit | Undo" is disabled when you're not in the
part of the window, where the text is. So if the cursor is in the subject-field,
first move to the text and then choose Undo.
You cannot undo an Add-key action.
Return to top
6. Miscellaneous
6a. Programversions
This program has been proved to work with PC Eudora version 1.4b22 and
Eudora Light 1.5.2. Eudora Pro (16) is all right too, but I can't test this
myself because I don't have it.
PgpEudra does not run with 32-bit versions of Eudora
like Eudora Pro (32) and Eudora Light 1.5.4b11 (32).
The versionnumber of PgpEudra increases by 0.01 on minor changes. Versions with new features get the next 0.x0 number. In this case the manual will be updated too. The timestamp always has the versionnumber. 0:20 means version 0.20.
This version comes in both 486 and 286 compiled code. The default is 486 and runs on both 80386 and 80486 processors. PGPEU286.ZIP runs on a 80286 based computer too. Choose "Help | About PGP extension..." to get the "About PgpEudra" dialogbox. Here you can see which version you have (and who made this program ;-). The 80286 versions have "(286)" after the version number.
6b. A brief history
For those interested, here's a brief history. Others read
"Files in this distribution". I first thought about
writing this program when I saw someone struggling with both Eudora and PGP
in spring '95. I looked for some PGP-shells, but couldn't find anything
really convenient. It should be easier. The friend who worked with both
programs learned to handle them and did not really need it anymore.
61456 26950 57% 07-02-96 00:20 PGPEUDRA.EXE The program
152 152 0% 07-02-96 00:20 PGPEUDRA.SIG It's signature
23530 9125 62% 07-02-96 00:20 MANUAL.HTM The manual
152 152 0% 07-02-96 00:20 MANUAL.SIG It's signature
2082 925 56% 04-02-96 23:15 TODO.TXT What to to next?
2364 990 59% 07-01-96 23:04 SUBSCRIB.TXT Subscription form
------ ------ --- -------
89736 38294 58% 6
The filesizes and dates in the actual ZIP-file may be a bit different,
because I don't update this on every program update.
You can use the SIG-files to check if you have the original files.pgp pgpeudra.sig pgpeudra.exe
and PGP will show if the file has been changed. Of course this is no guarantee for the correctness of the program. It only shows that it's not corrupted. This is a good virusprotection too.
The latest version is always available from Comerwell's homepage. For the unhappy few who don't have WWW-access, the files are available by mail too. Type "pgpeudra" as subject, exactly as quoted (but without quotes), and mail to my automagic mailer. It will send you the binhex encoded package. PC Eudora can decode this.
LEGAL ISSUES
============
In plain English:
1. I don't promise that this software works. (But if you find any bugs,
please let me know!)
2. You don't have to pay me. It's free software! Don't pay anything.
If you like to sell this program on its own or together with something
else, please contact me, because I like money too ;-). Besides I think it's
a bad idea to sell it, because everyone who can use this program has e-mail
and can get it for free.
3. You may not pretend that you wrote this software.
In legalese:
The author makes NO WARRANTY or representation, either express or implied, with respect to this software, its quality, accuracy, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. This software is provided "AS IS", and you, its user, assume the entire risk as to its quality and accuracy.
PgpEudra is copyright (C) 1995, 1996 Hans Bausewein, Hengelo, Nederland
All Rights Reserved except as specified below.
Permission is hereby granted to use, copy and distribute this program for any purpose, without fee, subject to these conditions:
(1) Distribute only the complete ZIP-file as stated in "6c. Files in this distribution" with this file "MANUAL.HTM" included, and this copyright and no-warranty notice unaltered.
(2) Permission for use of this software is granted only if the user accepts full responsibility for any undesirable consequences; the author accepts NO LIABILITY for damages of any kind.
(3) The copyright notes in this document or in the programs about-box About PgpEudra are NOT changed, removed, hidden or made invisible in any way.
NO WARRANTY
BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY
FOR THE PROGRAM, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN
OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES
PROVIDE THE PROGRAM "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS
TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE
PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING,
REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
6e. Why free software?
"Why not?", you would probably ask. Well, it's a lot of work to write a good
program and you need to buy some compilers, tools and libraries that are
often not freeware. On the other hand I'm happy that PGP is freeware.
I think this has been very important to make it the standard for encryption.
I use Linux (Unix for 386 PC's) and the mailprogram Elm, which are freeware, and
I had been thinking about adding PGP-support to Elm, but they have already done
this, so that saves me a lot of time. Besides I think more people will use
PGP if it can be done very easy.
6f. Remarks, questions, etc
Remarks, good ideas and mental support are very welcome. Maybe I cannot reply soon, sometimes, because I have some work to do and I don't know how much mail this will generate, but I'll try to answer.
I've created a mailinglist and a registrationcounter. If you like to get
mail when I've finished a new version of this program, please fill out
the form SUBSCRIB.TXT and mail to
comerwel@xs4all.nl.
You can choose to be just registered as a PgpEudra user.
This means that you'll be counted in the number of users that
my homepage tells the world. In this case you can
type whatever name you like, if you don't want me to have your email-address.
You can not mail to this mailinglist, although I maybe will add that if it
makes sense. Only subscribers who selected 'mailbyothers'
will get these mails.
If you know something that you would like to share with other users you
can mail this to me
and I'll put it on the list if I think it's worth it.
This program is not complete, yet. I think, I'll add some features in a future version. This distribution comes with a file "TODO.TXT", that describes some features, that I like to add. I don't pretend to make a complete shell, however.
Please send mail about this program to pgpeudra@comerwell.xs4all.nl. I still like to find my personal mail if this program gets very popular ;-).