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Q93260: WFWG: Cannot Connect to Local Postoffice

Article: Q93260
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 3.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 29-SEP-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If a Windows for Workgroups mail administrator sets up the Workgroup Postoffice
(WGPO) on another Workgroup user's machine, that other user cannot connect to
the postoffice, and receives one of the following error messages:

  The selected network path cannot be found

-or-

  This operation is not supported on this machine

For example, if the mail administrator, working at a machine named "Admin",
creates the WGPO on a machine called "Machine1," the user of Machine1 is unable
to connect to the WGPO.

CAUSE
=====

WFWG Mail defaults to uniform naming conventions (UNC) to specify the location
of the postoffice. UNC cannot be used to connect a user to a share on his/her
local machine. Browsing for the WGPO share on the local machine results in the
"not supported" error message. Manually typing in the UNC name of the share
(<machinename>\WGPO) results in the path not being found, as does typing
in the local path (F:\WGPO).

WORKAROUND
==========

Use one of the following workaround options to edit or reconstruct the user's
MSMAIL.INI file, allowing the user to logon to the postoffice on his/her local
machine.

Option 1
--------

1. Copy the MSMAIL.INI file from a machine that is already connected to the
  WGPO.

2. Edit the MSMAIL.INI file for Machine1:

  a. Change the "serverpath=" statement to reflect the local path.

  b. Change the "login=" statement to reflect the Machine1 mailbox (as setup by
     the Mail Administrator).

3. Copy the newly edited MSMAIL.INI file to the WINDOWS directory on Machine1.

Note that you can use the Mail Administrator's MSMAIL.INI file as the source for
the MSMAIL.INI file for Machine1. If you use this file, be sure to remove all
references to the WGPOMGR.DLL file.

Option 2
--------

To create the Machine1 MSMAIL.INI file from scratch:

1. Create a file in a text editor (such as note pad).

2. Type the following:

  [Microsoft Mail]
  WG=1
  LocalMMF=1
  NoServerOptions=1
  DemosEnabled=0
  NetBios=1
  ;the following line should reflect the local path to the WGPO
  ;subdirectory (e.g. ServerPath=F:\WGPO)
  ServerPath=<pathname>
  ;the following line should reflect the mailbox for the user of Machine1
  ;(as setup by Mail Administrator)
  Login=<mailboxname>
  OfflineMessages=C:\WINDOWS\MSMAIL.MMF
  MAPIHELP=C:\WINDOWS\MSMAIL.HLP
  Window=96 96 638 406 1 1 1 0

  [Custom Commands]
  IMEX=3.0;File;;10
  ;Please note that the following set of lines should be typed as two
  ;lines -- one beginning EXF= and one beginning IMF=
  EXF=3.0;File;&Export Folder...;11;IMPEXP.DLL;0;;Exports folders to a
  backup file;MSMAIL.HLP;2860
  IMF=3.0;File;&Import Folder...;12;IMPEXP.DLL;1;;Imports folders from a
  backup file;MSMAIL.HLP;2861

  [Custom Messages]
  ;Please note that the following set of lines should be typed as a
  ;total of 5 lines, each beginning IPM.Microsoft Schedule.
  IPM.Microsoft
  Schedule.MtgReq=3.0;;;;SchedMsg.DLL;;1111100000000000;;;;
  IPM.Microsoft
  Schedule.MtgRespP=3.0;;;;SchedMsg.DLL;;1100100000000000;;;;
  IPM.Microsoft
  Schedule.MtgRespN=3.0;;;;SchedMsg.DLL;;1100100000000000;;;;
  IPM.Microsoft
  Schedule.MtgRespA=3.0;;;;SchedMsg.DLL;;1100100000000000;;;;
  IPM.Microsoft
  Schedule.MtgCncl=3.0;;;;SchedMsg.DLL;;1100100000000000;;;;

3. Save the file as MSMAIL.INI in the WINDOWS subdirectory of the postoffice
  machine.

NOTE: For the MSMAIL.INI file to work correctly, this text should be typed
exactly as it appears above.

Additional query words: 3.10 3.11 schedule

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWFWSearch kbWFW310 kbWFW311
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11

=============================================================================

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