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Q140245: PC Ext: Running Externals with the -bt Option in a Batch File

Article: Q140245
Product(s): Microsoft Mail For PC Networks
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0,3.2,3.2a,3.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 11-NOV-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, versions 3.0, 3.2, 3.2a, 3.5 
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SUMMARY
=======

When you want to suspend external mailers running with the -bt option within a
batch file, you can not expect the mailer to restart and run twice on the same
day. External mailers that can use the -bt option include:

  EXTERNAL.EXE
  SMTPGATE.EXE
  X400GATE.EXE
  FAXGATE.EXE
  VMGATE.EXE
  ATTGATE.EXE

MORE INFORMATION
================

When the external mailer is restarted a second time on the same day, it will
exit immediately because the absolute break time has already passed. When you
want to stop the external mailers to run other processes, you will need to know
how much time the other processes will need and adjust the time assigned to the
-bt option so that the external mailer restarts on the following day.

For example, the following batch file will run EXTERNAL.EXE, close it, remove the
previous days sent and receive log files, copy the current log files to .OLD,
clear the current log files, and restart the external process:

  loop
  external -ms -mr -bt:23:59
  del m:\maildata\log\sent.old
  del m:\maildata\log\recv.old
  copy m:\maildata\log\sent.log m:\maildata\log\sent.old
  copy m:\maildata\log\recv.log m:\maildata\log\recv.old
  type nul > m:\maildata\log\sent.log
  type nul > m:\maildata\log\recv.log
  goto loop

It should not take long to process the .LOG files. Therefore, the absolute break
time value should be pushed as close as possible to midnight. If the processes
require more time, you need to set the absolute time value to an earlier time.


Additional query words: 3.x -bt switch batch

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMailSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbMailPCN320 kbMailPCN320a kbMailPCN300 kbMailPCN350
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.2,3.2a,3.5

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