The Online World resources handbook

Automatic communication http://home.eunet.no/~presno/bok/16.html
this macro whenever you press ALT 0 (keep the ALT key down, then press 0).
You can have the macro key ALT 1 send other commands when in the file
archives.
When I started using MS DOS computers for data communications, PC TALK
became my favorite program. It has many of the same macro capabilities that Procomm
has.
With PC TALK, I did autologon to the now defunct NewsNet service. Macro
number one sent commands that gave me the contents of various newsletters. Macro #2
picked up the contents in another group. Macro #3 picked up stories from my mailbox,
and macro #4 logged me off the service. My mission was completed by pressing four or
five keys.
The bookmark files of Netscape's Navigator and Microsoft Explorer are also nice
macro features.
Automating the full task
It's a long way from automated logon scripts and the use of macros to full automation.
The major difference is that with full automation, you do not have to look at the screen
while the script is working. You can do other things. Sometimes, you may not even be
present when the job is being done.
On a typical morning in my house, I go directly from bed to my office to switch my
communications computer on.
While I visit the bathroom, my communications program calls two Internet service
providers to retrieve and send information.
When the script has disconnected, it analyzes the received data. I want important
mail highlighted. Some information is to be automatically appended to storage files.
Retrieved news menus are to be analyzed to see if there are any articles that I want to
read (compared with a set of keywords). "Spam" messages (unsolicited advertisements)
are to be deleted automatically, etc.
Sometimes, the unexpected happen. There may be noise on the phone line, or a
sudden disconnect. Usually, my script can solve this without manual intervention. It is
therefore allowed to work unattended most of the time.
When I get to my office after breakfast, it is all done. My communications program
is set for reading and responding to today's email. I can sit down, and immediately get to
work.
After having written all my replies, I say "send" to my system. For me, it's time for
another cup of coffee. I am not needed by the keyboard while mail is being sent.
This is what an automatic communications system can do. My scripts also help plan
and prepare online visits, and ease my work by postprocessing results.
When your communication is fully automated, you need not read incoming
data while it scrolls over your screen, and then again after logging off the
service. You do it only once.
How to get it? Here are some alternatives:
Alternative 1: Write your own system
You can write procedures for powerful script driven programs like ProYam (from Omen
Technology) and Crosstalk MK IV for DOS.
I started writing scripts for ProYam way back in 1985. The system is constantly
expanded to include new services, refined to include more functions, and enhanced to
become more robust.
My system work like an autopilot. It calls online services, navigates, retrieves,
sends data, and logs off.
Postprocessing includes automatic reformatting of retrieved data, transfers to
various internal databases, statistics, usage logs, and calculation of transfer costs.
Such scripts can do quite complex operations online. For example, it can
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