Sorcerer Software Users Newsletter Issue 0206 Welcome to our monthly newsletter, covering the latest updates, tips, and user questions about our software programs. If you have an issue or question you would like to see addressed in a future newsletter, either by me or by your fellow users, please email me and I'll include it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- June 30, 2002 CONTENTS: 1. The Abacus 2. Envelope Printer 3. An interesting web site... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Abacus http://www.TheAbacus.biz As more users upgrade to MS Word 2002(XP), the issue of macro security becomes more important. Many users have reported that when they tried for the first time to start Word 2002 with the Abacus installed, they encounter a message box telling them that "The macros in this project are disabled...". If they then tried to run the Abacus after Word opened, they received the same error message. The question then being raised is, "How do I enable my Abacus and other Word add-in files and macros?". Here's the situation: As many of you know (from last month's newsletter, if nothing else), cyberspace is becoming a more hostile place. Viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and every other class of beast are trying to invade our computers. Anti-virus software is one line of defense. Microsoft has taken another step, starting with Word 2000, and that is the ability of Word to detect POSSIBLE infections. Unfortunately, Word is not smart enough to tell the difference between a virus and a macro (or an add-in program, like the Abacus). So it just rejects everything that comes along and that it THINKS is a virus. Word also gives you choices as to how you wish to deal with this: You can let Word reject all possibly infected files, macros, and add-ins; you can let Word accept all; or you can tell Word to ask you each time what to do. When Word 2002(XP) is first installed on a computer, it is set with the highest security setting -- it rejects everything. Now let's get into how Word deals with the Abacus and what your options are for dealing with it: 1. Let Word handle it. Start Word and click on "Tools->Macro->Security" to open the Security screen. Here you are given three choices which correspond to the three levels of security that I described above. If you set it on "High", Word will reject anything it thinks is a virus, but it will also reject the Abacus and any other macros and add-in files. If you set it on "Low", Word will let anything in the door, including the Abacus and an infection. So if you are worried about the possibility of an infection, this is probably not a good way to deal with the problem. So you should consider option #2: 2. Use a digitally signed version of the Abacus. We have a special version of the Abacus (a single file which you download and install) that helps you solve this problem. Word will let you accept this digitally signed version of the Abacus, and then won't ask you again whether it's OK to use it. When you install the digitally signed Abacus, the first time you start Word it will show you a security warning and that Word is trying to load a file from Sorcerer Software that contains macros. At the bottom of this warning screen, click on the box that says "Always trust macros from this source", and then click on the "Enable macros" button. That should be the last you have of this problem. Word will continue to check for viruses and other rogue files, but will let Abacus work properly. Now... to get a digitally signed version of the Abacus, you have to download and manually install a special file. The file you want to download is named "DigitiallySignedAbacus.exe" and you can download it from our web site at: http://www.theabacus.biz/DigitiallySignedAbacus.exe After downloading, rename this file (CRITICAL!) to: abacus.dot and place it in Word's "startup" directory where it will replace the current file of the same name. If you don't know where Word's "startup" directory is, use the Windows "Search" applet ("Start->Search->For Files or Folders") to locate the current version of "abacus.dot". If you need more information on this subject, you can find it on our troubleshooting page at: http://www.theabacus.biz/trouble.htm The current Abacus build is 020520. If you have an earlier build of version 3.0, you may want to download and upgrade to this build. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Envelope Printer http://www.sorcerersoftware.com/envelope.htm I have had some interesting requests in the last few months. Some of our users have very specific needs, and I'm curious to know if any of the readers of this newsletter would like to weigh in on these new suggestions. Here they are: 1. Add a European envelope size. I have had to do a little research on the subject, and I'm still not clear on the dimensions of such an envelope. I have managed to learn the naming system and now understand what A3 (an apparently common size) means. However, these names seem to indicate a paper size rather than an envelope size. Can anyone enlighten me further? Does anyone have additional or more detailed suggestions about using such a system? 2. Add FIM codes (Facing Identification Mark) to the envelope. Do our readers widely use them? Will they save you money? Your thoughts on this subject appreciated. 3. Create an Envelope Printer ocx or dll for developers (mostly for VB developers). Do we have some on this mailing list? If so, what is your opinion about this idea? How would you like to see this implemented? Any and all thoughts on these 3 topics will be appreciated and taken seriously. We recently uploaded to our web site a new build of the program (build #020629) which contains some improved error checking. If your version is working well for you, there is probably no need to upgrade at this time but you are certainly welcome to do so. The current Envelope Printer build is 020629 of version 6.1. If you have an earlier build or version 6.0, you may want to download and upgrade to this build and version. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- An interesting web site... for all you comedians, at least if you like satire, is: http://www.onion.com You'll just have to see it for yourself. I can't even describe it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's all, folks. Look for our next newsletter in about 4 weeks... -- Bill bill@sorcerersoftware.com Sorcerer Software http://www.sorcerersoftware.com To read all the old newsletters, go to: http://www.sorcerersoftware.com/archives.htm To be removed from our mailing list, send me an email with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.