Version 2.0.0
To read the documentation for NewsHunter 1.x, which still has a good deal of useful information, please click this link: NewsHunter 1 Documentation
Released July 1, 2002 : Last Revision April 18, 2004
©copyright 2002 - 2004 by Parker Software Development Inc.
NewsHunter is an application that lets you automate the process of downloading images and files from newsgroups. You can also read newsgroups as well as post text articles and images to newsgroups. NewsHunter also includes technology found in our Archer application. This makes it very easy to view the images you have downloaded.
To install NewsHunter simply double-click the NewsHunter icon and, if needed, StuffIt Expander will de-compress the files. That's all there is to it. If you need a copy of Stuffit Expander, you can download a copy from here: http://www.aladdinsys.com/downloads/software.html
NewsHunter employs the talents of helper applications to decode certain types of files. The two most popular helper applications are:
StuffIt Expander - to decode MIME files
You can get a copy of StuffIt Expander here: http://www.aladdinsys.com/downloads/software.html
yEnc TZ - to decode yEnc files
You can get a copy of yEnc TZ here: http://www.turbozen.com/mac/yenc/
Split & Concat - use this handy application to join together files that end in .001, .002, .003, etc. If the file is yEnc encoded, yEnc TZ will be able to decode the file. Then all you need to do is launch Split & Concat, select the first segement ".001", and the app will do the rest. Don't forget to clean up all the left over files in your /NewsHunter/Decoded Files/[newsgroup_name]/ and in your /NewsHunter/Raw Files/[newsgroup_name]/ directories.
You can get a copy of Split and Concat here: http://www.xs4all.nl/~loekjehe/Split&Concat/index.htm
MPlayer - use this program to play back almost any 3ivx, Divx 3, 4, 5, and other codec files. Extremely useful.
You can get a copy of MPlayer here: http://mplayerosx.sourceforge.net/
When you run NewsHunter for the first time, you will be guided through the set up procedure. You should have the following items available:
NOTE: If you do not have a NewsHunter registration key, you can still run the program. However, you will occasionally see reminders asking you to register. Other than that, unregistered versions of NewsHunter are fully functional and will not time out.
If you need a NewsHunter registration key you can get one by visiting our web site: http://www.parker software.com
NOTE: If you do not have a news provider or if you are looking for a news provider, we offer an outstanding news service that you can subscribe to. For information on Parker Software News Service, please visit our web site: http://www.parkersoftware.com
The NewsHunter document window is where you will spend the majority of your time. The NewsHunter document window consists of several tabs. Each interface element and its function is described below.
The top portion of the window is occupied with controls that affect the overall functioning of the program.
The Small Arrows - this increases or decreases the amount of time NewsHunter will wait before updating the status line.
Start Downloading - this button causes NewsHunter to begin downloading from newsgroups.
Stop Downloading - this button stops NewsHunter from downloading.
Document Options... - opens a window where you can configure options such as how many headers to download, whether to cycle through newsgroups or not, whether to cycle through news servers or not, as well as how long to wait for server responses before timing out.
Progress Bar - displays how far through the list of articles NewsHunter has gone. The list of articles can be found by clicking on the Articles tab.
Status Bar - this displays information about what NewsHunter is doing.
The Home tab is used to manage your list of subscribed newsgroups. Each item on the Home tab and its function is described below.
The News Servers section contains items used to manage the news servers you access.
The News Server Popup Menu - use this menu to switch among news servers as well as to add news servers.
Edit the Selected News Server... - this button opens a window that lets you edit the news server information. You can also delete a news server from within this window.
The Information section - this area displays some general statistics.
The Newsgroups section occupies the remainder of the Home tab. Below is a description of each item in the Newsgroups section.
Delete Selected News Groups - click this button to delete one or more newsgroups.
Open Image Viewer for Selected Group... - this button will open an Archer-style multimedia viewer for the selected newsgroup. The images for the viewer are loaded from the Download Location associated with the newsgroup. The image viewer uses all the same commands as Archer. You can find menu commands for the player window under the Player menu. For more information on Archer please see our web site. http://www.parkersoftware.com
Move Down - this button moves the selected newsgroup down one line. This lets you control the order in which newsgroups are scanned.
Move Up - this button moves the selected newsgroup up one line.
On/Off - this button menu allows you to turn one or more newsgroups on or off. Newsgroups that are turned off will not be scanned when you click the Start Downloading button. Note, when adding newsgroups that you only want to read and are not interested in downloading from, you should turn the newsgroup off on the Home Tab. This will allow you to read the newsgroup under the Read Newsgroups tab without having to include it when downloading binaries.
The Newsgroup Commands Menu provides access to many different functions. Each menu item and what it does is described below.
Set Starting Point... - calls up a small window displaying the first article in the newsgroup, the last article, and the last article examined by NewsHunter. Enter the article number where you want NewsHunter to begin scanning into the Starting Point field.
Synchronize Newsgroups - use this command to update the newsgroup statistics. When you do this NewsHunter logs on to the news server, retrieves the most current article counts, and updates the newsgroups displayed in the list. It is suggested that you do this when adding newsgroups or when you haven't downloaded in a while. Only newsgroups that are turned on will be synchronized.
Post Some Pictures - select this menu item if you want to post some pictures to the selected newsgroup. A small picture posting window will open that lets you select what to post from a gallery of thumbnails.
Download Overview and Select the Articles You Want to Download - use this menu item to access NewsHunter's queuing functions. When selected, you will be prompted for the number of headers to download. Once NewsHunter has downloaded the headers, you will be presented with the Article Queue window. You can then Queue or Dequeue articles. Articles that are queued, will be downloaded the next time you click the Start Downloading button. When NewsHunter begins downloading it always checks to see if you have queued any files. Queued files are automatically placed at the top of the article list and their status is set to "Queued".
Select the Articles You Want to Download - select this menu item if you have already downloaded the overview and only want to queue more articles. please remember that the news server is constantly updating the overview. You should download the overview once per session using the "Download Overview and Select the Articles You Want to Download" command before using the "Select the Articles You Want to Download". This will ensure that you are working with the latest information.
Choose Where You Want to Save Files - this command is available if you want to have decoded files from the selected newsgroup saved to a different folder. However, since NewsHunter automatically organizes all your downloads into folders named after each newsgroup, this command should not be used unless you have a very specific reason to do so.
Mark All Newsgroups Read - select this command to mark all articles in the newsgroup as having been read.
Mark All Newsgroups as Unread - sets all the article counts to zero. It is strongly recommended that you use the "Synchronize Newsgroups" command after marking all newsgroups as unread.
Mark Selected Newsgroups as Read - select this command to mark only the selected newsgroups as having been read.
Mark Selected Newsgroups as Unread - sets all the article counts to zero for the selected newsgroups. It is strongly recommended that you use the "Synchronize Newsgroups" after using this command.
Status Bar - this displays the location where decoded files are saved. NewsHunter automatically creates a Decoded Files folder in the same folder as your NewsHunter application. Inside the Decoded Files folder you will find a folder for each newsgroup that you have downloaded from.
The Newsgroup List - contains a list of all the newsgroups to which you have subscribed. The list reflects the newsgroup subscriptions for the news server currently selected in the News Server popup menu. To turn a newsgroup on or off, double click its name.
The Articles Tab is provided as a feedback mechanism. There is little you can do on this tab. If you want to read articles, please use the Read Newsgroups tab. The elements of the Articles tab and their functions are described below.
Article List for: - this field displays the name of the newsgroup associated with the articles in the list.
Filter this Author - click this button if you want to quickly create a filter that will block any further downloads from the author of the selected article.
Open the Filter Manager... - click this button to open the Filter Manager. You can use the Filter Manager to create filter based on any header information found in an article. You can also open the Filter Manager from the Filter menu.
Small Arrows - this control lets you adjust the row height of the Article list.
The Article List - displays a list of all the articles currently being processed. This list is display only. Double-clicking on the lines will do nothing. If you want to read articles, please use the Read Newsgroups tab.
The Decoding tab is used to see all the currently executing and completed decoding threads. Each item on the Decoding tab is described below.
Clear List - click this button to clear the list. This does NOT delete anything from your hard drive. It will only clear the list.
Delete from Hard Drive - click this button to delete the selected file from your hard drive. clicking this button does NOT move the item to the trash. When clicked, the selected item is IMMEDIATELY deleted from your hard drive.
The File List - this list contains an entry for each thread NewsHunter spawns. Each files is decoded in its own thread independently of all other files and independent of NewsHunter's downloading activities. This allows NewsHunter to keep downloading even while files are being decoded.
You will see the name of the file and its current status. You can click on an entry and, if the entry points to a decoded image, it will be displayed in the image preview section.
You can cursor through the list viewing images. If you see an image you do not like you can hit the "D" key on your keyboard to delete the file. You can also use the "Delete from Hard Drive" button.
Double-clicking an entry in the list will attempt open the file in whatever application created it.
The Subscribe to Newsgroups tab is where you manage your newsgroup subscriptions. Each item is described below.
The News Servers Section contains everything you need to manage the list of newsgroups for all the news servers to which you have access. Each item in this section is described below.
The News Servers Menu - this list contains an entry for each news server. To change news servers, select its name from the list. If you want to add a news server to the database, please click on the Home tab and use the News Servers menu there. You cannot add news servers through the Subscribe to Newsgroups tab.
Last Updated - this field displays the last time you updated the list of newsgroups.
Number of Newsgroups - this field displays the number newsgroups found on the selected server.
Build Newsgroup List - click this button to build the list of newsgroups.
Update Newsgroup List - click this button to update the list of newsgroups.
Cancel - click this button of you want to cancel the build or update process.
Status Lines - the two fields below the Cancel button display status responses generated while building or updating the list of newsgroups.
The Newsgroups Section contains items that let you search for, subscribe to, and unsubscribe from newsgroups. Each item is described below.
Newsgroup List - displays search results. To subscribe to or unsubscribe from a newsgroup, double click on its entry in the list.
Status Field - displays information while searching for newsgroups.
Search Field - enter a portion of the name of the newsgroup you want to find.
Search Button - click this button to perform the search. Any newsgroups containing your search string will be displayed in the Newsgroup list.
The Read Newsgroups tab provides a very limited news reader. This is intended to be used for very casual reading. If there are newsgroups you only want to read you should turn them off on the Home Tab. Newsgroups that are turned off on the Home Tab will still show up on the Read Newsgroups tab but they will not be included when you click the Start Downloading button. Each item is described below.
The News Server List - lets you select the news server you want to access.
Newsgroup List - displays all the newsgroups to which you have subscribed. To download the list of articles for a newsgroup click on its name.
Post... - click this button to post an article to the current newsgroup.
Post Reply... - click this button to post a reply to the current article.
Status Line - the Read Newsgroups tab runs in its own thread. This lets you read articles while downloading binaries. The Status line displays server responses for the Read Newsgroups tab only.
Article List - displays the list of articles. To read an article click its entry in the list.
Window Splitter - drag this up and down to adjust the height of the Article List and the Article Viewer.
Article Viewer - displays the article.
The menu bar in NewsHunter provides access to other areas of the application. Each menu is described below.
The NewsHunter menu provides access to several commands not directly related to downloading files from newsgroups. Each menu item and what it does is described below.
About NewsHunter... - opens a small window that displays information about NewsHunter.
Register NewsHunter... - opens a small window where you can enter your registration information.
Check for Updates... - opens a small window that you can use to make sure you are running the latest version of NewsHunter.
NewsHunter Preferences... - opens the NewsHunter Preferences window. This window allows you to:
The File menu allows you to open, close and save documents.
The Player menu lets you access the built-in Archer multimedia viewer technology. You can create a new Player window any time you like. All functions found in our stand-alone Archer application are available. Each command is described below. In addition to using the Player menu to control a Player window, you can also use the single-keystroke commands. Each command is described below.
To create a new player window do this:
Player -> New Player
To load in a folder of images do this:
File -> Import Images...
You can also hit the "I" key.
You can import as many folders as you like. The player will scan the folder and any nested folders for files and add them to the slide show.
You can have as many slide shows going as you like. Each slide show can have its own images and speed setting.
Player windows can be controlled by typing the selected keys:
To start and stop - [SPACE BAR]
Random playback: - "2" key
To speed up - "+" key
To slow down - "-" "Minus" key
To move to the next image - [CURSOR LEFT] OR ] "Right Bracket" key OR "O" key
To move to the previous image - [CURSOR RIGHT] OR [ "Left Bracket" key OR "P' key
To toggle full screen mode - "F" key
To clear the slide show - "C" key
Import Images - "I" Key
Delete image from hard drive - "D" key
This will delete the file from your hard drive. There is no warning dialog, the file is deleted immediately.Remove image from slide show - "R" key
This will remove the image from the slide show. The disk file will not be affected.Toggle Image Info - "1" Key
When you hit the "1" key, Archer will display image information in the upper left hand corner of the window.New Player - "N" Key
Note: If you do not have any player windows open, you will have to use Player -> New Player. Once you have at least 1 player window open you can then simply hit the N key to open another new player window.
The Utilities menu lets open the MasterSplitter utility and the Error and Event Log. Each item is described below.
MasterSplitter Utility - opens a window that lets you assemble and decode MasterSplitter files. These are generally files that end with a dot followed by a three-digit number. For example, MovieFile.001, is considered a MasterSplitter file. To assemble a MasterSplitter file, just follow the on-screen prompts.
Error and Event Log - opens a window that displays all the events and errors that NewsHunter generates. Leaving this window open while NewsHunter is running will result a performance degradation. You should leave this window close unless you need to send an error report to technical support. If you need to send an event log to our support department please follow this procedure:
The Filter menu lets you Unfilter the last author you filtered. You can also open the Filter Manager from this menu.
Unfilter Last Author - when you click the Filter This Author button on the Articles Tab, NewsHunter creates a filter that blocks the download of all further posts that originate the the author's email address. As soon as you click the Filter This Author Button, the menu will change to Unfilter [name@company.com].
Filter Manager - opens a window that allows you to create and manage filters. The Filter Manager is described below.
The New button allows you to create a new filter. When you click on the button, you will be presented with an empty filter window. The image below is shows this:
To create a new filter follow these steps:
The Edit button allows you to edit existing filters.
The Delete button allows you to delete filters. Simply select the filter or filters and click the Delete button.
The On/Off Button
The On/Off button allows you to turn filters on or off. Filters that are turned off will not be used. Simply select the filters you wish to turn on or off, click the On/Off button, and select the appropriate menu item. You can also turn filters on or off simply by double-clicking on the name of the filter.
Some filters, including the Subject filter allow you to select whether you want to filter out items that contain a certain string of characters or items that exactly equal a string of characters. Each of these selections is discussed below.
Contains
When you select Contains, you are telling the filter to ignore any article that contains the string of characters. So, for example, if you create a filter that ignores any article that contains the word "orange" in the Subject header the following articles would be ignored:
Equals
When you select Equals, you are telling the filter to ignore any article that equals the string of characters. So, for example, if you create a filter that ignores any article that equals the word "orange" in the Subject header the following articles would be ignored:
The following examples illustrate how to create several kinds of filters.
If you want to filter out any article that contains a specific string of characters in the subject header, use the Subject header.
One way to filter out spam effectively is to check how many newsgroups to which an article has been posted. The more newsgroups to which an article has been cross posted, the more likely it is spam.
If there is a particular author you want to filter, you can use the From header.
You can filter out articles that are either smaller or larger than a certain number of lines.
You can also create a filter that will search all the headers and filter out any article that contains or equals a certain string of characters.
End of Documentation.