Known bugs and limitations in PostCast 2

New Message or Mail Merge window cannot be opened

This problem occurs if incompatible version of particular dll component is installed by some other application. The program requires a specific version in order to function normally. If that version is overwritten, parts of the program that open and create messages will not function anymore.

The solution is to install the patch that restores the required version to a separate folder so that both PostCast and application that installed the different version can function as usual.

Download the patch from this location:
http://www.postcast.com/pub/msgeditfix.exe

Miscellaneous issues and limitations

•  Integrated SMTP server does not send BCC and CC messages. You need to address recipient personally by entering e-mail address in the To field or by using the e-mail merge tool. You can use our other product if you want to use Bulk sending option in PostCast. See www.postcastserver.com for more information.

•  To trigger 'Do not download' and 'Delete' message rules the program must download entire message from the server.

•  The messages.dat file that contains messages for e-mail client allows up to 1GB of information and can easily become corrupted if you send very large attachments. The solution is to use Repair/Compact tools frequently. To fix the messages, open the Options screen from the Tools menu. You will find the Compact Messages button that you can click to repair the database. If you cannot fix the problem, then delete the messages.dat file from the program's main directory. Next time you run the program this database will be recreated automatically.

Support for heterogeneous databases

Mail merge tool in PostCast can use any database format. However, some database features in PostCast work only with Microsoft Access databases. To use all the tools in the program, you should use database wizards under the Tools menu to create a new PostCast database and import your existing data.

BaseNow, our other product, works with all database formats. It supports Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Access, Excel, and all other ODBC and OLEDB compatible databases. The program can simultaneously display an unlimited number of heterogeneous databases, all combined in an intuitive user interface. It is very easy to transfer the data from one database to another - all you need to do is use the copy and paste operations just like in any text editor.

Support for Microsoft Access 2000/2002 databases

The database window in PostCast partially supports Access 2000/2002 databases. It can change the database structure only in Access 97 databases. The mail merge window fully supports all database formats, including Access 2000 and Access 2002.

These features have limitations or do not support Access 2000/2002 databases:

     • Import/Export Wizards
     • Filter tool
     • Remove duplicate recipients tool
     • New, Delete, Rename commands for Tables and Columns
     • Options in database tools that create backup tables
       or transfer data into a new table.

You can use our other product to manage data in your database. It has some advanced deduplication and mailing list management tools that are not available in PostCast. See www.basenow.com for more information.

Bug-fixes for version 1.4.98

It is recommended that you install these hot fixes only if you are experiencing specific issues addressed by the fixes that cannot be satisfactorily resolved by a workaround. There a number of things improved in the new PostCast 2 version. If there is no workaround for an issue in the 1.4.98 version, I suggest that you install and try the new version. Click here for more information.

Fix for character sets

The program cannot use character sets other than us-ascii. The patch that enables you to change charset value in the message header is available from ftp://ftp.postcast.com/pub/fixcharsets.exe

It works only if you are using PostCast Server as your SMTP server. Place the fixcharsets.exe file in the main PostCast Server folder and after you transfer your messages from PostCast to PostCast Server, start it. You will be able to change charset fields in all messages in the server.

Fix for message attachments

Sometimes, the attached file cannot be properly decoded by the e-mail program. The encoded text is included in the body of a message. This problem occurs rarely in some mail clients. The solution is available, but only if you use PostCast Server as an outgoing mail server. You need to start the 'patch' before each mailing, or you can schedule the execution of the patch in Windows Scheduled Task or some other automation program. The new version of PostCast Server fixes this problem automatically, so if you install this version, you won't need to apply the patch below.

Place the file from ftp://ftp.postcast.com/pub/fixmsgheader.exe in the main PostCast Server folder (usually 'c:\Program Files\PostCast Server\'). When you start it, all messages in PostCast Server will be fixed.

You need to transfer all messages from PostCast to PostCast Server. Then after applying the 'patch', messages in the server will be changed.

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