Source: http://www.dusko-lolic.from.hr/wlmquote/
Updated: Feb 18, 2011
Microsoft has never bothered to make a proper newsreader for Usenet. They've been offering their e-mail client Outlook Express for the purpose for ages. It works reasonably well, aided by little utilities like OE-QuoteFix.
But now we have Windows 7, we have no more Outlook Express. Instead, we have
Windows Live Mail, and we have trouble with it. It is a not too bad newsreader,
apparently, but it is a terrible newswriter! It is completely and blissfully
unaware of all the common Usenet practices, like bottom posting, cutting off
quoted signatures, indenting with quote character, inserting signatures... As if
Microsoft is purposely killing Usenet! Yet, all of it doesn't prevent people from
using it to post Usenet messages with it.
It shouldn't bother me, as I don't use Windows Live Mail, but it does. I have to
struggle to read and folow terribly formatted messages.
Unfortunately, OE-QuoteFix that used to save us in the past doesn't work with
Windows Live Mail.
So, to help myself by helping others, I have created a simple script to address
the issue. Let's call
it WLM QuoteFix. To use it, you have to...
,
that is our script waiting to be called.If it looks a bit too complicated, just download and run this compiled version. It is fully functional, but obviously cannot be customized.
Let's try to reply to a newsgroup post, and this time format it properly.
Select any newsgroup post, click Reply to group, a new message composing
window opens. Don't change anything yet and don't move the text cursor! The
script expects the raw replying message to be just like that to work properly. While the
window is active, call he script by pressing the keys Windows+9
(hold the Windows logo key then press numeric key 9 in the top row, not
on the numeric keypad). The message text will be selected, copied to clipboard,
processed and pasted back replacing the original text.
That's all! The message is now properly quoted, the original poster's signature has
been cut, our inserted, cursor properly placed for bottom posting.
Now you can (and should) cut unnecessary lines from the quoted text and do other
things to respect well-established rules called netiquette.
If writing a new Usenet message, the script will just insert your signature. After entering the subject, place the text cursor in message writing area and call the script.
The script isn't limited to Windows Live Mail, nor is it limited to
processing quoted text only.
Remove the line containing the command IfWinNotActive and the one just
following it and the script will happily process any text in any program. Be
careful not to quotefix a few MB of text in MS Word!
The script contains a few examples of what can be done with very little effort. It
cuts ugly NOD32 signatures, and it inserts AutoHotkey version into
signature.
Entering a randomly selected signature from a file of prepared signatures should
be a
breeze (hint: store your signatures in an *.ini file, it can be read with a
single script line).
The script has been tested (not extensively, as I don't use WLM regularly) with Windows Live Mail 2011 version 15.4.3508.1109,
installed by usual
procedure, running on Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit, in cooperation with AutoHotkey
version 1.0.48.5.
The script sometimes misfires. The (effective) measures have been taken (see the script
source) to prevent it, but it still does, very rarely. Nothing bad
will happen, just call the script again and this time it should work.
I am placing these instructions and accompanying script in public domain in hope
that it will be distributed and used for a good cause.
Use at your own risk! Author denies any responsibility for any damage that
may be caused by obeying these instructions and using the code.
In the case something doesn't work and you have questions, a dedicated support
page has been set up.
All other kinds of comments are welcome at the bottom of this page.