VB6 - JACMail5

JACMail5 is similar to JACMail4. Support for Server deletion has been removed, and support for X25519 has been added. In addition, security has been enhanced by forcing user login before accessing most functions. The ability to combine two accounts into one database has also been added, but is not fully functional yet.

Email was originally designed as a messaging service, not as an advertising platform. Therefore, JACMail only supports text based messages. Virtually all malware and most spam is spread by using HTML, which can contain executable code. To read incoming messages using HTML, JACMail does have the option to transfer the message to your default browser to be read. I find some messages (like CISA) easier to read using HTML, and occasionally some messages only contain HTML. I personally only transfer those messages from sources I trust. The rest get deleted without being read.

The first time JACMail is run, it will look for the Access Database (JACMail5.mdb) in the current User directory (C:\Users\Username\JACMail5\). If \JACMail5\ does not exist, it will be created, as well as a sub-directory called "\Attach". It will then prompt the user to copy the supplied blank database "JACMail5.mdb.org" to JACMail5.mdb. It will then create the DSN necessary to access the database. The blank database must be in the directory that the program is running from.

You are then directed to the "Setup" form. This is pretty much self explanatory. You may be asked to Login, but since there is nothing to compare to yet, simple exit (X). Enter the requested variables, including the 16 byte Password provided by the supplier (eg. Gmail). You can then verify your account and password by clicking "TEST". Even if your password does not verify with the server, you will be able to login to JACMail using that password. Once setup and verified, you can download new messages from the POP server. When in the executable, the login request is automatic, as is the download. Separate pass codes are maintained for POP and SMTP servers, so theoretically you could receive email from one service and send email via a different one.

I would recommend that the executable be saved in the "\Program Files (x86)" directory, under a subdirectory called "\JACMail5". The "ajax-loader.gif" file must be stored with the executable. You can then create a Desktop Icon to access the executable.

Most email services are designed to be run from a browser or an App. By accessing the POP server directly on Port 995 (Gmail & Fastmail etc.), or the SMTP server on Port 465, we do not have the need or ability to delete messages from the server. Incoming messages are automatically stored in the cloud based Inbox. When the POP/SMTP servers are accessed directly, the server detects that a message has successfully been read or sent, and it is deleted. Therefore, those cloud based accounts must be managed on their own. Because you control your own database, the messages that you delete from the cloud Inbox should also be deleted permanently from the cloud Trash box. Hopefully those cloud based accounts will allow you to select all messages for deletion with a single click.

Once you have setup and verified your accounts, you can activate the rest of the menu. This will require you to login. The User Name will be recovered and displayed, and then you input the User Password. Remembering 16 random characters is not easy, so all you have to do is enter a Ctrl-p. Running the executable will automatically prompt you to login, and then connect to the POP server and download any messages. The currently active message will display a down button in the ID column. Clicking on that button or using the "Read Mail" button will display that message. Once read, the "S" column will update to a "-1" to indicate that it has been seen. If the "A" column is "-1", that indicates that the message has one or more attachments.

JACMail comes with 4 tables (InBox, OutBox, Archive, & Dummy). The Dummy table is used to allow you to create different Mail Boxes that mail can be transferred to, using the Menu item "New Mailbox".

To send email, click the "Send Message" button. This activates the "Send Message" form and it's accompanying variables. The "To:" and "Subject:" fields are required. Messages are sent as text, so there is little point in trying to send pictures or videos in the body of the message. They must be sent as attachments with a recognizable extension. The button with the 3 dots activates the Common Dialog, through which you can find and load attachments.

Messages normally come in both text and HTML. JACMail cannot read HTML, but you can send the HTML version to your default browser to be read. You also have the ability to read the message header. Originally, the header was very brief and separated from the body of the message by a single "." on a separate line. The header is now sometimes larger than the body of the message, as new attempts to protect the email system are implemented. There is a lot of information available in the header, but that is a subject for a different discussion. Clicking back to the body will expose the complete message, including the HTML section. From there you can see how inefficient HTML is in passing messages.

Messages are sometimes sent Base64 encoded. That is because email was originally designed to use 7 bit characters (ASCII). 7 bits does not support some alphabets (eg. Chinese), so in order to provide that support, Base64 is used. If JACMail detects Base64, it will decode the message. This does not apply to the Subject.

Messages can be sorted via each column in the data grid. For example, say you are looking for all messages from a certain sender. Activate the last row containing that sender, and then click "Sender" at the top of the column. To restore the original order, click the "ID" name.

Some programmers may be concerned about the size limit of an Access database (2 GB). I personally do not see this as an issue, as JACMail does not store non-text images etc. Attachments are stored as separate files in the \Attach\ directory, which you can manage as you see fit. All my messages since 2021 are stored in a 0.7 GB database, with a 0.18 GB "Attach" directory. However, if you receive a lot of junk mail, you can permanently delete trashed messages. When the Trash box is displayed, an additional "Delete Forever" button is shown. To delete multiple messages, simply hold down the Ctrl key while selecting. This does not however reduce the size of the database, as the records are simply flagged for deletion. To accomplish that you will need to "Backup" the database, which compacts it.

J.A. Coutts