Automation

   NewsPro automation consist of three completely independent and asynchronous components: watch, automatic getting headers and scheduler.
   Scheduler contains time intervals when program can perform network tasks, automatic getting headers produces get header tasks at user-defined intervals and watch checks headers for satisfying user defined criteria and when they do - it produces article tasks.
   When scheduler blocks program network activity all tasks will remain in pending status.
   User enters time intervals for scheduler (the list control is set to contain 100 days ahead), defines time intervals for getting headers and lists of fiters for watch on per newsgroup basis.
   It is basically all.
Download&Save
   The (automatic/manual) downloading and saving attachments capability can be invoked from the download&save attachments entry of the newsgroups context menu and set in the watch for every filter on per newsgroup basis. Since dumping all attachments to one directory would be not a wise approach - the program remembers directories for every manual selection; as to automatic capabilities - there is a possibility to assign a directory to every filter on per newsgroup basis or to use default newsgroup directory. The program maintains persistance between sessions for tasks scheduled for saving, if the save tasks option in the properties (the general pane) is checked.
The automatic mode is tuned in the properties, the watch/auto pane. The save radio buttons in 'common settings' and for newsgroups in question should be checked, as well as directories should be associated with newsgroup filters. That allows to disable the feature at all or for some newsgroups without affecting the filter list settings.
Notice that program checks for completed attachments every 5 minutes. To force the procedure immediately or to control other aspects of the process look at the tasks menu.
The program is conservative to every abnormal condition while saving - it leaves messages in the newsgroups in the case of any problem such as duplicate names etc.
Text of deleted messages is logged in SavedAttachments.txt in the NewsPro directory if the corresponding option in properties -> general is checked. The 'delete bodies when deleting headers' and 'enable delete on save attachments' options are taken into account during automatic saving; 'ask for delete on save attachments' is ignored.
Scheduler
   Time intervals are set in the following form "StartTime1-EndTime1, StartTime2-EndTime2 ..." comma, semicolon and spaces can be used as separators. Time consist of hours (0-24) and optionally minutes separated by colon like: 1:20-3:40. To set several days to the same pattern - select desired items, type the pattern and press the 'set' button or type the pattern, select desired items, set focus on the item with the pattern while pressing Ctrl and press 'set'.

Watch and automatic getting headers
   Watch and automation properties for now are defined in properties->the watch/auto pane. The pane reminds the filter pane with several differences. Watch for every newsgroup can be switched on/off, also there is a switch for all newsgroups ("Common settings"). For every newsgroup a time interval can be set when getting new headers will be automatically launched. The zero or empty field disables the feature for a given newsgroup (the word 'Off' will be seen for such newsgroups in the GH - get headers/Rescan column). Automatic download of headers can be also generally disabled without affecting settings for particular newsgroups. The rescan every n-th time option means that every n-th time when the automatic getting headers will be launched - rescan will be made instead (default - both rescan and getting new headers). Empty or zero value means no rescan. Partial messages will be marked for download only when all parts available.
   The watch feature is implemented in the following way: with every newsgroup associated a list of filters, each with its own valule of download priority (1-9, 9 is the highest) that will be assigned to articles that match the filter. Filters are checked in the direct order. The first matching filter will be used. You can change the order clicking a filter and using the order spin control (two small arrow buttons at the left of 'Order') to move it in the list. The priority can be changed by using the priority edit box and the set button. Filters added with the add button will also use the value from the box.
   Filters with no priority set (empty or zero priority edit box value) will be ignored. In the priority column 'Off' is displayed.

   Use filter editor to create filters. The last action in every filter must be 'Extract' or 'Ban'. See the filter topics for more details. E.g. the following filter extracts headers which has some words in their subject, and excludes from them messages from specific author with subject containing specific pattern (notice 'select' action in the second and the 'selected' scope in the third lines). All other messages will be automatically marked for download on arrival. To check how a filter works - just apply it to a newsgroup to see what messages will be extracted - by invoking edit menu -> apply filter or message filter dialog -> open.