First Start - Program Setup

MailList Controller allows custom setups and can be adjusted for your needs.

If you are working the first time with the program, then you should use the default option "Express Setup", which will setup MailList Controller with the default configuration.
You can change the settings at any time. To do so, please use item "Options" -> "Core Settings" in the main program and click on "MailList Controller Core Setup". This will restart the Setup-Wizard and allow you to configure the basic program settings.

The "Express Setup" uses the default data-directory location, the service will start at system startup and the service runs with "local system" user access permissions.

The "Express Setup" option is recommended for most situations.

Custom Setup

MailList Controller stores all lists, members and settings inside the "Data Storage Directory" (also called "data-dir") . The default location is inside the "public documents" or "shared documents" system folder. Its important that all users (the mailservice runs as "local system" by default) have read/write access to this folder.

Please don't use a folder inside the "Program Files" or "Windows" system folder. This will not work under Windows Vista or Windows 7, because the UAC (User Account Control) will not allow file sharing inside this folders.


The program will create an internal database in the selected data-dir by default, but its also possible to use your existing SQL server. (Please note, that this will not work with all SQL servers).

Please do not modify the database by hand – only the program should make changes to the database.

The MailList Controller Service has three start-up options.

• Run Service at System-Startup
  The service runs without an user being logged in. Use this options if you want to run the service permanent on a server or workstation.
  
  
• Start Service at Application Start
  The service will be started together with the management application (user interface).
  You can also start the service from the Service Control Tray.
  
  
• Clientmode: Don't install Service on this machine
  You can use this option if you want to run the mailservice on a different machine. One scenario could be: the program is installed on your server and uses a networked (shared) data-directory, but you want to access the lists from a client PC. Install the program in clientmode on the client machine and you can administrate the lists from the client, but the mailservice runs on the server.

The mailservice uses the user permissions "local system" by default, but it could be required to change the user permissions for the mailservice. (e.g. the data-dir is on a networked drive, which requires different user permissions to access the database)

Please use the following syntax:
HOSTNAME\username or .\username
DOMAINNAME\username

You can also change the user from Start->System->Administration->Services
Select "MailList Controller" and "Properties". Now change the user.

You can change the settings at any time. To do so, please use item "Program Options" in the main program and click on "Run Program Setup". This will restart the Setup-Wizard and allow you to configure the basic program settings.

Client-Server Installation (for Experts)

The following illustration shows the difference between a single computer installation and the client-mode installation:

MailList Controller runs as a service, which does not require an user being logged in. The service runs in the background and has no user interface. It does most of the work: send out messages, check for incoming messages and update the memberlists.The user interface is only required to administrate the lists, messages and options.

This feature allows you to run the mailservice on your server and the user interface from a client PC. Server and Client will share the data using a shared directory. There is no other connection required.

The following steps are required for a typical client-server installation:

1. Create a "data" directory on a shared network drive.
2. Install MailList Controller on the server and use "Custom Setup".
3. Select the "data" directory. (Use the directory created in Step 1.)
4. Select "Use MailList Controller Database".
5. Select "Run Service at System-Startup" to make sure the service will start automatically.
6. Enter the user and password if the "local system" account has no access to the specified "data" directory on the shared network drive.
7. Click on "Finish". Now the installation on the server is complete.
8. Click on "Exit" to close the user interface on the server.
9. Install MailList Controller on the client and use "Custom Setup".
10. Select the "data" directory (Use the directory created in Step 1.)
11. Select "Use MailList Controller Database".
12. Select "Clientmode: Don't install Service on this machine".
13. Click on "Finish" to complete the installation on the client.

Now the user interface opens on the client PC and the Service Status should display "Client Mode".

Important: The user interface can be used only from one computer at the same time. Its not possible to use the user interface from multiple clients at the same time.