Page updated 1 November 2012
Downloading
the Program
You should obtain the appropriate version of nPOPuk for your hardware from the Downloads page.
Installing
the Program
The ZIP file that you download contains a folder and three files. The files include the program itself, a licence file for a component used in creating nPOPuk and a "readme" text file. The Resource folder contains the icons and toolbars used by the program.
NOTE: If you are upgrading from a version of nPOP (including the early "UK Fixes") you are strongly advised to read Section 3 of the "ReadMe" file.
It used to be recommended that a new "nPOPuk" folder be created within the "Program Files" folder on the C: drive, and these files be copied there. However, since the introduction of Windows Vista and its system file protection measures, it is now suggested that you create this folder within a "Portable Applications" folder within your user area. (The "readme" file can be opened in NOTEPAD. If you follow good practice and store the original ZIP file somewhere safe, the licence and readme files, once read, can be deleted as they not required to run the program.)
Once the program file is in your chosen folder, you should create any desired Desktop icon or Start Menu option by right-dragging on the program icon, and dropping at the required location. A pop-up menu appears and you should select the "Create Shortcuts Here" option.
Your shortcut or menu option will probably have a name such as "Shortcut to nPOPuk.exe". If you wish, you can change this to something like "nPOPuk Mail" by right-clicking over the icon and choosing "Rename", from the pop-up menu.
You now need to run the program to configure it for your use and so complete installation.
Configuring the Program
As the Main Window opens for the first time, it is overlaid with a Welcome dialogue. By default an option on this dialogue is set to use a Setup file to help complete the necessary details for setting up nPOPuk to connect to your email account.
For those used to configuring a mail program, adding accounts manually should be straight forward. Clear the "Use setup file" checkbox before clicking the "OK" button. You will then be taken to the Account Settings dialogue where you can enter the details for your first account. Nevertheless, you are encouraged to read the Mailboxes and Global Options sections of this guide to understand the general scope of the settings and controls available.
Advanced users should also investigate the nPOPuk.ini file, which allows further options to be set, not configurable in any other way. nPOPuk has a range of sophisticated facilities that may not be immediately obvious to a new user so, as with any program, you are urged to read the User Guide in full.
Note that nPOPuk is useful for some more specialist mail tasks. Command Line Options are available that can be used, when launching the program, to start nPOPuk ready to write a new message, with much of the message pre-composed. There's a footnote on the Global options page that provides guidance for those who only wish to use nPOPuk as a Mail Checker (i.e. to confirm the presence of mail on the server).
Important
Note
The nPOPuk.ini file not only holds program settings, but also data about the most recently downloaded mail. Windows' System Restore facility takes regular snapshots of INI files, and depending on the version of Windows and the location of the file that may include nPOPuk.ini. Should your computer develop a problem and a System Restore be executed, the record of each account's transactions with the server may be reset to those applicable at the system restore date, effectively corrupting the file. The simplest solution is to protect the file from reversion, by renaming it (e.g. nPOPuk.xxx) before undertaking a System Restore. Once the restore is completed the nPOPuk.ini file should then be overwritten with your renamed file. However, there is a more sophisticated alternative that requires editing the nPOPuk.ini file.