ISS Black Hole FAQ

1. Can I decode UUE, MIME or yEnc encoded file from my HDD?
2. Can I generate download log file and in which format?
3. After downloading ISS Black Hole, I attempted to start the program.
The following messages appears:
"The dynamic link library RASAPI32.dll could not be found in the specified path C:\Program Files\ISS\ISS Black Hole". What is problem here?
4. Can I run ISS Black Hole under Windows NT?
5. ISS Black Hole seems like something I would like to use. However, I do not wish to leave a record of what I may, or may not, view or download. Does ISS Black Hole address this problem?
6. Is filter case sensitive?
7. Can I download and decode some other type of files (not just pictures) from Usenet, for example *.waw?
8. How can I preserve my old program info (history, black lists...)when I am installing new version of ISS Black Hole?
9. Sometimes some decoded pictures are not showed in the list of downloaded
pictures. Is this a bug?
 

1. Can I decode UUE, MIME or yEnc encode file from my HDD?

Yes, you can. Just go to Menu -> File -> Decode file... , select file to decode and press "Open" button. Decoded file will be saved to same directory where encoded file was.

2. Can I generate download log file and in which format?

Yes, you can. Just check "Save progress log" check box either in "Groups" or in "Download list" window. You can chose between two file formats: "txt" or "html". Files are saved in “Logs†directory inside ISS Black Hole install directory (by default: “C:\program files\iss\iss black hole\ logsâ€).

3. After downloading ISS Black Hole, I attempted to start the program.
The following messages appears:
"The dynamic link library RASAP132.dll could not be found in the specified path C:\Program Files\ISS\ISS Black Hole". What is problem here?

You are probably working on Windows NT without Dial up networking installed. There are two ways to solve this problem:
First: you can install dial up networking, or
Second: Download special NT version from our web site and follow installation instructions.

4. Can I run ISS Black Hole under Windows NT?

Yes, you can but you may experience some difficulties. Check FAQ No.3.

5. ISS Black Hole seems like something I would like to use. However, I do not wish to leave a record of what I may, or may not, view or download. Does ISS Black Hole address this problem?

Well, it depends from which side of network you want to protect your  privacy.
If you want to protect your privacy from server point of view it depends  only about your I

Internet and Usenet provider. They can know when did you log on Internet, when did you log on Usenet server, which groups and articles did you requested, and when did you log off.
ISS Black Hole keeps records about news groups which you had access to, pictures which you have downloaded and organizations and person which you did put on your Black List for download. But this info is stored only on your hard disk drive (HDD) and is used from program itself for your convenience.
Here is list of files which are generated by program and short description of them. All files are *.txt (standard windows text files format) and can be viewed, edited (not recommended!) and deleted.

bh.ini -used for storing data about program settings
blfrom.txt    -Black list for personal addresses
blorg.txt    -Black list for organizations
cmdirs.txt    -History list of dirs for copy / move
grall.txt    -List of all downloaded groups
grselect.txt    -List of selected groups for download
msgs.txt -Accessed groups with number of last article retrieved -Used when accessing same group next time not to download same articles twice.
pics.txt -History list of all pictures downloaded -used for comparing names when options "Use history list" is selected

There is not ANY program data stored in registry, just some windows system stuff (install info).
If you want to protect somebody from accessing to list of files you had downloaded from news server(s) all you have to do is to delete all files above and there is no other way to retrieve all this data from your computer. But then program wont know anything about your previous work so it could download same articles again, download articles from organizations which you dislike or download same articles from various
groups (that is very common, to send same articles on various groups). All this files are placed in directory where ISS Black Hole is installed. By default this is
"C:\Program Files\ISS\ISS Black Hole\*.*"
or just search where "black.exe" file is placed.

6. Is filter case sensitive?

Yes it is.

7. Can I download and decode some other type of files (not just pictures) from Usenet, for example *.waw?

Yes, you can. First you should find appropriate Usenet group, and then just start download. Program will extract all files from that group  (music, movies, executable files...).

8. How can I preserve my old program info (history, black lists...)when I am installing new version of ISS Black Hole?

If you want to preserve your old download info, copy this files from  directory that contains "Black.exe" to your temp directory before you  install new version of ISS Black Hole. Then uninstall old version,  install new version and copy files back to directory that contains  "Black.exe". Default install directory is:

c:\program files\iss\iss black hole

Files to copy:
-blfrom.txt
-blorg.txt
-grall.txt
-grselect.txt
-msgs.txt
-pics.txt


9. Sometimes some decoded pictures are not showed in the list of downloaded pictures. Is this a bug?

It is not. There is no way program can really know that there is a picture in the news message. If in subject of the message is written that there is a picture program will try to download that message and then decode it's contents. If there is something else then a picture file will be saved to your HDD in your selected downloaded directory. If it is not a picture program will NOT show it in list of download pictures (if filter is applied). Check you HDD to see what have you downloaded or remove filer. Be careful, *.exe files can contain viruses!