Composing an EaSecure message using a plug-in

If you use an EaSecure plug-in for your email program, you can compose an EaSecure message in exactly the same way you compose an ordinary email message. However, you must select HTML format if you want to enter rich text or Unicode. EaSecure supports HTML and Unicode text but not Rich Text Format (RTF).

Composing an EaSecure message using the standalone client

You can compose a message using the standalone client in compose mode. The standalone client will be in compose mode if you start it without opening any EaSecure message. You can get to compose mode after you have opened an EaSecure message by clicking any of the "New," "Reply," "Reply All," and "Forward" buttons.

In compose mode, you can select the "From:" email address, specify recipients, edit the message, attach files, and send the message out. The following picture shows the standalone client in compose mode.

The field labeled "From:" shows your email address for sending out the EaSecure message. If you have several email addresses enabled to send EaSecure messages (the email addresses that have keys on the current computer), you may click the arrow at the end of the "From:" field to select a different email address for sending the message. The "Properties" button next to the "From:" field allows you to specify the SMTP server the standalone client should use to send out EaSecure messages from the selected email address.

To specify recipients, you may type the recipient's email address in the field labeled "To:", "Cc:", or "Bcc:". You may enter multiple recipients by separating each email address with a comma (",") or semicolon (";"). The current version of the EaSecure standalone client does not have an address book. However, it does keep a list of email addresses it has encountered. You may click the label "To:", "Cc:", or "Bcc:" to show a list of email addresses the standalone client has kept, and select one or more email addresses from the list to be entered into the corresponding field. Recipients entered into the "Bcc:" field will receive a copy of the message but their email addresses will not be shown in the copies sent to other recipients.

To edit the message, you may type the title of the message into the field labeled "Subject:" (please note: the subject will NOT be encrypted. DO NOT put any sensitive information on the subject line), and type the message text in the text input area below the "Subject" field. You may use the , , and buttons or the menu items under "Edit" menu to edit the message text. The standalone client also provides a wealth of format tools to let you select various font styles, sizes, and colors, justify text, enter numbered lists or bullets, create hyperlinks, etc. These tools are under the "Format" menu and on the Format Tool Bar:

The standalone client supports Unicode. Feel free to enter any Unicode text of any language in the text area.

To attach files to the message, click the button or select "Insert Attachment" under the "Attach" menu. A dialog box will popup to let you selected the file(s) to be attached. The attached file(s) will be shown in a field labeled "Attach:". The file name of the attachments can also be in Unicode. Please be aware that if the recipient's system or email client does not support Unicode file names, the attachment files may be renamed when the message is decrypted. However, the content of the files and file types (file extensions) will stay intact.

To send the message out, click .