in fig1 there is shown a schematic diagram of a data processing system 11 , upon which the present invention can be practiced . the data processing system 11 includes plural individual computers 13 which are connected together in a local area network ( lan ) 15 . in addition , one or more computers 14 are connected to the lan 15 by way of a communications link 16 . each computer 13 includes a user interface , which has a display screen 17 and a keyboard 19 . each computer 13 may also be coupled to a storage device 21 and to a printer or output device 23 . one or more of such storage devices 21 may be utilized , in accordance with the present invention , to store applications or resource objects which may be periodically accessed by any user within the data processing system 11 . the data processing system 11 may also include a mainframe computer 25 that is coupled to one of the computers by a communication link 27 . the mainframe computer 25 may also be coupled to a storage device 29 which may serve as a remote storage for the computers . the data processing system 11 has the elements necessary for sending distributions between various computers 13 , 14 , 25 . a distribution can be electronic mail , a message , a document , a note , etc . thus , a user of one computer ( for example computer 13 ) is able to compose a distribution and send it to a recipient user on another computer ( for example computer 14 ). the present invention checks each distribution before it is sent for a specified content , and if found , sets a specified acknowledgement option for the distribution . when the distribution arrives at its destination , the acknowledgement option causes an acknowledgement to be implemented . for example , if the acknowledgement option is of the confirmation of delivery to recipient type , then the acknowledgement will be implemented upon the recipient opening the distribution . implementation involves sending the acknowledgement message or signal back to the sender . the present invention allows a sender to select the content of a distribution which will trigger the setting of an acknowledgement option , as well as selection of the type of acknowledgement option . the method of the present invention will now be described , referring to the flow charts of fig2 and 3 . in the flow charts , the following graphical conventions are observed : a rectangle or parallelogram for either a process , function or screen display and a diamond for a decision . these conventions are well understood by programmers skilled in the art of data processing and user interfaces and the flow charts are sufficient to enable a programmer skilled in the art to write code in any suitable computer programming language , such as basic , pascal or c for a computer such as the ibm personal system / 2 ( ps / 2 ) family of computers which support these languages . the flow chart of fig2 illustrates the method of registering the contents of a distribution which are to be searched for . when a distribution is sent , the flow chart of fig3 searches the distribution for one or more of the registered contents , and if found , sets an acknowledgment option . referring to fig2 the method of registering content will be described . a user who wishes to add , change or delete content starts the computer , step 31 and selects the appropriate software to configure the contents , step 33 . in the preferred embodiment , the contents that are configured are in the form of strings such as &# 34 ; confidential &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; due date &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; do immediately &# 34 ;, or &# 34 ; john jones &# 34 ; ( who may be a particular designee or recipient ). in step 35 , the list or table of currently configured strings is displayed to the user on the screen 17 . if the user is configuring strings for the first time , the list may be empty unless there are provided default strings . a user can customize the list to serve the user &# 39 ; s individual needs . if the list is too long to be displayed at one time , then the user can scroll the list on the display . in step 37 , the method waits for an input from the user . the user uses the keyboard 19 , mouse , or other input device . once a user input has been received , the method determines the type of input . step 39 determines if the user input is to quit the registration process . step 41 determines if the user input is to add a string . step 43 determines if the user input is to change a string . step 45 determines if the user input is to delete a string . if the user input is something else , then the method loops back to step 37 to await another user input . if the user input is to quit , then the result of step 39 is yes , and the method proceeds to step 47 , wherein the method stops . if the result of step 39 is no , the user does not wish to quit , then the method proceeds to step 41 . in step 41 , the method determines if the user input is to add a string . if the result of step 41 is yes , the user wishes to add a string , then the method proceeds to step 49 . in step 49 , the type of acknowledgement option is set to a default . in the preferred embodiment , the default type of acknowledgement option is a confirmation of delivery ( cod ) to a recipient . this type of acknowledgement option sends an acknowledgement when the recipient opens the distribution . in step 51 , the user enters the string which is to be added . then , in step 53 , the method determines if the type of acknowledgement option or cod option is to be changed . this is achieved by displaying a message to the user and waiting for an input . if the result of step 53 is yes , then the method proceeds to step 55 , wherein the user changes the cod option . for example , the user could change the cod option to a cod to a server , wherein the acknowledgement is sent when the distribution is received by the recipient server . the method then proceeds back to step 35 to display the updated list . if the result of step 53 is no , then the method proceeds directly to step 35 . if the result of step 41 is no , the user does not wish to add a string , then the method proceeds to step 43 . in step 43 , the method determines if the user wishes to change a string . if the result of step 43 is yes , then the method proceeds to step 57 , wherein the user selects from the list the string which is to be changed . in step 59 , the user changes the string by providing the string information . the user changes the string by using the keyboard 19 and by observing the screen 17 . after step 59 , the method proceeds to step 53 , wherein the user can change the cod option that is associated with the amended string . the updated list of configured strings is then displayed , step 35 . if the result of step 43 is no , the user does not wish to change a string , then the method proceeds to step 45 . in step 45 , the method determines if a string is to be deleted . if yes , the method proceeds to step 61 to determine if any strings exist in the list . if the result of step 61 is yes , then the method proceeds to step 63 , wherein the user selects the string or strings from the list which are to be deleted . then , in step 65 , the selected string or strings are deleted . after deletion , the method returns to step 35 to display the updated list . if the result of step 61 is no , no strings exist , then the user is given an error message , step 67 . the method then returns to step 37 to await a user input . referring now to fig3 the automatic acknowledgement option setting method will be described . a user composes a mail distribution and then commands the data processing system to send the distribution . before the distribution is sent to the recipient by the data processing system , the data processing system executes the method of fig3 . the method starts , step 71 , and determines that a mail distribution is sent , step 73 . for example , when a distribution is sent by the user , an interrupt could be generated , which interrupt serves to execute the method of fig3 . in step 75 , the method determines if there are any strings to check for . the method looks in the list of registered contents , which was configured by the method of fig2 to determine if there are any strings that should be checked for . if there are no strings in the list of registered criteria , then the system sends the mail distribution , step 77 and the method stops , step 79 . if step 75 determines yes , there are strings to be checked for in the distribution , then the method proceeds to step 81 to get the next ( or first ) string . the method obtains the string for the list of registered contents . the method also obtains from the list the type of acknowledgement option or confirmation of delivery option that is associated with the string . in step 83 , the method determines if the string from the list is in the distribution . the method searches the attributes and contents of the distribution for the particular string . if the result of step 83 is yes , that is the distribution contains the particular string , then the method proceeds to step 85 . in step 85 , the method sets the confirmation of delivery ( cod ) option to the setting that is associated with the particular string . after step 85 , the method returns to step 75 to determine if the list of registered contents has another string to check for . likewise , if the method cannot find the string in the distribution , a no result in step 83 , then the method returns to step 75 . if there are additional strings to search for , a yes result from step 75 , then the method repeats steps 81 - 85 , wherein the next string is obtained from the list of registered contents , the distribution is searched to find the string , and if the string is found , then the acknowledgement option is set . if there are no additional strings to check for , a no result from step 75 , then the system sends the distribution to the recipient , step 77 . as an example , the string &# 34 ; confidential &# 34 ; is the next string in the list of registered contents . the acknowledgement option associated with &# 34 ; confidential &# 34 ; is cod - recipient . in step 81 , the method gets &# 34 ; confidential &# 34 ; and its acknowledgement option of cod - recipient from the list . in step 83 , the method searches the entire distribution for &# 34 ; confidential &# 34 ;. if the method finds &# 34 ; confidential &# 34 ;, then it sets the acknowledgement option to cod - recipient . the method then loops back to step 75 to determine if there are any additional strings to search for . if there are no additional strings to search for , then the system sends the mail distribution , step 77 . continuing with the example , when the recipient of the distribution ( which contains &# 34 ; confidential &# 34 ;) opens the distribution , then an acknowledgement message is sent to the sender based upon the cod - recipient attribute that is associated with the distribution . referring back to fig2 when the user configures string criteria , the user is not limited to single strings . plural strings , along with operators or conditions , can be configured . for example , the user can configure the following : string1 or string2 , wherein string1 and string2 are selected strings such as &# 34 ; confidential &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; secret &# 34 ;, respectively . thus , when the method of fig3 searches a distribution in step 83 , if either string1 or string2 are found , then the appropriate acknowledgement option will be set . other operators can be used as well , such as and , exclusive or , nand , nor and not . as another example , the following string configuration could be put into the list of registered criteria : ( string1 or string2 ) and string3 and ( not string4 ). if in step 83 , the conditions are met in the distribution , then an acknowledgement option will be set . as another example , the user can enter the name of a recipient , such as &# 34 ; xyz company &# 34 ; in the list of registered contents , using the method of fig2 . thus , whenever the user sends a distribution to xyz company , the user need only include the company &# 39 ; s name in the distribution to be assured that an acknowledgement option will be set . this is easily done by addressing the distribution &# 34 ; to : xyz company &# 34 ;. the user can manually set an acknowledgement option with the present invention . upon the user sending the distribution , the method of fig3 executes . the foregoing disclosure and the showings made in the drawings are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense .