------------------------------------------------------------------- GenericComm v2.03 Documentation by Matthew Montano ------------------------------------------------------------------- This product is "beerware". It is free, but if you really like it (I doubt it, but), and you actually use it (I do, why not you?), I could always do with some cash to purchase some... This program is copyrighted 1990 by Matthew Montano. Please distribute as wide and as far as possible electronically. You may not charge for this product (that's my right). You may not modify this program without my permission (hell, give credit where credit is due). Inclusion in any other packages and distribution in a non-electronic matter is not permitted, except with the written permission of me (Matthew Montano). ------------------------------------------------------------------ Release Notes GenericComm v2.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------ So this is version 2.03. There will likely be a few more updates to this program, as time sees fit. I would appreciate comments, suggestions, directional statements (I sound like Apple, uh oh), and most of all questions. You can reach me through one of the addresses listed at the end of this document. I do plan to add protocol transfers, moderate GS/OS file and terminal emulations. At the time I write this, no one knows exactly what is happening with the IIGS. Apple has made several statements that products and public announcements are forthcomming, though nothing is concrete yet. Apple's new sound tools are a hit with developers, but when will the average user get to play with them? Will people stop buying Vulcans! They are fast hunks of metal, not unlike the Ford Mustang which is a unsafe at any speed automobile. Believe me, SCSI is the *ONLY* way to go. Apple will screw anyone without SCSI, trust me. System 6? If and when. I believe in the IIgs, it provides an excellent solution for the home user, school and even small business's. It runs lots of software, is of excellent quality and gets reasonable support. It is a far better solution than an IBM compatible, and for the most part a better solution than the expensive Macintosh's currently available. Matthew Montano, Saturday June 6th, 1990. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Version History GenericComm v2.03 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Version 1.0 - Initial release February 10th, 1990. Version 1.01 - Fixed OA-? bug that required the shift key to be pressed. Cleaned up terminal emulation problem that would cause line noise to make the terminal do funny things. Add buffering for saving sessions. Tried the ORCA/C v1.1B9 compiler and found it quite buggy, it didn't compile this code correctly at all. Version 2.00 - Add buffering and dial list editor. Version 2.01 - Commented all source code, uncovered many small bugs, fixed. Version 2.02 - Rewrote parts of dial list editor, using less memory. Version 2.03 - Fixed a weird clear screen bug. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Introduction GenericComm v2.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------ I wrote this program with no more intention than to satisfy a computer science project requirement. It became actually useful at one stage, and this is that stage, so I am letting it loose on you. The second version reflects suggestions from a few users. I would like some more suggestions, in order to make GenericComm a staple in a telecommunicators diet. Don't expect the world, ok? I didn't spend a year writing this program, and it shows. It is a fast though, and to the point quick and dirty terminal program for general usage. In this current version it doesn't support things like: terminal emulations, protocol transfers, GS/OS interaction and file control, and fancy text editors (though I have some of these planned). But GenericComm v1.0 contains the following features: o 65,535 line scroll back o 65,535 line buffer ability o 65,535 line buffer o 255 item dialing list o support for 300,1200,2400,9600,19200bps operation o restartable and in expressload format for fast loading and re-execution This program requires 768k and GS/OS. It should work in 512k, though no promises! ------------------------------------------------------------------ Installation GenericComm v2.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------ There should be three files included in this NuFX archive. GENCOMM.SYS16 GENCOMM.DOC GENCOMM.ICONS One file is the one your reading, the other is the actual program. The file GENCOMM.SYS16 is a GS/OS application and can be launched from any standard GS/OS launcher. The filetype *CAN* be changed to EXE and used from a shell like ORCA or ProSEL's shell. The file GENCOMM.SYS16 can reside anywhere on a valid GS/OS file storage system and will create a file if you use the dialing directory. The file is a standard TXT file called "DIALLIST". The modem port settings should all be defaults except for the second and third last selections, they must be deselected so that the check mark doesn't appear beside them. Without this setting, there can be no communication with the modem whatsoever. The buffering should be enabled at any speed above 2400bps or if you wish not loose characters as you select menus. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Function Explanations GenericComm v2.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------ The following is a list of keys and the functions they perform. Open Apple - ? - HELP! This key combination will present a summary of the commands available for your usage within GenericComm. Open Apple - A - Add a system to the dialing list After pressing this key combination, a blank entry will be added to the Dial List, with default entries. Open Apple - B - Change the current bps connection rate This quick menu list will allow you to change the bps rate at which your communicating with your modem at (and ultimately the online system). It uses the up and down arrow keys to select the bps rate, and return to confirm it. Any other keys will abort the selection process. The current bps rate is displayed in the bottom left corner of the normal screen. Open Apple - D - Dial a system This menu selection allows you to select a system to dial by using your up and down arrow keys. Return will confirm your selection. The dialing list represents the online systems added using the Open Apple - A command. Once confirmed, a second screen, which allows you to edit or dial the item is presented. Editing the entries is hopefully logical. Open Apple - H - Hangup This menu selection will allow you hangup from the foreign system. It will ask you to confirm you intention. Only by pressing return when "Hangup" is highlighted, will the program try and hangup. The hangup is performed by dropping the DTR line to the modem. Some modems have it set so that DTR is always held high, and as a result this command might no work with all modem configurations. Change your modem so that the "computer controls DTR" rather than "modem holds DTR constantly high". This will remedy any hangup problems you may encounter. Open Apple - Q - Quit This quit command does a GS/OS quit command and will mark the GenericComm program as restartable so that if you wished to run this program again, it would load from memory, rather from disk. This command will confirm your desire to leave the program. Open Apple - R - Remove online system from dialing list Removing an online system from a dialing list will delete the entry for good and must be used with caution. No confirmation is made before deleting an entry. Open Apple - C - Turn on or off buffer capture At first, when you select this option, you will be asked to enter a file name to act as the text file buffer of the session. If the file already exists, you will be asked to confirm appendage. Once the buffer is turned on, the status line at the bottom of the screen will indicate that the buffer is on. Pressing the Open Apple - C sequence again will turn off the buffer and save the file. Open Apple - . - Quit This quit command does a ProDos 16 level quit command and will NOT mark GenericComm as restartable. This command can be used to quickly exit back into the shell if the filetype has been changed to an EXE file. Open Apple - Up Arrow - Enter Scroll Back By pressing the above key combination the user will enter the scroll back mode of GenericComm. Once in this mode, the four arrow keys are valid. Left and right arrow keys will move through the scroll back one line at a time, while the up and down arrow keys will move through scroll back at a full page at a time. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Known Bugs and Problems GenericComm v2.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------ I do not know the limit of the dialing list. The limit would either be the limit of the document structure of the 360 TextTool Kit (65000+ entries), or the limit of the actual list structure which is 255 items I believe. I have not tested what happens in low memory situations to the scroll back. Results would depend on the 360 TextTool kit used and how it is coded. The same is applicable to the buffered scroll back when turned on. HST owners: Because of the design of the HST in regards to error checking settings, when entering a dialing string include the following: &m0 for 2400 or lower bps connections &m4 for 9600bps HST connections Since I am using the IIgs built in firmware there are limitations, including that of buffering. The limit on the IIgs firmware buffer is actually quite large, but to keep the code simple at the moment, I have not modified the internal buffer and it is left at 2048 bytes. On an HST connection, when large amounts of text are flowing into your computer, you will see the screen attempting to display text as fast as possible. I guarantee this will be faster in future versions, but for now you will loose characters after the program gets 2048 characters behind the incomming data. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Credits GenericComm v2.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------ This program was compiled in ORCA/C and as a result contains libraries that are copyrighted by The Byte Works. The Byte Works Inc., 4700 Irving Blvd. NW Suite 207, Albuquerque, NM, 87114. This program contains routines from the 360 Text Toolkit by 360 MicroSystems and therefore some code is copyrighted by 360 MicroSystems. 360 MicroSystems, 12272 Fox Hound Lane, Orlando, FL, 32826. (407) 365-6714. This program borrows on John Snow's SERIO library of routines which he has distributed (used with permission). I would like to thank D. Proni from 360 MicroSystems for helping me uncover several bugs and for the general help in using the TextTool kit to my advantage. I would like to thank Martin Hill, for telling me to abandon this project a few times and help him build his dream program. I would also like to thank Parik Rao for being a pest and saying it was too big and how he did this in assembler and it was 4k in length using the GS/OS console device. Parik: HA! I would like to thank Stanley Wong for saying "heh, neat" and being so humble about everything when he actually was quite impressed. :) I can be reached through the following networks: America OnLine: MMontano InterNet: sysop@pro-generic.cts.com UUCP: uunet!cacijl!crash!pnet01!pro-generic!sysop Pro-Generic BBS: 416-237-0308 (ProLine software) (System Administrator) Slow Net: Matthew Montano c/o CompuCentre Sherway Gardens 25 The West Mall Etobicoke, ON, Canada M9C 1B8 Beerware is a trademark of PaperBag Productions (Andy Nicholas author of ShrinkIt and creator of the NuFX). :-) All names are used without permission and are trademarks of their respective companies. Long live the //gs, Toyota MR2's and The Cure.