═══ 1. About LiveWire Communications ═══ LiveWire Communications LiveWire Communications is the 32-bit, mult-threaded text-based tele-communications program for OS/2 2.0 and later. Highly optimized, packed full of features, and yet easy to use, LiveWire is an excellent replacement for DOS communications packages which are unable to take full advantage of OS/2. Features LiveWire's text-based interface is designed to be easy to use and configure, especially for users familiar with other communications software. LiveWire also has many features unavailable in other communications programs. The following is a list of major features incorporated in LiveWire 2.1. o Full ANSI, AVATAR 0+, and VT-100 emulations o REXX script language o BPS rates up to 57,600 without loss of data o High performance jump scroll text output windowed and full screen o Unlimited scroll back buffer o 80 preset modem configurations to choose from o Internal public domain Zmodem-32 o Support for network modems via the named pipe mechanism o Point and shoot dialing directory with superior editing facilities o Macro commands control the actions of most function or alternate keys, and all keys are re-definable o The activation key for any function may be changed using two keystrokes, and the new activation key is updated on the command screen automatically o Automatic detection and installation of external protocols such as Puma, MPt, Lynx, Jmodem, Punter, Bimodem, Super Zmodem, Kermit, and M2Zmodem o External protocols to be installed automatically may also be defined in a simple text file format. If external protocol vendors begin including an auto-install file, installation of a new external protocol could become a trivial task requiring little or no documentation. o Support for Procomm+, Qmodem, Boyan, Telix, and LiveWire keysets. This feature is meant to decrease the time required to learn LiveWire by providing familiar key-command definitions. LiveWire does not attempt to emulate any of these alternate communications programs. o Dialing directory reads and writes Procomm, Qmodem, Boyan, and Telix dialing directories automatically ═══ 2. What's new? ═══ What's new in this Beta-2 New features added in this Beta-2 include: o New phone file format, with longer fields for long-distance dialing. If you are using the old format, use the "coNvert" command in the dialer to convert to the new format! o New "Comment File" field in the dialing directory. This allows you to add comments to any dialing directory entry. Scripts can also access this file for external storage purposes. o Named pipe support. To enable it, you must do two things. First, set your Communications Port to "PIPE." (It is after COM8) Second, supply a pipe name in the port configuration menu. o REXX scripting support. The old scripting language LiveWire used has been removed and replaced with support for OS/2's REXX Procedures Language. LiveWire adds communications-related functions and variables to the REXX environment. o Complete VT-100 support. This implementation of VT-100 was written with the DEC VT Programmer Reference manual as a guide and VTTEST as a testing tool. VT-100 correctly emulates most of the DEC VT-100 features documented. Added in this release are VT-52 mode and character sets. Inter-character VT-100 command pacing has been added as an option. o Optimized communications. Many hours have been spent optimizing LiveWire's communications, display, and file transfer modules. All meet or exceed the performance of LiveWire's OS/2-based competitors. o Options to bring the dialer up on startup, steal focus and pop up a message on connect, ignore carrier detect, and disable or enable sounds. o Command screen has been changed from HOME to CTRL-HOME to prevent conflicts with VT-100. o Support for M2ZModem and CKermit as external protocols. LiveWire will automatically install them if they are in the PATH. ═══ 3. Bugs! ═══ ═══ 3.1. Bug fixes in this version ═══ Bugs fixed in Beta-2: o Upload access violations o Dialer fields too small o Downloads and Uploads take up too much CPU o Work with M2ZMODEM and CKERMIT o New VIO routines sometimes did not display text blocks o Echo fixed o Linefeeds fixed o Exit and Save configuration fixed o ANSI now saves to scroll-back o Scroll back access violations o Scroll back takes up less memory o Memory usage decreased significantly o Fixed file transfer CPS counters o Removed auto-baud rate detection o Blink and color problems ═══ 3.2. Known bugs ═══ Bugs or omitted features we know of and are working on: o Uploads sometimes do not work correctly, depending upon the configuration of the remote host. Older implementations of ZMODEM seem to have a problem with LiveWire's implementation of Zmodem. This may have something to do with flow control, so if you have problems try a lower bps rate. o Script upload/downloads probably don't work yet. o Log still displays the wrong time. o REXX scripting does not include a sub-command handler. Any unknown commands are passed directly to OS/2. This may interfere with LiveWire's display. o There is currently no way to break out of a REXX script. If you get caught in a REXX script that won't exit you must close the LiveWire window. ═══ 3.3. How to report a bug ═══ How to report a bug You may report a bug by postal mail, e-mail, or fax. We also hope to have our bug database online at the DataMirage Support BBS, where you can enter a bug directly. Before sending off the bug make sure you : 1. Read the known bugs list 2. Make a detailed description of the bug 3. Make a detailed set of steps to reproduce the bug 4. If it is important, list hardware information or software setup All bug reports will be read and logged. Depending upon the severity and state of the bug the author may write you back directly. Send bugs to: Les Novell / 585 Hyde Park Drive / San Jose, CA 95136 lnovell@bonnie.ics.uci.edu (for internet) FAX: 714-724-9342 / BBS: 714-856-2071 ═══ 4. Performance tests ═══ Performance testing LiveWire has been performance tested against its direct competitors in the OS/2 market. Its high-performance video routines can are up to 200% faster than standard full screen and windowed applications can achieve. In a test of raw display speed, LiveWire 2.1, TE/2 1.24, and CKermit 5A(189) were made to display a 64k text file at almost 4000cps using VT-100 emulation. LiveWire accomplished this task in 18 seconds, CKermit in 21 seconds, and TE/2 in 32 seconds. Zmodem file transfer tests have shown that throughput in characters per second under LiveWire matches that of M2Zmodem 2.12's. In addition, downloads under LiveWire take significantly less CPU time. The following pulse shows a side-by-side comparison of the CPU usage created when downloading a 100K file at about 1000 characters per second. ═══ 5. Using VT-100 ═══ Using VT-100 To switch to VT-100 emulation, select this VT-100 in the Emulation Configuration menu (ALT-E in the LiveWire keyset). To setup the emulation, move the highlight bar (in the same configuration menu) to "Setup Emulation..." and press ENTER. To change any of the options, move the scroll bar to the option and press ENTER. When you're done editing the setup, press ESC twice to exit. The following is a description of the setup fields: o If YES, backspace will send a DELETE character instead of the standard BS character. This is important for UNIX and VAX systems, which by default must have this enabled. o If YES, backspace will erase the character to its left. Otherwise, the cursor is just positioned over the character to the left. o If Numeric, sends standard ASCII numbers as you type on the keypad. If Application, sends VT-100 specific escape sequences for each keypad key pressed. o If Application, sends the standard VT-100 escape sequences for the arrow keys. Application is the desired setting for UNIX editors, command shells, and utilities. If Normal, sends the cursor-positioning sequences that would normally be sent by a host. o Sets which group of keys send PF escape sequences. This can be switched between NORMAL, ALT, SHIFT, CTRL F1-F4 keys. You may also turn PF keys off. o If this is Yes, LiveWire automatically scrolls when it reaches the right edge of the screen. VT-100 applications normally assume this is not the case, so the default is No. o Sets the pacing (in miliseconds) between bytes of an outgoing VT-100 escape sequence. If your host has trouble interpreting your VT-100 keypad, PF-keys, or arrow keys, try increasing this value. The default is a zero milisecond delay. o Allows you to setup the VT-100 horizontal tabs. Pressing ALT-S while in the tabs menu restores the standard tab configuration. o The message LiveWire should return when it gets the ENQ character. o If yes, answerback messages are sent. ═══ 6. Connecting to UNIX or VMS ═══ UNIX or VMS This section may be helpful for using LiveWire with UNIX or VMS. In UNIX or VMS, use the VT-100 emulation. Select this from the configuration menu, and make sure that your dialing entry for the UNIX or VMS host is set to VT-100. VT-100 will not emulate a VT-102 terminal. Using arrow keys in EMACS or VI is possible. Set your VT-100 emulation Cursor Keys option to "Application." If your UNIX or VMS host seems unable to interpret escape sequences you send, try increasing command pacing, found in the VT-100 emulation setup. Uploads and downloads are problematic sometimes. Make sure that you have a simple binary connection (ie, nobody is filtering out control characters), that you have correct flow control enabled, and that there are no filename problems. ═══ 7. Rexx ═══ Rexx scripting REXX scripting has been introduced in this Beta-2. All REXX scripts written under LiveWire 2.1 Beta-2 have access to any REXX external or internal function. In addition, LiveWire adds its own functions, a subset of which appear in Beta-2. When LiveWire 2.1 is released, a listing of all LiveWire REXX script functions will be documented. Script learning has been modified to write a REXX automated logon. To learn a script, enter a new script name into the Script field in the dialing directory. When you dial this entry it will automatically begin learning your logon procedure. To stop the learn function, read the status line which will contain information on which key to press. Under the LiveWire keyset, the key to stop learn is ALT-L. Anyone with an interest in writing more complex scripts (and therefore needing a complete list of commands) for LiveWire should contact the author via internet email or DataMirage BBS. Note that old LiveWire scripts will no longer execute under LiveWire 2.1 Beta-2. ═══ 8. Using external protocols ═══ External protcols There are two OS/2-based external protocols which LiveWire supports. M2Zmodem, by Michael Walgren, is an excellent shareware Zmodem implementation which supports Zmodem Resume. CKermit is also an excellent Kermit transfer protocol and terminal program. Installing these protocols to work with LiveWire is trivial. First, you must correctly install M2Zmodem or CKermit. This includes setting a PATH _AND_ DPATH to the directories in which they reside. If the PATH and DPATH are not set correctly, these programs will fail to work. Luckily, the install functions they come with should do this for you. Don't forget to reboot after installing them. Next, go into LiveWire's configuration menu and select the "Files" menu. Now select "Transfer Protocols..." A list of protocols should appear, along with an option to "auto-find protocols." Press ENTER while the highlight bar is over that option and LiveWire will find and install M2Zmodem and/or CKermit automatically. ═══ 9. How to order LiveWire ═══ How to order LiveWire 2.1 LiveWire 2.1 ShareWare license agreement This agreement replaces all previous versions of LiveWire Communications license agreements. LiveWire is NOT free software! LiveWire is marketed under the shareware marketing concept. You may use LiveWire for 30 days, after which you are obligated to either register this software or discountinue use of the software. The fee for registration is nominal and brings a lot of benefits. If you register once, you will never have to buy another version of LiveWire. All future versions of LiveWire marketed under the shareware concept can be registered with your serial number -- even if the registration prices go up. You also get free (except for long distance or toll charges) support through the home of LiveWire -- DataMirage Bulletin Board System. By using this software you are agreeing to the above terms. Basic registration is $30 That includes: - Your registration number - Support through mail and the DataMirage BBS Extended registration is $40 That includes: - Your registration number - A registered copy of the latest version of LiveWire - Support through mail and the DataMirage BBS Complete registration is $60 That includes: - Your registration number - A registered copy of the latest version of LiveWire Support through mail and DataMirage BBS - A laser printed manual, identical to the one provided with the 2.1 release to register, mail the registration blank on the following page to: Les Novell 585 Hyde Park Drive San Jose, CA 95136 I'd also like any comments or suggestions on my program you have. Either write me at the address above or at internet address lnovell@bonnie.ics.uci.edu. Registration blank Filling out your name, address, and phone number is a requirement. Your name will be used to personalize your serial number. Name _________________________________ Address _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ Phone # (_____)_________-________________ QUANTITY ( ) $30 Basic Registration = registration # ( ) $40 Extended Registration = registration # + newest version ( ) $60 Complete Registration = registration # + newest version + printed manual SUB TOTAL ________ $5 shipping ________ (USA addresses excluded) + TAX (8.75%) ________ (California residents only!) TOTAL COST ________ I only accept US currency, checks, or US moneyorders. If you send a purchase order, please make it clear where the invoice should be mailed. Please do not send a credit card number. Any comments? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________