*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*››  HOW TO GO OFF-HOOK & ON-LINE WITHOUT ›  SINKING!››  PART V››  By Alan Sharkis, member OL'HACKERS›  A.U.G., NY››      I am going to discuss› telecommunications software today. › I'll limit it to terminal programs› (the ones the callers use; not the› ones the host computer uses.)  If I› can be permitted one tongue-in-cheek› comment, here it is:››      There is only one› telecommunications program for the› Atari (I woudn't go that far! EDITOR)›      8-bit today, and that is BobTerm› 1.2x." (I must admit it is good, but› other terminal programs may have as› many features, so use what suits you› but GET ON LINE! EDITOR)›› Obviously, there are many more Atari› terminal programs around than that,› but I've just let you in on my› favorite.  I'll use it (over the› protests of those who are fans of› other programs) to illustrate what a› communications (or terminal) program› does.  Let's assume that you already› have the necessary hardware; modem,› phone line, interface if neeeded and› cables.  Your modem may have come› with a very simple type-in program to› allow you to call a number and› connect with it.  If that's all you› want to do, fine.  You won't be happy› that way for long.  Sometimes full-› featured terminal programs are› included with modems, but they will› run on an MS-DOS machine, or a Mac,› or an Apple II, not an Atari.  So,› where are you supposed to get a› program?  Well, since most are› shareware, your club library is a› great place to get started (HINT,› HINT!) and it will only cost you a› contribution.  I must urge you to try› several, and send the author of the› one you will use a contribution ASAP. › That way the author will be› encouraged to keep supporting and› improving his work.›› Now, suppose you have a copy of the› latest version of BobTerm.  The last› officially released version is 1.21. › There is a 1.22 which fixes a few› minor bugs that some (not all) users› experience, but it is not an official› release.  Just what does this, or any› terminal program, do for you?  In› brief, it sets up an interface› between you and the› telecommunications process which, if› you've been reading my articles until› now, can be very technical and very› complex.  The terminal program and› the BBS program at the other end make› you feel as though you are› controlling and using the host› computer at the other end; as if it› were yours for the time you're› connected; as if your computer is› just an extension of that big› computer at the other end.  The host› computer could be another 8-bit Atari› like yours, or some other PC, or even› a mainframe; it doesn't matter.  Your› terminal program must work with your› Atari and the DOS it has loaded to› control portions of the Atari's› memory, its drives, it's connection› to the modem, and to control the› modem itself and the data-transfer› process.  Doing all that› automatically, TRANSPARENTLY as far› as you're concerned, is a tribute to› the people who write and beta-test› these programs.  Let's take a look at› BobTerm with the idea that most of› what I say for it is true of other› programs (I just feel that BobTerm› does it better in my system).›› BobTerm needs an Atari 8-bit with 48K› of memory to run.  That shouldn't be› a problem for anyone in this club. › It will run with many of the DOSs› available for the Atari 8-bit, but I› find that it is especially good with› my SDX cartridge.  Some terminal› programs do better with one DOS or› another.  That may influence your› decision about which one to choose. › If you use an RS-232 interface (such› as a P: R: or an 850), two serial› ports are supported.  Because of› that, I have configured BobTerm› differently on two separate disks.  I› have one set for 2400 baud (the speed› of my modem) and R1: (which goes to› my modem). The other disk has it› configured for R2: which is attached› to a null-modem cable that is› connected to my MS-DOS machine so› they can transfer files to each› other.  This disk has BobTerm set at› 9600 baud, the fastest rate that the› P: R: connection will pass.  If I had› an MIO or a Black Box, I could go to› twice that!  The flexibility allows› me to keep all cables connected and› all I need to do is select the› version I need at the moment and boot› it.›› It is most convenient for your› terminal program to come in the form› of a boot disk.  Usually they don't,› because you have to decide on which› DOS you like, which handlers you› need, and which, if any, extra› modules you need to load with the› terminal program to add additional› features.  Handlers are short› machine-language programs that› prepare the serial ports and modems› for operation.  The terminal program› must work with a variety of handlers,› since different direct-connect modems› and interfaces require different› handlers.  What's more, some direct-› connect modems and interfaces have› this program stored in their rom› chips and they must load› automatically at the right time and› into the right memory space.  The› terminal program must be "smart"› enough to allow for this.  BobTerm› does all of this automatically for› many combinations, but must be "told"› how to do it for some of them the› first time you use it.  After that,› it's all automatic and requires no› help from you unless you change› equipment.  Other terminal programs› do the same thing.  Be prepared to do› a little work the first time you run› the program.›› I know of one program that runs in› BASIC (Amodem), but all others are› machine language and require that› BASIC is disabled and no other› language cartridges are present. › Most programs will automatically› disable BASIC as they load.›› There are several parameters that› have to be set up before you can› communicate successfully.  There is,› in any program that I have used, a› way to do this globally, but to› override some of those settings for› specific boards that you might call› when this is necessary.  BobTerm› allows you to set some of these› globally from a menu, but then change› them automatically when dialing a› specific board from a dialing list. › That way, should you choose to dial› manually, the global default is in› effect.  Speaking o menus, BobTerm› calls the first menu you see a "help"› menu.  Commands are somewhat› mnemonic; the letter you press is the› first letter of the function you are› selecting in many cases.›› You will want to contact a variety of› systems.  If they are running on an› Atari 8-bit, you might want to select› the ATASCII translation.  That way,› you can view ATASCII graphics and› cartoons on line, and make it easy to› transfer text files that have been› prepared with an Atari 8-bit.  More› universal, however, is the ASCII› translation.  Both of these› translations are built into all of› the terminal programs I have seen. › BobTerm, and others, also offer VT-52› and DEC VT-520.  Parity refers to a› way that each byte of data is checked› for accuracy of transmission.  It can› be Mark, Space, Even, Odd, or None. › The setting of 8 data bits, no› paraity, one stop bit (8N1) is most› common, but some services and boards› use 7 data bits, even parity and one› stop bit (7E1).  You may have to› experiment a bit for each board you› call, but start with 8N1.  BobTerm› automatically sets the correct parity› when a specific translation is› selected.›› The baud rate is usually selected› globally but can be set for specific› boards that you call from the dialing› list.  If you set it globally to the› highest baud setting your modem can› handle, and the other computer runs› at a lower baud setting, your modem› should adjust to the lower rate upon› connection.  Sometimes this doesn't› happen, so you have the flexibility› of the dialing list settings.  › When you select full duplex,› everything you type first is sent to› the host computer and then echoed› back to appear on your screen. › That's the most usual way to set› duplex.  However, some systems may› want you to use half-duplex.  If› nothing appears on your screen as you› type while connected, change to half-› duplex.  If you are in half-duplex› and everything you type becomes› ddoouubblleedd, switch to full-duplex› to cure it.  Some terminal programs› contain other variations of these› modes, but they are seldom used in› communicating with a BBS or an› information system.  A good terminal› program also allows you to choose to› instruct your modem to usepulse or› touchtone dialing.  If you have› touchtone in your home, and your› modem can use it, by all means use› it, since it is faster and more› feature-laden.  Curiously enough,› Bobterm selects this feature not from› its "help" menu, but from its dialing› menu.›› You should be able to get your› dialing menu from the main menu, and› BobTerm's "Help" menu serves as a› main menu.  You should also be able› to get the modem to "originate" a› call to a user who is using a› terminal, not a BBS program and to› "autoanswer" a call from such a user. › It is also convenient to have a› simple way of "hanging up" on the› call without resorting to special› codes typed in on the terminal› screen.  Most terminal programs can› do all of the above.›› A dialing menu of some type really› automates the calling process.  Names› and numbers of the various systems› you will call frequently are entered› into a list, along with baud, parity,› and other settings.  You can also› tack on special "macros" (key› combinations to send) with most› terminal programs.  When the list is› completed and saved, it will› automatically load in with the› program the next time it is used. › You should be able to save several› lists, although only one default list› will automatically load with the› program.  The menu will allow you to› edit, add, delete, or simply view an› entry and save the revised list under› the same or a different filename.  It› should allow you to "tag" one or more› entries and upon another keystroke,› dial them in order until one answers. › At the end of that call, the tag will› be removed and you can then start the› autodialing process again.  The menu› should also allow you to dial a› number manually.  This is important› if you want to "try" a BBS, but don't› want to add it to your list until you› have decided if you like it.  By the› way, all lists have a fixed capacity› for numbers.  That's where the› ability to load in a second, third,› etc., list comes in handy.›› It may be important to get a› permanent record of a "conversation"› you had on line, or of a text file› that you are reading on-line.  To› that end, most terminal programs› include a facility called a "Capture› Buffer".  From the moment that you› turn this feature on until it fills› up, all of what you and the host› computer transmit is saved in a slice› of your computer's memory.  You then› have the choice of dumping it to a› disk, or discarding it.  Some› programs allow you to dump it to a› printer.  Be warned, however, that› this buffer is lost when you turn off› the computer, and that you may need› to fill it again before it is saved› if you need to capture from another› call.  I have seen many programs for› other computers that also have a› "scrollback" buffer.  This second› buffer echoes the first, and allows› you to scroll backwards, for as much› memory as it will hold, through your› entire session.  Of all the features› that other machines offer in their› various terminal programs, this is› the one that I miss on the Atari› because, to my knowledge, it is not› present in any Atari terminal› program.›› A terminal program should be able to› take you back to DOS and in again› without losing your call.  Some DOS› commands should be possible from› within the terminal program.  Disk› directories certainly come to mind› here.  The program  should also allow› you to set it for such things as› screen color, special windows,› joystick control of some functions,› and be able to accept some "hot-key"› commands defined by the user.›› File transfer is the next item that› should be considered.  When you› receive a file from a host computer,› you are downloading.  When you send a› file to a host computer, you are› uploading.  Like the capture buffer› process described above, your› computer can take a file that is› transmitted and save it to disk. › However, with a file receive, this› buffer should empty itself to disk› and refill without losing a single› byte.  The file send-receive buffer› will be smaller than the capture› buffer, but if it has a variable size› that you can select, try to make it› big enough to cut down on disk drive› starts and stops but not big enough› to interfere with memory needed for› other program functions.  If the size› of the buffer automatically adjusts› to other memory usage, the compromise› is usually a good one and you won't› have to do a thing with it.  Files› are sent and received using a number› of protocols.  The first one, in all› of its variations, is termed "ASCII". › It provides no error checking.  The› pacing of transmission is variable,› and must be set according to the› needs of your system and the host's› system.  I don't like it, and will› not suggest that you do more than try› it once to see how it works.  XMODEM,› or Christiansen, is a protocol that› sends a file in blocks of 128 bytes,› followed by a checksum.  If the› checksum received matches the one› calculated by your computer from the› data in the block, it is assumed that› the block was transmitted and› received without error, and the next› block is sent.  If not, the block is› retransmitted a number of times› before the program aborts the› transmission.  Telephone line noise› can actually interfere with the› accuracy of transmission, so this› scheme was very welcome when it first› appeared.  It has been improved in› CRC XMODEM, which brings in a more› elaborate checking system.  1K-XMODEM› introduces 1024-byte blocks for› faster throughput, and should be used› unless there is considerable line› noise.  If you encounter a series of› "bad blocks" when using this› protocol, try the transfer again with› CRC-XMODEM.  Then there's YMODEM,› which can be very handy, if both your› program and the host computer's› program support it.  This protocol› allows you or the host to send› several files with no intervention by› you between files.  The actual› arrangement varies with each caller-› host system, so I won't go into› detail about it here.  To be sure,› there are other protocols for other› machines that have decided advantages› over these.  Some day they might be› supported for Atari 8-bits as well,› but until they are, understand that› what we have are really the most› commonly-used protocols for any› machine.  Also, understand that› unless a protocol is machine-specific› (and few are) it can be used to› transfer files prepared ON any› computer FROM any computer TO any› computer (did you follow that?).  The› Apple, or IBM, or C64 files might not› run on your Atari, but your Atari can› save them and transfer them to any› other machine.›› x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x›