Boldly Go Collection

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Boldly Go Collection / version40.iso / TS / 05B / THP100.ZIP / TINYHOST.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1992-04-22 | 83.1 KB | 2,045 lines

TINYHOST V 3.00 April 21, 1992 Copyright (C) 1991 by Bruce A. Krobusek A small, personal, Host / BBS program for IBM PC's and compatibles Created by : Bruce A. Krobusek 5950 King Hill Drive Farmington, NY 14425 CompuServe : 74106,1335 GEnie : B.KROBUSEK 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 What is TinyHost? 1 1.2 Why TinyHost? 2 1.3 What is a SysOp? 2 1.4 Quick Start 2 2.0 INSTALLATION and SETUP 3 2.1 Host System Requirements 3 2.2 Connecting System Requirements 3 2.3 Installation of TinyHost 3 2.4 Running TinyHost 4 2.5 Modem Requirements 4 2.6 Modifying the TINYHOST.CFG File 5 2.6.1 Descriptor Summary 5 2.6.2 Communications Specific Descriptors 6 BAUD 6 CARRIER 6 HANGUP 6 INIT 6 ISDN 7 PORT 7 RESET 7 RINGBACK 7 2.6.3 General Descriptors 7 ACCESS 7 BOOT 8 CHAT 8 CHDIR 8 EVENT 8 EXTERNAL 8 LOG 8 OVERWRITE 8 SHELL 9 START 9 SYSOP 9 UPLOAD 9 USER 9 VIEW 9 2.7 Setting up Access Levels 10 2.8 Customizable Display Files 11 3.0 OPERATION 12 3.1 Ringback Operation 12 3.2 TinyHost Operation 12 3.3 File Oriented Commands 14 3.3.1 File Transfers 14 3.3.2 Changing Directories 14 3.3.3 List Directory 15 3.3.4 Typing out a File 15 3.4 Message Commands 15 3.4.1 Reading Messages 15 3.4.2 Entering a Message 16 3.4.3 Editing a Message 16 3.4.4 Killing (Deleting) Messages 17 3.4.5 Viewing User List 17 3.5 Miscellaneous Commands 17 3.5.1 Expert Mode 17 3.5.2 Operator Page 18 3.5.3 Shelling-to-DOS 18 3.5.2 Executing a Warm Boot 18 3.6 Command Chaining 18 3.7 User Inactivity and Disconnects 19 4.0 ADVANCED TOPICS 19 4.1 General Notes 19 4.2 ISDN Support 19 4.3 External Protocols 20 4.4 Shelling-to-DOS 21 5.0 TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS 21 5.1 General Comments 22 5.2 System Hang (Lockup) 22 5.3 Error in User Account 22 5.4 Modem Fails Reset 22 5.5 Modem Fails Initialization 23 5.6 Phone Call Not Answered 23 5.7 Garbage After Connect 23 5.8 Immediate Connect and Logoff 23 5.9 Garbage During Logon 23 5.10 Added Message Not Displayed 24 5.11 TinyHost Doesn't Hangup 24 6.0 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION 24 6.1 What is Shareware? 24 6.2 Distributing TinyHost 25 6.3 License Information 25 6.4 Warranty Information 25 6.5 Program Support 25 6.6 New User Logons 26 6.7 Message File Format 27 6.8 Logging User Activity 27 6.9 Using TinyHost with DesqView 28 6.10 Known Program Limits 28 6.11 TinyHost Plus 28 Brand and product names used throughout this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 What is TinyHost? TinyHost is a small, personal, Host / BBS program I have developed for IBM PC's and compatibles. It permits the transfer of files (using modems) between two computers without the requirements or overhead of other programs, particularly the full-fledged BBS programs. TinyHost has the following features: * Operation can be via COM1, COM2, COM3, or COM4 using a Hayes compatible modem, and at rates of 300 to 38.4K bps. * Supports XModem, XModem/CRC, and 1K-XModem (sometimes called YModem) as internal file transfer protocols. * Up to 6 external file transfer protocols can be implemented. * Supports up to 25 users with 11 security levels. * Supports Ringback mode, which permits easy use of a voice phone line for data communications. * A text file that resides on the host system can be viewed without downloading. * Supports Personal and Public mail, and SysOp Comments. * The actions of a remote user are echoed to the local screen. * Unauthorized users are not able to logon to TinyHost. * Using the security level feature, access can be restricted to one directory or the entire system can be available. * An Operator Chat function exists to permit the local operator to chat on-line with the remote user. * Shelling-to-DOS while connected remotely can be permitted. * Support has been added for ISDN phone systems. * Uploads can be restricted to a minimum security level. * User activity can be logged to a file. * TinyHost performs a self-check on execution to ensure that it has not been tampered with by, for instance, a virus. * TinyHost is just that - tiny! The executable file is less than 90K, and the program only requires approximately 140K of system RAM to run in. Page 1 Your version of TinyHost should include the following files: THOSTxxx.EXE - TinyHost's executable. The xxx refer to the version number of the program TINYHOST.DOC - The TinyHost manual in printer ready form (PRINT TINYHOST.DOC) TINYHOST.WEL - A sample welcome file TINYHOST.CFG - A sample configuration file THREMOTE.BAT - Sample batch file for Shell-to-DOS ZMXMIT.BAT - Batch file for DSZ ZModem downloads ZMRCV.BAT - Batch file for DSZ ZModem uploads REGISTER.FRM - Ready-to-print registration form (PRINT REGISTER.FRM) HISTORY.TXT - A file describing the release history of TinyHost READ.ME - A short text file describing TinyHost IN-NODE.LST - A text file with a list of all current Intelec nodes (BBSes) 1.2 Why TinyHost? Why did I create TinyHost? I needed a method to transfer files with friends without hassle. I also found that, since I use computers at work and at home, I was constantly leaving needed files at one location or another, which resulted in duplicated (or lost) effort. TinyHost is also ideal for the company that needs to keep in touch with remote employees, such as a sales force. With the file transfer and message capability, it is easy to provide a single transfer point for up-to-date information. TinyHost was written using Borland's C++, and consumes approximately 140K bytes of memory space when running. The small memory requirements, along with the small .EXE and other associated files, permits even floppy-disk based systems to be used for TinyHost operation. 1.3 What is a SysOp? When the term SysOp is used in this manual it refers to the person who installs TinyHost on his computer (you), decides who can logon to his system, and what directories they are able to access. 1.4 Quick Start It is recommended that the manual be read before trying to use TinyHost. However, it is always tempting to fire up a new program to see how it works. To print out the manual and registration form, simply enter PRINT TINYHOST.DOC and PRINT REGISTER.FRM at your DOS command prompt. Page 2 Here is a summary of what must be changed (at a minimum) to get TinyHost to work. First, the following comments assume that the target system has a hard disk (Drive C), and that TinyHost will have its own directory. Create a directory called TINYHOST in the root (main) directory of the hard disk (C:\TINYHOST). Then create a sub- directory called BIN within the TINYHOST directory (C:\TINYHOST\BIN). Copy the THOSTxxx.EXE, TINYHOST.CFG, and TINYHOST.WEL files to the C:\TINYHOST\BIN subdirectory. Then move to this directory. Using an ASCII editor (even EDLIN will do), edit the TINYHOST.CFG file as follows: set the PORT descriptor to the serial port that the modem is connected to (1, 2, 3, or 4). Set the BAUD descriptor to the initial data rate of the modem, usually the fastest speed of the modem (valid values are 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 7600, 9600, 14400, 19200, or 38400). Finally, edit one of the default USER accounts (or create a new one) and create an account with your name, a password, and your security level (8 or 9 is adequate). Exit your editor and save all of these changes. To run TinyHost, simply enter THOSTxxx.EXE at the DOS prompt and, after a few seconds of setup, TinyHost should respond with its standby screen while it waits for a call. 2.0 INSTALLATION and SETUP 2.1 Host System Requirements TinyHost does not need an elaborate system in order to be used. A minimal system would consist of a single floppy drive, 256K RAM, any type of display, a serial port, and a Hayes compatible modem. TinyHost supports COM1-4 using the normal hardware interrupts for each port (IRQ4 for COM1 and COM3; IRQ3 for COM2 and COM4). 2.2 Connecting System Requirements Any type of system and communications package should work with TinyHost. Communications requirements are 8 bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit. 2.3 Installation of TinyHost It is recommended that TinyHost be installed in its own sub- directory. The directory that holds THOSTxxx.EXE is called the "execution directory", and it is here that the .CFG and other TinyHost specific files should be kept. Only two files are needed for operation - THOST.EXE and TINYHOST.CFG. Specific information as to the expected config file format follows in section 2.6. Please remember that user accounts MUST be created prior to using TinyHost - the program does not permit new user logon! Page 3 For security reasons, it is STRONGLY suggested that the TinyHost execution directory be different from the start-up directory! 2.4 Running TinyHost To start TinyHost, move to the execution directory and type "THOSTxxx", where the 'xxx' refers to the version number of TinyHost. 2.5 Modem Requirements TinyHost expects a modem that supports the Hayes compatible command set and ASCII return codes. Because of the many different modem configurations (switch settings) there would be no point in attempting to provide a definitive setup for each. However, I can describe what TinyHost expects - refer to the manual for your modem to see how to make it fit these needs. Most modems support two types of result codes - numeric values (non-verbose) and ASCII strings (verbose). TinyHost expects to receive verbose result codes of the following types: OK - Informs the host that the modem has executed the command string successfully. RING - Informs the host that an incoming call has been detected. CONNECT - Denotes that the modem has made a 300 bps connection. CONNECT 1200 - A 1200 bps connection. CONNECT 2400 - A 2400 bps connection. CONNECT 4800 - A 4800 bps connection. CONNECT 7200 - A 7200 bps connection. CONNECT 9600 - A 9600 bps connection. CONNECT 14400 - A 14.4K bps connection. CONNECT 19200 - A 19.2K bps connection. CONNECT 38400 - A 38.4K bps connection Most modems support a switch setting that controls the state of the RS-232 Data Terminal Ready (DTR) handshake line. The switch setting can either force DTR TRUE at all times at the modem, or it can be set to permit the host computer to control DTR. If DTR is supported with the selected host computer and modem, then a modem hangup string will be unnecessary as TinyHost will toggle DTR when it wishes to drop carrier. However, if DTR is unavailable, then the modem hangup string must be defined (see Page 4 HANGUP below) or TinyHost will be unable to terminate a call and will never drop carrier. 2.6 Modifying the TINYHOST.CFG File When TinyHost is run it looks for TINYHOST.CFG in its execution directory. If it doesn't find it the program aborts. If the file is located, TinyHost reads in the information that it needs to run. The config file can be created or modified using a simple ASCII editor. If the editor used places an EOF character ($14) at the end of the file, make sure that at least one blank or commented line is at the end of the file. Each line in the config file can be up to 80 characters in length. At any point in the line a comment can be added by placing a pound sign (#) in the line - everything following it will be ignored. TinyHost requires specific information to run. To this end I have implemented what I call 'descriptors' which denote what type of information is specified on the line. The descriptor must begin in the first column of the line. The descriptor can be in either upper or lower case, it must be followed by a colon (:), and the descriptor must be spelled properly. If a required descriptor does not exist TinyHost will abort and display an error message. Descriptors can be defined in any order. The descriptors fall into two categories: communications specific and general. The following table summarizes each descriptor, with more detailed information in the following sections. Embedded spaces must be eliminated from any descriptor command line - even from the USER account fields. For instance, a USER descriptor account such as: USER:Joe,De User,Password,8 is invalid because of the embedded space in the user's last name. The valid way to set up this account would be: USER:Joe,DeUser,Password,8 The only exception to this is when adding an EXTERNAL descriptor for External Protocols. 2.6.1 Descriptor Summary *BAUD - Beginning baud (bps) rate CARRIER - Monitor Carrier Detect select HANGUP - Modem hangup string *INIT - Modem initialization string +ISDN - ISDN support select *PORT - COM port to be used RESET - Modem reset string RINGBACK - Ringback mode select Page 5 ACCESS - Directory access security level BOOT - Warm boot security level CHAT - Chat mode default CHDIR - Change directory security level EVENT - Event time +EXTERNAL - External Protocol definition LOG - Log file enable OVERWRITE - File overwrite security level +SHELL - DOS Shell security level *START - TinyHost start-up directory SYSOP - SysOp security level UPLOAD - Upload security level VIEW - View User List security level *USER - User account information * Required Descriptor + Explained in Advanced Topics section 2.6.2 Communications Specific Descriptors The following are the descriptors used in setting up TinyHost communications. Sample uses are given for each command. BAUD - This specifies the baud (bps) rate that the TinyHost serial port is to operate at. Legal values are 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 7200, 9600, 14400, 19200, and 38400. BAUD is required. In addition, the COM port baud rate may be locked at the specified value by adding ",LOCK" after the baud rate: BAUD:19200,LOCK This has been added for use with error-correcting modems. When using this mode the proper command(s) must be added to the modem init string to lock the modem's serial port communications rate as well. CARRIER - Specifies whether or not the modem's Carrier Detect (CD) handshake should be monitored. A 'Y' or 'N' is expected. Monitoring the CD line permits TinyHost to see if a caller has been disconnected unexpectedly. CARRIER is optional. CARRIER:Y # Monitor CD for disconnect HANGUP - Specifies the command string necessary to tell the modem to hang up the phone (go on hook). Refer to the section on modem requirements (2.5) to see if this string is necessary. HANGUP is Optional. HANGUP:ATH0 # Sample hangup (on hook) command INIT - This is the initialization string used to configure the modem. INIT is required. The string included with TinyHost includes some modem commands that are necessary for proper operation: Page 6 INIT:ATE0M0Q0V1X2S0=0S2=43 # Sample init string E0 - Controls echo from the modem. Must be set to 0, which is for no echo. Required. M0 - Controls the modem speaker. A value of 0 turns the speaker off. Optional. Q0 - Determines the kind of result codes sent by the modem. Must be set for 0 (result codes sent). Required. V1 - Determines the type of result codes sent. Must be set to 1 which specifies English (ASCII) codes are sent. Required. X2 - Selects extended modem result codes. Must set to 2 or greater. Required. S0 - Determines the number of rings on which the modem will answer the phone. Must be set to 0. Required. S2 - Sets the value of the escape code for the modem. Must be set to 43 ("+"). Required. ISDN - Specifies whether or not ISDN support should be used. A 'Y' or 'N' setting is expected. Refer to section 4.2 for further information regarding ISDN support. ISDN:Y # Enable ISDN support PORT - This specifies the COM port that is to be used. Valid values are 1, 2, 3, or 4. PORT is required. PORT:1 # Use COM port 1 RESET - Specifies the command string necessary to reset the modem. If RESET is specified then the modem must default to verbose text responses for proper TinyHost operation. RESET is optional. RESET:ATZ # Modem reset string RINGBACK - Specifies whether or not TinyHost will operate in ringback mode. RINGBACK is not required - TinyHost will default to Ringback Enabled Mode. RINGBACK:Y # Enable Ringback mode 2.6.3 General Descriptors ACCESS - Can be used to specify a security level needed to access a directory. Up to 25 Access restrictions can be defined. If no access restrictions are specified then anyone with CHDIR permission can move to any system drive or directory. This could be troublesome when floppy drives are specified and they contain no diskettes. ACCESS expects a valid directory path (up to the DOS limit of 63 characters), followed by a comma, followed by a numeric value between 0 and 10 indicating a security level. A typical ACCESS descriptor would be: ACCESS:C:\TINYHOST\BIN,9 Page 7 which would limit access to the C:\TINYHOST\BIN directory to users with a security level of 9 or greater. A default access value can also be specified as follows: ACCESS:DEFAULT,9 This means that any unspecified directories can only be accessed by users with a security level of 9 or greater. This will make securing a typical computer system much easier. Access settings are reloaded with the Warm Boot command. BOOT - Specifies the security level needed to perform a warm boot of the host system. This command can be used with Overwrite to update TinyHost's config file from a remote location. If Boot security is not specified then no user will have Boot permission. BOOT expects a numeric value between 0 and 10. BOOT:9 # Security level to execute a Warm Boot CHAT - Specifies the default setting for Chat Mode on TinyHost execution. A 'Y' enables Operator Chat; a 'N' disables it. CHAT is optional, and defaults to enabled. CHAT:Y # Enable Operator Chat on start-up CHDIR - Specifies the minimum security level necessary to be able to move between directories of the system. If not specified then no security level will be permitted to change directories. CHDIR expects a numeric value between 0 and 10. CHDIR:3 # Sets Change Directory security to 3 EVENT - Used to set a time for TinyHost to quit and return to DOS. The time must be entered in 24-hour (military) format (0000- 2359, 0000 = midnight). All four digits must be entered. If a user is logged on when the Event time occurs, TinyHost will not exit until the user has logged off. The Event time is reset when executing a Warm Boot. EXTERNAL - Used to add an external protocol (such as ZModem) for use with TinyHost file transfers. Refer to Section 4.3 for further information. EXTERNAL is optional. LOG - Enables the logging of user activity to a file. LOG expects a 'Y' or 'N' setting. LOG is optional. LOG:Y # Logs user activity to TINYHOST.LOG OVERWRITE - Specifies the security level needed for file overwrite permission. This can be used to update TinyHost's config file remotely when used with the Warm Boot command. If Overwrite security is not specified then no user will have Overwrite permission. OVERWRITE expects a numeric value between 0 and 10. OVERWRITE:9 # Sets Overwrite security level Page 8 SHELL - Used to set the security level for executing the Shell-to-DOS function. Refer to Section 4.4 for further information. SHELL is optional. START - Specifies the start-up directory for TinyHost. This is the directory that TinyHost moves to after its initialization is complete. This is also the directory that is available to the remote user that logs onto TinyHost so care should be taken that no sensitive files are available for download from this directory. START is required. A terminating backslash should not be used except when specifying a root directory that is being used for the start-up directory. START:C:\TINYHOST # Directory at initial logon SYSOP - Specifies the minimum security level necessary to perform SysOp level functions. SysOp functions include the ability to delete Public mail, and read and delete SysOp Comments. SYSOP expects a numeric value between 0 and 10. If it is not specified then remote SysOp privileges will be disabled. SYSOP:9 # Sets SysOp security level at 9 UPLOAD - Specifies the minimum security needed to upload a file to TinyHost. UPLOAD expects a numeric value between 0 and 10. If it is not specified then anyone can upload a file. UPLOAD:3 # Sets Upload security level to 3 or greater USER - Defines a user account. The line should contain (in order) the users first name (15 characters maximum), last name (30 characters), password (8 characters), and security level (2 characters). Each item must be separated from the other by a comma (,). The security level should be specified by a numerical string ranging in value from 0 to 10, with 10 being the highest permissible security level. At least one, and up to 25, user accounts can be created. User accounts are reloaded when the Warm Boot command is executed. The following USER descriptor: USER:Joe,Shmoe,JOEUSER,7 # User with security of 7 creates a user account for Joe Shmoe with the password of JOEUSER. Joe has a security level of 7. VIEW - Minimum security necessary to perform a View User List function. It may be desired to prevent lower level users from viewing the names of the TinyHost user base, and setting VIEW high enough will do this. View expects a numeric value between 0 and 10. Not specifying a VIEW security level will result in all users being able to view the User List. VIEW:3 # Sets View Users security level at 3 Page 9 2.7 Setting up Access Levels The first thing to remember is that if a user's account hasn't been created in the TINYHOST.CFG file he will never be able to log on! (See Section 6.6 for a method to permit new users to log on). From there, things get a little more complicated (but not *too* complicated!). The SysOp will have to make decisions as to how much system access to give to the user accounts he creates. It is recommended that security level 10 be used to deny access to items such as the floppy drives, etc. when a hard disk based system is used. Trying to remotely access a floppy drive that does not have a diskette in it will cause TinyHost to hang. As noted above, a remote user can be restricted to the Start- Up directory for his uploads and downloads. This is accomplished by setting the CHDIR access to a higher level than that of the remote user. To limit access to other areas of the system, the ACCESS descriptor should be used. For instance, it is recommended that only the SysOp have remote access to the sub-directory that contains the TinyHost program, config file, and message files. Since there is no specific file upload or download restrictions, permitting access to these files (particularly the config file) would then give access to the entire user log. Entire disk drives (floppy, hard, and RAM) can be locked out by simply setting up the following ACCESS descriptor: ACCESS:X:,10 This would force a security level of 10 or greater to access drive X. As long as no user (SysOp included) has a security of 10, then no access of drive X is possible. To lock out the root directory of a drive the descriptor would be changed to: ACCESS:X:\,10 Note the trailing backslash after the drive designation. This is the only time that the backslash is necessary. To lock out a particular directory: ACCESS:C:\TINYHOST\BIN,9 would permit access to the TINYHOST\BIN subdirectory by people with security levels of 9 or greater. Note that a trailing backslash should not be used when specifying a complete directory path. For example, suppose that one wanted to have two separate subdirectories, each with its own access level, within the TINYHOST directory. Assuming that one directory is called LEVEL7 Page 10 and the other is LEVEL8, the directory structure would look like this: C:\ --- TINYHOST --+--- LEVEL7 | +--- LEVEL8 | +--- BIN Also, assume that the access levels within TINYHOST.CFG are set as follows: ACCESS:C:\TINYHOST\BIN,9 ACCESS:C:\TINYHOST\LEVEL7,7 ACCESS:C:\TINYHOST\LEVEL8,8 Users with a security level of 7 or higher would be permitted access to the LEVEL7 directory. A security level of 8 or more would be required to be able to move to the LEVEL8 directory. And a level of 9 or 10 (probably a SysOp) would have access to the BIN directory where all of the important TinyHost files are kept. By adding the following line: ACCESS:DEFAULT,9 the system is also further protected by setting a default access. This means that any directory not explicitly mentioned in an ACCESS descriptor can only be accessed by a user with a security level of 9 or greater. Specifying a default access level does not use one of the 25 standard ACCESS directory resources. The config file that has been included with the TinyHost package is set up to lockout floppy drives A and B. Overwrite, boot permission, default directory access, and SysOp security levels are set to that of the "SysOp", Sam Sysop. 2.8 Customizable Display Files TinyHost permits the customizing of three display files by the SysOp that are shown at three different points within the program. TINYHOST.WEL is displayed after a connection has been made and before a user has logged on. TINYHOST.BUL is displayed after the logon process has been successfully completed. TINYHOST.BYE is shown after the user has logged off. A sample TINYHOST.WEL has been included on the TinyHost disk. Each file can have any number of lines, but each line should be no more than 80 characters long, and should be terminated with a carriage return and line feed. If the file is longer than 20 lines TinyHost will pause at the 21st line (and every 21st line thereafter). These files should be placed in the same directory that THOSTxxx.EXE and TINYHOST.CFG reside (the execution directory). If any of the display files do not exist TinyHost will continue on its merry way! Page 11 3.0 OPERATION 3.1 Ringback Operation Ringback mode has been implemented to permit using the same phone line for both voice and data communications. In the case of the author, his computer (running TinyHost) shares a phone line with an answering machine. The use of ringback permits access to the computer while not affecting answering machine operation. To access TinyHost when ringback is implemented the caller must first dial into the computer and permit the phone to ring at least once (or permit the modem to detect at least one ring). Then the caller should hang up and wait at least 8 seconds before redialing the computer. As long as the redial is done within 1 minute of the first call, TinyHost will answer the phone and data communications can begin. If more than 1 minute elapses then TinyHost resets and begins waiting for the first ring. 3.2 TinyHost Operation TinyHost is a very easy program to use - if for no other reason than there aren't too many options with which to become confused! After the program is started a status screen is displayed on the local monitor. This information includes whether or not TinyHost is in ringback mode, and, if so, whether or not the program is waiting for the ringback. A local operator is also able to view the progress of a remote connection since all activity is echoed to the computer's monitor. After TinyHost has been started, and while it is waiting for a phone call, a status screen is displayed. Information such as Ringback status (Enabled or Disabled), Chat Enabled or Disabled, etc. is displayed. Pressing the Escape key ( <ESC> ) at this time will exit TinyHost. A local user can logon by pressing <ENTER> (or <RETURN>). The user will then be presented with the same prompts that a remote user gets. Pressing <RETURN> again (entering nothing for a First Name) will also cause an exit from TinyHost. Whether logging on locally or remotely, if logon is desired, the user should enter his first name, last name, and password as requested. It is permissible to string together any and all user information (for instance, entering first and last name, separated by a space, at the First Name prompt). It is not recommended to enter ones password in this fashion as the characters would be echoed to both the local and remote screens. The names and password inputs are not case sensitive. TinyHost does not permit retries when entering this information - if it is entered improperly TinyHost will deny access and will hang up. After the user successfully logs on, TinyHost checks to see if any personal messages exist for the user. If so, TinyHost beeps once, and displays a message that Personal Mail is waiting. A check is also made for Public mail and SysOp Comments (security level permitting), and notices are displayed if either forms of messages exist. Page 12 The user will then be presented with the Main Menu, which displays the following command options. Either upper or lower case characters can be used: *D - Download a file from TinyHost to the user. *U - Upload a file to TinyHost from the user (if permitted). If the user's security level permits, file overwrite is possible with or without backup. *C - If permitted, allows the user to move between drives and directories of the system. L - List the contents of the present directory. *T - Types out (lists) a text file that resides on the host system. *R - Read Personal or Public messages, or SysOp comments (security level dependent). *E - Enter a Personal or Public message or SysOp comment. *K - Kill Personal messages, or Private messages or SysOp comments (security level dependent). V - View User List (security level dependent). S - Shell-to-DOS (security level dependent). I - Displays an informative screen about TinyHost. H - Display a Help screen ('?' can also be used). X - Toggles TinyHost's Expert mode on and off. When Expert mode is ON the longer menu and informative messages are suppressed. B - Re-display the logon Bulletin. G - Goodbye. Ends the TinyHost connection. O - Page the Operator (SysOp) for chatting. W - Log off and reload the access, user, and event info from the config file. Subject to permission. This option is *not* displayed on the screen - it is a SysOp secret!! * Command Chaining possible When using TinyHost, and reading this manual, text surrounded by angle brackets refer to names of keys, such as <F1> and <RETURN>. Characters with square brackets around them ( [T] or [C] ) refer to characters that, when entered, will execute that appropriate action. Characters with curly braces ( {N} or {Y} ) denote Page 13 default actions (actions executed on pressing the <RETURN> key with no other keys being pressed). 3.3 File Oriented Commands 3.3.1 File Transfers TinyHost provides internal XModem, XModem/CRC, and 1K-Xmodem upload and download capability (1K-XModem protocol is sometimes known as YModem). All uploads and downloads take place from the current directory that the user is in. If CHDIR access has not been given, then file transfers take place from the Start-Up directory. Note that if a user logs on locally file transfers are not permitted (for obvious reasons). Through the use of External Protocols TinyHost is able to support other protocols such as ZModem. Refer to Section 4.3 for further information on how to implement these. Xmodem and XModem/CRC transfers appear as a single selection. TinyHost will attempt to begin transfers using CRC as this is a more reliable protocol than checksum. If CRC attempts are ignored then the system will fall back to checksum. When uploading a file to the TinyHost system, if the file already exists the system will typically prevent overwriting the existing file. The exception to this is if the OVERWRITE descriptor has been set and the caller's security level matches or is greater than that value. If this is the case then the user will have the option of overwriting the existing file. If overwrite is selected then the user will also be asked if a backup of the current file is desired. If a backup already exists then the current backup will be overwritten by the new backup (no backups of backups are made!). The overwrite option was added to permit updating TinyHost's config file from a remote location. Since new users cannot normally logon to TinyHost it is necessary to create an appropriate account. By using both the overwrite and warm boot capability the SysOp can download the existing config file, modify it, upload it and overwrite the existing config file, then tell TinyHost to load the new information. 3.3.2 Changing Directories The Change Directory function of TinyHost acts much the same as the chdir (or cd) function from DOS. When Change Directory has been chosen the program will prompt for a new directory. The same type of input that is acceptable from a DOS command level is suitable for TinyHost - entering two dots (..) will take TinyHost to the next directory up the tree. Entering a complete path will take the user to the specified directory. All of this is, of course, assuming that the user has the necessary access to permit moving around the host system. To ensure security of the host system, TinyHost will return to the designated Start-Up directory after a user has logged off. Page 14 3.3.3 List Directory This function displays the files that reside in the currently selected sub-directory of the system. First, the current directory path is displayed. Then, any additional sub-directories that exist are shown. Finally, the individual files in the current directory are displayed along with their sizes. 3.3.4 Typing out a File This function permits typing out (listing) a file that resides on the TinyHost computer. It is strongly advised that this function be used only to view text (ASCII) files. Viewing binary files (those with .EXE, .COM, .ZIP, etc. extensions) can cause VERY unpredictable results! If the user has Expert Mode turned off when this feature is selected, a cautionary message similar to the above paragraph will be displayed, then the user will be prompted for a filename. If Expert Mode is enabled, then the user will be immediately prompted for the filename. If the file exists in the currently selected directory, then it will be displayed. TinyHost will pause every 21 lines and ask if it is to continue displaying the file. TinyHost will also automatically wrap the screen display if the line length exceeds 80 characters. TinyHost will keep track of added line feeds to be sure that the display is paused properly. The maximum line length that TinyHost will support (without a terminating carriage return or line feed) is 256 characters. 3.4 Message Commands 3.4.1 Reading Messages When a user logs onto TinyHost a notification is given if any Personal or Public mail is waiting, beeping once for Personal mail. If the user's security level is high enough, a notification of waiting SysOp Comments is also given. To read the messages, enter 'R' at the Main Menu prompt. A choice will then be given to read Personal ('P'), Public ('U'), or SysOp Comments ('C'). After the second choice is made the message(s) are then displayed. If more then one message is waiting, TinyHost pauses before continuing on to the next message. The very first line of the message notes who the message is from, and the time and date that the message was entered. If no mail is waiting of the selected type, a message reporting this is displayed. If the user does not have sufficient security to read SysOp Comments a notification is given and the Comments are not displayed. Page 15 3.4.2 Entering a Message To Enter a message or SysOp Comment, enter an 'E' at the Main Menu prompt. The user will be prompted for the type of message to be left (Personal, Public, or SysOp Comment). After the selection is made, a few notes regarding message input are displayed along with a ruler line showing the length of a message line. If entering a Personal (Private) message, the user will be asked for the name of the person to send the message to. TinyHost will then check to be sure that such a person exists in its user base, so it is imperative that the user's name be spelled correctly. To find out who exists in the user base, and to find the proper spelling of names, a View User list can be done (within security limits). Up to 20 lines of 70 characters each may be entered. TinyHost will automatically wrap input to the next line. When entering the message, do not put a period in the first (leftmost) column. This is how TinyHost distinguishes the end of a particular message (see Section 6.7). To end the message input, enter a blank line. At this point, the message can be edited, saved, or aborted. If the message is saved, TinyHost will automatically add the sending individual's name, and the time and date the message was entered, to the beginning of the message. The entire message will then be saved into the appropriate message file. 3.4.3 Editing a Message After entering a message, and before saving it, the message can be edited using the following editing commands: [L]ist - List the entire message [I]nsert - inserts a line after the line number specified. Entering a blank line will abort the insert process. If the message length is already 20 lines then an insert will not be permitted. [D]elete - deletes the specified line [E]dit - permits editing the specified line. After entering the line number the user is asked to enter the source string to be changed. TinyHost will do an exact, case sensitive search and if a match is found then the user is prompted for the string to be substituted. If the resulting line exceeds 70 characters then the end of the line will be truncated to fit. When editing the message is complete, the message can either be [S]aved or [A]borted. Page 16 3.4.4 Killing (Deleting) Messages TinyHost will retain all messages until they are deleted. This is accomplished by entering a 'K' at the Main Menu prompt. The user will then be prompted for the type of mail to delete - Personal, Public, or SysOp Comments. The user is then asked if all messages are truly to be deleted, and if the response is Yes, then the entire mail file is deleted. If the user's security is not high enough to delete Public Mail or SysOp Comments, an appropriate message will be displayed and the user will be returned to the Main Menu. It must be stressed that when Killing Messages, ALL such messages are deleted! There is presently no way, for instance, to just delete one Private message out of the group. However, since a DOS file delete is done, the file should be recoverable using an easily available file recovery utility. Non-deleted messages will hang around forever (or until the next disk crash!). Personal messages, though, will make a minor nuisance of themselves by beeping every time the user logs on. This should help remind users to purge their old messages. See Section 6.7 for information on editing the message files off-line using an ASCII editor. 3.4.5 Viewing User List To help users when entering Personal mail, a View User List function has been added. Entering a 'V' at the Main Menu prompt will display the list of users currently defined in TinyHost's user base. Both the first and last name of the individuals are displayed. The View User List function can be restricted to higher security levels simply by setting the VIEW descriptor value high enough. This may be desired when TinyHost is open to new callers (see Section 6.6), or when different security levels are implemented. If the VIEW descriptor is not found in the TINYHOST.CFG file, any users will be able to see the user list. 3.5 Miscellaneous Commands 3.5.1 Expert Mode Entering an 'X' at TinyHost's Main Menu will toggle the Expert User Mode on and off. When OFF, full menus and informative displays are given throughout TinyHost. When ON, these displays are suppressed and only a line showing the valid character inputs is displayed. Page 17 3.5.2 Operator Page Entering an 'O' will page the operator for online chat. This is assuming, of course, that the SysOp has enabled this function. If Chatting is enabled, TinyHost will beep every two seconds for 30 seconds to get the SysOp's attention. Any key pressed during this time by the remote user will cancel the page. On the local screen, TinyHost will display the name of the user who initiated the page. If the SysOp wishes to chat then the <F1> key should be pressed on the local keyboard. The remote user and SysOp can then chat back and forth simply by typing their messages. TinyHost will automatically wrap the input to the following line. To end the Chat, the SysOp must press <F1> again. While TinyHost is waiting for a call, the SysOp may enable or disable the Chat function by pressing <F1>. The status of Chat is shown on the local screen. 3.5.3 Shelling-to-DOS Entering an 'S' will select the Shell-to-DOS function. Depending upon the implementation the remote user will then be taken to the DOS prompt of the TinyHost machine. To return to TinyHost, the remote user must type 'EXIT' and hit <RETURN>. Whether or not a remote user can execute this command is set (in part) by the SHELL descriptor security level. There is no security requirement when executing this command from the local TinyHost keyboard. Because of the complexity of implementing this command at the TinyHost level, further information can be found in Section 4.4 under Advanced Topics. 3.5.2 Executing a Warm Boot As described above, the warm boot option has been included to permit the SysOp to modify some settings remotely by updating and reloading the config file. TinyHost normally only reads its config file on initial start-up. Entering a 'W' will result in TinyHost logging off (same as if Goodbye had been selected). The program will then proceed to re-load its config file and retrieve ACCESS, USER, and EVENT info - everything else in its configuration (INIT, RESET, etc.) will remain untouched. 3.6 Command Chaining Many commands can be used with Command Chaining. This is the process of entering two pieces of information at the Main Menu prompt, with a space separating the items. For instance, to type out the file FOOBAR.TXT from the current directory, the command line would be: T FOOBAR.TXT <return> Page 18 Command chaining can be used in or out of Expert Mode, and currently works with file and message commands. Section 3.2 lists the available TinyHost commands, and the ones where command chaining can be used are marked with asterisks ('*'). 3.7 User Inactivity and Disconnects TinyHost monitors the COM port for keyboard activity to be sure that a user is still out there and awake. If no keyboard activity is seen for an extended period of time (at least 2 minutes) TinyHost will hang up and recycle itself. The total length of time that TinyHost will wait depend upon what menu the user is in when the inactive period begins. A 5 minute delay is set when Viewing a file; a 2 minute delay exists at the Main Menu prompt. This activity monitor can also handle disconnects that occur in the middle of a logon session. In addition, if the CARRIER descriptor has been set to 'Y', TinyHost will monitor the status of the Carrier Detect (CD) handshake from the modem. If at any time the CD handshake is removed (denoting a broken connection), TinyHost will recycle itself. 4.0 ADVANCED TOPICS 4.1 General Notes The features covered in this section are NOT for the faint of heart!! In order to implement these properly a good knowledge of DOS, and of the system and environment that TinyHost is running in, is essential! 4.2 ISDN Support ISDN is a digital only phone system that is starting to become more widespread. With ISDN there is no modem, no init string, no result codes, and a fixed baud rate. All activity is controlled using the serial ports handshake lines. To enable ISDN support, the following descriptor must be added to TinyHost's config file: ISDN:Y # Enable ISDN support When ISDN is used, RINGBACK cannot be set to Yes, and a modem HANGUP string cannot be defined. It is also suggested that baud rate locking (for example, BAUD:9600,LOCK ) be used. When in ISDN mode, the DTR line is not asserted, as it is when in a modem application. TinyHost waits until the RING handshake becomes active and then asserts DTR. TinyHost then waits for DCD to be asserted to signify that a connection has been established. To break the connection, TinyHost simply drops the DTR handshake. Page 19 4.3 External Protocols For those that want to use protocols other than XModem (such as ZModem), TinyHost supports the use of external protocols. For instance, the author uses DSZ (by Chuck Forsberg) to implement ZModem file transfers. Up to 6 external protocols may be defined. The descriptor format for defining an External protocol is: EXTERNAL:<menu name>,<transmit batch>,<receive batch> for example:: EXTERNAL:Zmodem,ZMXMIT,ZMRCV # Sample for ZModem <menu name> - The name of the protocol. This string may be up to 30 characters in length, and may include embedded spaces. This string will be displayed to the user at the Protocol Select menu within TinyHost - in this case, "ZModem". <transmit batch> - The name of the batch file used to invoke the external protocol when sending a file from TinyHost to the User (TinyHost Download). This batch file must reside in the TinyHost execution directory. In the above example, ZMXMIT will have TinyHost look for a batch file named ZMXMIT.BAT in the execution directory for downloads. <receive batch> - The name of the batch file used to invoke the external protocol when receiving a file from the User (TinyHost Upload). This batch file must reside in the TinyHost execution directory. In the above example, the name of the upload batch file is ZMRCV.BAT. The actual external protocol executable file must be in a directory pointed to by the DOS path command. The .BAT file extension should not be added when putting the filenames in the descriptor field. When an external protocol is selected, TinyHost starts a secondary command processor (usually COMMAND.COM). TinyHost also passes some necessary parameters to the batch file. These are, in order: 1) COM port number, 2) Port speed (baud rate), and 3) the filename. The COM port and baud rate are passed as ASCII characters. Two sample batch files have been included. These can be used with DSZ to implement ZModem transfers within TinyHost. For instance, the batch file for a TinyHost Upload would be: DSZ port %1 speed %2 rz %3 The batch file for a ZModem Download would be: DSZ port %1 speed %2 sz %3 Page 20 4.4 Shelling-to-DOS The SHELL descriptor permits setting the minimum security level necessary for accessing this command remotely. However, a lot of behind-the-scenes effort has to be done to make this work. In addition to the security level requirement, there must be a THREMOTE.BAT file in the *exact* directory the user is in when trying to shell out. There is a reason for this: Some SysOps may not want their users dropping to DOS in their machine, but they might want to make custom menus, programs, etc. available for their use. By customizing a THREMOTE batch file for the area the user is in, different functions can be implemented using the same command. When executing the Shell command, TinyHost passes two pieces of data to the batch file (much like it does when using an external protocol). First, the COM port number is passed, then the Baud rate. Both are passed as ASCII character strings. A sample THREMOTE.BAT file has been included with TinyHost. This file shows how a shell-to-DOS function can be implemented using the DOS CTTY command. When returning from calling this batch file, TinyHost will automatically reset the CTTY value to CON (the standard console). Caution should be taken when using the CTTY command to implement a DOS Shell. Depending upon circumstances that are unclear, when at the DOS level via remote a backspace character can sometimes cause the host system to go berserk. Unlimited space characters appear to be sent, and a Control-C may or may not work in halting them. When using CTTY, it is recommend that caution be used when executing other programs remotely. Direct video writes cannot be supported using this function, and system lockup may be experienced. When finished with DOS perations, entering "EXIT" at the DOS prompt will return to TinyHost. It is suggested that the user return to the directory the Shell command was called from. Failing to do so could cause the system to lock up. Also, if one were to hang up or suffer a broken connection while in DOS, there is no way for TinyHost to recover and the system would stay that way unless manually reset. A good solution here is to use a utility called WATCHDOG (or something similar) which automatically reboots the computer should the carrier be lost. One final note - there is no check for appropriate security level for the Shell-to-DOS function when a user has logged on from the local TinyHost keyboard. Page 21 5.0 TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS 5.1 General Comments Although I have done my best to make TinyHost an easy-to-use program, it is difficult (if not impossible) to take all of the different port and modem combinations into account. Here are some suggestions as to causes and cures of some common problems in getting TinyHost to work. A helpful debug feature has been incorporated into TinyHost. By adding the DBUG descriptor to a line in the TINYHOST.CFG file, modem response information will be displayed on the local monitor's screen. This can sometimes help pinpoint the problem area. 5.2 System Hang (Lockup) This failure is when the computer that is to be used locks up as soon as TinyHost is executed. Chances are, the last sign of life was the "Initialization..." message being displayed on the monitor screen. This is usually due to a problem with the selected serial port. It is possible that the specified serial port does not exist in the computer. When trying to use COM3 or COM4, it is also possible that an unsupported system interrupt is being used. TinyHost expects to use IRQ4 for COM3; IRQ3 for COM4. TinyHost can also hang the system if a remote user attempts to access a floppy drive that does not have a diskette in it. 5.3 Error in User Account This message will be displayed during the initialization process. This will be caused by an embedded space somewhere within the user account information. It could also be caused by an invalid security level. 5.4 Modem Fails Reset This will occur as TinyHost is being initialized. The program attempts to reset the modem, and has received no response. The expected response is an "OK" string. A number of causes are possible. Make sure that the modem is connected to the specified serial port, and that the default bps rate being specified with the BAUD descriptor is one that the modem's serial port can support. The modem could also be set (via DIP switches or non-volatile RAM) to default to no result codes or to numeric instead of verbose. The simplest solution is to remove the RESET descriptor from the TINYHOST.CFG file. Page 22 5.5 Modem Fails Initialization TinyHost displays a "Modem Initialization Failure" string when this happens. Again, a number of causes are possible. Make sure that the modem is connected to the specified serial port, and that a valid BAUD rate setting is being used. The initialization string also must have the Q0 and V1 modem commands set as shown (Q0 forces the display of result codes; V1 specifies that result codes as character strings rather than numbers). 5.6 Phone Call Not Answered If TinyHost does not answer the incoming call, make sure that the phone line is properly plugged into the modem. Also, make sure that the RINGBACK descriptor is set to 'N' (No). 5.7 Garbage After Connect This problem will only be seen by the remote caller, and will appear as all garbage characters being received instead of the expected Welcome file (if used) or First Name prompt. This is probably caused by different bps rate settings between the TinyHost system and the remote caller. This can be due to the Data Rate of the modem being locked to a particular value by an initialization command (usually available only with error correcting or MNP modems). Try adding (or removing) the LOCK command of the BAUD descriptor. If occasional incorrect characters are received, the problem is probably due to a noisy phone connection between the two systems. 5.8 Immediate Connect and Logoff Although difficult to describe, this is when TinyHost answers the phone, displays the requests for First Name, Last Name, and Password, then logs off without the remote user doing anything. The number of times each prompt is displayed can vary. Essentially, the remote user is never given the chance to logon. This is probably caused by an improper echo command setting in the Modem Init string. Command Echo must be set to off by using the E0 setting in the init string. 5.9 Garbage During Logon Here, TinyHost answered the call, established communications, but the remote user sees occasional garbage echoed during the logon process, and he is not permitted access to the system. Page 23 The most likely cause is the remote users communications package is incorrectly set. TinyHost expects the connecting caller to be using 8-bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit. 5.10 Added Message Not Displayed This type of error usually occurs when a message is created off-line, using an ASCII text editor. What happens is that a message added via TinyHost does not appear to be added (appended) to the original message file. This is caused by the ASCII editor used to create the initial text file adding an End-Of-Text (EOT or EOF, $1A) to the file when it is saved. When adding a message via TinyHost, the new message is simply added on to the existing file. The EOT character is never erased or overwritten, and when it is seen TinyHost assumes that the entire message file has been read. This character can be removed from the message file using a hex editor, and this problem can be avoided by ensuring that the ASCII editor used will not add the EOT character. 5.11 TinyHost Doesn't Hangup If TinyHost doesn't hangup (disconnect) after a call is complete, the problem is probably due to a lack of a modem hangup string specification in the TINYHOST.CFG file. Refer to Section 2.5 (Modem Requirements) for further information 6.0 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION 6.1 What is Shareware? TinyHost is being released as Shareware, which means that you can try the program out *before* you buy it and make sure that it will do what you want. If you find it of use, you are requested to mail a contribution ($25 suggested) to the author to support the continued development of this and other products. Please send a check or money order (U.S. funds only) to: Bruce A. Krobusek 5950 King Hill Drive Farmington, NY 14425 For your $25 you will receive the latest registered version of TinyHost on either 5 1/4 (360K) or 3 1/2 (720K) media (please specify). The registered version of TinyHost has the same functionality as the Shareware version, but the text requesting contributions will be removed. The start-up and exit delays will also be removed. You will also receive a registered version of the next major release of TinyHost, and notifications of future upgrades. A ready-to-print registration form has been included with TinyHost. Simply print out REGISTER.FRM using the DOS PRINT Page 24 command, fill it out, and return it with your check or money order. For those interested, quantity discounts are available. Custom versions of TinyHost can also be created. Contact the author for more information. 6.2 Distributing TinyHost Even though TinyHost is Shareware it remains a copyrighted program. As such, it may be freely copied and distributed under the following guidelines: * The author retains the sole right to sell the program for a profit. * The author grants users the right to copy and distribute TinyHost so long as all program and documentation files remain unaltered and are distributed as a group. * The program may not be bundled with any other hardware or software without the permission of the author. * Recognized users groups may charge a maximum of $5 for duplication and/or distribution of TinyHost. Registered users are requested to distribute only the Shareware (Unregistered) version of TinyHost. There is no difference in functionality, but the Shareware version reminds the user to register. 6.3 License Information Unregistered users are granted a 60-day evaluation period. After that time, they are expected to either register TinyHost or cease using it. Registered users may use TinyHost on more than one machine, as long as there is no possibility of more than one copy being in use at a time. Site licenses are available. 6.4 Warranty Information The author (Bruce A. Krobusek) disclaims all warranties expressed or implied as to the quality and performance of this program (TinyHost). The author will not be held liable for any lost profits, lost savings, or any other direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from the use of this program. Your use of this program constitutes your agreement to this disclaimer and your release of the author from any form of liability or litigation. 6.5 Program Support Now that the legal technicalities are out of the way, let me state that I have done my best to ensure that TinyHost is error free. However, that is not to imply that one might not find Page 25 errors that have been missed. If a problem should be found, contact me through one of the avenues mentioned below and I will do my best to correct it. Naturally, the more information that can be supplied as to the nature of the bug the better chance I will have of finding and squashing it! I am also interested in receiving any comments or suggestions regarding TinyHost. Although I have a few ideas for upcoming enhancements, I am always interested in hearing what other people think of TinyHost. Here are some methods that can be used in contacting me, starting with the most preferable: Micro Science BBS - (716) 594-1804 USR Dual Standard / V.32bis. This Bulletin Board is located in Rochester, NY, and is run by Larry Helber. The latest version of TinyHost will always be available as a free download. Do a file search (Z) and scan for TINYHOST, or download THOST*.ZIP. There is also a TinyHost support conference where messages can be left and received. No BBS registration is required for TinyHost download or support. Intelec Network - This is a national BBS network (Micro Science is a member). There are nodes all over the U.S. and Canada, with a few starting to appear in other nations. I will monitor the Communications, Shareware, and Central conferences for any mail addressed to me. Please try to spell my name correctly or I may not be notified of a message. The latest Intelec node (BBS) list has been included as IN-NODE.LST. There is probably a BBS that carries Intelec near you. CompuServe Informational Services - My account number is 74106,1335. I usually logon daily. GEnie - General Electric Network for Information Exchange My account name is B.KROBUSEK. I usually logon once a week or so. Internet - via CompuServe: 74106.1335@compuserve.com Home Address - 5950 King Hill Drive Farmington, NY 14425 6.6 New User Logons Although TinyHost does not permit a new user to register, there is a way to permit new users to logon. To do this, a user account can be created, with a password, and this information can be displayed as part of the TinyHost Welcome screen. For instance, an account could be created with the name New User, the password GUEST, and a security level of 0 (zero). A message could be left as part of the TINYHOST.WEL screen stating that new users Page 26 should use this account to logon. These users would then be able to access the files in the Start-Up directory, read Public mail, and could leave any type of mail message. If the security levels were set properly (the settings in the included TINYHOST.CFG file would be fine), then the new user would not be able to do anything else. This would be an easy way of leaving the TinyHost system partially accessible to, for instance, the customers of a company. 6.7 Message File Format The TinyHost message files are standard ASCII text files. Each file has the extension ".TH". Files for Personal mail consist of filename made up of the user's first and last names. The user's first name is used, with characters from the last name being added to pad the filename for up to 8 characters (the DOS limit). For instance, if the user's name is Joe Fabeets, then his personal mail file will have the filename JOEFABEE.TH. Public mail is stored in PUBLIC.TH; SysOp Comments are stored in COMMENTS.TH. Although TinyHost limits message input to 70 characters per line and 20 lines, this is strictly a program limit. A message file created off-line does not have to adhere to these restrictions (although it is suggested that line length be kept under 80 characters). When creating a message off-line, each line should be terminated in a carriage return / line feed pair. The end of the message should be marked with a period ('.') in the first column of the terminating line, followed again by a carriage return / line feed. This terminating period is not displayed to the reader, but is used by TinyHost to determine the end of the message. By editing the Public Message file offline, the SysOp is able to keep desired messages in the file while leaving room for new messages. It is important to note that the text editor used should *not* add an End-of Text character (EOT or EOF, $1A) to the message file. If it does then messages entered from within TinyHost will not be added to that file. 6.8 Logging User Activity When the LOG feature is enable, TinyHost will keep track of user activity in a text file called TINYHOST.LOG. This file will be stored in the execution directory (with THOST.EXE, the config file, etc.). Monitored activity includes all user logins (including failures and wrong passwords), all files uploaded and downloaded, and the times of logon and logoff. While the call is in progress, information is stored in a file called TINYHOST.TMP. After the user has logged off, this file is copied to the normal log file. The file format is such that the most recent activity is available at the beginning of the file. Page 27 6.9 Using TinyHost with DesqView The author has had great success using TinyHost within a DesqView window. Although the normal memory requirements are 140K or so, more should be made available depending upon the TinyHost features used. External protocols, another copy of COMMAND.COM (when shelling to DOS), etc. all take up extra memory. Adjust the DV memory allocation accordingly. Also, when trying to shell to DOS from within a DV window, it may be necessary to set the "Manage Printer Contention" option to YES. I have no idea why - but it works. 6.10 Known Program Limits A few areas exist where there are some known limitations: First, I am somewhat confused as to the flexibility of 1K-XModem file transfers. The implementation within TinyHost supports both CRC and checksum error detection, yet in the testing that I have done I have never been able to implement a 1K-XModem checksum file transfer because the communications package I was using did not support it. As TinyHost is currently implemented it will attempt to start a CRC upload, and will retry for a total of 30 seconds. If the upload does not begin in that time it will fall back to attempting a checksum upload. However, after TinyHost falls back to checksum it will not return to a CRC mode of transfer. The upshot of all of this is that if it takes more than 30 seconds to initiate a 1K-XModem upload using CRC error checking then errors will occur and the upload will never begin (assuming that your communications package does not support 1K checksum). If this happens simply abort the upload and begin again. Secondly, file transfer errors have been observed when using the 1K-XModem protocol at 1200 bps with Windows 3.0 and having TinyHost running as a background task. The host machine was a 16MHz 386SX with 4Mb of RAM. These errors have *not* been seen running TinyHost within DesqView at rates of up to 2400 bps. It is entirely possible that by judicious time-slice selection within Windows that this problem could be eliminated. 6.11 TinyHost Plus Work is progressing on an extended version of TinyHost called TinyHost Plus. TinyHost Plus has been created to permit adding many advanced features that may be of interest, yet keep the original TinyHost program the way it is - small and simple. This is not to say that TinyHost will not be improved - just that it will not be burdened with specialty functions. The first addition to TinyHost Plus will be the capability of dialing another TinyHost system and transferring up to 5 files, all at a predetermined time, without operator assistance. Those interested should contact the author for further information. TinyHost Plus will also be released as Shareware. Page 28