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1994-09-29
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481 lines
LaunchComm (tm)
Copyright 1994 Brandyware Software
Documentation for LaunchComm
────────────────────────────
CONTENTS
Setup.......................................Section 1
Main Menu/Protocols.........................Section 2
Dialing Directory...........................Section 3
Script Language.............................Section 4
Compuserve ID#: 73741,745
Section 1
Setup
~~~~~
The very first thing you want to do is, SET your COMMunications Port,
BAUD rate, Parity, Stop Bit, and Word Length.
_____
To do this, from the main terminal screen - press Alt-I - and enter in
this information (you will be prompted one at a time).
_______________________
1. The Communications Port - As a rule, if you have your MOUSE already
on COM1: then your MODEM should be on COM2: Enter the number 2 here.
If you're not sure which COMM port your modem is connected to, select
COM2: first, and type AT to see if you get the OK response from your
modem. If not, select COM1: and then type the AT command again,
you should receive the OK response this time. (ONLY COM1: and COM2:
are supported in LaunchComm).
_____________
2. The BAUD rate - This is the speed that your modem is capable of reaching.
They range from 300 BAUD to 57600 BAUD. Most modems today run
from 1200 BAUD to 14400 BAUD.
(2400 BAUD is the default setting)
Note: For 14400 BAUD modems, the best setting is 19200 BAUD.
________
3. Stop Bit - Set to 1 or 0 (default = 0)
______
4. Parity - The parity may be EVEN, ODD, or NONE (E, O, or N).
Note: You must use a parity of NONE (N) when
using a word length of 8! (default = N)
___________
5. Word Length - The Word Length must be 7 or 8. (default = 8)
__________
6. Phone Type - The phone type would be <T>one or <P>ulse.
Tone types are push button. Pulse types are rotary.
______________________
7. Initialization String - This is the initialization command sent to the
modem on start-up.
It MUST always start with the AT command.
Example: AT&H1&C1X4
A default string has been added, you may change this string anytime
you wish by editing the string here.
_________________
8. External Protocol - Here is where you can enter an external protocol
driver. Enter the name of the protocol, and make sure it is either
in the PLETHORA directory or in a directory on your PATH command.
Note: Use the SUP.BAT & SDOWN.BAT files for this protocol!
See - Protocols!
There, setup is complete! and you may never have to do this again,
unless you need to upgrade.
The next step is, to go and add some numbers to the Dialing directory
(see - Dialing Directory) and start calling some electronic services!
Press Alt-D from the terminal screen to see the dialing directory.
Pressing ESC from the Dialing Directory, or any menu, will always bring
you back to the terminal screen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Section 2
Main Menu
~~~~~~~~~
By pressing Alt-F10 from the terminal screen, you can display
the Main Menu!
Note: The terminal screen is the first screen you see before you are
automatically brought to the dialing directory. This screen is
used to display the BBS (services) screens.
Press ESC from the dialing directory screen to return to the
terminal screen.
What the options do!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_________________________
1. Alt-B - Backscroll Screen - The Backscroll Screen will keep track of
the last 600 lines that have scrolled by while connected to a service.
This comes in handy in case something goes by too fast for you to read,
or you just need to reread it again. The buffer holding this information
must be deleted every 600 lines, so keep this in mind when using this
feature (don't wait too long, or it will be deleted).
_____________
2. Alt-C - Clear - Clears the terminal screen.
_________________________
3. Alt-D - Dialing Directory - See Dialing Directory (section 3).
List of names & phone numbers to call.
____________
4. Alt-E - Echo - Turns local echo on or off.
__________________
5. Alt-F - List Files - This will invoke the File Viewer to display ALL
the files in the current directory. see #12.
_______________
6. Alt-H - Hang-Up - Hangs up the modem - Breaks connection.
______________________
7. Alt-I - Initialization - See Setup (section 1)
Set BAUD, Port, Init. string, protocol, etc..
______________
8. Alt-M - Macros - Macros let you instantly have pretyped text go to the
COMM port. Good examples are, your Name, Phone number & Address.
To do this, press Alt-M. A macro editing screen will pop-up for
you to enter or edit your Macros in.
They will be assigned to your FUNCTION keys (1-10).
Examples:
F1 = "John Smith"
F2 = "602-555-1212"
F3 = "2509 Main Street"
Note: Don't type in the quotation marks!
The next time you press F1, the name John Smith will be typed out
to the COMM port for you. To place an ENTER (carriage return) at the
end of the Macro, type ^M.
Example: John Smith^M
This will type out John Smith, and then simulate a carriage return.
You have up to 10 Macros at your disposal!
______________________
9. Alt-P - Set Parameters - Set Parameters allows you to set or reset the
communications parameters, On Line or Off Line.
BAUD rate, Parity and Word Length. See Setup (section 1).
______________________
10. Alt-S - Screen Capture - This feature will capture the current screen
and send it to a text file called SCRCAP.BBS for later reviewing.
If you press Alt-C more then once, the current screen will be appended
to the bottom of the SCRCAP.BBS file.
_____________________
11. Alt-T - Terminal Type - Terminal Type will let you setup the type of
terminal needed for each call to an electronic service.
a. Filtered ANSI - This filters the ANSI codes for monochrome
adapters (use only if you're having problems with a service
displaying characters).
b. BBS ANSI - Some services allow ANSI colored graphics.
A good example is a local BBS (Bulletin Board Service) which most
of the time are in ANSI color and display simple animation.
c. DUMB - If you don't want anything fancy!
d. VT52 - This will emulate the VT52 <mainframe> terminal.
_________________
12. Alt-V - View File - The File Viewer is selected in the <File Manager>
under the SET command (see REFERENCE - File Manager).
You will be prompted on the file's name, then the File Viewer will be
invoked on the entered file.
____________________
13. Alt-F4 - Drop To DOS - Drop to DOS and issue a DOS command(s), then type
the EXIT command to return to LaunchComm.
~~~~
Note: If you change directories or drives, don't forget to return to
the PLETHORA directory.
__________________________
14. Alt-F5 - Run a Script file. (see Script language - section 4)
Enter the script file name to RUN.
___
15. Esc - Exits LaunchComm and returns you to Plethora.
____
16. PgUp - Send a file. - See Protocols #18
____
17. PgDn - Receive a file. - See Protocols #18
_________
18. Protocols - protocols are the method in which you transfer files
over your modem.
You have 4 built-in protocols, they are:
Xmodem, Modem7 (batch Xmodem), Ymodem (1k
Xmodem), and batch Ymodem.
Batch Xmodem & Ymodem allow you to send or
receive more then one file at a time.
__________________
External Protocols
External protocols can be added as needed.
The first two external protocols are Zmodem and
HS/Link - Built-in setup.. protocol NOT included!
These two protocols are much faster than Xmodem or
Ymodem! You MUST purchase them yourself.
You can find the shareware versions for a FREE trial
run on most BBS's.
The BATCH files for these two external protocols are
included and pre-setup for you.
The file names are:
1. ZUP.BAT for Zmodem uploading, and ZDOWN.BAT for Zmodem
downloading. This is setup for the graphical Zmodem
called GSZ.
2. HUP.BAT for HS/Link uploading, and HDOWN.BAT for HS/Link
downloading.
These BATCH files MUST remain in the PLETHORA directory
for them to operate correctly!
Once you have a copy of the above mentioned protocols,
place them somewhere on your PATH, or in the PLETHORA
directory.
When you download a file (receive a file) the file will
be placed in the PLETHORA\DL directory.
To upload a file (send a file) place the file in the
PLETHORA directory.
The third external protocol is left blank so you may
enter any kind of protocol you wish. To enter the
protocol name, press Alt-I - the last entry in the
setup window is set aside for this third protocol.
You MUST use the batch files:
3. SUP.BAT and SDOWN.BAT for this third external protocol.
See the ZUP.BAT & ZDOWN.BAT files for an example on how
to setup the SUP.BAT & SDOWN.BAT files.
Note: You may change the first two protocols by changing the BATCH
files.. BUT you can't change their names inside of LaunchComm,
only the third protocols name can be changed! (see above)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Section 3
Dialing Directory
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The dialing directory is the list of all your names and phone numbers
of the services you call.
The most popular services to call are BBS's (Bulletin Board Service).
On a BBS you can chat with other users about a wide range of topics, or
seek help with a computer problem you're having. Most allow you to
download files (transmit them over your modem from the BBS to your
system) at no cost to you (public domain or shareware files).
Other services include national services you can connect to for a fee.
The dialing directory has three fields.
1. The Name/Comment field.
2. The Phone number field.
3. The BAUD rate field, set for each phone number.
The menu for the dialing directory consists of:
__
1. F1 - This help file is loaded.
________________________
2. The Up & Down Arrow keys. They will move the hi-light bar over the
name & number you want to call.
____
3. EDIT - Edit allows you to ADD, EDIT or DELETE a record from the
directory.
When adding a record, just type in the Name, Number & BAUD rate.
You can press ENTER to accept the default settings for the BAUD
rate, Parity, & Word Length. See Setup - section 1.
The defaults are: │ Options are:
│
BAUD = 2400 │ 300 to 57600
Parity = N │ N, E, or O
Word Length = 8 │ 7 or 8
____
4. DIAL - Press D or ENTER to dial the hi-lighted record.
______
5. MANUAL - Manual allows you to enter a phone number manually without
saving it to the dialing directory.
___
6. ESC - Returns you to the terminal screen.
_____
7. Alt-X - Quick exit from LaunchComm, returning you to Plethora.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Section 4
Script Language
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Script Language is used for automated log-ons to services.
You can run partial scripts that will end after your name &
password have been entered. Or.. you can have it run the full
length of the session!
You may also use a script to initialize the setup of LaunchComm and
have it enter an initialization string, set the BAUD and Parity and
so forth.
* * * *
The initialization script file MUST be called <INIT.SCP> for
LaunchComm to find it. Create this file using LetterWrite!
* * * *
The file name for the BBS (services) script can be any name you like,
and is RUN by pressing <Alt-F5> and entering the script file's name.
Note: ALL script files MUST be located in the PLETHORA directory.
Script File Commands
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BAUD - baudrate
Example:
BAUD 9600
CLS - clears the screen
DIAL - dials a phone number
Examples:
DIAL 4 or..
DIAL `John Smith' or..
DIAL 555-1212 or..
DIAL 555-1212 <Scriptfile name>
The number may be either the phone number, or the entry
number in the dialing directory.
You can also specify a string delimited by single quotes,
in which case the first entry in the dialing directory
that contains the string will be dialed.
ECHO - on/off
EMULATE - emulate a certain terminal
Examples:
EMULATE DUMB or.. NOANSI, BBSANSI or VT52
END - exits LaunchComm
EXIT - exits the current script file and returns to the terminal
HANGUP - hangs up the modem
PARITY - enter the parity & word length
Example:
PARITY N 8
PHONETYPE - enter phone type - tone or pulse
Example:
PHONETYPE TONE
PORT - COMM port 1 or 2
Example:
PORT 2
PRINT - sends a string to the screen - This string MUST be delimited
with single quotes. You can include control codes by
specifying them outside the quotes, in either of two ways.
You can use the pound sign "#", followed by the ASCII code
of the character to send. Or.. you can also use a caret "^"
followed by the letter for the control code.
This example sends a BEEP (control-G), followed by the
message "LaunchComm", followed by a carriage return.
PRINT ^G`LaunchComm'#13
SHELL - drops to DOS, optionally executing a file name that you specify.
Example:
SHELL TYPE READ.ME
RUN - exits an existing script file, runs a script file specified by
file name. If no file name is specified, the current script is
restarted from the top.
WAIT - waits for a given condition to be met - this may be either,
ANY, which waits for ANY response from the comm port, or a
number, which is a time delay in eighteenths of seconds.
Example:
WAIT ANY or WAIT 18
TIMEOUT - Sets the timeout delay for the INPUT command. - TIMEOUT 18
RECEIVE - receives a file - RECEIVE YMODEM TEST.ZIP - RECEIVE YMODEM
SEND - sends a file - SEND YMODEM TEST.ZIP
INPUT - waits for a specified string to be received from the comm port.
On TIMEOUT, control passes to the next script command by default.
Example:
INPUT `Message' or...
INPUT `Enter First Name:'
The string MUST be delimited with single quotes. You may
include control codes by specifying them outside the quotes.
You can use a "#" sign followed by the ASCII code of the
character to send, or you can use a caret "^" followed by
the letter for the control code you wish to generate.
OUTPUT - sends a string out to the comm port - This is similar to
the PRINT command. Except it sends the string to the port and
not the screen.
Example:
OUTPUT `LaunchComm'#7^M
This will send the word LaunchComm, followed by a beep, and a
carriage return. #7 = BEEP ^M = ENTER (see PRINT)
-------------------------------End of File------------------------------------