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1995-02-04
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BPQCODE for OS/2
There is now an OS/2 version of BPQCODE. Please note that this is a beta
release - so far the code has only been tested on a very limited number
of configurations. It runs very reliably on my machine, (a 33 MHz 386
with 8 MB RAM running WARP), but I suggest you make sure you have adequate
backups of your system before trying it.
Overview.
The main switch code is an OS/2 Physical Device Driver (BPQCODE.SYS).
Access to the switch from DOS sessions is provided by a Virtual Device
Driver (BPQVDD.SYS). These drivers are loaded via commands in CONFIG.SYS.
The current version does not support native OS/2 applications - I hope to
provide a suitable API (probably via the IOCTL function) soon.
The switch supports the same interface hardware as the DOS version.
It does not support sharing of interrupts with other software, so you may
have to remove conflicting drivers (most likely serial port drivers).
At the moment it does not support user-written EXTERNAL drivers, but
a driver for NE1000/2000 type ethernet cards is included. I hope to add
full support for user written drivers in the next release.
The SYSOP functionality is built into the switch (as in SWITCH.EXE), so
you dont need to run SYSOPH.
Installation.
The configuration file BPQCFG.TXT is fully compatible with the DOS version.
At the moment BPQCFG.EXE is still a dos program, so must be run in a DOS
session. You can use the same BPQCFG.BIN with the two versions.
The following are lines from my CONFIG.SYS. The first is only needed if
you are running an ethernet link between switches. The parameters are
IO address and interrupt.
DEVICE=F:\OS2\BPQ\BPQETH.SYS 360 9
DEVICE=F:\OS2\BPQ\BPQCODE.SYS
DEVICE=F:\OS2\BPQ\BPQVDD.SYS
The switch looks for its config files, etc (BPQCFG.BIN, PASSWORD.BPQ and
BPQNODES) in the directory specifed in the DEVICE command (in my case
F:\OS2\BPQ).
Application Software.
The system should support all DOS based sofware that works with BPQCODE.EXE.
I have run PAC4, IPGATE, W0RLI BBS (Version 13.0), DX Cluster, JNOS (using
internal BPQ driver). Programs not written to the latest API spec may need
the interface TSR FOOLBPQ. This allows the old method of checking if the
switch is loaded to work. It should be run in each DOS session.
Support Programs.
as mentioned above, BPQCFG.EXE must be run in a DOS session. BPQNODES
and BPQDUMP are dual mode programs. The should be run in a OS/2 session
if using OS/2, but will also work as DOS programs if running DOS.
Good Luck!
de John Wiseman, G8BPQ
76, Haywood Road,
Mapperley,
Nottingham
NG2 1AL