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PortaCall(c)
User's Guide
------------
Introduction:
If you regularly use your cellular phone to check your answering
machine messages, then PortaCall is the program for you.
With PortaCall, your computer will call you whenever a new message is
on your machine. PortaCall lets you know there is a message, by
dialing your cellular phone, pager or any other type of phone,
leaving a few harmless rings and beeps, and then hanging up.
When you receove a PortaCall call, you can then dial up your answering
machine and retrieve your new message.
PortaCall will make you more responsive to your customers and will save
you money in phone charges- You'll only call your answering
machine when you KNOW there are messages.
Hardware Requirements and Setup
-------------------------------
To use PortaCall you'll need an answering machine and a Hayes
compatible, auto-dial modem. PortaCall will dial out on either
a PULSE or TONE phone system. The default setting is TONE, if you
want PULSE you must put a 'P' before the phone number (see examples
below).
For PortaCall to work properly, you must connect your phone equipment
so that your answering machine and your modem sense incoming calls at
the same time.
One way to do this is to connect your phone line from the wall jack
into the LINE jack on the modem and then connect the answering machine
to the modem's PHONE jack.
When properly connected your answering machine should pick up calls as
usual and (without any communications software running) your modem
lights should blink whenever you receive phone calls. If you have an
internal modem, obviously, you cannot check the lights. In this case
just make sure the answering machine is working properly.
(1)
Running the Program
--------------------
1. Before you leave your office, turn on your PC and modem
2. Load PortaCall by entering:
PCALL PhoneNumber WaitTime RingCount C[Comm. Port]
For example:
PCALL 555-1212 2 3 C2
or
PCALL P555-1212 2 3 C2
(this option uses PULSE dialing).
(Hint: store your PortaCall startup command in a batch file, or
use DOSSHELL to invoke PortaCall with your startup information)
The above examples will set PCALL to dial 555-1212 two minutes
after your answering machine receives a message. PortaCall will
leave three rings on the cellular phone and then hang up.
PortaCall will look for your modem on COM2.
Things to Consider
------------------
The phone number can be up to 24 characters long. It can include
dashes and commas(pauses). It can also include any special Hayes
dialing commands. Look at PORTACALL USAGE EXAMPLES at the end of
these intructions.
The WAIT TIME is in minutes. It begins as soon as your office phone
rings. You should use a WAIT TIME that is long enough for someone to
leave a nice long message. If the wait time is too short, then
PortaCall may begin dialing your cellular phone before the caller
finishes his message. The WAIT TIME must be between 1 and 9 minutes.
The RING COUNT is based on the standard '6 seconds per ring' timing
on most phones. On cellular phones there is sometimes a long delay
before the first ring occurs. It may be necessary to add 1 to the ring
count. For example, if you want PortaCall to leave 2 rings on your
cellular phone, use 3 as the ring count. The RING COUNT must be
between 1 and 9 rings.
The COM port tells PortaCall where your modem is connected. If you're
not sure what COM port to use, start with COM1 and work your way up to
COM4. You'll know if you've found the right port when you call into
your answering machine and PortaCall begins counting down; preparing
to dial out.
(2)
Checking Your Messages
----------------------
Whenever your remote phone rings a few times and then stops, you'll
know there are messages waiting for you. In the mean time, PortaCall
will have looped back to wait for the next phone call to your answering
machine. Keep in mind that when you call up to get your messages you
will be activating PortaCall again and because PortaCall doesn't know
that it's you checking your messages, it will, again, call your cellular
phone a few minutes after you've dialed in. If you are certain that this
second PortaCall call is due to your message checking, then just ignore
it.
The PortaCall Screen
--------------------
The PortaCall screen shows the values you chose when you started
PortaCall. To modify these values, press ESC to exit PortaCall and
then start the program again with new values:
Dial Indicates the cellular phone number
Wait Indicates the delay time between when a
message is left on the answering machine and
when PortaCall dials the cellular phone
And Leave Indicates the number of rings to be left on
the cellular phone
Status Indicates the status of PortaCall
COM Port Indicates the communications port where the
modem is connected.
When PortaCall is loaded the status will say 'Waiting for a Call', as
soon as a call is received the status will change to 'nnn Seconds Until
Dial'. You will see the counter changing. When the counter reaches 000
PortaCall will dial the indicated phone number and leave the specified
number of rings.
(3)
PortaCall Usage Examples
------------------------
Usage 1: Dial, Ring and Hangup
Example startup command: PCALL 555-1234 2 4 C2
This method tells PortaCall to dial the phone number and hangup after
4 rings. This method is good for cellular phone users who don't
give out their phone number. When you hear the cellular phone ringing
you'll know its a PortaCall phone call. Simply allow the phone to
finish ringing and don't even pick it up.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Usage 2: Dial, Ring, Leave a few beeps (or dial an extension), Hangup
Example startup command: CALL 555-1234@1111 2 6 C2
This method tells PortaCall to dial the phone number, pause 5 seconds
and then leave a few beeps. It could be used when you're working in
a remote office and you want to distinguish PortaCall calls from other
phone calls. You'll know it's a PortaCall call if you pick up your
phone, hear 5 seconds of silence and then a few beeps.
This same method could be used on VOICE MAIL systems to dial a telephone
extension after PortaCall has dialed the main number. It could also be
used when dialing a PAGER. To have PortaCall dial a pager, just replace
the '1111' with the pager access number.
Registration
-------------
PortaCall is a SHAREWARE program. It can be copied and distrubted
freely. However, it would be greatly appreciated if you registered
PortaCall with its author. PortaCall should save you a great deal
of time and money if you use it regularly. For this I ask just $10.00.
Please register by sending a check or money order for $10.00 to Bill
Dineen, 455 Hope Street #3F, Stamford, CT 06906.
If you have any questions about PortaCall, my CIS ID# is 76370,2451.
(4)