home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Software Vault: The Gold Collection
/
Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO
/
cdr18
/
mycmm201.zip
/
MYCOMM.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-06-19
|
167KB
|
3,654 lines
MyComm Version 2.01
Unregistered Version Documentation
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer
All Rights Reserved
MyComm is NOT Public Domain or free software. The MyComm
software, support files, and documentation are Copyright (c)
1992, 1993 Ken Dorshimer, all rights reserved. You may use
MyComm for a 30 day evaluation period to determine its usefulness
in your particular application. After the 30 day evaluation
period you must register MyComm.
MyComm is being marketed under the Shareware concept. If you
find MyComm to your liking and continue to use MyComm after a 30
day evaluation period, you must register it. Registration is as
follows: $25 (twenty five U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank),
plus $2 shipping and handling sent to:
Ken Dorshimer
P.O. Box 5143
Belmont, Ca. 94002
(Please send check or money order, do not send cash. People
who want to order MyComm from outside the U.S. should obtain a
money order in U.S. dollars from a local bank.)
Please note: I am NOT able to process Visa or Mastercard orders
at this time (several folks asked me about this).
For your convenience there is a file called ORDER.FRM which is
an order form for MyComm. The same document is also included in
Appendix E of this document.
MyComm represents many, many hours of work on my part in
research, design, coding, testing, and writing the documentation.
Writing a piece of software like MyComm is not trivial. Your
registration not only gives me the incentive to continue
producing and upgrading shareware products like this one, but it
is the right thing to do.
MyComm Version 2.01 Order Form
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer
All Rights Reserved
Mail to:
Ken Dorshimer
P.O. Box 5143
Belmont, Ca. 94002
Your Name: _________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
City: _________________________________________________
State: _________ Zip Code: _________________________
Disk Format: 5.25" floppy ____ OR 3.5" semi-floppy ____
Number of Copies of MyComm _______ X $25.00 = __________
Number of Copies of MyComm _______ X $2 S&H = __________
Total: __________
Please make check or Money Order out to Ken Dorshimer, and send
payment to the address above (mine not yours).
Funds should be in U.S dollars, and drawn on a U.S. bank.
(Please send check or money order, do not send cash. People
who want to order MyComm from outside the U.S. should obtain a
money order in U.S. dollars from a local bank.)
Please note: I am NOT able to process Visa or Mastercard orders
at this time (several folks asked me about this).
1.0 Introduction to MyComm 1
1.1 MyComm Registration 2
1.2 Disclaimer and Warranty 4
1.3 Definitions, Acronyms 5
1.4 General System Requirements 6
1.5 MyComm Files 6
2.0 MyComm Installation 7
2.1 System Requirements 7
2.2 MyComm General Installation Instructions 8
2.3 Running MyComm 10
3.0 MyComm Screens and Menus 11
3.1 Terminal Screen 11
3.2 Help Menu - F1 12
3.3 Chat Mode - Alt A 13
3.4 Send Break - Alt B 13
3.5 Clear the Screen - Alt C 13
3.6 Dialing Functions - Alt D 14
3.6.1 Add Phone List Item 14
3.6.2 Edit Phone List Item Screen 15
3.6.2.1 Name 15
3.6.2.2 Number 15
3.6.2.3 Baud Rate 16
3.6.2.4 Data Bits 16
3.6.2.5 Data Parity 16
3.6.2.6 Stop Bits 16
3.6.2.7 Default Protocol 16
3.6.2.8 Dial Prefix 17
3.6.2.9 Logon Name 17
3.6.2.10 Password 17
3.6.2.11 Terminal Type 18
3.6.2.12 Local Echo 18
3.6.2.13 Received BS (BackSpace) Destructive 18
3.6.2.14 BS Key Sends BS or DELete 18
3.6.2.15 Strip Hi Bits 19
3.6.2.16 Add LF after incoming CR 19
3.6.2.17 Clear last date called 19
3.6.2.18 Save Changes 19
3.6.3 Delete an Item 19
3.6.4 Call Numbers (Dial) 20
3.6.5 Phone Item Info Screen 21
3.6.6 Manual Dial Screen 21
3.6.7 Mark Phone List Items 22
3.6.8 Find Phone List Items 22
3.6.9 Load Phone List Screen 22
3.6.10 Sort Phone List 22
3.6.11 Move Phone List Item 23
3.6.12 Print Phone List 23
3.7 Local Echo On/Off - Alt E 23
3.8 Hang Up Modem - Alt H 23
3.9 Send Modem Initialization Strings - Alt I 24
3.10 Present Line Status - Alt L 24
3.11 Scroll Back - Alt K 25
3.12 Manual Dial - Alt M 25
i
3.13 Outside to DOS - Alt O 25
3.14 Change Port Parameters - Alt P 26
3.15 Quick Re-Dial - Alt Q 26
3.16 Run External Program - Alt R 26
3.17 Session Capture On/Off/Pause - Alt S 27
3.18 Terminal Emulation - Alt T 27
3.19 Update Configuration - Alt U 28
3.19.1 Modem Setup Screen 29
3.19.1.1 COM Port 30
3.19.1.2 Modem Initialization String 30
3.19.1.3 Modem Attention String 31
3.19.1.4 Modem Hang Up String 31
3.19.1.5 Modem Answer String 31
3.19.1.6 Modem Cancel Dial String 31
3.19.1.7 Modem Dial Suffix String 31
3.19.1.8 Dialing Wait Time 32
3.19.1.9 Pause Between Calls 32
3.19.1.10 Local Echo on by Default 32
3.19.1.11 Use DTR to Hang Up Modem 33
3.19.1.12 Use XON/XOFF Flow Control 33
3.19.1.13 Use CTS/RTS Flow Control 33
3.19.1.14 Use DSR/DTR Flow Control 33
3.19.1.15 Dialing Prefixes 34
3.19.2 Paths Setup 34
3.19.2.1 Download Directory 34
3.19.2.2 Upload Directory 35
3.19.2.3 Path\File for Screen Capture 35
3.19.2.4 Session Capture Path\File 35
3.19.2.5 Phone File Path\File 35
3.19.2.6 Editor Path\Filename 35
3.19.2.7 External Programs Path\Filename 35
3.19.3 Protocols Setup 36
3.19.3.1 ASCII Transfers Setup 36
3.19.3.1.1 Strip High Bits 37
3.19.3.1.2 Remote Abort Char 37
3.19.3.1.3 CR Translation 37
3.19.3.1.4 LF Translation 37
3.19.3.1.5 Local Echo On During Uploads 37
3.19.3.1.6 Expand Blank Lines to Spaces 38
3.19.3.1.7 Line Pace Time 38
3.19.3.1.8 Character Pace Time 38
3.19.3.1.9 Pacing Char 38
3.19.3.2 Zmodem Transfers Setup 38
3.19.3.2.1 Zmodem 32 Bit CRC 38
3.19.3.2.2 Zmodem Auto Download Feature 39
3.19.3.2.3 Zmodem Send Crash Recovery 39
3.19.3.2.4 Zmodem Receive Crash Recovery 39
3.19.3.3 External Protocols Setup 40
3.19.4 Miscellaneous Options Setup 41
3.19.4.1 Screen Background Color 42
3.19.4.2 Screen Text Color 42
3.19.4.3 Date Format Style 42
3.19.4.4 12 or 24 Hour Time Format 42
3.19.4.5 Make Noise When Calls Connect 42
ii
3.19.4.6 Make Noise After File Transfers 42
3.19.4.7 Use Direct Video 42
3.19.4.8 Your Name for sign on 43
3.19.4.9 Password for sign on 43
3.19.4.10 Clever quip for TagLine 43
3.19.4.11 Guess Up/Download Filename 44
3.19.5 Save Setup 44
3.20 Send Screen to File - Alt W 44
3.21 Exit MyComm - Alt X 44
3.22 Send Name - F2 44
3.23 Send Password - F3 45
3.24 Send Tagline - F4 45
3.25 Transferring Files 45
3.25.1 Starting a File Transfer 46
3.25.2 File Transfer Hints 49
3.25.3 Download Files - PgDn 49
3.25.4 UpLoad Files - PgUp 49
3.25.5 ASCII File Transfers 49
3.25.6 SEAlink Derived File Transfers 50
3.25.7 Xmodem File Transfers 50
3.25.8 1K-Xmodem File Transfers 50
3.25.9 Ymodem Batch File Transfers 51
3.25.9 Ymodem-G Batch File Transfers 51
3.25.11 Zmodem File Transfers 51
3.25.11 External Protocol File Transfers 52
3.25.12 MyComm as a Host 52
Appendix A - MyComm Command Summary 54
Appendix B - MyComm Line Editing Functions 55
Appendix C - Terminal Emulation 56
Appendix D - Troubleshooting 58
Appendix E - MyComm Order Form 61
Appendix F - MyComm Bug Report Form 62
Appendix G - Planned Modifications and Upgrades 63
Appendix H - MyComm Revision History 64
iii
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 1
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
1.0 Introduction to MyComm
MyComm is a small, yet powerful, telecommunications program
designed primarily to enable the user to call public bulletin
board systems (BBS). MyComm is designed to run under the PC/MS-
DOS operating system using DOS version 3.3 or higher. MyComm has
a variety of built in file transfer protocols including Zmodem,
Xmodem, Xmodem-1K, Ymodem Batch, Ymodem-G Batch, SEAlink, and of
course ASCII. There are also slots to include up to six external
file transfer protocols.
The driving principle behind MyComm is to provide a reliable,
powerful, and versatile communications package which is easy to
use, and small in size. Great care has been taken to "optimize"
MyComm for operating speed and to keep the executable code size
small so that it takes up less of your valuable disk space.
MyComm is designed to be easy to use for novice and experienced
users alike, and employs a menu system that is friendly and
simple to navigate through.
MyComm features include:
■ A full featured communications package which is small in
size.
■ Wide variety of popular file transfer protocols.
■ Small code size which will run in less than 200K of RAM.
■ Intelligent ANSI character translation which filters out
potentially harmful ANSI keyboard re-mapping sequences.
■ Intelligent DOS shell function that brings you back to the
disk drive and directory that you started from when you
return to MyComm.
■ Detection and use of the 16550 UART and FIFO buffers.
■ Locates program and configuration files no matter what
directory MyComm is started from (DOS 3.0 or greater).
■ Simple, and easy to use. Some may even call it "fun"!
MyComm is NOT Public Domain or free software. The MyComm
software, support files, and documentation are Copyright (c)
1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer, all rights reserved. You may use
MyComm for a 30 day evaluation period to determine its usefulness
in your particular application. After the 30 day evaluation
period you must register MyComm. For registration information
see section 1.1 "MyComm Registration" below.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 2
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
1.1 MyComm Registration
MyComm is NOT Public Domain or free software. The MyComm
software, support files, and documentation are Copyright (c)
1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer, all rights reserved. You may use
MyComm for a 30 day evaluation period to determine its usefulness
in your particular application. After the 30 day evaluation
period you must register MyComm. MyComm is being marketed under
the Shareware concept. If you find MyComm to your liking and
continue to use MyComm after a 30 day evaluation period, you must
register it. Registration is as follows: $25 (twenty five U.S.
dollars drawn on a U.S. bank), plus $2 shipping and handling sent
to:
Ken Dorshimer
P.O. Box 5143
Belmont, Ca. 94002
(please send check or money order, do not send cash)
For your convenience there is a file called ORDER.FRM which is
an order form for MyComm. The same document is also included in
Appendix E of this document.
MyComm represents many, many hours of work on my part in
research, design, coding, testing, and writing the documentation.
Writing a piece of software like MyComm is not trivial. Your
registration not only gives me the incentive to continue
producing and upgrading nifty shareware products like this one,
but it is the right thing to do.
Let's face it. $25 is not a lot to spend on a program that
does everything MyComm does. Comparable communications packages
are generally much more expensive. The Shareware market is an
"all risk" endeavor for the author, while the user has everything
to gain. Your registration and support tells me that MyComm was
worth creating, and that people like it. I like to know that
people appreciate the effort I put into a project, don't we all?
Enjoy using the MyComm software, and I look forward to hearing
from you.
When you register MyComm I will send you the most recent
version of MyComm and its documentation on disk (standard 3.5" or
5.25" floppy disk, 3.5" preferred). At this time I am not
offering a printed manual to keep the cost of the software
reasonable. Registered users will also be offered a discount on
future upgrades.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 3
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
Multiple registrations to the same individual or site will be
discounted as follows:
1 to 5 copies - no discount
6 to 10 copies - 5% discount
11 to 25 copies - 10% discount
26 to 50 copies - 20% discount
51 to 100 copies - 30% discount
over 100 copies - inquire for quote
Inquiries for site licenses or multiple registrations of MyComm
should be directed to the above address.
There is no phone or BBS support for MyComm at this time. I
may consider phone and/or BBS support dependent upon the number
of registrations of MyComm. I may be reached at the mailing
address above or via Compuserve (Tm) 73113,3536.
Registered users will be granted license to use the MyComm
software as they deem fit and within the law. The registered
version of MyComm may be duplicated for backup purposes only.
MyComm is not to be used on more than one computer at a time.
Feel free to contact me regarding multiple registrations and site
licenses.
All users are granted a limited license to make copies of the
unregistered version of MyComm for the purpose of allowing others
to try it out, and the unregistered version may also be uploaded
to public bulletin board systems subject to the above
restrictions as well as the following:
■ MyComm must be distributed in completely unmodified
form, including all support files and documentation.
■ MyComm may not be included with any other product for
any reason without a licence from the author, Ken
Dorshimer.
■ No charge or payment may be levied or accepted for the
MyComm software except by the author, Ken Dorshimer.
MyComm may not be sold or distributed to a third party (this
includes copying services and shareware distribution outlets
which distribute software for a copying fee) without the
expressed written permission of the author, Ken Dorshimer.
Shareware distribution services and bulletin boards which charge
a fee for software distribution should contact me for written
permission to distribute MyComm.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 4
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
The MyComm executable file(s) and documentation, both the
"registered" and "unregistered" versions are copyrighted material
and may not be modified or reverse engineered in any manner.
This also means that MyComm may not be "hacked" in any manner
what-so-ever. If you require modified or customized versions of
MyComm for whatever reason please contact the author at the
address above.
1.2 Disclaimer and Warranty
Disclaimer and Warranty
THIS SOFTWARE AND DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS". THE
AUTHOR, KEN DORSHIMER, MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
OR THE SOFTWARE'S USEFULNESS IN A PARTICULAR APPLICATION. IN NO
EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR, KEN DORSHIMER, BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES
(INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS OR PERSONAL PROFITS,
BUSINESS OR PERSONAL INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR PERSONAL
INFORMATION, OR OTHER PECUNIARY LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF
OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PROGRAM, EVEN IF THE AUTHOR, KEN
DORSHIMER, HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
THE USER ASSUMES FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY FOR THE PROPER
USE OF THE MYCOMM SOFTWARE AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION.
<Whew>, glad the legal stuff is out of the way. If I hadn't
included that my attorney would have me drawn and quartered.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 5
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
1.3 Definitions, Acronyms, Acknowledgements, and Abbreviations
■ BBS - Bulletin Board System
■ IBM - Trademark, International Business Machines
■ Hayes - Hayes (trademark) compatible modems have
become the defacto standard in modem
communications. The Hayes command set are
modem commands preceded by "AT"
■ DOS - Disk Operating System
■ MS-DOS - Microsoft Disk Operating System, trademark of
Microsoft Corporation.
■ Shareware - A marketing system where users are allowed to
evaluate software before purchase and
registration.
■ XMODEM - A file transfer protocol developed by Ward
Christensen in the summer of 1977.
■ YMODEM - A file transfer protocol, based on XMODEM
developed by Chuck Forsberg.
■ ZMODEM - A file transfer protocol, developed by Chuck
Forsberg/Omen Technology, Inc.
■ SEAlink - A file transfer protocol, based on XMODEM
developed by System Enhancement Associates,
Inc. Copyright 1986, 1987 by System
Enhancement Associates, Inc.
■ WordStar - Trademark (company unknown) of an editor
which has been around since the early days of
personal computers
■ Unix - Trademark of operating system designed by
Bell Labs/Western Electric
■ VT-nnn - As in VT-52, VT-100, etc. are trademarks of
the Digital Equipment Corporation
Any other names, trademarks, etc. not mentioned here belong
to whomever they belong to. If there are errors or
omissions, and you let me know, I will make an effort to
correct them in the next version of this documentation.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 6
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
1.4 General System Requirements
MyComm is designed to run under the PC/MS-DOS operating system.
MyComm can be run either from a hard drive or a floppy drive,
although a floppy drive is not recommended when performing file
transfers (just too slow). Great care has been taken to keep the
code size small so MyComm will run with as little as 200K of main
memory (RAM) available. MyComm will run using a Monochrome
Graphics Adapter (MGA), a true Hercules (Tm) monochrome card,
EGA, and VGA. MyComm has not been tested with CGA cards by me
personally so I have no idea if they will work or not (drop me a
line and let me know).
MyComm is designed to use modems which use the Hayes (Tm) "AT"
command set. Your modem should support this standard or a subset
of it. MyComm supports modem speeds of 300, 1200, 2400, 4800,
9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, and 115200 baud and a wide variety of
data bit, parity bit, and stop bit settings.
1.5 MyComm Files
The files included in the MyComm package are:
■ MYCOMM.EXE - the main executable program
■ MYCOMM.DOC - the documentation for MyComm (you're
reading it now)
■ ORDER.FRM - a order form for MyComm
■ BUGRPT.FRM - a form to describe any problems or
bugs you may have found, or to make
suggestions for future versions of
MyComm
MyComm also creates and modifies the following files as part of
its normal operation:
■ MYCOMM.CFG - the MyComm configuration file
■ MYCOMM.PHN - the MyComm phone list file
■ MYCOMM.OLD - a backup of the MyComm phone list file
■ MYCOMM.SCR - file created when you capture the screen
to a file (see Alt W)
■ MYCOMM.SES - file created when capturing your current
session to a file (see Alt S)
■ Other Files - phone lists that you create, and any
files that were downloaded.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 7
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
2.0 MyComm Installation
MyComm is amazingly simple to install and use. That's the
whole idea. Just follow the instructions in this section and
you'll be up and running in no time. Pay special attention to
the information that should be in your CONFIG.SYS file, and the
stuff about the COM ports.
2.1 System Requirements
MyComm is designed to run on IBM or compatible personal
computers under the MS-DOS operating system. Machines can be of
the PC, XT, AT, 386 or above class of personal computers.
MyComm has the following system requirements:
■ at least 200K of free memory (RAM)
■ MS-DOS version 3.0 or greater or similar "after market"
DOS operating systems (may work with DOS 2.0, please
drop me a line if it does)
■ Hayes compatible modem which accepts the " AT " command
set
■ CONFIG.SYS statement of Files=40 or greater. Look at
your CONFIG.SYS file to make sure there is a "Files="
statement. The CONFIG.SYS file can be edited with an
ordinary text editor. Simply type in a line that reads
"Files=40" (without the quotes) and save the file.
Refer to your DOS manual if you need more information
on CONFIG.SYS.
■ CONFIG.SYS statement of Buffers=40 or greater. Look at
your CONFIG.SYS file to make sure there is a "Buffers="
statement. The CONFIG.SYS file can be edited with an
ordinary text editor. Simply type in a line that reads
"Files=40" (without the quotes) and save the file.
Again, Refer to your DOS manual for information on
CONFIG.SYS.
■ CONFIG.SYS statement of Device=ANSI.SYS. Look at your
CONFIG.SYS file to make sure there is a
"Device=ANSI.SYS" statement. Refer to your DOS manual
for information on CONFIG.SYS.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 8
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
2.2 MyComm General Installation Instructions
Before you start the MyComm installation you should know at
least what COM port your modem is set for. Consult your modem's
manual if you're not sure. Modems vary too much from one
manufacturer to another for me to describe that here.
Step 1: Modify your CONFIG.SYS file as needed to reflect the
changes described in section 2.1 above.
Step 2: Create a directory on your hard drive (or a floppy
drive) called "MYCOMM" and change directory into the
new "MYCOMM" directory.
Example:
C:
CD\
MD MYCOMM
CD MYCOMM
Step 3: Copy the MYCOMM files into this new directory.
Step 4: Load MyComm. At the DOS command prompt type "MYCOMM"
then press the <Enter> key.
Step 5: MyComm will start to load. The first time MyComm is
run it will tell you that it can't find the
"Configuration File". It will then create a new
configuration file called MYCOMM.CFG. MyComm will also
create an empty phone dialing list called MYCOMM.PHN.
Step 6: MyComm has a default COM port setting of COM Port 1.
If your modem is set up for COM 1 already, don't sweat
it. Otherwise, MyComm will prompt you for the serial
port to use. Choose the COM Port that your modem is
set on. MyComm will then try to initialize the COM
Port. If all goes well you should see the letters "OK"
on the screen under the copyright notice. If the modem
doesn't appear to be responding, try repeating Step 6
using another COM Port (if you have more than one) or
see Appendix D "Troubleshooting". You can see if the
modem is responding correctly by typing "AT" (without
the quotes) and then press <Enter>. The modem should
respond with "OK". You can test the phone line
connection by typing "ATM1DT" (again, without the
quotes) then press <Enter>. What this does is tell the
modem to turn its' speaker on, then dial nothing. You
should hear a dial tone from the modems' speaker.
Press <Enter> again and the dial tone should stop and
the modem should respond with "NO CARRIER".
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 9
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
Step 7: Press the <Alt> and "U" key. This will bring up
MyComm's' Update Configuration Menu. Go through each
of the menu options and make any changes required. The
rest of this document is dedicated to helping you
understand how MyComm and its' options work, everything
you'll need to know about MyComm is in here (at least
I'm pretty sure it is...).
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 10
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
2.3 Running MyComm
Section 3 of this document covers all the options and functions
MyComm offers. There are some additional items that should be
covered first.
MyComm can be started in a number of ways. Below are three
different methods to start the MyComm program.
Method 1: To start MyComm go to the directory that you installed
MyComm in for example:
CD\MYCOMM
then type MYCOMM and press the <Enter> key. This will
start the MyComm program.
Method 2: MyComm will also load from any directory if you have
set a "Path" with the DOS path command that points to
the directory MyComm lives in. For example to set the
path type:
PATH=C:\MYCOMM
providing of course that you installed MyComm in the
directory C:\MYCOMM. Just substitute the appropriate
path in that case.
Method 3: You could also specify the "fully qualified" DOS path
to start MyComm. For example:
C:\MYCOMM\MYCOMM
will also cause MyComm to start.
If you have questions about the DOS Path commands or statements
please refer to your DOS manual.
If you are using DOS version 3.0 or higher MyComm will
automatically find it's own configuration file as long as the
correct path (see above) to MyComm has been set. This means that
MyComm can be started from anywhere on your system without having
to always start in the MyComm directory. This will save you the
trouble and typing of changing directories when you want to use
MyComm.
MyComm will however try to start a new phone file in the
directory you are in unless you have included the fully qualified
path to the phone directory file in the setup options. This
allows you to keep multiple phone files in different directories
depending on your needs.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 11
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.0 MyComm Screens and Menus
MyComm has several screens and menus to allow you to change
various options, display various information, and dial telephone
numbers. Most screens and menus are brought up by pressing the
<ALT> key and then a letter. Pressing <F1> while in the terminal
screen shows you Help Menu (see also section 3.2).
3.1 Terminal Screen
When MyComm is first loaded, and after the configuration file
has been read, it defaults to the terminal screen which looks
like this:
MyComm <Version Information>
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 Ken Dorshimer - All rights reserved.
Press <F1> for Help
Press <Alt-D> for Dial Screen
OK
You will see the version number, and copyright notice. Also if
the modem was correctly initialized, you will also see "OK" on
the screen.
In the terminal screen you may enter regular Hayes - AT
commands, or choose one of the MyComm options. The MyComm
options are listed in the Help Menu which is displayed when you
press the <F1> key on your keyboard. A description of each of
the MyComm options is detailed in the following sections of this
manual.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 12
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.2 Help Menu - F1
Pressing the <F1> key brings up the MyComm Help Screen which
looks like this:
(NOTE: most MyComm screens shown in this documentation are
smaller than actual size so they will fit on a printed page.)
+------------------------------------------------| MyComm Help |+
| |
| MyComm Commands |
| |
|Alt A Activate Chat Mode Alt M Manual Dial |
|Alt B Send Break Alt O Outside to DOS |
|Alt C Clear the Screen Alt P Change Port Parameters|
|Alt D Dialing Functions Alt Q Quick Re-Dial |
|Alt E Toggle Local Echo On/Off Alt R Run External Program |
|Alt H Hang up modem Alt S Session Capture On/Off|
|Alt I Send Modem Init. String Alt T Terminal Emulation |
|Alt K Scroll BacK Alt U Update Configuration |
|Alt L Current Line Status Alt W Write Screen to File |
| Alt X EXit MyComm |
| |
| |
|F1 Help With Commands PgDn Download Files |
|F2 Send Name PgUp Upload Files |
|F3 Send Password |
|F4 Send Tagline |
| |
| |
| MyComm <Version Information> |
| Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 Ken Dorshimer - All rights reserved.|
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Pressing <Esc> or any other key closes the MyComm Help Screen
window.
Each of the options shown on the Help Menu is described in
detail in the sections that follow.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 13
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.3 Chat Mode - Alt A
Pressing the <ALT> and the "A" key brings you into the MyComm
Chat window. The Chat window is divided into a top half and a
bottom half. The top half of the screen is where received
characters are written, the bottom half is where the characters
you type are written.
The chat screen is useful when you want to "converse" with
someone while on-line. If you were not using the Chat Mode and
trying to do this, the "conversation" would eventually end up
looking like a garbled mess on your screen.
To exit Chat Mode, just press <Esc>.
3.4 Send Break - Alt B
Pressing the <ALT> and the "B" key sends a special signal
called a Break signal. Some host systems use the Break signal to
perform special functions such as ending a session.
3.5 Clear the Screen - Alt C
Pressing the <ALT> and the "C" key clears the screen and resets
the current color attributes. Some host systems send color
information which stays in place even after you log off, so
MyComm dutifully resets the screen colors to the ones you chose.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 14
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6 Dialing Functions - Alt D
Pressing the <ALT> and the "D" keys displays the MyComm Dial
Screen. From this screen you can add, delete, edit, view, find,
and mark phone list entries, and of course dial phone list
entries. You will see the options available from this screen
written into the little window at the bottom of the screen. The
letter which activates an option will appear highlighted or in a
different color. A description of the dialing options follows.
You will also see a bar highlighting the current phone list
item. You can move the highlight bar up and down by using the
Up-Arrow, Down-Arrow, Page Up, Page Down, Home and End keys. The
highlight bar appears as a reverse video bar.
+------------------------------------------------| Dial Screen |+
| |
| # Name Phone Number Last Call |
| |
| 1 Your Favorite BBS 555-4657 01/26/92 |
| 2 The Music Board 555-8944 01/19/92 |
| 3 The Other Side BBS 555-5813 01/23/92 |
| 4 00/00/00 |
| . . . . |
| . . . . |
| . . . . |
| 15 00/00/00 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
| Add Edit Delete Call Info Manual (Un)MarK Find Load |
| Sort moVe Print |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
3.6.1 Add Phone List Item
Pressing the "A" key in the Dial Screen window adds a blank
entry after the currently highlighted entry.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 15
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6.2 Edit Phone List Item Screen
Pressing the "E" key in the Dial Screen window brings up the
Dial Edit window. This is where you set up the phone list entry
for each system you will call. There are several options to
choose from, and each is described. You can also use the Up-
Arrow and Down-Arrow keys to move between items. Items such as
Name, Number, etc use MyComm's Line Editor described in Appendix
B.
+----------------------------------------| Edit |+
| |
| Name: Your Favorite BBS |
| Number: 555-4657 |
| Baud Rate: 2400 Data Bits: 8 |
| Data Parity: None Stop Bits: 1 |
| Default Protocol: 1K-Xmodem |
| Dial Prefix: 1 ATDT*70 |
| Logon Name: Your Name |
| Password: Password |
| Terminal Type: ANSI |
| Local Echo: No |
| Received BS Destructive: Yes |
| BS Key Sends BS or DELete: BS |
| Strip Hi Bits? (Pure ASCII): No |
| Add LF after incoming CR?: No |
| Clear last date called and number of calls? |
| |
| |
+------------------------------------------------+
The following describes each phone list item and how to configure
it.
3.6.2.1 Name
Just type in the name of the bulletin board system or person
you will call here.
3.6.2.2 Number
The telephone number of the system you will call goes in here.
The telephone number can include spaces or hyphens for
readability (modems usually ignore spaces and hyphens).
Characters such as letters or other gibberish will probably
confuse your modem. Whatever you put here MyComm will assume is
a valid telephone number.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 16
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6.2.3 Baud Rate
Choose a baud rate (300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400,
57600, or 115200) that you want MyComm to use when connected to
the system. For a more accurate reading of the data rate during
file transfers (described elsewhere in this manual) and the on-
line status (also described elsewhere in this manual) the baud
rate should be set to the rate of the system that you will be
calling.
3.6.2.4 Data Bits
Choose the data bits (5, 6, 7, 8) that you want MyComm to use
when connected to the system. 8 data bits is the most common
setting for public bulletin board systems. 7 data bits are
common on mainframes and many Unix (Tm) systems. 5 and 6 data
bits are rarely used by many systems any longer, but are included
for completeness.
Most host systems in their advertisements, etc. tell you what
Data, Parity, and Stop bits they expect. You will often see them
listed as 8-N-1 or similar. 8-N-1 means 8 data bits, no parity
(None), and 1 stop bit. 8-N-1 is probably the most popular
settings in use today. If in doubt, try these first.
3.6.2.5 Data Parity
Choose the data parity (None, Even, Odd, Mark, Space) that you
want MyComm to use when connected to the system. None is usually
used on most systems, especially with 8 data bits. Even parity
is common when using 7 data bits.
3.6.2.6 Stop Bits
Choose the stop bits (1, 2) that you want MyComm to use when
connected to the system. 1 stop bit is the most common.
3.6.2.7 Default Protocol
MyComm allows you to choose the file transfer protocol that you
want to use by default for each system you call. Choose the
protocol which best suits your needs. A more complete
description of the various protocols is found later in this
manual in the section on Uploading and DownLoading Files.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 17
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6.2.8 Dial Prefix
Choose the dialing prefix that you want MyComm to use when
calling the number for this system. MyComm has slots for three
different dialing prefixes. Choose one by moving the highlight
bar to the selection you want. The dialing prefixes can be
changed to suit your needs in the Update Configuration menu
option.
3.6.2.9 Logon Name
This option lets you enter the name that you log on with when
you call this system. When bulletin board systems answer your
call they usually ask for your name and password.
Putting the "|" character at the end of the Logon Name causes
an <Enter> character to be sent. Some BBS's don't like seeing an
enter character in immediately after the Logon Name string when
logging on, in which case you may leave the "|" out.
If Logon Name is filled in MyComm will send your logon name
when you push the <F2> key to save you some typing.
3.6.2.10 Password
This option lets you enter the password that you log on with
when you call this system. When bulletin board systems answer
your call they usually ask for your name and password.
If Password is filled in MyComm will send your logon password
when you push the <F3> key to save you some typing. If you are
really security conscious, then you can leave this option blank.
Putting the "|" character at the end of the Password causes an
<Enter> character to be sent. Some BBS's don't like seeing an
<Enter> character immediately after the Password string when
logging on, in which case you may leave the "|" out.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 18
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6.2.11 Terminal Type
This option lets you choose the type of terminal emulation to
use when calling this system. The choices are TTY, ANSI, VT-52,
and VT-100.
TTY (TeleTYpe) gives no emulation what-so-ever. The characters
appear on your screen just as they come in with no formatting.
ANSI emulation provides functions similar to your ANSI.SYS
driver to provide color attributes (except on mono monitors of
course), blinking characters and other goodies. MyComm uses
intelligent ANSI character translation which filters out any ANSI
sequences which cause keyboard re-mapping functions. This
prevents the unscrupulous from sending ANSI sequences to your
personal computer system that could potentially cause damage or
annoyance.
VT-52 and VT-100 are commonly used on mainframe hosts. Some
bulletin boards also support these. Both of these emulations
support a subset of the DEC protocols including a mapping to the
"keypad mode" used to generate commands on DEC terminals. It
should be noted that VT-52 is an "ANSI incompatible" emulation,
and VT-100 is ANSI compatible.
A listing of the keys supported for the ANSI, VT-52, and VT-100
emulations is in Appendix C - Terminal Emulations.
3.6.2.12 Local Echo
Local Echo is used when the other system does not send the
characters typed on your terminal back to you. Most systems do
echo characters back, so Local Echo is normally off ("No"). If
you find that you can't see what you are typing when connected to
a system, set Local Echo on ("Yes"). On the other hand if you
see double characters when you hit a key (for example you see
"xx" when you type an "x") then Local Echo should be off ("No").
3.6.2.13 Received BS (BackSpace) Destructive
This option tells MyComm whether received BackSpace or DELete
characters should back up the cursor and erase what was there.
Usually this On.
3.6.2.14 BS Key Sends BS or DELete
This option tells MyComm whether to send a BS (BackSpace - 8
decimal) or DEL (Delete - 127 decimal) character when the
backspace key is pressed. Usually this is set to BS. I have
found that mainframe hosts usually like to see DEL rather than
BS.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 19
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6.2.15 Strip Hi Bits
This option tells MyComm whether to strip the high bit from
received and sent characters. Usually this is set to "No".
Just for your own information, bytes on the personal computer
are 8 bits long. So, the bit-map of a byte might be 10011101.
The left-most bit is the high bit. So if you were to strip the
high bit, the byte above would become 00011101. Pure ASCII only
covers bytes in the range of 00000000 (0 decimal) to 01111111
(127 decimal). The ANSI extended set includes values from
10000000 (128 decimal) to 11111111 (255 decimal). So by
stripping the high bit, a character is guaranteed to be in the
range of the pure ASCII number/character set.
3.6.2.16 Add LF after incoming CR
This option tells MyComm whether to add a LF (Line Feed - 10
decimal) character after a CR (Carriage Return - 13 decimal)
character is received. Usually this is set to "No".
If you notice that the lines on the screen seem to look odd or
do not scroll up properly, you will want to turn this on (Yes).
3.6.2.17 Clear last date called and number of calls
Each time you connect with a system MyComm updates the last
time called and last date called portion of the phone list item
record. If you want to reset the date and time the system was
last called and the number of times you have called it, answer
"Yes" here.
3.6.2.18 Save Changes (not shown in example)
MyComm asks if you want to save the changes you just made. If
you answer "Yes" MyComm also updates the phone file on your disk
drive.
When MyComm updates the phone file a copy of the last phone file
is created and named PHONE.OLD.
3.6.3 Delete an Item
Pressing the "T" key allows you to delete the item that is
currently at the dialing highlight bar. MyComm asks you to
confirm the delete request before proceeding. MyComm also
updates the phone file on your disk drive. When MyComm updates
the phone file a copy of the last phone file is created and named
PHONE.OLD.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 20
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6.4 Call Numbers (Dial)
Pressing the "C" key tells MyComm that it's time to start
calling numbers in the Dialing List (See section 3.6.7 (Un)MarK
below also). Incidentally, pressing the <Enter> key also will
start the dialing.
If no Dialing List Items are "marked" MyComm will dial the
number that the highlight bar is currently resting on. If there
are "marked" Dialing List Items, MyComm will start dialing the
marked numbers in sequence until a connection is made. During
the dialing attempts you can cancel the calling by pressing the
<Esc> key.
While MyComm is calling numbers and waiting for a connection, a
Dial Status Window is displayed (see example below). The status
window shows who is being called and the telephone number, how
many call tries have been made so far, the status of the last
dialing try, the time in seconds until this try "times out", the
time since you started calling, and the time that the current
dialing attempt started.
+-------------------------------------------------------| Dial |+
| |
| Calling: Your Favorite BBS At: 555-4657 |
| |
| Try # 1 Last Status: None Yet Dial Time: 42 |
| |
| Dialing started at: 3:01:20 This try started at: 3:01:21 |
| |
| |
| Hit ESC to quit dialing, 'N' for next number, |
| or 'D' to delete number from list. |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Pressing the "N" key causes MyComm to stop dialing the number
it is currently dialing and to skip to the next marked number.
Pressing the "D" key causes MyComm to stop dialing the number
it's currently calling and to remove it from the list of "marked"
numbers. If you press "D" and the number is the only one left in
the "marked" list, MyComm will give you a warning and stop
dialing.
The Dial Time and Pause Time between calls is a user
configuration option which can be set up in the Update
Configuration menu described later in this document.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 21
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6.5 Phone Item Info Screen
The Phone Item Info Screen looks very much like the Edit Phone
List Item Screen with the exception that the Last Call Date, Last
Call Time, and Number of Calls fields are shown. If you see
something you want to change, pressing "E" will bring you to the
Edit Phone List Item Screen.
+------------------------------| Phone Item Info |+
| |
| Name: Your Favorite BBS |
| Number: 555-4657 |
| Baud Rate: 2400 Data Bits: 8 |
| Data Parity: None Stop Bits: 1 |
| Default Protocol: 1K-Xmodem |
| Dial Prefix: 1 ATDT*70 |
| Logon Name: Your Name |
| Password: Password |
| Terminal Type: ANSI |
| Local Echo: No |
| Received BS Destructive: Yes |
| BS Key Sends BS or DELete: BS |
| Strip Hi Bits? (Pure ASCII): No |
| Add LF after incoming CR?: No |
| |
| Last Call Date: 01/26/92 |
| Last Call Time: 4:26:12 |
| Number of Calls: 28 |
| |
| Press "E" to Edit Record |
+-------------------------------------------------+
3.6.6 Manual Dial Screen
Pressing "M" brings up the Manual Dial Screen. The Manual Dial
Screen lets you enter in a single phone number to dial. The
dialing prefix used is always Dialing Prefix number 1.
If you press <Esc> you can cancel the selection. Pressing
<Enter> accepts the telephone number and the usual Dialing Status
Window appears.
+-------------------------------------| Manual Dial |+
| |
| Enter phone number: 555-1234 |
| |
+----------------------------------------------------+
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 22
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6.7 Mark Phone List Items
Pressing "K" marks or un-marks phone list items for later
dialing. As a convenience, Pressing the <Space> bar also marks
and un-marks items. When a phone list item is marked a chevron
("»") will appear next to the item.
3.6.8 Find Phone List Items
Pressing "F" brings up the Find Phone List Items screen (not
shown). Simply type in the characters in the name, or a partial
phone number that you want to find, and MyComm will find it for
you. MyComm will only locate the first occurrence on the search
string. If the search fails, MyComm will let you know with a
message.
3.6.9 Load Phone List Screen
Pressing "L" brings up the Load Phone List Screen (see example
below). MyComm will keep more than one phone dialing list for
you. Each list can hold up to 100 telephone numbers. If the
dialing list you select does not yet exist, MyComm will display
an empty dialing list.
Again, when changes are made to the phone file, MyComm will
create or update the file PHONE.OLD as a backup. There is only
one PHONE.OLD backup file kept, so all new backups overwrite the
last PHONE.OLD backup file.
+-----------------------------------| Load Phone List |+
| |
| Enter Path/Filename of new phone list |
| |
| > NEWPHONE.LST |
+------------------------------------------------------+
3.6.10 Sort Phone List
You can sort the Phone List in one of four ways:
- by BBS name
- by Telephone number
- by last date called
- by number of times called
The sort option will also ask you for Ascending or Descending
sort order. Simply select the sort option that best suits your
needs. The list will be saved in the new sort order. Pressing
<Esc> exits the Sort menu.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 23
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.6.11 Move Phone List Item
This option allows you to move a phone list item to another
location in the list manually. This may save you some retyping
if you want to customize the phone list.
To use this option move the highlight bar to the phone list
item that you want to move. Press the "V" key. Next use the up
and down arrow keys to move the highlight bar to the position
that you would like the item moved to. Press the <Enter> key to
make the move permanent, or <Esc> to quit the move.
3.6.12 Print Phone List
This option allows you to print the phone list. The phone list
may also be "printed" to a text file. The printed output shows
the BBS name, phone number, and last date called.
To use this option press "P". You will then be asked for a
file name to "print" to, or if you want to print to your printer
(PRN) simply press <Enter> (PRN is a standard DOS device name for
the printer). The printing will commence and a status message is
displayed while the phone list is being printed. You can stop
the printing by pressing the <Esc> key.
3.7 Local Echo On/Off - Alt E
Local Echo is used when the other system does not send the
characters you typed on your terminal back to you. Most systems
do echo characters back, so Local Echo is normally off ("No").
If you find that you can't see what you are typing when connected
to a system, set Local Echo on (Yes). On the other hand if you
see double characters when you hit a key (for example you see
"xx" when you type an "x") then Local Echo should be off ("No").
3.8 Hang Up Modem - Alt H
Pressing the <ALT> and the "H" key tells MyComm that you want
to disconnect from your current telephone connection. MyComm
will try to hang up the phone first by dropping the modem signal
called DTR, and if that fails by sending the Hang Up String
defined in the Modem Setup Screen (see section 3.17.1 Modem
Setup Screen). If you don't want MyComm to use DTR to hang up
the modem set the option "Use DTR to Hang Up Modem" in Modem
Setup Screen to "No".
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 24
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.9 Send Modem Initialization Strings - Alt I
Pressing the <ALT> and the "I" key brings up the Send Init.
String Menu shown below. Choosing one of these options will send
the Modem Initialization String, or the Hang Up String (same as
<Alt> + H), or the Modem Attention String, or the Phone Answer
String. These strings are defined in the Modem Setup Screen (see
section 3.17.1 Modem Setup Screen).
+-------| Send... |+
| Init. String |
| Hang Up String |
| Attention String |
| Phone Answer |
+------------------+
3.10 Present Line Status - Alt L
Pressing the <ALT> and the "L" key brings up the Present Line
Status Window. This window tells you the current COM Port
Status, i.e. what Port, Baud Rate, Data Bits, Parity Bits, and
Stop Bits are in effect, and whether you are On-line and for how
long. If you are on-line MyComm tells you the name of the system
you are logged onto, and the default file transfer protocol.
Also shown is the present Local Echo status and whether Session
Capture is active. Pressing <Esc> closes the window.
+--------------------------| Present Line Status |+
| |
| COM Port Status COM2, 2400, 8, N, 1 |
| ---------------------------------------- |
| |
| On-line: Yes Time On-line: 0:00:00 |
| Logged on to: My Favorite BBS |
| Current Protocol: None |
| ---------------------------------------- |
| |
| Local Echo On: No |
| Screen Capture On: Yes |
| ---------------------------------------- |
| |
| Current Time: 12:34:56 Date: 01/23/93 |
+-------------------------------------------------+
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 25
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.11 Scroll Back - Alt K
Pressing the <ALT> and the "K" key brings up the "scroll back"
buffer. MyComm saves the last few screens of received text for
you. This option allows you to see what has been recently
received in case there was something that went by too quickly
that you would like to look at again. The scroll back buffer
saves about two to three screens worth of information depending
on how much actual text was in the previous screens (about 4K's
worth). The scroll back buffer does not display ANSI characters,
they are stripped out to leave more room for useful information.
When the scroll back buffer is brought up by pressing <ALT> and
the "K" key, it displays the very top of the buffer information.
You may use the up-arrow and down-arrow keys, and the Page Up and
Page Down keys to move around in the screen. To exit the scroll
back screen simply press the <Esc> key.
3.12 Manual Dial - Alt M
Pressing the <ALT> and the "M" key brings up the Manual Dial
Screen. The Manual Dial Screen lets you enter in a single phone
number to dial. The dialing prefix used is always Dialing Prefix
number 1. The parity setting is always 8-N-1.
If you press <Esc> you can cancel the selection. Pressing
<Enter> accepts the telephone number and the usual Dialing Status
Window appears. This is exactly the same function as in the
Dialing Screen, selection "M", described above.
3.13 Outside to DOS - Alt O
Pressing the <ALT> and the "O" key lets you shell out of MyComm
to DOS. You can use the Outside to DOS even when you are on-
line. Typing "EXIT" on the DOS command line brings you back to
MyComm. MyComm reminds you that you are shelled out with a
message above the command line.
One point of interest here: if you switch to a different drive
or directory while in the DOS shell, MyComm will automagically
bring you back to the drive and directory you started from when
you type "EXIT" to return to MyComm.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 26
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.14 Change Port Parameters - Alt P
Pressing the <ALT> and the "P" key brings up the Change Port
Parameters Screen (see example below). MyComm will let you
change the port configuration, even while on-line. Please note
however that changing the COM Port while on-line will probably
disconnect the current session. However Baud Rate, and Data,
Parity, and Stop Bits can be changed.
Please note that the changes done here are not permanent. To
make permanent changes to the COM port settings, you must use the
"Update Configuration" which is brought up by pressing <Alt> and
"U" then the "M" key.
+-----------------------| Change Port Parameters |+
| |
| Present settings: COM2, 2400, 8, N, 1 |
| |
| COM Port:2 |
| |
| +---------+ |
| | 1: COM1 | |
+-----------| 2: COM2 |---------------------------+
| 3: COM3 |
| 4: COM4 |
+---------+
3.15 Quick Re-Dial - Alt Q
Pressing the <ALT> and the "Q" key allows you to quickly redial
the last number that MyComm dialed. This is especially useful
for re-dialing manually entered telephone numbers.
3.16 Run External Program - Alt R
Pressing the <ALT> and the "R" key brings up the Run External
Program Screen (not shown). MyComm lets you define an editor
program plus up to three other programs you can run without
leaving your MyComm session. The external programs are defined
in Paths Setup (see 3.19.2 Paths Setup).
If there is not enough available memory to run the external
program, the external program will not run and control passes
directly back to MyComm. Please note: MyComm captures the
keyboard interrupt as part of its normal operation. Some
programs which rely upon Ctrl-Q, Ctrl-S, Ctrl-P, and Ctrl-C may
not behave correctly.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 27
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.17 Session Capture On/Off/Pause - Alt S
Pressing the <ALT> and the "S" key opens the MyComm Session
Capture Screen (not shown). You can either accept the default
name that MyComm provides for the capture file or enter a new
name. If the Drive:\Path\Filename is in any way invalid, MyComm
will issue an error message. You can also press <Esc> to leave
the Session Capture Screen without starting the Session Capture.
After a Session Capture has begun you can pressing the <ALT>
and the "S" key again to Close, or Pause the capture file. If
you choose to Pause the Session Capture, Pressing the <ALT> and
the "S" key again will give you the option to Close or Resume the
capture session.
If you exit MyComm and forget to Close the Session Capture
file, MyComm will do it for you.
Please note that often while Session Capture is active, that
the display may appear jerky, or start and stop from time to
time. This is normal during Session Capture as it is the time
that MyComm is writing to the capture file.
It may also be important to know that the Session Capture does
not do any ANSI filtering. What you see is what you get.
Generally you will read the Session Capture file using a text
editor or word processor when you are no longer "on line". Text
editors and word processors usually do ANSI filtering for you.
3.18 Terminal Emulation - Alt T
MyComm allows you to reset the Terminal Emulation on the fly.
The options are: TTY, ANSI, VT-52, and VT-100. Further
information on the emulation can be found in Appendix C -
"Terminal Emulations".
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 28
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19 Update Configuration - Alt U
Pressing the <ALT> and the "U" key brings up the Update
Configuration Menu (see below). From this menu you can choose
various options to allow you to customize the MyComm
configuration. You can either use the Up and Down-Arrow keys,
the press <Enter> to choose an option, or simply press the
highlighted letter of the option you want. A description of the
things you can configure follows.
+---| Update Configuration |+
| Modem Setup |
| Paths and Filenames |
| File Transfer Options |
| Other Stuff for MyComm |
| Save Configuration |
| Exit |
+---------------------------+
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 29
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.1 Modem Setup Screen
The Modem Setup Screen (see below) allows you to make changes
to the various setting that control the modem. You can move from
item to item by using the Up and Down-Arrow keys and the pressing
<Enter>. Some of the items use MyComm's built in line editor to
modify the item, others use little pop-up Yes/No windows. If you
want to exit without making any changes, just press the <Esc>
key. A description of each item in the Modem Setup Screen
follows.
+------------------------------------------------| Modem Setup |+
| |
| COM Port: COM2, 2400, 8, N, 1 |
| Modem Initialization String: ATM0X4Q0V1S0=0S11=50S7=50| |
| Modem Attention String: +++ |
| Modem Hang Up String: ATH0| |
| Modem Answer String: ATA| |
| Modem Cancel Dial String: | |
| Modem Dial Suffix String: | |
| Dialing Wait Time, in Seconds: 45 |
| Pause Between Calls, in Seconds: 4 |
| Local Echo on by Default? No |
| Use DTR to Hang Up Modem? Yes |
| Use XON/XOFF Flow Control? Yes |
| Use CTS/RTS Flow Control? No |
| Use DSR/DTR Flow Control? No |
| Dialing Prefix #1: ATDT*70 |
| Dialing Prefix #2: ATDT 9, |
| Dialing Prefix #3: ATDT 1 |
| |
| |
| Use Up and Down Arrows to move between items |
| Hit <Enter> to edit, <Esc> to Quit |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 30
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.1.1 COM Port
The COM Port selection allows you to set the various settings
your COM port should use.
When you first installed your modem you probably set the COM
port up for COM1, COM2, etc. use the setting correct for your
modem. If you set the wrong COM port in this area, MyComm
doesn't mind, it just won't let you dial numbers and stuff later
on.
MyComm does not re-initialize the COM port when you make
changes in this menu. The new COM port settings will be used the
next time that you run MyComm. If you need to change the COM
port settings now, use the Alt-P function from the main terminal
screen.
The baud rate should be set to whatever the top speed of your
particular modem is. Refer to your modems' user manual if you're
not sure. Again, MyComm won't mind if the speed is set
incorrectly. MyComm will use the speed you set, or the top speed
of the modem, whichever is lowest.
The most common settings for the Data, Parity, and Stop bits
are 8-N-1 (8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit). If the settings
you prefer are different, this is the place to change them.
3.19.1.2 Modem Initialization String
This option lets you set up the Modem Initialization String.
This is the string which is sent to the modem to "wake it up"
when MyComm is first loaded. The initialization string is made
up of Hayes "AT" commands. The command line always starts with
the letters AT. The rest of the string is various options for
your modem. Your modem manual should have a list of the commands
that are valid for your modem.
MyComm always likes to have AT LEAST the Q0, V1, and X4
commands. Q0 tells the modem to ALWAYS send result codes, V1
tells the modem to ALWAYS send the text, not numeric, result
codes. MyComm needs the result codes in text format to monitor
call progress, and to send you useful information that the modem
produces. X4 (your modem may use X1, X2, etc) tells the modem to
send verbose modem status information to MyComm.
Another useful feature is, if you place the "|" (that's the
double vertical lines above the backslash key) at the end of the
Initialization String MyComm will send a Carriage Return at the
end of the line.
High speed modem users: If you need to set your modem's "flow
control" options in the setup string this is the place to do it.
For example, if your modem needs to use RTS/CTS flow control the
Hayes AT command "&K3" should be added to the initialization
string.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 31
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.1.3 Modem Attention String
This is the Attention signal that tells the modem that you want
it's undivided attention for something. Most Hayes compatible
modems use three plus signs "+++" as the attention string. Refer
to your modem's manual if you use a different Attention string.
3.19.1.4 Modem Hang Up String
This is the string that tells your modem to hang up the
telephone line. On most Hayes compatible modems this is ATH0.
You can use the "|" character to have MyComm send a Carriage
Return after it sends the Hang Up string (recommended). Refer to
your modem's manual if you use a different Hang Up string.
3.19.1.5 Modem Answer String
This is the string that tells your modem to answer the
telephone. On most Hayes compatible modems this is ATA. You can
use the "|" character to have MyComm send a Carriage Return after
it sends the Answer string (recommended). Refer to your modem's
manual if you use a different Answer string.
3.19.1.6 Modem Cancel Dial String
This is the string that tells your modem to cancel dialing a
telephone number. On most Hayes compatible modems this just a
Carriage Return (13 decimal). You can use the "|" character to
have MyComm send a Carriage Return after it sends the Cancel Dial
string (recommended). Refer to your modem's manual if you use a
different Cancel dialing string.
3.19.1.7 Modem Dial Suffix String
This is the string that tells your modem what to terminate
telephone numbers with when dialing. On most Hayes compatible
modems this just a Carriage Return. You can use the "|"
character to have MyComm send a Carriage Return as the Dial
Suffix string (recommended). Refer to your modem's manual if you
use a different Dial Suffix string.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 32
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.1.8 Dialing Wait Time
After MyComm dials a number it waits for certain amount of time
for a connection. The Dialing Wait Time sets the time MyComm
should wait for a connection. Waiting stops automatically if
MyComm detects a BUSY signal. The valid range for Dialing Wait
Time is 1 to 240 seconds.
In general a wait time of 45 seconds is good for most local and
long-distance calls, 60 seconds for international calls.
You will also want to add "S7=nn" (without the quotes), to your
modem Initialization String (see above). Replace nn with a number
greater than or equal to the time set in Dialing Wait Time.
3.19.1.9 Pause Between Calls
After MyComm dials a number it waits up to a certain amount of
time until a connection is made. If a connection is not made due
to a BUSY signal or a time-out, MyComm resets the modem and waits
the amount of seconds specified in the Pause Between Calls before
trying to dial again. The valid range for Pause Between Calls is
0 to 60 seconds.
In most cases a pause time of 2 to 5 seconds is a sufficient
time for the modem to reset.
3.19.1.10 Local Echo on by Default
Local Echo is used when the other system does not send what you
typed on your terminal back to you. Most systems do echo
characters back, so Local Echo is normally off ("No"). If you
find that you can't see what you are typing when connected to a
system, set Local Echo on (Yes). On the other hand if you see
double characters when you hit a key (for example you see "xx"
when you type an "x") then Local Echo should be off ("No").
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 33
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.1.11 Use DTR to Hang Up Modem
This option allows you to set whether MyComm should use the
modem signal called DTR to hang up the telephone connection.
Using DTR to hang up is usually faster than just sending the Hang
Up String (above). This option is usually set to "Yes".
However, some modems don't like to have DTR messed with. You
can usually tell if the modem doesn't like you to fool with DTR
as it will cause your computer system to lock up (not a bad thing
really, just terribly annoying - re-booting always fixes this).
Refer to your modem manual if you have questions about whether to
use DTR to hang up the telephone connection.
NOTE: some modems require that you add "&D2" to your
initialization string (see above) to enable the DTR line
monitoring. Check your modem manual for further details.
3.19.1.12 Use XON/XOFF Flow Control
This tells MyComm whether it should use the XON/XOFF software
handshaking protocol while in terminal mode and during ASCII file
transfers. This option is generally on ("Yes").
3.19.1.13 Use CTS/RTS Flow Control
This tells MyComm whether CTS/RTS hardware handshaking should
be on or off. Hardware handshaking is used with high speed modems
and null modem cable links to regulate the flow of data. If the
modem supports hardware handshaking this should be on (refer to
the user manual for your modem). If a null modem cable is being
used and these signals are to be sent over the cable, this should
be on.
You may also want to add "&K3" to your initialization string
(see above) to enable your modem to follow CTS/RTS status. This
option is most often used on high speed modems.
3.19.1.14 Use DSR/DTR Flow Control
This tells MyComm whether DSR/DTR hardware handshaking should
be on or off. Hardware handshaking is used with high speed modems
and sometimes null modem cable links to regulate the flow of
data. If the modem supports hardware handshaking this should be
on (refer to the user manual for your modem). If a null modem
cable is being used and these signals are to be sent over the
cable, this should be on.
You may also want to add "&D2" to your initialization string
(see above) to enable your modem to follow DTR status. This
option is most often used on high speed modems.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 34
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.1.15 Dialing Prefixes
Dialing Prefixes are dialing codes such as area codes, that get
sent before a telephone number is dialed. MyComm lets you set up
three different dialing prefixes.
For example, if you have Call Waiting (Tm) you can disable it
by dialing *70 (that's asterisk - 70) before the number you're
calling (this works in the San Francisco dialing area, your
dialing area may differ). If you were to set one of your dialing
prefixes to *70 MyComm would "prefix" every number you called
with *70. The dialing prefixes can also be used to store long
distance codes, or whatever dialing codes you would want to have
dialed before a number. The dialing prefix can be up to 25
character/digits long.
3.19.2 Paths Setup
The Paths Setup Screen (see below) is where you set up paths to
directories that you want MyComm to know about. A description of
the various system paths follows.
+---------------------------------------------| Paths Setup |+
| |
| Directory to Download files to: C:\PUBLIC\ |
| Directory to Upload files from: C:\PUBLIC\ |
| Path\File for Screen Capture: C:\PUBLIC\MYCOMM.SCR |
| Path\File for Session Capture: C:\PUBLIC\MYCOMM.SES |
| Path\File for Phone File: C:\MYCOMM\MYCOMM.PHN |
| Path\Filename.Ext for Editor: C:\UTIL\EDITOR.EXE |
| Path\Filename.Ext of Xter Prog1: C:\SOMEPRGM.EXE |
| Path\Filename.Ext of Xter Prog2: C:\ |
| Path\Filename.Ext of Xter Prog3: C:\ |
| |
| |
| Use Up and Down Arrows to move between items |
| Hit <Enter> to edit, <Esc> to Quit |
| |
+------------------------------------------------------------+
3.19.2.1 Download Directory
This option tells MyComm which directory you want MyComm to put
files that you download from another system. Notice that the
path always ends in a backslash ( "\" ) character.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 35
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.2.2 Upload Directory
This option tells MyComm which directory you want MyComm to get
the files that you want to upload to another system. Notice that
the path always ends in a backslash ( "\" ) character.
3.19.2.3 Path\File for Screen Capture
This option tells MyComm which directory and the filename that
you want MyComm to use for the Screen Capture file. Screen
Capture is activated by <Alt> + W.
3.19.2.4 Session Capture Path\File
This option tells MyComm which directory and the filename that
you want MyComm to use for the Session Capture file. Session
Capture is activated by <Alt> + S.
3.19.2.5 Phone File Path\File
This option tells MyComm which directory and the filename that
you want MyComm to use for the Phone File which contains your
dialing directory. You can have multiple Phone Files, but this
is the one that MyComm will load when it starts up.
3.19.2.6 Editor Path\Filename
If you want to quickly use your favorite editor without leaving
MyComm, this option lets you tell MyComm the path and filename of
the editor. Notice that the filename of the editor must include
not only the filename, but the extension (.EXE or .COM) as well.
3.19.2.7 External Programs Path\Filename
You can define up to three other external programs to run
without leaving your MyComm session. These options let you tell
MyComm the paths and filenames of the programs. Notice that the
filename of the programs must include not only the filename, but
the extension (.EXE or .COM) as well. The extension .BAT is also
valid here. MyComm will let you run DOS batch file (see your DOS
manual for information on batch files).
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 36
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.3 Protocols Setup
The Protocols Setup Menu (see example below) lets you set up
parameters for ASCII file transfers, Zmodem file transfers, and
the external protocols.
The usage of these options follows.
+--| Protocol Setup |+
| ASCII Transfers |
| Zmodem Transfers |
| EXternal Protocols |
| Exit |
+--------------------+
3.19.3.1 ASCII Transfers Setup
The ASCII Transfers Setup screen (see example below) lets you
set up the parameters for ASCII file transfers. ASCII file
transfers are only used to transfer text files. Program files
and archived files, also known as binary files, should not be
transferred as ASCII files. Most of the options for the ASCII
transfers work well with their default settings. A description
of the different options follows.
+----------------------------| ASCII Transfers Setup |+
| |
| Strip High Bits?: No |
| Remote Abort Char (0 for none): 0 (ASCII Value) |
| |
| ASCII Upload Options |
| CR Translation: None |
| LF Translation: None |
| Local Echo On During Uploads?: Yes |
| Expand Blank Lines to Spaces?: No |
| Line Pace time in 1/10 seconds: 0 |
| Char Pace time in 1/10 seconds: 0 |
| Pacing Char (0 for none): 0 (ASCII Value) |
| |
| ASCII Download Options |
| CR Translation: None |
| LF Translation: None |
| |
| |
| |
| Use Up and Down Arrows to move between items |
| Hit <Enter> to edit, <Esc> to Quit |
| |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 37
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.3.1.1 Strip High Bits
This option tells MyComm whether to strip the high bit from
received and sent characters during ASCII uploads and downloads.
Usually this is set to "No".
Just for your own information, bytes on the personal computer
are 8 bits long. So, the bit-map of a byte might be 10011101.
The left-most bit is the high bit. So if you were to strip the
high bit, the byte above would become 00011101. Pure ASCII only
covers bytes in the range of 00000000 (0 decimal) to 01111111
(127 decimal). The ANSI extended set includes values from
10000000 (128 decimal) to 11111111 (255 decimal). So by
stripping the high bit, a character is guaranteed to be in the
range of the pure ASCII number/character set.
3.19.3.1.2 Remote Abort Char
If the system you're performing the ASCII file transfer with
uses an abort char to cancel transfers you should set this value.
The value is in the range of 1 to 255. A value of zero (0), the
default, means MyComm won't look for the abort character during
ASCII file transfers.
3.19.3.1.3 CR Translation Upload and Download
Some systems require a CR (Carriage Return) character placed
before the LF (Line Feed) character during ASCII file transfers.
If the lines of the file look odd after the transfer, this may be
the case.
3.19.3.1.4 LF Translation Upload and Download
Some systems require a LF (Line Feed) character placed after
the CR (Carriage Return) character during ASCII file transfers.
If the lines of the file look odd after the transfer, this may be
the case.
3.19.3.1.5 Local Echo On During Uploads
During ASCII uploads if you want to watch the file transfer set
the Local Echo to "Yes". This is often used when uploading a
message into a bulletin boards message base. When this option is
set to "No", the usual file transfer window is shown as the
upload progresses.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 38
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.3.1.6 Expand Blank Lines to Spaces
This option tells MyComm to expand lines that are empty except
for a CR/LF into a line of spaces that end with a CR/LF. This is
useful when you are uploading a message to a bulletin board.
Some boards interpret a blank line with only a CR/LF as the end
of message signal. Expanding blank lines allows you to upload
the entire message.
3.19.3.1.7 Line Pace Time
This options tells MyComm to how much time to wait between
sending each line of text from the ASCII file. Some systems
can't handle high speed ASCII transfers, this gives the other
system time to "think". The value entered from 0 (the default)
to 255 are in increments of 1/10 second (approximately).
3.19.3.1.8 Character Pace Time
This options tells MyComm how much time to wait before sending
each character from the ASCII file. Some systems can't handle
high speed ASCII transfers, this gives the other system time to
"think". The value entered from 0 (the default) to 255 is in
increments of 1/10 second (approximately).
3.19.3.1.9 Pacing Char
Some systems send a Pacing Character to limit throughput on
ASCII transfers. MyComm will wait for the Pacing Char before
sending each line of the file. The Pacing Char value ranges from
1 to 255 which represents an ASCII value. A value of zero (0),
the default, means MyComm will not look for the Pacing Char.
3.19.3.2 Zmodem Transfers Setup
MyComm lets you define certain special functions used in the
Zmodem file transfer protocol. A description of these follows.
3.19.3.2.1 Zmodem 32 Bit CRC
Zmodem uses either a 16 bit or a 32 bit CRC for error detection
during file transfers. The 32 bit CRC provides a much higher
degree of accuracy and reliability than its 16 bit cousin.
However the calculation involved in the 32 bit CRC makes for a
slightly slower transfer rate (by only a few CPS though). If you
want a high degree of error detection this option should be set
to "Yes". For higher transfer speed, set this option to "No".
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 39
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.3.2.2 Zmodem Auto Download Feature
With this option set to "Yes" MyComm will automatically start a
Zmodem download file transfer for you. The Zmodem protocol at
the host's end sends some special characters when it starts up a
Zmodem transfer. MyComm looks for these characters and will save
you some typing by starting up the Zmodem download for you. If
you don't want to use this feature, set this option to "No".
3.19.3.2.3 Zmodem Send Crash Recovery
Sometimes a file transfer will fail after a file has been
partially sent. A failed file transfer could be caused by any
number or reasons such as line noise for example. Zmodem has a
rather nifty feature that will attempt to restart a failed file
transfer.
For normal use this feature should be set to "No". If you want
to attempt to restart a failed Zmodem transfer set this option to
"Yes" before beginning the upload again. If the system you are
trying to upload the file to supports the "Crash Recovery"
feature the file transfer will resume where it left off.
3.19.3.2.4 Zmodem Receive Crash Recovery
Sometimes a file transfer will fail after a file has been
partially received. A failed file transfer could be caused by
any number or reasons such as line noise for example. Zmodem has
a rather nifty feature that will attempt to restart a failed file
transfer.
For Normal use this feature should be set to "No". If you want
to attempt to restart a failed Zmodem transfer then set this
option to "Yes" before beginning the download again. If the
system you are trying to download the file from supports the
"Crash Recovery" feature the file transfer will resume where it
left off.
THIS OPTION SHOULD BE USED WITH CARE. If this option is set to
"Yes" and you download a file from another system that has the
same name as a file you already have in your download directory,
the end of the existing file will be overwritten with the
information from the new file. This option should only be set to
"Yes" when you are attempting to restart a previously failed
Zmodem transfer.
NOTE: the Zmodem Crash Recovery option has some rudimentary
idiot proofing. The option will not perform the transfer if the
file you have has a different time/date stamp than the other
system, or if the file you have is larger than the file on the
other system.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 40
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.3.3 External Protocols Setup
MyComm lets you define up to six external file transfer
protocols. The external file transfer protocols will also appear
in the Upload and Download protocol selection menus.
You can use the Up and Down-Arrow keys to move from item to
item. The <Enter> key selects an item for editing and saves the
completed edit. Pressing the <Esc> key stops the edit.
+-----------------------------------| External Protocols Setup |+
| |
| Protocol Name Upload.Bat Download.Bat Ask FileName |
| |
| 1: BIGFAST BIGFASTU.BAT BIGFASTD.BAT No |
| 2: Yes |
| 3: Yes |
| 4: Yes |
| 5: Yes |
| 6: Yes |
| |
| |
| Use Up and Down Arrows to move between items |
| Hit <Enter> to edit, <Esc> to Quit |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
The name of the external protocol should be typed in under the
"Name" heading as you would like it to appear in the MyComm
Upload and Download protocol selection menus.
In the spots for Upload.Bat and Download.Bat you will enter the
names of the DOS batch files that will be used to run the
external protocol.
In the selection marked "Ask FileName" tells MyComm whether you
should be asked the name of the file when performing Downloads
(some file transfer protocols automatically get the filename for
you).
External file transfer protocols are run as DOS batch files
from MyComm (see your DOS manual for information on batch files).
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 41
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
MyComm sends the COM Port number you are using, the Baud Rate,
and the Drive:\Path\ and filename as parameters for the batch
file. Using the example above, let's say you are using an
external protocol called "BigFast", your COM Port is 2, the Baud
Rate is 2400, and your upload directory is "C:\PUBLIC\" and you
are uploading a file called MYSTUFF.ARC, your DOS batch file for
Uploads with BigFast might look something like this:
REM BigFast Upload batch file
BigFast Send Port: %1 Baud: %2 %3
the %1 would be replaced by a "2", the %2 by "2400", and the %3
would be replaced with the name of the upload directory and the
filename: "C:\PUBLIC\MYSTUFF.ARC" when MyComm calls the .BAT file
to run.
External file transfer protocols often differ quite a bit, but
they usually come with enough documentation of their own to get
you going.
NOTE: Experience has shown that some external protocol drivers
may not release the COM port properly when they have completed
their business. This causes the terminal to appear "locked" (no
characters come across the scree). MyComm attempts to restore
the COM port after the external protocol has been called. If
your terminal appears locked you can restart the COM port by
using the <ALT> + P function from the terminal window.
3.19.4 Miscellaneous Options Setup
The Miscellaneous Options Setup screen (see example below) lets
you set up special options for MyComm. Most options are self-
explanatory, but are covered below.
+------------------------------------| Misc. Options Setup |+
| |
| Screen Background Color: Black |
| Screen Text Color: Gray |
| Date Format Style: MMDDYY |
| 12 or 24 Hour Time Format: 12 Hour |
| Make Noise When Calls Connect?: Yes |
| Make Noise After File Transfers: Yes |
| Use Direct Video? (Faster): Yes |
| Your Name for sign on : Your Name| |
| Password for sign on : Password| |
| Clever quip for TagLine: Witty quote goes here... |
| Guess Up/Download Filenames: Yes |
| |
| Use Up and Down Arrows to move between items |
| Hit <Enter> to edit, <Esc> to Quit |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 42
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.4.1 Screen Background Color
This option tells MyComm what color to use for the screen
background color. This option only affects the screen of the
terminal window.
3.19.4.2 Screen Text Color
This option tells MyComm what color to use for the screen
foreground (the text) color. This option only affects the screen
of the terminal window.
3.19.4.3 Date Format Style
You can choose three date formats for MyComm to use when it
displays the date: MM/DD/YY, DD/MM/YY, or YY/MM/DD. Choose
whichever one best fits your mood.
3.19.4.4 12 or 24 Hour Time Format
MyComm will display the time in either 12 hour or 24 hour
format. Choose the one that bests reflects how you identify with
time.
3.19.4.5 Make Noise When Calls Connect
MyComm sounds a short alarm noise when a connection is made
during dialing. If you don't want MyComm to sound the alarm, set
this option to "No".
3.19.4.6 Make Noise After File Transfers
MyComm sounds a short alarm noise after a file transfer has
ended to let you know the transfer has completed. If you don't
want MyComm to make the noise, set this option to "No".
3.19.4.7 Use Direct Video
MyComm by default uses a system called "direct video" when
displaying information to the screen. Unfortunately, direct
video will usually "bleed through" to other programs in a
multitasking environment. If you are using a multitasker and
getting bleed through from MyComm, set the Direct Video option to
"No".
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 43
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.4.8 Your Name for sign on
This option lets you enter the name that you log on with when
you call systems. When bulletin board systems answer your call
they usually ask for your name and password. This name becomes
the default for "Logon Name" for new numbers you add to the
dialing directory. If Logon Name is filled in MyComm will send
your logon name to systems when you push the <F2> key to save you
some typing.
3.19.4.9 Password for sign on
This option lets you enter the password that you log on with
when you call systems. When bulletin board systems answer your
call they usually ask for your password. This password becomes
the default for "Logon Password" for new numbers you add to the
dialing directory. If Logon Password is filled in MyComm will
send your logon password to systems when you push the <F3> key to
save you some typing.
3.19.4.10 Clever quip for TagLine
When you call a BBS there are usually message areas in which
you can converse with other people. If you want to be able to
sign your name, leave a witty quote or whatever without typing it
over and over for each message fill this area in. When you press
the <F4> key MyComm will send the message you have entered here.
The message can be up to 40 characters long. You can also send
ANSI "Escape" (see DOS manual) sequences from the Tagline.
If you want to send the ASCII "ESCape character (27 decimal, 1B
hex) which usually precedes ANSI escape sequences, MyComm uses
the " ` " character. (" ` " is the backwards quote found under
the " ~ " character on the upper left side of the keyboard). For
example, the ANSI.SYS driver recognizes the string
<Esc>[5mThis is blinking<Esc>[0m
as a string that blinks. (note: <Esc> represents the 27 decimal
(1B hex) character here). So, if your Tagline looked like
`[5mThis is blinking`[0m
the other system would display "This is blinking" as a blinking
message line.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 44
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.19.4.11 Guess Up/Download Filename
This option lets you tell MyComm whether to try to "guess" the
filename that you want to upload or download. Having this option
set to "Yes" can save you time and typing when performing file
transfers. MyComm will make a best guess as to what you most
recently typed that looks like a filename.
3.19.5 Save Setup
This option saves the changes you made to the various
configuration items to the file MYCOMM.CFG. If you make changes,
but do not save them, the changes will only remain active until
you exit from MyComm.
3.20 Send Screen to File - Alt W
Pressing the <ALT> and the "W" key takes a "snap shot" of the
currently displayed terminal screen and writes it out to the file
MYCOMM.SCR. The file contains the actual contents of the screen,
including all the ANSI sequences.
3.21 Exit MyComm - Alt X
Pressing the <ALT> and the "X" key brings up the window shown
below. Press "Y" to exit MyComm or "N" or <Esc> to not leave
MyComm.
+----------------------+
| |
| |
| Exit from MyComm? |
| |
| |
| Yes No |
| |
| |
+----------------------+
3.22 Send Name - F2
This option sends the name that you log on with when you call a
system. When bulletin board systems answer your call they
usually ask for your name and password. See also section 3.18.4
"Miscellaneous Options Setup"
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 45
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.23 Send Password - F3
This option sends the password that you log on with when you
call a system. When bulletin board systems answer your call they
usually ask for your name and password. See also section 3.18.4
"Miscellaneous Options Setup"
3.24 Send Tagline - F4
This is used to sign your name, or put a short quote, up to 40
characters at the end of a message. See also section 3.18.4
"Miscellaneous Options Setup"
3.25 Transferring Files
MyComm has a wide variety of built in file transfer protocols
including Zmodem, Xmodem, Xmodem-1K, Ymodem Batch, Ymodem-G
Batch, SEAlink, and of course ASCII. There are also slots to
include up to six external file transfer protocols if you would
like to add more.
You can Upload (send) files or Download (receive) files. Most
host systems will have you start the file transfer at their end
first, and then wait for you to set up on your end. Host systems
usually wait about a minute or so for you to set up, so don't
panic.
All file transfer protocols on MyComm use 8-N-1 (8 data bits,
No parity, and 1 stop bit). MyComm automatically sets these
settings for you before the file transfer begins, then switches
back to what ever settings were in place before the transfer
began.
Except for ASCII file transfers, MyComm turns off the XON/XOFF
flow control switch if you have it set on. This is done to
prevent the XON/XOFF codes as being mistaken as part of the
incoming file. The original state of the XON/XOFF flow control
switch is restored at the end of the file transfer. If your
modem has its own built in XON/XOFF flow control setting, you
should turn it off during file transfers (refer to your modem
manual - usually the &K option).
File transfers differ slightly from one host system to another.
Basically you need to know three things:
■ whether you want to Upload (send) or Download (receive)
a file
■ the name of the file you want to send or receive
■ which file transfer protocol you want to use
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 46
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
Probably you can figure out for yourself whether you are
uploading or downloading from a system, and what the file name is
that you want to transfer. The tricky part sometimes is deciding
which file transfer protocol to use. There are so many!
Basically, both you and the host system MUST use the same file
transfer protocol or the transfer will fail.
Actually it's real easy to decide which file transfer protocol
you want to use. When you request a file transfer from the host
system, they usually show you a list of which file transfer
protocols their system supports. Just pick one that both MyComm
and the host system support, and you're on your way!
The two most frequently used protocols are Xmodem and Zmodem.
A little experimentation on your part will help you decide which
of the file transfer protocols you like the best.
A description of each of the file transfer protocols that
MyComm supports will be found later in this section.
3.25.1 Starting a File Transfer
The steps to start the file transfer from your end with MyComm
are simple:
■ Press PgUp to send files, or PgDn to receive files
■ Choose the file transfer protocol you want to use from
the menu
■ Type in the filename (if needed)
■ The file transfer will start and display a status
window
■ When the file transfer completes, MyComm makes a noise
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 47
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
MyComm's file transfer menus and screens look basically the
same for both uploads and downloads. When you press PgUp or PgDn
a menu pops up showing you the different file transfer protocol
options you have (see example below). Pick a protocol, or press
the <Esc> or "Q" key to cancel.
Download Protocol Menu Example
+------| Down Load |+
| ASCII |
| SEAlink Derived |
| Xmodem |
| 1K-Xmodem |
| Real Ymodem Batch |
| Ymodem Batch - 1K |
| Zmodem |
external protocol ==> | 1: BIGFAST |
(example) | Quit/None |
+-------------------+
After you pick the file transfer protocol, MyComm will ask you
for the filename that you want to send or receive from another
pop-up screen (see example below). Some of the file transfer
protocols for receiving files, such as Ymodem Batch and Zmodem,
don't need to ask you the file name so you may not always be
asked for a filename. MyComm ALWAYS asks for the filename when
you upload files.
Note:
When you upload files you can also use the DOS "wildcard"
characters for filenames such as *.* or ALL*.ARC, or FILE??.*,
etc. (see DOS manual for more information on "wildcards".)
Get Filename Screen Example
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Enter Filename and Path, (Wildcards Allowed) |
| |
| >C:\PUBLIC\SOMEFILE.EXT |
| |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
If the filename, or the path to the file (the directory) are
invalid, or MyComm can't find them, you will see an error message
and you can re-enter the filename. If you want to leave without
performing the file transfer, press the <Esc> key.
When the filename is entered correctly MyComm will start the
file transfer. When the file transfer begins the File Transfer
Status Window shown below pops-up.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 48
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
Download/Upload Status Window
+------------------------------------------| Ymodem Download |+
| |
| Receiving: D:\PUBLIC\SOMEFILE.EXT |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| |
| Xfer Time: 0:04:18 Bytes Received: 14567 |
| Elapsed Time: 0:01:18 Bytes Expected: 58645 |
| Approx. CPS: 186 Blocks Sent: 114 |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| |
| Error Count: 0 Error Correction: CRC-16 |
| Last Error Message: Receiving File |
| |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
The status window displays information about the file transfer
such as the file name being sent/received, an estimate with how
long it will take to do the transfer, the elapsed time so far,
the CPS (Characters Per Second), the bytes sent/received, the
blocks sent, and error correction type and error status.
Note:
Some protocols will not tell you the Xfer Time or the Bytes
Expected during downloads. This is because some protocols do not
send an information "header" packet that tells MyComm how many
bytes to expect from the sender.
When MyComm calculates the amount of time a transfer will take
it does the calculation based on a "worst case" rate of 80%
efficiency. This is to take into consideration possible line
noise, packet resends, and other considerations. Actual file
transfers may be faster than what MyComm calculates.
When MyComm calculates the CPS (Characters Per Second) it
divides the number of bytes successfully transferred by the
elapsed time since the transfer started. This should provide a
very accurate and true CPS rate. The CPS rate reflects only the
number of bytes actually sent from the file. Overhead bytes such
as CRC and "escape" characters are not included in the
calculation. Using only the file bytes sent or received for the
CPS calculation gives a more accurate picture of the file
transfer progress.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 49
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.25.2 File Transfer Hints
■ Both the sender and receiver MUST use the same file
transfer protocol
■ If a file transfer keeps aborting using one protocol on
a host system, try using a different one.
■ It is not a good idea to upload or download from floppy
disk. Floppy drives are slow, so the read and write
access time will slow down the transfer. Also, Floppy
drives really do not hold very much data. If the
floppy disk were to fill up during a download, the
transfer would be aborted.
3.25.3 Download Files - PgDn
Pressing the PgDn (Page Down) key starts the file download
procedures previously discussed.
3.25.4 UpLoad Files - PgUp
Pressing the PgUp (Page Up) key starts the file upload
procedures previously discussed.
3.25.5 ASCII File Transfers
ASCII file transfers are only used to transfer text files.
Program files, also known as binary files, should not be
transferred as ASCII files. ASCII uploads do not show the File
Transfer Status Window unless you have set the "Show Upload"
option to "No" in the ASCII Xfer configuration menu. ASCII
transfers have no form of error correction, but just plough along
as though the characters were actually being typed from the
keyboard. In fact this is generally known as a "send and pray"
protocol.
During ASCII downloads, the download continues until either a
Ctrl-Z (end of file marker) is received, or no characters have
been received for 10 seconds. You may also stop the transfer at
any time by pressing the <ESC> key.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 50
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.25.6 SEAlink Derived File Transfers
SEAlink is an advanced version of Xmodem developed by System
Enhancement Associates. SEAlink uses a "sliding window" protocol
which sends ahead several packets while waiting for an
acknowledgement from the receiver. SEAlink sends the file name
and file size when the transfer starts up. SEAlink is often 10
to 20 percent faster than plain Xmodem, and can be used to send
more than one file at a time.
The version of SEAlink that MyComm uses is known as "derived
SEAlink". MyComm doesn't use all the options from the original
SEAlink protocol such as the "overdrive" option which is only
used in half-duplex links. This may change with future versions
of MyComm if there are enough requests to justify making the
change.
3.25.7 Xmodem File Transfers
Xmodem is probably the most widely used protocol today. Xmodem
was originally developed by Ward Christensen in the summer of
1977 for use on CP/M machines, and was soon ported to the MS-DOS
environment. Xmodem sends data in 128 byte blocks. The block
count seen in the File Transfer Status Window shows the number of
128 byte blocks that have been transferred. This euphemistically
has been called "Xmodem blocks" and has become somewhat of a
standard in P.C. data communications.
Xmodem has two flavors; Check Sum and CRC-16 mode. MyComm
supports both Check Sum and CRC-16 mode, and automatically
selects the correct one to use.
The check sum mode is not nearly as reliable as CRC-16, and
isn't used as often.
3.25.8 1K-Xmodem File Transfers
Xmodem-1K is a variation of Xmodem which uses a 1K (1024 byte)
block to send data. Under most conditions Xmodem-1K is slightly
faster than plain Xmodem. If there is a lot of line noise
however, the throughput can degrade due to having to perform a
resend on the larger packet.
Some host systems may refer to Xmodem-1K as "Ymodem". Hence
the distinction between Ymodem and the Ymodem Batch protocols
described below.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 51
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.25.9 Ymodem Batch File Transfers
The Ymodem Batch protocol in MyComm can perform either single
or batch file transfers. That is, it can send or receive one or
more files in a transfer session. Ymodem Batch starts sessions
by sending the file name and size to the receiver, then sends the
file data. Ymodem uses either a 128 byte or 1024 byte (1K)
packet size. MyComm is able to ascertain which packet size to
use during the transfer.
3.25.9 Ymodem-G Batch File Transfers
The Ymodem-G Batch protocol in MyComm can perform either single
or batch file transfers. That is, it can send or receive one or
more files in a transfer session. Ymodem-G Batch starts sessions
by sending the file name and size to the receiver, then sends the
file data. This protocol perform no error correction what-so-
ever and as such it is generally only used with error correcting
modems, or Null modem cables. If an error is detected during a
transfer, the transfer is immediately aborted.
3.25.11 Zmodem File Transfers
Zmodem is another widely used file transfer protocol. It was
developed by Chuck Forsberg/Omen Technology, Inc. Zmodem is an
extremely robust protocol, that is, it recovers from errors well
and will try to keep the file transfer session going as best as
possible.
Zmodem will perform both single file and batch (multiple) file
transfers. Like Ymodem, when downloading a file using Zmodem,
you don't have to type in the file name on your end. Zmodem
sends the filename as part of a special "header" that MyComm
recognizes and will supply the file name.
Zmodem uses either a 16 bit or 32 bit CRC (Cyclic Redundancy
Check) when transferring the file. You will see the CRC type
displayed in the File Transfer Status Window. The CRC is used
for error checking during the transfer. MyComm automatically
selects the proper CRC type to use so you don't have to worry
about it. The 16 bit CRC transfers often go a little faster than
32 bit CRC transfers. However the 32 bit CRC is much more
reliable for error correction, and well worth the few seconds
added to the transfer time.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 52
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
3.25.11 External Protocol File Transfers
MyComm lets you define up to six external file transfer
protocols. The external file transfer protocols will also appear
in the Upload and Download protocol selection menus.
External protocols should be set up in the External Protocols
Setup Screen (see section 3.17.3.3). External protocols differ
from vendor to vendor, so you should refer to the particular
protocol's documentation for more detailed installation
instructions. MyComm invokes the external protocols through the
use of DOS "batch" files. Parameters are passed to the batch
file in the following order: COM Port number (0 to 3), BPS rate,
and Drive:\Path\Filename which translate to batch parameters %1,
%2, and %3.
3.25.12 MyComm as a Host
At this point in time MyComm does not have a "host" mode per
Se. This was a design decision in order to keep the code size
small. A stand-alone host program is presently being considered
for development at the moment.
But, all hope is not lost. It is entirely possible to transfer
files between two MyComm programs (or MyComm and another
communication program). To do this one person acts as the
"host", and the other as caller. As the caller you would just
call the other person as you would for any other bulletin board
system.
For this example, let's say you're the host since that's the
complicated part.
Step 1: Prearrange a time for the other person to call you.
Step 2: Get MyComm up and running.
Step 3: When the other person calls you will hear the phone
ringing or see the word "RING" appear on the MyComm
terminal screen. When you see "RING", type ATA then
press the <Enter> key. This tells your modem to answer
the phone and initiate the carrier tones so the two
modems will "talk" to each other. Alternatively you
could press <Alt> and the "I" key, then press "A" for
the "Send Answer String" command (see section 3.18.1.5
"Send Answer String").
Step 3a: Alternative to Step 3: before the other person calls
type ATS0=1 then press <Enter>. This tells your modem
to answer the modem on the first ring and to initiate
the carrier tones.
MyComm Version 2.01 June 19, 1993 Page 53
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer - All Rights Reserved
Step 4: (Optional) If you would like to "chat" on-line with the
other person, Press <Alt> and the "A" key to bring up
the MyComm split screen chat mode (see section 3.3
"Chat Mode").
Step 5: When transferring files from one MyComm to another
remember that when they are uploading, you are
downloading and vice versa. So if the other person
wants to download a file from you they would start the
download function at their end, and you would start an
upload from your end. The most important things to
decide before doing the transfer are:
- who is uploading/downloading to and from whom
- which file transfer protocol you are using (they
MUST be the same)
- and finally, what the filename is.
Step 5a This is where the MyComm "chat" mode can be handy. It
can help you establish stuff while you're on-line with
the other person.
Step 6: If all goes smoothly the file transfer will be
successful. In fact for the most part it will be as
though you had simply called another BBS, except this
time you're interacting with a live person rather than
the BBS software.
Appendix A - MyComm Command Summary
Alt A - Chat Mode
Alt B - Send Break
Alt C - Clear the Screen
Alt D - Dialing Functions
Alt E - Local Echo On/Off
Alt H - Hang Up Modem
Alt I - Send Modem Initialization Strings
Alt L - Present Line Status
Alt K - Scroll Back
Alt M - Manual Dial
Alt O - Outside to DOS
Alt P - Change Port Parameters
Alt Q - Quick Re- Dial
Alt R - Run External Program
Alt S - Session Capture On/Off/Pause
Alt T - Terminal Emulation
Alt U - Update Configuration
Alt W - Send Screen to File
Alt X - Exit MyComm
F1 - Help Screen
F2 - Send Name
F3 - Send Password
F4 - Send Tagline
PgUp - Upload Files
PgDn - Download Files
Appendix B - MyComm Line Editing Functions
Many of the user configuration options and the dialing list
have sections that require a line of text to be input and/or
edited. MyComm has a built in line editor to perform simple
editing on these text lines. The MyComm line editor uses a tiny
subset of WordStar type commands. A description of the line edit
commands follows.
■ Enter - Terminates editing the line and keeps it
■ Esc - Terminates editing the line and
does not keep it
■ Right Arrow - Moves the cursor right.
■ Left Arrow - Moves the cursor left. This
is "non-destructive". That is,
the character is not erased as
the cursor moves
■ BackSpace - Moves the cursor left. This
is "destructive". That is,
the character is erased as
the cursor moves
■ End - Positions the cursor at
the end of the line
■ Home - Positions the cursor at the
beginning of the line
■ Cntl + T - When the Cntl key and the
letter T are pressed simultaneously,
the line is erased from the
current cursor position to the
end of the line
■ Cntl + Y - When the Cntl key and the
letter Y are pressed simultaneously,
the entire line is erased and
the cursor is positioned at
column one
Appendix C - Terminal Emulation
This is a list of the functions that MyComm supports in the
terminal emulators.
TTY
TTY does not provide any character translation what-so-ever.
The characters are simply displayed as they come in.
ANSI
ANSI provides mapping similar to that found in your ANSI.SYS
driver. The color and screen attributes as described in the
"MS-DOS 5.0 User's Guide and Reference" are supported, except for
the keyboard mapping functions. The following keys also generate
codes recognized by other systems operating in ANSI mode:
Direction (Arrow) Keys - move cursor
Delete - sends DEL (127 decimal)
End - erase to end of line
Home - homes cursor
Ctrl-Home - clears screen, and homes cursor
Function Keys - do not generate a character
VT-52 and VT-100
The VT-52 and VT-100 emulations are typically used with
mainframe environments. These emulations provide a subset of the
"application keyboard" functions defined in the "VT-200
Programmer Guide", Digital, #EK-VT220-HR-001. These emulations
will work in either a 7 or 8 bit environment. A standard key pad
for these terminals looks like this:
+-----------------------+
| PF1 | PF2 | PF3 | PF4 |
|-----+-----+-----+-----|
| 7 | 8 | 9 | - |
|-----+-----+-----+-----|
| 4 | 5 | 6 | , |
|-----+-----+-----+-----|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | R |
|-----------+-----| T |
| 0 | . | N |
+-----------------------+
MyComm defines these keys as follows:
PF1 through PF4 - <SHIFT> + F1 through F4
1 through 0 - <ALT> + F1 through F10
Minus Sign "-" - <SHIFT> + F5
Comma "," - <SHIFT> + F6
Decimal Point "." - <SHIFT> + F7
RTN (Enter key) - <SHIFT> + F8
NOTE: the above keys are the function keys on a standard PC
keyboard. The PC numeric keypad has not been mapped to these
keys.
Also defined:
Direction (Arrow) Keys - move cursor
Delete - sends DEL (127 decimal)
End - erase to end of line
Home - homes cursor
Ctrl-Home - clears screen, and homes cursor
Appendix D - Troubleshooting
This section should answer common problems that you might have
when using MyComm.
Problem:
- Modem doesn't respond.
Possible Causes:
- Is the COM port the right one? i.e COM 1, 2, 3, or 4.
- Is the modem installed correctly?
- Is the modem really Hayes (Tm) compatible?
- If this is an external modem, are the cables hooked up?
Is it plugged in?
- MyComm uses the standard DOS interrupt vectors for COM
Ports of:
COM 1: 3F8
COM 2: 2F8
COM 3: 3E8
COM 4: 2F8
If you have set these to something different, MyComm
probably won't like it. Reset the interrupt vectors to their
standard settings. If you don't know what this means, you
probably didn't fool with it in the first place, so don't mess
with it now.
MyComm doesn't, at this point, allow user configuration of
interrupt vectors on the COM ports. It wasn't an oversight,
rather a design decision since it was something that I never had
any reason to reset, and didn't feel it was a necessary option.
Problem:
- Modem won't hang up the phone line.
Possible Causes:
- Some modems have a DIP switch setting that keeps Carrier
Detect always on. MyComm uses the Carrier Detect (CD)
to see if it's on-line, and to see when the modem has
released the phone line properly. You should set your
modem to let software, in this case MyComm, to handle
the Carrier Detect signal.
- Try adding the Hayes command &C1 to your initialization
string. This tells the modem to use Carrier Detect
only when connected.
Problem:
- The result codes from the modem are numbers instead of
text.
Possible Causes:
- Try adding Q0 and V1 to the modem initialization string.
MyComm MUST see the result codes, and they have to be
the English Text. Also try adding X4 to the
initialization string.
Problem:
- When using a multitasker such as Windows (Tm), DoubleDOS
(Tm), etc, the MyComm displays bleed through to other
applications.
Possible Causes:
- Set the option in the Miscellaneous Options Screen named
"Direct Screen Writes" to "No".
Problem:
- When I call some services, the characters look weird, or
just garbage.
Possible Causes:
- Make sure that the Data Bits, etc. are set correctly.
Most public BBS's use 8-N-1, but some may use 7-E-1
(often true with Unix (Tm) based systems and
mainframes).
Problem:
- File transfers seem to always time out or abort.
Possible Causes:
- MyComm will abort a transfer if there are too many
errors in the transfer due to line noise, or other
unpredictable circumstances.
- Are you and the other guy using the same file transfer
protocol?
Appendix E - MyComm Order Form
MyComm Version 2.01 Order Form
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 - Ken Dorshimer
All Rights Reserved
Mail to:
Ken Dorshimer
P.O. Box 5143
Belmont, Ca. 94002
Your Name: _________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
City: _________________________________________________
State: _________ Zip Code: _________________________
Disk Format: 5.25" floppy ____ OR 3.5" semi-floppy ____
Number of Copies of MyComm _______ X $25.00 = __________
Number of Copies of MyComm _______ X $2 S&H = __________
Total: __________
Please make check or Money Order out to Ken Dorshimer, and send
payment to the address above (mine not yours).
Funds should be in U.S dollars, and drawn on a U.S. bank.
(Please send check or money order, do not send cash. People
who want to order MyComm from outside the U.S. should obtain a
money order in U.S. dollars from a local bank).
Please note: I am NOT able to process Visa or Mastercard orders
at this time (several folks asked me about this).
Appendix F - MyComm Bug Report Form
MyComm Version 2.01 Bug Report Form
This form is used to describe any problems, or bugs that you
may have found with MyComm. You may also use it to tell me of
any enhancements you would like to see added to MyComm, or
suggestions for future versions.
Bug reports and suggestions are always welcome. I am trying
to provide the very best communications software package I can.
Of course all bug reports and suggestions get much closer
scrutiny when accompanied by a registration check. <grin>
----------------------------------------------------------
Machine Type __________________________ DOS Version ____
Machine BIOS Type _____________________ Monitor ________
Modem Brand __________________________ Speed ____
Describe problem, bug, or suggestion:
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Mail To:
Ken Dorshimer
P.O. Box 5143
Belmont, Ca. 94002
Appendix G - Planned Modifications and Upgrades
At this time I am planning (contingent on the number of
registrations of MyComm) to make several modifications and
upgrades to MyComm. Some of these are:
■ MS-Windows (Tm) and/or Deskview (Tm)
compatibility
■ Add KERMIT file transfer protocol
■ Add a simple Host/BBS mode
■ VT-200 Terminal Emulation
■ 3270 Terminal Emulation
■ Script Language
■ Host Mode (like a mini BBS)
Of course upgrades are dependent on you, the end user. MyComm
is user supported software. If I see that people are interested
in the program, and interested enough to register it, I will feel
more inclined to continue to perform upgrades to MyComm.
The creation and development of a program like MyComm is by no
means trivial. If you think it is, try writing a similar program
yourself. I think you'll see what I mean. Continued user
support in the form of registrations gives me, your humble
author, the incentive to keep upgrading and improving MyComm.
Appendix H - MyComm Revision History
Note: Past versions of this section had every nuance of every
enhancement or bug fix listed. I have decided to only list the
enhancements that pertain to the current release now and in the
future for breivity.
September 19, 1991 - MyComm Version 1.0 design began
February 16, 1992 - MyComm Version 1.0 completed
March 18, 1992 - MyComm Version 1.10 completed
April 11, 1992 - MyComm Version 1.20 completed
May 9, 1992 - MyComm Version 1.22 completed
MyComm Version 2.0 Revisions and Additions
Entire source code was redesigned in C++ to provide more
object oriented base for possible future MS-Windows (Tm)
version.
Added VT-52 and VT-100 terminal emulation.
Enhanced the ANSI terminal emulation.
Fixed bug in "hardware handshaking" i.e XON/XOFF, CTS/RTS,
DSR/DTR flow control.
Added detection and support of 16550 UART and FIFO buffers.
Vastly improved the look of the menu system and screen
colors in general.
General improved the internal program structure for greater
stability.
April 8, 1993 - MyComm Version 2.0 completed
June 19, 1993 - MyComm Version 2.01 (bug fix) completed
1K-Xmodem File Transfers 50
Add LF after incoming CR 19
Add Phone List Item 14
Alt A 13
Alt B 13
Alt C 13
Alt D 14
Alt E 23
Alt H 23
Alt I 24
Alt K 25
Alt L 24
Alt M 25
Alt O 25
Alt P 26
Alt Q 26
Alt R 26
Alt S 27
Alt T 27
Alt U 28
Alt W 44
Alt X 44
ANSI Emulation 56
ASCII File Transfers 49
ASCII Transfers Setup 36
ASCII Transfers Setup Screen 36
Baud Rate 16
BS Key Sends BS or DELete 18
Bug Report Form 62
Call Numbers (Dial) 20
Change Port Parameters - Alt P 26
Change Port Parameters Screen 26
Character Pace Time 38
Chat Mode - Alt A 13
Clear last date called 19
Clear the Screen - Alt C 13
Clever quip for TagLine 43
COM Port 30
Command Summary 54
CR Translation Upload and Download 37
Data Bits 16
Data Parity 16
Date Format Style 42
DEC VT-100 Emulation 56
DEC VT-52 Emulation 56
Default Protocol 16
Definitions, Acronyms 5
Delete an Item 19
Dial Prefix 17
Dial Screen 14
Dialing Functions - Alt D 14
Dialing Prefix #1 34
Dialing Prefix #2 34
Dialing Prefix #3 34
Dialing Prefixes 34
Dialing Status Window 20
Dialing Wait Time 32
Disclaimer and Warranty 4
Download Directory Path 34
Download Files - PgDn 49
Download Protocol Menu 47
Download/Upload Status Window 48
Edit Phone List Item Screen 15
Editor Path\Filename 35
Exit MyComm - Alt X 44
Exit MyComm Window 44
Expand Blank Lines to Spaces 38
External Programs Path\Filename 35
External Protocol File Transfers 52
External Protocols Setup 40
External Protocols Setup Screen 40
F1 key 12
F2 key 44
F3 key 45
F4 key 45
File Transfer Hints 49
Filename Guessing 44
Find Phone List Items 22
General System Requirements 6
Get Filename Screen 47
Guess Filename 44
Guess Up/Download Filename 44
Hang Up Modem - Alt H 23
Help Menu - F1 12
Help Screen 12
High speed modem 30
Installation 7, 8
Introduction to MyComm 1
LF Translation Upload and Download 37
Line Editing Functions 55
Line Pace Time 38
Load Phone List Screen 22
Load Phone List Window 22
Local Echo 18
Local Echo on by Default 32
Local Echo On During ASCII Uploads 37
Local Echo On/Off - Alt E 23
Logon Name 17
Make Noise After File Transfers 42
Make Noise When Calls Connect 42
Manual Dial - Alt M 25
Manual Dial Screen 21
Manual Dial Window 21
Mark Phone List Items 22
Miscellaneous Options Setup 41
Miscellaneous Options Setup Screen 41
Modem Answer String 31
Modem Attention String 31
Modem Cancel Dial String 31
Modem Dial Suffix String 31
Modem Hang Up String 31
Modem Initialization String 30
Modem Setup Screen 29
Move Phone List Item 23
MyComm as a Host 52
MyComm Bug Report Form 62
MyComm Command Summary 54
MyComm Files 6
MyComm General Installation Instructions 8
MyComm Installation 7
MyComm Line Editing Functions 55
MyComm Order Form 61
MyComm Registration 2
MyComm Revision History 64
MyComm Screens and Menus 11
Name 15
Number 15
Order Form 61
Outside to DOS - Alt O 25
Pacing Char 38
Page Down 49
Page Up 49
Password 17
Password for sign ons 43
Paths Setup 34
Paths Setup Screen 34
Pause Between Calls 32
PgDn 49
PgUp 49
Phone File Path\File 35
Phone Item Info Screen 21
Planned Modifications and Upgrades 63
Present Line Status - Alt L 24
Present Line Status Window 24
Print Phone List 23
Protocols Setup 36
Protocols Setup Menu 36
Quick Re-Dial - Alt Q 26
Received BS (BackSpace) Destructive 18
Remote Abort Char 37
Revision History 64
Run External Program - Alt R 26
Save Changes 19
Save Setup 44
Screen Background Color 42
Screen Capture Path\File 35
Screen Text Color 42
Screens and Menus 11
Scroll Back - Alt K 25
SEAlink Derived File Transfers 50
Send Break - Alt B 13
Send Init. String Menu 24
Send Modem Initialization Strings - Alt I 24
Send Name - F2 44
Send Password - F3 45
Send Screen to File - Alt W 44
Send Tagline - F4 45
Session Capture On/Off/Pause - Alt S 27
Session Capture Path\File 35
Sort Phone List 22
Starting a File Transfer 46
Stop Bits 16
Strip Hi Bits 19
Strip High Bits 37
System Requirements 7
Terminal Emulation - Alt T 27
Terminal Screen 11
Terminal Type 18
Time Format - 12 or 24 Hour 42
Transferring Files 45
Troubleshooting 58
Update Configuration - Alt U 28
Update Configuration Menu 28
Upload Directory Path 35
UpLoad Files - PgUp 49
Use CTS/RTS Flow Control 33
Use Direct Video 42
Use DSR/DTR Flow Control 33
Use DTR to Hang Up Modem 33
Use XON/XOFF Flow Control 33
Xmodem File Transfers 50
Xmodem-1K 50
Ymodem 50
Ymodem Batch - 1K 51
Ymodem Batch File Transfers 51
Ymodem-G Batch 51
Your Name for sign on 43
Zmodem 32 Bit CRC 38
Zmodem Auto Download Feature 39
Zmodem File Transfers 51
Zmodem Receive Crash Recovery 39
Zmodem Send Crash Recovery 39
Zmodem Transfers Setup 38
