TPUG - Toronto PET Users Group/TPUG Users Group CD/TPUG Users Group CD.iso/AMIGA/(A)Z/(A)Z10.ADF/A_Term6.1/ATerm61.doc

Text File | 1989-07-04 | 8KB | 136 lines

  Aterm6.1 is an improved version of Aterm6, which traces its roots back to
Aterm by Michael Mounier. Features of Aterm6 include:

 300 through 9600-baud operation.
 Half, full, and echoplex modes.
 Ansi Standard terminal emulation.
 Xmodem send and receive.
 Autochop on xmodem receive.
 Ascii capture of text to disk.
 Prompted upload for sending text to bulletin boards one line at a time.
 Function-keys may be assigned strings up to 39 characters each. Any
  characters may be used, including control-characters.
 Function-key strings may be loaded from disk. One key file, "init.key," is
  searched for when Aterm6.1 starts up.

    New features added in Aterm6.1 include:
 Function-keys may be defined within Aterm 6.1, and saved to disk.
 Additional parameters saved in key files in new version: baudrate, prompt
  character, mode (half, full, echo), xon-xoff, autochop. This makes key
  files "auto-configuration" files.
 AutoChop and Xon-Xoff operating modes switchable.
 Screen output has been speeded up somewhat (by buffering screen writes).

 When you save a function-key file from aterm6.1, the current settings of
baud, mode, prompt, xon-xoff and autochop are saved also. When that file is
later loaded, Aterm6.1 is adjusted to reflect those settings. This means,
for example, that you can set "init.key" with 1200 baud, and have Aterm6.1
come up at 1200 baud.
 Aterm6.1 will load a function-key file created with "EdFKey," the function-
key editor for Aterm6. However, EdFKey won't deal with a function-key file
created by Aterm6.1.
  If you've been using Aterm6 key files, you can continue to use them. Or,
you can update them so that they contain the additional parameters. To do
this, get into Aterm6.1 and load the key file you wish to update. Simply
use the mouse (or command keys) to set baud, mode, etc., and then save the
key file again.

        USAGE INSTRUCTIONS:

Any time that Aterm6.1 asks for a filename, you may abort by typing
<CTRL>'C' or <CTRL>'X'. (Hold the 'control' key down like a shift key
while typing 'c' or 'x'.)

    Quick summary of Aterm6:

  You may create function-key strings and save them to a file by using
"EdFKey." These files may be loaded into Aterm6. Aterm6 searches for
one particular key-file called "init.key" when it starts up. You should
create a function-key file by that name and place it in what will be the
"current directory" when you invoke Aterm6.  If a function-key is defined,
hitting it will cause its string to be transmitted over the serial port.
To view the function-keys, hit the "help" key.
  Incoming text may be captured to disk by using "Ascii Capture"
(Amiga-'c') from the menu. Control-characters are filtered out (except <TAB>)
and CR/LF is filtered to LF.
  A text file may be transmitted by using "Ascii Transmit" (Amiga-'T'). If
the "prompt" character is zero, the file will be sent continuously. If
"prompt" is a character, the file will be sent a line at a time, pausing
after each line until the prompt character is sent by the other computer.
For instance, CompuServe's line-numbered editor uses the prompt ':' (colon).
If you set "prompt" to ':' you can send a textfile to that editor
automatically, without its being overwhelmed.
  Xmodem send and receive are available. No CRC. A received file is
automatically chopped by a reasonably smart method.
  Mode: half-duplex means that aterm6 prints your keystrokes directly on the
screen. Full-duplex means that aterm6 prints only what is received through
the serial port-- it's up to the other computer (the "host") to echo back
your keystrokes, otherwise you won't see them. Echo-plex means that you print
your keystrokes directly, you print what you receive, and you also echo back
(re-transmit) what you receive. In other words you act as a host.  Normally
you'll be in full-duplex, switching modes only when you're connected to
another user's computer and not a bulletin board.

        New Functions in Aterm6.1:

    Define function-key (Amiga-"d")
  To do this, select "Define FKey" from the menu (or use the command
shortcut). At the prompt "Function-key string definition: " hit the function-
key you wish to define (any other key aborts the process). Then type your
function-key string (including control characters, etc.) to a maximum of
39 characters. When finished, type the function-key again. If you make a
mistake, you have to start over from the beginning.

    Save function-key file (no COMMSEQ shortcut)
  This will save the current function keys, as well as the other parameters
listed above. Set the other parameters the way you want them, select
"F-Key Save" from the menu, answer the prompt with the filename you
wish to save under, and the job will be done.
  NOTE: Aterm6.1 can load a F-key file created either by itself or by
EdFKey, the Aterm6 function-key editor. However, EdFKey can't use a key
file created by Aterm6.1.
  To see the current function-keys and the current prompt, hit the Help
key. To see other parameters check the menus.

    AutoChop and Xon-Xoff (Amiga-'a' and Amiga-'x')
  Xon-Xoff signals can be used by the Amiga SER: device automatically
to signal the other computer to pause (Xoff) and resume (Xon) transmission
as the Amiga's internal buffer comes perilously close to overflow, and is
emptied by the user's program. It's neat, automatic, and when working
correctly ensures that "not a bit is lost up to 19200 baud," even when
multi-tasking and saving to disk.
  However.
  The current SER: transmitter, as well as the receiver will, if Xon-Xoff
is enabled, itself respond to these signals. Now if you get a little
junk on the line, and the modem says it's Xoff, you're stuck. The serial
port is sitting by, waiting for Xon before it starts sending again.
 You can't send Xon to yourself, cause the SER: device won't
transmit until it gets Xon, and the other computer has no way of knowing
that you're stuck. What's worse, some computers will echo it back when you
type <CTRL>'S', and you'll be stuck again, with no recourse except to re-boot.
  For this reason, in the new version Xon-Xoff has been made switchable,
and set to normally OFF (in Aterm6 it's always ON).
  You should know that there are situations where Xon-Xoff switching is
really handy-- for instance if you're sending data between two computers
directly connected by null-modem cable, running half-duplex. Now you can
run at absolutely top speed and still not lose a drop.
  Autochop: The standard binary transfer protocol, Xmodem, was designed for
computers that don't care if the file is a little longer than necessary.
The Amiga cares a great deal if a program is longer than absolutely
necessary, and won't run a program if it's too long.
  For this reason Aterm6 includes AutoChop, which attempts to pare the fat
off an Xmodemed file, and restore it to its original size. It does this by
examining the last byte of the received file. If it's zero, or 255, or
26 (CP/M's end-of-file marker), it removes it and, moving backwards, any
neighbors that match it.
  Under some conditions this may not be a good thing. Some files end with
a sequence of zeros or 255s, and chopping them down destroys them. Files
like this might be ".info" files, or graphics or music. Aterm6.1 allows
AutoChop to be switched off for receiving these files. Normally, however,
you'll want it on.

  Please enjoy this program as much as I enjoy writing it. If it should
give trouble, or if you think up a really neat improvement that's not too
hard to implement, notify me on CompuServe at 73277,620.
-Steve Allen