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" " 64TERM - A smart terminal program for the Commodore-64. " Author of program and manual: Paul Higginbottom. " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...2 " Contents: " Section Description Page " -------------------------------------------------------- " 1. Getting started XX " 2. The tools XX " 3. Terminal mode XX " 4. The status line XX " 5. Disk directory XX " 6. Examine/alter protocols XX " 7. Print file/buffer to screen/printer XX " 8. Examine/alter function keys XX " 9. Load or save parameters XX " 10. Send a file to the modem XX " 11. Save memory buffer XX " 12. Exit program XX " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...3 " Getting started " To make sure no previous programs, or programming of your Commodore-64 " will affect the running of this program, turn the computer OFF, if it " is currently on. " " Now turn ON the computer and your disk unit, and with the program " diskette in the drive, type: " " LOAD'TERM64',8,1 " " and press RETURN. " " The program will automatically run; the screen will go blank, and " shortly, the menu will appear as follows: " " --------------------------------------- " Smart Terminal Program " By Paul Higginbottom " " (c)1983 Commodore Business Machines Ltd. " " " 1. Enter terminal mode " 2. Disk directory " 3. Examine/alter protocols " 4. Print file/buffer to screen/printer " 5. Examine/alter function keys " 6. Load or save parameters " 7. Send file to modem " 8. Save memory buffer " 9. Exit program " " Press '1' to '9' to select function " " --------------------------------------- " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...4 " *********************************** " * * " * NNN NN OOO TTTTTT EEEEEE * " * NNNN NN OO OO TT EE * " * NN NNNN OO OO TT EEEE * " * NN NNN OO OO TT EE * " * NN NN OOO TT EEEEEE * " * * " *********************************** " " FROM ANY POINT IN THE PROGRAM (#1) TO RETURN TO THE MENU, SIMPLY PRESS " THE 'STOP' KEY. " " (#1 - IN TERMINAL MODE, IT'S SHIFTED 'STOP' SO THAT IT CANNOT BE " PRESSED ACCIDENTALLY). " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...5 " The tools " This section is provided to outline what this program can do, and an " overview of how it can be done. " " When using this program, there are 3 forms of interaction you can have " with it. They are: " " 1. Menu function selection, and supplying the information for a given " option. " " 2. Command function from terminal mode, to change a 'mode' of " operation. " " 3. Interaction with another computer. " " The menu shows you the options available to you, but provided below is " a wider explanation of each option: " " 1. Enter terminal mode - This puts you in a communications environment, " wherein, each character you type will be transmitted to another " computer, and each character sent to you, by the other computer you are " communicating with, will be displayed on your screen. In terminal " mode, the screen displays a status line (the tope line of the screen) " and the remaining 24 lines of the screen are the 'terminal's screen.' " Certain key combinations will alter the various status 'indicators' on " the status line. " " These key functions allow you to modify the terminal environment (for " example, enabling 'word-wrap' which commands the program to " automatically avoid words being split at the end of a line, by " 'pushing' them onto the next line.) " " 2. Disk directory - This will display the directory of the diskette in " the drive which you would usually see by doing: " " LOAD'$',8 " " LIST " " 3. Examine/alter protocols - This option allows you to examine, and/or " alter the communications protocols required for the particular modem, " and/or remote computer. An example of a 'protocol' is 'baud rate', " which is the speed at which data is transfered between the computers' " modems. Most inexpensive modems are '300 baud' which is a transfer " rate of roughly 30 characters per second. " " 4. Print a file/buffer to screen/printer - This allows you to display " on the screen or print on the printer, the text captured in the " computers memory with this program, or a file on the disk. " " 5. Examine/alter function keys - The Commodore 64 has 4 function keys. " This package allows you to make them send to another computer, one or " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...6 " more character(s) by just one single keypress. For example, most data " bases have a 'HELP' command. You might want to have one key press send " 'HELP' and a <RETURN> to the remote computer. Or, similarly, any " frequently used command/string of text can be assigned to a single " keypress. " " 6. Load or save parameters - The protocols, the function key " definitions, and even the screen, text, and border colours, may be " loaded or saved as a 'parameter file' on disk. This is useful for " communicating with different systems, with differing protocols, and " commonly used commands which you have defined in the function keys. An " example of two parameter files might be 'Source' and 'Compuserve.' " " 7. Send file to modem - This is a simple file transfer option. A file " on the diskette in the drive can be transmitted to the remote computer. " This for example, could be used to send electronic mail prepared on " your computer when you weren't communicating with the remote computer. " " 8. Save memory buffer - This option allows you to save the text stored " in the computers memory in a file on the disk drive. " " 9. Exit program - This option will reset the computer, as if it were " turned off and on again. " " Technical note: " " This program is designed for communicating via the RS-232 port of the " Commodore-64 (an edge connector, which will require suitable cable, or " a VIC1011A adaptor) to another computer, or modem, at speeds from 50 to " 2400 baud. Since the Commodore-64 has only one RS-232 port, the " program assumes the printer is connected to the CBM serial port as " device 4, or some other interface cartridge which intercepts the KERNAL " functions (for example, RTC's 64-LINK cartridge, which allows any IEEE " printers to be connected to the Commodore-64. This program will work " with that cartridge installed.) " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...7 " Terminal mode (option 1 from the menu) " " Pressing '1' from the menu puts you in 'terminal mode' which is the " environment where ALL communicating with another, remote computer is " done. " " A status line is shown on the top line of the screen. It should look " like: " " :T:S:O:W:D:B:-12:00:00-42000:0:000:000: " ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !--Character code " Status Indicators ! ! ! ! received " ! ! ! ! " Clock------------! ! ! !------Character code sent " ! ! " Free memory in buffer----! !----------No. nulls to be sent " after a carriage return " " " T - (The 'timeout' indicator) When you transmit characters to a remote " computer, usually by typing, the usual environment of communications is " known as 'full duplex' which simply means that the [larger] remote " computer will send back to the Commodore-64 each character you send to " it. This indicator will 'light up' (go into inverse video) if, when in " full duplex, a character you transmit is not sent back by the remote " computer within a short time. " " S - (The ALLCAPS mode indicator) The shiftlock key on the " Commodore-64's keyboard is not always useful for entering upper case " text, because it will shift the numerics and all other keys also, so an " 'ALLCAPS' mode is provided for simply ensuring all alpha characters " ('a' to 'z') transmitted are sent in UPPER case regardless of whether " the shift key is depressed. This mode can be turned on and off by " holding down the Commodore key and pressing 's'. " " O - (The OUTPUT-SUPPRESSED mode indicator) When lit, the user's output " will not be displayed (in either half or full duplex). This is useful " for not allowing other people to see you entering passwords on remote " computer systems, for example. The indicator can be turned on and off " by holding down the Commodore key and pressing 's'. " " W - (The WORD-WRAP mode indicator) Since the Commodore-64 can display " 40 characters on a line, instead of 80 (or even 132) columns as most " commercially used terminals can, words may get 'split' at the right " hand side of your screen (for example, the word 'Commodore' beginning " in the 35th column, and 'Commo' is on that line, and 'dore' ends up at " the start of the next line). When the WORD-WRAP indicator is lit, the " program will automatically ensure that no words are split at the end of " a line. It does this by pushing the word onto the next line if it " won't fit on the current line. Word-wrap mode can be turned on and off " by holding down the Commodore key and pressing 'w'. " " D - (The DISPLAY-CONTROL-CHARACTERS mode indicator) It is most often " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...8 " not necessary to see the incoming control characters (character codes 0 " through 31 decimal, excluding certain ones, for example, 'Carriage " Return', which is 13), but in case the user does wish to see them, the " program allows for this. Control characters will be shown as " highlighted characters on the screen, from '@' to 'Z'. To " enable/disable this mode, hold down the Commodore key and press 'd'. " " B - (The BUFFER-OPEN/CLOSED mode indicator) Any text which is displayed " can be stored in the memory of the Commodore-64, for later viewing, or " hardcopy on the printer, or even storing to the disk in a file. This " ability is known as a 'memory buffer' because the text is 'buffered' " for later usage. The five digit number on the status line indicates " how much memory is left for text to be stored. The text is only put " into the memory buffer if the indicator is lit, which allows you to " selectively store information (for example, news stories or only " certain stock information). To start or stop the program storing " incoming text in the memory buffer, hold down the Commodore key, and " press 'b'. If you wish to 'clear out' the memory buffer, i.e., " instruct the computer to 'forget' all it has stored for you, thus " makinng available all the memory again, hold down either shift key, and " press '*'. " " For quick temporary storage of, for example, an address, or other piece " of information you quickly want to capture, but you didn't have your " memory buffer open, hold down the Commodore key, and press 'x'. This " swaps the screens contents with a SECOND screen. Pressing 'Commodore " X' again, will bring back the 'first' screen again. " " The clock - functions like a normal clock; can be used to inform you of " connect time on a system, or give you the actual time. Can be reset to " 00:00:00 by holding down the Commodore key and pressing 't', or set to " a given time from the Examine/alter protocols option (3) from the menu. " " Summary of keyboard 'functions' in terminal mode: " <SHIFT *> - Clear memory buffer " <Commodore S> - Enable/disable ALL CAPITALS mode " <Commodore O> - Enable/disable displaying of your typing for privacy " <Commodore W> - Enable/disable automatic formatting of the end of each " line " <Commodore D> - Enable/disable display of control characters (ASCII " 0-26) " <Commodore B> - Enable/disable memory capture of displayed text " <Commodore P> - Reset buffer pointer without clearing buffer " <Commodore C> - Close disk file when sending a file from disk " <Commodore +> - Change background colour of the screen " <Commodore -> - Change colour of text " <Commodore *> - Change border colour " <left arrow> is displayed as an underscore on the screen (consistent " with 'most' terminals). " <CTRL L> If received, acts as a 'form feed' and clears the screen " <CTRL :> Generates an ESC (ASCII 27) character " <Commodore X> Swap screen with second stored, screen. " <CTRL +> Increase the number of nulls to be sent after a " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...9 " carriage return (maximum 9) " <CTRL -> Decrease the number of nulls to be sent after a " carriage return (minimum 0) " <shifted DEL> - Generates ASCII DELETE character (value 127) " <Commodore T> - Resets clock to 0:00:00 " " The function keys send strings as designated: " " Unshifted..............<F01>/<F03>/<F05>/<F07> " Shifted................<F02>/<F04>/<F06>/<F08> " Commodore..............<F09>/<F10>/<F11>/<F12> " CTRL...................<F13>/<F14>/<F15>/<F16> " " Local editing mode " " This terminal program gives you to do full screen editing (as you do " when correcting mistakes, when entering a program), even when the " computer you are communicating with, does not support such a function. " " If RETURN is pressed while either shift key is held down is entered " when in terminal mode, the cursor will flash (instead of being " 'solid'). Incoming text will still be output to the screen as normal, " but further typing by the user is NOT transmitted to the remote " computer. At this point, you can use the CURSOR MOVEMENT KEYS (up, " down, left and right), the INSert key, the DELete key, the HOME and CLR " keys, and in fact, EVERY key to edit and enter text onto the screen. " When you want to send a line of text, you simply position the cursor on " the first character to be sent, and enter another <SHIFTED RETURN>. " The program will then enter all characters from that point on on the " screen line, and also transmit a RETURN. " " 'What can I use that for?' you say. Let's take a look at an example " usage of this feature: " " Let us suppose the computer you are communicating with is awaiting your " command. You want to send a letter to another user, and you enter the " command: " " MAIL SEND JOHN EXPRESS " " The system responds with: " " User 'JOHN' not found. " Re-enter: " " And you realise that you entered the NAME of the user you wished to " send mail to instead of their computer account 'ID', which this " particular system requires. You no longer have to type this command in " all over again, you simply enter 'local editing mode' by holding down " the shift and pressing RETURN. The cursor should be flashing. You " move the cursor up using the cursor movement keys and correct the " mistake: " " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...10 " MAIL SEND XYZ999 EXPRESS " " To send the whole line again, you simply position the cursor on the 'M' " in 'MAIL' (often easiest by pressing return, and then cursor up, if " you're on the same line as the line you wish to send), and then press " return while holding down the shift again, and you'll see the line " re-entered for you. " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...11 " Disk directory (option 2 from the menu) " " As soon as you press '2' from the menu, the screen will clear, and the " directory will be listed onto the screen. As it is listed, any key can " be pressed to stop and resume the listing, and if the STOP key is " pressed at any time, the listing will terminate. " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...12 " Examine/alter protocols (option 3 from the menu) " " When the program is run, the RS232 and terminal parameters are set to " defaults which are suitable for practically all terminal work at 300 " baud, which includes the VICMODEM. " " When 3 is pressed from the menu, the current protocols are displayed. " To alter them, simply press the numeric key alongisde the particular " protocol. For example, to change duplex, press '1'. When you've set " them to your particular requirements, pressing the STOP key will return " you to the menu. " " The protocols are: " " '1' - Duplex - alternatives - Half, or Full. In half duplex, each " character transmitted by your computer is displayed by the program on " the screen. In full duplex, the program expects the remote computer to " send each character back which your computer sends to it. Almost all " commercial networks operate in full duplex. If, for example, you want " to communicate with another FPZZPZ(64 though, both you, and your " remote telecomputing partner would need to operate in half duplex. " " '2' - Line feed - alternatives - Yes, or No. After you transmit a " carriage return, some networks require a linefeed also. This option " allows you the alternative of having a line feed sent automatically " after a return, or not. This is becoming less likely though, and in " most operation, you would have the option set to 'No'. " " '3' - Stop bits - alternatives - 1, or 2. The RS232 interface " separates each character of information with 1 or 2 stop 'pauses' or " bits. Sometimes, more often with 1200 baud, you might need to send 2, " instead of the far more usual 1. " " '4' - Parity - alternatives - None, Even, Odd, Space, or Mark. The " RS232 interface can mark the end of each character, with an extra piece " of information (known as a 'parity bit'), which gives either computer, " a slightly more secure way of ensuring good data transmission. You " would have to investigate which parity the computer you are " communicating with requires. Most systems don't require any parity, or " just ignore it. " " '5' - Baud rate - alternatives - 110, 150, 300, 600, 1200, 1800, or " 2400. The RS232 interface can transmit information at different " speeds. This will need to be set according to your modem, and/or the " computer you are communicating with. 300 baud is the most common, with " 1200 being used for 'high speed' communication usually. " " '6' - Word length - alternatives - 5, 6, 7, or 8 bits. Some remote " computers ignore, or don't use all of the 8 bits in a byte. If, for " example, you set this parameter to 7 bits, the 8th bit will be ignored. " " '7' - Set time - asks for the time you wish to set the clock to (which " is displayed in terminal mode). The format of the time you enter is " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...13 " checked and if the program doesn't understand what you have entered, " the bell will ring, and the time will not be altered. Do NOT enter in " 24 hour format, it's a 12 hour clock. You can enter just the hours and " minutes (the seconds will default to 0), or you can enter the full " hours, minutes and seconds. 2 digits for each part must be entered, " therefore, if the time is five minutes after two, you should enter: " " 0205 " " or " " 020500 " " '9' - Return to menu - if pressed, the program returns to the menu. " This can also be achieved at any time by pressing the STOP key. " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...14 " Print file/buffer to screen/printer (option 4 from the menu) " " This important option, allows you to print, to either the screen or " your printer, the text you captured in the computer's memory buffer, or " a disk file. " " When '4' is pressed to select this option, you will be asked: " " Buffer or file? " (Press 'B' or 'F') " " As implied, press 'b' if you wish to print whatever text you may have " stored in your memory buffer, or 'f' for a disk file. " " Having selected 'b' or 'f', you will then be asked (the screen will " clear) if you wish to print to the screen or printer in a similar 'one " key' selection. Press 's' if you just wish to view the memory buffer " or disk file on the screen, or 'p' if you want to print the text on " your printer. " " If you are printing a disk file (instead of the memory buffer), you " will be asked for the name of the file. If you enter a filename and " the file is not on the diskette in the drive, a bell will sound, and " you will be returned to the main menu. " " If you opt to output either the contents of your memory buffer, or the " disk file to your printer, you will then be asked to select your type " of printer. Note, the program assumes the printer is connected to the " CBM serial port as device 4, or some other interface cartridge which " intercepts the KERNAL functions (for example, RTC's 64-LINK cartridge, " which allows any IEEE printers to be connected to the Commodore-64. " This program will work with that cartridge installed.) " " The program's options include: " " 1)1525 (or 1526), 2)Other CBM printer (IEEE printers, NOT 8300P), or " 3)True ASCII printer (other brand of printer or Commodore 8300P). " " While the file/buffer is printing to screen/printer, any key can be " pressed to stop and resume printing, and if the STOP key is pressed at " any time, printing will terminate, and the program will prompt you to " press any key to return to the menu. " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...15 " Examine/alter function keys (option 5 from the menu) " " This option allows you to examine or change, the strings of characters " which will be sent by the function keys, and function keys in " conjunction with shift/Commodore/CTRL keys. " " For your own security, a password is requested when this option is " selected from the menu. When no parameter file has been loaded, and " the password has not been changed, it is defaulted to '64'. " " Having entered the password, you will see a display like: " " ---------------------------------------- " 5. Examine/alter function keys " f01=' " f02=' " f03=' " f04=' " f05=' " f06=' " f07=' " f08=' " f09=' " f10=' " f11=' " f12=' " f13=' " f14=' " f15=' " f16=' " Enter key to change, press 'STOP' " for menu, or 'p' to change password. " ---------------------------------------- " " To alter a string, enter the function keypress itself, for example, " function key string 11 (f11) is entered by holding down the Commodore " key, and pressing 'f5'. (For a full list of the key sequences, see " 'Summary of keyboard functions' in section 2.) Having selected the " string to change, you will be prompted to enter the text string to be " assigned to that key. Enter this, for example: " " Enter new text for function key f11 " > " " You type 'hello', and press RETURN. " " The program then asks if you want a RETURN to be transmitted after the " string when you press the function key, by prompting you with: " " Add a carriage return? " " Enter 'y', or 'n' (yes, or no) as desired. For frequently executed " comman&?!????a?poa???07????????5?????????????9???1?????7?9????i?5??44444??????????????????????? By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...16 " your function key assignments are completely secure, you can even " assign your log-in password to remote systems. " " You are then asked if you want the string to be displayed on the screen " or not, with the prompt: " " Echo string to screen? (Y/N) " " Enter 'y', or 'n' (yes, or no) as desired. If you do not wish " 'viewers' watching what commands of text you are sending to the " computer, such as log-in passwords, you would want to press 'n' for " this option. " " The string is then displayed in its place in the definitions, and if " you chose for the string not to be echoed to the screen, there are " small 'blocks' around the assignment. " " If you press 'p' from the prompt, you will be asked for a new password " (the one you enter when selecting this option from the menu). This " password is the ONLY way you can get into the section, so if you change " it, be sure not to forget it! " " When you're finished, press STOP to return to the menu. " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...17 " Load or save parameters (option 6 from the menu) " " The 'parameters' include the protocols, the function key definitions, " and the screen, text, and border colours. You may be save the details " of the way you 'configure' the program for communicating with a " particular remote computer as a file on the disk, in a parameter file. " " An example of two parameter files might be 'source' and 'compuserve' " for communicating with these large, popular database networks. " " When '6' is pressed to select this option, you will be asked: " " Load or Save parameters? " (Press 'L' or 'S') " " As implied, press 'l' if you wish to load in a parameter file you have " previously stored, or 's' if you wish to save the current parameters in " a disk file. " " Having selected 'l' or 's', you will be asked for the name of the file. " If you enter a filename which causes a disk error, a bell will sound, " and you will be returned to the main menu. " " Load parameters: The colours will be set, the RS232 will be setup, the " function keys will be re-assigned. " " Save parameters: The colours will be saved, the RS232 parameters will " be saved, and the function keys assignments will be saved. " " After either function, the program will, once again, return to the " menu. " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...18 " Send a file to the modem (option 7 from the menu) " " You will be asked for the name of the file on disk to be transmitted. " If you enter a filename and the file is not on the diskette in the " drive, a bell will sound, and you will be returned to the main menu. " If the file is present, the program will go into terminal mode, and " each character from the file will be transmitted to the computer as if " you were typing it. If 'Commodore c' is entered while the file is " still being transmitted, or a disk error occurs, or the end of the file " is reached, the process will stop, the disk file will be closed, and " the user will remain in terminal mode. " " Technical note: " Sometimes, the number of nulls to be sent after a carriage return will " need to be set to more than zero to ensure the computer you are " communicating with does not drop any characters after a carriage " return. " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...19 " Save memory buffer (option 8 from the menu) " " Text captured in the memory buffer in terminal mode, can be stored on " disk, in a file, for later viewing/printing, or even usage with other " software. " " You will be asked for the name of the file under which you wish to " store the memory buffer contents. If you enter a filename which causes " an error, a bell will sound, and you will be returned to the main menu. " Otherwise, the storing will proceed, when completed, the program will " return to the menu. " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom " Preliminary TERM-64 manual Page...20 " Exit program (option 9 from the menu) " " Pressing '9' from the menu will reset your computer, as if it had been " turned off and on again. " 8/2/83 By Paul Higginbottom