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MANUAL.TXT
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1994-12-12
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What is LinkRight??
Sales Information
Differences Between Version 1.0 and 1.1
Differences Between Version 1.1 and 1.1E
Installation
LinkRight LPT Driver
Compression Driver
Cables
Quick Start
Navigating Directories
Copying Files and Directories
Hot Keys
Directory Syncronization
DOS Version
OS/2 Command Line Version
Verify Failures
Batch Mode
Connections
Log Options
System Options
Copy Subdirectories
Copy Newer Files Only
Force Copy
Copy Archive Only
Autostart
Verify Options
Max Packet Size
Retry Warning Delay
Pushbuttons
Delete Pushbutton
Mkdir Pushbutton
Refresh Pushbutton
Cloning an OS/2 Partition with LinkRight Cloner
Initial Preparation
Bootable OS/2 Floppies
LPT Drivers
Modifying the OS/2 Bootable Diskettes
Preparing the Target System
Running LRCLONER.EXE
Restarting a Cloning Operation
The Final Step
Potential Problems
Hints and Tips
Bugs and Missing Features
Future Stuff
Technical Support
What is LinkRight??
LinkRight is a serial and parallel port file transfer utility for OS/2.
It features DCF/2 compression for faster transfers and CRC checking for
accurate transfers. It includes a PM version and a DOS version.
Version 1.1 has LinkRight Cloner which can be used for cloning an
entire OS/2 partition (including the OS/2 operating system) from one
system to another (in accordance with your licensing agreement with
IBM; no bootlegging please). LinkRight handles EAs and HPFS easily.
LinkRight is multithreaded, so while you are transferring files in
the background, you can continue to queue more files for transfer,
change directories on either machine, delete files, etc.
LinkRight is not shareware. It is a commercial shrink wrapped
product and version 1.1E is available at CompUSA, Egghead, Indelible
Blue and other retailers. Street price is around $69 without cables
and $89 with cables. Like Microsoft, we have no Manufacturers
Suggested Retail Price (MSRP).
Sales Information
LinkRight is available from Indelible Blue (919) 834-7005 or (800) 776-8284, The Corner
Store 1-800-I BUY OS2. Egghead, and CompUSA.
For quantity discounts, you should contact:
Rightware Inc.
Susan Tremble, Vice President of Marketing.
Voice (maybe voice mail) (301)762-1151
Fax (301)762-1185
Differences Between Version 1.0 and 1.1
There are too many differences to mention. We suggest that users
of LinkRight 1.0 read this manual all the way through. Although it
will cover things you already know, it is the best way to get the
new information.
***********Important*********
LinkRight 1.0 is incompatible with LinkRight 1.1. You should use
LinkRight 1.1 on both the Local and Remote machines OR you should
use LinkRight 1.0 on both the Local and Remote machines.
*****************************
Differences Between Version 1.1 and 1.1E
You have version 1.1E. You can check the version number by starting
LinkRight and looking at the bottom of the screen that asks you
whether you want Local or Remote mode. When you start LRCLONER or
LRDOS, the version number is shown. Also, when LRPAR.SYS is loaded,
the version is displayed.
OS/2 Warp Version 3.0 uses polled printing as a default which breaks
LinkRight 1.1. LinkRight 1.1E has been modified to use polled also
as the default option, so it works well with OS/2 Warp. Since
LinkRight 1.1E now can use polled, it will work well with OS/2 version
2.0. Replacement of PRINT01.SYS or PRINT02.SYS is no longer required.
LinkRight 1.1E will overwrite Read Only files. It is up to the user
to use caution to make sure important files are not overwritten.
LinkRight 1.1E implements Idle Time only transfers. This is the
preferred mode, your system usage and requirements may differ.
LinkRight 1.1E allows 8 bit transfers and 4 bit transfers through
the parallel port.
LinkRight 1.1E no longer allows a user to mark files or directories
on both sides and copy them. The new method to accomplish this is
to mark one side first, do a copy, mark the other side, and copy
again.
Retry Warnings can be disabled by setting this option to the
maximum value of 9.
Autostart is disabled and is no longer supported.
Assorted bugs have been fixed with this new version.
Parallel port speed is much faster with LinkRight 1.1E.
***********Important*********
LinkRight 1.1 is incompatible with LinkRight 1.1E. You should use
LinkRight 1.1E on both the Local and Remote machines OR you should
use LinkRight 1.1 on both the Local and Remote machines. The matching
version of LRPAR.SYS should also be used.
*****************************
Installation
To install LinkRight, insert the LinkRight floppy into drive a: (or
b:) and type a: (or b:). Then from the a:\> prompt (or b:\> prompt)
type install.
If you choose Update CONFIG.SYS, drivers are installed automatically,
and your CONFIG.SYS is updated. Backups are made of all files. Your
backup CONFIG.SYS will be named CONFIG.BAK.
If you selected Update CONFIG.SYS, you should read the next 3 sections
but you do not have to do anything. All drivers, etc. will be installed
for you (if necessary).
LinkRight LPT Driver
The following line in your CONFIG.SYS file installs the LinkRight Parallel
Port Device Driver:
DEVICE=C:\OS2\LRPAR.SYS
The complete list of options for LRPAR.SYS are
DEVICE=LRPAR.SYS /Q:7 /P /A:3BC /M
where:
/Q:7 uses IRQ7 or /Q:5 uses IRQ5. These are the only IRQs supported.
Interupt driven mode can only be used if PRINT01.SYS or PRINT02.SYS
also uses the same interupt. If no /Q option is selected, polled is
assumed.
/P is for polled. This is a useless option, since it is the default.
/A:3BC or /A:378 or /A:278 select the address of the LPT port for
LinkRight to use. If this parameter is used, only one address can
be specified. Then, when you select Connect from the LinkRight
menu, no matter which LPT port you select, either LPT1, LPT2 or
LPT3, LinkRight will use the address specified. If this parameter
is not included, LinkRight reads the BIOS info at bootup time to
get the LPT addresses.
/M is to specify MicroChannel machines. For some MicroChannel systems
when booted from bootable floppies, LinkRight would not see that it
was MicroChannel and would assume an ISA bus. This caused the
driver to fail. So if you boot your MicroChannel system from floppies
and the LinkRight driver displays a message at bootup time saying
an ISA bus was found, use this parameter to fix the problem.
The preferred and suggested mode of use is no parameters on the
LRPAR.SYS line in CONFIG.SYS. You can add parameters if there are
any problems.
OS/2 versions 2.0 and 2.1 can only use polled. Version 2.11 and 3.0
can use polled or interupt driven. Even for version 2.11 and 3.0 we
recommend that you use polled, which is the default.
After you have installed the par port drivers, shutdown and reboot
to get the new drivers running. You are now ready to run LinkRight
beta 1.1.
DCF/2 Compression
LinkRight uses the DCF/2 compression driver. We found that it provided
the best, fastest compression possible. It is SIGNIFICANTLY better than
the compression algorithm used with LinkRight 1.0.
This will not compress your entire disk. Compression will only be
used to compress packets that are sent thru the parallel port or
serial port. For complete disk compression, contact the DCF/2
people.
The following line in your CONFIG.SYS file installs DCF/2 compression.
DEVICE=C:\OS2\DCF2CDE.SYS
Cables
LinkRight requires LapLink type cables. Do not try to use a normal
printer cable because it won't work. Some serial null modem cables
work with LinkRight, some don't. LinkRight requires serial null
modem cables with 7 pins wired thru, while some cables only have
3 wires.
Serial Pinouts
9 pin 25 pin 25 pin 9 pin
5 7 7 5 Ground to Ground
3 2 3 2 Transmit - Recieve
7 4 5 8 RTS - CTS
6 6 20 4 DSR - DTR
2 3 2 3 Receive - Transmit
8 5 4 7 CTS - RTS
4 20 6 6 DTR - DSR
Parallel Pinouts - Shielded low capacitance cable recommended
25 pin 25 pin
1 1
2 15
3 13
4 12
5 10
6 11
15 2
13 3
12 4
10 5
11 6
14 14
16 16
17 17
25 25
Quick Start
When you first start LinkRight, you are given a choice of whether you
want to make the machine the Local machine or the Remote machine.
You should make one machine the Local, and the other Remote. You will
control all file transfers from the Local machine.
After making a machine the Remote machine, you should select which port
to connect on the Remote machine. That should be the last selection you
make on the Remote machine.
For the Local machine, you must also select a port to connect. If you
have a box on BOTH machines that says "Establishing a connection Please
Wait", there is a problem with the connection. Make sure you selected
the proper ports, cables are connected, etc.
A common error is to select a port to connect from on the Local machine
without selecting a corresponding port on the Remote machine. You must
select a connect port from BOTH the Local and Remote machine. If you
cannot establish a connection using LPT ports, you should make sure you
have the proper drivers installed.
Navigating Directories
The left side of your screen displays drives, directories, and files in
the current working directory of the Local machine. The right side of
your screen displays the same information for the Remote machine.
The current working directory and drive for the Local and Remote machine
is shown on the line above the list of drives, directories, and files.
To change directories on either the Remote computer or the Local computer,
double click on the directory you want to change to. The directory ".."
is the parent directory. You can change the current working drive by
double clicking on one of the drives.
Copying Files and Directories
Use the Copy button to send files and directories from the Local computer to the Remote
computer or to send files and directories from the Remote computer to the Local computer.
First, mark files and directories by single clicking the primary (left) mouse
button. Then, hit the Copy button. If you have marked files from both
the Remote side and the Local side, transfer order is Local to Remote first,
then Remote to Local.
Marking and copying a drive is not supported. To copy a complete drive, individually
mark all files and directories in the root directory of the drive to be copied. Do
not mark the files EA DATA. SF or WP ROOT. SF, since they will not be copied.
The screen is not automatically refreshed after copying. Hit the Refresh Pushbutton
to update the screen.
Hot Keys
F10 Moves focus to the Menu
TAB Moves focus to the Local or Remote list of files
Return Selects an entry
Space marks an entry
Arrow Keys move the cursor within a group
Directory Syncronization
To perform Directory Syncronization, select Newer Files Only from
the Options Screen. Change directories on both the Local and Remote
computer to the parent directory of the two directories you want to
synchronize. Mark the directory on one side and hit the Copy pushbutton.
Mark the directory on the other side of the screen and hit the Copy
pushbutton.
Note: the directories must have the same name.
DOS Version
The DOS version can only be used as the Remote computer. The DOS version
uses command line parameters to select which port to use. At the DOS
prompt, type LRDOS.EXE with no parameters for a list of valid parameters.
To install the DOS version, copy the file LRDOS.EXE to a subdirectory on
your DOS machine.
OS/2 Command Line Version
LinkRight Cloner can be used from an OS/2 command line and can be used in
the Remote or Local mode.
LRCLONER uses command line parameters to select the mode,
which port to use, and the batch file to use. At the OS/2 command line
prompt, type LRCLONER with no parameters for a list of valid parameters.
Verify Failures
Some files may not verify properly. This may or may not be a critical
error. If a file cannot be read, it cannot be copied. Executable files
or .DLL files that are currently in use are the usual culprits here.
Batch Mode
When you select Batch Mode On, you can mark files and hit the Copy
pushbutton. No files are sent or received. Instead, file information is saved
into a list of files. Later, you can send/receive the files by selecting
Run Batch File.
After selecting Batch Mode On and selecting files to send/receive, you should
select Batch Mode Off to save the Batch file and return to Normal mode.
If file transfers fail for some reason, a special batch file is created called
the Retry file. The file specification is <BASEDIR\RETRY.LRB> where BASEDIR is
where you installed LinkRight. You can View the Retry file by selecting View\Retry.
If you select Run Retry File, LinkRight will send/receive the files listed.
After creating a Batch file, you can run it by selecting Run Batch File.
The batch file is straight ASCII text. It can be edited with a text editor.
Caution should be used when creating a batch file using a text editor. Spaces
are significant.
Conections
You can select which port to use for your connection from the Connect
menu.
If you have a message box on BOTH machines that says "Establishing a
Connection Please Wait", there is a problem with the connection. Make
sure you selected the proper ports, cables are connected, etc.
A common error is to select a port to connect from on the Local machine
without selecting a corresponding port on the Remote machine. You must
select a connect port from BOTH the Local and Remote machine.
If you cannot establish a connection using LPT ports, you should make sure
that the drivers LRPAR.SYS and PRINT0X.SYS are installed properly.
Upon completion of a successful LPT connection, LinkRight will negotiate the
top speed that it can use between these two specific machines.
LinkRight 1.1 takes about
1 or 2 seconds to negotiate with the other machine the proper speed.
Please don't do anything while this is going on. Don't even
move the mouse. LinkRight wants all CPU time and all bus time
so that it can calculate the maximum speed that these two
machines can use.
Log Options
You can select options of append, overwrite, and disabled for the Logs.
These options control handling of the Event Log, Error Log, and Retry file.
Two kinds of logging takes place. Event logging and Error logging.
A Retry batch file is also created if there is a file transfer error.
The Event log contains useful information for keeping track of what
files have been transferred. You can view the Event log by selecting
View\Event Log. The path and name of this file is <BASEDIR\EVENT.LOG>
where BASEDIR is where you installed LinkRight.
The Error log contains useful information for keeping track of any
LinkRight errors. You can view the Error log by selecting
View\Error Log. The path and name of this file is <BASEDIR\ERROR.LOG>
where BASEDIR is where you installed LinkRight.
System Options
Copy Subdirectories
If this box is marked, subdirectories are copied. If this box is not marked, only
individually marked files are copied.
Copy Newer Files Only
If this box is marked, only newer files are copied. The date and time checked
is the "Last Written" date and time.
Force Copy
If this box is marked, all files are copied regardless of flags or dates.
Copy Archive Only
If this box is marked, all files with the Archive bit set are copied. Other files
are ignored. The Archive bit is reset for any files copied using this option.
Autostart
Autostart is disabled and is no longer supported.
Verify Options
There are a few Verify Options you can use. These options are
an afterthought and are not well integrated. For internal testing
before release, We had debug code to do a verify after every file
transfer. It helped me find errors. When we mentioned this to one
of the beta testers, he suggested we leave it in the released version.
Verify performs a CRC check and Checksum test on a file by file
basis. If you select "Transfer and Verify", it will transfer the
file, do the check, and display the results. If you select
"No Copy, Verify Only", it overrides the Force Copy options and does
not transfer files, just does the Verify test. "No Verify" is
self explanatory.
Max Packet Size
Max Packet Size affects thruput and system responsiveness. If you
have a serial mouse and are doing LPT port file transfers, you will
find that your mouse is useless unless you set a low number for
packet size. PS/2 style mice that use high interupts should allow
you to use the maximum packet size. Aren't you glad you got a PS/2
or ThinkPad??
If you are using LPT ports, you should use caution in setting a high
packet size. If both machines are 486s, you should be able to use
1024 as a packet size. If one of the machines is a 386, you are
better off selecting 512 as a packet size. If one machine is a 286,
you should use 256 as a packet size.
Turbomode implements a sliding window for packets and should result
in higher thruput.
Retry Warning Delay is the time that the Local system will wait for
a reply from the Remote machine before displaying a Warning msg. If
you are getting lots of warnings, set this value higher. If you set
this to the maximum value, you will never get a Retry Warning.
If you get a Retry Warning, select Retry, and nothing happens with
LinkRight not continuing to transfer files, try opening an OS/2 window
and doing a dir command. Do this on both the Remote and Local machines.
This should cause the machines to regain sync.
Pushbuttons
Delete Pushbutton
Use the Delete button to delete files and directories. Directories must be empty
before they can be deleted.
Mkdir Pushbutto
Use the Mkdir button to create directories on either the Remote computer or
the Local computer
Refresh Pushbutton
The Refresh button will redisplay the file list for both the Local and
Remote computer.
Cloning an OS/2 Partition with LinkRight Cloner
LRCLONER.EXE can be used to copy an entire OS/2 partition, including
the operating system, to another machine.
Initial Preparation
To prepare to clone an entire OS/2 system, the first thing you should
do is get LinkRight 1.1 working between two systems that already
have OS/2 installed. Or even one OS/2 machine and one DOS machine.
It is much easier to get LR.EXE working than LRCLONER.EXE. Consider
it good practice. Doing this first will make sure that the drivers
work on your machine. After you have successfully
transferred a few files and small directories using LinkRight in PM
mode, you can attempt to clone a system.
*******Important Note*********
Make sure that all files and directories go where you want them to go
before doing a complete clone. I've had users transfer hundreds of
Megs only to find that they transferred the files to a subdirectory
rather than the root directory. They had to start over and we don't
want to see this happen to you. It's another good reason to practice
for a while first with the PM version of LinkRight.
******************************
A good command to know about is dir /n. This will show the files
in a directory and the extended attributes associated with each file.
Since cloning OS/2 doesn't work if EAs don't get transferred, you
should make sure that EAs get transferred properly.
Bootable OS/2 Floppies
You will need to build OS/2 bootable floppies. You will have to make
minor modifications to the first two OS/2 disks, plus you may need
the first two original OS/2 disks, depending on your system. You have
two possible ways to create these disks. If OS/2 is on CDROM, use the
utility on the CDROM to create the Installation Diskette and Diskette
1. If you have OS/2 on diskettes, use DISKCOPY to duplicate the
diskettes. DISKCOPY help can be found by typing "help diskcopy" at
an OS/2 command prompt.
****** IMPORTANT ******
DO NOT USE THE ORIGINAL DISKS. THEY MUST BE MODIFIED.
IF YOU HAVE OS/2 ON CDROM, DO NOT USE DISKCOPY. USE THE DISKIMAGE
UTILITY ON THE CDROM.
*************************
The Installation Diskette (Diskette 0) can be used as is. Diskette
1 needs to be modified.
Modifying The OS/2 Bootable Diskettes
Included with the LinkRight 1.1 package is a sample CONFIG.SYS file.
You should copy this file to Diskette 1 to replace the CONFIG.SYS
file that is there.
There are other differences in the standard OS/2 Bootable Diskettes
CONFIG.SYS file and the sample that comes with LinkRight 1.1. If
you examine it, you will see that the swapper is enabled, plus a
few other minor differences. These differences are important for
the successfull operation of LinkRight Cloner.
**************Important***************
You must modify the sample CONFIG.SYS to use either PRINT01.SYS or
PRINT02.SYS.
**************************************
Select which PRINT0X.SYS that was distributed with the LinkRight
diskette that you want to use on your target machine. Micro Channel
machines should use PRINT02.SYS while ISA/EISA machines should use
PRINT01.SYS.
Copy the file LRPAR.SYS Diskette 1. This is the
LinkRight parallel port device driver. Also copy DCF2CDE.SYS to
Diskette 1.
You may have to delete some files to make room.
We would suggest deleting FDISK.COM and FORMAT.COM from the modified
bootable floppies to make room. If you are not using HPFS, you
can delete the HPFS specific files also.
Preparing the Target System
The target system must have a hard drive that is partitioned and
formatted. If you have a virgin drive on the target system and
wish to use HPFS, use the ORIGINAL OS/2 diskettes to boot, partition,
and format the drive. If you have a virgin drive on the target
system and wish to use FAT, you can probably boot from a DOS
bootable diskette (faster than the ORIGINAL OS/2 diskettes) and
partition and format the disk.
The Target machine needs a directory for the swapper file.
THIS DIRECTORY SHOULD BE CALLED TEMPSWAP. From an OS/2 command
prompt type "md c:\tempswap".
The target machine needs a directory to contain temporary files. THIS
DIRECTORY **MUST** BE NAMED "TEMP". The reason why LinkRight is
so strict about this is that LinkRight Cloner will mess up if it
tries to transfer files that it shouldn't. Therefore all files
in the TEMP directory will be skipped.
The target machine must have a few files placed in the TEMP directory.
CMD.EXE and LRCLONER.EXE must be in this directory. You
can find CMD.EXE in your C:\OS2 directory on a machine
that has OS/2 installed.
YOU MUST FINISH PREPPING THE TARGET MACHINE BEFORE BOOTING FROM THE
MODIFIED OS/2 BOOTABLE FLOPPIES. The Bootable Floppies, with
the CONFIG.SYS that comes with LinkRight will not boot
unless CMD.EXE is in the TEMP directory and the TEMPSWAP directory
exists.
Running LRCLONER.EXE
Now comes the easy part. After you have booted the target machine from
the modified bootable floppies, change the current working drive
from A: to C:. Change directory to TEMP. Do a DIR command. You
should see CMD.EXE and LRCLONER.EXE. IT IS IMPORTANT
THAT YOU BE LOCATED IN THE TEMP DIRECTORY WHEN YOU START LRCLONER.EXE.
After starting LinkRight and establishing a connection, be sure to
change directories on the Remote system to the Root.
For the Target system, type:
LRCLONER T LPT1
Alternatively, if you want to use serial ports, make sure you have COM.SYS
and VCOM.SYS on the bootable floppies and are installed in the config.sys
file. Then you can type LRCLONER T COM2 HI, or whatever to clone using
serial ports.
Run the full PM version of LinkRight 1.1E from the Source system.
This machine should already be tested to run LinkRight 1.1E, so
the drivers, etc. are already installed and working. Make it the Local
machine. Select Connect/LPT1 and establish a connection between the
systems. Now select the files and directories that you want transferred.
Do not transfer EA DATA. SF or WP ROOT. SF. You can transfer everything
else. Allow about 20 seconds for them to negotiate speed. Then they should
start making directories and a little later start sending and recieving
files.
********Hot Tip***********
Have your Source machine use a different partition for the swapper. If
OS/2 is on C:, have your swap file located on D:. When you clone your
Source machine, your swap file (which could be 2 to 12 Meg) won't get
copied. This file is not needed on the Target (remember setting your
swap file to C:\TEMPSWAP ??), so you're just wasting time transferring
this file.
**************************
Alternatively, rather than running the full PM version of LinkRight on
the Source system, you can run LRCLONER.EXE from this machine also. I've
been told that to clone OS/2 2.0 you must use this method along with serial
ports while using OS/2 bootable diskettes, but we have not tested it
extensively. Supposedly, OS/2 2.0 locks certain files when booted with PM
so these files won't get transferred. OS/2 2.1 does not lock these files.
Restarting a CLONING Operation
If you have a problem and have to abort a cloning operation and want to
restart from where you left off, it's easy to do. First note the file
that LRCLONER stopped on and retransfer that file. Then set the Newer
Files Only option, mark everything and hit the copy pushbutton. It will
grind a while, try to remake a bunch of directories that already exist,
and then start transferring from where you left off. Check the Status
Report to see how things are going.
The Final Step
If the Source machine is idle and it looks like all of the files have been
done, the transfer has completed successfully. Select Connect/Disconnect
from the Source machine. This should cause the Target machine to exit
LRCLONER.
Find an executable file called SYSINSTX.COM. It is on your ORIGINAL OS/2
Installation Diskette. Run SYSINSTX C: to get the OS/2 boot record
installed on the Target system. Then comes the important step: reboot
the target machine and run a few programs and make sure everything is fine.
Potential Problems
Make sure you read this manual and carefully follow the instructions listed
here. If your modified bootable floppies don't boot, read the instructions
and try again. If you cannot establish a connection, it is probably a
problem with the CONFIG.SYS and LPT address or interupt.
The bootable floppies should be removed after booting. LinkRight Cloner
should run completely off the hard drive and should not need any files
that are on the floppies.
If the machines are not identical, you could have problems. You've already
noticed that ISA/EISA machines install PRINT01.SYS while Micro Channel
machines use PRINT02.SYS. There are HUNDREDS more incompatibilities
between Micro Channel and ISA, so don't even try cloning one to the other.
And there are lots of other potential incompatibilities. SCSI vs. IDE,
different video cards, CDROMs, sound cards, etc. My recommendations
are to have the Source machine running VGA. After the system is cloned,
you can add upgraded video drivers. Optional features like sound cards
and CDROMs should also be added after cloning.
Hints and Tips
Be sure to read the file README.TXT for late breaking bugs, tips,
workarounds, etc.
DOS and Windows file transfer utilities are single task oriented.
You start a transfer, then stare at a status report until it is
done. You can do the same thing with LinkRight by starting a transfer,
then selecting File / Status. Or you can do multitasking with LinkRight.
Start a transfer, and while the transfer is going on in the background,
change directories, delete files, queue more files for transfer, etc.
For higher thruput and easier use, you should make the faster of the
two computers the Local computer, if possible.
Transfers from Local to Remote are faster due to better code
optimization for this transfer direction. So if you have a choice
for which machine to make Local and which to make Remote, make the
computer that will be sending most the Local system. This
optimization is not a huge difference, maybe 10%, but it is
something to keep in mind. This consideration overrides the faster
computer consideration mentioned above.
The appearance of LinkRight can be easily customized. Open OS/2 System / System
Setup / Color Pallette and drag a color to a portion of the LinkRight screen.
The new color will be preserved between sessions of LinkRight. You can use
the Scheme Pallete and Font Pallete to do similar customization.
If you are having problems getting reliable transfer completed, turn
Turbomode off and select a packet size of 128. If won't help if you
are having problems establishing connections, but it could help make
transfers more reliable.
Serial port speed is tricky. If both machines have 16550 UARTs,
there is a very good chance that you can use HI speed comm (57.2 KBPS)
for your connections. If you have a 16550 UART on one machine and
the other has a 16450 UART with a fast CPU (33 Mhz 486 or higher),
you can probably use HI speed comm. Otherwise, you should probably
use MED speed comm (19.2 KBPS). To test for a 16550, go to an
OS/2 prompt, type MODE COM1 (or whichever COM you want LinkRight to
use). If you see the line "Buffer = ON", you have a 16550 UART.
If the line says "Buffer = N/A" you have a 16450 or even worse
an 8250.
Strangely enough, a straight DOS machine is more likely to accept
a higher speed for COMM. A 12 Mhz 286 class machine should work
fine at Med speed.
If you have an original IBM PC, LPT port connections are probably
out of the question. Your best chance of establishling a connection
on this machine (4.77 Mhz 8088) is thru serial ports at Low or Snail
speed.
When you establish a connection, LinkRight 1.1E takes about
1 to 2 seconds to negotiate with the other machine the proper speed.
Please don't do anything while this is going on. Don't even
move the mouse. LinkRight wants all CPU time and all bus time
so that it can calculate the maximum speed that these two
machines can use.
LinkRight stores all configuration info in the file LINKRGHT.CFG.
To start LinkRight with the default options, delete this file.
LinkRight for the Remote computer uses the Options from the
Local machine. It gets these options once, at connection time,
so be sure to set the options BEFORE establishing a connection.
LRCLONER, when used in the source mode, uses the Options from
LINKRGHT.CFG. You can run the PM version of LinkRight, set the
Options the way you want, then run LRCLONER in source mode.
For unattended transfers, set packet size low (256 or 128),
Retry Warning level to the max (9), and Transfer and Verify On.
If you set up a transfer like this and let it run overnight, it
will have the best chance of completing successfully. Verify
On will make it easier to find which files transferred OK and
which didn't. Use the Error Log and Event Log to check after
the transfer.
************Important*****************
If you are doing a transfer and want to cancel it, you must exit LinkRight
(We know, this is an oversight and will be fixed). DO NOT DOUBLE CLICK
on the upper left LinkRight icon to close LinkRight on the Local machine
while a file transfer is in progress. This could LOCK UP YOUR OS/2
SYSTEM. Instead, hit cntl-esc to bring up the task list, select LinkRight
from this list, and select close. This will kill LinkRight gracefully.
**************************************
Bugs and Missing Features
There is a bug in marking a directory to transfer if the directory has a
space in the name. It is not a problem if the directory is a subdirectory
of another directory that was marked. The work around is to manually
create a directory and manually mark the files in the directory that you
want to transfer.
Overwriting the Retry file is disabled. You should manually Clear the Retry
file.
Transferring a file from HPFS to FAT causes the filename to be truncated to
8.3. Transferring the file back to HPFS you should get the long file name
back, but doesn't.
If you attempt to establish a connection, but decide you want to
cancel this connection attempt, wait at least 5 seconds before
selecting "Cancel". LinkRight has been known to lockup your OS/2
machine if you try to cancel the connection attempt too quickly.
LRCLONER in source mode when connecting to a DOS machine cannot use
compression. Make sure this option is turned off before starting
LRCLONER. LRCLONER connections to an OS/2 machine can use
compression as long as DCF2CDE.SYS is installed on both machines.
The PM version of LinkRight (LR.EXE) will automatically not use
compression when connecting to a DOS machine.
You should select Connect / Disconnect from the Local machine to
disconnect before exiting LinkRight. Not doing this could cause
the Remote machine to lock up.
If you find any other bugs, please let us know so we can fix them.
Future Enhancements
Do not make any important business decisions based on these vague
promises.
Planned features for future versions include:
Bug fixes for any bugs found in version 1.1.
Missing features in version 1.1.
Display EA size along with the usual information about each file.
Local File Manager.
Mini-peer network, ala DOS Interlnk / Intersrv.
Masking of files for display or transfer.
DOS compression.
Network Support. LapLink support Novell nets, LinkRight will obviously
support LanServer nets first and maybe others later.
There is no date set any of these future features. We'll let you know
when they're done.
You can assist us by telling us which features you would like to see and
which features you do not care about. If you have a feature that is not
listed that you would like to have, please let us know.
Customer feedback is very important to us.
Technical Support
For technical support, please contact
Jeff Tremble, Chief Developer of LinkRight.
Compuserve: 71033,3517, OS2AVEN/Other Vendors, or OS2USER/App quest
Internet: 71033.3517@compuserve.com
Direct BBS: Jeff Tremble, Local Area OS/2 Shareware, (703) 385 4325
Rightware does not have it's own BBS. We use Pete Norloff's OS/2
Shareware BBS.
Voice answering machine (301)762-1151
Fax (301)762-1185
Bug fixes are top priority for me. It is easy and simple for me
to create a patch and distribute it via CIS and BBSs. Any bug fixes
will likely be distributed like this. Hobbes site will be used to
post patches for Internet users. Patches have been coming at a rate
of about 1 per month, so all users are encouraged to look for an
improved version of LinkRight occasionally.
If you find bugs that have an easy workaround, we'll make them low priority.
If you find bugs that we can duplicate on my machines (big IF there,
since we do NOT have every type of computer ever made) and there is no
easy workaround, we'll fix them as quickly as possible and post a patch.
Phone technical support will be minimal. We prefer a Compuserve msg
or FAX with a written description of the problem, pleas include the
following information: Type of machines; speed of machines; Version
of OS/2; Version of LinkRight; circumstances of the error; actual
error and any error messages displayed. We'll try to get
you up and running as soon as possible.