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My Dumb Terminal - Official Documentation by Ken Schenke
========================================================
Legal Speak
-----------
My Dumb Terminal is copyrighted in 1991 by ParaLogic Software International,
Inc. Permission is granted to freely distribute the contents of this
archive so long as all files are left intact without modification.
Permission to re-distribute this software in a public domain collection,
be it a disk or a telecommunications service, is granted so long as no
additional charge is imposed over normal rates for other such software nor
are any of the files in this archive modified or removed.
The req.library is copyrighted in 1989 by Colin Fox and Bruce Dawson.
What Does a Dumb Terminal Eat Anyway?
-------------------------------------
Well, besides Tender Loving Care My Dumb Terminal needs a few things in order
to operate to full potential.
MDT needs the req.library for requesters. I use the file requester (don't
you wish everyone did?) and other misc requesters as well. The library is
included in this archive for convenience. The req.library file should go in
your libs: directory.
For each protocol you plan on using you will need the appropriate
xpr*.library file. A description of these files can be found below.
Any configuration information MDT needs is obtained from the system
preferences. These include baud rate, word length, number of stop bits, and
parity type. To keep the whole blasted program simple as can be only baud
rate may be changed from within the program. You may change any of the
preferences settings while MDT is in operation with the exception of baud
rate. You must do this from the pull down menu option. This to prevent you
from accidentally changing the baud rate back to the original setting if
changed previously.
Your Guide to Having Fun with My Dumb Terminal - A Layman's Handbook
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I originally wrote My Dumb Terminal (MDT) as a programming exercise. Since,
I have begun to use it for quick calls to the BBS or for null modem
connections. Because it doesn't attempt to do any kind of filtering or
formatting of incoming text, it is rather fast. In fact, to my knowledge,
MDT is the FASTEST terminal program on the Amiga.
Later, I added full XPR support. Every feature is implemented with the
exception of wildcard support and the two functions for monitoring data
added with V2 of the XPR standard. These being XProtocolHostMon() and
XProtocolUserMon(). These are most useful for automatic downloads in
ZModem. Because they do not have such a place in a small terminal and
because I believe these function implementations are not complete I chose not
to include them.
The terminal program accomplishes file transfers using protocols written to
the XPR standard developed by W.G.J. Langeveld at the Stanford Linear
Accelerator Center under sponsorship of the U.S. Government. Please see
xprotocol.doc for more information. This file can be found in the archive
describing the XPR standard (typically named xprlib2.lzh). The protocols
are in the form of a standard Amiga resident library. The libraries named
xpr<protocol>.library, where <protocol> is the name of the protocol are
found in the libs: directory. Your favorite BBS should have a few of these
laying around. As per the XPR standard, configurations for these protocols
are stored in environment variables named XPR<PROTOCOL> where protocol is the
name of the protocol. At the time of the transfer MDT will read the contents
of the appropriate variable and send this to the protocol. If said variable
cannot be located then you play twenty questions every time you do a
transfer. The protocol (via MDT via req.library) will ask you several
questions concerning the transfer. These settings are different for each
protocol and are described in the protocol's respective documentation.
So You Want to Do a File Transfer
---------------------------------
When Upload or Download is selected from the pull down menu you will first
need to select a protocol. A list of available protocols will be presented.
Simply double click on your choice or select the protocol and click on OK!.
Clicking on "Forget It" will cancel the whole ordeal and let you get on with
your life. Pretty standard stuff. Next, if appropriate, you will be
presented with a file requester to select which file(s) to transfer. You may
select more than one file by using the extended select (shift key while
clicking). If it doesn't make sense to select more than one file then don't
do it. There is no protection in the XPR standard for preventing against
such monstrosities. For example, if you're downloading a file using xmodem
then don't select five file names to receive under. Obviously xmodem is a
single file protocol (no batches here). It can only do one file at a time.
MDT - Up Close and Personal
---------------------------
Source code to MDT is generously included in this archive. Please respect my
wishes for usage. I included the source code as an educational tool. By
looking at my work you can learn the proper way to implement not only full
XPR support but also the secret to fast serial communications without going
directly to the hardware.
Look but don't touch. You are more than welcome to peruse the source code
at your leisure but don't change it a bit. I wrote this terminal program for
simplicity. It's beauty is in it's simplicity.
You may not, under any circumstances, modify my source code and send it back
out. Anybody remember 6485 BBS on the Commodore 64? I still have nightmares
about that one.
Known Bugs - How could this be?
-------------------------------
The only known bug in this program deals with multiple selects in the file
requester. It doesn't work. I have tried everything I can think of to use
the multiple selects with the req.library but I can't seem to get them to
work. I can select more than one file just fine but when the requester
returns the linked list containing the selected files is empty. If anyone
can figure this out then please notify me.
Future - What can I look forward to?
------------------------------------
Not much. MDT is done. Maybe I'll get the multiple select bug fixed
someday. I thought of dropping the req.library and going entirely with 2.0's
asl.library but not right now. I've got more pressing projects to finish.
How Do I Tell This Guy He Has His Head On Backwards?
----------------------------------------------------
I (Ken Schenke) may be reached on The Guru Zone BBS. Right now, I would
prefer FidoNet netmail @ 1:280/10.0 as the BBS is not full service and is not
open to the public. But, by the time this file reaches you I would go ahead
and call. After all, you may be in for a surprise.
Guru Zone 816-246-5253 1:280/10.0
I can also be reached on:
Amiga Central 816-587-5360 1:280/314.0
Laser Online 816-444-4960 1:280/13.0
AAmigaVille 816-796-5954 1:280/280.0
Ken Schenke, 22-Jul-91, Lee's Summit, MO. USA