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- Filename....: FDTN-002.NEW: FrontDoor & RA Technical Update Note #002
- Dated.......: 04-July-1993
-
- ATTENTION: Please print this out before going any further!
-
- Subject.....: Using the OS/2 version 2.1 GA Release
- with FrontDoor v2.02 and above.
- and RemoteAccess v2.00 or above.
-
- Copyright...: 1992-1993, the author.
-
- Author......: john a.h. barton - 2:257/168 jbionic@lonemb.demon.co.uk
-
- Contributors: Joakim Hernberg - 2:270/34
- rene carlsen - 2:230/910
- mark howard - 1:260/1
- Bob Beilstein - 1:260/369
- Ruud De.Bruin - 2:281/603
- andrew milner - 2:270/18
- joaquim homrighausen - 2:270/17
- Tomas Bremin - 2:270/7
- Henk Heidema - 2:285/304
- Barry Blackford - 3:774/605
-
- Abstract....:
-
- The purpose of this document is to provide one method of implementation with
- regards to the use of OS/2 version 2.1 GA with FrontDoor v2.02 or above.
- The intent is to provide a sample configuration with the options and
- settings with regards to achieving the best settings for communications and
- operating OS/2.
-
- Several caveats:
-
- 1) The settings and techniques used in this document do not represent
- the ONLY way to do this, and perhaps do not even represent the optimal
- configuration, and the information in this document is subject to change,
- based upon updated information, error corrections, increased or updated
- modem capability, or FD and OS/2 updates.
-
- 2) The settings used are based upon OS/2 2.1 GA Release, and some options
- may not be available on your systems yet. Where possible, I have noted
- which settings may differ, however it is placed upon the reader to
- examine and report the viability of the suggested techniques with regards
- to the particular options in use.
-
- 3) For optimal modem settings for V32bis modems refer to FDTN-001.Z05
-
- 4) The contributors to this file make no warranties, neither expressed
- nor implied. The aim behind the procedures described below is to
- encourage experimentation within a wide range of PC configurations.
- In no way can any of the creators of this file be held liable for any
- losses in time, matter, service, expected profit, or patience!
- It is *only* guaranteed to take up disk space :-)
-
- Programs and fixes needed to get the system up and running:
-
- 1) OS/2 2.1 GA release
- 2) SIO version 1.02 (or later)
- 3) VFD Virtual Fossil driver 0.54B or later (by Joakim Hernberg)
-
- * denotes changed settings from previous FDTN
-
- The important settings below are _dependant_ of the presence of the above
- files and fixes on your system.
-
- There is absolutely no need to use any other FOSSIL driver as VFD handles
- the FOSSIL calls. The <drive> parameter should be substituted by the drive
- letter that the files are on and <directory> with your actual filepath
- to the file. The example is for using COM2 only at present.
-
- config.sys amendments and additions:
-
- -----------------------------------------------------
-
- You will need to enlarge the enviroment that is set by default, suggested
- setting as used here is:
-
- * SHELL=J:\OS2\MDOS\COMMAND.COM J:\OS2\MDOS /E:2000 /P
-
- -----------------------------------------------------
-
- MAXWAIT=2 (or 1 for 386-25 or faster processors)
-
- ------------------------------------------------------
-
- If I understand correctly, this line controls the maximum time
- (1 to 255 secs) that a process can be put on hold before OS/2 ups it's
- priority. This ensures that no process can hog the system.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------
- priority=dynamic
- autofail=yes (needed for unattended mode, and command below :-)
- pauseonerror=no (This stops the popup box halting the BBS on error)
- threads=256 (This is increased from 96 BUT if lots of utilities or other
- (programs used may be increased to 4095 costs 10K per 1000 Threads)
- timeslice=32,64 (this increases overall response time on here)
- ------------------------------------------------------
- MEMMAN setting in config.sys.
- I am recommending that if the system has more than 6 Meg of Ram used as:
- MEMMAN=SWAP,PROTECT
- if less than 6 Meg of Ram be used as:
- MEMMAN=SWAP,MOVE
- ------------------------------------------------------
-
- PRIORITY_DISK_IO=NO
-
- This setting determines if the foreground should be given a higher priority to
- access the disk than the background tasks. I have no idea what effect this
- setting will have on a bbs running in the background, especially if the bbs has
- been given Foreground server priority. I think this setting should be tested
- in different real life situations, before we say anything either way. With
- Option NO file xfers and BBS down/Uploading improved by some 50 cps and no
- crc errors detected EXCEPT with SEAlink on mail.file xfers.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------
-
- Using VFD as the Fossil in the config.sys:
-
- * device=<drive>\<directory>\sio.sys (COM2:38400,2F8,IRQ3,,F)
- (The above line is an example of COM 2 using a 16550 locked at 38400)
- device=<drive>\<directory>\vsio.sys
- device=<drive>\<directory>\VFD.sys
-
- * nb MODE command not needed as SIO handles this fine.
-
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- runfd.bat (mailer/bbs batch file options):
- @Echo Off
- set fd=h:\fd
-
- path=f:\fd;%path%
-
- * <drive>:\<directory>\VFDU l2,ls
-
- fd:
- if errorlevel 299 goto unpack
- exit
-
- ----------------------------------------------------
- *
- rene has suggested using in your mailer.bat (or whatever it is called) settings
- SET DELDIR=
- I am not using this setting here due to the ominous warnings from IBM and
- cannot guarantee its function, apart from this setup ALL the options shown are
- EXACTLY as are setup and working here with excellent results (sofar :-) If you
- use the SET DELDIR= you must use FDOPT=NOFCB or /NOFCB in FD versions greater
- than 2.10 however this does slow the processing down somewhat.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------
-
- OS/2 settings => SESSION OPTIONS: (All others are DEFAULT)
- Example below is using COM Port 2 Only!
-
- Session Options VFD
-
- COM_FOSSIL ON
- IDLE_SENSITIVITY 75
- IDLE_SECONDS 0
- DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION ON
- DOS_FILES 60
- HW_ROM_TO_RAM OFF
- HW_TIMER OFF
- SIO_Allow_Access_COM1 OFF
- SIO_Allow_Access_COM2 ON
- SIO_Allow_Access_COM3 OFF
- SIO_Allow_Access_COM4 OFF
- SIO_Virtualize_16550A ON (this setting EMULATES 16550 in s/ware
- however if it slows the program down too
- much set to OFF)
- SIO_Virtualize_COM_Ports ON
- * SIO_Virtual_RTS_is_HS ON
-
- How to setup the Icon in PM to actually get FrontDoor working in OS/2
- ======================================================================
-
- At the OS/2 PM screen following this step by step guide will enable you to
- have FrontDoor run as a seperate icon, references to LH means Left Hand or
- button number 1. RH means Right Hand or either button 2 or button 3 on
- a 3 button mouse (Please note this is after amending config.sys etc detailed
- above and rebooting system to fire up OS/2):
-
- 1) Open OS/2 System Icon by LH double clicking with the pointer over the icon.
- 2) Pointer on Command Prompts and LH Double Click
-
- 3) With Pointer on Full Screen DOS press
- a) Press LEFT CTRL key on keyboard and hold
- b) Press RH Button on mouse and hold
- c) Move Icon outside the box to the PM area of choice
- d) Release RH button on mouse
- e) Release LEFT CTRL key on keyboard.
-
- 4) Move pointer to newly created icon and Press RH button
- 5) Move pointer to right facing arrow on option option
- 6) Press LH button on mouse
- 7) Pointer to Settings option
- 8) Press LH button on mouse
- 9) In path and filename put where exactly your batch file is
- ie c:\fd\fd.bat
- 10) Pointer to Session Options
- 11) Press LH button on mouse
- 12) Pointer on DOS WINDOW
- 13) Press LH button on mouse
- 14) Pointer on Close window on exit
- 15) Press LH button on mouse
- 16) Pointer on DOS SETTINGS
- 17) Press LH button on mouse
- 18) Pointer on Default box
- 19) Press LH button on mouse.
- 20) Go through all the options above and amend them as shown
- 21) When completed - Pointer on Save
- 22) Press LH Button on mouse
- 23) Pointer on General
- 24) Press LH button on mouse
- 25) Via the keyboard amend the title to whatever you desrire it to be
- ie FrontDoor Mailer
- 26) Pointer to small box on TOP LEFT HAND of settings box
- 27) Double press LH button quickly on mouse.
- 28) The session will have ended and your amended icon is ready.
- 29) Pointer to the new FrontDoor Icon
- 30) Double press LH button quickly on mouse.
- 31) ENJOY! :-)
-
- Trademarks..: FrontDoor is a trademark of Advanced Engineering sarl.
- RemoteAccess is a trademark of Continental Software.
- OS/2 is a trademark of International Business Machines
- IBM is a trademark of International Business Machines
- VFD is a trademark of Joakim Hernberg
- All other trademarks and registered trademarks are
- proprietary to their respective owners.
-
- EOF.........: FDTN-002.NEW 4th July, 1993
-