OffHook is a small application which will send a string to the modem and wait for a specified time before launching another application. It can invoke RAM drivers such as those installed by QuadraLink software, as well as the usual modem and printer drivers. It will work with both System 6 and 7.
OffHook is intended to be used as part of a Tabby event. It supports the update to the Launch.Next file, and is Tabby compatible. New in Version 1.3 is a user-configurable popup menu of applications to be launched after waiting. The default application in this menu is TeleFinder™ which is assumed initially to lie in the same folder as OffHook. Applications in the popup menu can be added or removed; new applications do NOT have to be in the OffHook folder.
The default modem string is ATH1 (take the phone off the hook), but this can be changed. The wait-launch phase of the operation can be switched off, but the default setting on ON. There is a retry option whereby the string is sent again if the modem does not return an OK. Up to 10 retries will be attempted with a 1 second delay between each. The retry option is OFF in the default setting.
The time window in which OffHook must wait is specified in a file with the default name of Next Event. The Next Event file contains 8 digits, where the first 4 digits denote the start time and the second 4 digits denote the end time (both in 24 hour notation - e.g. 2200 is 10pm). If the current time lies outside this window, OffHook immediately launches the specified applications (provided launching is enabled) after sending the modem string.
If the useLaunchNext option is enabled, the Launch.Next file is read and written out minus the first entry, and the application named by that entry is launched; in this case the wait-launch phase controlled by the Next Event file is bypassed.
A delay (in seconds) between sending the modem string and the wait-launch or launch-next phase can be set.
The driver names to use for the modem port are .AOut and .AIn (note the periods) and those for the printer port are .BOut and .BIn. OffHook defaults to the modem port. To find out the names of any RAM drivers, run the application DVRcheck which displays the names of all drivers resident in memory (hit any key to quit).
You can change the serial driver name (i.e. you can use a port other than the modem or printer ports), the string sent to the modem, the delay (in seconds), the name of the Next Event file and Launch.Next file, and the baud rate. Choose any baud rate that your modem will recognise. To make these changes, to alter the name of the default application(s) to be launched, or to turn the wait-launch, useNextEventFile, or the retry option off or on, hold down the SHIFT key just after OffHook has begun to launch. A dialog box will appear in which you can specify your changes. Clicking OK will save your preferences into a file called OffHook.prefs. If you rename OffHook, the preferences file name will have the form NewOffHookName.prefs.
If you are upgrading from a previous version, you will need to trash your prefs files and recreate them with the current version of OffHook.
The author wishes to thank John Agapitos (Sysop of Club Mac BBS, Australia) for helpful suggestions during the development of this program.
