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1991-05-06
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1,771 lines
Chuck Forsberg
User Manual for
ZCOMM
Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM Communications Software
Featuring
TurboLearn(TM) Script Writer,
Cybernetic Data Recovery(TM), Error Containment(TM),
and
OverThruster(TM)
User Supported Communications Software Tools
User Manual for
ZCOMM
Universal Line Printer Edition
Copyright 1991 Omen Technology Inc
All Rights Reserved
Omen Technology Incorporated
The High Reliability Software
Box 4681 Portland Oregon 97208
VOICE: 503-621-3406 :VOICE
TeleGodzilla Modem: 621-3746 Speed 1200,2400,19200
Compuserve:70007,2304 GEnie:CAF BIX:cforsberg
UUCP: ...!tektronix!reed!omen!caf
Copyright 1984 to 1991 Omen Technology INC All Rights Reserved
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 0
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 2
1. INTRODUCTION
ZCOMM
Industrial Stength Communications Shareware(TM)
ZCOMM helps collect, control, and transmit information with a minimum
of time, hassle, and expense. Concise commands and unobtrusive
displays facilitate telecommunications instead of distracting.
When it comes to file transfers, just remember who wrote YMODEM and
ZMODEM. Two decades of telecommunications knowledge are distilled in
ZCOMM.
State of the Art File Transfers
"ZMODEM is the overall winner"
-BYTE Magazine, Feb 1989
Two decades of communications experience are distilled in ZCOMM.
ZCOMM transfers files quickly and surely under real world conditions,
not just across tabletops. Unsolicited customer testimonials
chronicle accurate file transfers under conditions that crash other
programs, thanks to Omen Technology's Cybernetic Data Recovery(TM)
logic enhancements and rigorous stress testing.
How often has your modem disconnected when you were within a few bytes
of finishing a long, expensive file transfer? With ZMODEM-90(TM) you
can resume the transfer from where you were cut off, without wasted
time or extra phone charges. If the transfer aborted because you ran
out of disk space, ZMODEM can recover from that too!
ZMODEM transfers files and commands with a user friendly interface.
Unlike traditional protocols, only one command or menu choice is
needed to transfer files or download commands.
"Pro-YAM's AutoDownload feature for ZMODEM (and KERMIT) has got me
completely addicted."
ZMODEM protects your data with a 32 bit CRC, five orders of magnitude
more accurate than the CRC-16 used by other protocols, and billions of
times more sensitive than XMODEM checksum. Unlike "me too" protocols
developed to compete with ZMODEM, all ZMODEM messages are protected
with CRC.
ZMODEM provides high throughput and full integrity with timesharing
systems, high speed modems, and packet switched networks. Unlike
other protocols, ZMODEM's does not compromise reliability to get high
speed.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 1 Introduction
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 3
Omen Technology's ZMODEM-90(TM) extensions accelerate transfers and
enhance flexibility.
ZMODEM compression provides spectacular throughput increases on
suitable files.
Other ZMODEM features include text file translation, selective
transfer of modified files, and remote file maintenance. A single
command can update an entire directory tree, creating new directories
as necessary.
Security authentication* disables Trojan Horse attacks.
ZMODEM supports world wide operations by preserving the exact file
contents and modification date, unaffected by crossing time zones.
Omen Technology provides complimentary Unix and VAX/VMS ZMODEM servers
in source and binary formats.
"Here's the simple fact. Zmodem is the state-of-the-art protocol for
microcomputers. It's the protocol of choice. Forget the old dogs.
It's fast and bullet-proof."
-John C. Dvorak, INSIDE TRACK, PC Magazine June 1989
"without doubt the number one protocol"
-Boardwatch Magazine January 1990
Competitors hype their undocumented proprietary protocols; experienced
BBS operators know ZMODEM is the only high performance protocol that
survives on the streets. ZMODEM's convenience, speed and reliability
have made it the protocol of choice for bulletin boards, BIX, GEnie,
Portal, Delphi, Unison, and other information utilities.
XMODEM: Lingua Franca for Old Programs
ZCOMM supports Ward Christensen's XMODEM protocol with Cybernetic Data
Recovery(TM) and automatic file name generation. Omen Technology's
exclusive Cybernetic Data Recovery transfers files under conditions
that crash other programs.
+ XMODEM CRC-16 is more accurate than simple checksum. But even with
CRC-16, an error of just two bits can corrupt data sent with
XMODEM. Cybernetic Data Recovery catches and corrects many errors
that confound other programs.
+ True YMODEM(TM) batch file transfers preserve the exact file name,
file length and creation date.
+ XMODEM-1k and YMODEM-1k 1024 byte packets increase XMODEM
throughput.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 1 Introduction
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 4
Kermit: Rx for Brain Damage
Kermit transfers ASCII and binary files with IBM, CDC, Cray, ICL,
Harris, Honeywell, Pr1me, Tandem, Univac and other traditional
mainframes that do not support XMODEM.
While not as fast as ZMODEM, Kermit is more reliable than XMODEM.
ZCOMM's 16 bit Kermit CRC is thousands of times more accurate than
other programs' 6 bit checksum.
+ Convenient Kermit AutoDownload deciphers the sending program's
Kermit dialect, saving keystrokes and frustration. (Dialect
incompatibilities often confound Kermit users.)
+ Long Packet Kermit speeds file transfers with IBM, CDC, and Cray
mainframe systems. Sliding Windows are also supported. Kermit
Server Access functions support low cost networking.
Swiss Army Knife for Protocols
+ Extended Quick-B streaming protocol slashes CompuServe download
costs up to 60 per cent or more.
+ OverThruster(TM) accelerator speeds XMODEM and YMODEM downloads
+ ZCOMM supports bulletin boards and traditional programs with
Telink/FIDO, MODEM7 batch, WXMODEM (Windowed XMODEM), and SEAlink
file transfer protocols.
Data Capture
ZCOMM's Full-Time Capture Buffer(TM) saves scrolled data other
programs lose. You can scroll, page, and string search to cut and
paste captured information.
Omen's Error Containment(TM) technology minimizes errors caused by
line hits and their effects on automatic scripts.
ZCOMM captures text with many choices of parity bit and control
character editing. ZCOMM can capture binary data without protocols.
ZCOMM does not limit the length of captured files.
Controlling Information
ZCOMM's Full-Time Capture Buffer(TM) lets you flip back and forth or
search, scanning two hundred messages from bulletin boards in a couple
of minutes. (It has to be seen to be believed.) To compose a reply,
call your favorite editor (the one you've already learned!) as a
subroutine without losing your place.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 1 Introduction
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 5
ZCOMM's high speed screen driver- makes life pleasant:
+ Easy on the eyes: ZCOMM supports No Flicker displays, up to 450 per
cent faster than DOS
+ VT220, VT102, VT100, Wyse, TTY 5425, ANSI, Z19, VT52, TI 940, IBM
3101, Televideo 9xx, and ADM3a emulation.
+ Supports 132 columns and advanced displays (114x60, etc.)
+ VT100 character graphics and keyboard mapping support "visual"
programs. Unlike most "VT100" emulators, ZCOMM correctly displays
EDT, All-In-1, SCO setcolor, and DEC Store on an XT even at 19200
baud.
+ Hardcopy Terminal Emulation previews printer output.
+ Visual (silent) bell preserves domestic tranquillity
+ Settable number of lines and columns, border color, default colors,
autowrap, keyboard mapping enable.
Full pathnames, directories, and wildcards support file transfers and
utility commands.
ZCOMM can search files for lines matching a string, insensitive to
case.
Transmitting Information
+ Dual stack Command Recall saves your keyboarded host commands in a
history file for search, recall, editing, and reentry.
+ Convenient Split Screen option- allows responsive local editing of
input lines before transmission.
+ A rich palette of editing and timing modes permit file and message
upload, even to fussy microcomputer Bulletin Boards.
+ Remote access for file transfers and DOS program execution with baud
rate detection and three passworded security levels.
+ Outcall Queue intersperses scheduled outgoing calls with incoming
messages on one modem line.
1.1 Other Features
Interrupt driven modem input allows High speed operation with file
transfer and conversational terminal operation at 19200 bps and above.
ZCOMM fully exploits advanced features of the new UART chips for best
operation at high speeds.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 1 Introduction
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 6
A real-time status line displays column, row, time, elapsed time,
transmission speed, and other important information.
Soft keys provide convenient execution of common commands.
ZCOMM is written in C for performance, portability and
maintainability. ZCOMM loads quickly from a moderately sized
executable file with no cumbersome overlays.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 1 Registration
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 7
2. ZCOMM REGISTRATION
ZCOMM is a user supported program developed and supported by Chuck
Forsberg. ZCOMM is not and never has been public domain.
Registration buys you:
+ Your own unique ZCOMM Serial Number Password (ZSNP). Your ZSNP
may be applied to copies of ZCOMM to be run on a single machine.
+ Serialized of ZCOMM deactivates the registration request
display and the pause afterwards.
+ Serialization activates the egrep, egrepm, expand, split,
and ss commands and the outcall queue. Features denoted
with ** are available in serialized copies of ZCOMM.
+ Serialization more than doubles the circular buffer size.
+ A software disk with the current version of ZCOMM, the putsnp
program to serialize your copy of ZCOMM with your ZSNP, and the
tree structured "flash-up" help processor and help file included
in ZCOMMHLP.ARC.
+ The complete Professional-YAM User Manual, more than 200 Typeset
pages, with many chapters not included here, ready for insertion
into a PC size binder.
+ The Pro-YAM Crib Sheet.
+ A ZCOMM registration is worth $40.00 when upgrading to
Professional-YAM. The $99.00 upgrade includes the Pro-YAM
software disks and license. You will already have the manual
from your ZCOMM registration package.
+ A warm fuzzy feeling arising from the knowledge you have
supported the advancement of ZMODEM.
REGISTRATION DETAILS:
+ Basic registration (ZSNP, disk, manual pages): $40.00
+ Optional Custom Binder: $10.00
+ Optional 3.5 inch diskette: $5.00
+ Domestic/Canada Surface Shipping: Free with prepaid orders
+ International Air Mail (most countries): $15.00[1]
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 2 Registration
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 8
+ Optional Domestic UPS Second Day AIR: $5.00
+ Credit Card/C.O.D. S&H: $5.00
Don't bother scrounging for an envelope, use the INSTANT MAILER
included in this archive!
2.1 Legal Necessities
ZCOMM may not be modified, patched, hacked, disassembled, decompiled,
or otherwise reverse engineered, or sold, without prior written
permission by Omen Technology Inc. This prohibition applies to any
theft of the intellectual property and trade secrets contained in
ZCOMM by decompilation, disassembly, or any other form of reverse
engineering including but not limited to profiling, tracing, data
analysis, or monitoring the operation of ZCOMM.
The only legitimate way to disable the opening advertisement in ZCOMM
is to insert an authorized SNP obtained from Omen Technology into
ZCOMM with the putsnp program. Any other suppression or modification
of the opening screen is illegal, unethical, and prohibited.
Distribution of programs and/or instructions on how to modify, patch,
disassemble, decompile, or otherwise reverse engineer ZCOMM without
prior written permission by Omen Technology Inc is a theft of services
and a violation of federal copyright law, and will be referred to the
FBI for investigation and prosecution under federal conspiracy
statutes. Applicable RICO law provides for treble damages and
recovery of attorney's fees.
Distribution of ZCOMM in any medium without this documentation file
constitutes an unauthorized modification.
Students may use unregistered copies of ZCOMM in the discharge of
assigned coursework for the duration of the course without obligation
to register. Otherwise, individuals may use ZCOMM with only a moral
obligation to register their copy with Omen Technology once they find
it useful. You may distribute the unmodified ZCOMM*.ARC archive
files[2] to as many as you wish, or post them on bulletin boards, etc.
Businesses must register their copies of ZCOMM.
______________________________________________________________________
1. $25.00 to Australia etc. if binder included due to higher cost.
2. The archives may be converted to other storage or archive formats,
including "zipping", provided no files are modified or removed.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 2 Registration
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 9
3. ZCOMM's Big Brother
ZCOMM is the Little Brother of Professional-YAM. As powerful as ZCOMM
is, more powerful than other user supported software, it pales beside
Omen Technology's commercial Professional-YAM software.
Pro-YAM's TurboDial(TM) script language provides state of the art real
time pattern recognition, "regular expiression" string parsing, script
development aids, script encryption, queue management, extensive
logging facilities, and finely tuned security control unmatched in the
industry.
Fortune 500 corporations use these exclusive features to support large
PC based telecommunications projects involving attended and unattended
operation.
Specialized utility commands allow Pro-YAM and a PC or DG/One portable
to replace data line monitors in many applications. Pro-YAM supports
Echoplex uploads and high speed data dumps in addition to the uniquely
accurate and robust XMODEM, YMODEM, ZMODEM, and Kermit protocol
transfers shared with ZCOMM. Pro-YAM has many powerful utility
commands that earn it the sobriquet Integrated Communications Tools.
Pro-YAM is available with the Tymnet X.PC link level protocol for
multiple, concurrent data transfers.
Omen Technology also markets highly compatible Unix and Xenix flavors
of Pro-YAM.
Omen Technology's Demand Upgrade(TM) technology and small company
responsiveness meet the support needs of a growing base of demanding
customers.
Professional-YAM is a superset of ZCOMM; applications and scripts
developed on ZCOMM will operate with Pro-YAM.
This ZCOMM manual omits descriptions of many Pro-YAM features not
included in ZCOMM. The special symbol * denotes Pro-YAM features not
included in ZCOMM.
Pro-YAM features not included in ZCOMM include X.PC, encryption,
CryptoScript(TM) capability, Password Guardian(TM), logs, the ap, apd,
fget, fput, kbdmon, link, on, portx, purgek, quit, restime, restrict,
timestamp, trs, and usq commands, and certain vertical application and
security related features. (Newer versions of ZCOMM include the
logging facility.)
In some places you will see references to a fake Chapter 99. Pro-YAM
manual chapters not included in this document are designated by
Chapter 99.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 3 ZCOMM
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 10
ZCOMM registration can be upgraded to Pro-YAM as described in the
previous chapter.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 3 Flavors of ZCOMM
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 11
4. FLAVORS OF ZCOMM
4.1 IBM PC Family and Clones
ZCOMM.EXE and ZCOMM run under PC-DOS and compatible operating systems
using PC compatible 8250 family serial ports. They exploit the new
Intel 82510 and National NS16550AN serial interface integrated
circuits for improved high speed operation, especially with memory
resident software and extended memory ramdisks.
ZCOMMXPC.EXE supports the Tymnet X.PC packet protocol. This version
uses the Tymnet Packet Driver and will not initialize unless the
packet driver has been loaded. The X.PC version lacks the bdump and
link commands. The !~ command does not allow DOS subprograms to
access the serial line with the DOS ctty command.
ZCOMM and its support programs are also available for OS/2 protected
mode.
4.2 Xenix/Unix
ZCOMM for 32 bit Unix systems supports a number of advanced features,
including X windows[1] large memory, recursive wild card expansions
and ZMODEM transfers with LZW data compression. Unix and Xenix
flavors of ZCOMM reflect the deep fundamental differences between
single tasking PC-DOS and Xenix. Notable differences are in keyboard
handling, screen emulation, and real-time aspects. Properly written
TurboDial(TM) Scripts may be used with any flavor of ZCOMM. Omen
Technology Inc provides binary executables for SCO System V Xenix (286
and 386) and Interactive Systems 386/ix. The 386/ix flavor supports
Microport SYS V/386 and similar systems.
Please contact Omen Technology Inc for reasonably priced source code
for other versions of Unix.
4.3 VAX/VMS
VMS Professional-YAM supports dial out applications with functionality
similar to Unix flavors.
__________
1. Under xterm(1).
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 4 Flavors of ZCOMM
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 12
4.4 ZCOMM
ZCOMM is a shareware subset of ZCOMM available for PC-DOS. It lacks
the ap, apd, fget, fput, link, kbdmon, obey, on, quit, purgek,
restime, restrict, timestamp, trs, and usq commands. Arbitrary
variable names and security features are not supported. Certain
commands and features are available only in registered copies. The
special symbol * denotes features not included in ZCOMM. Features
denoted with ** are available in registered copies of ZCOMM.
Some ZCOMM users choose to upgrade to Professional-YAM. Omen's ZCOMM
to Pro-YAM upgrade policy protects your investment in ZCOMM
registration. The ZCOMM to Pro-YAM upgrade consists of a Pro-YAM
serial number and diskette set. The $99.00 price is the same as the
difference between Pro-YAM purchase and ZCOMM registration.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 4 Design Philosophy
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 13
5. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
ZCOMM is a Communications Tool. Once learned, ZCOMM's command
interface is more powerful, faster, and less cumbersome than a menu
interface. Indeed, menus comprehensive enough to describe all the
nuances of ZCOMM's capabilities would take up more memory than most
microcomputers can afford. In addition, remote operation of ZCOMM
would be excruciatingly slow due to transmission delays displaying the
appropriate menu pages.
ZCOMM's look and feel has been influenced by the MODEM series of
programs, the Unix(TM) Operating System, the Berkeley Editor (vi),
CP/M(TM), PC-DOS, and ANSI standards.
Function keys F1 and F2 have been assigned with a logical grouping.
Wherever meaningful, F1 exits from a function, and F2 enters the
logical "next" function. From the command prompt, F2 enters the term
function, and from there another F2 enters the review function. Once
in the review function (assuming it was called from the term
function), F1 exits back to the term function, from where another F1
exits to the command prompt.
Another ethic guiding ZCOMM's design is respect for the user's
information. The user's data is, after all, precisely what a modem
program is all about. Status information is limited to one CRT line
to allow maximum screen size for data. Fancy display modes such as
reverse video are used sparingly to avoid distracting from the user's
work.
If you seek a video arcade modem game, ZCOMM will disappoint you.
5.1 Circular Buffer
The circular buffer remotely resembles the linear "capture buffer"
used by other modem programs. Many ZCOMM commands involve the
circular buffer, including the t, f, wait, ki, kill, w, review, and
close commands.
The term function uses the circular buffer as a first in, first out
(FIFO) buffer for data arriving from the remote. The circular
organization of this buffer makes the most recent data always
available for review and arbitrary writing to disk files.
When the circular buffer has been filled and the XOFF character sent
to the remote, ZCOMM writes the contents of the circular buffer to the
capture file if a capture file has been opened. ZCOMM then checks
whether any characters remain to be written to the printer. When both
of these checks are satisfied, ZCOMM then sends an XON character to
the remote to resume the transmission of data.
Keyboarding ALT-W or enabling j mode writes the contents of the
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 5 Circular Buffer
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 14
circular buffer to the capture file without waiting for the circular
buffer to fill up first.
The large storage capacity of the circular buffer may be used to
review the most recent data captured from the remote. The review
command allows one to page back and forth through the data captured
from the remote. Forward and backward string searches make it easy to
locate important text. The review command also allows segments of the
data in the circular buffer to be selectively saved on disk (cut and
pasted). Scripts can search and mark text captured from the remote
with the full power of regular expression pattern matching.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 5 Rosetta Stone
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 15
6. ROSETTA STONE
Alphanumeric An alphanumeric character is either a letter or a decimal
digit 0 to 9.
Baud A baud is a signaling unit conveying one or more bits of
information. Baudrate is commonly (and usually incorrectly)
interchanged with bits per second.
BPS is an abbreviation for "bits per second", a measure of
transmission speed. ASCII Asynchronous transmission generally
uses 10 bits to transmit each character, so the speed in
characters per second is one tenth the speed measured in bits per
second.
Capture The term function captures data from the remote into the
circular buffer. This data may be paged back and forth with the
review function, or written to a disk file.
Character Escape is a sequence of characters initiated by a backslash
character used to represent a control character or programmable
string using printable characters. Character escapes are
described in Chapter 26.
CPMEOF A control character (hex 1A) added to the end of text files by
traditional microcomputer programs. This practice was popular
with the Digital Research CP/M 8 bit operating system.
Crash Recovery(TM) refers to the ZMODEM File Transfer Protocol's
ability to resume file transfers that have been interrupted by a
line disconnect from the point where the transfer was interrupted.
Cyclical Redundancy Check (CRC) is a datum (16 or 32 bits) generated
by a cyclic code. The CRC-16 extension to the Ward Christensen
XMODEM protocol provides a high level of data integrity. CRC-16
guarantees detection of all single and double bit errors, all
errors with an odd number of error bits, all burst errors of
length 16 or less, 99.9969% of all 17-bit error bursts, and
99.9984 per cent of all possible longer error bursts. The actual
performance is even better because the errors that sneak by CRC-16
are often detected by the other error checks simultaneously
applied by ZCOMM's Cybernetic Data Recovery(TM). ZMODEM's 32 bit
CRC provides five orders of magnitude more accurate error
detection than XMODEM's CRC-16 a billion times more accurate than
8 bit checksum used by standard XMODEM..
Default is a choice a program makes for you if you do not explicitly
make a contrary choice.
Download is the transfer of data from the host system down to your
computer.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 6 Rosetta Stone
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 16
DTR is an abbreviation for Data Terminal Ready. Data Terminal Ready
is a signal sent by the computer to the modem to condition it to
accept commands or answer an incoming call. When DTR is "dropped"
(switched off), the modem should disconnect from the line.
Execute When a string parameter is executed, it is normally sent to
the remote (modem). If it begins with "@", the remainder is
executed as a ZCOMM command.
Filespec Some ZCOMM commands instruct a remote Kermit server program
to send, receive, print, type, or delete one or more files. The
syntax of this specification is defined by the remote Kermit
server program, not ZCOMM. If filespec contains spaces, filespec
must be enclosed by double quotes.
Flow Control restrains the speed of transmission to prevent loss of
data when a fast sender must send to a slower receiver. Hardware
signals, control characters, and protocol handshakes can be used
to provide restraint, singly or in combinations.
SEE ALSO: handshake command, zmodem w parameter, Flow Control
Chapter 14
Functions are operations supported by ZCOMM, such as a dir, type, s,
r, or t (term) command. A command may set or reset mode[s],
change a parameter, or perform a function.
Host Operation allows remote access of files and programs.
Iff If and only if.
Integrity in a data transfer protocol refers to the ability of the
protocol to guarantee a correct data transfer provided both sender
and receiver report a successful transfer. Integrity is a
different measure of a file transfer protocol than robustness,
which is a measure of a protocol's ability to complete the
requested transfers in the presence of errors, independent of the
probability of undetected errors.
Kermit ia an error correcting batch file transfer protocol developed
at Columbia University and elsewhere. The Kermit protocol
supports text and binary file transfers with many mainframe
computers whose hardware and operating software preclude
implementation of high performance protocols.
Line Hit A burst of noise on a telephone line may generate modem data
errors. A single "line hit" may garble dozens of characters.
ZCOMM's Error Containment(TM) technology may be used to reduce the
number of characters garbled by line hits suffered in terminal
emulation data capture.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 6 Rosetta Stone
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 17
Modes Many modes are available to modify the way the term function
receives, displays, transmits, and stores data.
N.B. Nota Bene, Latin for "note well" or "take notice".
Options Options apply to the Kermit, s, sx, sb, s7, st, r, rx, r7, rb,
and rc protocol file transfer commands.
q.v. Quod Vide is Latin for "which see", an invitation to consult
information on the subject mentioned.
Pathname is a complete file name, optionally including disk and/or
directory names.
EXAMPLE: c:/ZCOMM/PHODIR.t
Pathspec ... A pathspec consists of zero or more pathnames.
Unambiguous and ambiguous (with wildcard characters) pathnames may
be specified in any combination. The wildcard filename characters
* and ? are allowed as described in the IBM DOS manual chapter
"Global Filename Characters". In DOS, only the filename portion
of the pathname may contain wildcards.
EXAMPLE: src/cmd/*.c is legal; src/*/foo.c is not.
On 32 bit Unix systems, ZCOMM expands "*" and "?" the way the
shell does. All the shell wildcards may be used including
multiple wildcards, wildcards in directories, and ranges. ~user
expands to the login directory of user, and ~ expands to your home
directory. In addition, `command` takes the output of command as
a series of pathnames.
EXAMPLE: dir */[a-i]* displays all files starting with "a" to "i"
in all subdirectories immediately below the current directory.
An empty pathspec represents all files in the current directory on
the current disk. A disk identifier without any file names
represents all files on that disk's current directory. A
directory pathname expands to all files in the specified
directory.
Sequences of the form %svar are replaced by the value (possibly
empty) of the string parameter svar. If svar is not a string
parameter, no substitution is made.
A pathspec may contain any combination of the above, separated by
spaces or tabs.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 6 Rosetta Stone
Version 17.78 TurboDial 2.35 Universal Line Printer Edition
ZCOMM User Manual 18
If pathspec includes a disk specifier (such as a: or b:), ZCOMM
checks the disk specifier against the list of permissible disk
specifiers in the string parameter disks.
The various filename expansions are especially useful in the
context of commands such as wc, sum, crc, find, sb, and sz. For
example, wc applies to all files in the current directory, and
wc dir applies to all files in dir.
ZCOMM pathnames may use / or \ to delimit directories.
Regular Expressions control pattern matching and grouping of text by
the ss and egrep commands. "Magic" characters specify the pattern
matching and grouping processes.
Remote refers to the machine or terminal with which ZCOMM is
communicating. This could be a direct RS-232 connection to a
local terminal, micro, mini, or mainframe, or a timesharing system
accessed through a modem and a global packet switched network.
Restraint See "Flow Control" above.
Restricted For security reasons, ZCOMM is restricted to prevent
unauthorized dial-in users from accessing private data or crashing
the system. Certain commands are illegal when ZCOMM is
restricted, and only specified disk drives and directories may be
accessed.
Review Function Characters output from the remote may be paged and
searched online with the review function. This data may also be
cut and pasted to disk files.
Robustness in a file transfer protocol refers to the protocol's
ability to complete transfers in the presence of errors induced by
line noise or other sources. Robustness is a different measure of
a file transfer protocol than integrity, a measure of the
probability of correct data transfer given a successful completion
of the transfer process.
Script A script is a set of commands that control dialogues with the
user or a remote system.
Script Level refers to the degree of nesting of scripts. Level 0 is
called by the user directly, and each higher level is executed by
a gosub or other command from the previous level.
Shell Escape is a DOS command or program called as a subroutine from
ZCOMM via a DOS Gateway. The phrase "shell escape" comes from the
Unix(TM) Operating System, whose command interpreter is called
"the shell".
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Soft Keys Strings or commands may be assigned to the Soft Keys with
set commands, including those in the telephone directory "setup"
entry executed each time ZCOMM starts. ZCOMM recognizes the forty
function key codes produced by the function keys F1 to F12. FS1
to FS12 are obtained with a Shift key, FC1 to FC12 are obtained
with the Ctrl key, and FA1 to FA12 are obtained with the Alt key.
The cursor keys and extra function keys on 101 key Extended
Keyboards are also recognized.
Strings or commands may be assigned to BS, ESC, Ins, Del, Home,
End, Up, Down, Left, Right, PgUp, and PgDn, overriding their
normal functions in the term function.
String Some commands take a string argument. If a string argument
contains spaces, tabs, and a semicolon, it must be enclosed by
double quotes (shift single quote on the IBM PC keyboard).
Control characters may be included in strings with character
escapes similar to those used by the C Programming Language.
Term Function ZCOMM's Term Function provides the conversational
"connection" between the user and the remote. The term function
captures data from the remote into ZCOMM's circular buffer from
whence it may be displayed, printed, stored in a disk file, or
searched, cut and pasted by the review function.
Upload is a transfer of data from your computer up to the host system.
Wild Card Many commands allow wild card file names in their pathspec
(q.v.).
Writing When a receive file is open as a result of a create or t
filename command, data in the circular buffer is written out to
the receive file when the circular buffer fills up or when a w or
ALT-W command is given.
XMODEM The Ward Christensen file transfer protocol uses 128 byte
packets, one byte control messages, and a one byte arithmetic
checksum.
XMODEM/CRC A synonym for the enhanced Ward Christensen XMODEM protocol
using a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC-16). Newer programs support
CRC-16 for better data integrity, but reliability is still
compromised by one byte control messages.
XMODEM-1k XMODEM protocol with 1024 byte data packets, CRC-16, and one
byte control messages, sometimes incorrectly called ymodem.
YMODEM YMODEM is a batch file transfer protocol with pathname, date,
file length and other file data in block 0, CRC-16 default, and
optional 1024 byte packets. Many programs claiming to support
YMODEM actually use XMODEM with 1024 byte blocks; use ZCOMM's sx
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-k and rx commands with these XMODEM mutants.
XOFF, XON ASCII control characters control the flow of data. XOFF
(Ctrl-S) stops and XON (Ctrl-Q) resumes the flow of data. Chapter
37 provides an ASCII code chart with the names for the control
characters.
ZCOMM is a shareware (User Supported) subset of PCDOS Professional-
YAM.
ZMODEM An advanced file transfer protocol with simplified human
interface, crash recovery, high speed streaming, sensitive 32 bit
CRC, command download, security features, and important file
management functions.
{arg1 | arg2} One of the arguments separated by | is required.
[] Optional argument.
* The special symbol * denotes features not included in ZCOMM. **
Denotes features not included in userialized (unregistered) copies
of ZCOMM.
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7. INSTALLING ZCOMM
If you have registered your copy of ZCOMM, make yourself a working
copy of the ZCOMM distribution disk using the DOS diskcopy command.
Keep the distribution disk in a safe place away from nasty killers
such as disk drives, displays, computers, magnets, motors, and coffee
cups. The only time the distribution diskette should be out and about
is when you are cloning your working copies.
7.1 Installation from Registration Disk
Before installing ZCOMM, you may wish to create a directory for the
ZCOMM files. If so, you must include this dorectory in the DOS PATH.
Otherwise the files may be extracted to the root directory.
The ZCOMM software files are contained in the ZCOMMEXE.ZIP and
ZCOMMHLP.ZIP archives on the distribution disk. Use a standard
"unzip" program such as PKUNZIP to extract files from these archives.
The putsnp program inserts your ZCOMM Serial-Number-Password (ZSNP)
into your working copiy of ZCOMM. Installing a legal serial number
suppresses the pause after the opening message, enlarges the circular
buffer, and enables new commands. The putsnp program prompts for your
Serial/Number/Password (SNP) of the form X123456789. Putsnp checks
for keyboarding mistakes and then verifies that you understand and
agree to the licensing conditions. When you understand and agree to
the licensing conditions, respond with yes (not just y).
Then putsnp prompts for the name of a file to insert the serial number
into. This should be a ZCOMM.EXE file that you have transferred to a
scratch disk, or to an appropriate directory on your hard disk. Do
not write on the distribution diskette unless a nuclear attack is in
progress.
After inserting the serial number in the given file, putsnp asks if
you wish to change the default value for the phone directory pathname
(string parameter phones). This is normally /PHODIR.t. If you wish
to keep the phones file elsewhere, answer "yes".[1] Putsnp then
searches for the location in your copy of ZCOMM that contains this
information. When found, you may enter a new pathname,[2] up to 64
characters.
__________
1. The default value may also be overidden with the PHONES DOS
environment variable.
2. Such as c:/zcomm/PHODIR.t.
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Afterwards, you should copy the help processor files YHP.EXE and
ZMANH.HLP from the disk.
7.2 Installation from ZCOMM*.ARC
If you are using the software provided in ZCOMM*.ARC, be sure to save
the original files for backup, and pass them on to your friends to
fill their communications needs. There are currently three ZCOMM
archive files:
+ ZCOMMEXE.ARC contains the executable program and demonstration
files.
+ ZCOMMDOC.ARC contains this documentation.
+ ZCOMMHLP.ARC contains ZCOMM's tree structured help file and random
access flash-up help processor.
7.3 Installation Continued
The second order of business is to read this manual. There is just no
way you can get your money's worth out of ZCOMM without reading, or at
least carefully scanning, this manual. After all, didn't you get
ZCOMM because you needed something more powerful than that cumbersome,
unreliable, brain-damaged menu driven crock you've been using?
(Perhaps you shouldn't answer that question just yet ...)
You can then edit PHODIR.t to suit your own needs by inserting
directory entries for the systems you wish to call and changing the
phone numbers, account numbers, and passwords on the "standard"
entries for popular timesharing services that you have accounts with.
Be sure to check the setup entry and make any changes you feel
appropriate. Once you have the "feel" of ZCOMM, you will want to
remove the automatic menu invocation at the end of the setup directory
entry.
Chapter 10 gives a line by line tutorial for setting up your telephone
directory assuming you are using a standard modem.
If you are using a computer that runs at non standard clock rates
(e.g., 8 mHz 8088 instead of 4.77 mHz) or with an enhanced CPU chip
(NEC V20), you will need to set special values for the a and b numeric
parameters as described in Chapter 24.
**** WARNING **** Although ZCOMM is well behaved as communications
programs go, some memory resident programs, special keyboard
modifiers, print spoolers, or special display drivers, may cause
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problems.
**** WARNING **** Since ZCOMM uses interrupts to read data from the
serial ports, each serial port must be strapped for its proper
interrupt vector. Some communications programs assign both IRQ3 and
IRQ4 while operating, so they will operate even if the serial ports
are not strapped properly. Since ZCOMM only assigns the interrupt
vector of the port in use, incorrect IRQ level strapping will crash
ZCOMM. Check the serial port addresses and vectors with the
information given ith the port command in Chapter 19 if you encounter
trouble starting ZCOMM.
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8. YOUR TELEPHONE DIRECTORY
ZCOMM's telephone directory is a big flexibility advantage over
traditional communications programs which require one or more separate
files for each system called, or limit directory information to little
more than a telephone number.
The telephone directory contains telephone numbers, login scripts, and
telephone dialers. The telephone directory is a plain ASCII text file
which can be edited with standard text editors (brief, teco, EMACS,
edlin, etc.).
Normally, ZCOMM expects to find the telephone directory in the file
/PHODIR.t on the current disk. The pathname may be changed with the
PHONES environment variable. Forward slashes should be used to
indicate directories.
EXAMPLE: C>set PHONES=c:/yam/lib/PHODIR.t
EXAMPLE: $ PHONES=/u/flashg/bin/phones.t; export PHONES (for Unix)
The putsnp program may also be used to change ZCOMM's default
Telephone Directory pathname.
The call command connects to another computer. When you give a
call name command, ZCOMM prepares for a modem call and then searches
the telephone directory file for a line starting with name.
It is not necessary to type the entire name as it appears in the
telephone directory. ZCOMM will find the first entry that name is a
prefix of.
EXAMPLE: call cis
Calls cis300 or cis1200 whichever appears first.
When using two entries with similar names (such as "cis300" and
"cis1200"), place the favorite entry first. This way you can just
type call cis to get the desired entry.
If the search is successful, the call command copies the complete
directory entry name to the remote string parameter, where it can be
used for log entries and automatic password generation. ZCOMM
executes the commands on the rest of the line (if any), and on
succeeding lines beginning with a space or tab, until the next
Telephone Directory entry or a return command is seen.
There is no arbitrary limit to the size of the telephone directory.
Popular entries may be placed near the front to minimize searching
time. When desired, Scripts can be placed in separate files
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ZCOMM User Manual 25
referenced with a source command from the Telephone Directory entry.
8.1 Taking a Shortcut with PHOMAST.T
This starter script was written by Michael Ash of San Antonio, Texas.
It is easy to configure and use by following the detailed instructions
included in PHOMAST.DOC.
Phomast features fully automated menu configuration, autospeed
detection, and lots of slick coding examples. When run for the first
time phomast will generate a new file called PROFILE.DAT containing
specific configuration information. When you enter 'yam' or 'zcomm'
at the DOS prompt, the script will ask you a few questions to set up
the configuration to include COM port identification and modem
initialization, and you are ready to communicate immediately thanks to
the power of the script language built into ZCOMM.
Under COLORS, you may select the alternate screen colors. These will
be automatically set by the menu configuration and only need to be
changed if you don't like the default colors... To see the possible
colors and their associated code numbers, from the command line prompt
enter: 'gosub color' and hit return.
Under MODEM SETUP, if your modem doesn't respond correctly to the
defaults, just select another modem setup string. A default modem
string is already configured and will work in most cases if your modem
accepts the Hayes command set. Phomast assumes the modem has not
locked its interface speed.
To use phomast.t with Pro-YAM, you must first set the DOS PHONES
environment variable.
EXAMPLE: C>set PHONES=c:/yam/phomast.t
8.2 Customizing PHONES.T
Phones.t is the "industrial strength" prototype directory. While not
as easy to configure as phomast.t, it is powerful enough to fully
exploit TrailBlazer and other complex modems.
When ZCOMM begins execution, it searches the telephone directory for
the setup entry. (A directory entry has the entry name starting at
the left margin.)
The setup telephone directory in the distributed phodir.t file invokes
a demonstration menu. Once you have exercized the various
demonstration possibilities, search for the xsetup telephone directory
and change it to setup be removing the "x". This will blank out the
oroginal setup entry which appears later in the file.
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setup port 1
The first line of the "setup" entry selects port 1.
: if !c speed 1200 putw "ATZ\r"
This line is commented out with a colon (:). If the colon is removed,
the speed is changed to 1200 and ZCOMM sends an initialization command
to the modem if no carrier detect signal is present. If a carrier
detect signal is present (modem still connected to the remote
computer), the speed is not changed, and no initialization command is
sent to the modem.
pd1; pz480
enables incoming time/date information provided by the ZMODEM and True
YMODEM protocols. Time/date stamping of transmitted files provides
many advantages over traditional protocols, including the ability to
selectively transmit files if the source file is newer than receiver's
copy. The number in the pz480 command should represent the local time
zone expressed as minutes behind GMT.[1]
This line should be commented out with a leading colon (or removed) if
you use a backup program that depends on the dates of files to
determine which to save.
set mprefix "ATDT"
sets the string parameter mprefix to ATDT, allowing the modem to use
tone (DTMF) dialing. If your phone line requires pulse dialing,
comment that line out (place a leading colon to make ZCOMM pass over
it) and uncomment the line containig "ATDP".
set l "1"; set m "1"
The l and m string parameters support the dynamic selection of one or
more ALDS alternate long distance carriers. The default values for
these parameters is the digit 1.
When making entries in your telephone directory, use %l- for numbers
with different area codes, and %m- for numbers with the same area code
as yours.
If you use a long distance credit card or sometimes dial out from
hotel or PBX lines, be sure to modify the att, ddd, hotel9, and hotel8
__________
1. Pacific Standard Time is 480 minutes behind Greenwich Mean Time
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telephone directory entries in phones.t to suit your needs.
The set command sets the string parameter l (lower case L) to 1
(number), providing for normal long distance access. If you have an
alternative long distance service, set this parameter to the required
access string for that service.[2] The "set m 1" command sets the
string parameter m to 1, providing for normal long distance access for
numbers in your same area code. If you have an alternative long
distance service, set this parameter to the required access string for
that service, plus your area code if required. (Some alternate long
distance services require the area code for all calls, even those in
your own area code.)
set answerback "YOUR NAME CITY\r\n\21"
Change the answerback setting to reflect your name.[3] Be sure to keep
the \21 at the end of the string.[4]
The next lines configure soft keys F3 to FS4. Their functions are
described at the end of Chapter 19.
: display bell=visual
Causes bell characters to be displayed as a flashing musical note
instead of sounding. If you want a silent bell, uncomment this line.
set quitcmd "\003\336off\r"
This string is sent to the remote before disconnecting when an ALT-Q
is typed during a protocol file transfer.
: set calllog c:/calllog
: set rxlog c:/tmp/rxlog
: set txlog c:/tmp/txlog
The above lines set the pathnames for logs of calls, files received,
and files transmitted.
set f10 "@help"
if fyamhelp.t set helpfile "yamhelp.t"
if f/umanh.hlp set helpfile "@yhp /umanh.hlp"
__________
2. Use the "setsavenet" entry in PHODIR.t as a prototype.
3. Some timesharing systems may require a specific answerback string.
4. See Chapter 26 for a description character escapes.
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if fumanh.hlp set helpfile "@yhp umanh.hlp"
The above lines locate the help file and program F10 to summon the
help processor if available. These lines may be changed if you keep
these files in other directories.
: if dc ps4 pn2 pr97
If a color display is used on DOS, uncommenting this line selects red
status line (ps4), green normal text (pn2), and a blue/yellow for
reverse video (pr97). These colors may be more suitable than the
default black and white. Another possibility is "pn3" which selects
blue-green for normal text. You may wish to experiment with these
values to find ones best suited for your particular combination of
display equipment and visual preferences. Changing the colors from
time to time may prolong display tube life. The colors Telephone
Directory entry* displays the colors generated by the possible numeric
parameter values:
EXAMPLE: gosub colors
Some programs, including the "DEC Store" demonstration, will not
display exactly as intended with some combinations of the above
display parameters.
You may wish to keep your phone numbers etc. in one file and relegate
information specific to each computer to a separate file. The setup
entry in phones.t checks for the existience of a phones.ts file and
executes it if found.
set s0 ""
setc pho "%PHONES\&s"; if f%pho source %pho
if %s0 return
The supplied phones.ts file is used on some of Omen's Unix and DOS
systems, and may be used as an example. On DOS, if you use VT100
emulation with keyboard mapping most of the time, you can add the
contents of the keyboard mapping file std.mk, xen.mk, or 101.mk to
your phones.ts file.
While editing your telephone directory, you might wish to add some
entries for your favorite systems in the same format used by the
"amrad", "amsat", or "denver" directory entries.
When the PHODIR.t file is ready, type "ZCOMM<ENTER>" to run ZCOMM.
ZCOMM will print several lines of greeting and then silently execute
the commands in the setup directory entry.
If ZCOMM can't open PHODIR.t, exit ZCOMM with "x<ENTER>" and copy
PHODIR.t to the correct directory, or set the DOS PHONES environment
variable to the actual pathname (see Chapter 16). Also check that the
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DOS CONFIG.SYS files contains FILES=20 to allow ZCOMM a sufficient
number of open files for proper script operation. If using DOS 3.2 or
later, you may need to add a STACKS line to your CONFIG.SYS file, as
described in Chapter 34.
EXAMPLE: STACKS=20,128
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9. UNLEASHING THE MODEM
9.1 Hardware Interface
ZCOMM accesses serial ports at the standard IBM COM1 and COM2
addresses. Zcomm also has definitions for COM3-COM18 as described
under the port command. The portx command may be used to access
8250/16450/16550A type serial ports at non standard addresses.
When a port is selected, a quick hardware check is made to verify the
existence and minimal functionality of the port. If this test fails,
the message Port N Defective is displayed. An incorrect port switch
or strap (jumper) configuration is the usual cause of this message.
This check does not guarantee the port is connected to the proper IRQ
line. If the port is not configured to use the proper IRQ line, the
computer may lock up when the port is used.
Some 8250 UART devices (used by serial interface adapters and internal
modems) do not respond correctly when the software turns the
transmitter interrupts on and off. High speed communications programs
such as ZCOMM require properly functioning UART chips. We recommend
the National Semiconductor NS16550A/NS16550FAN.
9.2 MODEM environment variable
The advanced dialing scripts use two script subroutines to generate
dialing commands for your specific modem. The top level routine is
the adial subroutine in the main phones.t file. The top level routine
handles alternate number lists and operations pertinent to all modems.
Adial uses the MODEM environment variable to identify the disk file
containing the modem specific dialer. The value inherited from the
environment may be overridden with a set command. Adial searches for
this file in the directory specified by the lib string variable. The
following dialer files are currently provided in dialers.zoo.
Additional dialers will be described in dialers.doc, part of the
dialers.zoo archive.
ax9624.t MicroCom AX/9624c with MNP Class 6. This modem includes a
pseudo full duplex 9600 bps speed.
hst.t U S Robotics HST Dual Standard
hu96.t Hayes V series Ultra Smartmodem 9600 (v.32/v.42)
hv96.t Hayes V series Smartmodem 9600
mmv32.t Multitech MultiModem V32 with MNP.
(C) 1990 Omen Tech Inc Chapter 9 Unleashing the MODEM