Loadstar 128 30/q30.d81/t.dt128 macro

Text File | 2022-08-28 | 8KB | 171 lines

                        DAVE'S TERM 128 GEnie MACRO

                       Text and Macros by Don Graham


    For all of you fans of DAVE's TERM 128, a very powerful terminal
program/operating system, here's a logon macro to put into your phone
directory that will logon to GEnie automatically.  The main motivator that
caused me to write this macro this way is simply this: I often forget to
open the buffer when I logon and read my email.  I can still go back and
get the email via another, more complex method, but it annoys me that I
forget to do this simple function!  So the logon macro does my remembering
for me.  I guess that's what computers SHOULD do...help us where we are
weak.

    All you need to do is place your account number in the spaces where the
x's are, and your password in the space where the y's are.  Don't leave any
extra x's or y's lying around, and don't take any of the other characters
away...each character is critical to the operation of the macro.  Be sure
to activate the logon macro in the telephone directory under the "logon"
column by making it a "yes".  An explanation follows.

    Of course, you are strongly encouraged to use this as a model to help
you learn how to make logon macros for other services and BBS's.

    First off, here is the logon macro.  You don't have to type it in, just
use the "dir" file enclosed to see what it looks like, and simply build
your phone directory around the example if you like.  Of course, you can
type it into your current phone directory exactly as you see it here, with
the noted changes for phone number, account number, password, etc.  RETURN
means press the RETURN key, NOT the ENTER key.  The ENTER key is the way to
complete the macro entry process.  The RETURN key will produce a reversed
lower case m with a bar across the top of it.  This control character will
execute a RETURN during the execution of the macro.

!p3HHH!s/U!>163!>189/xxxxxxxx,yyyyyyyyRETURN!o!dENTER

    Here's what happens...

!p3        pauses for 3 seconds after connection is made

!s/U       These three commands wait for the first
!>163      prompt U#= (ASCIIterminal
!>189/     mode)

xxxxxxx,yyyyyyyy    sends your account # and password including the RETURN

!o         opens the capture buffer

!d         upon logoff and loss of carrier, this command automatically
           SAVES the buffer contents to the default drive.  It remains
           pending during the session, evidenced by the "D" being lit up
           on the terminal status line.

    Also included is the uncompiled SCRIPT for DAVE's TERM that will logon
to GEnie, check for email, download it to the buffer if there is any,
logoff after completion or if there is no email, and even SAVE the buffer
containing the email to your disk drive!  Once again this is all
automatically accomplished.  The SCRIPT program can even be set up as an
"autoexec" file that will do this without user intervention upon booting
the program.  A trip to WAL-MART to pick up a timer might even make all of
this happen while you take a nap or watch the SUPERBOWL!

    Here are the SCRIPT commands to accomplish this neat task.  For clarity
I've left out some of the RETURN entries...check out the file enclosed
(named "scriptry") for exact contents and appearance.  NOTE: It's a little
tricky creating the characters (reversed #) and (reversed =) on the screen.
That's the reason for the commands !>163 and !>189 in the script.  It's
also tricky printing them out, so they may look a little weird on your
printout.  If the script is properly entered everything should work out
okay.  And don't forget the general script process...

 1) write and save source script
 2) compile it
 3) load it
 4) execute it.

    Keep these in mind...if you make one little itty bitty change, you must
start the process over.


NOCARRIER
TRANSMIT 'ATDT5837541'
WAIT 'CARRIER 2400' 20
TERMINAL
SLEEP 0
TRANSMIT 'HHH'
WAIT 'UC' 25
TRANSMIT 'youraccount#,password'
SELECT 20
     CASE 'No letters waiting' GOTO exit
  UNTIL 'WAITING'
WAIT 'continue?' 30
OPENALL
TRANSMIT 'mail'
WAIT '<H>elp?' 30
TRANSMIT '2'
WAIT '<HELP>?' 30
exit TRANSMIT 'bye'

FILETYPE S
BSAVE 'AUTOMAIL'
CLOSE

END

    If you're intending to try scripts, be sure to read up on the BUFFER
docs first.  Since the script is actually written in the buffer, the more
you know about it, the better off you'll be.  The buffer is VERY powerful
and everything you learn about it is useful.  You realize, I suppose, that
you can even write BASIC programs right in the buffer.  That's another
story, though.  I hope you enjoy using this, either as it stands now, or as
a learning tool for building your own scripts and logon macros.  Spend some
time with it...it's really fun!

    As for terminal keyboard macros, they're a little trickier than the
rest of this stuff, so let's take a closer look at how they are created.
Again, keep focused and pay attention, and read the docs over a few times.
Terminal keyboard macros allow you to define 26 distinct keys with specific
keystrokes for use in Terminal mode only.  A simple way to create this is
to think about what words or phrases or key combinations you frequently
type, and imagine how much more fun you could have if you only had to press
ONE KEY and have all of that work done for you.

    I've listed here some of the combinations I use on the INTERNET and on
certain BBS's.  I've also included a sample keyboard macro file to help you
thru the process.  The file does nothing more than to identify which macro
key you've pressed, but it should help you to create your own.  I think it
was accidentally omitted from the original group of files with issue 26.
Try to imagine typing your INTERNET address every time you get onto a
different system.  I know, you've MEMORIZED your INTERNET address, right?
So what!  Does that mean you have to type it out everytime?  NO!  Put your
INTERNET address on function key #1.  Put your name on function key #2.
Put certain passwords on other function keys or the arrow keys, or the
number keypad.  Here's what I mean....

 KEY           MACRO
 --------------------
 F1            [e-mail]
 F3            don graham
 F5            guest
 F7            anonymous
 plus key      dir
 minus key     cd..

and so on, and so on.

    When you go to an ftp site these last three macros are real helpful.
You must move all around in directories and it's nice to have single key
commands to do that for you.  It's especially nice to have the RETURN key
built into these commands too.. Remember, when you see the reversed 'm'
with a bar over it, that will be executed as if you pressed the RETURN key.
To complete the macro entry, press the ENTER key on the number pad, just
like when you're entering logon macros (as if you'd all remember that far
back!)  I especially like to put the INTERNET addresses of my favorite
people in the macro.  Then I don't have to remember them, look them up,
etc.  Gettin' the idea now?

    The long and short of it is simply this...never type anything that you
can get the computer to type for you.  Turn the long tasks into short
keystrokes.  I know that the docs for DAVE's TERM are somewhat daunting.
It's a powerful program and that power must be nurtured and developed.
Maybe seeing some real world examples like these will help you to learn and
grow.  That's the only way you're going to learn...by doing.  And the more
you do, the more you learn!

                          \\\\\ RETURN - Menu \\\\\