Collection of Internet/Collection of Internet.iso/winprogs/goslip11/readme.tx_/readme.tx

Text File | 1994-04-21 | 10KB | 189 lines

GoSlip!                        Version: 1.1

                        by Rob Reuss
                           [e-mail]


VERSION CHANGES:

This version, relative to Version 1.0 of GoSlip!, should be somewhat more
stable.  Although I have recompiled the program using version 3.11 of Windows,
I'm not sure this will make any difference.  Some people have reported getting
GPFs when using GoSlip with Windows 3.11 -- please let me know if you get any
such drastic responses.  Some minor interface changes have been made, but no
substantive changes to the program such that you could not use an earlier
INI file.  Because this version allows for a command line designation of
an alternative initialization file (as described below), you could now set
up multiple configuration by using icons with different command line's,
specifiying unique initialization files according to 1) the port you want
to use, 2) the applications you want to launch, 3) etc.  An environment
variable is no longer necessary, instead you must keep all INI files in
the same directory as the GoSlip! executable (i.e. GOSLIP.EXE).  Because of
this feature, and the complications of parsing the command line, I've eliminated
the command line control over individual configuration features.  Also added
to this version is the ability to drag and drop an executable from Program
Manager (or Norton Desktop) onto the GoSlip! icon, whereupon GoSlip! will
automatically dial in using the current configuration (including a command
line designated configuration), and will launch the dropped application...last.


DESCRIPTION:

Go Slip! is a basic (VB) dialer for use with SLIP (Serial Line Interface
Protocol) connections.  It will dial the phone (with DTR ignored, that is
without losing the connection when it turns the line over to other
applications), negotiate a login script, launch applications and send a
simple string to those applications.  The number of script entries and
the number of applications that can be launched is unlimited.  The interface
is, I hope, simple to use and *almost* solid.  I have mostly tested the dialing
and script routines with my own modem (an INTEL Satisfaxtion 400) so I can
make no guarantee as to how effective or efficient they will be with other
modems, given the timings involved.  The script designer and the application
launcher both have timeout values available.  Also, if GoSlip! has difficulty
hanging up your modem, try changing the following setting in GOSLIP.INI:

    [Dial]
    TweakTiming=1.2

You should only need to change this value within tenths of a second.  It tells
GoSlip! how long to wait after sending "+++" before the modem is ready to
receive commands, but it also effects the timing of other basic modem functions,
so changing the value to a much higher number may result in significant slowing
in the dialing sequence.

I welcome comments, bug reports and suggestions to the e-mail address above.

RENUMERATION:

If you want to send me money you may: Rob Reuss, 62 Third Place, Brooklyn, NY
11231.  I would much rather receive advice and suggestions to make the
program more effective.

INSTALLATION:

Should be simple.  Uncompress the GOSLIP.ZIP file to a empty directory
(you have done this already if you are reading this) and copy the files to
a blank diskette.  Run SETUP.EXE from the floppy, and designate a directory
when it requests it.

Although an environment variable was necessary in GoSlip! 1.0, it is no
longer necessary.  You need only ensure that the executable (GOSLIP.EXE)
is in the same directory as the initialization file (GOSLIP.INI or any
other INI file specified on the command line as /C=FileName.INI).

OPERATION:

Modem/Script:

I hope that operation is obvious. MODEM/SCRIPT under WINDOWS is where
you begin by entering the phone number you wish to call, the comm port
for your modem and modem settings.  The initialization string should be fine
for any Hayes-compatible modems.  "CR's After Connect" adjusts
the number of carriage returns that are send once the modem
CONNECTS with the remote host.  "Connect Detection" should not need to be
changed unless for some odd reason you expect a connect indication other
than "CONNECT".

Use the NEW button to create script entries, which consist of "Look For:"
(what string the program should look for once logged on), "Send:" (what the
program sends when it encounters the string) and "Announce:" (what the program
says to the user once it encounters the string).  The Timeout value indicates
how long GoSlip! will look for the string.

This will likely consist of three entries: looking for something like "Username:",
sending your username, looking for "Password:", sending your password, and looking
for some indication that the system is reading to receive a command to start the
SLIP server on the remote system -- in my case, this is "SLIP".

Applications:

APPLICATION under the WINDOWS menu is where you designate the applications you
wish to run once the SLIP connection is established.  You need not enter any
applications here, of course.  You start by using the "NEW" button (or "Select
Application" for the first app you enter) and using the file dialog box to find
the application you want to run.  For me, this is Peter Tattam's "Trumpman",
which is the winsock manager I use.  Whatever application you choose first will
have a "Wait Time" value of 5 seconds, since you want to make sure that any
applications launched after your winsock manager do not beat it to the punch.
Because applications launched in this manner are being shelled asychronously
(that is, GoSlip! has no knowledge of when or if they have properly loaded)
you want to make sure a manager has had enough time to load before you launch apps
whose own operation will be contigent on it's operation.

You can designate a "Name:" for the application, which will be used to broadcast
to the user what is happening as the programs are being launched.  "Win State" is
controlled by clicking it's button, and toggles between the available options
(Normal with focus, Normal without focus, Minimized with focus, Minimized without
focus), which are how the application will appear when it runs.  "Send Text" allows
you to enter a simple string that is sent to the application once it is running.
The string will not be sent until after "Wait Time" specified for the app has expired.
PLEASE NOTE: if you enter anything here you can only run the application either
normal with focus or minimized with focus, since the application must have focus
in order to receive the keystrokes.  I have used this with EUDORA by Qualcomm
so that my password is sent automatically.  Please note that using GoSlip! for this
purpose is risky since I haven't employed any encryption methods or such to protect
your password information (maybe later).  Finally, you can use the "Switches" entry
to launch your application with command line switches.

Configure:

CONFIGURE under the OPTIONS menu allows you to set the following features.  "Persistent
Redial" will cause GoSlip! to redial the phone automatically is either
a busy signal is received or if the timeout value given for "Connect" (see above)
is reached.  "Speaker on during dial" -- you figure it out.  "Quit after Completion"
allows you to have GoSlip! quit after the completion of a full sequence.
"Autodial on Loading" is exactly what it says, and enables auto-hangup.  Just to make
this clear, when under any conditions dialing is intiated, GoSlip! tests the line 1)
to make sure the port is available and not already in use and 2) to hangup if the port
is not in use, but a connection is still active.  Finally, "Quit after Completion" will
cause GoSlip! to quit when it has finished a complete dialing and app launch sequence.

These settings may no longer be controlled by command line options.  Any command line
options will always be overridden by the current configuration.  Multiple configruations
are now possible through the use of different initialization files, which can be specified
on the command line as follows:
                    /C=FILENAME.INI

The extension .INI must be included in order for the configuration file to be properly
identified.


System:

This window will notify you of most actions that you or GoSlip! is taking.


Debug:

This is a pretty cheap debug window that displays the text being "looked for" and what
is going on in the communications port.  I want to give this more features to make
debugging a script easier, such as a mechanism to send carriage returns.  Please give
me suggestions.

GENERAL:

Please note that the configurations options, scripts and app launch controls can be
tweaked "in situ", that is, while the system is running, and except in the obvious
cases, changes will be implemented immediately.  (An obvious case would be that turning
the speaker off once the modem is dialing won't do diddly squat.)  Minimizing GoSlip!
will have all the messages normally sent to the message box sent to the caption, so you
can watch it's progress while minimized.

Finally, if for some odd reason some or all of the windows don't show up on your screen
when you first start GoSlip!, reduce the values found in the "WinSize" section,
particularly the "Top" and "Left" values, which end with an "T" or an "L".  GoSlip!
keeps track of you window sizes and positions, and although the default values should
fix the windows fine on a lower resolution monitor, you can certainly change these
values manually.

Next Version:

I may switch over to containing modem, dialing, scripting and application information
in an Access database (i.e. *.MDB), allowing for the development of a whole database
of applications that can be more easily mixed and matched in configruations.  I would
like to add drag and drop capability from the file manager for setting up the application
launch suite.  Also, a more sophisticated system for sending keys, such as multiple lines
of keystrokes and function keys would be nice.