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1990-09-28
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Section 10 -- TAPCIS Tips
TAPCIS Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Practice Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Emoticons and TLA's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Getting Announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Upload Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Executive News Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
MCI Mail to CompuServe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Line Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Interrupting TAPCIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Aborting Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
GIF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Status Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Travel Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
TAPCIS(tm) Documentation Copyright (c) 1990, Support Group, Inc.
800-USA-GROUP, 301-387-4500
========================================================================
TAPCIS Tips
========================================================================
------------------------------------
Practice Forum
The Practice Forum is where you can try out the TAPCIS features free of
connect time. Add the forum using the name "PRACTICE" on the <F>orums screen,
join it using <Alt-J>, and follow the normal methods of accessing a forum,
leaving messages, etc.
While the normal connect charges are waived while in the Practice Forum,
network access charges are not. These charges range from $0.30 to $50.00 per
hour. Check the current rates for your access network.
------------------------------------
Emoticons and TLA's
Users new to CompuServe forums are often confused by a shorthand used by
"regulars." TLA's (Three Letter Acronyms) actually refer to any number of
acronyms in popular use.
BTW By The Way
IMO In My Opinion
IMHO In My Humble Opinion
ROF,L Rolling On the Floor, Laughing
Emoticons are either symbols or words meant to add "body language" to a
message. <Grin> added after a sarcastic remark is meant to make sure the
recipient doesn't take it seriously. The symbol equivalent it ":-)" which you
have to turn your head sideways to the left to see the smile.
We try to avoid acronyms as much as possible, to make it easier for new users
to understand messages. Occasional use of emoticons can help avoid hurt
feelings, but it is probably better to rewrite or not send the message if you
have a doubt about how it will be interpreted.
------------------------------------
Getting Announcements
TAPCIS automatically stores the News Flash announcement as Msg #0 in the forum
message file. The News Flash appears when the sysop of the forum changes the
content of an announcement and flags it to appear on everyone's next login.
Several other announcements are available but are not captured by TAPCIS. In
particular the New Member announcement when joining a forum is not stored on
disk except in the ONLINE.LOG (if one is being created).
You can request that TAPCIS go online and capture an announcement by pressing
<A>dvanced <U>ser-command <Forum #> and then typing:
ANN;#;T
where "#" is replaced by one of the following numbers corresponding to the
announcement to capture. Then, go <O>nline. After TAPCIS gets the
announcement, press the number of the forum and read the announcement.
TAPCIS TAPCIS Tips 10-1
1 News flash
2 General
3 Messages
4 Conference
5 Library
6 Membership
7 Sysop roster
8 New member
------------------------------------
Upload Descriptions
If you are uploading a file when interactive, you must use the CompuServe
editor to compose and edit the description of the file. If you mess up the
description, the easiest way to edit it is to restart from the beginning. To
clear the current description, type the following at the beginning of the line
when in the editor:
/T,P,D999
------------------------------------
Executive News Service
You cannot automate access to the Executive News Service (GO ENS). You can,
however, save time by either capturing the stories to disk or sending the
stories to your Mail box. At $15/hr surcharge above normal connect rates,
reading online is an excessive waste of money.
Sending stories to your Mail box allows TAPCIS to pick them up automatically.
There is a delivery delay between the time you send the stories and when they
are available in your Mail box (1-15 minutes). Use the command:
Send #,#,#-# 7nnnn,nn
Replace the #'s with story numbers. Separate individual stories with commas,
and ranges of stories with a dash. If you omit the user ID, ENS will prompt
you for the user ID. If you press <Enter>, ENS will use the login ID.
------------------------------------
MCI Mail to CompuServe
To send a message from MCI Mail to CompuServe, create a message on MCI Mail,
and at the "To:" prompt type addressee's name followed by "(ems)". At the EMS
prompt, type "CompuServe" and at the MBX prompt enter the recipient's
CompuServe ID. Press <Enter> at the next MBX prompt, then finish and send the
message as normal for MCI.
10-2 TAPCIS Tips TAPCIS
------------------------------------
Line Noise
A noisy phone line is the enemy of automated communications. TAPCIS works by
playing the role of a semi-intelligent operator. As long as TAPCIS receives
the correct sequence of messages back from CompuServe in response to its
commands, operation will be smooth and predictable.
When line noise interferes, TAPCIS can get confused. Whereas a human might be
able to make sense of the random garbage characters line noise produces,
TAPCIS must assume that certain prompts and prompt characters make it through
properly. And, commands sent by TAPCIS to CompuServe must be received
properly.
If the line is really noisy, you will not be able to use TAPCIS. More common
is a burst of noise that might corrupt a command. If you are watching, you may
be able to get TAPCIS back on track by supplying the correction yourself. For
example, if line noise turns the command "GO MAIL" into "GO MAL" then
CompuServe will respond that the MAL page is empty, and TAPCIS will stop. If
you do nothing, TAPCIS will logoff in about three minutes. If you type "GO
MAIL" then TAPCIS will pick back up again.
A symptom of a noisy phone line is the appearance of ^U's on the screen.
TAPCIS sends a control-U to CompuServe before every command. The ^U tells
CompuServe to clear its input buffer. If any line noise had been received in
the interim, it is flushed by the ^U. CompuServe will not echo the ^U unless
there actually was garbage in the input buffer. If you start seeing ^U's, you
have a noise problem.
Solving a noise problem is not easy. First, check the connections to your
modem and the telephone jacks to make sure they are secure. Then, try calling
another CompuServe node, possibly in a nearby city in a different direction.
If the noise appears on one node but not another, note down the node ID that
TAPCIS displays after the STATUS command on logon (TnnXXX), and then call
CompuServe at 800-848-8990 to report the problem. If the noise persists on
both nodes, the problem is either on your premises (the modem, jacks, wiring,
cable, etc.) or in the line between your location and the telephone company
central office. If you can hear the static on the line, report the problem to
the phone company to have them fix it.
Another option if you live in an area served by a CIS M node is to purchase a
2400 bps modem with "MNP." MNP is an error detecting and correcting protocol,
similar in effect to CompuServe B+, but it works for terminal communications
as well.
------------------------------------
Interru