Monster Media 1994 #2

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Intellicomm (TM) v2.01 Copyright (C) 1991-1994 Liberation Enterprises. All rights reserved. --------------------------------------------------------------------- INTELLICOMM HOST DOCUMENTATION --------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.1 What is Intellicomm Host? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.2 Starting Intellicomm Host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.3 Help with the Host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.4 Host Mode Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.5 Host Status Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1.6 The Waiting for Caller Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.7 Local Logon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1.8 Regular Logon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2. CONTROLLING HOST OUTSIDE THE 'WAITING FOR CALLER' MENU . . . . . 8 2.1 Host Menu [Alt-Z] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 3. HOST MAIN MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 3.1 [L]ist Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 3.2 [F]ind a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 3.3 [V]iew File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 3.4 [D]ownload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 3.5 [U]pload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 3.6 [G]oodbye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 3.7 [C]hat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 3.8 [E]nter DOS Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 3.9 [S]hell to DOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 3.10 [N]ew Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3.11 [H]elp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3.12 [A]bort Host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3.13 The '<MORE>' Prompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 4. SPECIAL HOST FILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 4.1 ANSI Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 4.2 .BBS Files and the <MORE> Prompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 4.3 Cautions Regarding .BBS Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 4.4 LOGON.BBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 4.5 WELCOME.BBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 4.6 MENU.BBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 4.7 HELP.BBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 4.8 LOGOFF.BBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 5. USING DOORWAY FOR DOS SHELLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 5.1 What is DOORWAY? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 5.2 Setting up DOORWAY for Intellicomm Host . . . . . . . . . 23 5.3 Using DOORWAY from the Remote End . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 6. HOST QUESTIONS & ANSWERS, PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS . . . . . . . . 26 Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 2 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 What is Intellicomm Host? Intellicomm's Host Mode is a multi-featured host system which turns your computer into a small BBS, providing remote users (either via modem or direct cable linkup) with password-protected access to the following functions: [L]ist Files [C]hat [F]ind a File [E]nter DOS command [V]iew File [S]hell to DOS [D]ownload [N]ew Directory [U]pload [H]elp [G]oodbye [A]bort Host Each of these functions is explained in detail below. Some uses for Intellicomm Host are: o Transferring files. If you have one or more files that you want to send to a friend (or to another office) or you want a friend to send you one or more files, simply start the Host, then have the friend call you with his regular communications program and either [U]pload or [D]ownload the file(s). Since Intellicomm comes with a BIF Template for Intellicomm Host; calls can be made automatically at night (after the long-distance charges have gone down) if the remote user has Intellicomm. o Using your computer (or someone else's computer, if they have Intellicomm Host installed) from a remote location. Intellicomm Host's ACCESS LEVEL 2 provides access to all files on the computer, and if a DOS Shell Password is defined in the Host Mode setup, remote 'Shell to DOS' abilities are also available. Please see the notes on the [S]hell to DOS command below for details. A message facility will be added in the future, but there was no time to implement it for Intellicomm Host v1.00. 1.2 Starting Intellicomm Host Host Mode can be started from almost anywhere in Intellicomm by pressing [Alt-G], or by selecting "Host Mode" from the Main Menu, Hotkey Menu ([Shift-F1]), or Terminal Menu. Note that Intellicomm must be in MANUAL mode or [Alt-G] will access the Goto Manual Mode menu. [Alt-G] pulls double-duty, performing one task when Intellicomm is in Manual mode (starting Host Mode) and another in Auto mode (Goto Manual). You can also start Host Mode via a batch file or menu system by using the '/Area:' command line switch: ICOM.EXE /Area:Host Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 3 The above command starts Intellicomm and automatically executes the Host Mode. You can add this command to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file if you'll be away from the Host computer for a period of time, to re-start the Host if there is a power failure. 1.3 Help with the Host If you need help with anything while using Intellicomm Host, simply press the [F1] key. The online help details all of the Host functions available, and the keys used to access the functions. 1.4 Host Mode Setup When you access Intellicomm Host for the first time, you will be informed that no Upload or Download Directories have been defined and the Intellicomm Setup / Host Mode Settings screen will be displayed automatically. The settings on this screen are documented in the online help. Press [F1] while viewing the Host Mode Settings screen for detailed information on each setting. ON YOUR FIRST SETUP THE ITEMS TO PAY ATTENTION TO ARE: > Host Download Dir: The disk directory (D:\PATH) that Level 1 callers have access to. > Host Upload Dir: The directory (D:\PATH) that all user uploads are placed in. > Level 1 Password: The password callers must enter to gain Level 1 access to your Host. Level 1 callers are restricted to files that exist in the Host Download Dir, and they cannot access files in other directories. > Level 2 Password: The password callers must enter to gain Level 2 access to your Host. If you define a password here, make sure it's a good one, as Level 2 callers can access any file on your system! If security is an issue on your Host system, leave the Level 2 password BLANK, and remote access Level 2 will not be possible. > DOS Shell Password: The password required to use the '[E]nter DOS Command', '[S]hell to DOS', and '[N]ew Directory' Host Main Menu options. This password is even more critical than the Level 2 password since it provides remote callers with virtually unlimited access to your system. DOS commands (FORMAT, COPY, DEL *.*, etc), and most command line utilities can be used remotely if the DOS Shell Password is known (or guessed). Again if security is an issue on your system, leave the DOS Shell Password blank and users who attempt to access DOS-related Host functions will be presented with the message "Sorry, DOS functions are disabled on this Host". > Abort Host Password: The password required to use the '[A]bort Host' option. [A]bort Host can be selected remotely from either the Host Main Menu, or another menu that is displayed just prior to all file transfers (similar to BBS's that allow you to select [G]oodbye to Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 4 automatically log off after your transfer completes). [A]bort not only logs the user off, but also aborts Host Mode. If the 'Abort Host Password' is successfully entered, the user is asked 'Exit Intellicomm as well?'. If she answers "Y"es, the DOS Shell Password is prompted for, and if that is successfully entered the Host will not only abort itself, but will also abort ICOM.EXE and return to the caller (DOS, Windows, etc). Again, if no 'Abort Host Password' is defined, the [A]bort Host option is disabled and users who try to [A]bort will simply get the message "Sorry, Abort is disabled on this Host". > Use EXTERNAL Protocols?: You may want to set this to NO if security is an issue on your Host. Many external protocols are equipped with features which could breech the security of your Host. Press [F1] (Help) from the Intellicomm Setup / Host Mode Settings screen and read the notes for more detailed information. > Direct CABLE Link?: Set to NO if using a modem on your COM port (INCLUDING external modems connected via a cable), set to YES if you're running a NULL modem cable directly between two computers (i.e. no modem at all is involved). If set to YES, Intellicomm Host bypasses the 'Waiting for Caller' menu and goes directly to the 'Enter name/Enter Password' logon questions. It also causes the Host to ignore the COM port 'carrier detect' (online/offline state) signal, bypass initializing the modem (at startup/exit, or when going "offhook" for a Local Logon), and bypass any attempts at "hanging up". None of these things are necessary for direct cable link ups. The rest of the Host Mode Settings will only have to be changed if your modem does not use standard "Hayes-compatible" commands. See the online help ([F1] from the Host Mode Settings screen), and your modem documentation for further instructions. 1.5 Host Status Line Intellicomm Host uses a status line on the bottom screen line, much like the Intellicomm terminal status line. Even if you have the status line turned off in the Intellicomm main setup, the Host still displays its status line; (a) since information such as the current caller's name and security level is displayed on the status line, and; (b) to remind you that your remote callers probably have a status line on as well. Even if the Host didn't display a status line, the bottom screen line would always remain blank: since it is assumed that the caller DOES (or at least very well might) have a status line turned on. The information on the status line (in order of appearance from left to right) is: 1. The caller's name, or 'Offline' if the Host is not currently connected. 2. The total amount of time (Hours:Minutes) that the caller has been connected for. Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 5 3. Either the word "Host" (no caller connected) or "Lvl 1" or "Lvl 2": the caller's security level. 4. The current communications port settings or modem CONNECT speed. The main setup option 'Status bar displays' (Terminal Settings screen) determines whether the port speed or the modem CONNECT speed is displayed. 5. The state of the capture log: if a filename such as ICOM.CAP is displayed, then the Host session (all text displayed on the screen) is being captured to the file. If you have the 'Open Capture on Connect?' item (main setup/General Settings) turned on, Host will automatically open the capture log when a caller connects. This allows you to review Host activity (select "Review Session Captures" from the Icom Main Menu) if you are unable to monitor calls first- hand. 6. The reminder 'Alt-Z for Menu' (for use when a caller is online: not while at the 'Waiting for Caller' menu). Press [Alt-Z] (hold down the [Alt] key and tap the [Z] key) to display a menu of all available Host Mode functions. The menu you'll get is identical to the 'Waiting for Caller' menu, except that the "Local Logon" option is hidden, and a new option "Terminate User [End]" is visible. Use the [Alt-Z] menu until you memorize the available hotkeys, such as [End] (Terminate User) and [Esc] (Terminate Host). 1.6 The Waiting for Caller Menu If the Host Mode Settings 'Direct CABLE Link?' option is set to YES, Host Mode skips the Waiting for Caller menu, and performs a 'regular logon' immediately, between each caller. If you have the Direct CABLE Link option enabled, please skip down to the 'Regular Logon' section. If the Host Mode Settings 'Direct CABLE Link?' option is set to NO, Host Mode initializes your modem for Host use, then displays the 'Waiting for Caller' Host Menu. Note that if your modem has an "Auto Answer" or "AA" light, it *must* *not* be on when Host Mode is as the Waiting for Caller menu. Modem auto-answer is not a reliable way to handle incoming calls, since not all modems feature auto-answer capabilities. Rather than using auto-answer, Intellicomm Host instead watches for the "RING" message from your modem, then sends the standard "ATA" (Answer call) command to get the modem to answer the incoming call. This is the method that most real BBS's use to handle incoming calls as well. NOTE: Both the "RING" message that the Waiting for Caller Menu watches for, and the "ATA" command that is sent to get your modem to answer the call are configurable on the Intellicomm Setup / Host Mode Settings screen (options 'Modem RING Message' and 'Modem Answer Command'). If your modem uses a different 'RING' message or requires a command other than ATA^M to answer calls, simply re-define the 'Modem Answer Command' and 'Modem RING Message' items on the main setup Host Settings screen. TIP: If your modem auto-answer light is on while at the Waiting for Caller menu, check your modem documentation for a SWITCH on the modem Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 6 that activates auto-answer, then change the proper switch to the opposite position. 1.7 Local Logon When the Waiting for Caller menu is displayed, Host Mode (aside from watching for your keystrokes and mouse clicks) is watching your modem for incoming calls. Various options are available at the Waiting for Caller menu (again press [F1] for detailed help) but the first time you access Intellicomm Host you'll probably want to select "Local Logon" to see what the Host looks like. When you select Local Logon, or any other option at the Waiting for Caller menu (other than Terminate Host) your modem is taken "off-hook" until you return to the Waiting for Caller menu. This is done so that anyone who calls your Host while you're away from the Waiting for Caller menu (the only place that Host monitors for incoming calls) will get a BUSY signal, instead of ring-no-answer. Ring-no-answer normally signifies "out of service" to those calling a BBS or Host... while BUSY simply signifies that someone else is using the BBS/Host. This is why your modem is taken off-hook whenever you leave the Waiting for Caller menu. After your modem is taken off-hook you are then asked whether you want to logon as "Sysop". If you answer YES, the "Enter name/Enter password" prompts are skipped and you are assigned access LEVEL 2 (Sysop) status automatically. If you answer NO, a 'regular logon' (explained below) begins. Here you may enter the LEVEL 1 password (defined during the Host Mode setup above) to see how the Host will behave when Level 1 callers are connected. As mentioned earlier, Level 1 callers are restricted in their access to your computer in that they can only access files in the 'Host Download Directory'. Level 2 callers have access to any file on any drive, in any directory on your system. 1.8 Regular Logon If you select Local Logon from the Waiting for Caller menu and answer NO to the "Logon as Sysop?" question, or if a remote modem connection is established, or if you have the 'Direct CABLE Link?' option set to YES, Host begins a regular logon. A regular logon displays the file LOGON.BBS if found (see SPECIAL HOST FILES below for information) then prompts the user to enter his first and last name: Please enter your FIRST and LAST name: The name entered here is recorded in Intellicomm's Usage Log (\ICOM\CAP\ICOM.USE) for future reference. The user is then prompted for a password: Password (Dots will echo): Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 7 Note that whenever Host prompts for a password, it "echoes" dots (periods) both to the local video display and back to the user. Otherwise other people who are in the room at the time (at your end, or the remote end) would be able to see the password needed to access your Host. If the 'Level 1 Password' (defined in the Icom main setup on the Host Mode Settings screen) is entered, the user is assigned security level 1. If the 'Level 2 Passwword' is entered, the user is assigned security level 2. After proper password entry (three incorrect password entry attempts maximum), Intellicomm Host displays the file WELCOME.BBS, if found (see 'SPECIAL HOST FILES' below), and then displays the Host Main Menu (internal or MENU.BBS; again see SPECIAL HOST FILES for information on MENU.BBS). Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 8 2. CONTROLLING HOST OUTSIDE THE 'WAITING FOR CALLER' MENU 2.1 Host Menu [Alt-Z] Pressing [Alt-Z] anywhere in Intellicomm Host (except at the Waiting for Caller menu) pops up the Host Menu. This menu provides access to the functions on the Waiting for Caller menu (minus the Local Logon option), plus one more function: 'Terminate User [End]'. If Terminate User is selected (press the [End] key to select it without going through the [Alt-Z] menu) Host asks you to confirm termination of the current caller, and once confirmed a hangup command is executed (same as pressing [Alt-H] in Terminal mode) and Host returns to the Waiting for Caller menu. Note that [Alt-Z] and all functions on this menu are ONLY available to you locally. The user cannot press [Alt-Z] and pop up the Host Menu remotely. Press [F1] (Help) from the [Alt-Z] Host Menu for more information. 2.2 Returning to the Waiting for Caller Menu To return to the Waiting for Caller menu, select [G]oodbye from the Host Main Menu, or press the [End] key to Terminate the current caller. 3. HOST MAIN MENU The Host Main Menu is where all remote Host functions are accessed from. To access a main menu option, simply type one of the letters enclosed in brackets. For example, to access the '[L]ist Files' function press the 'L' key (uppercase or lower case; case is not significant). Note that if 'Direct CABLE Connect' is set set to NO (non-modem use) Intellicomm Host uses three minute 'timeout' protection outside the Waiting for Caller menu. If no keys are pressed on the keyboard outside of the Waiting for Caller menu, and no characters are received from the modem (the remote user) after three minutes, Host automatically disconnects the user and returns to the Waiting for Caller menu. The Host Main Menu provides the following features: 3.1 [L]ist Files Displays a list of files available on the Host system, in the following format: FILENAME.EXT NNNNNNNN MM/DD/YY HH:MM NNNNNNNN represents the size of the file, MM/DD/YY represents the file modification date (Month:Day:Year), and HH:MM represents the file modification time (Hour:Minute). Note that the date and time separators (/ and : in the example above), and the date and time format can be re- Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 9 defined on the Intellicomm Setup / General Settings screen. If the 12 hour time format is used, an 'a' or 'p' (a.m. / p.m) follows HH:MM. If more than one screen-full (23 lines) of files exist, the display pauses and the <MORE> prompt is displayed. See the '<MORE> Prompt' section below for more information. LEVEL 1 LIMITATIONS: Level 1 callers are only displayed files in the 'Host Download Directory', and subdirectories (if any) are not displayed. LEVEL 2 ENHANCEMENTS: When a Level 2 caller selects [L]ist files the following prompt is displayed: Press [Enter] for <CURRENT_DIR>\*.* Or enter a filespec to view: <CURRENT_DIR> signifies the current DOS directory (initially the 'Host Download Directory'; can be changed with the [N]ew Directory command, or [E]nter DOS Command, or [S]hell to DOS). One of the following items can be entered at this prompt: o Press [Enter] to display all files in the current directory. o Enter a filespec alone (*.ZIP for example) to display files in the current directory that match the filespec. If you are unfamiliar with the '*' and '?' wildcard characters, please refer to your DOS manual. o Enter a \PATH or D:\PATH to display all files in another directory, or on another drive. If no filespec is given, *.* is assumed. o Enter a \PATH\<filespec> or D:\PATH\<filespec> (C:\UTILS\*.EXE for example) to display all files matching <filespec> in another directory, or on another drive. Subdirectories are also displayed to Level 2 callers. 3.2 [F]ind a File Allows the user to search the disk for one or more files. The following prompt is displayed when Find a File is selected: Find what file [* and ? accepted]: If [Enter] is pressed, but nothing is entered, the search is cancelled. Otherwise Find a File searches for one or more files that match file 'filespec' the user entered. If you are unfamiliar with the '*' and '?' wildcard characters, please refer to your DOS manual. LEVEL 1 LIMITATIONS: Only the 'Host Download Dir' is searched. If a Level 1 user specifies a D:\PATH\ or \PATH\ with the search filespec, it is stripped and the 'Host Download Dir' is inserted in its place. LEVEL 2 ENHANCEMENTS: Level 2 callers can search directories other than the Host Download Dir, and can also perform complete disk searches on any Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 10 drive. Precede the search filespec with a drive (e.g. D:*.ZIP) to search ALL directories on a given disk drive, precede the search filespec with a path (e.g. D:\PATH\*.ZIP) to search one directory only, or enter only a search filespec (e.g. *.ZIP) to search the current directory. If no files at all are found matching the filespec, the prompt "No files found" is displayed to the user. Otherwise, all files matching the filespec are displayed to the user in the following format: FILENAME.EXT NNNNNNNN MM/DD/YY HH:MM NNNNNNNN represents the size of the file, MM/DD/YY represents the file modification date (Month:Day:Year), and HH:MM represents the file modification time (Hour:Min:Sec). Note that the date and time separators (/ and : in the example above), and the date and time format can be re- defined on the Intellicomm Setup / General Settings screen. If the 12 hour time format is used, an 'a' or 'p' (a.m. / p.m) follows HH:MM. If Find a File performs a complete disk search, the path to each file is displayed on a separate line as in this example below: Directory (C:\UTIL) FILE1.EXT 123456 06/01/94 1:00a FILE2.EXT 234567 06/02/94 2:00a Directory (C:\ICOM\GET) FILE3.EXT 345678 06/03/94 12:00p In the example, FILE1.EXT and FILE2.EXT are in the C:\UTIL directory, and FILE3.EXT is in the C:\ICOM\GET directory. If more than a screen-full (23 lines) of information is displayed, the search pauses and the '<MORE>' prompt is displayed. See the '<MORE> Prompt' section below for more information. When the search is complete the display pauses with the prompt: Press [Enter] to continue... This prevents the Main Menu from scrolling information off the screen prematurely. When [Enter] is pressed the Host Main Menu is re-displayed. 3.3 [V]iew File View File is used to view the contents of a TEXT FILE. The contents of .ZIP files or other archives is currently not supported by [V]iew File. When View File is selected, the following prompt is displayed: View which file? After the user enters the name of the file to view, the file is displayed to the screen. If more than one screen-full of information exists in the Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 11 file, the display pauses and the <MORE> prompt is displayed. See the '<MORE> Prompt' section below for more information. LEVEL 1 LIMITATIONS: Only files that exist in the 'Host Download Directory' can be viewed by Level 1 callers. LEVEL 2 ENHANCEMENTS: Level 2 callers may precede the name of the file to view with a \PATH\ or D:\PATH\ to view a file in another directory or on another drive. If only a FILENAME (or FILENAME.EXT) is specified, View File searches for the file in the CURRENT directory. The current directory is displayed to Level 2 callers prior to the 'View which file?' prompt. 3.4 [D]ownload Download is used to transfer one or more files from the Host system to the caller's computer. After selecting Download the user is presented with a list of the available Host protocols: PROTOCOLS: [A] - ASCII [R] - Relaxed Xmodem [X] - Xmodem [1] - Xmodem-1K [K] - Xmodem-1K-G [Y] - Ymodem [G] - Ymodem-G [Z] - Zmodem Which Protocol [Enter aborts]? The ASCII protocol can transfer only text files. The Xmodem varieties (Relaxed Xmodem, Xmodem, Xmodem-1K, Xmodem-1K-G) can transfer only one file per download (i.e. 'batch' downloads are not supported due to limitations in protocol design specifications). Ymodem, Ymodem-G and Zmodem support batch downloads. 3.4.1 External Protocols Level 2 callers also have access to any external protocols that you have set up on the Intellicomm main setup "External Protocols" screen. Level 1 callers only have access to external protocols if the main setup Host Mode Settings item 'Level 1 EXTNL Protocols?' is set to YES. If the External Protocol screen option 'Ask for Filename on D/L?' is set to YES, it is assumed that the external protocol does not support batch downloads (i.e. Host will prompt for one filename only, and will not allow wildcards). 3.4.2 BATCH Downloads Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 12 'Batch' Downloads allow more than one file to be transferred with a single [D]ownload command. The ability to perform batch downloads is dictated by the protocol selected: only Ymodem, Ymodem-G and Zmodem (and external protocols that are defined with the 'Ask for Filename on D/L?' option set to NO) support batch downloads. Wildcards (* and ?) can be used when specifying filenames with any batch protocol, and multiple filenames can also be entered. NOTE: In order to perform batch uploads with external protocols (Host is UPLOADING when a user selects [D]ownload), Host creates a file called C:\ICOM\ICOM.UL$, listing each filespec to upload. Example: C:\TEMP\*.ZIP C:\ICOM\SND\FILE1.ZIP C:\ICOM\SND\FILE2.ZIP ...etc. It then specifies @C:\ICOM\ICOM.UL$ as the filename to upload, when passing the filespec to the external protocol. Most all external protocols (DSZ, HS/Link, etc.) will accept a list of files in this manner. If an external protocol aborts with the error "Cannot find @C:\ICOM.UL$" (i.e. if it doesn't support a @LIST of files), then the external protocol cannot be used for Host batch [D]ownloads. Regardless of the protocol selected, Host prompts for filename #1 to download: Filename #1, [Enter=Done]: If a non-batch protocol was selected, wildcards (* and ?) are not accepted in filenames, and only one filename is prompted for. If a batch protocol was selected, wildcards are accepted, and up to ten 'filespecs' may be specified (*.ZIP as Filename #1, *.TXT as Filename #2, FILENAME.EXT as Filename #3, etc). Pressing [Enter] alone at the 'Filename #' prompt ends batch filename entry. LEVEL 1 LIMITATIONS: If D: (drive) or \PATH\ (directory) is specified with a filename, the information is stripped. Host searches for files to download only the 'Host Download Directory'. LEVEL 2 ENHANCEMENTS: A \PATH or D:\PATH\ may precede the filespec (E:\TEMP\*.ZIP for example), to download files in other directories or on other drives. Once the filename(s) have been entered, the following menu is displayed: [C]ontinue, [G]oodbye, or [A]bort Host when file transfer completes: If Continue is selected, Host returns to the Main Menu when the download completes. If Goodbye is selected, Host automatically logs the user off when the transfer completes. If Abort is selected, Host prompts the user to enter the 'Abort Host Password'. If the proper password is entered, Host then asks the user: Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 13 Should Intellicomm exit to DOS as well [y/n]? If the user answers 'N' (no), Host logs the user off after the file transfer completes, then aborts itself (exits back to Intellicomm; this stops the Host from answering any further calls). If the user answers 'Y' (yes), Host logs the user off after the transfer completes, aborts itself, and also aborts Intellicomm (back to DOS, Windows or whatever originally called ICOM.EXE). 3.5 [U]pload Upload is used to transfer one or more files from the caller's computer to the Host computer. After selecting Upload the user is presented with a list of the available Host protocols: PROTOCOLS: [A] - ASCII [R] - Relaxed Xmodem [X] - Xmodem [1] - Xmodem-1K [K] - Xmodem-1K-G [Y] - Ymodem [G] - Ymodem-G [Z] - Zmodem Which Protocol [Enter aborts]? The ASCII protocol can transfer only text files. The Xmodem varieties (Relaxed Xmodem, Xmodem, Xmodem-1K, Xmodem-1K-G) can transfer only one file per upload (i.e. 'batch' uploads are not supported due to limitations in protocol design specifications). Ymodem, Ymodem-G and Zmodem support batch uploads. 3.5.1 External Protocols Level 2 callers also have access to any external protocols that you have set up on the Intellicomm main setup "External Protocols" screen. Level 1 callers only have access to external protocols if the main setup Host Mode Settings item 'Level 1 EXTNL Protocols?' is set to YES. If the External Protocol screen option 'Ask for Filename on D/L?' is set to YES, it is assumed that the external protocol does not support batch uploads (i.e. Host will prompt for one filename only, and will not allow wildcards). 3.5.2 BATCH Uploads 'Batch' Uploads allow more than one file to be transferred with a single [U]pload command. The ability to perform batch uploads is dictated by the protocol selected: only Ymodem, Ymodem-G and Zmodem (and external protocols that are defined with the 'Ask for Filename on D/L?' option set to NO) support batch uploads. Wildcards (* and ?) can be used when specifying filenames with any of these protocols, and multiple filenames can be entered. Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 14 Regardless of the protocol selected, Host then prompts for filename #1 to download: Filename #1, [Enter=Done]: If a non-batch protocol was selected, wildcards (* and ?) are not accepted in filenames, and only one filename is prompted for. If a batch protocol was selected, wildcards are accepted, and up to ten 'filespecs' may be specified (*.ZIP as Filename #1, *.TXT as Filename #2, FILENAME.EXT as Filename #3, etc). Pressing [Enter] alone at the 'Filename #' prompt ends batch filename entry. NOTE: If a D: (drive) and/or \PATH\ is specified with a filename to upload, the information is stripped (Level 1 *and* Level 2 callers). Uploads are always placed in the 'Host Upload Directory'. Once the filename(s) have been entered, the following menu is displayed: [C]ontinue, [G]oodbye, or [A]bort Host when file transfer completes: If Continue is selected, Host returns to the Main Menu when the upload completes. If Goodbye is selected, Host automatically logs the user off when the transfer completes. If Abort is selected, Host prompts the user to enter the 'Abort Host Password'. If the proper password is entered, Host then asks the user: Should Intellicomm exit to DOS as well [y/n]? If the user answers 'N' (no), Host logs the user off after the file transfer completes, then aborts itself (exits back to Intellicomm; this stops the Host from answering any further calls). If the user answers 'Y' (yes), Host logs the user off after the transfer completes, aborts itself, and also aborts Intellicomm (back to DOS, Windows or whatever originally called ICOM.EXE). 3.6 [G]oodbye Goodbye disconnects the user from Intellicomm Host. When Goodbye is selected, the file GOODBYE.BBS is displayed (if found; see 'SPECIAL HOST FILES' below), Host then issues a Hangup command (disconnects the user) and returns to the Waiting for Caller menu. 3.7 [C]hat When Chat is selected, Host displays the following prompt: Sysop: <User Name> is requesting a chat. Press [Enter] to chat, any other key not to: To get your attention, an alarm is sounded every two seconds, for approximately one minute. If you do not return to the computer, or if you do return but you press a key other than [Enter], the following message "Sorry, the Sysop is not available" is displayed to the user. Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 15 Chat is then automatically disabled for the duration of the call, and if the user selects [C]hat again s/he will simply receive the same message and no alarms will be sounded. If you press [Enter], the following message "The Sysop is here!" is displayed to the user, and Host calls Intellicomm's "Chat Mode". Press [F1] (Help) for help with Chat Mode if you need it. When you're finished chatting, simply press the [Esc] key and Host will return to the main menu. 3.8 [E]nter DOS Command Enter DOS Command allows quick entry of a single DOS command, without the overhead of performing a complete [S]hell to DOS. If the caller has not previously specified the 'DOS Shell Password', Host prompts for it before accepting a command. Note that if the 'DOS Shell Password' is not defined on the main setup / Host Mode Settings screen, the caller will receive the message "Sorry, DOS functions are not available on this Host", and Host will simply return to the Main Menu. If a password is defined, and the correct password is entered, the following prompt is displayed: DOS - D:\PATH> (where D:\PATH is the current DOS drive and directory). If the user presses [Enter] without entering a command, no action is taken. If a command is entered, Host executes the command (calling the command processor COMMAND.COM/4DOS.COM, etc., so that .BAT or .BTM files can also be executed) WITHOUT re-directing DOS input and output, and WITHOUT swapping ICOM.EXE out of memory first. The user can force Icom to swap out of memory by preceding the command with 'SW:' (SWap). For example: DOS - C:\ICOM\SND> SW:BIGPROG.EXE ^^^ Commands executed with [E]nter DOS Command MUST NOT prompt for user input, and the command should not display any information that the remote user needs to see. Nothing is re-directed to or from the communications port while the command executes. Use the [S]hell to DOS option to execute commands that require input, or to see the output from the command remotely. 3.9 [S]hell to DOS Shell to DOS is used to temporarily access the DOS prompt. If the caller has not previously specified the 'DOS Shell Password', Host prompts for it before shelling to DOS. Note that if the 'DOS Shell Password' is not defined on the main setup / Host Mode Settings screen, the caller will receive the message "Sorry, DOS functions are not available on this Host", and Host will simply return to the Main Menu. If a password is defined, and the correct password is entered, Host does one of two things: 1. In 'Local Logon' mode, a regular DOS Shell is performed (the same as pressing [Alt-J]). Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 16 2. If not in Local Logon mode, Shell to DOS executes the batch file HSTSHELL.BAT, passing it the following command line parameters: %1 The current COM PORT (1-8) %2 The current BAUD RATE (300-115200) %3 The port BASE ADDRESS (in hexadecimal) %4 The port IRQ (in hexadecimal) HSTSHELL.BAT is included with Intellicomm and contains the following lines: ctty COM%1: echo Type 'EXIT' then press [Enter] to return to Host. %COMSPEC% ctty CON: Line 1 executes a 'CTTY' command to re-direct DOS input and output to the current communications port (in batch files, %1 signifies the first parameter passed, which is the current COM PORT), line 2 sends a message to the remote user telling him/her how to get back to the Host, line 3 executes COMMAND.COM to actually perform the shell (%COMSPEC% refers to the DOS environment variable that points to the command processor; either COMMAND.COM, 4DOS.COM, NDOS.COM.... whatever you use), and line 4 re- directs DOS input and output back to its usual place (the local keyboard and video display) after the user enters 'EXIT'. 3.9.1 Notes on CTTY CTTY is an internal DOS command that re-directs DOS input and output. However, CTTY is only capable of re-directing ***DOS*** input and output, and this means that programs which do not use standard DOS input / output CANNOT be executed remotely while in a DOS Shell. Most DOS commands and command line utilities (COPY, DEL, PKZIP, etc.) use standard DOS input and output, and can be used remotely after CTTY has been executed. Most full-blown programs (WordPerfect, dBASE, Lotus, most mail readers, Intellicomm and most other communications programs, etc.) do *NOT* use DOS standard input and output: They normally use the BIOS for keyboard input, and write DIRECTLY to video memory, bypassing DOS completely, since DOS is very slow and inefficient. Such programs cannot be executed remotely after executing a CTTY command, since CTTY cannot re-direct direct video writes out the communications port, and cannot simulate BIOS keyboard input FROM the communications port. However, there are CTTY replacements that DO allow full blown DOS programs to be executed remotely. A popular CTTY replacement is the 'DOORWAY' program which is discussed below in the section "USING DOORWAY FOR DOS SHELLS". By using something other than CTTY, and by modifying HSTSHELL.BAT (i.e., have it call DOORWAY.EXE instead of CTTY/COMMAND.COM), your [S]hell to DOS option will be able to handle more complex programs remotely. LIMITATIONS: CTTY supports only COM1 and COM2! If you are using a port above COM2 for your Host you will have to modify HSTSHELL.BAT to use something other than CTTY to re-direct DOS input and output. Again, DOORWAY can be used to to re-direct to any communications port. Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 17 FURTHER LIMITATIONS: CTTY conflicts with DOS's "DOSKEY" command line editor. If the backspace key is pressed remotely when the cursor is right next to the command prompt (C>) the remote user will be unable to input any keys thereafter. This problem occurs with every Host, every BBS ... any Host computer that uses DOSKEY and CTTY to support remote DOS Shell. The only way around it is to remove DOSKEY from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, or to use 4DOS (which has a built in command line editor that does not have this problem), or to be careful with the backspace key during remote DOS shells. 3.10 [N]ew Directory Intellicomm Host changes to the 'Host Download Directory' when it starts. The [N]ew Directory command allows the user to change the current DOS directory. This is mainly of use to Level 2 callers, since the current DOS directory is assumed for the [L]ist Files, [F]ind a File, [V]iew a File, and [D]ownload commands. The current directory is also the directory the user is placed in if a [S]hell to DOS is performed. The 'DOS Shell Password' is prompted for when [N]ew Directory is selected, if a DOS Shell Password is defined. If no DOS Shell Password is defined, the New Directory command is disabled. 3.11 [H]elp After selecting Help, Host displays the following prompt: Please press the Main Menu letter you need help with: This allows the user to obtain help on a specific Host Main Menu option. For example, if the user wants help with the [D]ownload option, he or she would press 'D' at the above prompt. Host then reads the file HELP.BBS and displays the appropriate help text to the user. Please see 'SPECIAL HOST FILES' below for more information on the HELP.BBS file. If more than one screen of help is available, Host pauses with the <MORE> prompt. See the '<MORE> Prompt' section below for details. 3.12 [A]bort Host If Abort Host is selected, Host checks the 'Abort Host Password' (main setup / Host Mode Settings). If no password is defined, the message "Sorry, Abort is disabled on this Host." is displayed to the user. If a password is defined, Host prompts the user to enter it, and if the correct password is entered, Host then asks the user: Should Intellicomm exit to DOS as well [y/n]? If the user answers 'N' (no), Host logs the user off (same as selecting [G]oodbye), disconnects, and Aborts itself. This stops the Host from answering any further calls. If the user answers 'Y' (yes), Host logs Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 18 the user off, disconnects, aborts itself, and also aborts Intellicomm (back to DOS, Windows or whatever originally called ICOM.EXE). 3.13 The '<MORE>' Prompt When the Host has more than one screen-full of information to display, the display pauses and the '<MORE>' prompt is displayed: <MORE> [Enter]=continue [C]=Continuous [N]=stop: If the user presses [Enter] the display continues, and the <MORE> prompt is again displayed if/when another screen-full of information has been displayed. If the user presses [C] (Continuous) the display continues in non-stop mode, without pausing again until all information has been displayed (useful if the user is capturing the information, or if Intellicomm is performing an automated call to the Host to capture a files list, etc). If the user presses [N] the display of further information is cancelled, and the Host returns to the Host Main Menu. Note that the display of information can also be cancelled prematurely (either remotely or locally) by pressing [Ctrl-C] or [Ctrl-K]. For example, to cancel [F]ind a File before all files have been displayed (and without waiting for a <MORE> prompt), simply press [Ctrl-C]. Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 19 4. SPECIAL HOST FILES Several external files can be created to give your Host a unique and personalized look. Each file is displayed at a different time (based on the filename) as documented below, and all files are *optional*. If one of the files listed below is found, it's displayed to the user at the appropriate time. If it's not found, Host doesn't complain about it or show any errors. Only one of the optional files listed below is included with Intellicomm: HELP.BBS, the online help for Host Mode. The other files must be created by you, using a Text Editor (Icom's Text Editor is fine) or a word processor. Note that if you use your word processor to create a .BBS file you must save the file in 'DOS TEXT FILE' or non- document mode. Otherwise the word processor will place formatting codes in the file (which will show up as garbage on-screen). There are also several enhanced Shareware editors available that are designed to help you create files for BBS or Host use. See 'ANSI Codes' below for more details. All files must be named exactly as shown below, each with a .BBS extension, *must* be created in the Intellicomm 'home' directory (where ICOM.EXE is or where the ICOM environment variable points to). For example, if using Intellicomm's internal Text Editor, you're press [Alt- A] (enter editor), type the information you'd like to display... for example: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Welcome to <whatever you want to name your host>, operated by Joe Smith. The Level 1 password is <Level 1 password>. Intellicomm v2.01 is available for download here; select [D]ownload from the Main Menu, then enter the filename ICOM201*.ZIP to get all of the files. I'm available for [C]hat between 7:00pm and 10:pm only. PLEASE do not select [C]hat at any other time. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy your visit! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- You'd then press [Alt-S] to save the file, and when prompted for a filename you'd enter C:\ICOM\LOGON.BBS (assuming that ICOM.EXE was in the C:\ICOM\ directory). Every time a caller connects henceforth, LOGON.BBS would be displayed, just before the 'Enter name' logon question. 4.1 ANSI Codes You're free to place ANSI codes in the .BBS files to add color or animation. 'THEDRAW', a Shareware ANSI Editor available for download on most BBS's, will help you to create color ANSI files for BBS use; but be aware that if you place ANSI codes in any of the special host files, *all* callers will have the ANSI codes sent to their screen, whether they have a color monitor or whether their terminal program supports ANSI codes or not. If you have relatively few people calling your Host, and you know that they all have color monitors and that their terminal programs support ANSI codes (i.e. if they're calling with Intellicomm, Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 20 ProComm, Qmodem, Telix, etc.) then feel free to "jazz up" your special files with 'THEDRAW' or another ANSI file editor. Otherwise, just use straight ASCII text in the files. 4.2 .BBS Files and the <MORE> Prompt If a .BBS file (other than MENU.BBS) contains more than 23 lines of text, the host <MORE> prompt will be displayed, pausing the display of the .BBS file every 23 lines. I.e. you needn't keep the length of these files (other than MENU.BBS) limited to a single screen of information. 4.3 Cautions Regarding .BBS Files When defining your .BBS files, be careful not to include HOST PROMPTS in the file, which may fool automated systems such as Intellicomm into sending an erroneous response to the Host. For example, do not do this in your LOGON.BBS file: Welcome! Enter 'VISIT' at the 'Password: ' prompt to gain access to this Host. The example above contains the PASSWORD PROMPT that the Host uses, and if Intellicomm was calling and saw this, it would immediately send the caller's password! The password would then be accepted at the "Enter your FIRST and LAST name" prompt, fouling up the logon. All Host Mode prompts include punctuation (a colon or question mark), AND a trailing space, at the end of the prompt. And Intellicomm's IHOST10.BIF *uses* the punctuation and the trailing space to help to distingush real prompts from extranneous BBS text. Thus, leave the punctionation and trailing space OUT when referring to any Host prompt in your BBS files. The example LOGON.BBS above would be fine like this: Welcome! Enter 'VISIT' at the 'Password' prompt to gain access to this Host. 4.4 LOGON.BBS This file, if found, is displayed after Intellicomm displays its identification string: Intellicomm Host v1.00 MM/DD/YY - HH:MM:SS but before the users is prompted to enter his or her name. One use of this file, if you run an 'open' Host, is to inform callers of your Level 1 password. 4.5 WELCOME.BBS This file, if found, is displayed after a successful logon (successful password entry), before the Main Menu is displayed. WELCOME.BBS is displayed only once: just after successful password entry. It is not displayed each time the Host Main Menu is displayed. Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 21 WELCOME.BBS is normally used to display a 'welcome' screen (your Host name and 'logo'), and can also be updated by you periodically to display logon 'news', such as new files that are available for download, etc. 4.6 MENU.BBS MENU.BBS, if found, replaces Intellicomm Host's internal Main Menu: ┌── Intellicomm HOST ──────────────── 07:25 ──┐ │ │ │ [L]ist Files [C]hat │ │ [F]ind a File [E]nter DOS command │ │ [V]iew File [S]hell to DOS │ │ [D]ownload [N]ew Directory │ │ [U]pload [H]elp │ │ [G]oodbye [A]bort Host │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘ with your own customized menu. MENU.BBS doesn't allow you to change the keys used to select various commands, or the "MAIN Menu Command:" prompt itself: it simply allows you to display the available options in a different format. The format you use for MENU.BBS is entirely up to you. You don't have to use a box around the menu, or square brackets around the hotkeys, and you don't even have to list all of the options. For example, if you do not have a 'DOS Shell Password' defined, you may want to remove the DOS-related options when you create MENU.BBS. Or, if you don't want [C]hat to be advertised, leave that option out of MENU.BBS (leaving it out won't disable the 'C' key, and [C]hat will still be available; but callers are less likely to press [C] for Chat it if it isn't advertised). NOTE: MENU.BBS is the one .BBS file that Host actually loads into memory when Host is started, and the file is kept in memory until the host session ends. This is done for speed so that your own custom menu will be displayed just as fast as the internal Host menu would be displayed. The other .BBS files are simply opened, read line by line and displayed line by line then closed ... which is slower. Using the line-by-line method also allows allows use of the <MORE> prompt, but since the Host doesn't use this line-by-line method to display MENU.BBS, a portion of your menu will scroll off the screen before the user sees it, if you place too many lines in the file. Here's how it works: Preceding and trailing space and carriage return/line feed characters are STRIPPED from MENU.BBS after it's loaded into memory. When the main menu is displayed, the Host sends two carriage return/line feed (blank line) pairs to separate the menu from any text above, it then displays the contents of MENU.BBS (stripped of any leading or trailing blank lines), sends one more blank line (to separate the prompt from the menu), then displays the "MAIN Menu Command:" prompt. Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 22 If you take the remote user's "status line" into account (the bottom screen line is normally not useable in most communications programs) this leaves you with twenty two lines maximum to work with in MENU.BBS. A regular screen is 25 lines high, minus one line for the remote user's status line (24), minus another 2 lines for the "MAIN Menu Command:" prompt and the blank line between the prompt and the menu (22). If MENU.BBS contains more than 22 lines, part of your menu will scroll off the remote user's screen when the main menu prompt is displayed. TIP: If you create an empty MENU.BBS file (a file with a single space in it for example), you can give your Host a psuedo 'expert mode' since only the 'MAIN Menu Command:' prompt will be displayed in such a case. 4.7 HELP.BBS HELP.BBS is used when the caller selectes [H]elp from the Host Main Menu. After [H]elp is selected, Host prompts the user to enter the LETTER of the menu option that (s)he needs help with. After the letter is pressed, Host then opens the file HELP.BBS, and searches for a line containing the following: .topic [<letter>] where <letter> is the letter the user pressed. All text following the matching '.topic' line is then displayed to the user (with one or more <MORE> prompts if necessary) until another '.topic' line is found, or until the end of the file is reached. 4.8 LOGOFF.BBS LOGOFF.BBS, if found, is displayed when the user logs off ([G]oodbye, [A]bort Host, or if you press [End] to terminate the user). Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 23 5. USING DOORWAY FOR DOS SHELLS 5.1 What is DOORWAY? DOORWAY, a shareware program by Marshall Dudley, allows you to interact with almost any program remotely, even through non-standard communications ports, and even if the program performs DIRECT video writes. The only programs that DOORWAY cannot re-direct through a COM port are programs that use bit-mapped graphics. By executing DOORWAY.EXE in Intellicomm Host's HSTSHELL.BAT file (see the example below), your host [S]hell to DOS option will not suffer from the DOS 'CTTY' shortcomings as documented above in the 'CTTY Limitations' section. From the DOORWAY.DOC file, here are some obvious reasons to replace CTTY with DOORWAY in your HSTSHELL.BAT file: CTTY DOORWAY Redirects BIOS writes no yes Redirects direct screen writes no yes Generates ANSI codes no yes Works with multi-taskers no yes Allows function keys to be sent no yes Allows cursor keys to be sent no yes Monitors carrier no yes Abort on keyboard timeouts no yes Handles 24 line com programs no yes Gives 24 hours support via BBS no yes DOORWAY is available for download on most BBS's. The shareware version is limited to ten minutes per session, but this is an adequate amount of time to evaluate the program and see if it works for you. DOORWAY registration was $30.00US ($49.95US with printed manual) at the time this was written, and it's well worth the money if you're planning to use your computer remotely to any extent. For more information, contact the DOORWAY support BBS at: Public lines (615)966-3574, (Hayes Ultra V.32bis) and (615)675-4753, (USR DUAL V.32bis) or write to: TriMark Engineering, Attn. Marshall Dudley 406 Monitor Lane Knoxville, Tn. 37922 5.2 Setting up DOORWAY for Intellicomm Host 1. Do not use the INSTALL.EXE program that accompanies DOORWAY. Simply copy the DOORWAY.EXE file to any directory on your DOS PATH. Example: COPY DOORWAY.EXE \UTILS Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 24 None of the other files included with the DOORWAY package need be installed. Keep REGISTER.FRM (the DOORWAY order form) and DOORWAY.DOC handy, and see the file list at the top of DOORWAY.DOC if you're interested in what the other files do. 2. Load the file \ICOM\HSTSHELL.BAT into a text editor (DOS 'EDIT', Intellicomm's Text Editor [Alt-A], etc). Move to the line containing the DOORWAY command, then press the [Del] key four times to remove the "rem " that precedes the command. Then press [Down] arrow and hold down [Del] to remove everything following DOORWAY (or simply insert "rem " before each line following). The finished HSTSHELL.BAT should look like this: Echo off rem This batch file is called when '[S]hell to DOS' is selected from rem Intellicomm Host. The file uses DOS CTTY by default: if you have rem DOORWAY.EXE, remove the 'rem' preceding the DOORWAY command below, rem then delete all the lines following the DOORWAY command. Please rem see HOST.DOC for more details on HSTSHELL.BAT. rem rem Parameters passed from Intellicomm Host: rem rem %1 The current COM PORT (1-8) rem %2 The current BAUD RATE (300-115200) rem %3 The port BASE ADDRESS (in hexadecimal) rem %4 The port IRQ (in hexadecimal) rem DOORWAY PORT:%3:%4 /A:OFF /G:ON /K:0 /M:32767 /S:* /V:D^U /C:DOS The command line options in the DOORWAY command are as follows: /PORT:%3:%4 Tells DOORWAY the port BASE ADDRESS and IRQ (the third and fourth parameters passed to HSTSHELL.BAT by Intellicomm Host). This allows DOORWAY to use any communications port, as opposed to DOS's CTTY which is limited to COM1 and COM2. /A:OFF Alarm bell off (Host computer). Keeps things quiet at the Host end while the user operates in the shell. /G:ON ANSI graphics on. The remote computer must be using ANSI.SYS, or a communications program that supports ANSI terminal emulation; most communications programs, including Intellicomm, support ANSI graphics. /K:0 Keyboard timeout, in seconds (0=no timeout; 255 second maximum). If you set this to anything other than zero, and no keys are pressed in that number of seconds, DOORWAY will automatically exit back to Intellicomm Host. A timeout is not recommended, since if a timeout occurs, DOORWAY will abort any program you're running in the shell, without saving your work first. /M:32767 Maximum time in seconds allowed for shell (32767=no timeout). Note that the unregistered version of DOORWAY forces a 10 minute timeout. There is no forced time limit for Host calls, so you should leave this set to 32767. Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 25 /S:* Specifies that no DOOR.SYS / PCBOARD.SYS file is available (*.SYS are files that are created by bulletin boards when shelling out to doors; not supported by Intellicomm Host). /V:D^U Re-directs Direct screen writes, and allow the remote user to toggle into BIOS screen write re-direction by pressing [Ctrl-U] (and back to Direct screen re-direction by pressing [Ctrl-U] again). It shouldn't ever be necessary to switch from Direct screen re-direction to BIOS re-direction, but the [Ctrl-U] is provided to allow the remote user to RE-DRAW the current screen if necessary; DOORWAY re-draws the screen when the video re-direction mode is changed. Just press [Ctrl-U] twice when operating DOORWAY remotely to re-draw your screen. NOTE: For reasons unknown, DOORWAY would not operate on a 486 notebook we tested on, when ^U (or any ^ sequence) followed the /V:D switch. DOORWAY displayed its initial message, but exited back to the Host without displaying the DOS command prompt. If you experience similar problems on your computer, try removing the ^U. /C:DOS Shell to the DOS prompt (as opposed to running a program). Note that C:DOS does not refer to drive C: or a DOS directory; C:DOS is simply the format that DOORWAY uses to signify "shell to the DOS command prompt". Do not change this switch! OPTIONAL Command Line Switches: If you add any of the command line switches below, place them AFTER the PORT: option, and BEFORE the /C:DOS option. PORT: must be the first parameter, and /C:DOS must be the last. The order of switches in between doesn't matter... but make sure you separate each switch with a space. /B:M Add If using a remote communications programs that doesn't allow you to eliminate the status line. When you turn Intellicomm's "Doorway Mode [Alt-=]" on, the status line is automatically removed. With other communications programs /FC Add this switch if using a Direct CABLE Link (null modem cable). It causes DOORWAY to ignore the status of the port carrier detect (online/offline) signal. /O:T Override the DOORWAY title screen and eliminate the opening delay. This switch works with the registered version only. /U Add this switch if using DESQview (causes DOORWAY to write to the DESQview video buffer). 5.3 Using DOORWAY from the Remote End A regular communications program is used on the remote end when interacting with DOORWAY remotely. Preferably the communications program should support 'Doorway Mode' which allows use of the cursor keys, function keys and [Alt] key combinations, and 'ANSI' terminal emulation for screen colors and cursor positioning. Intellicomm's Doorway Mode is toggled on and off with [Alt-=] (Alt- Equals) in Terminal Mode. Press [Alt-=] before you select [S]hell to DOS when using Intellicomm to call into your Host remotely. [Alt-=] is also Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 26 used to toggle doorway mode off when you exit from the shell. Note that Intellicomm automatically shuts its Terminal status line OFF when doorway mode is activated, providing full access to the screen. In other communications programs, a second key may have to be pressed after [Alt- =] to shut the status line off. Intellicomm's default (and currently only) terminal emulation is ANSI. In other communications programs, the ANSI terminal emulation is normally defined in the dialing directory entry. 6. HOST QUESTIONS & ANSWERS, PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS NOTE: All settings discussed below, unless otherwise stated, are defined by accessing "Intellicomm Setup" (from the Icom Main Menu), then selecting the "Host Mode Settings" screen. Q. I'm getting calls to my Host, but nothing happens. A. First check the obvious, since the obvious is the easiest to overlook: Make sure that your modem is plugged in (has power), check that all cables are securely connected, and ensure that the telephone jack is plugged in to both the modem and the wall socket or jack. If possible, plug a regular telephone into the wall jack that your modem is connected to, and check the line for a dial tone. If the obvious checks out, start Intellicomm and select "Terminal Mode" from the Main Menu. Type a command to your modem and see if it responds. If not, check the main setup "Terminal Settings" screen to ensure that you have the COM Port, Port Settings, and Flow Control properly configured. If so you may have a hardware problem. Please contact your dealer for technical assistance. Q. I can hear my modem speaker ringing, but the Host doesn't answer the call. What's wrong? Perform the following test: Start Intellicomm and access Terminal Mode. Do NOT start the Host. Then have someone call you with their modem. Watch Intellicomm's terminal screen to see what (if any) message your modem displays on the screen after each ring. If "RING" (no quotes) is not displayed, but some other message IS displayed, simply replace "RING" with the proper string in the 'Modem RING Message' item (Icom main setup, Host Mode Settings). If no message at all is displayed after the modem rings, you may have to add one or more commands to the 'Modem Init Host Command' string to get the modem to return the RING result code. See your modem manual, or call the modem manufacturer's BBS or Techical Support line. If RING *is* displayed, type the command "ATA" (no quotes) and press [Enter] after the RING message. This is exactly what the Host does... it watches the COM port for the word RING, then pauses for half-a- second, then enters "ATA[Enter]". By doing it manually from Terminal Mode you should be able to see any potential problems. After typing Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 27 ATA[Enter] your modem should 'hang' for a second or two (or even up to 5 or 10 seconds), and then display the "CONNECT" message. If nothing happens 10 seconds or so after you type the ATA command, your modem most likely uses a command other than ATA to answer incoming calls: see your modem documentation, then plug the proper command (following it with ^M if [Enter] is required) in the 'Modem Answer Command' item on the Host Settings screen. If something other than "CONNECT" is displayed by your modem (assuming it connects when you enter the ATA or other command), then plug the proper connect string into the 'Dial Connected' slot on the main setup "Dialer Settings" screen. Q. Occassionally when someone calls, I get the message "Modem couldn't connect" from the Host, and the call is then terminated. What does this message mean? A. After the RING message is received from the modem, the Host sends the ATA command, then watches the communications port for the 'Dial Connected' string defined on the main setup / Dialer Settings screen (Dial Connected is set to "CONNECT" by default). If the CONNECT message is not found within twenty seconds after sending the ATA command, the Host gives up and displays the message "Modem couldn't connect!". This could happen for a number of reasons: your modem may have tried every "hand-shaking" method it knew (hand-shaking is the initial communication between modems which define the method they'll use to communicate), and simply gave up because the calling modem was incompatible with your modem. Many modems also have switches or command settings that instruct the modem to disallow 300 baud calls, 1200 baud calls, etc. But the problem lies in the hardware and not in Intellicomm Host. Your modem manual (and/or your caller's modem manual) likely has the answer to the problem. Q. Why does the Host display the message "Sorry, DOS functions are not available on this Host" when my callers try to access the DOS-related functions? A. You don't have a 'DOS Shell Password' defined on the main setup / Host Mode Settings screen. DOS functions are disabled if no password is defined. Q. Why does the Host display the message "Sorry, Abort is not available on this Host" when my callers try to access [A]bort Host? A. You don't have an 'Abort Password' defined on the main setup / Host Mode Settings screen. Abort is disabled if no password is defined. Q. How can I re-define the Host Mode prompts? A. Currently you can't. Intellicomm v2.01 HOST.DOC 28 Q. How can I re-define the key assignments that the Host Mode uses? For example, I'd like to use [G]et Files instead of [D]ownload (G instead of D). A. Currently you can't.