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Text File | 1990-03-06 | 23KB | 482 lines

┌────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ └┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌────┐ │ │ │ │ │ └───┘ <tm> │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Electronic Technologies │ └──────┐ │ │ 3985 S. Rochester Road Ste.H │ ┌──────┘ │ │ Rochester, Michigan 48063 │ │ │ │ │ └────────────┐┌┘ └┐ CompuServe ID: 70337,1654 │ ││ │ 7 day 24 hr BBS SUPPORT: └─────────────────────┘└────────┘ A/R BBS (313) 680-9154 SHAREWARE & FEES: The sole intention of shareware is to provide an inexpensive copy of the program for evaluation purposes only. Shareware is not free software. If you find value in this software and if you intend to use this software on a regular basis then you are morally obligated to pay for it. An order form has been included at the end of this documentation. The shareware version of this software may be distributed free of charge by use of electronic bulletin board services. However, any other distribution of this program must first be approved in writing by the author. If you are a software vendor, member of a user group or other organization then you must read the file "DISTRIB.DOC" for information about the rules and legalities which must be followed in the distribution of this software. LICENSE: Once a donation has been received, the program is officially registered and licensed. Registration permits a user the license to use this program only on a single PC. A registered user may use the program on a different computer, but may not use the program on more than one computer at the same time. No user may modify this software in any way, including but not limited to decompiling, disassembling or otherwise reverse engineering the program. WARRANTY: The author makes no warranty of any kind express or implied, including without limitation, any warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. IN NO EVENT WILL ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGIES OR THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PROGRAM, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. THIS PROGRAM IS OPERATED ENTIRELY AT THE USER'S RISK. TECH SUPPORT: Tech support is limited to one year for registered users only, and is available by mail, Compuserve "EasyPlex" or 24 hour Bulletin Board service. Questions should be submitted to the attention of Charles Eglinton. When requesting technical support please report the following: 1) Memory before running the program (use the dos command "CHKDSK:) 2) Computer, modem and printer type (if applicable) 3) The names of any TSR memory resident programs (Sidekick, Prokey..) 4) A listing of both your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- REMCTRL 5.3 - Copyright 1988,1989,1990 by Charles Eglinton Full documentation and License for only $35.00 (+$2 for 3.5"-720K disks if needed/requested) Charles Eglinton Compuserve: 70337,1654 3985 S. Rochester Rd, Ste. H A/R BBS: (313)680-9154 Rochester, Michigan 48063 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Programs: The following programs are included.... RC.DOC This documentation BOOT.COM A program to warm-boot the computer RC.COM The ring detection software CARRIER.COM+ An essential "lost-carrier" and mis-fire TSR utility PAGER.COM+ Calls pager when a message is left on your answering machine. RCINSTAL.COM* Creates an "A:AUTOEXEC.BAT" file for a bootable RC Diskette. HOST-PC.CMD Procomm Command file (to be copied to \PC subdirectory) HOST-QM.HST QModem Host Script (to be copied to \QM\SCRIPT subdir.) HOST-XT.XTK Crosstalk configuraton file (copy to \XTALK subdir.) + The shareware versions of these programs have restrictions: CARRIER.COM will only allow a 5 minute session before rebooting PAGER.COM will only allow a 7 digit pager number to be dialed. If you have a "dial-9" business system and require additional digits to test this program then send us a request on company letterhead for a special evaluation copy, at no charge. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT IS REMOTE CONTROL? RemCtrl is a set of small programs and files that allow you to use a modem host system, a Fax machine, a Fax board and an answering machine, or many combinations of these devices, on the same telephone line. Remote Control allows you to switch between these devices without a electronic switch box. Also, Remote Control can call your pager whenever a message has been left on your answering machine. SPECIAL NOTE TO COMPUTER LITERATES WITH COMPUTER ILLITERATE SPOUSES: Darn, you worked all weekend on those reports, the boss needs them in an hour, and you left them on your P.C. at home. You can call home and struggle for twenty minutes with instructions to your spouse about how to load Crosstalk XI in host mode or you could have used REMOTE CONTROL. SPECIAL NOTE TO SINGLES: Darn, you worked all weekend on those reports, the boss needs them in an hour, and you left them on your P.C. at home. You can call home and struggle for twenty minutes with instructions to your answering machine about how to load Crosstalk XI in host mode or you could have used REMOTE CONTROL. SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT SECURITY: Did I mention security? How can those hacker guys get access to your P.C. if they don't know it's there? REMOTE CONTROL can make your computer transparent to anyone who doesn't know how to activate REMOTE CONTROL. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ONE RING SIGNAL: USING COMM HOST SOFTWARE Using up to three devices on one telephone line is simple and requires only one additional step: A prelimary phone call to tell Remote Control what to do with the subsequent call. Here's how a one-ring signal would work: 1) Ring the phone line ONCE, hangup, wait about 30 seconds. Remote Control detects this single phone ring and starts your PC comm host software. (Procomm, Carbon Copy, PCAnywhere..etc.) 2) Now call back (within two minutes) and logon to your communications host system as though it were the only device attached to the telephone line. When you're done simply log off as usual. When the carrier is lost Remote Control will automatically reset itself. 3) If you hadn't called back within two minutes, Remote Control would have reset itself so that subsequent callers wouldn't get your host software. This is ideal for handling false alarms and one-ring signals which might be sent by mistake. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TWO RING SIGNAL: ADDING A FAX BOARD You could also use a "two-ring-signal" to start your PC-FAX card software and allow your pc to receive fax documents for a limited time. The FAX card should also be attached to the same phone line and should also be set to answer on the first ring. 1) Ring the phone line TWICE, hang up, and wait about 30 seconds. Remote Control will detect these two rings and will start your FAX board software. 2) Now, for five minutes (or whatever time you specify as the "wait for carrier" time) subsequent callers can send as many FAX documents to your PC as you want. After the "wait for carrier" time has elapsed, Remote Control will reset your computer and start to listen again for ring signals. 3) You can still have an answering machine attached, and set to answer on the third ring. You can also still have the communications host software set to activate after a one- ring signal. Three devices-on one telephone line. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- THREE OR MORE RINGS: RC calls your PAGER Remote Control can be useful even if you don't want to use the "one-ring" and "two-ring" signals. Remote Control can use your computer's modem to call your tone or digital display pager whenever a message is recorded on your standard home answering machine. Read the sections "PHONE#" and "REDIAL" in the "PAGER.COM" section for important information about the pager dialing sequence. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FAX MACHINES, ANSWERING MACHINES & CALLERS UNAWARE OF REMOTE CONTROL Callers who are unaware of Remote Control will wait on the line until they get an answer. Remote Control will stay invisible to these callers and let them connect to the default device (i.e. fax machine or answering machine). These callers need no special instructions. Your Fax machine or Answering machine should be set to answer at no FEWER than three rings. This is how Remote Control would handle such a call: 1) The Fax or Answerer answers on the third ring and the caller uses the device. 2) Remote Control will detect that there have been three or more rings and will begin the the steps that you've told it to take for "3 rings", i.e. calling (or not calling) your pager. 4) You can either use Remote Control to call your pager to alert you of the FAX or MESSAGE or simply have Remote Control reset itself for the next incoming call. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- VOICE CALLS: You can use a telephone line as a voice line and still use the Remote Control program. Simply instruct your family (or associates) not to answer the phone before the third ring. When configured as recommended, Remote Control will make the phone stop ringing in two or less rings when it handles the communication host and fax board calls. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- REMOTE CONTROL INSTALLATION (RCINST.COM) ASSUMPTIONS: 1. That you are using a hard drive. 2. That you have a modem attached to your computer. INSTALLATION: 1. If you are using a comunication host program (Cabon Copy, PCAnywhere, Procomm, Qmodem, etc.) you must copy all the Remote Control files to the same subdirectory as your communications programs. 2. Make a bootable floppy diskette using the following steps: a. Insert a blank diskette in the "A:" drive and close the drive door. b. Type "FORMAT A:/S" and press the [ENTER] key. 3. Change to the communication host subdirectory, type "RCINST", and press [ENTER]. 4. With the blank, bootable diskette still in the "A:" drive, press "Y" to continue 5. The installation screen will appear 6. Press [ESC] when you're done. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOST OPERATION: 1. To load Remote Control insert the Remote Control diskette in the "A:" drive and restart the computer. 2. To use the system locally (without Remote Control) simply restart the computer without the Remote Control diskette in the "A:" drive. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- IF YOU'RE USING A COMM HOST PROGRAM: 1. Insure that your communications host program is configured properly to (a) answer on the FIRST ring, and (b) force host to reboot when carrier is lost. If you are using: * PC Anywhere: use F7 from the main menu. Use F9 to save the changes. * Carbon Copy: type CCINSTAL from a command line to edit the settings. Set to answer on one ring and also set "REBOOT ON EXIT" to "YES". * Procomm: Start Procomm. Press [ALT] S. Select 5, "Host Setup". The auto answer string should read "~~~+++~~~ATS0=1!". Press "S" to save. You must also copy the file "HOST-PC.CMD" to the Procomm sub directory (usually C:\PC\). * Crosstalk: A command file named "HOST-XT.XTK" has been provided. It must be in the same directory as Crosstalk (usually C:\XTALK\). * Qmodem: A script file named "HOST-QM.CMD" has been provided but it must be installed in the proper QMODEM script subdirectory (usually called "C:\QM\SCRIPT\"). 2. Configure your fax machine (or answering machine) to answer on the THIRD ring. If your fax manual doesn't tell you how to change the number of rings then it may be a remote-service function. Call the manufacturer of your fax machine, ask for tech support and request they change the setting. Most can do this remotely at no charge. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- REMOTE CALLING WITH COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE: 1. Call your computer, ring once and hang up. Your computer will detect this one ring signal and start your communications host software. Get ready to call back with your comm program.... * PCAnywhere: You will call with "ATERM". * CarbonCopy: You will call with "CCHELP". * Procomm: You can call with any standard communications program. * QModem: You can call with any standard communications program. * Crosstalk: You can call with any standard communications program. 2. IMPORTANT NOTE: Because it takes most PC host software some time to initialize the modem and prepare to receive a call... WAIT 30 ABOUT SECONDS BEFORE CALLING BACK! Do not, however, wait too long. If you haven't called back within the time specified in the "wait for carrier" field, then, RemCtl will reset itself and your communications host program will not be awaiting your call...and you will have to do the "one-ring-and-hang-up" routine again. 3. At the conclusion of your remote session, simply log off as usual. The CARRIER.COM program will detect a loss of carrier and will reboot your host computer. There are two known exceptions: * PCAnywhere: When logging off, use ATERM's "special function" menu (called up by "Ctrl-RIght Shift") to reboot your host computer. THIS WILL AUTOMATICALLY RESET RemCtl and PCAnywhere on the host, so that your host computer will be ready to receive your next remote call- in. It is suggested that you use this method, rather than ACANCEL or ALOGOFF...because they will not keep RemCtl's functions active. * Carbon Copy: Carbon Copy "knocks-out" the carrier detection ability of the CARRIER program once a call is connected. For Carbon Copy to work correctly you must use the CCINSTAL program to set the "REBOOT ON EXIT" option to "YES". ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS: If you are familiar with batch files then you might be interested in the method that Remote Control uses to process the ring signals. Look at the batch file RC-AUTO.BAT in the communication host subdirectory or the file "AUTOEXEC.BAT" on the bootable Remote Control diskette. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC.COM: Remote Control ring detection program usage: RC [port] [init] [PORT] is the communications port for your modem (1, 2, 3 or 4) [INIT] is your modem initialization string (usually "ATZ0") RC.COM uses your PC's modem to watch the incoming telephone rings. When RC.COM has determined that the telephone has stopped ringing it terminates then sends the ring count as an ERRORLEVEL to the batch file. RC will detect (and relay) one, two or three rings. If there are more than three rings then it will be passed to the batch file as three rings. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CARRIER.COM:Carrier watchdog & timing device program usage: CARRIER [port] [waittime] [PORT] is the communications port for your modem (1, 2, 3 or 4) [WAITTIME] is how long to wait (in seconds) for an incoming carrier tone before rebooting the computer and resetting RemoteControl. a) When CARRIER is activated it becomes a modem watchdog-If "modem-to- modem" call is not received within the number of seconds specified by the "waittime" parameter, then CARRIER will boot the computer and reset Remote Control. b) When a modem-to-modem call is detected within the number of seconds specified by "waittime" then CARRIER sits back silently and watches the line until the call has been completed. When the carrier is lost (either intentionally or unintentionally) then CARRIER will boot the computer and reset Remote Control. c) CARRIER.COM can also be used as a timing device. Obviously, a PC-FAX board will not send a carrier to your modem and the CARRIER.COM program will never detect a carrier. However, by setting CARRIER to wait about five minutes for a carrier, you will be able to use the FAX board capabilities for five minutes before CARRIER boots the computer and resets RemoteControl. For example, a five minute CARRIER command line would be: "CARRIER 1 300" where "1" is the Comm Port and 300 specifies 300 seconds to wait for a carrier tone before resetting the system. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PAGER.COM: Calls your pager when messages are received. usage: PAGER [port] [waittime] [phone#] [retry] [PORT] is the communications port for your modem (1, 2, 3 or 4) [WAITTIME] is the number of seconds to wait before making the first attempt. [PHONE#] is the complete dialing string including modem commands and delays if you're using a digital display pager or 'dial 9' phone. [RETRY] is the number of attempts pager will make to call the pager (valid options are 1,2,3,4,5 and "B" see below for details) PHONE#: The text that you use for the PHONE# will be sent directly to the modem. The PHONE# is actually made of three sections: (a) The ATtention code, (b) the pager phone number and (c) the digital display digits. a) Attention codes for Hayes compatible modems begin with "AT". The characters following "AT" give are specific modem commands. "X4" tells the modem to report a result code if a busy signal is detected. "DT" tells the modem to dial using Touch Tones. "DP" tells the modem to dial using the "Pulse" method. In most cases you can use "ATX4DT" to begin the PHONE#. b) Immediately following the pager phone number (step b.,above) type five commas followed by the number you would like to appear on the pager's digital display. Each comma will pause the dialing sequence by about two seconds. Very simply, the pager company will answer the call and send it's tone before your modem has finished dialing. When the modem finally completes the dialing sequence, the pager company will interpret the tones to be the numbers to be sent to the pager's display. c) This step is for digital display pager owners, only. You can tell "PAGER" to send specific numbers which will appear on your pager when it is called. This is mostly a trick in timing; RETRY: This is how many times PAGER should attempt to call your pager number. Only the "B" command will try to dial the pager number up to 5 times and quit when it determines that it was successful. If you type a number as the RETRY parameter then PAGER will call that many times regardless of the outcome of each call. Always try the "B" setting first, but if PAGER isn't successful in determining the success or failure of a call then set RETRY to 2 or 3. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RemoteControl Toolbox REGISTRATION FORM: Please make your check or money order payable to Charles Eglinton Donation Schedule: 1 to 15 copies $35.00 ea. 16 to 30 copies (10% off) $31.50 ea. 31 to 49 copies (20% off) $28.00 ea. 50 to 99 copies (30% off) $24.50 ea. 100+ copies (by arrangement) MAIL TO: Charles Eglinton c/o Electronic Technologies 3985 S. Rochester Road, Suite H. Rochester, MI 48063 NAME:____________________________________________________ ADDRESS:____________________________________________________ CITY:____________________________________________________ STATE:________________________ ZIP CODE:_________________ PHONE:________________________ REGISTERED USERS WILL GET PRINTED INSTRUCTIONS AND UNRESTRICTED COPIES OF THE PROGRAM WITH ALL OF THE FEATURES DESCRIBED. SPECIFICATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS SO THAT WE MAY SERVE YOU BETTER IN THE FUTURE: WHAT IS THE NAME AND NUMBER OF THE BBS WHERE YOU FOUND THIS PROGRAM?____________________________________________ WHAT KIND OF COMPUTER DO YOU USE?__________________________________ WHAT KIND OF MODEM DO YOU USE?_____________________________________ WHAT IS YOUR OCCUPATION?___________________________________________ HOW DO YOU INTEND TO USE THIS PROGRAM?_____________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ DO YOU FEEL THE DONATION IS TOO HIGH, JUST RIGHT or TOO LOW?_______