Labels:text | screenshot | font OCR: |ProComm Plus | || for Windows by Tony Curro Each day brings a plethora of Windows products. DataStorm Technologies has recently released ProComm Plus for Windows (PC PLUS). ProComm Plus takes full advantage of the MS Windows environment. It is a full Windows product with pull down menus, full mouse support, and even DDE support . Installation of ProComm Plus for Windows requires 4,520K for a complete install. This includes a demo of ProComm Plus for Windows. While you are in the installation stage, you enter you name and serial number. You are then asked if you wish to register your product. If you state that you do, ProComm Plus for Windows will then call the DataStorm BBS and upload the information you provided on screen. You can then call for technical support as a fully registered user. The whole call procedure takes a couple of minutes. When you start ProComm Plus for Windows you will see either 8 or 12 icons along the action bar. This is dependent on your graphic mode. If you are below 800x600 you will see 8; 800x600 or above you will see 12. Even when lower graphic modes, you can select ALL these options via the drop down menus or key presses. ProComm Plus for Windows comes with 34 terminal emulations and a powerful scripting command language. Included, are detailed examples of the Windows ASPECT Script Language using scripts for automated log-on to CIS and DataStorm BBS. Creating a quick log-on script is very simple using PC Plus. You start record mode when you dial a BBS. As you log-on all the information is recorded. Once you are at the point where you wish to stop, you end record. Now you have the option of naming and compiling the file. In many instances you do not have to edit the scripts. I had to edit 2 or 3 out of over twenty-four that I created. A Host Script is also included, which allows unattended file transfers, E-Mail, individual security levels and more. There is a Windows ASPECT Script Language manual included with over 300 pages of explanations of each command and has a short tutorial. Simple log-on scripts can be created by anyone. However, the advanced scripting features might be a little bit much for the novice user. PC Plus has all the popular transfer protocols' built-in. These include Zmodem, CIS B+, ASCII, Ymodem-G and more. Viewing .GIF files as they are being downloaded is another feature of PC Plus. I am not a big . GIF fan, but the several that I did try worked very smoothly, and I did not notice and drastic slowdown of the transfer. You can even convert a .GIF file into a .BMP file for use as a Windows background file. Sending and receiving files requires you to click on either the Up or Down folders on the action bar. For upload's you are presented with a list of files. Double-clicking on a file will send it. You can also send files in batch mode. Zmodem has Auto2 D/L that requires no intervention on your part to receive a file. Another feature, which DataStorm unveiled in version 2.0 of their DOS program, is the File Clipboard. No more having to jot down names of files, which we usually misspell anyway. Just select and tag the files you wish to download. You can call a BBS in several ways: manual dial, opening the phonebook and selecting board name, or using the drop down quick dial option. PC Plus comes with a fully automated dialing directory that can be set differently for each service you call. You can also have multiple dialing directories and switch between them with a few mouse clicks. Directories also have options to include notes, be set up in a "dialing queue," keep information about times called and other information, and to have the entries sorted in a variety of ways. Each phone directory can store 250 entries. The manual also has a chapter on converting ProComm Plus DOS dialing directories into PC Plus for Windows directories. Meta keys are another task simplifier. Setting up keys are easy and can be used to run DOS programs, Windows programs, or even to send your name, password or other text directly to a BBS while on-line. The scrollback buffer can review the last 31 pages of text that have scrolled off your screen. Two other features of PC Plus are the: Dialog Editor and the User Window Builders, both let you build interactive dialog boxes or graphical displays on screen and save the results as source code for use in Windows ASPECT scripts. Both have sample files included in the manual. I have been using ProComm Plus for Windows for over a month now. I have not experienced any problems whatsoever. I have phoned many BBSs and have done numerous uploads and downloads, all of which never gave me a problem. I have used several other communications programs for Windows, and have found ProComm Plus for Windows to be the most stable. The others have aborted d/l's, logged me off, dropped the transfer rate to a snail's pace, and other sundry adventures. DataStorm has put its vast knowledge of creating communication programs over the years to good use. When it did create one for Windows it did create one that deserves to carry the DataStorm name. Owners of the DOS version can upgrade to the Windows version for $69 by calling 1-800-326-4999 and using MasterCard of VISA. Product Information PROCOMM PLUS for Windows List Price: $149 (limited intro. price) |DataStorm Technologies 3212 Lemone Blvd. Columbia, MO 65201 314 443-3282
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