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SwapIRQ User Guide Computer Telecommunication Systems, Inc. 3847 Foxwood Road, Suite 1000 Duluth, Georgia 30136-6100 Orders: 1-800-380-2666 Voice: 1-770-263-8623 FAX: 1-770-263-0124 Email: info@comminfo.com (Internet) or 76662,2315 (CompuServe) (C) Copyright 1993-1995 Computer Telecommunication Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved No part of this User Guide may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language (natural or computer), in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of Computer Telecommunication Systems, Inc. Information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Computer Telecommunication Systems, Inc Computer Telecommunication Systems, Inc. may make improvements and/or changes in the manual and/or in SwapIRQ at any time Trademarks and Copyrights ------------------------- IBM(R) and PS/2(R) are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Hayes(R) is registered trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. The CTS Serial Port Utilities(TM), IRQInfo and SwapIRQ(TM) are trademarks of Computer Telecommunication Systems, Inc. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introducing SwapIRQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Installing SwapIRQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Before Using SwapIRQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Using SwapIRQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Help Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Loading SwapIRQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Format 1: SwapIRQ /ih /is . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Format 2: SwapIRQ /ih /is /n /M . . . . . . . . . 4 Format 3: SwapIRQ /ih /is /Aaaa /M. . . . . . . . 4 Stopping SwapIRQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Running SwapIRQ From a Batch File. . . . . . . . . . . 5 Using SwapIRQ with Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Example 1: Your modem is on Com3 using IRQ 5, but software only uses Com3 with IRQ 4. . . . . 6 Example 2: Your serial ports support high IRQs, but your software doesn't . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Example 3: Your modem is on Com3 using IRQ 5, and your mouse is on Com1 using IRQ 4. Your software uses Com3 on IRQ 4, which conflicts with your serial mouse (also using IRQ 4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Appendix A: Conventional IRQ and Address Assignments for Serial Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Appendix B: Using SwapIRQ with Games . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Appendix C: Compatibility list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Introducing SwapIRQ(TM) ----------------------- SwapIRQ is a powerful but tiny DOS utility which allows your existing communications software to use any interrupt (IRQ) supported by your serial port or modem. You can also use it in a "DOS session" under Windows to provide access to an IRQ not supported by a DOS application. SwapIRQ works under DOS versions 2.0 and higher, and uses less than 1K (actually, less than 800 bytes) of memory. Serial cards and board modems in your computer system are installed at a particular address and use an IRQ (an Interrupt ReQuest line) to signal the controlling software that they require attention. Some cards only allow selection of a Com port: Com1, Com2, etc., and use the industry standard addresses and IRQs as described in Appendix A. Other serial ports let you independently select a port address and IRQ which do not follow any particular standards. Communication software requires two pieces of information to work with a serial card or a board modem. First, software must know the address used by the board so that commands can be issued. Secondly, the software must know which IRQ is used by the board to request attention. Finally, you must be able to configure the software to use the address and IRQ used by the serial card. Otherwise, the board or modem will not work with the software. Communication software normally lets you select the port to use - Com1, Com2, and so on. A few applications are limited to using the two "standard" serial ports: Com1 at address 3F8H (hexadecimal) with IRQ 4, and Com2 at address 2F8H with IRQ 3. There are some serial ports that allow Com1 and Com2 to use other IRQs, and SwapIRQ will allow these applications to work with the ports on other IRQs. Other applications allow you to use more serial ports - Com3 and Com4 are common. However, many of these applications may require that the IRQ used by Com3 and Com4 are the same as the IRQs used by Com1 and Com2. SwapIRQ enables these applications to use Com3 and Com4 (or any serial port) on any available IRQ supported by the serial port. SwapIRQ does this by "redirecting the interrupt". For example, let's say that your software is set up to use Com3 on IRQ 4, but your serial port is set up as Com3 using IRQ 5. When your board generates the interrupt request (IRQ 5), your software won't see it because it isn't watching the correct IRQ (it's looking for IRQ 4). The result is a "hung application", or worse, a system lockup. But if you install SwapIRQ before using the application, then SwapIRQ "watches for" IRQ 5 for your application. When your serial board activates IRQ 5, SwapIRQ detects it and signals the IRQ your software uses (IRQ 4, in this case) that the interrupt occurred. This allows the software to operate normally. When you are finished with the application, you unload SwapIRQ to put your system back in its normal state. -1- Installing SwapIRQ ------------------ SwapIRQ is normally placed in a subdirectory on your hard disk. The following instructions assume you will put SwapIRQ in a directory named "SWAPIRQ": 1. Create an "SWAPIRQ" subdirectory on your hard disk using the DOS Make Directory (MD) command: Example: C>MD SWAPIRQ <Enter> NOTE: <Enter> means to press the Enter (Return) key. 2. Change the default directory to the directory you created using the DOS Change Directory (CD) command: Example: C>CD SWAPIRQ <Enter> 3. Copy the distribution files to the SWAPIRQ directory. If the distribution files are on a floppy diskette in drive A, you would enter: Example: C:\SWAPIRQ>COPY A:\*.* <Enter> If your directory contains a README.TXT file, then check this file for additional information not included in this User Guide. SwapIRQ is ready to run. To make SwapIRQ available to all of your applications, you can add the SwapIRQ directory to the PATH command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. An alternative is to use a batch file for each of your applications requiring SwapIRQ as described on Page 8. Before Using SwapIRQ -------------------- Before you use SwapIRQ with your serial ports, you should verify that your system has no serious serial port or interrupt conflicts. If you have been using your current system for some time without problems, then you can probably assume that your system is configured properly. If you have changed your system setup recently, or if you have occasional difficulties, then a little additional testing is worth the effort. If you have the CTS Serial Port Utilities, then run PortInfo, paying careful attention to the error and warning messages regarding port and interrupt conflicts. If PortInfo detects serial port conflicts, then these should be resolved before using SwapIRQ. If you do not have the CTS Serial Port Utilities, then we suggest you contact us to obtain a copy, particularly if you observe any problems with SwapIRQ. After you have verified that your system is in good working order, then you need to determine which interrupt your hardware is generating, and which interrupts your software can use. You will use this information when starting SwapIRQ. -2- Using SwapIRQ ------------- SwapIRQ is a TSR application that you load before running your application which requires the special interrupt handling, and unload when you are finished. SwapIRQ is controlled through command line switches, and is aware of CTSCOMn environment variables. There are several possible command lines formats: Help Screen You can display the help screen from the DOS prompt by entering either: C:\SWAPIRQ>SwapIRQ <Enter> -OR- C:\SWAPIRQ>SwapIRQ /? <Enter> Loading SwapIRQ There are three formats for loading SwapIRQ. The first is fine to use under most circumstances. However, if you experience problems with SwapIRQ when using the first format, then try the second. The second format will make sure that another serial port will not generate interrupts that conflict with SwapIRQ. You can even completely disable a serial mouse that uses the same IRQ required by your software for something else! Format 1: SwapIRQ /ih /is This command installs the SwapIRQ program, and swaps hardware IRQ 'h' to software IRQ 's'. That is, the serial port is using IRQ 'h' to signal the software, which is looking for IRQ 's' where:'h' is the IRQ generated by the hardware 's' is the IRQ expected by the software NOTE: They must be in the sequence shown. The valid 'h' and 's' values are decimal 2-7 for an IBM PC/XT computer, and 3-7, 9-12, 14 and 15 for an IBM AT or compatible machine. NOTE: if your board has a setting for IRQ 2, it is actually using IRQ 9 in an IBM AT or compatible computer. You should use IRQ 9 as the hardware IRQ. You can use IRQ 2 as the software IRQ. -3- For example, using the command line: SwapIRQ /i5 /i4 SwapIRQ will translate IRQ 5 generated by the serial port to IRQ 4 for the software. NOTE: There is one important limitation when using SwapIRQ. The "software interrupt" cannot be used by a hardware device at the same time that SwapIRQ is in use. In the example above, the IRQ 4 line must be dedicated to SwapIRQ. The Com1 serial port, which normally uses IRQ 4, must be inactive while SwapIRQ is loaded. See command Format 2 on how to disable interrupts from a serial port or serial mouse while SwapIRQ is loaded. Format 2: SwapIRQ /ih /is /n /M where 'n' is a valid serial port number of 1-8. The '/n' switch instructs SwapIRQ to disable interrupts from serial port 'n'. Use this switch if you are switching a hardware interrupt over to an interrupt line used by another serial port. This will prevent a stray interrupt from the serial port from contesting with the swapped interrupt. If you add a '/M' switch to the command line, this will completely disable a serial mouse on port 'n'. Applications that use a mouse may require this command format to run correctly with SwapIRQ. NOTE: If you use the CTS Serial Port Utilities and the CTSCOMn environment variables, then SwapIRQ will use these port assignments. Format 3: SwapIRQ /ih /is /Aaaa /M where 'aaa' is a valid serial port address, in hexadecimal. You can use this option to disable interrupts from a serial port at address 'aaa'. Use this command if you are swapping a hardware IRQ over to an IRQ line used by a non-standard serial port, and you do not have a CTS Serial Port Utility CTSCOMn environment variable defined for the port. The '/M' switch behaves just as described above. -4- Stopping SwapIRQ Stop SwapIRQ from running when you have finished with the application that needs it. This is done with the command: C:\SWAPIRQ>SwapIRQ /D <Enter> This command removes SwapIRQ from memory and restores all interrupt control back to a normal status. If another application has been loaded since SwapIRQ was installed, then SwapIRQ will only be disabled and not removed from memory. In this case, you will lose about 1K of system memory until your next system startup (reboot). NOTE: it is recommended that you load SwapIRQ just before running your application and then unload it immediately afterwards. You can put the SwapIRQ commands into a batch file to automate the process. Running SwapIRQ From a Batch File You can set up batch files to automatically load and unload SwapIRQ by doing the following (this assumes that SwapIRQ is located in a directory SWAPIRQ on the "C" drive): Create a batch file in the directory of the program that requires SwapIRQ that starts SwapIRQ, then runs the communication application you need, and then unloads SwapIRQ when you have finished. FILE: SAMPLE.BAT c:\SWAPIRQ\SwapIRQ /i5 /i4 (to swap IRQ 5 to IRQ 4) CommProg (put the program startup string here) c:\SWAPIRQ\SwapIRQ /d (unloads SwapIRQ) Using SwapIRQ with Windows -------------------------- You can use SwapIRQ in Windows just like you do in DOS. Before using SwapIRQ with Windows, it is important to have Windows properly configured for the serial ports you have in your system. You can do this either through your Windows control panel, or by editing the WIN.INI file with a text editor. See your Microsoft Windows documentation for additional information. You use SwapIRQ under Windows in a DOS box to provide access for DOS-based communication applications to IRQs not supported directly by the application. Load SwapIRQ as a described for DOS in a Windows DOS box before running your DOS communications program. Then run the application just as you would under DOS. -5- Examples -------- Example 1: Your modem is on Com3 using IRQ 5, but software only uses Com3 with IRQ 4 You have a modem on Com3, IRQ 5. Most of your software supports this modem. However, one application allows use of Com3, but won't let you specify the IRQ used by the port. Solution: Use SwapIRQ to "redirect" IRQ 5 generated by the modem to IRQ 4 (the conventional IRQ for Com3) when using this application. To be on the safe side, you also disable Com1 from generating interrupts on IRQ 4 while SwapIRQ is loaded. You can do this with the command line "SWAPIRQ /i5 /i4 /1" where: SwapIRQ /i5 /i4 /1 ^ ^ ^ | | | | | +---- Disable Com1 IRQs (Com1 uses IRQ 4) | | | +------- The software uses IRQ 4 | +----------- The modem uses IRQ 5 Com1 is now disabled until you unload SwapIRQ or until another application re-enables it. Run your application that needed the interrupts swapped. When you are finished with the application, you unload SwapIRQ to restore your system to a "normal" status. Example 2: Your serial ports support high IRQs, but your software doesn't: You have a 16-bit serial board that supports high IRQs (10-12, 14 and 15), but some of your software doesn't allow you to access these IRQs. Solution: Use SwapIRQ to redirect the high IRQs to the conventional IRQs supported by most communication software. For example, if you need to use Com4, IRQ 11 with an application that expects Com4 to use IRQ 3, then you load SwapIRQ before running the application with the command: C:\SWAPIRQ>SwapIRQ /i11 /i3 <Enter> - OR - C:\SWAPIRQ>SwapIRQ /i11 /i3 /2 <Enter> (to prevent Com2 from generating interrupts on IRQ 3) NOTE: the command line "switches" like "/i", "/a", and "/d" can be either uppercase or lowercase letters. -6- Example 3: Your modem is on Com3 using IRQ 5, and your mouse is on Com1 using IRQ 4. Your software uses Com3 on IRQ 4, which conflicts with your serial mouse (also using IRQ 4). Solution: You use SwapIRQ to get access to the modem on IRQ 4 and to prevent the mouse from interfering. NOTE: you will not be able to use the mouse in this application, since SwapIRQ shuts off the mouse! To do this, you load SwapIRQ with the command: SwapIRQ /i5 /i4 /1 /M ^ ^ ^ ^ | | | | | | | +------- Disables the mouse | | | | | +---------- Disables IRQs from Com1 | | (which uses IRQ 4) | | | +------------- The software uses IRQ 4 | +----------------- The modem uses IRQ 5 Then run your application. When you are finished with your application, stop SwapIRQ. Your mouse will be available to the next application you use after stopping SwapIRQ. -7- Appendix A: Conventional IRQ and Address Assignments for Serial Ports I. ISA (IBM AT and Compatible) Computers Serial Port IRQ Address (first address, in hexadecimal) Com1 4 3F8 (this is a STANDARD!) Com2 3 2F8 (this is a STANDARD!) Com3 4 3E8 (a convention) Com4 3 2E8 (a convention) NOTE: there are no conventions for Com5 or higher. II. Microchannel Architecture (IBM PS/2) Computers Serial Port IRQ Address (first address, in hexadecimal) Com1 4 3F8 Com2 3 2F8 Com3 3 3220 Com4 3 3228 Com5 3 4220 Com6 3 4228 Com7 3 5220 Com8 3 5228 NOTE: These are standards as defined by IBM. -8- Appendix B: Using SwapIRQ with Games Many DOS games are set up to only work with one IRQ - usually IRQ 5 or IRQ 7. If your sound card is not set up to work on that IRQ, you miss all of the sound. While SwapIRQ was developed specifically for communications, you can use it with many DOS games to allow the sound card IRQ to get through to the game software. Operation with games is similar to that for communication software. Simply replace the word "modem" with "sound card" in all earlier sections of the User Guide. Example 4: Your sound card uses IRQ 5, but the game software requires the sound card on IRQ 7: Solution: Use SwapIRQ to "redirect" IRQ 5 generated by the sound card to IRQ 7. SwapIRQ /i5 /i7 ^ ^ | | | +------- The game software uses IRQ 7 | +----------- The sound card uses IRQ 5 -9- Appendix C: Compatibility List SwapIRQ has been used extensively for over 2 years with a wide range of communications software. At the time of this initial shareware release, the only known incompatibilities are with the America Online for DOS and Prodigy for DOS programs. I would like to compile a list of games that do and do not operate; please let us know how SwapIRQ works for you by contacting us via any means listed on the title page of this User Guide. Association Of Shareware Professionals Member ============================================= _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX 616-788-2765 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. -10- Name: ______________________________ Telephone: ____________________ Company: ________________________________ E-mail ID: ____________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ QTY Description Price Subtotal === =========== ===== ======== ___ SwapIRQ $20 ________ ======== Sub-Total $________ Sales Tax: Georgia residents add 5% $________ Shipping & Handling: $ 4.00 ========= TOTAL (US dollars, please) $________ PAYMENT METHOD: Check __ Money Order __ EuroCheq __ Discover __ Visa __ MasterCard __ Am. Express __ Purchase Order ($50 min) __ ======================================================================== CREDIT CARD INFORMATION Name as it appears on the card: _________________________________ Card No. ________ ________ ________ ________ Expires ___/___ Cardholder signature: ___________________________________________ Please send to, FAX, Email or call: +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Computer Telecommunication Systems, Inc. | | 3847 Foxwood Road, Suite 1000 | | Duluth, Georgia 30136-6100 USA | +--------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Telephone | Electronic Mail | | --------- | --------------- | | Orders: 1-800-380-2666 | Internet:sales@comminfo.com | | Voice: 1-770-263-8623 | or http://www.comminfo.com | | FAX: 1-770-263-0124 | CompuServe: 76662,2315 | +--------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ Federal TaxID: 58-1880693. Prices are subject to change without notice.