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1990-09-03
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Product: Port Finder mcTRONic Systems
Date: July 23, 1990 7426 Cornwall Bridge Ln.
Document: Product Information Houston, TX 77041-1709
Version: PF.COM R2.51 (713) 462-7687
PF.SYS R1.10 Hours: 5-10 PM M-F CST
Port Finder is a COM and LPT port utility program. Its
primary purpose is to activate COM3 or 4 on computers that
have the hardware and also use PC or MS DOS 3.3, 4.0 or
higher. In addition to COM port activation, Port Finder
allows all possible COM to COM and LPT to LPT port swaps.
Port swapping allows use of COM3 and 4 in programs that only
permit entry of COM1 or 2. In addition, both COM and LPT
port swapping is useful for programs that are preconfigured
to use a port other than the one you wish to use. You may
find that it is easier to swap ports instead of reconfigur-
ing your program or swapping cables.
Port Finder comes in two forms. The first is PF.COM
which performs all the aforementioned functions. PF.COM is
usually added to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file and run each time
you startup your computer. PF.COM can also be run at any
time from the DOS prompt or used in batch files. The second
form is PF.SYS which is a device driver and must be run from
your CONFIG.SYS file on startup only. PF.SYS allows only
COM to COM port swaps and is intended for use with other
device drivers that might use COM3 or 4 directly or indi-
rectly after a port swap.
In addition to activating ports and port swapping, both
PF.COM and PF.SYS will display actual COM port addresses in
HEX. Also PF.COM will display the LPT port addresses in HEX,
your computer type, BIOS date, DOS version, display adapter
type, total base and extended memory, and total expanded
memory with EMS version. All of this information can be
very helpful when setting up a computer or troubleshooting a
port or other problems.
For your information, any program that bypasses DOS and
directly addresses the COM or LPT ports will not be affected
in any way by Port Finder. Many modem programs bypass DOS
in order to achieve higher port speeds or the ability to
multitask both COM and LPT ports for simultaneous use. This
(bypass DOS) is not a problem with such a program as PROCOMM
Plus as it works with both COM3 and 4. There are other
programs which do not permit entry of COM3 and 4, who di-
rectly address the hardware, and will not work with Port
Finder. At least with Port Finder, your computer will know
that COM3 or 4 is present as there will be many more pro-
grams that will work properly with COM3 or 4 after running
Port Finder.
Port Finder has gained some fame after being recommended
in two different magazine articles. The first was in the
Advisor column of PC Magazine on October 17, 1989. The
second in the July 1990 issue of Vulcan's Computer Monthly.
The article in PC Magazine is very significant because it is
most likely the number one computer magazine sold. The
article in Vulcan's Computer Monthly was the first to rank
Port Finder as the most useful Shareware utility out of 10
reviewed. Many thanks to these two publications for their
choice of Port Finder.
USAGE:
Neither PF.COM nor PF.SYS require any runtime parameters
to display COM port addresses or to activate COM3 or 4
ports. PF.COM will also automatically display LPT port
addresses as well as other system information. DOS 3.3 or
4.0 only support access to a maximum of 4 COM and 3 LPT
ports (though your BIOS does allocate a location for LPT4).
The PF.COM runtime parameters in an AUTOEXEC.BAT file are:
Syntax: [d:\path\]pf [parm1] [parm2]
Do not include the brackets "[" or "]" which indicate op-
tional information. d:\path\ = optional drive and path.
[parm1] and/or [parm2] = optional parameters
H = Display help screen C23 = Swap COM ports 2 & 3
RC = Reset COM port addressing C24 = Swap COM ports 2 & 4
RL = Reset LPT port addressing C34 = Swap COM ports 3 & 4
C12 = Swap COM ports 1 & 2 L12 = Swap LPT ports 1 & 2
C13 = Swap COM ports 1 & 3 L13 = Swap LPT ports 1 & 3
C14 = Swap COM ports 1 & 4 L23 = Swap LPT ports 2 & 3
The PF.SYS runtime parameters in a CONFIG.SYS file are:
Syntax: device=[d:\path\]pf.sys [parm1] [parm2]
Do not include the brackets "[" or "]" which indicate op-
tional information. d:\path\ = optional drive and path.
[parm1] and/or [parm2] = optional parameters
C12 = Swap COM ports 1 & 2 C23 = Swap COM ports 2 & 3
C13 = Swap COM ports 1 & 3 C24 = Swap COM ports 2 & 4
C14 = Swap COM ports 1 & 4 C34 = Swap COM ports 3 & 4
NOTES:
All parameters can be in upper or lower case. The COM
and LPT port addresses displayed always indicate the final
location after all port activations, port swaps or port
resets have been executed. Enter all port numbers with low
first, then high. If you become confused as to which port
address belongs where, just use the RC or RL commands to
restore the ports to their correct locations.
Port Finder performs a checksum when it loads. If it is
not correct, the program will terminate with an error mes-
sage. If this happens to you stop using the version you
have. Request a new copy of the program if you purchased it
from mcTRONic Systems or download a new copy from the RBBS
you got it from. I would like to hear about any such prob-
lems.
In addition to the other features mentioned, when you
load either PF.COM or PF.SYS, Port Finder will determine if
you have a joystick port and add that information to your
equipment list. When IBM first came out with the PC and its
BIOS, the BIOS would do this for you. When IBM came out
with the AT BIOS they left out this feature. Whether your
joystick is added to your equipment list or not does not
seem to make any difference in your ability to use that
port. The only problem is that there are many programs that
list your equipment as found by your BIOS and if the joy-
stick presence is not included, these programs will say you
do not have a joystick, even when you do. I don't know
about you, but if a program does indicate a joystick is
present or not, I would like it to say YES if I do have one.
TECHNICAL DATA:
Your computer BIOS assigns logical COM and LPT ports
numbers, from low too high, to all responding I/O ports in
order as they are found, and non-responding I/O port ad-
dresses are skipped. Thus if you had but one COM port, and
it was the address for COM2, your computer BIOS would assign
it to COM1 because no real COM1 address was present. Port
Finder, which is used as an extension of your computer BIOS,
also activates COM3 and 4 ports in the same manner. In
fact, if you only had a COM3 or 4 port in your system, Port
Finder would assign these ports to COM1 and 2. In addition,
Port Finder will activate up to 4 COM port addresses, if
your system had four ports and two of them were not the
normal COM1 and 2 addresses.
COM PORT ADDRESSES:
MACHINE COMx I/O INT MEM ACT PORT
ALL COM1 3F8 HEX IRQ4 40:00 NO
ALL COM2 2F8 HEX IRQ3 40:02 NO
PC/XT/AT COM3 3E8 HEX IRQ4 40:04 YES
PC/XT/AT COM4 2E8 HEX IRQ3 40:06 YES
PC/XT/AT COM3 3E0 HEX IRQ4 40:04 YES
PC/XT/AT COM4 2E0 HEX IRQ3 40:06 YES
PC/XT/AT COM3 338 HEX IRQ4 40:04 YES
PC/XT/AT COM4 238 HEX IRQ3 40:06 YES
PS/2 COM3 3220 HEX IRQ3 40:04 YES
PS/2 COM4 3228 HEX IRQ3 40:06 YES
PS/2 COM5 4220 HEX IRQ3 NONE NO
PS/2 COM6 4228 HEX IRQ3 NONE NO
PS/2 COM7 5220 HEX IRQ3 NONE NO
PS/2 COM8 5228 HEX IRQ3 NONE NO
SERIAL PORT COUNT IS AT MEM LOCATION 40:11 BITS 2, 3 & 4
LPT PORT ADDRESSES:
LPTx MEM I/O COMMENT
LPT1 40:08 3BC HEX MAY BE INCLUDED ON MDA OR OTHER CARD
LPT2 40:0A 378 HEX MAY BE ADDRESSED AS LPT1 ON PC/XT/AT
LPT3 40:0C 278 HEX MAY BE ADDRESSED AS LPT2 ON PC/XT/AT
BATCH FILE ERRORLEVEL:
The Port Finder program PF.COM can be used in a batch
file to determine the COM ports that are present. Port
Finder exits with an errorlevel number which corresponds to
the ports active in your system. All possible combinations
are covered.
ERRORLEVEL 0 - NO COM PORTS ERRORLEVEL 8 - COM4
ERRORLEVEL 1 - COM1 ERRORLEVEL 9 - COM1,4
ERRORLEVEL 2 - COM2 ERRORLEVEL 10 - COM2,4
ERRORLEVEL 3 - COM1,2 ERRORLEVEL 11 - COM1,2,4
ERRORLEVEL 4 - COM3 ERRORLEVEL 12 - COM3,4
ERRORLEVEL 5 - COM1,3 ERRORLEVEL 13 - COM1,3,4
ERRORLEVEL 6 - COM2,3 ERRORLEVEL 14 - COM2,3,4
ERRORLEVEL 7 - COM1,2,3 ERRORLEVEL 15 - COM1,2,3,4
COMMTEST.BAT IS AN EXAMPLE COM PORT ERRORLEVEL BATCH FILE
INSTALLATION:
Installation of Port Finder on your Hard Disk is easy us-
ing supplied INSTALL program. If you are unfamiliar with
ASCII files and how to edit or create them, you should pur-
chase a book about DOS commands and file formats. The file
PF.COM is normally added to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file towards
the beginning, but at least before any file that requires
COM3 or 4. The file PF.SYS should be added to your
CONFIG.SYS file before any other device driver that may need
COM3 or 4. You do not need to load both PF.SYS and PF.COM.
If you do not have another device driver that could use COM3
or 4 then use PF.COM in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If you do
have a device driver that can use COM3 or 4, load PF.SYS in
your CONFIG.SYS file.
As an example of how to install Port Finder, let us
assume the following. You do not need to use PF.SYS in your
CONFIG.SYS file. You are not sure how to modify your AU-
TOEXEC.BAT file that does exist on your C: hard drive root
directory. You have the Port Finder disk and its files
located in the A: drive. You would use the following steps
to install Port Finder in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
A:
copy pf.com c:\
c:
cd\
copy con+autoexec.bat autoexec.new
pf
(press F6)^Z
rename autoexec.bat autoexec.old
rename autoexec.new autoexec.bat
You are done! Restart your computer and sit back.
Normally Port Finder might be the second or third command in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, after such commands as @echo off,
however the above procedure will work if you know nothing
about editing your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
ORDERING INFORMATION:
Port Finder cost just $10 plus shipping. Shipping costs
are $2.50 inside the U.S. and $7.50 outside the U.S. in U.S.
funds only. If you order Port Finder from outside the U.S.
you must send a money order or add another $5 for money
transfer. Port Finder comes on 3.5 or 5.25 inch disk,
please specify size with order.
CONSIDERATIONS ON COM PORT SWAPPING:
Port Finder allows all possible COM to COM port swapping,
however not all possible COM port swaps will work on your
system. Without regard to the following rules, any COM port
swap combination may work in your situation. I have includ-
ed all possible swap combinations just in case your system
does not work like the norm.
First of all, even though Port Finder will place up to
four COM ports to your disposal, the IBM PC/XT/AT structure
was only designed to have two COM ports work at the same
time. The main restriction is caused by only having two
hardware interrupts available to all four COM ports.
Through the use of special software and/or hardware it is
possible to run up to four or more COM ports. Normally
however this will not be the case.
If you talk to other experts on COM ports you may get a
different opinion of what is proper in port swapping and
what is not. My view on the subject is as follows:
1. Swap only ports that share the same interrupt. A mouse
driver set for COM1 (IRQ4) will have problems if the mouse
is on COM4 (IRQ3) which was swapped with COM1 (PF C14). If
the mouse was on COM3 (IRQ4) and swapped with COM1 (PF C13)
it should work fine. Therefore swap COM1 with COM3 (PF C13)
and COM2 with COM4 (PF C24). This appears to go against
what Lori Grunin stated in the PC Magazine article. Swap-
ping COM1 with COM2 (PF C12) or COM3 with COM4 (PF C34) may
still work on your system. It depends both on the software
used and the actual interrupts your COM ports use.
2. If you are going to use two COM ports at one time they
should be on opposite interrupts. If you are going to use
two ports at once the possibilities are COM1 (IRQ4) with
COM2 (IRQ3) (same as COM2 with COM1), COM1 (IRQ4) with COM4
(IRQ3), COM2 (IRQ3) with COM3 (IRQ4) and COM3 (IRQ4) with
COM4 (IRQ3). Divide your COM port inputs into two groups of
two. Pare serial devices that you will not use at the same
time on the same interrupt (IRQ4 with IRQ4 and IRQ3 with
IRQ3).
MICROSOFT WINDOWS CONSIDERATIONS:
If you load either PF.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS file or
PF.COM in your AUTOEXEC.BAT before you run Windows your COM
ports will be activated and Windows will use them without
further entries in the Windows INI files. It is best to
have loaded PF.SYS or PF.COM before you INSTALL Windows for
the first time so it will fill in the .INI files for you.
You can run PF.COM from within Windows and the file PF.PIF
will allow it in a Window (The PF211.PIF file is for Windows
2.11).
However any Port Swaps that are made will be ignored by
Windows if made after Windows is loaded. Any port swaps
made before Windows is loaded will be honored by Windows. I
am working on a fix for Port Finder swaps while still in
Windows.
* PRODUCT PRESENTATION *:
IF you purchased port finder from mcTRONic Systems you will
find the file MA341.EXE on your disk. If you received Port
Finder from any other source MA341.EXE will not be included.
If you purchased Port Finder from mcTRONic Systems on a 3.5
inch disk, MAILALL will be located in the MAILALL subdirec-
tory. In either case the following instructions are not for
you.
If you purchased Port Finder from mcTRONic Systems on 5.25
inch disk please read the following instructions.
The file MA341.EXE is a Shareware (unregistered) copy of
MAILALL. MAILALL is a mail list manager. if you like
MAILALL please consider sending for a registered copy at
$27.50 which includes manual and either 360k 5.25" disk or
3.5" 720k disk as you request. To use the MAILALL program
you need to do one of the following:
IF YOU HAVE TWO FLOPPY DISKS:
Place a blank formatted disk in the B: drive. Place your
Port Finder disk in the A: drive. Change to the B: drive so
it is the default and enter "A:MA341". MAILALL will un-
archive into its selected files.
IF YOU HAVE A HARD DISK:
Place the original Port Finder disk in the A: drive.
Copy the file MA341.EXE to any area on your C: hard disk.
It is best if this is the default directory on your hard
disk. Remove the original Port Finder disk and insert a
blank formatted disk in the A: drive. If not already there
change to the A: drive so it is your default drive.
Enter "C:MA341". MAILALL will un-archive into its selected
files. See the readme file for more details. You may
delete the file MA341.EXE from your hard drive when done.
FOR ALL USERS:
If you should run MA341.EXE from the original disk it
will attempt to un-archive into its selected files but there
will not be enough room on your disk. The program will
then abort. No harm will be done but you should follow
one of the above procedures.
The same basic operation is also required for the
file QMENU.COM, except the file requires only about 100k
free space when run. This program requires a 386 machine
and you must be running Quarterdecks QEMM 386. the
QMENU87 also requires that you have a math chip installed
in your computer.
ADVERTISEMENT:
If you need a good mail list program then send for
my Shareware program MAILALL. It is the best and least
expensive mail list program you can buy for a small company
or personal use. Also each copy of MAILALL includes a copy
of PORT FINDER!
MAILALL will maintain the names of up to 20 address files
(per address name file as you can have more than one) each
with 4000 addresses on a hard disk or 1440 addresses per
floppy disk. There are 12 data fields and you can sort
the address file by any two that you wish. MAILALL will
print Labels (up to four across), Reports, and Envelopes.
You can edit or print all functions based on address
search matches from one to all 12 fields. MAILALL can
import or export WORDSTAR mailmerge data files and can
export MULTIMATE ADVANTAGE II mailmerge files. MAILALL is
network compatible and supports any Microsoft compatible
mouse. The user can select any printer port that he would
like and the program colors are also user selectable. It
cost just $27.50 shipped FIRST CLASS MAIL to you. Send
for it today!
-------------------------------------------------------------
To register your copy of Port Finder, fill out this form
and send to mcTRONic Systems, 7426 Cornwall Bridge Ln.
Houston, TX 77041-1709.
Date: __/__/__ Serial Number: _________ Version: _____
Name: _____________________________________________________
Company Name: _____________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________
City: ____________________ State: ___ Zip Code: ___________
Purchased From: ___________________________________________
City: ____________________ State: ___ Zip Code: ___________
-------------------------------------------------------------
