═══ 1. Golden CommPass Communications Window (Golden CommPass) ═══ This is the Golden CommPass Communicaions window. It is used to display the information being read from or sent to the communications port. It is a transcript of the online session with CompuServe. Generally speaking, you should not need to look at this window during an automated session and it is recommended that you leave this window minimized during an automated session. During an interactive (manual) session, this window will be restored so that you can properly interact with CompuServe. Golden CommPass is a full-featued asynchronous communications engine that has been customized to support fully automated interaction with the CompuServe electronic mail and forums. It fully supports the CompuServe B+ file transfer protocol, and will automatically use that protocol whenever a file transfer request is made. Full support is included for the CompuServe B+ file transfer protocol, including the capability to restart, or resume an interrupted file download. When you request a file to be downloaded from CompuServe, the CompuServe host computer will send a signal to Golden CommPass and it will automatically display the B+ File transfer status dialog box. ═══ 1.1. File ═══ The items contained on this menu will allow you to change the behavior or the communications session. The following options are avaialable: 1. Hang up telephone 2. Send break signal 3. Upload file / start script 4. Capture the session 5. Online macros 6. Exit ═══ 1.1.1. Hang up modem ═══ Select this option to hang up the telephone. ═══ 1.1.2. Send break signal ═══ Select this option to send a break signal to CompuServe. Generally, there should be no need for this option. ═══ 1.1.3. Upload file / start script ═══ Select this option to upload an ASCII file or to start processing a user script. To start a user script, the script file must be in the same directory as Golden CommPass and must have a SCR extension. ═══ 1.1.3.1. Open Dialog Box ═══ Note: This dialog box varies slightly from the standard CUA open dialog box. This dialog box is used for several different functions, including: o Delete file o Edit file o Online scripts o Open message file o View catalog At the top of the dialog box is an entry field which can be used to specify a fully qualified file name, or can be used to specify a pattern to be used in selecting files to be displayed in the files list box. The currently selected drive and directory are displayed immediately below the file name entry field. The file type selection combination box can be used as a quick selector to specify the default file name patterns for several of the more commonly accessed file types. The two major components of this dialog box are the files and directories list boxes. The files list box contains all files matching the pattern specified in the file name entry field. The directories list box contains all sub-directories of the current directory (identified immediately below the file name entry field), as well as the other disk drives accessible. The parent directory is represented by two periods (..). The Open dialog box currently supports the following file types: o Advanced commands (*.0x0001) o Catalog (*.0x0400) o Downloads (*.0x0010) o Headers (*.0x0008) o Log files (*.LOG) o Messages (*.MSG) o Quick-Scan (*.0x0200) o Script files (*.SCR) o Send files (*.0x0004) o Sysop functions (*.0x0e) o Upload files (*.0x0020) o View saved messages (*.SAV) ═══ 1.1.4. Capture session ═══ Select this option to display the Capture menu. ═══ 1.1.5. Open capture file ═══ Select this option to display the Open capture file dialog box. ═══ 1.1.5.1. Capture online session ═══ In the entry field, enter the name of the file where you want to capture this online session. The default is to append this information to the end of the file, unless you check the overwrite box. All information sent to or received from CompuServe will be saved in this capture file until you Pause or Close the capture file. ═══ 1.1.6. Close capture file ═══ Selecting this option will cause the capture file to be closed. No additional information will be saved into this file. ═══ 1.1.7. Pause capture file ═══ Selecting this option will temporarily pause the capture file. This means that no addition information will be saved into the capture file until this option is selected again, and the file is un-paused. ═══ 1.1.8. Online macros ═══ Select this option to display the Online macros dialog box. These macros will be be transmitted to CompuServe. These macros can be used to automate routine operations while you're online in interactive mode. ═══ 1.1.8.1. Online macros ═══ You can use the online macros to transmit commands or other information to CompuServe. For example, to switch to menu mode (from Golden CommPass's default of command mode), you can create a macro to issue the command OPT;PAU;AL;S. If you want to include a carriage return in your macro, then use the vertical bar (|) to indicate a carriage return. When the text is inserted, it will be properly translated to a carriage return for you. Up to twenty (20) online macros can be defined. Each macro is identified by a letter (from A through T). Press the letter representing the macro you wish to include in your response, and select the OK pushbutton. Of course, you can also use the mouse or the cursor movement keys to select the macro. If you want to change the text of a particular macro, you must first select the macro and then type any changes in the entry field below the list box and press the UPDATE pushbutton. When you are finished with this dialog, press the CANCEL pushbutton to dismiss the dialog box, or press the OK pushbutton to include the currently selected macro in your reply. ═══ 1.1.9. Terminate communications ═══ To close the communications window, select File / Exit. If the modem is still connected to CompuServe, you will be asked if you want to hang up the telephone as well. ═══ 1.2. Edit ═══ The following items can be selected from the edit menu. 1. Copy 2. Paste 3. Clear screen ═══ 1.2.1. Copy to clipboard ═══ Selecting Copy from the Edit menu will copy the current selected text in the communications window to the system clipboard. To select text in the communications window, use the mouse pointer to point at the first character to be selected. Press and hold the left mouse button to create a rectangle enclosing the text you want to select. When you release the mouse button, Golden CommPass will change the background color of the selected text. ═══ 1.2.2. Paste from clipboard ═══ Selecing the Paste option will copy any text from the system clipboard to the commuications window. ═══ 1.2.3. Clear screen ═══ This option will clear the contents of the Golden CommPass communicatsions window. ═══ 1.3. Options ═══ 1. Set window colors 2. Set window font size 3. Save window size and position 4. Conference mode 5. Terminal mode 6. Remain online ═══ 1.3.1. Set window colors ═══ Selecting the Set window colors menu item will display the Set window colors dialog box. ═══ 1.3.1.1. Set window colors ═══ This dialog box can be used to change the colors used in the Golden CommPass communications window. You can choose from eight different colors to be applied to the Golden CommPass communicaations window and four different types of messages that are used. A sample of each of the colors is illustrated on the right side of the dialog box. The following settings can be changed: Message type Description Foreground Color used to display normal text in the communications window. Background Color used as the background for the communications window. Error message Error messages indicate a serious failure that prevented Golden CommPass from continuing normally. User intervention may be required. For example, this color is used to indicate that carrier has NOT been detected in the status line at the top of the communcaitions window. Warning message A warning message indicates an event that Golden CommPass was not expecting and considered to be an abnormal event. However, Golden CommPass was able to recover and continue communications. Status message A status message is used to indicate that the status of the communcations session is changing. It is also a normal event and is for your information. For example, this color is used to indicate that carrier has been detected in the status line at the top of the communcaitions window. Information An information message indicates that a normal event has occured, such as opening the communications port. This message is for informational purposes only. ═══ 1.3.2. Set window font ═══ Select this option to invoke the Set font size dialog. This dialog can be used to view and change the default or current font that is used by the communications window. ═══ 1.3.2.1. Set font size ═══ The font size dialog can be used to select the font to be used in the communications window. All of the font sizes that the display can support are listed in the Font size (pels) list box. The current font size is highlighted. The window preview menu window illustrates the size of the communications window and it's current location on the Presentation Manager desktop. The current window size and the total size of the display screen are listed below the Font size listbox. Pressing the Change pushbutton will change the font size for the duration of the communications session. Pressing the Save pushbutton will permenantly change the font size that the Golden CommPass communications window uses. ═══ 1.3.3. Save position ═══ When you check this menu item, the current message window size and location is remembered from session to session. When you turn the check on this menu item off, all message window positioning information is immediately lost. ═══ 1.3.4. Conference mode ═══ Selecting the conference mode menu item will display the Conference mode dialog box. ═══ 1.3.4.1. Conference mode ═══ The conference mode dialog box allows you to type an entire sentence, or several sentences that can be sent as one continuous stream when you are ready. You also have the opportunity to correct any errors before you transmit the text to CompuServe. This eliminates the typical conference mode problems where everyone ends up waiting while a slow typist keys in thier message, complete with errors. Note: This dialog is also presented when a script issues the Interactive command. The script resumes when this dialog box is dismissed. ═══ 1.3.5. Terminal mode ═══ Selecting this menu item will discontinue any Golden CommPass automated scripting and place you into an interactive terminal session. ═══ 1.3.6. Remain online ═══ Select this option if you want to remain online (in the terminal mode) after Golden CommPass has completed all of it's automated processing. ═══ 1.3.6.1. B+ File transfer status ═══ The B+ file transfer status dialog box presents a great deal of information about the status of the file transfer currently in progress. This information includes the file name, file size and type of error correction being used. There is also information about the estimated amount of time remaining to complete the file transfer, as well as the number of bytes of data remaining to be transfered. A bar graph provides visual representation of the amount of the file that has already been transferred. To the right of the remaining information is information about the time that the file transfer was started, how long the file transfer has been in progress, the number of packets successfully transfered and the number of errors that have been detected. Below these fields is information about the number of bytes of data that have been transferred or receieved, as well as the actual data transfer rate (measured in characters per second (CPS)). A bar graph to the left of this information provides an indication of the relative efficiency of the current file transfer assuming the maximum transfer speed at the current modem speed. An Abort transfer pushbutton is available to terminate the file transfer request. When you press this pushbutton, a confirmation dialog box will be presented before the file transfer is terminated. ═══ 1.3.6.2. Resume B+ transfer ═══ This dialog box is displayed whenever a B+ file transfer has been requested, and the file already exists on your computer. You are give the opprotunity to specify a new file name, overwrite the existing file, attempt to resume the file transfer (if it had been partially recieved previously) or to abort the file transfer request. ═══ 1.3.6.3. Enter online password ═══ If Golden CommPass has been set to prompt you for a password every time you sign on to CompuServe, this dialog box will be presented to allow you to specify your current CompuServe password. Note: Be very careful typing your password. If you type it incorrectly, CompuServe will reject the password and this dialog box will be displayed again. The password will not be displayed in this dialog box, nor will it be displayed in any of the Golden CommPass generated files. In addition, if the password that you have specified in the Options / Parameters dialog is incorrect, this dialog box will be presented to give you an opportunity to continue the online session. If you do not respond within 60 seconds, the online session will be terminated. Note: Specifying a new password here will not update the password that is stored in your parameters file. ═══ 1.3.6.4. Redial telephone ═══ If Golden CommPass is unable to successfully connect with CompuServe, this redial dialog box will be presented. This dialog box keeps track of the number of times that it has dialed CompuServe, and provides a field for you to change the maximum number of attempts at redialing CompuServe before terminating the communications session and closing the communications window. The amount of time between dialing attempts is also displayed on this dialog box. This time can be changed on the Options / Online defaults dialog box from the main Golden CommPass window. ═══ 1.4. Help ═══ There are a variety of options that you can select from this menu, including 1. Help for help 2. Extended help 3. Keys help 4. Help index 5. Product information ═══ 1.4.1. Help ═══ Select this option to get more information on the help subsystem. ═══ 1.4.2. Extended help ═══ Select this option to get a general description of the capabilities of Golden CommPass. ═══ 1.4.3. Keys help ═══ Select this option to get a description of special functions that each key is used for in Golden CommPass. ═══ 1.4.4. Help Index ═══ Select this option to display an index of all of the items in the help file. ═══ 1.4.5. Product information ═══ Displays current version number, copyright information and additional registration information about Golden CommPass. ═══ 1.4.5.1. Golden CommPass ═══ The Product information dialog box displays the current version number, copyright information and additional registration information about Golden CommPass. ═══ Help for Keys ═══ Select one of the following topics by double-clicking the left mouse button, or by tabbing to the desired topic and pressing the enter key. o Editing keys o Text selection keys ═══ Help for Editing keys ═══ Use these keys to edit the text in the reply mode. Key Function Enter While you are in reply mode, the enter key will split the current line at the current cursor location by inserting a carriage return and line feed character into the text. Tab Insert a tab character at the current cursor location. Insert The insert key switches between insert and over type mode. In the insert mode, new text is inserted at the current cursor position, and will cause any existing text to be moved to the right. In the over type mode, any new text which is typed will replace the existing text. Note: Over type mode must be turned off before trying to send a message. Delete If any text is selected, then delete key will delete that text. If no text is selected, the delete key will remove the character immediately to the right of the current cursor location. Backspace If any text is selected, the backspace key will delete that text. If not text is selected, the backspace key will delete the character immediately to the left of the current cursor location. Shift+Delete This will cut the currently selected text to the system clipboard. Ctrl+Insert This will copy the currently selected text to the system clipboard. Shift+Insert This will paste any text currently in the system clipboard to the reply message at the current cursor location. If any text is currently selected, the paste operation will overlay the selection. If there is not text selected, the paste operation will insert the text into the message window. Alt+Backspace This will undo the last change made to the reply message (if possible). Ctrl+M This will invoke the editor macros dialog. ═══ Help for Text selection keys ═══ These text selection keys can be used to select text, or to extend the existing text selection area. Warning: If any text is currently selected, then pressing any character key will overwrite the existing selection text. Key Function Shift+arrow This will select text (or extend the selection) in the direction of the arrow. Shift+Home This will select text (or extend the selection) from the current cursor location to the beginning of the current line. Shift+End This will select text (or extend the selection) from the current cursor location to the end of the current line. Shift+Ctrl+Right This will select text (or extend the selection) from the current cursor location to the beginning of the next word. Shift+Ctrl+Left This will select text (or extend the selection) from the current cursor location to the beginning of the previous word. Shift+Ctrl+Home This will select text (or extend the selection) from the current cursor location to the beginning of the message. Shift+Ctrl+End This will select text (or extend the selection) from the current cursor location to the end of the message.