Table
of ContentsTable
of Contents
PPPop
is a Macintosh PPP operator application which is useful to anyone who uses
PPP to connect to the Internet.
PPPop simplifies the process of connecting and disconnecting; it provides a visual indication of your connection status; it enables you to quickly change dialup numbers and Internet accounts; it keeps track of online time, and it launches applications and URLs.
When
you use PPPop, you don't need to use another control panel to open or close
a connection. Just click on PPPop's button. The arrow on the
button shows the current state of PPP: up or down.
PPPop displays your time online in a separate little window. When a connection opens or closes, PPPop will play a distinctive sound. When you connect, PPPop can automatically run other applications or scripts, or open URLs. Likewise, when you disconnect, PPPop can close your applications and run cleanup scripts for you.
PPPop has many more conveniences including session logging, time limits, separate settings for different accounts, and selection of PPP, TCP/IP, and Modem settings directly from a menu. PPPop is also scriptable.
PPPop
is aware of Mac OS 8.5 Appearance Themes as well as Kaleidoscope Color
Schemes.
PPPop is designed to be fun to use and nice to look at. It is a Macintosh only application.
OpenTransport/PPP
Apple Remote Access
MacPPP
2.0.1
MacPPP 2.5.1 (from Apple Internet Connection
Kit, version 1.2)
FreePPP
1.0.5
FreePPP
2.5v3
FreePPP
2.6.2
If you use Apple Location Manager, drag the "PPPop" Location Manager module onto your System folder. The System will place it in your "Location Manager Modules" folder. The next time you restart your computer, Location Manager will recognize the PPPop module. See Section 4.3.6 ("Profiles") for more information about using PPPop with Location Manager.
If you want PPPop on the Apple Menu,
I recommend that you place an alias to the application there.
If you want PPPop in your Startup Items
folder, you probably want it to go to the background after it starts.
To make PPPop go to the background you should either place PPPop itself
in that folder, or place an alias there and check the "Return to Finder"
option in PPPop's Special menu.
PPPop is an application. It is not an extension. It does not patch or alter your System.
The
first thing to do after launching PPPop is to move the Button window to
a good spot on your screen. You may also wish to change its size
and eliminate the window's title bar. (See Special menu.)
Once you eliminate the title bar, you can still move the window by holding
down the Command key while dragging it. If you make the window "float",
it will always be visible on top of other program's windows.
Tip: You can hide/show floating windows by pressing Command-Escape from within any program.Next you should adjust the location of the Timer window. You can move it by holding down the Command key while dragging it. If you select "Auto Position Timer" from the Timer menu, the Timer window will move along with the Button. You can also select a specific font, font size, and style.
To set warning time limits and to make the total time automatically reset on a specific day of the month, open the Timer Setup dialog.
Important: The timer and log file do not keep time if PPPop is not running!
.
Let's set up Eudora as our email application.
We'd like it to start up automatically whenever we connect, and we also
want a command key shortcut for this mail function.
| First open "Launcher Setup..."
from the Launcher menu. Click "New". The Launcher Item Editor will appear. Now enter a label, "Mail" for instance. Tab to the next field and enter "M" to assign Command-M to this Launcher item. Next, press "Set..." to pick the application for PPPop to launch. Better yet - in the case of Eudora and other applications which can use different settings files - select your "Eudora Settings" file. Finally, check "Launch After Opening PPP Connection". Press "OK". |
 |
| Next, let's add a web
browser Launcher item using Netscape.
Click "New" again. Enter the label "Web" and a command key shortcut "W". "Set..." the application to Netscape or one if its settings files in the "Netscape Users" folder. Let's say we don't want the browser to start automatically with every connection, but we do want Netscape to quit automatically when we close the connection: check "Kill Before Closing PPP Connection". |
 |
| Finally, add a Launcher
item for a frequently visited web page, for example "MacNN".
Go to the Launcher Item Editor, enter the label "MacNN". No command key for this one. In the "Object" box, click the URL radio button. Enter the URL which Internet Config 2.0 will then send to your web browser: "http://macnn.com/". |
 |
 |
Our three items have
been added to the menu: "Mail", "Web", and "MacNN".
When you select one of them from this menu, PPPop will go online and then launch the item. Tip: To conveniently launch applications and URLs from PPPop use a utility such as UltraLaunch to set a "hot key" for PPPop. You can then navigate with just the keyboard: press the hot key to bring PPPop to the front and within PPPop start any Launcher item with the command key you assigned to it. |
Tip: With an extended keyboard, you can use the "Help" key to turn balloons on and off.
FreePPP
PPPop works well with FreePPP 2.6.
However, no Dialing icon will appear on PPPop's button while you are connecting.
PPPop will operate most earlier versions
of FreePPP too (v1.0.5 and 2.5), but the Connection Status window and Dialing
icon will not be available with them.
MacPPP
PPPop will operate MacPPP, but the Connection
Status window and Dialing icon will not be available.
IPNetRouter
Some users of IPNetRouter have found that
they must run an application to open a connection. Thereafter, PPPop
can monitor the connection and close it. In the Special menu, select
"Connect via Application..." and choose the application you want PPPop
to run when you click the button to open a connection.
I recommend that you only have one type of PPP installed unless you are actually using more than one. PPPop, and perhaps other applications, will work a little faster.
To do this, open your PPP setup control panel or application (for example "Remote Access", "PPP", or "FreePPP Setup") and begin by duplicating the PPP configuration of your main dialup number. (In "Remote Access", for example, you need to open "Configurations..." from the File menu, select your main PPP configuration there and click "Duplicate...".) In the duplicated configuration, change the telephone number and give the new PPP configuration a descriptive name. Save your changes and quit your PPP setup control panel or application.
PPPop will add the new PPP configuration(s) to the Server menu. You can now switch among them directly from the Server menu.
Used in this way, all calls with PPPop will
use the same Timer, Launcher items, and other options. To use separate
settings for an Internet account, you should set up PPPop
Profiles.
To begin, open the TCP/IP control panel, open "Configuration..." (Command-K) in the File menu and create a new configuration for each additional ISP. (You will have to duplicate an existing configuration to create a new one.) Enter the DNS addresses as supplied by your ISP. Save the configuration with a descriptive name and quit the control panel.
Next, open the Remote Access or PPP setup control panel/application and here too create a new PPP configuration for each additional ISP. The PPP configuration is where you enter the telephone number, account ID, passwords, and connection methods for the ISP. Save the new PPP configurations.
At this point, you can already use PPPop to switch between ISPs by choosing the proper TCP/IP and PPP configuration from PPPop's Server menu.
However, you will also notice a serious problem: many Internet applications won't work properly because they use their own settings - which haven't been changed. Your email program or web browser will probably still try to use the other ISP. NewsWatcher may insist on rebuilding the entire newsgroup list. You may find that connections are refused and passwords re-requested. You might even end up using the other ISP's servers. And PPPop, so far, will only use one set of timers and Launcher items for all of your ISPs.
To switch problem-free between ISPs, use the recommended additional software:
• Apple Location Manager
• Internet Config 2.0 or later.
• Location Modules for Internet Config
2.0 and PPPop.
And - in outline - use this procedure:
For additional information read the chapter
about the Server Menu.
Place the PPPop and Internet Config 2.0 Location
modules in the "Location Manager Modules" folder which is in your System
Extensions folder. (You will need to restart your computer before
Location Manager will recognize these modules.)
.
Don't forget balloon help for assistance with the menus!
Tip: With an extended keyboard, you can use the "Help" key to turn balloons on and off.Back to Table of Contents
4.3.1.
File MenuNote: Mac OS 8.5 comes with Apple's own version of Internet Config 2.0. You do not need to install it when you use OS 8.5.If you have Internet Config 2.0 installed, this menu item opens the Internet Config application (or the Internet control panel with OS 8.5) so you can edit your Internet preferences.
PPPop will use the Internet Config database of helper applications to parse URL items in the Launcher.
As of this writing, the current version of Internet Config is 2.0. (Click here to download Internet Config)
Back to Menus
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Note: The IP address is only available when you are online, even if you have a static IP address.Back to Menus
4.3.3.
Special Menu
Select a PPP operator button size:
Big: 32 x 32 pixels.
Small: 24 x 20 pixels.
Tiny: 16 x 16 pixels.
With all choices, the green up arrow means the connection is now open. The red down arrow means the connection is now closed. Clicking on the button will reverse the state of the connection.
With OT/PPP, a dialing icon appears when you click the button to open a
connection. You can click the button to cancel the process.
After that it may take a few seconds for OT/PPP to reset before you can
try again.
Note: When OT/PPP's own connection dialog window is visible, PPPop may not be able to display the dialing icon.
However, OT/PPP's connection dialog will serve the same purpose.
When
PPPop becomes a background application, the button icon gets a distinctive
dimmed/recessed appearance. This should allow you to quickly recognize
if PPPop is the active application.
Global floating windows do not disappear when you select "Hide Others" from the Mac OS's application menu. To hide/show all floating windows, press Command-Escape.
Important: There is a bug in the current implementation of floating windows: if you double-click a floating window, the program may crash! If you find yourself frequently double-clicking the Button window and crashing, you may want to make only the Timer window floating.
The information in this window is obtained
directly from the PPP software. Therefore data rates can fluctuate
wildly, because they reflect the data rate of Open Transport, not of your
modem or network.
The Connection Status window is only available
for OT/PPP, Remote Access, and FreePPP 2.6.
If you require detailed connection information, consider using an application like TCPWatcher or IPNetMonitor, or use the Information window in FreePPP.
Apparently, some configurations of IPNetRouter change TCP/IP configurations such that PPPop cannot open a connection. (It can still monitor and close the connection.) You can use this option to make PPPop run the IPNetRouter application when you want to connect.
Notes: This option and "Return to Finder" are mutually exclusive. Enabling one will automatically disable the other.
If PPPop is "auto launching" applications, the last application launched is always active, overriding the "Return to Application" function.
Launching any application from within PPPop overrides this option.
Note: This option is only in effect when operating PPP from PPPop. It will be ignored when you use the PPP control panel, a control strip, or FreePPP Menu.
Log Example:
Date Time Server Status Session Cumulative Daily
8/7/98 7:00:46 AM Delta Prime OPEN
8/7/98 7:01:49 AM Delta Prime CLOSE 00:01:03 010:04:13
8/7/98 5:00:51 PM Delta Prime OPEN
8/7/98 5:20:32 PM Delta Prime CLOSE 00:19:41 010:23:54
8/7/98 00:20:44
8/8/98 9:50:30 AM Xenon OPEN
8/8/98 10:18:45 AM Xenon CLOSE 00:28:15 010:52:09
(...)
PPPop creates the log file in the System Folder -> Preferences -> PPPop folder and names it after the Profile you are using. For example, if your current Profile is called "Alastor Prime", the log file will be named "Alastor Prime Log". Once the log is created by PPPop, you can move it somewhere else on your disk if you wish.
Tip: Use Internet Config to set a default text editor, e.g. BBEdit. PPPop will then create the log as a file of your default editor rather than SimpleText.
Notes: The log function won't work if PPPop is not running while you are connected.
If you import the log into a spreadsheet program, be sure to "Save As..." with a different name. PPPop will not be able to add new entries to a non-standard text file.
Note: The timer and the session log will no longer reflect your actual usage if a connection is open while PPPop is not running.
PPPop will make a clicking sound when you click on the connection button and will play a sound file when a connection opens or closes or when a time limit is reached. You can individually set the playback volume for each of these four sounds.
If the group checkbox (1) is not checked, the sound will not play regardless of the volume setting.
Adjust the Volume slider (2) to the right to play the sound louder. After any volume adjustment, the sound will automatically play so you can hear the new setting.
To test the sound, click the Play button (3).
(4) shows the current sound file name. If PPPop cannot find a previously selected sound file, you will hear a short "thwok" when you click the Play button.
By default, PPPop will look in the "PPPop Sounds" folder in its own folder for the following three sound files:
• "PPPop - Going Up"
• "PPPop - Going Down"
• "PPPop - Warning"
To use different sounds, click the Set button (5) and pick a new sound file. PPPop can use any System 7 sound file. Those are the ones with a little speaker on the icon and which play when double-clicked. (Their Finder type is "sfil"). PPPop will play stereo sounds if you have them. If you later move a selected sound file to another folder, PPPop should still be able to find it.
Sounds play asynchronously, meaning that PPPop will not pause in its operation to wait for the sound to finish playing. So go ahead and use big 16-bit stereo sounds! A good source for sounds is Clixsounds. But you can also look in Info-Mac.
Notes: The maximum volume is affected by the volume in the System's Sound control panel. PPPop's volume settings range from 0 to 200% of this "master volume".Back to Menus
To accommodate large sound files, PPPop will attempt to use "temporary memory". As long as you have enough free RAM, you should be able to use megabyte sized sound files without having to increase PPPop's memory partition with the Get Info dialog.
4.3.4.
Timer MenuEach of the three times has a different format
so that you know at a glance which time you are seeing:
Session Time
HH:MM:SS |
Daily Time
HH:MM |
Total Time
HHH:MM |
Global floating windows do not disappear when you select "Hide Others" from the Mac OS's application menu. To hide or show a floating window, press Command-Escape.
Important: There is a bug in the current implementation of floating windows: if you double-click a floating window, the program may crash! If you find yourself frequently double-clicking the Button window and crashing, you may want to make only the Timer window floating.
You can customize the Timer window by using any font, size and style you
like. The Timer window resizes to accommodate your choice.
Depending on the font, however, some choices might not center properly
or might otherwise look strange.
Manually enter the total time (1). Set the day of the month (2) for the total time to reset automatically.
The Timer can round up the connection time by an optional number of minutes each time a connection is closed (3). Most Internet Service Providers which keep track of your online time round up to the next whole minute for billing purposes. I have been told that some round to the next 10 or even 15 minutes! By setting the "round up" time, you can avoid large discrepancies between your actual time online and the amount you are billed for.
Set warning time limits for session (4), daily (5), and total time (6).
Set the method of notification (7): a sound, and/or an alert, and/or the connection is cut off immediately. The last option may sound drastic, but it could protect you from an unattended connection: maybe you (or your kids!) left the room with an open connection and forgot to come back, or a connection opened by itself in the middle of the night, etc.
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4.3.5.
Server MenuYou can directly select any PPP, TCP/IP or modem configuration from PPPop's Server menu - no need to open another control panel. To avoid conflicts, the Server menu is disabled when a PPP connection is open or when your PPP setup control panel is open.
Typically, you would create a PPP configuration for each dialup number available to you. Several of these would be associated with the TCP/IP configuration of one Internet Service Provider. If you change TCP/IP configurations, you would usually need to change the PPP configuration also. I suggest that you create your configurations with descriptive names to make it easier for you to recognize them.
Note: it is possible to select combinations of PPP and TCP/IP configurations which do not work with each other. In the Server menu picture above, you might accidentally select "GTE Net" and try to use it with "Delta - PPP". One way to avoid this error is to use Profiles to accomplish your switching.If you use more than one type of PPP software, you can assign each to a different TCP/IP configuration. The TCP/IP control panel allows you to select a specific PPP software for each TCP/IP configuration from a popup menu. For example, I have both OT/PPP and FreePPP installed on my system. To change from one to the other, I just change TCP/IP configurations ("Delta - FreePPP" and "Delta - PPP" in the Server menu picture above).
There are a few things to look out for, though...
When you switch to a different Internet Service Provider while switching TCP/IP configurations, your Internet applications won't be aware of it. For example, an email program will now need to use a different mail server with a different network address and password. You would normally have to change those manually in your email program each time you switch TCP/IP configurations.
The solution to this problem is Internet Config 2.0. With Internet Config 2.0, you can now change "Sets" quickly. Do this switching with the Internet Config application, the Internet Config control strip module, or automatically with Location Manger. See Multiple Internet Service Providers for some further discussion.
For many applications, however - such as Eudora - you will actually have to quit and relaunch to properly use the new "Set".
Important: Back up "PPP Preferences" in your System's Preferences folder. It is possible that PPPop could trash it, since it must open and write to it.
OT/PPP or ARA users should also backup "Remote Access Connections".
If you use Location Manager however, it would be best not to use "Remember Server with Profile". Let Location Manager do the account switching for you.
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4.3.6.
Profile MenuBut you can bring those sets into PPPop2 as Profiles: go to the Profile Setup dialog and click the "Import" button.
"Import" (1) will bring in an old PPPop 1.x preference file. This function is only useful for compatibility with previous versions of PPPop.
To make a Profile active directly from this dialog, double-click on it in the scrolling list.
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4.3.7.
Launcher MenuPPPop's Launcher does all of these things.
The Launcher can also help in another situation:
many people have experienced the wonder of catching their Mac dialing up
and connecting all on its own (see the PPPop FAQ).
To solve this problem, it is often enough to change a specific option in
your PPP control panel: in OpenTransport's PPP or Remote Access control
panel it is "Connect automatically when starting TCP/IP applications",
in MacPPP 2.5 "Disable Auto Connect", and in FreePPP "Allow applications
to open connection". Once you changed that option however, you would
find that applications such as Netscape or NewsWatcher will not be able
to open a connection anymore if you launch them alone. In that case,
PPPop's Launcher can still get you there: it can open a connection and
start the application for you.
In the Launcher Item Editor
you can set items to:
To reduce your time online, you could use this feature to start all your regularly used Internet programs with one keystroke before opening a connection.
The Launcher Setup can hold up to 200 items (1). Each line represents one Launcher item.
New (2),
Edit (3), and Delete (4)
act on the highlighted line in the list. A New item will enter the
list immediately below the currently highlighted item.
Arrow keys (up, down, Command-up, Command-down)
will scroll the list.
You can check the "Auto Open", "Auto Close", and "Auto Kill" flags (5) directly on the list with a mouse-click in the desired line and column.
Launcher Example:To take this example further, you could write a little AppleScript that launches Eudora and tells it to get your email right away:In above picture the last item in the list (with the label "Mail") will do the following:
When PPPop is the active application, pressing Command-M will open a connection, then launch the Eudora email program by starting its settings file, and bring it to the front.
Since this Launcher item also has the "Auto Open" flag checked, the Eudora program will be launched whenever any PPP connection is opened - not just when Command-M is pressed.
tell application "Finder" to open "Hard Disk:Eudora:Eudora Settings" as alias -- absolute pathSave this script as an application (e.g. "Get Mail"), and set it up as an object to launch.
tell application "Eudora"
connect with checking and sending -- check for mail, and send any queued messages
end tell
By clicking "New", or by selecting a Launcher item and clicking "Edit", or by double-clicking any Launcher item the "Launcher Item Editor" is brought up:
• Object (7): either a URL or an application, a script, preferences file, or other file.
• Automatic Actions (10): "Auto Open", "Auto Close", and "Auto Kill".
Tip: To conveniently launch applications and URLs from PPPop use a utility such as UltraLaunch to set a "hot key" for PPPop. You can then navigate with just the keyboard: press the hot key to bring PPPop to the front and within PPPop start any Launcher item with the command key you assigned to it.
Note: If some dialogs are too large on your screen to show the OK or Cancel buttons, operate the dialog with these keyboard shortcuts.
Scripts may not work correctly if other versions of PPPop are on the same disk. If you notice any problems, remove all other versions of PPPop.
get/set to:
Note: Mac OS 8.5 comes with Apple's own version of Internet Config 2.0. You do not need to install it with OS 8.5. The Internet Setup Assistant will initialize it for you.Internet Config 2.0 is a system for storing your Internet preferences in a form accessible to any application which needs them. PPPop uses Internet Config to launch URLs by, for example, opening your web browser of choice and directing it to a specific web page, or accessing a favorite ftp site. Eudora, NewsWatcher, Netscape, and Internet Explorer are other applications which use the Internet Config database.
Internet Config 2.0 comes with a Control Strip module and a Location Manager module. These can make it very easy to use more than one dialup account.
Note: If you use Mac OS 8.5 use the new "Internet" control panel to make these changes. This is Apple's own version of Internet Config 2.0.It is important to realize that you don't have to set every preference. For example, if you don't use WAIS, there's no need to set your WAIS Gateway preference.
See Internet Config 2.0 "User Documentation" for more information.
PPPop is not compatible with commercial PPP software such as InterSLIP or NTS PPP. And PPPop is not compatible with FreePPP versions between 2.5.1 and 2.5.5.
Here are some actions to try:
The problem turned out to be in the modem scripts. The proper hangup sequence had been commented out with "!" marks. It was supposed to send the "+++" escape code to get the modem into command mode rather than using hardware signalling via DTR. Simply removing the "!" marks before these 4 commands solved the problem.
Bad Modem Script Example:The modem CCL scripts can be read and edited with BBEdit or another text editor. Make sure they are saved with their original file type 'mlts' and creator 'slnk'. While you are at it, set the serial port speed to 115,000 for 28.8 or faster modems - if your Mac will support it.
@LABEL 92
! Escape from data to command mode
!matchclr
!matchstr 1 96 "OK\13\10"
!write "+++"
!matchread 20
!
To change the sounds PPPop uses, just go to "Sound Setup..." in the Special menu.
Many people want to compute exact connection and telephone charges. These are often rather complicated because they depend upon time of day, time connected, server used, country of residence, holiday or weekend, and so forth. I recommend that you look at Eric Preston's Internet Logger. (The current version will be on an Info-Mac mirror.)
PPPop2 is a new program and requires its own new password. Previously registered users may upgrade for a small fee. They will receive a special upgrade password when they re-register.
Note: If you have changed your email address, please include your old registration confirmation from Kagi when you contact me, if possible.
PPPop also reads the preferences file maintained by your PPP software to get a list of your configurations. If you change the configuration via PPPop's Server menu, then PPPop will alter this preferences file.
These users have been able to work around the problem by renaming PPPop2 (or its alias) to "~PPPop2". As Startup items are launched in alphabetical order, this should force PPPop2 to launch last.
Appearance 1.0.3 can be obtained from Apple.
Why pay? If you use the program and
you like it, think of it as a tip for good service.
Prices:
Single-user
license: US$20
Covers use by one person on one computer
at a time. You do not need a separate registration for each computer
you own.
Single-user
upgrade: US$10
Upgrade from any previously registered version
of PPPop to PPPop2.
Site
license: US$99
Covers all users at your site (building -
computer lab, university, or small company).
World-wide
license: US$2000
Covers all users within your organization
on the entire planet and in near Earth orbit.
ISP
license: by arrangement
Non-exclusive license for an ISP to distribute
unlimited copies of PPPop with their Internet connection kit. Includes
removal of shareware notices and minor customization, e.g. with company
colors.
You may distribute this program intact
and unmodified along with the Register application and full documentation,
but you may not charge for this program!
or
If you prefer to deal direct, you can mail
US$ in cash or check directly to the author:
.
Rob Friefeld
4607 Colorado Street
Long Beach, CA 90814
U.S.A.
.
or
Use
"Register PPPop", the registration application distributed with PPPop.
It will present you with a simple screen to produce a registration form
for you. You can email, fax, or postal-mail the form to Kagi Shareware,
my collection agent.
If you don't have "Register PPPop", then you
have an incomplete distribution archive of PPPop. Other things may
be missing as well. In that case I recommend that you download the
full current version from the PPPop
Web Page.
PPPop2 is © 1998 by Rob Friefeld.
All rights reserved. PPPop may not be distributed for profit or as
part of any commercial offering without first obtaining the express written
consent of the author.
Previous versions of PPPop have been localized.
Guy
Brand has made a French localization of PPPop.
Haruka
Ishi has made the Japanese localization and contributed a great deal
to the design of PPPop.
June-Hao
Hou has made a Traditional Chinese localization.
Frank
Meijer has made a Dutch localization.
Localization of this version of PPPop is
currently underway.
The graphical design of PPPop is mostly the work of Andreas Bauer, co-developer of PPPop.
Email 1: frie@gte.net
Email 2: rob@kagi.com
WorldWideWeb:
PPPop Web Page