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PORTFIND.ZIP
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PFREVIEW.DOC
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1990-07-07
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PORT FINDER December 1, 1989
Port Finder is a COM and LPT port utility. Its primary function
is to activate nonstandard serial COM3 and COM4 port addresses.
COM3 and COM4 serial port cards have been around for a while, but
it usually has taken special software to utilize them. When IBM
came out with the PS/2 line of computers they required the then
new IBM DOS 3.3 to work properly. Both DOS 3.3 and the PS/2
computers support COM3 and COM4 serial ports, however IBM decided
to use COM port addresses that where different from any port
address used by the clone computer makers. In addition the
detection of all COM ports is done by the BIOS. Because IBM AT's
and PC's did not look for a COM3 or COM4 port, and all clone PC's
and AT's are based on the IBM design, none of these older ma-
chines look for the COM3 or COM4 addresses. Both IBM DOS and MS
DOS 3.3 and 4.0 support COM3 and COM4 serial ports. DOS only
provides half of the solution however and will not use a COM3 or
COM4 serial port if the BIOS does not establish it's (COM ports)
presence. So even though you can purchase and run DOS 3.3 or 4.0
on your system, your COM3 or COM4 serial port (if you have pur-
chased and installed such a port card in your system) will not
work with DOS unless you have a PS/2 computer.
Port Finder provides a simple solution to this problem. It looks
for several non IBM COM3 and COM4 port's addresses. When it finds
the port address is present, it takes the port address found and
places it in the low memory BIOS area. In addition Port Finder
will update the serial port count which is also kept in the low
memory BIOS area. You would normally place the Port Finder
program name (PF) in your AUTOEXEC file so that the COM3 and COM4
port will be enabled each time you boot your system. You would
further need to use IBM DOS or MS DOS versions 3.3 or 4.0 for the
complete solution. If you install a COM3 or COM4 port, use DOS
3.3 or 4.0, and run Port Finder, you would find that DOS does
recognize the new port and you will be able to use the DOS MODE
command to set the baud rate and any other DOS command that could
be used with a serial port will work.
Port Finder provides a second function with the ability to pro-
duce all possible COM and LPT port swaps. Port swapping would
be used to keep from swapping cables for programs you are unable
or unwilling to change the port the program is setup to use. You
may also have a program that allows you to only enter COM1 or
COM2 but you would like it to use COM3 or COM4. Port Finder
provides full port swapping capability for LPT ports as well.
One potential problem trying to use or swap a COM3 or COM4 port
is that not all programs go through DOS to use a COM port. Any
program that by-passes DOS will be unaffected by any Port Finder
action. Many communications programs such as Procom Plus does
by-pass DOS and read and write directly to the serial port. Many
programs will do this if they need a higher port speed than DOS
can supply. However most new programs such as Procom Plus can
still work with COM3 and COM4 so you do not give up your COM3 and
COM4 port if present. If you should forget what ports are
swapped, Port Finder provides a reset command for both COM and
LPT ports that will restore the normal port locations.
In addition to COM port activation and COM and LPT port swapping,
Port Finder can be used as a diagnostic tool. In this capacity
it informs you of responding ports along with the actual port
address in HEX which can save you time when setting up a COM or
LPT port in your system. Port Finder informs you of all possible
memory types with total installed memory, your DOS version, EMS
version, display adapter type, and your BIOS date. One more
strange feature is that it will install your Joystick in the
equipment list if present. This is also a BIOS function which
IBM did use in it's PC computer BIOS's, but they decided to leave
this function out when they made the IBM AT computer. Not having
your Joystick in the BIOS equipment list does not keep your
Joystick from working, however many diagnostic programs will look
at this information and will tell you that your system does not
have a Joystick when if fact it does.
Port Finder is very easy to use. You can run it from the DOS
command line if you like or you can use it in a batch file. Port
Finder can also be used in a batch file to determine which COM
ports are present as it generates an Errorlevel based on all
possible COM port combinations. Port Finder includes a nice
built in help screen. You bring it up by entering "PF H" at the
DOS prompt. All Port Finder commands are listed and basic pro-
gram operation is discussed. All program documentation is locat-
ed on the program disk.
Port Finder is a Shareware program which costs $12.50 including
shipping. If you would like to try it before you buy it, an
older version of Port Finder is available on Compuserve in the
IBMHW section, general hardware library. The program is called
PF24.COM at this writing. If you decide to purchase the latest
version of the program you can order it from mcTRONic Systems,
7426 Cornwall Bridge Ln., Houston, Texas 77041, phone number 713-
462-7687. Considering what the program does it seems like a
bargain to me.