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Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1993 17:49:48 -0400 (EDT) From: Les Jones <LJONES@UTKVX.UTCC.UTK.EDU> Subject: ZTerm 0.9 FAQ 1.4 To: macgifts@mac.archive.umich.edu Note to administrators: this supercedes my earlier post. This is the ZTerm 0.9 FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), version 1.4. This document answers frequently asked questions (FAQs) relating to ZTerm 0.9. The FAQ also contains bug reports, ResEdit hacks, information about reports and software relevant to ZTerm users, and undocumented tips. ================================================== Changes in version 1.4: ================================================== o Update on the ZTerm and the AV Macs o Update on CTB ZModem tools o Warning about using \J1 with 14400 bps modems o Details of multiple phonebooks (ZPhoneLists) o More detailed explanation of MacBinary o Information about DTR, dropped carrier, and hangup problems o Other minor updates =20 This is the most extensive rewrite to date. I've added a great deal of information, and rewritten and reorganized several sections. My motivation is that this version will be published on the Nautilus CD-ROM, so I want it to be perfect, or nearly so. I'm also posting this changes message to test the reliability of my newsserver, which has gobbled several of my recent posts. This FAQ is posted once a month to the comp.sys.mac.* groups for apps, comm, hardware, and portables. It is also availabl= e on America Online (filesearch keyword: ZTerm). I'm sorry, but I can't mail this FAQ to individuals. My student/staff account is too limited. A Microsoft Word text only document. -------------------------C U T H E R E----------------------- ZTerm 0.9 FAQ Version 1.4 by Leslie Jones updated September 25, 1993 For best results, display in 9 point Monaco with rulers set to 7 inches. ZTerm News AV Macs Update In the last version of the FAQ, I mistakenly reported that ZTerm is incompatible with the emulated modem of the new AV Macintoshes. =20 I came to this conclusion when I read that the emulated modems are compatible with any software program which uses the Communications Toolbox. Though ZTerm doesn't use the CTB for terminal emulation, connection, or file transfer, ZTerm is CTB savvy, and can use any port registered with the CTB. Therefore ZTerm can use the AV Macs' emulated modem, and is also compatible with serial port expansion devices, such as Applied Engineering's QuadraLink. I apologize for underestimating ZTerm. I also reported that an AV Mac attached to a Geoport Telecom Adapter is only capable of a v.32 (9600 bps) connection. This is still Apple= 's official policy. However, many users on comp.sys.mac.comm report tha= t the emulated modem is actually capable of v.32bis (14400 bps) connections. An article in MacUser confirms this. It appears that Apple is underestimating the abilities of its new machines. Information from Macworld (9.93), MacWEEK(8.8.93),and MacUser (8.93). ZTerm's Winning Ways (carried over from the last version of the FAQ) Congratulations to Dave Alverson! ZTerm won the Macworld World-Class award for best telecommunications program. The annual award is based on a reader survey. This year's revised format asked readers to list 10 hardware and software products they use every day and rate each on a scale from 1 to 10. In years past, the winners were usuall= y the most widely-used software. This year, lesser-known products won by virtue of loyal, satisfied users. The revised format allowed Panaroma to beat FileMaker Pro in the database category, while perennial underdog WriteNow ousted Microsoft Word from the top word processor spot. The winner among modem makers was Global Village, which bundles ZTerm with their product. Information from Macworld (9.93). Many CTB ZModem Tools to Arrive Soon Despite the number of telecommunications programs which use the Communications Toolbox, there is currently a dearth of CTB ZModem tools. This situation will change in the coming months as new telecom programs are released and established software is updated. There are no free or shareware ZModem tools available, but Pacer Software's PacerTerm includes such a tool. A MacWEEK review (08.09.9= 3) found the ZModem tool to be unreliable on 7 bit systems SeaQuest has long promised a ZModem tool. According to a beta tester, the fin= al product should appear soon. Brian Hall of Mark/Space Softworks reports that the next version of Communications Lite will include ZModem tools. So will SITcomm from Aladdin Systems, makers of the Stuffit compression products. SITcomm'= s ZModem tool is being written by Glenn Howes, author of Kermit Tool GH and YModem Tool GH. For additional Communications Lite information, see MacWEEK (8.23.93)= . Contents: ! == New section! + == Section updated since the last version of the FAQ + Distribution and Posting Information + Credits + Copyright Notice and Disclaimer + Other ZTerm Information and Software Contacting the Author [1] ZTerm's Version History [1.1] What's the current version? [1.2] What features will be in the next version? [1.3] When will the next version be released? [2] Registration and Support [2.1] Why should I register (pay the shareware fee)? [2.2] Do I have to register the copy of ZTerm that came with my Global Village modem? [2.3] Will I get technical support if I register? [2.4] If I registered an earlier version of ZTerm, do I have to send in an upgrade fee? [2.5] What is Dave's new Internet address? [3] Quick Fixes for Common Problems [3.1] Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew. [3.2] Select a download folder to prevent -120 downloading error. + [3.3] Make sure ZTerm is sending data to the correct port. [3.4] Make sure call waiting is disabled. [3.5] Make sure you have a hardware handshaking cable. + [3.6] Install Apple's Hardware System Update 2.0. [3.7] Quit other programs which use the modem. [3.8] Turn the modem off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on. ! [3.9] Quit ZTerm, then relaunch ZTerm. [3.10] Restart the computer. [3.11] Restart the computer with extensions off. [3.12] Disable fax software and fax auto-answer. [3.13] Move the ZPhoneList out of the ZTerm folder. (But don't throw it away!) [4] Known Bugs, ResEdit Fixes, and ResEdit Hacks [4.1] Queue dialing [4.2] File appends [4.3] Missing download folder [4.4] UNIX and Opus settings [4.5] Sending returns in scripts [4.6] Text pacing [4.7] Unmarking all services [4.8] Dialing with the scroll buffer scrolled back [4.9] Possible bugs [4.10] Increasing the port buffer size with ResEdit [5] Dialing [5.1] Can I reorder my Dial directory? [5.2] Why is one service in the Dial menu and in the Dial directory in outline? [5.3] How do I change the default service? [5.4] How do I set a service to be the current service? [5.5] How do I mark and unmark services for queue dialing? [5.6] I started ZTerm and the only service listed is called Local. Wa' hoppen? [5.7] My ZPhoneList with a kajillion phone numbers and settings got trashed. Am I screwed? ! [5.8] Why won't ZTerm send my modem initialization string? ! [5.9] Using multiple ZPhoneLists. [5.10] Undocumented tip: changing the data rate. [5.11] Undocumented tip: Changing parity, data bits, and stop bits. [5.12] Undocumented tip: dialing the current service. [6] Connecting + [6.1] When ZTerm dials, the dialing line has the A cut off the dial string, like this: TDT 691-7094. Tell me, tell me! Whatever could be wrong? [6.2] The BBS drops carrier before my sound stops playing. Suggestions? [6.3] Why is ZTerm so slow at sending passwords on some services? + [6.4} Why isn't there a setting for 14400 bps? + [6.5] What data rate should I use with a 14400 bps modem? ! [6.6] Why can't I connect at 14400 bps? ! [6.7] How can I prevent my modem from constantly dropping carrier? ! [6.8] Why won't my modem hangup properly? [7] File Transfers + [7.1] This text, binary, MacBinary, and Smart MacBinary stuff makes my head spin. Which should I use? + [7.2] When I download Mac files from a PC BBS, the files have generic icons and are unusable. What went wrong? + [7.3] Which protocol should I use? [7.4] Does ZTerm support batch ZModem downloads? [7.5] I have a high speed modem. Which protocol should I use? + [7.6] Interrupting ZModem downloads is messy. What's a modem freak to do? [7.7] Can I use ZModem from my VAX account? [7.8] How do I prevent massive CRC errors during ZModem downloads from UNIX? [7.9] I have other transfer problems with UNIX. What's Dave been smokin'? [7.10] I have an error-correcting modem. Which protocol should I use? [7.11] Where's YModem-G Send? + [7.12] Why does YModem work on some systems and not others? [7.13] Using hardware compression makes my uploads and downloads slower. Wie gehts? + [7.14] If I have the Kermit/VT102/etc. Tool, will ZTerm support Kermit/VT102/etc.? Are any ZModem tools available? + [7.15] How can I resume downloads interrupted by a meddling cat? [8] Sound, ANSI Graphics, and Color [8.1] Why oh why won't the ZTerm sounds play? + [8.2] Can I use sounds other than the ones that come with ZTerm? [8.3] Is there any limit on the length of the sounds? [8.4] My modem speaker won't work with ZTerm. What's the story, Lori? [8.5] How do I turn my modem speaker down or off? [8.6] Why can't women see what a great guy I am? [8.7] How do I get ANSI graphics when connecting to a PC BBS? [8.8] I did all of that and the ANSI graphics still look a little funny. What gives? [8.9] How can I add excitement to my dull and monotonous existence? [9] VT100 Emulation [9.1] I'm wiggin' out, Leslie. Why don't the home, end, page up, and page down keys on my extended keyboard work? [9.2] Why don't the f1-f4 editing keys on my extended keyboard work? [9.3] How can I emulate a control key on a Mac Plus? [9.4] How can I emulate an escape key on a Mac Plus? [9.5] How can I emulate a numeric keypad on a PowerBook? [9.6] Undocumented tip: positioning the cursor with the mouse. [10] Text and Text Files [10.1] Can I make the terminal font bigger? [10.2] Why does onscreen text look so crummy in anything but 9 or 12 point? [10.3] Will ZTerm save text files in something other than TeachText? [10.4] How can I increase the size of the scroll buffer? [10.5] Why do some characters get corrupted when I copy text from my word processor and paste it into ZTerm? [11] Macros and Scripting [11.1] How do I know the script is running? [11.2] How do I cancel a script? + [11.3] How do I send an escape/linefeed/etc. in a script? [11.4] Does a ^M have to be in quotation marks? [11.5] Do I have to use the Wait for "da da da" prompt syntax? [11.6] Why is ZTerm sending only part of a line? [11.7] How can I send quotation marks within a send statement? [11.8] What does error -49 mean? [11.9] I'm goin' nuts! Why won't my login script run? [11.10]Login script example [11.11]Undocumented tip: sending a sig with a script and macro. + [11.12]Other uses of scripts and macros An Easter Egg ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>< Distribution and Posting Information Each month I will post the current version of the FAQ to the comp.sys.mac.* Usenet newsgroups, where * is apps, comm, hardware, and portables. New versions of the FAQ will be posted as soon as they become available. I will also send the current version to macgifts@=20 mac.archive.umich.edu, a mail exploder which delivers the file to the sumex-aim and umich FTP sites, as well as other, lesser-known FTP sites The following list shows the location of the FAQ at various FTP sites, along with the appropriate directories. Sumex and umich are two primary ftp sites. The other sites mirror the contents of either sumex or umich. The mirrors are often easie= r to access, especially during business hours. Note that the archie.= au site is in Australia. It should be the last resort for users outsi= de of Australia. FTP site Directory sumex-aim.stanford.edu info-mac/comm/inf= o archie.au micros/mac/info-mac/comm/inf= o wuarchive.wustl.edu mirrors/info-mac/comm/inf= o mac.archive.umich.edu mac/misc/documentatio= n wuarchive.wustl.edu mirrors/archive.umich.edu/mac/misc/documentatio= n archie.au micros/mac/umich/mac/misc/documentatio= n src.doc.ic.ac.uk packages/mac/umich/mac/misc/documentatio= n I will also send the current version to America Online (file search keyword: ZTerm). Sorry, but I can't email the FAQ to individuals. It's too big and = my student/staff account is limited to 512K and $10.00 per week. Credits and Thanks Many thanks to the folks who have contributed, knowingly or unknowingly. While compiling this FAQ, I was often helped by the net community, particularly readers of the Usenet newsgroup comp.sys.mac.comm and the Info-Mac Digest. Thanks to all the helpful people out there in netland! In rough chronological order: Neil Schulman, Joe Dellwo, Adam Toner, Rick McCormack, Scott Macrae, David Platt, Daniel Friedan, Drew Wade, Gregory Youngs, Roy Wood, Gary Snow, Peter Middleton, Eric Hoffmann, Jay Bourland, Pete Halverson, Henri Schueler, Miles Abernathy, Jeff Kwan, Kent Ritchie, Davey Silon, Bruce Schlobohm and David Ray. Others have contributed material which I intend to use in upcoming versions of the FAQ. Special thanks to ZTerm author Dave Alverson for providing informat= ion about the next release, and for releasing a great piece of software as shareware. Copyright Notice and Disclaimer This document is copyright 1993 by Leslie Jones. I ask for no mone= y, but please give credit when citing this work. The FAQ may be freel= y copied and distributed electronically, and may be uploaded to FTP sites and online services which charge no more than a normal connec= t fee for downloading files. Distribution on physical media is prohibited without written permission, but the moderators and archivists of the info-mac archives may include this FAQ on the info-mac CD-ROM. This document contains the names of copyrighted products. The copyrights are the property of their respective owners, and are used here only in an editorial capacity. This document is a volunteer effort. Every attempt has been made to provide accurate information, but the author and contributors accept no responsibility for actions resulting from the use of this free information. This document is provided as is with no warranty of any kind. Contacting the Author To make corrections and suggestions, send Internet mail to ljones@utkvx.utk.edu (utk == University of Tennessee, Knoxville). This is my preferred (read: cheap) mail address. If mail to that address bounces, send Internet mail to lesliejonz@aol.com, or send America Online mail to LeslieJonz. ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>< Other ZTerm Information and Software Information This FAQ answers questions relating specifically to ZTerm 0.9. There are other sources for information of interest to ZTerm users For answers to more general questions about Macintosh telecommunications and networking, please read Eric Rosen's excellent comp-sys-mac-comm FAQ, available for anonymous FTP from sumex-aim.stanford.edu and mac.archive.umich.edu. Everyone who uses a modem should keep Eric's FAQ on their hard drive. For answers to questions about file conversion (I downloaded a file that ends in cpt/sit/dd/arc/lzh/pit/etc. How do I open it?), get David Lemson's exhaustive report compression-util-table. The ZTerm manual briefly describes the most common Macintosh compression formats. For information about configuring your modem, consult your modem's manual. I address specific problems in the FAQ, but there really is no substitute for a working knowledge of the Hayes command language. When your AT command reference is torn at the edges and soiled with the oil of your fingers, it is then you know you have mastered the art of telecommunications. If you have Usenet access, questions about Macintosh-specific telecommunication hardware and software should be directed to comp.sys.mac.comm. Questions about modems and telecommunications in general should be directed to comp.dcom.modems. I often read c.s.m.comm and answer questions about ZTerm by searching for the string "zt." If you post there, please spell ZTerm correctly. It is NOT spelled Z-term. (Personal rant mode *off*.) Actually, after reading this FAQ, you'll probably be answering ZTerm questions, not asking them. Software Denise McElroy (dmcelroy@bonnie.ics.uci.edu) has released ZTerm Phone Directory Listing. The application reads your ZPhoneList file and produces a text file containing the names and phone numbers of all services. If your ZPhoneList ever gets erased or corrupted, you'll be glad you used it. This application may be also able to extract the phone numbers from a corrupted ZPhoneList. Jon Snell (jonsnell@aol.com) wrote a hack called ZTerm High Speed Patch. The patch consists of ResEdit instructions and a 16 color palette resource. By using the hack and setting the monitor depth to 16 colors, ZTerm users will experience faster screen redraws while still seeing the correct colors. Users with 2400 bps modems will experience little or no speed increase. If you don't need color for ANSI graphics, the hack is unnecessary. Simply set the monitor depth to 16 or fewer colors, or black and white. If your video is limited to 16 colors, the hack will allow you to see ANSI graphics with their correct colors. Star Trek fans now have their own sounds for ZTerm. The sounds are available on America Online as M's ZSounds, and at sumex-aim as star-trek-comm-sounds in the info-mac/snd directory. The sounds are as follows: Connect: Worf saying "Link established. Receiving." Filedone: Worf saying "Transfer of information complete." Termbell: Enterprise computer beep. ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>< [1] ZTerm's Version History [1.1] What's the current version? ZTerm 0.9 is the current version. It is dated February 8, 1992. Before 0.9 was released, someone hacked 0.85 with ResEdit and released it as 1.0. There is a more recent hack called 0.93 XK (eXtra Keys), which was released by a user group. Anyone may modify ZTerm with ResEdit for their personal use, but distributing modified versions of copyrighted software is illegal. If you discover an interesting ResEdit hack, send it to me and I'll publish it in the FAQ. Dave Alverson sends official releases to America Online, CompuServe, and GEnie. You can also expect the newest version to appear quickly on BBSs and FTP sites. [1.2] What features will be in the next version? Support for Kermit file transfers. =20 Implementation of 16 color ANSI graphics, instead of the current 8 colors. Some additions to the scripting language. A scripts folder, possibly. Bug fixes. [1.3] When will the next version be released? The original goal was second quarter, 1993, conditional on Dave finding enough spare time. That date has now passed. We all hope the next version will appear Real Soon Now. [2] Registration and Support [2.1] Why should I register (pay the shareware fee)? This is a tough question. There is no legal precedent to show that people can be forced to pay for shareware, so one will come knocking on your door in the middle of the night. On the other hand, many of us in the computer community feel that you should pay for shareware which you use often, just because it seems to us to be the right thing to do. Shareware authors put a lot of work into their software, and they deserve compensation. Shareware authors also put a lot of faith in the computer community by releasing their products as shareware. They trust that people will voluntarily pay for a product they need and use. I for one don't think we should take advantage of people's trust. There are also practical reasons for registering. Registering encourages the author to update his software. More importantly, the author is more likely to continue to release his work as shareware if people pay the registration fee. [2.2] Do I have to register the copy of ZTerm that came with my Global Village modem? No. Your copy, which should be labeled ZTerm 0.9GV, has been paid for by the nice people at Global Village, who know a=20 good piece of software when they see it. [2.3] Will I get technical support if I register? Yes. Dave supports ZTerm through paper mail, email, and in conferences on America Online, CompuServe, and GEnie. The=20 locations of the conferences are listed in the Support dialog under the Misc menu. Registered users receive his home phone number and can call him for direct phone support. When was the last time you called a Microsoft programmer at home? Global Village handles support for the Global Village version of ZTerm. [2.4] If I registered an earlier version of ZTerm, do I have to send in an upgrade fee? No. Dave Alverson, like most shareware authors, doesn't charge upgrade fees. This is another advantage of shareware. [2.5] What is Dave's new Internet address? The address given in ZTerm 0.9 is out of date. Dave's new Internet address is davea@xetron.com, and is his preferred (read: cheap) mail address. [3] Quick Fixes for Common Problems [3.1] Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew. Keep your head tool cool. Read the manual, read this FAQ, and remember that tens of thousands of people have used ZTerm successfully. Before you use ZTerm for the first time: [3.2] Select a download folder to prevent -120 downloading error. Before downloading files for the first time, you must select a default download folder by selecting Receive Folder from the Settings menu. If ZTerm can't find the download folder, it reports an error of -120. [3.3] Make sure ZTerm is sending data to the correct port. An external modem can be connected to the modem or printer ports. Find out which yours is attached to, select Modem Preferences from the Settings menu, and select the port. Alternatively, you can hold down the shift key while ZTerm loads to select the port. If you have a PowerBook with an internal modem, open the PowerBook control panel and select the option for an internal modem. All things being equal, you should connect an external modem to the modem port. The computer gives priority to the modem port so that other printer port activities don't interfere with modem activities. Also, all AppleTalk devices must be connected to the printer port, which is the only AppleTalk-capable port. [3.4] Make sure call waiting is disabled. To disable call waiting on a touch tone phone, insert the string "*70," before the phone number, like this: ATDT *70,555-5555 The comma is a Hayes command which makes the modem wait for two seconds. Someone has suggested using w instead of a comma. The w tells the modem to wait for a dial tone. On a pulse dial phone, use "1170," instead of "*70,". One reader wrote in to say that *67 enables privacy (disables caller ID at the remote phone) for some telephone companies. [3.5] Make sure you have a hardware handshaking cable. If you have hardware handshaking turned on in the Connection dialog, consult your modem manual to make sure you have a hardware handshaking cable. You can get away without one for awhile, but the= y are ultimately necessary for high speed modems. A diagram of a correctly-wired hardware handshaking cable is hidden in the Apple Modem Tool v1.1. Open a copy in ResEdit and examine P= ICT resource #20000. To find out more about hardware handshaking, read issues 179 and 180 of TidBITS, Adam Engst's free electronic magazine, available at FTP sites and online services. [3.6] Install Apple's Hardware System Update 2.0. The hardware update (AKA Hardware Enabler) corrects some problems with high speed communications under System 7.1 on the following machines: LC, LC II, IIsi, IIvx, IIvi, Classic II, Quadra 900, and Quadra 950. The updater solves other problems on these and other machines, so users of System 7.1 should probably have it anyway. The updater should NOT be used on Performas.=20 I mention the hardware update out of a sense of duty to inform you that it exists. No one has actually reported that it solved any of their problems. On the contrary, reports are filtering in that the update causes some problems of its own. Day-to-day fixes: [3.7] Quit other programs which use the modem. Communications programs that access the modem are sometimes reluctant to give up control of the port the modem is attached to. Quit all other telecommunications software, as well as any phone book programs that can dial phone numbers through the modem. [3.8] Turn the modem off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on. This technique solves numerous connection and downloading problems. [3.9] Quit ZTerm, then relaunch ZTerm. Among other things, this forces ZTerm to resend the modem initialization string. [3.10] Restart the computer. Restarting is a standard way of solving transient problems of any kind. [3.11] Restart the computer with extensions off. Extensions (inits and cdevs under System 6) cause more than their share of problems, and should always be suspect if the machine is crashing or freezing. Under System 7, restart with the shift key held down to prevent extensions from loading. Under System 6, manually remove all inits and cdevs from the System Folder and restart. see also 3.12 A few final possibilities: [3.12] Disable fax software and fax auto-answer. Fax software may prevent ZTerm from accessing the serial port to which the modem is attached. Remove fax extensions, control panels and Chooser devices from the System folder. Fax Chooser devices are especially insidious. Chooser devices aren't disabled when you restart with extensions off under System 7. If they were, print drivers would be disabled, and you wouldn't be able to print. Consult your fax modem manual to learn how to disable fax=20 auto-answer. [3.13] Move the ZPhoneList out of the ZTerm folder. (But don't throw it away!) Besides storing phone numbers, the ZPhoneList contains all of ZTerm's settings and preferences, which may have been misset or corrupted. If you remove the file from the ZTerm folder, ZTerm will create a new one using its default settings. You can also restore the file from a backup disk. If that doesn't solve the problem, put your old ZPhoneList back in the ZTerm folder so you won't lose your phone numbers. [4] Known Bugs, ResEdit Fixes, and ResEdit Hacks [4.1] Queue dialing When queue dialing, the dial window remains open after a connection is made. [4.2] File appends Appended text is inserted at the beginning of the file, rather than at the end. [4.3] Missing download folder If you attempt to download without selecting a default download folder, ZTerm reports a -120 error instead of prompting you to select a download folder. [4.4] UNIX and Opus settings The radio buttons may change when you open the ZModem Options dialog, but the settings remain unchanged, so the bug is not serious. [4.5] Sending returns in scripts When ZTerm sends a return by itself in a script, it usually sends a space, then the return. To fix the problem, open a copy of ZTerm in ResEdit. Open the CODE resource, then open CODE ID==2. At offset 52B4 find the string 671E 4A6E FFEE. Change 671E to 601E= . [4.6] Text pacing If text pacing is set to wait for a line prompt, ZTerm will usually wait for about 5 seconds even if it receives the prompt character. To fix this bug, open a copy of ZTerm in ResEdit, open the CODE resource, then open CODE ID==2. At offset 5082, find the string 3B40 CAC0. Change CAC0 to CABE. [4.7] Unmarking all services Holding down shift-option and selecting Dial Marked is supposed to unmark all services, but doesn't. [4.8] Dialing with the scroll buffer scrolled back When dialing with the scroll buffer scrolled back, ZTerm crashes when a connection is made. This bug does not occur on all systems, but occurs repeatably on some. [4.9] Possible bugs I have one report that entering a service name larger than the Service Name field in the Connection dialog will crash the computer when you click OK. I was unable to reproduce this bug. Please send me reports of your experience so I can include them in the nex= t FAQ. [4.10] Increasing the port buffer size with ResEdit Open a copy of the ZPhoneList in ResEdit. Doubleclick the zSet resource. The first two bytes are the port buffer size. X'1000= == 4K. Changing X'1000 to X'7000 will result in a 28K port buffer. Higher settings are reported to be unreliable. You can also use intermediate settings, such as X'2000 (8K), X'3000 (12K), etc. [5] Dialing [5.1] Can I reorder my Dial directory? Yes. In the Connections dialog, put one or more spaces in front of the name to force the service to the top of the list. To force the service to the end of the list, put a bullet (option-8) in front of the name. NOTE: if you change the name of any services that have login scripts, you will have to change the login script names to reflect these changes. [5.2] Why is one service in the Dial menu and in the Dial directory in outline? That's the default service. When you launch ZTerm, that service will be the current service. see also 5.3 [5.3] How do I change the default service? Open the Dial directory, hold down the command key, and click on the service you want to be the default. You can also hold down the command key and select the service from the Dial menu. [5.4] How do I set a service to be the current service? You can open the Dial directory, click on the service, and click the Set button. You can also hold down the option key and select the service from the Dial menu. [5.5] How do I mark and unmark services for queue dialing? You can open the Dial directory, and either click on the service and click the Mark or Unmark buttons, or click in the space to the left of the service's name. You can also mark and unmark services by holding down the shift key and selecting the service from the Dial menu. Holding down the shift key while selecting Dial Marked will mark all services. Holding down shift and option while selecting Dial Marked is supposed to unmark all services, but doesn't. You can, however, open the Dial directory, hold down shift-option, and click Unmark to unmark all services. [5.6] I started ZTerm and the only service listed is called Local. Wa' hoppen? ZTerm didn't find your ZPhoneList in the ZTerm folder, so it created a new one with the default entry Local. Find your ZPhoneList and place it in the root level of the ZTerm folder. [5.7] My ZPhoneList with a kajillion phone numbers and settings got trashed. Am I screwed? You're screwed. Always back up your ZPhoneList when you perform your routine backup. Or, to put it another way, whenever you think "Man, I really oughta back up my files one of these days," instead think "Man, I really oughta back up my files, including my ZPhoneList, one of these days." If your ZPhoneList becomes corrupted, you might be able to extract the service names and numbers using Denise McElroy's ZTerm Phone Directory Listing, available from FTP sites and America Online. [5.8] Why won't ZTerm send my modem initialization string? ZTerm won't initialize the modem if the default service doesn't have any characters in the Phone Number field. To fix the problem, type some characters in the field. The characters don't have to be a phone number. "I am the Lizard King" works just fine. So does a couple of spaces. See also 5.2 and 5.3 for details on the default service. [5.9] Using multiple ZPhoneLists. When you launch ZTerm, it looks for a file called ZPhoneList in the ZTerm folder. To force ZTerm to use a different ZPhoneList, quit ZTerm and doubleclick on the other ZPhoneList, which does not have to be in the ZTerm folder. If multiple ZPhoneLists are present in the ZTerm folder, they must have different names. To force ZTerm to create a new ZPhoneList, rename the old one, or move it out of the ZTerm folder and launch ZTerm. [5.10] Undocumented tip: changing the data rate. You can change the data rate without going to the connection dialog. Click on the data rate string at the bottom of the window to get a popup menu for changing the data rate. [5.11] Undocumented tip: changing parity, data bits, and stop bits. Likewise, clicking on the string to the right of the data rate string produces a popup menu for selecting 8-N-1, E-7-1, or O-7-1 settings. [5.12] Undocumented tip: dialing the current service. Command-shift-d normally dials marked services. If no services are marked, command-shift-d dials the current service. [6] Connecting [6.1] When ZTerm dials, the dialing line has the A cut off the dial string, like this: TDT 691-7094. Tell me, tell me! Whatever could be wrong? Two things to try: 1. This is symptomatic of a modem which is either not properly connected, or not turned on. Make sure your modem is turned on, that the modem cable is properly connected to the computer and to the phone jack, and that ZTerm is sending data to the correct port. 2. ZTerm may be sending the dial string too fast for the modem. Add a comma to the beginning of your predial initialization string in the Connection dialog, like this: ,AT M0 The comma is a Hayes modem command which, by default, causes a 2 second delay. The length of the delay is stored in the S8 register= . One user reported that this solved the problem on his PowerBook. After giving this some thought, it seems to me that a comma after the init string might work even better, since the comma would cause the modem to wait before processing the dial string. Any feedback would be appreciated. I'm not experiencing this problem, so I depend on reader feedback to help me track down the solution. Someone suggested adding several A's at the beginning of the dial string, as in AAATDT. This may help the modem to adjust its speed to ZTerm's data rate (to autobaud). Again, any feedback is appreciated. I'd like to have a definitive answer to this problem. [6.2] The BBS drops carrier before my sound stops playing. Suggestions? Use a shorter connect sound. ZTerm can't send or receive data while the connect sound plays. [6.3] Why is ZTerm so slow at sending passwords on some services? You have "Wait for character echo" turned on in the Text Pacing options, but the remote system isn't echoing the password characters, so ZTerm waits 5 seconds, times out, and sends the next character. Turn off the "Wait for character echo" option for that service. [6.4} Why isn't there a setting for 14400 bps? The setting in the connection dialog controls the DTE speed (AKA terminal speed, Mac-to-modem speed, serial port speed, or wha= t ZTerm calls the data rate), not the DCE speed (AKA connection speed= , modem-to-modem speed, or carrier speed). 14400 is a DCE speed, not a DTE speed. No comm program has a setting for 14400. [6.5] What data rate should I use with a 14400 bps modem? With a high speed modem, you want to set the serial port speed higher than the carrier speed so that the modem won't get ahead of the computer. Also, most v.32bis (14400 bps) modems featu= re hardware compression methods such as v.42bis and MNP 5. To take advantage of hardware compression, the serial port speed must be higher than the carrier speed. When using a 14400 bps modem, set the DTE speed in the Connection dialog to 19200 for Macs with 68000 processors, or to 38400 for Macs with 68020 processors or higher. You can experiment with higher values, but these should work reliably. Some users report that high serial port speeds are unreliable when AppleTalk is enabled in the Chooser DA. [6.6] Why can't I connect at 14400 bps? Send the modem an AT&V command, which will display all settings. If you see \J1, you've found the problem. \J1 enables port rate adjust. This means that the DTE speed will adjust to the DCE speed= . But if you connect at 14400 bps, you're in trouble, since ZTerm can't send data to the serial port at 14400 bps. To fix the problem, send AT\J0 (zero) to the modem. Better yet, add \J0 to the modem initialization string in the Modem Preferences dialog, or type AT\J0&W0&W1, which will store \J0 in the modem's nonvolatile memory. [6.7] How can I prevent my modem from constantly dropping carrier? Tell the modem to ignore DTR. The appropriate string for most modems is &D0. You cannot use hardware handshaking if &D0 is set. Be sure to read the section 6.6 to avoid problems hanging up the phone line. see also 3.12 if you have a fax modem [6.8] Why won't my modem hangup properly? The modem's &D setting and ZTerm's setting for hardware (DTR) hangu= p are conflicting. The Hardware Hangup (DTR) setting is in ZTerm's Modem Preferences dialog. Send the command AT&V to your modem to find your &D setting, and set the hardware hangup according to the following table: =20 If your modem is Use this setting in ZTerm's set to this: Modem Preferences: &D0 Set Hardware Hangup (DTR) to off &D1 Set Hardware Hangup (DTR) to off. &D2 Set Hardware Hangup (DTR) to on. &D3 Set Hardware Hangup (DTR) to on. [7] File Transfers [7.1] This text, binary, MacBinary, and Smart MacBinary stuff makes my head spin. Which should I use? Unless you know better, use Smart MacBinary, which will automatically select the correct transfer mode. The major exception is if you are uploading non-text files, such as GIFs or .zip files, which PC users will use. In that case, use binary to prevent Finder information from being sent. Macintosh files have two forks, or parts -- the data fork and the resource fork. The data fork holds data, i.e. text. The resource fork holds resources such as compiled code, pictures, sounds, etc. Text files are usually all data. Applications are mostly resources= . This two part structure is unique to the Mac. If you send Mac file= s to other types of computers, the files will be damaged. Using MacBinary transfers prevents this damage. [7.2] When I download Mac files from a PC BBS, the files have generic icons and are unusable. What went wrong? You didn't use MacBinary or Smart MacBinary. Among other damage that occurred, the file's type and creator codes (used by the Finde= r to identify a file as an application, document, etc.) were lost. That's why the files have generic icons. [7.3] Which transfer protocol should I use? If the service you're calling supports ZModem, use it, because: 1. ZModem is very fast. 2. ZModem is a batch protocol, meaning you can place more than one file into a batch for uploading or downloading. Most protocols make you request files one at a time. 3. ZModem has crash recovery. If a 3 hour download is interrupted 1 minute before it finishes, you can redial the service, start the download again, and finish where you left off instead of having to start from scratch. 4. ZModem receives begin automatically. To start a ZModem download, simply tell the other computer to begin the transfer. Your computer will detect a ZModem transfer and automatically enter receive mode. This autoreceive feature necessitates the default download folder, which ZTerm also uses with other transfer protocols. 5. ZModem handles XON/XOFF software flow control better than other protocols. 6. ZModem detects the presence of hardware error correction, such as MNP 4 and v.42, and turns off its own error detection. The result is faster throughput when using error-correcting modems. [7.4] Does ZTerm support batch ZModem downloads? Yes. ZModem is by definition a batch protocol. To download multiple files from UNIX using ZModem, use the command sz -w 1024 file1.txt file2.hqx etc. [7.5] I have a high speed modem. Which protocol should I use? ZModem. In addition to the benefits listed above, ZModem is a streaming protocol, meaning that the receiving computer doesn't send back any information unless an error is detected. In other protocols, the sending computer sends a packet of information, then waits for the receiving computer to check the packet for errors and report whether or not the information was received intact. [7.6] Interrupting ZModem downloads is messy. What's a modem freak to do? Send an ASCII abort or interrupt character. The abort character varies from host to host, but should be either control-x or control-k. Control-c is the ASCII interrupt character. Whichever character you send, type it repeatedly. [7.7] Can I use ZModem from my VAX account? Yes. The necessary source code is available via anonymous FTP from ee.utah.edu in the directory /Comm/Rzsz. You will need everything but the .tar file. The source code is too large to fit into my account, so I am currently trying to obtain the executable binary. [7.8] How do I prevent massive CRC errors during ZModem downloads from UNIX? Try the following suggestions from Fernmail author Dave Platt: "The commonest reason for this sort of failure-to-resynchronize is, in my experience, excessive data buffering between the sending "sz" process and the receiving program. The ZMODEM protocol can become badly confused if you're connected to your host via a TCP-based terminal server or some similar serial data switch. If the terminal server and the network software provides a substantial amount of data buffering (as it probably does), then the two ZMODEM processes will each see a _long_ delay between the time that they send a message to their peer, and the time that the response to this message makes it through the network to them. This delay will interfere with the protocol's error-recovery timeouts, and can lead to an endless stream of recovery attempts. I strongly suggest using the poorly-documented "-w" option when downloading files from a mainframe or workstation, unless you're _sure_ that all of the data communication links between you and the host are running at the same speed and don't do data buffering. The "-w" option enables a four-packet sliding-window mode, which will guarantee that sz will never "get ahead" of your Mac by more than the window-size that you specify. As long as the window size is no more than (e.g.) 10 seconds worth of data, there won't be a problem with the retry timers expiring before the window is emptied. I usually use "sz -w 2048 filename" when downloading. In fact, I have "sz" aliased to "sz -w 2048" to ensure that I don't forget to use windowed mode." [7.9] I have other transfer problems with UNIX. What's Dave been smokin'? If you have trouble with UNIX when you use the telnet command, try the rlogin command, and vice versa. This tip has solved many problems for UNIX users. [7.10] I have an error-correcting modem. Which protocol should I use? You should probably still use ZModem, but you might also consider YModem-G. Other protocols have software error correction which is redundant and time consuming if your modem has hardware error checking. Be sure that hardware error correction is enabled on both modems. Consult your modem manual for instructions. The downside to YModem-G is that there is no error recovery in YModem-G, so the transfer terminates if an error is detected. For this reason, you shouldn't use YModem-G if you have noisy phone lines or are transferring large files. [7.11] Where's YModem-G Send? According to ZTerm's excellent Balloon Help, YModem1K send is the same as YModem-G send. [7.12] Why does YModem work on some systems and not others? What some BBSs call YModem is actually XModem-1K. If the BBS offers YModem and YModem Batch, use YModem Batch, which is the true YModem which ZTerm expects. Otherwise, tell the BBS to send YModem, and tell ZTerm to receive XModem-1K. [7.13] Using hardware compression makes my uploads and downloads slower. Wie gehts? Most online files are compressed with software utilities such as Stuffit and Compact Pro and can't be compressed much more, if at all. Therefore, the time the modem spends trying to compress and decompress the files can actually slow down the transfers. V.42bis is supposed to detect compressed files and turn off its own compression, but it doesn't always work If hardware compression causes problems, consult your modem manual to learn how to turn it off. [7.14] If I have the Kermit/VT102/etc. Tool, will ZTerm support Kermit/VT102/etc.? Are any ZModem tools available? No. ZTerm doesn't use the Communications Toolbox for terminal emulation, connection, or file transfer, so it can't use Communications Toolbox tools. The freeware Termy, by Tim Endres of Ice Engineering, can. I currently use Termy and Kermit Tool GH for my Kermit needs. To answer a common question in advance, there are no freeware or shareware ZModem tools available at this time. The only payware ZModem tool currently available ships with Pacer Software's PacerTerm. A MacWEEK review (08.09.93) found the ZModem tool to be unreliable on 7 bit systems. Several nascent comm packages promise to deliver ZModem tools. The upcoming SITcomm from Aladdin Systems, publishers of the Stuffit products, will include a ZModem tool written by Glenn Howes= , author of Kermit Tool GH and YModem Tool GH. The next version of Communications Lite from Mark/Space Softworks will also include a ZModem tool. The new version will be a free upgrade for current users. A beta tester for SeaQuest reports that SeaQuest's long-promised ZModem tool is in beta and should ship Real Soon Now. [7.15] How can I resume downloads interrupted by a meddling cat? If an animal, two legged or four legged, presses the 9 key during a download, ZTerm will display zrdata: cnt == 1024 zrdat32: cnt == 1024 ad nauseam. To fix the problem, press the 0 (zero) key. My friend Neil Schulman discovered this. Dave Alverson tells him this=20 behavior is actually a debugger built into ZTerm. More details as they become available, modem fans. [8] Sound, ANSI Graphics, and Color [8.1] Why oh why won't the ZTerm sounds play? The sounds must be stored in the System file (AKA System suitcase). See 8.2. [8.2] Can I use sounds other than the ones that come with ZTerm? Absolutely. You can rename any system-compatible sound to "Connect", "Filedone" or "Termbell" and install the sound in the System file. Under System 7, quit all applications and desk accessories and drag the sounds to the icon of the closed System Folder. When asked if you want the sounds installed in the system file, click OK. System 6 users can install System 6-compatible sounds into the System file using the shareware SoundMover (shareware by Riccardo Etore) or ResEdit. You can also use a resource manager, such as SuitCase or MasterJuggler, to open the sounds with the file. [8.3] Is there any limit on the length of the sounds? ZTerm doesn't limit the length of the sounds, but ZTerm can't send or receive data while the sounds are playing. Therefore, a long connect sound may cause connection problems. Try to keep the sounds short, especially the connect sound. [8.4] My modem speaker won't work with ZTerm. What's the story, Lori? Either the modem initialization string or the predial initialization string of the copy you received contains the M0 (zero) command, which turns off the modem speaker. Select Modem Preferences from the Settings menu and delete the MO command. If the problem occurs only with some services, delete MO from the predial initialization string in the Connection dialog of those services. [8.5] How do I turn my modem speaker down or off? This one is near and dear to my heart, as I used to have the 2400 bps Modem for the Deaf(TM). ZTerm offers three ways to turn the modem speaker off (AT M0), or to turn the speaker down (AT L0) if it's on. (All 0's are zeroes.) 1. You can manually do the deed by typing AT M0 or AT L0 before you make a connection. This method is best if you only want to silence the modem for some sessions. 2. To automatically change the volume for one service, enter AT M0 or AT L0 in the "Pre-dial init" field in that service's Connection dialog. This method is best if you want the speaker on for some services and off for others. 3. To automatically control the volume for all services, select Modem Preferences. Click in the "Initialize" field and use the cursor keys to move to the far right. Move the cursor just to the left of ^M and type M0 or L0. This method is best if you want the speaker off for every service, every time. These three techniques work for any initialization string, incidentally. [8.6] Why can't women see what a great guy I am? Man! I've been trying to figure out the same thing for years. You tell me. [8.7] How do I get ANSI graphics when connecting to a PC BBS? 1. Select Terminal Settings for that service and choose the PC ANSI BBS radio button. 2. Also in the Terminal Settings dialog, uncheck the "No Extended Characters (Strip hi bit)" box if it is checked. 3. In the Color Preferences dialog, check the Use Color box. 4. In the Terminal Preferences dialog, set the font size to 9 or 12 point. Other sizes will not work with ANSI graphics. See 10.2. 5. In the Monitors control panel, set the monitor depth to 256 colors or higher. 16 colors will do in a pinch. If your Mac is limited to 16 colors, I recommend using Jon Snell's ZTerm High Speed Patch, which installs a 16 color palette into ZTerm. [8.8] I did all of that and the ANSI graphics still look a little funny. What gives? ZTerm 0.9 uses 8 colors for ANSI emulation, while some ANSI graphics use 16 colors. The next version will support 16 color ANSI emulation. [8.9] How can I add excitement to my dull and monotonous life? Select Color Preferences and choose colored text on a darker background. I use yellow text on a black background. Use whatever colors you want. It's your life. [9] VT100 Emulation [9.1] I'm wiggin' out, Leslie. Why don't the home, end, page up, and page down keys on my extended keyboard work? During VT100 emulation, those keys are assigned to VT100 operations. To make them work like normal Macintosh application keys, hold down the shift key and then press them. [9.2] Why don't the f1-f4 editing keys on my extended keyboard work? During VT100 emulation, all of the function keys are assigned to VT100 operations. Use the command key equivalents or the edit menu. [9.3] How can I emulate a control key on a Mac Plus? If you are using System 7 on a U.S. system, install the ZTerm Keyboard layout. To do this, drag the keyboard layout to the icon of the closed system folder. When asked if you want to install the keyboard layout, click OK. The option key will now emulate the control key. If you are using a non-U.S. system, or a system earlier than 7.0, select Terminal Settings from the Settings menu. Assign the control key function to the command key. [9.4] How can I emulate an escape key on a Mac Plus? When Option for Control is checked in Terminal Preferences, the accent/grave key in the upper left hand corner of the keyboard emulates the escape key. [9.5] How can I emulate a VT100 numeric keypad on a PowerBook? Use NumericKeypad (AKA U.S. Keypad), a ResEdit resource and keypad written by Mel Park, of the University of Tennessee, Memphis. NumericKeypad maps the numeric keypad to the regular keyboard when the caps lock key is engaged. [9.6] Undocumented tip: positioning the cursor with the mouse. Not only can you use the mouse for selecting text, you can also use it to position the cursor when in editing mode. Hold down the option key. The pointer will become diamond-shaped and will move the cursor, somewhat slowly, to wherever you click. [10] Text and Text Files [10.1] Can I make the terminal font bigger? Yes. Select Terminal Preferences from the Settings menu and enter a larger size. [10.2] Why does onscreen text look so crummy in anything but 9 or 12 point? ZTerm uses its own terminal font for 9 and 12 point, but uses Monaco for other sizes. If you want to see ANSI graphics, it is essential that you select 9 or 12 point. Monaco doesn't contain the special characters needed for ANSI emulation. A font-morphing wiz could help Dave Alverson and ZTerm users by creating, say, 10 and 11 point sizes of the ZTerm font. Contact Dave Alverson if you're interested. [10.3] Will ZTerm save text files in something other than TeachText? Yes. To change the application ZTerm saves text files in, choose General Preferences from the Settings menu and choose a new file creator. TeachText can't open files larger than 32K, so this feature is especially useful if you save large text files. [10.4] How can I increase the size of the scroll buffer? ZTerm stores the contents of the scroll buffer in memory. To increase the memory partition, increase the current size in ZTerm's Get Info window. One user has reported that setting the memory size above 1000K disables scrolling, but I was unable to duplicate that problem. If you experience troubles with large memory settings, reduce the setting below 1000K. [10.5] Why do some characters get corrupted when I copy text from my word processor and paste it into ZTerm? The characters you've pasted are illegal on the system you're logged in to. A lengthy explanation follows. On the Macintosh, all eight bits of a byte are used for=20 characters, producing 256 possible characters (two to the eighth power is 256), though some of these are dead keys, command keys, etc. Mainframes use only seven bits for text, producing only 128 possible characters (two to the seventh power is 128). This seven bit text is the ASCII standard (American Standard for Information Interchange, pronounced "ass key"). If you use any characters which use the eighth bit, the mainframe ignores the last bit and uses the first seven bits to determine which character to display. To avoid illegal characters when composing text for a mainframe, never use any characters which require pressing the option key. Also, in your word processor, turn off smart (curly) quotes (which usually includes smart apostrophes), which use the eighth bit. When smart quotes are turned on, the word "don't" usually becomes "donUt" when pasted to a mainframe. And I'll bet dollars to donUts you donUt want that to happen. If you need to upload or paste text files containing illegal eighth bit characters, process the file with the Zap Gremlins command in BBEdit Lite (freeware by Richard Siegel). [11] Macros and Scripting see also 4.5 for an explanation of a scripting bug and an easy fix. [11.1] How do I know the script is running? You will see a letter or two in the lower right hand corner of the terminal window. These letters are abbreviations for the command the script is preparing to execute. By noting which commands have executed, you can debug scripts more easily. These are the abbreviations and their meanings, as provided by Dave Alverson: b : beep s : send w : wait wp: wait prompt wq: wait for quiet [11.2] How do I cancel a script? Hold down the command key and type a period. Command-period, AKA the Universal Mac Distress Code, also cancels printing and pastes, in ZTerm or most other applications. [11.3] How do I send an escape/linefeed/etc. in a script? To send an escape, use the line: send "^[" where "[" is the lowercase left hand bracket, and "^" is the the shift-6 control character. Substitute ^j for linefeeds. Basically, you can send any ASCII character using a script. All you need is a table of ASCII characters and their meaning. [11.4] Does a ^M have to be in quotation marks? Yes [11.5] Do I have to use the Wait for "da da da" prompt syntax? No. Wait prompt "da da da" works just fine. [11.6] Why is ZTerm sending only part of a line? When a line begins with the "send" command, ZTerm sends everything between the first set of quotes and the second set of quotes. If the string looks like this: send " "It is not I who am crazy ... It is I who am MAD!!!" ^M" ZTerm will send a space, since that is what is between the first and second set of quotes. [11.7] How can I send quotation marks within a send statement? I used to say it couldn't be done, but I found a way. ZTerm recognizes four varieties of quotation marks: single quote, double quote, smart single quote, and smart double quote. If you begin a send statement with one type, ZTerm won't stop sending until it reaches another quote of the same type. (It doesn't, however, care which way the smart quotes face.) For instance, if the send line looks like this: send ' "It is not I who am crazy ... It is I who am MAD!!!" ^M' ZTerm will send everything within the single quote marks (apostrophes). If your send string contains double and single quotes, enclose the string within smart quotes. KeyCaps DA will show you the correct= =20 keys for producing smart quotes in your word processor or text editor. In general, never enclose smart quotes within the send string. See 10.5. [11.8] What does error -49 mean? It means that the script ZTerm tried to use is open in another application, such as your word processor. Close the file and try again. [11.9] I'm goin' nuts! Why won't my login script run? There could be a number of reasons. 1. The file may not be in the right place. Login scripts must be stored in the root level of the ZTerm folder. That is, you should be able to see the ZTerm application and the script in the same Finder window using an icon view. 2. The file may not have the correct name. Login scripts should have the same name as the service, with the ".zts" extension on the end. If the service is called " MacClique" (note the space), the script should be called " MacClique.zts", with a space. 3. The script may not be in text only format. ZTerm can only read text only files (files of type code text), such as TeachText files. If you write the script with your word processor, be sure to use the Save As command and select a text only format. If TeachText can't open the file, it is not in text only format. One exception: TeachText can't open any file larger than 32K. Or had I mentioned that already? If you have a working, useful script larger than 32K, I'd like to shake your hand. 4. The script may be an alias. ZTerm doesn't recognize aliased scripts. 5. There may be something wrong with your login script. To test your script, select the Run Script command to tell ZTerm to use the script. If the script doesn't work when run manually, the script is faulty. [11.10]Login script example The login script for my university's timesharing network follows: wait prompt "ENTER HOST NAME OR HELP >" send =D2vax^M=D3 wait "Username:" prompt send $account "^M" wait "Password:" prompt send $password "^M" Note that $account and $password are not inside quotation marks. For this script to work, the values for $account and $password must be entered into the Connection dialog box. [11.11]Undocumented tip: sending a sig with a script and macro. UNIX users often include a signature at the end of their messages. The signature, or sig, often includes the person's name, email address, position, etc. Sigs are automated in UNIX. ZTerm users can easily send a sig with their email by creating a sig script. Launch your favorite text editor or word processor, set the font to Monaco, and write the sig as you want it to appear. Then enclose each line of text in quotation marks, type send in front of each line, and include a ^M before the second set of quotation marks. To send a blank line, send a ^M by itself. Save the script in the ZTerm folder and name it sig. If you use a word processor, be sure to use Save As and save in a text only format. Example: send "************************************************************^= M" send "Leslie Jones ljones@utkvx.utk.edu AOL: LeslieJonz^= M" send "^M" send "Made from only the freshest electrons and 100% pure ASCII to^= M" send " insure that you have the best possible email experience.^M" send "************************************************************^= M" Launch ZTerm and choose Edit Macros from the Macro menu. Name the new macro sig, and type "(option-r)sig" in the Macro String field. Now your sig is only a macro away. You could also use the Run Script command under the Macro menu, though it wouldn't be as convenient. Enjoy! [11.12]Other uses of scripts and macros Scripts and macros can eliminate a lot of needless typing. The following is something I cooked up to speed up Kermit transfers on the VAX. (I'm really looking forward to Kermit support in the next version of ZTerm!) Example: wait "kermit>" prompt send "SET BLOCK_CHECK_TYPE THREE_CHARACTER_CRC_CCITT^M" wait "kermit>" prompt send "SET SEND PACKET_LENGTH 1000" "^M" wait "kermit>" prompt send "SET RECEIVE PACKET_LENGTH 1000" "^M" I use the following script to logon to the sumex-aim FTP site. send "FTP sumex-aim.stanford.edu^M" wait prompt "Username:" send "anonymous^M" wait prompt "Password:" send "ljones@utkvx.utk.edu^M" wait prompt "FTP>" send "cd info-mac^M" As in the example in 11.10, I could trigger these scripts with a macro or with the "run script" command. And finally, an Easter Egg. Open a copy of ZTerm in ResEdit. Doubleclick on the STR resource, then doubleclick on the ID==0 resource. Inside you will see a line from Monty Python. Enjoy! Send in those corrections and tips! And send Dave your shareware fee!