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1991-10-29
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Documentation for...
******************************************
* *
* DIAL.EXE & CFGDIAL.EXE *
* *
* by Scott Brinker & Chris Robert *
* *
* Copyright (C) 1991 Galacticomm, Inc. *
* All rights reserved. *
* *
******************************************
Why the World's Simplest Terminal Program?
------------------------------------------
These days, many companies are turning to bulletin board systems as a
cost-effective means of providing customer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. At *his* convenience, a customer can use his modem to call into a BBS
and find answers to common product questions, place orders, exchange messages
with company personnel, make suggestions, download related software, and more.
However, although more and more people are regularly using computers and
modems, there's still a large segement of the business world that is unfamilar
or uncomfortable with using their PC as a communications tool, not just a
desktop publisher, spreadsheet facilitator, or information database.
The DIAL software was written to make it *incredibly* simple for anyone
with a PC and a modem to just copy a disk to their hard drive, type "dial
such-and-such", answer a few easy questions ("is such-and-such a local call
to you?") and transparently get connected to a customer support BBS -- without
having to know anything about modems or communications software. DIAL will
automatically find a modem in the user's computer, initialize it, call the
right number, log him on to the BBS, and return him to DOS when all is said
and done.
Using CFGDIAL, you, as the Sysop of a customer support BBS running The
Major BBS, can customize a DIAL configuration ("DIAL.CFG") that includes the
phone numbers (local, same area code, long distance) for your BBS and
optionally a User-ID and password. You can then distribute this to your
customers who can install it and easily hook into your support BBS.
Using CFGDIAL.EXE
-----------------
You can configure answers to the following questions for use by the DIAL
program:
Who are we calling?
Ask user to choose number?
What number should I dial?
Where is your BBS located?
What's the local number?
What's the area number?
What's the LD number?
Supply already signed-up account?
What's the User-ID?
What's the password?
Show user the logon process?
Ask user if dialing prefix needed?
What prefix should I use (if any)?
Use "ATZ" for modem init string?
Init String:
Use the arrow keys, home, and end to move around the template. The
answer field for the current question you are configuring will be shown in
reverse video. Questions that *need* to be answered will be bright, all
others will be dimmed. These "required" questions will change based upon your
particular configuration (for instance, if you want to assign someone a
User-ID and password, those fields will be shown in a bright color).
There's also a little box in the upper-left corner of the screen that
will give you help & information on the current question you are answering.
The following keys are also supported:
F1 .... make a disk with the current configuration
F5 .... load a configuration template
F6 .... save current configuration as a template
F10 ... exit to DOS
These are described in more detail below.
Four Types of Configurations
----------------------------
There's basically four types of DIAL configurations that you can
create:
1. You configure the name of your system and the different
phone numbers for local, area, and long distance calls.
The user choose which one to call and is responsible for
signing-up a User-ID and password.
2. You assign a specific phone number for the user to call
(if you know he'll be local or long distance, or if you
are using an 800 number). The user is still responsible
for signing-up a User-ID and password.
3. You assign a User-ID and password for someone, but you
configure local, area, and long distance phone numbers
and let the user choose which one to call. NOTE: THIS
REQUIRES AN INDIVIDUALIZED "DIAL.CFG" FOR EACH USER.
4. You assign a User-ID, a password, and the phone number
for the user to call. NOTE: THIS ALSO REQUIRES AN
INDIVIDUALIZED "DIAL.CFG" FOR EACH USER.
Making a Disk
-------------
If you have filled out information for all valid questions, you
can create a disk by hitting F1. You will a need formatted floppy disk
in either drive A: or B: for each copy of DIAL.EXE and DIAL.CFG that you
wish to make. Each disk will contain two files:
DIAL.EXE ..... the DIAL program
DIAL.CFG ..... specific configuration for this user
You will probably want to label the disk with some verbage saying,
"Copy this to your hard drive and type 'DIAL such-and-such'", where
'such-and-such' is replaced with your company's name or your BBS's name.
If the user doesn't need to make any file transfers, he can just run
the DIAL program from the floppy disk.
Templates
----------
You may find it handy to save "pre-configured" templates of DIAL
information for use again and again. You can...
Load a Template: Just hit F5 and type in the name of the
template you wish to load (e.g., GCOMM).
This will replace all current configuration
information on your screen with the info
contained in that template. You can then
change information and/or make a disk.
Save a Template: At any time while you're configuring, you
can hit F6 and save the current information
on your screen as a "template".
Distributing DIAL.EXE & DIAL.CFG
---------------------------------
You can freely distribute DIAL.EXE and DIAL.CFG files created using the
CFGDIAL.EXE program. You may not copy or transfer the CFGDIAL.EXE program.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE
SOFTWARE IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU
(NOT GALACTICOMM) ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING,
REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
IN NO EVENT WILL GALACTICOMM BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES,
INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS, OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE
THIS SOFTWARE EVEN IF GALACTICOMM OR ITS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY
CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY.
Using DIAL.EXE (DIAL.DOC can also be distributed to users)
----------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO IN "DIAL.DOC", WHICH CAN BE DISTRIBUTED
TO USERS OF "DIAL.EXE".
DIAL.EXE is a program that has been designed to connect you to a
specific bulletin board system. In order to use this program, you must
have a modem somewhere in your machine that is hooked up to a working
phone line. That's all you need to know. To get started, just type
"DIAL" at your DOS prompt followed by a carriage return to get started.
The first thing that the program will do is to search your computer for
a modem. You need not trouble yourself with what COM port your modem
is in, or any of that: the DIAL program will find your modem, wherever
it is. DIAL will then automatically set itself up to the fastest
communications rate that your modem can handle.
The first time you run DIAL, it may ask you a few simple questions
(depending on whether or not it thinks it needs to). It may ask you
questions about if a certain city and state are local calls to you.
These are simply yes or no questions that can be answered by simply
typing a Y or an N when the question is asked. Another question that
may be asked is whether or not you need to dial any special number to
get an outside line. If you answer Y to this question, it will ask you
for the number to dial. If the DIAL program doesn't have any problems
connecting, you will not see these questions again: it remembers your
responses, and doesn't have to ask any more.
Next, the DIAL program will try to connect you to the BBS (bulletin
board system). If it encounters any problems with connecting, it may
ask you the configuration questions again, just to make sure that the
responses it recorded were correct. If it still can't connect after
two attempts, it will give up and advise you to call your
representative or just try again later. Otherwise, you're online!
When you're online, you really only need to know two things. The first
thing is that any time you want to quit and go back to DOS, all you
have to do is hit ALT-X. This will hang up your modem and then return
you to DOS. The other thing is how to handle file transfers, if you
need to send a file to the BBS, or if you need to receive a file from
the BBS. If you want to receive a file from the BBS, then make the
proper selections on the BBS, and make sure you select the ZMODEM
protocol if it asks you what protocol to use. Once you select ZMODEM,
the DIAL program will automatically sense that you're downloading
(receiving a file from the BBS), and go ahead and transfer the file
from the BBS to your hard drive (it will go in the same directory as
the DIAL program). To upload (transfer a file to the BBS from your
hard drive), you also need to make the proper selections on the BBS and
choose the ZMODEM protocol. Once you select ZMODEM, the DIAL program
will sense that you are about to start an upload, and prompt you for
the file name you want to upload. It will then transfer the file to
the BBS and return you to normal terminal mode.