Share Gallery 1/share_gal_1.zip/share_gal_1/CO/CO022.ZIP/TAPDOC.EXE/TAPDOC.9

Text File | 1990-09-28 | 16KB | 446 lines

Section 9 -- Other TAPCIS Features


Time/Charges  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9-1

Multiple Parameter Files    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9-2

Script Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9-3
   Login Scripts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9-4
   Weather Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9-5
   Upload Script  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9-5

Macros  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9-7


TAPCIS(tm) Documentation Copyright (c) 1990, Support Group, Inc.
800-USA-GROUP, 301-387-4500

========================================================================
Time/Charges
========================================================================

The external accounting module can generate the usage statistics provided you
have selected to Log Times on the <P>arameters screen. Press <$> from the main
menu to start the time/charges function. You're first asked whether you want
to change the rates. The default rates are those for use with a CompuServe
network phone number. Rates are subject to change. Use <I>nteractive and GO
RATES to obtain the current schedule.

If you are using an alternative connection or pay metered local service,
change the rates to reflect those charges. Prime time is the day time rate.
Standard time is evening and weekend. CompuServe keeps its own time record
which you can access with the command GO BILLING. It is not detailed by forum
as are the TAPCIS statistics.

Output appears only on the screen. You can use <PrtSc> to print each screen.

You can run the STATS.EXE program from DOS if you do not have sufficient
memory to run it from within TAPCIS. You should run it from the same directory
that store your parameter file (PARAMS.CIS) and time log files (LOGmm-yy.CIS,
where mm is the month and yy is the year).

STATS will estimate what your bill will be at the end of the month. Do not put
too much stock in this since your usage will probably vary over the rest of
the month-higher or lower. Also, TAPCIS does not know about surcharged
services like Official Airline Guide, Executive News Service, or IQuest. Those
charges will be in addition to the charges recorded by TAPCIS.

There are two categories that TAPCIS uses to record charges for
"miscellaneous" usage. The OVERHEAD charge is for the time it takes to
navigate from forum to forum and to login and logout. It also includes the
"rounding" expense since CompuServe charges to the nearest minute.

TERMINAL charges are for all time spent interactive regardless of where that
time is spent. Once you are interactive, you can freely navigate from place to
place. TAPCIS logs all that time as a TERMINAL expense in the accounting.





















TAPCIS                                            Other TAPCIS Features    9-1

========================================================================
Multiple Parameter Files
========================================================================

TAPCIS supports multiple PARAMS files. You use the <Alt-F> command from the
main menu or forums selection screen. TAPCIS will show you information about
your current PARAMS file and let you switch files or create a clone of the
current one by pressing X. The name of the new file can be 1-3 letters or
numbers.

Each PARAMS.* file contains not only the list of forums but also your user ID,
password, and all other settings from the P>arameters screen. Be sure to set
up the main PARAMS.CIS file with your registration number, user id, and
password and then use <Alt-F> and the <X> copy option to create new ones.

You can use an alternate PARAMS file to change forum sets, support more than
20 selected forums, or switch COM ports and modem for laptop use. For example,
I have a PARAMS.WP that has the two WPSG forums selected and that uses a
different storage and download path than my "normal" PARAMS.CIS (the default
name).

You can select the PARAMS file directly from the command line by enclosing it
in parentheses. If you use any other command line options, separate those from
the PARAMS extension with a space:

TAPCIS (WP) GNX

The above would start TAPCIS using the PARAMS.WP file, globally capture
everything that happens online to the file ONLINE.LOG, execute the <N>ew
command as soon as TAPCIS is loaded, and exit TAPCIS as soon as <N>ew
completes.




























9-2    Other TAPCIS Features                                            TAPCIS

========================================================================
Script Language
========================================================================

The script language has three primary uses in TAPCIS:  customizing login
scripts for access through non-CompuServe networks (e.g., Sprintnet, Tymnet,
LATA networks, foreign networks), creating a FRONTEND.SCR to capture
information like weather and the daily news to the CompuServe Mail message
file, and simplifying the repetitive entry of commands in non-forum online
services (e.g., stock portfolio analysis, weather radar map downloading, stock
quotes).

The script commands are as follows. Each is a single capital letter or
semicolon for comments. Most commands are followed by a space which delimits
the commands from the parameter.


;                             Comment lines begin with a semi-colon and can
                              appear anywhere in the script.

B                             Send a break signal. Used in login scripts where
                              a <break> is needed to get the network's
                              attention.

C d:\path\filename.ext        Capture output and append it to "filename.ext"
                              on drive "d:" in directory "path." Includes an
                              explicit C Y (see below).

C Y                           Start (or restart) the capturing to the file
                              specified with the last C filename script
                              command or to the MAIL.MSG if in FRONTEND.SCR.

C N                           Stop capturing output to the file.

E                             Comment lines that display on the user's screen
                              as the script executes. They are not sent to
                              CompuServe or saved to any of the files.

I                             Input from the keyboard until the user presses
                              <F7>. This script command is useful in login
                              scripts to allow the user to manually get
                              connected to CompuServe. In interactive scripts
                              it can be used to allow the user to select a
                              particular menu choice after the script
                              automatically navigates to the menu. Output is
                              saved to the ONLINE.LOG if the G command line
                              option is used or to the capture file if one is
                              active. Note that TAPCIS will not time out and
                              logoff during the I script command.

K d:\path\filename.ext        Kill (delete) the file "d:\path\filename.ext".
                              If you have a script that uses the capture
                              command, and want to remove the old capture if
                              one exists, use the K command before the C
                              script command.




TAPCIS                                            Other TAPCIS Features    9-3

N                             Sends your name from the parameters screen. Used
                              in the <Alt-P> script.

P nn                          Pause for "nn" seconds

S text                        Send "text" of any length. Most commands on most
                              services must be followed by an <Enter>. In
                              these cases end the "S " command with caret-M
                              <^> <M>. The caret key can be combined with any
                              alphabetic key to duplicate a control code. For
                              example, ^C is ctrl-C. Control codes must be in
                              uppercase! This command waits for an echo of
                              what is sent before continuing.

U text                        This command also sends "text" of any length.
                              However, it does not wait for an echo of the
                              characters sent before continuing. This is
                              useful for login scripts to networks where the
                              first few characters sent may not echo or echo
                              correctly.

W x                           Wait for a single character "x" before
                              continuing.

W xxxx                        Wait for a four character sequence "xxxx" before
                              continuing. Use a full four characters. Using 2-
                              3 may cause the script to fail.

X                             Same as C N. You should start using C N instead
                              of X.

------------------------------------
Login Scripts

You can have a user defined login script by putting an underscore < _ > after
the phone number on the <P>arameters screen. An underscore alone tells TAPCIS
to use the script in TAPCIS.SCR. You can put the script filename (without the
extension) after the underscore to use a specific script (i.e., 555-
1212_MYSCRIPT). If you are going to write your own scripts, you should look at
supplied scripts as an example of how to put one together. Scripts must be in
ASCII format. Here is a simple script for login through a CompuServe node.

; CIS.SCR  -- Login using <CR> for Picky PADs that don't like ^C's.
; 5.3 version 9/15/90 -rpw
E TAPCIS LOGIN SCRIPT
E Login Through CompuServe Node where ^C is not being recognized
P 3
U ^M
W ame:
S CIS^M

A script for a standard LATA Network (usually run by your local phone company)
has been provided in the file LATANET.SCR. You select this script by placing a
colon <:> after the phone number. One problem: LATA Networks are not standard!
If you are going to use a LATA network, you may have to modify the supplied
script to work with the connect sequence required by your LATANet.



9-4    Other TAPCIS Features                                            TAPCIS

Many non-CompuServe networks require that you start TAPCIS with the P command
line option. When in doubt, you can use the P option with any network without
causing any problems.

------------------------------------
Weather Script

Here is a script that will capture today's weather in the file TODAY.WEA. It
deletes the old copy of the file before capturing the new information:




; WEA.SCR - Capture today's weather to TODAY.WEA
;
; To invoke the script, go online to CIS <Interactive>, make sure you're on a
; CompuServe prompt (like in the forums, or at a CIS menu). If in doubt,
; type GO CIS, then press <PgUp> then type WEA and press return
;
; Send the WEAther command.
; If you want the weather at a different city that has weather reporting,
; type the full city and state after WEA
S WEA Columbus, OH^M
; Kill the old weather report
K TODAY.WEA
; Open the capture file
C TODAY.WEA
; Wait for the next prompt
W !
; Close the capture file
C N
; Send carriage return to get back to prompt
S ^M

------------------------------------
Upload Script

Here is a simple script which uploads a file to a LIB. You should use caution
when writing and testing such scripts!  As you can see the upload script is
really just a sequence of send a command and wait for the next prompt. You can
invoke such a script from within a forum by pressing <PgUp> followed by the
name of the file. Your script file must have a file extension .SCR.

; UPL.SCR -- Upload a file to a forum library. Version 5.3 01/15/89 RPW
;
; Instructions for use:
;    Change the forum name, library number, file name in the UPL command,
;    filename on your computer, the file description (keep it fewer than
;    465 characters), and the keywords.
; Forum to receive the file (change!):
S G TAPCIS^M
; Wait for Forum ! prompt
W um !
;
; Library to receive the file (change!):
S LIB 2^M
W !


TAPCIS                                            Other TAPCIS Features    9-5

;
; Filename to use on CompuServe (change!)
; and file type (ASC or BIN -- change!):
S UPL UPL.SCR/PRO:B/TYP:ASC^M
W ter:
;
; Filename on your computer including path if necessary (change!)
S UPL.SCR^M
; Upload takes place here. Then wait for 'finished:'
W hed:
;
; File description (change!). Be sure to keep the ^M's at the end of lines!
S In a circular sort of way, this is a file that was uploaded using^M
S itself. UPL.SCR will permit you to upload any file anywhere on^M
S CompuServe. Edit it so that the Lib and Forums are correct and then^M
S go online <I>nteractive selecting no Forum. At the first prompt,^M
S hit <PgUp> and then enter UPL. Two rules -- 465 char max and no^M
S blank lines in this DES area.^M
;
; Exit the description
S /EXIT^M
; Keywords:
W rds:
;
; Keywords for the file (change!)
S UPLOAD SCRIPT UPL.SCR TAPCIS^M
; Title:
W tle:
S This is the title^M
; next line is <space>N)? in 'Is this okay (Y or N)?'
W  N)?
S Y^M
W !
; Logoff
S OFF^M
























9-6    Other TAPCIS Features                                            TAPCIS

========================================================================
Macros
========================================================================

TAPCIS supports 40 macros, 20 when online interactive and 20 when editing in
the message editor. You can define the macros by pressing <Alt-M> from the
main menu and selecting either <E>ditor or <O>nline macros.

Next press the letter you want to assign to your macros (A through T only) and
enter the text for the macro. Use the vertical bar (|) for carriage returns.
No other special control codes are supported (e.g., no tabs).

Then when in the editor or online, press <Alt-M>. A list of the macros will
appear. Press the corresponding letter and your macro will be passed to the
editor or CompuServe.

Note that when online, two macros have been programmed specifically to help
you use CompuServe interactively. <Alt-M> <X> sets CompuServe to verbose menu
mode with a screen size of 23 lines. <Alt-M> <Y> sets an individual forum to
menu mode and pausing after each message. Both these macros affect only the
current session. Macros are not available offline except in the editor.

You can use macros for your standard closing for a message in the editor, or
for conference or CompuServe commands when in interactive mode. In Conference
Mode you can have a macro that would get a list of participants by defining it
as:  /UST||  Notice there are two carriage return characters (||) after the
command. That is so that when the macro is invoked from the Conference Mode
input buffer at the bottom of the screen that the command will be sent on to
CompuServe (two returns are required).






























TAPCIS                                            Other TAPCIS Features    9-7