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C O M C A L L V E R 3 . 1
INTRODUCTION
FOR AN INITIAL OVERVIEW OF THE COMCALL PACKAGE - READ THE FILE
*** README.1ST ***
CONTENTS
LICENCE
REGISTRATION\SUPPORT
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
HISTORY
FILES
USAGE
**************************************************************************
1. COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE.
COPYRIGHT (C) 1991-1993
Clive Jones (address)xxxx
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
COMCALL is distributed under the SHAREWARE principles. The
Author reserves all COPYRIGHTS (C) to the programs and associated
documentation. In using this program you agree to the terms that
NO LIABILITY OF ANY KIND EITHER THROUGH DIRECT USAGE OR INDIRECT
USAGE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PACKAGE OR FAILURE IN THE PROGRAM
TO OPERATE AS DESCRIBED WILL BE PAYABLE OR DUE BY THE AUTHOR.
You are granted a limited licence to use this program for a
limited period of 30 days for evaluation purposes only. If you
intend to use this program beyond the trial period you are
requested to register your copy. Registered copies will receive
postal\Email support (telephone support provided where possible)
and upgrade options as and when available. Failure to register
your copy may result in further development into this and other
packages not being under taken by the author as a result of
financial restraints. Don't be a contributory factor to the
demise of SHAREWARE. Assist the authors who have spent
considerable time and effort by registering your SHAREWARE
packages. Reverse engineering and/or modification to the Comcall
code or documentation is prohibited.
****************************************************************************
2. REGISTRATION
CONTACT POINTS:-
If you find this package to be of some use and would like to continue
to use it beyond the evaluation period of 30 days then remit your
payment and details directly to the authors mail collection point at the
following address. All cheques/PO etc should be made payable to C Jones.
Do not forget to forward details as to your return address and your
preferred disk size/format.
AUTHOR.
UK - 24 Pounds Sterling or 39 US Dollars :-
(UK/US Cheques/Postal Orders Only - sorry on charge cards)
POSTAL COMCALL
111 Deer Park Gardens
Mitcham
Surrey
ENGLAND
CR4 4DX
(Sorry, no personal callers)
EMAIL
Compuserve : 100014,3141
CIX : cgjones@cix.compulink.co.uk
Fido Netmail: The Author regularly logs into ARKHAM BBS
as a FIDONET point.
Fido Netmail Messages Should be Addressed to
2/252/151.3
Arkham BBS is available on 44-71-738-5596
NOTE : Compuserve members may now register directly on line and make
direct payment. Simply access COMPUSERVE and GO SWREG. Comcall is
registered as COMV31.EXE and may be found in IBMSYS Lib 7 (Desktop
Utils).
AGENTS.
Alternatively, Comcall may be registered via one of International Agents
at the following points:-
USA - 39 US Dollars
G. M. Debus
2021 Tiffany Lane
Jonesboro
Ga 30236
USA
EMAIL
Compuserve: 70733,3466
USA - 39 US Dollars
Steve Sisson
West Virginia MicroSystems
8127, Sissonville Dr
Sissonville
WV 25320
USA
EMAIL
Compuserve: 76420,143
France\Belgium - 195 Francs
Ian Culpin
Strider Tech
BP 46
B-1332 Rixensart
Belgium
EMAIL
Compuserve: 100037,357
Registrations may also be accepted via one of the Shareware Houses that
we are currently registered with, most of whom accept credit cards.
Registration entitles you to continue to use the Comcall package beyond
the trial period together with support of the package (postal/electronic
mail plus telephone where possible). As a registered user you will
also be advised of upgrades as and when they become available.
Two types of registrations are possible and are now described.
The current registrational contribution is 24 UK Pounds Sterling or
39.00 US Dollars. This entitles you to a continuation in a single
licence beyond the 30 day trial period and package support together with
automatic registration for the next available version as and when
this becomes available. (Don't forget to state your disk size/format and
forwarding address).
Registration also provides you with the option to purchase the various
hardware options as outlined within the Comcall manual on a cost only
basis (zero profit).
We regret that we are unable to support versions beyond that of the
current and immediately proceeding versions.
There are numerous methods of payment as shown above. For example we
can directly accept cheques, postal orders or cash in UK pounds
Sterling, US dollars or French Francs (sorry as of yet we cannot
accept Mastercard/Visa directly). If you wish to pay be charge card then
you can use either Compuserve or one of the Shareware registration
agencies who have the Comcall package on their books.
COMCALL.EXE source code and rights are available for sale. - Contact the
author for further details.
International distribution/support agents required. Want to help
us to distribute and support the Comcall package? then contact the
author. Agents receive a percentage of all registrations received
via their contact point.
ENHANCEMENTS. Upon proof of sufficient interest in the program
(e.g. registrations/enquiries) then the author pledges to provide
further releases of Comcall. Your registration contributions will
ensure that such improvements see the light of day. Such
later releases may only be available to currently registered users.
SUPPORT CONTACTS
Support is currently via messaging (postal/electronic). Telephonic
support may be provided where possible and where the cost of such is not
bourn by Comcall Inc.
Contact may be established in a number of ways at one of the address or
points listed above.
Please attempt to clearly state any problems or difficulties that you
may be experiencing in any correspondence.
******************************************************************************
3. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to all the currently registered users for your financial support
in helping to keep the Comcall package alive.
My appreciation also goes out to all of you who have written in with
ideas suggestions and tips. Your letters have helped me revitalise my
enthusiasm in times when this may have been failing.
My personal gratitude goes out to those who aid in the distribution of
the Comcall package.
We acknowledge all current and future trademarks that might be used
within this documentation.
******************************************************************************
4. HISTORY
Dec 1989. Initial Development Started.
Aug 1990. B 0.1 Released.
Feb 1991. B 0.2 Released.
Aug 1991. B 0.3 Released.
Dec 1991. Version 1 Released.
April 1992. Version 2 Released.
Modem Initialisation Modification.
Pulse Dialling bug fix - thanks to Kevin Black
Log file format modification - thanks to Dave Woolcock
User definable delays/modem initialisation added.
Key entry screen modified to delayed entry for auto recall
Thanks to Dave Hickman (CA, USA).
General minor changes.
Configuration options added.
Browse log option added.
Delay tone toggle added.
Delay time from real time and not machine specific.
August 1992. Version 3.
Moved from command line to prompted initialisation.
Dual Trigger Conditions Added.
Time display.
Colour Options
Warning Tone on/off Options
Ringback string definition.
Auto Delay Entry modification.
Batch file option added.
Browse manual option added.
Busy tone retries level option added.
Reboot option (TSR)
September 1992. B.3.1 betta.
Bug fix to T advise call option (Thanks Larry for your Canadian
patience).
Reboot utilities added to aid batch control.
Multiple recall function added to EXECITAT and COMBOOT.
Improved interface.
Online manual option added.
Jump to config option added.
Remote electrical switching options added.
Partial Windows Multi-Tasking Environment Support Added.
X Trigger option mods.
March 1993. Version 3.1 Released.
Planned/Under Investigation:-
Remote Remote Option. To remotely control a remote control device
(e.g. VCR/TV/Radio/Garage Doors etc) using your PC and Modem or
telephone and answerphone. We will describe later how we have
already managed to partially achieve this in another section.
Improved Multi-Tasking environment interface (Mouse/Windows). Some
enquiries have been received as to whether it is possible to move
Comcall to a background mode of operation. With the current
evolution of Windows and the growing numbers of 386 based machines
around, the ability to use Comcall from within Windows would
appear the best suited way for this to be realised. Comcall
already appears to function reasonably well as a background
task within Windows. We will endeavour to improve the
interface of Comcall within such an environment over future
releases.
Additional Functionality for terminal. Host mode option
to improve electrical device switching from remote locations.
Comments and suggestions from those of you who might utilise
the latest P/S/C Switches would be appreciated.
Additional options for Tone Switching electrical devices
(described later in another section).
----------------------
CURRENT VERSION
----------------------
Comcall is continuously under further development. We appreciate
comments and views with regard to possible improvements to the
package. If you do find any errors or have any constructive ideas
then drop us a line. The author has put in considerable effort and
time in developing Comcall. Its nice to know whether his endeavours
are being appreciated.
------------------------------------
U N D E R D E V E L O P M E N T
------------------------------------
Unless you register for the current version of COMCALL, you may miss
out on future developments. Currently Comcall is entering an
exciting phase. Soon we hope to be bringing you a package that will be
unique in its field. A package that will offer new meaning to the
term 'remote control'. Operating over a single telephone line that
may be shared with normal voice and answer phone set ups, you will be
able to remotely control your video, stereo, TV, curtains, lights,
garage doors etc, even to turn your PC and Modem on/off. If you are
registered with Comcall, then you will be automatically advised of
when such options become available. All this in addition to Comcalls
existing functionality. The next release of Comcall, may be
released via Commercial methods (buy before you use) or via Shareware
distribution. However, for all users registered under the current
upgradable version, the next release will be offered as per the current
terms.
*******************************************************************************
5. FILES
The Comcall package contains the following files:-
INSTALL.EXE
COMCALL.EXE
COMDO.COM
EXECITAT.EXE
CHKBOOT.EXE
COMBOOT.EXE
STOPBOOT.EXE
AT_SET.TXT
INTRO.TXT
INSTALL.TXT
RUNNING.TXT
ADDS.TXT
COMMAN.EXE
READMAN.EXE
WINDOW.TXT
README.1ST
They are distributed within a single self extracting archive file.
If you received any additional files within the package then we suggest
that you do not use that version (we'd appreciate any advise as to where
you might have obtained such a version).
Once Comcall has been installed and ran at least once, then three
additional files will be automatically created:-
CALLRING.DTL - a log file containing ring/action details
COMCC.DTL - a Comcall configuration file.
COMVALS.DTL - holds default values for the comcall session
The Comcalls manual may be directly viewed from within Comcall.
The Manual is indexed into a number of text files for ease of
reference. If you wish to obtain a hard copy version or parts of all of
the manual then this may be achieved by printing the relevant .TXT file
to your local printer.
For cross reference, the .TXT file names for each of the manuals
sections are as follows:-
Introduction INTRO.TXT
Installation INSTALL.TXT
Running RUNNING.TXT
Utilities ADDS.TXT
Comcall and Windows WINDOW.TXT
The online manual reader uses the following control keys :-
Up-Arrow - Line Up
Down-Arrow - Line Down
Page-Up - Scroll Page up one page
Page-Down - Scroll Page down one page
HOME - Jump to top of section
END - Jump to end of section.
ESC - QUIT
*****************************************************************************
6. USAGE
If you have a telephone, a Hayes command set modem and an IBM or
compatible with 512 Kbytes of memory that is running under DOS 3.0
or higher, then COMCALL may be of use.
COMCALL is a package that contains a number of utilities. It is
designed to monitor your phone line in your absence. It will
either call you at ANY other phone location that may be directly
dialled to advise you when a pre-defined trigger is met, or
execute a command to start some alternative action. Alternatively
Comcall will simply monitor and log any incoming calls such as
when you are using an answerphone with no call time logger.
Comcall is constantly under further development. The next version is
intended to add even greater flexibility in Comcalls usage. The
latest version now includes additional options that will enable you to
control electrical devices from a remote location.
Comcall Version 3.1 is distributed as a fully functioning version.
Version 3.1 introduced the additional Switching options. Such as the
ability to switch electrical devices from a remote location, with the
telephone line used to perform such switch request monitoring being
shared with normal voice/answerphone calls. Alternatively you may
simply switch electrical devices locally using simple commands.
Additional hardware is required to be added to your home based system
(or the system where you wish the electrical switching to occur).
Currently, three separate hardware options have been added to perform
such switching. We call these the P/S/C Switches and their usage is
outlined within the Additionals and Installation sections of the Comcall
manual.
Due to COMCALLs flexibility, the setting up and running of a COMCALL
session may, in the first instance, appear a little daunting. Don't
worry. Persist in reading the manual and checking the set-up. After a
little while you'll come to grasp just how simple it can be to set up
powerful actions and commands.
The Comcall package basically consists of a number of separate
commands\utilities that may be linked together in such a way in order
to offer truly powerful and flexible options. Start with the main
Comcall utility and learn its set up and functionality well before
progressing on to include the other utilities. Once you have a firm
grasp of COMCALL then start to add in the other utilities to your skill
base. In no time at all you'll find your able to set up actions to suite
most needs if you follow this simple method of learning the COMCALL
package.
Some limited knowledge of DOS and BATCH files is assumed throughout
this manual and is it also assumed that you have a modem and one
form on comms package or another up and running so that you can
communicate with other systems. If you are totally unfamiliar with
modems, comms, DOS and batch files then may we suggest that you do
become a little more proficient in setting up and using these prior to
attempting to utilise Comcall.
Comcall will work with many telecommunications hardware devices such as
existing phones, extensions, answerphones etc.
No special hardware is required at the recipient end of the
triggered call if a telephone advice action is selected. Any phone that
may be DIRECTLY dialled is sufficient. You can even set Comcall to
advise you via a tone pager service. For the physical switching options
(and future remote/remote control option) some additional hardware is
required at the target end. The circuitry involved for the
physical switching is relatively basic and the units can be obtained
directly from the Comcall author on a zero profit basis. Supply is
organised on a strict first come first served basis. (We regret that
supply is limited to registered Comcall users only).
--------------------------
A C T I O N S
For the action options, the trigger condition for COMCALL is a range
of counts of incoming rings to your telephone. You define this
upon starting COMCALL and is totally variable. Such as one (and only
one) ring being received (eg like a RINGBACK set up) or maybe between
2 and 4 rings (your answer phone would have received a message), or
maybe all rings eg 1 - 999 (999 being the COMCALL limit). This
enables you to trigger actions or commands from a remote location simply
by making a suitable telephone call to your base system and hanging up
the phone at the required triggering point.
Only consecutive rings from one call are counted. If the trigger
condition is not met then the ring count will be reset and
Comcall will wait for subsequent calls.
All incoming rings are logged to a file called CALLRING.DTL for
later inspection if required. Useful if you've been out and would
like to see how many calls you missed.
Comcall may be individually configured to suit your own particular
needs and now incorporates a dual trigger condition, so that two ranges
of trigger options may be defined in order to perform two separate
operations according to which trigger condition was encountered.
EXAMPLE USAGES OF COMCALL:
1.
You have an answerphone but it does not have a time/date stamp
option. You go away for the weekend only to return to a number of
messages. When were these messages taken? Providing you had invoked
Comcall, then you will be able to see exactly when the messages
were left (day and time). You will even be able to see how many calls
resulted in messages not being left and when these occurred.
2.
A family member may be ill in hospital or your wife may have been taken
into maternity as your babies due date nears. You have an answer
phone and you have to go out on some urgent business. You are
fearful that you may receive that all important call whilst you are
out. The answer phone will take the message but you won't know of
this until you next return home or until you phone up and
interrogate your answer phone next (assuming you have a remote access
answer phone). Provided you either have a radio pager or know the
telephone number of the person whom you are visiting worry no
further. Simply invoke COMCALL to monitor your line, giving it the
number of the person whom you are visiting (or the radio pager number).
Go on out about your business and if a message comes in,
then you will be automatically advised.
3.
You are in the office late on a Friday evening. You still haven't met
that all important deadline for your project and you really should
come in over the weekend to finish that draft overview. But your
office is over 30 miles away. For security reasons, you may not be
permitted to take floppy disks out of the office and possibly no inward
external network access exist into your offices PC system. Your
office PC does however have a modem for outgoing data transfer
and you have a PC, modem and communications software at home.
Simply invoke your copy of COMCALL to trigger after say just one (and
only one) ring of your office telephone. When this trigger is met you
want it to start your comms package, via a suitable bat file, that has
been set to autodial your home phone number. You can then go
home in the knowledge that you do not have to drive all the way in
to work tomorrow and can work from home. All that is required
the next day is for you to call your office phone, hang up after just one
ring, set your home PC, Modem and Comms package to autoanswer data
mode and then wait for the return call from your office PC. You
should be confident that no one else will ring your office phone just
once and then hang up. Even if then did it would be of little
consequence as you would simple receive a call from your works PC
which you could then just hang up on. Provided you have set up the
triggering system correctly, your works PC would then resume waiting for
another single ring.
4.
Away on vacation, you want to be able to control your lights at home
remotely. Take your portable PC and modem, and leave your home system set
up in Comcall with the relevant lights (or other electrical devices)
plugged into the S-Switch device (described later) and you can then call
in at will to turn the lights on/off. The same principle could be used in
order to turn on your slow cooker from work if so desired. Leaving
you to arrive home to a freshly cooked, hot dinner. Alternatively, the
C-Switch can be used to perform a similar function to this without the
need to have any hardware at the signalling end (e.g. if you don't own a
portable PC/Modem).
5.
BBS sysops running a single or multiple line system could utilising one
of their older slow speed modems and the S-Switch to have a set up
whereby they could use their normal voice line to be able to call in and
perform a physical power off-on reset of the main BBS's modem from a
remote location. This would be ideal for cases when the BBS systems
might be hung (in-accessible). Assuming that the BBS was running under a
multi-tasker such as DESQVIEW or Windows, a small partition could be
allocated in order to have a ring-back set-up similar to that described
in 3 above, except that the set up could be made to place a comms program
into host mode on the normal voice line so as to enable a subsequent via
this line to access via data mode. The 'set data mode' call would be
free of charge as no actual connection would be made for this (just a few
'rings'). Ideally, only a small comms package is required for this so as
to minimise memory requirements. The system could be set so that you
could access the S-Switch via this small comms program upon the return
data call, thereby allowing you to request a physical power-off, power-on
reset of the main BBS's modems power supply. Usage of the timed reboot
programs, EXECITAT or COMBOOT could be utilised between the set-data
trigger call and the return data mode call in order to enure that, if a
return data call did not occur within a specified time, then the line
would be reset back to voice mode. Notice that such a set up would only
cost you the price of the one data mode call in order to reset the BBS
modem (which could be made from practically anywhere in the world) as the
initial trigger (set data mode call) would not actually require a connect
(ring range only).
Alternatively, you could simply use the Comcall and the S-Switch to
monitor for a specific number of rings, that you have defined, to your
voice telephone line, with the trigger action being to reset your BBS
modem via a power off/on reset. This is however, slightly less secure
than the first method described as a normal voice call could come in with
the same number of rings as the trigger condition.
Or what about using the C-Switch to switch your modem and PC both on and
off from a remote location, without the need for any hardware/software at
the request initiation end. This would appear more appropriate for
sysops of single line BBS systems that were running under a single DOS
environment.
My set up :-
I use Comcall for a number of purpose.
Firstly I am on occasions telephoned in the middle of the night with
messages that have to be dealt with promptly. My answerphone will take
these messages, but, being a sound sleeper, I am seldom awoken by the
few rings prior to the answerphone starting. I set Comcall to a ring
range count of 1 - 10 (eg any calls prior to the answer-phone
answering) and an action of E REM. Additionally I set the delay time
to 360 and delay tone on so as to raise an alarm. Any calls that come in
during the night therefore raise a PC alarm tone to awaken me.
Secondly, as my office is over 15 miles away, I set Comcall to
call me with advise of any pending messages that may be left on
my home answerphone throughout the day. I utilise my answerphones
remote interrogation option to then respond to any important
matters.
I have on a number of occasions used the power-switching options in
order to control a wide range of electrical devices. Ranging from
triggering a modem power off power on, remotely in order to reset
its switches, to making a remote call in order to record a TV
program on my Video recorder. For the later, I used a modified remote
controller that was switched using a P-Switch, with its outputs arranged
in such a fashion so as to be able to select up to 16 combinations
of remote controller keypad values (4 by 4 array using the 8 outputs
from the P-Switch).
Finally, I use Comcall to allow me to call into my home PC from my
office. I only have the one telephone line sharing both the answerphone
and modem. To use my home PC I simply set a trigger range of 1-2
rings and an action of X with an error level of 2. This error
level is then picked up from within my modified autoexec.bat file
in order to start my comms package in host mode and await my return
data call. I utilise the re-boot option for this to ensure that I
re-call within 5 minutes, otherwise the PC reboots and reloads
Comcall via the autoexec.bat file and switches the line back to voice
mode. I have personally found this to be invaluable in helping to set
up the BBS that I am currently preparing, without the need to install a
second dedicated telephone line. If combined with a C-Switch, such usage
enables me to also power on my office system (modem and PC) prior to
requesting data operation mode. Once I have finished with the data link,
I can then simply make a remote power off request to switch the PC and
modem back off again.
Additionally, I use the EXECITAT utility to perform daily tasks such as
disk back-ups and to invoke disk utilities etc on an automated basis.
My ultimate initial dream of being able to control a remote control
controller (for my video recorder) from a remote location has now dawned.
A future version of Comcall containing a generally available option to
perform such a task is intended to be included within a later release of
the package. As you will see from the above I have already managed to
personally achieve this for my own personal use, but it does need
additional effort before I would be in a position to generally provide
this as an integral part of the Comcall package. In the mean time, with
limited knowledge of keypad arrays and the P-Switch, you could make your
own setup perform this task under the current version.