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UKM7.DOC
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2000-06-30
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UKM7
A SOFTWARE COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM FOR CP/M-80.
UKM7 has been adapted from MODEM7 for use in the UK. MODEM7 was original-
ly written in 1977 by Ward Christensen, principally for the American PMMI
modem and although it generally works, many bugs and problem areas were
in evidence. Being very modem dependent (PMMI modems must be as rare as
hen's teeth in the UK), David Back has removed all of the modem dependent
features and at the same time, cleaned up a great many bugs, mainly from
the Terminal mode. Further, tidying up the file and combining Terminal
and Echo modes, so that you may now echo whilst retaining all of the
Terminal mode facilities. In spite of the appearance of the Menu, which
is more complete than that of MODEM7, no functions useful in the UK have
been omitted, indeed, many of MODEM7's functions have been improved.
1) You may use UKM7 direct from a CP/M command line without any
restrictions.
2) All terminal file writing and closing has been made completely
automatic so that it is now impossible to forget to write and close
the file.
3) You may return from Terminal mode to the main menu and perform any
allowable option, including Send and/or Receive files whilst
retaining an open terminal file.
4) You may return to the same terminal file from menu level simply by
entering T, both ECHO and FILESAVE will be ON or OFF as you left
them.
5) You may start a new terminal file by exiting to MENU level and then
re-entering terminal mode with another, or even the same, filename.
6) An automatic LOG ON/answerback feature has been added, activated by
receipt of a ^E, from the menu level.
7) Automatic terminal filesave has been added. If a terminal file is
open and terminal file save is off then it can be remotely turned on
by receipt of ^R and off by receipt of ^T.
8) Echo on/off may be toggled whilst in terminal mode. (Control-C)
9) Printer On/Off toggle via control-P
As UKM7 may be assembled with either ASM or MAC, there is no point in
retaining the elaborate patching facilities of the MODEM7 series. They
are still there in a modified form but a UKM7.SET file is not provided.
There are no modem dependent features in UKM7 and all system dependencies
are gathered together at the beginning of the program. The program has
been patched with 820 port addresses and initialisation. Other simple
patches are possible, they are commented on in the source file and may be
altered to taste.
The file sending and receiving protocols of UKM7 are exactly as those in
MODEM765. They are compatible with all of the MODEMX program series back
to at least as far as MODEM4. The protocols work well, being relatively
bug free and are widely used, but does have some snags which will show up
sometimes on a bad line. These are documented by David Back in the form
of flow charts, but they are too complex to present here. UKM7 will work
equally well with CP/M 1.4 or CP/M 2.2.
Hopefully, the command syntax is self evident from the built in menus.
Type M followed by a carriage return to get the menu display when the
program begins in expert mode.
Although the non-batch mode of file transfer is redundant, it has been
retained for compatibility with other MODEM programs and because the
protocol is simpler and more suitable than batch mode for transmitting
files over a non-duplex link such as a radio channel. Note that batch
mode is now the norm and you have to include secondary option N to get
non-batch operation.
The quiet mode is retained as original. This is intended for situations
where UKM7 is running on a remote CP/M system. (Suppress all system
messages (don't display the screen).
In order to upload or download files from a remote system using UKM7 S or
R modes, it is first necessary to contact and sign on with the remote in
the normal way using the Terminal mode. Assuming that the remote station
has UKM7 available, it can then be given the command:
UKM7 SQ afn list or UKM7 RQ
Having done this, the local must then use ^E to return to main menu level
and give the RT or ST command as appropriate. File transfer will commence
and, when complete, the local station will finish up in Terminal mode and
the remote will be in UKM7 at main menu level. Thus, further transfers
may be initiated, or the CPM command may be given to return the remote to
CP/M command level.
EXPLANATION OF COMMAND SYNTAX AT MENU LEVEL
The menu indicates a general command syntax which applies to all
commands, but as syntax varies somewhat from one command to another, the
explanation below may be useful. Note that entry of ^X at either end of
the communication link will abort the file transfer in progress - one way
or another. (This feature has been left exactly as it was found and does
not work entirely satisfactorily. An abort protocol needs to be invented
and the author may work on this for a later issue if nobody else comes up
with any ideas.)
SEND FILES IN BATCH MODE, primaryoption S
Either single or multiple files may be sent with one command by use of
this option.
The Sending command is: S[Q][S|R|V][T] [drive:]afn [ [drive:]afn]
i.e. you may use a list of ambiguous filenames separated by spaces. Files
with the $SYS attribute set, i.e. system files, cannot be sent. If the
receiving station is not using UKM7 you must tell it that you are going
to use the Batch Mode.
RECEIVE FILES IN BATCH MODE, primaryoption R
Filenames are transmitted along with the file and used to make new files
at the receiving station. If a file of the same name already exists the
existing file will be renamed .BAK
The Receiving command is: R[Q][S|R|V][T] [drive:]
If the drive is not specified then files will be directed to the default
drive.
TERMINAL MODE, primaryoption T
To enter Terminal mode: T [drive:][unambiguousfilename]
In order to start a terminal file, a filename must be specified when
entering terminal mode.
Exit from terminal mode to Menu level (using ^E) does not close an
existing terminal file.
If a terminal file is open then re-entry to terminal mode without a
filename will allow its continued use.
Entry to terminal mode with a filename specified will close the current
terminal file, if one existed, then open a file with the specified name.
When return is made to the CP/M command level by using the CPM primary
option, the current terminal file will be closed. Do not exit to CP/M by
re-booting or else an open terminal file will not be closed and data will
be lost.
The terminal menu may be displayed after entry to terminal mode by typing
^D. When a terminal file is open, its name will be displayed in the menu.
No name means no file and data cannot then be saved.
The Computer mode may be entered by typing ^C. Only one end of a communi-
cation link may be in the Computer mode at any one time. In Computer
mode, characters received via the Modem are echoed back to the originator
and characters sent are echoed to the local console. Line feeds are
automatically appended to carriage returns. Both terminal file save and
file transfer with the ^T option work in Computer mode as they do in
Terminal mode.
Remaining features of the terminal menu are self evident.
DIRECT ENTRY FROM CP/M COMMAND LEVEL
Any of the above commands may be given to UKM7 direct from the CP/M
command level. For example:
A>UKM7 ST B:*.COM IQ*.ASM
will transmit all .COM files from drive B: and all .ASM files which begin
with IQ from drive A: and finish up in Terminal mode. There will be no
terminal file.
A>UKM7 T B:TFILE
will open terminal file B:TFILE and enter terminal mode.
Both M and X commands may be executed direct from the CP/M command level.
NON BATCH MODE, secondaryoption N
This mode has been retained for compatibility with older versions of
MODEMX. One unambiguous filename is required for both Send and Receive,
i.e. only one file may be transferred at a time.
Send a file, non batch mode: SN[Q][S|R|V][T] [drive:]unfn
Receive a file, non batch mode: RN[Q][S|R|V][T] [drive:]unfn
PRACTICAL POINTS
The author has tried unsuccessfully to provided control such that the
modem has always been automatically connected and disconnected at
appropriate times. A manually operated switch on the modem is better.
A manual switch is also preffered for selecting Call or Answer modes for
local attended operation. Smartmodems of the Hayes variety have yet to be
commercially available at reasonable prices in the UK. This program will
therefore be of special interest to those users without "smart"
features.