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- EXPROT Ver. 3.5 EXTERNAL PROTOCOL INTERFACE
- by
- Luis R. Cáceres, Jr.
- 8711 S.W. 20th Terrace
- Miami, FL 33165
-
- EXPROT is an external protocol manager designed to be used with
- such popular terminal programs as Telix, Commo, and Pro-Comm Plus.
- It is meant to be invoked by being named as the editor in your
- terminal program's configuration file, by means of a key macro,
- connect-independent script, or by inclusion as a SINGLE external
- protocol.
-
- EXPROT is pre-programmed to enable downloading and uploading of
- files using Zmodem (Fosberg's version), Ymodem (also Fosberg's
- version), Lynx, Puma, and Jmodem. Versions 2.5 and 2.6 also sup-
- ported Super8k and Super8K-G, but this protocol, though one of
- the fastest, turned out to be difficult and erratic, and is sup-
- ported by only a handful of BBSs. Version 2.7 dropped Super8K
- and added HyperP. Version 3.00 dropped HyperP and added Zmodem
- Auto Download (see below), Xmodem, 1k-Xmodem, Ymodem Batch,
- Megalink and SEAlink. The option for BiMenu has also been dropped,
- as has that of the editor, both present in previous versions.
-
- EXPROT is a single-file program, with no overlays or separate
- setup utilities. It must be configured, but right from within,
- by answering five simple questions: what is your modem port,
- its highest speed, EXPROT's own path, the download path, and the
- upload path. EXPROT takes your word at face value and does no
- error trapping when being configured, so be careful and accurate
- in your answers.
-
- If EXPROT cannot find its configuration data file, it will prompt
- you for its pathname rather than force you to reconfigure. This
- avoids problems when you have shelled out of your terminal program,
- wandered about your hard disk, and then returned ('EXIT') to the
- terminal without bothering to CD\ back to its directory first. It
- also makes EXPROT easier to use under DESQview. You don't even have
- to tell DESQview about EXPROT. Just give your terminal some 56K
- more of RAM than it uses by itself, and practice invoking EXPROT
- once before making a connection.
-
- EXPROT's Zmodem command includes the option for "resume" or
- comparison crash recovery. If there's no incomplete file in the
- target directory, the resume command will not interfere, and the
- specified files will be normally transferred in their entirety.
- There is also a toggle to enable or disable Zmodem-90 "MobyTurbo".
- If YOUR DSZ is an older one without MobyTurbo, leave it off, or
- your Zmodem transfers will abort with an error message. Whether the
- host's Zmodem has MobyTurbo or not is inconsequential to you.
- Otherwise, it will be to your advantage to toggle it on.
-
- Also in regards to Zmodem and the other DSZ-based protocols, EXPROT
- sees to it that they put downloads in your specified D/L directory,
- EVEN IF YOUR DSZ IS NOT REGISTERED. This is accomplished by the
- simple expedient of making the D/L directory the current one when
- DSZ is chosen, and invoking DSZ remotely. When the transfer is
- complete, and before returning you to your terminal, EXPROT
- changes back to its own drive and directory. This is completely
- transparent to you.
-
- Once configured, using EXPROT is so simple and intuitive that we
- regard any instructions as unnecessary. You just select your
- protocol from the menu, press D or U (for Download or Upload) and
- provide a filespec if uploading, or, if downloading, only if you
- chose Xmodem, 1k-Xmodem, or Jmodem.
-
- If you give only a filename when prompted for a filespec, EXPROT
- will look for it in the upload path; but you can override this by
- providing a full pathname. In other words, you can upload files NOT
- located in your upload directory if you tell EXPROT exactly where
- they are.
-
- If you are DOWNLOADING with Xmodem, 1K-Xmodem, or Jmodem, and you
- enter a full path when prompted for a filespec, the protocol will
- not proceed, but end with an error message. Downloads MUST go to
- the d/l directory, and this CANNOT be overridden.
-
- For Megalink transfers, EXPROT automatically lowers the rate, if it
- was set higher, down to the maximum supported by the protocol,
- which is 9600. Or, if you prefer, you can manually override the
- default modem speed by pressing the letter `S' and entering the new
- speed. This MUST be done if your connection to the host is at a
- rate lower or higher that the one shown on EXPROT. Overriding in
- this manner will only affect that particular transfer, and no
- changes will be written to the configuration file. The manual
- override is ineffective and unnecessary with all the other protocols
- supported by EXPROT, since they autodetect the baud rate from the
- carrier signal.
-
- Telix Users: There are two ways to install Exprot. Using it as
- ----------- an editor called by pressing Alt-A, or adding it
- as a script-based external protocol with EXPROT.SLC (supplied in
- this acrhive). Press Alt-O and select Protocol Options. In the
- latter case, if you select Upload (PgUp or Alt-S), Telix will
- prompt you for a filespec, and will pass your entry to EXPROT.
- EXPROT will then automatically go into upload mode and
- acknowledge the filespec; but you must still choose the
- protocol. Zmodem Auto is not available in this mode, for obvious
- reasons. Configuring is not available either, but toggling
- MobyTurbo and changing baud rate are active options.
-
- Telix users will not only gain easy access to Puma, Lynx,
- Megalink, and Jmodem, but also to the faster Zmodem-90
- "MobyTurbo" if their DSZ is so equipped (see below).
-
- ProComm Plus Users: May be added as a regular, batch-file
- ------------------ driven external protocol, or via the
- Alt-J key macro, which is the recommended way. Zmodem DOES
- accept more than one filespec through EXPROT.
-
- Commo Users: Any macro is suitable, but the one we find most
- ----------- convenient and which makes Commo feel much more
- like the internal-protocol equipped terminal programs is the
- following one (for ver. 4.22):
-
- EXPROT Interface {pgd} {exec d:\dir\exprot.com} {}
-
- This macro will bring up Exprot almost instantly when PgDn is
- pressed, enabling you to erase all the downloading and upload-
- ing macros from the sample Commo.MAC (except any that drive
- protocols not supported by EXPROT), and release all the
- respective key combinations for macros that perform other
- chores.
-
- TSR communications programs do not require any installation.
- Just give the host the transfer command, return to DOS, and
- invoke EXPROT. If PC-Tools Dektop has NOT been loaded TSR, give
- the host the transfer command, shell out (or exit if you are
- short of RAM), and invoke EXPROT.
-
- Notes on Zmodem Auto:
-
- When you intend to use Zmodem Auto, do NOT complete the transfer
- command to the HOST from the terminal program and then proceed to
- Zmodem Auto via EXPROT. Invoke Exprot first, select Zmodem Auto,
- press enter to induce the host's prompt, and THEN give the host the
- d/l command. If you only started the transfer command from the
- terminal, but the transfer has not yet begun, you may complete the
- command after from within DSZ. However, if the actual transfer has
- started, you must abort it by pressing Ctrl-X repeatedly; then press
- Enter to get the host's prompt, and THEN repeat the download command.
-
- While in Autodownload, you can also start a Ymodem download by
- pressing F3, but you CANNOT upload from this mode. If you want to
- upload, press F1 or Alt-N to exit, and return to your terminal.
- Read DSZ's documentation for further information.
-
- NEW IN EXPROT 3.5
- -----------------
- EXPROT 3.5 corrects a few bugs which made EXPROT act as if a
- protocol had been chosen if the space bar or other inappropriate
- key were pressed by mistake or accident. Now, each menu or choice
- should respond only to its authorized keypresses. Also, 3.5
- corrects "file not found" errors when more than one filespec was
- entered for Puma and Lynx batch uploads. If you enter a long list
- of files, the list may extend beyond the right border. While this
- may not look neat, in no way does it affect the functions of the
- program or the protocols.
-
- A few cosmetic improvements have also been made, and the accept-
- ance of filespecs passed by the terminal program for uploading has
- been included (see above, notes for Telix users). EXPROT now dis-
- plays its own path, so you can see if you made a mistake when
- configuring; and, when you choose a protocol, it displays the
- letter or number corresponding to that protocol as "You chose:",
- on the same line on which it asks if you wish to upload or download.
-
- MobyTurbo ON is now the default, instead of the other way around.
-
- The menu has been completely redesigned. Now, most protocols are
- chosen by pressing the initial letter (or number) of their name;
- ESC exits, C configures, and B (not S) enables baud-rate changing.
- While at first this may inconvenience users who are accustomed to
- the old, number-driven menu, we felt the new one was more mnemonic
- and facilitated future adding of new options.
-
- Finally, we have added a patch for those who are using the new
- Puma protocol, named Mpt.EXE. It consists of two files:
-
- PUMA2MPT.EXE and PUMA2MPT.DEB
-
- In addition, for this patch to work, DOS's DEBUG must be acces-
- sible either by being present in the current directory, or by
- being in your path.
-
- After patching, the name "Puma" will continue to appear on the
- protocol menu, but its selection will invoke Mpt rather than
- Puma.
-
- SHAREWARE
- ---------
- Starting with version, 3.0, EXPROT is SHAREWARE, and, to encourage
- registration, we have put the unregistered version on a five-day
- work week. We won't tell you here which those 5 days are. If you're
- a good sport, it'll be fun finding out for yourself.
-
- However, be assured that, on the days it works, Exprot does its
- thing fully and comfortably, without delays or requiring you to
- press randomly changing keys. And here's a tip: if you MUST
- download or upload on one of EXPROT's days off, and have no other
- means of doing so, exit EXPROT by pressing "0". That will put you
- back in your terminal. Then abort any transfers already begun by
- the host; shell out of the terminal program and change the date
- (make it at least 3 days earlier or later, for good measure). Then
- go back ('EXIT') and start the transfer again. But I wonder if
- saving $15.00 or $20.00 will be worth this hassle.
-
- Let me say, moreover, that I am disabled and I know what hardship
- feels like. If you, too, are a genuine hardship case, write me a
- letter AT LEAST 350 WORDS LONG explaining your problem and I will
- get a free, registered EXPROT to you. I'm betting that anyone who
- takes the time and trouble to write a letter that long, is really
- in bad shape and should be given a break.
-
- To register EXPROT, send $15.00 AND a self-addressed, stamped
- ($0.65) mailer containing one floppy disk to the author below. Or
- send $ 20.00 and I'll supply the floppy, the mailer, and the
- postage. But in the latter case, don't forget to specify whether
- you use 5.25" or 3.5" floppies. Registration will entitle you to
- receive up to five (5) subsequent versions for only $ 5.00, or the
- mailer, postage and floppy in lieu of the $5.00. I'll inform you of
- any new versions and whether they are significant upgrades or not.
-
- Comments -- favorable or otherwise --, bug reports and suggestions
- are welcome and highly appreciated. Send them to:
-
- Luis R. Cáceres, Jr.
- 8711 S.W. 20th Terrace
- Miami, FL 33165
-
-