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- WhatLine v 2.75 Introduction
-
- WhatLine is a utility designed to squeeze the most out of a
- single telephone line. Equipment that required dedicated
- lines can now share a single line and save money. Use up to
- three phone numbers on one telephone line.
-
- WhatLine with One phone number:
-
- Your answering machine or FAX machine can share the line with
- a modem. The answering machine will pick up messages in the
- normal manner. When you call in with your remote PC, WhatLine
- will have your Modem answer the line or execute any program you
- prefer.
-
- WhatLine with Multiple phone numbers:
-
- People, Fax, Modem, answering machine, voice mail can share a
- single phone line. Dedicate phone numbers not phone lines.
- WhatLine identifies the three different ring patterns used by
- the Identa*Ring service offered by the Telephone Company.
- WhatLine will execute a program based on which phone number
- was dialed. Identa*Ring is a service mark of Bell Atlantic
- and may have a different name in your area.
-
- WhatLine's Time Event feature:
-
- The Time Event feature will execute any program at the time
- specified with the /T=hh:mm start-up option. WhatLine
- monitors calls as described above until a Time Event occurs,
- then your computer will execute a program(s) of your choice.
- Call remote computer systems and pick up or send Email when
- telephone cost are lowest, do backups or run your aquarium
- program that puts the little fish on the screen. When the
- Time Event is complete, WhatLine will wait for more incoming
- calls.
-
- Miscellaneous:
-
- Delay WhatLine from passing control to a device / program so
- you can answer the phone yourself, then use Release when you
- want WhatLine to handle the calls. Delay only the phone
- line(s) you chose, other dialed phone numbers will be handled
- by WhatLine.
-
-
- I use WhatLine to manage one phone line with two telephone
- numbers. I run two different configurations of Watson Voice
- Information Systems by Natural Micro Systems, one system for
- my use and one for a client. Each has voice mail, file
- transfers and interactive Voice Information Systems. Daily
- reports and disk `housekeeping' are run as a Time Event.
-
- WhatLine v 2.75 Start up Options
-
-
- Syntax C>WHATLINE /p /QL=x /RS=x /RL=x /Dn=r /A /B /T=hh:mm
- Replace lower case letters with a decimal number.
-
- /p The number of your Com Port [1 to 4]. WhatLine
- defaults to Com1: if omitted.
-
- /QL=x Used to fine tune the Quiet Long period response.
- x is a time value in seconds. x is a minimum value
- the default is 3. This option is not normally
- needed and is provided for timing variations that
- may occur with some telephone systems.
-
- /RS=x Used to fine tune the Ring Short period response.
- x is a Maximum value. The default is 1.25
- seconds. This option is not normally needed and is
- provided for timing variations that may occur with
- some telephone systems.
-
- /RL=x Used to fine tune the Ring Long period response. x
- is a Minimum value. The default is 1.3 seconds.
- This option is not normally needed and is provided
- for timing variations that may occur with some
- telephone systems.
-
- /B Bypass the opening screen. Use this option if you
- start WhatLine from a batch file.
-
- /A Use to share phone Line1 with a Answering or
- Fax machine and Modem or other program.
-
- /T=hh:mm Time Event executes WLT.BAT at a set time. Time
- hh:mm must be in 24 hr. format. A Time Event will
- repeat daily until reset.
-
- /Dn=r Delays passing control for r number of rings when
- phone number n is called. May be used more than
- once on the command line to delay more than one
- phone number. Has no effect if used with /A.
-
-
- /U User test mode. Is WhatLine compatible with your modem.
-
-
- /DTR Do not set DTR at start up.
-
-
- WhatLine v 2.75 Files used by WhatLine
-
- WHATLINE.EXE The executable program file
- WLT.Bat Holds commands to run with Time Event
- LINE1.BAT Holds commands to run for phone number 1
- LINE2.BAT Holds commands to run for phone number 2
- LINE3.BAT Holds commands to run for phone number 3
- WHATLINE.DOC This file
-
- Using WhatLine
-
- Commands to be executed when each phone number is dialed are
- placed in corresponding batch files. When phone number 1 is
- dialed, LINE1.BAT executes. When all commands and or
- programs in LINE1.Bat are completed, control returns to WhatLine.
- LINE2.BAT and LINE3.BAT hold the commands and or programs to
- be executed for phone numbers 2 or 3, respectively. WLT.BAT
- contains the commands and or programs to execute as a Time Event
- when set with the /T=hh:mm start-up option. Programs must
- start-up and terminate unattended if you want control to return
- to WhatLine. I use BitCom from Bit Software for modem
- communications, the script language is easy to use and allows
- for unattended operation.
-
- When WhatLine is loaded the display window shows the current
- time and the com port being monitored. As calls are
- processed the display window is updated with the time and
- date of the last call, and the total calls for each of three
- possible phone numbers. The display window relocates every
- minute to prevent screen burn-in.
-
- F1:Help Show a list of options available to you, press
- F1 again to clear the help line.
-
- F2:Hold Use this function to hold WhatLine from passing
- control to the LINEn.BAT file when one or more
- phone number is called. This is good for those
- times you may want to answer the phone manually.
- The display window will indicate which line(s)
- is on-hold.
-
- F3:Release Use this function to Release a line placed on
- hold with F2. WhatLine will then pass control
- according to the value set with the /Dn=r start-
- up option.
-
- F4:DOS Use this to execute DOS commands or programs.
- Type Exit to return to WhatLine.
-
- ESC:Quit Terminates WhatLine and returns to DOS.
-
-
- WhatLine v 2.75
-
- To share one phone number with an answering or Fax machine
- and a modem, you must use the /A start-up option. Place the
- commands and/or programs to be executed in LINE1.BAT. Set
- your answering machine to answer on the fourth ring, when
- the phone rings the answering machine will pick up messages
- in the normal manner. When you want to connect to your
- modem, dial your telephone number, let the phone ring twice,
- then hang up. Wait 8 seconds and call back, WhatLine will
- load your modem software. When you finish The
- telecommunication session, or if you do not call back within
- 60 seconds, WhatLine will have the answering machine answer
- the phone.
-
- This program works with Hayes compatible modems. WhatLine
- does not control the modem or change any settings. WhatLine
- monitors the UART chip for telephone line status.
-
- If you are using a PC with a very slow access disk drive,
- using a RAM drive like VDISK.SYS will speed up overall
- response time. If you use a RAM drive, be sure to backup any
- files that are changed. If power is lost or your system
- crashes, all data on the RAM drive will be lost. Use the
- Time Event feature to automatically backup these files to a
- physical disk drive.
-
- The examples in this document illustrate some of the ways
- that WhatLine can be used. WhatLine is not limited to these
- suggested applications. Please let me know how you are using
- WhatLine, or what other features would be useful in future
- releases.
-
- This program is distributed as Shareware. You may copy and
- distribute this program freely. Since I have been using
- WhatLine, my monthly telephone savings has been more than
- the $20.00 Registration fee.
-
- Users of WhatLine are required to register their copy. Upon
- registration you will receive a disk with the latest version
- of WhatLine and some other Utilities you may find useful. My
- lawyer asked me to mention that I am not liable for anything
- that may result from your use of this product.
-
- If you have trouble
-
- If the address of your Modem Status Register is 3FE hex for COM1
- or 2FE hex for COM2 and Bit 6 is the Ring Indicator Bit Whatline
- 2.75 should work on your system.
-
- Try WhatLine /U and ring the phone line WhatLine is monitoring.
- If the words RING and QUIET appear at the proper times WhatLine
- 2.75 will work on your system.
- WhatLine 2.75
-
- With the /U start up switch active and the Last Call display on
- screen, ring the phone. A RingTime value will be displayed.
- This is the duration of the ring period in seconds. This time
- period may not be a constant value. Repeat this a few times for
- Line1 and Line2 to come up with a average value. Use these average
- values to help determine the RingLong and RingShort settings below.
- A LINEn.BAT file with no commands in it will make this process very
- easy.
-
- The value of x for /RL=x must be less than Long-Ring time for Line1
- and greater than the Short-Ring time for Line2.
-
- The value of x for /QL=x must be less than then the Quiet-Long time
- for Line1 and greater than the Quiet-Short time for Line2.
-
- The value of x for /RS=x must be greater than the Ring-Short time for
- Line2.
-
- Try changing these values in small steps until you get some sort of
- reaction.
-
- Send Your $20.00 Registration fee to:
-
- WhatLine 2.75
- Advance Systems
- 215 W Amosland Rd.
- Norwood, PA 19074-1502
-
-
- AUTOMATIC LINE SWITCHES
-
- Advance Systems is an authorized vendor for the LYNX Line Switches.
-
- RingDetector: Uses the `Distinctive Ring Pattern' to automatically
- route incoming calls to attached telephone devices.
- One Line IN with either TWO or FOUR Ports OUT. Plug
- RingDector into the telephone wall jack then plug in
- the FAX, Phone, Modem or other Telephone device.
-
- ___ /FAX - Phone Number 1
- | | __________/
- 1 Phone Line | R | ___________/ANSWERING MACHINE - Phone Number 2
- ------------->>| D | ___________
- 4 Phone Numbers |___| _________ \TELEPHONE - Phone Number 3
- \
- \MODEM - Phone Number 4
-
-
- 4 PORT $149.00 2 PORT $89.00 PA orders add 6% Sales Tax.
-
-
- Prices on 8/26/91, subject to availability and change. 215 532-0950
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