NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #18/NN_1992_18.iso/spool/comp/os/os2/apps/5326

Text File | 1992-08-15 | 6.1 KB | 120 lines

Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.apps
Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!rjones
From: [e-mail] (Ronald Jones)
Subject: PMcomm mini-review.
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail]
Nntp-Posting-Host: bottom.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 04:11:23 GMT
Lines: 108

Mini-review of:

PMCOMM version 1.11 Multinet Communications [phone].
Price approx $100.00

I have been using PMCOMM (registered version) for several months now and
would like to  share my impressions. By way of background my
communication program prior to conversion to OS/2 2.0 was DOS
procomm+, which I used for several years.  There are some similarities
between the two that probably influenced my decision to chose PMcomm.
PMcomm is a real PM program with pull-down menus and can be completely
mouse controlled.  Of course, the mouse in procomm+ is a disaster (I had
to use a freeware program to disable the mouse in order to prevent its
movements from interfering with on-line sessions).  However, some of
procomm's command-keys are common to Pmcomm, such as:  alt x (exit), alt
h (hang-up), alt d (dial), page-up (upload) and page-down (download) so
procomm users will feel at home here.

PMcomm supports only 4 terminal emulations:  TTY, VT100, ANSI, VT220.
One concern for those who use VT100 is the lack of scroll back control
with this emulation (i.e.  the scroll bars on the window do not let you
scroll up to previous text).  However, this does work for ANSI, which is
the emulation I try to use.  The keyboard arrow keys also can be used
either to control screen scrolling or set to send their ANSI key
equivalents.  I like using the arrow keys to scroll about the screen.
On the down side, the scroll back buffer size is smaller than I'd like:
64kB.  (They claim this is an OS/2 limitation!)

Cut and paste functions are well supported in PMcomm and are very easy
to use.  You can send marked text to a file or the printer or toggle
continuous capture on or off.  You can print a selection by simply
marking it and then clicking the mouse on an icon at the bottom of the
window.  Print Scrn is also supported.  You also can use the mouse to
mark portions of screen text and copy it into the clipboard.  However,
pasting INTO  PMcomm from an OS/2 editor using the clipboard has an
annoying bug!  It double spaces the text.

There is also a neat undocumented feature that I learned about on the
net.  Double clicking on a single character transmits the character;
this is useful for selecting numbered or lettered items from a list such
as when using some newsreaders (e.g.  trn).

PMcomm has all the major transfer protocols including zmodem, CISB, and
kermit.  Zmodem has an automatic feature which tries initiate a
transfer.  I prefer to disable this feature, afterall its only necessary
to hit page-up or page-down (or use the pull down menu) to initiate a
transfer and I've had some false detections with this feature.  For
example, I typed "man rz" once to get help and found myself starting a
tranfer!

Once you hit page-up to initiate an upload, Pmcomm pops up a file
directory to let you select the file and then reduces itself
to a small window while transfering (so you can get on with your
solitare game, or whatever, while monitoring the progress from the
little window!  ). Another problem here though, the popup file menu
doesn't show long file names for my HPFS disks.

PMcomm has extensive scripting that comes in two flavors:  a simple
set of "internal" script commands and an extensive set of REXX commands.
The former are like a small subset of procomm scripts.  There is also an
auto-recorder to generate scripts during a session.

Our host UNIX system required that I use a "strip" command in the
procomm+ script to automatically sign-on.  I have not been able to get
PMcomm to do this as effectively and must enter a couple of CRs to
log-on this particular system.  My only contact with Tech Support was
about this problem and they could not offer any fix.

There is a HOST mode but I have not utilized it.  PMcomm will apparently
work as a shared serial port modem pool on a Network but I have not
tried this either.

The PMcomm dialing directory lets you set up modem parameters and
scripts for each entry.  You can also assign any one of three dialing
preffixes or suffixes.

There are ten macros that can be defined and selected by mouse or from
the "alt 0-9" keys.  These can be used to send an entire script file or
just a series of keystrokes.  I use these mainly to initiate ftp's and
telnets; I can logon and enter the commands I need using a single alt
key combination.  These scripts can be recorded during the session just
like logon scripts . The macro command simply initiates them, for
example, the macro entry may look like:  shell("file.cmd");

I really like the user interface of PMcomm and highly recommend it to
anyone looking for a simple yet powerful OS/2 communications program
when the Terminal applet is not adequate.  Despite the bugs mentioned it
is a robust program and I have not found any problems serious enough to
interfere with its operation.  I have used the program for downloading
in background at 14,400 bps with my Intel SatisFAXtion 400 (internal)
modem with no noticable effect on other tasks such as simple games, word
processing or printing.  However, if you need extensive key-remapping
features or the less popular terminal emulations you should look
elsewhere.  It also does not support DDE like some of the more expensive
PM communications programs.

Disclaimer:  I have no connection with Multi-Net Communications and
these are my unsolicited opinions.

PS. a crippled, shareware version of PMCOMM is available for ftp on
hobbes. I  found it fairly buggy but you should probably look at it
before buying!

--
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