home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- 5/8/82
- ===============================================================================
-
-
- IBM ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS
- BY ROBERT C. RICE
-
- TUTORIAL
-
- ===============================================================================
-
-
- The Tutorial provides self instruction on the modified and enhanced version
- of the IBM Asynchronous Communications Support Program. The "Program Descript-
- ion" has provided you with insight into the additional capabilities that this
- program supplies. The "Program Notes" provided you with information which was
- utilized in adapting and building your own version of the program. I will
- assume that you have read both of these documents. I will also assume that
- the user is familiar with the basic operation of the IBM Personal Computer,
- and the original version of the Asynchronous Communication Support Program.
-
- The Tutorial is grouped by functional areas. Each new feature or function
- will be explored separately, each having its own set of steps or procedures
- starting with number 1. If you cannot successfully complete a particular
- functional area, reload the program, enter terminal operation and begin with
- step one of the particular functional area in question. If you continue to
- have problems, recheck procedures used in "Program Notes" to build the Asyn-
- chronous Communications Program diskette. If you still have problems, feel
- free to contact me.
-
- GETTING STARTED. This portion of the tutorial will familiarize you with new
- features of the program which allow you start up immediately as a full duplex
- terminal and display various help menus and information.
-
- 1. Place the newly created program diskette in disk drive A.
-
- 2. Turn on the computer, or if already on, depress CTRL, ALT, DEL and load/
- run the program.
-
- When asked to enter time and date, depress "Enter" only, bypassing these
- entries for demonstration purposes.
-
- After a short wait, you'll see the program title centered on the screen,
- and beneath it will be the question "Bypass intermediate menus(y/n)?".
-
- 3. Depress "Y".
-
- The screen will now be filled with information. At the top, is information
- about what type of terminal mode you are in. Next, is a Function Key menu
- detailing use of the function keys and ALT keys. Then, other information
- is provided to get you started with Upload/Download files, and the Tele-
- phone menu.
-
- 4. Depress function key F2.
-
- Now, a function selection menu is displayed. You will notice 7 different
- options. The first selection returns you to terminal operation. The sec-
- ond, puts you into terminal selection mode. The third, allow you to temp-
- orarily stop the program execution and perform other tasks such as listing
- the program. Deleting old files using the "KILL" command may also be per-
- formed. (Notice that normal return to the function selection menu is acc-
- omplished by depressing F5 instead of the old method of having to type
- "CONT" and "enter". Don't do that for now, however, proceed to step 5.)
- The remaining selection options will be discussed later.
-
- 5. Depress "3" and "enter".
-
- You will now be temporarily in BASIC. Type "Files" and depress "enter".
- A listing of all files will appear on the screen. Normally, you would
- return to terminal operation by depressing F5. However, for demonstration
- purposes, continue with step 6.
-
- 6. Type "RUN" and "enter".
-
- Now, you're back to the beginning of the program. This time instead of
- answering "Y" (yes) to the "Bypasss intermediate menus(y/n)?", proceed to
- step 6 and see what is available as terminal options.
-
- 7. Depress "N".
-
- The terminal selection menu is now displayed. The 64K version has only
- three options available. The 96K version has 6 options available.
-
- 8. Depress the number corresponding to the Personal Computer Terminal option
- and "enter".
-
- A list of terminal selection options will now be displayed. Two additional
- items have been added to the list. A display selection option is avail-
- able, and a Modem dialing option is available.
-
- 9. Depress the number corresponding to the "Return to terminal selection menu"
- and "enter".
-
- 10. Depress the number corresponding to the "User Specified Full Duplex Ter-
- minal" option, and "enter".
-
- A list of terminal feature options will be displayed.
-
- 11. (Optional, for users with both color video monitors and the monochrome
- display.)
-
- Depress "11" and "enter".
-
- A choice of displays will now appear. Depress the number corresponding
- to the desired display, and "enter".
-
- You will now return to the function selection menu, still on the same
- display. The newly selected display will not become active until returning
- to terminal operation (selection 13).
-
- 12. (Optional, for users with a Hayes Smartmodem.)
-
- Depress "12" and "enter".
-
- A choice of dialing options will be displayed. Depress the number corres-
- ponding to the Pulse Dialing type, and "enter".
-
- You will now return to the function selection menu.
-
- 13. Depress "13" and "enter".
-
- You will now be back in operation as a "Full Duplex Terminal". Please
- note that on the bottom line the message "F5=HELP" is displayed. To the
- right of that message is a blank. The AUTO DIAL demonstration will have
- you enter time and date, filling this blank space.
-
- 14. Depress F5.
-
- The Function key help menu will now be displayed on the screen. You may
- display the help menu at any time during terminal operation, however,
- data displayed at the bottom of the screen will be pushed up, and data
- previously at the top of the screen will no longer be displayed.
-
-
- AUTO DIAL AND AUTO LOG-ON. This section of the tutorial will demonstrate
- the telephone dial up menu, auto dial feature (if using a Hayes Smartmodem),
- and the auto log-on capabilities of the program.
-
- 1. Depress CTRL, ALT, DEL and load/run the program.
-
- 2. Enter current DATE when asked.
-
- 3. Enter current TIME when asked.
-
- 4. When asked if you wish to "Bypass intermediate menus(y/n)?", depress "Y".
-
- You will now be operating as a Full Duplex Terminal.
-
- 5. (If using a Hayes Smartmodem, disconnect the line from the modem to the
- telephone jack before proceeding.)
-
- Depress F8.
-
- If only one telephone number has been entered into the program, then
- your Smartmodem will begin dialing the adapted telephone number, and a
- message will appear on the screen indicating which company is being called
- via which telephone network. If a Smartmodem is NOT being used and only
- one telephone number has been adapted, then you will observe instructions
- telling you to dial that telephone number. (You need not dial the number.
- Smartmodem users should wait until "NO CARRIER" is displayed if the above
- applies to you and proceed to step 7.)
-
- Otherwise, a telephone dialup menu is displayed. The format of the menu
- is as follows: Selection #, Company, telephone number, City which the
- phone number is located in, and telephone network used.
-
- 6. Depress 1.
-
- If using a Smartmodem the selected number will be dialed by the Smartmodem.
- If not, the selected number will be displayed asking you to place the call.
- (Smartmodem users should wait until "NO CARRIER" is displayed.)
- During normal operations with the telephone cable connected to the Smart-
- modem and a "CONNECT" is printed on the screen or the connection is made
- manually, you would now proceed with a standard sequence of entries to
- log-on to the network. The sequence is different for each computer net-
- work and telephone net. For this reason, even the NON-Smartmodem user
- should utilize the telephone menu to insure the correct automatic log-on
- procedure is selected.
-
- 6. Depress F8.
-
- The first in a series of log-on enteries will be executed. Continue to
- depress F8 until a "beep" is heard. You will now observe a series of
- entries on the screen which should represent the log-on procedures nor-
- mally typed in manually. You should utilize the F8 key in this manner
- each time you are asked by the host system to make a log-on entry.
-
- 7. Depress F3.
-
- Now a message should be displayed in the lower left corner of the display
- notifying you to use ALT H and that you have made an error. This means
- that you cannot execute the last F8 key entry without first depressing
- another key. This will be explained in a moment. Proceed with step 8.
-
- 8. Depress and hold "ALT" while depressing "H".
-
- A telephone/log-on help menu will be displayed. This details the use
- of other keys used in conjunction with the F8 key.
-
- 9. Depress the cursor left key (numeric 4).
-
- Depress F8 and observe that the last log-on entry made has been repeated.
-
- 10. If using the Smartmodem, Depress END and then F8.
-
- You will first observe the letters "DISCONNECTING", then "+++", "ATH" and
- "OK" on the screen. (Don't confuse the "OK" sent by the modem and the
- "Ok" used as a BASIC prompt. If you'll notice, the BASIC prompt has a
- capital "O" and a lower case "k".)
-
- The requirement to use the "END" key prior to using F8 was implemented to
- prevent accidental disconnecting of the telephone line. Use of F8 after
- completion of the LOG-ON function without use of the end key will result
- in an error message being displayed on line 25.
-
-
- Your F8 key may now be used to call up the telephone menu again without de-
- pressing any other keys. If at any time during the log-on sequence you get
- disconnected and wish to return to the telephone menu, simply depress "HOME"
- and then F8.
-
- UPLOAD and DOWNLOAD. This section of the tutorial will demonstrate the use
- of the Upload and Download functions. Upload provides the capability to
- transmit data stored on disk over the telephone line to the Host computer.
- Download provides the capability to store incoming data on diskette for later
- printout.
-
- 1. If starting or restarting the tutorial with this section, depress CTRL,
- ALT, DEL and load/run the program. Enter terminal operation and then
- proceed to step 2.
-
- 2. Depress F2.
-
- The function selection menu will now be displayed. Menu items 1 - 3 were
- covered in the first section of the tutorial. Selecting menu item 4 will
- allow you to open a "Log File" for downloading. Selection number 5 allows
- you to open a file for Uploading to the Host computer.
-
- 3. Depress "4" and "enter".
-
- You will now be asked if you wish a list of files, and if so, to enter
- the drive designator(s).
-
- 4. Depress "A" and "enter". (For a dual disk drive system, insure there is
- a diskette in both drives, then depress "AB" and "enter".)
-
- The files that are present on the designated disk drive(s) will be printed
- on the screen.
-
- You will then be asked to enter the name of the local file to which you
- wish to log.
-
- 5. Enter file name "TEST". (In the case of a dual disk drive system, the
- second disk drive may be designated by prefixing the drive to the file-
- name. i.e. B:TEST.)
-
- Depress "enter".
-
- The function selection menu will again be displayed. Menu item 4 has now
- been changed to "Close Log File: TEST" (or B:TEST).
-
- 6. Depress "5" and "enter".
-
- Again, you will be asked to enter disk drive designator(s) if you wish
- a list of files.
-
- 7. Depress "enter".
-
- You will be asked to enter the name of the local file you wish to Upload.
- Place the diskette which has the program modification named "MODS.BAS"
- on it, into drive A.
-
- 8. Type "MODS.BAS" and "enter".
-
- The function selection menu will now be displayed. Item number 5 has
- been changed to "Close Upload file: MODS.BAS".
-
- 9. Depress "1" and "enter".
-
- You have now returned to terminal operation. Note that on line 25, an
- "L" is flashing and a "U" is present but not flashing. This indicates
- that both an Upload file and a Log file are open. The Log file is active
- and will record any input data, including characters entered via the key-
- board, and echoed by the Host. The Upload file is open but NOT actively
- uploading data.
-
- 10. Depress F10.
-
- The "L" flashing on line 25 has now stopped flashing indicating that the
- log file is open but NOT actively logging input data.
-
- 11. (Upload may only be adequately demonstrated utilizing the Hayes Smartmodem
- or a similiar modem capable of a "loopback" test. Instructions for the
- Smartmodem are supplied. To utilize other intelligent modems, consult
- the owners manual.)
-
- To place the Smartmodem in a loopback state, type the following in caps.
- ATS16=1A (and "enter").
-
- After "CONNECT" has been displayed on the screen, depress F9.
-
- Data from the "MODS.BAS" file will begin to be uploaded.
-
- The "U" on line 25 will begin flashing, indicating that the Upload
- function is active. You need not wait for the entire file to be uploaded
- before proceeding to the next step.
-
- 12. Depress F9.
-
- The "U" flashing on line 25 has now stopped flashing, indicating that
- the upload file is open but not active. Data will stop appearing on the
- screen.
-
- To restore the Smartmodem to normal operation, Depress the "END" key and
- then F8. After a short wait, an "OK" will be displayed on the screen.
- Now enter "ATS16=0" and "enter". Reconnect the modular telephone jack.
-
- 13. Depress F2.
-
- The function selection menu is now being displayed on the screen.
-
- 14. Depress "4" and "enter".
-
- You have now closed the Log file. Menu item 4 now says "Open Log file".
-
- 15. Depress "5" and "enter".
-
- You have now closed the Upload file. Menu item 5 now says "Open Upload
- file".
-
- 16. Depress "7" and "enter".
-
- You are now exiting the Comm. program. You are asked "Are you sure(y/n)?"
-
- 17. Depress "Y"
-
- You are now instructed to insert a DOS diskette in the default drive,
- and depress any key when ready.
-
- 18. Depress the Space Bar.
-
- You are now operating under DOS. This would be the normal sequence of
- events utilized after downloading data, such as electronic mail, etc.
- Now that you are in DOS, you may use the TYPE command to display the data
- on the screen, or you may utilize the COPY command and print the saved
- data on the printer.
-
- TUTORIAL COMPLETED. You have now completed the tutorial, and are ready to
- utilize the program under normal operation. I have covered the major new
- program features. Please review the Program Description if more complete
- or detailed information is needed regarding a particular function. If you
- have further question, feel free to contact me.
-
-
- <* End of file *>
-