Atari Mega Archive 2/Atari Mega Archive CD - Volume 2.iso/8bit/cislib_a/htaid.doc

Text File | 1995-04-22 | 15KB | 324 lines

                   HOMETERM HELP AND MISCELLANY INFO



     So you have bought HomePak and are beginning to get addicted to
HomeTerm, huh?
     Well the program is certainly an evolutionary program for the
8-bit Atari line. Especially considering that it comes on an
unprotected disk with 2 other very competent programs for only $50.
     Anyway there are some very commonly asked question about
HomeTerm's capabilities and problems. Here we go through some:


                   ATASCII EOLN and CURSOR CONTROLS

     The problem that everyone first notices is that version 3.3.3
will NOT send the proper ATASCII carriage return code in macros.
Unfortunately many bulletin boards ask for this code first when you
log on. Temporarily you must (if you want to automate your log-on
sequence) log on in ASCII (just use a control M in the macro) and
switch to ATASCII after you finish the log on procedure.
     I log on the boards with HomeTerm in ATASCII, but the macro
still sends the ASCII EOLN character (with a control M), so
the board thinks I'm in ASCII. The last thing in my log-on sequence is
to switch modes, and I just hit the return key. This is more convenient
then actually logging on with HomeTerm in ASCII and then having
to go to the HomeTerm menu to switch to ATASCII. This way you'll
already be in ATASCII at the end, all you have to do is hit return.
     This will be fixed for the next update. Version 3.3.3 also
does NOT support ATASCII cursor positioning either - you know, when
you log onto BBS's and the cursor is supposed to move backwards or
forwards or even up and down, you will only get arrows and no
movement. The next update will fix this problem at the expense of
VIDTEX (CompuServe) cursor positioning.
     The next VERSION (the update is due out soon, the version will
be out in a few months) will have ATASCII and VIDTEX, along with
many more emulators (like VT-100).
     Also, HomeTerm is set to boot up in lower case letters. Most BBS
systems that use passwords are looking for upper case letters. So
you'll need to switch to upper
case. If you prefer, you can write your config file out now, and it'll
boot now in upper case.
     If you're logging on with macros though, it doesn't matter,
as long as your password is correctly typed in the macro.


                        1030 MACRO DIALING

     HomeTerm version 3.3.3 will not autodial with the 1030s in the
macros. The next update will fix this problem with touch-tone
dialing (!!) from within the macro on the 1030. It seems as though
HomeTerm gets better and better and better!
     Also, you'll notice that if you hit the select key in the
middle of a dialing sequence (with M on the 1030), to abort the
dialing, the next time access the disk drive, HomeTerm will lock up.
Be careful if you abort the dialing process! The next time you access
the disk might be to save an important buffer, but you'll lose
it!
     I like to dial the number manually and then just tell
HomeTerm to dial a 1 to put my 1030 in the originate mode.


                        WHICH MPP HANDLER?

     To use HomeTerm with the MPP modems you must get the HMDRVE.XMO
handler out of DL2. This handler is another "R:" handler for the MPP
and will work very well with HomeTerm although there still seems
to be SOME difficulty with SOME modems on detecting a carrier, but
persistence seems to be providing very positive results.


                         COMPUSERVE DOWNLOADS

     There is some difficulty in understanding correct HomeTerm/CIS
Xmodem downloading procedure. Here goes MY best attempt:

     You must give both CompuServe AND HomeTerm the correct
information for a proper Xmodem file transfer (you can either
download files using .XMO and use Xmodem or you can dumb
capture .CRE files. But dumb-capturing is used for the DOC
files most often, and is
unreliable for programs, since there isn't any error checking.)
     That's an important concept in the procedure I'm about to
describe: you are going to prepare BOTH HomeTerm AND CompuServe for an
Xmodem transfer. Here's the
procedure.
     The first thing to know is that in ALL Xmodem transfers,
whether Atari bulletin board or person to person or CompuServe,
there seems to be a problem with printer interfaces interfering. If
you are using an 850 and have your modem attached to an 850 then do
NOT worry. If you are using a 1030 or MPP and have a parallel
interface attached, you might have to unplug it. Personally I have
severe trouble trying to download with my 1030 with my interface
attached. The problem even seems to occur to the 1030 when there's an
850 attached. I've heard that the problem might be the 1030.
     In any case the problem is not pinned down so if you persistently
have trouble, boot up HomeTerm with your interface unplugged. In other
words, take the interface OUT before you even turn the computer
on! (Don't just take it out of the daisy chain before you download.)
     To use Xmodem you can only download files that have the .XMO
extender on them. You will type D after the file description (or "DOW
filename.XMO" if you are at the DL prompt) and ask for 1 one in the
next menu, or the "Xmodem or Xmodem7" prompt. Then CompuServe
will ask for 7 bit Ascii or 8 bit binary transfers, be sure to hit 8
bit!
     You should quickly see "starting Xmodem transfer, hit
carriage return when transfer complete." Now go to YOUR menu with
the select key and type "R" for receive. HomeTerm will ask for a
filename, and give it. You can type the D: if you want to but you don't
need to, unless you want to download to drive number 2. Then
you type D2:
     HomeTerm will access your disk and see if there's a file with the
same name on the disk. If there is, it will ask if you want to erase
the already present file. If you say no, you have to start over from
the "R" on your HomeTerm function menu and give a different filename.
If you say yes, then HomeTerm will go to your disk and erase the file
(it's gone for good!). This yes/no stuff only happens when you give a
filename that already exists on the disk.
     Finally you will hit return to get back to the interactive screen
(what is actually happening between you and CIS).
     Hit your start key and away she goes!
     By the way you have to do the above steps rather quickly because
CompuServe will give up after about forty-five seconds. If you find
that this is not enough time for you to get your thoughts together
and prepare HomeTerm for the download, you can go to the
HomeTerm menu BEFORE you tell CompuServe to download. Just don't
hit the start key.
     In other words, go to your HomeTerm menu and type "R" and give
the filename information. Then get back to the interactive screen and
tell CompuServe you want to download. When it says "Starting
Xmodem transfer, hit a carriage return when transfer complete"
THEN hit your start key.
     Remember that either method will work but I've had more success
with the first method. You just have to be quick.
     Now the transfer will begin. This is important: if you see ONLY
numbers and letters then CompuServe goofed up. You should see GRAPHICS
CHARACTERS all through the file. Some numbers and letters are fine,
but there should be plenty of inverse and graphics characters. If
you don't see ANY inverse or graphics characters, abort the
transfer by holding down the select key. Then get back to the first
main menu you see when you first enter the Atari*SIG. Now go back to
the download section (you have to reenter the download section like this to reset it) and type:

    DOW filename.XMO/PROTO:XMODEM/TYPE:BIN

to force the proper style download from a reluctant CIS.

*NOTE*
     You only have to do this if you see a string of numbers, i.e.

  345IEF849FI

instead of numbers, letters and graphics characters. You can go to
the HomeTerm menu to set up for the download (as described above)
either before you give the commands or after-it really doesn't matter.

     If you get an "Unable to Receive File" anywhere in the
transfer then Compu