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QUICKCIS.DOC
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1990-04-14
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*
- QuickCIS -
the Atari ST navigator
for users of CompuServe
*
*
QUICKCIS.PRG is (c)1989,1990 by Jim Ness
27W450 Ridgeview St.
West Chicago, Il. 60185
*
A. What it is
B. Setting up your configuration
C. Making a call
D. Writing messages
E. Reading messages
F. Using your QuickCIS Library
G. Downloading files
H. Checking your charges
I. Using Desk Accessories
J. History
K. Acknowledgements
L. Appendix
A. What it is
QuickCIS is a program for Atari ST computers of all types.
QuickCIS controls an online CompuServe session, from dialing the
call, through CompuServe's maze of services, to the eventual end
of the call.
QuickCIS has two main purposes. First, it allows a user to
avoid having to learn all the ins and outs of navigating through
CompuServe (CIS). Second, it allows a user to minimize the amount
of time spent online.
In general, the result is that a CIS user can spend much more
time engrossed in useful "conversation," discussing a wide range
of topics that are of interest, and in acquiring a useful library
of public domain, freeware and shareware software. The beauty of
it is that only a very small increment of time is spent online,
being billed by CIS.
A great deal of effort has gone into making QuickCIS as
generic as possible. In other words, any user with a CIS account
should be able to quickly set up a QuickCIS configuration and get
online. While online, QuickCIS itself sets the online CIS
configuration required for a successful call. The user is not
required to set up CIS properly. The online configuration set by
QuickCIS is not permanent. That means that the user can later
make a call with a normal terminal program, and not have problems.
QuickCIS is available under my own version of
shareware/careware. That is, while I won't cry myself to sleep if
I never receive a dime, I will also be very happy to accept a
payment. It is obvious that QuickCIS will make anybody's online
time much more efficient. Some people are more grateful than
others, for this improvement. If you are feeling generous, send a
check. $20 seems a fair figure. If your finances are in a
shambles, don't worry about it. I am not a commercial enterprise.
But someday all this compiling and editing will kill my hard
drive, and I'd like to have a slush fund on hand.
QuickCIS is designed to maintain compatibility with current
and future versions of the ST computer. It runs in medium, high
and extended resolutions. QuickCIS checks the screen capabilities
of the ST upon loading, so that it can support whatever monitor is
being used.
Also, QuickCIS supports bps rates of 300, 1200, 2400 and
9600. CompuServe has very few 9600bps nodes, but they do exist,
and are supported.
QuickCIS supports CIS sysops with special message base and
library features. These features are only active in forums in
which QuickCIS notices that you are greeted as a sysop. A
seperate document is available by request, which explains how to
use these capabilities.
B. Setting up your configuration
NOTE: QuickCIS is capable of recognizing and using a
subdirectory for its commonly used support files. If you wish to
keep your QuickCIS support files in a seperate directory from
QuickCIS itself, create a subdirectory (folder) named SUPPORT in
the same director as QuickCIS. ALL files except QuickCIS itself
should then be placed in the folder.
From the QuickCIS main menu, choose View Config by clicking
the mouse pointer on the square box. This causes a GEM dialog box
to be displayed which lists your QuickCIS options.
Across the upper portion of the dialog box are five columns
of options. The choices in each column are checkmarked by
clicking on one of them.
The Bps Rate option allows you to choose the Bps rate that
you prefer. The most cost effective rate is 9600 bps, but CIS has
only a limited number of 9600 bps nodes, and chance are they are
not near you. 2400 bps would be your next best choice.
Obviously, your modem dictates the highest bps rate available to
you.
CompuServe Mail can be handled in three different ways by
QuickCIS. CompuServe Mail is CIS's private user-to-user mail
network. It also provides pathways to MCI Mail, U.S. Mail, FAX,
Telex, TWX, and USENET. You can choose to have QuickCIS read and
store all your incoming mail, or read/store/delete it from CIS, or
skip CIS Mail entirely. Your CIS Mail mailbox is limited to a
maximum of 30 messages. Keep that in mind, if you choose not to
have QuickCIS delete mail after reading it.
CIS Mail can be used to transfer programs from user to user.
QuickCIS cannot handle this "binary" data, so it ends up being
stored in your CIS Mail mailbox until you download it with some
other program. It does NOT get deleted by QuickCIS.
Each CIS forum will occasionally display a News Flash
announcement to each user when a forum is entered. This
announcement is usually short and of importance to that forum's
users. The News Flash option can be set to either store or ignore
this bulletin when it appears.
CIS can be reached through a number of long-distance private
carriers. CIS has its own network, but in many cases the CIS
network may not have a nearby phone number for a user. Other
carriers which can connect to CIS include Tymnet, Telenet and
Datapac. Each of them has specific methods of tying into the CIS
system.
If you reach CIS through its own network, choose the Default
option for the Login Via: column. Any other login path must be
handled by a simple QuickCIS script interpreter. This routine
reads a file named LOGIN.SCR, and follows the commands there, in
logging into CIS. See the appendix, later in this doc, for more
info. A text file named LOGIN.TXT is also included with QuickCIS,
and contains sample scripts for Telenet, Tymnet, and Datapac.
QuickCIS does not have the built-in routines necessary to
download files from CIS. Two external programs can be used
through QuickCIS to perform this task. You must choose one of the
programs, or else checkmark the No Downloading choice.
Shadow is a commercial program produced by Double Click
Software, and distributed by Antic Software (Antic is available on
CIS - GO ANTIC - and Shadow can be purchased online). Of the two
methods available, Shadow is probably the most efficient. Shadow
is a Desk Accessory terminal program, and has a number of
capabilities that make it useful even without QuickCIS.
XYZ.TTP is a Freeware program written by Alan Hamilton. It
is designed to be used by other programs, like QuickCIS, which
need its special capabilities. XYZ.TTP is available online in the
ATARIPRO libraries. Although not as fast and efficient as Shadow,
it is a very good program, and is free.
Below the five columns of initial options, QuickCIS displays
a number of text fields which the user must fill in. To bring the
vertical cursor to a particular field, click on it with the mouse,
or use the up and down arrows on your keyboard. To erase what is
currently in the field, hit the ESC or Backs