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COMPORT.DOC
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1993-09-27
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PROGRAM: COMPORT V2.5 -- Manipulate and Display COM and LPT Port Info
For COM ports, displays UART type, IRQ used. Allows addition or
removal of COM and LPT ports from DOS at any address. Netware,
LANtastic, and LAN Manager aware.
AUTHOR: OSR Open Systems Resources, Inc.
105 Route 101A, #19
Amherst, New Hampshire 03031-2244
EMAIL: osr@world.std.com \ CIS: 71477,2703
COST: Shareware registration fee of $14.75 (payable as check or
money order, and mailed to the above address) required after
evaluation period, not to exceed 30 days.
SUPPORT: 90 days, included in cost of registration, available only to
REGISTERED USERS via Compuserve mail (user id above), Internet
mail (see above) and US Mail.
UPDATES: REGISTERED USERS will be informed of available major updates
and important bug fixes. REGISTERED USERS are eligible for
free updates during the support period.
CHANGES: From V2.0:
- Major bug-fixes and enhancements to IRQ identification
(/I option), based on wide-spread testing and user feedback.
Now identified IRQ2/9 devices, and avoids hanging at all
costs!
- UART identification code now avoids changing IE bits
in UART.
- Made LANtastic aware.
1.0 Introduction
COMPORT is a utility that enables the easy and flexible management of
serial (COM) and parallel (LPT) ports under DOS. COMPORT has 4 major
functions:
o Adds support to DOS (including DOS V6.0) for COM3, COM4, and
LPT3, including optionally searching for these devices
at their default addresses. Many older BIOSes support
only COM1, COM2, LPT1 and LPT2. COMPORT overcomes
these limitations;
o Allows specification of any port address for any COM or LPT
port. This allows DOS to support both non-standard
port addresses for any device, as well as the altering
of COM and LPT port numbering (COM4 can be changed to
COM1, for example);
o ACCURATELY identifies the type of UART chip used or emulated by
each serial port;
o ACCURATELY identifies the IRQ used by each serial port;
These functions provide the following benefits:
o COM3, COM4, and LPT3 are made available for use with standard
DOS utilities and programs on all systems, since COMPORT
makes their existence known to DOS;
o DOS programs which include support for only 1 or 2 COM or LPT
ports (of which there are many) can use the devices
attached to the other ports in the system (COM3, COM4,
or LPT3, for example) since COMPORT allows the user
complete control over which device (i.e. which port
address) is associated with which COM or LPT number;
o Knowing which type of UART is used in each serial port allows
users to better predict the maximum communications
throughput of their systems.
o Knowing which IRQ is used by each serial port helps identify
and avoid IRQ conflicts, one of the most frequent causes
of problems when adding new hardware options to a
PC-compatible system.
All this, and COMPORT is SHAREWARE!
This software is very easy to use. To get started and display the addresses
of the serial and parallel ports in your system, just UNZIP it and type
COMPORT, or type COMPORT /I on a quiescent system (with no network loaded)
to get a display of your port addresses and the IRQs used by the serial
ports. In the interest of clarity and completeness, full documentation
is provided regarding COMPORT's operation. Some tutorial material is also
included on how DOS maps COM or LPT port names to physical addresses using
the BIOS Data Area, the different types of serial ports, and why anybody
would care.
This manual is approximately 15 pages long, and contains the following
sections. We do, of course, suggest you read it thoroughly at some point:
Section 1.0 Introduction -- What you're reading now;
Section 2.0 About Shareware -- An intro to the Shareware concept,
in case you're new to all this;
Section 3.0 License -- The legally binding terms under which
COMPORT is made available for your use and the use of others;
Section 4.0 Registration -- Why you have to, and why you want to,
pay for and register your copy of COMPORT;
Section 5.0 Installation -- How to install COMPORT;
Section 6.0 Tutorial -- Background on the BDA, UARTs, etc.
Section 7.0 Usage -- Full details on all COMPORT options, defaults,
and how they work;
Section 8.0 Support -- When you get it, how to get it;
Section 9.0 Legal Minutae -- Leagal minutia;
Section 10.0 Registration -- How to send us your money to register
your copy of COMPORT'
This is a professionally developed piece of software, created and
maintained by OSR Open Systems Resources, Inc. one of the top network
software development and consulting companies. We're most interested in
hearing feedback, comments, and input from all registered users.
2.0 About Shareware in General
Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before
buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you
are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details --
some request registration while others require it, some specify a
maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the
simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with
printed manual.
Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and
the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific
exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished
programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of
comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad
ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The
author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the
software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For
example, some authors require written permission before a commercial
disk vendor may copy their Shareware.
Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should
find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's
commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs
easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead
is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back
guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it.
3.0 Disclaimer and License Agreement
By using COMPORT V2.5 on a computer system, users make the knowing
decision to accept and agree to this disclaimer of warranty.
These are meant to be binding terms and conditions, and not a mere
recital:
"COMPORT V2.5 is supplied as is. The author disclaims
all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without
limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness
for any purpose. The author assumes no liability for damages,
direct or consequential, which may result from the use of
COMPORT V2.5."
COMPORT V2.5 is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to
the user for evaluation for a period not to exceed 30 days. Feel free
to share it with your friends, but you may not give it away altered or
as part of another system. The essence of "user-supported" software
is to provide personal computer users with quality software without
high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue
to develop new products. If you find this program useful and find
that you are using COMPORT V2.5 and continue to use COMPORT V2.5 after
a reasonable trial period not exceeding 30 days, you must make a
registration payment of $14.75 to the author (OSR Open Systems Resources,
Inc., 105 Route 101A #19, Amherst, NH 03031-2244).
The $14.75 registration fee will license one copy for use on any one
computer at any one time. You must treat this software just like a
book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of
people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another,
so long as there is NO POSSIBILITY of it being used at one location
while it's being used at another, just as a book cannot be read by
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