Collection of Tools & Utilities/Collection of Tools and Utilities.iso/comm/dgterm.zip/DGTERM.DOC

Text File | 1988-11-07 | 14KB | 398 lines

                   DGTERM - Background VT102 Emulator with X/Ymodem
                                     Version 1.0

                                     By Dale Gass
                                     P.O. Box 82
                              Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia
                                    Canada B0N 2H0



          I.   Shareware

               DGTERM is distributed as Shareware.   If you use the program
               regularly and find it  useful, please contribute $30 US  (or
               any amount within your means) to the author.

               If  there is  sufficient  interest  (and donations)  various
               features will be  added to the  program, such as a  powerful
               script language, and the Kermit file transfer protocol.
               Users who give  the $30 shareware donation  for this version
               will not be expected to do so for future versions.

               Any further development and future  releases of this program
               depend solely  upon contributions received from  the current
               release.  (Translation: if it doesn't  pay, I'm not spending
               any more time on it :-)  So if you wish to see new  versions
               of this and  other high quality shareware programs  from me,
               please contribute what you can.



          II.  Overview

               DGTERM is designed  to be  a small yet  reliable and  useful
               background terminal program  with full VT-102 emulation  and
               file transfer capabilities.



          III. Function Keys

               ALT-B     Send BREAK exactly as long as key is held down
               ALT-C     Change COMmunications port
               ALT-D     Change directory
               ALT-E     Toggle local echo
               ALT-K     Set hot keys (Defaults to Ctrl-LeftShift)
               ALT-L     Set line speed (baud rate)
               ALT-M     Toggle  echoing of incoming characters back to COM
                         port
               ALT-O     Toggle DTR (data terminal ready) line
               ALT-P     Set parity
               ALT-R     Reset VT-102 terminal

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               ALT-S     Save all settings into .COM file
               ALT-X     Terminal DGTERM (remove it from memory)
               PgUp      Perform YMODEM batch upload
               ^PgUp     Perform XMODEM upload (CTRL-PgUp)
               PgDn      Perform XMODEM download/YMODEM batch download



          IV.  Notes

               A.   DGTERM's current  directory  defaults  to  the  default
                    directory when the program was first executed.

               B.   Multiple copies of DGTERM may be executed, each running
                    on different  communication ports.   The  hot keys  for
                    each  copy  of   DGTERM  should  be  unique   to  avoid
                    confusion.

               C.   DGTERM attempts to  choose an attribute set  which will
                    work best with  the video card  and video mode.   There
                    are currently three attribute sets:  Mono, for use with
                    monochrome displays;  Color, for use with CGA's, EGA's,
                    etc.; and  B&W for use with CGA's, EGA's when connected
                    to  a  B&W monitor.    See the  'Technical Information'
                    section on how to change these attributes.

               D.   To  perform an XMODEM download, use PgDn, then type the
                    file's  name.  To perform  a YMODEM download, use PgDn,
                    then just hit return--the host  end will supply all the
                    filenames.

               E.   With YMODEM  batch uploads,  several wildcard  patterns
                    may be specified,  separated by  spaces.  For  example,
                    you may specify "*.ASM *.DOC *.OBJ".

               F.   All  uploads/downloads take  place in  DGTERM's current
                    directory (as set by ALT-D).

               G.   ESC will abort any upload/download.

               H.   Currently, no screen retrace checking  is done, so some
                    snow may occur on older graphics  cards.  If this turns
                    out to be a major problem, it will be added.

               I.   All  resident programs  (like  DGTERM, Sidekick,  etc.)
                    should  be removed in the  *reverse* of order that they
                    were installed, otherwise crashes may  occur.  As well,
                    uninstalling  *any* resident  program can  be dangerous
                    when  another  application  program  (which takes  over
                    sytem interrupts) is currently runing on top of it.

               J.   Be careful with ALT-O (toggling DTR).  If you leave the

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                    DTR low, depending upon the dip switch settings of your
                    modem, your modem  may ignore your commands  (until you
                    hit ALT-O to bring DTR high again).


          V.   Hot Keys

               When choosing hot keys (with ALT-K), press the desired shift
               keys  you with  (choosing from  ALT,  CTRL, Left  Shift, and
               Right Shift) then  press and release the key you wish to use
               in conjunction with these shift keys.

               For example, if you want ALT-. to be the hot key, press ALT-
               K, then press ALT, press and release the . key, then release
               the ALT key.

               Both the shifts and the auxiliary key are optional.  Use the
               'N' key if you just want to use shifts and no auxiliary key.
               (I.E. Press CTRL-SHIFT-N  to make  CTRL-SHIFT the hot  key).
               Similarly, just press a  key without any shifts to  use that
               key as the  hot key (I.E.  Press F10 to  use F10 as the  hot
               key).    (I find  SysReq  to be  a  handy solo  hot  key, on
               keyboards which have it).

               Pressing ALT-N (choosing  ALT as  the hot key)  can get  you
               into trouble, as  you won't be able to access any of the ALT
               functions, and  thus can't  change the hot  keys again  (the
               instant  you  press ALT,  you  will  be toggled  out  of the
               program, before you  get a chance to hit the other key of an
               ALT combination).

               Note: when toggling  between DGTERM  and a graphics  screen,
               DGTERM  will  not  reset to  text  mode,  and  you will  see
               graphics  garbage.   No  crashes  will occur,  it  will just
               confuse you.   Toggling again  will put you  safely back  in
               your graphics screen.  It is best to avoid toggling when  in
               graphics mode.  Graphics  mode toggling was left due  to the
               amount of code and extra storage space it would require.


          VI.  VT-102 Emulation

               Relatively complete VT-102 emulation is implemented (include
               insert/delete spaces on  line).  All feasible  features were
               included.

               The numeric  keypad is  implemented with  the PC's  function
               keys F1-F4 taking the place of the VT-102's top row, and the
               remaining keys on a standard PC numeric pad corresponding to
               the VT-102 positions.   The NumLock  key must be pressed  to
               make use of the application keypad.


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               Deviations:    PC's PrtSc key is VT-102 -
                              PC's Numeric - is VT-102 ,
                              PC's Numeric + is VT-102 ENTER



          VII. Technical Information

               The  foll