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EXPROT.DOC
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1990-11-29
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EXPROT Ver. 3.5 EXTERNAL PROTOCOL INTERFACE
by
Luis R. Cáceres, Jr.
8711 S.W. 20th Terrace
Miami, FL 33165
EXPROT is an external protocol manager designed to be used with
such popular terminal programs as Telix, Commo, and Pro-Comm Plus.
It is meant to be invoked by being named as the editor in your
terminal program's configuration file, by means of a key macro,
connect-independent script, or by inclusion as a SINGLE external
protocol.
EXPROT is pre-programmed to enable downloading and uploading of
files using Zmodem (Fosberg's version), Ymodem (also Fosberg's
version), Lynx, Puma, and Jmodem. Versions 2.5 and 2.6 also sup-
ported Super8k and Super8K-G, but this protocol, though one of
the fastest, turned out to be difficult and erratic, and is sup-
ported by only a handful of BBSs. Version 2.7 dropped Super8K
and added HyperP. Version 3.00 dropped HyperP and added Zmodem
Auto Download (see below), Xmodem, 1k-Xmodem, Ymodem Batch,
Megalink and SEAlink. The option for BiMenu has also been dropped,
as has that of the editor, both present in previous versions.
EXPROT is a single-file program, with no overlays or separate
setup utilities. It must be configured, but right from within,
by answering five simple questions: what is your modem port,
its highest speed, EXPROT's own path, the download path, and the
upload path. EXPROT takes your word at face value and does no
error trapping when being configured, so be careful and accurate
in your answers.
If EXPROT cannot find its configuration data file, it will prompt
you for its pathname rather than force you to reconfigure. This
avoids problems when you have shelled out of your terminal program,
wandered about your hard disk, and then returned ('EXIT') to the
terminal without bothering to CD\ back to its directory first. It
also makes EXPROT easier to use under DESQview. You don't even have
to tell DESQview about EXPROT. Just give your terminal some 56K
more of RAM than it uses by itself, and practice invoking EXPROT
once before making a connection.
EXPROT's Zmodem command includes the option for "resume" or
comparison crash recovery. If there's no incomplete file in the
target directory, the resume command will not interfere, and the
specified files will be normally transferred in their entirety.
There is also a toggle to enable or disable Zmodem-90 "MobyTurbo".
If YOUR DSZ is an older one without MobyTurbo, leave it off, or
your Zmodem transfers will abort with an error message. Whether the
host's Zmodem has MobyTurbo or not is inconsequential to you.
Otherwise, it will be to your advantage to toggle it on.
Also in regards to Zmodem and the other DSZ-based protocols, EXPROT
sees to it that they put downloads in your specified D/L directory,
EVEN IF YOUR DSZ IS NOT REGISTERED. This is accomplished by the
simple expedient of making the D/L directory the current one when
DSZ is chosen, and invoking DSZ remotely. When the transfer is
complete, and before returning you to your terminal, EXPROT
changes back to its own drive and directory. This is completely
transparent to you.
Once configured, using EXPROT is so simple and intuitive that we
regard any instructions as unnecessary. You just select your
protocol from the menu, press D or U (for Download or Upload) and
provide a filespec if uploading, or, if downloading, only if you
chose Xmodem, 1k-Xmodem, or Jmodem.
If you give only a filename when prompted for a filespec, EXPROT
will look for it in the upload path; but you can override this by
providing a full pathname. In other words, you can upload files NOT
located in your upload directory if you tell EXPROT exactly where
they are.
If you are DOWNLOADING with Xmodem, 1K-Xmodem, or Jmodem, and you
enter a full path when prompted for a filespec, the protocol will
not proceed, but end with an error message. Downloads MUST go to
the d/l directory, and this CANNOT be overridden.
For Megalink transfers, EXPROT automatically lowers the rate, if it
was set higher, down to the maximum supported by the protocol,
which is 9600. Or, if you prefer, you can manually override the
default modem speed by pressing the letter `S' and entering the new
speed. This MUST be done if your connection to the host is at a
rate lower or higher that the one shown on EXPROT. Overriding in
this manner will only affect that particular transfer, and no
changes will be written to the configuration file. The manual
override is ineffective and unnecessary with all the other protocols
supported by EXPROT, since they autodetect the baud rate from the
carrier signal.
Telix Users: There are two ways to install Exprot. Using it as
----------- an editor called by pressing Alt-A, or adding it
as a script-based external protocol with EXPROT.SLC (supplied in
this acrhive). Press Alt-O and select Protocol Options. In the
latter case, if you select Upload (PgUp or Alt-S), Telix will
prompt you for a filespec, and will pass your entry to EXPROT.
EXPROT will then automatically go into upload mode and
acknowledge the filespec; but you must still choose the
protocol. Zmodem Auto is not available in this mode, for obvious
reasons. Configuring is not available either, but toggling
MobyTurbo and changing baud rate are active options.
Telix users will not only gain easy access to Puma, Lynx,
Megalink, and Jmodem, but also to the faster Zmodem-90
"MobyTurbo" if their DSZ is so equipped (see below).
ProComm Plus Users: May be added as a regular, batch-file
------------------ driven external protocol, or via the
Alt-J key macro, which is the recommended way. Zmodem DOES
accept more than one filespec through EXPROT.
Commo Users: Any macro is suitable, but the one we find most
----------- convenient and which makes Commo feel much more
like the internal-protocol equipped terminal programs is the
following one (for ver. 4.22):
EXPROT Interface {pgd} {exec d:\dir\exprot.com} {}
This macro will bring up Exprot almost instantly when PgDn is
pressed, enabling you to erase all the downloading and upload-
ing macros from the sample Commo.MAC (except any that drive
protocols not supported by EXPROT), and release all the
respective key combinations for macros that perform other
chores.
TSR communications programs do not require any installation.
Just give the host the transfer command, return to DOS, and
invoke EXPROT. If PC-Tools Dektop has NOT been loaded TSR, give
the host the transfer command, shell out (or exit if you are
short of RAM), and invoke EXPROT.
Notes on Zmodem Auto:
When you intend to use Zmodem Auto, do NOT complete the transfer
command to the HOST from the terminal program and then proceed to
Zmodem Auto via EXPROT. Invoke Exprot first, select Zmodem Auto,
press enter to induce the host's prompt, and THEN give the host the
d/l command. If you only started the transfer command from the
terminal, but the transfer has not yet begun, you may complete the
command after from within DSZ. However, if the actual transfer has
started, you must abort it by pressing Ctrl-X repeatedly; then press
Enter to get the host's prompt, and THEN repeat the download command.
While in Autodownload, you can also start a Ymodem download by
pressing F3, but you CANNOT upload from this mode. If you want to
upload, press F1 or Alt-N to exit, and return to your terminal.
Read DSZ's documentation for further information.
NEW IN EXPROT 3.5
-----------------
EXPROT 3.5 corrects a few bugs which made EXPROT act as if a
protocol had been chosen if the space bar or other inappropriate
key were pressed by mistake or accident. Now, each menu or choice
should respond only to its authorized keypresses. Also, 3.5
corrects "file not found" errors when more than one filespec was
entered for Puma and Lynx batch uploads. If you enter a long list