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PROTOREP.DOC
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1989-02-19
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ProtoRep v1.10
==============
This program is the property of Michael S. Cox. Altering and/or
selling ProtoRep is prohibited without the written consent of Michael
S. Cox. You may use the program and distribute it without charge,
except for a disk fee not to exceed $1 for 5 1/4" DS/DD disks, $2 for
5 1/4" DS/HD disks, $2 for 3 1/2" DS/DD disks, and $10 for 3 1/2"
DS/HD disks. If you have to pay more for the disks than the above,
you're being ripped off and should look for another vendor. For
contribution/registration information, see the Future section at the
end of this documentation.
ProtoRep is a program that simplifies using external protocols. It
allows you to add up to 12 (in this version) external protocols
easily. It's much handier than a slew of .BAT files to do the same
function.
Many communications programs only have one or two file transfer
protocols available. Two examples are Bitcom and Smartcom. To use any
of the more advanced protocols such as Zmodem, you have to 'shell' out
of the comm. program and execute the external protocol along with it's
cumbersome command line. Later in the industry came programs that
allowed external protocols to be added to its menus through the use of
.BAT files. Two examples of this are Qmodem and Telix. But even these
programs had minor limitations on the number of protocols you could add.
The main function of ProtoRep, however, is for the user who has a
communication program that supports a small amount of protocols, and
doesn't allow user-defining new protocols.
What's New?
===========
V1.10 re-worked the input scheme. Previously, I had used the ON KEY
statements in QuickBASIC, but because of problems with 101-key
keyboards, and a trailing keystroke if a user keys to fast, I have
done away with it, and used a much cleaner approach of using ASCII
scan codes. Also in 1.10, the first letter of each command can be
use to execute that command. For instance, Typing 'S' will execute
the Send File(s) routine.
Installation
============
ProtoRep can be invoked three ways: (1) exiting the comm. program
through a DOS shell (jumping out to DOS while the comm. program is
still loaded) and running PROTOREP.EXE, (2) installing ProtoRep as an
external protocol in the more advanced communication packages, or (3)
in the worse scenario, if the comm. package doesn't have either of the
two above capabilities, but does allow you to exit the program without
hanging up, you can exit the comm. program, run PROTOREP.EXE, and
restart the comm. program. If you use option two (2), and your comm.
program forces you to have a .BAT file to run as an external protocol,
you can create a .BAT file called PREP.BAT that simply contains the
line PROTOREP.
Before you can use ProtoRep successfully, you must configure it to
meet your needs. Type PROTOREP /C to configure ProtoRep. You will be
asked five questions:
1) Is your system color or monochrome? This needs no explanation.
If you have an old IBM CGA adapter, you may experience some
snow during ProtoRep's execution. To remedy this, get in the
80's. Get yourself a decent video board or upgrade to EGA or
VGA. (I'd even consider Hercules Monochrome an upgrade over
CGA!)
2) Default directory for receive files. This is the drive and path
of where you would like all your downloads to go. Key in the
FULL path name such as C:\DOWN. If you just leave this blank,
the default directory will be used.
3) Default communications port. This is the COM port your modem is
normally using. Most the time, this does not change. ProtoRep
will allow you to specify COM ports occupying COM1 through
COM8. I have yet to see a package or protocol that uses higher
than COM8. Most decent packages support up through COM4. Just
key in the 1 character number such as '1' for COM1 or '2' for
COM2. Do not key in the whole port address such as 'COM1'.
4) Default communications speed. This is the baud rate you are
normally set at. ProtoRep allows speeds of 300, 1200, 2400,
4800, 9600, and 19200. I have yet to see anyone going faster
than this for file transfers. You can override these default
setting for COM port and speed by typing them on the PROTOREP
command line. PROTOREP 2 2400 would set PROTOREP up for COM2 at
2400 baud. This would not change the default configuration of
PROTOREP, just for the duration of the current session. If your
comm. packages will utilize such a command line, it will be
necessary to run from a .BAT file that specifies PROTOREP %1 %2
or in whatever order your comm. package issues those
parameters. For example, Telix v3.11 would be PROTOREP %2 %1
because it sends speed as the first parameter, and port number
as the second.
5) Should ProtoRep be noisy? Well, ProtoRep isn't TOO noisy. Just
a small clink when you hit the up/down arrow keys, and a quick
tone when you hit enter. You can re-run PROTOREP /C as often as
you like to test out if you like the noise or not.
These answers are stored in a file called PROTOREP.CFG and can be
altered using an ASCII editor.
Usage
=====
ProtoRep is quite straight forward. You have 6 menu options. To pick
an option, use the cursor keys, or arrow keys, to highlight the option
you want and hit <ENTER>. ProtoRep wraps the options, so if you're
highlighting "Quit", the last option, and hit <downarrow>, "Send
File(s)", the first option, will be highlighted. This goes both ways.
Also, you may hit the first letter of the command you wish to execute.
For instance, hitting the 'S' key will execute the 'Send File(s)'
command, and 'I' will execute 'Install Protocol'. To end ProtoRep, choose
"Quit" or simply hit the <ESC> key at the menu.
Send File(s)
============
If you choose "Send File(s)" a sub-menu is displayed to the main
menu's left. This is a list of available protocols as defined by the
user (see Install Protocols section). After choosing a protocol,
ProtoRep will ask for files to send. You will be able to key in as
many files as you like, but only protocols that support "batch"
transfers, such as Zmodem, will utilize this feature. ProtoRep will
keep asking for another file until you leave a "File" prompt blank by
hitting the <ENTER> key. If you leave the first "File" prompt blank,
the Send will be aborted and you will be returned to main menu.
ProtoRep now shells out at executes the transfer as set up by the
"Install Protocols" menu option.
Receive File(s)
===============
This is executed much like "Send File(s)" except for one difference.
If no %f is specified in the download command line (see Install
Protocols section), filenames won't be asked. For protocols like
Zmodem and True Ymodem the file's name is transferred, so the user
does not have to specify the filename twice. The downside of this is
that the file will be receive in the same directory that the protocol
is being executed. For example: You have DSZ (Zmodem) installed in the
C:\PROTO directory, but would like your downloaded files in the
C:\DOWN directory. DSZ allows you to key the drive and path to
download to as the last parameter it's command line. NOTE: DSZ, unlike
DOS uses the slash rather than the backslash for path names. So to set
up DSZ to download to the C:\DOWN directory, put the %f at th