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1994-07-04
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DIGIFOSSIL V2.0 - July 4, 1994
FOSSIL Driver for DigiBoards
& DIGIBOARD Driver for FOSSIL
=============================
Technique Computer Systems
814 Lampson Street
Victoria, BC V9A 6B2
CANADA
BBS: (604) 361-1541
FAX: (604) 361-4789
What is DIGIFOSSIL?
-------------------
DIGIFOSSIL is the program (DFTSR) you need in order to get a huge number
of applications written for FOSSIL systems working on your BBS, if your
BBS uses an intelligent Digiboard (such as the PC/Xe, PC/Xi or COM/Xi
series). (if you need a FOSSIL for a nonDigiboard system, try either X00
or BNU, which are available from many BBSs).
DIGIFOSSIL also includes a program (FDTSR) to run your Digiboard based
BBS on a non-digiboard (FOSSIL) setup. This allows you to use a product
such as Wildcat! IM (where they haven't implemented FOSSIL support).
What is a FOSSIL anyway?
------------------------
Other than the acheological definition, FOSSIL (Fido/Opus/Seadog Standard
Interface layer) was created to provide a standard communications
interface during the evolution of some other BBS software (namely
Fido(tm), Opus and Seadog(tm)). It provided a superset of the serial
port BIOS calls available on the early IBM PC, and provided a way to port
programs from one system to another that may not contain IBM hardware
hardware compatible serial ports.
By writing programs that use a standard set of calls, all that is
required to move the system to dissimilar hardware is a new FOSSIL
driver.
The list of applications that support FOSSIL include many BBS systems
themselves, such as PCBoard/M, QuickBBS and also includes many popular
doors such as Tradewars & Scrabble(tm).
What does DIGIFOSSIL do?
------------------------
It provides the translation services so that calls made to FOSSIL
standards are translated into equivalent Digiboard driver calls. This
allows HUNDREDS of applications written for FOSSIL to run on an
Intelligent Digiboard, as if they were running on a FOSSIL based system
using normal serial ports. Of course by using the the buffered
intelligent Digiboard, you can drastically improve your system's
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DigiFossil (c) Copyright 1992-1994 Technique Computer Systems
performance over using regular serial ports.
FOSSILDIGI also provides the REVERSE translation faclities to allow
digiboard based products to run on FOSSIL drivers.
Running FOSSIL on DIGIBOARD Hardware
------------------------------------
As part of your AUTOEXEC.BAT, add a line that says:
DFTSR
When DFTSR starts, it will identify itself, and indicate the type of
Digiboard installed. DFTSR currently takes about 15k of memory, and can
be loaded into 'HIGHRAM' using QEMM's LOADHI, or DOS 5's LOADHIGH
commands. DFTSR must be loaded AFTER the DigiBoard (XIDOS5) driver is
loaded, and if you are multitasking using Desqview, DFTSR handles support
for ALL channels and should be loaded before Desqview. DFTSR does not
enable FOSSIL support, that is done separately with DF.
Note that the ONLY supported multitasked is Desqview, OS/2 and Windows
MAY work, but are totally unsupported.
Using Applications that require FOSSIL Drivers
----------------------------------------------
To enable and disable FOSSIL support, use the DF program. The format is:
DF <command> <portnumber>
The <command> can be any of the following:
FOSSIL - turn on FOSSIL support
DIGI - turn off FOSSIL support (return to native DIGI)
FOSSIL-LOCK - turn on FOSSIL support, but prevent baud rate and
flow control changes.
STAT - display information about DIGIFOSSIL
<portnumber> is the port on which you want to enable support. If it is
not specified, it will use the value of the environment variable
WCPORTID.
examples:
DF FOSSIL 1 - turn on FOSSIL support for port 1
DF DIGI - turn off support for port WCPORTID
DF FOSSIL-LOCK 1 - turn on FOSSIL support for port 1
but don't allow the door to change
the baud rate.
Although DIGIFOSSIL may not run all applications, it should run most of
those that require or support FOSSILs. If a program does not mention
that it will utilize a FOSSIL, it probably doesn't use it, and won't work
with DIGIFOSSIL.
When running an application that uses FOSSIL calls, simply use the
program DF to enable or disable FOSSIL support in the DIGIFOSSIL driver
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DigiFossil (c) Copyright 1992-1994 Technique Computer Systems
(DFTSR which was loaded in your AUTOEXEC.BAT). To run DF, simply specify
which Digiboard channel, and whether to enable or disable support. If no
port number is given, DF will use the port specified by the environment
variable WCPORTID.
** NOTE **
** Be sure that if you enable FOSSIL support for
** for a particular door or application, remember to disable
** again when that door exits
** NOTE **
When using doors that support FOSSIL, COM1 (w/FOSSIL), is the same as
Digiboard channel 0. With Wildcat!, WCPORTID=1 is equivilent to COM1 (or
Digiboard channel 0).
If you have a door that does NOT support a locked DTE rate (that is when
the baud rate to the modem is higher than the actual link connection
speed), AND you are using a modem that has a locked DTE, you should
enable the FOSSIL with the DF FOSSIL-LOCK command rather than the DF
FOSSIL command. This will prevent the application from changing the baud
rate or flow control.
** NOTE! **
Programmers writing code that makes FOSSIL calls should
note COM1, refers to channel 0 (DX=0) with respect to the
actual FOSSIL and DigiBoard drivers.
Examples
--------
This is an example DOOR.BAT for Wildcat IM (on a Digiboard system), to
run Chris Hall's excellent Scrabble door.
DOOR1.BAT
@ECHO OFF
REM This batch file is located in your HOME directory,
REM and is copied to the work directory and executed.
REM It needs to change to the right location of the
REM door and run the program
REM
REM ******* Enable Fossil
DF FOSSIL
CD \DOORS\scrab
scrabdor node%WCNODEID%.cfg
CD \WC30
REM ******* Remember to turn it off again
DF DIGI
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DigiFossil (c) Copyright 1992-1994 Technique Computer Systems
DIGI to FOSSIL translation (FDTSR)
----------------------------------
Back in February it was necessary to write another similar (but opposite)
program to translate Digiboard calls into FOSSIL to allow Wildcat! IM
(which still didn't support FOSSIL) to run on a FOSSIL based system. The
basic setup is similar to DFTSR, just load FDTSR.EXE in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT, and before running a FOSSIL based product make sure you
issue a DF FOSSIL commad and before running a Digiboard based product
(such as Wildcat), issue a DF DIGI command.
Known Gotchas!
--------------
DIGIFOSSIL will not restore port parameters when you turn it off so if
you run an application that sets a particular feature on the port (such
as XON/XOFF), when DIGIFOSSIL is disabled, XON/XOFF stays enabled. This
has caused some problems with BBS systems. Enabling DF with the
FOSSIL-LOCK command rather than the ON command prevents DOORs from
changing both the speed and flow options, and may help. Also, programs
written for Digiboards directly (such as QmodemPRO) may also change the
port parameters and not restore them.
Files
-----
The following files should be included in this archive, and for
authenticity, it should contain the PKZIP authenticity verification for
TECHNIQUE COMPUTER SYSTEMS.
DF.EXE - to enable and disable DIGIFOSSIL support
DFTSR.EXE - the DIGIFOSSIL driver
FDTSR.EXE - the FOSSILDIGI driver
DF.DOC - this document file
Registration & Ordering (NOT!)
------------------------------
DIGIFOSSIL is FREE. It is distributed in a fully functional form. If
you feel that you must send money to the author, the address is at the
top of this document, and moneys received will be considered a
subscription to the Plywood PC BBS (at $10 for six months).
Support
-------
For further information, or technical support of DIGIFOSSIL, please call
the Plywood PC BBS at 604-361-1541(V32bis/HST), and join conference 2
(DIGIFOSSIL support), fax me at the above address, or email to
SCOTT@plywoodbbs.victoria.bc.ca.
Due to the fact that DIGIFOSSIL is free, I cannot (and will not) return
(non-collect) long distance telepone calls.
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DigiFossil (c) Copyright 1992-1994 Technique Computer Systems
Trouble Shooting
----------------
IF you have troubles during operation of the DIGIFOSSIL, please make a
note of the conditions under which it happened, and if you are able, open
another DOS window in Desqview, and type
DF STAT <port-number>
where <port-number> is the port that has failed. This information that
this provides will be most helpful in trying to diagnose what has
happened.
Credits
-------
I have a few people to thank. Firstly, I would like to thank my boss
(Ken), for his patiene of letting me crash our BBS at work MANY MANY
times in the development of DIGIFOSSIL, and to a one of my co-workers
(Ron) for saying "but we can't run Scrabble now we've gone to Wildcat!
IM", and to various sysops who have assisted in the testing of
DIGIFOSSIL.
History
-------
Version 2.0 - July 4/94
- Add new FDTSR program to allow DIGI applicatiosn to run on
FOSSIL systems
- various implementation fixes within translation routines
Version 1.3 - May 6/93
- Fixed initial recognition routines, it should now find ALL
digiboards, and correctly identify them.
- Changed the flow control parameters a bit, and also prevented flow
control from being changed if the port was opened with LOCK.
- Changed DOCs to reflect new BBS phone #
- Improved the menthod in which DIGIFOSSIL identifies itself. All
software should now detect the FOSSIL is installed
Version 1.2 - Jan 20/1993
- Various internal optimizations
- Fixed some problems with software detecting DF being installed
- DFTSR now loads on system where the first channel isn't channel 0
Version 1.1 - Jan 11/1993
- Added support for forcing Locked DTEs.
- Added beg screen to unregistered version. (lack of user support)
- Fixed typos in the orderform.
- Added better support for detecting errors during installation.
Version 1.0 - Dec 25/1992
- Initial Release
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DigiFossil (c) Copyright 1992-1994 Technique Computer Systems
Legal Stuff
-----------
DIGIFOSSIL is Copyright 1992-1993, Technique Computer Systems, all rights
reserved. This product is provided "AS-IS" without warranty of any kind.
All risk as to the results and performance are assumed by the user.
Technique Computer Systems will not be liable for any damages, direct or
indirect, resulting from the use, or inability to use, this product.
Wildcat! isn't actually a trademark of Mustang Software Inc
DigiBoard is a trademark of DigiBoard Corporation
Fossil (Fido(tm)/Opus/Seadog(tm) interface layer), is the
combined product and ideas of Tom Jennings, Thom
Henderson, Vince Perriello, & Wynn Wagner (& many
more).
Fido is a trade mark of Tom Jennings
Seadog is a trade mark of Thom Henderson and/or System
Enhancements Associates.
QEMM and Desqview are trade marks of Quarterdeck Office Systems.
Scrabble is a trade mark of Hasbro Inc.
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DigiFossil (c) Copyright 1992-1994 Technique Computer Systems