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The Microcom MNP Library (Microsoft C Version) PROGRAMMER'S MANUAL Version 1.0 December 15, 1987 Microcom, Inc. 1400 Providence Highway Norwood, MA 02062 The Microcom MNP Library and MNP are trademarks of Microcom, Inc. Microsoft and MS-DOS are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines. This manual is not subject to copyright and may be freely copied. Questions relating to the Microcom MNP Library should be directed to Microcom at: Microcom, Inc. 15303 Ventura Blvd., Suite 900 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 (818)986-4212 1. INTRODUCTION The Microcom MNP Library is a set of subroutines which implement the stream mode of the link protocol in Microcom Networking Protocol (MNP). This mode of the MNP link protocol is appropriate for interworking with MNP error-correcting modems or with other software implementations which use the Microcom MNP Library or other compatible software. This version of the library provides a set of C and assembly language routines which are designed to be easily integrated into an application program written in C and compiled using the Microsoft C compiler (version 4.0). Through the use of these routines, an application is able to perform error-free data communications over a physical-connection, such as one established on the public switched telephone network. These MNP Library subroutines are especially for the IBM Personal Computer family (and compatibles) under PCDOS (MS-DOS). Hardware facilities for asynchronous communications are required. 2. LIBRARY MODULES The Microcom MNP LIbrary is supplied in one of two forms, object library only and object library with source. The source version is de- scribed in more detail in a file ('readme.doc') supplied as part of the source version distribution. In the case of the object library only form, the distribution diskette contains one file, mnp.lib, which includes the various object modules which make up the MNP Library. When building the executable form of a particular application, the mnp.lib file should be specified if the application calls any MNP sub- routine described in this document. The manner in which library modules are specified for inclusion varies according to the linkage editor employed in building the application program run module. 3. LINK MANAGEMENT In general, the MNP link follows the life of the normal physical- connection. Immediately after the physical-connection is made (e.g. after a modem first reports carrier detected), the application must attempt the establishment of the Link via the MNPCONNECT subroutine. MNP-capable modems which answer the incoming telephone call, for example, must receive the Link establishment sequence within 4 seconds of physical-connection establishment. If a link is not attempted within this period, such modems may fall back to a normal connection and it will not be possible to provide a reliable connection on that particular call. Link termination, performed via the MNPDISCONNECT call, should immediately precede termination of the physical-connection, i.e. right before hanging up the telephone. Note that the Link is active for the entire duration of the physical-connection. During the data phase of the Link (i.e. after establishment but before termination), the Link must be kept running by allowing the Link code to execute periodically. Any of the data phase calls, namely MNPSEND, MNPRECEIVE, MNPSTATUS, and MNPBREAK, will accomplish this. One of these routines must be called every 250ms or so which means that the Link code gets a chance to run about 4 times per second. The absolute interval is not critical and it may be possible to reduce the frequency as well and still get reasonable performance. Polling the Link code, however, must occur with a predictable frequency otherwise the Link may be lost. When the Link is lost, an MNP error-correcting modem may clear the call. When a Link is in progress, all line I/O is performed via the appropriate MNP call rather than by using other C mechanisms. It may be the case, however, that the com port opened elsewhere in the application, must remain open. Data sent and received on the Link will be "chunked" depending on the number of bytes which happen to be sent in a single data message. The maximum amount in a single message is 64 bytes. This "chunking" is not noticeable to the sender but can be perceived by the data receiver. Strings of data may be split over more than one data message and some messages may have to be sent more than once when there is noise on the connection. Retransmission can be seen by the application as an interruption, possibly in the middle of some data string. The application should be examined to see if there are any cases involving timing dependencies which could be adversely effected by this kind of irregularity in the data flow. 4. LINK INTERFACE SUBROUTINES 4.1 Link Establishment - MNPCONNECT MNPCONNECT is used to establish a Link. It is called after the physical-connection has been established. It can take up to 5 seconds for an MNPCONNECT call to complete. MNPCONNECT has the following parameters: RATE - an integer which indicates the speed of the physical-connection, as follows: 1 = 110 bps 2 = 300 bps 4 = 1200 bps 5 = 2400 bps [Note: Other speeds are not supported in this version of the Microcom MNP Library.] FORMAT - an integer which indicates the data format, as follows: 0 = 8 data bits, no parity 1 = 7 data bits, even parity 2 = 7 data bits, odd parity 3 = 7 data bits, mark parity 4 = 7 data bits, space parity [Note: In this Library version, once the Link is established, it is not possible to change format.] PORT - an integer which indicates the communications port, as follows: 1 = COM1 2 = COM2 [Note: This Library version does not support other comm ports. Also, COM2 cannot be speci- fied if no COM1 is present in the system.] MODE - an integer which indicates the role in link establishment, as follows: 0 = link initiator (caller) 1 = link accepter (answerer) The function returns an integer value, as follows: RETCODE - an integer returned to the caller which indicates the result of the link establishment attempt, as follows: 0 = success (link established) -64 - failure, no additional info -65 - failure, timeout (no remote response) -66 - failure, physical-connection lost (carrier lost) -70 - failure, incompatible MNP -72 - failure, remote protocol error [Note: -70 and -72 should never occur.] MNPCONNECT is called as follows: RETCODE = MNPCONNECT(RATE,FORMAT,PORT,MODE); 4.2 Link Termination - MNPDISCONNECT MNPDISCONNECT has two functions, to send the appropriate protocol message to the other side to indicate Link termination and to reset the PC interrupt environment. MNPDISCONNECT must always be called if MNPCONNECT had been called previously. This is so even for establishment failure or for loss of the physical-connection (i.e. carrier lost). MNPDISCONNECT has no parameters and returns no value. It is called as follows: MNPDISCONNECT(); 4.3 Send Data - MNPSEND MNPSEND is called to copy data to be sent on the Link from the application into the MNP transmit buffer. MNPSEND has parameters as follows: SNDBUF - a pointer to the user char buffer from which transmit data is to be copied. BUFLEN - an integer which indicates the maximum number of data bytes which can be copied from the user buffer The function returns an integer value, as follows: RETCODE - an integer returned to the caller which indicates the number of bytes copied or a Link error condition, as follows: positive int = number of bytes copied 0=no bytes copied -64 = link terminated, retransmission limit exceeded -65 = link terminated, unable to send -66 = link terminated, carrier lost -67 = link terminated, remote disconnected MNPSEND is called as follows: RETCODE = MNPSEND(&SNDBUF,BUFLEN) 4.4 Receive Data - MNPRECEIVE MNPRECEIVE is called to copy data received on the Link into the application. MNPRECEIVE transfers all available data up to the size of the application buffer. MNPRECEIVE returns immediately if no data is available. MNPRECEIVE has the following parameters: RCVBUF - a pointer to the user char buffer into which received data is to be copied. This buffer must be at least as long as the value of BUFLEN. BUFLEN - an integer which indicates the maximum number of data bytes which can be copied into the user buffer The function returns an integer value, as follows: RETCODE - an integer returned to the caller which indicates the number of bytes copied or a Link error condition, as follows: positive int = number of bytes copied 0=no bytes available. -64 = link terminated. retransmission limit exceeded -65 = link terminated, unable to send -66 = link terminated, carrier lost -67 = link terminated, remote disconnected MNPRECEIVE is called as follows: RETCODE = MNPRECEIVE(&RCVBUF,BUFLEN); 4.5 Link Status - MNPSTATUS MNPSTATUS is called to return to the application the status of the Link and to read parameters which indicate the availability of received data or the ability to enqueue data for transmission. MNPSTATUS has a structure as its parameter, with members as follows: PSTATUS - an integer which indicates the condition of the physical-connection, as follows: 0 = not connected (carrier not present) 1 = connected (carrier present) LSTATUS - an integer which indicates the condition of Link, as follows: 0 = link not established (i.e. link terminated) 1 = link established SCOUNT - an integer which indicates the number of bytes free in the Link send buffer. This is the number of bytes which can be completely copied to the Link transmit code via an MNPSEND call. RCOUNT - an integer which indicates the number of received data bytes which are available to be copied into the application via MNPRECEIVE ALLSENT - an integer which indicates whether or not all data passed to the Link code has been successfully sent and acknowledged, as follows: 0 = all data not sent 1 = all data sent MNPSTATUS is called as follows: MNPSTATUS(&STATUS_BLOCK); 4.6 Send Signal - MNPBREAK MNPBREAK is called to send a signal to the remote DTE. When the remote side is an MNP error-correcting modem, an MNPBREAK call causes the remote modem to send a break signal (continuous spacing) to its attached DTE. MNPBREAK employs the MNP Link Protocol's reliable attention mechanism in 'destructive mode'. That is, when MNPBREAK is called, the Link is reset and any data pending transmission on the link is discarded as is any received data which has not been read via the MNPRECEIVE subroutine. Data may also be discarded at the remote side of the Link. MNPBREAK has no parameters but returns an integer value, as follows: RETCODE - an integer returned to the caller which indicates the result of the MNPBREAK call or a Link error condition, as follows: 0 = break initiated -64 = link terminated, retransmission limit exceeded -65 = link terminated, unable to send -66 = link terminated, carrier lost -67 = link terminated, remote disconnected -75 = break not supported (remote did not negotiate attention support for this Link) -76 = previous break still in progress MNPBREAK is called as follows: RETCODE = MNPBREAK(); [Note that the MNP Library does not support application notification of the receipt of the MNP attention message and hence it is assumed that MNPBREAK will only be employed when the remote side of the connection is an MNP error-correcting modem.]