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-
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- ___________________________________________
-
- C O M S E T
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- Modem / Uart Setup Program
-
- Version 5.2..release date 5/7/89
-
- from Hank Volpe Computers (c) 1989
-
- ___________________________________________
-
-
- Introduction
-
- Comset is a utility that is designed to setup a communications port
- and a AT (Hayes) Compatible smartmodem. Many modems, especially
- internals, do not have a method to reset the modem when it is
- activated, nor does an adequate method exist to setup the serial port
- for use.
-
- Comset will setup your serial port to any speed from 300 to 19200 bps
- and then check to see if your modem is on-line. If it isn't, Comset
- will perform a hardware reset to "wake" it up. Next a software reset
- is performed by sending the command ATZ. If the reply OK is received,
- you are informed that the modem is fine. If OK is not received, Comset
- will attempt 3 times to reset the modem before informing you of an
- error. If you have an external modem and it is off, Comset will abort
- after setting up the serial port to the desired baud rate.
-
-
- Some of the features of Comset include the following ;
- Level 1 options...Shareware Version
-
- ** User Selected baud rates from 300 to 19200 bps.
- ** User Selected Comm port assignments.
- ** Modem Status register testing.
- ** Redirectable output..can be sent to a file for logging.
- or used over any serial link.
- ** RTS/CTS DTR/DSR Handshake testing.
-
-
- Registered Users Have the following advanced features;
-
- ** User Selection of Comm ports 1 2 3 4.
- ** Log in of Comm ports 3 & 4 to DOS for use by other programs
- such as high level languages or applications.
- ** Batch file parameter passing and error reporting.
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- Comset....Smart modem utility version 5.2
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- I. USING COMSET
- ----------------
-
- The usage syntax for Comset is simple.
-
- COMSET [speed] [port]
- or
- COMSET h
-
- [speed] and [port] are user options
- h invokes runtime help for the user
-
- Comset is easy to use. Typing COMSET from the dos prompt will
- automatically attempt to set up serial port COM1 to 2400 bps and
- attempt to wake up its modem. Selecting a different speed involves
- only adding the speed after the word Comset...ie COMSET 1200 sets
- serial port COM1 to 1200 bps instead of the default 2400. Trailing
- zeros are not necessary, so you could also type COMSET 12 to set up
- serial port COM1 to 1200 bps. If you wish to use a different serial
- port, add that after the speed...ie COMSET 24 2 will set serial port
- COM2 to 2400 bps. If you accidentally enter an invalid baud rate, the
- default of 2400 bps will be used. If you accidentally enter an invalid
- range of comm ports, the default of COM1 will be used. Defaults are
- always used if the user does not supply speed and port.
-
- Typing COMSET h will bring up a runtime summary of features and other
- helpful information.
-
- Ideally, Comset should be run out of your autoexec.bat file when you
- first turn on your computer. Internal modem users can appreciate the
- fact that probably 2 or 3 times out of a 100 their internal modem does
- not "wake-up" properly when the computer is first turned on, and this
- can hang-up some communications programs. Also, BBS sysops sometimes
- experience problems with modems when stopping the BBS and trying to
- use the modem to call out. This is why Comset was written!
-
-
- II. SERIAL PORT INFORMATION
- ---------------------------
-
- Comset supports all the industry standard Serial Port address
- assignments for modems. The shareware version supports COM1 and COM2,
- while the registered version adds COM3 and COM4 support also. Almost
- all PC-modems allow you to use COM1-4, however only specific software
- can use COM3 or COM4 on most machines.
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- Comset....Smart modem utility version 5.2
-
-
-
- The full featured version of Comset not only will use COM3 or COM4 for
- itself, but it will log those ports into DOS for use by other programs
- such as high-level languages and applications (something that under
- normal conditions can't be done with an IBM-PC or most clones without
- special software).
-
-
- III ERROR REPORTING INFORMATION
- -------------------------------
-
- Comset checks your serial port in three distinct steps;
-
- 1) Set the Serial Port computer UART to the desired baud rate
- and raise the DTR and RTS lines. If a serial port is not
- detected, Comset aborts and displays the message that there
- is no serial port with that COMM designation in your system.
-
- 2) Check that DSR and CTS are returning from the modem, if not
- report an error and stop testing.
-
- 3a)If steps 1 & 2 are successful, wake up the modem by sending
- the command string "ATZ". If OK is received, report all is
- Normal and leave the RTS and DTR lines active.
-
- b)If the modem did not wake up, issue a more advanced hardware
- and software command string to reset and wake up the modem.
- Three attempts are made..if it fails, the RTS and DTR lines
- are turned off. This could happen if you tell Comset to
- test a serial port that does not have a compatible modem
- attached. In that case, a "failure" of this kind would be
- "normal" for your system.
-
- The Shareware version will report status to the screen. You can
- redirect the output of Comset to a file if you wish to maintain a log
- of each initialization. To do this, just use the command string
-
- COMSET [speed] [port] >> comset.log
-
- Speed and port are optional. The >> symbol tells dos to make a file
- called comset.log and append it each time Comset is run.
-
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- Comset....Smart modem utility version 5.2
-
-
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-
- IV FULL FEATURE USE AND ERROR REPORTING
- ---------------------------------------
-
- Registered Users of Comset receive some advanced features, some of
- which were described above in previous sections. An additional feature
- of the registered version is that of error-code reporting. Error code
- reporting simply stated passes "result-codes" from Comset to its
- calling program. This allows you to write some advanced batch-file
- procedures or to take specific actions.
-
- Running the registered copy, additional information is displayed
- informing you of the Error code received. Also that error code can be
- interpreted by Dos Batch files using the ERRORLEVEL function. Under
- Normal conditions, a result code of 0 is returned to the calling
- program. If something wrong is detected, an error code of 99 is
- returned to the calling program.
-
- A simple use of this can be to start a communications program if the
- modem is ok, but if not, default to some other action...an example
- batch-file program looks like this;
-
- echo off
- comset 24 1
- áááááIF ERRORLEVEL 99 goto stop
- echo passed
- goto exit
- áááá:stop
- echo failed!
- :exit
-
-
-
- Other uses are left up to your imagination...you could flash up help
- screens to the user like "HEY DUMMY...TURN ON THE MODEM!!!" or
- something similar. Combined with redirecting the output to a logging
- file, you could trace a history of failures or other actions.
-
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- Comset....Smart modem utility version 5.2
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-
- V. REGISTRATION INFORMATION
- --------------------------
-
- You can freely make copies and distribute Comset over BBS systems or
- public domain libraries as long as no fee for Comset is charged
- (except duplication costs) and as long as Comset.exe is distributed
- along with this file Comset.doc. These may be archived together for
- use on a bbs system.
-
- Comset is copyrighted by Hank Volpe and is not public domain software.
- Shareware version users are granted a limited license for its use. No
- warranties for Comset are stated or implied.
-
-
- Shareware authors continually provide computer users with low priced
- software compared to the traditional retail approach. If you register
- Comset, you will be able to use all the features ( COM 1-4 support,
- auto-log in of COM3 and 4 for Dos applications, advanced Error
- reporting and batch file support).
-
- Registration is simple...and price is low. Comset is only $10, which
- includes the latest version and free version updates. To register,
- send $10 along with your name and address to;
-
-
- Hank Volpe
- 108 Broadmoor Dr.
- Tonawanda NY 14150
-
-
- VI. ERROR MESSAGES
-
- THERE IS NO COMx IN YOUR SYSTEM -
- Comset was instructed by the user to test a non-existent comm port.
- This could happen automatically if you don't have a COM1 in
- your system. If this is the case, use the line
- COMSET [speed] [port] to select your specific needs.
-
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- Comset....Smart modem utility version 5.2
-
-
-
- MODEM NOT RESPONDING PROPERLY -
- The modem under test did not set up even after 3 extensive hardware
- and software attempts to do so. Either you have a non-compatible
- or non-intelligent modem, or you are using the wrong opening
- baud rate. Comset's defaults are 2400 bps and COM1. If you only
- have a 1200 or 300 bps modem, use the line
- COMSET [speed] [port] and use a lower speed. Valid speeds are
- 300 bps, 1200 bps , 2400 bps [default], 4800 bps, 9600 bps
- and 19200 bps. Any other values default automatically to 2400 bps.
-
-
- MODEM APPEARS TO BE OFF OR DISCONNECTED -
- The hardware handshaking pairs RTS/CTS or DTR/DSR are not
- communicating properly. This should NEVER happen on internal modems
- unless the CTS signal is not enabled. Internal Modems usually keep
- this signal at a logic 1, so if you see this error, check your
- internal modem for proper strapping of the CTS and DSR signals.
-
- If you have an external modem,and the power for the modem is on, you
- will see this error message if you do not have the CTS signal at a
- logic 1 or you have a defective or inadequate Serial Cable. Most
- external modems have Dip-switches on the back for setting the CTS
- signal. Normally the CTS follows the Serial Ports RTS and the modem
- DSR (sometimes called MR) follows the Serial Ports DTR.
-
- In the case of an external modem you will see this error message
- everytime the modem has not been turned on. This is telling you
- that your serial port hardware is fine, just that your modem is
- off.
- VII COMSET PROGRAM HISTORY
- --------------------------
-
- Version 1 - Simple Assy program fixed at 300 bps. Two versions
- COM1 and COM2.
-
- Version 2 - Baud rate raised to 1200 bps.
-
- Version 3 - Baud rate raised to 2400 bps.
-
- Version 4 - COM1 / COM2 support in one program.
-
- Version 5 - Major rewrite, added interrupt support, hardware
- and software testing, COM 1-4 support, Multiple
- baud rate support, error checking and reporting,
- and support for high speed modems to 19200 bps.
-
- Current released version is 5.2...released May 7, 1989
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