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Text File | 1987-07-16 | 12.6 KB | 268 lines

****** ******** **** ******** ******** **** *** *** ** ** ** ** ******** ** ** *** *** ** ** *** *** ** ** ** ** ** *** *** ** ** ****** ** *** ** ** ** ***** *** * *** ** ** **** ** ** ******** ** ** *** *** *** ******** *** ******** ** ** ** ** ** *********** ** ** *** ****** ** ** ** ******** *** *** ** ** *** GATEWAY (c) version 2.00 - July 1987 by Hans D. Kellner Welcome to Gateway and the world of remote communications! This program has been written as a utility for System Operators (Sysops) of bulletin boards. It is now possible to run an external program and be able to control and see the program, even if the program uses the ANSI control codes. Input is taken from the COM line and system keyboard. Output is sent to the system screen and out through the COM line. Several new features have been added to version 2.00 of Gateway. The most important is the support of a Fossil driver for input/output. Also, the program is now one file that is installed with command line arguments. A few other changes have been added which are explained below. Now enough chatter... go on to the good stuff! SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ------------------- Gateway has been written in assembly language as a DOS character device driver. When loaded, it only requires a little over 2K of memory. It may be run on an IBM PC or compatible using PC/MS DOS. If the Fossil driver option is used the program is less dependent on the hardware. When the Fossil option is specified all COM input/output and keyboard input is done through the Fossil. If direct port writes are used, COM input/output is done with direct read/writes to the 8250 UART chip. Also, keyboard input will be done through BIOS call 16H. In both options, screen output is done through BIOS call 10H. If you have installed Gateway with the Fossil option, then a Fossil driver must be loaded before Gateway may be used. Two drivers that have been tested with Gateway are X00 by Ray Gwinn and OPUS!COM by Bob Hartman. Other Fossil drivers may work with Gateway as long as they implement the same functions. I used Vincent E. Perriello's document, 'Fundamentals of FOSSIL implementation and use', Draft version 3, March 7, 1987. Gateway determines the UART port address from the RS_232_BASE table. This is located in the BIOS data area at address 0040:0000. Gateway only does this when the Direct write option has been specified. Enough tech stuff... CHANGES & ADDITIONS ------------------- With the release of version 2.00 of Gateway several changes have been made. The most important addition is the ability to use a Fossil driver for input/ouput. This makes Gateway very generic. The program is now one file that is configured with command line arguments. The support of COM1 through COM4 has been added. Tabs are expanded on the system screen. Some of the code has been optimized ( but I doubt if you will notice ). That is all I can think of at the moment... INSTRUCTIONS ------------ The Gateway program is implemented as a device driver. It should be loaded with your CONFIG.SYS file. An example line from a CONFIG file is shown below : DEVICE=[drive:][path\]Gateway.sys This example would load Gateway, defaulting to a Fossil driver for input/output onto COM line 1. The configuration of Gateway may also be changed with command line arguments. The arguments accepted are listed below : -F { Use Fossil driver (default) } -D { Use Direct port writes } -1 { Use COM line 1 (default) } -2 { Use ' ' 2 } -3 { Use ' ' 3 } -4 { Use ' ' 4 } If no arguments are given, Gateway will default to -F -1 (Fossil driver on COM1). The -F and -D option are mutually exclusive as are the COM line values. These arguments are included on the line used to load Gateway. Here are several examples that could be used in your own Config.sys file : DEVICE=C:\GATEWAY.SYS -F -2 { Loads Gateway using Fossil } { driver for COM line 2 } DEVICE=B:\SYS\GATEWAY.SYS -4 -F { Loads Gateway using Fossil } { driver for COM line 4 } DEVICE=C:\GATEWAY.SYS -D -2 { Loads Gateway using Direct } { port writes on COM line 2 } DEVICE=GATEWAY.SYS -D -3 { Load Gateway using Direct } { port writes on COM line 3 } The order of the arguments does not matter. Drive and path are also optional. After Gateway is loaded, it determines what COM line it has been installed for. It then sets its device name according to the line chosen. The names for each line are shown below : GATE1 { COM line 1 } GATE2 { COM line 2 } GATE3 { COM line 3 } GATE4 { COM line 4 } Simple and original convention, eh? This allows you to install more than one copy of Gateway for separate COM lines. A note for PCjr owners. The external serial port should be addressed as COM1 when the Internal Modem is not installed. When installed, the Internal Modem is addressed as COM1 and the external serial port as COM2. Once loaded, the driver may be activated in two possible ways. The first method uses the DOS command CTTY. This command changes the standard input and output console. An explanation of it may be found in your DOS manual. This command is executed from the DOS prompt. A few example activations of Gateway are shown below : C>CTTY GATE1 { Make Gateway COM1 the standard } { console driver. } A>CTTY GATE3 { Same as above except for a } { COM3 version of Gateway. } This will cause all standard i/o to be directed through Gateway. Notice that the name after the CTTY command is the device name of the Gateway program. When finished using Gateway, enter the following command at the prompt : CTTY CON When this is entered, DOS will restore the screen and keyboard as the standard input and output devices. The second method for using the driver involves using the DOS i/o re-direction symbols. These are explained in the DOS manual. With this method, the driver is only activated during the execution of the program being re-directed. An example : A>COMMAND < GATE2 > GATE2 When this command is entered at the DOS prompt, several things take place. First, DOS determines that all input and output will come from Gateway (COM2). Then, the second Command processor (COMMAND.COM) is loaded. Any input or output will now be sent through the Gateway driver. The Sysop will also be able to see output and can enter input from the keyboard. When the user 'EXIT's ( or Sysop ) the second Command.com, DOS will revert back to the screen and keyboard as the input/output devices. Gateway may be used for other applications. Combine Gateway with a communication program and its 'Drop to DOS' feature. Leave the program in 'Host' mode, then access your computer remotely. Now Drop or exit to DOS. A batch file you have created then runs a second Command.com and re-directs its i/o with Gateway (example above). You now have control of your computer! NOTES : GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS -------------------------- Only programs that use standard DOS input/output calls may be re-directed with Gateway. Programs that use BIOS i/o calls or direct screen writes will not have their i/o re-directed. Gateway will correctly display ANSI control codes on the Sysop's screen. The user will receive the codes untouched. Not all the ANSI codes have been implemented though. The ones not recognized by Gateway are the following : DSR - Device Status Report CPR - Cursor Position Report SM - Set Mode RM - Reset Mode KKR - Keyboard Key Reassignment A note to programmers who plan to write programs for external BBS use. Gateway will only re-direct output sent through DOS standard input/output calls. I would suggest using the ANSI control codes and the standard i/o calls. This way your program may effectively be used with Gateway. Some programs don't work with the re-direction symbols but work perfectly fine with the CTTY command. Experimentation is the key to success. Gateway has been tested on the OPUS Computer-Based Conversation System, by Wynn Wagner III. It has also been used with several of the popular communications programs in conjunction with their exit/jump to DOS commands. It has been run successfully on an IBM PCjr, XT, AT, and compatibles. PCjr owners using the direct write option should note the port assignment convention. The external serial port should be addressed as COM1 when the Internal Modem is not installed. When installed, the Internal Modem is addressed as COM1 and the external serial port as COM2. The driver should not be activated when there isn't a carrier on the other end of the modem. If it is, a loop back occurs and any character output is echoed by the modem and taken as input. If this occurs turn the modem off. If the modem does not echo characters, or is made not to,then the driver can be used when no carrier is present. IMPORTANT STUFF --------------- This program is Public Domain! It may be used freely by anyone who does not profit from its use. If you profit from MY program then please send me $5.00 in American currency. You may contact me at the location noted at the end of this document. Please feel free to pass Gateway along to others, but you may not sell it. If you wish to include my program with your software, please contact me first. This document must be included with the program file (GATEWAY.SYS) when distributed. DISCLAIMER ---------- This program is provided as is. You may use it at your own risk. There is no warranty of any kind or any form covering this program. The author may in no way be held liable for any damage of any form in connection or arising from the quality and/or use of this program and any associated files included with it. CONTACT ------- Current versions of Gateway may be downloaded from : Corwin's Keep OPUS (FidoNet 114/13) (602)-894-1470 300-1200-2400 Baud File requests are accepted. If you wish to contact me, address mail to Hans Kellner through 114/13. I regularly read the MEADOW conference mail. You may enter messages there or through NetMail. Good Luck!