The PortConnector™ software enables all your communication applications to employ Communication Toolbox (CTB) Connection Tools instead of modems or direct serial links. Old applications can be used for communicating through X.25, TCP/IP, ISDN and any other network supported with a Connection Tool. As a result, you can connect to your office network using AppleTalk Remote Access through ISDN or TCP/IP, you can use old terminal emulators with TCP/IP, ADSP, X.25, etc.
PortConnector requires System 7.x and a Connection Tool.
------------------ How it works ------------------------
PortConnector creates so-called "virtual ports" and registers them with CTB, so all applications that provide you with a list of the registered serial ports (like ARA, TeleFinder, etc) can use those virtual ports. For old applications that support only the built-in modem and printer ports, PortConnector can redefine the built-in ports with its virtual ports.
After a virtual port is created with the PortConnector control panel, it can be configured using the standard "Connection Settings" dialog box.
PortConnector can process a virtual port in 2 modes: "modem emulation" and "direct link".
When the "modem emulation" option is selected, PortConnector emulates a regular modem attached to that virtual port, i.e. it processes and responds to modem (ATxxx) commands sent through the port. The Connection Tool is activated as soon as the virtual port is opened. Using the CTB calls, PortConnector initiates "listening", and when an incoming connection request is detected, it emulates an incoming call on the "virtual modem". When the application using such a virtual port sends a dialing (ATDxxx) command through the port, PortConnector sends a request to the Connection Tool, trying to establish a connection.
When the "direct link" option is selected, PortConnector tries to establish a connection as soon as an application opens the port, without any modem emulation.
Use the Balloon Help™ with the PortConnector control panel to learn about all options supported.
-------------------------- Demo version ----------------------------------
This demo version of PortConnector has limited session time: a connection closes in 2 minutes.
1. Place the PortConnector file into the "Control Panels" folder.
2. Restart.
3. Open the PortConnector control panel.
4. Click the New button to create a virtual port.
5. If you want to use non-CTB-compatible applications with a Connection Tool, select the "Virtual Modem" option. In this case when a non-CTB-compatible application opens the modem port, it opens this virtual port instead. You can select the "Virtual Printer" option to redefine the printer port. For use with CTB-compatible applications you can select the "CTB device" option and enter a name for the virtual port to be created. Later you should select that port in your CTB-compatible application.
6. Click OK. The icon for the virtual port created should appear in the left section of the PortConnector control panel. The "Connection Setup" dialog box appears.
7. Configure the Connection Tool you want to use.
8. Repeat steps 7-7 if you want to create several virtual ports.
9. Close the control panel.
If you want to modify the Connection Tool configuration string manually, press the Option key when the PortConnector panel is open. Click the Edit button to edit the configuration string.
• 1.3: added the Virtual Printer support for PowerBooks with one built-in port
• 1.1: the PortConnector control panel displays an alert box if there is no Connection tool installed; the compaibility problem w/SuperATM™ has been solved.
