You must use the "Dial" menu selection under the Dialer menu to actually dial. For greater convenience, use the menu selection "Install FKey #" and thereafter use the FKey.
Dialer is shareware.
You may distribute copies of Dialer as long as you do not charge for the copies. If you distribute copies, please keep this manual together with the Dialer DA and FKey.
If you choose to use Dialer, send $15.00 to:
Bugless Software Ltd.
P.O. Box 1097
Mason City, IA 50401
I am currently investing 90% of my time toward the implementation of system software for mainframe computers. This is out of financial necessity. Your $15 contribution will help me to devote my attention to the creation of more useful and elegant software for “the rest of us.”
Consider your payment a vote for the Macintosh over the mainframe. (If you would rather cast your vote for the mainframe, let me know. I might make a mainframe version of Dialer available. I could probably charge $15,000,000 for Dialer complete with a central office switching system, $1,500,000 for the PBX version.)
What is Dialer?
Dialer is both a desk accessory (DA) and an FKey. The desk accessory is capable of dialing phone numbers that have been placed on the clipboard. You could, for example, select and Copy a phone number from within your favorite database program, and then run the Dialer DA to dial the number.
The Dialer FKey is a quick way of invoking the Dialer desk accessory. To dial a number from within virtually any application which supports the Copying of text to the clipboard, simply select a number and then invoke the FKey. The FKey will automatically do a Copy operation and run the desk accessory in order to dial your number.
What Is an FKey?
An FKey is a special program that is invoked by holding the command and shift keys down while also striking a numeric key. Each FKey is invoked using a different numeric key.
Four FKeys come with your Macintosh. Type command-shift-1 to eject the disk from your first floppy drive. Type command-shift-2 to eject from your second floppy drive. Command-shift-3 will produce a MacPaint document containing the current contents of the screen. Command-shift-4 dumps the screen’s contents to your printer. (Command-shift-3 only works if you have your screen set to 1-bit black and white. I’m not sure if the same is true for command-shift-4.)
How Does Dialer Dial?
Dialer can either use the sound port in your Macintosh, or it can Dial using a modem. My dear ol’ dad uses HyperDialer to connect the sound port on his 512E to the telephone. Personally, I use my modem for dialing. Dialer’s default modem settings work fine for most Hayes-compatible modems, but Dialer can be configured to talk to almost any type of modem.
How Do I Get Started?
First off, you need to install the Dialer DA. Normally this is accomplished using the Font/DA mover that came with your Macintosh. Once you get the DA installed, you will probably want to install the FKey. This would normally be accomplished by first running the Dialer DA. The Dialer DA displays a window and a menu is added to the end of the menu bar.
Use the Install FKey menu item to install the FKey. This menu item displays the next available FKey slot number. Once you have installed the FKey, this menu item is renamed to “Remove FKey x.” If you ever forget the number assigned to Dialer, you can run the DA, pull down its menu, and refer to the Remove FKey item for the number.
If you would rather not install the FKey in your System File, this package includes a copy of the FKey in a separate file. This file can (I’m told) be accessed by utilities like Suitcase or Master Juggler, without the need to modify your System File.
Choosing a Dialing Device
Before using Dialer, it may be necessary to do a little set-up work. First, you need to decide if you will be using the speaker port or a modem to do the dialing. If you plan to use the speaker port, you will probably need some connection between the speaker port and your telephone. HyperDialer from Datadesk International can be used to connect some Macintosh models to the telephone.
Run the Dialer DA and select either the modem or speaker port using Dialer’s menu. If you choose to use a modem, then you need to select Set Up Modem under the Dialer menu. Set Up Modem will cause a dialog box to appear.
The items displayed within this dialog should be familiar to persons accustomed to using a modem. The text boxes are used to configure Dialer for various types of modems. The caret (^) character can be used to send control characters. For example, ^M sends a carriage return.
Connecting a Modem
Modems usually provide an extra phone jack for a telephone. Unfortunately, using that jack will most likely preclude you from listening while dialing the telephone. I prefer to use a splitter or Y-connector at the wall. I plug the modem into one side of the Y-connector and my telephone into the other side. That way I can listen while dialing, and I can be sure that the modem can’t hang up on me as long as I keep the handset off the hook.
Long Distance
Dialer has special facilities for dialing long distance. Using the Set Prefixes menu item, you can call up a special dialog box used for configuring Dialer’s special long distance call handling. If you have an older Macintosh or older system software the dialog looks like this:
Simply enter your area code in the bottom text box and a long distance prefix in the top box. As an example, if you need to dial 10288 to use a special long distance carrier within your area code, you should enter 10288 as your Long Distance Prefix.
Dialer will prefix all ten-digit numbers with your Long Distance Prefix. If you dial a ten-digit number where the first three digits match your Local Area Code, then Dialer will use the Long Distance Prefix, but will delete the area code from your number before dialing.
The Set Prefixes dialog is much more complicated if you have a more recent Macintosh model and system software. It will look like this:
When you ask Dialer to dial a ten-digit number, Dialer looks for a matching area code in the list under “Area Codes with Prefixes.” If a match is found, then the prefix following the area code is used in place of the first three digits of your number. So, for the dialog above, if you ask Dialer to dial 515/555-1212, then 1700555-1212 will actually be dialed. I use this 1700 prefix in order to access a special long distance carrier for calls within my 515 area code.
As another example, if you always precede long distance calls with 10288, then enter that prefix in the text box labeled “Prefix for Other Area Codes.” You might then want to enter “800:1800” into the “Area Codes with Prefixes” dialog so that 800 numbers aren’t dialed using the special prefix.
Note that if a matching area code is not found in the list box, then your ten-digit number will be preceded with the text contained in the “Prefix for Other Codes” box. In this case, the area code is not stripped. The prefix is simply added.
Long Distance “Postfix”
Some people use long distance services that require you to dial a special code number after dialing the number you want to call. Usually these services require you to wait for a beep before dialing the special code number.
You might be able to accomplish this with Dialer, if you are using Hayes-compatible modem as your dialing device. (Modems are too unpredictable for me to make any guarantees.)
Simply choose “Set Up Modem…” from Dialer’s menu, and under “Send before number to be dialed” enter “ATS7=1X0S0=0DT”. Under “Send when window is closed” enter “ATDTxxxxx^M” where “xxxxx” is your special code number.
For this to work, you will almost certainly have to use a splitter in order to connect your modem and your telephone in parallel. If you plug your phone into your modem, your modem will hang up before dialing your special code number.
Once Dialer is set up, dial a long distance number. When your service beeps for your special code, close Dialer’s window. Hopefully, Dialer will send your code as soon as you close the window.
Dial “9” for an Outside Line
Use “Prefix for Local Calls” to define a prefix to be inserted before seven digit numbers. If you need to dial nine to get an outside line, enter “9” in this text box. (You will also need to put a nine in front of your long distance prefixes.)
Help!
Most of what you are reading here is also explained in text contained within Dialer’s About box. If you need help using Dialer, just select the About Dialer item in the Dialer DA’s menu.
If you have a problem using Dialer, you can contact me on Compuserve at 72576,616 or on GEnie as J.HILL. I am always open to suggestions for improvements as well.
