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Dear Alan, I got one of my friends who is on Mercury to test out the script, and he suggested improving the documentation to cover how to put in the access code and pin. I have therefore updated to !slipdial.scripthelp file to show an example (the main point is that you need to put in a comma after the mercury access code 131, e.g. if your pin is 999999999 you need to put in 131,999999999 into the demconfg file. Accordingly, here is the latest version of the help file. I've also copied it to Colin in case it affects the default state of !DemConfig regards, Alan # $Id: ScriptHelp 1.5 95/05/28 11:09:53 root Exp Locker: root $ ScriptHelp ========== This help file applies to R.Orwin/A.P. Fitch slipdial script. Script file Revision 1.5 Contents -------- 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Using the script 3.0 Script Requirements 3.1 Modem Driver 3.2 Setting up your modem to transmit status messages 3.3 Making sure that TTFN etc have been "seen". 4.0 Customizing the script 4.1 The contents of the configuration file, !slipdial.scripts.demconfg 4.2 To change the default dialler to Mercury. 4.2.1 To remove your Mercury PIN from a local number. 4.3 To Alter the Dialler Menu. 4.4 To Alter the List of Numbers 4.5 To Alter the Number of Retries. 4.6 To Change the Local Dialler Icon Number. 5.0 Some Frequently Asked Questions. 6.0 Conclusions and Acknowledgements. 1.0 Introduction ================ This script was originally written by Rob Orwin. I initially modified to make it more readable, and also to learn the script language myself. Recently it has been customised to work with TTFN/Newsbase, and included in Dr. Alan Hassey's Internet Starter Pack for Acorn Computers. Changes made to version 1.5 --------------------------- The script has been largely re-written, mainly so that all configuration information is held in the file !slipdial.scripts.demconfg. So that new and old configuration files are not confused, the the configuration file is now called "demconfg" instead of "demonconfg". The main advantage of these changes are 1) the script should start up faster 2) changes may be made to the phone numbers dialled without editing the script (i.e. only demconfg has to be edited). Two additional configuration options have been added 1) it is now possible to specify a number in the configuration file which will NOT have the mercury prefix added 2) it is now possible to specify the default "local" number as a completely separate item. In the past, it was assumed that the "local" number would not require a mercury prefix - this is not always the case, so they have been made separate. Finally, error reporting has been improved 1) if the call fails due to not receiving the login, password, or protocol prompts, you will be told what caused the failure. 2) the script checks the DSR (data set ready) and CTS (clear to send) lines from the modem before proceeding. You will get a warning message telling you what happened (note: you must close the warning message window, and fix the problem (!) before dialling again). 2.0 Using the script ==================== The script is placed in the !SlipDial.scripts directory. You can either load it by dragging it and dropping it on the SlipDial icon bar icon, or you can set SlipDial up to run the script automatically. You should read the SlipDial documentation file !SlipDial.!Help to understand this. For the default setup with the starter pack, the scriptfile should be named !SlipDial.scripts.demon When the script is run for the first time, it asks for setup information and stores it in a configuration file. This version of the script has more information stored in the configuration file, and so may ask you for the information again, even if you have previously stored it. There are a number of requirements for getting the script to work in the best way. In particular, you need to 1) make sure you are using the correct modem driver file 2) set up your modem to return certain messages 3) make sure that TTFN, NewsBase, and TCPIP have been "seen" by the filer There are also a number of ways you can customise your setup. The simplest ones are 1) to change the default dialler to Mercury 2) to alter the entries that appear on the menu for dialling 3) to alter the default entries when dialling a list of phone numbers 4) to alter the number of times SlipDial retries each number if the line is busy 5) to change the local number >From version 1.5 onwards of the script, these changes may be made by editing the file !slipdial.scripts.demconfg (known hereinafter as the "configuration file"). Note that to make changes to the script or the configuration, you simply have to use a normal text editor, e.g. Edit. With !SlipDial, there is a file called !SlipDial.scripts.DemonSpr, which contains sprite definitions. You must make sure you have the most up-to-date version of these sprites. If the file contains three sprites, you are ok - if it only contains 2, you should update it to the latest one by downloading it from demon ftp. 3.0 Script Requirements ======================= 3.1 Modem Driver ---------------- The modem drivers are stored in the directory !SlipDial.Drivers. There are examples for a number of modems. The driver is set when the configuration file is first stored (normally when you first run the script). Simply answer the question wih the driver you wish to use. 3.2 Setting up your modem to transmit status messages ----------------------------------------------------- If you run the script, and it appears to hangup after the call has got through but before TCPIP has started; or it doesn't recognise that the line is busy; then you need to make sure that the modem is returning messages indicating its (the modem's) status. These messages are text strings, and their meaning is defined in the driver file. For instance, with the US Robotics Sportster modem, you need to send the setup string "X4" to enable all messages. This means that when the modem detects the line is busy, it will return the string "BUSY". You can tell the script to expect the string "BUSY" to indicate engaged by putting it in the modem driver file and assigning it to the script variable $busy. When dialling the modem looks for the string to see if it is equal to the contents of $busy and uses this to detect engaged lines. The various possible strings, and their setups for a USR modem are shown in the example driver file below set $init "ATB0E1F1M1Q0S7=30V1X4 AT&A2&B1&C1&D2&H1&I0 AT&K3&M4&N0&R2&S0&Y1" set $busy "BUSY" set $conn "CONNECT" set $nocarr "NO CARRIER" set $nodial "NO DIAL TONE" The $init string is sent to the modem to set it up. You will notice that the example above has X4 enabled. If you have a modem which returns different strings, you would have to create your own modem driver. For instance, if your modem returned "ENGAGED", you would have to modify the driver file to contain set $busy "ENGAGED" 3.3 Making sure that TTFN etc have been "seen". ----------------------------------------------- The script runs TTFN, Newsbase, and TCPIP automatically. To do this, it needs to know where they are. It can find them if you have opened a filer window with these programmes visible. The simplest way to ensure that they have been seen is to put all the internet related programmes in one directory. Then when you open the directory in order to double-click SlipDial, you know that all the other programmes have been seen. 4.0 Customizing the Script ========================== 4.1 The contents of the configuration file, !slipdial.scripts.demconfg ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A typical configuration file looks like this. SP_DualPC <-- the required block driver 0 <-- port number 57600 <-- computer to modem speed cycle <-- your host name password <-- your password USR <-- the modem driver bt <-- telephone service provider 131,999999999 <-- your mercury pin IsleOfWight <-- menu entry 1 title 01983523306 <-- menu entry 1 phone number Reading <-- menu entry 2 title 01734284848 <-- menu entry 2 phone number London <-- menu entry 3 title 01813384848 <-- menu entry 3 phone number 01983523306 <-- the local (default) number 01983523306 <-- a number which should NOT be prefixed with a mercury pin Normally this would be set up by running !DemConfg, if you use the Demon internet starter pack. However if you need to change something later, here is a description of what each option means. 4.1.1 Block Driver ------------------ This is the block driver name. It should be set to match with your computer, and the type of modem lead you have attached. The available block drivers are Telnet SP_DualPC SP_Dual PipeB PipeA InternalPC Internal2 Internal II_Dual Econet The most important thing is to use the correct driver depending on whether you have a PC or Acorn wired serial lead. With a PC wired lead, you should use a driver ending in PC, e.g. InternalPC for an A5000. With an Acorn wired lead, you should use a driver which does NOT end in PC, e.g. Internal for an A5000. 4.1.2 Port number ----------------- This is only required if you have a serial interface with more than one serial port, for instance The Serial Port Dual Interface (SP_Dual), or an Intelligent Interfaces serial interface (II_Dual). You should set the value to the port number you which to use. For single port systems, the number should be 0. 4.1.3 Computer to Modem speed ----------------------------- This should be set to as high a value as possible, depending on the serial port hardware you have. The value shown is suitable for SP_Dual. 4.1.4 Host name. ---------------- Set this to your host name. For my address (alan@cycle.demon.co.uk), the host name is cycle. 4.1.5 Password -------------- Set this to your Demon password. 4.1.6 Modem driver ------------------ Set this to be suitable for your modem. At the time of writing, the following Modem Drivers are available ATZ = ATZ (should initialise anything!) USR = Miracom or Sportster 14k4 Courier = Simple driver which works with most USR Courier modems Courier28k = Driver for USR Courier V34 28k8 modems Supra14k4 = SupraFax14k4 driver Zoom14k4 = Zoom 14k4 driver Check inside the directory !slipdial.drivers for latest information. 4.1.7 Telephone Service Provider -------------------------------- This should be set to 'bt' or 'mercury'. It may be set from a menu on the icon bar when slipdial is running. 4.1.8 Mercury Pin ----------------- This should be set to the access code for mercury. For instance to use the Mercury 131 service, you should dial 131, pause, and then send your pin. With a Hayes compatible modem you may pause by putting a comma ',' in the dial string, e.g. 131,999999999 The comma causes a 2 second pause. 4.1.9 Menu entries ------------------ The next six lines allow three menu entries to be setup for dialling to Demon Points of Presence (PoPs). At the time of writing, the following PoPs were available Birmingham 01212754848 Bradford 01274755066 Bristol 01179814848 Cambridge 01223576010 Cardiff 01222274848 Coventry 01203284848 Edinburgh 01315528883 Gloucester 01452354848 Hull 01482495580 IsleOfWight 01983523306 Leeds 01132984848 Leicester 01162904848 Liverpool 01512104848 London 01813384848 Luton 01582644848 Manchester 01613854848 Newcastle 01912474848 Nottingham 01159544848 Preston 01772484848 Reading 01734284848 Saffron 01799506010 Sheffield 01142384848 Sunderland 01915225005 Wolverhampton 01902464848 You must have three PoPs defined in the configuration file. These should be in order of which one is closest to you. The three together are used if you select the "list" menu option for dialling (see below). Please note: the text title of the PoP may be anything you like, but it must be less than 12 characters long! 4.1.10 Local (preferred) number ------------------------------- This entry should be set to the number of your nearest (and hence cheapest) PoP. 4.1.11 No Mercury Pin number ---------------------------- This should be set to the number to which you DON'T want to have your mercury pin added. If you want to have your Mercury pin added to ALL numbers, set this to 0. 4.2 To change the default dialler to mercury. --------------------------------------------- Press the "menu" (middle) mouse button over the BT/Mercury icon. Select the service provider you wish to use. The icon will change to show a BT or Mercury logo depending on which one you selected. Now press menu over the same icon, and select the option "Save Default". Your selected default (mercury or bt) is stored in the configuration file (!SlipDial.Scripts.demconfg). 4.2.1 To remove your Mercury PIN from a local number. ----------------------------------------------------- If you have a Mercury PIN which is only required for long distance calls, you may have to remove the PIN from your local number. To change this, you must modify the configuration file. You should enter the number to which you DO NOT want your mercury pin added as the last line of the file (see example above). If you DO want your mercury pin prefixed on ALL numbers, set the last line of the file to 0. Note: if you select bt as your telephone provider, this entry is ignored and you do not need to touch it at all. 4.3 To Alter the Dialler Menu. ------------------------------ The dialler menu has a selection of three 'phone numbers from the available numbers at the time the script was written. You may change this selection by editing the configuration file, !slipdial.scripts.demconfg. See section 4.1.9 above. For instance, you can change the file to SP_DualPC 0 57600 cycle password USR mercury 131,999999999 London 01813384848 Luton 01582644848 Manchester 01613854848 01813384848 0 to make London, Luton, and Manchester options on the dialler menu. Setting 0 in the last line means that the mercury pin will be used on all numbers. London has been set as the preferred number (second from last line). The "List" option will dial London, then Luton, then Manchester in that order. 4.4 To Alter the List of Numbers -------------------------------- The script has a dialler menu option "List" which dials a sequence of phone numbers. This dials your three specified 'phone numbers in sequence. The order of dialling is set by the order the numbers appear in the !slipdial.scripts.demconfg file. 4.5 To Alter the Number of Retries. ----------------------------------- For each phone number, there is a subroutine. These subroutines are called dial1, dial2, dial3, diallocal, and List. For instance for your first number, edit the file !slipdial.scripts.demon and search for the string ":dial1". You will find the following # dial number 1 from the configuration file :dial1 set nRetries 50 set phonenum %phonenum1 if (?ne %phonenum1 %nopredialnum) set phonenum %predial%phonenum1 goto dodial If you want to alter the number of retries (i.e. how many times SlipDial will attempt to dial a number and find it is engaged before giving up), change the line set nRetries 50 For instance, suppose you want to retry 100 times. Change this line to set nRetries 100 Note: there is a separate number of retries for each phone number in the script, and also for the "List" list of numbers. To change the number of retries for the List, search for ":List". Note that in the case of the list, the number of retries defined will be the same for each number in the list. So if you dial Sheffield, Leeds, and London in the list, and set nRetries to 5 in the :List subroutine, SlipDial will a) dial Sheffield 5 times maximum b) if Sheffield was engaged, dial Leeds 5 times maximum c) if Leeds was engaged, dial London 5 times maximum. d) give up in disgust The default setup is that all menu items are tried up to 50 times, except for the list where each number is tried 5 times. The idea behind this is that you would only use the List if you were trying to get through quickly. 4.6 To Change the Local Dialler Icon Number. -------------------------------------------- This version of the script allow your favourite number to be attached to an icon on the icon bar. This allows you to dial that number without having to use the menu item. However to be useful you must a) make sure you have the correct version of the file !SlipDial.scripts.DemonSpr b) define your preferred number in the configuration file. For a), you should be ok if you download the up-to-date version of the script file, as contained in the Acorn Starter-Pack. If you have a demonspr file with only two sprites in it, you have got the wrong version - you can overcome this temporarily by creating a dummy sprite in the DemonSpr file called loc (short for local). For b) you need to change the second from last line in the configuration file, !slipdial.scripts.demconfg, to your preferred number. Note that you don't have to include your mercury pin in front of the number if you are on mercury - this is automatically added for you. 5.0 Some Frequently Asked Questions =================================== 1) When I log on, SlipDial appears to miss the "l" off "login" - is this a bug? No - it is recommended by Demon that during login, diallers should wait for the strings "ogin:", "otocol:" etc. See the section "The Login Sequence" in the file ftp.demon.co.uk:/pub/doc/Demon.txt 2) When I start up SlipDial it exits immediately with an error. What can I do? Firstly, this is most likely to be due to the DemonSpr file. You need the latest version of this which contains three sprites. See below (how to get DemonSpr when !SlipDial isn't working). However it might be some other problem. The best way of finding out is to enable the script log. To do this, edit the script file, and search for the line #trace "SlipDial:logoutput" and change it to trace "SlipDial:logoutput" i.e. delete the #. This will cause SlipDial to write debugging information to the file !SlipDial.Scripts.logoutput You can use the information obtained to try and find out what is going on. 3) SlipDial starts up, dials, my modem gets through, but then the call finishes immediately? The SlipDial script is set up to watch the DCD (data carrier detect) line from your modem. If this line remains low, SlipDial will think the call has finished straight away. You should check a) your modem setup b) your cable c) your serial interface driver Be especially careful to match lead and serial driver. The lead can be either Archimedes wiring or PC wiring - they are not compatible! Also the BlockDriver must be set to match the interface port and the cable wiring. The BlockDriver loaded by the SlipDial script is defined in the file !SlipDial.Scripts.demconfg, which is initialised the first time your run the script. Here are some examples You have a PC wired cable, with an internal port - first two lines of demconfg are InternalPC 0 You have an Arc cable, with an internal port - should lead to Internal 0 You have a Serial port Dual interface card, you have connected the cable to port 1, you have a PC wired lead - should lead to SP_DualPC 1 4) I've updated the script, and now it doesn't work because I haven't got the latest DemonSpr file - how can I log on if the script doesn't work? Good question. The simplest answer is to use Paint to create an extra sprite in the DemonSpr file. For instance, copy one of the existing sprites (such as hgon) and rename the copy to loc. It might be a good idea to change its colour so that you don't mix it up with hgon. Then log on to demon, and download the latest version of DemonSpr. You can of course create your own sprite, representative of local traditions and/or landmarks. 5) Last time I logged into Demon I changed my password, and now SlipDial doesn't work - what should I do? You have to edit the file !SlipDial.scripts.demconfg. The fifth line of this should be changed to your new password (which is case sensitive I believe). 6) I've modified the script, and nothing seems to have changed. You must make sure the new script has been loaded in. Quit SlipDial and load it again to ensure this. 7) The script never calculates the newsrate - why? This feature has been removed, as the rate of new download is now computed by TCPIP version 2.04. 8) I've just upgraded to the latest version of the script and slipdial asked me to re-enter my configuration - why? The latest version of the script stores more information in the config file - so to ensure the data is correct, it asks you to enter it all again. 9) I want to know how fast a connection my modem has made; how can I do this? Once the script has loaded, click adjust on the slipdial 'telephone' icon: this will open the control window. When you dial the number, you will see a string in the control window with the speed and connection method (assuming you have messages set up correctly - see section 3.2 above). With my USR Sportster, I get the message CONNECT 14400/ARQ/V32/V42BIS or something like that! 6.0 Conclusion and Acknowledgements. ==================================== I hope this helps if you want to modify the script. I should like to acknowledge Robert Orwin for writing the original script, and of course thank Graham Allen for writing SlipDial in the first place. Also thanks to Mike James for improving the support for Mercury numbers. and introducing the Local icon, and to Doug Macready for improving the ease of configuration. Alan Fitch alan@cycle.demon.co.uk $Log: ScriptHelp $ # Revision 1.5 95/05/28 11:09:53 root # Added more detail on Mercury access, after testing by Mike James. # # Revision 1.4 95/05/25 17:38:23 root # 1) modified to match demon script v1.5 # # Revision 1.3 95/05/08 01:25:28 root # To match v1.4 of script # # Revision 1.2 95/05/08 01:13:42 root # updated to match version 1.3 of the 'demon' script # # Revision 1.1 95/05/07 23:20:07 root # Initial revision # -- Alan Fitch Tel.: +44 (0)1703 472342 (voice) E-mail: alan@cycle.demon.co.uk The essence of time is cyclic, you know. 
