Talisman BBS - Support Disks/talisman bbs - dox - side 2.D64/term_autodial

Text File | 1995-01-01 | 12.8 KB | 294 lines

                       3. PROGRAM OPERATIONS


3.1  Terminal mode.

Terminal mode is where normal communication takes place.  Whatever you
type is sent to the modem, and anything received from the modem is
displayed on the screen.

3.1.1  Status line.

In terminal mode, a status line which reports various conditions is
continually updated at the top of the screen. The status line looks
like this:

 :E:T:K:C:B:X: 2400            00:00:00

The letters separated by colons each represent the status of a certain
terminal setting.  A letter appears highlighted (reversed) if its
setting is on and normal if its setting is off. The letters have the
following meanings:

E: Local echo.  (see 3.1.2, Commodore key commands, C= E)
T: ASCII translation.  (see 3.1.2, Commodore key commands, C= A)
K: Control char display.  (see 3.1.2, Commodore key commands, C= K)
C: Carrier indicator.
B: Buffer capture.  (see 3.1.2, Commodore key commands, C= B, C= O)
X: Script file in progress.  (see 3.3, Script files)

The number directly to the right of the status letters displays the
current baud rate.

The clock in the right-hand corner is an on-line timer.  It is reset
to zero and begins counting immediately after a carrier is first
detected.  When the carrier is lost, the timer is stopped and retains
its last value until a carrier is detected again.  It is important to
pay attention to this clock if you are calling long distance or are
using a pay service network such as GEnie.

The status line may be turned off by pressing C= S in terminal mode
(see 3.1.2, Commodore key commands, C= S).

3.1.2  Commodore key commands.

A number of functions may be initiated directly from terminal mode
using logo key combinations.  A key described as "C= X" means you
should hold down the Commodore logo key while pressing X.

C= A  Toggles ASCII translation.  The current translation setting is
indicated by the "T" in the status line.  The "T" is highlighted when
ASCII translation is on (ASCII mode) and normal when translation is
off (Commodore color/graphics mode).

If you are in 80 column mode, toggling to graphics mode causes the
screen driver to act like the normal Commodore screen.  Carriage
returns put the cursor on a new line, and linefeeds are ignored.  This
allows you to use Commodore color/graphics mode in 80 columns.  NOTE:
If you are using VT52, VT102, or ANSI, Novaterm will not let you
switch to color/graphics mode, as ASCII translation is necessary.

C= B  Pause/resume buffer capture.  This is only valid when a buffer
capture file has been opened from the buffer menu or by using C= O.
Pressing C= B stops text capture while leaving the capture file open.
The highlighted "B" in the status line turns off, indicating that text
is no longer being captured.  Pressing C= B once more resumes text
capture and highlight the "B" again.

C= C  Toggle between 40 and 80 columns (see 3.1.4, 80 column mode).
This command is disabled when you use ANSI, VT52, or VT102, as these
terminals require the 80 column display.

C= D  Download a file.  (see 3.8.2, Downloading)

C= E  Toggle local echo.  This setting is indicated by the "E" in the
status line.  If the "E" is turned off, local echo is off and whatever
you type is sent only to the modem.  If the "E" is highlighted, local
echo is on and everything you type is sent to the screen as well as to
the modem.  Local echo should be turned on if you are connected to a
computer which does not echo back characters.  Most bulletin boards
echo characters, but if you are connected directly to another terminal
(if, say, you and a friend were linking up to exchange files) and you
can't see what you are typing, press C= E to turn on local echo.

C= F  Displays the amount of free disk space.

C= G  Execute script file.  This has the same effect as selecting
"Execute script" from the main menu.

C= H  Hang up phone.  This hangs up the modem.  The hangup procedure
varies for different modems.  For Hayes modems, this command sends the
+++ and ATH combination.

C= I  Hayes modem initialization.  This command sends the modem
initialization string to the modem only if a Hayes modem is connected.

C= J  Pick up phone.  This takes the modem off the hook.

C= K  Toggle control character display.  When this is turned on, any
control characters printed in terminal mode are displayed to reflect
the control key combination.  For example, if a ctrl-A is received,
Novaterm displays it as "^A".  The only exceptions are carriage return
and backspace, which still retain their normal functions.  When
control character display is turned off, any control characters that
are received have their normal effects.  The K in the status line
indicates whether this is on or off.

C= L  List menu on printer.  This provides a means of printing out the
Commodore key menu for a handy reference sheet.

C= M  Displays the Commodore key menu on the screen.

C= O  Open/close buffer capture file.  Pressing C= O prompts you for a
file name and then opens a file in the buffer for receiving text.  Any
text that is displayed on the screen after this point is written to
the buffer file.  Pressing C= O again closes the buffer file.

C= P  Select protocol.  (see 3.5.2, Protocols)

C= R  Set baud rate. (see 3.5.14, Baud rate)

C= S  Toggle status line.  Press C= S to turn the status line on or
off.  Turning the status line off frees up two extra lines at the top
of the screen for text display and increases the rate that text may be
displayed on the screen.  At higher baud rates (2400 and up) the
status line must be turned off in order for the screen display to keep
up with incoming data.

C= T  Select terminal type.  (see 3.5.3, Terminal emulators)

C= U  Upload a file.  (see 3.8.1, Uploading)

C= V  View directory.

C= W  80 column scroll adjust.  This option toggles between four
different scrolling modes.  "Single scroll" is the default setting,
which scrolls only one line whenever scrolling takes place.  "Double
scroll" and "Triple scroll" cause the screen to scroll two and three
lines at a time, respectively.  "Screen wrap-around" disables
scrolling completely, and instead the cursor jumps to the top of the
screen whenever it tries to move past the bottom.

These scrolling modes allow 80 column mode to keep up with 2400 baud.
This is an alternative to flow control, which does not work well on
all systems (see 3.5.25, Flow control).  In ANSI and VT102 emulation,
if the scrolling region is less than 24 lines, then only single scroll
occurs.  This is done because a smaller scrolling region usually
implies that a full screen editor or other graphics application is
being used which would not function properly with an unusual type of
scrolling.

C= X  Send break signal.  This produces a 250 millisecond break in the
data signal.  On many mainframes a break signal pulls you out of the
connection and brings you back to the network server.

C= Y  Restore default attributes.  This changes the screen and cursor
back to the colors previously set in the terminal parameters menu (see
2.3.6 or 2.3.7).  If you are in 80 columns, this command also turns
off reverse and underline modes.

C= Z  Exit terminal mode.

C= 0  Enable/disable Commodore keys.  When you press C= 0, a caret
symbol appears in the status line.  This indicates that the logo key
commands are disabled and become normal graphics characters again.
This allows you to type graphics characters, say, for creating a
graphics screen in a message on a BBS.  Pressing C= 0 again removes
the caret symbol and changes the logo keys back to commands.

3.1.3  Key assignments.

Since standard ASCII contains several characters that are not in the
Commodore character set, some of the graphics characters have been
redefined to incorporate these standard characters.  These key
definitions are not valid in Commodore color/graphics mode.

To get:                   Type:

escape                    left arrow
backslash                 pound symbol
underline                 shift-at symbol
left curly brace          shift-plus
right curly brace         shift-minus
vertical bar/pipe         shift-pound symbol
back apostrophe (grave)   shift-asterisk
tilde                     shift-up arrow

3.1.4  80 column mode.

Novaterm supports an 80 column display which is accessible by pressing
C= C in terminal mode.  The text display speed (and especially the
screen scrolling speed) in 80 columns is fairly slow compared to 40
columns, but it can keep up with 2400 baud using either flow control
or scroll adjust (see 3.5.25, Flow control or 3.1.2, Commodore key
commands, C= W).  The 80 column display simulates that of a real
terminal screen; for example, linefeeds are required unless you are in
Commodore color/graphics mode.  There are a few other subtleties.

There is a slight limitation on color in 80 column mode.  The
Commodore 64 may display only one foreground color and one background
color in an 8x8 pixel area.  Since two characters fit in each 8x8
pixel area in 80 column mode, every two characters must have the same
foreground and background color.  Therefore, you will notice that some
characters may seem to be the wrong color.  This is an unavoidable
inconvenience.


3.2  Autodial menu

Novaterm provides a versatile system for dialing phone numbers.  When
you select "Autodial" from the main menu, you will see a list of
numbers in the current phone book.  A maximum of 19 phone numbers in
each phone book is available, and the autodial menu allows you to add,
delete, and modify these numbers as well as select one or more of them
to dial.

3.2.1  Commands

F1:  Aborts and returns to the main menu.

F2:  Allows you to edit the attributes of the phone entry currently
highlighted by the menu bar.  From this menu, you may edit the
following information:

Name     :  Name of the BBS or system.
Number   :  Phone number to be dialed.  When entering a phone number,
            a comma (",") imbedded between two digits will cause a
            delay to occur when the number is dialed.
Password :  The string entered here is automatically defined in the F1
            function key when you dial and connect to this number.
            Baud rate:
Baud rate:  Novaterm switches to this baud rate just before dialing
            the number.
80 cols  :  If "yes", Novaterm goes to 80 column mode when the
            connection is made.
C/G mode :  If "yes", Novaterm switches to Commodore color/graphics
            mode (provided the proper modules are loaded).  The screen
            color is changed to black.
Script   :  If you specify the name of a script file here, it is
            automatically executed when a connection is made.
DEL sends:  You may specify which character is sent when you press the
            INST/DEL key, depending on the system you connect with.
            If this is set to "BS", the INST/DEL key is redefined as a
            backspace (ctrl-H) when you connect.  If set to "DEL", the
            INST/DEL key becomes a true delete (ASCII 127) instead.
            The former setting is usually appropriate for BBS's, while
            the latter is usually necessary for mainframe systems.

F3:  Allows you to type in a number to be dialed.

F4:  Lets you add an entry using the edit menu as long as there are
     less than 19 numbers in memory.

F5:  Loads a phone book with a file name you specify.

F6:  Deletes the current entry.

F7:  Saves the phone book with a file name you specify.

F8:  Prints the phone book on a printer.

The space bar tags the current entry for dialing.  You may tag any
number of entries.

Pressing return starts the autodialing process.  If one or more
entries is tagged, each is dialed in succession until a carrier is
found.  Otherwise, the entry highlighted by the menu bar is dialed
repeatedly until a carrier is found or you abort by pressing F1.

During each attempt at dialing, Novaterm dials the number and then
waits a specified number of seconds for a connection.  This amount of
time, the redial delay, may be changed in the terminal parameters
menu.

If you are using a Hayes modem, response codes are recognized.
Novaterm immediately redials the number if one of the following
response strings is detected: NO CARRIER, NO DIALTONE, BUSY, or VOICE.
If a carrier is detected, or if a CONNECT response is received from
the modem, Novaterm jumps to terminal mode.

3.2.2  Phone books.

Pressing F5 from the autodial menu prompts you for a file name from
which to load autodial entries into memory.  The file name you enter
becomes the current phone book, even if the file is not found on disk.
In this way, you may keep track of any number of different sets of
phone numbers.  For example, if you frequently move between two
different calling areas, it would be convenient to set up a phone book
for each calling area and save them under identifiable file names.
Likewise, if you have more than 19 numbers that you call regularly,
you will need to save some of them in a separate phone book, since
Novaterm's memory is limited to storing only 19 at a time.