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- «RM80»
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- AUTOLOG
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- Version 1.00 Manual
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- Copyright (c) 1990 by David A. Seidel
- All rights reserved.
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- AUTOLOG Page 1 Overview/Features
- -----------------
-
- AUTOLOG is a Telix utility program that builds SALT scripts for
- automatic logging onto bulletin board and other on-line systems.
-
- While there exist other similar programs for Telix, AUTOLOG goes
- a bit further. Here are some of AUTOLOG's features:
- ∙ You can run AUTOLOG either with Alt-G or by linking it to a
- directory entry.
- ∙ AUTOLOG takes the name of the logon script file it creates
- directly from the name of the directory entry.
- ∙ You can take a "snap-shot" of any on-line prompt.
- ∙ You can record single-character responses (including Ctrl-C),
- as well as longer responses, even ones that don't end by
- pressing ENTER.
- ∙ Once you have finished recording prompts and responses, you
- can make AUTOLOG suspend operation until you go off-line.
- Then, AUTOLOG will automatically update the dialing direc-
- tory, making the new logon script the linked script for the
- entry. After that, AUTOLOG actually compiles the script.
- You don't have to do any more--you're set up for automatic
- logon next time you call the number.
- ∙ AUTOLOG keeps track of how much time elapses between prompts,
- which means that an accurate logon script is created.
- ∙ If you have your sound turned off, logon scripts generated by
- AUTOLOG display a "visual bell" on connection.
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- AUTOLOG Page 2
- Included Files
- --------------
-
- These are the files that are included in the AUTOLOG archive:
-
- AUTOLOG.SLC The compiled AUTOLOG program.
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- AUTOLOG.DOC This file.
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- VBELL.SLT A utility that provides a visual "ring"
- for phone connections, for those who like
- to keep the sound off.
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- VBELL.SLC Compiled version of above.
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- Installation
- ------------
-
- Just copy AUTOLOG.SLC, VBELL.SLC, and VBELL.SLT into your Telix
- script directory. The Telix SALT compiler, CS.EXE, must be
- either in the directory from which you run Telix, or (preferably)
- in your PATH.
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- AUTOLOG Page 3 Starting AUTOLOG -- Option 1
- ----------------------------
-
- The first way to start AUTOLOG is to press Alt-G, type "autolog"
- and press ENTER. After the opening message, you will be prompted
- for the number of the directory entry to dial. Type the entry
- number and press ENTER.
-
- If you press ESC, press ENTER while the field is empty, or type
- an invalid entry number, AUTOLOG will abort.
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- If the entry you want to dial has no name, you will be prompted
- for the name to use for the new logon script. You can type up to
- eight characters (no extension). You can use any legal DOS file
- name. Press ENTER to continue.
-
- See "Using AUTOLOG" for what to do next.
-
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- Starting AUTOLOG -- Option 2
- ----------------------------
-
- The other way to start AUTOLOG is to link it to the directory
- entry for which you want to generate a logon script. (Press Alt-
- D, select the entry, press 'e' for (E)dit, press ENTER until you
- get to the "Linked script" field, type "autolog", then press
- ENTER until the editing window is gone.) Then (D)ial the number.
-
- Once the connection has been made, AUTOLOG will proceed, unless
- the entry has no name. In that case, you will be prompted for
- the name to use for the new logon script. You can type up to
- eight characters (no extension). You can use any legal DOS file
- name. Press ENTER to continue.
-
- See "Using AUTOLOG" for what to do next.
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- AUTOLOG Page 4 Using AUTOLOG
- -------------
-
- AUTOLOG displays status messages on Telix's status line. Once
- on-line, AUTOLOG essentially has four operating "states," each of
- which has its own status message and its own special keys. The
- message displayed always tells you what state AUTOLOG is in and
- what special keys are valid at that moment. AUTOLOG makes a
- noise whenever the state changes. These are the messages, with
- explanations of what to do when you see them:
-
- "Dispaying: press ESC to quit"
-
- AUTOLOG is just displaying whatever is coming in over your
- modem. It will do this until there is a pause, or until the
- on-line program waits for input. If you press ESC, AUTOLOG
- will suspend operation until you go off-line.
-
- "Waiting: press INS, SPACE, or ESC"
-
- The on-line program has either paused for ten seconds or
- more, or is waiting for you to type something. You have
- three choices here:
- ∙ If a response is expected, press INS to record the
- prompt. This brings you to the "Recording prompt"
- state, below.
- ∙ If the on-line program is just pausing, press SPACE to
- display more. This brings you back to the "Displaying"
- state. If the on-line program pauses a lot, you may have
- to repeat this step a few times.
- ∙ If the on-line program is pausing, and you have already
- recorded everything you need to log on, press ESC.
- AUTOLOG will suspend operation until you go off-line.
-
- "Recording prompt"
-
- AUTOLOG is recording the on-line program's prompt. This is
- pretty fast, so the message will only appear briefly. This
- brings you to the next state, below.
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- "Recording you: press END when done"
-
- The on-line program expects you to type something and you
- have just recorded the prompt. Just type whatever you have
- to type, including ENTER, if necessary. If the on-line
- program wants a single character, an ESC or a Ctrl-C, that's
- OK too.
-
- **IMPORTANT** -- When you have typed your complete response,
- press END. Your response will not be sent to the on-line
- program until you do so. Afterward, AUTOLOG will return to
- the "Displaying" state.
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- AUTOLOG Page 5 Using AUTOLOG (cont'd)
- ----------------------
-
- So, this is the basic sequence once you're on-line:
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- 1) Let the program display, pressing SPACE if necessary,
- until you see a prompt that you have to respond to. If
- you've finished recording everything you need to log on,
- press ESC.
- 2) Press INS to record the prompt.
- 3) Type your response and press END.
- 4) Repeat from step 1.
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- That's it!
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- When you go off-line, this is what AUTOLOG does:
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- 1) A backup copy is made of the phone directory (i.e.,
- TELIX.FON is copied to TELIX.BAK).
- 2) The phone directory entry for the number you called is
- modified so that the logon script that AUTOLOG wrote is
- linked to that entry.
- 3) The phone directory is reloaded.
- 4) The new logon script is compiled.
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- AUTOLOG prints messages on the screen to confirm the success or
- failure of each of these steps. Error messages always start with
- "***".
-
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- Things To Know
- --------------
-
- ∙ When AUTOLOG is in the "Displaying" state, things are dis-
- played on the screen slower than they would otherwise. This
- should not cause any problems, except possibly when display-
- ing very complex full-screen ANSI pictures at 2400 baud, in
- which case these may be too much input for AUTOLOG to handle.
- If this occurs, try logging in at a slower baud rate with
- AUTOLOG. I use AUTOLOG at 2400, and I have rarely have any
- problems. However, I can't guarantee that AUTOLOG will work
- properly at speeds above 2400 baud. In any case, once you
- suspend AUTOLOG by pressing ESC, Telix takes over the screen
- display again, and everything comes back up to speed.
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- ∙ If you don't like the sound that AUTOLOG makes when it
- changes states, just use the Alt-O menu to turn sound off in
- Telix.
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- AUTOLOG Page 6 AUTOLOG Logon Scripts
- ---------------------
-
- A few notes about the scripts generated by AUTOLOG:
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- ∙ When AUTOLOG creates a logon script, it uses the first word
- in the name of the entry being called (if there is a name
- there); if the word is longer than 8 characters, only the
- first 8 are used. If that first word is an article (a, an,
- the, etc.) or if it is only one or two characters long, you
- might want to change the name before running AUTOLOG to get a
- more descriptive name for the logon script. For example, you
- could change the first space to an underscore (_). Alter-
- nately, you could let AUTOLOG run, and change the file name
- later, but then you have update the dialing directory too.
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- ∙ You may find it necessary under some circumstances to edit
- and recompile a generated logon file. For example, you might
- mess up your on-line responses. In this case, AUTOLOG will
- faithfully record whatever happens, so you would probably
- want to go in and delete any mistakes.
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- ∙ AUTOLOG keeps track, while on-line, of the elapsed time
- between responses, and uses that information to generate
- accurate waitfor() statements in the logon file. These
- timings may not be optimal, especially if the on-line program
- paused a lot, so adjust them if necessary.
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- ∙ If you don't like the visual bell, delete the lines that say:
- if (!_sound_on)
- call("vbell");
- Or, change VBELL.SLT to do something else.
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- AUTOLOG Page 7 Registration
- ------------
-
- I know, I know, you're saying "Why should I bother registering?"
- Well, there are several good reasons:
- ∙ AUTOLOG is a good program. It will save you a lot of time
- and make your life easier.
- ∙ You'll feel much better if you do.
- ∙ You can get source code, updates, and maybe other stuff too
- (see below).
-
- To register, just mail me with a check for $8.00, along with your
- address, phone number and E-mail address, and what kind of disk
- you want (5.25 or 3.5). If you register, I will send you a ver-
- sion of AUTOLOG that doesn't have the repeating message at the
- end, with complete SALT source code. This version will also
- incorporate any changes and/or improvements that I've since made
- in the program. The disk may also contain new Telix (or related)
- stuff that I've written in the meantime. For example, I'm now
- working on a program to capture ANSI graphics screens with all
- escape codes and save them to disk. Also, if I update AUTOLOG
- after you register, I'll send you the update free.
-
- In any case, I hope you enjoy the program and get some use out of
- it. I welcome all comments and suggestions.
-
-
- Dave Seidel
- 9 Glenwood Blvd.
- Hudson, NY 12534
- (518) 828-8456
-
- Compuserve: 71511,2217
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- AUTOLOG Page 8