The Getting Started diskette with the Minitel/64 terminal emulation software is provided by the Minitel Services Company, Purchase, New York. The software is not copy protected and may be copied and distributed freely to others in its original unmodified form. The actual Getting Started diskette should be copied when providing the software to others since the Getting Started software is not setup for a computer system and does not have Minitel user ID and password information installed.
The Getting Started diskette is write protected because it is only to be used as a distribution and backup copy of the Minitel/64 software. Before the Minitel/64 software can be used it must be copied from the Getting Started diskette to a new user supplied diskette to be labelled "Minitel/64 Program" and then be configured for the users computer system using the SETUP program. The COPY program supplied on the Getting Started diskette maybe used to copy the diskette.
The Minitel/64 software is designed to run on Commodore 64, 64C, 128 (running in 64 mode), or 128D (running in 64 mode). A Commodore 1541, 1541C, 1541 II, or 1571 (running in 1541 mode) disk drive is required to read the Getting Started diskette, but the software may be copied from the 1541 format to either the 1571 or 1581 format and be run from either of these drives (requires a user supplied copy program). The software supports the use of up to 4 disk drives of the 1541, 1571, or 1581 type. A 300, 1200, or 2400 bps modem is required for use with the software (only user port modems are supported). The Commodore 1600 Vicmodem, 1650 Automodem, 1660 Modem 300, and 1670 Modem 1200 are all supported. Hayes or compatible smart modems are supported along with manual dial modems. For addition information concerning modems see Appendix B: if your modem is not listed in the SETUP program menu. An optional Commodore or compatible dot matrix printer with Commodore bit image graphics functionality is supported for making hardcopy of screen information.
Installation of Minitel/64
Two steps are required to install the emulation software. First the Getting Started diskette must be copied to a user supplied diskette that is to be labelled "Minitel/64 Program". The copying process will destroy any prior information on the user supplied diskette because the diskette will be automatically formatted. To copy the Getting Started diskette insert the Getting Started diskette into a 1541 disk drive (1571 disk drive in 1541 mode).
Type LOAD"0:COPY",8 (press RETURN key)
When the system responds with "READY"
Type RUN (press RETURN key)
Follow the instructions on screen to create the "Minitel/64 Program" diskette.
The second step is to configure the emulation software using the SETUP program and the newly created "Minitel/64 Program" diskette.
Insert the "Minitel/64 Program" diskette in a 1541 disk drive.
Type LOAD"0:SETUP",8 (press RETURN key)
When the system responds with "READY"
Type RUN (press RETURN key)
Follow the instructions on screen to configure the emulation software. The SETUP program has a built in telephone directory of Minitel access phone numbers and manual dial modem users will have to copy down the phone number they will be using. The user will be prompted for a Minitel user ID and password that will not be available until the online registration process is completed so if SETUP is being run for the first time just skip these questions. Should the system configuration, Minitel telephone number, or Minitel user ID/password change, the SETUP program can be rerun.
Running Minitel/64
To load and run the emulation software insert the "Minitel/64 Program" diskette into drive 8, 9, 10, or 11 and
Type LOAD"0:*",n,1 (press RETURN key) where n=8, 9, 10, or 11 (disk drive address)
Main Menu Options
There are 7 options on the Main Menu of Minitel/64. The first 4 have to do with terminal emulation and connecting to and disconnecting from the Minitel services. The 5th option is for editing 8 personal program keys, the 6th is for accessing the Memory/Disk/Print features, and the 7th is for returing to BASIC.
Normally a user would load and run the emulation software and select option 1 to connect to a Minitel service. In the case of the manual dial modems (including 1600 Vicmodem), the user will have to select option 1 and then manually dial the Minitel phone number and when carrier is established and the modems are communicating press the [RETURN] key to signal to continue with the automated network connection. 1650 Automodem users have to select item 1 and then move the talk/data switch on the modem from the talk (T) position to the data (D) position. The originate/answer switch should be in the originate (O) position and the full/half duplex switch should be in the full (F) position. In the case of 1660 Modem 300 users selecting option 1 will initiate the call to the Minitel network but the user will have to signal when both modems are communicating by pressing the [RETURN] key after the second tone burst. 1660 users should have their originate/answer switch in the originate (O) position before selecting option 1. Because the older 1660 modems do not communicate to the computer system when carrier has been established between the user and network modems. The 1650 and 1660 modem dialing software supports the capability of pausing 2 seconds for each comma included in the phone number like Hayes smart modems.
Option 4 can be used along with the manual dial modem configuration for non Hayes compatible smart modems. In this case the user selects option 4 and sends dialing commands to the modem using the [SHIFT]+[RETURN] as a real carriage return character. After dialing is completed and the user and network modems are communicating, the user may return to the Main Menu using the [C=]+[SHIFT] and then select option 1 to complete the network logon.
Whenever in the emulation mode or during the connecting/disconnecting process [C=]+[SHIFT] (pressing the Commodore logo and SHIFT keys at the same time) will escape back to the Main Menu.
Option 2 is used to change from one Minitel service to another. To activate this option while online press [C=]+[SHIFT] to return to the Main Menu from the emulation mode and select option 2. The user call will be cleared first (CLR is displayed) and a new call will be setup to the network to allow selection of another service.
Option 3 is used when a user wants to disconnect from any further use of the Minitel services. It is important for all users to use option 3 to disconnect from a Minitel service (CLR is displayed when the user's call is cleared). Returning to BASIC will not clear calls for manual dial and Hayes modem users.
The personal program keys available in option 4 can be very useful for sending predefined sequences of up to 63 keystrokes while online by just pressing the Commodore logo key and one of the numeric keys ([C=]+[n] n=1 to 8) at the same time. Minitel function keys such as [SEND], [CANCEL], [NEXT], [PREVIOUS], [INDEX], [REPEAT], and [GUIDE] may be included in program key definitions by just pressing the key for these function keys during program key definition. To define a program key just select one of the 8 available keys by pressing the number key corresponding to the key ([1] to [8]). When program key definition is complete press [C=]+[SHIFT]. To correct a single character press [C=]+[CONTROL]. It is possible to, for example, automate the process of checking and capturing electronic mail messages using the program keys by supplying all the service logon information at one time with one keystroke.
After defining as many keys as are desired, the set of personal program keys maybe saved to disk for future use. The load and save options under the Memory/Disk/Print menu are used to save the cfg file type which includes the key definitions. The whole file name including the leading "cfg." must be specified at both save and load time. The Minitel/64 program comes with the CFG.DEFAULT file with null program key definitions that is loaded when the program is loaded and run. This file may be customised by a user to load a new set of program keys by renaming the existing CFG.DEFAULT file to a new name with the "cfg." prefix and then saving the new key definitions to the file CFG.DEFAULT. The user may define as many different cfg files with different program key definitions as desired.
The last Main menu option 7 is for returning to BASIC.
The Main Menu screen also has the Minitel function key equivalents listed. To view the function key definitions while connected, escape to the Main Menu using [C=]+[SHIFT], and select option 4 to resume the session (or press the function key and the keystroke will be sent to the Minitel service).
The Minitel Function key definitions are as follows:
English French 64/128
[INDEX] [SOMMAIRE] [f1]
[CANCEL] [ANNULATION] [f2]
[PREVIOUS] [RETOUR] [f3]
[REPEAT] [REPETITION] [f4]
[GUIDE] [GUIDE] [f5]
[CORRECTION] [CORRECTION] [f6] or [DEL]
[NEXT] [SUITE] [f7]
[SEND] [ENVOI] [f8] or [RETURN]
[LOCAL LINE] [CONNECTION FIN] [C=]+[L]
Memory/Disk/Print Menu
There are 8 different options on the Memory/Disk/Print menu. These inclue option 1 which is to allow returning to the Main Menu from the Memory/Disk/Print menu.
The emulation software has a memory where Minitel screens are automatically saved as they are received from the network. This information may be saved to a disk file on any one of 4 different disk drives labeled a, b, c, or d (where a=8, b=9, c=10, d=11 device addresses) and loaded back into the emulator memory for redisplay or printing when disconnected from a Minitel service. The "mem." file type is default for the save to disk and load from disk files. Other files besides memory files may be saved and loaded to disk. "cfg." (emulator configuration including personal program key definitions) and "dd." (Doodle screen pictures) files may be saved also. For loading besides the default memory file type there are "cfg." configuration and "pag." page memory files. A page memory file is similar to a "mem." but only includes one display page of information. For the "cfg.", "dd.", and "pag." files to be loaded or saved it is necessary to specify the complete file name including the file prefix. File names of no more than 14 characters should be specified for saving or loading.
The emulator memory is automatically reset whenever memory content is saved to disk. But the user can reset or clear the memory at any time when connected or disconnected from the Minitel services by selecting option 6 on the Memory/Disk/Print menu. The emulator uses a wrap around memory and keeps up to the last 13k bytes of received information.
Memory/Disk/Print option 4 and 5 are used to review memory information either when connected or disconnected. With option 4 information is viewed a page at a time between clear screen characters. The [C=] controls the display of one page after another when it is pressed. To restart at the first page again press [C=]+[CONTROL]. Option 5 is similar but instead of displaying whole pages, codes are displayed while the [C=] is depressed. Again to restart with the first codes in the memory press [C=]+[CONTROL]. The display of codes features is very powerful especially when information is overlayed on pages without clear sceen characters. The screen can be stopped at any point in time and saved to disk as a doodle picture or printed. To escape from either of the display options back to the Memory/Disk/Print menu, press [C=]+[SHIFT].
Option 7 on the Memory/Disk/Print menu is the print screen function. Text and graphic information on screen may be printed while either connected to or disconnected from a Minitel service. Only the foreground character information is printed in black on white paper background with an inexpensive dot matrix printer. The Commodore (Models 1525, MPS 801, MPS 803, MPS 1000, MPS 1200, or MPS 1250) or compatible dot matrix printers with bit image graphics functionality are supported.
Online printing of page information is possible by escaping from the emulation mode with [C=]+[SHIFT], selecting the Memory/Disk/Print menu (option 6 on Main Menu), and then selecting the print option. After a screen has been printed a user can return to the Main Menu and resume the session.
It is possible to print Minitel screens in color by saving the screens to be printed as Doodle files and then using a color printer program to print the Doodle files.
Doodle files are compatible with the popular Doodle! Commodore 64 Color Sketch Pad program. These files can be input to Doodle! and other drawing programs like geoPaint (using the Import Runner program). They also can be imported into the geoPublish desktop publishing system.
The last Memory/Disk/Print option is for entering disk commands. Any one of the following 7 disk commands may be issued to any one of 4 different disk drives while either connected or disconnected from a Minitel service:
Copy c0:new file=old file
Directory $0:pattern
Initialize i0
New n0:diskette name,id
Rename r0:new name=old name
Scratch s0:pattern
Validate v0
The Minitel/64 program uses the concept of a logged disk drive. When the program is loaded, the disk drive the program is loadded from becomes the logged drive. Any time the user saves, loads, or issues a disk command there is the opportunity to change the logged disk drive.
Appendix A: Minitel/64 Files
MINITEL/64
EXE.EMULATE
FNT.MINITEL1B
CFG.DEFAULT
SETUP
EXE.SAVEMTO
DAT.PHONES
COPY
DOCREADER
DOC.MINITEL/64
MTO.SMART
MTO.DUMB
MTO.COM1650
MTO.COM1660
MTO.COM1670
MTO.VKS6470/6480
MTO.MITEYM/HES
MTO.PDIALER50
MTO.PDIALER60
MTO.TDIALER60
MTO.PDIALERMH
Appendix B: Modems
The following modem is like the 1660 Vicmodem:
HES 1
The following modems are like the 1650 Automodem:
Total Communications
Westridge 6420
Telelearning
Pocket Modem
Taihaho TH-002
Hesmodem II
Master Modem
Microbits MPP-1064
Sharedata
The following modem is like the 1660 Modem 300:
Volks 6420
The modem carrier status is displayed during emulation software execution on the Minitel screen on line 0 column 38 in inverse video (L=disconnected and C=connected). Some RS232 adapters like the Deluxe RS232 Interface and the Peak Modem Interface provide an inverted modem carrier signal to the computer which is then displayed as an inverse L with connected and and inverse C with disconnected. To correct the modem status load and before running the SETUP program type 70 CP=0 [RETURN]. Then run the SETUP program and the modem carrier will then display properly.
The SETUP program automatically sets the modem transmit character parity to space parity but this can be overridden by loading the SETUP program and changing line 80 if even, odd, or mark parity are required. See comment in line 80 for the values to set the character parity constant PA other than space.
The data terminal ready/request to send RS232c signals from a RS232c adapter can be inverted by the adapter and result in a manual dial modem being unable to connect or disconnect properly. To invert the DTR/RTS signals from the computer load the SETUP program and type 90 DP=0 before running the program.
Appendix C: Version Changes
Changes from 1.00 to 1.01 include the following:
1. Automated network logon for 1650 modem users.
2. New tone dialer for 1660 modem users.
3. New support for Volks 6470/6480 modems.
4. New support for Mitey Mo/HES 2A modems.
5. Documented support for more Commodore like modems.
