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H S / L i n k
High Speed Link
File Transfer Protocol
Version 1.20
Revised 4/11/93
___________________________________________________________________
Please refer to HSLINK.NEW for details of recent program changes!
___________________________________________________________________
HS/Link is a high speed file transfer protocol with full streaming,
simultaneous send, receive and CHAT, and advanced Full-Streaming-Error-
Correction(tm). Each side of the link is allowed to provide a list of
files to be sent. Files will travel simultaneously in BOTH directions
until both sides of the link are satisfied.
HS/Link is not just another bi-directional protocol, it is also a very
fast protocol for normal downloading and uploading, incorporating some
new ideas (such as Full-Streaming-Error-Correction(tm), Dynamic-Code-
Substitution and Minimal-Blocks(tm)) to make things happen a bit faster
and with greater reliability.
___________________________________________________________________
Copyright
___________________________________________________________________
All Tool Shop(tm) products are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Samuel H. Smith DBA The Tool Shop. Other brand and product names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993 Samuel H. Smith
All rights reserved.
HS/Link 1.20 - 1 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
___________________________________________________________________
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Quick Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Command Line Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
HSCONFIG: The HS/Link Configuration Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
HSCONFIG: Basic Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
HSCONFIG: Advanced COM settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
HSCONFIG: Advanced Optional Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
HSCONFIG: Advanced Optional Features 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
HSCONFIG: Screen Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Advanced Command Line Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Command Line Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Calling HS/Link from COMM programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Calling HS/Link from BBS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
CHAT During File Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Flow Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Full Streaming Data Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Full Streaming Error Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Transmission of Minimal Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Dynamic Code Substitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Auto Downloading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
DSZLOG Statistic Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
HS/Link Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
HS/Link 1.20 - 2 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Introduction
___________________________________________________________________
What is a file transfer protocol?
A file transfer protocol is a means of transferring information from one
computer to another. The protocol has the responsibility of protecting
against errors in transit, and taking measures to correct any errors
that are detected. The design and implementation of a protocol can make
the difference between slow and unreliable communication, and fast and
trouble free communication.
Not all protocols are created equal. With today's high speed modems,
packet switched networks (such as PC Pursuit), and expensive long
distance charges, users demand more than ever that files get through
quickly and without corruption.
The HS/Link protocol is the result of many years of communication
experience, and uses some new and very solid technology to see to it
that you can easily move files as quickly as possible, and with the
least amount of hassle.
The HSLINK program can be used from the DOS command line, from BATCH
files, or as an "external protocol" from most modern COMM programs and
BBS programs. If your favorite BBS does not yet support the HS/Link
protocol, please ask your SYSOP to install it.
Recent advances in high speed modem technology have =================
made it possible to simultaneously transfer data at === Quick Tip ===
high speeds in both directions. This standardized =================
technology is called "V.32" or "V.32bis", and is Bi-directional
available in many new modems. Until HS/Link, these features that
advanced modems were left half idle, due to the really work...
single-direction nature of other file transfer HS/Link can
protocols. The bi-directional capabilities of simultaneously
HS/Link take full advantage of these modems, send and receive
cutting online time as much as 50% when equal files!
amounts of data are transmitted and received.
HS/Link also takes full advantage of 1200 and 2400 baud modems, giving
you very nearly the best thru-put such modems are capable of.
HS/Link 1.20 - 3 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Summary of Key Features
___________________________________________________________________
? Speed.
HS/Link operates at, or very near peak efficiency, often reaching
98% or more with pre-compressed files and non-buffered modems.
Even higher speeds are possible with buffered or error correcting
modems. A number of features, such as fast 32 bit CRC protection,
Full-Streaming-Error-Recovery and Dynamic-Code-Substitution,
combine to give maximum performance and security.
? Simple interface for beginners.
In many cases, HS/Link requires only the COM port number and the
filename to be transmitted. Configuration files are not required.
The program is easily installed in most COMM programs that support
external protocols. The HSLINK program has multiple help screens,
providing a quick reference to the basic and advanced command line
options, including examples of how the program is used.
? Batch file transfers.
The protocol can handle any size batch of files, and can take file
specifications from either the command line or from a listing file.
? Bi-directional options that really work.
The program can simultaneously upload and download with a single
host request. What's even better is how easy it is to use...
instead of a complex setup all you do is:
1) Tell the BBS the names of the files you want to download, and
then
2) Press PGUP (or whatever your COMM program uses to UPLOAD
files) and then tell your COMM program which files to upload
By virtue of the BBS being told that it is sending files and your
COMM program telling HS/Link that it too is sending files, you then
have a bi-directional transfer. There's nothing else to set up.
You use the familiar BBS interface to request files to download and
your COMM program's familiar interface to tell it which files to
upload. It couldn't get easier!
? Aborted file crash recovery.
When desired, HS/Link can resume an aborted transfer, verifying all
existing data blocks to insure the resumed file completely matches
the file being transmitted. This function can also update a file
that has only a small number of changed, added, or deleted blocks.
HS/Link 1.20 - 4 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Quick Tour
___________________________________________________________________
If you are eager to see HS/Link in action, follow the simple steps
below. The following pages will tell you how to install and configure
the HS/Link program for optimal ease of use and performance.
1. Unpack the HSLINK program into a working directory or your choice.
All you really need is HSLINK.EXE for now.
2. Use the TERMINAL program of your choice to call up a BBS that
supports the HS/Link protocol. If you don't know of a BBS in your area,
you can always call the Tool Shop BBS at (818) 891-1344 to see how
HS/Link works.
3. When online with your BBS, select a DOWNLOAD using the HSLINK
protocol.
4. When the BBS is ready for you to begin, press the SHELL TO DOS
command in your terminal program. In many terminal programs, this is
the ALT-J command. Later you will be given instructions to tie HS/Link
into the DOWNLOAD command, but for now we are going to run HSLINK
manually so you can see it in action right away.
5. CD into the HSLINK working directory you set up in step 1.
6. If your modem is on COM1, type the command
HSLINK -P1
If your modem is on COM2, instead use the command
HSLINK -P2
You should now see HS/Link in action. If your copy of HSLINK is
registered, you can press the ENTER key to begin a CHAT session with the
person running the BBS. If you aren't registered yet, you can still
CHAT, but the BBS operator has to start the CHAT for you.
In this sample session you aren't doing a bidirectional transfer, but
you to do so all you need to do is add the outgoing file names
(including drive and directory) to the end of the command line above.
7. When HSLINK finishes, type the command
EXIT
to return to your TERMINAL program to continue your BBS session.
HS/Link 1.20 - 5 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Full Screen Status Display
___________________________________________________________________
When HS/Link is operating, it produces a full screen status display,
divided into five windows. For example:
??????????? HS/Link v1.20 (4/11/93) Copyright 1993 Samuel H. Smith ???????????
? [UNREGISTERED] Courtesy of The Tool Shop BBS (818) 891-1344. ?
? Command line: -@tolap.cfg test\*.* -s2048 -w12 -a ?
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????? 5 InComing Files, 710782 bytes ?????????? ??????? Settings ????????
? \TMP\VIROSCAN.ZIP (79 blocks, 161003 bytes) ? ? COM2 open at: 115200 ?
? File received OK, 2930 cps, 58 seconds. ? ?Remote Serial#: 00001 ?
? \TMP\PM.ZIP (37 blocks, 73745 bytes) ? ?Remote Version: 1.10 ?
? Block 14 (28672 bytes) 2622 cps ? ? Window: NONE ?
? ??????????????????????????????????? 18 seconds ? ? Block size: 2048 ?
???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ? XON/XOFF: ON ?
????????? 9 OutGoing Files, 2297792 bytes ?????????? ? CTS handshake: OFF ?
? TEST\PHASE1.EXE (179 blocks, 365810 bytes) ? ? RTS handshake: OFF ?
? File sent OK, 5907 cps, 01:01 minutes. ? ?Slow handshake: ON ?
? TEST\PHASE2.EXE (204 blocks, 416884 bytes) ? ? Resume: OFF ?
? Block 20 (40960 bytes/w:20) 5570 cps ? ? Keep partial: ON ?
? ??????????????????????????????????? 01:08 minutes? ? Overwrite: ON ?
???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?? ^X^X^X^X to abort! ???
???????????????????????????????? Batch Status ????????????????????????????????
? Total 2047451 bytes (of 3008574) in 04:00 minutes, thruput 8509 cps. ?
? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????? 01:53 minutes remaining?
?????????????????????????? PLEASE REGISTER HS/LINK! ??????????????????????????
The first window contains the program identification and copyright.
When you register your copy of HSLINK, this window will also show the
registered serial number. Some warning messages may also appear in this
window.
The "Settings" window shows a summary of the various parameters that can
be altered with command line options. This display space is replaced
with the InComing Chat and OutGoing Chat windows during CHAT operation.
The "InComing Files" window shows the status of files being received
from the remote system.
The "OutGoing Files" window shows the status of files being transmitted
to the remote system.
The "Batch Status" window summarizes overall session progress and
estimates the time remaining for the selected files.
To stop display bleedthrough under DesqView or DoubleDOS, use the -NV
option to disable direct video writing. The result will be a slightly
slower display, but it will not bleed from one partition to another.
If desired, the full screen status display can be turned off.
HS/Link 1.20 - 6 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Command Line Format
___________________________________________________________________
To run the HSLINK program, a command line must be given. The command
line has the following format:
HSLINK [options] [SENDFILE] [@DRIVE:\PATH\FILELIST]
SENDFILE Indicates a list of files to be transmitted to remote
computer. The list may include the DOS wildcard characters
'?' and '*'. Specify ONLY files to be transmitted; received
file names are determined automatically.
@FILELIST Transmit list of files contained in FILELIST to remote
computer. This is used when you want to make a long list of
files in advance, then transmit them all with a single
command. It is also used by BBS programs to produce long
batches of downloads.
? Anything shown in brackets "[]" is optional and may not need to be
specified for proper operation of HS/Link.
? The HSLINK command line is NOT case sensitive, and will work when
typed in upper, lower or mixed case.
? Please make sure that HSLINK.EXE is in a search PATH directory.
___________________________________________________________________
Basic Command Line Options
___________________________________________________________________
The most important command line options are -P (set COM port), -U (set
download file directory), and -HS (enable slow handshake).
-Pport This sets which COM port you are using.
Example: -P2
-Udir This sets the destination directory for downloaded files.
Without this option, all download files are placed into the
current directory.
Example: -Uc:\bbsfiles
-HS Handshake Slow (send XOFF and/or lower RTS during disk I/O).
This option may be required if your computer is unable to
simultaneously access the disk and the COM port. If you see
frequent CRC error messages, even on clean phone lines, you
probably need to include -HS in your command line.
To abort an HS/Link transfer, press Control-X four or more times.
HS/Link 1.20 - 7 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Configuration Files
___________________________________________________________________
Because of the large number of possible command =================
line options, you can store frequently used command === Quick Tip ===
options in a configuration file. This eliminates =================
the need to repeatedly type the options at a HS/Link does NOT
command line. If you are calling HSLINK from require
multiple batch files, you can also use configuration
configuration files to store "common" options, that files.
can be changed in one place rather than separately
in the various batch files.
HSLINK will first search the current directory for =================
the HSLINK.CFG file. If not found, it will then === Quick Tip ===
search the directory where HSLINK.EXE is stored, =================
followed by all directories in the DOS PATH For best results,
setting. If the HSLINK.CFG file is found, each file add your HS/Link
line is loaded as a command line option. or COMM program
directory to your
PATH statement.
If you want to use an alternate configuration file,
use the -@fname command line option, which will
cause 'fname' to be loaded. For example:
HSLINK -@C:\WORK\TOLAP.CFG
will cause HSLINK to use C:\WORK\TOLAP.CFG as the configuration file.
If -@fname is not the first command line option, the default HSLINK.CFG
file will be searched for and loaded before the specified configuration
file.
Use -@ (without a filename) to prevent HSLINK from searching for a
configuration file, slightly speeding operation on systems that have a
long search PATH setting in effect.
To aid in creation and alteration of configuration =================
files, the HS/Link Configuration Manager program, === Quick Tip ===
HSCONFIG, was written. =================
Use HSCONFIG to
create and edit
HS/Link option
(configuration)
files.
HS/Link 1.20 - 8 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
HSCONFIG: The HS/Link Configuration Manager
___________________________________________________________________
HSLINK includes the HS/Link Configuration Manager program, HSCONFIG.EXE.
With this program you can easily manipulate most of HS/Link's many
options.
The opening display for HSCONFIG looks like this:
C:\HSL >hsconfig
HS/Link Configuration Manager 1.2 (C)1993 Samuel H. Smith; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
??????????????????? New Configuration ??????????????????????
? ?
? The specified configuration file cannot be located. ?
? ?
? This probably indicates that you are creating a new ?
? configuration for HS/Link. All options will be set ?
? to default values. ?
? ?
? Alternate configuration files can be specified on ?
? the command line to HSCONFIG. The default configuration ?
? file is HSLINK.CFG, and it may be located either in the ?
? current directory, or in any PATH directory. ?
? ?
? Press <ENTER> or <ESC> to continue. ?
? ?
? Index <ESC> ?
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Can't find: C:\UTIL\HSLINK.CFG
HSCONFIG can be used to edit any configuration file, but the default is
to edit HSLINK.CFG in the current directory, or the same directory in
which HSLINK.EXE is found. If you want to edit some other configuration
file, you must specify the filename on the HSCONFIG command line. For
example:
HSCONFIG TOLAP.CFG
will create or edit TOLAP.CFG, which can later be used by HSLINK with a
command line like this:
HSLINK -@TOLAP.CFG
When no configuration filename is specified, and the default
configuration file HSLINK.CFG cannot be located, it will automatically
be created in the same directory that HSLINK.EXE is found in. If you
wish to create the configuration file in a different directory, you must
explicitly specify the directory/filename to be used on the HSCONFIG
command line.
HS/Link 1.20 - 9 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
HSCONFIG: Basic Settings
___________________________________________________________________
The primary screen in HSCONFIG is the "Basic Settings" screen, which
controls the most important settings for HS/Link operation. The other
screens contain advanced settings that need not be changed until you
become more familiar with the program and begin to explore the advanced
capabilities.
?????????????????? HS/Link: Basic Settings [Page 1 of 5] ??????????????OVR??
? ?
? These are the most important settings for proper HS/Link operation ?
? ?
? COM port number (1-8) . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ?
? ?
? Directory for downloaded files. . . . . . . __________________________ ?
? ?
? Use "SLOW HANDSHAKE" during disk I/O. . . . N ?
? ?
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????? Help topic: Welcome! ??????????????????
? Welcome to the HS/Link Configuration Manager. ?
? The easy way to handle HS/Link configuration files. ?
? ?
? Use the keys to select entries on this page. ?
? Use the PgUp/PgDn keys to change pages. ?
? Press ESC to save changes when you are finished. ?
? ?
? Use the F1 key to get HELP at any prompt. ?
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????
PgDn [next page] PgUp [prior page] F1 [help] ESC [exit]
The HSCONFIG program contains context sensitive pop-up help for each and
every input prompt. Simply press the F1 key to get an explanation of
the current entry. For example:
?????????????????????????????? -U ?????????????????????????????????
? -Udir > Download directory. ?
? ?
? This option controls the destination directory for downloaded ?
? files. Without this option, all download files are placed into ?
? the current directory. ?
? ?
? Index <ESC> ?
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
When in the online help system, press the SPACE and BACKSPACE keys to
select from the topics available at the bottom of the window, and press
ENTER to select a topic. Press ESCAPE to return to the prior screen.
HS/Link 1.20 - 10 - Reference Guide
This screen manipulates the following options:
-Pport
Use COM port 1-8 (default=1). Standard COM port definitions:
Channel I/O Port Interrupt
COM1 0x3F8 4
COM2 0x2F8 3
COM3 0x3E8 4
COM4 0x2E8 3
COM5 undefined
COM6 undefined
COM7 0x2E8 5
COM8 0x3E8 5
Use -PB and -PI instead of -P to define a non-standard COM port.
-Udir
Destination directory for received files (default=current
directory)
-HS
Handshake Slow (send XOFF and/or lower RTS during disk I/O).
The slow handshake option is available for systems with slow disk
access. Use this if you get frequent CRC errors or COM overrun
errors on otherwise clean lines. The slow handshake option causes
XOFF to be sent and/or RTS to be lowered during any disk activity.
Even when -HS is active, the HS/Link protocol should transfer data
very nearly as fast as the slowest part of the link allows.
HS/Link 1.20 - 11 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
HSCONFIG: Advanced COM settings
___________________________________________________________________
The "Advanced COM Settings" screen determines the settings of many
communications related options. See the following section, "Advanced
Options" for a description of each of these options.
??????????????? HS/Link: Advanced COM Settings [Page 2 of 5] ??????????OVR??
? ?
? These settings control advanced communication features ?
? ?
? Non-Standard COM base (in HEX, 0 = standard COM port) . . . . . . 0000 ?
? ?
? Non-Standard COM IRQ (1-15, 0 = standard COM port). . . . . . . . 0_ ?
? ?
? COM port open speed (300-115200, 0 = automatic) . . . . . . . . . 0___ ?
? ?
? Effective modem-to-modem speed (0 = same as open speed) . . . . . 0___ ?
? ?
? Enable CTS hardware handshake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Y ?
? ?
? Enable RTS hardware handshake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Y ?
? ?
? Enable XON/XOFF software handshake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Y ?
? ?
? Enable Carrier Detect checking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Y ?
? ?
? Preserve original time/date stamp on received files . . . . . . . Y ?
? ?
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
PgDn [next page] PgUp [prior page] F1 [help] ESC [exit]
This screen manipulates the following options:
-PBbase
Set non-standard COM port base address. Base addresses may be
specified in either decimal or hex. Hex addresses must begin with
$ or 0x. For example, -PB1000, -PB$3E8 and -PB0x3E8 all specify
the same port base address.
-PIirq
Set non-standard COM port IRQ level to 1-15. This option must be
used when -PB is used. IRQ levels 8-15 are supported only on AT
class machines with cascaded interrupt controllers.
-Bbaud
COM port opening baud rate 300-115200 (default is the current port
OPEN speed).
This option controls the speed at which the COM port will be
HS/Link 1.20 - 12 - Reference Guide
opened. =================
=== Quick Tip ===
Normally, the COM port speed can be determined =================
from hardware and need not be specified. Don't use the -B
option if you
-Ebaud don't need to! In
Effective modem-to-modem baud rate. most cases HS/Link
This is used to estimate transfer times, and is able to
is included in the DSZLOG output. automatically set
(default=current -B setting) the proper port
speed.
-HC
Disables CTS hardware handshake.
CTS transmitter handshake is automatically enabled, but may
conflict with some unusual modem cables or serial ports. If the
CTS signal is not active when HSLINK loads, it will automatically
disable CTS handshake for you. Use the -HC command to manually
disable CTS handshake.
-HR
Disables RTS hardware handshake.
RTS receiver handshake is used when the slow-handshake option is
selected. This form of handshake causes the RTS line to the modem
to be lowered whenever the disk is being accessed. Some unusual
modem or cable arrangements may not tolerate the RTS line being
lowered. In this case, the RTS handshake can be disabled with
the -HR option.
-HX
Disable XON/XOFF handshake.
XON/XOFF handshake is a software handshake scheme that should work
well on all combinations of modems and networks, and is enabled by
default. If you prefer not to use XON/XOFF handshake, or you find
that it is not required for error-free transfer, you can disable it
with the -HX option.
Note that both the sender and the receiver must simultaneously
disable XON/XOFF handshake, otherwise it will remain in effect.
-C
Disable carrier detect checking. Use this option when directly
connecting two machines via a null modem cable.
-NT
Stamp current file time. This option stamps the current time/date
on received files, instead of retaining the original file
time/date.
HS/Link 1.20 - 13 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
HSCONFIG: Advanced Optional Features 1
___________________________________________________________________
The "Advanced Optional Features 1" screen controls many advanced
protocol features. See the following section, "Advanced Options" for a
description of each of these options.
??????????? HS/Link: Advanced Optional Features 1 [Page 3 of 5] ???????OVR??
? ?
? These settings control various optional features ?
? ?
? Attempt to Resume aborted transfers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N ?
? ?
? Keep partial files from aborted transfers . . . . . . . . . . . . N ?
? ?
? Allow received files to overwrite/modify existing files . . . . . N ?
? ?
? Enable file read/write buffering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Y ?
? ?
? Enable "Dynamic-Code-Substitution" logic. . . . . . . . . . . . . Y ?
? ?
? Size of transmitted data blocks (64-4096 bytes/block) . . . . . . 1024 ?
? ?
? Number of blocks in transit before ACK is required (0-1000) . . . 8___ ?
? ?
? Disable transmission of ACK for each block received . . . . . . . N ?
? ?
? Force remote unit to use local option settings. . . . . . . . . . N ?
? ?
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
PgDn [next page] PgUp [prior page] F1 [help] ESC [exit]
This screen manipulates the following options:
-R
Resume aborted transfer. The receiver and =================
transmitter will verify the contents of an === Quick Tip ===
existing file, and will begin transmission at =================
the first block that does not match. This Use -R -K -O if
provides a reliable means of restarting an you want Download
aborted transfer, or of updating a modified Crash Recovery
file. You must also use -O to recover aborted
downloads.
Note to BBS operators: Crash recovery is enabled by the caller's
use of -R -K -O options and should NOT be directly enabled in the
BBS command line or configuration file.
-K
Keep partial files from aborted transfers.
HS/Link 1.20 - 14 - Reference Guide
-O
Allow receive files to overwrite existing files.
-NB
Disable buffering of receive and transmit files. The default is to
divide approximately 24k of memory between InComing and OutGoing
files.
-NC
Disable Dynamic-Code-Substitution logic.
Certain byte codes cannot be transmitted directly over the COM
link. For instance, the codes for Control-X, Control-S and Control-
Q must be "escaped" to prevent a conflict with flow or program
control.
The HS/Link protocol uses a new Dynamic-Code-Substitution system to
drastically reduce the number protocol overhead and "escape" codes
needed to transmit certain data streams. Highly compressed data
files (such as ZIP and GIF files) benefit the most, since they
often have many byte codes that cannot be transmitted directly over
the COM link.
-Ssize
Sets transmit block size 2-4096 (default=1024) Larger block sizes
may result in higher transfer speeds under clean line conditions.
-Wwindow =================
Number of blocks allowed without ACK 1-1000 === Quick Tip ===
(default=8) =================
Use -A or -W0 to establish an "infinite" Use -W4 -S512 -!
window (i.e. no ACK required at all). with PC-Pursuit
The "ACK window" is the number of blocks that
will be sent to the modem before an ACKnowledge code is required.
If the specified number of blocks have been sent and no ACK has yet
been received, output will be suspended until the ACK is received
or the link times out. This provides a form of software flow
control that works well when parts of the link are very slow
compared to other parts, such as when PC Pursuit is in use.
The /w:XXX value displayed in the InComing Files window reports the
actual number of blocks that are being transmitted prior to
acknowledge. Setting the -W value higher than the highest /w:XXX
value observed will have no further effect on transfer thru-put.
-A
Disable transmission of ACK codes after each block. This may
improve transfer speeds under some conditions.
-!
Take priority. Locally specified -A, -HX, -S, and -W settings will
be used by the remote system. The -N! option cancels the effect of
the -! option.
HS/Link 1.20 - 15 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
HSCONFIG: Advanced Optional Features 2
___________________________________________________________________
The "Advanced Optional Features 2" screen controls more advanced
protocol features. See the following section, "Advanced Options" for a
description of each of these options.
??????????? HS/Link: Advanced Optional Features 2 [Page 4 of 5] ???????OVR??
? ?
? These settings control more optional features ?
? ?
? Idle method (0=none, 1=BIOS, 2=DesqView, 3=DDOS, 4=WIN/OS2) . . . 0 ?
? ?
? Enable "Minimal-Blocks" logic (requires MNP). . . . . . . . . . . N ?
? ?
? Disable NS16550AN buffering logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N ?
? ?
? NS16550 Fifo Threshold (1-15) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4__ ?
? ?
? DSZLOG status logging file. . . . . . . . . __________________________ ?
? ?
? Incoming file duplication check list. . . . U:\PCB\GEN\DLPATH.LST_____ ?
? ?
? Force CTS handshake even when CTS is initially missing. . . . . . N ?
? ?
? Use Alternate XON/XOFF method during initial handshake. . . . . . Y ?
? ?
? Maximum number of repeated errors before aborting transfer. . . . 20 ?
? ?
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
PgDn [next page] PgUp [prior page] F1 [help] ESC [exit]
This screen manipulates the following options:
-Iidle
This option controls how idle time is given up under multitasking
environments. The possible values are:
-I0 Default, do not give up idle time
-I1 Spend idle time checking keyboard status
-I2 Give up idle time under DesqView
-I3 Give up idle time under DoubleDOS
-I4 Give up idle time under Windows/OS2/VCPI/DOS5
Some network server software, such as LanTastic, performs best when
the -I1 option is used.
-NM
Enable Minimal-Blocks logic. Use with caution. This option is
recommended for use only on error-corrected links, such as with MNP
or V.42 connections.
HS/Link 1.20 - 16 - Reference Guide
-N5
This option causes HS/Link to disable NS16550 buffering logic.
This option may be needed with some early versions, or incorrect
clone versions of the NS16550 chip, which do not properly perform
buffering.
-FTn
Sets NS16550 FIFO Threshold.
This option controls the number of characters that will be buffered
by the NS16550 internal buffer before an interrupt is generated.
Higher FIFO thresholds will produce fewer interrupts and somewhat
less CPU loading, but with the risk of overrun errors. Lower
thresholds will prevent overrun errors under multi-taskers like
Windows or Desqview.
-LFlogfile
Specify status log file.
This option allows you to override the DSZLOG environment variable
to specify the file to be used for status logging. Omit this
option, or leave blank to control this function through the DSZLOG
environment variable.
-NOdirlist
Incoming file duplication checklist.
This option allows you to check incoming files for duplication in a
list of directories. This feature prevents incoming files from
duplicating files in directories other than the current -U setting.
The dirlist is a text file which contains one filename or directory
specification per line. See MKDLIST documentation for special
instructions to speed CD-ROM duplication checking.
Note that this option is effective ONLY if the -O (allow
overwrites) is NOT used.
-FC
Force CTS hardware handshake.
This option prevents HSLINK from automatically disabling CTS
hardware handshake if CTS is not active initially.
-NA
This option causes HS/Link to use the old XON/XOFF method rather
than the new alternate method during the initial handshake with the
remote. This option is needed only if handshake fails when the
remote unit is version 1.12 or earlier and should not be needed
when communicating with newer versions.
-NEn
Controls the number of repeated errors needed to abort a transfer.
HS/Link 1.20 - 17 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
HSCONFIG: Screen Settings
___________________________________________________________________
The "Screen Settings" screen allows you to control the format of the
status display screen, the colors to be used, and to enable or disable
direct-video screen updates.
???????????????? HS/Link: Screen Settings [Page 5 of 5] ?????????????OVR??
? ?
? These settings control the screen format and colors ?
? ?
? Enable Full-Screen status display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Y ?
? Enable direct video writing (turn off in DesqView/DoubleDOS/etc). Y ?
? Position of status display (0-2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 ?
? Color of BORDER in full screen mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7__ ?
? Color of PROMPTS in full screen mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47_ ?
? Color of WINDOW TITLE in full screen mode . . . . . . . . . . . . 79_ ?
? Color of WINDOW CONTENTS in full screen mode. . . . . . . . . . . 31_ ?
? Color of PROGRESS GRAPHS in full screen mode. . . . . . . . . . . 14_ ?
? ?
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
??? Color Table ????????????????????????????????????????????????????
? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ?
? 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 ?
? 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 ?
? 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 ?
? 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 ?
? 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 ?
? 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 ?
? 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 ?
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
PgDn [next page] PgUp [prior page] F1 [help] ESC [exit]
This screen manipulates the following options:
-NF Disable Full screen mode. The standard status =================
display takes over the full screen (except the === Quick Tip ===
top 2 lines, which may contain a BBS status =================
line). HS/Link's Full
Screen status
This option bypasses the full screen display display does not
and causes a line-oriented output to be used. alter the first 2
Use this option if your environment's screen display lines. Use
management does not allow a full-screen the -CP option to
display. change the
position of this
display.
HS/Link 1.20 - 18 - Reference Guide
-NV =================
Disable direct Video for DesqView, DoubleDOS, === Quick Tip ===
and etc. Use this option if you experience =================
"bleeding" of the status display from one You may need to
partition to another. use -NV to stop
display bleeding.
-CPn
Control the position of the status display.
Use a setting of -CP0 to move the display UP so that the bottom
lines will be untouched. The default is -CP2, which protects the
top 2 lines of the original display.
-CBcolor
Defines the border color in full screen mode.
-CMcolor
Defines the main screen color in full screen mode.
-CTcolor
Defines the window title color in full screen mode.
-CWcolor
Defines the window contents color in full screen mode.
-CGcolor
Defines the file and batch progress bargraph color in full screen
mode.
HS/Link 1.20 - 19 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Advanced Command Line Options
___________________________________________________________________
The HS/Link protocol program has a number of additional command line
options, most of which are rarely needed, or which are provided for
advanced users to obtain maximum performance and flexibility.
-@
When the -@ option is given as the FIRST parameter on the command
line, it prevents HSLINK from performing the normal search for
HSLINK.CFG, possibly speeding load times and preventing the
accidental loading of a configuration file meant for a different
application.
-@fname
Uses fname as an alternate configuration file. Each line in the
specified file may contain a single command line option. The
default is to search PATH directories for HSLINK.CFG.
-N!
Do not force remote to use local settings. Will override any
previous -! option in either the command line or a configuration
file.
-NG
Do not allow Control-G (BEEP) characters in CHAT mode. This keeps
remote callers from beeping your speaker during a file transfer.
-NK
Cancels the effect of the -K option, if present, to force partial
files from aborted transfers to be deleted.
-NU
Block uploads. This option is used by BBS programs that cannot
(yet) cope with bi-directional uploads. It is used in place of the
-U option on the 'download' command line, and has the effect of
blocking any simultaneous upload requests from a user.
-T
Activates a "mini terminal" mode prior to starting the file
transfer. If used with the -C option, you can use HS/Link to type
"AT" commands directly to your modem to dial out.
HS/Link 1.20 - 20 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Command Line Examples
___________________________________________________________________
HSLINK -?
Display a summary of HS/Link command line formats.
HSLINK -P1
Download from a BBS using HS/Link. COM1 will be used at the
current port speed. Received files will go into the current
directory.
HSLINK -P2 -Uc:\bbsfiles -K
Download from a BBS using HS/Link. COM2 will be used at the
current port speed. Received files will go into the c:\bbsfiles
directory. Partial files from aborted transfers will be kept.
HSLINK -P1 -Uc:\bbsfiles -R -K -O
Continue an aborted download from a BBS using HS/Link. COM1 will
be used at the current port speed. Received files will go into the
c:\bbsfiles directory.
HSLINK -Uc:\bbsfiles c:\uploads\*.zip
Download from a BBS using HS/Link. COM1 will be used at the
current port speed. Received files will go into the c:\bbsfiles
directory. Simultaneously upload all *.ZIP files in the c:\uploads
subdirectory.
HSLINK file1.zip file2.zip file3.zip
Upload to a BBS using HS/Link. COM1 will be used at the current
port speed. Simultaneously downloads selected files from the BBS
into the current directory.
HSLINK -b115200 -p2 -c -hs -hc -a file1.zip file2.zip
Communicate files with a laptop computer using port COM2 and a
three wire null modem cable.
HSLINK -w4 -s512 -! -uc:\download
Download files through PC-Pursuit using a window of 4 blocks and a
block size of 512 bytes. This setting stops most errors when PC-
Pursuit is heavily loaded.
HS/Link 1.20 - 21 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Calling HS/Link from COMM programs
___________________________________________________________________
The HS/Link protocol can be easily installed in most modern COMM
programs. Specific instructions have been prepared for many popular
COMM programs, and are available in separate files for download.
Comm program Instructions posted in
BOYAN 5.0 HS-BOY50.ZIP
GT POWER 15.50 HS-GT15.ZIP
ProComm Plus HS-PCPTD.ZIP
ProComm Plus/Windows HS-PROW.ZIP
QMODEM 4.3 HS-QMOD.ZIP
ROBO COMM 3.1 HS-RC31.ZIP
TELEMATE 2.1 HS-TMATE.ZIP
TELIX 3.1 HS-TELIX.ZIP
Installation instructions for new COMM programs are being written all
the time, so check with your local bulletin board or on the Tool Shop
for instructions for additional communication programs.
___________________________________________________________________
Calling HS/Link from BBS programs
___________________________________________________________________
The HS/Link protocol can easily be installed in most modern BBS programs
as an external protocol. Specific instructions have been prepared for
many popular BBS programs, and are available in separate files for
download.
BBS program Instructions in =================
=== Quick Tip ===
GAP 5.1 HS-GAP51.ZIP =================
MarkMail/GAP HS-MKML.ZIP Check The Tool
PCBOARD 14.5a HS-145A.ZIP Shop BBS for the
PROBOARD 1.17 HS-PB117.ZIP latest version of
PRODOOR 3.44 HS-PROD.ZIP HS-INST.ZIP. New
RemoteAccess 1.11 HS-RA111.ZIP COMM and BBS
RBBS 17.3C HS-R173C.ZIP programs are
Rybbs HS-RYBBS.ZIP frequently added
SuperBBS 1.15 G4 HS-S1154.ZIP to the library of
Searchlight BBS HS-SLBBS.ZIP install
Spitfire BBS v3.0 HS-SF30.ZIP instructions
UltraBBS v2.08 HS-UB208.ZIP available.
Virtual BBS v5.40 HS-VBB54.ZIP
Waffle HS-WAF.ZIP
Wildcat! TD v2.15 HS-WC215.ZIP
WWIV v4.20 HS-WWIV.ZIP
HS/Link 1.20 - 22 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
BBS Requirements
___________________________________________________________________
HS/Link's demands on a bulletin board program are extremely easy to
fill. The following is all that is necessary:
1) The protocol accepts either a filename to =================
download or a list of files of the form === Quick Tip ===
@DRIVE:\PATH\DOWNLIST.LST. The protocol will =================
send only the specified files if filenames Send file lists
(without leading @) are given, or all of the are text files
files found in the file C:\BBS\DOWNLIST.LST if that contain one
the option @C:\BBS\DOWNLIST.LST is specified. path/filename per
line.
2) The protocol will create a DSZLOG compatible
log file indicating the names of all files transferred as well as
their status (refer to the DSZ standard and the "DSZLOG Statistic
Logging" section for the specific contents of the file).
3) Any files found in the DSZLOG file which BBS =================
did not tell the protocol to SEND are assumed === Quick Tip ===
to have instead been RECEIVED by the protocol. =================
The BBS should then check for the existence of HS/Link does NOT
such files and if found, ask for descriptions modify BBS upload
and post them in the upload directory. listings! The BBS
program must
detect uploads and
do it's own file
management.
If the BBS program is not yet able to cope with bi- =================
directional uploads, the -NU option can be used on === Quick Tip ===
the 'download' command line to prevent attempts to =================
perform a bi-directional upload. Use -NU to block
all bi-directional
uploads.
HS/Link 1.20 - 23 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
CHAT During File Transfer
___________________________________________________________________
While you are waiting for files to transfer, you can also type messages
to the remote operators screen and see what he types in return. This is
called "CHAT mode".
If your copy of HSLINK is registered, you can press the ENTER key to
begin a CHAT session with the person running the BBS. If you aren't
registered yet, you can still CHAT, but the BBS operator has to start
the CHAT for you.
Once you activate CHAT, the "Settings" portion of the display is removed
and replaced with two new windows: "InComing Chat" and "OutGoing Chat".
Anything you type will appear in the OutGoing Chat display, and anything
the remote operator types will appear in your InComing Chat display.
Chat mode features automatic word-wrap and keyboard correction using the
backspace key.
You can "page" the remote user by pressing Control-G repeatedly.
Control-G is the "BELL" character, which causes HSLINK to BEEP. You can
use the -NG command line option to disable this feature, keeping HSLINK
silent.
When you are finished chatting, just press the ESC key to restore the
Settings display and to terminate the chat mode. Chat mode will
automatically terminate if you type nothing for 30 seconds and all files
are finished transferring.
___________________________________________________________________
Optimizing CHAT Mode
___________________________________________________________________
The CHAT mode display may appear sluggish, or jerky. This is because
HSLINK gives priority to the file transfer and transmits CHAT text only
between whole blocks of the file. This effect is made worse by the use
of large block sizes, especially at low baud rates.
If you want to have snappier chat displays, at the expense of slightly
slower file transfers, try reducing the BLOCK SIZE (-S option) or
setting a smaller ACK WINDOW (-W option). Try adding
-S256 -W4
to your command line, for example.
HS/Link 1.20 - 24 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Flow Control
___________________________________________________________________
Flow Control is required when the sending and receiving computers or
modems operate at different speeds, or when computers are unable to
simultaneously access disk drives and the COM port. Flow Control is a
software and/or hardware means of slowing down the faster parts of the
connection to prevent overloading the slower parts of the system.
HS/Link uses both XON/XOFF (software) and RTS/CTS (hardware) handshake
when communicating with high speed modems or slow packet switched
networks. The protocol also uses a window algorithm to suspend data
transmission if the receiver does not eventually respond to transmitted
data.
XON/XOFF handshake is a software handshake scheme that should work well
on all combinations of modems and networks, and is enabled by default.
If you prefer not to use XON/XOFF handshake, or you find that it is not
required for error-free transfer, you can disable it with the -HX
option. Note that both the sender and the receiver must simultaneously
disable XON/XOFF handshake, otherwise it will remain in effect.
The slow handshake option (-HS) is available for =================
systems with slow disk access. Use this if you get === Quick Tip ===
frequent CRC errors or COM overrun errors on =================
otherwise clean lines. The slow handshake option The -HS option
causes XOFF to be sent and/or RTS to be lowered stops most overrun
during any disk activity. Even when -HS is active, and CRC errors
the HS/Link protocol should transfer data very that occur during
nearly as fast as the slowest part of the link or immediately
allows. after disk I/O
takes place.
CTS transmitter handshake is automatically enabled,
but may conflict with some unusual modem cables or serial ports. If the
CTS signal is not active when HSLINK loads, it will automatically
disable CTS handshake for you. Use the -HC command to manually disable
CTS handshake.
RTS receiver handshake is used when the slow-handshake option is
selected. This form of handshake causes the RTS line to the modem to be
lowered whenever the disk is being accessed. Some unusual modem or
cable arrangements may not tolerate the RTS line being lowered. In this
case, the RTS handshake can be disabled with the -HR option.
If you have frequent CRC errors or COM overrun errors, which persist in
spite of the handshake-slow option (-HS), you should consider upgrading
your serial port from the usual 8250 to a newer, buffered NS16550AN
chip. The buffered chips are highly recommended if you are operating at
high baud rates (>9600) or are accessing extended memory or are
multitasking.
HS/Link 1.20 - 25 - Reference Guide
I have also had reports that use of large numbers of dos BUFFERS in
CONFIG.SYS can cause overrun errors. Try reducing the BUFFERS setting
to 10 or less, especially if you also use a DISK cache.
Some disk cache programs have also been reported to cause overrun
errors. Try turning the cache OFF before calling HSLINK, and turning it
back ON again after the transfer is completed.
___________________________________________________________________
Buffered ASYNC chips
___________________________________________________________________
The National NS16550AN is a pin compatible plug in =================
replacement for 8250 and 16450 serial chips. It === Quick Tip ===
contains hardware buffering to allow faster =================
operation in systems with high interrupt service The NS16550AN chip
latency. stops most overrun
and CRC errors
If you have an NS16550AN buffered UART chip, encountered with
HS/Link will automatically enable buffering for COM port opening
better performance with high speed modems and speeds of 9600 and
multi-tasking environments. higher.
The -N5 option may be needed with some early
versions, or incorrect clone versions of the NS16550 chip, which do not
properly perform buffering.
___________________________________________________________________
Full Streaming Data Transmission
___________________________________________________________________
The HS/Link protocol allows multiple data blocks to be transmitted
before an acknowledgement is required by use of block numbers combined
with a window algorithm.
The protocol also allows acknowledgements to be =================
combined with data flowing in the opposite === Quick Tip ===
direction, making it possible to achieve full =================
streaming simultaneously in both directions over a The HST modem is
full duplex communication link. not well suited
for bi-directional
Even though the transmitters operate in full transfers. Switch
streaming mode, the receivers normally will to V.32 modes, if
periodically acknowledge that data is being available, for
received. This acknowledgement can be disabled higher thru-put.
with the -A option.
HS/Link 1.20 - 26 - Reference Guide
Recent advances in high speed modem technology have made it possible to
simultaneously transfer data at high speeds in both directions. This
standardized technology is called "V.32" or "V.32bis", and are available
in many new modems. The bi-directional capabilities of HS/Link take
full advantage of these modems, cutting online time as much as 50% when
equal amounts of data are transmitted and received.
Some older high speed modems, such as the HST and =================
Hayes-V, do not implement V.32 and are able to === Quick Tip ===
transfer quickly in only one direction, while the =================
other direction is relatively slow. HS/Link will The "Ping Pong"
still perform well as a single direction protocol effect slows bi-
with these modems, but bi-directional thru-put will directional
be low due to the "ping pong" effect of the modem transfers on older
switching the high speed channel back and forth. 9600 baud modems.
___________________________________________________________________
Full Streaming Error Recovery
___________________________________________________________________
The HS/Link protocol has the unique ability to recover from many
transmission errors without breaking out of full streaming mode.
This is important with buffered modems or packet switched networks with
long turnaround times.
Conventional protocols, such as Zmodem, simply =================
reposition the transmitter after an error, === Quick Tip ===
requiring a re-transmission of not only the =================
erroneous data, but also the entire stream of data Error correction
that was in transit at the time the error was cannot stop flow
detected. control failure-
related errors.
The HS protocol can correct bad blocks without re- See the Flow
transmitting intermixed good blocks, resulting in Control section if
excellent transfer speeds under moderate line noise you have
conditions. persistent errors.
___________________________________________________________________
Transmission of Minimal Blocks
___________________________________________________________________
The HS/Link protocol includes a Minimal Blocks feature, which when
activated, causes the protocol to strip away repeated information from
the protocol frames and transmit only the minimal amount of information
required for data flow.
HS/Link 1.20 - 27 - Reference Guide
This feature results in a savings of over 50% of =================
the normal protocol overhead characters in each === Quick Tip ===
block of data, while retaining full data integrity. =================
All data and control blocks are fully protected by Enable Minimal-
a 32 bit CRC calculation, even when Minimal Blocks Blocks with the
is in effect. -NM option only if
you are operating
The final block in a file rarely ends on an exact with an error free
transfer block boundary. The HS/Link protocol link.
automatically shortens the final block, eliminating
extraneous data transmission at the end of file.
___________________________________________________________________
Dynamic Code Substitution
___________________________________________________________________
Certain byte codes cannot be transmitted directly over the COM link.
For instance, the codes for Control-X, Control-S and Control-Q must be
"escaped" to prevent a conflict with flow or program control.
The HS/Link protocol uses a new Dynamic Code Substitution system to
drastically reduce number protocol overhead and "escape" codes needed to
transmit certain data streams.
Highly compressed data files (such as ZIP and GIF files) benefit the
most, since they often have many byte codes that cannot be transmitted
directly over the COM link.
The Dynamic Code Substitution feature can be disabled, if you wish, with
the -NC option.
___________________________________________________________________
Network Compatibility
___________________________________________________________________
All file processing is fully network and "share" =================
compatible. HSLINK can be easily installed in === Quick Tip ===
multi-user or networked computers. This works with =================
DOS version 3.0 and later. HS/Link
automatically
When transmitting a file, the file is opened in enables file
"allow read, deny none" mode. sharing in network
environments.
If a file sharing violation is detected when
opening a file, control is passed to the system's
current "critical error" handler. To automate recovery from file
sharing violations, you can install my FATAL14.ZIP program, which
HS/Link 1.20 - 28 - Reference Guide
automatically retrys after sharing violations, and keeps a detailed log
of all critical errors in a system.
Files transmitted or received with HS/Link retain their original exact
size and time/date stamp. No extra data is added beyond EOF, as with
older protocols. The current date/time will be stamped on incoming
files if the -NT option is used. Otherwise, the original file's
time/date stamp will be retained.
When run under DOS 2.x, HSLINK automatically reverts to non-share file
modes.
___________________________________________________________________
Auto Downloading
___________________________________________________________________
It is possible for some terminal programs to =================
support HS/Link auto downloading by means of === Quick Tip ===
"scripts" which wait for the HS/Link "ready" =================
packet, and then shell out to the HSLINK receiver With HS/Link Auto-
protocol. Download you don't
have to hit any
This capability is currently active when HS/Link is additional keys to
installed in Telix 1.2, Telemate, Qmodem Pro, execute the HSLINK
{COMMO}, BOYAN 5.0, any may be available soon under driver.
many other terminal programs as the respective
authors add the capability to recognize external
protocol signon signatures.
The HS/Link "ready" packet is repeated at 10 second intervals when
waiting for the HSLINK receiver to be started. The format of the
"ready" packet is:
"HS*" ^B
or in hex,
0x48 0x53 0x2a 0x02
When this sequence of characters is received during a terminal
session, the HSLINK protocol should be executed.
NOTE: To perform a bi-directional transfer with Auto
Downloading active, you simply omit the final "CR" you key to
the BBS and instead allow HSLINK to send then when you have
finished specifying outgoing file names. Otherwise the auto
download will take control before you have a chance to enter
outgoing (upload) file names into your comm program.
HS/Link 1.20 - 29 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
DSZLOG Statistic Logging
___________________________________________________________________
When you define the environment variable DSZLOG, the HSLINK program will
enable transfer logging to the specified filename. The log file can
also be set with the -FL option. For example, the AUTOEXEC statement:
SET DSZLOG=C:\LOGS\LOG.OUT
will cause HSLINK to log files transmitted to C:\LOGS\LOG.OUT. This
form of logging provides compatibility with programs that are designed
to operate with DSZ or other DSZLOG-type protocols.
The log file consists of a single line of text for each file
transferred. Here are some sample log entries:
h 227596 10100 bps 1138 cps 0 errors 112 2316 V:\UPLOAD\ZLABP_13.ZIP 0
H 177901 10100 bps 1116 cps 1 errors 0 749 U:\PLAY1\ECOMM22.ZIP 0
h 16155 10100 bps 1061 cps 0 errors 4 795 W:\ULW\WINROACH.ZIP 0
L 136991 10100 bps 0 cps 0 errors 55 1823 W:\ULW\WINDE223.ZIP 11
E 152614 10100 bps 0 cps 14 errors 22 38 W:\ULW\CLPGR21C.ZIP 0 2
Each line contains the following fields:
Size Description
1 "H"=file received from remote
"h"=file sent to remote
"E"=file receive was aborted
"e"=file transmit was aborted
"L"=lost carrier during file receive
"l"=lost carrier during file transmit
7 The length of the file, in bytes. If the transfer was aborted,
this field will contain the number of bytes transferred before the
transfer was aborted.
6 The effective modem-to-modem connect speed.
4 Literally " bps"
5 The average transfer rate, in characters per second.
4 Literally " cps"
4 The total number of blocks which required retransmission during the
transfer.
7 Literally " errors"
6 The number of flow control restrictions.
5 The length of the last block transferred in the file.
? The full pathname of the file which was transferred.
? The Serial Number of the remote HSLINK, if registered.
Otherwise 0.
HS/Link 1.20 - 30 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
HS/Link Messages
___________________________________________________________________
Bad ____ CRC
These messages indicate that an error was detected in a control
message between the sender and the receiver. All control packets
are protected by a 32 bit CRC calculation to provide highly secure
and reliable communication.
Bad data CRC (#)
Dropped bytes -# (#)
Noise burst # (#)
These messages indicate that an error was detected in a block of
data in the file being received. "Dropped bytes" indicates that
some expected bytes did not arrive, and "Noise burst" indicates
that more bytes than expected arrived. Error correction is
automatic, because of Full-Streaming-Error-Correction, may occur
without breaking the stream of data being received.
If this message occurs at regular intervals, it is a sign of flow
control failure. In most cases, this can be corrected with the
addition of the -HS command line option.
COM#: Break! Framing! Overrun! Parity!
These messages indicate that an error was detected in the serial
port receiver. Framing and Parity errors often indicate a baud
rate (-B) mismatch. Overrun errors usually indicate the need for
flow control or for an upgrade to a buffered serial chip. Overrun
errors can often be reduced or eliminated with the use of the -HS
command line option.
Can't create file '___'
This indicates that the received file could not be created. This
usually indicates that the directory specified in the -U command
line option is invalid, or that the disk is full.
Carrier lost!
This indicates that Carrier detect was dropped, aborting the HSLINK
session. If your connection does not provide a carrier detect
signal, you can disable this check with the -C command line option.
This is often required when directly connecting two computers by
means of a "null modem" cable.
Disk write failure! (#)
This usually indicates that the disk is full and that further
downloads cannot be received.
File received OK, # cps, # seconds.
The file was received correctly and is now closed. The average
transfer speed is calculated based on the elapsed time between
receiving the file open packet and the last byte of the file.
HS/Link 1.20 - 31 - Reference Guide
Transfer speeds are calculated using the DOS timer tick, which is
not accurate for transfers taking less than 1 minute to complete.
For very short transfers, a cps rating of 9999 will be returned.
File sent OK, # cps, # seconds.
The file was transmitted correctly and is now closed. The average
transfer speed is calculated based on the elapsed time between
sending the first byte of the file and the last byte of the file.
File skipped by remote!
The transmitter prints this message when the receiver requests the
current file be skipped. This usually happens when the receiver
detects a duplicate filename and is not allowed to overwrite
existing files.
File was incomplete! (# #)
This message indicates that the transfer was aborted in some way
before the specified file was completely received. Normally
incomplete files are erased from disk, but they will be retained of
the -K command line option is used.
Flow control released (#### t:# r:#)
If output flow has been suspended by either software or hardware
flow control for more than 15 seconds, the program will assume that
there has been a failure of flow control and will release the hold
so data can continue. The codes in parenthesis indicate which flow
controls were active at the time (C=CTS was down, T=transmitter
XOFF was pending, R=receiver XOFF was pending, A=transmitter is
currently active) and the counts of bytes in the transmit and
receive holding queues.
Handshake: CTS XON/XOFF SLOW ALT
This message indicates the current combination of flow control
options that are in effect. CTS indicates CTS hardware flow
control is active. XON/XOFF indicates that XON/XOFF software flow
control is active. SLOW indicates that flow will be restrained
during disk I/O to prevent overrun errors. ALT indicates that the
alternate XON/XOFF method is being used.
HS/Link finished! (t:# r:#) Exit code = #
When HSLINK terminates, it sets the DOS ERRORLEVEL to the specified
value. This can be checked in batch files to detect error
conditions. The following ERRORLEVEL codes are possible:
ERRORLEVEL Reason for link termination
0 One or more files transferred successfully
1 ^X typed at local keyboard
2 ^X received over COM port
3 Incompatible BETA versions
4 No files transmitted or received
5 Remote did not respond within 2 minutes
6 Too many framing errors, possible -B mismatch
HS/Link 1.20 - 32 - Reference Guide
7 Possible tampering or corruption in HSLINK.EXE
8 Possible tampering or corruption in HSLINK.EXE
9 COM port not responding, incorrect -P options
10 Carrier lost during initial handshake with remote
11 Link aborted due to CTS lockup
12 Bad command line option
13 Excessive repeated errors
COMM and BBS programs should use the DSZLOG output file to
determine more specific details of transfer results.
The (t:# r:#) display indicates the number of files successfully
transmitted and received.
Not allowed to overwrite existing file '___'
This indicates that a file was received but there was another file
with the same name already in the download file directory. Either
erase the duplicate file, or use the -O option to allow existing
files to be overwritten.
Insufficient memory to load program.
Not enough memory!
There was not enough memory available to run HSLINK. Free
additional memory by removing "TSR" software, device drivers,
ramdisks or disk caches. If your COMM program has the option of
swapping to DISK or EMS, enable the option to free additional
memory for HSLINK's use. Current beta copies of HSLINK require
about 64k of RAM, but the specific amount of memory required is
subject to change from beta to beta. You can reduce the amount of
memory required if you use the -NB command line option to disable
file buffering.
Out of sequence # (#)
This indicates that the received block was out of sequence,
indicating that a block was possibly missed or lost during
transmission. The receiver will request the transmitter to
retransmit the missing block(s).
Read failure at #
This indicates that there was a disk error reading a file being
transmitted.
Receive timeout (#)
ACK timeout, resend #
This message indicates that it has been too long since the receiver
responded to data transmission. The last data block is repeated in
an attempt to wake up the receiver.
Received block # (# bytes) # cps
This displays the current status of the file being received. The
current number of blocks and bytes received is displayed after each
block is received. The estimated transfer speed in ch/sec is also
displayed.
HS/Link 1.20 - 33 - Reference Guide
Received block # (# bytes) E#
When "E#" is displayed following the received block # message, it
indicates that error recovery is in progress, and that the
specified block number was in error and is in transit from the
transmitter. When the erroneous block has been received correctly
the E# display will advance to the next erroneous block number, or
will be erased if no more erroneous blocks are pending.
Received block # (# bytes) R
When "R" is displayed following the received block # message, it
indicates that current block has been previously received correctly
and is therefore a "repeat" block. Repeat blocks occur under
severe error conditions and are usually corrected automatically.
Receiving file: ___ (# blocks, # bytes)
This message indicates that a new file is being received from the
transmitter. The file size is displayed in blocks and bytes.
Remote not responding!
This indicates that the remote computer did not execute HSLINK and
establish a connection within the two minute timeout period. This
message could also indicate that the wrong com port is being
selected, or that the port is configured improperly (wrong port
speed or IRQ setting).
Resending block #
This message indicates that the receiver has detected an erroneous
block and is requesting a re-transmission to correct the data.
Data flow continues where it left off prior to the resend, allowing
error recovery to take place without breaking out of full streaming
mode and without discarding data that is already in transit to the
receiver. This is the basis of Full-Streaming-Error-Correction.
Restarting current file
This indicates that the receiver was unable to recover from errors
encountered in processing the current file being transmitted, and
has requested that the file be started again from scratch.
Seek from block # to #
Under the most severe error conditions, the receiver may request
the transmitter to discard data that is in transit to the receiver
and to rewind to an earlier position in the file and resume
transmission.
Sending block # (# bytes/w:#) # cps
This is the normal status display while a file is being
transmitted. The message indicates the latest block number to be
transmitted, and in parenthesis indicates the number of bytes
transmitted and the current number of blocks that have been
transmitted without acknowledgement, which represents the size of
the transmit "window" that is currently in use. If this value
hangs at the current -W setting, you may benefit from a higher -W
setting on the command line. The estimated transfer speed is also
HS/Link 1.20 - 34 - Reference Guide
reported in ch/sec.
Sending file: ___ (# blocks, # bytes)
This message indicates that a new file is being transmitted to the
receiver. The file size is displayed in blocks and bytes.
Transfer aborted!
This message indicates that the current file transfer has been
aborted for some reason. The specific reason for the transfer
abort is usually also printed on the screen.
Waiting for remote.
This message indicates that HSLINK is waiting to handshake with the
remote computer. HSLINK will wait for 60 seconds for the other
computer to come online; after that the transfer is aborted. This
message can also indicate that you don not have the COM port
correctly specified or that a non-standard COM port configuration
may be required.
Warning: CTS signal missing! -HC will be assumed.
The CTS hardware handshake is normally enabled by default. If, on
initial loading, HSLINK finds that the CTS signal is down, it
assumes that the current hardware configuration is not using CTS
handshake and automatically disables further CTS handshake checks.
Use the -HC command line to manually disable CTS handshake.
Window: #
This indicates the actual number of blocks that are allowed to be
in transit without acknowledgement. This is controlled by the -W
parameter, and may be overridden by the remote computer if the
remote uses the -! (take priority) option.
Window: NONE
This indicates that the -A command line option has been specified,
and that the transmitter is required to continue indefinitely
without receiving any kind of acknowledgement from the receiver
that data is being received correctly.
HS/Link 1.20 - 35 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
License and Registration
___________________________________________________________________
This program is not free! You are hereby licensed to use this program
for a trial period of 30 days free of charge. If, after 30 days, you
decide that you would like to continue using HSLINK, you must complete
the registration form (REGISTER.FRM) and return it to the author with
the required registration fee enclosed.
Registration removes the "UNREGISTERED" messages as well as all time
delays and enables you to initiate a CHAT session. Your registration
number will be broadcast to the remote copy of hslink.
Basic HSLINK registration costs $20 US, which includes a registration
certificate showing a Serial Number and Password. The latest version of
HSLINK is available on disk. A nicely typeset and bound reference guide
is also available. Please print out the file REGISTER.FRM for specific
registration details.
Please feel free to distribute unregistered HSLINK to your friends and
local BBSs as long as all of the files in this archive are included and
unmodified.
Send your registration payment to:
SAMUEL H. SMITH
P. O. BOX 4808
PANORAMA CITY, CA 91412-4808
U.S.A.
HS/Link registration can also be ordered ON LINE by credit card through
any of the Tool Shop BBS phone lines.
___________________________________________________________________
License Agreement for Shareware distributors
___________________________________________________________________
Shareware distributors may distribute this program as long as the author
has been notified, in writing, prior to ANY distribution. The "per
disk" charge may not exceed $6 and the shareware distributor will not
change the above license fee for the end user of HSLINK. End users are
not exempt from registering HSLINK with the author at the normal
registration fee.
HS/Link 1.20 - 36 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Support
___________________________________________________________________
HS/Link was Written by Samuel H. Smith. Contact me at:
The Tool Shop BBS
Phone number Modem type
(818) 891-1344 v.32bis/v.42bis
(818) 891-6780 Hayes-V 9600
(818) 891-3772 USR HST 9600
You will always find the latest release version of HS/Link on the Tool
Shop, as well as a variety of support files and programs.
HS/Link is also supported by a number of authorized distributors
throughout the world. Please refer to DISTRIB.DOC for the latest
distributor list.
The HS/Link Support Conference is carried by UN'I-Net/US, SmartNet, RIME
and possibly a number of other echo networks. You can get direct
product support through a local BBS that carries this echo conference.
Voice support is available tuesday through friday between 9am and 6pm
pacific time at (818) 891-4228.
___________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer
___________________________________________________________________
IN NO EVENT WILL I BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOST
PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM, OR FOR ANY
CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY.
HS/Link 1.20 - 37 - Reference Guide
___________________________________________________________________
Index
___________________________________________________________________
Aborting a transfer (7)
Auto-download (29)
Basic settings (9)
Configuration files
HSCONFIG (8)
specifying alternate configuration files (8)
Context sensitive help (10)
Crash recovery
-R (14)
DesqView
-I2 (16)
-NV (19)
Display bleeding (6)
DoubleDOS
-I3 (16)
-NV (19)
DSZLOG (30)
ERRORLEVEL (32)
Errors
-HS (7)
COM Overrun (11), (25)
Exit codes (32)
File sharing (28)
Flow control (24), (25)
-HS (7)
HSCONFIG (8)
HST (27)
Installation
In BBS programs (22)
In COMM programs (22)
Non-standard COM ports (12)
NS16550AN (26)
Options
-! (15)
-@ (8)
-@fname (20)
-A (15)
-Bbaud (12)
-C (13)
-CBcolor (19)
-CGcolor (19)
-CMcolor (19)
-CP (19)
-CTcolor (19)
-CWcolor (19)
-Ebaud (13)
-FC (17)
-FT (17)
HS/Link 1.20 - 38 - Reference Guide
-HC (13)
-HR (13)
-HS (7), (11)
-HX (13)
-Iidle (16)
-K (14)
-LFlogfile (17)
-N! (20)
-N5 (17)
-NA (17)
-NB (15)
-NC (15)
-NF (18)
-NG (20)
-NK (20)
-NM (16)
-NOdirlist (17)
-NT (13)
-NU (20)
-NV (6), (19)
-O (15)
-PBbase (12)
-PIirq (12)
-Pport (7), (11)
-R (14)
-Ssize (15)
-T (20)
-Udir (7), (11)
-Wwindow (15)
PC-Pursuit
-W (15)
Example (21)
Registration (36)
Support (37)
V.32 (27)
Zmodem (27)
HS/Link 1.20 - 39 - Reference Guide