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Comm.System Documentation v2.3 Apple II Freeware Copyright 1990-91 by Jim Ferr May be distributed freely, but not sold for profit. About Comm.System Comm.System, or CS for short, is an Apple II comm program based on Warp Six BBS, and was written for the fun of it. The program is small (13K), simple, and yet it includes Xmodem file transfer capability and a small copy buffer (about 20K). This version of Comm.System is distributed both with Warp Six BBS and separately. Its Xmodem and I/O routines are based on Warp Six BBS v8.1. CS has no ambitions to become a huge commercial program, so it is likely to stay small and free of charge. I'd appreciate any comments and suggestions you have for additional "minor" features, but I don't plan to add Ymodem, Zmodem or the kitchen sink in the future. I'd like to add text send capability, but I'm too lazy at the moment to think about it. :) CS is freeware, and you are not obligated to pay anything for it. I won't complain if you make a contribution, but you don't have to be guilt-ridden if you do not. If you re-distribute CS, please distribute both the program and this doc file, unchanged. CS is copyright, and I still retain ownership of the source code. What's New in this version The feature that displays the elapsed time of file transfers always saying the time elapsed was zero hours and zero minutes. This has been fixed. I also added a single beep at the end of the file transfer to inform you when it is complete. The Xmodem module now sends 8 Control-X characters to cancel a transfer instead of only 3 -- some programs weren't getting the message. They will now. <grin> A large block of "program constants and data" was moved closer to the start of the program to make patching Comm.System easier to accomplish. For example, to change the default baud rate, get into AppleSoft BASIC under ProDOS and enter the following in the same directory as Comm.System, hitting the Return key to enter each line: BLOAD COMM.SYSTEM,TSYS POKE 8192+60,2 BSAVE COMM.SYSTEM,TSYS Location 8192 is the start address of the program. POKE 8192+60 means "put the following value into byte 60". Don't attempt to apply a patch using any version of Basic.System older than 1.4, as the infamous bug in BSAVE could make mince meat of the program. Here are some values you can change: Location Description Default value Explanation Byte 60 default baud rate 3 1=300, 2=1200, 3=2400 etc. Byte 61 default duplex 0 0=full, 255=half duplex byte 64 touch tone flag 255 0=pulse dial, 255=touch tone Hardware Requirements Comm.System runs on the II Plus (64K), IIe, IIc, IIc Plus and IIgs, automatically determining the cpu type and activating any ProDOS-recognized 80 column card. It runs in 40 columns on the II Plus and IIe if no 80 column card is found. Hardware compatibility chart (Find your cpu in the left column. The required interface and modem are on the same line. Note: Instead of a 'Hayes or compatible external', you could substitute the AE DataLink 2400 -- except on the IIgs. Where you see Super Serial Card, you could substitute the AE Serial Pro or or other SSC compatible card. In call cases, the interface or modem port is expected in slot 2.) Cpu Interface Used Modem CS expects to find Apple II (64K) Super Serial Card Hayes or compatible external Apple II Plus Super Serial Card Hayes or compatible external Apple IIe Super Serial Card Hayes or compatible external Apple IIc Built-in modem port Hayes or compatible external Apple IIc Plus Built-in modem port Hayes or compatible external Apple IIgs Built-in modem port Hayes or compatible external Comm.System does NOT support any other interfaces. If you have a IIgs, it assumes you have an external modem connected to the modem port and will not support any other configuration, unlike Warp Six BBS. Comm.System always uses 8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit to communicate, and works in full duplex (no echo), or half duplex (echo), and when in terminal mode, sends normal ASCII (high bit clear), and clears the high bit of incoming text. Xmodem file transfer: if you wish to abort a transfer, hit the ESC key once and CS will abort AFTER the current packet is fully sent or received. If CS "hangs" for any reason (It shouldn't -- Please let me know the circumstances if it does!), hitting Control-Reset (or just Reset on the II and II Plus) will restart it, flushing any open files. Most internal messages from the program are prefixed with "CS: ", so you know that Comm.System, and not your host, is printing the message. Please send comments and suggestions either online or at my mail address: --- GEnie: J.FERR CompuServe: 75047,2455 | Jim Ferr America Online: JFerr | 26-95 DeCarie Circle Apple TechLink BBS: (416) 513-5544 | Etobicoke, ON M9B 3J5 Canada