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DCOM 3.3
Instructions
Copyright (c) 1986 James A. Hayes
Cardiff, California
P.O. Box 221044
University City, California
92122-1044
Use this program at your own risk. Feel free to distribute SIDE ONE of
the distribution diskette, as everything needed to run DCOM is
contained on SIDE ONE. SIDE TWO contains the complete unassembled
program. Side two is provided as a service to programmers who wish to
add customized functions or modify DCOM for special hardware. Please
feel free to distribute the distribution diskette to your friends and
clubs, as it is shareware, and encourages me to make DCOM better and
better...
New Features/Fixes in Version 3.3:
1) Echo to printer option now operational.
2) Screen print routine operation.
3) VT52 Identify command is now fixed. (Word-11 users unite!)
4) Minor bugs have been fixed.
Official Announcement:
(Yes, it's a sneaky way to get your attention!)
DCOM 3.3 now responds to lots of VT200 commands. It responds to LOCAL
LINE EDITING commands as well as INSERT/DELETE line commands.
What does this mean for you?
Under UNIX, you can set your terminal to a VT200 or VT220 and get much
better performance while using TviU and other editors. This means that
you don't have to wait for lines to be resent, or characters to slide
over in the insert mode. It is all automatic.
Under VMS some applications can use these sequences to make screen
updating more efficient.
If you have problems
or want to send a donation:
Jim Hayes
P.O. Box 221044
University City CA
92122-1044
(619) 587-1431 (Until June of '87)
Or send ARPA or UUCP mail to:
ARPA: hayes@ucsd.edu
UUCP: {ucbvax|ihnp4|scgvaxd|decvax}!sdcsvax!hayes
Background
The DCOM VT100 emulator was developed from utter frustration at
the lack of a suitable terminal emulator on the market. While some
programs promise bullet proof VT100 with enough features to choke a
horse, they often cost over $150 dollars. DCOM does one thing, it
emulates a VT100 terminal. Period.
When I started college, I purchased a modem with the intention
of dialing in to the school's mainframe systems. At the time, I
thought my little Apple ][ would work just fineI until I tried to use
an editor or play a game. Enter DCOM. It does just what a VT100
does... without the additional fluff of file transfer or 65536
different keyboard macros.
Like I said, in the mainframe computer world, connecting an
Apple Personal Computer can be (and most usually is) FRUSTRATING! So
many problems that didn't used to be problems start showing up. For
instance: Can the computer talk to the modem? Is the modem wired
properly to talk to the computer? Will my screen respond in the way
the mainframe wants it to? DCOM aids/eliminates these problems.
DCOM is written entirely in 6502 assembly language and is started from a
small BASIC program at boot time. It does not use interrupts and can operate
at speeds as fast as 7200 baud when using RdumbS interface cards. (See Driver
Notes at the end of this manual.
Instructions
Before you can successfully run DCOM, you must know a few
things about the hardware connected to your computer. These are the
major questions:
1. Can my modem dial the phone using the standard Hayes dialing
commands? (Like ATDT 5551234) If it cannot, you will have to dial
the phone manually.
2. What communications parameters do I need to know, so I can let
DCOM know how to talk to the remote computer? (Find out things like
how many stop and data bits you need. Find out if the computer you are
calling requires some form of parity. If you cannot find out,
experiment! You can't hurt DCOM by typing at the keyboard.
3. What type of display is installed in my computer? (//e, //c,
DoubleVision, Videx, etc.)
4. What type of connection will I be using? (The Apple //c serial
port, the Super Serial Card in the //e or ][ series, an ALS dispatcher,
etc.)
5. What RslotS in my Apple is the serial device located? (Slot 2
on most machines, always slot 2 on the //c)
6. Does my keyboard really send TRUE uppercase characters, or has
it been modified for use with my 80 column card or a favorite word
processor? (The //e and //c have true upper/lower case keyboards, most
other systems do not. If you don't have a true keyboard, you will have
to type a special key to get special characters like: { } [ ] \ | ~ ` _
and NULL.)
Don't worry if you can't answer all the questions, because DCOM
doesn't really care too much. You will just need to experiment a
little bit... this can be educational and fun.
Starting the program
Insert the DCOM disk into your computer and turn your modem and
computer's power on. Since it is your first time, follow directions on
the screen to get to the configuration section so you can tell DCOM
what hardware is installed inside your Apple. You will be asked a few
questions about your computer.
1. What keyboard do you have? Select the correct keyboard from
the two presented. Remember, true upper/lower case keyboards usually
have a RCAPS LOCKS key. (If you don't have a true upper/lower case
keyboard, use the other option. Please note, however, you MUST have
the shift key of the keyboard wired to paddle button number two in
order to get uppercase letters.)
2. What 80-column display do you have? Select your card (or what
your card emulates) from the list presented. If your card does not
emulate one of the devices on the list, then you cannot use DCOM.
Please see the section about writing your own driver at the end of this
manual.
3. What serial communication card do you have? This is just
asking how your computer talks to your modem. Choose your card (or
what your card emulates) from the list. If your card does not appear
on the list, experiment with the RGeneric Pascal CompatibleS driver or
the ALS dispatcher driver. They usually work with most anything. If
you aren't running on a //c you will be asked what slot your serial
card is located in.
4. What dialing personality do you have? This question is not to
be taken personally! DCOM needs to know what to use to dial your
modem. If you are connected directly to a network or host, those
options are available. If you're not sure, choose the RDUMBS option
from the menu and dial the phone manually.
5. You will finally be asked whether you want to save the settings
or start over. When you type TSU your settings will be saved to the
disk and loaded everytime the computer is powered up.
When asked, type [RETURN] to start the terminal.
Using the Terminal Emulator
When you type [RETURN] to get things rolling, the screen will
clear and inform you that is is loading. Soon, the words RDcom
3.3 (9/86) Ready, set, Go!...S will appear. Now it's your
turn.
READ THIS: In the following sections, you will be asked to
hold down the Open-Apple or Closed-Apple key. Hold down either key
and strike the other key mentioned. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THESE KEYS: Use
a button on your joystick or other gaming device. If your are using
the non-true upper/lower case driver, strike [CTRL-A] as if it were one
of the Apple keys. To send a [CTRL-A] just type it twice.
Setting the Communications Parameters
It's all down hill from here! You are ready to play. Hold
your finger on the OA or CA key and type an M or m. You are now in the
modem parameter menu. If your computer hardware is not capable of
being controlled by the computer, this menu will not appear, and you
will be asked to hit return after a polite message telling you so. If
you found all the answers to the introductory session, type the
corresponding choice letters on the screen. If you didn't get all the
answers, try 8 data bits, one stop bit and no parity. Choose the baud
rate depending on the speed of your modem.
When you finish, type [ESC] to return to the terminal.
The Setup Menu
To Invoke the setup menu, type p or p [ESC]. The setup menu
will appear. It is the terminal Rcontrol panelS of DCOM. With it you
may:
1. Adjust tab stop settings
2. Reset the terminal to a recognizable state. (This is useful
when your host puts DCOM into strange modes and then forgets to reset
them; or when phone line noise puts you into the inverse or graphics
modes.)
3. Save the terminals settings.
4. Make a click evertime you touch a key
5. Truncate characters (or wrap them around) when they bang into
the right side of the screen. 6. Invert the screen
Just strike the key corresponding to the mode you want to enter.
Dialing the Phone
(or connecting to a system if on a direct wired network...)
Use OA or CA D, enter the phone number (or system name) and hit return.
Redialing
Use OA or CA A.
Hanging up
Use OA or CA X. In some cases this may take a few seconds.
Printing
To echo everything received from the host to the printer, use OA
or CA P. The output will be sent to the printer as fast as DCOM can ship
it. To print the entire contents of the screen, use OA or CA S. NOTE:
There may be some delay when the printer is printing, do not worry,
this should not interfere too much with your session.
Sending a RBreakS Signal
If your hardware is capable of sending break pulse, typing OA or
CA B will send one. (Break signals are useful when using data switches
or systems that rely on the user sending a break so the system can
recognize your baud rate.
Using VT100 Keys That Do Not Appear on Your Keyboard.
The VT100 terminal has some very special keys that don't appear
on your Apple's keyboard. To type these nonexistent keys, use the OA or
CA and use the chart at the end of this manual.
Exiting the Terminal
A. Type @ from the setup menu.
B. Turn the power off.
C. Type [CTRL-RESET]
(B and C will not save the terminal defaults.)
Writing Your own Hardware Drivers
If DCOM does not support your current hardware configuration,
you can write your own driver to support it. On side one of
the diskette (executable code), there are three text files
called RDRIVER SPECIFICATIONS.xS where x is part 1, 2 or 3.
They contain about 20 pages of applications notes formatted for
80 columns and 66 lines/page. You will need to print these out
to do any serious work.
Notes About Hardware Implementations
Here are some notes about the DCOM hardware implementations:
Communications Drivers:
1. The Super Serial Card and //c driver do the most so far in
terms of setting options and sending break signals.
2. The ALS Dispatcher does not allow certain combinations of
settings due to its own hardware limitations. The baud rate can only
be set by dip switches on the card.
3. The Mountain Computer CPS Multifunction Card cannot yet send a
break signal. It also cannot send a CTRL-A. To work properly, Paging
on the serial port must be turned off, and the serial card must be the
default communication device. These options are choosen from the SETUP
program on the CPS distribution disk.
4. The Generic Pascal compatible driver works with almost
anything, but does not support hardware break signals nor the changing
of any settings.
Screen Drivers:
1. The Double Vision and OmniVision drivers flicker when the
screen scrolls. This cannot be fixed without reducing screen update
speed and losing characters.
2. The VIDEX 80 column driver is a little sluggish. I'm trying to
get it in better shape now.
Dialing Drivers:
1. The Hayes dialing drivers are slow to allow for Roff-brandS
modems to work also.
2. The Ungermann/Bass Net-One driver can only disconnect at the
R>>S prompt.
{Graphic intensive charts omitted...}
Summary of charts:
OA or CA:
Q = Pf1 1 = Keypad one, ... , 9 = Keypad 9.
W = Pf2
E = Pf3
R = Pf4