DOCS: DeTerm
From: Michael Current (aa700@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 01/28/92-10:47:27 PM Z
From: aa700@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael Current)
Subject: DOCS: DeTerm
Date: Tue Jan 28 22:47:27 1992
Reprinted from the A.C.E.C. BBS (614)-471-8559
All versions of DeTerm are
copyright (c)1988 By James Dillow. All
rights reserved.
DeTerm is a Share-Ware program,
if you have something you would like
to share send to:
Jim Dillow
P.O. Box 2552
Sarasota,FL 33578
If you write me a letter please
do not expect me to reply, it does
warm my heart but at this point in my
life I dislike writing letters, I am
into using the phone. Also at any time
in past or future you sent or send
Email via either Compuserve or Genie
and I did or do not reply it is
probably because I filed your address
and then lost it, try yelling at me
one more time.
DeTerm is a telecommunication
program written entirely in assembly
language for the the Atari XL, XE, 800
computers with 48k and at least one
disk drive. Please make a back up copy
of DeTerm and all support files, just
to be safe.
And now for the beginners, if
someone or some media tells you that
DeTerm is not for beginners ignore
them. I am sure when you were learning
to tie your shoes no one came up and
said "Oh do not do that you are a
beginner", right, instead you were
probably applauded when you were able
to tie them yourself (in my case it
was more like "about time" <grin>).
First follow the directions on
how to boot Determ then relax and for
gosh sakes do not be shy, just jump in
and play, if you do nothing you learn
nothing. If and when you have a
question, ask, first yourself then
someone else. Trust your feelings and
experiment, it's fun and part of your
natural growth..
DeTerm SX212:for the SX212 modem
connected to SIO port, last in chain.
Has a built in handler which relocates
to lomem on boot, please do not append
one.
DeTerm XM301:for the XM301 and 1030
modems connected to SIO port, last in
chain. Has a built in handler which
relocates to lomem on boot, please do
not append one.
DeTerm 850:for Hayes or compatible
modems connected to a 850, P:R: or
MIO. DT850 is appended to a 850
booter.
DeTerm Mpp:for the Mpp modems pluged
into joy stick port #2. Has a built in
handler which relocates to lomem on
boot, please do not append one.
DeTerm:for Hayes or compatible modems
but has no booter or handler, you will
have to supply your own. Works fine on
an MIO.
BOOTING UP!
As you might have noticed by now,
90% of all docs for DeTerm are in help
files. I suggest that you place them
on a separate disk.
Note:Please do not change help file
names if you wish to use them. DeTerm
uses file name "HELP.xxx" where xxx=is
an alpha numeric extender.
If using DTXM, DTMPP, DTSX212 and
you have a P:R: or 850 interface
please do not boot them, because the
handlers are built in. If you do boot
them it will raise lomem and you might
not have enough memory to run DeTerm.
Booting with DOS 2.0 or 2.5:
1> construct a boot disk containing
DOS files (including RAMDISK.COM, if
appropriate), and DeTerm. Rename the
DeTerm file AUTORUN.SYS
2> Boot your computer (modem on) with
the disk in D1: IMPORTANT-> HOLD DOWN
THE OPTION KEY to disable Basic (XL/XE
... 800 users, remove the Basic
cartridge.)
Booting with SpartaDOS:
1> rename DeTerm to DETERM.COM.
2> boot the computer (modem on), put
your DeTerm disk in D1: and go to DOS.
You can run DeTerm from the command
line or from a batch file.
Disable basic before running.
NOTE:DeTerm works with TDLINE ON and
KEY ON.
AUX FILES
DeTerm attempts to load some
auxiliary files off the drive you are
booting from (no harm if they're not
there). These are:
LIST.BAT - simply contains the name
of your default 'phone list', followed
by a RETURN. (Phone lists are created
within DeTerm ... see below.) The name
in LIST.BAT MUST BE A FULL FILESPEC,
including the drive number. You can
create LIST.BAT file by typing in the
following basic program and running
it:
100 DIM A$(30):A$="D1:PHONE.LST":REM
or whatever name you like.
110 OPEN #1,8,0,"D1:LIST.BAT":REM
open file
120 PRINT #1;A$:REM print the name
130 CLOSE #1:REM done!
140 END
Another way to create the LIST.BAT
file using your Dos's copy routine,
copy from E: to D:LIST.BAT, type
D:PHONE.LST (press RETURN)
hold down on the control key and press
'3'.
In the above examples, after DeTerm
boots it will read LIST.BAT to find
the name of your list file, then load
that file into the appropriate buffer.
MODEM.BAT - is a 'setup' file that
allows you to send commands directly
to your modem before running DeTerm
(consult your modem documentation to
see what commands you can send.)
Again, each command or string of
commands must end with an Atari RETURN
character.
To create a MODEM.BAT file type in the
following basic program and run it:
100 DIM A$(30)
110 OPEN #1,8,0,"D1:MODEM.BAT"
120 A$="ATX2":REM select extended
result codes
130 PRINT #1;A$:REM Send to file
140 A$="ATS11=60":REM Speed tone dial
up a bit
150 PRINT #1;A$:REM Send to file
160 CLOSE #1:REM done!
170 END
Or again using your Dos's copy
routine, copy from E: to D:MODEM.BAT
and type:
ATX2 (press RETURN)
ATS11=60 (press RETURN)
hold down on the control key and press
'3'.
In the above examples, after DeTerm
boots it reads MODEM.BAT and sends the
commands:
ATX2 (return)
ATS11=60 (return)
to your modem, just as if you'd typed
them in yourself.
DEFAULTS - Loads user defaults, set
previously (see ETC.)
MENU NAVIGATION
DeTerm uses an ST-like interface
which includes extensive use of
Windows and Drop Down Menus. The first
thing you'll notice is the menu line
at the top of the screen, which
contains the following:
Online R:Dev Modem Disk Etc Quit
RUNNING A MENU
Whenever the Menu Line is
displayed, you can Run a menu (display
the commands in the menu) in a couple
of ways:
Cycle the bar cursor through the
choices by pressing the OPTION or
SELECT keys, as well as any of the
'arrow' keys (without pressing the
control key.) When you get to the menu
you wish to access, press either START
or RETURN.
OR press the FIRST LETTER of the Menu
you wish to run (no RETURN necessary.)
In both cases, the menu window under
the header will open, and you'll see
the supported commands.
Note:To display commands a section has
(also a brief summary of the commands)
position the cursor bar over menu
header and then press the '?' key.
SELECTING A MENU OPTION
Once the commands are displayed, you
again have a couple of options to run
a specific command:
Use an 'arrow' key to cycle the
cursor through the commands. When you
reach the command you want, press
RETURN or the START key.
Type the FIRST LETTER of the command
(no RETURN is necessary.)
The command will be executed, and, in
most cases, you'll be returned to the
drop down menu.
MENU GLOBAL
In all menus, a few 'global' commands
will prove useful:
1-9 pressing a number will display
the directory of the drive specified.
You can stop a directory display by
pressing SELECT.
?- This is your help key. Make sure
all help files are in source drive,
position the cursor bar over the
command or menu header you need help
with and press the '?' key.
Q - Quit .. this will close the menu,
and return you to the menu line.
ESC - Pressing the ESCAPE key causes
an immediate jump to terminal mode.
INPUT CONVENTIONS
When inputting text into a DeTerm
window (eg. phone number, file name,
etc.) the regular Atari edit keys
(Backspace, Insert, Delete, etc.) are
supported.
For most input operations, use
the SELECT key to cancel the operation
and return to the menu currently
running. When any Y/N (Yes/No) prompt
appears pressing SELECT is treated by
DeTerm as a NO.
THAT'S IT!
Once again, be sure to get all the
help files from DTHELP.ARC in this Library.
They will give you specific details on
any of the DETERM commands. When you boot
DETERM for the first time, try the '?' key
on anything you're unsure about before you
start dialing. And if you need more help,
please leave a message!
--
Michael Current, Cleveland Free-Net 8-bit Atari SIGOp -->> go atari8 <<--
The Cleveland Free-Net Atari SIG is the Central Atari Information Network
Internet: currentm@carleton.edu / UUCP: ...!umn-cs!ccnfld!currentm
BITNET: currentm%carleton.edu@interbit / Cleveland Free-Net: aa700
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