SUBJECT : MDM740 MODEM PROGRAM GENERAL INFORMATION FROM : IRV HOFF W6FFC DATE : 07 MAY 84 NOTICE: THIS PROGRAM IS COPYRIGHTED. IT MAY BE USED AT NO CHARGE FOR PERSONAL USE BUT MAY NOT BE ALTERED OR CHANGED WITHOUT PERMISSION. IT IS NOT CONSIDERED A PUB- LIC DOMAIN PROGRAM. DISTRIBUTION AT NO CHARGE OR PECUNIARY BENEFIT IS PERMITTED. I had thought MDM730 was going to be the last in this series. I recently got my first autodial modem (A Racal-Vadic VA212PA). It has some features few other modems have, one of which is the ability to auto-link any of the 15 phone numbers it can store, in any sequence or combination. I fell in love with that feature immediately and decided I could do the same thing with the modem program itself. Hence MDM740 seemed very worthwhile and I was certain it would be well received. This also offers the opportunity to fix a few trivial things that have recently been noticed even though they were apparently around since MODEM7 days. Adding auto-linking is an entirely new ballgame! It gives the user a maximum opportunity to contact any of a group of numbers, athough it greatly simplifies calling just one number. It also offers an unique choice of options as illustrated below. The same program is now equally effective on either mainframes with logon messages or RCPM systems that expect some user-typed characters to commence the operation. ---------------------------------- AUTO-LINKING PHONE NUMBERS If the number you want to dial is busy, you would like to have it automatically redialed until it answers. However, you might like to call any of a group of numbers and be happy to take whichever one first becomes available. Auto-linking allows a group of numbers to be listed and they are then continuously dialed one after the other, until one is available. MDM740 permits from 1-32 numbers to be linked together in any way. There are two options: B>>COMMAND: CAL A,D,R,3,Z 1) B>>COMMAND: CAL F, 2) B>>COMMAND: CAL A/D/R/3/Z 3) B>>COMMAND: CAL F/ 4) B>>COMMAND: CAL A,D,A,R,A,3,A,Z 5) B>>COMMAND: CAL F 6) 1) using a comma (,) will beep continuously when connected to the first available number - touching any key stops the beep and goes to terminal mode. 2) just the one number is linked to itself and redials until connected. Beeps continuously until stopped with any key. 3) using a slash (/) will beep only once when connected and then automatically go directly to terminal mode - this is useful where some mainframes such as IBM and UNIX send a logon note assuming you are already able to copy as soon as connected. 4) just the one number is linked to itself and redials until connected. Beeps only once and goes to terminal mode. 5) illustrates how one number can be given top priority. 6) system used previously - if connected on first try, beeps one time and jumps directly to terminal mode. If no connection, asks the operator if he wants to try again or try continuous- ly until a connected is made - at which time it beeps until a key is depressed. ---------------------------------- ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO MDM740 a) If the disk filled while in the terminal mode and copying to disk, the FCB file name was being closed instead of the FCB3 file name. That has been fixed. (It must have rarely occured as has been that way for several years. Now it can't happen.) The original system was developed for normal file transfer and this oversight was never noticed. b) The command line backspace has been fixed - that dates back to MODEM7 days. If a CTL-character was accidently typed, and you backspaced, the cursor would move, frequently moving "too far left". Fixed now for normal operation. c) Several changes suggested by Ron Fowler and Bob Plouffe for batch mode transfer when using BYE and checksum operation. d) Problem with the alternate long distance dialing (Sprint, MCI, etc.) fixed. Added a short delay between the digits in a phone number when sent to the modem to allow the alternate dialing systems to work properly. (Previously a problem on many modems.) (PMMI modems not affected.) e) Ringback fixed to work properly whether hand entered numbers or from the main table via a single character. Of interest mostly to PMMI users, although some intelligent modems can detect rings when dialing and can call ringback numbers. (Are there are such things still in existence?) f) Those using autodial will no longer see any +++ ATH ATD etc. Instead you will see messages (Busy for Anchor), No Connect, On Line, etc. when connected. An error prints Abort. Each attempt now has its own line - this seemed more appropriate when using linking, plus looks better with the messages added. g) Several other quite trivial changes such as adding a copyright notice, modest change in the menu when displaying the function key intercept character, etc. (An ESC showed as ^[ previously.) NOTE: ALL NORMAL OVERLAYS WILL WORK ON MDM740. SPECIAL OVERLAYS THAT ARE VERSION DEPENDENT THAT WERE USED WITH MDM730 WILL WORK ON MDM740. THOSE SPECIAL ONES (SUCH AS FOR THE MICROMODEM, NOVATION, OSBORNE COMM-PAC), ETC. WILL NOT OFFER AUTO- LINKING UNLESS FURTHER MODIFIED. ---------------------------------- PATCH TO SLOW THE FUNCTION KEYS: Currently the function keys send a character and wait for an echo. Since some people use 1-2 of the keys for secret passwords for mainframe use (where the characters are not echoed back), there has to be a com- promise between the length of time you are willing to wait for the echo character to be returned. Normally it is returned very shortly after it is sent but on some systems it may take longer. It is currently set to wait a maximum of 200 milliseconds. (A normal character takes 33 milli- seconds at 300 baud). If this is too slow and takes too long to submit your secret password try this change: 1E6D CD 8C 01 to 7C 7C 7C If either this or the original setting is too fast, you will drop some characters from showing on the CRT under normal use. If the origi- nal setting is still too fast, and you do not use secret passwords which are not echoed, you can use this change: 1E6D CD 8C 01 to 47 06 01 1E70 CD 8C 01 to CD D4 28 This will wait up to one full second for the character to be echoed back and should be quite satisfactory on even the slowest systems. (We used this originally, before some people started using the function keys for secret passwords, such as signing on to Compuserve, etc.) ---------------------------------- PATCH TO NOT SHOW "SPRINT" NUMBERS: If for some reason you do not wish to see the alternate long dis- tance dialing numbers, etc., make this change: 07FB CD 9D 2B to 00 00 00 0818 CD 9D 2B to 00 00 00 ---------------------------------- PATCH TO "UNDO-J" In past years when copying a file, you needed a lot of characters on the command line when using MODEM7. That program was explicity for use with the PMMI S-100 modem. Times change and so have modems. As recently as a year or so ago, even without a PMMI modem you had to say: B>>COMMAND: RCT to receive a file with CRC and then jump to terminal mode when finished. If working modem to modem, only one person could do this, the other had to be in echo mode and he had to wait until the file was finished and at that time say: B>>COMMAND: E to go to echo so the two of you could talk via the keyboard and discuss the name of the next file to be sent, etc. What a nuisance. That has been fixed so now the person receiving the file says: B>>COMMAND: R and this assumes CRC protocol and will automatically return to terminal mode upon file completion. This allows him to select "E" or "T" or "L" originally. This has never been possible prior to MDM730. It is one of the finest features recently added, as no "RT" or "ST" is needed. This gives several advantages. Allows automatic and simple use of modem-to-modem between two systems. As soon as you see the transfer is done, either party can start typing without saying "are you copying this now?" (Standard query prior to MDM730.) It also gives a standard for- mat since when using XMODEM on RCPMs you only say "R" or "S" for normal CRC use - now you have the same commands for MDM740. Finally the more advanced RCPM systems now use the XMODEM90 series, which tell you how long you have been on the system as soon as the file transfer is done. You can see this with the older programs when using "RT" but it is now automatic with only the standard "R". To placate those who want to return automatically to the command mode instead of terminal mode, there is now "RJ" or "SJ". (Of course you can easily type a CTL-E if you want to go from terminal mode to command mode after the transfer is done.) HOWEVER, there seem to a few die-hards who are so used to the "RT" and "ST" they don't care for the "R" or "S", so here is how to "UNDO-J" to return to the older method requiring "RT" or "ST" to go to terminal mode upon file completion. This mod defeates the useful feture added in MDM730, but if you insist, here it is: 2AFB CA to C2 4952 4A to 54 495F 4A to 54 ---------------------------------- SUMMARY: I am CONFIDENT that using the linking method just one time will have you wondering why it was never offered "years ago". My excuse is I always hand-dialed the Bell 212A modem until I recently got the Racal- Vadic and saw how simple it was to add auto-linking. Now I use it all the time, even on a single number. For example to call Compuserve I have two numbers. The one is usually busy but is local and the second is seldom busy but is weaker. I use this: B>>COMMAND: CAL D/C and it calls my favorite (often busy) number first then tries the second one automatically. - Irv Hoff