COMS-47s

Preface

Note:-
Com-47s is compiled for use on 8086's.
Com2-47s is compiled for use with 8286's.
Com3-47s is compiled for use with 8386's.
Coms-47s is compiled for use on 8486's. 
Please use the program that's written for your machine, as this allows
more memory when you shell to DOS (see "DOS" below). All the programs are
identical, and require either an EGA or VGA video card, except com-47s,
and com2-47s which also cover CGA as well (NOT TESTED).


The program was devised to be as simple as possible to set up and use, to 
allow the beginner easy access to Packet (hopefully anyway).

OK with that said here goes nothing:-

Installation:-

Coms-47 should come to you with the following files:-

COMS47.INI      This file contains ALL the installation settings for the TNC,
		COMS it's self, and the function key settings you choose to
		use.

COMS-47S.EXE    The program file you should use with a 486 (see above).

coms47.END      The settings sent to the TNC, when you EXIT the program.

COMS47.TXT      This file in plain ASCII.


To use COMS-47S, only three of the files:- COMS-47.EXE, coms47.INI, and 
coms47.END need to reside in one directory.


SETTING UP COMS-47S

Before you start to set up COMS-47S, you need to know which SERIAL PORT (COM 
PORT) your tnc is connected to, the IRQ (interrupt for the port),and the 
baud rate that the tnc is set too.

Common IRQ's are:-
IRQ 3      Normaly set to COMPORT 2 on IBM's.
IRQ 4      Normaly set to COMPORT 1 on IBM's.

(Note, COMS-47S, allows you to set a None standard IRQ)

Setting Up the COMS47.INI file.


The first 7 lines of the coms47.ini file are the only ones which are 
important to the program, AND MUST BE THERE!!
The rest of the lines are purely settings for either the tnc or for setting 
up the function keys.

Sample:-

COM2
9600
N
8
1
IR3
TINY2

The first line refers to the serial port that the tnc is connected to.
Valid entries are:-
COM1           COM2            COM3            COM4

The second line refers to the baud rate that the computer and tnc communicate 
to each other at, and should be set to the same speed as the tnc is configured 
to.
Valid entries are:-
75     110     150     300    600     1200     1800     2400    4800    9600    
38400  57600

The third line refers to the PARITY setting  of the tnc.
Valid entries are:-
N       E       M       O       S
where:-  N stands for NONE or NO PARITY.
	 E stands for EVEN.
	 M stands for MARK (always on).  
	 O stands for ODD.
	 S stands for SPACE (always off).

The fourth line refers to the number of DATA BITS that the tnc is set to.
Valid entries are:-
5       6       7       8

The fifth line is the number of STOP BITS that the tnc is set to.
Valid entries are:-
1       2

Ths sixth line tells COMS-47S which IRQ you are using, for the comport.
Valid entries are:-
IR2      IR3      IR4      IR5      IR6      IR7      IR8      IR9     IR10      
IR11     IR12     IR13     IR14     IR15

(Special Note:-
IRQ's 2 and 9 are normaly chained together in AT PC's, and should be avoided
on most systems. COM1 (IR4), COM2 (IR3), COM3 (IR4), COM4 (IR3) are the
normal IBM settings. If you wish to use more than 2 comports at the same
time (say via windows), then, the IRQ's MUST be different.)

The seventh line tells COMS-47S which tnc you are using.
Valid entries are:-
TINY2           KPC4



The suggested way to set up the coms47.ini is as follows:-
Rename the com46.ini file OLD.INI, and turn on your tnc.
Use Dos EDIT to make a new com47.ini file using the above as an example unless 
you know the settings for sure and experiment, by running up the program.
Most Tiny2's use the E,7,1 settings by default, but I would advise you, that
if you want to do YAPP transfers, that you alter this to N,8,1 using the 
AWLEN 8, PARITY 0, commands (see you tnc manual for more info.).
If characters appear on the screen and they appear GREEK then at least one of 
the settings in the first 5 lines are incorrect, and should be altered.
If later you find that Coms appears to seize up, then more than likely either 
the STOP BITS, DATA BITS or PARITY is wrong.
Typing the word EXIT followed by return, or pressing CTL-PAUSE (Break) will 
quit the program.
Once you have successfully test run the program, make a note of the settings.
Delete the coms.ini file and rename the OLD.INI file to coms47.INI, and use 
Dos EDIT to edit the settings to the settings you noted.

Function Key Settings:-

The settings for the function keys with in program can be set to any desired 
text string or command. These are set up in the coms47.ini file, and are the 
lines beginning with a capital F, in the example file e.g.:-
F1 cmd^mh
F2 C G9ROO-2
F8 DOS
F9 DOS edit
FB conv
FC cmd

The ^ character can be used to send a carriage return with in a line, as in 
the F1 line above, the cmd sends CTRL-C to the tnc to enter command mode, 
conv simple sends the CONV string to the tnc, and DOS [filename], will allow 
you to SHELL out to DOS and automatically run the file named.
These can be used in any combination that you find handy to have, either on 
their own or together. As the program only looks for 2 characters, function 
keys 10,11 & 12, are FA,FB & FC respectively.

Lines starting with a lower case f, are remarks which will be displayed when 
you press the escape key to list the function key settings while running the 
program.
f1 Mheard
f2 Connect to Ian's Mailbox.
f8 Shell out to Dos.
f9 Shell out to Dos, and run Edit.
fb Enter Converse Mode.
fc Enter Command mode.




Remainder of coms47.INI file:-
The remainder of the coms47.INI file are tnc settings that are sent when 
starting the program, and I would strongly advise you to leave them as 
they are, editing only your call sign in the MYCALL and MYP settings.
As it was found that there were occasional flaws in the way some tnc's were 
handshaking with the program; and on occasions the software was timing out, 
software handshaking is employed, and the following settings MUST be set in 
the coms47.INI file to the following values:-
CR on
FLOW on
LFADD off
XFLOW on
FLOW off
TRFLOW on
TXFLOW on
XOFF $13
XON $11

These settings mainly affect file transfers, whether they are BINARY or ASCII 
based, and it has been found that other packet programs change these settings, 
and may cause failures while attempting transfers if you don't include them 
in the .INI file.
If when you wish to EXIT the program you wish to alter these settings ready
for another program, then add your requirements to the .END file.

Commands

??
After running up the program for the first time try typing :-
??

Provided you entered no spaces before or after the two question marks, you 
should be looking at the HELP screen which lists all the available commands 
coms-47s knows about.
You can bring up this help when ever you wish whether you are connected to 
someone or not, with the exception of when you are performing a file transfer 
of any sort. If you wish to send two question marks to someone while 
connected, then please precede it with a space or add a space after it, other 
wise coms-47s will think you require the help screen. This simple rule applies 
to all the following commands.

EXIT
This command simply EXIT's the program, but sends the coms47.END file to the 
tnc, before finally terminating.
If you do not wish to send the coms47.END file to the tnc, then press 
CTRL-PAUSE  which sends the break command to the program, and will halt 
everything.

DAYTIME
{A KPC4 command}
Will send the date and time information from your PC to your tnc in the KPC4 
format for you, so setting it's clock.
Use this in Command mode else it will send the inf. to other user.

DATETIME
{A TINY2 command}
As DAYTIME above, but in TINY2 format.

DOS
Dos shell command, which sends you to the Dos prompt, so you can do almost 
anything that you may wish to do in DOS. You can exit the Dos shell by 
typing:-
EXIT
at the Dos prompt.

Unlike the DOS command used in the function key settings of the coms47.INI 
file, you cannot tack on a filename to run. (ie. DOS EDIT.COM would be a 
valid entry in the .INI file, but will not work if entered directly via the
keyboard).
Also note that while you are using the DOS shell, that data will continue to 
be received in the com port buffer. This buffer is big enough for you to do 
most things in Dos without the PC refusing to accept data from the tnc.

SAVE
This command tells the program, you will be receiving an ASCII file which you 
wish to save to disc. Once entered, the program will prompt you for a file
name. Please enter a standard Dos style file name of 8 characters FULLSTOP 3 
characters. (eg.   MYFILE.TXT)
The program will then ask you for text to send to the tnc. This could be 
something like:-
OK Jim send your file now>>
or
RM
if you are connected to a BBS.
The program will lastly ask you if you are ready? Y for yes will start the 
ball rolling, N will exit you from the save routine, and return you to where 
you were.
Once you answer "Y" for yes, the program will then send the TEXT LINE that 
you typed in to the tnc, and start saving an ASCII file.

To end the SAVE session, press CTRL-B and the file will be saved with the 
file name that you gave, unless a file of that name already exists; in which 
case you will see a directory listing of the chosen directory, and be prompted 
for a new name. Any normal DOS file name is valid, as long as it isn't there 
already.

POST
Is the opposite to save. It allows you to POST a file to someone, but can be
used to send multiple messages to a BBS, MAILBOX, or just another connected 
user:-
To a bbs:-
[If say you had two messages to send to the BBS, say G9QWE & G1POI]
Use Dos EDIT and make a file.
In the file, type in:-

SP G9QWE
Hello John
How's your motor.
73's FRED
/ex
SP G1POI
What's this about a 1 k ohm Steve?
I tried the 1k, but it still didn't squelch!
Any more Ideas?
BFN Fred.
/ex

If you connect to a BBS and then type:-
POST
followed by the name of the file that you gave it, then you should end up by 
sending two messages to the people who's call signs you used.

CLS
Is there purely for clearing the screen. It also sends the text "cls" to the 
person that you're connected to. The reason why it is also sent is so that the 
person the other end knows that you've now cleared your screen.

YAPPD
Yapp Down load, is here to allow you to down load binary files from either 
another user of COMS-4?,a BBS or what ever.
After entering this command, you will be asked to enter in text to be sent to 
the other user or BBS. i.e.
If you are connected to another user:-
OK PAUL I'M IN YAPP NOW SEND YOUR FILE>>
or
If you are connected to a BBS then:-
YD AFILE.EXE

The screen will then change to the YAPP screen. If after a few minutes nothing 
has happened and you wish to exit YAPPD then press CTRL-B.
Note:-
If you think the PC has HUNG by mistake, and you exit COMS by CTRL-ALT-DEL 
or CTRL-PAUSE then your tnc will remain in Transparent mode, and you will have 
to see you manual to find the code to get it out of this.

YAPPU
Is the command used for sending binary files to people.
If you are connected to another person then they should go into receive mode 
first. You will be asked for the filename to be sent. This should be in either 
the same directory as the COMS software, or one you selected via the DOS shell 
command.
CTRL-B will escape out of the YAPP routine, if you get stuck; as above.

SPECIAL KEYS:-

ESCAPE 
Can be used at any time other than file transfers to SEE either the comments
entered in the coms47.INI file for the function keys, or the actual commands 
if comments weren't entered.

TAB 
Used to view the buffer.
In COMS the buffer runs constantly, refreshing it's self when full.
The only things not copied to the buffer are actual commands to the program 
or file transfers.
Things typed in by you to the tnc or to another user will appear a different
colour when looking at the buffer, and if saved to file will be preceeded by
ascii character 1 {a smiley face}. This will help you pick out who said what.

S
Only whilst viewing the buffer ( as above ), will save the buffer to disc.
The file WILL BE called BUFFER.TXT, and can be renamed via the Dos shell.
[Note once used, any further use of the S key whilst in the buffer will over 
write the original file].

SHIFT  
[The  key is the key immediately below the escape key on a standard UK 
keyboard]
Can be used at any time to CLEAR the buffer.

NOTE:-
It has been found that the BUFFER is a very effective way of catching ASCII 
files, but it does have a limit of 32k bytes.If you try catching a file longer 
than 32k, then you will lose the beginning.

TNC LEAD:-
If either you have problems with COMS or you haven't got a tnc lead already, 
then here is a list of connections to try. I have found that a lead of this 
type seems to work with almost all comm. packages except THENET, which 
requires a special lead.

PC (25 pin D connector)                         TNC (9 pin D Connector)
2   --------------------------------------------------  3
3   --------------------------------------------------  2
7   --------------------------------------------------  5
4   --------------------------------------------------  7
5   --------------------------------------------------  8
8   --------------------------------------------------  1
6   --------------------------------------------------  6
20 ---------------------------------------------------  4


USING COMS-47S UNDER WINDOWS
Coms-47s, works very well under windows. I regularly run coms-47s in a window
as opposed to full screen, and the PIF I use is included in with the files.
How ever, if you are using, non standard IRQ settings on your COMPORTS,
do remember to tell windows about it, in the advanced settings for COMPORTS,
in the Control Panel.

I hope you enjoy using coms-47s.
I dare say I am going to hear from people with KPC-4's and the like, and I 
will try to help. The Kantronics tnc, can be difficult to get working with 
COMS, especially if they haven't already been set to a baud rate to talk to 
the PC. This is because they SEARCH the baud rates until they see a * come 
from the PC.
My suggestion here is to set coms to the baud rate you'd like to work at, 
and just keep plugging away for a while. If you at least get GREEK, then 
your getting near.

Current ideas for future upgrades are:
Perfecting the Yapp Protocol. } This isn't perfect at the moment.
Multiple connect windows.     
Route memorising.
Compressed Message forwarding

Good Luck, please let me know if you are using COMS-47S, with the details of 
your PC and TNC, so I know what code to produce in the future. It also tells
me who to let know about later versions / upgrades.
I hope you enjoy using Coms-47s.

73's Terry (G7JYT@GB7YUH.#34.GB.EU)

