From:    Timo Salmi                               
To:      All                                      Msg #598, 18-Oct-88 09:09am
Subject: Procomm Plus Problems

   I have seen some Procomm Plus questions repeatedly being asked in
the bulletin boards.  1) How to use Zmodem with Procomm Plus. 2) How
to get the Scandinavian characters working.  3) How to transfer
files between two PC's (when neither is a bulletin board).
   I think that I have some sort of solutions to these problems, and
what I intend to do is to put the solutions in my TSPFONxx.ARC
collection beginning from the forthcoming version 2.0. Thus
TSPFON20.ARC will include these files, while the current version
TSPFON19.ARC doesn't yet include them.

   Stay tuned, Timo

---
 * Origin: Micro Maniacs OPUS  (Opus 2:515/1)


TRANSFER.TXT 27-Dec-88

For using Zmodem with Procomm Plus see the batch files ZMOD-D.BAT, ZMOD-U.BAT,
ZMODEM-D.BAT, ZMODEM-U.BAT and TSPFON.INF.

For using the Scandinavian characters see the batch files PCAT.BAT and PC.BAT.

This textfile, transfer.txt, addresses itself to the question of transfering
data between two PCs, when neither is a bulletin board. (For the transfer of
ascii data between a PC and a home computer see a separate text SENDFILE.LIS
in my SENDFILE.ARC.)

Two different kind of situations arise in the data transfer between PCs.
  a) When the PCs can be connected directly ("are in the same room").
  b) The connection is through a modem.

Both the cases can be tackled by using the Procomm Plus host mode. In the
direct connection the easiest procedure is, however, the following, which
I have succesfully used between my laptop and a desktop, in both directions.

=============================================================================
                            P A R T  1
=============================================================================

1) Connect the two PCs with a proper cable. If both the machines have 25 pin
serial (COM) ports, a modem cable may well do. If you have an internal (card)
modem, do not use its port, but a free serial port.

2) Call PCPLUS on both the machines.

3) Invoke the Line/Port Setup menu by Alt-P and set the same baud rates,
parities, data bits, and stop bits (see below) on both the machines. The port
assignments may differ from COM1 and each other. Depending on the machines
you may have to lower the speed (or you might even increase it).

      ͻ
                  CURRENT SETTINGS: 19200,N,8,1,COM1           
      ͹
                                                               
       BAUD RATE   PARITY     DATA BITS   STOP BITS   PORT     
                                                               
       1)    300   N) NONE    Alt-7) 7    Alt-1) 1    F1) COM1 
       2)   1200   E) EVEN    Alt-8) 8    Alt-2) 2    F2) COM2 
       3)   2400   O) ODD                             F3) COM3 
       4)   4800   M) MARK                            F4) COM4 
       5)   9600   S) SPACE                           F5) COM5 
       6)  19200                                      F6) COM6 
       7)  38400                                      F7) COM7 
       8)  57600   Alt-N) N/8/1                       F8) COM8 
       9) 115200   Alt-E) E/7/1                                
                                                               
       Esc) Exit   Alt-S) Save and Exit  YOUR CHOICE:          
      ͼ

4) First on the RECEIVING PC invoke downloading by pressing the PageDown key.
Select a protocol. XMODEM is a safe choice here. Give a suitable name to the
file to be received.

  ͵ Download Protocols - 100736 bytes free ͻ
                                                                          
   1) XMODEM        5) TELINK         9) WXMODEM       13) YMODEM-G BATCH 
   2) KERMIT        6) MODEM7        10) IMODEM        14) ZMODEM-D       
   3) YMODEM        7) SEALINK       11) YMODEM-G      15) ZMOD-D         
   4) ASCII         8) COMPUSERVE B  12) YMODEM BATCH  16) EXTERN 3       
                                                                          
   Your Selection: 1   (or press ENTER for XMODEM)                        
  ͼ

     ͵ Receive XMODEM ͻ 
                                                                           
      Please enter filename: d:\testfile.txt                               
                                                                           
     ͼ 
                                             ͻ
                                                   PROTOCOL: XMODEM        
                                                  FILE NAME: testfile.txt  
                                                  FILE SIZE:               
                                                BLOCK CHECK:               
                                               TOTAL BLOCKS:               
                                              TRANSFER TIME:               
                                                TRANSMITTED:               
                                                 BYTE COUNT:               
                                                BLOCK COUNT:               
                                                ERROR COUNT:               
                                               LAST MESSAGE:               
                                                   PROGRESS:  
                                             ͼ

5) Now on the SENDING PC invoke uploading by pressing the PageUp key. Select
the same protocol as in the receiving PC. Give the name of the file to be
sent.

  ͵ Upload Protocols ͻ
                                                                          
   1) XMODEM        5) TELINK         9) WXMODEM       13) YMODEM-G BATCH 
   2) KERMIT        6) MODEM7        10) IMODEM        14) ZMODEM-U       
   3) YMODEM        7) SEALINK       11) YMODEM-G      15) ZMOD-D         
   4) ASCII         8) COMPUSERVE B  12) YMODEM BATCH  16) EXTERN 3       
                                                                          
   Your Selection: 1   (or press ENTER for XMODEM)                        
  ͼ
                                                                            
     ͵ Send XMODEM ͻ
                                                                          
      Please enter filename: b:\paslib2\datefn.pa                         
                                                                          
     ͼ
                                                                            
                                             ͻ 
                                                   PROTOCOL: XMODEM         
                                                  FILE NAME: datefn.pa      
                                                  FILE SIZE: 883            
                                                BLOCK CHECK:                
                                               TOTAL BLOCKS: 7              
                                              TRANSFER TIME: 00:01          
                                                TRANSMITTED:                
                                                 BYTE COUNT:                
                                                BLOCK COUNT:                
                                                ERROR COUNT:                
                                               LAST MESSAGE:                
                                                   PROGRESS:   
                                             ͼ 

This is all there is to it in the direct file transfer!

=============================================================================
                            P A R T  2
=============================================================================


Now let us look at the transfer using a modem when the PCs are at different
locations. Of course, if you have second phones to coordinate things with, at
least in theory, you could use the same method as in the direct transfer.

To begin with you must set your modem options, and your Procomm options,
appropriately in order to act a host. I shall concentrate on the role of the
host, because the role of the calling user is exactly the same as in using a
normal bulletin board. In fact, Procomm Host Mode IS (albeit a limited)
bulletin board.

*************************************************************************
* Hence, there are two parties to the file transfers. The HOST who sets *
* up the system, and the USER who shall call the host's machine, and    *
* perform the transferring by downloading or uploading.                 *
*************************************************************************

1) I have a Nokia VB312 300/1200 modem, and I set it as follows in order to
act as the host. The dips are in the factory settings with the following two
exceptions. Dip A2 OFF imposing the 1200 bit/s mode. Dip A7 OFF so that the
circuits 107 DSR and 109 DCD (whatever they are!?) follow the carrier.

2) Next you must set your Procomm options. The most important are given below.
They are found in the setup menu invoked by Alt-S in Procomm Plus. Study them
carefully.

ͻ
 PROCOMM PLUS SETUP UTILITY                                   MODEM OPTIONS 
Ķ
 A- Initialization command ..                                               
 B- Dialing command ......... ATDT                                          
 C- Dialing command suffix .. ^M                                            
 D- Hangup command .......... ~~~+++~~~ATH0^M                               
 E- Auto answer command .....                                               
 F- Wait for connection ..... 35  seconds                                   
 G- Pause between calls ..... 4   seconds                                   
 H- Auto baud detect ........ ON                                            
 I- Drop DTR to hangup ...... YES                                           
 J- Send init if CD high .... YES                                           
Ķ
 Alt-Z: Help      Press the letter of the option to change:     Esc: Exit 
ͼ
ͻ
 PROCOMM PLUS SETUP UTILITY                                TERMINAL OPTIONS 
Ķ
 A- Terminal emulation ................ ANSI                                
 B- Duplex ............................ FULL                                
 C- Software flow control (XON/XOFF) .. ON                                  
 D- Hardware flow control (RTS/CTS) ... OFF                                 
 E- Line wrap ......................... ON                                  
 F- Screen scroll ..................... ON                                  
 G- CR translation .................... CR                                  
 H- BS translation .................... DESTRUCTIVE                         
 I- Break length (milliseconds) ....... 350                                 
 J- Enquiry (ENQ) ..................... OFF                                 
Ķ
 Alt-Z: Help      Press the letter of the option to change:     Esc: Exit 
ͼ
ͻ
 PROCOMM PLUS SETUP UTILITY                               HOST MODE OPTIONS 
Ķ
 A- Welcome message ... Welcome to PROCOMM PLUS Host!                       
 B- System type ....... OPEN                                                
 C- Auto baud detect .. ON                                                  
 D- Connection type ... MODEM                                               
 E- Upload directory                                                        
    D:\                                                                     
 F- Download directory                                                      
    D:\                                                                     
Ķ
 Alt-Z: Help      Press the letter of the option to change:     Esc: Exit 
ͼ

3) Next you have to set your modem into the autoanswer mode. This can be done
manually in most modems, but I use the following script file. (Script files
are executed from Alt-F5 in Procomm Plus.) Also see the separate script file
HOSTMODE.ASP developed from the script below.

   ;
   ; HOSTINI2.ASP by Timo Salmi
   ;

   TRACE ON
   SET BACKSPACE DEST      ;These may by superfluous if you
   SET TRANSLATE ON        ; have not altered them from your
   EMULATE ANSI            ; defaults
   TRACE OFF

   PAUSE 1
   TRANSMIT "AT^M"         ;Wake up the modem

   PAUSE 1
   TRANSMIT "ATZ^M"        ;Initialize the modem

   PAUSE 1
   TRANSMIT "ATS0=1^M"     ;Set autoanswer on
   WAITFOR "OK"  5
   IF NOT WAITFOR
     ALARM 1
     MESSAGE "Failed to set autoanswer on"
     GOTO OUT              ;Superfluous when the test is the last
   ENDIF                   ; as it is here

   OUT:

4) Copy all the files you want to be available for the USER to the directory
D:\ which was set as the download directory in the host mode options menu
option F-.

5) Invoke the host mode by pressing alt-Q, and wait for the USER to call.

6) From now on it is mostly up to the user. When he/she has called, and logged
in, he can download the files from D:\ or upload files there in accordance
with the options presented by Procomm Plus host mode. At the same time you see
(in a small scale) what being a SysOp entails.

If your user cannot get a connection (which is very usual until the HOST has
learned the ropes) look carefully through your settings again starting from
your modem. I can assure that once you get it right, the system works. I have
tested and used it succesfully many times myself.

For more information on the host mode see Procomm Plus manual.
Procomm Plus is a trademark of Datastorm Technologies Inc.
