                                                                BOB TERM v1.2  Documentation                          A ShareWare Terminal Program                                         by                                Robert Puff  04/27/90                            CIS Mail Address: 76702,1076                          GEnie Mail Address: BOB.PUFF                            Suite 222  2117 Buffalo Road                              Rochester, NY  14624                              BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 1    INTRODUCTION             BobTerm is a fully featured multi-tasking terminal program for ANY  Atari 8 bit machine with at least 48K of memory.  BobTerm has been fully  tested under MYDOS, SpartaDOS, SpartaDOS X, TopDos, and Atari DOS 2, along  with many others.           BobTerm supports XModem, XModem-CRC, 1K-XModem, CIS Fast XModem,  YModem (batch) and FModem (batch) protocols.  Also supported are floating  buffer size (depending on your machine and DOS), a chat window with recall,  online/real-time clock, RTime8 support, a dialing system, full DOS support,  the ability to load modules for additional features (such as XEP80 and  SpartaDOS command line support), both RS232 ports on the 850 and P:R:, and  much more!      SETTING UP BOBTERM           BobTerm is compatible with all known RS-232 interfaces, and most  direct-connect modems.  If your modem is connected to a Black Box or MIO,  no set-up is necessary.  If you are using an 850 interface or P:R:  Connection, BobTerm will automatically load the handler from the interface;  no disk handler should be used.  When using any other type of interface or  direct-connect modem, a disk-based handler is necessary.  Handlers have  been provided for the Atari 835/1030/XM301 modems, and the Supra/MPP 1000x  modems.  Also included is a generic R:Verter handler.  This is to be used  with the Atari SX-212 modem connected with the SIO port, with the Supra  1200 baud modem (using the SupraVerter), and any modem connected through a  R:Verter or similar interface.  To use a disk-based handler, rename it to  "RS232.COM," and place it in your "default directory," which is drive 1 for  most DOSes.           To create a BobTerm boot disk, boot up your DOS and format a blank  disk.  Write DOS files to that disk.  Now copy the BOBTERM.COM file to this  disk, and rename it to AUTORUN.SYS.  If you need a modem handler, copy the  appropriate file (XM.COM for 835/1030/XM301 modems, MPP.COM for the  Supra/MPP 1000x, etc.) to this disk, and rename it to RS232.COM. Users of  the Black Box, MIO, 850, or P:R: connections do not need and should not  have a RS232.COM file, since the handlers for those interfaces are  built-in.  Your BobTerm boot disk has now been created.  If you want to use  any of the module programs for BobTerm, they should be placed on this disk  as well.  See the section entitled MODULES for more information.  BobTerm  loads a default dialing list when it first boots (D:BOBTERM.PH1), so after  adding all the entries to your dialing list, save it to this disk.           BobTerm looks to the "default" drive for all support files, so MYDOS  and SpartaDOS X users can place all files for the term in a separate  subdirectory <on a hard disk> for convenience.  All other DOSes will look  to drive 1 for these files, which is why it is a good idea to make up a  boot disk as described above.           BobTerm loads right from DOS as a binary file.  Use the [L]oad                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 2  Binary File option of your DOS menu, or consult your DOS manual for the  correct command.  Internal BASIC will be automatically disabled, but no  language cartridges should be present.  Use the 'X' command to load the  term from the SpartaDOS X command line.        HELP MENU FUNCTIONS                                  Modem Parameters    Note: Unless otherwise stated, the command within the [] brackets is the  character typed to toggle the command parameters.    [A] TRANSLATION AND PARITY           Changes your translation between ASCII, ATARI, VT-52E and VT-52O.  ASCII is the universal text standard, and should be used on most national  telecommunications networks, and non-Atari 8 bit Bulletin Boards (When in  doubt, use ASCII).  ATARI is the Atari-specific ATASCII text mode only  usable on boards which support it (typically, only Atari 8 Bit Bulletin  Boards).  The two VT-52 modes provide the basic ASCII translation plus many  of the extended cursor control commands provided in the DEC VT-52 terminal.  BobTerm's VT-52 mode is designed to also emulate CompuServe's VIDTEX mode.  VIDTEX is used in some of the online games available on CIS.  It does not  support graphics; only cursor positioning.  When using VIDTEX on CIS, do a  "GO TERMINAL" and set your page length to 23 and columns to 40.           The VT-52 mode also supports some of the Atari ST-specific subset of  commands, for further compatibility.           Parity is determined by the translation mode.  BobTerm does not  check incoming parity; it is only generated.  The Parity of ASCII mode is  None; in VT-52E it is Even, and in VT-52O it is Odd.  Parity is  non-existent in ATARI translation.           The translation and parity may also be changed while in terminal  mode by pressing Shift Control F.    [B] BAUD RATE           Baud rate is the speed at which your modem and the other system's  modem can receive information.  Rates supported are from 300 baud to 19.2K  BAUD, but of course you cannot go any higher than your modem is capable.  Note that some modem interfaces (namely the 850 and P:R: Connection) will  not support 19.2K BAUD.  Baud rates like 9600 and 19.2K are used mostly for  "null-modem" transfers, where you hook up the output of your RS-232  interface to another computer's RS-232 port, through a special cable or  adaptor.    [D] DUPLEX           Duplex controls how characters appear on your screen, that is,  whether they are put on your screen by the terminal program, or echoed back                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 3  from the host computer.  Full Duplex means that the characters are echoed  from the host.  Half Duplex means the characters are sent from your  keyboard to the screen.  Full Duplex is used on most all BBSes and online  services (except GEnie), so unless otherwise stated, try Full Duplex first.  If you can not see what you are typing, go into Half Duplex.  The duplex  improperly set to Half will be characterized by seeing double of each  character you type.  BobTerm also supports "Echoplex".  This is enabled by  holding [START] while pressing [D].  This will cause everything to be  reflected, just as a BBS does.  Echoplex is handy for answering a call,  when the other person is in full duplex.  Remember to switch into echo mode  ONLY after connecting, and out of it after disconnecting.           You may change the duplex while in term mode by pressing Shift  Control D.                                    Dialing Commands    [E] DIALING MENU           Provides you with various lists from which you pick the phone  number(s) you wish to call.  See "The Autodialer and Entries" below.    [F] ORIGINATE           Allows your terminal program and modem to connect to another modem  sending a carrier.  An example of this is if you originally connected using  a voice line, then wished to use your modem.  Use this command to connect  to a BBS if you are dialing manually (with a telephone).    [G] SEND CARRIER           Known on other terminal programs as "ANSWER MODE," this will send an  answering carrier to the other computer.  If connecting to another person  also using a term, one should Originate, and the other should "Answer," or  send carrier.    [H] HANG UP           This will disconnect your modem from the telephone line.  BobTerm  first drops the DTR line; if it sees that a carrier is still present, it  will send a +++, wait, then ATH.  This should take care most all modem  configurations.  The online timer will stop.  The timer will restart when  dialing manually, or if Shift Control T is pressed.                                     System Commands    [C] CAPTURE BUFFER           The "Capture Buffer" is a feature that lets you record whatever you  are receiving.  If there is a special message or something you want to  save, simply enable your capture ahead of time.  When you type [C], it will  ask you for the destination filename.  Capture will then be turned on;                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 4  characterized by the screen's border color turning red.  You may toggle the  capturing by pressing [OPTION].  To close the capture (ending it), use this  same option.  It will ask you "[C]lose Capture, [V]iew, or [ESC]?"  Press  [C], and it will save the buffer to disk.           Note that you can also view the contents of the buffer by pressing  [V] at this prompt.  Use [CONTROL] [1] or the SPACE BAR to pause the  listing.  You may only view what is currently in the buffer; any data that  was previously saved cannot directly be viewed.  You would have to close  the capture, then use the DOS Function of View a File, and look that way.           BobTerm's capturing capability is not limited to just the buffer  size.  While you are capturing data, you will see the buffer count on the  top status line slowly decrease.  When it gets to around 256 bytes left, it  will pause the other end, save the buffer to disk, and resume operation.  This will continue until you temporarily stop capturing (by hitting  SELECT), or close the buffer.  You cannot change the disk in the drive to  which you are capturing until the capture is closed.           You may also start capturing by simply pressing [OPTION] (without  first setting it up).  When the buffer fills, it will prompt you for the  destination filename.  If you want to cancel the save, simply press [ESC].  Note that the destination capture name usually is a disk filename, but you  could use "P:", sending it to your printer directly.           If you want to erase the buffer (say you turned on capture, but you  really don't want to save it), you can clear the buffer by selecting [C].  Hit [C] again to select Close, and press [ESC] at the filename prompt.  Now  hit [ESC] again to return to terminal mode.    [Q] QUIT TO DOS           This will exit to DOS WITHOUT dropping carrier, allowing you to copy  files, run other programs, such as ARC or UNARC, all without hanging up!  To return to online, just reload BOBTERM (you may need to change  translation, baud rate and duplex).  If capturing was enabled, it will be  saved before exiting.  BobTerm will NOT perform the BOOTUP.BTM modem  initialization function if it sees that you are re-entering BobTerm, so no  junk data will be sent if you reload the term while the modem is online.           BobTerm now will 'unlink' any modem handler that it loaded,  resetting LOMEM to whatever it was prior to entering the term.  For this  reason it is best to let BobTerm load any disk-based modem handler itself.  This un-linking should 'clean up' memory usage, thus increasing  compatibility.    [R] RECEIVE FILE            Use this when Downloading, or receiving a file or files from the  host computer using a transfer protocol of XModem, XModem-CRC, 1K-Xmodem,  YModem, CIS Fast XModem, and FModem. See below for "Send and Receive files  explained".    [S] SEND FILE                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 5           This is the entry point for Uploading, or sending files TO the host  computer.  In addition to the protocols listed above, you may also do a  simple text upload (the exact opposite of capturing).  See below for "Send  and Receive files explained."    [J] SYSTEM CONFIGURATION            This sets your bootup terminal and system defaults, as well as  macro editing.  See "[J] System Configuration" below.    [K] DOS FUNCTIONS           This takes you to a menu which supports the most common DOS  functions.  Use them just as you would from your DOS menu.  Note that the  subdirectory commands may not be supported in your DOS (they work under  MYDOS and SpartaDOS).  The letters chosen for the DOS function commands are  those of DOS 2.X / MYDOS menu options, so they should be easy to memorize.  These are the options:        [A] View a File: Allows you to view text files.  Use [CONTROL] [1]          or the SPACE BAR to pause, and [ESC] to quit.      [B] Set Directory: Used to set a working directory under a DOS          that supports subdirectories.      [C] Copy a single File: This option is handy when copying a          file from your RAMdisk to a floppy, or vice versa.  Remember          it can only copy one file at a time.  The first filename entered          should be the source.  It may contain wildcards; the first          file found will be the one copied.  The second filename          entered will be the destination name.  Do NOT use          wildcards on the destination.      [D] Delete a File: Asks for a filename.      [E] Rename File: Format is:  OLDNAME.EXT,NEWNAME.EXT  Remember          to type both names on the same line.      [F] Lock a File: Asks for a filename.      [G] Unlock a File: Asks for a filename.      [H] Load a File: Use this to load the Sparta XINIT file to          format disks.  This may also be used in the future          to load utility programs for BobTerm.  Do NOT use this          function with TOPDOS.      [I] Format Disk: Prompts for device number to format.  It          will format under the current DOS.  SpartaDos X users are          taken to the SDX format menu.  This will format a disk in          DOS 2 format if using disk-based SpartaDOS.      [J] Create Directory: Creates a new subdirectory under a DOS that          supports them.      [1-9] DISK DIRECTORIES           Pressing the appropriate disk device number will prompt you for a  "PATH NAME or RETURN".  Simply pressing [RETURN] will display the main  directory of the drive.  If your DOS supports subdirectories, you may enter  the subdirectory name, followed by a [>].  If you wanted to look at all                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 6  files ending with .BAS, you could enter "*.BAS".  This function pauses at  each page: pressing [RETURN] will continue, [ESC] will abort.                                [J] System Configuration           This area allows to set such things as macros, screen colors, modem  port, etc., and optionally save them so that they will be loaded each time  you use BobTerm.  There are two sub-menus that you encounter when you  select this option.  The first sub-menu allows you to select from:    [1] EDIT MACROS, ETC.: Takes you to the second menu area.  [2] RELOAD DEFAULT PARAMETERS: Lets you reload the way       BobTerm was set up by your BOBTERM.CNF file.  [3] SAVE DEFAULT PARAMETERS: Saves your settings to a       file called BOBTERM.CNF on the DEFAULT drive.           The second sub-menu is entered by pressing the [1] key above.  This  menu is the one that actually allows you to edit your macros, screen  colors, and modem port.           To modify your screen colors, use the arrow keys (without holding  CONTROL) until the screen color and intensity is pleasing to you.           BobTerm supports a total of 16 macros.  A macro is a series of keys  which, when pressed, will send out a pre-defined message.  The macros in  BobTerm are grouped by size and type of access.  The macros may be chained  together, allowing a very large string to be sent.           [A]-[H] Allows you to set the "Large Macros" of BobTerm.  These  macros may be up to 31 characters long.  Large Macros are accessed by  pressing the SHIFT, CONTROL, and a number key (from 1 to 8) all at the same  time.  (In these docs, holding SHIFT and CONTROL while typing another  character will be referred to as 'SHIFT CONTROL x', where x is the  character.)  To define a large macro, just press the letter from A-H and  type in the macro that you wish to store.  Note that you can use the  standard Atari editing keys; use [SHIFT] [DELETE] to clear out whatever is  on the line.  Press [RETURN] when you are finished entering the macro text.  One special note about Large Macros A, B, and C: These macros are updated  by the dialing list.  Any macros set by your BOBTERM.CNF file will be  over-written by the dialing list, if used.  You may, however, reload the  defaults AFTER dialing, and restore these three macros.           [I]-[P] Allows you to define the "Small Macros" of BobTerm.  These  macros are limited to 15 characters and are accessed by pressing the  CONTROL and a number key (from 3 to 0) at the same time.  Entering these  macros is the same as the Large Macros.           [Q]-[U] Allows you to define five special one character macros that  are controlled by the joystick in port #1 of the computer.  Typical uses  for this would be the CONTROL-S or CONTROL-Q character to stop and start  text flow on most BBSes.  To execute these macros, simply move the joystick  or press the fire button.                              BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 7  SPECIAL MACRO CHARACTERS           There are five "special" characters that may be included in the  Large and Small Macros.  These are:        CONTROL-P will cause a 3 second delay in the sending of the                macro, then resume.  You may stack as many of these                characters as you need.        CONTROL-D will cause a 1/2 second delay.  This is useful when sending                the "HHH" string necessary for GEnie.        CONTROL-, (little heart) will cause the macro to execute as                normal, but it will NOT send a RETURN at the end                of it.  (Normally a RETURN is sent at the end.)        CONTROL-M will send a RETURN, but still continue with the                rest of the macro.        CONTROL-N will cause the macro to link to chain to the next macro in                line.  The Shift Control 8 macro will chain to the Control 3                macro.  The Control N should be the last character in the                string.  Note that a RETURN is not sent when chaining,                so a Control M may be needed.           An example of using the special macro characters might be to call a  BBS, send a RETURN, wait, send your name, wait, then send your password.  This would be coded in a macro as:        ^M^P^Pmy name^M^P^Ppassword    (note that the ^P means CONTROL-P, and ^M means CONTROL-M.)           One of the features of the Dialer is the ability to send a macro  upon connection.  Here's an example of a macro for automatic logon onto  GEnie:        ^Ph^Dh^Dh^Puserid,password           For CompuServe, try something like this:        ^P^C^P70000,1000\password  (replacing 70000,1000 with your PPN)             If you are using an Atari 850 or P:R: Connection, BobTerm will let  you use serial port #2.  This is useful when null-modeming between the  Atari and other machines, because you can leave your null-modem cable  connected to port #2, and your modem to port #1.  No cable swapping is need  now!  Pressing [V] in this config menu will alternate between ports 1 and  2.  This has no effect if you are not using an 850 or P:R:.           Many other parameters of the term are saved in the configuration  file.  It is best to run through all functions of the term before saving  the config, since for many functions, it 'learns' as you are using it.                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 8           If you want to restore your saved defaults, use the Reload Default  Parameters option of the System Configuration sub-menu.  Note that config  files from previous versions of BobTerm are NOT compatible with this new  version, and should be erased.    Items Saved in BOBTERM.CNF    Upload pathname (drive number)  Upload protocol  Download pathname  Download protocol  Capture pathname  Phone list filename  Last number dialed  Long Distance code  Tone/Pulse dialing mode  Terminal translation/parity  Terminal duplex  Term Baud rate  Delay Rate used in ASCII Send protocol  Status of keyboard CAPS lock (in upper case or lower)  Type of time being displayed (On=Online, or Rt=Real Time)  Screen colors  Key Click flag  Chat Buffer status (on or off)  Word Wrap status  Fine Scroll status  Left Margin status  RS232 Modem port number  Joystick characters  All 16 Macros                     [S] Send Files and [R] Receive Files Explained           The first thing you will be asked is the protocol that you wish to  use to transfer a file.  This choice is based on what the other computer or  system supports, and your Baud rate.  XMODEM is recommended for 300 baud,  1K XMODEM or YMODEM for higher rates.  When in doubt, try standard XMODEM,  since almost all hosts support this.    The choices you have and a brief description of each are:    [1] STANDARD XMODEM           This is a 128 byte block size with a mathematical checksum for error  detection and correction.  It is supported by almost all BBSes and  telecommunications networks.    [2] XMODEM-CRC           A 128 byte block size with a Cyclic Redundancy Checksum (CRC) for  error detection and correction.  This protocol is supported by the vast                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 9  majority of BBSes and telecommunications networks.  Whenever possible, you  should use XModem-CRC over Standard XModem because the CRC option will  catch almost all errors.    [3] CIS FAST XMODEM    This is a BobTerm exclusive: when uploading or downloading from CompuServe,  use this protocol; yet tell CIS that you are using XModem.  This  modification to the XModem protocol dramatically increases the transfer  speed for the CIS host, but should only be used on a noise-free line.  In  some instances, it is actually faster than CIS Quick B!  This protocol  should be used ONLY on CIS, as it will not work correctly on any other  system.    [4] 1K-XMODEM    This protocol is basically XModem-CRC with a 1K (1024 bytes) block size.  The advantage to 1K XModem is that there are fewer "header" bytes sent per  file, therefore, making 1K-XModem about 15% faster than XModem-CRC.  Note  that some systems incorrectly call this "YModem"; the difference being  YModem is 1k XModem with batch capabilities.    [5] YMODEM (batch)    YModem is a modified 1K-XModem that allows the transfer of multiple files  at one time.  The file name and size are sent in a header block that  BobTerm decodes for you.  This way, you can set up a transfer of as many  files as you like, and the filenames will be automatically taken from the  sender.  You only set up the transfer once, and there are no limits (except  your disk space) to the number of files you can receive!    [6] FMODEM    This protocol is used on some ST BBS programs and in the Puff BBS.  It is  basically YModem with a 4K block size.  Note that this protocol is also  capable of batch file transfers, as is YMODEM.  This is best used for  null-modem transfers, because it gives the highest throughput of all  protocols.    [7] SEND ASCII (XON/XOFF)    This is a send ONLY protocol (use "Capture Buffer" to receive) that simply  dumps ASCII text to the other computer.  Since this is not an actual  protocol, there is no error checking that can be done.  Use this to upload  messages while in the BBSes message editor, etc...  You can specify a delay  rate of 0 through 9; 0 is no delay, and 9 is the largest.  A value of 3  should be sufficient for most purposes.  XON/XOFF control is supported (^S  to pause, ^Q to resume).           The Send Ascii function 'expands blank lines'.  Some message editors  reformat the text you enter, and can remove the formatting you entered.  By  inserting a SPACE character between successive RETURN characters, your  original formatting is preserved, yet without affecting the rest of the  text.                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 10                                HOW TO SEND/RECEIVE FILES           For transfers using XMODEM, XMODEM-CRC, CIS FAST XMODEM, and  1K-XMODEM, the following applies:                                  RECEIVE or DOWNLOAD    1. Instruct the host to send (download) a file with the     appropriate protocol.  2. Press [R] from the BobTerm main menu.  3. Select the appropriate protocol on BobTerm.  4. Type the entire filename for the file, as you want it to     appear on your disk, and press [RETURN].     You will be returned then to terminal mode.  5. Press [SELECT] to begin the transfer.                                    SEND or UPLOAD    1. Instruct the host to receive (upload) a file with the     appropriate protocol.  2. Press [S] from the BobTerm main menu.  3. Select the appropriate protocol on BobTerm.  4. Enter the source filemask and filename, if you know what     it is.  If not, you can enter "*.*".  Bobterm will     prompt you for each file it finds.  Type [Y] to send that     file, [N] to keep looking, or [ESC] to re-enter the source     filemask.  Once you have selected a file, you will be returned     to terminal mode.  5. Press [SELECT] to begin the transfer.      For transfers using YMODEM and FMODEM protocols, the following applies:                                  RECEIVE or DOWNLOAD    1. Instruct the host to send a file in the appropriate protocol.     For batch transfers, see the host documentation for how     to specify more than one file.  Most often it is done by     "marking" the files you want to download, then issuing the     command to download.  2. Press [R] from the BobTerm main menu.  3. Select the appropriate protocol on BobTerm.  4. Provide the device name, and path name ONLY.  BobTerm will     take care of the filenames.  (An example of a pathname is     "D1:" or "D2:DLS>".)  You will be returned then to terminal     mode.  5. Press [SELECT] to begin the transfer.                                    SEND or UPLOAD    1. Instruct the host to receive a file in the appropriate protocol.     For batch transfers, see the host documentation for how to                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 11     specify more than one file.  Batch sending is rarely used on     a BBS; it is meant more for term-to-term communications.  2. Press [S] from the BobTerm main menu.  3. Select the appropriate protocol on BobTerm.  4. Provide the pathname (and filename, if known) for the files     that you wish to send, one at a time.  If you used wildcards,     BobTerm will display each file found and query you if     you wish to send it.  Press [Y] to add it to the list, [N]     to skip it, or [ESC] to enter a new pathname.  Pressing [A] will     mark all the remaining files in the subdirectory and mask entered.     Depending on the size of your path and filenames, you may be able     to mark up to 100 or more files to be sent all at once!  Note     that the memory used to hold the dialing list is used for     this list of files, so you will have to reload the dialing     list to dial a new number.  To end entering filenames, simply     press [RETURN] at the "Enter filemask" prompt.  You     will be returned to terminal mode.  5. Press [SELECT] to begin the transfer.      The following applies to ASCII sends:    1. Instruct the host to receive ASCII text.  2. Press [S] from the BobTerm menu.  3. Select item 7 for SEND ASCII.  4. Provide path and filename to send.  5. Provide a delay rate.  The delay rate determines the time     between each character sent.  You will need to experiment     with different BBSes and telecommunications services to     determine what the delay rate should be.  A delay of 0     is none, 9 is the greatest.  A value of 3 usually words     ok for most BBS message editors.  You will then be returned     to terminal mode.  6. Press [SELECT] to begin the transfer.      FEATURES COMMON TO ALL TRANSFERS           BobTerm is the ONLY 8 bit terminal to remove the excess double-  padding added to files by the online services.  The timing used in the  protocols should be loose enough for any system, yet tight enough to  maintain fast transfers.           To abort any transfer, hold down the [START] key.  To retry an  aborted transfer, press [SELECT].  This will try the exact same transfer  again.  Note: if the transfer aborted because of an error on your end (like  a wrong protocol, disk error, etc...) that has not been corrected, the  transfer will simply abort again.           Once you begin a transfer, the top three lines of the screen will  display the transfer status.  Any bad bytes rejected by the protocol will  be displayed below the status lines on the main term screen.  The top line  of the file transfer window displays the file name including path, followed  by the file size in bytes (for batch receives only).  The line under that                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 12  shows the status of the transfer, the block number being transferred, and  the number of tries for the current block.  The only time you will not see  this display is when you are doing an ASCII send (you will stay in term  mode for ASCII sends).           If the transfer is aborted because of a disk error on your end, the  transfer will first abort, then the disk error message will be displayed.  Press [RETURN] twice to return to terminal mode.  If the transfer was  aborted from the other side or timed out, you will be returned to term  mode, and the top status line will display "Xfer Aborted!".          Holding [SHIFT] when entering the protocol number will select the  ASCII <-> ATASCII translation mode.  This is used for text files only!  When sending files, ATASCII files will be converted to ASCII format  (CR/LF).  When receiving, ASCII will be converted back to ATASCII (CR,  CR/LF, or just LF).  This allows you to let BobTerm handle the translations  so you do not have run separate translation programs!  Just be sure you  don't accidentally enable the translation on a file that is NOT a text  file, else your file will be corrupted.           When receiving files, BobTerm will automatically adapt to the  sender's protocol, so selection is not critical.           The CIS Fast XModem protocol is designed to cause CompuServe to  'send ahead' of itself.  Error checking is still performed, but on  downloads any error will cause the transfer to abort.  Thus if you have a  noisy line, it would be better to use one of the other protocols.           CompuServe now supports the XModem 1k protocol, although it is not  listed on the menu choices.  If you are connected at 1200 baud or higher, I  suggest using this protocol WHEN DOWNLOADING.  (For uploads, tell CIS  you're using standard XModem.)  Use "DOW PRO:X1K" at the disposition  prompt.  Now select the Fast CIS XModem protocol on BobTerm, and start the  transfer.  This is extremely fast, giving the highest throughput possible.                                  Setting up BOOTUP.BTM           Some Hayes-compatible modems default to some parameters that are not  what you want for standard terminal use.  For this reason, BobTerm will  send whatever is in a file called BOOTUP.BTM on the default drive (drive 1  for most users) to the modem at the default baud rate, when the term first  loads.  (Note: the term will send this only once - if you quit to DOS and  reload the program again without rebooting, it will NOT send it again.)  It  will input a line, send it to the modem, wait 1 second, then input again,  etc., until it reaches the end of file.  A control M is not needed at the  end of each line.  My suggestion might be to have something like this in  your BOOTUP.BTM file:      ATX3 V1 L2 M1 E1 S7=30 &C1 &D2           You could change S registers to perhaps increase dialing speed, etc.  Remember it is not necessary to have this file present; it's just there in  case you have need of it.                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 13                                Keyboard Command Summary       CONTROL 3-0: 15 byte macros.       SHIFT CONTROL:    1-8: 31 byte macros (1-3 are the ones the Dialer updates)  Q: Recalls last two chat buffers (alternates between the 3).  W: Toggle word wrap,  E: Toggle the chat window in and out.  R: Reset the online time counter.  T: Start/stop the online time counter.  Y: Swap the online counter/real time on the top status line.  O: Takes a snapshot of the term screen, and saves it in the buffer.  P: Does a screen dump of the term mode screen to your printer,     replacing any non-printable characters with a period.  M: Toggle left margin between 0 and 2.  S: Toggles fine scrolling.  Note that a slower scroll is used for     300 baud than at higher baud rates..  9: Toggles the key click sound.           When Word wrap is enabled, words will not be split if the text you  are reading is formatted for something over 40 columns.  This has no effect  on captures; it simply makes reading text a little easier, especially if  the text is formatted for 80 columns.  BobTerm also accounts for  backspacing in word wrap; so if it is enabled and you are typing a message,  you can backspace to the previous line without fear of deleting too many  characters, as is the case with other term programs.  Word Wrap is toggled  by pressing Shift Control W, and its status is seen by the first character  in the top status line.           You may change the left margin to 2 (incase your TV has overscan) by  pressing Shift Control M.  Note that this does NOT affect the edit window;  the edit window remains in 40 columns.           Fine scrolling, when enabled, causes the screen to smoothly scroll  vertically when the cursor is at the bottom of the screen.  The  disadvantage is quite a bit of time is taken to perform the scroll.  At  1200 baud and higher, a faster scroll is used, but data may still be lost  if it contains many RETURN characters in a row.  It is best used for  conferencing, or any situation where data is not sent at 'full speed'.                             [E] The Autodialer and Entries           Pressing [E] from the BobTerm main menu will take you to the Dialing  Menu.  The dialing menu has a number of choices as follows:    [A] ADD AN ENTRY           This option allows you to add a telephone number to your dialing  menu.  You will be prompted for the name of the entry, the telephone                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 14  number, 3 macros (See section on System Configuration), the Baud Rate, the  Translation, the Duplex, and the wait (amount of time to wait for the other  computer to answer - should be 25-30 for average local calls).  You may  also cause the dialer to send the first macro upon connection by setting  the last parameter to Yes.  If you use this feature, it is recommended that  the first character of the macro be a Control P for a pause.    [D] DIAL TAGGED           This option will continuously scan the "tagged" entries looking for  a terminal connection.  To tag an entry, use the arrow keys to move to the  entry, and press the SPACE BAR to tag it.  You will see a ">" in front of  each tagged entry.  To clear the tag, press the SPACE BAR again.    [K] KILL AN ENTRY           To delete an entry from your phone list, use the arrow keys to move  to the entry, and press [K].    [M] MANUAL DIAL           By pressing [M], you may enter a phone number to dial from the  keyboard.  Note, the current system configuration will be used for this  number (ie: baud rate, translation), and a wait time of 45 seconds will be  used.    [S] SAVE LIST           This option will save your phone list to disk.  You will be prompted  for a device and filename, or you may use the last name used (by simply  pressing [RETURN]).    [V] VIEW ENTRY           This option will allow you to just look at the entry.    [X] LONG DISTANCE CODE           This is the code that is used by long distance dialing services such  as MCI, Sprint, etc...  Although it is not needed much anymore because of  "equal access," some long distance telcos still have special numbers to  call and require a special code.  Use this feature for those cases.  To  execute the long distance code, simply insert an exclamation point (!) in  the phone number at the appropriate place (normally in the very beginning).  When you enter your long distance code from the dialing menu, it is saved  as part of your configuration file.  For example:      LD code: 950-1111,,,,123456781    Dial: !716-247-8355    would do the following:      Dial 950-1111, wait 4 seconds, dial 123456781 (your LD code would be  here), followed by 716-247-8355.                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 15           If you are using a Long Distance service that requires you to enter  your special code after the number being dialed, insert a $ symbol in the  LDX code where the number to be dialed should be positioned.  This will  cause the remainder of the phone number to be inserted in place of the $  symbol.  For example:      LD Code: 950-0111,,,,1$12345678    Dial: !716-247-8355    would do the following:      Dial 950-0111, wait, dial 1, then 716-247-8355, then 12345678 (your LD  code).           Another use for the LD code is for those who have call waiting.  Insert an [!] before every number in your list, and make the LD code be the  numbers you have to dial to disable the call waiting feature.  If you ever  want to dial the number without disabling the call waiting, simply erase  the LD code.    [C] CLEAR LIST           This will erase the current list from memory.    [E] EDIT ENTRY           This option allows you to make changes to any of the entries in the  dialing menu.  First, select the entry to edit (by using the arrow keys),  then hit [E].  Each item will be available for editing; press [RETURN] when  done, or [ESC] to exit.    [L] LOAD LIST           Use this to load a new phone list from your disk.  This may be used  to load something other than the default (if you have more than 1 list), or  if you have batch sent some files (since the batch send function will wipe  out the list in memory).    [P] TONE/PULSE           Pressing this key toggles the dialing mode between Pulse and  Touch-Tone.  Pulse dialing may be used on most any telephone line, but tone  dialing is usually an extra feature.  Wheen using Pulse mode, you may need  to increase the Wait time, since the timer starts the minute dialing is  initiated, and pulse dialing can be slow.    [ESC]           Exits back to the main BobTerm menu.    [RETURN]           Dials the entry highlighted.  (Use the arrow keys to move the bar to                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 16  the desired entry.)             To interrupt the dialing process at any time, press the SPACE BAR.  Any messages from the modem will be displayed on the status line in the  middle of the screen (BUSY, NO DIALTONE, etc...).  If NO CARRIER is  returned, then "Operation Aborted" will be displayed.  The term will keep  re-dialing until it either connects, or is interrupted by a SPACE BAR.  Pressing RETURN will enter terminal mode immediately.                              The Terminal Mode Status Line           While in terminal mode, the upper line of your screen is being used  as follows:        WRAP:DUPLEX:TRANSLATION:BAUD RATE:BUFFER TOTAL:ONLINE/REAL-TIME CLOCK           The second line in the header is the changing status, which tells  you if there are transfers pending, errors have occurred, etc...                                   Miscellaneous Notes           One of the unique features of BobTerm is its multi-tasking.  You are  ALWAYS in term mode; that is, any modem input is being printed to the term  screen, even if you are not viewing that screen.  The only exceptions to  this are disk I/O and file transfer.  You can be capturing, go do a disk  directory, edit macros, and come back to term mode all without losing any  data (assuming the other end supports XON/XOFF)!           Another feature is the extremely fast text screen handler.  Term  mode can keep up with text at 19.2K baud, even while capturing!           When BobTerm expects input from the user, [RETURN] will accept  whatever is on the screen, and [ESC] will abort.  On any filename or other  line-input needed, you can use the standard Atari cursor control to edit.  To delete the entire line, press [SHIFT] [DELETE/BACK SPACE].           The edit window is another unique feature.  Used mostly for the  "conference" section on the online services, this buffer is actually 3  buffers in one.  When you press SHIFT CONTROL E, you will see three lines  at the bottom.  You may now type away in the buffer.  Nothing will be sent  out until you hit [RETURN]; then the whole buffer will be dumped.  The only  exception to this is control characters: they will be sent immediately, so  that you can send a ^S to pause the sender, etc.  By pressing SHIFT CONTROL  Q, BobTerm will cycle through the last two "buffers" you typed and the  current one.  Once you press [RETURN], the current buffer gets copied into  buffer 2, buffer 2 into 3, and buffer 1 is cleared.  If you type [ESC] then  press [RETURN], the data in the window up to the ESC will be sent, with no  RETURN after it.           Another feature that might come in handy is the buffer screen  command.  Let's say you are on a BBS, and you're viewing a file that you                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 17  just decided you want to capture, yet you don't have the capture turned on.  Simply press [OPTION], then press SHIFT CONTROL O.  That last keypress will  take a "snapshot" of the screen, placing it in the buffer.  Pressing  [OPTION] turned the buffer on, so now you will have saved everything that  was on your screen, plus everything that will be coming, till you disable  the capture (by hitting [OPTION] again).  When you [C]lose the capture or  if the buffer fills, you will be prompted for the filename to save the  buffer.           In the ASCII and VT-52 translation modes, there are some characters  displayed a little differently on the term screen.  The Atari 8-bit does  not have the curly brace characters, or the tilde.  The curly braces are  translated to Control A and Control D characters.  To send the braces,  simply type Control A for open brace, and Control D for close brace.  The  Tilde is translated to a carat symbol (^).  The $7F Ascii character is  absorbed, since GEnie uses this in various places for no apparent reason.                                         Modules           BobTerm allows the loading of modules to allow for new features to  be added to the program without having to come out with special versions.  Two modules have been included with this versions: a XEP-80 driver, and a  SpartaDOS command processor interface.           When the term first loads, it looks on the default drive for  MODULE1.BTM.  If it finds this module, it will continue and look for  MODULE2.BTM, etc., up to MODULE9.BTM.  This is the only reliable way  modules should be loaded into BobTerm, although you may have limited  success with the LOAD A FILE option of the DOS functions.  It is not  necessary to have modules present, but if you do have any, they should be  consecutively named (module1, 2, etc.).           Place the modules you wish to use in the same directory/drive as  BOBTERM is located, and RENAME them to MODULEx.BTM, where x is a number  between 1 and 9.  There is no special number that needs to be assigned to a  given module, only that the modules be sequentially numbered, and start  with 1.           The following is a description of the two modules included with  BobTerm 1.21:    XEP80.BTM           This is a driver for the XEP-80 80 column box from Atari.  The  driver directs ONLY the term mode screen to both the XEP and the standard  term screen.  It takes up 256 bytes of buffer space, so you will see your  buffer size decrease when it initializes.  The driver does not display any  menus or the exit window.  The XEP is just too slow to keep re-drawing the  term mode screen and help screens, and does not have the capability of  scrolling in one window and not in another.  This is unfortunate.           In any event, you will need two monitors <or a switch for your  monitor> to see the term mode screen on the XEP, and the help/editing                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 18  screens on your computer's output.  The XEP driver will update both screen  simultaneously, without blanking the computer's screen.  Have your XEP-80  plugged into joystick port #2!           The driver makes a valiant attempt at supporting the VT-52  translation.  Other terminal types (such as VT-100, etc. may be partially  supported - experimentation is the best advice).  All VT-52 commands are  supported, but a couple of them take a bit of time for the XEP to perform,  and result in lost bytes if the data rate is high.  A few of the special  function VIDTEX/VT-52 commands will only affect the XEP's screen, and will  not affect the computer's screen.           The XEP can handle 2400 baud and perhaps 4800, but no higher.  The  VT-52 translation functions perfectly at 300 and 1200 baud, but two of the  special commands will cause lost characters at 2400 or higher.      CP.BTM           This module is for SpartaDOS users only.  It replaces the DOS  functions with a command processor interface, so that you have access to  DOS while online.  Since it replaces the old DOS functions, it takes up no  additional memory.  You can quit to DOS, do whatever is necessary, then  reload the term to do the same thing, but this is quicker, especially if  you are using floppy drives.           SpartaDOS 3.2 and SpartaDOS X are the only two versions supported.           When you type [K] to get to the DOS functions, you will see the  familiar Dx: prompt.  Operation is basically the same as if you were really  in the DOS's command processor, except that you may not move the cursor to  the previous line and edit it.  Pressing ESC at the command line prompt  will return you to BobTerm.           Most all functions should work here, including COPY, AINIT, CWD,  etc..  You may load XINIT, but do NOT select any DOSes to be written to the  disk.  BobTerm allows the use of memory from around $51FF down to LOMEM, so  as long as programs don't use anything higher than $51FF, everything is  safe.           It is best to LOAD COMMAND.COM prior to running BobTerm when using  SDX.  This eliminates certain memory conflicts with handlers, although you  can get away without loading COMMAND.COM if you are using a Black Box or  MIO.  Note that in order to keep the screen on in SDX, I had to modify part  of DOS in lower memory.  There is no reason SDX should have turned the  screen off, but after wasting over a solid week on the problem, I ended up  modifying two bytes in the DOS itself.  This should work find for version  4.20; if you have an earlier version, you're on your own - it may or may  not work.                                    Support Shareware           BobTerm has taken a fair chunk of my time, but has been very                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 19  rewarding.  It started out to be just a transfer utility for null-modeming  files between an 8 bit and ST, but it kept growing!           This updated version fixes all known bugs with the earlier versions,  as well as adds a few more features, view capture buffer and copy files  being the two most requested.  The  ZMODEM protocol is something I plan on  doing someday, as well as an editor that will allow the capture buffer to  be edited.           As it stands, BobTerm 1.21 is coded in very tight machine code.  Compare it to other term programs of even larger byte counts that contain  not even half of the features.  This will probably be the last version of  BobTerm for all 8-bits, due to memory constraints.  Any future major  modifications will probably be on a version that will only run on expanded  memory machines.  There is enough of a userbase of upgraded 800, XL, and XE  owners that I feel this will not be severely limiting the userbase.           I sincerely hope SpartaDOS X users appreciate the literal weeks  worth of time spent making the term work so well with this incompatible  DOS.  Making the CP interface work with the disk version 3.2 of Sparta took  time, but making it work with SDX took more than ten times the work.  SDX  in itself can be flaky, so if you experience random problems and glitches,  use another DOS.           There have been a few requests of vector tables in BobTerm, and of  writing modules for the term, yet no one has yet come forth with the source  code.  Due to the multi-tasking environment, writing code for the term can  be very tricky.  However, my offer still stands.  If anyone has a small  utility that they would like to add into the term, provide me with the ML  source code (it must be 100% machine language), and I will see what can be  done.  Providing complete technical documentation would require extensive  writing, something I unfortunately have no time for at the present.           I am releasing this program as "shareware," which means this:  BobTerm is my copyrighted property.  I grant you the license to use it and  pass it around to your friends, on two conditions: the complete package  (term, docs, and modules) are included UNALTERED!, and that the disk may  not be sold for more than four US dollars.  If you use the program  regularly, consider the time that went into writing such a program, and  send a donation ($15 suggested) to the address listed at the top.  If you  have any questions/comments, please feel free to drop me a note on my BBS,  CompuServe, or GEnie.  Paper mail usually gets a very slow reply.           Thank you!  Enjoy the term.    Bob Puff                                    Support BBSes for BobTerm              Computer World (716) 247-8355  (my BBS)                            BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 20          The Moose BBS  (716) 381-5139  The Breakfast Club BBS (916) 331-4722    Many thanks to all those who helped in getting all those nasty bugs out!  Special thanks to Marty & Gayle Albert and Glenn Garman for the  documentation & testing; the CompuServe 8 bit sysops Keith Joins, Don Lebow  and Bill Aycock for their many hours of testing, suggestions, and  downloading MANY versions of the term; Jeff "Alfred" Williams for the  dialer code, and Frank Walters for his many calls and helping to get things  totally bug-free.           I have also received many letters and messages from helpful people,  too numerous to list.  A big THANK YOU goes out to them!                                BobTerm 1.2 Docs  Page 21